佛為娑伽羅龍王所說大乘經

Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Buddha was dwelling in the Adorned Bodhimaṇḍa within the palace of the Nāga King Sāgara in the great ocean, together with a great assembly of bhikṣus numbering seven thousand five hundred, and Great Bodhisattvas who had attained great wisdom, who had gathered together from the worlds throughout the ten directions.

There were also hundreds, thousands, koṭis, and nayutas of Brahmā Kings, Śakra, and the gods who protect the world, and the eightfold assembly of Devas, Nāgas, Yakṣas, Gandharvas, Asuras, Garuḍas, Kiṃnaras, Mahoragas, and others—all of them were likewise present at the Dharma assembly.

At that time, the World-Honored One, seeing that this entire great assembly had gathered in full at the Dharma assembly, then addressed the Nāga King Sāgara:

"Nāga King! Behold how all the various deeds and actions in this world arise from the unreal and the illusory, and how the countless kinds of mental phenomena will likewise summon forth all manner of fruits and retributions. If one does not clearly understand these matters, one will be born into the countless destinies.

"Nāga Lord! You should behold these multitudes within the great ocean, and observe how sentient beings create all manner of forms and appearances.

"Nāga Lord! All those forms and appearances arise through the manifold transformations wrought by all the wholesome and unwholesome karma of the body, mouth, mind, and thought of each kind of being.

"These mental phenomena, though called forms and appearances, are nevertheless like illusory transformations and cannot be grasped or held.

"Nāga Lord! Those forms and appearances of all dharmas have fundamentally no place of birth, no sovereign master, no self, and no obstruction. Sentient beings create all manner of karma in this way, yet the self-nature of all dharmas is like an illusory appearance, inconceivable and beyond discussion.

"Nāga Lord! If any Bodhisattva recognizes that all dharmas are unborn and unceasing, without color and without form, and recognizes this truly as it is, then even though he creates and cultivates all wholesome karma, it is yet without cultivating or creating. Wherever there are forms and appearances, and the aggregates, sense-bases, and elements, the arising of all dharmas is likewise without any place to be perceived. If one is able to perceive that truly as it is, then one should contemplate the supreme and sublime forms and appearances.

"Nāga Lord! How should one contemplate these supreme and sublime forms and appearances? One should contemplate the bodily marks of the Tathāgata.

That bodily form of the Tathāgata arises from hundreds, thousands, koṭis, and nayutas of merit and virtue. Moreover, how is such a mark to be adorned and preserved, and how is it to be reverently believed in so as to be attained? One further attains the mark of agelessness and deathlessness among gods and humans.

One further attains tenfold, hundredfold, thousandfold bodies of the gods of Paranirmita-vaśavartin, and even the body of the great Brahmā gods. Because this mind is not scattered, with contemplation focused and concentrated, gazing in reverence upon the supreme and sublime body of the Tathāgata, one recognizes truly as it is that all the supreme, sublime, and adorned forms and appearances of this body are attained through the gathering together of wholesome karma.

"Nāga Lord! All the adornments as well as the merit and virtue that arise within the palace where you dwell, and even within the realms of the Brahmā Kings, Śakra, and the gods who protect the world, and even the Devas, Nāgas, Yakṣas, Gandharvas, Asuras, Garuḍas, Kiṃnaras, Mahoragas, humans, and beings of similar non-human kinds—all the adornments they possess arise from merit.

"Nāga Lord! There are all manner of sentient beings within this great ocean: some sentient beings appear large, others again small, and others extremely ugly. All those bodies are manifested in various ways by the mind.

"Nāga Lord! For this reason, it is said that they are attained according to the karma of body, mouth, and mind.

"Nāga Lord! Such results all take karma as their cause and karma as their sovereign master. You should cause all sentient beings to give rise to the mind of wisdom. According to what they create and what they cultivate of wholesome karma, with regard to all wrong views they should neither create nor abide in them, recognizing that those wrong views are not the ultimate. Having recognized this, all sentient beings will seek to make him their teacher, will together come to make offerings to him, and he will be revered, trusted, and offered to by the gods and humans of the world.

