大寶積經

– O Virtuous One! For what reason, after eating the excellent meal and regaining his strength, did the bodhisattva go to the Bodhi tree rather than approach it with an emaciated body?

– O Virtuous One! The bodhisattva could have attained unsurpassed bodhi without eating or drinking, even with an emaciated body, much less by eating sesame and rice. At that time, however, out of compassion for future beings, the bodhisattva ate that excellent meal. Why? Because beings whose roots of goodness have not yet matured and who wish to seek the Way cannot attain wisdom if, through abstaining from food and drink, they suffer the torments of hunger and thirst. Wisdom that illuminates all dharmas is attained through the practice of well-being, not through ascetic practices. Therefore, the bodhisattva revealed to beings that wisdom is attained through the practice of well-being. Moreover, out of compassion for future beings, he wished them to follow his example in eating that excellent meal. For these reasons, the bodhisattva manifested eating the excellent meal offered by the maiden Sujātā, then perfected the thirty-seven factors aiding bodhi and attained unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment. The maiden who offered the food also perfected the factors aiding bodhi. Furthermore, it should be known that, abiding in a single meditative concentration and giving rise to a joyful mind, the bodhisattva could have remained without food or drink for hundreds of thousands of kalpas. This is called the skillful means practiced by a great bodhisattva.

– O Virtuous One! For what reason did the bodhisattva ask the devaputra Auspicious for grass to spread as his seat? Because past Buddhas spread their seats of liberation without using fine or silken materials, and also because he wished the devaputra Auspicious to perfect the factors aiding bodhi. After Auspicious gave the grass to the bodhisattva, he aroused the aspiration for unsurpassed bodhi. O Virtuous One! I now confer a prediction upon that devaputra Auspicious: in a future age he will attain Buddhahood and be called Stainless Tathagata, Worthy One, Perfectly Enlightened One. This is called the skillful means practiced by a great bodhisattva.

– O Virtuous One! For what reason, when the bodhisattva sat beneath the Bodhi tree, did he cause the evil Māra Pāpīyān to come, unwilling that the bodhisattva should immediately attain unsurpassed bodhi?

– O Virtuous One! Māra could not have come beneath the Bodhi tree of his own accord had the bodhisattva not summoned him. At that time, seated beneath the Bodhi tree, the bodhisattva thought: Who is foremost and most honored throughout the four continents, and to whom do these four continents now belong? The bodhisattva immediately knew that the evil Māra Pāpīyān was foremost in the desire realm. If I now contend with Māra and Māra proves no match for me, then none of the beings in the desire realm will be my equal. At that time, great assemblies of devas will gather beneath the Bodhi tree, and once they arrive they will certainly give rise to faith. The hosts of Māras, assemblies of devas, nāgas, ghosts and spirits, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, mahoragas, and all such great assemblies will gather around the Bodhi tree. Seeing the bodhisattva’s lion’s play, some will arouse the aspiration for unsurpassed bodhi, some will arouse the aspiration for the paths of śrāvakas or pratyekabuddhas, and some will give rise to faith. Even merely by seeing the bodhisattva, through this cause and condition they will all attain liberation. O Virtuous One! Having reflected in this way, the bodhisattva emitted light from the white hair-mark between his brows, causing Pāpīyān’s palace to become utterly dark. Because the light of the white hair-mark shone everywhere, the entire trichiliocosm became exceedingly bright. From within that light came this voice: “This son of the Śākya clan has renounced the household life to train in the Way and will now attain unsurpassed bodhi, pass beyond Māra’s domain, conquer Māra’s hosts, and diminish all future hosts of Māras. This bodhisattva is now doing battle with Māra.” Upon hearing this voice, Pāpīyān became deeply distressed, as though an arrow had pierced his heart. Māra Pāpīyān arrayed his four kinds of troops, filling a space thirty-six yojanas across around the Bodhi tree, intending to harm the bodhisattva. The bodhisattva then abided in great loving-kindness, great compassion, and great wisdom. With his golden-colored hand—the reward-body born of wisdom—he pointed to the earth, and all Māra’s hosts immediately scattered. Eight trillion four hundred billion devas, nāgas, ghosts and spirits, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, mahoragas, and kumbhāṇḍas saw the bodhisattva’s majestic virtue, his wondrously beautiful body, his dignified countenance, and his mighty valor, and they all aroused the aspiration for unsurpassed bodhi. This is called the skillful means practiced by a great bodhisattva.

