普曜經

Chapter 18: SUBDUING MARA'S HOST

At that time, Mara Papiyan was inwardly distressed and afraid, his face pale. Struggling to maintain his composure, he refused to depart and was unwilling to withdraw. He stubbornly declared, “What I am doing is right,” and said to his troops:

“You must all unite in purpose. As I see it, the devas, ghosts, and spirits should overpower the bodhisattva and not allow him to act freely. Together we must subdue him before we depart.”

Mara Papiyan then said to his four daughters—the first named Consort of Desire, the second Delight in Him, the third Pleasing to Behold, and the fourth Following Views:

“Go to the Bodhi tree, bewilder the bodhisattva, and extol the virtues of sensual desire so as to destroy his pure conduct.”

Hearing their father's command, the daughters immediately went to the Bodhi tree. Standing before the bodhisattva, they employed thirty-two forms of seductive speech and coquettish behavior:

1. Casting sidelong glances.

2. Lifting their garments as they stepped forward.

3. Giggling together.

4. Jesting with one another.

5. Displaying signs of longing.

6. Gazing at one another.

7. Pursing their lips and curling their mouths.

8. Gazing improperly.

9. Giving fleeting, provocative looks.

10. Bowing to one another.

11. Raising their hands to cover their faces.

12. Fidgeting with both hands.

13. Standing upright and pretending to listen.

14. Dancing and stamping their feet before the bodhisattva.

15. Exposing their thighs and ankles.

16. Baring their arms.

17. Imitating the cries of various birds.

18. Appearing to gaze into a mirror.

19. Emitting light that spread everywhere.

20. Appearing joyful one moment and sorrowful the next.

21. Standing one moment and sitting the next.

22. Showing eagerness and delight within their hearts.

23. Anointing their bodies with fragrant perfumes.

24. Holding precious necklaces.

25. Tilting their necks and covering their heads.

26. Assuming an appearance of serenity.

27. Approaching the bodhisattva and looking over his entire body.

28. Opening and closing their eyes as though intent on examining him.

29. Lowering their heads and closing their eyes as though not looking at him.

30. Praising sensual desire.

31. Rubbing their eyes and staring directly at him.

32. Bending down, looking up, and gazing in all four directions.

The bodhisattva's mind was pure, like a luminous moon-jewel without the slightest blemish; like the newly risen sun, whose light shines throughout the world; like a lotus growing in muddy water yet remaining undefiled; and like Mount Sumeru, which cannot be shaken. His virtue was sublime, his faculties were tranquil, and his mind remained equanimous, neither increasing nor diminishing.

At that time, Mara's daughters, well trained in the seductive and illusory arts of women, approached with the intention of disturbing his resolve to attain the Way, and further said:

“Your virtue is exceedingly great, and the devas revere you. You are worthy of offerings, and therefore the devas have sent us here. We are beautiful, young, and vigorous, celestial maidens of graceful form. Even the color of the utpala flower cannot compare with our beauty. We wish to remain beside you morning and evening, attending upon you whether you wake or sleep.”

The bodhisattva replied:

“Because you accumulated merit in past lives, you have obtained celestial bodies. Yet, failing to contemplate impermanence, you engage instead in seductive conduct. Though your forms are beautiful, your hearts are not upright.

You are like vessels beautifully painted on the outside but filled within with foul-smelling poison, soon to decay of themselves. What is remarkable about that? Merit and virtue are difficult to preserve for long.

Through lust, evil, and unwholesome deeds, you forget your own roots. At death, you will immediately fall into the three evil destinies and assume the forms of birds and beasts, from which escape will be exceedingly difficult. You have deliberately come to disturb one whose intentions are wholesome; truly, you are not of a pure lineage.

What purpose is served by bringing these skin-bags filled with impurities here? Go away! I have no use for you!

Are you maidens not content in the heavens, that you have come here to make trouble?”

The daughters of the Mara king suddenly turned into old women and were unable to restore their former appearance. They then returned to their father, Mara, and spoke these verses:

Pure in precepts, he delights not in gazing;

Regarding him with reverence, one finds no anger.

Observing his dignified bearing, one finds no delusion;

His excellent bodily marks are exceedingly serene.

He readily speaks of the faults of women;

Having abandoned sensual desire, he harbors no attachment.

In heaven or in the world, none is his equal;

Never have we seen one of such genuine conduct.

Whether walking, standing, coming, or going, when he sees women,

He remains pure, majestic, and radiant.

Firmly maintaining single-mindedness without blemish,

He is like Mount Anming, which cannot be shaken.

Considering his merit, spiritual might, and achievements,

For countless kalpas he has upheld the precepts.

Countless kotis of pure Brahma devas

Bow their heads and faces at the feet of this true being.

Surely he will subdue our Mara host

And swiftly attain the virtue of the Buddhas of old.

Therefore, we cannot contend with him;

May the World-Honored One heal all beings.

He is like a radiant precious jewel in the sky;

Countless bodhisattvas come to pay reverence.

Countless forms appear like beautiful flowers—

Kalus, suras, mountains, and trees.

Beings both sentient and insentient

Come together to make offerings to the One Possessed of the Ten Powers.

From between his brows shines a radiant beam,

Its brilliant light illuminating everywhere.

Wherever he goes, he acts not willfully;

Having received the fundamental ground, he can never lose it.

Without anger, affliction, or possessiveness,

In daily life he is ever of few desires.

