觀虛空藏菩薩經

Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was dwelling on Mount Khadiraka, abiding in the place where the Rishi of Right Enlightenment had dwelt, together with one thousand two hundred and fifty bhikshus and one thousand Bodhisattvas of the Worthy Kalpa, led by Maitreya. At that time, the Elder Upali rose from his seat, arranged his robes, paid homage to the Buddha, and addressed him, saying:

"World-Honored One! Previously, in the Sutra of Merit, you said that the name of the Great Bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha can remove all unwholesome evil karma and rectify the candāla king... down to the candāla śramana and all evil rules of conduct. If one wishes to rectify such evil deeds, how should one contemplate the Bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha?

Supposing one is able to behold him, how then is one to dwell together with the Sangha to perform the upoṣadha and the affairs of the Sangha? If an upāsaka has broken the five precepts, violated the eight precepts of abstinence; if a bhikshu, bhikshuni, śrāmaṇera, śrāmaṇerikā, or śikṣamāṇā who has left the household life has violated the four grave prohibitions; if a lay Bodhisattva has destroyed and violated the six grave dharmas; if a monastic Bodhisattva has violated the eight grave prohibitions—as for persons with such faults, the World-Honored One previously said within the Vinaya that they are to be expelled and driven away by a definitive judgment, like a great stone that has been broken.

Now, within this Sutra, the Buddha says that the Bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha, in his great compassion, can rescue beings from all sufferings and speaks a dhāraṇī to remove offenses. Supposing there is such a person, how is one to know it? What is to be taken as proof?

I pray that the Heaven-Honored One will discern and explain it!"

The Buddha said to Upali:

"You, and those skilled in upholding the Vinaya in the future age, must teach and transform those beings who have committed these offenses and console their minds! The vow of great loving-kindness made by the World-Honored One is immeasurable and forsakes none. In the profound Sutra of Merit, the dharma for rectifying offenses is spoken—it is called the definitive Vinaya.

There are thirty-five Buddhas, world-saviors of great compassion, to whom you must pay reverent homage. When you pay reverent homage, you must put on the garment of shame and remorse; as when an eye develops a boil there arises deep shame, as a person with scabies follows the words of a good physician—so too should you give rise to shame and remorse. Having given rise to shame and remorse, then from one day up to seven days pay homage to the Buddhas of the ten directions, recite the names of the thirty-five Buddhas, and especially recite the name of the greatly compassionate Bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha.

The practitioner should bathe his body, burn every kind of famed and fragrant incense such as solid black aloeswood, and at the time when the morning star rises, kneeling upright with palms joined, weeping with tears falling like rain, recite the name of Ākāśagarbha and say: 'O Venerable One! Great-Compassion Bodhisattva! Out of pity for me, manifest your body for my sake.' Then one should give rise to this thought: 'Upon the crown of that Bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha is a Cintāmaṇi jewel.

That Cintāmaṇi jewel produces a purple-golden color.' If one sees the Cintāmaṇi jewel, that is to see the heavenly crown. Within this heavenly crown, images of the thirty-five Buddhas appear. Within the Cintāmaṇi jewel, images of the Buddhas of the ten directions appear.

The body of the Bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha is twenty yojanas in height. If he manifests his great body together with Bodhisattvas such as Avalokiteśvara and the rest, then this Bodhisattva sits in the full lotus posture, his hand grasping the king of Cintāmaṇi jewels. That Cintāmaṇi jewel proclaims every dharma-sound in accord with the Vinaya.

If this Bodhisattva, out of pity for beings, transforms himself into the form of a bhikshu and all manner of forms and images—whether in a dream, or while sitting in meditation—he uses the seal of the maṇi jewel to imprint upon the arm of that person. The pattern of the seal-imprint bears the words 'Offenses Removed.' Having obtained these words, one then returns among the assembly of the Sangha and recites the precepts as before.

If an upāsaka obtains these words, he is not barred from leaving the household life. Supposing a person does not obtain these words, then at once within the empty sky there is a voice proclaiming: 'The offenses are extinguished! The offenses are extinguished!' If there is no voice in the sky making known the Vinaya, then in a dream one sees the Bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha saying: 'The Vinaya is fulfilled!

The Vinaya is fulfilled! You, such-and-such a bhikshu; you, such-and-such an upāsaka'—and he further causes them to repent from one day up to forty-nine days. By the power of paying homage to the thirty-five Buddhas and the Bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha, the offenses of that person are lightened.

One who knows the dharma should further direct them to clean the latrines (privies) over a period of eight hundred days, and day by day tell them: 'You have done impure deeds! You must now single-mindedly clean all the latrines, letting no one know of it. When the cleaning is finished, bathe and become clean, pay homage to the thirty-five Buddhas, recite the name of Ākāśagarbha, face toward the Twelve Divisions of the Scriptures, cast down the five parts of the body to the ground, and confess your evil offenses.' Repenting in this way, one passes a further thirty-seven days.

Then the wise one should gather close before the image of the Buddha and recite the names of the thirty-five Buddhas, recite the name of Mañjuśrī, recite the names of the Bodhisattvas of the Worthy Kalpa... and obtain those ones as witnesses, then again declare the karman-procedure and receive the precepts as before. By the power of this person's austere practice, his karmic offenses are forever removed, no longer obstructing the three kinds of Bodhi-karma."

The Buddha said to Upali:

"You must preserve this method of contemplating Ākāśagarbha, and for the sake of beings in the future age who have no shame and remorse and who commit many evil deeds, discern and expound it widely."

When these words were spoken, the Bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha sat in the full lotus posture, emitted a golden-colored light, and within the jewel there appeared the thirty-five Buddhas. He then addressed the Buddha, saying:

"World-Honored One! This precious Cintāmaṇi jewel was born from the Śūraṅgama. Therefore, when beings see this jewel, they attain mastery according to their wishes."

At that time, the World-Honored One instructed Upali, saying:

"You must preserve this Sutra and may not expound it widely for the sake of many people! You alone are to be one who preserves the Vinaya, acting as the pupil of the eye (the eyeball) for the sake of beings in the future age who lack forbearance. Take heed, and do not forget it!"

Upali, having heard the words of the Buddha, joyfully received and practiced them.

THE SUTRA ON CONTEMPLATING THE BODHISATTVA ĀKĀŚAGARBHA

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