方廣大莊嚴經

Chapter 21: SUBJUGATING THE HOSTS OF MARA

At that time, the Buddha said to the bhiksus:

“You should know that, seated upon the seat of enlightenment, the bodhisattva reflected: ‘I am now about to attain Perfect Enlightenment. Mara King Papiyan of the Realm of Desire always boasts that he is the most honored and supreme. I should summon him here and subjugate him. Moreover, I shall enable the devas of the Realm of Desire, as well as some among Papiyan’s retinue who have long accumulated wholesome karma, to behold the miraculous spiritual play of me, the Lion, and arouse the aspiration for unsurpassed enlightenment.’

“Having reflected thus, the bodhisattva emitted from the tuft of white hair between his eyebrows a ray of light called Subjugation of Mara’s Enmity. It illuminated the entire trichiliocosm and penetrated as far as Mara’s palace. Mara King Papiyan heard these verses issuing from within that light:

In the world is a supremely victorious, pure one,

Whose cultivation through immeasurable kalpas is complete.

He is the Sakyan prince who renounced the royal throne

And now sits at the place of enlightenment.

You constantly boast of your great valor;

You must go there and determine who is superior.

That one has already reached the shore of enlightenment;

His own deliverance and the deliverance of others are both perfected.

He vows to eradicate all the evils of the three realms

And bring peace and bliss to devas and humans.

Once he attains the fruit of enlightenment,

Your domain will disintegrate.

Your foolish and wrathful companions

Will certainly all be destroyed together.

That one opens wide the gates of the Dharma;

Where can you now flee and hide?

The Buddha said to the bhiksus:

“After Mara King Papiyan clearly heard these verses, he dreamed of thirty-two inauspicious omens. They were as follows:

1. He saw all his palaces become dark and obscure.

2. He saw sand, gravel, earth, and dust swirling everywhere throughout his palaces.

3. He saw his palaces collapsed and desolate, overrun with grass and all manner of filth.

4. He saw himself frightened and uneasy, fleeing in every direction.

5. He saw the jeweled crown upon his head fall to the ground and his hair come loose and disheveled.

6. He saw that the trees in his gardens no longer bore flowers or fruit.

7. He saw his own head split open and his brains scattered all over the ground.

8. He felt feverish and agitated at heart.

9. He saw all the branches and leaves of the trees in his gardens wither and fall.

10. He saw all the ponds and wells in his palaces dry up.

11. He saw the feathers of all the precious birds in his palace—such as parrots, saris, kalavinkas, jivajivakas, and others—fall out entirely.

12. He saw all the musical instruments in his palace—bells, drums, lutes, zithers, pipes, flutes, harps, monochords, and others—broken, their strings snapped, and strewn discarded across the ground.

13. He saw his kinsmen grieving, striking their heads with their hands, and then standing rigid with anger.

14. He saw himself fall beneath his bed, his head and face severely bruised and scraped.

15. He saw those of his sons who possessed great power go to the place of enlightenment and bow at the bodhisattva’s feet.

16. He saw his daughters lamenting and weeping sorrowfully.

17. He saw the garments upon his body become filthy.

18. He saw his body grow emaciated and haggard, with his head and neck covered in dust and sand.

19. He saw all the towers, windows, walls, and partitions fall into ruin.

20. He saw all his generals—yaksas, raksasas, kumbhandas, and others—stab themselves in the neck and head and lie scattered in disarray.

21. He saw all his jewels and strings of precious gems utterly consumed by fire.

22. He saw the deva princes of the heavens of the Realm of Desire—the Four Great Heavenly Kings, Sakra Devanam Indra, and even the devas of the Heaven of Mastery over Others’ Transformations—come before the bodhisattva, where they stood in attendance and gazed reverently upon him.

23. He saw himself facing an enemy but unable to raise his sword.

24. He saw his body become repulsive and the sound of his speech become turbid.

25. He saw his attendants and retinue all turn against him and then depart.

26. He saw all the precious vessels shattered.

27. He saw the deva prince Nara loudly proclaim inauspicious words.

28. He saw the deity Joy sighing and devoid of joy.

29. He saw the whole expanse of space densely shrouded in mist.

30. He saw the guardian deity of the palace gate weeping aloud.

31. He saw that his realm of sovereignty was beset by circumstances beyond his control.

32. He saw his palaces trembling and unsteady.

The Buddha said to the bhiksus:

“Interpreting the meaning of his dreams, Mara King Papiyan trembled all over and was filled with fear. He hurriedly summoned his chief minister and said:

“‘I clearly heard a voice issuing from space, saying that the Sakyan prince had renounced household life to cultivate the Way, practiced austerities for six years, and was now seated upon the seat of enlightenment, about to attain Perfect Enlightenment. If he succeeds in realizing that Way, our realm of Mara will be destroyed. You generals and troops must go to the place of enlightenment and destroy him.’ He then spoke these verses:

You must command the great army of Mara

And go to the seat of enlightenment to oppose the sramana.

All our troops, whom we cherish and esteem,

Must swiftly engage in battle and crush him.

That one is determined to destroy my domain

And lead all beings to enlightenment.

If we do not utterly destroy him,

The world will become a Buddha-land.

“At that time, Mara King’s chief minister, who commanded the armies of Mara, sought to dissuade Mara King Papiyan and recited these verses:

The four heavenly sovereigns serving the Great King,

Together with the eight classes of nagas, deities, and other beings,

The devas of the Realm of Desire, Brahma, and Sakra,

All bow their heads and take refuge in that holy one.

Your sons, foremost in wisdom,

Whose heroic might has few equals in the world,

And our army, filling eighty yojanas—

Yaksas, raksasas, and vicious spirits—

Though as close to you as your own hands and feet,

Always revere the Supremely Victorious One.

They have all gone there, joined their palms, gazed upon him, and bowed,

Offering him various kinds of incense and flowers.

Your minister has constantly witnessed such things;

You should know that the bodhisattva will vanquish Mara’s army.

Where the demonic troops and spirits dwell,

Savage birds and beasts constantly howl and roar;

But the seat of enlightenment is ever pure,

Where auspicious birds and precious beasts sing in harmony.

That one possesses all excellent marks and auspicious signs;

Your minister therefore regards the bodhisattva as supreme.

Moreover, throughout the region guarded by the spirit troops,

Sand, gravel, and dust rise and swirl everywhere;

But at the seat of enlightenment, where the holy one abides,

The heavens rain down abundant incense and flowers.

Where the king’s army is encamped, the ground is uneven,

Covered with earth, stones, gravel, and broken bricks;

But at the seat of enlightenment, the ground is level

And adorned with the seven precious substances.

Having witnessed these signs beforehand,

A wise person should withdraw.

That adorned realm has manifested everywhere;

The bodhisattva will certainly become an Enlightened One.

