大寶積經

24. CHAPTER ON THE CARAKA PARIVRAJAKA HETERODOX ASCETICS

At that time, eight thousand Caraka Parivrajaka heterodox ascetics saw that the asuras, up to and including the devas of the Pure Abodes, had made offerings and received predictions, and they heard the words of praise. A rare aspiration arose in them. Hearing this Dharma teaching, which they had never heard before, doubts arose in them, and they personally addressed the Buddha, saying: “Gautama!

We have heard a Dharma that we had never heard before. Having heard it, we no longer delight in being Caraka Parivrajaka heterodox ascetics, nor do we delight in the household life. Yet regarding this Dharma, we still entertain doubts and do not reverently believe it, because we had never heard it before.

We also have certain causes and conditions connecting us with the ascetic Gautama. Because Gautama displayed such miraculous transformations, we were able to see devas and spirits possessing subtle and wondrous bodies, and we saw a vast assembly submitting to Gautama. We therefore know that Gautama is exceedingly skilled in teaching the Dharma.

For this reason, we have a little faith in Gautama.

“Gautama also taught the devas of Abundant Fruit, saying: ‘All dharmas are the Tathagata.’ Concerning this teaching, we have grave doubts: how can all dharmas be called the Tathagata?

“We have developed this faith in Gautama: only Gautama can know precisely what is in our minds. We beseech Gautama to explain this Dharma statement to us, so that we may understand its meaning and escape the net of doubt.”

The Blessed One told them: “The Buddha will now question you in return. Answer as you see fit.”

The heterodox ascetics said: “Excellent, Gautama! If you have a question for us, please ask it.”

The Blessed One asked: “Do you know how an embryo enters its mother’s womb?”

“Gautama! The treatises of our schools state that when three kinds of causes and conditions unite, an embryo enters its mother’s womb. That is, the father and mother draw close, become defiled by desire, and think of sexual intercourse. Because they think of it, they engage in intercourse; thus an embryo enters and gestation begins.”

“Men, what do you think? When the parents conceive thoughts and become defiled by desire, does that desire arise from the mother’s mind?”

“Gautama! It does not.”

“Men, does it arise from the mother’s conceptual thought?”

“Gautama! It does not.”

“Men, does it arise from the father’s mind?”

“Gautama! It does not.”

“Men, does it arise from the father’s conceptual thought?”

“Gautama! It does not.”

“Men, does the father’s sensual desire enter the mother’s womb?”

“Gautama! It does not.”

“Men, does the father’s mind enter the mother’s womb?”

“Gautama! It does not.”

“Men, does the father’s discrimination enter the mother’s womb?”

“Gautama! It does not.”

“Men, does that embryo descend into the mother’s womb after dying in a deva body?”

“Gautama! We do not know.”

“Men, does that embryo enter the mother’s womb after dying in a hell body?”

“Gautama! We do not know.”

“Men, does that embryo enter the mother’s womb after dying as an animal?”

“Gautama! We do not know.”

“Men, does that embryo enter the mother’s womb after dying as a hungry ghost?”

“Gautama! We do not know.”

“Men, does that embryo enter the mother’s womb after dying in an asura body?”

“Gautama! We do not know.”

“Men, is that embryo something nonmaterial that enters the mother’s womb?”

“Gautama! We do not know.”

“Men, is that embryo material form entering the mother’s womb?”

“Gautama! We do not know.”

“Men, are feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness what enter the mother’s womb?”

“Gautama! We do not know.”

The Blessed One told the heterodox ascetics: “Men! This Dharma is extremely profound, quiescent, and subtle.

“It is difficult to fathom and difficult to reveal. It is not an object of conceptual deliberation, nor is it something you can know. The various heterodox schools hold differing views and differing convictions and delight in differing doctrines. They diligently cultivate what is not the true Dharma and resolutely incline toward divergent views.

“Men! If a good man or good woman encounters a good spiritual friend, clear vision can arise within the extremely profound Dharma.

