正法華經

Chapter 7: ANCIENT TIMES

The Buddha told the bhikshus:

“In the infinitely and boundlessly distant past, immeasurable kalpas ago, there was a Buddha named Great Universal Wisdom Tathagata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, the Well-Gone One, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed One, Tamer of Those to Be Tamed, Teacher of Devas and Humans, Buddha, Blessed One.

“That world was called Great True Value, and its kalpa was called Where Forms Abide. That Buddha taught the Dharma for an immeasurably long time. Suppose that all the earth throughout the trichiliocosm were completely ground into fine particles of dust. Then suppose someone traveled eastward, passing through one thousand Buddha-worlds before depositing one particle of dust, and then passed through another thousand lands before depositing another particle. Continuing in this way, that person would deposit all the particles of dust from the trichiliocosm throughout immeasurable Buddha-worlds in the east. What do you think? Would it be possible to calculate the full extent and number of those Buddha-worlds?”

The bhikshus replied:

“World-Honored One, it would be impossible to calculate them all!”

The Buddha told the bhikshus:

“O bhikshus! The number of kalpas that have passed since the time of that Buddha is likewise beyond measure. Just as no one could calculate or delimit the number of dust particles deposited throughout those Buddha-worlds, so too, through hundreds of thousands of myriads of kotis and trillions of kalpas, you should know that the number of kalpas since that Buddha entered nirvana is even more prolonged—indeed inconceivable, truly immeasurable, and difficult to calculate. Great Universal Wisdom manifested the power of the path, and after his nirvana the number of kalpas during which the True Dharma remained in the world was likewise immeasurable.”

The World-Honored One then spoke in verse:

I recall the distant past,

Countless kotis of kalpas ago,

When there appeared a Tathagata,

Honored for merit and wisdom,

Named Great Universal Wisdom,

Supremely benevolent and compassionate.

At that time the World-Honored One,

The One Supreme Among Humans—

Suppose that Buddha’s world

Were taken and ground,

Crushed entirely to pieces,

All reduced to dust.

Suppose that someone

Carried each particle of dust,

Passed through a thousand Buddha-lands,

And only then deposited one particle;

Proceeding successively in this way

Throughout all Buddha-lands,

That person would deposit the dust

Across all the Buddha-realms.

All those lands,

Everywhere throughout them,

Would be worlds without limit,

Impossible to calculate or count.

All the domains

Possessed by the Great Sages,

And all their particles of dust,

Could not be measured.

Even if they were ground again

Until nothing remained,

The supremely honored Great Sage

Entered nirvana as described here.

That Buddha peacefully abided,

Then entered complete nirvana;

The number of kalpas since then

Is immeasurable—thousands of kotis.

Should one wish to calculate them,

They would be inconceivable:

Such is the number of kalpas

Since his entrance into nirvana.

That Guide and Teacher,

Though so distant in the past,

His assemblies of disciples

And the bodhisattva practices,

The Tathagata’s wisdom,

Lofty and far-reaching—

The Buddha now knows them all,

Though that Buddha entered nirvana.

Bhikshus, you should know

That the wisdom of the Buddhas

Shines forth without limit,

Equal and without distinction.

The Buddha knows completely

The immeasurable kalpas of the past

And the supremely subtle

Unconditioned meaning of the Dharma.

The Buddha told the bhikshus:

“Great Universal Wisdom Tathagata, the Perfectly Enlightened One, had a lifespan of forty-four hundred thousand kotis of kalpas. For the sake of attaining the unsurpassed true and perfect path, the Tathagata first sat beneath the tree at the place of enlightenment. He remained silent for one kalpa and then for two kalpas, yet did not attain perfect enlightenment. The Tathagata remained seated for as many as ten kalpas, his body and mind unmoving. His body knew no weariness, and he entertained no recollection or thought. His mind was quiescent and directed toward all dharmas. At the place of enlightenment, he subdued the armies of Mara and was about to attain perfect enlightenment.

“The devas of the Trayastrimsha Heaven magically created a great lion throne forty miles high. When the Buddha sat upon that throne, peacefully abiding in meditative concentration, the devas of the Brahma heavens rained celestial flowers throughout an area of four thousand miles. A wind spontaneously arose and scattered the fragrant flowers over the Buddha’s seat. The Buddha sat beneath the tree for a full ten intermediate kalpas, and celestial flowers continued to fall everywhere throughout those kalpas without interruption. The Four Heavenly Kings and the other devas played celestial music whose sound resounded like thunder. They constantly offered flowers, incense, and music to the Great Sage, never once ceasing or becoming negligent.

“O bhikshus! After ten kalpas, the World-Honored Great Universal Wisdom attained the unsurpassed true and perfect path and became the Supremely Perfectly Enlightened One. Until the time of his nirvana, the devas made offerings to him without cease.

“Before the Buddha renounced the household life, when he was still a crown prince, he had sixteen sons. They were upright and handsome, endowed with excellent marks, and none could equal their wisdom. Their appearance was gentle and harmonious, and their refinement was unsurpassed. At that time, each of the sixteen princes possessed fine playthings and delighted in amusements beyond description. They had every kind of implement in abundance, together with countless lutes and musical performances.

“When the princes heard that their royal father had become a Buddha, a World-Honored One, one who had attained unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, a great sound of Dharma naturally arose. They immediately abandoned their kingdom, renounced the throne of a wheel-turning king and its myriad kotis of subjects, and left behind their amusements, songs, and music. Surrounded by their retinues, together with countless sages and worthy ones and hundreds of thousands of myriads of kotis of kings and rulers beyond calculation, they were followed by vast gatherings of beings of every kind.

They all went to the Buddha’s place of enlightenment, wishing to bow their heads in homage, venerate him, and reverently receive his teachings. Upon arriving, everyone stood solemnly and respectfully, bowed their heads at the Buddha’s feet, circumambulated him three times, and then stood to one side. They praised him in verse:

Great Universal Wisdom,

Supremely honored one,

Through equal accumulation

For immeasurable countless kotis,

Employing the most sublime meaning,

You have compassion for sentient beings.