"Nāga Lord! There is one dharma that can cause sentient beings forever to cut off the karma that leads into all the evil destinies. What is this dharma?

"It is the contemplation of wholesome dharmas. But how is that wholesome dharma to be contemplated? One should contemplate one's own body. Throughout day and night, in walking, standing, lying, and sitting, the mind and thought that arise are all faults and errors. Contemplating and recognizing this clearly will cause the evil dharmas within the four deportments not to arise. Severing all such unwholesome dharmas will cause wholesome dharmas to be fulfilled. It will further cause all sentient beings together to attain wholesome dharmas, all of them attaining the fruit of the Śrāvaka, the Pratyekabuddha, the Bodhisattva, and even the fruit of Unsurpassed, Right, and Perfect Enlightenment.

"Nāga Lord! What is the wholesome dharma?

"Now I shall expound the wholesome dharma, which means the ten wholesome courses of karma. They are the fundamental abode for all; the fundamental abode for being born among the gods and humans of the world; the fundamental abode of the supreme wholesome dharmas of both the worldly and the world-transcending; and the fundamental abode of the Unsurpassed, Rightly and Perfectly Enlightened One. What is this fundamental abode? It is the ten courses of wholesome karma. If one can keep far from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, false speech, ornamented speech, harsh speech, double-tongued speech, and even from covetousness, anger, and wrong views, then these are the ten courses of wholesome karma, which are indeed the fundamental abode of both the worldly and the world-transcending.

"Nāga Lord! If any sentient being keeps far from killing, he attains ten kinds of wholesome dharmas. What are the ten?

"They are: attaining the gift of fearlessness, causing all other sentient beings to abide in a mind of loving-kindness; attaining right conduct; not dwelling upon the faults and errors of any sentient being; having few illnesses, peace, and joy; attaining a long lifespan; being protected and supported by countless non-human beings; being at peace and ease whether sleeping or waking; being further guarded by the noble sages who do not weary of him nor abandon him; while in dreams not seeing oneself create evil karma or afflictions; oneself attaining fearlessness with regard to all the evil destinies; and after the end of one's life being born up into the heavenly realms.

"Nāga Lord! If a sentient being attains these ten kinds of wholesome dharmas, practices the Bodhisattva path, and his mind abides peacefully in wholesome dharmas, perfectly accomplishing wholesome roots, then he will attain the unsurpassed fruit of Bodhi.

"Nāga Lord! If any sentient being keeps far from stealing, he will attain ten dharmas of support. What are the ten dharmas? They are:

"1. Attaining great wealth and sovereign ease.

"2. Avoiding the calamities of kings, floods, fires, bandits, and enemies.

"3. Attaining many kinsfolk who are compliant and gentle.

"4. Being cherished by many people who cause him no suffering or distress; and when he says anything, all will listen and trust and accept it.

"5. Attaining the fullness of immeasurable precious treasures.

"6. Being praised by everyone everywhere.

"7. Being without fear or alarm in all the places he goes.

"8. Being praised by others as one of wisdom.

"9. Attaining beauty of form, strength, lifespan, and fluent eloquence; with a mind that makes no distinction between intimate and distant; and with afflictions no more.

"10. After the end of his life, being born up into the heavenly realms.

"Nāga Lord! Whoever keeps far from stealing will attain these ten dharmas of support; and dedicating those wholesome roots toward the unsurpassed fruit of Bodhi, he will attain the fruit of Unsurpassed, Right, and Perfect Enlightenment.

"Nāga Lord! Whoever keeps far from sexual misconduct will attain four wholesome dharmas of wisdom. What are the four dharmas? They are:

"1. Subduing all the sense faculties.

"2. Keeping far from distraction and confusion.

"3. Being praised by all the world.

"4. Further attaining immeasurable wealth and honor.

"Such are the four wholesome dharmas of wisdom; and by means of these wholesome roots one attains the fruit of Unsurpassed, Right, and Perfect Enlightenment, and realizes the mark of the concealed sheathed organ of the Great Person.

