普法義經

Thus have I heard:

At one time the Buddha was dwelling in the Jeta Grove, in the garden of Anāthapiṇḍika, in the country of Śrāvastī.

At that time, the venerable Śāriputra invited the bhikṣus to listen to an expounding of the Dharma—good in the beginning, good in the middle, good in the end—well analyzed and distinguished, pure and complete: "Listen well. The conduct of the venerable one is called the perfectly accomplished practice of the Dharma. Reflect upon it well and carefully."

The bhikṣus, in accordance with the words of the venerable one, followed the venerable Śāriputra to listen to the Dharma.

The venerable Śāriputra then spoke of the twelve occasions of assembly, which can lead a venerable one to the Noble Path. What are the twelve?

1. To be able to teach oneself.

2. To be able also to teach others.

3. To be born in the human realm.

4. To be born among the noble ones.

5. To have all the faculties complete.

6. Not to follow after worldly karma.

7. To rejoice upon seeing a venerable one.

8. To meet a Buddha who has appeared in the world.

9. To hear the Buddha expound the Dharma.

10. Having heard the Dharma expounded, to be able to comprehend it.

11. To be able to hear instruction from without.

12. To be able to follow the Buddha's teaching and practice in accordance with the principle.

These are the twelve occasions of assembly of the venerable one, leading the venerable one to the attainment of the Way, to be practiced accordingly.

If one wishes to expound a sūtra for others to hear, one should expound these twenty points. What are the twenty?

1. To resolve upon what is good.

2. To speak completely.

3. To speak of what comes first.

4. To speak in sequential order.

5. To speak in a way that brings joy.

6. To speak what is worth speaking.

7. To speak what opens up the mind.

8. To speak what restrains indolence.

9. Not to speak words of reproach.

10. To speak harmonious words.

11. To speak fitting words.

12. Not to speak divisive words.

13. To speak for the sake of the Dharma.

14. To speak in accordance with the assembly.

15. To speak in accordance with the capacity of those present.

16. To speak with the intention of being helpful.

17. To speak not for the sake of reputation.

18. Not to speak for the sake of gain.

19. Not to suppress or omit.

20. Not to be swayed by others.

If a venerable bhikṣu wishes to expound the Dharma for others, he should expound it according to these twenty points.

The venerable Śāriputra again addressed the bhikṣus:

"One who wishes to hear the Dharma must have sixteen ways of acting. What are the sixteen?

1. One should listen at the proper time.

2. One should listen completely.

3. One should listen attentively.

4. One should serve reverently.

5. One should not criticize and reproach.

6. One should not reproach faults.

7. One should not seek out the strengths or shortcomings of others.

8. One should be reverent for the sake of the Dharma.

9. One should revere the one who expounds the Dharma.

10. Do not slight the Dharma.

11. Neither slight the one who expounds the Dharma.

12. Do not be excessively self-deprecating.

13. Listen single-mindedly.

14. Have no other intention.

15. Maintain a right mind.

16. Be present in mindfulness while hearing the Dharma.

If a venerable one wishes to hear the Dharma, he should remember these sixteen things, and then he will be able to hear the Dharma. What are the sixteen?

1. To hear the Dharma at the proper time.

2. To be able to hear much.

3. To attend to the Dharma with concentration.

4. To honor the Dharma that is worth hearing.

5. Not to reproach the Dharma that is worth hearing.

6. When hearing the Dharma, not to seek out its faults.

7. To hear the Dharma out of reverence for the Dharma.

8. To hear the Dharma out of reverence for the one who expounds the sūtra.

9. Not to slight the Dharma while hearing the Dharma.

10. Not to slight the one who expounds the Dharma—only then can one hear the Dharma.

11. Not to be excessively self-deprecating toward the Dharma that is worth hearing.

12. To turn single-heartedly toward the Dharma that is worth hearing.

13. To have no other intention toward the Dharma that is worth hearing.

14. To maintain a right intention toward the Dharma that is worth hearing.

15. To be present in mindfulness toward the Dharma that is worth hearing.

16. To settle the mind in concentration toward the Dharma that is worth hearing.

If a venerable one wishes to hear the Dharma, he should remember these sixteen comparisons regarding the Dharma that is worth hearing. Having heard the Dharma as above, there immediately arises a faith agreeable to the mind, and from this one is led to the Unconditioned. Having heard the Dharma thus, there immediately arises in the venerable one a delight free of desire, and from this one is led to the Unconditioned.

