中本起經

1. CHAPTER ON TURNING THE DHARMA WHEEL

The Venerable Ananda said:

Formerly, while attending upon the Buddha, I heard as follows:

At one time, the Buddha was beneath the Tree of Auspicious Vows at the Bodhimanda of Excellent Victory in the kingdom of Magadha. Possessing mighty awe-inspiring virtue, he had subdued all the maras; his wisdom of enlightenment was wondrous and pure, and his threefold knowledge was unobstructed. He delivered two merchants, Trapusa and Bhallika, conferring upon them the Three Refuges and then transmitting the Five Precepts, thereby making them faithful laymen. The Buddha said: “Long ago, there was a first Buddha named Dipankara. Because I paid homage to the name of that Buddha, he bestowed this prediction upon me:

“‘After ninety-one more kalpas, you will become a Buddha named Sakyamuni, bearing the titles Tathagata, Worthy One, Perfectly Enlightened One, Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, Well-Gone One, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed One, Tamer of Beings, Teacher of Devas and Humans, Buddha, and Blessed One. You will deliver the people of the world just as I do today.’

“From that time until now, I have cultivated my original resolve, practiced the six paramitas to their utmost perfection, and tirelessly accumulated meritorious conduct through the practice of the Four Immeasurables—loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity. My myriad practices were extraordinary; I endured immeasurable suffering, and never failed in the merit of repaying kindness. By arousing the great vow, I have now brought its fruit to perfect fulfillment.”

The Blessed One thought:

“I formerly made this solemn vow: ‘For the sake of all living beings, when Brahma and Sakra come to request the Dharma, the gate of the deathless nectar shall be opened.’ Who is fit to hear it first?”

In the past, when I renounced the household life, I went to the brahmins Arada Kalama and Udraka Ramaputra. I had thought, “When I attain enlightenment, these two shall be delivered first.” Remembering this, I now wish to deliver them.

The devas, respectfully obeying the sacred intent, spoke from the sky:

“Those two passed away seven days ago.”

The Buddha said:

“Alas, Arada Kalama! The gate of the deathless nectar is now open; why were you unable to hear it?”

The Buddha again thought:

“The deathless nectar is now revealed. Who next is worthy to hear it?”

Udraka Ramaputra was the next person worthy of hearing it. The Buddha had just risen, intending to go to him, when the devas again said:

“He passed away only yesterday evening.”

The Buddha said:

“He has fallen into decline forever. Though the deathless nectar is now revealed, he cannot hear it. Repeatedly undergoing birth and death, how can he bring the cycle through the five destinies to an end? How painful this is!”

The Buddha again thought:

“The Dharma drum of the deathless nectar shall resound throughout the great trichiliocosm. Who is able to hear it? Formerly, my royal father instructed five men: 1) Kaundinya, 2) Asvajit, 3) Bhadrika, 4) Dasabala Kasyapa, and 5) Mahanama Kulika. They supplied me with sesame and grain and attended upon me amid hardship. Their service ought to be repaid.”

At that time, all five men were dwelling in the kingdom of Varanasi. The Tathagata then arose from beneath the tree, adorned with majestic marks. His radiance illuminated the world, and his awe-inspiring spiritual power caused the earth to tremble. All who saw him rejoiced. He proceeded directly toward Varanasi. On the road, he met a brahmin named Upaka. Seeing the Blessed One’s wondrous appearance, Upaka was filled with mingled joy and awe. Standing at the roadside, he praised him aloud:

“You are truly majestic and spiritually resplendent, with a dignified and imposing bearing. Whom do you honor as your teacher, that you have acquired such an appearance?”

For Upaka, the Buddha spoke this verse:

“Through attaining the Noble Eightfold Awakening,
I am neither separated nor defiled.
Having ended becoming and broken the net of desire,
I awakened naturally, without a teacher.

Upaka asked the Buddha Gautama:

“Where are you going?”

The Buddha said to the brahmin:

“I wish to go to the kingdom of Varanasi, beat the Dharma drum of the deathless nectar, and turn the unsurpassed Dharma wheel—a Dharma wheel never before turned by any sage in the three realms—so that everyone may enter nirvana just as I have today.”

Upaka rejoiced greatly and said:

“Excellent! Excellent! Just as Gautama has said, may you open the deathless nectar and teach the Dharma accordingly.”

The Tathagata then arrived beneath a tree in the Deer Park of the Ancient Seers in the kingdom of Varanasi, where the five men were staying.

When those five saw the Buddha approaching from afar, they discussed among themselves:

“We endured austerities, left our homes, and crossed mountains and passes in extreme hardship precisely to supply this man with sesame and grain. Yet he could not endure it. Because he was defeated by Mara, he became weak and fled from the practice. Now he comes here. If he could not bear subsisting on a single sesame seed or grain of rice and has gone back to seeking food, how could he possibly attain the path? We should merely set out a seat for him, but neither rise nor ask after him. When treated so poorly, he will surely abandon us and leave.”

The Blessed One then manifested the spiritual transformation of the path for these five men, causing them to become delighted and joyful. Without realizing it, they rose, bowed reverently, and attended upon him as before. The Buddha said to the five:

“You agreed among yourselves not to rise. Why do you now bow to me?”

They all replied:

“We have remained here because of Siddhartha and therefore had to undergo many austerities. It was because of you that King Suddhodana behaved violently and without the Way.”

The Buddha told the five:

“You should not slight the Unsurpassed, True, and Perfectly Enlightened One. The Tathagata, who has awakened to equality, is the Unsurpassed Perfectly Enlightened One. You should not entertain thoughts bound to birth and death concerning him. Why, when addressing me, do you instead speak the name of my father?”

He again said to the five:

“Look at my body. Does it resemble the way it appeared when I formerly sat beneath the tree?”

The five replied:

“At that time, you were emaciated, whereas now you are radiant. Yet when you sat upright beneath the tree with your eyes closed, eating only one sesame seed or grain of rice each day, even that was said not to be the path. How much less could it be called the path now that you have entered human society and allow your body and mouth whatever food and clothing they desire?”

The Buddha told the five:

“There are two practices in the world through which one is assailed and debased.

“What are these two? They are killing and sexual misconduct, reliance upon wealth, and sensual craving; and poverty and exhausting hardship, while inwardly possessing no trace of the path. Is freedom from these two practices not the true cause of the path? I have examined the ninety-six schools of thought without rejecting their teachings, yet I proceed along the Middle Way without becoming attached to either extreme. How does one proceed along the Middle Way, attain the practice of awakened wisdom, acquire all knowledge, realize the six superknowledges, and fully perfect the eight right practices?

“This is called proceeding along the Middle Way and abiding in nirvana.”

The Buddha taught this Dharma, but the five still did not understand. When three went out to seek alms, two remained to serve him. The Buddha taught the Dharma to those two:

“Form is suffering. All calamities and afflictions arise from sensual desire associated with form. All things are impermanent, and human beings likewise do not abide forever. It is like an illusionist who intends to perform magical transformations: when fools see them, they become enamored and attached, craving them without weariness. But the illusionist sees and knows those illusions for what they are and therefore remains undefiled and unattached. Why is this? Because they are false and not real.”

For those two, the Buddha spoke this verse:

When three remained to serve him and two went out to seek alms, he taught them:

– Craving is suffering. It causes one to delight in gain and seek glory and splendor. Fools become infatuated and engrossed, leading to harm and loss of virtue; all arise from craving: joy and anger, gain and loss. Those consumed by desire never feel content. Because they pursue their own advantage, they encounter peril, while worldly things are like drifting clouds. When old age, sickness, and death arrive, there is nothing that does not disperse. It is like a person dreaming who, upon awakening, sees nothing at all. Only when the wise can relinquish craving do they attain great peace.

For those three persons, the Buddha spoke this verse:

– Thoughts of sensual desire are a dream;

An insatiable mind is a dream.

Cut off craving and abandon the pursuit of gain,

And there will be no more sorrow.

The Blessed One then expounded the Dharma extensively and in due sequence. The five men immediately understood the Way and asked to become disciples.

The Buddha said:

– Welcome, bhikkhus!

They all became śramanas. The Buddha said:

– Bhikkhus, there are two practices that, if followed, cause one to fall into a lowly state. The first is dwelling upon sensual forms without a pure mind. The second is becoming attached through sensual desire and craving, thus being unable to purify the mind and thoughts. These two practices cause people to fall into wrong conduct, to be born where they do not encounter a Buddha, and to turn against and depart far from the true Way. Whoever can eliminate craving and cultivate diligently with clarity can attain the Way of nirvana. Those who train in the Way must first understand the Four Truths. What are the Four Truths?

– They are: 1) Suffering. 2) Its arising. 3) Its cessation. 4) Entering the Way. Thus, bhikkhus, you must next maintain awakened wisdom, single-mindedly contemplate meditation, and clearly recognize the fruits of the Way. When the Dharma eye has become clear, one immediately understands these Four Truths and gradually enters the stream of stream-entry.

What is Suffering?

– It is the suffering of birth, the suffering of aging, the suffering of sickness, the suffering of death; sorrow, grief, and affliction are suffering; separation from those one loves is suffering; encountering those one hates is suffering; and not obtaining what one seeks is suffering. In brief, clinging to the five skandhas is suffering.

What is Arising?

– It is the accumulation brought about by attachment and craving. If there is no attachment or craving, there is no accumulation.

What is Cessation?

– Through awakened wisdom, craving is cut off and extinguished; thus, without craving and without thought of it, one attains awakening.

What is Entering the Way?

– It is the Noble Eightfold Path: 1) Right View. 2) Right Intention. 3) Right Speech. 4) Right Conduct. 5) Right Livelihood. 6) Right Mindfulness. 7) Right Wisdom. 8) Right Concentration.

These are Suffering, Arising, Cessation, and the Way. The True Truth is unborn; because it is unborn, it is undying. Because it is undying, it is free from sickness; because it is free from sickness, it is free from death; because it is free from death, it is free from suffering; and because it is free from suffering, one attains the unsurpassed good and proceeds toward nirvana. The Tathagata then spoke this verse:

– The wondrous Way neither comes nor goes,

Profound, subtle, pure, wondrous, and true.