At that time, the tree spirits, seeing the bodhisattva's spiritual might, became greatly afraid. Relying upon the Buddha's majestic power, they spoke words of utmost sincerity and together praised the bodhisattva in sixteen respects:

“Now this Pure One is exceedingly beautiful and radiant, like the full moon on the fifteenth day, shining everywhere; like the newly risen sun, illuminating the entire world; and like a lovely fresh flower whose fragrance spreads to every place. His extraordinary excellent marks resemble the color of pure gold, and his bearing is composed and unhurried. His faculties are tranquil, like lotus flowers in a bathing pool.

His exposition possesses majestic power like a lion's roar, yet he also has the distinctive quality of a bodhisattva dwelling alone deep within a forest, utterly fearless. The practices he has cultivated are uniquely honored among humankind. He is like Mount Anming amid the great ocean, rising alone in radiant splendor, level and secure like the Iron Encircling Mountains, surpassing every mountain.

The accomplishments of this Honored One resound both near and far, like the waters that fully sustain heaven and earth. His resolve is vast and extraordinary; his mind is boundless like empty space. His mind is upright, radiant, and wise, without equal; like heaven and earth, he is the one whom sentient beings admire.

His mind is pure and undefiled, causing the people to rejoice beyond measure. His intention is lucid, seeing all things everywhere. All sentient beings delight in him.

Wherever deliverance is needed, he brings transcendence and cuts off all conceptual thoughts. His power is unsurpassed, like an iron hook and chain, crushing everything before it. His actions are diligent, and his resolve is firm.

All bonds of doubt are released. He will in turn subdue the host of Maras, drive away their troops, and cause them to return to their palace. This Honored One performs beneficial and excellent deeds, attains the station of the Ten Powers, and possesses incomparable might.”

Thus, bhiksus, the tree spirits praised the bodhisattva's unique and incomparable virtues in sixteen respects. All who heard them rejoiced.

The Buddha told the bhiksus:

“The devas of the Pure Abodes praised the bodhisattva in eighteen respects and denounced Mara's host. What were those eighteen?

1. Mara was cast aside, like an aged and sick man who cannot prevail.

2. Papiyan was exceedingly feeble, like a decayed and crumbling wall.

3. Papiyan, the Great Sage, standing alone with vast and mighty resolve, will subdue you.

4. Papiyan has no companions, like a sick person with no one to care for him.”

5. Papiyan has no strength, like a gateway that has been breached.

6. Papiyan has now been cast far away and is no longer joyful.

7. Today Papiyan is on a wrong path, like a merchant who has lost his way.

8. Papiyan has been cast aside like an illness that has not been completely cured.

9. Papiyan is foolish, and his dwelling is insecure.

10. Papiyan is unfilial and does not know how to repay kindness.

11. Papiyan runs about as small beasts scatter in all directions when a lion roars.

12. Papiyan has been driven away, as one abandoned by everyone.

13. Papiyan does not understand the times and circumstances; his merit is exhausted and nothing remains. Everyone abandons him like a clay vessel that is no longer usable.

14. Though Papiyan has already been bound, he still blusters and boasts, fearing that he will be driven away.

15. Papiyan has lost all his powers, as though he had lost his head, hair, hands, and feet.

16. Papiyan is insensible, like a madman who has lost his mind.

17. Papiyan is deluded and does not know his own dwelling place.

18. Papiyan rushes about like a madman running wildly in every direction.

Thus, O bhikkhus, the devas of the Pure Abodes reproached Papiyan in these eighteen ways.

The Buddha told the bhikkhus:

“The devas who guarded and protected the Bodhi tree eclipsed Mara Papiyan in sixteen ways.

“What were the sixteen?

1. Today the bodhisattva has subdued Papiyan and all his retinue.

2. Today the bodhisattva has used his great power to subdue Papiyan and render him weak.

3. Today the bodhisattva has left Mara Papiyan utterly bewildered, just as the radiance of the sun obscures the light of a firefly.

4. Today the bodhisattva, through the Buddha’s great sovereign power, has surpassed the awesome power of the devas and completely uprooted the roots of evil.

5. Today the bodhisattva has used the Buddha’s lion-like power of great awesome spiritual might to subdue Papiyan, causing him to shrink back like a small beast.

6. Today the bodhisattva has brought down Mara’s mountain cavern, as a powerful man fells trees.

7. Today the bodhisattva has plunged Papiyan into anguish, as though he were being pursued across the wilderness by a great enemy.

8. Today the bodhisattva has subdued Papiyan, who is like the hollow of an ox’s hoof compared with the great ocean.

9. Today Papiyan is jealous of the bodhisattva, like a prisoner who has escaped from jail and therefore harbors a rebellious heart.

10. Today the bodhisattva has confounded Papiyan, as a wealthy and noble man oppresses the poor.

11. Today the bodhisattva has deposed Papiyan, as an unrighteous king loses his former territory.

12. Today the bodhisattva has defeated Papiyan, as a powerful and prosperous kingdom subjugates weaker states.

13. Today the bodhisattva has caused Mara Papiyan to grieve, like a crippled man who cannot run.

14. Today the bodhisattva has caused Mara to speak falsely and absurdly, like a damaged seagoing vessel.

15. Today the bodhisattva has caused Mara to perish, just as grasses and trees are burned away at the end of a kalpa.

16. Today the bodhisattva has destroyed Papiyan, just as a mighty power destroys heterodox doctrines.

“Thus, O bhikkhus, the devas who stood guard protecting the Bodhi tree eclipsed Mara Papiyan in these sixteen ways.”