“It is like a person whose eyes are diseased and darkened and who encounters a skilled physician who cures them. By virtue of those healed and bright eyes, that person can see in the present life forms never seen before.

“So it is, men! If good men or good women do not possess fully developed faculties and dispositions, but encounter a good spiritual friend, their wisdom-eye becomes purified. By means of the wisdom-eye, they can perceive the profound Dharma.

“Throughout the long night of time, you heterodox ascetics have been deceived by false doctrines and have consequently produced divergent views. You regard what is not Dharma as wholesome Dharma, what is not liberation as liberation, and what is not transcendent as transcendent.

“Those who have ruined themselves also cause you to be ruined. It is like a blind man telling another blind man, ‘I shall guide you.’ The wise know that those two blind men will surely fall onto a wrong path and suffer.

“So it is, men! Some ascetics or brahmins are not truly guides, yet call themselves guides; are not truly perfectly awakened, yet call themselves perfectly awakened; do not truly know the transcendent path, yet claim to know it; do not truly see the transcendent path, yet claim to see it; do not truly know the ford, yet claim to know it; and are not truly teachers, yet call themselves teachers. What they teach is a false doctrine, false awakening, false escape, and a false path. Though they do not know the ford, they claim to know it and lead others across; those whom they lead only become more distressed.

“Men! Suppose a cowherd who does not know the ford drives his herd into the water and brings them into deep water in midstream, where they suffer without anyone to rescue them. This happens because the cowherd does not know the shallow crossing.

“So it is with you heterodox ascetics: you are not guides, yet imagine yourselves to be guides, and those whom you seek to deliver are instead plunged into distress.

“Men! The Buddha is a true Guide, fully capable of guiding and transforming beings; all whom he transforms and delivers are rightly delivered. The Buddha is perfectly awakened and his words are never false; all whom the Buddha awakens attain right awakening.

The Buddha is able to lead beings out and his words are never false; all whom he teaches to escape rightly escape. The Buddha sees the path and shows people the right road. The Buddha knows the ford and his words are never false; all whom the Buddha ferries across are rightly delivered.

The Buddha knows the Dharma of instruction and can teach and transform people. The Buddha knows the Buddha-Dharma and can awaken people. The Buddha knows the Dharma of escape and enables people to escape.

Because the Buddha possesses right view, he can rightly instruct people. The Buddha knows the ford by which one crosses and therefore can ferry people over; all whom he conducts across reach the good path.

“You heterodox ascetics are people who delight in liberation. The Buddha, the Guide, now stands before you; you should come to him. The Buddha is rightly awakened, clearly understands the Dharma of emancipation, skillfully sees the path of emancipation, and therefore serves as the ford by which one crosses.

“Listen single-mindedly and carefully, and reflect well. Let delight and aspiration arise in you; let right mindfulness be present, let your minds flow toward the Dharma, and exert diligent effort: to realize what has not yet been realized, reach the Dharma not yet reached, advance along the path not previously practiced, arrive at the place not previously reached, subdue Mara where he has not yet been subdued, seek companions where they have not previously been sought, and attain the Dharma of skillful means not yet attained.

“Men! As the Buddha has said, three dharmas unite for conception to occur. I shall now explain them. You must listen single-mindedly and carefully to this Dharma teaching on conception.

“Men! What the Buddha calls the mother is the past action serving as the condition. What the Buddha calls the father is the past action serving as the cause. What the Buddha calls the gandharva is consciousness summoned by karma. What the Buddha calls the kalala is that which karma establishes. What the Buddha calls the mother’s womb is the place in which karma establishes consciousness. Once consciousness abides in the womb, the life faculty gradually grows and expands.

“Men! It is like dense forest vegetation that depends upon the great earth and thereby gradually grows and expands. In the same way, after that consciousness enters the mother’s womb, it grows and expands. Within the womb the infant develops and is then born. After birth it gradually grows and reaches maturity. The dispositions practiced in a former life come from the place where the person previously died, and former habits of conduct arise again here in the present. Only wisdom can know this; the foolish cannot understand it. One must associate and dwell with that person and continually observe him before knowing his disposition.

