佛說菩薩行方便境界神通變化經

Middle Fascicle

Manjusri! Just as a wheel-turning king gathers minor virtues into many great virtues, although there are greed, anger, delusion, embodiment, fetters, and latent tendencies, none of them can give rise to resentment toward that wheel-turning king. Why is this?

Manjusri! This wheel-turning king is free from sorrow and distress. Manjusri!

Since the Tathagata first turned the Dharma wheel, he has been fully adorned with immeasurable wisdom and merit, realized an unceasing mind of loving-kindness and compassion, and thoroughly accomplished such impartial qualities as the seven factors of enlightenment. Because he never forgets the Dharma, he turns the Dharma wheel. Outside it there are many disputes and afflictions; there is no place where they do not occur.

Manjusri, you should know: if, in a Buddha-land, one sees followers of non-Buddhist paths who have gone forth, a good man should know that all of them dwell peacefully in one place—this is a place of the Buddha. Manjusri! It is just like feeble beasts standing before a lion.

So too, Manjusri, followers of non-Buddhist paths who have gone forth cannot enter the domain of the Tathagata, nor can they debate with the Tathagata. That great lion ever possesses the ten powers and fearlessness; when he roars before them, nothing can withstand him, except when sustained by the Tathagata’s empowering power. Manjusri!

Just as the sun casts forth a vast net of light, causing all flames to grow still, while its radiance illuminates every precious jewel as well as every dark place, so too, Manjusri, when the Tathagata shines forth his light and emits the great radiance of wisdom, he causes even followers of non-Buddhist paths who have gone forth to abide peacefully, and there is nowhere that is not illuminated.

Manjusri! Suppose that, wherever the King of Supreme Iron appears in the earth, all other kinds of iron cease to exist because they merge into that iron. So it is, Manjusri. If a Buddha appears in any Buddha-land, you should know that even if followers of non-Buddhist paths go forth there, this presents no difficulty. Why is this? Because their marks are unlike the marks of the Buddha appearing in the world. Manjusri! Just as wherever the King of Wish-Fulfilling Jewels appears, no counterfeit mani jewels arise, so too, Manjusri, when the Tathagata, the great precious jewel of wisdom, appears, you should know that no non-Buddhist paths arise in that place.

Manjusri! Suppose that, where the precious substance of Jambunada gold appears, inferior copper and the like do not appear. So too, Manjusri, if a Buddha appears in any world, then followers of non-Buddhist paths certainly do not appear in that realm.

Manjusri! You should know that the Buddha appears through skillful means, not because he wishes followers of non-Buddhist paths to go forth. Manjusri!

You should now know that the Tathagata preserves the inconceivable domain of skillful means. This is the cause and condition. In these Buddha-lands he manifests followers of non-Buddhist paths who go forth.

Why does he do this? He does so to bring all followers of non-Buddhist paths to inconceivable liberation. Arising from the prajnaparamita, he freely plays in skillful means, yet never departs from mindfulness of the Buddha, mindfulness of the Dharma, or mindfulness of the Sangha, and he teaches and transforms sentient beings, bringing them to the shore of liberation.

The Tathagata thus undertakes the task of teaching and transforming sentient beings. Therefore, when this Dharma was spoken, eight thousand devas who had relied upon the Sravaka Vehicle heard the teaching of the One Vehicle and aroused the aspiration for the unsurpassed, right path. Five hundred bhiksus realized the One Vehicle and attained samadhi; 1,200 bodhisattvas attained the patient acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas; and the trichiliocosm quaked in six ways.

From the celestial realms, devas scattered blue, yellow, red, and white lotus flowers, and also rained down powdered sandalwood. Before the Buddha, hundreds of thousands of devas uttered praises from the sky. Celestial robes circled through empty space, freely passing back and forth, while the devas played music and said: “Never before have we heard such a sutra appear in the world.

World-Honored One! May this sutra be circulated throughout Jambudvipa.” Eight hundred bhiksus and bhiksunis rose from their seats and approached the Buddha. At that time, the World-Honored One, wishing to restate this meaning, spoke these verses:

The domain of skillful means is inconceivable;

Manjusri, you now know me.

I devotedly cultivate and uphold enlightenment;

I also manifest myself as I do at present.

Though times and seasons change, I remain unhindered,

Ever mindful of this wondrous Dharma.

When sentient beings hear my Dharma, they cross beyond;

When sentient beings’ suffering ends, I am no longer there.

Diligently cultivating those virtues,

I also cultivate the stainless field of merit.

Through diligence I realized bodhi;

Therefore, know that I am unmoving.

Throughout immeasurable kalpas until now,

I have accomplished the Buddha’s immeasurable wisdom.

As I attained deliverance, so too is my lifespan;

Throughout this interval it is never lost.

Through skillful means I manifest final nirvana,

So that those who conceive permanence may see impermanence.

I now manifest my departure,

Yet my lifespan extends into the future.

I enter final nirvana only through the One Vehicle;

I have not realized any differentiated vehicle.

Though I speak of three and establish three vehicles,

You should know that these are skillful means.

For those whose minds are indolent and timid,

So that, having heard, they will not become afraid,

I therefore establish three vehicles;

Yet there is only One Vehicle, not two.

I expound the Dharma for sentient beings,

Taking the path to Buddhahood as essential.

There is only One Vehicle, though I speak of three;

Nothing is lost from this Vehicle.

It is like a provisional raft that conveys one to the other shore;

This is wisdom manifested in the world.

The World-Honored One also surpasses all dharmas;

This sole One Vehicle is spoken of as three.