At that time, Wicked Mara heard the devas sincerely distinguish and clearly explain the teaching from beginning to end, and so he withdrew. Mara’s resentment grew still greater, and he said to the bodhisattva:

“Rise quickly and flee! My army and generals comprise eighteen kotis of beings, all united in their force. With such force and such an army, if they advance against you, your life will be in peril. My army and retinue will prevail. I certainly shall not speak a word to save you. Rise quickly and flee!”

The bodhisattva replied:

“I am like Mount Sumeru and cannot be shaken. Even if all the exceedingly numerous assemblies throughout the ten directions could be overthrown, and all plants and trees became living beings, they still could not overturn my resolve. Even if they intended to dry up the great ocean, they could never harm my resolve. Until I attain Buddhahood, I shall never leave this place.”

Mara said again:

“I am lord of the Desire Realm. All the devas of the Four Heavenly Kings, Sakra, asuras, gandharvas, garudas, kimnaras, and mahoragas are under my dominion. All belong to me and to no one else. You also belong to me. Do you now wish to act freely according to your own will?”

The bodhisattva replied:

“You occupy a high station in the Desire Realm and presume yourself to possess awesome spiritual power, but you are certainly not one worthy of reverence. Yours is an unrighteous eminence. Only one who is eminent in accordance with the Dharma is called worthy of reverence. Not only would such a one be revered in the Desire Realm, but even all offenders in the hells, hungry ghosts, and animals would hold him in reverence. Your path is not the path of the Supreme, True, Right, and Holy Honored One! I shall certainly attain Buddhahood and subdue wicked Mara.”

Mara said again:

“Today this sramana dwells alone in the depths of the forest. It is truly difficult to fulfill such an aspiration. You wish to establish the proper practice, yet it is now about to be ruined. How can you attain the Way?”

The bodhisattva replied:

“Because you have lost sight of the true meaning, you say that it is difficult to attain. I do not turn away from meditative concentration, spiritual powers, or merit. I have not lost my awesome power, and I devote myself diligently to cultivation. This is precisely the power of vigor. Until I attain Buddhahood, I shall certainly not rise from this seat.”

Not knowing how to harm him, Mara stood before the Buddha and uttered harsh and evil words, declaring himself supreme while the bodhisattva was alone in the wilderness: “Just as, when the day has ended, darkness covers all ten directions and torches then give light, so now, if I and the great multitude before me reveal our true forms, we shall assail you. Rise quickly and flee! You will certainly be harmed. I shall unleash all manner of transformations, and you will encounter many painful calamities. The ghosts and spirits of this place have the power to establish commanderies and districts, and therefore can freely accomplish their designs. Innumerable celestial forms will oppress you.”

The bodhisattva said:

“Empty space might be exhausted; the wind might be seized; the stainless moon, whose radiance dispels all darkness, might fall from the sky; and light might turn into darkness, yet you could never make me leave the foot of this tree. You wish to establish virtue, yet merely display your power. By refusing to dismiss your armies, you give rise only to a coarse and harmful mind.

I always take kindness and gentleness as my foundation. Your shouting and threats are children’s games. Though you cause such destruction and refuse to dismiss your armies, I see no change at all.

Amid this multitude I am like a mountain of pure gold, like a great treasury praised by everyone, like a beautiful garland. Today I shall certainly prevail and guide the vast host of beings. Skillfully shall I destroy Mara’s armies, and there will be no class of ghosts or spirits that does not submit.

My voice shall far surpass that of Brahma, resound throughout the ten directions, and be like the cry of the kalavinka bird.”

“The spirits, evil ghosts, and their companions, together with celestial spirits, have appeared and stand before you. Filling all of empty space, they have assembled together with fierce momentum and are advancing in unison toward the foot of the tree, intending to destroy you.”

“Even if the great trichiliocosm were filled everywhere with innumerable beings capable of magical transformations, each holding a vajra, they still could not move me. Though you harbor evil intentions and command the five divisions of an army, I have no fear of you whatsoever.”

Mara brandished a sword and said:

“Sramana! Rise quickly, exert yourself, and flee at once. I shall now use this sharp blade to cut your body into pieces.”

“Even if every realm throughout the three-thousandfold world were filled with Maras, each holding a sword, I would remain like Mount Sumeru. They could not move even a single hair on my body, much less harm me. My resolve is firm and utterly unshakable; my spiritual powers shine with immeasurable brilliance, and my body is the color of pure gold, like gold within fire.”

Mara became even more distressed and summoned his four great divisions of troops to assemble. Their strength was immeasurable, and they were about to go into battle. Never since ancient times had such a thing been seen. Mara said:

-All of you must join forces and destroy the bodhisattva.

At that time, the four divisions, comprising one billion eight hundred million beings, all transformed themselves into the forms of lions, bears, tigers, rhinoceroses, elephants, dragons, buffaloes, horses, dogs, pigs, monkeys, apes, and countless other creatures. Some had human bodies and insect heads; some had the bodies of cobras or the heads of crocodiles; some had a single face with six eyes; some had one neck with many heads. With fangs and claws, they carried mountains, spewed fire, and made thunder and lightning resound in every direction, while brandishing spears, halberds, and lances.

