佛說華手經

6. Chapter Six: The Foundations of Mindfulness

The Buddha said to Bhadrapala, “At one time in the past, certain virtuous people thought: ‘We should cultivate in accordance with the four foundations of mindfulness ⁽¹⁾.’ The four foundations of mindfulness encompass all dharmas within the noble Dharma and are therefore called the foundations of mindfulness. Why is this so? Because the intrinsic nature of all dharmas is eternally abiding and indestructible.

The foundation of mindfulness of dharmas is the abiding place of the first gateway of entry, extending to the gateway of the Noble Eightfold Path ⁽²⁾ and the three gates of liberation ⁽³⁾. The gate of liberation is the nondual Dharma ⁽⁴⁾, through which one transcends both extremes and attains the liberated wisdom of the noble ones. The nondual Dharma is the Dharma in which nothing is possessed.

Because nothing is possessed, it is inexhaustible; this is called right view, which transcends both extremes. What are called the two extremes arise because, within emptiness, there is no reality whatsoever.

“Bhadrapala, you should know that the Tathagata does not abandon one extreme by adopting the view of the other. Since originally neither extreme exists, it is said that both extremes are transcended. All Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, are detached from all dharmas; the views and attachments of the wise are not like those of ordinary beings.

“Bhadrapala, when one seeks to penetrate the true characteristic of dharmas, nothing can be apprehended; therefore, all must be relinquished. Dharmas are originally illusory, with neither attainment nor loss. Bhadrapala, for this reason, in the past a deva came and asked me:

– ‘Is the śramaṇa joyful?’

– I replied: ‘What dharma have I attained that I should feel joy?’

– The deva asked again: ‘Are you not sorrowful?’

– I replied once more: ‘What dharma have I lost that I should feel sorrow?’

– He further asked: ‘Are you then neither joyful nor sorrowful?’

– I replied: ‘So it is.’

– The deva said: ‘Excellent! Neither joyful nor sorrowful!’

– I then asked the deva: ‘Do you understand what I mean?’

– The deva replied: ‘I believe that the śramaṇa abides in a state of peaceful tranquility.’

“Bhadrapala, do you see how swiftly that deva attained my Dharma? That deva of the past is now present in this assembly and knows that the original nature of all dharmas is tranquil. You should know that in the past he had made offerings to five hundred Buddhas; therefore, he swiftly comprehended my teaching. For this reason, the Buddha says that those who have not planted roots of virtue, or whose roots of virtue have not yet matured, cannot even understand the Dharma of the śrāvakas. How much less could they swiftly comprehend my teaching?

“Bhadrapala, anyone who hears such Dharma as this and can comprehend it immediately should be known to have already planted at least some roots of wholesome merit in the presence of one thousand Buddhas. Why is this so? Because those whose roots of virtue are deep and extensive can attain subtle and wondrous wisdom.”

At that time, Bodhisattva Bhadrapala, Bodhisattva Ratnakūṭa, Bodhisattva Guide, Bodhisattva Attainment of the Stars, Bodhisattva Nārada, Bodhisattva Lord of Devas, Bodhisattva Deity of Waters, Bodhisattva Wholesome Power, Bodhisattva Great Resolve, Bodhisattva Beneficial Resolve, Bodhisattva Increasing Resolve, Bodhisattva Unerring Vision, Bodhisattva Well-Abiding Resolve, Bodhisattva Surpassing Power, Bodhisattva Constantly Vigorous, Bodhisattva Never Resting, Bodhisattva Treasury of the Sun, and five hundred such bodhisattvas each scattered flowers as offerings to the Buddha and said: “World-Honored One, if sentient beings seek these sutras and are able to hear them, they will certainly attain bodhi.

For this reason, we entreat the Buddhas presently abiding throughout the ten directions to remain in the world for a long time and teach the Dharma, enabling those beings to perfect all the factors conducive to bodhi ⁽⁵⁾.”

The Buddha then asked Bhadrapala, “What benefit have sentient beings bestowed upon you that you make this great vow, entreating the Buddha to remain in the world for a long time and teach the Dharma so that they may perfect the factors conducive to bodhi?”

Bhadrapala said to the Buddha, “World-Honored One, I do not make this great vow because I think that sentient beings cause me harm or bring me benefit. The benefit these sentient beings bring me is that they enable the Buddha-Dharma to remain in the world. Even if they were to harm me, if the Buddha-Dharma did not remain, bodhisattvas would not make such a great vow.

“World-Honored One, it is like the pārijāta tree when its kovidāra flowers and leaves flourish luxuriantly. When the devas of the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven see its abundant flowers and foliage, their hearts become exceedingly joyful, and beneath the tree they freely delight in the five sensual pleasures. World-Honored One, what harm or benefit does this king of trees receive from the devas of Trāyastriṃśa that causes the devas’ hearts to delight in going beneath it to enjoy the five sensual pleasures ⁽⁶⁾, and to experience immeasurable joy upon seeing the tree?

“The bodhisattvas are likewise. They do not adorn themselves with great vows because sentient beings benefit or harm them. The bodhisattvas think only: ‘When shall we attain the Buddha’s wisdom and become a refuge for countless sentient beings throughout the worlds of the ten directions?’ Just as that celestial tree spreads its blossoms everywhere for the devas’ delight, they enable sentient beings to take joy in wholesome dharmas through the Dharma of the Buddha’s five faculties. Beneath that king of celestial trees, the devas freely delight in the five sensual pleasures.

“Furthermore, World-Honored One, when one makes an adorned vow apart from sentient beings, no sentient being can be found, just as nothing can be found apart from the self. When one makes a great vow apart from dharmas, no dharmas can be found. When one makes a great vow apart from the skandhas ⁽⁷⁾, no skandhas can be found. When one makes a great vow apart from the dhatus, no dhatus can be found. When one makes a great vow apart from the ayatanas, no ayatanas can be found.

“World-Honored One, within all such adornments, there are no fruits; whatever is adorned must be entirely relinquished. Because the fruits are empty, one makes a great vow without grasping or rejecting any dharma. World-Honored One, the absence of any characteristic of adornment such as this is itself the place of adornment, yet even that place of adornment is wholly ungraspable. World-Honored One, wherever there is something attained, there is still a self. Therefore, a bodhisattva accepts neither a self nor no-self. If one accepts no-self, there remains attachment to a self; this cannot be called no-self or non-acceptance. World-Honored One, for this reason, one makes adorned vows in this world, yet within the great vow there is no longer any characteristic of self and other ⁽⁸⁾.”

– The Buddha asked Bhadrapala: “What benefit is there in making such a vow?”

– He replied: “World-Honored One, when I make this great vow, I see neither ordinary beings nor any dharma to be learned.

“The self must be relinquished, and the Buddha-Dharma should be drawn near. Yet I also do not see this Buddha-Dharma as being the Buddha-Dharma. World-Honored One, when I make this great vow, I no longer see any benefit or harm, for to see them would still be to abide in the characteristics of the world.”

At that time, all the bodhisattvas scattered flowers and manifested spiritual powers, traveling throughout the ten directions to make offerings to the Buddhas and teach and transform sentient beings, so that the Buddha-Dharma might long endure.

7. Chapter Seven: The Arousing of the Aspiration Is Itself the Turning of the Dharma Wheel

At that time, in the eastern direction, beyond countless worlds from this world, there was a world called Accumulation of the Virtues of Characteristics. There, a Buddha named Voice Without Characteristics was presently teaching the Dharma and bestowing upon Bodhisattva Arousing the Aspiration Is Itself the Turning of the Dharma Wheel a prediction of unsurpassed bodhi. The Buddha said, “After me, this bodhisattva will attain unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment.”

At that time, the Bodhisattva saw the brilliant light and heard the clear sound. He then addressed the Buddha, saying, “World-Honored One, what are this light and sound emitted by the Buddha?”

The Buddha replied, “To the west of here, beyond innumerable worlds, there is a world named Saha. In that world is a Buddha named Shakyamuni, who is now emitting this light and sound. The Buddha Shakyamuni is presently teaching the Dharma for the sake of the bodhisattvas, resolving the doubts of sentient beings and causing them to rejoice in the treasury of Mahayana sutras. Those bodhisattvas have already perfected immeasurable adornments of merit and virtue.”

