寂照神變三摩地經

Thus have I heard. At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling on Vulture Peak at Rajagriha, together with a great assembly of 1,250 bhiksus and great bodhisattvas as numerous as the finest dust particles in ten kotis of Buddha-realms. Their names were: the youthful Bodhisattva Manjusri, Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, Bodhisattva Medicine King, Bodhisattva Supreme Medicine, Bodhisattva Caitya Thunder, Bodhisattva Red Lotus Hand, Bodhisattva Sunlight, Bodhisattva Moonlight, Bodhisattva Courageous Far from Defilement, Bodhisattva Severer of All Evil Destinies, Bodhisattva Wisdom Above Wisdom, Bodhisattva Jewel Above Wisdom, Bodhisattva Sentient Beings Above Wisdom, Bodhisattva Fragrant Flowers Above Wisdom, Bodhisattva Sun Above Wisdom, Bodhisattva Moon Above Wisdom,

Bodhisattva Stainless Above Wisdom, Bodhisattva Vajra Above Wisdom, Bodhisattva Far from Defilement Above Wisdom, Bodhisattva Universal Illumination Above Wisdom, Bodhisattva Luminous Banner, Bodhisattva Lofty Banner, Bodhisattva Jewel Banner, Bodhisattva Unattached Banner, Bodhisattva Fragrant Flower Banner, Bodhisattva Stainless Banner, Bodhisattva Sun Banner, Bodhisattva Moon Banner, Bodhisattva Far-from-Defilement Banner, Bodhisattva Universal Illumination Banner, Bodhisattva Upholder of Majestic Light, Bodhisattva Jewel Majestic Light, Bodhisattva Great Wisdom Majestic Light, Bodhisattva Wisdom-Vajra Majestic Light, Bodhisattva Stainless Majestic Light, Bodhisattva Sun Majestic Light, Bodhisattva Moon Majestic Light, Bodhisattva Mountain of Merit Majestic Light,

Bodhisattva Wisdom-Illumination Majestic Light, Bodhisattva Equal Victory Majestic Light, Bodhisattva Treasury Holder, Bodhisattva Akasagarbha, Bodhisattva Red Lotus Treasury, Bodhisattva Sun Treasury, Bodhisattva Moon Treasury, Bodhisattva Treasury of Pure Merit, Bodhisattva Treasury of the Dharma Seal, Bodhisattva Treasury of Universal Illumination, Bodhisattva Equal Treasury, Bodhisattva Supreme Red Lotus Treasury, Bodhisattva Sun Eye, Bodhisattva Pure Eye, Bodhisattva Stainless Eye, Bodhisattva Unattached Eye, Bodhisattva Eye of Excellent Benefit, Bodhisattva Vajra Eye, Bodhisattva Jewel Eye, Bodhisattva Space Eye, Bodhisattva Universal Eye, Bodhisattva Celestial Crown, Bodhisattva Crown of the Mani Jewel of Light and Shadow of the Dharmadhatu, Bodhisattva Crown of Wondrous Awakening,

Bodhisattva Crown of Universal Illumination, Bodhisattva Invincible Crown, Bodhisattva Crown Equally Covering the Lion Thrones of All Tathagatas, Bodhisattva Crown of Light and Shadow Pervading Space throughout the Dharmadhatu, Bodhisattva Brahma-Lord Topknot, Bodhisattva Naga-Lord Topknot, Bodhisattva Topknot of the Light and Shadow of All Buddhas’ Transformations, Bodhisattva Topknot of the Mani-Jewel King of the Sounds of the Ocean of All Vows, Bodhisattva Topknot of Wondrous Awakening, Bodhisattva Topknot of the Equal Sounds of All Three Times, Bodhisattva Great Light, Bodhisattva Stainless Light, Bodhisattva Jewel Light, Bodhisattva Far-from-Defilement Light, Bodhisattva Luminous Light,

Bodhisattva Topknot Equally Covered by the Mani-Jewel Net and the Mani-Banner King of the Miraculous Light and Shadow of All Tathagatas, Bodhisattva Topknot of the Sound of the Dharma Wheels of All Tathagatas, Bodhisattva Topknot of the Thunderous Mani Jewel in the Great Wheel of Light Emitted by All Tathagatas, Bodhisattva Topknot Adorned with Mani Jewels Manifesting All Varieties in Space, Bodhisattva Dharma Light, Bodhisattva Pure Light, Bodhisattva Sun-and-Moon Light, Bodhisattva Miraculous Light, Bodhisattva Celestial Light, Bodhisattva Lofty Banner of Merit, Bodhisattva Lofty Banner of Wisdom, Bodhisattva Lofty Banner of Supernormal Powers, Bodhisattva Lofty Banner of Radiance, Bodhisattva Lofty Mani Banner, Bodhisattva Lofty Banner of Fragrant Flowers,

