大方廣佛華嚴經

Children of the Buddhas! Great bodhisattvas give their topknots together with the scalp to those who come seeking them, as did Bodhisattva King Jeweled Topknot, Bodhisattva Supreme Wondrous Joy, and immeasurable other bodhisattvas.

When, holding a sharp knife, they cut away the entire scalp together with the topknot and respectfully present it to the supplicant, great bodhisattvas remain undisturbed and unconfused. They are solely mindful of the Buddhas of the three times; with joyful hearts, they strengthen their resolve and vows. Skillfully understanding all dharmas, they perceive no suffering; they clearly know that suffering is fundamentally signless and unborn, that suffering and happiness alternate and have no abiding permanence.

They practice the conduct of great renunciation in common with the bodhisattvas of the three times, and bring forth profound faith and vows in seeking omniscience without regression, not through instruction imparted by the power of another spiritual friend. They dedicate these roots of goodness as follows:

May all beings attain the mark of the invisible crown and a topknot like the pinnacle of a stupa. May all beings obtain deep blue hair, vajra hair, and fine, soft hair capable of ending all afflictions for beings. May all beings obtain lustrous hair, thick and dense hair, and hair that does not encroach upon or cover the forehead.

May all beings obtain hair shaped like the character “Wan,” curling to the right like a conch shell. May all beings obtain hair like the Buddha’s hair and forever abandon all accumulated bonds of affliction. May all beings obtain hair whose radiance illuminates the worlds of the ten directions.

May all beings obtain hair that is untangled, beautiful, and pure like the Buddha’s hair. May all beings obtain hair like the crown of the Buddha’s stupa, so that whoever sees it feels as though seeing the Buddha’s hair. May all beings obtain the Tathagata’s undefiled hair, utterly free from stain.

This is how great bodhisattvas, when giving their topknots together with their scalps, dedicate the roots of goodness so that beings may attain tranquil minds, perfectly fulfill all gateways of dharani, ultimately attain omniscience in all its modes, and possess the Ten Powers.

Children of the Buddhas! Great bodhisattvas give their eyes to those who ask for them, as did Bodhisattva Joyful Conduct, Bodhisattva King Moonlight, and immeasurable other bodhisattvas.

When giving their eyes, great bodhisattvas bring forth a mind purified through the giving of eyes, a mind purified by the eye of wisdom, a mind that relies upon the radiance of the Dharma, a mind that directly contemplates the unsurpassed path of Buddhahood, and a Dharma-mind that dedicates merit toward vast wisdom. They bring forth a mind of impartial giving shared by all bodhisattvas throughout the three times, and a mind directed toward the unobstructed eye of wisdom, without impairing their pure faith. Toward the supplicant they give rise to joyful acceptance, in order to perfect all spiritual powers, bring forth the Buddha-eye, increase the bodhi-mind, cultivate great loving-kindness and compassion, and discipline the six faculties.

Children of the Buddhas! When great bodhisattvas give their eyes, they give rise to loving concern for the supplicants and establish an assembly of giving on their behalf. They increase the power of the Dharma, abandon worldly attachments that lead to heedlessness, eliminate the defilement of desire, and cultivate the conduct of bodhi. Their minds abide peacefully and remain unmoved, pleasing the supplicants and enabling them to be fully satisfied.

They dedicate these roots of goodness as follows:

May all beings obtain the most excellent eyes that guide beings of every kind. May all beings obtain unobstructed eyes that open the treasury of vast wisdom. May all beings obtain pure and radiant physical eyes whose penetrating illumination nothing can obscure.

May all beings obtain pure divine eyes that fully perceive the karmic fruits of all beings. May all beings obtain pure Dharma-eyes capable of entering the Tathagata’s realm in accord with it. May all beings obtain wisdom-eyes that abandon all discrimination and attachment.

May all beings perfect the Buddha-eye and be capable of awakening to all dharmas. May all beings accomplish the universal eye, reaching the limits of every realm without obstruction. May all beings accomplish pure, undeluded eyes and clearly perceive that the realm of beings is empty and devoid of anything that can be possessed.

May all beings fully possess pure and unobstructed eyes and perfect the Ten Powers of Wisdom. This is how great bodhisattvas, when giving their eyes, dedicate the roots of goodness so that all beings may obtain the pure eye of omniscience.

Children of the Buddhas! Great bodhisattvas are able to give their outer ears and noses to those who ask for them, as did Bodhisattva King Supreme Conduct, Bodhisattva Unexcelled Freedom from Enmity, and immeasurable other bodhisattvas.

When giving them, bodhisattvas draw near to the supplicants and single-mindedly cultivate the bodhisattva practices. They fulfill the Buddha lineage and are born into the family of the Tathagata. They remain mindful of the bodhisattvas’ practice of giving and constantly, diligently bring forth the resolve for the Buddha’s bodhi, thereby purifying all faculties, virtues, and wisdom. They contemplate the three realms and see that not even the slightest thing in them is substantial. They vow always to behold the Buddhas and bodhisattvas, to follow and remember all the Buddha-Dharma, and to understand clearly that the body is false and empty, without cherishing it in the slightest.

