大寶積經

XX. THE TWENTIETH ASSEMBLY: THE INEXHAUSTIBLE TREASURY

Thus have I heard. At one time, the Buddha was dwelling in the city of Rajagriha, on Mount Gridhrakuta, together with an assembly of twelve hundred great bhiksus, all of whom had attained extraordinary merit and were capable of uttering the lion’s roar. There were also five hundred great bodhisattvas, all of whom had attained the dharani gateways and unobstructed eloquence, realized the patient acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas, dwelt on the stage of non-retrogression, possessed all samadhis, freely exercised spiritual powers, and skillfully knew the mental activities and inclinations of sentient beings. The names of these great bodhisattvas were:

Bodhisattva Sun Banner, Bodhisattva Moon Banner, Bodhisattva Universal Light, Bodhisattva Moon King, Bodhisattva Illuminating Lofty Peak, Bodhisattva Vairocana, Bodhisattva Lion Wisdom, Bodhisattva Precious Light of Merit, Bodhisattva Accomplisher of All Meanings, Bodhisattva Accomplisher Through Past Conditions, Bodhisattva Emptiness Wisdom, Bodhisattva Equanimous Mind, Bodhisattva Joyful Love, Bodhisattva Delighting the Assembly, Bodhisattva Victorious in Battle, Bodhisattva Wisdom Practice, Bodhisattva Vidyutprapta,

Bodhisattva Supreme Eloquence, Bodhisattva Lion’s Roar, Bodhisattva Wondrous Verbal Sound, Bodhisattva Capable of Awakening, Bodhisattva Skillfully Turning Conduct, Bodhisattva Practice of Quiescence, and other such great bodhisattvas as the foremost among them.

Also present were Sakra, Lord of the Devas; the Four Great Heavenly Kings; Brahma, Lord of the Saha World; and innumerable multitudes of devas of great majestic virtue, nagas, yaksas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kimnaras, and mahoragas.

At that time, Bodhisattva Vidyutprapta saw that the great assembly was pure and silent and that all the great dragon-elephants had gathered. He rose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, knelt with his right knee on the ground, joined his palms, and addressed the Buddha: “World-Honored One, I have a slight doubt that I wish to ask about. I pray that the Tathagata will compassionately permit me.”

The Buddha said: “Good man, the Tathagata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, permits you to ask and will explain it to you.”

Bodhisattva Vidyutprapta said: “World-Honored One, what dharmas does a great bodhisattva accomplish so that he can satisfy the wishes of all sentient beings without being defiled by faults; guide sentient beings by skillful means according to their faculties so that, after death, they do not fall into evil destinies but will certainly realize the Dharma of equality; remain undefiled in the world like a lotus flower; travel throughout Buddha realms without disturbing the dharmadhatu and without ever being apart from the Buddha; not perceive a physical body; dwell in the three liberations without entering the fixed position; purify and adorn Buddha lands according to the wishes of sentient beings; and, within a single instant, realize unsurpassed bodhi?”

Before the Buddha, Bodhisattva Vidyutprapta spoke these verses to present his question:

Constantly contemplating the Buddha’s physical body,
Yet ultimately transcending all characteristics?
Though realizing the three liberations,
Like a bird flying through the sky,

The Buddha said to Bodhisattva Vidyutprapta: “Excellent, excellent, good man! You are able to ask the Buddha about such meanings for the benefit and happiness of innumerable sentient beings, embracing the present world of devas and humans and the bodhisattvas of future ages. Listen attentively and reflect well; I shall explain this to you.”

Bodhisattva Vidyutprapta replied: “Yes, World-Honored One. I gladly wish to hear.”

The Buddha said: “Vidyutprapta, a great bodhisattva possesses five kinds of treasuries: the boundless treasury, the great treasury, the inexhaustible treasury, the universally inexhaustible treasury, and the boundless treasury.

“Fully endowed with these treasuries, a bodhisattva leaves poverty far behind and can accomplish all the merits described above, swiftly attaining unsurpassed bodhi with little effort.

