佛說大自在天子因地經

Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Buddha was dwelling in the Jeta Grove, the Garden of Anāthapiṇḍika, in the country of Śrāvastī.

At that time, the Venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana, at the proper time for collecting alms, donned his robe and took up his bowl, and by the marvelous power of his diligence, wielding great spiritual penetration, sent forth countless rays of pure golden light that illumined all of space. Furthermore, by his supernatural power he transformed his body, making it now large, now small, now a single body or many bodies, blazing brightly like flames of fire, and he went to Mount Kunlun, whose summit was like snow.

Upon that summit, the ground was adorned with various jewels: gold, silver, lapis lazuli, pearls, agate, coral, and maṇi-gems, and there were palaces ornamented with these various jewels, beautiful and extraordinary. In the midst of them was the Palace of the Great Sovereign One (Maheśvara), two yojanas in breadth and five yojanas in height. Its light shone radiantly, and sixty great spirits constantly guarded it, while hundreds of thousands of celestial maidens surrounded it on all four sides, playing seven kinds of music.

On the four faces of the palace were seven halls, each one krośa in breadth, all adorned with the seven kinds of jewels. On all four sides were bathing pools brimming with pure ambrosial water, and within the pools were full of white lotus flowers and kumuda flowers, like the bright moon in the open sky. Upon those flowers, all were adorned with various kinds of gold, silver, and maṇi-gems.

The celestial lord Maheśvara, together with the celestial queen Umā, sat together upon a lion-throne. The hosts of devas constantly came to surround them, revering and making offerings. The devas suddenly heard the sounds of lutes and music, subtle and wondrous sounds, and having heard them, they delighted in them, became infatuated and intoxicated, causing their minds to become deluded and disordered.

At that time, the Venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana, although he heard that music, used his fearless wholesome roots to subdue his own mind and cut off all grasping attachment, like Mount Sumeru rising up from the great ocean, standing firm and unmoving. The Venerable had practiced the marvelous conduct of diligence; he received the offerings of all the world; his bodily form was upright and dignified, his deportment complete; and with his hands he held his alms-bowl. The celestial queen Umā suddenly saw the Venerable and gave rise to doubt in her mind, and reported to the celestial lord:

"What sort of person is this, whose body is clothed in the Dharma-robe, upright and dignified, tranquil and still, his faculties subdued, his deportment complete, with a halo of light shining radiantly like the newly risen sun, serene and unmoving like Mount Sumeru?"

When the celestial lord heard this, he observed the Venerable, and then said:

"O celestial queen! Do you recognize him?"

The celestial queen replied:

"From of old I have never seen him, and today too I do not know him."

The celestial lord Maheśvara said:

"This is a disciple of the Buddha who has great merit and virtue, who has far departed from craving and desire, who is able to cut off all transgressions, to teach and transform sentient beings, and to create every kind of peace and joy. It is because he goes about collecting alms that he has come to this place."

When the celestial queen Umā heard these words, she addressed the celestial lord:

"What is that master like, that he is so complete in form and appearance? What virtue, what majestic power, and what rare Dharma does he possess? I wish to hear about these things."

The celestial lord Maheśvara replied:

"That master, throughout three incalculable kalpas, sought the path of bodhi and broadly cultivated the power of merit. In the world he performed great deeds difficult to perform; he practiced the perfection of giving (dāna-pāramitā), giving away all kinds of food, clothing, servants, carriages, cities, towns and villages, great treasuries, and even his royal throne. He also gave to the brahmins his wife, his sons and daughters, yet his mind never harbored the slightest greed, stinginess, or affliction; nor was there even the name of craving in him.

Moreover, out of love for all sentient beings, he relinquished his head, eyes, marrow, brain, nose, tongue, body, and flesh, without ever harboring any thought of suffering and pain, nor was there even the name of falsehood. He practiced true giving because he earnestly sought the fruit, with the great majestic power of the path of bodhi, and so he attained the full perfection of giving. Furthermore, throughout three incalculable kalpas, in countless realms he practiced the perfection of moral discipline (śīla-pāramitā), firmly upholding the precepts.

