六度集經

Chapter IV: THE PERFECTION OF DILIGENCE

What is called the perfection of diligence?

—Diligence means devotedly upholding the profound and wondrous Way. Advancement means being without the slightest indolence or delay. Whether lying down, sitting, walking, standing, or breathing, one is never even slightly distracted.

One’s eyes constantly behold, as though dimly before them, the sacred apparitional forms of the Buddha. One’s ears continually hear the teachings of the Perfectly Awakened One. The nose perceives the fragrance of the Way, the mouth speaks words of the Way, the hands perform the work of the Way, and the feet tread within the abode of the Way; one does not abandon this resolve even for the span of a single breath.

One has compassion for sentient beings who remain throughout the long night in an ocean of boiling water, drifting along the current of cyclic existence, their afflictions growing more harmful by the day, with no means of deliverance. The bodhisattva grieves and worries for them as a most filial child grieves upon losing both parents. If the path of rescuing sentient beings should lie through perils of boiling water and blazing fire, through swords and poisons that inflict harm, then even at the cost of his own life, the bodhisattva joyfully rescues sentient beings from every calamity.

His resolve is to transcend the six dark paths and reach the realm of radiant light.

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55—Long ago, when a bodhisattva was an ordinary person, he heard of the Buddha’s name, excellent marks, and spiritual power, and of his majestic merit, admired by all the devas. Those who followed his lofty practices brought all suffering to an end. The bodhisattva constantly recollected this and wept inconsolably, saying:

—How can I obtain the scriptures of the Teacher of devas and humans, recite and cultivate them, and practice them until I attain Buddhahood, so that I may heal the illnesses of sentient beings and enable them to return to their originally pure nature?

At that time, the Buddha had long since entered nirvana. There was no community of bhiksus, and he did not know upon whom he could rely to hear and receive the teachings. There was a greedy and cruel ordinary man living nearby. Seeing the bodhisattva diligently train his resolve, he said:

—I know a passage containing three precepts of the Buddha. Do you wish to receive and uphold it?

Hearing this, the bodhisattva was filled with immeasurable joy. He bowed his head at the man’s feet, knelt prostrate, and begged to hear the precepts. The man who knew the verse said:

—This is the essential teaching of the Tathagata, the Unattached, Perfectly and Truly Awakened One, the Guide in the Dharma, the Teacher of Devas and Humans. Do you think you may hear it for nothing?

The bodhisattva replied:

—Please tell me the proper rite for requesting the Dharma. What does it entail?

The man said:

—If you are truly sincere in wishing to hear the Dharma, then a needle must be thrust into each of your pores. Though blood flows and your body suffers, if your mind feels not the slightest regret, only then may you hear this precious teaching.

The bodhisattva replied:

—If I could hear the Buddha’s scripture and then die, I would gladly do so; how much more readily would I endure needles piercing my body while I yet remain alive!

He then went to the marketplace, bought needles, and pierced them throughout his body. Blood poured forth like flowing springs. The bodhisattva joyfully listened to the Dharma, attained samadhi through the Dharma, and all his pain ceased. Seeing the bodhisattva exert himself to train his resolve, Sakra, Lord of the Devas, felt compassion for him and magically caused a needle to appear in every pore over the bodhisattva’s entire body. The man, clearly perceiving the bodhisattva’s exalted resolve, then imparted the scriptural words:

—Guard the mouth, restrain the mind, and let the body commit no evil. By eliminating these three unwholesome courses of conduct, one enters the path of the Noble Ones. This is the true Dharma taught by the Tathagatas, the Unattached, Perfectly and Truly Awakened, Most Honored Ones of Supreme Awakening.

Having heard the precepts, the bodhisattva joyfully bowed his head. When he looked back, all the needles piercing his body had suddenly vanished. His figure stood tall and majestic, and his strength was far greater than before. Devas, humans, spirits, and dragons all praised him. The bodhisattva’s resolve to advance in lofty practice continued without interruption until he attained Buddhahood and delivered all sentient beings.

The Buddha told the bhiksus:

—The man who gave the verse to the bodhisattva is now Devadatta. Although Devadatta knew a verse taught by a former Buddha, he was like a blind man holding a torch to illuminate the way for others while he himself saw no light; what benefit could it bring him? In training his resolve in the perfection, the bodhisattva practiced diligence in this way.

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56—Long ago, when the bodhisattva was the king of the monkeys, he often led five hundred monkeys in their wanderings. At that time, a drought occurred and fruit was scarce. There was a royal citadel not far from the mountain, separated from it only by a shallow stream that could be crossed on foot. The monkey king therefore led the troop into the king’s orchard to eat the fruit. The orchard keeper reported the matter to the king, who said:

—Guard it carefully. Do not let them escape.

When the monkey king learned of this, he became sorrowful and thought, “I am the leader of the troop; its misfortune or well-being rests with me. Because I coveted fruit to sustain our lives, I have brought danger upon the entire troop.” He then commanded the monkeys:

—Go everywhere and search for vines.

The monkeys brought vines and braided them together into a rope, fastening one end to a large tree branch. The monkey king tied the other end around his waist, climbed the tree, and hurled himself across to grasp a branch on the opposite bank. Because the rope was too short, he had to stretch down and use his own body to bridge the gap. He then commanded the troop:

—Quickly cross over by means of the rope.

When all the monkeys had crossed, both of the monkey king’s armpits were torn apart. He fell beside the water, lost consciousness, and later revived. Early the next morning, the king came to inspect the orchard and captured the monkey king. The monkey could speak in a human tongue, so he bowed his head and submitted this plea:

—Wild beasts cherish life and depend upon the bounty of your realm. When drought came and fruit grew scarce, we trespassed in the royal orchard. This offense is mine alone; please pardon the entire troop. I offer the ruined flesh of this animal’s carcass to the royal cook to prepare as a meal for Your Majesty.

The king raised his face and sighed:

—Though merely the leader of a troop of beasts, he knows to sacrifice his life to save his own kind. Truly, he possesses the benevolence of the ancient sages and worthies. Though I am a king among humans, how could I equal him?

The king was consequently moved to tears. He ordered an attendant to unbind the monkey and help him sit peacefully upon the ground. He then issued a decree throughout the kingdom allowing the monkeys to forage freely; anyone who harmed them would be regarded as guilty of banditry. Returning to the palace, the king said to the queen:

—Even the benevolent deeds of the ancient worthies do not surpass the monkey’s compassion. My benevolence is but a strand of hair, while that monkey’s is greater than Mount Kunlun.

The queen said:

—Excellent! This animal is truly extraordinary. Your Majesty should allow them to forage freely and forbid people from harming them.

The king said:

—I have already issued the decree.

The Buddha told the bhiksus:

—The monkey king was I myself; the king was Ananda; and those five hundred monkeys are now these five hundred bhiksus.

In training his resolve in the perfection, the bodhisattva was always diligent in this way.

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57—Long ago, when the bodhisattva was a deer king, his strength surpassed that of his kind, and his loving-kindness embraced all. The herd of deer admired him and gathered around him. One day, while the herd wandered near the royal park, a keeper of the royal animals saw them and reported the matter to the king. The king mobilized his soldiers to surround and capture them. The deer king shed tears and said:

—This calamity has befallen all of you because of me. I shall sacrifice my body to save you.

The deer king then went to the edge of the net, knelt upon his two forelegs, and said:

—Climb upon my back and leap out, and your lives will be preserved.

The herd followed the deer king’s words and all escaped death. But the flesh of the deer king’s body was torn to pieces, and blood flowed like a spring. He collapsed upon the ground unconscious, suffering pain beyond description. The entire herd cried out in grief and lingered nearby, unwilling to leave. When the human king saw the deer king’s ravaged body and the blood staining the ground red, but did not see the herd, he asked:

—What happened to this creature?

The deer king replied:

—Because I failed to observe the precepts perfectly, I had to receive the body and life of an animal, seeking tender grass to preserve this lowly little life. Thus I trespassed upon the king’s realm, and my offense is very grave. Although the flesh on my body is gone, the flesh of my two thighs still remains intact. Please let the royal cook prepare it as a meal to offer to the king.

The king asked:

—For what reason have you come to such a state?

The deer king related from beginning to end what had occurred. Upon hearing it, the king was deeply moved and shed tears, saying:

—Though you are an animal, your benevolent heart is as vast as heaven and earth. You sacrifice your own life to save your kind. I am a king among humans, yet I delight in killing and cruelly harm Heaven’s living creatures!