When great bodhisattvas give their ears and noses in this way, their minds remain constantly tranquil and their faculties disciplined. They strive to rescue beings from dangerous and dreadful hardships, foster the growth of all beings’ wisdom, enter the ocean of great giving, thoroughly comprehend the meaning of all dharmas, fully cultivate every practice of the path, act in accordance with wisdom, attain mastery of the Dharma, and exchange an impermanent body for an enduring body.

Children of the Buddhas! When great bodhisattvas give their outer ears, they dedicate those roots of goodness as follows:

May all beings obtain unobstructed ears that hear everywhere all sounds proclaiming the Dharma. May all beings obtain unobstructed ears capable of fully comprehending every sound. May all beings obtain the Buddha’s ears, penetrating all things without hindrance.

May all beings obtain pure ears and not give rise to discrimination on account of what they hear. May all beings be free from deafness and impaired hearing, so that ultimately they never hear incorrectly or confusedly. May all beings obtain ears that pervade the Dharma-realm and fully hear and know the Dharma-voices of the Buddhas.

May all beings obtain unobstructed ears, awaken to all unobstructed dharmas, and skillfully understand every treatise so that no one can refute them. May all beings obtain vast, pure ears that hear universally. May all beings fully possess the divine ear, up to and including the Buddha’s ear.

This is how great bodhisattvas, when giving their ears, dedicate the roots of goodness so that all beings may obtain pure ears.

Children of the Buddhas! When great bodhisattvas give their noses, they dedicate the merit as follows:

May all beings obtain high and straight noses, beautiful noses, noses bearing auspicious marks, pleasing noses, pure and wondrous noses, harmonious noses, high and prominent noses, noses that subdue adversaries, noses beautiful to behold, and the Buddha’s nose. May all beings obtain countenances free from angry expressions, countenances of all dharmas, unobstructed countenances, countenances beautiful to behold, harmonious countenances, pure countenances, flawless countenances, the Buddha’s perfectly complete countenance, countenances present everywhere, and immeasurably beautiful countenances.

This is how great bodhisattvas, when giving their noses, dedicate the roots of goodness so that beings may ultimately enter the Buddha-Dharma, embrace the Buddha-Dharma, clearly understand the Buddha-Dharma, uphold the Buddha-Dharma, constantly behold the Buddha, and each realize the Buddha’s Dharma-gateways. Thus they accomplish minds that nothing can destroy, can clearly illuminate the Buddha’s true Dharma, universally adorn and purify all Buddha-lands, and obtain the Buddha’s body of great majestic power.

The foregoing is how great bodhisattvas dedicate the roots of goodness when giving their ears and noses.

Children of the Buddhas! Great bodhisattvas who abide in the stage of firm mastery are able to give their fangs and teeth to beings, as did in former times Bodhisattva King Flower Teeth, Bodhisattva King Six-Tusked Elephant, and immeasurable other bodhisattvas.

When giving his teeth, the bodhisattva’s mind is pure and rare, like a blue lotus: a mind of inexhaustible giving; a mind of profound faith in giving; a mind that, with every step, accomplishes immeasurable practices of relinquishment; a mind of giving that subdues the faculties; a mind of giving that relinquishes everything; a mind that gives for the sake of omniscience; a mind of giving that brings peace and happiness to sentient beings; great giving; ultimate giving; excellent giving; and supremely excellent giving, free from hatred and anger.

The bodhisattva dedicates these roots of goodness as follows:

May all sentient beings obtain white, sharp teeth, becoming supreme stupas that receive the offerings of humans and devas. May all sentient beings obtain even teeth like the Buddha’s, without gaps or defects. May all sentient beings attain well-subdued minds and reach the bodhisattvas’ practices of the paramitas.

May all sentient beings have wholesome, pure mouths and lustrous white teeth that shine brilliantly. May all sentient beings obtain magnificently adorned teeth and pure mouths without any unsightly features. May all sentient beings possess the complete forty teeth, always emitting rare and wondrous fragrances.

May all sentient beings have well-subdued minds and lustrous, immaculate teeth like white lotuses, radiating immeasurable light that shines everywhere. May all sentient beings have sharp and strong teeth, eat without greed or attachment, and become unsurpassed fields of merit. May all sentient beings constantly emit light from between their teeth and bestow predictions of buddhahood upon bodhisattvas.

This is how the great bodhisattva, when giving his teeth, dedicates these roots of goodness so that sentient beings may possess omniscience, for the sake of attaining pure wisdom concerning all dharmas.

Children of the Buddhas! If someone comes to ask for his tongue, the great bodhisattva, with a mind of loving-kindness and compassion, speaks gentle and pleasing words to the petitioner, just as Bodhisattva King Handsome Countenance, Bodhisattva Non-Retrogression, and immeasurably many other bodhisattvas did in the past.

At that time, the great bodhisattva invites the petitioner to sit upon a lion throne. With a pure, gentle, peaceful, and joyful heart, neither clinging to his body nor clinging to speech, the bodhisattva kneels, opens his mouth, extends his tongue to the petitioner, and says: “This body of mine now belongs entirely to you. Please cut out this tongue and use it as you wish, so that your desire may be completely fulfilled.”

