金光明最勝王經

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Thus indeed have I heard: At one time, the Buddha was dwelling on Vulture Peak^[10], near the city of Rajagriha^[11]. He entered the profound and pure Dharma realm^[12], which is the sphere of the Buddhas and also the abiding place of the Tathagatas^[13].

At that time, the assembly included ninety-eight thousand great bhiksus^[14], all of whom were arhats^[15]. Their minds were disciplined like well-tamed elephants; their outflows^[16] were exhausted, and they were free from afflictions. Their minds were well liberated, and their wisdom was well liberated.

They had completed their task, laid down their burdens, accomplished their own benefit, and were no longer bound by fetters^[17]. Peaceful, at ease, and established in pure morality, they possessed skillful means and were adorned with wisdom. They had attained the eight liberations^[18] and reached the other shore.

Among them were the venerable ones^[19] Ajnata Kaundinya^[20], Asvajit, Vaspa, Mahanama, Bhadrika, Mahakasyapa^[21], Uruvilva Kasyapa^[22], Gaya Kasyapa, Nadi Kasyapa, Sariputra^[23], Maudgalyayana^[24], and others; only Ananda^[25] remained at the stage of one who still had more to learn^[26]. In the late afternoon, these great sravakas^[27] emerged from meditative concentration together, approached the Buddha, bowed their heads at his feet, circumambulated him three times, and sat to one side.

There were hundreds of thousands of myriads of kotis of great bodhisattvas^[28], whose majestic virtue was exceedingly great, like that of dragon kings. Their renown had spread everywhere, and they were known by all. They always delighted in practicing pure generosity and morality^[29], diligently cultivated patience throughout immeasurable kalpas, transcended the meditative concentrations^[30], and maintained right mindfulness before them.

They opened the gateway of wisdom and practiced skillful means; they freely employed subtle, wondrous supernormal powers, attained dharanis^[31], and possessed unobstructed eloquence. They had severed their afflictions, and all defilement had become utterly still. Before long, they would fully attain wisdom of all modes^[32], subdue the armies of Mara^[33], sound the drum of the Great Dharma, vanquish non-Buddhist doctrines, and cause all beings to bring forth pure minds.

These great bodhisattvas turned the Dharma wheel to deliver devas and humans alike, causing the Buddha lands throughout the ten directions to become pure and adorned and bringing benefit to beings in all six realms^[34]. They had attained great wisdom^[35], perfected great patience^[36], and abided in minds of great loving-kindness and great compassion. They had fully attained the power of great steadfastness and served immeasurable Tathagatas without entering nirvana^[37].

These great bodhisattvas made this great vow: ‘Until the end of the future, we shall deeply plant pure causes in the presence of the Buddhas, realize the patience regarding the non-arising of dharmas^[38] through the Dharma of the three times, and transcend the stages of cultivation of the Two Vehicles^[39].’ Through skillful means, these great bodhisattvas guided the world. They could expound the secret Dharma gates of the Teacher, thoroughly comprehending the exceedingly profound nature of dharmas without the slightest doubt.

Among them were the great bodhisattvas Unhindered Turning of the Dharma Wheel, Ever Aspiring to Turn the Dharma Wheel, Ever Diligent, Never Resting, Maitreya, Manjusri, Avalokitesvara, Sovereign King of Dharani, King Adorned with Great Eloquence, King of the Exalted Wondrous Mountain, King of the Profound Great Ocean, Jeweled Banner, Great Jeweled Banner, Ksitigarbha, Akasagarbha, Sovereign Jeweled Hand, Vajrapani, Power of Joy, Power of the Great Dharma, Light of Great Adornment, Adornment of Great Golden Light, Pure Morality, Ever Concentrated, Supremely Pure Wisdom, Steadfast Diligence, Mind Like Space, Unceasing Great Vow, Bestower of Medicine, Healer of All Diseases of Affliction, King of Physicians, Exalted King of Joy, Attainer of Renown, Joy, and Bliss,

Great Cloud Manifesting Boundless Renown, Great Cloud Lion’s Roar, Great Cloud Bull-King’s Roar, Great Cloud Auspiciousness, Great Cloud Jeweled Virtue, Great Cloud Treasury of the Sun, Great Cloud Treasury of the Moon, Great Cloud Starlight, Great Cloud Firelight, Great Cloud Lightning, Great Cloud Thunderous Sound, Great Cloud Filling All with the Rain of Wisdom, Great Cloud King of Pure Rain, Great Cloud King Raining Flowering Trees, Great Cloud Fragrance of the Blue Lotus, Great Cloud Body Cooled by the Fragrance of Precious Sandalwood, Great Cloud Dispeller of Darkness, and Great Cloud Destroyer of Obscurations.

In the late afternoon, immeasurable bodhisattvas such as these emerged from meditative concentration, came to the Buddha’s dwelling place, bowed their heads at his feet, circumambulated him three times, and sat to one side.

There were also five hundred and eighty million Licchavi^[41] youths^[40]. Foremost among them were the youths Lion Light, Lion Wisdom, Dharma Tree, Indra, Great Light, Great Valor, Buddha Protector, Dharma Protector, Sangha Protector, Vajra Protector, Space Protector, Space Roar, Jeweled Treasury, and Auspicious Wondrous Treasury. All were established in unsurpassed bodhi^[42] and joyfully placed profound faith in the Dharma gate of the Mahayana^[43]. In the late afternoon, these youths all approached the Buddha, bowed their heads at his feet, circumambulated him three times, and sat to one side.

There were also forty-two thousand devas, among whom were foremost and outstanding devas who constantly vowed to protect and uphold the Mahayana, perpetuate, develop, and proclaim the true Dharma, and never allow it to be interrupted. They were Excellent Vision, Joyful Delight, Sunlight, Moon Diadem, Radiant Wisdom, Pure Wisdom of Space, Dispeller of Afflictions, and Auspiciousness. In the late afternoon, these devas all approached the Buddha, bowed their heads at his feet, circumambulated him three times, and sat to one side.

There were also twenty-eight thousand dragon kings^[44]. Foremost among them were the dragon kings Lotus, Elapatra, Great Power, Great Roar, Little Wave, Swift-Water Holder, Golden Face, and Wish-Fulfilling. These dragon kings possessed profound faith and always delighted in receiving, upholding, praising, and protecting the Mahayana. In the late afternoon, they all came to the Buddha’s dwelling place, bowed their heads at his feet, circumambulated him three times, and sat to one side.

There were also thirty-six thousand yaksas^[45], led by the deva king Vaisravana. Among them were the yaksa Amba, Amba Holder, Treasury of Lotus Light, Lotus Face, Knitted Brows, Manifest Great Terror, Earth Shaker, and Devourer. They all delighted in the true Dharma of the Tathagata and single-mindedly protected it, never once growing indolent. In the late afternoon, they all came to the Buddha’s dwelling place, bowed their heads at his feet, circumambulated him three times, and sat to one side.

There were forty-nine thousand garuda^[46] kings, led by King Fragrant Elephant’s Might; gandharvas^[47], asuras^[48], kimnaras^[49], mahoragas^[50], spirits and immortals dwelling in the mountains, forests, rivers, and seas, kings of great nations together with their queens and royal consorts, and assemblies of devas and humans. They all vowed to support, recite, receive and uphold, copy, and propagate the teachings of the Mahayana. In the late afternoon, they all came to the Buddha’s dwelling place, bowed their heads at his feet, circumambulated him three times, and sat to one side.

In the late afternoon, when the sravakas, great bodhisattvas, devas and humans of the eight classes^[51], and the others had fully assembled, the Buddha emerged from meditative concentration, surveyed the great assembly, and spoke these verses:

The wondrous Dharma of Golden Light,

Supreme and king of all sutras,

Is profound and extremely difficult to encounter,

And is the sphere of the Tathagatas.

