大乘理趣六波羅蜜多經

FASCICLE 6

Chapter 7: KSHANTI PARAMITA

After the Blessed One had clearly taught Shila Paramita, the bodhisattva Maitreya rose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, knelt, bowed with his head at the Buddha’s feet, and addressed the Buddha:
“Blessed One, how should bodhisattvas cultivating Kshanti Paramita advance in their quest so as to perfect it? How many kinds of patience are there? How should practitioners apply themselves? I beseech you to instruct us.”
The Blessed One praised the great bodhisattva Maitreya:
“Excellent, excellent! Wishing to bring benefit and happiness to all sentient beings, you ask about such a profound principle. Listen clearly and reflect upon it carefully; I shall distinguish and explain it for you.
“Good man, you should know that samsara and nirvana are equal and without discrimination. This is called Kshanti Paramita. If foolish and deranged beings come to revile and humiliate me, I patiently accept it all. Just as a drunken elephant, difficult to tame, must be controlled with an iron goad, so too must the drunken elephant of an angry mind be restrained and tamed with the iron goad of patience. This is called Kshanti Paramita.
“If sentient beings are harmed by thirty-six kotis of heavenly maras, ghosts, spirits, yakshas, and rakshasas, bodhisattvas need only employ Kshanti Paramita to defeat that army. Even when the eighty-four thousand hostile bandits of the afflictions seek to destroy them, bodhisattvas likewise employ patience to eradicate them. Bodhisattvas patiently endure not only heavenly maras and the great hostile army of the afflictions; even the smallest and lowliest enemies are tamed through patience. This is called Kshanti Paramita.
“It is like a king’s son who has thoroughly mastered the royal law. When the king passes away, the crown prince succeeds to the throne, governs the people of the realm, and puts five kinds of Right Dharma into practice:
1.Not killing living beings.
2.Not stealing.
3.Not engaging in sexual misconduct.
4.Not speaking falsely.
5.Not levying taxes beyond one’s proper authority.
“If anyone in the realm violates the precept against killing, the king incurs one-sixth of the offense. The same applies to stealing, sexual misconduct, and false speech. Why? Whether the realm accords with Dharma or does not accord with Dharma, the king is its foundation. Whether merit or wrongdoing is involved, the king receives one-sixth of it. Great bodhisattvas are likewise: the mind is the realm, and great compassion is the king. Five principles of patience are proclaimed throughout that realm concerning being beaten, reviled, met with hostility, met with anger, and mocked. All five must be patiently endured; whoever violates them incurs a grave offense.
“Maitreya, it is like a farmer who, wishing to sow crops, must conduct water into his fields. First he repairs the channels and ditches, and only then begins the work. While working, however, he encounters mountain rock that he cannot dig through, so he stops. Great bodhisattvas are not like this. Within the vast wilderness of samsara, they wish to excavate the channel of wisdom and conduct the water of amrita through it. When, during their cultivation, they encounter the rock of anger and have no other means to remove it, they use patience and careful contemplation to break through it.
“Furthermore, kings, ministers, elders, and householders all adorn themselves with jeweled necklaces. Buddhas, Dharma kings, bodhisattvas, and others always adorn themselves with jeweled necklaces of patience. If they encounter beings who scorn or betray them without cause, they rescue and protect those beings with great compassion and patience.

This patience is the exemplary teacher of bhikshus and bhikshunis. Faith, diligence, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom form the forest, while pure precepts form its branches and leaves. When the fire of anger blazes up in this forest and burns the branches and leaves of morality, there is no other way to extinguish it.

Only the rain of patience can put it out, forever dispelling fear of every suffering and calamity in the present and future. Those without patience find no happiness while walking, standing, lying down, or sitting in the present life; how, then, could they find peace and happiness in a future life? Great bodhisattvas use the power of patience as armor.