The minds of Buddhas and the minds of sentient beings—

I can also discern their differences.

I direct benevolent intent toward the lower vehicles;

I also possess every form of steadfastness.

Within lapis lazuli are many precious substances,

Each abiding peacefully according to the occasion.

All of them share a single color:

The color of gold, without distinction.

The Buddha’s excellent wisdom is likewise so;

It illuminates all Buddha-lands.

All sentient beings share a single color—

The color of enlightenment, without difference.

Just as a small flame, once kindled,

Gradually grows into a great fire,

So too is the wisdom of the Sravakas,

Illuminated by the merit of all Buddhas.

Mount Sumeru also turns back,

Taking on the single color of majestic virtue.

Returning to the ten powers is likewise so;

Those who patiently endure will attain enlightenment.

It is like all gateways

Gathering many different kinds of things;

When all those things have blended together,

They all acquire a single flavor of sweetness.

Knowing and understanding the world is likewise so:

Having manifested passage through the three vehicles,

When all their kinds have been brought into harmony,

They attain enlightenment, which has no differing mark.

A wheel-turning king among devas and humans is free from sorrow;

Nowhere does he harbor private resentment.

For the sake of the dharmadhatu I offer exhortation;

How, then, could there be a realm of non-Buddhist paths?

Just as when the sun first rises,

It stills all the light of the stars,

So too when wisdom arises,

The non-Buddhist paths no longer shine.

They depend upon whatever place is strong;

None of those outside can accomplish this.

Wherever the Tathagata arrives,

There the non-Buddhist paths can do nothing.

Wherever gold and silver appear,

No additional copper arises there.

If an entire land attains enlightenment,

There will be no followers of non-Buddhist paths in that realm.

Fine pearls and inferior pearls do not intermingle;

The past and future do not merge together.

Buddhas and followers of non-Buddhist paths are likewise so:

Though in the same place, they do not mingle.

Examining spiritual powers and sovereign mastery,

And all gateways to the wisdom of non-Buddhist paths,

He employs skillful means so that those people gain wisdom,

Manifesting all manner of transformations.

Having heard of the domain of skillful means,

The Buddha’s children then rejoiced greatly.

Their joy arose beyond all measure,

And they scattered flowers in offerings to the Buddha.

The earth quaked in all six ways.

Music resounded in the sky above,

Myriads of beings in the higher realms all joined their palms

And praised: “Excellent indeed is the teaching of the Buddha.”

After reciting these verses, Satyaka Nirgranthaputra, together with eight billion disciples of the Nirgranthas, proceeded from the south through various other worlds toward the city of Ujjayini. Surrounded and adorned by hundreds of thousands in the great assembly, they proclaimed aloud. At that time, King Candrapradyota saw Satyaka Nirgranthaputra approaching.

Satyaka gave rise to a pure and joyful mind. The great ministers of the palace and their retinues, the regional kings, the common people, and the four divisions of the army all gathered. The great king possessed majestic virtue and spiritual power.

Hundreds of thousands of splendid sights served as adornments; drums and hundreds of thousands of musical instruments sounded, while banners, pennants, and jeweled canopies added further splendor. They all came to welcome Satyaka Nirgrantha.

At that time, Satyaka Nirgranthaputra looked upon the great King Candrapradyota and spoke gently: “Noble Great King! In your realm there are no signs of fear, nor are there sickness, affliction, sorrow, or grief. The deities and music in this kingdom are excellent. There are no evil people, and its beauty is well preserved; thus, this realm is free from disorder. Great King! Do the sramanas and brahmins in this realm dwell in peace and happiness?

“Great King, do you govern the realm according to the law? Do you harm living beings such as birds and fish? Why do I ask this? Great King, you should know that all living beings cherish their lives. Therefore, Great King, you should observe the precept against killing and refrain from stealing; then the people there will enjoy abundance. Do not commit sexual misconduct, but be content with the beauty of your own wife. Finally, do not speak falsely, but speak truthful words. Do not engage in divisive speech. Do not speak harshly, but use gentle words. Do not indulge in embellished speech, but speak sincerely. Practice generosity toward others, and seldom give rise to greed.

“Great King! You should abandon anger. Adorn body, speech, and mind with loving-kindness. Great King! Do not give rise to wrong views, but practice right view. Great King! Nor should you live heedlessly. Frequently contemplate impermanence. Great King, you should know that life is brief and that another life follows. Therefore, Great King, you should prepare for the next life and have faith in karmic retribution.” He then spoke these verses:

People should never be heedless;

Safeguard your dwelling and do not waver.

Those who are heedless enter evil destinies;

Those who are not heedless are born in good destinies.

Furthermore, do not shorten the lives of beings;

All living beings cherish their lives.

The wise should never harm their lives,

But compassionately aid beings as they would themselves.

You should keep far away from stealing,

And never speak words that are untrue.

Always render assistance and speak uprightly;

Great King, later you will be born in a good realm.

Use words that are pleasant to hear;

Never speak excessively harsh words.

Always speak words that are good, subtle, and kind;

Great King, you should not engage in divisive speech.

Nor should you utter frivolous speech,

But speak in harmony with what is right.

Abandon all anger and malicious words;

Like that great elephant, you will be born in a good destiny.

Nor should you engage in sexual misconduct;

By doing so, your wife will entertain no such thoughts.

You should be content with your own wife,

And you will be born in a good destiny.

Great King, do not hold incorrect views;

You should see and hear what is true and right,

And practice all teachings that accord with Dharma;

Great King, your joy will greatly increase.