Your practices and vows are fulfilled

Among the sages and noble ones.

You diligently practiced austerities

For ten full intermediate kalpas,

Single-minded and wholly intent

While seated in meditation.

Your body and mind were purified

And never moved.

You burned away suffering and affliction

As though cutting through a tree’s roots.

In the mind’s discriminations

And in intentions deep or shallow,

You never advanced or retreated,

Nor were you ever distracted.

There was neither increase nor decrease;

In silence, you accorded perfectly,

Attaining ultimate tranquil concentration,

Free from all outflows.

Now auspiciousness is manifest,

And you forever abide in peace.

Because you clung to no perceptions,

You attained the Buddha-path.

Seeing this,

We gain wisdom and fearlessness.

Such accomplishments

Increase great virtue and righteousness.

Without regard for body or life,

You severed every calamity and suffering,

Accumulated patient endurance,

And did not crave ease or pleasure.

The wisdom of the path shines brightly,

And suffering remains no more.

Dwelling in solitude,

You aroused diligent effort.

Those who neither honor nor believe

The Dharma-voice of the Buddhas

Pass through the long, dark night,

Their offenses casting them into evil destinies.

When they lose the human body,

They fall into wretched paths,

And throughout all their lives,

Whoever sees them reviles them.

Today we have encountered

The holy father of the world.

That path is supreme

And free from all outflows.

In this world,

We have now attained deliverance,

As through the Great Sage Guides

Of the past.

The Buddha told the bhikshus:

“O bhikshus! Those sovereigns and princes, those princely brothers, were all youths. They praised and extolled Great Universal Wisdom Tathagata, the Supremely Honored, Perfectly Enlightened One. After proclaiming his virtues and praising him with gentle words, the princes entreated the World-Honored One to teach the sutras and Dharma, explaining and distinguishing them so that beings might abide securely. They asked this for the peace of sentient beings and, out of great compassion, to benefit devas and humans alike. They further praised him in verse:

We humbly beseech the World-Honored One

To expound the sutras,

Teach and transform sentient beings,

And inspire everyone.

The beings of the three realms

Are all thirsting with longing;

May they awaken to the meaning of the path

Through the grace of your transforming guidance.

The Buddhas, great and holy honored ones,

Are adorned with the Dharma of a hundred merits;

You who have attained the highest fulfillment

Possess truly supreme wisdom.

Teach the Dharma for the devas

And for humanity in the world;

Deliver us

And all kinds of sentient beings.

At the proper time, reveal the radiant Dharma,

The wisdom and meaning of the Buddha.

Likewise, here and now,

Manifest the supreme path

And cause all living beings

All receive and enjoy that Dharma.

The World-Honored One knows all,

All practices and wisdom in their entirety;

Therefore, He expounds them distinctly,

According to virtues cultivated in former lives.

He knows all sentient beings,

And what their minds delight in;

Therefore, He turns the Dharma wheel.

Supreme and beyond compare,

He frees sentient beings from the yoke,

And leads them all to the Great Way.

The Buddha told the bhiksus:

“At that time, the World-Honored One, the Tathagata Great Penetrating Wisdom, manifested transformations throughout five million kotis of Buddha lands in each of the ten directions. All those lands quaked in six ways, and light shone everywhere to the utmost reaches of the worlds, illuminating all the realms of the Buddhas. No light whatsoever from the devas or spirits in the sky, nor even the brilliant radiance of the sun and moon, could compare with it. That light far surpassed the radiance of the palaces and halls of the devas and shone upward in dazzling splendor as far as the Brahma heavens.

“The Buddha manifested this auspicious light, which enveloped everything and rendered all other lights invisible. It brilliantly illuminated every place throughout the heavens and the human world. The various sentient beings living in other realms could all see one another, and each said:

“‘Why have other sentient beings suddenly appeared here today?’

“At that time, all the heavenly realms everywhere quaked.

“Then, throughout immeasurable and boundless Buddha lands in the east, the hundreds of thousands of myriads of kotis of Brahma palaces spontaneously shone with brilliant light. The Brahma heavenly kings thought to themselves: ‘All these countless heavenly palaces and halls are radiant, their light interpenetrating. For what cause and condition has this auspicious sign appeared?’ Hundreds of thousands of myriads of kotis of Great Brahmas throughout five hundred worlds each left his own palace and assembled together to deliberate upon this event. Among them was a Great Brahma named Protector of Living Beings, who spoke verses of praise for the Brahmas:

Our palaces and dwellings

Today, O worthy ones,

You should know, are filled

With this great light.

It surpasses that of all devas,

And everyone delights in it.

Through what cause and condition

Has this auspicious sign appeared?

Excellent! Let us gather here

And seek its meaning.

Have heavenly princes

Come here of themselves today?

In accordance with what noble intent

Has such a wonder been manifested?

What we now behold

Has never before been seen.

Perhaps one intimate with the devas,

A king of the human realm,

Or one bearing the marks of a sage

Has appeared in the world.

This most wondrous light

Illuminates all ten directions,

Causing everything to quake;

Only then could it be thus.

“O bhiksus! At that time, countless kotis of Brahmas from five hundred worlds in the east all traveled together from afar. Looking westward, they saw the Tathagata Great Penetrating Wisdom, the Perfectly Awakened One, seated upon the lion throne beneath the bodhi tree at the place of enlightenment, surrounded by devas, nagas, spirits, asuras, garudas, kimnaras, mahoragas, humans and nonhumans, as well as the sixteen princes and their retinues.

Seeing this, they all entreated the World-Honored One to expound the sutra. The Brahmas approached the Tathagata, bowed their heads and prostrated at His feet, and circumambulated the Buddha countless times. They held lotus flowers as large as Mount Sumeru and scattered them over the tree beneath which the Buddha sat; that tree was forty miles high.