At that time, the Bodhisattva Arousing the Mind, also known as Turning the Dharma Wheel, said, “World-Honored One, I wish to go personally to the Saha world to make offerings and pay homage to the Buddha Shakyamuni and the assembly of great bodhisattvas. Why is this? Great beings are difficult to encounter, much less to approach and attend upon.”

The Buddha said, “You should know the proper time.”

At that time, having received permission and wishing to hear the teaching, the Bodhisattva rose from his seat, bowed at the Buddha’s feet, and circumambulated him to the right. The Buddha Signless Sound then gave the Bodhisattva a lotus blossom and said, “Take this flower and offer it to the Buddha Shakyamuni.”

Within the flower appeared the Buddha Signless Sound cultivating various merits for the sake of the Bodhisattva. The flower then manifested in the Saha world, causing all sentient beings to see it clearly. At that time, the Bodhisattva received the flower from the Buddha and personally came to this world.

Thereupon, all the trees, flowers, leaves, seeds, and fruits in this Saha world, down to their stalks and tips, appeared in the hands of the Bodhisattva Arousing the Mind, also known as Turning the Dharma Wheel. For the sake of sentient beings, they emitted reverberating Dharma sounds proclaiming impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and non-self, as well as such teachings as the faculties, the powers, the factors of awakening, the Noble Eightfold Path, meditative concentration, liberation, and samadhi.

At that time, Shariputra addressed the Buddha, saying, “World-Honored One, I now behold the Buddha’s great power of spiritual penetrations.”

The Buddha told Shariputra, “This was not done by me. To the east of here, beyond innumerable worlds, there is a world named Assemblage of the Virtue of Marks. A Buddha named Signless Sound is presently teaching the Dharma there. A bodhisattva named Arousing the Mind, also known as Turning the Dharma Wheel, has come from that Buddha-land to this world. What you see is the power of that Bodhisattva’s spiritual penetrations, karmic recompense, and original vows.”

Shariputra addressed the Buddha, saying, “World-Honored One, what roots of goodness did the Bodhisattva Arousing the Mind, also known as Turning the Dharma Wheel, plant in past lives that he now possesses such spiritual power and karmic recompense?”

The Buddha told Shariputra, “Excellent! Excellent! Through the Buddha’s spiritual power, you have asked the Tathagata this question.

In past lives, the Bodhisattva Arousing the Mind, also known as Turning the Dharma Wheel, planted roots of goodness belonging to the seed of Buddhahood. You should now single-mindedly listen carefully. In past lives, this Bodhisattva planted roots of merit and virtue.

Whenever any Buddha of the ten directions first attained Buddhahood while seated at the bodhimanda, the Bodhisattva Arousing the Mind would become either a Brahma King, a wheel-turning sage king, or an immortal possessing the five spiritual penetrations. He would personally go to the bodhimanda, make offerings to the Buddhas, and request them to turn the Dharma wheel, whether extensively or briefly.

“Shariputra, when I first attained unsurpassed awakening, a Brahma Heaven King came and said, ‘I beseech the World-Honored One to turn the Dharma wheel for sentient beings. In past lives, they deeply cultivated wholesome teachings and possess sharp faculties and keen wisdom, enabling them to understand the Buddha’s intent. If they do not hear the Dharma, they will utterly lose all benefit.’

“Shariputra, the Bodhisattva Arousing the Mind, also known as Turning the Dharma Wheel, requested the Buddhas to teach the Dharma. This merit was entirely free of contrivance, for the Bodhisattva merely requested the Buddhas to teach the Dharma. Shariputra, I shall now use an analogy to clarify this meaning. Through this analogy, the wise will understand clearly.

“Suppose that throughout a great trichiliocosm—with its ten billion suns and moons, forty billion great seas, ten billion sets of four continents, forty billion realms belonging to the various minor countries within those four continents, ten billion Mount Sumerus, and ten billion Iron Encircling Mountains—each emitted a kind of weapon. Or suppose that the deep seas were completely filled with tiny seeds such as mustard seeds, sesame seeds, or grains of rice. A strong man, exerting all his strength, carried them away and scattered them throughout the four directions. A powerful wind then blew the mustard seeds into another world. What do you think? Would the mustard seeds that fell into that world be numerous?”

“World-Honored One, they would be exceedingly numerous, immeasurable, and impossible to calculate.”

“Shariputra, I shall now explain this matter clearly for you. Suppose all the mustard seeds that fell into that world were combined to form a kind of weapon and hurled forth over an equally vast area. The walls of that world are exceedingly solid, and the quantity of this material is as numerous as grains of sand. If one were to measure those grains of sand with vessels used for measuring grain and rice, would their number be great?”

“World-Honored One, it would be exceedingly great—so great that it could not be fully calculated.”

The Buddha said, “Shariputra, even if the number of those grains of sand could be known to some small extent, the number of Buddhas whom this Bodhisattva requested to ascend the Dharma seat and teach the Dharma in order to deliver sentient beings from suffering could never be fully calculated. These roots of goodness could never be exhausted even if dedicated to unsurpassed, complete, perfect awakening.

“Furthermore, he fashioned garlands from the seven kinds of precious jewels, adorned the Buddhas with them, and then requested the Buddhas to teach the Dharma. The number of those jewels was truly immense. He also fashioned garlands from various precious flowers, adorned the Buddhas with them, and then requested the Buddhas to teach the Dharma.

The number of those flowers was likewise truly immense. He also fashioned garlands of incense, placed them upon the Buddhas, and then requested the Buddhas to teach the Dharma. The number of those incense garlands was also truly immense.

How much more so when he used gold and silver to paint and carve images upon wood, made offerings to the Buddhas, and requested them to teach the Dharma! The merit of these wholesome deeds could not be exhausted even if dedicated to the unsurpassed path of bodhi, while he continued solely to request the Buddhas to turn the Dharma wheel.”

Furthermore, Shariputra, in the age of the Buddha named Surpassing Wisdom-Power, there was at that time a wheel-turning sage king named Renowned Power, whose majestic fame resounded throughout the great trichiliocosm. In the king’s inner palace was a flower garden fully furnished with the five kinds of delightful amusements. As the palace women sang and danced, indulging freely in the five sensual pleasures, sounds proclaiming impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and impurity spontaneously arose, causing the king to become frightened and to develop disenchantment.

One day, the king went in person to the presence of the Buddha Surpassing Wisdom-Power. The Buddha caused the king to recollect his former vows and the roots of goodness he had previously planted. Hearing the Buddha speak, the king thought: “The wisdom of all Buddha-Tathagatas is truly rare and incomparable, for it has enabled me to understand clearly where I planted roots of goodness before a Buddha.

Because I gratified myself with the five sensual pleasures, which obscured my mind, and because I was bound by governing the people and affairs of state, I had never before clearly known that I had planted roots of goodness before a Buddha. In the past, I followed the Buddhas and planted roots of goodness, but because I did not dedicate them to unsurpassed Buddhahood, those roots of goodness fell into an indeterminate state.

“Now I must accumulate roots of goodness for the sake of the unsurpassed Way and for the benefit of sentient beings, so that wherever I am born, I may journey freely through the Buddha lands. In those realms, every sound uttered by sentient beings shall proclaim impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and non-self; likewise, throughout those worlds, the grasses, trees, groves, forests, flowers, leaves, seeds, and fruits shall all proclaim impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and non-self. By uniting these roots of goodness with sentient beings, may I attain wisdom such as that now attained by the Buddha Surpassing Wisdom-Power.”

Having thought thus, the king immediately rose from his seat, approached the Buddha, and said: “World-Honored One, I now offer all that I possess to the Buddha and the Sangha. May the Buddha graciously accept it.” After making offerings to the Buddha, the king renounced the household life and practiced the Way. When the four divisions of his army heard that the king had gone forth, they too followed him into the monastic life, as did more than forty palace women. Countless other people, numbering eighty kotis, also followed in the king’s footsteps and went forth.

The Buddha Surpassing Wisdom-Power caused the fourfold assembly to flourish ever more greatly, and all those who had gone forth attained the five superknowledges. Each of them used spiritual power to travel eastward to innumerable Buddha lands, where they entreated the Buddhas to sit at the place of enlightenment, turn the Dharma wheel, and liberate sentient beings. In the southern, western, northern, southeastern, southwestern, northeastern, northwestern, upper, and lower directions, they likewise entreated immeasurable Buddhas, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, to turn the Dharma wheel and liberate sentient beings.

