金光明最勝王經
Chinese title:金光明最勝王經
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CHAPTER 3: DISTINGUISHING THE THREE BODIES
At that time in the assembly, a great bodhisattva named Akashagarbha rose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, placed his right knee upon the ground, respectfully joined his palms, bowed at the Buddha’s feet, and offered precious flowers, banners, pennants, and jeweled canopies of unsurpassed splendor. He then addressed the Buddha, saying:
“O Blessed One! With regard to the profound and secret meaning of the Tathagatas, how should great bodhisattvas practice in accordance with the Dharma?”
The Buddha said: “Good man! Listen attentively and remember well; I shall explain it clearly for you. All Tathagatas possess three bodies: the transformation body, the responsive body, and the Dharma body[1]. These three bodies encompass unsurpassed bodhi. Those who see and understand them correctly will swiftly be liberated from birth and death.
“What is meant by correctly seeing the transformation body? Good man! In the past, while the Tathagata was still at the stage of cultivation, he cultivated all dharmas for the sake of sentient beings until, at last, he brought them to complete fulfillment. Through the power of this cultivation, this body attained great mastery; and through this great mastery, it gained the power to discern and accord with the thoughts, intentions, conduct, karma, dispositions, and faculties of sentient beings. It neither awaits the proper time nor lets the proper time pass. The place is appropriate, the time is appropriate, the practice is appropriate, and the teaching of the Dharma is appropriate; it manifests various bodies. This is the transformation body.
“What is meant by a great bodhisattva correctly seeing and understanding the responsive body? It is the body of the Tathagata that teaches ultimate truth[2] so that all bodhisattvas may penetrate it. It is the body that enables bodhisattvas to understand clearly that birth and death and nirvana are of a single flavor. It is the body that manifests in order to extinguish the fear or delight of sentient beings attached to their own bodies. It is the body that serves as the foundation of the boundless Buddha-Dharma. Because the power of his original vows accords with reality and with the Knowledge of Suchness[3], this body manifests the thirty-two marks, the eighty excellent characteristics, and an aura of light surrounding the entire body. This is the responsive body.
“What is meant by a great bodhisattva correctly knowing the Dharma body? It is precisely the body purified of the afflictive hindrances, replete with wholesome dharmas, and consisting solely of the Knowledge of Suchness. Therefore, it is called the Dharma body.
“The first two kinds of bodies exist only as provisional designations[4]. Only the third body truly exists[5] and serves as the foundation of both the transformation body and the responsive body. Why is this so? Apart from the Dharma of Suchness[6] and the Knowledge of Suchness[7], the Buddhas possess no separate dharma whatsoever. All Buddhas are replete with wisdom, all their afflictions have been completely extinguished, and their Buddha lands are pure. Therefore, the Dharma of Suchness and the Knowledge of Suchness encompass all the merits and virtues of the Buddha-Dharma.
“Furthermore, the Buddhas’ two practices of benefiting themselves and benefiting others have reached their ultimate and complete fulfillment. Benefit for oneself is the Dharma of Suchness; benefit for others is the Knowledge of Suchness. From benefiting themselves and others, the Buddhas naturally accomplish boundless functions.
Thus, when the various Buddha-dharmas are distinguished, they likewise possess immeasurably and boundlessly diverse distinctions. For example, based upon deluded conceptual thought, one speaks of afflictions, various karmic functions, and various kinds of karmic results. In the same way, based upon the Dharma of Suchness and the Knowledge of Suchness, one speaks of the Buddha-dharmas, the dharmas of the pratyekabuddhas, and the dharmas of the shravakas.
If one skillfully relies upon the Dharma of Suchness and the Knowledge of Suchness, the Buddha-dharmas are naturally accomplished. This is supremely inconceivable. Just as painting empty space to make an ornament is truly difficult to conceive, so too is the accomplishment of the Buddha-dharmas based upon the Dharma of Suchness and the Knowledge of Suchness difficult to conceive.
“How can the Dharma of Suchness and the Knowledge of Suchness, being free from discrimination, nevertheless naturally accomplish their activities? Good man! It is as when the Tathagata has entered nirvana: through the power of his vows, all activities are naturally accomplished. The Dharma of Suchness and the Knowledge of Suchness, though free from discrimination, likewise naturally accomplish all activities.
“When a great bodhisattva enters the concentration of no-mind[8], through the power of former vows, he emerges from concentration and performs all activities. The Dharma and Knowledge of Suchness are truly free from discrimination, yet they naturally accomplish all activities. The sun and moon make no discriminations; the calm surface of water also makes no discriminations; and light likewise has no nature of discrimination.
Yet when these conditions come together, images arise. In the same way, the Dharma of Suchness and the Knowledge of Suchness are free from discrimination; nevertheless, through the power of vows, sentient beings naturally evoke the Buddhas’ manifestation of responsive bodies and transformation bodies, just as when the sun or moon, water, and light—the three conditions—come together, an image appears.
“It is as when light causes countless forms of the image of empty space to appear upon the vast and boundless surface of water, although empty space itself is formless. Thus you should understand that disciples who receive instruction and transformation are precisely reflections of the Dharma body. Through the power of former vows, various forms are manifested from the other two bodies, but the Dharma body itself has no distinct form.
“On the basis of these two bodies, one speaks of the Buddhas’ nirvana with remainder[9]. On the basis of the Dharma body, one speaks of the Buddhas’ nirvana without remainder[10], because all other dharmas have been completely extinguished. Furthermore, on the basis of the three bodies, the Buddha possesses non-abiding nirvana[11].
Because of the two bodies, he does not abide in nirvana; and apart from the Dharma body, there is no other Buddha. The reason the two bodies do not abide in nirvana is that they are merely provisional designations and are not real. They arise and cease from moment to moment and therefore do not remain; they continually appear and therefore are not fixed.
The Dharma body, however, is not like this. Thus, the two bodies do not abide in nirvana. Since the Dharma body is nondual, it likewise does not abide in nirvana.
Therefore, you should understand that, with respect to the three bodies, the Buddhas do not abide in nirvana.
“All ordinary beings are bound and obstructed by three characteristics, causing them to be separated from the three bodies and preventing them from attaining them. These are the characteristic of the wholly imagined nature[12], the characteristic of the other-dependent nature[13], and the characteristic of the perfected nature[14]. Unless they awaken to these three characteristics, eliminate these three characteristics, and completely purify all three, they cannot ultimately attain the three bodies. The Tathagatas have awakened to, eliminated, and completely purified these three characteristics; therefore, they possess the three bodies.
“Ordinary beings have not yet eliminated the three minds: the mind that initiates activity[15], the mind dependent upon the basis[16], and the fundamental mind[17]. Therefore, they are separated from the three bodies and do not attain them. By relying upon the path of suppression[18], the mind that initiates activity is extinguished.