Having made their floral offerings, each Brahma presented his palace to the World-Honored One and said:

“‘We humbly beseech the Buddha, out of compassion, to accept the flowers and palaces we offer.’

“The Brahmas praised Him in verse:

The immeasurable Buddha,

Whom we have never encountered before,

Out of loving compassion

Has appeared in the world.

The World-Honored One expounds the Dharma

Like a lion’s roar,

Ever able to rescue and protect

Sentient beings throughout the ten directions.

We have journeyed

To reach this place,

Passing through five hundred

Thousand myriads of kotis of lands.

Whatever the number

And varieties of those lands,

We all left our palaces

To come before the Noble One.

All of us,

Through virtues from former lives,

Possess these beautiful

Precious palaces.

We have brought them all here

And reverently present them.

We beseech the World-Honored One,

Out of compassion, to accept them.

“After praising the World-Honored One, all five hundred Great Brahmas addressed the Buddha, saying:

“‘We humbly beseech the World-Honored One to turn the Dharma wheel and expound the Dharma of the Great Sage, liberating sentient beings and enabling them to attain nirvana.’

“The five hundred Brahmas and the hundreds of thousands of myriads of kotis in the assembly joined their voices in praise:

We beseech the World-Honored One to expound the sutra,

O Discerner endowed with merit and wisdom.

Please manifest the power of loving-kindness

And deliver suffering sentient beings.

“At that time, seeing the Brahmas present their palaces, the Buddha silently accepted their request. Then, throughout five hundred thousand myriads of kotis of lands to the southeast, each Brahma saw his own palace shining with a dazzling brilliance never known before, and so they all assembled together. Among them was a Great Brahma named Most Loving and Compassionate, who spoke verses of praise for the Brahmas:

Great devas, you should know:

This is an auspicious sign from ancient times.

All the palaces are astir,

And many excellent signs have appeared.

Therefore, the heavenly princes

Should each assemble here.

Whose awe-inspiring spiritual power

Has caused the palaces to shine?

Now a Buddha has appeared in the world,

The Honored One among beings, endowed with merit and wisdom;

Therefore, all the palaces

Manifest such light.

We should go and inquire

Whether this is indeed so.

From ancient times until now,

We have never seen anything like this.

Light shines from the four directions,

Illuminating myriads of kotis of lands.

Surely it must be so:

A Buddha has appeared in this world.

“O bhiksus! At that time, five hundred thousand myriads of kotis of Brahmas each left his own palace, and together they carried various celestial flowers as large as Mount Sumeru and traveled northwestward. From afar they saw the Tathagata Great Penetrating Noble Wisdom seated upon the lion throne beneath the bodhi tree at the place of enlightenment, expounding the Dharma to devas, nagas, spirits, asuras, garudas, kimnaras, mahoragas, and the surrounding retinues. Seeing this, the Brahmas immediately approached, bowed their heads and prostrated at the World-Honored One’s feet, circumambulated Him countless times, and scattered the great flowers they held over the Buddha.

“The Great Brahmas and their retinues praised Him in verse:

Homage to the Supremely Exalted One!

You are the Great Sage,

The Teacher of devas,

Whose voice is like the kalavinka bird.

You proclaim the Way and universally deliver

Devas and human beings.

We bow our heads in homage,

For You have compassion for the world.

What has never before been attained,

And is difficult to encounter in the world,

The radiant majesty of Your countenance,

We have now at last beheld.

Throughout hundreds of lives,

You accumulated virtue and realized emptiness;

You attended eight billion Buddhas

Through kalpas numerous as dust motes.

Honored One among humans,

You discern the wisdom of emptiness

And constantly expound it,

Skillfully employing expedient means.

Hosts of devas and their ministers,

And all sentient beings who behold You,

Number a full billion thousands,

Reaching eighty-fold multitudes.

With the eye of wisdom, You see through all

And bring them to the place of deliverance,

Sheltering and protecting everyone

Within the Buddha’s Dharma.

Therefore, You appear in the world

Out of compassion for sentient beings.

Through our merit, we now behold You,

Though You are exceedingly difficult to encounter.

“Myriads of thousands of countless Brahmas entreated the World-Honored One to turn the Dharma wheel and expound the meaning of the sutra, so as universally to transform all living beings, rescue them from the three realms, and bring them peace and security. With one mind and a single voice, the Brahmas praised Him:

Supreme Great Being,

We beseech You to turn the Dharma wheel.

Please expound the sutras and Dharma

For all beings everywhere.

Deliver all living beings

From calamity, suffering, and affliction,

Enabling every one of them

To attain liberation and rejoice.

Whoever hears it

Will all accomplish the Buddha Way.

Devas and human beings,

Through Your grace, will dwell in peace.

The hosts of asuras

Will diminish in number.

Bestow patience upon them,

And cause their peace and joy to increase.

“At that time, the Tathagata Great Penetrating Wisdom silently accepted their request.”

O bhikshus! At that time, throughout hundreds of thousands of myriads of kotis of Buddha lands in the south and west, the palaces of all the Great Brahma gods were filled everywhere with brilliant, magnificent light. The Brahma gods, seeing their own palaces shining with majestic brilliance, marveled at this unprecedented event and gathered together. Each of them thought: “Why are our palaces shining so brightly?” Among that assembly was a Great Brahma god named Good Dharma, who spoke these verses of praise:

The Great Sage appears in the world,

True and never false;

All our palaces

Shine with dazzling brilliance.

This auspicious sign

Has appeared in the world;

Excellent indeed! May we attain

The profound meaning of this event.

Throughout innumerable

Thousands of myriads of kotis of kalpas in the past,

Never have we beheld

Such a phenomenon as this.

A Tathagata must be

Appearing in the world,

Causing all the heavenly beings

Spontaneously to assemble.

