佛說弘道廣顯三昧經

4. CHAPTER ON INVITING THE TATHAGATA:

At that time, Anavatapta, together with his retinue, bowed before the World-Honored One, knelt with palms joined, and addressed the Buddha:

“May the Heavenly Honored One graciously condescend, through His awe-inspiring spiritual power, to come to Anavatapta, to the great Lake Without Heat, and remain for three months so that we may make offerings to the Holy Honored One, together with the bodhisattvas endowed with spiritual powers and attainments and the foremost disciples. May the Buddha compassionately accept my invitation.”

“Why is this?”

“Would our offerings to the Supremely True, Perfectly Enlightened One accord with the Tathagata’s prescribed rite? We humbly wish to hear the teaching of the supremely transforming Lord of Tranquility. We shall use that Dharma as our offering. We think that, by hearing such an image of the Dharma once again, our minds will always rejoice. Would this not truly be service to the Three Jewels?”

At that time, the World-Honored One did not accept the invitation.

The Dragon King then invited Him for two months, but the Tathagata still did not accept. The Dragon King next invited Him for half a month, and the World-Honored One silently consented.

When the Dragon King and his attendant retinue saw that the World-Honored One had consented, they rejoiced exceedingly and immediately gave rise to wholesome thoughts. They circumambulated the Buddha three times, raised clouds and rolling thunder and lightning, and caused a fine rain to fall over the whole earth. Suddenly, in an instant, they all flew back to their palace.

When Anavatapta arrived and sat in his main hall, he summoned five hundred elder sons. The elder sons were named Good Tusk, Good Giving, Good Intention, Good Radiance, Able to Extinguish, Tranquil Thought, Mover, Great Awe, Sweet Awe, Sweet Authority, Sweet Virtue, Universally Renowned, Awe-Inspiring Courage, Keeper of Secrets, Power of the Eye, Auspicious Practice, and so forth.

These five hundred elder sons had planted the roots of the unsurpassed, perfectly true Way in former times. The Dragon King told them:

“My sons, I have now invited the Tathagata—the impartial, unattached, Perfectly Enlightened One—together with the assembly of bodhisattvas and His disciples, for half a month. The World-Honored, Perfectly Enlightened One, moved by great compassion and vast loving-kindness, has accepted my invitation. You should therefore be single-minded and diligent together, wholeheartedly revering the World-Honored One, the Supremely True Tathagata. Earnestly recollect impermanence. Each of you must remain tranquil, humble, and reverent while awaiting the Tathagata here. You must relinquish lustful thoughts and the sensual pleasures of dragons, cast away greed, anger, and harmfulness, and separate yourselves from desire for forms, sounds, fragrances, flavors, and smooth tangible objects.”

“Why is this?”

“Because through freedom from desire the World-Honored One attained peace and happiness, excellence, kindness, refinement, lucid discernment, compliant self-mastery, and tranquility. His virtues are fully manifest, His attendants surround Him, and His dignified bearing is immeasurable—all through the true essential precepts of the Buddhas. Therefore, during this half-month, you must not enter your inner palaces, but must remove thoughts of lust, anger, and delusion.

“Furthermore, when the Tathagata proclaims the true Dharma, bodhisattvas endowed with spiritual powers, Sakra, Brahma, devas, world-protecting beings, and pure beings from other directions will surely come together to attend the assembly.

“You must be diligent and mindful, gather the worthy ministers, and make everything solemn and splendid. Do not be negligent, so that the assembled multitudes, upon seeing it, will rejoice and leap with delight. This alone is a true and proper offering to the Tathagata.”

After Anavatapta had given these commands, for the sake of the Tathagata he immediately transformed, within Lake Without Heat beneath the Snow Mountains, a perfectly pure beryl dais eight hundred yojanas in height and breadth, extraordinary and wondrous, lofty and beautiful on every side. He arranged eighty-four thousand assorted treasures and jeweled trees interspersed with one another, adorned them with precious objects, and made them emit beautiful light in hundreds of subtle, brilliant colors and exude fragrances.

Among the trees he transformed eighty-four thousand houses made of the seven treasures. Their jewels shone with incomparable beauty. He laid out one hundred thousand crossroads, embroidered canopies, and strings of wondrous red pearls hanging down.