For the sake of all beings,

I shall clearly expound this sutra.

Four Buddhas abide in the four directions:

In the east is Buddha Aksobhya,

In the south, Buddha True Mark,

In the west, Amitayus,

And in the north, Heavenly Drum Sound;

Through their majestic spiritual power, they grant protection.

I shall also teach the Dharma

Of supreme auspicious repentance,

Which can extinguish every offense,

Completely eliminate all karmic obstructions,

Dispel calamities and suffering,

And bestow abundant joy;

It is the foundation of omniscience,

Adorned with every virtue.

Those whose bodies are impaired,

Whose lifespans are about to diminish,

For whom ominous signs have appeared,

Whom the heavenly spirits have abandoned,

Whose friends have become angry,

Whose relatives have all dispersed,

For whom all things here and there are adverse,

Whose wealth has been entirely exhausted,

For whom baleful stars portend misfortune,

Who have been invaded by venomous creatures,

Whose hearts are burdened with anxiety and sorrow,

Who are oppressed again by pain,

And who behold evil dreams while asleep,

Thus giving rise to afflictions—

Such people should

Bathe and change their garments

With the mind single and undistracted,

Read, recite, hear, and uphold

This most profound and wondrous King of Sutras,

Which the Buddha has praised.

Through the majestic power of this sutra,

Calamities and misfortunes are averted,

And all other sufferings and tribulations

Entirely cease to exist.

The Four Heavenly Kings^[52], protectors of the world,

Together with their great ministers and retinues,

And countless yakshas,

Will all single-mindedly protect such a person.

The goddess Mahapratibhana,

The deity of the Nairanjana River^[53],

Mother Hariti^[54],

Together with the earth deity Drdha^[55],

Lord Brahma^[56] and Lord Sakra^[57],

The naga kings and kimnaras,

The kings of the garudas,

And the hosts of asuras,

Will all lead their retinues

To protect that person,

Never departing by day or night.

This wondrous sutra that I expound

Is the sphere of practice of the Buddhas,

The secret teaching of the Tathagatas,

Difficult to encounter in thousands of myriads of kalpas.

If anyone hears this sutra

And expounds it to others,

Or gives rise to a joyful heart

And prepares offerings to present,

Such people,

Throughout countless kalpas,

Will always be revered

By all devas and humans,

As well as nagas and spirits.

Their merit will be immeasurable,

Surpassing the number of sands in the Ganges.

Those who read and recite this sutra

Will obtain merit such as this;

They will also be aided and protected

By the Buddhas of the ten directions

And the foremost bodhisattvas,

And will escape all suffering and adversity.

Those who make offerings to this sutra

Should bathe and change their garments,

Constantly give rise to loving-kindness and compassion,

And offer incense, flowers, food, and drink.

Those who wish to hear this sutra

Must keep their minds truly pure

And their hearts constantly joyful;

Then their merit will increase.

Those who, with reverent minds,

Listen to this wondrous sutra,

If born in the human realm,

Will be free from all suffering and adversity.

Only those whose wholesome roots have fully matured

And who are praised by the Buddhas

Can hear this sutra

And the auspicious Dharma of repentance.

CHAPTER 2: THE LIFESPAN OF THE TATHAGATA

In the city of Rajagrha there was a great bodhisattva named Ruciraketu, who had attended, revered, and made offerings to countless kotis^[58] of nayutas^[59] of hundreds of thousands of Buddhas, planting roots of goodness in their presence. Dwelling alone in a secluded place, the bodhisattva reflected: “Why is the lifespan of the Buddha Sakyamuni so brief, lasting only eighty years? He has taught that there are two causes for attaining longevity: refraining from killing and constantly giving food and drink.

Yet throughout countless hundreds of thousands of myriads of kotis of innumerable great kalpas^[60] in past lives, the Buddha Sakyamuni never harmed living beings, practiced the ten wholesome deeds^[61], and gave food and drink to hungry and thirsty beings. He even gave his own blood, flesh, bones, and marrow to living beings, wishing that they might be satisfied.”

As the bodhisattva reflected upon the Buddha in this way, through the Buddha’s majestic power, the chamber suddenly became spacious, airy, immaculate, and magnificent. It was splendidly adorned with indranila-blue vaidurya^[62], other precious substances, and multicolored silks, resembling the pure lands of the Buddhas. Moreover, a wondrous fragrance surpassing even the fragrances of the heavenly realms pervaded the entire chamber.

On each of the four sides there naturally appeared a precious lion throne^[63] made from four kinds of jewels, covered with pure precious cloth, and adorned with beautiful lotus flowers and precious gems, each suited to the body of a Buddha Tathagata. Upon the lotuses were four Buddhas: Aksobhya Tathagata in the east, Ratnaketu Tathagata in the south, Amitayus Buddha in the west, and Dundubhisvara Buddha in the north. Each of the four Tathagatas sat cross-legged upon his throne and emitted brilliant rays of light that illuminated the entire city of Sravasti, extending throughout the trichiliocosm^[64] and Buddha lands of the ten directions as numerous as the sands of the Ganges.

Beautiful heavenly flowers also rained down everywhere, and celestial music resounded.

At that time, through the Buddha’s majestic power, all beings in Jambudvipa^[65] and throughout the trichiliocosm experienced sublime joy, and no one suffered deprivation. Those lacking bodily faculties became whole; the blind gained sight, the deaf could hear, the mute could speak, the ignorant gained understanding, the insane regained composure, those without clothing obtained clothing, the lowly came to be respected, and foul and filthy bodies became clean. Unprecedented beneficial events such as these successively appeared in their entirety, with none lacking.

Seeing the four Buddhas and these rare events, Bodhisattva Ruciraketu was filled with joy and gazed upon the Buddhas’ supremely wondrous countenances. The bodhisattva further reflected that the virtues of Sakyamuni Tathagata were immeasurable and beyond doubt, yet because his lifespan was so brief, he wondered: “Why, when the Buddha’s virtues are immeasurable, is his lifespan so exceedingly brief, lasting only eighty years?”

The four Tathagatas said to Ruciraketu: “Virtuous One^[66] Ruciraketu! You should not think or say that the Tathagata’s lifespan is brief. Why is this? Because no being among devas or humans, Brahmas or Mara kings^[67], sramanas^[68], brahmins^[69], nonhuman beings^[70], and so forth can calculate or know the Tathagata’s lifespan, with the sole exception of one who has attained unsurpassed perfect enlightenment^[71].”

As the four Tathagatas were about to declare the lifespan of the Buddha Sakyamuni, through the Buddha’s majestic power, devas of the Desire Realm and Form Realm, naga kings, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kimnaras, mahoragas, together with countless hundreds of thousands of myriads of kotis of nayutas of bodhisattvas, all assembled in Ruciraketu’s pure and wondrous chamber. At that time, before the great assembly, the four Tathagatas proclaimed in verse the lifespan of Sakyamuni Tathagata:

One might be able to calculate

The number of drops in the great ocean,

But one could never

Know the lifespan of Sakyamuni.

Though one might know the number of grains of sand

Into which Mount Sumeru^[72] could be divided,

One could never calculate

The lifespan of Sakyamuni.

One might be able to calculate

The number of dust particles of the great earth,

But one could never calculate

The lifespan of Sakyamuni.

Suppose one could measure and know

The limits of empty space;

Even then, one could never calculate

The lifespan of Sakyamuni.

Even if a person lived for a koti of kalpas

And constantly exerted every effort in calculation,

That person still could not know

The lifespan of the Blessed One^[73].

