大寶積經

The Venerable Ananda said, “Blessed One! Just as, when objects of various colors come near Mount Sumeru, they all take on the same golden hue, so too, when beings approach a bodhisattva, whether their minds are filled with desire or anger or are pure, they all become of one mind with the wisdom of all-knowledge. From this day onward, I shall give rise to reverence for all bodhisattvas and regard them as Mount Sumeru.

“Blessed One! Suppose there were a Medicine King called All-Seeing. Whether a person with an angry mind or one with a pure mind drank that medicine, both would be completely healed, for that medicine could remove every poison. So too, whether those with angry minds or pure minds come before a bodhisattva, all their illnesses of greed, anger, and delusion can be entirely removed.”

The Blessed One praised him, saying, “Excellent, excellent, Ananda! It is exactly as you have said.”

The Venerable Mahakasyapa said, “Blessed One! This is truly unprecedented. Great bodhisattvas are supremely honored and foremost.

Great bodhisattvas cultivate meditative concentration and, after cultivating it, return to the Realm of Desire to teach and transform beings. Although bodhisattvas practice emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness and use these to teach beings, enabling them to become sravakas or pratyekabuddhas, through great loving-kindness and compassion they themselves never depart from the mind of all-knowledge. Blessed One!

Great bodhisattvas practice inconceivable skillful means. Although they experience forms, sounds, fragrances, tastes, and tangible objects, they harbor no attachment to them. I shall now use the eloquence of joyful exposition to describe a small portion of the bodhisattvas’ merit.

“Blessed One! Suppose there were a vast, desolate, famine-stricken marsh surrounded by a wall reaching as high as the Formless Realm, with only a single gateway. Within that marsh dwelt a great multitude of beings.

Not far from the marsh stood a great city, prosperous, joyful, peaceful, splendid, and beautifully adorned. Anyone who entered that city would be free from aging, illness, and death. The straight road from the desolate marsh to the city was only one foot wide.

Among the people in the marsh was a wise and learned man who suddenly gave rise to great loving-kindness and compassion, wishing to benefit and bring happiness to all beings. He immediately proclaimed in a loud voice: ‘Everyone should know that not far from here is a great city, prosperous, joyful, and secure. Whoever enters that city will be free from aging, illness, and death and will also be able to teach the Dharma that brings freedom from aging, illness, and death.

You should all go together to that city; I shall be your guide.’

“Among the beings in that desolate marsh were some of inferior capacity who gave rise to hopeful aspiration and wished to gain understanding. They said, ‘If you can enable us to remain within this marsh, we shall accept your teaching; but if you wish to make us leave this marsh, we shall not accept it.’

“Some beings of superior capacity said, ‘We shall accompany you to that city.’ Other beings, lacking merit, heard the proclamation but neither believed nor followed the wise man.

“Blessed One! The wise man then went beyond the wall of the marsh and looked in all four directions. He saw only a single straight road, one foot wide and extremely narrow, with great chasms on both sides, each hundreds of thousands of feet deep.

The wise man placed planks along both sides of the road. Those who traveled it had to crawl forward without looking to either side, despite hostile bandits terrifying them from behind. As they crawled, they did not turn back.

Courageous, resolute, and unafraid, they gradually crossed the narrow road and saw the great city. Having seen the city, they were no longer afraid and immediately entered it. After entering the city, they were free from aging, illness, and death and also brought great benefit to immeasurable beings by teaching them the Dharma that brings freedom from aging, illness, and death.

“Blessed One! That great, desolate, famine-stricken marsh represents samsara. The immense wall reaching as high as the Formless Realm represents ignorance, craving for existence, and attachment.

The many beings dwelling in the marsh represent all ordinary beings undergoing birth and death. The straight, narrow road leading to the city, only one foot wide, represents the path of the single branch. The wise man in the marsh represents a great bodhisattva.

The beings of inferior capacity who hoped for an understanding that would allow them to remain there without moving represent sravakas and pratyekabuddhas. The beings of superior capacity who said that they would accompany him to the great city represent other bodhisattvas. The beings lacking merit who did not believe represent all non-Buddhists holding wrong views and their disciples.