– O Virtuous One! For what reason did the Tathagata remain seated in the lotus posture for seven days and seven nights, gazing at the Bodhi tree without blinking? O Virtuous One! At that time, there were devas of the form realm who cultivated the practice of quiescence. Seeing the Tathagata seated in the lotus posture, those devas became joyful and thought: “Let us now examine where the mind of the ascetic Gautama abides.” For seven days and seven nights, they searched but could not find any abiding place for even a single thought of the Tathagata. Those devas became even more delighted, and thirty-two thousand devaputras aroused the aspiration for unsurpassed bodhi, vowing: “In future lives, may we also attain the practice of quiescence and gaze upon the Bodhi tree in this way.” Therefore, after attaining Buddhahood, the Tathagata remained seated in the lotus posture for seven days and seven nights, gazing at the Bodhi tree without blinking. This is called the Tathagata’s skillful means.

– O Virtuous One! During immeasurable asaṃkhyeya kalpas of practicing the bodhisattva path, he vowed to bestow the bliss of liberation upon all beings. For what reason, then, after attaining Buddhahood, did the Tathagata wait until the Brahmā King requested him before teaching the Dharma?

– O Virtuous One! The Tathagata knew that great numbers of devas took refuge in and revered the Brahmā King. They believed: “The Brahmā King gave birth to us through transformation. He is the most honored in the world, and apart from the Brahmā King no one can create the world.” Wishing those assemblies of devas to give rise to right faith, the Tathagata waited for the Brahmā King to come and request the teaching of the Dharma. Once the Brahmā King bowed his head, all the devas who had taken refuge in him took refuge in the Buddha.

– O Virtuous One! Because the Tathagata possesses great majestic virtue, the Brahmā King came before the Buddha and requested him to turn the Dharma wheel. O Virtuous One! Had the Tathagata not employed his spiritual power, that Brahmā King would never have conceived the thought of asking the Buddha to turn the Dharma wheel. Because there were beings who took refuge in the Brahmā King, the Tathagata wished them to leave him behind. He therefore waited for the Brahmā King to come and urge him to teach the Dharma, thereby taking the Brahmā King as a witness.

– O Virtuous One! When the Brahmā King asked the Buddha to turn the Dharma wheel, six million eight hundred thousand Brahmā devas aroused the aspiration for unsurpassed bodhi, saying: “This truly is the Buddha, foremost and supreme among beings. May we in future lives attain wisdom and majestic virtue such as these.” This is called the Tathagata’s skillful means.

– O Virtuous One! Previously, when I taught the Dharma, I revealed to beings the causes and conditions of the ten courses of karma, whether pertaining to a bodhisattva or a Tathagata. The skillful means revealed within those ten karmic deeds can be understood only by the wise.

– O Virtuous One! You should not conceive the view that a bodhisattva retains even subtle karmic offenses. If a bodhisattva still possessed subtle unwholesome dharmas, he could never sit at the seat of enlightenment and attain unsurpassed bodhi. Why? Because a Tathagata perfects all wholesome dharmas and terminates all unwholesome dharmas. He has no residual habits, karmic retribution, or birth and death. Nothing whatsoever remains undestroyed, much less any obstructive karmic retribution.

– O Virtuous One! If beings assert that there is no karmic retribution and do not believe in karmic retribution, the Tathagata reveals the causes and conditions of karmic retribution for their sake. In truth, the Tathagata has no karmic retribution. He manifests as if saying: “Even I, the Dharma King, undergo karmic retribution; how much more must other beings undergo it!” He reveals this for the sake of those beings. Therefore, the Tathagata himself manifests karmic causes and conditions.

– O Virtuous One! The Tathagata has no karmic obstructions whatsoever. Suppose a learned teacher of writing, thoroughly versed in treatises on writing, instructs young children and, adapting himself to them, recites the written passages aloud. It is not that the teacher is impeded by those passages. He thinks: “These young children are studying with me; I should recite in this way so that they may follow and learn.” It is not because the teacher lacks understanding that he recites in this way.

– O Virtuous One! So it is with the Tathagata. Having mastered all dharmas, he speaks and manifests in this way so that beings may purify their karma.

