佛說觀佛三昧海經

CHAPTER FIVE: CONTEMPLATION OF THE FOUR IMMEASURABLE MINDS

At that time, after the Blessed One had spoken these words, through the power of the Buddha’s mind, ten streams of white light issued from the Buddha’s heart. That light illuminated worlds throughout the ten directions. Within each stream of light were immeasurable transformation Buddhas riding precious lotus flowers.

The great assembly gathered there saw the Buddha’s light resembling crystal-clear water; some saw it resembling milk. They saw the transformation Buddhas emerge from the Buddha’s chest and then enter his navel, riding great precious vessels and journeying through the region of the Buddha’s heart. They traveled back and forth among the five destinies, to the places where beings underwent punishment.

Every sinner saw the transformation Buddhas as intimately as their own parents and spiritual friends, and the Buddhas gradually taught them the supramundane Dharma. At that time, a great voice in the sky addressed the great assembly:

“Today, you should contemplate the Buddha’s mind! The mind of all Buddhas is indeed Great Loving-kindness. The object of Great Loving-kindness is suffering sentient beings!”

The Buddha said to Ananda:

“What is called the mind of loving-kindness? The mind of loving-kindness means that one should fix one’s thoughts upon suffering sentient beings as the object. Suffering sentient beings are those undergoing extreme suffering and affliction in the three evil destinies.”

When the Buddha spoke these words, through the power of the samadhi of liberation from the three marks, the great assembly gathered there saw beings in the hells, the realm of hungry ghosts, and the realm of animals, and those beings were enabled to know their own former lives. The members of the assembly saw that all those undergoing suffering had indeed been their own parents, teachers, disciples, and spiritual friends throughout immeasurable former kalpas. Having seen this, they cried aloud, wept, bowed to the Buddha, and said:

“O Blessed One! Today, through the Buddha’s power, we see that all suffering sentient beings have indeed been our parents and teachers.”

The Buddha told the great assembly:

“Sentient beings in the three realms revolve through the six destinies like a spinning wheel of fire. They have been parents, siblings, relatives, and kin. Among all beings in the three realms, there is no one who has not been your own relative. Why, then, do you give rise to thoughts of killing, harming, and jealousy?”

After the Buddha had spoken these words, King Suddhodana and the entire great assembly said to the Buddha:

“O Blessed One! What is called the samadhi of the mind of loving-kindness? We pray that the Blessed One will explain it briefly for us!”

The Buddha told the great assembly:

“As for the mind of loving-kindness, one should first give rise to a perception concerning one’s relatives. When fixing one’s thoughts, one should contemplate one’s own parents undergoing various sufferings and afflictions. Some unfilial people think only of their love for their wives and children and do not think of sentient beings undergoing suffering and affliction.

Some see sentient beings afflicted with sores and abscesses. Having seen them, they reflect on how they might rescue and protect them. Once one such perception has been established, they should produce a second perception.

Once two perceptions have been established, they should produce a third. Once three perceptions have been established, their perception should fill an entire house. Once the perception of one house has been established, it should fill an entire monastic dwelling.

Once the perception of one monastic dwelling has been established, it should fill one yojana. Once the perception of one yojana has been established, it should fill the entire continent of Jambudvipa. Once the perception of Jambudvipa has been established, it should fill the continent of Purvavideha.

Once the perception of Purvavideha has been established, it should fill the three continents. In this way, it should gradually expand until it fills the worlds of the ten directions.

“One sees all sentient beings in the east as one’s father, all sentient beings in the west as one’s mother, all sentient beings in the south as one’s elder brothers, all sentient beings in the north as one’s younger siblings, all sentient beings below as one’s wife and children, and all sentient beings above as one’s teachers. The sentient beings in the four intermediate directions are all sramanas, brahmins, and so forth.

One sees all these sentient beings undergoing suffering and affliction: some are gravely ill; others are seen amid mountains of knives, forests of swords, blazing chariots, charcoal furnaces, and every manner of suffering. Having seen this, the practitioner grieves and weeps, wishing to rescue them from their suffering, and forms the perception of a self: riding a precious lotus flower, the practitioner goes to those beings, subdues and softens the body, massages them, and washes their sores.

On seeing the fires of hell, the practitioner becomes sorrowful and sheds tears, wishing to extinguish those flames. On seeing hungry ghosts, the practitioner pierces the body, causing blood to flow and transform into milk, supplying the hungry ghosts until they are fully satisfied. Once they are satisfied, the practitioner teaches the Dharma to them, praising the Buddha, praising the Dharma, and praising the Sangha of bhiksus.

Having offered such praise, the practitioner again grieves and never abandons them, even momentarily. In this way, one brings the mind of loving-kindness to its utmost and makes it thoroughly penetrating and beneficial. Each aspect is explained extensively as in the Samadhi of Loving-kindness.

Such a mind of loving-kindness is called the cultivation of loving-kindness.

