方廣大莊嚴經

Chapter 26: TURNING THE DHARMA WHEEL (continued)

At that time, the Buddha said to the bhikkhus:

“After liberating the five men led by Bhaddiya, the Tathagata reflected: ‘Uruvilva Kasyapa is a renowned practitioner who, together with his five hundred disciples, is revered and honored by kings, ministers, and the people. I should go to him and teach the true Dharma.’ Having reflected thus, the Buddha asked the way and went there. When Kasyapa saw the Buddha approaching, he came out to welcome him and inquired:

“‘Are you joyful and at peace?’

“The Buddha replied:

“‘To be free from illness, content, pure and tranquil, and endowed with faith—this is called being at peace.’

“Kasyapa said to the Buddha:

“‘The day is now drawing to a close. I would be honored if the sramana would consent to remain here. You may choose any place you wish.’

“The Buddha said:

“‘Kasyapa, tonight I wish to sleep in this stone cavern.’

“Kasyapa replied:

“‘I am truly uneasy, for a vicious naga dwells in that stone cavern. I fear it will harm you.’

“Only after the Buddha had expressed his wish three times did Kasyapa reluctantly allow him to spend the night there. The Tathagata then washed his hands and feet, entered the stone cavern, spread out his seat, and sat down. When the naga saw him, it became enraged and emitted great flames from its body. The Buddha likewise emitted brilliantly blazing flames. When the two fires met, they flared up and engulfed the stone cavern. Awakening that night and seeing the cavern consumed by fire, Kasyapa became frightened and lamented:

“‘That sramana was a noble and venerable being, but because he would not heed my warning, he has been harmed by the fire.’

“Kasyapa immediately ordered his disciples to fill large vessels with water and pour it upon the flames. Yet all the water they poured from the vessels turned into fire, causing both master and disciples to become even more terrified. Together they lamented:

“‘The naga’s fire has killed that sramana!’

“At that time, through wondrous spiritual power, the Tathagata subdued and vanquished the vicious naga and placed it in his alms bowl. Early the following morning, he calmly emerged carrying the alms bowl containing the naga. Seeing him, Kasyapa was exceedingly delighted and regarded this as a wondrous and unprecedented event. He thought to himself: ‘Could this sramana have returned to life? And is that thing in his alms bowl the vicious naga?’

“The Buddha said to Kasyapa:

“‘Kasyapa, I have subdued it and caused it to accept the precepts.’

“Ashamed, Kasyapa turned to his disciples and said:

“‘Although this great sramana possesses spiritual power, he is still not my equal, for I have attained arhatship.’

“The Tathagata then moved to dwell beneath a great tree near Kasyapa’s residence. Around midnight, the Four Great Heavenly Kings came together to hear the Dharma. Their radiance blazed like great torches, illuminating the surroundings. When Kasyapa saw this, he thought that the Buddha followed the fire-worshiping path.

“At daybreak, Kasyapa went to the Buddha and asked:

“‘Do sramanas also worship fire in their practice?’

“The Buddha replied:

“‘It is not so. Last night the Four Heavenly Kings descended here together to hear the Dharma. What you saw was merely their radiance.’

“Afterward, Sakra also descended to hear the Dharma, and his radiance shone even more brilliantly. The following morning, Kasyapa again thought the Buddha followed the fire-worshiping path and went to ask him about it.

“The Buddha replied:

“‘It is not so. That was Sakra, who came to hear my Dharma.’

“Next, the Brahma King also descended to the Buddha’s dwelling to hear the Dharma. Brahma’s radiance was still more intense. Kasyapa became certain that the Buddha followed the fire-worshiping path and went early the next morning to question him. The Buddha again replied:

“‘It is not so. That was merely the radiance of the Brahma King, who came to hear my Dharma.’

“Kasyapa and his five hundred disciples worshiped three kinds of fire. When the disciples attempted to kindle the fires, however, no matter how long they tried, the kindling would not catch. Finding this strange, the disciples went to report it to their master. Kasyapa said:

“‘This must have been caused by that sramana.’

“They then went together to ask the Buddha:

“‘We practice fire worship, but no matter how long we try to kindle the fires, they will not burn.’

“The Buddha said:

“‘If you wish to kindle the fires, first produce a flame and then transfer it to the kindling; only then will it burn.’

“Once the fires were burning, Kasyapa wished to blow them out, but they would not be extinguished. His five hundred disciples helped him blow upon them, yet the fires still would not go out. Each of them thought that this, too, must have been caused by that sramana, so they went together and said to the Buddha:

“‘The fires have been lit, but now we cannot blow them out.’

“The Buddha said:

“‘If you wish them to be extinguished, you must first cause the fires to go out.’

“Kasyapa said to the Buddha:

“‘Venerable sramana, you should remain here and practice the holy life with us. I vow to have my relatives provide you with abundant offerings. Each day, please come to the place where the meal is served.’

“The Buddha consented. That day, Kasyapa invited the Buddha to accompany him to the place where the meal was to be served. The Buddha said:

“‘You may go ahead; I shall follow.’

“As soon as Kasyapa had departed, the Buddha used wondrous spiritual power to fly to the Heaven of the Thirty-Three and gather its various fruits. To the east, he went to Purvavideha and obtained amalaka fruits. To the south, he went to Jambudvipa and obtained jambu fruits. To the west, he went to Aparagodaniya and obtained haritaki fruits. To the north, he went to Uttarakuru and obtained naturally grown rice. After filling his alms bowl with all these things, he flew down through the air, arrived before Kasyapa, and sat upon a couch. When Kasyapa arrived later and saw the Buddha already there, he asked:

“‘By what road did the sramana travel to arrive here before me?’

“The Buddha said:

“‘Kasyapa, after you departed, I traveled to the four continents and ascended to the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, where I obtained these renowned fruits and delicious foods. You may partake of them with me.’

“At that time, in the kingdom of Magadha, the king and his ministers, together with the officials’ relatives, elders, householders, brahmins, and others, all came to Kasyapa’s dwelling to hold a seven-day festival. Kasyapa thought to himself: ‘This great sramana possesses majestic virtue of surpassing height and is adorned with supremely excellent marks. If these people see him, they will surely abandon me and serve him instead.

May he not come here during these seven days.’ The Buddha clearly knew Kasyapa’s thought and therefore concealed himself and did not appear. After the seven days had passed and all the offerings had been presented, Kasyapa again thought: ‘The festival has ended, and much food remains. If that great sramana comes here now, I shall prepare it and invite him to eat with me.’

