大寶積經

XLVIII. FORTY-EIGHTH ASSEMBLY: QUEEN SRIMALA

Thus have I heard. At one time, the Buddha was dwelling in the kingdom of Sravasti, in the Jeta Grove of Anathapindika's Park.

At that time, King Prasenajit of Sravasti and Queen Mallika, having newly realized the Dharma path, said to one another: “Our daughter Srimala is intelligent, compassionate, learned, and wise. If she could see the Tathagata, she would quickly comprehend the most profound Dharma and would no longer have any doubts. We should send a skilled person to encourage her and awaken her sincere reverence.”

Having discussed the matter, the king and queen wrote a letter praising the true virtues of the Tathagata and dispatched the official Chandila as their envoy to carry it to the city of Ayodhya and deliver it to Queen Srimala.

After reading her parents' letter, Queen Srimala joyfully received it with reverence and spoke these verses to Chandila:

I have heard the Tathagata's name;

Rarely is he encountered in the world.

If these words are indeed true,

I shall bestow garments upon you.

If the Buddha, the Blessed One,

Has appeared for the benefit of the world,

He will surely show me compassion

And allow me to behold his true form.

As Queen Srimala contemplated the Buddha and uttered these words, after a brief moment the Buddha manifested an inconceivable bodily form in the sky and emitted light that illuminated the entire world.

Queen Srimala, together with her retinue, gathered to behold him. With palms joined, they bowed to the Buddha and praised him in verse:

The Tathagata's form is beautiful;

None in the world can equal it.

Unborn and inconceivable,

Therefore I now bow in reverence.

The Tathagata's body is inexhaustible,

And his wisdom is likewise so.

All dharmas eternally abide;

Therefore I take refuge.

Well has he disciplined the mind and abandoned faults;

He has likewise disciplined body and speech.

All have reached the inconceivable;

Therefore I bow in reverence.

He knows all knowable dharmas;

His body and wisdom are unobstructed.

He never forgets the Dharma;

Therefore I bow in reverence.

I bow to the Immeasurable One.

I bow to the Incomparable One.

I bow to the Dharma King.

I bow to the Inconceivable One.

May you compassionately protect me

And cause the seed of Dharma to increase,

So that until my final body

I may always remain before the Buddha.

Whatever merit I have cultivated

In this life and in other lives,

Through the power of these roots of virtue,

May the Buddha always embrace and accept me.

Having spoken these verses, Queen Srimala, together with her retinue and the entire great assembly, bowed at the Buddha's feet.

The Blessed One then spoke these verses for Queen Srimala:

Long ago, for the sake of bodhi,

I once instructed and revealed the Dharma to you.

Now you encounter me once again;

So shall it also be in lives to come.

Having spoken these verses, the Buddha, in the midst of the assembly, bestowed upon Srimala the prediction of unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, saying: “You have now praised the supreme virtues of the Tathagata. Because of these roots of virtue, for innumerable asamkhya kalpas you shall be a sovereign king among gods and humans, fully endowed with all necessities and enjoyments. Wherever you are born, you shall always encounter Buddhas, make offerings to them, and praise them, just as you do today, without any difference.

You shall also make offerings to immeasurable and countless Buddhas, Blessed Ones. After twenty thousand asamkhya kalpas, you shall attain Buddhahood with the name Universal Light Tathagata, Worthy One, Perfectly Enlightened One, Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, Well-Gone One, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed One, Tamer of Persons, Teacher of Gods and Humans, Buddha, Blessed One. The land of that Buddha Universal Light shall have no evil destinies, decline, aging, sickness, or suffering.

Even the terms ‘unwholesome conduct’ and ‘paths of evil karma’ shall not exist there. The beings of that realm shall possess dignified and beautiful forms, be surrounded by the splendid objects of the heavens, and experience only bliss surpassing even that of the Heaven of Enjoying the Creations of Others. All beings in that realm shall incline toward the Mahayana, and all who study the Mahayana in this way shall be born in that land.”

After Queen Srimala received this prediction, immeasurable gods and humans gave rise to joyful and delighted minds, and all vowed to be born in the world of the Buddha Universal Light. The Blessed One bestowed predictions upon them all that they would be born in that land.

After hearing the Buddha bestow the prediction, Queen Srimala joined her palms, stood before the Buddha, and made ten great vows: “Blessed One! From now until the day I attain bodhi, I shall never give rise to a thought of violating the precepts I have received.

Blessed One! From now until the day I attain bodhi, I shall never give rise to arrogance toward my teachers and elders.

Blessed One! From now until the day I attain bodhi, I shall never give rise to anger toward any sentient being.

Blessed One! From now until the day I attain bodhi, I shall never give rise to jealousy toward those who surpass me or toward their superior qualities.

Blessed One! From now until the day I attain bodhi, I shall never give rise to stinginess, even when I possess only a little food.

Blessed One! From now until the day I attain bodhi, I shall never accumulate or accept wealth for my own sake. If I accept and retain anything, it shall be solely to relieve impoverished and suffering sentient beings.

Blessed One! From now until the day I attain bodhi, I shall practice the four means of embracing beings without seeking repayment, without greed for gain, without complacency or weariness, and without restriction or obstruction; I shall always embrace and accept sentient beings.

Blessed One! From now until the day I attain bodhi, whenever I see sentient beings who have no refuge, who are imprisoned or bound, who suffer from illness and distress, or who face various dangers and calamities, I shall never abandon them. I shall resolutely seek to bring them peace and security and bestow wholesome benefit upon them.

Blessed One! From now until the day I attain bodhi, if I see anyone violating the Tathagata's pure precepts, and that person belongs to a city, town, or village under my governance, I shall discipline those who should be disciplined and embrace those who should be embraced. Why is this? By disciplining and embracing those who violate the precepts, I shall cause the true Dharma to endure for a long time. When the true Dharma endures, gods and humans shall flourish and the evil destinies shall diminish, and the Tathagata's Dharma wheel shall be enabled to turn perpetually.

Blessed One! From now until the day I attain bodhi, I shall embrace and uphold the true Dharma and shall never allow it to be forgotten. If one forgets the Mahayana, one forgets the paramitas; and if one forgets the paramitas, one forgets the Mahayana. If bodhisattvas are not resolute in the Mahayana, their embrace and upholding of the true Dharma will not be steadfast, and they will be incapable of transcending the stage of ordinary beings. This is a great loss.

