佛說未曾有正法經

At that time, the Blessed One Shakyamuni again said to Shariputra:

“You should arouse the aspiration for unsurpassed bodhi and cultivate the practices of a bodhisattva; you should not delight in the fruition of a shravaka. Why is this? Shariputra, if all sentient beings within samsara do not know fear, how can they attain liberation?

Therefore, bodhisattvas should bring forth great diligence within samsara and employ every means to guide beings, causing them to fear birth and death and escape the three realms. If you delight only in the fruition of a shravaka, you will be unable to arouse the great aspiration for bodhi and liberate all sentient beings. Therefore, if sentient beings encounter a bodhisattva who exhorts and instructs them to bring forth diligence, they will be liberated from birth and death and will also be able to arouse the aspiration for unsurpassed bodhi.

“Shariputra, in the past a Buddha appeared in the world named the Tathagata Replete with Merits, Worthy of Offerings, Perfectly Enlightened, Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, Well-Gone One, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed One, Tamer of Men, Teacher of Devas and Humans, Buddha, Blessed One. In that Buddha’s assembly were a hundred kotis of shravakas and eight thousand bodhisattvas. That Buddha lived for one hundred thousand years and had two foremost shravaka disciples.

One, named Appearance, was foremost in wisdom. The other, named Swift Endeavor, was foremost in spiritual powers. At mealtime, the Tathagata Replete with Merits donned his robe, took up his bowl, and, followed by the great assembly, entered a royal city to collect alms in sequence.

The city was named Wondrous Sound. When the Buddha entered the city, the shravaka foremost in wisdom walked on the Buddha’s right, the shravaka foremost in spiritual powers walked on his left, and the other shravakas followed behind. The bodhisattvas alone went ahead as guides.

The Great Brahma King, Shakra, the guardian lords of the world, the Four Heavenly Kings, and hosts of devas also followed the Blessed One into that royal city.

“At that time, three richly adorned boys were standing beside the road, playing together. The three boys saw the Blessed One, adorned with beautiful marks, possessing immeasurable majestic virtue, radiating brilliant light like refined gold, and bearing an awe-inspiring form like a great dragon king. Seeing him, the three boys rejoiced and gave rise to reverence. The first boy said:

“‘Friends, do you see that Buddha, the Blessed One? He is the most honored and supreme among sentient beings, possesses inexhaustible merit and virtue, and is revered by devas and humans. We should make offerings to him together; we will certainly obtain great fruit.’

“After discussing this together, the first boy spoke this verse:

This Buddha is honored among sentient beings,

Worthy of offerings from devas and humans.

Together we should present offerings to him;

We shall gain great rewards, and our efforts will not be in vain.

“The other two boys spoke this verse:

We have no incense or flowers to offer,

Nor do we possess any exquisite things;

We have only these very bodies and lives,

Which we shall offer to the Buddha, the Blessed One.

“Then the first boy removed the precious pearl necklace adorning his body, worth one hundred thousand taels of gold, and spoke this verse to the other two boys:

I shall now take this jeweled necklace

And offer it to the Buddha, the Tathagata, the Great Wise Honored One.

May I, after making this offering to the Buddha,

Attain immeasurably great merit and virtue.

“Seeing that this boy had made his offering, the other two boys also removed the necklaces adorning their bodies and spoke this verse to him:

We offer these jeweled necklaces

To the All-Surpassing Perfectly Enlightened One.

Having made this offering with sincere hearts,

May we attain the Buddha’s true Dharma.

“Seeing the two boys offer their jeweled necklaces, the first boy said to them:

“‘You two have created inexhaustible merit and benefit. What fruits do you seek within the Buddha-Dharma?’

“The second boy said:

“‘I vow that in a future life I shall become the disciple at the Blessed One’s right and be foremost in wisdom.’

“The third boy said:

“‘I vow that in a future life I shall become the disciple at the Buddha’s left and be foremost in spiritual powers.’