“Listen carefully! If a person dies in hell and is then born among human beings, there will be signs by which the wise may recognize him: his voice is a hoarse braying like that of a mule; his speech is hurried; his voice is fearful, now loud and now soft; his heart is constantly afraid; he continually trembles, with gooseflesh and hair standing on end. In dreams he often sees great fires blazing, or sees himself running upon mountains, or sees masses of fire, cauldrons, or pans of boiling water; or sees a person running while holding a club; or sees his body pierced by spears; or sees female rakshasas, packs of vicious dogs, or seven savage elephants chasing him; or sees himself running in the four directions with nowhere to take refuge. He has little faith and no close friends.

“Men! There are immeasurable such signs and circumstances. The Buddha has now spoken only briefly of them. This is called dying in hell and then being born among human beings. The foolish cannot fathom it; only the wise can know it.

“Men! If a person dies as an animal and is then born among human beings, there will be these signs by which the wise may recognize him: he is dull, has little wisdom, is lazy, and eats excessively. He likes to eat mud and earth.

His disposition is timid and his speech is inarticulate. He likes befriending fools, delights in dark places, and is fond of muddy water. He likes chewing grass and plants, digging earth and sand with his toes, and tossing his head to drive away flies and gnats.

He often raises his head, yawns, and chews at nothing. He habitually enjoys lying on the ground with his legs arranged however he pleases, without avoiding filth. He likes sniffing the air, going naked, and deceiving others.

He says one thing and does another and likes exaggerating and understating matters. He often dreams of smearing mud over his body, being in fields eating grass, being coiled around by a snake, or entering a cave in a densely wooded mountain. There are immeasurable such signs and circumstances.

The Buddha has now spoken only briefly of them. This is called dying as an animal and then being born among human beings. Only the wise can know it; the foolish cannot fathom it.

“Men! If a person dies as a hungry ghost and is then born among human beings, there will be the following signs by which the wise may recognize him: his hair is yellow, and in anger he glares at others. He habitually endures hunger and thirst and is greedy, miserly, and jealous.

He voraciously craves food and drink and likes speaking secretly about others. His body is very hairy and his eyes are bright red. He continually thinks about various foods, loves hoarding, and does not wish to share.

He dislikes seeing good and virtuous people. On seeing valuables, thoughts of stealing immediately arise in him; even if he obtains only a little, he at once rejoices. He constantly seeks wealth and profit and likes eating filthy things.

On seeing that others possess wealth, he immediately becomes jealous. He further imagines that the possessions of others belong to him and becomes miserly when he sees them being used. When he hears delicious food mentioned, his heart is displeased.

Even when he sees fallen fruit or scattered grain and beans in a village or along a road, a greedy desire to gather them immediately arises. There are immeasurable such signs and circumstances. The Buddha has now spoken only briefly of them.

This is called dying as a hungry ghost and then being born among human beings. The foolish cannot fathom it; only the wise can know it.

“Men! If a person dies as an asura and is then born among human beings, there will be the following signs by which the wise may recognize him:

“He is haughty and arrogant, delights in anger and conflict, and never forgets a grievance. He gives rise to extreme conceit. His body is large and strong, the whites of his eyes resemble those of a dog, and his long teeth protrude.

He is brave, powerful, and skilled in battle. He also delights in divisive speech that ruins others. His heart is haughty, and he despises the treatises of others.

Even when others possess knowledge, he skillfully employs obscure and abstruse arguments against them. He possesses both intellectual power and the power of afflictions and likes nourishing his own body. There are immeasurable such signs and circumstances.

The Buddha has now spoken only briefly of them. This is called dying as an asura and then being born among human beings. The foolish cannot fathom it; only the wise can know it.

“Men! If a person dies as a human being and is again born among human beings, there will be the following signs by which the wise may recognize him: that person is gentle and upright, delights in drawing near good people, and reproves evildoers. He cherishes the reputation of his family, is sincere and loyal, and keeps secrets.

