大寶積經

2. CHAPTER ON ELUCIDATING THE MEANING

At that time, among the great assembly were foremost devas such as the deva sons Well-Abiding Intention, Good Tranquillity, and Shame and Remorse, together with nine billion six hundred million deva sons. All practiced the bodhisattva path and came together to the dwelling of Bodhisattva Manjusri. Arriving outside his chamber, they circumambulated it seven times and scattered heavenly mandarava flowers, which covered the sky to a height of ten yojanas, forming a flower net resembling a jeweled stupa.

Bodhisattva Manjusri took this canopy of flowers and offered it to the Blessed One. After making the offering, through his spiritual power he caused flower nets to spread throughout the skies of every land in the great trichiliocosm. The radiance of those flowers illuminated the entire great trichiliocosm with dazzling brilliance, while heavenly mandarava flowers also rained down.

Bodhisattva Manjusri then calmly and serenely emerged from his private chamber. Through his spiritual power, he caused a wondrous seat of seven treasures, lofty and perfectly adorned, to appear naturally upon the ground where he stood. Composing his bearing and arranging his robes, he ascended and sat upon that jeweled seat.

When the deva son Well-Abiding Intention saw Bodhisattva Manjusri seated upon the jeweled seat, he approached, bowed at the bodhisattva’s feet, and withdrew to one side. All the other deva sons likewise bowed at the bodhisattva’s feet.

Bodhisattva Manjusri thought: “Who today can engage with me before the Blessed One in questions and answers concerning the exceedingly profound Dharma? Who is a suitable vessel for receiving the inconceivable statement, the statement most difficult to realize, the statement without any locus, the statement without attachment, the statement free of conceptual proliferation, the statement that cannot be apprehended, the statement that cannot be spoken, the profound statement, the statement of true reality, the unobstructed statement, the indestructible statement, the statement of emptiness, the statement of signlessness, the statement of wishlessness, the statement of suchness, the statement of the ultimate limit of reality, the statement of the dharmadhatu,

the statement without form or appearance, the statement of neither grasping nor relinquishing, the statement of Buddha, the statement of Dharma, the statement of Sangha, the statement of perfect wisdom, the statement of the equality of the three realms, the statement that all dharmas are unobtainable, the statement that all dharmas are unborn, the lion’s statement, the courageous statement, and the statement without statements?

Who could hear such statements?”

Bodhisattva Manjusri further thought: “Only the deva son Well-Abiding Intention, who in the past made offerings to many Buddhas, entered the profound acceptance of dharmas, and possesses eloquence, will be able to discuss the true meaning with me before the Buddha.” Having reflected thus, he said to the deva son Well-Abiding Intention: “Deva son, you have now attained profound acceptance of dharmas and possess unobstructed eloquence. Will you come with me to the Blessed One so that together we may debate this profound and wondrous meaning?”

The deva son Well-Abiding Intention replied: “Great Being, I say this: if that person uses no language toward me, gives no exposition, asks no questions and makes no replies; if there are no Buddha, Dharma, or Sangha, the Three Vehicles are utterly cut off, there is neither samsara nor nirvana, neither union nor dispersion, neither disclosure nor exposition, and no sound is uttered, all written words being removed—then I shall converse with one who speaks in this manner.”

Bodhisattva Manjusri said: “Deva son, I say this: that person must neither attend to me nor hear, read, recite, accept, or retain; neither think nor recollect; neither grasp nor relinquish; neither awaken nor know; neither hear me speak nor explain it to others. Why? Because the bodhi of all Buddhas is originally without written words and without mind, apart from mind. There is no awakening. Although a provisional name is used in speaking, that name itself is also nonexistent.”

The deva son Well-Abiding Intention then said: “Great Being, you should now speak for the deva sons. These deva sons take great delight in what the Great Being teaches and wish to hear it.”

Bodhisattva Manjusri said: “Deva son, I shall never speak for those who delight in hearing, nor shall I speak for those who hear and receive. Why? Wherever there is hearing and receiving, there is grasping and attachment.

Attachment to what? Attachment to self, person, sentient being, life span, and individual. Because of such grasping and attachment, there is hearing and receiving.

Know that one who hears and receives in this way abides in three kinds of bondage: first, bondage to the view of self; second, bondage to the view of sentient beings; and third, bondage to the view of dharmas. Deva son, if someone without these three kinds of bondage hears the Dharma, know that this person abides in three kinds of purity: first, not seeing one’s own body, and neither discriminating, thinking about, nor directly knowing it; second, not seeing the preacher of Dharma, and neither discriminating, thinking about, nor directly knowing that preacher; and third, not seeing the Dharma being taught, and neither discriminating, thinking about, nor directly knowing it.

