大寶積經

XXIII. THE TWENTY-THIRD ASSEMBLY: MAHAKASHYAPA

Thus have I heard. At one time, the Buddha was dwelling in Prince Jeta’s Grove, in Anathapindika’s Park, in the kingdom of Shravasti, together with an assembly of five thousand great bhikshus.

Also assembled were eight thousand great bodhisattvas, foremost among whom were Bodhisattva Manjushri, Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, Bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta, Bodhisattva Gunagarbha, Bodhisattva Maitreya, and others.

The Blessed One, respectfully surrounded by hundreds of thousands in the great assembly, expounded the Dharma for them.

At that time, the Venerable Mahakashyapa rose from his seat in the great assembly, bared his right shoulder, placed his right knee upon the ground, joined his palms respectfully, and addressed the Buddha: “I have a small matter I wish to ask about. Only if the Blessed One permits me shall I dare to present it.”

The Buddha told the Venerable Mahakashyapa: “You have permission to ask. The Tathagata will distinguish and explain it for you, dispelling your doubts and bringing you joy.”

The Venerable Mahakashyapa said: “Blessed One, if good men or good women leave the household life within the Buddha-Dharma and wish to seek nirvana, what should they study, practice, and contemplate?”

The Buddha said: “Excellent, excellent! Kashyapa, you are now able to ask the Tathagata about such a matter, which will bring benefit, peace, and happiness to all devas and humans throughout the world. Listen attentively, reflect well, and understand; I shall explain it for you.”

The Venerable Mahakashyapa said: “Blessed One, yes, I wish to hear.”

The Buddha said: “Kashyapa, good men and good women who seek nirvana and leave the household life within the true Dharma should train in pure precepts, fully observe the disciplinary rules, and be fully instructed in the true Dharma. In maintaining the pure precepts, they should not commit even a minor transgression. They should train as follows:

“They should accord with the true Dharma, abandon deceitful and crooked minds, remain far removed from craving and desire, be endowed with shame and moral dread, constantly fear samsara and delight in seeking emancipation, become disenchanted with samsara, and remain ever mindful of nirvana.

“Whether beneath a tree, in the mountains, in a rocky cave, or in a secluded dwelling, they should begin cultivating right mindfulness by recollecting the Tathagata: the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, the One Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, the Well-Gone One, the Knower of the World, the Unsurpassed One, the Tamer of Persons to Be Tamed, the Teacher of Devas and Humans, the Buddha, the Blessed One. He has fully developed the lineage of awakening, fully perfected roots of goodness, and is endowed with immeasurable pure precepts, immeasurable samadhis, immeasurable wisdom, immeasurable liberation, and immeasurable knowledge and vision of liberation.

He is endowed with all the boundless and inconceivable qualities of a Buddha and with unequaled, boundless merit. His words are true and genuine; his speech is never duplicitous, and he does not deceive sentient beings. He is the great King of Physicians, able to extract poisoned arrows.

He is the unbidden friend, endowed with great loving-kindness and compassion. He is the great guide who teaches the most profound Dharma so that beings may enter the most profound; who teaches the Dharma of quiescence so that they may attain quiescence—emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness. This Dharma is free from conceptual proliferation and transcends all conceptual proliferation; it is most profound, difficult to see, and difficult to understand.

The nature of Dharma is utterly transcendent, apart from existence and nonexistence; it is without activity, without expression, signless, and equal. It is stainless and pure, neither grasping nor rejecting. It can extinguish all suffering, end the thirst of craving, and lead beings to nirvana.

“Kashyapa, whether for one day or for more than one day, a bhikshu practicing in a secluded dwelling should recollect the Tathagata and reflect thus:

“‘I have obtained a human body, left the household life to cultivate the path, received the Dharma of a bhikshu, and drawn near to the Tathagata. I should not be indolent. Why? Because by cultivating these pure precepts, I shall attain the fruit of the path. Through these causes and conditions, if a Buddha appears in the world in a future life, I shall be able to see that Buddha. The appearance of Buddhas in the world is as difficult to encounter as an udumbara flower.’

“Kashyapa, a bhikshu who cultivates the path should train in accordance with the practice of the Venerable Subhuti, whose life is wisdom.

“Kashyapa, it is difficult to see or hear the Tathagata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One. To leave the household life within the true Dharma and fully receive the bhikshu precepts is exceedingly rare.

“Good men and good women leave the household life within the true Dharma for two purposes: first, to attain the fruit of the path in the present life; and second, to see a future Buddha.

“Kashyapa, there are foolish people who don the kashaya robe yet oppose the Tathagata, claiming that they have attained the path and the fruits of the noble ones. Whether dwelling in a mountain cave or a secluded dwelling, their minds greedily dwell upon all the donors who give them robes and bowls, and they think that the Buddha neither knows nor sees their thoughts and actions.

“Kashyapa, whether a bhikshu is in a secluded dwelling or a mountain cave, whether walking, sitting, or lying down, if he entertains thoughts of craving, anger, or any other evil and unwholesome notions, then wherever he may be, the deities there know the workings of his mind. They become sorrowful and think: ‘These bhikshus act contrary to the Dharma and proper conduct. Though they have left the household life within the true Dharma, they entertain such unwholesome thoughts.’ Knowing this, the deities employ various means to deprive those bhikshus of peace and security.

“Kashyapa, even those deities, who possess few roots of goodness and little wisdom, know the workings of those bhikshus’ minds. How much more so does the Tathagata, who cultivated the path for hundreds of thousands of kotis of innumerable kalpas and fully perfected wisdom?