Because he did not harm living beings

And gave food and drink,

The Buddha Sakyamuni

Attained an exceedingly long lifespan.

Therefore, it is difficult to calculate and know

The lifespan of the Greatly Awakened One^[74];

The lifespan of the Tathagata

Is as boundless as the number of kalpas.

Ruciraketu, you should understand!

Do not give rise to doubts;

The Tathagata’s lifespan is immeasurable,

And no one can calculate or know it.

Bodhisattva Ruciraketu, having heard the four Buddhas speak of the lifespan of Śākyamuni Buddha, addressed the Buddha, saying: “Why, then, does the Tathagata manifest such a short lifespan?” The four Buddhas taught: “Good man^[75]! Śākyamuni appeared in the world during the age of the five defilements, when the human lifespan was only one hundred years, people’s natural capacities were inferior, their roots of goodness were slight and meager, they lacked faith, and they gave rise to the view of a self^[76], the view of a person^[77], the view of a sentient being^[78], and the view of one who possesses a lifespan^[79].

They fostered wrong views^[80], views of self and what belongs to self^[81], annihilationism^[82], eternalism^[83], and so forth. Wishing to help these sentient beings and the adherents of other paths give rise to right view^[84] and swiftly attain unsurpassed bodhi, Śākyamuni Tathagata therefore manifested a short lifespan. Good man!

The Tathagata wishes sentient beings to see the Buddha enter nirvana, to conceive the thought that it is difficult to encounter a Buddha appearing in the world, and to feel sorrow, so that they will swiftly uphold, read, master through recitation, and expound to others the scriptures taught by the Tathagata, without disparaging them. For this reason, the Tathagata manifests such a short lifespan. If sentient beings were to see that the Tathagata did not enter nirvana, they would show no reverence, would not conceive the thought that it is difficult to encounter a Buddha appearing in the world, and would be unwilling to uphold, read, master through recitation, and expound to others the scriptures taught by the Tathagata.

Because they would continually see the Buddha, they would not give rise to reverence and respect.

“Good man! Suppose a person sees that his parents are wealthy and honored, possessing countless riches. He will not think that such wealth is difficult to obtain, but will regard it as commonplace.

Those sentient beings are likewise: if they see that the Tathagata does not enter nirvana, they will not conceive the thought that he is difficult to encounter, because they see him continually. Suppose a person sees that his parents are poor and destitute, possessing no wealth, and then goes to the home of a prince or high official, where he sees treasuries filled with precious jewels. He will immediately conceive the thought that such things are difficult to obtain.

He will then seek every possible means, working diligently and assiduously to acquire such wealth so that he may escape poverty and hunger and live in peace and happiness. Those sentient beings are likewise: if they see that the Tathagata has entered nirvana, they will conceive the thought that he is difficult to encounter and, in their sorrow, will reflect: ‘Only after immeasurable kalpas does a Tathagata appear in this world, just as the udumbara flower appears only at the proper time.’ Because those sentient beings have conceived the thought that the Tathagata is difficult to encounter, when they do encounter him, their minds immediately become reverent and faithful.

Upon hearing the true Dharma taught, they accept it as truthful speech and uphold it all without disparagement. For this reason, the World-Honored One cannot remain for long but swiftly enters nirvana. The Tathagatas employ such skillful means to help sentient beings attain bodhi.”

When the four Buddhas had finished speaking, they suddenly vanished. Bodhisattva Ruciraketu, together with immeasurable hundreds of thousands of bodhisattvas and immeasurable myriads of kotis of do-thas of hundreds of thousands of sentient beings, assembled at Vulture Peak, the dwelling place of Śākyamuni Tathagata. They bowed at his feet and then stood to one side.

Bodhisattva Ruciraketu related the foregoing events to the Buddha. At that moment, the four Tathagatas also arrived at Vulture Peak, and each took a seat in accordance with his respective direction. Each one instructed his attendant bodhisattva: “Go before Śākyamuni Buddha and convey my greetings to him: ‘Surely you are free from illness and weariness, your movements are easy, and you abide in true well-being?’ Also say: ‘Excellent, excellent, Śākyamuni Tathagata!

You are now expounding the Sutra of Golden Light, the profound essential Dharma of the Tathagatas, to benefit all sentient beings universally, eliminate hunger and thirst, and enable them to attain peace and happiness. We too rejoice in this.’”

The attendant bodhisattvas went before Śākyamuni, bowed at his feet, and stood to one side. Together they said: “Teacher of Gods and Humans^[85]! Our teachers send the Tathagata their warmest greetings and ask whether you are free from illness and weariness, whether your movements are easy, and whether you abide in well-being.” They also said: “Excellent, excellent, Śākyamuni Tathagata!

You are now expounding the Sutra of Golden Light, the profound essential Dharma of the Tathagatas, to benefit all sentient beings universally, eliminate hunger and thirst, and bring them peace and happiness.” Śākyamuni, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One^[86], told the bodhisattvas: “Excellent, excellent! For the benefit and happiness of sentient beings, the four Tathagatas have again requested me to proclaim the true Dharma.” Śākyamuni Tathagata then spoke these verses:

I constantly abide on Vulture Peak,

Expounding this precious sutra.

To bring sentient beings to attainment,

I manifest entry into nirvana.

Ordinary beings give rise to wrong views

And do not believe the words I speak.

To help bring them to attainment,

I manifest entry into nirvana.

At that time, among the assembly was a brahmin^[87] of the Kauṇḍinya clan named Dharma Master Prophecy, together with immeasurable hundreds of thousands of brahmins. After making offerings to the Buddha, the World-Honored One, they heard him say that he would enter nirvana and all began to lament and weep. Together they bowed at the Buddha’s feet and said:

“World-Honored One! If the Tathagata truly possesses loving-kindness and compassion, benefits all sentient beings and brings them happiness like a father and mother, serves as a refuge for the whole world, shines like the radiant full moon, illuminates everywhere with great wisdom like the rising sun, and cherishes all sentient beings impartially as he does Rāhula^[88], then we humbly beseech you to grant us one wish!”

The Buddha, the World-Honored One, remained silent and waited. Through the Buddha’s awe-inspiring power, a youth of the Licchavi^[89] clan named Delightful to All Sentient Beings, who was in the assembly, said to the brahmin Kauṇḍinya:

“Great Brahmin! What wish do you desire to request of the Buddha? I shall grant it to you!”

The brahmin replied: “Venerable sir^[90]! I wish to make offerings to the unsurpassed World-Honored One, and I also wish to request a relic^[91] of the Tathagata no larger than a mustard seed. Why is this? I have heard that anyone who obtains a relic of the Tathagata, even one the size of a mustard seed, and reverently makes offerings to it will be born in the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven^[92] and become the heavenly lord Śakra.”

The youth immediately said: “If you wish to be born in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three and enjoy excellent karmic rewards, you should listen attentively to the Sutra of Golden Light. This sutra is foremost among all sutras. It is exceedingly difficult to comprehend and exceedingly difficult to penetrate; śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas^[93] cannot know it. This sutra truly has the power to produce immeasurable and boundless meritorious rewards, culminating in the attainment of unsurpassed bodhi. I shall explain it briefly so that you may understand clearly.”

The brahmin said: “Excellent, excellent, venerable sir! The Sutra of Golden Light is exceedingly profound, lofty, and difficult to comprehend. It is extremely difficult to penetrate; even śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas cannot know it, much less ordinary beings like us, whose wisdom is inferior. Therefore, today we wish to obtain a relic no larger than a mustard seed, bring it back to our homeland, place it in a precious casket, and make offerings to it with utmost sincerity. After our lives end, we shall become Śakra and always enjoy peace and happiness. This alone is our wish. Why, then, can you not ask the Tathagata to grant it to us today?”