Because of the majestic virtue of his upholding the precepts, he was constantly honored with offerings by devas and humans. Moreover, toward enemies and loved ones alike he was ever impartial, never opposing them. He practiced the perfection of patience (kṣānti-pāramitā), using the Noble Eightfold Path to subdue his own mind, ever rejoicing in patient endurance so that his mind became impartial.

Furthermore, toward the three kinds of sentient beings—superior, middling, and inferior—he was ever loving, creating every kind of benefit and joy for them, and so he practiced the perfection of diligence (vīrya-pāramitā), diligently cultivating day and night. Moreover, fearing that his mind and thoughts might become scattered and disordered, following after deluded objects and falling into regression, he practiced the perfection of meditative concentration (dhyāna-pāramitā), causing his mind to become completely tranquil and serene, light and at ease.

Furthermore, in order to give rise to wisdom, he recited and discerned the subtle and wondrous scriptures, and so he practiced the perfection of wisdom (prajñā-pāramitā). In this way, throughout three incalculable kalpas, he fully practiced the six perfections (pāramitās) in order to seek the wisdom of all-knowing (sarvajña). Today he has attained the perfect fruit of Buddhahood, has subdued all the Māra-kings, has realized the principle of tranquil cessation (nirvāṇa); his form and mind are subtle and wondrous; he is complete in the thirty-two marks and the eighty noble characteristics; his golden form is dignified; his light is like the sun; in the three realms there is none his equal;

he has escaped the calamity of the cycle of birth and death and has attained the peace and joy of liberation."

When Maheśvara Deva had finished speaking these words, the celestial queen Umā was greatly delighted. "When one practices giving... one attains a great reward—today, having heard this, I am able to understand it."

She asked further:

"As for you, celestial lord, what karmic deeds did you formerly cultivate and practice? I pray that you, celestial lord, will joyfully explain it to me in brief."

The celestial lord Maheśvara said:

"Listen well, and I shall set it forth clearly for you. O celestial queen! In ages past, throughout countless kalpas, in the abode of the Buddha Mahāmuni I practiced giving and making offerings, cultivated merit, upheld the precepts, and steeped myself in wisdom. From then until now I have attained the rewards of merit and sovereignty, and throughout eight lifetimes of birth I have attained the eight kinds of sovereignty. Life after life I have practiced giving, upheld the precepts, and cultivated austerities in order to seek to become the sovereign master of self-mastery, cherishing liberation until [I attain] complete tranquil peace and joy. Therefore, contemplating giving and wisdom, one must single-mindedly preserve them and cultivate the practice without interruption."

Having spoken thus, Maheśvara Deva, within his inner palace, filled a golden bowl with food of a hundred flavors, fragrant and delicious rice, and went before the Venerable Maudgalyāyana, wholeheartedly offering it. The Venerable Maudgalyāyana received the bowl of rice and then soared up into the open sky, intending to return.

Maheśvara Deva, being fully endowed with the knowledge of former lives, addressed the Venerable Maudgalyāyana:

"I beg you, Venerable, to pause for a moment and listen to what I say. In a time very long ago, when the Buddha first appeared, I recall that in a past life I was the sovereign lord of this region, the master in the three realms, knowing the arising and ceasing of the world, with none to equal me. Venerable, listen to these words, and single-mindedly go to Mount Gandhamādana."

At that time, the Venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana, wielding the marvelous power of his spiritual penetration, soared up into the open sky and arrived at Mount Gandhamādana. On one side of that mountain there was a pool that was the trace of a sage, named Devahṛda (Heavenly Waters), and he went into that pool to bathe and wash, then sat upon the mountain summit and opened the golden bowl; the rice in that bowl was fragrant and delicious, complete in fragrance and color, and it transformed into the food of the devas.

When the Venerable Maudgalyāyana had finished eating, suddenly a celestial maiden offered up pure water; the Venerable received it, and his five parts of the body were all made clean. He sat in peace upon that mountain, fixing his thoughts and concentrating his mind, entering meditative absorption, contemplating and pondering the words of Maheśvara Deva: "In a time very long ago, when the Buddha first appeared in the world"—throughout a thousand lifetimes it could not be known; throughout a hundred thousand lifetimes it could not be known; throughout a koṭi of hundreds of thousands of lifetimes it could not be known.

