佛說觀佛三昧海經

CHAPTER TEN: MINDFULNESS OF THE SEVEN BUDDHAS

The Buddha said to Ananda:

“If sentient beings successfully contemplate the mind of the image, they should next contemplate images of the Seven Buddhas of the past. Those who contemplate the Seven Buddhas must diligently exert themselves, assiduously cultivating the six practices throughout the six periods of day and night. Sitting upright in proper meditative absorption, they should delight in speaking little. Except when reciting sutras or extensively explaining the teachings of the Dharma, they must never utter meaningless words. They should constantly recollect the Buddhas, thought following thought without interruption, until there is not a single thought in which they do not see a Buddha. Through such single-minded concentration, they never depart from the sun of the Buddha.

“In the distant past there was a Buddha, a World-Honored One, named Vipasyin. His body was sixty yojanas tall and majestic. His circular halo extended one hundred and twenty yojanas.

His body was purple-gold in color and possessed eighty-four thousand marks. Within each mark were eighty-four thousand excellent characteristics. Within each excellent characteristic were innumerable golden rays.

Within every ray were transformation Buddhas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Each transformation Buddha emitted Ganges-sands of colored rays. Within every ray were innumerable devas, sravaka bhiksus, and assemblies of bodhisattvas serving as attendants.

Each person held a branch of great jeweled flowers. Upon every flower were hundreds of thousands of kotis of brilliant mani-jeweled nets. These radiant jeweled nets joined one another and rose one hundred thousand zhang high, forming the Buddha’s radiance.

“At that time, the Buddha’s body became even more luminous and distinct, like hundreds of thousands of suns illuminating a purple-gold mountain. From the blazing light arose innumerable transformation Buddhas. Each transformation Buddha resembled hundreds of kotis of suns and moons appearing together.

They caused the practitioner to see Buddha Vipasyin bare his right shoulder, extend his golden arm, stroke the crown of the practitioner’s head, and say: ‘Dharma-child! Because you practice the Samadhi of Contemplating the Buddha and have attained the mind of mindfulness of the Buddha, I have come to bear witness for you. You may now contemplate my true physical body.

Contemplate each mark in sequence, one after another. With utmost sincerity, you must establish a vajra vow! When we cultivated the Buddha Way in the distant past, we were no different from you.’

“After Buddha Vipasyin had thus comforted the practitioner, he immediately transformed into a great jeweled lotus as vast as Mount Sumeru. Seated cross-legged upon the flower, the Buddha taught the practitioner mindfulness of the Buddha, mindfulness of the Dharma, and hundreds of kotis of avarta-dharanis. Having seen this, the practitioner’s joy increased manyfold, and he reverently bowed to that Buddha. That Buddha said: ‘If any sentient being hears my name and bows to me, the transgressions of five hundred kotis of kalpas of birth and death will be eliminated. Now that you have seen me, your obstructions will be removed, you will attain immeasurable kotis of avarta-dharanis, and in a future life you will become a Buddha.’”

The Buddha said to Ananda:

“At that time, when the practitioner sees Buddha Vipasyin and his heart is filled with joy, I and the other six Buddhas appear before him. Buddha Vipasyin sits upon his seat and teaches this Dharma-child the Samadhi of Mindfulness of the Buddha.

“The World-Honored One Sikhin is forty-two yojanas tall. His body is purple-gold, his circular halo extends forty-five yojanas, and the radiance pervading his entire body extends one hundred yojanas. Within this net of light are innumerable transformation Buddhas, together with great assemblies of bodhisattvas and sravakas and devas as their retinues.

They follow behind the Buddha, gracefully circling him to the right. When the practitioner sees Buddha Sikhin, he further gains immeasurable dharani gates and beholds hundreds of thousands of innumerable subtle transformation Buddhas. Throughout innumerable kalpas in the future, during all the intervening time, the practitioner will constantly encounter Buddha World-Honored Ones and be born into the family of bodhisattvas.’ When these words were spoken, innumerable hundreds of thousands of devas, having heard this matter, all beheld the Buddha’s dignified and wondrous physical body, and they simultaneously awakened the aspiration for complete enlightenment.

“The World-Honored One Visvabhu emits light from his entire body and stands before the practitioner. This Buddha’s body is thirty-two yojanas tall, his circular halo extends forty-two yojanas, and the radiance pervading his body extends sixty-two yojanas. His body is purple-gold, and the majestic marks of his radiance are no different from those of the preceding Buddha. After seeing this Buddha, the practitioner advances still further in the gates of dharani and samadhi. In a future life he will certainly be born into the family of the Buddhas, and nothing will obstruct him.