From that time onward, King Renowned Power was never again conceived in a womb, nor was he born in an impure realm. He constantly journeyed through worlds in which sentient beings, trees, groves, and forests all proclaimed impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and non-self.

Shariputra, what do you think? The King Renowned Power who, in the age of the Buddha Surpassing Wisdom-Power, heard that he had planted roots of goodness in a former life, then renounced the household life to practice the Way, attained the five superknowledges, journeyed throughout innumerable lands in the ten directions, and entreated the Buddhas to turn the Dharma wheel and liberate sentient beings—was he anyone other than the bodhisattva Arousing the Resolve, also called Turning the Dharma Wheel, who is present now?

8. Chapter Eight: Manifesting Transformations

At that time, the bodhisattva Arousing the Resolve, also called Turning the Dharma Wheel, came to the Bamboo Grove in the city of Rajagriha. Having bowed at the Buddha’s feet, he sat to one side and addressed the Buddha: “The Buddha Signless Voice inquires whether the World-Honored One has little illness and little affliction, whether his dwelling is peaceful and secure, and whether his strength is well regulated. He sends this lotus flower as an offering to the World-Honored One.”

After accepting the flower, the Buddha asked the bodhisattva, “Is the Buddha Signless Voice peaceful and secure, and does he skillfully teach and transform sentient beings?”

He replied: “World-Honored One, the Buddha Signless Voice remains strong and healthy, and the sentient beings there are easy to liberate. Why is this? Because in that world the great assembly dwells in harmony through four pure qualities. What are these four?

1. Their roots of goodness are pure because they are directed toward bodhi.

2. Their virtue of moral discipline is pure because each person has personally made vows.

3. Their views and understanding are pure because they no longer cling to any dharma.

4. Their contemplation is pure because they do not cling to appearances.

“World-Honored One, the great assembly there neither violates the precepts nor abandons the rules of proper conduct; nor do they renounce the designation of the precepts even three times. The sentient beings of that realm regard the sentient beings in this world as though they were undergoing torture in prison. I now beseech the Tathagata to come to the Saha world.”

The Buddha then said, “Enough, good man. Why should I go to that realm? Even while remaining here, I can still teach and liberate its sentient beings.”

The bodhisattva Arousing the Resolve, also called Turning the Dharma Wheel, earnestly repeated his entreaty three times, imploring the Tathagata to come to the Saha world. “If the Buddha does not deign to come, I must use the spiritual power arising from karmic fruition to bring him here. In a single instant, I shall manifest emanation bodies throughout space and go to that realm.”

At that time, the Buddha remained silent and listened as the bodhisattva manifested sovereign spiritual power, wishing to enable sentient beings to perfect their roots of goodness and also to endow them fully with the power of knowledge and vision. The bodhisattva Turning the Dharma Wheel then grasped the entire great trichiliocosm in his right hand, just as a potter takes in hand the wheel-stick with which he turns his wheel, and carried it away.

At that time, Shariputra perceived the entire great trichiliocosm shaking violently and addressed the Buddha: “World-Honored One, he has grasped this world and is carrying us away together with it.”

The World-Honored One then skillfully spoke with loving-kindness in gentle and harmonious words, causing the minds of the great assembly to rejoice. His voice was perfectly complete, neither high nor low, utterly pure and unconfused, enabling them to comprehend its meaning. The Buddha said to Shariputra, “Were it not for the voice I utter, no sound could be heard throughout the great trichiliocosm.”

At that time, some sentient beings who greedily clung to self and, because of their attachment to existence, became alarmed and thereby attained a mind of detachment. The other members of the fourfold assembly saw only the Buddha surrounded by bodhisattvas and teaching the Dharma, like a wheel-turning sage king seated securely upon his throne, or like the Great Brahma King amid the assembly of Brahma gods. At that time, the bodhisattva Arousing the Resolve, also called Turning the Dharma Wheel, grasped the immeasurable worlds of the ten directions in his hand and gathered them together in one place in order to reveal them clearly to sentient beings.

The World-Honored One then used spiritual power to cause great winds to blow the worlds against one another, shattering them into fragments and reducing them all to ruin. The Buddha manifested spiritual power so that the Great Brahma Kings and the Brahma gods would not lose the opportunity to hear the Dharma. When they saw that the realms of the Brahma Kings and all their palaces had been utterly destroyed, they became greatly terrified and developed a mind of detachment.

Each thought: “These palaces were formerly constructed by us, yet now all their forms have perished, like waves breaking upon the shore or bubbles on the water dissolving. When the water dries up, the sun shines upon them, and the wind erodes them until they vanish. The impermanent character of our own existence is likewise.” They all became single-mindedly fearful, joined their palms, and bowed to the Buddha.

The World-Honored One then said to Shariputra: “From the beginning, I have taught you that the worldly realm is false and unreal. It is like a person disputing with empty space. The world is likewise: it exists only through conceptual thought and discrimination, has no solidity, and is like bubbles gathering together and then dispersing. The world is illusory and deceptive, beguiling sentient beings. The world is like a blazing fire, devoid of true characteristics, arising because craving and thirst have not been eliminated. The world is like a shadow or reflection that cannot be grasped. The world is like an echo that deceives beings and leads them to create karma. If the world possessed true nature, it would not be inverted.”

Śāriputra, seated at the seat of enlightenment, I clearly and thoroughly realized that the world has the characteristic of emptiness, possesses nothing, and has nowhere to rest; through unobstructed emptiness, the characteristics of the world arise. Śāriputra, while I had not yet understood the savor of the world, the danger of the world, and the escape from the world, I did not declare that I had attained Buddhahood. When I had truly understood the true characteristic of the world and the arising of the world; when I knew the cessation of the world and the path leading to the cessation of the world, I then proclaimed that I had attained Buddhahood.

Śāriputra, why is the world called the world? Because the world is obscured by the five skandhas ⁽⁹⁾. What are the five skandhas?

They are form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness. Śāriputra, what is the skandha of form? Suppose beings think thus: in the past there was nothing called form, and in the present and future there is nothing called form. Therefore, the Buddha teaches that all that is form—whether past, present, or future; internal or external; coarse or subtle; good or bad; near or far—is called the skandha of form.

Yet this skandha of form has no true characteristic. Just as space, wind, fire, earth, and water have only names, so too are form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness. Because of these causes and conditions, it is said that such skandhas exist.

Śāriputra, ignorant ordinary beings cling to the body, not knowing that it is merely the characteristic of form. They regard physical form as self and as belonging to the self. Because they grasp at characteristics and make discriminations, attachment and defilement arise in their minds.

Feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are likewise. Śāriputra, within this I attained enlightenment. Since it is called neither existence nor nonexistence, I attained the Dharma eye ⁽¹⁰⁾. Ordinary beings lack the Dharma eye and give rise to craving; therefore, when these phenomena disperse and perish, sorrow and affliction arise.

Indeed, the deeper their attachment, the more thoroughly they become lost within it, increasing their ignorance and accumulating karma upon karma, even to the point of harming one another with stones, clubs, knives, explosives, and all manner of weapons. The foolish create unwholesome karma in the same way. The Tathagata fully comprehends the equality of all dharmas and sees and knows them impartially; therefore, he teaches right view.

It is called right view because it is impartial and upright, without high or low. To follow the true path, cultivate correctly, and attain true liberation—attaining such vision is called right view. Śāriputra, the right view taught by the Buddha cannot be conveyed to you in words; therefore, you should practice in accordance with the teaching. Śāriputra, you should cultivate according to this Dharma and thereby attain immeasurable and boundless wisdom.

This is one of the eighty-four thousand Dharma gates. Although no characteristics of creation or noncreation had yet arisen, when the Tathagata taught this Dharma gate, seventy-seven thousand nayutas of Brahmā heavenly kings became free from the dust and defilements and attained the pure Dharma eye; innumerable people also became free from the dust and defilements through this Dharma and attained the pure Dharma eye. In Jambudvīpa, hundreds of koṭis, hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of bodhisattvas all attained the patient acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas ⁽¹¹⁾ through this Dharma assembly.

Moreover, innumerable beings aroused the aspiration to seek unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment.

At that time, the Blessed One withdrew his spiritual power. The four assemblies—Brahmā World, Brahmā Abode, the Brahmā hosts, and the devas—as well as the devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, mahoragas, humans, and nonhumans of the desire realm, all saw themselves restored to this world.