He delights in fame and praise and loves skilled crafts. He reveres wisdom and possesses a sense of shame and moral dread. His mental disposition is gentle and pliant.

He remembers the kindness of and supports good friends. His heart is compliant and not contrary. He delights in generosity and knows the strengths and weaknesses of others.

He is skilled in observing whether people are beneficial or unbeneficial. He is eloquent in reply and readily comprehends the meaning of words. He is skilled at reconciling and also at separating.

He is an able messenger and faithfully communicates words. He readily understands and remembers many forms of speech without forgetting them. He also knows what is possible and what is impossible.

There are immeasurable such signs. The Buddha has now spoken only briefly of them. This is called dying as a human being and again being born among human beings.

The foolish cannot fathom it; only the wise can know it.

“Men! If a person dies in a deva body and is then born among human beings, there will be the following signs by which the wise may recognize him: that person is handsome and upright and delights in purity. He often wears flower garlands and perfumes and anoints his body with fragrances.

He likes bathing. When enjoying the five sensual pleasures, he selects what is beautiful and fine and dislikes what is ugly. He delights in music, song, and dance.

He associates exclusively with superior people and does not befriend inferior people. He likes pavilions, tall houses, and spacious rooms. His heart is loving and harmonious; he smiles and does not become angry.

His speech is gentle and beautiful and can bring delight and joy to those who hear it. He likes jeweled necklaces, clothing, and ornaments. He often enjoys going out and returning, walks in an unhurried and leisurely manner, and works diligently without laziness.

There are immeasurable such signs. The Buddha has now spoken only briefly of them. This is called dying in a deva body and then being born among human beings.

The foolish cannot fathom it; only the wise can know it.

“Men! If good men or good women wish to transcend these signs, they must draw near good spiritual friends, follow their counsel, and practice what they practice. Those good spiritual friends will teach them the Dharma so that they may attain deliverance.

“Men! Before the person who died in hell was born there, when he lived in a human body, he committed evil deeds. Because of his anger, he killed and harmed beings. That karma of killing led him to fall into hell and undergo many kinds of suffering. Afterward, although he was born among human beings, the habitual tendencies remained.

“After recognizing such signs, that person must know for himself, ‘I have come from hell and been born among human beings.’ To abandon the causes and conditions of hell, he must seek a good spiritual friend. Having encountered one, he must reverently explain his circumstances. To remove his karma of anger and harm, the good spiritual friend teaches him loving-kindness and compassion and the aids to the path that accord with loving-kindness and compassion.

Through practicing these dharmas, that person eliminates the residual habitual tendencies that are causes and conditions for hell. The good spiritual friend may teach him the sila-paramita in conjunction with loving-kindness and compassion to eliminate his evil of anger and harm. When that person cultivates loving-kindness and compassion, the six paramitas become complete and his merit increases.

“Men! Before the person who died as an animal and was born among human beings lived as an animal, when he possessed a human body he practiced and habituated himself to the dharma of delusion. Through habituation to delusion, he performed evil karma; because of that evil karma, he was born among animals.

Having long lived together with animals and followed animal behavior and customs, he now possesses a human body but still bears signs arising from animal habits. On seeing his own conduct and thoughts, that person must know for himself, ‘I died as an animal and have now been born among human beings.’ To abandon the causes and conditions of animal existence, he must seek a good spiritual friend. To eliminate his habitual delusion, the good spiritual friend teaches him the twelve links of dependent origination.

Through this Dharma of causes and conditions, his delusion is eliminated. The good spiritual friend may also teach him the prajnaparamita, by which the intrinsic nature of delusion naturally departs and ceases, and wisdom then arises.

“Men! Before the person who died as a hungry ghost and was born among human beings lived as a hungry ghost, when he possessed a human body he practiced and accumulated the dharma of avarice and greed. Through the karmic power of avarice and greed, he was born among hungry ghosts, lived together with them, and acted according to the customs of hungry ghosts.