"Nāga Lord! Whoever keeps far from false speech will attain eight kinds of wholesome dharmas of gods and humans. What are the eight? They are:

"1. The mouth becomes fragrant and pure like the scent of the blue lotus flower.

"2. Further attaining all the right views of the world.

"3. Attaining all the affection and delight of gods and humans.

"4. Attaining purity of body, mouth, and mind.

"5. Transforming and delivering all sentient beings, causing the three kinds of karma to abide in pure conduct.

"6. Having attained purity, all are joyful.

"7. Attaining speech that is true, sincere, and certain.

"8. Attaining eloquence surpassing others, with words spoken that are all endowed with skillful means, keeping far from all the faults and errors of gods and humans.

"Nāga Lord! Whoever keeps far from false speech will attain these eight kinds of wholesome dharmas of gods and humans. By means of these wholesome roots, the karma of his mouth is purified and his conduct is upright, sincere, and true, and he will attain the fruit of Unsurpassed, Right, and Perfect Enlightenment.

"Nāga Lord! Whoever keeps far from ornamented speech will attain three kinds of single-direction dharmas. They are: attaining the dharma of understanding ever directed toward what is lovely and delightful, ever directed toward what is true, and ever directed toward the path that gives birth to wisdom—becoming a teacher of gods and humans, delighted in and trusted and followed by all gods and humans.

"Nāga Lord! Whoever keeps far from ornamented speech will attain these three kinds of single-direction dharmas; and if he dedicates these wholesome roots toward the fruit of Bodhi, he will receive the prediction of all the Tathāgatas and will realize the fruit of the path of Unsurpassed, Right, and Perfect Enlightenment.

"Nāga Lord! Whoever keeps far from harsh speech will attain eight kinds of pure wholesome dharmas. They are: speech that is true, speech that is gentle and harmonious, speech that is meaningful, speech that is soft and mild, speech that is free from grasping, speech that everyone delights in, speech that is virtuous and good, and speech that is beneficial.

"Nāga Lord! Whoever keeps far from harsh speech will attain these eight kinds of pure karma of the mouth; and dedicating these wholesome roots toward the fruit of Bodhi, he will realize the fruit of Unsurpassed, Right, and Perfect Enlightenment, and attain the supreme and pure Brahmā voice.

"Nāga Lord! Whoever keeps far from double-tongued speech will attain five kinds of firmness. They are: attaining a firm body and keeping far from all fear; attaining kinsfolk who are not scattered and cannot be seized by others; attaining firm faith and the meritorious reward of trustworthy karma; attaining firm dharma and the realization of the fruit of non-retrogression; and attaining firm good friends who ever follow and accept gentle and harmonious words.

"Nāga Lord! Whoever keeps far from double-tongued speech will attain these five kinds of firmness; and dedicating those wholesome roots toward the fruit of Bodhi, he will realize the fruit of Unsurpassed, Right, and Perfect Enlightenment, such that all the non-Buddhist heretics, Māra-kings, and the rest cannot destroy him.

"Nāga Lord! Whoever keeps far from the poison of covetousness will attain eight kinds of wholesome dharmas. They are: the mind of greed is dissolved and removed; the mind of killing does not arise; the mind of envy and jealousy does not arise; he delights in giving rise to the mind of the noble lineage; he is honored by the noble ones; with wholesome karma and a mind of loving-kindness he benefits all sentient beings; he attains a fresh and beautiful body; he is honored by many people; and he is born in the realm of the Brahmā heaven.

"Nāga Lord! Whoever keeps far from the poison of covetousness will attain these eight kinds of wholesome dharmas; and dedicating these wholesome dharmas toward the fruit of Bodhi with a mind of non-retrogression, he will realize the fruit of Unsurpassed, Right, and Perfect Enlightenment.

"Nāga Lord! Whoever keeps far from the poison of anger will attain five kinds of supreme and perfectly fulfilled vows. They are: attaining cultivation of body, mouth, and mind without retrogression; attaining sense faculties that are not scattered or confused; attaining all the vast and great fulfillment of wealth and honor; attaining the submission of enemies and foes; and attaining all the vast and great fulfillment of merit and virtue—so that whatever the mind enjoys and desires is perfectly fulfilled. Thus, even if he makes hundreds of thousands of supreme and topmost vows wishing for wealth and honor, all are perfectly fulfilled according to his wishes.