The bodhisattva dedicates the roots of goodness from giving his tongue as follows:

May all sentient beings obtain all-pervasive tongues capable of proclaiming every kind of discourse and every Dharma. May all sentient beings obtain tongues that cover their entire faces, speak only complete truth, and never engage in duplicitous speech. May all sentient beings obtain tongues that extend throughout all Buddha-lands and manifest the Buddhas’ sovereign spiritual powers.

May all sentient beings obtain soft and slender tongues and always enjoy pure and delicious flavors. May all sentient beings obtain eloquent tongues capable of severing every net of worldly doubt. May all sentient beings obtain radiant tongues capable of emitting immeasurable light.

May all sentient beings obtain tongues of definitive speech and expound all dharmas without end. May all sentient beings obtain universally well-disciplined tongues, skillfully reveal every esoteric essential, and inspire faith and acceptance through their words. May all sentient beings obtain universally penetrating tongues and skillfully enter every ocean of languages.

May all sentient beings obtain tongues that skillfully proclaim every Dharma gateway and reach the other shore of linguistic wisdom. This is how the great bodhisattva, when giving his tongue, dedicates these roots of goodness so that all sentient beings may perfect unobstructed wisdom.

Children of the Buddhas! The great bodhisattva gives his head to those who come asking for it, as did Bodhisattva Supreme Wisdom, the King of Kashi, and other bodhisattvas. The great bodhisattva gives in this way because he wishes to accomplish the supreme head of wisdom that enters all dharmas; to accomplish great bodhi in its entirety and rescue sentient beings; to possess fully the foremost head that perceives all dharmas; to obtain the head of pure wisdom and right view; to accomplish the unobstructed head; to obtain the foremost head; to obtain the head of wisdom most excellent in the world; to obtain the invisible-crown head of pure wisdom; to obtain the head of wisdom that manifests universally throughout the ten directions; and to obtain the head that is sovereign over all dharmas.

When the great bodhisattva abides in this Dharma and diligently seeks and cultivates it, he has already entered the lineage of the Buddhas and is learning the Buddhas’ practice of giving. He gives rise to pure faith in the Buddhas and increases his roots of goodness. He causes petitioners to be fully satisfied and joyful, while his own mind becomes pure and immeasurably joyful. His pure faith and understanding illuminate the Buddhadharma. He arouses the aspiration for bodhi, abides in a mind of relinquishment, experiences serenity in all his faculties, increases his merit and virtue, gives rise to wholesome resolutions, and always delights in cultivating the vast practice of giving.

The bodhisattva then dedicates these roots of goodness as follows:

May all sentient beings obtain the head of a Tathagata and the invisible crown, unobscured in every place; may they become the foremost leaders in all Buddha-lands, with glossy, radiant, and immaculate hair curling to the right, and with the character “卍” adorning them—a feature exceedingly rare in the world. May they possess the perfectly formed head of a Buddha; accomplish the head of wisdom, the foremost head in all worlds, the complete head, and the pure head; and, with the perfected head of wisdom, sit at the bodhimanda. This is how the great bodhisattva, when giving his head, dedicates these roots of goodness so that sentient beings may attain the supreme Dharma and accomplish unsurpassed wisdom.

Children of the Buddhas! The great bodhisattva gives his hands and feet to sentient beings, as did Bodhisattva Constant Vigor, Bodhisattva King Free from Sorrow, and immeasurably many other bodhisattvas.

Among all classes of beings, throughout many lifetimes, the bodhisattva gives away his hands and feet. Making faith his hands, he undertakes practices that benefit beings, journeying back and forth while diligently cultivating the true Dharma. He vows to obtain precious hands, uses his hands as gifts, fulfills the bodhisattva path, always extends both hands wide in readiness to give, and strides forth peacefully and courageously without fear. Through the power of pure faith, he perfects the practice of vigor, eradicates the lower realms, and accomplishes bodhi.

When the great bodhisattva gives in this way, with an immeasurable, boundless, and expansive mind, he reveals the gateway to the pure Dharma and the ocean of Buddhas. He perfects hands of giving that provide for beings everywhere. Sustained by the power of his vows, he follows the path to omniscience and abides in the ultimately stainless mind. His Dharma body and wisdom body are neither interrupted nor destroyed. No demonic karma can shake him. Relying upon spiritual benefactors, he strengthens his mind and cultivates the paramita of giving in the same manner as all bodhisattvas.

The great bodhisattva dedicates these roots of goodness as follows:

May all sentient beings completely possess the power of spiritual penetrations and obtain precious hands. Having obtained precious hands, may they all honor one another and regard one another as fields of merit. May they offer various treasures to one another and also offer those treasures to the Buddhas. May they raise clouds of beautiful treasures throughout all Buddha-lands, causing all sentient beings to love one another and never harm or distress one another. May they journey through all Buddha-realms, abide in fearlessness, and naturally possess complete and perfect spiritual penetrations.

Furthermore, may all sentient beings obtain precious hands, flower hands, fragrant hands, garment hands, canopy hands, garland hands, powdered-incense hands, adornment hands, immeasurable hands, immeasurable hands, and universally extending hands.