In the upper halls were eighty-four thousand lion seats, all vast and spacious, with couches covered in multicolored, supremely beautiful, priceless blankets. At the crossroads, various treasures were interspersed.

Within the halls were two thousand dragon maidens of wondrous form and appearance, incomparably graceful, with faces beautiful as flowers and mouths exuding fragrance. Holding assorted flowers, powdered incense, and fragrant ointments, they performed various kinds of music and sang praises of the Buddha’s virtues, causing the assembly to rejoice. In the sky, a jeweled canopy was transformed, covering a thousand yojanas. Countless colored gems were carved into that jeweled canopy. Banners of fine silk were suspended from it, and jeweled bells hung amid the silken banners; the breezes were harmonious and their music melodious.

When the Dragon King had prepared food of a hundred flavors, completed all arrangements and spiritual transformations, he and his retinue respectfully folded their arms, faced the Buddha, knelt, and from afar addressed the World-Honored One with the intent to invite Him, praising Him in verse:

Treasury of wisdom, great in knowledge, accumulating virtue,
Wisdom attained, unattached, skillfully guiding beings;
Great wisdom spreads everywhere without obstruction,
Supreme wisdom’s utmost power sends down spiritual light.

Your wisdom clearly knows the workings of minds, Great Man;
You contemplate all classes of beings in the ten directions.
Supreme Spiritual Honored One, accept my invitation;
Mindfully compassionate, come at the proper time.

Content and free from greed, You live simply;
Blessed and excellent, compassionate Holy Guide,
Practicing goodness, true in faith, knowing beings’ intentions—
The time has arrived; pray graciously condescend.

Your virtue resounds everywhere; Your conduct equals a king’s.
Uninvited, You become a friend and remain universally mindful.
Supreme Person, pure as empty space,
I have completed the preparations and await the Spiritual Honored One.

Your awe abides throughout the ten directions, rescuing the world;
You equally possess the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha.
Foremost in liberating beings, You practice loving-kindness and compassion;
May You come with the assembly, for the time has arrived.

Your exquisite form is upright and Your bodily marks are beautiful;
Fine gems of every kind and flowers of a hundred colors await.
Your mind rejoices in giving the Dharma of wisdom;
Great Man and Guide, pray know that the time has come.

Throughout the three-thousandfold Dharma realm, none equals You;
No one can know the Tathagata’s mind.
The Holy Honored One clearly sees the conduct of beings
And always teaches practices at the proper time.

Knowing the time for universal deliverance, You teach expediently;
You clearly know which beings possess holy vows.
With Your luminous eye, You discern their actions;
Complete in spiritual majesty, pray shine upon us.

All beings thirst and yearn exceedingly;
Possessing the Ten Powers, mighty and awe-inspiring, You are free from pride.
Such is the heroic virtue of the Great Man,
Yet the compassion of Your holy nature is greater still.

Endowed with conscience and shame and supreme virtue,
You should rescue the boundless multitude of beings.
Peerless Teacher and Friend, You save the world together;
With compassion, You transform countless dragons.

In the world, Your majestic virtue broadly brings deliverance;
Clearly knowing all practices, You respond as desired.
You open and reveal the path, O sole Heavenly Honored One;
With light and effortless spiritual powers, pray come to the assembly.

The World-Honored One then knew of Anavatapta’s invitation. Because the time had arrived, He told the bhiksus to put on their robes, take up their bowls, and proceed to the gathering.

From afar, the Dragon King of Lake Without Heat knelt and said:

“Honored Ones, you have accepted my offerings for half a month. I now pray that you will graciously come.”

At that time, eighty-four thousand bodhisattvas, all beings of great spiritual powers whose virtues and attainments were complete, and two thousand disciples possessing supreme spiritual powers followed and surrounded the World-Honored One as He departed.

From the summit of Vulture Peak, the Supremely True Tathagata suddenly rose into the sky and traveled by spiritual power. From His magnificent body He emitted countless hundreds of rays of light, illuminating the entire three-thousand-great-thousand world realm, making every place brilliant.

The devas of the desire realm and form realm all saw the World-Honored One emitting countless rays of light and rising into the sky. They said to one another:

“The Spiritual Honored One is going to King Anavatapta’s abode, where He will teach and transform through the Dharma and expound the profound, ultimate teaching. Therefore a great assembly surrounds Him.”