Blessed One! Bodhisattvas of the present and future who embrace and uphold the true Dharma and make these great vows shall be endowed with boundless and vast benefits.

Although the Blessed One directly knows and witnesses this, sentient beings whose roots of virtue are weak and meager may give rise to a net of doubts. Consequently, they will find these ten great vows difficult to fulfill, will perpetually accumulate unwholesome dharmas, and will undergo many sufferings. For the benefit of these sentient beings, I now make before the Buddha this vow of truth.

Blessed One! If these ten great vows I now make are true and not false, may heavenly flowers rain down upon the great assembly and celestial sounds be heard.”

As soon as Queen Srimala finished speaking these words before the Buddha, heavenly flowers immediately rained down from the sky, and a celestial voice proclaimed: “Excellent, excellent! Queen Srimala's vows are true and without deviation.”

When the assembly witnessed this auspicious sign, all their doubts ceased. Filled with immense joy, they proclaimed in unison: “Wherever we may be born, may we share the same vows and practices as Queen Srimala.”

The Buddha bestowed predictions upon the entire great assembly that all their aspirations would be fulfilled.

Queen Srimala then made three further great vows before the Buddha. Through the power of these vows, she would benefit boundlessly many sentient beings.

The first vow: Through the roots of virtue cultivated in all my lives, may I attain wisdom of the true Dharma.

The second vow: Wherever I am born, after attaining right wisdom, may I expound the Dharma to sentient beings without ever growing weary.

The third vow: In order to embrace, uphold, and protect the true Dharma, I shall not cherish even my body or life.

After the Buddha had heard the three vows, he said to Lady Srimala: “Just as all forms enter the realm of emptiness, so too the bodhisattva’s vows, numerous as the sands of the Ganges, all enter into these three vows. These three vows are true and vast.”

Lady Srimala again addressed him, saying: “Blessed One! Now, relying upon the Buddha’s awesome spiritual power and eloquence, I wish to speak of a great vow. May the Blessed One compassionately grant me permission.”

The Buddha said: “Srimala! You have my permission to speak.”

Lady Srimala said: “The bodhisattva has vows as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, and they all enter into one great vow: the acceptance and preservation of the true Dharma. Such acceptance and preservation of the true Dharma is true and vast.”

The Buddha said: “Excellent, Srimala! For a long time, you have cultivated exceedingly profound and subtle wisdom and skillful means. Whoever clearly understands the meaning of what you have said has long planted roots of goodness.

“Srimala! The acceptance and preservation of the true Dharma of which you have spoken has been taught, will be taught, and is now taught by all Buddhas of the past, future, and present. Having attained unsurpassed bodhi, I too constantly employ many kinds of characteristics to teach the acceptance and preservation of the true Dharma. The merit gained by praising the acceptance and preservation of the true Dharma in this way is boundless. The Tathagata’s wisdom also has no vow of the bodhisattva that does not enter into these three vows. These three vows are true and vast.

Lady Srimala again addressed him, saying: “Blessed One, I shall now rely upon the Buddha’s awesome spiritual power and eloquence and wish to speak of the great vow. May the Blessed² One compassionately grant me permission.”

The Buddha said: “Srimala! You have my permission to speak.”

Lady Srimala said: “The bodhisattva has vows as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, and they all enter into one great vow: the acceptance and preservation of the true Dharma. Such acceptance and preservation of the true Dharma is true and vast.”

The Buddha said: “Excellent! For a long time, you have cultivated exceedingly profound and subtle wisdom and skillful means. Whoever clearly understands the meaning of what you have said has long planted roots of goodness.

“Srimala! The acceptance and preservation of the true Dharma of which you have spoken has been taught, will be taught, and is now taught by all Buddhas of the past, future, and present. Having attained unsurpassed bodhi, I too constantly employ many kinds of characteristics to teach the acceptance and preservation of the true Dharma. In this way, the merit gained is boundless. The Tathagata’s wisdom is also boundless. Why is this? Because this acceptance and preservation of the true Dharma possesses great merit and brings great benefit.”

Lady Srimala addressed him, saying: “Blessed One! Relying upon the Buddha’s spiritual power, I shall explain the vast meaning of accepting and preserving the true Dharma.”

The Buddha said: “Srimala! You have my permission to speak.”

Lady Srimala said: “The vast meaning of accepting and preserving the true Dharma is that thereby one attains the immeasurable totality of the Buddha-Dharma, even to the point of being able to encompass the eighty thousand gateways of practice.

“It is like the beginning of a kalpa, when clouds of many colors arise and rain down showers of jewels. In the same way, the cloud of roots of goodness arising from the acceptance and preservation of the true Dharma can rain down immeasurable showers of merit and blessings.

“It is like the great waters at the beginning of a kalpa, which can produce the treasury of the three-thousandfold great-thousandfold world and forty billion continents of various kinds. In the same way, the acceptance and preservation of the true Dharma gives rise to the immeasurable realm-treasury of the Mahayana, the bodhisattva’s various spiritual powers and various Dharma gateways, and the complete worldly and supramundane peace and happiness never before possessed by any deva or human being.

“It is like the great earth, which bears four heavy burdens: the great oceans, mountains, vegetation, and sentient beings. In the same way, good men and good women who accept and preserve the true Dharma are able to bear four responsibilities weightier than those borne by the great earth: for sentient beings who have become separated from spiritual friends, do not hear the Dharma, and commit transgressions, they mature them through roots of goodness leading to rebirth among devas and humans; those who seek the state of a sravaka they instruct in the Sravaka Vehicle; those who seek the state of a pratyekabuddha they instruct in the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle; and those who seek the Mahayana they instruct in the Mahayana.

“Blessed One! Good men and good women who accept and preserve the true Dharma in this way are able to bear four responsibilities weightier than those borne by the great earth. For all sentient beings everywhere, they become spiritual friends without waiting to be invited; with great compassion and pity, they benefit all sentient beings and become Dharma mothers of the world.

“It is like the great earth, which produces four kinds of treasure: priceless treasures, treasures of superior value, treasures of middling value, and treasures of inferior value. In the same way, when sentient beings encounter good men and good women who accept and preserve the true Dharma, they acquire four great treasures, the most excellent among all treasures. That is, after encountering these spiritual friends, sentient beings may attain roots of goodness leading to rebirth among devas and humans, may realize the state of a sravaka, may realize the state of a pratyekabuddha, or may attain the roots of goodness and merit of the unsurpassed vehicle.

“Blessed One! Giving rise to these great treasures is called the true acceptance and preservation of the true Dharma.

