大寶積經

4. CHAPTER ON PAST EVENTS

At that time, the Venerable Mahakasyapa, having seen the asura kings make offerings to the Buddha, gave rise to a rare and wondrous thought. He reflected: “What roots of goodness did the Blessed One cultivate while practicing the bodhisattva conduct, that he now receives such recompense?” He immediately entered the samadhi of suchness. Because the power of samadhi adorned his mind, he recollected and knew all the merit cultivated by the Tathagata among those various classes of beings and during those lives throughout innumerable asamkhyeya kalpas in the past. All the roots of goodness he cultivated were dedicated to the fulfillment of unsurpassed bodhi. Through those roots of goodness he attained the stage of non-retrogression, and Mahakasyapa recollected and knew them all.

When Mahakasyapa recalled the Tathagata’s vast roots of goodness, he thought: “The Buddha cultivated roots of goodness of such immensity that the merit from each single resolve formed by the Tathagata could not be repaid even if all beings throughout Buddha lands in the ten directions as numerous as the sands of the Ganges obtained human bodies and, for as many kalpas as the sands of the Ganges, made offerings to the Buddhas as the asura kings have done. Even after every one of those beings had made offerings to the Buddhas for as many kalpas as the sands of the Ganges, they still could not repay the roots of goodness from even one resolve of the Tathagata.”

The Venerable Mahakasyapa emerged from samadhi and praised him, saying:

“Each time the Tathagata, the Muni,
Formed the vast resolve directed toward bodhi,
The offerings to the Buddha made by the asuras
Could not equal even one kala thereof.
The Blessed One, Worthy of Offerings, Teacher of gods and humans,
Is like a mass of sandalwood as great as the king of mountains;
Foremost recipient of offerings from gods and humans,
He has reached the other shore through merit.
The Teacher of gods and humans, worthy of offerings,
Has received more offerings than the sands of the Ganges.
Suppose the great ocean were filled with clear water,
Blended with fragrant water and offered to him;
Perfect in merit, he is worthy of offerings
More numerous than all the sands of the Ganges.
Suppose masses of flowers were heaped up and offered,
Towering like Mount Cakravada;
The spontaneously arisen Great Being is worthy of offerings.
Suppose a lamp shone as brightly as Mount Sumeru,
With the great ocean serving as its vessel of oil,
And that lamp were offered to all the Blessed Ones;
The One of awesome majesty is worthy of such offerings.
Suppose stupas and shrines more numerous
Than the sands of the Ganges were built and offered;
Having reached the other shore through merit,
The Guide of gods and humans is worthy of offerings.
Suppose great, beautiful, wondrous jeweled parasols were offered,
Each covering an entire great trichiliocosm,
Continuously throughout nayutas of kalpas;
The Blessed One, compassionate toward the world,
Boundless in merit, is worthy of offerings.
Suppose jeweled garlands were offered,
Filling all worlds throughout the ten directions,
For inconceivable kotis of kalpas;
Suppose immense banners were offered,
Filling worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges,
Throughout immeasurable kotis of kalpas,
As offerings to the Tathagata, Teacher of gods and humans.
I shall set forth a distinction and make an analogy.
O great assembly, children of the Great Expositor,
Listen well, listen well, gods and humans!
Suppose I and all those in this assembly,
Numerous as the sands of the Ganges,
Together with all the assemblies in the ten directions,
Were all to become Buddhas,
Great Guides complete in the ten powers.
Suppose those Buddhas were as numerous as the sands of the Ganges,
And each possessed heads as numerous as the sands of the Ganges;
Upon each head, likewise as numerous as the sands of the Ganges,
Were mouths as numerous as the sands of the Ganges;
And in every one of those immeasurable mouths
Were immeasurable and innumerable tongues,
All using those tongues to praise the Tathagata:
Those Tathagatas could never finish describing
His merit, nor reach its further shore;
Even omniscience could not measure it,
For through merit he has reached the other shore.”

The Blessed One told the bhiksus: “Excellent, excellent! Bhiksus, my sravakas are upright in heart, endowed with wisdom and Dharma, and like Brahma they have only now entered the ocean of the Buddha’s merit. Why is this? The Tathagata is complete in immeasurable merit and in inconceivable merit. The mass of the Tathagata’s merit is inconceivable.

“Bhiksus, if the mass of the Tathagata’s merit possessed visible form, the worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges could not contain the merit of each single resolve he formed. Why is this?

