觀察諸法行經

CHAPTER TWO: ACCORDING WITH DILIGENCE IN FORMER LIVES

II. At that time, the great bodhisattva Joyful King, together with thirty thousand bodhisattvas, heard of the destruction of the true Dharma long afterward, in the final fifty years of the Dharma-ending age, as described above. Tears streamed from their eyes, their bodies trembled, their hair stood on end, and sweat poured forth. They immediately rose, arranged their robes over one shoulder, knelt with their right knees upon the ground, joined their palms toward the Buddha, and, choking with emotion, addressed the Buddha:

“World-Honored One! In the future, during the final fifty years of the Dharma-ending age, when the true Dharma vanishes, when great calamities arise therein, when everything falls into ruin, when those who teach the Dharma are oppressed, when universal knowledge is extinguished, when the pure Dharma disintegrates, when there is emptiness and no vitality, when the teaching of the true Dharma is destroyed, when the true Dharma is slandered, when words devoid of wisdom arise, when miscellaneous talk abounds everywhere, when people seek their livelihood through evil deeds, when their every action is unworthy of praise, when Mara’s imposing displays flourish, and when great afflictions increasingly press upon beings therein—World-Honored One,

we shall relinquish our own bodies and lives and abandon the pleasures of companionship, departing alone like rhinoceroses.

Whether in forests or small groves, we shall free ourselves from every attachment of craving.

“With regard to sutras such as this, we shall choose the wisdom of the Tathagata, attain the wisdom of the great Dharma-body, preserve the lineage-seed within the treasury, refrain from distorting the conduct that bears its seal, gather immeasurable roots of virtue and the Dharani Sutras that have received confirmation, refute the treatises of non-Buddhist schools, accord with awakening to universal knowledge, uphold the true Dharma, and reveal the joys of sentient beings. We shall copy, read, recite, accept, uphold, and expound this Sutra. World-Honored One! For the sake of this precious Samadhi Sutra, we are willing to endure dwelling in Ne-la-gia! Nor shall we ever abandon the Tathagata, the Dharma, or the Sangha, or forsake unsurpassed perfect awakening.”

At that time, those great bodhisattvas led by Joyful King, with one voice and one mind, uttered before the Buddha, the devas, and the world the lion’s roar of the unsurpassed Great Dharma. They then spoke this verse of praise:

You should know the resolve within our hearts:

As we seek to attain awakening,

There is no other shining lamp

Apart from the Great Person.

Our hearts naturally comprehend it well:

As we seek the Buddha’s supreme wisdom,

Within the three realms we seek no other realization

Than that of the Victorious One, perfected in every virtue, who has reached the farther shore.

Our bodies and lives we have relinquished;

Nothing remains upon these two-legged forms.

We shall well uphold this samadhi

In the dreadful times to come.

Though our bodies find no peace and we lose our lives,

We shall abandon all personal benefit and the pleasures of intimacy.

If we can practice this stainless samadhi,

No great evil in the future will be too difficult to bear.

Though for immeasurable, boundless kalpas

We dwell in Ne-la-gia, amid dreadful, evil suffering,

To accept and uphold this stainless samadhi,

We shall endure it at all times.

Though such painful afflictions are without end,

And we dwell helpless and unprotected in the Saha world,

To accept and uphold this stainless samadhi,

We shall willingly endure every evil that harms us.

Within ourselves we shall cultivate patience,

Unshaken and steadfast in diligence.

We invite all sentient beings

To the gift of Dharma, seeking no material thing.

Personal benefit and the benefit of sentient beings,

Offerings and every possession,

Fame, praise, and blame—

We have patiently renounced them all.

We invite all living beings

To the true Dharma, seeking no material thing.

We shall extensively proclaim the Dharma,

That sentient beings may be fully nourished by it.

Having already attained purity,

We shall practice the conduct of bodhi.

We shall bring vast benefit and meaning

Out of compassion for living beings.

Though our skin, flesh, and even our bones,

Our marrow and blood, all dry away,

We shall never grow indolent,

For we behold the suffering of living beings.

Though our skin, flesh, and thin membrane,

And even our blood are made to dry away,

Though our bodies now break apart and scatter,

We shall not arouse merely slight diligence.

Seeing the suffering of these sentient beings,

Afflicted by illness and fear,

We shall lead them across the ocean of suffering,

Fearless, onto the ground of peace.

We shall dwell in the aranya,

Having abandoned all craving.

Thoughts of loving-kindness shall pervade everywhere,

Cooling beings and bestowing joy.

In the secluded forest of the aranya,

Where little noise is heard, we shall abide,

Far removed from every kind of miscellaneous speech;

We shall not associate with those attached to it.

We shall maintain thoughts of loving-kindness

And bring joy to sentient beings.

We shall bestow the supreme medicine of ambrosia;

Receiving its healing nature and joy, their illnesses shall vanish.

Though they do not train in accord with the teaching

And thus depart from truthful speech,

We shall abide in cultivation,

Following the words spoken in this Sutra.

We shall not follow them

Or train in accord with their conduct.

Whatever is not the conduct of ordinary beings

Does not falsely depart from the true path.

We shall always abide

Within our own realm of truthful speech.

Just as this Sutra declares,

We shall maintain that resolve.

We shall never be heedless,

In accordance with what the Buddha knows.

Among sentient beings, bestowing strength,

We shall go foremost.

We shall always remain vigilant,

As the Victorious One, possessing universal knowledge, knows and sees.

Among all sentient beings, we shall bestow strength;

We shall go foremost in the Buddha’s wisdom.

Though we fall into a mass of flames,

Though we consume poisoned food,

We shall not make offerings for the sake of worldly acquaintances,

Nor proclaim the Buddha’s bodhi for such ends.