“The Buddha clearly knew this thought and therefore appeared. Both delighted and apprehensive, Kasyapa asked:

“‘Tathagata, what have you been doing during these past seven days, and where have you stayed that you were not seen?’

“The Buddha replied:

“‘Previously, you conceived the thought that you did not wish me to come, so I did not come. Now you have thought of me, and therefore I have come.’

“At that time, Kasyapa’s five hundred disciples were preparing for the sacrificial rites, so together they used axes to split firewood. Yet whenever any of them raised an axe, he was unable to bring it down. They immediately reported this to their master. Kasyapa said:

“‘This, too, must have been caused by that sramana.’

“He then went to ask the Buddha:

“‘My disciples were splitting firewood together. Each of them raised his axe, but none could bring it down.’

“The Buddha said:

“‘Let the axes descend in unison with the sound, and they will come down.’

“After the axes came down, they all stuck fast in the wood and could not be raised. Kasyapa again went to ask the Buddha, and the Buddha said:

“‘Let them release the axes, and they will naturally be raised.’

“And indeed, the axes could then be raised.

“The clear waters of the Nairanjana River flowed swiftly. The Buddha used his spiritual power to cause the water to surge above the height of a man, while he walked beneath it. With each step he took, dust arose. Seeing this from afar, Kasyapa feared that the Buddha would be submerged and swept away by the current, so he ordered his disciples to take a boat out to rescue him.

When the disciples arrived, they saw the water surging high while the Buddha walked below it, with dust rising at every step. Kasyapa called out loudly:

“Venerable sramana! Would you like to board the boat?”

The Buddha replied:

“Very well.”

The Tathagata then followed the current and entered the boat through its bottom, yet the boat was not pierced at all.

Kasyapa again said:

“This great sramana is indeed endowed with miraculous powers, but he is still not like me, for I have attained arhatship.”

The Buddha said:

“Kasyapa, you are not yet an arhat. Why, then, do you arrogantly claim to have attained arhatship?”

At that moment, Kasyapa was greatly frightened and ashamed. He bowed his head and addressed the Buddha:

“Now the Great Sage has clearly known the thoughts in my mind. I humbly beseech the Great Sage to receive me into his teaching as a sramana.”

The Buddha said:

“Kasyapa, you are a senior practitioner with many disciples and followers. Moreover, the king, all the officials, and the people revere and honor you. Now that you wish to learn the Way, you should not diminish your own standing. You ought first to discuss the matter carefully with your disciples.”

Kasyapa said:

“Excellent! It shall be as the Sage has instructed. Since I cannot decide this matter solely according to my own wishes, I should return and discuss it with my disciples.”

Kasyapa returned, assembled all his disciples, and said:

“I have now understood and placed my faith in the teaching of that sramana, for the Way he has attained is true and right. I now wish to follow him. What do you think?”

The disciples replied together:

“We too wish to follow our teacher’s intention and take refuge in that sramana.”

Kasyapa and his disciples then removed their former garments, cast all their implements for fire worship into the river, and together went before the Buddha. They bowed their heads at the Buddha’s feet and said:

“My disciples and I now wish to become sramanas within your true Dharma.”

The Buddha said:

“Welcome, bhiksus!”

At once, they all found their beards and hair shaven, donned Dharma robes, and became sramanas.

Kasyapa had two younger brothers who were also practitioners, named Nadi and Gaya. Each had two hundred and fifty disciples, and they had long dwelt near the riverbank. When they saw the garments, robes, and various implements used by the brahmin ascetics for fire worship floating downstream, they were astonished and afraid, fearing that their elder brother and his company of disciples had been killed. The two brothers, together with their five hundred disciples, immediately went upstream. When they saw that their elder brother and all his disciples had become sramanas, they were amazed and asked:

“Elder brother, you have long been a senior practitioner. You are already one hundred and twenty years old, possess profound wisdom, and are trusted, followed, and honored throughout the kingdom. In our estimation, you had already attained arhatship. Why have you now abandoned your own path of practice to study the Way under that sramana? Is his Way superior to all other paths?”

Kasyapa replied to his younger brothers:

“The Buddha’s Way is exceedingly sublime, and his teaching is unsurpassed. Never before have I seen anyone attain miraculous powers and spiritual might like those of the Buddha. The Buddha’s teaching is pure and liberates countless people. He can teach sentient beings by means of three things. First, he employs spiritual power and miraculous transformations. Second, through wisdom he clearly knows the thoughts of others and teaches them accordingly. Third, he thoroughly understands every kind of affliction and prescribes medicine according to the illness.”

When the two younger brothers heard their elder brother’s words, they developed reverence for the Buddha. Turning to their disciples, they asked:

“What do you think?”

The five hundred disciples all replied that they wished to follow their teachers’ instruction. They immediately went together, bowed before the Buddha, and requested permission to become sramanas.

The Buddha said:

“Welcome, bhiksus!”

At once, they all found their beards and hair shaven, donned Dharma robes, and became sramanas.

The Tathagata then went with the one thousand bhiksus to the city of Varanasi and stayed in a forest. For his disciples, the Tathagata sometimes manifested miraculous transformations, sometimes expounded the Dharma, and sometimes taught the precepts. Seeing the Buddha’s majestic bearing and such wondrous spiritual powers, all the disciples rejoiced and attained arhatship.

The Blessed One then departed from Varanasi with the three Kasyapa brothers of Uruvilva and the one thousand arhats, journeying to the kingdom of Magadha. King Bimbisara had long since heard that the bodhisattva had attained Buddhahood; that his body stood one fathom and six feet tall and constantly radiated a lustrous golden hue; that he possessed the thirty-two excellent marks and the eighty minor characteristics; that he was endowed with the ten honored epithets, had attained true knowledge and vision, perfected the five eyes, and realized the six superknowledges; and that Brahma kings, Sakra, and the Four Heavenly Kings all revered and honored him.

Now that the Buddha had come to his kingdom, the king was exceedingly joyful. He reflected that he had once met the bodhisattva before the latter attained the Way and had received his promise that, upon becoming a Buddha, he would return to liberate him. The Buddha’s arrival now clearly showed that he had not forgotten his vow.