– O Virtuous One! Suppose a great physician, skilled at curing every illness and himself free of illness, drinks bitter medicine in the presence of his patients. Seeing him do so, the patients follow his example, take their medicine, and are all cured.

– O Virtuous One! So it is with the Tathagata. Having himself eliminated every illness of the afflictions, he is unobstructed with regard to all dharmas and is able to manifest them all. He shows that such unwholesome karma brings such retribution and reveals such causes and conditions, so that beings may eliminate the karmic obstructions of body, speech, and mind and cultivate pure conduct.

– O Virtuous One! Suppose the young son of an elder or householder is dearly loved by his parents and entrusted to a wet nurse. Although the wet nurse is not ill, for the child’s sake she herself drinks bitter medicine so that her milk may be wholesome.

– O Virtuous One! So it is with the Tathagata. He is the benevolent father of the entire world. Though himself free from illness, he manifests illness for the sake of beings. To teach beings who do not understand karmic retribution, the Tathagata reveals that such karma brings such retribution. When beings hear and understand this, their hearts become fearful, and they abandon evil karma and refrain from creating evil causes.”

The Buddha then again addressed Bodhisattva Wisdom Supreme: “Wisdom Supreme! In the past, during the age when I encountered Dīpaṃkara Buddha appearing in the world, five hundred merchants entered the great ocean in search of jewels. Among them was an evil man, exceedingly deceitful, who habitually committed evil deeds without ever repenting.

Skilled in arms, he had constantly lived as a robber; now he disguised himself as a merchant and traveled aboard the same ship. When they had obtained many jewels and were returning, this evil man intended to kill all five hundred merchants aboard the ship and seize all the jewels for himself. At that time, the guide of the merchant company, named Great Compassion, dreamed that a sea deity came and told him: ‘In your company is a certain evil man who has constantly been a robber and plundered others’ possessions.

He has now conceived the evil intention of killing all five hundred men and taking all their jewels. If he is allowed to kill these five hundred men, he will commit an act of the gravest transgression. Why?

Because these five hundred men are non-retrogressing bodhisattvas progressing toward unsurpassed bodhi. If that evil man kills them and incurs the offense of the gravest transgression, then throughout the time each of them passes from first arousing the aspiration until attaining Buddhahood, that evil man will constantly remain in hell. As their guide, you must devise some skillful means by which this evil man will not commit an offense that casts him into hell and these five hundred bodhisattvas will also preserve their lives.’ After receiving the sea deity’s warning, Guide Great Compassion thought: ‘What skillful means can I employ so that this evil man will avoid falling into hell and the five hundred merchants will also preserve their lives?’ Having reflected in this way,

the guide kept the matter secret and told no one.

“At that time, the ship was waiting for the wind and would return to Jambudvīpa after seven days. When the seven days had passed, the guide thought: ‘There is no other expedient. I must eliminate this evil man in order to save the company of five hundred merchants. If I tell the others about this, the five hundred merchants will conceive evil thoughts, kill this evil man, and consequently fall into the lower realms. I should now kill the evil man myself. Even if, because of this killing, I must fall into hell and undergo suffering, I can patiently endure it. I must not permit this evil man to commit the gravest transgression by harming five hundred bodhisattvas and thus fall into hell to suffer forever.’

– Wisdom Supreme! Having reflected in this way, Guide Great Compassion gave rise to a compassionate heart and thought: ‘I shall protect the lives of these five hundred men and willingly undergo the sufferings of hell in place of this evil man by killing him.’ The guide immediately took a sharp spear and stabbed the evil man to death, enabling the merchant company to return safely to Jambudvīpa.

– Wisdom Supreme! Harbor no doubt! Guide Great Compassion at that time was none other than I myself, and the five hundred merchants were the five hundred bodhisattvas of this Fortunate Kalpa who will attain Buddhahood during this very kalpa.

– Wisdom Supreme! Because I practiced the skillful means of great compassion at that time, I transcended a hundred thousand kalpas of the tribulations of birth and death. As for that evil man, after he died, he was born in a heavenly realm.

– Wisdom Supreme! You should understand this and not conceive the view that the bodhisattva had obstructive karmic retribution. Through that act, he transcended a hundred thousand kalpas of the tribulations of birth and death. What occurred then was precisely the power of a bodhisattva’s skillful means.

