福蓋正行所集經

Bowing my head, I pay homage to the Buddhas

Together with the Bodhisattvas and the host of the holy ones

Who skillfully use the bright eye of wisdom

To rescue from suffering all living beings

Śakra possesses a thousand eyes

Maheśvara has three eyes

Together with the light of the sun and moon

Yet none of them can illuminate all things

Nārāyaṇa has two eyes

Manifesting and transforming forms and colors

Subduing the Asuras

Who rely on arrogance and hatred

Only the Buddha possesses the bright wisdom

That destroys evil and dispels darkness

Like using the tail of a peacock

To wash away the poisonous vapors

The Tathāgata, the Great Hero

Upon the crown bears the mark of white radiance

Seven coils, spiraling to the right

Cool and refreshing, truly delightful

The sun and moon light up the world

Yet the ugly and the mixed are not all revealed

The devas and the people of the world

All make offerings and sing his praise

Having heard this, and wishing to know how to act, in accordance with what the Buddha has taught, they revere and rejoice. With that dazzling wisdom, like a lamp shining from afar, he is able to destroy the dark obstructions of ignorance. Therefore he reveals the eye of the Buddha's wisdom; like a great cloud able to let fall drops of sweet-dew rain.

Like the full moon of autumn able to dispel the burning heat; in the end it can preserve the right Dharma of the Buddhas; increase all the wisdom of the Buddha; surely accomplish the faculties, powers, and limbs of enlightenment; then remove the force of karma, the two kinds of wind and wave. No longer sinking and floating in the sea of craving and the river of delusion, one boards the boat of the right Dharma and reaches the other shore.

With all wholesome practices, one constantly cultivates and creates. Taking precious goods to give in charity, removing the place of greed, increasing benefit, joyfully keeping the precepts and the Dharma, reciting the scriptures; having done so, O bhikṣus, with this canopy of merit, one is fully endowed from afar.

As the Buddha has taught concerning the Ten Wholesome deeds, should one not cultivate them? — Because of the mind of greedy desire, one is like a servant, the body cleaving to pleasure, not awakening to impermanence, seeking after all kinds of things, with no rest. Because of ignorance, then pride is born. Toward wealth, one is stingy and clings to it; should anyone come to beg, one turns away one's face and ignores them.

One has never clearly understood that, in a quiet and secluded place, free of the crowd, one may keep the pure precepts and practice meditative concentration, as the Buddha has spoken of the benefit for sentient beings. You too have a share therein — can you not attain it? Furthermore, this wealth can increase the heart of pride, and further adds distraction; it constantly brings much worry, gives rise to fear, covers over the good path, causes one to lose the Dharma; it is a place of falling, a thing of impermanence, with no master, no refuge.

Whether before or after, it cannot be attained. In the present it brings little joy, not abiding even for a moment; like a dream, an illusion, the flicker of a flame, the city of the Gandharvas, like a ring of fire, like the pith of that plantain tree, with nothing real within. Like the foam of rising spittle, Mount Sumeru crumbling apart, the foolish do not understand, grasping after all kinds of things.

This is the reason for much suffering and little joy. It gathers up all the afflictions as its root. Therefore do not think of it as firm and solid, but be able to remember impermanence, in order to counteract it; then one will not, for its sake, have it stolen by water or fire.

Officials and relatives are at the place of harm, and one will not, for its sake, be devoured alive as by Yama Rāja. Then in the life to come, one will surely accomplish joy and the reward of merit. By the giving of wealth one gathers in sentient beings.

This person, together with that one, attains the Kumuda flower, blossoming forth fresh and lovely, which all people rejoice to see, and then the accumulated mass of sin and obstruction is all at once extinguished in the blink of an eye, like the flash of fire that burns up dry straw, leaving nothing behind. In this way the many defilements are all made pure; like the Maṇi jewel, fulfilling wishes at will. Should anyone come to beg, they all are fully satisfied; making offerings and praising, becoming a place of refuge, creating what is fine and good.

True merit, leaving behind a good name, departing from error and fault, long life-span, broadly cultivating the holy practices. Furthermore, one can destroy all the poisonous harms of greed, hatred, delusion, wrong views, and the rest. Boarding the boat of merit, one never falls.