Having obtained these hands, through the power of spiritual penetrations may they constantly and diligently travel to all Buddha-lands. With one hand they can touch all worlds of the Buddhas. With sovereign hands they protect and sustain all sentient beings. They obtain hands endowed with wondrous characteristics that emit immeasurable light. With one hand they can shelter all sentient beings. They accomplish the hands of a Tathagata: the fingers are webbed, and the nails are the color of red copper.

At that time, the bodhisattva covered all beings everywhere with the hand of great vows. He vowed that all beings would constantly aspire to seek unsurpassed bodhi and bring forth a vast ocean of all great virtues. When he saw someone coming to ask for something, his heart rejoiced without weariness. He entered the ocean of the Buddha-Dharma, and his roots of goodness became equal to those of the Buddha.

This is how the great bodhisattva dedicates his roots of goodness when giving his hands and feet.

Disciples of the Buddha! A great bodhisattva may injure his own body and draw blood to give to beings, as did the bodhisattvas Dharma Karma and King of Good Intent, and innumerable other bodhisattvas.

While dwelling among the various classes of beings and giving the blood of his own body, the great bodhisattva brings forth the resolve to accomplish all-knowledge, the resolve to joyfully aspire to great bodhi, the resolve to delight in cultivating the bodhisattva practices, the resolve not to cling to painful sensations, the resolve to delight in seeing those who ask, the resolve not to resent those who come seeking gifts, the resolve to advance toward the bodhisattva path, the resolve to uphold the practice of relinquishment of all bodhisattvas, the resolve to broaden the bodhisattvas’ wholesome practice of giving, the resolve never to retreat, a mind that never ceases or rests, and a mind without attachment to himself.

The bodhisattva dedicates these roots of goodness as follows:

May all beings accomplish the Dharma-body and wisdom-body. May all beings obtain a body like vajra that knows no weariness. May all beings obtain an indestructible body that no one can harm.

May all beings obtain a transformation body that manifests endlessly throughout the worlds. May all beings obtain a lovable, pure, wondrous, and steadfast body. May all beings obtain a body of the dharma realm, equal to that of the Tathagata and resting upon nothing.

May all beings obtain a body radiant like a wondrous jewel, which no one in the world can equal. May all beings obtain a body that is a treasury of wisdom and attain mastery amid the cycle of birth and death. May all beings obtain a body like an ocean of jewels, bringing benefit to all who behold it.

May all beings obtain a body like empty space, which cannot be defiled or attached by the world’s sufferings, afflictions, and calamities.

When giving the blood of his body, the bodhisattva dedicates his roots of goodness in this way with the Mahayana mind, a pure mind, a vast mind, a delighted mind, a joyful mind, a rejoicing mind, a supreme mind, a peaceful and blissful mind, and an undefiled mind.

Disciples of the Buddha! When a great bodhisattva sees someone come to ask for his flesh and marrow, he immediately rejoices and gently tells the supplicant: “You may take and use the flesh and marrow of my body as you wish,” as did the bodhisattvas Benefiting Others and King Who Gives Everything, and innumerable other bodhisattvas.

While dwelling among the various classes of beings, throughout many lives the great bodhisattva gives the marrow and flesh of his own body to those who come seeking them. His heart is filled with great joy, and his resolve to give continually increases. He cultivates roots of goodness equal to those of all bodhisattvas, leaves behind the dust and defilements of the world, and attains profound aspiration.

He gives his body everywhere, yet his resolve remains inexhaustible. He perfectly fulfills immeasurable and vast roots of goodness, gathers all subtle and wondrous virtues, and accepts, upholds, and practices them ceaselessly without weariness, in complete accord with the bodhisattvas’ rule of conduct. His heart always delights in the virtue of giving.

He provides for everyone without regret, universally contemplates that all dharmas arise according to conditions and originally possess no intrinsic nature, neither clings to the karmic activity of giving nor covets its rewards, and gives equally to whomever he encounters.

When the great bodhisattva gives in this way, all Buddhas appear before him so that he may be securely established in all pure dharmas. All worlds appear before him so that he may adorn and purify all Buddha-lands. All beings appear before him so that, with a mind of great compassion, he may universally rescue and protect them all.

All paths to buddhahood appear before him because he delights in contemplating the Tathagata’s ten powers of wisdom. All bodhisattvas of the past, future, and present appear before him so that they may together perfect their roots of goodness. All forms of fearlessness appear before him so that he may become a supreme teacher of the Dharma.

All periods of past, future, and present appear before him so that he may attain the wisdom of equality that universally contemplates them all. All periods of time appear before him because he makes vast vows to cultivate the practices of bodhi throughout all future kalpas. All the tireless and unwearied practices of bodhisattvas appear before him because he has brought forth an immeasurably vast resolve.

When giving his flesh and marrow, the great bodhisattva dedicates his roots of goodness as follows:

May all beings obtain a vajra body that cannot be obstructed or destroyed. May all beings obtain a firm and compact body that is never impaired or diminished. May all beings obtain a mind-born body, adorned and purified like the body of a Buddha.

May all beings obtain a body endowed with a hundred marks of merit and adorned with the thirty-two marks. May all beings obtain a wondrously adorned body complete with the eighty secondary characteristics and endowed with the ten powers of wisdom. May all beings obtain the body of a Tathagata, ultimately pure and immeasurable.