“Having cultivated loving-kindness, one should next practice compassion. Compassion means seeing sentient beings undergoing suffering as though an arrow had pierced one’s heart or one’s eyes had been destroyed. One’s heart is overwhelmed by sorrow and anguish, and blood pours from one’s entire body as one wishes to rescue them from their suffering. Such compassion has tens of billions of gateways, explained extensively as in the Samadhi of Great Compassion.

“Having practiced loving-kindness and compassion, one should next practice great sympathetic joy. On seeing sentient beings peaceful, secure, and experiencing happiness, joy arises in one’s heart, no differently than if one oneself were happy. Having given rise to joy, one should next practice the Dharma of equanimity.

Those sentient beings have no marks of coming or going; they arise from mental perception. The arising of mental perception is the convergence of causes and conditions, provisionally called ‘mind.’ This mental perception resembles illusory flowers arising from delusion and inversion. Suffering arises from perception, and happiness is born from perception.

The mind, like the core of a banana tree, has no true solidity. This is explained extensively in the Sutra of the Ten Similes.

“When undertaking this contemplation, the practitioner sees neither body nor mind, but sees all dharmas as identical with true nature. This is called the bodhisattva’s contemplation of body, feelings, mind, and dharmas. Relying upon this Dharma, the practitioner extensively cultivates the thirty-seven factors conducive to bodhi. If one grasps at realization, it is the Dharma of the sravakas; if one does not grasp at realization, it is the Dharma of the bodhisattvas.”

After these words had been spoken, the radiance of the Buddha’s body became even more brilliant and distinct. Light issued from the Buddha’s heart, and precious flowers arose within those rays. Each precious flower was surrounded by as many precious flowers as there are sands in the Ganges.

Upon every precious flower were immeasurable and boundless wondrous transformation Buddhas, each with an upright body sixteen feet tall, like Buddha Sakyamuni. When this sign appeared, eighty-four thousand precious lotus flowers appeared in the pores of the Buddha’s body. Upon each lotus flower were eighty-four thousand great transformation Buddhas, whose bodies were immeasurable and boundless.

In the same way, the pores and hearts of those transformation Buddhas also emitted light just as described above.

Thus, the light illuminated the ten directions everywhere, then entered through the crown of the Buddha’s head and emerged from the white urna between the Buddha’s brows. The light emitted from the white urna illuminated the ten directions everywhere like a golden banner, causing the lands throughout the ten directions to become the color of pure gold, and drew the emanation Buddhas into the Buddha’s mouth. Then light issued from the Buddha’s mouth, likewise illuminating the ten directions everywhere, and returned to enter the Buddha’s chest.

From the Buddha’s chest, light again streamed forth, illuminating the ten directions everywhere, and returned to enter the Buddha’s navel. When this light entered the Buddha’s body, it was like limpid lapis-lazuli water, perfectly still. All sentient beings in the three realms and five destinies appeared reflected within the Buddha’s heart.

The practitioner saw the emanation Buddhas riding upon great jeweled platforms like jeweled boats traveling within the Buddha’s body. All the emanation Buddhas praised abstention from killing, mindfulness of the Buddha, mindfulness of the Dharma, mindfulness of the Sangha, mindfulness of morality, mindfulness of generosity, mindfulness of the devas, the six principles of harmony and reverence, and the samadhi of loving-kindness.

Since these six recollections can give rise to wholesome dharmas, these six recollections are the causes of Buddhahood. The Buddha-mind is precisely the mind of the six recollections. Through the six principles of harmony and reverence, this Dharma is attained.

Those who wish to accomplish the Buddha-path must learn the Buddha-mind.

When these words had been spoken, the radiance of the Tathagata’s body became twice as brilliant. The number of emanation Buddhas and jeweled lotus flowers upon the Buddha’s body could not be known. Each flower of light was like the various flowers previously described.

To contemplate in this way is called right contemplation; to contemplate otherwise is called wrong contemplation. After the Buddha’s nirvana, when the Buddha’s disciples cultivate the six recollections, this is called mindfulness of the Buddha-mind. Mindfulness of the Buddha-mind eliminates the transgressions accumulated during twelve hundred million kalpas of birth and death.

Those who undertake this contemplation will certainly never hold wrong views in life after life; their hearts will not be narrow or perverse, and they will always encounter bodhisattvas who have attained non-arising. If such persons are born in a remote borderland where there is no Buddhadharma, through the power of mindfulness of the Buddha they will naturally awaken, attain liberation, and become pratyekabuddhas.

At that time, after the Blessed One had spoken these words, he withdrew the radiance of his body and returned to his former appearance, without any difference.

The Buddha said to his royal father:

“Just as the light of the white urna, one of the marks of a great being, and all the other marks may be contemplated in reverse order, in forward order, or individually, so may the entire circular halo and the body sixteen feet tall be contemplated. Merely arousing the intention to undertake this contemplation—whether one sees it or does not see it—eliminates all transgressions as described above. Suppose there were a great benefactor possessing the five superknowledges who had obtained a wish-fulfilling jewel and could fly throughout the worlds of the ten directions.