Leaving the desolate marsh represents diligently cultivating the mind of all-knowledge. The narrow road one foot wide represents the gateway of the Dharma-nature. The great chasms on both sides, hundreds of thousands of feet deep, represent the two vehicles, the Sravaka Vehicle and the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle.

Placing planks along both sides of the narrow road represents the wisdom of skillful means. Crawling forward represents the bodhisattva’s gathering of beings through the four means of embracing. The hostile bandits following and terrifying them from behind represent Mara and Mara’s hosts, beings who give rise to the sixty-two views, and those who disparage bodhisattvas.

Not turning back represents the complete and single-minded perfection of patience. Not looking to either side represents refraining from praising the two vehicles. The great city represents the mind of all-knowledge.

Gradually crossing over, seeing the great city, and becoming fearless represent the bodhisattva seeing the Buddha and the Buddha’s sphere of conduct, single-mindedly revering the Buddha’s wisdom, majesty, and virtue, skillfully learning prajnaparamita and skillful means, and gradually drawing near all beings in accordance with what is appropriate, without doubt or difficulty. Entering the city and becoming free from aging, illness, and death represent the bodhisattva benefiting immeasurable beings and freeing them from aging, illness, and death.

The one who teaches the Dharma represents the Tathagata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One.

“Blessed One! I now pay homage to all bodhisattvas.”

When the Venerable Mahakasyapa had spoken these words, ten thousand devas and humans gave rise to the aspiration for unsurpassed bodhi.

The Blessed One praised him, saying, “Excellent, excellent, Mahakasyapa! You are able to encourage and inspire the great bodhisattvas, and you are able to accomplish immeasurable merit.

“A great bodhisattva will never perform an action that can harm himself and others. Nor will a great bodhisattva ever speak words that can harm himself or others.”

At that time, the Bodhisattva Virtue-Gathering said, “Blessed One! If all bodhisattvas never perform actions or speak words that can harm themselves and others, why, in the past during the time of Kasyapa Buddha, when the Blessed One was still practicing the bodhisattva path and had only one lifetime remaining, did he, as a brahmin named Uttara, say, ‘The path to bodhi is exceedingly difficult to attain. How could a bald-headed man accomplish such a thing? I do not wish to see him’?

“Blessed One! What was the meaning of the words spoken long ago by the brahmin Uttara?”

The Buddha said, “Virtue-Gathering! You should harbor no doubt concerning the Tathagata or bodhisattvas. Buddhas and bodhisattvas have perfected inconceivable skillful means. Buddhas and bodhisattvas abide in various skillful means to teach and transform beings.

“Virtue-Gathering! Listen attentively and reflect well. There is a sutra called the Perfection of Skillful Means, which I shall explain to you. From the time of Dipankara Buddha until now, the Bodhisattva gradually learned skillful means. I shall now reveal and explain a small portion of them to you.

“Virtue-Gathering! When the great bodhisattva saw Dipankara Buddha, he immediately attained the patient acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas. From that time onward, he never erred, jested, or lost right mindfulness. Nor did he have an impure mind, and his wisdom never diminished.

“Virtue-Gathering! In accordance with his original vow, after attaining the patient acceptance of non-arising, the great bodhisattva could have attained unsurpassed bodhi after seven days; or, if he wished, he could have attained it after a hundred kalpas. For the sake of beings, the great bodhisattva assumed every kind of body. Wherever he dwelt, through the power of wisdom he fulfilled all aspirations according to what was sought, and only afterward attained unsurpassed bodhi.

“Virtue-Gathering! Through the power of skillful means, the great bodhisattva dwells in various worlds for immeasurable kalpas without sorrow, because he never becomes weary or seeks to abandon them. This is called a bodhisattva’s practice of skillful means.

“Furthermore, Virtue-Gathering! When sravakas enter any of the meditative concentrations, their bodies and minds become unmoving, and they then suppose that they have entered nirvana. When bodhisattvas enter them, however, their bodies and minds remain vigorous and diligent, without indolence. They gather beings through the four means of embracing and, out of great compassion, teach and transform beings by means of the six paramitas. This is called a great bodhisattva’s practice of skillful means.