“After declaring their aspirations, the two boys asked the first boy:

“‘You are an excellent guide and our good spiritual friend. What do you seek through your offering?’

“The first boy replied:

“‘My aspiration is to attain the fruition of unsurpassed bodhi, perfect omniscience, and emit brilliant light, so that all sentient beings who see me will rejoice and arouse the aspiration for bodhi. Like the lion king surrounded by a great assembly, may I be no different from the Buddha of today.’

“The Buddha told Shariputra:

“‘When those three boys made their vows, eight thousand sons of devas in the sky said together, “Excellent! Excellent! What you have said is exceedingly good. The supreme fruits you seek will certainly become real, without doubt.”’

“The three boys brought their jeweled necklaces before the Buddha. The Buddha told Shariputra:

“‘When the Tathagata Replete with All Merits saw the three boys bringing their jeweled necklaces to the Buddha, he said to Bhikshu Ocean of Wisdom:

“‘“Bhikshu, do you see these three boys?”

“‘Ocean of Wisdom replied:

“‘“Blessed One, I see them.”

“‘The Buddha said:

“‘“Bhikshu, the aspiration of the first boy differs from those of the other two. Whenever he raises or lowers his foot, he moves freely, with extraordinary dignity, like a wheel-turning sage king. Even a hundred thousand Brahma Kings and Shakras could not compare with him. He has now come before the Buddha and aroused the aspiration for the Way because he seeks to realize unsurpassed bodhi.”

“‘Upon reaching the Buddha, the three boys bowed with their heads at the Blessed One’s feet and offered their jeweled necklaces to him, which the Buddha accepted. The necklaces offered by those who had aroused the aspiration of a shravaka remained before the Buddha. The necklace offered by the one who had aroused the aspiration for bodhi remained in the sky above the Buddha and transformed into a beautifully adorned jeweled pavilion with four pillars. Above it sat immeasurable Buddhas in the lotus posture, displaying their beautiful marks and endowed with immeasurably supreme adornments.

“‘At that time, the Tathagata Replete with All Merits entered samadhi and universally contemplated the transformational manifestations of the Buddha-Tathagatas. From between his eyebrows, that Buddha emitted rays of many colors—blue, yellow, red, white, pink, violet, and green. Those rays illuminated boundless worlds, reaching as high as the Brahma heavens and eclipsing the light of the sun and moon. After shining in this way, the light circled him clockwise three times and reentered the crown of the Tathagata’s head.

“‘Bhikshu Ocean of Wisdom said before the Buddha:

“‘“Blessed One, for what cause and condition have you emitted this light? I beseech the Blessed One to instruct me so that I may understand.”

“‘The Buddha said to the bhikshu:

“‘“Do you see the jeweled necklaces offered to the Buddha by the other two boys remaining before him?”

“‘The bhikshu replied:

“‘“Blessed One, I see them.”

“‘The Buddha said to the bhikshu:

“‘“These two boys seek the fruition of a shravaka and delight in realizing nirvana for their own benefit; therefore, they cannot arouse the great aspiration for bodhi.

“‘“Bhikshu, the necklace offered by the first boy remains in the sky above the Buddha and displays these transformations. This person seeks to realize unsurpassed bodhi and benefit all sentient beings. The other two boys delight only in wisdom and spiritual powers and therefore do not benefit sentient beings. Consequently, their offerings display no supreme signs. You should know that the merit obtained by one who arouses the great aspiration for bodhi is immeasurable. You should now relinquish the mind of a shravaka and seek unsurpassed bodhi.”’

“The Buddha told Shariputra:

“‘The boy who aroused the aspiration for bodhi at that time was none other than I. The one who delighted in wisdom was you, and the one who delighted in spiritual powers was Maudgalyayana. Although you shravakas escape samsara, you delight only in seeking nirvana and never bring vast benefit to sentient beings. The minds of the Buddhas are impartial, like infinite and inexhaustible space; their accumulations of merit and their virtues are immeasurable, surpassing the realms of shravakas and pratyekabuddhas.