He immediately issued a strict decree, announcing to all the people throughout the realm: from that day onward, hunting was absolutely forbidden, and no one was to eat venison.

The king ordered his men to loosen the net and release the deer upon level ground. When the herd saw their king, they all raised their heads toward heaven and cried out in grief. Then they came before the deer king and licked his wounds. They took turns gathering medicinal herbs, chewing them fine, and applying them to the deer king’s body. Seeing this, the human king once again wiped away his tears and said:

—When a king loves and nurtures his people with a father’s affection for his children, the people, moved by the profound kindness of a parent, cherish their king with a child’s devotion. How could the way of kingship ever be without benevolence!

From then on, the king ceased all killing and took delight in the path of loving-kindness. Heaven thereupon aided and protected him; the realm became prosperous, the people rejoiced, and those far and near praised his benevolent virtue. The people flocked to him like flowing water.

The Buddha told the Venerable Sariputra:

—The deer king was I myself; the five hundred deer are now these five hundred bhiksus; and the heavenly king was Ananda.

In cultivating the perfection of vigor, the bodhisattva was always diligent in this way.

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58- Long ago, the bodhisattva was born as a deer king named Sufan. The hair on his body was of nine colors, a sight exceedingly rare in the world. One day, while roaming along a riverbank, he saw a drowning man crying to heaven for rescue. The deer felt pity and thought, “Human birth is difficult to obtain—must his life now be lost? I would rather plunge into danger to save him.” He then swam toward the man and said:

—Do not be afraid! Grasp my flank and climb onto my back, and you will immediately be saved.

The man did as he was told. The deer carried him out of the water and was so exhausted that he could scarcely breathe. Overjoyed to have been saved, the man circumambulated the deer three times, bowed his head, and said:

—Human birth is difficult to obtain, and life is precious. Today, noble sir, you disregarded danger to save my life. This kindness surpasses heaven and earth, and I shall never forget it as long as I live. Please allow me to become your servant and provide whatever you may lack.

The deer said:

—Go on your way! Why should my life encumber you for the rest of yours? If anyone seeks to capture me, say that you have not seen me.

The man who had nearly drowned respectfully assented and swore that even at the cost of his life he would not break his word. The king of that time was named Maren Guang. He was gentle and harmonious by nature and lovingly nurtured all his people. The king’s chief queen was named Hezhi. In a dream, she saw a deer king whose coat was of nine colors and whose antlers surpassed even the horn of a rhinoceros. Upon awakening, she reported this to the king and asked that the deer’s hide and antlers be used to make her a garment and ornaments, declaring that if her wish were not fulfilled, she would surely die.

The king said:

—It shall be done.

The following morning, the king assembled his ministers, described the deer’s appearance, and issued an order to search for it. He offered as a reward to whoever found it the fief of an entire district, a golden bowl filled with silver grains, and a silver bowl filled with golden grains. When this reward was proclaimed, the man who had nearly drowned rejoiced. He thought, “I shall receive a district and two bowls filled with gold and silver, and I shall live in comfort for the rest of my life. If the deer loses its life, what concern is that of mine?” He hurried to the royal palace and reported all he knew about the deer king. In an instant, his face erupted with leprous sores and his mouth began to rot. He further said:

—That deer possesses great spiritual power. The king must take many soldiers if he is to capture it.

The king immediately mobilized his troops, crossed the river, and went in search of the deer. At that time, the deer and a crow were very close friends. The deer lay asleep, unaware that the king had arrived. The crow cried:

—Friend! The king has come to capture you!

The deer remained deeply asleep and did not hear. The crow pecked at his ear and cried loudly:

—The king has come to kill you!

The deer awoke in terror and saw the king drawing his bow and aiming at him. He swiftly ran before the king, knelt, bowed his head, and said:

—May the heavenly king spare my life for a moment, for I wish to explain my humble thoughts.

Seeing the deer speak in this way, the king immediately ordered his men to cease shooting. The deer said:

—The king cherishes his chief queen and has taken the trouble to come here himself. I know that I cannot escape death. Yet, heavenly king, while dwelling deep within the royal palace, how did Your Majesty learn that this insignificant creature was here?

The king pointed with his hand and said:

—That leprous man reported it.

The deer said:

—I once went in search of tender grass to eat. From afar, I saw a drowning man crying to heaven for rescue. Feeling compassion for him, I plunged into danger to save him. When he reached the shore, he rejoiced, bowed his head, and said, “My life should have ended, but through your kindness I was saved. I vow to provide you with grass and water and to serve you for the rest of my life.” I replied, “Go freely on your way. Only take care never to tell anyone that I am here.”

The deer king continued:

—It would be better to rescue drifting grass and wood from a river and carry them onto dry land than to rescue a person incapable of reflection and discernment. To rob one’s master and kill him is an offense that may yet be forgiven, but to receive kindness and then plot betrayal is an evil difficult even to describe.

The king was greatly startled and said:

—Though this is an animal, he bears a heart of vast benevolence. He sacrificed his own life to save another creature and did not regard it as difficult. Surely he must be a heavenly being.

The king praised the deer’s words and joyfully advanced in virtue. He then issued an order to all the people throughout the realm:

—From this day onward, the deer may freely seek food and drink to sustain themselves. Whoever dares harm them shall be punished by death.

When the chief queen heard that the king had released the deer, she became so enraged that her heart burst. She died and fell into the hell of Mount Tai.

When Sakra, Lord of the Devas, heard that the king had resolved to honor and cherish benevolence and had praised the deer in this way, he transformed himself into countless deer that filled the entire realm. They ate the grain crops, rice seedlings, fruits, and every other kind of produce until all was consumed, in order to test the king’s resolve. The people brought their complaints before the king, but the king said:

—To preserve the kingdom through deceit would be inferior to losing the kingdom while keeping one’s word.

Sakra, Lord of the Devas, said:

—The king truly keeps his word.

He then caused all the deer to depart. Every kind of grain and cereal grew twice as abundantly as before, all poisons and harm vanished, and every calamity was brought to an end.

The Buddha told the bhiksus:

—The deer king of that time was I myself; the crow was Ananda; the king was Sariputra; the drowning man was Devadatta; and the king’s wife is now Devadatta’s wife.

In cultivating the perfection of vigor, the bodhisattva was always diligent in this way.

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59- Long ago, the bodhisattva was born as a king of horses named Quya, who always dwelt by the seashore to rescue those adrift upon the waters.

At that time, on the opposite shore, there was a great multitude of lustful female demons. Whenever they saw merchants passing by, they conjured cities, dwellings, gardens, music and entertainment, food and drink. Then they transformed themselves into beautiful women of dazzling appearance and invited the merchants to join them in drinking wine, listening to music, and making merry.

The demons bewitched many people, causing them all to remain and dwell with them. After about a year, the lustful demons grew weary of them and used iron knives to stab their throats so that they could drink their blood, eat their flesh, and suck their marrow. From afar, the king of horses saw the lustful demons eating human flesh and shed tears.

He then flew across the sea to the opposite shore. After finding and eating some white wild rice and drinking his fill, the king of horses ascended a mountain and called out loudly:

—Does anyone wish to cross the sea?

He called out in this way three times. When the merchants heard his call, they rejoiced and said:

—We have often heard that the divine horse compassionately rescues those in peril. Now that we have encountered you, is this not so?

They joyfully approached the divine horse and said:

—Please have compassion and save us.

The horse said:

—When you depart, the lustful demons will surely carry their children out and present them to you, then follow after you, wailing and weeping. Whoever remains behind out of attachment, once I have gone, will surely have an iron blade thrust into his throat by those demons, who will drink his blood and devour his flesh. But whoever keeps an upright mind and wholesome thoughts will preserve his life. All who wish to return should mount my back, grasp my mane or tail, embrace my neck or head, cling wherever they can, and hold fast to one another. Then you will surely survive and be reunited with your loved ones.

The merchants who trusted the divine horse’s words all preserved their lives and returned to their loved ones. But of those who were beguiled by the lustful women and trusted the pernicious demonesses, not one escaped being devoured by them. Whoever follows the true Dharma and abandons falsehood and perversity will remain safe and well throughout this life.

The Buddha told the bhikkhus:

—The king of horses at that time was I myself.

In training his resolve to reach the perfection of transcendence, the bodhisattva always practiced diligently in this way.