"Nāga Lord! Whoever keeps far from the poison of anger will attain these five kinds of perfectly fulfilled vows; and dedicating those wholesome roots up toward the unsurpassed fruit of Bodhi, he will realize the fruit of the path of Unsurpassed, Right, and Perfect Enlightenment, and be revered by the sentient beings of the three realms.

"Nāga Lord! Whoever keeps far from wrong views will attain ten kinds of dharmas of merit and virtue. They are:

"1. Attaining peace of one's own mind, together with good friends as companions, deeply trusting in cause and effect.

"2. Not committing karmic offenses for the sake of body and life.

"3. Swiftly realizing the fruit of the noble and worthy.

"4. Not being deludedly attached even to wholesome dharmas.

"5. Cultivating the conduct of gods and humans, not falling into the realm of Yama or the realm of beasts.

"6. Practicing the path of the noble ones and attaining the supreme merit.

"7. Keeping far from all heterodox dharmas.

"8. Keeping far from views and attachments concerning the body.

"9. Perceiving that the nature of all offenses is empty.

"10. Attaining the full and perfect upright conduct of gods and humans.

"Nāga Lord! Whoever keeps far from wrong views will attain these ten kinds of merit and virtue; and dedicating those wholesome roots up toward the fruit of Bodhi, he will swiftly comprehend all the Buddha-Dharma and realize the fruit of the path of Unsurpassed, Right, and Perfect Enlightenment.

"Furthermore, Nāga Lord! I see that sentient beings who create the ten subtle unwholesome dharmas for the most part fall into the hells, the realm of hungry ghosts, and the realm of beasts.

"Nāga Lord! If those sentient beings create the karma of killing, they will fall into the realms of the hells, hungry ghosts, beasts, and Yama; and after being reborn in the human world, because the old karma still remains, they must bear two kinds of retribution:

"1. A short and fleeting lifespan.

"2. Suffering and distress.

"If any sentient being steals, he will fall into the realms of the hells, beasts, and Yama; and after being reborn in the human world, because the old karma still remains, he must bear two kinds of retribution:

"1. Living in poverty and destitution.

"2. Not receiving help in money or goods from others.

"If any sentient being commits sexual misconduct, he will fall into the realms of the hells, beasts, and Yama; and after being reborn in the human world, because the old karma still remains, he must bear two kinds of retribution:

"1. Foolishness and delusion.

"2. A wife who is not chaste and pure.

"If any sentient being speaks false speech, he will fall into the realms of the hells, beasts, and Yama; and after being reborn in the human world, because the old karma still remains, he must bear two kinds of retribution:

"1. Speaking words that are not truthful.

"2. Others not trusting or following him.

"If any sentient being speaks ornamented speech, he will fall into the realms of the hells, beasts, and Yama; and after being reborn in the human world, because the old karma still remains, he must bear two kinds of retribution:

"1. Speech that is not upright.

"2. Always changing what has been said.

"If any sentient being speaks harsh and cruel speech, he will fall into the realms of the hells, beasts, and Yama; and after being reborn in the human world, because the old karma still remains, he must bear two kinds of retribution:

"1. Always delighting in quarrels and disputes.

"2. Those who hear him do not respect him.

"If any sentient being speaks divisive, double-tongued speech, he will fall into the realms of the hells, beasts, and Yama; and after being reborn in the human world, because the old karma still remains, he must bear two kinds of retribution:

"1. His kinsfolk are all lowly and base.

"2. The affections among his kin are divided and estranged.

"If any sentient being is greatly covetous, he will fall into the realms of the hells, beasts, and Yama; and after being reborn in the human world, because the old karma still remains, he must bear two kinds of retribution:

"1. Not obtaining benefit as others do.

"2. Often being plundered and harmed by others.