“Deva son, one who is able to hear the Dharma in this manner hears with equality.”

The deva son Well-Abiding Intention praised Bodhisattva Manjusri: “Excellent, excellent! You have spoken these words exceedingly well. Great Being, if anyone can speak in this manner, know that this is an exposition of nonretrogression.”

Bodhisattva Manjusri said: “Enough, deva son. You should not now falsely conceive and discriminate a bodhisattva’s retrogression. Why? If a bodhisattva could retrogress, that bodhisattva would never attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment. Why? Because within bodhi there is no dharma of retrogression.”

The deva son Well-Abiding Intention said: “Great Being, if that is so, where does retrogression occur?”

Bodhisattva Manjusri said: “Deva son, know that retrogression occurs from sensual desire; retrogression occurs from anger; retrogression occurs from delusion; retrogression occurs from craving for existence; retrogression occurs from ignorance;

and, extending to the twelve links of conditioned existence in samsara, retrogression occurs from them. Retrogression occurs from causes and conditions, from attachment to views, from name and form, from the Desire Realm, the Form Realm, and the Formless Realm, from the sravaka state, from the pratyekabuddha state, from discrimination, from attachment, from characteristics, from grasping characteristics, from the view of annihilation, from the view of permanence, from grasping, from relinquishing, from the perception of self, from the perception of a sentient being, from the perception of a life span, from the perception of an individual, from the perception of a pudgala, from ideation, from bondage, from inversion, from the view of self, from the sixty-two views rooted in the view of self,

from the five hindrances, from the five skandhas, from the ayatanas, from the dhatus, from the perception of Buddha, from the perception of Dharma, and from the perception of Sangha.

Even such perceptions as, ‘I shall become a Buddha, I shall teach the Dharma, I shall liberate sentient beings, I shall defeat Mara, and I shall attain wisdom,’ are sources from which retrogression occurs.

“Deva son, if one does not discriminate the Tathagata’s ten powers; does not discriminate the four fearlessnesses, the eighteen unique qualities, all the faculties, powers, factors of enlightenment, and factors of the path; does not discriminate the excellent marks and characteristics, the adornments of Buddha lands, sravakas, or bodhisattvas; and, extending to all discriminations of retrogression, does not discriminate them, then this is called nonretrogression.”

The deva son Well-Abiding Intention said: “Great Being, if that is so, where may nonretrogression be attained?”

Bodhisattva Manjusri said: “Deva son, know that nonretrogression is attained through penetrating the Buddha’s wisdom; nonretrogression is attained through emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; and nonretrogression is attained through suchness, the Dharma-nature, the ultimate limit of reality, and equality.”

The deva son Well-Abiding Intention said: “Great Being, if this is said, discrimination and nondiscrimination are not different from each other. Why? Because both arise from conceptual discrimination; therefore, they may be said to involve retrogression.

“Great Being, is this retrogression an existent dharma or a nonexistent dharma?”

Bodhisattva Manjusri said: “That retrogression is neither existent nor nonexistent.”

The deva son Well-Abiding Intention said: “Great Being, if that is so, where does retrogression exist?”

Bodhisattva Manjusri said: “Deva son, to grasp existence or nonexistence is false grasping, inverted grasping, and grasping what is contrary to suchness. Yet that is neither grasping nor nongrasping. In this sense, it is called retrogression.

Nevertheless, this dharma of retrogression cannot be said to exist or not to exist. Why? If retrogression existed within existence or nonexistence, there would be an error.

Why? If a dharma of retrogression existed, one would fall into the view of permanence; if no dharma of retrogression existed, one would fall into the view of annihilation. Yet the Blessed One teaches neither permanence nor annihilation.

Neither annihilation nor permanence is the teaching of the Tathagata. Deva son, if one directly knows those unreal and attached perceptions, this is called neither annihilation nor permanence. Deva son, this is the bodhisattva’s Dharma gateway of retrogression.”

When this Dharma was taught, ten thousand deva sons attained acceptance of the nonarising of dharmas.

3. CHAPTER ON MANJUSRI’S SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATIONS

At that time, the deva son Well-Abiding Intention said to Bodhisattva Manjusri: “Great Being, we should now go together to the Tathagata, draw near to him, bow before him, and inquire about what we have not yet heard. On that occasion, we may also question him in accordance with the Dharma.”

Bodhisattva Manjusri said: “Deva son, do not discriminate or grasp the Tathagata.”

The deva son Well-Abiding Intention said: “Great Being, where is the Tathagata, that you tell me not to grasp him?”

Bodhisattva Manjusri said: “He is directly before you.”