Having heard the Dharma thus, there immediately arises in the mind the experience of joy, and from this one is led to the Unconditioned. Having heard the Dharma thus, one casts off doubtful views and clearly understands the supreme, and from this one is led to the Unconditioned. Having heard the Dharma thus, one immediately abandons evil and holds the mind in right concentration, and from this one is led to the Unconditioned.

Having heard the Dharma thus, one immediately sees that the aggregates are without possession, sees that the aggregates are empty, sees that the aggregates are lowly and base; having seen thus, the mind is immediately freed, the mind becomes pure, the mind comes to rest, the mind is liberated. Thus, from this one is led to the Unconditioned. Having heard the Dharma thus, all formations of the world are empty, and one no longer abides within them; one then exhausts craving, parts from it, and extinguishes it, and one makes the mind unconditioned, turns the mind, and brings it to rest.

Being liberated, from this one is led to the Unconditioned. Having heard the Dharma thus, regarding the activities and characteristics of all dharmas of desire, one follows the practice of dwelling alone in order to cut off delusion and attain the foremost vow, that is, from this one is led to the Unconditioned. Having heard the Dharma thus, with a pure eye one sees the Four Noble Truths, and from this one is led to the Unconditioned.

Having heard the Dharma thus, one practices it fully, and from this one is led to the Unconditioned. Having heard thus, the venerable one teaches his disciples not to speak of things that cause affliction, but to speak what, once heard by others, brings them delight, neither transgressing the precepts nor disturbing their ease.

One should aspire to attain these ten dharmas for oneself, which lead to wisdom. What are the ten?

1. Either a good and wise friend.

2. Or to guard the precepts well.

3. Or a good fellow student.

4. Or to know how to receive the meaning.

5. Or instruction.

6. Or inquiry.

7. Or hearing the sūtras.

8. Or gathering together to recite the sūtras.

9. Or speaking of the causes and conditions of fear, leading to fear.

10. To feel ashamed within oneself regarding fear—the root of contemplation at that time is the root of contemplation that cuts off all evil dharmas, and one is able to cut off the root of contemplation. Having removed this dharma, the mind attains mastery in concentration.

All of this comes from contemplating the root in this way. This is the true teaching to disciples, to let go from the very root.

One can practice the ten reflections. What are the ten?

1. To recollect the reflection on impurity.

2. To contemplate impermanence.

3. To contemplate how, because of impermanence, suffering comes about.

4. To contemplate how, because of suffering, there is no self.

5. To contemplate food as defiled.

6. To contemplate how the myriad things of the world bring no delight.

7. To contemplate death.

8. To contemplate ignorance.

9. To contemplate the removal of the mind.

10. To contemplate cessation.

Reflecting on the reflection of impurity, O venerable one, accords with the fourteen wrong dharmas. What are the fourteen?

1. To dwell together in a place of distracted mind.

2. To gather in an environment that arouses greed.

3. The sickness of desire.

4. The reflection of impurity.

5. Being unable to attain the contemplation of impurity.

6. To work together with those who do evil.

7. Not knowing what is right.

8. Not revering.

9. Not learning.

10. Not guarding the faculties.

11. Eating without moderation.

12. Not awakening to practice at the beginning and the end of the night.

13. Being unable to dwell alone in meditation.

14. Being unable to contemplate the reflection of impermanence.

O venerable one, because of following the reflections of desire, of impermanence, and of the suffering of the world, one falls into six evil dharmas. What are the six?

1. Not knowing contentment.

2. Not being diligent.

3. Lack of faith.

4. Desire.

5. Not delighting to sit in a quiet and secluded place.

6. Not attaining the dharma of contemplation upon suffering and non-self—reflecting that one sees the body eat food that is defiled and mixed.

The reflection of clinging to flavor and craving, of not practicing, of holding that the myriad things of the world contain no pleasure of desire, the reflection of practicing greed and desire toward the myriad things of the world, of regarding death in a perverse way, following the life-faculty and departing far from the reflection of clear and luminous practice.

O venerable one, there are eleven kinds of wrongness. What are the eleven?

1. Doubt.

2. Not recollecting.

3. The body being coarse and bloated.

4. Sleepiness.

5. Excessive exertion.

6. Lack of exertion.

7. Rejoicing in a false and empty way.

8. Fear.

9. Reflection that is not concentrated.

10. Not reckoning.

11. Contemplating form excessively and wishing to part from the reflection on the path of cessation.

If one abides in dharmas that cause the loss of the path, O venerable one, this leads to the loss of the path; what has not yet been destroyed is made to be destroyed.

There are three excessive dharmas. What are the three?

