太子瑞應本起經

Throughout many kalpas, the bodhisattva practiced pure conduct, cultivated a mind of great compassion, attained mastery of meditative concentration, and through the power of patience subdued Mara, causing his hosts to retreat and disperse. With his mind thus concentrated, not through discursive wisdom but through the absence of perceptions of sorrow and joy, during the first watch of that night the bodhisattva attained the first knowledge. He personally knew his former lives throughout innumerable kalpas; as his consciousness changed and he successively assumed bodies too numerous to count, the bodhisattva fully realized and knew them all.

At midnight, the bodhisattva attained the second knowledge. He knew every thought in the minds of sentient beings—whether good or evil, leading to misfortune or blessing—and the places where they would be reborn within the cycle of birth and death.

During the final watch of the night, the bodhisattva attained the third knowledge, awakened to liberation, and utterly extinguished all outflows. He clearly knew his own karma throughout many distant kalpas and attained the Four Bases of Spiritual Power: concentration founded on vigor, concentration founded on aspiration, concentration founded on mind, and concentration founded on discipline. He attained the Dharma of transformation, whereby everything he wished came about according to his will.

Without deliberate exertion, his body could fly, and he could divide one body into hundreds of thousands of bodies, even into hundreds of millions, tens of thousands, or innumerable bodies, and then return them all to one body. He could pass into the earth and through stone walls; manifest everywhere from a single direction; disappear and reappear like waves upon water; cause water and fire to issue from his body; dive beneath the water or travel through empty space without falling; and sit or lie in empty space as freely as a bird in flight.

The bodhisattva could stand as high as the heavens, grasp the sun and moon with his hands, and, if he wished, extend his body upright as far as the Brahma Heaven or the Heaven of the Self-Mastery Gods. The bodhisattva's eyes could see everywhere, his ears could hear everything, and his mind could know all events beforehand. Whatever devas, humans, nagas, spirits, crawling and flying creatures, and even the most minute insects did with their bodies, spoke with their mouths, or thought in their minds, the bodhisattva saw, heard, and knew.

Whether people had sensual desire or were free from sensual desire, had anger or were free from anger, were deluded or were free from delusion, had craving or were free from craving, possessed conduct guided by great resolve or lacked such conduct, possessed inward and outward practices or lacked them, had wholesome or unwholesome thoughts, had one-pointed minds or lacked one-pointedness, or had the intention of liberation or lacked the intention of liberation—the bodhisattva knew them all.

The bodhisattva universally beheld beings throughout the five destinies: devas, humans, hell beings, animals, and spirits. He saw his parents, siblings, wives, and children from many former lives and clearly distinguished all their personal and family names. He could know everything concerning one life, ten lives, hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of millions, and innumerable lives, extending even to the periods of the kalpa of destruction and the kalpa of emptiness, and the time when human beings appeared during the kalpa of formation.

The bodhisattva could know the personal and family names, clothing, food, suffering and happiness, long or short lifespans, death here and rebirth there, and every manner of transmigration of sentient beings in the three realms—from their beginnings through their changes of bodily form, birth, aging, illness, and death, whether their appearance was ugly or beautiful, whether they were wise or foolish, and whether they experienced suffering or happiness—throughout ten kalpas, a hundred kalpas, and even thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of millions, and innumerable kalpas.

The bodhisattva could distinguish and know them all. He saw humans and spirits being born according to their karma into the five destinies: in hell, as animals, as spirits, in the heavenly realms, or in human bodies. Some were born into wealthy and happy households, while others were born into lowly and impoverished families.

The bodhisattva knew that sentient beings were deluded and obscured by the five skandhas, namely: 1. Form; 2. Feeling; 3.

Perception; 4. Formations; 5. Consciousness.

They all pursued the five desires: the eyes craved forms, the ears craved sounds, the nose craved fragrances, the tongue craved flavors, and the body craved smooth and pleasing tactile sensations, thereby giving rise to craving. Or, longing for wealth and sensual pleasures in the hope of attaining happiness, they produced the source of evil, and from evil came suffering. The means of utterly ending the accumulation of evil is not to follow a lustful mind, even to the slightest degree, as fine as a hair, and to practice the Noble Eightfold Path; then all suffering will cease.

It is like a fire that cannot exist when there is no firewood. This is called the path of liberation that transcends the world.

The bodhisattva personally knew that he had abandoned the roots of evil—lust, anger, and delusion—that he had ended birth and death, severed their roots, and would encounter no further calamity. What had to be done was done, and his wisdom was perfected.

As the morning star first arose, the bodhisattva suddenly attained great awakening, realized the unsurpassed, true, and right Way, and became the Supremely Perfectly Awakened One. He attained the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha, the ten powers, and the four fearlessnesses.

The eighteen qualities of a Buddha, maintained from the time of attaining Buddhahood until entering nirvana, are:

1. Never losing the Way.

2. Never speaking meaningless words.

3. Always maintaining right mindfulness.

4. Always remaining calmly aware.

5. Always abiding in concentration.

6. Always remaining wakeful and discerning.

7. Never diminishing the resolve to liberate sentient beings.

8. Never diminishing vigor.

9. Never diminishing concentration of mind.

10. Never diminishing wisdom.

11. Never diminishing liberation.

12. Never diminishing the knowledge and vision of liberation.

13. Clearly knowing all events of the past.

14. Clearly knowing all events of the future.

15. Clearly knowing all events of the present.

16. Contemplating bodily actions with wisdom.

17. Contemplating words and actions with wisdom.

18. Contemplating all mental activities with wisdom.

These are the eighteen distinctive qualities.

The ten powers are:

1. The Buddha possesses exceedingly profound and subtle knowledge and vision. Thus, what is possible and what is impossible are revealed in accordance with reality.

2. The Buddha clearly knows the karmic causes, effects, and retributions of all sentient beings in the future, present, and past.

3. The Buddha discerns all the differing thoughts of devas, humans, and other sentient beings.

4. The Buddha knows all the many kinds of languages spoken by sentient beings and the languages used to liberate beings in the world.