“Buddha Krakucchanda also emits light and stands before the practitioner. His body is twenty-five yojanas tall, his circular halo extends thirty-two yojanas, and the radiance pervading his body extends fifty yojanas. His excellent marks are complete, like a purple-gold mountain. Those who see this Buddha will always be born in pure lands and will not dwell within a womb. When their lives are about to end, the Buddha World-Honored Ones will certainly come to welcome them.

“Buddha Kanakamuni emits great light and stands before the practitioner. His body is twenty yojanas tall, his circular halo extends thirty yojanas, and the radiance of his entire body extends forty yojanas. His excellent marks and radiance are complete.

Those who see this Buddha immediately attain hundreds of kotis of samadhi gates and innumerable dharani gates. When they emerge from concentration, they constantly attain the Samadhi in Which the Buddhas Appear Directly Before One. This samadhi bears witness for the practitioner.

It is called the Samadhi in Which the Buddhas Appear Directly Before One because those who attain it, whether emerging from concentration or entering concentration, whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, constantly behold all the Buddhas, for the Buddhas manifest their wondrous physical bodies before them.

“The World-Honored One Kasyapa emits great light and stands before the practitioner. His body is sixteen zhang tall, purple-gold in color, and complete in excellent marks. Those who see this Buddha attain the Samadhi of the Markless, Wordless Light of Tranquil Extinction. In future lives they will constantly abide in the Ocean of the Samadhi of Great Emptiness.

“Buddha Sakyamuni, whose body is one zhang and six chi tall, emits purple-gold light and stands before the practitioner. The World-Honored One Maitreya has a body sixteen zhang tall.... In this manner, all the Buddhas enter the Samadhi of Universally Manifesting Physical Bodies and appear before that person, causing the practitioner’s heart to rejoice. Because of this joy, all those transformation Buddhas extend their right hands and stroke the crown of the practitioner’s head.

“After seeing the Seven Buddhas, the practitioner sees Maitreya. Having seen Maitreya, he sees the bodhisattvas of the Auspicious Kalpa, beholding each in sequence until the bodhisattva Rucika. They all emit light and stand before the practitioner. Each of the one thousand bodhisattvas praises the Samadhi of Mindfulness of the Buddha and expounds for the practitioner the nature of bodhisattvas, the liberation of bodhisattvas, and the wisdom of bodhisattvas. This is called attaining the Samadhi of Mindfulness of the Buddha through contemplating the mind of the image.

The Buddha said to Ananda:

“After the Buddha’s nirvana, contemplation performed in this manner by the Buddha’s disciples is called correct contemplation; contemplation performed otherwise is called incorrect contemplation. Although those who cultivate this samadhi still possess afflictions, they are not controlled by them. Through the power of this Samadhi of Mindfulness of the Buddha, the Buddhas of the ten directions emit great light and appear before them. This light is exceptionally exalted and has no equal in the three realms.”

After the Buddha had spoken these words, Brahma, the heavenly king, again entreated him:

“May the Buddha, the World-Honored One, speak of the Buddhas of the ten directions standing before the practitioner and manifesting the radiance of their physical marks!”

CHAPTER ELEVEN: MINDFULNESS OF THE BUDDHAS OF THE TEN DIRECTIONS

The Buddha said to Ananda:

“What is meant by a practitioner’s contemplation of the Buddhas of the ten directions? In contemplating the Buddhas of the ten directions, one begins with the east.

“In the east is a world whose land is named Jeweled Peace and Security, composed of immeasurable kotis of jewels in thousands of kotis of colors. The Buddha there is named Good Virtue. He too emits innumerable rays illuminating hundreds of thousands of lands and, together with innumerable kotis of transformation Buddhas who are his emanations, stands before the practitioner. His body is like a golden mountain, dignified beyond compare. He sits within a great vajra cavern amid houses, towers, and pavilions adorned with innumerable rays and all kinds of jewels.

“Beneath each house, tower, and pavilion are hundreds of kotis of jeweled trees, as numerous as immeasurable motes of dust. Beneath each jeweled tree are eighty-four thousand lion seats. Upon every lion seat sits an emanation Buddha, cross-legged and absorbed in samadhi beneath the jeweled tree.

“The Buddha World-Honored One Good Virtue has a body two hundred and fifty kotis of nayutas of yojanas tall. In every pore of his body are innumerable kotis of dust-motes of supreme excellent marks. Within each excellent mark are innumerable transformation Buddhas. Every transformation Buddha towers majestically like Mount Sumeru, emits great light, and sits upon a jeweled lotus in empty space.

