大寶積經

XXVII. THE TWENTY-SEVENTH ASSEMBLY: THE BODHISATTVA WHO HARMONIOUSLY FOLLOWS THE GOOD

Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was staying in Prince Jeta's Grove, in Anathapindada's Park, in the kingdom of Sravasti, together with a great assembly of five hundred sravakas and ten thousand bodhisattvas, who reverently surrounded him.

At that time, in the city of Sravasti, there was a bodhisattva named Harmoniously Following the Good. Before immeasurable Buddhas of the past, he had planted roots of goodness, reverently served them, and made offerings. He had attained non-retrogression from unsurpassed bodhi.

He abided in great loving-kindness, his heart free of anger; abided in great compassion, extensively rescuing beings without weariness; abided in great sympathetic joy, skillfully resting in the dharma realm; and abided in great equanimity, regarding suffering and happiness equally. He ate moderately and at the proper time, had few desires, knew contentment, and was always loved by sentient beings who saw him. In that city he constantly and compassionately taught beings through the five precepts and the eight fasting precepts.

He then encouraged everyone to practice generosity, morality, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, wisdom, loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, equanimity, and pure conduct.

At that time, wishing to enable sentient beings to see the Buddha and hear the Dharma, the Bodhisattva Harmoniously Following the Good set out for the Buddha's dwelling, surrounded before and behind by the great assembly.

Sakra, lord of the devas, saw with his divine eye that the Bodhisattva Harmoniously Following the Good constantly and diligently practiced the dhutanga austerities, fully observed the pure precepts, and was firm in liberating beings. Sakra thought: “This Bodhisattva Harmoniously Following the Good is never negligent in pure conduct. Is he seeking the station of Sakra, or does he wish to become a king and enjoy sensual pleasures?” Having thought thus, Sakra transformed himself into four strong young men. They went before the bodhisattva, reviled and abused him with wicked words, struck and slashed him with knives and staves, and pelted him with tiles and stones. Abiding in the strength of loving-kindness and patience, the bodhisattva endured all these injuries without anger.

Sakra then transformed four other strong young men, who came and said: “Alas, Venerable Harmoniously Following the Good! Those wicked men beat and reviled you terribly. If you tell us to avenge you, we shall kill them for your sake.”

The bodhisattva said: “Good men, do not speak so. Killing creates evil karma. Even if someone came and hacked my body into pieces like jujube leaves, I would never give rise to anger, hatred, or the wish to kill. Why? Killers fall into the hells, the realm of hungry ghosts, and the animal realm. Even if they later obtain a human body, they do not love even the parents who gave them birth and are always despised by others. Good men, all dharmas are of two kinds: wholesome and unwholesome. Through unwholesome dharmas one falls into the lower realms; by relying upon wholesome dharmas one obtains the benefit of the Dharma.”

Wishing to restate this meaning, the bodhisattva spoke these verses:

“Good and evil are like seeds sown;

Each arises according to karma.

How could a bitter seed

Produce sweet, ripe fruit?

The Dharma is visibly so.

The wise should contemplate it:

Painful retribution repays evil karma;

Those who do good are always at peace.”

Having been refused, the men departed.

Sakra then conjured a heap of gold, silver, and jewels and sent young men to tell the bodhisattva: “You may devise some means to take this treasure and use it as you please.”

The bodhisattva replied: “Do not speak so. Why? The karma of stealing causes sentient beings to become poor, lowly, and without refuge. Even if I were so poor that I could not sustain my life, I would never steal. Deluded ordinary beings steal because of craving. How could a wise person commit such evil karma?”

The bodhisattva spoke these verses:

“Though one amasses a thousand kotis,

If one's avarice does not cease,

The wise say that such a person

Is always poor and distressed in the world.

Though one possesses nothing,

If one's heart is ever free and giving,

The wise say that such a person

Is exceedingly wealthy in the world.

The wise abandon every evil,

And all their features are dignified.

Fools, through the karma they create,

Become coarse and ugly throughout.

The wise exhort others to goodness;

Fools continually do evil.

Better to be rebuked by the wise

Than praised by fools.”

Hearing the bodhisattva speak thus, those men departed.

Sakra then personally went to the bodhisattva, holding a hundred thousand taels of gold, and said: “Just now, before King Prasenajit in the city of Sravasti, I disputed with another person and require a witness. If you will testify for me, I shall give you all this gold.”