With a mind of loving-kindness, the bodhisattva was neither startled nor afraid. Not a single hair on his body moved, and his radiant countenance became even more beautiful. The demon troops could not draw near. Mara himself came forward to challenge the Buddha:

What do you seek, bhiksu, seated beneath this tree,

Delighting in the deep forest among venomous beasts?

Dark clouds gather, fearsome and dense;

Surrounded by celestial demons, how are you unafraid?

In ancient times, Buddhas practiced the true path,

Calmly and fearlessly dispelling ignorance.

They accomplished the supreme treasury of Dharma;

I vow to sit here and vanquish Mara.

You shall become a gold-wheel-turning king;

The seven treasures will come of themselves, and you will rule the four quarters.

You will enjoy the five desires beyond compare;

There is no path here—rise and return to the palace.

I see desire as more harmful than swallowing molten copper;

I cast away the kingdom like spittle, without attachment.

Even a king is troubled by aging and death;

Abandon what brings no benefit, and speak no falsehood.

Why sit in the forest speaking so arrogantly,

Forsaking kingdom, wealth, and throne to cherish ease?

Do you not see me and my four divisions,

Elephants, cavalry, and infantry—one billion eight hundred million strong?

Have you seen the faces of monkeys, apes, and lions,

The forms of demons, tigers, rhinoceroses, venomous snakes, and pigs?

All wield knives, swords, spears, and halberds,

Leaping and roaring until they fill the sky,

In full hundreds of millions, divinely valiant?

Mara and those like you have assembled here,

Shooting arrows and hurling fire like wind and rain.

Until I attain Buddhahood, I shall not rise.

Mara relies upon his former power and wishes me to retreat;

I too have vowed that I shall not return in vain.

How can your present merit compare with that of a Buddha?

Thus it may clearly be known who shall prevail.

Throughout my life I delighted in giving,

Therefore I rule the six heavens as Mara.

Bhiksu, you know the merit of my former deeds;

You claim yours is immeasurable—who will bear witness?

My former vows and practices began with Dipamkara,

Who predicted that I would become Buddha Shakyamuni.

Free from all fear, I therefore sit here;

My resolve is firm, and I shall destroy your army.

I formerly served and honored many Buddhas,

Constantly giving precious wealth, clothing, and food.

Through loving-kindness, I accumulated virtue as deep as the earth;

Free from deluded thoughts, I have no adversity.

The bodhisattva, through the power of wisdom,

Extended his hand and pointed to the earth, which knew me clearly.

At once the entire earth resounded and shook mightily;

Mara and his retinue tumbled headlong to the ground.

Defeated, Mara grieved at the loss of his advantage;

Stunned, he sat sprawled upon the ground, clawing at the earth.

Afterward, regaining understanding, he awakened,

And at once took refuge and repented.

I employ no kind of weapon;

With equanimity and loving-kindness, I drive back the enmity of Mara.

The world uses weapons to disturb people’s minds;

I bestow equanimity upon sentient beings.

Elephants and horses, though they have been trained,

Revert to their former habits when old conditions return.

But those completely trained as the Buddha trains,

Act as the Buddha teaches, extending loving-kindness everywhere.

The devas saw the Buddha subdue the hosts of Mara;

Through patience, discipline, and freedom from conception, enmity subdued itself.

The devas rejoiced and came bearing flowers;

The king of non-Dharma was defeated, and the Dharma King prevailed.

With impartial loving-kindness and the power of wisdom,

The strength of wisdom dispels evil omens

And can cause enemies to become disciples.

We bow to the One who has realized the fourfold equality.

His face is like the full moon, his countenance serene;

His name pervades the ten directions, his virtue is like a mountain.

The Buddha’s mind and marks are beyond compare;

Therefore we bow to him, the Sage who liberates the world.

Chapter 19: MEDITATIVE CONTEMPLATION AND PRACTICE OF THE PATH

The Buddha told the bhiksus:

-After the bodhisattva, seated beneath the Bodhi tree, had subdued the hostile forces of Mara, he attained perfect and true awakening. He eradicated the roots and thorns that are the source of the three poisons, and was no longer subject to the various conditioned arisings of the skandhas and hindrances, forever free from delusion. His thoughts were composed and pure as empty space; vigorous and no longer assailed by adversities.

He raised the great banner and revealed the teaching to all, instructing the ten directions, delivering beings from the three realms. Sitting silently beside the tree, he manifested the Four Dhyanas, clearly showing later students the direct path for binding the self. Possessing subtle supernormal powers, he cast aside all evil and unwholesome dharmas of desire, never again returned to the five hindrances, and did not accept the five objects of desire.

All evils ceased of themselves; his mindfulness was lucid and distinct, and he contemplated the unconditioned. Like a strong man who defeats his enemy, his mind was purified, and he accomplished the practice of the First Dhyana.

His mind opened and became lucid. He understood clearly and rejected sensual desire, with nothing further to cast away. No longer attached to examination, he was tranquil and at ease, like the practice of the noble sages. All mindfulness, thought, and reflection ceased, like spring water issuing from the summit of a lofty mountain, full within itself and overflowing outward. Like a ravine filled with rainwater, into which nothing more can enter, he remained tranquil, maintaining single-minded concentration without wavering, and accomplished the practice of the Second Dhyana.