An evildoer, like a chandala, uses the hand of anger to grasp the bow of delusion and shoots arrows of harsh speech at the armor of patience. Yet that bow and those arrows naturally break, while the armor of patience is not damaged in the slightest. The shattered bow and arrows turn into lotus flowers.
“Maitreya, you should know that when bodhisattvas cultivate in this way, it is called Kshanti Paramita.
“Furthermore, just as the agada medicine of the world can dispel every painful illness in oneself and others, so too do bodhisattvas hold the agada medicine of patience, which can cure every illness of anger and affliction in themselves and others. This is called Kshanti Paramita. It is also like a luminous moon-jewel in the world.

Its owner carries it while crossing a vast wilderness or a desert where there is no water anywhere. On a moonlit night, he holds the jewel toward the moon and places a vessel beneath it; water naturally flows down, and after drinking it, the merchant crosses that wilderness and desert. Bodhisattvas are likewise.

Holding the luminous moon-jewel of patience, they cross the wilderness and desert of samsara, where there is not the slightest water of wisdom and only afflictions abound. Bodhisattvas hold the jewel of patience toward the moon of Buddha-wisdom and collect the water of the Buddha-Dharma. Having drunk the water of the Buddha-Dharma, they escape samsara and reach the shore of nirvana.
“Maitreya, it is like the earth, upon which all plants and trees depend for growth and all sentient beings depend for life. Patience is likewise. All great bodhisattvas throughout the ten bhumis who cultivate the six paramitas depend upon patience for their growth and abide securely through patience.
“Furthermore, it is like a very tall ladder by which beings climb directly to the Brahma heavens. The lofty ladder of patience is likewise: bodhisattvas ascend it to the station of the God among gods, the Buddha.
“It is also like a highly skilled painter who paints pictures with beautiful, exquisitely defined lines and colors. The painter of patience is likewise, bringing the adornments of merit to complete perfection.
“It is also like great clouds forming in the sky and pouring down torrential rain. Floodwaters sweep all plants, trees, flowers, and fruits into the Ganges, and thence onward into the great ocean. Bodhisattvas are likewise.

Their minds, like space, can produce every cloud of loving-kindness and compassion and rain down the great Dharma. The mighty current of patience sweeps away every plant and tree of anger and every flower of affliction, carrying them into the river of wisdom and onward into the great, pure ocean of nirvana. Seeing the sufferings of beings revolving through samsara, bodhisattvas use the power of patience to endure those sufferings in their stead.

For hundreds of thousands of kalpas they do not plead weariness, nor do they abandon beings to seize nirvana for themselves. Through the power of patience, great bodhisattvas can relinquish their heads, eyes, marrow, brains, bodies, flesh, hands, feet, and even their lives without regret. When foolish ordinary people hear this, they are terrified, their hair stands on end, and they say, ‘How could anyone relinquish so much?’ Because bodhisattvas possess such power of patience, wherever they are born their features are exceedingly handsome and pleasing for all beings to behold, and in great assemblies they are always praised by the Buddhas.

Furthermore, great bodhisattvas abide firmly and immovably in the power of patience, like Mount Sumeru, which cannot be shaken even by fierce, swirling winds. The Mount Sumeru of patience is likewise: even when fierce winds of anger arise, they cannot shake it.
“Followers of other paths associate with bad companions and consequently give rise to wrong views. They practice austerities such as going naked, fasting, scorching their bodies between five fires, hurling themselves from high mountains, and throwing themselves into flames, believing that these acts will cause them to be reborn in heaven; they do not believe in the Right Dharma. Seeing this, bodhisattvas open their hearts in loving-kindness and compassion and manifest the same austerities, but practice them a hundred times more intensely. This causes those followers of other paths to respect the bodhisattvas and honor them as exemplary teachers. Bodhisattvas then guide them with the Right Dharma so that those holding wrong views may abide in right view.
“Other followers of non-Buddhist paths say, ‘Within my body there is a self residing in the mind. It is as large as a thumb, unobstructed and without visible form; it can be seen only with the divine eye. The faculty of sight serves this self: after the eye sees something, it reports it to the self.

The ears, nose, and tongue function likewise. For this reason, if a being reviles me, the reviler is reborn in heaven, whereas the person humiliated and subjected to abuse falls into the three lower realms upon death. It is like many people serving a single general.