The Bodhisattva Harmoniously Following the Good said to Sakra: “You should know that false speech is unwholesome karma. One deceives oneself and also deceives the devas, nagas, and the eight classes of beings. False speech can moreover become the root of every evil and bring evil retribution: it destroys pure morality, ruins the bodily appearance, makes the breath foul, and causes one's words to be scorned.”

The bodhisattva spoke these verses:

“One who commits false speech

Always has foul breath,

Enters the suffering lower realms,

And can be rescued by no one.

Whoever speaks falsely

Deceives himself

And also deceives devas, nagas,

The eight classes, ghosts, and spirits.

Know that false speech

Is the root of every evil;

It destroys pure morality,

And after death one falls into the three evil paths.

Even if you gave me

Gold filling Jambudvipa,

I would never become

A speaker of falsehood.”

On hearing these words, Sakra departed. He then sent his consorts Saci, Sunlight, Five-Tressed, and the others to test whether they could break the bodhisattva's pure morality. The consorts, accompanied by five hundred maidens, perfumed themselves and put on garlands. Late that night they went before the bodhisattva and said: “We are young and beautiful women, willing to attend you intimately and share pleasure with you.”

The bodhisattva regarded the women with undefiled eyes and said: “You are deranged, your minds are perverse. The beings of the hells, the animal realm, and the realm of hungry ghosts who delight in foul and impure pus and blood, and the ferocious raksasas, are your companions; you are not members of the pure devas' retinues.”

The bodhisattva spoke these verses:

“Deluded fools think upon impurity,

Clinging to bodies foul with pus and blood.

Sensual pleasure quickly ends and is impermanent;

It casts one long into hell, animal birth, and hungry ghosthood.

Even if beings transformed like you,

With beautiful bodies, filled the world,

I would never give rise to one defiled thought,

But always regard them as dreams and enemies.”

Although Saci and the other consorts employed every means of seduction, the bodhisattva felt no defiled desire. They therefore returned to the heavenly palace and told Sakra: “We have seen that Harmoniously Following the Good has a firm resolve and will undoubtedly attain perfect enlightenment. Why? Toward us he did not have the slightest thought of craving, but only a mind of disenchantment and renunciation.”

Though he heard this, Sakra remained sorrowful, as though struck by a poisoned arrow, fearing the bodhisattva would seize his station. He thought: “I should go test him again to see what he truly seeks.” Sakra then went before the bodhisattva, relinquished his arrogance, bowed at his feet, and asked in verse:

“Now you diligently cultivate pure conduct;

Of all aspirations, what do you seek?

Do you seek the stations of Sakra, Brahma, and the heavenly kings,

Or sovereignty over the three realms?”

The bodhisattva answered Sakra in verse:

“I see the stations of Sakra, Brahma, and the heavenly kings,

Human sovereignty, and rewards within the three realms:

All are impermanent and unstable.

How could a wise person seek such things?”

Sakra asked again: “If that is what you say, what then do you seek?”

The bodhisattva answered in verse:

“I have never coveted worldly pleasures;

I seek only the body beyond birth and death.

I diligently cultivate skillful means to rescue all beings,

Aspiring to ascend the path of bodhi.”

After hearing these verses, Sakra's heart became peaceful and joyful, for he knew with certainty that the bodhisattva did not seek his station. Delighted and elated, he spoke these verses:

“You speak of liberating all sentient beings;

Such a mind is vast beyond compare.

May you defeat Mara's armies and realize the deathless,

And thereby forever turn the wondrous Dharma wheel.”

Having praised him in verse, Sakra reverently circumambulated the bodhisattva, bowed at his feet, and suddenly disappeared.

Early the next morning, the Bodhisattva Harmoniously Following the Good entered Sravasti to teach and transform its people. As he went about, he found a golden bell of Jambu gold dating from the beginning of the kalpa. Its value exceeded that of all Jambudvipa. Holding it, he stood at a crossroads and proclaimed loudly: “Whoever is poorest in Sravasti—to that person I shall give this golden bell.”

An eminent, aged elder hurried forward and said: “I am the poorest person in this city. Please give me the bell.”

The bodhisattva said: “You are not the poorest. In this city there is a good man who is the poorest among the poor, and to him this bell shall be given.”

The elder asked: “Who is he?”

The bodhisattva replied: “King Prasenajit himself.”