O bhikshus! At that time, five hundred thousand myriads of kotis of Brahma gods, seeing from their palaces flowers as large as Mount Sumeru, each took such flowers as offerings and together journeyed northward. They saw the Tathagata Great Penetrating Wisdom seated upon the Lion Throne beneath the Bodhi tree, teaching the Dharma at the place of enlightenment to innumerable devas, nagas, spirits, asuras, garudas, kimnaras, mahoragas, and their retinues gathered around him. They all approached the Buddha, bowed their heads and prostrated themselves at his feet, circumambulated him innumerable times, scattered flowers as large as Mount Sumeru as offerings, and presented their palaces to the Blessed One, humbly imploring him compassionately to accept their offerings and dwell therein.

With one mind and one voice, the Brahma gods spoke these verses of praise:

The appearance of Buddhas in the world

Is exceedingly difficult to encounter;

After kalpas long and distant,

Only now have we met one.

How fortunate that we have come here,

Where craving and desire are extinguished

And complete fulfillment is bestowed

Upon the trichiliocosm.

The Great Guides

Satisfy those who hunger;

Since ancient times until now,

Such a thing has never been seen or heard.

Like the udumbara flower,

Which is difficult to behold,

The wisdom of the Way is difficult to encounter

And appears only after a very long time.

Our palaces,

Immeasurably splendid,

Have become thus

Through the Buddha’s awe-inspiring spiritual power.

We humbly beseech you to have compassion;

Reverently we offer them for your acceptance.

May you dwell within them

And reveal the Eye of the Way.

The Brahma gods entreated the Blessed One:

“May the Blessed One compassionately turn the Dharma wheel and expound the scriptures, so that all devas, spirits, shramanas, and brahmins may gain abundant peace, happiness, and benefit, and so that both heaven and the human world may receive his grace.”

At that time, the Brahma gods spoke together in one voice, uttering these verses of praise:

We humbly pray that the Blessed One

Will extensively expound the scriptures;

Out of compassion, may the Great Sage

Set the Dharma wheel in motion.

Expound the immeasurable Dharma

Like resounding thunder;

We humbly pray that, with compassion,

You will blow the great Dharma conch.

Through the great scriptures,

Rain down Dharma upon the world;

Skillfully distinguish its meanings

And teach the wondrous Dharma.

We now entreat you:

May you expound the wisdom of the Way

And teach and transform

Hundreds of thousands of myriads of kotis of beings.

The same occurred in the southwest, northwest, and northeast. The innumerable Brahma gods could not be fully counted. In the regions above and below as well, the Brahma gods in every direction saw their own palaces shining brightly everywhere and marveled at this unprecedented event. In each direction, five hundred thousand myriads of kotis of Brahma gods left their palaces and journeyed to the Buddha. A Great Brahma god named Wondrous Consciousness then spoke these verses of praise:

Excellent indeed! May the Buddhas,

The wise sages who save the world,

For the beings of the three realms,

Reveal the vehicle of perfect enlightenment!

Becoming the eyes of the entire world,

They see throughout the lands of the ten directions;

They open the gateway of ambrosia

And liberate all beings.

Throughout immeasurable kalpas in the past,

The Honored One Among Humans did not appear;

Living beings dwelt in darkness,

Which manifested throughout the ten directions.

They increasingly delighted in the hell realms

And took pleasure in the realm of animals;

In later lives they fell among hungry ghosts,

In inconceivable myriads of kotis.

Though they obtained heavenly bodies and enjoyed lasting bliss,

When their lives ended, they fell into evil destinies.

If they are able to hear the Buddha-Dharma,

They will attain the impartial Way;

Resolutely practicing in accord with the Buddha’s wisdom,

They will universally aid all living beings,

Leading them all to a place of peace and security.

Yet, unable to relinquish thoughts of sensual pleasure,

They never practice the Buddha Way,

Do not abide in the true Dharma,

And oppose the boundless sacred teaching;

Thereupon they fall into evil destinies.

Now, encountering this light,

We have assembled in obedience to this auspicious sign.

Surpassing all living beings,

He practices loving-kindness,

And thus we behold the Blessed One,

Who realizes emptiness and undefiled wisdom.

All devas and beings of the world

Now entreat him here.

Our immeasurably beautiful palaces

Are manifestations of his awe-inspiring virtue;

They cast everywhere a radiance like moon-bright jewels.

May the Great Guide

Accept our offerings;

Compassionately receive these palaces,

And enable us and all living beings

To attain the unsurpassed Way.

O bhikshus! At that time, after the five hundred thousand myriads of kotis of Great Brahma gods had extolled and praised the Buddha, they entreated him to turn the great Dharma wheel, teaching, transforming, and bringing peace and security to living beings throughout the ten directions. They further praised him, saying:

We humbly pray that you expound

The unsurpassed Dharma wheel;

We beseech you to beat the Dharma drum

With its unique and wondrous sound,

Liberating living beings

From their many calamities and sufferings;

Out of compassion, reveal

The great Way of nirvana.

We now entreat you;

We humbly pray that you teach the Dharma,

Rescuing the myriad beings

And the entire world.

Let your gentle voice

Utter its wondrous sound,

Born of virtues accumulated

Throughout hundreds of thousands of kotis of kalpas.

At that time, the Tathagata Great Penetrating Wisdom saw the immeasurable, innumerable hundreds of thousands of myriads of kotis of living beings from the ten directions and the sixteen royal princes entreating him to teach the Dharma. He immediately turned the great Dharma wheel three times in its twelve aspects, teaching and instructing shramanas, brahmins, devas, nagas, spirits, maras, Brahma gods, and all the people. For their sake, he taught the truth of suffering: “This is the Noble Truth of Suffering,” and likewise the Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering and the Noble Truth of the Path, through which suffering is brought to an end.

The Buddha then clearly and fully explained the Dharma of the twelve links of dependent origination: ignorance gives rise to formations; formations give rise to consciousness; consciousness gives rise to name-and-form; name-and-form gives rise to the six ayatanas; the six ayatanas give rise to contact; contact gives rise to feeling; feeling gives rise to craving; craving gives rise to grasping; grasping gives rise to becoming; becoming gives rise to birth; and birth gives rise to the great calamities of aging, illness, death, sorrow, and suffering....