“These are the five treasuries: the treasury of conduct based on greed, the treasury of conduct based on anger, the treasury of conduct based on delusion, the treasury of conduct in equal proportions, and the treasury of all dharmas.

“Vidyutprapta, what is the great bodhisattva’s treasury of conduct based on greed? Sentient beings corresponding to conduct based on greed are bound by delusion and inversion. They pursue various characteristics, make numerous discriminations, and cling firmly to the objects of sights, sounds, fragrances, tastes, tangible objects, and dharmas, becoming intoxicated and confused.

A bodhisattva must know these mental activities of sentient beings accurately and in accordance with reality: What do these sentient beings desire? To which objects have they become strongly habituated and defiled? What kinds of faith and understanding have they fully developed?

What roots of virtue did they plant in the past? Toward which vehicle will they advance? How long will it take for their roots of virtue to mature?

To end every defiled desire of sentient beings and cause their wholesome minds to continue without interruption, the bodhisattva clearly and certainly examines them so as to administer a cure.

“Vidyutprapta, the distinctions among sentient beings’ roots of virtue are difficult to know. No sravaka or pratyekabuddha can know them, much less ordinary beings or non-Buddhist practitioners.

“Vidyutprapta, some sentient beings, although attached to sensual pleasures, can nevertheless be brought to maturity in unsurpassed bodhi.

“Some sentient beings, upon merely encountering an object of desire or uttering words from a defiled mind, can be brought to maturity in unsurpassed luminous liberation.

“Some sentient beings see an attractive form and give rise to defiled desire. When that form changes and decays, they awaken, abandon desire, and deeply contemplate impermanence; thus they can be brought to maturity in unsurpassed luminous liberation.

“Some sentient beings, although seeing a woman, do not initially become attached. Only afterward, upon recollecting her, do they give rise to a defiled mind, imagine her appearance, and develop affectionate attachment.

“Some sentient beings see a pleasing female form in a dream, give rise to attachment, and continually remember and seek it.

“Some sentient beings hear a woman’s voice and give rise to desirous attachment; yet at times, upon briefly seeing her, they abandon the defiled mind of greed and can thereby be brought to maturity in unsurpassed luminous liberation.

“Therefore, a bodhisattva clearly and skillfully knows the various illnesses of greed and the various medicines for greed, while perceiving no dual characteristics in the dharmadhatu. Toward sentient beings deluded about that dharmadhatu, he gives rise to great compassion.

“Vidyutprapta, whether greed, anger, and delusion or wisdom of the dharmadhatu, not even the slightest dharma can be apprehended.

“The bodhisattva reflects: ‘The sentient beings whom I perceive give rise to desire, anger, and delusion within these nominally established, compounded dharmas, which are without characteristics, empty and quiescent in their own nature. I must contemplate them in accordance with reality and understand them clearly. Then, for their sake, I shall dwell in great compassion and fulfill my past vows. Without disturbing the dharmadhatu, I shall bring them to maturity through effortless wisdom.’

“If a man falsely conceives a woman to be pure and gives rise to intense defiled desire, the bodhisattva immediately manifests as a beautiful, splendidly adorned woman, like a celestial maiden, and follows him, allowing him to become attached. When his affectionate attachment has reached its height, the bodhisattva assesses the skillful means he can accept and extracts the poisoned arrow of desire. Through sovereign power, the bodhisattva then transforms the female body again, appears before him, teaches him the Dharma, causes him to comprehend the dharmadhatu, and then disappears.

“If a woman develops desirous attachment toward a man, the bodhisattva manifests a male body for her, continuing until the poisoned arrow of her desire is removed. He teaches her the Dharma, causes her to enter the dharmadhatu, and then disappears.

“Vidyutprapta, there are twenty-one thousand such forms of conduct based on greed, and together with the other forms of conduct there are eighty-four thousand. By effortless wisdom, the bodhisattva produces innumerable hundreds of millions of thousands of Dharma gateways, enlightening sentient beings and enabling them to attain liberation. Yet the bodhisattva does not think, ‘I teach such Dharma for sentient beings,’ nor does he think that there are sentient beings who attain liberation.