Honor all sramanas and brahmins,

And also be filial and obedient to your parents.

Once you have left the evil destinies far behind,

You will experience happiness in the heavenly realms.

These were the teachings on non-heedlessness that Satyaka Nirgranthaputra gave to the great king. After exhorting King Pradyota, King Candrapradyota addressed Satyaka Nirgranthaputra with gracious and pleasant words, saying: “If I did not do such things, it would be as though a brahmin had come to my house in vain. Why is this? I now invite you and your retinue and wish to offer you food and drink.” Nirgranthaputra said: “Excellent! Excellent! Proceed accordingly! Why is this? Great King, I have attained the Way and have left hunger and thirst far behind. Great King, since you have spoken thus, I accept your invitation.”

At that time, the great king followed behind the retinue of Satyaka Nirgranthaputra and entered the royal palace ahead of them. After entering, Satyaka Nirgranthaputra took his seat, and the other Nirgranthas sat down in their proper order. At that time, the king, with loving-kindness and reverence, personally served food to Satyaka Nirgrantha and his retinue. After they had eaten their fill, the king thought: “I should now ask Satyaka Nirgranthaputra a few questions to learn whether he reveres the Tathagata.” Having thought thus, the king placed a cushion before Nirgranthaputra, knelt upon it, and said:

“Brahmin, I have a small matter for debate. If you consent to hear it, I shall ask you, and you may explain it to me.”

Satyaka Nirgranthaputra said to the great king: “Ask whatever the king wishes to ask, and I shall answer according to my understanding.”

Having heard these words, the king asked: “Brahmin! In this world, are there many beings who possess wisdom and clear understanding, and whose minds are not disturbed?”

Satyaka replied: “Indeed there are, Great King.”

The king asked again: “Who is such a person?”

Satyaka replied: “The brahmin Vatsa.”

The great king asked again: “What is distinctive about the brahmin Vatsa?”

Satyaka replied: “The brahmin Vatsa understands astrology, knows the seasons, understands singing, knows the phases of the moon, recognizes earthquakes, knows of dangers, clearly understands worldly affairs, comprehends marks and characteristics, and engages in sexual misconduct with other women.”

The great king said: “A wise person does not engage in sexual misconduct.”

“Why is this?”

The great king said: “One who engages in sexual misconduct suffers distress both in this life and in the next. Even devas and humans despise such a person.” He then spoke these verses:

One who lusts after other women

Does not escape the evil realms.

Not content with his own wife,

Life after life he is scorned.

The king said: “Brahmin! Among the living beings in this world, is there another being who possesses lucid wisdom, whose mind is not disturbed, and who has such knowledge and understanding?”

Satyaka replied: “Indeed there is, Great King.”

The king asked: “Who is it?”

Satyaka replied: “It is the brahmin Bharadvaja. He is wise and discerning and knows what is timely and what is untimely. He is free from sorrow and distress.”

The great king asked again: “In what does he go too far?”

He replied: “Great King! This brahmin sleeps excessively.”

The great king said: “A wise person should not sleep excessively. Why is this? One who sleeps excessively often suffers losses; after taking birth, his wisdom is sometimes present and sometimes absent.” He then spoke these verses:

If one sleeps and rests excessively,

Indolence will increase still further.

Sleep itself becomes heedlessness,

And ordinary people lose their benefit.

The king further asked: “Brahmin! Among the living beings appearing in this world, are there others who have accomplished such qualities?”

Satyaka replied: “Indeed there are, Great King.”

The king said: “Who is such a person?”

“Great King, it is the Black Prince.”

The king asked again: “Does the Black Prince also possess such abilities?”

He replied: “Great King! He is exceedingly jealous.”

The great king said: “A person of wisdom is never exceedingly jealous.”

“Why is this?”

The Great King said: If one achieves standing within a village but harbors a jealous mind, that person is no worthy man among the villagers. He will die empty-handed. After death, he will immediately fall into the realm of hungry ghosts. He then spoke this verse:

Jealousy confines the heart;

Though that person becomes a lord,

At death he goes empty-handed

And falls into the realm of hungry ghosts.

The Great King asked again: Are there any beings who, having accomplished the merits of the Dharma, are able to pass safely beyond calamity?

Satyaka replied: Indeed there are, Great King.

The Great King said: Who is it?

He replied: Great King! It is Prince Kiet Quan.

The Great King asked again: Can Prince Kiet Quan pass safely beyond calamity?

He replied: Great King! Prince Kiet Quan greatly delights in killing living beings.

The Great King said: One who possesses wisdom truly does not delight in killing living beings.

Why is this so?

The Great King said: Killing living beings causes one to be short-lived and, upon death, to enter the hells or be reborn among hungry ghosts and animals. He then spoke this verse:

One who kills living beings

Has little strength and a shortened life;

After death, he enters the hells.

Therefore, do not harm life.

The King asked again: Brahmin! Are there also beings who possess lucid wisdom, whose minds are unconfused, who understand, and who are free from sorrow?

Satyaka replied: Indeed there are, Great King.

The King said: Who is it?

He replied: Great King! It is Prince Fearless.

The King asked again: What has Prince Fearless passed beyond?

He replied: Great King! He has great compassion for others.

The Great King said: One who possesses wisdom should not have compassion for others. Why is this so? The Great King said: One who has compassion for others and exercises sovereign power will find it difficult to subdue enemies when the kingdom is invaded, for he will encounter many difficulties. Therefore, he spoke this verse:

One who has great compassion for others,

If that person exercises sovereign power,

Will be unable to subdue them;

One should not cling to that.

