大寶積經

The devas’ son Susthitamati praised Bodhisattva Manjusri, saying: “Excellent, excellent, O Great Being! You now truly possess penetrating eloquence and keen wisdom, and have skillfully expounded such exceedingly profound acceptance of non-arising.”

Bodhisattva Manjusri said: “Devas’ son, I do not possess such penetrating eloquence and keen wisdom. What is called keen wisdom belongs to childish ordinary beings, for it is ordinary beings who are said to possess keen wisdom. What is keen wisdom?

It is keen wisdom concerning the hells, keen wisdom concerning animals, keen wisdom concerning hungry ghosts, and even every kind of keen wisdom within the three realms. Such association with grasping and attachment is called keen wisdom. Why is this?

Because they do not know the beginningless origin of birth-and-death and the afflictions. Consequently, ordinary beings cling to the advantage of sensual desire, cling to the advantage of anger, cling to the advantage of delusion, and even grasp at what accords with views concerning name-and-form; therefore, this is called keen wisdom. It is not said that the Buddhas, sravakas, pratyekabuddhas, or bodhisattvas who have attained acceptance possess such keen wisdom.”

The devas’ son Susthitamati asked: “O Great Being! Do you now wish to reveal wisdom?”

Bodhisattva Manjusri replied: “No.”

The devas’ son Susthitamati asked: “Do you wish to follow its practice?”

Bodhisattva Manjusri replied: “No.”

The devas’ son Susthitamati asked: “Do you wish to follow words and phrases?”

Bodhisattva Manjusri said: “So it is. Devas’ son, I abide by the words themselves.”

The devas’ son Susthitamati asked: “O Great Being! Why do you now speak in this way?”

Bodhisattva Manjusri said: “Devas’ son! Although bodhisattvas never depart from a single word or a single phrase, they nevertheless know, in accordance with reality, all the gateways of meaning—remote or near, profound or shallow—contained within that word or phrase. That is, they know the locus of emptiness, the locus of signlessness, the locus of wishlessness; they know the locus of detachment, the locus of non-possession, the locus of non-arising, and the locus of suchness. Yet within these there is no receiving, no acting, no understanding, and no knowing. For this reason, it is said that they ‘abide only by the words themselves.’”

The Blessed One praised him, saying: “Excellent, excellent, Manjusri! Because you have attained dharani, you are now able to analyze and speak in this way.”

Bodhisattva Manjusri said to the Buddha: “Blessed One! In truth, I have not attained that dharani. Why?

If anyone attained that dharani, that person would be called a foolish ordinary being; it is not the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, or the bodhisattvas who attain dharani. Why? Blessed One, because foolish ordinary beings grasp and cling, they have an attainment of dharani.

To what do they cling? They cling to a self and thereby attain dharani. They cling to a person, a sentient being, a life span, and an individual and thereby attain dharani.

They cling to annihilation and permanence and thereby attain dharani. They cling to greed, anger, and delusion and thereby attain dharani. They cling to ignorance, existence, and craving and thereby attain dharani.

They cling to the view of a self, the five skandhas, the twelve ayatanas, and the eighteen dhatus and thereby attain dharani. They cling to recollection, discrimination, and the sixty-two views and thereby attain dharani. They even cling to all conditioned formations and thereby attain dharani.

For this reason, ordinary beings attain dharani. Why? Whatever dharma is grasped by such delusion is an attainment of ordinary beings; it is not attained by the Buddhas, not attained by sravakas, not attained by pratyekabuddhas, and not attained by bodhisattvas.

Therefore, it is only those ordinary beings who attain dharani. Why? Because, owing to their delusion, ordinary beings speak of grasping and attainment, whereas the Buddhas and bodhisattvas do not.”

The devas’ son Susthitamati again addressed Manjusri: “O Great Being! If you have not attained dharani, would you not then fall into the state of dull-wittedness?”

Bodhisattva Manjusri said: “So it is, devas’ son! I truly am dull-witted. Why?

What is called dull-wittedness is the absence of anything known. The sphere of my conduct cannot be known. Therefore, all Buddhas, sravakas, pratyekabuddhas, and bodhisattvas fall into dull-wittedness, but ordinary beings do not.

Why? All ordinary beings remain within the realm of reckoning, whereas the other wise ones all enter dull-wittedness. Even a stream-enterer, because the activities of obstruction remain, still has the activity of sensual desire and thus falls within the realm of reckoning; how much more so do foolish ordinary beings, who are not beyond reckoning.

Therefore, devas’ son, I am dull-witted, and I have not attained dharani. Why? Because, even with regard to a single dharma, I attain nothing.”

When this Dharma was spoken, five hundred bhiksus in the great assembly heard such a teaching but were unable to believe and accept it. They became greatly frightened, gave rise to slander, and departed. They immediately saw themselves falling into the great hell.

Venerable Sariputra said to Bodhisattva Manjusri: “You should stop and not teach such exceedingly profound scriptures. Why? In this assembly, five hundred bhiksus heard this Dharma gateway but were unable to believe and accept it. They gave rise to slander and immediately saw themselves in the great hell.”

Bodhisattva Manjusri said to Venerable Sariputra: “Venerable one, you should not now mistakenly give rise to discrimination. Why? There is not even a single dharma that falls into hell, because all dharmas are unborn.

