大寶積經

Venerable Mahakasyapa said, “World-Honored One! How extraordinary that those people hear this Dharma discourse yet have no sense of disenchantment!”

“Mahakasyapa! If people possess the following four qualities, then even though they hear this Dharma discourse, they still will not become disenchanted. These are the four: being greatly heedless, lacking firm faith in the results of karma, lacking firm belief in the great hells, and lacking firm belief that they themselves will die.

“Again, some people do not become disenchanted because they possess the following four qualities: while young and healthy, they rely upon their strength; they are infatuated with sensual pleasures; they delight in drinking intoxicants; and they do not reflect and contemplate so as to understand.

“If bhiksus possess the following four qualities, they slander unsurpassed bodhi: when evil karma ripens, they do not know to confess it and do not understand the consequences of evil karma; they engage in defiling sexual conduct with bhiksunis; relying upon their preceptor and acarya being revered by many people, they follow a teacher to study but, out of jealousy, disparage that teacher as poorly learned.

“Mahakasyapa! If a person attains the following single Dharma, that person fully becomes a sramana or brahmin: the mind abides nowhere with respect to all dharmas.

“Mahakasyapa! Suppose a person were falling from the summit of a mountain and thought that there was no earth, no trees, and no dense forest below, imagining only empty space until his breath ceased.

“Those who cling to dharmas are just the same. If they cling to the existence of the eye, ear, and so forth, and also cling to the characteristics of the eye, ear, and so forth; or cling to form, feeling, and so forth; or cling to observance of the precepts, extensive learning, moral shame and dread of wrongdoing, cultivation, attainment of bodhi, and so forth—none of these are the Dharma of sramanas or brahmins. If there is conceptual attachment, they will be harmed. What harms them? It is precisely greed, anger, and delusion.

“If they cling to the characteristics of the eye, ear, and so forth, they perceive forms, sounds, and so forth as agreeable or disagreeable, and will certainly be harmed by the eye, ear, and so forth. Once harmed, they will be grievously afflicted within the cycle of hell beings, hungry ghosts, animals, humans, and devas.

“Why are they harmed? Because of conceptual attachment.

“What is called conceptual attachment? It is clinging to self and what belongs to self; clinging to male and female, earth, water, fire, and wind; clinging to a corpse that is livid, decomposing, or reduced to white bones; clinging to supreme liberation; clinging to the notion that the other has a small measure of liberation while this one has no small measure of liberation; clinging to direct realization; thinking, ‘My recollection is different from the past and different from the present; I am the past; I am the present’; and even clinging to nirvana, thinking, ‘I have attained nirvana.’ Thus they give rise to conceptual attachment regarding all dharmas.

“Mahakasyapa! In summary, those who cling give rise to thoughts and concepts concerning everything. Even within the nature of emptiness, they still entertain every kind of thought and conception. None of these are the Dharma of sramanas or brahmins, nor are they the practice of sramanas or brahmins.

“Mahakasyapa! The Tathagata teaches that the Dharma of sramanas and brahmins is like empty space and the earth. Empty space never thinks, ‘I am empty space.’ Likewise, sramanas and brahmins never declare themselves to be sramanas or brahmins. Dharmas themselves also do not declare that they are the Dharma of sramanas or brahmins. Neither creating nor eliminating—this is called being a sramana or a brahmin.

“Mahakasyapa! Suppose that in the darkness of midnight a person waved his hands and feet, moved his head and face, and then said, ‘I am making sport of the world! I am making sport of the world!’

“What do you think? Of whom is that person making sport?”

“World-Honored One! That person is only making sport of himself, because in the darkness of midnight there is no one there of whom he could make sport.”

“Mahakasyapa! Likewise, suppose bhiksus go to an aranya, beneath a tree, into an empty dwelling, or to an open place and contemplate, ‘The eye, ear, and so forth are all impermanent; forms, sounds, and so forth are also all impermanent. I am proceeding directly toward nirvana.’

“Those bhiksus merely exhaust themselves in vain; theirs is not the true practice of sramanas, because they hold a great many wrong views.

“They discern the characteristics of the eye, ear, and so forth and then laboriously cultivate in order to extinguish the eye, ear, and so forth. If, with regard to the faculties, their objects, and consciousness, they make discriminating judgments concerning those three domains, then discriminating thoughts arise in relation to them. If they give rise to discriminating thoughts regarding what is seen and known, how can they attain one-pointedness of mind?

“Mahakasyapa! Profound bodhi is exceedingly difficult to reach and enter, and its necessary provisions are difficult to fulfill. What is called one-pointedness of mind? It is to investigate everywhere and find that not even a single dharma can be apprehended. That is to say, the eye, ear, and so forth cannot truly exist. No dharma truly exists, because such is its original nature. The nature of mind is originally unborn. Since no dharma truly exists, that mind cannot be apprehended.

“For if the past, present, and future cannot be apprehended, then there is nothing to be done.

“What is called ‘nothing to be done’? Neither what is old nor what is new can be created; therefore, it is called ‘nothing to be done.’

“Herein, the past mind is not liberated, the present mind is not liberated, and the future mind is not liberated. Wherever there is mind, it cannot be apprehended. This is one-pointedness of mind; this indeed is called entering into the category of mind.

“Mahakasyapa! In the future, members of the fourfold assembly will cling to the view that the eye, ear, and so forth are destroyed, while regarding the skandhas as truly existent entities.

“The Tathagata teaches that the skandhas are like scenes in a dream. Yet they will assert that dreams truly exist, reasoning, ‘The world speaks of dreams. If dreams did not exist, people would have no dream perceptions to describe. Thus, while sleeping, we give rise to dream perceptions. Indeed, because the skandhas have causes, they are said to be like dreams. If the skandhas were nonexistent, one should not say that the skandhas are like scenes in a dream!’