The youth Delightful to All Sentient Beings spoke these verses:

Upon the swiftly flowing Ganges

A lotus flower might arise;

A golden bird might turn white,

And a red bird become black.

Suppose the campaka tree^[94]

Were to produce palmyra fruit^[95],

And upon the branches of the khadira tree^[96]

Fresh green mango leaves^[97] flourished.

These occurrences are exceedingly rare,

Yet they still might come to pass;

But a relic of the World-Honored One

Can never possibly be obtained.

Suppose one wove turtle hair

Into a beautiful garment

To warm the body in cold weather;

Only then could a relic be obtained.

Suppose the legs of mosquitoes

Were transformed into lofty towers,

Firm and utterly immovable;

Only then could relics be sought.

Suppose that leeches

Grew white teeth within their mouths,

Long, large, and sharp as swords;

Only then could relics be sought.

Suppose one used rabbits’ horns

To fashion a long ladder

Reaching up to the celestial palaces;

Only then could relics be sought.

Suppose mice climbed this ladder

And drove away the asuras,

Or could conceal the orb of the moon;

Only then could relics be sought.

If flies became drunk on wine,

Flew throughout the villages,

And built many great houses;

Only then could relics be sought.

If the lips of donkeys

Were red as bimba fruit^[98],

And they sang and danced exquisitely;

Only then could relics be sought.

If crows and owls^[99]

Shared the very same nest,

And both lived together in harmony;

Only then could relics be sought.

Suppose pala leaves

Could be made into parasols

That sheltered against torrential rain;

Only then could relics be sought.

If a great ship,

Filled with precious treasures,

Could glide lightly over the land;

Only then could relics be sought.

Suppose a red sparrow

Could hold Mount Gandhamadana^[100] in its beak

And fly with it everywhere;

Only then could relics be sought.

Having heard these verses, Dharma Master Thọ Kí replied in verse:

Excellent, O Great Being!

Foremost in ability among the assembly,

Possessed of wondrous skillful means,

You have received the Blessed One’s prophecy.

The Tathagata, majestic in great virtue,

Is well able to save the world.

Noble One, listen with a tranquil mind;

I shall now explain in due order!

The realm of the Buddha is difficult to fathom

And cannot be matched by the world.

The nature of the Dharma-body^[101] eternally abides;

Its cultivation does not make it otherwise.

The essence of all Buddhas is the same,

And so too is the Dharma they proclaim.

The Buddhas are not created,

Nor have they ever arisen.

The Blessed One’s body is adamantine;

He only provisionally manifests this transformation body.

Therefore, the Buddha’s relics

Are not like mustard seeds.

The Buddha’s body is not flesh and blood;

How, then, could it contain relics?

Through skillful means, bodily remains are left behind

For the benefit of sentient beings.

The Dharma-body is perfect awakening;

The Dharma-realm itself is the Tathagata.

This is the Buddha’s true body,

Also called “the Dharma as it truly is.”^[102]

At that time, the thirty-two thousand devas in the assembly, hearing that the Tathagata’s lifespan was immeasurably long, all rejoiced greatly. Realizing what they had never known before, they together aroused the aspiration for unsurpassed bodhi and spoke these verses:

The Buddha does not enter nirvana,

Nor does the true Dharma perish.

For the benefit of sentient beings,

He manifests the appearance of passing into extinction.

The Blessed One is inconceivable;

His wondrous body bears no differing characteristics.

For the benefit of sentient beings,

He manifests every mark of majesty.

Before Buddha Shakyamuni, the four Tathagatas, the two great beings^[103], and the devas, Bodhisattva Wondrous Banner heard it proclaimed that the lifespan of Buddha Shakyamuni was immeasurable. He then rose from his seat, respectfully joined his palms, and addressed the Buddha:

“Blessed One! If it is truly so that the Tathagatas do not enter nirvana and have no relics, why do the sutras say that there is nirvana and that there are relics of the Buddha, which all devas and humans now reverently venerate and make offerings to? The Buddhas of the past left behind their bodily remains and distributed them throughout the world, and devas and humans who made offerings to them gained immeasurable merit. Yet today it is said that there are none, causing me and this assembly to harbor doubts. I beseech the Blessed One, out of compassion, to explain this so that we may understand!”

The Buddha said:

“You should know that the teaching that the Tathagata enters nirvana and leaves relics is spoken according to a hidden meaning. Listen carefully, and I shall explain its meaning! Great bodhisattvas should clearly understand that there are ten reasons elucidating the true meaning of the Tathagata’s teaching that there is a final, perfect, great nirvana:

– Because all Buddha-Tathagatas have completely eliminated the afflictive obstructions^[104] and the cognitive obstructions^[105], it is called nirvana.

– Because all Buddha-Tathagatas fully understand that all sentient beings are without inherent nature^[106] and that all dharmas are without inherent nature, it is called nirvana.

– Because all Buddha-Tathagatas possess the power to transform both the bodily basis^[107] and the basis of dharmas^[108], it is called nirvana.

– Because all Buddha-Tathagatas freely bring to an end the causes and conditions for teaching and transforming sentient beings, it is called nirvana.

– Because all Buddha-Tathagatas have realized the true and equal Dharma-body, free from distinguishing characteristics, it is called nirvana.

– Because all Buddha-Tathagatas fully comprehend that the essential nature of samsara and nirvana is neither dual nor different, it is called nirvana.

– Because all Buddha-Tathagatas penetrate the source of all dharmas and realize purified wisdom, it is called nirvana.

– Because all Buddha-Tathagatas have cultivated to perfection all dharmas that neither arise nor cease, it is called nirvana.

– Because the Tathagata has attained right wisdom regarding suchness, the Dharma-realm^[109], and the equality of ultimate reality^[110], it is called nirvana.

– Because all Buddha-Tathagatas fully comprehend that the essential nature of nirvana and that of the Dharma are fundamentally without distinction, it is called nirvana.

Good man! Great bodhisattvas should clearly understand that there are ten reasons elucidating the true meaning of the Tathagata’s teaching that there is a final, perfect, great nirvana:

– All afflictions arise from desire and delight, with desire and delight as their root. Because the Tathagatas have severed desire and delight, it is called nirvana.

– The Tathagatas have severed desire and delight and do not grasp any dharma. Because they do not grasp, they neither come nor go; because there is no grasping, it is called nirvana.

– Because there is neither coming nor going and no grasping, the Dharma-body neither arises nor ceases. Because it neither arises nor ceases, it is called nirvana.

– The principle of non-arising and non-ceasing cannot ultimately be expressed in words. Because all words fall silent, it is called nirvana.

– Because there is no person or self, but only the arising and ceasing of dharmas undergoing transformation of the basis^[111], it is called nirvana.

– The Tathagatas fully comprehend that the afflictions and subsidiary afflictions^[112] are all adventitious defilements^[113], while the Dharma-nature^[114] is the master, neither coming nor going. Therefore, it is called nirvana.

– Suchness is real, whereas all dharmas are illusory. The essence of true nature is suchness, and the nature of suchness is the Tathagata. Therefore, it is called nirvana.

– The nature of ultimate reality is free from conceptual proliferation. Only the Tathagata realizes ultimate reality and has forever eliminated all phenomena of conceptual proliferation^[115]. Therefore, it is called nirvana.

– Non-arising is real, while arising is illusory. The foolish sink deeply into samsara, but the Tathagata realizes this true non-arising and is no longer subject to illusion. Therefore, it is called nirvana.

– Illusory dharmas all arise from causes and conditions, while true dharmas do not arise from causes and conditions. The Tathagata’s Dharma-body is a true dharma. Therefore, it is called nirvana.