The king immediately issued orders throughout the kingdom that the roads be repaired, swept clean, and adorned. He rode in a jeweled chariot, accompanied before and behind by his great ministers and all the civil and military officials, with a thousand chariots and ten thousand cavalrymen arrayed in perfect order, and left the capital to welcome the Buddha.

At that time, the Blessed One was in the Yastivana Grove near Rajagrha, seated beside a great tree and surrounded by one thousand bhiksus. From afar, the king saw the Buddha appearing like the moon amid the stars, like the sun newly risen, like Sakra, or like Brahma in his celestial palace. His majestic bearing resembled a lofty golden mountain towering above all things. The king’s heart was filled with immense joy. He alighted from his chariot and proceeded on foot, without observing the five forms of royal deportment. Bowing his head in homage to the Buddha, he announced his name and said:

“For a long time, I have deeply admired your venerable virtue and yearned for the meeting that has now come to pass.”

The Tathagata, in his Brahma voice, comforted the king and inquired after him:

“Great King, are the four great elements of your body peaceful and at ease? Surely the affairs of the kingdom and its people do not cause you excessive weariness?”

The king replied:

“Through the blessings bestowed from above, all are fortunately peaceful and well.”

King Bimbisara, together with his great ministers and the populace, then saw Kasyapa seated beside the Buddha. They thought, “Kasyapa is a senior practitioner and a patriarch among the seers. Could he truly have abandoned his own path to become a disciple of the Buddha? We do not know whether he is the Buddha’s teacher or whether the Buddha is his teacher.” Knowing the king’s thoughts, the Buddha asked Kasyapa in verse:

You once worshiped rivers and mountains,

Taking refuge in water, fire, and wind,

The sun and moon, together with Brahma;

Day and night, ever diligent,

Throughout so many months and years,

Your mind was never indolent.

From serving all those deities,

Did you indeed gain blessed merit?

Kasyapa also replied in verse:

Recalling all my rites of worship

Throughout the course of eighty years—

Wind, water, fire, and Brahma,

Mountains, rivers, sun, and moon—

Day and night, ever diligent,

My seeking mind was never indolent.

In the end, I gained nothing at all;

Only upon meeting the Buddha did I find peace and bliss.

Upon hearing this verse, King Bimbisara, his ministers, and the people understood that Kasyapa was a disciple of the Buddha. The Buddha called to Kasyapa and said:

“You should now display your spiritual powers as an arhat.”

Kasyapa immediately obeyed the Buddha’s instruction and swiftly soared into the sky. From the upper part of his body he emitted fire, while from the lower part water poured forth; or from the upper part of his body water poured forth without wetting him, while from the lower part he emitted fire without being burned. He flew back and forth through the sky, disappearing seven times and reappearing seven times.

He entered the earth as though passing through flowing water, walked upon water as though treading on solid ground, and passed through Mount Sumeru without the slightest obstruction. Then, in the open space before the Buddha, he manifested transformations of every kind: disappearing in the west and appearing in the east; disappearing in the east and appearing in the west; disappearing in the south and appearing in the north; disappearing in the north and appearing in the south.

Having completed these transformations, Kasyapa approached the Buddha, knelt, joined his palms, and said:

“The Buddha is my Teacher, and I am the Buddha’s disciple.”

The king and his ministers then understood even more clearly that Kasyapa was a disciple of the Buddha.

At that time, the Blessed One said to King Bimbisara:

“Great King, form is impermanent, suffering, empty, and without self. Feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are likewise impermanent, suffering, empty, and without self. Form is like a mass of foam that gathers and disperses and cannot be grasped; feeling is like a water bubble that cannot endure for long; formations are like the trunk of a plantain tree, within which there is nothing firm or solid; perception is like what is seen in a dream, entirely false and illusory; and consciousness is like an illusory apparition arising from delusion. The three realms are all unreal, and everything is impermanent. Great King, how many years have passed since this kingdom came into being?”

The king replied:

“More than seven hundred generations.”

The Buddha asked:

“Does the king know all the kings who formerly ruled it?”

He replied:

“I know clearly only my royal father.”

The Buddha said:

“The world changes in an instant. Only the Dharma of the Path is a refuge. One should cultivate it to attain the blessed fruit of the unconditioned; nothing surpasses this.

Great King, you should know that although a person receives this body from his parents upon being born, the fruits of retribution are not bestowed by one’s parents. Everything wholesome or unwholesome, good or bad, is formed through karma created in the past. Those who perform wholesome deeds will, after the end of their lives, be born among devas or humans and will always encounter a Buddha.

Those who perform evil deeds will, after the end of their lives, fall into the hells or be born as hungry ghosts or animals. All dharmas arise through the conjunction of causes and conditions, and when those causes and conditions disperse, they cease.

“Great King, you should know: conditioned by ignorance are formations; conditioned by formations is consciousness; conditioned by consciousness are name-and-form; conditioned by name-and-form are the six sense bases; conditioned by the six sense bases is contact; conditioned by contact is feeling; conditioned by feeling is craving; conditioned by craving is clinging; conditioned by clinging is becoming; conditioned by becoming is birth; conditioned by birth are aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, and distress.

Great King, with the cessation of ignorance, formations cease; with the cessation of formations, consciousness ceases; with the cessation of consciousness, name-and-form cease; 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, becoming ceases; with the cessation of becoming, birth ceases; and with the cessation of birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, and distress also cease.

“Great King, these twelve links of dependent origination are perfectly clear and evident. Yet the essential nature of all dharmas is unobstructed like empty space and leaves no trace. Only by transcending every discriminating thought can one penetrate the patience regarding dharmas.”

When the Buddha had finished teaching these dharmas, eighty-four thousand devas and humans became free from all worldly defilements and attained the pure Dharma eye, while immeasurable beings in the assembly aroused the aspiration for unsurpassed bodhi.

At that time, King Bimbisara attained the pure Dharma eye and was filled with immense joy. He asked the Buddha to permit him to receive the five precepts, and also requested that the great ministers, the officials, and the people throughout the kingdom be allowed to take refuge in the Buddha and receive the five precepts. After receiving the precepts, the king rose from his seat, bowed his head at the Buddha’s feet, and said:

“Blessed One, you were able to relinquish the throne of a holy wheel-turning king, leave the household life, and seek the Path. I personally entreated you in the past that, if you attained the Path, you would come first to deliver me. Today my former aspiration has been completely fulfilled. Fortunate indeed am I to receive the Buddha’s grace and follow the traces of the Path. Though the affairs of the kingdom are numerous and difficult, I shall regard attending to them as serving my own kin.”