May all beings obtain a steadfast body; may all beings obtain a body of a single characteristic, identical in bodily appearance to the Buddhas of the three periods of time. May all beings obtain an unobstructed body and, with a pure Dharma-body, pervade the realm of empty space. May all beings obtain a body that is a treasury of bodhi, capable of containing all worlds.

This is how the bodhisattva, when giving his flesh and marrow in quest of all-knowledge, dedicates his roots of goodness, wishing all beings to obtain the Tathagata’s immeasurable, ultimately pure body.

Disciples of the Buddha! A great bodhisattva gives his heart to those who come seeking it, as did the bodhisattvas Insatiable Freedom from Regret and Unobstructed King, and innumerable other great bodhisattvas.

When the bodhisattva gives his heart to a supplicant, he trains in the mind of sovereign giving, cultivates the mind that gives everything, practices the mind of dana-paramita, perfects the mind of dana-paramita, trains in the mind of giving possessed by all bodhisattvas, develops the inexhaustible mind that relinquishes everything, develops the mind habitually trained to give everything, develops the mind that practices giving and shoulders all the responsibilities of a bodhisattva, develops the mind that rightly recollects all Buddhas as present before him, and develops the mind that makes unceasing offerings to all who come seeking gifts.

In order to accomplish all-knowledge and the ten powers and to abide in the bodhisattva path, when giving his own heart the great bodhisattva dedicates his roots of goodness as follows:

May all beings obtain a heart that is a vajra treasury. May all beings obtain a heart of the vajra realm adorned with the svastika mark, an immovable heart, an undaunted heart, a heart that benefits the world without end, a heart that is a treasury of great and courageous wisdom, a heart as steadfast as Narayana, a heart as inexhaustible as the realm of beings, a heart that eradicates all demonic karma and armies of Mara, a fearless heart, a heart of great awesome virtue, a heart of constant diligence, a greatly courageous heart, an unafraid heart, a heart clad in vajra armor, and the supreme heart of a bodhisattva.

May they accomplish the radiant heart of a Buddha’s bodhi, sit beneath the bodhi tree, abide in the Buddha-Dharma, bring delusion to an end, and perfect the heart of all-knowledge and the heart of the ten powers.

This is how the great bodhisattva dedicates his roots of goodness when giving his own heart, wishing all beings to remain undefiled by the world and to perfect the heart of the Tathagata’s ten powers.

Disciples of the Buddha! If someone comes seeking his liver, lungs, intestines, or kidneys, the great bodhisattva gives them all to that person, as did the bodhisattvas Excellent Giver and Sovereign King Who Subdues Mara, and innumerable other bodhisattvas.

When giving the aforementioned things, upon seeing someone come to ask, the bodhisattva’s heart is filled with joy, reverence, and affection. Because the bodhisattva seeks the path to bodhi, everything is given according to the petitioner’s wishes, without regret. The bodhisattva contemplates: “This body is not firm or enduring. I should give it to them in exchange for an indestructible body.” The bodhisattva further reflects: “This body of mine will soon decay and become repulsive to all who see it; it will become food for jackals and wolves. This body is impermanent and must ultimately be abandoned.”

When the great bodhisattva contemplates in this way, knowing that the body is exceedingly impermanent and impure, the bodhisattva gains clear realization of the Dharma and therefore rejoices greatly, revering and cherishing the petitioner as a spiritual friend, exchanging an impermanent body for an enduring body. The bodhisattva dedicates all these roots of goodness as follows:

May all sentient beings attain a body that is a treasury of wisdom, pure both within and without. May all sentient beings attain a body that is a treasury of merit, capable of sustaining all vows of wisdom. May all sentient beings attain a supremely wondrous body, containing fragrance within and radiating light without.

May all sentient beings attain a body with an unprotruding abdomen, straight above and below, with joints proportionately aligned. May all sentient beings attain a body of wisdom, nourished and made serene by the flavor of the Buddha’s Dharma. May all sentient beings attain an inexhaustible body, cultivating and abiding in the most profound Dharma-nature.

May all sentient beings attain a pure body of dharani, revealing all dharmas through wondrous eloquence. May all sentient beings attain a pure body, with body and mind pure both within and without. May all sentient beings attain the Buddha’s body of profound and vast wisdom and conduct, with wisdom extending everywhere and raining down a great rain of Dharma.

May all sentient beings attain a body that inwardly abides in serenity and, outwardly, for the sake of sentient beings, becomes a banner of wisdom that emits great light illuminating all things.

This is how the great bodhisattva dedicates roots of goodness when giving away the internal organs, wishing that sentient beings may be pure in body and mind and may all abide in unobstructed wisdom.

Disciples of the Buddha! The great bodhisattva gives away the joints and bones of the body, as did Dharma Treasury Bodhisattva, Radiant King Bodhisattva, and immeasurable other bodhisattvas.

Upon seeing someone come to ask for the joints and bones of the body, the great bodhisattva feels immense joy, reverence, and affection for that person. The bodhisattva’s heart is always joyful, pure, and courageous; faith remains steadfast, loving-kindness and compassion increase, and the mind is unobstructed. The bodhisattva gives according to whatever the petitioner requires and dedicates these roots of goodness as follows:

May all sentient beings attain a transformation body and no longer receive a body of flesh and blood. May all sentient beings attain an indestructible vajra body, unsurpassed by anyone. May all sentient beings attain the Dharma-body perfected in all-wisdom and be born in a realm free from bondage, defilement, and attachment.