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60—In a former life, the bodhisattva was born as a king of fish. He had two ministers, one on his left and one on his right, both of lofty conduct. They constantly kept the Buddha’s teachings in mind and never neglected them, whether eating or breathing. The king and his ministers ate aquatic plants in the water merely to sustain their lives. With loving-kindness, they nurtured the small fish as though caring for their own bodies. They swam with the tides and instructed the others in the moral precepts of the Buddha. Unexpectedly, a fisherman cast his net and caught them. Every fish, large and small, feared the calamity of being cooked. The fish king compassionately told them:

—Take care and do not be afraid. Single-mindedly recollect the Buddha, wish for the peace and well-being of all beings, and make a great vow of universal compassion. Heaven will come to our aid as an echo answers a sound. Quickly gather together again, and I will save you.

Having spoken, the fish king plunged his head into the mud and used his tail to lift the net so that all the fish could quickly escape. The entire school survived, and every fish felt indebted to him.

The Buddha told the bhikkhus:

—The fish king at that time was I myself, and the two ministers on his left and right were Sariputra and Maudgalyayana.

In training his resolve to reach the perfection of transcendence, the bodhisattva always practiced diligently in this way.

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61—In a former life, the bodhisattva was born as a king of turtles. Day and night he practiced diligently, devising wholesome skillful means to enable the spiritual nature of sentient beings to return to the fundamental nature of emptiness. There was another turtle king who also dwelt in that deep forest. Every day, they saw geckos climb trees and then hurl themselves down. This was truly an ominous disturbance. The bodhisattva foresaw what would happen and said:

—This is a sign that our lives will be endangered. It would be best for us to leave this place at once.

The other turtle king was foolish and willful, and would not heed these truthful words. The bodhisattva devoted himself to rescuing those who followed him, enabling them to escape the calamity.

Ten days later, the elephant king and his entire herd gathered beneath the tree to rest, whereupon the geckos hurled themselves into the elephants’ ears. The elephants, terrified, trumpeted, ran, and leapt in every direction, trampling the turtles to death. The other turtle king angrily said:

—You knew this would happen but did not point it out to me. I die while you survive—where, then, is your wholesome heart? For many kalpas I will seek you, and whenever I encounter you, I will kill you.

The Buddha told the bhikkhus:

—The turtle king who skillfully foresaw what would happen was I myself, while the willful turtle king who refused to leave was Devadatta.

In training his resolve to reach the perfection of transcendence, the bodhisattva always practiced diligently in this way.

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62—In a former life, the bodhisattva was the king of the parrots, whose flock numbered as many as three thousand. Two parrots, stronger and more capable than the rest, held a bamboo branch in their beaks to serve as a carriage. The parrot king rode upon it as they flew, alighted, and roamed about.

Whenever the king rode in his bamboo-branch carriage, five hundred parrots accompanied him above, below, before, behind, to the left, and to the right. Thus, on all six sides, three thousand parrots flew in attendance, offering precious things or making merry as the occasion allowed. The parrot king thought to himself, “These pleasures disrupt virtue and make it impossible to attain meditative concentration.

I shall employ an expedient: I will pretend to be ill and refuse food, then feign death in order to leave them.”

Seeing this, the parrots covered the parrot king’s body with grass, and they all departed. The parrot king arose and went in search of food. That flock flew to the dwelling of another parrot king and said:

—Our king has died. Please allow us to become Your Majesty’s subjects.

The other king replied:

—If your king has died, bring his body here. If he is truly dead, I will accept you.

They returned to retrieve the body, but suddenly it was nowhere to be found. Searching in all four directions, they encountered their king. They crowded around, paid homage, and again made offerings as before. The bird king said:

—I was not yet dead, yet you abandoned me and departed. The Buddhas have clearly taught: Upon examining the world, one finds nothing that is truly kin; only the Dharma of the Path is worthy of trust and reliance. Sramanas regard hair and beard as things that defile and disturb the resolve, and therefore shave them off, esteeming the practice of freedom from desire. Your clamorous pleasures and improper sounds disturb my resolve. Therefore, I live alone without a mate, my virtue equal to that of the supremely holy ones.

Having spoken, the bird soared away and lived at ease in a secluded, tranquil, and hidden place, abandoning desire and abiding in the unconditioned. The bird practiced meditative contemplation until every defilement was extinguished and his mind became like celestial gold.

The Buddha told the bhikkhus:

—The parrot king at that time was I myself.

In training his resolve to reach the perfection of transcendence, the bodhisattva always practiced diligently in this way.

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63—In a former life, the bodhisattva was born as the king of pigeons. His flock numbered five hundred, and they flew to the king’s garden in search of food. Seeing them, the king ordered the keeper to spread nets and capture them all, large and small without exception. He had them confined in cages and fed with fine rice. Whenever one grew fat, the royal cook prepared it as food and presented it to the king. After being captured, the pigeon king single-mindedly recollected the Buddha, repented of his faults, and aroused loving-kindness. He prayed that all captured beings might be released, quickly escape the eight difficulties, and not suffer as he did that day. The pigeon king then told the other pigeons:

—According to the precepts taught in the Buddhist scriptures, craving is the root of all trouble. To crave glory and splendor is like a thirsty man drinking poisoned water. The pleasure of obtaining one’s desire passes as swiftly as a flash of lightning, while the suffering one must endure continues for hundreds of millions of lifetimes. If you cease eating, your lives will be preserved.

The flock of pigeons replied:

—We have been captured and shut in cages. How could we possibly escape?

The pigeon king said:

—Of those who disobey the Buddha’s teachings and freely indulge their cravings, none will fail to lose their lives.

He then stopped eating. Hunger caused his body to grow more emaciated each day, until he slipped out of his confinement. Looking back, he called to those still imprisoned:

—Extinguish craving and cease eating, and you will become free as I am.

Having spoken, he flew away.

The Buddha told the bhikkhus:

—The pigeon king at that time was I myself.

In training his resolve to reach the perfection of transcendence, the bodhisattva always practiced diligently in this way.

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64—The Buddha Expounds the Sutra of the King of Honeybees.

Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Buddha was dwelling in Prince Jeta’s Grove, in Anathapindika’s Park, in the kingdom of Sravasti. The Buddha told his disciples:

“Be diligent and vigorous; listen, remember, read, and recite without indolence or delay, lest you be shrouded by the dark enclosure of the skandhas. I recall that innumerable kalpas ago there was a Buddha named King Who Delivers All, the Tathagata, the Unattached, the Supremely and Perfectly Enlightened One. At that time, he expounded the sutras and Dharma to countless devas and multitudes of people.

In the assembly were two bhiksus who both listened to the Dharma. One was named Vigorous Eloquence, and the other was named Virtue Delighting in Rightness. Upon hearing the sutra, Vigorous Eloquence rejoiced and immediately attained the fruit of avaivartika, non-retrogression, and became fully endowed with spiritual powers.

Bhiksu Virtue Delighting in Rightness, however, slept soundly and did not awaken to listen, and therefore attained nothing. Vigorous Eloquence then called to Virtue Delighting in Rightness and said:

“‘A Buddha is difficult to encounter! Only once in hundreds of thousands of millions of lifetimes does a Buddha appear in the world. Therefore, one must make vigorous effort the foundation of all one’s deeds. Why do you continually sleep? Those who delight in sleep commit the fault of allowing themselves to be obscured by the skandhas. Only through personal exertion can one attain the mind of awakening.’

“Having heard this admonition, Virtue Delighting in Rightness began walking meditation among the rows of trees in Prince Jeta’s Grove. Yet as soon as he began walking meditation, he fell asleep while standing. So disturbed, he could not compose himself.

He then went to the bank of a stream, intending to sit in contemplation, but again fell asleep while sitting. At that time, Bhiksu Vigorous Eloquence had to employ skillful means to deliver his companion. He transformed himself into a queen bee and flew before his companion’s eyes as though about to sting him.

Startled, Virtue Delighting in Rightness awoke and sat up, but he feared the queen bee for only a moment before falling asleep again. The queen bee then flew beneath his arm and stung him on the chest and abdomen. Virtue Delighting in Rightness was startled; his heart trembled, and he dared not sleep again.