For the Dharma’s sake, we shall fall into the fire;

Consuming poisoned food, we shall enter suffering.

The benefits of worldly acquaintances shall bind us no more;

We shall not proclaim unsurpassed bodhi for their sake.

Immeasurable multitudes of Maras

May create obstacles around us.

Having cast off all the Maras,

We shall become sovereigns of the world.

Hundreds of thousands of Maras, beyond all measure,

May gather among us to create obstacles.

Unafflicted, we shall cast them all aside;

In the world shall arise branches of the unsurpassed royal lineage.

Furthermore, as the great bodhisattva Joyful King spoke with a lion’s roar, this great trichiliocosm shook in six ways, and a great radiance illuminated the entire world. All sentient beings repeatedly scattered abundant flowers into the sky. Hundreds of thousands of kotis of nayutas of devas exclaimed in praise, “Excellent!” They also played immeasurable, innumerable hundreds of thousands of kotis of nayutas of musical instruments and spoke these words: “Before long, this great bodhisattva Joyful King will proceed to the seat of awakening. He will utter the Tathagata’s lion’s roar, just as the Tathagata roars before devas and human beings.” At that time, the World-Honored One praised the great bodhisattva Joyful King, saying:

– Excellent! Excellent! O King of Joy! You are able to embrace the true Dharma and utter this unsurpassed great lion’s roar! Just as you have uttered such a lion’s roar in the presence of Buddha-Blessed Ones as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. O King of Joy! Listen well! Listen well! Attend with right mindfulness! I shall explain to you the accumulation of merit generated by a great bodhisattva who embraces the true Dharma. O King of Joy! I shall now give you an analogy. Through this analogy, a wise person may understand the meaning of what is said. O King of Joy! Suppose that in the eastern quarter there were Buddha realms as numerous as the sands of the Ganges; likewise, in the southern, western, and northern quarters, as well as above and below, throughout the ten directions and the intermediate directions, there were Buddha realms as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. All those realms were enclosed within a single circular city wall. That wall was regarded by everyone as immeasurably vast, reaching to the utmost limits. Across the length and breadth of that great jeweled city, climbing vines grew in dense profusion, their pointed tips fastened to sturdy pillars, made level without being cut down. Another man appeared to separate and divide those vines. If, with his right hand, he grasped the seeds of the vines and cast them into the air, those scattered seeds would not disperse but would gather into one great mass of vine seeds. Then, when a gust of wind arose, that great mass of vine seeds would be stirred, broken apart, and scattered into every Buddha realm throughout the ten directions. Yet in each Buddha realm only one vine seed would fall, never two. The entire great mass of vine seeds just described would fall among the Buddha realms, with only one seed falling into each realm. O King of Joy! What do you think? Could the number of those Buddha realms be known by any expedient means or could their limits be ascertained?

King of Joy replied:

– No, World-Honored One, it could not! No, Sugata, it could not! Only the Tathagata could possess such knowledge!

The Buddha said:

– O King of Joy! Suppose again that a bodhisattva devoted to giving filled those immeasurable, innumerable, incalculable Buddha realms with the seven precious substances and bestowed them as gifts. Yet if any bodhisattva who revered the true Dharma were to embrace and uphold it, enduring even for only a single day and night so that the true Dharma might long abide in the world, that bodhisattva would generate far more merit than the former. Why is this? O King of Joy! Because once that bodhisattva embraces the true Dharma in the presence of one Tathagata, that bodhisattva thereby embraces and upholds the true Dharma in the presence of all Buddha-Blessed Ones of the past, future, and present. O King of Joy! When precious possessions are relinquished, they remain associated with outflows and grasping. O King of Joy! But when the Dharma is given, it is free from outflows and grasping, and all suffering is brought to cessation. O King of Joy! Therefore, you should place your faith and understanding in the gift of Dharma, and not in worldly wealth. You should make offerings to me through offerings of Dharma, and not through worldly wealth. You should honor me by revering the Dharma, and not by means of material possessions. Why is this? O King of Joy! Because the bodhi of all Buddha-Blessed Ones arises from the Dharma, not from wealth.

At that time, the great bodhisattva King of Joy addressed the Buddha:

– World-Honored One! We too shall revere the true Dharma and shall not revere material wealth. Why is this? World-Honored One! Because it is certainly through the Dharma that a great bodhisattva realizes unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment, and not through material wealth. Moreover, material wealth causes the afflictions to increase, whereas the Dharma brings about their complete cessation.

The Buddha praised the great bodhisattva King of Joy, saying:

– Excellent! Excellent! O King of Joy! You have spoken these words well! The Dharma brings about the complete cessation of the afflictions! Furthermore, O King of Joy, listen well! Listen well! Attend with right mindfulness! I shall explain this to you. A great bodhisattva first embraces the true Dharma, diligently accords with it, does not cherish body or life, relinquishes all pleasures, and uses material benefits and the aid of spiritual friends to honor and embrace the true Dharma.

The great bodhisattva King of Joy addressed the Buddha:

– So it is, World-Honored One! I earnestly delight in hearing this!

The Buddha said:

– O King of Joy! Formerly, in a past age, after incalculable kalpas and again after countless, immeasurable, boundlessly vast, and inconceivable ages had passed, there appeared in the world a Buddha named Vast Purity, Dense Gold, Universal Unobstructed Light, Majestic King Tathagata, Worthy One, Perfectly and Completely Awakened One, Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, Well-Gone One, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed Guide of Persons to Be Tamed, Teacher of Devas and Humans, Buddha, Bhagavat, the Blessed One. Moreover, O King of Joy, the lifespan of the Tathagata, Worthy One, Perfectly and Completely Awakened One, Vast Purity, Dense Gold, Universal Unobstructed Light, Majestic King was immeasurable. His Buddha-land was adorned with boundless merit, and he was surrounded by an assembly of seventy kotis of hundreds of thousands of sravakas, together with an immeasurable multitude of bodhisattvas. All had brought forth boundless practices that accorded with and entered the Dharma realm.