“Kashyapa, there is no place the Tathagata does not know, no place he does not see, nothing he does not clearly understand, and nothing he does not penetrate and realize.

“Kashyapa, the Tathagata is endowed with unobstructed wisdom and clearly knows all dharmas of the three times.

“Therefore, good men and good women who leave the household life within the true Dharma should contemplate thus: ‘All Buddha-Tathagatas know my mind. All the present Buddhas throughout the worlds of the ten directions also know my mind. I must not become a thief disguised as a shramana within the Buddha-Dharma.’

“Kashyapa, what is meant by a thief disguised as a shramana? There are four kinds of thieves disguised as shramanas:

“If a bhikshu wears his Dharma robes properly and has the appearance of a shramana, yet violates the prohibitive precepts and commits unwholesome deeds, he is called the first kind of thief disguised as a shramana.

“If a bhikshu entertains unwholesome thoughts in his mind during the darkness of night, he is called the second kind of thief disguised as a shramana.

“If a bhikshu has not attained any noble fruit and knows himself to be an ordinary person, yet for the sake of fame and gain claims to have attained a noble fruit, saying, for example, ‘I have attained arhatship,’ he is called the third kind of thief disguised as a shramana.

“If a bhikshu praises himself and disparages others, he is called the fourth kind of thief disguised as a shramana.

“Kashyapa, suppose a person of great power used weapons to kill and plunder all the gold, silver, jewels, and precious objects belonging to all sentient beings throughout Jambudvipa. Would that person incur a grave offense?”

“Blessed One, that person’s offense would be exceedingly grave.”

“Kashyapa, if an ordinary person knows that he has not attained a noble fruit, yet for the sake of fame and gain claims, ‘I have attained the fruit of stream-entry,’ then the offense he incurs by accepting even a single meal is graver than the former offense.”

The Venerable Mahakashyapa said: “Rare indeed, Blessed One! The Tathagata has taught this Dharma and discipline. Who, having heard it, would still dare to claim attainment of the path when he has not attained a noble fruit, merely to receive even a cup of water?”

The Buddha said: “So it is, Kashyapa! It is just as you have said. Those who wish to escape samsara must practice diligently, as though extinguishing a fire upon their heads.

“Kashyapa, suppose a person of great power used weapons to plunder all the wealth of all sentient beings throughout the four continents under heaven. Would that person incur many offenses?”

“Blessed One, that person would incur exceedingly many offenses.”

“Kashyapa, if an ordinary person, for the sake of fame and gain, falsely claims, ‘I have attained the fruit of once-returning,’ the offense he incurs by accepting a portion of food is graver than the former offense.

“Kashyapa, suppose a person of great power plundered all the wealth of all sentient beings throughout a small-thousandfold world. Would that person incur many offenses?”

“Blessed One, that person would incur exceedingly many offenses.”

“Kashyapa, if an ordinary person, for the sake of fame and gain, falsely claims to have attained the fruit of non-returning, the offense he incurs by accepting a portion of food is graver than the former offense.”

O Kasyapa! Suppose a person of great power were to seize all the possessions of every sentient being in a medium-sized world-system. Would that person incur many offenses?

“World-Honored One, that person would incur exceedingly many offenses.”

O Kasyapa! If an ordinary person, knowing that he has not attained any noble fruition, were nevertheless, for the sake of fame and gain, falsely to claim that he had attained the fruition of arhatship, then by accepting even a single portion of food, he would incur offenses more numerous than those of the former person.

O Kasyapa! One might rather seize the possessions of all sentient beings throughout the trichiliocosm than falsely claim to have attained noble fruition and accept the faithful offerings of donors, even so much as a single portion of food.

O Kasyapa! The Buddha observes that within the Dharma of the sramana, there is no offense graver than falsely claiming to have attained noble fruition.

O Kasyapa! Among the sravakas there are four evil desires: first, seeking to see a future Buddha; second, seeking to become a Wheel-Turning Sage King; third, aspiring to be born into the ksatriya caste; and fourth, aspiring to be born into the brahmin caste. If a sravaka has anything he seeks—even if he seeks nirvana—it is called an evil desire. This is called the Tathagata’s secret teaching.

O Kasyapa! There are four dispositions among sravakas that should never be adopted at any time or in any undertaking: first, attachment to self; second, attachment to person; third, violation of the precepts; and fourth, seeking the Buddha-Dharma of the future.

O Kasyapa! If there are sramanas or brahmins who uphold the pure precepts, the Buddha will teach them unsurpassed bodhi, but he will never teach it to those possessed of evil desires. In order that those who uphold the precepts, whose minds are free of flattery and crookedness, may peacefully attain the nirvana they seek, he teaches them the unsurpassed Dharma.

O Kasyapa! The Buddha will now teach again so that practitioners may hear and rejoice.

Suppose a person were to give all necessities to every sentient being throughout the four continents for a full kalpa or for somewhat less than a kalpa. Suppose another person were to give a single vessel of water to one who upholds the precepts and maintains right livelihood. The merit of the latter would surpass that of the former beyond measure and without limit.

O Kasyapa! If a person possessed of evil desires accepts another’s offerings, he harms that donor more than any evil friend or hostile enemy could.

O Kasyapa! There are also four subtle afflictions of monastics. Those fully possessed of these afflictions carry a heavy burden into hell: first, becoming jealous upon seeing another obtain benefits; second, hearing sutras teach the prohibitive precepts and then deliberately violating them; third, acting contrary to the Buddha’s words, concealing one’s offenses, and refusing to repent; and fourth, knowingly violating the precepts while accepting offerings.