1. Desire.

2. Cutting off.

3. The conduct of sitting.

The reflection of impurity, O venerable one, must be cut off by fourteen dharmas. What are the fourteen?

1. Not dwelling among crowds of people.

2. Bringing the mind to rest.

3. Not looking upon gatherings.

4. Guarding oneself.

5. Having no sickness of greed and desire.

6. Not following the reflection on purity.

7. Not contemplating the reflection on purity.

8. Not wishing to dwell together with worldly practitioners.

9. Not wishing to take up worldly deeds.

10. Guarding the gates of the faculties.

11. Knowing contentment in eating and drinking.

12. Never sleeping at the beginning and the end of the night.

13. Being weary of desire and dwelling alone.

14. Contemplating impurity abundantly.

O venerable one, through cutting off craving and desire, one practices abundantly the reflection on impermanence. From this one cuts off evil desire; through the reflection on impermanence and suffering, having practiced, cultivated, and done much, one cuts off craving; through the reflection on the joylessness of the world, having cultivated, practiced, and done much, one cuts off the regarding of the world as fine and good; through the reflection on death, having cultivated, practiced, and done much, one removes the mind that craves long life; through having cut off the reflection on darkness and obscurity, having cultivated, practiced, and done much, one thereby cuts off craving;

through the reflection on cessation, having cultivated, practiced, and done much, one becomes free of wrong views.

Uphold this firmly and truly in this way.

O venerable one, a disciple learning the Way has twenty dharmas that cause him not to accord with the Way. What are the twenty?

1. Not dwelling together with those who practice the Way.

2. Not learning.

3. Not knowing how to do what is fitting.

4. Being deaf and dumb.

5. Performing evil conduct.

6. Having a greedy mind.

7. Having many affairs.

8. Little exertion.

9. Destroying the support on which one relies.

10. Delighting in form.

11. Boasting of oneself.

12. Being inverted and confused.

13. Distraction of mind.

14. Greed.

15. Dwelling together with the unwholesome.

16. Not guarding the faculties.

17. Eating without moderation.

18. Not practicing at the beginning and the end of the night.

19. Not delighting to dwell alone in meditation.

20. Not contemplating things as they truly are.

These are the twenty dharmas, O venerable one, that cause one to abandon the Way.

There are eleven things not yet cut off and ceased, which one wishes to cut off and bring to cessation. What are the eleven?

1. Desire.

2. Form.

3. Convenient views (?).

4. Having gazing.

5. Not wasting.

6. Surpassing.

7. Attaining the marks of dharmas.

8. Following.

9. Inquiring.

10. Guarding oneself apart.

11. Contemplating as they are.

Only thus is it fitting.

O venerable one, in teaching disciples there are twenty dharmas. What are the twenty?

1. To dwell together with those who practice the Way.

2. To learn.

3. To know how to act at the proper time.

4. Not being deaf and dumb.

5. To work together.

6. Not being greedy.

7. To have few affairs.

8. Not to abandon exertion.

9. Not to be willful and contrary.

10. Not to follow after appearances.

11. Not to be arrogant.

12. Not to be inverted and confused.

13. To guard the mind.

14. Not to be greedy.

15. To dwell together with the good.

16. To guard the gates of the faculties.

17. To know contentment in eating and drinking.

18. To practice diligently at the beginning and the end of the night.

19. To delight in sitting alone to reflect.

20. To contemplate things as they are.

If this is achieved, the venerable one has, moreover, twenty-two occasions and places by which a śramaṇa practicing the Way may swiftly reach the goal, which he should observe. What are the twenty-two?

1. Having received what is not upright and proper.

2. Having created other karma.

3. Relying on others out of conceit.

4. Until the end of one's lifespan seeking only clothing, food and drink, medicine to cure illness in times of sickness, and bedding.

5. Being covered over by desire throughout one's life.

6. The body enjoying the pleasures of desire among humankind until the end of life. Having become a śramaṇa, one must urgently contemplate in this way.

7. Do not, for the sake of one's own body, harm and injure others.

8. To be able to delight in dwelling alone in the open.

9. Not to take food in accordance with transgression.

10. Do not, for the sake of one's own body, lose the precepts.

11. Do not, on account of one's own cleverness, dispute with fellow practitioners of the Way.

12. Let my practice of the Way accord with the learning of the four virtues, so that when I come to the end of my life, should a fellow practitioner of the Way come and ask, I can still explain it—let me not be one who only then, at that moment, temporarily wishes to practice the Way. Contemplate in this way.

