大寶積經

XXV. THE TWENTY-FIFTH DHARMA ASSEMBLY: AROUSING THE SUPREME RESOLVE AND VOW

Thus have I heard. At one time, the Buddha was dwelling in the city of Varanasi, at the place where seers dwelt, in the Deer Park, together with a great assembly of one thousand bhiksus and five hundred bodhisattvas.

At that time, many bodhisattvas in the assembly were burdened by grave karmic obstructions. Their faculties were dull and obscured, and their wholesome qualities were few. They delighted in commotion, discussed worldly affairs, enjoyed sleeping, indulged in much frivolous discourse, and busied themselves extensively with many matters. Attached to various things, they did what ought not to be done, lost right mindfulness, cultivated misguided wisdom, diligently engaged in inferior affairs, and practiced deceptive conduct.

Seeing these bodhisattvas in the Dharma assembly, Bodhisattva Maitreya thought: “All these bodhisattvas have regressed from the factors of the path that perfect unsurpassed bodhi. I should now awaken and enlighten them, causing them to give rise to joy.” Having thought thus, early in the morning he rose from meditation, went to those bodhisattvas, exchanged greetings with them, and spoke essential Dharma to them in gentle words, bringing them joy. Bodhisattva Maitreya then asked them: “Are you progressing without regression in the factors of the path that perfect unsurpassed bodhi?”

Those bodhisattvas replied together: “Venerable One! We are not progressing in the factors of the path that perfect unsurpassed bodhi; we are only regressing. Why is this? Because our minds are continually obstructed by doubt, we cannot clearly understand unsurpassed bodhi. Will we become Buddhas, or will we not become Buddhas? Nor do we clearly understand the dharmas that lead to downfall. Will we fall, or will we not fall? For these reasons, whenever wholesome qualities are about to arise, doubt continually confuses and obscures them.”

Bodhisattva Maitreya said: “You should come with me before the Tathagata, the Arhat, the Perfectly Enlightened One. That Tathagata knows all and sees all and has fully accomplished unobstructed wisdom, knowledge and vision, and liberation. Through the power of skillful means, the Buddha clearly knows the conduct of all sentient beings and will teach you the Dharma according to each person’s faculties and disposition.”

Among the assembly of five hundred, sixty bodhisattvas accompanied Bodhisattva Maitreya to the Buddha. Together they bowed at the Buddha’s feet and, overcome with sorrow, wept and could not rise.

After reverently bowing to the Buddha, Bodhisattva Maitreya withdrew to one side.

The Buddha said: “Good men, arise. Do not grieve and weep, giving rise to great anguish. In the past you created evil karma. Toward sentient beings, you delighted in angrily reviling, humiliating, obstructing, troubling, and harming them. You made discriminations according to your own wishes and did not understand the distinctions among karmic results. Therefore, you are now bound and obscured by karmic obstructions and are unable to cultivate wholesome qualities.”

Hearing the Buddha’s teaching, those bodhisattvas arose, bared their right shoulders, placed their right knees on the ground, joined their palms reverently, and said: “World-Honored One! We pray that the Tathagata will explain those karmic obstructions to us. Once we know our offenses, we shall discipline ourselves. From this day onward, we shall not dare commit them again.”

The Buddha said: “Good men! In the past, during the Dharma of Krakucchanda Tathagata, you renounced the household life to cultivate the path. Relying upon your extensive learning and observance of pure precepts, you were often arrogant and heedless.

You also practiced the dhutanga disciplines, had few desires, and knew contentment, yet you became attached to these merits. At that time, there were two Dharma-preaching bhiksus who had many friends, great renown, and abundant offerings. Out of greed and jealousy toward those two Dharma masters, you falsely slandered them, claiming that they engaged in sexual misconduct.

Through your divisive words alleging that the two Dharma masters had committed grave offenses, their friends all became doubtful and no longer possessed faithful acceptance. They ceased to be harmonious toward the two Dharma masters and severed their roots of goodness.

“Because of that evil karma, you fell into the Avici hell for six hundred thousand years. Before that evil karma had been exhausted, you then fell into the Reviving Hell for four hundred thousand years. Next, you fell into the Scorching Heat Hell for six hundred thousand years.

After leaving the hells and obtaining human bodies, for five hundred lifetimes you were born blind. Because of the residual karma, lifetime after lifetime you were often foolish and dull, lost right mindfulness, had your roots of goodness obscured, and possessed little merit. Your forms were coarse, ugly, and defective, so that no one wished to look at you.