O Kasyapa! There are four kinds of those who only resemble sramanas: first, those of corrupt morality; second, those who hold the view of self; third, those who slander the true Dharma; and fourth, those who hold the view of annihilation.

O Kasyapa! There are four kinds of negligence by which monastics enter hell: first, negligence arising from extensive learning, when one prides oneself on being learned and consequently becomes negligent; second, negligence arising from gain and support; third, negligence arising from friends and associates, when one relies upon them and consequently becomes negligent; and fourth, negligence arising from ascetic practices, when one prides oneself on such practices, exalts oneself, and disparages others.”

The Venerable Mahakasyapa addressed the Buddha: “World-Honored One! In the future final age, five hundred years hence, there will be those who merely resemble sramanas. Though their bodies are clothed in kasaya robes, they will destroy the Tathagata’s unsurpassed bodhi, cultivated and accumulated throughout immeasurable, innumerable kalpas.”

The Buddha said: “O Kasyapa! Do not ask the Buddha about this matter. Those foolish people indeed bear evil faults, but the Tathagata does not teach for their sake. Because their minds are possessed by evil desires, they deludedly cling to wrong practices and are flattering and crooked; they believe and accept all the works of Mara. Those foolish people indeed bear evil faults, but the Tathagata does not teach for their sake.”

The Venerable Mahakasyapa said: “World-Honored One! I beseech the Tathagata to remain in the world for a long time and teach the Dharma for my sake.”

The Buddha said: “O Kasyapa! Before long, the Tathagata will enter nirvana.”

“World-Honored One! I beseech the Tathagata to abide in the world for a kalpa or somewhat less than a kalpa and safeguard the true Dharma.”

“O Kasyapa! Even if a thousand Buddhas were to appear in the world and employ all manner of spiritual powers to teach the Dharma and instruct them, those foolish people still would not relinquish their evil desires.

“O Kasyapa! In the future final age, five hundred years hence, there will be sentient beings endowed with roots of goodness, whose minds are pure, who are able to repay the Buddha’s kindness and safeguard the true Dharma.”

The Venerable Mahakasyapa said: “World-Honored One! I would rather bear upon my head all the sentient beings, mountains, rivers, cities, towns, and villages of the four continents for a full kalpa or somewhat less than a kalpa than hear the faithless words of those foolish people.

“World-Honored One! I would rather sit upon a single sesame seed for a full kalpa or somewhat less than a kalpa than hear the faithless, precept-breaking words of those foolish people.

“World-Honored One! I would rather sit, lie down, walk, and stand amid the conflagration at the end of a great kalpa for a full kalpa or somewhat less than a kalpa than hear the faithless, precept-breaking words of those foolish people.

“World-Honored One! I would rather endure the abuse, beating, and killing inflicted by all sentient beings than hear the precept-breaking words of those foolish people, those great thieves who steal the Dharma.

“World-Honored One! I have cultivated only a little meritorious practice, and my wisdom is shallow and meager; I am unable to bear such a heavy burden. Only bodhisattvas can shoulder that burden.

“World-Honored One! I now wish to present an analogy. Suppose there were a man of exceedingly advanced age, one hundred and twenty years old, whose body was afflicted with a grave illness.

He lay helpless upon his bed, unable even to sit up. At that time, a very wealthy man possessing abundant riches brought precious treasures and entrusted them to the old and sick man, saying, ‘Certain affairs require me to travel to another region, and I may return only after ten or twenty years. I now entrust these jewels to you.

Keep them until I return, and then give them back to me.’ The old and sick man had neither children nor grandchildren and was entirely alone. Before the other man returned, the old man died, and all the property entrusted to him was lost. When the other man returned, he did not know where to seek or reclaim it.

“World-Honored One! In the same way, sravakas have shallow and limited wisdom, their cultivation is exceedingly meager, and they have no companions. They cannot long remain in the world. If the true Dharma were entrusted to them, it would soon be scattered and extinguished.”

The Buddha said: “Excellent, excellent, O Kasyapa! I knew this clearly, yet deliberately entrusted it to you so that those foolish people, upon hearing of this matter, might give rise to remorse.”

The Venerable Mahakasyapa said: “World-Honored One! I now wish to present a second analogy. Suppose there were a person whose body was strong and youthful, free from illness, and whose lifespan extended for immeasurable hundreds of thousands of myriads of years.

He was born into a wealthy family, upheld the pure precepts well, possessed great loving-kindness and compassion, and was always joyful. He was able to remove the afflictions of all sentient beings, and his resolve was courageous and vigorous. He benefited many people and enabled them to attain peace and happiness.

At that time, someone brought many jewels and entrusted them to him, saying, ‘Certain affairs require me to travel to another region. I now entrust these jewels to you. Guard them carefully for ten or twenty years, and when I return, give them back to me.’ That person accepted the jewels and stored them securely.

When the traveler returned from afar, he immediately restored all of them.

“World-Honored One! In the same way, if the treasure of the Dharma is entrusted to great bodhisattvas, it will never be lost, even throughout immeasurable thousands of kotis of nayutas of kalpas. They will benefit immeasurable, boundless sentient beings, never sever the lineage of the Buddhas, never interrupt the turning of the Dharma wheel, and ensure that the treasure of the Sangha remains complete.

“World-Honored One! I am unable to safeguard this matter; only bodhisattvas are capable of accepting this responsibility.”

Now the great bodhisattva Maitreya is present in this Dharma assembly. The Tathagata entrusts to him the task of safeguarding and widely propagating, in the future age five hundred years hence when the Dharma is about to perish, the Dharma of unsurpassed bodhi that the Buddha has accumulated throughout immeasurable asamkhyeya kalpas. Why is this? Because in the coming age this great bodhisattva Maitreya will attain the Tathagata’s unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment.