The king and all his civil and military officials then circumambulated the Buddha three times, took their leave, and returned.

When the king arrived back at the royal palace, all the officials came to congratulate him, saying that the kings of former generations had not encountered a Buddha, and that only their present king had met the Tathagata. Hearing this, the king rejoiced even more and said:

“You ministers possessed blessed affinities from long ago, and thus you have now encountered a Buddha in the world.”

On that occasion, the king ordered the consorts and palace women of the inner court, as well as the people throughout the kingdom, to earnestly cultivate, uphold the precepts, and wholeheartedly serve the Dharma of the Path.

At that time, in the kingdom of Magadha there was an elder named Kalanda. Seeing that the Buddha had entered the kingdom to teach the Path but did not yet have a monastery, he wished to offer his Bamboo Grove to the Buddha. He therefore approached the Buddha and respectfully said:

“Blessed One, you are the One of Great Loving-Kindness and Compassion, caring for all beings as parents care for their children. You were able to abandon all worldly splendor and attain the Path, becoming a Buddha. At present, you do not yet have a monastery in which to dwell and cultivate. I therefore offer the Bamboo Grove to the Tathagata.”

The Buddha then bestowed a blessing upon the elder and accepted the offering. From that time onward, the Buddha and the noble assembly dwelt there, cultivating and traveling together to teach and transform beings.

At that time, most of the people of Magadha delighted in various kinds of worldly music, singing and dancing day and night without cease. When the Buddha came to that kingdom, he taught them the Dharma of the Path and instructed them in methods for cultivating the mind and observing the precepts. Consequently, they all abandoned worldly music.

The Buddha had a disciple named Asvajit who entered the city to beg for alms. His steps were serene, and his dignified conduct and pure practice were exceedingly majestic. All who saw him on the road felt joy arise in their hearts. When Sariputra saw this śramana, he thought: “I have studied the Path for a long time and know many teachings and practices, yet I have never seen anyone like this. How is it that his dignified bearing is so extraordinary? I shall approach and ask which path he follows.” Sariputra then approached the bhiksu and asked:

“Who is your teacher? Please tell me of the aspiration of those who study and practice under him.”

The bhiksu then recited this verse:

After the bhiksu Asvajit had recited this verse, he said to Sariputra:

“My Teacher is the Supremely Honored and Supremely Victorious One among devas and humans, who has accumulated immeasurable merit and virtue. He descended from Tusita Heaven and was born in Jambudvipa. As soon as he was born, he was able to take seven steps, face the ten directions, raise his hand, and proclaim in a loud voice: ‘Above heaven and beneath heaven, I alone am the Supremely Honored and Supremely Victorious One. I shall teach and deliver the sentient beings of the three realms, freeing them from suffering and distress.’ Sakra, Brahma, and the Four Heavenly Kings all came to make offerings and pay homage to him. The Buddha’s virtues can never be fully described.”

When Sariputra heard the bhiksu speak in this way, he was like a person in darkness who suddenly beholds the radiant light of the sun. He then said to the bhiksu:

“Excellent, excellent! From childhood I was devoted to learning. At the age of eight, I followed a teacher to study the Way, and for sixteen years at my teacher’s side I was never negligent, believing myself to have attained understanding. Today, having encountered the Unsurpassed Perfectly Awakened One, I have truly found my teacher. Please tell me, then, where is the Buddha now?”

The bhikshu replied:

“The Buddha is now residing at the Kalanda Bamboo Grove Monastery.”

Thereupon, Shariputra brought his disciples to the Tathagata. He bowed at the Buddha’s feet, exchanged greetings, and addressed the Buddha:

“In the realm of birth and death, I have wandered within the cycle of delusion. Now, fortunately, I have encountered the Buddha. I pray that you open for me the true path, so that I may become a shramana and perfectly observe all the precepts.”

The Buddha said:

“Welcome, bhikshu!”

Shariputra and his disciples shaved off their hair and beards, donned Dharma robes, and became shramanas. The Buddha then expounded the Dharma for him, causing his mind to become thoroughly awakened. He completely extinguished the outflows and attained arhatship. Shariputra then came before the Buddha and said:

“Blessed One, I have a fellow practitioner and friend named Mahamaudgalyayana. We previously made an agreement that whoever attained the Way first would guide the other. I now wish to go to him, and I hope the Blessed One will permit me.”

The Buddha said:

“It is now fitting for you to go.”

Shariputra then entered Rajagriha to seek Maudgalyayana. From afar, he saw Maudgalyayana and his disciples journeying toward a small village. When Maudgalyayana saw that his friend’s appearance had changed, he went to meet him and asked:

“Why do your countenance and clothing now appear so different?”

Shariputra replied:

“I am now studying under the Guiding Teacher who teaches the principle of impermanence; that Way is present here and now. Though I sought the Dharma for many years, I never encountered the Great Sage. Today I have met him, and my body and mind are light and at ease. Filled with immeasurable joy, I have come here hoping to share the savor of the Dharma with you.”

Maudgalyayana said:

“This is no small matter. We must deliberate upon it carefully together.”

Shariputra said:

“You and I formerly practiced and studied together. You know well the extent of my understanding, so please do not hesitate.”

Maudgalyayana then said to Shariputra:

“You have always possessed wisdom far surpassing mine. Now that you have instructed me, how could it be mistaken?”

Having said this, Maudgalyayana followed Shariputra to the Buddha. He bowed at the Buddha’s feet and said:

“Because I was separated from the Great Sage, I remained submerged in affliction. Today I have encountered the Buddha. I pray to become a shramana so that I may remain near and serve you.”

Maudgalyayana immediately cast aside all his former implements, including his water vessel, staff, and deerskin robe.

The Buddha said:

“Welcome!”

Maudgalyayana shaved off his hair and beard, donned Dharma robes, and became a shramana. The Buddha expounded the Dharma to him, through which he attained complete understanding. His outflows were extinguished, and he attained arhatship. At that time, Shariputra and Maudgalyayana, together with their two hundred and fifty disciples, all went forth under the Buddha and all attained the fruit of arhatship.