O King of Joy! When that Tathagata, the Blessed One Vast Purity, Dense Gold, Universal Unobstructed Light, Majestic King, had passed away and entered cessation, a long time afterward, when the true Dharma had disappeared, there was a Dharma preacher named Boundless Jewel, Resounding Voice, Accumulation of Pure Practices. That Dharma preacher had perfected all practices, attained the wisdom of the five superknowledges, gained mastery of dharanis, possessed uninterrupted eloquence, and accorded with and entered the practice of the Dharma.

He entered villages, cities, towns, settlements, royal capitals, and other places to teach the Dharma to sentient beings. What he taught was precisely this samadhi of Resolute Contemplation of the Practices of All Dharmas, taking it as the means of awakening them. In due sequence, he established sixty kotis of nayutas of hundreds of thousands of sentient beings on the path to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening.

At that time, there were many bhiksus who outwardly appeared to be followers of the path but were clothed as pudgalas of heterodox paths. These people neither practiced this samadhi nor were able to accept it. Bound by envy, miserliness, and greed, they instructed the people throughout the king’s dominion—in its villages, cities, towns, settlements, and royal capital—not to listen to or recognize that Dharma-preaching bhiksu, not to allow him to enter, not to speak with him, and not to count him among their number.

O King of Joy! At that time, although the Dharma preacher was driven out of the villages, his mind was neither fearful nor evasive, neither weak nor dejected, neither stirred by anger, neither turbid nor defiled. He merely continued to accord with and safeguard the true Dharma in this way, sparing neither body nor life and relinquishing all material gain, honor, and reverence.

There was a great forest king named Twice-Born. (Twice-Born means a bird: its first birth is when the egg is produced, and its second birth is when it emerges from the eggshell. All creatures born from eggs accordingly undergo two births. Because birds are mostly egg-born, they alone are designated “Twice-Born.”) He raised his voice, scattered flowers, and went to the place of that Dharma preacher. Upon arriving, King Twice-Born sat together with thirty thousand kotis of bodhisattvas. Accompanying the forest king were the Four Great Heavenly Kings and others, up to the devas of Akanistha Heaven. They came to that place in order to hear the Dharma.

That Dharma preacher taught the Dharma amid the great assembly of devas. Around him, devas and humans visibly filled an area extending three hundred thousand yojanas. There, in the dwelling of the forest king, he taught the Dharma in various ways to the assembly of the Four Great Heavenly Kings, causing hundreds of thousands of devas from ninety-nine celestial levels to become irreversible from unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, while immeasurable hundreds of thousands of devaputras attained the knowledge and vision of the path.

At that place, the Four Great Heavenly Kings, the lord of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, Brahma, lord of the Saha world, and others diligently came to provide and attend upon that Dharma preacher according to his needs. Thirty thousand kotis of bodhisattvas likewise provided for and attended upon him.

O King of Joy! At that time, a king named Many Persons, Free from Sorrow, Universally Desiring the Sound of Joy appeared in Jambudvipa. He was a Dharma king who ruled by the Dharma, freely turning the wheel throughout the four continents and possessing the seven treasures.

O King of Joy! Moreover, King Many Persons, Free from Sorrow, Universally Desiring the Sound of Joy had a thousand sons. All of them, however, were born by transformation from Gia Pha, and their right mindfulness was never lost. The eighty-four thousand women of his palace all practiced pure conduct. Moreover, King Many Persons, Free from Sorrow, Universally Desiring the Sound of Joy always accorded with pure conduct and constantly entered right concentration.

O King of Joy! At that time, the Dharma preacher Boundless Merit, Jewel, True Voice, Accumulation of Pure Practices knew that in a former life the king’s mind had acquired the corresponding marks and brought them to fulfillment, and that he had resolutely aroused the aspiration to cultivate unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening.

On a tranquil night, that Dharma preacher transformed his body into a Manava elephant within the lunar disk. The king was in his palace hall, surrounded by the members of his inner palace. From the forest king’s abode, the Dharma preacher soared into the sky like the lord of eagles, free from attachment, and traveled to the place of King Many Persons, Free from Sorrow, Universally Desiring the Sound of Joy. Upon arriving, he emerged from the lunar disk, transformed himself into the form of Brahma, and remained suspended in the air before the king. After emitting light that universally illuminated the entire palace, he spoke these verses of praise for the king:

Lord of the earth, do not practice what violates Dharma;

Thus your renowned praise will surely not increase.

Through conduct contrary to Dharma, the heart knows no joy;

The lord of humankind finds no happiness in the present.

Lord of the earth, you formerly practiced the Dharma,

And now have gained sovereign command over the four continents.

Without severing the lineage of beings, protect the wondrous Dharma;

O lord of humans, accord with and safeguard its practice.

You should accord with and guard the eye of the true Dharma;

Having protected the true Dharma, you will greatly rejoice.

There are many bhiksus devoid of disciplined conduct,

Who slander bodhi and the Well-Gone One.

We have set forth to cultivate the Buddha’s bodhi;

Yet they regard us and sentient beings with views of abandonment.

If they act in accordance with such practices,

Sentient beings will thereby fall into evil destinies.

In Jambudvipa a bhiksu has appeared,

Named Boundless Accumulation, Earth-Shaking Voice.

Contemplating the meaning, he clearly teaches right concentration:

Pudgala is without self and without a living principle.

He teaches the tranquil samadhi,

Yet worldly bhiksus have driven him away.

Within the forest king’s wondrous Resounding Voice,

He has taken refuge and skillfully protects the Dharma.

