大寶積經

XXV. THE TWENTY-FIFTH ASSEMBLY: GENERATING THE SUPREME RESOLVE

Thus have I heard. At one time, the Buddha was dwelling in the city of Varanasi, at the place where the seers dwelt, in the Deer Park, together with an assembly of one thousand great bhiksus and five hundred bodhisattvas.

At that time, many bodhisattvas in the assembly were burdened by deep karmic obstructions. Their faculties were dull and clouded, and their wholesome qualities were few. They delighted in noisy gatherings and discussions of worldly affairs, enjoyed sleep, engaged in much frivolous discourse, busied themselves extensively with many matters, clung to various things, did what ought not to be done, lost right mindfulness, cultivated wrong wisdom, diligently pursued inferior affairs, and acted in deluded ways.

Bodhisattva Maitreya, seeing these bodhisattvas in the Dharma assembly, thought: “These bodhisattvas have all regressed from the factors leading to the perfection of unsurpassed bodhi. I should now awaken and enlighten them, causing them to become joyful.” Having thought thus, early in the morning he rose from meditation, went to those bodhisattvas, exchanged greetings with them, and spoke essential Dharma in gentle words to bring them joy. Bodhisattva Maitreya then said to them: “Are you progressing without regression in the factors leading to the perfection of unsurpassed bodhi?”

Those bodhisattvas replied together: “Venerable One, we are not progressing in the factors leading to the perfection of unsurpassed bodhi, but are only regressing. Why? Because our minds are constantly veiled by doubt, we cannot understand unsurpassed bodhi. Will we become Buddhas, or will we not become Buddhas? Nor do we clearly understand the dharmas of downfall. Will we fall away, or will we not fall away? For these reasons, whenever wholesome qualities are about to arise, doubt continually confuses and obscures us.”

Bodhisattva Maitreya said: “You should come with me before the Tathagata, the Arhat, the Perfectly Enlightened One. That Tathagata knows all and sees all, and has completely accomplished unobstructed wisdom, knowledge, vision, and liberation. Through the power of skillful means, the Buddha clearly knows the conduct of all sentient beings and will teach you the Dharma according to each person’s faculties and disposition.”

Of the five hundred in the assembly, sixty bodhisattvas accompanied Bodhisattva Maitreya to the Buddha. Together they bowed at the Buddha’s feet and, overcome with sorrow and shedding tears, were unable to rise.

After reverently bowing to the Buddha, Bodhisattva Maitreya withdrew to one side.

The Buddha declared: “Good sons, rise. Do not grieve and weep, giving rise to such anguish. In the past you created evil karma. Toward sentient beings you delighted in angrily scolding, humiliating, obstructing, troubling, and harming them. You made discriminations according to your own inclinations and did not understand the differences among karmic results. Therefore, you are now bound and veiled by karmic obstructions and are unable to cultivate wholesome qualities.”

Hearing the Buddha’s teaching, those bodhisattvas arose, bared their right shoulders, placed their right knees on the ground, joined their palms reverently, and said: “World-Honored One, we beseech the Tathagata to explain those karmic obstructions to us. Once we know our offenses, we shall discipline ourselves. From this day onward, we shall not dare commit them again.”

The Buddha declared: “Good sons, in the past, during the Dharma of Tathagata Krakucchanda, you renounced the household life and cultivated the path. Relying upon your extensive learning and observance of pure precepts, you were often arrogant and heedless. You also practiced the dhuta disciplines, fewness of desires, and contentment, but became attached to the merit of these practices.

At that time, there were two Dharma-preaching bhiksus who had many friends and enjoyed fame and material support. Out of greed and jealousy toward those two Dharma masters, you falsely slandered them, alleging that they engaged in sexual misconduct. You alienated the friends of those two Dharma masters by saying that they had committed grave offenses, so those friends all became doubtful and no longer had faith in or accepted them.

They ceased to follow those two Dharma masters and severed their roots of goodness.

“Because of that evil karma, you fell into the Avici hell for six million years. When that evil karma was not yet exhausted, you fell into the Reviving Hell for four million years, and next into the Scorching Heat Hell for six million years. After leaving the hells and obtaining human bodies, for five hundred lifetimes you were born blind. Because of the residual karma, life after life you were often foolish and dull, lost right mindfulness, had your roots of goodness obscured, possessed little merit, had coarse and ugly forms with defects that no one enjoyed seeing, were constantly reviled, despised, mocked, and hated, and were repeatedly born in borderlands, poor and lowly, losing your possessions and struggling to survive.