At that time, King Shuddhodana heard that six years had passed since his son attained the Way and became a Buddha. His heart was filled with joy, and every day and every hour he longed to see his son again. He therefore said to his close minister Udayin:

“Go now and seek the Buddha. Invite him to return and visit his homeland and the royal palace. Father and son have now been separated for more than twelve years. Day and night I have grieved, yearned, and worried without respite. If I could behold my son’s face just once, it would be no different from being born anew.”

Udayin accepted the king’s command, sought out the Buddha, bowed at his feet, and fully conveyed King Shuddhodana’s wishes.

At that very time, Udayin saw devas, Brahma kings, and Shakra all coming to pay homage and hear the Dharma. He then asked the Buddha for permission to go forth and become a shramana. The Buddha said:

“Welcome!”

Udayin shaved off his hair and beard, donned Dharma robes, became a shramana, and attained arhatship.

At that time, the Blessed One reflected: “I once made a promise to my royal father that, if I became a Buddha, I would return to my country to guide my father and mother to liberation. Now that I have attained the Way, I cannot forget my former vow.” He then said to the bhikshu Udayin:

“You should return first and report to my royal father. You may display spiritual powers and manifest all eighteen transformations, so that everyone may behold the attainment of my Way. If even a disciple of the Buddha can do this, how much greater must be the majestic virtue of the Buddha.”

Obeying the Buddha’s instruction, Udayin soared into the sky and returned to the kingdom. Arriving above the capital city of Kapilavastu, he manifested all eighteen transformations, causing the king, his ministers, and the people to be filled with awe. Udayin recited this verse:

The Tathagata is exceedingly rare;

How could one easily encounter him?

Through immeasurable kalpas of diligent hardship,

He has always compassionately cared for all beings.

Formerly he practiced the bodhisattva path;

Now his vow has been completely fulfilled.

Seated beneath the Bodhi tree,

He subdued the hostile hosts of Mara.

He severed the causes of birth and death

And utterly extinguished all afflictions.

He has become the Perfectly Awakened One

And proclaims the unsurpassed Dharma.

I formerly obeyed the king’s command,

Leaving the kingdom to welcome the Crown Prince.

I told him that the king ever longed for him

And constantly spoke words of sorrow and concern.

The Buddha ever remembers his homeland

And will return to visit his kinsmen.

Obeying the Buddha’s instruction,

I have returned to Kapilavastu.

Through the Buddha’s gift of spiritual powers,

I came directly back to the royal city,

Manifesting transformations of so many kinds,

Like a fragrant lotus blossom.

When the royal father saw these transformations,

His heart was filled with fear and astonishment.

He immediately asked those beside him,

For never had he seen such things.

The Crown Prince once left the kingdom

To seek the Way and liberate sentient beings.

Through immeasurable kalpas of diligent hardship,

He has now become the Buddha.

O King, do not be alarmed;

Your heart should instead rejoice.

He has transcended birth and death

And sends his greetings to the king.

When the king heard news of his son,

His tears fell like shooting stars.

“For these past six years,

My sorrowful longing has never ceased.

Now suddenly I hear these glad tidings,

Like one dead restored to life.

My son relinquished the precious throne;

What is he called upon attaining the Way?”

I beg to answer the king’s question:

“The Crown Prince passed through six years

Of ascetic practice and thereby attained the Way.

He is called the Deva of Devas,

The Most Honored One in the three realms.”

“When my son dwelt at home,

I built every kind of palace for him,

Beautifully carved and splendidly adorned.

Where does he dwell now?”

I beg to answer the king’s question:

“The Buddha attained the wondrous Dharma

And ever abides in places of peace.

He often dwells beneath trees,

Where devas come to make offerings.”

“When my son dwelt at home,

Whether lying down or sitting, he was always sheltered,

Adorned with silks,

Always soft, fresh, and beautiful.”

I beg to answer the king’s question:

“The Lord of Devas offers him robes,

And dragon maidens present precious beds.

The Buddha’s mind is ever sovereign and at ease;

Never does he display joy or anger.”

“When my son dwelt at home,

He had every delicacy and rare food.

Now, wherever he dwells and eats,

Who prepares and tends to his needs?”

I beg to answer the king:

“He carries his alms bowl and begs for food;

His merit neither increases nor diminishes.

He invokes blessings upon the donors,

That life after life they may dwell in peace.”

“When my son dwelt at home,

He always slept and rested in comfort,

With singing and instrumental music

Continuing until he awakened.”

I beg to answer the king:

“In meditative concentration there is neither brightness nor darkness.

Buddhas sleep and rest but little.

Shakra ever reveres him,

And Brahma kings constantly offer encouragement and aid.”

“When my son dwelt at home,

He bathed in fragrant water,

Its perfume filling every chamber.

What fragrance does he use now?”

I beg to answer the king’s question:

“The Eightfold Path and the three liberations

Are his bath, cleansing away all defilement.

His mind is still, and all sorrow has ceased,

Silent and tranquil like empty space.”

“When my son dwelt at home,

He had every kind of incense and fragrant ointment.

Pure, without the slightest stain,

They were immaculate and richly fragrant.”

I beg to tell the king:

“Morality, concentration, wisdom, and liberation—

He takes virtue in the Way as his fragrance,

Perfuming and pervading every place,

Throughout the ten directions and the eight difficult states.”

“When my son dwelt at home,

He had all four kinds of precious beds,

With blankets and cushions of many colors,

And lay or sat upon them in great comfort.”

I beg to answer the king’s question:

“The four dhyanas are his mattress and bed;

His mind is ever sovereign and at ease,

Untainted by the mire of affliction.”

Pure as a lotus flower.

When my son dwelt at home,

Guards kept strict watch;

Whenever he went in or out, attendants followed,

And his eyes never beheld evil deeds.

I shall answer the king:

More than a thousand arhats

And immeasurable bodhisattvas

Are all his disciples,

Ever remaining close beside him.

When my son dwelt at home,

He had elephants, horses, and every kind of carriage;

He traveled throughout the four quarters,

Roaming wherever he pleased.

I shall answer the king’s question:

The five superknowledges are his carriage;

He soars unhindered,

Comprehending the minds of all,

And journeys beyond birth and death.

When my son dwelt at home,

Banners and standards were arrayed everywhere;

Did multitudes of armed soldiers

Always escort him before and behind?

I shall answer the king:

The fourfold assembly follows and protects him,

Giving aid amid every danger and hardship;

All are gracious and benevolent,

And he relies upon them.

When my son dwelt at home,

Bells and drums sounded to clear the way;

Musicians played harmonious melodies,

And spectators crowded the roads.