“‘Shariputra, you should all swiftly arouse the aspiration for unsurpassed bodhi.’

“At that time, the great shravakas Shariputra, Great Maudgalyayana, Mahakashyapa, Aniruddha, Upali, Purna, Subhuti, and others said with one voice:

“‘Excellent, Blessed One! You have disclosed and explained the path in complete detail. We now arouse the great aspiration for bodhi. Blessed One, please bear witness. Any good man or good woman who plants roots of goodness and seeks liberation should arouse a vast aspiration and make vast vows of practice. Such a person will see and hear the true Dharma in the presence of hundreds of thousands of Buddhas.

“‘Blessed One, because our wisdom has been limited from the distant past until now, we have not dared to seek the Buddha’s boundless wisdom. We now reproach ourselves and must arouse a vast aspiration. It is like a person who, after creating unwholesome karma, does not repent of his transgressions, abandon evil, and follow goodness; he cannot escape suffering and affliction. We shravakas seek only our own benefit. If we do not abandon our narrow minds and seek the Buddha’s wisdom, we shall likewise never lose the nirvana without remainder (?)—like a person approaching death whose consciousness is dim and confused and who can no longer remain attached to beloved relatives. In the same way, in seeking nirvana for my own benefit, I have had no intention of guiding sentient beings.

“‘Blessed One, please know this: unsurpassed bodhi is like the earth. All sentient beings in the world depend upon the earth for their existence and growth. Likewise, all roots of goodness depend upon unsurpassed bodhi for their growth.’

“At that time, after hearing the Buddha speak about the causes and conditions of these past events and hearing Shariputra speak in this way, ten thousand people in the assembly all aroused the aspiration for unsurpassed bodhi.

“On one occasion, the king of Magadha prepared his royal carriage and traveled to the Buddha. After reaching the Buddha’s assembly, the king bowed with his head at the Buddha’s feet, circumambulated him three times, and sat to one side. Then, joining his palms toward the Buddha with single-minded reverence, the king said:

“‘Blessed One, why do all sentient beings create karma? Upon what causes and conditions does the creation of karma depend for its existence?’

“The Buddha said:

“‘Great King, all sentient beings, living beings, and even pudgalas depend upon the view of a self and a body for their existence and consequently engage in inverted discrimination. Because of discrimination, they create karma; because they create karma, they are not liberated.’

“The king again asked:

“‘Blessed One, what is the root of the view of a self and a body?’

“The Buddha said:

“‘Its root is ignorance.’

“The king asked:

“‘Then what is the root of ignorance?’

“The Buddha said:

“‘Its root is unwise attention.’

“The king asked:

“‘What is the root of unwise attention?’

“The Buddha said:

“‘Its root is an inequitable mind.’

“The king asked:

“‘What is called an inequitable mind?’

“The Buddha said:

“‘Not knowing things as they truly are since beginningless time is called an inequitable mind.’

“The king asked:

“‘What is called not knowing things as they truly are?’

“The Buddha said:

“‘Since beginningless time, all sentient beings have grasped what has no coming as existent. This is called not knowing things as they truly are.’

“The king asked:

“‘What does it mean to regard the nonexistent as existent?’

“The Buddha said:

“‘It means grasping as truly existent the unreal and unborn phenomena produced by discrimination.’

“The king asked:

“‘If phenomena are unborn, then what is there to speak of now?’

“The Buddha said:

“‘Great King, since even the body of the self is empty, there is no Dharma to be spoken.’

“The king asked:

“‘Blessed One, if the body is empty, how can actions be performed, and how can conduct abide?’

“The Buddha said:

“‘Great King, although actions are performed, one does not cling to them.’

“The king asked:

“‘Then how should this nonattachment be expressed?’

“The Buddha said:

“‘One should speak in accordance with reality about phenomena without attachment. This is the speech of the noble ones.’