“Vidyutprapta, consider, by analogy, Anavatapta, the Naga King. Through the power of karma, the sources of four great rivers issue from his palace, providing a dwelling place for beings on land and in water, cooling them during the summer heat, moistening flowers and fruits, helping the five grains to grow, and bringing sentient beings peace and delight. Yet that Naga King does not think, ‘I now cause the sources of the four rivers to have flowed, to flow in the future, or to be flowing at present.’ Nevertheless, the waters of the four rivers remain constantly full and supply the needs of sentient beings.

“In the same way, having fulfilled his past vows, the bodhisattva uses effortless wisdom to teach sentient beings the Four Noble Truths, extinguishing all the heat of birth and death and bestowing upon devas and humans the joy of noble liberation. Yet the bodhisattva does not think, ‘I now teach the Dharma, have taught it, or will teach it.’ Spontaneously dwelling in a mind of great compassion, the bodhisattva observes sentient beings and teaches each of them the Dharma according to what they should receive.

“Moreover, Vidyutprapta, consider, by analogy, Sakra, Lord of the Devas, who has twelve nayutas of celestial maidens. Through sovereign power, Sakra manifests many bodies, allowing every celestial maiden to satisfy her sensual delight. Each celestial maiden thinks, ‘I alone am now enjoying myself with Sakra,’ although in reality Sakra is free from defiled desire.

“In the same way, toward sentient beings who should be liberated, the bodhisattva accords with their inclinations and brings them to maturity, although in reality the bodhisattva is free from defiled attachment.

“Moreover, Vidyutprapta, consider, by analogy, the sun rising above the mountain peaks and spreading its light throughout Jambudvipa. Wherever the sunlight reaches, every visible form appears clearly, yet the sun itself retains a single color and a single light, without differentiated characteristics.

“In the same way, the bodhisattva’s wisdom illuminates the dharmadhatu universally and reveals the attachments of sentient beings. He teaches them the Dharma according to their inclinations, yet within the dharmadhatu there are no dual characteristics.

“This is called the great bodhisattva’s treasury of conduct based on greed. Having realized and entered this treasury, for a kalpa or more than a kalpa, the bodhisattva manifests innumerable bodies according to the various inclinations of all sentient beings and teaches them the Dharma in various languages, yet within the dharmadhatu there are still no dual characteristics.

“Moreover, Vidyutprapta, consider, by analogy, pure gold. Through the skill of a master craftsman, it is fashioned at will into various necklaces and ornaments whose shapes and appearances differ, yet the nature of the pure gold never differs. In the same way, the bodhisattva skillfully contemplates the dharmadhatu, manifests innumerable bodies according to the various inclinations of sentient beings, and teaches them the Dharma in various languages, yet within the dharmadhatu there are still no dual characteristics.

“This is constant entry into the single characteristic of the dharmadhatu. A bodhisattva who attains such a treasury can teach the Dharma to sentient beings. Having heard the Dharma, they become wealthy and fully endowed with the inexhaustible noble riches, forever ending all the poverty of birth and death.

“What is called the great bodhisattva’s treasury of conduct based on anger? Vidyutprapta, sentient beings corresponding to arrogance cling to self and what belongs to self. For a very long time, amid perceptions of self and others, they have failed to cultivate loving-kindness and patience.

Anger, enmity, and burning affliction destroy their own minds. They do not recollect the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. Obscured by the poison of anger, they are deluded about the true Dharma.

Toward such intensely angry sentient beings, the bodhisattva never gives rise to a wish to harm them. He merely reflects: ‘How extraordinary these sentient beings are! In their ignorance and delusion, they perversely and falsely give rise to anger within dharmas that are originally quiescent by nature, undefiled, uncombined, free from contention, and characterized by detachment.’ Having reflected in this way, the bodhisattva dwells in a mind of great compassion and constantly pities sentient beings.