If the Great King does not heed your minister’s words,

What was seen in the dreams will surely come to pass.

The Great King should not offend the holy one,

But should withdraw his troops and return to Mara’s palace.

In ancient times, a king offended a holy sage,

Causing his entire kingdom to perish.

In the past there was a king named Pure Virtue,

Who relied upon his power and defied the seer Raja.

Consequently, he suffered calamities for many years,

And the forests and crops were all destroyed.

Has the King not heard the Vedic treatises declare

That one possessing the thirty-two marks will certainly become a Buddha?

The white tuft between his eyebrows radiates light,

Illuminating Buddha-lands throughout the ten directions.

How much more, then, will the Great King’s army of Mara

Certainly be subdued by the bodhisattva!

The invisible crown of his head surpasses that of the devas;

How could any of the devas compare with him?

The bodhisattva will attain the supremely victorious fruit;

What the world has never heard, it shall now hear.

Mount Sumeru and all the hills and mountains

Have already bowed before the Bodhi tree.

Generosity, morality, patience, diligence, meditation,

And wisdom—cultivated through many kalpas—are now perfected.

Seated alone at the place of enlightenment, he will crush Mara’s army,

All through the power of his fully perfected wholesome roots.

The Buddha said to the bhiksus:

At that time, when the māra king Pāpīyān heard the great minister’s verse, his mind became even more disturbed and distressed, and he immediately summoned his one thousand sons. Among the māra king’s numerous sons, five hundred belonged to the Pure and Bright division. They stood to the māra king’s right and placed their faith in the bodhisattva. The other five hundred belonged to the Dark and Obscure division. They stood to the māra king’s left and approved of their father’s actions.

At that time, Pāpīyān said to his sons:

“You must unite your minds and strength and devise some means of destroying that śramaṇa.”

One of the sons on his right, named Guide, stepped before his father and recited this verse:

A sleeping dragon, a drunken elephant, and the lion king—

Even these three fierce beasts are difficult to approach.

How much more so that One, endowed with the power of samādhi;

Who would dare assail the great Muni?

One of the sons on his left, named Evil Wisdom, also faced his father and recited this verse:

When I look upon a man with my power, he dies;

When I now look upon a tree, the tree also falls.

Whomever my angry eyes behold can scarcely preserve his life;

If I merely glance at him, he can hardly survive.

One of the sons on his right, named Beautiful Voice, faced his father and recited this verse:

Human life is impermanent—what need is there to destroy it?

Trees are by nature brittle and weak, and thus are easily broken.

Even if your glaring eyes could dissolve Mount Sumeru,

How could you raise them to gaze upon the bodhisattva?

Suppose one could swim skillfully across the great ocean,

And then, with a single breath, drain that deep sea dry;

Even if all such deeds could be accomplished,

One could not harm the bodhisattva with an evil gaze.

One of the sons on his left, named Hundred Arms, also faced his father and recited this verse:

I shall now make my single body possess one hundred arms,

And each shall discharge one hundred poisoned arrows.

Great King, you should go forth and harbor no distress;

Why should that śramaṇa be feared?

One of the sons on his right, named Wondrous Awakening, faced his father and recited this verse:

Even if every hair upon your body became an arm,

And every one discharged a hundred poisoned arrows,

Though you deem yourself thereby superior to others,

How could you harm even a single hair of the bodhisattva?

The Muni’s power of samādhi is filled with loving-kindness;

Raging fire and savage weapons cannot harm him.

Weapons borne with the intent to commit evil

Will dissolve into flowers in the midst of space.

Whether devas, humans, or asuras,

Yakṣas or rākṣasas endowed with great might,

They will be subdued by his patience,

Causing their imposing power to diminish of itself.

One of the sons on his left, named Majestic Might, also faced his father and recited this verse:

I shall now enter the śramaṇa’s body

And use fire to burn everything away.

Just as a burning mountain consumes dry trees,

So shall the entire dense forest be reduced to ashes.

One of the sons on his right, named Virtuous Eyes, also faced his father and recited this verse:

Though Mount Sumeru and the world may burn away,

Vajra wisdom is truly difficult to consume.

Though mountains shift, seas dry up, and the great earth disappears,

Though the sun and moon both fall from the sky,

For the benefit of all beings he remains securely seated;

Until he realizes bodhi, he will never move.

One of the sons on his left, named Arrogance, again faced his father and recited this verse:

There I shall rub them with my hands,

And the palaces of the sun and moon will both shatter.

I shall also suck dry the waters of the four seas,

Until no water remains within them.

I shall cast that śramaṇa into the midst of the sea;

Great King, you should not be overly distressed.

No armed force is needed to subdue him;

I shall now break the bodhi tree.

This method alone will suffice to destroy him,

And I shall cast the śramaṇa’s body far and wide.

One of the sons on his right, named Possessing Faith, also faced his father and recited this verse:

Suppose there were powers able to destroy the trichiliocosm,

And such immense powers were as numerous as the sands of the Ganges;

They could not move even the tip of one hair of the bodhisattva.

How could their strength suffice to destroy this holy one?

One of the sons on his left, named Terrifying, faced his father and recited this verse:

That śramaṇa is not worthy of fear;

He has no companions and is entirely alone.

We should now terrify him and drive him far away;

Great King, why should your mighty army lose heart?

One of the sons on his right, named Conditioned Wisdom, faced his father and recited this verse:

Do the sun, the moon, and the lion have armies?

A wheel-turning king’s imposing power requires no multitude.

No bodhisattva has need of troops;

With one body and one thought, he routs the armies of demons.

One of the sons on his left, named Seeking Evil, again faced his father and recited this verse:

I beseech you, Great King, do not be distressed.

I shall now have no need of any weapons.

I will seize that śramaṇa by the nose,

Drag him back, and beat his body to pieces.

One of the sons on his right, named Merit, again faced his father and recited this verse:

That One’s spiritual power is exceedingly steadfast,

Like that of Nārāyaṇa, impossible to destroy.

He takes patience as his armor,

And diligent vigor as his keen blade.

He takes the three liberations as the ox he rides,

And employs wisdom as his defense.

Through the bodhisattva’s many powers of merit,

He will surely subdue our māra army.

One of the sons on his left, named Non-Retreating, again faced his father and recited this verse:

Just as an arrow in flight does not turn back,

And a mountain fire driven by the wind is difficult to halt,

And a vajra thunderbolt never reverses its course,

I shall not retreat until the son of the Śākyas is destroyed.

One of the sons on his right, named Delighting in the Dharma, again faced his father and recited this verse:

A flying arrow striking a stone must fall;

A raging fire encountering water must be extinguished.

Where can a thunderbolt go once it strikes the earth?

If it encounters the bodhisattva, it will submit of itself.

Great King, you might perhaps cover all of space,

Or cause the minds of all beings to become one,

Or bind the sun and moon together with a cord;

Such deeds might perhaps be accomplished.