“Furthermore, Virtue-Gathering! In accordance with his original vow, the Bodhisattva could have attained unsurpassed bodhi in the palace of Tusita Heaven and turned the great Dharma wheel there; it was not that he was unable to do so. Yet while in the palace of Tusita Heaven, the Bodhisattva reflected: ‘The people of Jambudvipa cannot ascend to the heavenly palace to hear and receive the teaching, whereas the devas of Tusita can descend to Jambudvipa to hear the Dharma.’ Therefore, the great bodhisattva left the palace of Tusita Heaven and attained buddhahood in Jambudvipa. This is called a great bodhisattva’s practice of skillful means.

“Furthermore, Virtue-Gathering! In accordance with his original vow, the great bodhisattva could have descended from Tusita to Jambudvipa and attained buddhahood without entering his mother’s womb. Yet if he had not entered his mother’s womb, some beings would have thought: ‘Where did this Bodhisattva come from? Is he a deva, a naga, a spirit, a gandharva, or a magically created being?’ If they entertained such doubts, they would be unable to hear and receive the teaching or practice to eliminate their afflictions. Therefore, it was not that the great bodhisattva could not attain buddhahood without entering his mother’s womb. This is called a great bodhisattva’s practice of skillful means.

“Virtue-Gathering! Do not imagine that the Bodhisattva actually dwelt in his mother’s womb, for the great bodhisattva did not truly dwell there. Why?

The great bodhisattva entered the stainless concentration and, without emerging from that concentration, departed from Tusita Heaven, descended to Jambudvipa, and continued until he sat beneath the Bodhi tree. The devas of Tusita believed that the Bodhisattva had died there and would not return. Yet at that very time, the Bodhisattva’s true body remained unmoving in Tusita Heaven while he manifested entering the womb, enjoying the five desires, leaving home, and practicing austerities.

All beings regarded these things as real, but for the Bodhisattva they were all magical manifestations. The Bodhisattva magically manifested entering the womb and enjoying the five desires, appeared to delight in them, left home, and practiced austerities; all these were produced by the Bodhisattva’s transformations. Why?

Because at that time the Bodhisattva’s conduct was pure, and he no longer entered a womb, having long since become disenchanted with and detached from such existence. This is called a great bodhisattva’s practice of skillful means.

“Virtue-Gathering! For what reason did he manifest a body resembling a white elephant with six tusks entering his mother’s body?

“Virtue-Gathering! Within this trichiliocosm, the Bodhisattva was the most honored. Because he had perfected pure and wholesome dharmas, he manifested as a white elephant king entering his mother’s womb. No deva, naga, spirit, or other being could enter a mother’s womb in such a manner. This is called a great bodhisattva’s practice of skillful means.

“Virtue-Gathering! For what reason did the Bodhisattva remain in his mother’s womb for a full ten months before being born? Some beings might have thought that if he had not remained for ten full months, the infant’s body would have been incomplete. Therefore, the Bodhisattva manifested dwelling in the womb for a full ten months. From the moment he first entered until the completion of the ten months, devas constantly came to his mother, paid homage, and circumambulated her. At that time, the devas saw the Bodhisattva dwelling in a lofty tower adorned with the seven treasures, surpassing even the heavenly palaces. On seeing this splendid sight, twenty-four thousand devas gave rise to the aspiration for unsurpassed bodhi. This is called a great bodhisattva’s practice of skillful means.

“Virtue-Gathering! For what reason did the Bodhisattva enter his mother’s womb through her right side? Some beings might have doubted and thought that the Bodhisattva was conceived from the seminal and menstrual fluids of his parents. To dispel that doubt and demonstrate birth by transformation, he entered through his mother’s right side. After entering through her side, he left no mark of entry, and Lady Maya experienced bodily and mental bliss such as she had never known before. This is called a bodhisattva’s practice of skillful means.