By relying upon the path that severs dharmas[19], the mind dependent upon the basis is eliminated. By relying upon the supreme path[20], the fundamental mind is extinguished. When the mind that initiates activity is extinguished, the transformation body appears.
When the mind dependent upon the basis is extinguished, the responsive body appears. When the fundamental mind is extinguished, the Dharma body appears. Therefore, you should know that all Tathagatas possess three bodies.
“All Tathagatas are identical in ACTIVITY with respect to the first body, identical in INTENTION with respect to the second body, and identical in ESSENCE[21] with respect to the third body. Because the first body accords with the minds of sentient beings, it assumes many forms and manifests many appearances; therefore, it is said to be many. Because the second body accords with the minds of disciples, it manifests a single appearance; therefore, it is said to be one. Because the third body transcends all characteristics and does not belong to the sphere in which characteristics are apprehended, it is said to be neither one nor different.”
The transformation body manifests in dependence upon the response body, and the response body manifests in dependence upon the Dharma body; the Dharma body itself is the true body and has nothing upon which it depends. These three bodies, in one sense, are said to be permanent, and in another sense, are said to be impermanent. The transformation body perpetually turns the great Dharma wheel, manifesting everywhere in accordance with conditions and continuously revealing the various skillful means; therefore, it is said to be permanent.
Because it is not the fundamental body, it possesses great functions; because it does not remain manifest, it is said to be impermanent. Since beginningless time, the response body has continuously gathered and preserved the unique qualities[22] of the Tathagatas. Because sentient beings are inexhaustible, its great functions are also inexhaustible; therefore, it is said to be permanent.
Because it is not the fundamental body, it possesses great functions; because it does not remain manifest, it is said to be impermanent. The Dharma body is not a conditioned dharma[23]; it has no marks of differentiation and is the fundamental body, like empty space, and therefore is called permanent. Apart from non-discriminating wisdom, there is no transcendent wisdom; apart from suchness, there is likewise no supreme realm.
This suchness of Dharma and wisdom of suchness are neither one nor different. Because wisdom is pure and cessation is pure[24], the Dharma body is endowed with purity.
These three bodies may be distinguished into four cases. First, a transformation body that is not a response body: after the Tathagata enters nirvana, through mastery of vows, he accords with conditions to benefit sentient beings; this is the transformation body. Second, a response body that is not a transformation body: this is the body of a bodhisattva prior to the Ten Bhumi stages[25].
Third, a body that is both a transformation body and a response body: this is the body abiding in nirvana with remainder. Fourth, a body that is neither transformation nor response: this is the Dharma body. The Dharma body clearly reveals the two forms of nonexistence[26].
Why are they called the two forms of nonexistence? Because within the Dharma body there are neither the two kinds of marks nor the locus of marks[27]; it is neither existent nor nonexistent, neither one nor different, neither measurable nor immeasurable, neither dark nor bright. This wisdom of suchness perceives neither marks nor the locus of marks; it perceives neither existence nor nonexistence, neither oneness nor difference, neither measurability nor immeasurability, neither darkness nor brightness.
Therefore, this is the realm of purity and pure wisdom, beyond discrimination and without any interval, the foundation of the truth of the path[28] and the truth of cessation[29]. Such a Dharma body manifests all the activities of the Tathagata.
The causes and conditions, realm, locus, and fruition of this Dharma body all depend upon the foundation and are truly inconceivable. If one understands this meaning, one knows that this body is itself the Mahayana and the Tathagata-nature. In dependence upon the Dharma body arise the initial aspiration and the mind of cultivation; from it are manifested the mind of the Stage of Non-retrogression[30], the mind of One Birth Remaining[31], the Vajra mind[32], and the mind of the Tathagata, while the immeasurable and boundless wondrous Dharmas of the Buddha are also manifested.
In dependence upon the Dharma body, the inconceivable great samadhi[33] is also fully manifested; in dependence upon the Dharma body, great wisdom manifests. Thus, the two bodies are manifested in dependence upon samadhi and great wisdom. From the essence of the Dharma body, permanence and self are taught; from samadhi, bliss is taught; and from great wisdom, purity is taught.
Therefore, the Tathagata eternally abides in sovereignty, bliss, and purity. In dependence upon great samadhi, all the Buddha-dharmas—the four dhyanas and four absorptions[34], the Shurangama Samadhi[35], and so forth; all foundations of mindfulness[36]; the great recollections of Dharma[37]; great loving-kindness and great compassion; the dharanis[38]; all supernormal powers; all masteries; and all dharmas of impartial acceptance—arise.
In dependence upon great wisdom, such dharmas as the ten powers[39], the four fearlessnesses[40], the four unobstructed eloquences[41], the eighteen unique qualities[42], and all rare and inconceivable dharmas are manifested. Just as immeasurable and boundless precious objects appear in dependence upon a wish-fulfilling jewel, so too,• in dependence upon great samadhi and great wisdom, immeasurable and boundless Buddha-dharmas appear.
Such is the Dharma body: its samadhi and wisdom transcend all marks, are unattached to all marks, are beyond discrimination, and are neither eternalistic nor annihilationist; this is called the Middle Way[43]. Although there is discrimination, its intrinsic essence is non-discriminating; although there are three, there are not three separate essences. It neither increases nor decreases, is like a dream or illusion, has no object grasped[44] and no grasping subject, and its Dharma-nature is suchness.
This liberation is the dwelling place of Buddhas and bodhisattvas; it transcends the realm of the king of death and is freed from birth and death. It cannot be reached by the cultivation of ordinary sentient beings.
Good man! It is as if people who wish to obtain gold travel everywhere, making inquiries and searching. When they find ore, they crush it, wash away all the earth and sand, extract the essence of the gold, and place it in a furnace to melt, refine, and purify it. Once they have obtained pure gold, they use it as they wish to fashion ornaments such as bracelets, rings, and so forth. Although it assumes various forms and functions, the nature of the gold remains unchanged. Furthermore, you should know that there are sentient beings who seek supreme liberation. They perform every worldly good deed, draw near to the Tathagata and his disciples, and then ask: “Blessed One! What is wholesome? What is unwholesome? What constitutes the pure practice of correct cultivation?”
When the Tathagatas and their disciples hear this question, they reflect: “These good men and good women seek purity and wish to hear the true Dharma.” Thereupon, they expound the Dharma for them and enable them to awaken. After hearing it, those sentient beings retain it with right mindfulness, arouse the resolve to cultivate, acquire the power of diligence, remove the hindrance of indolence, extinguish all transgressions, honor the precepts of training[45], put an end to restlessness and remorse[46], and enter the First Bhumi[47].