The number of sentient beings in each of those worlds throughout the ten directions could not be known and could only be described collectively as immeasurable and boundless. All those exceedingly numerous sentient beings were arhats. For countless kalpas, that great benefactor provided those noble sages with the four requisites, allowing them to lack nothing.

Would the merit gained by that person be very great?”

The royal father replied:

“Merely making offerings to the arhats of a single direction would yield immeasurable merit, to say nothing of making offerings to the immeasurable arhats throughout the ten directions.”

The Buddha said to his royal father:

“Suppose someone brought to spiritual maturity as many sentient beings holding wrong views as described above, enabling every one of them to attain arhatship, endowed with the three knowledges, the six superknowledges, and the eight liberations. This would still not equal the merit of arousing the aspiration toward the wisdom of a Buddha and being mindful of the Buddha for but a moment.”

When the Buddha spoke these words, one hundred million members of the Sakya clan among the assembly of Sakyas aroused the aspiration for unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment. They vowed never to seek the paths of the sravakas or pratyekabuddhas and said to the Buddha:

“O Blessed One! Even a single hair of the bodies of the Buddhas contains immeasurable emanation Buddhas. Of what use, then, are the bodies of sravakas, which are like decayed and blackened things?”

CHAPTER SIX: CONTEMPLATION OF THE FOUR MODES OF DEPORTMENT

I. At that time, the Blessed One immediately rose amid the great assembly and walked through the air. Seeing this, his royal father’s heart was filled with great joy, and he followed the Buddha.

Whenever the Buddha raised or lowered his foot, the mark of the wheel with a thousand spokes appeared. From each wheel-mark rained eighty-four thousand jeweled lotus flowers. Each jeweled lotus flower in turn produced eighty-four thousand kotis of nadothas of flowers.

Each jeweled lotus flower transformed into a platform. Every floral platform and every petal covered immeasurable worlds throughout the ten directions. Each lotus flower had eighty-four thousand petals.

Wherever the feet of Sakyamuni Buddha stepped through the air, jeweled flowers rained down. Within all these flowers, moreover, appeared immeasurable Buddha-feet, as numerous as motes of dust, stepping through the air. Having seen this, the royal father’s heart was filled with great joy.

He attained the state of a non-returner, prostrated himself with his five limbs upon the ground, and paid homage to the Buddha. Everyone in the assembly witnessed this event and said to the Buddha:

“O Blessed One! There are countless emanation Buddhas in the worlds of the ten directions. Which is the true Buddha? Which are emanation Buddhas?”

The Buddha told the great assembly:

“When the Buddhas, the Tathagatas, enter the samadhi of quiescence and liberation, they are freely sovereign according to their will, and there is neither true Buddha nor emanation Buddha. Why is this so? Because the Buddha-mind is empty and quiescent, and furthermore enters the Samadhi of the King of Radiance of Empty, Quiescent Liberation.

Through the power of this meditative concentration, the Buddhas, the Tathagatas, manifest boundless bodies. These boundless bodies are precisely the wisdom of all modes. The wisdom of all modes is called the Samadhi of Non-Attachment.

Through the Samadhi of Non-Attachment, the Tathagata manifests walking: he may manifest walking to seek alms, or he may manifest walking meditation. These two practices bring great benefit to sentient beings. If, while the Buddha is in the world, sentient beings see the Buddha walking and, in each successive step, behold the wheel-mark with a thousand spokes, they eliminate extremely grave transgressions accumulated over a thousand kalpas.

After the Buddha’s passing, those rightly abiding in samadhi who contemplate the Buddha walking likewise eliminate extremely grave transgressions accumulated over a thousand kalpas. Even those who do not contemplate the Buddha walking but see the footprints left by the Buddha as he walked, or see an image of the Buddha walking step by step, likewise eliminate extremely grave evil karma accumulated over a thousand kalpas.”

The Buddha told Ananda:

“From this day forward, convey the Tathagata’s words to all the disciples everywhere: after the Buddha’s nirvana, they should create beautiful images with all bodily marks complete. They should also fashion images of immeasurable emanation Buddhas, reveal the radiance of their bodies, and depict the Buddha’s footprints using exquisite colored silk. They should place a crystal jewel at the position of the white urna, enabling sentient beings to behold this mark. If they merely see this mark and joy arises in their hearts, they will eliminate the transgressions of birth and death accumulated over hundreds of kotis of nadothas of kalpas, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges.”

After speaking these words, the Tathagata sat down again.

The royal father again asked the Buddha:

“What benefit is there in transcending the world? Can it bring peace and happiness to sentient beings?”