– Wisdom Supreme! In the past, within the city of Śrāvastī, there were twenty people, all in their final bodies. Those twenty people also had twenty enemies, each of whom thought: ‘I shall pretend to be his friend, go to his house, and seize an opportunity to kill him without anyone knowing.’ Through the Buddha’s spiritual power, all forty people came before the Buddha. Wishing to tame those forty people, the Buddha said to Venerable Maudgalyāyana in the midst of the great assembly: ‘Great Maudgalyāyana! Beneath this ground there is now a golden spear that seeks to pierce my right foot.’

“The golden spear immediately emerged from the ground to a height of about one cubit. Venerable Great Maudgalyāyana said:

“‘Blessed One! I shall now take this spear and cast it into another world-system.’

“The Buddha said: ‘Great Maudgalyāyana, this is beyond your ability. While this spear remains embedded in the ground, your strength cannot pull it out.’

“Venerable Great Maudgalyāyana employed his great spiritual power to pull out the spear. The entire trichiliocosm shook violently, yet he could not move the spear. The Tathagata then used his spiritual power to ascend to the Heaven of the Four Great Kings, and the golden spear flew after him.

The Buddha ascended to the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, the Yāma Heaven, the Tuṣita Heaven, the Heaven of Delight in Creation, the Heaven of Mastery over Others’ Creations, and onward as far as the Brahmā Heaven, yet the golden spear continued to fly after him. The Buddha then descended from the Brahmā Heaven to his former seat in the city of Śrāvastī in Jambudvīpa. The spear also returned to its former place in the ground, standing upright with its point directed toward the Buddha.

With his right hand the Buddha grasped the spear, placed his left hand upon the ground, and stepped upon its point with his right foot. The entire trichiliocosm shook violently.”

“Venerable Ānanda rose, bared his right shoulder, paid homage, and said: ‘Blessed One! What karma did the Tathagata create in the past that he now undergoes this retribution?’

“The Buddha said: ‘Ānanda! In a past life, while traveling by ship upon the ocean, I took a spear and stabbed a man to death. Because of that karmic condition, I now undergo this retribution.’

“Having recounted this, the Buddha addressed Bodhisattva Wisdom Supreme: ‘When I spoke in this way about the causes and conditions of karmic retribution, the twenty malicious enemies thought: “Even the Tathagata, the Dharma King, undergoes such retribution for evil karma; how could we possibly not undergo evil retribution?” Those twenty people immediately bowed at the Buddha’s feet and said: “We now repent before the Buddha and dare not conceal our transgressions. Blessed One! Previously, I conceived the evil intention of killing that person. I now repent and dare not conceal it.”

– Wisdom Supreme! The Buddha then taught those twenty people the conditions that produce karma and the conditions that bring karma to an end. After hearing the Dharma, those twenty people attained right understanding, and forty thousand people in the great assembly also attained right understanding. For this reason, the Tathagata manifested the golden spear piercing his right foot. This is called the Tathagata’s skillful means.

– Wisdom Supreme! For what reason, though originally free from illness, did the Tathagata ask the eminent physician Jīvaka for a blue lotus to smell and thereby purge himself? At that time, not long after the Tathagata had established the precepts of liberation, five hundred bhikṣus in their final bodies were dwelling in another forest and cultivating the path. Those bhikṣus fell ill, and their old, spoiled medicine could not cure them. Out of reverence and obedience to the Buddha’s regulations, they did not seek other medicine. Knowing this, the Tathagata employed skillful means and asked the eminent physician Jīvaka for an utpala flower to smell and thereby purge himself. At that time, a deva from the Pure Abodes went to the sick bhikṣus and said: ‘Venerable Ones, you should seek other medicine; do not cling to your illness and die.’ The bhikṣus replied: ‘We dare not disobey the Blessed One’s instruction. We would rather die than disobey the Buddha, and we will not seek abundant fine medicines.’ The Pure Abodes deva said: ‘Venerable Ones! The Tathagata, the Dharma King, seeks another fine medicine and discards the old, spoiled medicine. You too should therefore seek other medicine.’ Hearing this, the bhikṣus were freed from doubt. They sought and took other medicine and were subsequently cured. Seven days after recovering, they attained arhatship.

– Wisdom Supreme! Had the Tathagata not sought other medicine, those sick bhikṣus would not have sought it either. Had they not sought and taken other medicine, they could never have recovered and attained arhatship. This is called the Tathagata’s skillful means.