Relying upon the mind of the First Bhumi, they overcome the hindrances to benefiting others and enter the Second Bhumi. Upon entering this bhumi, they eliminate the hindrances to a tranquil mind and enter the Third Bhumi. Upon entering this bhumi, they eliminate the hindrances to a gentle and pure mind and enter the Fourth Bhumi.
Upon entering• this bhumi, they eliminate the hindrances to wholesome skillful means[48] and proceed to the Fifth Bhumi. Relying upon the Fifth Bhumi, they eliminate the hindrances of still perceiving the ultimate and the conventional[49] and enter the Sixth Bhumi. From the Sixth Bhumi, they eliminate the hindrances of perceiving the marks of conditioned activity[50] and enter the Seventh Bhumi.
From the Seventh Bhumi, they eliminate the hindrance of not perceiving the mark of cessation[51] and enter the Eighth Bhumi. From the Eighth Bhumi, they eliminate the hindrance of not perceiving the mark of arising[52] and enter the Ninth Bhumi. From the Ninth Bhumi, they eliminate the hindrances to the Dharma of the six superknowledges[53] and enter the Tenth Bhumi.
From the Tenth Bhumi, they eliminate the cognitive obscurations, remove the fundamental mind, and enter the Tathagata Bhumi. The Tathagata Bhumi possesses the three purities: purity from afflictions, purity from suffering, and purity of marks; therefore, it is called the Bhumi of Ultimate Purity. It is like genuine gold that, once fully refined and purified, can never again become ore; this signifies that the nature of gold is originally pure, not that gold does not exist.
It is also like turbid water: once it has settled and become clear, no sediment remains. This signifies that the nature of water is pure, not that water does not exist.
Thus, the Dharma-body is intermingled with afflictions. If suffering and its origin[54] are eliminated, all habitual tendencies[55] will cease to remain. This indicates that the Buddha-nature is originally pure; it does not mean that it lacks an essential nature.
It is like empty space obscured by clouds and smoke: when they are completely dispelled, empty space becomes clear and pure; this does not mean that empty space does not exist. The Dharma-body is likewise. Because suffering and affliction have been completely removed, it is said to be pure; this does not mean that it lacks an essential nature.
It is like a person who, while dreaming, sees himself drifting upon a great river. Moving his arms and legs, he cuts through the current, crosses over, and reaches the other shore; this is accomplished through the exertion of both body and mind. Yet when he awakens, he sees no river, no near shore, and no farther shore; nevertheless, one cannot therefore say that mind does not exist.
When the deluded conceptions of birth and death have been entirely extinguished, the pure nature of awakening will reveal itself; one cannot therefore say that awakening does not exist. The Dharma-realm is likewise: when deluded conceptions no longer arise, it is said to be pure; this does not mean that the Buddha lacks true essence.
Good man! When the afflictive hindrances[56] are purified, the Enjoyment-body appears; when karmic hindrances[57] are purified, the Transformation-body appears; when cognitive hindrances[58] are purified, the Dharma-body appears. It is like lightning that appears dependent upon empty space, and light that issues from the lightning.
In the same way, dependent upon the Dharma-body, the Enjoyment-body appears; dependent upon the Enjoyment-body, the Transformation-body appears. Because the nature is pure, the Dharma-body appears; because wisdom is pure, the Enjoyment-body appears; because samadhi is pure, the Transformation-body appears. These three pure dharmas are suchness, non-different suchness[59], suchness of a single flavor[60], suchness of liberation, and ultimate suchness.
Therefore, the essence of all Buddhas is no different. If someone declares that the Tathagata is his Great Teacher and has resolute faith in this, that person clearly understands that the Dharma-bodies of the Tathagatas are without distinction.
Therefore, when all incorrect thoughts concerning all dharmas are eliminated, one immediately knows that those dharmas have no dual characteristics and makes no discriminations regarding them; this is the practice of the noble ones. When all hindrances have been removed, one sees no dual characteristics in any dharma. By correctly practicing thus and thus, all hindrances are entirely eliminated; by cutting off all hindrances thus and thus, the Suchness of Dharma and the Suchness of Wisdom become supremely pure.
When the Dharma-realm and right wisdom are purified thus and thus, one attains mastery, becomes wholly complete, and embraces all things. Because all hindrances have been eliminated and all hindrances have been purified, this is called the true characteristic of the right wisdom of true suchness. Such seeing and knowing are the seeing and knowing of the noble ones and are also called truly seeing the Buddha.
Why is this so? Because they see the Suchness of Dharma as it truly is, and through this the Tathagatas possess the power to see all Tathagatas. Although the sravakas and pratyekabuddhas have transcended the three realms[61], they cannot see the true realm.
If even these noble ones do not know it, ordinary beings will certainly harbor doubts, make erroneous discriminations, and be unable to attain liberation. It is like a hare that cannot cross the vast sea by itself because its strength is too feeble. Ordinary beings are likewise unable to comprehend the Suchness of Dharma.
Yet the mind of the Tathagata is originally free from discrimination, possesses complete mastery over all dharmas, and is endowed with profound, pure wisdom. This is the unique domain of the Tathagatas, which others do not possess. Therefore, know that for immeasurable asamkhya[62] kalpas, the Tathagatas did not cherish their bodies or lives but cultivated exceedingly difficult ascetic practices.
Only then did they attain the most wondrous, supreme Dharma-body, incomparable, beyond words, tranquil and sublime, and forever free from fear.
Those who know the Suchness of Dharma are no longer subject to birth, aging, or illness; their lifespans are immeasurable; they need neither sleep nor rest and experience neither hunger nor thirst. Their minds are always settled and free from disturbance. Those who dispute concerning the Tathagata do not see the Tathagata.
The teachings expounded by the Tathagata benefit all sentient beings; all who hear them attain liberation and do not encounter evil destinies, evil spirits, or evil people. Through the power of hearing the Dharma, their merit becomes inexhaustible. Yet the Tathagatas have no indeterminate mind, no mind that seeks to know all dharmas, and none of the discriminating conceptions of samsara and nirvana; whatever the Tathagatas teach is definitive.
Every action of the Tathagatas—whether walking, standing, lying down, or sitting—proceeds from wisdom; all that they do arises from the mind of great loving-kindness and compassion. Everything is for the benefit and happiness of all sentient beings.
Good man! Whoever hears, believes, and understands this Sutra of Golden Light will not fall into the realms of hell beings, hungry ghosts, animals, or asuras, but will always be born in noble places among devas and humans, draw near to and serve the Tathagatas, and hear and receive the true Dharma. After death, that person will be born in a pure and magnificently adorned Buddha-land.
Why is this so? Because that person has heard this profound sutra. Such people are known by the Tathagata and have received his prediction[63] that they will never regress from the path to unsurpassed bodhi.