Neither dying nor being born—

That itself is nirvana.

It is unsurpassed tranquility,

Ultimately free from all fabrication.

Though the heavenly realms are beautiful,

They cannot compare with nirvana.

Thus did he teach the Dharma. The five men, Kaundinya and the others, immediately attained the Dharma eye.

The Buddha asked:

– Kaundinya, have you understood?

The Venerable One rose and replied:

– Blessed One, I have not yet understood.

The Buddha said again:

– Kaundinya, in the distant past, long ago, there was a king named Evil-Born. He took his courtesans into the mountains for pleasure and ordered his subordinate officials to remain at the foot of the mountain. Taking only the courtesans with him, he slowly ascended to the summit. At that time, the king became very weary and lay down to rest. The courtesans left the king there and went to gather flowers. They saw a practitioner sitting upright beneath a tree. Rejoicing in their hearts, they all approached and bowed in homage. The practitioner wished them well, saying:

– Ladies, come here! He invited them to sit down and taught them the Dharma.

When the king awoke, he went looking for the courtesans. Seeing them seated before the practitioner, he became jealous, conceived an evil thought, and asked the practitioner:

– Why have you enticed my courtesans? What sort of person are you, sitting here?

The practitioner knew that the king's intentions were violent and malicious, so he replied:

– I am one who practices patience!

The king immediately drew his sword and severed both of the practitioner's hands. He then asked again:

– What sort of person are you?

He replied:

– Truly, I am one who practices patience!

The king then cut off the practitioner's ears and nose. Yet the practitioner's mind remained firm and unmoved. He continued to say: I am one who practices patience.

When the king saw that the practitioner's countenance remained unchanged, he was startled and came forward to repent of his wrongdoing. The practitioner told the king:

– Today, because of lust for women, you used a blade to cut apart my body. Yet my patience is like the earth. I shall certainly attain the fruit of perfect, equal enlightenment. With omniscient wisdom, I shall sever your birth and death.

The king reflected that his offense was grave and that he would certainly suffer terrible calamity. He struck his head against the ground and begged the practitioner to forgive him.

The practitioner told the king:

– If I truly am one who practices patience, may the blood within my body turn into milk, and may all the severed parts be restored as they were before!

Just as he had spoken, milk flowed forth, and his body was restored to its former condition.

Seeing this proof of the practitioner's virtue of patience, the king implored him to bring deliverance and spoke these sincere words:

– If you truly attain the Way, please liberate me first.

The practitioner replied: - I shall.

The king was immediately freed from delusion, took his leave, and returned to the palace.

The Buddha told Kaundinya:

– The practitioner of patience at that time was none other than I myself. King Evil-Born at that time was none other than you, Kaundinya.

Kaundinya! Have you understood? Kaundinya then said to the Buddha:

– I understand fully, Blessed One!

When the Buddha had finished teaching that Dharma, the five men—Kaundinya and the others—exhausted the defilements, liberated their minds, and all attained arhatship. Eighty thousand devas above also attained the Dharma eye, and the three-thousandfold world-system shook violently.

This was the first time that the Tathagata, in the land of Varanasi, turned the unsurpassed Dharma wheel that had never before been turned, bringing deliverance to all. There was no one who did not rejoice.

2. THE CHAPTER ON UNIVERSAL CONVERSION (Also Called “WELCOME”)

At that time, in the city of Varanasi, there was an elder named A Cụ Lợi. He had a son named Yasa (called “Bảo Xứng” in the Jin language). At the age of twenty-four, Xứng manifested something extraordinary: he had a pair of crystal sandals that appeared whenever he raised his feet.

Because his parents treasured this marvel, they named him Bảo Xứng. They built residences for him suited to the varying heat and cold of the seasons, and courtesans entertained him day and night without cease. Then, at midnight, Bảo Xứng suddenly awoke and saw that all the courtesans looked like corpses, with blood flowing from their noses and their limbs sprawled loosely throughout the room.

It looked just like a charnel ground. Terrified, he fled toward the door, and the great door opened by itself. At that time, heaven and earth were shrouded in darkness, and only a single ray of light could be seen.

He ran to the eastern gate of the city, which also opened by itself. The light shone toward the Deer Park. Following the light, he reached the place where the Buddha was.

He beheld the Buddha's extraordinarily beautiful marks, radiant and majestic, and halted in awe. At that moment, as though half dreaming and half awake, he lamented aloud:

– For so long I have dwelt in the prison of affection and desire, bound by the fetters of name and form. Now that I follow the Honored One of Heaven, shall I not attain liberation?

The Buddha then said:

– Young man! You have come well to the Awakened One. Here there is no anxiety, and all practices are fulfilled.

The young man came forward, bowed at the Buddha's feet, and stood to one side. The Buddha taught him the Dharma, and he immediately attained the stainless Dharma eye. He stepped back and said to the Buddha:

– May the Buddha permit me to become a disciple.

The Buddha said:

– Come, bhikkhu.

The young man immediately became a śramaṇa.

Early the next morning, the courtesans awoke and, in alarm, searched everywhere, wailing and weeping. Frightened, the elder asked what had happened. The courtesans replied:

– We do not know where Bảo Xứng is now.

The elder became anxious and immediately ordered men to mount horses and search everywhere. He himself unharnessed his son’s carriage and hastened off in search of him. The road led him to a tranquil stream near Benares. When he crossed that stream, he saw his son’s precious sandals left behind on the riverbank. He followed the footprints to the Deer Park. Through skillful means, the Buddha caused father and son to be unable to see each other.

The elder saw that the Buddha was a majestic and venerable figure endowed with excellent marks. With joy and anxiety mingled in his heart, he forgot the proper courtesies and asked the Buddha:

– My son is named Bảo Xứng, and his footprints lead here. Has Gautama seen him?

The Buddha told the elder:

– If your son is here, why worry that you will not see him?

The Buddha expounded the Dharma to him:

– Birth and death arise from delusion; every bond of affection must end in separation. By destroying two billion evils, one immediately realizes the fruit of stream-entry.

At that moment, Bảo Xứng’s mind opened, and he immediately attained arhatship. Father and son then saw each other, and their attachment of affection gradually diminished. The elder joyfully stepped back and addressed the Buddha:

– Today my heart is filled with happiness, for within me are two joys: first, I rejoice because I have encountered and understood the Dharma; second, I rejoice because I have departed from attachment and affection.

At that time, Bảo Xứng had four close friends: 1) Phú Nhục. 2) Duy Ma La. 3) Kiều Viêm Bát. 4) Tu Đà. When they heard that Bảo Xứng had become a śramaṇa, they were astonished, and the hair on their bodies stood on end. They said:

– Our friend possesses lofty virtue and far-reaching wisdom and insight. He is known throughout the kingdom, and we have all relied upon him. Now he has become a śramaṇa. That path must surely be true for it to have caused our friend suddenly to abandon worldly glory and gain in this way.

They went together to see the Buddha and to visit Bảo Xứng. When they arrived and saw the Buddha, their minds opened through the power of their past vows and practices. Bowing their heads at his feet, they came forward and addressed the Blessed One:

– We thirst for your instruction. Our hearts have long been empty. We beg you not to regard us as coarse and unrefined, but permit us to become your disciples.

The Buddha said:

– Come, bhikkhus!

They all became śramaṇas. He taught the essential purport of the original mind, revealing its purity. Hearing its meaning, their minds awakened, and they immediately attained arhatship.

At that time, near Benares, there was a district called Đồ. Fifty men who had occasion to travel to that kingdom heard that Bảo Xứng, Phú Nhục, and the others had all become śramaṇas. They each thought:

– These sons of elders were proud, pleasure-loving, self-indulgent, and more accomplished than others, yet they have all been moved by the transforming power of this path. Perhaps Gautama is a divine being, for he has caused these nobles no longer to care about splendor and glory.

They all resolved to go to the Buddha. Together they traveled to the Deer Park. Because their former vows accorded with the conditions for their deliverance, as soon as they saw the Buddha, they understood and asked to become his disciples. The Buddha said:

– Come, bhikkhus!

They all became śramaṇas. By following the fundamental teachings, they quickly mastered the essentials of the Dharma, exhausted all defilements, escaped their bonds, and all attained arhatship.

At that time, a large gathering had assembled in the Deer Park to feast, sing, and dance. There was among them a woman of extraordinary beauty who was dancing at the gathering. Everyone rejoiced and was deeply enamored of her. Before the dancing was over, the young woman suddenly disappeared. Everyone asked the Buddha:

– Just now, a young woman who was singing and dancing with us came this way. Has Gautama seen her?

The Buddha told them:

– You should contemplate your own bodies; why contemplate someone else? Sensual beauty is impermanent. Where there is union, there will be separation. It is like a bubble or floating foam. Fools cling to sensual beauty, and calamities consequently arise. The body is a vessel of suffering; this is so for all sentient beings.

When they heard this, their minds suddenly awakened, and they asked to become śramaṇas. The Buddha conferred the precepts upon them all and led them to behold the noble truths. They all attained the fruit of the Worthy Ones—arhatship.

The Buddha said:

– Bhikkhus, go forth and widely deliver sentient beings. According to the Dharma each of you has realized, become bridges and guides; widely bestow the Dharma-eye; proclaim the Three Venerable Ones; uproot craving for existence; and enable everyone to enter nirvana. I shall now go alone to Uruvelā.

The bhikkhus received his instruction, bowed their heads at the Buddha’s feet, circumambulated him three times, and then departed.

3. CHAPTER ON THE CONVERSION OF KĀŚYAPA

At that time, the Tathagata returned to the kingdom of Magadha and went to the region of Uruvelā. In the evening, he stopped in the garden of Tư Nại. The Buddha manifested golden light, which shone directly into the brahmin’s house. The brahmin had two daughters: the elder was named Nandā, and the younger was named Nandābalā. Seeing the light, they rejoiced and immediately went to the Buddha, paid homage, and invited him into their home. The Buddha entered the house and instructed the two young women to take refuge in the Three Jewels and undertake the Five Precepts. The Blessed One then taught:

– The body is not our possession; all things ultimately return to emptiness.