“Those foolish people regard dreams as truly existent. When they hear this Dharma discourse, they slander it. Among them will also be bhiksunis who falsely proclaim before their donor households, ‘I am an arhat.’ Or, relying upon shallow and coarse understanding, they will claim to have attained direct realization. There will also be upasakas and upasikas who, after hearing verses recited from the sutras and Vinaya, will say, ‘I have attained direct realization.’

“Mahakasyapa! At that time, there may be bhiksus who have long dwelt in aranyas, diligently cultivating for twenty or thirty years. For the sake of the Buddha-Dharma, they will approach upasakas who have possessed faith for only a single day, yet those people will merely exchange empty declarations, saying, ‘Because emptiness is empty, I comprehensively know everything! I comprehensively know everything!’

“Some bhiksus, after hearing this Dharma discourse, will discuss it among themselves. Upon hearing them, some people will become frightened and say, ‘Householders and monastics alike should not associate with those persons. They must keep far away from them, for they are not teachers.’

“Some who expound the extremely profound principles of the Dharma will instead be despised and abandoned by both householders and monastics.

“Even now, while the Buddha teaches the sublime and supreme holy life, few understand it. How much more so in the future, when even those possessing a little understanding will have passed away. At that time, among one or two thousand Dharma-preaching bhiksus, it will be difficult to find even one person who truly understands, believes in, and enters the wondrous Dharma. Among them may be bhiksus who cannot even explain the bare words of a single sentence, much less comprehend its meaning.

“Mahakasyapa! At that time, householders and monastics together will scorn and disparage this teaching.

“If there are bhiksus who diligently strive to increase what is wholesome and eliminate what is unwholesome, reduce their sleep, and diligently cultivate and study during the early and latter parts of the night, those bhiksus will certainly be envied and disparaged by others, or even killed. Sutra teachings such as this will disappear. Bhiksus who practice in accordance with the Dharma will likewise vanish. At that time, those who possess wisdom, are pure and undefiled, and understand the wondrous Dharma should honor this sutra teaching, deeply believe in and revere it, and gather together in an aranya.”

The World-Honored One then spoke these verses:

“The wholesome Dharma taught by the Buddha

Accords with the ultimate truth:

The skandhas have no solid reality.

They should be regarded as dreams.

In future ages, the bhiksus,

Their minds contentious and restless,

Will make no distinction between senior and junior

Merely having an empty name.

What the bhiksus proclaim,

Householders also proclaim the same;

In the Dharma teachings of that time,

Monastics and laity will speak alike.

A bhiksu will tell a layperson,

“You understand this rare Dharma;

This itself is the Buddha’s bodhi,

And you have attained the fruit of the First Ground!”

Thinking in his heart that he has seen the Dharma,

He associates closely with householders,

Who then present to the bhiksu

Offerings deemed most supreme.

These bhiksus will say

That all their words are true;

They become intimate with householders,

Claiming, “I have seen the Dharma.”

People in the future age

Will leave home for gain and offerings;

They will not follow the true Dharma

And will destroy the path to bodhi.

“I shall teach you the path;

Stay close to me and follow no one else.

Before long, you will attain

Exactly what I have attained.

This is the state of quiescence;

I shall explain it clearly to you.”

Amid a vast assembly,

They will corrupt the Buddha’s teachings.

They will be like bands of brigands,

Fierce, cruel, and treacherous at heart,

Who assault and ravage towns and villages

And plunder great settlements as well.

These bhiksus will be the same:

Unwise and deeply foolish,

Possessing little wisdom and prone to transgression,

Clinging to self and clinging to a lifespan.

Having departed far from the Buddha’s teachings,

They will abide in attachment to views,

Proclaiming themselves arhats,

Their hearts filled with overweening pride.

Amid a great gathering,

Before the assembly of bhiksus,

They will boast of their great wisdom

And of a renown few others possess.

At that time, if there are bhiksus

Who truly practice in accordance with the Dharma,

They will despise and slander them,

Rejecting them as not being disciples of the Buddha.

The great bodhi of all Buddhas

Will then be reviled;

The devas, sorrowful and distressed,

Will constantly lament to one another.

The devas who believe in the true Dharma,

Seeing the true Dharma wheel

Of Buddha Sakyamuni disappear,

Will fall to the ground in anguish.

The devas will praise the Buddha

And extol the Dharma gates;

They will praise the Sangha, the field of merit,

The beloved children of all Buddhas.

“We shall no longer hear

The Buddha’s wondrous Dharma.

Sakyamuni has entered nirvana,

And, failing to understand, beings cherish delusion in their hearts.”

The devas of the Four Heavenly Kings and the Trayastrimsa devas

Will raise a mighty cry,

Proclaiming to all the devas,

“The lamp of Dharma is now about to be extinguished!

You have had the opportunity to hear the Buddha;

If you do not draw near the Tathagata,

Devas and nagas in times to come

Will harbor remorse in their hearts.

Throughout innumerable kalpas,

For their own sake and that of others,

The Buddhas endured every hardship,

And only afterward attained Buddhahood.

These are the words of all Buddhas,

Who, to teach and transform sentient beings,

Expounded these wholesome Dharma gates;

Now they are about to disappear.

Deceitful people will appear in the world,

Committing many dreadful offenses;

They are the messengers of Mara, evil maras,

Who freely utter wicked words.

Flattering, deceitful, and deeply foolish,

They will dupe the simple-minded;

Whether angry or not,

They will revile their teachers and the true Dharma.”

Hearing the proclamation resound through the heavens,

All the higher realms will grieve;

The devas of the Four Heavenly Kings and human beings

Will likewise harbor sorrow and suffering.