During that half-month, assemblies of devas numbering in the hundreds of thousands saw the World-Honored One and heard Him teach the Dharma. They also beheld the majestic transformations created by King Anavatapta for the World-Honored One’s journey of teaching and transformation.

At that time, each deva conceived the wish to make offerings to the Tathagata. Some wished to scatter flowers, some to rain down celebrated incense, some to perform heavenly music in praise of the Buddha, while others carried garlands, banners, parasols, canopies, and five-colored silks as they followed the Tathagata. The World-Honored One’s body shone more brilliantly than the sun, moon, stars, pure forms, and the light of the devas. The spiritual majesty of the Holy Buddha radiated immeasurably. His faculties composed and His concentration tranquil, He journeyed to Anavatapta, while Sakra, Brahma, the Four Heavenly Kings, and beings displaying various majestic transformations reverently attended and followed behind the Tathagata.

When the Holy Honored One arrived beneath the Snow Mountains, He stood to the right and told the Venerable Mahamaudgalyayana:

“Go to the palace where King Anavatapta dwells and tell him: ‘The Tathagata has arrived; it is time to invite Him inside.’”

The Venerable Mahamaudgalyayana obeyed the holy command and suddenly flew into the great Lake Without Heat. He appeared in the sky seven fathoms above the ground and transformed his body to resemble Garuda, the golden-winged bird king. Standing above the palace of the Dragon King Anavatapta, he told the Dragon King, “The Tathagata has arrived.”

All the dragon hosts and dragon maidens were startled and terrified, their body hairs standing on end, and they fled in the four directions, saying to one another:

“Since ancient times, no Garuda has ever entered this lake. Where has this bird come from?”

Anavatapta then reassured the palace inhabitants, princes, and retinue, saying:

“Set your minds at ease. Do not be alarmed or afraid. This is the Venerable Mahamaudgalyayana, who, in obedience to the Tathagata, has manifested this spiritual transformation.” After delivering his message, the Venerable Maudgalyayana returned to the World-Honored One.

Then Anavatapta, accompanied and surrounded by his sons, ministers, consorts, dragon maidens, and everyone in the palace, great and small, offered beautiful flowers, fragrant powders, various fragrant ointments, banners, canopies, pennants, and diverse musical performances in harmonious rhythm as they went to welcome the Perfectly Enlightened One.

The World-Honored One, surrounded by bodhisattvas, disciples, devas, dragons, and honored spirits, proceeded to the palace of Lake Without Heat, where lofty and spacious seats had been prepared. When the Tathagata arrived, He sat upon the lofty, spacious lion seat. The bodhisattvas sat next, followed by the assemblies of disciples, who all took their seats peacefully.

When the Dragon King saw that the World-Honored One, the bodhisattvas, and the assembly of disciples had taken their seats, his heart was filled with boundless joy. Together with everyone in the palace, he personally served delicacies more nourishing than worldly food, offering a hundred heavenly-flavored dishes to the Buddha, the disciples, and the assembled multitudes, until everyone was fully satisfied.

After the World-Honored One, the bodhisattvas, and the disciples had finished their meal, washed their bowls, and completed everything, Anavatapta asked the Tathagata to teach the Dharma.

After midday, the World-Honored One arose from meditation, sat upright, and taught the Dharma. The multitudes attending the assembly extended nearly a thousand yojanas. Coming from everywhere, they completely filled the sky without a gap. Devas, dragons, ghosts, spirits, humans, and nonhumans surrounded the World-Honored, Supremely True, Perfectly Enlightened One. Everyone in the assembly rejoiced.

5. CHAPTER ON THE PRACTICE OF FREEDOM FROM DESIRE

Then the Dragon King, his countenance joyful, came forward, knelt, bowed, and addressed the Buddha:

“May the World-Honored One teach the Dharma for this assembly to hear, causing all to escape birth and death and forever remove the sufferings produced by attachment to the characteristics of the five skandhas, defiled activity, delusion, and impurity. Cause us never again to be bound by thoughts of the three poisons, and cause the dragon hosts to cast away the crooked darkness hidden within their minds and reach the highest good. May everyone rejoice and cultivate the profound bodhisattva practice. Whether the Tathagata remains in the world or has entered nirvana in the future, cause us to protect and preserve the true Dharma in our own lands.”