The minds of the two young women opened, and they bowed their heads and reverently practiced the teaching. The Blessed One thought: “From the time I first began to study the path until now, my purpose has been to deliver sentient beings and cause Māra, the king of the realm of desire, to submit and return to the path.”

Near the bank of the Nairañjanā River lived a brahmin of the Kāśyapa clan named Uruvelā. He was already one hundred and twenty years old. His fame had spread far and wide, and people throughout the world served and revered him.

He practiced the fire-worshiping path tirelessly by day and night and had as many as five hundred diligent disciples. Kāśyapa had two younger brothers. As the elder and their master, he considered himself to have attained the path.

Each of the brothers had his own disciples, and both lived downstream along the Nairañjanā River. Kāśyapa thought to himself: “My fame grows greater day by day, and the people of the kingdom all revere me. If my abilities prove meager, I may easily come to an impasse, and if I come to an impasse, my reputation will be ruined.

Therefore, I should devise an excellent plan so that the entire nation will look up to me.” He then went in search of a dragon. Using spells, he went there and built a secluded dwelling, saying to the dragon:

– If anyone carelessly intrudes into this secluded dwelling, emit fire and spew venom to destroy that person.

Because of this, on festival days the dragon would regularly spew fire, and people near and far would all say:

– The great master’s path possesses divine power!

As a result, Venerable Kāśyapa’s fame and prestige flourished more with each passing day. The Blessed One thought: “Long ago, when I left the household life, I encountered King Bimbisāra on the road. The king said, ‘When you attain the path, deliver me first.’

“I have attained the path as I have today through my relationship with all people. Now, as I contemplate the hearts of the people, I see that they all revere Kāśyapa. How could they readily follow me? It is like sweet fruit high in a tree that cannot be reached and eaten. All these difficulties arise from that dragon. First, I must subdue it; then Kāśyapa will follow me. In this way, the Great Path may be taught broadly and without end.” The Tathagata said:

– The sun illuminates the world and possesses three virtues:

Its radiance shines forth, dispelling darkness, so that all places are clearly seen.

Its five colors intermingle and, in succession, illuminate every form.

It causes the tender shoots and blossoms of all things to unfold.

The Tathagata likewise possesses three virtues:

The great wisdom of omniscience shines forth and dispels the darkness of ignorance.

He established the five paths of rebirth; this is the source of speech and action.

Through skillful means and wisdom, he brought relief, enabling sentient beings to attain benefit, happiness, and peace.

Having reflected thus, the Blessed One went at dusk to the Garden of Tư Nại, approaching the dwelling built by the Venerable Kasyapa. Before he arrived, he manifested a golden radiance, causing the trees, earth, and stones all to take on the color of pure gold.

At that time, a disciple of the Venerable Kasyapa saw this transformation. Startled and amazed, he turned to look and saw the Blessed One in the distance, his radiance enveloping heaven and earth. Not knowing the cause of this wondrous phenomenon, he ran to report it to his teacher. Teacher and disciples went out together to look, and they beheld the Blessed One—majestic in spiritual power and dignified in bearing, brilliant and radiant!

In his heart, the Venerable Kasyapa became fearful, anxious, and bewildered, not knowing what was happening. He thought to himself: “Could this be the sun that my eyes behold? Is that a heavenly being? His eyes are like flashes of lightning.” After reflecting, he understood and thought: “Could this not be Prince Siddhartha, son of King Suddhodana? I have often heard the full account: the son of King Suddhodana possessed the merit of a holy king, yet took no delight in glory and splendor, and in the future would become a Buddha. I previously heard that he had renounced the household life. Could he now have attained the Way?”

The Tathagata suddenly approached, and the Venerable Kasyapa rejoiced greatly, saying:

“Welcome, Gautama! Are you well?”

The Buddha spoke this verse to the Venerable Kasyapa:

“Observing the precepts, one is peaceful throughout life;

Right faith is the finest dwelling;

Through wisdom, the body rests secure;

By doing no evil, one attains peace.”

The Venerable Kasyapa said to the Buddha:

“I humbly pray that, in your majestic virtue, you will condescend to come to my dwelling and accept a simple meal.”

The Buddha replied:

“Kasyapa, since ancient times the Dharma of all Buddhas has been not to eat after midday. Your sincerity is sufficient. I wish to ask one thing of you; would you be willing?”

The Venerable Kasyapa replied:

“Regrettably, I made no preparations beforehand. I beg you to pardon me.”

The Buddha said to the Venerable Kasyapa:

“I wish to lodge here for one night. Would you be willing?”

The Venerable Kasyapa said to the Buddha:

“According to the rules of us brahmins, when sleeping we may not share a room. Please forgive me, but this cannot be allowed. If we violate this rule, our lives will be in grave danger.”

The Buddha pointed to a quiet dwelling and asked:

“What dwelling is that?”

Kasyapa replied:

“A naga spirit dwells within. Its nature is extremely dangerous and vicious. If anyone enters that dwelling, it immediately breathes forth fire and burns that person.”

The Buddha said to the Venerable Kasyapa:

“Allow me to rest there.”

The Venerable Kasyapa replied:

“It is truly dreadful. I fear only that the naga will harm you.”

All five hundred of the venerable one's disciples trembled with fear, worried that their teacher would accept the Buddha's request. Yet the Buddha made the request three times. The Venerable Kasyapa harbored doubts in his heart, but did not dare oppose him, and said:

“I fear only that calamity may befall you!”

The Buddha said to the Venerable Kasyapa:

“I have extinguished the fire of desire throughout the three realms, so the naga cannot harm me.”

The Venerable Kasyapa said:

“Gautama is a venerable one. If you are able to stay there, you may do as you wish.”

The Buddha then withdrew the manifestation of his majestic spiritual power and entered the dwelling.

The five hundred disciples of the Venerable Kasyapa were certain that the naga would harm him. They all shed tears, grieving that so venerable a being would be killed by the naga.

After the Buddha had sat in that dwelling for a short while, the naga emerged from its cave. It spewed venom all around the Buddha. The Tathagata immediately transformed the poison into flowers. When the naga saw its venom turned into flowers surrounding the Buddha, it became even more enraged and breathed fire to harm him. But the heat flew back toward the naga, leaving it suffocated, sorrowful, and wishing to die. It raised its head and looked at the Buddha, realizing that he was a venerable being.

The Buddha conjured a cool breeze that blew toward the naga. Following the cool air, the naga approached the Buddha, who extinguished its fire and dispelled its poison. The naga then took refuge in him and entered his alms bowl.

The Buddha then entered the Fire-Radiance Samadhi, and flames and smoke filled the sky. The disciples of the Venerable Kasyapa stood upright and watched. Seeing the Buddha's radiance, they mistook it for the naga's fire, and all cried out in grief and lamentation:

“Alas, the true sage has been harmed by the naga!”

The Venerable Kasyapa and his disciples rushed outside in alarm to look. The five hundred disciples all reproached their teacher, saying:

“Since the creation of heaven and earth, we have never seen anyone as wondrous as Gautama. He is one worthy of veneration. We regret that we did not look upon him carefully. How shall we ever see him again?” Shedding tears, they recited this verse:

“His countenance was purple-gold,

His face round, his hair deep blue;

A great being of a hundred merits,

Wondrous in spirit, endowed with excellent marks.

His body stood one zhang and six chi tall,

Possessing the eighty beautiful characteristics;

His radiance illuminated darkened places—

How could impermanence suddenly claim him?!”

The last of the venerable one's disciples believed that the fire had consumed the Buddha. Grieving and lamenting, he said:

“Venerable Gautama has been harmed; what purpose is there in my living?”

Having spoken, he leapt into the mass of flames, but found it cool and temperate. Turning back, he said to his teacher:

“Venerable Gautama is entirely unharmed. We thought this was the naga's fire, but it is in fact the Buddha's radiance!”

The Venerable Kasyapa and his disciples, who had been grieving as they gathered around one another, stood to one side and composed their minds while awaiting the One Who Had Attained Illumination. At daybreak, the Tathagata emerged from the dwelling carrying his bowl. The Venerable Kasyapa rejoiced greatly and said:

“Is the great practitioner still alive? What is inside that alms bowl?”

The Buddha said to the Venerable Kasyapa:

“It is the venomous naga. I have subdued it, and it has received my Dharma!”

The venerable one's five hundred disciples all said:

“This is a divine Buddha.”

In his heart, the Venerable Kasyapa secretly admired the Buddha, yet he remained attached to his own reputation.

The Buddha said:

“Are you still arrogant? The great practitioner is truly divine! You are not my equal, for I have attained arhatship!”

The Venerable Kasyapa said to the Buddha:

“May the great practitioner remain here so that we may make offerings to you.”

Early the next morning, the venerable one prepared the meal and personally went to invite the Buddha. The Buddha said:

“Go on ahead; I shall come.”

Just as the Venerable Kasyapa arrived home, the Buddha, as swiftly as a person bending or extending an arm, traveled to the land of Phất Vu Đãi, billions of miles to the east. There he gathered fruits from a tree called Diêm Bức, filled his bowl with them, and returned. Before the Venerable Kasyapa had entered the dwelling, he saw the Buddha already seated upon the seat. The Venerable Kasyapa asked the Buddha:

“Great practitioner, by what road did you arrive here?”

The Buddha replied:

“As soon as you departed, I went to the eastern land of Phất Vu Đãi and gathered these Diêm Bức fruits. They are very fragrant and delicious when eaten.”

After the Buddha had finished his meal, the Venerable Kasyapa thought: “Although this great being possesses divine powers, he is not equal to my true Way.” Early the next morning, when it was time to eat, the venerable one again went to invite the Buddha. The Buddha said:

“Return home; I shall come at once.”

As soon as the Venerable Kasyapa returned, the Buddha went to Mount Jambudvipa in the south, gathered Loa Lặc fruits, filled his alms bowl with them, and returned.

Before Venerable Kasyapa had reached home, he saw that the Buddha was already seated upon the seat.

Venerable Kasyapa asked the Buddha:

– How did you arrive before me?

The Buddha said:

– I went to the southern region and obtained this delicious fruit. When eaten, it cures illness.