He further relinquished the mind of gladness, retaining only a mind free from desire. Externally, neither good nor bad circumstances could enter at all; internally, none arose. His mind was upright and his body at ease, like a lotus whose roots are entirely within the mud: before the flower blossoms, its stem, flower, and leaves are all thoroughly permeated by water. Because of purity, truth was revealed, and he accomplished the practice of the Third Dhyana.

He relinquished thoughts of pleasure and pain, with no conception of sorrow or joy. His mind neither relied upon good nor clung to evil, and was without mental pain or pleasure. Inwardly he was true and upright, like a person who has bathed and become completely clean, then wraps himself in a beautiful, immaculate piece of new silk. Within and without, he was pure and undefiled. His breathing ceased; silent and unchanging, he accomplished the practice of the Fourth Dhyana.

It is like a potter evenly mixing coarse clay with fine clay, leaving no sand or gravel within it, so that whatever vessel he wishes may be fashioned. Once diligent effort opens the way, there is nothing that cannot be accomplished. Having attained purity of mind, he established great loving-kindness, never abandoned great compassion, and, through wisdom and skillful means, examined and penetrated the subtle essentials.

He thoroughly comprehended the thirty-seven factors conducive to awakening, namely: the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of supernormal power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening, and the Noble Eightfold Path, proceeding in sequence to the end and then returning to the beginning. Through understanding the three liberations, he attained the threefold knowledge.

Henceforth, his coming and going were entirely unobstructed. He manifested transformations to reveal the Dharma. Whatever he wished was fulfilled according to his intent, without any need for deliberation.

His body could fly, and he could divide one body into a hundred or a thousand, even into countless hundreds of millions of bodies, and then cause them all to merge again into a single body. He could penetrate earth and stone, walls and ramparts, passing freely through them all. He could appear in one place and then vanish, and after vanishing appear again, as though entering and emerging from water.

From his body he could emit water and fire. He could wade through water or travel through the air without sinking or falling; he could recline or sit in empty space as birds soar in flight. While seated he could touch the heavens, and with his hand he could touch and grasp the sun and moon.

Standing upright, his body could reach as high as the Brahma heaven. His supernormal powers were sovereign and unhindered; his eyes saw with complete penetration, and his ears heard with complete clarity. He knew beforehand the words, deeds, and thoughts of devas, humans, dragons, ghosts, spirits, insects, and all other beings; he saw, heard, and knew them all.

He knew all who possessed lust and who were free from lust; who possessed anger and who were free from anger; who were deluded and who were not deluded; who possessed craving and who were free from craving; who had great aspiration and conduct and who did not; who possessed inward and outward practices and who did not; who had wholesome thoughts and who did not; who were single-minded and who were not; and who had a mind of liberation and who did not.

He knew them all completely.

The bodhisattva examined the five destinies—among the devas, human beings, hell beings, animals, and ghosts and spirits—and clearly discerned in every case their parents in former lives, siblings, wives and children, names, and paternal and maternal lineages. He knew the events of one life, ten lives, hundreds of thousands of millions of innumerable lives, extending even to the periods of formation, abiding, decay, and emptiness, and then to the renewed formation of heaven and earth.

He could know one kalpa, ten kalpas, and even hundreds of thousands of millions among innumerable millions of kalpas: names, paternal and maternal lineages, food and drink, clothing, suffering and happiness, long and short lifespans, death in one place and birth in another, and passage back and forth among the various destinies. From the very beginning of birth through growth, aging, and death—the beauty or ugliness of their physical forms, their wisdom or foolishness, and their happiness or suffering within the three realms—he clearly discerned and knew everything.

He saw that the spirits of human beings, according to the actions they themselves had performed, were born into the five destinies: some fell among hungry ghosts, some fell among animals, some became ghosts or spirits, some were born in the heavens, and some assumed human form. Some were born into wealthy, noble, and happy families, while others were born into poor and wretched families. He knew that deluded beings were themselves obscured by the five skandhas—form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness—and were all habituated to the five desires: the eyes seeing forms, the ears hearing sounds, the nose smelling odors, the tongue tasting flavors, and the body making contact.

Drawn along by craving and desire, they were infatuated with wealth, beauty, memories, and hopes of attaining peace, pleasure, and happiness. From these arose every evil deed, and from evil deeds came suffering. One must always eradicate accumulated craving and not follow lustful thoughts even to the slightest degree.

By accepting and practicing the Noble Eightfold Path, all suffering is extinguished. What are the eight? They are Right View, Right Mindfulness, Right Action, Right Knowledge, Right Means, Right Intention, and Right Concentration.

It is like having no firewood, no fire, no burning, and no extinguishing. This is called the unconditioned path that liberates the world.

The bodhisattva knew for himself that he had abandoned the roots of evil; lust, anger, and delusion were no more; birth and death had been extinguished; all roots had been completely severed; and no seeds of calamity remained. His task was accomplished, and wisdom had been attained. Just as the morning star appeared, he suddenly attained great awakening, realized the unsurpassed true and right path, became the Supremely and Perfectly Awakened One, and attained the ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, and the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha.

The ten powers of a Buddha are:

1. The Buddha fully sees and knows whether profound, subtle, and hidden matters are correct or incorrect, limited or unlimited, seeing them clearly just as they truly are.

2. The Buddha clearly knows all deeds performed and the places where their karmic retributions are received in the past, present, and future.