The World-Honored One then praised the Dragon King:

“Excellent! Excellent, Anavatapta! Listen carefully to this meaning and diligently keep it in mind, so that you may proclaim and reveal it to everyone. I shall explain it, causing many in this assembly to escape the suffering of transgression, uproot habitual perceptions and doubts from their minds, understand Universal Wisdom, and escape the three realms.”

The Dragon King said:

“Excellent, World-Honored One! Pray expound it. We bow our heads to receive it.”

The World-Honored One told the Dragon King:

“There is one Dharma practice that bodhisattvas should perform, for which devas and humans will deeply revere them. What is that Dharma? It is to cultivate profound resolve and practice freedom from desire.

“What is meant by cultivating the profound Dharma and practicing freedom from desire?

“Dragon King, a bodhisattva accords with causes and conditions and does not depart from the boundary of the two views. Those who know existence and nonexistence see all dharmas. Because they cling to causes and conditions, they do not see any dharma that arises without conditions. Such a person thinks: ‘Dharmas depend upon causes and conditions; because they do not rely upon conditions as fixed entities, they do not rely upon Mara.’ One who relies upon conditions says neither ‘I’ nor ‘mine.’

“Furthermore, because dharmas depend upon conditions, there is neither ‘self’ nor ‘what belongs to self.’ That which depends upon conditions has no master and cannot be grasped. Whoever accords with conditions and clearly understands arising swiftly realizes the principle of the four reliances.

“What are the four?

“They are: rely upon the ultimate meaning, not upon the words; rely upon the practice of wisdom, not upon discriminating consciousness; when a sutra accords with the meaning, rely not upon ordinary conditions; and rely mindfully upon the Dharma, not upon the person.

“What is meaning? What is wisdom? What is accordance with meaning? What is mindfulness of the Dharma?

“Meaning is the meaning of emptiness. Not accepting false characteristics is the meaning of signlessness. Not clinging to conscious thought is the meaning of wishlessness. Not clinging to the three realms is the meaning beyond enumeration. It is not clinging to numerical categories of dharmas.

“Furthermore, as to this meaning, Dharma and non-Dharma are originally nondual. Sounds are unobtainable, conceptual thought is nonthought, and within the sphere of dharmas there is no abiding. Because there is no person, life span, sounds, words, and speech have no inherent existence.

“Furthermore, this meaning—the meaning of Dharma—is the meaning of freedom from desire.

“What is a bodhisattva’s practice of the meaning of Dharma?

“It is the meaning in which the eye has no form, the ear no sound, the nose no fragrance, the tongue no flavor, the body no touch, and the mind no dharma. It has no meaning of the arising of form or the diminishing of form; no meaning relating to feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness; and no meaning of the arising and cessation of formations or consciousness. It has no meaning of desiring form or the formless, nor any meaning of desiring the arising and cessation of form and the formless.

It has no meaning of self, nor the meaning of views of self, entry into views, or entry itself. It has no meaning of clinging to entry through views of a person. It does not cling to the meaning of the Buddha’s physical body or to the letters of the Dharma.

It does not reckon categories as truly existent and cling to their meaning. Nor does it cling to any meaning in giving, morality, patience, vigor, concentration, or wisdom; rather, it understands the meaning that enters all dharmas. This is called a bodhisattva’s practice of the meaning of Dharma.

By following this meaning, one becomes irreversible. This is called meaning.

“What is called wisdom?

“It is wisdom in which suffering does not arise, wisdom that does not conceive of accumulation, wisdom in which cessation is exhausted, and wisdom that does not reify the Path. Amid the illusory dharmas of the skandhas and all natures and the Dharma-nature, it is wisdom that destroys nothing. Toward all sentient faculties, nongrasping is wisdom. Entering and understanding all dharmas, clearly knowing beings, and being replete in wisdom according to their faculties; maintaining resolute mindfulness without forgetfulness; having no thought regarding right intentions or wrong intentions; knowing the wholesome and unwholesome regarding all intentions to abandon; and bringing forth wisdom through body and mind regarding all bases of spiritual power—these are wisdom.