If someone disparages the general’s self, all the servants must kill that person; if they do not kill the disparager, they all incur guilt.’ Through the power of patience, bodhisattvas feel compassion for those holding such wrong views and patiently endure them while using every means to eliminate their erroneous understanding. It is like timely rain, through which plants and trees are moistened, grow, and bear fruit. The patience of bodhisattvas is likewise.”
The Blessed One then spoke these verses:
As rain approaches, ants emerge from their holes,
Heaping up earth to make their dwelling.
From the impurities of father and mother comes our body,
Within which deluded consciousness clings to a self.
Proud of the continuity of form and strength,
The wise carefully behold them as illusions and dreams.
In but a single thought they become dust,
Crushed as earth beneath an elephant’s tread.
In each kshana, breath swiftly arises and ceases;
Walking, standing, lying, and sitting are all suffering.
Know that the physical body is suffering and impermanent;
How could the wise be attached to it?
Devas and Brahmas may live lives of austerity;
A venomous snake seen in time can do no harm.
If wounded, one may have mantras and antidotes,
But who can save us from impermanence’s venom?
Wholesome Dharma, though easily cultivated, is cast away;
Ruined by sensual pleasures, people still pursue them.
The wise contemplate and see that this cannot succeed,
Like dyeing a filthy garment with turmeric.
“Bodhisattvas should teach the Dharma of non-self to followers of other paths, saying, ‘Is the self to which you cling inside or outside? Is it in the past or the future? If you say that it exists, then when you die, that self should be able to save you. If it cannot save you, you should clearly know that no self exists. It is like a loyal minister devoted wholeheartedly to his king: if the king is in danger, the minister will certainly rescue him. Since your self is now unable to rescue you, you may know with certainty that there is no self. If a self existed, it would be sovereign and independent; why, then, would it be destroyed by impermanence?
“‘Sentient beings are oppressed by the sufferings inflicted by the demon of impermanence, causing the parts of their bodies suddenly to separate and die. If a self existed, it could avoid this calamity. Since it cannot escape disintegration, you should know that there is no self.

Therefore, from beginningless time until now, you followers of other paths have served this self, creating much evil karma and undergoing extreme suffering. You should know that this self has shown you not the slightest kindness. If you serve it, after a time it will abandon you and depart, handing your body over to vicious beasts, tigers, leopards, jackals, and wolves to tear apart and devour, while the self leaves you to seek another body.

From beginningless time until now it has abandoned you in this way throughout immeasurable and innumerable kalpas, and it will do the same in the present and future. If you say that the mind is the spirit-consciousness and that the body is its servant, then you should know that this body is something possessed by the self. From beginningless time, you have received bodies throughout innumerable kalpas, more times than can be told.

Are all these bodies possessed by one self or by many selves? If there are many selves, they are impermanent; because they are impermanent, it is incorrect to claim that a self exists. If there is one self, it should abide eternally, always retaining a single body and never moving elsewhere.

Yet because it does not abide, this claim of one self also cannot be established. You should reflect and contemplate: whether selves are many or one, neither position is correct. Thus you should know that the mind is not the self.
“‘Contemplate further that the body is neither possessed by a self nor its servant. If the body belonged to a self, then walking, standing, lying down, sitting, birth, old age, sickness, and death would be subject to that self. Yet they arise naturally without being commanded by the self, clearly showing that the body does not belong to a self.

If it belonged to a self, the self could command it to live forever and never grow old or die. The same applies to walking, standing, lying down, and sitting: since these change impermanently, they certainly are not possessions of a self. Thus it is certain that neither self nor possessions of a self exist.

You should know that if you cling to a self, it is your greatest enemy. Why? Through roots of virtue accumulated in a former life, you obtained the karmic reward of the five sensual pleasures and have now exhausted it in this life.