Dwelling in that forest, he spreads joy everywhere;

Even the devas of Akanistha Heaven have assembled there

To hear him teach this samadhi.

Many kotis of devas have aroused the practices of the path.

Elephant King, where do you wish to go

To hear the ocean of merit of this samadhi

And bring abundant benefit to sentient beings?

You should now go to that Dharma preacher.

The appearance of a Tathagata is exceedingly difficult to encounter;

A Dharma-preaching spiritual friend is also difficult to meet.

Sentient beings who seek the Dharma are harder still to find;

Encountering one who protects the Dharma is exceedingly rare.

In this Jambudvipa, you possess sovereign power;

For the sake of the true Dharma, you should embrace and protect it.

Always grant fearlessness to the Dharma preacher,

So that he may enter the city and teach the Dharma.

If the king carries out the words I have spoken,

He will surely gain abundant benefit in the future.

And by bringing still greater benefit to sentient beings,

He will attain and encompass the Buddha’s bodhi.

O King of Joy! Thus, after the Dharma preacher had awakened and made his observations in the presence of that king, he returned by the path through empty space, entered the lunar disc, and journeyed again to the place of that Forest King. Having heard this account of his observations, the king rejoiced, leapt with delight, felt great affection and satisfaction, and once again gave rise to wholesome resolve.

When that night had passed, the king, together with his one thousand sons, the four divisions of his army, and a great multitude of other people, went to the great forest called Twin-Born, Resounding, and Scattering Flowers. Having arrived, the king approached the Dharma preacher. At that time, the Dharma preacher was extensively expounding this samadhi to the great assembly of devas and great bodhisattvas.

Then the king, his sons, and all those surrounding them saw the Dharma preacher and the great bodhisattvas, and immediately experienced immense joy, loving purity, and faith. With minds of pure faith, they bowed at the feet of the Dharma preacher and at the feet of those great bodhisattvas, and then sat to one side. After the king’s followers had taken their seats, the Dharma preacher taught and explained this samadhi to them.

Having heard this samadhi, they gained pure faith, affection, and joyful delight. At that time, the king attained this samadhi. Among that great multitude, eighty-four thousand sentient beings all gave rise to the aspiration for unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.

The one thousand sons all attained Uninterrupted Eloquence.

O King of Joy! Thus King Joyful Voice Universally Wishing All People Freedom from Sorrow, filled inwardly with exultation and joy, immediately rose and offered two priceless robes to drape over the bhikshu who preached the Dharma. He bestowed upon him everything he possessed and offered fearlessness and comfort (?)… even to the extent of providing for and attending upon him throughout his life. According to whatever the bhikshu needed, he offered him food and clothing, saying: “Venerable Bhikshu! Please condescend to enter the villages, cities, towns, settlements, and royal capital. I shall serve as your attendant so that sentient beings may attain this wisdom.”

O King of Joy! After the king had spoken these words, he bowed at the feet of the Dharma preacher and his retinue, departed, and returned to his own palace. O King of Joy!

At that time, the Dharma preacher named Treasury of Boundless Merit, Resounding, Pure Conduct Assemblage rose from within that forest, departed, and entered the villages, cities, towns, settlements, and royal capital, where he began preaching the Dharma for sentient beings. Wherever people were found, the king issued this proclamation: “Let no one fail to cherish this bhikshu, delight in him, honor him, or esteem him.” The king’s one thousand sons followed behind the Dharma preacher, one after another protecting and supporting him for the benefit of the Dharma.

Thirty thousand other royal kinsmen and princes also served that great bodhisattva and carried out his instructions. Whatever he undertook, they helped people attain joyful practices.

O King of Joy! To bring sentient beings to accomplishment, that Dharma preacher devoted his own life to preserving the Sutra for half a kalpa. That bhikshu brought immeasurable sentient beings to maturity within the Three Vehicles.

The king, his sons, all his retinue, the attendants who served the princes, and those who served as messengers for that bodhisattva all gave rise to the aspiration for bodhi. Because they had heard this samadhi and because of their roots of goodness from previous lives, throughout eighty kalpas they all attended upon sixty bimbara Buddhas, Blessed Ones. In every place, they heard this samadhi and, in accordance with their aspirations, embraced Buddha lands.

Among them, some attained bodhi, while others manifested the bodhisattva practices to bring sentient beings to maturity.

O King of Joy! At that time there was a Dharma preacher named Treasury of Boundless Merit, Resounding, Pure Conduct Assemblage. Do you suppose that he was someone else?

You should not regard him thus. Why? Because the Dharma preacher at that time was none other than the Tathagata Amitayus.

Furthermore, O King of Joy! At that time there was a king named Joyful Voice Universally Wishing All People Freedom from Sorrow. Do you suppose that he was someone else?

You should not regard him thus. Why? Because he was none other than the Tathagata Akshobhya.

Furthermore, O King of Joy! Do you suppose that the king’s one thousand sons at that time were others? You should not regard them thus.

Why? Because they were the great bodhisattvas of this Auspicious Kalpa—the one thousand Buddhas who will appear in this great Auspicious Kalpa. Furthermore, O King of Joy!

At that time, the Dharma preacher Treasury of Boundless Merit, Resounding, Pure Conduct Assemblage was followed and surrounded by thirty thousand bodhisattva companions. Do you suppose that they were others? You should not regard them thus.

Why? Because those great bodhisattvas attained awakening to unsurpassed perfect enlightenment within a single kalpa.

O King of Joy! Thus, great bodhisattvas who embrace the true Dharma and diligently accord with it create meaningful benefit for immeasurable, innumerable sentient beings and swiftly attain this samadhi. O King of Joy! Therefore, whether I am present or have entered nirvana, you should accept and uphold, read and recite, expound, contemplate, and extensively explain this samadhi to others. You will thereby swiftly defeat the armies of Mara.