“By the stream grew various udumbara flowers and multicolored juwen flowers, every blossom fresh, beautiful, and pure. The queen bee alighted upon a flower and drank its nectar. Virtue Delighting in Rightness sat upright watching the bee, afraid that it might fly over and sting him, and thus dared not sleep again. He contemplated the queen bee and examined the origin of the matter. The queen bee drank the nectar and did not fly out of the flower. After a short while, it fell asleep and dropped into a muddy pool, soiling its body, then flew back and alighted upon the flower.

“At that time, Virtue Delighting in Rightness addressed the queen bee in verse:

You who partake of ambrosial nectar,

Your body thereby gains peace and ease;

You should not carry it back again

To distribute among your wife and children.

Why did you fall into the mud

And soil your own body?

Such conduct is not wise;

The ambrosial nectar has been spoiled.

Moreover, within this flower

You should not remain for long.

When the sky grows still, the flower will close;

How then will you be able to escape?

You must wait until the sun rises

Before you can emerge from the flower,

Wearied in darkness throughout the long night,

Enduring hardship such as this.

“The queen bee replied to Virtue Delighting in Rightness in verse:

The Buddha is like ambrosial nectar;

One should listen without ever being satiated.

One should not be indolent or remiss,

For that brings benefit to no one.

The ocean of birth and death in the five paths

Is like falling into filthy mud.

Bound fast by craving and desire,

Those without wisdom become immersed in delusion.

When the sun rises, the flower opens,

Like the appearance of the Buddha’s form-body;

When the sun sets, the flower closes,

Like the Buddha’s entry into nirvana.

Having encountered an age in which a Buddha appears,

One must diligently receive and uphold the teaching.

Cast away the obstruction of sleep;

Do not say that the Buddha will abide forever.

The essential wisdom of the profound Dharma

Does not arise through conditions joined with form.

This manifestation before one endowed with wisdom

Should be understood as a skillful means:

A skillful transformation devised to deliver,

Beneficial and free from wrongdoing.

The manifestation of this transformation

Also arises entirely for that reason.

“When Virtue Delighting in Rightness heard the queen bee speak these verses, he attained the ‘Dharma-patience of non-arising,’ realized the foundation of all dharmas, and attained ‘dharani.’ Only then did he understand that this was a skillful means employed by Vigorous Eloquence. From that time onward, Virtue Delighting in Rightness regularly practiced walking meditation alone and was no longer indolent or remiss. He likewise attained the stage of non-retrogression.”

The Buddha said to the Venerable Ananda:

“Vigorous Eloquence at that time was none other than I myself, while Virtue Delighting in Rightness was Maitreya.”

The Buddha said to the Venerable Ananda:

“At that time, Maitreya and I listened to the sutras and Dharma together. Maitreya was preoccupied with sleep and therefore attained nothing. Had I not then employed skillful means to deliver him, Maitreya would still remain in birth and death to this day and would not yet have attained liberation. Therefore, those of you who hear this Dharma must always be diligent and must widely exhort everyone to cast away the obstruction of sleep and devote themselves to establishing the foundation of luminous wisdom.”

After the Buddha had spoken thus, countless people all brought forth the mind of unsurpassed, impartial enlightenment.

In training his resolve in the perfection of vigor, the bodhisattva always practiced diligently in this way.

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65—The Sutra of the Buddha’s Three Reasons for Smiling

Long ago, when the bodhisattva was a lay devotee of pure faith, he took refuge in the Three Jewels. His loving-kindness extended universally; forgetting himself, he rescued and aided living beings. He maintained purity and did not steal, and practiced generosity to the utmost.

He was chaste and compliant, never engaging in sexual misconduct; he contemplated desire and abandoned lust. His faith was as constant as the four seasons and as weighty as Mount Sumeru. He never drank intoxicants, honored the way of filial devotion, and encouraged and guided his relatives.

During the first month, he flawlessly observed the six monthly fast days and practiced diligently without weariness. Born in an age when he encountered a Buddha, his virtue increased day by day, until he attained the path and fruit of the Tathagata, the Unattached, the Truly and Perfectly Enlightened One, the Master of the Dharma, the Guide of Devas and Humans, and taught and transformed beings everywhere.

One day, while passing through a marketplace, he saw an old man measuring fish by the bushel for sale, lamenting sorrowfully:

“Such injustice! O Heaven! What offense did my son commit that he died so young? If he were still alive to sell fish, why would I have to labor so bitterly?”

Seeing this, the Buddha smiled, and five-colored rays of light issued from his mouth. A short while after leaving the marketplace, he saw a large pig covered in excrement walking along the road, and the Buddha smiled once again. The Venerable Ananda adjusted his robes, bowed his head, and said:

“Just now the Blessed One smiled. Because many people were present, I did not find it convenient to ask the reason. Now you have smiled again, so there must surely be some instruction. I pray that the Buddha will resolve everyone’s doubts and establish a model for future generations.”

The Blessed One said:

“Ananda, there are three reasons why I smiled. First, I saw that the foolishness of that old man was exceedingly great. Every day he casts nets to catch fish and cruelly destroys the lives of living beings, without the slightest compassion in his heart. When the resulting calamity extended to his son and caused his death, he instead blamed Heaven, weeping and wailing in a great commotion. This is the conduct of one who is utterly foolish; it is not the benevolence of heaven and earth nor the forbearance of sages and noble ones. For this reason, I smiled.

“Long ago, the Soaring Emperor cultivated towering merit, but his resolve was arrogant and his conduct heedless. Therefore, he has now become a fish to be measured and sold by others. This is the second reason I smiled. He gave no thought to devas or humans. Although his lifespan extended to eight billion four hundred million kalpas, his mind remained exclusively attached to emptiness, and he was unable to relinquish the perception of the emptiness of emptiness and return to the unconditioned fundamental essence. Therefore, when his merit was exhausted, he had to undergo retribution, and today he is among the fish in that measuring vessel. This is the reason I smiled.”

The Venerable Ananda again asked:

“Compared with that venerable deva, the Soaring Emperor possessed lofty and magnificent virtue. Why, then, was he unable to escape retribution?”

The Blessed One taught:

“If calamity and blessing are not ultimately real, how could they endure forever? Whenever one occupies an honored position, one should bestow kindness through the four immeasurable states and clearly understand the four impermanences; then one will escape those calamities. But if one rests content with the causes of honor and cherishes deviant paths, then, when one’s blessings are exhausted, one must undergo punishment. This has been the natural law from ancient times until now. Calamity and blessing follow oneself as a shadow follows a form and an echo answers a sound; how could they distinguish between the noble and the lowly?

“Furthermore, in a former life I was a faithful lay devotee. I had a neighbor who delighted in serving ghosts and spirits, befriended harmful demons, and did not believe that calamity follows evil deeds as swiftly as an echo answers a sound. Whenever a day of fasting and observance arrived, I urged him to enter a monastery, venerate the true and genuine Buddha, listen to the śramanas expound the pure Dharma, establish the foundation of virtue, and guard against and put an end to terrible calamities. But he was a licentious and dissolute man and falsely claimed that urgent business prevented him from going. I went to the Buddha’s monastery, while he followed a deviant path.

“From that time onward, I was reborn where I encountered Buddhas, heard the Dharma, and joined my resolve with that of the śramanas. My virtue increased day by day, until I attained the fruit of the Tathagata—the Unattached, True and Genuine One, the Supremely and Perfectly Awakened One, the Guide in the Dharma, the Teacher of Devas and Humans. I became the Honored One of the three realms and was called the Dharma King.

That neighbor, however, delighted in occult practices, cruelly harmed living beings, abandoned himself to women, wine, and drunken madness, and knew nothing of filial obedience, yet considered himself successful and fully satisfied. Consequently, he had to revolve through the three evil destinies and endure immeasurable suffering. I have now become a Buddha, while that man still continues to be reborn as a foul-smelling animal.

It was for this reason that I laughed.”

The Buddha told the Venerable Ananda:

“Because throughout many kalpas I upheld the scriptures, gathered their meanings and principles, and drew near to śramanas, I attained such merit.”

In training his resolve in the transcendent perfection, the bodhisattva always practiced diligence in this way.

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*

66 — The Scripture of the Child Who Immediately Understood the Dharma upon Hearing It

Long ago, there was a bhikshu who diligently upheld the Dharma. From childhood he had observed the precepts without violating them in the slightest. He constantly cultivated the pure life and dwelt in a monastery. Whenever he recited a scripture, he recited the Prajnaparamita Sutra. When he explained the scripture, he spoke so well that no one could equal him, and all who heard the sound of that bhikshu’s voice rejoiced.