After the Buddha had finished eating, Venerable Kasyapa thought: “This ascetic is truly wondrous.” The following morning, Venerable Kasyapa again came to invite the Buddha. The Buddha said:

– Go back ahead of me; I shall come at once.

The Buddha then went to the western land of Aparagodaniya, filled his alms bowl with amalaka fruits, and returned. Before Venerable Kasyapa had reached his dwelling, he saw that the Buddha had already arrived and was seated upon the seat. Venerable Kasyapa asked the Buddha:

– To what region did you go before coming here?

The Buddha replied:

– I went to the western land of Aparagodaniya, filled my alms bowl with amalaka fruits, and returned. You may eat them.

The Buddha finished his meal. Venerable Kasyapa again thought: “What this great ascetic has done is indeed accomplished through supernormal power.” The following morning, Venerable Kasyapa again came to invite the Buddha. The Buddha said:

– Go back ahead of me; I shall come afterward.

Venerable Kasyapa looked back and suddenly could no longer see the Buddha. The Buddha had gone to the northern land of Uttarakuru and obtained naturally grown rice. Before Venerable Kasyapa had reached home, he saw the Buddha already seated upon the seat.

Venerable Kasyapa asked the Buddha:

– From where have you come?

The Buddha replied:

– I have come from the northern land of Uttarakuru, where I obtained this naturally grown rice. You may eat it.

After the Buddha had finished eating, Venerable Kasyapa thought:

– This great sage possesses such wondrous powers.

In the morning, at the proper time for receiving food, the Buddha took his bowl and personally went to the venerable one’s dwelling to obtain food, then returned. After eating, he wished to clean his teeth and rinse his mouth, but there was no water. Sakra, Lord of the Devas, immediately descended and pointed his hand at the ground, whereupon a pond spontaneously appeared. After midday, Venerable Kasyapa was strolling at leisure when he saw the pond. Finding it strange, he asked the Buddha:

– Why is there a pond here?

The Buddha told Venerable Kasyapa:

– This morning I received your offering of food. After eating, I wished to rinse my mouth, but there was no water. Sakra, Lord of the Devas, therefore pointed at the ground and transformed it into a pond for my use. That is why this pond is here.

Venerable Kasyapa thought: “This great man of the Way is truly wondrous, and his merit is immeasurable.”

The following day, the Blessed One went near Kasyapa’s dwelling and sat beneath a tree. During the first night watch, the Four Heavenly Kings came together to hear the Buddha teach the Dharma. The radiance of those four Heavenly Kings shone like blazing fires.

Venerable Kasyapa awoke during the night and saw what appeared to be four blazing fires before the Buddha. Early the next morning, he asked the Buddha:

– Great man of the Way, do you also worship fire?

The Buddha replied:

– No. Last night the Four Heavenly Kings came to hear me teach the Dharma. What you saw was their radiance.

Venerable Kasyapa again thought:

– This great ascetic is exceedingly wondrous, for he can cause these devas to come and hear the Dharma. Nevertheless, he still does not equal my true Way.

On the following day, during the second night watch, Sakra, Lord of the Devas, came to the Buddha to hear the Dharma. Sakra’s radiance was many times brighter than that of the Four Heavenly Kings. Venerable Kasyapa awoke during the night and saw the radiance before the Buddha. He thought to himself: “The Buddha himself must indeed worship fire!” Early the next morning, he came and asked the Buddha:

– If you do not worship fire, why was the radiance many times brighter than it was last night?

The Buddha said:

– Sakra descended to hear the sutra and the Dharma. Therefore, what you saw was his radiance.

The following night, a Brahma deva of the seventh heaven again came to hear the Dharma. The radiance of that Brahma deva was many times brighter than the radiance of Sakra, Lord of the Devas. When Venerable Kasyapa saw that radiance, he suspected that the Buddha worshiped fire. Early the next morning, he asked the Buddha:

– Great man of the Way, surely you worship fire!

The Buddha told Venerable Kasyapa:

– Last night a Brahma deva of the seventh heaven came to hear the Dharma. What you saw was his radiance.

Venerable Kasyapa thought to himself:

– “Does this great man of the Way possess such awe-inspiring spiritual power that he can move Brahma devas to descend and hear the Dharma?”

Each of Venerable Kasyapa’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 ignite. Finding this strange, they went and asked their teacher. Their teacher said:

– This must have been done by the Buddha.

He immediately went and addressed the Buddha:

– My five hundred disciples tried to kindle their fires this morning, but the fires would not ignite. Was this caused by you?

The Buddha asked Venerable Kasyapa:

– Do you wish the fires to burn?

The Buddha asked three times, and each time the venerable one replied:

– I wish the fires to burn.

The Buddha said:

– Go. The fires will burn.

As soon as he had spoken, all the fires began to burn.

Venerable Kasyapa again thought: “This great man of the Way is exceedingly wondrous!”

Venerable Kasyapa himself worshiped three fires. Early in the morning, he tried to extinguish them, but the fires could not be put out. His five hundred disciples and the other fire worshipers came to help him extinguish them, but still they could not be put out. Suspecting that this had been caused by the Buddha, the venerable one immediately went and said to him:

– I myself worship three fires, but I cannot extinguish them!

The Buddha asked:

– Do you wish the fires to be extinguished?

He replied: - I wish them to be extinguished.

The Buddha said: - They will be extinguished.

As soon as he had finished speaking, the fires were extinguished. Venerable Kasyapa thought: “This great man of the Way is exceedingly wondrous; whatever he undertakes is accomplished.”

The following day, Venerable Kasyapa’s five hundred disciples were splitting firewood together. Yet when they raised their axes, they were all unable to bring them down. They immediately went and reported this to their teacher. Their teacher said:

– This was done by the great ascetic.

The venerable one went and addressed the Buddha:

– Just now my disciples were splitting firewood together, but after raising their axes, they were unable to bring them down.

The Buddha said:

– Go back. The axes will come down.

At once, all the axes came down. Venerable Kasyapa thought: “This great ascetic is truly a divine being.”

The following day, the Buddha again sat beneath a tree. He saw a soiled cloth that had been discarded and wished to wash it. Sakra, Lord of the Devas, perceiving the Buddha’s sacred intention, went to Mount Atana and brought back one four-sided stone and one six-sided stone, presenting them to the Buddha so that he could wash the cloth. While walking about, Venerable Kasyapa saw two stones beside the pond. Finding this strange, he asked the Buddha:

– There are now two very fine stones beside the pond. I do not know where they came from.

The Buddha told Venerable Kasyapa:

– I wished to wash and dry my robe, so Sakra, Lord of the Devas, brought these two stones for my use.

Venerable Kasyapa again thought: “Gautama possesses divine virtue; there is no one who is not moved by him.”

Afterward, the Buddha descended into the pond created by Sakra and bathed. When he wished to leave the pond, there was nothing for him to grasp and pull himself out. Above the pond stood a beautiful tree named Kahva. That tree bent down over the pond, and the Buddha grasped it to emerge from the water.

Venerable Kasyapa saw that the tree had spontaneously bent down. Finding this strange, he asked the Buddha about it. The Buddha told the venerable one:

– Early this morning, I descended into the pond to bathe. When I wished to leave the pond, the divine tree lowered a branch for me to grasp and pull myself out.

Venerable Kasyapa thought:

– “This great man of the Way possesses the highest virtue. He spiritually influences many kinds of beings, even causing a great tree to lower its branch.”

The Buddha, wishing to bring the Venerable Kasyapa to submission, entered the Nairanjana River. The river was very deep and its current very swift. Using his spiritual power, he cut off the current and brought it to a standstill, causing the water to rise higher than a man’s head. He made the riverbed appear and walked upon it.

When the Venerable Kasyapa saw the Buddha enter the water, he feared that the Buddha might drown and immediately ordered his disciples to row a boat out to rescue him. They saw the water rising high, the riverbed clearly visible beneath it, and the Buddha standing there. Greatly delighted, they all asked:

“Is the practitioner still alive?”

They then asked:

“Would you like to come aboard the boat?”

The Buddha replied:

“I shall come aboard.”

He thought, “I shall pass through the bottom of the boat to board it, yet I will not let the water enter.” The Venerable Kasyapa again thought, “This great practitioner’s wondrous transformations are truly unfathomable.”

At that time, on the occasion of the annual festival, the king, officials, and people of Magadha came to the Venerable Kasyapa’s dwelling and celebrated for seven days. The Venerable Kasyapa thought to himself, “The Buddha is a wise sage. If everyone sees him, they will surely abandon me.

How delightful it would be if he did not appear during these seven days.” The Buddha knew the venerable one’s thoughts and therefore remained unseen for seven days. On the eighth day, the Venerable Kasyapa thought again, “Today I have offerings left over. How delightful it would be if I could offer them to the Buddha.” As soon as the venerable one had this thought, the Buddha arrived.

The venerable one was greatly delighted, for no sooner had he thought of seeing the Buddha and making offerings to him than the Buddha appeared. Filled with joy, he asked:

“Where did you go just now, and from where have you come today?”

The Buddha said to the Venerable Kasyapa:

“You thought, ‘The Buddha is a wise sage. If everyone sees him, they will abandon me. How delightful it would be if he did not appear during these seven days.’ For that reason, I did not appear. Now that you have thought of me, I have returned.”

The Venerable Kasyapa thought, “The Buddha is indeed supremely divine, for he knows the thoughts in people’s minds.”

Knowing that the venerable one’s mind had submitted, the Buddha immediately said:

“Kasyapa, you are not an arhat. Since you do not know the true path, why do you esteem yourself on the basis of what is false?”

At that moment, the Venerable Kasyapa was terrified, and the hair on his body stood on end. Knowing that he himself had not attained the path, he bowed down and said:

“The great practitioner is truly divine, for he knows the thoughts in people’s minds. May I follow the great practitioner, receive spiritual transformation, accept the scriptures and precepts, and become a sramana?”

The Buddha replied:

“Excellent! Inform your disciples. You are the spiritual teacher of the kingdom, and now that you are to don the Dharma robe, how could you alone know of this?”

