A Treasury ofMahayana Sutras

Selections from the Maharatnakuta Sutra

AHffiffi

Translated from the Chinese byThe Buddhist Association of the United States

Garma C. C. Chang, General Editor

The Pennsylvania State University PressUniversity Park and London

The Buddhist Association of the United States

Chief Translator:Translators:

Editors:

Fayen KooShu-Lien MiaoYang-chu HsuYi-tze LiuKuang-mo Ho

V.S. BrownWalter HsiehJanet GyatsoT.C. Tsao

Pubhshed in cooperat ior . r wi th

Tl . ' In. t r tute for Advar.rced Studies of World Rcl ig ions

Ncw Yo rk , N .Y .

- I - i t les in the IASWR Ser ies

r { ' . 1 ' " ' \

Buddhtst .\lonastic Di.sttplnrc; The Sanshrit Prattmohsa Siltras of theirzs, br Clharles S. Prebish

Si t ra c, f the Pat l 'ous of Earth Store Bodhuatt ta: lne LoLLuuu L.L.u,L ' , !7 ' r tpt taha , ) Iaspr Hsuan Hua, t ranslated by ' Heng Ching.

.4ratdra: The Humanization of Philosophy Through the Bhagauad GTn, byAntonio

- f . de Nicol : is .

Srrtpture of the Lolus Blossom of the Fine Dharma, translated by Leon Hurvitz.

Librarv of Congrcss Cataloging in Publication l)ata

Tripitakr. Sutrapitaka. Ratnakti ta. English.Sc l t c r io r rs .

A trcasurv of Mahivana slt tras.

L Chang, Chcn-chi, 1920- . I I . Buddhist

Associat ion of the Unitcd States. I I I . Tit le.BQ1752.E5 1983 294.3'85 82-42776

rstsN 0-271-00341-3

Copyright O 1983 The Pennsylvania Statc Univcrsity

All r ights reserved

Designed by Dolly Carr

PrinMin thc Unitcd Statcs of Amcrica

Contents

.\cknowledgements

Prologue

I . ON MAyA aNo MlnacrEs

1 The Prophecy of the Magician Bhadra'sAttainmcnt of Buddhahood (Sntra 21)

II. ON Eupurvrss

2 Thc Demonstration of thc Inconceivable Stateof tsuddhahood (Sutra 35) 27

3 Flawless Purity: A Dialogue with thc LaywomenGangottari (Sntra 31) 37

,l How to Kil l the Sword of Wisdom (Sntra 36) 4l5 A Discoursc on Ready Eloquence (Sntra 33) 736 Manju6ri 's Discourse on the Paramita

of V/isdom (Sftra 46) 1007 The Prophecy of tsodhisattva Fearless Virrue's , ,

Attainmcnt of tsuddhahood (Sntra 32) 1158 The univcrsal Dharma-Door to thc

Inconceivable (Sntra 10) . B4

V

\ . : \ : :

, i r . i : r : rhrr :s t ib le Storcs of Wisdom (Sntra 20)'f

lr ' Prc.lctior.r of Manju6ri 's Attainment

r i BuJdhahood (Sf t ra 15)

. . t ) r r l IE LIGHT oF THE TarHAcara

I \ - . Ox CoNsc IousNESS

1l Thc Elucidation of Conscioustress (Sutra 39) 223

\ ' . ON VInrue AND DISCIPLINE

13 Bodhisattva Surata's Discourse (Sntra 27) 243

14 Sumati 's Qucstions (Sltra 30) 256

15 The Dcfinit ivc Vinaya (Sntra 24) 262

16 Abiding in Good and Noblc Deportment (Sntra 44) 280

VI. ON Punp LaNo

17 The Dharma-l)oor of Praising TathagataAksobhya's Mcrits (Sntra 6) 315

lU The Land of lJtnrost Bliss (Sutra 5) 339

VII. ON GENrnar MasAvANA DocTRINE

l9 Thc Truc L ion 's Roar of Quccn Sr imal t (Sntra 48) 363 L '

20 The Sutra of Asscmbled Trcasures (Sntra 43) 387

21 Dialogue with Bodhtsattva Infinitc V/isdom (Sntra 45) 415

VII I . ON Srtnrur MEaNs

22 On the Piramita of Ingenuity (Sntra 38) 427

119

164

191

Glossary

Numcricai Glossary

469

487

Acknowledgements

'.1, Kuang-Mo Ho and Ms. Tze-Ming Yang both participated in the translation work for., i t t t i tne. We acknowledge our grat i tude to them.

The work oJthe U.S. team is greatly apprcciated. The team members are: Dr. T... tr1,, Mr. D. Fox, Reu. L.Jamspal, Ms. N. A. Larke, Dr. N. Maxwell , ProJ. R.. , : : tnnan, and Ms. L. Zahler.

Out of his kindness and enthusiasm, Dr. C.T. Shen inuited uarious Buddhist':.'1,?r'-i to reuiew certain chapters at the beginning oJthe translation work. These reuiewers.. Dr. T.W. Berry, ProJ. R.S.Y. Chi, Rev. Jen Ching, Prof. D. Daye, Dr. C.S,..:r.qe, Dr. Charles Luk, Prof. W. Pachow, Dr. J. Penley, Dr. W. Stablein, proJ.

\ Iay, Prof. R. Thurman, Prof. T.C. Tsao, Prof. S.H. Wan, Ms. C. Wu Whang,

::, .ilnal stages the work was also reuiewed by Dr. J. Gyatso. We are grateful to allfor. , , r ,a luab le comments .

)Ir. P.C. Ko prouided administrative assistancefor the Institute, and Ven. Je Huit,',,/ rrs valuable research assistance. We appreciate their kindness.

ll'e also thank Drs . W.W. Hsu and H.Y . Li for their inspiration in the Jormation of, i ' t : t t tu te .

I'en. Yin Shun, the renown Buddhist scholar, graciously allowed the Institute to use, :.::tliries of Fu Yen Temple in Hsinchu, We thank hin for his generosity and for his

. .: ;rtlp in interpreting certain passages Jor the translators.

Prologue

Origin and History of This Work

\1any important scriptures of Theravida Buddhism havc been translated into En-rlrsh in the past few decadcs. Howevcr, translat ions of Mahiya'a sutras remain..-arce, though interest seems to have grown rapidly in recent years. To make the:.r jor tcxts of Mahiyana Buddhism avai lable ro readers of English, Mr. c.T. Shen.' t- the Buddhist Associat ion of the United States launched a project to rranslare the-hincse Tripitaka into English. His aim was ro introducc to the west hitherto.: 'avai lable Mahayana scriptures for general readers, Dharma-seekers, and schoiars. lrkc. A team of chinese scholars in Taiwan was formed to undcrtakc the transla-: :on task .

Anrong the major Mahayana sutra groups, the Maharatnakita sutra, thc Great'-r'cl-Heap Sutra, hcre rendered A Treasury of Mahayand sltras, is or-re of thc most

..r lunrinous. I t is actual ly not one s0tra, but a prodigious col lect ion of forty-nine.::r lcrent sutras which covcr a manifold range of topics. ln order to provide a broad-' :rsPective of Mahiyana doctr ine, Mr. Shen chose this work as the f irst to be: : rns la ted .

Under the lcadership of Mr. Shen ar.rd Mr. Fayen Koo, the translat ion of the-: ' .r trc Mahdratnakita surra, total l ing more than a mil l iorr words, was completed in' :- : tal l of 1976. we, the translators a'd edirors, then faced a vcry dif f icult prob-:: :r : should we publish the sutra group irr i ts entirety, or selcct those sitras which':r nrost useful to gencral rcaders? Aftcr much consideration, we dccided upon the,:!er course and selected twenty-two sitras for publ icat ion.

PRorocur

The Role of Mahdyana S0tras

- ' :>r: i : :hc rastncss oi Mahayena l i terature and i ts subtle and complex doctr ines,

:: .J --; :r :r i l i -nL'ts oithe Mahayana can be general ly summarizcd under the topics of

:: .r : : : i : .r :on and inf inity of Buddhahood, and the aspirat ion for and the path

.:, i : :- . i : ! . rhrt state. Although the inf inity of Buddhahood is usually described

: ' . : . . : . :r lYe tcrms such as " inconccivable," "unutterable," "bcyond the reach of

:r. , : : i r . and the l ike, i t can also be described posit ively, as in the fol lowing

The infinity of tsuddhahood is the two-in-one of great wisdom

and grcat compassion; thc way that leads to i ts real izat ion is the practice

of thosc virtues which are in consonancc with this wisdom/compassron

whole .

The bulk of Mahayana sfitras, including thc Maharatnakuta, present wisdom

and compassion as their two cardinal themes. Compassion is perhaps easier to

understand, for we have ail cxperienced it at one time or anothcr. However, that

which is totally transcendent-the "wisdom that goes beyond," or prajnapara-

mita-is almost impossiblc to explain. How can one understand that which is

simuitaneously existcnt and nonexistent, transcendental and mundane, a state often

described as total ly beyond words and thought?

To express the inexprcssibic and to enablc man to "catch" that which is

total ly transccndent or empty, tsuddhism in the course of history has developcd a

great variety of methods. As an example, for the intel lectual ly incl ined, Madhya-

mika phiiosophy wipcs out the limited intellect by rejecting and refuting all philo-

sophical views; when vicws are abandoned, the door to the understanding of

emptiness will eventually open. For those who revolt against Buddhist cliches and

prefer a direct approach, Zen Buddhism provides koan cxcrcises, "shock treat-

ment" (in the form of kicks, blo'"vs, or enigmatic remarks), and serenc reflective

meditation. One will thus see penetratingly into one's own mind and thereby

awak:n to various degrees of Wu or Satori expertence.

The problem is that not everyonc is incl ined to Midhyamika or Zcn, and

both these approaches can be mislcading and dangerous without propcr guidancc.

The greatest danger o[ Madhyamika study is that onc may fal l into the extreme

vicrv of nihi l ism, or, with one's hcad stuffed with hair-spl i t t ing polemics, become

lnical torvards everything, including thc basic teachings of Buddhism. Eventual ly

this can lead to confusion and a total col lapse of faith. Thc method of Nagarjuna

and hrs cminent followers was effectivc in some cases, but there also have becn

nanv Dharnra-scckcrs who becamc pcdants and at thcir death-beds found their

entrre l ives rvastcd by excessive study of academic tsuddhism. By i ts prol i ferat ing

pedantr-v, Madhyamika had long ccased to be a dircct means of l iberation; i t had

Pnorocur xl

become an out-oGdate academic discipline with questionable religious and prag-

matic values.

Concerning Zen Buddhism, no one can dcny its great contribution in bring-ing thousands to direct realization. Zen is emptiness in action, the living prajnip--

ramite. It is hard to find words to praise Zen adcquately. The more one studies andpractices Dharma, the more one appreciates and admires Zen. However, withoutproper guidance and sufficient preparation, Zen can also be dangerous and futile.By misconstruing a pseudo-experience as true enl ightenment, one may dcvelop anunwarranted self-conceit. Zen can also induce a devil-mav-care attitude and onemay eventually lose all ground in one's Dharmic efforts.

The pit fal ls of these and other Buddhist schools, hou'ever, are not unavoid-able; they can easi ly be eschewed by frequently secking guidance in the sutras.Buddhist sutras are rather plain and evident; they contain straightforward Dharmateaching, often in the form of dialogues, with an occasional insertiorr of an allegoryto illustrate a specific point. Therefore, they are least likely to be misunderstood.Although we cannot claim that Mahayina sitras are simple enough to be easilyr.rnderstood by everyone, it is quitc obvious that they arc rclatively easier to under-stand than the literature of Madhyamika and Zen. Furthermore, sutras are thesource of al l Buddha-Dharmas; al l Buddhist schools ( including Madhyamika andZen) look upon thc.sitras as their guidc and f inal arbiter. This is why we haveqiven f irst priori ty to the translat ion ofthe sutras.

Special Characteristics of the Maharatnakuta Sutra

lrr rvorking with the Maharatnakita, we obscrvcd the following points:1. We have found this work to contain a broad coverage of various subjects.

The topics discusscd range froin thc monastic prccepts (Vinaya) to intuitive wis-:on Q;rajiia), from good deportment to the manifcsrarion of the Tarh,gata's lighr,:rorrr illusion (mayA) and ingenuity @pAya) to the nature of consciousness and thei 'urc Land practice. I t can perhaps bc cal led a small encyclopcdia of Mahiyana3uddhism, which should bc useful to general readcrs as well as to scholars.

2. Emptiness, or iunyata, is thc oursranding, i f nor uniquc teaching of Bud-,: irsnr. I t is the central pi l lar of the Mahay-na edif icc, and every Buddhist schoolr.ri its own way of dealirrg with this doctrine. Here in thc Maharatnakuta, we frnd-..rborate discussions on emptiness irr dif fbrent sett ings, from dif fcrcnt angles, and. ' . : th dif ferent interpretat ions. I t is perhaps one of the most claborate documents on,:rpt iness in tsuddhist l i terature. Through the introduction of Prajnaparamit-,

" lJdhyamika, and Zen l i teraturc, the doctr ine of emptiness is alrcady famil iar i '

::!' West; neverthcless, we belicvc that this book will enhance the undcrstanding of::-.r' tcaching of emptincss and its far-reaching significance.

3. Thc modern reader will mosr likely find fault with the Maharatnakuta

\ : P n o r o c u r

), '" : : .r : t : i r !-pct i t ior. lsness, stereotyped formulas, and excessive numcrical l ists of

:-- ' .r . : : : : . : - \s iar as l t terarv styie is concerned, we are symPathetic to these cri t i -

, ' . . : : : . L)r: rhc orh. 'r hand, i t should be noted that nany of these shortcomings in

.: : : :=:-. . !r 1e arc nor $' i thout value for rel igious practice, because through repeated

:." j : : : i ; r- i l rnrndiulness, new rel igious insight can comc forth. I t is common

B:: jh:.r erpr-r ience that real izat ion can be engcndered through long years of

rr:quenr rccrtat ion of si tras. Therefore, thc purpose of reading a Buddhist sl tra is

:r.r onlv to grasp i ts meaning, but also to acquirc rel igious insight and experiencc.

To achieve this one should not just read the sitra once and digest the information

thcr.- in. but should read i t again and again, even out loud, so that the words of the

sr. i tra become total ly absorbed into one's subconscious mind. This is tantamount to

lett ing the sutra takc over the mind and run i ts course to reach the beyond. I t is for

this rcason that the intcntional repeti t ion in Buddhist scripturcs should not be

treated entirely as a defect, but rather as a constructive and bencficial method for

Dharma practice.

Neverthcless, to avai l the modern readers who may not be able to appreciatc

the volume of repeti t ion in this sltra, we have adopted two ways of handling the

text:

a. The texts which we felt arc significant and readable were lcft intact.

b. We made some delet ions in those sutras which have port ions that are

extremely prol ix, repcti t ious, or insignif icant in our vicw. Most of thc delet ions

involve only a few sentences; in a few cases a page or two wcre left out. All

deletions have bcen indicated by the insertion of thrcc ellipsis points in the appro-

priate hiatus.

4. In our translation of the Maharatnakuga we havc attemPted consistently to

offer the closcst English rendcring of the original text. Howevcr, in those cases

where a technical term has too broad a meaning to be adcquately represented by an

equivalent English term, we have retained thc Sanskrit word. The reader is urged

to consult the glossary at the end of this volume for al l Sanskri t terms, as well as

for a variety of English phrases which have a special meaning in Buddhism. A

numerical glossary has also been provided for thc standard l ists of i tems of Bud-

dhist doctrine.

A Brief Introduction to the Selected Texts

The Jlaharatnakuta Sutra in its present form as found in thc Chinese Tripitaka

corrs ists of for ty-nine sutras. l They are not grouped togethcr in d i f fcrent scct ions

1. For a summary of the history of the Maharatnafrrita texts, see K. Priscilla Pederscn,''\ores on the Ratndkuta Collection", Journal oJthe Intenntional Association of Buddhist Studies,

Vol . -1. No. 2 (198i)) :6t) -66. For an analysis of the var ious t ranslat ions of the col lect ion, see

Rrchard A. Gard, ed. . Buddhist Text InJonnat iotr , No.20 (June 1979): l -11; No.22 (Decembcr

19;9) : ;8; No. 28 (June 1980): ! - i1; and fo l lowing issues.

Pnorocur x11l

according to their contents, nor to a chronological order. Why these sutras are

arranged in thcir present sequence and form remains a ptzzle to us. Wc have

consultcd many scholars but fai led to f ind a satislactorv answcr. Our guess is that

the forty-nine sutras were col lected haphazardlv throughout the agcs without a

premeditated plan or scheme. Therefore, to faci l i tate comprchension we have taken

thc liberty to re-group the selected twenty-t\\'o sutras into eight sections according

to their contcnts, and a ncw tablc of contents has bccn providcd to substi tute for

the tradit ional Chincsc arranscmcnt. A few words of introduction to these sutras

are siven below.

Section I: On Maya and Miracles

This topic is elucidated by the story of the magician Bhadra's contest of magic

power with the Buddha. The emphasis hcrc is that thc Buddha's supcrior powcr is

not attained through spel ls, magic formulas, deity worship, or even meditat ion

power. It is attained, rather, through thc fuil rcalization of illusion (nayQ and the

cultivation of virtues and altruistic deeds. The central theme of Mahtyina tsud-

dhism, the cultivation and perfection of wisdom and compassion, is strcsscd herc.

Section II: On Emptiness

Nine sitras were selectcd to cover this teaching. Emptiness can bc i l lustrated byone word, e.g., the vowel Al by onc stanza, e.g., the f irst githt of the Madhyami-

kakarika; by one shcet of papcr, e.g., the Heart Siitra, or through the innumerablevolumcs of Prajn-paramitl literature. The contents and depth of emptincss arercgarded by Buddhists as al l-embracing and inexhaustible, and i ts teaching is thebasis of Madhyamika, Zen, and most other schools of Mahayana. I t is our hope

that the nine sitras included herein may further understanding and apprcciation ofthis all-important subject.

Section III: On the Light ofthe Tathagata

Anrong the twenty-two sutras presented in this volume, The MdniJestation o-f Lights

rs perhap: the most dif f icult one to comprehend. The central qucstion is: What isthis so-cal led " l ight"? Is i t simply a certain kind of luminous enti ty such as rays orbeams of l ight, or is i t the spir i tual i l lumination, the so-cal led "mystical l ight"rcst i f ied to by many mystics? To give an cxact answer is dif f icult . Noticeably, thelrghts trcated in this sutra seem to denote al l thc dynamic aspects of Buddhahood,r.c., thc Sarhbhogakaya and Nirmanakiya, and al l merits and functions of Tatha-qatahood are cxpressed in terms of l ight. One even has the impression that al lr'ssential principles of Mahayana Buddhism are given in terms of this light.

In general, religious experience and achievement are often linked with light.Words such as ' i l lumination,"enl ightenment,"revelat ion, '

and so forth al l implyrhat these experiences are somehow or other related to light. The Old Testamentsrates that God is spir i t and God is l ight. Buddha Amitabha means ' Inf ini te Light. '

Pnorocur

[ ' : ian even qo so lar as to say that in Buddhism, al l achievements in meditat ion

,:. j :r i rr ,rrrrve-cosnitron practice ( iamatha-uipaiyana) can be appraiscd by the real iza-

:: i : : oi ditGrent krnds or degrees of l ight. The exact meaning, implication and

:::nlt lcance ofthc r-arious l ights reported in this shtra are perhaps beyond our ken

lt Fresent. but u'e bel ieve that the material here wil l be of importance to students

oi r. ' l igrous srudies in the years to come.

Section N: On Consciousness

The reader wil l f ind that the consciousness discussed in this sutra is in many ways

sinri lar to the Yogacira idea of the storc consciousness @layauijnana). I t is our

belief that this s[tra is one of the forcrunncrs or germinal sources of the Mind-

Only phi losophy of the Yogacira school. As is stated here, "The consciousness is

devoid of form and substance, yet it manifests itself by feelings and conception,. . it upholds all the dharmadhatu, . it is fully endowed with the power ofrvisdom and can even know events of past lives. Consciousness is the seed

which can bring forth the sprout of various bodily forms as a result of karma.Perception, awareness, conception, and memory are all comprised in the conscious-ness. ." Here, we clearly see the precursor ofthe store consciousness theory. For

those who are interested in the Buddhist view on consciousness, this sutra shouldbe a useful referencc.

Section V: On Virtue and Discipline

Trvo short sitras were selected to introduce the basic moral codes of Buddhism;

both texts are simple and routine. "fhe Dejnitiue Vinaya is a very significant sutra;

it expounds upon the fundamental principle and spirit of the Bodhisattva-path andspeils out the differenccs between the Bodhisattva's Vinaya and that of the Sra-vaka. The moral principles of the Mahiyina are also set forth here. Abiding in Goodand Noble Deportment Satra attempts to define the true 6ramana; it also gives de-tai led descript ions of various kinds of monks. To most people, thc required stan-

dard for thc perfect monk as set forth here may be too rigorous, even frightening,

but to those who are seriously interested in leading a monk's life, or in studyingmonasticism, this sutra may serve as a valuable reference.

Section VI: On Pure Land

ln the Maharatnakuta, there are two surras concerning Buddha's Pure Land; bothare included here in our selection. Since the majority of people cannot successfullyperforn-r the meditation and intuitive observation practice, nor lead an ascetic mo-nasric Lte, the alternative path of Pure Land practice is provided. By the power ofthe original vorvs of Buddha, such a practi t ioner is assured rebirth in a Pure Land,s'hich is not considered to be a heaven or celest ial paradise, but rather an idealtraining ground for furthering one's journey toward enlightenment. According to

Pnotocus

Buddhist tradition, there arc innumerable Buddha's Pure Lands in the infiniteuniverses. Two samples are described in the Maharatnakuta; onc sutra contains adiscussion of Buddha Amitabha's Pure Land in the wcsrern direction, and thc otherthat of Buddha Aksobhya in the east.

Section VII: On General Mahayana Doctrines

The True Lion's Roar of Queen Srtmala Sutra is a short but quintessential textcovering many important teachings of Mahayana Buddhism. There are alreadyseveral translat ions of i t in English. Some passages in this sfrtra are extremelyobscurc. We hope that our translat ion and notcs wil l faci l i tatc further studics ofthis text.

The Sitra oJ Assembled Treasures is the original Raunkita Surra. It givesvarious admonishments to the fol lowers of Mah-yana, expounds on thc r ightobservation of the Middle !?ay, and discusscs the various kinds of 6ramanas.

Dialogue with Bodhisattua Injnite Wisdom. This sutra defines the rranscenden-tal bodhicitta, deliberates on rhe mcrits and achievement of the ten stages, anddescribes the various visions acquired by the Bodhisattvas in the ten successivestages.

Section VIII: On the Paramita of Ingenuitg

Upaya (fiffi) is difficult to translate into English propcrly. It has bcen rendered asski l l fulness, ingenuity, expediency, and so forth, bur none ofthese rranslarions cancover the broad implications of the word. In this sutra, the basic meaning andspecific implications of upaya are discussed. Since the advanced Bodhisattvas haveall perfected their up-ya, how can they ever make any mistakes or blunders?A mcaningless or accidental act by an enlightened Bodhisattva is unthinkable.Hence, the author of this sutra is compclled to explain every deed of GautamaBuddha teleologically. When a religious leader is deified, new problems ensue.This is perhaps universal. Wc believe that this sutra will be highly interesting tothose who are interested in the comparative study of religions and in the history ofthc development of Buddhist thought.

Garma C.C. Chang

University Park, Pennsylvania

On Maya and Miracles

&fiffiffireffi;d€

The Prophecy of the Magician Bhadra'sAttainment of Buddhahood

Thus havc I hcard . Oncc the Buddha was dwc l l ins on Mount C.a i r . tu i , n . . .Rajagrha, accompanied by twelve hundred fifty great monks whci were Arhatsknown to al i , and f ive thousand Bodhisattva-Mahisattvas who had achieved great,miraculous powers to perfornr magical feats at will; had achieved the Realizationof the Nonarising of Dharmas; and had acquired dharalis. Thcy were led byBodhisattva Lion, Bodhisattva Lion Wisdom, Bodhisattva Wonderful Sandalwood,Bodhisattva Subduer, Bodhisattva Great Subduer, Bodhisattva Superior Light,Bodhisattva Revealing Light, Bodhisattva Dignified Light, Bodhisattva Adorncdwith Light, Bodhisattva tsr ight Enl ightenmcnt, Bodhisattva Assembly Leader,Bodhisattva Subduer of Sentient Beings, al l thc Bodhisattvas of thc Worthy Kalpa,Bodhisattva-Mahasattva Maitreya, the Dharma Princc MaijuSri, and others. Theywere surrounded by the Four Great Deva Kings: Sakra; Brahmt, nraster of theSahe World; and incalculable numbers of gods, dragons, yaksas, asuras, gandharvas,k innaras , mahoragas . and so fo r th . l

The Tathagata, the !?orld-Honorcd One, was renowned throughout theworld as the Tathigata, the Worthy One, thc Supremely Enlightencd One, rheOne Perfect in Learning and Conduct, the Well-Gonc One, the World-Knowcr,the Unexcelled One, the Great Tamer, the Teacher of Gods and Humans, theBuddha, the World-Honorcd One, the Al l-Knowing One, the Al l-Seeing Onc. Hchad achieved the ten powers, the four fearlcssnesses, the four kinds of unimpededunderstanding, and the cighteen unique qualitics of a Buddha. He had grear kind-ness and great compassion, possessed all the five kinds of eyes, and was perfect in

Sutra 21, Taisho shinshu daizokyo 31t), pp. 486-492; translated into Chinese byBodhiruci.

I

: L)\ \1-lr ' . r .rsu Mrnacrls

: - : : : : : . r - r lL r l rs ;b r l r f i ' to admonish peop le , to teach them the Dharma, and to

. ' : , . - i : - - : , : : , - :1 po , . . ' c rs . l

H: r.rr,r lJ ser on a hair 's t ip a bi l l ion-world universe, with al i i ts earths, ci t ies,

:- ' . : , j ' . , . : . rr . .s. iorests, Mount Sumerus, oceans, r ivcrs, and celestial palaces; he

=... -- ' -r l j rnakc rhe universe remain upl i f ted in space without t i l t ing or moving at

..- : ,-- : rr ; . . kalpa, n-rore than one kalpa, or as long as he wishcd.

-\r that t ime, thc king, ministers, brihmins, lay devotees, and subjects in the

-' : : ' . . . iRalagrha al l held the Tathagata in grcat csteem and respectful ly offered him

:i: 'ntst

beverages, food, clothing, bedding, and medicine.

In that ci ty l ivcd a magician named Bhadra, who was well versed in hetero-

Jor doctr ines, ski l led at using spcl ls, and was the foremost magician in thc city.

Evcrvone in thc kingdom of Magadha was bewitched by him and bel ieved in him,

cxcepr those who had real ized the truth, and the laymen and laywomen of r ight

ta i th .

Learning of the merits and reputation of the Tathagata, the magician thought,

"Now, al l the people in this city revere me, except Sramarla Gautama,3 who has not

,vct been converted to my way. I should go challenge him to a contest. If he yields

to mc, I wi l l be even more respected by thc pcoplc in the kingdom of Magadha. "

At that t imc, thc good seeds the magician had sown in his previous l ivcs

r""'ere maturing, and by thc blessing of the Buddha's awesome, virtuous power,

Bhadra left the city of R-jagrha for Grdhrakuta. There he saw the light of the

Buddha, which surpasscd hundreds ofthousands ofsuns; the handsome face ofthe

Buddha, which was l ike a ful l noon; the pcrfcct body of the Buddha, which was

as well proport ioned as a banyan tree; the white hair between the Buddha's eye-

brows, which was as pure as a bri l l iant pearl; and the Buddha's eyes, which werc

deep bluc, l ikc a blue lotus f lower. The top of the Buddha's head could not be seen

even by those in the Brahma Heaven. With his purc voice of sixty qual i t ies,a he was

prcaching the Dharma to the mult i tude.

Although the magician saw the extraordinary, awe-inspir ing majesty of the

Tathagata, he remained arrogant. He thought to himself, " l should test him now.

If he is the All-Knowing Onc and thc All-Secing One, he will know my intention."

With this thought in mind, he approached the Buddha, prostrated himself

with his head at the Buddha's feet, and said, "May the Tathagata accept my

meager offering tomorrow. "

Seeing that the time had come for the good roots of the magician and thc

othcr scnticnt beings in the city of Ri jagrha to mature, thc World-Honored One

accepted the invitat ion in si lence for the purpose of brir-rging those good roots to

maturi tr ' .

When the magician saw that the World-Honorcd One had acccptcd his

inr- i tatron. hc thought, "Gautama does not know my intention; he is definitely not

an Al l-Knou' ing One." Then he bowed and took his leave.

The Venerable Maudgalyayana5 was in the assembly at that t ime and saw

u'hat had happened. He approached the Buddha and said to him, "Bhadra intends

Bnaora's ArrarNnENr oE Buoonanooo 5

to deceive the Tathigata and the monks. May the World-Honored One decline hisinvitat ion!"

The Buddha told Maudgalyiyana, "Do not think in this way. Only thosewho have desire, hatred, and ignorancc can be deceived, but I eradicated thosedefi lements long ago, for I real ized that not a single dharma ever arises. I have beenfirmly abiding in r ight act ion for many kalpas. Hos' can anyone deceive me?

"Now, you should know that the magician does not pcrform real magic, but

the Tathagata does. Why? Because the Tathagata real izes here and now that al ldharmas are i l lusory. Even i f al l senticnt beings were as ski l led in n-ragic as Bhadra,

al l their magical powers combined could not compare with those of the Tathagata,even i f their powers were mult ipl ied by a hundred, a thousand, or anv anlounr,numcrical or f igurative."

The Buddha asked Maudgalyiyana, "What do you think? Can thc magician

magically produce a billion-world univcrse and magr.rificently adorn all of it?"Maudgaly-yana answered, "No. "

The Buddha said, "Maudgaly-yana, you should know that I can magical lyproduce magnif icently adorned worlds, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges,inside a hair 's t ip, and even this does not exhaust thc Tathigata's miraculouspowers.

"Maudgalyayana, you should know that there is a great wind wheel6 callcdBrcakcr that can break a billion-world universe to pieces.

"There is another wind whcel called Great Hurricane that can ruin worldsand then rebuild them.

"There is anothcr wind wheel cal led Propeller that can revolve worlds."There is another wind wheel called Sccure Abiding that can blow as high as

the Akanistha Heaven."There is another wind wheel called Scatterer that can whirl awav and

scatter Mount Sumeru, the Black Mountain, and othcr mountains."Therc is another wind whecl called Fierce Flame that can blow ficrce flames

up to the Brahm5 Fleaven during the raging conflagration at the end of a kalpa."There is another wind wheel called Qucncher that can qucnch the raging

conflagration at thc end of a kalpa."Therc is another wind whecl cal led Cool that can cause a cloud to cover a

billion-world universe."There is another rvind whecl called Universal Downpour that can pour

down heavy rains on thc worlds during the raging conflagration at the end of akalpa.

"Moreover, therc is a wind whecl cal led Drying Up that can dry up rhesprcading f lood at the end of a kalpa. There are so many wind wheels that I couldnot finish enumerating them even if I spoke until the cnd of this kalpa. All this,Maudgalyayana, you should know.

"What do you think? Car.r the magician dwell securely in any of these windrvheels for a moment?"

ON MAva auo MInacrr,s

Maudgalyayana answered, "No."

The Buddha told Maudgalyayana, "The Tathigata can walk, stand, si t ' and

l ie undisturbed in the wind wheels. The Tathagata can also put those wind wheels

lnro a mustard seed and display their motions without the mustard seed either

erpanding or contracting, and without the wind wheels in the seed obstructing

ca;h other. Maudgalyayana, you should know that the feats of magic accom-

plrshed bv the Tathagata have no l imit."

When the Venerable Mah-maudgalyayana and the assembly heard the Tatha-

qara s u'ords, they were al l overwhelmed by wonder and awe. They al l bowed

dorr'n bcfore the Buddha and exclaimed in unison, "Because we have now met the

great Teacher who has these awe-inspiring miraculous powers, we arc greatly

blcssed. One who has an opportunity to hear of the wonderful miraculous powcrs

of the Tathagata, the World-Honored One, and generates profound faith and

understanding will certainly gain great blessings and bring forth a vow to attain

supremc enlightenment. "

That evening, the magician tshadra went to the lowliest and dirtiest place in

the city ofRajagrha and conjured up a very spacious, levcl, square site for teaching

the Dharma, adorned with banners and canopies of colored silk, pcrmeated with

the fragrance of flowers, and covered by a jewelled tent. He also magically pro-

duced eight thousand rows of jewelled trees. under cach jewelled tree was a

lion-throne. There were also numerous splcndid cushioncd seats. As offerings to

the monks, he further produced by magic hundreds of courses of the most deli-

cious food and drink, and five hundred servants dressed in whitc, ornamented

clothing.'When

these magical feats had bcen performed, the Four Deva Kings came to

the site and told thc magician, "In order to make offerings to the Tathagata

tomorrow, you have nagically produced these innumerable, beautiful things. tse-

cause of this, you have achicved great mcrit. Now, in order to help you make

offerings to the Tathagata, we wish to produce by magic a second site for teaching

the Dharma. Wil l you al low us to do so?"

Hearing this, the magician felt curious, and he gave them permission at

once. Thereupon, the Four Deva Kings magically produced myriads of wondcrful

ornaments, twice as many as the magician had produccd.

Thcn Sakra, king of gods, together with thirty thousand of his celestial

subjects, came to the site and told the magician, "I , too, wish to adorn the site,

because you are making offerings to the Tathegata." Astoundcd, the magician gave

hrm permission, too. Thereupon Sakra, for the sake of the Tathagata, magical ly

produced a hall as splendid as the palacc in the Heavcn of the Thirty-Three. He

also magical ly produced p-r i jata trees, kovidara trees,T and other beauti ful, celest ial

trces, arranged in orderly rows.

Secing all thesc, the magician exclaimed in wonder and felt remorsc. He

q'ished to v"'ithdraw the things he had conjured up, but thcy remained as they

n'ere, i .n spite of al l his spel ls. "This is very strange," he thought. "In the past I

could at wi l l make my magrcal productions appear or disappear. But now I cannot

Bnalna's Atrarunarxt or BuooHanooo

make these go away! This is surely because they are offerings for the Tathagata. "Reading the magician's thoughts, Sakra told him, "yes, indecd. I t is bccause

of the Tathigata that you cannot make your magnif icent teaching site disappear.Therefore, yo' should know that i f one bri 'gs forth even a single thought of theTathtgata, that good root wi l l eventual ly act as a cause ibr that person's attainmcntof parinirvina. "

When he heard Sakra say this, the magician r1.as verv glad. The nexr morn-ing, he went to the Tathagata and said, "World-Honored One , now I have f inishedmaking al l the preparations. Plcase be so kind as to come."

Thus, on that morning, thc V/orld-Honored One put on his robc, took uphis bowl, and went into the city of Ri jagrha ro thc magician's teaching sire,together with the asscmbly that respcctful ly surrounded him.

The heterodox, the brahmins, and others in the kingdom of Magadha whowanted the Tathagata to be deceived by the magician al l came to the srte hoprng tosec that occur. At the same t ime, many monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen alsocame, because they all wanted to see the miraculous feats of the Tathagata and tohear him preach in a l ion's roar.

Then thc Tathagata, by his miraculous powers, caused the magician, Sakra,and the Four Deva Kings to see the world-Honored one simultancously at each ofthe places they had adorncd.

Seeing this, the magician cast away his arrogance- and pride. He approachedthe tsuddha, prostrated himself at his feet, and said, "world-Honored one, now Irepent and confess my wrongdoing in thc presence of thc Tathagata. Blinded byignorance, I have tr icd to deceive the Buddha by conjuring up various nragnif icentadornments. Although I now feel remorseful, I cannot makc my magical creatlonsdisappear. "

The world-Honored one told the magician, "All sentient beings and mare-rial objects are illusory, like magic, conjured up by karma; all the monks arc alsoi l lusory, l ikc magic, conjured up by the Dharma; my body is arso i l lusory, l ikemagic, conjured up by wisdom; a billion-world universe is also iliusory, rikemagic, conjured up by al l senticnt beings as a whole; al l dharmas arc i l lusory, l ikemagic, conjured up by combinations of causes and condit ions.

"Now you should offer to these people one by one the beverages and foodyou have produced by your magic."

Thereupon, the magician, the Four Deva Kings, Sakra. their rct irues, andtheir magically produccd servants offered thc beverages and food to the tsuddhaarrd the Samgha. Thcy provided ful ly for everyone in thc assenrbly.

Then Mahaka5yapa spoke in verse:

"Food is i l lusory:

Rccipients, too, are i l lusions.When a giver comprehends their cquality,His giving may be cal led pure."

\ () \ \1.rr. \ .rNl Mtnacrls

\1.; .h:nraudgalvivana spoke in verse:

"Seats are i l lusorY:

Thosc seated uPon them, too, are i l lusions.

When a giver comprehends their equali ty,

His giving may be cal led Purc."

Sariputra spokc in verse:

"Servants are i l lusorY:

The minds of those served, too, arc i l lusions.

When a giver comprehends this truth,

His giving may be cal led Pure."

Subhlt i spoke in vcrse:

"Do not sec giving as giving,

Nor regard rcceiving as receiving.

If a giver can do this,

His giving may be cal lcd Purc."

Ananda spokc in verse:

"Gifts are empty, like sPace,

And no recipicnt can bc found..When

a giver is detached from bodv and mind,

His giving is purest."

Bodhisattva Banner of Light spokc in verse :

"Al l dharmas are i l lusory,

Like the adornmcnts

Con jurcd up by the mag ic ian .

But this is bcyond the awarcness of fools."

Bodhisattva Adorned with Light spoke in versc:

"Scats and trees are all produccd

By an i l lusory mind.

What difference can there be

Between an i l lusory mind and empty space?"

Bodhisattva Lion spoke 1n vcrse:

BnaonR's ArrarNuENr or BuooHaHooo 9

"A jackal is fearless

Before i t hears the l ion's roar,

And growls and howls among the trees.

But once i t hears the l ion's roar,

I t wi l l be at a loss to hide or run.

I t i s jus t so w i th the mag ic ian :

Before he met the Tathigata,

He boasted to the heretics

Of his superiori ty over the tsuddha.

Though the magician can conjure up ob.jects,

His magical power is l imited.

Not so with the magical power of the Buddha,

Which can never be exhausted;

No god or demon

Can know its bounds."

Bodhisattva Lion Wisdom spoke in verse:

"To know that food, drink,

Scrvants, and thosc who partakc

Are all illusory, like magic,

Is the best offering of al l ."

Bodhisattva Maitreya spoke in verse:

'Just as a fire is intensified

When oil is poured upon it,

So the World-Honored One's magic

Is magnificd by comparison with the magician's."

Bodhisattva ManjuSri spoke in verse:

"All virtuous deeds done in this assembly

Have never come into being;

So it is with all dharmas:

Empty, and passed into nought

In the forever unobtainable Dast."u

At that time, the World-Honored One, in order to bring Bhadra the magi-

cian to maturity, magically produced an elder approaching the assembly. The man

asked Bhadra, "What are you doing here?"

The magician answered, "l am making offbrings of food and beverages to

S.amana Gautama."

1fl ON MAYA aNo Mtnacles

The elder told him, "Do not say that. Right now, the Tathagata and the

nronks are taking thc food offered to them in the palace of King AjitaSatru."

Thcreupon, by the miraculous power of the Buddha, the magician was able to see

the Tathagata and the monks feasting there.

Then the World-Honored One rnagically created a second cider, who also

asked the magician, "What are you doing here?"

The magician answered, "I am making offerings to Sramana Gautama."

The second elder said, "Do not say that. Right now, the Tathagata and the

monks are begging for food in the streets where the heterodox believers live. " By

the miraculous powcr of the Buddha, the magician was able to see the Tathagata

and his venerablc followers making the rounds of the streets begging for food.

Then the World-Honored One produced magically a third clder, who told

thc magician, "Right now, thc Tathagata is teaching thc wonderful Dharma to the

four kinds of devotees in the gardcn of Jiva, the most promincnt physician."

Thereupon, by the miraculous power of thc tsuddha, the magician was able to sec

the Tathigata there.

Then the World-Honored Onc crcated by magic a 5akra, who canre to the

magician and said, "Right now, the Tathagata is tcaching the Dharma to the

assembly in the Heaven of the Thirty-Thrcc. " The magician again saw the Tatha-

gata, this t ime teaching the essence of the I)harma to a host of gods.

Hc also beheld thc Tathigata, endowed with thc thirty-two auspicious signs

and thc eighty minor oncs, si tnultaneously present among the trees, f lowers, and

fol iagc; upon countless l ion-thrones; amid the walled strccts in thc city of Rtjagrha;

and in houses, hal ls, and other superior places. He also saw himself, in al l the

placcs rvhere the Tathigata was, repenting and confcssing his wrongdoings.

Then the magician saw nothing except thc tsuddha everywhere. He was

overrz,'helnred with joy, whereupon he attained the Samadhi of the Recollection of

the - l juddha- '

Coming out of samadhi, he joined his palms toward the Buddha and spokc

"In the past, my conjurat ions

Were thought to bc unexcel lcd in thc world,

But now I sce they cannot compare

With even a tiny part

Of the miraculous powers of the Buddha.

Now I know how inconceivable

Are the Buddha's miraculous powers.

He can at will produce

Manifested tsuddhas as innumcrable

As the sands of the Ganges.

All the Tathigatas that I see

Have the same auspicious sigrrs.

-Bnaora's ArraruntNr or Buoonauoot 11,

#ilf:J:J,1"";li;*n:sh'w mc t

I wish to make offeringsTo [one of] thcse Tathigatas.May the World-Honored One tell mcWhich wil l lead me ro reap the supreme fruit .

Ordinary people who do not esteem thc BuddhaV/ill forfeit peace and happincss.Now, in the presencc of the World-Honorcd One.I confess I have committedThe sin of foolishly resting rhe Tathagata.I hope this misdeed will be forevcr annulled.

May Brahm-, Sakra, and the asscmblyAll bear witness for me:In ordcr to deliver sentient beings, ;I nou' make a solemn vow to str ive for bodhr.

I sha l l cn l igh ten a l l be ingsWith the l ight of wisdom;I shal l give them the nectar of Dharma,And fill thc entirc world with it.

How can a sensiblc person not aspire to bodhiWhen he sees the Buddha performSuch miraculous feats,Hears his pleasant words, and witnessesHis wonderful deeds and unimpeded wisdom?

May the World-Honored One show meThe way to bodhi and all purc deeds.

Pray show me the [superior] devotionWhich is beyond Srivakas and Pratyekabuddhas.

In what should one abide whcn practicing the Dharma? ,, ' . .- tHow can one always win respect and offerings?

, How can onc be dignified in dcmeanor?How should one remove doubts and regrets,Seek wide lcarning t irelessly, / 1 - a.

And firmly establish oneself in it?

FIow can onc teach others the true DharmaAnd cause them to del ight in i t?How can onc teach withoutExpecting material rewards?

12 ON MArA aNo Mrnac l l s

Hon' can one be grateful and return favors?Hos' can one always be

-\ pe rmanent friend of selltient beings?Hos' can one avoid bad companyAnd associatc with good fr iends?

Hog' can one meet Buddhas

And make offerings without wearincss? i

What are thc r ight subjccts of studyAnd how can onc csteem and sancti fy them?

' ' ' l'What

are the essential elements to produce samldhi? , i

How can one achieve a mind

In harmony with thc truth,And cast away the mind

In discord with thc truth?

How can one acquirc r ight thought?How can onc be free of timidity and wcaknessAnd become invulnerable to demons?

How should one contcmplate the meaning of the Dharma?How can one never forsake senticnt beings?What is to bc preserved?

What should be embraced without cl inging?

How can onc practice r ight act ionAnd be endowcd with ingcnuity?

' How can onc cult ivate kindness and compassion,Achieve miraculous powers,

I Realizc unimpedcd eloquence,i ^I And acqu i re dh i ra r r i s?

How can one attain the real izat ion of the Dharma truthl()And obtain pure eloqucnce?How should one abandon what must be abandoned?How can one penctrate thc profound doctr ines?How can one fulf i l l vows and aspirat ions,And gain nonregression from thc paramit is?

I am wi l l ing to p rac t icc

All Dharmas with di l igence.May thc Honored One of great compassionExplain them for me."

Thc World-Honored Onc answered in verse

Bnaona's ArratNnrNr or Buoonasooo 13

"lf one knows that al l dharmas

Are l ike magic and i l lusions,

He is able to produce magical ly

The bodies of ten bi l l ion Buddhas

And del ivcr beings in mil l ions of lands,

Jus t as by mag ic Bhadra can con;ure up

Various things out of nothing.

Things do not arise or cease;

Nor do they abidc, comc, or go.

The same is truc of thc monks

And the transformation bodiesrr of Buddhas;

They neither come into being nor perish,

Nor attain nirvana.

A1l thcsc arc the Tathigata's

Inconceivable miracles.

Troops mounted on elephants or horses

Con jurcd up by r mag ic ian

Arc mistaken for real

By confused sentient bcings.

In truth, these mounted troops

Hlvc no cnr i t y Jnd t lo r ro t a r isc .

S imi la r ly , t suddhas havc no rca l appcarancc :

They neither go nor come.

Those who hold a view of a self

Wrongly conceive an idea of the Buddha.

One cannot contemplate the Tathagata

According to appearance, caste,

Birthplacc, or purc voicc;

Nor can one discriminate Buddhas

By thc mind or consciousncss.

Thc Dharma-body of thc Buddhas

Transccnds all time.

It is by naturc frcc of all forms

And beyond al l categories of dharmas.

Magical ly produced Tathlgatas

By nature do not arise;

Nor have they aggregates, entrances, or elements. l2

They do not dcpcnd on anything.

Similarly, the Dharma-body of the Buddhas

Cannot bc sccn with the five kinds of eyes.

1-+ C)x MAyA aNo Mtnacns

Ii vou claim you see a Buddha,

You see no Buddha at al l .

i See the Buddha as you see thc unseeable;'

See him like the trace of a bird flying in thc sky

The Buddhas you see

And the others you do not

Are equal and like empty space.

They are identical,

Utterly indistinguishable.

All Tathagatas arc undifferentiated

In their merits of discipline,

meditat ion, wisdom, l iberation,

And thc knowledge and views

Derived from l iberation. l3

They a l l ab ide in enrp t iness

And are detached from al l dharmas.

They arc i l l usory , l i ke mag ic ,

Without a nature, and do not arise.

To make offerings to one Tathagata

Is to makc offcrings to countless tsuddhas,For the Dharrna-body of al l Buddhas

Is everywhere equal and undifferentiated.

Thereforc, all tsuddhas can confcr

Great blcssings and benefits.

Making offerings to any Tath-gata,

[Real or magical ly produced,]

Will yield great fruit.

Since all Tathagatas have realized

The equal, pure Dharma-nature,

Thcy are one. without any dif ference.

You askcd which is the truc Buddha;

Cast asidc your distracted mindAnd heed my words.

Abide in the wisdom of right mindfulness

And observe al l dharmas:

Nothing arises at all,

But dharmas are mistaken for real.

I f form arose, then i t would cease.

Tathagatas do no t a r ise in any way,

Bnaola's ArrarNntNr or BuooHanooo 15

And have never in the past ariscn;Thereforc, they will not cease to be.

Contemplate the Tathigata in this u'ay-lSee him as you do the unseeable,

Then wil l you f ind that the Buddhas vou secAbide nowhere.

Upon the five.aggr"g"tes )

Do al l ordinary men depend.Contemplate thc aggregatcs

As you do the Buddhas!

Then will you find

That Buddhas, dharmas, and sentient beingsHave as their form thc absence of form;Thcy depend upon nought.

I f you take such a view,

You will soon realizc enlightenment.

No dharmas in truth cxist;They arise from false discrimination.Causes ancl conditions are cmpty rn essence,For they lack a self which acts.Onc who comprehcnds this

', Will comprehend the unsullied, pure Dharma,And see Tathagatas with the clear I)harma-eye."

When the magician had heard this, he achicved the Rcalization of Com-', 'Lance with the Dharma Truth. Also, f ivc thousand sentient beings brought forth:upreme bodhicit ta, la and two hundred Bodhisattvas reached thc Realization of thc\onarising of Dharmas.

After the world-Ho'ored one had taken his mcal, he again spokc in verse in\)rdcr to fulf i l l the magician's wish:

"Giving without discriminatingA thing given, a giver, or a recipientl5Is perfect giving."

Then Ananda said to the Buddha, "World-Honored One, wc hopc that theTrthtgata, with his miraculous powers, will help the magician to make the mag-ni l lcent things he has magical ly produced rcmain for seven days."

At the request of the assembly, thc Tathigata caused that teaching sirc tor!-main well adorned for a full seven days.

76 ON MAyA AND MTRAcLES

Then thc Tath-gata, surrounded rcspcctful ly by the monks, great tsodhi-

sattvas, gods, dragons, yaksas, gandharvas, and so forth, rcturncd to Mount Grdh-

rakuta to teacl-r thc I)harma to the assembly.

Later, thc nragician came to the Buddha again. He prostrated himsclf with

his head at the Buddha's feet, circumambulated him three t imes to thc r ight,

s' i thdren' to onc sidc, and said, "World-Honored Onc, please explain the Bodhi-

samva-path so that those who study and practice industr iously may rapidly arr ive

at the bodhi-sitc."

Thc tsuddha said, "Listen attentively and think well about this. I wi l l explain

i t to you. "

The magician said, "Yes, World-Honored One, I wi l l l istcn with joy."

Thc Buddha said, "Good mall , there are four things that consti tute the path

of a Bodhisattva. By practicing them, a Bodhisattva wil l rapidly arr ive at the

bodhi-site. What are the four?

(1) Never to retreat from or lose bodhicit ta;

(2) nevcr to forsake sentient beings;

(3) to scck al l good roots without beconing wcary or satiated; and

(4) most vigorously to protect and uphold the truc Dharma.

"Furthermore, there are four things which only Bodhisattvas can practice,

and which Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas canrlot practicc. What arc thc four?

(1) To cult ivatc cl iryinal6 without hoping to bc rcboru in thc dhyana hcavens;17

(2) to be ablc to rccognizc the profound doctr ines;

(3) to havc grcat compassion for sentient beings; and

(4) to teach the Dharma without hindrance by using various kinds of elo-

quence.

"Furthcrmore, therc are four things that can cause a Bodhisattva to become a

permanent fr icnd of scntient beings. What are the four?

(1) To wear the great armor of paticncc;

(2) to benefit sentient beings without expecting any reward;

(3) never to regress from great compassion; and

(4) never to forsake evcn thosc who often annoy and hurt him.

"Moreover, there arc four things that can cause a Bodhisattva to meet Bud-

dhas. What are thc four?

(1) To bc mindful of Buddhas constantly and single-nrindedly;

(2) to praise the merits of the Tathagatas;

(3) to be completcly f lawless in observing the precepts that havc been taken;

and

(,1) to makc grcat vows with supreme aspirat lon.

"Furthermore, there are four things that are the essential elements to produce

samadhi. What are the four?

Brraona's AnarxurNr or Buotsanoou 17

i1 ) To s tay away f rom no isy c rowds;

12) to dcl ight in quietude and pcacc;(3) to bc mcntal ly undistractcd; and(-l) to increasc one's good roots.

"Moreover, thcrc are four things that a Bodhisatrva should cult ivate wcl l in:- i :r ro have r ight thought. What are the four?

1) To suffer wi l l ingly the pain of sarirsara for innumerablt kalpas, evcn forthe sake ofonly one sentient bcing;

(2) to know the dif ferent natures and characters ofthc scnrienr bcincs beforercaching them the Dharma to r id them of aff l ict ions;

(3) to eradicatc al l cvi l , cult ivatc al l vir tues, subdue the army of demons, andreal ize suprcmc enl ightenmcnt; and

('1) to teach, with one pure voicc, the esscnce of the Dharma to the countlesssentient beings in a bi l l ion-world universc.

"Furthcrmore, there arc four things that can frec a Bodhisattva from coward-rce and weakness, and make him invulnerablc to demons. What are the iour?

(1) To view al l dharrnas as i l lusory, l ike n.ragic;(2) always to be in harmony with rhc truc, r ight wisdom;(3) to make no dist inct ions among dharmas; ancl(4) to bc clctached from all forms.

"Moreover, therc are four things that can cause a tsodhisattva to havc rnge-nuity. What are the four?

(1) To placc beforc al l other vows thc vow to attain enl ightcnment, and rocause even dcfi led persons to advance toward suprcmc enl ightcnment, letalone those with virtuous minds;

(2) to vicw al l scntient beings, evcl l thosc who hold wror-rg views, as worthyto rcccive the Dharma;

(3) to understand that no dharma has a self-naturc; and(4) to cult ivate l iberation without beins atrached to samidhi. . . .

"Furthermore, thcrc are four things that can cause a Bodhisattva to obtainLrnimpeded cloqucnce. What are the four?

(1) To fol low thc meaning of thc doctr ine, nor the lcttcr;(2) to cor-rform to the Dharma, not to any person;(3) to realizc that all dharmas are beyond words; and(4) to teach untiringly, using the words that convey the ultimate truth.

"Furthermorc, there are four things that can cause a Bodhisattva not to: cqrcss from the paramit-s. What are the four?

(1) tsy ingenuity, ro mastcr al l paramitas by mastcring one piramita;(2) by ingenuity, to know all scntient beings by knowing one senticnt being;

18 ON MAyA aNP Mlnactrs

(3) by ingenuity, to realize the purity of all dharmas by realizing the purity of

one dharma; and

(4) by ingenuity, to undersrand all Buddhas by undcrstanding one Buddha.

Why? Because things are not different in nature'"

when the Buddha taught thesc fourfold doctrines of a Bodhisattva, Bhadra

the magician gained the Realization of the Nonarising of Dharmas. In ecstasy, hc

rosc up in midair to a hcight o(s3v-e1 pi]m Jl.,e-s\Then the World-Honored One smiled f i ic iously, emitt ing fronr his face

innumerable lights, which illuminated all Buddha-lands and thcn returned and

entered the toP of his head.

Seeing this, Venerable Ananda thought to himsclf, "There must be a reason

for thc smile of the tsuddha, the Worthy One, the Supremcly Enlightened One."

Thereupon, he rose from his seat, barcd his r ight shoulder, knelt on his r ight knee'

joincd his palms toward the tsuddha, and asked him in verse:

"Omniscicnt, Honored One,

You are renowned throughout the three rcalms'

Your awe-inspir ing virtue and wisdonl

Are inconceivable.

You have already reached

, The meritorious shore of enlightenment'

I Wtt"t is the reason for your smile just now?I

The sentient beings of the fivc planes of existencc

In the tcn directions

Differ in thcir mcntal activities

And in thc i r inc l ina t ions ,

But the Tathigata ful ly knows them al l .

Why did you smile just now?

The many wonderful voices uttercd

By humans and al1 eight divisions of divinitres

Cannot comParc in cxcellencc

With the si ightcst sound

Of thc pure voice of the Tathagata.

The l ights of the World-Honorcd One

Illuminatc all the countless tsuddha-lands

Throughout the ten dircct ions.

The brilliance of the sun, thc moon,

Bright pcarls, and Brahma

Cannot bear comPar ison

With the bri l l iance of the Tath-gata.

Buaona's ArlatNnrur or Buoonauoon

You understand thc profound doctr ine of emptincssSo that you hold no view of a sclf,A personal identi ty, or a sentient being.You abandon the extrcme views

Of existence and noncxistence.

You knou' well that past, prescnt, and futurcAre l ike the moon mirrored in water.

Now, who movcs toward the supremc vchiclc.Inherits the Dharma, exrends thc Buddha's l ineaee.And is reborn in the vastness of thc ThreeJeu'cls?Please explain thc reason for your smilc.

The l ights of the Tathagata's smileMove differently

According to which vehicle they concern.If they vanish into the knec or shouldcr,They concern Srivakas or Pratyekabuddhas.

Just now you emitted immcasurable l ights,Al l of which entered the top of the Tathagata's head.Whosc attainmcnt of enlightenmentWil l the Supremc One among gods prophesy?"

The V/orld-Honored Onc asked Ananda, "Do you see Bhadra?"Ananda answered, "Yes, I do."Thc Buddha told Ananda, "This good man wil l become a Buddha, cal led

:"thegata King of Miraculous Feats, the Worthy One, the Supremely Enlighte'edr:re. He will dwell in the Land of Great Ador'ment aftcr 'inety-two thousand

:..-ps5 6r,r. passed, during the Kalpa of Ski l l ful Reforming."The pcople of his Buddha-land wil l be prosperous, pcaceful, secure, r ich,

,:-J happy. The land there wil l be level, and as sofr as corton, with f lowcring trees.:: j t iui t trees growing in orderly rows. Banners and precious canopies wil l adorn'.- . , : land. and musical instruments of al l kinds wil l sound spontaneously. Every-

:: :rc a wonderful fragrance wil l pcrmeate the air. Food and drink wil l appear as- n as the need of them comes to a pcrson's mind. Al l thc enjoymcnts and

i-.ssit ies of l i fc wi l l be cxactly the same as those used rn thc Heaven of the:::rr ' -Three. Becausc of the rnany magnif icent adornments in that tsuddha-land,

' , . r l1 be cal led the Land of Great Adornment. The pcople therc u,, i l l al l abide in. . \ lahiyana with deep, f i rm faith.

"Tathagata King of Miraculous Feats wil l l ive for ten thousand years, and his'- . : l )harma wil l last in that world for ten bi l l ion years. At the point of entering

,:: :rrr ' ina, l8 hc wil l prophesy Bodhisattva Renowned's attainmcnt of suprcme::htcnment, saying: 'You wil l be the next Buddha [of this land] in your future

ON MAyA aNo MtnacLrs

l i te. and r.ou rvi l l be cal lcd Tathigata Surpassing Al l , the Worthy Onc, the Su-

prcnrclv Enl ightcned Onc. " '

Havir.rg heard thc Tathagata thus prophesy, Bhadra desccnded from midair,

prostreted himsclf with his head at the Buddha's fect, and said, "Now I take refuge

in the Tathigata, the Worthy One, the Supremcly Eniightened Onc; and also in

rhc Dharn-ra and the monks." This he repcated earncstly again and again.re Then he

:: id. "The Buddha, the World-Honored Onc, sees that suchncss al lows of no

disrinct ions, and says that al l dharmas are identical with suchtress-undifferentiated,

perfect, indist inguishable, nonarising, and inactive. I say tht: same about my pre-

scn t tak i t tg o f re fugc . "

r Thcrcupon Venerabie Ananda said to Bhadra, "I f your taking refugc is iden-

t ical with suchness, as the Buddha has taught, thcn you must have obtained some-

thing from the Dharma-nature of the Buddha. Have you not done so?"

Thc magician answcred, "I myself am the Dharma-nature of the Tathagata.

Why? Thc Tathagata and I are not two, not dif fercnt, becausc al l dharmas are

suchncss. Suchness means that al l dharmas are in nature undifferentiated. So is i t

with sentient beings. Venerable sir, you shouid know this: when we speak of

nonduali ty, wc mean that nondiscrimination is nonduali ty. Why? Becausc i t is the

wisdom of the -Buddha to know that al l dharmas are namcs only."

Venerable Ananda approached thc Buddha and said, "How strangt- i t is '

World-Honored Onc, that Bhadra has such wisdom and eloqucncc! Previously, he

deluded and confused thc rvorld with his magic, but now he is doing so with his

w isdom."

The Buddha asked tshadra, "Good man, are you real ly doing that?"

tshadra said, " l delude and confuse others just as thc tsuddha does. Why do I

say so? Becausc the Buddha, the World-Honorcd One, says that there are scntient

beings and l i fe, though actual ly no self exists. This is most dcluding and confusing

to the world. Also, thc Tath-gata speaks of coming, going, and sarhsira, though

he has known cver sincc he realizcd supreme cnlightenment that there are no such

dharmas as coming, going, or sarhsara. In my opinion, thc Tathegata is thc only

onc who grcatly deludcs and confuses thc world."2{)

The Buddha said, "Good man, well said, well saidl Just as you havc said, the

BudChas, Tathagatas, say that thcre are sentient beings and so forth, in order to

conform to conventions, even though they know that there is actually no sclf,

sarirsara, going, or coming. There is no dharma that can be cal led nirvana, ci ther.

However, in order to Icause othcrs to] real ize the Dharma leading to nirv-na, they

discourse on nirvana. "

Having heard this, Bhadra approachcd the Buddha and said, " l wish to lcave

the household l i fc to become a monk."

Then the World-Honored Onc told

should shave off this good man's beard

ordination. "

Bodhisat tva-Mahasattva Mai t rcya, "You

and hair and confer upon him the full

Bsaona's ArratNurNr or Buotnanoot 21

In accordance with thc Buddha's instruct ions, Bodhisattva Maitreya al lowedBhadra to leavc the household lifc and fully ordained him.

After becoming a monk, Bhadra said to the Buddha, "World-Honored one,this renunciation of the household life is only so in appcarance; it is not truerenunciation of the household life. Only the Bodhisattvas rvho detach rhemselvesfrom all appcarances and remain in the three realms to bring scntient beings tomaturi ty can be said to have truly renounced the household l i fc."21

When this was spoken, f ive thousand sentient beings brought forth supremebodhicitta, and their minds were liberated from all defilements.

Then Ananda said to the Buddha, "World-Honored One, what shal l we cal lthis Sutra? How shall \rre accepr and uphold it?"

The Buddha told Ananda, "This sutra wil l be cal led 'The Prophecy of theMagician Bhadra's Attainment of Buddhahood,'or 'The Doctr ine of the GradualRealization of Bodhi. '22 Sentient beings who desire to see the Tath-gata and to dothc Buddha's work for others in the future should acccpt, read, and recite this sitraand cxplain it extensivcly to others. V/hy? Because to do so is to see the Tathagatarrrd do the Buddha's work for others. Thereforc. Ananda. to uphold, read. recite,and circulatc this sutra is to pity, benefit, and gladden senticnt beings. Those whoaspire to advance toward suprcnre enl ightenment should also study and practicerhis sutra diligcntly. This sutra can cause [the seed of] suprcme enlightcnmentto gcrminate and to grow. Therefore, it can also be called 'The Discourse onrhe Gcrmination and Growth of [ the Seed of] Bodhi. ' I t should bc known thattsuddhas abide within those who accept and uphold this sutra, let alone withinrhose who study and practice i t properly."

Then Bhadra said to the Buddha, "World-Honored One, this sutra is also--al led'The Revelat ion of Good Roots. 'Why? Becausc now rhat I have heard this.utra from the Buddha, al l good roots are revcaled to me."23

When the Buddha had taught this sitra, the entirc assembly of Venerable-\nanda, Bhadra, gods, humans, asuras, gandharvas, and so forth were jubi lant..r 'er what the Buddha had taught, acccpted i t with faith, and began to pracrice ir'.-.'ith vcneration.

NOTES

l . For explanat ions ofnames, Sanskr i t words, technical ternrs. and types ofbeir rgs, sce.r5sarv. For numbered groups, see Numcrical Glossary.

2. Anything in the univcrse can be rcgarded as a miraculous feat. Here, bcsides the.'ldrng of magical powers, thc other two deeds of the Buddha-admonishing people and

22 ON MAyA aruo Mlnaclts

teaching the Dharma-are also said to be miraculous abilities. Thcse three deeds arc called thc

three kinds of tniraculous feats of the tsuddha.

3. A narnc of Sakyamuni Buddha.

4. The Buddha's voice is said to have sixty-four attributes. Thcy are listed in full in

the Inrorrteiyabfu Esoteric Mahayana Sftra ( 4Bff&.tst*ffi ), and includc liquid, soft, agrec-

ablc, p leasant, c lear, I ike a l ion 's roar, l ike a pcal of thunder, etc.

5. L istcd in thc Glossary as Mahlmar.rdgalyayana ( 'Great ' Maudgaly iyana) ' Ki5yapa'

too, is sometimes called Mah5ka5yapa, and is so listed in thc (ilossary.

6. A wind wheel , in mythological tsuddhist cosmology, is a vast c i rc le of a i r or

"rv ind" upon which each wor ld rests.

7. Plr i j i ta is a f lower ing t ree which blooms in Srkrr 's gardcn. Kovidtra is another

k/nd of flowering tree.

8. L i teral ly , "Aiways equal to the past ."

9. This samidhi involves three k inds of devot ion: to contenrplatc s ingle-mindedly the

auspic ious physical form of the Buddha, to contemplate real i ty ( the Dharma-body) s inglc-

mindcdly, and to invoke the Buddha's name single-mindcdly. Thc achievement of this

samldhi leads to a mental state wherein a l l the Buddha's bodics are revcaled as one rer l i t l

10. I)harma truth: the suchness or enlptiness of all dharnras

11. Transformation body (or, 'incarnatcd body'; Skt. Nirmanakaya): one of the three

bodies of the Buddha, not a rnagical ly produced Buddha. Scc Numerical ( ) lossary, " thrcc

bodies of the Buddha."

12. Sec Numerical ( i lossary, " f ivc aggrel latcs," " twelvc entra l lccs," and "eightccn

elemcnts." See also Glossary, "aggregatc."

13. Sometimcs these arc called "the five factors of the Dharrra-body," which here

does not refer to the Dharnrakiya of thc Mahayana.

14. See Glossary, "bodhic i t ta."

15. See Numerical Glossary, " three whcels "

16. We render E as 'dhyana'not 'samadhi ' , herc and else 'where. For =st and =Ei&

we use 'samadhi ' . The reasons are as fo l lorvs:

a. Al though E and =f f i are almost interchangeable in Mahlyana sutras, they are not

so in every case. No translator rerrdcrs EEFE (the four dhyanas of form) as 'thc four

samidhis of form', or E{ft68 (thc four lormless dhyanas) as 'the four samadhis without

form'. Therefore, for the sake of convention and uniformity, we distinguish the two terns.

Although in some sutras the santc "trance" may be rcferred to as i€ and =m in different

placcs, we leave the rcsponsibility to such sltras thcmselves, and wc do not assunle thc

liberty of changing our rendering at wiil.

b. If we conpare the eight Hinayana dhyanas *'ith the mystical, dynamic Mahiyana

samidhis, we find a vast difference between thc two. To point up this distinction, we use

dhyana for E and samadhi for =ffi

c. From the etymological viewpoint, there is also a difference. Dhyana is derived from

the Sanskr i t root dhya, which means ' to muse' , ' to contemplate ' , or ' to medi tate ' . Therefore,

the eight Hrnayana " t rances" should be t ranslated as dhyanas, not sanl idhis. The dhyinas

denote specific meditational states, while the samldhis of Mah-yina have various dynamic

tunct ions.

d. The fifth of the Bodhisattvas'six paramitas (Skr' dhyana-parunita, Ch. fllFE.re'he )'

is t ranslated as ' the paramit t of medi tat ion ' , or s imply ' the pi ramit i of dhyana' . No t rans-

lator so lar has translated this as 'the piramita of samtdhi'. Since E is an abbreviation of

Bnaona's ArrarNnarxr or Buoonanooo 23

#8, i t is obvious that we should fo l low the establ ished ru lc in render ing al l t as,dhyina' ,not 'samadhi ' .

e. The fifth paramit-, dhyana-paramita, is translated in Tiberan as bsam-gtan (: dhyana)ty i pha-rol - tu phyin-pa, not as t i i t - i te- 'd: ln ( :5xn.r ;6h|) gyi pha-rol - tu phyin-pa. This isanother reason to t ranslate f f iE or f t as 'dhy-na'but not as 'sant idhi ' .