The yaksa spirits will assemble

In the city of Atavadi,

Raising terrifying cries,

While tears fall from both their eyes.

The beautiful jeweled towers and halls,

The magnificent adornments of the devas,

Will all lose their radiance,

Growing dark like heaps of earth.

The celestial palaces, once so beautiful,

So delightful and pleasing,

Will then lose all their majestic splendor

And no longer delight those who behold them.

The devas will come together

To the place where the Buddha was once born;

Rolling upon the ground and crying aloud,

Their sorrow and suffering will only increase.

“I descended from heaven to earth

And traveled through many kingdoms and cities;

Everywhere the Buddhadharma has sunk into oblivion,

And though I looked throughout, I could no longer find it.

Throughout all Jambudvipa,

The true Dharma has fallen into decline;

Those who have left home are afflicted and oppressed,

And therefore the devas lament and weep.”

For seven full days, the celestial palaces

Will everywhere lose their majestic radiance;

For seven days the devas as well

Will constantly grieve, lament, and weep:

“Alas, O Great Hero!

Once we encountered You;

Who could have thought that now we would see You no more,

And that Your words would also come to nothing?

The Buddha often dwelt in Sravasti,

Where we came to pay reverence;

Now, seeing the place and remembering Him,

We grieve, lament, and weep all the more.

And here is the Deer Park,

Where the Buddha once dwelt

And turned the Dharma wheel of the Four Truths—

We ourselves heard and witnessed it!

Now the world is dark,

And people neither revere nor cherish one another;

Having created the causes of transgression,

They will certainly be born in the three evil paths.

The many palaces in the heavens

Will now all stand empty;

The sentient beings of Jambudvipa

Will have no lord and no one to save them.

The places where the Buddha once walked in meditation

Will now lie ruined and desolate;

The Dharma King has entered nirvana,

And the world has lost its peace and happiness.”

Amid the assembly of Trayastrimsa devas,

The celestial lord Sakra Devendra,

His heart tormented by grief and sorrow,

Will lament and weep aloud.

Thus the hosts of devas

Will constantly praise the Tathagata,

Regretting that they are far from the World-Honored One,

Who once was their teacher and expounded the Dharma.

Unable to partake of amrta,

They will also cease their music and song;

The hosts of devas, in this way,

Will grieve in their hearts for six full months.

When the asuras hear it said

That the true Dharma has become empty and vanished,

They will call out to one another

And lead their armies against the Trayastrimsa devas.

The kings and rulers of Jambudvipa

Will destroy the Buddha’s rules of discipline;

Precisely during this period,

The devas and asuras will wage war.

Many bhiksus

Will be born in the evil paths,

And many bhiksunis as well

Will undergo every kind of suffering.

Householders will commit transgressions,

And lay followers will violate sila;

Contending with and repudiating one another,

They will thereby fall into the evil paths.

Women who commit evil deeds

Will likewise enter the three woeful destinations;

When such things flourish,

The world will know no peace.

At times people will pass through settlements,

Or flee into mountains and forests;

Because of anxiety, fear, and hardship,

Everyone’s lifespan will be short.

Thieves and brigands will abound everywhere,

And famine and thirst will spread;

The grain harvests will fail,

And insects will cause further devastation.

The age will be filled with poverty, hunger, and suffering;

When human beings die,

Many will be born as hungry ghosts

And undergo immeasurable misery.

The offerings made to monasteries and stupas,

And the goods presented to the Sangha of the four directions,

Will at that time be divided up

And entirely taken by the bhiksus.

After the Buddha has entered nirvana,

Such sufferings will abound;

You must quickly strive with diligence

And never look back.

The many foolish people,

Lacking wisdom and spiritual faculties,

Will, through the karma born of their ignorance,

Soon fall into the evil paths.

You should delight in explaining, reading, and reciting the teachings,

For wisdom arises from these;

Those who cultivate wisdom and cultivate the mind

Will swiftly be born in a good and excellent realm.

Constantly observe with wisdom,

And train correctly according to the Buddha’s words;

Forever freed from all bonds,

You will soon attain the path of nirvana.

The true Dharma will not remain for long;

You must strive diligently in cultivation.

The Buddha has spoken exhaustively;

Quickly reflect upon it truly and rightly.

When this kalpa has passed,

For a full sixty great kalpas,

Even the title ‘Buddha’ will not be heard;

How then could anyone delight in the Dharma?

When the time of famine arrives,

Hunger and suffering will know no end;

Even mothers and children

Will kill and devour one another.

At that time, even one’s own children

Will wander in terror and find no peace;

Though dwelling within their own homes,

Their hearts will remain fearful and alarmed.

Seeing and hearing of these things,

Know clearly the suffering of birth and death;

Who, possessing wisdom,

Would still delight in and crave it?

Ignorance is the root of birth;

Women are the root of desire;

The body is the root of suffering;

Therefore, all these should be abandoned.

Foolish sentient beings in the world

Become intoxicated by sexual desire for women;

Those able to free themselves from delusion

Will attain the path of nirvana.

When this Dharma is expounded,

One must not deny evil karmic retribution;

Because those who reject cause and effect

Must fall into the evil paths.

The uncontaminated Dharma of merit and virtue

Is empty, empty, with nothing to be attained;

Even quiescence is originally impermanent,

Therefore, you must quickly understand it clearly.”

The Buddha said to Mahakasyapa: “If a bhiksu or any person is able to perfect this foremost Dharma and seeks the uncontaminated Dharma, you should tell them: With regard to all dharmas, let the mind abide nowhere.

“O Mahakasyapa! A bodhisattva must cultivate firmly.

“What is firmness? What is cultivation?