“Blessed One! The acceptance and preservation of the true Dharma is not different from the true Dharma; that which is not different from the acceptance and preservation of the true Dharma is the acceptance and preservation of the true Dharma.

“Blessed One! The paramitas are not different from the acceptance and preservation of the paramitas; that which is not different from the acceptance and preservation of the paramitas is the acceptance and preservation of the true Dharma. The acceptance and preservation of the true Dharma is the paramitas. Why is this? When good men and good women who accept and preserve the true Dharma encounter those who should be matured through generosity, they employ generosity, even to the point of relinquishing their own bodies and lives, acting in accordance with those beings’ dispositions to mature them and establish them in the true Dharma. This is called the Perfection of Generosity.

“If there are those who should be matured through moral discipline, they guard the six sense faculties and purify body, speech, and mind, even conforming their deportment to those beings’ dispositions in order to mature them and establish those sentient beings in the true Dharma. This is called the Perfection of Moral Discipline.

“If there are those who should be matured through patience, then even when reviled, humiliated, slandered, or afflicted by them, they immediately respond without anger or resentment, but with a mind intent upon benefiting them and with the power of supreme patience. Even their countenance does not change. Acting in accordance with those beings’ dispositions, they mature them and establish them in the true Dharma. This is called the Perfection of Patience.

“If there are those who should be matured through diligence, they do not give rise to a lax or inferior mind toward them, but instead arouse aspiration for supreme diligence. In all four modes of deportment, they act in accordance with those beings’ dispositions to mature them and establish them in the true Dharma. This is the Perfection of Diligence.

“If there are those who should be matured through meditative concentration, with an undistracted mind they cultivate right mindfulness to maturity, fully completing what must be done without forgetfulness. Acting in accordance with those beings’ dispositions, they mature them and establish them in the true Dharma. This is called the Perfection of Meditative Concentration.

“If there are those who should be matured through wisdom and, seeking benefit, they inquire into the meanings of the Dharma, then with an unwearying mind they expound for them all treatises and all fields of knowledge, even the various arts and crafts, bringing them to perfection. Acting in accordance with those beings’ dispositions, they mature them and establish them in the true Dharma. This is called the Perfection of Wisdom.

“Blessed One! Therefore, the paramitas are not different from the acceptance and preservation of the true Dharma, and the acceptance and preservation of the true Dharma is not different from the paramitas. The acceptance and preservation of the true Dharma is itself the paramitas.”

Lady Srimala again addressed him, saying: “Blessed One! Now, relying upon the Buddha’s awesome spiritual power and eloquence, I shall speak of the great meaning. May the Blessed One grant me permission.”

The Buddha said: “Srimala! I give you permission to speak.”

Lady Srimala said: “Blessed One, embracing the true Dharma is not different from the true Dharma itself. That which is not different from embracing the true Dharma is the embracing of the true Dharma. Good men and good women should embrace the true Dharma in this way.

If good men and good women, in order to uphold the true Dharma, relinquish their bodies, lives, and possessions, then, by relinquishing their bodies, they will attain their final birth-and-death, forever leave behind aging and illness, and attain the Tathagata’s Dharma-body, which is indestructible, eternal, unchanging, ultimately quiescent, and inconceivable. By relinquishing their lives, they will attain their final birth-and-death, forever transcend death, attain boundless eternal abiding, accomplish inconceivable wholesome virtues, and abide in all the miraculous transformations of the Buddha-Dharma.

By relinquishing their possessions, they will attain their final birth-and-death, surpass all sentient beings, and obtain an inexhaustible, undiminished, and perfect fruition, replete with inconceivable adornments of merit, and will be honored and supported by all kinds of sentient beings.

“Blessed One, good men and good women who embrace the true Dharma and relinquish their bodies, lives, and possessions receive predictions of awakening from the Tathagatas.

“Blessed One, when the true Dharma is about to perish, bhiksus, bhiksunis, upasakas, and upasikas will form factions and provoke disputes. If good men and good women, with hearts free from deceit and crookedness, without deception, delighting in the true Dharma and embracing it, enter among a community of virtuous friends, those who enter this community of virtuous friends will certainly receive predictions from the Buddhas.

“Blessed One, I see that those who embrace the true Dharma possess such great power. The Tathagata regards them as his eyes, as the root of the Dharma, as guides in the Dharma, and as those who penetrate the Dharma.”

When the Blessed One heard Lady Srimala speak of the great spiritual power of embracing the true Dharma, he praised her, saying: “So it is, so it is! Excellent! Srimala, just as you have said, embracing the true Dharma possesses great power.

“Just as a mighty wrestler causes someone immense pain and severe injury merely by touching, rubbing, or pressing him, so too, even embracing a small portion of the true Dharma causes Mara Papiyan pain and anguish, making him weep, groan, and lament.

“Srimala, I have never seen any other wholesome dharma cause Mara such anguish as does embracing even a small portion of the true Dharma.

“Srimala, just as a king of bulls, handsome in appearance and extraordinary in stature, far surpasses all other cattle, so too, a practitioner of the Mahayana who embraces even a small portion of the true Dharma far surpasses all the wholesome dharmas of the sravakas and pratyekabuddhas.

“Again, just as Mount Sumeru, lofty, vast, adorned, and beautiful, surpasses all other mountains, so too, one newly entered into the Mahayana who, with a mind intent on benefiting others and without regard for body or life, embraces the true Dharma can surpass all the roots of virtue of one who has long abided in the Mahayana but remains concerned for body and life.

“Srimala, therefore, one should teach and transform all sentient beings through the embracing of the true Dharma. Embracing the true Dharma brings great merit and great fruition.

“Srimala, even if for innumerable asamkhya kalpas I were to extol the embracing of the true Dharma, its merit would remain immeasurable and boundless. Embracing the true Dharma accomplishes immeasurable merit such as this.”

The Buddha told Lady Srimala: “Now you should further explain the embracing of the true Dharma that I have taught and in which all Buddhas alike delight.”

Lady Srimala said: “Excellent, Blessed One! Embracing the true Dharma is called the Mahayana. Why is this? Because from the Mahayana arise all the wholesome dharmas, mundane and supramundane, of all sravakas and pratyekabuddhas.

“Just as eight great rivers flow from Lake Anavatapta, so too, from the Mahayana arise all the wholesome dharmas of all sravakas and pratyekabuddhas.