At that time, the Blessed One said to the great king:

– In the city of Shravasti, the householder Sudatta had an elderly servant woman named Bhikkhula. Because she was careful and diligent in managing the household affairs, the householder entrusted her with the keys to the storerooms. All receipts, disbursements, taking, and giving were placed in her charge. The householder Sudatta invited the Buddha and the Sangha and provided them with whatever they needed. When a sick bhikkhu requested many things, the elderly servant, being by nature stingy, angry, and resentful toward the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha, said: “Our householder is foolish and deluded, having submitted to the magical arts of these shramanas. Those beggars ask for much and are never satisfied. What sort of extraordinary path is this?” Having said this, she further made an evil vow: “When shall I be able never to hear the name of the Buddha, never to hear the name of the Dharma, and never to see those shaven-headed people in dyed robes?” Her malicious words were heard first by one person, then by two, and in turn spread throughout the city of Shravasti. When Queen Mallika heard these words, she said: “Why is Sudatta like a beautiful lotus flower that everyone delights to behold, yet has a venomous serpent guarding him?” Having said this, she commanded Sudatta: “Send your wife here. I wish to speak with her!” Lady Anathapindika quickly went to the royal palace. After paying homage, she withdrew and stood to one side. Queen Mallika ordered that a seat be provided. When her guest had sat down, the queen said: “The elderly woman in your household speaks maliciously and slanders the Dharma. Why do you not drive her away?” Lady Anathapindika knelt and replied: “The sun of the Buddha has appeared in the world, bringing abundant benefit! Angulimala, a man of great evil; Nidhi, a person of lowly station; and Kshudrapanthaka of the Chandala class—the Buddha was able to subdue them all. How then could he not subdue one elderly servant?” When Queen Mallika heard these words, her heart rejoiced greatly, and she said: “I wish to invite the Buddha. Have that elderly servant come here!” The next morning, at mealtime, the queen invited the Buddha and the Sangha into the palace and made offerings to them. The householder sent the elderly servant with a golden mani-jeweled vase filled to the brim, to contribute to the king’s offering to the Sangha, saying: “Faithful one! Take this tribute and present it to the royal household!” Hearing these words, the elderly servant leapt for joy, took the precious vase, and hurried away. When Queen Mallika saw the elderly servant approaching, she thought: “The Buddha will transform this person of wrong views. I perceive that when she undergoes this transformation, she will certainly obtain the benefit of the Dharma.”

At that time, the Blessed One entered through the main gate, with Nanda on his left, Ananda on his right, and Rahula behind him. When the elderly woman saw the Buddha, she was so terrified that her hair stood on end. She thought: “How hateful!

This man has followed me here!” She immediately wished to retreat and tried to crawl out through a dog hole, but the dog hole at once closed. All the narrow alleys in the four directions were simultaneously sealed shut, leaving only the main road open. The elderly woman covered her face with a fan, shielding herself because she did not wish to see the Buddha.

Yet the Buddha stood before her and caused the fan to become like a mirror, presenting no obstruction at all. She turned her head eastward and saw a Buddha in the east; she looked southward and saw a Buddha in the south; she looked westward and saw a Buddha in the west; she looked northward and saw a Buddha in the north. Raising her head, she looked upward and saw a Buddha above.

Lowering her head to the ground, she saw the earth transform into Buddhas. When she covered her face with her hands, all ten of her fingers transformed into Buddhas. When the elderly woman closed her eyes, her mind’s eye immediately opened, and she saw throughout empty space transformation Buddhas filling the worlds of the ten directions.

When this sign appeared, there were in the city of Shravasti twenty-five Chandala maidens, fifty Brahmin maidens, maidens of various other classes, and five hundred maidens in Queen Mallika’s palace, all of whom had given rise to slander and did not believe in the Buddha-Dharma. They saw the Tathagata Buddha walking through empty space and manifesting innumerable bodies for the elderly woman. Their hearts rejoiced greatly; they tore apart the net of wrong views and bowed their heads in homage at the feet of the Blessed One.

At that time, the Blessed One comforted the maidens with his Brahma voice, saying:

– Maidens! Today you may invoke the name Shakyamuni! By invoking my name and contemplating the marks of my body, you can attain liberation.

When the Buddha had spoken these words, the maidens proclaimed in unison: “Namo Buddha.” The Buddha emitted light from the mark of the white curl between his brows, illuminating the hearts of the maidens. They saw the Buddha walking with serene and dignified deportment; beneath his feet, flowers rained down like floral canopies, while transformation Buddhas as numerous as a forest appeared beyond all reckoning. Having seen this, all the maidens aroused the aspiration for unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment.

Although the elderly woman saw the Buddha with wrong views and disbelief, even then the karmic offenses of birth and death accumulated over eight hundred thousand kotis of kalpas were eradicated. How much more would this be so for one who, with wholesome intent, respectfully bows in homage! At that time, because the elderly woman had seen the Buddha, the narrow alleys and pathways reopened.

She immediately hurried home and reported to the master of the household:

– Today I encountered something most dreadful: in front of many people at the gate of the royal palace, I came face-to-face with the shramana Gautama. He performed beguiling and illusory feats. His body was like a golden mountain, adorned and illuminated by all kinds of flowers. His eyes surpassed blue lotus blossoms and emitted hundreds of thousands of kotis of rays of light, so that one could never finish beholding him. That shramana is skilled in magical arts; no one in the world can equal him. Young master, you may not wish to see him.

Having said this, she entered a wooden cage, covered it above with a hundred leather curtains, bound her head with white cloth, withdrew into the darkness, and lay down. At that time, the Blessed One returned to the Jeta Grove. Queen Mallika addressed him:

– Blessed One! I beseech you to transform that woman of wrong views. Please do not return to the monastery!