On observing his own conduct, that person must know for himself, ‘I was formerly a hungry ghost; after dying, I have now been born among human beings.’ To abandon the conduct and karma of hungry ghosts, he must seek a good spiritual friend. To eliminate that person’s karma of avarice and greed, the good spiritual friend teaches him the Dharma of generosity. Through generosity, the karma of avarice and greed is removed.

The good spiritual friend may teach him the factors conducive to bodhi that accord with generosity, or teach him the dana-paramita. By cultivating the dana-paramita, that person completes the six paramitas. The good spiritual friend may also teach him that all dharmas are equal.

By cultivating the Dharma of equality, that person perfects the prajnaparamita. By cultivating the prajnaparamita, he flows and inclines toward omniscience.

“Men! Before the person who died as an asura and was born among human beings lived as an asura, when he possessed a human body he cultivated many roots of goodness but was arrogant. Because of arrogance, he created various kinds of karma.

Through the accumulated force of arrogant karma, he was born among the asuras, lived together with them, and performed asura deeds. After dying as an asura, he was born among human beings, but the habitual tendencies of asura karma remained. On hearing this Dharma and observing his own conduct, that person must know for himself, ‘I died as an asura and was then born among human beings.’ To abandon asura conduct and karma, he must seek a good spiritual friend.

To remove his arrogant karma, the good spiritual friend teaches him the holy abodes; through this Dharma teaching, his arrogant karma is removed. Or the good spiritual friend teaches him the Dharma gateway of emptiness, thereby eliminating the arrogant karma of belief in a self and enabling him to attain the wisdom of non-self. Or he teaches him that dharmas exist through the convergence of causes and conditions and that activity occurs through such convergence.

If there is no convergence, no activity occurs. By contemplating in this way, arrogance and karma are both eliminated. Or he teaches him the single characteristic of all dharmas.

By cultivating accordingly, that person perfects the prajnaparamita, quickly realizes omniscience, and never retrogresses.

“Men! Before the person who died as a human being and was again born among human beings lived in his former human body, he practiced and accumulated the ten wholesome courses of karma. Through the karmic power of continually cultivating and accumulating those wholesome courses of karma, he was again born among human beings.

On hearing this Dharma, that person must know for himself, ‘I formerly died in a human body and have again been born among human beings.’ To transcend the habitual tendencies of human karma, he must seek a good spiritual friend. To eliminate those habitual tendencies, the good spiritual friend teaches him the perception of impermanence. Or he teaches him that birth is fraught with faults and suffering, while nirvana is supremely blissful.

Having heard this Dharma, that person becomes disenchanted with the faults and sufferings of samsara and delights in the bliss of nirvana. Or the good spiritual friend teaches him the six paramitas, through which he may generate the mind of unsurpassed bodhi. Or he teaches him skillful means, through which he can steadfastly maintain the six paramitas, quickly realize omniscience, and never retrogress.

“Men! Before the person who died in a deva body and was then born among human beings lived as a deva, when he possessed a human body he practiced celibate conduct, generosity, and moral discipline, always seeking future rewards. After cultivating and accumulating such wholesome karma for a long time until it was fulfilled, he was born in a deva body through that karmic power.

He lived together with devas and became accustomed to their ways. After dying in a deva body, the habitual tendencies of deva conduct remained. Having obtained a human body, heard this Dharma, and observed his own conduct, he must know for himself, ‘I certainly died in a deva body and have now been born among human beings.’ To transcend the habitual tendencies of devas, that person must seek a good spiritual friend.

The good spiritual friend teaches him to cultivate celibate conduct without seeking future rewards, explains the faults of seeking merit as a reward, and makes clear that pure cultivation of celibate conduct without attachment produces immeasurable merit. He teaches him to practice generosity without seeking rewards, explains the faults of seeking recompense, and makes clear that generosity without attachment produces immeasurable merit.

He teaches him to observe moral discipline without seeking future rewards, explains the faults of seeking recompense, and makes clear that moral discipline without attachment produces immeasurable merit. Or he teaches him skillful means, through which that person practices the six paramitas, perfects the six paramitas, quickly realizes omniscience, and never retrogresses.