“Firmness means firmness of mind and firmness in diligence.

“What is called firmness of mind? A bodhisattva should think: ‘Only after making offerings to one Buddha, and even making offerings to Buddhas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, shall I give rise to a single thought of seeking the Buddha path. Thereafter, throughout kalpas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, a Buddha will appear in the world; because I have generated vows as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, I shall once attain a human body. I shall even assume human bodies as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, and upon hearing a single sentence of Dharma, shall bring forth luminous wisdom and gain great benefit upon the path to unsurpassed bodhi.’

“A bodhisattva should thus give rise to a firm mind.”

The bodhisattva further employs many skillful means to gather in the Buddha’s wisdom, seeks it through many ascetic practices, and embraces the Buddha’s wisdom through many ascetic practices. The bodhisattva must possess such a steadfast mind.

– O Mahakasyapa! The Buddha will now give you an analogy. Through analogies, the wise can understand the meaning stated above: that through many ascetic practices one can attain unsurpassed bodhi, and that even throughout kalpas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges one should never cease or rest. If one continues training throughout kalpas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges without ever ceasing or resting, one can directly realize unsurpassed bodhi. The bodhisattva should arouse such a steadfast mind, thereby increasing the strength of diligent endeavor, and never abandon the path to unsurpassed bodhi.

Having aroused such a mind, the bodhisattva should not grasp what is or is not the proper occasion. Grasping obstructs the unsurpassed path. If the bodhisattva does not grasp what is or is not the proper occasion, the bodhisattva will swiftly attain unsurpassed bodhi.

– O Mahakasyapa! Suppose someone were to give in charity treasures sufficient to fill the entire great trichiliocosm. If another person believes in and upholds the scriptures spoken by the Buddha that accord with bodhi, that person’s merit surpasses the merit of the former giver.

– O Mahakasyapa! The bodhisattva also possesses a steadfast mind, yet even this steadfast mind is unobtainable. Therefore, the bodhisattva’s practice should never cease or rest.

How extensively must the bodhisattva train? The bodhisattva must train in however many dharmas there are to be cultivated. If there remains even a single thought that cannot be fully comprehended, the bodhisattva must continue training in them all. Although these dharmas of training cannot be expressed, they are nevertheless the most excellent dharmas of training—namely, the steadfast nature of mind."

The Blessed One then spoke these verses:

"Though there is no mind, thoughts of mind arise;

Then there will be great fear:

Will I attain it, or will I not?

How will this matter turn out?

Through constant reflection and constant thought,

One becomes trapped on one side,

Slandering the path of the true Dharma;

Thus one does not attain bodhi.

This is an indolent mind,

Not a characteristic of bodhi.

Such a person doubts everything,

From the Buddha down to the sravakas.

Without practicing, one hopes to seek

The Dharma of the sages and Buddhas;

It is not through mere verbal expression

That the fruit of peace and bliss is attained.

One must possess faith and joyful aspiration

Before the great Dharma can be accomplished;

It is not through mental estimation alone

That the supreme and wondrous Dharma is attained.

Through one Dharma, one accomplishes

All the practices one has cultivated.

Having known that supreme Dharma,

One should diligently practice for Buddhahood.

– O Mahakasyapa! By being able to accomplish this Dharma, even without drawing near to and making offerings to the Buddhas, the bodhisattva knows with certainty: ‘I shall attain unsurpassed perfect awakening.’

– O Mahakasyapa! A householder bodhisattva has three practices that can benefit the path of bodhi: for the sake of omniscience, deeply believing and making vows; not being attached to household affairs; and firmly observing the five precepts.

When a householder bodhisattva possesses these three qualities, six dharmas can be accomplished: receiving the recompense of sages and noble ones; being neither mute, stammering, nor deaf; quickly understanding the Dharma upon hearing it; being dignified in walking and standing; possessing deep and steadfast faith; not being frightened by the profound Dharma; readily understanding and awakening upon hearing the Dharma; and swiftly attaining the stage of non-retrogression.

With regard to the six dharmas above, one should clearly recognize five hindrances: divisive speech, false speech, lack of aspiration, jealousy, and attachment to the five sensual pleasures.

A householder bodhisattva has three further dharmas that must be practiced: always cherishing the wish to leave the household life; respectfully honoring sramanas and brahmins; and, if a teacher of Dharma is not of the same kind, keeping one’s distance, because one should not train in heterodox teachings that do not belong to the Buddha’s path.

– O Mahakasyapa! The bodhisattva must also train in three dharmas: always following the Buddhas; diligently practicing oneself in order to teach others; and cultivating loving-kindness toward sentient beings.

The bodhisattva must also remain close to three dharmas: completely refraining from beating others, not reviling anyone, and granting fearlessness to those who are afraid."

At that time, the Blessed One spoke these verses:

"Do not associate with inferior people.

Upon seeing one who is not upright,

You should immediately keep far away,

As you would avoid a venomous snake.

Do not follow and learn other paths;

What is contrary to propriety must be abandoned,

As though one had seen a rabid dog,

For it leads one to fall into the evil destinies.

If, through attachment, one follows a person

Of the same clan who walks an evil path,

When hearing the supreme and wondrous Dharma of ‘emptiness,’

One should give rise to joyful aspiration.

Toward a bhiksu who abides in tranquil emptiness,

One should show reverence and honor,

Increasing extensive learning

And thereby giving rise to wisdom.

Those who draw near to bodhi

Should be revered by everyone;

On meeting them, one should seek instruction,

And swiftly produce wholesome roots.

If one wishes wisdom to increase,

Like a lotus flower growing in water,

One must hear much of the true Dharma;

Then wholesome roots will increasingly flourish.

