佛說文殊師利般涅槃經

Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Buddha was dwelling in Anathapindika’s Park in the Jeta Grove at Sravasti, together with a great Sangha of 8,000 bhiksus. The elders Sariputra, Mahamaudgalyayana, Mahakasyapa, Mahakatyayana, and others like them were the leaders.

There were also sixteen bodhisattva mahasattvas and 1,000 bodhisattvas of the Auspicious Kalpa, with Maitreya as their leader.

There were also 1,200 bodhisattvas from other regions, with Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara as their leader.

At that time, near the end of the night, the Blessed One entered a samadhi called Universal Light. After he had entered samadhi, the Buddha’s entire body emitted golden light. That light illuminated the whole Jeta Grove, turning it golden, and then circled gracefully toward Manjusri’s chamber, where it transformed into a seven-tiered golden terrace. On each tier were 500 emanated Buddhas walking in meditation.

Then, before Manjusri’s chamber, 500 seven-jeweled lotus flowers spontaneously appeared. They were round like wheels, with silvery-white stems, wondrously fragrant agate stalks, and stamens of multicolored pearls. Those flowers radiated light that shone upon the Buddha’s monastery, then returned from the monastery to Manjusri’s chamber.

At that time, a bodhisattva in the assembly named Bhadrapala saw these signs appear and immediately left his chamber. He faced the Buddha’s monastery and paid homage, then went to Ananda’s chamber and said to him:

“You should know that now is the time. Tonight the Blessed One has manifested these signs of spiritual power because he wishes to teach the wondrous Dharma for the benefit of sentient beings. Sound the gandī and summon the great assembly.”

Ananda replied:

“Great Being, the Blessed One is now deeply absorbed in meditation. I have not received his command. How could I summon the great assembly?”

Just as he finished speaking, Sariputra came to Ananda and said:

“Dharma brother, now is the time. Summon the great assembly!”

Ananda then entered the Buddha’s monastery and bowed at the Buddha’s feet. Before he had raised his head, a voice from the sky said to him:

“Quickly summon the great assembly!”

On hearing this, Ananda rejoiced greatly and sounded the gandī to summon the great assembly. Its sound resounded throughout Sravasti and reached even the Heaven of the Summit of Existence. Then Sakra, King Brahma, the World-Protecting Heavenly Kings, and countless devas brought celestial incense and flowers and came to the Jeta Grove.

The Blessed One then emerged from samadhi and smiled. Five-colored light streamed from the Buddha’s mouth. When that light appeared, the Jetavana Monastery became like vaidurya.

Then Manjusri, Prince of the Dharma, entered the Buddha’s monastery and bowed at the Buddha’s feet. Five lotus flowers appeared upon each of his knees. When Manjusri joined his palms before the Buddha, 10,000 golden lotus flowers streamed from his ten fingertips. He scattered these lotuses over the Buddha, whereupon they transformed into an immense seven-jeweled canopy with suspended banners and streamers. Within the canopy appeared immeasurable Buddhas and bodhisattvas of the ten directions. They circumambulated the Buddha three times and stood to one side.

Bhadrapala then rose from his seat, adjusted his robes, bowed at the Buddha’s feet, knelt on both knees, joined his palms, and addressed the Buddha:

“Blessed One, Manjusri, Prince of the Dharma, has attended hundreds of thousands of Buddhas, extensively performed Buddha-work in the Saha World, and freely manifested transformations throughout the lands of the ten directions. How long will it be before he enters parinirvana?”

The Buddha told Bhadrapala:

“This Manjusri possesses vast loving-kindness and compassion. Long ago, he was born into the family of a brahmin named Brahmadeva in the village of Tala in this country. When Manjusri was born, the rooms of the house transformed into lotus flowers. He was born from his mother’s right side, and his body was purple-gold. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he could speak like a celestial youth, and a seven-jeweled canopy floated above him wherever he went.

“Later, Manjusri visited various seers to seek the Dharma of renunciation. The brahmins and debaters of the ninety-six schools were all unable to answer him. Only with me did he leave the household life to study the Way, and he abides in the Surangama Samadhi. Through the power of this samadhi, Manjusri manifests birth, renunciation, extinction, entry into parinirvana, and the distribution of relics throughout the lands of the ten directions for the benefit of sentient beings. This Great Being has long abided in the Surangama Samadhi.

“Four hundred and fifty years after the Buddha’s parinirvana, he will go to the Snow Mountains and extensively proclaim the twelve divisions of the scriptures to 500 seers, causing them to attain non-retrogression. After transforming these seers into bhiksus, Bodhisattva Manjusri will fly through the sky and return to his native place. Near a wilderness marsh, beneath a nyagrodha tree, he will sit cross-legged and enter the Surangama Samadhi. Through the power of this samadhi, every pore of his body will emit golden light. That light will illuminate worlds throughout the ten directions and liberate those with affinities. All 500 seers will then see fire streaming from the pores of Bodhisattva Manjusri.

“At that time, Bodhisattva Manjusri’s body will resemble a purple-gold mountain and will be sixteen feet tall. A majestic aureole will surround him and shine to a distance of one fathom. Within that aureole will be 500 emanated Buddhas, each attended by 500 emanated bodhisattvas.

