大寶積經

How does a great bodhisattva perfect the practice of dhyana-paramita?

“Good-Arm, when a bodhisattva sees a form, he does not grasp its characteristics. If at times his eye faculty is drawn away by external objects, he should properly guard it, neither allowing it to follow conditions nor permitting his mind to become deluded and attached to the world. By maintaining this discipline, he perfects restraint of the eye faculty. When the ear hears sounds, the nose smells odors, the tongue tastes flavors, the body senses contacts, and the mind cognizes dharmas, he properly guards them in the same way.

“Whether walking, standing, lying down, sitting, speaking, or silent, this bodhisattva never departs from a mind of calm concentration. He carefully controls his hands and feet without distraction, always possesses shame and moral dread, and carefully guards his verbal karma. Peaceful in bearing and looking straight ahead, his mind is always tranquil.

He does not delight in laughter and play, but skillfully disciplines the karma of body, speech, and mind, keeping them constantly tranquil. Whether in a secluded place or openly among others, he has no divergent thoughts. Regarding the four requisites, he is always content, easy to support, easily satisfied, readily guided, and easily fulfilled.

He skillfully practices tranquility and remains far from commotion. Toward gain and loss, censure and praise, fame and ridicule, suffering and pleasure, his mind makes no distinctions and is neither elated nor dejected. Toward life and death his mind likewise makes no distinction.

Free from anger and partiality, he equally regards enemy and friend as his own beloved child. His mind remains equal toward what can and cannot be endured. He also regards as equal the voices of noble and ordinary beings and sounds that are peaceful or disturbing, without conceiving distinctions.

Amid forms that inspire love or hatred, his mind is neither elevated nor lowered, for he has left attachment and aversion behind. The same applies to sounds, odors, flavors, contacts, and dharmas: his mind remains equal and undifferentiated.

“This bodhisattva regards sensual forms as skeletons, for thoughts of sensual desire arise from false imagination. He regards sensuality as a lump of flesh provoking much hostility; as a blazing torch, hot and painful and far removed from peace; as fruit upon a tree, coveted by many; as something borrowed, over which one has no mastery; as a dream, destroyed in an instant; as a poisonous sore, wherein through inversion suffering is imagined to be pleasure; as a fishhook leading one to commit evil karma and fall into evil destinies; and as a river of ashes, where increasing sensual defilement never brings satisfaction.

Having contemplated in this way, the bodhisattva leaves behind sensuality and evil, unwholesome dharmas. With applied and sustained thought, he enters the joy and happiness born of seclusion and perfects the first dhyana. Leaving applied and sustained thought behind, inwardly purified and with the mind unified, free of applied and sustained thought, he enters the joy and happiness born of concentration and perfects the second dhyana.

Leaving joy behind, he abides in equanimity, mindfulness, and clear comprehension; experiencing bodily happiness, he practices and relinquishes as noble beings do, and perfects the third dhyana. Having abandoned former pleasure and pain, and with grief and joy already ended, he abides in purified equanimity and mindfulness and perfects the fourth dhyana. He thinks of all sentient beings as attaining happiness and develops an immeasurable, boundless mind of loving-kindness.

He thinks of all sentient beings as freed from suffering and develops an immeasurable, boundless mind of compassion. He thinks of all sentient beings with sympathetic gladness and develops an immeasurable, boundless mind of appreciative joy. He thinks of all sentient beings while relinquishing pleasure and pain and develops an immeasurable, boundless mind of equanimity.

“This bodhisattva does not attend to the characteristic of form and perfects the tranquil practice of the sphere of infinite space. He does not attend to the characteristic of space and perfects the tranquil practice of the sphere of infinite consciousness. He does not attend to the characteristic of consciousness and perfects the tranquil practice of the sphere of nothingness. He does not attend to the characteristic of nothingness and perfects the tranquil practice of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception.

“With regard to each inhalation and exhalation, this bodhisattva either follows it or remains attentive to it. When it is long, he knows it as long; when short, he knows it as short. Thus he perfects the tranquil practice of inhalation and exhalation.