Bodhisattva Lofty Banner of Awakened Wisdom, Bodhisattva Lofty Brahma Banner, Bodhisattva Lofty Banner of Universal Illumination, Bodhisattva Brahma Voice, Bodhisattva Sustained Roaring Voice, Bodhisattva Ocean Voice, Bodhisattva Voice of the Lord of the World, Bodhisattva Voice of the Great Mountain Kings Striking One Another, Bodhisattva Voice Pervading the Entire Dharmadhatu, Bodhisattva Thunderous Voice of the Entire Ocean of Dharma, Bodhisattva Subduer of All Wheels of Mara, Bodhisattva Cloud-Thunder Voice of the Principle of Great Compassion, Bodhisattva Voice Comforting All Suffering Sentient Beings, Bodhisattva Dharma Courage, Bodhisattva Supreme Courage, Bodhisattva Surging Wisdom Courage, Bodhisattva Lofty Courage of Wondrous Merit, Bodhisattva Courage of Virtue and Wisdom,

Bodhisattva Courage of Renown, Bodhisattva Courage of Universal Illumination, Bodhisattva Courage of Great Loving-Kindness, Bodhisattva Courage of the Name of Wisdom, Bodhisattva Courage of the Tathagata Lineage, Bodhisattva Supreme Light, Bodhisattva Wondrous Victory, Bodhisattva Supreme Birth, Bodhisattva Supreme Universal Illumination, Bodhisattva Supreme Space, Bodhisattva Supreme Jewel, Bodhisattva Supreme Lofty Banner, Bodhisattva Supreme Wisdom, Bodhisattva Exalted Lord King, Bodhisattva Lord King of the World, Bodhisattva Brahma Lord King, Bodhisattva Mountain Lord King, Bodhisattva Immovable Lord King, Bodhisattva Venerable Lord King, Bodhisattva Wondrous Awakening Lord King, Bodhisattva Voice of Tranquil Quiescence, Bodhisattva Unattached Voice, Bodhisattva Sustained Pure Voice,

Bodhisattva Ocean-Tide Voice, Bodhisattva Voice of Awakening through Fundamental Vows, Bodhisattva Voice of the Bodhimanda, Bodhisattva Awakening of Lofty Wisdom, Bodhisattva Awakening of Space, Bodhisattva Stainless Awakening, Bodhisattva Unattached Awakening, Bodhisattva Awakening of Enlightenment, Bodhisattva Awakening Illuminating the Three Times, Bodhisattva Jewel Awakening, Bodhisattva Vast Awakening, Bodhisattva Universally Luminous Awakening, Bodhisattva Awakening Illuminating the Principle of the Dharmadhatu, and so forth.

Such bodhisattvas were foremost in the assembly.

All these great bodhisattvas, as numerous as the finest dust particles in ten kotis of Buddha-realms, dwelt on the stage of non-retrogression. They had all accomplished immeasurable realms of emptiness and the unobstructed equality of the Dharmadhatu. They had resolute understanding of the arising of unripe karma and of the fruits arising from causes. Through the arising of the seal of True Suchness upon all dharmas, and through the wisdom of equality, they saw all dharmas. Just as light and shadow produce images, when the nature of equality is accomplished, all dharmas are seen. Like echoes resounding in a mountain valley, they clearly revealed the nature of equality.

All these great bodhisattvas had attained inconceivable supreme liberations and concentrations. They abided in and vigorously cultivated the samadhis, through which they could display the boundless physical forms of Buddhas. They had perfected all dharanis. Within a single pore, they could universally manifest all Buddha-realms. Within a single pore, they could universally manifest death or birth, emergence from the womb, departure from the household life, skillful manifestations of difficult and painful practices, proceeding to the seat of enlightenment, vanquishing and subduing the armies of Mara, attaining perfect enlightenment, turning the wheel of the true Dharma, and finally manifesting entrance into great nirvana.

Having perfected the single cross-legged sitting posture, these bodhisattvas could fill all worlds throughout the ten directions with wisdom. In the assemblies of all Tathagatas throughout all worlds in the ten directions, they could manifest a single Tathagata; and in the assembly of a single Tathagata, they could universally manifest all Tathagatas. They were skillful in expounding all boundless dharmas and had thoroughly penetrated all dharmas without limit.