The Buddha told Mallika:

– This woman’s offenses are grave, and she has no affinity with the Buddha; but she has a profound karmic connection with Rahula. By going forth today, the Buddha has eradicated her offenses.

Having spoken these words, the Buddha returned to the monastery and told Rahula:

– Go to the home of the great householder Sudatta and transform that wicked elderly woman!

When the Buddha spoke these words, the one thousand two hundred and fifty shramanas all said:

– Today we wish to accompany him!

At that time, through the awe-inspiring spiritual power of the Buddha, Rahula entered the samadhi of spiritual mastery. After paying homage, he circumambulated the Buddha seven times and then transformed himself into a Wheel-Turning Sage King. Ananda attended him on the left, and Nanda attended him on the right. The one thousand two hundred and fifty bhikkhus transformed into one thousand sons. Ananda became the Minister of the Treasury, and Nanda became the Minister of War. The seven treasures and the four divisions of the army were all present in full. At that time, the precious golden wheel appeared in empty space and, mounted upon a lotus pedestal, led the way to the home of the householder Sudatta. A yaksha proclaimed:

– The Sage King has appeared in the world to expel all evildoers and proclaim the wholesome Dharma!

When the elderly woman heard this, her heart rejoiced greatly, and she thought: “When a Sage King appears, he possesses the wish-fulfilling jewel. There is no request that cannot be made before him!”

At that time, the Holy King sounded bells and beat drums, mounted a great jeweled carriage, and went to Sudatta’s house. When the old woman saw him, she rejoiced greatly and thought, “The Holy King has appeared in the world, bringing abundant beneficent favors and knowing how to distinguish good from evil. Surely he will not be deceived by the shramanas.” She crawled out of the cage of branches and reverently bowed to the Holy King. The Holy King immediately sent the Spirit who Oversees the Treasury of Jewels to her, saying:

“Sister! In a former life, you possessed merit corresponding to the marks of royalty. Today, the Holy King wishes to make you his Precious Jade Woman!”

The old woman replied:

“My body is lowly and base, like filthy excrement. That the Holy King should condescend to inquire after me fills me with immeasurable joy! How could I be worthy of becoming the Precious Jade Woman? If he deigns to show concern for me, let him command my master to release me and grant me freedom. That favor alone would already be more than enough!”

At that time, the Holy King said to Sudatta:

“The old woman of your household possesses majestic and imposing marks. I now wish to appoint her as my Precious Jade Woman!”

Sudatta replied:

“I obey! In accordance with Your Majesty’s command, I respectfully offer her to the Great King!”

When the old maidservant heard that she had been released, she was extraordinarily delighted. The Holy King then illuminated the maidservant’s face with a wish-fulfilling jewel, causing her to see herself as resembling the Precious Jade Woman. Her joy increased manyfold, and she exclaimed:

“Those shramanas and the like engage in lofty discussions and make grand pronouncements, claiming that they possess the Way, yet there is not the slightest evidence of it! The appearance of the Holy King in the world brings vast benefits, causing my old and wretched body to resemble that of the Precious Jade Woman.”

Having spoken these words, she prostrated herself upon the ground and bowed to the Holy King. The Spirit who Oversees the Treasury proclaimed the King’s edict, which extolled the ten wholesome dharmas. When the maidservant heard the ten wholesome dharmas, her heart rejoiced greatly, and she immediately thought, “There is nothing in the meaning of the Holy King’s words that is not wholesome!” She then bowed before the King, repented of her faults, and reproached herself; thus her mind was immediately subdued. At that moment, Rahula resumed his original form. The old woman raised her head and saw one thousand two hundred and fifty bhikshus. She then said:

“The Buddha-Dharma is pure and does not abandon sentient beings! Even someone as vile and evil as I am can still be delivered!”

Having spoken these words, she requested to receive the five precepts. Rahula taught her the Dharma of the Three Refuges and conferred the five precepts upon her. When the old woman heard this Dharma, in the brief moment before she had even raised her head, she attained the fruit of stream-entry. The earth spirit rejoiced, sprang forth from the ground, and said to Sudatta:

“Excellent, Elder! The net of wrong views has been torn apart! It is precisely for this that the Tathagata appears in the world!”

Rahula brought the old woman to the Jetavana Grove. Upon arriving, the old woman saw the Buddha’s bodily marks, purple-gold in color. Joyfully joining her palms, she bowed to the Buddha, repented of her former offenses, and begged the Buddha to permit her to renounce the household life. The Buddha said to Rahula:

“Take this old woman to my maternal aunt, Gautami!”

Before they reached her, Rahula taught the old woman the Dharma of suffering, emptiness, impermanence, non-self, and so forth. After hearing the Dharma, her hair fell out by itself, and she became a bhikshuni endowed with the three knowledges, the six superknowledges, and the eight liberations. Her body rose into the air, where she manifested the eighteen transformations. When Queen Mallika, wife of King Prasenajit, saw these transformations, her heart rejoiced greatly, and she praised them, saying:

“Excellent! The sun of the Buddha has appeared in the world, dispelling the darkness of ignorance and enabling those of wrong views to attain the true path.”