Whoever merely hears this wondrous sutra with their ears will not slander the Tathagata, destroy the true Dharma, or disparage the Sangha. If that person has not yet planted roots of goodness, they will now plant them; if they have already planted them, they will cause them to grow until they are completely matured. They will also encourage sentient beings throughout the worlds to cultivate the six paramitas.
At that time, the bodhisattva Akashagarbha, Brahma, Shakra, the Four Heavenly Kings, and the others rose from their seats, bared their right shoulders, respectfully joined their palms, bowed their heads at the Buddha’s feet, and said together:
“Blessed One! Wherever this truly sublime Sutra of Golden Light is expounded, that entire land will receive four benefits:
-• Its armies will be mighty; there will be no enemies, no illness, and lifespans will be prolonged.
-• The queen, consorts, princes, and ministers will always live together joyfully and harmoniously, without disputes. Their minds will be free from deceit, and they will always be loved and esteemed by the king.
-• Sramanas, brahmins, and all the people of the land will cultivate in accordance with the Buddha’s true Dharma. They will be free from illness and dwell in peace, suffer no untimely death, and always sow seeds in the field of merit.
-• The four great elements will remain in harmony, and the devas will protect the land. The people will possess impartial loving-kindness and compassion, will not give rise to thoughts of harming sentient beings, and will encourage sentient beings to revere and trust the Three Jewels and cultivate the path to bodhi.
“Blessed One! Today, in order to propagate this king of sutras, we too shall always remain close to and protect those who uphold it, while also enabling the places where they dwell to remain forever peaceful and happy.”
The Buddha praised them, saying: “Excellent, excellent! It is so, it is so! You should single-mindedly propagate this sublime sutra so that the true Dharma may long abide in the world.”
CHAPTER 4: DREAMING OF THE GOLDEN DRUM
AROUSING THE MIND OF REPENTANCE
After Bodhisattva Ruciraketu had personally heard the Buddha teach the Dharma, his heart was filled with joy. Single-mindedly contemplating its profound meaning, he then returned to his dwelling place. That night, the bodhisattva dreamed that he saw a golden drum radiating an exceedingly brilliant light like the sun.
Within that radiance, innumerable Buddhas were seated upon beryl thrones beneath jeweled trees, teaching the Dharma to innumerable hundreds of thousands in the great assembly surrounding them. At that time, a brahmin struck the golden drum, which emitted sounds conveying many wondrous verses. These verses expounded the Dharma of repentance.
Having heard them, Ruciraketu carefully retained them in memory and composed his mind in meditative concentration. The following morning, surrounded by innumerable hundreds of thousands in the great assembly and bearing offerings, the bodhisattva departed from the city of Rajagriha and went to Vulture Peak. When they came before the Buddha, they all bowed at the Tathagata’s feet, arranged fragrant flowers as offerings, circumambulated him three times, and then sat to one side.
With palms joined, they gazed reverently upon the Buddha’s honored countenance, and together addressed him:
“Blessed One! Last night, in a dream, I saw a brahmin striking a golden drum. From the drum came sounds conveying wondrous verses concerning the Dharma of repentance, and even now I remember them clearly. I humbly beseech the Blessed One, out of compassion, to permit me to recite those verses.” The Blessed One gave his consent, and Bodhisattva Ruciraketu repeated the verses before the Buddha:
Last night, within a dream,
I saw a golden drum,
Exceedingly wondrous and beautiful;
The entire drum radiated light,
Like the sun at midday.
Its radiance was truly brilliant,
Illuminating all the ten directions.
Everywhere there were Buddhas,
Seated upon beryl thrones
Beneath precious jeweled trees,
While innumerable hundreds of thousands in the assembly
Reverently surrounded them.
There was also a brahmin
Holding a mallet and striking that drum,
Causing sounds to issue forth
That proclaimed wondrous verses.
The Golden Light Drum sends forth wondrous sounds,
Resounding throughout the entire trichiliocosm[64],
Eradicating grave offenses within the three realms
And all the sufferings and calamities of the human world.
Through the awesome spiritual power of the golden drum’s sound,
The hindrances of affliction are truly dispelled;
Fear is also removed, and there is constant peace and bliss,
The mind attaining mastery like the Sage of the Śākyas.
Within the ocean of birth and death, diligently cultivating,
One perfects omniscience[65] and amasses wholesome practices;
One also helps sentient beings fulfill the path of awakening,
Leading them all into that ocean of merit.
Through the wondrous sound emitted by this golden drum,
Those who hear it clearly attain the Brahma voice,
Realize bodhi, the unsurpassed fruit,
And turn the great Dharma wheel, utterly pure and clear.
Their lifespans endure for inconceivable kalpas;
They teach the Dharma according to capacities, benefiting sentient beings,
Cutting off afflictions and leaving all suffering behind,
So that the poisons of greed, anger, and delusion remain no more.
If sentient beings in the evil realms
Have their entire bodies scorched by great flames,
Yet hear the sound of that drum,
They immediately leave suffering behind and take refuge in the Buddha.
Thereafter, they attain the knowledge of former lives[66],
Recollecting hundreds of thousands of past kalpas;
Their hearts constantly remember the Buddha Muni,
And they hear him teach the exceedingly profound and wondrous Dharma.
Through hearing the sound of this drum,
They are always able to draw near to the Buddha, the Blessed One;
Thus they forever remain far from all evil karma
And cultivate only pure and wholesome deeds.
All devas, humans, and sentient beings—
Whoever earnestly and sincerely vows
To hear the wondrous sound of that drum—
Will have every aspiration completely fulfilled.
Those who have fallen into the Avici Hell[67],
Their bodies scorched in agony by raging flames,
With no one to rescue them from the suffering of samsara—
If they hear the drum’s sound, their sufferings and calamities cease.
Devas, humans, hungry ghosts, and animals,
Those who in this life encounter suffering and peril—
If they are able to hear that drum’s sound,
They leave suffering and calamity behind and attain peace and well-being.
O Honored Ones Endowed with the Two Perfections[68],
Ever abiding throughout the ten directions,
I beseech you, with hearts of great compassion,
To remember me and have mercy upon me.
Sentient beings have nowhere to rely,
Nor anyone to rescue and assist them;
I beseech you, for the sake of these beings,
To become their steadfast refuge.
The offenses I committed in former lives,
Those exceedingly grave evil deeds—
Now I kneel before you all
And sincerely repent of them.
The offense of not believing in the Buddhas,
And of showing no reverence to mother and father;
Of refusing to cultivate wholesome Dharma
And constantly committing evil deeds.
Or, relying upon my honored status,
My lineage, wealth, or position,
Being young and habitually heedless,
I committed evil karma.
My mind continually gave rise to wrong views,
My mouth always uttered harsh words;
Failing to recognize my faults,
I committed evil karma.
Habitually following the ways of ordinary beings,
With ignorance obscuring my mind,
And befriending evil persons,
I committed evil karma.