5. The Buddha clearly knows the immeasurable and complex dispositions found throughout the world.

6. The Buddha always abides in meditative concentration and clearly understands every kind of meditative concentration and the various defilements associated with other meditations.

7. The Buddha knows all the bonds of desire, the essential means of release from them, and the practices that should be undertaken.

8. The Buddha's wisdom is as vast as the ocean, his speech is wholly excellent, and he clearly knows all the former lives of every sentient being.

9. With his pure divine eye, the Buddha sees the consciousnesses of humans and other beings depart from their bodies at death and undergo retribution according to their good or evil deeds, misfortune, and blessings.

10. The Buddha has completely ended all afflictions and is no longer bound. His wisdom is perfectly true, right, and supreme; he has personally realized knowledge and vision and fully penetrated the path and its practices. What had to be done has been done; there is no further birth and death, and his profound wisdom is radiant and clear.

These are the ten powers of the Buddha.

The four fearlessnesses are:

1. There is nothing that the Buddha's divine wisdom of perfect awakening does not know. Yet foolish people claim that the Buddha cannot know everything. Even Brahma, Mara, and all the sages are unable to dispute the Buddha's wisdom. He walks alone without fear.

2. The Buddha has brought all afflictions to an end. Foolish people say that the Buddha's afflictions have not yet been exhausted. Even Brahma, Mara, and all the sages are unable to dispute the Buddha's realization. He walks alone without fear.

3. The Buddha expounds the sutras of discipline, which everyone recites and practices. Foolish people say that the Buddha's sutras create hindrances. Even Brahma, Mara, and all the sages are unable to dispute or slander the Buddha's true scriptures. He walks alone without fear.

4. The Buddha reveals the meaning of the Way and teaches the true and essential means of transcending every suffering and calamity. Foolish people say that the Buddha cannot liberate sentient beings from all suffering. Even Brahma, Mara, and all the sages are unable to dispute the Buddha's true path. He travels everywhere without fear.

Having attained this Dharma together with all knowledge and vision, the Buddha sat in contemplation: “This is a subtle and wondrous truth, difficult to know and difficult to fathom. It is exceedingly difficult to attain the supreme and unsurpassed; it is vast and without boundaries, profound and without bottom, deep beyond measure, and so immense that it encompasses heaven and earth, yet so minute that there is no place where it is not present.

“In former times, when Buddha Dīpaṃkara bestowed upon me the prediction that I would become a Buddha named Śākyamuni, that fruition has now been perfectly accomplished. Only today, after passing through innumerable kalpas and advancing in cultivation through hardship and toil, have I attained such a fruit of the Path. I recall how, in former lives, I practiced so many meritorious deeds: loving-kindness, filial devotion, benevolence, and righteousness; sincerely honoring those who were worthy, virtuous, loyal, and upright; learning the unconditioned Path of the sages; keeping my mind pure, gentle, and harmonious; and practicing the six pāramitās—generosity, morality, diligence, patience, wisdom, and ultimate single-minded concentration.

I practiced the Four Immeasurable Minds, compassionately rescuing and nurturing sentient beings as though they were my own newborn children. I served the Buddhas and accumulated immeasurable virtue. Though passing through many kalpas of hardship and diligent exertion, I never forgot these practices.

Now I have brought them to perfect fulfillment.”

The Buddha rejoiced and spoke this verse:

Now I have become the most honored Buddha,

Abandoning lust and cleansing all afflictions.

Those who follow me shall all rejoice;

The wondrous vow has been fulfilled.

I shall enter nirvana.

When the Buddha had first attained the Path, he knew that because he had eaten too little, his body had become emaciated. He slowly rose and went down into the river to bathe.

After bathing, as he wished to climb onto the bank, a heavenly spirit bent a tree branch down low so that he could grasp it and climb out.

The Buddha returned to sit beneath the tree. Five hundred blue birds flew to him, circled the Buddha three times, and then flew away. There was also the daughter of a wealthy elder who, upon marrying, had vowed that if she gave birth to a son, she would prepare porridge of a hundred flavors as an offering to the spirits of the mountains and forests. After giving birth to a son, she was therefore overjoyed and immediately prepared the porridge, placing it in a golden bowl. As she ladled out the porridge, both bowl and spoon were perfectly clean. With the utmost reverence, she and two maidservants entered the mountain.

From afar, the young woman saw a beautiful tree and sent a maidservant ahead to sweep and clean the place. When the maidservant arrived, she saw the Buddha but did not know what kind of deity he was, so she returned and reported to her mistress:

“There is a deity sitting beneath the tree.”

The young woman instructed the maidservant to carry the porridge of a hundred flavors upon her head. She then knelt and offered the food in the golden bowl.

The Buddha said:

“You have wholesome intentions. In this very life, you shall obtain merit and virtue and encounter the Path.”

The young women joined their palms, reverently bowed to the Buddha, and returned home.

After the Buddha had eaten the bowl of porridge, he recalled that when the three Buddhas of previous ages first attained the Path, each had likewise been offered food of a hundred flavors in a golden bowl. Those bowls were now all in the dragon palace of Văn Lân. The Buddha then cast the bowl into the river. Naturally, it floated upstream for seven miles. The Buddha’s bowl sank and came to rest atop the three former bowls; all four were stacked together, identical as one. The Dragon King rejoiced, knowing that a Buddha had appeared.

The Buddha remained in meditation for seven days, utterly unmoving. The tree spirit thought, “The Buddha has newly attained the Path and has sat joyfully in meditation for seven days, yet no one has made an offering to him. I must find someone to offer food to the Buddha.”

At that time, five hundred merchants were passing beside the mountain when their ox carts became obstructed and could go no farther. Among the merchants were two caravan leaders: one named Trapuṣa and the other Bhallika. Becoming frightened, they told everyone to pray to the mountain spirit.