The elder said: “King Prasenajit is the wealthiest of all; his treasuries are full and inexhaustible. Why do you call him the poorest of the poor?”

Before the great assembly, the bodhisattva answered in verse:

“Though one has more than a thousand kotis in hidden treasure,

Through craving one is never satisfied.

Like the great ocean swallowing a hundred rivers,

Such a fool is poorest of all.

Craving therefore increases further,

Revolving, spreading, and arising in succession.

In both the present and future lives,

That witless person is always destitute.”

Having spoken these verses, the bodhisattva and the great assembly went to King Prasenajit. At that moment the king, together with five hundred elders and ministers, was calculating the riches in his treasuries. The bodhisattva approached and said: “Just now, while traveling and teaching in this city, I found a bell of Jambu gold dating from the beginning of the kalpa, worth more than all Jambudvipa. I wished to give it to the poorest person in the city. I then reflected that no one is poorer than the king, and so I have brought this golden bell to offer you. Since Your Majesty is the poorest of all, please accept it.”

Having spoken, the bodhisattva continued in verse:

“If a person craves many things

And amasses wealth without contentment,

Such a deranged person

Is called the poorest of all.

The king constantly levies heavy taxes

And unjustly punishes the innocent;

Craving and clinging to kingdom and cities,

He does not see the karma of future lives.

Though sovereign in the world,

He does not aid sentient beings;

Seeing the poor and suffering,

He never shows compassion.

Infatuated with women,

He does not fear falling into lower realms;

Never awakening from perverse delusion—

Is he not indeed impoverished?

If a person possesses pure faith

And takes refuge in Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha,

He always reflects that body, life, and wealth

Are unstable.

Knowing them to be unstable,

He is not deluded by body or possessions;

Thus he obtains body, life, and wealth

That remain forever secure.

If one diligently cultivates the foundations of mindfulness

And delights in heedfulness,

That person is called wealthy,

Rich in possessions and always joyful.

As a fiercely burning fire

Never tires of a forest,

The king is likewise

Never content in his craving.

Water never tires of clouds and mist;

The sea never tires of abundant water.

The king is likewise:

When will he ever be content?

The sun and moon ceaselessly revolve,

Never tiring of traversing the four quarters.

The king is likewise:

He will not stop until death.

As a blazing fire

Never tires of consuming grass and trees,

The wise are likewise,

Always performing goodness.

As water never tires of clouds,

And the sea never tires of water,

The wise are likewise,

Never tiring of increasing goodness.

Though royal station grants sovereignty,

Ultimately it ends in impermanence.

All of it is impure;

The wise should renounce it.”

Hearing this, the king felt ashamed and said: “Excellent, Venerable One. Although you exhort me to goodness, I do not yet believe you. Are these things you have just said your own words, or is there someone who can attest to them?”

The bodhisattva replied: “Has Your Majesty not heard? The Tathagata, Arhat, Perfectly Enlightened One, the Omniscient One, now dwells outside Sravasti in Prince Jeta's Grove, in Anathapindada's Park. Together with immeasurable devas, humans, and the eight classes of beings, he will attest that Your Majesty is poor.”

King Prasenajit said: “I ask to accompany you to the Buddha so that I may hear his admonition, take refuge, and make offerings.”

The bodhisattva said: “Your Majesty should know that the Buddha's realm cannot be fathomed by foolish ordinary beings. The Buddha has destroyed affliction and pride, compassionately regards sentient beings, has perfected noble wisdom, and clearly knows the present and future. If someone possesses a noble aspiration and roots of goodness, the Buddha always blesses that person even from very far away. If the Buddha knows that I wish Your Majesty to trust my words, he will come here to bear witness for me.”

The bodhisattva then bared his right shoulder, placed his right knee upon the ground, joined his palms reverently, and invited the Buddha in verse:

“O Tathagata of true wisdom,

Who lovingly regards all beings,

May you know my innermost mind

And compassionately come to bear witness.”

When the bodhisattva finished these verses of invitation, the great earth suddenly trembled and split open. Surrounded by five hundred sravakas, ten thousand bodhisattvas, and the eight classes of devas and nagas, the Tathagata emerged from the earth. The bodhisattva went before the Buddha, joined his palms reverently, and said: “Blessed One, just now, while traveling and teaching in Sravasti, I found a bell of Jambu gold dating from the beginning of the kalpa, worth more than all Jambudvipa.