To avoid latcr compl icat ions and possib le misunderstandings, \ \ ,c t ranslate these twoterms on the basis of th is pr incip le.

Mr. Miao is fu l ly aware of th is pr incip lc, but d isagrces u ' i th r ts appl icat ion in Chapter12. See "A Discourse on Rcady Eloqucnce" below, note 2. (G.C.)

17. According to Buddhist t radi t ion, at tachment to the bl iss o i r ledi tat iop can lcad an.rcditatdr to rcbirth in thc dhyana hcavens. Birth in the heavens is nor to be sought forseveral rcasons. One cannot gain supremc enl ightenment i fonc is a god in heavcn. Furthcr-r l lore, the rewards of good karma and the power of rncdi tat ion wi l l sonredar, be cxhausted,and thc god must then suffcr the agony of dcath and possible rebirth in miserablc states.Final ly , a wish for b i r th in the dhyina heavens is contrary to thc sel f less ideals of theMah i y -na . (V .S .B . )

18. L i teral ly "n i rv ina."

19. The or ig inal reads, " incalculable hundreds of thousands of mi l l ions of t imes."20. Ernploying spcech as ski l l fu l mcans, the Buddha spoke many sutras, which should

onlv be taken as " the f ingcr that points to rhc rnoon," nor the nroon i tsel f . The Buddha said,' ' I havc not taught a s ingle word dur ing the fbr ty- . i 'e years of nry l )harn-ra preaching." Thesrttras oftcn admonish us to rcly on nrcaning rather than on merc words. (See Numerical( i lossary, " four re l ianccs.") Readcrs should bear in mind that i t is not the rvords thcmselvesi 'ut thc at tachmctr t to words that is dangerous. The crucia l funct ion of the sutras as a f inger

l .o int ing to the moon should bc upheld. (V/ .H.)

21. In thc Mahayina, a layman nray be'said to have "rcal ly lef t the houschold l i fc" i fac ' docs what is taught rn th is passage. Vrmalakrr t i , the layman wi th great wisdom andrrqenui ty, is an i l lustr ious example.

22. Bhadra the megrcian f i rs t at ta ined thc Samidhi of thc Rccol lect ion of the Buddha,:rcn thc Realization of Con.rpliance r,vitl.r thc l)harma Truth, and finally the Rcalization of tl.re\onar is ing of Dharnras, whereupon he reccived the tsuddha's prophecy of h is at ta inment ofi l uddhahood . ( [ / .H . )

This passage suggests thc gradual real izat ion approach. I t is rn1' opin ion that the reader' ; lould t tot regard the so-cal led " i t rs tantancous" real izat ion as super ior to t l ie gradual . We.' i roulc l bear in mind that many Zcn Buddhists st r ivc for instantaneous real izat ion al l r l - rc i r. : \ ! -s and get nowhere. Thus, thc gradual approach is perhaps rnore sol ic l , s teady, and:rr,Jtical. With rcgard to rhc rlrur ctJ-prqifiA, instantancous rcalization (ffi6) nray be ntore: ; r , r rough and "supcr ior" to the gradual approach; but f rorn thc pragmat ic v iewpoint , thc:r :Jual rpproach seems to be prcfcrable. Furtherrnore, thc three rcal izat ions lJhadra at ta ined,rc ofa verv advanced stagc. In part icular , the Real izat ion of thc Nonar is ing of l )harrnas is. : rpposcd to be at ta ined only by Bodhisat tvas of the c ighth stagc. ( ( i .Cl . )

23. In an car l ier part of the st l t ra (p. 4) we f ind: "The t imc had come for the 'good roots:- thc magic ian. to rnature. "

IIOn- E*ptiness

2 #ffix+€The Demonstration of the Inconceivable

State of Buddhahood

Thus have I heard. Once the Buddha was dwelling in the garden of AnithapiT-dada, in the Jeta Gro,oe near-5.rarr.ii"r..o-panied by one rhousand monks, tenthousand Bodhisattva-Mahrsattvas, and many gods of the Realm of Desire and theRealm of Form.

At that time, Bodhisattva-Mahisattva Mafrju5ri and the god Suguna wereboth present among the assembly. The World-Honored One told Manju5ri, "Youshould explain the profound srate of Buddhahood for the celestial beings and theBodhisattvas of this assembly."

Manju6ri said to the Buddha, "So be it, World-Honored One. If good menand good women wish to know the state of Buddhahood, they should know thatit is not a state of the eye, the ear, the nose, the tongue, the body, or the mind; noris it a state of forms, sounds, scents, tastes, textures, or mental objects. World-Honored One, the nonstate is the state of Buddhahood. This being the case, whatis the state of supreme enlightenment as attained by the Buddha?"

The Buddha said, " l t is the state of emptiness, because al l views are equal. I tis the state ofsignlessness, because all signs are equal. It is the state ofwishlirrn.r.,because the three realms are equal. It is the state of nonaction, because all actionsare equal. It is the state of the unconditioned, because all conditioned things areequal. "

Manju6ri asked, "World-Honored One, whatt ioned?"

The Buddha said, "The absence of thoughtt ioned. "

is the state of tire uncondi-

is the state of the uncondi-

Sitra 35, Taisho 310, pp. 56G"571; translated into Chinese by Bodhiruci.

28 ON EnprtNrss

ManjuSrr said, "World-Honored One, i f thc states of the uncondit ioned and

so forth are thc state of Buddhahood, and the state of the uncondit ioncd is thc

absencc oi thought, then on what basis is thc state of Buddhahood expressed? If

there is no such basis, thcn therc is nothing to be said; and sincc there is nothing to

be said. norhing can be expressed. Therefore, World-Honored Onc, the state of

tsuddhahood rs inexpressible in words."

The Buddha asked, "Maniu6ri, where should the statc of Buddhahood be

sought?"

Manju6ri answered, " l t should be sought r ight in the dcfi lements of sentient

bcipgs. Why? Because by nature thc defi lemcnts of sentient beings are inapprehen-

sible. [Realization o1-l this is beyond the comprehension of Srivakas and Pratyc-

kabuddhas: therefore, i t is cal led the state ofBuddhahood."

The Buddha asked Maniu5ri, "Does thc srate of tsuddhahood increase or

decrease?""It neithcr incrcases nor decreases."

Thc Buddha asked, "How can one comprehcnd the basic naturc of thc

de filements of all sentient bcings?",Just as thc state of Buddhahood ncither incrcases nor decreascs, so by their

nature the defi lements ncither increase nor decrease."

The tsuddha asked, "What is the basic nature of the defi lements?",,The basic nature of the defi lements is the basic naturc of the state of Bud-

dhahood. World-Honored Onc, if the nature of the dcfilements wcre diffcrent

from thc naturc of the state of Buddhahood, thcn it could not bc said that the

Buddha abides in the equali ty of al l things. I t is because the nature of thc defi lc-

ments is the very nature of the state of Buddhahood that the Tathagata is said to

abide in equali ty."

The Buddha askcd furthcr, " ln what equali ty do you think thc Tathagata

abides?""As I undcrstand i t , the Tathagata abides in cxactly thc same cquali ty in

which those sentient beings who act with dcsire, hatrcd, and ignorancc abide."

The Buddha askcd, "In what equali ty do those senticnt beings who act with

the three poisons abide?"

"They abide in the equali ty of emptiness, signlcssness, and wishlcssness."

The Buddha asked, "Manju6ri, in enptincss, how could thcrc be dcsire,

hatrcd, and ignorancc?"

Manju6ri answcred, "Right in that which cxists thcre is emptiness, wherein

desire, hatred, and ignorancc are also fourrd."

The Buddha asked, "In what existence is therc emptincss?"

"Emptiness is said to exist [only] in words and language' Because there is

emptiness, there are desire, hatred, and ignorance. The Buddha has said. 'Monks!

Nonarising, nonconditioning, nonaction, and nonorigination all exist. If these did

not exist, then one could not speak of arising, condit ioning, act ion, and origina-

t ion. Therefore, monks, because there are nonarising, noncondit ioning, nonaction,

and nonorigination, one can speak ofthe existence ofarising, conditioning, action,

TnE INcoNcervanrr Srarr or Buoonanooo 29

and origination. ' Similarly, World-Honored One, i f thcre were no cmpriness,signlessness, or wishlessness, one could not spcak of desire, hatred, ignorance, orother ideas. "

The Buddha said, "Man3u5ri, i f this is thc case, then i t must be, as you said,that onc who abides ir-r the defilemcnts abides in empriness."

ManjuSri said, "World-Honored One, i f a meditator sccks emptiness aparrfrom the defilcments, his search will be in vain. Hovg could there bc an emptinessthat differs from the defilements? If he contemplates thc defilements as emptiness,he is said to bc cngaged in r ight practice."

The Buddha asked, "Manjuir i , do you detach yourself from the dcfi lementsor abide in thcm?"

ManjuSri said, "Al l defi lements are equal [ in real i ty]. I have real izcd thatequality through right practice. Thereforc, I neither detach myself from thc defile-ments nor abide in them. If a Sramana or brahmin claims that hc has overcomepassions and sees other beings as defiled, he has fallen into thc two extrcme vrews.What are the two? One is the view of cternalism, maintaining that defilementsexist; the other is the view of nihilism, maintaining that dcfilements do nor exist.'World-Honored

One, he who practiccs rightly secs no such things as self or other,existence or nonexistence. Why? Becausc hc clearly comprchends al l dharmas."

The Buddha asked, "Manju6ri, what should onc rely upon for r ight prac-tice?"

"He who practices r ightly rel ies upon nothing."The Buddha asked, "Docs he not practice according to the path?""If he practices in accordance with anything, his practice will bc conditioned.

A condit ioned practice is not onc of equali ty. Why? Bccausc i t is not exempt fromarising, abiding, and perishing."

The Buddha asked Manjuiri, "Are there any categorics in the uncondi-t ioned?"

Mairju6ri answered, "World-Honored Onc, if there wcre categories in theuncondit ioned, then thc uncondit ioncd would be condit ioned and would no lonserbc the uncondit ioncd."

The tsuddha said, "I f thc uncondit ioned can bc real ized by sainrs, thcn thereis such l thing as the uncondit ioned; how can you say there are no catcl lor ics in

"Things have no catcgories, and the saints have transccndcd categories. Thatrs why I say thcre are no catcgories."

The Buddha asked, "Manjuir i , would you not say you havc attair-red saint-hood?"

Manju6ri asked in turn, "World-Horrored ()ne, supposc one asks a magical lyproduccd person, 'Would you not say you have attained sainthood?' What wil l behis rcply?"

The Buddha answered Manju6ri, "Onc cannot spcak of the attainment ornonattai l lment of a magical ly produccd person."

Manju6ri asked, "Has the Buddha not said that al l things are l ike i l lusions?"

30 C)rv EiuPlINnss

The Buddha answcred, "So I have, so I have."

" l i al l rhings are l ike i l lusions, why do you ask me whcther or not I have

at ta ined sa in thood?"

The Buddha askcd, "Manjuirr, what cquali ty in the three vchicles havc you

real iz c'd ? "

" l havc real ized the cquali ty of thc state of Buddhahood."

The Buddha askcd, "Havc you attaincd the statc of Buddhahood?"

"l i the World-Horrored One has attained i t , thcn I havc also attained i t ."

Thereupon, Vencrable Subhnti askcd ManjuSri, "Has not the Tath-gata at-

tained thc state of Buddhahood?"

Manju5ri asked in turn, "Havc you attained anything in the state of Sravaka-

hood?"

Subhnti answered, "The l iberatiorr of a saint is ncither an attainment nor a

noltattainment. "

"So i t is, so i t is. Likcwise, the i iberation of the Tathigata is neither a state

nor a nonstate."

Subhuti said, "ManjuSri, you are not taking carc of the novice Bodhisattvas

in teaching the Dharma this way. "

Manju6ri askcd, "Subhlt i , what do you think? Suppose a physician, in tak-

ing care of his patients, does not give thcm acrid, sour, bit ter, or astr ingent

medicines. Is he helping them to rccovcr or causing them to dic?"

Subhnti answercd, "He is causing them to suffer and dic instead of giving

them peace and happiness."

Manjuir i said, "Such is the casc with a teachcr of the Dharma. I f , in taking

care of others, he fcars that they might be frightened, and so hidcs from them the

profound meanings of the Dharma and instead speaks to them in irrelcvant words

and fancy phrases, then he is causing sentient beings to suffer [birth, l old age,

disease, and dcath, instead ofgiving them health, peacc, bl iss, and nirvina."

When this Dharma was explair-red, five hundred monks were frced of at-

" t".h-.rlt to any dharma, wcrc clea,rsed of dcfilcments, and wcre liberated in mind;

eight thousand dcvas left the taints of the mundanc world far behind and attained

the pure Dharma-eye that sees through al l dharmas; seven hundred gods resolved

to attain supreme enl ightenment and vowcd: "In the future, wc shal l attain an

cloquence l ike that of Manju(r i . "

Then Elder Subhnti askcd Manju5ri, "Do you not explain the Dharma of the

Sravaka-vch ic le to thc Sr ivakas?""l fol low the Dharmas of al l the vehicles."

Subhuti asked, "Are you a Sravaka, a Pratyekabuddha, or a Worthy One, a

Supremely Enlightened One?""l am a Sravaka, but my undcrstanding does not come through the speech of

others. I am a Pratyekabuddha, but I do not abandon great compassion or fear

anvthing. I am a Worthy One, a Supremely Enlightened One, but I still do not

give up my original vows."

Subh0ti askcd, "Why are you a Srivaka?"

Tur INcoNcuvasrr Srart or BuooHaHooo 3l

"Because I cause sentient beings to hear the Dharma they have not heard'"

"Why are you a Pratyekabuddha?",,Because I thoroughly comprehend the dependent origination of all dhar-

mes-"Why are you a Worthy One, a Supremely Enlightencd One?"

"Bccause I reahze that al l things arc equal in the dharmadhatu." '

Subhuti asked, "Manjudri, in what stage do you real l .v abide?"

"l abide in every stage."

Subhlt i asked, "could i t be that you also abide in the stage of ordinary

people?"

Manju6n said, "I definitely abide in the stage of ordinary people "

Subhuti asked, "With what esotcric implication do you say so?"

"I say so because al l dharmas arc equal by nature."

Subhnti asked, "I f al l dharmas are equal, where are such dharmas as the

stages of Srivakas, Pratyekabuddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Buddhas establ ished?"

Manjuir i answcred, "As an i l lustrat ion, consider thc empty space in the ten

direct ions. Pcople speak of the eastcrn spacc, the southern space, thc western

space, the northern spacc, the four intermediate spaccs, the spacc above, the space

below, and so forth. Such distinctions arc spoken of, although the cmpty space

itself is devoid of distinctions. In like manner, virtuotls one, the various stages are

establ ished in the ult imatc emptir lcss of al l things, although thc cmptiness i tself is

devoid of distinctions. "

Subhuti asked, "Have you entercd the real izat ion of sairrthood and been

forevcr separated from sarhsara?"

"I have entcred i t and emerged from it ."

Subhnti asked, "Why did you emerge from it after you entered it?"

Manju6ri answered, "Virtuous onc, you should know that this is a manifes-

tat ion of thc wisdom and ingcnuity of a tsodhisattva. He truly cnters the real iza-

t ion of sai l thood and becomes. scparated from sarhsara; then, as a method to save

senticnt beings, he cmerges from that real izat ion. Subhnti , suppose an exPert

archer plans to harm a bit ter enemy, but, mistaking his beloved son in the wildcr-

ncss for the enemy, he shoots an arrow at him. The son shouts, 'l havc dor-re

nothing wrong. Why do you wish to harm me?' At once, thc archer, who is

swift-footed, dashes toward his son and catches the arrow beforc it does any harm.

A Bodhisattva is l ike this: in order to train and subduc Sravakas and Pratyekabud-

dhas, he attains nirvina; howcver, he emcrges from it and docs not fall into

the stages of Srivakas and Pratyekabuddhas. That is why his stage is cal led the

Buddha-stage. "

Subhuti asked, "How can a Bodhisattva attain this stage?"

Manju5ri answered, "I f Bodhisattvas dwell in al l stages and yet dwell no-

rvhere, they can attain this stage.

"lf they can discourse on all the stages but do not abide in the lower stages,

they can attain this Buddha-stage.

"lf they practice with the purpose of ending the afflictions of all sentient

32 ON EuprrNrss

beings, but [rcal izc] therc is no ending in the dharmadhitu; i f they abidc in the

uncondit iolcd, r 'ct perform condit ioned actions; i f they rcmain in sarhsira, but re-

gard rt as a qarden arrd do not seek nirvana before all thcir vows are fulfilled-then

t h c r c a r t a t ( a i r ) t h i s s t a g c ." l i thcv real ize cgolessness, yet bring scntient beings to nraturi ty, they can

attair-r this stage.2'. l i thev achieve the tsuddha-wisdom yet do not gencrate anger or hatrcd

tos'ard thosc rvho lack wisdom, they can attain this stagc', ' l f they practice by turning the Dharma-wheel for those who seck the

Dharna but make no dist inct ions anong things, they can attain this stage.,,Furthcrmorc, i f tsodhisattvas vanquish dcmons yet assumc the appearancc

of the four demons, they can attain this stage."

Subhnti said, "ManjuSrr, such practices of a Bodhisattva ar(r very dif f icult for

any worldly being to bcl ievc."

ManjuSri said, "so i t is, so i t is, as you sry. Bodhisattvas pcrform deeds in

the mundanc world but transcend worldly dharmas."

subhnri said, "Manju6ri, please tcl l me how they transccnd the mundane

wor ld . "ManjuSri said, "Thc f ive aggregates consti tute what wc cal l the mundane

world. Of these, the aggregate of form has the naturc of accumulated foarn, the

apil l regate of fcel ing has the nature of a bubble' thc aggregatc of conception has the

nature of a miragc, the aggregate of impulsc has the naturc of a hol low plantain,

and the aggrcgate of consciousness has the nature of an i l lusion. Thus, onc should

know that the cssential nature of the mundanc world is none other than that of

foam, bubbles, mirages, plantains, and i l lusions; in i t thcre arc neithcr aggrcgates

nor the names of aggrcgatcs, neithcr sentient bcings nor thc namcs of scntient

beings, neither the mundane world nor the supranrutrdane world. Such a r ight

understanding of the f ive aggregates is cal led the supreme understanding. I f one

attains this suprcnle understanding, then he is l iberated, as hc Iactual lyl always has

bcen.3 If he is so i iberated, he is not arrached to mundanc things. I f he is not

attached to mundanc things, hc tratrscends thc mundane world., ,Furthermore, Subhnti , thc basic naturc of thc f ive aggregatcs is empttncss.

I f tha t na ture is cmpt incss , there is ne i thcr ' l ' nor 'm ine . ' I f there is ne i thcr ' l ' nor,mine, ' there is no duali ty. I f therc is no duali ty, thcrc is ncither grasping nor

abandoning. I f there is neither grasping nor abandoning, thcrc is no attachmcnt.

Thus. frec of attachmcnt, one transcends the mundanc world'

"Furthermorc, Subhnti , thc f ive aggregates bclong to causcs and condit ions.

If thev bclong to causes and condit ions, they do not belong to oncselfor to others.

If thcv do not belong to onesclf or to others, they havc no owner. I f they have no

o\\,ncr, there is no onc who grasps them. If there is no grasping, thcre ls no

contention, and noncontcntion is thc practice of rel igious devotees. Just as a hand

movilg in empty space touches no object and meets 1o obstacle, so thc Bodhi-

sattvas u'ho practice thc equality of emptincss transcend the mundanc world.

THr lNcoNcuv,csrr SurL rtr l luoosanooo -]3

"Moreover, Subhnti , bccausc al l the elemcnts of the f ivc aggrcgates nrcrgc inthe dharmadhltr.r , there are no rcalms. I f there arc no rcalnrs, there arc no clcnrcntsof earth, watcr, f i re, or l i r ; thcrc is no ego, scnticnt bcing, or l i fc; no Realnr ofI)esire, Realm of Fornr, or Rcahn of Formlessncss; no rcalnr of thc condit ioncd orrealm of the uncondit ioned; no rcalrn of sarirsira or realnr of nrrvina. When tsodhi-sattvas cnter such a domain Ifrcc of dist inct ions], thcv do not abide in anything,

though thcy rcmain in the nridst of worldly bcinss. I i thcv do not abide inanything, they transcend thc nrundanc world."

When this Dharma of transccnding the world was explained, trvo hundred

monks becamc detachcd from all dharrnas, ended all their defilen'rents, and becameliberated in mind. Onc by one they took off thcir upper garner)ts to offer toManjuSri, saying, "Any pcrson who does not havc faith in or understand thisdoctrine will achieve nothing and realize nothing."

Then Subhuti asked these monks, "Elders, have you ever achieved or real-ized anything?"

The monks repl ied, "Only presumptuous pcrsons wil l claim they have

achieved and realized somcthing. To a humble religious devotcc, nothing is achievedor rcalizcd. Hou', then, would such a person think of saying to himsclf, 'This Ihave achieved; this I have real ized'? If such an idea occurs to him, thcn i t is ademon's deed. "

Subhuti asked, "Elders, according to your understanding, what achievementand real izat ion causc you to say so?"

The monks repl ied, "Only thc Buddha, the World-Honored One, and Mair-ju6n know our achievcmcnt and real izat ion. Most virtuous one, our understandingis: those who do not fully krrow thc nature of suffering yet claim that sufferingshould bc comprehended are presunptuous. Likewise, i f thcy claim that the causeof suffering should be cradicated, that the cessation of suffbring should be realized,and that the path lcading to the cessation of suffering should bc followed, they arepresumptuous. Presumptuous also are those who do not real ly know the nature ofsuffering, its cause, its cessation, or the path leading to its cessation, but claim thatthcy know suffering, havc eradicated thc cause of suffering, have realized thecessation of suffering, and have followed the path lcading to the cessation ofsuffering.

"What is the nature of suffcring? It is the very nature of nonarising. Thesame is true concerning the characteristic of the cause of suffering, thc cessation ofsuffering, and the path leading to the cessation of suffering. The naturc of nonaris-ing is signless and unattainable. In it, there is no suffering to be known, no causeof suffering to be cradicated, no cessation of suffering to be realized, and no pathleading to thc ccssation of suffering to bc followed. Those who are not frightcned,terr i f ied, or awcstr icken upon hearing these Noble Truths are not presumptuous.Those who are fr ightened and terr i f ied are the prcsumptuous oncs."

Thereupon, the World-Honored One praised the monks, saying, "Well said,well said!" He told Subhnti, "These monks heard Manju5ri explain this profound

34 ON EllprlNrss

Dharma during the era of Ka6yapa Buddha. Because they have practiced this

profound Dharma before, they are now able to follow it and understand it im-

mediatelr ' . Similarly, al l those who hear, bel ieve, and understand this profound

teaching in r lv era wil l bc among the assembly of Maitreya Buddha in the future."

Thcn the god Sugula said to Mafi juir i , "Virtuous one, you have repeatedly

tauqht thc l)harma in this world. Now we beg you to go to the Tusita Heaven.

For a long t ine, the gods thcre have also been planting many good roots. They

n' i l l be- able to understand the Dharma if they hear i t . However, because they are

attached to the pleasures [of their heaven], they cannot [ leave their heaven and]

conle to the Buddha to hear the Dharma, and consequently they suffbr a great

loss . "

Mair.juSri immediately pcrformed a miraculous feat that caused the god Su-

gurra and all others in the assembly to bclieve that they had arrived at the palace of

the Tusita Hcaven. There thcy saw gardens, woods, magnificent palaces and man-

sions with sumptuous t iers of rai l ings and windou's, high and spacious twenty-

storicd towers withjewelled nets and curtains, celestial flowers covering thc ground,

various wonderful birds hovcring in flocks and warbling, and celestial maidens in

the air scattcring flowers of the coral tree, singing verses in chorus, and playing

merri ly.

Seeing al l this, the god Suguna said to Manjuir i , "This is cxtraordinary,

Manju6rrl How have we arr ived so quickly at the palacc of the Tusita Heaven to

see the gardcns and the gods hcrc? Manju5ri, wi l l you plcase teach us the Dharma?"

Elder Subhuti told Sugula, "Son ofhcaven, you did not lcave the assembly

or go anywhere. It is Manju6ri's miraculous feat that causes you to see yourself in

the palace of the Tusita Heaven."

The god Suguna said to the Buddha, "How rarc, World-Honored One!

ManjuSri has such a command of samadhi and of miraculous power that in an

instant he has caused this entire asscmbly to appear to bc in thc palace of the Tusita

Heaven. "

The Buddha said, "Son of heaven, is this your understanding of Manju5ri's

miraculous power? As I undcrstand i t , i f ManjuSri wishes, he can gather al l the

merits and magnif iccnt attr ibutes of tsuddha-lands as numerous as the sands of the

Gar"rges and cause them to appcar in onc Buddha-land. He can with one fingertip

l i f t up thc tsuddha-lands below ours, which arc as numerous as thc sands of the

Gangcs, and put them in the empty space on top of the Buddha-lands above ours,

u.hich are also as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. FIc can put all the water of

thc four great oceans of all the Buddha-lands into a single pore without making the

aquatic bcings in it Gel crowded or removing them from the seas. He can put all

the Mount Sumerus of al l the worlds into a mustard seed, yet the gods on these

rnountains will feel that they are still living in their own palaces. He can place all

sentient beings of the f ive planes of existcnce of al l the Buddha-lands on his palm,

and cause them to see al l kinds of exquisite material obiects such as those avai lable

Tnr. IxcoNcrrvaslr Srarr or Buoonagooo 35

in dclightful, magnificcnt countnes. He can gather all the fires of all the worlds

into a picce of cotton. He can use a spot as small as a pore to ecl ipse completely

every sun and moon in every Buddha-land. In short, he can accomplish whatever

he wishes to do."a

At that t imc, Papiyan, the Evi l One, transfornied himsclf into a monk and

said to the Buddha, "World-Honorcd Onc, we r".ish to see Manju6ri perform such

miraculous feats r ight now. What is the use of saying such absurd things, which

nobody in the world can bcl ieve?"

The World-Honored Onc told Manju5ri, "You should manifest vour mlrac-

ulous powcr r ight before this assembiy." Thereupon, without r isrng from his seat,

Manju6ri entered the Samadhi of Perfect Mental Freedom in Glorif ing All Dhar-

mas, and demonstrated al l the miraculous feats described by the Buddha.

Seeing this, thc Evi l Onc, thc mcmbers of thc asscmbly, and the god Sugula

all applauded these unprecedented deeds, saying, "Wonderful, wonderful! Because

of the appearance of the Buddha in this worid, we now have this Bodhisattva who

can perform such miraculous feats and opcn a door to the Dharma for thc world."

Thereupon, the Evi l One, inspired. by Manju6rl 's awesome power, said,"World-Honored Onc, how wondcrful i t is that ManjuSri possesscs such great,

miraculous powcrl And the mernbcrs of this asscmbly, who now undcrstand and

have faith in the Dharma through his demonstration of miraculous feats, are also

marvelous. World-Honorcd One, cven if there were as many demons as the sands

of the Gangcs, thcy would not bc ablc to hinder thcsc good men and good

women, who understand and bel ieve in the Dharma."1, P-piyan the Evi l One, have always sought opportunit ics to oppose the

Buddha and to create turmoil among sentient beings. Now I vow that, from this

day on, I will never go nearer than onc hundrcd leagues away from the place

where this doctrine prevails, or where people have faith in, understand, cherish,

receive. read. recite. and teach i t ."However, World-Honored One, some of my kindred are determined to

distract the devotees' minds so as to destroy the Dharma of the Tathagata. I will

chant the following dhirali so that devotces can vanquish thcse demons. If goodmen or good women read, write, and recite this incantation, or teach it to others,

the celesiial demons will benefit and will, in return, causc the teachers of this

Dharma to feel joyful in body and mind, to precticc vigorously, to possess un-

impeded eloquence and dharanis, and not to lack services, food and drink, clothing,bedding, or medicine."

Thcn hc uttercd the incantation:

..TADYATHA AMALA VIMALE STHITATVE AKALAVANIR-

J ITASATRU JAYE JAYAVATI BHUTAMATISAME SvRNnTIAPHUME BUSUME ADHIRE AGEMAKHE KHAKHEYISILEAGAMEPHULELA PHULAPHULE PHASUME SUSUVA DHID-

36 ON EuprrNrss

HIRE ANAVANATE STHITATE KRITARATE KRITABHIDHYE

PIROCATANA SADDHARMABHANAKOSYA SUTRATRASY-

ADHARIKA ABHRABUGATA IVASUURVNSVAHA. "5

Then. Papiyan said, "World-Honored One, i f good men or good women

accept this dharali wholeheartedly and chrnt it with conccntration, they will be

protected by gods, dragons, yakgas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras and

mahoragas, and no evi l demons wil l be able to take advantage of them."

When Papiyan the Evil One spoke this incantation, quakes of six kinds

occurred in the billion-world universe.

The World-Honored One then told P-piyin the Evil One, "Wonderful,

wonderful! You should know that your eloquence is a manifestation of Manjujri's

mrraculous power.

When Manju6ri was revealing his miraculous power and

was chanting the dharali, thirty-two thousand gods resolved

enlightenment. . . .

When the Buddha finished tcaching this s[tra, the god Suguna,

da, and al l the humans, gods, dragons, gandharvas, asuras, and so

jubilant upon hearing what the Buddha had taught.

Papiyin the demon

to attain supreme

Elder Anan-

forth, were

NOTES

1. Our text rcads, "Because I cause sentient beings to believe in and awaken to the

dharmadhltu." Howcver, this is irrelevant to the above qucstion. We have adopted another

version here (Taisho 340, p. 109), also translated by a tsodhiruci (who may have lived more

than 100 years before this Bodhiruci, or pcrhaps is the same person).

2. This render ing is based on Taish6 340, p. i10

3. This refers to the doctrine of original or inherent Buddha-nature which states that

we are all in an enlightened state-sarhsara is nirvana-but that our cnlightenmcnt is obscured

by veils of passions and ignorancc, so we are not aware of it.

When one first becomes enlightened, he is usually astonished at thc lact that he has not

realized anything new. He has been in the enlightened state all the timc. That is why certain

Mahiyana sutras and Zen texts say that at the time of Buddha's enlightenment, he exclaimed,

"How strange this is! All sentient bcings are already enlightened, yet are not awarc ofit."

4. These incredible feats are the consequences ofManju6ri's realization ofthe nonob-

structing aspect of emptiness (iinyatfl. One who has reached this stage is free of the bondage

of timc and space; therefore, hc is able to pcrform miraculous feats.

5. This matltra is transliterated lrom the Tibetan text, Peking cdition, which the editor

fi1ds is clcarer lor translitcration than the Chinese. Thc Chinesc rendering of thc Sanskrit

mantra rs not bascd upon a t ransl i terat ion system or a lphabet, but upon the protrunciat ion of

Chinese characrers. It is extremely difficult, if not well-nigh impossible, to accurately recon-

struct the Sanskr i t l rom the Chinese. (G.C.)

3 ,Eiry L@wfre

Flawless Purity: A Dialogue with theLaywoman Gangottara

Thus have I heard. Once thc Buddha was dwelling in thc garden of Anathapil-dada, in theJeta Grove neai Sravasti . 'At that t ime, a laywoman namcd Gangortaracame from her dwell ing in Srdvasti to see the Buddha. Shc prostrated hersclf withher hcad at the Buddha's feet, withdrcw to one side, and sat down.

The World-Honorcd Onc asked Garigottari , "Where do you come from?"The laywoman asked the Buddha, "World-Honorcd Onc, i f someone werc

to ask a magical ly produced being whcre he came from, hor,r ' should the qucstionbe answered?"

The World-Honored One told her, "A magical ly produced being neithercomes nor goes, neither is born nor pcrishes; how can onc speak of a placc fromwhich he comes?"

Then thc laywoman asked, " ls i t not true that al l things are i l lusory, l ikcmagic?"

The Buddha said, "Ycs, indeed. What you say is true."Gangottari asked, "I f al l things are i l lusory, l ike magic, why did you ask me

where I came from?"

The World-Honorcd One told her, "A magical ly produced bcing does notgo to the miserable planes of existcnce, nor to heaven; nor does he attain nirvina.Gangottara, is that also true of you?"

The laywoman rcplied, "As I see it, if my own body were different from amagical ly produced one, then I could spcak of going to thc good or miserableplanes of cxistence, or of attaining nirvana. I see no difference, though, betwecn

Sutra 31, Taisho 310 pp. 5,{9-550; translated into Chinese by Bodhiruci.

38 ON Eiupl tNrss

my bodv and a magical ly produced one, so how can I speak of going to the good

or nriserrblc planes, or ofattaining nirvina?"Furthermore, 'World-Honored One, nirvina's very nature is such that i t is

not reborn in thc good or miserable planes, nor docs i t cxpcricnce parinirvana. I

percel\ 'e that thc same is true of my own naturc."-Ihe

Buddha askcd, "I)o you not seek the state ofnirvana?"

Gaigottarl asked in turn, "I f this qucstion were put to one who had never

conre into bcing, how should i t be answered?"

Thc tsuddha repl ied, "That which has ncvcr come into being is nirvina

itself-. "

Gangottara askcd, "Are not al l things identical with nirvina?"

The tsuddha repl ied, "So thcy arc, so they are.""World-Honored One, i f al l things are identical with nirvana, why did you

ask me, 'Do you not seck the state of nirvina?'"Furthermorc, World-Honored One, i f a magical ly produced being asked

another magical ly produccd bcing, 'Do you not seek the state of nirvlna?' what

u'ould the answer be?"

The World-Honored One told hcr, "A magical ly produced being has no

mental attachments [and thus seeks nothing]."

Gangottare inquired, "Does the Tathagata's very question stem from some

mental attachmcnt?"

Thc World-Honorcd One told her, " l raised the question because there are in

this assembly good mcn and good wonen who can be brought to maturi ty. I am

free of mental attachments. Why? tsecause the Tathagata knows that even the

namds of things are inapprehensible, let alone the things themselves or those who

seek nirvana."

Gangottara said, "I f so, why al l the accumulation of good roots for the

attainment of enl ightenment?"

[The Buddha repl icd,] "Neither Bodhisattvas nor their good roots can be

apprehended, because in the Bodhisattvas' minds there is no discriminative thought

as to whether they are accumulating good roots or not."

Gangottara asked, "What do you mean by 'no discriminative thought'?"

The World-Honored One answered, "Thc absence of discriminative thought

cannot be understood or grasped by means of thinking. Why? Because in the state

fof no discriminative thought], even thc mind is inapprehensible, let alone the

mental functions. This state, in which the mind is inapprehensible, is called incon-

ceivable. I t cannot be grasped or real ized; i t is neither pure nor impure. Why so?

Because, as the Tathegata always teaches, all things arc as empty and unimpeded as

space. "

Gangottari inquired, " l f al l things are l ike empty space, why does the World-

Honored One speak of form, feeling, conception, impulse, and consciousness; the

leighteenl elements; the Itwelve] entrances; the twelve l inks of dcpcndent origina-

tron; the defiled and the undefiled; the pure and thc impure; sarhslra and nirvina?"

Flawrrss Punrrr 39

The Buddha told Gangottarl, "When I speak of a 'self,' for example, al-though I express the concept by a word, actual lv the naturc of a 'self is inap-prchensible. I speak of form, but in rcal i ty the naturel of form is also inappre-hensible, a'd so i t is with the other [dharmas], up to nirvina. Just as we cannotfind watcr in mirages, so we cannot find a nature i' tbrm, and so it is with theothers, up to nirvlna.

"Gangottara, only a person who cult ivates pure conduct in accordance withthe Dharma, pcrceiving that nothing can be apprehe.ded, dcse-rr-es to be called areal cult ivator of pure conduct. Since thc arrogant say thar thcv have apprehendedsomething, they cannot be said to be f irmly establ ished in genuinc purc conduct.Such arrogant pcople will be terrified and doubtful when thcy hear this profou'dI)harma. They wil l be unable to l iberate rhemselves from birth, old age, sickness,death, worry, sorrow, suffering, and distress.

"Gangottari , after my parinirvana, there wil l bc some peoplc able to spreadthis profound Dharma, which can stop the rounds of sarirsara. However, somefools, becausc of their evi l views, wi l l hate those Dharma-masr(.rs, and wil l con-trive to harm thcm. Such fools will fall to the hells for that."

Gangottara asked, "You speak of ' this profound Dharma which can stop therounds o f sarhs i ra . 'What do you mcan by 's top the rounds o f sarhsara '?"

The World-Llonored One repl icd, "To stop rhe rounds of sarirsara is [ topcnetratcl real i ty, the rcalm of the inconccivable. Such a Dharma cannot be dam-aged or destroyed. Hence, i t is cal led the Dharma that can stop the rounds ofsarirsara. "

Thcn the World-Honored One smiled graciously and emitted from his fore-hcad blue, yel low, red, white, and crystal l inc l ights. Thc l ights i l luminatcd al lthc numerous lands, reaching as high as the Brahma Hcaven, thcn returncd andentered the top of the Buddha's hcad.

Seeing this, thc Venerable Arranda thought to himself, "The Tath-gata, theWorthy One, the Supremely Enlightened One, docs not smilc without a reason. "He rose from his scat, uncovcrcd his right shoulder, knelt on his right knee, andjoined his palms toward the Buddha, inquiring, "!(lhy did the tsuddha smile?"

The Buddha rcpl icd, " l recal l that, in the past, a thousand Tathigatas alsotaught this Dharma hcre, and cach of those assemblies was also led by a laywomannamed Gangottart. After hcaring this Dharma preachcd, the laywoman and allthe assembly left the houschold lifc. Iln time,] they cnrered thc nirvina withoutrcsloue. -

Ananda asked thc Buddha, "What name should bc siven to this srltra andhow should 'vve accept and uphold it?"

The Buddha said, "This sf i tra is cal led'Flawlcss Puriry, 'and you shouldaccept and uphold i t by that name."

During the preaching of this sutra, seven hundred monks a'd four hundrednuns were liberated from defilements forever and their minds were set free.

At that time, thc gods of the Realm of Desire magically produced various

40 ON EiuprrNess

kinds oi s.onderful celest ial f lowers and scattercd thenr upon the Buddha, saylng'

"Rare indced is this laywoman, rvho can conversc fearlcssly r.vi th the Tathigata on

cqual terl ts. She must have scrved and made offbri lgs to countless Buddhas, and

plar-rtcd qood roots of every kind in their presence."

Aitcr thc Buddha had filished spcaking this sitra, the laywoman Garigottarl

and al l rhe gods, humans, asuras, gandharvas, and so forth wcre jubi lant over

thc tsuddha's teaching. They acceptcd i t with faith, and bcgan to fol low it with

vcne rat iorl .

NOTES

1. The word'nature 'herc is a t ranslat ion of the chinese character f f i , which is more

of ten rendercd as 's ign" 'at t r ibute" 'charactcr is t ic" 'appearance" ' form" etc. Howcver, in

certain sutras, f,El is sometimes also uscd to nlcan fl, which is properly translatcd as 'nature''

2. Whethcr the Gangottari refcrred to herc is the sarne individual as the Gangottara

prescnt during the prcaching of this sutra is not clear from the text. Though she could bc

anothcr person with thc samc namc and similar karma, it is likcl-v that shc is the same pcrson'

The question mry arise, "l[ Gangottara lcft thc household life and entercd nirvtna without

residue long ago, how is i t that she appears here as a lay quest ioner?"

According to thc Hinayina doctrinc, this question is almost impossible to answer,

since that tradition asserts that ifone cnters nirvlna without residuc, one ncver rcturns to thc

world. In Mahayina, howevcr, thc occasion of a Dharma prcaching is looked upon as a

drarna which may bc replaycd again and again, and a person rvho has entcrcd nirvallJ nlay

reappear in a body to bcnefit sentient beings.

The Mahayana dcscr ipt ion of n i rvana, cal lcd "non-abiding ni rva ' ]a," statcs that i t is

possible to achicve libcration and yct remain in the world for univc-rsal salvation. Such a

person abides nei thcr in sarhslra nor in n i rvanr. However, the nonabiding ni rv ine of Ma-

haylna is not contradictory to thc Hrnayana understanding ofni rvana. This is c lear ly demon-

strated by the famous story of thc "tsuddha's silence" (see Ag4i-Vatthagottdsuttd, in l'B'

Horner, trans., The Mfuldle Length Sayirr3-r (London: Luzac & Co, 1957), vol 2, pp 162-167)

when hc refuscd to answer the qucstion whethcr after parinirvina therc exists a being which

is conscious of that statc. Thus, even according to the Buddha's teaching in thc Pal i t radi-

tions, one cannot say nirvana is annihilation, or that he who cnters nirvana will Ilcver rc-

turn to the world. The Buddha gavc neithcr an alfirnlative nor a ne€lative answer to this

p rob lem. (G .C . )

4 #{*HX?€

How to Kill with the Sword of Wisdom

I

Thus havc I heard. Once the World-Honored One was dwell ing on Mount Grdh-rakhta near the city of Rajagrha, accompanied by sixty-two thousand great monks,al l of whom posscsscd grcat virtue arrd wcre cndowcd with miraculous powcrs.The monks werc l cd by ccr ta in g rca t Sravakas .

Also in the assembly were forty-two thousand Bodhisattva-Mahisattvas, ledby Bodhisattva Maii ju6ri , Bodhisattva Lion Banner, Bodhisattva Maitreya-.Qo-dhisattva Avalokite6vara, Bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta, Bodhisattva Kingpf

Great Eloquence, . and othcrs.

Also in thc assembly at that t ime wcrc sixty thousand devas, led by thc FourDcva Kings; the deva kings of the Heavcn of the Thirty-Three; and Brahml,

master of the Sahi World. Present, too, wcre the devas Well-Abiding Mind,

Virtue, and Great Ease, leadcrs of thirty thousand devas who had long beenabiding in the tsodhisattva-path; twenty thousand asura kings; and sixtythousand great dragon kings, all of whom had also been abiding in thcBodhisattva Path. In addit ion, innumerable gods, dragons, yaksas, monks,nuns, laymen, and laywomen joined thc assembly.

When the World-Honored Onc, surrounded by the assembly of countlesshundreds of thousands, was teaching the Dharma, Bodhisattva-Mahasattva Maii-ju6ri, in his dwclling place, had entered the Samidhi Devoid of Contention and

Mind, remaining quiet and motioniess. Then Manju5ri rose from the samadhi witha calm mind, and at once six quakesloccurred in innumerable Buddha-lands in theten direct ions.

Sutra 36, Taisho 310, pp- 571-592; translated into Chinese by Dharmagupta.

A ' ON EnprrNrss

Risine fronr the samadhi, Manju6ri thought, "In [each ofl those inf inite,

innumerable u'orlds, only one Buddha, a Tathigata, a Worthy One, a Perfectly

Enlightened One, appears, and such a onc appears as rarely as the blossoming of an

udumbara flos'er. Thereforc, the Tath-gatas, the Worthy Ones, the Perfectly En-

l ightened Ones, are most extraordinary in the worlds and their appearance is very

unusual, The Dharma they teach can end rebirth and [sarhsaric] cxistence and lead

to the ult imate quiescence of nirvina; this is inconceivable, apart from discrimina-

rion, very profound, incomparable, and dif f icult to comprehend or fathom. If

Buddhas did not come into the worlds, sentient beings would bc unable to hcar the

Dharma explained, and their sufferings would be interminabie. Thcrefore, now I

should go to see the Tathtgata, thc Pcrfcct ly Enl ightcncd One, and ask him about

the l)harma, so that scnticnt beings may achieve good roots, and so that al l those

rvho tread the Bodhisattva [-path] may havc no doubt about thc very profound,

inconceivable Buddha-Dharmas and may attain the cnl ightcnmcnt of the Buddha.

Since the sentient beings in the Saha World arc ful l of desire, hatred, and ignorance;

do not perforn-r white dharrnas; arc obtusc, deceitful, insetrsit ive to shane, ar-

rogant, and conccitcd; kccp Buddhas at a distance; and disobey the Dharma and

thc Sarhgha, I should cause them to hear the very profound, wonderful Dharma

cxplairred so that they may acquirc thc clcar wisdom-cye."l

Manjuir i thought furthcr, "Now I should cal l together a host of Bodhisatt-

vas from the ten directions, so that all of thcm may hear the wonderful Dharma-

door cxplaincd by the Tathagata and attain the real izat ion of profound Dharma."

With this thought, Manju6ri entercd the Samidhi of Adorning al l with Un-

defi led I l lumination. While in this samadhi, hc emittcd a great l ight which i l lumi-

nated tsuddha-lands in the east as numerous as thc sands of thc Ganges, so that al l

those lands became mild, lustrous, clean, clcar, spotlcss, and inexpressibly wonder-

ful. The light also illuminated worlds in the other nine dircctions: in thc south, the

west, thc north, the four intermediate directions, the zenith, and thc nadir. As a

result, all the dark, seciuded places, cliffs, forests, great and small mountains .

became bright, l impid, and transparcnt.

At that time, all the Buddhas teaching the l)harma in thc worlds in the ten

direct ions as numerous as the sands of the Ganges were askcd by thcir respective

disciples, "World-Honorcd One, why does this great, auspicious l ight appcar in

the world? World-Honored One, we have never heard of or secn such a pure,

subtle light. 'World-Honored

One, what light is this, which causcs us to be over-

whclmed by great joy and to be pure in mind? What is this light which also frees

sentient beings from desire, hatrcd, ignorance, and other defilements, so that they

stop doing evil? Worid-Honored One, who emits this light and by whose power

does i t appcar here?" When the disciples2 asked these questions, their World-

Honored Ones kept silent and gave no answcr.

At that time, in the worlds in the ten directions, all kinds of sounds, such as

the sounds of devas, dragons, yaksas, gandharvas, asuras; of humans and

nonhumans: of eleohants. horses. and other animals were hushed. The sounds of

TnE Swonl or Wrsooir. 43

wind, fire, water, sea waves, ntusic, and the singing of hymns wcre also hushed bythe power of the Buddha. Al l was in si lence.

Thcn, the disciples of the Buddhas in the worlds in the ten directions askcdtheir respective Buddhas again, "'fi/orld-Honored one of great kindness, mayyou, in order to show pity for and givc peace, happiness, and benefi t to al ldevas and humans, explain ro us the origin of this l ight and why i t can i l ru-minate al l Buddha-landsl"

The Buddhas in [ the worlds of l the tcn direct io's gave the samc a'swer, inthc same purc voice which is possesscd by al l the Tathagatas, as numcrous as thesands of the Ganges, of the worlds in the ten dircct ions. They al l answered as i fonly one Tathagata spoke. when the Buddhas answcred their respective disciplesin this wondcrful voicc, all tsuddha-lands quaked; hundreds of thousands of m.usi-cal instrumcnts of devas, humans, and asuras sounded simultaneously and spon-taneously.

At that t imc, the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones in thc ten dircct ions,told their respective attendants and disciplcs, "Good men, you should nor askabout these things. why? Because the occurrence of this light is beyond the com-prehcnsion ofal l Sravakas and Pratyckabuddhas; i f l speak of i t , al l humans, devas,and asuras wil l become confused and lost. Thcrcfore, you should not ask about i t .I f Buddhas, the Tathigatas, account for this l ight, they wil l say, 'This l ight cancause and fulf i l l inconceivable, supcrior good roots [ofsentient bcingsl. Also, fromthese ir-rconceivablc, superior good roots can arisc such practices as the peramitas ofgiving, discipl ine, paticnce, vigor, meditat ion, and wisdom.'Al l such practices [asthc paramitis] are caused by this light and are also accomplished by it. Therefore,cvcn i f wc Buddhas, Tathigatas, praise the merits of this l ight for less than a kalpaor for an entire kalpa, wc cannot praise them all. Moreover, since this light iscult ivated through such good roots as kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity,i t can causc bl iss."

Then, the disciples of the Buddhas [of thc innumerable worlds] in the tendirections rnade thc same carnest request again and again, saying, "May the world-Ho'ored one explain to us the occurrence of this light in ordcr to comfort, benefitand show sympathy for all devas and humans, as well as to bring to maturity thegood roots of Bodhisattvas!"

when those Bodhisattvas had made this requcst, all thc Buddhas, the world-Honored ones in the tcn directions, told their respective attendant disciples, "Goodmen, you should l isten attentively. I am going to explain i t to you."

The disciples said, "Yes, World-Honored One, we shall listen with plea-sure. "

Thereupon, the tsuddhas told them, "Good men, there is a world namedSahe. In that world, there is a Buddha named Sakyamuni rathagata, the v/orthyOne, the World-Honored One. He has appeared in a world of the fivedepravities. The sentient beings there are afflicted with desire, hatred, ignorance,and other defilements; they feel no respect and know no shame or remorse, and

44 ON EuprtNnss

most of their dceds are evi l . However, Sekyamuni Buddha was able to attain

supreme enl ightenment in such a depraved world. Now he is teaching the Dharma

to the people around him.

"Good men, in that world, there is a Bodhisattva-Mahasattva named Mafl-

ju6ri , rvho is a great disciple of Sekyamuni Tathagata. He has great virtuc; he is

ful ly endou'ed with wisdom; he str ives with vigor and courage; he possesses

a!\ 'csome miraculous powers; he can cause other Bodhisattvas to acquire Joy, to

complete their Dharma practices, to increasc their power, and to str ive cour-

ageously and diligently; he understands well all expressions of the Dharma; he has

reached the other shore3 of unhindered wisdom; he has complctcly achieved unhin-

dered eloquencgi he has a free command of dharalis; and he has alrcady achieved

all the inconceivablc merits of a Bodhisattva. Now hc is going to ask Sakyamuni

Tathagata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, about a very pro-

found Dharma-door, in order to cause other Bodhisattvas to achieve good roots

and to cause those who follow the Bodhisattva-vehicle to sccure all the incon-

ceivable Buddha-Dharmas. Now, good mcn, Manju5ri emits this light to call

countless Bodhisattvas together from [the innum rable worlds] in thc ten direc-

tions, so that thcy may acquire the superior Dharma. For this reason, Manju6ri

emits this great light to illuminate all Buddha-lands."

The disciples of the Buddhas in the worlds of the ten directions asked their

respective Buddhas again, "World-Honored One, in what samadhi does ManjuSri

abide so that he can emit this light?"

The Buddhas in the ten directions told their rcspective attendant disciples,

"Good mcn, Mafrju6ri has entered the Samddhi of Adorning All with Undefiled

Illumination to give forth this light."

The attendant Bodhisattvas said to their respective Buddhas furthcr, "World-

Honored One, we havc never before seen a light so pure, a light that can make

body and mind so joyful."

The Buddhas said to the Bodhisattvas, "Is he not going to cal l together a

host of Bodhisattvas to teach them how to practice the Dharma? Is he not going to

summon a host of Bodhisattvas and explain a subtle sutra to them?". . .

The Bodhisattvas said to their respective Buddhas, "World-Honored One,

now vue wish to go to thc Sahi World to visi t Sakyamuni Tathagata; we wil l pay

homage and make offcrings to him and attend him; and we will ask him about the

meaning o[ the truth. We wish to see Maflju6ri and the other Bodhisattva-

Mahisattvas as well ."

Thereupon, the World-Honored Ones said to the Bodhisattvas, "Good men,

you may go, as you wish. You should know it is the t imc."

After bowing down with their hcads at their Buddhas' fcct, countless hun-

dreds of thousands of [millions ofl billions of trillions of inconceivable, incalcula-

ble, immeasurablc myriads of Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas I in the worlds] in the tcn

directions disappeared from their respective lands and reappeared in the Saha World

as quickly as an able-bodied man strctches and bends his arm. Al l of them came to

Tnr Swono oE Wtsoov 15

the World-Honored One, Sekyamuni Tathagata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly

Enlightened One; somc came scattcr ing various kinds of fragrant things, such as

perfumed ointmcnt, powdcred incense, and fragrant garlands; some canle strcwing

Iiowers, such as blue lotus f lowers, rcd lotus f lowers, s'hitc lotus f lowers, . . . and

so forth; some came uttcr ing hundreds of thousands of the nrost wonderful sounds;

some came extolling the merits of thc Buddhas in one. r'oicc hcard all over the

bi l l ion-world universe. With so many kinds of magnif iccnt Iofferings], thcy came

to thc World-Honorcd One. Slkyamuni Tathigata, the Worthr-One, the Pcrfect ly

Enlightened One.

When thosc Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas arr iving from [thc u'orlds in] rhc tcn

direct ions gathered in the Saha World, al l the scntient beings in this bi l l ion-rvorld

universe, including the beings in the planes of hel l-dwellers, aninals' hungrv

ghosts, and thc domain of Yama, bccame tranquil , physical ly and mcntal ly peace-

ful and h"ppy, and frcc from desirc, hatred, ignorance, and other poisonous men-

tal i t ies, such as jeaiousy, deceit, arrogance, and i l l temper. Al l those scntient beings

became kind and extremcly joyful. Why? Becausc of the awesonle, miraculous

[blessing] power of thc great Bodhisattvas from Ithe worlds in] the ten dircct ions.

When the infinitc Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas from thc ten directions

arrived at the dwell ing-place of thc World-Honored One, . they bowed down

with their heads at the Buddha's fcet and circumambulated him three times to the

right. Then, they asccnded in midair and entered the Samldhi of Invisibi l i ty. When

they wcre in the samadhi, si t t ing cross-legged on hundreds of thousands of various

wondcrfully colored large lotus flowers, . . . thcy hid themsclvcs from view and

did not appear again.

Then the Venerable Mahaka6yapa asked the Buddha, "World-Honored One

of great virtue, why is thcre such a subtle, wonderful l ight in the world? Why do

such clear, unpreccdcntcd ar,rspicious signs suddenly appear?"

The World-Honored Onc answered Mahaka5yapa, ' lKa6yapa,'you should

not ask these questiorrs. Why? Because this rcalm is bcyt-rnd thc conrprchension of

Srivakas and Pratyekabuddhas. I f I speak of the meaning of this l ight, al l thc

humans, dcvas, and asuras will be afraid, doubtful, and confused. Thereforc, you

should not ask."

Mahak-5yapa cntreated the Buddha further, "May the World-Honored One

of grcat kindness explain the profound occurrencc of this light to benefit and

comfort al l devas and humans.".

Thereupon, the Buddha told MahakaSyapa, "Ka(yapa, now Manju6ri is in

the Samadhi of Adorning Al l with Undefi lcd l l lumination, and, becausc of the

power of the samadhi, he is emitt ing this l ight to i l luminatc Buddha-lands more

numerous than the sands of the Gangcs in the ten direct ions, cal l ing countlcss

tsodhisattva-Mahtsattvas to thc Sahi World. Thcy have already arrived here, bowed

down with their hcads at my feet, and made threc circumambulations to my right.

Now they havc ascended in midair to the hcight of a palm trce, sitting cross-

legged on thrones of lotus t'lowers.

46 ()N ElrprrNrss

"Ka(,vapa, bccause al l thosc Bodhisattva-Mahtsattvas are in the Samadhi of

Invisibi l i t r ' . no Srivaka or Pratyckabuddha can sce them; only Buddhas and great

Bodhisatsas rvho abide in that realm can do so. ."

Mahlka5-vapa asked the Buddha further, "World-Honored One, what achieve-

ments should a Bodhisattva-Mahasattva attain, what good roots should he cult ivate,

and l 'hat mcnts should hc acquire in order to enter the Samidhi of Invisibi l i ty?"

The tsuddha answered KaSyapa, "I f a Bodhisattva-Mahlsattva achieves ten

things, hc can acquire thc Samidhi of Invisibi l i ty. What are the ten?

(1) To bc gentle, peacefui, and to abide dccply in r ight lai thl

(2) nevcr to forsake any sentient being;

(3) to achieve a mind of great kindncss and great compassion;

(4) to understand al1 dharmas while rcmaining unattached to thcir forms;

(5) nevcr to grasp dclusively for any Buddha-Dharmas, in spite of his aspira-

tion to seek them all;

(6) not to aspire for the wisdom of Sravakas or Pratyckabuddhas;

(7) to be capable ofrenouncing ungrudgingly al l mundane possessions, even

body and life, let alone other things;

(8) not to be contaminated by or attached to conditioncd dharmas, although

he may undergo countlcss afflictions in sarhslra;

(9) to cult ivatc the immeasurabie piramitas of giving, discipl ine, patience,

vigor, mcditat ion, and wisdom without making dist inct ions among them;

and

(10) always to think, 'l will establish all scntient beings in thc pursuit of

Buddha's enl ightenment . and yet without conceiving any notion of

cn l igh tenment o r scn t ien t be ings . '

Ka6yapa, the fulfilment of these tcn things enables a Bodhisattva-Mahtsattva to

obtain the Samadhi of Invisibi l i ty.". . .

Then the Venerable Mahak-Syapa said to the Buddha again, "World-Honorcd

One, now we are vcry eager to see those Bodhisattva-Mahlsattvas. Why? Because

it is a rare opportunity to erlcounter them."

The tsuddha said to Kadyapa, "You should wait unti l Manju5ri arr ives.

Thos" Bodhisattvas will rise fiom the samidhi, and after that, you may sce them.

Ki6yapa, now that you have acquired countless hundreds of thousands of samadhi

doors,a you should concentratc your mind to discover where those Bodhisattva-

Mahasattvas abide, how they behave, and what they are doing."

As soon as he received the instruct ion of the Buddha, MahakaSyapa en-

tered twer-rty thousand differcnt samadhi-doors by the awesome miraculous powers

vested in him by the Buddha and by his own miraculous Powers, trying to dis-

cover rn'here those Bodhisattvas were and how they behaved. [He thought,] "Are

thel ' walking? I cannot see them walking. Are they standing? I cannot see them

standing. Are they lying down? I cannot see them lying down. Are they sit t ing? I

cannot see them sitting. What is more, I do not know "l'hat

they are saying, what

Tnr Swono or Wrsool,t 47

activitics they are engaged in, where they come from, or where they are going."

He thcn rose from the samidhis and approachcd the Buddha, saying, "It is

strange, World-Honored one! It is strange, World-Honored One! I entered twenty

thousand samadhi-doors to seck those Bodhisattvas, but I did not see any of thcm.

World-Honored One, cven those Bodhisattvas, who have not yct real ized al l-

knowing wisdom, have obtained such a wonderful samadhi. What could be said of

thosc who havc attained supreme enlightenment! World-Honorcd Onc, it is abso-

lutely impossible for thc good mcn and good women who have witnessed this

miraculous feat not to bring forth supreme bodhicit ta promptlv. World-Honored

One, even the Samadhi of Invisibility is so powerful that it is beyond ny compre-

hcns ion . le t a lone o thcr . I super io r l samidh is . "s

The Buddha told KaSyapa, " l t is so, i t is so, just as you say. Even Sra-

vakas6 and Pratyekabuddhas cannot comprehcnd this realm, lct alone other sentient

be ings . " . . .

II

At that t ime, ccrtain leading devas in the assembly, such as Well-Abiding Mind,\ffonderfully Tranquil, and Humility, accompanied by nine billion six hundred

million devas, all of whom followed thc Bodhisattva-path, wcnt togcther to Mai-

juSri's dwelling placc. Whcn they arrived at his door, they made Seven circum-

ambulations to the right, and thcn causcd celestial flowcrs of the coral tree to rain

down. The flowcrs raining down spread out in space to form a floral net, [andthcn accumulated, forming a f loral] platform ten leaguesT high, shaped l ike a prc-

cious stupa.

Manju6ri picked up the floral platform and offered it to the World-Honored

One, and thcn, by his miraculous powers, he causcd the space over all thc lands in

the billion-world universe to bc spread with floral nets. The radiancc of the flow-

crs illuminated the whole billion-world universe, making it become clear and

bright throughout. Thcrc also rained down cclest ial f lowers of thc coral tree.

Then Bodhisattva-Mahisattva MairjuSri, graceful and serene, cmcrged from

his dwelling. By his miraculous powcrs, he further causcd a wonderful thronc

made of the seven treasures to appear spontaneously in that placc, a throne most

majestic and bcautiful. After adjusting his robe, ManjuSri took his seat on the

precious throne with a solemn look. As soon as he saw that Manju6ri had been

scated on the prccious throne, the deva Well-Abiding Mind bowcd down with his

head at Manju5ri's feet, and then stood to one sidc. The other devas all did the

samc.

At that time, ManjuSri thought, "Today, who can discuss the profound

Dharma with me in the presence of the World-Honored One? Who can be the

Dharma-vessel to take in statements that are inconceivable: statements that are

4t{ Or.r E,vprlNlss

most di l f icult to real ize; statements without a location,n beyond attachrnent, and

be1'orrd plar--u'ords; statements which are inapprehensible, inexpressiblc, very pro-

four rJ . t rue . unh i r rdered , . rnd indes t ruc t ib le : s ta tcn tcn ts conccrn ing cmPt incss . s ign-

lessness. and rvishlcssrless; stf , tclncnts conccrnttrg suchncss, real i ty, and the dhar-

madhatu; statemcnts that arc intangible, and caunot be graspcd or abandoncd;

statcments concerning the Buddha, the Dharma, and thc Sarhgha; statencnts con-

cernrng the ful lness of wisdom, the equali ty of thc three realms, the unattainabi l i ty

of al l dharmas, and thc nonarising of al l dharmas; statemcnts of the l ion;q state-

ments of valor; statements which arc no statemcnts at al l? Who can hcar these

statemcnts?"

ManjuSri continued thinking, "Now, among the devas hcrc, only Well-

Abiding Mind has made offerings to many Buddhas, attained the realization of the

profound Dharma, and ful iy acquired eloquence; hc alone can discuss the mcaning

of reality with me in thc prcsence of thc World-Flonored One."

With this thought, Manju5ri said to Well-Abiding Mind, "Son of hcaven,

you have already attained thc realization of the profound Dharma and fully ac-

quired unhindercd eloquence. Shall we now go to sce the World-Honored One to

discuss the profound, subtlc doctr ines?"

Well-Abiding mind answcrcd Manjuir i , "Great sagc, I would only discuss

[thcse doctr ines] with a person who does not speak to mc, nor givc me any

discourse, question mc, or answcr me; or else with a person who says that there is

no Buddha, Dharma, or Sarhgha, that the thrcc vehicles should be put to an end,

that there is neither sarirsira nor nirvdna, that dharmas neithcr combine nor scatter,

that nothing is revealed or generated, that no sound is uttered, and that all words

should be put aside."

ManjuSri said to Well-Abiding Mind, "Son of hcaven, I would speak to one

n'ho can take in my Idiscoursc] without hearing, without rcading, without reclt-

ing, without accepting, without upholding, without thinking, without remcmber-

ing, without grasping, without abandoning, without percciving, without know-

ing, and without l istcning to my words or explaining thcm to others. l{) Why?

Bccause the bodhi of all Buddhas is originally beyond ali letters, without mind and

apart from the mind, and devoid of enlightenment. Though enlightenment ts

spokun of with arbitrary names, thc names are also empty."

Well-Abiding Mind continued, "Great sage, now please discoursc to thcsc

devas. They are wil l ing and happy to hear whatever you say."

ManjuSri said, "Son of heaven, I rvi l l not discourse to those who l ike to

l isten, nor to those who accept what they have hcard. Why? Bccause thosc who

likc to l isten and those who accept a discourse arc attached. To what erc they

attached? They arc attached to a self , a personal identi ty, a senticnt being, a l i fe,

and a person. Bcing attachcd, they accept what thcy have heard. I t should be

knorvn that those who acccpt what they have heard abide in thrcc kinds of bonds.

What are thc three? Thc view of a self, the view of a sentient bcing, and the view

of dharmas. Son of heaven, you should know that those who hear the Dharma

Tsp. Swonr or Wrslor 'r

explaincd without being bound by thcsc threc viervs abidc in three kinds of puri ty.What are the three? Not to see, dist ineuish. thrnk of, or pcrccivc orreself fas ahcarer]; not to see, dist inguish, think of, or pcrccivr- sonreonc as a teacher; and notto see, dist inguish, think of, or perceivc somcthinq as bcrnq taught. These are thethrcc kinds of puri ty. Son of hcavcn, i f a person is able to hear irr this way, hchcars with cquali ty, not with incquali ty."

Well-Abiding Mind praised Manju5rr, saying, "Wtl l s.r i t l . q'cl l said! Howwonderful ly you have spoken! Great sagc, those who can speak thuslv u' i l l cer-tainly not rcgrcss."

Maii j r-r5ri said, "Stop, son of hcaven! You should not rhnk clclr,rsivelv anddiscriminativcly of the regression of a Bodhisattva. Why? Becausc i ia iJodhisatn'aevcr regresses, he wil l ncvcr bc ablc to attain sl lprcmc cnl ightennrcnt. Whr'? I le-cause irr bodhi thcre is no such thing as rcgressior-r."

At this, Wcll-Abiding Mind askcd, "Great sagc, i f so, from rvhat docsrcgrcssion arisc?"

Manju6ri answered, "Son of heaven, rcgrcssion arises from dcsirc, hatred,and ignorancc; from cravirrg fbr cxistpnce; from ignorancc up to birth and dcath-thc twclvc l inks of dependent origination; front causcs, vrc\\ 's, namcs, and forms;tronr thc Realm of L)csire, the l{calm of Fornr, and thc Rcaln-r of Formlcssncss;fronr thc dccds of a Srlvaka and thc dccds of a Pratyckabuddhal from discrimina-t ion, attachnrcnt, signs, and cl inging to signs; fronr the vicw of nihi l ism and thcview of eternal ism; from grasping and abandoning; lronr the thought of a scl1, thc:thought of a senticnt bcing, the thought of a l i fe, thc thought of a pcrson, and thethought of a pcrsonal identi ty; from thinking, bondage, and pcrvcrsion; from thcvicrv of a sclf and the sixty-two views bascd on the vie\4'of a sclf ; l rom the [f ivc]covcrs; from thc [f ivel aggrcgates, the [twclvc] entrances, and the [eightecn] clc-nrents; from thc thought of thc Buddha, thc thougl.rt of thc Dharma, and thethought of the Sarirgha; and from such thoughts as: ' l shal l becomc a Buddha,' ' lshal l tcach thc I)harma,' ' l shal l dcl iver senticnt bcings from sarirsara, ' ' l shal l dcfcat. lemons, 'and ' I sha l l acqu i rc w isdom! 'Thcrc fo re , son o f hcavcn, i f one does no tdiscriminate thc Tath-gata's ten powers, four fcarlessnesses, and cighteen unrquequali t ies; his roots, powers, enl ightcnment, and path; l l . and docs nor discrimi-r lete those who discriminate and rcgrcss-then hc is said to be nonrcgrcssing."

Well-Abiding Mind asked Mair ju(r i furthcr, "Clrear sagc, i f so, holr ' can aBodhisattva achieve nonrcgrcssion?"

Maii juSri answercd, "Son of heaven, you should knou' that nonrcgressioncan bc achicvcd fronr being conversant with thc Buddha-u.isdon-r, ."vi th emptincss,s' i th signlcssncss, with wishlcssness, with suchness, with thc l)harma-naturc, withreal i ty, and with equali ty."

Wcll-Abiding Mind said, "Grcat sage, according to what .vou say, discrimi-nation and nondiscrimination arc not dif fercnt. Whv? Becausc thcv both arisefrom thinking and discrinrination. In this scnsc, regression may be spoken of."

Thcn hc asked furthcr, "Is regression cxistent or nonexistcnt?"

50 ON Enlpr INEss

Marlr-r(r i answered, "Rcgression is neithcr existcnt nor nonexistent '"

Well-Abiding Mind asked, "Grcat sagc, i f so, how can one rcgress?"