At that time, wishing to make this meaning still more sublime, the Blessed One spoke these verses:

If one bestows happiness upon sentient beings

For inconceivable thousands of nayutas of years,

The resulting merit cannot be measured by analogy;

Yet greater is giving rise to the cause of bodhi in one’s mind.

If all sentient beings throughout the ten directions

Were each accomplished beyond the pratyekabuddhas,

And one made offerings to them for a thousand kotis of kalpas,

With a pure mind constantly bestowing joy,

Yet if one gives rise to the aspiration for this bodhi,

Thinking, “I shall attain the Supreme One among bipeds,”

And upholds a single verse of this samadhi,

That merit surpasses the former with abundance.

If sentient beings encounter an age in which a Buddha appears

And make offerings to that Buddha for a thousand kotis of kalpas,

Even their merit cannot compare with this:

Single-mindedly giving rise at once to the aspiration for bodhi,

Or safeguarding the Buddha’s Dharma

And four lines of verse from this samadhi.

Such merit does not lie apart from bodhi,

As with one who safeguards the true Dharma.

If all sentient beings in the Saha world

Were guided and transformed through bodhi,

Yet after hearing, there were people who did not accept the path,

One should not therefore become fearful concerning this merit.

If a bodhisattva gives away wealth

Throughout kotis of kalpas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges,

Filling entire realms with precious treasures,

Yet does not hear this samadhi,

While a wise person accepts and upholds

Four lines of verse from this concentration,

That person’s accumulation of merit is exceedingly vast,

Without needing to give for many hundreds of millions of kalpas.

If a victorious one safeguards bodhi

And attains the inconceivable Dust-Free Concentration,

Its qualities cannot be fully expressed in words.

One who embraces it possesses such merit,

Sees many Buddhas throughout samsara,

And never once forgets that aspiration.

In whatever land one practices as desired,

One should transcribe and preserve this samadhi.

Joy will arise in both body and mind;

One will be reborn in heaven and encounter future sages,

And will never bear suffering or affliction.

Rejoicing in the King of Samadhis,

One enters through thousands of nayutas of gateways.

The One of Boundless Light has given his assurance;

Abiding in supreme power, I proclaim it.

It is precisely through this concentration that bodhi is attained,

And eloquence is gained as through a dharani gateway.

This samadhi is attained together with supernormal powers;

It is realized by wise noble ones free from outflows.

If one expounds this samadhi,

When wise ones appear in the various realms,

They will directly behold all the Buddhas,

Hear the Buddhas’ Dharma, and uphold it all.

Recitation, cultivation, and turning the Dharma all arise through this concentration.

One will attain a handsome form and fully endowed faculties,

The thirty-two marks produced by a hundred merits;

When sentient beings behold one, they will leap with joy.

Recitation and turning alike arise from this samadhi.

The wise possess beautiful voices and excellent words and meanings,

Complete with the sixty qualities of melodious speech;

They gather in the Buddha’s pure voice, bringing forth beings,

And, through hearing this samadhi, they speak praise well.

They shall attain discerning wisdom;

They shall also attain wisdom free from defilement;

They shall also know the minds of all beings,

If they uphold this Samadhi of Quiescence.

At the gateway through which they enter, not a single sound wavers;

Within it, they do not give rise to disputation,

Yet they become skillful in all sounds

Through reciting the Stainless Samadhi.

They attain a mind neither timid nor ashamed,

And further attain joy that makes them leap with delight;

That joyful bliss never diminishes,

Because they extensively teach this samadhi.

What you now see in me is as though already in your hands;

You should arouse an upright mind.

You are my children; follow my instruction.

Resolve to cultivate this samadhi, and you shall accomplish it.

Here I give you my assurance and proclaim it;

With purified minds, bring yourselves into accord.

While I remain here today, you should practice diligently;

Do not let yourselves suffer anguish afterward.

CHAPTER THREE: PROPHECY OF ENLIGHTENMENT

I. At that time, the great bodhisattva King of Joy addressed the Buddha, saying:

“How exceedingly rare, World-Honored One! Most exceedingly rare, Sugata! Even the Tathagata himself proclaims and praises all the merits possessed by great bodhisattvas who embrace the true Dharma. World-Honored One, which qualities must a bodhisattva fulfill in order to attain this samadhi?”

The Buddha said:

“King of Joy, by fulfilling one quality, a bodhisattva attains this samadhi. What is that one? King of Joy, a bodhisattva firmly abides in the vow to attain unsurpassed, complete and perfect enlightenment.

In doing so, others may seek to ruin him, mock him to his face, disparage him before others, perversely dispute with him, angrily revile him, or rebuke him. Amid such circumstances, he is neither resentful nor jealous, and he gives rise to no rancor, but abides in contemplation of his own mind: ‘When I first aroused the mind of enlightenment, no one entreated me—not a deva, naga, yaksha, asura, garuda, gandharva, kinnara, mahoraga, nonhuman being, one who is not a nonhuman being, or any other person in the world.

It was solely through the reflection of my own mind that I gave rise to the aspiration for unsurpassed, complete and perfect enlightenment. Yet when this mind arose in me, all Buddhas knew it. Therefore, I should not now act in this way: because others seek to deprive me of my freedom, mock me to my face, angrily revile me, rebuke me, despise me, ridicule me, speak injuriously to me, or strike me, I should not seek to frighten them into abandoning enlightenment or abandoning sentient beings.

If I were again to give rise to a lesser intention, or produce the mind of a shravaka or the mind of a pratyekabuddha, I would thereby have deceived the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones. Since this mind has arisen for enlightenment, I must now abide firmly in my vow. Once that mind has arisen, I shall certainly never relinquish it until I sit at the seat of enlightenment.’ King of Joy, this is the one quality that a bodhisattva must fulfill to attain this samadhi.”