Why, then, do you suddenly tell me to stop and not proclaim this Dharma gateway? Venerable one! Suppose good men and good women rely upon the view of self and the views of a sentient being, a person, and a life span.

Even if, throughout their entire lives, they make offerings of every kind of precious object and requisite to the Buddhas and the Sangha of bhiksus, if they do not hear this exceedingly profound Dharma, they will ultimately not attain liberation and swiftly realize nirvana. Suppose, moreover, that people hear me teach the exceedingly profound Dharma of emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, non-action, quiescence, non-arising, non-cessation, the absence of self, person, sentient being, and life span, impermanence, suffering, and non-self.

After hearing it, they do not believe or accept it, but slander it and fall into hell. Yet, venerable one, because they have heard this exceedingly profound Dharma, although they fall into hell, after emerging from hell they will swiftly attain nirvana.”

The Buddha praised him, saying: “Excellent, excellent! It is exactly as Manjusri has said. Whoever hears this exceedingly profound scripture is as though they have encountered a Buddha appearing in the world. Why? Those who wish to realize the fruit of stream-entry must do so by means of this scripture. Those who wish to realize the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, and arhatship must all hear this scripture. Why? It is only by not clinging to a self that one can realize the Dharma, for when the Dharma is realized, there is nothing seen and nothing attained.”

The Blessed One told Venerable Sariputra: “You should know that although those five hundred bhiksus fall into hell, after they later emerge from hell they will swiftly realize nirvana. This is unlike those foolish ordinary beings who are submerged in views, fall into doubt, and make offerings to the Tathagata, yet do not attain liberation.

– Sariputra! Because those bhiksus have heard this exceedingly profound Dharma, they will attain liberation in the future and swiftly realize nirvana. Others will not swiftly attain liberation. Why? Because they have not heard this exceedingly profound Dharma.

– Sariputra! If good men and good women hear this exceedingly profound Dharma gateway even once, although they do not believe or accept it and consequently fall into hell, they will nevertheless swiftly attain liberation. Those who cling to views and fall into hell, however, will not yet attain liberation.”

8. CHAPTER ON DESTROYING THE CHARACTERISTICS OF ORDINARY BEINGS

At that time, the devas’ son Susthitamati again addressed Bodhisattva Manjusri: “O Great Being! Will you now permit me to cultivate the holy life?”

Bodhisattva Manjusri said: “Yes, devas’ son! If you can now refrain from thinking, acting, seeking, deliberating, advancing, or pursuing, I shall permit you to cultivate the holy life.

– O Great Being! What is the meaning of what you have said?

– Devas’ son! If there is deliberate action, it may be called the holy life; but if there is no deliberate action, what can be called the holy life? Again, if there is something that can be seen, it may be called the holy life; but if there is nothing that can be seen, what can be called the holy life?”

– Great Being, do you then not practice the pure life?

– Son of Heaven, it is indeed so: I do not practice the pure life. Why? Because, when the pure life is examined, it is not the pure life; and because it is not the pure life, I call it the pure life.

– The Son of Heaven Susthitamati praised him, saying: "Excellent, excellent, Great Being! You possess the full eloquence of joyful discourse and are able to expound the Dharma without obstruction in this way."

Bodhisattva Manjusri said: "Son of Heaven! If I possessed unobstructed eloquence, it would become an obstruction. Why? Because all attachment to self and what belongs to self arises from discrimination, and every discrimination without exception is an obstruction. Son of Heaven! Now, if you can put all sentient beings to death without taking up a knife or staff, without grasping a stone or clod of earth to carry it out, then I shall practice the pure life together with you."

– Great Being, for what reason do you say this?

– Son of Heaven, as for what is called a sentient being, what do you think?

– Great Being, as I understand it, a sentient being, and indeed everything whatsoever, exists only as a name, for all are merely imagined attachments.

– Son of Heaven! Therefore, I say that you must now slay the conception of a self, slay the conception of a person, slay the conception of a sentient being, slay the conception of a living being, and even eliminate conceptions of names and so forth. You must slay them in this way.

– Great Being, what weapon should be used to slay them?

– Son of Heaven! I always carry out such slaying with the sharp knife of wisdom. When carrying out the slaying, one should wield the knife of wisdom in this way and slay in this way, yet without any conception of wielding or slaying. For this reason, you should fully understand how to slay the conceptions of a self and of sentient beings. This is called truly slaying all sentient beings. If you can do this, I shall consent to practice the pure life with you.

– Son of Heaven! I now further tell you: If you practice the ten courses of unwholesome karma, if you can also accomplish the dark, turbid, defiled dharmas, abandon the ten courses of wholesome karma, and destroy and disperse the pure and stainless dharmas, then I shall practice the pure life with you.

– Great Being, for what reason do you say this?

– Son of Heaven! All that is defiled and all that is pure are equal. In that equality, I can join you in the pure life.

– Son of Heaven! What do you think? What dharma do you take as the equality of defilement?

– Great Being! Neither craving, nor acting, nor retreating, nor falling—this is called the equality of defilement.

– Son of Heaven! And what dharma constitutes the equality of purity?

– Great Being! Suchness, the Dharma-nature, ultimate reality, and the three gates of liberation—these constitute the equality of purity.