“Virtue-Gathering! For what reason was the Bodhisattva born in a secluded garden rather than in a house or city? The Bodhisattva had always delighted in secluded places, praised secluded places, praised tranquil mountains and forests, and practiced the Dharma of quiescence. Had the Bodhisattva been born in a house, the devas, nagas, spirits, and gandharvas could not have brought flowers, incense, and music as offerings. The people of Kapilavastu were confused, heedless, and arrogant and would have been unable to make offerings to the Bodhisattva. Therefore, the Bodhisattva was born in a secluded place rather than in a house or city. This is called a great bodhisattva’s practice of skillful means.

“Virtue-Gathering! For what reason did the Bodhisattva’s mother reach upward and grasp a branch of the asoka tree while giving birth to the Bodhisattva? Some beings might have suspected that, when giving birth to the Bodhisattva, Lady Maya suffered pain and distress like other women. Therefore, she manifested experiencing bliss while giving birth to the Bodhisattva, and for this reason Lady Maya reached upward, grasped a branch of the asoka tree, and gave birth to the Bodhisattva. This is called a great bodhisattva’s practice of skillful means.

“Virtue-Gathering! For what reason, at the time of birth, did the Bodhisattva emerge mindfully from his mother’s right side and not from another part of her body? Within the trichiliocosm, the Bodhisattva was the most honored and supreme. He neither dwelt by way of the female organ nor emerged by way of the female organ. This was the manifestation of a bodhisattva in his final existence, not that of other practitioners of the holy life. Therefore, the Bodhisattva emerged from his mother’s right side. This is called a great bodhisattva’s practice of skillful means.

“Virtue-Gathering! For what reason, when the Bodhisattva was newly born, did Sakra, Lord of the Devas, receive him in a precious robe rather than some other deva? Sakra had formerly made this vow: ‘When the Bodhisattva is newly born, I shall receive him in a precious robe.’ Because of the Bodhisattva’s subtle and marvelous roots of goodness, he increased the devas’ faithful reverence and offerings. This is called a great bodhisattva’s practice of skillful means.

“Virtue-Gathering! For what reason did the newborn Bodhisattva walk seven steps, neither six nor eight? The Bodhisattva was resolute, possessed great spiritual power, diligence, and the marks of a great man, and wished to manifest for beings what no one else could manifest. If walking six steps had benefited beings, the Bodhisattva would have walked six steps; if walking eight steps had benefited beings, the Bodhisattva would have walked eight steps. Therefore, without anyone supporting or leading him, the Bodhisattva walked seven steps by himself—neither six nor eight. This is called a great bodhisattva’s practice of skillful means.

“Virtue-Gathering! For what reason, after walking seven steps, did the Bodhisattva proclaim: ‘In the world, I am the most honored and supreme, free from aging, illness, and death’? At that time, among the assembly of Sakra, Brahma kings, and devas were some who were arrogant and considered themselves the noblest in the world.

They were haughty and lacked reverence. The Bodhisattva thought: ‘These devas harbor arrogance. Because of their arrogance, they will undergo suffering for a long time and fall into the three evil destinies.’ Therefore, the Bodhisattva made this proclamation: ‘In the world, I am the most honored and supreme, free from aging, illness, and death.’ When the Bodhisattva made this proclamation, its sound resounded throughout the trichiliocosm.

Devas and bodhisattvas who had not yet assembled heard that voice and all gathered there. At that time, the devas of the Desire Realm, Form Realm, and Formless Realm joined their palms, reverently faced the Bodhisattva, and paid homage, saying to one another:

“‘Never before has there been such a thing.’ This is called a great bodhisattva’s practice of skillful means.

“Virtue-Gathering! For what reason did the Bodhisattva laugh loudly after walking seven steps? The Bodhisattva did not laugh out of desire or contemptuous pride.

At that time, the Bodhisattva reflected: ‘These beings formerly had greed, anger, delusion, and other afflictions, and they still have them now. Formerly I encouraged them to give rise to the aspiration for bodhi. Now I have attained it, yet because these beings are indolent, they still remain amid the sufferings of samsara and have not eliminated their afflictions.