“Each emanation Buddha reveals wondrous light, from which appear innumerable hundreds of thousands of transformation Buddhas. Each transformation Buddha sits upon a jeweled lotus. Each lotus bears thousands of banners and streamers. Every banner and streamer produces hundreds of kotis of wondrous sounds. Within these sounds is taught the contemplation of the innumerable bodies of the Buddhas of the ten directions.

“When this sign appears, the practitioner sees the worlds of the ten directions resembling vajra, with hundreds of kotis of jeweled colors, neither perishing nor decaying. Having seen this sign, the practitioner receives before the Buddhas the rank of Dharma-prince. Such a state is called the Stage of the Bodhisattva-Nature.

“In the south is the Buddha Sandalwood Virtue, whose bodily marks are lofty and majestic. The land of that Buddha has a ground of vaidurya with jeweled colors as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Within the Buddha’s light are also innumerable hundreds of thousands of houses, towers, pavilions, and rows of jeweled trees, with lion seats arranged beneath them.... Upon the seats, Buddhas sit cross-legged; jeweled banners, streamers, and canopies produce sounds that proclaim the Dharma.... Thus they teach the Samadhi of the Ocean of Buddhas....

“In the west is the Buddha Immeasurable Light. His land is pure, with golden ground and five hundred kotis of jeweled colors. There are the light of the Buddha’s body, towers, pavilions, preaching halls, rows of jeweled trees, and jeweled lion seats arranged beneath them. Emanation Buddhas sit cross-legged beneath the jeweled trees, while the jeweled banners and streamers also proclaim the Ocean of Mindfulness of the Buddha....

“In the north is the Buddha Virtue of Marks. The ground of that Buddha-land is crystal-colored and possesses five hundred kotis of jeweled rays. Its rows of jeweled trees, jeweled lion seats, towers, pavilions, preaching halls, banners, streamers, and lights are no different from those described above.

“In the southeast is the Buddha Sorrowless Virtue. The ground of that Buddha-land has the colors of the seven treasures. Upon each color are seven hundred kotis of variegated colors. Its rows of jeweled trees, towers, pavilions, and lights number in the hundreds of kotis of myriads. Every light proclaims the ocean of the Buddha’s virtues, teaching such subjects as the Ocean of Buddhas....

“In the southwest is the Buddha Jeweled Giving. The ground of that Buddha-land has the colors of five kinds of jewels. Upon each jewel are five hundred kotis of rays. Every ray transforms into five hundred kotis of clouds of lotus flowers. Upon each lotus cloud are hundreds of kotis of towers and pavilions, each resembling hundreds of thousands of myriads of kotis of Brahma palaces. Within every Brahma palace are innumerable couches and seats formed from lotus light. Upon those seats, emanation Buddhas sit cross-legged and expound the Dharma of the Buddhas’ Great Loving-Kindness and Compassion. The lights, banners, and streamers together proclaim the Ocean of Buddhas.

“In the northwest is the Buddha Flower Virtue. His land is the color of vaidurya and crystal. Upon every color are innumerable hundreds of thousands of rays, each transforming into five hundred kotis of jeweled caverns. Within every cavern are innumerable jeweled canopies. Within every jeweled canopy are hundreds of kotis of rays. Within every ray are innumerable emanation Buddhas sitting cross-legged and emitting great light. Within that light they expound the Samadhi of Mindfulness of the Buddha. Through the Samadhi of Mindfulness of the Buddha, the practitioner again beholds innumerable Buddhas.

“In the northeast is the Buddha Practice of the Three Vehicles. His land is entirely silver-colored, with hundreds of kotis of myriads of rays. These rays possess thousands of colors that adorn the entire realm, making the land exceedingly pure. Emanation and transformation Buddhas, jeweled trees, banners, and streamers stand in orderly profusion, adorning it beyond calculation.

“Above is the Buddha Virtue of the Vast Assembly. The ground of that Buddha-land has five hundred kotis of jeweled colors. Every jeweled color possesses innumerable rays. Every ray transforms into innumerable hundreds of kotis of transformation Buddhas. Within each ray of Buddha-light are immeasurable rows of jeweled trees arrayed as adornments. Beneath every tree are hundreds of kotis of jeweled lion seats, upon which Buddhas sit cross-legged, with innumerable bodhisattvas serving as attendants. The entire great assembly abides within the cloud of the Buddha’s light.

“Below is the Buddha Radiant Virtue. The ground of that Buddha-land is golden, with golden light and golden clouds.... Within the clouds of light are innumerable golden houses, towers and pavilions of the seven treasures, and rows of trees of a hundred jewels arrayed as adornments. Its jeweled banners, streamers, and canopies number in the kotis of thousands of myriads. Beneath each tree are hundreds of kotis of jeweled seats. In the innumerable houses, towers, and pavilions are innumerable sitting mats shaped like jeweled flowers.... Innumerable emanation Buddhas sit upon vaidurya seats beneath the jeweled trees. Amid the colors of the flowers are innumerable assemblies of Buddhas. Those World-Honored Ones all expound the Dharma practices of bodhisattvas.