“Furthermore, regarding the faculties, it is wisdom that clearly knows what is heavy and light; regarding intentions, wisdom that knows all dharmas; regarding the powers, wisdom that has tamed them. The Path is beyond enumeration; regarding tranquil cessation, it is wisdom. Contemplating wisdom’s discernment of the arising of dharmas, all are wisdom of nonarising: no arrival in the future, no abiding in the middle, and regarding the body, wisdom that it is like an image.

“To speak of experiencing through wisdom is to know the mind and dharmas as illusions. Thus does a bodhisattva clearly know wisdom and knowledge.

“Furthermore, what is called a sutra that accords with the meaning of the Path?

“Through causes and conditions dharmas arise, yet the practitioner extinguishes ignorance and extinguishes aging and death, realizing selflessness. Regarding selflessness, persons, and life span, one clearly understands all phenomena. Any supposed self of the Tathagata is not true Dharma. Through the three gates of liberation, one is equal toward the three times and seeks the threefold nonattachment. Thus one sees that all dharmas are entirely unborn. By clearly contemplating, the wise person extinguishes and abandons all worldly emotions.

“Because a bodhisattva reaches ultimate wisdom, there is no doubt regarding any thought. Receiving this practice is called accordance with meaning.

“What is called accordance with the Dharma?

“Whether Tathagatas appear or do not appear, the Dharma-body constantly abides. This is called the Tathagata. Suchness is originally empty, neither increasing nor diminishing, nondual and without a second; it is the true limit, the Dharma-nature. This is called accordance with the Dharma. Neither destroying the results of actions nor creating a reward as a conditioned dharma is called accordance with the Dharma.

“Those of the Great Vehicle reach the infinite through the six paramitas. Those of the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle attain liberation through causes and conditions. Those of the Sravaka Vehicle attain liberation through hearing the voice. This is called accordance with the Dharma. Giving brings great merit; keeping precepts brings birth in heaven; extensive learning brings abundant knowledge; and concentrated mindfulness brings liberation. This is called accordance with the Dharma.

“Because this practice is not cultivated, there is birth and death; when cultivation matures, the unconditioned is attained. This is accordance with the Dharma.

“The foolish use the power of desire; the wise use the power of wisdom. This is called accordance with the Dharma.

“All these dharmas depend upon the Dharma-nature. Thus, Dragon King, they arise in dependence upon causes and conditions. One should therefore realize the principle of the four reliances.

“Because one relies upon causes and conditions, one does not rely upon the annihilationist or eternalist grasping of existence and nonexistence. Thus it is said: whoever sees dependent arising sees all dharmas; whoever sees the Dharma sees the Tathagata.

“What is dependent arising?

“Dragon King, it is equality of arising and nonarising with regard to Dharma and non-Dharma, equality without attachment. Moreover, the Tathagata does not cling to the dharmas of dependent arising. There is no arising, and dharmas cannot be apprehended. One who knows this Dharma is called a Tathagata.

“Dependent arising is seen with the wisdom-eye. Seeing with the wisdom-eye is called seeing all dharmas. One who sees all dharmas sees the Tathagata. Thus it is said: whoever sees dependent arising sees the Dharma; whoever sees the Dharma sees the Tathagata.

“Furthermore, the Tathagata sees the Dharma by means of the Dharma.

“Thus, Dragon King, one who uses this Dharma and practices in accord with it to attain liberation is called a bodhisattva who practices freedom from desire.

“Dragon King, moreover, a bodhisattva free from desire does not follow habitual desire, delights in the work of the noble ones, abandons what is ignoble, and diligently delights in entering the stream of noble ones. Such a bodhisattva broadly develops wisdom, personally realizes the Dharma, cultivates extensive learning, remembers resolutely without forgetting, does not abandon the body of morality, does not let the body of knowledge incline or recline, keeps the body of concentration unmoved, and through the body of wisdom remains firmly established in the Dharma. The body of liberated knowledge and vision is firm and difficult to move, because of that liberated knowledge and vision.

“Furthermore, Dragon King, a bodhisattva free from desire realizes countless true Dharmas that convey the Buddha’s meaning, fully possesses the countless essential meanings of the Buddhas, attains the Buddhas’ fruit of eloquence, and penetrates the immeasurable spiritual powers of the Buddhas. Through this, the bodhisattva reaches the countless skillful understandings of the Buddhas, enters the immeasurable practices of beings everywhere, traverses countless Buddha lands, clearly beholds countless hundreds of thousands of Tathagatas, hears countless Dharmas, realizes countless meanings, attains countless kinds of knowledge, understands countless practices, and liberates countless beings.