– Wisdom Supreme! For what reason did the Tathagata enter a city to seek alms and leave with an empty bowl?

– Wisdom Supreme! The Tathagata has no karmic obstructions. At that time, the Tathagata had compassion for future bhikṣus who might enter towns and cities to seek alms but, because of meager merit, obtain no food. They would think: ‘Even the Tathagata, the Blessed One, who had perfected merit and virtue, once entered a city to seek alms and came out with an empty bowl. How much more might this happen to us, whose roots of goodness are weak and meager! We should not become distressed because we have failed to obtain alms.’ Out of such compassion for future practitioners, the Tathagata manifested entering the city to seek alms and leaving with an empty bowl.

– Wisdom Supreme! Do not suppose that the evil Māra Pāpīyān could veil the minds of the elders and householders in the city and prevent them from giving food. Why? Because the evil Māra Pāpīyān has no ability to cut off the Tathagata’s food. It was through the Buddha’s spiritual power that Pāpīyān veiled the minds of the elders and householders; this did not occur through the evil Māra’s own power. The Buddha has absolutely no karmic obstructions. To guide beings, he manifested leaving with an empty bowl. At that time, the Buddha and the bhikṣus received no food. All the Māras and other devas wondered: ‘Now that the Buddha and the Sangha have obtained no food, will they become distressed?’ That night, they saw that neither the Buddha nor the Sangha experienced even a single thought of sorrow or distress. Their minds did not change but remained equanimous from beginning to end. Seeing this, seven thousand devaputras gave rise to reverence and faith in the Tathagata. The Buddha taught them the Dharma, and they all attained the pure Dharma eye.

– Wisdom Supreme! Afterward, the elders and householders in the city came before the Buddha, bowed in homage, and repented. The Buddha taught them the Dharma of the Four Noble Truths, and twenty thousand people attained the pure Dharma eye with regard to all dharmas. This is called the Tathagata’s skillful means.

– Wisdom Supreme! For what reason did the brahmin maiden Ciñcā fasten a wooden basin to her belly and slander the Tathagata, saying: ‘The ascetic Gautama has made me pregnant and must provide me with clothing, bedding, food, and drink’?

– Wisdom Supreme! In that matter, the Tathagata had no karmic obstruction. Had he wished, he could have cast that woman beyond world-systems as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Through skillful means, however, the Tathagata manifested this karmic obstruction to guide ignorant beings. Why? Because in future ages there will be bhikṣus who leave the household life and train in the Way within the Buddha-Dharma. Some may be slandered by others, become ashamed and discouraged, relinquish the precepts, and return to lay life. Because the Tathagata manifested this event, if bhikṣus in later ages are slandered, they should think: ‘The Tathagata perfected all wholesome dharmas and possessed great majestic virtue, yet even he was slandered; how much more might we be slandered!’ Reflecting in this way, they will not become ashamed or discouraged but will cultivate the pure and sublime holy life.

– Wisdom Supreme! That brahmin maiden Ciñcā was constantly obstructed by evil karma and possessed little faith. She could not be tamed within the Buddha-Dharma and was continually veiled by evil karma. Even in dreams she conceived slanderous thoughts, and upon waking she rejoiced in them. When her life ends, she will fall into hell.

– Wisdom Supreme! I could have employed other skillful means to eliminate her unwholesome karma and save her from birth and death. Yet there are times when the Tathagata does not save another. Why? Because the Tathagata harbors no partiality toward any being. This is called the Tathagata’s skillful means.

– Wisdom Supreme! For what reason did certain brahmins kill the brahmin maiden Sundarī and bury her in a ditch in Jetavana Grove?

– Wisdom Supreme! At that time, the Tathagata clearly knew what had happened but set it aside and said nothing. The Tathagata had perfected omniscience, and his mind was unobstructed. Through his spiritual power, he could have prevented the blade from touching the maiden’s body. The Tathagata knew, however, that Sundarī’s life faculty was nearly exhausted and that she would inevitably be killed. He therefore used skillful means to cause the non-Buddhist practitioners to expose their evil deeds and fall into a place of suffering. Only a Buddha could know such a matter and abide in it so as to cause many beings to arouse pure minds and increase their roots of goodness.

“At that time, the Tathagata did not enter the city of Śrāvastī for seven days. During that period, he tamed six billion devas.