– Son of Heaven! If I were to have you course back and forth within the Dharma realm while fully cultivating it, could this be done?

– Great Being, it could not.

– For this reason, Son of Heaven, I say that all defilement and purity are equal; only then can we practice the pure life together.

– Son of Heaven! Now, if you can seize with your own hand a person condemned to death and then take a sharp knife and cut off that person's head, I shall consent to practice the pure life with you in this way.

– Great Being, for what reason do you again say this?

– Son of Heaven! Who is the one condemned to death? What is the head? Who can carry out the killing?

– Son of Heaven, craving, anger, and delusion must be slain; even pride, jealousy, deception, crookedness, attachment, grasping at characteristics, and conceptions of feeling and so forth must be slain. These are the ones that deserve to be killed.

– Son of Heaven! If a person single-mindedly and diligently guards himself, then whenever a mind of craving arises, he should immediately recognize it and employ skillful means to disperse it, causing it to return to quiescence.

How should he disperse it?

He should reflect thus: This is empty and impure. He should seek the place where that desirous mind arises and the place where it ceases: From where does it come, and to where does it go? Within this, who is defiled, who undergoes defilement, and what is the defiling dharma?

Observing in this way, he sees no one who defiles, nothing that is defiled, and no act of defilement. Because he sees none of these, there is no grasping. Because there is no grasping, there is no relinquishing. Because there is no relinquishing, there is no experiencing. Neither relinquishing nor experiencing is called freedom from desire, quiescence, and nirvana.

All states of mind, without exception, should likewise be observed in this way.

– Son of Heaven! You should understand that through this method of slaying, one slays the moment something arises; thus it is said that, when carrying out the slaying, one first cuts off its head. This is true slaying.

– Furthermore, Son of Heaven! Now, if you can oppose the Buddhas, malign the Dharma, and disrupt the Sangha, I shall practice the pure life together with you.

– Great Being, why do you now say this?

– Son of Heaven! What do you think? What do you take to be the Buddha?

– Great Being! I call suchness and the Dharma realm the Buddha.

– Son of Heaven! What do you think? Can suchness and the Dharma realm be defiled by attachment?

– Great Being, they cannot.

– Son of Heaven! For this reason, I say that if you can oppose the Buddhas, I shall practice the pure life together with you.

– Son of Heaven! What do you think? What do you take to be the Dharma?

– Great Being! I call freedom from desire and quiescence the Dharma.

– Son of Heaven! What do you think? Can that quiescent Dharma be defiled by attachment?

– Great Being, it cannot.

– Son of Heaven! For this reason, I say that if you can now malign the true Dharma, I shall practice the pure life together with you in this way.

– Son of Heaven! What do you think? What do you take to be the Sangha?

– Great Being! That unconditioned Dharma is called the noble Sangha. As the Blessed One taught, all noble beings receive their designation through the unconditioned; therefore, the unconditioned Dharma is called the Sangha of sravakas.

– Son of Heaven! Can that unconditioned Dharma be grasped with attachment?

– Great Being, it cannot.

– Son of Heaven! For this reason, I say that if you can now disrupt the noble Sangha, I shall practice the pure life together with you in this way.

– Son of Heaven! If a person sees the Buddha, he is attached to the Buddha; if he sees the Dharma, he is attached to the Dharma; if he sees the Sangha, he is attached to the Sangha. Why? Because the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha cannot be apprehended. If a person does not see the Buddha, does not hear the Dharma, and does not cognize the Sangha, that person does not oppose the Buddha, malign the Dharma, or disrupt the Sangha. Why? Because that person does not apprehend the Buddha, Dharma, or Sangha.

– Son of Heaven! If a person loves the Buddha, loves the Dharma, and loves the Sangha, that person is defiled by attachment to the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. You should understand that if a person is not defiled by attachment to the Buddha, Dharma, or Sangha, this is called freedom from desire and quiescent cessation. For this reason, I say that if you are not defiled by attachment to the Buddha, Dharma, or Sangha, I shall practice the pure life together with you."

The Son of Heaven Susthitamati said to Bodhisattva Manjusri: "Rare indeed, rare indeed! Great Being, you are able to expound such a profound locus of meaning. How may I repay your kindness?"

Bodhisattva Manjusri said:

– Son of Heaven! Do not repay my kindness. Why? Because if you are able not to repay my kindness in this way, that itself is truly repaying my kindness.

– Great Being! Could it be that you yourself do not repay kindness?

– It is indeed so, Son of Heaven. I do not repay kindness, yet neither do I fail to repay kindness.

– Great Being, for what reason do you say this?

– Son of Heaven! Ordinary beings undertake many activities, give rise to many views, and perform many practices. Because they form such views and perform such practices, they think, "I shall repay this kindness." These are not right practices. A person who engages in right practice has not the slightest thing to do, whether doing or not doing; such a person never says, "I remember that I must repay this kindness."

– Furthermore, Son of Heaven! One who does not repay kindness accords with the equality proclaimed by the Buddha, the World-Honored One. This means that all dharmas have neither agent nor action; they all enter equality, without regression or transcendence, neither self nor other, without doing or non-doing. Therefore, I do not repay kindness.