At present you create much evil karma, through whose power you will be handed over to the wardens of hell. If a self exists, why does it not save you?’
“Through the power of patience, great bodhisattvas rescue sentient beings from the evil demons of self and possessions of self so that they attain the liberation of right view, become free from self and possessions of self, and see that the nature of all dharmas is originally empty and quiescent. This is called a bodhisattva’s cultivation of Kshanti Paramita.
“Maitreya, it is like a person who, to protect his child, performs an incantation so that evil spirits cannot come and cause harm. Bodhisattvas are likewise: they use the incantation of patience to protect sentient beings so that enmity, anger, and the like cannot harm them.
“Maitreya, suppose a person has a thorn lodged in his foot and wishes to find enough leather to cover the entire earth so that he may walk without fear. A wise man asks, ‘Why are you looking for leather?’ The man explains the matter as above, whereupon the wise man rebukes him, saying, ‘Alas, foolish man! You should not act this way.

You need only take a little leather and make shoes; then you will not be injured. Why use so much leather to cover the whole earth?’ Ordinary people are likewise. They create enemies everywhere, and hostile adversaries everywhere take up knives, intending to kill them in revenge.

Seeing this, bodhisattvas feel great compassion and use patience as leather shoes to protect their bodies and minds. Once protected, how could enemies wielding knives come to harm them? This is Kshanti Paramita.
“Suppose someone humiliates a bodhisattva with malicious words. Upon hearing them, the bodhisattva should not become angry but should contemplate: Who is the reviler? Who is reviled?

The bodies of oneself and another comprise the twelve ayatanas: the eye ayatana sees forms, the ear ayatana hears sounds, the nose ayatana smells odors, the tongue ayatana tastes flavors, the body ayatana senses tangible objects, and the mind ayatana cognizes dharmas. Yet the eye ayatana truly is not a self. If it is not a self, to whom could the faults of one’s own and another’s eye ayatanas belong?

If a fault exists, it should be punished. Upon careful contemplation, however, neither party possesses any fault. Since there is no fault, who receives abuse, who utters it, and who is there to become angry?

Contemplate in this manner, extending it through the dharma ayatana. Apart from the twelve ayatanas, not a single thing exists. Both the reviler and the reviled are nonexistent.

Reflecting thus, anger disappears. Upon hearing harsh words, one should carefully contemplate what within those words is harsh. ‘Harshness’ and ‘speech’ do not arise simultaneously. When harshness is present, it is not speech; when speech is present, it is not harshness.

Arising and ceasing in every kshana, they never await each other. If even these two terms do not exist, how much less could manifold abuse exist? Contemplating in this way, even if harsh words were spoken for hundreds of thousands of kalpas, they would no longer be insults.
“Further contemplate that both the reviler and the act of reviling are impermanent and do not remain even for a single kshana. At what, then, could one be angry? Thus know that the past has already gone, the future has not yet arrived, and the present does not remain.

Since the act of reviling is empty, my body is likewise, sharing that impermanence which arises and ceases without abiding. Because nothing abides, everything is empty. When one contemplates in this manner, immeasurable enmities are simultaneously extinguished.

If one departs from this contemplation and clings to characteristics and discriminations, it is called mere patience, not Kshanti Paramita. The five skandhas are without self, and likewise the eighteen dhatus and all the rest are without self, like illusions and magical transformations. Praise and blame are equal; their intrinsic natures are equal.
“Maitreya, upon seeing someone revile them, great bodhisattvas should give rise to compassion and think, ‘This person has been seized by the mara of anger and obscured by afflictions, and therefore reviles me in this way. Wishing to eradicate this mara, I shall diligently train in the Dharani of Patience so that anger does not arise and so that anger and other afflictions do not harm sentient beings. If I become angry, demonic forces will delude my body. Therefore, I shall feel compassion for this reviler and always patiently endure.’ Although cultivating in this manner is called patience, only when there is no discrimination is it called Kshanti Paramita.
“Maitreya, when great bodhisattvas practice patient acceptance and someone comes with a sharp blade to sever their hands and feet, they remain joyful toward that person and regard him as a good spiritual friend. It is like someone who, after giving alms, feels great joy and thinks, ‘Today I have obtained a great karmic reward of merit. I should always remember the kindness of the recipient of my gift.’ Those nearby who see this should all give rise to sympathetic joy.