“The king asked:

“‘What is speech in accordance with reality? What is the speech of the noble ones?’

“The Buddha said:

“‘Great King, truthful speech that is free from defiled views regarding all phenomena is called speech in accordance with reality. The truthful words spoken by one who speaks truthfully are the speech of the noble ones. One who possesses the speech of the noble ones clearly understands that phenomena are fundamentally without any place of arising. One should abide in this way and train in this way.’

“After hearing the Buddha teach the Dharma, the king of Magadha rejoiced greatly and said to the Buddha:

“‘How exceedingly rare, Blessed One! You have explained with great clarity this unprecedented true Dharma. Just as the Buddha, the Blessed One, universally benefits all sentient beings through uncontaminated wisdom, so does he speak the true Dharma.

Sentient beings bound by sinful karma cannot hear, accept, and practice it. I am likewise. Blessed One, please compassionately consider me.

Since ancient times, I have not encountered a good spiritual friend, and because of my unwholesome mind, I have created much unwholesome karma. Therefore, I have been unable to draw near the Blessed One and hear the true Dharma. Within the innermost palace, I have delighted only in amusements, food, drink, and banquets, without ceasing for even a moment by day or night; therefore, I have been unable to come before the Buddha to hear the true Dharma.

“‘Blessed One, I now repent of my transgressions and reproach myself. The evils I committed in the past have become deeply embedded in my thoughts, and day and night I never feel at peace, like a guilty debtor who lives in constant fear. The Blessed One possesses great compassion and is the father of sentient beings, a refuge for those without refuge, a guide for those who cannot see, a source of peace for those who suffer, one who shows the right path to those who are lost, and a giver of precious treasures to the poor and needy.

Your mind is impartial and tireless; you benefit all without conceiving of enemies or loved ones. I beseech you to have mercy and save me. When I recall the transgressions I have committed, I am terrified, like someone about to fall into a pit who hopes only to be rescued.

I fear falling into the evil destinies. I beseech you to protect me and eradicate the defilements of my transgressions so that I may understand and awaken to the true Dharma.’

“Knowing that the king of Magadha was repenting of his transgressions, earnestly revealing them, and delighting in the profound Dharma of the Mahayana, the Blessed One thought, ‘The Bodhisattva Manjushri possesses wisdom and eloquence and can expound the Dharma to the king.’ Through the Buddha’s majestic power, the Venerable Shariputra knew the Buddha’s thought and said to the king of Magadha:

“‘Great King, you should know that the Bodhisattva Manjushri possesses immeasurable eloquence and immeasurable wisdom and speaks perfectly about the Dharma of liberation. The bodhisattva will surely expound the true Dharma to you, enabling you to awaken and attain great peace. You should invite the bodhisattva into the palace and offer him food and drink, thereby gaining immeasurable benefit.’

“The Venerable Shariputra also instructed all the people in Rajagriha to behold, bow to, praise, and rejoice in what they saw and heard, thereby planting roots of goodness and attaining supreme merit.

“Following the Venerable Shariputra’s words, the king of Magadha immediately said to the Bodhisattva Manjushri:

“‘Bodhisattva, out of your great compassion, please have mercy on me and enter the palace so that I may offer you food and drink. I beseech you to compassionately accept my invitation.’

“The Bodhisattva Manjushri said to the king:

“‘I accept the king’s invitation so that your wish may be fulfilled. By arousing this supreme aspiration, you have already made your offering to me. Since you delight in hearing the Dharma, I shall expound it for you.

“‘Great King, one should not cling to any phenomenon; this is the Dharma I teach you. One should not doubt any phenomenon; this is the Dharma I teach you. One should not cling to the marks of the three periods of time in any phenomenon; this is the Dharma I teach you. The nirvana of shravakas and pratyekabuddhas has the mark of quiescence in relation to all phenomena; this is the Dharma I teach you.’

“The king said to the Bodhisattva Manjushri:

“‘I beseech the bodhisattva to have mercy on me and, together with the great assembly, accept my offerings.’