“Again, just as all grasses, trees, groves, and forests depend upon the great earth for their birth and growth, so too, all the wholesome dharmas of sravakas and pratyekabuddhas depend upon the Mahayana for their birth and growth. Therefore, to abide in the Mahayana and embrace the Mahayana is to abide in and embrace all the wholesome dharmas, mundane and supramundane, of all sravakas and pratyekabuddhas.

“The Blessed One has spoken of six bases: the abiding of the true Dharma, the extinction of the true Dharma, individual liberation, Vinaya, true renunciation, and full ordination. It was for the sake of the Mahayana that the Buddha taught these six bases. Why is this?

The abiding of the true Dharma was taught for the sake of the Mahayana; when the Mahayana abides, the true Dharma abides. The extinction of the true Dharma was taught for the sake of the Mahayana; when the Mahayana becomes extinct, the true Dharma becomes extinct. Individual liberation and Vinaya are two terms with a single meaning.

Vinaya is the Mahayana. Why? Because one renounces the household life for the sake of the Buddha and receives full ordination.

Therefore, the Mahayana aggregate of precepts is the Vinaya, true renunciation, and full ordination.

“Blessed One, arhats have not truly renounced the household life and have not received full ordination. Why? Because arhats do not renounce the household life and receive full ordination for the sake of the Tathagata. Arhats take refuge in the Tathagata with a perception of fear. Why? Because with regard to all conditioned phenomena, arhats perceive fear, regarding them as they would a person holding a sword who intends to harm them. For this reason, arhats have not attained ultimate liberation and bliss.

“Blessed One, one takes refuge in what does not itself seek refuge. Just as sentient beings without refuge, being frightened, seek a refuge in order to gain peace and security, so too, because they are fearful, arhats take refuge in the Tathagata.

“Therefore, arhats and pratyekabuddhas still have dharmas subject to arising; they have not yet established the holy life, their task is not yet complete, and there remains something for them to extinguish because they have not reached the ultimate. They are still far from nirvana. Why?

Because only the Tathagata, Worthy One, Perfectly and Completely Awakened One has realized nirvana, accomplished immeasurable, boundless, inconceivable merits, completely eliminated all that should be eliminated, attained ultimate purity, become worthy of the reverence of all kinds of sentient beings, and transcended the states of the two vehicles and bodhisattvas. Arhats are not like this. The statement that arhats have attained nirvana is merely an expedient means of the Buddha.

Therefore, arhats are very far from nirvana.

“The Blessed One’s statements that arhats and pratyekabuddhas have attained the ultimate four knowledges concerning liberation and have completed their task are all teachings spoken by the Tathagata in conformity with the intentions of others and are teachings of provisional meaning. Why is this? There are two kinds of death: segmented birth-and-death and transformational birth-and-death.

Segmented birth-and-death pertains to the continuity of sentient beings. Transformational birth-and-death pertains to arhats, pratyekabuddhas, and sovereign bodhisattvas who have attained mind-made bodies, continuing until bodhi. Of these two kinds of death, it is with reference to segmented birth-and-death that arhats and pratyekabuddhas give rise to the knowledge, ‘My births are exhausted.’ Because they have attained the fruition with a remainder of dependence, they give rise to the knowledge, ‘The holy life has been established.’ Because they have accomplished what all ordinary fools are unable to accomplish, what the seven classes of trainees have not yet completed, and because they have utterly severed the continuity of the afflictions, they give rise to the knowledge,

‘What had to be done has been done.’

“Blessed One, as for the statement that after this birth they will assume no further body, the wise understand that arhats and pratyekabuddhas have not eliminated all afflictions and that their knowledge does not fully comprehend all forms of rebirth. Why? Because arhats and pratyekabuddhas still have residual afflictions that have not been completely eliminated, and therefore they cannot fully comprehend all forms of rebirth.

“There are two categories of afflictions: underlying afflictions and active afflictions.

“There are four kinds of underlying afflictions: the underlying affliction of attachment to a single standpoint, the underlying affliction of craving for the desire realm, the underlying affliction of craving for the form realm, and the underlying affliction of craving for existence.”

“Blessed One! These four kinds of abiding grounds can give rise to all manifest afflictions. These arisen afflictions are associated with the mind from moment to moment.

“Blessed One! The abiding ground of ignorance, from beginningless time until now, has not been associated with the mind.

“Blessed One! The power of the afflictions of the four abiding grounds, which serve as the basis for manifest afflictions, cannot compare with the abiding ground of ignorance by any calculation or analogy.

“Indeed, compared with the affliction of the abiding ground of craving for existence, the power of the abiding ground of ignorance is exceedingly great.

“Just as Māra, the Evil One, together with his retinue, surpasses the devas of the Heaven of Freely Enjoying the Creations of Others in physical power and majestic virtue, so too does the abiding ground of ignorance surpass the four abiding grounds by more than the sands of the Ganges. It serves as the basis for the afflictions and also causes the four kinds of affliction to persist. The wisdom of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas cannot eliminate the abiding ground of ignorance; only the wisdom of the Tathagata can eliminate it completely.

“Blessed One! It is so, it is so. The power of the abiding ground of ignorance is exceedingly great.

“Just as the link of grasping serves as a condition for karma accompanied by outflows and thereby brings forth the three realms of Desire, Form, and Formlessness, so too does the abiding ground of ignorance serve as a condition for uncontaminated karma and can bring forth the voluntarily assumed bodies of arhats, pratyekabuddhas, and bodhisattvas of great power. Both voluntarily assumed bodies and uncontaminated karma take the abiding ground of ignorance as their basis. Though it is an object-condition, it can also serve as a condition. Therefore, voluntarily assumed bodies and uncontaminated karma alike take the abiding ground of ignorance as a condition, just as they take the affliction of the abiding ground of craving for existence as a condition.

“Blessed One! The abiding ground of craving for existence does not perform the same function as the abiding ground of ignorance. The abiding ground of ignorance differs from the four abiding grounds.

Only a Buddha can completely eliminate that which differs from the four abiding grounds. Why? Although arhats and pratyekabuddhas have eliminated the four abiding grounds, they have not attained mastery of the power that exhausts the outflows, nor have they directly realized it.

Therefore, arhats, pratyekabuddhas, and even bodhisattvas in their final existence are obscured by the abiding ground of ignorance. Thus, they neither know nor see those dharmas; what ought to be eliminated is not eliminated, and what ought to be exhausted is not exhausted. Because those dharmas are neither eliminated nor exhausted, they attain liberation with a remainder, but not complete liberation; purity with a remainder, but not complete purity; and merit with a remainder, but not complete merit.