– Great Being! In what do you abide when you speak thus? Do you abide in patience when speaking, or abide in the Dharma when speaking?

– Son of Heaven! That in which I abide is neither patience nor Dharma.

– Great Being! In what do you truly abide when you speak thus?

– Son of Heaven! I abide nowhere; I abide as does a conjured person.

– Great Being! Upon what, then, does that conjured person depend in order to abide?

– Son of Heaven! As suchness abides, so does the conjured person abide. Son of Heaven! If this is so, why do you ask where I securely abide—whether in patience or in the Dharma? Son of Heaven! Therefore, I say that patience is merely a name. A name has no abiding place. Dharma is also thus: it has no abiding place, no movement, and no discrimination. Son of Heaven, you should know that all dharmas have no abiding place. The teaching of an abiding place was spoken by the Buddha for sentient beings. As the Buddha said, the Tathagata abides in the Dharma of suchness, and all sentient beings likewise abide in suchness without ever moving. The suchness of sentient beings is the suchness of the Tathagata, and the suchness of the Tathagata is the suchness of sentient beings. Sentient beings and the Tathagata are neither two nor different.

– Great Being! You speak of a “shramana.” What is the meaning of shramana?

– Son of Heaven! One who is neither a shramana nor a brahmin is called a true shramana. Why? Because such a person is not attached to the desire realm, the form realm, or the formless realm, and is therefore called a true shramana.

– Furthermore, Son of Heaven! If the eye has no outflows, and the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind have no outflows, I call such a person a true shramana.

– Son of Heaven! One who relies neither upon doctrines, nor upon assemblies, nor upon places, I also call a true shramana.

– Son of Heaven! One who has nowhere to go and nowhere to come, who neither injures nor harms, neither injures nor harms, I also call a true shramana.

– Son of Heaven! Therefore, as stated above: one who is neither a shramana nor a brahmin is what I call a true shramana.

The Son of Heaven Well-Abiding Intention praised Bodhisattva Manjushri, saying: “Excellent, excellent! This is truly unprecedented. Your resolve is like vajra. The words you proclaim have neither phrases nor any fixed locus, and your mind comprehends everything completely, without remainder.”

Bodhisattva Manjushri said: “Son of Heaven! My mind is not hard. Why? Because I freely release my intention, and my mind rests in gentle patience; therefore, it is not hard.”

– Great Being! What does this mean?

– Son of Heaven! I release my mind into the stage of the shravakas and into the sphere of the pratyekabuddhas; therefore, this is called releasing the intention. I also release my mind into the defilements of birth and death, yet I do not weary of or abhor the afflictive perils of greed, anger, and delusion; therefore, this is called releasing the intention.”

The Son of Heaven Well-Abiding Intention again praised Bodhisattva Manjushri: “Excellent, excellent! Rare indeed, Great Being! Because for a long time throughout the past you have made offerings to the Buddhas and planted roots of virtue, you are able to proclaim such wondrous teachings.”

Bodhisattva Manjushri said: “Son of Heaven! I have made no offerings to Buddhas and planted no roots of virtue. Why? Because I have never perceived a past that has gone by, nor do I know of anything that will be done in the future. Even if something is done, there is no doing. I have never established anything within the Buddhadharma, so how could I have planted roots of virtue!”

9. CHAPTER ON THE TESTIMONY OF SPIRITUAL POWERS

At that time, the Son of Heaven Well-Abiding Intention again addressed Bodhisattva Manjushri: “Great Being! I previously spoke of the illusion-like samadhi. I pray that, out of compassion, you will reveal this meditative attainment.”

Bodhisattva Manjushri said: “Son of Heaven! Do you wish to see and hear the extremely profound realm of the illusion-like samadhi?”

– Great Being! I sincerely wish to see it.

In response to the request, Bodhisattva Manjushri entered the illusion-like samadhi. Immediately, all the realms throughout Buddha lands as numerous as the sands of the Ganges in the ten directions appeared spontaneously.

The Son of Heaven Well-Abiding Intention saw Buddha lands as numerous as the sands of the Ganges in the eastern direction, within which there were many events: he saw assemblies of bhikshus praising and proclaiming sutras such as this one; he saw assemblies of bhikshunis, upasakas, and upasikas; he saw Great Brahma Heavenly Kings, Shakra, Lord of the Gods, and the Four Great Heavenly Kings; he saw Wheel-Turning Sage Kings in the human realm; he saw devas, nagas, yakshas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, and mahoragas; and he saw all birds and beasts, whether beautiful or ugly in appearance, receiving teachings of the Dharma.

As in the eastern direction, so throughout Buddha lands as numerous as the sands of the Ganges in all ten directions, all these activities likewise appeared. All this occurred through the awe-inspiring spiritual power of Bodhisattva Manjushri.

Having seen the realms throughout the Buddha lands of the ten directions in this way, the Son of Heaven Well-Abiding Intention rejoiced and exulted, unable to contain himself. Bodhisattva Manjushri then emerged from samadhi. With single-minded reverence, the Son of Heaven Well-Abiding Intention addressed Bodhisattva Manjushri, saying: “Great Being! Just now I saw the realms of immeasurable Buddha lands throughout the ten directions. Although their Buddha-activities differed, they all expounded such extremely profound sutras.”