“After death from your present bodies, during the final age five hundred years after the Dharma approaches extinction, you will again be born as humans in lowly borderlands. You will suffer deprivation, cold, and hunger; be despised by others; lose right mindfulness; and fail to cultivate wholesome Dharma. Even if you practice, you will encounter many impediments. Although the light of wisdom may arise briefly, it will immediately disappear because of karmic obstructions. Only after those five hundred years of the final age will your karmic obstructions be extinguished. You will then be born in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, where Buddha Amitabha will bestow upon you the prediction of unsurpassed bodhi.”

Upon hearing the Buddha’s teaching, the hair on the bodies of those bodhisattvas stood on end, and they felt profound remorse. Wiping away their tears, they said: “World-Honored One, we now disclose and repent of our offenses. We have often been arrogant and jealous toward followers of the bodhisattva vehicle and have created other karmic obstructions. We now repent of these offenses before the Buddha. Before the World-Honored One, we make these great vows:

“World-Honored One, from this day until the end of the future, if we see a follower of the bodhisattva vehicle commit a transgression and expose or proclaim that person’s fault, we shall be deceiving the Tathagata.

“World-Honored One, from this day until the end of the future, if we mock, revile, intimidate, or despise a follower of the bodhisattva vehicle, we shall be deceiving the Tathagata.

“World-Honored One, from this day until the end of the future, if we see a lay or monastic bodhisattva enjoying the pleasures of the five desires, we shall never spy out that person’s faults, but shall always revere and trust that person as a teacher. If we do otherwise, we shall be deceiving the Tathagata.

“World-Honored One, from this day until the end of the future, if we begrudge followers of the bodhisattva vehicle their households, friends, or material support, or afflict their bodies and minds and cause them suffering, we shall be deceiving the Tathagata.

“World-Honored One, from this day until the end of the future, if we utter even one harsh word that displeases a follower of the bodhisattva vehicle, we shall be deceiving the Tathagata.

“World-Honored One, from this day until the end of the future, to safeguard these great vows we shall not cherish even our bodies or lives. If we do otherwise, we shall be deceiving the Tathagata.

“World-Honored One, from this day until the end of the future, if we arrogantly tell sravakas or pratyekabuddhas that they are not superior to us, we shall be deceiving the Tathagata.

“World-Honored One, from this day until the end of the future, if we do not skillfully subdue ourselves and regard ourselves as lowly as candalas or dogs, we shall be deceiving the Tathagata.

“World-Honored One, from this day until the end of the future, if we praise ourselves and disparage others, we shall be deceiving the Tathagata.

“World-Honored One, from this day until the end of the future, if we do not dread places of contention and flee a hundred yojanas from them as swiftly as a fierce wind, we shall be deceiving the Tathagata.

“World-Honored One, from this day until the end of the future, if we boast of our merit in observing precepts, extensive learning, practicing dhuta disciplines, having few desires, or being content, we shall be deceiving the Tathagata.

“World-Honored One, from this day until the end of the future, when cultivating wholesome Dharma we shall not become conceited, and when committing offenses we shall feel shame and disclose them. If we do otherwise, we shall be deceiving the Tathagata.”

The Buddha praised them: “Excellent, excellent! Good sons, you have skillfully spoken such an awakening Dharma and skillfully made such vast vows. If you can abide in them with such resolute minds, all karmic obstructions will be extinguished and immeasurable roots of goodness will increase.”

The Buddha further told Bodhisattva Maitreya: “Maitreya, any bodhisattva who wishes to purify and eliminate karmic obstructions should make such vast vows.”

Bodhisattva Maitreya asked: “World-Honored One, will good men and good women who uphold these vows attain perfection and non-retrogression?”

The Buddha declared: “Maitreya, good men and good women who follow the bodhisattva path and uphold these vows would rather relinquish their bodies and lives than allow the vows to become deficient or regress.”

Bodhisattva Maitreya again asked: “World-Honored One, during the final age, five hundred years after the Dharma approaches extinction, how many dharmas should bodhisattvas practice to dwell peacefully, free from affliction, and attain liberation?”