The King asked again: Among those beings, are there also beings who possess wisdom and praise the examination of faults and perils?

Satyaka replied: Indeed there are, Great King.

The King said: Who is it?

He replied: It is Prince Celestial Power. He possesses wisdom, praises wisdom, and is thus able to pass safely beyond calamity.

The King said: Brahmin! What has Prince Celestial Power passed beyond?

He replied: Great King! Prince Celestial Power drinks intoxicating liquor and behaves heedlessly.

The Great King said: A wise person does not drink intoxicating liquor.

Why is this so?

The Great King said: Intoxicating liquor causes one to lose right mindfulness, gives rise to hindrances, and fosters doubt. In this life, it also causes one to lose all sense of purpose. He then spoke this verse:

He is ever given to heedlessness

In all the affairs of kingship;

Liquor ruins everything,

And, departing this life, he loses his purpose.

The Great King said again: Brahmin! Are there also beings who possess wisdom, praise wisdom, and pass safely beyond calamity?

Satyaka replied: Indeed there are, Great King.

The King asked: Who is it?

He replied: Great King! It is Prince Celestial Blackness. He possesses wisdom and praises wisdom, and therefore passes safely beyond calamity.

The King said: Brahmin! What has Prince Celestial Blackness passed beyond?

He replied: Great King! Prince Celestial Blackness is constantly engaged in prolonged deliberation.

The Great King said: A compassionate person of wisdom should not deliberate for too long.

Why is this so?

The Great King said: One who continually deliberates at length often loses the peaceful life he once possessed. Therefore, the Great King said: None who possess wisdom should deliberate for too long. He then spoke this verse:

If one deliberates for too long,

Affairs are lost and there is little peace;

Though this may appear an adornment,

Guard against the mind's obstruction.

The King asked again: Satyaka! Are there also beings who possess wisdom, praise wisdom, and pass safely beyond calamity?

Satyaka replied: Indeed there are, Great King.

The King asked: Who is it?

He replied: Great King! It is Prince Great Army. He possesses wisdom and praises wisdom, and therefore passes safely beyond calamity.

The King asked again: What calamity has Prince Great Army passed beyond?

He replied: Great King! He has passed beyond malice and enmity; though a kalpa passes away, his wealth remains.

The Great King said: One who possesses wisdom should never behave in that way. Thus, this verse is spoken:

If a lord is miserly,

He is said never to know contentment;

Because of this, he amasses wealth,

And in future lives suffers sorrow.

The King asked again: Satyaka! Is there also one who possesses wisdom, praises wisdom, and will certainly pass safely beyond calamity?

Satyaka replied: Indeed there is, Great King.

The King asked: Who is it?

He replied: Great King! It is King Prasenajit. He possesses wisdom and praises wisdom, and therefore will naturally pass safely beyond suffering and calamity.

The King said: Brahmin! What suffering and calamity has King Prasenajit passed beyond?

He replied: Great King! King Prasenajit consumes much food and drink.

The King said: One who possesses wisdom should not eat too much.

Why is this so?

The Great King said: If one consumes too much food and drink, the body becomes heavy and digestion becomes difficult. He then spoke this verse:

A lord who consumes too much

Becomes indolent and heavy-bodied;

It also impairs his wisdom,

And his complexion becomes poor.

The Great King asked again: Brahmin! In this world, is there one who possesses wisdom, praises wisdom, and naturally passes safely beyond calamity?

Satyaka replied: Indeed there is, Great King.

The King said: Who is it?

He replied: It is the Great King himself. In the world, you are wise and one who praises wisdom; therefore, you too pass safely beyond calamity.

The King said: Brahmin! What have I passed beyond?

He replied: Great King! You do not possess many evil traits, and therefore do not encounter ferocious beasts.

The Great King said: One who possesses wisdom is not necessarily like that. A person who possesses little is unsuitable even to his parents, much less to other beings.

The Great King said: If you hear that a person of wisdom harbors no evil thoughts, you should know that such a wise person reflects deeply. He then spoke this verse:

If one harbors an evil heart

And knows not how to reflect,

He surely has malicious designs,

And no one will draw near him.

At that time, having seen and heard all this, King Pan Tra Bat Tho De became angry and enraged. Losing his composure and unable to endure it, he said to Satyaka Nirgrantha: Do you humiliate me in the midst of this great assembly? In his anger and delusion, he ordered that Satyaka be put to death.

At that time, Satyaka became frightened. Turning toward the King, he said: Great King! You should not act in this way. Grant me freedom from fear and listen to what I have to say.

The King said: You need not be afraid now. What do you wish to say?

Great King! I too have now passed beyond! Standing before the King, I see that the King is exceedingly cruel, speaks harshly, manifests a vicious nature, and is without compassion, like a beast. I have merely spoken the truth.

Great King! One who possesses wisdom should not always speak the truth! The Great King is a wise man and should know when to speak and when not to speak.

Why is this so?

Great King! If one speaks exactly as things are, one does nothing but offend others. One who keeps no close companions is a person without wisdom. He then spoke this verse:

As one speaks truthfully to a king,

So too does one speak to common people;

A person who is wise

Reflects first and speaks afterward.

At that time, the King spoke words of praise and once again questioned that Brahmin:

Brahmin! In this world, are there any beings who possess lucid wisdom, whose minds are not disturbed or confused, and who are able to pass safely beyond calamity?

Satyaka replied: Indeed there are, Great King.

The King asked: Who is it?

He replied: “Great King! That is none other than the śramaṇa Gautama. He was born into the royal Śākya clan and went forth from that clan.