“Bhiksus, the merit of each resolve formed by the Tathagata takes omniscience as its object. Even Buddhas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, speaking for kalpas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, could neither conceive it in their minds nor fully express it. Why?

When the Tathagata cultivated the bodhisattva conduct in former times, there was no resolve he formed that was not for the benefit of all beings; no resolve he formed that did not embrace all beings or was not for the sake of all beings. The realm of beings has no boundary, and the beings within it are likewise without boundary. The merit of each resolve formed by the Tathagata is also without boundary.

Why? Just as the realm of beings is boundless and immeasurable, so too the mass of merit from each resolve formed by the Tathagata is inexhaustible, for each resolve was formed out of compassion and for the benefit, welfare, and happiness of all beings. Even if all beings made offerings, they could not repay the merit of a single resolve formed by the Tathagata.

Why? Those beings make offerings to the Tathagata in the hope of receiving the mixed sustenance of worldly recompense. When a bodhisattva forms the resolve, he abandons the mind that seeks the mixed sustenance of worldly recompense.

For the benefit, welfare, and happiness of beings, he wishes to turn them away from samsara and direct them toward nirvana.

“When the Tathagata formerly cultivated the bodhisattva conduct for the benefit, welfare, and happiness of beings, he abandoned mixed sustenance and did not seek worldly recompense.”

The Buddha told the bhiksus: “In the past, after immeasurable and boundless transmigrations through birth and death, during an ineffable kalpa in an inconceivably distant, beginningless age, a Buddha named King Indra-Banner appeared in the world, complete in the ten epithets.

“Bhiksus, when King Indra-Banner Tathagata attained Buddhahood, worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges formed a single land, adorned and purified, without evil destinies or the eight difficulties. All the beings there dwelt within the group established in certainty. There were absolutely no beings established in wrong certainty or possessed of overweening pride. None had impure bodily karma, impure verbal karma, or impure mental karma. Nor were there afflictions leading to evil destinies or karma leading to evil destinies.

“Why? King Indra-Banner Tathagata taught and transformed those beings, causing them to form the resolve to end all evil, and instructed them in wholesome Dharma for their cultivation and training.

“In the land of King Indra-Banner Tathagata there were five kinds of happiness: first, the happiness of sensual pleasure; second, the happiness of renunciation; third, the happiness of dhyana; fourth, the happiness of samadhi; and fifth, the happiness of unsurpassed bodhi.

“Although the beings of that land experienced pleasure, they were not attached to it. They were like bees that take nectar from flowers but do not take their colors, or like birds flying through the sky without adhering to space. In the same way, although those beings experienced pleasure, they were not attached to it.

They had no sorrow or suffering, but only joy and happiness. Nor did they experience a feeling that was neither painful nor pleasant, for they were free of delusion; they experienced only agreeable and satisfying happiness. Why?

Those beings had cultivated roots of goodness in the past. While that Buddha practiced the bodhisattva conduct, he manifested the major and minor marks, causing those beings to refrain from evil and establishing them in the cultivation of wholesome Dharma. Gradually they departed from evil destinies and dwelt in places of goodness and happiness.

They engaged in no kind of unwholesome karma. When their wholesome karma produced the recompense of peace and happiness, they did not crave or cling to it, and they never experienced painful feelings. Because they did not create evil karma, they did not undergo painful recompense.

Because they were free of delusion, they likewise did not experience feelings that were neither painful nor pleasant.

“At all times in that land there were no fierce winds, violent rains, or poisonous heat. The beings of that realm suffered no hardship from changes in the seasons.

“When King Indra-Banner Tathagata cultivated the bodhisattva conduct, all his bodily actions were led by wisdom, followed wisdom’s course, and expounded, revealed, correctly disclosed, and clearly manifested it. All his verbal actions were led by wisdom, followed wisdom’s course, and expounded, revealed, correctly disclosed, and clearly manifested it. All his mental actions were led by wisdom, followed wisdom’s course, and expounded, revealed, correctly disclosed, and clearly manifested it.

After hearing the Dharma from the bodhisattva, all beings in that land directed and dedicated all three kinds of karma—bodily, verbal, and mental—so that they were led by wisdom and followed wisdom’s course. Through wholesome karma, the recompense of delusion did not arise. Because they were free from delusion, those beings experienced neither painful feelings nor feelings that were neither painful nor pleasant.