\1ar1u5rr answcrcd, "To regard regression as existent and to regard i t as

lonerisrcnr arc both delusory grasping, pcrverted grasPing, and devious grasping.

I reter to regression in such a scnse that I do not grasp for [ i ts existcnce or

ponerisrcnce,] nor do I not grasp. The so-cal led rcgression cannot be said to be

erisrent or nonexistent. Why not? Because whcther you say that regression is

exrsteltr or say i t is nonexistent, in both cases you fal l into error. Why? Becausc to

sf,\ ' that regrcssion cxists is to err on the extremc of eternal ism, while to say that

rcgression cioes not cxist is to err on the cxtremc of nihi l ism. Thc World-Honored

One says that onc should abide neither in eternal ism nor in nihi l ism; that things

shouid bc regardcd neithcr nihi l ist ical ly nor etcrnal ist ical ly.

"Son ofheavcn, i f , in the way I havc describcd, onc considcrs [regression] as

unreal, ther his vicw is ncither nihi l ist ic nor eternal ist ic. Son of heaven, this is the

Dharma-door of a Bodhisattva's Inon-] rcgression."

When this doctrine was spoken, ten thousand devas achieved the Realization

of the Nonarising of Dharmas.

I I I

Well-Abiding Mind said to Mair ju5ri , "Great sage, now wc may go togcther to see

the Tath-gata, prostrate ourselves with our heads at his fect, hear from him doc-

tr ines wc have not yet hcard, and raisc our questiot1s in accordancc with thc

Dharma. "

ManjuSri said, "Son of heaven, do not attach yourself discriminatively to the

Tathigata !"

Well-Abiding Mind asked, "Grcat sage, where is there any Tathagata to be

attachcd to?"

Manju(r i answercd, "He is hcrc now."

Well-Abiding Mind asked, " l f so, why do I not see

Manju5ri answered, "Son of hcaven, i f you can sec

see the Tathagata."

Well-Abiding Mind asked, "If the Tathagata is hcre

me not to be attached to him?"

Manju5ri asked, "Son of heavcn, u'hat is here now?"

Wcll-Abiding Mind answered, "The realm of voidncss."r2

Manju6ri said, "I t is so. Son of heaven, the Tathigata is no other than the

realnr of voidness. Why? Because al l dharmas are equal, l ike voidness. Voidness is

the Tathigata and the Tathagata is voidness. Voidness and the Tathigata are not

r\\'o; they are not different. Son of heaven, he who wishes to see the Tathagata

him?"

nothing now, you rcal ly

now, why do you warn

Tnr Swono or Wrsoon 5l

should contemplate in this way. I f hc comprehends Reali ty as i t is, he wil l f ind thatnothing in i t can be discriminated."

Then, by his miracuious powcrs, Bodhisattva-Mahisattva Mafrjusri pro-duced from nothing thirty-two square, mult istoried, jeu'eled hal ls furnished withimperial carr iagcs. . . . In the hal ls, there wcrc u.onderiul precious couches covercdwith cxquisitc garrnents. On each couch sat a rnagical lv produced Bodhisattvapossessing the thirty-two auspicious signs of a grcar man.1 '

Having manifcstcd these magnificent things, Manju6ri left to see the Bud-dha, together with the magical ly produced Buddhas and Bodhisattvas sirt ing ontheir lotus seats in jc '"veled hal ls furnishcd with imperial carr iages. Havingmade seven circumambulations to the r ight of thc Buddha and his monks, they al lleapt into midair and i l luminated thc assembly at the Dharma-sirer+ n, i th theirl ights. Thcn they stood to thc four sides.

Though Manju5ri had set out later than Well-Abiding Mind, he hafl sud-dcnly arrived at the Buddha's dwclling-place earlicr than the deva.

Well-Abiding Mind asked, you takc to arr ive here so quickly?"Manju6ri answered, "Son of heaven, even those who make offerings and pay

homagc to Tathlgatas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges cannot sec mygoing and coming, advancing and stopping." . . .

N

The Venerable Sariput.a asked the Buddha, "World-Honored One, who has causedthis auspice? Who can cause . the magically produced Bodhisattvas sitting onthe lotus seats, and also those in the jeweled halls furnished with imperial carrrages,to emit great lights illuminating the assembly, and cause such incalculablebi l l ions of devas and innumerable Bodhisattvas to come to ioin us?"

Thc Buddha answered Sariprtr. . "The awesome miraculou, powers of Man-ju5ri cause these wonderful, magnificent things to appear and the multitudinousBodhisattvas and devas to garher rogether. Why? Sariputra, because Manju6ri andthe deva Well-Abiding Mind have led a great assembly here in order to ask meabout the Dharma-door called the Samadhi of Defeating Demons, and how theinconceivable, profound Buddha-Dharma can bc fully achieved."

Then Sariputra asked the Buddha, "World-Honored One, if so, why do Inot see Manju5ri in the assembly?"

The Buddha answercd Seriput.r, "Wair a momenr. Manju6ri has gone tocause all the demon kings and their subjects and palaces to undergo great ruin anddeterioration. His miraculous feats are awesome and rnagnificent. He is about tocome back, and you will see him yourself."

Meanwhile, ManjuSri had entered the Samadhi of Defeating Demons. Be-

ON EuprrNrss

causc of the pou,er of this samadhi, ten bi l l ion demon palaccs in the bi l l ion-world

univcrse inrmcdiately became di lapidated, old, and dark, and seemed about to fal l

ro rurn. After undergoing these changes, thc demons' palaccs lost their splcndor

and n'cre no longer l iked by the demons. The demons saw thcir bodies bccome

dull . dccrepit, r".eak, and cmaciated, and they had to waik with staffs; and the

celestial naidensl5 were transformed into old hags. Seeing thcsc Ichanges], al l the

denrons lelt vcry distresscd, and the hair on their bodics stood on end. Thcy each

thought fearful iy to themsclves, "What bizarre events and inauspicious signs are

these occurring inside and outside of my body? Has the hour of death comc and

mr, karmic reward bcen spent? Arc these the catastrophes hcralding the destructton

of the vu'orld at thc end of thc kalpa?"

Whcn the demons were thinking in this way, Manju5ri again uscd his mirac-

ulous powers to magical iy produce tcn bi l l ion devas who appeared bcfore the

demons and told them, "Don't be worricd and afraid! Thcsc are not misfortunes

befal i ing you, nor do they signify the end of the kalpa. Why? There is a nonrcgress-

ing, grcat Bodhisattva named Maiju6ri , who has great, awcsomc niraculous pow-

ers and excels worldly beings in virtue. Now he is entcring the Dharma-door

cal lcd the Samadhi of Defeating l)emons. I t is bccause of the awesome power of

that Bodhisattva's samadhi that al l these things take place, not for other reasons."

When the magical ly produccd dcvas said this, al l thc demon kings and their

subjects becamc morc learful on hcaring . . . the namc of Bodhisattva Manju6ri; al l

of thcm trcmbied and fcl t i .nsccurc, and al l of their palaces shook violently.

Thereupon, the demon kings begged the magical ly produced dcvas, "May

you be so kind as to save us from dangcr!"

The magical ly produced devas said to thc dcmons, "Do not be afraid! Do

not be afraidl Now you had better go quickly to see Sakyamuni Buddha, the'World-Honored

Onc. Why? Because that Buddha, the Tathigata, is very kind and

compassionate; sentient bcings will be eased of their worries and suffi:rings and bc

given pcacc and happiness if thcy go to take refugc in him when thcy are afflicted

with mclancholy and fcar."

Having uttcrcd thcse words, the magical ly produced dcvas disappeared sud-

dcnly. At that t imc, al l thc demon kings and thcir subjects were ovcrjoyed at what

the rr lagical ly produced dcvas had told them. Although so emaciated and wcak that

they had to waik with staffs, thcy al l wished to go. Instantaneously, they arr ivcd at

the placc where Sakyamuni Buddha was and said in unison, "World-Honorcd One

r,vith great virtue, may you protect and savc us from the pain and pcril of this

bizarrc catastrophe! May you protect and savc usl We would rathcr acccpt the

names of hundreds of thousands of mil l ions of bi l l ions of Buddhas than hear

Bodhisattva ManjuSri 's name alonc. Why? Because as soorl as we hear thc namc of

Bodhisattva Manju5rr mentioncd, wc feel gready terr i f icd, as i f we werc going to

d ie . "

At this, the World-Honored One said to thc demons, "Papiyans,16 why do

you say this? Whatever Bodhisattva Manju6ri teachcs is berref icial to senticnt be-

Tnr Swonu or Wrsuou 53

ings. Hundreds of thousands of [mil l ions of I bi l l ions of Buddhas never accon-pl ished this in the past, nor arc thcy doing i t at present, nor '"vr l l they do so in thcfuture. I t is Manju6ri alonc who has done, is doing. and wil l do this grcat feat forsentient beings.17 After he has brought sentient beinqs to nraturi ty, he leads thcmto l iberation. Why do you, who are not distrcsscd or terr i f led cvcn when hearingthe names of hundreds of thousands of Buddhas, sar' ' \ l 'c arc horr i f ied whcn wcsuddenly hear the name of Manjuir i '?"

The demons repl ied, "World-Honorcd One, r l 'e utrcr thcsc n'ords becauscwe arc ashamed arrd afraid to becomc old and weak. World-Honorcd C)ne. fromnow on we takc rcfugc in you, thc Perfectly Enl ightcncd Onc. Mal vou be so kindas to res to re us to our o r ig ina l . rppcarance l "

The Buddha told them, "Wait a moment. Whcn Manjuir i rcrurns, he rvi l lr id you of your shamc. "

Having r iscn from his samadhi, Manju(r i returned to the Buddl-ra togetherwith incalculable hundreds of thousands of devas, Bodhisattva-Mahisattvas, drag-ons, yaksas, gandharvas, asuras, and so iorth. On arr ival, thcy boweddown with their heads at thc Buddha's fcct, made three circunrambulations to hisr ight, and ther.r stood to onc sidc.

Thc World-Honored Onc askcd Maii . lu6ri , "Manjuir i , did you enter thcSamidhi of l)cfcating I)cmons?"

Mari judri answered, ' lYes, World-Honorcd Onc, I dicl so for somc t imc."The -Buddha asked, "MaiijuSri, from what Br.rdclha did y<-ru hear this sa-

rrradhi? How long did i t takc you to cult ivatc and achicvc i t?"

Manyu(ri answercd, "World-Honored Onc, bcforc I brought forth bodhi-cit ta, I had heard this samadhi l iorrr a l luddl.ra."

Thc Buddha askcd, "Mair juin, what $,as the name of that Buddha, thatWorld-Honorcd Onc, who explaincd this samadhi to you?"

Manju6rr answered, "World-Honored Onc, I rcmcmbcr that countlcss, in-conccivable, incalculablc numbcrs of kalpas ago, there r.vas a Buddha namcd Ta-thagata Fragrancc of thc Coral Trcc Flowcr, the Worthy Onc. He explaincdthc Samadhi of l)efeating Dcmons when he appcarcd in the world. I hcard i t therrfor thc f irst t ime."

Thc Buddha askcd Maniuir i , "How can one cult ivatc and achievc this sa-n t a o n l a

ManjuSr i answered, "World-Honored Onc, i f a tsodhisat tva-Mahlsat tva

pcrforms twenty th ings to perfect ion, he can achievc th is Samadhi of Dcf iat ins

l )cmons. What arc thc t rventv?

(1) To dcnounce desire and destroy thc mind of dcsrrc;

(2) to dcnounce hatred and destroy thc mirrd of hatrcd;

(3) to denouncc ignorance and destroy thc nr ind of ignorance;

( ,1) to denounccjcalousy and dcstroy the nr ind of jealousy;

(5) to dcnour-rce arrogancc and destroy thc mind of arrogarrce;

5.1 ON EuprINess

i(rt to clenouncc the [f ivc] covers and destroy the mind blockcd by the f ivc

co \ ' crs:-

to rir-rlounce buming passions and destroy thc mind alflictcd with burn-

1I1q passlol ls;

S to denouncc thoughts and destroy the thinking n'r ind;t lr to dcnounce vicws and dcstrov the mind holding to vicws;

,11)) ro dcnounce discrimination and destroy thc discriminating mind;

111) to denounce grasping and dcstrov the grasping nrind;

(12) to denounce attachment and dcstroy the attached nrind;

(13) to denounce forms and destroy thc nt ind attachcd to forms;

(14) to dcnounce thc cxistencc of dharmas and destroy the mind that bel icvcs

in the existencc of dl-rarnras;

( i5) to dcnounce ther Ivicw thatl dharmas are pcrmancnt and destroy the mind

that bcl ieves in thc permanencc of dharmas;

(16) to dcnoutrce thc [view of thel anlr ihi lat ion of dharmas and destroy thc

mind tl.rat belicvcs in the anr.rihilation of dharmas;

(17) to denouncc the [f ivc] aggregates and dcstroy thc mind attached to the

[f ivc] aggregatcs;

(18) to denouncc the Itwelvc] cntrances arld dcstroy the mind attached to the

Itwclvc] cntrances;

(19) to denounce thc [eighteen] elemcnts and destroy thc mind attached to the

[eightecn] clcments; and

(20) to denouncc the thrce realms and destroy thc mirrd attached to the three

rcalms.

World-Honorcd One, a Bodhisattva-Mahisattva who fulf i ls thcse twenty deeds

rv i l l ach ieve th is s rm. rdh i ."Furthermore, World-Honored One, a Bodhisattva-Mahasattva who cult i-

vatcs four things to pcrfect ion can achievc this sanradhi. What arc thc four?

(1) To be purc and gentle in mind and dccd;

(2) to be simpie, honest, and straightforward;

(3) to be mental ly attached to l lothing and to penetrate into thc rcal izat ion of

the profound l)harma; and

(4) to be able to give everything, intcrnal and extcrnal. l8

"Furthermorc, World-Honorcd Onc, a Bodhisattva-Mahasattva who accom-

p[shes four things can achieve this samadhi. What are the lbur?

r l t T o h a v e a p e r f e c t l y d c e p m i n d : r "

(2) to spcak honestly;(3) to enjoy l iving constantly in a sccluded placc; and

(1) to be unattached to forms.

"Furthermorc, i f a Bodhisattva accomplishes four things, hc can achieve this

samadhi. What are the four?

THe Swono or Wrsoou 55

(1) To associate closely with virtuous fr iends;(2) to bc content always;(3) to sit alone in meditation; and(4) not to takc pleasure in noislz crowds.

"Furthermore, i f a Bodhisattva accomplishes four thir-rgs, he can achieve thissamadhi. What are the four?

(1) To cult ivate ernptiness and give up ego;(2) to cultivate signlcssness and be detachcd from all srgnsl(3) to cult ivate wishlessness and get r id of al l wishcs; and(4) to abandon al l possessions. ."

At this, the Venerablc Sariputra said to the Buddha, "How extraordinarv i tis, world-Honored onc, that Maii ju(r i couid achievc the Sarnadhi of l)efeatingDemons long, long ago and, by thc power of this samidhi, can cause papiyins

[demon-kings] and thcir dcmon subjecrs to become so dccrepit, grayhaired, andweak in appearance and r,',.i11."

The Buddha said to Sariputra. "What do you think? Do you say that Maii-jusri has madc o'1y thc dcmons of this bi l l iom-world universe so dccrepit? Sari-putra, you should not think in this way. Why? tsecause, Si. ip,t t .a, now al l the otherdcmons in the tsuddha-lands as nLlnlcrous as thc sands of the Gangcs in thc tcndirect ions arc dcbi l i tatcd, too. This is conrpletely due to Mafrjusri 's awesomeporvcrs. "

Then the World-Honored Onc told ManjuSri, "Manju5ri, now withdrawvour rniraculous powers and restorc the demons to thcir original appearance."

Whcn he rcceived thc instrucrion of the Buddha, Manjuiri askcd the dc-mons, "Kind sirs, do yor.r real ly dctest this appearance of yours?"

The dcmons answcred, "Yes, great sage."Manju5ri said to the demo's, "I f so, 'ow you should detest desire and not

attach yourselvcs to the three realms."The dcmons said, "Yes, great sage. Aftcr we hear your good teachings, how

dare we disobey? May you use a l i t t le of your awesomc miraculous powcrs to freeus from this shamc and painl"

Thcrcupon, Manju5ri withdrcw his miraculous powers and restorcd the de-nons to their original appearancc, so that they bccame as magnif iccnt as beforc.

Then, Manju6ri said to the demons, "Papryins, take your eves for exam-plc. What is the eyc? What is the thought of the cyc? Where is rhe atrachmentof the eyc, the form of the eye, the entanglemc'r of thc cye, thc hindranceof the cye, the notion of the eyc, the cgo of thc cye, the rel iance of the eyc,thc joy of the eye, the piay-words of the cyc, the cgo-objects of thc eye, theprotection of the eye, the impression of the cye, thc grasping of thc eye, theabandoning of the eyc, the discrimination of thc eye, thc contenplat ion of the eye,the achievement of the eye, the arisi 'g of the eye, thc cessation of the cye, andso on, including the coming and going of the eye? All these notions cherished

56 Or EuprtNpss

irr I 'our rnincls bcconre dcnronic decds and obstructions of your reahn. So i t is

g' i th thc r. . l r . r)osc, tot lguc, body, and mind; forms, sounds, odors, tastcs, textures,

ap.l r . lharnras. Al l thesc notions chcrished in your mind bcconte dcnrotr ic deeds

and obsrructions ofyour realnr. You should knou. thern as thcy real ly are.' 'Furthernrorc, Ptpryans, al1 your cyes arc not cyes; thcy are no eycs' Thcrc

i: 1o thouqht of the cyc, no attachment of the cyc, po form of thc cyc' ' ' [and so

onl. These dharmas are beyond your rcalm. You cannot be master of them; you

have no nlethod and no powcr to copc with thcm frecly; they are bcyorrd your

erasping. So i t is with the car, nosc, tongue' body, and mind; fornrs, sounds,

odors, tastes, texturcs, and dharmas-al l thcsc you should ktrow as thcy rcal ly

are . "

whel Manjuir i had explained this doctr irre in thc assembly, tct l thousat 'rd

dcmor-r kings cngendcred supremc bodhicit ta and eighty-four thousand demon

subjccts wcre frccd from defilcments and acquired the clcar Dharnra-eyc'

V

T'hcn the Vcncrable MahakiSyapa said to the Buddha, "World-Honorcd Onc' we

wil l ask Manju(r i to al low us to see those Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas. Why? tse-

cause, World-Honored One, i t is a rare opportunity to encoull tcr such l i reat sagcs."

The World-Honorcd One told Mair ju5ri at once, "You should know that

everyone in this asscmbly is now yearnirrg to see the physical fornrs of thc Bodhi-

sattva-Mahlsattvas who have comc hcre from the tcn direct ions. Now it is t ime

for you to show them to us."

Having rcceived the instruct ion of the Buddha, Manju5ri told Bodhisattva

Dharma Whcel, Bodhisattva Moonlight, Bodhisattva Exorcising Demons, Bo-

dhisattva Wonderful Voice, Bodhi3attva Undcfi led, Bodhisattva Ult imate Quies-

cence, Bodhisattva Choicc, Bodhisattva Roaring of the Dharma King, and count-

less other Bodhisattva-Mahesattvas, "Great sages, now you should rcveal yourselvcs

in yorrr respectivc palaces and manifcst the forms and shapcs you havc in your own

lands. "

Aftcr Manju6ri had said this, the Bodhisattvas rosc from thcir samadhi and

revcaled their physical forms for the whole assembly to scc. Sonle of the Bodhi-

sattvas' physical forms wcre as big as Mount Sumeru. Some wcrc eighty-four

thousand leagues tal l . Somc were onc hundrcd thousand leagues tal l ; some. ninety

thousand, eighty thousand, sevcnty thousand, and so on down to ten thousand

leagues. Some werc onc thousand leagucs one hundred leagues ten

leagues and so on down to one league. Somc of thc Bodhisattvas' physical

forms were the height and size of the people in the Saha World.

At that time, the billion-world universe was so fully occupicd by the great

Tur Sworl or Wrsnou 57

crowd that [ i t appcarcd to havc] no vacant space. not cvcn thc sizc ofthe head ofa

stick. Al l the Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas in the univcrsc rvcrc cndowed with subi imcmcrits, profound wisdom, and awe-inspir ing pou'er. Bl thcir miraculous powcrs,they cmitted grcat l ights to i l luminate countless hundrcds of thousands of Buddha-lands in the ten direct ions.

Then Manju6rr rosc lrom his scat, adjusted his robe, bared his r ight shoul-

der, knclt on his r ight knee, joined his palms torvard thc l luddha, and said,"World-Honored One, now I wish to ask thc Tathagara. the Worthy C)ne, thePcrfcct ly Er-r l ightcncd Onc, sonre questions. Wil l thc World-Honort 'd Onc pcrnri tme to do so?"

Thc Buddha told Manju5ri, "Thc Tathagata, thc Worthv One. thc Pcrfcct lyEnlightened One, permits you to ask your questions. Hc wil l cxplain rhe ansq.ersto you to reso lve your doubts and g ive you joy . " . . .

ManjuSri thcn asked, "World-Honorcd One, what is a Bodhisattva-Maht-sattva? What is the nreaning of 'Bodhisattva'?"

The Buddha rcpl icd to Manju6ri, "You ask what is a Bodhisattva l-Mahe-sattval and what is the mcanirrg of 'Bodhisattva. 'A Bodhisattva-Mahisattva 1s oncrvho can understand and rcal izc al l dharmas. Manjr.rSrr, thc dharmas, al l of lvhicharc rcal izcd by a Bodhisattva, are spokcn of by mere rvords. Manju6ri, thc:Bodhisattva real izes that the eye is by r lature empty and, in spitc of this real izat ion,hc never harbors any such thought as : ' I can rca l i zc [ thc eye l . ' l - i kewise , he rea l i zcsthat thc car, nose, tongue, bodv, and mind arc cmpty by naturc, arrd in spitc ofthis rcal izat ion, hc never harbors any such thought as: ' I can real izc thcm.'Hc alsoreal izes that fornr is by nature empty, and in spite of thc rcal izat ion, hc ncvcrthinks discriminatively: ' I can real izc [ fornrJ. 'Likcwisc, hc rcal ized that sounds,odors, tastcs, tcxturcs, and dharmas are by naturc cmpty, and irr spitc of thisrcal izat ion, hc never thinks discrimirrat ively: ' I can real ize thcm.'These are thervays in which a Bodhisattva real izes al l dharmas.

"Furthermore, Manjudri, horv docs a Bodhisattva-Mahasattva real ize desirc,I-ratred, and ignorance? Hc real izes that dcsire is causccl bl discrinrination; thathatrcd is causcd by discrimination, and that ignorance is caused by discrimin.rt ion.Hc also rcal izes that discrinrination i tself is cmpty, nonexistcnt, devoid of any-thing, be; 'ond play-words, incxpressible, and unreal izablc. Thcse are thc ways rnr.vhich a tsodhisattva real izes al l dharmas.

"Manju5ri, how docs a Bodhisattva-Mahisattva rel l ize thc thrcc realms? Hercal izcs that the Realm of Desire is without a self and a pcrsorral identi ty, t l -rat theRealm of Form is without act ion, that the Realm of Formlcssrrcss is cnrpty andr.ronexistent, and that the three realms are remotc and far arva,v I from him].2( ' Thescare the ways in which a Boclhisattva rcal izes al l dharmas.

"Furthermorc, Manju5ri, how does a Bodhisattva-Mahisattva undcrstandthe deeds of scnticnt bcings? He undcrstands that somc sentient bcings act fromdcsirc; some from hatrcd; some from ignorance; and some equally from desirc,hatrcd, and ignorancc. After he undcrstands and rcal izcs this, he reveals his knowl-

5u ON EuprtNlss

cdge to sentient beings, then teaches and converts thcm, causing thcnl to achieve

l iberation. Thcse are thc ways in which a Bodhisattva real izcs al l dharmas."Morcover, Manju5ri, how docs a Bodhisattva-Mahasattva understand al l

sc-r lr ient beings? He understands al l sentient beings by knowing that thcy are only

nanres: that, apart from thc names, therc is no senticnt being; that, therefore, al l

scnrienr beings are no othcr than one sentiet-rt being and one sentient being is no

orhcr th.ln all sentient bcings; and that, therefore, scntient beings are not senticnt

berngs. I f hc can practice nondiscrimination in this way, the tsodhisattva-Mahi-

sattva rcal izes al l dharmas."Furthcrnrorc. how does a l lodhisattva real ize al l dharmas? l fa Bodhisattva-

Mahisattva can real izc the path of enl ightennlcnt, he real izes al l dharmas.".

VI

Manju(r i asked the Buddha, " 'World-Honorcd One, the Buddha has spokerr of the

Bodhisattva-Mahasattva's ini t ial generation of bodhicit ta.2l What do you mean by

the init ial gcncration of bodhicit ta?"

The tsuddha answered, "I f a Bodhisattva views the threc rcalms as equal and

gives rise to all thoughts, hc is said to bc initially generating bodhicitta. Manju5ri,

this is cal led the Bodhisattva's ini t ial Fieneration of bodhicit ta. "

Manju6ri said to thc Buddha further, "Worid-Honored Onc, as I understand

the doctrinc taught by the Buddha, for a Bodhisattva, thc generation of desire in

his mind is the initial generation of bodhicitta; thc generation of hatred in his mind

is the initial generation of bodhicitta; the generatiotr of ignorance in his mind is the

initial generation of bodhicitta. World-Honored Onc, are these not the initial

generation of bodhicit ta?"

Thcn, the dcva Well-Abiding Mind said to Manju5ri, "Great sage, i f a Bo-

dhisattva's generation of desire, hatred, and ignorance is called the initial genera-

tion of bodhicitta, then all the ordinary people in bondage are to be called tsodhi-

sattvas who have generatcd bodhicit ta. Why? Because ordinary pcople have always

been generating the thrcc poisons-dcsire, hatred, and ignorancc-in their minds,

from the [beginninglcss] past unti l now."

Manju6ri said to Well-Abiding Mind, "Son of heaven, you say that ordinary

peoplc have always been gencrating the thrce poisons in their minds, from the past

until now. That is not true. Why not? Because, their minds bcing weak and

inferior, ordinary people cannot generate desire, hatred, or ignorance. Only Bud-

dhas, World-Honorcd Ones, Arhats, Pratyekabuddhas, and Bodhisattvas who have

attained the stage of nonregrcssion can generate desire, hatred, and ignorance;

ordinary people cannot do so."22

Well-Abiding Mind said, "Great sage, why do you now say such things,

which may cause the assembly to feel ignorant and to fall into a terrible rrraze?"

Tnr Swono or Wtsoona 59

Then, Manjuir i asked Well-Abiding Mind, "Son of heaven, what do you \ Ithink? When a bird f lying about in the sky leavcs no rrace in empty space, is i t igenerating movement or not?"

Wcll-Abiding Mind answered, "We cannot sav that i t is not generatingmovement."

Manju6ri said, "I t is so, i t is so. Son of heaven, in this sensc, I say that onlyBuddhas, Sravakas, Pratyekabuddhas, and nonregressine Bodhisattvas can gener-ate desire, hatred, and ignorance.23 Son of heaven, you should knorv that to relyon nothing is generation and that to be attached to nothing is senr.rat iorr. 'To relyon nothing and to be attached to nothing' is an expression ofnothinsness, rvhich iscal lcd generation. I t is an expression of nondiscrimination,2a which is cal lcd gen-eration. I t is an exprcssion of nonproduction, which is cal led generation. I t is anexpression of insubstantiality, which is called generation. It is an expression ofnoncntity, which is called gcneration. It is an expression of no coming, whichis cal led gcneration. I t is an expression of no going, which is cal led gcneration.It is an cxpression of nonarising, which is called generation. It is an expresslonof no entanglement, which is called generation. It is an expression of no realiza-tion, which is called generation. It is an expression of no contention, whichis called generation. It is an expression of no thinking, which is called generation.It is an expression of indistructabi l i ty, which is cal led generation. I t is an expressionof inexpressibility, which is called generation. It is an cxprcssion of unbreakability,which is called generation. It is an cxpression of wordlessness, which is calledgeneration. It is an expression of no clinging, which is called generarion. It isan expression of no abiding, which is called generation. It is an expression of nograspi'g, which is called generation. It is an expression of no abandoning, whichis called generation. It is an expression of no eradication, which is called genera-tion. Son of heaven, you should know that this is the Bodhisattva's initial gen-eration ofbodhicit ta.

"Son of heaven, if a Bodhisattva who brings forth bodhicitra does not atrachhimself to, nor think about, nor see, nor know, nor hear, nor recognize, norgrasp, nor abandon, nor engender, nor eliminate any dharma, he has truly broughtforth bodhicitta.

"Son of heaven, if a tsodhisattva-Mahisattva can thus rely on the dharma-dhatu, equality, reality, and ingenuity, he will generare desire, hatred, and igno-rance. Ifhe can definitely rely on these, he will generate the eye, ear, nose, rongue,body, and mind; and will generate the attachment to form, feeling, conception,impulse, and consciousness. In this way, he will gcnerate all views; he will gener-ate ignorance and craving for existence; he will generate the twelve links of depen-dent origination; he will generate the five sensuous desires; he will generate at-tachment to the three realms; he will generate the view of 'I'; he will generate theview of 'mine'; he will gcnerate the sixty-two views based on the view of ,I'; heu'ill generate the thoughts of the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sarirgha; self andothers; earth, water, fire, air, space, and consciousness; he will generate the four

60 ON Enprlrsss

s,rong vie$'s: he rvi l l gcneratc the four abodcs of consciousness;2s hc wil l generate

the t lve co\-L-rs; he wil l generate the cight er.ors,26 the ninc aff l ict ions,27 and the ten

cv i l deeds ."So1 of heaven, I say brief iy that Bodhisattvas should generate al l discrimina-

trons. al l objects of discrimination, al l modes of exprcssion, al l forms, al l pursuits'

al l aspirat ions, al l attachments, al l thoughts, al l idcas, and al l hindratrccs. You

should know them as they real ly arc. Son ofheaven, because ofthis, i fyou are able

r-rot ro atrach yourself to or think of these dharmas, you truly gcnerate them. "28

The World-Honorcd Onc praiscd ManjuSn, saying, "Wcll said' wel l said,

ManjuSri! It is exccllent that you have fully cxplaincd for these Bodhisattvas the

meaning of the initial gcneration of bodhicitta.2e M"i]justi, it is because in the past

you made offerings to innumerablc tsuddhas, world-Honorcd ones, more nu-

merous than the sands of the Gangcs, that you can do this now "

The Venerable Sariput." asked the Buddha, "World-Honored O'e, is the

Bodhisattva's ini t ial gencration of bodhicit ta, as explaincd by Manju6rr ' equal to

and not different from thc Bodhisattva's later] attainment of the Rcalization of the

Nonar is ing o f Dharmas?" l t '

The Buddha answered, "I t is so, i t is so' just as you say Slr iputra, in the

past, Diparhkara, the World-Honorcd Onc, predicted, 'Manavaka, you wil l be-

come a tsuddha namcd Sakyamuni Tathlgatr, the Worthy Onc, the Pcrfect ly

Er r l ighrened ( )ne , a f tc r inca lc r r lab le numbers o f k r r lpas i r r the fu tu re . ' S i r ipu t ra . a t

that t ime, I achicved thc Rcalization of the Nonarising of Dharmas without part ing

from [such a srare of] mind. Thcreforc, Sariputra, you should know that the

Bodhisartva's initial generation of bodhicitta is exactly what Manju6ri has said it is,

and not something else."

Manju5ri said to the Buddha, "world-Honorcd onc, as I understand the

doctr ine taught by thc tsuddha, al l Igenerations ofbodhicit ta] are the init ial gencra-

t ion of bodhicit ta. Why? Because, according to what the World-Honored One has

said, the init ial generation is no generation, and no generation is thc Bodhisattva's

initial generation of bodhicitta. "

When this doctrine was spokcn, twenty-threc thousand Bodhisattvas attained

the Realization of thc Nonarising of Dharrnas; five thousand monks endcd thcir

dcfilenents and achicvcd liberation; and six billion devas werc freed from filth and

acquircd the clcar Dharma-eyc.

Then MahakaSyapa said to the Buddha, "world-Honorcd onc, IVlanju6ri can

do such a difficult deed as explaining this very profound Dharma-door for the

grcat bencfi t of many scntient bcings."

Manju6ri said to KaSyapa, "Virtuous Kasyapa, actual ly I have ncver done

anyrhing that was dif f icult to do. Why? Because no deed31 is done; nothing was, 1s,

or wi l l be done. For this reason, Mahaki5yapa, I do not perform any deeds, nor

leave any decds undone. Ki6yapa, I do not del ivcr sentient beings from sarirsara,

nor do I let them remain in bondage. Why? Because al l dharmas are nonexistent.

TnE Swopo or Wrsoola 61

Ka(yapa, why do you say in the prescncc of thc World-Honorcd One that I can dowhat is dif f icult to do? Mahiki6yapa, I do nothing; thcrcforc, bc careful not to saythat I can do what is dit f icult to do. Mahaka(vapa. I real ly do not do anything.Not only do I do nothing, but Tathagatas, Pratvekabuddhas, and Arhats also donothing. Mahak-6yapa, who can do what is dif f icult to do? Correctly spcaking,only chi ldren and ordinary pcrsons can do what is dit trcult to do, and onc whosays so is cal lcd an able speaker. Why? Because no Tathaqata acquires, has ac-quircd, or wi l l acquire anything. Srlvakas and Pratvekabuddhas do not acqulreanything, ci thcr. Only ordinary pcoplc acquire al l things."

At this, Mahtkadyapa askcd Manjudri, "Grcat sagc, u'har do l luddhas notacquire?"

Manju5ri answcrcd, "Buddhas do not acquire a sclf , nor a personal idenritv,nor a sentient being, nor a l i fe, nor a person, nor a view of nihi l ism or eternal ism,nor the [f ive] aggrcgates, nor the [twelve] entranccs, nor the [eightccn] elements,nor name and form; I they do not acquirel the Realm of Desire, Form, or Fornless-ness; [ they do not acquire] discrimination, nor contemplation, nor mindfulncss,nor any th ing ar is ing f rom causcs . nor pervcrs io r r t l they do nor acqu i rc l dcs i re .hatred, or ignorance; [ they do not acquirel this cra or ar]y orhcr era, nor the' l ' or'mine. ' In short, thcy do not acquirc any dharma whatsoevcr. Virtuous Ka6yapa,not a singlc one of al l the dharmas can be acquircd or lost. Thcre is no bondageand no l iberation; no attachment and no rcl inquishmcr-rt ; no approaching and nodcparturc- Thus, KaSyapa, should you undcrstand this Dharma-door. tsuddhas,thc V/orld-Honorcd Ones, attain nothing, while ordinary people, who acr agatnsrthe Dharma and lack learning, attain cverything. Thereforc, ordinary people cando what is dif f icult to do, not tsuddhas, Pratyekabuddhas, or Arhats. This iscal led the action ofordinary people."

Ka5yapa asked further, "What do ordinary peoplc do?"Manju5ri answered, "They hold thc view of nihilism and the view of crerr-ral-

ism; become contaminated and attached; rely upon someont: or somcthi l tg; re-mcmber and think of the past; grasp and abandon things; wield al l play-words; anddiscriminate things as superior or inferior and act accordingly. Thcrcfore, VirtuousKa6yapa, the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, do not do anything. Thcv havenot done, Co not do, and wil l not do anything. Only ordinary pcople can do rvhatis dit l lcult to do."

Then Manjuir i asked thc Buddha, "World-Honored onc, r.vhat is thc so-cal led Realization of Nonarising? World-Honored Onc, r.vh,v is i t also cal led thcRealization of the Nonarising of Dharmas? How can a Bodhisatn'a achicve thisreal izat ion?"

The Buddha rcpl ied to Manju5ri, "Actual ly, not a sinslc pcrson achicvcs thcRealization of the Nonarising Iof Dharmas] amid the dharmas rvhich arise. To saythat onc has achievcd i t is nothing but words. Why? Bccause the dharrnas that donot arise are unattainablc and beyond perccption, so that the Rcalization lof thc

62 ON Enpuunss

Nonarisinql of Dharmas is unattainable. T'o attain is not to attain; there is nothing

ro artain or to lose-this is cal led thc attainmcnt of the Realization of the Nonaris-

rng o t ] )harmas.' 'Furtherrnore, Mair juSri, the Realization of the Nonarising of Dharmas is to

rral ize in this r.vay: no dharma ariscs; no dharma comcs; no dharma gocs; no

dharnra has a self , no dharma has a mastcr; no dharma is graspcd; no dharma is

abandoned; no dharma can be found; no dharma is real; al l dharmas are supreme;

al l dharmas are equal to the supreme; al l dharmas are incomparable; al l dharmas are

uncontaminated, l ike spacc; al l dharmas are free from dcstruction, apart from

nihi l ism, undcfi lcd, bcyond purity, empty, signless, and unsought; al l dharmas are

apart from desire, hatred, and ignorance; al l dharmas are no other than suchness,

the Dharma-naturc, and real i ty. Thus should one rcal ize that al l dharmas are

beyond discriminatiorl , responsc, menrory, play-words, contcmplation, act ion, and

power, and that al l dhannas are fragi le, false, and dcceptive, Just l ike i l lusions,

dreams, echoes, shadows, ref lect ions in a mirror, [hol lowl plantains, foam, and

bubbles on water. In that which is real ized, there is nothing to be real ized. The

real izat ion is neither a dharma nor a nondharma; i t is only by words that the

real izat ion is spoken of, yet these words are also irrappreherrsible, being devoid of

basic nature."If, concerning the realization thus explained, a Bodhisattva-Mahisattva has

faith, understanding, and aspirat ior-r; is free of doubt, bewilderment, fear, horror,

vacillation, ar-rd depression; normally feels all kinds of sensations through contact

without conceiving that there is a body or an abiding place; then, Man3u5n, he

attains the Realization of the Nonarising of Al l Dharmas. He attains i t also because

there is no thought whatsoever acting [ in his mind]."

Then Manju6rr asked the Buddha, "World-Honorcd One, what is the so-

callcd realization? Is not that which cannot be damaged by external objects called

realization?"

At this, Well-Abiding Mind asked Manju6ri, "Great sage, what is that which

cannot bc damagcd by external objects?"

ManjuSri answcrcd, "Son of heaven, what damages the eye? Good forms and

bad forms damage the eye. Just as forms damage the eye, so sounds damage the

ear; [cdors, the nose; tastcs, the tongue; textures, the body;] dharmas, the mind.

Son of heaven, i f a Bodhisattva sccs forms with his eyes, he wil l not be attached

to, indulge in, discriminate, conceptualizc, cravc, or abhor the forms, bccausc hc

knows that they are empty by nature. He has no thought of forms, so he is not

hurt by thcm. The same is true with the other sense-objects, including objects of

the mind."Son of heaven, i f a Bodhisattva is neither bound to nor hurt by his six

senses, he abides in the Realization of the Dharma. Abiding in the Realization of

the Dharma, he will do away with discrimination of all dharmas; he does not

discriminate or think of them as arising or nonarising, defiled or undefiled, whole-

Tnr Swono or'V/rsoou 63

some or unwholesomc, conditioned or unconditioned, mundane or supramun-dane. This is cal led the Realization of the Nonarising of Dharmas."

When this doctrine was explained, sixty-three thousand sentient beings en-gendered supreme bodhicitta and twelve thousand Bodhisattvas acquired the Real-ization of the Nonarising of Dharmas.

VII

Well-Abiding Mind asked Manju6ri further, "Great sage, if people comc to youand ask to be fully ordaincd as Sramanas, how do you answer them? How do you

teach them thc way to lead a monastic life? How do you confcr the precepts upon

them and teach them to keep the precepts?"

Manju6ri answered, "Son of heavcn, if pcople come to me to renounce thehouschold lifc, I teach them by saying, 'Good mcn, now you should not vow toleave the household life. Ifyou do not vow to leavc thc household life, then I shall

teach you the true ways to lead a monastic l i fe. 'Why? Because, son of heaven, onewho secks to lcavc thc household life is [unwittinglyl attached to32 the Realms ofDcsirc, Form, and Formlessness. He is also attached to the f ive sensuous plcasuresof the world, to karmic rcwards in the futurc, and so forth. I f good people seeksornething, thcy will not realize the L)harma-truth, and as a result they will ap-prehcnd thc mind. On the other hand, son of heaven, if people grasp nothing,they will realize the Dharma-truth, and as a result thcy will not apprehend themind. Not perceiving the mind, they will not need to leave the houschold life;having no need to leavc the household lifc, thcir intention to leavc the house-hold lifc will not arise; having no intention to leavc thc household life, theywil l not vow [to leave the household l i fe]; not vowing [to leave the householdlifc], thcy will give rise to nothing; giving rise to nothing, they will put ancnd to suflcring; putting an end to suffcring, they will achieve ultimate exhaustion;achieving ultimatc exhaustion, they will achicve nonexhaustion; achieving non-exhaustion, they will bc bcyond exhaustion. What is beyond exhaustion is emptyspace.33 Son of heaven, this is what I teach those good men.

"Furthermore, son of hcaven, i f peoplc come to me and ask to leavc thehousehold l i fc, I teach them, saying, 'Good men, do not vow to leave the housc-hold l i fe. Why not? Bccause the vow docs not arise and cannot bc made. Do notthink otherwise and st i l l intcnd to make such a vow.'

"Furthermore, son of heaven, i f pcoplc come to me and ask to leave thehousehold l i fe, I teach them, saying, 'Good mcn, i f you do not shave your beardand hair3a now, you have truly left the household lifc."'

At this, Well-Abiding Mind asked Manju6ri, "Great sage, why do you sayth is?"

64 ON Eupr lNlss

Manju5rr ansrvered, "Son of heaven, thc World-Honored Onc has said that

there arc no dharmas to bc severed and rcnounced."

\\'ell-Abiding Mind askcd further, "What is not to be severed and rcnounced?"

Nlanju5ri answered, "Son of hcavcn, forms are not to be severed and re-

nounced. nor arc feel ings, conccptions, impulses, or consciousness."Son of heavcn, i f someone thinks, 'Only after I shavc my beard and hair arn

I a (ramana,'you shouid know that hc abides in the notion of a self . Becausc hc

abidcs in the notion of a self , hc docs not perceivc cquali ty. Also, bccause he

pcrceives a sclf , he perceivcs a scnticnt being. Becausc hc pcrceives a sentlent

bcir-rg, he perceives beard and hair. Bccause he perceivcs bcard and hair, hc cn-

genders thc thought of shaving."Son of hcavcn, if one does not pcrceive the form of self, hc does not

pcrceive the form of other. As a result, hc is not arrogant. Becausc he is not

arrogant, he does not hold the view of a self . Bccausc he does not hold the vicw of

a self , hc does not discriminate. Because he does not discriminate, he does not

waver. Because he docs not waver, he does away with play-words. Becausc he

docs away with play-words, he grasps nothing and abandons nothing. Bccause he

grasps nothing and abandons nothing, he is free of action and inaction, severancc

and nonseverancc, scparation and combination, dccrcasc and i trcrease, gathering

and scattcr ing, thought and mindfulness, spccches and words. Thus, he abides

sccurcly in the truth."

Well-Abiding Mind askcd, "Grcat sagc, what is the meaning of thc truth?"

Manjudri answered, "Son of heaven, the truth is no othcr than voidncss.15

Thus, voidncss may be cal led the truth. Voidncss is said to be thc truth becausc i t

is without bcginning and end, without decreasc and incrcasc. That [dharmas arc]

cmpty by naturc is the truth. Suchness is the truth. The dharmadhatu is the truth.

Reali ty is the truth. Thus, such a truth is no truth [at al l ] . Why? In the truth there

is nothing to be obtained; thcrcfore, i t is said to be no truth [at al l ] ."

Then MafljuSri said to Well-Abiding Mind, "Son of hcavcn, if pcople come

to me and ask to leave the household l i fe, I teach them, saying, 'Good men, i f you

can be unattached to a monastic robe now, I shall say that you have truly left thc

household l i fe. ' "

Well-Abiding Mind asked, "Grcat sage, why do you say this?"

Mafrju6ri answered, "Son of heaven, Buddhas, the World-Honored Oncs,

are attached to nothing. One should not grasp or be attached to anything they

t e a c h . " .

At that time, Well-Abiding Mind asked Manju6ri, "Great sage, who is a

monk who practices meditation?"

Manju6rr answercd, "Son of heaven, if a monk sclects one practice from all

Dharma-teachings, that is, the doctrine of nonarising, and thoroughly complies

u'ith it, he is said to truly practice meditation. Moreover, [if he knows that] therc

is not a single dharma that can be grasped, he is said to practice meditation. What

does he not grasp? He does not grasp this era or that era, the three realms, and so

THr Swonl ot- Wtsnon

on, including al i dhannas. IAbidnrg in] such cquali6' , he is said to practicc medita-

t ion. Son of hcaven, i f one who practices nlcditat ion docs not respond to any

dharma, neithcr unifying hinrself with i t l tor scparatins himsclf fron-r i t , hc is said

to [trulyl practice mcditat ion. " .

VIII

Well-Abiding Mind asked Mair ju6ri , "Grcat sagc, wi l l you al los. tnc to cult ivatc

purc conduct I togethcr with you]?"

Manju5ri answered, "Son of heavcn, I shal l givc you pcrmission to do so i f

you do not set your nrind on practicing, secking, or pursuing."

Well-Abiding Mir.rd asked, "Great sage, why do you say this?"

Manju6ri answcred, "Son of heaven, i f there is act ion, purc conduct can be

spoker-r of; i f there is no action whatsoever, how can thcre be anythirrg cal lcd pure

conduct? Furthermorc, son of heaven, i f there is something apprehensible, purc

conduct can bc spoken of; i f thcrc is nothing apprehensible, how can therc bc

anything cai lcd pure conduct?"

Wcll-Abiding Mind asked, "Great sagc, arc you not cult ivat ing purc conduct

now?"

Mair ju6ri answcrcd, "No, son of heaven, I am not cult ivat ing any pure

conduct. Why not? -Becausc thc so-cal led purc conduct is not purc conduct; be-

causc i t is not pure conduct, I cal l i t purc conduct.".

Manjuir i continued, "Son of heavcn, now, i f you can takc the l ivcs of al l

sentierl t beings without using a knife, a cudgel, a large st ick, or a stonc, I wi l l

cult ivate purc conduct with you."

Well-Abiding Mind asked, "Grcat sage, why do you say this?"

ManjuSri answercd, "Son of heavcn, regarding sentient bcings, what do you

think of them?"

Well-Abiding Mind answercd, " l think that senticnt beings and al l other

dharmas are nothing but names and arc al l concoctcd by thoughts."

M-anju5ri said, "Son ofheaven, I therefore say that now you should ki l l the

thoughts of a self, of a personal idcntity, of a senticnt being, and of a lifc, eliminat-

ing the thoughts cvcn of these names. You should ki l l in this way."

Well-Abiding Mind asked, "Great sagc, what instrunrent should one usc to

ki l l [ in this way]?"

ManjuSri answered, "Son of heaven, I always ki l l with the sharp knifc of

wisdom. In thc act of ki l l ing, one should hold the sharp knife of wisdom and ki l l

in such a manner as to have no thought of holding the knifc or of ki l l ing. Son of

heaven, in this way, you should know well that to ki l l thc thoughts of a self and a

sentient being is to ki l l al l senticnt beings truly. [ I f you can do that, l I wi l l give you

permission to cult ivate purc conduct [with me]." . . .

/.tbt) ON EnrpuNrst ijt

IX Ctt&: *Y1 fo

At that t inc. in the asscmbly there were f ive hundrcd Bodhisattvas who had

acl 'uelcd the four dhyanas and thc f ive miraculous powers. Thesc Bodhisattvas

u'ere imnrersed in dhyana, whether sit t ing or standing. They did not slander the

Dharma, though they had not yet acquired the real izat ion of the Dharma-truth.

Posscssing thc miraculous power of knowing their past l ivcs, these Bodhisattvas

perceived their past evil karma-killing their fathers, mothcrs, or Arhats; dcstroy-

ing Buddhist temples or stupas; or disrupting the Sarhgha. Because they clearly

perceived their past evil karma, they were always obsesscd by profound mis-

givings and remorse, so that they could not realize or Pcnetrate the profound

I)harma. I t was because thcy discriminated a self and were unable to forgct their

past transgressions that they could not achievc the realization of the profound

Dharma.

At that time, in order to rid those five hundrcd Bodhisattvas of mental

discrimination, the World-Honored One inspircd Manju5ri with his miraculous

power; as a result, Manju5ri rose from his seat, adjusted his robe, barcd his r ight

shoulder, and holding a sharp sword ir-r hand, advanced straight toward the World-

Honored One to ki l l him.

Hurriedly, thc Buddha said to Maii judri , "Stop, stop! Do not do thc wrong

thing. Do not ki l l me in this way. I f you must ki l l me, you should f irst know the

best way to do so. Why? Bccause, MaiijuSri, from thc bcginning there is no self,

no others, no person; as soon as onc pcrceives in his mind the cxistence of an ego

and a personal identi ty, he has ki l led me; and this is cal led ki l l ing."

Having heard the Buddha say this, the [f ive hundrcd] Bodhisattvas thought,

"Al l dharmas are i l lusory, l ike magic. In thcm thcre is no sel i no pcrsonal identi ty,

no sentient being, no l i fe, no person, no human bcing, no youth, no father, no

mothcr, no Arhat, no lluddha, no Dharma, no Sarhgha. There is neither killing nor

ki l ler; how can there bc fal l ing [to the miscrablc planes of existencc] because of

ki l l ing? Why is this so? Now, Manjuir i is wise and intcl l igent, and his unrivaled

wisdom is praised by the Buddhas, the World-Honorcd Oncs. He has alrcady

achievcC the unhindered realization of the profound Dharma, made offerings to

countless . . . billions of myriads of Buddhas . . comprehcndcd well and in detail

al l tsuddha-Dharmas, and can discourse on those true doctr ines. He [used to] have

equal respcct for al l Tathagatas. But now, he suddenly camc to ki l l thc Tathagata

rn'ith a sword, and the World-Honored Onc told him hurricdly, 'Stop, stopl Man-

ju6ri , do not ki l l me! I f you must, you should know the best way to ki l l mc. 'Why?

Because if therc were any real dharma that could come into existence through the

combination of various elements, so that i t could be cal led Buddha, Dharma,

Sari-rgha, father, mother . . , and if these dharmas could definitely be grasped, then

they could never be demolished. Actually, all dharmas are without substance or

entity; they are nonexistent, unreal, delusive, perceived through wrong views, and

Tlq q" s. ;'-. '.*''o" n":*tf&"ffi

Tnr Swono or Wtsootr.t o /

empty, like magic productions. Thcrefore, there is no sinner and no sin. Wherc is

the killcr to be punished?"

Having contemplated and undcrstood this, the [f ivc hundred] Bodhisattvas

immediately achieved thc Rcalization of the Nonarising of l)harmas. Overwhelmed

with joy, they ascendcd in midair to the height of seven palm trees one upon

another. and sooke in vcrse:

"Al1 dharmas arc l ike magic;

They arise from discrinrination.

None of them can be found:

All of them are empty.

.Becausc of our pervcrted, delusive thoughts

And our ignorant, ego-grasping minds,'We

broodcd over the most wicked

Among our pas t karmas.

We committed grcat offenses

tsy ki l l ing f iclds of blcssings-

Parents, Arhats, and monks

Thcsc arc vi le transgrcssiorrs.

For these evi l karmas,

Wc should undergo great pain.

Senticnt beings caught in the net of doubt

Will be rid of their rcmorse and bewilderment

When they hear the Dharma explained.

The One with Great Renownl6

Has extracted poison from us

And resolved al l our doubts.

We have bcen enlightened to the dharmadhatu

And know that no evils can be found.

Thc Buddha posscsscs ingenuity

And understands well our thoughts.

Hc skillfully ferries sentient beings over sarirslra,

And frees them from the bondaee ofdoubts.

Where are the Buddhas?

Where are the Dharma and the Sarhgha?

Nowhere can they be found!

From the beginning,

Thcrc are no father and mother,

And Arhats are also empty and quiescent.

Since there is no killing of them,

How can there be retribution for that deed?

68 ON Enprtxrss

Ali dharmas by nature do not artse,

Likc magical Productions.

Manju(r i is a person of grcat wisdom,

Who has penetrated to thc dharmas' source

Wielding a sharP sword,

He rushed to kill the Tathagata'

The sword and thc tsuddha

Are of one nature, not two;

Both are devoid of form and do not arise.

How can there bc ki l l ins?"

When this subtle Dharma-door of rvielding thc sword was spokcn, six quakes

occured in tsuddha-lands in the tcn direct ions, as numerous as thc sands of the

Ganges. Mcanwhile, in thc Buddha-lands in the ten direct ions, al l thc tsuddhas

werc teaching the l)harma before thcir assemblies. Thc Buddhas' attendant disci-

plcs rose from their seats and asked their respective Buddhas, "World-Honored

One, who performed thc miraculous feat that caused the grcat earths to quake?"

Thc Buddha in the ten direct ions answercd their rcspcctive disciples, "Good

men, there is a world named Sahi. In that land, there is a Buddha namcd Sekyanr-

uni Tathagata, the Worthy One, thc Pcrfect ly Enl ightened One, who is now

teaching the Dharma. In that world, there is an eminent Bodhisattva-Mahtsattva

named ManjuSri, who has not regressed from supremc cnlightenmcnt since the

remote past. In order to dispel thc nental attachment of some novice Bodhisattvas,

he h imse l f . w i th a sharp sword in hand. rushcd to k i l l Sakyamuni Ta th lga ta as a

means of revcaling thc profound Dharma. It is for this reason that the grcat earths

quaked. Because of this sword of Wisdom, that Buddha, thc World-Honored One,

explained thc profound Dharma to causc incalculablc myriads of sentient beings to

acquire the clear Dharma-cye, to achicvc mental liberation, or to attain the realiza-

tion of the profound Dharma, so that they all abide securely in [thc pursuit ofl

bodhi. "

When performing this great miraculous feat, thc World-Honored One, by

the power of ingenuity, caused al l the novicc Bodhisattvas in thc assembly who

had few good roots, as well as the sentient beings who had not partcd with

discrimination and who wcre attached to forms, not to sec Manju5n wielding the

sword . nor to hcar the doc t r ine exp la incd . ' r '

At that t ime, the Vcnerable Sir iputra eskcd Manju6ri, "Great sage, now you

have pcrformed the most wicked karma. You attempted to ki l l the great Teacher

of gods and humans. When this karma comes to maturi ty, what retr ibution wil l

you receive?"

Man lu in answered Sar ipu t r r . " l t i s so . v i r tuous or rc . jus t as you say : I have

performed such a wicked karma. Howevcr, I real ly do not know how I shal l

receive any retr ibutiott . Setip.t t .r , in my opinion, I shal l undcrgo i t just as a

Tue Swono or Wrstou

magical ly produced beirrg does whcn his i l lusory karma ripcns. Why? Because the

magical ly produced being makes r-ro discrimination and has no thoughts, and al l

dharmas arc i l lusory, l ike magic. Furthermorc, Saripr-rtra, lct me ask you somc-

thing, and you may answer as you l ike. What do vou think? I)o you think that

you have real ly sccn the sword?"

Sariputra answcrcd, "No."

Manju6ri asked, "Are you surc that the evi l karn-ra detlnitclv cxists?"

Srripnt." answered, "No. "

Manju6rr asked, "I)o you definitcly pcrccive a retribution tor th:rt cvil karma?"

Sariputra answercd, "No. "

ManjuSri said, "Thus. Sariputra. sincc there is tro sword and no karnra or

retr ibution, who performs that karnra and who wil l undcrgo the karnric retr ibu-

tion? Yet vou now ask me what rctribution I will reccivc. "

Seriputra askcd, "Great sage, why do you say so?"

ManjuSri answered, " ln my opinion. there is no such thing as the r ipening of

a karmic result. Why? Because al l dharmas are devoid of karma, karmic results,

and the r ipcning of karn-r ic rcsults."

X

Thc World-Honorcd One said to ManjuSri, "Manju6n, onc lr 'ho hcars the explana-

tion of this sutra, this profound Dharma-door, is t'tot differcnt from onc u,ho lives

at thc t ime when a tsuddha appears in the world. Manju5ri, otre who hears this

sfitra explained is not different from onc who realizes tl-re fruit of a Strcan-enterer,

of a Oncc-rcturner, of a Nonrcturner, or of an Arhat. Why? Because this sutra is

not diffcrcnt from suchtress."Manju5ri, onc who bcl icves and understands this sutra aftcr having heard i t

explained is not diffcrcnt frorn a lJodhisattva in his last cxistctrcc, who will with-

out lai l attain supreme enl ightcnn.rcnt si t t ing on the bodhi-sitc undcr thc bodhi-

tree. Why? Because this l)harma-cloor is thc csscr-rt ial path of thc Buddhas, the

!?orld-Honorcd Ones, in thc past, present, and futurc."

At this, Manju6ri said to the Buddha, "World-Honored One, i t is so, rt is so,

just as thc Buddha says. This sutra is not dif fbrcnt lrom emptincss, signlcssness,

wishlessncss, suchness, thc dharmadhatu, real i ty, cquali ty, l ibcrat ior-r, and freedom

from passions."

Thcn, Manjuir i contirrued, "World-Honorcd OIre, may thc Tathagata pro-

tect and maintain this profound l)harma-door so as to cause this sutra to prcvai l in

the world lbr f ive hundrcd ycars in the [coming] Last Era, so that al l thc good nren

and good wonlen then wil l bc able to hear i t !"

When Manjuir i made this request, cotlnt lcss musical instrumcnts sounded

spontancously in the bi l l ion-world univcrsc, al l the trees burgconcd spontaneously,

l0 ON EnprtNlss

and al l rhc t lor l 'ers bloomed. Also, six quakes occurred in thc bi l l ion-r" 'or ld uni-

r-ersr ' . ( ,rcat l ights r,vere emitted to i l luminate thc rvhole bi l l ion-world unlvcrse so

brightlr that sunl ight and moonlight wcre outshone and scen no nlore.

Then. Maii juir i askcd the Buddha, "\ i l /or ld-Horrorcd Otre, docs this unusual

auspl6c portend that this l)harma-door wil l last forcver and prcvai l al l over the

s'orld in the future?"

The Buddha rcpl ied, "I t is so, i t is so. This good omcn is nranifested solely

ro shos'that this sutra wil l iast forever and prevai l al l over thc world.".

After the World-Honorcd One had f-inished teaching this sutra, Man1u5ri,

Wcll-Abiding Mind, thc Bodhisattvas from the ten dircct ions, al l thc devas, the

Vcnerablc Seriputrr, the Vencrable Mahika5yapa, the monks. al l the gods, hu-

mans, asuras, dragons, ghosts, spir i ts, and so forth were ovcrjoyed at hcari lg what

the Buddha had taught. They acceptcd it u'ith faith and bcgan to practice it with

veneration.

NOTES

'I . See Numerical Glossary, "flvc kincls of eyes." A Strcam-enterer acquires the clear

Dharrna-cye, the enlightcne.d vision ll 'hich clearly sees the I)harma-truth-thc emptiness of

all dharn.ras. An Arhat or a Pratyekabuddha acquires thc clcar wisdom-eye, which enables

hin to redlize or pendrate the l)harma-truth. The differencc between the two is in their

degree of profundity, not in thcir naturc.

2. ' l ) isc ip lcs ' here is not a t rans. lat ion of 'sr ivakas' . As indicated bt ' low, many of the

discip les are Bodhisat tvas.

In this and many of the following passages, the Chincsc text alternately reads 'disci-

p les ' , 'a t tendants ' , or 'at tendant d isc ip les ' . We have not adoptcd the ternl 'at tendants ' , however.

3. . See also "s ix paramitas" in the Nunter ical Glossary.'

4. lsuch samidhis are called samidhi-doors becausc thcy lead to the countless samidhis

of Buddhas. (See Ta Chih Tu Lun, Chap. 22)

5. The or ig inal text reads: "World-Honored One, the Bodhisat tva-Mahisat tvas who

can achievc thc Samadhi of lnvisibility are nevcr apart lrom this wonderful samidhi in spite

of the fact that they wear the armor ofv igor in order to save al l sent icnt beings." Another

rendering is: "World-Honored One, Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas who can acquire thc Samidhi

of Invis ib i l i ty , a l though they intend to be v igorous and save al l sent icnt bcings, should never

be apart from this wondcrful samadhi." Both translations do not fit the context. Thus we

have herc adopted Bodhiruci 's vers ion (Taisho 341, p.119).

a . Mahak i syapa i s a S ravak r .

7. We translate the Skt . yojana as ' leagues' , because wc cannot f ind an exact equivalent .

A yo. iana is said to be the distance of a day's march for the royal army.

8. I .e. , inapprchensible.

9. In thc Chinese tradition, Maiiju6ri is symbolically associated with the lion. He is

Tsr Swono or Wrsoorra 71

usually portraycd as riding a lion in Chincsc art. Thc lion symbolizes intrepidity, which

ariscs fron wisdom. In Part IX below, Manju6ri, n'ho is the cmbodimcnt of the wisdom of

all Buddhas, dauntlessly wiclds the sword of n'isdonr.

10. Or ig inal ly th is scntcncc was t ranslated: "Son of i reaven, I would speak to one who

can tlke in my Idiscourse] without hearing, reading, recitinq. .lcccpting, upholding, think-

ing, remembering, grasping, abandoning, perceiv ing, knou' ins. . " From thc v icwpoint of

l i terary t ranslat ion, th is is preferable and less c lunlsy. Ho*ever. t ionr a re l ig ious or yoglc

viewpoint i t is bet ter to repeat each negat ion, so that a devoted readcr can mcdi tatc on

emptiness while he reads the sutra. Thus our original translation u oulcl scrvc rvcll as a

conceptual negat ion of thc act ions l is tcd; however, i t fa l ls short of beins a nredi tat ive device

to pract ice empt iness. ( ( ; .C.)

11. Namely, thc f ive roots, thc f ive powers, the seven factors of enl ightenment, and

the eight fo ld noble path.

12. Or, " the realm of space,"

13. That is , the th i r ty- two auspic ious s igns of a Buddha or a universal monarch.

14. The place where the Dharna is tar . rght .

15. Refers to the female demons who live in the Sixth Hcaven, which is the dwellinq

place of celest ia l demons.

16. Pip iyan is the namc'of the demon king who rules the Sixth Hcavcn, thc highcst

heavcn in the Realnr of l)esire of a snrall world. Here the olural form rcfcrs to all dcmon

kings in thc bi l l ion-wor ld universe.

17. This statenlent is an exarnpk: of how, in nry opin ion, the sutras are symbol ic and

peclagogical, ancl shoulcl not bc intcrprcted literally. Manjudri, who cmbodics thc wisdom of

all tsuddhas, is shown here as being of r.nore benefit to sentient beings than is thc Buddha.

The reason for this seeming ovcrstJt(-nrcnt is to stress the fact that only the transcendental

wisdom of prajiripiratnita, which ManjuSri embodies, can conquL.r dcmons, and not magical

formulas, spel ls , or other thaumaturgical techniques. (G.C.)

ManjuSri has been referred to as the "mother" of the Enlightened Ones in the three

periods of timc. In a sutra called " ff ffif$ " the Buddha says, "l owe it to Mafiju6ri that I now

become a Buddha. Innumerable Buddhas in the past had been Manju5r i 's d isc ip les, and those

who wi l l become Buddhas in the future also owc thci r cnl ightennlent to h is awesome power.

Just as childrcn in thc worlcl havc their own parents, so Manju6ri assumes parenthood on the

tluddha-path. "

18. Following each list oF four is thc statement, "Fulfillment of these four things

enables a Bodhisattva-Mahasattva to achievc this samidhi." We onrit this reoetition lor

brevi ty 's sake.

19. 'Deep mind'sccms to imply the deep aspirat ion for thc Dharma, the aspirat ion lor

profound, supreme Buddhahood.

20. The two Chinese characters )Ef f i may be t ranslated as ' far apart . 'They are t rans-

lated as 'detachcd' in othcr placcs. In this context, however, it scems to bc morc appropriate

to render them as 'remote and lar away'; taken in this sense, they imply that thc thrcc realms

are something forcver inapprehensible.

21. Here, the "initial generation ofbodhicitta" probably refers to the transcendental

bodhic i t ta ( f f i **E,L ' ) , shared by Bodhisat tvas in the tcn stagcs. I t d i f fers f rom the genera-

tion ofbodhicitta by a beginner tsodhisattva-

22. Dcsirc, hatred, and ignorance are utterly enrpty ofany self-entity. For this reason,

as Maiiju6ri explains below, only thosc who have true realization of emptiness can "generate"

l2 ON EupnNrss

or expcr icrrce thc threc poisons (or any othcr dharmas) as thcy are-as cntpt .v of sc l f -naturc.

Ordina;r ' peoplc v icrv and cxper iencc thc threc poisons onlv in the i l1r-so11' aspc-ct of those

clhrrnras. rs apprrcnt ly sel f -cx istent cnt i t ies. But when a conrplctc ic lent i f icat ion of desire,

hatr . -c l . and iqnorance lv i th cmpt incss has bccn madc, onc cal) at t l tat n lonlc l l t expcr icnce th.-

thrr 'c poisons in their basic nature. (V.S.R.)

13. Those who havc rcal ized cntpt iness do indecd cncountcr the poisons (herc conr-

pare-d to the movemcnt of a b i rd in thc sky), but thev do so whi lc du'e l l ing i r r enrpt i t ress

(conrpared to " leaving no t racc in empty space") .

2.1. Nothingncss, noncl iscr inr inat ion, and so for th arc a l l approximate character is t ics of

empt iness, thc dynarnic funct iotr of which "gencrates" e l l dharmas.

25. The abodcs of consciousncss are thc objects rvhich thc consciousncss abidcs i t r ,

relies on, and clings to. Thc other four aggrcgates-form, feeling, conce'ption, and impulsc'-

f , re the for t r rhodcs of col tsc iot tsncss.

26. Thc opposi tcs of thc c ight i tc .ms of thc c ight fo ld noble path: wrotru v ierv, wrong

thought, and so forth.

27. The ninc activitics (somctimes givcn as tcn) which thc tsuddha suflercd in this

wor ld, for example, pract ic ing ascet ic ism ior s ix ycars, returni t tg u ' i th a l t cntptv borv l af tcr

bcgging for food in a v i l lagc, crc. For dc. ta i ls , see "on the Piranr i ta of lngenui t l " ' (c lhap. 22).

28. Mafr ju i r i 's remark here appcars to nul l i fy a l l good and cvi l ' r ight and wrong,

Dharma ancl non-I)harrla. and so forth, and thus to invalidate all tht- usual Ruddhist tcach-

ings; however, f ronr a h igher v icwpoint of thorough empt incss and thorough equal i ty , i .c . ,

thc tota l is t ic at-or le-nlent ofa l l in one and onc in a l l , the rcmark is an ineluctable corol lary of

thc r :mpt incss doctr ine. I f one can tnr ly undcrstand t l rc pr i l rc ip le of " for l r t is enrpt iness and

empt incss is fornr ," he should also bc able to r" rndcrstand that a l l passion-desires arc bodhi

i tsel f - , and that thc v i r tuous and the evi l , the good and the bad, ctc. , are ul t inrate ly equal and

at-onc. Here, we may wi tness hou'Tantr ic phi losophy rs a natural outcol ' t le of the empt iness

doc t r i ne - (G .C . )

29. This, wc hel ieve, refers to thc in i t ia l gcncrat ion of thc t rar tscendcntal bodhic i t ta

of the first stage.