“O Blessed One! It is like the foremost crown prince of a king, who, after being anointed and enthroned, conducts the affairs of the kingdom and governs the country in accordance with the Dharma; all the ministers then come to pay court.

“So too, the great bodhisattva Maitreya occupies the throne of the Dharma King and safeguards the true Dharma.”

The Buddha praised Venerable Mahakasyapa: “Excellent, excellent! It is exactly as Kasyapa has said.”

The Buddha then extended his golden right hand, radiant with wondrous light and formed from the roots of virtue accumulated throughout immeasurable asamkhyeya kalpas. The Buddha’s fingers and palm resembled a lotus flower. He stroked the crown of the great bodhisattva Maitreya and said: “Maitreya, I entrust this to you. In the future age, five hundred years hence, when the true Dharma is perishing, you must safeguard the treasures of the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, and not allow them to be cut off.”

When the Blessed One stroked the crown of the great bodhisattva Maitreya and entrusted this charge to him, the entire trichiliocosm shook in six ways, and light illuminated the whole great-thousandfold world. The terrestrial devas, the devas of the sky, and even the devas of Akanistha Heaven joined their palms and addressed the bodhisattva Maitreya: “The Tathagata has entrusted the true Dharma to the Noble One. We beseech the Noble One to accept this true Dharma for the benefit of devas and humans.”

The bodhisattva Maitreya rose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, placed his right knee upon the ground, respectfully joined his palms, and said: “O Blessed One! For the benefit of even a single sentient being, I would willingly endure suffering for immeasurable kalpas. How much more, now that the Blessed One has entrusted the true Dharma to me for the benefit of devas, humans, and all sentient beings, could I fail to accept it? O Blessed One! I shall accept and uphold it. In the future age, I shall expound the Dharma of unsurpassed bodhi that the Tathagata accumulated throughout immeasurable asamkhyeya kalpas.”

When the bodhisattva Maitreya spoke these words, the entire great-thousandfold world shook in six ways.

The bodhisattva Maitreya further said: “O Blessed One! One should not give rise to disputes or overweening pride toward other sentient beings. Why is this? Because the Blessed One’s true work is to safeguard the true Dharma. Sravakas and pratyekabuddhas are unable to bear the heavy burden of a bodhisattva.”

The Buddha said: “Excellent, excellent, Maitreya! Just as you have now come before the Buddha and personally declared that you will accept and uphold the Tathagata’s true Dharma and safeguard it in the future age, so too, in the past, before Buddhas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, the great bodhisattvas personally declared that they would safeguard the true Dharma.”

The bodhisattva Maitreya said: “O Blessed One! May the Tathagata speak of the foolish people of the future age who will call themselves bodhisattvas and sramanas, yet for the sake of fame and gain will trouble their donors, benefactors, relatives, and associates. May the Blessed One describe their evil faults. Having heard them, I shall restrain my own mind and conduct. When those foolish people hear the Buddha’s words, perhaps they will believe and understand: ‘The Tathagata knows me clearly; the Tathagata is admonishing me.’”

The Buddha said: “Excellent, excellent, Maitreya! Listen attentively and reflect well. I shall tell you of the faults of those foolish people. In the future age, five hundred years hence, there will be sentient beings who call themselves bodhisattvas. I shall now briefly describe their evil desires.

“Maitreya, a person possessing four qualities calls himself a bodhisattva: first, seeking offerings and material gain; second, seeking fame and renown; third, being deceitful and crooked; and fourth, pursuing wrong livelihood. Because he possesses these four qualities, he calls himself a bodhisattva.

“Maitreya, in the future age, five hundred years hence, those who call themselves bodhisattvas will behave like dogs. Suppose a dog arrives first at someone’s house. Upon seeing another dog arrive later, it becomes angry and jealous, growling, barking, and biting, while thinking, ‘This is my house.’ Those who call themselves bodhisattvas will likewise behave like dogs.

When they visit a donor’s house, they conceive of it as their own home and become attached to it. If they see a bhiksu arrive later, they become angry and jealous, quarrel with him, disparage and slander one another, and estrange the donor from him. Such people give rise to jealousy and thereby create causes for rebirth as hungry ghosts; they create causes of poverty and lowliness.

For the sake of their own livelihood, they falsely claim to be bodhisattvas. For food and robes, they praise the merit and wisdom of the Tathagata, causing other sentient beings to develop faith, while they themselves violate the precepts and harbor evil desires and evil conduct.

“Maitreya, observe what great terrors will exist in the future age! A lion must roar a lion’s roar and perform a lion’s deeds; it must not cry like a jackal and perform a jackal’s deeds. Such people praise to others the relinquishment and giving of all possessions, while they themselves are miserly and greedy. They praise loving-kindness, compassion, and tenderness toward others, while they themselves are wrathful. They praise patience, while they themselves harbor enmity and refuse to endure. They praise the four means of attraction, while they themselves cannot practice the four things: generosity, loving speech, beneficial conduct, and cooperation. They speak only empty words and are unable to train in the conduct of the bodhisattva Delighting in Diligence.

“Maitreya, immeasurable, boundless, incalculable, inconceivable, innumerable kalpas ago, there was a Buddha named Supreme Wisdom Tathagata, Arhat, Perfectly Enlightened One, Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, Well-Gone One, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed One, Tamer of Persons, Teacher of Devas and Humans, Buddha, Blessed One. That Buddha appeared in an evil world of the five defilements. At that time there was a bodhisattva bhiksu named Delighting in Diligence, who possessed mindfulness and wisdom, had few desires, knew contentment, and followed the Tathagata’s teaching.