“This bodhisattva contemplates the body’s impurity and perfects the tranquil practice of the perception of impurity. He contemplates the immeasurable faults of birth, aging, sickness, and death and perfects the tranquil practice of the perception of impermanence. He contemplates the immeasurable faults and dangers arising from food and perfects the perception of food’s unreliability. He clearly contemplates that the manifold adornments of worlds, cities, towns, and villages are certain to decay, and perfects the tranquil practice of finding no delight in the world.

“Inwardly retaining the perception of form, this bodhisattva contemplates a limited number of external forms, whether beautiful or ugly, and masters their characteristics, thereby perfecting the practice of the first sphere of mastery. Inwardly retaining the perception of form, he contemplates numerous external forms, whether beautiful or ugly, and masters their characteristics, thereby perfecting the practice of the second sphere of mastery.

“This bodhisattva contemplates his own body as dead, burned to ashes, reduced to earth, swept away by water, decomposed and eroded, or severed from the three realms. This is called inwardly having no perception of form while contemplating a limited number of external forms, beautiful or ugly, and mastering their characteristics; thereby he perfects the third sphere of mastery. Inwardly having no perception of form, he contemplates numerous external forms, beautiful or ugly, and masters their characteristics, thereby perfecting the fourth sphere of mastery.

Inwardly having no perception of form, he contemplates immeasurable, boundless, pleasing blue forms and masters their characteristic, thereby perfecting the fifth sphere of mastery. In the same way, by contemplating immeasurable, boundless, pleasing red forms, he perfects the sixth sphere of mastery; by contemplating yellow forms, he perfects the seventh; and by contemplating white forms, he perfects the eighth sphere of mastery.

“This bodhisattva enters the ten totalities—the immeasurable and boundless totalities of earth, water, fire, wind, blue, yellow, red, white, space, and consciousness—without attending to any other characteristic, and thus perfects the practice of entering the ten totalities.

“When entering the contemplation of suffering, this bodhisattva’s mind takes as its objects all roots of goodness: great loving-kindness and great compassion; preserving the true Dharma; maintaining the Three Jewels without interruption; adorning the Buddha-body and purifying the Brahma voice; fulfilling his former vows to teach sentient beings and purify Buddha-worlds; sitting upon the bodhi seat and turning the wondrous Dharma wheel; and eliminating all the fetters of sentient beings. Such are the objects embraced by the bodhisattva’s mind.

“When this bodhisattva enters dhyana concentration, he leaves the four abodes of consciousness and relies neither upon the great elements of earth, water, fire, wind, space, or consciousness, nor upon this life or a future life. When entering concentration, he has no such reliance whatsoever.

“When this bodhisattva enters dhyana, his mind delights in doing so because he wishes to enter unsurpassed concentration and liberation.

“He cultivates wholesome concentration with the vow that all sentient beings may cross over and attain liberation, and so that he may attain omniscience and perfect all Buddha-Dharmas.

“Whether he is contemplating or has completed his contemplation, it is with the vow that all sentient beings may cross over and attain liberation, and so that he may attain omniscience and perfect all Buddha-Dharmas.

“If someone lacks the strength to train in this concentration, he should think: ‘I must forever increase my diligent effort little by little, leave the agitated mind behind, and increasingly train in one-pointedness, causing that one-pointed mind to expand and become complete. To the end of my life, I shall never become indolent or distressed.’

“This bodhisattva arouses the mind of bodhi, remains mindful of it, cultivates it, aspires to bodhi, and vows to seek bodhi. This is called the great bodhisattva’s immeasurable and boundless roots of goodness in meditative concentration, through which he wishes to cause all sentient beings in the world to arouse undefiled concentration and the concentration of those beyond training, and to produce undefiled concentration and the concentration of those beyond training.

“A great bodhisattva practices this concentration, regarding it not as difficult but as a delight, and swiftly perfects dhyana-paramita.

“Good-Arm, how does a great bodhisattva perfect prajnaparamita?

“If a person is intelligent and wise, able after study to retain the teaching and after hearing it to recite and practice it; if that person skillfully studies the profound characteristics and meanings of dharmas, can distinguish them, and, in accordance with the Dharma heard, can reflect upon its meaning, then the bodhisattva should approach, revere, honor, respect, and praise such a person and never abandon that person even under threat of blades or clubs.