Through the great increase of wisdom,

One can end the outflows,

Accomplish fearless majesty and virtue,

And possess great wisdom and utmost diligence.

For the benefit of everyone,

One brings benefit to oneself;

A householder must abandon

All beating of sentient beings.

Arousing the resolve to seek bodhi,

One does not retreat from the Dharma;

The body is healthy and beautiful,

And everyone reveres and loves one.

If one cultivates loving-kindness,

One escapes the three evil destinies

And, in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three,

Enjoys the fruits of happiness and delight.

When that celestial body has died,

One will not fall into the three lower destinies,

But will be born among humankind

Into a noble and honored family.

One’s body will be dignified and beautiful,

And one will not be despised by others;

Devas and nagas will follow and protect one

As one practices in accord with the true Dharma.

One will enjoy excellent and wondrous things,

And people will honor, cherish, and love one;

One will sleep peacefully,

And upon waking one’s mind will be at ease.

Because the devas support and protect one,

One will be neither fearful nor alarmed.

The vast Dharma described above

Has benefits such as these.

Householders and renunciants

Also gain great benefit:

They cause wisdom

And wholesome roots to grow in everyone,

Bring peace to those who are afraid,

And lead them to the unsurpassed fruit.

Seeking only omniscience,

They do not yearn for the heavenly realms.

Such persons accord with

The true path and right wisdom;

Because they possess these wholesome roots,

They will no longer fall into evil destinies.

They attain wisdom and the three knowledges,

And thoroughly master the three undefiled trainings,

Perfecting all the virtues

That the Buddhas have accomplished.

The Honored One in the world

Is revered and worshiped by everyone;

One who reveres and worships the Tathagata

Is foremost among the assembly.

If those who still live as householders

Can arouse the unsurpassed resolve,

The essential Dharma is taught for their sake;

You should now listen attentively.

– O Mahakasyapa! A householder bodhisattva must possess three qualities: keeping far away from worldly heedlessness, amusements, exchanging gifts, and selecting auspicious days and favorable hours; maintaining purity and avoiding receiving too much; and diligently and energetically studying the true Dharma.

Householders must also observe three things: they must not obstruct teachers of Dharma, they must invite and encourage teachers to expound the Dharma, and they must always light lamps and torches.

Furthermore, they must never do these three things, for if they do, they will take birth in a female body: they must not prevent their mothers from going to hear the true Dharma or from meeting bhiksus; they must not prevent their wives from meeting bhiksus or going to hear the true Dharma; and they must not have intercourse with their wives through an improper passage."

At that time, the Blessed One spoke these verses:

"One should always possess faith

5And light bright lamps and torches;

Then one will attain the Buddha’s two eyes,

Pure and free from defilement.

Through these purified eyes,

One clearly knows all knowable dharmas;

Because one clearly knows what can be known,

One knows the dharmas of the past.

One knows the present in the same way

And does not discriminate the future;

There are no three kinds of characteristics.

If these three kinds of characteristics exist,

One abandons and leaves behind the third characteristic.

The characteristic called signlessness

Is entirely identical in meaning.

Although the Buddha taught the faculties,

Dharmas have no foundation;

If discrimination arises here,

One loses the path of bodhi.

Having purely cultivated the Buddha-eye,

One directly realizes all dharmas;

This statement refers to bodhi,

As was just revealed.

The Dharma cannot be revealed,

Nor can it be destroyed;

All dharmas are like empty space,

Thus it is called revelation.

The Buddha proclaimed this meaning

To instruct the household assembly

Always keep lamps and torches burning,

And clearly attain the Buddha-eye.

Do not obstruct those who teach the Dharma,

The teachings of Shakyamuni;

Then you shall never enter the three evil destinies,

Nor incur the retribution of being born blind.

Always seek and invite others

To proclaim the supreme Dharma;

Through the power of these wholesome roots,

You shall turn the unsurpassed Dharma wheel.

If anyone obstructs his mother

From hearing the wholesome Dharma,

He shall take birth as an ugly woman,

Blind and hunchbacked, burdened with many offenses,

Unable to see forms

Or hear any sounds,

Dwelling in darkness,

No different from bats and rats.

If, out of jealousy toward his wife,

He obstructs her religious practice,

When his lifespan ends and he dies,

He shall assume the body of an ugly woman:

With yellow hair and blue eyes,

Dark-skinned and blind,

Lame-legged and malicious,

Deaf-eared and talkative.

With many offenses such as these,

He shall soon acquire an ugly, evil body;

Because of causes and conditions of sensual defilement,

She shall be hated by her husband.

O Mahakashyapa! A householder bodhisattva should not do these three things: Regarding goods donated by others, regardless of whether they are many or few, fine or inferior, if the owner has not invited him to do so, he should not distribute them as gifts. He must not obstruct anyone who wishes to renounce the household life, and should encourage those who have not yet renounced it to do so. On seeing someone building a monastery or stupa, he should offer assistance and must not exploit the construction work to misappropriate money or goods.”

At that time, the Blessed One spoke these verses:

Wealth donated by another

Is not to be given where permission has not been granted.

At the intended place of giving, it must not be withheld;

Misappropriating it brings guilt.

Before the donor,

One should stand upright with palms joined.

If there is a shortage of people here

To provide for the Sangha,

One must follow the donor’s instructions

And offer one’s labor to assist others.

Whether beverages or food,

Even things of little value,

Act in accordance with the donor’s wishes;

Do not cause the donor resentment.

If anyone wishes to renounce the household life,

Whether one’s child or another relative,

A bodhisattva should consent

And should not create obstacles.

May sentient beings dwell in peace and happiness;

May they attain nirvana.

May my original vows be fulfilled;

May I expound the unsurpassed Dharma.

When you know that you have committed a fault,

Do not allow body and mind to become defiled.