At that time, wishing to illuminate this meaning further, the World-Honored One then spoke these verses:

The wise constantly make firm and steadfast vows

In seeking unsurpassed great enlightenment:

“Along the way, I shall not grow weary;

With an untiring mind, I shall practice enlightenment.

If I am mocked or embroiled in disputes,

Angrily reviled, rebuked, or denied offerings,

I shall thus console my own mind accordingly,

And let no destructive anger arise within.

When my mind of enlightenment arose,

It was not devas, nagas, or others who entreated me.

Toward all sentient beings, I brought forth compassion

And gave rise to a mind directed toward the path of enlightenment.

If I were now again to arouse a lesser intention,

I would thereby deceive all the World-Honored Ones.

Steadfast and diligent, never growing weary,

I shall guard my vow and attain Buddhahood.”

A practitioner such as this, of great renown,

Brings this samadhi directly before him.

The foundation of the mind of enlightenment stands firm,

And practicing the Dharma of enlightenment is not difficult.

“King of Joy, there are also two other qualities that a bodhisattva must fulfill to attain this samadhi. What are the two? Acting in accordance with one’s words, and never growing weary of adopting the practices of wholesome qualities.

King of Joy, what does it mean to act in accordance with one’s words? When this bodhisattva hears of bodhisattva practices and hears of qualities that completely pervade the Buddha-Dharma, he adopts and practices them, thinking, ‘I too shall cultivate these. Having practiced them, a bodhisattva will thereby awaken to the unsurpassed Buddha-Dharma.’ The bodhisattva acts precisely according to his words—that is, he adopts and practices these qualities.

When his practice is accomplished and his conduct purified, this is called acting in accordance with one’s words. What is meant by never growing weary of wholesome practices? This bodhisattva forms this thought: ‘All-knowing wisdom is immeasurable, and sentient beings are likewise immeasurable.

When I benefit them, it cannot be with deficient roots of virtue or deficient practices. I shall completely fulfill immeasurable all-knowing wisdom and bring benefit to immeasurable sentient beings.’ When the bodhisattva gives rise to such wholesome intentions and dedicates them all through immeasurable dedications of merit, he becomes like the great ocean and never grows weary of seeking to hear the Dharma. King of Joy, these are the two qualities that a bodhisattva must fulfill to attain this samadhi.”

Thereupon, the Buddha further spoke these words:

As one speaks, so one acts;

There is nothing contrary to one’s words.

Nor does one speak

If there is any difference between word and deed.

Such a bodhisattva is true in speech;

Having heard of such modes of practice, he practices them.

The wise act precisely as they speak;

They attain this samadhi of the Buddha’s merits.

They do not become content or weary

When wholesome qualities remain incomplete.

That enlightenment is immeasurable,

With a nature of boundless merit.

They are neither content nor weary regarding wholesome qualities;

Their aspiration is ever unsatisfied, like the ocean.

The realms of sentient beings are measureless and boundless;

They cannot be satisfied by a lesser intention.

As one speaks, so one acts,

And in seeking the Dharma one never grows weary of the Dharma.

By training and practicing in accord with these two qualities,

One attains this samadhi of the Buddha’s merits.

“King of Joy, there are also three other qualities that a bodhisattva must fulfill to attain this samadhi. What are the three? This bodhisattva perfects three kinds of moral discipline. What are the three? They are discipline of body, discipline of speech, and discipline of mind. Furthermore, he is free from three kinds of burning affliction. What are the three? They are the burning affliction of sensual desire, the burning affliction of anger and malice, and the burning affliction of delusion. Moreover, relying on none of the three realms, he practices the holy life. By fulfilling these three qualities, a bodhisattva attains this samadhi.” Thereupon, the Buddha further spoke these words:

Restrain the three domains:

Body, speech, and mind.

Having pacified the three afflictions,

Rely on none of the three realms.

Restrain body, speech, and mind alike;

Also calm the three kinds of affliction,

And rely on nothing within the three realms;

Thus this samadhi shall quickly be accomplished.

“King of Joy, there are also four other qualities that a bodhisattva must fulfill to attain this samadhi. What are the four? They are knowing the causes from which dharmas arise; having known those causes, knowing the dharmas that arise from them; then relinquishing those causes; and not clinging to the causes from which dharmas arise.

When a bodhisattva knows fully in this way, he sees no dharma that does not arise from causes. The bodhisattva thinks: ‘If that dharma arises through causes and conditions, its original nature is emptiness and does not arise.’ Furthermore, once the bodhisattva is endowed with such wisdom, he does not give rise to ignorance and, in order to bring ignorance to cessation, teaches the Dharma for sentient beings. He does not give rise to volitional formations and, in order to enable others to understand volitional formations, teaches the Dharma for sentient beings—up to and including the fact that he does not give rise to aging and death and, in order to enable others to transcend aging and death, teaches the Dharma for sentient beings.

King of Joy, these are the four qualities that a bodhisattva must fulfill to attain this samadhi.”

Thereupon, the Buddha further spoke these words:

Having understood causes and conditions,

And also knowing what arises from causes,

One then holds no conception

Of either annihilation or permanence.

And one also knows causes completely.

Whether characteristics or intrinsic nature,

Or dharmas belonging to causes,

Within them, wisdom does not cling;

The arising from causes and conditions

Is empty; if it were truly existent—

If wisdom turns inward,

Then samadhi is attained.

Once ignorance is fully known,

The formations no longer arise.

As one knows, so does one speak,

Bringing benefit to sentient beings.

If bodhisattvas, those victorious ones,

Possess these four dharmas,

It will not be difficult for them to attain

That samadhi praised by the Buddha.