13. Let me attain the contemplation "the aggregates are impermanent."

14. Let me attain the contemplation "the aggregates are without possession."

15. Let me attain the contemplation "the aggregates are unimportant," so that the mind, returning, attains liberation. The practitioner must urgently contemplate in this way.

16. So that I, toward the world, practice emptiness, non-attachment, the exhaustion of craving, parting and cessation, and the unconditioned, so that the mind rejoices, brings feeling to rest, and, being liberated, departs far from the occasion and place of bodily form and sickness. One must contemplate in this way.

17. On account of birth, governed by birth, one has not yet been able to transcend it.

18. On account of aging, governed by aging, one has not yet been able to transcend it.

19. On account of sickness, governed by sickness, one has not yet been able to transcend it.

20. On account of the dharma of having to die, governed by the dharma of death, one has not yet been able to transcend it. Toward the bodily form that passes by very swiftly, one must contemplate in this way.

21. Because all that I cherish will in the end be parted from me—either vanishing, or taken away by others, or dying—it cannot endure for long. The bodily form, with respect to time and place (space), passes by very swiftly; one must discern and contemplate in this way.

22. Each person, according to his own actions, has his fruit and retribution; according to the inherent conduct of each person, according to the actions of each individual, one undergoes suffering; according to the wholesome or evil actions of each person, one must undergo the corresponding fruit and retribution. The bodily form, with respect to time and place, passes by very swiftly; one must urgently contemplate in this way.

These are the twenty-two practices that have been cultivated, practiced, and done many times. Thus a śramaṇa, as well as a practitioner, must reflect fully. Because the śramaṇa has reflected fully upon his own conduct, he is then able to complete the seven reflections. What are the seven?

1. Constant practice without ceasing—then one attains entry into the Way.

2. Not shifting about.

3. Not contending.

4. Reflecting rightly.

5. Not giving rise to a mind of conceit.

6. Refraining, in the world, from seeking after clothing.

7. Attaining mastery through bringing the mind to rest.

Such are the mind, thought, and consciousness of the venerable one: throughout the long days and nights, regarding the forms, sounds, scents, flavors, and subtle pleasant contacts of the world that one could not restrain, one is now able to subdue them and bring them to rest, and one then enters the lineage of the ambrosia. Having done so, the venerable one has twenty kinds of conduct by which, not yet having attained the Way, the mind is thrown into crisis. What are the twenty kinds of conduct?

1. Having no profound penetration into emptiness.

2. Not learning about death.

3. Relying on what is low and small.

4. Not fearing karma.

5. Not knowing and not fearing karma.

6. Not knowing the Way.

7. Not attaining concentration of mind.

8. A life of suffering.

9. The difficulty of meeting venerable ones.

10. Being in the world, no different from worldly people.

11. Not yet having made a bridge to escape from the hells.

12. Not yet having escaped from evil places.

13. Having very much doubt.

14. Not yet having understood the constriction and weakness of the world.

15. Not yet having attained clear and luminous wisdom.

16. Toward this person it cannot be done, but toward that person it can be done.

17. What ought not to be done, do not do.

18. Because of what is not done, there is also neither good nor bad.

19. Once something has been done, it is never forgotten.

20. One only practices existence for oneself, only practices following for oneself, only practices the root for oneself, only practices returning for oneself. If a person does good or evil himself, he will undergo the fruit and retribution. People in this world should accordingly be fearful for their own bodies.

According to these twenty causes and conditions: an evil mind in turn meets with evil; a mind of fear and worry meets with fear and worry; a mind of withdrawal and detachment attains withdrawal and detachment.

There are twenty kinds of conduct by which the mind must be quickly brought to rest. What are the twenty?

1. Mindfulness of the reflection—the mind is then brought to rest quickly.

2. Within the mind, knowing the mind—it is brought to rest quickly.

3. The mind attaining one-pointedness—it is brought to rest quickly.

4. Right reflection, knowing the mind—it is brought to rest quickly.

5. The mark of right cessation—the mind is brought to rest quickly.

6. Arising in accordance with the right—the reflection is brought to rest quickly.

7. Gathering in the reflection—the mind is brought to rest quickly.

8. Aiding the reflection—the mind is brought to rest quickly.

9. Holding the reflection—the mind is brought to rest quickly.

10. Practicing the root-cessation of the mind—the mind is brought to rest quickly.

11. The fundamental cutting off of the mind—the mind is brought to rest quickly.

12. Departing from what cannot be practiced—the mind is brought to rest quickly.

13. The four bases of spiritual power—the mind is brought to rest quickly.

14. Drawing near to the proper field of conduct—the mind is brought to rest quickly.

15. Having a mind that follows the learning—it is brought to rest quickly.

16. Reading and reciting with a mind of clear understanding—it is brought to rest quickly.

17. Having the mind, the mind being wounded—it is brought to rest quickly.

18. Rejoicing in the many methods—the mind is brought to rest quickly.

19. Having a mind that knows—it is brought to rest quickly.

20. Having to practice this mind—it is brought to rest quickly.

With the body thus made right, the venerable one teaches his disciples eleven prohibitions that must be known. What are the eleven?