30. Thcrc are different opinions as to at what stagc (0hrlnri) l Bodhisattva achieves thc

I lcal izat ion of the Nonar is ing of Dharmas; some tcxts sev the f i rs t , but most texts say the

cighth. The passagc here obviously impl ies the c ighth strge . Onc bcsins to abide in the f i rs t

stage when he initially generatcs thc true or transcendental bodhicitta.

31. L i teral ly , "dharmas."

32. Based on Bodhimci 's vcrs ion (Taisho 341, p. 1 '27). The or ig inal reads "seeks."

33. For morc explanat ion, see "Thc Mani lestat ion of L ights" (Chap. 11)

34. L i teral ly , "sevcr and rcnouncc."

35. L i tcra l ly , "ernpty spacc."

36. That is . the Buddha.

37. In order to protcct profouncl doctrincs lrom being clistorted, and to protcct ccrtf,ill

sentient beings from gravc rnisunderstanding, thc Bucidha sometimcs docs ttot revcal partic-

u lar teachings to those scnt ient bcings who arc not yet ablc to u l rdcrstancl thcnl . Such

doctrines arc called "csoteric. "

MffiTfr. ffiffi#€

A Discourse on Ready Eloquence

I

' I 'hus havc I hcard. Once the Buddha was dwell ing in the gardcn of Anithapir]dada

in the Jeta ( lrove near Sravasti , accompanicd by the thousand grcat monks. Except

fbr Ananda, those n-ronkS wcrc al l Arhats. Having cndcd al l thcir defi lernents, thcy

no longer suffcrcd any aff l ict ions. Thcy were at ease with everything. Thcy had

donc what they had sct out to do, laid down thc heavy burdcn lof sarhsira],

acquircd benefit for thcr-nseives, aud broker-r the tics of existence. Through right

knowlcdgc, they had achicvcd l iberation, both from passions and from ignorance.

They were mcntal ly free; their minds, l ikc great elephant kings, were subdued.

Thcy had reached thc othcr shore and had entcred thc cightfold l iberation.

Also in the asscmbiy were twelve thousand Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas, al l

adorncd [with merits] and kno.uvn to all, who had attained nonregression and

would achicvc Buddhahood in thcir ncxt l ives. Among thcm were Bodhisatt-

va Precious Hand, Bodhisattva Treasury of Virtuc, Bodhisattva Adorncd r '" ' i th

Wisdom Bodhisattva Wish-Fulf i l ler, Bodhisattva Avalokite5vara, Dharma Prince

Manju6ri, Dharma Prince Pleasant Voice, Dharma Prince Inconceivablc Liberative

Deeds, Dharma Prince Unobstructed Contcmplation of A1l Dharmas, Bodhisattva

Maitrcya, Bodhisattva Giver of Lighthcartcdness, Bodhisattva No Deluded Views,

Bodhisattva Exempt from Miserable Realms, Bodhisattva No Dcluded Deeds,

Bodhisattva Free of Darkness, Bodhisattva Free fronr Al l Covcrs, l Bodhisattrra

Adorned with Eloquence, Bodhisattva Awcsomc Wisdom and Prccious Merit ,

Bodhisattva Golden Flowcr of Bri l l iant Virtue, and Bodhisattva l jnobstructcd

Thousht.

Sutra 33, Taisho 310 pp. 55G564; t ranslated into Chinese by Nieh Tao-chen.

/ + ON EupuNlss

One morning, eight great Srtvakas and eight grcat tsodhisattvas, wearing

monastrc robes and holding bowls, entered Srlvasti to bcg for food. They were: the

Virtuous Si. iput.. , the Virtuous Maudgalyayana, thc Virtuous MahakaSyapa, the

Virtuous Subh[t i , the Virtuous Purnamaitr-yanrputra, the Virtuous Revata, the

Virtuous Aniruddha, the Virtuous Ananda, Dharma Prince Mair ju(r i , Bodhisattva

No Deluded Views, Bodhisattva Prccious Form, Bodhisattva Excmpt from Miser-

able Rcalms, Bodhisattva Free from All Covers, Bodhisattva AvalokiteSvara, Bo-

dhisattva Adorned with Eloquence, and Bodhisattva No Deluded Deeds. On the

u.ay, each of thcm had one thought in his mind and discussed i t with thc others.

The Virtuous Se.ipt.t.t said, "When I reach Srivasti to beg for food, I will

cnter a dhy-na2 that will cause all the scnticnt beings in the city to hear the four

noble truths."

The Virtuous Maudgalyayana said, "When I reach Sravasti to bcg for food, I

will cnter a dhyana that will cause all the sentient beings in the city to bc frcc from

demons' inf luence . "

The Virtuous Mah-kiSyapa said, "When I reach Sravasti to beg for food, I

will enter a dhyana that will causc all the sentient beings in thc city who give me

food to receive endlcss rewards unti l they achieve nirvana."

The Virtuous Subhnti said, "When I reach Sravasti to bcg for food, I wi l l

cntcr a dhyina that wi l l cause the sentient beings in the city who see me to be

rt-born in heaven or as hurnans, to enjoy al l pleasures, and to suffcr no more."

The Virtuous Purnamaitr-yaniputra said, "When I reach Srlvastr to beg for

food, I will cntcr a dhyina that will cause all those in the city who follow wrong

paths, such as brahmacarins and naked ascetics, to acquire r ight view."

The Virtuous Revata said, "When I rcach Srivastr to beg for food, I will

cntcr a dhyana that will cause all the sentient beings in the city to enjoy the

pleasure of nondisputation. "

Thc Virtuous Aniruddha said, "When I reach Sravasti to beg for food, I wi l l

enter a dhyana that will cause all the sentient beings in thc city to recognizc thc

retributions for karmas committed in past lives."

The Virtuous Ananda said, "When I reach Srivastr to bcg for food, I wi l l

enter a dhyana that will cause all the sentient beings in the city to remembcr all the

Dharma thcy have learned."

Dharma Prince Maijuirr said, " l wi l l causc al l the doors, windows, walls,

implements, trees, branchcs, lcavcs, flowers, fruits, clothes, and necklaces in the

city of Sravasti to make sounds [teaching] emptiness, signlcssncss, wishlessness,

egolessness, nothingness, avoidance of play-words, and the absence of self-enti ty."

Bodhisattva No Deluded Views said, "l will causc cverything seen by the

scnticnt beings in Sravasti who deserve supreme enlightcnmcnt to become a Bud-

dha-image, and in this way I will cause them to attain supreme enlightenment

without fail. "

Bodhisattva Prccious Form said, "I will cause prodigious quantities of the

seven treasures to appear in the houses of al l the people in Sravasti . regardless of

caste. "

Dtsc;ounsr oN Rnaly EroqurNcE 75

Bodhisattva Exempt from Miserable Realms said, " l wi l l cause the sentientbeings in Sravasti who arc dcstined to fall to the miserable planes of existencc [afterdeath] to undergo slight sufferings in their prcsent lives [instead] and to be liber-

ated quickly. "

Bodhisattva Free from All Covers said, " l wrl l causc the sentient beings in

Sravasti to completely r id thcmselvcs of the f ive covers."

Bodhisattva Avalokite5vara said, " l wi l l cause thc imprisoned sentient beings

in Sravasti to be freed quickly, thosc who arc about to bc killcd to be saved, and

those who are fr ightened to become fearless."

Bodhisattva Adorned with Eloquence said, "I wi l l cause al l the sentient

beings in Sravasti who see me to obtain eloquence, so that they can exchangequcstions and answcrs in wonderful verse."

Bodhisattva No Deluded Deeds said, "I wi l l cause the sentient beings in

Sravasti who see me to have no delusive vicws and to attain supreme enlighten-ment without fai l ."

Discussing their thoughts in this manner, the eight Sravakas and the eightBodhisattvas arr ived at the gate of Sravasti .

At that time, King Prasenajit's daughter, named Pure Giving, was living inthe city. She was extraordinarily beautiful, though only eight years old. It was the

cighth day of thc sccond month, the day on which thc star Pusya3 appeared.Carryirrg a bottle of water in her hand, she went out of thc city together with fivehundred brahmins to bathe the deva-image. When the five hur-rdred brahmrns saw

the monks standing outside the city gate, they al l considered the sight inauspicious.Then the oldest of the five hundred brahmins, a man named Brahma who was onehundred twenty years old, told Pure Giving, "These monks are standing outside

the gate. This is inauspicious; we had better go back to the city and not meet4 them.If wc meet them, it is not good for our sacrificial rites."

Thereupon Pure Giving spoke in verse to the brahmin;

" l hese men are all passionless

And most wor thy o f p ra ise .

They can wash away all evilsFrom vast numbers of sentient beings.

These men are pure and immaculate,

For they thoroughly know the four noble truths;But followers of wrong paths are impure ,Shrouded in delusion and ignorance.

Innumerable rewards will accrueTo those who makc offerings toThe Honored One among gods and men,The field of blessings.'Whatever

is planted in this field

Will yield an inexhaustible harvest

76 ON EuprtNlss

h'r thc three rcalms.

Thc tsuddha, pure and pcrfcct in discipl ine,

Riscs unsul l icd from the mundane mirc.

Hc l ives in thc world as a ski l l ful hcalcr,

Curing and saving sick scntient bcings.

In the world, thc Buddha is suprcme;

He is the king of al l Dharmas,'

Aud thcsc mcn arc thc Buddha 's sons . '

Some have attained Arhatship;

Others perform the Bodhisattvas' decds.

How can thc wise avoid thcm?

Those who perform such wondcrful deeds

Deservc the acclaim of the world.

Thesc wise men have long practiccd giving.

Brahmaclr in, respect thcm,

And surely al l wi l l go wcl l .

Let us'praisc these men

Who arc cndowed with a supcrior appearance.

[)urc in mind, they arc our cxcel lent f ields of blessir-rgs.

Brahmaclr in, bel ievc rny words,

Arrd you wil l be.loyful and free of worry."

The Ioldcst] brahmacir in said to Purc Givirrg in vcrsc:

"Do not think l ikc a fool or an idiot!

Shun 6ramanas) when pcrforming sacri f icial r i tes.

A sceker of happiness should not come closc

To onc who is tonsurcd and dressed in a monastic robc.

Your parents wil l not approvc of this,

And we, too, fccl shame for you.

I f you i r r tend to g ivc thcnr th i r rgs .

That i s a lso no t ausp ic ious .

Plcase, respect not these monks."

Purc Giving said to the brahmacir in in verse:

I "Werc I to fal l to a niscrable realm,

My parents, ret inuc, wealth, jewels,

Or even my own courage and hcalth

Could not savc mL.

Except for these men of awcsome virtuc,

Who could rescue me?

I) tscounss oN Rtaoy Er-oqulNcl 77

To honor the Buddha, Dhanna, and Sarhgha,I wi l l givc up l i fe and l imb. IThcrc is but one path to fbl lou':To veneratc the ThrceJer' , 'els."

Then thc Iclderly] brahmacarin asked Purc Givi ' rg, "You have nevcr seen theBuddha or the Sarirgha, nor have you heard thc l)harma. Hor," ' can vou have suchlaith in them?"

Pure Giving repl icd to thc brahmacir in, "Sevcn days altcr I u'as born, rs Ilay on a gold-legged bcd in the lofty palacc, I saw fivc l.rundred gods t1r'ing in thcair, praising the countlcss merits of the tsuddha, thc Dharma, and thc Sarhgha. Iheard their cvery word. Then a god, who had 'ever sccn the Buddha or the sarirghaor heard the l)harma, asked thc other gods, 'What is the Buddha l ikc?' percerving

nry owrl thoughts, and wishing to give joy to the god who had asked the ques-t ion, the other eods answered in vcrse:

'T'he hair of the tsuddha is rcddish-blue,Clcan, glossy, and curl ing to the r ight.His face, l ike a ful l moon, is the colorOf a hr.rndrcd-pctal led lotus f lower.

The snow-white singlc hair betwccn his eyebrowsSpirals to thc r ight;

To al l i t is del ightful to bchold.H is b rows curvc over h is eycs .Likc black bccs surrounding bluc lotus f lowers.

His jaws are l ike those of a l ion;His cycs rove l ike thosc of a king of catt lc;His l ips are thc color of a bright rcd gourd;His teeth are white, closc, cven,As ordcrly as a l ine of f lying gccse.His tongue is so broad atd long,It could cover his face.

He spcaks with pcrfect clarity;His voicc gives joy to al l who hear i t .I t rescmbles thc song of a peacock,A swan, a lute of lapis lazul i ,A kinnara's bel l , a kalavinka bird,6A cuckoo, aj ivaj ivaka bird,7Or a musical instrument of any kind.

His roar is l ike that of a l ion; IHe soundly refutcs al l arguments

78 Ott Emprtnr.ss

And eradicatcs all defilements.

His truthful words shatter cvcry wrong vlew'

Encirclcd by an assemblY'

Hc can resolve al l queries and doubts'

Never erroneous, but gcntle and f lexible,

He gladdens and convinccs the audiencc'

Steering clear of the two extremes'

Correctly he teaches the middle way'

' He speaks in an cver-pleasant voice,

To the del ight of al l who hear him;

He ncver f lattcrs or distorts,

And from his sPeech each hearer

Derivcs an understanding of his own'

The Buddha's rvords are adorned with wisdom,

Like a garland woven of wonderful flowers'

His neck is round;

His arms arc long and straight;

His paims arc flat and clearly marked with whcel-signs;

His fingers, long and slender,

Have coPPer-colored nai ls.

The Buddha's bodY is sturdY,

Balanced, ar-rd well-rounded;

His waist is slender,

Incurving l ike that of a l ion;

His navel, decP and round'

His malc organ is retractcd,

Like that of a stal l ion.

' Like a mountain of gold, his bodY

Is as robust as that of a dragon or an elephant'

From each pore a hair grows,

Point ing upward and spiral ing to the r ight '

He has evcn hipbones and calves like a dccr's'

His ankles gcntly curve, with bones firmly joined'

His soles are fully rounded and clearly marked

With wheels of a thousand sPokes. '

,,Brahmacarin, at rhat time, the gods in the air praised the Tathegata thusly.

They also said, 'The Tathagata, the worthy one, ferries all sentient beings over to

the other shore. Hc protccts them with great kindness and compassion' l ike a great

king of healers. He is not affected by aversion or attachment, just as a lotus is not

Drscounsr oN Rraoy EroqutNcr 79

soiled by the mire from which it grows. What we have menrioned is only aninsignificant fraction of the merits of the World-Honored One.'

"Brahmacarin, seven days after I was born, I hcard of the true merits of theWorld-Honorcd One. From that t ime on, I havc not slcpt, and I havc not felt at al lthe st ir of desire, hatrcd, or annoyance. From that r imc on, I have not beenattached to my parents, brothers, sisters, rclat ives, u'ealth, treasures, necklaces,clothes, ci t ics, towns, gardens, or pavi l ions, or even nv own body and l i fc. I havebeen doing but one decd: remaining mindful of the Buddha. I go to any placewhere thc Tathagata is teaching the Dharma, and l isten attentivcl\ ' .8 I absorb andremember al l he tcachcs, never missing a singlc sentence in lr , 'ord or in meaning.Brahmacir in, I see Buddhas, World-Honored Oncs, day and night. Brahmacir in, Inever get tired of contemplating the tsuddha, never fr:el satiated with hearing theDharma, and never becomc weary of making offerings to the Sarhgha."

When Pure Giving had thus praised the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sarh-gha, all the five hundred brahmins, including the cldest, Brahma, brought forthsuprenre bodhicit ta.

Thcn, Pure Giving got down from her carriagc and walked toward thel lodhisattvas a'cl Sravakas. whcn she reached them, shc bowed with her head atthe feet of each one. Thc' shc approachcd the Virtuom Sa.ipr:t.r with greatrespect, and st. .d bclbrc him, saying, " l am a gir l ; my intcl l igcnce is shal low andrny alflictions grcat. I am unrestrained, indulge in rncan things, and am dominatedby dcvious thoughts. May thc Virtuous Se.iputra, out of compassion, explain thesr.rbtlc, wonderful Dharma for me, so that afte-r hearing it, I may have benefit inthc long night and cxperience greater peace and happincss."

As she was speaking thus, King Prasenaji t came_ Hearing Pure Giving'swords, the kirrg askecl her, "Yor,r lack no pleasures; why do you look sad? Why doyoLr not sleep, or cnjoy the amusements of thc- world?"

King Prasenajit thcn spoke in verse to his daughter:

"You are as fair as a celestial maiden;After bathing, you anoint yoursel l ,Arrd put on pcrfumed clothes;You have neck laces and cvcry p rcc ious ornamcnrWhy arc you so sad you cannot sleep?

Your country is r ich and replete with treasures;Your parents' authority is absolute;'What

troubles you, that you do not slecp?

You arc beloved by your kinAnd adored by the people,And I am a glorious king.Why, then, are you nor happy?

q{) C)r '- E\lprtNrss

What have You sccn or heard

That makcs You so melancholY?

Oh. r 'vhat is i t that You wish?

Please tel l me."

Thereupon, Pure Giving answered her fathcr i t l versc:

"Leading a household l i fc,

Your MajestY, do You not fcel

That the aggrcgatcs, elements, and sensc-orgat ' ts ')

Are all fragile?

Mundane existence is l ike a magic tr ick;

Life f lccs past without a momerlt 's pause'

How can one slcep well after taking poison?

How can one be joYful whcn dYing?

How crn onc expcct to live whilc falling from a clifP

So i t is to dwcll in the world of appcarancc'

I f a pcrson l ives among scrpcnts'

How can hc slecP or lust?

The lbur clemctrts are l ike poisonous snakes;

How can onc derivc pleasure from thcnl?'Whcn

surrounded by enemics, and hungry,

How can one be haPPY?

When surrounded by hosti le nations'

How can you, my fathcr, be at ease?

Ever sincc I sar.v the World-Honorcd Onc,

I rcsolved to becornc a Buddha.

1 Your Majesty, never have I sccn or heard

1 .Ihr, a Bodhisattva rclaxes his effbrts for an instant "l()

I I

Then Pure Giving said to Sarip.rtr", "Virtuous one, I r,l'ant to ask you onc qucs-

t ion; may you take pity or1 me and explai l the answer to mc. Thc World-Honored

One says that you stand f irst in wisdom. Is this wisdom condit ioncd or utrcondi-

t ionecl? If i t is condit ioned, i t is i l lusory and deceptive, not rcal. I f i t is an uncondi-

t ior1ed dharma, i t does not arise, and a dharma which does not arisc docs not

originate. Bccause i t does not originatc, virtuous ol1c, your wisdom does t-tot

cx is t . "

l )rscourisr oN Rraoy EloqulNcr 81

Sariputra was rendered spcechless.

The Virtuous Maudgalytyana asked Serip.rt .", "Virruous onc, why do younot answer Pure Giving's qucstion?"

Sariputra repl ied to Maudgalyayana, "This maiden does not ask about con-dit ioned things. She inquires about the ukimate trurh.r l The ult inratc trurh is be-vond spcech. Therefore, I cannot answer in words."

Then Pure Giving said to Maudgalyayana, "Virruous one, the World-Honored Onc says that you stand f irst in the wiclding of miraculous powers.Virtuous one, whcn using your miraculous powers, do you have senticnt beiugs inn-r ind or dharmas in mind? If you have senticnt beings in mind, r 'our miraculouspowcrs cannot bc real, because scntient beings are unreal. I f you have dharnras innrind, considcr that dharmas do not change [by thcir ult imate naturcl. Since thevLlo not change, Ial l dharmas, including your miraculous powers,]are unattainable;bcing unattainable, they are bcyond discriminations."

Thc Virtuous Maudgalyayana was also rendered speechlcss.Mahaka6yapa asked Maudgalyayana, "Virruous onc, why do you nor answer

Prrre Giving's qucstion?"

Maudgalyiyana repl ied, "This maidcn's question about miraculous powers is' : .rscd

not on discrimination, but on the Tathagatas'cnl ightenment, which defies.,--rron and discriminat ' ion. I t cannot be answercd in words."

Thcn Purc Giving said to Mahiki6yapa, "Virruous one, thc World-HonorcdL )nc sx.vs that you starrd f irst in the practice of austeri t ies. Virtuous one, aftcr=::arning the eightfold l ibcrat ion, i f you accept-or for an instant think of acccpt-:: :r-ofterings from sentient beings out of compassion for them, how do you.:: : :ncl to repay such favors? Do you repay then with your body, or with your:: . :nd? If you f intcnd to] rcpay them with your body, you certainly cannot do so,:. : the body is ncutral by naturc, and is not dif fererrt from grasscs, trees, walls,: . . , . . c,r gravel. I f you [ intend to] repay them with your mind, you also cannot do.. . tor the mind charrges incessantly from momcnt to moment. Bcsidcs body and:: ' . :rJ. there is only thc uncondit ioncd. I f al l that remains is the uncondit ioned,., . ho rcpa,vs the favors?"

MahakaSyapa was also rendercd speechless.The Virtuous Subhnti asked Mahaka6yapa, "Why do you not answcr Pure

' : ' . ng 's ques t ion?"

Maheka5yapa repl ied to Subhuti , "This maidcn's question is about the real i ty: - : larrnas. I t cannot bc answercd in words."

Thcn Pure Giving said to Subhuti , "Virtuous onc, rhe World-Honored Onc:r\ 's rhat you stand f irst among those who do not cngage in disputes. Docs thei 'r lct lcc ofnondisputation have the nature ofexistcnce or the natl l re ofsuchness? l fYOLr si lv i t has the nature of suchness, consider that suchness is charactcrizcd bytt. t thcr arisirrg nor cessation. What is characterized by neither arising nor ccssatlon.;nnot be- dif lerentiatcd.l2 Whrt cannot bc dif ferentiatcd is suchncss i tself . What issuch'ess irsclf is devoid of act ion. what is devoid of act ion is bevond specch. what

Ow EltprtNrss

i-r bcvont ' l speech is inconceivable. What rs inconceivable transccnds cxpression. I f

\ .1; - i l \ nondisputation has the nature of existencc, consiclcr that existencc is by

r;. i l i ; : i r l luson' and deceptivc. What is i l lusory and deceptive is not practiccd by

s . l r l r t s .T1-re Virtuous Subhnti was also rendercd speechlcss.

Purrrarnaitrayantputra asked Subhuti , "Why do vou l lot : l l ls\ \ ier Purc Giv-

lng s qL les t ion?"

Sr-rbhhti repl icd to P[rnamaitrayaniputra, "I t stands to reason that I should

sav nothing in reply, bccause kecping si ler-rt is my only dci ight. Furthcrmore, this

rnaiden's question is about the Dharna which is apart from play-words. Vhatever

ans\l /cr I may give wil l bc wrong. To say nothing about the nature of l)harma is

the practicc of nondisputation."

Then Purc Giving said to Purnamaitrayanrputra, "Virtuous one, thc World-

Honorcd One says that yott stand f irst anlong the l)harma teachers. Whell you

teach, do you tcach the doctr ine that there arc states and rcalnrs, or thc doctr inc

that thcrc are l1o strtes or rcalms? I iyou teach that there arc statcs and rcalms, you

arc the same as an ordinary pcrson. Why? Because only ordinary peoplc teach that

thcrc are statcs and rcalnts. In this regard, you do not go beyond thc doctr inc ofan

ordinary pcrson. I f [you teach] thc abscnce of statcs atrd realms, [you teach that]

nothing exists. I f nothing cxists, how can you be cal lcd the f irst among the Dharma

tea chers ? "

Prlrnamaitr iyaniputra, too, was rcndcred speechlcss.

Thc Virtuous Rcvata asked Pirr]amaitrayar] iputra, "Why do you not answcr

Pure Giving's qucstion?"

Purnamaitr iyanrputra repl ied to Revata, "This maiden docs not ask about

condit ioncd things, but about thc ult imate truth. The ult imatc truth is bcyond

speech. Thereforc, there is no way to answcr."

Thcn Pure Giving said to Revata, "Virtuous one, thc World-Honored Onc

says that you stand f irst among thosc who Practice meditat ion. When you Practicenrcditat ion, do you rcly on your mind or not? If you rely on your mind to enter

nreditat ion, thcn your mcditat ion is unrcal, since your n-r ind is unreal, l ike an

i lLrsion. I f you enter mcditat ion without relying on your mind, then such external

objects as grasscs, trces, branchcs, leaves, f lowers, and fruits should also be ablc to

achicvc meditat ion. Why? Bccause they too have no mind."

The Virtuous Revata was also rendcred specchless.

The Virtuor.rs Aniruddha askcd Revata, "Virtuous onc, why do you t-rot

answer Pure Giving's qucstiol l?"

l{evata repl icd to Aniruddha, "This maiden's question bclongs in thc tsud-

dha's domain. A Sravaka cannot answcr her."

Pure Giving said further, "Arc the l)harma of Buddhas and the l)harma of

Sravakas dilfcrent? lf thcy were diffcrcnt, then thc unconditioned would be split

into tu.o. Al l saints and sages practice the uncondit ioned. An uncondit ioned dharma

does not arise. I f i t does not arise, i t is not dual ist ic. I f i t is not dual ist ic, i t is

Discoursr oN REaoy EroqurNcr 83

suchncss i tself , for suchness is not dual ist ic. Therefore, Virtuous Revata, how can

).ou say that?"

Then Pure Giving said to Aniruddha, "Virtuous one, the World-Honored

One says that you stand f irst among those who have the dcva-eye. Virtuous one, is

an object seen with thc deva-eyc cxistcnt or noncxistcnt? If .vou regard what you

see as existent, then you take the view of eternal ism. I ivou reqard what you see as

nonexistent, then you take thc view of nihi l ism. Apart fron-r the two extiemes,

vou see nothing."

The Virtuous Aniruddha was also rendcred speechless.

The Virtuous Ananda asked Aniruddha, "Virtuous one, n'hv do 1'ou not

answer Pure Giving's qucstion?"

Aniruddha rcpl ied to Ananda, "This maiden's question is aimcd at destroy-

ing al l arbitrary terms; therefore, i t cannot be answered in arbitrary terms."

Then Pure Giving said to Ananda, "Virtuous one, the World-Honored One

savs that you stand f irst among the learned. Is your knowledge that of the real

r lcaning of things, or that of words? If i t is knowledge of the real mcaning of

things, consider that the real meaning is beyond speech. What is beyond speech

cannot be known through the auditory consciousness. What cannot be known

through the auditory consciousness cannot be expressed by speech. I fyour knowl-

. 'dqe is that of words, [ i t is meaningless, for] the World-Honored One says that

one should rely on the ult imate meaning of a discourse, not on mere words.' fherefore,

Virtuous Ananda, you are not iearned, nor do you understand the

r,r l trmatc meaning."

The Virtuous Ananda, too, was rendered speechless.

Dharma Prince Manju6ri asked the Virtuous Ananda, "Virtuous onc, why

lo vou not answer Pure Giving's question?"

Ananda answered, "This maiden asks about the learning which has nothing

ro do with words; thcrcforc, i t cannot be explained by words. She inquires about

:qual i ty. Equali ty is not the mind, bccause i t has nothing to do with mental

tunctions. This doctr ine is beyond those in the stage of learning;13 how can I say

rnvthing about i t in reply? It is in the domain of thc other shore reached by

Tathigatas, the Dharma Kings."

III

I :cn Purc Giving said to the Dharma Prince ManjuSri, "The World-Honorcd One...r 's that \ ,ou stand f irst among thc Bodhisattvas of profound understanding. Is. - .ur understanding profound because you understand the profundity ofthe twelve:::ks of dependent origination or because you understand thc profundity of the..-:rnrate truth?l4 If i t is because you understand the profundity of the twelve l inks. :-Jependent origination, consider that no sentient being can fathom the profundity

84 ON EnprrNlss

of the trvelve links of dcpendent origination.t5 Why? Because the twelve links of

dcpendent origination neither come nor go and cannot be known by the visual,

auditorr', olfactory, gustatory, tactile, or mental consciousnesses. The twelve links

oi dependent origination are not activc phenomena. If your understanding is pro-

tound because you understand the profundity of the ultimate truth, consider that

the profundity of the ultimate truth is no profundity, nor is there anyone to

apprehend i t . "

ManjuSri said to Pure Giving, "My understanding is [said to be] profound

because I know] the profundity of the beginning point of all things."

Pure Giving said to Manju5ri, "The beginning point of all things is not a

point; therefore, your knowledge is nonknowledge."

Manjudri said to Pure Giving, "lt is because the inapprchensible can be

rcalized by nonknowledge that I can speak of the beginning point of all things."

Pure Giving said to ManjuSri, "The inapprehensible defies spccch; it tran-

scends the means of speech and nothing can be said about it."

Manju5ri said to Pure Giving, "What is said is said in arbitrary words."

Pure Giving said to ManjuSri, "Thc enlightenment of Buddhas transcends

words and speech, hence i t is inexpressiblc."

Then Pure Giving said to tsodhisattva No Deluded Views, "Good man, you

said, 'Whcn I rcach Srivasti, I will cause everything seer.r by the sentient beings in

the city who deserve supreme enlightenmcnt to bccornc a Buddha-image, and in

this way I will cause them to attain suprcmc cnlightcnment without fail.' When

you see the Tathigata, do you see him by his physical body or by his Dharma-

body? If you see him by his physical body, then you do not see the Buddha, for

the World-Honored One says, 'Thosc who scck me by form or sound hold wrong

views;tn they do not [real ly] see me.' I f you see the Tathigata by his Dharma-body,

[you do not see him, either, forl the Dharma-body is invisiblc. Why? The Dharma-

body is beyond the reach of vision and hcarirrg, and is intangible; therefore, it

cannot be seen or heard."

Bodhisattva No Deluded Views was rendered speechless.

Bodhisattva Precious Form askcd Bodhisattva No Deluded Views, "Good

man, why do you not answer Pure Giving's question?"

Bodhisattva No Dcluded Views repl ied, "Pure Giving asks about the Dharma

apart from entity. The Dharma apart from cntity is inexprcssible. Therefbre, I do

not give an answer."

Pure Giving said, "Good man, I do r-rot ask you about the l)harma apart

from cntity. The Dharma apart from entity cannot bc put into a question. When

1'ou have complcted your learning, you will be able to answcr my question with-

out hindrance."17

Thcn Pure Giving said to Bodhisattva Precious Form, "Good man, you said,'When I reach Sravasti, I will cause prodigious quantities of the seven treasures to

appear in the houses of al l the people in Sravasti , regardless of caste. ' Is your

thought of giving treasures to people defiled with attachment or not? If it is defiled

Drscounsr oN Rraoy EroqurNcr 85

rvith attachmcnt, you are thc same as an ordinary pcrson. Why? tsccause ordinary

people have attachment. I f there is no attachment, there is no giving of treasures."

Bodhisattva Precious Form was rendered speechless.

Then, Pure Giving said to Bodhisattva Exempt from Miscrable Realms,' 'Good man, you sa id . 'Whcn I rcach Sravas t r . I w i l l ceusc thc sent ien t be ings in

the city who are destincd to fall to the miserable planes of existence [after death] to

undcrgo sl ight sufferings in their present l ives [ instead] and be l ibcrated quickly. '

Now, the Tath-gata says that karmas are inconceivable. Can inconccivable karmas

be el iminated quickly? To say that they can be el iminated contradicts the Tatha-gata's words. I f thcy cannot [evcn] bc known, then how can you cause the people

to suffer slight pain and have their karmas eliminated quickly? If .vou could climi-

nate a karma, you would be the master of a masterless dharna [ i .e., karma]; you

u'ould also be capable of not el iminating i t ."r8

Bodhisattva Exempt from Miserable Realms said to Pure Giving, "By the

power of nry vow, I can cause the people to suffer less for their karmas and to have

their karmas el iminated quickly."

Pure Giving said to Exempt from Miserable Realms, "Al l dharmas are such-

ness by nature; they cannot be affectcd by thc powcr of a vow."

.Bodhisattva Excmpt from Miserable Realms, too, was rendcrcd speechless.Then, Ptrre Giving said to Bodhisattva Frcc frorn Al l Covcrs, "Good man,

vou said, ' l wi l l causc thc scnticnt beings in the city of Srivastr to completely r id

themselves of the f ive covers. ' You thirrk that, after entering dhy-na, you canc:ruse the sentient beings not to be cnvclopcd in thc 6vc covcrs. When you are in

dh,vina, is i t you or others who achieve freedom? If i t is you who achieve freedom,

vou cannot impart i t to others, as no such dharma is accessible to another. Then,

hos. can you rerrove the f ive covers of others whcn you cntcr dhyana? If i t is

othc-rs who achicvc frccdom. thcn vou cannot benefit them at all."

Bodhisattva Free from All Covers said to Purc Giving, "I can do that be-cause I put kindness f irst."

I'urc Giving said to Bodhisattva Free from All Covers, "All Buddhas prac-

trcc kindncss. Good rnan, is thcrc any Buddha who is not worried about the five

covers of sentient beings? However, there still arc scnticnt bcings afflicted by the

l l ' i r c j covers in sor r re Buddha- la r rds . " l ' l

Bodhisattva Free from All Covers was rendcrcd spccchlcss.

Thcn Purc Giving said to Bodhisattva Avalokiteivara, "Good man, you

..r id, ' I wi l l causc thc irnprisoncd scnticnt bcings in tht- ci ty of Sravasti to be f iccd

quickly, those who are about to be ki l led to be saved, and those who arc fr ight-

tncd to become f,earless. 'Now, concerning fear [and fearlessness, ctc.] , do youcl ing to thosc ideas or not? If you do, [you are not dif lerent from] an ordinaryperson, who also cl ir-rgs to them. Thcrefore, this cannot be. I f you do not cl ing torhese ideas, you cannot give [the pcople fearlessness]. I f you cannot givc thcmtearlessness, how can you remove Ifcarl from thcm?"

Bodhisattva Avalokiteivara was rendcrcd soccchlcss.

u6' ON ErlprrNEss

Bodhisarn'a Adorncd with Eloquencc asked Bodhisattva Avalokite(vara,"Good nran. u-hv do you not answer Purc Giving's question?"

Bo.lhisattva AvalokiteSvara repl ied, "This mardcn does not ask about things

that arl :e anci ce'asc; therefore, I can give tto answcr."

Pure Giving asked Bodhisattva Avalokite5vara, "Can one ask about things

rh.rr ncrthcr arise nor ccase?"

Bodhisattva AvalokiteSvara repl ied to Purc Giving, "Concerning what neither

rnscs nor ceases, there is no word or specch."

Pure Giving said to tsodhisattva Avalokiteivara, "Whcrc thcrc arc no words,

thc rvisc- oncs coin arbitrary words without attachnerlt . Just as l)harma-nature is

unobstructcd, so the wise ones are not obstructcd by r.r 'ords."

Then Pure Giving said to Bodhisattva Adorned vr ' ' i th Eloqucnce, "Good

man, you said, ' l wi l l cause the sentient bcings in the city of Srlvasti who see me

to obtain eloqucnce so that they can exchange qucstions and ansr.vers in wonderful

verses. 'Good natr, conccrning this eloquence you intend to give, docs i t ar ise

f rom awarencss lo r f rom pas : ion l? l f i t a r i ses f ronr awarcness . i t i s no t qu icsccnt ,

as al l condit ioncd dharmas arise from awareness and watchfulness. I f i t ar ises from

passion, then what you give is i l lusory."

Bodhisattva Adorned with Eloquence said to Purc ( i iv ing, "This was my

vow when I f i rst brought forth bodhicit ta: I wished that al l those who saw mc

would obtain cloqucncc so that they could exchange questions and answers tn

marvelous vcrscs. "

Pure Giving askcd Bodhisattva Adorncd u,i th Eloquence, "Good man, do

you st i l l havc with you the vow that you madc whcn you f irst brought forth

bodhicit ta? If you do, you cntcrtain a view of eternal isrn. I f you do not, you

cal lnot give eloquence to people. Therefore, your wish is useiess."

Bodhisattva Adorncd with Eloquence was rendered speechless.

Then, Pure Givirrg said to tsodhisattva No Dcluded Deeds, "Good man, yott

said, ' I wi l l cause the sentient beings in Sr5vasti who see me to havc no deiusive

vicws and to attain suprenle enl ightenmer-rt without l i i l . 'Does this enl ightcnment

exist or not? If i t exists, i t is a condit ioned enl ightcnmetrt, aud you hold an extreme

vicw. I f i t does not exist, i t is i l lusory, and you hold an extrenle view just the

same "

Bodhisattva No l)eluded L)eeds2o repl icd to Purc Giving, "The propcr name

for bodhi is wisdorn."

Pure Giving asked Bodhisattva No Deludcd Dccds, "Does this wisdom arise

or not? If i t ar ises, i t is not thc product of proper cor-rtemplatior-r but a condit ioned

awarcl less known to ordinary peoplc. I f i t does t-tot arisc, for that reason i t cannot

exist; i f i t does not cxist, i t cannot bc dist inguished Ias supreme enl ightcnment].

Therc are no such dist inct ions as thc bodhi ofBodhisattvas, the bodhi of Srivakas,

the bodhi of Pratyekabuddhas, and thc bodhi of Tathagatas. Ordinary people

discriminate about bodhi, while the wisc do not."

Bodhisattva No l)eluded Deeds was rendered spccchless.

Dtscttunsn oN RtaoY EroqurNcr, 87

Thcn, thc Virtuous Subhuti said to thc othcr virtuous Sravakas and the grcat

Bodhisattvas, "Virtuous or1cs, we had better go back. Wc need not go int<-t Sri-

vasti to beg for food. Why? What Pure Givine says is thc Dharma-food of the

rvise. TodaJt, wc can enjoy Dharma-food and do g' i thout a nreal."

Pure Giving said to Subhuti , " I t is said that al l dharmas are devoid of

superiori ty or inferiori ty. Among such dharmas, tbr u'hat clo you go begging?

Virtuous one, the doctr inc of transcending play-u'ords is thc practicc of a monk.

I)o not del ight in play-words. The doctr ine of transccnding plav-rvords is the

doctr ine of nonrel iancc, beyond t l-re domain of thosc u.ho relv on things. Saints

and sagcs practice i t without regrcssion."

Therr the cight plrcat Srivakas; the eight great Bodhisattvas; the f ir 'c hur-rdred

brahmins, including the eldest, Brahma; Purc Giving; King Prasenaji t ; and othcrs

s'ent together to the Buddha. Whcn thcy arr ived, they bowed down r 'vi th thcir

heads at the l luddha's feet, circumambulatcd him three t inres to the r ight, u. i th-

r lrcrv t<.1 onc side, and sat down. Pure Givirrg made seven more circumambula-

r ions, bowcd down with ircr hcad at thc Buddha's feet once again, stood with hcr

p l l rns jo incd . and asked rhe tsuddha i t t versc : l l

" I ask thc Pccrlcss, Honored Onc,The Worthy One of inf ini te renown,Thc L)nc who bestows thc arnbrosial joy:

What is thc tsodhisattva-path?

Seated undcr a bodhi-tree,How can onc subclue demons, thc torturcrs? .May the Most Compassionate, Honored One

Explairr thc practices compatible with bodhi. . . .

How does one cult ivate

Pure, * 'ondcrlul, supcrior samadhis?

IIow can one who practices the Dharma

Acquirc rniraculous powers?

Now I entrcat thc World-Honored One' l 'o

explain to us the r ight practice. . . .

How can one acquire excellent fcaturcs,

And bc cndowed with wealth and wisdom? .

How can onc lcarn to recal l

The past l ivcs of self and others? .

The Wor ld -Honorcd One is omnisc icn t

And knows thc past, present, and future.May the most wise , Honored One of the WorldExplain the practices of a Bodhisattva."

88 ON EuprINsss

Then the World-Honored One praised Pure Giving, saying, "Excel lent, excel lent!

In ordcr to give peace, happiness, and benefit to sentient beings, and extend pity to

humans and gods, you ask the Tathagata questions about the practices of great

Bodhisattvas. Listen attentively and think well about what I say. I will explain the

various answers to you."

Purc Giving and the whole assembly said in unison, "Yes, we wil l l isten

with pleasure. "

The World-Honored One then said, "If a Bodhisattva achieves four things'

he can conquer demons. What are the four?

(1) Not to resent or envy others' gains;

(2) not to sow discord among people;

(3) to persuade as many sentient beings as possible to plant good roots; and

(4) to be kind to al l beings."22

To repeat this doctrine, the World-Honored One spoke in vcrse:

"Be free of rcsentment and envY;

Sow not discord anong others;

Tcach many scntient beings

To plant roots of virtue;

Cultivate a heart of great kindness

That extends to all in the ten directions-

One who so oractices can subdue dcmons." .

The tsuddha continued, "lf a Bodhisattva achievcs four things, he can ac-

quirc samadhis. What are the four?

(1) To abhor sarhs-ra;

(2) constantly to delight in solitude;

(3) to strive perpetually for progress; and

(4) to accomplish his undertakings skillfully.

To repeat this doctrine, the World-Honored One spoke in verse:

"To dislike all forms of rebirth;

To live alone, like [the single horn]

Of a rhinoceros;

To be vigorous, as a good person should be;

And to accomplish one's endeavors-

The wise who can achieve these four superb things

Are close to bodhi.

I)rscounsr oN Rranv EroqutNcE 89

. Onc who seeks the supremc Dharma

And lives with a tranquil mind

Can acquirc various q1-qlidhis

And real ize the supreme bodhi,

Which is in the domain of Buddhas."

The Buddha conrinucd, "Pure Giving, i f a Bodhisattva achievcs four things,

he can acquire the power to perform miracles. What are thc four?

(1) To feel l ightness in body;

(2) to feel lightness in mind;

(3) to be attached to nothing; and

(4) to regard the four elcments as space."

Then the World-Honorcd One spoke in verse to rePeat this doctrine:

"The wise are l ight in mind

As wcl l as l ight in bodY.

They arc dctached from everything '

And rcgard the four elements as siacc'

Having achicvcd these four things,

By their power to be anywhere

At will, instantaneously,

They can appear

In bi l l ions of lands in space,

And makc offerines to all the lJuddhas therc."

The Buddha continued, "Pure Giving, i f a Bodhisattva achieves four things,

he will obtain exquisitc fcatures. What are the four?

(1) To eradicate the f l l th ofpassions and avoid actions ofanger;

(2) to enjoy cleaning the stipas and templcs of Buddhas, and offering them

beautiful ornamcnts;

(3) to maintain a respectable deportment, kecp the prccepts at all times, and

givc greetings first; and

(4) not to mock Dharma tcachers, but to regard thcm as World-Honorcd

Ones. "

The World-Honorcd One spoke in verse to repeat this doctrine:

"Be not angry with others,

And renounce impure deeds.

Cleansc the templcs of the Vy'orld-Honored Ones,

And respectfully offer them precious decorations.

9() ON EuprrNlss

Ah.vays observe thc pure PreccPts,And be thc f irst to give greetings.

Hinder not the l) l-rarma teachcrs,

But rcspcct them as i f they were Buddhas.

l f you perform thcse fcrur good actions,

You are cal lcd a val iant otre,2' l

Atrd wil l havc the most cxccl letrt fcaturcs,

To t l .re del ight of a1l who see you.".

Thc Buddha continued, "Purc Giving, i f a Bodhisattva achieves four things,

l ic q, i l l acquire grcat wisdom. What rrc the four?

(i) Not to bcgmdge the Dharma to others;

(2) to explain to others how to el iminate faults, so that thcy may bc frce of

misg' ivings or rcgrcts;

(3) to persuade thosc who str ivc hard for progrcss not to stop their cxcrt ions;

and

(,1) to clel ight ir-r practicing thc doctr inc of cmptincss."

Thcrr, to repeat this doctr ine, thc World-Honorcd One spokc in verse:

"Bc not miscrly with thc true l)harma;

Teach othcrs, and thus rcnlove

Their rnisgivings and rcgrets;

Give constant guidancc to seutient bcings;

Fol low the practiccs of cmptiness

Taught by the Buddhas.

A 'uvise person who cnjoys pcrformitrg these four dccds

Can gainlwiidom and renowii...

Understanding well the words of Buddhas,

Hc rvi l l soon becomc an Honorcd One

Among humans and gods."

Thc Buddha continucd, "Pure Giving, i f a tsodhisattva achieves four things,

hc wil l be able to rccal l his own past l ivcs and those of others. What arc the four?

(1) To hclp forgctful peoplc to recal l what they have learncd and recited;

(2) always to speak in a pleasant voice, giving others joy;

(3) always to give thc Dharma, without ncglect; and

(4) to entcr dhy-nas with ski l l , as thc boy Sudhana does,24 so that one may bc

l iberatcd from sarhsara and proceed toward nirvina."

The World-Honored Onc spoke in vcrse to repeat this doctrine:

I)rscounse oN lkaoy EloqutNce 91

"To causc othcrs to remember what they forget,

To speak always in a pleasant vorcc,

To be t ireless in tcaching thc Dharnra,

And to cult ivatc dhyinas constantl \ ' -

One who accomplishcs thesc four thinss

Will be able to recall events

Countless kalpas in thc past,

And soon apprehcnd the Buddha's don'rain.".

Then Purc Giving said to the Buddha, "World-Honored One, I shal l fol low

all the Bodhisattvas' practices you have taught. I f I fai l to fol lon' even one of the

practices that the World-Honored One has taught, then I wi l l be deceiving the

tsuddhas now teaching thc Dharma in the ten directions."

Thereupon, thc Virtuous Maudgalyayana said to Pure Giving, "How darc

vou make a i ion's roar in front of the Buddha! Do you not know that thc practiccs

of a Bodhisattva are dif f icult to fol low? No one can ever attain supreme enl ight-

erlment in a female form."

Pure Giving said to thc Virtuous Maudgalyayana, "Now I wi l l make asinccrc dcclarat ion in thc prcscncc of the Buddha: i f I shal l unfai l ingly become atsuddha, a Tathagata, a I'crfcctly Enlightened One free of clinging, a World-Honored One, a Tcacher of Gods and Humans, ther-r by virtue of my sinceredeclaration, may the billion-world universe quake in the six ways, without dis-rurbing the sentient beings therein. If all my life I can follow the Bodhisattvas'

practices that the World-Honored One has taught, may cclcstial flowers showerirom the sky, nray hundreds of thousar-rds of instruments give forth music spon-taneously, ar-rd may I be changed from a girl into a boy of sixteen, all because of

this sinccrc dcclarat ion. "

As soon as Pure Giving made this sincere declaration, the billion-worlduniverse quaked in the six ways, celestial flowers showered from the sky, hun-dreds of thousands of celestial instruments gavc forth music spontaneously, andPurc Giving changcd from a girl into a boy of sixteen.

Then thc Virtuous Maudgaly5yar.ra bared his right shoulder, knelt on hisright knec, joined his palms toward the Buddha, and said, "World-Honored One,r-row I pay homage to all the Buddha's Bodhisattvas, whether they are novices oralready at the bodhi-site. How marvelous, World-Honorcd One, that this maidencan have such awcsome merits and miraculous powers to make great declarationsand fulfil them right away!"

The Buddha said to Maudgalyayana, "So i t is, so i t is, just as you say. Al lBodhisattvas, whether they are novices or already at the bodhi-site, are wor-shipped by gods and humans as the st ipas and temples of the Buddha. Surpassingall Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas, thcy are the unexcelled fields of blessings forhumans and gods."2s

92 ON EuprrNrss

Aftcr that, the World-Honored One smiled graciously and, as al l Buddhas

do when they smile, emitted from his mouth green, yellow, red, white, violct, and

crystal l ine l ights. The l ights i l luminated innumerable, boundless Buddha-lands,

outshining the brilliance of the palaces of gods and demons, and the lights of suns

and moons. Then the l ights rcturned and entered the top of thc tsuddha's head.

Seeing this, the Virtuous Ananda rose from his seat, adjustcd his robe, bared

his right shoulder, knelt on his right knee, joined his palms toward the Buddha,

and spoke in verse:

" ln a voicc l ike that of dragons, gods, or Brahmi;

Like a lion's roar, thc song of a kalavinka bird,

Or a peal of thunder,

You eradicate desire, hatred, and ignorance,

Giving joy to those who hear.

May the One who has the ten powers

Explain the cause of his smile.

The six quakes have disturbed not a soul,

And the rain of celestial flowers

Brought joy to al l who beheld i t .

The World-Honored One vanquishcs

Followers of the deviant paths,

Just as a l ion subdues jackals.

May the World-Honored Onc tell us

The reasor-r why he smiles.

The bri l l iancc of a tr i l l ion suns, moons, and pearls;

The brilliancc of gods, dragons, and Brahma-

All are outshone by thc purc lights

Emanating from the mouth of Sakyamuni Buddha.

The [singlc] curled hair between his eyebrows

Is as soft and impcccable

As a cclcstial garment,

And sh ines l i ke a jade-wh i tc2 t mo. rn .

Thc whitc hair glows with a light

Illuminating countless Buddha-lands.

May thc Buddha explain the reason for this light.

The World-Honored One's teeth arc spotless, clean,

Even, well-aligned, close, and whitc as snow.

From the Buddha's mouth emanate l ights:

Green, yellow, red, white, violet, and crystalline.

Drscounsr oN Rraov Eroqunxcr 93

Worlds may decay,

And suns and moons may fall;

Heaven and earth may be filled,

Leaving no space to move;

Fire may change into water,

And water into fire;

And the great ocean may dry up-

But the Tathtgata's words

\Vill remain forever truc

If al l the sentient beings

In the ten directions

Became Pratyekabuddhas at the same instant,

Each with millions of different questions

Accumulated through bi l l ions of kaipas;

And i f they came together to the Tath-gata

To question him simultaneously,

Each in a different language,

Thc Tath-gata could rcsolvc

Their innumcrablc doubts,

And arrswcr al l therr qucstions

Immediately, in one voice.

The Supreme, Honored One

Who has achicvcd wisdom,

Arrived at the other shore,

Adorned himself with all-knowing wisdom,

And acqu i red the th i r ty - two ausp ic ious t igns

And grcat, awcsomc rnc'1i15-

May he explain why he smiles,

And whose Buddhahood he wil l prophesy.

This al l gods and humans wish to hear.

May thc Tath-gata cxplain why hc smilcs."

Then the Buddha asked Ananda, "Did you see Bodhisattva Pure Giving

shake the bi l l ion-world universe by her sincere declarat ion?"

Ananda repl ied to the Buddha, "Yes, I did."

The Buddha said, "Since she resolved to attain bodhi, Bodhisattva Pure

Giving has performcd deeds leading to supreme enl ightenment for eighty thousand

incalculable kalpas. Bodhisattva Purc Giving had been treading the Bodhisattva-

path for sixty kalpas whcn thc Dharma Prince Manju5ri resolved to become a

Bodhisattva. Ananda, to match thc mcrits and magnif icent attr ibutes of Bodhi-

sattva Pure Giving's [ futurcl Buddha-land, i t would take al l the merits and magnif-

9"+ ON E,tuprINlss

rcent attnbutes of thc [futurel Buddha-lands of thc cighty-six thousand great Bo-

dhr ' r t r r . r : . i r rc lud ing Man ju : i r i . " r7

Thereupon, the Virtuous Maudgalyayana said to Bodhisattva Pure Giving,"\-rrruous nraidcn,2s you resolvcd to attain supreme cnl ightenment long ago. Why

tlo vou not change from a fcmale into a malc?"

Bodhisattva Pure Giving said to Maudgalyayana, "The World-Honored One

savs that vou stand f irst in the achievement of miraculous powers. Why do you

r.rot change from a male into a female?"

The Virtuous Maudgalyayana was rendered speechless.

Bodhisattva Purc Giving said to thc Virtuous Maudgaly-yar.ra, "One docs

not attain suprcmc enl ightenment by mcans of a female body, nor a male onc.

Why? Bodhi docs not come rnto being; thcrcfore, i t is beyond attainment."2e

V

Then ManjuSrr, Prir-rce of the L)harma, said to the tsuddha, "How extraordinary,

World-Honored ()ne, that -tsodhisattva l'ure Giving can understand well the cx-

tremely profound Dharma and fulf i l al l her aspirat ions by the power of her vows!"

Thc Buddha told Manju(r i , " I t is so, i t is so, just rs you say. Bodhis:rt tva

['urc Giving has cultivatcd thc samadhi of cmptincss30 undcr six billion Buddhas,

and the Realization of thc Nonarising of Dharmas undcr cight bi l l ion Buddhas.

She has asked three billion tsuddhas about the profound Dharma. She has offered

clothing, food, and drink to eight bi l l ion l luddhas, and questioned them about the

Sarnadl-ri of the Seal of Ready Eloquence for Differer-rt Occasions-"Furthcrmorc, Marrju6ri , suppose a good n1ar1 or a good women, for the

sake of bodl-r i , gives away precious treasures enough to f i l l Buddha-lands as nu-

merous as the sands of the ( ianges. His or her merits are no match for those of one

who accepts, practices, reads, recites, and circulates this s[tra, and explains i t

widely to others. Even writ i r .rg down this sutra wil l result in thc highest, supreme

merits, let alone practicir lg i t as taught. Why is this so? Because a person who does

so can accept and kecp thc Bodhisattvas'practices leading to bodhi."

Manju6ri asked the tsuddha, "World-Honored One, what should we cal l thissltra? How shall we uphold i t?"

The BLrddha told Manju6rr, "This sutra should be cal led 'A I) iscourse on

Ready Eloquence for Different Occasions, 'or 'A l) iscoursc on the Door to Sa-madh i . ' You shou ld upho ld i t thus . "

When the Buddha had spokcn this sutra, eight tr i l l ion senticnt beings, in-cluding gods and humans, resolved to pursuc suprcme enl ightenment withoutregression.

Thcn Bodhisattva Adorned with Eloquence asked the Buddha, "World-

Honored One, whcn wil l tsodhisattva Pure Giving attain supreme enl ightenment?"

I)rscoursr oN RrarrY EloqurNct 95

The Buddha told Bodhisattva Adorned rvith Eloqucncc, "Good man, Bo-

dhisattva Purc Giving, after she makes oiflrings to more tsuddhas for several

kalpas, wi l l bcconre a Buddha named Tathlgata King of Pure Light, the Worthy

One, thc Perfectly Enl ightened One, the Onc Pcrtcct in Learning and Conduct,

the Well-Gone One, thc World-Kno\r 'er, the Unexcelled One, the Great Tamer,

the Teacher of Gods and Humans, the tsuddha, the Worlcl-Honored One. Hcr

[futurc] world wil l be cal led Immeasurable Merits and Glories. In i t there wil l bc

no Sravakas or Pratyckabuddhas. I t wi l l be rnore splendidlv adorned than any

cclcst ial palacc."

Hearing in person the Tathagata's prophecy of hcr att .r inrncnt of suprcmc

enligl-rtenment, Bodhisattva Purc Giving, her mind purc, was ovcrjovcd. Shc leapcd

into thc sky to a height of eight bi l l ion palm trees one above another, and emitted

a grcat l ight which i l luminated hundreds of thousands of Imil l ions ot ' l bi l l ions of

Buddha-lands. Ovcr thc Worid-Honorcd One, the l ight was transformed into

cighty-four thousand precious canopies cmbell ished with various celestial genrs. At

that momcnt, by hcr immcasurablc nriraculous powcrs, Bodhisattva Purc Giving

paid honragc to countlcss Buddhas in thc tcn directions and olfcrcd thc canopics to

them. After that, shc returned to the tsuddha and stood to one side.

Aftcr hcarirrg thc prophccy of Ruddhahood bcstowed on Bodhisattva Pure

Giving, and sccing her miraculous fcat, thc f ivc hundrcd brihmins, including thc

eldest, Ilrahr-r-rl, dar-rced with ioy and irr unison extollcd thc tsuddha in verse:

"Onc who rcspccts thc Buddha

Will gain the greatest benefit in the world.

C)ne who rcsolvcs to attain supremc cnlightcnmcnt

Wil l become a tsuddha, with the highcst wisdom.

Wc d id t ' v i l i r r o r r r p rs t l i vcs i

Therctbre, we have been born

Iu f tanr i l ies who ho ld wrong v iews.

Whcn wc saw thc Buddha and thc Sarirgha,

We uttered abusive words against thcm.'Wherr

we saw the worthy sons of thc Buddha,

Wc sa id thcy were ar r inausp ic ious s igh t .

Now, we sincerely repcnt

Such vcrbal transgrcssions.

If we had not seen the Tathlgata,

The Most Honored One among gods and humans,

Wc would havc rcccivcd thc human form in vairr

And taken food for humans to no avail.

We, together with Pure Giving,

Went out to offer sacrifice to the shrine.

96 Ott EuprtNrss

When she saw the Buddha's sons,

She praised them with veneration.

Hearing her praise them so,

We reproached her as a fool.

Then we questioned her,'Have you ever seen the Buddha?'

She said in reply,'Seven days after I was born,

I heard the gods extol the tsuddha's name.'

Her praises of the Tathagata

Did not differ from the truth;

Thus, upon hearing them,

Wc made the supreme decision

To seek unexcelled bodhi.

Hearing the name of the Buddhal

We were awakened to our past karma.

At once, we came to salute

The Savior of the World

And to seek the supreme Dharma-

After we made homage to the Buddha,

We listened to the uncxcclled Dharma.

We see that the Honored Immortal among humans

Has forever parted from all sufferings,

And that thc Dharma taught by the tsuddha

Can truly deliver worldlings [from sarhsara].

We will learn the Dharma,

Because it is unexcelled.

We will listen to the practices of a Bodhisattva,

Because we wish to obtain the Buddha-Dharma.

We should also follow these practices,

So that wc may realize the Buddha's path.

You have discoursed on the essentials

Of the Bodhisattva-path to emancipationl

I W., too, will tread this path

I So that we may win'

The world's respect and admirat ion."

Knowing their sincere desire, the Buddha smiled graciously. Thereupon

Ananda said to the Buddha, "Please tel l us why you smile."

The Buddha said to Ananda in verse:

I ) t s c o u R s r o N R r n o y E r o q u r N c l q 7

"All these brahmins, including Brahmt, I

Wil l successively, in the same kalpa,

Attain supreme enl ightcnment.

In their past l ives they have made

Offerings to five hundred Buddhas.

Hereafter, duc to their marvclous deeds,They wil l see bi l l ions of Buddhas.For eight bi l l ion kalpas,No adversitics will befall them.

In each ofthese kalpas,They wil l see bi l l ions of Buddhas;Then they will become

Supremc, Honored Ones among gods and humans. I

Ihey wil l have the same namc, 'Pure Light, ' I

And an idcntical life span:

Eight bi l l ion years.

Their lands, too, will be the same,Each with a Sarhgha of eight bi l l ion bcings.

They wil l del iver countless beings;Having benefited the worlds thus,Thcy will enter nirvana,

And rcalize ultimate quiescence. "

When the Buddha had spokcn this sutra, Bodhisattva-Mahlsattva Pure Giv-ing, .Brahm5, thc brahmaclr ins, and peoplc in the assembly, the f ive hundredBodhisattvas, King Prascnaji t , thc great Srivakas, humans, nonhumans, and theeight divisiorrs of divinitics all rejoiced grcatly in the tsuddha's teaching.

NOTES

' l . The five covers (scc Numerical Glossary).

2. Thc Chinese text reads E . Dissension should be noted concerning prof. GarmaChang's decision (see Chapter 1, note 16) to translate € hcre as 'dhyana', bccause two otherChinese versions (Taisho 338, p.89;339, p.98) use lffi , a transliteration of 'samtdhi',

in thcsame place. (S.L.M.)

3. A star in the constellation Cancer.

4. L i teral ly , "see."

. 5. This term usually is reserved for Bodhisattvas, but here it is applied to the group of

Srivakas and Bodhisattvas.

98 ON El .prrNtss

6. A k.r l . rv i r ika brrd is a b i rd dcscr ibcd as having a melodious voicc, and is found in

thc ' r a l lc ' r s o i thc Hrmalayas. I t is said to s ine in the shel l belore hatchi l rg.- .

. \ -1 i r ' . r1 ivaka bi rd is said to bc a bi rd rv i th tu 'o hcads and a swcet s inging tone.

I Thrs rppears to contradict the ear l ier statenlcnt that Purc ( ) iv ing has never seen thc

Bu. ldhr. Houcvcr, she is evident ly spcaking hcre in the selrse of rcvclat ion, or s. 'e ing the

Bu. lJh.r rn l psvchic state. as is indicatcd bclorv.

9 Lr teral lv , "entrances," i .c- . , thc s ix sense-orgatrs rnd thci r s ix objccts. (See Nu-

rncr ical ( i lossary, " twclve entrances") .

10. Al tcrnate t ranslat ion of th is l inc: "That a Boclh isf , t t \ ' r qocs astray for an instant ."

11. See "The Inexhaust ib le Wrsdonr-Stores" (Chaptcr 9 bclou' ) , note 13.

12. L i tcra l ly , " is equal . "

1 .1 . A r r r ong t hc c i gh t S rav r k r , r ppc . r r i r r g i r r t h t s : r t r r a . A t t r t t d . t . t r ' t l t c o t t l v unc who

had not at ta ined Arhatship, and so * 'as st i l l in the stage of lcarning.

14. General ly speaking, thc twclve l inks of dependent or iq inat ion refer to phenomena,

ancl thc ultimate truth to nounrcna, but since in the ultimatc sense thc-v are not different, to

penetratc and lully understancl onc is to fully rcalizc- the other. The Prajiripirarniti litcrature

is full of tl-ris kind of dialogue to foster the comprehension of nondistinctions rvithin distinc-

tions, and vicc versa, to reveal thc dccp-rooted clinging to dichotorly within the mind, and

to induce devotces to ' jump" to a h igher p lanc of uni ty or nondist inct ion. (G.C.)

15. Or: "Considcr that thcrc arc no scnt ient t re ings or twelve l inks of dcpendcnt

or ig inat ion which const i tutc scnt ient beings." The Tibetan tcxt hcrc is much s implcr and

rnore dircct: "lf it is bccausc the profundity of depeldent gencration is profound that you are

[said to bel profbund, [consider that ] there is no dependent generat ion at a l l ! " (G.C.)

16. L i teral ly , "extreme views."

17. Herc is a clear statement concerning enlightencd beings who can answcr any

unexpccted or abstruse quest ion about empt iness, suchness, or the I )harn.ra-body wi thout the

sl ightcst hrs i tat iorr or h indrance, as may be wi tnessed in ntanv Zcn stor ies.

1lJ. Al tcrnate t ranslat ion: " l f you could el iminate a karma, you would be the master of

thc nrestcr lcss dharrnas. I fa karnra can be el i rn inated. then i t can also not be el iminated."

This paragraph points out the ebsurdi ty of e l r rn inat ing or not e l i rn inat ing a karma, by

quot ing thc l ath l igata 's statenlent that karnras are inconceivable. No one can be the master of

what he does not know. To eliminate or not to elinrinate sonlething inconceivable is to take a

long, a i r . r r less shot in the dark, making no sel lse at a l l . (S.L.M.)

19. This sentLrncc is from a diffcrcnt Chincsc vcrsion (Taisho 339, p. 102), in which

thc prcccding qlrcstion clocs not appcar.

20. The Chinese here reads "No Deluded Views," which is thc name of anothcr

lJodhisattva who spoke earlier. We have changed the narne in accordance with the preceding

paragraph.

21. Wc havc dclctcd many of the qucstions in this section. Sonre were not answered

in the full Chinese text; answers to others were deleted in our abridgcmcnt proccss.

22)\Ve have omitted the restatement of the category (e.g., "These four will enable a

Bodhisattva to defeat demons") which appears at the end ofcach paragraph.

23. I .e. , a grcat Bodhisat tva--241'sudhana

is the name of an important character in the Auatainsaka Sutra. Although

this name is the same, i t is not c lear whether i t re lers to the same character . (G.C.)

25. The original text reads: "They are the unexcelled fields ofblessing tor all Sravakas

Drscounsr oN Rralv EloqurNcr 99

and Pratyekabuddhas." Howcver, fo l lowing two di f ferent vers iorrs (Taisho 338, p.96;339,

p. 106), we have adopted the prcsent t ranslat ion.

26. Some varieties ofjade are pure n'hite.

27. Here the sltra eulogizes the futurc Buddha-land of Pure Giving as being superior

to nr.any future Buddha-lands, including that of Manju5ri. Horvevcr, in the sutra "The

Predict ion of Mai i juSr i 's At ta innent of Buddhahood" (Chap. 1t i ) . Manjudr i 's Buddha- land is

also praised as super lat ive. This contradict ion should be rcgardcd as Or ier) ta l hyperbole. I t is

an example ofhow one should not t reat f igures or f igurat ive expresslons in Mahiyana sutras

as precise, but rather as rhetor ical or symbol ic expressions for a pedagogical purposc. (G.C.)

28. L i teral ly , "Good man." This may be because Pure Giv ine chansed her fornt into

that of a boy, but Maudgalyiyana's question here indicates she has probablv returncd to her

female lorm.

29. This explanation improves upon the persistent idea in many Mahavana sutras

(inspired by Hinayana notions) that only a man can attain full Buddhahood and that a u'oman

must change into a male to become fully cnlightened. Here it is advanced that Buddha is far

beyond such discriminations as male or female; thus, male-oriented descriptions of the Bud-

dha, such as the thirty-two signs, are expedient and not to be misunderstood as de'scribing

the l)harma-body of a Buddha, which defies sex or any other characteristic. Furthermore, as

the goddess says in the Vimalaklrti S[rra, "While women are not women rn reality, they

appear in the lorm of women. With this in mind, the Buddhe said, 'ln all things, there is

neither nraie nor fenrale."'

In Tantrism, or Vajrayina, the malc-dominated Buddhist attitude changed further.

Tantric yogis follow a set of prcccpts that prohibit belittling women in any way. Tantric

Buddhas, moreover, are very frequently shown in embrace with their consorts, who are fully

cnl ightcncd lcmalc Buddhas. (V.S.B.)

30- The sarnidhi of cmpt iness: one of three samidhis. Thc othcr two are the samadhi

of signlessness and the sam,dhi of wishlessness (cf. Numerical Glossary, "three doors to

l ibcratron ") -

6 *.ffiiinffq #@

Manju6ri's Discourse on the Paramitaof Wisdom

I

Thus have I hcard. Once the Buddha was dwelling in the garden of Anithapil-

dada, in the Jcta Grove near Sravasti, accompanied by one thousand great monks.

Also preser-rt in the asscmbly were tcn thousand Bodhisattva-Mahisattvas, all of

whom had adorned themselves with great mcrits and wcre abiding in the stage of

nonrcgression. Among the great Bodhisattvas were Bodhisattva Maitreya, Bo-

dhisattva Manju(ri, tsodhisattva Unhindcred Eloquence, and tsodhisattva Nevcr

Abandoning Vows.

One day at dawn, Bodhisattva-Mahtsattva ManjuSri came from his lodging

to the Buddha's dwell ing place and stood outside thc door. Then Venerable Sari-

putra, Venerable Purnamaitrayanrputra, Venerable Mahamaudgalyayana, Vener-

able Mahtka5yapa, Venerable Mahakrtyiyana, Vencrable Mahakausthila, and other

great Sravakas also came from their respective lodgings to thc Buddha's dwelling

place and stood outside the door.

When the Buddha knew that the entire assembly had gathered, he came out

of his dwell ing, arranged his seat, and sat down. Then hc asked Sir iputra, "Why

do you stand outside the door at this early hour?"

Seriprt. , repl ied to the Buddha, "World-Honored One, i t was Bodhisattva

ManjuSri who came and stood outside the door first. I camc later."

Then, the World-Honored One asked Manju6ri, "Did you really come here

first in order to see the Tathaeata?"

Sltra 46, Taisho 310 pp. 650-657; translated into Chinese by Mandra.