The Venerable then emerged from his meditative absorption, arose, and went to Mount Matsyendra (Ma-tư-ấn-nại-la); he entered absorption and pondered, but still could not know it. Again he went into the cavern of the mountain-king Matsyendra and likewise entered absorption and pondered, but still could not know it. From there, he passed through seventy peaks, entering absorption and contemplating, pondering, yet still could not perceive it. Again he went to the thirty-two continents, and sat silently pondering, yet still could not know it.

The Venerable Maudgalyāyana said:

"The wisdom of that Maheśvara Deva, even in the smallest of his words and thoughts, cannot be known by the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas."

The Venerable Maudgalyāyana then single-mindedly spoke to the Elder Śāriputra:

"Venerable, listen. I was upon the summit of Mount Kunlun, and I saw the celestial lord Maheśvara. He said to me: 'In a time long ago, when the Buddha first appeared in the world'—and this thought I am utterly unable to perceive. Now you, Venerable, are one fully endowed with great wisdom, profound, subtle and wondrous, fine and precise. Your wisdom can perceive the number of raindrops in three years and three months; it can know the number of drops of water in the four great oceas; it can know the courses traversed within the minds of all people in the four great continents. Because of such great wisdom, you, Venerable, can understand the meaning of those words; I beg you, Venerable, out of compassion, to explain and reveal it in brief."

When the Elder Śāriputra heard this, he immediately entered meditative absorption, and throughout a hundred thousand myriad koṭis of lifetimes he pondered this matter, yet could not perceive it.

At that time, the Elder Mahākāśyapa said to the Elder Śāriputra:

"The Dharma set forth by the celestial lord Maheśvara—its meaning is exceedingly profound, subtle, wondrous, and difficult to fathom. Only if one attains the marvelous power of the Buddha can one know it. But to rely solely on one's own power to investigate it is no different from taking an inch of grass to measure Mount Sumeru."

At that time, the Venerable Mahākāśyapa thought to himself: "Within the space of a kṣaṇa, swift as a flash of lightning, to contemplate matters of the long-distant past as though they were in the palm of one's hand—only the great wisdom of the Buddha can perceive this."

The Elder Mahākāśyapa, sending forth a pure voice, said to the Venerable Maudgalyāyana:

"If the celestial lord Maheśvara himself manifests his exemplary norms and standards, then in the world and in the heavens none can perceive them; only the wisdom of the All-Knowing One, who in the three realms has no equal, can verify and know it. Why is this so? Because the Buddha, the World-Honored One, with respect to the mental conduct of all sentient beings of superior, middling, and inferior capacities that exist, in the worlds of past and present numbering as the sands of a hundred thousand koṭis of Ganges Rivers, can perceive all of it as clearly as looking at an object in the palm of one's hand. For this reason it is called the wisdom of all-knowing (sarvajña)."

At this time, the Venerables Maudgalyāyana, Śāriputra, and Mahākāśyapa together went to the place of the Buddha, circumambulated the World-Honored One, then cast their five limbs to the ground, single-mindedly revering him, and withdrew to sit to one side.

At that time, the World-Honored One, knowing the thoughts in the minds of the Venerables, looked upon them and smiled. Thereupon, the Venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana praised the merits and virtues of the Buddha: the Buddha's face was upright and dignified like a golden lotus in bloom; his countenance was gentle, harmonious, and joyful; his marks of merit were deep and substantial; his teeth were even and close-set; his bodily form was beautiful; he sent forth a great light of all kinds of colors, shining throughout the world, so that the mountains, rivers, and caverns—there was nowhere that was not illuminated.

Even if the light of a hundred thousand koṭis of suns and moons were gathered together, it could not compare with it. The World-Honored One proclaimed the Dharma whose flavor is liberation, permeating throughout the three realms, so that all sentient beings obtained benefit.

Having praised him thus, he reverently bowed his head and said:

"World-Honored One! On that day I carried my alms-bowl to the heavenly palace of Maheśvara to collect alms. At that time the celestial lord Maheśvara saw me and, in accordance with the Dharma, made an offering of food and said: 'In a time very long ago, when the Buddha first appeared in the world.' I was utterly unable to comprehend those words.

The Buddha is one fully endowed with the wisdom of all-knowing, and so, with respect to the differing mental conduct of sentient beings in the worlds—as numerous as the sands of a hundred thousand myriad koṭis of Ganges Rivers—that exist in the world, he perceives all of it clearly as though looking at an object in the palm of his hand. The tongue of the World-Honored One is long and broad, covering his entire face and reaching to the hairline.