Do not grieve endlessly

And thereby become tainted by afflictions.

O Mahakashyapa! A householder bodhisattva should also not do these three things: He should not traffic in men or women, should not give poison to anyone, and should not associate with those who engage in such activities.”

At that time, the Blessed One spoke these verses:

“Do not traffic in men,

And do not traffic in women.

Do not give poison to anyone;

Keep far away from those who do such things.

Because they inflict suffering upon sentient beings,

The devas constantly rebuke them.

No matter where they go,

Their hearts fear being harmed.

Day by day their sorrow and anxiety increase,

And painful calamities afflict their bodies.

They die prematurely and bring about their own destruction;

Therefore, these acts should not be committed.

The Buddha clearly knows the causes

Of these and other transgressions.

He has briefly explained a small portion

To admonish the bodhisattvas.

O Mahakashyapa! A householder bodhisattva should also not do the following three things: He should not visit the houses of prostitutes, should not associate with matchmakers, and should not stay in slaughterhouses or butcher shops where living beings are killed.”

At that time, the Blessed One spoke these verses:

“Do not visit the houses of prostitutes,

Places of defilement and heedlessness.

People of the world will censure you

For consorting with base desires.

When you go there, the wise will know

And will surely rebuke and reprimand you.

You will invite calamity and harm upon yourself,

And for this reason often die prematurely.

Furthermore, you should not associate

With those who arrange matches between men and women.

Those who marry wives or husbands

Will be disparaged if they associate with them.

Slaughterhouses and butcher shops

Must likewise be properly avoided.

Those are places that wise people

Will never praise.

The Tathagata clearly knows

These grave and profound offenses.

For those who commit such faults,

The Buddha now speaks truthfully.

The Dharma taught by the Buddha

Must be thoroughly understood by the Buddha’s disciples.

They should receive and uphold it according to the Dharma,

So that their practice may bear fruit.

Sentient beings who cultivate the noble path

Quickly reach the fruit of nirvana.

The Buddha teaches for people such as these,

Not for evil people.

O Mahakashyapa! There are three things that a householder bodhisattva must practice: While at home, he should contemplate his own body and life as temporary, like a guest. He should regard wealth already given away as having been safely stored, and wealth not yet given away as being a hundred yojanas distant from him. He should not entertain the thought of hoarding wealth for his wife and children.”

At that time, the Blessed One spoke these verses:

“Always contemplate death:

My life will not last long.

Property, wealth, and money

Should be given away to plant merit and virtue.

Do not leave wealth to wife and children,

Nor keep it for your own body.

Give it away to others

And gain enduring merit and virtue.

Diligently seek the path to Buddhahood,

And do not give rise to arrogance.

If you abandon wholesome dharmas,

You will constantly incur harm and loss.

Like children at play,

Who eat only a little and are not satisfied,

Your taste of the Dharma remains slight;

Though you have faith, it is difficult to make it firm.

If your practice is not courageous and vigorous,

You are truly far from the path.

If you never cease propagating the Dharma,

This is called the ultimate Dharma.

The Buddha now teaches the assembly

These Dharma gates.

Whoever understands them clearly

Is one endowed with all-knowledge.

Use wisdom to contemplate skillfully,

And let the heart become disenchanted with the body.

Always reflect with right mindfulness;

Then it is as though you were in the Buddha’s presence.

O Mahakashyapa! If a householder bodhisattva accomplishes the following three dharmas, he shall not regress from the path to unsurpassed bodhi. If his parents do not believe in the Three Jewels, he causes them to develop faith. If his parents violate the precepts, he exhorts them to observe the precepts. If his parents are greedy and miserly, he urges them to practice generosity. He praises the path to unsurpassed bodhi and expounds the Dharma to others. This is the first dharma by which he attains non-retrogression from unsurpassed bodhi.

A householder bodhisattva clearly knows who is worthy of offerings and who is not. He makes offerings to those worthy of them and does not make offerings to those unworthy of them; yet even when he does not make offerings, he still maintains loving-kindness toward them. This is the second dharma by which he attains non-retrogression from unsurpassed bodhi.

A householder bodhisattva works diligently to acquire wealth. He does not squander it, allow it to be lost, or give it away indiscriminately, but should preserve it carefully. Nevertheless, toward pure shramanas and brahmins and all sentient beings, he practices generosity and makes offerings impartially, and he does not obstruct others who likewise practice generosity. This is the third dharma by which he attains non-retrogression from the path to unsurpassed bodhi.”

At that time, the Blessed One spoke these verses:

“Householder bodhisattvas

Who seek unsurpassed bodhi

Should perfect three wholesome roots

And advance directly toward unsurpassed awakening.

If their parents, regarding the Three Jewels,

Hold wrong views and have no faith,

They should exhort them to give rise to faith

And cause them to abide in the supreme Dharma.

If their parents are greedy and miserly,

They should exhort them to give and practice goodness.

If they violate the precepts, they should urge them to uphold them,

And also encourage them to cultivate wisdom.

They should travel throughout the four directions

To seek and invite Dharma teachers

To expound the Dharma and liberate others;

Through this, their wisdom will increase.

Cause those who violate the precepts to observe them;

Cause those without faith to gain faith;

Cause those without wisdom to cultivate it diligently;

Through this, one attains non-retrogression.

On meeting a wise bhikshu

Who observes the precepts and is deeply learned,

One should respectfully draw near to him

So as to inquire and learn continually.

Through this, householders

Attain non-retrogression from bodhi.

On meeting someone of profound virtue

Who understands the path and possesses great wisdom,

Such a person is worthy of reverence;

One should personally make offerings to him.

This demonstrates a heart of reverence and faith.