I wished to give it to the poorest person in Sravasti. I reflected that King Prasenajit is the poorest person in the city. Why?

Relying upon his royal station, he has never shown compassion to sentient beings, but cruelly harms and exploits them, seizing and unjustly appropriating their property. Shrouded by craving, he knows no contentment. Considering him the poorest of all, I offered him the golden bell.

The king asked whether anyone could attest to my statement that he is poor. I replied that the Tathagata, the Great Teacher, Arhat, Perfectly Enlightened One, who has utterly eliminated every affliction and equally loves sentient beings, would attest to my words. I reverently beseech the Blessed One to instruct us, bringing benefit and joy.”

Wishing to tame him, the Buddha told King Prasenajit: “According to one standard, Harmoniously Following the Good is poor and the king is wealthy; according to another, the king is poor and Harmoniously Following the Good is wealthy. In regard to possessing a sovereign royal body and treasuries filled with gold, silver, and jewels, the king is wealthy and Harmoniously Following the Good is poor. But in regard to diligently cultivating pure conduct, delighting in pure morality and renunciation, being learned and free from heedlessness, and tirelessly relieving others through the five precepts and eight fasting precepts, the king is truly poor and Harmoniously Following the Good is wealthy.

“Your Majesty should know that all the wealth of all sentient beings in the kingdom of Kosala, compared with the five precepts and eight fasting precepts firmly and purely upheld by Harmoniously Following the Good, does not equal even one hundred-thousandth part.”

Hearing the Tathagata's truthful teaching, King Prasenajit relinquished his pride, joined his palms, earnestly gazed upon the bodhisattva, and spoke in verse:

“Excellent! You have subdued my self-conceit

And will attain the supremely excellent body of a Buddha.

I relinquish my kingdom to you;

May I forever be among your assemblies seeking bodhi.

Truly I am poor, while you are wealthy;

Now I know these words are not false.

Kingship merely becomes a cause of suffering,

Opposing wholesome Dharma and producing rebirth in lower realms.”

Having spoken these verses, King Prasenajit said to the Buddha: “Blessed One, I now generate the mind of unsurpassed great bodhi, wishing sentient beings peace, happiness, and liberation from the bonds of samsara. I now vow to divide my stores of gold, silver, and valuables into three portions: one to offer to the Tathagata and the assembly of bhiksus; one to give to the poor, suffering, and refuge-less people of Sravasti; and one to retain for the affairs of state. I also vow to offer all my gardens, ponds, flowers, and fruits to the Tathagata and the assembly of bhiksus. May the Tathagata compassionately accept them.”

At that time, seeing what had occurred, five hundred elders of Kosala all generated the mind of unsurpassed bodhi.

The bodhisattva said to the Buddha: “I reverently beseech the Blessed One to teach the essentials of the Dharma to this great assembly, so that those sentient beings who have encountered the Buddha will not have done so in vain.”

The Buddha declared: “Good men, there are three provisions possessing immeasurable merit. Even if the Tathagatas proclaimed them, they could not exhaust their merit, much less could sravakas or pratyekabuddhas. What are the three provisions? First, protecting and preserving the true Dharma; second, generating the mind of bodhi; and third, encouraging sentient beings to form the unsurpassed aspiration.

“There are also thirty-two dharmas. If good men and good women diligently cultivate them, their seeing the Tathagata will not have been in vain. What are the thirty-two?

First, giving rise to indestructible faith in the Buddhas; second, protecting the true Dharma so that it long endures; third, respecting the Sangha without contempt or arrogance; fourth, reverently drawing near to those worthy of offerings; fifth, maintaining an impartial mind toward those one loves and hates; sixth, always delighting in hearing and revering the true Dharma; seventh, dwelling in solitude, far from commotion; eighth, tirelessly expounding the Buddha Vehicle; ninth, teaching the Dharma without seeking fame or gain; tenth, sincerely seeking truth and diligently practicing in accordance with principle; eleventh, generosity; twelfth, morality; thirteenth, patience; fourteenth, diligence; fifteenth, right concentration; sixteenth, right wisdom;

seventeenth, rejoicing in and protectively remembering sentient beings; eighteenth, bringing sentient beings to maturity without forgetting the true Dharma; nineteenth, skillfully disciplining oneself; twentieth, skillfully disciplining others with the essentials of the Dharma; twenty-first, remaining undefiled by afflictions; twenty-second, always delighting in renunciation; twenty-third, dwelling in an aranya; twenty-fourth, knowing contentment with the four noble traditions; twenty-fifth, diligently practicing the dhutanga austerities; twenty-sixth, abandoning unwholesome dharmas; twenty-seventh, maintaining firm great vows; twenty-eighth, dwelling peacefully in solitude without indolence; twenty-ninth, planting roots of goodness; thirtieth, always remaining heedful;

thirty-first, distancing oneself from attachment to the views of the Two Vehicles; and thirty-second, praising the Mahayana.”