The mountain spirit appeared in radiant splendor and said:

“At present, the Buddha is dwelling on the bank of the Nairañjanā River, by the waters of Uruvilvā, and no one has yet offered him food. You are fortunate to possess wholesome intentions and to encounter him before others. You will surely obtain great merit.”

When the merchant heard the title “Buddha,” he rejoiced greatly and said, “The Buddha is the one Supremely Honored One revered by devas and spirits; he is no ordinary being.” He ground roasted rice into a fine powder, mixed it with honey, brought it beneath the tree, bowed at the Buddha’s feet, and presented it to him.

The Buddha recalled that when the Buddhas of previous ages accepted offerings, they always held alms bowls and did not receive food in their hands as other ascetics did. From afar, the Four Heavenly Kings knew that the Buddha needed a bowl. As swiftly as a strong man might bend and extend his arm, they arrived at Mount Ātana.

In accordance with their thoughts, four clean and fragrant bowls spontaneously appeared from within the rock. Each of the Four Heavenly Kings took one bowl and presented it to the Buddha, asking him compassionately to accept the merchant’s offering so that they might obtain great merit. Thus, iron alms bowls first came into use, and the Buddha’s disciples thereafter used them when receiving food.

The Buddha thought, “If I take only one bowl and leave the other three, the Heavenly Kings will not rejoice.” He accepted all four, stacked them upon his left hand, and pressed them down with his right hand, causing the four to merge into one.

After accepting the honeyed roasted-grain meal, the Buddha told the merchants:

“You should take refuge in the Buddha and take refuge in the Dharma. When a community of bhikṣus comes into being, you should also take refuge in it.”

They all respectfully obeyed his instruction and asked to take refuge in the Three Jewels. The Buddha rose and went elsewhere to eat. After eating, he pronounced this benediction for the merchants:

“May this act of generosity now grant abundant strength to the one who eats and cause the donors, life after life, to have their wishes fulfilled. May they possess beauty and health, be loved, joyful, peaceful, free from illness, and blessed with long lives. May evil ghosts and malign spirits be unable to approach or disturb them.

Because they possess wholesome minds, they establish a firm foundation of virtue; benevolent spirits and devas will always protect them, opening the place of the Path and bringing excellent benefits, so that they encounter neither hardship nor calamity. As human beings, may they possess right view, joyfully revere and believe with purity, and remain free from faults. By giving to those who possess virtue, their merit will become ever greater, gradually increasing, bringing good fortune and auspiciousness.

The five planets, the sun, the moon, the twenty-eight constellations, devas, spirits, and ghost kings will always accompany and assist them.

“The great kings of the four heavenly realms always bestow blessings upon the virtuous. Dhṛtarāṣṭra in the east, Virūḍhaka in the south, Virūpākṣa in the west, and Vaiśravaṇa in the north will also constantly protect you, causing you to encounter no unforeseen misfortune. May you possess wisdom, investigate and study deeply, and reverently believe in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. May you abandon all evil deeds, refrain from heedlessness, and obtain auspiciousness in the present life.

“By planting merit, one shall obtain merit; by practicing the Path, one shall attain the Path. Because you were the first to encounter the Buddha and served him with single-minded reverence, you shall thereby obtain the foremost karmic reward. In this very life, you shall be protected by the spirits, clearly understand the truth, enjoy wealth, honor, and longevity, and ultimately attain nirvana.”

Because the honeyed roasted-grain meal was cooling, the Buddha developed an illness of internal wind. Śakra knew this immediately and went to the jambu tree in the upper realm, where he picked the medicinal fruit harītakī. Bringing it to the Buddha, he said:

“This fruit is fragrant and delicious and is excellent for treating an illness of internal wind.” The Buddha ate the harītakī fruit, and his illness was immediately cured. He went to the bank of the river at the ancient dragon abode of Văn Lân and meditated for seven days, no longer abiding in the breath. His radiance illuminated the entire river. The Dragon King opened his eyes and recognized, as in the past, that the light of a Fully Awakened One was clearly before him, just as he had seen the light of the three previous Fully Awakened Ones.

Rejoicing, the Dragon King bathed himself with renowned fragrances of sandalwood and aromatic paste, emerged from the water, and saw the Buddha’s excellent marks and radiant aura, like a tree in bloom. The Dragon King circled the Buddha seven times. His body extended forty miles from the Buddha, and his seven heads formed a canopy over him. The dragon intended to use this canopy to shield the Buddha from mosquitoes, heat, and cold.

At that time rain fell continuously for seven days. The dragon remained single-minded, neither hungry nor thirsty. Only after seven days did the rain cease, and the Buddha emerged from meditation. The Dragon King transformed himself into a young practitioner, handsomely attired, and respectfully bowed before the Buddha and inquired after him:

“Were you not troubled by cold or heat, or by flies and mosquitoes all around you?”

The Buddha replied:

Long dwelling in secluded places,

Contemplating the Way, one swiftly gains merit;

What in the past one longed to hear,

Now one swiftly knows as true.

Untroubled by violent disturbances,

One swiftly brings peace to sentient beings;

Liberating the world and ending the three poisons,

One swiftly attains the Buddha’s nirvana.

Born into the world and encountering a Buddha,

One swiftly hears and receives the sutras and Dharma;

Being together with pratyekabuddhas,

One swiftly encounters true persons.

Not engaging in the deeds of fools,

One swiftly parts from evil people;

Possessing wisdom that distinguishes truth from falsehood,

One swiftly knows and trusts the right path.

The Buddha said to the Dragon King:

“You should now take refuge in the Buddha, take refuge in the Dharma, and take refuge in the Bhiksu Sangha.”

The Dragon King received the Three Refuges. Among animals, the dragon was the first to encounter the Buddha.

Through his spiritual power, the Buddha moved his seat into a stone chamber. He reflected upon his original vow to save and liberate sentient beings. He contemplated the source of birth and death, beginning with the Dharma of the twelve links of dependent origination: “Because phenomena arise through causes and conditions, there is birth and death; if the phenomena of causes and conditions cease, then birth and death cease.