If there is one whose mind is defiled and sunk into the realm of desire, having created that dark karma, he too is like the deva Aṅgāmanasāla, departing from sickness and disease. One should clearly understand woman, the concealer of evil deeds; foolish sentient beings contend and cling in greed. This one drowned in desire is like that thirsty person: the more he drinks salt water, the more his mind finds no rest, like a tree with its root cut, unable to grow strong.

Like water down a steep mountain, it cannot be stopped. Like being in a serpent's cave, invaded by it; like a heated iron ball, creating suffering and distress; like eating poisonous fruit, afterward suffering harm. Like grass covered with dew, not abiding long; like a cloud in the sky, then and there dispersing.

Like a fortress made of sand, having a day when it is destroyed; like a vessel made of clay, its substance not firm or solid. Like the palace of Śakra, never to be used. Like mounting a broken cart, riding off then toppling sideways.

Like a net, once encountered it binds one fast. All these calamities are like one's own companion. Therefore the good person must cast them off.

The Buddha taught further: Toward the five desires, if one does not give rise to greedy attachment, then in the present one receives immeasurable peace, joy, and the reward of merit. With that reward of merit, one will bury the bursting forth of the afflictions. Boarding the boat of the right Dharma, one will reach the other shore.

I have passed through three great asaṃkhyeya kalpas, accumulating deeds of merit and virtue, and only then was able to receive these rich meanings as well as the savor of debate. For the sake of all sentient beings I reveal this in equality. You should go to a quiet place.

Based upon what I have said, study and reflect upon it, as from milk one extracts the essence of ghee. Having clearly understood thus, accumulate the various Dharma items and pure things in order to give in charity. Furthermore, the Tathāgatas, having come forth out of the mire of the three realms, accomplish the uncontaminated surpassing merit, and skillfully reveal in full all the Dharmas, as in a beautiful garden where there is someone dwelling there truly pure, free of all noise and clamor, well cultivating the various practices, and gaining rebirth in the realm of the devas.

I, with regard to such places, am such that all the afflictions cannot disturb me. All things that are fearful will be cut off. Because of this condition I break apart the cycle of birth and death and will attain right awakening.

Furthermore! The Tathāgatas, with great loving-kindness and compassion, skillfully subdue all the non-Buddhist paths. With pure wisdom they observe and discern.

With gentle words they gather and embrace, teaching with earnest care. Bestowing the gift of fearlessness, they then speak the right Dharma, causing faith to arise, shattering the nets of Māra. Within the Buddha-Dharma, the mind comes to abide in peace.

Such is the Great Hero, like the roar of the lion's cry. Like the Great Dragon-Elephant, his awesome virtue resplendent, together with cloud and thunder, pouring down the sweet-dew rain, the uncontaminated precepts and concentration, enveloped by all fragrances. Whatever he does is never in error.

For all sentient beings he proclaims the right Dharma, freeing them from torment and confusion, causing them to gain joy, like the Kalpa tree bursting forth soft and tender blossoms, which is the supreme Dharma, removing the defiled mind.

As the World-Honored One taught, one who keeps the pure precepts then possesses the wholesome Dharma, departs from all fears, then attains peace and security, is able to cross over the sea of suffering, reaching the other shore, able to destroy the Four Māras; namely the deva-māra, the skandha-māra, the death-māra, and the affliction-māra. This person will blow the great Dharma-conch, beat the great Dharma-drum, kindle the great Dharma-torch, with a pure and joyful mind, benefiting all, teaching and transforming devas and humans, for the sake of doing the Buddha's work.

Furthermore, the Tathāgatas, over immeasurable kalpas, accumulate merit without weariness, cultivate wisdom, and so are able to accomplish unobstructed eloquence. The four fearlessnesses, the ten kinds of wisdom-powers, by skillful means penetrate the Dharma of awakening, are able to use the arrows of wisdom to destroy the foes of Māra. Having directly realized such merits, among the three realms they stand at the head, and for all sentient beings they act as the kind father of loving-kindness and compassion.