The Buddha declared: “Maitreya, during the final age, five hundred years after the Dharma approaches extinction, bodhisattvas who accomplish four dharmas will dwell peacefully, free from affliction, and attain liberation. First, they do not seek the faults of sentient beings. Second, when they see bodhisattvas commit transgressions, they never expose them. Third, they do not become attached to the households of friends or donors. Fourth, they completely abandon harsh speech.”

Wishing to restate this meaning, the World-Honored One spoke these verses:

“Maitreya, when the Dharma approaches extinction, bodhisattvas should accomplish four further dharmas to dwell peacefully, free from affliction, and attain liberation. First, they should not associate closely with indolent people. Second, they should leave all noisy assemblies and dwell alone in secluded places. Third, they should constantly cultivate diligence. Fourth, through skillful means they should discipline themselves.”

Wishing to restate this meaning, the World-Honored One spoke these verses:

Having spoken these verses, the World-Honored One told Bodhisattva Maitreya: “Maitreya, therefore, in the final age five hundred years later, bodhisattvas who wish to remain free from affliction and attain liberation, and those who wish to eliminate all karmic obstructions, should abandon noisy places and dwell in serene aranyas in the forest. They should stay far away from those who do what ought not to be done and from the lazy and indolent. They should examine only themselves and not seek others’ faults, delight in serenity and silence, and diligently cultivate practices corresponding to the prajnaparamita. If they wish to have compassion for sentient beings and greatly benefit them, they must teach the pure Dharma with minds free from expectations.

“Furthermore, Maitreya, when bodhisattvas give the Dharma with minds free from expectations, without attachment to fame, material support, or karmic reward, placing the benefit of others foremost and always widely proclaiming the true Dharma for sentient beings, they will accomplish twenty benefits: perfection of right mindfulness; fullness of wisdom; power of perseverance; cultivation of pure conduct; generation of the mind of awakening; attainment of supramundane wisdom; giving no opportunity to the maras; few desires; freedom from anger; freedom from delusion; mindfulness of them by the Buddhas; protection by nonhuman beings; enhancement of their majestic virtue by immeasurable devas; inability of relatives or friends to obstruct them; acceptance and trust of their words by others;

inability of enemies to find an opportunity against them; attainment of fearlessness; abundant joy; praise by the wise; and skill in teaching the Dharma, with all people revering them.

“Such bodhisattvas will accomplish another twenty benefits: eloquence not yet arisen will arise; eloquence already arisen will never be forgotten; they will constantly cultivate diligently; attain dharanis; skillfully benefit immeasurable sentient beings with little effort; cause sentient beings to develop heightened reverence and respect with little effort; attain pure disciplinary conduct of body, speech, and mind; transcend all fear of the lower realms; die with joyful minds; illuminate and propagate the true Dharma; subdue opposing doctrines; become so majestic, dignified, and awe-inspiring that even those possessing great spirit and authority cannot look for faults in them, much less lowly sentient beings of little merit; perfect their faculties so that no one can eclipse them;

fully embrace sublime aspirations; attain samatha and vipasyana; perfect all difficult practices; arouse diligence; universally preserve the true Dharma; swiftly reach the stage of non-retrogression; and abide harmoniously in all practices.

“Furthermore, Maitreya, observe how, in the final age five hundred years later, some bodhisattvas will be exceedingly ignorant. When giving the Dharma, they will rejoice if they receive material support and be displeased if they do not. When teaching others, they will think: ‘How can I cause friends and donors to become attached to me?’ They will also think: ‘How can I make lay and monastic bodhisattvas develop pure faith in me and respectfully offer me robes, food and drink, bedding, and medicine?’ These bodhisattvas will teach others for material gain and become weary if they receive no support.

“Maitreya, suppose a person who loves cleanliness had the putrid corpses of a snake, dog, or human, together with pus and blood, hung around his neck. That person would suffer greatly, feel utterly disgusted, become faint, and find no peace. In the same way, Dharma teachers in the final age five hundred years later will find places without material support contrary to their wishes and devoid of savor.

They will become weary and leave, thinking: ‘My teaching here is useless. Why? Because the people here do not attend to the four necessities I require.