Entering boundlessness by means of manifold nets of illusion, these bodhisattvas could universally manifest sentient beings throughout limitless kalpas. Within their own bodies, they could universally enter and sustain the bodies of all sentient beings, with skillful resolute understanding. Within a single body, they could universally enter and sustain the bodies of all Tathagatas, with skillful resolute understanding.

Within the body of one Buddha, they could universally enter and manifest the bodies of all Tathagatas, with no other bodies of sentient beings remaining; in all this they were skillful. Within their own bodies, they could universally enter and manifest all worlds throughout the ten directions; in all this they were skillful. Within a single Dharma-body, they could universally manifest together with all sentient beings of the three realms.

These bodhisattvas could enter samadhi in a single body and manifest boundless bodies of sentient beings. While directly realizing equal enlightenment in a single body, they could manifest all bodies resembling the various classes of sentient beings. Among all those sentient beings, they could manifest one body of a sentient being; and within the body of one sentient being, they could universally manifest all bodies of sentient beings. Within the bodies of sentient beings they could manifest the Dharma-body, and within the Dharma-body they could manifest the bodies of sentient beings.

They could enter and sustain the absence of vows with skillful means amid all bodhisattva vows. For the sake of sentient beings, they could manifest Buddhas directly realizing equal enlightenment, and through the power of vows they could manifest the places where equal enlightenment was realized. Because beings had matured according to their appropriate transformation, they could manifest unsurpassed perfect enlightenment and bring all kalpas of absence of vows to an end. Within all bodies of sentient beings, they could universally manifest mastery through the power of vows, transfer bodily consciousness, establish the body of wisdom, and universally manifest the cessation of their own bodies and the fulfillment of the aspirations of other sentient beings’ bodies.

They could universally manifest all sentient beings accomplishing great vows. In every world, they could individually manifest the practice of bodhisattva conduct throughout all kalpas without interruption. In a single pore, through the power of great vows, they could manifest circulation throughout all Buddha-realms. In ineffably ineffable worlds, they could manifest in each world a body attaining perfect enlightenment. With regard to a single phrase of Dharma, they could manifest its uninterrupted proclamation, pervading the entire Dharmadhatu without exception.

These bodhisattvas could bring forth the sublime flavor of amrita and rain down vast currents of the great Dharma. They could universally radiate the light of liberation, thunder forth the true sound of the Dharma, fill all realms of sentient beings, and fulfill great vows. They could all enter the liberation of Pure Power. When the realm traversed by their supernormal, luminous wisdom arose for but a moment in their minds, they could manifest, in the places of birth and death through which beings in all worlds of the ten directions transmigrate, the different bodily characteristics of every class of beings born there.

They were entirely unhindered in knowing their own minds and the minds of others. They were skillful regarding the mind of one sentient being, the minds of all sentient beings, and all their wisdom and activities. In the space of a single instant, they skillfully entered the wondrous wisdom of the Tathagata’s ten powers. They could enter without obstruction the wisdom of all kalpas throughout the three times, together with the wondrous wisdom manifest in the successive mental continuities of other sentient beings; in all this they were skillful. In each single instant of mind, they could manifest every migration and activity of all classes of sentient beings throughout all worlds of the ten directions; in all this they were skillful.

Furthermore, where a single sentient being was without conceptual thought, they could enter all the karmic deeds of all sentient beings and directly perceive them with wondrous wisdom; in all this they were skillful. Through the utterance of one sentient being, they could enter and manifest the speech and wondrous wisdom of all sentient beings; in all this they were skillful. By taking one body as their condition, they could universally manifest all bodies existing throughout all worlds; in all this they were skillful.

Entering the assembly of a single Tathagata, they could manifest entry into the assemblies of all Tathagatas to teach and uphold the Dharma; in all this they were skillful. They could enter the assemblies of all Tathagatas and manifest entry into the assembly of only one Tathagata to teach and uphold the Dharma; in all this they were skillful. They had attained all sublime dharanis and were skillful in entering, retaining, sustaining, eloquently discussing, and decisively discerning them. They were skillful in proclaiming the source of all realms of sentient beings.

Taking the mind of a single sentient being as the object of cognition, they could turn toward and realize ineffable great enlightenment. They awakened to the minds of all sentient beings and were skillful in wisdom. With a single utterance, they could instruct all worlds. They could fully know the diverse inclinations in the minds of all sentient beings and skillfully reveal the continuities of other sentient beings.