Furthermore, the Tathāgatas, by means of the ten kinds of supreme wisdom-powers, teach the multitudes of the non-Buddhist paths and turn them into disciples. By keeping the precepts of the Buddha they bring forth great joy, and at the very least they realize entry into the ranks of the holy ones, like Kauṇḍinya, who skillfully and decisively removed his dull, dim, blind ignorance and entered into the right Dharma, which was a matter foremost and exceptional.

Like Mahākāśyapa, like Uruvilvā-Kāśyapa. Among the Brahmins they were the leading ones; yet by using the Dharma-medicine of the Buddha they removed the sickness of the afflictions. Like the Venerable Śāriputra, who skillfully used the power of wisdom to subdue the mad, deranged mind of the elephant; and there was one of spiritual power, like Mahāmaudgalyāyana, who cultivated every practice, relying on the ladder of the right Dharma, dwelling in pure, peaceful liberation.

Like Aniruddha, Piṇḍola, Bhāradvāja, Mahākauṣṭhila, Ānanda, and the rest... And further they brought across King Bimbisāra. Within the Buddha-Dharma he gave rise to profound faith and understanding, with reverence and respect.

For the disciples of the Buddha are the holy ones, who skillfully use the sword of wisdom to cut off the trees of the conditions of birth, departing from deluded thoughts, seeking all wisdom, casting off the views of the non-Buddhist paths. Subduing pride, they all accomplish every merit.

With regard to the four great poisonous serpents, the five skandhas that have no abiding aggregate, deludedly taken as the master and sovereign, one is then not liberated; therefore one should use the sword of wisdom to sever and cast them away. Furthermore, using the eye of wisdom one observes the realm of the six sense-bases, which are like a band of bandits. Together with the twelve sense-bases; like a dense thicket, one skillfully enters and breaks the encirclement, and that person is not, by the afflictions, burned and surrounded and pressed upon within and without.

This person keeps the pure precepts. Dwelling in patient endurance, he gains his portion of the abodes of mindfulness, his wisdom full and dazzling, breaking through the screen of ignorance. That one then drinks the water of the Eightfold Noble Path, and is further able to bring the flower of awakening into bloom.

He is further able to surpass the towering pavilions of the three times, to cut off the various bonds, and to enter the sea of wisdom. At the place of awakening, sitting in the full-lotus posture, he enters into the Fourth Dhyāna, the uncontaminated surpassing concentration, enjoying all the unsurpassed bliss of the Dharma.

Furthermore, those foolish and benighted ones lose the wholesome Dharma and fall into the worldly realm of the five desires. Like the wind meeting the dew, they cannot last long, drifting and floating in misery, gaining no liberation, and seeing the fine and good Dharma, they cast it off and depart.

As the scripture says: In the past there was a Brahmin elder who wished to take a sharp sword to kill that woman; when he met the Tathāgata, he cried out in a loud voice, saying: May the Buddha rescue and deliver me, and at once he gained liberation. Again like Aṅgulimāla, who wished to harm his own mother. So too with the subduing of Dīrghanakha the Brahmin, who with a mind of great pride was brought into the Buddha-Dharma and steeped in the savor of the Dharma, which further caused all those foolish ones, having heard this, to cast off their pride.

Like an evil dragon whose mind is prone to fury, spewing forth poisonous vapor, harming the young rice-sprouts. Again like a Yakṣa using its fierce eye to look upon a hundred thousand sentient beings, and so bringing them harm. Like merchants sinking and floating in the great ocean, with fish below wishing to swallow them whole.

Such fearful things, the various evil and perilous calamities — only the World-Honored One is able to rescue and deliver. Again like the sun and moon that fear the Asuras, like Śakra the lord of devas who fears falling into the evil paths. The Brahma-King, grasping otherwise, holds that "I am permanent." Such matters they do not see clearly, going to and fro in the cycle of birth and death, undergoing all manner of oppression; when they are made to hear the right Dharma, they are at once delivered, drinking the savor of liberation, breaking the root of ignorance.

With that bright wisdom, like the moon clear and pure. Therefore the Tathāgata teaches and instructs that one must give rise to a mind of deep faith and reverence, draw near to the Dharma-master, joyfully hear the right Dharma, investigate and search out the true meaning, and practice and uphold it exactly as taught. As for the teachings of those non-Buddhist paths, they are a Dharma within the cycle of birth and death, upon which the wise should reflect carefully.