There was a child only seven years old who was tending cattle outside the city. Hearing the bhikshu reciting the scripture, he followed the sound to the monastery, bowed to the bhikshu, and sat to one side to listen to the words of the scripture. When the bhikshu spoke about the fundamental nature of “form,” the child understood it immediately upon hearing it and was filled with joy.

As soon as the recitation ended, he questioned the bhikshu. The bhikshu’s answers did not satisfy the child. The child then offered his own explanation, revealing meanings of the scripture that were exceedingly profound and had rarely been heard since ancient times.

Upon hearing him, the bhikshu was greatly delighted and satisfied. He also marveled at the child, thinking, “Surely this is no ordinary person, for only thus could he possess such wisdom.”

The child then returned to where the cattle had been, but the calves he had tended had scattered into the mountains. While following their tracks and searching for them, he was unfortunately killed by a tiger. After his life ended, the child’s spirit was immediately reborn into the household of a wealthy elder as the son of his principal wife.

While the lady was pregnant, from morning until evening her mouth continually uttered the Prajnaparamita Sutra without weariness or rest. The elder’s family had never known the scriptures or the Dharma. They found this occurrence strange and feared that the lady’s mouth was speaking deliriously, believing her to be afflicted by a ghost.

They went everywhere seeking methods of exorcism, but no one could understand the matter. The elder was deeply distressed and did not know what illness afflicted his wife, so everyone in both the inner and outer branches of the family was fearful.

At that time, the bhikshu entered the city to beg for alms and came to the elder’s gate. Hearing the scripture from afar, his heart was filled with joy. He stood at the gate for a short while, but when the master of the house saw him, he did not bow. The bhikshu found this strange and thought, “Within this house is a worthy person expounding the scripture in such a beautiful voice, so why does this elder say nothing to me?”

He then asked the elder:

“Who within your house is reciting such a profound scripture in so beautiful a voice?”

The elder replied:

“My wife has been afflicted by a ghost. Day and night she speaks deliriously without ceasing.”

Hearing this, the bhikshu realized that the elder’s family did not understand the Way. The bhikshu said:

“This is not an illness caused by a ghost. She is merely speaking a precious scripture of the Buddha’s Great Way. Please allow me to enter the house and meet her.”

The elder said:

“Very well.”

He then invited the bhikshu inside to where his wife was. When the elder’s wife saw the bhikshu, she immediately bowed to him. The bhikshu offered a benediction and said, “You have contracted the Buddha’s illness.”

She and the bhikshu then questioned one another and expounded the scriptures and the Dharma. She elucidated their profound passages, greatly delighting the bhikshu. The elder asked:

“What illness is this?”

The bhikshu replied:

“There is no illness at all. She is merely speaking a profound scripture and Dharma, every word of which possesses meaning and principle. I believe that the child with whom your wife is pregnant is a disciple of the Buddha.”

The elder understood the matter and immediately invited the bhikshu to remain while a meal was prepared as an offering. After receiving the meal, the bhikshu returned to the monastery and related the matter to everyone in turn:

“The wife of an elder is experiencing a most extraordinary pregnancy. Her mouth continually recites a precious scripture; her exposition is fluent, her reciting voice melodious, and her explanation of the scripture’s meanings and principles extremely profound.”

The next day, the elder again invited the bhikshu and the entire Sangha to his home and prepared ample food and drink. At the appointed time, they all arrived, took their seats, washed their hands, and received the meal. Afterward, they offered a benediction and accepted the articles presented as offerings. The lady then came forward, bowed to the bhikshus, and sat to one side. She joyfully expounded the scriptures and the Dharma for them. Whenever there were doubtful points they could not comprehend, she carefully and fully explained them all. The members of the Sangha were greatly inspired and joyfully departed.

When the full term had passed, the lady gave birth to a boy in a place free from impure water and filth. As soon as the boy was born, he joined his palms, knelt, and recited the Prajnaparamita Sutra. After giving birth, the lady returned to her former state and knew nothing of what had happened, like someone who had just awakened from a dream and could no longer remember anything. The elder again invited the Sangha. All the bhikshus came and saw the child expounding the scripture, thoroughly versed in past events and speaking without the slightest hesitation.

At that time, each of the bhikshus wholeheartedly investigated the child’s origins, but none could discern them. The elder asked:

“What kind of person is this?”

The bhikshu replied:

“He is indeed a disciple of the Buddha. Take care not to be afraid or doubtful, but raise him well. When this child grows up, he will become the teacher of everyone. All of us will have to follow this child and learn from him.”

When the child grew older and reached the age of seven, he understood all the subtle matters of the Way and worldly life, surpassing everyone else; his wisdom was truly supreme. All the bhikshus followed him, receiving instruction and studying under him. Wherever the scriptures contained errors or abbreviated and missing passages, the child collated and corrected them, restoring them in full.

In all his comings and goings, the child acted with purpose; he taught and guided everyone, causing them to resolve to seek the Mahayana. The elder's household, within and without, young and old, comprised five hundred people. They all followed the child in study and practice, awakened the aspiration for the Mahayana, and performed the work of the Buddha.

Throughout the cities, marketplaces, villages, and hamlets, the child taught and guided eighty-four thousand people, all of whom resolved to seek the fruit of unsurpassed true and perfect enlightenment, as well as five hundred followers of the shravaka vehicle. When the bhikshus heard the child expound the teachings, the roots of their defiled states of mind were all released; those aspiring to the Mahayana all attained the “pure Dharma-eye.”

The Buddha told the Venerable Ananda:

—The child at that time was I myself, and the bhikshu who recited the scriptures was Kasyapa Buddha.

Thus, Ananda, in a former life, upon once hearing a Mahayana chapter from a bhikshu, I praised it and comprehended it thoroughly. My mind rejoiced without wavering; I practiced diligently without forgetting, gained profound knowledge of my former lives, and personally realized unsurpassed, equal, and perfect enlightenment. If the merit of hearing it only once could bring such an attainment, how much more so would daily observance and practice!

The bodhisattva, disciplining his resolve in the perfection of vigor, always practiced diligently in this way.

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*

67—The Sutra of Sacrificing One’s Life to Save the Merchants.

Long ago, a bodhisattva entered the great ocean with five hundred merchants in search of precious treasures. After spending several months at sea, they acquired many jewels and loaded their ship heavily with them. Just as they were about to return to their homeland, they encountered a tempest. Thunder and lightning shook heaven and earth, and the water spirits gathered around them, enclosing them like fortress walls. Their eyes seemed to flash fire, and the waves surged high enough to drench the mountains. Everyone lamented and wept:

—We are surely going to die!

Terrified and pale, they raised their faces to heaven and cried out for help.

The bodhisattva was deeply grieved, and a plan arose in his mind:

—I seek buddhahood solely for the sake of sentient beings. The sea spirits detest nothing more than encountering a corpse. For their sake, I must sacrifice my own body to save everyone; only this would be the deed of a bodhisattva. If I do not spill my blood into the sea, the sea spirits will continue their violence, and the people aboard this ship will surely never reach the shore.

He then called to everyone and said:

—Link your hands together and all take hold of my body.

Everyone obeyed. The bodhisattva immediately drew a knife and stabbed himself to death. The sea spirits recoiled in disgust and departed, while the ship was driven safely to shore, and everyone was saved. The ship’s company embraced the bodhisattva’s corpse and wailed, crying out to heaven:

—This must surely be a bodhisattva, not an ordinary being!

Then, writhing in anguish, they cried again to heaven:

—We would rather have lost our own lives here than let this greatly virtuous noble being die!

Their sincere words moved the devas. Sakra, Lord of the Devas, saw that the bodhisattva’s vast compassion was rarely found in the world, and he personally descended and said:

—This is a bodhisattva of consummate virtue who will become a Holy Hero. I shall now restore him to life myself.

He then placed celestial medicine in the bodhisattva’s mouth and anointed his entire body with it. The bodhisattva immediately revived, suddenly sat up, and exchanged greetings with everyone. Sakra, Lord of the Devas, gave them renowned treasures sufficient to fill their ship, a thousand times more than they had possessed before.

They all returned to their homeland and were reunited with their relatives and kin, and everyone rejoiced. The bodhisattva used the wealth to relieve the poor and destitute, bestowed kindness upon all sentient beings, expounded the Buddha’s scriptures, and taught and transformed those shrouded in ignorance and darkness. The king of that land admired the bodhisattva’s virtue and therefore came to receive his pure instruction.