I shall answer the king’s question:

Beneath the Bodhi tree he attained Perfect Awakening

And delivered the five Bạt-là-la;

Eighty-four thousand devas

All attained the Dharma-eye.

The ninety-six schools of doctrine

Also submitted to him.

He sounded the drum of neither arising nor cessation,

Whose resonance penetrated the Three-thousandfold World;

When he disclosed and bestowed the teaching, all awakened,

And everyone rejoiced with delight.

Of what realm is my son the king?

Are its borders broad or narrow?

How many beings has he transformed and delivered?

Have they all submitted to him?

The Buddha governs the Three-thousandfold World,

Transforming and delivering beings everywhere;

Those throughout the ten directions are beyond reckoning,

And all receive every benefit.

When my son dwelt at home,

He assisted me in affairs of state;

Was he always virtuous, courteous, and righteous,

Obedient to my words and never daring to disobey?

The Buddha has awakened to the emptiness of all dharmas

And departed from the four inversions.

All people take refuge in him,

In the tranquil, unconditioned Way.

The Buddha-Dharma knows neither love nor hatred;

He fully comprehends all things,

Teaching and transforming beings everywhere,

So that all receive abundant benefit.

Suppose there were a single person

Who possessed innumerable heads,

Each head having innumerable tongues,

And each tongue endowed with inexhaustible eloquence;

Even if immeasurable persons such as this,

For kalpas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges,

Praised the Buddha’s merits and virtues,

They still could never exhaust them.

How much less could I, a mere speck of light,

Ever fully describe the sun?

At that time, when King Śuddhodana heard these verses, he praised him, saying:

“Excellent! The prophecy made long ago by the seer Asita was indeed without error.”

He then asked Udāyin:

“Does the Buddha intend to return and visit the royal palace?”

Udāyin replied:

“In about seven days, the Tathagata will arrive here.”

When the king heard this report, he was filled with immeasurable joy and immediately said to his great ministers:

“I shall prepare to welcome the Buddha upon his return. The reception must be conducted according to the ceremonial rites for welcoming a wheel-turning sage-king. First, order all the appropriate offices to clear and clean the roads and sprinkle their entire length with scented water. Then hang banners, standards, parasols, canopies, embroidered silks, and every kind of decoration, adorning everything beautifully. You must exert yourselves to complete all these preparations. I shall go more than forty miles beyond the city to welcome the Tathagata.”

Udāyin said:

“I originally returned to the royal palace in obedience to the Buddha’s instruction, to report the matter clearly to Your Majesty. I now ask leave to return to the Buddha and explain Your Majesty’s longing over so many years to behold the Tathagata, and how all the people likewise hope to partake of some measure of merit and blessing.”

The king said:

“Excellent! May I soon behold the Buddha.”

Udāyin returned to the Buddha, bowed at the Buddha’s feet, and said:

“Blessed One, the great king, his ministers, and all the people throughout the realm count the days in longing to behold the Buddha. I have informed the great king that in about seven days the Blessed One will arrive at the royal palace.”

On the seventh day, the Tathagata and his disciples arranged their robes and bowls in perfect order and, proceeding in dignified sequence, set out for the capital city of Kapilavastu. When Brahmā, Śakra, and the Four Heavenly Kings heard that the Buddha was returning to visit his native land, they all came to escort him. Brahmā attended on his right, Śakra attended on his left, and the Four Heavenly Kings accompanied the procession, some before and others behind. Devas, nāgas, and spirits made offerings by scattering incense and flowers and performing music. They also arrayed both sides of the road with banners, streamers, and precious parasols and canopies, while scented water rained from the heavens and sprinkled the entire earth.

As the Tathagata was about to set forth, many auspicious signs occurred. Throughout the lands of the ten directions within the great three-thousandfold world, the earth quaked in six ways. All withered trees brought forth flowers and leaves and became verdant once again, while streams that had long been dry naturally began to flow with water.

When King Śuddhodana witnessed these auspicious manifestations, he immediately ordered the members of the Śākya clan, the great ministers, and all the civil and military officials to carry out the rites for welcoming the Buddha: hanging banners, streamers, parasols, and canopies; burning various kinds of fragrant incense; scattering flowers; and performing music. From afar, the king, the Buddha’s father, saw the Buddha walking amid the great assembly like the moon among the stars, like the sun newly risen, or like a verdant tree bursting into bloom.

His body stood one zhang and six chi tall, dignified, majestic, and radiant. Seeing the Buddha thus, the king’s heart was mingled with joy and sorrow. He bowed his head in homage and said to the Buddha:

“After so many years of separation, only now am I able to behold you again.”

The great ministers, all the civil and military officials, and the people of the realm joyfully bowed to the Buddha and then followed him into the city.

At that time, as soon as the Blessed One’s feet passed through the city’s outer main gate, the great earth trembled. The heavens scattered innumerable beautiful flowers, and myriad strains of music resounded together. The blind regained their sight, the deaf heard clearly, the lame and deformed walked normally again, the sick found relief, the mute recovered their speech, the minds of the insane were restored, and those with hunched backs were freed from their affliction.

Every kind of poison was eliminated. Birds and beasts dwelt together in harmony, uttering all manner of pure and pleasing cries. The gems and ornaments worn by the people struck one another, emitting light and resonant sounds.

Treasuries of precious things appeared spontaneously. Hidden treasures, concealed feelings, and misunderstandings were uncovered and reconciled. All sentient beings abandoned thoughts of lust, were free from anger and delusion, and became affectionate toward one another, regarding each other as parents, siblings, and children of a single family.

All the hell realms ceased their torments; hungry ghosts became fully satisfied; and animals were freed from their fallen destinies and were reborn among devas and humans.

The king, the Buddha’s father, saw that the Buddha’s body stood more than one zhang and six chi tall and shone with the color of pure gold, like the moon among the stars or a golden mountain. Brahmā, Śakra, and the Four Heavenly Kings all attended him. He also saw that the bhikṣus who had formerly been non-Buddhist ascetics and had long practiced austerities were gaunt and frail, yet constantly remained close beside the Buddha in attendance.

They resembled a few black crows perched upon the summit of a dark golden mountain and did not serve to display the Tathagata’s majestic virtue. Therefore, the king ordered that throughout the realm and among the Śākya clan, men born and raised in noble families and possessing dignified features be selected. Five hundred were chosen to renounce household life and become śramaṇas attending the Buddha, like garuḍas perched upon Mount Sumeru or maṇi jewels placed in a pool of pure water.