Great bodhisattvas should clearly understand that there are ten reasons elucidating the true meaning of the Tathagata’s teaching that there is a final, perfect, great nirvana:

– The Tathagatas clearly know that giving and the fruit of giving are devoid of self and possessions of self. They have forever eliminated erroneous discrimination concerning giving and its fruit. Therefore, it is called nirvana.

– The Tathagatas clearly know that moral discipline and the karmic fruits of observing moral discipline are devoid of self and possessions of self. They have forever eliminated erroneous discrimination concerning observance of moral discipline and its fruits. Therefore, it is called nirvana.

– The Tathagatas clearly know that patience and the fruit of patience are devoid of self and possessions of self. They have forever eliminated erroneous discrimination concerning the practice of patience and its fruit. Therefore, it is called nirvana.

– The Tathagatas clearly know that diligence and the fruit of diligence are devoid of self and possessions of self. They have forever eliminated erroneous discrimination concerning the practice of diligence and its fruit. Therefore, it is called nirvana.

– The Tathagatas clearly know that meditative concentration and the fruit of concentration are devoid of self and possessions of self. They have forever eliminated erroneous discrimination concerning both meditative concentration and its fruit. Therefore, it is called nirvana.

– The Tathagatas clearly know wisdom and the fruit of wisdom. They have forever eliminated erroneous discrimination concerning both wisdom and its fruit. Therefore, it is called nirvana.

– The Tathagatas clearly know that all sentient and insentient beings and all dharmas are without inherent nature. They have forever eliminated erroneous discrimination. Therefore, it is called nirvana.

– Where there is fondness, there is seeking; because of the mind that seeks, one must endure suffering and affliction. The Tathagatas have eliminated fondness and extinguished the desire to seek; therefore, this is called nirvana.

– All conditioned dharmas are subject to enumeration, while unconditioned dharmas transcend enumeration. The Tathagatas have completely departed from conditioned dharmas and realized the unconditioned Dharma, which is not subject to enumeration; therefore, this is called nirvana.

– The Tathagatas thoroughly comprehend that the essential nature of sentient beings and of all dharmas is empty and quiescent. Apart from the nature of emptiness, nothing whatsoever exists; the nature of emptiness itself is the true Dharma-body. Therefore, this is called nirvana.

Good man! Not only is the Tathagata’s not entering nirvana a rare occurrence; there are also ten other rare instances, which are the practices of the Tathagatas:

– Samsara is turbulent, while nirvana is quiescent. Because samsara and nirvana are equal, the Tathagatas neither abide in cyclic existence nor dwell in nirvana, nor do they give rise to a mind of weariness or aversion toward sentient beings.

– The Tathagata does not think: “All these sentient beings are foolish, hold erroneous views, and are bound and oppressed by afflictions; I must awaken them and help them attain liberation.” Rather, through the power of the roots of goodness, loving-kindness, and compassion cultivated in previous lives, the Tathagata accords with the faculties, inclinations, and capacities for understanding of sentient beings. Without a discriminating mind, he naturally teaches and transforms them, demonstrating, instructing, benefiting, and bringing them joy^[116] continuously into the future, without ever ceasing.

– The Tathagata does not think: “I shall now expound the twelve divisions of the teachings^[117] and bring great benefit to all sentient beings.” Rather, through the majestic power of the roots of goodness and the great loving-kindness and great compassion cultivated in previous lives, the Tathagata expounds the teachings so that they may hear and understand them, continuously into the future, without ever ceasing.

– The Tathagata does not think: “I should now enter villages, towns, and cities; enter the palaces of kings and officials, the homes of brahmins, the palaces of kshatriyas^[118], and the homes of vaishyas^[119] and shudras^[120] to go on almsround.” Rather, through the power of habits of body, speech, and mind cultivated over many lifetimes, he naturally goes there; and it is also for the benefit of all sentient beings that he seeks alms.

– The Tathagata’s body never suffers hunger or thirst, nor does it undergo urination or defecation, weakness, emaciation, toil, or fatigue. Although he goes on almsround, he neither consumes food nor discriminates concerning it. Yet, in order to accord with and benefit sentient beings, the Buddha manifests the appearance of eating.

– The Tathagata does not think: “Sentient beings are of three grades—superior, middling, and inferior—and I shall expound the essentials of the Dharma according to their faculties.” Rather, the Buddha, the Blessed One, has no discriminating mind; he merely accords with their capacities and skillfully responds to circumstances in order to teach.

– The Tathagata does not think: “These sentient beings do not respect me and constantly revile me, so I cannot converse with them; those sentient beings respect me and always praise me, so I should converse joyfully with them.” This is because the loving and compassionate mind of the Tathagatas is impartial and nondual.

– The minds of the Tathagatas are entirely free from attachment and aversion, pride, greed, and stinginess; nevertheless, the Tathagatas delight in tranquility, praise fewness of desires^[121], and keep away from noisy places.

– The Tathagata thoroughly comprehends all dharmas. There is not a single dharma he does not know, nor a single dharma he does not fully understand; every object of wisdom is entirely present before him, yet he gives rise to no conceptual or discriminating thought. Nevertheless, upon seeing sentient beings create various kinds of karma, the Tathagata accords with their inclinations and skillfully guides them, helping them escape suffering.

– When seeing some sentient beings enjoying wealth and prosperity, the Tathagata does not give rise to joyful delight; when seeing them suffer decline and loss, neither does he give rise to sorrow. Yet if the Tathagata sees sentient beings cultivating right conduct^[122], then, with naturally unobstructed great compassion, he comes to their aid; and if he sees sentient beings cultivating wrong conduct^[123], then likewise, with naturally unobstructed great compassion, he comes to that person’s aid.

Good man! You should know that the boundless right practices expounded by the Tathagata, the Perfectly Awakened One, are precisely the true characteristics of nirvana. If one sees the Tathagata entering nirvana, one should understand that this is a temporary expedient established by the Tathagata.

Likewise, the relics are left behind so that all sentient beings may reverently make offerings to them. All this arises through the power of the Tathagatas’ “roots of goodness of loving-kindness.” If anyone makes offerings to the relics, then in the future that person will remain far removed from the eight difficulties^[124], encounter Buddhas and virtuous spiritual friends^[125], never lose the wholesome mind, gain immeasurable merit, swiftly escape suffering, and no longer be bound by the cords of samsara.

May you diligently cultivate such wondrous practices and never become heedless!

Having heard the Buddha himself explain the meaning of not entering nirvana and teach such profound and wondrous practices, Bodhisattva Ruchiraketu respectfully joined his palms and addressed the Buddha:

“Only now do I understand that the Tathagata, the Great Teacher, does not enter nirvana, and that leaving relics behind benefits all sentient beings. I am truly overjoyed, as though I had attained something never before experienced.”

When the Buddha expounded the Chapter on the Lifespan of the Tathagata, immeasurable and boundless numbers of sentient beings generated the aspiration for unsurpassed bodhi; the four Tathagatas suddenly disappeared. Bodhisattva Ruchiraketu rose from his seat, bowed at the Buddha’s feet, and then returned to his own dwelling place.

Notes:

^[1] Tiantai Zhizhe: (538–597), founder of the Tiantai school (according to another account, its third patriarch). He was a native of Huarong, Jingzhou, China; his family name was Chen and his courtesy name was De’an. Both monastics and laypeople revered him as Great Master Zhizhe and Great Master Tiantai.

^[2] Sphere of practice: the object contemplated by the mind; here it refers to all realms illuminated by the Buddha’s wisdom.

^[3] Great Master Cijue: a practitioner who cultivated Chan and Pure Land together. He lived during the Song dynasty in China; his family name was Sun, and he was a native of Xiangyang, Hubei. In his youth, he pursued Confucian studies and became broadly learned in the classics and histories.