But the bodhisattva seated at the seat of bodhi—

Great King, you cannot cause him to move.

One of the sons on his left, named Untranquil, again faced his father and recited this verse:

My eyes contain poison; if I cast a glance,

Mount Sumeru topples and the vast ocean dries up.

Once I discern that śramaṇa and that tree,

A single gaze will reduce them to ashes.

One of the sons on his right, named Benefit to All, again faced his father and recited this verse:

Suppose the entire trichiliocosm

Were filled throughout with every virulent poison;

If the treasury of merit merely looked upon them,

He would cause all those poisons to become harmless.

What poisons could surpass the three poisons?

Yet those three poisons do not bind his body or mind.

The bodhisattva’s essential nature is like empty space;

Great King, you should not go there in person.

One of the sons on his left, named Delighting in Attachment, again faced his father and recited this verse:

Adorn countless koṭis of celestial maidens,

And have them perform a hundred thousand songs and dances in harmony.

Entice that One into the palace of the Self-Mastery Heaven,

And let the waters of desire cause his mind to remain forever immersed.

The Great King will thereby be put at ease;

I beseech you, do not be so deeply distressed.

One of the sons on his right, named Dharma Wisdom, again faced his father and recited this verse:

The Dharma in which the bodhisattva delights is the true Dharma;

He seeks only meditation and liberation.

He bestows loving-kindness and compassion upon all beings

And is never attached to the five sensual pleasures.

One of the sons on his left, named Caṇḍāla, again faced his father and recited this verse:

Great King, do not heed the words of these sons.

Let our father’s roar resound throughout the realm;

With strength sufficient to oppose ten thousand men,

Quickly go forth and destroy that śramaṇa.

One of the sons on his right, named Lion’s Roar, again faced his father and recited this verse:

Jackals make a commotion in the broad marsh

Only because they have not yet heard the lion’s roar.

If they were to hear it but once,

It would be enough to make them flee in terror.

Such ignorant māras as these

Have never heard the Lion’s voice.

They are skilled only in contending and causing disturbances;

How would they dare face that Heroic Lion?

One of the sons on his left, named Evil Thought, again faced his father and recited this verse:

Do you not see our army of soldiers?

And there is also Evil Thought, who excels at charging into battle.

The world is filled with ignorant people;

Quickly raise your military might and do not retreat.

One of the sons on his right, named Good Thought, again faced his father and recited this verse:

That One is fully endowed with courage, wisdom, and strength

How dare you, in your foolish darkness, contend?

Only because you do not yet know the Tamer.

With wisdom he will subdue you.

However numerous Māra’s hosts may be,

Though their might should pervade the trichiliocosm,

They could not stir even a hair of the bodhisattva;

How much less could your strength alone do so?

You should not harbor evil thoughts toward him,

But should honor him with a purified heart.

He is the Dharma King of the three realms;

We should submit to him and not contend.

The Buddha said to the bhikshus:

“At that time Māra Pāpīyān again summoned his daughters and said to them:

“‘My beloved daughters, go together to the foot of the Bodhi tree, where the Śākya prince sits in meditation. Seduce him and ruin his pure conduct.’

Māra’s daughters obeyed their father and went together to the Bodhi tree. Before the place where the bodhisattva sat, they spoke sweetly and employed thirty-two displays of beauty in an attempt to beguile him.

“One: they raised their eyebrows without speaking.

“Two: dressed in splendid, alluring garments, they approached him from afar.

“Three: they lowered their faces and smiled.

“Four: they jested and played with one another.

“Five: they displayed affection and longing.

“Six: they leaned against one another and gazed together.

“Seven: feigning shyness, they covered their mouths.

“Eight: they cast beautiful glances from side to side.

“Nine: they drew close and looked at him intently.

“Ten: they approached together, presented themselves, and paid homage.

“Eleven: they covered their heads with their garments.

“Twelve: one after another, they approached and touched his body with their hands.

“Thirteen: they inclined their ears as though listening.

“Fourteen: they repeatedly walked back and forth before him.

“Fifteen: they deliberately exposed their thighs.

“Sixteen: they deliberately exposed their breasts and bellies.

“Seventeen: they evoked scenes of amorous play, repose, and sensual delight.

“Eighteen: they pretended to stand before a mirror, displaying the beauty of their forms.

“Nineteen: they moved and danced to enhance their beauty.

“Twenty: they appeared by turns suddenly joyful and suddenly sorrowful.

“Twenty-one: they alternately sat down and stood up.

“Twenty-two: at times they breathed rapidly, as though scarcely able to remain alive.

“Twenty-three: they anointed their entire bodies with fragrant perfumes.

“Twenty-four: in their hands they held many strings of precious jeweled ornaments.

“Twenty-five: they covered their breasts and necks.

“Twenty-six: they pretended to be melancholy and distressed.

“Twenty-seven: they paraded for some distance before him and then turned to look at the bodhisattva.

“Twenty-eight: they opened and closed their eyes as though observing him closely.

“Twenty-nine: they turned and walked straight away as though they had not seen the bodhisattva.

“Thirty: they spoke in praise of sensual pleasures.

“Thirty-one: they opened their beautiful eyes wide and gazed fixedly.

“Thirty-two: as they walked away, they repeatedly turned back and glanced at him.

“These were the methods employed by Māra’s daughters to beguile the bodhisattva. They also sang to disturb him, reciting this verse:

In spring’s warmth, when the season is fair,

All the myriad plants and trees grow lush and green.

This is the very time for a man to seek delight;

Once youth has passed, how can it ever return?

Virtuous One, though your countenance is handsome,

The five sensual pleasures of the world are difficult to obtain.

Before such beauty, you should join in merriment;

Why delight only in the path of awakening?

We women have gained the blessings of heaven,

With figures both graceful and beautiful.

Such celestial bodies are not easily obtained;

Now that you possess merit, you should enjoy them.

Even mountains, upon seeing us, would become enamored;

How then could any man remain undefiled in mind?

What purpose is served by cultivating meditation?

That Dharma of bodhi is exceedingly remote.

“When the bodhisattva heard the beguiling words of Māra’s daughters, compassion arose in his heart, and he transformed them with a wondrous verse:

I see that the five sensual pleasures are filled with faults;

It is precisely through affliction that spiritual powers are lost.

They are like a fiery pit and a casket of poison,

Into which sentient beings fall without knowing it.

Long ago I abandoned the afflictions;

Having awakened my mind, I shall deliver others.

The five sensual pleasures of the world consume sentient beings,

Just as fire burns up dry grass.

They are also like a mirage, never real;

Like bubbles on water, which burst and vanish;

Like children playing amid filthy excrement;

Like a fool reaching out to touch a serpent’s head.

None of these is true Dharma.