The Venerable Kasyapa received the teaching, returned, and summoned his disciples:

“You and I have all witnessed the Buddha’s spiritual transformations. I now have faith in and understand those transformations, and so I shall become a sramana. What will you do?”

The Venerable Kasyapa’s five hundred disciples all replied:

“We understand. All of us have received our teacher’s kindness. Since our teacher reveres and trusts the Buddha, we all wish to follow you.”

At once, the venerable teacher and his disciples went to the Buddha, bowed in homage, and said:

“We all have faith and wish to become your disciples.”

The Buddha said:

“Welcome, bhiksus!”

They all became sramanas. The Venerable Kasyapa cast his woolen garments, coarse cloth robes, water vessels, staffs, sandals, and all his fire-worship implements into the river.

At that time, the Venerable Kasyapa had two younger brothers. The first was named Nadi Kasyapa, and the youngest was named Gaya Kasyapa. Each had two hundred and fifty disciples and dwelt in thatched huts near the river. They saw garments, miscellaneous articles, and fire-worship implements bobbing along downstream. The two younger brothers were alarmed, fearing that their elder brother and his disciples had been killed. Together with their disciples, they followed the river upstream and found that their elder brother, teacher and disciples alike, had all become sramanas. Astonished, they asked:

“Elder brother, you are advanced in years and possess lofty wisdom. The king and the people all honor and venerate you. In our view, you had already attained arhatship. Why have you now abandoned the path of the brahmins to study the Dharma of the sramanas? This is no small matter. Could it be that the Buddha’s path is truly so venerable and exalted?”

The Venerable Kasyapa replied:

“The Buddha’s path is supreme, and its Dharma gates are immeasurable. Among those who follow our worldly teachings, however, none has attained the path or possesses spiritual wisdom like the Buddha.”

On hearing this, the venerable one’s two younger brothers said to their disciples:

“We wish to follow our elder brother. What will you do?”

Their five hundred disciples all said:

“Let us do as our great teachers do.” They all went to the Buddha, bowed in homage, and requested to become sramanas.

The Buddha said:

“Welcome, bhiksus!”

They all became sramanas. At that time, the Tathagata, together with the Sangha of one thousand bhiksus, went and sat beneath a tree in the great forest at Gayasisa. He entered samadhi and suddenly disappeared. He appeared from the east and vanished beneath the tree. He did likewise in the west, leaping up and standing in empty space without falling. From his body he emitted fire and water, moving upward and downward at will.

The bhiksus raised their heads and rejoiced, unaware of what was happening. The Tathagata returned and sat again in his original place without anyone noticing.

Joyfully, the bhiksus approached, bowed at the Buddha’s feet, withdrew, and asked him:

“What is that manifestation called?”

The Buddha told the bhiksus:

“It is called the manifestation of spiritual powers, and it is also called the manifestation of instruction. Bhiksus, listen carefully. The activities of body, mind, and consciousness arise because of attachment. Therefore, I now reveal their constituent aspects; hence it is called the manifestation of instruction. It is also called the manifestation of teaching the Dharma. Bhiksus, listen carefully: Because of attachment to oneself, one suffers decline and harm. Because the six sense faculties become infatuated, one suffers decline and harm. Because this decline and harm continue, suffering arises.

“What is meant by the arising of suffering?

“When the fires of lust, anger, and delusion flare up, there immediately arise pain and the fear of aging, illness, and death. For this reason, the manifestation of teaching the Dharma must be employed.”

The Buddha taught the Dharma in this manner three times. At that time, the outflows of the one thousand bhiksus came to an end, their delusions ceased, and they all attained arhatship.

The Buddha spoke this verse to the bhiksus:

“Today, these thousand bhiksus,

Elders endowed with venerable virtue,

Abandon falsehood and cultivate right view;

Free from perception, they enter meditative wisdom.”

When the Buddha taught this Dharma, devas, nagas, ghosts, and spirits all delighted in hearing it.

4. CHAPTER ON THE CONVERSION OF KING BIMBISARA

At that time, the Blessed One wished to go to Rajagrha to guide the king and people of that country. That very day, the king of Rajagrha ordered an envoy to go to the Buddha. With utmost reverence, the envoy bowed in homage and said:

“King Bimbisara bows before the Buddha. He wishes to draw near to and attend upon the Blessed One, who has accomplished the path and is called the Buddha. Devas, human beings, and beings of every kind rejoice to behold you. We humbly beseech the Blessed One to bring us benefit, peace, and well-being, and compassionately to protect and care for our remote land. We thirst for your teaching so that the aspiration for the path may arise and increase within us. May you have compassion for sentient beings and enable everyone to attain liberation.”

The Buddha said:

“Bhiksus, quickly make all necessary preparations. The king has invited us to come.”

The bhiksus obeyed. When their preparations were complete, they followed the Blessed One. The envoy hurried forward and addressed the Buddha:

– We beseech you to condescend to bring along one thousand bhikshus. We are now following Tu-da-la to the foot of a tree, forty li from the city.

The king had previously issued an order:

– If the Buddha enters our kingdom, we must personally go forth to welcome him. Whoever welcomes him will gain immeasurable merit.

The king then ordered that one thousand chariots, ten thousand horses, and seven thousand attendants be prepared. When all was ready, the king mounted his chariot, left the palace, and proceeded toward the city; but at that moment the city gates closed of themselves, obstructing the chariots and horses. The king was greatly terrified, fearing that some grave calamity had arisen, and said, “I must have committed a grievous offense for this misfortune to occur.”

Then a voice spoke from the sky:

– The king’s original vow was that, if he should be born as a human being, he would release those confined in prison.... Because that vow is of great consequence, the city gates have been caused to close. Now, if you graciously pardon and release all the prisoners, the city gates will open of themselves, and you will be able to reach the Buddha....

From afar, the king saw the Tathagata, his excellent marks shining radiantly. He immediately descended from his chariot and laid down his sword. The Buddha knew that King Bimbisara was by nature proud, unyielding, and arrogant. Wishing swiftly to liberate and transform the king, he caused the king and the attending officials to appear alike in dress and deportment. When King Bimbisara turned and looked, he saw that all the attending officials appeared exactly like himself, without any difference. Fearing that the Buddha might not know who he was, the king bowed with his head and face at the Buddha’s feet and circumambulated him three times to the right. Having bowed, the king introduced himself:

– I am Bimbisara, king of the land of Magadha.

The king said this three times. The Buddha told him:

– I discern only the king’s mind; what need have I of outward appearance?

The king was exceedingly delighted and withdrew to his seat. The ministers and common people all showed wholehearted reverence toward the Buddha. Some came forward and bowed with their heads at his feet; some announced their names and family names; and some came before the Buddha, joined their palms, and saluted him. After paying homage, they remained standing.

The Buddha told them all to sit down, and they obediently did so.

The Buddha said to King Bimbisara:

– Through the merit of your former lives, you now enjoy increasing benefit, enabling the people of your kingdom to be loyal and filial, prosperous and joyful, free from anxiety, protected by merit, and endowed with virtues, so that nothing is unfavorable.

A doubt arose among the assembly: “The Venerable Uất Kỳ Kasyapa is renowned and attained distinction long ago. Now that he dwells together with the Buddha, which of them is the teacher?”

The Buddha perceived the thoughts of the assembly and immediately asked the Venerable Kasyapa:

– If someone kills living beings as sacrifices in the hope of gaining merit, does that person obtain merit? If someone enters the mountains seeking the Way but has no teacher, can that person attain the Way?

The Venerable Kasyapa replied to the Buddha:

– One who kills living beings as sacrifices gains no merit, for the heavenly spirits do not accept such offerings, and the killer incurs guilt. One who studies the Way without a teacher will never accomplish the Way.

The Venerable Kasyapa then said to the Buddha:

– Formerly, I worshiped fire, practicing diligently day and night without indolence and enduring hardship for many years. I had as many as five hundred skilled disciples, who tended the fires assiduously, regardless of cold or heat. Now I am old, my faculties are worn and feeble, and I can no longer see clearly. Those of former times transmitted falsehoods to later generations, calling them the Way; they merely suffered in vain and gained no fruit. Now, having received the Buddha’s teaching and cleansed the defilements from my mind, I have attained arhatship.

The Buddha told the Venerable Kasyapa:

– Now display the supernormal powers of an arhat.

The venerable one obeyed the Buddha’s instruction and immediately entered samadhi. His body rose into the open sky, several fathoms above the ground. Fire blazed from above his waist while water streamed from below it; then water streamed from above his waist while fire blazed from below it.

He poured water upon the fire, yet caused his robes to remain dry and unwetted. Standing in the sky, he manifested transformations, appearing seven times and disappearing seven times. Light issued from his body, radiant in five colors.

He flew in from the east and then vanished before the Buddha’s seat; in the four cardinal directions, above, and below, he manifested transformations in the same manner. When he had completed these transformations, the venerable one joined his palms, knelt, and said to the Buddha:

– Your disciple Kasyapa, through the Buddha’s compassionate grace, has been liberated from the bonds of transgression. The Tathagata is supremely honored; all beings throughout the three realms bow before him.

The Buddha spoke this verse to the Venerable Kasyapa:

– Though one might live a hundred years,

Worshiping fire and practicing heterodox arts,

It is not equal to following the right truth,

Whose light illuminates all.

Though one might live a hundred years,

Studying false teachings with an unwholesome mind,

It is not equal to living for a single day,

Diligently receiving the true Dharma.

Only then did the king and his ministers understand that the Venerable Kasyapa was a disciple of the Buddha.