O bhikshus! When the Tathagata Great Penetrating Wisdom expounded the Dharma for the third time, in the very moment that he elucidated its meaning, sixteen hundred thousand kotis of those in the assembly exhausted all outflows, liberated their minds, and attained the wisdom of the Three Knowledges and the Six Superknowledges; innumerable people were all delivered. The Buddha continued teaching the Dharma in this manner for a third and a fourth time. Living beings as numerous as the sands of the Ganges heard the scripture, and all exhausted their outflows and liberated their minds. From that time onward, the assembly of shravakas was too numerous to count.

At that time, the sixteen royal princes, through faith, all renounced household life to study the Way and became shramaneras. They were intelligent and wise and possessed abundant skillful means, for they had previously made offerings to hundreds of thousands of myriads of kotis of Buddhas and had established practices in pursuit of unsurpassed enlightened wisdom. Together they addressed the Buddha:

“Now, within this great assembly of shravakas, innumerable hundreds of thousands of myriads of kotis of people have attained complete fulfillment and possess great spiritual powers. We humbly beseech the Blessed One to expound for us the meaning of the unsurpassed, right, and true Way. May the Blessed One, with his great wisdom, contemplate, reveal, and explain this matter to us. We shall study and follow the Tathagata’s great sacred teaching, encourage one another, and contemplate its original source.”

The Blessed One clearly knew the thoughts of the princes and immediately expounded the sutra Dharma to the king and his retinue. Eight billion hundreds of thousands of people all became śramaṇas. At that time, the Buddha perceived the innermost minds of those śramaṇas and, for twenty thousand kalpas, expounded the Vaipulya Sutra of the Lotus of the True Dharma, the Practices of Bodhisattvas, Guarded by All Buddhas. When the Buddha had finished expounding that sutra, the fourfold assembly accepted it with equal faith. The sixteen princely brothers, who were śrāmaṇeras, heard the Buddha’s teaching and together received, upheld, read, recited, and explained it. The Buddha bestowed predictions upon them that they would attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.

When the Buddha had finished expounding that sutra, the śrāvakas rejoiced, and the sixteen śrāmaṇeras together with countless hundreds of thousands of bodhisattvas all fulfilled their aspirations.

The Buddha expounded the Dharma in this way for eighty thousand kalpas without ever resting. When the Buddha had finished expounding that sutra, he entered a pure chamber in a secluded place and devoted himself to meditative concentration for four hundred thousand kalpas.

At that time, the sixteen princes, who had become śrāmaṇeras and practiced the bodhisattva path, were originally sons of the Buddha. Seeing the Blessed One dwelling alone in seclusion, each ascended a Dharma seat and extensively explained the meaning of that Dharma. For eighty-four thousand kalpas they analyzed and expounded the sutra. Each bodhisattva guided six hundred thousand Ganges-sands of hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of sentient beings, establishing them in the path of unsurpassed truth and setting them firmly in the practices of the Great Vehicle.

Only after eight hundred forty thousand kalpas did the Tathagata Great Penetrating Supreme Wisdom emerge from meditation. He went to the Dharma seat and addressed the entire assembly of bhikṣus:

– These sixteen princes have accomplished immeasurable merit and are exceedingly rare. Their wisdom is extraordinary and exceptional. They have previously made offerings to myriads of koṭis of Buddhas, perfected all practices, inherited the wisdom of the Buddhas, and entered the path of enlightenment. In order to instruct sentient beings, they have also deeply penetrated the Buddha’s wisdom. All you bhikṣus should bow your heads reverently and constantly draw near to these sixteen Worthies without becoming negligent. Those who aspire to the śrāvaka or pratyekabuddha vehicle have obtained the path of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas. Those who cultivate the bodhisattva practice have likewise attained accomplishment. Those who have newly aroused the aspiration will receive predictions.

Bhikṣus! All who hear this sutra Dharma and are able to believe it reverently will attain the path of unsurpassed truth and accomplish the Buddha’s awakened wisdom.

Bhikṣus! Those who obey the instructions of the Blessed One always faithfully understand the true Dharma and teach it to all sentient beings. Those sixteen princes fully possessed the bodhisattva vehicle, and each one instructed and transformed sixty Ganges-sands of people.

Wherever they dwelt, those people constantly drew near to them and also followed them to hear the doctrine of the true Dharma. Through this, each of those sentient beings encountered four billion hundreds of thousands of Buddhas, just as I am now proclaiming the teaching to the fourfold assembly.

Bhikṣus, do you know who those sixteen princes were?

The bhikṣus replied:

– No, Blessed One, we do not!

The Buddha said:

– Those sixteen princes have now all attained the path of unsurpassed truth. At present they are expounding the Dharma in the worlds of the ten directions, aiding countless hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of śrāvaka assemblies; their bodhisattvas cannot all be counted.

At present, in the east, in the world of Utmost Joy, there are two Buddhas named Tathagata Free from Anger and Tathagata Mountain Ridge, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Enlightened Ones.

The two Buddhas presently in the southeast are named Tathagata Lion’s Roar and Tathagata Lion Banner.

The two Buddhas presently in the south are named Tathagata Sole Abiding and Tathagata Ever Attaining Nirvana.

The two Buddhas presently in the southwest are named Tathagata Imperial Banner and Tathagata Brahmā Banner.

The two Buddhas presently in the west are named Tathagata Infinite Life and Tathagata Transcending Causes and Conditions.

The two Buddhas presently in the northwest are named Tathagata Sandalwood Supernormal Powers and Tathagata Mountain Treasury Mindfulness.

The two Buddhas presently in the north are named Tathagata Joyful Rain and Tathagata King of the Sound of Rain.

The one Buddha presently in the northeast is named Dispeller of the World’s Fears.

I am now named Śākyamuni. In this Sahā world I have become a Tathagata, Worthy One, Perfectly Enlightened One. Together, we are the sixteen Blessed Ones.