1. Gathering in assembly.

2. Eating much.

3. Having many affairs.

4. Speaking much.

5. Sleeping much.

6. Delighting in wandering about.

7. Delighting in dwelling together.

8. Making the body comfortable and pleasured.

9. Slighting others.

10. Greed and lust.

11. Not delighting to dwell together in one's own region.

Such deeds, if not yet cut off, must now be cut off.

Again there are ten things that must always be learned. What are the ten?

1. One must always settle the mind.

2. One must always bring it to a stand.

3. Always settle its arising.

4. Always bring it to rest.

5. Always restrain.

6. Always guard.

7. Always return to the root.

8. Always guard and restrain.

9. Always make use of skillful means.

10. Always gather in.

One who always enters the Way in this manner must teach his disciples in this manner.

There are thirteen virtues. What are the thirteen?

1. Having been mindful of the Tathāgata, one immediately attains joyful faith, and thereby joy arises.

2. Toward the Dharma it is likewise.

3. Toward scholars it is likewise.

4. Toward one's own keeping of the precepts it is likewise.

5. Toward the keeping of the precepts by others it is likewise.

6. Toward one's own personal realization it is likewise.

7. Toward realization it is likewise.

8. Toward one's own giving it is likewise.

9. Toward the giving of others it is likewise.

10. For the sake of the Way, removing much suffering.

11. For the sake of the world, expounding the sūtras abundantly so as to cause them to reflect.

12. Abandoning countless evil actions.

13. Performing countless wholesome dharmas so as to give rise to joy—having faith, one is able to give rise to delights.

Thus, teach your disciples in this way.

One should rely upon the four practices of the Dharma, causing the five dharmas to be made complete. What is relying upon the four dharmas?

1. Relying on the Dharma.

2. Relying on desire.

3. Relying on exertion.

4. Relying on sitting alone, and not clinging to other desires.

What are the five complete dharmas beneficial to the Way?

1. Joy. 2. Love. 3. Reliance. 4. Bliss. 5. Concentration.

Teach your disciples to delight in practicing in this way.

One should eliminate the eight kinds of sores. What are the eight?

1. The sore of desire.

2. The sore of anger and hatred.

3. The sore of folly.

4. The sore of arrogance.

5. The sore of craving.

6. The sore of delusion.

7. The sore of gain, reverence, and reputation.

8. The sore of not understanding because of doubt.

If a practitioner is able to make these eight kinds of sores vanish and be destroyed, he then attains transcendence.

There are ten dharmas of the adept beyond training. What are the ten?

1. The right view of one beyond training.

2. Right thought.

3. Right speech.

4. Right action.

5. Right livelihood.

6. Right skillful means.

7. Right mindfulness.

8. Right concentration.

9. Right deliverance.

10. Right wisdom.

By attaining these ten dharmas of the adept beyond training, from these causes and conditions one immediately attains right correspondence, immediately abandons the five kinds of rightness, corresponds with the six factors, guards the one dharma, attains the four reliances, casts off the one biased grasping of a particular truth, escapes from the faults of seeking and searching, has no defiled reflection, brings bodily activity to rest, brings vocal activity to rest, brings mental activity to rest, brings the reflection of the mind to rest, well liberates wisdom, and skillfully resolves all things.

One who has done so is called supreme. O venerable one, this is the final mind, thought, and consciousness of the venerable one, which from of old until now creates no more, gathers no more, assembles no more, and so brings all to an end. This is the essential dharma for cutting off suffering.

As stated above, the venerable one has heard the expounding of the Dharma—good in the beginning, good in the middle, good in the end—having meaning and having letter, complete in the holy life, and speaking of the essence of the Way in a pure manner. This is called the complete causes and conditions of the benefit of the Dharma; as I have said above, it is now fully expounded.

The venerable Śāriputra having expounded thus, the bhikṣus single-mindedly upheld and remembered the teachings of the venerable one in this way.

THE BUDDHA SPEAKS THE SŪTRA ON THE UNIVERSAL MEANING OF THE DHARMA