Drscounsl oN rHE PAraurrA or Wlsoou 1 0 1

ManjuSri repl ied to the Buddha, "Yes, World-Honored Onc. I did comehere to see the Tathtgata. Why? Because I rvish to bcncfi t sentient beings withright contcmplation. I contemplate thc Tathagata as characterized by suchness, bynondist inct ion, by immobil i ty, by nonaction, bv neithcr arising nor ceasing, byneither exist ing nor not exist ing, by being located neithcr in some placc norelsewhere, by being neither in the three phascs of r ime nor orherwise, by beingneithcr dual ist ic nor nondualist ic, and by having ncithcr purin' nor impurity. Ibenefi t sentient beings with such r ight contemplations on the Tathigata."

The Buddha told Manju6ri, "I f you can see the Tathlgata in this rvay, yourmind wil l neither cl ing nor not cl ing to anything, and i t wi l l neither accumularenor not accumulate anything."

Thcn Sariputra said to Manju6ri, "I t is very rarc for one to be ablc to see theTathagata in such a way as you dcscribe-to see thc Tathagata for the sake of allsentient beings, with one's mind dctached from sentient beings. [It is also veryrarcj to tcach al l sentient beings to pursue nirvlna, with one's own mind dctachedfrom the pursuit of nirvana; and to don great adornnrentsl for thc sake of al lsentient beings, with one's own mind dctached from thc sight of adornments."

Thcn Bodhisattva-Mahesattva Manju(r i said to Sir ipurra, "Yes, indeed, whatyou say is true. I t is very rare for one to don great adornments for thc sake of al iscnticnt bcings, without ever having the notion of scntient beings in his mind. Thercalm ofsentient beings neither increases nor decrcascs in spite ofhis donning greatadornmcnts for all sentient beir-rgs. Suppose one Bucldha dwells in a world for akalpa or more; and suppose an inf initc numbcr of such Buddhas, as innumerable asthe sands of thc Ganges, succeed one another in dwell ing in that Buddha-land,each fbr a kalpa or more, to teach the Dharma day and night without interruption,and to ferry ovcr to nirvana sentient beings as innumerable as the sands of theGanges-st i i l , the realnr of sentient beings wil l ncither i lcreasc nor decrease. I t isalso true that i f the Buddhas in al l the Buddha-lands in the ten direct ions teach thel)harma, and each fbrr ies over ro nirvana senticnt bcrngs as innumerable as thesands of thc Ganges, the realm of sentient beings wil l st i l l ncither incrcasc nordecrease. Why? tsecause senticnt beings arc dcvoid of anv definit ive er-rt i ty or form.Thcrcfore, the realm ofsentient beings neither incrcascs nor decreases."

Sir iputra asked Manju6ri, "I f the realm of sentient beings ncither increasesnor decrcascs, why do Bodhisattvas, for the sakc of sentient beings, scck supremeenlightenment and constantly give discourses on thc Dharma?"

Manju6ri said to the Buddha, "Since sentient bcings are empty in nature,Bodhisattvas do not seek supreme crr l ightenment or rcach sentient beings. Why?Because nothing in the Dharma I tcach is apprehcnsible."

Then the Buddha asked Mafrjuirr, " l f no senrierl t being cxists, why is i t saidthat there are sentient beings and the realm of scntient beings?"

ManjuSri answered, "The rcalm of sentient bcings is by naturc identical withthe realm ofBuddhas."

Then the Buddha asked, "Docs the sentient beings' realm havc a scope?"

102 ON EuprINtss

Mairju(rr answercd, "Thc sentier-rt beings' realm is idcntical in scopc with the

Buddha 's rea ln r . "

Then thc Buddha asked, "I)oes thc scope ofthe senticnt beings' realm have a

locanon?"

ManjuSri answered, "The scopc of the scntient bcings' realm is inconceivable. "

Then the tsuddha askcd, " l)ocs the rc-alm of sentient beings abide anywhere?"

Mair ju6ri ansu,crcd, "scntient bcings abidc norvhcrc, . lust l ikc space."

The Buddha askcd Mair juSri, "I f so, how should onc abide in thc paramit i of

u' isdom whcn cult ivat ine i t?"

ManjuSri answercd, "Abiding in no dharma is abiding

wisdom. "

Thc tsuddha asked ManjuSri further, "Why is abiding in

abiding in thc ptramita of wisdom?"

in thc paramit i of

. no dharma cal led

Manjuir i answcrcd, "Becausc to have no notion of abiding is to abide in the

p-ramita of w' isdom. "

The Buddha askcd Maii judri further, " l f onc thus abidcs in the paramita of

wisdom, wil l his good roots increase or decrease2"

Mafi juSri answcrcd, " l f onc thus abides ir-r the plramit i of wisdonr' his good

roots wil l not incrcasc or clecrcase, nor wil l ar-ry dharma; nor wil l the paramit- of

wisdorn l l lgpgasc or decrease in rrature or charactcrist ic.

"World-Hon<lred Onc, one who thus cult ivatcs the p;ramitt of wisdom wil l

not reject the dharmas of ordinary people nor cl ing to the Dharma of saints and

sages. Why? Bccause in thc l ight of thc piramit i of wisdom, there arc no dharmas

to ci ing to or rcjcct."Moreovcr, one who cult ivates thc piramita of wisdorn in this way wil l not

dcl ight in nirvana or detest sarhsira. Why? I lccause he rcal izcs there is no sarirslra,

let alone reject ion of i t ; and no nirvlna, let alone attachment to i t .

"One who t irus cult ivatcs the peramita of wisdom wil l see ncithcr defi le-

mcnts to rcjcct nor merits to cl ing to; for him, no dharma incrcases or decreases.

Why? Bccause such a person real izcs there is no increase or dccrease in the dhar-

rnadhitr,r . Worlcl-Honored One, only onc who can do so can be said to cult ivate

thc p l ranr i ta o f w isdonr .

"World-Honored One, to set: that no dharme ariscs or ccases is to cult ivate

the pJrami ta o f w isdonr ."World-Honored One, to sec t irat no dharma increases or decreascs is to

cuit ivate t l-re p-ramita of wisdom.

"World-Honored One, to aspire to nothing ancl to see that nothing can be

grasped is to cult ivatc thc paramit- of wisdom."World-Honored Orre, to sce neither bcautv nor ugl iness, to think of rreithcr

supcriori ty nor inferiori ty, and to practicc ncither attachnrent uor renunciat ion is to

cult ivatc the paramita of wrsdom. Why? Because no dharma is bcauti ful or ugly,

for al l dharmas are devoid of charactcrist ics; no dharnra is supcrior or infcrior, for

al l clharmas are equal in nature; no dharma can be grasped or rejected, for al l

dharnras abidc in real i ty."

I)rscounsr oN THE PAnaurrA or Wrsoou 103

The Buddha askcd ManjuSrr, " ls not the Buddha-l)harma superior?"

ManjuSri answered, "I f ind nothing supcrior or infcrior. Thc Tathagata can

testi fy to this, since he himself has alrcady rcal izcd thc cn'rpt incss of al l dharmas."

Thc tsuddha said to Manju6ri, "So i t is, so i t is. Thc Tathagata, thc Su-

prcnrely Enl ightened One, has direct ly real ized t l-re enrptincss of dharnras."

Manju5ri asked the Buddha, "World-Honored Onc. in cmptincss, is thcre

any :upcr io r i t y o r in fc r io r i t y to bc four rd?"

The Buddha said, "Exccl lcnt, cxcei lent! Mair ju6n, u'h.rt vou sav is thc true

l)harma! Thc uncxccl lcd is thc Buddha-Dharma. "

Manju5ri said, 'Just as thc Buddha says, the unexccl lcd is the tsuddha-

l)harma. Why? Bccausc thc inapprchcnsibi l i ty of dharmas is cal lcd thc uncxccl lcd."

Manju5ri continued, "He who cult ivatcs thc p-ranita of rvisdonr in thrs u'av

docs not think hinself able to practice thc Buddha-Dharma. I f a pcrson does not

considcr thc paramita of wisdom as a Dharma with which to cnl ighten orcl inary

pcoplc, or as the l luddha-Dharnra, or as an advanccd Dharma, that pcrson is

cr"r l t ivat ing thc paramita of wisdom."Furthermore, World-Honored One, when cult ivat ing thc p5ramita of wis-

donr, onc f inds rrothing to discriminate or contenplate."

Thc Buddha askcd ManjuSri, " l)o you not contemplate the Buddha-Dharma?"

Manju(r i answcrcd, "No, World-Flonored C)ne. I f I contcntplated i t , I would

l1()t see i t . Furthermore. ()ne should r-rot make such dist inct ions as ' the dharmas oford inary pcop le , ' ' the l )harnra o fSravakas , 'and ' the Dharnra o fPra tyckabuddhas. '

Tir is is cal lcd thc uncxccl lcd Buddha-Dharma."Furthermore, i f a person, when cult ivat ing the paramita of wisdom, has no

notion of ordinary pcoplc, nor a notion of Buddha-Dharma, nor docs hc pcrccrvc

a f i .rcd cnti ty in anything, that person is real ly cult ivat ing thc paramita of wisdom."Furthcrmorc, i f a pcrson, when cult iv;t ing thc pirarnita of wisdom, docs

not sec thc l{calnr of l)csirc, the Realm of Form, thc Realm of Fornrlessr.rcss, or thc

realrrr of ult imate quiescence, because he sees no dharnra charactcrizcd by complete

cxtinct ion, thcn that pcrson is rcal ly cult ivat ing the pararnita of wisdonr. "

"Furthcrmorc, i f a person, when cult ivat ing thc paramita of wisdon-r, per-

ccivcs ncithcr thc onc who docs favors nor thc one who returns favors, and thus

has no discrimination in his mind in deal ing with thc two, that pcrson is rcal ly

cuit ivat ing thc piramit i of wisdom."Furthermore, i f a person, whcn cult ivat ing the p-ramit l of wisdonr, does

not see any piramita of wisdom, ar-rd f inds neither any tsuddha-l)harma to grasp

nor any dharmas of ordinarv pcoplc to rcject, that persorr is rcal ly cult ivat ing the

paramita of wisdom."Furthermore, i f a person, wherr cult ivat ing the paramita of rvisdom, secs

neither any dharma of ordinarv people to be extinguishcd nor any Buddha-

Dharnra to bc rcal ized, that pcrson is rcal ly cult ivat ing the paramit- of wisdom."

Thc Buddha told ManjuSri, "Exccl lcnt l I t is excel lent that you can explain so

wcll thc attr ibutcs of thc profound piramita of wisdom. What you say is a seal of

the Dharma learncd by Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas. ."

10'+ ON EupuNlss

Thc Buddha told Manju6ri further, "A pcrson who is r lot fr ightened when

hc hears this Dharma has not merely plantcd good roots in the lands of one

thousand Buddhas; he has been planting good roots in thc lands of hundrcds of

thousands of [mil l ions of] bi l l ions of Buddhas for a long t imc. ."

Manju5ri said to the Buddha, "World-Honored One, now I v" ' i l l continue to

erplain the paramita of wisdom."

The Buddha said, "You rnay proceed."

Manju6ri said, "World-Honorcd One, whcn cult ivat ing thc paramit- of wis-

dom, one does not see any dharma in which one should or should not abide, nor

does he sce any state to cl ing to or reject. Why? Because, l ike Tathagatas, he sces

no state of any dharma. He docs not see even thc states of Buddhas, let alone those

of Sravakas, Pratyekabuddhas, or ordinary people. He cl ings ncither to the con-

ceivable nor to thc inconceivable. He does not see the varicty of dharmas. In this

manncr, hc real ized by himself the inconceivable emptiness of dharmas. ."

The Buddha asked Manju6ri, "To how many Buddhas havc you given offer-

ings?"

ManjuSri answered, "The Buddhas and I are all illusory. I sec neither a giver

nor a receiver ofofferings."

Thc Buddha askecl Manju6ri, "Are you not now abiding in the Buddha-

vehiclc?"

ManjuSri answered, "As I think about i t , I do not see a singlc dharrna. How

could I abide in the Buddha-vehicle?"

The Buddha askcd, "Manju5rr, have you not attained the Buddha-vehicle?"

Manju6ri said, "Thc so-callcd Buddha-vehiclc is only a nanle; it cannot be

attained or perccivcd. I fso, how can I attain anything?"

The tsuddha askcd, "ManjuSri, have you attained the unobstructcd wisdom?"

Manju5ri answered, " l am the unobstructed. How can the unobstructcd at-

tain the unobstructcd?"

Thc Buddha asked, "Manjudri, do you sit on thc bodhi-site?"

Manjuir i answered, "No Tathagata sits on thc bodhi-site; why should I

alonc sit on the bodhi-site? Why do I say this? Because by dircct pcrccptiorl I know

clcarly that all dharmas abide in reality."

The tsuddha askcd, "What is reality?"

ManjuSri answered, "Dharrnas such as the vicw of a self2 arc rcal i ty."

The Buddha askcd, "Why is thc view of a self real i ty?"

MaiijuSri answered, "As to the reality of thc view of a self, it is neithcr real

nor unreal; neithcr comes nor gocs; is both self and nonself. Hence, it is called

rea l i t y . " . . .

Manju5ri said to the Buddha, "One who is not afraid, horrified, confuscd, or

regretful at hearing this profound paramitt of wisdom secs thc Buddha.". . .

Drscounsr oN THE PAnaurrA or Wrsoorr.r 105

I I

Then Sariputra said to the Buddha, "World-Honored One, the pararnit i of wis-

dom spoken by Manju(r i is bcyond the comprehensiot.t oirrovice Bodhisattvas."

Manju6ri said, " l t is incomprchcnsible not onl l ' to novicc Bodhisattvas, but

also to Sravakas and Pratyckabuddhas who have alrcadv donc s'hat thcy set out to

do. No one can comprchcnd a teaching l ike this. Why? tsecausc thcrc is real ly

nothing knowablc about bodhi, which defies sccing, lcarning, attaining, thinking,

arising, ceasing, speaking, and hearing. Thus, being empty and quiescent by na-

turc and charactcrist ic, beyond real izat ion and comprehcnsion, and devoid of shape

or form, how can bodhi be acquircd by anyone?"

Seriputr" asked Manju5rJ, "Does the Buddha not real ize supreme enl ighten-

ment through thc dharrnadhltu?"

Manju6ri answered, "No. Sariputra. V/hy? .Because the World-Honored One

is the dharmadhatu itself. lt is absurd to say that thc dharmadhitu realizes the

dharmadhitu. Serip.rt .r , the nature of the dharmadhitu is bodhi. Why? Because, in

thc dharmadhatu, therc is no trace of sentient beings and al l dharmas arc empty.' fhe

emptincss of al l dharmas is bodhi, because they are not two and are not

diffcrent."Sa.ipnt.a, where there is rro discrimination, there is no knower. Wherc

there is no knowcr, there is no speech. That which is bcyond spccch is neithcr

existent nor noncxistcnt; ncithcr knowable nor unknowable. So is it with all dhar-

n-ras. Why? Because no dharma can bc idcntificd, whcthcr by location or by

specif ic naturc. ."

Then thc World-Honored One asked Manju5rr, "You call me thc Tathagata.

I)o you real ly think I am thc Tathigata?"

ManjuSri answered, "No, World-Honored Onc, I do not think you are the

Tathagata. Thcrc is nothing about suchness that distinguishes it as suchncss, nor is

there a Tathagata's wisdom capable of knowing suchness. Why? I lecause the Tatha-

gata and wisdom are not two. Emptiness is thc Tath-gata; thcrcfore the Tathagata

is only an arbitrary name. How, then, can I regard anyone as thc Tathegata?"

The Buddha asked, "Do you doubt the Tathagata?"

Manju5ri answered, "No, World-Honored One, I pcrceivc that the Tathi-

gata has no definitc nature; that he is neither born nor perishcs. Therefore, I have

no doubt whatsoever."

The Buddha asked Manju5rr, "Would you not say that the Tathagata now

appears in the world?"

Manju5ri answered, "If the Tath5gata appears in the world, all the dhar-

madhatu should also appear."

The Buddha asked Manju5ri, "Would you say that Buddhas as innumerable

as the sands of the Ganges have entered nirvana?"

Manju6ri answered, "All Buddhas have one characteristic: inconceivability."

ON EraprrNrss

The Budclha said, "So i t is, so i t is. Al l Buclclhas havc one characterist ic, that

o i inconcc ivab i l i t v . "

-\ ' Ianju(n askcd the Buddha, "World-Honorcd ()r ' rc, clocs the Buddha stay rn

th t n o r ld nou '?"

Thc Budr lha answercd , " l t i s .o , i t i s so . " r

Mair. lu(r i said, " l f thc tsuddha stays in the r 'r 'or ld, so shor.r ld other Buddhas as

innunrerable as the sands of thc Ganges. Wh1'? Bcc:ruse al l Bucldhas have one

idcntical characterist ic: inconceivabi l i ty. That rvhich is charactcrized bv i t tconcerv-

abi l i ty clocs not arisc or cease. I f thc luture Buddhas \\ 'crc to appcar in thc world,

al l othcr tsuddhas would appear, too. Why? Becausc i Ir the i trcot.rccivable thcre is

no past, prcscnt, or futurc. Howevcr, scntient bcings pronc to grasping st i l l say

that a Buddha appears irr the rvorld or that a Buddha cntcrs tr in' lua."

The tsuddha said to Mair ju(r i , "This can be utrdcrstood bv thc Tathigata,

Arhats, and nonrcgrcssing Bodl-r isattvas. Why? Because thcsc three kinds of pcople

can hcar this profound Dharma without slandcring or praising i t ."

Manju(r i said to thc Buddha, "World-Honored ()nc, rvho could slander or

praise this inconccivable l)harma?"

Thc Budclha saicl to Mair juir i , "The Tathagata is inconccivable, and so arc

ordinary pcoplc."1

Mafr.1u(r i askecl thc Buclclha, "World-Honored ()ne, arc ordinary pcoplc also

inconceivablc?"

The tsuddira alrswercd, "Yes, they are also ir-rconccivable. Why? Bccause al l

minds are inconceivablc."

ManjLr6ri said, " l t- , as you say, both thc Tathtgata and ordinary people are

incorrccivable, then thc coul l t less Buddhas who have sought nirvlua have worn

thcmsclves out for nothing. Why? Because the inconceivablc is nirvlna; thcy arc

identical, not dif ferent."

Manju5ri col l t inucd, "()nly those good men and good wonlel l who have

cult ivatcd good roots arrd associated closcly with virtuous fr icnds for a lorlg t imc

can undcritand that ordinary people, as well as the Buddhas, are inconceivable."

The Buddha asked Manju6ri, "Do you wish to treat the Tathlgata as the

supreme onc among sentie-nt bcings?"

Manju(r i answercd, "I do wish to trcat the Tathigata as forcmost among

scntient bcings, but no attr ibute of senticnt beings is apprehensiblc. "

The Buddha askcd, "L)o you wish to treat thc Tathagata as thc one who has

attained the inconccivablc Dharma?"

Manju5ri answcrcd, "I do wish to trcat the Tathagata as the one who has

attained the inconccivable Dharm!, but therc is no Dharma to be achievcd."

Thc tsuddha asked Manju5ri, " l)o you wish to trcat the Tathagata as a

teacher of the Dharma who convcrts sentient beings?"

ManjuSri answered, " l do wish to trcat the Tath-gata as a teachcr of the

Dharma who converts scntierl t bcings, but the Dharma teacher and thc l istener are

both inapprehensiblc. Why? Becausc they both abide in the dharnradhatu, and in

the dharmadhatu scntient beings are not different from one anothcr.".

Drscounsr oN THE PAneurrA or Wrsoou t07

The tsuddha asked. "Do you enter the Samidhi of thc Inconceivablc?"Mair ju5rr answered. "No, World-Honorcd Onc.I am thc inconceivablc. I do

not sce any mind capable of conceiving anything; so. hou, 'can i t be said that I enterthe Samidhi of thc Inconccivable? when I f i rst brought forth bodhicit ta, I didrntend to cnter that samadhi. Howevcr, as I rcf lect on i t norv, I see that I enter thatsamadhi real ly without thinking about i t . Just as, aftcr lonq practice, one bccomesa ski l l ful archer able to hit thc target without thinking about i t , so, as a result oflong practice, I am one with the Samidhi of thc Inconccivable at al l t in 'rcs withoutthrrrking about i t , though I had to concentratc my n-r i 'd on one objcct when Istartcd to learn that samidhi. "

Sa.iput.a askcd ManjuSri, "Are therc other superior, wo.derful samadhis ofult imate quiescencc?"

Manju6ri answered, " l f there were a Samadhi of the Inconceivable, thc' voumight ask whcther or not there are other samadhis of ult imate quicscence. How-cvcr, according to my understanding, evcn the Samadhi of the Inconceivable isinapprchensiblc; how could you ask whether or not there are other samadhis ofult imate quiescence?"

Se.ip., t t" asked, " ls thc Samadhi ofthe Inconceivable inapprehensible?"Mafrju(ri answered, "A samadhi which is conceivable is apprehensible, while

a samadhi which is inconceivablc is inapprehensible. In fact, al l sentient beingshave achievcd the Samidhi of the Inco'ceivablc. why? All minds are nonminds,

[and to have no mindJ is cal]ed thc Samidhi of the Inconceivablc. Therefore, thecharacterist ics of al l sentient beings and those of the Samadhi of the Inconceivableare identical and not dif ferent."

The Buddha praised ManjuSri, saying, "Excel lent, excel lent! Because youhave bcen planting good roots and cultivati'g purc conduct in Buddha-lands for along t ime, you are able to discourse on the profound samadhi. Now you areabiding securcly in the piramita of wisdom."

Manjusri said, "I f I can give this discourse because I abide in the piramita ofwisdom, thcn I have the concept of exisrence and abide in the concept of a self, if Iabide in the conccpts of existence and a self , then the paramita of wisdom has anabodc. Howevcr, to think that the ptramita of wisdom abides in nothingness isalso thc concept of a self , and [abiding in nothingncss] is also cal led [having] anabode. To steer clear of these two abodes,s o'e should abide in nonabidancc astsuddhas do, and dwell sccurely i ' ul t imate quiescence, the inconceivable state.Only this inconccivable statc is cal led the abode of the piramita of wisdom. " .

Manju6ri continued, "The realm of the Tathagara and the realm of a self arenot two. He who cult ivatcs the paramita of wisdom with this understanding doesnot seek bodhi. why? Bccause detachmenr from thc notion of bodhi is rhe para-mit i of wisdom. " .

Then the Buddha said to Maheka6yapa, "As an illustration, the budding ona pirijita tree in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three givcs great joy to the gods there,becausc it is a sure sign that the tree will soon come into bloom. Similarly,the budding of faith and undersranding in monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen

108 ON EuprrNlss

s'ho have heard the teaching of the piramita of wisdom is a sign that al l Buddha-

Dharmas s' i l l soon blossom forth from these pcrsons.

" l f there are monks, nuns, laymen and laywomen in thc future who, after

hearing the paramita of wisdom, accept i t with faith and rcad and recite i t without

resret or confusion in mind, you should know that thcy have heard and accepted

this sutra in this assembly, and that thcy wil l also be able to ciaborate on this sutra

and crrculate i t among people in cit ies and vi l lages. You should know that thcy

r.r'il1 be protectcd and remcmbered by Buddhas.

"Those good men and good women who bel ieve and del ight in this pro-

found p-ramita of wisdom and have no doubt about i t , have lcarncd the doctr ine

long ago from past Buddhas and planted good roots in their lands. For example, i f

a pcrson who is str inging beads suddenly comes across an unexcel led, rcal wish-

fulfilling pearl and is jubilant, you should know that he must have seen such

a pearl before. Similarly, KaSyapa, i f a good Inan or a good \\ 'omen, whilc

learning other doctrines, suddcnly hears the profound piran'riti of u'isdom and be-

comesjubi lant, you should know that i t is bccause he or she has heard i t before. I f

there are sentient beings who can faithfully accept and take great delight in the

peramitt of wisdom when they hear it, it is bccause those pcrsons have associated

with countlcss Buddhas and learned the piramita of wisdom from them prcviously.

"To i l lustratc furthcr, i f a person who has previously seen a city or a vi l lage

hears another pcrson praising the lovcl incss and charm of i ts gardens, ponds,

springs, flowers, fruits, trees, and its male and female citizens, he will be greatly

delighted. He will then urge the person to rclate again the various adornments of

its gardens and parks, flowcrs, ponds, fountains, sweet fruits, various treasures,

and other cnjoyable things. When the l istencr hears these things dcscribed a second

time, hc will be exhilarated again. Now, all this is because he has scen that placc

before. Similarly, if there are good men and good women who, after hearing the

paranrit l of wisdom from somconc, acccpt i t with laith. take pleasurc in i t . enjoy

hcaring i t untir ingly, and furthcrmorc urge that pcrson to rePeat i t , you should

know that those persons have heard ManjuSri explain this profound paramiti of

wisdom before.". . .

Manju6ri then said to the Buddha, "World-Honored Onc, the Buddha says

that al l dharmas arc actionless, signless, and ult imately quiesccnt. I f a good man or

a good woman can understand this truth corrcctly and explain it to others as

taught, he or she wil l be praiscd by Tathagatas. What that person says wil l not

confl ict with thc nature of dharmas, but wi l l be the teaching of the Buddha; i t wi l l

be the radiance of the p-ramita of wisdom and the radiance of all thc Buddha-

Dharmas, which result from the penetrat ion of real i ty, the inconceivable."

The Buddha told Manju6rr, "When I was practicing the Bodhisattva-path in

the past, I had to [ learn the p-ramit i of wisdom to] cult ivatc good roots; I had to

learn the p-ramita of wisdom in order to abide in the stagc of nonregression and

achieve supreme enlightenment. Good men and good women should also learn the

p-ramit i of wisdom. One who wishes to achicvc the thirty-two auspicious signs

. . . should learn the peramitt of wisdom. .

l )rscounsr oN THE PAnanarrA or Wrsooru 109

"One who wishcs to know that al l dharmas are equally comprised in thc

dharmadhitu, and thereby to free his mind from al l obstructions, should lcarn the

p i r a m i t a o f w i s d o m ."Onc who wishes to extend kindness to al l sentier)t bcings without rcstr ic-

t ion and without entertaining any notion of sentient beinqs should learn the para-

rnit i of wisdom."One who wishes to know what is r ight and u'ronq. to obtain the ten

powcrs and the four fcarlcssncsses, to abide in the tsuddha's u' isdom, and to

acquire unimpeded cloqucnce should learn the piranri ta of uisdonr."

Then Manju5rr said to thc Buddha, "World-Honored One, in n'rv opinton,

the true Dharma is uncondit ioned, sigrr less, inapprehensible, not bcneilcial, non-

arising, nonccasing, noncoming, rrongoing, and without a knowcr, a pcrccrvcr, or

a doer. Neither the p-ramit i of wisdom nor i ts state can be seen, real ized, or

not real ized; the paramita of wisdom is dcvoid of mental constructions and dis-

crimination.6 Dharmas arc ncither exhaustible nor inexhaustible; in them there is no

I)harma of ordir-rary people, no Dharma oI Srivakas, no Dharma of Pratyckabud-

dhas , a rd no l )harma o f Buddh. rs : thc rc i s nc i thcr a t ta inment nor nonat ta inment .

ncither the renunciat ion ofsarhsara rror the real izat iorr ofnirvina, neither the con-

ccivable nor the inconccivablc, ncithcr act ion nor nonaction. Thc characterist ics

of Dharma being such, I do not scc why anyonc should lcarn thc piramit- of

r l .rsdom. "-

Mair ju6ri asked the Buddha, "World-Honorcd Onc, why is thc paran'r i t- of

s. isdonr so cal led?"

The Buddha answered, "The pararnit i of wisdom has no bound or border,

nanc or nrark; i t is beyond thor,rght; i t contains no refuge, f l ike a sea] without an

island or a sandbar; in i t there is no offense or blessi l ig, l ight or darkness; i t is as

indivisiblc and l imit lcss as thc dharrnadhitu. That is why i t is cal lcd thc piranri t i

of ' ,visdonr. l t is also cal lcd thc sphcrc of act ion of a grcat Bodhisattva. [Thcso-cal led sphere of act ion isJ ncithcr a sphcrc of act ion nor a sphcrc of nonaction.

Al l that belongs to thc Onc Vchiclc is cal lcd thc sphcre of nonaction. Why?

Because l in i t l thcrc is no thought and no activi ty."T

Manju6ri askcd thc Buddha, "World-Horrored One, what should one do to

ecquire s' ipremc cnl ightcnmcnt quickly?"

Thc tsuddha ans'uvcrcd, " l f one fol lows thc teaching of the pararnit i of

n' isdom, one can acquire suprenlc enl ightenment quickly. Furthcrmorc, thcrc is

thc Single l)eed Samadhi: a good man or a good woman who cult ivatcs this

sarnadhi wi l l also quickly acquirc suprcmc enl ightcnnrcnt."

Manju5ri asked, "World-Honored One, what is the Singlc Decd Samadhi?"

The Buddha answcrcd, "To mcditatc exclusively on the oneness of the dhar-

m:rdhatu is cal icd the Single l)eed Samldhi.* Thosc good mcn or good womcn who

rvish to cntcr this samadhi should l l rst l istcn to discourscs on thc piramita of

rvisdom and cult ivate i t as taught. Then they can cntcr this samidhi, which, l ike

the dharmadhatu, is nonrcgrcssivc, indcstructiblc, inconceivablc, unobstructed,

:rnd sigr-rless.

t 1 ( ) Ox EuprrNrss

"Those good mcn or good women who wish to cntcr thc Singlc Dccd

Sanradhi should l ivc in seclusion, cast away discr,rrsive thoughts, not cl ing to the

appcar,nces of thir-rgs. concentratc thcir minds orr a Buddha, and recite his name

sn'rqle-mindcdly. The1, should kccp thcir bodies erect ancl, lacing the direct ion of

that tsuddha, nreditate upon him continuously. I f thc,v can maintain mindfulness of

thc l luddha r,vi thout interruption l iom momcnt to nlonlcnt, t l -rcn they wil l be abic

to scc al l thc tsuddhas of the past, present, rrd futurc r ieht in cach momcnt. 'Why?

Bccausc the nreri ts of bcing mindful of one tsuddl-ra arc as innumcrable and bound-

lcss as those of bcing nrindful of countless tsuddhas, tor thc inconccivable teach-

ings of al l Buddhas are idcntical and undifferentiatecl. Al l Buddhas achievc su-

prcme enl ightenment by thc sanre suchness, and al l arc cndou.cd q' i th urcalculable

nreri ts and immeasurable eloqucncc. Thcrcforc, one rvho enters the Single Deed

Samadhi knows thoroughly that Buddhas as innuncrablc as thc sands of the Ganges

are indist inguishablc in the dharmadhatu."Ar-nong al l the Srivakas rvho hcar the Buddha-Dharmr, Ananda has achieved

the highest lcvcl of nrcnrory, dhara' l i , cloqucncc, and wisdoml st i l l , his achieve-

mcnt is l imitcd and measurablc. Howevcr, onc u'ho has attained thc Single Deed

Samidhi wi l l thoroughly, dist inct lv, and rvithout any hindrancc undcrstand every

Dharrna-door explainecl in thc sutras. His wisdonr and cloqucncc wil l ncvcr be

exhaustcd cvcn i f hc discor.rrscs on thc l)harrna day and night, and Auanda's

crr.rdit iorr ancl cloqucncc cannot cqual one hundretl th, or cven one thousandth part

o1 his. A grcat Boclhisattva shor: ld think: 'How shall I attain the Single Deed

Samadhi, thus gaining inconccivable merits and immeasurable renown?"'

Thc tsuddha continued, "A great I lodhisattva sl.rould kccp the Single l)ecd

Samadhi in n-r ir-rd and always str ive energctical ly tbr i t without cver becoming lax

or lazy. Thus, learning gradually, he wil l be able to enter the Single l)eed Sa-

midhi, and thc inconccivablc nrcri ts attaincd thcrcby wil l bear witncss that he has

entered i t . However. those rvho slandcr or disbel ieve thc true l)harma and thosc

who are hindered by evi l karma or gravc of-fcnscs wil l not bc ablc to cntcr that- , , l r r

s : r l r a d h l . '

"Furtherrnorc, Mair ju6ri , as an i l lustrat ion, suppose a pcrson who has ac-

quircd a wish-fulf i l l ing pearl shorvs i t to an cxpert in pcarls. Thc cxpert tcl ls him

that he has acquirccl a pricclcss, rcal wish-fulf i l l ing pcarl. Thc owncr thcn rcquests

thc expert to pol ish i t for him r ' ' ' i thout darnaging i ts lustcr. Altcr bcing pol ished,

the pearl shines r, 'u ' i th l i r l l , translucerlt lustcr. Similarly, Manju(r i , i f a good man or

a good wonran cult ivatcs thc Singlc Dccd Sarnidhi, he or shc u' i l l penctrate the

phcnomena of al l dharmas without obstruction, and i .vi l l gaitr inconccivable nreri ts

and inrmeasurablc rcnown r.vhi lc that samidhi is cult ivated."Manju6rr, just as thc sun can i l lurninatc al l placcs without losing i ts own

bri l l iance, so onc who has acquircd thc Singlc I)ccd Samidhi can posscss al l merits,

lacking nonc, and i l luminatc the Buddha-Dharma."Mair ju(r i , al l the I)harmas I tcach arc of one taste-thc'taste of detachment,

l iberation, and ult imate quicsccncc. What is taught by a good mall or a good

I)rscoursp oN IHE PAnamrrA rtr Wrsoola 111

\ \ 'onrar1 who has acquircd the Single l)ced Sanradhi is also of ong 6251g-the tasteof detachmer-rt, l iberation, and ult imate quicscence-and is uncrr ingly consistcntu' i th thc truc Dharrna.

"Manju6ri, a great Bodhisattva rvho has acquired thc Singlc Decd Sama-dhi has fulf i l led al l thc condit iot-ts conducivc to his su' i t t attainnent of suprcmernl ightcnnrent.

"Furthcrmorc, Manju(r i , i f a creat Bodhisatn'a sccs 'ci ther divcrsrry norr,uri ty in thc dl-rarntadhittr , he wil l quickly attain suprcme enl iqhtennrcnt. He whoknorvs that the charactcrist ics of supremc cnl ightenrncl l t are inconceir.able and thatrhcrc is no rcaching Buddhahood in I thc attainmcnt o1-] bodhi rvi l l ss' i f t lv attarn su-prenlc cnl ightenl lrcnt. He q'ho bcl ievcs and recognizes without fear or doubt thatel l dharnras arc the Buddha-Dhanna '"vi l l swift ly attain suprenre cnl ightcnnrent."

Manju6ri asked thc I luddha, "World-Ho'ored O'e, does one attain supremccnlishtenmcnt swift ly by such causcs?"

Thc Buddha said, "Sr.rpremc enl ightennlcnt is achicvcd neithcr by a causenol r lot by a causc. why? Becausc thc realm of the inconceivablc is acquiredncrthcr by a causc nor l lot by a causc.

" l f a good ntan or a good woman does not relax his or hcr efforts afterircaring this discourse, vou should know that hc or she has planted good roots inthc latrcls of past tsuddhas. Therefbrc, i f a nronk or a nun is not fr ightened aftcr heor shc hears this profound parar'r t i of wisdom, he or she has rcal ly left thchouschold l i fb to fol low thc Budclha. I f a layman or laywornan is not horr i f iedtt1'rt l t l hearitrq t l t is proforrnd phrarnit l of r ' , ' isdom, hc or shc has found a true refuge.

"Mair ju6ri , i f a good r lan or a good wonlarl docs'ot practicc this profour-rdr..rrar-nit i of r 'visdom, hc or she is not fol lovn' irrg the tsuddha-vehicle. Just as al lrrrcdicinal hcrbs rely on the grcat carth for l l rowth, Mair jusri , so do al l the goodr()ots of a grcat Bodhisattva dcpcnd on thc ptramit5 of wisdonr for growth lcadingt0 suprcnle cnl ightenmcnt. "

' I-he' Manju5rr asked thc Buddha, "World-Hor.rored O'c, in which city or

r i l laec of this world should t l .r is profound p-ramit i of wisdorn bc taughtr"The tsuddha repl icd to Mair ju(rr, " l f a'yo'c- i ' r this asscmbly, after hearing

rhr- tc 'aching of the piranri ta of wisdom, vows to conform constantly to thc pira-Irr i t :r of wisdorn in futurc l ivcs, l-rc wi l l in his futurc l ives bc able to l isten to this:urr: l as a rcsult of this lai th arrd understanding. You should know that such a

f.crson u' i l l not bc born with srnal l good roots. Hc wil l bc able to accept thercaching of this sutra and rcjoice whcn l-rearing i t . . . ."

ManjuSri said to the Budclha, "World-Ho'ored Onc, i f nr.nks, 'u 's, lay-nlcl1, or laywomen conle to ask nrc, 'why docs thc Tathlgata discoursc on the

F:lranri ta of wisdonr?', I wi l l ansr. ' , ,er, 'Al l the tcachir-rgs of thc l) l-rarnra are bc-'oncl cl isputc. Thc Tathigata discourses on thc p-ranri t- of wisdom bccause heclocs r.rot scc any dharma that can confl ict with rvhat he tcaches, or any sentrentL.cinqs who catr undcrstand the pirarnita of rvisdom with their [discriminativenr ind i o r consc iousncss . '

t12 ON Ell.prrNEss

"\ lorcover, World-Honored ()nc, I wi l l furthcr cxplain ult imate real i ty.

\ \ 'hr '? Bccause the phenomena of al l dharmas are conrprised in rcal i ty. An Arhat

has no supcrior Dharma. Why not? Because the Dharnra of an Arhat and that of an

ordlnarv person arc ncithcr thc samc nor dif fcrcnt. ."

ManjuSri continucd, "I f pcoplc wish to lcarn the piramit l of wisdom, I wi l l

tel l thcm, 'You l istcncrs should not think of anvthins or attach yoursclvcs to

anvthing, nor should you think that you are hearing or acquir ir-rg something. You

should be as free of discrimination as a nragical l l ,produccd bcing. This is the true

tcaching of the Dharma. Therefore, you l isteners should not cntcrtain the notion of

dual i ty, should not abandon various vicrvs to cultrvate thc tsuddha-Dharma, should

not grasp the Buddha-Dharma, and should not rclect the dharmas of ordinary

peoplc. Why? Bccausc thc Dharma of thc Buddha ancl thc dharrnas of ordinary

people are both characterized by emptiness, u.herern therc is nothing to be grasped

or rejected. ' I f people ask nre about thc p-ranri t- oi rvisdom, that is how I wi l l

answer; that is how I wi l l console them; that is what I r ' , ' i l l advocatc. Good mer-r

and good women should ask me about this and abidc bv mv answer without

regression. They should know that I tcach thc charactcrist ics of dharmas rn ac-

cordancc with thc paramit i of wisdom."' I 'hcn

the World-Honored C)ne praised Manju(r i , saying, "Excel lent, excel-lerrt ! I t is just as you say. A good man or a good wonlan who wishcs to scc

Iluddhas should learn this paramita of wisdom. One who wishes to associate with

l luddhas closcly and makc offcr ings to them properly should lcarn this ptramita of

wisdom."Onc who wishcs to say, 'Thc Tathagata is our'World-Honored One' should

learn this plramit i of wisdom; one who says, 'The Tathagata is not our World-

Honored One' should also learn this piramita of wisdom."One who wishes to attain suprcme enl ightenment should learn this para-

rnita of wisclorn; onc who clocs not wish to attain supreme enlightenmcnt should

also lcarn this paramit- of wisdon."One who wishes to accomplish al l samtdhis should lcarn this piramita of

wisdom; onc who does not wish to accomplish any samidhi should also lcarn

this paramita of wisdom. Why? Bccausc samidhi is not diflerent in nature from

nonart ion, and no dharnra comcs or gocs. ."

The Buddha said to Manju5ri, "I f monks, nuns, laymcn, and laywomcn

rvish to avoid falling into the miserable planes of cxistcncc, thcy should lcarn this

paramita of wisdom. If a good nlan or a good woman accepts, practices, reads,

and rccitcs only a four- l inc stanza [of this paramita of wisdom], and explains i t to

others in accordance with real i ty, he or she wil l without fai l attain supreme en-

l ightenmerrt and wil l l ive in a Buddha-land."Thc Buddha approvcs of onc who is not afraid or fcarful whcn hcaring this

paramita of wisdom, but instcad has faith in i t and undcrstands i t . Thc paramit l of

u' isdom is the Dharma-seal of the Mahtyina dcmonstratcd by thc tsuddha. I f a

good man or a good woman learns this Dharma-seal, hc or she wil l r ise abovc the

I)rscounsr oN THL PAn,lvrrA or Wtslou l l J

miscrablc planes of existcnce . Such a pcrson rvi l l not tbl lorv the paths of Srlvakasor Pratyekabuddhas, becausc hc or shc wil l have transccrrded Ithose pathsl."

Then thc Thirty-Thrcc Deva Kings, led bv Sakra. scartcred upr.n the Tatha-sata and Manjusri wonderful cclest ial f lowers, such as bluc lotuscs, whitc lotuses,opened white lotuscs, and t lowcrs of thc coral tree; cclcst ial sandalwood rnccnse,other kinds of powdered incense, and various trcasurcs. Thc clevas also playcdcelestial music, al l as offerings to the Tathigata, to Marlu(r l . .rncl to thc piranri tao t 'w isdom. Af te r mak ing the o f fc r ings . S . rk ra sa id . "M. r r I o t tc r r I rc r r rh is p . r ranr i raoi wisdom, the Dharma-seal! May the good nrcn and good * 'onren r ' t l -r is r.vorldalu'ays have opportunit ies to hcar this sutra, so that thcy may surclv bel ier.c in andunderstand the tsuddha-Dharma; accept, practice, read, rccite, and cxplain i t toothers; and thus be uphcld by al l gods."

Then the Buddha told Sakra, "K.rui ika, so i t is, so i t is. Such good rncn andqood womcn wil l surciy acquirc the enl ightcnment of tsuddhas.".

Whcn the Buddha had f inished teaching this sutra, rhe grcat Bodhisattvasar.rd the four kinds of devotccs who had heard this ptramitt of wisdonr bcgan topractice i t with great joy and vcncration.

NOTES

1. That is , v i r tucs which "adorn" a grcat Bodhisat tva.2 . L i t e ra l l y , " t he v i cw o fa body . "

3. The tcxt rcads thus, but there nray bc a tcxtual corrupt ion here. Logical ly , i t seenrsbct tcr to render i t as: "The Buddha answerecl , 'No." 'Howcvcr,

s ince thc Buddha can also ber cf r r tcc l . MrnjuSr i s f t - r l lowing 5rJrenrer)r is :ppropr i r tc .

'1. In this and the following four paragraphs, the Buddha and Maiijuiri expound thcdiscovery, according to thc Mahayana t radi t ion, that thc Buddha r .nade when he at ta incdenl ightenmcnt, v iz . , a l l beings havc rhe sanrc nature, which is that ofBuddhahood.

5. That is , eternal ism and nih i l ism, usual ly re lcrred to as thc rwo extrenlcs.6. Mair ju6r i has hcrc restated the esscncc of th is shtra.7. The Tibctan version of this passagc rcads qr.rite diflerently lrom thc Chinese, as

tol lows:

Mafr jusr i askccl t l . rc Bhagavan, "wor ld-Honorcd onc, rvhy is thc pi ranr i ta of u, isdoprso cal led?"

The Buddha said, "Manju6r i , becausc i t nei thcr r r ises nor ceascs, i t is cal lcd thep-ramit l of wisdom. I t is quiescent l ronr thc beginning rv i thout product ion or act ion, bc-cause therc is nothing whatsoevcr in i t . That which is devoid of any cxistencc or being iscal lcd the paramita of wisdom. Al l Dharmas are- l in thcl rcalm of act ion; th is l lacr ] i tsc l f is therealm of act ion of a Boclh isat tva-Mahisat tva. To act in th is nranncr is to cntcr the realm ofact ion of a Bodhisat tva-Mahisat tva. Thc nonsphcre of act ion is thc sphere of act ion of a l lvehic les. This is why i t is cal lcd the nonsphere of act ion." (G.C.)

11-+ ( )N ElaprrNrss

l . . - { l r .n l r tc t ranslat ion: "To mcdi tatc wi th concentrat ion on thc one essetrce of the

. l : : inr lhrru rs cal led the Singlc l )eec' l SaInadhi ."

I r . - Trbetrn tcxt rcads: "MaIr1u6r i , the so-cal lcd Single l )ecd lSamldhi ] is s intp ly a

n(\nr . 'n. i r r r l r . of the nonar is ing I t ruth l . Those good nren and goocl women rvho wish to

r ' :1rL ' r rhc Srngle l )ccd Sanr lc lh i f i rs t s l ior . r ld carcfu l ly stuc11' t l ie p l ranr i t l of wisdot .n."

9. - f r=f f i . hcrc rcndered as " the Singlc Dccr l Sanr ic lh i . " is pcrhaps onc of the most

l l lFort . lnr topics of th is sutra. Al l the nrajor pract iccs oi Mahavalra tsuddhisnt sccr t t to bc

uic ludccl in th is samidhi pract ice. Holvever, u ' i thout a carcfu l re;r t l i t tg onc is l iablc to t t t isun-

. lcrstanr l the teaching given here. Thus, br ic f rcv icu of the pract icc of th is sanr idhi may be

hcipfu l :

The esse-ncc or basic nature of th is samidhi is not the rcci t : r t ion ot 'a l luddha's nanre. f ,s

instructccl in th is paragraph. Thc rcci tat ion of a tsuddha's narrrc and thc cont inuous mindful -

ness of a Buddha's i rnagc, as pruct iced bv t l . rc Chrnese Pure Lanci School and the Tantra

School , are extrernclv inrportar) t and nccessarv as preparf , torv pract ic(-s; thcy cannot, how-

ever, subst i tutc for thc rnain pr : rct icc of thc Single l )eed Sanr idhi , bccausc both are st i l l

" fbrm-bound," i .c . , at taci red to cc ' r ta in k inds of fornrs.

Thc r .nain pract ice of thc Single I )eed Samldhi is to nrcdi tatc on the "one essencc of

thc dharmadhi tu," or thc "nonar is ing enpt incss," u 'h ich is beyolrd a l l thoughts and dis-

cr i r r i r rat ions and tota l ly t ranscendent.

To cntcr th is sernadhi , one should f i rs t s tudy wcl l t l rc teachinss of the Prajn lparanr i tJ ,

thcn reci te a Buddha's namc singlcrnincledly. Mct l r tat lng thus cont inuously, onc rv i l l rcccivc

the blessing of a Buddha. Combining th is b lcssing wi th onc's ins ight into Praj i r ipJr :nr i t5.

one can then approach thc Single L)eed Sarnndhi wi thout r tuch hazarcl .

The scqucnce ofpract ic ing thc Singlc l )cccl Sarnlc lh i is thcrelorc as fo l lows:'1 . Study and conternplate rvell the Prajrlaparan-rit5 tcaching.

2. Reci te a tsuddha's nantc s inglc- t t t indcdly.

3. Medi tate on the one essence of the dharmadhatu; i .c . , pcnctrat ingl ,v observe the

enrpt iness of being, thus causing a great " leap over" to the inconceivablc dharma-

dhatr"r . (G.C.)

10. When the karmic resul ts lbr such persons'evi l act ions or thoughts havc bccn

exl iausted, those persons wi l l then be able to pract ice the profouncl sarnaclh i . (V.S B )

Rffi#ffi€

The Prophecy of Bodhisattva FearlessVirtue's Attainment of Buddhahood

Thus have I heard. C)nce the World-Honored One was dwelling on Mount Grdh-

rakita near the city of Rajagrha, accompanied by f ive hundred monks. Countless

Bodhisattva-Mahlsattvas were also present, and eight thousand of thcm led the

rest. These leadcrs had al l acquired samidhi and dhara' l i ; had penetrated well into

emptincss, signlcssncss, and wishlcssncss-thc three doors to l iberation; had ac-

quircd a good command of miraculous powers; and had achieved thc Realization

of thc Nonarising of l)harmas. Among them wcre Bodhisattva Mcru,r Bodhisattva

Great Meru, Bodhisattva Constantly Entering Samadhi, Bodhisattva Ever-Vigor-

ous, Bodhisattva Precions Hand, Bodhisattva Roots of ConstantJoy, Bodhisattva

V/orthy Strength, Bodhisattva Precious Form, Bodhisattva Rahu,2 Bodhisattva Sa-

kra God, Bodhisattva Water God, Bodhisattva High Aspirat ion, Bodhisattva Su-

perior Aspirat ion, Bodhisattva Intense Aspirat ion, and so forth.

During the World-Honored One's stay near the city of Rijagrha, the king,

princes, brlhmir-rs, elders, and lay devotees all worshiped, praised, and made offer-

ings to the lluddha.

At that timc, thc World-Honorcd Onc was tcaching thc Dharma to the

incalculable hundreds of thousands of mil l ions of fol lowers who surrounded him

respectful I y.

Onc morning, in accordancc with thc rulcs, numerous Srivakas, including

Venerable Siriputra, Venerable Mahamaudgalyiyana, Venerable Mahika6yapa,

Venerable Subhuti, Venerable Prlrnamaitrayaniputra, Venerable Revata, Venerable

A6vaji t , Venerable Upil i , Venerable Rihula, and Venerable Ananda, al l dressed in

monastic robes and holding bowls in their hands, went into the city of Rajagrha

Sutra 32, Taisho 310 pp. 550-555; translated into Chinese by Buddha6anta.

1 1 6 ON ElrprrNrss

ior rhc sole purposc of begging food from housc to house. Begging in this way,

rh.-sc Sravak;s gradually approached the palacc whcre King Ajata5atru l ived. When

rhL\ rrn\-ed rherc, thcy stood in si lence to onc sidc, without saying whether thcy

s'antc-d tood or not.

Krng AjataSatru had a daughter named Fearlcss Virtuc, a nraidcn incompar-

able in bcauty and grace. She had achicved the most dist inct ive mcrits [ in the

s'orldl, although that year she was just twclvc. She u'as sit t ing rn' i th golden,

.1cu'el led shoes on hcr fect in her royal father's hal l shcn slt .- saw thc Srlvakas. She

did not stand up to wclcome thenr, but sat in si lcncc, not exchanging greetings

rvith them, salut ing thcm, or askir-rg thenr to be scatcd. Sccing Fcarless Virtue

sit t ing si lently, King Aj i taSatru asked her, "Do you not know that these men are

al l thc forcmost disciples of Sakyamuni Tathigata? Do you not know that thcy

have achieved the great Dharma, and are f ields of blessings in the world? It is out

of compassion for senticnt bcings that thcy beg for food. Now that you havc seen

thern, why do you not stand up to welcome them? Why not salutc thcm, exchange

greetings with them, and ask them to be seated? Now, what on carth do you have

in mind that keeps you from standir-rg up to welcome thcm?"

Fearless Virtue asked her royal father, "Has Your Majesty evcr seen or hcard

that a universal nonarch star-rds r.rp to welcome minor kings when he sees thenl?"

Thc king answcrcd, "No."' "Flas Your Majcsty cver secn or hcard that a l ion, the king of beasts, r ises to

wclcomc jackals when i t sees them?"" N o . "

"Has Your MaJcsty cvcr sccn orjccts or that Brahrni salutes his celestial

" N o . ""Has Your Majcsty cvcr sccn or

homage to gods of r ivcrs and ponds?"

" N o . ""Has Your Majesty ever seen or heard that the king of Sumeru, [ the un-

equaled mountain, l pays homagc to kings of hi l ls?"" N o . "

"Has Your Majcsty cvcr sccn or hcard that gods of thc sun or thc moon

salutc fireflics?"" N o . "

The n.raiden said, "Therefore, Your Majesty, why should a Bodhisattva,

rvho in great kindncss and compassion has vowcd to pursuc suprcnlc cnl ighten-

nlcirt , pay homage to Sravakas of the Hinayana, who have neithcr €ircat kindness

nor great compassion? Your Majesty, why should orre who fol lows the path

lcading to supreme enl ightenmer-rt, who is l ike a l ion, thc king of bcasts, salute

those rvho fol low the Hinayana, who are l ike jackals?r

"Your Majesty, i f one is already engaged in a vigorous cffbrt to seck thc

hcard that Sakra reccivcs his cclestial sub-

subj ects?"

hcard that thc god of a vast occan pays

FrRuEss Vrnrue's Arr,trNurNr or BuprrrAttorto 117

great, pure path, should he associate with Srivakas of small and fe'w good roots?

"Your Majesty, i f a pcrson wishes to go to a sea of great wisdom to seek a

thorough knowledge of thc great Dharma in i ts entiret,v, does he bothcr to turn to

Sravakas, whose knowlcdgc, based on thc tsuddha's oral tcachings, is as l imited as

the warcr in a cow 's hoofpr in t? {

"Your Majesty, i f onc wishes to reach Buddhahood, I thc spir i tual] Mount

Sumeru, and acquire thc inf ini te body of a Tathagata, should hc p:ry homage to

Srivakas, who seek only as nuch samldhi power as could bt- contlned ir-r the space

of a t iny mustard seed?"Your Majesty, I the mcrits and wisdom ol-] Srivakas mav bc compared to

fthe l ight of] a f iref ly, bccause their i l lumination can orr ly bcr-rcf i t thcnrsclves, and

their understanding of Dharma comcs only through hcaring the Buddha's oral

teachings. I f a person has alrcady learned of thc mcrits and u,isdom of Tathigatas,

wh ich may bc l i kcned to sun l igh t and moot r l igh t , shou ld he sa l t r te Sr ivakas?"Your Majesty, I wi l l not pay homage to Srivakas cven aftcr thc Buddha

enters nirvana, let alone now, lvhen the World-Honored One st i l l remains in the

world. Why?"Your Majcsty, the reason is: onc who associates closely with Srlvakas wil l

vow to attain Sravakajrood; onc who associates closely with Pratyekabuddhas wil l

vow to attain Pratyekabuddhahood; one who associatcs closely with the supremcly

cnl ightened onc wil l vow to attain supreme enl ightcnment."

Aftcr saying this, Fearlcss Virtuc spoke in verse to her father, King Ajata-

Satru:

"Likc a pcrson who ventures

[To scck a fortune] at sca

And yet returns with one coin only;; ,

So. p rcc isc ly . do Sravakas heheve.

Having rcachcd thc grcat ocean of Dharma,

Thcy disrcgard thc trcasurcs of the Mahayana,

And cngcnder on ly the nar row asp i ra r io r r

To fol low thc Hinay-na path.

If e pcrson associrtes closely with a king.

And enjoys free access to the palace,

But asks that king for only one coirr,

H is in t imacy rv i th the k ing is i r r va i r r .

I f one, with a respectful mind,

Kceps closc to a univcrsal monarch

And asks him for mil l ions of taels of gold

To help numerous poor people,

His intimacy r,vith the king is indeed fruitful.

I 18 ON EuprrNrss

To the person who asks for one coin

A Srivaka may be compared;

Instead of secking true l iberatior-r,

He pursucs on ly a mi r ro r n i rv ina .

I fonc enger rders a nar row asp i ra t ion .

Seeking his own del iverance only, not others',

Thcn, just l ike a minor doctor

Who can only cure himself,

He deserves no respect fronr thc wise.

A great ski l l ful healer,

With a kind and compassionate heart,

And a command of al l methods of treatmcnt,

Can hcal vast numbers of the sick,

Winning respect 'and a good reputation.

Simiiarly, those who bring forth bodhicit ta

Can cure .r l l beings' aff l ict ions.i

Your Majesty, a €lrovc of castor-oi l plants

Gives forth no flower's fragrance

And provides no good shade; l ikewise,

A Srlvaka docs not resolve to save the world.

Howevcr, a Bodhisattva can bencfi t al l ,

Like a huge trcc giving shclter.

Small brooks can be dried up

By the f lames of the autumn sun

Before they rcach the ocean,

And so cannot nurturc rnyriad beings.6

The Srtvaka-path, l ike Ithe water in]

The narrow, lowly hoofprint of a cow,

Cannot eliminate the afflictions of scntient beings.

i Up"" a small hi l l

, One cannot acquire a golden-hued body;

It is upon Mount Sumeru

That everyone appears golden.T

Your Majesty, tsodhisattvas are l ike Mount Sumeru;

Bccause they stay in the world,

Bcings can be l iberated

And have bodics of the same hue.n

Bodhisattvas are endowed with al l-knowing wisdom,

Which, l ike productive land,

Flanrrss Vrnrur 's ArrarNurNr or Bunrnanooo 119

Can support numberless beings;

But the wisdom of Srtvakas,

Who do not real ize the Dharma,

Is like the morning dew,

Incapable of moistening the world. 'r

A Sravaka is l ike a dewdrop on a f lou'er.

Whilc a Bodhisattva is l ike a downpour

Or thc nurturinl l water of a vast lake;1o

All those who associatc closely with hinr

Will attain the great Dharma.

Mcn aud womcn do no t e r loy

Thc rhododcndron,

lfhich has no scent,

But all enjoy the wonderful fragrance

Of the campaka f lowerlr

And the blue lotus.

A Srivaka is like a rhododendron flowcr;His wisdorn cannot hclp sentient beings.A Bodhisattva is l ikc a campaka f lower;

Out of his compassion,He can convert numerous beings.

Your Majesty, do you know

Which is nrore unusual, ,1 ,Onc who dweils in the wilderness { l '

Or one who benefi ts many people? i {

To providc security to countless beings

And fcrry thcm ovcr [ thc occan ofsarhsara],

You shouid bring forth bodhicitta^

And not follow thc path of the two vchicles.

Just as a good guide can show

The right way to people lost in the wilderness,

So can Bodhisattvas

[Guide others out of sarirs-ral.

Your Majesty, have you ever seen

A small raft sai l ing across a vast ocean?

Only a huge ship can do so,

Carrying numerous beings.

Your Majesty, while a Srivaka is like a ra[t,

A Bodhisattva is l ike a hugc ship;

After being permeated with the Dharma

1,20 ON ElrpuNtss

While cult ivat ing thc Path,Hc can ferrY scnticnt bcitrgs

Over the occan of hunger atrd thirst '

Your Majesty, have You cver secn

A man fighting a battle on a donkel'?

One can wrn a batt le

Only on an elePhant or a horsc.

i A Sravaka is l ike a donkeY,'

Vy'hi l . a Bodhisattva is l ike a dragorr or atr clephant'

He defeats dernons undcr thc bodhi-tree

And del ivcrs countless beings Ifron'r sarirsara] '

In thc nocturnal skv,

All thc stars fall into shadow

When thc ful l moon r iscs

To i l luminate every corner of the world'

A Sravaka is l ike a star,

While a Bodhisattva is like the full moon;

Out of compassion for sentient beings,

Hc shows them the wry to n i rvana.

The light of a fireflY

Cannot helP a Pcrson work,

But when the sun illuminates the earth

All activitics can Proceed.A Sravaka, like thc glow of a fircflY,

Cannot benefit manY,

But a Buddha, endowed with the light of liberation,

Has compassion for all beings.

A jackal cannot bY its howl

Frighten the king of beasts;' But when the lion roars,

. Flying birds fall down with fear.

Your Majesty, Sravakas fail

To bring forth bodhicitta;

They eliminate afflictions,

But not to benefit sentient bcings.

Seeing this, I do not vow to become a Srlvaka'

Since I havc already engendercd the great resolve,

Why should I now make a small vow?

Your Majesty, if one who is fortunate enough

To obtain a human bodY

Franrrss Vrnrut 's Arr,trNutNr or BuonHanooo 121

Can cherish the unexcel led resolveTo savc a l l bc ings l rom sarhsJra .And givc up the Hinayana path, iHc wil l havc a good humarr bodr' ,And also good fortune.

It is best, i f born in this world,To bring forth thc unexcel lcd resolve:To seck the supremc pathAnd dc l i vc r a l l l i v ing bc ings .

He who can help himself and othersIs we l l wor th ex to l l ing tHc w i l l acqu i rc wor ld ly rcnownAs well as the ult imate truth.

Thcrefore, I do not salute the Sravakas."

Then, King Aj i ta6atru reproached Fearlcss Virtuc, saving, "You arrogantgir l ! How darc you not wclcome thesc Srtvak.rs whcn you see thcm?"

The maidcn said, " l)o nor say that, Your Majcsty. Your Majesty is ar-ro!{ant! too. Why do you not welcomc thc poor of thc city of Rajagrha?"

Tl-rc king ansrvercd, "They are not my pccrs. Why should I welconre thenr?"Thc maiden said, "A novice tsodhisattva is also l ikc that. No Srlvaka or

Pratyckabuddha is his peer."

The king asked his daughter, "L)o you not know that tsodhisattvas respecral l scnticnt beings?"

Fcarless Virtue answered, "Your Majcsty, a Bodhisattva respects them al l inordcr to save arrogant, i ratc beings and make them turn thcir minds toward

Ir-rniversal enl ightenment]. I t is in order to augment sentient beings'good rootsthat a Bodhisattva cxtends rcspcct to al l . However, Sr)vakas are lalready] lrcc ofanger and hatrcd and are ur. 'able to increase thcir good roots. Your Majcsty, eventhough hundreds of thousands of Buddhas cxplain thc wonderful Dharma ro thenl,thcy wil l not improve in discipl ine, meditat ion, and samadhi.

"Your Majesty, a Sravaka is l ikc a piece of lapis lazul i Iunable to contarn;urythingl, but a Bodhisattva is l ike a precious containcr. Your Majcst l ' , a bott lcs'hich is ful l cannot take in cven a drop of rain lrom the sky. In the sanre \\ray, aSrivaka, even aftcr hu'dreds of thousands of Buddhas, Tathagatas, explai ' theu.onderful Dharma to him, cannot be hclped to improve in discipl inc, meditat ion,rvisdom, and so forth; nor can he causc senticnt beings to aspire to al l-knowingrvisdom.

"Your Majcsty, a vast ocean can receivc thc water of r ivers, rains, and sotorth. Why? Becausc i t is an immcasurablc containcr. Your Majcsty, whcn a grearI lodhisattva teaches thc Dharma, thosc who l isten wil l be greatly helped a'd al l

r22 ONr El lprnlEss

thr ' i r qooL' l roots u' i l l increasc. Why? Because thc Bodhisattvas arc vessels contain-Lnq rnt lnrtc krnds of [bcncficial l discourses."

Hcarins his daughter saying this, King Aj i ta(atru sank into si lence. At thatr inrc. \ 'cncrablc Seriputra thought, "Fearless Virtue is so eloquent that she canclclrvc-r this boundless discourse. Let mc stcp foru'ard to ask hcr a few questions; Ir i ' i l l t lnd out whether she has real izcd thc truth."

Thcrcupon, hc approached the nraiden and asked, "Do you abidc in the; - -\ ra VaKJ-vch lc lc i

Fearless Virtue answcrcd. "No."

"Do you abidc in the Pratyekabuddha-r 'ehiclc?"" N o . "

"Do you abide in the Great Vchiclc (Maha1'tna)?"

" N o . ":-_Siriputra askcd furthcr, "Then, in what vehiclc do vou abidc that you are

ablc to rnakc such a l ion's roar?"

The maiden answercd Venerablt ' S;. iput.r, "I f I r 'ucrc abiding in anything

now, i t would be impossiblc for me to make a l ion's roar. Sirrcc I abide in nothing,

I can makc a l ion's roar. However, S;t iputr. , , you asked: ' In what vehicle do you

abide?' l)oes the l)harma rcal ized and achieved by yoLr, S;r iputra. consisr ofdif fer-

cnt vehiclcs, such as tht ' Srivak.i-vehicle, thc Pratyckabuddha-vchicle, and theGreat Vehicle?"

Se.ip,rt . . said, "Please l isten to me. The Dharma I havc rcal izc-d has no suchd is t inc t s igns as 'vch ic lc 'o r 'non-vch ic le , 'because i t has on ly one s ign , namely ,

signlcssncss. "

"Venerablc' Se.ipr.rt .", i f the l)harma is signless, how can i t bc sought?""Fearlcss Virtue. what is the dif fcrcnce in excel lence between thc Dharma of

Buddhas and the dharmas of ordinary persons?""What is the dif ference betwccn cmptincss and quiescence?""There is no dif-ference.""Sariputr. , just as there is no dif fcrcncc in cxcel lence between emptincss and

quiescence, so therc is no differcnce in excellerrce bctwecn thc Dharma of Buddhas

and the dharmas of ordinary persons. Furthermorc, S;. iput.. , just as space, whilecmbrrcing al l fornrs, is not dif ferent from thcm, so thc Dharma of Buddhas is notdif ferent from the dharmas of ordinary persons, nor can the two bc dist inguishedby s igns . "

Thcn Vencrable Mahamaudgalyiyara askcd Fcarlcss Virtue, "What diffcrencc

do you scc bctween a Buddha ar-rd a Sravaka that prcventcd you from stand-

ing up to wclcome thesc great Sravakas, grect thcm, and yield your seat tothem?"

Fearlcss Virtuc repl ied to Mahamaudgalyiyana, "Srivakas arc l ike stars,rvhich cannot illuminate anything clcarly even though they arc cvcrywhere through-out a bi l l ion-world universe. Whcn Srivakas cnter dhyana, thcy have [enough]wisdom to know something, but when thcy do not enter dhyana, thcy knownothing. "

Franrrss Vrnrur 's ArrarNnatNr on Bulonanooo 123

"But it is impossible to know the minds of sentient beings without entering

dhyina!""Mahamaudgalyayana, a Buddha can, without entering dhyana, teach the

Dharma according to the inclinations of sentient berngs and libcratc them in worlds

as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, because he is prof icient in reading sentient

beings' minds. This marvelous deed of Buddhas, Tathagatas, is quite beyond

Srivakas, who may be l ikencd to thc weak l ights of stars. Furthermore, Mahd-

maudgalyiyana, can Sravakas know how many worlds are being fornred and how

many arc being destroyed?""No, thcy cannot.""Mahamaudga lyayana. car r Sr lvakas know how many Buddhas have a l ready

entcrcd nirv-na, how many wil l enter nirvina, and how many are entering nir-

va l a?""No, they cannot.""Mahamaudga lyayana, can Sravakas know how many sent ien t be i r rgs a re

espccially prone to desire, hatred, or ignorance, and how many are equally ironeto desire, hatred, and ignorancc?"

"No, they cannot."

"Mahamaudgalyayana, can Sravakas know how many scnticnt bcings accept

thc Sravaka-vehicle, I.row many accept the Pratyekabuddha-vehicle, and how many

accept the Buddha-vehicle?""No, they cannot.""Mahimaudgalyayana, can Sravakas know how many sentient beings can be

delivered by Sravakas, how many can be delivered by Pratyekabuddhas, and how

many can be del ivered by Buddhas?"

"No, they cannot.""Mahimaudgalyayana. can Srivakas know how many sentient beings have

right vicw and havc decided to pursuc cnlightcnment, and how many have decided

to pursue heterodox tcachings?""No, they cannot."

Fearless Virtue said, "Mahamaudgalyayana, only the Tathagata, the Per-

fectly Enlightened One, understands the realm of sentient beings as it is and can

skillfully explain the Dharma to them. This ability is quite beyond the domain of

Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas, let alonc other people. Mahamaudgalyayana, you

should know that this unique ability of the Tathagata results from his all-knowing

wisdom, which no Sravaka or Pratyekabuddha has."

Then Fearless Virtue continued to Venerable Mahamaudgaly-yana, "The

World-Honored One often says that Mahamaudgalyayana stands first in mrracu-

lous powers. Mahimaudgalyiyana, can you, by your miraculous powers, reach

the world named Fragrant Elephant and witness that the trees there all exude a

most wonderful fragrance, like that of sandalwood?"