9. Chapter Nine: The Tathagata’s Power

At that time, Maudgalyāyana rose from his seat, arranged his robe to bare his right shoulder, joined his palms toward the Buddha, and said: “Blessed One, this is unprecedented! The bodhisattva Arousing the Aspiration Is Itself Turning the Dharma Wheel possesses great spiritual power. He made contact with this Sahā world of endurance and relied upon the Tathagata’s spiritual power while in another world.

“Blessed One, I went to that realm and returned to this realm. At that time I had not even consciousness of myself, much less spiritual powers. The thought then arose in me: ‘This great bodhisattva possesses great spiritual powers and brought me back here; therefore, I knew absolutely nothing of nearness or distance, speed or slowness.’ I further thought: ‘This bodhisattva has not yet attained Buddhahood, yet already possesses such spiritual power. How much more so when he attains Buddhahood!’”

The Buddha said to Maudgalyāyana: “Do you mean to say that the bodhisattva Arousing the Aspiration Is Itself Turning the Dharma Wheel could touch the Tathagata, take him away, and then return here? Do not think so. Why? I do not see any śramaṇa, brahmin, arhat, pratyekabuddha, or any other being—whether deva, nāga, yakṣa, gandharva, asura, garuḍa, kiṃnara, mahoraga, human, or nonhuman—who could move even a corner of the Tathagata’s robe, much less touch him, convey him to another world, and return him to this realm. Such a thing is impossible, Maudgalyāyana.

“Suppose all the devas and humans in the world—all beings throughout the trichiliocosm, whether possessing form or formless; possessing perception, lacking perception, or neither possessing nor lacking perception; visible or invisible—were in an instant to obtain human bodies, renounce household life through faith, attain arhatship, and possess the six spiritual powers just as Maudgalyāyana does. What do you think? Would the wisdom and spiritual powers of those beings be great?”

“Extremely great, Blessed One.”

The Buddha said to Maudgalyāyana: “If all these arhats were to touch the trichiliocosm with their hands and journey throughout innumerable lands in the ten directions, it would be as if the Tathagata placed a single mustard seed in empty space; even with their great spiritual powers, those arhats could not move it by so much as a hair’s breadth.

“Moreover, Maudgalyāyana, suppose all this great spiritual power were combined so as to make a single person possessed of immense spiritual might. The Buddha has heard that such a person could, with one puff of breath, blow away an entire great trichiliocosm, scattering it so that, like motes of dust dispersing, it became innumerable different worlds; and with another puff, he could cause all those motes of dust to return to the trichiliocosm. Maudgalyāyana, what do you think? Would that person possess great spiritual power?”

“He would possess great spiritual power, Blessed One.”

“Maudgalyāyana, suppose persons who had attained such immense spiritual power filled the trichiliocosm as densely as grasses, trees, rice plants, sesame plants, groves, and forests, and they united their minds and spiritual powers. Even then, they could not move a single corner of the Tathagata’s robe, much less convey the Tathagata to another world and then restore him here as before.

“Maudgalyāyana, from this very seat I can move to immeasurable, boundless, inconceivable asaṃkhyeyas of realms ⁽¹²⁾ in the east, while most of the beings there remain unaware of it and still conceive of coming and going. Those beings do not understand the arising, endurance, and destruction of the world. Maudgalyāyana, you should know that the Tathagata manifests spiritual power in order to teach the Dharma in accordance with beings.

Some beings attain liberation by seeing the body of a Buddha. Some attain liberation by seeing the body of a deva. Some attain liberation by seeing the body of a nāga.

Some attain liberation by seeing the body of a yakṣa, gandharva, kiṃnara, or mahoraga. Some attain liberation by seeing the body of a man or a woman, while others attain liberation by seeing a large body or a small body.

“Maudgalyāyana, you should know that the Tathagata’s fearless spiritual power and mastery of supernormal abilities are all encompassed within this sutra. The same is true of the south, west, north, southeast, southwest, northeast, northwest, above, and below. Maudgalyāyana, if you were to see the Tathagata’s sphere of action and the Tathagata’s great spiritual power, you would ask no further questions.”

Mahamudgalyayana, I taught Ananda the dharani gateway so that he might retain and uphold the twelve divisions of scripture ⁽¹³⁾—Sutra, Geya, Vyakarana, Gatha, Udana, Nidana, Avadana, Itivrttaka, Jataka, Vaipulya, Adbhuta-dharma, and Upadesa—and never forget them. Yet even now Ananda does not know the spiritual power of the Tathagata. Why is this? With every word, every character, and every sentence uttered by the Buddha, the sravakas and pratyekabuddhas, whether over the course of one kalpa, hundreds of thousands of myriads of millions of kalpas, or even innumerable asamkhyeya kalpas, would still be unable to finish reciting, retaining, examining, and expounding them. How much less could they know the inconceivable workings of the Tathagata’s great spiritual powers?

Mahamudgalyayana, the Tathagata teaches the Dharma and transforms sentient beings in accordance with every kind of cause and condition, every mode of deportment, and every gateway to the path. Even when the Tathagata merely puts on his robe, all the sravakas and pratyekabuddhas are still unable to know how many sentient beings will thereby benefit or what Dharma should be taught to them. How much less could they clearly know the Tathagata’s course of conduct? The Tathagata’s spiritual powers and wisdom can never be fully known.

At that time, after the Blessed One had accepted the lotus flower from the hands of the Arousing the Aspiration Is Turning the Dharma Wheel Bodhisattva, he addressed the bodhisattvas Bhadrapala, Ratnakuta, Guide, Star-Attainer, Narada, Indra-Attainer, Varuna, Good Power, and others, saying, “In future ages, these bodhisattvas will be those who protect and uphold the true Dharma. Good men, you should preserve the treasury of the Buddha’s teachings. You must understand with skillful faith the Tathagata’s course of practice and expound it.”

“May it be so, O Blessed One. We shall all be able to do this.”

The Buddha said, “From this day onward, whenever you are about to say anything, you must first examine the Tathagata’s course of practice so as to penetrate the purport of the Dharma gateways, and only then should you speak. If someone asks, ‘How may one be said to possess the fullness of Buddha-wisdom?’ you must rely upon the divisions of scripture mentioned above. First contemplate and examine the Tathagata’s course of practice, and only then answer.

Or, whenever you hear many Dharma gateways being discussed, you must contemplate and examine the essence of the Tathagata’s practice. You must contemplate in this way and teach the Dharma in this way. When you see the conduct of sentient beings, you should also contemplate and examine the treasury of the Tathagata’s teachings.

Because sentient beings engage in such conduct, the Buddha takes that very conduct and transforms it, bringing their karma to an end.

“Sentient beings possess ninety-nine thousand faculties of differing kinds, all of which the Tathagata knows clearly. Many people predominantly possess the faculty of sensual desire, the faculty of anger, or the faculty of delusion. Thus, a person of abundant desire has a strong faculty of craving; a person of abundant anger has a strong faculty of hatred; and a person of abundant delusion has a strong faculty of delusion.

One abundant in craving and hatred has the faculties of craving and hatred; one abundant in craving and delusion has the faculties of craving and delusion; and one abundant in anger and delusion has the faculties of anger and delusion. Those abundant in craving, hatred, and delusion possess all three such faculties. These faculties can be purified through the path that opens the way.

Such faculties arise from fundamental causes and conditions and come into being through habitual practice. When karmic faculties are created, they become black karma, white karma, or both. Faculties that accord with the path, concentration, and wisdom accord completely with knowledge.

Those that accord with the knowledge of non-arising are conforming faculties; the consummation of the knowledge of non-arising is the faculty that accords with and conforms to truth.

“Good men, among these are twenty thousand faculties that, in conjunction with causes and conditions from past lives, give rise to karma, whether black, which is evil, or white, which is wholesome. Through these karmic conditions arise many forms and complexions: black or white, neither black nor white, liberated or fallen. Such forms and complexions comprise twenty thousand faculties and can give rise to bodies that are long, short, coarse, fine, neither coarse nor fine, and so forth. There are two hundred thousand faculties that manifest inward characteristics, appearing in the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, or body. By knowing that a person’s mind contains craving, hatred, and delusion, one enables that person to abandon craving, hatred, and delusion.