With one mind, following their thoughts, they could enter the kalpas of all sentient beings’ former lives and universally manifest the different ripening of the karmic fruits of their deeds. Then, according to those ripened karmic fruits, they awakened sentient beings in the appropriate manner, enabling them all to see directly; in all this they were skillful. They were skillful in universally adorning all worlds and skillfully entered all modes of existence. Regarding the equal nature of the awakening of all Buddhas, the great vows of bodhisattvas, and their own vows and practices, they could clearly know them and emit the light of Dharma; in all this they were skillful.

They could cause ineffably many worlds to enter a single minute dust particle; in this they were skillful. They could cause a single minute dust particle to equal all worlds in measure; in this they were skillful. In a single Buddha-realm they could manifest all Buddha-realms; in this they were skillful. They could gather the waters of all great oceans into one pore and, traversing the Dharmadhatu and passing back and forth through worlds beyond measure, cause no injury or suffering to sentient beings; in this they were skillful.

They could bring ineffably many worlds into their own bodies and universally manifest all the deeds of all sentient beings; in this they were skillful. They could take innumerable, inconceivable, immeasurable, boundless, and ineffable minor Iron-Ring Mountains, great Iron-Ring Mountains, and other great mountains, place them within one pore, and travel back and forth through all worlds without frightening sentient beings; in this they were skillful.

They could gather ineffably ineffable numbers of kalpas into a single kalpa and extend one kalpa into ineffably ineffable kalpas, universally manifesting therein all distinctions of formation and destruction; in this they were skillful. In order to transform the various classes of sentient beings, they could appear separately throughout all worlds and, according to what was required in each place, manifest a water calamity, a fire calamity, or a wind calamity; in this they were skillful. With the toe of their right foot they could kick away innumerable, inconceivable, and immeasurable worlds without injuring or afflicting sentient beings; in this they were skillful.

All these bodhisattvas dwelt on the Dharma-Cloud Stage, the tenth bhumi. They could protect sentient beings who had been transformed throughout the ten directions from vast calamities, grief, famine, danger, and hardship; in this they were skillful, without injuring or afflicting other sentient beings. Through their supernormal powers, they could manifest the appearance of a Buddha in worlds where there was no Buddha. All these great bodhisattvas had fully accomplished immeasurable and boundless merits such as these.

The Buddha was also accompanied by five hundred great bodhisattvas, with Bodhisattva Bhadrapala as their foremost. All these bodhisattvas dwelt on the stage of non-retrogression.

At that time, in the great city of Vaisali, there was a Licchavi youth named Ratnakara. Surrounded before and behind by twenty-one thousand Licchavi youths, he went to Vulture Peak. Arriving before the Tathagata, they bowed at his feet, withdrew to the right, and sat down. Gazing upon the Blessed One without blinking, they remained there reverently.

In the great city of Yaksaja there was a householder named Syama. Surrounded before and behind by five hundred upasakas, he went to Vulture Peak. Arriving before the Tathagata, they bowed at his feet, withdrew, and sat to one side. Gazing upon the Blessed One without blinking, they remained there reverently.

There was also a householder named Well-Disciplined. Surrounded before and behind by five thousand householders, he went to Vulture Peak. Arriving before the Tathagata, they bowed at his feet, withdrew, and sat to one side. Gazing upon the Blessed One without blinking, they remained there reverently.

There was also a householder named Merchant Chief. Surrounded before and behind by a great retinue, he went to Vulture Peak. Arriving before the Tathagata, they bowed at his feet, withdrew, and sat to one side. Gazing upon the Blessed One without blinking, they remained there reverently.

In the great city of Campa there was the son of an elder named Goodness. Surrounded before and behind by eighty-four thousand sons of elders, he went to Vulture Peak. Arriving before the Tathagata, they bowed at his feet, withdrew, and sat to one side. Gazing upon the Blessed One without blinking, they remained there reverently.

There was also a manavaka named Naradatta. Surrounded before and behind by five hundred manavakas, he went to Vulture Peak. Arriving before the Tathagata, they bowed at his feet, withdrew, and sat to one side. Gazing upon the Blessed One without blinking, they remained there reverently.

There was also a manavaka named Delight in Desire. Surrounded before and behind by five hundred manavakas, he went to Vulture Peak. Arriving before the Tathagata, they bowed at his feet, withdrew, and sat to one side. Gazing upon the Blessed One without blinking, they remained there reverently.