The Buddha told King Bimbisara:

– The eyes of people throughout the world see not only forms, but also suffering, pleasure, and impermanence; the body and life do not endure forever. The minds of people throughout the world contain much evil and little good; their thoughts are tangled in myriad ways, and their intentions delight in pursuing desire. If they can abandon such mental inclinations, they can attain the Way and acquire merit equal to Kasyapa’s. Do not indulge your inclinations because of wealth. Do not give free rein to insatiable craving. Do not use your strength to oppress the weak. Do not kill innocent people recklessly out of anger. Do not follow lustful thoughts, greedy thoughts, or angry thoughts. Abandon evil and follow good. Trust and employ truthful words. Be mindful of the peril of death and the suffering of illness, and reflect upon your own actions; then you too may attain the supernormal powers of the Venerable Kasyapa. When the eyes see forms, the mind must be restrained; whether the forms are beautiful or ugly, the mind must remain unmoved. When the ears hear various sounds, the mind must be restrained and must neither rejoice nor become angry. When the nose smells fragrant or foul odors, the mind must be subdued and must not become attached. When the mouth tastes various flavors, the mind must be restrained and must not give rise to discriminating thoughts. When the body wears pleasing garments, the mind must be restrained. Consciousness must not rely upon external objects associated with the five skandhas; it must be restrained by the mind. The six sense faculties have no master, and the skandhas decline without any enduring identity. The Venerable Kasyapa attained his merit by cultivating in this way. The human body is frequently subject to sorrow and anguish and is tormented by hunger, thirst, cold, and heat. Fools grasp these as happiness, while the wise regard them as suffering. Wives, children, honor, and profit delude worldly people, but all such things must disperse; whether after a thousand or ten thousand years, they will all be destroyed.

The Buddha spoke this verse to King Bimbisara:

– One who guides the world

Follows righteousness and is not violent;

He leads the way and teaches propriety—

Such is the Dharma of a king.

With loving-kindness, pardon the upright;

With benevolence, benefit the people.

Whenever there is gain, share it equally;

Thus will the people draw near.

The Buddha asked King Bimbisara:

– How many years have passed since the king’s palace was built?

The king turned and asked a minister beside him. The attending minister replied:

– Seven or eight hundred years have passed since the palace was built.

The Buddha asked the attending ministers:

– How many generations of kings have passed during that time?

They replied:

– More than twenty generations of kings.

The Buddha asked King Bimbisara:

– Does the king know all those kings?

King Bimbisara replied:

– I know only my father; I do not know the others.

The Buddha told King Bimbisara:

– Only the earth endures; human beings are impermanent. Because one cherishes one’s own body, one should not kill others, nor should one slander those who possess the Way. The birth and death of sentient beings all arise from affection and attachment. Parents themselves say, “He was born from me; he is my child.” Yet the child does not come into being through the parents, for it is because that person fully observed the precepts in a previous life that he has now been able to become human. If he commits evil deeds, after death he must fall into hell, the realm of animals, or the realm of hungry ghosts. Sentient beings are born according to their deeds; they are not born through anyone else. Transgressions and merits are perfectly clear. The king should carefully reflect upon this.

The Buddha said to the king:

– If a child in the womb is blind or deaf, can the mother know this beforehand?

The king replied:

– Truly, she cannot know.

The Buddha said:

– This occurs because of the evil deeds committed by the child in a former life; it is not the fault of the parents. If the child in the womb is a wise sage, the mother likewise cannot know this beforehand. This results from the utterly pure deeds performed by the child in a former life; it is not attained through the power of the parents.

Examining the matter according to this principle makes it perfectly clear. The king should reflect well upon it. People in the world incur offenses through deeds committed in three places: the mouth speaks words that harm others, the body performs cruel acts of killing, and the mind is wholly given to jealousy.

If anyone can abandon these three kinds of action, although that person may not immediately attain nirvana, he will nevertheless be reborn in the heavens or enjoy wealth, honor, and freedom in the human realm. The root originates in the human being himself. Because of delusion, there is bodily form; because of bodily form, there is feeling; because of feeling, consciousness arises; because of consciousness, desire arises; because of desire, there are parents; because of parents, affection and attachment arise; and because of affection and attachment, sorrow and grief arise.

Thus beings wander back and forth through the five paths without ever coming to rest. People do not know whence birth comes or where they go after death. They do not know the source of the characteristics, names, and designations, yet they say, “This is the father; that is the child.” Only one who has attained the Way knows that the source of the causes and conditions of birth and death is rooted in delusion, and therefore all things are impermanent.

Great King, accept and uphold this teaching.

The Buddha said to King Bình Sa:

– Suppose there are good people in the kingdom who are prudent, filial and obedient, modest and upright, respectful and yielding, highly talented and broadly learned, and who do not violate the king’s laws, yet are not members of the nobility. Would the king treat them differently?

The king said to the Buddha:

– If anyone has attained a distinguished reputation, I will select and appoint that person to office according to his abilities.

The Buddha said:

– Great King! The Dharma of the Way shows no partiality toward kin; only wholesome deeds provide support. Those who sincerely observe the five precepts are called faithful laymen. By diligently cultivating the truth, seeing the Truth, and never turning back, they successively attain Tu Đà Hoàn, Tư Đà Hàm, A Na Hàm, and arhatship. All of this depends upon the original mind, and those fruits of the Way are attained in sequence.

When the Buddha gave this teaching, the king, twelve thousand people of the kingdom, and eighty thousand heavenly beings all perceived the traces of the Way.

The Buddha said to King Bình Sa:

– The king has been here a long time. You should now return quickly to the palace. The oxen, horses, and attendants have grown weary from standing so long. Tomorrow I shall enter the city.

The king rose, bowed at the Buddha’s feet, received the precepts, and then withdrew. The ministers and officials attending him joyfully came forward to receive the precepts. At the very moment when the king and his ministers received the five precepts, the people and horses, both within and without, became utterly silent, and not a sound was heard. The Brahmins were all converted and inwardly convinced. They came forward to receive the precepts and then joyfully withdrew.

After the king had mounted his chariot, the ministers knelt and offered congratulations, saying that because of the Great King’s merit, they had encountered the Buddha appearing in the world and had thereby enabled the ministers to bathe themselves and become purified.

King Bình Sa returned to the palace and commanded those of the inner palace to guard their faculties and uphold the precepts. Everyone throughout the kingdom understood and believed, and they rejoiced. Śakra, Lord of the Devas, in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, scattered flowers over the Buddha.

At that time, among those assembled was a wealthy elder named Ca Lan Đà. He thought to himself, “What a pity that I have already given my garden to the Ni Kiền ascetics! If only the Buddha had arrived first, I would have offered it to the Buddha and the Sangha.” The elder regretted his previous donation, fearing that the garden was lost forever.

With utmost sincerity, he lay restlessly upon his bed. Because the merit from his former lives continued to follow him, the response of his blessings and virtue manifested in full. At that time, a great ghost general named Bàn Sức, acting in accordance with the Buddha’s spiritual command, knew the thought in the elder’s mind.

He immediately summoned the Duyệt Xoa spirits and drove out the Ni Kiền ascetics, saying, “You go naked and know no shame. You may not remain in this garden.”

The ghost Bàn Sức obeyed the command. He struck the Ni Kiền ascetics with a pestle and dragged away their belongings. Terrified, the Ni Kiền ascetics fled, crying:

– Who is this evil person who treats us so viciously?

The ghost Bàn Sức said:

– The elder Ca Lan Đà will turn this bamboo grove into a monastery for the Buddha. I am the great ghost general Bàn Sức, and I have been ordered to drive you away.

Early the next morning, the Ni Kiền ascetics went to the elder’s residence and bitterly reproached him, asking why he had changed his mind about his donation for no reason and left them with nowhere to dwell. Thus the elder saw the distress into which they had fallen.

Ca Lan Đà was filled with immense joy because his wish had been fulfilled. He thought, “The Buddha extends his protection everywhere and has seen my sincerity.” He then replied to the Ni Kiền ascetics:

– Those ghost messengers are violent and wrathful. I fear that they may harm you. It would be better for you to leave and seek a safe place in which to dwell.

The Ni Kiền ascetics were filled with resentment and angrily departed that very day. The elder rejoiced and immediately constructed a monastery, Sangha dwellings, and sitting mats, all of which were fully and magnificently furnished. He went beneath the tree and invited the Buddha and the Sangha to accept his offering and take up residence there, so that for a time the Master’s work of teaching and guiding others might spread everywhere, leaving no one without joy.

5. CHAPTER ON XÁ LỢI PHẤT AND ĐẠI MỤC KIỀN LIÊN COMING TO STUDY THE WAY

The Buddha was residing at the Trúc Viên Monastery in the kingdom of La Duyệt Kỳ, together with a complete assembly of one thousand bhikshus, all of whom were Worthy Ones, or arhats, such as Uất Tỳ La and the others. Among them was a man named Na La Đà. Long ago, there was a Brahmin ascetic named Sa Nhiên, who diligently cultivated the practices of the seers.

Only after a long time did he accept disciples who were practitioners of the way of the Śākya seers, numbering two hundred and fifty in all. Among those disciples were two whose lofty attainment and seniority were difficult to equal. One was named Ưu Ba Thế, and the other was named Câu Luật Đà.

Their talent and wisdom were profound and penetrating, and they had studied their teachings to mastery. When Sa Nhiên fell ill and knew that he was about to die, he said to his two outstanding disciples:

– These new students possess only the rudiments of the practices of the Way. I hope that you two will help them fulfill their aspirations.

The two respectfully obeyed, received his instruction, and put it into practice.

At that time, the Blessed One said to the bhikshu Át Bệ:

– Go forth and proclaim the teaching of the Dharma. Visit those who can be guided and who are capable of seeing the Way, whose wisdom is clear and penetrating. Apart from the Tathagata, no one is capable of debating with them. If you encounter such people, explain the fundamental principle of the Dharma, but do not engage in exchanges with them, lest you be ridiculed.

Venerable Át Bệ obeyed. He adjusted his robe, took up his alms bowl, bowed at the Buddha’s feet, and departed. At that time, Ưu Bà Thế was traveling about and teaching together with his disciples. From a distance, he saw Venerable Át Bệ dressed in an unusual manner and asked:

– Where have you come from? Who is your teacher? Could you tell me?

Venerable Át Bệ then replied in verse:

– I am still young in years,

And have not long studied the Way.

How could I expound the most true Dharma,

The vast meaning of the Tathagata?

The root of all dharmas:

Causes and conditions, emptiness, without a master.

Ceasing the mind and reaching the source—

Therefore one is called a shramana.