“Great Being, if that is so, why do I not see him?”

“Deva son, if you are now able to see nothing whatsoever, that is called truly seeing the Tathagata.”

“Great Being, if he is directly before me, why do you tell me not to grasp the Tathagata?”

“Deva son, what do you think is now directly before you?”

“Great Being, there is the realm of space.”

“Deva son, so it is. To speak of the Tathagata is precisely to speak of the realm of space. Why? Because all dharmas are equal, like space. Therefore, space is the Tathagata, and the Tathagata is space. Space and the Tathagata are neither two nor different. Deva son, for this reason, one who wishes to see the Tathagata should contemplate thus: clearly know the ultimate reality exactly as it is; within it, there is not a single thing that can be discriminated.”

Bodhisattva Manjusri then used his spiritual power to conjure thirty-two multistoried jeweled mansions. Each had four square sides and four corners encircled by pillars, with balustrades and interwoven jeweled nets, exquisitely beautiful, lofty, magnificent, perfectly adorned, and delightful. Within each mansion was a superb jeweled couch spread with heavenly garments, and upon each couch sat a conjured bodhisattva endowed with the thirty-two marks of a great person.

After displaying such adornments, Bodhisattva Manjusri, together with the lotus seats, the conjured Buddhas and bodhisattvas, the multistoried jeweled mansions, and the assembly of bodhisattvas, went to the Buddha. They circumambulated the Buddha seven times and also circumambulated the assembly of bhiksus. They then rose into the sky, radiantly illuminating the entire assembly at the place of enlightenment, and remained in the four directions.

At that time, although Bodhisattva Manjusri had been walking behind the deva son Well-Abiding Intention, he suddenly arrived before the Buddha first, while the deva son arrived afterward. The deva son Well-Abiding Intention asked: “Great Being, I was walking ahead, yet I arrived later. By which road did the Great Being come here?”

Bodhisattva Manjusri said: “Deva son, even if someone made offerings to as many Tathagatas as there are sands in the Ganges and bowed down at their feet, that person would still never see me coming or going, walking or standing.”

The conjured bodhisattvas upon the flower canopies and within the jeweled mansions then spoke these verses in unison, praising the Tathagata:

“You have made offerings to more World-Honored Ones
Than the sands of the Ganges, inconceivably many;
Courageously cultivating in quest of bodhi,
You have therefore transcended devas and humans.

Your radiant beauty surpasses the three realms;
The Muni’s excellent marks are truly extraordinary.
For the assembly you proclaim the profound Dharma:
There is no life span, person, or self.

The World-Honored One practiced giving and upheld pure precepts,
Perfecting patience, diligence, and meditative concentration.
His pure wisdom illuminates the three realms;
I bow to the Victor who perfected the paramitas.

Whoever arouses the resolve to seek bodhi
Is worthy to receive offerings from devas and humans.
If one has no doubts concerning profound emptiness,
One shall succeed the Dharma King and emerge in the world.

The perfectly enlightened Buddhas of the past
And all present Honored Ones among Bipeds
Always teach that dharmas are empty in this way,
Originally without characteristics and without fabrication.

The essential nature of sentient beings cannot be found;
How then could there be one who is born and dies?
Originally, there is neither coming nor going;
All dharmas are like space.

Just as conjured beings behold various events
Which, though displayed, possess no reality,
So too is the Dharma taught by the World-Honored One:
Entirely insubstantial, like illusions and dreams.

If one filled worlds as numerous as Ganges sands with jewels
And gave them all to every person,
Yet another practiced patience and skillfully taught emptiness,
Such a gift of Dharma would surpass the gift of wealth.

Again, throughout kalpas as numerous as Ganges sands,
One might worship the Buddhas, Teachers of devas and humans,
Offering incense, flowers, and requisites
To seek world-transcending bodhi.

If one hears this exceedingly profound Dharma—
That there is no self, sentient being, or life span—
Know that this person has attained pure acceptance;
This is an offering to the Buddhas of the ten directions.

Throughout countless kalpas one may practice giving,
Giving clothing, food, elephants, horses, and precious jewels;
Know that these are not causes of liberation
When perceptions of self, person, and sentient being remain.

Buddhas appearing in the world are exceedingly hard to encounter;
Hearing the true Dharma and giving rise to faith are difficult.
A human body is hard to obtain, yet now it has been obtained;
Excellent are those who practice in accord with the Buddha-Dharma.

Having cast away the eight hindrances and difficulties,
Entirely escaping confinement in unfree states,
And gaining faithful practice of the true Dharma,
One should courageously arouse diligent effort.