Likewise, upon seeing someone cutting their body apart, bodhisattvas should rejoice and think, ‘That person has done this to eradicate my negative karma and give me the wealth of Dharma. On my account, he will acquire an evil reputation, lose the peace, happiness, and liberation of devas and humans, and must further undergo suffering in the three lower realms. Therefore, this person is my most intimate good friend and has brought my Kshanti Paramita to fulfillment.

I should respect him and never forget this kindness, even after attaining bodhi; how much less should I become angry with him! If I became angry, I would betray his kindness. Therefore, I respect him all the more and regard him as my teacher.’ Although one endures what is difficult to endure, as long as discrimination between self and other remains, it is called only patience, not Kshanti Paramita.
“Furthermore, suppose that while a bodhisattva is in a secluded place, someone comes and accuses him, saying, ‘You have stolen, engaged in sexual misconduct, beaten and reviled others, and committed assault.’ The bodhisattva patiently endures this and reflects, ‘This is not that person’s fault. In a former life I must have beaten, reviled, and assaulted him. Because the residual effect of my karma remains, I must now accept his reproach.

On my account, that person must fall into a lower realm; therefore, while among humans, I must have great compassion and patience toward him.’ The bodhisattva further reflects, ‘This mind of mine is exceedingly deceitful. I endure because I fear falling into hell, and I also seek to perfect Kshanti Paramita, while allowing the person who cuts me apart to fall into the three lower realms.’ Reflecting thus, the bodhisattva feels still greater shame.

Recognizing his own fault, he becomes ashamed, regards the other as a good spiritual friend, and gives rise to respect. Yet because discrimination between self and other remains, this is only patience, not Kshanti Paramita.
“Furthermore, bodhisattvas know that anger is a dharma producing every suffering and that the practice of patience is the source of the myriad practices. They therefore practice patience, but this is called only patience, not Kshanti Paramita. Why? Because discrimination between good and evil remains.
“Bodhisattvas contemplate five faults in the body of five skandhas: it is the aggregation that produces suffering; it changes in every kshana; it comprises five kinds of impurity; it consists of thirty-six filthy substances; and it has neither self nor possessions of self, for all is empty. Only followers of other paths with wrong views cling to this body as pleasurable, permanent and unchanging, pure, and possessing self and what belongs to self. Bodhisattvas carefully contemplate these five principles and see that the same applies to all sentient beings. Knowing this, they should not become angry when reviled or delighted when praised. This is called only patience, not Kshanti Paramita.
“Maitreya, I shall now briefly explain thirty-two kinds of patience cultivated by bodhisattvas. They are: being free from greed; not killing; not causing affliction; being free from wrath; bearing no resentment; being free from vexation; not disputing; remaining undefiled by objects of desire; skillfully guarding one’s own mind and the minds of others; accord with the mind of bodhi; having no discriminating mind; not becoming entangled in samsara; following karma and its results; purity of body; purity of speech and mind; steadfastness without retreat; mastery of speech; freedom from calculation; personal realization of noble wisdom; guarding the intentions of others; cultivating the four Brahma abodes and, through the power of dhyana, not taking birth according to karma;

freely abiding in the happiness of devas and humans; perfect fulfillment of the excellent marks; a subtle and wondrous Brahma voice; eradicating every evil; abandoning stinginess and greed; eliminating jealousy; casting away hostile enemies; drawing near to the factors of bodhi; departing from the unwholesome; delighting in secluded places; and attaining the various factors of the Buddha-Dharma.

These are the thirty-two kinds of Kshanti Paramita. Bodhisattvas who fully cultivate these thirty-two kinds of patience realize the patient acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas and swiftly attain unsurpassed bodhi.
“Maitreya, what is called Kshanti Paramita? If someone comes and reviles us, we should contemplate the sound of the abuse as an echo in a valley. When beaten, we should contemplate this body as an image in a mirror.