You were continually reviled, despised, mocked, and hated. You were always born in border regions, poor and lowly; your possessions were depleted, and it was difficult to sustain your lives.

“After dying from your present bodies, during the final age, five hundred years after the Dharma approaches extinction, you will again be born as humans in remote and inferior regions. You will suffer deprivation, cold, and hunger and be despised by others. Having lost right mindfulness, you will not cultivate wholesome Dharma. Even if you practice, you will encounter many hindrances and hardships. Although the light of wisdom may briefly arise, it will immediately disappear because of your karmic obstructions. Only after those five hundred years of the final age will your karmic obstructions be extinguished. Thereafter, you will be born in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, where Amitabha Buddha will bestow upon you the prediction of unsurpassed bodhi.”

Upon hearing the Buddha’s teaching, the hair on the bodies of those bodhisattvas stood on end, and they felt profound remorse. Wiping away their tears, they said: “World-Honored One! We now openly disclose and repent of our offenses. We have often treated followers of the bodhisattva vehicle with arrogance, hatred, and jealousy and have created other karmic obstructions. We now repent of these offenses before the Buddha. Before the World-Honored One, we make these great vows:

“World-Honored One! From this day until the end of the future, if we see a follower of the bodhisattva vehicle commit a transgression and publicly expose that person’s fault, then we shall have deceived the Tathagata.

“World-Honored One! From this day until the end of the future, if we ridicule, revile, intimidate, or despise a follower of the bodhisattva vehicle, then we shall have deceived the Tathagata.

“World-Honored One! From this day until the end of the future, if we see a lay bodhisattva or a monastic bodhisattva enjoying the pleasures of the five desires, we shall never spy out that person’s faults but shall always reverently trust that person as a teacher. If we do otherwise, then we shall have deceived the Tathagata.

“World-Honored One! From this day until the end of the future, if toward a follower of the bodhisattva vehicle we jealously withhold friends, households, or offerings, or afflict that person’s body and mind and cause suffering, then we shall have deceived the Tathagata.

“World-Honored One! From this day until the end of the future, if we speak even one harsh word to a follower of the bodhisattva vehicle and thereby cause displeasure, then we shall have deceived the Tathagata.

“World-Honored One! From this day until the end of the future, to safeguard these great vows, we shall not惜 our bodies or lives. If we do otherwise, then we shall have deceived the Tathagata.

“World-Honored One! From this day until the end of the future, if, with arrogance toward sravakas or pratyekabuddhas, we say that they are not superior to us, then we shall have deceived the Tathagata.

“World-Honored One! From this day until the end of the future, if we do not skillfully subdue ourselves and regard ourselves as lowly as candalas or dogs, then we shall have deceived the Tathagata.

“World-Honored One! From this day until the end of the future, if we praise ourselves and disparage others, then we shall have deceived the Tathagata.

“World-Honored One! From this day until the end of the future, if we do not fear places of contention and flee a hundred yojanas away as swiftly as a violent wind, then we shall have deceived the Tathagata.

“World-Honored One! From this day until the end of the future, if we boast of such merits as observing precepts, extensive learning, practicing the dhutanga disciplines, having few desires, or knowing contentment, then we shall have deceived the Tathagata.

“World-Honored One! From this day until the end of the future, when cultivating wholesome Dharma, we shall not become proud; when committing karmic offenses, we shall feel shame and openly disclose them. If we do otherwise, then we shall have deceived the Tathagata.”

The Buddha praised them: “Excellent, excellent! Good men, you have skillfully spoken such a Dharma of awakening and skillfully made such vast vows. If you can abide in them with such resolute minds, all karmic obstructions will be extinguished, and immeasurable roots of goodness will also increase.”

The Buddha further said to Bodhisattva Maitreya: “Maitreya! Any bodhisattva who wishes to purify and eliminate karmic obstructions should make such vast vows.”

Bodhisattva Maitreya asked: “World-Honored One! Will good men and good women who uphold these vows perfect non-regression?”

The Buddha replied: “Maitreya! If good men or good women practicing the bodhisattva path uphold these vows, they would rather relinquish their bodies and lives than ever allow the vows to become deficient or regress.”

Bodhisattva Maitreya further asked: “World-Honored One! In the final age, five hundred years after the Dharma approaches extinction, how many dharmas must bodhisattvas practice to dwell peacefully, remain free from affliction, and attain liberation?”