“There are thirty thousand distinctions among faculties and karmic retributions ⁽¹⁴⁾. When people die, some remain conscious while others become confused; their bodies deteriorate, their hands and feet contract, their faculties disintegrate, and all their joints separate completely. When dark vapors rise and assail them, know that this is the faculty that descends into hell.

There are faculties through which beings fall among animals, faculties through which they dwell among hungry ghosts, faculties through which they are born in the heavenly or human realms, faculties through which they are born in Buddha lands and behold the Buddhas, and faculties through which they leave birth and death behind and never again assume a subsequent body. There are seventy thousand faculties that gather roots of goodness through the power of faithful understanding.

There are twenty thousand faculties that accumulate unwholesome dharmas and can be clearly recognized at the time of death.

“Good men, this is the Tathagata’s Buddha-power, attained through practicing the treasury of the Tathagata’s teachings. Abiding herein, the Tathagata expounds all dharmas as neither increasing nor diminishing.”

10. Chapter Ten: Meritorious Qualities

At that time, among the assembly was a bodhisattva named Firm Resolve. Rising from his seat, he respectfully joined his palms and addressed the Buddha: “Blessed One, through this gateway I have attained the light of Dharma. Therefore, I must cultivate this Dharma gateway until it is complete. Why is this? I must now make this adorning vow: I shall seek and fully practice this Dharma without ever growing indolent, so that in future ages I may hear the Tathagata’s teachings.”

The Buddha said to Firm Resolve, “Excellent, excellent! Throughout immeasurable kalpas, you have diligently sought and cultivated the great Dharma of the Buddhas. Firm Resolve, suppose that all the sentient beings in the trichiliocosm—whether possessing form or formless, percipient or non-percipient, neither percipient nor non-percipient—were simultaneously to obtain human bodies temporarily.

Suppose that a good man or woman, out of kindness, were to provide all those beings fully with everything delightful, furnishing them according to their capacities with forms, fragrances, flavors, tangible objects, and all else they required. Suppose that person held all these beings in the palm of one hand for a kalpa or slightly less than a kalpa, while using the other hand to disperse all foul odors and drive them into another realm.

“Firm Resolve, what do you think? Would that person’s deed be great?”

“It would be very great, O Blessed One.”

“Firm Resolve, suppose someone arouses the aspiration to seek unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment and, whether while the Buddha is still in the world or after the Buddha’s nirvana, is able to seek in the Mahayana scriptural treasury such dharmas that support the path to bodhi. That person should think: ‘I shall cultivate this Mahayana Dharma and teach it for the sake of sentient beings, so that they may sever craving, hatred, and delusion and be freed from birth, aging, illness, sorrow, suffering, and affliction.’ Having made such a vow, if that person encounters even a single four-line verse from this sutra and is able to recite it and explain it to sentient beings,

then the merit of the former deed would not equal even one hundred-thousandth or one hundred-thousand-millionth part of that merit; indeed, no analogy could possibly compare with it.

Because that bodhisattva seeks the wondrous Dharma through such causes and conditions, the bodhisattva can accomplish many deeds that benefit sentient beings.

“Firm Resolve, who can believe this? Who can ultimately comprehend the Buddhas? Apart from the disciples of the Noble Ones and those who have aroused the aspiration to seek the Buddha-path, no one can believe or understand it. Why is this? When bodhisattvas first arouse the aspiration for unsurpassed bodhi, without entertaining the conception of saving sentient beings, they nevertheless perform the work of liberation; where there is no dry land, they create dry land; where there is no guide, they become a guide. They think: ‘I should cultivate the wisdom of the Buddha in accordance with this Mahayana Dharma and cause innumerable sentient beings to abide securely in the undefiled Dharma ⁽¹⁵⁾.’”

O Firm Resolve, suppose that from morning until evening this person were to pile up all kinds of jewels as high as Mount Sumeru ⁽¹⁶⁾, and then give them to others during the daytime, in the late afternoon, at the beginning of the night, and at the end of the night, exerting all his strength throughout the six periods of day and night ⁽¹⁷⁾ to distribute those jewels universally among sentient beings. O Firm Resolve, what do you think?

Would the minds of those sentient beings be satisfied? They would be satisfied, World-Honored One. Yet because of this, they would then fall into the three evil paths.

A bodhisattva thinks: “I should seek the unsurpassed wondrous Dharma and bestow it upon sentient beings, causing them to contemplate the accumulation of jewels throughout the three-thousand-great-thousand world as though it were phlegm and spittle, and thus to give rise to revulsion.” Bodhisattvas of great wisdom contemplate that all jewels arise from the three poisons ⁽¹⁸⁾, cause affliction to sentient beings, and are the root of birth and death and of the suffering undergone while revolving again and again among humans, hungry ghosts, animals, and the hells...

Craving and seeking are the root of suffering; accumulating and hoarding are also the root of suffering; resentment, hatred, and litigation arise and become the root of sinful karma. For this reason, bodhisattvas give rise to a mind of detachment from jewels. They further think: “This is not an accumulation of treasures, but an accumulation of sufferings in the evil paths. Because sentient beings greedily cling to them, they fall into the three evil paths.”

O Firm Resolve, suppose all the wealth of sentient beings throughout the three-thousand-great-thousand world were given to all sentient beings in the lands of the ten directions, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges—whether possessing form or formless, possessing perception, without perception, neither possessing perception nor being without perception—and that all of them temporarily obtained human bodies at the same time.

Suppose there were a person who resolved to provide them, to the full extent of his ability, with every pleasure they desired, supplying them with forms, sounds, fragrances, flavors, and so forth; carrying them on his head or bearing them on his shoulders for as long as a kalpa or somewhat less than a kalpa, allowing them to sit or lie down as they pleased, and even using his own hands to clean away foul matter and carry it elsewhere.

O Firm Resolve, what do you think? Would this person’s wealth be abundant? It would be exceedingly abundant, World-Honored One.

O Firm Resolve, I now tell you this truth: if any good man or faithful woman arouses the aspiration for unsurpassed bodhi and seeks the dharmas that aid the path to bodhi in such Mahayana scriptural treasuries, the merit gained by taking even a single step is immeasurable and cannot be exhausted even upon attaining unsurpassed complete and perfect enlightenment. Compared with this merit, the former merit does not equal even one part in a hundred, one part in a thousand, or one part in hundreds of thousands of myriads; no analogy could express the comparison.

Why is this? Because pleasures are formed from conditioned causes subject to outflows and therefore cannot enable one to leave suffering and attain bliss. Because bodhisattvas seek the Dharma, they increase morality, concentration, and wisdom, penetrate the Buddha-Dharma fully and profoundly, and thereby acquire immeasurable and inconceivable powers of skillful means with which to accomplish pure Buddha-lands for sentient beings.

Therefore, O Firm Resolve, the Buddha teaches that bodhisattvas attain unsurpassed complete and perfect enlightenment through the causes and conditions of seeking the Dharma. Furthermore, O Firm Resolve, suppose that throughout the world of the four continents ⁽¹⁹⁾ there were Buddhas as numerous as grains of rice, sesame seeds, stalks of sugarcane, and trees in a forest, and that one person, until the end of his life, offered them clothing, bedding, medicines, and every other necessity.

After those Buddhas entered nirvana, suppose he erected stupas made of the seven precious substances, each one yojana high, adorned them magnificently with incense, flowers, jeweled canopies, banners and streamers ⁽²⁰⁾, and oil lamps, and made offerings for one hundred kalpas or for more than one hundred kalpas.

O Firm Resolve, I now tell you this truth: that person would thus make offerings to those Buddhas, erect such stupas, and perform such offerings for many kalpas. Yet if any good man or faithful woman arouses the aspiration for unsurpassed complete and perfect enlightenment, seeks such dharmas as aid the path to bodhi, and accepts, upholds, reads, and recites the Mahayana scriptural treasury, then compared with this merit, the former merit does not equal even one part in a hundred, one part in a thousand, or one part in hundreds of thousands of myriads; no analogy could express the comparison.

Why is this? Because among all gifts, the gift of Dharma is supreme; among all things sought, seeking the Dharma is supreme. Therefore, O Firm Resolve, in the future age, five hundred years after my parinirvana, if you accept, uphold, read, and recite the scriptures just described, you will acquire immeasurable and boundless merit that cannot be exhausted even upon attaining unsurpassed complete and perfect enlightenment.