These beings and I formerly gave rise to the aspiration for bodhi at the same time. Now I have attained unsurpassed bodhi, but because these beings are indolent, they still remain amid the sufferings of samsara. These beings of inferior capacity fail to diligently seek all-knowledge because of gain and honor, yet they now reverently bow to me and make offerings.

At that time, I gave rise to great compassion, and now I have fulfilled my vow.’ For this reason, the Bodhisattva laughed loudly. This is called a great bodhisattva’s practice of skillful means.

“Virtue-Gathering! For what reason, though the newborn Bodhisattva’s body was clean and undefiled, did Sakra and Brahma still bathe him? He wished to allow Sakra and Brahma to present offerings, and because worldly convention requires that a newborn infant be bathed. Therefore, although his body was clean and undefiled, the Bodhisattva allowed Sakra and Brahma to bathe him. This is called a great bodhisattva’s practice of skillful means.

“Virtue-Gathering! For what reason, while in that secluded place, did the Bodhisattva not proceed directly to the seat of enlightenment but instead return to the palace? The Bodhisattva wished to manifest the full maturation of his faculties, and so he appeared to dwell in the palace and delight in the five desires before renouncing the kingdom and leaving home. He also wished to encourage and transform people to abandon the five desires, shave their hair and beards, put on Dharma robes, and leave home. Therefore, he manifested returning to the palace instead of proceeding directly from that secluded place to the seat of enlightenment. This is called a great bodhisattva’s practice of skillful means.

“Virtue-Gathering! For what reason did Lady Maya die seven days after the Bodhisattva’s birth? Her lifespan had come to an end; it was not the Bodhisattva’s fault. Earlier, while in the palace of Tusita Heaven, the Bodhisattva saw with his divine eye that Lady Maya’s life faculty would last for the ten months and only seven further days. Through skillful means, the Bodhisattva knew that her lifespan was nearing its end and came to take birth; this was not the Bodhisattva’s fault. This is called a great bodhisattva’s practice of skillful means.

“Virtue-Gathering! For what reason did the Bodhisattva study the arts, treatises, archery, horsemanship, military formations, and strategy? It was to conform to worldly customs. Within the trichiliocosm, there was nothing the Bodhisattva did not know. Whether verse, rhetoric, responsive eloquence, incantations, amusements, singing, dancing, music, or crafts, the Bodhisattva was already thoroughly proficient in them all at birth. This is called a great bodhisattva’s practice of skillful means.

“Virtue-Gathering! For what reason did the Bodhisattva take a princess, palace women, and a household retinue? The Bodhisattva did not do so out of sensual desire.

Why? Because the Bodhisattva was a great man free from desire. At that time, had he not manifested having a wife and child, some beings might have said that the Bodhisattva was not a male or a true man.

If beings had entertained such doubts, they would have incurred immeasurable wrongdoing. To dispel those doubts, he married a maiden of the Sakya clan and manifested having Rahula. Do not suppose that Rahula was born through the union of his father and mother.

Rahula himself died in a heavenly palace and descended to enter the womb; he was not conceived through parental union. Moreover, Rahula had made an original vow to become the son of a bodhisattva in his final existence. As for the maiden Gopi, when Dipankara Buddha bestowed seven lotus blossoms upon the brahmin, she made this vow: ‘From this time onward, until his final existence, this brahmin shall always be my husband, and I shall be his wife.’ After accepting the seven lotus blossoms, the brahmin said, ‘Although I would not ordinarily accept, I now accept the aspiration of this virtuous woman.’ Having made this vow, she never became separated from the roots of goodness represented by the seven lotus blossoms.

Therefore, the Bodhisattva took Gopi as his wife. Furthermore, the bodhisattva in his final existence manifested dwelling in the upper palace among palace women. At that time, the Bodhisattva had perfected wondrous physical beauty, received offerings from the devas, and accomplished the leaving of home.

The Sakya maiden saw that he possessed all these qualities, single-mindedly made a vow, and gave rise to the aspiration for bodhi: ‘May I possess all such marvelous qualities.’ To cause Gopi to make this aspirational vow, the Bodhisattva took her as his wife. Furthermore, there were beings of great aspiration who lived as householders and enjoyed the pleasures of the five desires. To cause them to abandon the five desires and leave home, the Bodhisattva manifested dwelling amid the palace’s wealth and honor, enjoying the five desires, and then abandoning his retinue to leave home.