“After seven days, devas and humans assembled together before the Buddha. The Tathagata taught them the Dharma. After hearing the Dharma, eighty-four thousand people attained the pure Dharma eye with regard to all dharmas. This is called the Tathagata’s skillful means.

– Wisdom Supreme! For what reason did the Tathagata and the Sangha eat horse fodder for three months in the settlement of the brahmin Verañja? At that time, I knew beforehand that the brahmin would certainly forget his invitation to the Buddha and the Sangha and would provide them with neither food nor drink, yet I deliberately accepted his invitation. Why? Because I wished to guide five hundred horses. Those horses had studied the Mahāyāna in previous lives and had made offerings to past Buddhas. Because they associated with evil spiritual friends and created evil karma, they fell into animal existence. Among them was a great horse named Sun Treasury, who was a great bodhisattva. In a past life in the human realm, Bodhisattva Sun Treasury had exhorted and guided five hundred people—now the five hundred young horses—to arouse the aspiration for bodhi. Wishing to guide those five hundred young horses, he now manifested birth among horses. Through the great horse’s majestic virtue, the five hundred young horses came to know their former lives and recovered the original aspiration and vows they had once lost.

– Wisdom Supreme! Because I had compassion for the five hundred bodhisattvas who had fallen among horses and wished them to escape animal existence, the Tathagata accepted the invitation despite knowing beforehand what would occur.

– Wisdom Supreme! For three months, half of the five hundred young horses’ daily ration of grain was set aside as an offering to the Sangha, and half of the great horse’s daily ration was offered to the Tathagata. The great horse, Bodhisattva Sun Treasury, taught the Dharma to the five hundred young horses in the language of horses. He also instructed them to repent, pay homage to the Buddha and the Bhikṣu Sangha, and together arouse the intention to offer half their food to the Sangha. After repenting, the five hundred young horses developed pure faith in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. Not long afterward, the horses died and were born in Tuṣita Heaven. Those five hundred devaputras immediately descended from their heavenly palace, came before the Buddha, paid homage, made offerings, and listened to the Buddha teach the Dharma. They all attained non-retrogression from unsurpassed bodhi. Bodhisattva Sun Treasury will make offerings to immeasurable Buddhas, perfect the factors aiding bodhi, and attain Buddhahood under the name Tamer Tathagata, Worthy One, Perfectly Enlightened One.

– Wisdom Supreme! There is no supreme delicacy in the world that the Tathagata does not obtain. Throughout the trichiliocosm, no flavor can equal the flavor of the Tathagata’s food. Why? Because the Tathagata possesses the mark of a great person called ‘the supreme flavor within all flavors.’ Even the coarsest food, upon entering the Tathagata’s mouth, immediately becomes a supreme flavor surpassing even the exquisite food of the devas. Therefore, it should be known that the Tathagata’s food is supremely excellent and sublime.

– Wisdom Supreme! At that time, Ānanda became distressed and thought: ‘One descended from a lineage of wheel-turning kings has left the household life to train in the Way, yet now, like a lowly person, he eats this horse grain.’ Knowing Ānanda’s thought, I handed him one grain and said: ‘Taste this grain of rice and see what flavor it has.’ After tasting it, Ānanda gave rise to a sense of wonder and said: ‘Blessed One! I was born into a royal family and raised in a royal family, yet I have never tasted such a supremely exquisite flavor.’ After eating that grain of rice, Ānanda neither ate nor drank for seven days and seven nights, yet felt no hunger or thirst. From this it should be known that the foregoing event was the Tathagata’s skillful means, not a karmic obstruction.

– Wisdom Supreme! Some śramaṇas and brahmins who observe the precepts may accept an invitation as I did, but on learning that their host has become confused and cannot provide for them, they may refuse to remain. For this reason, the Tathagata manifested accepting and honoring an invitation he had already agreed to, while at the same time revealing the causes and conditions of karmic retribution.

– Wisdom Supreme! You should know that it is the Tathagata’s constant rule that even when he accepts another’s invitation and receives no provisions, he does not allow the host to incur an offense that would cause him to fall into the lower realms.

– Wisdom Supreme! Furthermore, among the five hundred bhikṣus who made the rains retreat with the Tathagata and ate that horse grain, there were four hundred who gave rise to craving whenever they saw delicious and excellent food. If those bhikṣus ate fine food, their desire increased; if they ate coarse, inferior food, desire did not arise. When that three-month rains retreat ended, the four hundred bhikṣus had abandoned sensual desire and attained arhatship.