Because one acts in such a way, one obtains a corresponding result. In all sentient beings, the mind is a spirit dark and obscure, confused and formless. It gives rise to consciousness and perception and, according to karma, receives a body; yet the body is not its own master.

Consciousness is impermanent. The conscious mind continually transforms, remaining turbid and difficult to purify, arising and ceasing by itself without ever stopping. As soon as one thought ceases, another thought arises.

It is like bubbles upon water: as soon as one bubble dissolves, another follows. As for the three realms—the Desire Realm, the Form Realm, and the Formless Realm—and the nine paths, all are bound by consciousness and cannot escape the suffering of delusion, nor do they know how to awaken themselves. Therefore this is called ignorance.

They do not know the Buddha’s supreme and wondrous Way, which is fundamentally quiescent and free from thought, and which the minds of ordinary people in the world cannot comprehend.

“There are ninety-six kinds of worldly paths and arts. Each believes in its own forms of worship; how could they recognize their delusion? Sentient beings are attached to a life of ease, delight in food and drink, and are infatuated with sounds and forms; therefore, they cannot delight in the Buddha’s Way. The Buddha’s Way is pure, empty, and devoid of possessions. Even the body and life, together with the myriad things, do not endure forever. If I were to tell them that the world is suffering, empty, and devoid of possessions, who would be able to believe it? How difficult this is for me! I wish to remain silent and not teach the Dharma to the world.”

The Buddha then entered meditative concentration and emitted a ray of light from between his brows that shone as far as the seventh heaven. Great Brahma knew that the Buddha intended to enter nirvana. Out of compassion for the three realms, which had long been subject to decay and would never understand the supramundane teaching, and whose beings, after death, would again fall into the three evil paths—when would they ever escape samsara?—he reflected that only after an immensely long time does a Buddha appear. Encountering a Buddha is exceedingly difficult, like beholding an udumbara flower. Therefore, for the sake of devas and humans, Brahma earnestly implored the Buddha to teach the sutras. Great Brahma said to Sakra:

“Bring the celestial musician Pancasikha to the stone chamber.”

The Buddha had just emerged from meditation when Pancasikha played his lute and sang:

Hear me sing of the One Possessing the Ten Powers,

Who has cast aside the hindrances and entered meditation;

His radiance illumines the seven heavens,

The fragrance of his virtue surpasses sandalwood.

The wondrous sovereign of the devas has come,

Longing and hoping to behold the Buddha;

Brahma and Sakra both pay reverence,

Bowing their heads, wishing to hear.

Your vows from former births

Led you to strive through a hundred kalpas;

Practicing great generosity and the Four Immeasurables,

The Ten-Powered One received vast blessings.

Upholding pure and stainless precepts,

With loving-kindness and compassion you aided all beings;

Resolutely entering meditative wisdom,

You journeyed on through great compassion.

Your innumerable ascetic practices

Have now brought your merit to fulfillment;

Through the powers of morality, patience, concentration, and wisdom,

You have subdued the disturbances of Mara.

Your majestic virtue encompasses the world,

Your spiritual wisdom surpasses that of holy beings;

Your excellent marks are beyond compare,

Your eightfold voice resounds throughout the ten directions.

Your resolve is lofty as Mount Sumeru,

Your purity is inconceivable;

Forever ending lust, anger, and ignorance,

You are free from the calamities of aging and death.

Contemplating in accordance with concentration and awakening,

You have compassion for all devas and humans;

Open wide the treasury of the precious Dharma

And bestow the noble ambrosia.

Cause beings to cast off fear and anxiety,

And those in peril to attain peace;

Let the deluded behold the right path,

And those in false and deviant ways encounter true words.

All rejoice

And wish to hear and receive the teaching without weariness;

Please open the Dharma of deathlessness

And transform and liberate beings throughout boundless realms.

The Buddha, already knowing all things, then emerged from concentration. Brahma addressed the Buddha:

“After immeasurably distant kalpas, I have now encountered a Buddha. The devas rejoice and are delighted, wishing to hear the teaching. Please teach the sutras to the world. May the Buddha not enter nirvana, but for the sake of ignorant sentient beings who lack the eye of wisdom, reveal the path of compassion and enable them to attain liberation. Among devas and humans are many good and virtuous people who delight in the Way and quickly understand the Dharma. There are also diligent people capable of receiving the precepts and teachings, who greatly fear the three evil paths. Please open the treasury of the precious Dharma and pour down the water of ambrosia so that many may receive and enjoy it.

“When there is no Buddha in the world, I see that practitioners of other paths still possess all three poisons. They compose scriptures according to their own ideas, and people study those untrue teachings. How much more should they hear the Buddha’s pure Way, free from lust, anger, and ignorance? I humbly beseech the Buddha to teach the Dharma so that sentient beings may hear the most sincere Way.”

The Buddha said:

“Excellent, excellent! Brahma wishes to bestow peace and happiness, universally save and liberate all worlds, comfort and aid sentient beings, and enable them to attain liberation. I have considered how the world is attached to craving and sensual desire and has fallen into the suffering of birth and death, with few able to awaken themselves.

This originally arises from the twelve links of dependent origination: ignorance conditions ignorance; formations condition formations; consciousness conditions consciousness; name-and-form conditions name-and-form; the six sense entrances condition the six sense entrances; contact conditions contact; feeling conditions feeling; craving conditions craving; grasping conditions grasping; existence conditions existence; and birth conditions aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, distress, and grief.

When this great mass of calamity is complete, consciousness proceeds from here to undergo birth and death. Those who wish to attain the Way should cut off craving, extinguish sensual passion, and abide in the unconditioned, without arising. Thus ignorance ceases.

When ignorance ceases, formations cease; when formations cease, consciousness ceases; when consciousness ceases, name-and-form cease; when name-and-form cease, the six sense entrances cease; when the six sense entrances cease, contact ceases; when contact ceases, feeling ceases; when feeling ceases, craving ceases; when craving ceases, grasping ceases; when grasping ceases, existence ceases; when existence ceases, birth ceases; when birth ceases, aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, and distress are all completely ended.