“When those beings were born in that land and had been taught and transformed by King Indra-Banner Tathagata, they revered the Dharma. While walking, they reflected upon the Dharma, delighted in the Dharma, and were devoted to the Dharma. Because they delighted in and were devoted to the Dharma while walking, they had no painful feelings.

Whether walking, standing, sitting, lying down, sleeping, or awake, they experienced not the slightest suffering in their deportment. The beings in that land had no evil to follow. Because there was no evil, there was no suffering of birth; nor did they cling to goodness.

For this reason, those beings accorded well with emptiness and had no suffering of transformation. Because they gave rise to no craving or attachment toward any dharma, they had no suffering of decay.

“That land also had no suffering of encountering those one hates. Why? Those beings maintained a mind of present and established equality toward all beings, and thus had no enemies or hated ones. Nor was there the suffering of separation from those one loves. Why? Those beings were not attached to any dharma. The suffering of separation from what one loves arises from craving. Because those beings had no defiled craving, they had no suffering of separation from what one loves. Nor did they have the suffering of suffering. Why? Because they did not cling to pleasant feelings. There was only the suffering of conditioned existence, namely, the suffering of impermanence. Why? That Buddha taught only the truth of ultimate meaning.

“That Buddha’s lifespan was as many kalpas as the sands of the Ganges. In that Buddha land, not a single being who had disputed with the Buddha was born there. Why? Because when he was a bodhisattva, he had already completely matured those beings.”

The Buddha said to the bhiksus: “Bhiksus, what do you think? Could inferior roots of goodness, few roots of goodness, roots of goodness not well cultivated, roots of goodness that are not in accord, roots of goodness lacking great vigor, roots of goodness not leading to a good destiny, not consisting of wholesome Dharma, and not well dedicated benefit those beings, bestow happiness upon them, and remove their suffering? Could such roots adorn and purify so vast a land? Could they mature so many beings?”

The bhiksus replied: “They could not.”

The Buddha again told the bhiksus: “What do you think? Could an inferior mind, a timid and weak mind, a mind associated with unwholesomeness, a mind lacking vigor, a mind whose roots of goodness are not well cultivated, a mind not leading to a good destiny, a mind not grounded in wholesome Dharma, and a mind not well dedicated benefit and bring happiness to those beings, bestow happiness upon them and rescue them from suffering, adorn and purify so vast a Buddha land, and mature so many beings?”

The bhiksus replied: “It could not.”

The Buddha again told the bhiksus: “What do you think? Could inferior faith, little faith, deficient faith, timid and weak faith, faith associated with unwholesomeness, faith lacking vigor, faith whose roots of goodness are not well cultivated, faith not leading to a good destiny, faith not grounded in wholesome Dharma, and faith not well dedicated benefit those beings, bestow happiness upon them and rescue them from suffering, adorn and purify so vast a Buddha land, and mature so many beings?”

The bhiksus said to the Buddha: “It could not.”

The Buddha again told the bhiksus: “What do you think? Could inferior morality, little morality, deficient morality, morality lacking vigor, morality whose roots of goodness are not well cultivated, morality not leading to a good destiny, morality not grounded in wholesome Dharma, and morality not well dedicated benefit those beings, bestow happiness upon them and rescue them from suffering, adorn and purify so vast a Buddha land, and mature so many beings?”

The bhiksus replied: “It could not.”

The Buddha again told the bhiksus: “What do you think? Could inferior vigor, little vigor, deficient vigor, timid and weak vigor, vigor that is not in accord, vigor that is not true vigor, vigor whose roots of goodness are not well cultivated, vigor not leading to a good destiny, not grounded in wholesome Dharma, and not well dedicated benefit those beings, bestow happiness upon them and rescue them from suffering, adorn and purify so vast a Buddha land, and mature so many beings?”

The bhiksus replied: “It could not.”

The Buddha again told the bhiksus: “What do you think? Could inferior mindfulness, little mindfulness, deficient mindfulness, timid and weak mindfulness, mindfulness not corresponding to roots of goodness, mindfulness lacking vigor, mindfulness whose roots of goodness are not well cultivated, mindfulness not leading to a good destiny, not arising from wholesome Dharma, and not well dedicated benefit those beings, bestow happiness upon them and rescue them from suffering, adorn and purify so vast a Buddha land, and mature so many beings?”

The bhiksus replied: “It could not.”