“Men! The person who dies in hell and is then born among human beings must rely upon a good spiritual friend in order to hear the Dharma of the equality of the Buddhas of the three times. After hearing the Dharma of equality, he must exert diligent effort, live with the great assembly in cities, towns, and villages where all four assemblies are present, and discuss the Buddha-Dharma together through study, questions, and answers. The equality of the three times then becomes manifest before him, and he understands that all dharmas lack intrinsic nature. By cultivating this understanding and wisdom, his afflictions are gradually eliminated.

“Men! The person who dies as an animal and is then born among human beings must rely upon a good spiritual friend and draw near the learned. By drawing near the learned, his delusion is gradually eliminated. Although that person draws near the learned and studies sutras and treatises, he contemplates that perceptions have no true existence. Having contemplated that perceptions have no true existence, he naturally understands and realizes that dharmas lack intrinsic nature. Consequently, the equality of the three times naturally becomes present before him, and he quickly realizes omniscience without retrogression.

“Men! The person who dies as a hungry ghost and is then born among human beings must rely upon a good spiritual friend, practice generosity to remove avarice and greed, and perform meritorious deeds. Because he practices giving and relinquishment, his mind does not accumulate or hoard. Consequently, the equality of the three times naturally becomes present before him, and he attains the single characteristic, namely, signlessness. By cultivating the wisdom that understands this signlessness, that person quickly realizes omniscience and never retrogresses.

“Men! The person who dies as an asura and is then born among human beings must rely upon a good spiritual friend to battle the Mara of afflictions, namely, arrogance. At that time, he should contemplate: ‘What is arrogance?

Who is arrogant? Who is treated with contempt? Who, because of this arrogance, gives rise to the bases of affliction?

Who abandons that arrogance?’ Searching in this way, he finds no arrogance that can be apprehended, nor does he see anyone who appropriates that arrogance. Because that person contemplates the meaning in this way, no arrogance can be apprehended; there is no arrogant person; no object corresponding to arrogance can be apprehended; nor does he see anyone who abandons arrogance. Contemplating in this way, not a single dharma can be apprehended.

That person further contemplates: ‘Through evil appropriation, one deceives oneself and also deceives others.’ While contemplating in this manner, he can see that dharmas lack intrinsic nature. Because he sees that all dharmas lack intrinsic nature, he sees that dharmas do not truly exist. Because they do not truly exist, he knows that they are unestablished.

Because he knows they are unestablished, he knows they are unborn. Because he knows they are unborn, he knows they do not cease. Since they neither arise nor cease, they are ineffable.

If he understands the ineffable, he knows that it is neither past, present, nor future; the three times are unobtainable. Since the three times cannot be apprehended in any dharma, one should know that there has never been any gain or loss. This is the equality of all dharmas.

Because all dharmas are equal, one knows that all dharmas are true suchness, unchanging and undifferentiated. The Tathagata is also true suchness, unchanging and undifferentiated, because all dharmas are precisely true suchness.

“Thus, by contemplating arrogance, it can be known that a person died in a former human body and was again born among human beings because the force of the habitual tendency of arrogance remains in him. Even in one who dies in hell and is then born among human beings, the presence of the habitual tendency of arrogance allows this sign to be known. If there were no habitual tendency of arrogance, it could not be said that the person had come from a human body or even from hell.

“Men! This is called the wisdom that is free from arrogance. Such signs can be known only through perfect skillful means. Moreover, only through the sustaining power of the prajnaparamita can that person know them.”

At that time, upon hearing the Buddha teach this Dharma, the eight thousand heterodox ascetics immediately attained the patient acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas. Having attained the patient acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas, they rose and bowed at the Buddha’s feet. After bowing at the Buddha’s feet, they stood to one side and, with one voice, spoke verses praising the Buddha:

“The Guide has established the power of wisdom,
Knowing every path and destiny, not through another.
He knows how beings journey through all destinies,
As clearly as fruit held within his palm.