This is called attaining the Way. Only a Buddha can awaken to it, for these phenomena are profound and difficult to understand. Ordinary people in the world cannot comprehend this pure Dharma of wisdom.

“There are ninety-six kinds of worldly paths and arts, each with a different mode of worship. Some worship the five planets, the sun, the moon, heaven and earth; others worship water, fire, ghosts, spirits, dragons, and so forth. All seek peace and security in their lives.

Craving sensual pleasures and flavors and delighting in sounds and forms, they cannot delight in the Buddha’s Way. They do not listen to the Buddha’s sutras and do not understand the essentials of the Dharma. The minds of ordinary people are mistaken, believing that this body and the myriad things endure forever.

If I tell them that all existing things are impermanent, that wherever there is a body there is suffering, that this body truly is not mine, that it is empty and devoid of possessions, and that relatives and family members are not mine, these true and right words will seem contrary to the ways of the world. Who would be willing to believe them? How difficult this is for me!

It would be better for me to enter nirvana! Therefore, I wish only to remain silent.”

Brahma again entreated:

People in the world, throughout countless kalpas,

Amid birth and death, rarely hear the Buddha’s sutras.

The Buddha appears in the world to save myriad beings;

Now that the vow is fulfilled, an event rare in the world,

I reverently bow to the Buddha, the Supremely Exalted One.

The world is ever bound in darkness;

Bring forth the ten powers and boundless wisdom,

Open the treasury of Dharma, bestow wisdom’s light,

And illuminate gods and humans everywhere, causing them to awaken.

The Buddha liberates all beings; I take refuge and bow in reverence!

You once made vows for the sake of those who suffer,

Diligently accumulating virtue until your vows were fulfilled.

Out of compassion for beings afflicted by ignorance, aging, and death,

Please bestow the medicine of Dharma to cure their painful illness.

O Buddha of unsurpassed compassion, I reverently entreat you!

The Buddha accepted Brahma’s entreaty and considered who might be brought to liberation. “Long ago, the royal father sent five men to attend upon me. They are now dwelling in the mountains.” The Buddha entered the mountains. When the five men saw the Buddha, they said to one another:

“That man is coming here. Let us take care not to rise.”

When the Buddha arrived, all five rose and spontaneously bowed at his feet. The Buddha asked:

“Why did you not remain steadfast in the resolution you made? You agreed among yourselves not to rise when I came; why, then, did you bow to me?”

The five men could not answer and asked to become the Buddha’s disciples. The Buddha extended his hand, stroked their heads, and made them shramanas. The five men went beneath the trees, and each sat contemplating the Buddha.

The Buddha then remembered Uruvilva Kashyapa, who lived nearby. He was courageous, exceptionally intelligent, and renowned; kings, officials, and common people alike revered him. He and his five hundred disciples were dwelling on the bank of the Nairanjana River. The Buddha wished to bring him to liberation first, causing him to gain clear realization, rejoice, and place joyful faith in the Buddhadharma. The Buddha and those who followed him went to Kashyapa’s dwelling.

Seeing the Buddha, Kashyapa rose to welcome him and exclaimed in praise:

“How fortunate! The Great Man of the Way has come here. Are you in good health?”

The Buddha replied:

Freedom from illness is the greatest blessing;

Contentment is the greatest wealth;

A good friend is the closest kin;

Nirvana is the highest bliss.

Kashyapa said:

“World-Honored One, what instruction do you have for me?”

The Buddha said:

“I wish to discuss one matter with you. Please remain calm and do not become angry. I must trouble you to lend me the fire chamber for one night.”

He replied:

“I would rather you did not, for a venomous naga dwells there, and I fear it will harm you.”

The Buddha said:

“No, the venomous naga will not harm me.”

The Buddha made his request three times, and Kashyapa said:

“Certainly, the Great Man of the Way possesses lofty virtue and can dwell safely in that chamber.”

The Buddha bathed and purified himself, then entered the fire chamber. He spread grass upon the ground and sat down. After a short while, the venomous naga became enraged and emitted smoke from its body. The Buddha likewise manifested his spiritual power and emitted smoke from his body. The naga grew still more furious and sent forth flames from its entire body. The Buddha also manifested his spiritual power, radiating fiery light from his body. The naga’s flames and the Buddha’s radiance both blazed fiercely, causing the stone chamber to appear engulfed in fire. Smoke and flames rose high, as though a conflagration had broken out. During the night, Kashyapa arose to observe the stars. Seeing the fire chamber blazing brightly, he cried out:

“Alas! What a pity that this dignified Great Shramana did not heed my words and has now been harmed by the venomous naga!”

The Buddha knew Kashyapa’s thoughts. Within the chamber, he used his great spiritual power to eliminate the naga’s venomous harm, subdued it, and placed it in his alms bowl.

Kashyapa became alarmed and ordered his five hundred disciples to bring jars of water to extinguish the flames. Yet whenever they poured out a jar of water, it turned into another flame. Teacher and disciples became even more terrified and lamented together:

“Alas! The Great Man of the Way has died!”

Early the next morning, the Buddha emerged carrying his alms bowl with the venomous naga inside. Kashyapa exclaimed in astonishment:

“Is the Great Man of the Way still alive? What is that in your bowl?”

The Buddha replied:

“Of course I am still alive. What is in this bowl is precisely the venomous naga.”

Everyone was terrified and dared not enter the chamber. The Buddha said:

“I have subdued the venomous naga and conferred the precepts upon it.”

Kashyapa believed that he himself had attained the Way and regarded the Buddha as not genuine. Turning to his disciples, he said:

“This Great Shramana possesses supreme spiritual power. Nevertheless, this spiritual being has not attained the Way and is not equal to me, for I have realized the fruit of arhatship.”