Seeing this, those beings thought: ‘The Bodhisattva enjoyed the most marvelous and unsurpassed pleasures of the five desires, yet he could still abandon them and leave home.’ Furthermore, his wife, child, and retinue had all formerly been transformed through wholesome dharmas by the Bodhisattva while he practiced the path, and they too had vowed always to be members of his retinue until his final existence. To increase their pure and wholesome dharmas, the Bodhisattva manifested being related to them.

Furthermore, to teach and transform forty-two thousand palace women, causing them to give rise to the aspiration for bodhi, and also to prevent many others from falling into evil destinies, the Bodhisattva manifested dwelling in the palace with his retinue. Furthermore, all those women were scorched by the fire of desire, but when they saw the Bodhisattva, they became free from lust. Furthermore, the Bodhisattva magically produced many bodies identical in appearance.

Those women enjoyed themselves with the magically created bodhisattvas, each believing that she was with the real Bodhisattva. At that time, the Bodhisattva himself constantly remained in meditative concentration, cultivating the practice of bliss. Just as the magically created bodhisattvas experienced the five desires without any perception of desire, so too the true Bodhisattva, from the time of Dipankara Buddha until his final existence, had remained free from lust.

This is called a great bodhisattva’s practice of skillful means. Chandaka and Kanthaka had also made vows of this kind.

“Virtue-Gathering! For what reason did the Bodhisattva sit beneath the jambu tree in contemplation? It was because he wished to transform seven hundred million devas. He also wished his parents to know that the Bodhisattva was certain to shave his hair and beard, put on Dharma robes, and leave home. He also wished to manifest the growth of wisdom. The shade of the jambu tree continued to cover him because he wished beings’ roots of goodness to increase. For these reasons, the Bodhisattva sat in meditation and contemplation beneath the jambu tree. This is called a great bodhisattva’s practice of skillful means.

“Virtue-Gathering! For what reason did the Bodhisattva, no longer delighting in the five desires, leave the city on excursions? The Bodhisattva wished to manifest seeing an old person, a sick person, and a dead person. He wished his retinue to know that the Bodhisattva left home to study the path because he feared aging, illness, and death, not because of arrogance or because his retinue had declined. It was precisely to benefit his retinue that the Bodhisattva left home. Seeing the faults and dangers of household life, the Bodhisattva left home. Yet to reveal the sufferings of aging, illness, and death endured by all beings, he manifested no longer delighting in the five desires and leaving the city on excursions. This is called a great bodhisattva’s practice of skillful means.

“Virtue-Gathering! For what reason did the Bodhisattva cross the city walls at midnight and leave home? To benefit beings’ roots of goodness, for wherever the Bodhisattva dwelt, he increased beings’ roots of goodness. Also, for the sake of pure and wholesome Dharma, he abandoned the five desires and left home without informing his retinue. He abandoned pleasures but did not abandon pure and wholesome Dharma. For these reasons, the Bodhisattva crossed the city walls at midnight and left home. This is called a great bodhisattva’s practice of skillful means.

“Virtue-Gathering! For what reason did the Bodhisattva cause sleep to envelop the palace attendants and women before leaving home? He wished everyone to attribute his departure to the devas. The Bodhisattva thought:

“‘After I leave home, some among my relatives may become angry and, by doing so, commit wrongdoing and fall into evil destinies. I therefore wish them to think that the devas caused the palace attendants and women to fall into a deep sleep, opened the city gates, guided me, and carried me away through the air. In this way, they will give rise to even greater reverence and faith toward the Bodhisattva.’ Therefore, the Bodhisattva manifested causing sleep to envelop the palace attendants and women before leaving home. This is called a great bodhisattva’s practice of skillful means.