The king of Magadha, named Ajatasatru, surrounded before and behind by five thousand attendants, rode the elephant Protector of Wealth to Vulture Peak. Whether traveling on foot or riding Protector of Wealth, when they reached the observation pavilion they all dismounted and ascended Vulture Peak on foot. The five thousand people all came before the Tathagata, bowed at his feet, withdrew, and sat to one side. Gazing upon the Blessed One without blinking, they sat there reverently.

In the great city of Varanasi there was the son of an elder named Good Realm. Surrounded before and behind by five hundred sons of elders, he went to Vulture Peak. Arriving before the Tathagata, they bowed at his feet, withdrew, and sat to one side. Gazing upon the Blessed One without blinking, they remained there reverently.

There were also Sakra, king of the gods; Great Brahma, lord of the Saha realm; the Four Great Heavenly Kings, protectors of the world; the god Mahesvara; the gods Sun and Moon; the god Good Courageous Thought; the god Suslima; and innumerable, inconceivable, immeasurable, and boundless other gods. Each of these gods, surrounded before and behind by innumerable kotis of hundreds of thousands of divine attendants, went to Vulture Peak. Arriving before the Tathagata, they bowed at his feet. Each god then presented inconceivably wondrous offerings according to his ability. Afterward, they withdrew and sat to one side. Gazing upon the Blessed One without blinking, they remained there reverently.

At that time, from every pore, every minor mark, and every excellent major mark of the Blessed One, there streamed variously colored lights as numerous as the finest dust particles in ten Buddha-realms. Each ray illuminated the ten directions. In each direction, it equally pervaded worlds as numerous as the finest dust particles in ten kotis of Buddha-realms; there was nowhere the light did not reach. From every world it summoned innumerable kotis of nayutas of hundreds of thousands of bodhisattvas.

Each bodhisattva rode upon a wondrous jeweled platform measuring kotis of hundreds of thousands of yojanas in length and breadth, surrounded by precious railings and adorned with jeweled silks, pearls, mani jewels, lofty banners, pennants, and canopies. Surrounded before and behind by immeasurable, innumerable, inconceivable kotis of nayutas of hundreds of thousands of celestial maidens, they came to Vulture Peak. Arriving before the Tathagata, they bowed at his feet and scattered clouds of celestial flowers, clouds of jewels, clouds of garments, clouds of durable go-sirsa candana, clouds of celestial music and praise, and so forth, as offerings. They then withdrew and sat to one side. Gazing upon the Blessed One without blinking, they remained there reverently.

At that time, throughout this trichiliocosm, beings of vast majestic virtue—gods, nagas, yaksas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, mahoragas, Sakras, Brahma kings, world-protecting heavenly kings, humans, nonhumans, and others—together with assemblies of bodhisattvas, stood crowded together until there was not even space enough to hold a single hair.

At that time, Bodhisattva Bhadrapala rose from the assembly, bared one shoulder, placed his right knee upon the ground, joined his palms reverently, and addressed the Buddha:

“Blessed One, I have several questions to ask the Tathagata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One. I pray that you will graciously permit me to ask them and grant me your reply.”

After the bodhisattva had spoken these words, the Blessed One said to the great Bodhisattva Bhadrapala:

“Bhadrapala, ask freely according to your wishes. I shall answer accordingly and bring joy to your heart.”

After the Buddha had spoken these words, the great Bodhisattva Bhadrapala addressed him:

“Blessed One, by relying on what, by practicing what conduct, by following what discipline, by cultivating what roots of goodness, by applying what diligence, by depending upon what support, through what skillful wisdom, through what wondrous knowledge, by what mindfulness, by turning toward what, by being guided by what, by upholding what truth, and by wearing what armor do assemblies of great bodhisattvas become irreversible, non-retrogressive, and entirely free from regression with respect to unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, and advance toward unsurpassed perfect enlightenment with heroic vigor?

“What is the Tathagata’s practice called vigorous and valiant conduct? How does the Tathagata possess such wondrous wisdom? What are great wisdom and skillful knowledge? What is pure morality? What is it to possess mindfulness capable of retaining without loss the Dharma one has heard? What is it to bring forth recollection whereby all roots of goodness cultivated in previous lives can be clearly understood? What is it to abide in knowledge of former lives and skillfully reveal and awaken other sentient beings? What is it to awaken fully to the excellence of the faculties? What is it to possess the marks of seeing Buddhas, hearing the Dharma, and serving the Sangha?

“What is it to dwell in another world yet universally see the Buddhas of boundlessly many worlds, hear all the Dharma taught by those Buddhas, retain it, master it thoroughly, and extensively proclaim and reveal it to others? What is it to become like a blazing fire capable of burning away all unwholesome roots? What is it to become like the bright moon, capable of realizing and flourishing in all pure dharmas? What is it to become like the king of mountains, capable of protecting all supreme roots of goodness? What is it to become like a vajra, profound, enduring, and indestructible? What is it to attain fearlessness like a mountain?