“For the sake of learning, understanding the definitive meaning, contemplating that meaning, and honoring and revering his teacher, preceptor, and master, this bodhisattva remains utterly unafraid even when close to death, and does not avoid such suffering, hardship, and adversity as hunger, thirst, cold, heat, mosquitoes, gadflies, poisonous creatures, wind, sun, beatings, abuse, and slander.

“This bodhisattva regards the true Dharma as a mass of jewels, the Dharma teacher as a treasury of jewels, a listener to the Dharma as difficult to encounter, one who raises questions as sustaining the life of wisdom, a learned person as dispelling ignorance and producing wisdom, and one who analyzes dharmas as giving rise to the wisdom-eye over hundreds of thousands of lives.

“Having heard these teachings, retained and cultivated them, and extensively analyzed them, this bodhisattva understands the five skandhas, the twelve ayatanas, the eighteen dhatus, the Four Truths, the twelve links of dependent origination, the three times, and the Three Vehicles.

“He understands two dhatus: the conditioned and the unconditioned. Dharmas that arise, abide, and cease belong to the conditioned dhatu. Dharmas without arising, abiding, or ceasing belong to the unconditioned dhatu.

“He also understands three dhatus: wholesome, unwholesome, and indeterminate. Non-greed and what accords with non-greed, non-hatred and what accords with non-hatred, and non-delusion and what accords with non-delusion are called the wholesome dhatu. Greed and what accords with greed, hatred and what accords with hatred, and delusion and what accords with delusion are called the unwholesome dhatu. Dharmas other than the wholesome and unwholesome are called the indeterminate dhatu.

“He further understands three realms: the desire realm, form realm, and formless realm. The desire realm comprises hell beings, animals, hungry ghosts, asuras, humans, the Heaven of the Four Great Kings, the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, Yama Heaven, Tusita Heaven, the Heaven of Delight in Transformations, and the Heaven of Mastery over Others’ Transformations. Within these, defiled desire, attachment, anger, delusion, expectant longing, and the mind that creates karma constitute the desire realm.

“The form realm comprises the Heavens of Brahma’s Assembly, Brahma’s Ministers, Great Brahma, Limited Light, Immeasurable Light, Light-Sound, Limited Purity, Immeasurable Purity, Universal Purity, Limited Fruition, Extensive Fruition, Immeasurable Fruition, No Heat, No Affliction, Excellent Vision, Wondrous Vision, and Akanistha. Within these, defilement concerning form, delusion, expectant longing, and the mind that creates karma constitute the form realm.

“The formless realm comprises the Heavens of Infinite Space, Infinite Consciousness, Nothingness, and Neither Perception nor Non-Perception. Within these, formless defilement, delusion, expectant longing, and the mind that creates karma constitute the formless realm.

“He also understands four realms: the desire realm, form realm, formless realm, and unconditioned realm.

“He understands six elements: the element of sensuality, the element of ill will, the element of harmfulness, the element of renunciation, the element of non-ill will, and the element of harmlessness. He further understands six elements: earth, water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness. He contemplates the earth element through the consciousness element as impermanent, changing, decaying, unstable, and insecure. What is impermanent is suffering, and what is suffering is non-self. This is called understanding the six elements.

“Having heard, retained, cultivated, and extensively analyzed such teachings, this bodhisattva understands the five skandhas: form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness. Form is like foam, feeling like a bubble, perception like a mirage, formations like a plantain trunk, and consciousness like an illusion. All arise and cease and cannot long endure. This is called understanding the five skandhas.

“Having heard, retained, cultivated, and extensively analyzed such teachings, this bodhisattva understands the six internal ayatanas: eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind. From the eye ayatana through the mind ayatana, all are dharmas of suffering, aging, and death; they are empty, without self or what belongs to a self. In them the three poisons blaze, giving rise to aging, sickness, death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, and distress, and they can also intensify all painful dharmas. This is called understanding the six internal ayatanas.