The Buddha’s younger half-brother Nanda was also chosen to become a śramaṇa. Nanda had an attendant named Upāli, who went before the Buddha and respectfully said:

“Blessed One, a human birth is difficult to obtain, and the Buddha-Dharma is difficult to encounter. All these royal descendants and noble sons have abandoned the splendor and pleasures of worldly life to renounce household life. How then could I, a man of lowly station, remain attached to and covet them? May the Buddha bestow his compassionate deliverance upon me, allowing me to enter the ranks of the śramaṇas and train in the path of liberation.”

The Buddha said:

“Come, bhikṣu!”

Upali shaved off his own beard and hair, donned the Dharma robes, became a shramana, and sat in order together with the bhikshus. Nanda arrived later and paid homage to each in turn. When he came to Upali, he stopped and did not pay homage, thinking to himself:

-This man was formerly a servant in my household; I should not pay homage to him.

At that time, the Blessed One, knowing the matter clearly, summoned Nanda and said:

-The Buddha-Dharma is like the vast ocean that receives hundreds of rivers. The four streams all flow into it and become one in their salty taste. Among those who have gone forth, precedence must be determined according to the precepts, not according to high or low status. Moreover, this provisional body exists through the conjunction of the four great elements; within the realm of empty quiescence, there is no boundary between self and other. You should contemplate and study the true Dharma, and must not give rise to arrogance.

Only then did Nanda relinquish his proud attachment to distinctions of high and low status and pay homage to Upali, causing the great earth to quake.

At that time, the Buddha was residing in the upper hall of the royal palace. Each day, his royal father and the officials made offerings of fine and precious foods. On these occasions, the Buddha taught the Dharma and brought deliverance to innumerable people. Yashodhara led the seven-year-old Rahula to the Buddha. She bowed at the Buddha’s feet, gazed upon him, inquired after his well-being, and then said to the Buddha:

-We have long been separated, and I have been unable to remain near you to attend upon you and make offerings. Our relatives and kinsfolk have all expressed doubts: since the Crown Prince left the kingdom more than twelve years ago, how could Yashodhara have conceived and given birth to Rahula?

The Buddha said to his royal father and the ministers:

-Yashodhara has preserved her chastity and purity and has not the slightest stain or fault. If you do not believe this, I shall provide proof.

The Blessed One then transformed all the bhikshus so that they looked exactly like the Buddha, each fully endowed with the radiant major marks and without any difference among them.

Yashodhara then gave a jeweled ring to Rahula and told him:

-Among these venerable ones, point out which one is your father.

Holding the jeweled ring, Rahula went directly to the Buddha and presented it to him. Seeing this, the royal father and the ministers rejoiced and praised him, saying:

-Excellent! Rahula is indeed the Buddha’s son.

The Blessed One then taught the Dharma to his royal father, enabling him to awaken to the Way. The ministers, the people, and the women of the inner palace all took refuge, received the precepts, and cultivated the pure conduct of brahmacarya. The entire kingdom enjoyed peace and well-being, and other kingdoms, near and far, all came to offer their congratulations.

Chapter 27: ENTRUSTMENT AND EXHORTATION

At that time, the Blessed One addressed the devas of the assembly of the two devas Nanda and Sunanda in the Pure Abodes:

-From the time the bodhisattva first descended from Tushita Heaven and was born in Jambudvipa, until he renounced household life and cultivated the path, subdued the hosts of Mara, and turned the wheel of the true Dharma, all the devas wholeheartedly assisted and praised him. Now you have again requested that, for the benefit of the world, I clearly expound this Sutra of the Vast and Great Adornment. This sutra describes the bodhisattva’s course of cultivation, together with the wondrous, unhindered functions of spiritual power within the realm of the Tathagata.

You devas should receive, uphold, read, and recite it, and also expound it so that many others may hear it. In this way, my Dharma-eye will be spread far and wide. If those who cultivate the bodhisattva practice hear this sutra, they will surely rejoice greatly, regarding it as something unprecedented.

They will immediately arouse steadfast diligence and seek unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment. Therefore, your merit will truly be immeasurable and beyond reckoning.

If any good man or faithful woman hears this sutra, respectfully joins palms, and accepts it with faith, that person will obtain eight kinds of merit. What are these eight merits?

1. A handsome and beautiful bodily appearance.

2. Physical strength surpassing that of others.

3. A clear and penetrating mind with broad understanding.

4. The gift of eloquence.

5. Attainment of the various states of meditative concentration.

6. Perfectly penetrating wisdom.

7. Upon going forth, attainment of every supreme accomplishment.

8. Numerous and flourishing relatives and followers.

If any good man or faithful woman vows always to delight in hearing this sutra expounded and also tends to the seat of the Dharma teacher, then upon taking another birth, that person will be born into eight kinds of seats. What are these eight seats?

1. The seat of an elder.

2. The seat of a lay devotee.

3. The seat of a wheel-turning king.

4. The seat of a world-protecting king.

5. The seat of Shakra.

6. The seat of a Brahma king.

7. The seat of a bodhisattva upon attaining enlightenment.

8. The seat of the Tathagata when turning the wheel of the true Dharma.

If any good man or faithful woman hears this sutra and praises and extols it to the fullest, that person will obtain eight kinds of pure speech. What are these eight?

1. Speech and conduct that are always appropriate and therefore give rise to no disputes.

2. Speech that is always persuasive and therefore followed and put into practice by those who hear it.

3. Speech that is always harmonious and gentle, so that no one treats that person with harshness or ferocity.

4. Speech that is always harmonious and excellent, and therefore always wins over sentient beings.

5. Speech like the song of the kalavinka bird, causing sentient beings to rejoice in and cherish it.

6. Speech like resounding thunder, causing followers of non-Buddhist paths to submit.

7. A voice like that of a Brahma deva, unequaled in the world.

8. Attainment of the Buddha’s voice, capable of responding to every faculty and disposition of sentient beings.

If any good man or faithful woman writes out or prints this sutra and circulates it everywhere, that person will attain eight treasuries of merit. What are these eight?

1. The treasury of recollection, never forgetting anything.

2. The treasury of knowledge, possessing the ability to discern the characteristics of all dharmas.

3. The treasury of wisdom, comprehending all the meanings of the scriptures.

4. The treasury of dharani, receiving and retaining everything heard and seen.

5. The treasury of eloquence, possessing the ability to cause sentient beings to give rise to joy, faith, and acceptance.