3. The Buddha is able to reveal and teach the gateways of meditative concentration, liberation, and right attainment.

4. The Buddha clearly discerns the differing thoughts of devas, human beings, and sentient beings.

5. The Buddha clearly knows all the languages of sentient beings and the language transcending the world. J

6. The Buddha clearly knows all the kinds and immeasurable forms within the world.

7. The Buddha knows the bonds of desire and knows what must be done to release beings from those bonds.

8. The Buddha’s wisdom is like the ocean; his wholesome words are immeasurable, and he clearly knows all activities in former lives.

9. With his pure divine eye, the Buddha clearly sees people at the moment of death, their spirits taking rebirth and receiving karmic retribution according to their good or evil conduct, calamity or merit.

10. The Buddha has completely eradicated all outflows and is no longer bound or attached. His spirit is lucid and his wisdom radiant. He knows for himself that he has attained realization and that his practice of the path has reached complete penetration. What had to be done has been done; there is no further birth and death, and his wisdom shines brightly.

These are the ten powers of a Buddha.

The four fearlessnesses of a Buddha are:

1. Through the spiritual powers and wisdom of a Perfectly Awakened One, there is nothing the Buddha does not see or know. Because of their delusion, foolish people claim that the Buddha does not yet know everything. Even Brahmas, Maras, and sages are unable to dispute the Buddha’s wisdom. Wherever he goes alone, he is never afraid. This is the first fearlessness.

2. The Buddha has exhausted all outflows, and his wisdom knows everything universally. Because of their delusion, foolish people claim that the Buddha has not yet exhausted all outflows. Even Brahmas, Maras, and sages are unable to dispute the Buddha’s wisdom. Wherever he goes alone, he is never afraid. This is the second fearlessness.

3. The Buddha expounds the scriptures of precepts for everyone to study and practice. Foolish people say to one another, “The Buddha’s scriptures are not universally applicable.” Even Brahmas, Maras, and sages are unable to dispute or disparage the Buddha’s true scriptures. Wherever he goes alone, he is never afraid. This is the third fearlessness.

4. The Buddha reveals the meaning of the path and speaks truthful words, with the essential aim of liberating everyone from suffering and distress. Because of their delusion, foolish people say to one another, “The Buddha’s teachings cannot enable one to transcend suffering and distress.” Even Brahmas, Maras, and sages are unable to dispute the Buddha’s true meaning of the path. Wherever he goes alone, he is never afraid. This is the fourth fearlessness.

The eighteen distinctive qualities, from the time he first attained Buddhahood until his entrance into nirvana, are:

1. He never departs from the principles of the path.

2. He never speaks empty words.

3. He never loses mindfulness.

4. He has no impure mental intention.

5. He has no confused perceptions.

6. He is always fully awake.

7. His resolve to attain the goal never diminishes.

8. His diligence never diminishes.

9. His mental concentration never diminishes.

10. His wisdom never diminishes.

11. His liberation never diminishes.

12. His knowledge and vision of liberation never diminish.

13. He sees and knows all events in the past.

14. He sees and knows all events in the future.

15. He sees and knows all events in the present.

16. He leads the entire assembly, teaching and guiding through bodily conduct so that they may attain realization of the fruit of the path.

17. He leads the entire assembly, teaching and guiding through verbal conduct so that they may attain realization of the fruit of the path.

18. He leads the entire assembly, teaching and guiding through mental conduct so that they may attain realization of the fruit of the path.

These are the eighteen distinctive qualities.

Having attained the mind of the path of omniscient knowledge and vision, the Buddha sat beneath the tree and thought to himself: “It is truly exceedingly subtle and wondrous, difficult to know, difficult to understand, and extremely difficult to attain. Its height is without end, its breadth without limit, and its depths unfathomable; it is so profound that it cannot be measured, so vast that it encompasses heaven and earth, and so minute that there is nowhere it can enter.

Long ago, the Buddha Dipankara bestowed upon me the prediction that I would become a Buddha named Sakyamuni; today I have attained that fruit. For innumerable kalpas I toiled painfully in quest of it, and only now have I attained it. I recall the deeds I performed in former lives: cultivating virtue, loving-kindness and filial devotion, benevolence and righteousness, propriety and trustworthiness, loyalty and uprightness, preserving truth, humbling the mind, studying the path of sages and worthies, maintaining pure intentions, and being gentle and harmonious.

I practiced the six paramitas: generosity, morality, patience, diligence, single-minded concentration, and wisdom. I practiced the four immeasurable states of mind: loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity. I made offerings at the appropriate times in gratitude for the four kindnesses.

I nurtured sentient beings and cherished them as newborn children, performed the deeds of the Buddhas, and accumulated immeasurable merit. My painful toil through many kalpas was never in vain; today I have attained everything.” Rejoicing, he praised himself:

Now I know the Buddha is honored;

Abandoning lust, all outflows are purified.

I shall guide all beings along the path;

Those who follow him will surely dwell in peace and joy.

The blissful fruit of heavenly merit,

And wholesome vows, have been fulfilled.

Swiftly attaining Supreme Quiescence,

I shall enter nirvana.