“He also understands the six external ayatanas: forms seen by the eye, sounds heard by the ear, odors smelled by the nose, flavors tasted by the tongue, contacts sensed by the body, and dharmas cognized by the mind. From forms through dharmas, their nature is neither durable nor stable; they have no foundation and no power. All are impermanent, unreal, not as they truly are, like illusions and magical transformations. This is called understanding the six external ayatanas.

“Having heard, retained, cultivated, and extensively analyzed such teachings, this bodhisattva understands the Four Noble Truths. The five skandhas, six elements, six internal ayatanas, and six external ayatanas are called the truth of suffering. This suffering is impermanent, like an enemy, a sore, a poisoned arrow, a prisoner in confinement, or a broken vessel; it is powerless and without self. Clearly understanding it thus is called knowing the Noble Truth of suffering.

“What is the Noble Truth of the origin of suffering? It is greed, hatred, delusion, pride, conceit of self, conditioned attachment to a self, and the fixed belief that the self is permanent and indestructible. It includes the views: the self is form; the self is different from form; the self is perception; the self is different from perception; the self is perception and non-perception; the self is different from perception and non-perception; the self is the skandhas; the self is different from the skandhas; the skandhas are within the self; the self is within the skandhas; the self is the dhatus and ayatanas; the self is different from the dhatus and ayatanas; the dhatus and ayatanas are within the self; the self is within the dhatus and ayatanas; the self is feeling;

the self is different from feeling; the self is without feeling; the self is different from the absence of feeling; the self is consciousness; the self is different from consciousness; the self possesses little form; the self is different from little form; the self possesses much form; the self is different from much form; the self is permanent; the self is impermanent; the self is both permanent and impermanent; the self is neither permanent nor impermanent; the self is finite; the self is infinite; the self is both finite and infinite; the self is neither finite nor infinite; after death one continues as before; after death one does not continue as before; after death one both continues and does not continue as before; after death one neither continues nor does not continue as before;

the life faculty is the body and the body is the life faculty; from where do these sentient beings come, and where do they go; these sentient beings are annihilated and have no continuity; one acts and oneself experiences the result; another acts and another experiences the result.

“When one grasps a self, one grasps what belongs to the self; where there is what belongs to the self, there is a self. Such appropriation and attachment to self and body—whether fetters, underlying tendencies, self, or possessions of self—together with appropriation by self rooted in greed, hatred, and delusion; the aggregate of the three karmas of body, speech, and mind; evil karma or meritorious karma; karma of the desire realm, form realm, or formless realm—all this is called the Noble Truth of the origin of suffering.

“What is the Noble Truth of cessation? When greed, hatred, and delusion are entirely ended, self and possessions of self are entirely ended, and appropriation of the three realms is entirely ended, this is called the Noble Truth of cessation.

“What is called the Noble Truth of the path? One sees suffering, its origin, its cessation, and its complete ending; reflects upon all the faults and dangers of conditioned existence; and sees nirvana as tranquil and the task as accomplished. While abiding in such Dharma, one cultivates right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. This is called the Noble Truth of the path.

“Knowing the Four Noble Truths in this way, when the bodhisattva contemplates and analyzes them, he sees conditioned dharmas as suffering, impermanent, empty, and without self. He sees the unconditioned as a refuge, a dwelling, and a support. Although he contemplates in this way, he does not realize nirvana. Thus the bodhisattva understands the Four Noble Truths.

“Having heard, retained, cultivated, and extensively analyzed such teachings, this bodhisattva understands the twelve links of dependent origination: conditioned formations arise in dependence upon ignorance; consciousness upon formations; name-and-form upon consciousness; the six ayatanas upon name-and-form; contact upon the six ayatanas; feeling upon contact; craving upon feeling; clinging upon craving; becoming upon clinging; birth upon becoming; and aging and death upon birth.

“Not knowing and not seeing the Four Noble Truths and the twelve links of dependent origination is called ignorance. The three karmas of body, speech, and mind; meritorious and evil karma; and karma of the desire, form, and formless realms are called formations. Mind, mentation, and consciousness are called consciousness.

Feeling, perception, volition, contact, and attention are called name. The four great elements as causes of form, and the forms produced by them, from the kalala embryo through birth by transformation, whether active or inactive form, are called form. Because name and form are conjoined, they are called name-and-form.

Eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind are called the six ayatanas. When eye-consciousness arises dependent on eye and form, through to mind-consciousness arising dependent on mind and dharmas, the conjunction of the three produces contact; this is called contact. Painful feeling, pleasant feeling, and neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling are called feeling.

Defiled attachment is called craving. Craving, views, and attachment to precepts are called clinging. Form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are called becoming.

The arising of that becoming is called birth. Deterioration and change are called aging. Destruction and dissolution are called death.

“Contemplating and analyzing the twelve links in this way, the bodhisattva sees, hears, senses, and knows that the six great elements—earth, water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness—are not a self, and he does not become attached to them; nor does he become attached to or hope for a self apart from those six elements. He sees, hears, senses, and knows that nirvana is not a self, and he does not become attached to it; nor does he become attached to or hope for a self apart from nirvana.

“Seeing that dharmas arise from causes and conditions, this bodhisattva immediately understands the three gates of liberation and extensively cultivates the vision of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness. Seeing that dharmas arise from causes and conditions, he understands the happiness of tranquil cessation. Through diligent study and extensive analysis, ignorance ceases; with the cessation of ignorance, formations cease; and so forth, until with the cessation of birth, aging and death cease. Although the bodhisattva contemplates the arising and cessation of the twelve links, he does not realize tranquil cessation. Thus the bodhisattva understands the twelve links of dependent origination.

“Having heard such Dharma, cultivated it one-pointedly, and extensively analyzed it, this bodhisattva understands the three times: past, future, and present. Dharmas that have arisen and ceased are called past. Dharmas that have not yet arisen are called future. Dharmas that have arisen but not yet ceased are called present.

“This bodhisattva reflects upon unwholesome roots of the past as contemptible, blameworthy, and hateful, and rejects and leaves them behind. He regards future unwholesome roots as bringing undesirable, unpleasant, and disagreeable results. He prevents present unwholesome roots from arising. He skillfully guards the three karmas of body, speech, and mind and the six sense faculties, constantly produces wholesome karma, and does not interrupt roots of goodness established in the past.

“This bodhisattva arouses the mind of bodhi, remains intent upon it, aspires to bodhi, and wishes to attain the mind of bodhi. With a profound and earnest mind, he joyfully vows that all sentient beings may cross over and attain liberation, and that he may attain omniscience and perfect all Buddha-Dharmas.

“He never abandons this mind and never becomes indolent, unmindful, or heedless. The skandhas, dhatus, ayatanas, and so forth of the past have completely ceased; they are unreal, no longer exist, and are without self or possessions of self. Those of the future have not yet arisen and are without self or possessions of self.

Those of the present do not remain for even a thought-moment. Why? Because worldly dharmas do not abide for a single thought-moment.

If there is a thought-moment, within it there is arising, abiding, and cessation, yet this very arising, abiding, and cessation likewise do not abide. If internal and external skandhas, dhatus, and ayatanas exist within that abiding and cessation, these internal and external skandhas, dhatus, and ayatanas also undergo arising, abiding, and cessation. Because they do not abide, they are neither self nor possessions of self.

“What has ceased in the past is unreal and no longer exists, and therefore is neither self nor possessions of self. What has not arisen in the future is neither self nor possessions of self. What does not remain from moment to moment in the present is neither self nor possessions of self.

One who sees that the three times are neither self nor possessions of self is called a person of true wisdom. Not seeing a self or possessions of self in what is neither self nor possessions of self, one practices throughout the realms with the perception of non-self and absence of possessions of self, the perception of dispassion, the perception of severance, and the perception of cessation. Although practicing thus, one does not realize nirvana.

This is called the bodhisattva’s complete understanding of the three times.

“Having heard, retained, cultivated, and extensively analyzed such teachings, this bodhisattva understands three vehicles: the heavenly vehicle, the Brahma vehicle, and the noble vehicle. The first, second, third, and fourth dhyanas are called the heavenly vehicle. Loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, and equanimity are called the Brahma vehicle. Right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration are called the noble vehicle.

“This bodhisattva constantly cultivates these three vehicles and teaches sentient beings to abide in them, yet does not personally realize liberation. This is called the bodhisattva’s understanding of the three vehicles.