When met with hostility, we should contemplate this mind as an illusion and magical transformation. When met with rage, we should contemplate that the mind’s nature is originally undisturbed. Upon receiving gain and support, we should contemplate that the mind’s intrinsic nature is tamed and should not rejoice.

Upon losing gain and support, we should contemplate that the mind is sublime and quiescent and should not become angry. When disparaged, we should contemplate this body as space and should not retaliate. When praised, we should contemplate that our own nature is free from conceit and should not become arrogant.

When extolled, we should contemplate that the mind’s nature has always been empty and quiescent and should not rejoice. When criticized, we should contemplate that the mind’s nature is originally free from fear and should not become worried or sorrowful. When encountering suffering, we should contemplate that the Dharma-nature is originally free from oppression and should not perceive any characteristic of suffering.

When experiencing happiness, we should contemplate that true nature permanently abides without change and has no characteristic of suffering or happiness. When great bodhisattvas abide in patience, the eight winds cannot move them. Why?

Because they abide in the characteristic of reality through the mind of bodhi, transcend self and other, and perceive the Dharma body. They patiently endure every disquieting circumstance. To defeat the hostile maras, they should perform all deeds difficult to perform and tame followers of other paths who hold wrong views.
“Maitreya, you should know that I shall now briefly explain Kshanti Paramita.
“Maitreya, if through contemplating impermanence one abandons the characteristic of self and the mind comes to patient acceptance, this is not true patience. If through contemplating the wholesome and unwholesome characteristics of dharmas the mind attains patience, this is not true patience. If through carefully contemplating the twelve ayatanas one patiently accepts that the faculties and their objects are free from the characteristic of anger, this is not true patience.

If one regards anger as inverted and patience as correct, distinguishing wrong from right, this is not true patience. If one further sees patience as reasonable and reviling as unreasonable, such patience still clings to characteristics and is not true patience. Furthermore, if one abides in patience regarding the Noble Eightfold Path while rejecting the eight wrong paths, or patiently accepts what is the path but not what is not the path, this is not true patience.

Furthermore, if one does not contemplate and patiently accept dharmas as impermanent, without self, impure, and suffering, but contemplates only permanence, bliss, self, purity, and the patient acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas, such mutually opposed patience is not true patience. Patiently accepting empty dharmas but not views and attachments; signlessness but not dharmas with characteristics; wishlessness but not dharmas involving wishes; non-activity but not conditioned activity; freedom from affliction but not afflicted dharmas; wholesome dharmas but not evil dharmas; supramundane dharmas but not mundane dharmas; faultless dharmas but not faulty dharmas; uncontaminated dharmas but not contaminated dharmas;