Having heard the Dharma, one should reflect correctly;
One should not grasp it immediately upon hearing sounds.
Those who constantly cultivate in the aranya
Will surely and swiftly become heroes among humans.

Draw near to good spiritual friends and Dharma teachers;
Quickly distance yourself from evil companions.
Regard all sentient beings with equality,
And take care not to arouse thoughts of self and person.

Always delight in learning widely and keeping the precepts;
Leave home and sit within the forest.
Use medicine in a jar to treat illness, without seeking fine things;
Always beg for food and wear cast-off rags.

All conditioned things are themselves unconditioned,
Equal in their single characteristic, like a mirage.
If one comprehends ultimate reality and sees true suchness,
One shall swiftly attain unsurpassed bodhi.

Contemplate the five skandhas as dreams and illusions,
And the inner and outer ayatanas as empty houses.
The World-Honored One always teaches the Dharma thus;
The Dharma too is dreamlike—do not cling to it.

The natures of sensual desire and anger are themselves empty;
Delusion and conceit arise from discrimination.
Those dharmas have ceased and are now nonexistent;
Knowing this, one attains Buddhahood.”

When the conjured bodhisattvas spoke these verses, twenty-two thousand beings in the assembly aroused the resolve for unsurpassed bodhi. Five hundred bhiksus exhausted the outflows, their minds understanding and liberated. Five hundred bhiksunis became free from dust and defilement and attained the pure Dharma eye. Seven thousand upasakas and upasikas and twenty-five thousand deva sons likewise became free from dust and defilement and attained the pure Dharma eye. Three hundred bodhisattvas attained acceptance of the nonarising of dharmas. The entire earth of the great trichiliocosm shook in six ways.

4. CHAPTER ON DEFEATING MARA

At that time, Venerable Sariputra said to the Buddha: “Blessed One, who has produced these auspicious signs, causing the earth throughout the great trichiliocosm to shake in six ways? Moreover, jeweled mansions, lotus seats, and conjured bodhisattvas emit great radiance that illuminates the assembly and proclaim the profound and wondrous Dharma, causing countless hundreds of millions of deva sons and hundreds of millions of bodhisattvas to gather here.”

The Buddha declared: “Sariputra, these are the manifestations of Manjusri’s spiritual power, which has produced such wondrous adornments and caused the bodhisattvas and devas to assemble. Sariputra, Manjusri and the deva son Well-Abiding Intention are leading the great assembly here to ask the Buddha about the Dharma gateway of the samadhi that scatters and defeats all maras, in order to perfect the profound and inconceivable qualities of Buddhahood.”

Venerable Sariputra again said to the Buddha: “Blessed One, if that is so, why, when I look throughout the great assembly, do I not see Bodhisattva Manjusri anywhere?”

The Buddha declared: “Sariputra, wait a moment. Manjusri is now bringing great ruin upon all Mara kings, all Mara hosts, and all Mara palaces. Having manifested these exceedingly subtle, wondrous, and magnificent spiritual transformations, he is about to come to me, and you will see him yourself.”

At this time, Bodhisattva Manjusri entered the samadhi that scatters and defeats all maras. Through the power of this samadhi, the ten billion Mara palaces throughout the great trichiliocosm became old, decayed, and dark, as though about to collapse. Their majestic radiance vanished, causing all the maras to take no delight in their dwellings.

They all saw their own bodies grown old, feeble, gaunt, and emaciated, walking with staffs, while the celestial maidens had become old women. Seeing this, all the maras were deeply distressed. Their hair stood on end, and in terror they thought: “What strange calamity is this, filling everything within and without us with ill omens?

Are we about to die, and has the time come for us to undergo the retribution of decay and destruction? Or is the world about to enter the kalpa of dissolution?”

While the hosts of maras were thinking fearfully in this way, Bodhisattva Manjusri used his spiritual power to manifest ten billion deva sons, who stood before the maras and said: “Do not be afraid. This is neither your calamity nor the dissolution of the kalpa. There is now a great bodhisattva who abides in nonretrogression, named Manjusri, whose great spiritual majesty and world-transcending virtue are immense. He has entered the samadhi that scatters and defeats all maras. This event has occurred through the power of that samadhi and for no other reason.”

When the Mara kings and their hosts heard the conjured deva sons utter the name of Bodhisattva Manjusri, their terror increased. They trembled uneasily, and all their palaces shook violently.

The Mara kings said to the conjured deva sons: “In your great compassion, please rescue us from this calamity.”

The conjured deva sons said: “Do not be afraid, do not be afraid. Quickly go to Sakyamuni Buddha. Why? That Buddha, the Tathagata, possesses great loving-kindness and compassion. If beings are overwhelmed by terror, they need only go to the Buddha for refuge, and they will immediately find peace and happiness, with all anxiety and suffering dispelled.” Having spoken, the conjured deva sons suddenly disappeared.