“He also understands another three vehicles: the sravaka vehicle, pratyekabuddha vehicle, and Great Vehicle.

“What is the sravaka vehicle? A person of lesser faculties who seeks liberation leaves the three realms in a single thought, desires to transcend the world and attain nirvana, sees the place of tranquil cessation, and diligently strives as though extinguishing a fire upon his head. If that person has not understood the Four Noble Truths, he wishes to use the arrow of wisdom to penetrate them, and eagerly strives to realize and understand them. This is called the sravaka vehicle.

“What is the pratyekabuddha vehicle? A person of intermediate faculties who seeks liberation wishes to dwell alone in tranquility for personal benefit, enters tranquil concentration, skillfully analyzes the twelve links of dependent origination, and wishes to attain and realize the path of a pratyekabuddha. This is called the pratyekabuddha vehicle.

“What is the Great Vehicle? A person of superior faculties who seeks liberation wishes to enable all sentient beings to cross over and attain liberation, to attain omniscience, to perfect all Buddha-Dharmas and the six paramitas, to benefit all worlds, and to end all sentient beings’ suffering and distress. His mind always disdains the pleasures of the five desires found in all worlds, much more the immeasurable sufferings of worldly existence. He wishes sentient beings to uphold unsurpassed discipline. He wishes to hear and see the Great Vehicle sutras, retain and analyze them, contemplate and cultivate them, read and recite them until thoroughly versed, and strive diligently.

“If bodhisattvas practice the four means of embracing, he approaches them. He wishes sentient beings to embrace true wisdom and abide in the four means of embracing. He constantly wishes to hear, retain, and analyze the supreme and exceedingly profound essentials of Dharma.

He wishes to lead all sentient beings into meditative concentration. He relinquishes his own pleasure to benefit sentient beings. With his own power and in accordance with their inclinations, he wishes to establish them in the Three Vehicles.

Though he teaches the Three Vehicles, he himself abides in the unsurpassed path, indestructible and unmoving like vajra. He constantly vows to attain unsurpassed bodhi and seeks bodhi. This is called the Great Vehicle.

This is called the bodhisattva’s understanding of the three vehicles.

“Having heard, retained, cultivated, and extensively analyzed such teachings, this bodhisattva understands skillful means. Before the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, he prostrates with all five limbs touching the ground and makes this his karmic practice. In whatever he does, he vows to attain the unsurpassed path. Taking refuge in this way, he arouses the mind of bodhi. Whether walking, standing, sitting, lying down, eating, drinking, or bathing, he entertains no other thought but constantly vows to attain unsurpassed bodhi and trains extensively in this way.

“When first entering concentration and after entering it, he constantly vows that all sentient beings may cross over and attain liberation, and that he may attain omniscience and perfect all Buddha-Dharmas. Throughout all worlds, he wishes exclusively to discipline all sentient beings; wishes that none among them surpass him; wishes to attain supreme excellence; wishes to instruct all sentient beings; wishes all sentient beings to attain tranquil cessation; and wishes to attain perfect enlightenment in all dharmas and perfect every Buddha-Dharma. He arouses the mind of bodhi and constantly trains extensively in this way.

“Whatever roots of goodness this bodhisattva performs, he dedicates them so that all sentient beings may leave fear behind, escape the three evil destinies, end immeasurable suffering, eliminate afflictions, and attain nirvana. Whoever in the present or future wishes to attain the sravaka vehicle, he vows that they may perfect it. Whoever wishes to attain the pratyekabuddha vehicle, he vows that they may perfect it.

Whoever wishes to attain the Great Vehicle, he vows that they may perfect it. He vows to request all present and future Buddhas, the Tathagatas, to remain in the world for a kalpa and teach the Dharma. He vows that the noble assembly following the Buddha may remain forever harmonious.

He reflects: ‘Wherever sentient beings cultivate roots of goodness, whether wishing to be born among humans or devas or to abide in one of the Three Vehicles, I vow that all their wishes may be fulfilled.’