As I understand it, he can pass through many different circumstances without obstruction. He was born into a station fit for a wheel-turning king; thus, he was unobstructed in that respect. He was not born into a lowly lineage; thus, he was also unobstructed in that respect.

He was born into the Śākya clan, an exalted lineage. His countenance is majestic, dignified, and beautiful; thus, he is unobstructed. Moreover, had Śākya Gautama not gone forth, he would naturally have become a wheel-turning king, accomplished in the seven treasures: the precious wheel, the precious elephant, the precious horse, the precious gold and silver, the precious woman, the precious jewel, and the precious steward.

His princes would have been fully endowed with courage, vigor, and handsome features, surpassing many others. He would also have possessed the marks of a sacred wheel-turning king. He would have exercised sovereign dominion over the four continents and been a king of the true Dharma.

He would not have employed armies in conquest, but would have governed the realm through the true Dharma. After going forth, he practiced austerities for six years, each day eating only one sesame seed and one grain of rice. Seated beneath the Bodhi tree, he subdued the hosts of Māra.

Having subdued them, in every recollection his wisdom was clear and penetrating. Knowing thus, attaining thus, contacting thus, awakening thus, realizing thus—he comprehended everything. No sentient being can compare with him, much less surpass him.

Such is the śramaṇa Gautama, whom no one can equal. Therefore, he is said to be unobstructed.

“Why is this so?

“Great King! Even in lineage, no one can equal the śramaṇa Gautama. In handsome majesty and virtue, no one can equal him. In the majesty and virtue of wisdom, likewise no one is his equal. Therefore, he is said to be unobstructed.” He then spoke this verse:

Possessing the thirty-two excellent marks,

Born as a lion of the Śākya clan,

The Crown Prince of King Śuddhodana,

The World-Honored One has wisdom free from discrimination.

After Satyaka Nirgrantha had spoken these words, King Bát Thụ Đề said:

“Great Brahmin! Listen as I speak. Is there anyone who can compare with the Tathagata in the thirty-two marks of a great man?”

The Brahmin said: “I shall now explain.”

The king asked: “What does this mean?”

“Great King! This śramaṇa Gautama is fully endowed with the excellent marks. When he stands, the soles of his feet are full and rounded, bearing the signs of Dharma wheels.

His hands and feet are soft, his fingers and toes slender and long, and his hands and feet beautiful. This is the śramaṇa Gautama. His feet are well formed, and the bones of his feet are full.

This is the śramaṇa Gautama. His visible form is beautiful. This is the śramaṇa Gautama.

His entire body is upright and handsome. This is the śramaṇa Gautama. His male organ is concealed within a sheath.

This is the śramaṇa Gautama. His body hairs curl to the right. This is the śramaṇa Gautama.

His body hairs grow upright. This is the śramaṇa Gautama. His hair is a gentle blue-black.

This is the śramaṇa Gautama. His skin radiates a subtle golden hue. This is the śramaṇa Gautama.

His seven places are full. This is the śramaṇa Gautama. His body is full and rounded.

This is the śramaṇa Gautama. Every part of him is beautiful. This is the śramaṇa Gautama.

His body is not flaccid. This is the śramaṇa Gautama. His body is tall and imposing.

This is the śramaṇa Gautama. His body is rounded like a nyagrodha tree. This is the śramaṇa Gautama.

His body is like that of the Lion King. This is the śramaṇa Gautama. He has all forty teeth.

This is the śramaṇa Gautama. His teeth are closely set. This is the śramaṇa Gautama.

His teeth are small and even. This is the śramaṇa Gautama. His teeth are exceedingly white.

This is the śramaṇa Gautama. He possesses a pure fragrance. This is the śramaṇa Gautama.

His tongue is long and broad. This is the śramaṇa Gautama. His voice has the brahmā sound.

This is the śramaṇa Gautama. His chest is full. This is the śramaṇa Gautama.

His eyes shine blue. This is the śramaṇa Gautama. He has a beautiful white mark.

This is the śramaṇa Gautama. Upon his head is an uṣṇīṣa. Great King!

This śramaṇa Gautama is fully endowed with the thirty-two marks of a great man. For this reason, no one can surpass him.” He then spoke this verse:

Born into the Śākya clan, possessing an uṣṇīṣa,

His blue-black hair curls toward the right;

His eyes are like blue lotuses, his lashes like those of the lord of bulls—

Thus is the Tathagata fully endowed.

His kalaviṅka voice is like the voice of Brahmā;

His tongue is long and broad, fragrant and supple.

No one has teeth like the World-Honored One:

Together, forty teeth of gleaming white.

All human beings and devas,

On seeing him, give rise to joyful hearts.

The Buddha’s tongue extends and covers all in this way;

Therefore, sentient beings can scarcely equal him.

Even if all sentient beings were gathered together,

From the mark of the World-Honored One’s tongue

He could bring those beings to a single flavor;

Therefore, no one equals the World-Honored One.

His body is like a lion, his lips like the bimba fruit;

His shoulders are splendid, rounded, and full.

The World-Honored One’s body is like a nyagrodha tree,

Full in circumference and abiding in well-being.

The World-Honored One’s splendid body is upright and handsome;

His body is like a lion, mighty, tall, and strong.

His seven places are full, difficult to equal;

Above them shines a most subtle golden radiance.

His hairs are like a lion’s, fine and soft;

The skin of his body is smooth and truly beautiful.

All excellent qualities combine to form it;

Therefore, sentient beings can scarcely equal him.