“In this manner, the ten directions contain innumerable transformation Buddhas, each manifesting light. Each of the Buddhas of the ten directions sits within a vajra cavern. Their bodily dimensions and radiance are like those of the Buddha Good Virtue. Their transformation Buddhas, majestic spiritual powers, and lands are all made visible to the practitioner, just as one sees the features of one’s own face in a bright mirror.

“The practitioner sees the Buddhas of the ten directions distinctly and clearly. Because his heart rejoices, he is undefiled by any dharma and abides in the initial pure mind. The Buddhas of the ten directions then extensively and unanimously teach the practitioner the six paramitas. Having heard this Dharma, the practitioner has no uncertainty or doubt regarding the ten states of mind below the First Bhumi. Those who see this event will certainly hear the Buddhas expound the prajnaparamita. Hearing of emptiness in the ultimate truth, their hearts are neither frightened nor doubtful. Amid all dharmas, they enter the Samadhi of Emptiness. This is called the Samadhi Resembling the Mark of Emptiness.”

The Buddha said to Ananda:

“After the Buddha’s nirvana, disciples of the Buddha who wish to contemplate the Buddhas of the ten directions will at first know only the coarse marks within the Samadhi of Mindfulness of the Buddha; afterward, they will naturally come to know immeasurable wondrous marks. Contemplation performed in this manner is called correct contemplation; contemplation performed otherwise is called incorrect contemplation.

“Those who attain this contemplation see innumerable, immeasurable Buddhas. Those who enter this concentration are called persons who see the physical bodies of all Buddhas. They also gradually enter the gate of the three kinds of emptiness. Those who pass through the gate of the three kinds of emptiness, by the power of the Buddhas, do not become attached to emptiness. In a future life they will attain unsurpassed, complete and perfect enlightenment and reach non-retrogression. This is called the mind that does not forget bodhi and correctly accords with the Buddha Way.”

When this Dharma of contemplating the Buddhas of the ten directions was taught, the Buddhas of the ten directions, seated within caverns of a hundred jewels on the vajra mountain, all extended their right hands, stroked the crown of Ananda’s head, and said:

“Dharma-child! You must extensively proclaim the Buddha’s words for sentient beings in future lives, taking care never to transmit them recklessly. You should proclaim them to those who have firmly awakened the aspiration for complete enlightenment and who cultivate the proper meditative absorption of the Concentration of Mindfulness of the Buddha.”

The Buddha said to Ananda:

“If one wishes to perfect this Samadhi of Mindfulness of the Buddha, there are five causes and conditions. What are the five?

“First, one upholds the precepts without violating them.

“Second, one does not give rise to wrong views.

“Third, one does not become arrogant.

“Fourth, one is neither angry nor jealous.

“Fifth, one exerts oneself courageously, as though extinguishing a fire upon one’s head.

“One who performs these five deeds and correctly recollects the wondrous physical bodies of the Buddhas, keeping the mind from retreating, need not recite the Mahayana scriptures. Through the meritorious power of mindfulness of the Buddha, that person will quickly behold immeasurable Buddhas.

“One who beholds the Buddhas should remain alone, with a single pure mind, without mingling with others, and should make offerings to the Buddhas of the ten directions. What is meant by making offerings? When that person emerges from concentration and enters a stupa to see an image, when recollecting and reciting sutras, or when bowing to a single Buddha, he should think: ‘The minds and wisdom of the Buddhas, the Perfectly and Universally Knowing Ones, are entirely unobstructed! In bowing now to one Buddha, I bow to all Buddhas.’

“If, while contemplating one Buddha, he immediately sees all Buddhas, the practitioner will see before each Buddha a practitioner continuously making obeisance, and each is his own body.

“When offering a single flower, he should think: ‘The virtues of the Dharma-bodies of the Buddhas are immeasurable; they neither abide nor decay, but shine brilliantly in eternal peace. I now offer this flower to the Buddhas! May the Buddhas accept it.’ After thinking thus, the practitioner should further form this thought: ‘The flower I hold was born from plants and trees. In offering this flower, I can use visualization to produce flowers like it.’

“The practitioner should then visualize the pores of his body, causing innumerable clouds of flowers to appear from every pore. With these flower clouds, produced through visualization in the likeness of the flower, he makes offerings to all Buddhas. Above every Buddha, they transform into a flower terrace that the Buddhas accept. Throughout the worlds of the ten directions they perform Buddha-work.