The king was benevolent, the ministers loyal, and the whole country observed the precepts. Families had filial children; the nation prospered, calamities ceased, and the people rejoiced. At the end of their lives, they were all reborn in the heavenly realms and forever freed from suffering.

Because the bodhisattva practiced diligently for many kalpas without rest, he attained buddhahood. The Buddha told the bhikshus:

—The one who took his own life to save everyone was I myself. Sakra, Lord of the Devas, was Maitreya, and those five hundred merchants are now the five hundred arhats seated in this Dharma assembly.

The bodhisattva, disciplining his resolve in the perfection of vigor, always practiced diligently in this way.

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*

68—Long ago, a bodhisattva was the son of a widowed mother. He went early to the monastery, abandoned what was false, esteemed what was true, bowed reverently to the shramanas, and received the Buddha’s wondrous transforming instruction. In the mornings he studied and in the evenings he devoted himself to practice. At dawn, when the sun rose, he investigated the scriptures. He sincerely admired the examples of the sages and saints and the filial deeds of ancient times, like a hungry person dreaming of food.

In the country where the bodhisattva lived, there was an unrighteous king who coveted wealth, prized sensual beauty, mistreated the worthy, and despised the people. Mindful of impermanence, the king thought to himself:

—I commit unwholesome deeds, so when I die, I shall enter the prison of Mount Tai! Why do I not amass gold to offer to the king of Mount Tai’s prison?

From then on, the king collected the people’s gold and issued a stringent decree:

—Anyone who conceals even the smallest measure of gold shall be put to death.

Only three years after this decree was issued, all the people’s gold had been exhausted. The king then deceitfully announced a reward:

—Whoever has even a little gold and brings it as an offering shall be given the king’s youngest daughter in marriage and granted a high rank.

The child said to his mother:

—Previously, when Father died, Mother placed a gold coin in his mouth to bribe the officials of Mount Tai’s prison. It must still be there now, so we should retrieve it and offer it to the king.

His mother said:

—Very well.

The child retrieved it and presented it. The king ordered that he be questioned as to where the gold had come from. The child reported:

—When my father died, my mother placed gold in his mouth before burying him because she wished to bribe the king of Mount Tai’s prison. Now that we have heard Your Majesty’s decree offering rank in exchange for gold, we dug up the grave, opened the coffin, and retrieved it.

The king asked:

—How many years have passed since your father’s funeral?

The child replied:

—Eleven years have passed.

The king said:

—Did your father not use it to bribe the king of Mount Tai’s prison?

The child replied:

—Among the writings of sages and worthies, only the Buddha’s teaching is true and right. The Buddhist scriptures teach: “When one does good, blessings follow; when one does evil, calamity comes seeking. Calamity and blessing follow one as a shadow follows the body and an echo answers a sound.” Could one run from one’s body to escape its shadow, or strike a mountain to silence its echo?

The king said:

—That is impossible.

The child replied:

—The body is formed from the four great elements. When life ends, the four elements disperse, and the spirit departs, undergoing transformations according to the karma one has created. What possible benefit could bribery bring? In a former life, Your Majesty practiced generosity and cultivated merit, and therefore you have now become a king. If you continue to cherish benevolence and let your kindness permeate far and near, then even if you have not yet attained the Way, you will surely become a king again in a future life.

Hearing this, the king rejoiced. He proclaimed a general amnesty for the prisoners and returned the gold he had seized from the people.

The Buddha told the bhikshus:

—When the king sought to take the gold still possessed by the people and to kill the innocent, the bodhisattva saw the people weeping and lamenting. Wiping away his tears, he threw himself into the midst of the kingdom’s harsh affairs to save the people from their grievous plight. Grateful for the kindness that had benefited them, the people honored the Buddha and observed the precepts, and the land became abundant and prosperous. The child at that time was I myself.

The bodhisattva, disciplining his resolve in the perfection of vigor, always practiced diligently in this way.

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*

69—The Sutra of Devadatta Teaching People to Do Evil.

In ancient times, there was a bodhisattva who occupied the throne of a heavenly king. He maintained a practice of single-minded diligence, his resolve advancing like flowing water. Whenever a fast day arrived, he would mount his horse and travel on an inspection tour throughout the four directions, expounding the profound principles of the Buddha’s scriptures, teaching and transforming sentient beings, removing their deluded faults and defilements, and causing them to revere the precious teaching of the Tathagata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly and Fully Awakened One, the Celestial One among celestial beings, the King among sages, so that they might abandon the roots of all suffering in the three evil destinies.

At that time, Devadatta was also a heavenly king in the realm of Mara. He traveled throughout the four continents, teaching people to commit evil and indulge their desires, claiming that in the next life there would be no calamitous retribution in the prison of Mount Tai and that laboring to do good brought no benefit to oneself. On the road he encountered the bodhisattva, and Devadatta asked:

“Where are you going?”

He replied:

“I am going to teach the people to serve the Buddha and cultivate the virtues of the supreme sage.”

Devadatta said:

“I teach the people to give themselves free rein and follow their desires. There will be no calamity in the next life, while wearying one’s resolve by doing good brings no benefit to oneself.”

The bodhisattva said:

“Make way for me!”

Devadatta replied:

“The good you do is like gold and silver, while the evil I do is like iron and steel. Iron and steel can cut gold and silver, but gold and silver cannot cut iron and steel. If you do not leave this road, I shall cut off your head!”

Devadatta’s evil deeds grew ever more numerous until they brought disaster upon him, and while still alive he had to enter the prison of Mount Tai.

In general, after death, those who commit evil all fall into the three evil destinies. Those who devote themselves to goodness within the three evil destinies will all be reborn in the heavens. To occupy an exalted and honored position while harboring a vicious heart is not as good as dwelling in the three evil destinies while remembering a single teaching of the Buddha.

The Buddha told the bhiksus:

“The heavenly king who taught people to do good was I myself, while the heavenly Mara who led people to commit evil was Devadatta.”

In cultivating the perfection of vigor, the bodhisattva always practiced diligently in this way.

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*

70. The Scripture on Slaying the Dragon to Save the Entire Kingdom.

In ancient times, there were two bodhisattva brothers whose resolve was the same. Both went forth to study the Way, looked up with admiration to the Buddhas, pursued practices difficult for others to equal, read and recited the scriptures, explained their wondrous meanings, revealed and guided the beings of the six dark destinies, trained themselves to cast away the defilements of the mind, and devoted themselves solely to tranquil seclusion. Whenever they heard of a kingdom that did not know the Three Jewels, the two brothers would immediately go there to guide and teach its people, causing them to uphold the true and wondrous practices of the six perfections.

At that time, there was a great kingdom whose king delighted in studying the Way but had been enticed by demons, which taught him false and deceitful doctrines. The entire kingdom followed his example, and so all the people served this pernicious teaching. The winds and rains did not come in due season, and demons were everywhere. The bodhisattva brothers discussed the matter together:

“In our own kingdom, the Three Jewels have already spread their transforming influence, and everyone observes the ten wholesome deeds. The king is benevolent, his ministers loyal, fathers righteous, sons filial, husbands trustworthy, and wives chaste. Every household has virtuous people, so whom is there left for us brothers to teach and transform? That other kingdom believes in demons and ghosts, and the dragons and serpents there devour the common people. They cry out in anguish, yet no one comes to their aid. It is precisely for people such as these that we resolved to seek Buddhahood. We should therefore bring the Way there to teach and transform them, guiding them toward benevolence. As for the dragon filled with savage venom, we shall destroy it.”

The younger brother said:

“The Buddha’s precepts regard killing as the most heinous and violent offense, while protecting life is the foundation of the benevolent Way. What, then, should we do?”

The elder brother said:

“If one kills a single person, one must repay that offense for a hundred kalpas. This dragon now devours the people of an entire kingdom. I fear that even after kalpas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges have passed, its disastrous retribution will still not be exhausted.

For the sake of coveting some trifling, momentary gain, it fails to see the punishment of being burned in the prison of Mount Tai. My heart is filled with pity for it. A human birth is difficult to obtain, and the Buddha-Dharma is difficult to hear.

If we slay the dragon, save the kingdom, and guide and teach the people through the Three Jewels and the noble practice of the six perfections, the resulting transgression will be as slight as a strand of silk or a hair, while the merit will surpass heaven and earth. You should transform into an elephant, and I shall transform into a lion. Unless our lives are lost, that kingdom cannot be saved.”