Even if they cut his body into pieces, he remains established in patience in order to tame those sentient beings whose conduct is based on anger.

“If innumerable sentient beings whose conduct is based on anger oppose and conflict with one another, their hearts filled with resentment, then after their karma of anger is complete, they will fall among poisonous snakes and vicious beasts. Dwelling in patience, the bodhisattva uses the power of loving mindfulness to transform and liberate those sentient beings, enabling them to avoid evil retribution and certainly realize equality.

“This is called the bodhisattva’s skillful means for eliminating sentient beings’ conduct based on anger.

“Moreover, Vidyutprapta, upon seeing sentient beings afflicted by anger, the bodhisattva reflects: ‘All dharmas are originally pure by nature. These sentient beings act according to characteristics and falsely produce discriminations. Within the Dharma of equality and freedom from contention, they give rise to anger.

These sentient beings do not clearly understand the nature of the dharmadhatu. If they perceived the nature of the dharmadhatu, they would never give rise to anger or harm toward others. Because they do not clearly understand the original nature of the dharmadhatu, they give rise to anger.’ Toward these intensely angry sentient beings, the bodhisattva gives rise to doubled loving-kindness and compassion.

Dwelling in great compassion and fulfilling his past vows, he uses effortless wisdom to reveal and expound many Dharma gateways that destroy sentient beings’ conduct based on anger. Yet the bodhisattva never thinks, ‘I teach the Dharma to sentient beings and remove their anger.’ Why? Because the bodhisattva skillfully contemplates the characteristics of the dharmadhatu.

This is the bodhisattva dwelling in the undifferentiated characteristic of the dharmadhatu and eliminating the affliction of anger.

“Vidyutprapta, it is like light appearing without darkness being removed, though neither is it the case that nothing can remove darkness. The natures of darkness and light are like empty space and are without distinction. In the same way, relying upon skillful wisdom of the undifferentiated dharmadhatu, the bodhisattva teaches the Dharma and extinguishes the various forms of sentient beings’ conduct based on anger, while making no discrimination within the dharmadhatu.

“Vidyutprapta, it is like the sun emitting light: wherever it shines belongs within the domain of the sun. In the same way, because the bodhisattva wishes to tame and eliminate conduct based on anger, all his words are the Dharma wheel, while he makes no discrimination within the dharmadhatu.

“There are twenty-one thousand such forms of conduct based on anger, and together with the other forms of conduct there are eighty-four thousand. Having attained effortless wisdom, the bodhisattva teaches sentient beings the Dharma according to their various forms of conduct based on anger. The bodhisattva does not think, ‘I presently teach the Dharma to sentient beings, have taught it, or will teach it.’

“This is called the great bodhisattva’s treasury of conduct based on anger. Having realized this treasury, for a kalpa or more than a kalpa, the bodhisattva uses various scripts, languages, and skillful means to teach the Dharma according to the various inclinations of sentient beings. The limits of conduct based on anger cannot be apprehended, and the bodhisattva’s wisdom and eloquence can never be exhausted.

“This is called the bodhisattva’s skillful exposition of the undifferentiated characteristic of the dharmadhatu and attainment of such a treasury of conduct based on anger.

“What is the great bodhisattva’s treasury of conduct based on delusion?

“Vidyutprapta, such practices of the bodhisattvas are extremely difficult. Sentient beings follow the activities of the afflictions; they harm others; they are enclosed within the embryonic egg of ignorance; like silkworms inside cocoons, they wrap and bind themselves; they possess no skillful means regarding the dharmadhatu; they do not skillfully discern what should be done; they cling to the view of self; they follow false paths; they dwell in dull conduct; and they are difficult to deliver.

For the sake of such deluded sentient beings, from the moment he first awakens the mind, the bodhisattva undertakes great preparatory practices without weariness or indolence. He reflects: ‘What conditions and supreme understandings should I employ, and how should I teach the Dharma so that these sentient beings may enter the bodhisattva practices and attain liberation?’