O King of Joy! There are also five other complete dharmas whereby a bodhisattva attains this samadhi. What are the five?

O King of Joy! They are: the bodhisattva knows Action, knows Conjunction, knows the Gate, knows Practice, and knows the Path. Herein, what is called Action?

It is called Action because, if one maintains an impartial mind toward sentient beings, relinquishes every kind of conception, and directs toward all sentient beings only the single flavor of loving-kindness and compassion, this is called Action. Herein, what is called Conjunction? If one knows that karmic results ripen in the body, dedicates the wholesome karma one has performed to the path of bodhi, and yet does not apprehend anything therein, this is called Conjunction.

Herein, what is called the Gate? The so-called gate is the gate of emptiness, also called the gate of ambrosia (according to the Sanskrit text, it is called the Deathless; since ancient times, it has been rendered according to its meaning as ambrosia), and therein it is not due to anything else. This is called the Gate.

Herein, what is called Practice? It is the practice of emptiness, solitary practice, and practice in accordance with suchness. The intrinsic nature of the practice of all dharmas is entirely pure.

This is called Practice. Herein, what is called the Path? The so-called freedom from the notion “I act” and “what is done by me” is the right view of the noble ones.

This is called the Path. O King of Joy! These are the five complete dharmas whereby a bodhisattva attains this samadhi.

Thereupon, the Buddha again spoke these words:

With an impartial mind toward sentient beings,

Those noble ones act in this way;

They also believe that karmic results ripen—

This is the conjunction with the Unsurpassed.

Having abandoned wrong paths and inferior dharmas,

They seek wholesome dharmas without ever ceasing;

They dedicate them all to the path of bodhi,

Yet do not apprehend bodhi. (They do not apprehend bodhi.)

Know that the gates of liberation

Are signlessness and emptiness;

Nor does one act through aspiration—

This is the unsurpassed gate.

Skillful with regard to all dharmas,

One never relies upon any dharma;

Alone, one accords with the realm of non-arising,

Where neither self nor possessions of self arise.

The deeds of the wise accord with practice,

And they ever abide in the four paths;

Thus conjunction with bodhi is not difficult to attain—

How much less the accomplishment of this Samadhi of Tranquility.

O King of Joy! There are also six other complete dharmas whereby a bodhisattva attains this samadhi. What are the six?

They are knowing the eye and knowing the intrinsic nature of the eye. Having known the eye and the intrinsic nature of the eye, whether forms become manifest to the mind or do not become manifest to the mind, one remains free from attachment and obstruction and reaches equanimity. Forms do not inflame the eye faculty.

In the same way, one knows the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind, and knows the intrinsic nature of the mind. Having known the mind and the intrinsic nature of the mind, whether dharmas become manifest to the mind or do not become manifest to the mind, one remains free from attachment and obstruction and reaches equanimity. Dharmas do not inflame the mind faculty.

O King of Joy! These are the six complete dharmas whereby a bodhisattva attains this samadhi.

Thereupon, the Buddha again spoke these words:

One comes to know the intrinsic nature of the eye

As neither intrinsic nature nor non-intrinsic nature;

Amid forms, one is unobstructed,

Whether they are empty or impure.

Having reached equanimity amid forms,

One has no defiling desire;

Having known the substance of their original nature,

One is no longer inflamed.

So it is with the ear and nose,

The tongue, body, and also the mind;

Having known their intrinsic nature,

One does not cling to any dharma.

The six spheres imprison beings;

Prevent them from running outward.

When wisdom of intrinsic nature is perfected,

There is neither desire nor freedom from desire.

Wisdom such as this is supremely honored;

It belongs to the victorious bodhisattvas.

Such a person, without difficulty,

Attains the Buddha-Praised Samadhi.

O King of Joy! There are also seven other complete dharmas whereby a bodhisattva attains this samadhi. What are the seven? They are: freedom from flattery, sincerity and uprightness, aspiration for the Dharma, seeking the Dharma, contemplation of the Dharma, exposition of the Dharma, and practice of the Dharma. O King of Joy! Through the completeness of these seven dharmas, a bodhisattva attains this samadhi.

Thereupon, the Buddha again spoke these words:

Without deceit or crookedness, ever upright,

With no disparity between words and intentions,

Whatever the mind contemplates accords with one’s words;

The wise delight themselves and others alike.

Abiding in accordance with the Dharma and practicing the Dharma,

They have never used words to claim supremacy.

Diligently cultivating in this way, they attain concentration

And swiftly reach unsurpassed great bodhi.

They aspire to the Dharma and proclaim it with a resounding voice;

Never satisfied, they seek to hear what they have not heard.

Having heard it, they contemplate it with right mindfulness,

And then proclaim it again for others to hear.

O King of Joy! There are also eight other complete dharmas whereby a bodhisattva attains this samadhi. What are the eight? They are: complete purity of the aggregate of precepts; complete freedom from every attachment of craving; a mind ever inclined toward renunciation; delight in dwelling in secluded and tranquil places; not acting for the sake of gain and support; not cherishing the body; resolute faith and understanding directed toward the lofty path; and an impartial mind toward what is loved and unloved. O King of Joy! By perfecting these eight dharmas, a bodhisattva attains this samadhi.

Thereupon, the Buddha again spoke these words:

Completely pure in the aggregate of precepts,

One abides in the purity of virtue.

Having abandoned all attachments of craving,

One goes forth under the Victorious Teaching.

The Sugata taught the bhiksus

That they should relinquish gain and support

And seek to dwell in this tranquility;

This concentration is exceedingly difficult to behold.

If one cultivates this supreme practice,

Regarding the loved and unloved without distinction,

Embraces these eight dharmas and practices accordingly,

One will certainly attain this supreme samadhi.