“Blessed One! Because what they attain has a remainder, with regard to the Noble Truths these beings know suffering with a remainder, eliminate its origin with a remainder, realize cessation with a remainder, and cultivate the path with a remainder.

“If there still remain suffering to be known, an origin to be eliminated, cessation to be realized, and a path to be cultivated, this is only a partial cessation and only a partial realm of nirvana.

“One who fully knows all suffering, eliminates every origin, realizes complete cessation, and cultivates the entire path realizes the eternally quiescent and pure nirvana amid this impermanent and perishing world. In a world without aid or support, such a one becomes an aid and a support.

“Why? One who perceives higher and lower among dharmas cannot realize nirvana. Only one whose wisdom is equal, whose liberation is equal, and whose purity is equal can realize nirvana. Therefore, nirvana is called the single, equal taste—the taste of liberation.

“Blessed One! If the abiding ground of ignorance is neither eliminated nor exhausted, the single, equal taste of nirvana cannot be realized. Why?

If the abiding ground of ignorance is neither eliminated nor exhausted, erroneous dharmas more numerous than the sands of the Ganges that ought to be eliminated remain uneliminated, and those that ought to be exhausted remain unexhausted. Because erroneous dharmas more numerous than the sands of the Ganges remain neither eliminated nor exhausted, meritorious dharmas exceeding the sands of the Ganges remain incomplete and unrealized.

Therefore, the abiding ground of ignorance is the source from which all secondary afflictions and all faulty dharmas that ought to be eliminated and exhausted arise. From it arise afflictions that obstruct the mind, afflictions that obstruct calm abiding, afflictions that obstruct insight, afflictions that obstruct meditative concentration, and even afflictions that obstruct the preparatory wisdom of samādhi and the realization of the fruits of the ten powers and the four fearlessnesses.

“All afflictions and manifest afflictions, more numerous than the sands of the Ganges, which the adamantine wisdom of the Tathagata’s Perfect Enlightenment can eliminate and extinguish, depend entirely upon the abiding ground of ignorance, for the abiding ground of ignorance is their cause and condition.

“Blessed One! These manifest afflictions are associated with the mind from moment to moment. From beginningless time until now, the abiding ground of ignorance has not been associated with the mind.

“Blessed One! It is like all the seeds of grasses and trees, which depend upon the great earth for their birth and growth. If the great earth were destroyed, they too would be destroyed.

“In the same way, all the dharmas more numerous than the sands of the Ganges that are to be eliminated and extinguished by the adamantine wisdom of the Tathagata’s Perfect Enlightenment depend upon the abiding ground of ignorance for their birth and growth. If the abiding ground of ignorance is completely eliminated, those afflicted dharmas will also be completely eliminated. Because all the dharmas that ought to be eliminated and extinguished, more numerous than the sands of the Ganges, together with all afflictions and manifest afflictions, have been completely eliminated and extinguished, one realizes inconceivable Buddha-dharmas exceeding the sands of the Ganges.

With respect to all dharmas, one realizes unobstructed supernormal powers, attains all wisdom and vision, becomes utterly free from every error, acquires every merit, becomes the Great Dharma King, attains the stage of complete mastery over all dharmas, and rightly roars the lion’s roar: ‘My births are ended; the holy life has been established; what had to be done has been done; there will be no further existence.’ Therefore, the Blessed One, with the lion’s roar, gave this unequivocal prediction according to the definitive meaning.

“Blessed One! The knowledge that there will be no further existence is of two kinds:

“First, the Buddhas, the Tathagatas, through the power of their mastery, subdue the four māras, transcend all worlds, and are looked up to by all sentient beings. They realize the inconceivable, pure Dharma-body; attain supreme, unsurpassed mastery over the dharmas that are objects of knowledge; have nothing more to accomplish; and see no further stage remaining to be realized. Fully endowed with the ten powers of wisdom, they ascend to the supreme stage of fearlessness, contemplate all dharmas without obstruction, and rightly roar the lion’s roar that there will be no further existence.

“Second, arhats and pratyekabuddhas escape the terrors of immeasurable birth and death, experience the bliss of liberation, and think to themselves: ‘I have now become free from the terrors of birth and death and shall no longer undergo any suffering.’

“Blessed One! Having contemplated in this way, arhats and pratyekabuddhas accept no further existence. Yet they have not realized the foremost nirvana of quiescent cessation, for they have not reached the stages still unrealized and have not encountered the Dharma through which they could understand: ‘I have now realized the stage of nirvana with a remainder as a basis, and I shall certainly realize unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment.’

“Why? Śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas all enter the Great Vehicle, and the Great Vehicle is the Buddha Vehicle. Therefore, the Three Vehicles are the One Vehicle. One who realizes the One Vehicle attains unsurpassed bodhi. Unsurpassed bodhi is nirvana. This nirvana is the pure Dharma-body of the Tathagata. One who realizes the Dharma-body realizes the One Vehicle; there is no other Tathagata and no other Dharma-body. The Tathagata is precisely the Dharma-body. One who realizes the ultimate Dharma-body realizes the ultimate One Vehicle. One who reaches the ultimate One Vehicle is freed from the continuum of existence.

“Why is this so, Blessed One? Because the Tathagata abides eternally, without limit, equal to the furthest future! With boundless great compassion and boundless vows, the Tathagata brings benefit to all worlds. One who speaks in this way is said to speak rightly.

“If one further says that the Tathagata is eternal, is the inexhaustible Dharma, and is the ultimate foundation upon which all worlds rely, this too is called right speech.

“Therefore, in this world without aid or support, the Tathagata is the inexhaustible refuge, the eternally abiding refuge, and the ultimate refuge, continuing forever into the furthest future.”

It is said that the Dharma of the Tathagata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, is the path of the One Vehicle. The Sangha is the assembly of the Three Vehicles. These two refuges are not ultimate refuges, but are called partial refuges.

Why is this? Because once the path of the One Vehicle has been proclaimed and the ultimate Dharma-body has been realized, the path of the One Vehicle is no longer spoken of. Because the assemblies of the Three Vehicles are afraid, they take refuge in the Tathagata, seek to go forth and cultivate the path, because they still have work to accomplish, and because they are proceeding toward unsurpassed bodhi. Therefore, the Dharma and the Sangha are not ultimate refuges; they are limited refuges.