– Wisdom Supreme! To tame the five hundred bhikṣus and guide the five hundred bodhisattvas undergoing retribution in animal existence, the Tathagata used the power of skillful means and ate horse grain for three months. It was not karmic retribution. This is called the Tathagata’s skillful means.

– Wisdom Supreme! For what reason, on the fifteenth day during the recitation of the precepts, did the Tathagata say to Elder Mahākāśyapa: ‘My back aches today; teach the seven factors of enlightenment’?

– Wisdom Supreme! On that day, eight thousand devaputras who disciplined themselves through the śrāvaka Dharma had assembled harmoniously and were seated among the congregation. In past lives, those devaputras had been taught and transformed by Great Kāśyapa. They had faith and reverence for the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, and had many times heard Bhikṣu Great Kāśyapa explain the seven factors of enlightenment.

– Wisdom Supreme! Apart from Mahākāśyapa, even if a hundred thousand Buddhas had taught the Dharma, they could not have enabled those eight thousand devaputras to understand.

“At that time, Great Kāśyapa obeyed the Buddha and taught the Dharma. When the eight thousand devaputras heard the extensive meaning of the seven factors of enlightenment, they immediately attained the pure Dharma eye with regard to all dharmas.

– Wisdom Supreme! If beings suffer from physical illness and cannot go to a place where the Dharma is taught to listen reverently, they should think: ‘Even the Buddha, the Dharma King, listened to a teaching on the seven factors of enlightenment and was cured of illness. How then could we fail to go hear the Dharma and fail to revere it?’

– Wisdom Supreme! To tame those devas, remove people’s painful illnesses, and also demonstrate reverence for the Dharma, the Tathagata said to Great Kāśyapa: ‘My back aches today; you should teach the seven factors of enlightenment.’ It should be known that the Tathagata does not possess a coarse and burdensome body composed of the four great elements, much less any illness. This is called the Tathagata’s skillful means.

– Wisdom Supreme! For what reason, when the Śākya clan was destroyed, did the Tathagata himself say that he had a headache?

– Wisdom Supreme! Some beings might say: ‘The Blessed One could not benefit his own kinsmen. He neither had compassion for them nor wished to bring them peace. Having left the household life, he severed all thoughts of his clan and did not wish to protect them.’ They speak in this way because they do not understand.

– Wisdom Supreme! The Tathagata had utterly eradicated the root of suffering. Knowing the thoughts of those beings, the Tathagata sat beneath a śāla tree and said that he had a headache.

– Wisdom Supreme! That day, I told Ānanda that I had a headache. At that time, three thousand devaputras who held the view of annihilation, together with immeasurable beings fond of killing, had assembled before the Buddha. For their sake, I manifested a karmic obstruction and said: ‘Because I once saw others killing and rejoiced in their act, I now undergo the retribution of a headache.’ Upon hearing these words, seven thousand devas and humans were tamed. This is called the Tathagata’s skillful means.

– Wisdom Supreme! For what reason did the brahmin Bhāradvāja revile the Buddha in five hundred ways, while the Buddha listened and patiently endured it?

– Wisdom Supreme! The Tathagata could have used his spiritual power to cast that brahmin into another world-system. He could also have used his spiritual power to prevent the brahmin from uttering a single word.

– Wisdom Supreme! At that time, great numbers of humans and devas saw that the Tathagata could patiently endure abuse without speaking or answering, constantly abiding in equanimity, impartiality, benevolence, and forbearance, the same afterward as before and the same before as afterward. Four thousand devas and humans aroused the aspiration for unsurpassed bodhi. Seeing this, the brahmin Bhāradvāja also gave rise to reverence and faith, took refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, and planted the seed of liberation. This is called the Tathagata’s skillful means.

– Wisdom Supreme! Devadatta and the bodhisattva were born together in the same place life after life; this too was the Tathagata’s skillful means. Why? Because through Devadatta I perfected the six pāramitās and also benefited immeasurable beings. How can this be known? Wisdom Supreme! Once, beings enjoyed abundant pleasures and did not know how to practice generosity. The bodhisattva manifested as a wheel-turning king and wished to teach them to give. Devadatta then manifested as a brahmin ascetic, came before the bodhisattva, and asked for his kingdom and cities, his wife and children, and his head, eyes, hands, and feet. The bodhisattva joyfully gave them all. Seeing this, immeasurable beings gained faith and understanding concerning generosity and said: ‘As the bodhisattva gives, so shall I give, vowing to attain bodhi.’