Upon first hearing the meaning of the Dharma, Upatissa reflected and found it entirely reasonable. He thought to himself:

– From childhood I delighted in learning. From the age of eight, I studied under teachers until I was sixteen. From the arts of the Way to the teachings of the ancient seers, there was no book I did not master. Throughout the sixteen great kingdoms, I have been called a man of vast learning, yet never before have I heard this true and essential meaning. Now, while traveling and teaching by chance, I have encountered this precious treasury. These words are subtle and wondrous, sweet as amrita; they have awakened my mind and opened my understanding, and I have immediately attained the Dharma-eye.

He returned to the monastery, his heart filled with great joy.

Kolita saw the joyous expression on his face and suspected that he had obtained amrita. He immediately asked Upatissa:

– Friend, have you obtained the Dharma-amrita? If so, do not forget our former vow; please share a little with me.

Upatissa fully recounted to Kolita the verse he had heard, saying that when he first heard it he did not understand, but when the other repeated it a second time, he understood. He then reflected upon it deeply and thereby attained the Dharma-eye.

The two then discussed the matter, saying:

– From long ago we have aspired to obtain amrita, and now we have drunk it. Let us go together to the great shramana, plunge into his profound ocean, and bathe until we are purified.

When their discussion was concluded, the two, united in purpose, prepared to depart. At that time Kolita thought:

– When my teacher was about to die, he entrusted his disciples to me and instructed me to guide them so that they might attain the Way. If I now abandon them and leave, my heart cannot bear it.

He then told the disciples:

– That great shramana possesses the seers’ amrita. He dissolves the corrupting snares of worldly life, bringing the mind to rest and conduct to tranquility. I wish to go to him to inquire into the ultimate subtle profundity and return to the true mind. Where do you wish to go?

The disciples replied:

– Whatever we have heard and understood today is due to the kindness of our great teacher. Whoever the venerable master now reveres and honors, we too gladly wish to follow. Delighting in the sweet taste of amrita, we ask to accompany you.

Because the aspirations of teacher and disciples were in harmony, they immediately set out for the Bamboo Grove.

At that time, the Blessed One told the bhikshus:

– Two worthy men are now coming with their disciples. Through the vows and practices of former times, they wish to become shramanas. This is the house of merit of the Venerable Ashvajit.

When the bhikshus heard the Buddha speak, they saw them approaching.

Upatissa, Kolita, and the others saw the Tathagata from afar, his excellent marks shining brilliantly. Their spirits were stirred, and they exclaimed in praise:

– How fortunate we are to be able to honor and uphold the teachings of the Pure One! Truly, this is an honor beyond words.

They approached, bowed with their heads and faces at the Buddha’s feet, and afterward their hearts were filled with immeasurable joy. They then came forward and fully expressed their intentions:

– We have been obscured by transgressions, drifting with the current into a deep abyss. Only today have we turned against the current and returned to the source. We humbly beseech the Buddha to accept us into the Sangha.

The Buddha immediately accepted them, and their hair and beards fell away of themselves as they became shramanas. The Buddha told the bhikshus:

– These two made a vow before an ancient Buddha that, when I attained the Way, they would serve as my attendants on either side.

The Buddha said that Upatissa bore the designation CAO THẾ. Because there were flowers but no fruit, his true name was therefore Shariputra. Kolita’s name was changed to Mahamaudgalyayana.

Upon hearing the Buddha teach the Dharma, the two immediately attained the fruit of arhatship.

The Buddha instructed his attendant to tell the bhikshus:

– You should not yet establish the disciplinary boundaries, and you must not travel in pairs. Only when the Sangha has reached 1,250 members will the Buddha establish the disciplinary boundaries.

After the Buddha had established the disciplinary boundaries, the bhikshus rejoiced. They all respectfully bowed at the Buddha’s feet and withdrew.

6. CHAPTER ON RETURNING TO THE NATIVE KINGDOM

At that time, the Tathagata was about to return to Shayi together with the great Sangha of bhikshus. They were all worthy ones—arhats—whose spirits were serene, who penetrated subtle matters and clearly understood the deeds and karma of sentient beings throughout the three times. Among them were the worthy Shariputra, Mahamaudgalyayana, Uruvilva Kashyapa, Nadi Kashyapa, Gaya Kashyapa, and others, numbering 1,250 in all.

King Shuddhodana of Kapilavastu then ordered the brahmin Udayin to go to the Bamboo Grove and invite the Buddha to return to his homeland.

When Udayin saw the Buddha’s excellent marks illuminating heaven and earth, his heart was filled with joy. He bowed with his head and face at the Buddha’s feet, stood to one side, composed his mind and thoughts, knelt, and addressed the Buddha:

– Your royal father sends greetings from afar to Siddhartha. He has heard that you have attained the Way and are delivering all beings, yet your royal father alone has not received the benefit he longs for. Therefore, please return. For this reason, he has sent a messenger today to invite you.

The Buddha asked Udayin:

– Is my royal father in good health and at peace?

Udayin replied:

– The great king is well; he only longs for the Blessed One.

The Buddha asked Udayin:

– Do you delight in my Way?

Udayin replied:

– I delight in it greatly, Blessed One.

The Buddha accepted Udayin as a shramana and transmitted the precepts and Dharma to him. Udayin thought to himself, “Now that I am a disciple, how can I have an opportunity to return? The king is awaiting news, so who will report it to him?”

The Buddha knew that Udayin wished to return. The Buddha taught him:

– Do not associate closely with worldly affairs or cling to home and family.

Udayin addressed the Buddha:

– Will the Buddha return to the kingdom of Shravasti?

The Buddha replied:

– I shall return!

Obeying the Buddha’s teaching, Udayin knelt and addressed him:

– On what day will the Blessed One return?

The Buddha told Udayin:

– Seven days from now, I shall arrive in Shayi!

Udayin rejoiced, bowed at the Buddha’s feet, and withdrew. Udayin then returned to Shayi and went to the palace, asking to be announced. The gatekeeper immediately reported to the king:

– The messenger Udayin has returned and is outside the gate, requesting an audience.

The king ordered that he be admitted so that he might ask for news, saying:

– I have longed for Udayin as a thirsty man longs for drink. Why did you hold him back and make him request an announcement three times before allowing him to come before me?

Seeing that Udayin was wearing Dharma robes, the king asked him:

– Have you become a shramana?

Udayin replied:

– Your servant has received the Buddha’s teaching and Dharma.

The king asked Udayin:

– When Siddhartha was in the palace, you were his closest companion. Whenever you entered or left, you remained constantly together and never had to ask the gatekeeper for admission. Now that you have returned, why did you stand outside the gate and ask someone to announce you?

Udayin replied to the king:

– The Buddha teaches bhikshus not to associate closely with laypeople or remain attached to homes and families, for the path of renunciation and worldly life must remain distinct.

The king asked Udayin:

– When my son lived in the palace, his garments were exceedingly beautiful. Now that he has attained the Way, what clothing does he wear?

Udayin pointed to the robe he himself was wearing and said that the Buddha now wore garments such as these.

The king immediately shed tears and said:

– When Siddhartha lived at home, I built a palace for the prince, exquisitely adorned with the seven treasures, unsurpassed in the world. What is the prince’s dwelling like now?

Udayin replied to the king:

– He commonly dwells beneath trees. Such is the Dharma of all Buddhas, the Blessed Ones.

The king asked Udayin:

– When my son lived in the palace, his mats and cushions were warm and comfortable, beautiful as embroidered brocade and soft to the touch. What is the prince’s seat like now?

Udayin reported to the king:

– He uses grass as his seat and keeps his mind pure in order to eliminate craving.

The king asked Udayin:

– When Siddhartha was at home, I had people prepare delicious and sweet foods for the Prince. How does the Prince eat and drink now?

Udayin replied:

– When the time comes, he takes his bowl and begs for alms among beings endowed with merit. When he eats, he does not choose between fine and coarse food, and he invokes blessings upon the donors.

Hearing these words, the king immediately shed tears. The king asked Udayin:

– When Siddhartha slept, if I wished the Prince to awaken, I had music played and songs sung, and only then would the Prince awake. Now, deep in the mountains, how is the Prince awakened?

Udayin replied to the king:

– The Tathagata abides in samadhi, whether by day or by night.

The king asked Udayin:

– When my son was in the palace, whenever he bathed, there were eight kinds of fragrant water. What does he use for bathing now?

Udayin replied to the king:

– He uses the eight waters of true liberation to cleanse the defilements of the mind.

The king asked Udayin:

– When Siddhartha was in the kingdom, he used sandalwood and blended fragrances to anoint his body. Now that my son has cultivated the Way, what does he use?

Udayin replied to the king:

– He perfumes himself with the fragrances of morality, concentration, and wisdom, suffusing all eight directions.

The king asked Udayin:

– When Siddhartha was at home, I ordered a bed made for the Prince, fashioned entirely from the four kinds of precious substances. Upon what does he sit now?

Udayin replied:

– He takes the four dhyanas as his bed, having brought the mind to rest, free from desire.

The king asked Udayin:

– When my son was in the palace, guards attended him. Who attends him now?

Udayin replied:

– His disciples who study the Way, called the Bhiksu Sangha, attend the Blessed One; altogether, they number 1,250.

The king asked Udayin:

– When the Prince was at home and wished to go on an excursion, there were four kinds of vehicles for him to ride: ox-drawn, goat-drawn, elephant-drawn, and horse-drawn carriages. What does he ride now when he travels?

Udayin replied to the king:

– He takes the Four Noble Truths and the bases of spiritual power as his flying vehicle.

The king asked Udayin:

– When my son traveled about to see the sights, there were banners and canopies, and garlands of flowers fashioned into parasols to shelter him and serve as beautiful adornments. What shelters him now?

Udayin replied to the king:

– He uses the four beneficences and boundless loving-kindness and compassion to adorn sentient beings.

The king asked Udayin:

– Whenever Siddhartha went forth, bells were rung and drums beaten, and the roads were filled with people who had come to see the Prince. Now, whether he travels or remains, what sound is heard?

Udayin said to the king:

– When the Buddha first attained the Way, he went to the kingdom of Varanasi and beat the Dharma drum of amrta. The five companions of Kaundinya immediately attained arhatship, eighty thousand devas entered the stream of the Way, and among the ninety-six schools, there was no one who did not rejoice and reverently submit. That immeasurable sound of Dharma resounded throughout the entire three-thousand-great-thousand world.