“When the practitioner offers incense, it is likewise. The smoke of incense and clouds of fragrance perform Buddha-work throughout the worlds of the ten directions. When the Buddha-work has been accomplished, they return and transform into a golden terrace before the practitioner.

“If ordinary beings wish to make offerings, when holding an incense burner in their hands or offering a branch of flowers, they too should form the visualization of flowers and incense and make this vow: ‘May these flowers and incense fill the worlds of the ten directions and be offered to all Buddhas, transformation Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and innumerable assemblies of sravakas. May the Buddhas accept these clouds of flowers and incense and transform them into a terrace of light extending throughout boundless worlds, there to perform immeasurable Buddha-work.’

“Those who bow to the Buddha or sit in meditation and give rise to this mind of offering should make this vow. If the practitioner offers canopies, banners, streamers of five-colored silk, music, or verses of praise, he should vow: ‘I now arrange this small portion of offerings. May these offerings be universally presented to all the Buddhas of the ten directions. When the Buddhas accept them, may clouds of light emerge from the banners and streamers, and may the sounds of the wondrous Dharma issue from the music and verses of praise.’

“Having made this vow, while sitting he should contemplate the pores of his body and cause the visualization of immeasurable banners and streamers to arise within every pore. Within every banner and streamer he should produce the visualization of immeasurable clouds of verses of praise. When he forms this visualization, his mind is like an incense burner pouring forth incense smoke and golden clouds of fragrance. From the pores of his body, as from beautiful flowering trees, emerge asamkhyeyas of immeasurable clouds of all kinds of flowers. Above the Buddhas of the worlds of the ten directions, these flower clouds transform into every kind of offering.

“At that time, within every part of body and mind there will arise the visualization of all offerings. If the practitioner receives food and drink, or gives even a single coin to another person, he should produce the contemplation of emptiness, selflessness, and the dana-paramita. In this manner, immeasurable offerings all arise from the mind and appear through mental visualization to be offered to all the Buddhas of the ten directions. This is called the arising of immeasurable merit from the ocean of mental visualization while one is seated.

“Thus, while sitting and entering extremely profound meditative concentration, the immeasurable states and oceans of samadhi are all present within the mind. With each exhalation and inhalation, thought after thought and visualization after visualization continue without interruption. Single-mindedly applying his intention, he creates clouds of innumerable offerings, offering them upward to the Buddhas and giving them downward to all beings. One who produces this thought is called one who trains in Universal Giving. When this visualization is perfected, the bonds of affliction gradually diminish. The practitioner contemplates the signlessness of dharmas and, through the power of signlessness, will attain the extremely profound six paramitas.

CHAPTER TWELVE: CONTEMPLATION OF THE BUDDHA’S SECRET PRACTICE

The Buddha said to Ananda:

“If, among sentient beings in future lives, there are those who attain the Samadhi of Mindfulness of the Buddha, then those who contemplate the excellent marks of the Buddhas will attain the Samadhi in Which the Buddhas Appear Directly Before One. You must teach such persons to guard their body, speech, and mind carefully. They must not adopt wrong livelihood or become haughty.

“If they adopt wrong livelihood and become haughty, you should know that they are persons of overweening pride. They destroy the Buddhadharma, frequently cause sentient beings to give rise to unwholesome minds, disrupt the harmonious Sangha, and display strange phenomena to deceive the multitude. Such persons are evil companions of Mara.

Although such evil persons practice mindfulness of the Buddha, they lose the flavor of amrta. Wherever they are born, because of their haughtiness, their bodies will always be lowly. They will be born into poor, base, and declining families, adorned by immeasurable evil karma.

Practitioners should guard themselves against all such varieties of evil deeds and never allow them to arise. If a person produces such karma of wrong livelihood, that karma resembles a maddened elephant destroying a lotus pond. The karma of wrong livelihood is likewise: it completely ruins one’s roots of goodness.”

The Buddha said to Ananda:

“Those who practice mindfulness of the Buddha must guard themselves and never become heedless. Practitioners of the Samadhi of Mindfulness of the Buddha who do not guard themselves and become haughty will be blown by the fierce wind of wrong livelihood and burned by the fire of arrogance, thus destroying their wholesome dharmas. Wholesome dharmas are all the immeasurable meditative concentrations and the practices of mindfulness of the Buddha that arise from mental visualization. These are called the treasury of merit.”

The Buddha said to Ananda:

“Suppose a wealthy elder possessed a great many treasures but had only one son. Knowing that he would soon die and had little time remaining, the elder entrusted his treasuries to that son. After obtaining the wealth, the son roamed about as he pleased. Suddenly, at one time, he encountered persecution by the king. Immeasurable bands of thieves came from all four directions, vying to seize the riches in the treasuries, and the son was unable to prevent or protect them.