At the age of twenty-nine, he went to Changlu Monastery in Zhenzhou—present-day Yizhen, Jiangsu—where he paid homage to Master Yuantong Faxiu, requested ordination, and received the full precepts. His works include: Pure Rules for the Chan Society, Weijiang Collection, Admonitions on Seated Meditation, A Discourse on Seeking the Essential Principle through Buddha-Recitation and Chan Investigation, Record and Texts of the Supreme Lotus Assembly, and Text for Dedicating Merit and Making Vows through Buddha-Recitation.

^[4] Host and companions: the full designation is “the gateway of the host and companions, perfectly luminous and endowed with virtues,” one of the ten profound gateways in the doctrinal teachings of the Huayan school. It explains the phenomena of dependent origination: when one phenomenon is taken as the host, all other phenomena are companions gathered within the host. Each mutually serves as host and companion, perfectly luminous and fully endowed with all virtuous qualities.

^[5] One and many: the full designation is “the gateway of the mutual inclusion of the one and the many without loss of distinction,” one of the ten profound gateways in the doctrinal teachings of the Huayan school. It means that within all dependently arisen phenomena, the many are contained within the one and the one within the many; though the one and the many remain distinct, they mutually interpenetrate.

^[6] Ocean of nature: the ocean of intrinsic nature, namely, suchness, whose essential nature is as vast and profound as the ocean; it is also the realm of the Tathagata’s Dharma-body.

^[7] King of Awakening: an epithet of the Buddha. Here it refers to the Buddha’s nirvana.

^[8] Three dots: the three dots of the Siddham letter “i” symbolize the three virtues of nirvana: the Dharma-body, prajna, and liberation.

^[9] Four virtues: the four characteristics of the Dharma-body—permanence, bliss, self, and purity.

^[10] Vulture Peak: also called Sacred Vulture Mountain, namely Mount Gridhrakuta. The mountain lies east of Rajagriha in the kingdom of Magadha in ancient central India. It is so named either because its shape resembles the head of a vulture or because many vultures lived there. The Buddha expounded such Mahayana sutras as the Lotus Sutra at this place, and it therefore became a sacred site of Buddhism.

^[11] Rajagriha: the capital of the kingdom of Magadha in ancient central India; today it is the Rajgir region south of Patna District in Bihar State, India. It was one of the renowned centers from which the Buddha disseminated his teachings during his lifetime.

^[12] Dharma realm: 1- refers to Dharma-nature, the true aspect. 2- the limits, scope, categories, and intrinsic nature of all dharmas. 3- one of the eighteen dhatus, namely, all objects apprehended by consciousness.

^[13] Tathagata: one of the epithets of a Buddha, in which Tathā means suchness and āgata means come. Thus, because all Buddhas rely upon the path of suchness to attain Buddhahood, they are called Tathagatas; it is also said that one who comes as the Buddhas have come is called a Tathagata; one who comes by the path of truth is called a Tathagata…

^[14] Bhiksu: another transcription of the term bhikkhu, referring to a person who has renounced the household life in accordance with the Buddha’s teaching and received the full precepts. A man who receives the complete 250 precepts becomes a bhiksu; a woman who receives the 349 precepts becomes a bhiksuni. Bhiksu has three meanings: mendicant, one who begs for food to sustain his life; frightener of Mara, one who subdues Mara and his hosts; destroyer of evil, one who eliminates the afflictions of delusions of views and delusions of thought.

^[15] Arhat: the highest of the four attainments of the sravakas. Arhat has three meanings: 1- Slayer of thieves, one who has completely destroyed the thieves of affliction; 2- Worthy of offerings, one who is worthy to receive offerings from devas and humans; 3- Unborn, one who will never again undergo birth and abides forever in nirvana.

^[16] Outflow: leakage or flowing forth, referring to the afflictions. The afflictions continually leak forth day and night and become active, causing the minds of sentient beings to be disturbed and uneasy.

^[17] Fetters and bonds: two other names for the afflictions. Fetters means binding; that is, afflictions bind sentient beings so that they cannot escape the three realms. Bonds means compelling; that is, afflictions drive and torment sentient beings.

^[18] Eight liberations: eight levels of meditative concentration, progressing from lower to higher, which have the power to eliminate afflictions within the three realms and lead to liberation.

^[19] Venerable: a respectful form of address for the Buddha’s disciples, or a term used by elders to address younger disciples; it is also used generally to address bhiksus. Other appellations include one of pure livelihood, one whose life is wisdom, elder, venerable one, greatly virtuous one, worthy one, and noble one.

^[20] Ajnata Kaundinya: the Buddha’s first arhat disciple and one of the five whom the Buddha brought to liberation during his first Dharma teaching in the Deer Park. The other four were: 1. Asvajit, who awakened Sariputra and led him to the Buddha through his serene bearing and his verse; 2. Vaspa; 3. Mahanama; 4. Bhadrika.

^[21] Mahakasyapa: an arhat and one of the Buddha’s ten outstanding disciples, honored as foremost in ascetic practices; he was also the First Patriarch of the Indian-Chinese Chan lineage.

^[22] Uruvilva Kasyapa, Gaya Kasyapa, and Nadi Kasyapa: three brothers of the Kasyapa family who were originally non-Buddhist fire worshipers. They were later subdued by the Buddha and took refuge in the true Dharma.

^[23] Sariputra: an arhat and one of the Buddha’s ten outstanding disciples, honored as foremost in wisdom among the sravakas.

^[24] Maudgalyayana: an arhat and one of the Buddha’s ten outstanding disciples, honored as foremost in supernormal powers.

^[25] Ananda: an arhat and one of the Buddha’s ten outstanding disciples, honored as foremost in learning; he recited the sutras at the First Council for the compilation of the canon.

^[26] One in training: one who must still continue to train; this refers to noble sravakas from the attainment of stream-enterer through that of once-returner.

^[27] Sravakas: disciples who hear the sound of the Buddha teaching the Dharma and cultivate accordingly, fully comprehend the principle of the Four Noble Truths, eliminate the delusions of views and thought, and realize nirvana. The Dharma vehicle leading to the attainment of a sravaka is called the Sravaka Vehicle.

^[28] Bodhisattva: the full term is bodhisattva; bodhi is translated into Chinese as awakening, and sattva as sentient being. Thus, bodhisattvas are practitioners who, above, seek the Buddha path through wisdom and, below, save sentient beings through compassion.

^[29] Giving and morality: the practice of generosity and the observance of precepts.

^[30] Meditative concentration: namely, meditation and concentration. Meditation is a phonetic rendering of dhyāna, while concentration is a translation of the meaning of samādhi. Both signify focusing intently upon a particular object so that the mind reaches a settled, undistracted state. The term may also refer to the four dhyanas of the form realm and the four concentrations of the formless realm, collectively called in the sutras and treatises the four dhyanas and eight concentrations.

^[31] Complete retention: a translation of the meaning of dharani, signifying “the power to retain wholesome dharmas so that they are not lost and to prevent unwholesome dharmas from arising.” There are four kinds of dharani: Dharma-dharani, meaning-dharani, mantra-dharani, and acceptance-dharani. Today, however, this term is commonly used in the sense of mantra-dharani.

^[32] Knowledge of all aspects: the wisdom that knows all paths of Dharma and all classes of sentient beings; that is, the wisdom of a Buddha.

^[33] Mara’s army: the hosts of Mara Papiyan, lord of the Heaven of Freely Enjoying Others’ Emanations. This class of maras specializes in destroying the Buddhadharma and disturbing those who cultivate the Buddha path.

^[34] Six paths: the six destinations into which sentient beings are born according to their karma: hell beings, hungry ghosts, animals, asuras, humans, and devas.