The Buddha replied: “Maitreya! In the final age, five hundred years after the Dharma approaches extinction, bodhisattvas who accomplish four dharmas will dwell peacefully, remain free from affliction, and attain liberation. First, they do not seek the faults of sentient beings. Second, when they see bodhisattvas commit transgressions, they never expose them. Third, they are not attached to the households of friends or donors. Fourth, they entirely abandon harsh speech.”

Wishing to restate this meaning, the World-Honored One spoke this verse:

“Maitreya! When the Dharma approaches extinction, bodhisattvas should accomplish four dharmas to dwell peacefully, remain free from affliction, and attain liberation. First, they should not associate closely with indolent people. Second, they should leave all noisy crowds and dwell alone in secluded places. Third, they should constantly cultivate diligence. Fourth, through skillful means they should subdue themselves.”

Wishing to restate this meaning, the World-Honored One spoke this verse:

Having spoken this verse, the World-Honored One said to Bodhisattva Maitreya: “Maitreya!

“Therefore, during the final age, five hundred years afterward, bodhisattvas who wish to remain free from affliction and attain liberation themselves, and those who wish to eliminate all karmic obstructions, should abandon noisy places and dwell in serene forests and aranyas. They should remain far from those who do what ought not to be done and from those who are lazy and negligent. They should examine only themselves and not seek the faults of others, delight in serenity and silence, and diligently cultivate practices corresponding with prajnaparamita. If they wish to have compassion for sentient beings and bring them extensive benefit, they should teach the pure Dharma with minds free from expectation.

“Furthermore, Maitreya! When bodhisattvas practice the giving of Dharma with minds free from expectation, without attachment to fame, offerings, or karmic rewards, placing the benefit of others above all and always widely proclaiming the true Dharma for sentient beings, they will accomplish twenty kinds of benefit: they will perfect right mindfulness, possess complete wisdom, have the strength of perseverance, cultivate pure conduct, give rise to the mind of awakening, attain transcendent wisdom, give no opportunity to the maras, have few desires, be free from anger, be free from delusion, be remembered by all Buddhas, be protected by nonhuman beings, have their majestic virtue enhanced by innumerable devas, have no relatives or friends capable of obstructing or disrupting them,

have their words accepted in faith by others, give enemies no opportunity against them, attain fearlessness, possess great joy, be praised by the wise, and skillfully teach the Dharma so that all revere them.

“Such bodhisattvas will also accomplish twenty further kinds of benefit: eloquence not yet arisen will arise; eloquence already arisen will never be forgotten; they will constantly cultivate diligently; they will attain dharani; with little effort they will skillfully benefit immeasurable sentient beings; with little effort they will cause sentient beings to arouse superior minds of reverence and respect; they will attain pure disciplines of body, speech, and mind; they will transcend all fear of the lower realms; at the end of life, their minds will be joyful; they will make the true Dharma manifest; they will subdue erroneous doctrines;

no one possessing pride, majestic virtue, or imposing dignity will be able to find an opportunity against them, much less sentient beings of little merit and inferior standing; their faculties will be fully developed and no one will be able to outshine or obscure them; they will be fully endowed with the superior aspiration to gather in others; they will attain samatha and vipasyana; all difficult practices will be perfected; they will arouse diligence; they will universally protect and uphold the true Dharma; they will swiftly reach the stage of non-regression; and in all practices they will dwell in accord with the Dharma.

“Furthermore, Maitreya! Observe that, during the final age, five hundred years afterward, there will be exceedingly ignorant bodhisattvas. When they practice the giving of Dharma, they will rejoice if they receive offerings and become displeased if they receive none. When teaching the Dharma to others, they will think: ‘How can I cause friends and donors to attach themselves to me?’ They will also think: ‘How can I cause lay and monastic bodhisattvas to give rise to pure faith in me and reverently offer me robes, food and drink, bedding, and medicines?’ These bodhisattvas will teach the Dharma for material gain, and if they receive no offerings, they will become weary and discouraged.

“Maitreya! Suppose a person who delights in cleanliness had the corpse of a snake, dog, or human being, together with putrid mud, pus, and blood, hung around his neck. That person would be distressed, deeply disgusted, dazed, and uneasy.

In the same way, five hundred years into the final age, Dharma teachers in places where there are no offerings, where matters do not conform to their wishes, and where they find no satisfaction, will become weary and depart, thinking: ‘It is useless for me to teach the Dharma here. Why? Because the people here do not attend to the four necessities I require.