“He possessed only one ingot of gold, genuine Jambunada purple-gold, weighing sixteen liang. The length and breadth of the top of the ingot were each sixteen cun. A single liang of this gold was worth hundreds of thousands of myriads of liang of other treasures. Pressed by the thieves and not knowing what to do with the gold, he wrapped the pure gold in filth and placed it inside a lump of mud. The thieves saw it but did not know that it was gold, and they trod upon it as they passed. After the thieves had departed, the owner preserved his gold and rejoiced greatly. The Samadhi of Mindfulness of the Buddha is likewise and must be kept concealed.

“Furthermore, Ananda, suppose an impoverished person of little merit depended upon virtuous and wealthy persons to preserve his life. On a whim, a prince went on an excursion carrying a great jeweled vessel. Inside the jeweled vessel was a pouch containing the royal seal. At that time, the poor man mingled with the group, drew near, seized the king’s jeweled vessel, and fled. Learning of this, the prince ordered six mighty soldiers mounted upon six black elephants and holding jeweled swords to pursue him swiftly.

“The man carrying the vessel ran into a vast wilderness overgrown with grass. He saw that the wilderness was full of venomous snakes. From all four directions they spat venom and sought to seize the man carrying the vessel. Bewildered and terrified, the poor man ran frantically in every direction, but the snakes continued to pursue him and there was nowhere to hide.

“In that wilderness, he saw a great tree with luxuriant foliage that offered refuge and greatly pleased him. Balancing the jeweled vessel upon his head, he grasped the tree and climbed. Once he had climbed the tree, the six soldiers mounted on elephants, racing as swiftly as the wind, arrived at that very place. Seeing them, the poor man swallowed the king’s jeweled seal, placed the vessel upon his head as a hat, covered his face with his hands, and sat there clinging to it, unable to bear looking at what was happening.

“The six black elephants wrapped their trunks around the tree and brought it crashing down. The poor man fell to the ground and his body disintegrated. Only the golden seal remained within the jeweled vessel, emitting light. Upon seeing the light, the snakes hastily scattered in every direction.”

The Buddha said to Ananda:

“The mind-seal of one who abides in the Samadhi of Mindfulness of the Buddha is likewise indestructible.

“Furthermore, Ananda, suppose a wealthy elder possessed many riches and treasures but had no son, only one daughter. At that time, the elder was more than one hundred years old. Knowing that he was extremely feeble, would soon die, and had little time remaining, he thought: ‘Since I have no son, these riches and treasures of mine must pass to the king.’ Having thought this, he summoned his daughter and secretly told her: ‘I have a wondrous treasure supreme among all treasures, and I shall give it to you! Once you receive it, you must conceal it securely and never let the king know of it!’

“Obeying her father, the daughter concealed the mani jewel and other precious treasures in filthy excrement, so that no one in the household, whether old or young, knew of them. When a famine occurred, the daughter’s husband said to his wife: ‘Our household is poor and distressed, lacking food and clothing. You should go elsewhere and find a place where you can survive!’

“The wife said to her husband: ‘When my father, the elder, was about to die, he bestowed treasures upon me. They are now at such-and-such a place; you may retrieve them!’ The husband dug them up and obtained a great quantity of precious treasures together with a wish-fulfilling jewel. He brought out the wish-fulfilling jewel, burned incense, bowed to it, and first made this vow: ‘May this jewel rain down food for me!’ In accordance with his vow, it immediately rained down food and drink of a hundred flavors. In this way, one thing after another appeared according to the wishes of the person who possessed the jewel.

“Having received them, the husband said to his wife: ‘You are like a heavenly maiden, able to give me this jeweled gem! You concealed this jewel so well that even I did not know of it, much less anyone else.’”

The Buddha said to Ananda:

“The Samadhi of Mindfulness of the Buddha, firm and with an unmoving mind, is likewise.

“Furthermore, Ananda, suppose there were a tyrannical king who acted contrary to the Way. The people suffered his cruelty, humans feared him, and spirits were angered. The kingdom experienced a severe drought. Though they supplicated the earth spirits, no rain could be obtained. A minister addressed the king: ‘Great King, you should know that in the forest region of this kingdom there is a sage possessing the five unobstructed superknowledges. The king should invite him to invoke the dragons!’

“Upon hearing this, the king rejoiced immeasurably and sent someone into the forest to invite the sage. The sage projected his spirit, flew before the great king’s palace, and loudly declared: ‘Great King, you are without the Way! All the devas, dragons, and spirits have scattered and no longer protect your kingdom. How, then, can you command me to seek rain?’