This body is false, born from karma;

The four great elements and five skandhas provisionally combine,

And bones and flesh joined together produce its form.

The wise should not crave or cling to the body.

Ordinary beings, deluded, give rise to thoughts of desire;

I clearly understand all such illusions.

Therefore I neither crave nor cling to them,

But seek the wholesome bliss found in liberation.

Here and now I shall realize bodhi;

I have escaped the sensual desires of the world—

How could the wind ever be bound by empty space?

“At that time the bodhisattva’s body was like pure gold, and his face like the full moon. His mind was settled, tranquil, and still as Mount Sumeru. Serene and unmoving, he resembled a radiant jewel without the slightest flaw; he was like the light of the newly risen sun illuminating all directions, and like a white lotus unstained by the least mud. His mind was unattached, ever composed, neither increasing nor diminishing.

“Then Māra’s daughters again addressed the bodhisattva with gentle, tender words:

“‘O Worthy Sage, you are one of exalted virtue, revered by devas and humans, and thus attendants have been sent to you. The devas have now dispatched us here to make offerings to you. We are young, and our complexions are like utpala flowers. We wish to remain near you morning and evening, attending upon you and caring for your food, drink, sleep, and repose.’

“The bodhisattva replied:

“‘Because you cultivated merit in the past, you have now obtained such beautiful forms. Yet you do not contemplate impermanence and instead practice deception; thus, though your bodies are beautiful, your minds are perverse. You are like vessels brightly colored on the outside but filled within with poisonous filth, which will inevitably break apart of themselves. What is there to boast of? By committing unwholesome deeds, you destroy your own roots and will fall into the three evil destinies, from which escape is exceedingly difficult. You have deliberately come here solely to confuse and disrupt another’s wholesome undertaking. You are merely skin-bags filled with foul excrement, not things of purity. Why have you come here? I take no delight in accepting you. Depart from this place.’

“Unable to beguile the bodhisattva with their beauty, Māra’s daughters scattered various karṇikāra and campaka flowers over the place where he sat, circumambulated him three times to the right, and then returned to their dwelling. They reported to Māra Pāpīyān:

“‘Great King, never before have we seen anyone like this bodhisattva. In this realm of desire, who could behold our beauty without being moved in mind? We exhausted all our strength and ingenuity in trying to beguile him. It was like young rice plants already withered by drought encountering the scorching sun and withering still further; it was also like fresh cream placed beneath the sunlight, naturally melting away entirely. Yet no means whatsoever can sway this great man. We implore the Great King not to provoke hostile and unwholesome conflict with him.’ They then recited this verse:

His body resembles a thousand lotus blossoms;

His face is like the radiant moon.

His luminous aura shines like a blazing fire;

His physical form has the hue of a purple-golden mountain.

For hundreds of thousands of lifetimes he cultivated right conduct;

His great vows have now reached fulfillment.

Having himself crossed beyond samsara, he ferries others across,

Ceaselessly transforming and delivering the myriad beings.

Excellent indeed! We pray that you do not make him your enemy,

The Most Victorious One among devas and humans.

His pure eyes are like lotus blossoms;

Serene and self-possessed, he is free from craving and attachment.

Though Sumeru should collapse and the sun and moon should fall,

The bodhisattva would never be shaken.

“The Buddha said to the bhikshus:

“At this time, the Guide, a son of Pāpīyān belonging to the White faction, said to his father:

—The bodhisattva is a pure being who transcends the three realms. In spiritual powers and the strength of the Path, no one can surpass him; devas, nagas, and spirits all revere and praise him. How, then, could Your Majesty's power possibly vanquish him? Unable to vanquish him, you will only give rise to afflictions, commit further evil deeds, and thereby bring calamity upon yourself.

When Mara King Papiyan heard his son speak thus, he became enraged and shouted:

—You fool! Your wisdom is shallow and your abilities meager. You have never witnessed my spiritual powers and the strength of my Path.

Mara's son, Guide, again said:

—Your Majesty, I am indeed an ignorant person of shallow and inferior wisdom, yet I earnestly implore Your Majesty not to create enmity or become an adversary of that Sakyan prince. Why is this? If any being approaches with an evil intention, seeking to harm the bodhisattva, the bodhisattva does not become angry on that account.

And if any being approaches with a wholesome intention and makes offerings to him, the bodhisattva does not rejoice on that account. Amid these two circumstances, the bodhisattva's mind always remains impartial. Your Majesty, suppose someone were to take the entirety of empty space and fashion within it images of every color; even that would not yet be called difficult.

Or if someone were to hold Mount Sumeru in his hand and carry it about at leisure, that too would not yet be called difficult. Suppose someone were to swim across the great ocean; that would not yet be difficult. Or if someone were to stop the winds blowing from the four directions, that too would not yet be deemed difficult.

Or if someone wished to make all beings share a single mind and intention, that too would not yet be called difficult. But to harbor the intention of harming the bodhisattva—this would truly be difficult.

At that time, Mara King Papiyan still refused to heed his son's remonstrance. He went to the Bodhi tree and said to the bodhisattva:

—You should quickly leave this place. You will surely become a holy wheel-turning king, ruling the four continents beneath heaven and serving as sovereign over all beings. Do you not remember that the seers formerly foretold that you would become a wheel-turning king? You should accept that exalted throne, become a sovereign with perfect mastery and immeasurable majestic virtue, govern the realm in accordance with the Dharma, and rule over every region. This vast and desolate place is truly frightening, and you are here entirely alone, without companions. I fear that someone may harm you. You should quickly return to the royal palace and enjoy the five sensual pleasures. The path to bodhi is difficult to attain; you are merely tormenting your own body.

Having spoken, Mara King Papiyan stood silently, appearing to wait in challenge.

The bodhisattva then replied to Mara King Papiyan:

—You should not speak such words to me now. My mind is no longer attached to the five sensual pleasures. I have renounced them all, just as I have renounced the seven kinds of precious treasures. Papiyan, suppose a man has vomited up all the food he has eaten—could he gather it up and eat it again? I have now renounced every kind of resultant reward and shall certainly attain unsurpassed bodhi, completely ending the calamities of birth, aging, illness, and death. Papiyan, now that I am seated upon this Vajra Seat, I shall realize the path of awakening. You should quickly depart from this place.

At that moment, Mara King Papiyan's eyes blazed with wrath. Facing the bodhisattva, he cried out:

—For what reason do you persist in sitting here? Do you not see the host of yakshas and my army?

He immediately drew his keen sword with force, approached the bodhisattva, and shouted:

—I shall use this sword to cut your body apart! Leave at once; do not remain seated there.

The bodhisattva then calmly replied to Mara King Papiyan:

—Even if all the beings in this world were to act as you do, each bearing blades, staffs, and weapons and coming here to harm me, I would still never leave this seat. Papiyan, you might move all the waters of the four great oceans, together with the entire earth, to another place. You might cause the sun, moon, and stars all to fall. You might even overturn mighty Mount Sumeru. Yet you could not move this body of mine.