The king asked Udayin:

– What kingdom does Siddhartha wish to govern today?

Udayin replied to the king:

– The dominion governed by the Blessed One is beyond description. He instructs sentient beings, and there is not one whom he does not wish to liberate. With an impartial mind, he saves them all, adapting himself appropriately everywhere.

The king asked Udayin:

– If my son were in the kingdom, he would concern himself with affairs of state, help me bring peace to the people, and conduct himself in accordance with propriety, with no one failing to obey his commands. Now that the Prince dwells alone, upon what does he reflect?

Udayin replied to the king:

– The Blessed One reflects upon emptiness, suffering, pleasure, and what is not real. Whatever possesses form must return to emptiness; the spirit is pure and unconditioned.

Hearing these words, the king said:

– Alas, Siddhartha! All things exist, so why do you say they are empty? How contrary you are, Siddhartha, truly at odds with humankind!

Udayin replied to the king:

– Even if all the wise people beneath heaven, each possessing a hundred heads, each head possessing a hundred tongues, and each tongue explaining a hundred meanings, were gathered together with all humankind to praise the Tathagata for an entire kalpa, they still could not fully describe his merit. How much less do my words amount to even one hundred-millionth part of it? Of what significance are they? Only a Buddha together with another Buddha can perceive the brilliance of such virtue.

The king said:

– Excellent! Will the Buddha come here? On what day will he arrive?

Udayin replied to the king:

– He will arrive in seven days.

The king rejoiced greatly and immediately commanded his ministers:

– I shall welcome the Buddha. Bring all ceremonial regalia and attendants, and make uniform preparations according to the protocols observed whenever a holy king enters or departs. Level and straighten the roads, sprinkle the ground with perfumed water, and hang banners and streamers at every crossroads in the city. Everything must be adorned with the utmost magnificence, with carriages, horses, and attendants extending for forty miles.

That day, the Blessed One departed from the Bamboo Grove together with the great Bhiksu Sangha of 1,250 monks and entered Sakya territory. The road led to a river named Aruna. After crossing the river and standing upon its bank, he illuminated all with his spiritual powers and clearly knew that Devadatta harbored an arising evil intention and would certainly be difficult to convert. He therefore manifested spiritual powers to cause Devadatta to believe and submit. He immediately rose into the air to a height of seven fathoms above the ground. His feet appeared to tread upon the earth, but in truth he was walking through empty space. The Buddha told the bhiksus:

Behold the king's carriages and horses, magnificently adorned in five colors, like Sakra, Lord of the Devas, setting forth on an excursion.

At that time, everyone saw the Buddha and the Sangha seemingly walking upon the ground, but when they looked up at the footprints, they saw them in empty space. From above, they gradually descended in due order to the very place of welcome, level with the people's heads, causing all the obstinate and unruly to bow their heads, take refuge, and pay homage. Devadatta alone, however, gave rise to an evil thought and said:

– Those who study the Way merely perform illusions, thereby deluding everyone. I too shall perform illusions so that I may widely convert the people.

At that time, the Buddha's royal father saw him approaching from afar and felt both love and reverence: first, reverence for the Way; second, love for his son. He immediately descended from his elephant, removed his sword, laid aside his canopy, and, with tears streaming down his face, went before the Buddha, bowed with his head and face at the Buddha's feet, and spoke this verse:

– At birth, through merit and virtue,

For your thirty-two marks I bowed.

When the tree's shadow did not move, I bowed;

Upon your attainment of the Way, I bow a third time.

The royal father asked:

– When you formerly dwelt at home,

You rode an elephant, a precious carriage.

Now you must walk upon the ground;

Why endure such hardship?

The Blessed One replied:

– To ride the carriage of birth and death

Is perilous and cannot long endure.

Mounted upon the vehicle of the five superknowledges,

One may go wherever one wishes.

The royal father asked:

– Formerly you wore robes of the Seven Precious Things,

With pearls and gems of surpassing beauty.

Now your head is shaved and your robe is torn;

Why do you feel no shame?

The Blessed One replied:

– To feel shame because of clothing—

Worldly garments only increase defilement.

The true person wears the Dharma robe;

The mind brought to rest is the Tathagata.

The royal father asked:

– Formerly you used gold and silver

And ate all manner of fragrant delicacies.

Now you go begging for food;

How can you swallow coarse fare?

The Blessed One replied:

– The flavor of Dharma is the food of the Way;

Hunger and thirst have now been dispelled.

Out of compassion for the world, I beg for alms,

Bearing my bowl to bring merit to sentient beings.

The royal father asked:

– Formerly you dwelt in private palace chambers,

Attended by palace consorts.

Now you dwell alone in mountain forests;

Why are you not afraid?

The Blessed One replied:

– Having cast off the fear of birth and death,

I have now entered original nonbeing.

There is neither sorrow nor joy;

Wherever I dwell is called the bodhimanda.

The royal father asked:

– When you formerly dwelt at home,

You bathed in all manner of fragrances.

Now that you dwell in mountain forests,

What do you use for bathing?

The Buddha replied:

– The treasury of the Way is the bathing pool,

Brimming with the waters of Right Concentration.

Once bathed, the three poisons are exhausted,

And the Three Higher Knowledges—divine vision, recollection of past lives, and the exhaustion of the outflows—bring great joy.

At that time, the royal father invited the Buddha and the Sangha to enter the royal garden and made it a permanent monastery. The Buddha complied with the king’s wish, entered the monastery, and sat beneath the Nyagrodha tree. For seven days, he extensively expounded the Dharma without growing weary. Those who heard him rejoiced. Among them, some brought forth the aspiration for the Mahayana; some delighted in the practice of a pratyekabuddha; some formed the resolve to become arhats; and some became śramanas. Each attained the Path in accordance with the aspiration they had formed and the practice they cultivated. At that time, all the women in the city gave rise to wholesome thoughts and, weeping sorrowfully, reproached themselves:

“The Blessed One has returned to his country, and men endowed with merit alone are able to see the Buddha. Because we are obstructed and veiled by karmic offenses, we cannot drink the flavor of the Dharma. Why must our suffering be so?”

The Buddha knew all the thoughts in the minds of those women and praised them, saying:

“Excellent! You have given rise to the wholesome wish to hear the Dharma so that you may truly be liberated from suffering.”

The Buddha then said to his royal father:

“The True Dharma is difficult to encounter, and the teaching of the Path is difficult to obtain. Royal Father, you should issue an order that all the women in the country who wish to hear the Dharma may come and listen.”

The king immediately issued an order that anyone wishing to see the Buddha and hear the Dharma should come. At that time, all the women in the city joyfully went to see the Buddha, bowed in reverence, and then stood to one side.

The Blessed One then taught the Dharma in accordance with their aspirations, enabling them all to understand clearly and attain the Dharma-eye.

The king and the people joyfully bowed to the Buddha and withdrew. The bhikshus then addressed the Buddha:

“The men and women, old and young, throughout the land of the Shakyas heard the Buddha expound the Dharma. In accordance with the aspirations in their minds, they all attained realization. Yet the royal father also heard the Dharma, but the Blessed One did not confirm that he had attained realization. Why is this?”

The Buddha told the bhikshus:

“My royal father has not yet severed affectionate attachment. His feelings of love between father and son have grown ever stronger, and so his reverence is not yet complete. For this reason, he has not attained realization.”

Early the next morning, the Tathagata instructed the Venerable Maudgalyayana to go to the royal palace and sit in the great hall. The Buddha said to the Venerable Maudgalyayana:

“Manifest your spiritual powers.”

The Venerable Maudgalyayana obeyed. He flew into the sky, appearing seven times and disappearing seven times. Water and fire issued forth from his entire body. He then descended from the sky, bowed at the Buddha’s feet, and stood in attendance to his left.

When the royal father saw these transformations, his mind opened and rejoiced. His affectionate attachment was thereby extinguished, and inwardly he gave rise to reverence. He stood, bowed at the Buddha’s feet, and said:

“How exceedingly excellent, O Blessed One! Only because your disciple possesses merit could he accomplish such wonders. The majestic virtue of the Tathagata is difficult to fathom.”

Through this, the royal father immediately formed the aspiration for the unsurpassed, right, and true Path.

Thereafter, whenever the royal father went to the Buddha’s dwelling place and saw Kasyapa and the others—the one thousand men—whose physical appearance was exceedingly unattractive, dissatisfaction arose in his mind. The king said:

“Although these bhikshus possess diligent minds, this is not evident in their countenances. I should therefore encourage members of my clan who delight in the unconditioned Path to become śramanas and select those of handsome appearance.”

The king then ordered the members of the royal clan to assemble in the palace hall the following morning. Everyone obeyed and attended. The king said to the members of his clan:

“The physiognomist Asita said, ‘If the Buddha did not renounce the household life, he would become a Wheel-Turning Sage King, ruling the four continents, with attendants serving on both sides, and guiding the people through his dignified appearance.’ Yet now his disciples are unsightly in form. I wish to pay homage to practitioners of the Path who possess complete and dignified bearing, so that they may increase the number of the Sangha and bring splendor to the Blessed One.”

Everyone said:

“How exceedingly excellent!”

Having heard this, they rejoiced and withdrew to make preparations, intending to depart seven days later.

Devadatta then said to his attendants:

“We are descended from royalty. Now we shall forsake worldly glory, renounce the household life, and live according to the Path. This is the finest undertaking in the world. Prepare the elephants, horses, and carriages worth a thousand pieces of gold, for we shall now depart.”

Those who came to watch filled the entire road. At that time, the crown and the cloth binding Devadatta’s hair spontaneously fell from his head to the ground and rolled away from the road. The elephant he was riding stretched out all four legs upon the ground and cried out like a bird.

The physiognomist predicted:

“All of them will attain the Path; only two among them are inauspicious.”

They all went to the Buddha’s dwelling place and became śramanas. The obstinate were subdued, and there was no one who did not attain peace and happiness.

THE SUTRA OF THE ORIGIN OF THE CENTRAL CANON

END OF THE UPPER FASCICLE