Having spoken these words, she bowed to the Buddha and said:

“World-Honored One! What offense did this old woman commit in a former life that caused her to be born into a lowly station and become another person’s maidservant? And what merit did she possess that she was fortunate enough to encounter the World-Honored One and, like a fine white cloth that readily takes on dye, immediately attain the path of arhatship?”

The Buddha said:

“Great King! Listen attentively! Listen attentively, and consider this well!

The Tathagata shall distinguish and explain it for you. Countless kalpas ago in the distant past, there was a Buddha, a World-Honored One, named One Jeweled Canopy Lamp King Tathagata, who was fully endowed with the ten epithets. After that Buddha entered nirvana, during the Age of the Semblance Dharma, there was a king named Adorned Jeweled Flower Light.

That king had a son named Joyful Vision, who asked permission to renounce the household life. His royal father granted his request. The prince entered the mountains and went to a Sangha monastery to request ordination.

There, an intelligent and greatly wise bhikshu who deeply understood the true mark of reality accepted him as a disciple. There was also a bhikshu named Virtuous Flower Light, who was skilled in expounding the essentials of the Dharma and in exhorting and encouraging beginners. Although the prince-bhikshu had renounced the household life, he still harbored pride and arrogance.

His preceptor taught him the extremely profound and wondrous Dharma, the meaning of great emptiness in the prajnaparamita. After hearing it, the prince misunderstood its meaning and gave perverse and erroneous explanations. After that bhikshu passed away, the prince said, ‘My great preceptor was vacuous and devoid of wisdom.

He could only praise nothingness and emptiness. May I never delight in seeing him in future lives. My acharya possesses wisdom and eloquence; may he be my good and wise friend in life after life.’ After speaking these words, the prince-bhikshu thereafter called Dharma non-Dharma and non-Dharma Dharma, teaching all his followers to practice wrong views.

Although he upheld the prohibitive precepts and dignified conduct without deficiency or transgression, because of his mistaken understanding, after his life ended he fell into the Avici hell as swiftly as an arrow in flight. For eight billion kalpas he continually underwent suffering and torment. Only after his offenses were exhausted did he emerge and become a poor and lowly person.

For five hundred lifetimes he was deaf and blind, and for one thousand two hundred lifetimes he was continually a servant to others.”

When the Buddha spoke these words, five hundred maidservants of Queen Mallika repented, reproached themselves, brought forth the aspiration for bodhi, and vowed that in future lives they would understand the profound Dharma of emptiness.

The Buddha said to the Great King:

“The preceptor of that time is now none other than myself! The acharya is now Rahula! The prince-bhikshu was this old woman! And his disciples and followers are now these women of wrong views who have brought forth the aspiration for bodhi!”

When the Buddha spoke these words, twenty thousand upasakas in the city of Shravasti all brought forth the aspiration for bodhi and attained the samadhi of mindfulness of the Buddha. Constantly abiding in samadhi, they saw the Buddha teaching the Dharma.

The Buddha said to his royal father:

“When an evil person of wrong views merely sees the Buddha walking, that person can still obtain such immeasurable merit. How much more so does one who contemplates the Buddha walking or an image of the Buddha walking!”

The royal father said to the Buddha:

“The Buddha’s mother, Maya, was reborn in the Trayastrimsha Heaven. Today the Buddha is fully endowed with marks, radiance, and spiritual powers. When will you go there to teach the Dharma to your mother?”

The Buddha said to his royal father:

“The Tathagata shall, in accordance with the manner of walking of a wheel-turning Holy King, ascend from Jambudvipa to the Trayastrimsha Heaven to visit the donor and teach the wondrous Dharma.”

At that time, in the assembly was a great bodhisattva named Upholder of the Earth. He immediately arose and entered the Surangama Samadhi. Through the power of that samadhi, from the Vajra realm there appeared rings of vajra, roots of vajra, and flowers of vajra, each flower following upon the next, extending beyond Jambudvipa.

The four dragon kings Nanda, Upananda, Anavatapta, Sagara, and others all brought the seven treasures to Bodhisattva Upholder of the Earth. They offered the seven treasures to make three jeweled stairways for the Buddha, the World-Honored One: the one on the left was made of silver, the one on the right of crystal, and the one in the center of gold. They extended from the Vajra realm of Jambudvipa up to the palace of the Trayastrimsa Heaven.

Each jeweled stairway had seven tiers of railings. Those railings were fashioned from tens of billions of jewels and emitted tens of billions of rays of light. Each ray of light contained tens of billions of jeweled flowers.

From within every flower, immeasurable musical instruments naturally emerged.

At that time, Bodhisattva Upholder of the Earth spread out seven-jeweled lotus flowers as numerous as the sands of the Ganges wherever the Buddha would set his feet. Along the stairways, jeweled standards were erected, with immeasurable jeweled banners suspended from their tops. Hundreds of billions of jeweled canopies covered them all from above.