“Thus, Dragon King, a bodhisattva free from desire should always remain pure so as to exhaust all defilements, possess immeasurable merit, and move freely through the three realms without attachment. Why? Because freedom from desire arises from the mind. Three things arise from the mind. What are the three? Desire arises from the mind, craving arises from the mind, and origination arises from the mind.

“There are also three kinds of arising: contemplating where arising occurs, again contemplating the act of arising, and contemplating what is practiced while contemplating the mind as having no location.

“There are also three kinds of arising: single-minded tranquil cessation, clear understanding of the object contemplated, and practice in accordance with the Dharma.

“There are also three kinds of arising: virtue complete through causes that tame, using them to bring tranquility, and arising from diligent practice.

“There are also three things: arising from upright conduct, freedom from flattery, and kind and patient restraint.

“There are also three things: not sinking into doubt, following the wholesome, and being neither coarse nor rough but content with a simple livelihood.

“There are also three things: arising from nonarising, from signlessness, and from wishlessness.

“There are also three things: the impermanence of all dharmas arises from the mind; the arising of all dharmas from the mind is suffering; and suffering also arises from the mind.

“There are also three things arising from the mind: the impermanence of all dharmas, the selflessness of all dharmas, and the unconditioned exhaustion of cessation all arise from the mind.

“Thus, Dragon King, a bodhisattva’s equal cessation also arises from the mind. Such bodhisattvas do not abandon the mind of Universal Wisdom and practice consciousness impartially toward everyone. Because of great loving-kindness, they do not abandon beings.

Because of great compassion, they do not weary of birth and death. Because of great sympathetic joy, they impartially transcend delight and anger. Because of great equanimous protection, they give wisely without seeking repayment.

Because they are complete in training in precepts, conduct, virtue, and meaning, they inwardly guard against their own faults and do not speak of others’ shortcomings. They patiently endure the unwholesome conduct of beings. Wishing to make others firm as vajra, they manifest and cultivate wholesome qualities as the roots of all virtuous conduct.

They do not cherish body or life and attain all concentrations and meditative attainments. Their minds do not tire, and they do not give rise to attachment on account of meditative attainment. They manifest knowledge, use skillful means to accord with beings, and employ true wisdom to liberate those resolved upon emancipation.

“For those wishing to attain the Sravaka Vehicle or Pratyekabuddha Vehicle, they clearly teach mindfulness of the Buddha-Dharma and the quest for all Buddha-Dharmas. Because they can endure hardship, they widely expound the Dharma. They despise and cast away gain and honor.

Their resolve is complete, and they do not weary of the marks of virtuous conduct. They possess wisdom, study broadly, and learn extensively. By learning from wholesome friends, they encounter good spiritual friends.

Through humble reverence, they acquire humble conduct. By subduing the self-willed mind, they master the self-willed mind. Because their resolute conduct is complete, their mental conduct is complete.

Because they are without flattery, they remain far from flattery. Because their words and deeds accord, they do not show contempt. Because they cultivate sincerity, they speak truthful words.

Because they leave all deception, they eliminate false speech. To give rise to a sincere mind, their mind must be sincere.

“Thus, Dragon King, any bodhisattva who gives rise to this mind is called free from desire.

“Furthermore, Dragon King, a bodhisattva free from desire cannot be arbitrarily constrained. Why? Because such a bodhisattva corresponds to the unlimited and does not practice limited dharmas.

“What are limited dharmas?

“Desire, lust, anger, and delusion are limited dharmas. A bodhisattva has no attachment to them and is therefore called unlimited. The Sravaka Vehicle and Pratyekabuddha Vehicle are both limited. Because a bodhisattva abides in the mind of Universal Wisdom, Mara can never constrain or exploit that bodhisattva.

“Thus, Dragon King, there are two works of Mara that bodhisattvas must clearly recognize and also leave far behind.

“What are the two?

“They are having no reverence for teachers and spiritual friends, and being conceited, arrogant, and contemptuous of others. These are the two.

“There are also two works of Mara: abandoning the bodhisattva treasury of the six paramitas and turning the mind back to delight in the work of sravakas and pratyekabuddhas.