May all sentient beings attain a body endowed with the powers of wisdom, with all faculties whole and unimpaired. May all sentient beings attain a body endowed with the power of Dharma and freely reach the other shore. May all sentient beings attain a firm and indestructible body.

May all sentient beings attain a body that manifests responsively according to every kind of being, teaching, transforming, and taming all species. May all sentient beings attain a body permeated by wisdom, possessing the great strength of Narayana. May all sentient beings attain a firm and unceasing body, forever free from all weariness.

May all sentient beings attain an exceedingly strong and steadfast body, fully endowed with the great power of diligence. May all sentient beings attain the Dharma-body that is equal throughout the world and abide at the stage of immeasurable, supreme wisdom. May all sentient beings attain a body of merit and virtue, so that whoever beholds it receives benefit and leaves all evil behind.

May all sentient beings attain an unsupported body and be fully endowed with wisdom that neither depends upon nor clings to anything. May all sentient beings attain a body embraced by the Buddhas and always receive the protection and blessing of all Buddhas. May all sentient beings attain a body that benefits beings of every kind and can enter among beings of every kind.

May all sentient beings attain a universally manifest body capable of universally illuminating and revealing all Buddha-Dharma. May all sentient beings attain a body of complete diligence, single-mindedly recollecting and diligently cultivating the wisdom and practices of the Mahayana. May all sentient beings attain a pure body, free from arrogance and self-conceit, with wisdom ever steadfast and undisturbed.

May all sentient beings attain a body of steadfast conduct and accomplish all wisdom-actions of the Mahayana. May all sentient beings attain a body belonging to the family of the Buddhas and forever transcend all worldly birth and death.

This is how the great bodhisattva dedicates roots of goodness when giving away the joints and bones of the body, wishing that sentient beings may attain all-wisdom and remain forever pure.

Disciples of the Buddha! When the great bodhisattva sees someone holding a sharp knife and asking for the skin of the bodhisattva’s body, the bodhisattva rejoices greatly and regards that person as one who has bestowed a profound kindness. The bodhisattva immediately welcomes the petitioner, invites that person to sit upon a high seat, and then respectfully offers the body, satisfying the petitioner’s wishes with reverence and affection, as did Pure Treasury Bodhisattva, Golden-Flanked Deer King Bodhisattva, and immeasurable other bodhisattvas.

At that time, the bodhisattva dedicates these roots of goodness as follows:

May all sentient beings attain smooth, soft, and pure skin like that of the Buddha, upon which beholders never tire of gazing. May all sentient beings attain indestructible skin like vajra, which no one can damage. May all sentient beings attain skin the color of pure and radiant gold. May all sentient beings attain skin of immeasurable colors, manifesting pure hues in accordance with their aspirations. May all sentient beings attain supremely wondrous and pure skin, endowed with all the Buddha’s marks and excellent characteristics, emitting great light that universally illuminates all things.

This is how the great bodhisattva dedicates roots of goodness when giving away the skin of the body, wishing that sentient beings may all attain the adornments and purity of every Buddha-land and be fully endowed with the Tathagata’s great virtues.

Disciples of the Buddha! The great bodhisattva gives fingers and toes to those who ask, as did Steadfast Diligence Bodhisattva, Jambudvipa Sovereign King Bodhisattva, and immeasurable other bodhisattvas.

When giving, the bodhisattva’s countenance is gentle and joyful, the mind peaceful and free from error. The bodhisattva seeks no personal benefit and desires no fame, but abides in the Mahayana and brings forth a vast resolve, relinquishing jealousy, stinginess, and all afflictions, and directing the mind solely toward the Tathagata’s unsurpassed wondrous Dharma. The bodhisattva dedicates these roots of goodness as follows:

May all sentient beings attain long and slender fingers and toes, even, rounded, and straight, proportionate above and below, with nails like red copper, raised and lustrous, like the fingers and toes of the Buddha, fully endowed with the Ten Powers. May all sentient beings attain fingers and toes marked with whorls turning to the right, beautiful as lotus flowers. May all sentient beings attain fingers and toes that are treasuries of light, emitting great radiance that illuminates immeasurable Buddha-lands. May all sentient beings attain fingers and toes beautifully arranged, with perfectly formed and exquisite webbing.

This is how the great bodhisattva dedicates roots of goodness when giving away fingers and toes, wishing that sentient beings may all attain purity of mind.

Disciples of the Buddha! When the great bodhisattva requests the true Dharma, the bodhisattva gladly offers nails together with the flesh to the one who bestows the Dharma, should that person desire them, as did Dharma Sovereign King Bodhisattva, Inexhaustible Bodhisattva, and immeasurable other bodhisattvas.

At that time, the bodhisattva dedicates these roots of goodness as follows:

May all beings obtain copper-red nails like those of the Buddha. May all beings obtain smooth, lustrous nails, magnificently adorned, beautiful, and foremost in radiance. May all beings obtain the nails of omniscience, perfect in the marks of a great person, unattached to the world and incomparable.