If sentient beings who have been trained by the Tathagata take refuge in the Tathagata, they are permeated by the Dharma, and through joyful faith they take refuge in the Dharma and the Bhikshu Sangha. These two refuges are entered through faith by virtue of being permeated by the Dharma.

The Tathagata, however, is not a refuge entered through faith by virtue of being permeated by the Dharma. The Tathagata is said to be the true refuge.

With regard to their true meaning, those other two refuges are called the ultimate refuge in the Tathagata. Why is this? Because the Tathagata is not different from those two refuges; therefore, the Tathagata is himself the Three Refuges.

Why is this? Because in proclaiming the path of the One Vehicle, the supreme Tathagata, endowed with the four fearlessnesses, utters the true lion’s roar.

When the Tathagatas, in accordance with people’s inclinations, employ skillful means to teach the Dharma of the Two Vehicles, it is itself the Great Vehicle. In the ultimate truth, there are no Two Vehicles. Those Two Vehicles alike enter the One Vehicle, and that One Vehicle is the Vehicle of Ultimate Meaning.

Blessed One! When shravakas and pratyekabuddhas first realize the Noble Truths, they do not use a single wisdom to eliminate the various grounds of affliction; nor do they use a single wisdom to realize such qualities as the four kinds of complete knowledge; nor do they use a Dharma capable of skillfully discerning the meaning of these four dharmas.

Blessed One! In supramundane wisdom there are not four kinds of wisdom that arrive successively and take their objects successively. Supramundane wisdom has no dharmas that arrive in succession, as in the analogy of the vajra.

Blessed One! Shravakas and pratyekabuddhas use various kinds of wisdom concerning the Noble Truths to eliminate the different grounds of affliction. They perceive that there is a supramundane wisdom of ultimate meaning.

Only the Tathagata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, can use the inconceivable wisdom of emptiness to break through the shells of all afflictions. This ultimate wisdom that breaks through the shells of affliction is called the supramundane wisdom of ultimate meaning; it is not within the domain of shravakas and pratyekabuddhas. The initial wisdom of the Noble Truths is not ultimate wisdom, but wisdom directed toward unsurpassed bodhi.

Blessed One! The meaning of the true Noble Truths does not belong to the Two Vehicles. Why is this? Because shravakas and pratyekabuddhas accomplish only a small portion of the qualities for which one is called noble.

As for what are called the Noble Truths, they are not the truths of shravakas and pratyekabuddhas, nor are they their qualities.

Rather, these Noble Truths are fully known only by the Tathagata, who then expounds, reveals, and demonstrates them to the sentient beings of the world imprisoned within the shell of ignorance. For this reason, they are called the Noble Truths.

Blessed One! These Noble Truths are exceedingly profound and subtle, difficult to see and difficult to understand. They cannot be discriminated and are not within the sphere of conceptual thought. No one in the entire world can believe and understand them; only the Tathagata fully knows them. Why is this? Because these Noble Truths teach the exceedingly profound tathagatagarbha, and the tathagatagarbha is the domain of a Buddha, not the domain of shravakas or pratyekabuddhas.

The meaning of the Noble Truths is taught on the basis of the tathagatagarbha. This tathagatagarbha is exceedingly profound and subtle, and the Noble Truths taught from it are likewise exceedingly profound and subtle. They are difficult to see and difficult to understand, cannot be discriminated, and are not objects of conceptual reflection. They are difficult for the entire world to believe and understand; only the Tathagata fully knows them.

One who has no doubts regarding the tathagatagarbha while it is bound by immeasurable afflictions will likewise have no doubts regarding the treasury of the Tathagata’s Dharma-body when it has emerged from all afflictions.

Blessed One! If anyone’s mind reaches the ultimate with regard to this tathagatagarbha and the Buddha’s secret, inconceivable domain of the Dharma-body, that person can believe, understand, and give rise to resolute conviction concerning the two meanings of the Noble Truths taught above.

What are the two meanings of the Noble Truths? They are the conditioned Noble Truths and the unconditioned Noble Truths.

The conditioned Noble Truths signify that the Four Noble Truths are incomplete. Why is this? Because, relying upon the protection of another, one does not know all suffering, eliminate all its origin, realize all its cessation, or cultivate the entire path. Therefore, one does not know conditioned existence and nirvana.

The unconditioned Noble Truths signify that the Four Noble Truths are complete. Why is this? Because, relying upon oneself, one knows all suffering, eliminates all its origin, realizes all its cessation, and cultivates the entire path.

Although eight meanings of the Noble Truths have thus been taught, the Tathagata teaches only the Four Noble Truths. With regard to the cultivation of these Noble Truths in their unconditioned meaning, only the Tathagata has brought them to ultimate completion; they cannot be reached through the power of arhats or pratyekabuddhas. Why is this? Because nirvana cannot be realized through dharmas that are superior or inferior, low, middle, or high.

How has the Tathagata brought the unconditioned Noble Truths to ultimate completion? The Tathagatas universally know all suffering, forever eliminate the origin of suffering, which comprises all afflictions and secondary afflictions, realize the cessation of suffering—the cessation of all aggregates of mind-made bodies—and cultivate the entire path leading to the cessation of suffering.

Blessed One! The cessation of suffering is not so called because dharmas are destroyed and lost. The cessation of suffering is beginningless, uncreated, unarisen, endless, eternally abiding, unmoving, intrinsically pure, and freed from the shells of affliction.

Blessed One! The Buddha-Tathagatas have accomplished inconceivable dharmas exceeding the sands of the Ganges in number and are endowed with liberated wisdom; this is called the Dharma-body. When this Dharma-body has not separated from the afflictions, it is called the tathagatagarbha. This tathagatagarbha is the Tathagata’s wisdom of emptiness, which no shravaka or pratyekabuddha has ever seen or attained. Only a Buddha sees, fully knows, and realizes it.

Blessed One! This wisdom of the emptiness of the tathagatagarbha is also of two kinds: the empty tathagatagarbha and the nonempty tathagatagarbha. The empty tathagatagarbha is the tathagatagarbha free from all afflictions that are separate from, and not liberated wisdom. The nonempty tathagatagarbha is the tathagatagarbha endowed with inconceivable, liberated Buddha-wisdom dharmas exceeding the sands of the Ganges in number.