“Virtue-Gathering! For what reason did the Bodhisattva instruct Chandaka to lead the white horse and take the precious robes and jeweled ornaments back to the palace? He wished his retinue to know that the Bodhisattva did not covet household life, fine garments, superior robes, jewels, or ornaments. The Bodhisattva also wished others to follow his example, abandon all their possessions, leave home within the Buddha-Dharma, and uphold the practice of the four noble lineages. However, one must not leave home without the permission of one’s parents. This is called a great bodhisattva’s practice of skillful means.

“Virtue-Gathering! For what reason did the Bodhisattva take a knife and cut off his own hair? Within the trichiliocosm, no deva, naga, spirit, gandharva, human, or nonhuman could approach the Bodhisattva’s majestic virtue, much less be capable of cutting his hair.

He also wished beings to acquire deep faith that, because he wished to leave home, the Bodhisattva personally took a knife and cut off his hair. Moreover, he did so to protect King Suddhodana. King Suddhodana had given rise to an unwholesome intention and, relying on his royal authority, had proclaimed: ‘Whoever shaves the hair of my son, the Crown Prince, shall be executed.’ When the king heard that the Crown Prince had personally taken a knife and cut off his own hair, the king’s unwholesome intention immediately ceased.

This is called a great bodhisattva’s practice of skillful means.

“Virtue-Gathering! Listen attentively. For what reason did the Bodhisattva practice austerities for six years? It was not because of residual retribution from past karma that the Bodhisattva underwent that suffering. He wished to cause beings undergoing the retribution of every kind of evil karma to become fearful and take refuge in the Bodhisattva. Moreover, during the time of Kasyapa Buddha, the Bodhisattva spoke these words: ‘I do not wish to see that bald-headed practitioner. How could a bald-headed man attain bodhi? The path to bodhi is extremely profound and difficult to attain.’ This too was an instance of the Bodhisattva’s skillful means, and its meaning should be understood. For what reason did the Bodhisattva utter those harsh words?

“Virtue-Gathering! When Kasyapa Buddha appeared in the world, the brahmin youth Uttara had five close friends, all sons of eminent brahmins. They had previously studied the Great Vehicle, but after long association with bad spiritual friends, they lost the aspiration for bodhi.

These five served non-Buddhist teachers and did not believe in the Buddha-Dharma. They understood the language of non-Buddhists but did not understand the language of the Buddha; they understood non-Buddhist teachings but did not understand the Buddha-Dharma. The non-Buddhist teacher served by these five men proclaimed: ‘I am the Buddha, the Blessed One, the Omniscient One, and I too possess the path to bodhi.’ At that time, the brahmin youth Uttara wished to use skillful means to entice his five close friends back, make them vessels of treasure, and transform their wrong-minded adherence to non-Buddhist teachings.

He therefore went to the potter’s house and said: ‘I do not wish to see that bald-headed practitioner. How could a bald-headed man attain bodhi? The path to bodhi is extremely profound and difficult to attain.’ A short time later, while Uttara and his five close friends were together in a secluded place, the potter came and praised Kasyapa Buddha, the Tathagata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, before Uttara and invited Uttara to accompany him to the Buddha.

Uttara reflected: ‘The roots of goodness of these five close friends are not yet mature. If I praise the Buddha and disparage their non-Buddhist teacher, they will become suspicious. Therefore, I should not yet go to the Buddha.’ Having reflected in this way, Uttara, to safeguard his original vow and to practice skillful means as a response of prajnaparamita, said to the potter: ‘I do not wish to see that bald-headed practitioner.

How could a bald-headed man attain bodhi? The path to bodhi is extremely profound and difficult to attain.’

“Virtue-Gathering! What is the response of prajnaparamita?

“When a bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, he has no conception of bodhi and no conception of a Buddha. At that time, he sees neither Buddha nor bodhi. He does not see bodhi within, does not see bodhi without, and does not see bodhi either within or without. Thus he knows that bodhi is empty and that no dharma exists. Because Uttara knew that all dharmas are nonexistent, he spoke through skillful means: ‘I do not wish to see that bald-headed practitioner. How could a bald-headed man attain bodhi? The path to bodhi is extremely profound and difficult to attain.’