They then bowed their heads in reverence to the ten directions and vowed:

“If sentient beings are not at peace, the fault is ours. When we attain Buddhahood in the future, we shall liberate them all.”

The elephant went to the dragon’s abode, and the lion also ascended there. The dragon immediately displayed its might as thunder and lightning burst forth with a deafening roar. The lion stamped its feet and roared. The dragon manifested its numinous power, while the lion displayed its blazing strength. The whole great earth shook, and all three lost their lives. The devas sang their praises, and there was no one who did not extol their benevolence.

After their lives ended, the two bodhisattvas were reborn in the fourth heaven. The lives of all the people in that kingdom were preserved, and they embraced the bodies of the two bodhisattvas and wailed in anguish.

“These must surely have been divine beings, for who else could have shown such benevolence?”

Afterward, the disciples of the two bodhisattvas came in search of them. Seeing that their teachers had possessed boundless loving-kindness and had sacrificed themselves to save everyone, they all grieved and praised their merit. They then began to proclaim and spread their teachers’ instruction in the Way, and only then did the king and his subjects learn that there was a Buddha Way. The whole kingdom followed it, and all said:

“Has the Buddha’s benevolent transforming influence truly reached such a height?”

The two teachers were buried, and the entire kingdom mourned them. The king issued an edict:

“Anyone who does not uphold the Buddha’s six perfections and ten wholesome deeds but instead serves demons and ghosts shall be punished together with their entire household.”

From that time onward, thousands of sramanas walked shoulder to shoulder throughout the kingdom. The men and women of the kingdom all followed the noble practices of faithful lay disciples, and the land became peaceful and secure.

The Buddha told the bhiksus:

“The elder brother at that time was I myself; the younger brother was Maitreya; and the evil dragon was Devadatta.”

In cultivating the perfection of vigor, the bodhisattva always practiced diligently in this way.

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*

71. The Scripture on Maitreya Taking the Body of a Woman.

In ancient times, there was a bodhisattva who was the deva Sakra. Though his rank was supremely exalted and honored, his resolve remained mindful of impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and non-self. While seated, he contemplated; while traveling, he taught and transformed. He pitied the foolish, cherished the wise, instructed others through wisdom, and practiced diligently without rest.

The bodhisattva observed that an old friend of his had now taken the body of a woman and become the wife of a wealthy man. She was deluded by wealth and sensual beauty, did not understand impermanence, and lived by keeping a shop in the marketplace. Sakra transformed himself into a merchant and pretended to be going to the market. He came and stood before the woman. Delighted, she hurriedly sent her child home to bring out a seat so that she could invite him to sit. The merchant gazed at the woman and smiled. The woman was a person of lofty chastity, and she felt disturbed and puzzled that the merchant should stand there smiling in such an improper manner.

The child was slow in fetching the seat, and when the child finally brought it back, she struck the child. The merchant again stood there smiling. Nearby, another child was shaking a small hand drum, leaping about and playing, and the merchant smiled again. There was also a sick father whose son was leading an ox away to sacrifice it to a ghost, and the merchant smiled at this as well. There was a woman carrying her child tenderly as she strolled through the market. The child scratched its mother’s face until it bled down around her neck, and once more the merchant smiled.

Then the wealthy man’s wife asked:

“You have stood before me smiling without cease. I struck the child because of you. Why do you smile?”

The merchant said:

“You were once my good friend. Have you now forgotten me?”

The woman became sorrowful and displeased, and she found the merchant’s words strange. He then continued:

“The reason I laughed when you struck the child is that this infant was formerly your father. Out of affection for you, he was reborn as your child. Separated by only one lifetime, father and child no longer recognize each other—how much less after a long succession of lives!

The child beating that small drum was formerly the ox. After the ox died, its spirit returned and became a human being, while its owner used the oxhide to cover the drum. Now the child beats the drum, leaping and dancing in play, unaware that its hide was once his own body; therefore I laughed.

As for the man who slaughtered an ox as a sacrifice, praying that his father might recover from illness: to seek life through killing is most inauspicious, no different from drinking the poison of the kalavinka bird to cure a disease. That father had just died, and upon dying became an ox. For many lifetimes he was stabbed and slaughtered, enduring calamity without end.

Now that an ox was offered in sacrifice, the ox died and its spirit returned; it will receive a human body and escape all sorrow and suffering. For this reason I laughed again. The child who scratched her mother’s face was formerly the lesser wife, while the mother was the principal wife.

Because women’s passions were absorbed in sensual desire, jealousy arose in their hearts and they often committed cruel deeds. Thus the lesser wife harbored resentment, and after death her spirit was reborn as the principal wife’s child. She now takes revenge by scratching her face and injuring her body, while the principal wife dares not complain or protest.

This is why I laughed.

“In general, the minds of sentient beings are inherently impermanent and forever changing: one whom they hated in the past they love today. What can remain forever? This is only the span of a single lifetime, yet even upon seeing one another’s faces they fail to recognize each other—how much less after passing through many kalpas.”

The scripture says:

“Those who bury themselves in sensual form cannot behold the Great Way; those who attend solely to deviant sounds cannot hear the resonance of the Buddha. This is precisely why I laughed. The wealth and honor of this life are like lightning: they flash suddenly and immediately vanish. You must understand impermanence and not follow the foolish. You should therefore cultivate virtue and the wondrous practices of the six paramitas. I shall now depart, but on another day I will come to your home.”

Having spoken, he suddenly disappeared. The woman returned home with a heavy heart, devoted herself earnestly to fasting and the precepts, and waited for him with reverent admiration. The entire kingdom heard of this event, and from the king down to the hundred officials, none failed to admire it.

On a later day, the merchant indeed came to the woman’s home, assuming an ugly appearance and wearing shabby clothes. He said to a member of the household:

“My friend is inside. Call her out to assist me!”

The servant went inside and fully reported the man’s appearance and words. The woman came out and said:

“You are not my friend.”

Sakra smiled and said:

“I have merely changed my appearance and clothing, yet you no longer recognize me. How much less could you recognize someone in another life, after abandoning this body and receiving another?”

He continued:

“Be diligent in serving the Buddha. An age in which a Buddha appears is difficult to encounter, and bhiksus of lofty conduct are difficult to find and make offerings to. Human life lasts only as long as a breath; you should not be deluded into following the ways of the world.”

Having spoken, he disappeared. The entire kingdom rejoiced and offered praise, and everyone faithfully upheld and practiced the sublime conduct of the six paramitas.

The Buddha told Sariputra:

“The woman of that time was Maitreya, and the god Sakra was I myself. In training his resolve in the limitless paramitas, the bodhisattva was always diligent in this way.”

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72—The Scripture of the Woman’s Vow

In ancient times, the bodhisattva was born as a woman. Her husband was foolish, cruel, and prone to jealousy. Whenever he left to conduct trade, he entrusted his wife to a widowed woman in the neighborhood. This widowed mother faithfully observed the Buddha’s precepts and cultivated the practices of a faithful lay devotee. When the Buddha entered that kingdom, everyone, from the king down to his ministers and people, received the precepts. The widowed mother listened to the scripture and, upon returning home, recounted it to the woman. The woman rejoiced and said:

“This must surely be the Unsurpassed, True and Perfectly Enlightened One.”

She then followed the widowed mother to hear the Buddha expound the teachings of the scriptures. Seeing the Buddha from afar, she immediately bowed in homage. When the fast day arrived, the widowed mother asked, “May you come with me today to the Buddha’s presence to hear the Dharma?” The woman joyfully replied:

“Yes.”

Just as they went beyond the city, the woman suddenly remembered her husband’s jealous disposition. Saddened and unhappy, she returned to the widowed mother’s house, reproaching herself and saying, “Why is my misfortune so grievous?” When the widowed mother returned from listening, she recounted:

“Today gods, nagas, spirits, emperors, kings, ministers, and common people went to hear the scripture. Some realized the four fruits of the sramana; others received predictions of bodhisattvahood.... An age in which a Buddha appears is difficult to encounter, and the teachings of the scriptures are difficult to hear. Why did you turn back?”

Hearing her speak of the Buddha’s merits, the woman shed tears and explained in detail her husband’s jealous nature. The widowed mother said:

“Try going just once and see what happens.”

The woman replied:

“I shall obey.”