Bodhisattva Manjushri asked: “Son of Heaven! Can all the realms throughout the Buddha lands of the ten directions that you saw just now be called real?”

The Son of Heaven Well-Abiding Intention replied: “Great Being! They are not real; all are false and illusory. Why? Because all dharmas are originally unborn, like illusions and conjurations that deceive the world. All dharmas evolve and change, never remaining permanent. They are all false appearances; when their true substance is thoroughly sought, it can never be found. Originally, they are unmade, unborn, unarisen, and unceasing.”

Bodhisattva Manjushri praised the Son of Heaven Well-Abiding Intention: “Excellent, excellent, Son of Heaven! It is exactly as you have said.”

At that time, within the great assembly were five hundred bodhisattvas who had attained the four dhyanas and accomplished the five spiritual powers. These bodhisattvas entered and emerged from dhyana. Although they had not yet attained the patience of the unborn nature of dharmas, they did not disparage it.

Through the power of knowing past lives, these bodhisattvas saw the evil karma they had created in previous lives: some had killed their fathers, mothers, or arhats; some had destroyed Buddhist monasteries, demolished Buddha stupas, or disrupted the Sangha. Seeing clearly the evil karma they had formerly committed, they were deeply anxious and remorseful and could not realize the extremely profound Dharma. Because they clung heavily to discrimination and could not forget their former offenses, they were unable to attain the profound patience of the unborn nature of dharmas.

Wishing to eliminate the discriminating minds of those five hundred bodhisattvas, the World-Honored One used his awe-inspiring spiritual power to alert Bodhisattva Manjushri. Empowered by the Buddha’s spiritual might, Bodhisattva Manjushri rose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, took a sharp sword in his hand, and advanced toward the Buddha as though intending to commit the heinous act of harming him. The World-Honored One immediately told Bodhisattva Manjushri: “Stop, stop!

You must not create such karma. Do not harm the Buddha. If I were truly to be harmed, it would be a wholesome act of harm.

Why? Because Manjushri has never possessed a self, a person, or an individual. It is only when one inwardly perceives a self and a person—when such a thought arises within—that one has already harmed me.

This is what is called harming me.”

Having heard the Buddha speak, the five hundred bodhisattvas all reflected: “All dharmas are like magical illusions. Within them there is no self, person, sentient being, life, or soul; no purusha, no manuṣya, and no māṇava; no father, mother, or arhat. There is no Buddha, Dharma, or Sangha; no heinous offense and no one who commits a heinous offense.

How, then, could there be anyone who falls into retribution for such an offense? Why is this so? Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva is intelligent and accomplished, possessing unsurpassed wisdom.

The Buddhas praise him for having attained the exceedingly profound and unobstructed acceptance of dharmas. He has formerly made offerings to immeasurable hundreds of thousands of kotis of nayutas of Buddha-World-Honored Ones. He is thoroughly and skillfully versed in the Buddha-Dharma and is able to teach the true Dharma in this manner.

He is utterly reverent toward all Buddha-Tathagatas, yet now he has suddenly taken up a sword and intends to harm the Tathagata. The Buddha immediately commanded: ‘Stop! Stop!

Mañjuśrī, do not harm me! If you are determined to strike, you must strike well.’ Why is this so? If herein there were even one dharma, formed through combination and aggregation and definitely established, that could be called the Buddha, the Dharma, the Sangha, father, mother, or arhat, and if it could certainly be apprehended, then it should not be destroyed.

Yet all dharmas are now without intrinsic nature, devoid of reality, false and inverted, and not truly existent. They are empty, like magical illusions. Therefore, herein there is no one who incurs an offense and no offense that is incurred.

Who is the killer, and who could undergo the painful consequences of an offense?”

Having contemplated and clearly understood this, the five hundred bodhisattvas immediately attained the acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas. All of them rejoiced and leapt with delight, rising into the sky to a height of seven tala trees, and spoke these verses of praise:

“Dharmas are like magical illusions,

All arising from discrimination.

Whatever may appear therein,

All such dharmas are empty.

Through inverted and delusive thoughts,

In ignorance I clung to a self.

I recalled my former offenses,

The gravest evils among evil deeds.

In the past I committed great heinous acts:

Killing my parents and holy persons,

Destroying stupas and monasteries, and disrupting the Sangha—

These are the most grievous heinous offenses.

Because of those former evil deeds,

I thought I would undergo great suffering.

We were entangled in the net of doubt;

Hearing the Dharma dispelled our doubt and remorse.

The World-Honored One has drawn out the poisoned arrow

And shattered the doubts within our minds.

I have awakened to the dharmadhatu,

Where offenses and evils have no existence.

The Buddhas possess skillful means

And fully understand our intentions.

Through skillful means they liberate sentient beings

And free them from their nets of doubt.

Wherever Buddhas may be found,

The Dharma and Sangha are likewise empty.

Father and mother are originally empty;

Arhats are empty and quiescent.

Since no killing exists therein,

How could there be karmic results?

Like an illusion, there is no arising;

Such is the nature of all dharmas.

Mañjuśrī, the One of Great Wisdom,

Has deeply penetrated the ultimate source of dharmas.

With his own hand he took up a sharp sword

And approached to threaten the Buddha’s body.