May all beings obtain wondrously adorned nails that illuminate all worlds. May all beings obtain indestructible, pure nails, free from defects. May all beings obtain nails endowed with the marks of skillful means for entering all Buddha-Dharmas, their vast wisdom wholly purified.

May all beings obtain well-formed nails, complete with the pure and wondrous karmic fruits of bodhisattvas. May all beings obtain the nails of the Great Guide endowed with omniscience, radiating a treasury of immeasurable, subtly colored light.

This is the great bodhisattva’s dedication of roots of goodness when, in seeking the Dharma, he gives away his nails together with the flesh, wishing all beings to attain unobstructed omniscience.

Disciples of the Buddha! When a great bodhisattva seeks the Buddha’s treasury of Dharma, he is wholeheartedly reverent and respectful. Even if, after hearing the true Dharma, he must leap into a deep pit of fire, he rejoices exceedingly, as did the Bodhisattva King Who Seeks the Good Dharma, the Bodhisattva Vajra Contemplation, and other great bodhisattvas.

At that time, the bodhisattva dedicates these roots of goodness as follows:

May all beings abide in the Buddha’s Dharma of omniscience and never regress from unsurpassed bodhi.

May all beings escape every peril and enjoy the peace and happiness of the Buddha.

May all beings attain a fearless mind and be free from every terror.

May all beings always delight in seeking the Dharma and be fully adorned with joy.

May all beings leave the evil destinies and extinguish all the fierce fires of the three poisons.

May all beings always attain sublime and wondrous peace and happiness like that of the Buddha.

May all beings attain the mind of a bodhisattva and forever leave behind all fires of greed, anger, and delusion.

May all beings attain the bodhisattvas’ joy of right concentration, behold all Buddhas everywhere, and rejoice greatly in their hearts.

May all beings skillfully expound the true Dharma and never forget or omit the ultimate Dharma. May all beings fully attain every subtle and wondrous joy of spiritual powers and ultimately abide in the wisdom that knows all modes.

This is the great bodhisattva’s dedication of roots of goodness when, in seeking the true Dharma, he casts his own body into a pit of fire, wishing all beings to be free from obstructive karma and fully endowed with the fire of wisdom.

Disciples of the Buddha! To seek the true Dharma, reveal and expound the bodhisattva path of practice, show the way to bodhi, reach unsurpassed wisdom, diligently cultivate the Ten Powers, reveal the mind of omniscience, attain unobstructed wisdom, enable beings to become purified and abide in the realm of bodhisattvas, diligently cultivate great wisdom, and attain the Buddha’s bodhi, a great bodhisattva personally endures immeasurable suffering and affliction, as did the Bodhisattva Who Seeks the Good Dharma, the Bodhisattva King of Courage, and immeasurable other great bodhisattvas.

When enduring suffering for the sake of the Dharma, the bodhisattva dedicates these roots of goodness as follows:

May all beings forever escape the oppression of every suffering and attain the ease and happiness of sovereign spiritual powers.

May all beings forever leave behind every suffering, attain every happiness, put an end to bodily suffering, and obtain a pure and peaceful body.

May all beings escape the prison of suffering and perfect the practice of wisdom.

May all beings behold the path of peace and security and escape the evil paths.

May all beings attain the joy and delight of the Dharma and forever end every suffering.

May all beings forever end every suffering, harbor no resentment or harmful intent, and always cherish one another.

May all beings attain the happiness of the Buddha and escape the suffering of birth and death.

May all beings attain incomparable, pure peace and happiness that no suffering can impair.

May all beings attain all the supreme and unobstructed joys of the Buddha.

This is the great bodhisattva’s dedication of roots of goodness when he endures suffering to seek the true Dharma, wishing to rescue and protect all beings, enable them to escape every peril, and establish them in the unobstructed liberation of the wisdom that knows all modes.

Disciples of the Buddha! When a great bodhisattva occupies the throne and seeks the true Dharma, out of esteem for even a single word, sentence, or meaning, he can relinquish everything he possesses within his realm: cities and towns, people, lands, treasuries, gold, silver, precious jewels, palaces, retinues, wife, and children. He can even relinquish his throne to bring benefit to all beings and earnestly seek the unobstructed and pure path of the Buddhas’ omniscience, as did the Bodhisattva of Great Majestic Virtue, the Bodhisattva King of Supreme Virtue, and immeasurable other great bodhisattvas.

Even to seek a single word of the true Dharma, he bows with all five limbs touching the ground, rightly recollects the Buddha-Dharma of the three times, delights in cultivating it, and pays no heed to fame or gain. He relinquishes the worldly throne to seek the sovereign throne of the Dharma King. Without craving worldly pleasures, he nurtures his mind and nature with the supramundane Dharma.

He forever abandons all worldly frivolous discourse and abides in the Buddha-Dharma that is free from frivolous discourse.

At that time, the great bodhisattva dedicates these roots of goodness as follows:

May all beings always delight in giving away all their possessions without regret.

May all beings always seek the true Dharma, sparing neither their means of livelihood nor even their own lives.

May all beings benefit from the true Dharma and be able to resolve the doubts and delusions of all beings.

May all beings possess a mind that delights in wholesome Dharma and always rejoice in the Buddha’s true Dharma.