The Buddha again told the bhiksus: “What do you think? Could inferior concentration, little concentration, deficient concentration, timid and weak concentration, concentration not corresponding to roots of goodness, concentration lacking vigor, concentration whose roots of goodness are not well cultivated, concentration not leading to a good destiny, not arising from wholesome Dharma, and not well dedicated benefit those beings, bestow happiness upon them and rescue them from suffering, adorn and purify that vast land, and mature so many beings?”

The bhiksus replied: “It could not.”

The Buddha again told the bhiksus: “What do you think? Could inferior wisdom, little wisdom, deficient wisdom, timid and weak wisdom, wisdom not corresponding to roots of goodness, wisdom lacking vigor, wisdom whose roots of goodness are not well cultivated, wisdom not leading to a good destiny, not grounded in wholesome Dharma, and not well dedicated benefit those beings, bestow happiness upon them and rescue them from suffering, adorn and purify that vast Buddha land, and mature so many beings?”

The bhiksus replied: “It could not.”

The Buddha told the bhiksus: “So it is. Bhiksus, truly it is not through few roots of goodness, little morality, little faith, little vigor, little mindfulness, little concentration, or little wisdom that one can benefit beings, bestow happiness upon them and rescue them from suffering, adorn and purify a vast Buddha land, and mature so many beings.

“Bhiksus, what do you think? Do you know who that Buddha King Indra-Banner of the distant past was?”

After the Buddha asked this, the bhiksus all remained silent and gave no answer.

At that time, beyond worlds in the east as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, there was a world called Adorned with Moonlight, where a Buddha named King of Lofty Awesome Virtue Tathagata was presently dwelling. Bodhisattva Manjusri, who was in that assembly, knew the thought in the mind of Sakyamuni Buddha. He immediately said to King of Lofty Awesome Virtue Tathagata: “Blessed One, Sakyamuni Buddha is now teaching the Dharma in the Saha world. I shall go there to bow to him, make offerings, show reverence, and hear the Dharma.”

King of Lofty Awesome Virtue Tathagata said to Bodhisattva Manjusri: “Go as you wish. Now is the proper time.”

Bodhisattva Manjusri bowed his head and face at the feet of King of Lofty Awesome Virtue Tathagata and circumambulated the Buddha three times. Then, in the time it takes a strong man to bend and extend his arm, he disappeared from the world Adorned with Moonlight and appeared before Sakyamuni Tathagata. He bowed at the Buddha’s feet, sat to one side, and said: “Blessed One, that former King Indra-Banner Tathagata was none other than the Blessed One himself.

Why? The Blessed One possesses inconceivable skillful means. He can mature beings and adorn and purify Buddha lands without ever growing weary or feeling aversion.

The Blessed One establishes beings in the bodhisattva vehicle without weariness or aversion. If one who speaks truthfully were rightly to say, ‘He is the most excellent among the excellent, the most wondrous among the wondrous, the foremost among the foremost, and the supreme among the supreme,’ and were to say that the Buddha is such, one should know that this refers truly and without difference to Sakyamuni.”

Bodhisattva Manjusri then spoke these verses:

5. CHAPTER ON THE PREDICTION OF THE GARUDA KINGS

At that time, there were also eight hundred sixty million garuda kings. Having seen the asuras make offerings to the Buddha and receive predictions, they developed immeasurable faith in the Tathagata and rejoiced with great delight. In order to make offerings, the garuda kings conjured eight hundred sixty million palaces, each adorned entirely with the seven celestial treasures, exceedingly rare and wondrous. Each palace had seven tiers of balustrades made from four treasures, marvelously and exquisitely fashioned from intermingled gold, silver, vaidurya, and crystal.

Around all four sides of those palaces hung bells made from the seven treasures—gold, silver, vaidurya, crystal, mother-of-pearl, agate, and pearl—each treasure exceptionally exquisite and wondrous. There were also nets of the seven treasures, banners of the seven treasures, streamers of the seven treasures, and eight hundred sixty million canopies of the seven treasures.

The garuda kings took those eight hundred sixty million palaces of the seven treasures, together with the jeweled parasols, banners, standards, and canopies, and presented them to the Buddha, the Tathagata. After making their offerings, the garuda kings and all the offered objects flew into the sky and circumambulated the Buddha three times. They were like Airavana, king of elephants in the Trayastrimsa Heaven, who carries the gods upon his head and flies through the sky to the paricitraka tree. In just this way, those garuda kings bore the palaces, parasols, standards, banners, and canopies of the seven treasures through the sky and circumambulated the Buddha three times.