The sword and the Buddha are both alike:

Of one characteristic, without duality,

Without characteristics and also unborn;

How, then, could there be killing therein?”

When this wondrous Dharma gateway of taking up the sword was taught, Buddha-lands throughout the ten directions, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, quaked in six ways. At that time the Buddhas of the ten directions were present teaching the Dharma, and their attendants bowed to their respective Buddhas and said: “World-Honored One! Through whose spiritual power and awesome virtue does the entire great earth now quake in six ways?”

The Buddhas of the ten directions each told their attendants: “Good man! There is now a world called Saha. In that world a Buddha named Śākyamuni Tathagata, Arhat, Perfectly Enlightened One, is presently teaching the Dharma.

There is a foremost bodhisattva-mahasattva named Mañjuśrī, who has long been irreversible from unsurpassed bodhi. Wishing to destroy the minds of attachment of newly trained bodhisattvas, he took up a sharp sword and rushed before Śākyamuni Buddha, thereby revealing an exceedingly profound Dharma gateway. For this reason, the great earth throughout the ten directions has quaked in this way.

Inspired by that sword of wisdom, the Buddhas of the ten directions teach the profound Dharma, enabling immeasurable, boundless asamkhyeyas of sentient beings to attain the pure Dharma-eye, gain liberation of mind, realize profound acceptance of dharmas, and abide in bodhi.”

When the World-Honored One manifested this great spiritual transformation, the Buddha used the power of skillful means to ensure that those newly trained practitioners whose roots of goodness were meager, who had not yet abandoned discrimination, and who still grasped at characteristics neither saw the taking up of the sharp sword nor heard that teaching of the Dharma.

Venerable Śāriputra said to Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva: “Great Being! You have now created an extremely grave evil karma by intending to harm the Great Teacher of gods and humans. If that karma were real, where would you undergo its painful retribution?”

Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva said: “Venerable One! As you have said, I now appear capable of creating such extremely grave evil karma, yet in truth I do not know where I would undergo its painful retribution. Nevertheless, Venerable One, according to what I perceive, when the deeds of an illusory person become real, then I shall undergo such retribution. Why is this so? That illusory person has no discriminating mind and no thoughts or perceptions, for all dharmas are magical illusions.

“Furthermore, Venerable Śāriputra! I shall now ask you a question. Answer as you see fit.

“Venerable One, do you truly see a sharp sword?”

“Great Being! No.”

“Venerable One! Can that evil karma itself be definitely seen or apprehended?”

“Great Being! No.”

“Venerable One, can one definitely see the undergoing of its resultant retribution?”

“Great Being! No.”

“Just so, Venerable One! Since that sword does not exist and karmic retribution likewise does not exist, who creates that karma, and who undergoes its retribution? Yet you ask me where I shall undergo retribution.”

“Great Being! On what principle do you speak these words?”

“Venerable One! According to what I perceive, there is truly no dharma that is the ripening of karmic retribution. Why is this so? All dharmas are without karma, without retribution, and without the ripening of karmic retribution.”

At that time, the great bodhisattvas who had come from worlds throughout the ten directions to attend the assembly together requested the Buddha: “We reverently beseech the World-Honored One to use the power of his awesome virtue to enable Mañjuśrī to travel to the Buddha-lands throughout the ten directions and expound this profound Dharma, so that the sentient beings there may all see and hear it, just as we have seen and heard it.”

Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva said to the bodhisattvas: “You should now single-mindedly contemplate your own worlds.”

Having heard Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva’s words, the great bodhisattvas all contemplated their own worlds. Each of them saw Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva standing before the Buddha of his own world, expounding this profound Dharma for the great assembly. Each also saw Devaputra Susthitamati asking about this Dharma gateway. They also saw the great bodhisattvas of the ten directions gathering together like clouds, accompanied by multitudes of devaputras. They further saw that their own Buddha-lands were pure, adorned, and wondrous, no different from this one.

Having contemplated and seen this, the great bodhisattvas gave rise to an extraordinary sense of wonder never before experienced and praised in unison: “How marvelous! How marvelous! Mañjuśrī’s virtue is indeed majestic and exalted. While dwelling peacefully and unmoving in this Saha world, he is able to manifest bodies universally before all the Buddhas of the ten directions.”

Manjusri Bodhisattva said to the bodhisattvas: “Now you should listen attentively. Just as an illusionist who has trained well can, without leaving his seat, conjure all manner of forms and appearances, so too, a great bodhisattva who has thoroughly mastered the illusion-like prajnaparamita can, amid all illusion-like dharmas and throughout the Buddha lands of the ten directions, manifest whatever forms he wishes in order to perform the work of a Buddha.

Why is this? Because all dharmas are like illusions and transformations; therefore, whatever he does accords with his intention. Just as the orbs of the sun and moon remain in empty space and never descend into any object, yet their light shines everywhere, so too, while abiding unmoved, a bodhisattva may, according to his intention, manifest bodies everywhere before the Buddhas of the ten directions.

He may manifest bodies of sravakas or pratyekabuddhas; forms of Brahma Kings or Sakra; the offices of the Four Great Heavenly Kings or a Wheel-Turning Sage King; rulers of nations or great ministers who govern righteously; and even the various forms and kinds of beings in all the evil destinies. He manifests them all as he wishes, yet never conceives the thought of creating anything.”