Chapter 20: THE DEVAS CONGRATULATE THE BUDDHA UPON HIS ATTAINMENT OF THE PATH

At that time, the heavenly kings of the Desire Realm came and saw the Tathagata seated beneath the tree. He had attained spiritual powers, fulfilled his vows, subdued the hostile maras, raised the great banner, and possessed immeasurable loving-kindness and compassion. He was the great King of Physicians who cured the illnesses of sentient beings, an incomparable Lion who did not tremble or fear before those who inspired fear. He had harmonized his mind, eliminated the three defilements, perfected the wisdom of the three penetrations, crossed beyond the four currents, preserved the path, rescued the three realms, purified the holy life, and eradicated every evil. Such is a bhiksu who has dispelled all darkness and delusion.

Who is called a sramana?

One who has transcended the six destinies and whose learning is limitless is called widely learned. Through virtue, he extinguishes the afflictions of worldly dust, becomes courageous, and crosses to the further shore; such a person is called capable. He encompasses the ten powers and fully possesses the treasure of the Dharma. Seeing the Tathagata seated beneath the tree, the heavenly kings praised him in verse:

Now beneath the Bodhi tree,

He has subdued Mara and his retinue;

Steadfast as Mount Sumeru,

He neither fears nor departs.

For countless kotis of kalpas,

He trained in giving, precepts, and wisdom;

He gathered and learned the meaning of the path,

Likewise for countless kotis of kalpas.

His deeds surpassed those of Sakra and Brahma;

Originally aspiring to the Buddha path,

For countless kalpas he practiced patience,

Enduring manifold suffering and distress.

Thus he shines with the hue of pure gold.

For countless kalpas he strove diligently,

Crossing beyond the perils of birth and death;

Therefore he has subdued Mara.

For countless kotis of kalpas,

He practiced meditation, spiritual powers, and wisdom,

And attended upon countless Buddhas;

Therefore he is worthy of offerings.

For countless kotis of kalpas,

He was utterly sincere, with vast wisdom,

And rescued kotis of sentient beings;

Thus he swiftly attained the fruit of Buddhahood.

By subduing the Mara of the aggregates,

He also left the Mara of death far behind;

He cast off the Mara of sensual defilements,

And therefore is free from sorrow.

He is the God among gods,

The one whom all devas serve;

The three realms revere and make offerings to him,

As an immeasurable field of merit.

Having exhausted the subtlest delusions,

He attained Buddhahood and became the World-Honored One;

Then he came and sat at the seat of awakening,

His crown protuberance impossible to behold.

The mark between his brows radiates light

Across countless kotis of Buddha lands,

Outshining the brilliance of sun and moon

And enabling beings to encounter the light of the path.

His countenance is exceedingly extraordinary;

His appearance is foremost of all.

His excellent marks reveal compassion for sentient beings,

And the three realms together attend upon him.

His eyes are utterly pure,

Beholding countless Buddhas,

Their lands and the bodies of beings therein,

All held in his mindful awareness.

His mind is utterly pure;

He hears countless sounds—

The speech of devas and people,

And the resonant voice of Buddhas teaching the Dharma.

Now he has obtained the broad and long tongue;

Knowing the proper time, he speaks gently.

Thus, hearing this true Dharma,

Beings attain the unconditioned ambrosia.

He saw the hosts of Mara,

Yet remained joyful and unafraid;

He also saw the devas and humans,

And, without elation, remained like Sumeru.

Seeing all the armies of Mara,

He remained steadfast and unmoving.

Though Mara harbored thoughts of harm

And fiercely sought to subdue him,

His seat never shifted,

And his body never wavered.

Neither delighted nor angered,

He then encountered no adversity.

Devas and people of the world

Will certainly obtain wholesome benefit;

Soon they will hear the true Dharma

And sincerely put it into practice.

Constantly performing meritorious deeds,

Through their supreme merit and virtue,

All their undertakings will soon be accomplished.

The serene and eminent one,

The honored Guide among humankind,

Will swiftly attain perfect awakening

And shake kotis of lands.

He has subdued all the hosts of Mara.

His voice is like that of Brahma,

And also like the cry of the luan bird;

He is the foremost fragrance.

Gautama spoke these verses:

The reward of merit brings great peace and joy,

Dispelling every grief and sorrow;

All aspirations are fulfilled.

Those who possess merit and virtue

Swiftly reach the Buddha path,

And at once subdue the hosts of Mara;

They quickly attain refreshing coolness

And serenely enter skillful cessation.

Therefore, what merit should people cultivate?

They should establish the practice of contentment,

So that they may hear the ambrosial Dharma.

Who now remains indolent

In the midst of the deep forest?

Who harbors thoughts of retreat?

For the benefit of myriad people,

They should constantly practice diligence.

Whoever follows the bodhisattva practice

Returns for the sake of others

And performs deeds of offering.

The land has been perfected,

Bright and level as a mirror, flat as the palm;

There, within that very realm,

Hundreds of thousands of lotus flowers and leaves

Naturally shine together.

Hundreds of thousands of kotis of devas

Come to behold the Buddha's seat of awakening.

All this results from completed meritorious deeds,

Boundless as the ocean.

Having subdued the power of Mara

And attained the gateway of the ambrosial Dharma,

They all bow their heads in homage

And take refuge in the Tathagata.

With countless pure offerings,

They each hold fragrant canopies,

So that they may behold the Lion

And the transformations of the Buddha's awe-inspiring spiritual power.

They then bring forth the bodhisattva resolve;

Their standing cannot be shaken,

And their words are renowned.

Immeasurable as the ocean,

Steadfast as Mount Sumeru,

The king among all mountains,

They join their palms in homage.