Mahamaudgalyayana answered, "This is the first time I have heard the name

of that world; how can I go there?" Then he asked the maiden, "What is the name

of the Buddha who teaches the Dharma in that world?"

124 ON EupriNrss

The maiden answered, "The Buddha who tcaches thc Dharma there is named

Tathagata En'r i t t ing Fragrance and Light, the Worthy Orrc, the Al l-Knowing One."

N' lahimaudgalyayana asked the maiden, "How can one see that tsuddha?"

Thcrcupon, Fearless Virtue, rcmaining motionlcss on her scat ' made this

declarat ion: " l fa mere novice Bodhisattva truly surpasscs al l Sravakas and Pratye-

kabuddhas, may Tathagata Emitt ing Fragrance and Light, bccausc of my dcclara-

t ion, appear here and causc thc Srivakas and Pratl 'ekabuddhas Present to see the

rvorld namcd Fragrant Elephant and to smell thc nost wondcrful fragrance, l ikc

that of sandalwood, exuding from the trees thcrcl"

After Fearless Virtue had made this declarat ion, Tathigata Emitt ing Fra-

grance and Light gave forth a l ight from his bodv and, becausc ofthat l ight, al l thc

Srlvakas [with Fcarless Virtuel saw thc Fragrant Elephant World. That Buddha

was sit t ing behind a si lken nct and teaching thc Dharma to Bodhisattvas and others

who surrounded him. His prcaching could be heard clearly by those with Fearless

Virtue. By that Buddha's niraculous powers, thcy also smcllcd the fragrance of

the rrecs there, which was l ike that of the most exquisite sandah,vood. Thc Buddha

in that world said, "So i t is, so i t is, just as Fearless Virtue said. Even thc init ial

stage of a Bodhisattva is beyond the domain of Srivakas and Pratyckabuddhas."

Whcn this I)harma wrs bcing taught, Bodhisattva-Mahasattva Maitrcya, Ion

Mount Crdhrakhta,] asked [S-kyamunil tsuddha, "World-Honorcd One, why is

there such a wondcrful fragrance of trees?"

Thc Buddha said, "Maitreya, Fearless Virtue is discussing the Dharma with

the Sravakas and has madc a declarat ion. Knowing this, the tsuddha of the world

cal led Fragrant Elephant, by his miraculous powcrs, has causcd this fragrance to be

perceivcd and has revealed his land. The most wondcrful fragrancc, l ike that of

sandalwood, issuing frorn there is now pcrneating this bi l l ion-world universc'"

[n the palace,]Fearless Virtue said to Mahamaudgalyiyana, " l f a pcrson sees

such an inconceivable, superb deed, and st i l l has thc narrow, infcrior aspirat ion of

a Sravaka, seeking only to del iver himself, thcn you should know that his good

roots arc vcry few and insignificant irldecd. Who would not bring forth bodhicitta

after seeing a Bodhisattva perform immeasurable meritorious decds?

"Mahamaudgalyiyana, do you know how far from herc is that Buddha's

world?"

Mahan'raudgalyayana answered, "No, I do r-rot."

Fcarlcss Virtuc said, "Mahamaudgalyayana, i t is absolutcly impossiblc to

know and see that Buddha's world with the aid of [ordinary] miraculous powers

even in hundreds of thousands of kalpas. The Fragrant Elephant World is located

in a placc as many BuddhaJands away from here as there are recds and bushcs in

al l the forests in the world."

Thcn that Buddha withdrew his light, and as a result, Fragrant Elephant

World and i ts Tathagata both disappeared suddcnly.

Thereupon, Vcnerable MahikiSyapa asked Fearless Virtuc, "Did you see

Fragrant Elephant World and that Tathagata, thc Worthy Onc, the Al l-Knowing

One?"

FEarr-Ess Vnrur's ArrarNiusNl or- Bunorrasooo 125

The maidcn answered, "Mahak56yapa, can thL- Tarhigata bc seen? TheBuddha has said, 'Thosc who see me by forn or seek nrc by sound arc treadingthe wrong pa th and can never see the Tathagata . 'S incc thc Tathagatas 'bod iesarc no other than the l)harma-body, and thc Dharrna-bodv is bcyond thc rcachof vision and hcaring, how can thc Tathagata be knon'n or sccn? The Buddhawil l frecly nrani lcst any corporeal form to suit cvcrv scnricnt bcins: this is onlyhis ingenuity. l2

"However, Mahaka6yapa, you asked me, 'Did ,vou scc that r l 'or ld and that

Buddha, thc Pcrfect ly Enl ightened Onc?' I see that tsuddha not u' i th n'rv ph1'sicaleye, because he is not a form to bc seen with thc physical e.ve.l- t I see rhar Buddhanot with the dcva-cyc, because he is frcc of feel ing. I see that tsuddha not s' i th thcrvisdom-eye, becausc hc is detached from conccptions. I see that Buddha not rvi ththe Dharma-eyc, bccause he r ises abovc impulse. I sec that Buddha not u. i th thctsuddha-eye, bccausc hc is beyond consciousness. MahakaSyapa, I see that Buddhaby purging the mind of ignorar.rce, craving, and [al l ] views, just as VenerablcMahaka6yapa docs. Moreover, I sec that Buddha [by cl iminating] the vicw of ' l '

and 'mine, ' just as Venerablc MahakaSyapa docs."Mahiki(yapa asked the maidcn, "I f no dharma cvcr cxists, how can igno-

rance, craving, ar-rd the ' l ' and 'minc' arisc, since no senticnt bcing can be seen?"Fcarlcss Virtue askcd in turn, "I f no dharma evcr cxists, how can anything

be seen?"

Maheka6yapa askcd, "Is thc tsuddha-Dharma also ult imately nonexistcnr sothat i t . too. cannot be seen?"14

Fearless Virtue then asked, "Do you see any growthls of the Buddha-I)harma?"

Mah-k-6yapa answcrcd, " l do not cvcn know the dharmas of ordinary peo-ple, let ak;ne the l luddha-Dharma."

Fcarlcss Virtue said, "So, Venerable MahiktSyapa, rherc bcing no tsuddha-l)harma, how can there be an interruption or resumption of i t , as seen by thosewho have not real izcd [Dharma-naturc]? Mahlki5yapa, al l dharmas arc noncx-istent, so they can ncvcr appear. I f dharmas do not exist in the f irst place, how canthere be a purc dharmadhatu to be seen? Mahak-6yapa, i f good men or goodwonlen u' lsh to see thc;rure Tathlgata, thcy should f lrst puri fy their own minds."

Then, Mahika5yapa asked Fcarlcss Virtue, "How can one purify well one'sown mind?"

Fcarlcss Virtue answered, "MahlkaSyapa. i [ onc bel ieves that hc himself andall dharmas are suchness and are thereforc devoid of act ion or loss.r( 'he n' i l l see thepurity of his own mind."

Mahak-5yapa asked, "What is thc substance of onc's own n-r ind?"Fearless Virtuc answered, "I t is emptiness. I f one real izes his rnind is empty,

he will believe in [the cmptiness ofl himself; as a resulr, he will also have faith inthe emptiness of suchness, bccause al l dharmas are by nature quiescent." l7

Then, Venerable Mahika6yapa asked Fcarless Virtue, "From which Buddhadid you hear this doctr inc, so that you acquired r ight view? The Buddha says thar

126 ON EuprrNnss

thcrc arc t \ \ 'o ways to obtain r ight vicu': by hcaring the Dharma cxplained byothcrs. ar.rd bv thinking within oneself."

Thc nraidcn answcred, "Mahiki6yapa, I acquired r ight view by f irst hearing

cxternal discourses and afterwards thinking wrthin mysclf."MahikiSyapa, without the help of others'verbal tcaching, how can a great

Bt rdh isa t tva ab ide in u l t imate qu iesccncc?" r "

MahakiSyapa said, "Onc rcf lccts within himself accordir.rg to the Dharma he

has heard; this is thc practicc of contemplation." Then MahlkaSyapa askcd themaiden furthcr, "How docs a Bodhisattva ret lect u' i thin hirnselP"

"Mahika6yapa, when a Bodhisattva joins othcr Bodhisattvas in prcach-ing the Dharma and ir-r other Dharma activi t ies. i f he does not percerve arryform of sentient beings, then he succceds in internal conternplat ion. MahSka6yapa,

al l dharmas partake of the past, prcscnt. and iuture becausc al l dharmas havesuchncss as their very substance and arc manitcstcd in suchness. Hc who hasthis insight is a Bodhisattva u'ho l-ras achievcd intcrnal contemplation. This youshould know. "

"How can one be in harmony with dharmas?""Mahiki(yapa, one should view them as suchness, without bcing attached

to them or l ibcratcd from thcrn.""What kind of view is r ight vicw?""Mahaka6yapa, r ight view is free from the two extremes, is r-rci thcr act ive

nor inactivc, and therelbre is a view and yet not a view. Mahaka6yapa, thel)harma is only a name. I t is actual ly apart from the name, because Dharma [ i tself lcan never bc rcal izcd." l"

Then Mahaki6yapa asked the maiden furthcr, "How should onc pcrccivc thc' t ' ? "

Fearless Virtue answered, 'Just as Venerable Mahika5yapa does."Mah-ka6yapa said, " l perccivc ncithcr thc ' l ' nor 'mine." '

Fcarlcss Virtue- said to Venerable Mahika(yapa, "One should perceive al ldharmas in th is way, fo r there is no ' I 'o r 'm ine . " '

'When this doctrinc was spokcn, Venerable Subhnti was overjoyed-airil'sald to

Fcarless Virtue, "You must have attained great insight to achieve such eloquence."2oFearless Virtuc said to Venerable Subhnti , "Subhuti , are there such i l ist inc-

t ions as 'attainable' and 'unattainable' among dharmas, or is there anything thatcan be sought? What causes you to tel l me that I havc well achieved such elo-quence? In my opinion, I have eloquence becausc I perceive nothing, internal orexternal. "

Subhnti at oncc askcd the maiden, "What rcal izat ion or Dharma enables you

to have such ready, wondcrful eloquence?"

Fearless Virtue answcrcd, "I do not know by myself or with the help ofothers the difference between wholcsome dharmas and unwholesome ones. Know-ing dharmas in this way, I see nothing impure or pure, defi led or undefi led,conditioned or unconditioned, mundane or supramundane. I do not see any dhar-

Franlpss Vrnrut 's ArrarNurNr or Buoouanooo 127

, l r

ma as a dharma of ordinary people, because everv dharma is the Buddha-Dharma 1' iin substance. Because I see no such dist inct ions, I have acquired the Buddha- '

Dharma without seeing a Buddha. Subhnti , those u.ho knou,' this and perceive nosuch dist inct ions wil l havc such eloqucnce. "21

Subhuti asked, "What is eloquencer?"Fearless Virtue answered, "Subhuti , i t is the cl imination of al l your atrain-

ments. "

Fearless Virtue continucd to Venerable Subhnti , "Althoueh dharmas areexpressed, their substance is neithcr heard nor attained. So i t is u. i th eloqucnce."

Then Fearlcss Virtue asked Venerablc Subhuti , "Can one abide rn the sub-stancc of things? Can i t increase or decrease? [I f not,] how can one havc clo-quence?"

Subhuti at once answcrcd, "[One can have eloqucnce] i f hc real izes that thereis no dif fcrcnce between nondefi lemerrt and Ial l j dharmas, and that they are bcyondargunlent and cxprcssion, sincc the substancc ofdharmas is inexprcssible." l l

Fearless Virtue asked Vcnerable Subhuti , "Al l dharmas bcing so, u.hy didyou say, 'You must have gained great insight to achicvc such eloqucnce'?"

Subhnti asked in turn, "[Now, this very question of yours-] is i t bccauseyou have acquired cloqucnce that you are able to raise i t , or becausc you have notacquircd cloquence?"

Fcarlcss Virtuc askcd Venerable Subhnti , "Do you bcl icve that al l dharmasare l ike echoes, as the Buddha says?"

Subhuti repl ied, "I bel ieve i t ."

Fearless Virtue asked, " l)oes an ccho have eloqucnce or not?"Subh[t i rcpl ied, "I t is bccause thcre is a sound in the val ley that an echo is

l-reard outsidc. "23

Fearless Virtuc said, "Subhnti , because there is a sound, thcrc is an ccho.L)oes an echo havc any enti ty or form? It has neither. Why? Bccause that whicharises from causes and condit ions docs not [ truly] arise."

Subhnti said, "Al l dharmas arisc from causcs and condit ions."Fearlcss Virtue said, "No dharma arises in substancc or by nature."Subhnti asked, "I f al l dharmas are ult imately nonexistent in substance and by

naturc, ho.v can thc Tath-gata say, 'sentient beings as numerous as the sands ofthe Gangcs wil l attain supreme enl ightenment and become Buddhas'?"

Fearlcss Virtue askcd in turn, "Can thc dharmadhatu arise?"Subhnt i rcp l ied , "Ncr , i t cannor . "Fearless Virtue said, "Al l Buddhas, Tathigatas, are the nature and form of

the dharmadhitu. "

Subhnti said, "I do nor perceive any dharmadhitu."Fearlcss Virtue said, "The Buddha always teachcs 'nonarising'2a in his dis-

courses, yet he says that sentient beings as numerous as the sands of the Gangeswil l attain supreme enl ightenment and become Buddhas. What does this mean?Why does he say so? Actual ly al l his discourses are not discourses, because the

128 ON ErnrprrNrss

dharmadhitu neither arises nor ceases-it is ult imately purc, for i t is not an cvent;rt rs bc-r 'ond al l words and cxprcssiorrs and apart from [mundanel real i ty."

Subhuti said, "How cxtraordinary you are! Although you lead a lay l i fc, you

can explarn thc Dharma vcry ski l l ful ly and have inexhaustible eloquence."

Fearless Virtue said, "Subhhti , a Bodhisattva's eloquencc has nothing to do

n' i th acquisit ion or nonacquisit ion, learning or nonlcarning, rcnouncing the house-

hold l i fc or not renouncing i t . Why? Because a Bodhisattva's wisdom comcs from

purity of mind, and along with his wisdom, eloquence appears."

Fearless Virtuc said to Venerable Subhuti , "Norv, let us discuss thc Bodhi-

sattvas' practices. "

SubhUti said, "Speak, and I wi l l l isterr."

Fearlcss Virtuc said, "Subhuti , i f a Bodhisatn'a has achieved eight things, i t

makes no differcncc whcthcr hc rcnounccs the household life or not. What arc the

eight?

(1) To acquire puri ty of body and dccp faith in bodhi;

(2) to have great kirldness and compassion, and ncvcr to forsake any sentient

bcing;

(3) to master all worldly affairs because of great kindness and compassron;(4) to be able to givc up l i fc and l imb and achic-ve ingenuity;(5) to be able to make infinitc vows;

(6) to consummatc the practice of the paramitt of wisdom and be detachedfrom all views;

(7) to havc grcat couragc and vigor to cultivate good karmas without satra-

tion; and(8) to acquire unhindered wisdom as a result of attaining the Rcalization of

the Nonarising of Dharmas.

Subhnti, if a Bodhisattva has achieved these eight things, it makes no differencewhether he renounces the houschold life or not. He can abidc in bodhi withouthindrance, whether he walks, stands, si ts, or l ies down."

Then Venerable Rahula said to Fearless Virtue, "Your discourse is not pure.

You wear jewelled shoes and sit on a high couch while discussing the Dharmawith these Sravakas. Have you not heard that one should not explain the Dharmato those who are not sick while sitting on a high couch?"

Thereupon, Fearless Virtue asked Rahula, "Do you real ly know what is pureand what is impure? Venerable Rahula, is this world pure?"

Rahula repl ied, "I t is neither pure nor impurc, Fearless Virtue,2s those whoaccept and practice the precepts set forth by the Tathagata and then break them canbe said to be pure or impure, but those who never break the precepts are neitherpure nor impure."

Fearless Virtue said, "Stop! Stop! Do not say so. Those who practice the

Dharma as taught and the precepts as set forth can be said to be impure, [whetherthey later break the precepts or notl. Rihula, those who have realized the undefiled

Franlrss Vrnrue's Alr lrNvrNr or Butos,rnooo 129

Dharma can nevcr brcak the precepts, and theretbre thev arc neither pure norimpure. V/hy so? Because such Sravakas havc transcended the Dharma and theprecepts; i t is for the Srivakas in the three realms rvho arc sri l l in thc learning stagethat the Tathagata teachcs the Dharma, whilc those Srlvakas [who have tran-scended the Dharma and the precepts] have also transccndcd the thrcc realms. Inthis sense, we spcak of transcending or not transcendinq thc thrcc rcalms. Sincesome people are ignorant of the [true naturc o1-l precepts. pr,rr i tv and impurity arcmentioned, I though thcy, l ike] empty space, are nothing but cxpressions. This canonly be seen by means of wisdom. It is in this l ight that puri tv and inrpurity can bespokcn of."

Rahula askcd, "What is thc dif ference between purity and impurit l '?"Fearless Virtue askcd in turn, " ls a picce of stainless, rcal gold used as an

ornament different from another piece not used as an ornamcnt?"Rahula answcrcd, "No, i t is not."Fearless Virtue said, "Purity and impurity are dif ferent in name onlv, not in

other respects. Why? Because by naturc, all things are frcc from filth; the_v have nocontamination or attachment."

Fearless Virtuc continued to Venerable Rahula, "You said that one shouldnot teach the Dharma whilc si t t ing on a high, broad couch. A Bodhisattva sit t ingon a grass seat surpasses those sit t ing on high couches and Sravakas in the tsrahmaHeaven. "

Rahula asked, "Why so?"

Fearless Virtue askcd in turn, "Rihula, on what kind of seat does a tlodhi-sattva attain bodhi?"

Rahula rcpl icd, "On a grass seat."

Fearless Virtuc said, "When a Bodhisattva sits on a grass scat. Sakra, Brah-ma, the four dcva kings who protect the world, and other gods in thc billion-world universe, including the gods of Akanistha Heaven, all come to pay homagcto him with thcir palms joined; they come to him and bow with their hcads at hisfeet. "

Rahula said, "I t is so, i t is so."

Then, Fearless Virtue asked Rahula, "[Therefore,] does not such a Bodhi-sattva, who sits on a grass seat, surpass others sit t ing on high, spacious couchcs,and Sravakas in the Brahma Heaven?"

At that t ime, King Ajata5atru asked Fearlcss Virtue, "Do you not know that

[Rahula] is thc son of Sakyamuni Tathagata and that he srands first in discipline?"Fearless Virtue said to her royal father, "Pleasc, Your Majesty, do not say

that R5hula is the son of the Tathagata! Your Majcsty, have you cver seen orheard that a l ion gives birth to a jackal?"

"Never. "

"Your Majesty, have you ever seen or heard that a universal monarch payshomage to minor kings?"

"Never. "

130 ON Er.rprrNess

' 'Your Majesty, whcn thc Tathtgata, l ike the king of l ions, turns thc great

Dharnra-s'heel. Sravakas gather around him. Your Majesty, rvho arc the true sons

oi rhc Tathigata? As far as thc truc Dharma is concertred, the answer should bc'Bodhrsattvas. 'Therefore, Your Majesty, do not say that thc Tathagata has a son

or r lot. I f rhc Tathagata has any true son, i t is onc who brings forth supreme

bodh ic i t ta . "

When this doctr ine was spokcn, twenty thousand ladies irr the palace of King

A-jSta6atru brought forth bodhicit ta. Twenty thousand gods who were satisf ied

u' i th the doctr ine [Fearless Virtuc taughtl also brought forth bodhrcit ta aftcr hear-

ing hcr make a l ion's roar.

The king said, "These people are the sons of past, prescnt, and future Bud-

dhas. How can those who study thc Srivaka precepts to free themselves from

afflictions be the true sons of thc Tathagata?"

Thcrcupon, the gods scattered t" lowers around the Buddha and al l over the

city of Rijagrha as an offcring to the maiden Fearless Virtue.

Then, Fearless Virtuc stcppcd down from her couch and paid homage to

those Sravakar.26 Shc gave them various kinds ofdel icious, fragrant food and drink

as offerings, all according to thc rulcs. Aftcr making offerings, shc said, "l do not

kr-row why you venerable Srlvakas let i the Tathagata and came here so early in the

morning. You should go out to beg for food only after hearing the Dharma

explair-red. Please go back. I shal l be there in a moment."

Thereupon, Fearless Virtuc, together with her royal fathcr and mother and

surrounded by countless people of Rajagrha, well t to see the Tathigata that morn-

ing. They all bowed with thcir hcads at the tsuddha's feet and sat down to one

side. The Sravakas also rcturncd to the Buddha, bowcd with thcir hcads at thc

Buddha's feet, and sat down to one side.

Then, Venerable Sariputra said to the Buddha, "World-Honored One, Fear-

less Virtue is marvelous; she has acquired many blessings and great benefi ts."

The l- luddha told Venerable Sariputra, "Fearless Virtue has [ong ago] brought

forth bodhicitta and has plantcd good roots in the presence of nine billion past

Buddhas in order to seek the supreme enl ightenment of the Buddha."

Seriputra asked, "World-Honored One, can she change herself into a man?"The Buddha said, "Sariputra. do you consider her as female? Do not take

such a view. Why? Because i t is by virtue of his vow that this Bodhisattva reveals

himsclf in a female form to win sentient beings over to thc Dharma."

Thereupon, Fearless Virtuc made this declarat ion: " l f no dharma is mascu-

line or feminine, then, may I now change into a man in full view of all the people

here! "

After she said this, her female body changed immediately into a male one.

She ascended in midair to a height of seven palm trees one above another, and

staycd there.

Then, the World-Honored One asked Venerablc Sir iputra, "Sir iputra, do

you see Bodhisattva Fearless Virtue staying in midair?"

FnanrEss Vrnrur 's ArrarNmtNr or Buoonanooo 131

S-riputra answered, "Yes, I do, World-Honored One."The Buddha sa id , "Sar ipu t ra . Bodh isa t tva Fcar less V i r rue w i l l a r ta in su-

preme enlightenment after seven thousand myriads of kalpas, and will be namedUndefiled Tath-gata, the V/orthy One, the All-Knorving One. His world will becalled Bright, and his life span will be one hundred kalpas. His true Dharma willprevail for ten kalpas [after his parinirvila]. He will have an assembly of thirtythousand monastic Bodhisattvas, al l of whom have reached the stage of nonregres-sion. The ground of his world wil l be made of clear lapis lazul i and adorned byeight rows of magnif icent lotus f lowers. The names of thc miserable planes ofexistence will be unknown there. His world will be full of gods. Siriputra, thosegods will enjoy wonderful pleasures and the flavor of the supreme Dharma, as dothe gods in Tusita Heaven. "

Bodhisattva Fearless Virtue's mother, named Moonlight, had come to theBuddha with King Ajita6atru. [After the Buddha had spoken,] she said to himwith hcr palms joined, "World-Honored One, I have gained great benefir: I wasprcgnant with this child for nine months, and now this good child makes a lion'sroar. I now dedicate my good roots to the attainment of supreme enlightenment,so that I may attain suprcmc enlightcnment in the Bright world of Undefiled'I'athlgata

in the future."

Thcrcupon, the Buddha asked Venerable Sariputra, "Sa.ipnt.r, do you seethis woman now?"

Sariput.a repl ied, "Ycs, I do."The Buddha said, "Saripurra, rhis woman, Moonlight, wi l l be reborn in the

Heaven of the Thirty-Three after death and will be named Inrense Light. whenBodhisattva Maitreya attains bodhi, this god Intensc Lighr will be the eldest, mostprominent son of King other View. After the prince makes offcrings to MaitreyaBuddha, he will renounce the household life. He will be able to remember andpractice the Dharma taught by Maitreya Buddha from bcginning to end. He willsee all the tsuddhas of the

'Worthy Kalpa and make offerirrgs ro rhem one by one.

'fhen, when Bodhisattva Fearless virtue attains supreme enlightenment and be-

comes Undefiled rathagata, the god Inrense Light will be an cmperor possessingthe seven treasures, named Holder of the Earth. After he makes offerings to theTath-gatas, he will also attain supreme enlightenment and bc named universalLight Tathagata, the Worthy Onc, the All-Knowing One. He will establish aBuddha-land exactly like that mentioned beforc."

Upon hearing this, Queen Moonlight was overwhelmed with joy. She tookoff her exquisite necklace of prccious stones, which cost hundreds of thousands oftaels of gold, and offered it to the Buddha. V/ith the king's permission, she re-ceived the five hundred preceprs [for nuns] and began to lead a pure life.

Then, Bodhisattva Fearless Virtue said to the Tathagata, "May Bodhisattvas,by virtue of my vow, bc reborn by transformation wearing monastic robes when Iattain bodhi in the future! May the Tathegata, because of my vow, now give methe appearance ofa young monk ordained for eight years!"

132 ON EnpuNrss

Inrnrcdiately after Bodhisattva Fearless Virtue uttered these words, she

chanqcd into a ful ly dignif ied monk drcssed in a monastic robe.

Then Bodhisattva Fearless Virtue suddenly changed back to her original

appearance and said to her father, King Ajata(atru, "Your Majcsty, al l dharmas are

l ike this: they arc apart from the forms caused by al l discrinrinations and thcy defy

al l n-r isconceptions. Now, Your Majesty, I have reveale d myself again in thc form

of a maiden. Does Your Majcsty scc mc?"

The king answered, "Yes, I do, but I do not [know how to] sce you as you

ph1'sical ly appear, because I just saw you as a monk, befbre secing you now as a

maiden again."

The Buddha said to the king, "Your Majesn', rvhich form is the true one?

You should learn to abidc by r ight view regarding al l dharmas. Sentient berngs arc

burning with aff l ict ions becausc thcy do not understand the pou'er of Dharma.

Not understanding the power of Dharma, they doubt u'hat should not be doubted.

Therefore, you should often keep close to the Tathagata and thc youthful tsodhi-

sattva Mafrju6ri , because the awe-inspir ing power of that Bodhisattva's virtue wil l

enablc Your Majesty to repent your misdeeds."-I'hcn,

thc Buddha told Arranda, "You should acccpt and practice thc l)harma-

Door of the Prophecy of I lodhisattva Fearless Virtue's Attainment of Ruddhahood.

Read and recite i t and do not l iorget i t . Ananda, a good man or a good woman

may give to the Buddhas enough of the seven treasures to fill a billion-world

universe; however, another person wil l surpass him in blcssing i f he can accept and

practice evell onc sclltcncc or stanza of the Dharma-Door of the Prophecy of

Bodhisattva Fearless Virtue's Attainment of Buddhahood aftcr hearing it explained-

not to mention those who read and recite the entire sfrtra, explain it widely to

othcrs, and practice i t as taught."

When the Tathagata had spokcn thc Dharma-Door of thc Prophccy of Bo-

dhisattva Fearless Virtue's Attainment of Buddhahood, Queen Moonlight, Fearless

Virtuc's mother; and al l the gods, dragons, asuras, and so forth were jubi lant over

the Buddha's teaching. They accepted it with faith and bcgan to practice it with

veneratron.

NOTES

1. Also a name for Mount Sumeru. I t has the general meaning of ' lo f ty ' .

2. Also the name of a star, which is belicved to cause eclipses of the sun and moon.

3. This paragraph is a l ree t ranslat ion. Some apparent ly i r re levant words in the or ig-

inal text have been deleted. This and many other passages in this sutra are extremely obscure

and difficult to understand. The translators had to resort to somewhat arbitrary interpreta-

tions and free translations for the sake of readability.

Franrrss Vrnrut 's ArrArNl , r rNr or Buoonrsooo 133

4. Free t ranslat ion.

5. Thc l ines in thcse two stanzas have becn al tered rn sequencc for c lar i t1, . Also, sor. r . rcrcdundant words in the or ig inal have been deleted.

6. These two l ines arc l reely t ranslatcd.7. According to the nryth, Mount Sumeru has tbur srdes. c- . rch s ide made of a valuablc

substance. I t is said that onc who approaches a s ide of the nroLurt . r in u i l l acquire the color ofthat s ide; e.g. , the body of one u 'ho approaches thc s ide n.radc oigold s i l l bccome golden i1colo r .

8. That is , beings can acquire thc "color" of l iberat ion bv associr t in! : s ' i th l iberatcdBodhisat tvas.

9. Thc sequencc in th is stanza has bccn rearranged.10. L i tcra l ly , "occan."

11. A f ragrant yel low f lower.

12. The or ig inal tcxt o[ th is passage is complex and obscure. Wc ] r r r -c rcndcrecl i tfreely.

13. Scc Numerical Glossary, " f ivc k inds of cycs." Here each type of eve is associatcdrv i th one of thc f ivc aggrcgatcs.

14. L i teral ly , " l f a l l thr : L luddha-L)harn-ra is u l t imatc ly noncxistcnt , how. can i r beseen?"

15. This could bc interprctcd to mean 'change' .

16. ' fhrs refers to thc doctr iner that wi th i r . r the dharnradhl tu nothing is actual ly done,no change occurs, and nothing is gaincd or lost , for a l l is suchrrcss r tsc l f .

l7 Al t r : rnetc t r rnslat ion: " l t is ernpt iness. I f one rcal izcd enrpt incss as a resul t ofbcl icv ing in thc qr t icscerr t nature ol -h i rnsel f arrd a l l dharmas, he wi l l bc l ievc in rhe empripcssof suchncss. "

18. Al tcrnate t ranslat ion: "Mahika6yapa, a sreat Bodhisat tva nei thcr dcpends on orhers 'words, nor ot t any verbal tcaching: how can i t bc said that hc abides in u l t imate quiescencc?"

19. This is a typical exantplc of thc l ) r : r j r i -paramit- explanat ion of " rhorough cmpt i -ness"; i .e. , thcrc is not cven such a th ing as " l )harrna" to bc rcal ized.

20. l . i tcra l ly , "You must be ski l led at gain ing grcat bcnef l t to achieve such c loqucncc. "21.

' lhese thrcc scntences are f reely rcndered; thc tcxt is confusing.

22. This is a I rcc t ranslat ion; the text is not c lear.23. l . i t i : ra l ly , "Bccause of the inner sound therc is an echo outs ide."24. L i teral ly , "nondef i lenrcnt ." This rna,v be a mispr int in the Chinesc tcxt .2.5. Text has "Fcar lcss Vir tuc said," which is probably incorrcct , so rve have c lc leted

s r1d .

2(r . I t is notcu/or thv that th is text advlsr-s pavrng homage to Hrnavana ntonks. e vcn i fonc lo l lorvs thc Mahay-na.

B v%tmrrl*Fr€The Universal Dharma-Door to the

T . l l

lnconcelvaDte

Thus have I heard. ()nce the -tsuddha was dwelling on Mount Grdhrakfita near

Rljagrha, accompanied by eight hundred great monks and forty-two thousand

llodhisattvas. At that t ime, Bodhisattva Undefi led Store descended from the sky,

surroundcd rcspcctful ly by ninety-two thousand other Bodhisattvas.

Then the World-Honored One told thc assembly, "These Bodhisattvas were

urged by Universal Flowcr Tathtgata, in the world cal led Every Pure Deed, to

come to this Saha World in order to hear and accept from me the Universal

Dharma-Door to thc Inconccivabic. Othcr Ilodhisattvas will also comc to this

assembly. "

As soon as the World-Honored One had finished saying this, innur-nerablc

Bodhisattvas camc frorn this and othcr worlds and gathered on Mount Grdhra-

kuta. After prostrat ing thcmsclvcs with thcir heads at thc Buddha's fcct, they

withdrew and stood to one side.

Thcn Bodhisattva Undefiled Storc approachcd thc Tathigata, bearing in his

hand a thousand-petal led lotus f lower made of the seven treasures. He bowed

down with his head at the Buddha's feet and said, "World-Honored One, Uni-

versal Fiower Tathigata in thc world called Every Purc I)ced offers you this

prccious I lowcr and asks mc to convcy to you his inf ini tc good wishcs. Hc inquires

whcther you are enjoying good health, freedom from afflictions, and ease and

peacc in l i fe." After saying this, the Bodhisattva ascended in midair and sat there in

the posit ion of meditat ion.

From among the assembly, Bodhisattva-Mahlsattva Manju5ri rose from his

Sutra 10, Taisho 310, pp. 158-163; t ranslated into Chrnese by Bodhiruci

THn l jNrvrnsal DsannA-ooon 135

seat, bared his r ight shoulder, knelt on his r ight k'ce, joined his palms respccr-ful ly, and said to the Buddha, " l rcmembcr that verv long ago I heard UniversalLamp Buddha prcach the Universal Dharma-l)oor to thc Inconceivable. Rightthen, I acquired eight hundrcd forty bi l l ion .ryr iads of san.radhis, and could alsounderstand scventy-scvcn tr i l l io 'myriads of sanridhis. world-Honored one, mayyou, out of sympathy for thc Bodhisattvas, explain this doctr inc to them."

Thereupon, the Buddha told ManjuSri, "Norv, hsren artcntively and thinkwell about this. I am going to explain i t to you."

Manju6ri said, "Ycs, World-Honorcd One. wc shal l gladlv l istcn."The Buddha said, "I f a Bodhisattva wishes to learn this doctr ine. hc should

cult ivate these samadhis: the Form-Image Samidhi, thc Sound-lmagc Samadhi, theSce't- lmagc Sanidhi, the Taste-lnrage Sanadhi, the Touch-lmage Samiclhi, thcMind-Objcct Samadhi, thc Wonran-lmagc Samadhi, the Man-lmage Samadhi, . . .thc l)cva-lmagc Samidhi, . . . the Animal- lmagc Samadhi, . . thc Desire-lmageSamadhi, the Hatred-lmagc Sarladhi, the Ignorancc-Image Samadhi, the Samidhiof Unwholesomc I)harmas, the Samddhi of f i /holcsome Dharmas, the Samidhi ofcondit ioned Dharmas, and the Samadhi of Uncondit ioncd l)harmas. Manju6ri, i fa l lodh' isattva rcal izes al l these samidhis, he has already lcarned this doctrr 'e.

"First, Mailuir i , what is the Forrn-Image Sam-dhi?"The World-Honored C)ne explained in vcrsc:

"Consiclcr lbrrn to be just l ike foanr-Dcvoid of substancc,

And thus inpossiblc to grasp.This is cal led thc Form-Imasc Samadhi."

Thc Buddha conrinucd, "Mair ju5ri , what is the Sound-lrnagc Samldhi?"The World-Honorcd One explained in verse:

1 "Regard sound as an ccho in a val ley, It "I Inapprchens ib lc by ua turc .I Al l dharmas arc l ike that,

Frec of essencc and differencc-To know them al l to be quiescentIs cal led the Sound-lmase Samidhi.

"Furthermore, Mafi ju5ri , what is the Scenr-Imagc Samtdhi?"The World-Honored One explained in verse:

'Just as the oceanlnsatiably engulfs all rivers,So one caD smcll various scerlts constantly,Evcn for hundreds of thousands of kaloas.

136 ON EuprtNrss

If thc scents werc rcal,

One would soon have orre's f i l l .

Yet, because they are nrere arbitrarl 'nanles,

They have no real i ty to be grasped.

Just as scents cannot be graspcd,

The nose, too, has no [true] existence.

To know them all as cmpty

And quiescent by nature

Is cal led the Scent- lmage Sanridhi.

"Moreover, ManjuSri, what is the Tastc-lmagc Samidhi?"

The World-Honored One explained in vcrse:

"Al l that is tasted by the tongue,

Whether salty, sour, or of some other taste,

Arises from dependent generation,

And by nature does not [ truly] exist.

To know that f lavors arise

From a cornbination of causes and condit ions

Is to know the inconceivable..

This is cal led the Taste-hnage Samadhi."

The Buddha continued, "Manju6ri, what is the Touch-lmagc Samadhi?"

The World-Honored One explained in verse:

"Touch is rrothing but a name,

Inapprehensible by nature.

Softness, snroothncss, and al l other texturcs

Arisc from depcndent generation.

To comprehend that touch ariscs

From the combination of causes and conditions

And cannot ultimately be found

Is cal led the Touch-lmage Samadhi.

"Furthermore, ManjuSri, what is the Mind-Object Samidhi?"

The World-Honored Onc explained in verse:

"Even i f , in thc bi l l ion-world univcrsc,Al l the countless scntient beings asscmblcdAnd together sought the objects of thc mind,They could not find them.

Tsn UNrvrnsal- I)rren,rre-ooon 137

Mcntal objccts arc l lot insidc or outsioc,Nor can they be gathered togc-ther.They arc merely variet ies of vcrbal phcnomena,Fabrications of arbitrary namcs.

They arc i l lusory, l ikc magic;Ever f lcct ing, thcy remain nowhere.To know that they are cmpty by naturcIs cal led thc Mind-Objcct Samidhi.

"Morcover, ManjuSri, what is thc Woman-lmagc Samtdhi?"The World-Honorcd One explaincd in verse:

"A woman has no real existencc;She is a mere assemblage of thc four elements.However, ordinary men, thcir minds confused,l lel ieve her to be real.

A wonran is i l lusory, l ike magic;This fools cannot understand.

Dcccivcd by the sight of her,

They engcndcr attachment in their hearts.

Like a person nagical ly produced,

A woman has no real i ty;Yet, in delusion,Ignorant men grow desirous of her.

To know perfectly

That women have no sclf-entityAnd are quiescent forms

Is cal led the Woman-Image Samadhi."

The Buddha continued, "Manju6ri, what is the Man-Image Samadhi?"The V/orld-Honored One explaincd in verse:

"Men consider themselves to be men,And other humans to be womcn.Becausc o f thc i r d isc r im i r ra t ion ,Lust is aroused within them.

However. from the beginning.

A lustful mind has never been.No sign of [such al mind can be found

13U ON EuprtNnss

By delusive discrimination

One thinks of a physical form as malc.

I say i t is, in fact, not a man,

But a thing l ikc a mirage.

To know that nran is quiescent by nature

Is cal lcd the Man-Image Samadhi. . . ."

The Buddha continued, "Manjuin, r,vhat is thc l)eva-Image Samadhi?"

The World-Honored One explained in verse:

"Thosc lvho havc pure faith

And an abundance of good karmas

Wil l be born rvith bodies of spccial beautv

To enjoy superb rervards in heavert

Prccious gems and palaces

Appear without work or effort.

Exquisite l lowers of thc coral tree

Bloom, though no one plants thcm.

All such inconccivabic cvcnts occur

As a rcsult of kan-nic power!

Just as myriad forms are reflected

In a piece of clear lapis lazul i .

The gods' wor.rderful bodies,

Palaccs, and other chings

All arisc from delusion.

This Irealizatior-rlIs cal led the Deva-lmage Samadhi. . . ."

The Buddha continued, "Manju6ri, what is the Animal- lmagc Samadhi?"

The V/orld-Honored Onc cxplained in verse:

"Though clouds diffcr in hue and shape,

They have no subs tance.

However, they delude and confuse

The ignorant.

Just as the clouds in thc sky

Have different colors and shapes,

So sentient beings appear

In various forms as animals.

Ttrr [JNrvrnsar Dsanua-ooon

If one knows that karma is i l lusory,

He will be free of delusion.

To knor, l ' that animals are intr insical lv quicscent

Is the Animal- lmage Samadhi.

"Furthermorc, Manju5ri, what is the Desire-lmage Samidhi?"

The World-Honored Onc explained in verse:

"Desire is a mere figment of discrimination,'V/hich

cannot be found.

It does not arise, does not appear,

And has no abode.

By nature, desire is like empty space,

Divorced from anything established.

Because of false discrimination, though,

The defilement of desire plagucs the ignorant.

The nature of all dharmas is not dcfilcd;It is pure, l ike empty space.

Even i f one searches for i t

I 'hroughout the ten direct ions,No trace of i t can bc found.

Onc who knows not this emptinesS ,ls tcrr i f icd to meet desirc.

Hc fcars when there is nothing to fear-

How can he ever secure peace andjoy?

A f<rol may be afraid of cmpty space

And flce from it in terror.

How can one escape from space

When space is everywhere?

The ignorant, being deluded,

Wrongly discriminate.

Desire is intrinsically unreal,

Yet they try to renounce i t .

Their efforts are as vain

As the attempt to elude empty space.l

Every dharma, in its nature,

Is unattainable, l ike nirvlna.

Buddhas of the past, present, and future

All realize the natural emptiness of desire.

t39

140 ON EnprtNess

Secure in this realization,

They never part from [desirc].

Although those who fear desire

Rack their brains secking liberation from it,

It rcmains forever intrinsically pure .

When I attaincd enlighter-rment,

I realized that all things are equal.

Some maintain that desire is real

And that i t should bc abandoned.

The view that desire should bc rcnounced

Arises from false discrimination.

There is, in truth, no abandoning;

It is only [the function]

Of a discriminative mind.

Desirc is inapprehensible by nature,

So i t cannot be extinguished or destroycd.

In undiffbrcntiated reality,

There is ncithcr libcration

Nor discrimination.

If one could bc iiberated from desire,

One could also be liberatcd lrom ernpty spacc.

Empty space and dcsire

Are boundlcss and not differcnt.

If one sees any difference,

I te l l h in r to fo rsake Id isc r in r ina t ion ] .

In truth, dcsirc ncvcr arises;

One perceives i t because of delusion.

Desire is empty by nature;

It is but an arbitrary name.

One should not engender attachment

Becausc of such a name.

To rcal izc that desire is frcc of impurity

Is to real ize ult imate emptiness.

Liberation is not reached

Through the dcstruction of desire.

Desire and thc Buddha-Dharma are equal;

Th is [ rea l i za t ion l i s n i rvana.

The wise should know:

To enter the realm of utter quicsccncc

Tse t jNrvrnsu Dn.rRyr-loon 1.11

By real izing the quiescence of dcsirc

Is cal led the l)esire-Imagc Sanridhr.

"Moreovcr, Manju5ri, what is the Hatrcd-Imaqc Sarnidhi?"

The World-Honored One explained in versc:

"Hatred2 originates from dclusion.

One cl ings to the ' l '

Whcn therc is no ' I ' ; thus,

Whcn hc hcars n ta l i c ious words , r

Inter"rse hatred arises,

Which is l i kc a v ic ious po ison.

The nral icious words-and hatrcd, toe

Ult imately cannot be found.

To start a f ire by boring wood,

Many conditions must bc fulfillcd.

No f ire can possibly ignite

If these required condit ions are not met.

Likewise, speech unpleasant to the ear

Ult imately cannot be found.

If spcech is krrown to be enrpty bv nature,

No hatred wil l ar ise again.

Hatred is not in speech, INor does i t dweli in the body.

It is a product of many causes and condit ions,'V/ithout

whicl-r it carl ncver come to be.

Just as buttcr and chccsc arc nradc

By a combination of milk and other agents,

So hatred, in i tself , is unborn, 1Though harsb speech Imakes i t scem to arise].

Fools cannot undcrstand this,

So thcy ignitc ' ,vi th thc hcat of angcr.

This one should know:

Ult imately, nothing can be fbund.

Hat rcd is by na turc qu ics r ' cn t :

I t i s bu t an arb i t ra ry namc.

Hatrcd is real i ty i tself ;

Bccausc of suchness i t ar iscs.

Knowing hatred to be thc dharmadhitu

Is cal led the Hatred-Imagc Sanadhi."

142 ON EnaprtNrss

Thc Buddha continued, "ManjuSri, what is the lgnorar.rce-Image Samtdhi?"

Thc \Vorld-Honored One cxplained in vcrse:

" lgnorance is cmpty by nature;

It has never by i tself arisen.

There is not a singie dharma

That can be cal led ignorancc.

Ordinary people

Wrongly conccive of ignorancc

Vy'hile therc is no ignorancc;

They arc attachcd

While thcre is nothinq to be attached to.

I t is as i f they tr) '

To t ie crnptv space into a ktrot.

Strange indeed are thosc fools!

Thcy do what thcy should not do.

There are no dharmas,

Yet they discriminate,

And thus engcnder myriad defilemcl'rts.

I f one attcmpts to takc up lParts of l space

Arrd put them togcther in a ccrtain placc,

Hc wil l ncvcr complete the task,

Even ir-r mil l ions of kalpas.

For innumcrablc kalpas since the beginning,

Foo ls have amassed 'knots o f ignorancc , '

Yet, I truly, l their ignorance

Has not increascd an iota.

Just as one who tr ies to movc cmpty spacc

Can never alter i ts magnitudc,

So clnc can ncver incrcase ignorattcc.

Though he may amass i t for many kalpas.

Just as a bcl lows takes in

Endless amount of air,

So the ignorant attach thcmselves

Insatiably to sensuous pleasures.

Howevcr, ignorance is nowhere,

With ncither root nor abode.

Since i t has no root,

How can i t have an end?

Sincc i t has no end,

Its bounds cannot be found.

Tnr UNrvrnsal I)nanua-loon

For this very rcason, I can never f inishL ibera t ing l i v ing be ings .F , , - , . ; r ; , . ^ , . . , l - . ,

I dcl iver al l thc beingsh-r a billion-worlcl universe,

Caus i r rg thcnr to rea l i ze r r i rvana:And for innumcrable kalpasI do the same evcry day,The rea ln r o f sc r r t ie r r t bc ings IC a r r n o t b c c x h a t r s t c d . i

The realnrs c;f ignorance and of bcingsArc both signlcss

A n d i l l u s o r y , l i k c r r r a g r c .

So thcy cannot bc cxhaustecl.

Ignorance and Buddhahood arc not dif fc 'rcnt,But :rrc cqual by naturc.I f orrc discriminatcs a Buddha, i

, i . ' ' , 'Ther-r he dwells in dclusion. i

Ignorancc arrcl al l-knowing wisdomArc both emptv of self-enti ty;Seutieut beings arrd ignoranccArc entirely cqual.

lnconceivable arc scrrt ient bcings;Inconccivable, too, is ignorance!

Sincc both are inconceivable,Ifow car-r a dist inct ion be madc bctween thcm?

'l 'his mind of thoughta

Cannot bc rrcasured or conceived.lmmcasurable, toc'r, is ignorancc,For i t is boundless.

Since i t has no bounds,How can i t ar ise?It ariscs not ill its sclf-naturc,And no sign of it can be four-rd.Realizing that ignorance is sigr-rless,()ne regards thc Buddha in the same way.I t shou ld th r rs hc knowrL

l. 'hat al l dharmas are nondual.

Ignorance is. fr<lnr the beginrr irrg.Still and quiesccnt;

143

l + t ON EuprrNrss

It is but an arbitrary namc.

When I rcalized cnlightenment,

I understood i t as equal I to bodhi].

To bc able to contcnplate thus

Is cal led the lgnorance-Image Samidhi

"Furthcrmore, Manju6ri, what is the Samadhi of Unu'holcsonc Dharmas?"

The World-Honored One explained in verse:

"Ali the mar-rifestations

OI dcs i re , har red . ig r ro rancc .

And the other defiiements

Are i l lusory and unreal.

To have this insight is cal led

The Samidhi of Unwholesome Dharmas.

"Moreover, ManjuSri, what is the Samadhi of Wholcsomc Dharrnas?"

Thc World-Honorcd One cxplaincd in verse:

"Al1 of you should know

That those with good will,

Though dif lerent in dispr-rsit ion,i Are the same in debd, , j . i

For they are al l detached,

And know al l dharmas

To be quiescent in nature.

This [insight] is called

Thc Samidhi of Wholcsomc Dharmas."

The Buddha continucd,

Dharmas?"

The World-Honored One

"Manju6ri, what is the Samadhi of Condit ioncd

explaincd in verse:

"Al l of you should know

That no conditioned thing

Is created by anyone,

Or can bc mcasurcd.

I see that phenomena

By nature cannot accumulate,

And that everything is quiescent.

This [insight] is called

The Samadhi of Condit ioncd l)harmas.

Tnl [JNrvtnser L)s.rnrl .r_loon i45

"Fi.ral ly, Manjusrr, wl.rat is the Samadhi of U'cordit ioned l)ha'nas?',The World-Honored Onc explained in versc:

"(Jncondit ioned things arc quiesccnt br, narurc;Onc cannot cl ing to thcm,Nor can or )c re l rou l rcc thcnr . i

They are but artificial r.ramcsUttcred for cl inging sentient beings.To rcach such a realizationIs cal led the Samadhi of Uncondit ioned l)harnras.,. .

Then Bodhisattva Maii juSri said to the l luddha, "May thc world-Ho'oredone teach the Bodhisattvas thc names of other samidhis so that:

( l) their scnse-organs may become kcen and sound;(2) they nray acquire the wisdom to comprehend al l dharr 'as and to become

invincibic to those with l,u.rong views;(3) thcy nay real izc and achievc the four ki 'ds of unhindered cloquence;(4) they car 'aster many la'guagcs by k'orvledgc of one part icurar ra.rguagc-,

and or-rc part icular lar-rguagc by knowledgc of many languagcs;(5) they nlay tcach the essence of the l)hartr la to scntient beinqs, and do so

ski l l ful ly and with boundless eloquence;(6) thcy rnay achicve the rcarizatio' of thc profou'd Dharma; a.d(7) thcy may undcrstarrd in an instant all actions, as well as thc infinite Ibrms

ar-rd varict ies of each of them.,,

The Buddha said, "Manju: ir i , there is a samadhi naned Boundless Frcedomtior-rr l).'filemcnts. A tlodhisattva who attains rt can appcar in all ki.ds of puretir rnr s.

"Therc is a samadhi named Awesonrc Visage. A l lodhisattva who attarns rtn-i l l havc an awesome l ight outshining the sun ancl moon.

"Thcre is a samadhi named Flaming Light. A Bodhisattva who artarns i t canor.rtshine the awe-inspir ing l ights of al l indras and brahmas.

"Therc is a samadhi named Renunciat ion. A Bodhisattva who attarns rr can.ruse scntient beings to r id thcrrrsclves ofdesire, hatred, and ignorance.

"Thcrc i s a sam5dh i r r rmcd Unh i r rc le rcd L igh t . A tsodh i ra t rv : r who a t ra i r rs i t- .rn i l luminate al l tsuddha-lands.

"Therc is a samidhi 'amed Unforgett ing. A Bodhisattva who attaurs rr canhold i ' mind thc teachings of al l Buddhas and cxpound thcm ro others.

"There is a samadhi named Thunderi 'g voice. A Bodhisattva who atta'rs i t;a' spcak well i ' al l languages and to'es, includi 'g thosc of the l l rahmi Heavcn.

"Thcre is a samadhi namedJoy. A Bodhisattva who attains i t can f i l l sentientL.crnes with joy.

t16 ON EttlprlNrss

"There is a samidhi named Insatiable Delight. People wil l not be t ired of

seernq or hearing a Bodhisattva who attains i t ."There is a samadhi named Inconceivablc Merits of Concentrat lon on a

Singlc Object. A tsodhisattva who attains i t can perform al l miraculous feats.

"Therc is a samadhi named Understanding the Languagcs of All Sentient

Beings. A Bodhisattva who attains i t can speak al l languages with prof iciency, can

e\press al l words in onc word, and can understand that al l words are one word.

"There is a samadhi named Supreme Dhirani. A Bodhisattva who attains i t

can thoroughly understand al l dhiranis.

"There is a samidhi named Adornments of Al l Eloquence. A Bodhisattva

who attains i t wi l l be well vcrscd in al l wri t tcn and spoken languagcs.

"There is a samidhi named Accumulation of Al l Wholcsome Dharmas. A

Bodhisattva who attains it can cause sentient bcings to hear thc tcachings of the

Buddha, Dharma, and Sarirgha; of Srivakas. Pratyekabuddhas, and Bodhisattvas;

or of thc plramitas. Whcn he abides in this samadhi, he can cause sentient bcings

to hear these teachings continuously."

Then ManluSri said to the Buddha, "World-Honorcd Onc, please bless me

and hclp me to obtain unimpcdcd eloquence to proclaim the superb merits of this

I])harma-door. "

Thc tsudclha saicl, "Exccl lent! Your wish is granted."

Manju6rr saicl to the Buddha, " l t should be kr.rown that i f a Bodhisattva

acccpts, practices) reac{s, and recites this Dharma-door without doubt, hc wil l

dcfinitely aquirc in his present life four kinds of cloquence; namely, ready clo-

quence, great eloquence, profound eioqucncc, and inexhaustible eloqucnce. He

wil l always rcmember to protcct scnticnt beings, and, by enl ightening them, wil l

thwart those who irrtend to dcstroy the devotees' Dharma practicc."

Thereupon, the World-Honored One praised Bodhisattva Manju5ri. saying,

"Excel lent, excel lent! You understand this doctr inc vcry well . Just as thosc who

givc will surely gain irnmense wealth, and as precept-keepers will bc rcborn in

heaven, so those who accept and practicc this sutra will unqucstionably achieve

eloquence in this l i fe. Just as sunl ight can surely dispel al l darkness, and as a

Bodhisattva will surcly attain suprcmc cnlightenment when he sits on the bodhi-

seat, so those who accept, practicc, read, and recitc this sfitra will achieve elo-

qucnce in this lifc without fail. Manju6ri, he who wishes to seek eloquence in this

i i fe should bcl ieve in, rcjoice at, accept, practice, read, and rccitc this sutra and

explain i t to others without entertaining any doubts."

Then tsodhisattva Undefi lcd Store said to thc Buddha. "World-Honored

One, after the [pari-] nirvana of thc Buddha, if any tsodhisattva, free of doubt,

accepts, practices, reads, and recites this Dharma-door and explains i t to others, I

n' i l l hold him in my embrace and enhance his eloquencc."

At that time, Papryan, the celestial demon, was strickcn with worry and

griei With tcars in his eyes, he came to the Buddha and said, "When the Tathagata

rvas attaining suprene enlightcnment in the past, I writhed in worry and agony.

Tss UNrvrnsar l)Hanna-noon 147

Now your preaching of this Dharma-door redoubles my pain, and I feel as i f Ihave been shot by a poisonous arrow. Sentient beings who hcar this sf l tra wil ldcfinitely not regress fronr their pursuit of supreme enlightenment, and will even-tual ly enter parinirvlna. This wil l reduce my kingdom to nought. The Tathagata,the worthy one, the Supremely Enlightened one, can gi 'e pcace and happiness toal l l iv ing beings in distrcss. May the Tathagata be so kind a'd compassionate asnot to bless this sutra, and thus give me peace and security and el iminate al l myworry and pain."

The world-Honored one told Pipiyin, "Do nor \vorrv. I shai l not bless thissutra, nor wil l sentient beings enter parinirvlna."

Hearing this, P5piyin, the cclest ial demon, danced with joy; al l his rvorr iesand sorrow vanished. He suddenly disappeared from the presence of the Buddha.

Then Bodhisattva Maiju5ri approached the Buddha and asked, , .What wasthe Tath-gata's implici t intention just now in tel l ing p-piyan, ' I shal l not bless thisI )harma '?"

The Buddha a'swered, "Manjusri , I bless this Dharma by not bressi 'g ir ;thus, I told him that. Because al l dharmas are equal in real i ty, return to suchness,are iderrt ical wirh the dharrnadhitu. defy spccch. and transcend dualiry. rherc is noblessi 'g. Because I speak thc truth and not falsehood, this sutra wil l prevai l wideiyin thc world. "

A f tc r thc w. r ld - l lon . red or re l rad su id th is , hc to ld Anar rda , "Thrs s I t ra i snarrred thc (Jniversal Dharrna-Door to the Inconceivablc. Acccpting and practicingthis sitra is not different from acccpring and practicing the cighty-four thousandI)harma-doors.6 vzhy? Becausc i t was only after I becamc conversant with i t that Iwas able to expound the eighty-four thousand Dharma-doors to al l l iv ing beings.Therefcrrc, Ananda, you should carcful ly protect and uphold this sDtra and read,rccite, and circulate i t so that i t may not be forgotten or lost."

whcn the Buddha had spokcn this srltra, Bodhisattva Maiiiusri, Bodhisatt-r ' ; r Ur rdc f i l cd s to r t ' . Ver rerab lc Ar randr , humans. devas , asuras , gandharvas , a r rdothcrs were al l jubi lant over thc Buddha's teaching. Thcy accepted i t wirh faithand began to practice i t with veneration.

NOTES

1. This inclicates that lrtlc renunciation of desirc can only be attained bv realization ofcnlpt iness, i .e. , both the ernpt iness ofobjects ofdesirc, and ofdcsire i tsel f . Other forms ofrcnuncr:rtion such as abstinellce may bc useful, but they are temporary and evcn discrim-lnatory as thc tcxt implies here ancl bclow.

In certai' aclva.ced yogas, the yogi r'ay cvcn be advised to stir up desirc rnten-ttonally, and apply the meditation of cmptiness to it by thoroughly iricntifying emptilless

148 ON EnaPuNrss

ri'ith desire and rvrth all else. See Garma C. C. Chang, Teachings o;f Tihetan Yoga (New Hyde

Park: Univers i t -v tsooks, 1963), p. 44. (V.S.B.)

2. The Chinese characters t r E l i teral ly mean 'anger ' , but may also denote 'hatred' ,

' resentnlent ' , etc. Here we use 'hatred' to be consistent wi th our re l rder ing of the three

P O I S O n S .

3. L i teral lv . "sounds."

.1. 'The mind of thought' (Ch. Effi,t') relers to the mental function of ordinary

m inds , whe reas a Buddha ' s 'm ind ' o r 'w i sdom 'has no t hough t bu t d i r ec t pe rcep t i on , i . e . ,

4"8tr,.5. Literally, "There is nothing to be attached to, nor anything to be dctached from."

6. A figurative exprcssion denoting all the various Buddhist doctrines.

9 trffinffi€

The Inexhaustible Stores of Wisdom

Thr.rs have I heard. ()r-rce thc Budclha was dwellrr-rg o' Mount Grdhrakuta near thccity of Rajagrha, together with onc thousand grcat monks, al l of whor' hadacconrpl ishecl supcrb merits and could nrakc the l ion's roar; and with f ive hundredgrcat l lodhisattvas, al l of whor-n had acquircd dhararr is, attained unimpcded elo-qucnce , achicved the Realization of thc Nonarisirrg of l)harrnas, rcachcd the stageof .orrrcgression, acquired sarnidhis and a free command of r ' i raculous Dowers.and who knew well thc mental i t ics and irrcl inations of l iv ing beings.

The l jodhisattvas were headed by B'dhisattva-Mahasattvas Su. Banner,Moon Ran'er, l jnivcrsal Light, Moon King, I l luminator of peaks, So'of.the Sun,Lion's wisdom, Prccio.rs Light of Merits, Rcal izat ion of Al l Meanings, Fulf i l l rncntof Previous Concl i t ions, Accomplishme.t of Vows and Dceds, wisdom of Empti-rress, Equal Mind, Joy and Love, Foncl of Company, Victorious Fighter, WiseDcccls, Lightning Attainmenr, superb Eloquence, Lio' 's Roar, wonderful Voice,Alert, Dccds of Ski l l ful Convcrsio' , and l)ceds of Ult i .rate euicscence .

Also in the assenrbly were Irrdra; the four deva ki 'gs; Brahma, rord of theSaha world; a'd innumerable awc-inspir ir-rg, virtuous gods, dragons, yaksas, sar-dharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, ancl mahoragas.

At that t ime, Bodhisattva Lightning Attainment, seeing that al l thc cmilcntones had gathered and that thc u,hole assembly was hushcd, rose fronr his seat,bared his r ight shoulder, knelt on his r ight knee, joi 'ed his palms, and said to theBuddha, "world-l lo'orcd o'c, I wish to ask you sonrc questio,s. pleasc grantmc the opportunity."

The world-Ho'orcd ()nc said to Light 'rng Attainme't, "The Tathagata,thc worthy one, the Pcrfcct ly Enl ighter-red one, grants your request. Ask what-cvcr questrons you wish, ancl the answers wil l be explained to you."

Sr.rtra 20, Taish0 310, ppr. 48(f486; translated into Chincsc bv Bodhiruci.

150 ON EnprrNrss

Bodhisattva Lightning Attainment askcd the Buddha, "World-Honored One,

s'har should a Bodhisattva accomplish to be able to satisfy sentient beings' desires

n.ithout being alllicted with defilements; to lead senticnt beings skillfully, accord-

ir-rg to thcrr particular inclinations, and prcvent them from falling to the miserable

plancs of existcnce after death; to rcal izc without fai l the equali ty Iof dharmas]; and

ro renrain undcfiled by the world in which hc lives, just as a lotus flowcr is

unsoi led [by the muddy water from which i t grows]? How can a Bodhisattva

travel frcely among tsuddha-lands without moving at all within the dharmadhatu;1

be always with the Buddha without seeing him as he physical ly appears; abide in

the threc [doors to] liberation without entering the IHinayanal nirvina; adorn and

purify a Buddha-land in accordance with the wishcs of sentient beings; and attain

supreme enl ightenment in an instant?"

Then thc Bodhisattva-Mahasattva repeatcd his questions in vcrsc:

"Unexcelled, Most Honorcd of Men,

Master of Infinite Knowledge,

You abide in the dharmas common to al l .

You bcr rc f i t the wor ld

And treat l iv ing beings with equali ty).

You arc thc haven of the world.

You revcal the right path to the heterodox,

So that thcy rnay attain ult imate peace and joy. l

Thc supreme mcrits yott have accumulated

Arc l ikc a treasurc-trove-

May the sun of wisdom in the world,

The Worthy One in thc three reaLns,

Expound thc suprcmc vehiclc'

For the accomplishmcnt of Bodhisattvahood.

Your countenance is as clear as a full moon;

You arc ful ly prof icient in Samatha:

You make manifest the Dharma of tranquillity

Which can extinguish all afflictions.

May you teach the Bodhisattva-path

For thc bcnefit of sentient bcings.

Purc arc the Buddha's lar.rd and life span,

His physical body and retinue,

His actions of body, speech and mind

And all his other attributes.

May thc Tathigata expound now

The pure practices of a Bodhisattva.

How does a Bodhisattva conquer dcmons?

THg luexHausrrsrr Sronrs or Wrsoou

How does he teach the Dharma?How does he become ever mindful?Please explain this to us.

How does the courageous hero4Plunge into sarhsira again and again,While abiding securely in nondualityAnd rcmaining unmoved by anything?

How docs he associare with tsuddhasAnd make offerings to rhem?How does he observc the Buddha's physical bodyWhile ultimately remaining detached from all forms?

How does hc refrain from entcring nirvinaBcfore acquir ing al l merits,sThough he has realized the three [doors to] libcrationAnd is as free as a bird in the sky?How does he know the inclinationsAnd desires of sentient berngs,Comply with them fearlesslv.And thcreby bring those beings to maturity,While hirrrself remaining urrclef i led?

How does he first give rhem mundane delights,And thcn persuade thcm to develop pure mindsTo help them achieve supreme wisdom,And attain supreme errlightenment?Such doctrines, profound and subtle,May thc Tathigata cxplain to us. ' ,

r51

Thercupon, the world-Honored one told Bodhisattva-Mahasattva Light-ning Attai.me't, "Excellcnt! It is excellent, good man, that you can ask the Buddhasuch questions in order to give bcnefit, pcace, and happiness to numberless beings,a'd to win over to the Dharma thosc gods and humans of thc prcsent who will beBodhisattvas in the future. Therefore, Lightning Attainmerrt, you should listencareful ly and think well about what I say. I am going to explain this for you.,,

Bodhisattva Lightning Attai'mcnt said, "yes, world-Honored one. I amwrl l ing and glad to l isten."

The Buddha told Lightning Attainmcnt, "A Bodhisattva-Mahisattva hasfive stores of wisdom,6 alr of which are great stores of wisdom, incxhaustible storesof wisdom, universally inexhaustible stores of wisdom. once a Bodhisattva pos_sesses these stores, he wil be relicved from poverty forevcr, achieve the superiorvirtucs you have mentioned, a'd quickly attain supreme enlightnment with littreeffort' what are rhe fivc? They are: rhe store of wisdom for the rustfur. the

152 ON EuprrNess

srorc oi u'rsdom for thc angry, the store of wisdom for thc deluded, the store

oi s'rsdonr for thosc aff l icted equally by al l three defi lemcnts, and the store of

n' isdonr oi the Dharma."Lightning Attainment, what is a Bodhisattva-Mahlsattva's storc of wisdonr

for thc lustful? When senticnt beings act out of lust, they are bound by wrong

vicn's: thcy make dist inct ions among al l phenomcna: thcv cl ir-rg to and indulge in

tornrs, sounds, scents, tastes, textures, and dharmas. A Bodhisattva should havc

rruc knowledge of their mcntal i t ics: rvhat thel ' del ight in ancl rvish for, what

circumstances aggravatc thcir habitual dcf i lcments, u,hat faith and understanding

they have achieved, what kinds of good roots the\. have previously planted, what

vehicle's teachings wil l arouse thcir aspirat ior-rs for enl ightenment, and how long i t

rvi l l takc for thcir good roots to mature. The Bodhrsatn'a shoulcl examine al l these

carcful ly and provide the remedy needed to cut off those sentient beings' passions

cornplctcly and causc thcn] to dcvclop wholesome minds contrnuously."Lightning Attair-rment, you should know that thc various incl inations and

activities of sentient beings are difficult to discern. They are not known to any

Sravaka or Pratyekabuddha, much less to ordinary people and thc heterodox. For

examplc, Lightning Attainmcnt, some living beings, euen though they avs dttached to

desires, utt neuertheless be brought t0 mdturity and mn attdin supreme enlightenment. Some

cdn ntdture and thus attaifi supreme illuminatiott and liheration ds soott ds they contact

desired objects, or talk about them with a clrrupt mind.l Somc can bc nraturcd and thus

attain suprerrre i l lunrination ar-rd l iberatior-r through the cessation of passions and

deep contemplation on impermanence, which arises from their awareness of the

dctcriorat ior-r of thc bcauti ful things they have seen and craved."Some nren do l1ot have any passion for women at f l rst glance, but when

they later recall a woman's charming appearance, they become mer-rtally corrupted

ar-rd attached to i t . Some become lustful and absorbed in desire when they see a

beauti ful woman in dreams. Some become enchanted with women simply on

hcaring thcir voices. Yet, sometimes these men can be brought to n-raturity and

thus attain suprcme illumination and liberation merely during a tcnlporary ccssa-

t ion of their craving.

"Therefore, Lightning Attainment, because the Bodhisattva thoroughly

knows all diseases derived from lust and thcir curcs, and at the safirc time sees no

duality in the dharmadh5tu, hc engendcrs great compassion for all those who arc

ignorant of the dharmadhatu. Lightning Attainment, since lust, anger, dclusion,

and thc wisdom of the dharmadhatu are all inapprehensiblc, thc Bodhisattva thinks,'As I see i t , these l iving beings have lust, anger, and delusion regarding composite

things, which are devoid of forms, empty in nature, and which cxist only as

arbitrary names. I wi l l examine this situation real ist ical ly and abidc in great com-

passion for these beings who are deluded by lust; I will fulfill my prcvious vows

by bringing them to maturity with eflortless wisdom, without becoming pcr-

turbed by any dharma.'"lf a man considers a woman to be pure and becomes deeply infatuated with

Tsr lNexrrausrrsrs SroRLs or Wrsuol,r 153

hcr, the Bodhisattva wil l transform himself into a * 'oman of grcat beauty andclcgance, adorncd with jewcls and necklaces, as dcsirable a cclcst ial maiderr as theman has cver seen bcfore, arrd al lou' him to lavish or hcr his passio'ate love.When the man has indulgcd his passion to thc utnlosr. thc l jodhisattva wil l , usingmcans conlmensuratc with thc man's capacity, pluck ol l t thc poisonous arrow oflust i ' him. Ther-r, by his miraculous power, he rvi l l cha'ge back from thc fcmaleform and appcar before thc man to expound the Dharn-ra tor hinr unti l he haspcnetrated thc dharmadhttu. After that, he wil l disappcar t lonr sieht. In rhe casc ofa woman infatuated with a man, the tsodhisattva wil l do the sanre-he rvi l l appearto hcr as a man, pluck out the poisonous arrow of lust i ' hcr, expou'd thcDharma to her unti l she has penetrated thc dharmadhrtu, and thr- ' clsappcar.