The Buddha went near Kashyapa and sat beneath a tree. On the first night, the Four Heavenly Kings descended together to hear the Buddha teach the sutra. Their bodies shone brilliantly like fire. During the night, Kashyapa arose and saw four flames beside the Buddha. Early the next morning, he came and asked:

“Does the Great Man of the Way also worship fire?”

The Buddha replied:

“I do not worship fire.”

Kashyapa said:

“Then why were there four flames here last night?”

The Buddha said:

“Last night, the Four Heavenly Kings descended here to hear the sutra. Those were their radiant lights.”

Kashyapa thought, “This Great Shramana possesses supreme spiritual power. Nevertheless, this spiritual being has still not attained the Way and is not equal to me, for I have realized the fruit of arhatship.”

The Buddha remained beneath the tree. On the second night, at midnight, Shakra, Lord of the Gods, descended to hear the Buddha teach the sutra. Shakra’s brilliant radiance surpassed even the great lights of the previous night. During the night, Kashyapa arose and saw beside the Buddha a fiery light many times brighter than the lights of the preceding night. He thought, “This Great Shramana continues to worship fire.”

Early the next morning, he again came and asked the Buddha:

“Does the Great Man of the Way worship the god of fire?”

The Buddha replied:

“No. Last night, Shakra descended here to hear the sutra being taught, and therefore such a brilliant sign appeared.”

Kashyapa thought, “This Great Shramana is indeed a greatly divine sage. Nevertheless, he has not attained the Way and is not equal to me, for I have realized the fruit of arhatship.”

On the following night, Brahma of the seventh heaven came to hear the sutra. Brahma’s brilliant appearance was many times brighter than that of Shakra, Lord of the Gods.

Kashyapa awoke at midnight and saw that the light beside the Buddha was even more radiant than on the previous night. Early the next morning, he again asked:

“Does the Great Man of the Way worship fire?”

The Buddha replied:

“I do not worship fire.”

Kashyapa asked again:

“Then why was the light last night many times brighter?”

The Buddha said:

“Last night, Brahma descended here to hear the sutra. That was his brilliant appearance.”

Kashyapa again thought, “Although this Great Shramana possesses spiritual powers, he has not attained the Way and is not equal to me, for I have realized the fruit of arhatship.”

Each of Kashyapa’s five hundred disciples worshiped three fires, making one thousand five hundred fires in all. Early in the morning, they tried to kindle the fires, but the fires would not burn. Finding this strange, they reported it to their teacher. Their teacher said:

“I suspect this is the doing of the Great Shramana.”

Kashyapa went to ask the Buddha:

“My five hundred disciples regularly worship one thousand five hundred fires. This morning, they tried to kindle them, but none of the fires would burn. Was this the doing of the Great Man of the Way?”

The Buddha replied:

“Do you now wish the fires to burn?”

The Buddha asked three times, and each time Kashyapa replied that he did.

The Buddha said:

“Return, and the fires will burn.”

In accordance with his words, all the fires began to burn. Kashyapa again thought, “Although this Great Shramana possesses spiritual powers, he has not attained the Way and is not equal to me, for I have realized the fruit of arhatship.”

Kashyapa himself also worshiped three fires. Early in the morning, he tried to kindle them, but they would not burn. He thought again that this must be the Great Shramana’s doing and no one else’s, so he went to ask the Buddha:

“I worship three fires. This morning, I tried to kindle them, but they would not burn. I believe this was the Great Shramana’s doing, was it not?”

The Buddha replied:

“Do you wish the fires to burn again?”

The Buddha asked three times, and each time Kāśyapa said that he wished it.

The Buddha said:

“Go back; the fires will burn.”

In accordance with his words, all the fires began to burn.

Kāśyapa again thought, “Although the Great Śramaṇa possesses spiritual powers, he has not attained the Way and cannot compare with me, who has realized the fruit of arhatship.”

After the fires had begun to burn, Kāśyapa wanted to extinguish them, but he could not. His five hundred disciples and the other fire worshipers all joined their efforts to extinguish the fires, yet the fires still would not go out. They all said, “This must be the doing of the Great Śramaṇa and no one else.”

Kāśyapa went to ask the Buddha:

“The fires have begun to burn, and now they cannot be extinguished.”

The Buddha said:

“Do you wish to extinguish the fires?”

Kāśyapa replied:

“I do.”

The Buddha said:

“Go back; the fires will be extinguished.”

At once, all the fires went out. Kāśyapa thought as before, “Although this Great Śramaṇa possesses spiritual powers, he cannot compare with my true attainment of the Way.”

Kāśyapa came and said to the Buddha:

“Great man of the Way, please remain here and do not go far away. I will provide you with food.”

Kāśyapa returned and instructed his household, “Tomorrow, prepare the finest rice and arrange beds and seats.” When it was time for the meal, Kāśyapa personally went to invite the Buddha.

The Buddha said:

“Go back ahead of me. I will come afterward.”

As soon as Kāśyapa had departed, in the time it takes a person to bend and extend an arm, the Buddha traveled eastward to the land of Phất-vu-đãi, several hundred billion leagues away, picked Diêm-bặc fruits until his bowl was full, and returned. Before Kāśyapa had arrived, the Buddha was already seated upon his seat.

Kāśyapa arrived and asked:

“Great man of the Way, by what road did you come here?”

The Buddha replied:

“After you left, I went to the eastern land of Phất-vu-đãi and picked Diêm-bặc fruits. They have a delicious flavor and are edible. Take some and taste them.” After the Buddha had eaten, he departed. Kāśyapa continued to think, “Although this Great Śramaṇa possesses spiritual powers, he cannot compare with my true attainment of the Way.”

The following morning, when it was time to eat, Kāśyapa again invited the Buddha. The Buddha accepted and told Kāśyapa to go ahead, saying that he would follow afterward. Once Kāśyapa had departed, the Buddha traveled southward to the farthest reaches of Jambudvīpa, several tens of millions of leagues away, picked A-lê-lặc fruits until his bowl was full, and returned. Before Kāśyapa had come back, the Buddha was already seated upon his seat. When Kāśyapa arrived, he asked:

“How were you able to arrive here first?”