“What is it to attain a good and pure voice and unobstructed eloquence? What is it to possess great learning, analyze all dharmas, and be skillful in decisive discernment? What is it to attain a good and pure countenance, always smiling and free from a sorrowful, furrowed brow? What is it to be free from envy and miserliness? What is it to be able to instruct boundless worlds with a single voice? What is it to place boundlessly many worlds within a single pore while the sentient beings therein remain unaware?

“From where have we come today, so that those ready to be guided may correctly understand? How can one appear in the great assemblies of all Tathagatas throughout the ten directions, maturing sentient beings without moving from one’s original place? What is it to manifest within one pore such deeds as disappearing from the Tusita palace, dwelling in the mother’s womb, being born, leaving the city and renouncing the household life, practicing austerities, proceeding to the seat of enlightenment, subduing the armies of Mara, attaining perfect enlightenment, turning the wheel of the wondrous Dharma, entering great nirvana, and manifesting the true Dharma abiding in the world?

What is it to attain a mind that, in a single instant, universally and clearly knows all mental activities of every sentient being?”

After Bodhisattva Bhadrapala had asked these questions, the Blessed One said to the great Bodhisattva Bhadrapala:

“Excellent! Excellent, Bhadrapala! Excellent indeed! You are now able to ask the Tathagata about such profound meanings. The conduct you practice today is intended to benefit many beings, bring happiness to many beings, show compassion for the great multitudes of the world, and create great benefit and happiness for gods and humans. Today you have accomplished great compassion. Therefore, Bhadrapala, listen carefully and reflect well. I shall distinguish and explain this for you.”

The great Bodhisattva Bhadrapala replied:

“Yes, Blessed One. I gladly wish to hear.”

The Buddha said to the great Bodhisattva Bhadrapala:

“Bhadrapala, there is a samadhi called the Samadhi of Quiescent Illumination and Miraculous Transformation. It is the practice of bodhisattvas and is encompassed by the stage of Buddhahood. A great bodhisattva who abides in this samadhi can attain all the qualities about which you have asked, as well as immeasurably many other supreme merits.

“Bhadrapala, what is called the Samadhi of Quiescent Illumination and Miraculous Transformation? It is to awaken to all dharmas as they truly are; to penetrate their true characteristics; to penetrate the characteristic of non-delusion and the characteristic of delusion; to increase the characteristic of non-delusion and diminish the characteristic of delusion; not to cling to one’s own abiding ground or grasp the abiding ground of others; not to rely upon lifespan; not to transmigrate within samsara; to know all matters universally; to cultivate serenity, samatha, in the present; to cultivate insight, vipasyana; to observe karma in the present; to abide with a settled mind and undistracted mindfulness; to seek tranquility;

to distance oneself from unwholesome qualities and draw near to wholesome qualities; to still desire, anger, and delusion; to remove ignorance and become familiar with luminosity; to know causes and effects universally; to be free from unknowing; to exhaust craving forever and sever forever delight and attachment.

“It is to be resolute regarding the Buddha, free of doubt regarding the Dharma, and deeply faithful toward the Sangha; to speak no words that disrupt harmony; to incline inwardly toward seclusion; to speak beautifully; to possess an upright countenance; to be free from attachment to flavors; to commit no evil; to aid others in escaping contrary bonds; to be free from fetters; to give rise to no fondness for worldly affairs; to see the profound faults and dangers of samsara; and to see the supreme merits of nirvana. Through the joy of supreme aspiration, one delights in entering nirvana.

“It is to be without flattery or crookedness, without illusion or deceit, without fraud, without falsely displaying appearances, and without deceitfully investigating and seeking. It is always to delight in remaining far from wealth, gain, and honor; to strive heroically and vigorously; to possess ultimate patience; to be free from indolence; to sever the hindrances forever; always to rejoice upon encountering the ten wholesome courses of karma; to possess an unimpaired aggregate of morality and an unmoving aggregate of concentration; to enter meditative concentration and attainment without dependence; to be insatiable in perfecting the paramitas; to possess mastery in the transformations of dhyanas, liberations, concentrations, and attainments;

to sport in the supernormal powers according to one’s wishes; and to move freely in the wisdom of omniscience.