nirvana but not samsara—such patience functions as an antidote and is not ultimate patience.”
The great bodhisattva Maitreya said:
“Blessed One, patience of this kind is not ultimate. What, then, is ultimate patience? I beseech you to distinguish and explain it.”
The Blessed One said:
“Good man, true patience consists in using right wisdom to penetrate the intrinsic nature of all dharmas as empty. This emptiness and the intrinsic nature of dharmas are nondual. The nature of dharmas is the absence of intrinsic nature, while the intrinsic nature of right wisdom is pure, nondual, undifferentiated, and uninterrupted. Therefore, one should know that worldly dharmas are emptiness and emptiness is worldly dharmas; the intrinsic natures of these two are inseparable. Such patience is called ultimate patience.
“Furthermore, through right wisdom one penetrates the nature of dharmas as signlessness. Signlessness is the intrinsic nature of dharmas, and their intrinsic nature is nondual. The nature of dharmas and the nature of signlessness are the pure intrinsic nature of right wisdom: nondual, not divided into two parts, undifferentiated, and uninterrupted.
“Therefore, one should know that all dharmas are signless and signlessness is all dharmas. The intrinsic natures of these two are inseparable. Such patience is called ultimate patience.
“Through right wisdom one penetrates the nature of dharmas as wishlessness. Wishlessness is the nature of dharmas because their intrinsic nature is nondual. The nature of wishlessness and the nature of dharmas are the pure intrinsic nature of right wisdom: nondual, not divided into two parts, undifferentiated, and uninterrupted. Therefore, one should know that all dharmas are wishless and wishlessness is all dharmas, for the intrinsic natures of these two are inseparable. Such patience is ultimate patience.
“Through right wisdom one understands that the nature of all conditioned activities is non-activity. The nature of non-activity and the nature of all conditioned activities are intrinsically nondual. The nature of all conditioned activities and the nature of non-activity are the pure intrinsic nature of right wisdom: nondual, not divided into two parts, undifferentiated, and uninterrupted. Such patience is called ultimate patience.
“Through right wisdom one penetrates the nature of affliction as the nature free from affliction. The nature free from affliction and the nature of affliction are intrinsically nondual. The nature of affliction and the nature free from affliction are the pure intrinsic nature of right wisdom: nondual, undifferentiated, not divided into two parts, and uninterrupted. Such patience is called ultimate patience.
“Through right wisdom one penetrates the nature of all that is wholesome as the nature of the unwholesome. The nature of the wholesome is precisely the nature of the unwholesome, for their intrinsic nature is nondual. The nature of the wholesome and the nature of the unwholesome are the pure intrinsic nature of right wisdom: nondual, not divided into two parts, undifferentiated, and uninterrupted. Such patience is called ultimate patience.
“Through right wisdom one penetrates the nature of supramundane dharmas as precisely the nature of mundane dharmas. The nature of mundane dharmas and the nature of supramundane dharmas are intrinsically nondual. The nature of supramundane dharmas and the nature of mundane dharmas are the pure intrinsic nature of right wisdom: nondual, not divided into two parts, undifferentiated, and uninterrupted. Such patience is called ultimate patience.
“Through right wisdom one penetrates the nature of faultlessness as the nature of fault. The nature of fault and the nature of faultlessness are intrinsically nondual. The nature of faultlessness and the nature of fault are the pure intrinsic nature of right wisdom: nondual, not divided into two parts, undifferentiated, and uninterrupted. Such patience is called ultimate patience.
“Through right wisdom one penetrates the nature of uncontaminated dharmas as the nature of contaminated dharmas. The nature of contaminated dharmas and the nature of uncontaminated dharmas are intrinsically nondual. The nature of uncontaminated dharmas and the nature of contaminated dharmas are the pure intrinsic nature of right wisdom: nondual, not divided into two parts, undifferentiated, and uninterrupted. Such patience is called ultimate patience.
“Through right wisdom one penetrates the nature of nirvana as the nature of samsara. The nature of samsara and the nature of nirvana are intrinsically nondual. The nature of nirvana and the nature of samsara are the pure intrinsic nature of right wisdom: nondual, not divided into two parts, undifferentiated, and uninterrupted. Such patience is ultimate patience.”
The Buddha said:
“Maitreya, in such true and ultimate patience, one sees neither self nor other in any dharma: neither existence nor nonexistence, neither arising nor non-arising, neither cessation nor non-cessation. Whoever attains such patience possesses the true and ultimate patient acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas, which is Kshanti Paramita.”
When the Buddha taught this Kshanti Paramita, the bodhisattva Maitreya, as leader, together with an immeasurable assembly of great bodhisattvas and the entire congregation, praised the Blessed One in unison:
“Excellent, excellent! How rare is the Sugata! How wondrous is the Blessed One!”
After praising him, everyone offered the Blessed One immeasurably precious treasures, including champaka incense, fragrant flowers, burning incense, scented ointments, powdered incense, many kinds of flower garlands, garments, silks, banners, pennants, and jeweled canopies, which they tossed into the air as offerings. They played every kind of music for his delight and sang hymns praising the Tathagata. The sentient beings who heard the Buddha teach this Kshanti Paramita felt no doubt, alarm, or fear, and all attained the Tathagata’s true patient acceptance of dharmas. They scattered fragrant flowers through the sky throughout the trichiliocosm as offerings to the Tathagata.
The Blessed One said to Maitreya:
“Good man, you should arrange all these fragrant flowers, garments, banners, pennants, jeweled canopies, and the rest.”
The bodhisattva Maitreya replied:
“Blessed One, I have arranged all these fragrant flowers and garments. Each has been arranged among the assemblies of bodhisattvas, devas, nagas, and others, while my own body serves as their support.”
Having spoken, the bodhisattva Maitreya entered the Samadhi of All Bodies of Form. After he entered samadhi, all the fragrant flowers, garments, silks, banners, pennants, and jeweled canopies filling space throughout the trichiliocosm entered the navel of the bodhisattva Maitreya without obstruction through the spiritual power of his concentration. All remained complete and undiminished, while the bodhisattva Maitreya’s body did not grow larger.
The great bodhisattva Akshayagarbha then asked the bodhisattva Maitreya:
“Good man, what is the name of this samadhi? By abiding in this concentration, you cause all these offerings to enter your navel, yet your body does not increase and the objects do not diminish.”
The bodhisattva Maitreya replied:
“Good man, this samadhi is called the Samadhi of Universal Entry into All Bodies of Form.”
The bodhisattva Akshayagarbha again asked:
“Great Being, what is the sphere of spiritual transformation of this samadhi?”
The bodhisattva Maitreya replied:
“All things within the trichiliocosm can enter my navel, yet my body does not increase and those things do not diminish. Why? Because such is the Dharma-nature.”
At that time, the bodhisattvas, devas, nagas, ghosts, spirits, humans, and nonhumans in the assembly thought, “We wish to see the sphere of miraculous transformation of this samadhi, but we do not know how.”
Knowing the thoughts of the bodhisattvas, devas, nagas, and others, the Blessed One said to the bodhisattva Maitreya:
“Good man, you should display the miraculous transformations of this samadhi so that the entire great assembly may know them.”
The bodhisattva Maitreya had cultivated this samadhi for a long time and had mastered it completely without obstruction. He caused the bodhisattvas and great assemblies from other regions, together with the bhikshus, bhikshunis, and the Buddha, the Blessed One, all to enter Maitreya’s body. The sentient beings felt no fear, and their bodies and minds experienced unprecedented peace and happiness.
It was as though, after traveling eastward through immeasurable asamkhyeyas of worlds, one reached a world called Adorned with Jeweled Necklaces. All the objects used by beings in that world are made entirely from precious treasures, and those beings enjoy bliss. The bodies of the devas and humans in this great assembly experienced the same happiness as in that world, without difference. While within Maitreya’s body, the assembly clearly knew everything without obstruction.
The bodhisattva Maitreya then withdrew his spiritual power. The assembly and the Buddha, the Blessed One, all returned to their seats, yet none of those sentient beings clearly perceived any characteristic of going or returning. The bodhisattva Akshayagarbha said to the bodhisattva Maitreya:
“How rare, Great Being! I have never before experienced or heard of such miraculous transformations of a samadhi.”
The bodhisattva Maitreya replied:
“Venerable One, not only can the entire great assembly present here enter my navel; even if Mount Sumeru, the ten jeweled mountains, the great Iron Encircling Mountain, oceans, deep rivers, the sun, moon, and stars, celestial palaces, naga palaces, the five destinies, the four modes of birth, humans, and nonhumans throughout the trichiliocosm were brought into my body, there would be no obstruction. My body would not increase, and those things would not diminish. Those beings would not clearly perceive any characteristic of going or returning. Such is the nature of dharmas; how much more so for this assembly!”
When the Blessed One taught this Kshanti Paramita and displayed great spiritual powers, seventy-six nayutas of humans and devas in the assembly generated the aspiration for unsurpassed bodhi, and thirty-two thousand bodhisattvas attained the patient acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas.
The Buddha said to Maitreya:
“If any good man or good woman, upon merely hearing the name of this Kshanti Paramita for the first time, gives rise to faith, that person will certainly not fall into hell, the realm of hungry ghosts, or the animal realm, and will become irreversible from unsurpassed bodhi. My teaching of this Kshanti Paramita is now entirely complete, bringing benefit and happiness to all sentient beings.”