The Buddha replied:

“After you left, I went to the southernmost reaches of this land and picked A-lê-lặc fruits. They too are fragrant and edible. Take some and eat them.” After the Buddha had eaten, he departed. Kāśyapa continued to think, “Although this Great Śramaṇa possesses spiritual powers, he cannot compare with my true attainment of the Way.”

The next morning, Kāśyapa again came to invite the Buddha. The Buddha accepted and told Kāśyapa to go ahead, saying that he would follow afterward. Once Kāśyapa had departed, the Buddha traveled westward to the land of Câu-da-ni, several hundred billion leagues away, picked A-ma-lặc fruits until his bowl was full, and returned. He arrived before Kāśyapa and sat upon his seat. Kāśyapa arrived afterward and asked:

“Great sir, by which route did you return here?”

The Buddha replied:

“After you left, I traveled westward to the land of Câu-da-ni and picked A-ma-lặc fruits. They are fragrant and edible. Take some and eat them.”

Kāśyapa again thought, “Although this Great Śramaṇa possesses spiritual powers, he cannot compare with my true attainment of the Way.”

The next morning, Kāśyapa again invited the Buddha. The Buddha agreed and told Kāśyapa to go ahead, saying that he would follow afterward. Kāśyapa looked back and suddenly could no longer see the Buddha. Using his spiritual powers, the Buddha traveled northward to the land of Uất-đơn-việt, several hundred billion leagues away, obtained naturally grown rice until his bowl was full, and returned. He arrived before Kāśyapa and sat upon his seat. Kāśyapa arrived afterward and asked:

“Great man of the Way, by which road did you come here this time?”

The Buddha replied:

“After you left, I traveled northward to the land of Uất-đơn-việt and obtained this already cooked rice, which is fragrant and delicious. Take some and taste it.”

After the Buddha had finished his meal, he returned. Kāśyapa again thought, “Although this Great Śramaṇa possesses spiritual powers, he cannot compare with my true attainment of the Way.”

The following day, when it was time for the meal, the Buddha carried his alms bowl to Kāśyapa’s house, received food, and returned. Having reached a secluded place, the Buddha finished his meal and wished to rinse his mouth. Knowing the Buddha’s intention, Śakra, Lord of the Devas, immediately came to him and pointed at the ground with his hand. Water flowed forth and formed a pond for the Buddha’s use.

In the afternoon, Kāśyapa was walking around the village when he saw a spring of water. Astonished, he asked the Buddha:

“How did this spring come to be?”

The Buddha replied:

“This morning, I went to your house to receive alms. On my return, I passed this place and finished my meal here. When I wished to rinse my mouth, Śakra, Lord of the Devas, pointed at the ground and caused water to flow forth. You should call this the Pond of Pointing at the Ground.”

Kāśyapa again thought, “Although this Great Śramaṇa possesses spiritual powers, he cannot compare with my true attainment of the Way.”

The Buddha returned beneath the tree. Along the way, he saw a discarded, tattered robe and wished to take and wash it. Knowing the Buddha’s intention, Śakra, Lord of the Devas, immediately went up Mount Át-na, obtained a beautiful, square, and level stone, brought it to the edge of the pond, and said to the Buddha:

“You may use this to wash the robe.”

After the Buddha had washed the robe, he wished to spread it out to dry. Śakra, Lord of the Devas, again went and obtained a six-sided stone, which he brought for the Buddha to use in drying the robe.

Seeing two fine stones beside the pond, Kāśyapa again asked the Buddha:

“How did these fine stones come to be here?”

The Buddha replied:

“I wished to wash and dry a robe, so Śakra, Lord of the Devas, went to Mount Át-na and brought these two stones for me to use.”

Kāśyapa again thought, “Although this Great Śramaṇa possesses spiritual powers, he cannot compare with my true attainment of the Way.”

After the Buddha had bathed in the Pond of Pointing at the Ground, he wished to climb onto the bank but had nothing to grasp. On the bank of the pond there was a very tall and beautiful tree called Ca-hòa. The tree naturally bent down toward the Buddha, and the Buddha grasped it to climb onto the bank.

Seeing the tree bent down and casting its shade, Kāśyapa found it extraordinary and asked the Buddha about it. The Buddha replied:

“I entered the pond to bathe. When I wished to climb onto the bank, there was nothing for me to grasp. Therefore, the spirit of the tree caused its branch to bend down so that I could climb ashore.”

Kāśyapa again thought, “Although this Great Śramaṇa possesses spiritual powers, he cannot compare with my true attainment of the Way.”

At that time, the king of Magadha, together with his officials and subjects, came to Kāśyapa’s dwelling for the annual festival, where they made merry for seven days.

Kāśyapa thought, “The Great Śramaṇa truly possesses divine and penetrating wisdom. If everyone sees the Buddha, they will surely abandon me and no longer pay homage to me. What can be done to make him go away so that I may enjoy the festival for seven days?”

Knowing Kāśyapa’s thought, the Buddha concealed himself for seven days. After the seven days had passed, Kāśyapa again thought, “During the seven-day festival, a great deal of food was left over. How delightful it would be if the Great Śramaṇa came to partake of it.”

Knowing Kāśyapa’s thought from afar, the Buddha immediately came. Kāśyapa rejoiced and said:

“Great man of the Way, how wonderful that you have come! I wish to make offerings to you, but during these seven days I did not know where you were.”

The Buddha said:

“When the king, together with his officials and subjects, came here to attend the seven-day festival, you thought, ‘This Great Śramaṇa truly possesses divine and penetrating wisdom. If everyone sees him, they will surely abandon me and no longer pay homage to me. What can be done to make him go away so that I may enjoy the festival for seven days?’ For that reason, I departed. Now you have thought of me, and so I have returned.”