When Mara King Papiyan heard the bodhisattva speak thus, malice flared within him, and he uttered a furious, frenzied roar like thunder. He commanded the host of yakshas:

—Quickly carry forth mountain rocks, draw your bows and crossbows, unsheathe your blades and swords, and take up your spears, axes, lances, halberds, iron hooks, and every other kind of weapon. Venomous nagas, quickly spread forth black clouds, thunder, and flashing, resounding lightning.

At that time, the yaksha general, commanding his retinue of malevolent spirits—yakshas, rakshasas, pishachas, kumbhandas, and others—transformed themselves into every kind of form. They also arrayed elephants, horses, chariots, and infantry, the four divisions of an army, surging forth to surround the place. Some resembled asuras, garudas, and mahoragas, comprising immeasurable hundreds of thousands of millions of billions of different kinds.

A single body could manifest many bodies; some had the heads of animals and the bodies of humans; some had the bodies of animals and the heads of humans; some had bodies but no heads; some had only half a face; some had only half a body; some had one body with two heads; some had one body with three heads or many heads; some had heads but no faces; some had faces but no heads; some had no faces yet had as many as three heads; some had many heads but no faces; some had many faces but no heads; some had no eyes; some had only one eye, two eyes, three eyes, or even many eyes; some had no ears, while others had only one ear, two ears, three ears, or even many ears; some had no arms; some had only one arm, two arms, three arms, or even many arms; some had no legs;

some had only one leg, two legs, three legs, or even many legs; some manifested complete bodies that were nothing but dry skeletons; some manifested heads that were mere skulls, while their bodies were covered in flesh; some had flesh only upon their heads, while their bodies were nothing but dry skeletons; some had exceedingly long bodies, utterly emaciated and without bellies; some had slender, elongated human bodies with enormously swollen bellies; some had long legs, large knees, and razor-sharp claws; some had enormous faces bulging to one side; some had heads growing from the fronts of their chests; some had long lips hanging down to the ground; some lifted their garments to cover their faces; some emitted pitch-black smoke from their bodies;

some spewed fierce flames from their mouths; some were so utterly wasted of flesh and blood that only skin remained wrapped around their bones; some had bodies streaming with blood and pus, which they gathered around to suck or drink; some severed their own arms and legs and flung them in every direction; some had both eyes joined together; some had crooked faces and mouths; some had long, enormous tongues; some contracted their bodies until they resembled blocks of stone; some carried human heads; some tore open human corpses and ravenously devoured the flesh, bones, livers, intestines, stomachs, and gallbladders; some seized venomous snakes and ate them; some wound snakes around their necks; some raised skulls aloft in their hands; some made garlands of skulls;

some had faces entirely red at one moment, entirely white at another, then blue, then yellow; some were half yellow and half blue, or half white and half red; some had faces the color of smoke or ashes; some manifested body hairs like sharp needles; some emitted blazing fire from every hair of their bodies; some opened their eyes wide, while others kept them shut; some spewed white froth from their mouths; some manifested hundreds of thousands of faces upon their bodies, every one of them terrifying to behold; some produced many black snakes from their eyes, noses, ears, and mouths, then seized and swallowed them; some drank molten copper; some swallowed lumps of iron; some detached their hands, feet, elbows, and knees and walked along;

some emitted fire and smoke from their bodies and had heads as large as elephant heads bearing mountains; some had bodies entirely covered with hair; some wore garments of blue, yellow, red, or white; some wore the skins of lions, tigers, leopards, snakes, or wolves; some had blazing fire upon their heads and glared with wrathful eyes.

All these demons and monsters of every shape and kind leaped, collided, and brandished their limbs, filling the sky and the earth beyond all reckoning. The celestial spirits spread masses of dense black clouds, amid incessant thunder and lightning. Some rained down sand, stones, earth, tiles, and shards; some lifted great mountains into the air; some hurled masses of fierce fire; some spewed venomous snakes; some bared their fangs and extended their claws; some brandished swords or raised bows; some hurled long spears, while others swung great axes; some moved their lips and jaws and opened their mouths as though about to bite and chew; some wailed loudly or roared with laughter; some flew or ran; some hid themselves and then reappeared, shrieking and howling with deafening cries.

That host of Mara, numbering immeasurable, boundless hundreds of thousands of millions of billions, crowded chaotically around the Bodhi tree. Fire and smoke filled the air, and violent winds shook the mountains and covered the rivers and seas. Heaven and earth grew dark, and the stars were obscured.

It was then midnight, and the assembled hosts of Mara were creating an immense disturbance.

At that time, the immeasurable hosts of devas in the Pure Abodes said among themselves:

“Today the bodhisattva will attain supreme enlightenment.”

Others said:

“The hosts of Mara are creating a violent disturbance. Might they somehow harm the bodhisattva?”

The bodhisattva then said to the devas:

“Before long, I shall subdue the hosts of Mara and cause them all to retreat and scatter, just as a powerful wind blows away tiny flower petals and makes them fall.”

Having spoken, the bodhisattva sat upright in right mindfulness, unmoving, regarding the commotion of Mara’s hosts as no different from children at play. The maras grew even more enraged, and the ferocity of their assault increased.

The bodhisattva then employed the wondrous power of loving-kindness and compassion to subdue the maras. Those holding stones could not lift them; those who managed to lift them could not cast them down. All the knives and swords they hurled remained suspended in the air, and if they fell to the ground, they shattered.

The poisonous breath exhaled by the evil dragons became fragrant wind. The showers of sand, gravel, stones, bricks, and tiles raining chaotically down were transformed into kumuda flowers. When arrows were shot from bows at the bodhisattva, they remained fastened to the bowstrings and could not fly forth; if they had already been released, they stopped in midair, and a lotus appeared at the tip of every arrow.

The force of the blazing flames was transformed into five-colored kumuda flowers.

At that time, Mara King Papiyan was still enraged, and his malicious intent had not abated. Brandishing his sword, he advanced and said to the bodhisattva:

“You Shakyan bhikshu, if you continue sitting here and do not quickly depart for another place, I shall kill you with my own hands.”

Mara King Papiyan rushed frantically about, attempting to approach the bodhisattva, yet he was unable to advance.

Then Mara King Papiyan’s eldest son came and embraced his father, seeking to restrain him:

“Father, you should now understand that you cannot kill this shramana. Merely giving rise to evil thoughts has already brought innumerable offenses upon yourself.”

Mara King Papiyan refused to heed his son and ran toward the bodhisattva.