“It is to be skilled in discerning awakening, neither dull nor mute; not to command others for one’s own sake; to be capable of remaining detached over long periods; to abide with good people and not look toward the wicked; to distance oneself from fools and delight in meeting those of penetrating understanding; wholeheartedly to maintain the power of mindfulness and the power of wisdom; not to delight in leaving the household life only to dwell in crowded places, but to delight in secluded living; to be rightly capable regarding emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; and to penetrate all dharmas as they truly are.

“Bhadrapala, this is called the Samadhi of Quiescent Illumination and Miraculous Transformation. A bodhisattva who properly and diligently trains in this samadhi attains unobstructed knowledge of all dharmas.

“Furthermore, Bhadrapala, the Samadhi of Quiescent Illumination and Miraculous Transformation is the wisdom of the equality of all dharmas; the wisdom that all speech does not manifest action; abandoning household affairs; taking no delight in the three realms; being without weak retreat; having a mind unattached to all dharmas; embracing the true Dharma and secretly protecting all dharmas; giving rise to profound resolute understanding concerning the ripening of dharmas; being skillful in the Vinaya treasury; ending every dispute; neither offending nor contending; patiently enduring with equality; turning toward the nature of equality; being skillful in selecting dharmas, skillful in determining dharmas, and skillful in phrases of Dharma;

possessing wisdom regarding the formal declaration of Dharma phrases, wisdom of former lives, wisdom of future lives, wisdom of the purity of the three spheres, wisdom of the abiding body, wisdom of the abiding mind, and wisdom that protects dignified conduct.

“It is wisdom that, through purity in the Dharma, transcends every universally cognized skandha; wisdom of the equality of the dhatus; illumination of the ayatanas; the permanent severance of all craving; progress toward realizing the unborn; clear illumination of causes; the destruction of karmic fruits; seeing the Dharma and cultivating the path; delighting in encountering the Tathagata’s heroic and keen nature of wisdom; wisdom discerning written characters; a voice resounding everywhere; realization of joyful Dharma and undiminished joy; being disciplined, upright, and free from sorrow; being gentle and readily compliant; speaking pleasantly first and saying, ‘Welcome!’; being free from indolence; reverently honoring and following the teacher’s instructions;

having no satisfaction with samsara; being completely replete in pure dharmas; maintaining pure livelihood without abandoning secluded dwellings; becoming established on the supreme ground; and not impairing right mindfulness.

“It is skill regarding the skandhas, skill regarding the dhatus, and skill regarding the ayatanas; attaining and realizing supernormal powers; casting away afflictions; permanently damaging the continuity of all habitual tendencies; advancing, progressing, cultivating, and accomplishing; being skillful in the means of emerging from every transgression; and being able to destroy and subdue forever the bonds of views. It is severing all latent tendencies so they never arise again; possessing recollection of former lives; having no doubt concerning the ripening of karma; never entrusting oneself to the arising of mental dharmas; adding no further activity to one’s undertakings; no longer directing attention toward internal ayatanas; no longer manifesting activity toward external ayatanas;

neither exalting oneself nor disparaging others; having no attachment to wholesome qualities; and never entrusting oneself to other modes of livelihood.

“It is being able to fulfill precepts difficult to fulfill; possessing accumulated great light by which one can know oneself clearly; being free from agitation and established in every form of dignified conduct; being without anger; being free from harsh speech; not afflicting others; following and protecting good friends; remaining far from enmity and harm; possessing pure morality and being entirely harmless; speaking gently; maintaining loving closeness without relying on the three realms; being receptive and patient toward the emptiness and selflessness of all dharmas; aspiring to the heroic and keen wisdom of omniscience; illuminating the firm dhatu with the light of wisdom; delighting always in solitude when entering meditative attainments;

being perfectly content in nonconceptual wisdom; possessing a mind neither disturbed nor defiled; being free from deeds created by views; attaining dharani; and entering wondrous wisdom.

“It is possessing the right practices concerning what is a proper basis and what is not; following principle and approaching the gateway; giving instruction and admonition; correctly practicing in accord with the ground of patience; remaining far from impatience; becoming established on the ground of wisdom and permanently severing ignorance; becoming established in the wondrous wisdom practiced on the Bodhisattva Yogacarabhumi; reaching wondrous knowledge of the intrinsic nature of all dharmas; burning and cleansing the mind so that it neither arises nor continues; possessing wisdom without stagnation or attachment; carrying no heavy burden; applying the Tathagata’s wondrous wisdom to cure desire, eliminate anger, and sever delusion forever;

according with right principle and remaining far from what is unreasonable; aspiring to wholesome dharmas; practicing the joy of supreme aspiration; drawing near to awakening; never abandoning the severance and protection of pure dharmas; placing roots of goodness foremost; being skillful in means; permanently eliminating characteristics; transforming perceptions; eliciting the sutras; being skilled in the Vinaya treasury; and decisively selecting, in relation to the truths, the path that realizes liberation.