O Firm Resolve, I now wish to offer an analogy to clarify this matter, and you should believe it. Suppose that throughout the three-thousand-great-thousand world there were nothing but tiny objects the size of mustard seeds or black sesame seeds. What do you think?

Would the number of those mustard seeds be great? It would be exceedingly great, World-Honored One; they could never all be counted.

O Firm Resolve, suppose that the number of mustard seeds filling the great-thousand world were each combined and made into a tiny object like a grain of sand. Would the number of these grains of sand be great? It would be exceedingly great, innumerably great, World-Honored One. O Firm Resolve, suppose a powerful person carried away all this sand and scattered it throughout the four directions. A great wind then arose, blowing the sand apart and dispersing it everywhere, with each grain falling into a separate world. What do you think? Would the number of those worlds be great? It would be exceedingly great, innumerably great, and impossible to count, World-Honored One.

O Firm Resolve, I shall now make this matter clear to you: the Tathagata, fully endowed with immeasurable powers of spiritual penetration, morality, meditative concentration, and wisdom, could cross all those worlds in a single step while maintaining his dignified bearing, unmoved, and without yet fully manifesting the power of his spiritual penetrations. O Firm Resolve, suppose the Tathagata were to reckon each grain of sand as a kalpa, each such kalpa as one day, each such day as one month, and each such month as one year, and then travel eastward without rest for one thousand years; and suppose he likewise traveled toward the south, west, north, southeast, southwest, northeast, northwest, above, and below.

If any good man or faithful woman, wishing to hear this sutra in order to accept, uphold, read, and recite it, takes even a single step, that person will gain abundant merit. Even if the Tathagata’s physical forms were to fill all the lands through which he traveled, those lands could not contain them all. The Tathagata alone knows that this person’s merit is immeasurable, boundless, and inconceivable.

O Firm Resolve, this merit cannot be fully known through words, writing, calculation, or numbers, for it encompasses incalculable quantities.

11. Chapter Eleven: Arousing the Aspiration

At that time, in the eastern direction, beyond asamkhya worlds, there was a world called Great Renown. There, a Buddha named Firm Sumeru was then conferring the prediction of unsurpassed bodhi upon the Bodhisattva Treasury of Radiant Majestic Virtue, saying: “After me, in due succession, this Bodhisattva Treasury of Radiant Majestic Virtue will attain Buddhahood.”

At that time, those Buddhas were expounding the Dharma to the great assembly surrounding them. The Bodhisattva Radiant Majestic Virtue-Gathering, who was then within the assembly, saw a brilliant light, heard voices speaking and laughing, and saw the earth tremble. He asked the Buddha, “World-Honored One, what are this light and these sounds emitted by the Buddha?”

The Buddha Sumeru Firmness replied, “To the west, beyond innumerable worlds, there is a world called Saha. A Buddha named Shakyamuni is presently expounding a Mahayana sutra there. The assembly of bodhisattvas there is complete and truly magnificent. Even throughout the worlds of the ten directions, numerous as the sands of the Ganges, such a great assembly of bodhisattvas is rarely found. Whoever merely hears the names of those bodhisattvas gains great benefit, how much more one who sees them, draws near to them, and makes offerings to them.”

The Bodhisattva Radiant Majestic Virtue-Gathering then addressed the Buddha, saying, “World-Honored One, I wish to go personally to the Saha world to behold the Buddha Shakyamuni, pay homage to him, and make offerings to him, and also to meet the majestically adorned bodhisattvas.”

The Buddha replied, “If you wish to go, you may do as you please.”

The Buddha then gave the Bodhisattva Radiant Majestic Virtue-Gathering seven lotus blossoms ⁽²¹⁾ and said, “Take these flowers and present them to the Buddha Shakyamuni. Convey my greetings to him and ask whether he has little illness and little affliction, whether his dwelling is peaceful and comfortable, and whether his health and strength are abundant.”

The bodhisattva immediately took the lotus blossoms, bowed with his head at the Buddha’s feet, and departed directly. Like a mighty man extending his arm, he suddenly vanished from that place. The bodhisattva arrived at the city of Rajagriha in this Saha world, went directly into the Bamboo Grove, bowed with his head at the Buddha’s feet, and stood to one side. He then addressed the Buddha, saying, “The Buddha Sumeru Firmness sends his greetings to the World-Honored One and asks whether you have little illness and little affliction, whether your dwelling is peaceful and comfortable, and whether your health and strength are abundant. He has sent these flowers as an offering to the World-Honored One.”

After accepting the flowers, the Buddha asked, “Does the Buddha Sumeru Firmness have little illness and little affliction, and is he in good health?”

He replied, “The Buddha Sumeru Firmness remains peaceful and joyful there, entirely free from trouble.”

The Buddha gave the lotus blossoms to Maitreya and said, “Ajita ⁽²²⁾, take these flowers and thereby plant wholesome conditions that will assist in the attainment of Buddhahood.”

The Bodhisattva Maitreya received the flowers from the Buddha and passed them to the Bodhisattvas Bhadrapala, Jewel Accumulation, Guide, Star-Attainment, Narada, Sovereign-Attainment, Water Deva, Wholesome Power, Sun Treasury, Upholder of the World, Upholder of the Earth, Abiding Resolve, Boundless Resolve, Transcending the Three Realms in Conduct, Boundless Conduct, Immeasurable Power, Universally Manifesting Conditions, Firm Resolve, Boundless Power, Unfailing Power, Lion Power, Swift Eloquence, Keen Eloquence, Profound Eloquence, Boundless Eloquence, Immeasurable Eloquence, Manjushri the Dharma Prince, Treasury of Floral Virtue the Dharma Prince, Boundless Hand, Unattached Hand, Jewel Hand, Jewel Arm, Unfailing Virtue, Unmoving Conduct, Free from Sorrow, Departed from Sorrow,

Initiating Undifferentiated Conduct, Freed from All Difficulties, Free from the Characteristics of a Man, Free from the Characteristics of a Woman, Free from the Characteristics of Sentient Beings, Net Radiance, Not Entering the Womb, Buddha Flower Hand, Flower Hand, Fragrant Elephant, Accomplishing Benefit, Supreme Virtue, Jewel Virtue, Pearl Necklace, Auspicious Pearl, Flower Ear, Cloud Voice, Ultimate Reflection, Boundless Giving, Wholesome Reflective Conduct, Unfailing Vow, Surpassing Vows, Transforming Vows, Profoundly Practicing Vows, Vowing to Be Free from Difficulties, Expounding Flowers, Jewel Flower, Unfailing Praise, Unfailing Eulogy, Universal Vow, Unconfused among All Paths, Ever Adorned with Joy, Ever Adorned with Compassion, Vowing to Transform the Ignorant,

Vowing to Perfect the Precepts, Torch-Bearer, Delighting in Assemblies, Wholesome Assembly, Delighting in Practice, Cherished by Devas, Delighting in the Buddha, Vowing Never to Leave the Buddha, Vowing to Turn the Dharma Wheel, Vowing to Turn the Unobstructed Dharma Wheel, Vowing to Give Everything, Vowing to Be Free from Stinginess, Vowing to Be Free from Discrimination, Vowing to Continue the Buddha’s Lineage, Vowing to Be Undisturbed, Moon, Dharma, Ocean of Virtue, Wholesome Precepts, Guide, Great Guide, Supreme Assembly, Increasing Excellence, Jewel Adornment, Universal Benefit, Universal Virtue, Mark of the Kashaya, Undefiled, Extinguishing Characteristics, Quiescent Extinction, Wholesome Resolve, Joyful to Behold, Delighting in Victory, Supreme Adornment, Ever Victorious,

Victorious Assembly, Victorious Number, Vanquisher of Mara, Victor over Enmity, Universally Renowned, Sun Jewel, Turning the Dharma, Increasing the Dharma, Good Spiritual Friend, Good Friend of Devas, Friend of the Sangha, Single Canopy, Jewel Canopy, King of Auspicious Constellations, Constellation, Dharma Deva, Pure Gateway, Pure Courage, Courageous Conduct, Boundless Conduct, Unfailing Conduct, Fragrant Virtue, Wisdom Virtue, Boundless Eye, Sovereign Virtue, Supreme Brahma, Upholder of the Dharma, Dharma Virtue, Power of Mastery, Conduct without Trace, Wholesome Conduct, Equal Conduct, and so forth, together with seventy-seven thousand such bodhisattvas.