At daybreak she departed with the widowed mother. Upon seeing the Buddha, she immediately cast her five limbs to the ground in homage and then stood to one side. With a purified mind she beheld the Buddha’s splendid marks and reflected upon the Buddha’s purity of mind. She became certain that he was one revered by the gods. The Buddha asked the woman:

“What vow have you come here to make?”

The woman bowed her head and replied:

“I have heard that the Buddha is the Unsurpassed, True and Perfectly Enlightened One, the Guide in the Dharma, the Teacher of Gods and Humans; that his virtues are as numerous as the sands of the Ganges and his wisdom as vast as empty space; and that he possesses the six superknowledges and four penetrations and has realized omniscience. Only now have I had the opportunity to visit the Blessed One. I beseech the Buddha to have compassion upon me.”

The Blessed One said:

“A Buddha brings deliverance to all sentient beings. Whatever vow you have, you may state it.”

The woman bowed her head and replied:

“All people in the world who have not yet understood fundamental emptiness become husbands and wives and dwell together because of sensual desire. I now vow that, life after life, I shall be joined with a person of the highest virtue, that we shall live together in harmony and unity of heart, and that neither of us shall act with jealousy. Second, I vow that the conduct of my body, speech, and mind shall always be upright and surpass that of the world. Third, I vow to honor and revere the Three Jewels, to diminish worldly defilements day by day, and to advance tirelessly in cultivating the Way and the Dharma. May I receive the aid of all Buddhas, may no deviant or false being obstruct me, and may I ultimately attain omniscience and rescue sentient beings from adversity.”

The Buddha praised her, saying, “Excellent, excellent! May you attain all these aspirations.”

The woman rejoiced greatly, bowed her head in homage, and returned to her dwelling. Her husband was returning from his trading journey by boat and should have arrived that very day. Seeing that the woman possessed exalted virtue and had made peerless vows, Sakra rejoiced in and praised her wholesome deed.

He stirred up wind and rain, causing the boat to be delayed so that it arrived only the following morning. After the woman’s life ended, her spirit was born into a virtuous family. She possessed a radiant and beautiful countenance, and upon reaching maturity, she married a learned scholar of the kingdom.

The entire kingdom praised her as noble and worthy. When her husband entered the sea in search of precious treasures to aid the poor, his wife remained at home, guarding herself through propriety as securely as a city wall protects against brigands. The queen and royal consorts, as well as the wives and concubines of the great ministers, all admired her.

They gathered at her gate like clouds to learn and follow the woman’s virtuous ways. One night she awoke from sleep and thought, “The world is impermanent; glory, wealth, and honor are like an illusion. Who can possess them forever?

The body is a decaying boat that must carry the spirit. To grasp only the moon’s reflection while hoping to obtain a heavenly treasure merely wearies the mind and afflicts the body—what benefit can there be in that? Dreams and illusions are all empty, and even the exalted lives of gods and spirits ultimately return to emptiness.

Tomorrow morning I shall go seek the Unsurpassed and True One, that God above gods, and take him as my teacher!”

Upon arising the next morning, she saw that a stone stupa had appeared before the courtyard. Within it was a radiant golden image of the Buddha, and upon the stupa’s walls scriptures were carved praising the Buddha as the teacher of all sages, who walks alone throughout the three realms. The woman joyfully exclaimed, “This must surely be the Tathagata, Worthy One, the True and Perfectly Enlightened One!”

She immediately prostrated herself with all five limbs upon the ground, paid homage, and then circumambulated the stupa three times, scattering flowers, burning incense, lighting lamps, and hanging silken banners. Morning and evening, she reverently bowed her head and made offerings. The queen and the women of the inner palace throughout the kingdom all came to emulate her pure conduct, abandoning what was deviant and esteeming the true and right.

Near her home lived a vicious merchant. Encountering her husband, he said:

“Your wife follows sorcery and has deceitfully erected a shrine to demons. Morning and evening, she burns incense and uses demonic spells, praying for your death. This is truly an ominous affair!” When the husband returned home, his wife said:

“One night recently, I came to understand the impermanence of worldly existence. At dawn, I saw in the courtyard an exquisitely beautiful image of the Unsurpassed, Honored, Spiritually Awakened One, the Perfect and True One. Therefore, I now venerate it by burning incense, lighting lamps, hanging silken banners, and presenting flowers. Morning and evening, I pay homage, bow my head, and take refuge of my own accord. You too should honor and venerate it, for this surely accords with the noble Dharma.”

Her husband rejoiced greatly and honored it wholeheartedly. All the people throughout the kingdom, high and low alike, followed their example, and this continued for eighty-four thousand years.

The Buddha told the Venerable Sariputra:

“The woman at that time was I myself; her husband was Maitreya; the widowed mother was Sariputra; and the wicked man who lived nearby was Devadatta.”

In cultivating the perfection of resolute aspiration, the bodhisattva always practiced diligently in this way.

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73- The Sutra of the Lamp Lighter Who Received a Prediction.

In a former time, the bodhisattva was born as a woman. Widowed while still young, she remained chaste, took refuge in the Three Jewels, and lived in poverty, delighting in the Dharma and practicing diligently without weariness. Renouncing wrongful profit, she earned her livelihood by selling oil.

At that time, there was a sramana advanced in years who maintained lofty conduct in his heart but was not learned in the scriptures. Those fond of praise and blame considered him unintelligent. Though inclined toward reverence and worship, he was always in want and went about begging for sesame oil to make offerings before the Buddha. Knowing this clearly, the widowed mother supplied him with ample oil every day. A bhiksu bowed his head at the Buddha’s feet, joined his palms, and asked:

“Although that elderly bhiksu possesses little wisdom, his precepts are complete and his conduct is lofty. By lighting lamps as an offering, what merit will he obtain in the future?”

The Blessed One praised him, saying:

“Excellent is this question! After passing through innumerable kalpas, that elderly bhiksu will become a Tathagata, Unattached, Perfect and True, Unsurpassed in Right Awakening. Two halos of light will encircle his neck, and he will guide the beings of the three realms; those delivered by him will be beyond reckoning.”

When the widowed mother heard these words, she hurried to the Buddha, bowed before him, and said:

“That bhiksu lights the lamps, but the oil is offered by me. When he realizes the Unsurpassed, Perfect and True Way, he will guide sentient beings, causing their spirits to return to the root of emptiness, and devas, humans, spirits, and dragons will all rejoice. I respectfully implore the Buddha, in his compassion, also to bestow a prediction upon me.”

The Buddha told the woman:

“A female body cannot become a Buddha, a pratyekabuddha, King Brahma, Sakra, Mara, a wheel-turning emperor, and so forth. Those stations are exalted and supremely honored, and cannot be attained in a female body. Whoever wishes to attain those stations must relinquish the impure body and receive a pure body.” The woman bowed her head and said:

“Today I shall relinquish it!”

She then returned to her dwelling, bathed and cleansed herself, and from afar faced the Buddha, bowed, and declared, “Whatever body exists is composed of the four great elements; I cannot preserve it forever.” She then ascended a tower and made this vow:

“I now give this impure body to sentient beings afflicted by hunger and thirst. May I obtain a male body and receive a prediction of Buddhahood. If there should be a defiled and turbid age in which sentient beings are benighted, abandon the right and follow the wrong, and know nothing of the Buddha, I vow to remain throughout that entire age and rescue them.”

She then leapt from the high tower, causing those who watched to tremble with dread. The Buddha already knew the sincerity of her aspiration and transformed the ground, making it soft as celestial silk. Her entire body remained unharmed and was transformed into a male body. Overjoyed beyond measure, she hurried to the Buddha and joyfully said:

“Through the grace of the Blessed One, I have obtained a pure body. I respectfully implore the Blessed One, in his compassion, to bestow a prediction upon me.”

The Buddha praised her, saying:

“You are truly courageous and valiant, one rarely found in this world. You will certainly attain Buddhahood; there is no further doubt. When that lamp-lighting bhiksu attains Buddhahood, he will confer upon you the designation of Buddha.”

When devas, humans, spirits, and dragons heard that this person would become a Buddha, they all turned toward her, bowed in homage, and offered their congratulations. Even after returning to their dwellings, they continued to praise her, and each became still more diligent.

From that time onward, this very person exhorted, taught, guided, and led living beings beyond number. The Buddha told Sariputra:

“The elderly bhiksu of that time was Dipankara Buddha, and the widowed mother was I myself.”