Why exhaust myself by teaching here to no purpose?’ These Dharma masters will gather monastic and lay assemblies in pursuit of offerings, provisions, and respect, rather than for the Dharma or the benefit of others. Seeking the four kinds of material support, they will deceitfully display unusual characteristics and enter royal cities, states, towns, and villages, rather than giving the Dharma to benefit and mature sentient beings.

“Maitreya, the Buddha does not call a person with expectations one who gives the Dharma purely. Why? Because when expectations are present, the Dharma is not impartial. The Buddha does not say that a person with a corrupt and greedy mind can mature sentient beings. Why? Because it is impossible for one who is not mature to mature others. The Buddha does not say that one who values offerings and personal comfort and greedily gathers impure things is engaged in beneficial work. Why? Because one who seeks personal security, abundance, pleasure, and followers cannot establish others in true faith.

“The Buddha does not say that a deceitful person dwells serenely in an aranya; that a person of meager merit has few desires; that one greedy for fine flavors is content; or that one seeking abundant delicacies practices alms-round. The Buddha does not say that one who begs for beautiful robes wears rag robes. The Buddha does not say that one unknown to both laypeople and monastics is free from noisy crowds. The Buddha does not say that a deceitful person who, when a Buddha has appeared in the world, searches for others’ faults practices according to principle; that one who causes much harm possesses a pure aggregate of precepts; or that one of overweening pride is foremost in learning.

“The Buddha does not say that one fond of factions abides in discipline; that one with a haughty mind reveres Dharma masters; that one who speaks frivolously and mockingly is skilled in teaching Dharma; or that one who mingles with worldly people can remain in the Sangha free from faults. The Buddha does not say that one who abandons supreme fields of merit gives without seeking reward; that one who seeks requital gathers wholesome affairs; that one who seeks reverence and material support has pure aspirations; or that one with many false attachments has renounced the household life.

“The Buddha does not say that one who discriminates between self and other delights in observing precepts; that a disrespectful person listens to Dharma; or that one who delights in worldly books, spells, and theories loves the true Dharma. The Buddha does not say that one without decisive understanding of the nature of emptiness can escape birth and death, or that one with many attachments has abandoned conditioned phenomena. The Buddha does not say that one who abides in the factors of bodhi while apprehending attainment has realized wisdom. The Buddha does not say that one without strength has perfected patience; that one with few afflictions has pure discipline; or that one who employs expedients is necessarily practicing according to Dharma.

“The Buddha does not say that one fond of conversation abides in one-pointedness; that one fond of managing worldly affairs does not harm the true Dharma; that one with pure aspiration falls into the various realms; or that one who cultivates wisdom engages in noisy conduct. The Buddha does not call corresponding skillful means deceitfulness, the absence of a quest for material support false speech, nonattachment slander of the true Dharma, or one who protects the true Dharma a person who cherishes body and life. Nor does the Buddha call inferior conduct freedom from conceit.

“Maitreya, in the future final age there will be bodhisattvas of dull faculties and little wisdom who are deceitful and false and abide in the conduct of thieves. You must protect them.”

Bodhisattva Maitreya asked: “World-Honored One, in the final age five hundred years later, will only these sixty bodhisattvas be bound by karmic obstructions, or will there be other bodhisattvas as well?”

The Buddha declared: “Maitreya, in the final age five hundred years later, many bodhisattvas will be bound by karmic obstructions. Those karmic obstructions may either be extinguished or increase.

“Maitreya, among these five hundred bodhisattvas are twenty whose karmic obstructions are slight. Five hundred years later they will be reborn in these cities, towns, villages, marketplaces, mountains, and fields. They will come from noble and eminent families, possess great majestic virtue, be intelligent and wise, skillful in means, gentle in mind, always compassionate, and greatly beneficial.

They will have dignified appearances and pure, wondrous eloquence, and will excel in calculation and crafts. Concealing their own abilities and virtues, they will abide in the meritorious practices of dhuta. Wherever they are born, they will leave home for the path.

For immeasurable asamkhyeyas of kotis of kalpas they will have accumulated the requisites for unsurpassed bodhi, preserving the true Dharma without cherishing body or life. They will dwell in aranyas and secluded forests, constantly practicing diligently without seeking material support. They will skillfully enter the mental conduct of all sentient beings and thoroughly understand spells and treatises.