“The Bodhisattva Manjushri said:

“‘Great King, set aside the matter of offering food, drink, and robes to the great assembly. To accept offerings out of pity is neither benefit nor merit. One who makes offerings should give rise to a rare and wondrous mind toward the Dharma, without any perception of acting, any perception of a self, any perception of a sentient being, any perception of a living being, or any perception of a pudgala, and without clinging to the mark of oneself or the mark of another.

This is making an offering. One should contemplate all phenomena as ungraspable: there are no skandhas, ayatanas, or dhatus; neither inside nor outside; neither within the three realms nor apart from the three realms; neither wholesome nor unwholesome; neither delightful nor repugnant; neither worldly nor supramundane; neither contaminated nor uncontaminated; neither conditioned nor unconditioned; neither possessing afflictions nor apart from afflictions; neither samsara nor quiescence.

Whoever contemplates correctly in this way makes an offering.’

“The king again asked the Bodhisattva Manjushri:

“‘Bodhisattva, please have mercy, bring benefit, and accept my offerings.’

“The Bodhisattva Manjushri said:

“‘Great King, one should not seek benefit, and there is no one toward whom mercy may be directed. Because this mind does not cling, move, or turn; neither praises nor disparages; neither grasps nor relinquishes; and does not seek benefit, there is no one toward whom mercy may be directed. All phenomena are equal, and there is nothing to attain. This is called accepting an offering.

“‘Great King, if anyone realizes this, it is true benefit.’

“The king said to the Bodhisattva Manjushri:

“‘Phenomena are fundamentally signless and without action. Thus, the offering I present is also like this.’

“Manjushri said:

“‘Emptiness of nature and signlessness are also without action. One who seeks the Dharma finds it without conception, without aspiration, without practice, and without action, yet it is also not nonaction. Why is this? Great King, the intrinsic nature of all phenomena is fundamentally unmoving and without creation. The intrinsic nature of sentient beings is fundamentally empty; therefore, the three kinds of karma are without action. Great King, you should contemplate all conditioned activities as without action. This comes from clearly understanding that the intrinsic nature of all phenomena is empty.’

“The king said:

“‘Conditioned activities involve action; why, then, are they said to be empty?’

“Manjushri said:

“‘Great King, past phenomena have ceased, future phenomena have not yet arrived, and present phenomena have no place of arising. All conditioned activities are likewise. One does not cling to the three periods of time because all are impermanent, and phenomena neither increase nor diminish.

“‘Great King, you should clearly understand conditioned activities in this way.’

“The king asked:

“‘Are the two phenomena—the noble path and the afflictions—equal?’

“Manjushri said:

“‘The two phenomena are equal, neither increasing nor diminishing.

“‘Great King, when sunlight appears, does it unite with darkness?’

“The king replied:

“‘No. When sunlight appears, darkness is no more.’

“Manjushri asked:

“‘Then, when sunlight appears, where does that darkness go?’

“The king replied:

“‘That darkness has nowhere to go.’

“Manjushri said:

“‘The afflictions and the noble path are likewise. These two phenomena do not encounter one another, nor do they increase or diminish; they neither abide nor fail to abide.

“‘Great King, because the afflictions are equal, the noble path is also equal. Because these two phenomena are equal, all phenomena are likewise equal.

“‘Great King, you should know that the nature of the afflictions is empty and has no place of abiding. Through the afflictions, the noble path is attained. Because the noble path is attained, the afflictions are no more. Therefore, these two phenomena neither increase nor diminish and are not different from one another.’

“The king asked:

“‘From where do the afflictions and the noble path arise?’

“Manjushri said:

“‘They arise from the mind. If the mind does not arise, the afflictions do not arise. If the afflictions do not arise, the noble path does not arise. Therefore, know that the afflictions should be contemplated in this way, and the noble path should also be contemplated in this way. When one has contemplated them in this way, the mind is unattainable.’