May all beings, in seeking the Buddha-Dharma, be able to relinquish their lives and even their thrones, arouse the great mind, and cultivate unsurpassed bodhi.

May all beings honor the true Dharma, always cherish it deeply, and spare not even their own lives.

May all beings safeguard the exceedingly rare Buddha-Dharma and always cultivate it diligently.

May all beings attain the light of the Buddha’s bodhi, accomplish the practices of bodhi, and awaken through themselves without reliance on others.

May all beings always be able to contemplate all Buddha-Dharmas, extract the arrow of doubt, and attain peace and security within their hearts.

This is the great bodhisattva’s dedication of roots of goodness when he relinquishes his throne to seek the true Dharma, wishing all beings to attain perfect knowledge and vision and always abide upon the path of peace and security.

Disciples of the Buddha! When a great bodhisattva becomes a great sovereign king and attains authority, he issues a decree abolishing the karma of killing. He prohibits slaughter throughout the entire realm.

To every living creature—whether legless, two-legged, four-legged, or many-legged—he grants freedom from fear. Without any thought of aggression or plunder, he extensively cultivates all bodhisattva practices, compassionately shelters every kind of being, and neither violates nor afflicts them. He arouses the resolve to bring peace and security to beings, establishes wisdom of contemplation, and delights deeply in all Buddhas.

He always abides in the three groups of pure precepts and also causes beings to abide in them. The great bodhisattva establishes all beings in the Five Precepts and brings the karma of killing to a complete end. He dedicates these roots of goodness as follows:

May all beings arouse the bodhisattva mind, be fully endowed with wisdom, and possess secure and inexhaustible lifespans.

May all beings live for immeasurable kalpas, make offerings to all Buddhas, and, through reverence and diligent cultivation, continually increase their lifespans.

May all beings cultivate the Dharma that completely transcends aging and death, so that no calamity or poison can harm their lives.

May all beings attain perfectly sound bodies free from illness and affliction, possess mastery over their lifespans, and be able to live as long as they wish.

May all sentient beings attain inexhaustible lifespans, abide in bodhisattva practices throughout all future kalpas, and teach, transform, discipline, and subdue all sentient beings.

May all sentient beings attain the gateway of longevity through the growth of the wholesome roots of the ten powers, possess inexhaustible lifespans, and fulfill their great vows.

May all sentient beings behold all Buddhas, attend upon and make offerings to them, and cultivate wholesome roots throughout inexhaustible lifespans.

May all sentient beings skillfully study the Buddhadharma in the presence of all Buddhas, attain the joy of the noble Dharma, and possess inexhaustible lifespans.

May all sentient beings attain eternally abiding lifespans, advance with heroic vigor, and enter the wisdom of the Buddha.

This is the dedication of wholesome roots made by a great bodhisattva who abides in the pure precepts of the threefold accumulation and forever puts an end to the karma of killing, wishing all sentient beings to perfect the Buddha’s ten powers of wisdom.

Disciples of the Buddha! When a great bodhisattva sees sentient beings harboring cruelty and harming humans and animals, thereby having to undergo the suffering of being born male with deficient physical form, the bodhisattva arouses loving-kindness and compassion, sympathizes with and rescues them, causes all the people of Jambudvipa to abandon the karma of killing and harming, gives them all his possessions, and then teaches them to understand the true Dharma, causing them to rejoice, give rise to loving-kindness, cherish one another, and relinquish malicious thoughts.

The bodhisattva then dedicates these wholesome roots as follows:

May all sentient beings possess perfect male bodies and attain the Buddha’s mark of the horse-hidden organ.

May all sentient beings possess perfect male bodies, arouse heroic resolve, and cultivate all pure practices.

May all sentient beings possess heroic strength, always serve as guides, abide in unobstructed wisdom, and never regress.

May all sentient beings fully possess the bodies of great men, relinquish lustful thoughts, and remain free from attachment and defilement.

May all sentient beings attain the qualities of good men, increase in wisdom, and receive the praise of all Buddhas.

May all sentient beings fully possess the strength of great beings and always be able to cultivate the wholesome roots of the ten powers of wisdom.

May all sentient beings never lose their male bodies and always cultivate the unprecedented qualities of merit and wisdom.

May all sentient beings remain undefiled and unfettered amid the five desires, attain liberation of mind, become disenchanted with and leave the three realms, and cultivate bodhisattva practices.

May all sentient beings attain the supreme wisdom of great men, so that beings of every kind honor them and submit to their teaching and guidance.

May all sentient beings fully possess the wisdom of bodhisattvas and before long become Great Heroes.

This is the dedication of wholesome roots made by a great bodhisattva who completely prohibits every act that damages the male body, wishing all sentient beings to possess perfect male bodies; to be able to safeguard all the virtues of great men; to be born into the family of sages and noble ones; to be fully endowed with wisdom; always diligently to cultivate the supreme practices of great men; to possess the effective power of great men; skillfully to reveal the seven paths of conduct of great men; and fully to possess the wholesome lineage of great men, the true teaching of great men, the heroism of great men, the vigor of great men, the wisdom of great men, and the purity of great men.

He wishes ultimately to cause all sentient beings likewise to attain these qualities, just as does the Tathagata, the Tamer of Men.