– Wisdom Supreme! When Devadatta saw the bodhisattva purely observing the precepts, he sometimes sought to break the precepts the bodhisattva upheld. Yet the bodhisattva never impaired his pure precepts. Seeing the bodhisattva observe the precepts, immeasurable beings followed his example, upheld the precepts, and sought to attain bodhi.

– Wisdom Supreme! When Devadatta saw the bodhisattva cultivating patience, he sometimes disparaged and reviled him. Yet the bodhisattva never gave rise to an evil thought and perfected the kṣānti pāramitā. Seeing the bodhisattva discipline his mind through patience, immeasurable beings followed his example and cultivated patience.

– Wisdom Supreme! You should know that Devadatta greatly benefited the bodhisattva.

“At present, Devadatta released a great intoxicated elephant intending to harm the Tathagata, and on Vulture Peak he also rolled down a great boulder. These were all manifestations of the Tathagata’s skillful means, not retribution for sinful karma. Why? Because through these skillful means, immeasurable beings were benefited.

– Wisdom Supreme! In summary, the Tathagata’s accounts of the causes and conditions of the ten karmic deeds were all manifestations of the Tathagata’s skillful means, not karmic retribution. Why? Because beings do not understand that karmic causes bring corresponding results. Therefore, for their sake, the Tathagata manifested karmic retribution in this way: after performing this karma, such retribution is incurred; after performing that karma, such retribution is incurred. When beings hear this, they abandon this karma and perform that karma: they abandon evil karma and cultivate wholesome karma.

– Wisdom Supreme! Now the Tathagata has explained and revealed these skillful means. They must be carefully guarded and kept secret and should not be taught to inferior people whose roots of goodness are weak and meager. Why? Because this sutra does not lie within the sphere of practice of śrāvakas or pratyekabuddhas, much less could inferior ordinary beings believe and understand it. This sutra of skillful means is not for them, nor can ordinary vessels uphold it. Only bodhisattvas are able to teach and study this sutra of skillful means.

– Wisdom Supreme! Suppose that on a dark night a great bright lamp is lit, enabling one to see every object within a house. So it is with a bodhisattva who, after hearing this sutra, can see all the paths practiced by bodhisattvas and understand: ‘Within this Dharma lies what I must study.’ With respect to every practice of Tathagatas and bodhisattvas, such a person has reached the other shore. One skilled in practicing the bodhisattva path does not regard this as difficult.

– Wisdom Supreme! I shall now speak about those who wish to attain the path of bodhi. If good men or good women hear that this sutra of skillful means is being taught more than a hundred thousand yojanas away, they should go there to listen. Why? Because if a bodhisattva hears this sutra of skillful means, that bodhisattva attains the practice of illumination and eliminates all doubt and regret concerning every dharma.”

When this sutra was taught, among the fourfold assembly and the devas and humans, those who had cultivated themselves as precious vessels all heard and understood it. Those who were not precious vessels neither heard nor understood it, even though they were present in the assembly. Their ears could not even hear this sutra, much less could their mouths speak of it, because they were not precious vessels and were not sustained by the Buddha’s spiritual power.

When this sutra was taught, seventy-two thousand people aroused the aspiration for unsurpassed bodhi.

Venerable Ānanda then said: “Blessed One! What is the name of this sutra, and how should we uphold it?”

The Buddha said: “Ānanda! This sutra is called The Pāramitā of Skillful Means. It is also called The Chapter on Employing Skillful Means and The Teaching of Taming Through Skillful Means. You should uphold it under these names.”

After the Buddha had taught this sutra, Bodhisattva Wisdom Supreme rejoiced in his heart. Together with those training in the śrāvaka vehicle, those training in the pratyekabuddha vehicle, those training in the bodhisattva vehicle, bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, upāsikās, devas, nāgas, ghosts and spirits, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, mahoragas, humans, nonhumans, and the entire great assembly, he heard the Buddha’s teaching. They all greatly rejoiced, faithfully accepted it, and respectfully practiced it.