At that moment, a deva from the Pure Abodes spoke from the sky to Mara King Papiyan:

“You truly do not understand the limits of your own strength. You persist in wishing to kill the bodhisattva, but in the end you will accomplish nothing. Just as even the fiercest wind cannot shake Mount Sumeru, king of mountains.” Then, addressing Papiyan, he recited this verse:

Though the natures of earth, water, wind, and fire

Might forsake solidity, moisture, heat, and motion,

The bodhisattva’s resolve is steadfast

And will never retreat or turn back.

Long ago he made the great vow

Forever to abandon afflictions;

Within the diseased realm of birth and death,

He will become the Great King of Physicians.

For the many who follow mistaken paths,

He opens the way of right view;

For beings dwelling in darkness,

He lights the lamp of wisdom.

For those who wish to cross the sea of birth and death,

He serves as their ship and raft;

As the Great Lord of Sages,

He opens wide the gate of liberation.

Patience is his wholesome root,

Faith and diligence are its flowers and leaves;

They bring forth the great fruit of Dharma,

Which you are powerless to destroy.

You are now bound by delusion,

While the bodhisattva has attained liberation;

He will destroy your afflictions—

Do not create causes of obstruction.

Toward this bodhisattva,

Do not give rise to evil thoughts;

His cultivation throughout immeasurable kalpas

Has now been completely fulfilled.

Just as the Buddhas of the past

Attained liberation in this very place.

The Buddha said to the bhikshus:

—At that time, the deity of the Bodhi tree used sixteen kinds of words to mock, ridicule, and pity Mara Papiyan. The devas of the Pure Abodes used immeasurable wondrous sounds to praise the bodhisattva.

Mara, still filled with anger, resentfully said to the bodhisattva:

—Today, this bhikshu here may attain enlightenment and will teach and transform immeasurable, boundless sentient beings, leading them to abandon my realm. But I shall incite my demonic minions to follow and harass him, preventing the bodhisattva from accomplishing this.

The bodhisattva said to Mara:

—Mara Papiyan, listen carefully. Here and now I shall end all enmity between us, extinguish all evil karma, and eliminate all your jealousy and envy, thereby fully attaining unsurpassed bodhi. You should turn your mind around and give rise to joy.

He further said to Mara:

—In the past, you performed some wholesome deeds, and therefore you have now received favorable karmic rewards. As for me, only after cultivating the sacred practices throughout immeasurable kalpas have I now attained unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment.

Mara Papiyan then said to the bodhisattva:

—You know that I once performed wholesome deeds, but when you claim to have accumulated so much merit through cultivation, who will believe you?

The bodhisattva then gently extended his right arm, pointed toward the earth, and recited this verse:

Upon what do all things depend to grow?

The great earth always bears impartial witness.

Now let it bear witness for me;

You shall presently see the truth clearly.

At that moment, the earth deity, beautiful in form, sprang forth from beneath the ground. Her body was adorned with countless jewels and precious necklaces. She came before the bodhisattva, respectfully bowed, and with both hands held a vase made of the seven precious substances, filled with fragrant flowers as an offering. She said to the bodhisattva:

—I bear witness that, throughout immeasurable kalpas in the distant past, the bodhisattva cultivated the sacred path and now attains Buddhahood. It is evident that this ground of mine is formed of vajra. All other places may undergo change, but this place remains unmoved.

As soon as the earth deity finished speaking, the entire trichiliocosm manifested the six kinds of trembling and resounded with all eighteen kinds of great sounds.

All the demonic armies were utterly terrified and fled in disorder, trampling one another as they sought a way to escape. Those who had previously transformed themselves into grotesque shapes were unable to return to their original forms. Mara Papiyan was frightened out of his wits. When he heard the great sounds of the earth resounding, he became even more alarmed and terrified and fell headlong to the ground. The earth deity immediately sprinkled cold water upon Mara’s face and said:

—Mara Papiyan, you must leave this place at once. Countless troops are now coming here to tear your body to pieces.

At that time, Mara Papiyan’s eldest son came before the bodhisattva, bowed his head at the bodhisattva’s feet, and said:

—May the Great Sage be pleased to allow my father and me to confess and repent. Our father is truly foolish and base, without the slightest wisdom, and therefore he led the demonic armies here to threaten the bodhisattva. I had previously admonished him, but my royal father refused to listen. I now bow down and implore the Great Sage to extend loving-kindness and forgive my father and me. May the Great Sage swiftly attain unsurpassed bodhi.

At that time, the Great Brahma kings, Shakra Devendra, and countless devas appeared throughout the expanse of space. Seeing that the bodhisattva had vanquished the demonic armies, they were filled with immense joy. They immediately played celestial music in harmony and scattered celestial mandārava flowers, mahāmandārava flowers, mañjūṣaka flowers, mahāmañjūṣaka flowers, utpala flowers, kumuda flowers, padma flowers, and puṇḍarīka flowers. They also scattered the finest celestial sandalwood fragrance throughout the place where the bodhisattva sat. Each then praised the bodhisattva unstintingly in verse. Meanwhile, Mara Papiyan and his retinue dejectedly withdrew together to their former palace.

Chapter 22: ATTAINING PERFECT ENLIGHTENMENT

The Buddha said to the bhikshus:

—At that time, the bodhisattva had subdued all hostile maras, completely eliminated every kind of poison, and raised the banner of the Dharma. First, secluded from all sensual desires and unwholesome states, accompanied by applied and sustained thought, and withdrawn from all external pleasures, he entered the first dhyana. With inward one-pointedness and tranquility, the activity of applied and sustained thought ceased, and he entered the second dhyana, born of concentration, with joy and bliss.

Free from all joyful feeling, just as the noble ones teach, he dwelt in equanimity, mindfulness, and clear awareness; experiencing bodily bliss, he entered the third dhyana. Gradually abandoning both sorrow and joy, relinquishing pain and pleasure, and dwelling in the purity of mindfulness born of equanimity, he entered the fourth dhyana.

At that time, the bodhisattva abided in right concentration. His mind was pure and luminous, entirely free of defilement and separated from every subsidiary affliction. His body and mind were relaxed, harmonious, serene, and unmoving.

During the second watch of the night, he attained lucid wisdom, gathered his mind into complete concentration, and realized the divine eye. With the divine eye, the bodhisattva observed all sentient beings dying in one place and being born in another, beautiful or ugly in appearance, superior or inferior in wisdom, and living in wealth and honor or in poverty and suffering—all fashioned according to their karma. The bodhisattva clearly knew all these things.

He saw that sentient beings who committed evil karma through body, speech, and mind, slandered noble ones, and followed wrong views were, upon the dissolution of the body at death, reborn in evil destinies where they underwent much suffering. The bodhisattva further observed that sentient beings who performed wholesome karma through body, speech, and mind and followed right view were, upon the dissolution of the body at death, reborn in the heavenly realms.