O King of Joy! There are also nine complete dharmas whereby a bodhisattva attains this samadhi. What are the nine? O King of Joy! They are: this bodhisattva abandons the nine grounds for anger, transcends the nine abodes of sentient beings, accomplishes the nine successive concentrations, passes beyond the eight wrong inversions, enters the eightfold right path, leaves behind the eight inopportune states, realizes the eight liberations, knows the seven abodes of consciousness, and cultivates the seven factors of awakening. O King of Joy! By perfecting these nine dharmas, a bodhisattva attains that samadhi.

Thereupon, the Buddha again spoke these words:

Within the nine abodes in which beings arise,

Sentient beings establish their dependence;

Having severed and abandoned all views,

They have no reliance upon speculative questioning.

Having severed the eight inopportune states

And reached the eight liberations,

Throughout the seven abodes of consciousness,

They know them all through right mindfulness.

The wise cultivate mindfulness of the seven factors of awakening,

Sever all discriminations, and uproot the afflictions.

Diligently cultivating in this way, they attain concentration

And immediately reach victorious bodhi as well.

O King of Joy! There are also ten complete dharmas whereby a bodhisattva attains this samadhi. What are the ten? They are: relinquishing all possessions; with patience and sincerity embracing immeasurable transmigration; perfecting supramundane wisdom; finding no sentient beings, yet possessing great loving-kindness; retaining through extensive learning all that has been heard; surpassing all acts of giving through great compassion; taking no delight in skillful means; recollecting all Buddhas; never forgetting these ten wholesome paths of karma, even in dreams; and teaching the Dharma in reliance upon the mind of bodhi, without desiring any other vehicle. O King of Joy! By perfecting these ten dharmas, a bodhisattva attains that samadhi.

Thereupon, the Buddha again spoke these words:

Relinquishing all possessions with joy,

Endowed with patience and a sincere, upright mind,

Throughout kotis of kalpas, never deficient in practice,

Such a person swiftly attains this samadhi.

One with wisdom is free from affliction;

One with loving-kindness harbors no expectation;

Widely retaining what has been heard, one never forgets it;

Such a person attains this Samadhi of Tranquility.

Compassionate toward sentient beings, one does not engage in conceptual proliferation;

One takes no delight in skillful means;

Right mindfulness is the recollection of all the World-Honored Ones;

Such a person attains this Samadhi of Tranquility.

Guarding the ten wholesome deeds, all pure and undefiled,

Never losing them, even in dreams,

The mind constantly contemplates the practice of bodhi.

Within the Lesser Vehicle, they have never felt admiration.

If this most supreme Dharma exists,

Then attaining the Buddha-Dharma is not difficult;

The hosts of Mara will swiftly be vanquished,

And one shall reach the most exalted, pure bodhi.

Furthermore, when the Blessed One taught this Dharma text, seventy thousand sentient beings became free from dust and defilement and attained the pure Dharma-eye within the Dharma; seven thousand sentient beings all aroused the aspiration for unsurpassed perfect awakening and all received predictions of non-retrogression; thirty thousand bodhisattvas attained patience with regard to the unborn nature of dharmas and thereafter wished to safeguard the citadel of the Dharma; and immeasurable sentient beings brought their roots of virtue to fulfillment. This trichiliocosm shook in six ways, and a great light universally illuminated the world. The three evil paths became still, and all sentient beings beheld the Tathagata before them.

The Blessed One then emitted light once more from his body. Through this light, immeasurable and innumerable worlds were filled with radiance. When the light touched the bodies of the sentient beings dwelling in those places, they all became rightly mindful of the Buddha and followed him; they were united with joy and freed from feverish affliction.

That light of the Blessed One adorned the ten directions with boundless precious treasures and with not merely hundreds of thousands of colors. Throughout all those places there appeared kotis of nayutas of lotus flowers, each with hundreds of thousands of petals. Within every lotus was a figure resembling the Blessed One, Shakyamuni Tathagata.

Each figure resembling the Tathagata appeared seated upright within its lotus. In each of those places, upon the lotus throne, there was also one resembling the great bodhisattva King of Joy, who rested his right knee upon the lotus throne and likewise inquired about this samadhi. Each of those Tathagatas awakened and brought to maturity immeasurable kotis of nayutas of hundreds of thousands of sentient beings.

At that time, the Blessed One said to the great bodhisattva King of Joy:

“King of Joy, do you see throughout the ten directions the immeasurable and innumerable Tathagatas resembling me, seated within lotus flowers, and the great bodhisattvas resembling you, King of Joy?”

King of Joy replied:

“I see them, Blessed One! I see them, Sugata! Yet I do not know their number.”

The Buddha said:

“King of Joy, one might determine the total number of grains of sand in the Ganges River, yet one could not know the number of those Buddhas, the Blessed Ones. Such are all the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, whom you have seen. Likewise, the number of those great bodhisattvas resembling you cannot be known.”

At that time, after the Blessed One had withdrawn this rare display of spiritual power, he said to the great bodhisattva King of Joy:

“King of Joy, what do you think? Did the Tathagata depart from this Buddha-land for any place? Did he move from where he sat? Did you yourself depart for any place?”

King of Joy replied:

“No, Blessed One! No, Sugata!”

The Buddha said:

“King of Joy, precisely because of these causes and conditions, you should know that all dharmas are such: through the arising, formation, and abiding of characteristics, discriminations arise; yet there is no coming and no going. What is desired is such, and what is done is such, because there is no one who is their master. You should know that all these things are empty and separate from one another. Therefore, King of Joy, you should have faith in and understand all dharmas, seeing them as a blazing flame, as a dream, as a shadow, as an echo, as the moon reflected in water, as a flash of lightning, and as foam upon water. You should train in this way. Why is this? Because a bodhisattva who possesses profound faith and understanding will attain this samadhi.”