They all said, “Good spiritual friends, we have received these flowers from the Buddha and now pass them among ourselves. All of you should use these flowers to assist in attaining Buddhahood and should single-mindedly make great vows...”

At that time, the seventy-seven thousand bodhisattvas, holding the lotus blossoms, unitedly made great vows through skillful means and returned them to the Buddha. Out of compassion, the Buddha accepted them and said to Maitreya, “Now I am at peace, for I have enabled all of you to plant great roots of goodness.

“Ajita! It is exceedingly difficult to encounter a Buddha appearing in the world, and it is likewise difficult to encounter bodhisattvas. Why is this? Because all the Dharma that I have realized arose from the practices of a bodhisattva. What do you think? If the Tathagata had not aroused the aspiration for unsurpassed bodhi, could the ten powers (see section 32 / section I) have appeared in the world?”

“No, World-Honored One. If the Tathagata had not aroused the aspiration for unsurpassed bodhi, could the eighteen distinctive qualities ⁽²³⁾ have appeared in the world?”

“No, World-Honored One. If the Tathagata had not aroused the aspiration for unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment, could the Dharma of unfailing conduct ⁽²⁴⁾ have appeared in the world?”

“No, World-Honored One. If the Tathagata had not aroused the aspiration for unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment, could the contemplation of the king of elephants ⁽²⁵⁾ have appeared in the world?”

“No, World-Honored One. If the Tathagata had not aroused the aspiration for unsurpassed bodhi, could the lion’s vigorous advance samadhi ⁽²⁶⁾ have appeared in the world?”

“No, World-Honored One. If the Tathagata had not aroused the aspiration for unsurpassed bodhi, could the characteristic of the invisible crown of the head ⁽²⁷⁾ have appeared in the world?”

“No, World-Honored One. If the Tathagata had not aroused the aspiration for unsurpassed bodhi, could the three turnings of the Dharma wheel have appeared in the world?”

“No, World-Honored One. If the Tathagata had not aroused the aspiration for unsurpassed bodhi, could the thirty-two marks of a great person have appeared in the world?”

“No, World-Honored One. If the Tathagata had not aroused the aspiration for unsurpassed bodhi, could hundreds of thousands of immeasurable Dharma teachings have appeared in the world?”

“No, World-Honored One. If the Tathagata had not aroused the aspiration for unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment, could the great assembly of shravakas have appeared in the world?”

“No, World-Honored One.”

Therefore, Ajita, you should know that all the virtues of the Buddhas arise from the initial disciplining of the mind; thus, it is difficult for people in the world to encounter a bodhisattva, just as it is difficult to encounter a Buddha. Ajita, it is also like this: without a cow, there can be no cream. Likewise, without a bodhisattva bringing forth the aspiration, there can be no Buddha.

Just as there must be a cow for there to be milk, so when a bodhisattva brings forth the aspiration, the lineage of the Buddhas will not be lost. Ajita! Just as planting a tree produces flowers and fruit, so too, when a bodhisattva brings forth the aspiration, the lineage of the Buddhas will not be lost.

Therefore, you should know that bringing forth the aspiration is exceedingly difficult; because it is difficult to bring forth the aspiration, attaining Buddhahood is also difficult. Ajita, just as even a small portion of a priceless treasure from the ocean is already of great value, so too, among sentient beings, those who bring forth the aspiration for bodhi are few, for most seek the fruits of the shravaka or pratyekabuddha paths.

Therefore, one should know that those who bring forth the bodhisattva aspiration are the rarest of all. Just as the udumbara flower blossoms only once after a very long time, the precious mind of a bodhisattva is truly supremely valuable! That mind towers aloft like Mount Sumeru.

That mind is like empty space and cannot be destroyed. That mind is like the great ocean and is difficult to fathom. Nothing can compare with that mind; it surpasses even a mani jewel within the trichiliocosm.

Ajita! If that mind possessed visible form, devas, humans, asuras, and all others would have to pay homage to it. Therefore, those who have brought forth this aspiration should diligently and vigorously contemplate deeply the dharmas of sensual pleasure.

Notes:

⁽¹⁾ The Four Foundations of Mindfulness are four modes of contemplation for cultivating the path to awakening. They are:

1/ Contemplation of the body as impure: examining the body from head to foot and seeing that it is entirely impure, with nothing pure or clean about it. Hair, nails, phlegm, saliva, semen, vital fluids, blood, pus, and so forth are all foul-smelling and filthy substances. 2/ Contemplation of sensations as suffering: examining how the experience of sorrow, joy, anger, hatred, affection, desire, separation by death, separation in life, sickness, and so forth afflicts the human mind and body and constitutes suffering. 3/ Contemplation of the mind as impermanent: examining how the mind constantly changes without cease, like an ape swinging from branch to branch or a horse that has broken loose from its reins;

it is difficult to grasp and restrain. 4/ Contemplation of dharmas as non-self: examining how dharmas have no master, no inherent nature, and no true substance; being like illusions and transformations—that is, unreal—they are readily subject to decay.

⁽²⁾ The Noble Eightfold Path, also called the Eightfold Right Path: the eight right paths that practitioners must diligently cultivate in order to attain the truth. They are: 1/ right view: seeing and knowing rightly, neither accepting superstitions nor blindly following others, but investigating and carefully considering matters before believing anything; 2/ right thought: thinking rightly; 3/ right speech: speaking rightly and not distorting the truth; 4/ right action: acting rightly; 5/ right livelihood: earning a living through proper occupations and not engaging in dishonest work contrary to conscience; 6/ right effort: continually striving forward without ceasing until one achieves one’s aspiration; 7/ right mindfulness: recollecting and attending rightly;

8/ right concentration: contemplative meditation or the right gathering of the mind.

⁽³⁾ The Three Gates of Liberation are emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness. 1/ Emptiness: all dharmas in this world are empty. 2/ Signlessness: dharmas in general have no fixed characteristic or form but arise through provisional combinations. 3/ Wishlessness, also called non-activity: seeking nothing and undertaking no self-serving activity. Through these three gates of liberation, the practitioner attains the peace and bliss of nirvana.

⁽⁴⁾ The Dharma of nonduality: the nondual Dharma gate, namely, the one and only Mahayana, apart from which there is no other vehicle.

⁽⁵⁾ The dharmas that assist the path to bodhi are collectively comprised within the Thirty-Seven Factors of Awakening, which are divided as follows: 1/ the Four Foundations of Mindfulness (see note 1 above); 2/ the Four Right Efforts, the four practices that must always be cultivated: a) preventing unarisen evil from arising, b) eliminating evil that has already arisen, c) causing unarisen goodness to arise, and d) causing goodness that has already arisen to increase;

3/ the Four Bases of Spiritual Power, the four dharmas of fulfillment according to one’s aspiration: a) the base of spiritual power founded on aspiration, b) the base of spiritual power founded on mindfulness, c) the base of spiritual power founded on effort or single-mindedness, and d) the base of spiritual power founded on concentration; 4/ the Five Faculties: a) faith, b) effort—courageously advancing, c) mindfulness—careful and mature reflection, d) concentration—meditative contemplation, and e) wisdom; 5/ the Five Powers: the powers of faith, effort, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom, namely, the strength of the Five Faculties, which faithfully reflects the practitioner’s cultivation and virtuous conduct;

6/ the Seven Factors of Bodhi, also called the Seven Factors of Awakening or the Seven Noble Treasures, which are seven powerful aids to cultivation: a) investigation of dharmas—selecting a suitable Dharma method for practice, b) effort, c) joy—rejoicing and being forgiving toward others, d) tranquility—being light and at ease, e) mindfulness—as above, g) concentration—as above, and h) equanimity—relinquishing attachments; 7/ the Noble Eightfold Path (see note 2 above).

⁽⁶⁾ The Five Desires, or five kinds of pleasure, are: 1/ wealth, 2/ beauty, 3/ a good reputation, 4/ delicious food and fine clothing, and 5/ sleep and rest.

⁽⁷⁾ The characteristic of self and other: the characteristic of continuing to discriminate between oneself and others as separate, between those who are close and those who are distant, and between those who are loved and those who are hated. Because one still perceives such characteristics, it is difficult to attain liberation through cultivation.