^[35] Great wisdom: vast wisdom that thoroughly comprehends all phenomena and principles.

^[36] Great patience: immeasurable powers of patient endurance, bearing all suffering and distress arising from body, mind, and oppressive circumstances without any sense of enduring them.

^[37] Nirvana: includes the meanings of extinction, quiescence, tranquil extinction, tranquility, and liberation through extinction. The original Sanskrit term is nirvāna, meaning the extinguishing of a flame or the state resulting from that extinction. It was later used to refer to the realm of liberation in which all afflictions have been extinguished, or to the passing away of a monastic.

^[38] Acceptance of the unborn: also called acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas; that is, directly perceiving with certainty the principle of non-arising and non-ceasing, while the mind abides unwaveringly in that principle.

^[39] Two Vehicles: the two means that lead people to liberation: the Sravaka Vehicle and the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle.

^[40] Youth: originally referring to a young person, but in Buddhist sutras and treatises this term is also used as an appellation for bodhisattvas.

^[41] Licchavi: one of the ksatriya clans belonging to the Vrji confederacy in the city of Vaisali in ancient central India.

^[42] Unsurpassed bodhi: the supreme wisdom or awakening of a Buddha.

^[43] Mahayana: the great, transcendent vehicle that leads sentient beings to great awakening.

^[44] Dragon king: a king of the nagas, one of the eight classes of beings who protect the Buddhadharma.

^[45] Yaksa: a spirit who protects the Buddhadharma. Yaksas are of two kinds: those who travel upon the earth and those who fly through the sky with extraordinary speed. They are one of the eight classes of beings.

^[46] Garuda: also called kalavinka and translated into Chinese as golden-winged bird; a divine golden-winged bird that preys upon nagas, and one of the eight classes of beings.

^[47] Gandharva: a celestial musician who attends Sakra, subsists solely upon fragrances, and consumes neither alcohol nor meat; one of the eight classes of beings.

^[48] Asura: translated into Chinese as without wine, without beauty, or non-deva. A class of divine beings who constantly wage war against the deva Sakra; they resemble devas but possess less merit. They constitute one of the six paths and one of the eight classes of beings.

^[49] Kinnara: also a celestial musician. This being has an exceedingly beautiful voice, excels in song and dance, and has a humanlike body but a single horn upon its head; one of the eight classes of beings.

^[50] Mahoraga: translated into Chinese as great python; a serpent deity that also serves as a guardian spirit of shrines in the human world. Because, during their lives, such beings violated the precepts, held wrong views, practiced flattery and deceit, were miserly and exceedingly wrathful, and craved alcohol and meat, after death they fell into this class of spirits.

^[51] Eight classes: the eight groups of beings who protect the Buddha-Dharma: devas, nagas, yakshas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kimnaras, and mahoragas.

^[52] Four Heavenly Kings: the four heavenly kings who govern the four mountains on the four sides of the mid-slopes of Mount Sumeru and are devoted to protecting the world. They are: Heavenly King Dhritarashtra in the east, Virudhaka in the south, Virupaksha in the west, and Vaishravana in the north.

^[53] Nairanjana: a branch of the Ganges flowing from south to north, situated east of the city of Gaya in Magadha, Central India. After bathing in this river, the Buddha accepted a bowl of milk offered by a cowherd girl, then went to the foot of the pippala tree, where he meditated for forty-nine days and attained perfect enlightenment.

^[54] Mother Goddess Hariti: a female demon deity and mother of five hundred demon children. Because of an evil vow made in the past, this demon mother came to prey upon the children of Rajagriha. Later, through skillful means, the Buddha converted her, and she resolved to undertake the Five Precepts.

^[55] Earth Goddess Dridha: the female heavenly deity who presides over the earth, one of the twelve deities of the Form Realm.

^[56] Brahma King: that is, Great Brahma, lord of the First Dhyana Heaven in the Form Realm.

^[57] Shakra: that is, Shakra Devendra, king of the Trayastrimsha Heaven in the Desire Realm.

^[58] Koti: an ancient Indian numerical term. There are three explanations: 1. equivalent to one hundred thousand; 2. equivalent to one million; 3. equivalent to ten million.

^[59] Nayuta: an ancient Indian numerical term, equivalent to one hundred billion.

^[60] Great kalpa: one cycle of formation, duration, destruction, and emptiness. It is a period of eighty intermediate kalpas, each intermediate kalpa comprising one cycle of increase and decrease.

^[61] Ten wholesome deeds: three wholesome deeds of the body—not killing, not stealing, and not engaging in sexual misconduct; four wholesome deeds of speech—not lying, not speaking harshly, not speaking frivolously, and not speaking divisively; and three wholesome deeds of mind—freedom from covetousness, anger, and wrong views.

^[62] Indranila lapis lazuli: a precious blue jewel belonging to Shakra.

^[63] Lion throne: the Buddha’s seat; because the Buddha is the lion among human beings, his seat is called the lion throne.

^[64] Three-thousandfold great-thousand world-system: a small world consists of Mount Sumeru at its center, surrounded by four great continents, seven mountain ranges, and eight seas. One thousand small worlds constitute a small-thousand world-system; one thousand small-thousand world-systems constitute a medium-thousand world-system; and one thousand medium-thousand world-systems constitute a great-thousand world-system. Because this great-thousand world-system comprises three orders of thousands—the small-thousand, medium-thousand, and great-thousand world-systems—it is called a three-thousandfold great-thousand world-system.

^[65] Jambudvipa: a great continent south of Mount Sumeru where, according to Buddhist cosmology, human beings dwell. It is so named because many jambu trees—translated in Chinese as “Impure Trees”—grow in this land.

^[66] Venerable: a term for those who cultivate virtue but have not yet eliminated the afflictions or realized the truth. It may also be used for those who have attained lofty stages of realization, as recorded in fascicle 29 of the Ekottara Agama: Venerable Shariputra, Venerable Maudgalyayana, and so forth.

^[67] Mara King: Mara Papiyan, king of the Paranirmita-vashavartin Heaven in the Desire Realm.

^[68] Shramana: a general term for renunciants, whether followers of the Buddhist path or of non-Buddhist paths. Shramana carries such meanings as diligently cultivating to attain nirvana and putting an end to all evil deeds.

^[69] Brahmacharin: translated into Chinese as “one who practices tranquility”; these were brahmins who aspired to attain purity and freedom from defilement so as to be reborn in the Brahma Heaven. The term may also refer to non-Buddhist renunciants.

^[70] Nonhuman beings: beings who do not belong to humankind, such as the eight classes of devas, nagas, ghosts, spirits, and others.

^[71] Unsurpassed Right and Perfect Knowledge: an honorific title of the Buddha and a translation of Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi; also translated as Unsurpassed Complete and Perfect Enlightenment.

^[72] Wondrously High: that is, Mount Sumeru, the center of a small world according to Buddhist cosmology.

^[73] Blessed One: an honorific title of the Buddha, because he possesses all virtues and is the most honored in the world.

^[74] Greatly Awakened One: an honorific title of the Buddha, because his awakening is ultimate and perfectly encompasses both self-awakening and the awakening of others.

^[75] Good man: a virtuous man who follows the Buddha, listens to the Dharma, accepts it in faith, and puts it into practice.

^[76] View of self: attachment to the real existence of a self and what belongs to the self.

^[77] View of a person: regarding the body composed of the five skandhas, attachment to the belief that there is a truly existent life-principle born in the human realm rather than in another realm.

^[78] View of a sentient being: attachment to the belief that this body, formed from the five skandhas, has a real essence.

^[79] View of a living being: attachment to the belief that this body of five skandhas exists for a definite span of time, whether long or short, with lifespans differing from one another.