Whether through excessive merriment,
Or through grief and distress,
Bound by greed, anger, and delusion,
I therefore committed evil.
By associating with unwholesome persons,
Or because of a miserly heart,
Poverty, and deceitful flattery,
I therefore committed evil.
Although I took no delight in wrongdoing,
Because my mind was afraid
And I was not master of myself,
I therefore committed evil.
For the sake of food, drink, and clothing,
And because of desire for women,
Scorched by the fires of affliction,
I therefore committed evil.
Toward the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha,
My mind was not reverent;
Having committed offenses such as these,
I now repent of them.
In delusion, I disparaged the true Dharma
And was unfilial toward my mother and father;
Having committed offenses such as these,
I now repent of them.
Because of delusion and arrogance,
And driven by greed and anger,
I committed offenses such as these;
Now I repent of them all.
I now make offerings
To the countless Buddhas of the ten directions;
I beseech them to help me
Uproot all sufferings and calamities.
May all sentient beings
Abide upon the Ten Grounds;
Having perfected merit and wisdom,
May they attain Buddhahood and liberate the multitudes lost in delusion.
For the sake of all sentient beings,
I shall practice austerities for hundreds of thousands of kalpas;
With the power of great wisdom,
I shall help them cross the ocean of delusion.
For the sake of all sentient beings,
I shall expound this profound and wondrous sutra,
The Supreme Golden Light,
Which has the power to eradicate evil karma.
If a person, throughout hundreds of thousands of kalpas,
Has committed exceedingly grave offenses,
Yet sincerely repents of them even for a brief time,
All those evils will immediately be extinguished.
By relying upon the Golden Light Sutra
And practicing the Dharma of repentance,
All karmic suffering
Will swiftly be extinguished.
Hundreds of thousands of kinds of meditative concentration,
And inconceivable dharanis,
The faculties, powers, path, and factors of awakening[69]—
I shall cultivate them without weariness.
I shall realize the Ten Grounds,
Reaching the place abundant in precious treasures;
I shall perfect the Buddha’s merit
And cross beyond the stream of birth and death.
Within the ocean of all Buddhas,
The profound treasury of merit
And inconceivable wondrous wisdom—
I shall fulfill them all.
I beseech the Buddhas of the ten directions
To regard and assist me;
With hearts of great loving-kindness and compassion,
Mercifully accept my repentance.
Throughout many kalpas,
I have committed much evil karma;
Thus suffering and anguish have arisen—
I beseech the Buddhas, in their compassion, to help remove them.
Because I committed evil karma,
My heart is always filled with fear;
In every gesture and action,
I am never peaceful or joyful.
The Buddhas possess great loving-kindness and compassion
And free sentient beings from all fear;
I beseech you to accept my repentance
And enable me to leave fear and anxiety behind.
I have the hindrances of affliction
And also karmic retribution;
I beseech you to use the water of great compassion
To wash my body and mind clean.
In the past and the present,
I have committed so much evil karma;
Now I disclose it before the Buddhas,
Praying that it may be completely eradicated.
I also vow to guard myself
And not give rise to evil in the future;
Even if I now happen to commit it,
I shall never dare conceal it.
There are three bodily deeds and four verbal deeds,
And there are also three deeds of mind;
They bind all sentient beings
And have never yet been severed.
Through body, speech, and mind,
I created the ten evil deeds;
I now repent
Of offenses such as these.
For the evil karma I have created,
I must personally undergo its painful retribution;
Today, kneeling before the Buddhas,
I sincerely repent.
Within this realm of Jambudvipa
And throughout all other worlds,
Whatever wholesome karma has been attained,
I rejoice in and accord with it all.
May I leave the ten evil deeds behind
And cultivate the ten wholesome deeds[70],
Abide securely upon the Ten Grounds,
And constantly behold the Buddhas of the ten directions.
Whatever merit and wisdom I attain
Through cultivating the three kinds of karma,
I shall rely upon them,
Aspiring swiftly to attain the wisdom of a Buddha.
Now, before the One Possessing the Ten Powers[71],
I disclose all my sufferings and calamities:
The hardship of ordinary fools deluded in the three realms
The hardship of creating so many grave evils
The hardship of accumulating sensual desire and wrong views
The hardship of constantly giving rise to craving and transmigration
The hardship of ever clinging to the worldly realm
The hardship of all the afflictions of ordinary beings
The hardship of minds deranged, distracted, and inverted
And the hardship of associating closely with evil friends
The hardship of defilement and attachment amid birth and death
The hardship of creating offenses through anger, ignorance, and darkness
The hardship of being born in the eight inopportune states[72]
The hardship of never having accumulated merit and virtue
Now, before the Most Excellent One,
I repent of these boundless karmic offenses.
Venerable Sugata[73], in You I take refuge;
I bow to the unsurpassed One whose virtues are an ocean,
Who, like a great golden mountain, shines everywhere.
May You compassionately regard me with loving concern.
Your body, the color of pure gold, is ever radiant and immaculate;
Your eyes are like beautiful, clear blue vaidurya.
Your auspicious[74] majestic virtue is truly resplendent;
Your great compassion and wisdom dispel the darkness.
The Buddha-sun shines, illuminating everywhere,
Perfectly pure and radiant, without dust or stain.
The moon of the Muni is ever cool and gentle,
Ending afflictions and bringing perfect serenity.
Your body is adorned with the thirty-two marks,
And perfected by the eighty subsidiary characteristics.
Your boundless merit is beyond compare,
Like the sun shining upon myriad lands.
Your body is like flawless vaidurya,
Like the face of the moon amid empty space.
A crimson crystal net and the radiance of Your golden body
Create innumerable brilliant hues.
In the painful torrent of birth and death,
Aging, sickness, and sorrow sweep living beings away.
Such a sea of suffering is truly hard to endure;
The Buddha-sun shines upon it and dries it up.
I now bow to the Omniscient One,
The rarest One in the trichiliocosm[75],
Whose body, the color of pure gold, shines resplendently,
Adorned with many beautiful noble marks.
The waters of the great ocean are truly difficult to measure;
The particles of dust upon the earth are also difficult to know.
Mount Sumeru[76] cannot be measured,
And the realm of empty space is truly boundless.
The virtues of the Buddhas are likewise:
No sentient being can comprehend them.
Though one might ponder them carefully for immeasurable kalpas,
There is no way to fathom these virtues.
All the mountains upon the earth
Could be ground into dust and their particles counted;
The waters of all the oceans could also be measured,
Yet the Buddha’s virtues cannot be reckoned.
Even if all living beings together praised
The majestic renown and virtues of the Tathagata,
The noble marks and beauty adorning His body
Could not be calculated or their limits known.
Whatever wholesome karma I possess,
I dedicate toward swiftly attaining unsurpassed Buddhahood.