From the sky comes the voice of Brahma;

So too is the Sage among humankind

Upon the Lion Throne.

Hundreds of thousands of trees

Bow down toward the seat of awakening.

Those hundreds of thousands of rays of light

Shake kotis of lands,

Extinguishing all evil destinies;

Every calamity becomes still.

Those who could not cross beyond now cross,

And all the sick are healed.

The Most True among humankind

Sits upon the Lion Throne.

The transformations of the Buddha's awe-inspiring spiritual power

Are like the radiance of a bright jewel,

Naturally emitting light,

Together with the light of sun and moon.

From between his brows he releases a radiant beam

That outshines those other lights

And illuminates the three realms everywhere.

The crown of the Buddha cannot be seen;

So majestic is the World-Honored One.

Seated upon the Lion Throne,

He manifests various spiritual powers;

All who come behold them fully

And naturally revere and serve the Buddha.

The earth trembles in six ways.

If they still do not lay down their armies,

He employs skillful means to transform them;

If they do not cast aside their weapons,

They will encounter many afflictions and harms.

Such is the revered Lion,

Who manifests these responses from his throne.

At that time, the devas of the Pure Abodes, the deva Brahma Kasyapa, the deva Subrahma, and Mara's son, Reverer of the Path, came together to where the Buddha was. Holding a great jeweled canopy, they presented it to the Buddha, then joined their palms and praised him in verse:

The Honored One among humankind is before our eyes,

Endowed with the powers of diligence, meditation, and wisdom;

Before Mara he displayed heroic eloquence—

The Sage has subdued Mara.

All is now peaceful and auspicious.

He sits, his body unmoving;

Countless kotis of maras come

And bow their heads before the World-Honored One.

Though as numerous as the sands of the Ganges,

They cannot equal the Supremely Honored One

Nor cause him to waver.

For kalpas as numerous as the Ganges sands,

He served countless kotis of thousands of Buddhas;

The principles of the path were thereby established,

And none dared disturb the Mighty Sage.

No one can equal his deeds.

He once gave away his wife and children,

Men and women, and servants,

Fields, gardens, kingdoms, and fiefs,

His royal throne and adornments,

His hands, feet, head, and face,

And everything belonging to his body,

All in order to practice the path.

Compassionate and never deluded,

He acts just as he has spoken;

His word never changes.

The Buddha is not attached to the great fruit;

He will liberate countless beings,

Leading kotis upon kotis across the rushing current.

Through the powers of meditative concentration and spiritual mastery,

He subdues defilements and purifies the true Dharma.

Vowing to liberate all sentient beings,

He gives sight to the darkened eyes of the world

And brings harmony everywhere.

Single-mindedly aspiring to great wisdom,

Beings gather around the Guide.

His resolve is vast and immeasurable;

There is no one who does not praise him.

Having thus subdued the armies of Mara,

May he soon perfect omniscience.

After Mara's son had praised the Buddha in this way, he withdrew and stood to one side.

At that time, the devas of Paranirmita-vasavartin, the devas Free from Arrogant Delight, the Tusita devas, the Yama devas, the Trayastrimsa devas, the Four Heavenly Kings, the devas of space, and the spirits of the earth made offerings to the World-Honored One, all with the utmost splendor. Throughout heaven and earth, they scattered flowers, burned incense, and raised banners and canopies. Together they all took refuge in the Supremely Honored One and praised him in verse:

The devas of Paranirmita-vasavartin,

Those Free from Arrogant Delight, and the Tusita devas,

The Yama and Trayastrimsa devas, and the Four Kings,

All come to make offerings to the Buddha.

Steadfast as vajra,

Within the three-thousandfold world,

His firm resolve cannot be broken

Here at the Buddha's seat of awakening.

Even if flesh and skin should waste away,

And bones and marrow be utterly consumed,

If I do not attain the Buddha path,

I shall never leave this place.

Thus proclaimed the Lion among humankind

Throughout the entire three-thousandfold world,

Establishing his vow with awe-inspiring spiritual power.

The grasses and trees all became soldiers,

Mighty and undiminished,

And advanced toward the bodhisattva.

I vow that kotis of lands

Shall be level and free from calamity.

We, all the spirits of the earth,

Have come and obtained wholesome benefit.

And may the Most Honored One

Set His feet upon us.

Courageous in the world,

There is nowhere He does not illumine;

His light shines throughout all,

Bringing aid to the three-thousandfold world,

How much more so to our own bodies.

Below, throughout hundreds of thousands of kotis,

All are of one and the same kind,

Universally delivering all sentient beings

And establishing the foundation.

We shall protect this earth

And the entire three-thousandfold world;

All shall attain the supreme aspiration,

With medicine, food, and drink as desired.

Should anyone pass beyond the borders of the realm,

Their dwelling place shall be peaceful and secure.

The disciples of the Buddhas,

The voice-hearers of Gautama,

When they expound the Dharma of the Path,

If anyone comes to listen,

We shall dedicate all merits and virtues,

Encouraging and assisting them toward the Buddha Path.

After the Brahma gods, the gods of Mastery over Others’ Transformations, the gods Free from Arrogant Delight, the Tusita gods, the Yama gods, the Trayastrimsa gods, the Four Heavenly Kings, the deities of space, and the earth spirits had made offerings to and praised the Buddha, they withdrew and stood to one side.