This bhiksu regularly traveled through villages and settlements, expounding the Dharma to the people, and was honored and respected by kings, ministers, the populace, benefactors, and associates. Whenever he wished to enter a city or settlement, he first observed it. If he would be treated with respect, kind words, and praise, only then would he enter.

Later, this bhiksu traveled to a region whose people held wrong views and lacked faith. There he received neither kind words nor offerings, but only angry abuse and beatings. Nevertheless, that bhiksu donned the armor of patience, abided in great compassion, did not abandon sentient beings, never became angry or resentful, and felt no regret.

“Maitreya, all the sentient beings taught and transformed by the bodhisattva Delighting in Diligence became donors to the bhiksus, offering them robes, food, medicines, and bedding.

“Maitreya, observe how the bodhisattva Delighting in Diligence had a mind intent upon benefiting sentient beings, had few desires, knew contentment, and possessed great compassion. He examined the villages, settlements, and cities; wherever he could not obtain almsfood, he simply refrained. He did not go among people of wrong views to teach and transform them so that they might become donors to the bhiksus. He did not return to the homes of people with wrong views and no faith to exhort and transform them so that they might acquire right faith. Even when angrily abused and beaten, he did not become angry or resentful.

“Maitreya, the bodhisattvas of the past entered villages and settlements to teach and transform sentient beings, not to sustain their own lives.

“That former bodhisattva Delighting in Diligence was none other than myself. Therefore, bodhisattvas who wish to enter villages and settlements to teach and transform sentient beings must train after the example of the bodhisattva Delighting in Diligence. They must also train in the meritorious conduct of the great bodhisattvas. They must not learn to behave like dogs.

“Maitreya, in the future age, five hundred years hence, there will be bhiksus who falsely call themselves bodhisattvas. They will enter villages and settlements not to teach and transform sentient beings, but solely for robes, food, and material possessions. They will malign one another. When they themselves obtain benefits, they rejoice; when they see others obtain benefits, they become distressed and angry. When they themselves seek something and fail to obtain it, they grieve; when they see others seek something and fail to obtain it, they rejoice. Such is their inverted conduct.

“Maitreya, according to the Dharma of bodhisattva practice, all one’s possessions should be relinquished and given to all sentient beings. Why is this? Because, through the mind of great compassion, bodhisattvas make the vast vow to cause all sentient beings to attain complete well-being and happiness.”

Maitreya! Suppose an elder had only one son, handsome in appearance and respectful and obedient toward his parents, whom the elder dearly loved. Because of some minor circumstance, that son was confined in prison. When the elder heard the news, he personally entered the prison.

Maitreya! For what purpose did that elder enter the prison?

“Blessed One! The elder entered the prison in order to see his son and find a way to secure his release.”

Maitreya! The prison represents samsara; the elder represents the great bodhisattvas; and the son exemplifies the bodhisattvas’ perception of all sentient beings as their only child.

Maitreya! Just as that elder entered the prison to see and rescue his son, so too does a bodhisattva enter villages and settlements to teach and transform sentient beings so that they may attain liberation, not for the sake of food and clothing.

Maitreya! In the future, during the latter five-hundred-year period, there will be bhiksus who cultivate neither the body nor the mind, neither morality nor wisdom. They will enter towns, villages, and settlements carrying incense and flowers, acting as messengers for others in order to seek food, clothing, wealth, and possessions.

Maitreya! According to the Dharma of a bhiksu, one should not engage in such demeaning conduct. When a bhiksu enters a settlement, he should do so to seek the Dharma and spiritual friends.

He should neither be deceitful and crooked nor arrogant. He should speak words of Dharma and not discuss worldly affairs. He should not speak of fields and houses, pleasure and suffering, gain and loss, the affairs of kings and officials, bandits and robbers, cities and towns, armies, or the marriages of men and women.

He should speak only of the true Dharma, praise the virtues of the Buddha, praise and expound the true Dharma, praise the virtues of the Buddha, praise and expound the true Dharma, praise and speak of the noble Sangha, and teach the Dharmas of generosity, morality, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and wisdom.

Maitreya! Suppose a good man or good woman filled the great trichiliocosm with precious treasures and wealth and gave them to all sentient beings. If another person spoke a single four-line verse of the true Dharma so that those beings could hear and understand it, the merit gained would surpass the former by immeasurable, boundless, incalculable times.

Maitreya! You should see that a bhiksu who enters a settlement in this way gains exceedingly great benefit.

Maitreya! When a bhiksu enters cities and towns, he should never depart from praising the Three Jewels to discuss worldly affairs. Why? Because all the jewels, wealth, and possessions in the world cannot free people from birth, aging, sickness, death, sorrow, grief, suffering, and affliction. Only the true Dharma brings great benefit and enables people to escape birth, aging, sickness, death, sorrow, grief, suffering, and affliction.

This is called the Tathagata’s secret and subtle Dharma.”

The Buddha spoke in verse:

“Throughout the great trichiliocosm,

Filled with precious treasures and wealth,

If one gave them all away,

The merit gained would still be slight.

To speak one verse of the true Dharma—

The merit of this is exceedingly great.

If all provisions in the three realms

Were entirely given to a single person,

This would not equal giving one verse;

The merit of this is supreme.

This merit surpasses the former

And enables beings to leave the suffering of samsara.

Maitreya! Suppose a great bodhisattva filled boundless worlds with precious treasures and offered them to the Buddhas, the Tathagatas. The merit gained would not equal that of a bodhisattva who, with a heart of great compassion, spoke a four-line verse of the true Dharma to a single sentient being.”