“The king asked:

“‘Does the Dharma of the noble path lead to nirvana?’

“Manjushri replied:

“‘No, because all phenomena neither come nor go. Nirvana is likewise.’

“The king asked:

“‘How does the noble path abide?’

“Manjushri replied:

“‘The noble path abides thus.’

“The king asked:

“‘Is not the noble path where morality, concentration, and wisdom abide?’

“Manjushri said:

“‘All phenomena are without activity and without marks and are far removed from all conceptual proliferations. If there are morality, concentration, and wisdom, then there is conceptual proliferation. If there are activity and marks, one should not abide in this way. Abiding in this way is neither abiding nor nonabiding. The noble path is likewise.’

“The king asked:

“‘If good men and good women cultivate the practice of bodhi, do they attain the noble path?’

“The bodhisattva said:

“‘One who cultivates bodhi has not even the slightest phenomenon that can be attained. The path of bodhi is neither suffering nor pleasure, neither self nor nonself, neither permanent nor impermanent, neither pure nor impure. There is no samsara of which to become weary, nor any nirvana to realize. Therefore, no phenomenon can be attained. The Dharma of the noble path also cannot be attained.’

“The king said to the Bodhisattva Manjushri:

“‘Excellent! Great Being, you are truly rare. You have spoken perfectly about the Dharma of liberation, and I understand and believe it all. With a sincere and reverent heart, I prepare this offering. I shall present food and drink to the great assembly. Bodhisattva, please come to my residence.’

“Manjushri said:

“‘Food involves no action, and in giving there is no receiving. The giver and receiver are neither two nor different. Since the king is sincere, I shall accept.’

“At that time, the Blessed One said to the Bodhisattva Manjushri:

“‘The time has now come. Accept the king’s invitation so as to bring great benefit to many people.’

“The Bodhisattva Manjushri said before the Buddha:

“‘In obedience to the Buddha’s command, I have accepted the king’s invitation and shall receive his offerings together with the great assembly.’

“Knowing that the Bodhisattva Manjushri had accepted his invitation, the king of Magadha rejoiced greatly and attained great peace. He reverently bowed to the Blessed One, the Bodhisattva Manjushri, and the great assembly. The king then went to ask the Venerable Shariputra:

“‘The Bodhisattva Manjushri has accepted my offering. How many bodhisattvas will accompany him?’

“Shariputra said:

“‘Five hundred bodhisattvas will accompany him to attend the king’s gathering.’

“At that time, the king of Magadha returned to the palace ahead of them and prepared a spacious hall. He instructed his attendants to purify their minds, prepare and arrange every kind of superior food and drink, erect banners, pennants, jeweled canopies, and precious parasols adorned with fine pearls, scatter beautiful flowers, burn many kinds of fragrant incense, attach pearl necklaces to all the flowers, and lay out five hundred seats. Within the royal city, he ordered the roads repaired, flowers scattered, and incense burned. All dirt and dust were removed, and the roads were swept clean.

“When the people of the city heard that the Bodhisattva Manjushri would enter the king’s palace and accept his offerings, they all rejoiced and waited single-mindedly. Each brought incense and flowers and stood ready beside the road.

“During the first watch of the night, the Bodhisattva Manjushri thought, ‘Tomorrow morning I shall go to the king’s invitation, but too few bodhisattvas will accompany me. I should visit other Buddha-realms and invite the great bodhisattvas to accompany me to the supreme and magnificent gathering in the king’s palace. If I teach the Dharma to the king, those bodhisattvas can serve as witnesses.’ As soon as he had this thought, the bodhisattva disappeared.

In an instant, he passed through eighty thousand Buddha-realms to the east and arrived in a world named Constant Sound. There, a Buddha named the Tathagata Auspicious Sound, Worthy of Offerings, Perfectly and Completely Enlightened, was then teaching the Dharma. He was expounding the Mahayana Dharma to bodhisattvas, all of whom had attained the stage of nonretrogression.