On hearing this Dharma, five hundred bhiksus became free of dust and defilement and attained the pure Dharma eye, while twelve thousand sentient beings together generated the mind of unsurpassed bodhi.

Having taught and transformed beings through the Dharma and brought them wholesome benefit, the Blessed One, together with the bhiksus and bodhisattvas, suddenly disappeared. Seeing this, King Prasenajit rejoiced and exulted. He gave the bodhisattva two robes worth a hundred thousand taels of gold and said: “Excellent, Venerable One! Out of compassion for me, please accept them.”

The bodhisattva replied: “Your Majesty, I should not accept these two robes. Why? I already possess a patched robe that I always hang upon a tree branch as though it were stored in a chest, and no one thinks of stealing it. I myself am free from greed and stinginess, and I also prevent others from giving rise to craving and attachment. When someone gives in such circumstances, it is called pure generosity.”

King Prasenajit said: “If you will not accept them, then please tread upon these two robes for my sake, so that I may forever obtain peace, happiness, and benefit.”

For the king's sake, the bodhisattva placed both feet upon the two robes.

King Prasenajit then said: “Now that you have personally accepted these two robes for my sake, what should I do with them?”

The bodhisattva replied: “Your Majesty should give them to the poor and refuge-less people of the city.”

Following his words, King Prasenajit gathered the poor and gave them the two robes. When they touched the robes, the insane regained sanity, the deaf could hear, the blind could see, and those deficient in their faculties had them restored. This occurred through the bodhisattva's awesome spiritual power. They all cried: “How can we repay the bodhisattva's kindness?”

A voice from the sky said: “You should know that the kindness of the Bodhisattva Harmoniously Following the Good cannot be repaid with flowers, fragrances, food, or drink. You need only quickly generate the mind of bodhi.”

Hearing the voice from the sky, the five hundred poor people spoke these verses:

“Here and now, we

Generate the mind of bodhi.

We shall attain perfect enlightenment

And proclaim the supreme Dharma.

To sentient beings

We shall bestow peace and happiness.

We delight in bodhi

So that we may attain the Buddha-Dharma.”

King Prasenajit said to the bodhisattva: “Excellent, Venerable One! Whenever you wish to see the Buddha, please inform me, and I shall accompany you.”

The bodhisattva replied: “Your Majesty should know that Buddhas are difficult to encounter and the true Dharma is difficult to hear. How could the king alone go to the Buddha? Your Majesty should become a good spiritual friend to sentient beings. You should command everyone in Sravasti to accompany you and punish according to law anyone who disobeys. Why? Even bodhisattvas are surrounded by retinues—how much more so a great king.”

King Prasenajit asked: “Who constitute a bodhisattva's retinue?”

The bodhisattva replied: “Encouraging beings to generate the mind of bodhi is a bodhisattva's retinue, because it brings awakening. Encouraging them to see the Tathagata is a bodhisattva's retinue, because such seeing is not in vain. Encouraging them to hear the true Dharma is a bodhisattva's retinue, because they become learned.

Encouraging them to see the noble assembly is a bodhisattva's retinue, because they obtain good spiritual friends. The four means of gathering are a bodhisattva's retinue, because they gather sentient beings. The six paramitas are a bodhisattva's retinue, because they increase bodhi.

The thirty-seven factors of awakening are a bodhisattva's retinue, because they lead toward the seat of enlightenment. Adorned and guarded by so many attendants, a bodhisattva can subdue Mara's armies, approach the supreme seat, and utter the lion's roar.”

King Prasenajit and the great assembly rejoiced and exulted, and nine thousand sentient beings became free of the defilements of affliction and attained the pure eye.

When the Buddha had spoken this scripture, the Bodhisattva Harmoniously Following the Good, King Prasenajit, the devas, humans, nagas, and the eight classes of beings rejoiced in the Buddha's words and faithfully practiced them.