The devas of the Trayastrimsa Heaven rained down mandarava flowers, great mandarava flowers, manjushaka flowers, and great manjushaka flowers to adorn that place. The Brahma King held a censer in his hands and, together with tens of thousands of Brahma beings, stood in attendance beside the stairways. Each stream of fragrant smoke was like a cloud of lapis lazuli filling all of space.

Within those clouds were hundreds of thousands of musical instruments that sounded of themselves without being played. Dragon King Nanda and the others scattered fragrant candana powder from this shore all along the path. The fragrant radiance rose like resplendent golden light to the height of a tala tree and then transformed into a golden terrace.

Immeasurable devas adorned the stairways with celestial necklaces. Offerings such as these were too numerous to count.

At that time, in Jambudvipa, the World-Honored One gathered up his three robes and instructed Ananda, Nanda, Rahula, and the others, together with five hundred bhiksus, to proceed on foot. When he raised his foot to take the first step, the earth quaked in six ways. When he set his foot down, jeweled palaces arose from the earth like the palace of the Brahma King. Palace after palace followed one another, suspended in the air, shining behind the Buddha. Beside the stairways, Bodhisattva Upholder of the Earth, Bodhisattva Maitreya, and one thousand other bodhisattvas joined their palms together at once and, with tens of billions of voices, chanted praises of the Tathagata's immeasurable virtuous deeds.

At that time, the Brahma King, together with countless hundreds of thousands of Brahma devas and others, held censers and immeasurable musical instruments as offerings to the Buddha and stood in attendance by the stairway on the left. Shakra, Lord of the Devas, together with countless sons of devas and hundreds of thousands of celestial maidens playing instruments and singing, also stood in attendance by the stairway on the left. Countless great assemblies of shravakas and bodhisattvas stood in attendance by the stairway on the right.

At that time, the World-Honored One emitted a great light that illuminated the sides of the stairways. That light was like clouds of hundreds of thousands of millions of colors, resembling tiered pavilions. Within it was the Buddha, surrounded by eighty-four thousand transformation Buddhas. The five hundred emanation Buddhas, identical to the Buddha, carried robes and bowls, their deportment serene and orderly. Each emanation Buddha likewise had Ananda and Nanda as attendants. Mara Papiyan, in the midst of space together with his hosts of maras, recited wondrous verses praising the merits and virtues of the Tathagata. Shakra, Lord of the Devas, said to Lady Maya:

– The Tathagata, Hero of the World, is coming here to repay his debt of gratitude!

When Lady Maya heard that the Buddha was coming, she sent celestial maidens bearing celestial treasures, celestial music, and mandarava flowers to stand beside the stairways and welcome the World-Honored One.

At that time, whenever the Tathagata raised or lowered his foot, countless palaces appeared. Within each palace, five hundred transformation Buddhas sat in the lotus posture. Each Tathagata had five hundred bodhisattvas as attendants.

Then the five hundred emanations, the Shakyamunis, entered the palace of the Trayastrimsa Heaven. The devas rejoiced and spoke these verses:

Vipashyin Buddha,

The most auspicious Honored One,

Also emitted radiant light

And passed through this place.

Shikhin Buddha,

The most auspicious Honored One,

With transformation bodies beyond measure,

Passed through this place.

Vishvabhu Buddha

Emitted white rays of light,

Illuminating everywhere,

And passed through this place.

Krakucchanda Buddha

Sent forth light from his face,

Illuminating the worlds of the ten directions,

And passed through this place.

Kanakamuni Buddha,

With transformation bodies beyond count,

Emitted great radiant light

And passed through this place.

Kashyapa Buddha,

His body like a jeweled pavilion,

Trod through empty space

And passed through this place.

Shakyamuni Buddha,

With five hundred emanation bodies

And countless transformation Buddhas,

Illuminated everywhere

And passed through this place.

Bodhisattva Maitreya,

The Venerable One of the Auspicious Kalpa,

Also emitted radiant light

And passed through this place.

This place is good and auspicious,

Unconditioned and peaceful,

A place where Buddhas journey,

The land where the Muni was born,

Named the Grotto of Nirvana,

Where the wise cross over by wisdom.

At that time, the World-Honored One entered the palace of the Trayastrimsa Heaven and immediately emitted light from the white urna between his brows. That light transformed into a great canopy of the seven treasures that covered Lady Maya from above, and it produced a couch adorned with the seven treasures for Lady Maya to sit upon. When Maya, the Buddha's mother, saw the Buddha enter the palace, she joined her palms reverently and bowed to him.

The five hundred transformation Buddhas simultaneously extended their arms, and the devas supported her, not allowing her to bow. All eighty-four thousand transformation Tathagatas arose. At that time, five hundred billion rays of light naturally emerged within Lady Maya's palace.

Within those rays of light were great jeweled terraces. Upon each jeweled terrace were Buddhas of the ten directions. Those Buddhas each proclaimed their own names and consoled the Buddha's mother.