Hearing little, they will understand much of every meaning and principle, and will be fully endowed with eloquence and wisdom.

“Diligently cultivating this Dharma, those bodhisattvas will attain dharanis and unobstructed eloquence and proclaim the true Dharma among the four assemblies. Through the empowering majestic virtue of the Buddha, they will master the twelve divisions of scripture spoken within the Buddha’s Dharma and possess sovereign eloquence. Those twenty capable bodhisattvas will hear immeasurable hundreds of thousands of sutras from their upadhyayas and acaryas and will be able to retain them all. They will say: ‘I personally heard and received this Dharma gateway from that upadhyaya and acarya, without doubt.’

“Maitreya, at that time there will be lay and monastic bodhisattvas who lack wisdom, skill, and skillful means. They will ridicule, despise, and slander the Dharma taught by these bodhisattvas who preserve the true Dharma, saying: ‘Such teachings were fabricated at will by these people through clever speech and were not truly proclaimed by the Tathagata. We cannot believe, delight in, or regard such teachings as rare.’ Consequently, immeasurable sentient beings will slander and abandon these Dharma masters, saying to one another: ‘Those bhiksus have no proper deportment and teach many false doctrines.

They rely neither upon the sutras nor the Vinaya. Like theatrical performers and singers, they should not be trusted, delighted in, or regarded as rare. Their teaching is not the true Dharma.’

“Maitreya, controlled by Mara, those fools will fail to understand this Dharma and claim it was not spoken by the Tathagata. They will slander the Dharma-preserving bhiksus and create karma that destroys the Dharma; because of this, they will fall into the lower realms.

“Maitreya, for this reason, wise and skillful bodhisattvas who wish to preserve the true Dharma should conceal their abilities and virtues. They must mindfully protect sentient beings prone to discrimination and not allow unwholesome thoughts to arise in them.”

Bodhisattva Maitreya again said: “World-Honored One, in the final age five hundred years later, exceedingly ignorant bodhisattvas will slander the true Dharma and its upholders before great assemblies. Even when eloquence and dharanis are present therein, they will be unable to believe or accept them.

“World-Honored One, suppose a thirsty person went to a spring-fed pool to drink. Earlier, that very person had thrown filth into the pool. When about to drink, he smelled the stench of the water and refused to drink. Although he himself had polluted it, he blamed the water, even saying: ‘How strange that this water smells so foul!’ Unaware that the fault was his own, he instead resented the pool.

“World-Honored One, the pool is analogous to bhiksus who know the Dharma and, through the Buddha’s spiritual power, skillfully explain this Dharma eye. The fool who threw filth into the pool, forgot what he had done, and later wished to drink but blamed the water for its stench represents the ignorant bodhisattvas in the final age five hundred years later. They will slander the true Dharma and its upholders, and afterward approach those upholders to hear the true Dharma. Unaware that the fault lies in themselves and that doubt has polluted their mental faculty, they will scorn and ridicule the Dharma masters, disparage the true Dharma, search for defects, utter insults, and depart in disgust.”

The World-Honored One praised him: “Excellent, excellent, Maitreya! You have skillfully given this analogy. Maitreya, know that there are four kinds of eloquence proclaimed by all Buddhas and four kinds of eloquence prohibited by all Buddhas.

“What are the four kinds of eloquence proclaimed by the Buddhas? They accord with benefit, not harm; accord with the true Dharma, not what is contrary to Dharma; accord with the exhaustion of afflictions, not their increase; and accord with the merit of nirvana, not the faults and defilements of birth and death. These are the four kinds of eloquence proclaimed by the Buddhas. Bhiksus, bhiksunis, upasakas, and upasikas who wish to teach the Dharma should abide in this eloquence. Faithful and compliant good men and good women should regard such persons as Buddhas, consider them teachers, and listen to the true Dharma from them. Why? Because what they teach is taught by the Tathagatas and is the truthful speech of all Buddhas.

“Maitreya, if anyone slanders these four kinds of eloquence, claiming that they were not spoken by the Buddha and showing them no reverence or respect, that person, out of resentment, slanders the four kinds of eloquence taught by all Buddha-Tathagatas. Having slandered the Dharma, that person creates karma that destroys the Dharma; having created such karma, that person must fall into the lower realms.