^[80] Wrong views: erroneous understandings.

^[81] View of self and what belongs to the self: attachment to the belief that the self and the dharmas belonging to the self are real and permanent.

^[82] Annihilationist view: attachment to the belief that the self and the world exist only for a definite period and will then be permanently extinguished.

^[83] Eternalist view: attachment to the belief that the self and the world abide eternally.

^[84] Right view: correct and unerring understanding.

^[85] Teacher of Devas and Humans: an honorific title of the Buddha, the teacher of devas and human beings.

^[86] Worthy One, Completely and Perfectly Awakened: also called the Worthy One of Right and Perfect Knowledge, an honorific title of the Buddha. It combines “Worthy of Offerings,” meaning worthy to receive offerings from devas and humans, and “Right and Perfect Knowledge,” meaning the accurate knowledge of all dharmas.

^[87] Brahmin: the highest priestly caste or class in ancient India; that is, the caste that worshiped Great Brahma and cultivated pure conduct.

^[88] Rahula: an arhat foremost in inconspicuous practice and one of the Buddha’s ten outstanding disciples.

^[89] Licchavi: a clan of the Vrijji tribe, a kshatriya people who inhabited the city of Vaishali in ancient Central India.

^[90] Worthy sir: a respectful form of address for a person.

^[91] Sharira: the bodily remains of a person. Later, the term sharira came to refer to the relics of the Buddha or his noble disciples remaining after cremation.

^[92] Trayastrimsha: the second heaven of the Desire Realm, ruled by Shakra. This heaven comprises thirty-two cities arranged in the eight directions, with Shakra dwelling at the center, making thirty-three in all; it is therefore called the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

^[93] Pratyekabuddha: also called a Solitary Realizer or Paccekabuddha. These are noble beings who cultivate when no Buddha has appeared in the world. Without personally hearing the Buddha’s teachings, they practice and dwell alone, take no delight in teaching the Dharma to guide others, and awaken to the path by contemplating the twelve links of dependent origination. The expedient teachings that lead people to the fruit of a pratyekabuddha are called the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle or Solitary Realizer Vehicle.

^[94] Champaka tree: a tree that produces highly fragrant yellow flowers and commonly grows in the tropical forests of India and the Himalayan range.

^[95] Tala tree: a very tall tree, reaching seventy or eighty cubits. Its ripe fruit turns red like a pomegranate and is edible. When its trunk is severed, the tree can no longer sprout or put forth branches. This species grows chiefly in eastern India.

^[96] Kharjura tree: a kind of tree resembling a small jujube, commonly growing in Persia, eastern India, Africa, and elsewhere. Its fruit is the size of a fingertip and tastes sweet; its trunk contains abundant sap that can ferment into wine.

^[97] Amra tree: a kind of tree resembling a peach, of which there are two varieties. One bears small fruit that is green when unripe and turns yellow upon ripening; the other bears larger fruit that remains green whether unripe or ripe. It produces a great many flowers but very little fruit. Some identify it as the mango tree, while others identify it as the jujube; it is not known which view is correct.

^[98] Bimba fruit: translated in Chinese as the “fruit of mutual longing”; it is the size of a bean and red in color.

^[99] Xiuliu: the owl. This bird generally seeks food at night because it cannot see during the day.

^[100] Fragrant Mountain: namely, Fragrant Intoxication Mountain, or Mount Kunlun. It is the highest mountain, situated at the center of Jambudvipa, north of Lake Anavatapta.

^[101] Dharma body: the untainted, unconditioned body, neither born nor destroyed; it is the true body of the Buddha and one of the three bodies.

^[102] Dharma of suchness: the Dharma being thus, naturally accordant with the principle of reality as it truly is.

^[103] Great Being: an honorific term for a bodhisattva.

^[104] Afflictive obstruction: afflictions that obstruct the noble path and impede the way to nirvana.

^[105] Cognitive obstruction: attachment to the Dharma that has been realized, which obstructs wisdom. That is, all worldly views and knowledge that obstruct the wisdom of liberation. Alternatively, it is said that greed, anger, and delusion render sentient beings ignorant, preventing them from recognizing the phenomenal characteristics and true characteristics of all dharmas.

^[106] Sentient beings' lack of intrinsic nature—the lack of intrinsic nature of dharmas: all beings endowed with consciousness lack a true intrinsic essence and exist only through the conjunction of causes and conditions. All dharmas are likewise; hence this is called the lack of intrinsic nature of dharmas.

^[107] Bodily basis: the body is the basis upon which the eighth consciousness undergoes cyclic flow and the return to cessation.

^[108] Dharma basis: Dharma here means true suchness, the basis of all dharmas in delusion and awakening.

^[109] Dharma realm of true suchness: the Dharma realm of true suchness, namely, the fundamental essence of true suchness. Alternatively, true suchness and Dharma realm are said to have the same meaning, referring to the fundamental essence of all dharmas, eternally abiding and unmoving, beyond the conceptual power of consciousness.

^[110] Equality of ultimate reality: the true and equal principle and essence of true suchness, in which the two extremes are utterly extinguished; namely, ultimate great nirvana.

^[111] Transformation of the basis: transforming the basis of defiled and pure dharmas, which are subject to arising and cessation, into the basis of supremely pure dharmas.

^[112] Secondary afflictions: subsidiary afflictions that arise in dependence upon and conformity with the fundamental afflictions. They comprise twenty factors: ten minor secondary afflictions, two middling secondary afflictions, and eight major secondary afflictions.

^[113] Adventitious dust: this refers to the afflictions. Because afflictions do not inherently belong to the mind but arise through delusion concerning principle, they are called “adventitious”; because they defile the mind like dust, they are called “dust.”

^[114] Dharma-nature: the true essential nature of all dharmas, namely, true suchness and the true characteristic of reality, the Dharma realm, and nirvana.

^[115] Frivolous discourse: irrational discourse that does not foster the growth of wholesome dharmas. It may also mean meaningless joking intended to amuse others but which causes the mind to become distracted and agitated.

^[116] Demonstration, instruction, benefit, and rejoicing: the four stages employed by the Buddha in teaching and transforming sentient beings. “Demonstration” means revealing and enabling them to see; “instruction” means teaching them how to practice; “benefit” means guiding them so that they obtain benefit; and “rejoicing” means praising the practice so that sentient beings become joyful.

^[117] Twelve genres: the twelve categories of scriptures taught by the Buddha during his lifetime: sutras, verse repetitions, independent verses, causes and conditions, accounts of past events, accounts of past births, unprecedented events, parables, doctrinal expositions, unsolicited teachings, extensive teachings, and predictions of buddhahood.

^[118] Kshatriya: the class of rulers and officials, the second of the four classes in ancient Indian society.

^[119] Vaishya: the merchant class, the third of the four classes in ancient Indian society.

^[120] Shudra: the class of farmers and servants, the lowest of the four classes in ancient Indian society.

^[121] Fewness of desires: not craving much and knowing contentment with one's present circumstances.

^[122] Right practice: undertaking the proper method of cultivation without admixture, discrepancy, or partiality.

^[123] Wrong practice: improper cultivation that runs contrary to the true Dharma.

^[124] Eight difficulties: eight circumstances in which it is difficult to encounter a Buddha and one lacks the conditions or opportunity to cultivate the Buddha path: being in hell, being a hungry ghost, being an animal, dwelling in Northern Kuru, dwelling in the Heaven of Long Life, being deaf, blind, mute, or unable to speak, being worldly-wise and skilled in disputation, and being born either before or after a Buddha's appearance and thus failing to encounter a Buddha.

^[125] Good spiritual friend: a person able to bring us the benefit of awakening to the Buddha path.