When the Mara kings and their hosts heard this instruction, they all rejoiced. Supporting themselves on staffs, they went together in an instant to Sakyamuni Buddha and said in unison: “Greatly Virtuous World-Honored One, please protect us! Please protect us from this strange, painful, and terrible calamity.

“World-Honored One, we would rather hear the names of countless thousands of millions of Buddhas than hear the single name of Bodhisattva Manjusri. Why? Whenever we hear the name of Bodhisattva Manjusri even once, we become so terrified that it is as though we were losing our lives.”

The Buddha declared: “Papiyan, why do you suddenly utter such words? Whenever the Great Being Manjusri guides beings, he benefits them all. None among the hundreds of millions of Buddhas of the past, present, or future performs this particular work. Only Bodhisattva Manjusri, throughout the past, present, and future, always establishes such great undertakings for sentient beings. When beings have matured, he establishes them in liberation. Therefore, although you hear the names of a hundred thousand Buddhas, you neither suffer distress nor become frightened. Why, then, do you say that merely hearing the one name of Bodhisattva Manjusri fills you all with terror?”

The maras said:

“Blessed One, we are truly ashamed of these aged and ugly bodies, and because we were overwhelmed with terror, we spoke in that way.

“Blessed One, from this day forth we take refuge in the Perfectly Enlightened One. We pray that you compassionately restore our bodies.”

The Buddha declared: “Wait a moment. When Manjusri arrives, he will remove all your shame.”

Bodhisattva Manjusri then emerged from samadhi and came to the Buddha surrounded before and behind by countless hundreds of thousands of celestial beings, countless hundreds of thousands of great bodhisattvas, and countless hundreds of thousands of nagas, yaksas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kimnaras, and mahoragas. Countless hundreds of thousands of musical instruments were played, and countless wondrous heavenly flowers rained down. Possessing magnificent adornments, great spiritual powers, and boundless majestic virtue, they came together to the Buddha. They bowed at his feet, circumambulated him clockwise three times, and withdrew to one side.

The Buddha declared: “Manjusri, did you enter the samadhi that scatters and defeats all maras?”

Bodhisattva Manjusri replied: “Yes, Blessed One, I entered it.”

The Buddha declared: “Manjusri, from which Buddha did you hear this samadhi taught, and how long did you cultivate it before attaining perfection?”

Bodhisattva Manjusri replied: “Blessed One, before I had aroused the resolve for bodhi, I heard this samadhi from a Buddha.”

The Buddha declared: “What was that Buddha’s name?”

Bodhisattva Manjusri replied: “Blessed One, I recall that immeasurable, boundless, inconceivable asamkhyeya kalpas ago, a Buddha named Mandarava-Flower-Fragrance Tathagata, Arhat, Perfectly Enlightened One appeared in the world and proclaimed this samadhi that scatters and defeats all maras. At that time, I first heard it.”

The Buddha declared: “Manjusri, how is such a samadhi cultivated and attained?”

Manjusri replied: “Blessed One, if a great bodhisattva fully accomplishes twenty dharmas, that bodhisattva attains the samadhi that defeats Mara.

“First, denouncing sensual desire and destroying craving. Second, denouncing anger and destroying hatred. Third, denouncing delusion and destroying ignorance.

Fourth, denouncing jealousy and destroying envy. Fifth, denouncing arrogance and destroying conceit. Sixth, denouncing the five hindrances and destroying the mind of hindrance.

Seventh, denouncing affliction and destroying the afflicted mind. Eighth, denouncing conceptual thought and destroying ideation. Ninth, denouncing all views and destroying attachment to views.

Tenth, denouncing discrimination and destroying discrimination. Eleventh, denouncing grasping at things and destroying grasping. Twelfth, denouncing attachment and destroying clinging.

Thirteenth, denouncing all characteristics and destroying the mind that apprehends characteristics. Fourteenth, denouncing the dharma of existence and destroying attachment to existence. Fifteenth, denouncing the dharma of permanence and destroying attachment to permanence.

Sixteenth, denouncing the dharma of annihilation and destroying attachment to annihilation. Seventeenth, denouncing the skandhas and destroying attachment to the skandhas. Eighteenth, denouncing the ayatanas and destroying attachment to the ayatanas.

Nineteenth, denouncing the dhatus and destroying attachment to the dhatus. Twentieth, denouncing the three realms and destroying attachment to the three realms. A great bodhisattva who possesses these twenty dharmas accomplishes this samadhi.