The Buddha previously declared:

Without faith, one cannot

Give rise to the great aspiration for bodhi.

Wisdom beholds the wondrous Dharma

And quickly brings great benefit;

Within all the sublime dharmas,

Realization and entry are not difficult.

Knowing oneself and also knowing others,

One gains great benefit here.

Being in accord with the supramundane Dharma,

One’s wisdom therefore increases further.

Whatever wealth and money

Have long been accumulated

Should not be guarded forever,

But given to practitioners.

Wealth acquired thereafter

Should likewise be given away.

Always practice generosity with diligence,

And Buddhahood will surely be attained swiftly.

Uphold the precepts together with sentient beings,

And with loving-kindness practice generosity equally.”

Giving with a pure heart,

Utterly without the slightest expectation,

From silver and money to precious jade and gold,

They gladly give them all.

Courageously giving everything,

Whatever meritorious practices they have performed,

They dedicate to the Supreme Vehicle,

The path of bodhi, the great awakening.

If an offering is contrary to the Dharma,

Though it be given to humans or devas,

It does not equal giving in accord with the wholesome Dharma

To a single poor and lowly person.

They strive diligently in seeking the Dharma;

Through the Dharma they gain clear understanding.

From the supreme path, wondrous wisdom arises,

And they realize unsurpassed bodhi.

O Mahakasyapa! If, after generating the mind of bodhi, a householder bodhisattva possesses any of the following three qualities, he will pass into the Sravaka Vehicle and enter nirvana. There is a kind of person who fears the three evil destinies, regards the Supreme Path as too burdensome and too difficult, does not diligently cultivate the roots of goodness he formerly cultivated, does not delight in seeking wholesome Dharma, and becomes discouraged, considering it suffering. This is the first. If he possesses this quality, he will regress from the mind of bodhi, pass into the Sravaka Vehicle, and enter nirvana.

There is a kind of person who, when practicing giving, has no joy in his heart, and after giving, regrets it; nor does he dedicate the merit toward seeking the wisdom of a Buddha. If a person possesses this second quality, he will regress from the mind of bodhi and quickly pass into the Sravaka Vehicle and enter nirvana.

Again, there is a kind of person who does not diligently and energetically practice the conduct of the Mahayana but delights only in seeking extensive learning. Because his roots of goodness are inferior, he quickly enters nirvana. This is the third kind who regresses from the mind of bodhi, passes into the Sravaka Vehicle, and enters nirvana."

At that time, the Blessed One spoke these verses:

"Having generated the mind of bodhi,

Yet not following right conduct,

One regresses from the Buddha Vehicle

And enters the path of the Sravakas.

Though still believing in great bodhi

And having no indolence of heart,

Because of ignorance, stinginess, and greed,

One is therefore obstructed.

Grateful to the Buddha, upholding the precepts,

And diligent in giving,

One perfects the paramitas;

Realizing bodhi is then not difficult.

Through the mind, evils are created;

The mind also delights in making offerings.

If the minds of sentient beings remain steadfast,

This will become their result in the world.

If one can abandon these three faults

And dedicate the merit to great bodhi,

One will become a Blessed One

And realize unsurpassed bodhi.

O Mahakasyapa! If a householder bodhisattva possesses any of the following three qualities, he will regress from the path of bodhi and attain parinirvana in the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle. There is a kind of person who, although he has generated the mind of bodhi, is miserly with the true Dharma. There is a kind of person who delights in examining dates and stars and predicting worldly good and ill fortune. Again, there is a kind of person who, because of indolence, cannot fully study and cultivate all the factors conducive to bodhi. If householders who have generated the mind of great bodhi possess these three faults, they will regress from the Mahayana, enter the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle, and attain parinirvana.

At that time, the Blessed One spoke these verses:

"Those who are miserly with the true Dharma

And refuse to instruct others

Will pass into the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle

And regress from the unsurpassed path.

Having cultivated the Dharma of the Mahayana,

If one again pursues omens of good and ill fortune,

This is not a mind of right faith;

One will surely become distant from the Buddha-path.

One who can place exclusive faith and delight

In the steadfast path of bodhi

Never pays homage to devas or spirits,

But reveres and serves only the Buddha.

If one has a mind of pure faith

And does not seek the fruit of heavenly rebirth,

One can attain the Buddha Vehicle

And be called the Unsurpassed One.

If one’s heart delights in bodhi

And one does not worship devas or spirits,

Regardless of where one is born,

One’s body will be handsome and robust.

O Mahakasyapa! Because of three things, a householder bodhisattva receives an ugly, dark-complexioned body: taking a lamp from a Tathagata’s stupa; displaying anger toward those engaged in disputes and lawsuits; and reviling a dark and unattractive person who has no involvement with oneself."

At that time, the Blessed One spoke these verses:

"Taking a lamp from a stupa,

Or extinguishing an offering lamp,

One receives a dark-complexioned body,

Black as the feathers of a crow.

Disdaining a dark and unattractive person,

Saying, ‘I am fair, while you are dark,’

Because of showing contempt for another,

One receives a dark and unattractive body.

One must carefully guard the opening of the mouth;

Faults and calamities issue from the mouth.

In accordance with the karma one has created,

One will receive its karmic retribution.

O Mahakasyapa! Because of the following three things, a householder bodhisattva will be born into a family of artisans. Though he himself has undertaken the five precepts, if guests press and invite him to drink alcohol, or if he himself invites others to drink, he will be born into a family of artisans. This is the first.

Though he himself has undertaken the practice of celibacy, if he brings others together and causes them to engage in defiled sexual acts, he will be born into a family of artisans. This is the second.

Seeing someone diligently reading and reciting the sutras and Dharma teachings while construction is underway at his own home, he says to that person, ‘You should stop reading and reciting and continue this work for me.’ Because of this, he will be born into a family of artisans. This is the third."