The Blessed One then spoke these verses:

“If precious treasures filling

Worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges

Were offered to the Tathagatas,

This would not equal a single gift of Dharma.

Though the merit of giving treasures is great,

It does not equal one gift of Dharma.

The merit of one verse is still more excellent;

The merit of many verses is inconceivable.

Maitreya! In the palm of the Tathagata’s right hand is a ray of light called Adornment of All Merits. With this ray, the Buddha can fully provide all sentient beings with every object they desire: those who need food receive food; those who need drink receive drink; those who need clothing receive clothing; those who need vehicles receive vehicles; and those who need jewels receive jewels. He can bestow upon them every requisite they may need.

Maitreya! Even if all sentient beings obtained complete satisfaction and delight, they still could not be liberated from samsara. Therefore, the Tathagata does not bestow upon sentient beings the desirable things of the world. Instead, the Tathagata bestows upon them the unsurpassed, supramundane treasure of the Dharma. By hearing and following that Dharma, they ultimately leave all suffering and affliction behind. Therefore, you should emulate the Tathagata’s unsurpassed gift of Dharma and should not esteem the worldly gift of material wealth.

Maitreya! In the future, during the latter five-hundred-year period when the true Dharma is vanishing, there will be bhiksus who call themselves bodhisattvas, yet physically commit unwholesome deeds, verbally commit unwholesome deeds, and mentally engender unwholesomeness. With the body they will violate the precepts; with speech they will violate the precepts; and with the mind they will violate the precepts. Because they create unwholesome karma, they will have no fruit of the sramana.

Maitreya! For good men and good women who have generated bodhicitta, the Buddha teaches the bodhisattva roots of virtue that prevent them from falling into the three lower realms or places of adversity. Such good men and good women should earnestly and diligently strive onward, filled with a sense of shame and moral dread, ever fearful of samsara and continually apprehensive about the places in which they may be reborn.

They should think, ‘How can I swiftly liberate from samsara all sentient beings of the six realms within the three realms?’ Why? Because great bodhisattvas make a vow and pledge to save all sentient beings of the six realms within the three realms, enabling them all to attain liberation. They bring security to those who are insecure and lead those who have not attained nirvana to attain nirvana.

Maitreya! The Buddha has observed all worlds—the devas, humans, Maras, Brahmas, sramanas, and brahmins—and among them there is no one capable of bearing such a heavy burden as the bodhisattvas do.

Maitreya! Suppose a person carried upon his head the entire trichiliocosm, with its mountains, rivers, earth, and rocks, for a kalpa, for less than a kalpa, or even for hundreds of thousands of kalpas. What do you think? Would that person possess great strength?

“Blessed One! That person would possess exceedingly great strength.”

Maitreya! The diligent effort of a great bodhisattva far surpasses that person’s strength. A bodhisattva vows to deliver all sentient beings so that they may attain the bliss of nirvana.

Maitreya! Suppose there were a person who could immediately accomplish all the undertakings of every sentient being in the trichiliocosm. Would that undertaking be great?

“Blessed One! It would be exceedingly great.”

Maitreya! The undertaking of a bodhisattva is far greater still. A bodhisattva vows to enable all sentient beings to attain liberation.

Maitreya! Suppose an elder had only one son, still a young child, handsome in appearance and filial and obedient toward his parents. The elder, that son, his wives, concubines, relatives, and possessions were all confined in the king’s prison. The great king told the elder, ‘One hundred yojanas from here is a certain city. You must reach that city within seven days and then return here within another seven days. If you do so, I shall release you together with your wives, children, relatives, and possessions, and shall also bestow an official rank upon you. But if, after seven days, you have not returned here from that city, I shall kill you and your only son, while your possessions and relatives will be confiscated by the authorities.’

Maitreya! What do you think? Would that elder strive to travel swiftly because he cherished his own person, because he loved his only son, or because he was reluctant to lose his wives, concubines, relatives, and possessions? For which of these would he endure hardship and toil to return to the king within the appointed time?

“Blessed One! As I understand the meaning of what the Buddha has said, that person would think neither of drinking nor eating, neither of sleeping nor resting, but only of traveling swiftly. Why? Because he cherished his own life and therefore traveled swiftly.”

Maitreya! Even if all sentient beings cultivated diligence as earnestly as that person, and their combined diligence were compared with the diligence of a bodhisattva, it would not equal even one part in hundreds of thousands of millions and billions; indeed, it would not equal even one incalculable part.

Why? Because sentient beings follow the current of samsara, whereas bodhisattvas go against the current of samsara and cause sentient beings to abide in unmoving nirvana.

Maitreya! Suppose there were a courageous person of great strength who was even mightier than the strongman described before. This person drew all the water from the four great oceans and all the rivers and carried it to place in Lake Anavatapta. Would his accomplishment be extraordinary?

“Blessed One! It would be exceedingly extraordinary.”

Maitreya! The difficult and exceedingly rare deeds undertaken by a diligent bodhisattva far surpass even those. A bodhisattva employs the mind of great compassion to guide all sentient beings and establish them in unsurpassed bodhi; this is difficult.

To be able to have faith in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha is difficult. To be able to believe in the karmic results of good and evil is difficult. When greed, anger, and delusion arise, to be able to extinguish and cut them off is difficult.

To be able to leave one’s relatives, arouse a mind of few desires, seek to renounce the household life, and walk even seven steps is difficult. To wear the kasaya, renounce the household life with right faith in the true Dharma, and depart from the fire of desire is difficult. Not to violate the precepts is difficult.