In that Buddha-realm were trees made of the seven treasures, bearing many flowers and fruits. Their branches and leaves constantly emitted wondrous sounds: sounds praising the Buddha, sounds praising the Dharma, and sounds praising bodhisattvas on the stage of nonretrogression. Because they constantly emitted sounds praising the Three Jewels in this way, the world was called Constant Sound.

After arriving in that realm, the Bodhisattva Manjushri approached the Tathagata Auspicious Sound, bowed at his feet, and said:

“‘I have come here from the Saha world. The king of Magadha has invited me into his palace to receive offerings of food and drink, but because the assembly of bodhisattvas is too small, I have come to invite the great and noble bodhisattvas to accompany me tomorrow morning to the king’s palace, receive his offerings, and enable all sentient beings to gain merit. I beseech the Blessed One to instruct the bodhisattvas to accept my invitation.’

“At that time, the Tathagata Auspicious Sound said to eighty thousand great bodhisattvas:

“‘Sons of good family, the Bodhisattva Manjushri has now come to invite you to the palace of the king of Magadha in the Saha world to receive offerings of food and drink. You should accompany him and perform the works of a Buddha.’

“After hearing the Blessed One’s instruction, the bodhisattvas immediately obeyed. The Bodhisattva Manjushri then bowed and took leave of the Tathagata Auspicious Sound. Together with the eighty thousand great bodhisattvas, he disappeared and returned to his former place in the Saha world. After sitting down together with the great bodhisattvas, the Bodhisattva Manjushri said:

“‘I have a Dharma gate called the Great Dharani, which I shall now explain and distinguish for the great beings. What is called the Dharma gate of dharani? Anyone who wishes to realize the Dharma gate of dharani must abide with a rightly mindful and undistracted mind, abandon delusion and anger, use wisdom to penetrate all phenomena, practice the Tathagata’s path, attain the gateway of eloquence, abide in signlessness, enter all phenomena, retain all gateways of knowledge, perpetuate the noble path, preserve the Three Jewels, speak and engage in discussion without hindrance or obstruction, and understand the languages of all sentient beings.

Such a person can teach the Dharma according to the various languages of devas, nagas, yakshas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans, nonhumans, even Shakra and Brahma Kings, and down to the diverse species of animals. Such a person clearly knows whether the faculties of sentient beings are sharp or dull and enables each class to understand accordingly; purifies the faculties and remains far removed from wrong views; abides equally in the Dharma gate of dharani; is unaffected by the eight favorable and adverse worldly conditions; perfects all supramundane wholesome qualities; explains to sentient beings the causes, conditions, actions, and karmic results so that they attain great peace;

and uses wisdom to penetrate all domains and enable sentient beings to lay down their heavy burdens.

With a mind free of sorrow, such a person knows the intrinsic nature of all phenomena and teaches the Dharma according to beings’ faculties, prescribing medicine suited to their illnesses and causing them to advance diligently and attain abundant wholesome benefit. The bodhisattva’s mind rejoices without seeking reward. Whatever roots of goodness there may be are dedicated solely to omniscience; such a person seeks omniscience and brings great benefit to all sentient beings.

Such a person accomplishes all six paramitas. The perfection of giving is fulfilled and dedicated to omniscience. The perfection of morality is fulfilled and dedicated to sentient beings so that they attain peace.

The perfection of patience is fulfilled, and the excellent marks of a Buddha and every adornment are attained. The perfection of diligence is fulfilled, bringing all roots of goodness to maturity. The perfection of meditation is fulfilled, attaining mastery and unobstructed freedom in the corresponding Dharma.

The perfection of wisdom is fulfilled, penetrating all phenomena. Such a person attains mastery of the Dharma and remains far removed from all faults.

“‘Sons of good family, such is the Dharma gate of dharani. Once this Dharma gate is attained, it is never forgotten, for dharani means retaining omniscience.