Bhikṣus! When we were still the sixteen śrāmaṇeras during the lifetime of that Buddha, we expounded the sutra Dharma for sentient beings to hear and accept. Each bodhisattva instructed and transformed immeasurable Ganges-sands of hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of sentient beings, causing them to arouse the aspiration for the path of unsurpassed truth. Those sentient beings have now attained the bodhisattva path, while some abide at the stage of śrāvakas. Gradually instructed and encouraged, they will advance toward the great unsurpassed path and will gradually attain perfect enlightenment. Why is this? The wisdom of the Tathagata cannot be reckoned and has no limit, yet sentient beings are unable to believe and understand it in this way.

Bhikṣus! Why is this so? When I was still a bodhisattva, I instructed and transformed immeasurable hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of Ganges-sands of sentient beings.

Those possessing wisdom heard, understood, believed, and accepted the teaching. In future lives, some may arouse the aspiration to become disciples, study, and attain the fruit of śrāvakas, but afterward they may be unwilling to hear and understand the bodhisattva doctrine, may not know the Buddha’s wisdom, and may not practice the bodhisattva practices. They will all imagine that their minds and aspirations abide securely in liberation and believe that they have attained nirvana.

They must go to the world of another Buddha, be born in another Buddha-land, cultivate and follow the distinctive practices, seek the wisdom of the path, and hear, accept, believe, and understand. Only then will they clearly comprehend that the Dharma of the Tathagata contains only the single Buddha Vehicle and not two vehicles. The Tathagata merely employs skillful means to teach the Three Vehicles.

After a perfectly enlightened Tathagata enters nirvana, if anyone makes offerings with pure conduct, delights in and reverently believes the sublime Dharma, approaches this scripture, and becomes single-mindedly pure in great meditative concentration, one should know that at that time this person, in the presence of the Tathagata, gathers together all the assemblies of bodhisattvas and all the assemblies of śrāvakas to believe in and accept this Dharma. Only then does that person know that, in the world, the Buddha path does not contain two vehicles leading to complete liberation. They are merely teachings skillfully presented through the expedient means of the perfectly enlightened Tathagata.

Sentient beings who delight in the inferior practices of the Lesser Vehicle have long since deprived themselves of the seed of Buddhahood and do not clearly understand that people are inherently bound by desire. After the Tathagata enters nirvana, if any sentient beings hear this sutra being taught, rejoice, and reverently believe it, those sentient beings have received the gracious virtue of the Buddhas’ protection and mindfulness.

It is like a desolate road five hundred leagues long, stretching immeasurably far, utterly without the trace of a person and with no villages or settlements. A wise and discerning guide investigates the byways and the near and distant portions of the road so that he may guide a company of people wishing to cross that remote road. Yet they all become exhausted and are unable to advance any farther.

Regretfully they think: “We dwelt peacefully in a sacred land, in a peaceful country with kings and officials, teachers and friends, mothers and fathers. Now we have struggled along this distant road and can go no farther. It would be better for us to return together and escape this suffering and peril.” The guide takes pity on them.

They had resolved to seek precious jewels, but midway they regret their decision and wish to turn back. Therefore, through skillful expedient means, in a broad and empty tract of land some four thousand or eight thousand leagues across, he uses the power of supernormal abilities to conjure a great city and tells the traveling merchants:

– Do not harbor fear or wish to turn back. We have now reached a great country and can rest here. You may freely eat and drink as you please, or, if you wish, you may seek abundant precious jewels here as well.

O bhikshus! At that time, when the traveling merchants saw that the city was densely populated and exceedingly delightful, they marveled at what they had never experienced before. Their suffering ceased, and they attained joy, peace, and security. No longer fearing deprivation, hunger, or thirst, they believed that they had reached the pinnacle of happiness.

At that time, the guide knew that everyone had rested for a day and was no longer weary. He then caused the conjured city to disappear without a trace and told them:

– You should quickly proceed to the land abounding in precious jewels. Because I saw that you were weary from the journey and fearful at heart, I conjured that city.

O bhikshus! The Tathagata is likewise. For your sake, he acts as a guide and teaches the Dharma of the sutras.

Seeing sentient beings ceaselessly wandering along the path of birth and death, beset by calamity, hardship, and deprivation, he reveals the Three Vehicles and single-minded meditation so that they may attain nirvana. Originally, the Tathagata taught only the One Vehicle, but when sentient beings hear the Tathagata teach the Dharma, they do not attain the wisdom of the Way. Some grow disheartened, thinking that they must endure hardship and toil for a very long time before attaining accomplishment.

Knowing that their minds are weary and indolent, the Tathagata reveals for them the fruits of the shravaka and pratyekabuddha to be attained, just as that guide conjured a great city crowded with people. Once the travelers had rested in peace and security, that great city vanished of itself. The guide explained to the merchants that the city was an illusion; that Guide is precisely the Tathagata.

The vast wilderness represents the five paths of birth and death. Those traveling merchants refer to you. Their search for precious jewels signifies the Dharma practices and wisdom of the Way of bodhisattvas.

Becoming weary midway and wishing to turn back means that the Buddha Way is difficult to attain: even after passing through many kalpas accumulating merit, one may still be unable to accomplish it.

The Tathagata guides the assembly of shravakas and pratyekabuddhas through expedient means so that they may practice with ease; therefore, he conjures a great city called the nirvana of the arhats. The disappearance of the great city is an analogy for the time when he is about to enter parinirvana. At that very time, the Buddha encourages them to resolve their minds toward the unsurpassed, right, and true Way. The attainment of arhatship still entails obstructions and is not the true attainment of the Great Way. If they journey elsewhere, behold the Buddhas, attain the stage of non-retrogression, and gain complete liberation, only then is it called the ultimate destination at the great treasury of precious jewels.

O bhikshus! When the Tathagata taught this Dharma for you, you regarded it as wholly complete, unaware that your cultivation was not yet finished. Moreover, the Tathagata’s wisdom universally perceives the minds of all people in the world and therefore reveals nirvana. The Tathagata, the Most True, the Perfectly and Fully Awakened One, has skillfully employed expedient means to teach that there are Three Vehicles.