After flying around the Buddha, the garuda kings stopped to one side, reverently joined their voices, and spoke these verses of praise:

“Homage to the One who has escaped birth and death!
Homage to the One who rescues beings from birth and death!
Homage to the steadfast and unsurpassed One!
Homage to the unequaled, supreme One!
May we attain indestructible bodies,
Self-adorned with the thirty-two marks,
And also possessing the eighty minor characteristics;
May we become like the Guide.
May our halos possess awesome virtue,
And may our forms and meritorious qualities all be perfected.
May we attain the Buddha’s foremost deportment,
Purify the minds of beings, and realize quiescence.
May we possess the virtue of morality and samadhi,
And also attain the Buddha’s unsurpassed wisdom.
May we all become Buddhas and liberate beings,
Just as the Buddha is now the Guide of the world.
O Buddha, we vow to possess the ten powers
And also attain the eighteen unique qualities;
May we attain a Buddha’s wisdom, surpassing the world,
As the Buddha is now the highest of the high.
May we also know that beings lack intrinsic nature,
Are like illusions and dreams, and have no support;
May we proclaim that they are like echoes and empty space,
Just as the Buddha teaches the assembly today.”

Knowing that the garuda kings had developed reverent faith, the Buddha manifested a smile.

The Venerable Bhiksu Asvajit questioned him in verse:

The Buddha replied to the Venerable Asvajit in verse:

“The true ten powers surpass all things;
The perfect voice, the pure voice of Brahma, is complete.
Having subdued all faculties, for Asvajit’s sake
I shall tell the garudas’ future fruit.
Excellent, Asvajit, that you ask this question.
The Buddha smiled out of compassion for the world.
Listen to their recompense and let your heart rejoice;
Your mind will be delighted and doubts dispelled.
The garuda kings made great offerings to the Buddha
To seek the fruit of unsurpassed bodhi,
The four fearlessnesses and ten powers of wisdom;
To attain these dharmas and become Guides.
They also seek the eighteen unique qualities;
For these, the garuda kings made offerings to the Buddha.
They seek bodies that are steadfast and indestructible,
With the thirty-two marks and eighty characteristics.
They seek the Buddha’s pure morality and samadhi,
And the sphere of the Buddha’s great wisdom;
To perfect pure lands and liberate the world—
Seeking these, the garuda kings made offerings to the Buddha.
Having faithfully made offerings to the Buddha,
These wise ones can leave the animal destiny.
They will certainly be born in the heavenly realm;
These avian bodies are their final such bodies.
After kalpas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges,
They will continually be born among humans and gods.
Having made offerings to immeasurable Buddhas,
They will become Buddhas who subdue all faculties.
Those Buddha lands will have no evil destinies;
Their beings will possess excellent forms and be free of the eight difficulties.
Those Buddhas will all be named Universal Upright Beauty,
And their kalpa will be called Sumeru Banner.
For eight hundred forty million years,
Those Buddhas will abide in the world out of compassion.
At that time, all those Tathagatas
Will have the same lifespans and Buddha deeds.
Those Buddhas will be free of fever and end all afflictions;
Each Buddha will hold eighty assemblies.
In every assembly will be eighty million people,
Who will leave arrogance behind and attain mastery.
Because they formerly possessed golden bodies
And great strength, their minds were always arrogant.
When they later become Buddhas, out of compassion for beings
They will eliminate arrogance and turn the Dharma wheel.
In the past, they were once
Assemblies of sages practicing austerities,
Fully numbering eight hundred sixty million;
Whatever practices they undertook were for spiritual powers.
When those sages attained spiritual powers,
They praised their own austerities as rare and wondrous.
Though they violated no precepts and possessed merit,
They became arrogant while dwelling in forests and mountains.
Because of arrogance, they were born as garudas;
Because of their mastery of mind, they possessed spiritual power.
Because of pure morality, they encountered the Buddha;
Because of pride, they forgot the resolve for bodhi.
The Buddha has now given them predictions of bodhi
And explained the causes of their birth as garudas.
Hearing this, the great assembly all rejoiced;
Having rejoiced, they all became vessels of bodhi.”