Kāśyapa again thought, “This Great Śramaṇa even knows the thoughts of others; nevertheless, he cannot compare with my true attainment of the Way.”

At that time, Kāśyapa’s five hundred disciples all went to chop firewood, each carrying an axe, but none of the axes could cut. Alarmed, they went and reported this to their teacher. Their teacher said:

“This must be the doing of the Great Śramaṇa and no one else.”

Kāśyapa went to ask the Buddha:

“My disciples went together to chop firewood. They raised their axes, but could not bring them down.”

The Buddha said:

“Go back, and the axes will come down.”

All the axes came down, but after they had descended, they stuck fast in the wood and could not be lifted. Kasyapa again came and said to the Buddha:

“Now the axes have come down, but they cannot be lifted.”

The Buddha replied:

“Go back. I shall enable the axes to be lifted.”

He enabled the axes to be lifted and used.

Kasyapa again thought, “This Great Sramana possesses spiritual powers, but he is not equal to my true path.”

At that time, the waters of the Nairanjana River were flowing swiftly. Through his natural spiritual power, the Buddha caused the water to stand still in one place, so that the obstructed water rose higher than a man’s head and dust from the riverbed rose into the air; the Buddha then walked through it.

Fearing that the Buddha had been swept away by the water, Kasyapa immediately went there with his disciples. They boarded a boat and searched for the Buddha. Kasyapa saw that the water had been obstructed and divided, that dust was rising in the midst of it, and that the Buddha was walking there. Kasyapa called out:

“Is the Great Man of the Way still alive?”

The Buddha replied:

“Certainly, I am still alive.”

Kasyapa asked:

“Would you like to come aboard the boat?”

The Buddha said:

“Very well.”

The Buddha conceived this thought: “I must now manifest spiritual power so that he will be convinced.” From within the water, he immediately passed through the bottom of the boat and entered it, without leaving any trace of having passed through.

Kasyapa again thought, “Although this Great Sramana possesses spiritual powers, he has not yet attained the Way. He is not equal to me, for I have attained the fruit of arhatship.”

The Buddha said to Kasyapa:

“You are not an arhat, nor do you know the true path. Are you not truly deluded and deceitful to proclaim yourself worthy of honor?”

Kasyapa was then terrified, and the hairs on his body stood on end. Knowing for himself that he had not attained the Way, he bowed his head and said:

“The Great Man of the Way is truly a Holy One, for only such a one could know my thoughts and aspirations. May we follow the Great Man of the Way, receive the precepts and Dharma, and become sramanas?”

The Buddha replied:

“You should return and inform your disciples of this excellent and beneficial matter. You are a great elder upon whom the whole kingdom relies. Now that you wish to study the Great Way, you must not decide this by yourself alone.”

Kasyapa heeded the Buddha’s teaching, returned, and told his disciples:

“Do you understand? Only after seeing it with my own eyes did my mind come to believe. I shall shave off my beard and hair, put on the Dharma robe, receive the Buddha’s precepts and Dharma, and become a sramana. Which path do you wish to follow?”

The five hundred disciples replied:

“Our understanding is due to the kindness of our great teacher. Therefore, whatever our teacher reveres and trusts certainly cannot be false. Please allow us to follow you and become sramanas.”

At that time, Kasyapa and his disciples took off their sheepskin garments and cast their water vessels, staffs, footwear, and all their implements for worshiping fire into the river. Together they then went before the Buddha, bowed their heads, and said:

“We, your five hundred disciples, have faith. We ask to leave the household life, shave off our beards and hair, and receive the Buddha’s precepts and Dharma.”

The Buddha said:

“Good. Come, sramanas!”

The beards and hair of Kasyapa and his five hundred disciples naturally fell away, and they became sramanas.

Uruvilva Kasyapa had two younger brothers, Nadi Kasyapa and Gaya Kasyapa. Each brother likewise had two hundred and fifty disciples and lived in thatched huts along the riverbank. Seeing the garments, possessions, and fire-worshiping implements of the brahmins floating downstream, the two younger brothers were astonished. Fearing that their elder brother and his five hundred disciples had been harmed by evil men or swept away by a great flood, they immediately went upstream with their five hundred disciples. Farther upriver, they saw that their elder brother and all his disciples had become sramanas. Astonished, they asked:

“Elder brother, you are already one hundred and twenty years old, and your wisdom is lofty and profound. The king, officials, and people all wholeheartedly honor you. We believed you to be an arhat. Now you have abandoned the path of the brahmins to study the Dharma of the sramanas. This is no small matter. How could the Buddha’s path surpass your own?”

Kasyapa replied:

“The Buddha’s Way is supremely excellent, and his teachings are immeasurable. Although I have studied worldly teachings, I have never encountered anyone whose wisdom, spiritual power, and attainment of the Way equal those of the Buddha. His scriptures and precepts are exceedingly pure and profound. With loving-kindness and compassion, he delivers all beings and teaches them by means of three things:

1. The Way of meditative concentration, spiritual powers, transformations, and natural manifestations.

2. Wisdom by which he knows people’s original intentions.

3. The scriptures of the Way and right conduct, prescribing medicine according to each illness.

The two younger Kasyapa brothers turned and asked their disciples:

“Which path do you wish to follow?”

The five hundred assembled and said with one voice:

“We vow to follow our great teachers.”

They all bowed before the Buddha and asked to become sramanas.

The Buddha said:

“Good. Come, sramanas!”

The beards and hair of the two younger Kasyapa brothers and their five hundred disciples all fell away, and they followed the Buddha as sramanas.

The Buddha now had one thousand sramanas. They all went and sat beneath the trees in a forest in Di District, in the region of Varanasi. The Buddha’s disciples had all formerly been brahmins. For their sake, the Buddha manifested awe-inspiring spiritual transformations:

1. Flying through the air.

2. Expounding the sutras.

3. Teaching and transforming beings.

When the disciples beheld the Buddha’s awe-inspiring spiritual power, they were all filled with joy, bowed before him, and respectfully practiced as instructed.