Again, like a lion when it rests,

His male organ lies concealed like that of a noble stallion.

His hips and shoulders are full like those of the lord of deer;

Who, upon seeing him, would not give rise to joy?

The World-Honored One’s hands and feet bear precious patterns;

His fingers and toes are even, extending to the nails.

His feet are full and level, without any hollow;

The soles are flat, neither raised nor lowered.

The World-Honored One’s hands and feet are truly soft;

Upon his palms and soles are wheel designs.

When the World-Honored One walks, he is utterly serene;

As he treads upon the earth, it does not tremble.

No one can equal marks such as these;

The lamp of wisdom in the world is truly magnificent.

Amid the great assembly he is honored,

Like the moon among the stars.

Amid ordinary beings, that radiance shines;

The World-Honored One serves as a light for the world.

“Great King! Such is the śramaṇa Gautama. His radiance is exceedingly subtle and wondrous.

All sentient beings can scarcely equal him. For this reason, nothing can surpass him. Great King!

The śramaṇa Gautama is accomplished through the power of loving-kindness and compassion. For the sake of all sentient beings, he employs this mind to guide and transform them without obstruction. Because he always exercises great loving-kindness, he encounters no obstacles.

Naturally, it extends universally to all sentient beings in this world as well as in other worlds. Great King! Just as a precious maṇi jewel can clarify turbid water and make it clear because its nature is pure, and through that nature can render water pure and clean, so too is the śramaṇa Gautama.

Because he is also inwardly pure and luminous, he purifies all sentient beings, removing the long-accumulated mud of the fetters and such defilements. Therefore, he is called unsurpassed.” He then spoke this verse:

His mind of loving-kindness pervades the world,

The worlds throughout the three times.

The minds of all sentient beings—

With one mind he knows them through loving-kindness.

There is nowhere it does not universally reach;

This loving-kindness is difficult to equal.

It extends throughout all of empty space;

He knows all things in this way.

Pure as a precious maṇi jewel,

It cleanses turbid water and makes it clear.

The World-Honored One is originally pure

And purifies defiled sentient beings.

“Great King! Such is the śramaṇa Gautama. He has accomplished thirty-two minds of great compassion. What are the thirty-two?

“Seeing sentient beings submerged in ignorance, the śramaṇa Gautama therefore directs the mind of great compassion toward them.

“Seeing sentient beings fallen into the cycle of birth and death, the śramaṇa Gautama therefore practices great compassion for them.

“Seeing sentient beings diligently performing unwholesome deeds, the śramaṇa Gautama therefore manifests compassion toward them.

“Seeing sentient beings wandering through birth and death, the śramaṇa Gautama therefore gives rise to the mind of great compassion for them.

“Seeing sentient beings fallen into suffering, the śramaṇa Gautama therefore gives rise to the mind of great compassion for them.”

Seeing sentient beings depart far from the path of awakening and fall into false paths, the ascetic Gautama therefore aroused great compassion for sentient beings.

Seeing sentient beings lead themselves into prison, the ascetic Gautama therefore aroused great compassion for sentient beings.

Seeing sentient beings craving forms, sounds, fragrances, tastes, and tangible objects without ever being satisfied, the ascetic Gautama therefore aroused great compassion for sentient beings.

Seeing sentient beings delight in being enslaved by others, the ascetic Gautama therefore aroused great compassion for sentient beings.

Seeing sentient beings oppressed and reduced to utter distress by aging and death, the ascetic Gautama therefore aroused great compassion for sentient beings.

Seeing sentient beings afflicted by grievous illness and suffering, the ascetic Gautama therefore aroused great compassion for sentient beings.

Seeing sentient beings in the three realms being consumed by fire, the ascetic Gautama therefore aroused great compassion for sentient beings.

Seeing sentient beings bound by birth and death, the ascetic Gautama therefore aroused great compassion for sentient beings.

Seeing sentient beings in the world constantly subject to terror, the ascetic Gautama therefore aroused great compassion for sentient beings.

Seeing sentient beings craving unusual flavors, neither perceiving their faults nor worrying about heedlessness, the ascetic Gautama therefore aroused great compassion for sentient beings.

Seeing sentient beings heedless and indolent, the ascetic Gautama therefore constantly aroused great compassion for sentient beings.

Seeing sentient beings fall into places of hunger and misery, where they constantly harm one another, the ascetic Gautama therefore aroused great compassion for sentient beings.

Seeing sentient beings constantly struggle against and injure one another, the ascetic Gautama therefore aroused great compassion.

Seeing sentient beings obscured by ignorance like the blind, the ascetic Gautama therefore aroused great compassion for sentient beings.

Seeing sentient beings contend with and torment one another without respite, the ascetic Gautama therefore aroused great compassion for sentient beings.

Seeing sentient beings as though they were grass and beans, the ascetic Gautama therefore aroused great compassion for sentient beings.

Seeing sentient beings delight in impurity, the ascetic Gautama therefore aroused great compassion for sentient beings.

Seeing sentient beings fall into places from which escape is difficult, the ascetic Gautama therefore aroused great compassion for sentient beings.

Seeing sentient beings beset by many doubts and attached to wrong views, the ascetic Gautama therefore aroused great compassion for sentient beings.

Seeing sentient beings like Đâu La flowers dependent upon manifold kinds, the ascetic Gautama therefore aroused great compassion for sentient beings.

Seeing sentient beings think erroneously—regarding the impermanent as permanent, suffering as happiness, and the impure as pure, and regarding what has no self as possessing a self—the ascetic Gautama therefore aroused great compassion for those sentient beings.