“It is speech established in concentration, which no single condition can draw forth as arising in true reality; whether knowing or seeing, delighting in seeking the wisdom of great learning without satiety; possessing a pure mind, a pure body, and pure speech; speaking without doubt; becoming familiar with emptiness; drawing near to signlessness; not grasping at the nature of wishlessness; attaining fearlessness; not despising those who suffer the pains of existence, but giving them treasures; not driving away or rebuking the poor and destitute; giving rise to compassionate awakening toward those who violate the precepts and creating benefit for them; embracing them through the Dharma and relinquishing wealth to give to them; not flatteringly praising those who observe the precepts;

being able to relinquish all one’s possessions and, through the joy of supreme aspiration, extend invitations to them; acting in accordance with one’s words; occasionally arousing further heroic and keen practice; and reverently and joyfully receiving teachings in full.

“It is accomplishing wisdom through analogies; being skillful regarding conventions established in former times; entering wisdom and permanently destroying conceptual designation; expecting no reverence and therefore forgiving irreverence; seeking no gain and grieving over no loss; not rejoicing upon receiving honor and not becoming angry when slandered; cherishing praise yet not becoming dejected under blame; not indulging in pleasure and not turning away from pain; not grasping at conditioned activities; not clinging to truthful praise and not accepting false praise; avoiding what should not be practiced and doing what should be practiced; drawing near to exemplary discipline; never despising or slandering sentient beings who possess few roots of goodness;

correctly accepting and retaining the teachings of the Noble Buddha; speaking concisely; possessing a gentle nature; being skillful in conventional speech and capable of eliminating hostility; acting at the proper time; possessing pure and dignified conduct; possessing solemn and upright conduct; being skillful regarding proper and improper conduct; possessing wisdom that comprehends the world and the various treatises; and speaking with clear eloquence.

“It is delighting in generosity and always extending one’s hand; having a mind without attachment; possessing shame and moral dread; always feeling revulsion toward unwholesome things; never abandoning the virtues of dhuta practices; maintaining right conduct; manifesting upright and dignified behavior; respectfully rising to welcome those worthy of honor; offering beds and seats; destroying and subduing pride; striving to comprehend meaning; embracing wisdom and stopping ignorance; entering knowledge of the mind; being able to follow awakened wisdom concerning the intrinsic nature of mind; accomplishing skillful wisdom concerning what leads, what does not lead, and what elicits; possessing the wondrous wisdom of the speech of all sentient beings;

establishing various expressions of wondrous knowledge; decisively discerning wisdom concerning meaning; remaining far from meaninglessness; arranging the dhyanas without attachment to their flavor; observing the minds of all sentient beings; knowing their faculties and the wondrous wisdom of their superiority and inferiority; correctly observing what is a proper basis and what is not; and discerning all karmic actions.

“It is entering wondrous wisdom regarding what is neither karma nor karmic ripening; entering various forms of resolute understanding without forgetting; directly perceiving various realms and what is not a single realm; the vajra-like concentration that nothing can perceive; possessing the Brahma voice, meditative concentrations, and attainments; being able, regarding everything with a name or without a name, to recall former abodes through wisdom that follows recollection; correctly and universally observing the wisdom of conduct; realizing at the proper time the wisdom by which the outflows are exhausted and permanently severed; universally and correctly observing without obstruction through the divine eye and manifesting every form; sporting in supernormal powers;

entering with equal wisdom into form and the formless; comprehending every minute component of sound; entering dharani in accordance with awakening; possessing the wisdom of equality regarding the resonant echoes of all forms; and proclaiming the true Dharma according to the appropriate response.

“It is skillfully speaking to all sentient beings and possessing the wisdom that turns their faculties toward joy; observing the proper and improper times for entering wisdom of ultimate reality; never speaking the Dharma carelessly and then departing; being able to perfect all paramitas; striving to destroy and subdue sentient beings through skillful wisdom; making no discrimination concerning forms of dignified conduct; pouring unmixed wondrous wisdom into the Dharmadhatu; and destroying all discriminations and every variety of discrimination.”

THE SUTRA OF THE SAMADHI OF QUIESCENT ILLUMINATION AND MIRACULOUS TRANSFORMATION

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