At that time, wishing to restate this meaning, the Blessed One spoke in verse:

Long ago there was a Guide,

Great Penetrating Wisdom,

Who sat at the place of enlightenment

Beneath the Buddha tree,

Single-minded in meditation

For ten intermediate kalpas;

Yet he had not accomplished

The ultimate meaning of the Way.

The devas and dragon spirits,

And the hosts of asuras,

Aroused diligent resolve

And made offerings to the Supreme One.

Layer upon layer of heavenly flowers

Poured down like rain,

Scattering over the Buddha,

The Teacher of the human realm.

Throughout the open sky,

Heavenly drums resounded

To present offerings

To the supremely honored Great Sage.

There the Supreme One,

Diligently practicing austerities,

After long cultivation,

Attained the unsurpassed Way.

Absorbed in meditative contemplation

Throughout ten kalpas,

He then attained Buddhahood

As Great Penetrating Wisdom.

Devas and human beings,

Hundreds of thousands of myriads of kotis,

And all sentient beings

Rejoiced and were exultant.

The Buddha had

Sixteen sons,

All of whom followed and received

The Tathagata’s instruction.

Sentient beings of every kind,

Hundreds of thousands of myriads of kotis,

Surrounded by their retinues,

Journeyed to the Buddha’s presence.

Bowing their heads in homage

To the holy and honored Teacher,

They earnestly entreated him:

“Please expound the Dharma of the sutras.

O valiant Lion,

Teach the Dharma never spoken before.

We, this vast multitude,

And all the people

Throughout the worlds

In the ten directions—

Only after immeasurable kalpas

Has the Great Sage appeared.

The palaces of the Brahma devas

Suddenly shone brilliantly,

Manifesting auspicious signs

That all distinctly proclaimed.

In the worlds of the east,

Hundreds of thousands of myriads of kotis,

Five million lands

Spontaneously quaked.

Those Brahma devas,

Within their own palaces,

Possessing majestic spiritual power and merit

Supreme and exalted,

Then beheld

Those auspicious signs

And immediately sought the Buddha,

The One who compassionately regards the world.

They then took heavenly flowers

And scattered them as offerings to the Great One;

Each offered his palace

To the Blessed One.

With music, strings, and flutes,

They praised the Buddha’s merit

And entreated the Guide

To turn the Dharma wheel.

The Honored One among Humans

Silently accepted their request

And, for the sake of all sentient beings,

Expounded the Dharma of the sutras.

From the west and the south,

From the worlds of the north,

From above and below,

And throughout every region,

Kotis of thousands of myriads

Of Brahma devas all arrived,

Presenting precious treasures

As offerings to the Buddha.

And in the lower regions,

Throughout the realms of Brahma,

Everywhere it was likewise,

Without the slightest difference.

They all offered their palaces

To the Great Sage,

Praised the Tathagata,

And together entreated him

To turn the Dharma wheel.

“The One of Great Wisdom

Is exceedingly difficult to encounter,

Even throughout countless kotis of kalpas;

We pray that you compassionately manifest.

Through the faculties and powers cultivated of old,

Out of all-embracing compassion,

Open wide the gate

Of the ambrosial Dharma.

With the Dharma eye seeing everywhere,

Distinguish the meanings of wisdom,

Proclaim and extol the Dharma of the sutras

For beings of every kind.”

At that time, the Blessed One

Revealed the Four Noble Truths

And fully explained

The twelve links of dependent origination.

With penetrating wisdom, he made them clear,

Causing beings to attain the radiant eye.

The Buddha taught that birth and death

Are the flower of sorrow and suffering;

All worldly existence

Arises from becoming and birth.

One should know that these causes

Lead beings into submersion.

When the Tathagata proclaimed

This ultimate Dharma,

Beings of manifold kinds,

Countless kotis of people,

Eight hundred thousand kotis

Of all sentient beings,

Heard the Buddha’s teaching

And abided in the shravaka vehicle.

How much more so in other regions,

Where they established the first stage.

At that time, the Blessed One

Expounded the meanings of the sutras;

Sentient beings, pure

As numerous as the sands of the Ganges,

All directed their minds to abide

In the practice of shravakas.

The Buddha’s holy assembly,

Whose members were as numerous as stated above—

Even if all were counted together,

Their number could not be known.

Sentient beings of every kind,

Each and every one likewise,

All in this same manner

Established unsurpassed wisdom.

Then the sixteen

Princes, sons of the Buddha,

All came to receive instruction,

United in single-minded resolve.

All renounced the household life

And became shramaneras,

And all thoroughly understood

The Buddha’s Vaipulya sutras.

They would attain the fruit

Of becoming compassionate fathers in the world.

All of you, likewise,

Shall attain supreme wisdom;

These sentient beings

Shall all attain the same.

Just like the Blessed One,

The eye of the Dharma,

Supremely excellent and utterly sincere,

They clearly knew the source of the mind.

Though still young children,

They constantly practiced impartiality

And, for the sake of sentient beings,

Taught the unsurpassed Way.

Through hundreds of thousands of myriads of kotis

Of innumerable analogies,

They revealed causes and conditions

And their various karmic results.

They distinguished all dharmas,

Penetrating every form of wisdom,

And taught the practices to be undertaken

By the bodhisattvas.

At that time, the Great Sage,

In order to reveal the true truth,

Proclaimed and exalted

This Lotus of the True Dharma.

He expounded everywhere

The Great Vaipulya Sutra,

With myriad thousands of verses,

Inconceivable,

As numerous as the sands of the Ganges,

Beyond all measure.

When the Buddha had finished teaching

The Dharma of the sutra,

He immediately entered a secluded chamber

And contemplated in meditation.

For eighty-four thousand

Kalpas, he peacefully remained there;

The Hero of the World, the Guide,

Meditated in this manner.