“For the sake of the supreme and exceedingly profound essentials of Dharma, this bodhisattva continually reads and recites them during the three periods of the day, and if he has not memorized them, he contemplates them. He declares, ‘I now take refuge in all Buddhas, the honored Dharma, and the noble Sangha. With my head and face, I bow to the Buddhas, whose majestic virtue none surpasses and whose marks are exceedingly beautiful.’

“He constantly thinks: ‘May Buddhas always be present everywhere, with no place left empty, so that I may exhort them to remain for a kalpa and proclaim the wondrous Dharma.’ He continually reproaches every evil he has done or may do, declaring, ‘I have now left all evil behind, even for the duration of a single thought. May I dedicate all roots of goodness so that sentient beings may have immeasurable life spans, abide in every wholesome dharma, and swiftly turn the Dharma wheel like the bodhisattvas.

May noble beings attain moral discipline, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and the knowledge and vision of liberation. May the Buddha-Dharma long abide in the world to benefit sentient beings. May beings born in the five destinies all acquire roots of goodness.’ Bowing to the Buddhas, he constantly makes such prayers.

“Whatever wholesome vows this bodhisattva makes, he causes sentient beings and himself to attain wondrous, excellent majestic virtue. He prays that the present and future Three Jewels—the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha—may remain in the world for a kalpa without hindrance or difficulty; that the jewel-like bodhisattvas may swiftly perfect the six paramitas and attain unsurpassed bodhi without hindrance; and that all sentient beings may eliminate fear, suffering, and distress, practice every joy, end all unwholesome roots, perfect every wholesome root, attain the Three Vehicles according to their vows, swiftly perfect the six paramitas, enjoy immeasurable life spans, attain liberation, and accomplish the unsurpassed path. Bowing to the Buddhas, he constantly makes such prayers.

“This bodhisattva constantly prays that all sentient beings may end every suffering and distress. To all Buddhas dwelling throughout all worlds, extending even to their Dharma-bodies, he vows to offer his own body. Wishing all sentient beings to cross over and attain the unsurpassed path, wherever he is born he faithfully reveres the Three Jewels. With incense and flowers he makes offerings to Buddhas, World-Honored Ones as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, and also to the Dharma, Sangha, and bodhisattvas, making the quantity of offerings as great as Mount Sumeru.

“If sentient beings anywhere in any world require the seven treasures, rooms, houses, clothing, beverages, food, medicines, beds, or bedding, he provides everything fully, leaving no deficiency. If anyone delights in patience, diligence, or moral discipline, he explains the teaching according to that person’s inclination, enabling them to accomplish the supreme Dharma, perfect the Three Jewels, cultivate the six paramitas, and swiftly attain Buddhahood. He causes them to leave evil dharmas behind, skillfully practice the true meaning, keep the three karmas of body, speech, and mind from retreating from bodhi, delight in bodhi, see Buddhas and bodhisattvas everywhere and at all times, and constantly train in roots of goodness. He establishes sentient beings in wholesome dharmas.

“This bodhisattva himself understands the roots of goodness of others, the direction of their wisdom, and contemplative wisdom, wishing all sentient beings to cross over and attain liberation, and wishing to attain omniscience and perfect all Buddha-Dharmas. Such is the wisdom possessed by this bodhisattva.

“If someone lacks the strength to cultivate and train in this way, that person should reflect: ‘I must now become increasingly diligent and concentrated, gradually eliminate ignorance, and gradually train in this wisdom, causing it to expand and become complete. To the end of my life, I shall never become indolent or distressed.’

“In this way, the bodhisattva arouses the mind of bodhi, remains mindful of it, cultivates it, and aspires to it. This bodhisattva possesses immeasurable and boundless wholesome wisdom. Why? Because this wisdom is supreme and foremost among wholesome forms of wisdom. It causes all sentient beings in the world to arouse undefiled wisdom and the wisdom of those beyond training, and to produce undefiled wisdom and the wisdom of those beyond training.

“Good-Arm, this bodhisattva practices such wisdom, regarding it not as difficult but as a delight, and swiftly perfects prajnaparamita.”

After the Buddha had spoken this sutra, the bodhisattva Good-Arm rejoiced and praised it, saying, “Excellent, excellent!” He faithfully accepted it and practiced it as taught.