“Blessed One, there are also four dharmas which, when fully practiced by a bodhisattva, bring about accomplishment of the samadhi that defeats Mara.

“First, establishing pure and well-tamed mental conduct. Second, possessing an honest and upright mind without deception or crookedness. Third, having a mind that does not seize upon conditions and that enters profound acceptance of dharmas. Fourth, being able to give away everything one possesses, internally and externally.

“Blessed One, there are four further dharmas by which a great bodhisattva may attain this samadhi: ultimate and profound faith, accomplishment of truthful speech, constant delight in secluded places, and not grasping any characteristics.

“There are four further dharmas by which a great bodhisattva may attain this samadhi: drawing near to good friends, always knowing contentment, sitting alone in contemplation, and taking no delight in commotion.

“There are four further dharmas by which a great bodhisattva may attain this samadhi: precepts that are unbroken, precepts that are neither deficient nor transgressed, precepts without dependence, and precepts not falsely proclaimed.

“There are four further dharmas by which a great bodhisattva may attain this samadhi: abandoning the mind of a sravaka, leaving behind the mind of a pratyekabuddha, abiding in the bodhisattva’s acceptance, and never forsaking sentient beings.

“There are four further dharmas by which a great bodhisattva may attain this samadhi: cultivating emptiness to eliminate self, leaving characteristics through signlessness, eliminating wishes through wishlessness, and relinquishing all possessions.

“Blessed One, at that time Mandarava-Flower-Fragrance Tathagata proclaimed this Dharma gateway that scatters and defeats all maras. I heard it and began to cultivate it.

“Thereafter, there was a Buddha named All-Jewel-Palace-Sun-and-Moon-Radiance Tathagata, Arhat, Perfectly Enlightened One. At that time, I perfected this samadhi. When that Blessed One proclaimed this Dharma gateway, ten thousand bodhisattvas in the assembly accomplished the Dharma gateway of the samadhi that scatters and defeats all maras.”

Venerable Sariputra said to the Buddha: “Rare indeed, World-Honored One! Bodhisattva Manjusri accomplished the samadhi that defeats Mara in the distant past. Through the power of that samadhi, he has caused Papiyan and the hosts of maras to grow white-haired and aged, their forms so feeble as this.”

The Buddha declared: “Sariputra, do you think Manjusri has transformed the maras and made them old and feeble only in this single great trichiliocosm? Do not think so. Why? At this very moment, in Buddha lands throughout the ten directions as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, all the maras have likewise been transformed and brought to decay, entirely through the majestic power of Manjusri.”

The Buddha told Bodhisattva Manjusri: “You should now withdraw your spiritual power and cause all the maras to recover their original forms.”

Obeying the Buddha, Bodhisattva Manjusri asked the maras: “Do you truly loathe and fear these bodies?”

The maras replied: “Yes, Great Being.”

Bodhisattva Manjusri said: “If so, you should likewise loathe and fear sensual desire and not cling to the three realms.”

The maras replied: “Excellent, Great Being. We respectfully accept your good instruction and would not dare disobey it. We pray that the Great Being will bestow a little of his majestic power and remove this suffering and shame.”

Bodhisattva Manjusri then withdrew his spiritual power, causing the maras to recover their former splendid celestial bodies. He then said to them: “Papiyan, concerning the eye you possess: what is the eye? What is the perception of the eye?

Where are attachment to the eye, the characteristic of the eye, the eye’s objective conditions, the obstruction of the eye, thought concerning the eye, the eye as self, the eye’s dependence, delight in the eye, conceptual proliferation concerning the eye, the eye as belonging to self, protection of the eye, mindfulness of the eye, grasping the eye, relinquishing the eye, discriminating the eye, deliberating upon the eye, accomplishment of the eye, arising of the eye, cessation of the eye, and the eye’s coming and going?

Such dharmas are your domain and the obstructive activities of Mara.

“As with the eye, so it is with the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind.

“Likewise, so it is with forms, sounds, odors, flavors, tangible objects, and dharmas. You should all clearly know them exactly as they are.”

When Bodhisattva Manjusri taught this Dharma, ten thousand Mara kings named Papiyan in the assembly all aroused the resolve for unsurpassed bodhi. Eighty-four thousand members of Mara’s retinue became free from dust and defilement and attained the pure Dharma eye.

5. CHAPTER ON THE BODHISATTVA’S PHYSICAL CONDUCT

At that time, Venerable Mahakasyapa said to the Buddha: “Blessed One, we wish to ask Manjusri to let us behold the great bodhisattvas, for such Great Beings are difficult to encounter.”

The Buddha said to Bodhisattva Manjusri: “You should know that the great assembly now thirsts to behold the great bodhisattvas who have gathered from the ten directions. The time has come for you to reveal them.”