6. CHAPTER ON THE PREDICTION OF THE NAGA MAIDENS

At that time, nine hundred sixty million naga maidens saw the asuras and garudas make offerings to the Blessed One and receive predictions. They became joyful, elated, and delighted, and formed the intention to make offerings to the Blessed One. They immediately conjured nine hundred sixty million parasols of the seven treasures. The bodies of the parasols were made of vaidurya and their handles of pure gold. Vaidurya nets covered the parasols, and their edges were bordered with nets of red pearls. Hundreds of thousands of smaller vaidurya parasols and tassels of the seven treasures hung down on all four sides.

The naga maidens also conjured nine hundred sixty million precious horses. The blue horses were blue in color, with blue bodies and blue radiance, and all their ornaments were blue. Their bridles and harnesses were made of vaidurya.

They also conjured in the sky a precious carriage of greatly majestic mani jewels. Upon that carriage was a jeweled palace measuring sixty yojanas both lengthwise and crosswise. That jeweled palace completely covered the entire assembly at the great gathering.

On its four sides hung nine hundred sixty million tassels made of various jewels, all exceedingly wondrous and rare, their radiant colors dazzling the eyes. A jeweled net covered that jeweled palace. Jeweled bells were suspended from its four eaves, and various birds of the seven treasures were conjured, flying in orderly circles many times around the palace’s four sides.

They also conjured nine hundred sixty million kinds of naga music. The naga maidens mounted the blue horses and tossed the jeweled parasols into the sky, where they flew naturally. Each naga maiden held a musical instrument, and together they played music while circumambulating the Buddha three times. They scattered upon the Buddha powdered celestial sandalwood, agallochum, latamala powder, celestial pure-gold powder, and various flowers. They also scattered various garlands, rare and precious garments, fragrances, and necklaces upon the Buddha as offerings.

When the nine hundred sixty million naga maidens played their music, through the Buddha’s spiritual power its sound resounded throughout the great trichiliocosm. All beings who heard that sound attained non-retrogression from unsurpassed bodhi.

Within the precious palace of great majesty and in the spaces among the tassels of the seven treasures, the birds of the seven treasures and the jeweled bells, stirred by a gentle breeze, produced wondrous, harmonious, and exceedingly delightful sounds, like a hundred kinds of music played together by skilled musicians. Through the Buddha’s spiritual power, those sounds likewise resounded throughout the great trichiliocosm. All beings who heard them attained non-retrogression from unsurpassed bodhi.

The naga maidens also sent down various celestial flowers, celestial fragrances, and fragrant water. Whether the wind blew against them or with them, their fragrance spread without obstruction. Because that fragrant water rained down, the entire city of Kapilavastu, sixty yojanas in length and breadth, became fragrant mud. Its perfume pervaded the great trichiliocosm. All beings who smelled that fragrance attained non-retrogression from unsurpassed bodhi.

After the nine hundred sixty million naga maidens made offerings to the Buddha, they and their nine hundred sixty million jeweled parasols, precious horses, jeweled musical instruments, and all their jeweled adornments remained in the sky. They bowed to the Buddha, circumambulated him three times, stopped to one side, and reverently spoke these verses of praise:

The Blessed One knew that the naga maidens had developed profound faith, and so he manifested a smile. The Venerable Asvajit questioned him in verse:

The Blessed One replied to Bhiksu Asvajit in verse:

“Excellent, wise Bhiksu Asvajit,
That you ask the Tathagata the cause of his smile.
Having seen the naga maidens make offerings,
The Buddha smiled out of compassion for the world.
The Buddha will now tell you of their fruit;
Free yourself of faults and listen with single-minded attention.
Hear the reason why the Buddha now manifests a smile;
Asvajit and all of you, listen to the Buddha’s words.
These naga maidens’ minds are free of attachment;
They seek great bodhi and cultivate vigor.
With wisdom they cultivate the emptiness of the world,
And will certainly abide securely upon the path of bodhi.
Here there is no agent and no recipient,
Nor anyone born or anyone who nurtures;
There are only dharmas and nothing else,
And those dharmas are likewise false, like illusions and dreams.
Out of gratitude they make offerings to the Buddha
And can use wisdom to know reality.
Excellent! The Buddha understands all worlds,
That is, he sees emptiness and no-self.
They delight in that emptiness and cultivate it well;
Although presenting offerings, they regard them as illusions.
They have formed a vow for supreme bodhi,
Yet in contemplating that bodhi, they do not cling to it.
They offer that supreme offering to the Buddha
And contemplate beings as empty and quiescent.
They will forever leave the naga class and its body in an evil destiny
And dwell together with Sakra, lord of the gods.
They will experience great happiness in the Trayastrimsa Heaven;
When their lifespan in Trayastrimsa is exhausted,
Their reputation and minds will be beyond reproach,
And they will be born in the Yama Heaven.
While dwelling in the palaces of the Yama Heaven,
They will fully experience the happiness of that heavenly realm.
Those children of the Buddha in the Yama Heaven
Will remain until that lifespan is exhausted.
These children of the Buddha will fully enjoy happiness;
When their lifespan in Yama ends,
They will then be born in the Tusita Heaven,
Becoming of one class with the gods of that realm.
They will always be surrounded by celestial maidens
And fully enjoy exceptionally sublime pleasures.
Their minds will not cling, and they will preserve the wholesome path,
Like lotus flowers unstained by water.
Those gods will employ great wisdom
To contemplate the emptiness of the entire world.
Just as engravings in stone do not disappear,
Their mindfulness of the path will likewise never be lost.
Those celestial children dwelling in Tusita
Will fully enjoy exceptionally sublime pleasures.
When their lifespan in Tusita is exhausted,
They will then be born in the Heaven of Delighting in Emanations.
They will attain excellent and imperishable reputations
And always receive offerings from celestial maidens.
Though dwelling in heavenly palaces, their minds will not cling,
Until the measure of those lifespans is exhausted.
Within those palaces of the Heaven of Delighting in Emanations,
They will fully enjoy exceptionally sublime pleasures.
When those endowed with wisdom have completed their lifespans,
They will attain ultimate realization concerning all dharmas
And be born in the Heaven of Mastery over Others’ Emanations,
Becoming great caravan leaders of pure faith.
In the Heaven of Mastery over Others’ Emanations, their minds will remain undefiled;
While dwelling in that heaven, they will delight in the true Dharma.
The children of the Buddha in the palaces of that heaven
Will enjoy the exceedingly wondrous pleasures of the five desires.
Free of delusion, they will preserve the wholesome path
Until the measure of those lifespans is exhausted.
Though enjoying sensual pleasures, they will perceive their faults
And delight in seeking right concentration and nirvana.
Having cultivated and realized dhyana,
When their lives end, they will immediately be born in the Brahma Heaven.
In the palaces of Brahma, they will skillfully understand dhyana
And experience the quiescent happiness born of dhyana.
Possessing great wisdom, they will remain there for one kalpa,
Vowing to seek unsurpassed great bodhi.
While dwelling in Brahma’s palace for one kalpa,
They will skillfully use their deportment in seeking wisdom.
Their means of benefiting the world
Will become vast, boundless, and immeasurable.
Wise and delighting in dhyana in Brahma’s palace,
They will not cling to dhyana as quiescence.
Knowing that attachment to the bliss of dhyana is also a fault,
They will make their faculties quiescent and seek bodhi.
With faith and understanding concerning all dharmas,
They will all abide securely in the bodhisattva conduct.
Knowing the characteristics of all dhyanas and concentrations to be false,
They will seek only the quiescence of great nirvana.
There, those children of the Buddha
Will seek the peaceful fruit of bodhi.
In Brahma’s palace, with minds purified,
They will reflect upon beings and skillfully train their minds.
Brahma’s doctrine of spontaneous arising
And Brahma’s teachings do not transcend the world;
Only the Buddhas’ path of bodhi
Can ultimately transcend the world.
At that time, the Brahma gods will develop faith
And form the resolve to abide in the Buddha path.
They will know that Brahma’s doctrine of spontaneous arising
Is not the ultimate world-transcending path.
They will accord with the Tathagata’s Dharma
And teach that Dharma to the worlds.
As their Dharma eye perceives it, so will they teach its fruit,
Enabling their listeners swiftly to understand.
The Buddhas themselves, dwelling there in Brahma’s palaces,
Will perform deeds beneficial to the world
And enable immeasurable nayutas
And kotis of beings to abide in the path of bodhi.
Throughout immeasurable nayutas of kalpas,
They will make offerings to all Buddhas.
In a future kalpa called Constellation,
Their faculties quiescent, they will become Buddhas.
Gods, humans, nagas, asuras,
Garudas, yaksas, gandharvas,
Kumbhandas, spirits, and kimnaras—
The entire great assembly will rejoice.
Having been taught and transformed by the Buddhas
And gained strength within the Buddhadharma,
They will all rejoice and reverently join their palms,
Bow their heads, and pay homage at the Buddhas’ feet.”