Why exhaust myself by teaching the Dharma here in vain?’ These Dharma masters will gather monastics and laypeople around themselves in pursuit of offerings, provisions, and respect, rather than for the sake of the Dharma and the benefit of others. Seeking the four necessities and material gain for themselves, they will deceitfully display unusual behavior and enter royal cities, states, towns, and villages, rather than give the Dharma to benefit and mature sentient beings.

“Maitreya! The Buddha does not say that one who harbors expectations performs the pure giving of Dharma. Why? Because when the mind harbors expectations, the Dharma is not impartial. The Buddha does not say that one whose mind is corrupt with greed can mature sentient beings. Why? Because it is impossible for one who has not matured oneself to mature others. The Buddha does not say that one who values offerings and personal comfort, greedily gathering impure things, can bring benefit. Why? Because one who seeks personal security, abundance, and pleasure, gathering a following around oneself, cannot cause others to abide in right faith.

“The Buddha does not say that a deceitful person dwells serenely in an aranya; that a person of scant merit has few desires; that one greedy for delicious flavors knows contentment; or that one who seeks an abundance of fine food practices alms-begging. The Buddha does not say that one who begs for all kinds of beautiful robes wears rag robes. The Buddha does not say that one unknown to both laity and monastics has left commotion behind. The Buddha does not say that a devious person who encounters a Buddha’s appearance in the world yet seeks the faults of others practices in accord with reason; that one who causes much harm possesses a pure aggregate of precepts; or that one of overweening pride is foremost in extensive learning.

“The Buddha does not say that one who delights in factions abides in discipline; that one whose mind is haughty reveres Dharma masters; that one who speaks frivolously and jests is skilled in teaching the Dharma; or that one who mingles with worldly people can dwell amid the Sangha while remaining free from faults. The Buddha does not say that forsaking superior fields of merit is giving without expectation of reward; that one who seeks repayment of favors attends well to affairs; that one who seeks reverence and offerings possesses pure aspiration; or that one with many false attachments has truly renounced the household life.

“The Buddha does not say that one who discriminates between self and other delights in observing the precepts; that an irreverent person truly hears the Dharma; or that one who delights in worldly books, spells, and theories loves the true Dharma. The Buddha does not say that one without resolute understanding of emptiness can escape birth and death, or that one with many attachments has abandoned conditioned activities. The Buddha does not say that one who abides in the factors of bodhi with a sense of attainment has realized wisdom. The Buddha does not say that one lacking strength has perfected patience; that one with few afflictions therefore possesses pure discipline; or that one who engages merely in expedient activity practices in accordance with the Dharma.

“The Buddha does not say that one fond of conversation abides in single-mindedness; that one fond of conducting worldly affairs does not harm the true Dharma; that one of pure aspiration falls into the various realms; or that one cultivating wisdom engages in noisy conduct. The Buddha does not say that skillful means corresponding to the Dharma are deviousness; that not seeking offerings is false speech; that nonattachment is slander of the true Dharma; that one who protects the true Dharma cherishes body and life; or that inferior conduct is freedom from superior pride.

“Maitreya! In the future final age, there will be bodhisattvas of dull faculties and little wisdom who are devious and deceitful and abide in the conduct of thieves. You must protect them.”

Bodhisattva Maitreya asked: “World-Honored One! During the final age, five hundred years afterward, will only these sixty bodhisattvas be bound by karmic obstructions, or will there be other bodhisattvas as well?”

The Buddha replied: “Maitreya! During the final age, five hundred years afterward, most bodhisattvas will be bound by karmic obstructions. Some of those karmic obstructions will be extinguished, while others will increase.

“Maitreya! Among these five hundred bodhisattvas, there are twenty whose karmic obstructions are relatively slight. Five hundred years afterward, they will be reborn in these cities, towns, villages, marketplaces, mountains, and wildernesses.

Born into eminent and noble families, they will possess great majestic virtue, intelligence, wisdom, and skillful means. Their minds will be gentle and well disciplined, and they will always be compassionate and bring extensive benefit. Their appearances will be dignified and handsome, their eloquence pure and sublime, and they will excel in mathematics and crafts.

Concealing their abilities and virtues, they will abide in the meritorious practices of dhutanga. Wherever they are born, they will leave home for the path. Throughout immeasurable asamkhyeyas of kotis of kalpas, they will have accumulated the requisites for unsurpassed bodhi and protected the true Dharma without惜 their bodies or lives.