Obeying the Buddha’s instruction, Bodhisattva Manjusri addressed the great bodhisattvas who had gathered from the ten directions—Bodhisattva Dharma Wheel, Bodhisattva Moonlight, Bodhisattva Subduer of Mara, Bodhisattva Wondrous Voice, Bodhisattva Stainless, Bodhisattva Tranquil Cessation, Bodhisattva Discernment, Bodhisattva Dharma King’s Roar, and immeasurable other bodhisattvas—saying: “Great Beings, while remaining within your palaces, you should now clearly manifest your own bodies exactly as they appear in your native lands.”

When Bodhisattva Manjusri had spoken these words, the great bodhisattvas emerged from samadhi and each manifested their original body, enabling the entire assembly to see them.

Some bodhisattvas had bodies as vast as Mount Sumeru, king of mountains. Some had bodies eighty-four thousand yojanas tall, some a hundred thousand yojanas, some ninety thousand yojanas, and so on down to ten thousand yojanas, a hundred yojanas, ten yojanas, nine yojanas, eight yojanas, and one yojana. In gradual succession, some bodhisattvas had bodies equal in size and proportions to those of humans in this Saha world. At that time, the great assembly completely filled the great trichiliocosm, leaving not even a space as small as the tip of a staff.

All these great bodhisattvas possessed lofty merit, profound wisdom, perfect majestic power, and accomplished spiritual abilities. They emitted great radiance that illuminated immeasurable hundreds of thousands of Buddha lands throughout the ten directions.

Also present were devas of great majestic virtue, along with devas, nagas, yaksas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kimnaras, mahoragas, humans and nonhumans, great kings, and lesser kings, all gathered in full.

Bodhisattva Manjusri rose, arranged his robes, bared his right shoulder, placed his right knee upon the ground, joined his palms toward the Buddha, and said: “World-Honored One, I now wish to ask the Tathagata, Arhat, Perfectly Enlightened One a few questions to resolve my doubts. I do not know whether the Blessed One will compassionately permit me.”

The Buddha declared: “You have permission to ask. The Tathagata, Arhat, Perfectly Enlightened One will explain and resolve your doubts, causing you to rejoice.”

Bodhisattva Manjusri said: “Blessed One, what is meant by ‘bodhisattva mahasattva’? What meanings are contained in the term ‘bodhisattva’?”

The Buddha declared: “Manjusri, you ask what a bodhisattva is and what the term ‘bodhisattva’ means.

“Because one can awaken to and comprehend all dharmas, one is called a bodhisattva mahasattva.

“Manjusri, all dharmas to which the bodhisattva awakens and which the bodhisattva comprehends are merely verbal expressions.

“Manjusri, how does a bodhisattva awaken to and comprehend all dharmas? The bodhisattva awakens to and comprehends the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind. The bodhisattva awakens to and comprehends that the original nature of the eye faculty and the other faculties is empty. Having thus awakened and comprehended, the bodhisattva never gives rise to the thought, ‘I am able to awaken and know.’

“Having thus awakened to and comprehended the eye and the other faculties, the bodhisattva further awakens to and comprehends that the original nature of forms, sounds, odors, flavors, tangible objects, and dharmas is itself empty. Having thus awakened and comprehended, the bodhisattva likewise does not discriminate, ‘I am able to awaken and know.’

“This is how a bodhisattva awakens to and comprehends all dharmas.

“Manjusri, how does a bodhisattva awaken to and comprehend the five skandhas? The bodhisattva sees that the essential nature of the five skandhas is originally empty in itself. Because of awakening and comprehending in this way, the bodhisattva contemplates signlessness.

Because of awakening and comprehending in this way, the bodhisattva contemplates wishlessness. Because of awakening and comprehending in this way, the bodhisattva contemplates desirelessness. Because of awakening and comprehending in this way, the bodhisattva contemplates tranquillity.

Because of awakening and comprehending in this way, the bodhisattva contemplates detachment. Because of awakening and comprehending in this way, the bodhisattva contemplates what appears to exist. Because of awakening and comprehending in this way, the bodhisattva contemplates unreality.

Because of awakening and comprehending in this way, the bodhisattva contemplates immovability. Because of awakening and comprehending in this way, the bodhisattva contemplates nonarising. Because of awakening and comprehending in this way, the bodhisattva contemplates noncessation.

Because of awakening and comprehending in this way, the bodhisattva contemplates noncoming. Because of awakening and comprehending in this way, the bodhisattva contemplates nongoing. Because of awakening and comprehending in this way, the bodhisattva contemplates the absence of anything real.