"If any sentient being has much anger and hatred, he will fall into the realms of the hells, beasts, and Yama; and after being reborn in the human world, because the old karma still remains, he must bear two kinds of retribution:

"1. The mind is constantly joyless.

"2. Being satisfied with nothing at all.

"If any sentient being holds wrong views, he will fall into the realms of the hells, beasts, and Yama; and after being reborn in the human world, because the old karma still remains, he must bear two kinds of retribution:

"1. Wrong views.

"2. Laziness and indolence.

"Nāga Lord! If any sentient being creates these ten unwholesome deeds, he will certainly undergo such retributions and must moreover receive boundless other kinds of great suffering.

"Nāga Lord! If any Bodhisattva keeps far from killing, cultivates the Bodhisattva path, and practices giving, he will attain wealth and honor, long life, and immeasurable meritorious reward, no longer plundered by others or made to live in fear and dread.

"Nāga Lord! If any Bodhisattva keeps far from stealing, cultivates the Bodhisattva path, and practices giving, he will attain wealth and honor and immeasurable meritorious reward, with a mind not stingy toward all people, and will realize the unsurpassed dharma-meaning taught by all the Buddhas through profound wisdom.

"Nāga Lord! If any Bodhisattva keeps far from sexual misconduct, cultivates the Bodhisattva path, and practices giving, he will attain wealth and honor and immeasurable meritorious reward, and be loved by his parents, wife, children, and kinsfolk, without evil views.

"Nāga Lord! If any Bodhisattva keeps far from false speech, cultivates the Bodhisattva path, and practices giving, he will attain wealth and honor and immeasurable meritorious reward, with speech that is soft, mild, and virtuous; and once he makes a sincere vow, it is firm and unchanging.

"Nāga Lord! If any Bodhisattva keeps far from ornamented speech, cultivates the Bodhisattva path, and practices giving, he will attain wealth and honor and immeasurable meritorious reward; his true words are trusted and accepted by those who hear them, and once he speaks anything it removes the doubts of others.

"Nāga Lord! If any Bodhisattva keeps far from harsh and cruel speech, cultivates the Bodhisattva path, and practices giving, he will attain wealth and honor and immeasurable meritorious reward; whatever he says is trusted and accepted by everyone and not rejected, and he is without faults or errors among the assemblies.

"Nāga Lord! If any Bodhisattva keeps far from divisive, double-tongued speech, cultivates the Bodhisattva path, and practices giving, he will attain wealth and honor and immeasurable meritorious reward; his mind abides in equanimity toward all his kinsfolk, loving them all alike, and they are not scattered or estranged.

"Nāga Lord! If any Bodhisattva keeps far from the poison of covetousness, cultivates the Bodhisattva path, and practices giving, he will attain wealth and honor and immeasurable meritorious reward, and attain a beautiful body and complete sense faculties, such that whoever sees him loves him and never wearies of him.

"Nāga Lord! If any Bodhisattva keeps far from the poison of anger, cultivates the Bodhisattva path, and practices giving, he will attain wealth and honor and immeasurable meritorious reward, without any mind of hatred or enmity arising; he is able to hear the essential Dharma of the Buddha and can give rise to profound faith.

"Nāga Lord! If any Bodhisattva keeps far from wrong views, cultivates the Bodhisattva path, and practices giving, he will attain wealth and honor and immeasurable meritorious reward, complete in right views toward the Three Jewels; he constantly draws near to the Buddha, hears the sublime Dharma, is not lazy or negligent in making offerings to the Saṅgha, and transforms and teaches sentient beings, causing them all to give rise to the Bodhi-mind.

"Nāga Lord! Whoever skillfully cultivates these ten wholesome karmas, practices the Bodhisattva path, and uses Giving to adorn it will attain wealth, honor, prosperity, and perfectly fulfilled meritorious reward.

"If one uses the Upholding of Precepts to adorn it, one will attain all the Buddha-dharmas, the fulfillment of one's aspirations, and perfectly fulfilled meritorious reward.