May I teach the true Dharma for the benefit of living beings
And enable them to escape all suffering.
May I subdue Mara and his hosts,
And turn the boundless wheel of Dharma.
May I abide in the world for innumerable kalpas,
Bestowing the flavor of amrita upon living beings.
Like the Buddhas of the past,
May I perfect the six paramitas[77],
Eliminate greed, desire, anger, and delusion,
Subdue the afflictions, and remove all suffering.
I ever vow to attain the knowledge of former lives,
Recollecting hundreds of thousands of past kalpas.
May I also constantly recollect the Muni Buddha
And hear the wondrous Dharma of the Tathagata.
I offer all this wholesome karma
In service to the boundless supremely honored Ones.
May I also abandon every unwholesome cause
And always cultivate the profound and wondrous Dharma.
May all living beings throughout the worlds
Be free from hardship and suffering and dwell in peace.
May those whose faculties are incomplete
Be helped to attain perfectly formed bodies.
If any living beings encounter the suffering of illness,
Their bodies emaciated and without refuge,
I vow to help them eliminate it entirely,
So that their whole bodies are filled with strength and vitality.
Those who have violated the laws of the realm and are about to be executed,
Oppressed by anguish, their hearts grieved and pained,
In that hour of agony and sorrow,
Have no one to rescue them or upon whom to rely.
Those bound in fetters and beaten,
Their bodies tormented by instruments of punishment,
While undergoing myriad sufferings,
Their bodies and minds oppressed, without the slightest joy—
I vow to help them escape them all:
The suffering of fetters and beatings.
May those about to be executed have their lives preserved
And forever be free from all suffering.
If any living beings suffer hunger and thirst,
I shall help them obtain delicious food.
May the blind gain sight and the deaf gain hearing;
May the lame walk steadily and the mute speak fully.
May impoverished living beings obtain treasuries,
Their wealth and possessions abundant, ending all poverty.
May all be provided with excellent medicines,
So that not a single person remains afflicted by suffering.
May devas and humans everywhere be pleasing to behold,
Their bearing gentle, graceful, and dignified.
In this very life, may their bodies and minds know immeasurable joy,
Their enjoyments complete and their merit abundant.
If any living beings delight in music,
May exquisite sounds immediately manifest before them.
For those who thirst, may pure water appear,
And golden lotuses spread across the surfaces of lakes and ponds.
In accordance with whatever living beings contemplate—
Clothing, drink, and food;
Beds, vaidurya, gold, and silver;
And magnificent necklaces—may all spontaneously appear in abundance.
May living beings never hear harsh words,
Nor behold anything contrary to their hearts.
May their bodies be graceful and beautiful,
And may they always give rise to loving-kindness and cherish one another.
May worldly necessities and musical instruments
Be fully provided as soon as they are desired.
Whatever wealth I obtain, I shall not begrudge,
But shall distribute it all among living beings.
Incense for burning, powdered incense, and fragrant ointments,
And various blended fragrances of many colors,
Gathered from trees three times each day,
May they enjoy them as they wish with joyful hearts.
May all living beings everywhere make offerings
To all Tathagatas throughout the ten directions,
To the pure and wondrous Dharma gates of the Three Vehicles[78],
And to bodhisattvas, pratyekabuddhas, and sravakas.
I ever vow not to be born in lowly states,
Nor to enter any of the eight inopportune states.
May I be born among humans in a noble station
And always serve the Buddhas of the ten directions.
May I always be born into a wealthy and eminent family,
With money and precious treasures filling the storehouses.
May my appearance and renown be beyond compare,
And my lifespan immeasurably long.
May women be transformed into men,
Intelligent and wise, majestic and courageous.
May all always practice the bodhisattva path,
Diligently cultivating the six perfections to reach the other shore.
May I always behold immeasurable Buddhas of the ten directions,
Seated together beneath the King of Precious Trees[79],
Upon beautiful vaidurya lion thrones,
And personally hear the Buddhas turn the Dharma wheel.
If, from the past until today,
While transmigrating through the three realms, I have created karmic causes
That bring about rebirth in the dreadful lower realms,
May they be entirely eradicated without remainder.
All living beings in the ocean of existence[80]
Are entangled in the net of birth and death and cannot escape.
May I use the sword of wisdom to cut it apart,
Helping them swiftly leave suffering and attain bodhi.
Whatever fields of merit living beings have cultivated
In this realm of Jambudvipa
Or in any other world,
I now vow to rejoice in them[81].
May all the merit from this rejoicing,
Together with all wholesome deeds created through the three karmic activities,
Increase constantly by day and night,
So that I may swiftly attain bodhi.
Through all the merit of praising the Buddha
With a pure heart free from stain,
And of dedicating merit and making vows of boundless blessing,
May I transcend the lower realms for sixteen kalpas.
If men and women
Of noble Brahmin families…
Join their palms and single-mindedly praise the Buddha,
They shall remember their past deeds in life after life.
Their faculties shall be pure, and their bodies perfect;
Their magnificent virtues shall all be fully accomplished.
May they, wherever they are born,
Be revered and admired by devas and humans alike.
Not before merely one or ten Buddhas,
But before hundreds of thousands of Tathagatas
Must they have planted innumerable roots of goodness
To be able to hear this Dharma of repentance.
After hearing this verse, the Blessed One praised Diệu Tràng, saying: “Excellent, excellent! The sound of the golden drum praises the true merits of the Tathagatas, the Blessed Ones. As for the practice of repentance that you saw in your dream, whoever hears it will gain abundant merit; it will also benefit sentient beings and eliminate karmic offenses and hindrances. You should know that this noble undertaking arose entirely from the causes and conditions of vows made in past lives to offer praise, and from the empowering protection of the Buddha. I shall explain these causes and conditions to you later.”
After hearing this Dharma, the entire assembly rejoiced, accepted it with faith, and respectfully put it into practice.
Notes:
[1] Transformation Body, Response Body, Dharma Body: The three bodies of a Buddha. The Transformation Body is the body that transforms in accordance with the capacities of sentient beings and manifests in many forms to deliver them. The Response Body, also called the Reward Body, is the body in which merits are perfected, the recompense for the immeasurable practices and vows cultivated at the causal stage; this body manifests so that bodhisattvas of the Three Worthy Stages and Ten Noble Stages may behold it. The Dharma Body is the true body of the Buddha; it neither arises nor ceases, is undefiled and unconditioned, and the other two bodies are both manifestations issuing from this body.
[2] Ultimate truth: the certain and true meaning of reality, namely, the true meaning realized by noble ones.
[3] Wisdom of Suchness and Suchness: namely, the Dharma Body.
[4] Nominal existence: existents (dharmas) formed through the convergence of causes and conditions, having no true substance and existing in name only.