“Virtue-Gathering! On another occasion, Uttara and the five men went to a riverbank. Through the Buddha’s spiritual power, which was exercised to transform the five men, the potter came and said to Uttara: ‘You should accompany me to the Buddha, make offerings, bow in homage, honor him, and praise him.

The appearance of a Buddha in the world is exceedingly difficult to encounter.’ Uttara refused to go. The potter immediately seized Uttara by the hair and dragged him directly to the Buddha. Seeing this, the five close friends thought: ‘According to the law of the kingdom, if a person is dragged by the hair and reports the matter to the authorities, the one who dragged him by the hair is subject to death.

What merit does this Buddha possess that causes the potter to disregard the death penalty, seize Uttara by the hair, and drag him to the Buddha?’ Reflecting in this way, the five men inclined their minds toward the Buddha and went to him. Once they saw the Buddha, their original vows immediately caused reverence and faith to arise. Having given rise to reverence and faith, they reproached Uttara before the Buddha: ‘This Blessed One possesses such majestic virtue.

Although you had previously heard of him, you did not give rise to reverence and faith.’ Seeing the Buddha’s majestic virtue and hearing the Dharma taught, the five men again gave rise to the aspiration for unsurpassed bodhi. Kasyapa Buddha taught them the Bodhisattva Treasury, the irreversible wheel, the dharani of vajra phrases, and the patient acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas. On hearing the Dharma, those five immediately attained the patient acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas.

“Virtue-Gathering! At that time, if Uttara had praised Kasyapa Buddha and had not praised the non-Buddhist teacher, those five close friends would not have agreed to see the Buddha, much less given rise to reverence and faith.

“Virtue-Gathering! To teach and transform those five men and cause them to study the Great Vehicle, Uttara practiced skillful means through the fruition of prajnaparamita and said: ‘I do not wish to see that bald-headed practitioner. How could a bald-headed man attain bodhi? The path to bodhi is very profound and difficult to attain.’

“Virtue-Gathering! One who is irreversible from bodhi has no doubt concerning the Buddha, no doubt concerning bodhi, and no doubt concerning the Buddha-Dharma. This is called a great bodhisattva’s practice of skillful means.

“Furthermore, to teach and transform the five men and to demonstrate the karmic results arising from karmic obstructions, the Bodhisattva manifested practicing austerities for six years. He was not like other beings who, whether knowingly or unknowingly, with or without understanding, utter harsh words against disciplined sramanas and brahmins. Such beings undergo suffering for a long time without benefit and must fall into the three evil destinies. For the sake of those beings, the Tathagata manifested creating karma himself and personally experiencing its retribution.

“Virtue-Gathering! A great bodhisattva has no obstructive karmic retribution whatsoever. Some beings who disparage disciplined sramanas and brahmins must undergo sorrow and distress, cannot attain liberation, and cannot realize the fruits of the path. Wishing to dispel their sorrow and distress, the Bodhisattva manifested undergoing such karmic retribution. Seeing this, beings would think: ‘Even the bodhisattva in his final existence, who disparaged Kasyapa Buddha, could attain liberation and realize the fruit. How much more may we, who uttered harsh words without understanding! We should now repent our faults and never again create evil karma.’

“Virtue-Gathering! Furthermore, the Bodhisattva practiced austerities for six years to subdue non-Buddhists, not because of obstructive karmic retribution. Why?

In the world were sramanas and brahmins who ate only one sesame seed and one grain of rice each day and believed that through this they would attain purity and liberation. To discipline them, the Bodhisattva manifested eating one sesame seed and one grain of rice each day. If the Bodhisattva could not attain the noble path even by eating coarse food, how much less could one attain purity and liberation in that way!

Therefore, the Bodhisattva said: ‘I do not wish to see that bald-headed practitioner. How could a bald-headed man attain bodhi? The path to bodhi is very profound and difficult to attain.’ For this reason, the Bodhisattva manifested practicing austerities for six years to discipline five million two hundred thousand devas who practiced coarse austerities, non-Buddhist immortals, and bodhisattvas who practiced coarse austerities.

This is called a great bodhisattva’s practice of skillful means.”