6. Attainment of the treasury of the true Dharma, preserving and protecting the Buddha’s teachings.

7. The treasury of bodhicitta, enabling the Three Jewels always to be propagated.

8. The treasury of cultivation, attaining the patient acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas.

If any good man or faithful woman reads this treasury of scripture and receives and upholds its text and meaning without ever forgetting them, that person will attain eight kinds of perfection. What are these eight?

1. Perfection of generosity, so that the mind is free from miserliness.

2. Perfection of observing the precepts, so that all vows are completely fulfilled.

3. Perfection of extensive learning and penetrating understanding, thereby attaining the wisdom that ends all attachments.

4. Perfection of shamatha, so that all samadhis manifest clearly in the present life.

5. Perfection of vipashyana, so that the threefold knowledge is complete.

6. Perfection of merit, so that the thirty-two major marks and eighty minor characteristics are complete, and purity like that of a Buddha-land is attained.

7. Perfection of wondrous wisdom, so that, in accordance with their needs, all happiness and well-being are brought to sentient beings.

8. Perfection of the mind of great compassion, so that sentient beings are always guided toward wholesome paths without ever growing weary.

If any good man or faithful woman gives rise to this thought: “How can I enable all sentient beings to comprehend this Dharma-gate?” and, having thought thus, expounds this sutra to everyone, then through these roots of goodness that person will attain eight kinds of vast merit. What are these eight kinds of merit?

1. The merit of a holy wheel-turning king.

2. The merit of a world-protecting heavenly king.

3. The merit of Shakra.

4. The merit of a king of the Yama Heaven.

5. The merit of a king of the Tushita Heaven.

6. The merit of a king of the Heaven of Delight in Creation.

7. The merit of the Paranirmita-vaśavartin Heavenly King.

8. The merit of the Brahma Heavenly King, up to and including the merit of the Tathagata.

If any good man or faithful woman hears this sutra and entertains no thought of opposition, that person will attain eight kinds of purified mind. What are these eight kinds of mind?

1. The mind of great loving-kindness, which bestows happiness upon sentient beings.

2. The mind of great compassion, which ends all suffering for sentient beings.

3. The mind of great sympathetic joy, which dispels all sorrow and affliction for sentient beings.

4. The mind of great equanimity, which completely removes all greed and anger from sentient beings.

5. The mind of the four dhyanas, through which one always enjoys mastery of mind within the Realm of Desire.

6. The mind of the four samadhis, through which one always enjoys mastery of mind within the Formless Realm.

7. The five kinds of supernatural powers, by which one can travel to the Buddha realms.

8. The complete ending of the outflows and attainment of the Śūraṅgama-samadhi Dharma.

If this sutra circulates within any country, city, town, village, or hamlet, those very places will be freed from eight kinds of fear. From which eight will they be freed?

1. They will be freed from fear of hostile nations.

2. They will be freed from fear of thieves and bandits.

3. They will be freed from fear of savage beasts.

4. They will be freed from fear of famine.

5. They will be freed from fear of disputes and litigation.

6. They will be freed from fear of warfare.

7. They will be freed from fear of yakshas.

8. They will be freed from every kind of terror.

You should know that the Tathagata’s true Dharma takes morality, concentration, and wisdom as its foundation for attaining liberation, liberation from every kind of cognition, and unobstructed eloquence. Even if one were constantly to speak, day and night throughout an entire kalpa, of the merits of this sutra, one could not exhaust them. If bhikshus, bhikshunis, upasakas, or upasikas receive and uphold, read and recite, transcribe, print, explain, and expound this sutra, you should know that they too will attain merits that cannot be fully enumerated.

At that time, the Blessed One said to Bodhisattva Maitreya, Mahakashyapa, and the Elder Ananda:

“After cultivating for countless hundreds of thousands of kotis of kalpas, I have only now attained the fruit of unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment. Wishing to benefit all beings, I have expounded this sutra. I now entrust this sutra to you. You must wholeheartedly receive and uphold it, causing it to circulate far and wide.”

The Blessed One then spoke these verses:

With the Buddha-eye I behold

And clearly see all sentient beings.

Suppose that all sentient beings

Were each like Shariputra,

And someone, for kotis of kalpas,

With innumerable incense and flowers,

Robes, bedding, and seats,

Made offerings in such abundance;

All the merit thus attained

Would not equal that gained in a single day and night

By making offerings to one pratyekabuddha.

Suppose that all people in the world

Were each like a pratyekabuddha,

And someone, for kotis of kalpas,

With innumerable incense and flowers,

Robes, bedding, and seats,

Made offerings in such abundance;

All the merit thus attained

Would not equal, with a purified mind,

One thought of “Namo Buddha.”

Suppose that all people in the world

Were each a Buddha, a Blessed One,

And someone, for kotis of kalpas,

With innumerable incense and flowers,

Robes, bedding, and seats,

Made offerings to all the Tathagatas;

All the merit thus attained

Would not equal that of one person

Who, within a single day and night,

Read and recited this entire sutra.

If someone, throughout

Hundreds of thousands of myriads of kotis of kalpas,

With innumerable incense and flowers,

Robes, bedding, and seats,

Made offerings as described before

To innumerable shravakas,

To all pratyekabuddhas,

And to an equal number of Tathagatas,

All the merit thus attained

Would not equal that of one person

Who fully received and upheld this sutra,

Even down to a four-line verse,

And clearly explained it to others.

Of all the sutras I expound,

This sutra is supreme.

All the Tathagatas

Emerge from this sutra.

Wherever this sutra abides,

There the Tathagata is present.

If anyone transcribes and preserves it,

And circulates it everywhere,

Even if one expounded only a single sentence,

One could not exhaust it throughout an entire kalpa.

Adorned through one’s own merit and wisdom,

They will be as full as the vast ocean.

Those who hear this sutra

Should diligently cultivate it;

Its merit is truly boundless.

When the Buddha had finished speaking this sutra, Bodhisattva Maitreya, Mahakashyapa, the Elder Ananda, the devas of the Pure Abodes, Maheshvara together with all the devas, nagas, yakshas, gandharvas, asuras, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans, and nonhumans all rejoiced exceedingly, faithfully received it, and reverently practiced it.