[5] True existence: truly existent realities that are not formed through the convergence of causes and conditions, neither arise nor cease, are uncreated, and do not change.
[6] Suchness of dharmas: all dharmas that accord with the wisdom of Suchness.
[7] Wisdom of Suchness: the wisdom that penetrates the twofold emptiness; it is also the prajna of the true aspect of reality.
[8] Concentration Without Mind: namely, the attainment of cessation. Upon entering this concentration, the discriminating and agitated consciousness no longer remains.
[9] Nirvana with remainder: nirvana that still depends upon the body composed of the four great elements; that is, afflictions have been completely severed, the causes of future birth and death have ended, and nirvana has been realized, but the karmic-result body of this life has not yet come to an end. Thus, wisdom has been extinguished, but the body has not yet been extinguished.
[10] Nirvana without remainder: nirvana in which no basis of dependence whatsoever remains; that is, afflictions have been eliminated and the body of the five skandhas has ended. Both body and wisdom have been extinguished.
[11] Non-abiding nirvana: nirvana that neither departs from birth and death nor abides in nirvana.
[12] Characteristic of Imagined Nature: the state of clinging to, conjecturing about, and calculating all dharmas; it is a characteristic of the deluded minds of ordinary beings.
[13] Characteristic of Other-Dependent Nature: the nature that arises or ceases in dependence upon causes and conditions.
[14] Characteristic of Perfected Nature: the true nature that perfectly accomplishes all merits.
[15] Activity-arising mind: the mind associated with the afflictions of wrong views and thought. When these afflictions arise, they cause various actions to be performed and bring about ripened karmic results. Alternatively, it is held that the afflictive hindrances and the activities they engender constitute the activity-arising mind. That is, the first six consciousnesses engage the six sense objects, giving rise to defiled and purified dharmas.
[16] Mind dependent upon the basis: namely, the seventh consciousness, because this consciousness arises in dependence upon the basis and, together with the eighth consciousness, transmits and gives rise to defiled and purified dharmas.
[17] Fundamental mind: namely, the eighth consciousness, because this consciousness contains wholesome and unwholesome seeds, causing defiled and purified dharmas to arise.
[18] Path of suppression: the conditioned or unconditioned path that subdues latent afflictions and prevents them from becoming active.
[19] Path that severs dharmas: abbreviated as the Path of Severance, the undefiled path that subdues and eliminates afflictions and possesses the power to lead to realization.
[20] Supreme path: namely, unsurpassed bodhi.
[21] Phenomenon–Mind–Essence: phenomenon means phenomenal characteristics, mind means consciousness, and essence means true nature.
[22] Exclusive qualities: qualities possessed only by a Buddha and not shared with shravakas or bodhisattvas, such as the eighteen exclusive qualities…
[23] Conditioned: dharmas produced through activity; that is, dharmas arising from causes and conditions.
[24] Purity of cessation: the pure object of realization, namely, ultimately pure nirvana. The wisdom that realizes purity is called purity of wisdom.
[25] Ten bhumis: namely, the Ten Noble Stages, the ten stages in a bodhisattva’s course of cultivation leading toward Buddhahood: the Bhumis of Great Joy, Stainlessness, Luminosity, Radiance, Difficult to Conquer, Manifest Presence, Far-Going, Immovability, Excellent Wisdom, and Dharma Cloud.•
[26] Nothing whatsoever:• also called non-attainment, another name for emptiness.•
145 Characteristic and locus of the characteristic: the characteristic means wisdom, and the locus means its object; the locus of the characteristic is the object contemplated by wisdom. Alternatively, it is held that the characteristic is the self of persons, while the locus of the characteristic is the self of dharmas.
[28] Truth of the Path: the certain and true path leading to the cessation of suffering; that is, the method practitioners must cultivate to attain nirvana.
[29] Truth of Cessation: the realm in which suffering has ceased, namely, nirvana. It is also the result attained after the Truth of the Path has been successfully cultivated.
[30] Stage of non-retrogression: the stage from which one no longer regresses; here it refers to the bodhisattva’s First Bhumi.
[31] One birth away from Buddhahood: this refers to a bodhisattva of Equal Enlightenment, because this bodhisattva must undergo one more birth in the human realm before becoming a Buddha.
[32] Vajra mind: the final mind of a bodhisattva, the stage of a bodhisattva of Equal Enlightenment.
[33] Samadhi: also called concentration or right concentration. The state in which the mind abides steadily in one place, upon one object.•
[34] Four dhyanas and four attainments: the four dhyanas of the Form Realm—the First Dhyana, Second Dhyana, Third Dhyana, and Fourth Dhyana—and the four attainments of the Formless Realm—Infinite Space, Infinite Consciousness, Nothing Whatsoever, and Neither Perception nor Non-Perception.•
[35] Shurangama samadhi: the meditative concentration that firmly gathers and upholds all dharmas; it is the meditative concentration attained by Buddhas and bodhisattvas of the Ten Bhumis.•
[36] Foundations of mindfulness: mindfulness means wisdom, and foundation means the object before it; thus, wisdom contemplates its object. Examples include the four foundations of mindfulness: contemplation of the body, feelings, mind, and dharmas; or the six recollections…
[37] Great recollection of the Dharma: namely, recollection of the Dharma among the six recollections: the Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, generosity, morality, and devas.
[38] Dharani: translated in Chinese as “complete retention”; that is, the power of wisdom to gather and retain the immeasurable Buddha-Dharma without forgetting or losing any of it.
[39] Ten powers: the ten transcendent powers of a Buddha: 1. Power of knowing what is possible and what is impossible; 2. Power of knowing the ripening of karma; 3. Power of knowing the dhyanas, liberations, samadhis, and meditative attainments; 4. Power of knowing whether faculties are superior or inferior; 5. Power of knowing the various inclinations; 6. Power of knowing the various dispositions; 7. Power of knowing the paths leading everywhere; 8. Power of knowing the recollection of past abodes; 9. Power of knowing birth and death; 10. Power of knowing the exhaustion of the defilements.
[40] Four fearlessnesses: the four kinds of self-confidence through which Buddhas and great bodhisattvas, free from fear, serenely and courageously teach the Dharma before an assembly. They are: fearlessness in declaring complete and perfect awakening to all dharmas; fearlessness in declaring knowledge of the complete exhaustion of all defilements; fearlessness in definitively declaring without error the obstructive dharmas; and fearlessness in declaring the path by which those who have not realized it may fully leave suffering in accordance with reality.
[41] Four unobstructed eloquences: the four unobstructed powers of Buddhas and bodhisattvas to express words and explain meanings fluently: 1. Unobstructed eloquence in terms; 2. Unobstructed eloquence in language; 3. Unobstructed eloquence in meaning; 4. Unobstructed eloquence in joyful exposition.