“‘Furthermore, sons of good family, the Dharma gate of dharani can also retain all phenomena. This means clearly understanding all phenomena as empty, signless, wishless, unmoving, and uncreated; free from all discrimination; neither arising nor ceasing; neither permanent nor annihilated; neither existent nor nonexistent; neither coming nor going; neither accomplished nor destroyed; neither gathered nor dispersed; neither possessing intrinsic nature nor lacking intrinsic nature; neither conceived nor unconceived; free from all conceptual proliferations; neither a self, a person, a sentient being, a living being, nor a pudgala; neither grasped nor relinquished; neither seen nor heard; neither perceived nor known. This is called retaining all phenomena.

“‘Furthermore, sons of good family, the Dharma gate of dharani is also called retaining all phenomena because their intrinsic nature is empty, like things seen in a dream, like bubbles, like a mirage, like empty space, and so forth. It can also retain all phenomena as suffering, empty, impermanent, nonself, quiescent, and so forth. Their intrinsic nature is without action, neither pleasant nor painful, neither attained nor realized.

The Dharma gate of dharani is also like the earth because it supports the world. It supports things great and small without weariness. A great bodhisattva who attains the Dharma gate of dharani is likewise.

For the sake of sentient beings, such a bodhisattva arouses the aspiration for bodhi and gathers roots of goodness, never allowing them to be dispersed or lost. Even after passing through asamkhyeya kalpas, the bodhisattva is never indolent or retrogressive. Just as the earth nourishes the myriad things, a bodhisattva who attains the Dharma gate of dharani can teach and benefit all sentient beings.

Just as the earth produces plants to nourish sentient beings, a bodhisattva who attains the Dharma gate of dharani can produce all wholesome dharmas for the benefit of sentient beings. Just as the earth neither increases nor diminishes, sustaining the myriad things without high or low, the mind of a bodhisattva who attains the Dharma gate of dharani is likewise: it neither increases nor diminishes and sustains sentient beings without conceiving of enemies or loved ones.

Just as the earth receives rainwater without ever becoming weary, a bodhisattva who attains the Dharma gate of dharani delights tirelessly in hearing and receiving the Dharma in the Buddha’s assemblies of bodhisattvas. Just as the earth can preserve all seeds, allowing them to grow in due season without ever ceasing, a bodhisattva who attains the Dharma gate of dharani can preserve all seeds of wholesome Dharma. It is also like a courageous warrior in the world whose mighty power can vanquish enemy armies.

A bodhisattva who attains the Dharma gate of dharani is fully endowed with diligence, spiritual powers, and majestic virtue and can vanquish the armies of Mara.

“‘Sons of good family, you should know that the intrinsic nature of all phenomena neither forgets nor remembers whether they are permanent or impermanent, painful or pleasant, pure or impure, self or nonself, sentient or nonsentient, living beings or not living beings, pudgalas or not pudgalas, and so forth. The Dharma gate of dharani is likewise: it does not remember, because phenomena are free from the two marks, nor does it forget.

“‘Sons of good family, the Dharma gate of dharani is like empty space, which sustains the earth without conceiving that it sustains it; it embraces and retains all phenomena without any mark of grasping. It is also like sunlight illuminating all forms: the Dharma gate of dharani can illuminate and contemplate all phenomena. It is also like sentient beings, who can retain every kind of affliction without ever allowing them to disperse or disappear: the Dharma gate of dharani can retain all phenomena without allowing them to disperse or disappear. It is also like the Buddhas and bodhisattvas, whose wheel of mindful awareness can turn the minds and intentions of all sentient beings: the Dharma gate of dharani can retain all phenomena without any mark of retaining.

“‘Sons of good family, just as the analogies stated above are inexhaustible and phenomena are inexhaustible, the Dharma gate of dharani is also inexhaustible, for it is immeasurable and boundless like empty space.’

“When the Bodhisattva Manjushri taught this Dharma, five hundred great bodhisattvas in the assembly attained the Dharma gate of the Great Dharani.

— End of Fascicle Three —