To be able to leave clamor behind and cultivate the practice of seclusion is difficult. To believe that all dharmas are empty is difficult. To attain the patient acceptance of concordance within the profound Dharma is difficult.

To realize the three gates of liberation is difficult. To realize the fruit of stream-entry and progress as far as the fruit of arhatship is difficult. Why is this so?

What is called difficult is to renounce the household life with right faith in the true Dharma and attain the fruits of the śramaṇa.

Maitreya! In the future, during the latter five-hundred-year period, there will be sentient beings who arouse the mind of bodhi, renounce the household life within the true Dharma, and study the Way, yet gain nothing whatsoever. They will abandon the work of bodhisattvas and engage in the deeds of foolish ordinary beings.

What is the work of bodhisattvas?

Maitreya! The work of bodhisattvas consists of twenty dharmas. If a bodhisattva does not accomplish these twenty dharmas, that bodhisattva will be unable to sit at the seat of enlightenment.

These are the twenty dharmas: first, abandoning stinginess; second, practicing generosity; third, abandoning affliction and torment; fourth, cultivating pure morality; fifth, abandoning anger; sixth, cultivating patience; seventh, abandoning indolence; eighth, exercising great diligence; ninth, abandoning a distracted mind; tenth, cultivating mindfulness, wisdom, and nondependent concentration; eleventh, cultivating exceedingly profound patient acceptance; twelfth, perfecting the prajnaparamita; thirteenth, practicing the conduct of emptiness; fourteenth, practicing the conduct of signlessness; fifteenth, practicing the conduct of wishlessness; sixteenth, attaining the realm of wishlessness; seventeenth, never abandoning any sentient being; eighteenth, cultivating great compassion;

nineteenth, not entertaining thoughts of the Two Vehicles of the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas; and twentieth, delighting in the attainment of the Tathagata’s wisdom.

A bodhisattva who accomplishes these twenty works will be able to sit at the seat of enlightenment.

Maitreya! A great bodhisattva also has four vows of certainty: first, the certain vow to attain Buddhahood and turn the Dharma wheel; second, the vow to liberate sentient beings from birth and death; third, the vow to establish immeasurable sentient beings in unsurpassed bodhi; and fourth, the vow to relinquish personal happiness so that sentient beings may attain undefiled happiness.

Maitreya! Suppose there were two people skilled in medicine and prescriptions, skilled in incantations, thoroughly knowledgeable about poisons, and thoroughly knowledgeable about amrita. At that time, one of them, wishing to display a rare feat before a great assembly, took poison himself. After taking the poison, he suffered pain and distress and then sought amrita and incantations, hoping to eliminate the poison. Yet despite searching everywhere, he could not find amrita. Because the poison became overwhelmingly potent, he died. The second person said, “I cannot take poison. Because I do not take poison, I have no need of amrita. I do not wish to display a rare feat before the assembly only to cause my body to suffer torment.”

Maitreya! In the future, during the latter five-hundred-year period, there will be lay and monastic bodhisattvas who say, “The Dharma as I teach it can eliminate all offenses.” After saying this, they will once again accumulate evil karma and then say, “I shall repent again.” The Buddha declares that such a person is called a dead person within the true Dharma. Why is such a person called dead? Because that person falls away from the true Dharma, as though having perished.

There will also be bodhisattvas of pure mind who say, “I do not commit offenses and therefore have no need to repent. I shall repent of the karmic offenses of the past and future, but in the present I commit none.” They are like a person who does not take poison and therefore has no need of amrita.

Maitreya! What is called poison is the violation of the precepts and discipline within the true Dharma. You must not become people who take poison.

Maitreya! There are also four dharmas that cause a bodhisattva to become separated from omniscience. Such a bodhisattva will even be separated from the fruit of the śrāvakas, much less attain omniscience. The four are: first, ingratitude; second, deceit and crookedness; third, false speech; and fourth, violation of the precepts.

There are also four things from which a bodhisattva must quickly distance himself by more than one hundred yojanas: first, gain and offerings; second, evil friends; third, evil assemblies; and fourth, dwelling together in one place while engaging in jesting and laughter, anger, or contentious quarrels.

A bodhisattva must not harbor an evil mind toward other bodhisattvas.

Maitreya! Suppose a bodhisattva were to strike, revile, cut, and hack all the sentient beings in the trichiliocosm. Would this bodhisattva incur many offenses?

“Blessed One! A bodhisattva would incur many offenses even by striking a single sentient being, much more so by striking all the sentient beings in the great-thousand world. Blessed One! A bodhisattva must not give rise to an angry or harmful mind toward sentient beings.”

Maitreya! Even that offense would be lighter than a bodhisattva’s anger toward another bodhisattva, for such anger would also cause that bodhisattva to regress from bodhi for many kalpas.

Suppose there were a wooden post. It could not be severed with grass or earth; a sharp axe would be required. So it is with a bodhisattva’s roots of goodness: other offenses cannot completely destroy them, but giving rise to anger toward another bodhisattva can sever and extinguish those roots of goodness.

Therefore, you should train in reverence. You must honor bodhisattvas who have newly aroused the mind of bodhi and regard them as Buddhas.”

Bodhisattva Maitreya said to the Buddha: “Blessed One! I must practice respect and reverence toward all sentient beings, how much more so toward bodhisattvas. Why is this?