[42] Eighteen unique qualities: the eighteen powers attained only by a Buddha: 1. Flawlessness of bodily conduct; 2. Flawlessness of speech; 3.
Flawlessness of mindfulness; 4. Freedom from discordant perceptions; 5. Freedom from an unsettled mind; 6.
Freedom from equanimity arising from unawareness; 7. Unflagging aspiration; 8. Unflagging diligence; 9.
Unflagging mindfulness; 10. Unflagging wisdom; 11. ••••••••••••••Unflagging liberation; 12. Unflagging knowledge and vision of liberation; 13.
All bodily actions are performed in accordance with wisdom; 14. All verbal actions are spoken in accordance with wisdom; 15. All mental actions are conceived in accordance with wisdom; 16.
Unimpeded and unobstructed wisdom that sees and knows the past; 17. Unimpeded and unobstructed wisdom that sees and knows the future; 18. Unimpeded and unobstructed wisdom that sees and knows the present.
[43] Middle Way: the true and balanced path, removed from extremes and inclined toward no particular side, viewpoint, or method.
[44] Grasped and grasper: the subject of cognition (the grasper) and the object of cognition (the grasped). The conscious mind capable of cognition is called the grasper; external objects such as forms and so forth are objects that are cognized and are therefore called the grasped.
[45] Training precepts: matters in which bhiksus and bhiksunis must train, referring primarily to the precepts of discipline.
[46] Restlessness and remorse: namely, restlessness and remorse. Restlessness is the agitated, distracted, and unsettled state of mind; remorse is the sorrowful and regretful mind concerning what one has done. These two afflictions disturb the mind and obstruct the noble path.
[47] First bhumi: the Bhumi of Joy, the first of the ten bhumis and also the forty-first of the fifty-two stages taught in the Avatamsaka Sutra.
[48] Skillful means: methods skillfully suited to every kind of being, place, and time.
[49] Ultimate and conventional: ultimate truth and conventional truth. Ultimate truth refers to the true and impartial principle; conventional truth is the principle of the mundane world, namely, the principle known to all worldly people.
[50] Mode of appearance: the state of an image manifesting in the mind, or the cognitive activity of the mind and mental factors when encountering an object.
[51] Characteristic of cessation: the characteristic of the disintegration and cessation of conditioned dharmas, which in the space of a single instant immediately pass into the past.
[52] Characteristic of arising: that which causes a conditioned dharma to pass from nonexistence into existence.
[53] Six superknowledges: the six extraordinary powers of noble beings of the three vehicles: divine eye, divine ear, knowledge of others' minds, supernormal powers, knowledge of former lives, and knowledge of the exhaustion of the outflows.• •
[54] Suffering and its origin: the truth of suffering and the truth of the origin of suffering. The truth of suffering is the certain truth concerning worldly suffering; the truth of its origin is the certain truth concerning the cause of suffering.
[55] Habitual tendencies: habits formed in the mind through the continuous permeation of thoughts and actions;
in other words, they are the experiences and habits accumulated by a person.
[56] Afflictive obstructions: deluded afflictions that obstruct the noble path.
[57] Karmic obstructions: unwholesome thoughts and actions of body, speech, and mind that obstruct the noble path.
[58] Cognitive obstructions: objects of knowledge that obstruct the wisdom of awakening.
[59] Undifferentiated• suchness: the three—afflictions, karma, and cognition—are purified, equal, and without distinction.
[60] Suchness of a single flavor: solely the single flavor free from outflows.
[61] Three realms: the Desire Realm, the Form Realm, and the Formless Realm.•
[62] Asamkhya: an Indian numerical unit denoting an exceedingly vast, incalculable number.•
[63] Prophecy: a prediction that a person will attain realization in a future life, together with that person's future name and realm.
[64] Three-thousandfold world: the three-thousand-great-thousand world system; a world system constituted by one thousand small worlds, one thousand intermediate worlds, and one thousand great worlds.
[65] Omniscience: the wisdom that completely comprehends all dharmas; that is, the wisdom of a Buddha, one of the three wisdoms.
[66] Knowledge of former lives: the knowledge that recalls the events of one's own previous lives.
[67] Uninterrupted Hell: the hell situated at the very bottom of the eight hells stacked one beneath another deep below Jambudvipa. After death, those who commit any of the five heinous offenses immediately fall into Avici Hell without passing through the intermediate state, where they suffer day and night, without a moment's interruption, for an entire kalpa.
[68] Honored One Perfect in Both: an epithet of the Buddha with two meanings: first, the most honored among two-legged beings; second, one perfect in both merit and wisdom.
[69] Faculties, powers, path, and factors of awakening: the five faculties—faith, diligence, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom; the five powers—faith, diligence, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom; the eightfold path of awakening—right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration; the seven factors of awakening—mindfulness, investigation of dharmas, diligence, joy, tranquility, concentration, and equanimity.
[70] Ten wholesome actions: the ten wholesome deeds that help people be reborn in a heavenly realm after death: refraining from killing; refraining from stealing; refraining from sexual misconduct; refraining from false speech; refraining from frivolous speech; refraining from divisive speech; refraining from harsh speech; freedom from covetousness; freedom from anger; freedom from delusion.•
[71] One Possessing the Ten Powers: an epithet of the Buddhas, because a Buddha possesses the ten powers in full.
[72] Eight inopportune states: eight states into which sentient beings may be born, where it is difficult to encounter a Buddha and hear the Dharma: the hells, the realm of hungry ghosts, the animal realm, Uttarakuru, the Heaven of Long Life, being deaf, blind, mute, or unable to speak, possessing worldly intelligence and eloquence in debate, and being born before or after a Buddha.
[73] Sugata: an honorific title of the Buddha and one of the Buddha's ten epithets, meaning that the Tathagata has truly reached the other shore yet skillfully returns to the ocean of samsara to liberate sentient beings.
[74] Auspicious Sign: the svastika mark upon the Buddha's body, a symbol of auspiciousness.
[75] Three-thousandfold realm: the three-thousand-great-thousand world system.
[76] Sublime Height: Mount Sumeru, originally a mountain in Indian mythology and later adopted by Buddhism. This mountain stands at the center of a small world and is encircled by eight ranges of mountains and nine concentric seas.•
[77] Six paramitas: the six practices that carry practitioners to the other shore of liberation: generosity, ethical discipline, diligence, patience, meditative concentration, and wisdom.
[78] Three vehicles: three conveyances, namely, the three means that carry beings to liberation: the sravaka, pratyekabuddha, and bodhisattva vehicles.
[79] King of Jeweled Trees: a kind of precious tree in a Buddha's pure land.
[80] Ocean of existence: the ocean of the three realms.
[81] Rejoicing: sympathetic joy, namely, rejoicing in the deeds or accomplishments of others.
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