“There are two more. What are they? Lacking wisdom yet wishing to employ skillful means, and delighting in dwelling close to beings whose paths are confused and whose views are false.

“There are also two: having little learning and inferior knowledge yet claiming to have attained wisdom; and, though possessing broad understanding, becoming arrogant.

“There are also two: possessing little virtue yet hoping to be honored; and cultivating virtue while delighting in the Lesser Vehicle.

“There are also two: not protecting the true Dharma and not liberating beings.

“There are also two: having no resolve to study with bodhisattvas or assemble with those of luminous and penetrating wisdom; and devoting oneself to slandering lofty bodhisattvas, repeatedly intending to obstruct Dharma teachers, hindering a teacher’s instruction, and engaging in much flattery.

“There are also two works of Mara: abandoning the roots of virtue and harboring a mind devoid of virtue.

“There are also two: though dwelling in a secluded place, still cherishing thoughts of the three poisons and keeping the mind constantly agitated; and when traveling through a village, being greedy for gain.

“There are also two: expounding the profound essentials of the Dharma to nonhuman beings, while failing to teach those to whom the Dharma should be taught.

“There are also two: not recognizing the works of Mara, and straying from the intention of Universal Wisdom so that the mind is constantly confused.

“Thus, Dragon King, such are the characteristics of the works of Mara. A bodhisattva free from desire is forever without these things.

“Furthermore, Dragon King, a bodhisattva who cultivates purity must be free from desire and develop the sixteen great powers of a bodhisattva. Through these powers, bodhisattvas subdue and master their own resolve in order to teach and liberate beings.

“What are the sixteen great powers of a bodhisattva?

“They are the power of resolve, power of intention, power of practice, power of conscience, power of fortitude, power of retention, power of wisdom, power of virtue, power of eloquence, power of bearing, power of body, power of wealth, power of mind, power of spiritual ability, power of propagating the Dharma, and power of subduing the maras. A bodhisattva free from desire attains these sixteen great powers.

“What is the bodhisattva’s power of resolve?

“Thus, Dragon King, through the power of resolve, a bodhisattva can contemplate all dharanis spoken by the Buddhas. This is called the power of resolve.

“This bodhisattva’s intention accords with the conduct of the Buddhas and cannot be destroyed or obstructed by any being. This is the power of intention.

“Being able to comprehend spoken sounds and clearly understand all meanings is called the power of practice.

“Leaving all evil deeds and giving rise to virtuous dharmas is called the power of conscience.

“Encountering every calamity yet never committing what is contrary to Dharma is called the power of fortitude.

“Even if hundreds of millions of Mara’s armies appear, they dare not oppose the bodhisattva. This is the power of wisdom.

“Penetrating and retaining the Dharma, proclaiming equal training, and never forgetting it is called the power of retention.

“Without attachment or forgetfulness, speaking unobstructedly and uninterruptedly throughout hundreds of thousands of kalpas, and understanding all dharmas at will is called the power of eloquence.

“If Sakra, Brahma, and the Four Heavenly Kings come before the bodhisattva, the bodhisattva remains silent and does not change countenance. This is the power of proper composure.

“If one wishes for a jewel upon one’s head, it appears as soon as the thought arises. This is the power of wealth.

“Surpassing followers of non-Buddhist paths and being honored among all people is the power of body.

“Regarding the minds of beings, being able to attain single-mindedness, know their minds, and teach and liberate them in accordance with their conduct is the power of mind.

“If beings need to be taught and liberated through spiritual powers, the bodhisattva manifests spiritual transformations for them to see. This is the power of spiritual ability.

“If the bodhisattva teaches the Dharma for people to hear, the discourse is not left half-spoken. Because they hear and practice accordingly, all their sufferings are removed. This is the power of propagating the Dharma.

“When in meditation and meditative attainment, the bodhisattva follows the Dharma’s instruction and attains the Dharma practice of the noble ones. This is the power of subduing Mara.

“These are called the sixteen great powers of a bodhisattva.

“If practitioners aspire to these sixteen powers and wish to perfect them, they must cultivate freedom from desire.

“Dragon King, just as all streams flow into the great ocean, all practices of the Dharma-path—the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment—return to freedom from desire.

“Furthermore, Dragon King, just as all medicinal plants grow upon the earth, all wholesome practices depend upon freedom from desire.