At that time, the shramaneras

Saw the Great Sage

Dwelling in the secluded chamber

And not emerging from it.

They instructed and transformed the people,

Countless kotis of thousands,

Awakening them to meditation,

Pure and undefiled,

And to supreme wisdom.

Upon the great Dharma seat,

Each one proclaimed

The Dharma sutra of the Great Sage,

Abiding firmly as they expounded it.

They spread the teaching and transformed beings,

No differently from the Buddha;

The sentient beings they liberated

Were as numerous as the sands of the Ganges,

Beyond all measure.

Hundreds of thousands, countless beings

All heard, believed, and accepted;

They attained peaceful abiding.

Each and every sentient being

Was taught and transformed by the Buddha,

Their number immeasurable.

That Supremely Victorious One,

After entering extinction,

Those who still had more to learn

Drew near and closely attended

Four billion Buddhas.

Upon hearing their names,

They immediately went to make offerings

To the Honored Ones, Perfect in Both Wisdom and Merit.

There were four modes of practice;

Freedom from defilement was esteemed.

All attained the Buddha Way

And now dwell throughout the ten directions.

The sixteen youths

Were all sons of the Buddha.

Throughout the eight directions,

They broadly expounded the meaning of the Way.

Those who heard and accepted

The words spoken by the Buddha

Were the shravakas,

Disciples of the Buddha.

Gradually they instructed

Beings of every form and appearance,

Who would now draw near

And awaken the resolve for the Great Way.

At that time, I myself

Had already attained awakening

And enabled all beings

To hear and accept the teaching.

Now, worthy ones,

You are shravakas;

Through skillful means,

I instruct and guide everyone.

In my former lives,

Such was the karmic recompense;

At the proper time I taught the Dharma

Through such causes and conditions.

Those unable to patiently endure

The cultivation of the Buddha Way—

Bhikshus, you should know—

Are disturbed by Mara.

Following their inherent dispositions,

Fierce and unrestrained,

Their resolve does not accord with the teaching;

They neither delight in it nor possess wisdom.

For countless hundreds of lifetimes,

They thirst without finding water;

Moreover, they remain deluded

And are constantly beset by fear.

Countless men,

Hundreds of thousands of millions and billions,

Set out on a distant journey,

Crossing a desolate wilderness.

They see it stretch boundlessly,

Remote, arduous, and forbidding;

The distant road ahead

Extends five hundred yojanas.

There is a great man,

Worthy, discerning, and wise,

A guiding teacher who instructs and transforms,

Whose mind knows no fear.

For the caravan of merchants,

He points out the road

Through the remote and desolate waste.

Many shrink from the hardship;

Countless billions of them

Grow weary and exhausted.

They approach the guiding teacher

And speak to him thus:

“We are utterly weary

And can go no farther.

Today, all of us

Wish only to turn back.”

The wise guiding teacher,

A master of skillful means,

Earnestly encourages and guides them,

Instructing and comforting them.

He pities them on the darksome road,

For they would abandon the precious treasures;

Utterly exhausted,

They would retreat midway.

“I must now

Manifest the power of spiritual penetration

And conjure into being

A vast fortified city,

Splendid and magnificent,

Filled with countless people.

I shall establish dwellings there,

Subtle, wondrous, and beautiful,

And also conjure

Broad rivers and streams,

Bathing pools, gardens, and groves,

Lush with flowers and fruit;

Mansions and palaces,

Great gates and lofty walls;

Men and women in abundance,

Many hundreds of thousands of millions and billions.”

He entices and encourages them,

Causing them to be unafraid.

Everyone rejoices,

Delighted beyond measure:

“Today we have reached

This great city.

We may enter its marketplaces and enjoy ourselves,

Obtaining whatever we desire.”

Their hearts are filled with joy,

As though they had attained extinction.

“All our hardships

Have now ended.

Because we have found peace and security,

We therefore rejoice.

Today, everyone

May enjoy themselves freely.”

Once they have attained ease and happiness,

The guide observes everywhere

The thoughts and intentions of the people,

Then solemnly declares:

“Come here, all of you,

And listen to my words:

Through spiritual powers,

I conjured this great city.

I saw that the terrain ahead

Was barren and filled with thorns,

And that all of you were frightened

And wished to turn back.

Through skillful means,

I manifested these many things.

You should now be diligent

And continue forward along the road.”

Bhikshus!

I am also like this.

I see countless billions,

Hundreds of thousands of sentient beings,

Weary of the calamities and torments

Of delusion and samsara.

Through skillful means,

I reveal the Way and instruct them.

Because the Buddha considers

Such meaning and benefit,

Those weary of the Buddha Way

Do not attain nirvana.

When all the Buddha’s teachings

Have been studied, clearly understood, and thoroughly mastered,

You attain accomplishment

And now realize arhatship.

Thus I encourage and establish you,

So that you may receive this virtuous recompense,

Encounter the worthy sages,

And attain the fruit of arhatship.

All of you

Have been freed from every suffering;

Only then, before the entire assembly,

Do I proclaim this Dharma.

The Buddhas, the Great Sages,

Skillfully employ expedient means

To expound the teachings;

The Great Seers bring deliverance and protection.

There is but one Buddha Vehicle;

Never have there been two.

Only to provide you a place of rest

Was it taught through distinctions.

Therefore, in teaching and transforming

These bhikshus,

They should arouse diligent vigor

Toward the foremost and most wondrous Way.

Everyone shall attain

All compassionate wisdom;

In the bodhisattva teaching,

There is no extinction.

I constantly aspire

To perfect all penetrating wisdom,

Reach throughout the ten directions,

And attain the supremely victorious Dharma scripture.

With a splendid countenance

And the thirty-two marks,

One shall accomplish the Buddha Way;

Only then should one enter extinction.

The great guiding teachers

Teach the Dharma in this way:

Do not allow yourselves to stop and rest,

Believing that you have attained extinction.

To provide a place of rest,

They speak of attaining the unconditioned;

Through this condition,

They lead beings into awakened wisdom.