“Bodhisattva Manjusri’s crown will be adorned with wish-fulfilling jewels of 500 colors. Within each color will appear the sun, moon, stars, celestial palaces, dragon palaces, and rare events among sentient beings in the world. The white hair between his brows, curling to the right, will gracefully emit emanated Buddhas, who will then enter a net of light. His entire body will shine with continuous, blazing flames. Within each flame will be five mani jewels, and each mani jewel will emit distinct rays and colors. Within those colors will appear emanated Buddhas and bodhisattvas, majestic beyond description.

“In his left hand, Bodhisattva Manjusri will hold an alms bowl, and in his right hand, a Mahayana scripture.

“After Bodhisattva Manjusri has manifested this appearance, the rays and flames will all be extinguished and transform into a vaidurya image. On the image’s left hand will be ten Buddha seals. Within each Buddha seal will be ten Buddha images, together with inscriptions of the names of the ten Buddhas, perfectly bright and distinct. On the image’s right hand will be seven Buddha seals. Within each Buddha seal will be seven Buddha images, together with inscriptions of the names of the seven Buddhas, perfectly bright and distinct. Within the heart of the vaidurya image will be an image of pure gold, six feet tall, seated cross-legged upon a lotus and clearly visible from every direction.”

The Buddha told Bhadrapala:

“This Manjusri possesses immeasurable spiritual powers and immeasurable transformations, which cannot be fully recounted. For the sake of blind sentient beings in the future age, I shall now speak of them briefly.

“If sentient beings merely hear the name of Bodhisattva Manjusri, they will extinguish the karmic offenses accumulated during two billion kalpas of birth and death.

“If anyone bows to and makes offerings to Bodhisattva Manjusri, then wherever that person is born, they will always be born into the family of the Buddhas and receive the protection of Bodhisattva Manjusri’s majestic spiritual power. Therefore, sentient beings should diligently and single-mindedly contemplate his image.

“The method of contemplating Bodhisattva Manjusri’s image is as follows. First contemplate the vaidurya image. The method for contemplating that image is as explained above. Every aspect of the contemplation must be clear.

“If they are still unable to see him, they should uphold and recite the Surangama Sutra and invoke the name of Bodhisattva Manjusri. Within one to seven days, he will certainly come to that person.

“If, because of karmic hindrances from past lives, someone remains unable to see him, that person will see him in a dream.

“Those who see Bodhisattva Manjusri in a dream, if in this present life they seek the fruits of the sravaka path, will, because they have seen him, attain the fruit of stream-entry and even the fruit of non-returning.

“If one who has left the household life sees Bodhisattva Manjusri, then because of seeing him, that person will become an arhat after one day and one night.

“If anyone has profound faith in the Vaipulya scriptures, this Prince of the Dharma will teach that person the profound Dharma while in meditative concentration. For those whose minds remain greatly disturbed, he will explain in dreams the true meaning of all dharmas, causing their minds to become firmly established in the unsurpassed Way and attain non-retrogression.”

The Buddha told Bhadrapala:

“If anyone recollects Manjusri, Prince of the Dharma, and wishes to make offerings and cultivate meritorious deeds, he will immediately transform himself into a poor, solitary, or afflicted sentient being and come before the practitioner.

“If anyone recollects Bodhisattva Manjusri, that person should cultivate loving-kindness. One who practices a loving heart will immediately see him. Therefore, the wise should carefully contemplate Bodhisattva Manjusri’s thirty-two excellent marks and eighty secondary characteristics. Through the majestic power of the Surangama Samadhi, practitioners who contemplate in this way will see him very quickly.

“To contemplate in this manner is called correct contemplation. To contemplate otherwise is called erroneous contemplation.

“After the Buddha’s parinirvana, any sentient being who hears the name of Bodhisattva Manjusri or sees his image will not fall into the lower realms for hundreds of thousands of kalpas.

“If anyone receives, upholds, reads, and recites the name of Bodhisattva Manjusri, even if that person has severe karmic hindrances, they will not fall into the Avici Hell and be burned by its raging fires. They will always be born in pure lands in other directions, see Buddhas, hear the Dharma, and attain patience regarding the non-arising of dharmas.”

When these words were spoken, 500 bhiksus became free from defilement and attained arhatship. Immeasurable devas generated bodhicitta and vowed always to follow Bodhisattva Manjusri.

Bhadrapala then addressed the Buddha:

“Blessed One, who will erect a seven-jeweled stupa and place Manjusri’s relics within it?”

The Buddha told Bhadrapala:

“On Mount Gandhamadana there are eight great spirits. They themselves will carry the relics and enshrine them upon its vajra summit. Immeasurable devas, nagas, and yaksas will then constantly come there to make offerings. Whenever the great assembly gathers, the vaidurya image of Bodhisattva Manjusri will always emit light. That light will proclaim suffering, emptiness, impermanence, and non-self.

“Bhadrapala, this Prince of the Dharma has attained an indestructible body. You should carefully receive and uphold what I have told you today and expound it widely to all sentient beings.”

After these words had been spoken, Bhadrapala, the great bodhisattvas, the elder Sariputra, the great sravakas, and the eight classes of devas, nagas, and other beings heard the Buddha’s teaching. They all gave rise to great joy, bowed at the Buddha’s feet, and withdrew.

THE SUTRA SPOKEN BY THE BUDDHA ON THE PARINIRVANA OF MANJUSRI