At that time, the Blessed One spoke these verses:

"Offering alcohol for others to drink,

And drinking alcohol with one’s relatives,

Because of drinking and becoming intoxicated,

One is then born into an artisan’s family.

One knows not how to make needles or knives,

Nor understands any other skilled craft;

One can only sit and move one’s hands,

Working the bellows before the furnace.

Though oneself cultivating celibacy,

One tells others to engage in sexual acts;

When that retribution is exhausted and one has died,

One will be born into an artisan’s family.

One knows not how to make needles or knives,

Nor is one able to work the bellows;

One knows only how to swing a great hammer

And strike the anvil to forge iron.

Telling another to abandon reading and recitation,

After one has died,

One is born into an artisan’s family,

With a mind continually dull and dark.

One knows not how to work the bellows,

Nor does one know how to hammer and forge;

Compelled by karmic retribution,

One damages the implements.

The Buddha has given this admonition:

One must guard one’s words when speaking.

Never teach another

To perform any evil deed.

The suffering of wandering through birth and death

Arises from craving and attachment.

One must diligently cultivate wholesome Dharma

And keep far away from evil dharmas.

O Mahakasyapa! If a householder bodhisattva possesses the following three qualities, he will be born into a wealthy and noble royal family; his body will be handsome, dignified, and beautiful; he will be respected and loved by everyone; and he will be intelligent, skillful, diligent, and never indolent. When a householder first encounters a sramana or brahmin, he immediately reveres him with faith and makes offerings of food, clothing, medicine, bedding, and other necessities. This is the first. A householder steadfastly maintains his original vows, practices in accordance with his words, and never speaks falsely. This is the second.

A householder reveres with faith and makes offerings to sramanas and brahmins who are fully endowed with moral conduct, and is also able to receive and study the true Dharma. This is the third."

At that time, the Blessed One spoke these verses:

"People endowed with wisdom,

On seeing those advanced in the training of moral discipline,

Should give rise to a joyful heart

And constantly follow them to study and inquire.

Having received their instruction,

They should make offerings in accordance with the Dharma,

Giving the necessities of life

Without ever harboring regret.

This is the steadfast Dharma

That one must follow and practice.

One will accord with the wisdom of a Buddha,

And swiftly attain what is difficult to attain.

Through deep and steadfast faith,

One proceeds directly to great bodhi.

Cultivating the path of wisdom,

Realizing the Buddha-path is not difficult.

Dwelling within the unsurpassed Dharma

And aspiring to attain the wondrous Dharma,

One must receive the seven noble treasures

And will realize the fruit of nirvana.

One will be born into a noble family,

With a handsome and dignified body;

One’s food and clothing will all be sumptuous,

And one will realize unsurpassed nirvana.

As praised by the Buddha,

Cultivating the Supreme Vehicle,

Pure and wondrous nirvana—

This is the most excellent fruit.

Once meritorious practices have been performed,

Their corresponding fruits do not cease.

Though hundreds of kotis of kalpas may pass,

This karma will never be lost.

O Mahakasyapa! A householder bodhisattva who perfects three qualities, cultivating roots of goodness until he realizes unsurpassed bodhi, will never experience the worldly pleasures of the five desires:

A householder undertakes and upholds the five precepts, does not praise the pleasures of the five desires to others, and diligently cultivates his own karmic practices. He further makes this vow: ‘I shall cease associating intimately with all women. From now until I realize unsurpassed bodhi, may I never encounter the worldly pleasures of the five desires.’ This is the first.

A householder who hears this scripture and gives rise to faith, seeking the fruit of great nirvana, may accept and uphold this teaching yet keep it concealed and fail to practice it. When another person explains and inspires him, he should immediately abandon concealment and diligently put it into practice. Through this root of virtue, he will attain unobstructed and unattached eloquence. In this present life or at the time of death, this person will behold the Buddha. After death, he will be reborn in a heavenly realm and, before long, attain unsurpassed bodhi. This is the second matter.

A householder bodhisattva dedicates all the roots of virtue he has accumulated to unsurpassed bodhi. He takes no delight in the objects of the six senses, wealth, rank, or office, nor does he cling affectionately to his relatives and dependents. Through the unconditioned mind and the unconditioned fruit, he swiftly attains unsurpassed bodhi. This is the third matter.

At that time, the Blessed One spoke these verses:

"A householder who observes the five precepts,

Skillfully keeping and protecting them well,

Does not consort with women

And gives rise to disenchantment with such things.

The unsurpassed Dharma gates

He diligently cultivates without weariness;

If he commits any unwholesome fault,

He swiftly repents and abandons it.

All the roots of virtue he cultivates

He dedicates to bodhi;

Through these wholesome merits,

He soon relinquishes delight in the five sensual pleasures.

He constantly acquires broad learning

And teaches the true Dharma to others;

He gives rise to a heart of great compassion

And seeks unsurpassed bodhi.

Having heard of these benefits,

He should give rise to wholesome thoughts;

He should distance himself from defiling desires

And soon accomplish the Buddha path."

Mahakasyapa said to the Buddha: "Blessed One! What is the name of this scripture, and how should we now receive and uphold it?"

The Buddha told Mahakasyapa: "This scripture is called 'The Teaching of the Three Disciplines.' It is also called 'The Proclamation of the Bodhisattva Precepts.' It is also called 'Entering All Dharmas Together.'"

When the Buddha had spoken this scripture, Venerable Mahakasyapa, the entire assembly, devas, nagas, the eight classes of beings, and the others, having heard the Buddha's teaching, all rejoiced greatly, faithfully accepted it, and practiced it accordingly.