Seeing sentient beings constantly burdened by suffering piled upon suffering, the ascetic Gautama therefore aroused great compassion for those sentient beings.

Seeing sentient beings dwell in darkness, the ascetic Gautama therefore aroused great compassion for sentient beings.

Seeing sentient beings constantly defiled, the ascetic Gautama therefore aroused great compassion for sentient beings. Seeing sentient beings tightly bound by craving, the ascetic Gautama therefore aroused great compassion for sentient beings.

Seeing that the minds of sentient beings delight in gain and support, the ascetic Gautama therefore aroused great compassion for sentient beings.

Seeing sentient beings fall prey to many painful illnesses—anxious restlessness and violent coughing causing ever greater affliction—the ascetic Gautama therefore aroused great compassion for sentient beings.

Great King! Thus did the ascetic Gautama perfect these thirty-two kinds of great compassion. Therefore, none can surpass him. He then spoke this verse:

The darkness of ignorance and great delusion;

Seeing ignorance disturb and harm sentient beings,

Seeing sentient beings delight in the prison of birth and death,

The Blessed One therefore engenders great compassion.

He constantly exhorts them to practice wholesome deeds;

The Buddha sees sentient beings drifting endlessly,

And therefore teaches and transforms them in accord with their capacities;

The One of Ten Powers engenders great compassion.

Their transgressions are piled high like a great mountain;

He sees sentient beings fall onto false paths

And wishes to bring them onto the Noble Path,

Peaceful, pure, and free from affliction.

Those wrong views bind them fast;

Love and hatred regarding objects are not yet exhausted.

Because they sink there in birth, aging, and death,

The Blessed One therefore arouses great compassion.

Encountering many kinds of greatly differing suffering,

He sees the world of the three realms consumed by fire,

Terrified like one whose skin has been flayed;

For this reason, the Blessed One has compassion.

Sentient beings crave sweet flavors;

Heedlessness and attachment are their sphere,

And therefore they fall into places of hunger and misery;

The Tamer can rescue them from this harm.

Seeing sentient beings harm one another,

Their minds tightly veiled by the curtain of ignorance,

Like plants and grasses hidden from sight;

For this reason, the Blessed One has compassion.

Sensual desire gives rise to many bonds;

He sees sentient beings find practice difficult,

Falling into wrong views like a dense forest;

For this reason, the Blessed One has compassion.

Amid filth, they consider the mind pure;

The impermanent, the permanent, the self, and selflessness—

Thus sentient beings commit errors;

The Blessed One therefore engenders compassion.

He sees them carrying many burdens that grow ever heavier;

Ordinary beings constantly depend upon them without respite,

Ever bound and stained by defilement;

The Blessed One therefore has compassion.

Seeing gain and support, they are thereby obscured,

And are born into deficient states,

Falling into craving like a vast ocean;

The One of Ten Powers therefore arouses loving-kindness.

Many illnesses constantly arise;

Having seen the suffering of sentient beings,

To eliminate all those sufferings,

The One of Ten Powers therefore engenders compassion.

Know that it is neither existent nor nonexistent;

Because of this, the mind of great compassion arises.

All sentient beings fill all realms;

Therefore, none can equal the Blessed One.

Great King! I shall now speak further: the ascetic Gautama has fully perfected the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of spiritual power, the four dhyanas, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening, and the Noble Eightfold Path. Therefore, Great King, none can equal this Gautama. He then spoke this verse:

He constantly exhorts beings to diligently cultivate the foundations of mindfulness;

The Greatly Awakened One knows what ought to be done.

The Buddha has attained mastery of meditative concentration,

Surpassing all sentient beings, with none above him.

The Tamer in the world has realized spiritual powers;

His eloquence is unimpeded, and he has reached the other shore.

The Tathagata knows well the Dharma of liberation;

The spiritual powers of the Greatly Awakened One are consummate.

Through the practice of brahmacarya, he attained mastery;

He cultivated loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity.

He constantly abides securely in concentration and wisdom,

And therefore transcends both permanence and impermanence.

The Buddha can aid beings in attaining awakening;

The Tathagata clearly knows the eightfold Noble Path.

Seeing sentient beings undergoing suffering,

He guides them toward peace and happiness.

Throughout all worlds, there is no one else like him;

All may realize and accomplish the unsurpassed path.

All perfect abundant merit,

And constantly ensure that this wholesome lineage is never severed.

Great King! Such is the ascetic Gautama. He has perfected the ten powers.

The king asked: “Brahmin, what are the ten powers of the Tathagata?”

Great King! These are: the Tathagata’s true knowledge of what is possible and what is impossible; his true knowledge of past, future, and present actions, the experience of their results, and the causes, consequences, and circumstances in which beings abide; his true knowledge of immeasurable worlds and their countless distinctions; his true knowledge of the inclinations and understandings of people and other sentient beings; his true knowledge of which people and sentient beings possess faculties and which do not; his true knowledge of all paths; his knowledge of the complete strengths of the faculties of sentient beings and people; his knowledge of the aids to the path, the various dhyanas, liberations, concentrations, and successive attainments of concentration;

and his knowledge of the purification of all defiling fetters.

He comprehends each and every one of these in accordance with reality. He recollects immeasurable and innumerable former lives. If sentient beings have been born throughout immeasurable kalpas, whatever deeds they performed and however they lived, he knows them in accordance with reality.