"Lightnir-rg Attai 'ment, I though sentient beings are aff l ictcd br ' ] t*.e'ry-onethousand actions of desire and othcr wrong deeds, [ total l ing] i ' al l eighrr.-fourthousand,s a Bodhisattva with effort less wisdom can open up nrvriads of Dharma-doors to icad them to l iberatio' , wit l-rout co'ceivi 'g a notion that he has ex-poundcd certain doctrines for living bcings or that any being has becn liberatcd.

"Lightrr i 'g Atain'rcnt, for example, thc dragon ki 'g [of the lakej cal ledNo Hcat, ' by the powcr of his kar'ra, issucs forth four great r ivers from hispalace to cool d.wn the summer heat for senticnt beings who l ive on land ori . water; to nourish f lowers, fruit trees a'd grains; and to give l ivi 'g beingspcacc and happiness. Howcver, hc clocs not conceive the notion that hc issucs,has issued, or wi l l issrre forth the- r ivers; he sporrraneously keeps the four r iversful l for scnticnt beings' usc. Similarly, thc Rodhisattva fulf i l ls his past vows bycxpounding the four noblc truths with eftbrt less wisdom in ordcr to el iminateal l the burnirrg distresses of sarirsrra, and to give the holy bl iss of l iberation to al lgods and humans. Howevcr, he does not conccivc thc notion that he is tcaching,has taught, or wi l l teach thc Dharma; he spontaneously abidcs i ' great compas-sion, obscrvcs sentient beings, arrd explains the l)harma according to their nccds.

"As a further exarrple, Lightni'g Attainment, Indra can re'rain unaffcctedwhilc transforming himself into bodies numerous enough to satisfy separatelyand simultaneously thc sensual desircs of his twclve myriad celestial maidcns,causing each of them to thir.rk that shc alonc is sport ing with Indra. Similarly,thc tsodhisattva calr rcmain unaffected while bringing to maturity those bcingswho are capable of being del ivered, in accordance with thcir wishcs.

"Lightning Attainmcnt, to illustrate furthcr: thc sun, emergi'g from behinda mountain, sheds i ts l ight al l over thc world and causes the various colors,such as blue, yel low, red, and white, to appear wherc i t shincs, ."vhi le thc sunitself remains one ur.rdifferentiatcd, single-colored light. Similarly, the Bodhisattva,the sun of wisdom, i l luminates the cntire dharmadhitu in thc samc manner byrising above thc mountainous attachnlents of sentient beings and teaching themthe Dharma accordi'g to their needs, whilc he himself sccs no duality in thedharmadhitu.

"Lightning Attai'mcnt, this is what is meant by a Bodhisattva-Mahasattva's

l l + ON EnpuNrss

storc oi u' isdom for the lustful. Once a Bodhisattva has acquired this store, he

can. ior a kalpa or more, transform himself into myriad bodies in accordanceu'rth sentient beings's wishes and teach the Dharma in various modes of expressions'rthout seeing duali ty in the dharmadhatu.

"Furthermore, Lightning Attainment, as an example, real gold remains the

same in nature when an art isan turns i t into various necklaces and other ornamcnls

bv his craft. In l ike manner, the Bodhisattva observcs thc dharmadhatu well ,transforms himself into myriad bodies in accordance rvith scntient beings' wishes,and cxplains thc Dharma to them in many dif lcrcnt modcs of expression, buthe sees no duali ty in the dharmadhatu. This is [cal led] constant penetrat ion ofthe oneness of the dharmadhetu. Having acquired this storc of wisdom the Bo-

dhisattva can give various discourses on the Dharma to l iving beings, who, afterhearing them, will be enriched with inexhaustible holy treasures and be freedfrorn the povcrty of sarirsdra forever.

"Now, Lightning Attainment, what is meant by a Bodhisattva-Mahasattva's

store of wisdom for thc ar-rgry? Some l iving beings are prone to arrogance and

conceit; they conceivc that thc ' l ' and 'mine' are real, and cl ing to discriminations

bctwccn sclf and othcrs. Sincc they never cultivatc kindness or patience, theirminds are corrupted with anger and other burning dcfi lcrncnts; thcy are not mind-fui of the .tsuddha, thc Dharma, or the Sarhgha; and, enveloped in wrath, theybecome coufused about things. The Bodhisattva ncvcr harms or irr i tates theseill-ternpered people, but thinks instcracl, 'Strangc are these senticnt beings! Dcluded,

confused, and caught in wrong views, they become angry and rcscntful in spitc

of the lact that al1 dharmas are by nature quiescent, detached, undefi led, non-

composite, and bcyond contcntion. 'Thinking thus, he wil l abidc in great com-passion and sir-rcercly take pity on those beings. In ordcr to subdue therr angry

actions, he wil l tolerate such people with steadfast patience even i [ thcy dismcmbcrhis body. I f al l the innunrerable i l l - tempered beings wcre to bctray each otherand bear grudges, thus dooming themselves to fall to the miserable plane ofserpents when that karma ripens, ther-r the Bodhisattva who abides in patience

would use his merciful power to convcrt those beings, causing them not to fall

to the miserable planes of existence, but ir-rstead to realize equality without fail.

Thus does a Bodhisattva with ingcnuity climinate sentient beings' acts of anger."Furthermore, Lightning Attainment, when the Bodhisattva sees angry peo-

ple, he will think: 'A11 dharmas are pure by nature. Because they do not under-

stand thc dharmas'naturc, thcsc l iving beings act according to the appcarancc of

things, vainly make discriminations, and feel anger, in spite of thc fact that all

dharmas arc cqual and bcyond contention. I f they saw the nature of dharmas, they

would not bcar grudgcs against each other, but since they do not, they bccomc

angry.' The llodhisattva will then redouble his kindr.ress and abidc in great com-

passion fbr these beings. He will fulfill his past vows and cxplain the I)harma to

thern, revealirrg various teachings with effortless wisdom to put an end to their

angry actions. However, he will not think that he teaches the Dharma to eliminate

Tns INrxsausrrsrt Sronrs or Wtsool,r 155

the sentient beings' anger. why is this? Because the Bodhisattva has insight intothe nature of the dharmadhatu. This is how a tsodhisattva abides securely in theundifferentiated dharmadhatu and eliminates defiled actions.

"Lightning Attainment, for example, the underlving narure of both darknessand light is the same; they are both like undifferentiated empty space. Thereforc,darkness is never really dispelled when Light appears, but it cannot be said that it isnot dispel led [ in the phenomenal sense]. Similarly, a Bodhisatn'a who rel ies on thewisdom of nondifferentiation of the dharmadhitu can skillfully elucidate thc Dhar-ma to eliminate the various angry actions of sentient beings, and at the same timehc makes no distinctions in the dharmadhatu.

"Lightning Attainmcnt, just as sunl ight is never separatcd from the sunwherever it shines, so whatevcr the Bodhisattva teaches to subdue and destroysentient beings' angry acrions is the Dharma-wheel, [because] he docs not differen-t ia tc any dharmas in rhe un ivcrse .

"lThough senricnr beings are afflicted byl twenty-one rhousand angry ac-tions and othcr wrong deeds, in all eighty-four thousand, a Bodhisattva witheffortlcss wisdom can reach the appropriate Dharmas to copc with therr angryactions, withor.rt conceiving a notion that hc is teaching, has taught, or will teachthc Dharma to then. This is what is meant by ^ great Bodhisattva's store ofwisdom for thc angry.

"Oncc a Bodhisattva has acquired this store, hc can, for a kalpa or more,teach tl-re l)harrna skillfully in various terms to fulfil thc wishes of sentient beings.Although sentient trcings' angry actions know no bounds, thc Bodhisattva's wis-dom and eloquc'ce arc also inexhaustible. This is how a Bodhisattva who hasacquired che store ofwisdorn for thc angry expounds the undiffcrcntiated nature ofthc dharmadhitu ski l l ful ly.

"Now, Lightning Arrainmenr, what is meant by a Bodhisattva-Mahisattva,sstore of wisdom fbr the deluded? Lightning Attainment, it is a very difficult taskfor Bodhisattvas to cope with thc deluded, because such peoplc pursue deludedactions, feel malicc toward others, are wrapped up in thc shell of ignorance likesi lkworrns wrapped in their own cocoons, arc unablc to adapt themselves wisely todharmas, are not kccn in observing a proper coursc of action, cling to the view of ascli follo., wrong paths, are slow to progress, and are unable to extricate them-selves from sarirslra.

"For thc sakc of such deluded bei'gs, thc Bodhisattva, soor after he engcn-ders bodhicitta, makcs great, intensified efforts unriringly and ceaselessly. Hcconsiders how hc should teach the Dharma, under what circumstances, and howbest to interpret it, all in order to cause deluded persons to follow the Bodhi-sattva's practices and achievc liberation.

"A tsodhisattva who in the past has gained insight into the dharmadhatu willabide in great compassion by virtue of his effbrtless wisdorn. When he encounterssentient beings who arc ignorant of the dharmadhatu, he will subdue them byexplaining the Buddha's reachings accordirrg to their capacities, yet without con-

1 5 6 ON EuprrNEss

ceivinq a notiorl that he is teaching, has taught, or wi l l teach the l)harma. Because

oi the pos'er of his past vows, hc clearly sees the concatention of all events in the

unir-erse . and is able to open spontaneously hundrcds of thousands of Dharma-

doors to prevent sentient beings from performing karmas out of ignorance, and so

Iead them to l iberation.

"Lightning Attainment, consider, for examplc, a good physician who is

prot-rcient at curing diseases. With his great knowledge of medical works, he can

diagnose any disease as soon as he sees i ts symptoms, and then cure i t with the

right spel ls or medicines. In the same way, a Bodhisattva who has insight into the

dharmadhatu can teach the Dharma with his effortless wisdom for habitually

deluded beings in accordance with their various incl inations, causing them to

know hundreds of thousands of doctrines."Lightning Attainment, this is what is meant by a great Bodhisattva's store

of wisdom for the deluded. Once a Bodhisattva has acquired this storc, hc will have

deep insight into thc concatenation ofall events in the universe, and can, for a kalpa

or more, teach the Dharma in many different tcrms for those deluded beings in

accordancc with their inclinations and wishes. Whilc their delusions are boundless,

his wisdom and cloqucncc are also inexhaustible. A bodhisattva who has acquired

thc store of wisdom for the deluded can, in this manner, cxpound the Dharma

skillfully and without making distinctions. In order to eliminate the twer.rty-one

thousand deluded actions and other wrong actions, in all eighty-four thousand, a

Bodhisattva tcaches hundreds ofthousands ofdoctr ines. This is the explanation of

the Bodhisattva's store of wisdom lbr the deluded."Now, Lightning Attainment, what is mcant by a great Bodhisattva's store

of wisdom for thosc afflictc,d cqually by all three defilements? As ar-r illustration,

consider a clean, crystal-clear n-rirror with four facets. When placed at the crossing

of two thoroughfares, it gives a true image of everything around it, but it does not

think of itself as being able to produce these images, which are naturally reflected

on it when it is well polished. In the same way, when a Bodhisattva has polished

the mirror of the dharmadhatu, he abides in effortless samidhi and teaches hun-

dreds of thousands of doctrines in accordance with thc different mentalities of

sentient bcings, so that they may gain a thorough understanding ofthcsc doctr ines

and attain liberation. Howcver, he does not conceivc any notions of Dharmas or

scntient beings. Why is this? Because the Bodhisattva has insight into the nature of

the dharmadhitu. He knows the real situation of senticnt bcings who are prone to

the four defiled states, and teaches them the Dharma according to their inclina-

tions. Yet, in accordance with reality, he vicws dharmas and sentient bcings

nondualistically-he clearly sees that there are no differences among them."Lightning Attainment, just as one sees in space no dist inguishable character-

ist ics or constructions, so a Bodhisattva who observes the dharmadhatu well real-

izes that all dharmas arc one. Due to the power of his past vows, he can explain the

Dharma in many ways according to sentient beings' propcnsitics, while he makes

no distinctions in the dharmadhitu.

THE INrxnausrrsn SronEs or Wrsool.r 157

"Lightning Artainment, a Bodhisartva has a clear insight into al l the rwenry-one thousand actions of those afflicted equaliy b1' all three defilements, as well asother wrong actions, in al l eighty-four thousand. He can teach the Dharma indif ferent ways by means of his effort less wisdom, just as a good physician canmake a Propcr diagnosis and administer the r ight medicine tbr the disease. This iswhat is meant by a great Bodhisattva's storc of wisdom for those aff l ictcd equallvby all three defilements.

"Once a Bodhisattva has acquircd this store of wisdom, he can, for a kalpaor more, skillfully teach the Dharma to sentient beings in difterent terms accordingto their aspirat ions. Just as sentient beings' wrong actions are boundless, so are aBodhisattva's wisdom and eloquence. A Bodhisattva who has acquired the store ofwisdom lor those alflicted equally by all three defilements can, in this manner,skillfully teach nondifferentiation of rhc narure of the dharmadhatu.

"Furthermore, Lightning Attainment, whcn a Bodhisattva achieves such wis-dom, he will thoroughly know the inclinations and wishes of sentierlt beings.when he sees sentiellt beings full of lust, he may, to subdue and curc ther', appearas an ordinary person afflicted with dcsires and possessing a wife, children, prop-r-:rty, and ncccssities of life, but he will rernain as undefiled as a lotus flower.Sonrc scntient beings who are deluded and lack wisdorn cannot undcrstand such al lodhisattva's ingcnuity, and think, 'How can a wisc rnan be so greedy to fulf i ldesires that he is i 'dist inguishablc l iom an ordinary pcrson?' Thus they considerthat tsodhisactva to be apart From lthe pursuit ofl enlightenment. Becausc theirminds are impure, they becornc a'gry with the tsodhisattva and do nor rcspecrhim or believe in hi'r. l)uc ro this karma, they will fall to the great hells afterdeath. Howevcr, thcy will bc sccretly co'verred by that Bodhisattva, and theywithout fai l wi l l rcal ize the equali ty lof dharmas] aftcr the retr ibution for theirmisdeeds is con.rpleted.

"For example, Lightning Attainment, just as a ragirrg f ire can burn up al l thctrecs and grasses fcd into i t , turning them al l into f ire, so thc Bodhisattva's ragingwisdorn-firc can turn the lust, angcr, and dclusion of all the sentient beings hcencounters into wisdom whether they arc good or evi l .1') This is cal led the unrquequali ty of a l lodhisattva.

"As a further i l lustrat io' , consider Mount Sumeru, which has uniquc attr i-butes. Each of i ts four sides is made of a dif ferent ki 'd of jewcl, and sc't ier-rtbcings-whcthcr they are blue, yel low, rcd, or whitc-al l assume the color of lapislazul i when they draw ncar rhe sidc made of lapis lazul i , thc color of gold whenthey draw 'car the sidc ofgold, a'd the color ofsi lvcr or crystal rvhcn they drawncar those sides. In the sam.^ way, i f a Bodhisattva has this unique quali ty, thensentient beings-whcther they are lustful, angry, or deluded; whether thcy aregood or evi l wi l l al l acquire the wisdom of the -tsodhisattva when thcy assocratewith him. Some of thcsc beings, because of thcir impurc minds and evi l decds,rnay fal l to the hel ls, to the rcalnr of hungry ghosts, to thc realm of animals,or to the realm of Yana, yct after the retribution for their rnisdeeds is completed.

158 Olr EuprrNrss

thev u'ill attain supreme enlightenment without fail, by virtue of the Bodhisattva's

unique merits and the power of his vows. . ."Lightning Attainment, just as of ai l mountains Mount Sumeru is the high-

est. so of al l kinds of wisdom the Tathigata's is supreme. Just as of al l bodies of

\1'ater the sea is the deepest, so of al l kinds of wisdom, the Tathagata's is the most

proiound. Just as of al l monarchs the universal monarch is the most honored, so of

al l kinds of wisdom the Tathlgata's is the highest."Lightning Attainment, because the Tathigata has achicvcd this kind of

wisdom, he can thoroughly understand thc lust, hatred, and dclusion of sentient

beings and every shift in their minds; he comprehends all these in an instant."Lightning Attainment, the Tathagata, who has achieved al l-knowing wis-

dom, resembles a man who has clear sight: just as such a man can effortlessly see

with unquestionable clari ty a mangc,Ir held in his hand, so thc Tathagata can see the

mental activities of all bcings and givc appropriatc discourses on the Dharma to

assemblies."In the immeasurable, countless tsuddha-lands, there are sentient beings who

are prone to lust, who are inflamed with and pertrubed by lust, who waste their

timc day and night thinking of mcthods to gratify thcir lust, and who create

differcnt bodily and verbal karmas because of burning lust. All this the Tathagata

knows and sees."There arc scnticnt bcings who are smothered with anger and hatred, who

bear grudges against one anothcr, and who will fall to the Uninterrupted Hell

because of their malice. Al l this the Tathigata knows and sees."'I'here are sentient beings who are prone to delusion, who are shrouded in

ignorance, confused, obdurate, and who delight in following wrong views. All

this the Tathlgata knows and sees."Sorne sent ie t r t be ings . l re con lpe ten t , some incompeter ) t i some advance,

some regress; some havc cult ivated good roots for thc Tathigata-ve hicle, l2 somc for

the Srivaka-vehicle, sone for the Pratyekabuddha-vehicle. All this the Tathigata

knows and sees.

"Because the Tath-gata has achieved this kind of wisdom, he is able to know

the different mentalities of sentient beings in an assembly. When it is untimely to

preach, he will remain silent and merely think: 'These sentient beings are confused

about dharmas and cannot understand my teaching r ight now.'"Because the Tathigata is cquipped with supreme power and a ski l l ful sense

of t iming, he thoroughly knows who can be subdued, who has high aspirat ions.

rvho is endowed with patience, ar-rd who can accept admonitions. Knowing this,

hc wins people over to the Dharma accordingly, and benefits them."When a Bodhisattva sees lustful beings, he should think, ' l t is my fault that

they are so inf lamcd with desirc. 'When he sees sentient beings inf lamed with

anqer or fbolish delusions, he should also think 'This is my fault. Why? It is my

dutv to find medicinc and ways to hcal sick scntient beings when I see them. I

von'cd to rclieve them from their discases, but now [they are still sickl. I must

have lbrsaken them, so I am to blame.'

Ttm lNrxneustrnn Sronrs or WIsoou 159

"[Lightning Attainment,] if a Bodhisatrva achieves such a mental state,reflecting on his own faults and feeling great kindness toward sentient beings, hewill never take revenge on his offenders even if they dismember his body. Light-ning Attainment, if a Bodhisattva thus engages in right practice, his past unwhole-some karmas will be eradicated completely, and no evil rvill arise in him in thefuture.

"Lightning Attainment, numberless, incalculable kalpas ago, before the eraof Diparhkara Buddha, there was a Buddha named Tathtgara Born victorious, theworthy one, the supremely Enlightened one, the one perfect in Learning andconduct, the well-Gone one, the world-Knower, rhe (Jnexcelled one, the GreatTamer, the Teacher of Gods and Humans, the Buddha, the world-Honored one.He was born in a world named Brilliant Light, and lived in a foresr near the capitalcity Secure Pcace.

"At that timc, there was a ferocious, bloodthirsty, irritable, merciless butch-er named Horrible, whose hands were always smeared with blood, making afcarful sight. once he entercd his house to kill a cow tied there. The cow, seernghim, becamc frightened and dashed out roward the forest where Tathagata Bornvictorious lived, draggi'g thc ropes with it. while the butcher, knife in hand,was chasing it, the cow panickcd and fell into a deep pit. Knowing death was near,it moa'ed and bellowed in agony. At the sight of the cow, the butcher flew rnto arage, and immediately jumped into the pit ro kill the cow with the knife.

'Just at that time, Tathagata Bor' Victorious, surrounded by a huge as_sembly of numberless hundreds of thousands of devotees, was cxpounding thedoctrinc of dependent origination in detail, as follows:

" 'on ig'orarrce depcnd actions; on actio's depends consciousness, on con-sciousness dcpend name a.d form; on name and form dcpend thc six sense-organs;on the six sense-organs depends contact; on contact depends feeling; on feelingdcpcnds craving; on craving depends grasping; o'grasping depends becomrng; onbecoming depends birth; o. birth depend old age, death, worry, sorrow, misery,and distress. Every link of dependent origination is only a great mass of suffbring.

"'The adjoining links of the circle, in order from ignorance and acrions, tobirth, old age, and death, and also in reverse order, do not think ofeach orher, norare they a'.vare of each other. All these things arc inapprehensible by nature; theyhave'o activi t ics, no thought, no "I," and no "mine." Each l ink is pure in i ts basicnature and does not know the othcrs. Yet ordinary people, being ignorant of thisdoctrine, insist that form is the self, that thc self has all kinds of form. and thatform belongs to the self; and they hold the same view about feeling, conception,impulse, and consciousness.

" 'Because they cl ing to thc "r" and "mine," thcy give r ise to the four wrongviews-they take impcrmanence for permanence, suffering for joy, impurities forpurities, and egolessness for ego.

"'Becausc of their wrong views, they are confused by ignorance and fail tothink correctly; they allow their minds to be defiled and cannot break through thedefilements; they are fcttered by their craving for existence, and thus continually

160 ON Enprrxrss

circlc in sarirsira. The wise, because they havc dccp insight into al l phcnomcna,

scc no sL-l t- . no others, no sentient beings, no l i fc, birth, old agc, i l lncss, or dcath.

Thc'r ' do not see any bondage or ki l l ing. '' 'Liqhtning Attainment, when the butcher Horrible heard the voice of the

Tathaqata teaching the Dharma from a distance, he r.vas suddenly enl ightened, and

hrs intcntion to ki l l ceased at oncc. Casting asidc his knife , hc camc out of thc pit ,

\ \ 'cnr to the Buddha, and bowed with his head at the Buddha's feet. He withdrew,

stood to one side and said, 'World-Honored One, I u' ish to lcavc thc houschold

l i fc and seek the path through the tsuddha-Dharma.'

"Thc Buddha sa id , 'Very good l Welcome. monk, 'and the bu tcher im-

mediately became a ful ly ordaincd Sramana."Then Tathagata Born Victorious, knowing thc butchcr's mind was grad-

ual ly coming to maturi ty, extensively explained the practices of a Bodhisattva for

him. After hearing them, Horrible attained the Realization of the Nonarising of

Dharrnas and never afterwards regressed fronr the Buddha-Dharnra."As for thc cow, i t enjoycd hcaring the wonderful voice of the Tathagata

expourrding the doctrirre of deperrderrt origination. Consequently, after death it

was reborn in the Tusita Heaven, where i t saw Maitreya and attained r ight faith."Lightning Attainnrent, the activi t ies of sentient beings arc vcry compli-

catcd, subtlc, and difficr,rlt to recognize and understand. Thcrcfore, LightningAttainmcnt, a Bodhisattva in pursuit of supreme enlightenmcnt should try toknow thoroughly thc capacitics and actions of sentient beings. He should keep

an impartial and ur.robstructed mir.rd toward all beings, and be detached from

a l l d h a r m a s . . . ."Now, Lightrr irrg Attainmer-rt; what is a Bodhisattva's store of wisdom of

the Dharrna? It is this: thc Bodhisattva clearly sccs al l forms as thcy real ly are; heknows that they are uncreated from the beginning and purc in sclf-naturc. Bccauscthe Bodhisattva has a thorough understarrdir-rg of forms, hc can achieve the fourclements of unimpeded eloquence. What are the four? They are: the unhinderedunderstanding of meaning, the unhindered knowledge of dharmas, thc unhindereduse oflanguagc, and thc unhindered ability to discourse.

"The unhindered understanding of meaning is the perfcct undcrstanding ofthe meaning of all forms. What is the meaning of forms? It is the same as theult imate truth.13 What is the ult imate truth? It is the inapprehensibi l i ty of forms.Acquiring an understanding of this ultimate truth is called the unhindcrcd undcr-standing of meaning.

"The unhindcrcd knowledge of dharmas is thc thorough knowledge of allforms, which results from accurate observation of them.

"The unhindered use oflanguage is the ski l l ful usc of languagc in prcsentingforms in al l ways, with unobstructed wisdom.

"The unhindered ability to discoursc is the ability to reveal and discourseupon all forms to scnticnt bcings according to their propensities without beingattached or affected oneself. After achieving this understanding, the Bodhisattva

Tur INrxsausrrrLr Sronls or Wrsoov 161

can, with his cffort lcss wisdom, expound thc Dharma propcrly to al l thc deludedbeings who cl ing to forms. Hc does this in accordance vvrth their naturcs anddesires, while he himsclf has no dualist ic view of rhe dharmas. Fle can also explainthe Dharma in the sanrc way to those deludcd berngs rr 'ho are attached to sounds,scents, tastes. textures. and dharmas.

"Lightning Attainmcnt, this is what is meant bv a qrcat Bodhisattva's storeof wisdom of the Dharma. In order to subduc sentient beines de-luded by scnse-objccts, a Bodhisattva who has acquired this store of rvisdont can, for a kalpa ormore, use various terms to teach thc tv, 'elve entranccs ski l l tul lv in accordance withtheir wishes. While their [attachment to] thc twelve entranccs is rnf inite, his wis-dom is inexhaustible, because he never deviatcs from the nondual, undifferentiateddharrnadhatu, but always conforrns to i t . This is a Bodhisattva's ski l l tul erposir ionof thc nondifterentiat ion of al l dharmas.

"C)nce a Bodhisattva acquircs this storc of wisdom of the Dharma, he canteach the l)harn-ra to sentiel l t bcings properly, causing thcm to possess lul l i , theinexhaustible Dharma treasurcs and be free frorn thc povcrty of sarhsira fbrever.

"Lightrr ing Attainment, thcsc are a Bodhisattva-Mahisattva's f ive stores ofwisdom, which arc great stores of wisdorlr, inexhaustiblc storcs of wisdom, uni-versal ly irrexhaustible stores of wisciorn, and bor-rndless stores of wisdom. If a Bo-dhisattva acquires these f ivc stores and prclccts supreme virtues, he can attain su-preme enl ightenment quickly and witbout much effort."

Whcn this doctr ine of the stores of wisdom was explained, tsodhisattva Light-ning Attainmcnt achieved dhlrarlr , f ive hurrdrcd other Bodhisattvas achicvcd theLightning Samadhi, and thirty-six thousand gods brought forth suprenre bodhicit ta.

At that t imc, Bodhisattva Moon Banner said to the Buddha, "World-

Honorccl One, you have mentioncd cf lort less wisdom. What docs i t mean?"Thc l luddha said, "I f a Boclhisattva, incl incd in body and mind ro practice

wholcsorrrc dharmas, cl ings to onc thing aftcr another while pcrforming those

[dharrnas], that is cal led etTort. A Bodhisattva is said to possess effort less wisdon.ri f he can do the fol lowing: remain f lexiblc in body and mind; be free of thought;rely on nothing; manifest no sign of practice; makc al l kinds of manifestat ions inthousands of Imillions of-] billions of tsuddha-lands by mcans of the wisdom result-ing from the fulf l l lment of his past vows, whilc remaining unmovcd in thc dhar-madhatu; teach thc Dharma constantly without entertaining any notion of thcDharrna; employ thc four inducements to bring selltierlt beings to nraturity with-out thinking that therc are any beings to be libcratcd; bcautify and purify allBuddha-lands without regarding ar.ry Buddha-land as impurc;14 bc always mindfulof tsuddhas without seeing them as rhey physical ly appcar; and traverse al l tsud-clha-lands without moving in the dharmadhatu. By achieving such wisdom, aBodhisattva can satisfy al l thc wishcs of sentient bcings without being attached towhat he does." .

Then the World-Honorcd Onc told Bodhisattva Lightning Attainment, "TheTathagatas, the Worthy Ones, thc Supremely Enlightcncd Ones of the past re-

162 ON ErrlprrNEss

vealed and explaincd this doctrine here, and future Buddhas will also appear here

in the u'orld to expound this doctr ine. The present Buddhas, Tathagatas, in the

numberless, incalculable worlds are now shedding this great l ight to celebrate the

continurtv of this doctr ine."

Thereupon Venerable Ananda rose from his seat, bared his right shoulder,

knelt on his r ight knee, joined his palms, and asked the Buddha, "World-Honored

One, what shal l this sitra be named and how should we uphold i t?"

The Buddha told Ananda, "This sutra is named 'The Inexhaustible Stores of

Wisdom'or 'A D iscourse on the Nond i f fe ren t ia t ion o f A l l Dharmas. 'These are

the names by which you should uphold i t ."

When the Buddha had spoken this sutra, Bodhisattva Lightning Attainment,

Venerable Ananda, the four kinds of devotees, and all the gods, humans, asuras,

gandharvas, and other beings of the world were jubilant. They accepted the sutra

with faith and began to practice it with veneration.

NOTES

1. Alternate translations: "While remaining unmoved by dharmas," or "while remaln-

ing unaf fected in dharmadhi tu." 'Dharmadhi tu ' in th is chaptcr may somet imes be under-

stood simply as 'dharmas'. For example, "to make no distinctions in the dharmadhitu" may

be construed to mean "to make no distinctions among dhaimas."

2. Thcsc two l incs mey also bc t ranslatcd: "You reveal a l l paths as r ight or wrong / So

that all rnay attain ultimate peace and joy." The text is ambiguous.

3- The Great Vehicle, or Mah-ylna.

4. I .e- , a great Bodhrsat tva.

5. Although the text reads this way, it could be misleading. A Bodhisattva who

accomplishes all the tsuddha's merits will "enter" the nonabiding nirv-la *Eig# , which

means to abide neither in sarhsara nor nirvila. (G.C.)

6. The term we have translated as 'store of wisdom' literally means simply 'store' or'treasu'y'. Because the content of these treasuries is exactly wisdom, we have rendered the

term freely.

7. (ltalics mine) These two sentences seem to be Tantric in view, implying rhatakleia,

rendered as 'defilement' or 'passion', is not necessarily something to be eradicated, but

instcad to be identified with Buddha-nature. According to this view, it is possible for enlight-

enment and liberation to be attained by association with the kleias, rather than avoidance of

them. (G.C.)

8. We believe that these figures are not necessarily precise; they are simply meant to

convey numcrousness.

9. Anavatapta, literally 'No Burning Afflictions', is the name of a mythical lake

located in the center ofJambudvipa. The four rivers of which it is said to be the source are

the Ganges, Indus, Oxus, and Sita. The lake nray be the modern Manasarowar.

Tur INrxrtausrrsrs Sronrs or Wtsoou 163

10. A somewhat free translation.

1i . The or ig inal reads " f ive mangoes."

12. The Tathagata-vehicle and the Bodhisattva-vehicle are really the same; the vehicle

is called the Tathagata-vehicle when viewed in the aspect of fruit or achievement, and is

called the Bodhisattva-vehicle when viewed in the aspect of cause or practice.

13. Chinese H-*, l i tera l ly ' the f i rs t t ruth ' , is a synonvm ior f rB*# , ' t ranscendental

t ruth ' . The Tibetan text here also reads don-dam-pa ( 'u l t imate t ruth ' ) . (G.C.)

14. For example, the tsuddha-land in which we live, the Sahi World, is said to be an

irnpure one, subject to the five depravities.

10 k ykgmrrlffiFd€

The Prediction of MafljuSri's Attainmentof Buddhahood

I

Thus have I heard. Oncc thc Buddha was dwclling on Mount Grdhrakfita ncar the

city of R-jagrha. He was accompar.ried by one thousand great monks; eighty-four

thousand Bodhisattvas, led by the Bodhisattvas Maii ju5ri , Avalokitcivara, and

Mahasthama. . . .

At that time, in thc city of Rajagrha, the king, his ministers, the four kinds

of devotees, gods, dragons, yaksas, humans, nonhumans, and so forth offered

clothing, food and drink, bedding, medicine, and othcr ncccssitics of life to the

Tathigata with respect and esteem.()ne morning, the World-Honored Onc, drcsscd in his robc and holding his

bowl, walked toward the palacc of King Aj i ta5atru in the city of Ri jagrha, sur-

rounded by hundreds of thousands of monks and gods. By the awesome miracu-

lous pcwers of thc Buddha, hundrcds of thousands of l ights of various wonderful

colors shone forth; hundreds of thousarrds of musical instruments sounded to-

gether; and exquisite f lowers, such as blue iotuses, white lotuses, and giant white

lotuses, showcrcd down itr profusion. Then, by the awesome miraculous powers

of the Tathagata, precious lotuses, each as big as a cart wheel, sprang forth from

thc ground on which he walked. The stems of these lotuses werc silver, the leaves

were real gold, and the pist i ls were lapis lazul i . On each lotus seat was a magical ly

produced Bodhisattva sitting in the position of mcditation. Without rising from

Sutra 15, Taisho 3lt), pp. 336-350; translatcd into Chincsc by Siksananda.

MaNluSnr's Arr.qrNurNr or BuooHasooo 165

!|gtt : :rr t , these magical ly produced Bodhisattvas circled the city of Rejagrha

/dbven)t imes to the r ight and spoke [to the cit izcnsl in verse:

"The Worthy One of the Sakya Clan,Like a great merchant leader,

Benefi ts and gladdens scntient beings, and n-rakes them sccure.He has great, awesome virtue and a pcaceful mind:Upon him may mankind rely.

Now he wil l cntcr the city.

Those who dcsire freedom

From the sufferings of old age and death,Those who wish to enjoy heavenly palaces,And thosc who want to dcfeat the demon-hordes

Should kccp close to the wondcrfully eloquentLord of mankind.

Just to hear his namc is rare, and now he appears!He has cult ivated Ivirtuous] pracricesFor hundreds of thousands of kalpas,

And has appeared in the world out of great compassion.The Honorcd Onc will enter thc city.

Hc has practiced giving

Immeasurably, boundlessly;

Givirrg even his childrcn, wife, thronc,Hcad, cycs, L-ars, nosc, hands, and legs,Let alone clothing, food, and drink.Hc has cult ivated incalculable merits by givingAnd has realized uncxcelled all-knowirrg wisdonrBy giving, he has subdued his mind

And strengthencd his virtuous practices.

Greatest of men, he upholds pure discipl ineAnd has achieved ir-rnurnerable rncrits by patience.The ever-calm onc wil l enter thc city.

Hc has prac t iccd w i th suprenrc v igorFor mil l ions of kalpas:

Out of vast conccrn for suffcring sentient beings,FIe forgets al l weariness.

He has perfcctcd immeasurablc, peerless meditatron;The one with thc pure voice will enter the city.

His wisdom is immeasurable, unrivaled,And as l imit less as spacc,

166 ON EuprINrss

-\s is the discipl ine

Obscn'ed by the Supreme Honored One of humans.

He cult ivates al l [vir tuous] practices with pure r l ' isdom;

Hc can defeat demon-hordes and rescue scntietrt beings;

He can abide in the carefrec, immovable statc;

He, the unequaled Dharma king, turrrs the I)harn-ra-rvheel.

Thc Lion of the Sakya Clan wil l cr l ter the cit) ' .

Those who wish to become Buddhas,

And to appear in the world

Adorned with the thirty-tu'o signs,

Should cngender suprcme bodhicit ta

And make offerings to the Tathigata.

Those who wish to abandor-r

Desire, hatred, and ignorance forcver.

And bc free lrom all afflictrons

Should at once keep close to the Lion of thc Sik.va Clan

Arrd rnake all kinds of offerings to him

Those who wish to becomc Sakras or brahmas soon,

Attcnclcd by a ret inuc of thousands,

And to cnjoy ncver-ending amuscmcnts in heavenly palaces

Should keep close to the Lion of the Sikya Clan.

One who wishes to be a grcat univcrsal monarch

Rulirrg over the four contincnts,

Posscssing thc seveu treasurcs

f 'o his heart 's content,

And having a thousand bravc, robust sons,, Sl-rould n-rake of-ferings to thc Supreme Honorcd Onc.

Thosc who wish to bc clders or rulers of ci t ies,

With immense, even imrncasurable wealth,

And houschold nrembers unrivaled in beauty,

Should make oI-fcr ings to the Lion of thc Sakya Clan.

Because of hcaring thc Buddha's tcaching

On thc quiescelrt l )harnra,

IInr-run-rerablcl sentient beings havc achieved l iberatior-r,

And othcrs wil l do so in the future.

To meet thc Supremc Onc is an opportunity nlost rtrc,

So wc should hcar him teach the nectar- l ike Dharma,

Which can easc our worrics."

Afier hearing thcsc vcrscs, countless pcoplc in thc city of Rajagrha, malc and

fcrnalc, voung and old, al l became enl ightcncdl and went to [ the outskirts of the

MaiquSnr's Arrahrl4rNr or Buoosanooo t67

city to wclcome] the Tath-gata with incense, flowers, precious canopies, banners,and many musical instrumcnts. They paid homage to him with all their hearts,danced for joy [to see him], and respectful ly made offerings to him.

When the World-Honored One stepped on the threshold of the city, theearth quaked in six ways, exquisite flowers rained down from the sky, and musicallnstruments instantly sounded togerher. The blind regained thcir sight, the deafregained their hearing, the lunatics regained their sanity, the naked gained clothes,the hungry gained food, and the poor gained wcalth. [The cit izens] u,ere no longcroppressed and vexed by desire, hatred, ignorance, and arrogance; they , lvere askind to one another as a father is to his son. They spoke in verse to thc accom-paniment of music:

"Thc greatest man, who has thc ten powcrs,The Suprer-ne Onc among humans,The Lion of the Sakya Clan,Is cntering the capital cityIn ordcr to benefit scntient bcingsBy giving thcm peacc and happiness.

Now, the bl ind regain thcir sight,The cleaf regain their hcanng,The lu r ra r ics r r .ga in thc i r sar r i t y .The naked gain clothcs,

The hungry gain dcl icious food,And the poor gain wcalth.

In the sky, hunclrcds of rhousarrds of bi l l ions of godsPlay rnusical instruments as an offering to the tsuddha.' I 'hc

I Ionored One, endowed with virtues and the ten powers,Is enterirrg the city now

In thc city, the earth quakes in six ways-' l 'he

universal quake and so fbrthBut not a singlc scntient being is afraid;R.ather, al l of them are overjoyed.

Now thc sentient beings in thc cityAre not afflicted by desirc,Hatred, ignorancc, avarice, or jealousy;Thcir hearts are ful l of joy,And they arc kind to one another.

May thc tsuddha cnter the city quicklyTo give pcacc and happiness to scnticnt beings.

As thc World-Honored Onc entcrs the city,He cmits great l ighrs,

1 6 8 ON EupuNess

And hr-rmans and gods play musical instruments

\\ ' i th cheerful hearts.

\ l i raclcs l ikc this are varicd and innumcrable .

C'o. is. humans, and asuras al l rcvcrc thc Enliehtcncd One."

-\r that t ime, a Bodhisattva named Destrot 'rne Vice, the son of an elder, was-: ' . ' : : rq in Ralagrha. Standing in an al le1'. he sas' from a distance the World-Honorr-d One, who possessed the thirty-tr"-o u'ondcrlul, auspicious signs and thccrqhtv minor ones. The Buddha's face rvas handsonic, and his eyes clear and

bright. Al l his sense-organs were pcrfect ly calm. He \\ 'as an ever-plcasant sight tothosc who saw him. He abided in Samatha, holding hrnrsclf in perfect control. Heguarded and protccted his sense-organs like a u'ell-tamcd clcpharrt. His mindful-

ncss was correct and undisturbed, l ike a clear deep pool.r

Whcn hc saw thcsc characterist ics of the Tathigata, Bodhisattva DestroyingVice felt great respect for him and purc faith in him. Hc \\rent to the Buddha,bowed with his head at the tsuddha's feet, circumambulated him thrcc t imcs to theright, and then stood to onc side. At the same t ime, incalculable hundreds of

thousands of sentient beings gathcrcd around the Buddha. Gods without numbcrremained in midair, joining their palms and bowing down with veneration.

Thcn, Bodhisattva Dcstroying Vice askcd thc tsuddha, "World-Honored

One, how can a -Bodhisattvf, attain supreme errlightenment quickly and adorn andpurify a Buddha-larrd as he wishes?"

The World-Honorcd Onc, bccause of his wish to subduc sentient beings andhis compassior-r for Bodhisattva Destroying Vice, then walkcd to thc marketplaccand told him in the presence of the crowd, "Clood nran, if a Bodhisattva achievesone thing, he will attain suprcmc e-nlightenment quickly and adorn and purify aBuddha-land as he wishes. Good mar.r, what is that thirrg? It is to engender bodhi-

citta with superior aspiration in order to show great compassiorr for senticnt beings."What is i t to cngender bodhicit ta with superior aspirat ior-r? The answer is:

those who errgender bodhicit ta should not do any evi l , not even thc sl ightcst

amount-"What evils should they not do? Thcy should kccp far away from desire,

hatred, and ignorance. If they are lay pcoplc, thcy should maintain dignified de-portment and avoid flirtation. If they arc monks or nuns, they should not long for

fame, profit, or respect, but abide in the practice of those who have left the

household lifc."What is that practice? It is to comprehend all dharmas as they really are. . . .

By contemplating, for example, that the five aggregates are -:ill and empty, like

nonexistent i l lusions. When one comprehends them in this way, he does not

consider himself as comprehending anything, nor does he feel anything or think ofanything; al l discriminations arc cxt inguished in his mind. I f a person comprehends

the five aggregates in this way, he comprehends all things. This is thc practicc of

those who have left the household life.

Mar(t luSni 's ArrarNnlNr or Bulou.rHoctl 169

"Wherr a Bodhisattva cult ivates this practicc, he does not forsakc any sen-t ient bcing. Why? Becausc the tsodhisattva explains this L)harnra to scntient bcingsaccording to his own insight, without attachment to thc l)harnra hc explarns or tothc scntient bc' ings who hcar i t . Good man, a Bodhisattva u'ho ful l l l ls this wi l l bcable to attain suprcmc enl ightenmcnt quickly and to pcrlcct a Buddha-land."

Whcn this doctr ine was spokcn, Bodhisattva Desrrovinq Vice achievcd thcRealization of the Nonarising of Dharmas, danced u.i th 1or. and ascended in imidair to a height ofseven palm trees placed one above anothcr. In the asscnrbly,two thousand senticlrt bcings cngendered bodhicit ta, and iourrccn thousand godsand humans frecd thcmseives fron defi lements and acquircd the clcar L)harma-eye,capable of pcnctrat ing al l dharnras.

When thc World-Honored Onc and the monks arr ived at thc palace of KingAjatadatru, thcy arranged thcir scats and sat down in due order.

The king then personally offcred various kinds cf fbod and drrnk to thcWorld-Honored Onc and the n.ronks unti l hc had ful ly providcd for thcm. He alsooff-ered the f inest garnrents to the Tathegata. Thcn, in front of thc l luddha, he tookan inferior scat ancl askccl hirn, "World-l lonored One, what is the origin of hatrcd,anger, ar-rd vL-xation? How can dclusion and ignorance be el iminatcd?"

Thc Buddha repl icd to the king, "Hatrcd, anger, and vcxation arise from the' l ' and 'minc . 'Those who do no t know v i r tucs , fau l ts , and the ' I ' and 'mine 'have

uo wisdom. Those wl-ro truly know the ' l ' and 'minc' are beyond wisdom andl1ol1-wisdom. Your Majesty should know that al l phcnomcna comc from nowhereand go nowhere. I f they neither corne nor go, thcy ncithcr arise nor cease. I f theyrreither arise 11or ccasc, thcrc is neither wisdom nor non-wisdom. Why? I lecausethere is r lothing whatsocvcr which can know arising and nonarising. I f one cant ranscend ' t l - ra t wh ich knows, 'he is sa id to have t rue knowledge. "

Thcn, King AjataSatru said to the Buddha, "The World-Honorcd Onc ismost extraordinary! Thc teaching of the Tatl-r-gata, thc Worthy One, the Pcrfcct lyErrl ightened One, is nlost wonderful! Now I would rather die ir-r the course ofhcaring the Dharma explained than continue to l ive in vain!"

Having ir .rstructed and i l lurninatcd King Ajata5atru, and gladdened him, theWorld-Honored Onc rosc from his seat and returned to Mount Grdhrakhta. Thcre,thc WorlC-Honorcd Onc arranged his seat, washed his feet, arrd sat clown to enrersarnidhi.

Later in thc afternoon that day, the Tathigata cmcrgccl frorn his samidhi inorder to preach the l)harma, and the great Bodhisatrvas and Srivakas also emergedfron-r samidhi. At that time, ManjuSri, accompanied by fortv-tn'o thor.rsand godswho followt-d tl.re Bodhisattva-path; Bodhisattva Maitreya, accompanied by fivc Ithousand Bodhisattvas; Bodhisattva Lion of Thundering Voicc, accompanied by '

f ive hurrdred Bodhisattvas-al l thcsc Bodhisattvas, many Srlvakas. and King Aja-ta6atru, al l surrounded by thcir ret inues, arr ived at the Tathagata's dwell ing place.They bowed down with their hcads at the Buddha's feer, and then sat to one side.Also, innumerablc hundreds of thousands of other scnticnt beines went from

1 - r I EnpuNsss

Mount Grdhrakuta. When they arrived, they all bowed with theirBuddha'.s feet, and then sat to one side.

i i , . =t:h"r ro

: - : . : i : : t h ( -

I I

Then Bodhisattva Lion of Thundering Voice3 rose from his seat, barcd his rightshoulder, knelt on his r ight knee, joined his palms roward thc Buddha, and said,"Bodhisattva Manju5ri, the youthful Dharma Prince, is always praised by Bud-dhas, World-Honored Ones. When will he attain supreme cnlightenmcnt? Whatkind of Buddha-land will he acquire?"

The Buddha said, "Good man, you should ask Manjuirr yourself ."Thereupon, Bodhisattva Lion of Thundering Voice asked Bodhisattva Mafl-

ju5ri , "Virtuous One, whcn wil l you attain supreme enl ightenment?"Manju6ri answered, "Good man, instead of asking me whether I progress

toward enlightenment, why do you ask me when I shall attain it? Why do I askthis? Becausc I do not even progrcss toward enlightenment; how thcn can I attainit? "

Bodhisattva Lion of Thundcring Voice asked, "Manju6rr, Virtuous Onc, doyou not progress toward enlightcnment for thc bcnefit of sentient beings?"

Mafr1u5rr answered, "No. Why not? Because sentient bcings are inapprehen-sible. If there were senticnt beings, I would progress toward enlightcnment fortheir benefit. Since neither a scntient being, nor a life, nor a personal idcntityexists, I do not progress toward enlightcnmcnt, nor do I regress from it."

Bodhisattva Lion of Thundering Voice asked, "Manju6ri, Virtuous One, doyou progress toward the Buddha-Dharma?"

Manju6ri answered, "No, good man. All dharmas progress toward the Bud-dha-Dharma. Why? Because they are devoid of defilemenr, bondage, shape, orform. As thc Buddha abides in suchness, so do all dharmas.

"Good man, you asked me whether I progress toward the Buddha-Dharma.Now I am going to ask you some questions and you may answer as you like.What do you think? Does form seek cnlightenment? Or does the basic narure ofform, the thusness of form, the selGentity of form, the emptiness of form, theabsence of form, or the I)harma-nature of form seek enlightenment? Good man,what do you think? Does form, the basic nature of form, thc thusness of form, theself-entity of form, the emptiness of form, the absence of form, or the Dharma-nature of form attain enlightenment?"

Bodhisattva Lion of Thundering Voice answered, "No, Maiiju6ri. Formdoes not scek enlightenment, nor does thc basic nrture of form, the thusness ofform, the self-entity of form, the emptiness of form, the absencc of form, or theDharma-nature of form. Form does not attain enlightenmcnt, nor does the basicnature of form, the thusncss of form, the selGentity of form, thc emptiness ofform, the absence of form, or the Dharma-nature of form."

O N

MaNlu5ni's ArrarNrtarNr oF BUDDHAHooD 171

Manju6ri asked, "What do you think? Do fccling, conception, impulse, anci

consciousness [or any of the other categoricsl up to the Dharma-naturc of con-sciousness seek enlightenment? Do feeling, conception, impulse, and conscrousnessattain enlightenment? Or does the basic nature of feeling, or any of the other

[categories], up to the Dharma-nature of consciousness, artain enl ightenment?"

Bodhisattva Lion of Thundering Voice answered, "No, Manju6ri. None ofthem seeks enl ightenment and none of them attains enl ightenmcnt."

ManjuSri asked, "What do you think? Is there an ' l ' or 'mine' apart from thefive aggregates?"

Bodhisattva Lion o[Thundering Voice answered, "No."

Manju6ri said, "I t is so, i t is so, good man. Then, what else can seek andattain er-rlightenmellt?

Bodhisattva Lion of Thundering Voicc said, "Manju6ri, Virtuous One, [usu-allyl your words are sincerely believed by people, but now you say not to seekenlightenment, not to attain enlightenment. Novice Bodhisattvas will certainly befr ightened at such statements."

MairjuSri said, "Good rnan, there is nothing to be feared, nor is there fear inreality. It is fbr those who have no fear that thc Tathagata teaches the Dharma.However, thosc who fcar things will loathe them. Those who loathe things willrenourlce desire for them. Thosc who renounce desire for things will be liberated.Those who are liberated do not need enlightenment. Those who do not needenlightenment will not abide in anythir.rg. Those who do not abide in anything willnot €jo. Those who do not go will not come. Those who do not come will have nowishcs. Thosc who have no wishcs will not regress. Those who do not regress willregress. From what will they regress? They will regress from attachment to a self,a sentient bcing, a lifc, a personal identity, nihilism, eternalism, appearance, anddiscrimination. Those who regress from these will not regress. From what willthcy not regress? They will not regress from emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness,reality, or the Buddha-Dharma.

"\)Vhat is the tsuddha-Dharma? It is neither detachment nor arrachment. Itgrasps no object, enters nowhere, cmerges from nowhere, practices nothing, anddefies expression. It is a name only, empty and nonarising. It neither goes norcomcs. It is neither defiled nor pure; it is beyond stain and stainlessness. It isegoless and nondiscriminating; it is not composite or clinging. It is equality andnoncontradiction.

"Good man, the Buddha-Dharma is neither a dharma nor a nondharma.Why? tsecause the Buddha-Dharma arises from nowhere. If a novice Bodhisattvahears this statement and becomes frightencd, he will eventually attain enlighten-ment. Observing this, one may think, "I must first bring forth bodhicitta andabidc in [deep] realization; then I can attain Buddhahood. Otherwise, if I do notbring forth bodhicitta, I can ncver attain Buddhahood.'[However, actually oneshould not evenl harbor this kind of discrimination, because both bodhicirta andBuddhahood are inapprehensiblc. If they are inapprehensible, how can they beobserved? If they cannot be observed, the realization will not be possible. Why

172 ON EuprrNrss

not? Because without observation, real izat ion would have no [germinating] cause.a"Good man, what do you think? Can empty space attain enl ightenment?"

Bodhisattva Lion of Thundering Voice answered, "No."

\1ar1u6ri asked, "Good man, has the Tathagata rcalizcd that all dharmas are

the same as empty space?"

tsodhisattva Lion of Thundering Voice ansu'ered, "Yes, he has."

Manju5ri said, "Good man, enl ightenment is l ike empty space and empty

space is l ike enl ightcnmcnt. Enl ightcnment and empty space are neither two nor

different. If a Bodhisattva knows this equality, then therc will be neither' that

which he knows Iand seesl nor that which he does not know or see."

When this doctrine was spoken, fourteen thousand monks ended their defile-

ments and became mentally liberated; twelvc myriads of nonks were freed from

impurity and acquired the clear Dharma-eye which secs all dharmas; ninety-six

thousand sentient bcings engendered bodhicitta; and fifty-two thousand Bodhi-

sattvas achieved the Realization of the Nonarising of Dharmas.

Then, Bodhisattva Lion of Thundering Voice asked Manju6ri, "How long

ago did you engender bodhicit ta?"

Manju6n answered, "Stop! Good man, do not entertain any dclusive thought!

Irr regard to the Dharma, which does not arise, if a person says, 'l engender

bodhicit ta. I pcrform thc dccds of cnl ightcnmcnt, 'hc holds a vcry wrong view.

Good man, I do not see any mirrd which is engendered to seek enlightenment.

Because I see neither rnind nor enl ightenment, I engender nothing."

Bodhisattva Lion of Thundcring Voicc askcd, "Manju6ri, what do you mean

by 'seeing no mind'?"

Mafrju6ri answered, "Good man, 'seeing no mind' mcans cquali tJ ' ."

Bodhisattva Lion of Thundering Voice asked further, "Why do you say i t

mcans cquali ty?"

Manju6rr answered, "Good man, i t means equali ty because no nature of any

kir-rd exists and al l dharmas are oi one trrte. j The 'ode taste' means there rs rro

attachment, no contamination, no purity, no nihi l ism, no eternal ism, no arising,

no cessation, no grasping, no abandoning, no sclf , and no sensation. He who

explains the Dharma in this way does not consider himself to be explaining any-

thing, nor does he discriminatc anything. Good man, to practice Dharma [in the

spir i t of l this dharma of equali ty is cal led equali ty. Good man, i f a Bodhisattva

pcnctratcs such cquality, he does not see any realm, whether it is the realm of one

or the realm of many. He sees no equality in equality and no contradiction in

contradiction, because they are both originally pure by nature."

Then Bodhisattva Lion of Thundering Voice said to the Buddha, "World-

Honored One, Manju(r i wi l l not say how long ago he engendered bodhicit ta, but

everyone in the assembly is eager to hear i t . "

The Buddha said, "Good man, Manju5ri has achievcd the very profound

rcalization of truth. In the very profound realization of truth, neither enlighten-

nlent nor mind is to be found. Ilecause both are inappreherrsible, he does not say

Mafr tuSni 's ArrarNucNr or BuooseHooo 173

how long ago he engendered bodhicit ta. However, good man, now I am going to

tell you how long ago ManjuSri engendered bodhicitta."Good man, in thc past, as many kalpas ago as the incalculable sands of ,

seven hundred thousand Ganges Rivers and morc, a Buddha named Thund..o., , I

Voice Tathagata, the Worthy One, the Supremell ' Enl iehtcned One, appeared in

the world. At that t ime, in the east, seventy-two mvriads of Buddha-lands away

from here, there was a world named Nonarising, u'here Thunderous Voice Tath,-

gata taught the Dharma. There were eight bi l l ion four hundrcd mil l iorr myriads

of Sravakas there, and twice as many Bodhisattvas."Good man, at that t ime, there was a king named LJrr iversal Enfoldrng. He

was a universal monarch who possesscd al l thc sevcn treasures and ruled the four

continents in accordance with the True Dharma. For eighty-four thousand vears,he respectful ly offered wonderful clothing, food and drink, paiaces, torvers, par. i l -ions, scrvants, and scrvices to Thunderous Voice Tathigata and his Bodhisattvas

and Srlvakas. His emprcss, royal relat ives, maids of honor, princcs, and minisrers

did nothing but make offerings, and never tired of it, though they made offeringsfbr years.

"Afler that, thc king thought alonc in a quiet place, 'I have already accumu-latcd many grcat good roots, but I have not yet decided how I shall dedicate Ithem. Do I seek to be a 5akra, a brahma, a universal monarch,n a Srivaka, or aPratyekabuddha?'

"After he thought thus, the gods in thc air said to him, 'Your Majcsty, do ,rrot cngcndcr such a narrow, inferior aspirat ionl Why? Bccause, having gathered so j

r lrany blessings and virtues, Your Majesty should engender suprcmc bodhicit ta. ' i

"When King Univcrsal Enfolding heard those words, he was very glad and 1thought, 'From now on, I shal l most definitely not rcgrcss from bodhicit ta. Why?Bccausc gods know my mind and comc to remind me.'

"( lood man, therl the king, together with morc than cight bi l l ion myr-iads of othcr scnticnt beings, went to Thunderous Voice tsuddha. On arr ival, thcyal l prostrated themselves with their heads at the tsuddha's feet, made,'seven cir-cumambulations to his r ight, bowed rcspectful ly, and joined thcir palms towardthc Buddha. Then King Universal Enfolding spoke in verse:

'Now I shal l ask the Supreme One a question.May he answer i t for mel

How can one bccome a Supremely Honored One among humans?To thc Refuge of the world

I have made offerings for a long time,But, wavcring in mind, I did not knou'

How to dedicate rny rncrits.

[Alonc, I thought,]"I have cultivated great blessirlgs and virtues;

l7- l ON EuPrrNsss

How shall I dedicate them?

Do I seek to be a brahmi, a Sakra,

Or a universal monarch?

Do I seek to be a Srivaka

Or a Pratyekabuddha?"

When I thought in this way,

The gods in the air told me,

"Your Majesty, engender not

A narrow, inferior asPiration

As you dedicate Your merits!

For the sake of al l l iv ing beings,

Your Majcsty should make a great vow.

In ordcr to benefi t the world

Your Majesty should engender bodhicit ta."

Now I beg the Worid-Honored Onc,

Who has free command of dharmas,'I'o

tell me how to engender bodhicitta,

So that I shall attain IenlightcnmentlAs the Muni has.

Mly thc Honored Or-re among gods and humans

Lxplain this for n-re!'

"Thcn Thurrderous Voice Tathagata spokc to King Ur.r iversal Enfolding in

verse:

'Your Majesty, l isten attentivcly.

I am going to explain this to you point by pornt.

Al l dharmas result f iom causcs and condit ions

i And can accord with one's inclinations;

One can acquire the results one wishes.

Ll my past l ivcs, I also cngcndered bodhicit ta,

Wishing to benefit all sentient beings.

In accordancc with my wish and n-ry bodhicitta

Engcndered in the past,

I attaincd enlightcnnrcnt quickly

And never regressed from it .

Your Majesty should earnestly

Cult ivate al l lv ir tuousl deeds;

Thcn you will attain

The great, suprcrnc enl ightcnment of Buddhahood.

MaNyuSrr's ArrarNr'lnNr or Buoosanooo 175

"When King Universal Enfolding heard the Buddha's teaching, he rejoicedas he never had before. He made a great lion's roar in the presence of the as-sembly, speaking in verse:

'Now, in the prcsence of the entire assembly,I bring forth bodhicitta

For the sake ofal l sentient beings.

I vow to involve myself in sarhsira countless timesTo bring great boons to living beings

Until the end of the future.

I shall cultivate all thc Bodhisattva's deeds

To save living bcings from their sufferings.

From this moment on, if I brcak my vowAnd becomc grccdy, miserly, or resentful,I shall be deceiving the lluddhas in thc tcn directions-

From today until thc dayI attain enlightcnmcnt,I shall always folow the BuddhasIn cultivating pure conduct;

I shall observe the pure precepts

And commit no misdceds.

I shall not cherish the idea,

Of attainirrg Buddhahood in haste,

But unti l the end of thc future,I sha l l benet l t a l l l l v lng bcrngs .And adorn and purify incalculable,

Inconceivable tsuddha-lands.

My nanre shal l bc hcard

Throughout the worlds in the ten directions.

Now I prophcsy on my own behalf

That I shall without fail become a Buddha.Because my aspiration is supcrior and pure,I have no doubt of my achievement.

I shall purify my words, thoughts, and deedsAnd lct no tracc of evi l ar isc.In accordancc with this sincere vow,I shal l Ieventual ly] become a Buddha,An Honored Onc among human beings.

I / ( ) ON EuprlNrss

If my vow is truly sincere,

May the six kinds of quakes shake the great carth!I f my words are genuine and not false,

May musical instruments sound spontaneously in thc air!I am free of flattery or resentment;

If this is truc,

May f lowers of the coral trcc rain dorvn! '

"When King Universal Enfolding had spoken this versc, the six kinds ofquakes shook bi l l ions of Buddha-lands in the ten dircct ions, musical instrumentssounded in the air, and f lowers of the coral tree rained down, al l becausc HisMajesty's vow was sincere. At that t imc, two bi l l ion of the king's attendantsrejoiced in ecstasy. They said to themselves with dcl ight, 'We shal l arrain supremeenlightenment, ' and thus fol lowed the king's cxample by engendcring bodhicit ta."

The Uuddha said to the assembly, "Who was King Univcrsal Enfolding ofthat t ime? Hc was no othcr than Bodhisattva Manju5ri of today. h.r thc past, asmany kalpas ago as the incalculable sands ofscven hundrcd thousand Clanges Riversand more, he cngcndcrcd bodhicitta fcrr the first time. Then, after kalpas as nu-merous as the sands of sixty-four Gangcs Rivcrs, he achievcd thc Realization of theNonarising of Dharmas, attained al l the ten stages of a Bodhisattva, and acquiredthe ten powers of a Tathagata. Hc perGcted every Dharma of the tsuddha-stage,but he ncvcr thought: ' l shal l become a tsuddha!'

"Good man, thc two billion people of that tir.rre wl.ro attendcd on the kingand er.rgendered bodhicitta in thc presence of Thunderous Voice Ruddha were allpersuaded by ManjuSri to practice [the piramitas of l giving, discipl ine, patiencc,vigor, meditat ion, and wisdorn. Now they havc al l attained supreme enl ighten-nrcnt, turned the great Dharma-wheel, and, aflter finishing the Buddha-work, haveentercd parinirvdna. Manjudri has made offerings to all those Tathtgaras and pro-tected and upheld their Dharmas. Now only onc Buddha [of the two bi l l ion]remains, whose namc is Mount Earth-Holdcr. The world of that Buddha is namedEarth-Holder, and lies in the lower directiorr, as many Buddha-lands away fromhere as the number of thc sands of forty Ganges Rivers. There are countlessSravakas there. The life span of that Buddha, who is still alive, is immeasurable."

When Manjudri's past was related, sevcn thousand sentient beings in thc as-sembly engcndercd supreme bodhicitta.

III

Then Bodhisattva Lion of Thundering Voice asked Maiijuiri, "Virruous One,since you have attained the ten stages of a Bodhisattva, fully acquired the ten

MaNluSni 's Arr,ulr lrNr rtr Bur; lrr .rsoon 177

powers of a Tath-gata, and accomplishcd al l Buddha-l)harnras, why do you norattain supremc cnl ightenment?"

Maii jr ,rSri answered, "Good nran, no one real izcs enl ightcnment after he hasachicved perfect ion ir l al lT tsuddha-Dharmas. whr'? Because, i f one has achievedperfection in al l Buddha-Dharmas, he need not real ize anvthinq more."

Bodhisattva Lion of Thundering Voice asked, "Hos. can onc achievc perfec-t ion in al l Buddha-Dharmas?"

ManjuSri answcrcd, "To achicve perfcct ion in thc Buddha-l)harnras rs toachieve perfcct ion in suchness. To achieve pcrfcct ion in such'css is to achicveperfection in cmpty spacc. Thus, thc Buddha-Dharmas, suchness. and cnrptl , spaceare [al l ] one and the same. Good man, you ask, 'How can one achicr.c pcrfr 'ct ionin al l Buddha-l)harmas?' Just as a pcrson can achieve pertcct ion in tbrrn, fecl-ing, conception, impulse, and consciousness, so he can achieve pcrfcctron in al lBuddha-Dharmas. "8

Bodhisattva Lion of Thur-rdering Voice askcd, "What docs i t mcan to achicveperfecticln in form and other dharmas?"

Manju5ri askcd in turn, "(iood r.rran, whar do you think? Is the firrm you seepcrn lJncnt o r rmpcrnrar re r r t? "

tsodhisattva Lion of Thunderirrg Voice said, " l t is ncither."Manjudri asked, "Good man, i f sorncthing is neithcr permanent nor irnpcr-

manent, does i t increasc or decreasc?"Bodhisattva Lion of Thundering Voice answered, "No."

Mair ju(rr said, "Good man, i f you real ize that things do not incrcase ordccrcasc, you are said to achieve perfect ion in thcm. Why so? If you do notthoroughly understand things, you wil l makc discriminations among them. If youthor.r.rghly understand things, you wil l not rnake discriminations anong them. Ifthings are not discrimirrated, they d. 'ot increasc or decrease. I f they do 'otincrease or decrease, t l -rcy arc equal. Good ma', i f you see cquali ty i ' form, youachicve perf i 'ct ion in form. The same is true with fccl ing, corlccption, impulsc,consciousness, and al l othcr dharmas."

Therr, Bodhisattva Lion of Thundering Voice asked Manjuirr, "VirtuousOne, since you achieved thc Realization of the Nonarising of l)harmas, you havencvcr harbored a notion [ in your mind] of attaining supreme enl ightcnment. whvdo you now urge others to progrcss toward cnl ightenmer-rt?"

MaiSu6ri answered, " l real ly do not urgc any sentient beings to progresstoward cnl ightenment. v/hy? Becausc scntient bcings are nonexistent .rnd dcvoidof sclf l -cnt i ty. I f ser-rt ient bei 'gs were apprchensible, I would causc them ro pro-gress toward enlightcnment, but since they are inapprcl-rcnsible, I do not urgethem to do so. why? Becausc cnl ighte'menr a'd scnticnt bcings are equal andnot dif fbrent from each other. Equali ty cannot be sought by cquali ty. In equali ty,nothing originates. Therefore, I oftcn say that one should observe al l phenomcnaas coming from nowhere and goi'g nowhcrc, which is called equality, that is,

178 ON EupuNrss

r'mpliness. In emptiness, there is nothing to seek. Good man, you said, 'Since

.,. .u achreved the Realization of the Nonarising of Dharmas, you havc neverh,r lored a l tot ion [ in your mind] of attaining supreme enl ightenment. ' Good:. i ian. do vou see the mind? Do you rely on the mind ro attain enl ightenment?"

Bodhisattva Lion of Thundering Voice said, "No, Manju6ri. Why nor? Be-rause the mind, unl ike form, is invisible, and so is enl ightenment. They are arbi-trarv names only. The names 'mind' and 'enl ightenment' do not exist."

Mafrju6ri said, "Good man, there is an esoteric irnpl icat ion in your statementthat I have never harbored a notion [in m1, mind] of attaining enlightenment.Why? Because the mind has never comc into being. Since the mind has never comeinto being, what can i t apprehend or real ize?"

Bodhisattva Lion of Thundering Voicc asked, "What does i t mean to real izcequali ty?"

Manjuir i answered, "To be detached from al l dharmas is to real ize equali ty.The so-cal led real izat ion mcans the subtlc wisdom, which neither ariscs nor ceases,is identical with such.ess, and cannot be discriminated. I f a Dharma-cult ivatorwith r ight view comprehends the truth that in equali ty there is nothing to beattained, ar-rd does not attach himself either to multiplicity or to oneness, thcn hehas rcalized equality. If a person rcalizes that all dharmas are signless, comprehendsthat signless'ess is their sig', and does not cling to his body or mi'd, then he hasperltectly rcalizcd cqr.rality. "

Bodhisattva Lion of Thundcring Voice asked, "What is 'attainment'?"

ManjuSri answcrcd, " 'Attainment' is a conventional exprcssion. In fact, whatsaints attain is incxprcssible. why? Because the Dharma rests upon nothing and isbcyond spccch. Furthermore, good ma', to rcgard nonattainment as attainmcnt,and as ncither attainment nor nonemainnlenr, is cal led Ithe truc] attainment."e

Ther.r, Bodhisattva Lion of Thundcring Voice said to the Buddha, "World-Honored Onc, may you tcll us about the Buddha-land which ManiuSri willachicve!"

' fhe tsuddha said, "Good man, you should ask Manjuir i , yourself ."

At this, Bodhisattva Liorr of Thundering Voicc asked Manju3rr, "VirtuousOne, what kind of mcrits and adornments will vou achieve for vour Buddha-land?"