"If one uses Patient Forbearance to adorn it, one will attain full and complete meritorious reward, attain the wisdom of a Buddha, attain the thirty-two excellent marks and the eighty subsidiary signs of beauty, and attain the full and complete Brahmā voice.

"If one uses Diligence to adorn it, one will attain perfectly fulfilled meritorious reward, with the ability to subdue the heavenly Māras and the non-Buddhist heretics, and then bring them deliverance through the Dharma of the Buddhas.

"If one uses Meditative Concentration to adorn it, one will attain perfectly fulfilled meritorious reward, complete in right mindfulness, with pure dharma-practice.

"If one uses Wisdom to adorn it, one will attain perfectly fulfilled meritorious reward, cleansing away all wrong views.

"If one uses Great Loving-kindness to adorn it, one will attain perfectly fulfilled meritorious reward, with the ability to cause all sentient beings to subdue all subtle afflictions.

"If one uses Great Compassion to adorn it, one will attain perfectly fulfilled meritorious reward, with all sentient beings ever drawing near.

"If one uses the mind of Great Sympathetic Joy to adorn it, one will attain perfectly fulfilled meritorious reward, single-minded and not scattered.

"If one uses the mind of Great Equanimity to adorn it, one will attain perfectly fulfilled meritorious reward, with all subtle afflictions dissolved and removed.

"Nāga Lord! And even using the Four Means of Embracing to adorn it, one will attain perfectly fulfilled meritorious reward, with all sentient beings following one's transforming guidance.

"If one uses the Four Foundations of Mindfulness to adorn it, one can clearly understand the body, feelings, mind, and dharmas.

"If one uses the Four Right Exertions to adorn it, one will have the ability to cause all unwholesome dharmas to be extinguished and to perfectly fulfill all wholesome dharmas.

"If one uses the Four Bases of Spiritual Power to adorn it, one will have the ability to cause both body and mind to become light, supple, and beneficial.

"If one uses the Five Faculties to adorn it, one will attain faith and diligence without retrogression, a mind free of delusion, a thorough understanding of the causes of karma, and the forever-severing of afflictions.

"If one uses the Five Powers to adorn it, one will attain a clear understanding of all dharmas just as they truly are.

"If one uses the Eightfold Right Path to adorn it, one will realize true and right wisdom.

"If one uses meditative concentration to adorn it, one will sever all afflictions.

"If one uses meditative contemplation to adorn it, one will attain the wisdom that thoroughly understands all dharmas.

"If one uses the right path to adorn it, one will clearly know all dharmas of skillful means, both conditioned and unconditioned.

"Nāga Lord! Now I have briefly expounded the ten wholesome deeds as adornments, and even spoken of the Ten Powers, the Four Wisdoms, the Eighteen Distinctive Dharmas, and all the dharma-divisions of the Tathāgata, all of which become perfectly fulfilled.

"Nāga Lord! You should cultivate and learn this, and even expound extensively the ten wholesome courses of karma and the work of adorning them.

"Nāga Lord! Just as the great earth has the ability to cause humans, the world, and all the lands, cities, towns, and villages, and even the grasses, trees, gardens, and forests, all to abide—

"Furthermore, all karmas have seeds. Seeds becoming trees all depend upon the four great elements. Just as a grain of rice, from the time it sprouts until it ripens, depends upon the earth—Nāga Lord! These ten wholesome courses of karma have the ability to cause the Devas, humans, and all sentient beings to abide in supreme and sublime places, to cause all conditioned and unconditioned practices to attain the meritorious reward of wisdom, and to cause all Śrāvakas, Pratyekabuddhas, and even Bodhisattvas and the Unsurpassed, Rightly and Perfectly Enlightened One to abide. To abide thus is indeed to abide in all the Buddha-dharmas.

"Nāga Lord! These words that I teach—you should all, with an upright mind, wholeheartedly trust and understand them."

At that time, within the assembly, the Nāga King Sāgara, together with the Great Bodhisattvas, all the Śrāvakas, the Devas, humans, Asuras, Gandharvas, and the rest—all the great assembly, having heard the Buddha's instruction, rejoiced and respectfully practiced it.