I pray that the Muni will resolve the doubt in my mind."

The World-Honored One then, with his subtle and wondrous Brahmā voice, said to the Venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana:

"Listen well and remember it carefully; the Tathāgata will, for your sake, discern and explain it.

At that time, in the long-distant past, eighty-four thousand kalpas ago, there appeared in the world a Buddha, the Perfectly Enlightened One (Samyaksaṃbuddha), whose title was Ocean of Merit and Virtue (Guṇasāgara). There was a great city likewise named Ocean of Merit and Virtue.

In that great city there was a brahmin named Tranquil-and-Still (Śānta), who had two sons: one named Śaṅkha, the other named Ruci, who gradually grew up and were both intelligent. Because of their weariness with and aversion to birth and death, they made obeisance and addressed their parents:

'We wish to enter the mountains to cultivate the practice.'

Their parents did not consent, and so told them they must not go. Again they addressed their father:

'We must cultivate the path.'

Having addressed him thus three times, they then left their parents and went to a mountain cavern, where they built a thatched hermitage as a place of refuge. About eleven paces outside the hermitage there was an old brahmin who cultivated the practice according to the Dharma of the seers (ṛṣis). There was also another person who dwelt nearby, cultivating his own practice. On a festival day, the four people gathered together and inquired after one another, each speaking of what he sought and delighted in. Ruci asked the old brahmin:

'By what practice do you cultivate, and what reward do you seek?'

The aged brahmin replied:

'I cultivate the practice in order to seek a bodily form like that of Brahmā, living a thousand years in the heavens.'

He further asked the practitioner who dwelt nearby:

'By what practice do you cultivate, and what kind of reward do you seek?'

That one replied:

'I seek to become the lord of the three realms, with a lifespan of a thousand years in the heavens.'

The great seer Śaṅkha then said of himself:

'I seek to live a thousand years in the heavens, and furthermore to be loved and revered by all people in the world.'

The seer Ruci, being fully endowed with wisdom, said to those others:

'What the three of you seek will accomplish the rewards of the world; but what I now seek is for the sake of all sentient beings—from those with two legs, four legs, many legs, and no legs, those with form and those without form, even to beings of superior, middling, and inferior capacity who are undergoing the cycle of birth and death in the world—that all of them be caused to attain liberation.'

In this way, after a time, from the heavens above, the Buddha Ocean of Merit and Virtue, together with countless hundreds of thousands of koṭis of his assembly—Śakra, Brahmā, devas, humans, the ordinary and the holy as his retinue—came surrounding him before and behind. That Buddha sat in peace upon a golden lotus throne, his body draped in a red robe, his face like the full moon, sending forth an auspicious light complete in the colors of blue, yellow, red, and white, shining down upon the ground and illumining all sentient beings, causing their minds to become pure. The four practitioners then came before the Buddha.

At this time, the aged brahmin offered to the Buddha white auspicious flowers and grasses; he made obeisance and circumambulated the Buddha, then made a vow:

'By this wholesome deed of mine, may I become the lord of the Brahmā world, with five upright and dignified faces, bestowing upon countless sentient beings the fulfillment of all their wishes.'

Next, a seer brought an iron rod to offer to the Buddha, then with fragrant oil anointed the Buddha's feet, and afterward made a vow:

'By this wholesome deed, may I attain the body of the deva Nārāyaṇa and become the sovereign master of the three realms.'

Next came the seer Śaṅkha, who lit three lamps and laid out three needles, wholeheartedly making offerings, and made a vow:

'By this offering of three lamps and three needles, may I be complete with three eyes and a hand holding a trident; life after life may I ever practice giving, become the sovereign master of the world, attain the eight kinds of sovereignty, accomplish all that I desire, and have my mind and consciousness penetrate all things.'

At that time, the seer Ruci, with his long red topknot of hair upon his head, very beautiful, then loosened it and spread it upon the road, and addressed the World-Honored One:

'I beg the Buddha, out of compassion, to tread upon my hair as he passes by.'