“In the past, the bodhisattva skillfully contemplated the dharmadhatu, dwelt in great compassion through effortless wisdom, and clearly knew how sentient beings were deluded about the dharmadhatu. He taught them the Dharma according to their capacities, causing all of them to be tamed. Yet the bodhisattva did not think, ‘I presently teach the Dharma, have taught it, or will teach it.’ Because of the power of his past vows, the bodhisattva skillfully contemplates dependent origination and naturally expounds hundreds of thousands of Dharma gateways, eliminating sentient beings’ ignorance and karmic activities and causing them all to awaken and understand.

“This is called the great bodhisattva’s treasury of conduct based on delusion. Having realized this treasury and skillfully contemplated dependent origination, for the sake of sentient beings whose conduct is based on delusion, for a kalpa or more than a kalpa, the bodhisattva skillfully teaches the Dharma through various scripts and languages according to their natures and desires. The limits of conduct based on delusion cannot be apprehended, and the bodhisattva’s wisdom and eloquence can never be exhausted.

“This is called the great bodhisattva’s skillful proclamation of the undifferentiated characteristic of all dharmas and attainment of such a treasury of conduct based on delusion.

“There are twenty-one thousand such forms of conduct based on delusion, and together with the other forms of conduct there are eighty-four thousand. To eliminate these forms of conduct, the bodhisattva expounds hundreds of thousands of Dharma gateways. This is called the great bodhisattva’s treasury of conduct based on delusion.

“What is called the great bodhisattva’s treasury of conduct in equal proportions?

“Vidyutprapta, consider, by analogy, a four-sided mirror that is transparent, bright, clean, and unstained by dust, suspended at a crossroads. All visible images facing the mirror appear clearly within it, without increase or decrease. The mirror does not think, ‘I can clearly reveal these various visible images.’ Yet because it has been skillfully polished, all visible images naturally appear clearly within it.

In the same way, once the bodhisattva has skillfully polished the dharmadhatu, he dwells in effortless samadhi and, according to the differences in sentient beings’ mental activities, reveals and expounds hundreds of thousands of Dharma gateways, causing them all to understand clearly and attain liberation. Yet the bodhisattva does not conceive the characteristics of dharmas or the characteristics of sentient beings. Why?

Because the bodhisattva skillfully contemplates the characteristics of the dharmadhatu and of sentient beings. Having accurately known, in accordance with reality, those sentient beings corresponding to the four kinds of conduct, he teaches them the Dharma according to their faculties. Yet regarding the dharmadhatu and the realm of sentient beings, the bodhisattva contemplates in accordance with reality and perceives no dual characteristics.

He clearly perceives the dharmadhatu and the realm of sentient beings as truly nondual, because they are undifferentiated.

“Vidyutprapta, it is like empty space, which has no various differentiated characteristics and no establishment. In the same way, the bodhisattva skillfully contemplates the dharmadhatu, thoroughly comprehends that all dharmas enter the single characteristic, and, through the power of his past vows, teaches various Dharma gateways according to the mental activities of sentient beings, while there is no differentiation within the dharmadhatu.

“Vidyutprapta, there are twenty-one thousand such forms of conduct in equal proportions, and together with the other forms of conduct there are eighty-four thousand. The bodhisattva observes and clearly understands them all. Like a skilled physician who diagnoses an illness and prescribes medicine, the bodhisattva uses effortless wisdom to teach the Dharma gateways. This is called the great bodhisattva’s treasury of conduct in equal proportions.

“Having realized this treasury, for the sake of sentient beings, for a kalpa or more than a kalpa, the bodhisattva skillfully teaches through various forms of speech according to their aspirations. The limits of these forms of conduct cannot be apprehended, and the bodhisattva’s wisdom and eloquence can never be exhausted.

“This is called the great bodhisattva’s skillful exposition of the undifferentiated characteristic of the dharmadhatu and realization of such a treasury of conduct in equal proportions.”