⁽⁸⁾ The Five Superknowledges: five kinds of supernormal knowledge. These are the Six Superknowledges excluding the knowledge of the exhaustion of the outflows, which only a Buddha can attain (see note 37, vol. I).

⁽⁹⁾ The Five Aggregates: the five accumulations or collections, also called the five skandhas: a) form—the physical body or material form; b) sensation—what is experienced, having three forms: suffering, pleasure, and neither suffering nor pleasure, the last being called neutral sensation; d) perception—forming images of or attending to an object; e) formations—volitional activities arising from mental intentions; e) consciousness—knowing and discriminating between right and wrong, orthodox and heterodox, and so forth.

⁽¹⁰⁾ The Dharma eye: the eye of Dharma, namely, the eye that sees the principles of the path. It is one of the Five Eyes of Buddhas and bodhisattvas: the physical eye, wisdom eye, divine eye, Dharma eye, and Buddha eye. The Dharma eye clearly illuminates and thoroughly penetrates all dharmas. Bodhisattvas use the Dharma eye to contemplate all dharmas exhaustively and ultimately, thereby universally liberating all sentient beings.

⁽¹¹⁾ Patience regarding the non-arising of dharmas: the non-arising of dharmas, or the sublime patience of a practitioner who has attained the truth. Since all dharmas are fundamentally unborn, they are also unceasing. Thorough realization of this brings liberation and attainment of the quiescence of nirvana.

⁽¹²⁾ Asamkhya: a numerical term denoting a quantity that cannot be calculated arithmetically and is therefore called innumerable. One asamkhya kalpa is a period comprising innumerable kalpas. One asamkhya is the number one followed by forty-seven zeros.

⁽¹³⁾ Dharma dharani: dharani means “retention” or “comprehensive retention”—the power to retain and gather wholesome dharmas so that they are not scattered or lost, like a sound vessel used to hold water, from which the water cannot leak. There are four kinds of dharani: 1) the dharani of learning, or Dharma dharani; 2) the dharani of meaning; 3) the mantra dharani; and 4) the dharani of patience. Dharma dharani means hearing the Buddha’s teachings, gathering and retaining them, and never forgetting them.

The dharani of meaning means retaining and remembering the meanings and purports of dharmas without forgetting them. Mantras, also called true words or sacred formulas, are the esoteric phrases transmitted by the Buddhas and bodhisattvas to support cultivation and eliminate harmful evils; one receives and retains them all without forgetting. They are also called Dharma seals or sacred talismans.

The dharani of patience means that, based upon the true characteristic of all dharmas, the practitioner patiently abides, so that body and mind remain unmoved.

⁽¹⁴⁾ The twelve divisions of scripture within the sacred Tripitaka comprise:

1/ Sutra, or discourses corresponding with the truth, namely, scriptures in extended prose

2/ Geya, or repeated verses: passages repeated in verse form; metrical compositions or stanzas.

3/ Vyakarana: predictions of future Buddhahood.

4/ Gatha: independent verses or verses not preceded by prose.

5/ Udana: spontaneous discourses. Sutras spoken by the Buddha himself without anyone requesting the teaching, such as the Amitabha Sutra.

6/ Jataka: accounts of former births.

7/ Itivrttaka: accounts of past events.

8/ Nidana: causes and conditions.

9/ Avadana: parables.

10/ Vaipulya: extensive teachings.

11/ Adbhutadharma: marvelous and unprecedented phenomena.

12/ Upadesa: expositions or doctrinal discussions.

⁽¹⁵⁾ Karmic retribution: karma means intentional actions, whether wholesome or unwholesome; retribution means the corresponding result or recompense, whether joyful or painful, brought about by the wholesome or unwholesome deeds we performed in previous lives and experienced when the time for their fruition arrives.

⁽¹⁶⁾ Mount Sumeru: the loftiest and greatest mountain in the world, upon whose summit sages and immortals often dwell. Buddha Shakyamuni also once dwelt upon the summit of Mount Sumeru to teach the Dharma to the Four Heavenly Kings: Dhrtarashtra, the Heavenly King who presides over the East; Virupaksha, who presides over the West; Virudhaka, who presides over the South; and Vaishravana, who presides over the North. Mount Sumeru possesses many extraordinary features and is therefore often used in the sutras as a comparison for things of unsurpassed greatness.

⁽¹⁷⁾ The six periods: divisions of time within a day according to the lunar calendar; each traditional hour is equivalent to two modern hours. Daytime comprises the hours of the Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, and Rooster; nighttime comprises the hours of the Dog, Pig, Rat, Ox, Tiger, and Rabbit, from seven in the evening until seven in the morning.

⁽¹⁸⁾ The three evil destinies: hell beings, hungry ghosts, and animals, including the six kinds of domesticated animals.

⁽¹⁹⁾ The three poisons are greed, anger, and delusion. They are exceedingly harmful, destroy wholesome roots, and injure our lives; they arise through body, speech, and mind.

⁽²⁰⁾ The four continents: this world is divided into four continents.

1/ Purvavideha, the Eastern Continent of Surpassing Body: this realm is circular, and its inhabitants are divine beings who live for six hundred years.

2/ Aparagodaniya, the Western Continent of Cattle Trade, lies west of Mount Sumeru. There are so many cattle in this realm that people use them in place of money for commerce; hence it is called the Continent of Cattle Trade.

3/ Jambudvipa, the Southern Continent: this is the realm in which we live, situated south of Mount Sumeru. At the center of this continent grows the jambu tree.

4/ Uttarakuru, the Northern Continent, also called Uttanavideha, lies north of Mount Sumeru. Its people live for as long as one thousand years and enjoy peace, happiness, and equality; it is a realm where immortals dwell together.

⁽²¹⁾ Jeweled canopies, banners, and streamers: a jeweled canopy is a large parasol that spreads over an area from one to one and a half meters in diameter; banners and streamers are long flags hung downward whenever an important ceremony is held at a monastery or communal temple. They are also used to adorn the places of Buddhas, sages, deities, and immortals, lending them solemn dignity.

⁽²²⁾ Seven lotus branches: a symbolic number. Here it refers to the seven factors of awakening, also called the seven constituents of bodhi: investigation of Dharma, diligence, joy, tranquility, mindfulness, concentration, and equanimity.

⁽²³⁾ Ajita: meaning “Invincible,” this is the name of the bodhisattva Maitreya, the future Buddha. He will be the Teacher of the Dragon Flower assembly and will descend into birth as the successor to Buddha Shakyamuni.

⁽²⁴⁾ Unequal teachings: teachings that are not identical but differ in level according to shravakas, pratyekabuddhas, and bodhisattvas.

⁽²⁵⁾ The practice of non-deception: conduct that is neither false nor deceptive, but genuine and true; it is also the practice of a bodhisattva or the practice of a Buddha.

⁽²⁶⁾ The contemplation called King of Elephants: a supreme contemplation possessing extraordinary power, like the leading king of elephants, that breaks down and subdues all deluded thoughts, confused attachments, and so forth.

⁽²⁷⁾ The Lion’s Exertion Samadhi: the power of meditative concentration that employs the entire mighty strength of body and mind, like the valiant force of a lion, which no other beast can equal. So too, the Buddha employs awe-inspiring concentration, and no sentient being can equal the power of his exertion. That is, the Buddha employs a concentration that is powerful, extraordinary, swift, and incomparable.

⁽²⁸⁾ The characteristic of the invisible crown: this is a characteristic upon the crown of the Buddha’s head that ordinary beings cannot see. On the crown of the Buddha’s head is the ushnisha, a protuberance of flesh resembling a topknot. It is one of the thirty-two excellent marks possessed only by a Buddha. Although this characteristic truly exists, it cannot be seen and is therefore called “invisible.”

The three turnings of the Dharma wheel are the three occasions on which the Buddha turned the wheel of Dharma for the benefit of sentient beings. The first turning took place at the Deer Park, where he taught the Four Noble Truths and led Kaundinya and his four companions to attain the sacred fruit of arhatship. At the second turning, the Buddha taught the Lotus Sutra of the Wondrous Dharma, leading countless sentient beings into the Mahayana and enabling them to attain Buddha-wisdom. At the third turning, the Buddha taught the Nirvana Sutra and expounded the Buddha-nature—permanence, bliss, self, and purity—leading those of superior faculties and supreme wisdom to attain peaceful liberation.