“On hearing these words, the king felt deeply ashamed and repented of the evils of his former conduct. Knowing that the king’s heart had become gentle and wholesome, the sage recited an invocation. Through the power of his superknowledges, amrta rained from the sky and springs burst forth from the earth, moistening everything.”

The Buddha said to Ananda:

“One who wishes to practice mindfulness of the Buddha is like the king who abandoned evil. One who attains mindfulness of the Buddha is like the person skilled in invocations.

“Furthermore, Ananda, suppose a strongman, relying upon his great strength, violated the king’s law. The king sent five men to seize the strongman and imprison him in a dark dungeon with extremely secure shackles and fetters. In anger, the strongman exerted his power until blood oozed from his entire body. The shackles and fetters shattered, and he scaled the wall and escaped.

“He reached the seashore, removed the bright jewel from the topknot upon his crown, and offered it as payment to a shipmaster. The shipmaster said: ‘This is like the white stones found in countless numbers in the sea. What would I do with it?’

“The strongman knelt upright and said to the shipmaster: ‘This bright jewel of mine possesses six colors!’ He then wrapped the jewel in yellow silk and placed it in the water, and the water immediately became golden. He retrieved the jewel, wrapped it in white silk, and placed it in the water, and the water immediately turned white. Again he retrieved the jewel, wrapped it in green silk, and placed it in the water, and the water immediately turned green vaidurya in color.

He retrieved the jewel, wrapped it in emerald-colored silk, and placed it in the water, and the water immediately became the color of pure golden essence. He retrieved the jewel, wrapped it in red silk, and placed it in the water, and the water immediately became the color of musaragalva. Again he retrieved the jewel, wrapped it in purple silk, and placed it in the water, and the water immediately became the color of heavenly vajra, while purple mani light appeared upon the water.

“Having seen this, the shipmaster accepted the jeweled gem. Using a great jeweled palanquin, he had the valiant man carried aboard the great ship. With the aid of the wind, they raised sail and sped like an arrow to the farther shore. Having reached the other shore, the man’s heart became relaxed and secure, free from fear, and he gave the shipmaster many precious treasures in gratitude.”

The Buddha said to Ananda:

“One who practices mindfulness of the Buddha is like that mighty strongman: freed from the mind’s shackles and fetters, he reaches the farther shore of wisdom.

“Furthermore, Ananda, suppose that when a kalpa approaches its end, two suns appear together. Mountains, forests, trees, rivers, and ponds all dry up. When three suns appear, flames arise everywhere. When four suns appear, the great ocean diminishes until only one-third remains. When five suns appear, the great ocean dries up entirely. When six suns appear, Mount Sumeru collapses and disintegrates. When seven suns appear, the great earth burns all the way to the Form Realm. Only the vajra mountain cannot be destroyed and remains in its original place. The Samadhi of Mindfulness of the Buddha is likewise. Those who practice this concentration abide within the ocean of the ultimate reality of the Buddhas of the past.”

The Buddha said to Ananda:

“I now wish, together with the Buddhas of the ten directions, to repay the kindness of the Samadhi of Mindfulness of the Buddha.”

After the World-Honored One had spoken these words, he, the Buddhas of the ten directions, and the bodhisattvas of the Auspicious Kalpa entered the Samadhi of the Radiance of All Physical Bodies. From every pore of the Buddhas’ bodies emerged wondrous clouds of transformation Buddhas, too numerous to calculate. Those transformation Buddhas sat cross-legged in empty space. All those innumerable transformation Buddhas extended their right hands, stroked the crown of Ananda’s head, and commanded Sakra, Lord of the Devas:

“You two must carefully preserve this wondrous Dharma and never forget it! To eliminate all karmic offenses and obstructions of the defiled and evil sentient beings of future lives, the Tathagata, the Perfectly and Universally Knowing One, has today taught before the great assembly the bodily marks of all Buddhas.”

At that time, the Venerable Ananda immediately rose, bowed at the Buddha’s feet, and said:

“World-Honored One! What shall this sutra be called? How shall this essential Dharma be upheld?”

The Buddha said to Ananda:

“This sutra is called Fixing the Contemplation Without Movement. Uphold it accordingly! It is also called Contemplation of the Buddha’s White Urna Mark.

Uphold it accordingly! It is also called Contemplating the Parts of the Tathagata’s Body in Forward and Reverse Order. It is also called Discerning the Parts of the Tathagata’s Body in Each and Every Pore.

It is also called Contemplating the Wisdom-Radiance of the Thirty-Two Marks and Eighty Subsidiary Characteristics. It is also called the Ocean of the Samadhi of Contemplating the Buddha. It is also called the Gate of the Samadhi of Mindfulness of the Buddha.