“Therefore, Maitreya, good men of pure faith who wish to escape the offense of slandering the true Dharma should not reject the true Dharma because they dislike a person, blame the true Dharma because a person has faults, or resent the entire true Dharma because they resent a person.

“Maitreya, what are the four kinds of eloquence prohibited by all Tathagatas? They accord with harm and not benefit; accord with what is contrary to Dharma and not with Dharma; accord with afflictions and not their exhaustion; and accord with birth and death and not with the merit of nirvana.”

Bodhisattva Maitreya asked: “World-Honored One, according to the Buddha’s teaching, eloquence that increases birth and death was not proclaimed by the Tathagatas. Why, then, did the Buddha say that afflictions can benefit bodhisattvas? The Buddha also praised embracing birth and death as a means of perfecting the factors of bodhi. Were such explanations not spoken by the Tathagata?”

The Buddha declared: “Maitreya, the Buddha will now question you; answer as you see fit. Suppose it is said that bodhisattvas embrace birth and death to perfect and accomplish the factors of bodhi, and that they use afflictions as benefits. Does this statement accord with benefit or harm? Does it accord with Dharma or what is contrary to Dharma?”

Bodhisattva Maitreya replied: “World-Honored One, if it is a correct teaching, it accords with benefit and Dharma, because it can perfect the bodhisattvas’ factors of bodhi.”

The Buddha declared: “Maitreya, the teaching that bodhisattvas embrace birth and death to perfect the factors of bodhi, and that afflictions can benefit bodhisattvas, is proclaimed by the Buddha-Tathagatas. Why? Maitreya, those bodhisattvas have attained mastery of dharmas, and the afflictions they arouse entail no fault. This is the skillful means of bodhisattvas and is not the realm of sravakas or pratyekabuddhas.

“Maitreya, if an affliction cannot benefit anyone, cannot perfect the factors of bodhi, and accords neither with benefit nor Dharma, but when it arises serves only as a condition for inferior roots of goodness, then a bodhisattva would rather relinquish body and life than follow and practice such an affliction.

“Maitreya, some bodhisattvas, having attained the power of wisdom, engage with existing afflictions as objects; other bodhisattvas, lacking the power of wisdom, increase their attachment to afflictions.”

Bodhisattva Maitreya said: “World-Honored One, as I understand the meaning of the Buddha’s teaching, if bodhisattvas in the final age five hundred years later wish to escape the bonds of karmic obstructions, avoid harming themselves, and attain liberation, they should develop profound faith and understanding regarding bodhisattva conduct, refrain from discriminating on account of others’ faults, and resolutely seek the genuine merit of the Tathagata.”

The Buddha declared: “So it is. Maitreya, one should therefore develop profound faith and understanding regarding the bodhisattvas’ practice of skillful means. Why? Because the skillful practice of bodhisattvas who cultivate wisdom is extremely difficult to believe and understand.

“Maitreya, suppose a stream-enterer manifests the conduct of an ordinary person. The states of an ordinary person and a stream-enterer are different. Bound by greed, anger, and delusion, an ordinary person falls into the lower realms, whereas a stream-enterer skillfully comprehends greed, anger, and delusion and will never fall into the lower realms.

“Bodhisattvas who cultivate wisdom are likewise. Although their habitual tendencies of greed, anger, and delusion have not yet ceased, they differ from beginning bodhisattvas. Why? Because their minds are not veiled by afflictions, unlike those of beginning bodhisattvas.

“Bodhisattvas who practice in only one way and lack skillful means are like ordinary people and cannot escape.

“Maitreya, through the power of wisdom, bodhisattvas who cultivate wisdom can destroy all grave offenses and will not fall into the lower realms because of them.

“Suppose a person casts wood into a great fire and continually adds more. Because of this, the flames grow ever brighter and are never extinguished. Likewise, Maitreya, bodhisattvas who cultivate wisdom use the fire of wisdom to burn the wood of afflictions. Even as they continually add the wood of afflictions, the great fire of wisdom grows ever brighter and is never extinguished.

“Maitreya, so it is: the wisdom, power, and skillful means of bodhisattvas who cultivate wisdom are extremely difficult to understand.”