Dwelling in aranyas and secluded forests, they will constantly cultivate diligence without seeking offerings. They will skillfully enter and understand the mental conduct of all sentient beings and will clearly comprehend spells and treatises. Regarding every doctrine, they will hear little yet understand much, and they will be fully endowed with eloquence and wisdom.

“By diligently cultivating this Dharma, those bodhisattvas will attain dharani and unobstructed eloquence. Amid the fourfold assembly, they will proclaim the true Dharma. Through the empowerment of the Buddha’s majestic virtue, they will master the twelve divisions of scripture spoken within the Buddha’s Dharma and possess free and unhindered eloquence. Those twenty capable bodhisattvas will hear immeasurable hundreds of thousands of sutras from their upadhyayas and acaryas and will be able to receive and retain them all. They will say: ‘I personally heard and received this Dharma gate from that upadhyaya and acarya; there is no doubt about it.’

“Maitreya! At that time, some lay and monastic bodhisattvas, lacking wisdom and skillful means, will mock, despise, and slander the Dharma taught by these bodhisattvas who receive and uphold the true Dharma. They will say: ‘Such teachings have been fabricated at will by these people through clever speech; they were not truly proclaimed by the Tathagata.

We cannot believe or delight in that Dharma or give rise to a sense of its rarity.’ Consequently, immeasurable sentient beings will slander these Dharma masters, abandon them, and say to one another: ‘These bhiksus have no proper discipline and teach many false doctrines. They do not rely upon the sutras or the Vinaya but behave like theatrical performers, singers, and entertainers. No one should believe or delight in their teachings or regard them as rare, for they are not the true Dharma.’

“Maitreya! Those foolish people, controlled by Mara, will fail to understand this Dharma and will claim that it was not spoken by the Tathagata. They will slander the bhiksus who uphold the Dharma and create karma that destroys the Dharma. Because of this, they will fall into the lower realms.

“Maitreya! For this reason, wise and skillful bodhisattvas who wish to protect the true Dharma must conceal their abilities and virtues. They must carefully guard sentient beings prone to discrimination and prevent them from giving rise to evil and unwholesome thoughts.”

Bodhisattva Maitreya further said: “World-Honored One! During the final age, five hundred years afterward, there will be exceedingly ignorant bodhisattvas who, amid the great assembly, slander the true Dharma and those who uphold it. Although eloquence and dharani will be present there, they will be unable to accept them in faith.

“World-Honored One! Suppose a thirsty person went to a spring or pond to drink. Earlier, that person had poured filth and excrement into the pond. When about to drink, he smelled the foul stench of the pond water and refused to drink it. Although he himself had polluted it, he blamed the water, even saying: ‘How strange that this water smells so foul!’ Unaware that the fault was his own, he instead resented the pond water.

“World-Honored One! The pond water represents the bhiksus who uphold the Dharma and who, through the Buddha’s spiritual power, skillfully explain this Dharma eye. The foolish person who pours filth into the pond, forgets having done so, later wishes to drink, and then blames the water for smelling foul represents the ignorant bodhisattvas five hundred years into the final age. They will slander the true Dharma and those who uphold it, and afterward they will approach those who uphold the Dharma to hear the true Dharma taught. Because they do not recognize their own faults and their faculty of mind has been polluted by doubt, they will scorn and ridicule the Dharma masters, despise the true Dharma, search for faults, utter insulting words, become disgusted, and depart.”

The World-Honored One praised him: “Excellent, excellent, Maitreya! You have skillfully given this analogy. Maitreya! Know that there are four kinds of eloquence proclaimed by all Buddhas and four kinds of eloquence prohibited by all Buddhas.

“What are the four kinds of eloquence proclaimed by the Buddhas? They correspond with benefit, not with harm; they correspond with the true Dharma, not with what is contrary to Dharma; they correspond with the exhaustion of afflictions, not with the increase of afflictions; and they correspond with the merits of nirvana, not with the faults and defilements of birth and death. These are the four kinds of eloquence proclaimed by the Buddhas.

Bhiksus, bhiksunis, upasakas, and upasikas who wish to teach the Dharma should abide in these kinds of eloquence. Good men and good women of faithful and compliant minds should regard such a person as a Buddha, consider that person a teacher, and listen to and receive the true Dharma from that person. Why?

Because what that person teaches is what the Tathagatas teach and is the truthful speech of all Buddhas.

“Maitreya! If anyone slanders these four kinds of eloquence, claiming that they were not spoken by the Buddha and showing them no reverence or respect, that person, because of hatred, slanders the four kinds of eloquence taught by all Buddhas, the Tathagatas. Having slandered the Dharma, that person creates karma that destroys the Dharma; having created such karma, that person will fall into the lower realms.