In the eastern direction, Buddha Good Virtue scattered wondrous jeweled flowers over Shakyamuni and Lady Maya. The flowers transformed into floral canopies. Within those floral canopies, hundreds of billions of transformation Buddhas joined their palms, arose, and greeted the Buddha's mother.

In the southern direction, Buddha Candana Virtue scattered jeweled lotus flowers over Shakyamuni and the Buddha's mother. The flowers transformed into floral canopies. Within those floral canopies, countless transformation Buddhas joined their palms, arose, and greeted the Buddha's mother.

In the western direction, Buddha Immeasurable Light scattered jeweled lotus flowers over Shakyamuni and the Buddha's mother. The flowers transformed into floral canopies. Countless transformation Buddhas joined their palms, arose, and greeted the Buddha's mother.

In the northern direction, Buddha Mark of Virtue scattered jeweled lotus flowers over Shakyamuni and the Buddha's mother. The flowers transformed into floral canopies. Countless transformation Buddhas joined their palms, arose, and greeted the Buddha's mother.

In the southeastern direction was Buddha Sorrowless Virtue; in the southwestern direction, Buddha Bestower of Treasures; in the northwestern direction, Buddha Flower Virtue; in the northeastern direction, Buddha Practice of the Three Vehicles; in the upward direction, Buddha Virtue of the Vast Assembly; and in the downward direction, Buddha Luminous Virtue. All these Buddhas and others scattered jeweled flowers over Shakyamuni and the Buddha's mother.

The flowers transformed into floral canopies. Within each floral canopy, countless transformation Buddhas joined their palms, arose, and greeted the Buddha's mother. At that time, the palace of the Trayastrimsa Heaven was filled with transformation Buddhas.

Above the crown of Maya, the Buddha's mother, offerings naturally appeared, including immeasurable standards and banners offered to the Buddhas. From within the standards and banners came wondrous voices praising the Buddha, praising the Dharma, and praising the Bhiksu Sangha. The Buddha said to Ananda:

– This is called the manifestation of the Tathagata ascending from Jambudvipa to the Trayastrimsa Heaven, with the radiance of his physical marks and his miraculous transformations. After the Buddha’s parinirvana, if the Buddha’s disciples contemplate in this manner, it is called right contemplation; if they contemplate otherwise, it is called wrong contemplation. Those who undertake this contemplation extinguish the offenses of birth and death accumulated throughout one hundred million kalpas. As their lives approach their end, they will see the Buddhas of the ten directions and will certainly be born in a pure Buddha-land of another direction. The Buddha told Ananda:

– For the sake of sentient beings in future ages, you must widely proclaim these words. Know that those who hear these words and contemplate their meaning are sheltered and protected by the Buddhas of the ten directions. At the end of their lives, they will certainly be born in the presence of the Buddhas.

The Buddha said to his royal father:

– What is meant by the manifestation of the Tathagata’s luminous marks when he descended from the Trayastrimsa Heaven to Jambudvipa? When I first descended, innumerable heavenly princes and hundreds of thousands of heavenly maidens attended upon the Blessed One. They saw only the Buddha’s circular halo, one fathom in breadth, emitting hundreds of thousands of rays of light. My feet stepped through empty space as I descended along the jeweled stairway. Within the Buddha’s radiance appeared images of the Seven Buddhas. Emerging from the Buddha’s light, they led the way before him. At that time, in Jambudvipa, King Udayana, yearning for and revering the Blessed One, had cast an image in gold. Hearing that the Buddha was about to descend, the king had an elephant carry the golden image to welcome the Blessed One. The bhiksuni Utpalavarna transformed herself into a lapis lazuli mountain and sat cross-legged within a cave in the mountain, welcoming the Blessed One with immeasurable offerings.

At that time, the golden image descended from the elephant’s back like a living Buddha. Its feet stepped through empty space, flowers rained beneath them, and it also emitted light as it went to welcome the Blessed One. The cast golden image joined its palms and circumambulated the Buddha in homage. The Blessed One likewise knelt upright with palms joined, facing the image. At that moment, hundreds of thousands of transformation Buddhas in empty space also joined their palms and knelt upright, facing the image.

The Blessed One then said to the image:

– In future ages, you will greatly perform the work of the Buddha! After my parinirvana, I entrust my disciples to you!

The transformation Buddhas in empty space, though speaking with different mouths, proclaimed in a single voice:

– If, after my parinirvana, sentient beings fashion images and make offerings to them of banners, canopies, flowers, and all kinds of incense, then in future lives they will certainly attain the Samadhi of Pure Recollection of the Buddha. If sentient beings know the various marks manifested when the Buddha descended from the Trayastrimsa Heaven and concentrate their minds in contemplation, they will certainly behold the Buddha.

The Buddha told Ananda:

– After the Buddha’s parinirvana, disciples of the Buddha who know of the Tathagata Buddha’s descent from the Trayastrimsa Heaven and behold an image of the Buddha will eliminate extremely grave evil karma accumulated throughout one thousand kalpas. Contemplation in this manner is called right contemplation; contemplation otherwise is called wrong contemplation.

– End of the Sixth Fascicle -