10. CHAPTER ON PRAISE AND THE ENTRUSTMENT OF THE DHARMA

The Buddha declared: “Manjusri! To hear this exceedingly profound Sutra Dharma gateway is the same as encountering a Buddha appearing in the world.

“Manjusri! To hear this sutra is the same as attaining the fruit of stream-entry, the same as attaining the fruit of once-returning, the same as attaining the fruit of non-returning, and the same as attaining arhatship. Why is this? Because suchness is without difference.

“Furthermore, Manjusri! If one hears this sutra and gives rise to faith and understanding, it is the same as a bodhisattva in his final existence sitting at the place of awakening beneath the Bodhi tree, certain to attain unsurpassed perfect awakening. Why is this? Because this Dharma gateway is the essential path of all Buddhas of the three times.”

Manjusri Bodhisattva said: “It is indeed so, Blessed One! It is just as the Buddha has taught: it is no different from emptiness, no different from signlessness, no different from wishlessness, no different from suchness, no different from the Dharma realm, no different from ultimate reality, no different from equality, and no different from freedom from desire. I only pray that the Tathagata will protect and uphold such a Dharma gateway, so that during the final period, five hundred years hence, this sutra may circulate throughout Jambudvipa and all beings may hear and know it.”

When Manjusri Bodhisattva made this request of the Buddha, throughout the entire great trichiliocosm all musical instruments sounded without being struck, all trees naturally became luxuriant, and every kind of flower burst into bloom. The entire great trichiliocosm shook in six ways and emitted light that illuminated every place, surpassing the radiance of the sun and moon. Hundreds of thousands of myriads of kotis of devas rejoiced with unprecedented delight.

From the sky they rained down heavenly incense, heavenly flowers, flowers of every kind, garlands of every kind, powdered incense, and fragrant ointments, whose scents pervaded the ten directions. They played celestial music, harmonious and gentle, and all those devas joined their palms and praised, saying: “Rare indeed, rare indeed is this extraordinary Dharma gateway! Today we have heard the Dharma taught by the Great Being Manjusri.

We have participated in a gathering of merit, and now, for the first time since our birth, we again encounter the turning of the great Dharma wheel in Jambudvipa. Only beings fully endowed with roots of goodness can hear this profound and wondrous Dharma gateway. If beings believe, accept, and practice it, one should know that they have already made offerings to all Buddhas and have also attained the exceedingly profound patience regarding dharmas.

If any being hears this scripture without fear, without retreating or falling away, but cherishes it deeply, one should know that this person has not come from the roots of goodness of the Two Vehicles.”

Manjusri Bodhisattva said to the Buddha: “Blessed One! Does this extraordinary auspicious response indicate that, in the future, this Dharma gateway will circulate universally throughout Jambudvipa and endure without ever disappearing?”

The Buddha said: “It is indeed so. The auspicious response that has just appeared was manifested solely because this sutra will circulate universally throughout Jambudvipa and endure without ever being lost.”

Manjusri Bodhisattva said: “Blessed One! I earnestly pray that the Buddha will further make a declaration of sacred truth so that this sutra may circulate and flourish in the world without disappearing.”

The Buddha said: “Manjusri! If it is a true declaration that the three gateways of liberation can lead to the realization of nirvana, then it is also a true declaration that, during the final period, five hundred years hence, the Dharma of this sutra will circulate throughout Jambudvipa, flourish, and never disappear.

“Manjusri! If it is a true declaration that suffering is impermanent and that emptiness is without self, then it is also a true declaration that, during the final period, five hundred years hence, the Dharma of this sutra will be transmitted far and wide throughout Jambudvipa, flourish, and never disappear.”

Manjusri Bodhisattva said: “Blessed One! Just as the Buddha has taught, there is no self, person, being, life span, or personhood; there is no ma nu xà or ma na bà; there are no afflictions and no purity. If this is a true declaration, then it is also a true declaration that, during the final period, five hundred years hence, the Dharma of this sutra will be propagated throughout Jambudvipa, flourish, and never disappear.

“Blessed One! Just as the Buddha has taught, there is no birth and death and no nirvana; no greed, anger, or delusion; no name-and-form; no cause and effect; no existence and no knowing; no body and no bodily realization; no mind and no fruit of mind; no mindfulness and no foundation of mindfulness; no arising and no place of arising; no form, feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness; no eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind; no form, sound, scent, taste, touch, or dharmas; no Desire Realm, Form Realm, or Formless Realm; and neither annihilation nor permanence.

If the dharmas taught in this way are a true declaration, then it is also a true declaration that, during the final period, five hundred years hence, the Dharma of this sutra will be propagated throughout Jambudvipa, flourish, and never disappear.

“Blessed One! Just as the Buddha has taught, there is no stream-enterer and no fruit of stream-entry; no once-returner and no fruit of once-returning; no non-returner and no fruit of non-returning; no arhat and no dharmas of an arhat; no pratyekabuddha and no dharmas of a pratyekabuddha; no Tathagata and no dharmas of a Tathagata; no attainment of fruition, and so forth; no powers, no fearlessnesses, no fruit of wisdom, and no assembly of noble ones; no emptiness, signlessness, or wishlessness; no state of freedom from desire; no attainment of intrinsic nature; no equality; no place of realization; no darkness or light; no bondage or liberation; no farther shore, nearer shore, or midpoint; no mindfulness and no awakening.