The two feet of the Buddha, which had attained in the three realms that which had never been before—that is, beneath the soles of his feet there were marks of thousand-spoked wheels, together with the marks of banners, the marks of flags, and the marks of vajra-pestles; all such marks had patterns like a beautifully embroidered painting, ornately adorned. The Buddha then trod upon the hair and passed across it. That one made a vow:

'By this wholesome deed, may I attain Buddhahood, to deliver all sentient beings within the destinies of the cycle of birth and death.'

After the four people had each made such vows, the aged brahmin, through his cultivation of various wholesome deeds, attained the body of Brahmā, complete with five heads and faces, becoming the lord of the three realms; and because he offered the auspicious flowers and grasses, he received as his reward a hand holding a celestial whisk (Brahmā's fly-whisk). The next practitioner, through his cultivation of wholesome roots, accumulated inexhaustible merit and attained the body of the deva Nārāyaṇa; and because he offered the iron rod, his hand holds a precious wheel named Marvelous Manifestation (Sudarśana), which is able to destroy all the asuras.

The third was the seer Śaṅkha, who, because he offered three lamps, has three eyes upon his face; because he offered three needles, his hand holds a trident; and because he circumambulated the World-Honored One, he is loved and revered by the world, attains the eight kinds of sovereignty, becomes the lord of the world, and is able to understand clearly the arising and ceasing of the world. The fourth was Ruci, who, because he spread out his hair as an offering, by the power of this vow attained departure from craving and desire, escaped the three realms, and accomplished the wisdom of all-knowing, with the title Deva above Devas (Devātideva)."

The World-Honored One, wishing to restate the meaning above, spoke a verse:

The supreme auspicious flowers,

Offered, then circumambulating,

Shall attain the body of Brahmā,

Becoming lord of the Sahā world.

With the mark of five faces, dignified,

His hand holds the celestial whisk.

Offering iron, he attains the merit

Of becoming the deva Nārāyaṇa,

His hand holding the golden Marvelous Manifestation,

Able to destroy the asuras.

The one who lit three lamps

And offered three needles—

Thus upon his face arise three eyes,

And his hand holds a trident.

The great seer Ruci

Spread out his hair as an offering;

By this marvelous wholesome deed

He shall attain the fruit of Buddhahood.

Maheśvara Deva recalls

The countless kalpas of the past:

These ones who cultivated the practice

Shall in the future become Buddhas,

Appearing in the world.

The śrāvakas cannot know it;

Only the unsurpassed Buddha

Penetrates and thus discerns it.

At that time, the World-Honored One said to the Venerable Maudgalyāyana:

"That celestial lord Maheśvara, attaining such a body, is exceedingly rare. He descended from the Brahmā heaven to be born in the human realm; and at that time, in a charnel ground, there was a female hungry ghost (preta) named Illusory Transformation (Māyā). That female ghost coupled with a ghost and conceived; that deva then took his rebirth-conception within the belly of the ghost, and afterward was born, with three eyes upon his face and light upon his body. When the ghost-mother saw this, she was greatly terrified and fled away. Through the merit and virtue of that deva, light shone and radiated throughout the charnel ground. At this time, all the throng of ghosts, seeing a light like the sun, gave rise to doubt and fear, and asked:

'What sort of being are you?'

That deva replied:

'I am Maheśvara Deva, named Self-Arisen (Svayambhū).'

When the ghosts heard this, they revered and bowed to him, praising his surpassing marvelous power, his diligence, and his beautiful form and appearance. Furthermore, celestial maidens and various Brahmā-gods came to gaze upon him, and seeing that Brahmā-god complete with five heads—among which one head was exceedingly ugly—they were all terrified, and their hearts gave rise to vexation, so they said to Maheśvara Deva:

'We beg you, for our sake, to cut off that ugly head.'

Maheśvara Deva said:

'If I cut off that head, then it will cause me to commit the sin of killing a Brahmā-god.'

The host of devas said again:

'If there be any sin, we ourselves shall bear and take it upon us.'

At that time, Maheśvara Deva consented, transforming himself into a great eagle, and with the talons of his own hand plucked off one head. Therefore Maheśvara Deva, in his own hand, has taken hold of a Brahmā-god's head, and all the devas, humans, and brahmins saw and knew of it."

When the Buddha had finished expounding this, the Venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana... all single-mindedly listened and were exceedingly joyful.