With his purified divine eye, surpassing ordinary human sight, he perceives all sentient beings traversing their many different courses of birth and death. He knows even how they are born in wholesome or unwholesome destinies. He knows in accordance with reality whether the outflows are exhausted or unexhausted, and whether there is liberation of mind or liberation through wisdom.

Great King! These are called the ten powers perfected by the Tathagata, through which he is fully endowed with strength. He is therefore said to possess the ten powers and to be unconquerable; hence, no one is above him.

Thus, the verses say:

What is possible and impossible,

He knows in accordance with reality.

He is called the Great Being of truth;

None can equal him.

His knowledge never fails;

He understands the results of karma.

He knows their causes and conditions,

Truly and without error.

The Tamer knows these things;

He knows exceedingly many matters.

The various kinds of worlds—

He clearly knows each realm.

Those of the world can scarcely equal him;

He clearly understands every kind.

He comprehends their countless distinctions

And illuminates the world.

In accordance with reality, without deviation,

He clearly knows wholesome faculties.

He also knows middling faculties,

And likewise knows mature faculties,

Even those that have reached the further shore.

All paths by which beings arrive—

He knows them in accordance with reality.

He knows the faculties that aid the path,

Supernormal powers and liberations,

Defilement and purification,

Clearly revealing each and every one.

He is entirely unobstructed,

Unimpeded in seeing and hearing.

His recollection is impartial,

Immeasurable and true.

Concerning himself and others,

His true knowledge does not differ.

His divine eye is purified,

Surpassing human sight.

The births and deaths of sentient beings

The Tamer clearly perceives.

He knows the state where the outflows are exhausted,

And he also knows liberation.

He likewise always knows

The transformations of the unconditioned, free from outflows.

This supreme person

Understands perfectly and acts with mastery.

This is but a single mind,

A mind free from discrimination.

Whether moving or still, it remains unmoved,

Present naturally of itself.

Ever since he turned the Dharma wheel,

He has remained free from discrimination.

With a single mind he knows

The dispositions of sentient beings,

And the minds of sentient beings,

Without conceiving them as two distinct marks.

Therefore none can surpass

The Buddha’s realization of mastery.

All wholesome dharmas

Give rise to merit.

Great King! Thus the ascetic Gautama has perfected the four fearlessnesses.

The king further asked: “Brahmin! What are the Tathagata’s four fearlessnesses?”

Great King! The ascetic Gautama himself declared:

“I have realized complete and perfect enlightenment. If any ascetic, brahmin, Mara, Brahma, deva, or human were to say that there are dharmas of which I am not completely and perfectly enlightened, I perceive no basis for such a claim. Because I perceive no such basis, I dwell secure and self-possessed. I have realized fearless conduct and attained the supreme mode of conduct. Amid the great assembly, I rightly utter the lion’s roar and skillfully turn the Dharma wheel. No ascetic, brahmin, or anyone else in the world can turn it back. This is the true Dharma.” The Buddha further made this solemn declaration:

“My outflows are exhausted. If anyone were to assert that my outflows have not come to an end, the Buddha perceives no basis for such a claim, nor does he perceive any such thing. Therefore, the Tathagata has realized peace and happiness, realized fearless conduct, and attained the supreme mode of conduct. Amid the great assembly, he rightly utters the lion’s roar and skillfully proclaims the Brahma sound. No ascetic, brahmin, or anyone else in the world can turn it back; hence, it is called the true Dharma.

“The Buddha teaches the Dharma that leads to realization of the path. If anyone were to say that cultivating it is not a Dharma free from obstruction, the Buddha perceives no basis for such a claim. Because he perceives no such basis, he dwells in peace and happiness, realizes fearless conduct, and attains the supreme mode of conduct.

Amid the great assembly, he rightly utters the lion’s roar and sends forth his voice. No ascetic, brahmin, or anyone else in the world can turn it back; hence, it is called the true Dharma. I have also taught the supramundane path.

If anyone were to say, ‘Those who cultivate it cannot transcend the world,’ the Buddha perceives no basis for such a claim. Because he perceives no such basis, this is called the conduct of peace and happiness. He attains fearless conduct and the supreme mode of conduct.

Amid the great assembly, he rightly utters the lion’s roar and skillfully proclaims the Brahma sound. No ascetic, brahmin, or worldly person can turn back the true Dharma. Great King!

These are what are called the Tathagata’s four fearlessnesses. Having perfected these four fearlessnesses, the Tathagata utters the lion’s roar amid the great assembly, and nothing can surpass it.” He then spoke these verses:

Amid the assembly, his is the lion’s voice;

The Tamer is utterly fearless.

Even I cannot equal him,

How much less can other sentient beings!

What I know concerning these matters

Is true and never false.

The Perfectly Enlightened One has seen them;

His lion’s voice is like that of the king of deer.

Should anyone allege an error,

He perceives no basis for it.

He does not perceive any such basis,

And thus attains fearlessness.

All my outflows

Have left my body free from outflows.

Whether one asserts they exist or do not,

Among devas and humans,

There are obstructive dharmas;

Therefore the Buddha teaches them.

What he teaches is true

And cannot be altered.

I have proclaimed the right path,

Knowing for myself that I have explained it.

Those who practice this Dharma

Will encounter no obstruction.

Having clearly understood and accomplished it,

The Tathagata attains peace and happiness,

Realizes the joy of fearlessness,

And surpasses all modes of Dharma practice.

He proclaims the Brahma sound,

Beyond the reach of those who would refute it.

Where the world cannot turn it back,

There alone stands the Honored One among Bipeds.

(The Buddha’s Discourse on the Bodhisattva’s Practice of Skillful Means — End of the Middle Fascicle)