Around midnight, the bodhisattva gathered his mind into complete concentration and attained the knowledge of recollecting past lives. He comprehended the entire course of his own lives and those of others throughout successive existences: one life, two lives, up to ten lives, a hundred lives, thousands, tens of thousands, and hundreds of millions of lives, a hundred billion lives, a thousand billion lives, extending to immeasurable hundreds of thousands of nayutas and kotis of lives, through kalpas of formation and dissolution and immeasurable, boundless kalpas of formation and dissolution—all of which he recalled and thoroughly understood.

The bodhisattva also comprehended the entire course of his own lives and those of others throughout samsara—their dwelling places, names, family names, physical forms, food and drink, experiences of pleasure and pain, life and death. He clearly knew them all.

The bodhisattva reflected: “All sentient beings in the evil destinies of birth, aging, sickness, and death are unable to awaken. How can all sentient beings be enabled to see clearly the source of birth, aging, sickness, and death?”

He further reflected: “From what cause do aging, sickness, and death arise?” He immediately knew that they arise because of birth; because there is birth, there are aging, sickness, and death.

Then from what cause does birth arise? He immediately knew that it arises because of existence.

Then from what cause does existence arise? He immediately knew that it arises because of clinging.

Then from what cause does clinging arise? He immediately knew that it arises because of craving.

Then from what cause does craving arise? He immediately knew that it arises because of feeling.

Then from what cause does feeling arise? He immediately knew that it arises because of contact.

Then from what cause does contact arise? He immediately knew that it arises because of the six ayatanas.

Then from what cause do the six ayatanas arise? He immediately knew that they arise because of name-and-form.

Then from what cause does name-and-form arise? He immediately knew that it arises because of consciousness.

Then from what cause does consciousness arise? He immediately knew that it arises because of karmic formations.

Then from what cause do karmic formations arise? He immediately knew that they arise because of ignorance.

At that time, the Bodhisattva clearly understood that ignorance is the cause of formations, formations are the cause of consciousness, consciousness is the cause of name-and-form, name-and-form is the cause of the six sense bases, the six sense bases are the cause of contact, contact is the cause of feeling, feeling is the cause of craving, craving is the cause of clinging, clinging is the cause of existence, existence is the cause of birth, and birth is the cause of aging and death, giving rise to sorrow, suffering, and distress. These causes arise through mutual conjunction.

The Bodhisattva continued to contemplate: “What cause must not be produced so that aging and death will cease? What cause must be extinguished so that aging and death will also be extinguished?” He immediately understood: “With the cessation of ignorance, formations cease; with the cessation of formations, consciousness ceases; with the cessation of consciousness, name-and-form ceases; with the cessation of name-and-form, the six sense bases cease; with the cessation of the six sense bases, contact ceases; with the cessation of contact, feeling ceases; with the cessation of feeling, craving ceases; with the cessation of craving, clinging ceases; with the cessation of clinging, existence ceases; with the cessation of existence, birth ceases;

with the cessation of birth, aging and death cease; and with the cessation of aging and death, sorrow, suffering, and distress also cease.”

He further contemplated: “This is ignorance; this is the cause that produces ignorance; this is the cessation of ignorance; and this is the path leading to the cessation of ignorance. The other links are likewise. These are formations; this is the cause that produces formations; this is the cessation of formations; and this is the path leading to the cessation of formations.

This is consciousness; this is the cause that produces consciousness; this is the cessation of consciousness; and this is the path leading to the cessation of consciousness. This is name-and-form; this is the cause that produces name-and-form; this is the cessation of name-and-form; and this is the path leading to the cessation of name-and-form. These are the six sense bases; this is the cause that produces the six sense bases; this is the cessation of the six sense bases; and this is the path leading to the cessation of the six sense bases.

This is contact; this is the cause that produces contact; this is the cessation of contact; and this is the path leading to the cessation of contact. This is feeling; this is the cause that produces feeling; this is the cessation of feeling; and this is the path leading to the cessation of feeling. This is craving; this is the cause that produces craving; this is the cessation of craving; and this is the path leading to the cessation of craving.

This is clinging; this is the cause that produces clinging; this is the cessation of clinging; and this is the path leading to the cessation of clinging. This is existence; this is the cause that produces existence; this is the cessation of existence; and this is the path leading to the cessation of existence. This is birth; this is the cause that produces birth; this is the cessation of birth; and this is the path leading to the cessation of birth.

These are aging and death; this is the cause that produces aging and death; this is the cessation of aging and death; and this is the path leading to the cessation of aging and death, which is also the cessation of sorrow, suffering, and distress.

“This is the process by which the entire mass of suffering is accumulated, from its arising to its cessation. Thus, one must clearly understand: this is Suffering, this is the cause of Suffering, this is the cessation of the cause of Suffering, and this is the path leading to the cessation of the cause of Suffering.”

The Buddha said to the bhiksus:

—Near dawn, when the morning star appeared, the Bodhisattva attained the noble wisdom of the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, the Trainers, the Supreme Persons. Whatever ought to be known, whatever ought to be attained, whatever ought to be awakened to, whatever ought to be seen, and whatever ought to be realized—all these things the Bodhisattva thoroughly comprehended and brought together in a single thought-moment. He attained the wisdom of unsurpassed bodhi, became a perfectly enlightened Buddha, and fully possessed the Three Knowledges.

Bhiksus, at that time immeasurable devas among the celestial assembly said together:

—We should scatter incense and flowers as offerings to the Tathagata.

Then a devaputra who had witnessed Buddhas of the past attain enlightenment stepped forward and said:

—You should not yet scatter incense and flowers as offerings. The Tathagata will manifest auspicious signs, for since ancient times, whenever Buddhas attained perfect enlightenment, they manifested auspicious signs.

Bhiksus, the Tathagata then knew that the devaputras wished to behold auspicious signs, and so the Tathagata manifested a bodily form that towered into the sky to a height exceeding seven tala trees.

The Buddha then spoke a verse declaring his realization:

The afflictions have been wholly severed;

All the outflows have been extinguished.

The cause of birth and death is also ended;

Suffering has been completely extinguished.

At that time, all the devaputras gave rise to joyful hearts and scattered innumerable kinds of incense and wondrous celestial flowers until they filled the entire seat of bodhi. Thus, the Tathagata had left far behind the dark realm of ignorance and the net of attachment and craving; drained dry the river of afflictions; uprooted every poisonous barb; cast off every binding cord; vanquished every hostile mara; raised the banner of the true Dharma; and abided in the realm of tranquil quiescence.

The Tathagata also examined the capacities of all kinds of sentient beings, clearly discerned the roots of the illness of suffering, and became the Great King of Physicians, bestowing the medicine of amrita so that all sentient beings might escape suffering and reach the peaceful joy of quiescence and liberation. The Tathagata also abided in the tathagatagarbha, fashioned the canopy of liberation, entered the citadel of wisdom, and entered together into the pure dharmadhatu of immeasurable Tathagatas.