They also say the body itself is the spirit-self,
Or say that apart from the body a spirit-self exists.
Bound by deluded thought and discrimination,
Like birds caught in nets, their hearts suffer.

The Blessed One has compassion for them,
Cultivating paths and practices and knowing every destiny.
The Blessed One has taught the Dharma of escape from prison,
As a king, upon a son’s birth, proclaims a great amnesty.

Out of compassion for the world, through countless kalpas,
He practiced austerities and attained bodhi.
Clinging to views destroys the foolish;
The Buddha teaches them so they may gain liberation.

Therefore, the Blessed One possesses mighty power,
Is endowed with fearlessness, and has no adversary.
Amid the assembly he roars like a lion;
We too aspire to attain that Dharma.

The Blessed One knew that the heterodox ascetics had acquired profound faith. He therefore manifested a smile and emitted light.

The Venerable Asvajit addressed the Buddha in verse:

“The Buddha, compassionate toward the world, now smiles
Because he has seen those heterodox assemblies.
We beseech the Tathagata to explain the cause of his smile:
What meaning lies within the Buddha’s smile?

The One who perfectly understands causes does not without cause
Manifest a smile and emit radiant light.
Excellent is the One who smiles and reveals this radiance;
The assembly gazes upward, hoping the Buddha will speak.

Everyone gathered in this assembly harbors doubt,
For they have seen the Buddha’s smiling light.
All gaze as though beholding the full moon,
Watching the Buddha and awaiting the reason for his smile.

The assembly, upon hearing it, will surely rejoice;
Surely the heterodox ascetics have received a prediction.
We beseech the Guide compassionately to explain
In which vehicle they will attain the path.

The Blessed One replied to the bhiksu Asvajit in verse:

“Excellent, Asvajit, you know the proper time
And can question the Tathagata, Subduer of Mara’s enmity.
Out of compassion for the world, you have spoken these words
And aptly questioned the Guide, the Unsurpassed One.

The Buddha shall explain why he manifested a smile;
You must listen single-mindedly to its cause.
You should rejoice as you hear the Buddha speak;
I shall now explain why the Buddha smiled.

The eight thousand heterodox ascetics have all been tamed;
Abandoning evil views, they abide in wholesome views.
Seeing the world tormented by clinging to views,
They arouse compassion and seek bodhi.

All their attachments to views have been abandoned,
For they have come to know right view.
Having heard from the Buddha an unobstructed prediction,
They all delight in seeking omniscience.

They have already received predictions from past Buddhas
And made offerings to the Greatly Compassionate, Honored Among Bipeds.
After fulfilling their practice before two hundred million Buddhas,
They will ascend to unsurpassed bodhi.

Their giving before the Buddhas will never be deficient;
They will observe pure precepts and cultivate meditative concentration,
Purely cultivate wisdom and arouse diligence,
And practice patience toward every class of beings.

They will constantly cultivate the six paramitas,
Discern wisdom, and seek bodhi.
Asvajit has questioned the One who subdues Mara
About those who have resolved to seek the Buddha’s bodhi.

Because they truly understand the Buddha’s teaching,
They accord with the Buddha-Dharma and give rise to profound faith.
Before many hundreds of millions of future Buddhas,
They will diligently make offerings and seek bodhi.

In the future, during the Kalpa of Constellations,
They will all become Buddhas bearing the same name:
Universally Renowned Buddha, of great repute;
Those Buddhas, possessing great wisdom, will deliver the world.

Their Buddha lands will be exceedingly pure,
Adorned in many ways beyond compare.
The beings in those realms will hold no evil views
But will solely seek bodhi and the fruits of noble ones.

The beings of those realms will know no evil destinies,
Nor will any calamity exist at that time.
All those Buddhas will possess long lives,
Each abiding in the world for eighty thousand years.

Thus the Blessed One, the Subduer of Mara,
Has bestowed predictions upon the heterodox ascetics.
All devas and humans who heard these predictions
Rejoiced and gave rise to reverent faith.”