It is also called the Wondrous Flowers of the Buddhas Adorning Their Physical Bodies. It is also called the Sutra of the Wondrous Physical Body Attained as the Fruition of the Precepts, Samadhi, Wisdom, Liberation, Knowledge and Vision of Liberation, the Ten Powers, the Four Fearlessnesses, and the Eighteen Distinctive Dharmas. You must uphold it well and take care never to forget it!”

When the Buddha spoke these words, among the great assembly of bhiksus, bhiksunis, upasakas, upasikas, and bodhisattvas, together with devas, dragons, and the eight classes of beings, as well as all ghosts and spirits who heard the Buddha describe these wondrous bodily marks, some attained the fruit of stream-enterer, once-returner, or non-returner; some attained arhatship; some planted causes and conditions for the path of a pratyekabuddha; some awakened the aspiration for unsurpassed, complete and perfect enlightenment; and some attained the patient acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas.... Their number was too great to describe fully.

Having heard the Buddha teach the Dharma, the great assemblies reverently bowed, received and practiced the Buddha’s teaching, and withdrew. At that time, Ananda immediately rose, joined his palms, knelt upright, and said:

“World-Honored One! Today the Tathagata has finished describing all his bodily marks! Only the invisible mark upon the crown of your head remains unexplained. I pray, O Honored One of Devas, that you speak briefly of the responsive signs of the radiance of the crown mark, so that foolish ordinary sentient beings of future lives may know the Buddha’s supreme mark!”

At that time, the World-Honored One immediately entered the Ocean of the Crown Samadhi, causing vaidurya light to emerge from every pore of the fleshy protuberance atop the Buddha’s head. This light resembled curls of water spiraling to the right, filling immeasurable worlds throughout the ten directions, as numerous as the motes of dust in the oceans of hundreds of kotis of worlds. In this manner, each of the eighty-four thousand pores manifested this sign of water. Each sign of water surpassed the preceding one by hundreds of thousands of myriads of times, beyond calculation.

“Upon these waters of vaidurya arose many precious heavenly lotus flowers. Each flower had innumerable hundreds of thousands of kotis of petals. Every petal produced innumerable hundreds of thousands of kotis of jeweled colors.

Even the smallest petal covered an entire three-thousand-great-thousand world-system. Among the filaments of every such flower were immeasurable asamkhyeyas of hundreds of thousands of myriads of kotis of transformation Buddhas, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. From the fleshy protuberance atop the head of every transformation Buddha poured forth all kinds of light in the same manner.

The dimensions of the Buddhas’ bodies were equal to empty space and could not be known. Thus the Buddhas appeared one after another, Buddha following Buddha, reaching to the very edge of the ocean of worlds.

“When this sign appeared, in each of the ten directions were hundreds of kotis of bodhisattvas as numerous as motes of dust. Their bodies rose into empty space, and they manifested great spiritual transformations as they came to the place of Buddha Sakyamuni. Through the Buddha’s spiritual power, these bodhisattvas momentarily experienced a small portion of the responsive signs within each pore and immediately attained immeasurable hundreds of thousands of Vajra-Mark Dharanis.

“When the Buddha manifested this sign, the one thousand bodhisattvas of the Auspicious Kalpa and the Buddhas of the ten directions all manifested the same sign. When those in the great assembly beheld even a small portion of this sign, stream-enterers became arhats in an instant; those contemplating causes and conditions, without relying upon conditioned objects, became arhats; bodhisattvas who had first awakened the aspiration transcended the stages of advancement through the gate of the extremely profound ocean of samadhi and abided in the Stage of the Nature; and bodhisattvas who had attained the realization of non-arising advanced many times further in immeasurable supreme dharmas and abided in the Surangama Samadhi.”

The Buddha said to Ananda:

“After the Buddha’s nirvana, during the evil and defiled age, if sentient beings hear of the Buddha’s supreme marks and their hearts are neither startled nor doubtful and they do not become afraid, you should know that they can extinguish all karmic obstructions and afflictions. Those who hear of the Buddha’s supreme marks and give rise to sympathetic joy will eliminate extremely grave evil karma accumulated throughout one thousand kotis of kalpas. In their next lives they will not fall into the three evil destinies or be born amid the eight difficulties.”

When the Buddha spoke these words, the elder Kaundinya and the other great bhiksus, the bodhisattva Maitreya and the other great bodhisattvas, and the immeasurable assembly all heard the Buddha’s words and rejoiced greatly. They bowed reverently and respectfully received and practiced the teaching.

— End of Fascicle Ten —