Blessed One! Great shravakas enter these two kinds of wisdom of emptiness through faith. The wisdom of emptiness possessed by all shravakas and pratyekabuddhas continually arises and operates by apprehending the objects of the four inverted views. Therefore, no shravaka or pratyekabuddha has ever seen or realized the cessation of all suffering. Only a Buddha directly realizes it, destroys all afflictions, and cultivates the entire path leading to the cessation of suffering.

Blessed One! Among the Four Noble Truths, three are impermanent and one is eternally abiding. The three truths fall within the characteristics of the conditioned, and the conditioned is impermanent. What is called impermanent is subject to destruction; that which is subject to destruction is not truth, is not eternal, and is not a refuge. Therefore, in terms of the ultimate meaning, those three truths are not truth, are not eternal, and are not refuges.

Blessed One! The one truth of the cessation of suffering is free from the characteristics of the conditioned. Being free from the characteristics of the conditioned, its nature is eternally abiding. What is eternally abiding is not subject to destruction; what is not subject to destruction is truth, is eternal, and is a refuge. Therefore, in terms of ultimate meaning, the truth of the cessation of suffering is truth, is eternal, and is a refuge.

This truth of the cessation of suffering is inconceivable and transcends the domain of sentient beings’ mental consciousness. Nor can the wisdom of shravakas and pratyekabuddhas reach it.

Just as one born blind cannot see colors, and a seven-day-old infant cannot see the sun, so too the truth of the cessation of suffering is not an object apprehended by the mental consciousness of ordinary beings, nor is it within the domain of shravakas and pratyekabuddhas.

The consciousness of ordinary beings consists of the two extreme views. The wisdom of the shravakas and pratyekabuddhas is called pure wisdom.

What are called extreme views arise when one grasps the five aggregates of clinging as a self and then gives rise to erroneous distinctions. These are the two views of eternalism and annihilationism.

World-Honored One! If someone sees samsara as impermanent and nirvana as permanent, this is not attachment to the views of annihilationism or eternalism, but is called right view.

Why is this? Those who hold such views see the bodily faculties, sensations, and volitions presently functioning perish and disintegrate, yet they do not understand the continuity of the body. Being blind and without the eye of wisdom, they consequently give rise to the view of annihilationism. As for the continuity of mind, which perishes from moment to moment, they are deluded and do not understand the sphere of mental consciousness, and consequently give rise to the view of eternalism.

Yet these meanings transcend conceptual distinctions and inferior knowledge. Foolish ordinary beings falsely conceive them as different and, through inverted attachment, regard them as annihilation or permanence.

World-Honored One! Deluded sentient beings regard the impermanent five aggregates of clinging as permanent, suffering as happiness, non-self as self, and the impure as pure.

The shravakas and pratyekabuddhas possess pure wisdom, yet they have never perceived the Buddha’s sphere or Dharma body. Or, through faith in the Tathagata, they conceive the Tathagata as permanent, blissful, self, and pure. These are not inverted views but right view. Why? Because the Tathagata’s Dharma body is the perfection of permanence, the perfection of bliss, the perfection of self, and the perfection of purity.

If sentient beings hold the conceptions described above, they are called true children of the Buddha, born from the Buddha’s mouth, born from the true Dharma, born through transformation by the Dharma, and recipients of a share in the Buddha-Dharma.

World-Honored One! What is called pure wisdom is the perfection of wisdom of the shravakas and pratyekabuddhas. This pure wisdom is not even capable of encompassing the Truth of the Cessation of Suffering, much less the Truth of the Cessation of Suffering as the sphere of practice of the four stream-entry knowledges. Why? Because beginners in the Three Vehicles who are not ignorant of the Dharma will be able to realize and understand this meaning.

World-Honored One! For what reason are four stream-entries spoken of?

World-Honored One! These four stream-entries are worldly dharmas. There is only one stream-entry that is supreme and foremost among all stream-entries: in the ultimate sense, stream-entry is the Truth of the Cessation of Suffering.

World-Honored One! Samsara depends upon the tathagatagarbha. Because of the tathagatagarbha, it is said that the beginning cannot be known.

World-Honored One! Because the tathagatagarbha exists, samsara can exist. This statement is correct.

World-Honored One! Samsara means that when the faculties of sensation cease, the succeeding faculties of sensation arise immediately and continuously. This is called samsara.

World-Honored One! The two dharmas of birth and death are grounded in the tathagatagarbha; in conventional terms, they are called samsara.

World-Honored One! What is called death refers to the cessation of the faculties of sensation, while birth refers to the arising of the faculties of sensation. The tathagatagarbha is neither born nor dies, neither rises nor falls, and is free from the marks of the conditioned.

World-Honored One! Because the tathagatagarbha is eternal and indestructible, it is the basis, support, and foundation for the treasury of wisdom inseparable from liberation. It is also the basis, support, and foundation for conditioned dharmas whose wisdom is separated from liberation.

World-Honored One! If there were no tathagatagarbha, there would be no revulsion toward suffering or joyful aspiration for nirvana. Why? Because these six consciousnesses and their objects of cognition—these seven dharmas—do not remain for even a single moment. They do not experience suffering and are incapable of becoming weary of it, renouncing it, or aspiring to nirvana. The tathagatagarbha has no beginning, is unborn and undying, and by its very nature experiences suffering; it becomes weary of suffering and aspires to nirvana.

World-Honored One! The tathagatagarbha is not a self, person, sentient being, or life-principle. The tathagatagarbha is not the sphere of those sentient beings who hold the view of a personal self, inverted views, or views of emptiness.

World-Honored One! The tathagatagarbha is the treasury of the Dharma realm, the treasury of the Dharma body, the supramundane treasury, and the treasury of the intrinsically pure nature; it is pure in its original nature.

As I understand it, although the tathagatagarbha is defiled by adventitious afflictions, it nevertheless remains the inconceivable sphere of the Tathagata. Why? Because unwholesome and wholesome minds arising from moment to moment, together with adventitious afflictions, cannot defile the tathagatagarbha. Why? Because the afflictions do not come into contact with the mind, nor does the mind come into contact with the afflictions. Since dharmas do not come into contact with one another, how could they defile the mind?

World-Honored One! Because afflictions exist, there is a mind that becomes defiled accordingly. The manner in which it is defiled by afflictions is difficult to understand and difficult to discern. Only the Buddha, the World-Honored One—who is the Eye, Wisdom, the root of the Dharma, the Supreme One, the Guide, and the refuge of the true Dharma—can see and know it as it truly is.”

The World-Honored One then praised Queen Shrimala: “Excellent, excellent! It is exactly as you have said. The intrinsically pure nature of the mind, when accompanied by afflictions, is difficult to discern.