If the dharmas taught by the Buddha in this way are a true declaration, then it is also a true declaration that, during the final period, five hundred years hence, the Dharma gateway of this sutra will be propagated throughout Jambudvipa, circulate everywhere, flourish, and never disappear.

“Blessed One! Just as the Buddha has taught, within all Dharma gateways there are no beings who believe and understand, no attainment of fruition, no correspondence or non-correspondence, no union or separation. If such dharmas are a true declaration, then it is also a true declaration that, during the final period, five hundred years hence, the Dharma gateway of this sutra will be propagated throughout Jambudvipa, circulate everywhere, flourish, and never disappear.”

“Blessed One! As the Buddha has taught, the past Tathagatas, Arhats, and Perfectly Enlightened Ones declared that there is not a single dharma capable of enabling sentient beings within samsara to extinguish their afflictions and attain liberation and nirvana. Nor is there any sentient being or any dharma that arises or ceases; there is not even any fault, emergence, or movement. The future and present Buddhas also teach likewise. If these teachings are words of truth, then in the final age, during the latter five hundred years, the Dharma-gate of this sutra shall circulate throughout Jambudvipa, be propagated everywhere, flourish, and never perish. May this be proven as words of truth.

“Furthermore, just as when the Blessed One taught this Dharma, there was no bodhisattva who attained samadhi or any dharani; nor were there any words, phrases, or meanings spoken by those Buddhas. They did not utter even a single sentence or a single word. There was no one who listened, no one who understood, and no one who attained Buddhahood. If teachings such as these are words of truth, then in the final age, during the latter five hundred years, the Dharma-gate of this sutra shall circulate throughout Jambudvipa, be widely propagated everywhere, flourish, and never perish. May this be proven as words of truth.

“Just as the Blessed One has taught, there is no embodiment of moral discipline, no samadhi, no wisdom, no liberation, and no knowledge and vision of liberation. If teachings such as these are words of truth, then in the final age, during the latter five hundred years, the Dharma-gate of this sutra shall circulate throughout Jambudvipa, be widely propagated everywhere, flourish, and never perish. May this be proven as words of truth.

“Just as the Blessed One has taught, bodhisattvas do not practice generosity, do not observe the precepts, do not cultivate patience, do not arouse diligence, do not enter meditative concentration, do not attain prajna, do not seek bodhi, do not progress through the various bhumis, do not attain the Buddha Way, do not attain the ten powers, do not attain the four fearlessnesses, do not acquire the excellent marks, do not attain eloquence, do not turn the Dharma wheel, and do not deliver sentient beings so that they attain perfect enlightenment.

If teachings such as these are words of truth, then in the final age, during the latter five hundred years, the Dharma-gate of this sutra shall circulate throughout Jambudvipa, be widely propagated everywhere, flourish, and never perish. May this be proven as words of truth.”

When Bodhisattva Manjusri proclaimed this solemn declaration of truth, the great earth throughout the great trichiliocosm trembled in six ways.

Bodhisattva Maitreya addressed the Buddha: “Blessed One! For what reason is the world now trembling?”

The Buddha said: “Maitreya! Do not ask about this matter now. Why? Because in the final age sentient beings will possess little faith and dull faculties. Even if they hear it, they will not understand; they will fall into doubt and arrogance and undergo suffering for a very long time.”

Bodhisattva Maitreya again addressed the Buddha: “I earnestly beseech the Blessed One to explain it. If the Blessed One expounds it, he will be able to bring great benefit to the entire world and to the great assembly of devas and humans.”

The Buddha said: “Maitreya! In the past, seventy-four kotis of hundreds of thousands of nayutas of Buddhas, Blessed Ones, have extolled and proclaimed a scripture such as this in this very place, all because Manjusri and the devaputra questioned and answered one another and discussed its meaning.”

Bodhisattva Maitreya addressed the Buddha: “Blessed One! How long has it been since Bodhisattva Manjusri and this Devaputra Susthitamati first heard such a Dharma-gate?”

The Buddha said: “Maitreya! Seven asamkhya kalpas ago, a Buddha appeared in the world named Tathagata Supreme Universal Flower, Lion’s Victorious Roaming, Treasury of Meritorious Qualities, Arhat, Perfectly Enlightened One. It was in the presence of that Buddha that Manjusri and Devaputra Susthitamati first heard this sutra.”

When this sutra was taught, sentient beings as numerous as the sands of the Ganges in the assembly aroused the aspiration for unsurpassed bodhi. Twice that number of sentient beings attained steadfast abiding in non-retrogression, and twice that number again became free from defilements and attained the pure Dharma eye.

After the Buddha had taught this sutra, Bodhisattva Manjusri, Devaputra Susthitamati, the bodhisattvas of the ten directions, the assembly of devas, the Venerable Sariputra, Mahakasyapa, the assembly of bhiksus, and all the devas, nagas, and the eight classes of beings heard the Buddha’s teaching. They all rejoiced greatly, faithfully accepted it, and reverently practiced it.