Furthermore, the Muni, the World-Honored One, speaks the sweet-dew Dharma, like the radiant light of wisdom, breaking apart all that is deluded and dark. Like one on a height who sees all things, the heaping-up of non-Dharma, like a pile of foul dung, should be removed by means of sharp wisdom. With regard to the foes of Māra, one breaks apart the other doctrines, causing deep penetration and clear understanding, giving rise to the mind of wisdom.

All things are thereby made fine and good. With regard to the fevered torment of body and mind and all evil sins, all are thereby removed. That teaching of the Muni is like a broad and spacious canopy, like the sun burning up those afflictions, and then making things cool again.

If one is able to carve and create images of the Buddha, adorning them with incense and flowers, and accordingly make offerings — then even rebirth in the heavens may gradually be attained. Because one relies upon the Buddha's teaching. Then those karmic obstructions in an instant become cool, and meditative concentration and liberation all become present; not like the non-Buddhist paths, who through one lifetime of empty falsehood do not skillfully cultivate, but give rise to wrong and false views, relying on the water of the Ganges River to wash themselves and seek liberation.

Having clearly understood thus, one should then valiantly cross over all the realms of Māra. Taking up the sword of wisdom, one breaks apart the bandits of the afflictions, extinguishes the wheel of birth and death, cuts off the bonds, uses the eye of wisdom to extinguish the darkness of all the Māras, that is, the mind of greedy craving, subdues the poisonous serpent of hatred, cuts off all wrong views, and demolishes the mountain of pride.

Toward the place where the Buddha was born, with joy and reverence, scatter the pārijāta flowers as an offering. Then whatever one seeks at will is all accomplished; departing from slander, liberated from fear, abiding in the true and right principle of the Buddhas, and departing from the marks of birth and extinction, gaining everlasting joy. One should single-mindedly and joyfully listen to the teaching of the Dharma.

Thus have I heard: At one time the Buddha was at the city of Śrāvastī, in the garden of Anāthapiṇḍada and Prince Jeta. During that assembly there were two persons of the non-Buddhist paths. They were the Great Sage Kapila and the Great Sage Ulūka, who cast off their wrong views and entered into the wisdom of the Buddha's liberation, well removing the darkness of delusion, crossing over the seas of suffering, and they then reflected thus: For what reason has the Tathāgata accomplished such pure, vast, merit-canopy of merit, his form and features rare and wondrous like pure gold, lofty and exalted like Mount Sumeru?

With the thirty-two marks of the Great Hero and the eighty subsidiary marks of beauty, clearly displayed, upright and complete, lacking nothing. All dust and defilement cannot stain him; he appears six fathoms tall, his marvelous light reaching to the very limit of the realm of space. Now hidden, now manifest, never disappearing.

His eyes are large like the petals of the blue lotus flower; between his brows is the mark of the white hair like the autumn moon. That face is brilliant and radiant, subtle, wondrous, and lovable. His hair coils, blue-black in color like the tail of a peacock.

The mark on his crown is full and round like the canopy-dome of the Lord of Heaven. The uṣṇīṣa is pure like the Maṇi jewel. His whole body is bright and shining like fire blazing forth, causing all sentient beings to see it and rejoice.

Like a swarm of bees upon the fine flower-stamens; each and every fine mark, one looks and does not wish to stop. Like the Kusuma flowers blooming in springtime. At that time the Tathāgata, just as the mind of those non-Buddhist ones was thinking, used his pure eye to observe those immeasurable, boundless worlds, and toward all sentient beings he gave rise to a heart of compassion and spoke these words: O good sons!

For three great asaṃkhyeya kalpas I have cultivated immeasurable pure and right practices, accumulating broadly the boundless merit and wisdom — it was not by a small and meager cause that one could become thus. Abiding in the inexhaustible treasury of merit, with a heart of loving-kindness and compassion I resolve to rescue and aid immeasurable hundreds of thousands of sentient beings in the hells, freeing them from enmity, drawing near to them in thought.

In all cases causing the end of suffering.

The Sūtra of the Collected Practices of the Canopy of Merit

End of Scroll One