Bhiksus, all the Tathagatas who witnessed my attainment of the Way praised it without reserve, saying, “Excellent! Excellent!” Each extended a jeweled canopy over the seat of bodhi. All those jeweled canopies merged into one great jeweled canopy that covered the ten directions throughout the trichiliocosm. From within the canopy issued wondrous rays of light that illuminated and enveloped immeasurable, boundless worlds. In every one of those worlds, vast assemblies of bodhisattvas fully extolled the Buddha’s merit and recited this verse:

Like a padma flower

Rising upward from the earth,

Its blossom opens pure and clear,

Unstained by mud.

The mind of great compassion arises

Like auspicious clouds spreading overhead,

Pouring down the great rain of true Dharma

To moisten all sentient beings.

All wholesome sprouts emerge

And flourish and grow;

Receiving every Dharma teaching,

They accomplish the fruit of liberation.

At that time, the devas also recited verses of praise:

The Lion King has crushed Mara’s armies;

Cultivating meditation, he attained the wondrous Dharma.

He attained the Three Knowledges and the Ten Powers;

His majestic might shakes all directions.

All the bodhisattvas have assembled,

Delighting in the Dharma, to make offerings to the Tathagata;

Rising from their seats, they reverently bow together,

Praise the Tathagata, and respectfully address him:

“Surely the Blessed One is never weary;

We have seen you subdue Mara.

Excellent, Great Person of the three realms,

You pour down the rain of true Dharma to save all beings.

The Buddhas of the ten directions present jeweled canopies,

From which issue wondrous kalavinka notes.

Just as we attained the fruit of true and perfect awakening,

So has the Bodhisattva now attained perfect enlightenment.”

The Buddha said to the bhiksus:

—The celestial maidens of the heavens within the Desire Realm saw the Tathagata seated upon the seat of bodhi, having attained omniscience and fulfilled his great vows. He had subdued the hostile maras, raised the banner of the true Dharma, and become the Great King of Physicians, skillfully curing every illness. Like a lion king, he was utterly fearless; pure and free from every defilement; endowed with omniscience; fully possessed of the Three Knowledges; and had crossed beyond the four torrents.

Firmly holding aloft the jeweled canopy of the true Dharma and sheltering the three realms universally, he was honored as a brahmin. Having left behind every kind of defilement, he was honored as a bhiksu. Having dispelled every obscuration of ignorance, he was honored as a sramana.

Having departed from every evil path, he was honored as the Contented One. Having severed every affliction, he was honored as the Valiant One. Being able to destroy every kind of mara, he was honored as the One of Great Power.

He was like a realm of jewels containing in full all the treasures of the Dharma.

At that time, the celestial maidens recited this verse:

At the foot of the great bodhi tree,

He subdued all the hostile maras.

Abiding unmoved like Mount Sumeru,

His body and mind were steadfast and unafraid.

For many kalpas the Blessed One practiced giving,

And thus everything has now been perfected.

For many kalpas the Blessed One cultivated moral discipline,

And his radiance outshines Sakra, Brahma, and all the devas.

For many kalpas the Blessed One practiced patience,

And thus his bodily form ever shines with a golden hue.

For many kalpas the Blessed One was ever diligent,

And thus he subdued all the armies of Mara.

For many kalpas the Blessed One cultivated meditation,

And thus receives offerings supreme beyond compare.

For many kalpas the Blessed One ever sought learning

Quickly attain unsurpassed bodhi.

The World-Honored One can subdue the mara of the skandhas,

The mara of death, the mara of afflictions, and the heavenly mara;

All maras have been utterly destroyed,

Therefore, all sorrow and anxiety now cease.

Among all heavenly realms, He is supreme;

The devas and humans of the three realms all make offerings.

Through these many kinds of fields of merit,

They attain every blessing and virtue and put an end to faults.

The auspicious white urna ever shines brightly,

Illuminating the lands throughout the ten directions;

Its radiance outshines the sun and moon,

And all living beings receive the grace of the Sage.

The form of the Tathagata is truly majestic;

His countenance and excellent marks are perfectly pure.

He is the Worthy One in the three realms,

Bringing benefit to all sentient beings.

His eyes see clearly throughout the realms of the ten directions,

Fully discerning the capacities and dispositions of beings;

His pure ears hear everywhere

The voices of devas and humans, together with the Buddha-Dharma.

His broad and long tongue proclaims the wondrous sound;

Hearing the ambrosia of the Dharma, beings seek liberation.

When the hosts of mara cause disturbance, He feels no fear;

When devas and humans make offerings, He feels no elation.

With mind at ease, He dispels the hostile maras,

Subduing the hosts of mara solely through loving-kindness and compassion.

All transgressions are utterly ended, and He is free from attachment;

His body and mind abide peacefully, ever unmoving.

He is the Guiding Teacher of devas and humans,

Through whom all sentient beings are abundantly benefited.

Hearing the true Dharma, they give rise to faith and acceptance,

Vowing to become like Him and attain Perfect Truth.

The Buddha said to the bhikshus:

“When the Tathagata was upon the seat of bodhi and had just attained Perfect Enlightenment, He manifested the Buddha’s supernormal powers, whose wondrous and sovereign functions were inconceivable.”

At that time, the World-Honored One briefly spoke these verses:

Throughout all realms everywhere,

The ground became level as the palm of a hand;

Myriad lotus blossoms suddenly appeared,

Each with a thousand crimson petals.

Countless hosts of devas

Scattered wondrous flowers,

And together came before the World-Honored One,

Joining their palms and gazing upon Him.

The World-Honored One had just attained Buddhahood

And displayed many supernormal powers.

Mount Sumeru, king of mountains,

The grasses, trees, and dense forests—

All bowed their heads

In reverence before the seat of liberation.

Such was the Buddha, the World-Honored One,

Manifesting the wondrous functions of supernormal power.

From His body streamed hundreds of thousands of rays,

Their radiance illuminating the ten directions,

Rescuing beings in the evil realms,

Ending their suffering and bringing them peace and happiness.

At that time, in the eight difficult states,

Not a single sentient being remained

Heavily burdened by greed, hatred, and delusion,

Or by any other affliction.

Such was the Lion King,

Whose great supernormal powers had wondrous functions.

The flames of mani jewels, the sun and moon,

Lightning, and every other light—

Because the Buddha emitted His radiance,

All those other lights were extinguished.

The devas and humans of the world

Could not behold the crown of the Buddha’s head.

Seated upon the Lion Throne,

He manifested the wondrous functions of supernormal power.

The Buddha pointed His hand toward the earth,

Causing it to quake in six ways;

He subdued the hosts of mara

As easily as snapping a slender silken thread.

The Mara king, overcome with sorrow,

Used his staff to scratch the earth.

Such was the Buddha, the World-Honored One,

Whose great supernormal powers had wondrous functions.