“Therefore, Maitreya, good men of pure faith who wish to escape the karmic offense of slandering the true Dharma should not reject the true Dharma because they dislike a person, should not blame the true Dharma because a person has faults, and should not resent the true Dharma because they resent a person.

“Maitreya! What are the four kinds of eloquence prohibited by all Tathagatas? They correspond with harm and not with benefit; they correspond with what is contrary to Dharma and not with the Dharma; they correspond with afflictions and not with the exhaustion of afflictions; and they correspond with birth and death and not with the merits of nirvana.”

Bodhisattva Maitreya asked: “World-Honored One! According to the Buddha’s teaching, eloquence that increases birth and death is not proclaimed by the Tathagatas. Why, then, did the Buddha say that afflictions can benefit bodhisattvas? The Buddha also praised embracing birth and death as a means of perfecting the factors of bodhi. Are such teachings not spoken by the Tathagata?”

The Buddha replied: “Maitreya! The Buddha will now question you; answer as you see fit. Suppose it is said that bodhisattvas embrace birth and death in order to perfect and accomplish the factors of bodhi, and that they use afflictions to bring benefit. Do these statements correspond with benefit or harm? Do they correspond with the Dharma or with what is contrary to Dharma?”

Bodhisattva Maitreya replied: “World-Honored One! If these are right teachings, they correspond with benefit and the Dharma, because they enable bodhisattvas to perfect the factors of bodhi.”

The Buddha said: “Maitreya! The teaching that bodhisattvas embrace birth and death in order to perfect the factors of bodhi, and that afflictions can benefit bodhisattvas, is an exposition proclaimed by the Buddhas, the Tathagatas. Why? Maitreya, those bodhisattvas have attained mastery of the Dharma, so when afflictions arise, no fault results. This is the skillful means of bodhisattvas and is not the sphere of sravakas or pratyekabuddhas.

“Maitreya! If an affliction cannot benefit others, cannot perfect the factors of bodhi, and corresponds neither with benefit nor with the Dharma, so that when it arises it serves only as a cause and condition for inferior roots of goodness, then in such a case a bodhisattva would rather relinquish body and life than follow and practice in accordance with that affliction.

“Maitreya! Some bodhisattvas, because they have attained the power of wisdom, can engage with present afflictions; other bodhisattvas, lacking the power of wisdom, increase their attachment to afflictions.”

Bodhisattva Maitreya said: “World-Honored One! As I understand the meaning of the Buddha’s teaching, if bodhisattvas five hundred years into the final age wish to escape the bonds of karmic obstructions, avoid harming themselves, and attain liberation, they should give rise to profound faith and understanding concerning bodhisattva conduct. They should not make discriminations concerning the faults of others but should resolutely seek the Tathagata’s true merits.”

The Buddha said: “So it is. Maitreya! Therefore, one should give rise to profound faith and understanding regarding the skillful conduct of bodhisattvas. Why? Because the skillful conduct of bodhisattvas who practice wisdom is exceedingly difficult to believe and understand.

“Maitreya! Suppose a stream-enterer manifests the conduct of an ordinary person. The spiritual attainments of an ordinary person and a stream-enterer are different. Bound by greed, anger, and delusion, the ordinary person falls into the lower realms, whereas the stream-enterer skillfully comprehends greed, anger, and delusion and will never fall into the lower realms.

“Bodhisattvas who practice wisdom are likewise. Although their habitual tendencies of greed, anger, and delusion have not yet ended, they differ from novice bodhisattvas. Why? Because the minds of bodhisattvas who practice wisdom are not obscured by afflictions and are unlike those of novice bodhisattvas.

“Bodhisattvas who practice wisdom alone without skillful means are like ordinary people and cannot attain liberation.

“Maitreya! Through the power of wisdom, bodhisattvas who practice wisdom can destroy all grave offenses and will not fall into the lower realms because of them.

“Suppose a person cast firewood into a great mass of flame and continually added more wood. The flames would thereby grow ever brighter and never be extinguished. So it is, Maitreya: bodhisattvas who practice wisdom use the fire of wisdom to burn the firewood of afflictions. As the firewood of afflictions is continually added, the great fire of wisdom grows ever brighter and is never extinguished.

“Maitreya! So it is: the power of wisdom and skillful means possessed by bodhisattvas who practice wisdom is exceedingly difficult to comprehend.”