“Dragon King, just as beings love a Wheel-Turning Sage King, if there is a bodhisattva free from desire, devas, dragons, ghosts, and people of the world will all love that bodhisattva.”

The World-Honored One then spoke these verses for Anavatapta and the princes:

Wisdom knows the Dharma of causes and conditions
And does not depend upon views.
Seeing dharmas arise through causes and conditions,
One knows that without conditions no dharma exists.

Seeing dharmas, one does not cling to conditions;
Regarding oneself, one does not deny selflessness.
If there is neither self nor person,
Know this as freedom from desire.

Contemplate meaning, without adornment;
The practice of wisdom is freed from consciousness.
Clearly understand sutras that accord with meaning;
Rely on Dharma, not on persons.

The meaning of Dharma is the meaning of freedom from desire.
Eye and ear have neither form nor sound;
Nose and mouth are apart from fragrance and flavor;
Body and mind have neither touch nor dharmas.

There is no abiding in the meaning of the three realms,
Nor even a meaning of selflessness.
The World-Honored One is no form-body;
No letters constitute the meaning of the Dharma taught.

In the cessation of thought there is no duality;
The mind soars through bases of spiritual power.
Through these powers there is no calamity;
One knows how to restrain the faculties.

Knowing how speech accords with a sutra’s meaning,
Clearly understanding dependent arising,
One extinguishes ignorance, the root of birth and death;
Freedom from desire is the meaning of wisdom.

Not caught in wholesome or unwholesome,
Know that dharmas bear no intrinsic retribution.
The Buddha-Dharma does not come from outside;
Through practice one crosses to the infinite shore.

Through causes and conditions, pratyekabuddhas attain release;
Through hearing the voice, sravakas attain liberation.
Wisdom and knowledge bring great abundance;
Keeping precepts brings birth in heaven.

Contemplating conditions, one sees the Dharma;
Through the Dharma, one sees the World-Honored One.
Equal toward the arising and cessation of dharmas,
The desireless understand the honored Dharma.

If one seeks the practice of freedom from desire,
One delights in all the noble ones.
Though the Dharma-nature seems destroyed, one does not abandon it,
But still preserves the lineage of the noble ones.

Having heard, they clearly understand the meaning
And proclaim it to immeasurable people.
They know the practices of countless multitudes;
Their resolve is directed toward measureless aims.

Liberation, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness;
Understanding suffering, knowing birth and death;
Dharmas are selfless and ever tranquil—
Freedom from desire arises through mental practice.

The mind of Universal Wisdom equally sustains all;
With compassion one liberates beings.
Through joy one does not weary of birth and death;
The practice of equanimous protection is truly boundless.

Having given, one seeks no reward;
Reflecting upon oneself, one establishes all practices.
Patient toward wholesome and unwholesome conduct,
One longs to rescue and liberate beings.

Through this freedom from desire, the noble ones
Attain supreme purity.
Through freedom from desire, they become Buddhas
And teach and liberate boundless beings.

When the World-Honored One had taught this chapter on Freedom from Desire, forty-two thousand devas, dragons, ghosts, spirits, humans, and nonhumans in the assembly aroused the aspiration for the unsurpassed, perfectly true Way. Twelve thousand people attained the Patience of Nonarising. Another eight thousand attained compliant patience. Thirty-two thousand devas, humans, spirits, and dragons became free from sensory defilements and all attained patience in the Dharma. Another eight thousand people attained the practice of freedom from desire. Eight thousand bhiksus exhausted all outflows.

At that very moment, the three-thousand-great-thousand world system shook in six ways, and throughout the ten directions everything suddenly became brilliant. In Lake Without Heat beneath the Snow Mountains, unprecedented and unheard-of wonders appeared everywhere. Wondrous radiant flowers rose as high as the knees. Extraordinary things appeared throughout the lake’s waters: fresh and beautiful lotus blossoms, as large as chariot wheels. Seated among those flowers, one perceived fragrances and countless hundreds of thousands of varieties and colors of blossoms. All these appeared through the Buddha’s awe-inspiring spiritual power. They also arose as offerings to this Dharma and to delight the Dragon King of Lake Without Heat.

THE SUTRA SPOKEN BY THE BUDDHA ON THE SAMADHI THAT VASTLY PROCLAIMS THE WAY

End of Fascicle Two