Because bodhisattvas must abandon anger and harm and practice patience; they must forsake flattery and crookedness and cultivate a pure mind; they must distance themselves from the conditioned and cultivate the practice of non-grasping and non-self; they must not prize treasures but esteem the practice of the Dharma. Therefore, they must not seek clothing and food but seek the wealth of the Dharma. They must abandon envy, and when they see others possessing great wealth, they should rejoice and express their approval.

They must not become śramaṇas for the sake of seeking fame but must train in the virtues of a śramaṇa. They must not merely speak empty words but should cultivate genuine practice. Abandoning offerings and gain, with few desires and contentment, they should seek the virtues of the Buddha.

They must not enter towns and villages for the sake of profit, nor enter towns and villages for clothing and food while behaving flatteringly and crookedly. They must practice rightly and praise the four noble traditions. They must not follow the base and inferior minds of ordinary beings but should train in the conduct of the Buddha.

They must not look for the faults of others but should only discipline themselves. They should cultivate śamatha and vipaśyanā. They must abandon the evil committed through the three kinds of karma and constantly cultivate purity in the three kinds of karma.

They must forsake the breaking of precepts and train in the prātimokṣa. They must not rely upon the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha as a means of livelihood. They should constantly praise the genuine virtues of the Tathagata.

They must not seek gifts but seek the true Dharma. They should constantly praise the true Dharma and cultivate in accordance with the true Dharma. They should praise the noble Sangha, relying upon the irreversible Sangha and not upon the conditioned, worldly Sangha.

They must not seek any worldly necessities but seek only the true Dharma. They must not pursue worldly affairs but seek only the supramundane Dharma. Forsaking flattery and crookedness, they should practice genuine conduct.

They must not delight in dwelling permanently in one place but should be like a wild deer, without any fixed abode. They must abandon worldly pleasures and seek the virtues of the Buddha. Therefore, they should forsake sleep at the beginning and end of the night and recite the scriptures.

They should leave clamor far behind and constantly practice seclusion. They must never conceive weariness toward any virtue. In seeking all virtues, their minds must never cease, even temporarily.

They must abandon servile conduct and utter the Dharma’s lion’s roar. They should be friends to the ultimate end, not merely temporary friends. They must forsake ingratitude and always repay kindness.

They must not become friends for the sake of wealth and profit but should become friends with a pure mind. They must abandon deceitful thoughts and practice genuine conduct. They must forsake inferior dharmas and seek to accomplish the Buddha’s true body.

Toward all Tathagatas, they should be reverent and never give rise to arrogance. They must abandon divisive speech and any contradiction between heart and mouth, and should speak truthful, unequivocal words. They must not be bodhisattvas who nevertheless engage in flattery and crookedness but should practice calm and insight with a pure mind.

They must abandon pride and behave reverently. They must abstain from impure food and uphold the pure precepts when consuming what others offer them. They must abandon wrong mindfulness and remain mindful of the Dharma of all Buddhas.

They must forsake views of self and person and cultivate the practice of emptiness. They must abandon false examination and reflection and cultivate the practice of signlessness. They must forsake bodily flattery and crookedness and cultivate purity in the three kinds of karma.

They must not expound the Dharma in pursuit of wealth and profit but should teach the true Dharma with a mind of great compassion. They must not become friends for the sake of material things but should become friends for the sake of the Dharma. They must act not for their own benefit but for the benefit of others, ensuring that no harm is done.

They should practice tranquil conduct and abandon flattery and crookedness. They must not flatter or behave crookedly while wearing rag robes. Why is this?

Because one who fully observes the twelve dhūta practices is one who seeks none of the offerings and gains of the world.”

The Blessed One praised Bodhisattva Maitreya, saying: “Excellent, excellent, Maitreya! Insatiable in your quest for the virtues of the Buddha, you have uttered the lion’s roar. Because you planted roots of virtue in the presence of Buddhas of the past, you are able to teach this Dharma and speak of these virtues.”

When the great Bodhisattva Maitreya had taught the Dharma in this way, five hundred bhikṣus in the assembly rose and departed. Venerable Mahākāśyapa asked them, “While the Dharma is being taught, where do you bhikṣus intend to go?”

The bhikṣus replied: “Venerable Kāśyapa, the Dharma taught by Bodhisattva Maitreya is extremely profound and difficult to attain. We have reflected that we are unable to cultivate this Dharma and therefore wish to return to lay life. Why is this? Because offerings given in faith are difficult to rightly earn.”

Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī praised the bhikṣus, saying: “Excellent, excellent! Good men, this is what you should do. If, upon examining yourselves, you find that you cannot rightly earn offerings given in faith, you should return to lay life a hundred times in a single day rather than break the precepts and then accept the offerings of others.”

Mañjuśrī said to the Buddha: “Blessed One! What kind of people should accept offerings given in faith?”

The Buddha said: “Mañjuśrī! If people cultivate meditation and liberation, the Buddha permits them to accept offerings given in faith.”

Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī said to the five hundred bhikṣus: “You must now practice diligently. The appearance of a Buddha in the world is difficult to encounter; you must abide securely in the Buddhadharma.”

The five hundred bhikṣus said: “Mañjuśrī! How should we practice?”

Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī said: “Good men! You should contemplate in this way: not a single dharma comes together; not a single dharma disperses; not a single dharma arises; not a single dharma ceases; not a single dharma is accepted; not a single dharma is relinquished; not a single dharma increases; not a single dharma decreases. By practicing in this way, you will attain nothing whatsoever among all dharmas. Because there is nothing to attain, there is no going. Because there is no going, there is no coming. Because there is no coming, there is no abiding. This is called neither coming nor going, neither abiding nor non-abiding.”

When Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī taught this Dharma, the minds of the five hundred bhikṣus were liberated from all outflows.