Because of awakening and comprehending in this way, the bodhisattva contemplates the absence of a master. Because of awakening and comprehending in this way, the bodhisattva contemplates the absence of realization. Because of awakening and comprehending in this way, the bodhisattva contemplates the absence of knowing.

Because of awakening and comprehending in this way, the bodhisattva contemplates the absence of seeing. Because of awakening and comprehending in this way, the bodhisattva contemplates the absence of a person. Because of awakening and comprehending in this way, the bodhisattva contemplates the absence of perception.

Because of awakening and comprehending in this way, the bodhisattva contemplates ineffability. Because of awakening and comprehending in this way, the bodhisattva contemplates that there is merely a name. Because of awakening and comprehending in this way, the bodhisattva contemplates no-self.

Because of awakening and comprehending in this way, the bodhisattva contemplates arising from discrimination. Because of awakening and comprehending in this way, the bodhisattva contemplates arising from conditions. Because of awakening and comprehending in this way, the bodhisattva contemplates being like an illusion.

Because of awakening and comprehending in this way, the bodhisattva contemplates being like a magical creation. Because of awakening and comprehending in this way, the bodhisattva contemplates being like a dream. Because of awakening and comprehending in this way, the bodhisattva contemplates being like a reflected image.

Because of awakening and comprehending in this way, the bodhisattva contemplates being like an echo. Because of awakening and comprehending in this way, the bodhisattva contemplates being like a plantain trunk. Because of awakening and comprehending in this way, the bodhisattva contemplates that it does not long endure.

Because of awakening and comprehending in this way, the bodhisattva contemplates that it is not firm or solid. Because of awakening and comprehending in this way, the bodhisattva contemplates falsity. Because of awakening and comprehending in this way, the bodhisattva contemplates the absence of any thing.

Because of awakening and comprehending in this way, one is called a bodhisattva who awakens to and comprehends all dharmas.

“Furthermore, Manjusri, how does a great bodhisattva awaken to and comprehend greed, anger, and delusion? The bodhisattva awakens to and comprehends that sensual desire arises because of discrimination, that anger arises because of discrimination, and that delusion arises because of discrimination. Yet the bodhisattva also awakens to and comprehends that discrimination is empty, nonexistent, without any thing, and free from conceptual proliferation, because it cannot be spoken or realized. This is how a bodhisattva awakens to and comprehends all dharmas.

“Furthermore, Manjusri, how does a bodhisattva awaken to and comprehend the three realms? The bodhisattva awakens to and comprehends that the Desire Realm is empty of self and person, that the Form Realm has nothing that is made, and that the Formless Realm is empty and nonexistent. The bodhisattva awakens to and comprehends that all three realms are detached. This is how a bodhisattva awakens to and comprehends all dharmas.

“Furthermore, Bodhisattva Manjusri, how does a bodhisattva awaken to and comprehend the conduct of sentient beings? The bodhisattva awakens to and comprehends, ‘This sentient being follows the conduct of sensual desire; this sentient being follows the conduct of anger; this sentient being follows the conduct of delusion; this sentient being follows conduct in which these are equally present.’ Awakening and comprehending thus, and directly knowing thus, the bodhisattva explains it thus for sentient beings, teaches and transforms them thus, and causes them to attain liberation thus. This is how a bodhisattva awakens to and comprehends all dharmas.

“Furthermore, Bodhisattva Manjusri, how does a bodhisattva awaken to and comprehend sentient beings? The bodhisattva awakens to and comprehends that sentient beings are only written words. Apart from those written words, there are no separate sentient beings. Therefore, all sentient beings are one sentient being, and one sentient being is all sentient beings. Such a sentient being is precisely not a sentient being. Whoever can remain without discrimination in this way is a great bodhisattva who awakens to and comprehends all dharmas.

“How else does one awaken to and comprehend all dharmas? One who can awaken to and comprehend the path of bodhi in this way is a great bodhisattva who awakens to and comprehends all dharmas.”

To explain this meaning further, the Blessed One spoke these verses:

Forms, sounds, odors, flavors, and tangible objects,
The sensory objects in which the mind delights—
Awakening and knowing their original nature is empty,
One is then called a bodhisattva.

The accumulation of five skandhas is like a dream;
Awakening to their lack of any single characteristic,
Without discriminating, ‘I know,’
One is then called a bodhisattva.

Delusion too is born of discrimination,
And discrimination arises from causes and conditions;
Conditioned by this, attachment to views is born,
Yet attachment to views cannot be found.

With loving-kindness extending to all sentient beings,
One apprehends no characteristic of sentient beings;
One awakens to and comprehends the limit of sentient beings
As proclaimed solely through provisional words.