Shrimala! There are two further dharmas that are difficult to discern: the intrinsically pure nature of the mind is difficult to discern, and that mind’s defilement by afflictions is also difficult to discern. Only you and bodhisattvas who have accomplished the great Dharma can hear, understand, and accept these two dharmas. Shravakas understand them through faith.

Shrimala! If any of my disciples possess superior faith and accord with Dharma wisdom, they will attain the ultimate realization of this Dharma.

To accord with Dharma wisdom means to contemplate consciousness and its objects, contemplate karmic retribution, contemplate the sleep of arhats, contemplate the mind’s mastery and delight in the joy of meditation, and contemplate the sacred supernormal transformations of shravakas and pratyekabuddhas. By accomplishing these five skillful contemplations, my present and future shravaka disciples, through superior faith and in accordance with Dharma wisdom, will thoroughly understand the intrinsically pure mind defiled by afflictions and attain the ultimate realization.

Shrimala! This ultimate realization is the cause of the Mahayana. You should now understand this. Because you have faith in the Tathagata, you do not give rise to slander against the profound Dharma.”

Queen Shrimala said: “World-Honored One! There are still other meanings that can bring many benefits. Relying upon the Buddha’s awesome spiritual power, I shall expound these matters.”

The Buddha said: “Excellent! You may now speak.”

Queen Shrimala said: “There are three kinds of good men and good women who, regarding the profound Dharma, remain free from self-injury, generate abundant merit, and enter the path of the Mahayana. The first are those who have attained profound Dharma wisdom; the second are those who accord with Dharma wisdom; the third are those who do not understand this profound Dharma but reverently honor the Tathagata, thinking, ‘Only the Buddha knows this; it is not within my sphere.’

Apart from these three kinds of people, other sentient beings cling to whatever they have apprehended concerning the profound Dharma, make false assertions, oppose the true Dharma, and cultivate the corrupt seeds of non-Buddhist paths. Even if they dwell in another region, one should go there and eliminate those corrupters. All humans and devas should join together in subduing them.”

After she had spoken these words, Queen Shrimala and her retinue bowed their heads at the Buddha’s feet.

The Buddha praised her, saying: “Excellent! Shrimala, through skillful means you protect the profound Dharma, subdue its enemies, and are well able to comprehend it.

Because you have drawn near to tens of thousands of kotis of Buddha-Tathagatas, you are able to expound this meaning.”

The World-Honored One then emitted a supremely radiant light that illuminated the entire assembly. He rose into the sky to a height of seven tala trees and, through his supernormal power, walked through the air and returned to the city of Shravasti.

Lady Srimala and her retinue gazed upon the Tathagata without taking their eyes from him even for a moment. When he had passed beyond their sight, they all rejoiced with great delight, taking turns praising the virtues of the Tathagata. With minds united in mindfulness of the Buddha, they returned to the city of Ayodhya and exhorted King Yasomitra to establish the Mahayana. Lady Srimala taught the Mahayana to all the women in the city from seven years of age onward. King Yasomitra likewise taught the Mahayana to all the boys from seven years of age onward. There was no one among the people of the kingdom who did not study the Mahayana Dharma.

At that time, the Blessed One entered Jeta Grove, summoned the Venerable Ananda, and directed his thoughts toward the Lord of the Devas. In response to the Buddha's thought, Sakra, Lord of the Devas, together with his retinue of devas, came to the place where the Buddha was.

The Blessed One said to Sakra, Lord of the Devas: “Kausika! You should receive and uphold this sutra, and expound and reveal it to the devas of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three so that they may attain peace and happiness.”

The Blessed One again said to the Venerable Ananda: “You too should receive and uphold it, and expound it distinctly for the fourfold assembly.”

Sakra, Lord of the Devas, addressed him, saying: “Blessed One! What shall this sutra be called, and how should it be reverently upheld?”

The Buddha taught: “Kausika! This sutra possesses boundless powers of virtue that sravakas and pratyekabuddhas cannot attain, much less other sentient beings. You should know that this sutra is a treasury of exceedingly profound and wondrous great virtue. I shall now briefly state its titles for you.

Listen, listen, reflect well upon them, and remember them!”

Sakra, Lord of the Devas, and the Venerable Ananda both addressed him, saying: “Excellent, Blessed One! We shall reverently receive your teaching.”

The Buddha taught: “This sutra praises the true virtues of the Tathagata; it should be received and upheld as such. This sutra teaches ten inconceivable great vows; it should be received and upheld as such. This sutra embraces all vows within a single great vow; it should be received and upheld as such.

This sutra teaches the inconceivable acceptance of the true Dharma; it should be received and upheld as such. This sutra teaches entry into the One Vehicle; it should be received and upheld as such. This sutra teaches the boundless ultimate limit; it should be received and upheld as such.

This sutra teaches the tathagatagarbha; it should be received and upheld as such. This sutra teaches the Buddha’s Dharma-body; it should be received and upheld as such. This sutra teaches that the meaning of emptiness conceals the truth; it should be received and upheld as such.

This sutra teaches the meaning of the one Noble Truth; it should be received and upheld as such. This sutra teaches the one basis that is permanent, steadfast, unmoving, and quiescent; it should be received and upheld as such. This sutra teaches what is inverted and what is true; it should be received and upheld as such.

This sutra teaches that the intrinsically pure mind is concealed by afflictions; it should be received and upheld as such. This sutra teaches the true children of the Buddha; it should be received and upheld as such. This sutra teaches Lady Srimala’s true lion’s roar; it should be received and upheld as such.

“Furthermore, Kausika! What is taught in this sutra severs all doubts and perplexities, definitively reveals the ultimate meaning, and leads into the path of the One Vehicle.

“Kausika! I now entrust to you this Sutra of Lady Srimala’s Lion’s Roar, which has been expounded here, for as long as the true Dharma remains. You should expound and reveal it throughout the ten directions.”

Sakra, Lord of the Devas, addressed him, saying: “Excellent, Blessed One! I shall reverently receive your teaching.”

At that time, Sakra, Lord of the Devas, the Venerable Ananda, and the assemblies in the great gathering—devas, humans, asuras, gandharvas, and others—having heard the Buddha’s teaching, all rejoiced greatly, accepted it in faith, and respectfully practiced it.

THE DHARMA ASSEMBLY OF LADY SRIMALA

FORTY-EIGHTH

END