Maii ju6ri , said, "Good man, i f I sought enl ightcnment, you could ask mewhat kind of Buddha-land I shal l achicvc."

lJodhisattva Lion of Thundering Voicc asked, "Virtuous One, do you notseek cnlightenment?"

Manju6ri answcred, "I do not. Why so? If onc seeks anything, he is taintedand attached. I fone is tainted, he has craving. I fonc has craving, he takes birth. I fone takcs birth, he has lmorel craving. I f one has craving, he wil l never behberated.

' l 'herefore, good man, I do not seek enl ightenment. Why not? Because

cnliqhtenment is unattainable. Because i t is unattainable, I do not seek i t . Goodman, ) 'ou asked me what kind of Buddha-land I shal l achieve, but I cannot tel l

MaNtuSni 's ArrarNunNr or Buoosasooo 179

you. Why not? Because i f a Bodhisattva spcaks of the merits and magnif icence of

his future Buddha-land in the presence of the Tathagata, the All-Knowing One, he

is p ra is ing h is own v i r tuc . "

The Buddha told Manju6ri, "You may tell them bv rvhat kind of vows you

wil l adorn your Buddha-land, so that the Bodhisattvas hearing those vows wil l

resolve to fulfil them also."

Thus instructed by the Tathagata, Manju5ri rose from his seat, bared his

right shoulder, knelt on his r ight knee, joined his palms, and said to the Buddha,

"World-Honorcd One, now, by the miraculous powers vested in me by the Bud-

dha, I am going to speak of my vows. Those who wish to seek great enl ighten-

ment should listcn attentively, study them according to the truth, and fulfill them

after hearing them set forth."

When Manju5rr knelt on his right knee, the six kinds of quakes shook Bud-

dha-lands as innumerable as the sands of the Ganges in each of the ten dircct ions.

Manju5ri addressed the Buddha, saying, "Hundreds of thousands of [mil-l ions of l bi l l ions of myriads of kalpas ago, I vowed: ' l f al l the Ifuturel Tathlgataslo

in countless Buddha-lands in the ten directions, whom I see with my unhindered

dcva-cyc, are not persuaded by me to engender bodhicitta or taught by me to

cultivate giving, discipline, patience, vigor, meditation, and wisdom and to attain

suprcrnc enlightenment, I shall not attain bodhi. Only after the fulfillment of this

vow shall I attain supreme enl ightenment." '

At that t i rne, thc Rodhisattvas in thc asscmbly al l thought, "How many

Tathigatas can Maii ju5ri sec with his unhindered deva-eyc?"

Knowing what al l those Bodhisattvas thought, the World-Honored One said

to Boclhisattva Lion of Thunderring Voice, "Good rnan, suppose this billion-world

universc wcrc brokcn into t iny dust-motes. What do you think? Could the number

of thcsc dust-motes be known through courlt ing?"

Bodhisattva Lion of Thunderine Voice answered. "No. World-Honored

One. "

The .Buddha said, "Good man, MaiijuSri with his unhindcrcd dcva-cyc sees

more Buddhas in thc cast than the number of such dust-motes. The same is true in

the south, in the west, in the north, in each of thc four intermediate directions, in

the zenith and in thc nadir."

Manju6ri then said to the Buddha, "Furthermore, World-Honored One, I

have vowed to combine the worlds of Buddhas as innumerable as the sands of the

Ganges into a single Buddha-land and to adorn i t with incalculable, intermingled,

exquisite jewels. I f I cannot do this, I shal l never attain supreme enl ightenment."Furthermore, World-Honored One, I have vowed to cause my land to have

a bodhi-tree as big as ten bi l l ion-world universes; that tree wil l shed a l ight al l over

my Buddha-land.11"Furthcrmorc, World-Honored One, I have vowed not to rise from my seat

undcr thc bodhi-trcc from the time I sit down upon the seat until I attain supreme

enlightenment and enter nirvlna, [and during that time] to teach the Dharma by

180 Ou EuprINrss

magical lv produced bodies to sentient beings in incalculable, numberlcss Buddha-

lands in the ten direct ions."Furthermore, 'World-Honored

One, I have vowed to cause my land to lack

rhe name'woman,'and to be inhabited by numerous Bodhisattvas who arc frcc

trom the filth of afflictions, who cultivate pure conduct, and who are sponta-

neously born dressed in monastic robes and seated with crossed legs. I have vowed

to cause my land tol have no Sravakas or Pratyekabuddhas, even in name, excepr

those magical ly produced by the Tath-gata to explain the doctr ines of the three

vehicles to sentient beings [of other Buddha-lands] in the ten direct ions."

Then, tsodhisattva Lion of Thundering Voice asked the Buddha, "World-

Honored One, what will be Manju5ri's name when he becomes a Buddha?"

The Buddha answered, "Good man, when Manju6ri becomes a tsuddha, he

will bc namcd lJniversal Sight. Why? Bccause that Tathegata will make himself

visible to al l the sentient beings in innumerable hundreds of thousands of bi l l ions

of myriads of Buddha-lands in thc tcn dircctions. The sentient beings who see that

tsuddha will certainly attain supreme enlightenment. Although [the future] Uni-

versal Sight Tathtgata has not yet become a Buddha, al l those who hear his name

mentioned, either when I still live in the world or after I enter parinirv-na, willalso attain supreme enlightenment without fail, except those who have already

attained thc stagc of nonrcbirthl2 and those who have a narrow, ir-rferior aspiration. "

Mairju5ri said to the Buddha, "Furthermore, World-Honorcd Onc, I have

vowed that, just as the inhabitants of Amittbha Buddha's land have joy in thc

Dharma fbr food, in my land the Bodhisattvas will all have in their right hands a

bowl full of delicacies as soon as they think of food. After a momerlt, they willthirrk, 'Under no circumstances will I eat any of this myself before I have offered itto the Buddl-ras in the ten directions arrd given it to poor, suffbring sentient beings,such as hungry ghosts, unti l thcy arc satiatcd. 'After thinking this, they wil l obtain

the five miraculous powers, enabling them to fly in space without hindrance; and

then will go to offer the delicacies to thc Buddhas, Tathagatas. and Srivakas in

numberless Buddha-larrds in the ten directions. The Bodhisattvas from my land

will give the food to all the poor, distressed scntient bcings in all those Buddha-

lands and will cxplain thc Dharma to them so as to frec thcm from the thirst ofdesirc. It will take the Bodhisattvas only an instant to accomplish all this and come

back to their own land."Furthermore, World-Honored One, I have vowed that when they are just

born, all the tsodhisattvas in my land will obtain at will in their hands whateverkinds of precious clothes they need, clean ar-rd fit for Srananas. Thcn thcy willthink, 'l shall not use these myself until I have offered them to the Buddhas in thcten direct ions. 'Thereupon, they wil l go to offer their precious clothes to thcBuddhas of countless Buddha-lands in the ten dircctions and thcn return to theirown land, all in a moment. Orrly after this will they enjoy thc clothing themselves.

"Furthermore, World-Horrored One, I have vowed that thc Bodhisattvas rn

MaN;uSni 's ArrarNlarNt or BuooHauooo 181

my land will offer their wealth, treasures, and necessitres of life to Buddhas anC

Srivakasl3 before they themselves enjoy them."Furthermore, I have vowed that] my land u-ill be frce lrom the eight

adversit ics, unwholesome dharmas, wrongdoing and prohibrt ion, pain, annoyance,

and unhappiness."

Then, Bodhisattva Lion of Thundering Voice asked the Buddha, "What wil l

that Buddha-land be named?"

The tsuddha answered, "That Buddha-land u' i l l bc namcd Wish-Fulf i l l ing

Accumulation of Perfect Purity."

Bodhisattva Lion of Thundering Voice asked, " ln u'hat direct ion u. i l l that

Buddha-land be located?"

Thc Buddha answered. "In the south. The Saha World rvi l l also be contained

in i t . "

ManjuSri continued speaking to the Buddha, "Furtherrnorc, I havc vo\\ ' !-d

that my Buddha-land wil l be formed of incalculable amounts of wonderful jeu'els

and adorned with innumerablc, interlaced, exquisite pearls. These pearls rvill be

exceptionally rare and difficult to find in the tcn directions; their names will be so

numerous that no one could f inish rccounting them, cven in mil l ions of years. My

land wil l appear to be made of gold to the Bodhisattvas who wish i t to be made of

gold, and wil l appear to be made of si lvcr to the tsodhisattvas who wish i t to bc

rnadc of si lver, without affect ing i ts goldcn appcarancc to thosc who wish i t to be

made of gold. According to the Bodhisattvas'wishes, i t wi l l appear to be made of

crystal, lapis lazul i , agate, pearls, or any other treasure without affect ing i ts ap-

pearance to others. I t wi l l also appear to be n-rade of fragrant sandalwood, of

l-ragrant alocwood, of rcd sandalwood, or of any other kind of wood, al l according

ro rhe Bodh isa t tvas ' w ishes . l4"My land wil l not be i l luminated by thc bri l l iance of sur.rs, moons, pearls,

stars, fire, and so forth. All the Bodhisattvas there will illuminatc hundreds of

billions of myriads of -tsuddha-lands with their own lights. In my land, it will bc

daytime when f lowers open and night when f lowers closc, l t arrd thc scasons wil l

change according to the tsodhisattvas' wishes. There wil l be no cold, heat, old age,

i l lness, or death." l f they wish, Bodhisattvas in my land may go to any other land to

attain [suprt:mrc] eniightennent; they will attain it aftcr dcsccnding fronr thc

Tusita Heaven when their l ives come to an end there. No one in mv Buddha-

larrd wil l enter nirvana.l6"Though thcy wil l not appcar in thc sky, hundreds of thousands oi nrusical

instrunents wil l be hcard; their music wil l not be the sounds of areedl, desire, but

the sounds of the paramitas, _the. Buddha, the Dharma, the Sarhgha, and the doc-

trines of the llodhisattvaf canon. Tl.re Ilodhisattvas u'ill bc able to hear the

wondcrfui Dharrna in proport ion to thcir undcrstanding. I f thcy wish to scc

the tsuddha, they will see lJniversal Sight 'Iath5gata

sitting ur.rder the bodhi-

182 ON EuprINEss

rree as soon as they think of seeing him, wherever thcy are, whcther walking,

srrr ips. or standing. Bodhisattvas who have doubts about the Dharnra wil l

brc-ak rhe net of their doubts and comprehend the in'rport of thc Dharma at the

sieht oithat tsuddha, without receiving any explanation."

Then, in the assembly, incalculable hundreds of thousands of bi l l ions of

ntvriads of Bodhisattvas said in unison, "He v" 'ho hears the name of Universal

Sight Buddha wil l obtain excel lcnt benefi ts, let alonc those who arc born in his

land. I f a person has an opportunity to hcar the doctr ine of the Predict ion of

ManjuSri's Attainment of Buddhahood explained and thc I'rame of Maiiju6ri men-

t ioned, he is meeting al l Buddhas face to face."

Thc Buddha said to those Bodhisattvas, " l t is so, i t is so, just as you say.

Good men, suppose a person keeps in mind hundreds of thousalds of bi l l ions of

Buddhas' nanles. And suppose another person kccps in mind thc name of Bodhi-

sattva Mafrjuir i . Thc blcssings of the latter outnumber those of thc former, let

alone the blcssings of those who keep in mind the namc of Universal Sight Bud-

dha. Why? Becausc cven the bcnefi ts which hundreds of thousands of lmil l ions of l

bi l l ions of myriads of Buddhas givc to sentient bcings cannot conPare with those

which Mafr.1uSri givcs during onc kalpa."

Thcrcupon, in the assembly, innumerable hundrcds of thousands of bi l l ions

of myriads of gods, dragons, yaksas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, ma-

horagas, humans, nonhumans, and so forth said in unison, "We take refuge in the

youthful Bodhisattva Mafrjudri. Wc take refugc in (Jniversal Sight Tathigata, the'Worthy

Or.re, the Supremely Enlightened Onc."

After saying that, eight trillion four hundred billion myriads of senticnt

beirrgs enger-rdered suprcme bodhicitta. Incalculable numbers of sentient beings

brought their good roots to maturity and gained nonrcgression from the three

vehicles. l7

Manjudri again said to thc Buddha, "Furthermore, I have vowed to f i l I my

tsuddha-land with all the nrerits and magnificence of the lands of the hundrcds of

thousands of [rni l l ions of l bi l l ions of myriads of Buddhas, World-Honored Ones,

whom I have seen bcfore. Howevcr, my land will lack the two vehiclcs, the fivc

depravities, and so forth. World-Honored One, if I myself enunleratc the merits

and n-ragnificence of my Buddha-land, I cannot finish doing so evcn in kalpas as

innumerable as the sands of the Gangcs. Only the l luddha knows the scope of my" l l tv o w -

Ihc Buddha said, " l t is so, Maii juSri. The Tathagata can know and see

everything in the past, present, and futurc without limit or hindrar-rce."' Ihcn,

in the asscmbly, sone Bodhisattvas thought, "Wil l the mcrits and

magnificence of the tsuddha-land achieved by ManjuSri be equal to those of Ami-

tabha's Buddha-land?"

The World-Honored Onc, knowing these Bodhisattvas' thoughts, immc-

diately told Bodhisattva Lion of Thundering Voice, "Supposc a person spl i ts a hair

into one hundrcd parts and, with one part, takes a droplet of water from a vast

MafrruSni 's AttatNurNt or Buotsasooo 183

ocean. If he compares the droplet of water to the magnificence of Amitabha's

Buddha-land, and the remaining water of thb vast ocean to the magnificence of

Universal Sight Tathagata's land, the contrast wi l l st i l l not suff ice. Why? Because

the magnif icence of (Jniversal Sight Tathagata's land rs inconceivable."

Bodhisattva Lion of Thundering Voice asked the Buddha, "World-Honored

One, is there any Buddha-land as magnificent as that Buddha-land in the past,

present, or future?"

The Buddha answered, "There is one, good man. In the east, there is a

Buddha-land named Abiding in the Unexcelled Vow, which is so far away that to

get there one must pass worlds as innumerable as the sands of ten billion Ganges

Rivers. There is a Buddha there named King of (Jniversal, Eternal Light and

Meritorious Ocean. The life span of that Buddha is immeasurable and infinite.

He always teaches the Dharma to Bodhisattvas. Good man, the merits and mag-

nificence of that Buddha-land are exactly likc those of Universal Sight's Bud-

dha-land." . . .

Then, Bodhisattva Lion of Thundering Voice asked the Buddha, "World-

Honored One, when will Manjudri attain supreme enlightenment? How long will

that Buddha live; how many Bodhisattvas will he have?"

The Buddha answered, "Good rnan, you should ask Manju6ri yourself ."

At this, I lodhisattva Lion of Thundering Voice asked Manju5ri, "Virtuous

One, whcn wil l you attain supreme enl ightenment?"

Mafrju6ri answered, "Good man, if the realm of space could become a phys-

ical body, I could attain supreme enl ightenment. I f a magical ly produced person

could attain enlightenment, I could attain it. If an undefiled Arhat could be no

other than suprcmc cnlightenment, I could attain it. If a dream, an echo, a reflec-

tion, or a magically produced being could attain enlightennent, I could attain it. If

it could be daytime when the moon shines and nighttime when the sun shines, I

could attain supreme enlightenment. Good man, you should ask your question of

those who seek enl ightenment."

Rodhisattva Lion of Thunderi 'g Voice asked, "Virtuous One, do you not

seek enlightenment?"

Mafrlu6rr answered, "No. Why not? Because Manju6ri is no other than

errl ightenmcnt and vice versa. Why? Because 'Manju5ri ' is only an arbitrary name

ancl so is 'supreme enl ightenment. 'Furthermore, the name is nonexistent and

cannot act; thereforc, it is cmpty. Thc naturc of cmptiness is no other than

enlightenment. "

Then, thc Buddha askcd Bodhisattva Lion of Thundering Voice, "Have you

ever seen or heard the Sravakas and Bodhisattvas in the assembly of Amit lbha'f

athagata?"

Bodhisattva Lion of Thundering Voice answered, "Yes, I have."

The Buddha asked, "How many are there?"

Bodhisattva Lion of Thundering Voice answered, "Thcir number is in-

calculable and inconceivable. "

18-1 ON EnrprrNrss

Thc tsuddha said, "Good nlan, compare one kernel taken from a bushel of

l insc.-J trom t l-re kingdom of Magadha to the numbc-r of thc Sravak.rs and Bodhi-

srtrvas in Amit ibha Buddha's land, and compare thc kenrels remainirrg in the

br,rshel to the numbcr of thc Bodhisattvas in MailuSri 's asscmbly whcn hc attains

srlprenlc enlightcnment-even this contrast is ir"radcqr.r.rtc. r"

"Good man, i f one compares the number of thc t iny dust-motes in this

billion-r.vorld universe to the numbcr of kalpas for .,vhich lJr.rivcrsal Sight Tathi-qara '"vill live, one will find that thc formcr, even multiplicd by or.rc hundrcd thou-

sand bi l l ion, or by any amount, numcrical or f igurative, is st i l l lcss than thc lattcr.

You should know that thc l i fc span of Univcrsal Sight Tathlgata is incalculable

and l imit less."Suppose a person breaks a bi l l ion-r.vorld universe into t iny dust-motes, and

another person does the samc, and so on [up to ten persons]. Then one ofthem

takes al l the t iny dust-motes [from one bi l l ion-world universe] ar-rd goes toward

thc cast, dropping onc dust-motc aftcr hc passcs through woricls as numerous as al l

the dust-motes hc carr ies. After he passes again through the same number of worlds,

hc drops anothcr dust-motc. Hc docs so unti l hc has droppcd al l thc t iny dust-

rnotcs. Anothcr pcrson [of thc tcn] walks toward thc south [and does the same].

This corrt irrues unti l the same is done in the west, the north, each of the four

intermediate direct ions, the zenith, ancl the nacl ir . Good man, can anyone know

thc numbcr of thcscr worlcls that havc bccn thr.rs travcrscd?"l3odhisattva Lion of Thundering Voicc answcrcd, "No."

The tsuddha asked, "Good man, suppose thcsc tcn pcrsons break into t iny

dust-motes every world in the ten dircct ions that thcy pass through, u'hcthcr thcy

drop a dust-note there or not. What do you think? Can anyonc know thc numbcr

of thcsc dust-motcs through counting?"

Bodhisattva Lion of Thundcring Voicc answcrcd, "No, World-Honorcd

One. Anyone who tries to count them will become confused and will not be able

to know their numbcr."

Thc Buddha said, "Good rnan, al l Buddhas, Tathagatas, can know the num-

bcr of thosc t iny dust-motcs. Evcn a greater numbcr than this is knowable to the

Tathigatas. "

Then Bodhisattva Maitreya said to the Buddha, "World-Honored One, in

order to attain such great wisdom, Bodhisattvas should never give up the pursuit

of it even if they go through extremely grievous sufferings in vast hclls for in-

calculable bi l l ions of kalpas."

Thc Buddha said, "Maitrcya, i t is so, i t is so, just as you say. For who

rvould not dcsirc and cnjoy such grcat wisdom, except those who are lowly and

inferior and those who are lazy ar-rd lethargic?"

When this wisdom was explained, ten thousand sentient beings engendered

bodhicit ta.

Thcn thc Buddha said to Bodhisattva Lion of Thundcring Voicc, "Good

man, what do you think? Manju6ri will follow the Bodhisattva-path for kalpas as

MaNruSni 's Arr,t tNurNt or BuI>ott. t t tooo 185

numerous as the t iny dust-motes in the worlds in thc ten dircct ions whereir] those

ten persons pass. Why? Bccausc inconccivablc arc Marlr-r5ri 's qrcat vows, his dc-

termination and pursuits; so are his l i fc span and asscmblv oi Bodhisattvas aftcr hc

attains supreme enl ightenment."

Bodhisattva Lion of Thundering Voice said to the tsudclha, "World-Honored

One, Manju5ri 's aspirat ion is very great, and so are the practiccs he has cult ivated.

Never has hc wcaricd of thcm. cvcn for kaloas as nunlcrous as thc t inv dust-mores

mentioned before. "

Manju(r i said, " l t is so, i t is so, good man, just as vou sa\ ' . What do you

think? Does the realm of space conceive the idea that i t endurcs tbr davs, nights,

months, seasons, years, and kalpas?

-Bodhisattva Lion of Thundcring Voice answered, "No."

Manju6ri said, "I t is so, good man. Those who comprchcnd that al l clharr-nas

are [ in real i ty] equal to space have nor-rdiscriminating, subtle i .r ' isdonr and do not

th ink , ' l endure fo r days , n igh ts , months , seasor - rs , years , and ka lpas . 'Whr '? tse-

cause they have no thought of dharrnas. Good man, thc rcalm of spacc ncvcr

thinks that i t fccls t ircd or aff l icted. V/hy? Because, evcn after kalpas as innunrcr-

ablc as thc sands of the Gangcs clapsc, thc rcalm of spacc wil l not arisc, nor u' i l l i t

be consunred by trre ar-rd ruirred; i t is indestructible. Why? Because the realnr of

spacc docs not cxist. Therefore, good man, i f a tsodhisattva understands that no

dharrrra exists, he wil l have no burning aff l ict ions and no weariness. ( lood nran,

thc namc'spacc' is lrec from destruction by f ire. I t is devoid of burning af l l ict ions,

and leels no fat igue. l t does not movc or altcr. I t ncither ariscs nor ages. I t neither

comes nor goes . Thc samc is thc casc w i th 'Man juSr i . 'Why? Because a name ls

dcvoid of sclf-naturc. "

When this doctr inc was spoken, the four grcat dcva kings, Sakra, Brahma,gods ofnriesome virtue, and others al l said in unison, "Thc sentient bcings whohear this doctr ine explained wil l ccrtainly acquire good, great bcncfi ts, let alonethose who accept, practice, read, and rccitc i t . I t sl-rould be known that thc goodroots they achieve wil l be very extensivc and grcat. World-Honored One, wc shal l j

accept, practicc, rcad, rccitc, propagate, and circulate this profbund doctr ine, be-cause we want to protect and uphold i t ."

Thcn, tsodhisattva Lion of Thurrderirrg Voice asked the Buddha, "World-

Honored One, suppose a pcrson, after hearing this doctr inc cxplained, acceprs,practiccs, rcads, and rccitcs i t ; pon_ders upon i t ; and resolves to adorn a tsuddha-land with mcrits. What degree of blcssing wil l he acquire?"

The tsuddha answered, "Good man, the Tathagata sees nlanv Buddhas andtheir lands with his unhindered Buddha-eye. Supposc a Bodhisatn';r oifcrs to eachof these Tath-gatas wondcrful treasures enough to f l l l al l thesc Tatl-r igatas' landsunti l the end of the future, abides sccurcly in the pure preceprs, and treats al lscnticnt beings with impart ial i ty. Suppose another Bodhisattva acccpts, pracrices,reads, and recites the doctr ine of [Manju6ri 's] Adorning a Buddha-Land with Mcr-its, and vows to follow thc path Manju(rl has trodder-r, even for as little time as it

186 Orq -EuprrNrssr l l , \

takes to walk (seven isteps. The merits of the former, even mult ipl ied by onehundred, or by any amount, numerical or f igurative, wi l l st i l l be less than those of

rhe la t te r . "

Then Bodhisattva Maitreya asked the Buddha, "World-Honored One, whatshould we cal led this Dharma-door? How should we uphold i t?"

The Buddha answered, "This Dharma-door is cal led 'The Buddhas' Frec

Command of Miraculous Powers, ' or 'The Fulf i lmcnt of Vows,' or 'Maii ju6rr 's

Adorning a Buddha-Land with Merits, 'or 'GivingJoy to Bodhisattvas Who En-

gender Bodhicit ta, 'or 'The Predict ion of ManjuSri 's Attainment of Buddhahood.'

You should accept and uphold i t by these names."

In ordcr to makc offbrings to this doctrine, the Bodhisattvas who had comefrom the ten directions caused many flowers to rain down, and praised the Bud-

dha, saying, "The World-Honored One is most cxtraordinary! How fortunate we

arc to have such an cxccllcnt opportunity to hcar this inconceivable, magnificent

doctr ine explained by Manjuir i with a l ion's roar!" After utteri l rg these words,

they returned to their respective lands.

When this doctrine was spoken, Bodhisattvas as innumcrable as the sands of

thc Ganges gained nonregression and thc good roots of countless sentient beings

came to maturi ty.

Then Maii ju5ri i rnrnediately cntcrcd thc Samadhi of the Bodhisattva's Emit-

t ing Lights to Reveal Al i Dharmas as l l lusory. Aftcr hc cntcrcd the samadhi, hecauscd thc asscmbly to scc all the Tathagatas in all the incalculablc tsuddha-lands in

thc tcn dircctions, and a Maiju6ri relating the merits and magnificence of his

tsuddha-land in the presence of each Buddha. After the assembly had seen this,

they al l bel ieved the subl ime, €geat vows of Manju5n to be extraordinary.

Whcn thc Buddha had cxplaincd this sutra, thc Bodhisattvas, monks, nuns,

laymen, laywomen, gods, dragons, yaksas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras,

rnahoragas, humans, and nonhumans all rcjoiccd at thc Buddha's teaching, ac-

cepted it with faith, arrd began to practice it with veneration.

NOTES

1. ln what sense thcsc pcoplc becamc enl ightencd is not c lcar in thc tcxt . Docs'enlightenment' here mean the realization of emptincss or suchncss, or mcrcly a kind of

awakening to certain truths? Did these people all reach the same degree of enlightenment or

not? The text does not say. However, i t is rny opin ion that th is and the subsequent miracles

rn th is part of the sutra shoir ld be considered to be symbol ic (G C.)

2. ' I 'hc phrasc "His body was adorncd wi th the th i r ty- two auspic ious s igns," a l ready

statccl above- was omit ted here in our t ranslat ion.

MairtuSni 's ArrarNurNr on Buoonanool 187

3. L i teral ly , "L ion o[Dart ing Thunderbol t . "

4. Although this paragraph appears to contradict the preceding statements, they should

be understood to be on different levels. The previous statements describe the very nature of

the ultimate truth, which is beyond discrimination and observation. On the other hand, from

the point of view of Dharma practice, observation is necessarv to iurther one's realization at

certain stages. It is said that prior to full realization one must penetratingly observe the

emptiness of mind to rid oneself of subject-object dichotoml'.

This paragraph is extremely obscure. Three vers ions (Taisho 3l f ) , p. 345, by Siksa-

nanda; Taisho 318, p. 896, by Chu Fa Hu; Taisho 319, p. 912, bv Amogha) d i f fer widely in

their renderings of this paragraph. Alternate translation:

"Good man, the Buddhal)harma is nei ther a dharma nor a nondharma. Why? Be-

cause the Buddha-Dharma arises from nowhere. If novice Bodhisattvas are horrified at

hearing this statement, they will attain enlightenment quickly; if they discriminate, thinking,'Now I am going to at ta in enl ightenment, ' they wi l l engender bodhic i t ta, a in i at immediate

real izat ion, and at ta in enl ightenr.nent as a resul t . I f they do not engender bodhic i t ta, they rv i l l

nevcr attain cnlightcnmcnt. Without the above discrimination, enlightenment and bodhicitta

are both inapprehensible. What is inapprehensible is beyond discrimination. What is beyond

discrimirration has rrothing to do with imrlediate realization. Why? Because there is no object

of immcdiatc rcal izet ion. "

5. -4 nreans i i teral ly 'one taste ' or

'of the same taste ' . ln meaning i t connotes

s in rp l y ' t hc san rc ' , ' i d cn t i ca l ' , o r ' a t - onc -mcn t ' .

6. That is, to become a universal monarch again in his next life, as he was in that life.

7. L i teral ly , " is cornplete wi th."

8. That is, the aggregatcs arc by nature identical with Buddhahood.

9. Although this sentence is rather curnbersorne, we havc choscn to rcndcr it litcrally,

since it is philosophically important.

10. That is , those who are now ordinary scnt icnt bcings, wi l l bc Tathagatas in the

future.

11. Another possible rendering: "Furthermore, World-Hor.rored One, I have vowed to

cause rny land to have as many bodhi-trccs as thc worlds in ten billion-world universes; those

trccs wi l l shcd a l ight a l l ovcr my tsuddha- lancl . "

12. This sccms to denote Hrnayana Arhats who have cntered par in i rv lna.

13. This relers to Srivakas in other Buddha-lands. as there will be none in Universal

Sight Tathigata 's land.

i4. These statements suggest the mind-only doctr ine; i .e. , everyth ing in the exter ior

world is a ;rere projection or reflection of one's own mind.

15. This impl ies that the land wi l l be so br i l l iant ly i l luminated by thc Bodhisat tvas '

lights that the opening and closing of flowers will be the only indication of dav and night.

16. This is probably thc most important "adornment" of Mar i ju6r i 's future tsuddha-

land, showing how profound is his intention to save sentient beings before attaining supreme

enlightenment himself. (VSB.)

17. Ar. rother vers ion, Taisho 319, p. 915, reads: "gaincd nonrcgrcssion f rom supreme

bodhi . "

18. Here even the eioquenle of Bodhisattva Manju5ri cannot express the profound

wonders of his futr.rre Buddha-land.

19. In this sirtra, ManjuSri's land is described as incomparably superior in time, space,

1 8 8 Ou EuprrNsss

: : r ' : : i : . et . . . to other Buddha- lands, such as that of Amitabha. Onc should not regard th is to

i ' r : srnct comparat ive statement about two Buddha- lands, but instead as emphasizrng thej : r : : r - .crron between the pure land of Nirminakiya and pure land of Sarhbhogakaya. Mafr--:in s land is that of Sarhbhogakiya, which is eternal and infinite, and is a reflection of

3mptrnessr or the Dharmakaya. See Numerical Glossary, " three bodies of the Buddha."

III

On the Light of the Tathagata

H

The Manifestation of Lights'

11

I

Thus have I heard. Once the Buddha was dwelling on Mount Grdhrakuta near

Rajagrha, accompanied by five hundred great monks, all of whom had achieved

great fieedom; eighty myriad tsodhisattva-Mahlsattvas who were to reach llud-

dhahood in their next lives, headed by Bodhisattva Maitreya; and forty myriad

other great Bodhisattvas, headed by the Dharma Prince Maiiju6ri; and others.

At that time, Moonlight, a boy in the assembly, rose from his seat, bared his

right shoulder, knelt on his right knee, bowed down with his head at the Buddha's

feet, then joined his palms reverently and said to the Buddha, "World-Honored

One, what deeds did the Tath-gata perform to obtain thc Absolute Light;2 the

Embracing Light; the Creating Light; the Manifesting Light; the Multicolored

Light; the Single-Colored Light; the Narrow Light; the Wide Light; the Pure

Light; the (Jniversal Pure Light; the Undefiled Light; the Utterly Undefiled Light;

the Stainless Light; the Gradually Increasing Light; the Sparkling Pure Light; the

Very Sparl. l ing Pure Light; the Boundless Light; the Utterly Boundless Light; the

Immeasurable Light; the Utterly Immeasurable Light; the Infinite Light; the Ut-

terly Infinite Light; the Swift Light; the Very Swift Light; the Nonabiding Light;

the Light of No Abode; the Blazing Light; the Illuminating Light; the Light of

Dclight; the Light of Reaching the Other Shore; thc Unimpeded Light; the Im-

movable Light; the Straightforward Light; the Light of Abiding in the Infinite; the

Light of Color and Form; the Light of Various Colors and Forms; the Light of

Innumerable Colors and Forms; the Light of tslue, Yellow, Scarlet, and White; the

Red-Colored Light; the Crystalline Light; and the Light of the Color of Void

Sutra 11, Taisho 310, pp. 161195; translated into Chinese by Bodhiruci.

192 ON rnr Lrcnr or tse TarlrAcara

Space? Each of these l ights appcars mixed with a l ight of f ive colors, and each ofthe l ights of f ive colors-such as blue, yel low, red, white, and so forth-appearsmixed n' i th innumerable kinds of l ights of dif fcrent colors."

In reply, the World-Honored One spoke to Moonlight in verse:

"By inconccivable good karmas,

I have r id myse l f o f de lus ions

And havc achieved various l ights.

By al l kinds of [virtuous] practiccs,I abide sccurely in the Buddha's parh;By the wisdom of emptiness and nonaction,I emanatc intcrmingled l ights.

Empty, cgolcss, inactive,

And devoid of thought

Arc cxtcrnal things; and yet

Thcy can manifest different forms.

Errrpty, egoless. and inactivels t l rc body , and yc t

It can produce various sounds.

In the samc way, through the [wisdom of] nonactron,I can manifest innumcrable colored lights '

To satisly thc wishes of all sentier.rt beings.

Sometimes one light can producc two colors,Each radiat ing three [bcams]:Higher, r.niddle, and lowcr.

Sometimes one l ight can producc f ive colors,Each radiating three [bearns]:Highcr, middle, and lower;This results from pure karma.

Sometimes one light can produce six colors,

Each radiating three [beams]:Highcr, middle, and lower;

This results from ingenuity.. . . .

Sometimcs one light3 can produce fifty colors,Each radiating thrce [beams]:Higher, middle, and lower;This rcsults from dhyina.

Tsr MaNrrrsr.{rroN or Lrcsls

Sometimes onc l ight can produce sixn' colors,

Each radiat ing three Ibearns];Higher, middle, and lower;

This results from wisdonr.

Sometimes one l ight can produce a thousand colors,

Each radiating three [bcams]:Higher, middie, and lower;

This results from a thousand merits.

Sometimes one l ight can produce tcn thousand colors.

Each radiat ing three [beams]:Higher, middle, and lower;

This rcsults from the spir i tual provision of mcrits.

Lights of many kinds

Shine from my pores.

I will now tcll you

Thc diffcrcnt names of these lights.

I havc a l ight cal lcd The Clot idsa of Purc I l lumination;

It arises from the innumerable good rootsI havc accunru l ; t cd .

ln the past, w.|cn I saw scnlient beings ,

Afflicted with many kinds of disease,I gave thenr medicines out of pity

To rcstorc thcir hcalth,

And thereby I obtained that light.

Anothcr l ight, cal lcd Pure Eye,

I obtained by offering lamps to Buddhas.

Another l igh t , ca l led Purc Ear ,

I obtaincd by offcring nlusic to Buddhas.

Another l ight, cal led Pure Nose,

I obtained by offering perfumcs to Buddhas.

Another light, called Pure Tongue,

I obtained by offering delicacies to Buddhas.

Another l ight, cal led Pure Body,

I obtained by offering clothing to Br,rddhas.

Another light, called Pure Mir.rd,

I obrained by ever bel ievirrg

And del ighting in l luddhas.

193

194 ON rnr Lrcnr or rnr TarsAcara

Another light, called Pure Forms,

I obtained by making colored paint ings of Buddhas.

Another light, called Pure Sounds,

I obtained by constantly praising the Dharma.

Another light, called Pure Scents,

I obtained by continuously revering the Sarhgha.

Another l ight, cal led Pure Tastes,

I obtained by fulfilling sentient beings' needs.

Another light, called Pure Touch,

I obtained by offering perfumed ointments.

Another light, called Pure Phenomena,

I obtained by embracing all dharmas.

Another light, called Pure Earth,

I obtained by cleaning and swccping the groundFor the Buddha and the Sarhgha. . . .

Another light, called Pure Aggregates,

I obtained by offering my body to tsuddhas.

Another light, called Pure Elements,

I obtaincd by continuously cult ivat ing kindness.s

Anothcr light, called Pure Truth,

I obtaincd by ncvcr uttcring false words. . . .

Another l ight, cal led Revealing the Meaning of the Truth,

I obtaincd by comprehending emptiness.

Another light, called Understanding Women,

I obtaincd by rcmaining detached

From the female appearance.

Another light, called (Jnderstanding Men,

I obtained by remaining detached

From the male appearance.

Another light, called The Awesome Power of Vajra.

I obtained by having pure wisdom and pure karma.

Another light, called Unfolding Emptiness,

I obtaincd by revealing karmic results to the world.6

Another light, called Awakening to Reality,

I obtained by parting with wrong views.

THr MaNrrrsrArroN or LrcHrs 195

Another l ight, cal led Elucidating the Buddha's Words,

I obtained by piaising the dharmadhatu.T

Another light, called Free from Faults,

I obtained by praising superior understanding.

Another light, called (Jniversal lllumination of Adornments,

I obtained by praising the offering of lamps.

Another light, called Forsaking Affection,

I obtained by praising meditation and wisdom.

Anothcr light, callcd Parting with Habit,

I obtaincd by praising thc knowledge of past [states].

Another light, called Free from Attachment,

I obtained by praising the wisdom

Of the nonarising [of dharmas].

Another light, called Not Falling to Any Plane of Existence,

I obtained by praising the wisdom of nondefilement.

Another light, called The State of Renunciation,

I obtaincd by praising the knowledge of suffering.

Another light, called The Buddha's Miraculous Feats,

I obtained by praising miraculous powers.

Another light, called Transcending Play-Words,I obtained by praising all-knowing wisdom.

Another light, called Manifesting Forms,

I obtained by praising

The power to perform miracles.

Another light, called Delight in Spiritual Friends,

I obtained by praising the nature of enlightenment.

Anothcr l ight, cal led The Ult imate Exhaustion of the Eye,8

I obtained by praising nonexhaustion.

Another l ight, cal led Being,

I obtained by praising nonbeing.

Another light, called Indestructible,

I ob ta ined by pra is ing the na ture o fcessat ion .o

Another light, called Limitless,

I obtained by praising the unlimited.

196 Oru rnr Ltcsr oE tsr TarnAcara

Another light, called Formless,

I obtained by praising the unconditioned.

Another l ight, cal led Unvarying,

I obtained by praising nondifferentiation.

I have a light called Beyond Expression;

It can bring al l sentient beings to maturi ty.

I have a light called

The Basic Nature of Dharmas;

It can shake one million [Buddha-] lands.

I have a l ight cal led Subduing Dcmons;

Its awe-inspir ing power can terrorize demons.

I have a light called

The llanner of Blessing;

Onc who holds its name meets no dangers.

I have a light called Powerful Banner;

One who ho lds i t s r tanre

Suffers no bit tcr antagonism.

I have a light callcd Tranquil Banner;

One who holds i ts name has no dcsire.

I have a light called

The Banr.rer of Dhyina;

Onc who holds i ts narne performs no misdeeds.

I havc a light callcd

The Banner of Pure Discipline;

One who holds i ts namc breaks no precePts.

I havc a light callcd

Thc Banner of Wonderful Fragrance;

Onc who holds its r-rame

Is frec from filth and stench.

I havc a light called The Profound l)harma;

Onc who holds i ts name harbors no doubts.

I have a light called Nonabidirrg;

One who holds i ts name

Is not attachcd to any forn-r of existence.

I have a light called Free from I)iscrimination;

One who holds i ts name cl ings to nothing.

Tsr MaNrresrATroN or Lrcsrs

I have a l ight cal led Mount Sumeru:One who holds i ts name cannot be srr 'aved.

I have a l ight cal led Esoteric PracticclOne who holds i ts namc has no attachmL'nts.

I have a l ight cal led Acts of Liberationl

One who holds i ts name is frcc from bonds.

I have a l ight cal led Well Subdued;

One who holds i ts name

Becomcs gentle and tender.

I havc a l ight cal led Immovable;

One who holds i ts namcIs not defi led by desire.

I have a l ight cai lcd Wcll Discipl ined;

One who holds i ts name

Observcs thc prccepts pcrfectly.

I have a l ight cal lcd Al l Good Dccds;Onc who holcls i ts namc is defi led by norhing.

I have a l ight cal led Much l3encfi t ;

Onc who holds its name is free from fault.

I have a l ight cal led Supcrior Knowlcdge;Onc who holds i ts name is not bewildcrcd.

I have a light called

Sccking to Benefi t ISelf and Others];C)nc who holds i ts name harbors no hatred.

I have a light called Joyful Mind;Onc who holds i ts namc

Gains pcacc and happiness.

I have a l ight cal lcd No -Burning Desire;Onc who holds i ts name undcrstands emptir-rcss.

I have a l ight cal led Empty of Self-Enti ty;Onc who holds i ts namc

Transccnds all play-words')

I havc a l ight cal led Nor.rrel iance;

One who holds i ts name remains unshakable.

I have a l ight cal led Free from Pcrplexity;()ne who holds i ts namc does not vaci l late.

t97

198 ON rsE LIcnt or rns TarnAcara

I have a l ight cal led No Abodc;

One who holds its name is free from ignorance.

I have a l ight cal led Weary of the Body;

One who holds i ts name

Does not take rebirth.

I have a l ight cal led No GrasPing;

One who holds i ts name

Is not bound by writ ten words.

I have a l ight cal led No lgnorance;

Onc who holds i ts name

Is detached from spoken words.

I havc a l ight cal led Going Nowhere;

Onc who holds its nanle forsees the future.

I have light callcd Reaching all Limits

One who holds i ts name bcholds thc pastlo.

I have a l ight cal led Frcc from Stain;

One who holds its narnc

ls not etlveloPed in ciarkilcss.

I have a l ight cal lcd No Amorous Captivation;

Or-rc who holds its name is apart from reliance.

I have a l ight cal lcd The Most Honored One;

Onc who holds i ts name gains. uninlpeded wisdom

I havc a l ight cal led Swift ;

One who holds i ts name

Becomcs an accomplished monk.

I have a l ight cal lcd Symbolic;

Onc who holds i ts narnc

Con-rprehends the profor'rnd L)harma. I1

I have a l ight cal led Bcyond Symbols;()ne who holds i ts narne abandon, arrog"ttce.l2

I have a l ight cal lcd Nonarisir.rg;

One who holds i ts name

At te i r rs thc r to t ta t ta i t rment .

I have a l ight cal led Rccollcct ing Buddhas,

Wl.r ich is 'exaltcd by thc Tathagatas.

This l ight I obtained by cult ivat ing

Rigl.rt practices in many Buddha-lands.

Tnr MaNrrtsrArroN or Lrcsrs 199

The l ights emanating from the Buddhas' bodiesAre as numerous as the dust-motes

In countless mil l ions of Buddha-lands,

Lands as numerous as the sands of the sca.

Each of these lights,

As numerous as those dust-motes,

And has a ret inue [of l ights].

All of them

Reach all tsuddhaless lands,

Where each is transformed

Into a pure body of a Tathagata

To expound the subtle, profound Dharma

And to establish scnticnt beings in patience.

I havc a l ight cal led tsuddha;

It can lead sentient beings

To abide in thc Buddha's path.

I have a l ight cal led Dharma;

Its radiance is clean and pure,

Without f laws or taints.

I have a l ight cal led Sarhgha;

It is always acclaimed by -Buddhas, Tathigatas.

I have a l ight cal led Purity;

I t is most superb and rare.

I have a l ight cal lcd Blossom;

It can bcncfit and ripen sentient beings.

I havc l igh ts ca l led Brahma, Sakra ,

Deva, Moon, Dragon, Yaksa,

Asura, Garuda,

King, Lady, Gir l , and Boy.

Each of these various lights

Can by wholcsome dharmas

Convert those beings designated by i ts namc,

Causing infinite millions of sentient beingsTo achieve enl ightenment.

I have l ights cal led Wisdom, Precepts,

Kindness, Joy, Compassron,

Lamp, Perfume, and Musrc.

Each of these lights is named for its functionAnd was achieved by receiving

20() ON rrir Lrcsr oE rsl TarsAcara

Innumerable scntient beings

Into my following.

I havc a l ight cal lcd Esteem,

Praised by Buddhas, Tathagatas.

I achieved i t as a result

Of cver revering thc Buddha's tcachirrgs.

Each porc of the Buddha gives forth l ights

As numcrous as the scntient beings rvrthin his sight;

And each of these l ights is surrounded

By i ts own ret inue Iof l ights].

Blesscd by these tsuddha-l ights,

Sentient bcings are brought to maturi ty,

Each in accordance lvi th his incl inations.

If onc rcjoices and brir-rgs forth deep aspiratton

Upon hearing thcse l ights describcd,

He must have heard this sutra in past l ives

In Iother] Buddha-lands.

I have a l ight cal led Supreme,

With a retinue of cighty million [ights].This I achieved

By praising a tsuddha with one versc.

I havc a l ight cal led Frcc from Worry,

With a rct inuc of eighty myriad [ l ights].This I achieved by upholding the Dharma

Expour.rded by a Tathagata.

I have a light called Utter ['urity,

With a ret inue of eighty mil l ion l ightsl.This I achieved

By cultivating one samldhi.

In the past appeared a Buddha namcd Supreme,

Whosc l i fe span was immcasurable.

When he attained enlightenment,

Thcrc were eighty myriad people

In his first Dharma-assembly.

At that time, in the world,

There was a king r.ramed Joyful Voice.

He had fivc hundred sons,

Tsr MaNrrrsrATroN or Lrcsrs

All handson-re, well- formcd,

And pleasing to the beholdcr.

A man of dignity and authorin' ,

Thc king dccply and joyful lv

Bcl icved in thc ThrccJcwels.

He offered to tsuddha ISupremelAll his supcrb, magnif iccnt gardens.

Out of pity for thc king, his sons,

And the others in the asscmbly,

Buddha Suprcmc preached this 'Sutra of Absolr-rtc Lights.

Upon hearing i t taught,

Thc king was ovcrwhelrned with joy.

He chanted countless vcrses

In praise of that Tathlgata,

And offered to him

Eighty mil l ior.r wonderful, jewelled canopics.

Each canopy was ornamcntcd

With pcarls around i ts nct.

The tassels of cach canopy were again made

Of eighty mil l ion pearls,

Lustrous and luminous,

Shcdding l ights clay and night.Each l ight rcachcd a hundred leagucsAnd outshonc- thc sun ancl moon.

At that t ime, al l scnticnt bcings,

Even those in thc Akanistha Heaven,

Came to the T'athagata's dwell ing place

To hear this sutra.

Upon hearing i t taught,

Devas, dragons, yaksas, gandharvas,

Mahoragas, asuras, and othcrs

Were al l overwhelmed with joy.

They chanted hundrcds of thousands of verses

L.r praise of the Tathagata

And brought forth bodhicit ta.

The devas, dragons, spir i ts, and asuras,

With sincere and purc minds,

Showcrcd f lowers of the coral tree, pearls,

And various jewels from the sky

As offerings to the Buddha. . . .

201

202 ON rnr Lrcnr or rnp TarsAcara

You, Moonlight, should know:

King Joyful Voice, who made

Various offerings to that Tath,gata,

Was no other than you [ in a previous l i fe].

Since you heard this sutra in the past,

You now ask me about i t once aga in .

r * *

Only those who havc pure faith in my teachings

Can expound this sutra widely

After my parinirvana, when the Dharma-wheel

Is about to cease i ts turning.

One who expounds this sutra in thc future

Is the protcctor of my Dharma,

Just as a good leader of a caravan

Is the guardian ofthe valuables.

In the coming Last Era,

Onc who hears this sfltra

And enjoys i t at once

Should know he is inspired

By the tsuddha's awesome powcrs r

And the blessing of Manju5ri.

Merely hearing this sutra

Is tantamount to meeting many Buddhas,

Who bestow upon the hearer

Secret instruct ions, and wisdom as well .

One who is gentle and straightforward,

Always makes offerings to Buddhas,

Practices the teaching of no-sclf,

And is kind and paticnt

Wil l del ight in this srl tr ; .

One who bears malice,

Insatiably sccks self ish gains.

And has no aspiration for peace and tranquillity

Wil l rrot del ight in this sutra.

One who makes offerings to Tathagatas,

Comprehends the profound, wonderful Dharma,

And has pure faith in the tsuddha's true wisdom

Will delight in this sutra.

Tns MaNrrr.srArroN or Lrcurs 203

One who is distracted and impure in mind,Is enslaved by evi l passions,

Indulges in ki l l ing,

And is hard to subdue

Wi l l no t de l igh t in th is s l t ra .

One who enjoys l iving alone in a hermitaseV/ith peace of mind,Detached from worldly gain and kinsfolk,Will delight in this sutra.

One who follows bad company,

Corrupts his own and others' wholesome dharmas,And loses dhyana and precepts

Or regresses from thcm

Wi l l no t de l igh t in th is s r l r ra .

One who has very pure aspirat ions.

Often obscrves dharmas with wisdom,And is guarded by spiritual friends

Wil l del ight in this s[tra.

One who is attached lTo his friends, kinsmcn, or household members.Providing fruits and Ilowers to please them,And has a mind not straight, but devious,Wil l not dcl ight in this sutra.

One who always recalls the Buddha's bounty,Cherishes all wonderful good roots,And sincerely dedicatcs themTo the attainmenr of enlightcnment

Wi l l de l igh t in th is s [ t ra .

If one is infatuated with a womanWho bedecks herself with splendid artire,And longs to play with hcr,He will not delight in this sutra.

Onc who is earnest,

Relies on nothing,

ls not dcf i led by any passions,

And never flatters for the sake of food and drinkWil l del ight in this sutra.

One who teaches sentient beingsThat carnal desire is not full of faults.

ON rnr LIcnr or rHs TarnAcara

And who slanders the Buddhas

Of the past, present, and future

Will not delight in this sutra.

One who holds fast to his faith and aspirat ion,

Seeks the Dharma vigorously,

And is never weary or negligent

Wi l l de l igh t in th is s f i t ra .

Onc who is enthral led by women,

Always thinks of scx,

And does not cult ivate rvisdom to bcnefi t others

Wil l not dcl ight in this sutra.

One who sits quiet ly in a mountain grove

Attaining purity by cultivating wisdon'r,

Without craving for food, clothes, etc.,

Will delight in this sutra.

Onc who is bewildered and docs not understand

The past and futurc statcs of the eyer3

Is a fool entanglcd in dcnrons' meshes

And wil l not del ight in this sutra.

C)nc who clearly understands

The past and futurc statcs of the eye

Is frccd from demons' meshes

And wil l del ight in this srl tra.

One who is bewildcre'd and docs not understand

The existcncc and noncxistence of the eye

Is a fool entangled in denrons' meshes

And will not delight in this sfitra.

Onc who clearly undcrstands

The existence and nonexistencc of the eye

Is freed from demons' meshes

And will dclight in this sutra.

One who is bewildered and does not understand

The formation and dcstruction of the eye

Is a fool entangled in demons' meshes

And w i l l no t de l igh t i r r th is su t ra .

Onc who clearly undcrstands

Thc forrnation and destruction of the eye

Is frc'ed from demons' meshes

And wil l del ight in this sutra.

Tnr MaNrnrsrArioN or Lrcnrs 205

As i t i s w i th l the eyc l .

So i t is with the ear,Nose, tongue, body, and mind;Forms, sounds, sccnts, tastcs,Texturcs. arrd mental objcctslEarth, watcr, f i re, air, substance, and nature:Events, sentient bcings, and suffering;Aggregates and elcments; .Desire, hatred, ignorance,

Conceit, craving, pretensc, and arrogance;Miscrl iness, jcalousy, f lattery,Deceit, and resentment.

One who is bewildered and does not understandThc ultimate exhaustion of the eyc,Fal ls to thc level of ordinary men,And wil l not del ight in this sutra.

One who clearly undcrstands, without confusior-r,' l 'he

ult imate exhaustion of the eyeHas r iscn above thc actions of ordirrary men,And w i l l dc l igh t i r r th is s t r t ra .

Onc who is bewildercd and does not undcrstandThc ult imate quiescencc of the eyeFalls to tire level of ordinary men,And will not clelight in this sutra.

One who clearly urrderstands, without confusion,The ult in-rate quiescencc of the eyeHas r isen above thc actions of ordirrary men,Ar rd w i l l de l igh t i r r th is su t ra .

C)ne who is beu' i ldcred and does not understandThat thc cye does not come or f loFal ls to thc level of ordinary mcn,And wil l not del ight in this shtra.

One who clearly undcrstands, without confusion.That the cyc does not come or goHas r isen above thc actions of ordinary mcn,And w i l l de l ighr in rh is s r r t ra .

()ne who is bewildered and does not understandThc nonself of the eyeAnd the- nature of i ts ult imate exhaustion

206 ON rnn Ltcsr or rnr TarnAcara

Falls to the level of ordinary men,

And will not delight in this sutra.

One who clearly understands

The nonself of the eye

And the nature of i ts ult imate exhaustion

Has r isen above thc actions of ordinary men,

And w i l l dc l igh t in th is s l t ra .

One who is bewildercd and docs not undcrstand

The naturc of the cye's ult imate exhaustion

And the eye's emptincss

Cannot acquire thc wisdom of dhiranrs

And wil i not del ight in this sutra.

One who understands'lh(r

naturc of the eye's ultimate exhaustion

Will achieve the wisdom of dharalis,

And the peerlcss, unattached wisdom,

And will thcrcforc delight in this sutra.

Orre who does not dclight in this sr.rtra

And is bewildered

tsy thc nature of thc cye 's ult imate exhaustion

Will suffer rcgrcssion fron-r dhyirras

Or t l-reir loss.

It will bc hard for hinr tc'r realize peerless wisdom.

Onc who dc l igh ts i r r th is s l t ra

And clearly undcrstands

f 'hc rraturc of tht ' cye's ult imate exhaustion

Wil l achieve al l dhyanas

Ancl easi ly real ize pccrlcss wisdonr.

One who di l igently pondcrs, day and night,

The nature of the eye's ult imate exhaustion

Wi l l ach icve dh l ran is a t t . l c loqucnrc

And wil l always be ablc to tcach this sltra.

Onc wl-ro mcditates on this srltra

And achicvcs the wisdom of rnaniftst irrg l ights

Wil l have the Tathagatas rcvcalcd beforc him

And real ize the emptiness of the eyc.

If or-rc rnakes of-f erings

For countless n-r i l l ions of kalpas,

lo all the scntictrt beings seer-r by tsuddhas,

THr Mar.rrnrsrArroN or Lrcnrs 207

Serving them as Tath-gatas,His merits cannot compare with those of one'Who

accepts and practices this sutra. la

Ifone accepts, upholds, and expoundsOnly a four- l ine verse of this sutra,He should be revered [by all]As a Supreme, Most Compassionate Lord.

For hundreds of thousands of kalpas,In the three realms of sarhsaric existencc.I made offbrings to BuddhasFor thc sake of [hearingl this sr]tra.

To master it, somctimes I offeredTo the Great Tcachers

Countless thousands of lamps,With wicks as long as a league;Somctimes I offered to Buddhas' stupasVariorrs kinds t-rf l lowers,Carlands, barrners, arrd canopies.

I fulfilled thc wishesOf those in need:I gave them flowers, frr.rits, garder-rs, and groves;I gavc them bridges, wells, and drinking water;I gavc then-r snow-white elcphants and unicorns;I gavc thenr precious steeds and beautiful maidens;I gave them gold bcds and jeweled curtains.I practicccl these kinds of giving untiringly,Hundreds of thousands of t imes,For thc sake of [hearing] this sltra.

II.

" ln thc past, for the sake of [hcaring] this sutra,I kept the pure- preccpts,

Cult ivated meditat ion and wisdom,And gave charity to senticnt beings.

In the past, for the sake of [hearing] this sf i tra,I took pity onVillairrs who scolded ruelnstead of harming them.

208 ON rnn Lrcnr or rnr TartrAcara

In the past, for the sakc of Ihcaringj this sutra,I tulf i l lcd thc wishes

Of thosc who came to ask for favors,

And madc thcm happy. . . .

Moonlight, you should know:

In scarch of this sutra,

I have, for innumcrablc kalpas,

Cu l t i va tcd so mar )y aus ter i t ies

That rro onc could f inish countin€i thcm,

Evcn in a hundred thousand kalpas. . .

If monks and nuns

Feel great cnotion ancl shed tears

Upor r hcar ing th is su t r . r .Thcy wil l meet the Most Honored Onc;

This I prophcsy.

Moonlight, you should know thatThe Ruddhas, wit l-r thcir rniraculuous powers,' lhorough ly

know thc pur i ty o r impur i ty

Of a pcrson's rr-rinrl,

Ancl his faith and r.rnderstanding as well.

You sl-rould cxpouncl ttrc unexcelled Dharma

With a firm mind,

And transrnit this subtlc sr:traI o t l r , - ' k i r rd l rcar tcd .

-fhis, Moonlight, you should know:

Just as a clever person

Can skillfully handle flre

To cook various dishes

Without being burned by i t ,

Whilc a clumsy fool

Burns his palm with the fire;

And just as one who becomes stupefied and derangcdAftcr taking poison

Can be cured

, Cy burning out the poisorr with fire1s-

So it is witl.r the wisc.

tly means of tl-re mind,

They realize that the mind is cnlpty,

So they are able to abide ir-r sari-rsara.By means of the eye,

Tsr MaNrrrsr.{rroN or Lrc;trts 209

Thcv rcalizc tl-rat tl-re eyc is voic1,

And do not attach thenrselves to i t .

I f onc knou's this truth,

Hc can usc his eyes

Without af l l ict ions.

By rcal izing thc cnrptiness of thc cvc.

Onc can achieve truc wisdom,

And thereby can cnrarlate Ivarious] l ights.

C)ne u'ho real izes the enrptincss of the c1'r-

Can eradicate dcsircs lbrcvcr;

Frec of dcsirc,

Hc can cmanatc various l igl-rts.

As i t is with desirc,

So i t is with hatrcd,

Ignorance, cl inging to the. ego,

Prctensc, distrcss, avaricc,

Jealousy, shamelcssncss, intole'rance,( lorrceit , pr ide, arrogancc,

Flattery, deccit , sclf- indulgencer,

Fraudulcncc, and so forth.

One who acquires truc rvisclom

Wi l l rca l i zc thc cyc 's u l r imare qr r iesccr rc t ' .And wil l thcn bc rblc to enranatc l ights.

Onc who acquires truc rvisdor-n

Wil l abiclc in thc essencc of thc tsuddha-l)harmaAnd wil l then bc ablc to cmanatc l ights.

Onc rvho acquircs truc wisdom

Wil l abidc in thc Br:dclha's ingcnuity,

Ancl will thcn bc able to cmar-rate l'ights.

Ncver havc I seen anyorre

Ablc to cmar-rate l ights

Who has not crr l t ivatcd true lvisdonrAnd Ithcre'by] lrcccl himself frrrcverFrom hinclrances and aff l ict ions.

Onc who cult ivates true wisdonr u' i th cl i l igcnceWi l l t i cc h imse l f tb rcver

From hindrances and aff l ict iorrs;Hc who contplies r,vith tl-ris practiccC)an ernanate' ligirts.

1., ON rue Lrcsl or rsl TarsAcara

To seek the supremc practice,

One should study this sf i tra

And make offcr ings to Tathagatas;

Then one wil l acquire true vn' isdom and ingenuity.

()nc who knows not

The u l t imetc r ' ' na turc o f the ey 'c

Cannot know the ult imate InaturclOf the arising of the eye.

He is not ol le

Who can cnanate l ights. . . .

The samc is truc

With the ear, nosc, tonguc, body, and minci;

Forrns, sounds, sccl l ts, tastcs,

Textnres, and mcntal objccts;

Earth, water, fire, :urd air. . "

At that t ime, young Moonlight, having hcard the Dharma explained, fcl t

greatjoy. In the presencc ofthc tsuc1dha, hc praiscd the Tathagata in verse:

"The Tath-gata can display his pure wisdom

Ilccausc hc real izes thc ult i r latc cxhaustiott of the eye.

tscing ablc to display purc wisdom,

Hc is cndowed with the lJucldha'sl7 purc l ights.

Thc Tathagata can utter purc voiccs

l3ccausc he understancls that the cyc has no self .

I le ing ab le to u t tc r Purc vo ices .

He is endowed with the l luddha's perlcct voices.

Thc Buddha can utter pure spcech

Ilecause he has benefi tcd sentient beings.

With thc abi l i ty to utter pure specch,

IIc can bcncfit innunrerable rvorlds.

The Tathtgata can achicvc thc wisdom of dhtrat l i

lJecause he real izers that the eye

Is empty by naturc.

l leing ablc to achievc thc wisdom of dharanr,

Hc can nranifest the Buddha's inf ini te l ights.

The- Tathagata knows the variat ions of dif fercrrt cycs

And thcir unl irnited, varied nar-nes.

Knowing countle-ss nanles,

Hc can emit the Buddha's inf ini tc i ights.

THr MaxrnrsrArroN or Lrcurs 211

Knowing the variet ies of words and languagcs,

The tsuddha realizes that the eye

Is empty and beyond words.

Thereforc, he can emit the Buddha's int ' ini te l ights.

I f one ponders

That the eye is devoid of sel l ,

He wil l kr.row that the Buddha speaks thc truth:

One who knows that the Buddha speaks the truth

Can manifest the Tathagata's absolute l ights.

Having achieved the supremc miraculous powcrs,

The Tathigata real izes the destruction

Of inf ini tc numbcrs of cycs.

Bcing ablc to rcal izc the destruction ofeyes,

He can benefit all worlds.

Thc Suprcrncly Honorcd One among humans and gods,The Or re o f g rea t cor r rpass ion .

Thoror rgh ly rca l i zcs thc a r is i r rg ,

Of infinite numbers of eyes.

May I, too, soon rcal izc thc cyc's arising, I ' , '

As the Rr rddha docs . I

So rnay i t be with the ear,

Nose, tongue, body, and mind;

Forms, sounds, scents,

Tastes, text l l res, and mental objccts. . . .

l 'he Supremely Honored One among humans and gods,

The ( )ne o f g rea t compass ion .

Has attained the paramita of giving.

May I soon attain thc ptramitt o(iuitrg;

As the Buddha has.

The Supremely Honored One among humans and gods,The one of grcat conrpassion.

Has attained the paramit i of pure discipl ine.May I soon attain the paramit l of pure discipl ir-re,As the Buddha has.

Thc Supremely Honored One among humans and gods,

The One of grcrt conrpassion,

Has attained the paramita of patience.

May I soon attain the peramitt of patience,

As the Buddha has.

212 ON rur LrcHr or rsr TarsAcara

The Supremely Honored One among humans and gods,

The onc o f g rca t compass ion .

Has attained the paramit i of vigor,

May I soon attain the paramita of vigor

As the Buddha has.

The Supremely Honorcd Onc among hurnans and gods,

The One o f g rea t compass ion .

Has attained the piramita of dhyana.

May I soon attain the paramit i of dhvaua,

As the Buddha has.

The Supremely Honored One among humans and gods,

Thc Onc o f g rca t conrp . rss io r r .

Has attained the paramita of wisdom.

May I soon attain the paramit i of wisdom,

As the Buddha has.

The Supremely Honored Onc among humans and gods,

The L)ne o t 'g rea t compass ion ,

Has attained the perlcct Dharma-body.

May I soon attain thc pcrfcct Dharma-body,

As thc Buddha has.

Thc Sr.rprcmcly Honorcd One among humans and gods,'fhc

One of grcai compassiorr,

. Is er-rdowed with inf irr i te, pure fornrs. l8

.. M"y I, too, soon acquire pure forms,

As the Buddha has.

Thc Suprcmcly Honorcd Onc among humans and gods,

Thc Onc of grcat cornpassion,

Has achieved the pure, l imit less mind.

May I soon acquire the same pure nrirrd

As the Buddl.ra has.

Thc Suprcrncly Honorcd Orrc arnong humans and gods,

Thc ( )nc o f g rca t conrpass ion .

Can utter inf lnrte, pure voices.

May I soon attain thc sarnc purc voiccs

As the tsuddha has.

Thc Suprcrncly Honorcci Onc among humans and gods,

T l re Onc o f g r ta t conrp lss io r r .

Accomplishes infinite, grcat, niraculous fcats.

May I soon accomplish thc sarnc fcats

As the Buddha does.

Tsr MaNrrrsrATroN or Lrcsrs

The Suprcnely Horrored Onc anronq hunratrs and gods,

The Onc of great compassr.orl ,

l )wel ls in thc three realms of c'xistctrcc

In ordcr to convert scl l t icnt bcings.

May I soon col lvert scnticnt beings,

As the I luddha docs.

The Suprcmcly Honored Oue among hunratts .rnd qods.

Thc Or re o f g rc . r t compass io r .

Has transcendcd thc countless deeds ofsarhslra.

May I, too, sool l transccnd those deeds,

As the Buddha has.

Having transcended desire,

Thc Tcachcr bcnefits all "vorlds.

Miiy I , too, achicvc the wisdorn

To bcncllt all worlds,

As the l luddha docs.

Having transcended hatred Iand igr-rorancc],

The Teacher benefi ts al l worlds.

May I, too, achieve the wisdom

To benefl t al l worlds,

As the Buddha does.

With surpassing wisclorn,' fhc Tathigat:r knorvs clcarly

All karmic results of thc world.

May I also achicvc such wisclom

To bcncfi t al l worlds.

With surpassing wisdonr,

Thc Tathigata knows clcarly

A l l t l r c par t i cu la r r ra tu rcs

Of al l things irr thc worlcl .

May l , too, achicvc such wisdonr'I'o

benefit all u.orlds.

With surpassing wisdon-r,

The Tathagata knows clcarly the modes of practicc

Leading to various plancs of cxistcncc.

May I, too, achieve such wisdom

To bcncfi t al l worlds.

With surpassing wisdom,

Thc Tathagata knows clearly

The various disposit ions of al l bcings.

213

211 C)N rsr LrcHr or rr]E TaruAcara

Ma,v I, too, achieve such wisdomTo benefi t al l worlds.

With surpassing wisdom,

The Tathagata knows clcarly

Thc practicc of mc'ditatiol.

May I, too, achievc such wisdom

To bcncfi t al l worlds.

With surpassing wisdorn,

The Tathagata knows clcarly

Thc prac t icc o f l iber . r t io r r .

May I, too, achicve such wisdom

To benefi t al l worlds. . . .

I hc l a rhagara rca l i zcs tha t by na t r r rc' Al l dharmas arc l ike i l lusions, drcams, and mrrages.

May I, too, achieve such wisdom

To benefi t al l worlds.

I The Tathagata thorougl-r ly understancis

All cor-rvcntional words, writ ten and spoken-May I, too, :rchicvc such wisdom

To benefrt al l worlds.

Wi t l r su rp . rss i r rg c loqucnc t ' .

The Tathagata reveals thc ;rrofound, srrbt le I)harrna

May I, too, achieve such wisdom

To bencfi t al l worlds.

Thc Tathagata's body, speech, and mind

Are weil subducd;

He acts on wisdonr alone,

May I, too, achieve such wisdom

To bcne-fit all worlcls.

Knowing well thc three phases of t inre,,

The Tatl-ragata.is frcc

From grasping, attachment, and hindrances.May I, too, achieve such wisdom

To benefit all worlds. . .

Thc Tathigata knows the whole world thoroughly,

And sees clearly al l plarres of existence.

May I, too, achieve the wisdonr

f 'o know thcsc rcalms without doubt.

TnE MnNrrrsrArroN or Lrcnrs 215

Fully realizing the ultimate exhaustion

Of [the dharmas'] arising,

The Tathagata is not perplexed at i t .

May I, too, achieve the wisdom

To know such truth without doubt.

Fully realizing quiescence,

The Tathagata is not perplexcd at i t .

May I, too, achieve the wisdom

To know quiescence without doubt.

Fully rcalizing the flux of sarirsara,

The Tathigata is not perplexed at i t .

May I, too, achieve the wisdom

To know the f lux of sarhsSra without doubt.

Fully knowing thc past and future states,

Thc Tathagata has attaincd self-taught wisdom.

May I, too, achieve the wisdon-r

To know the past and future states without doubt.

Ful ly rcal izing transmigration,

The Tathigata has attained self-taught wisdom.May I, too, achicvc rhc wisclonr

To know transmigration without doubt.

Ful ly knowing the past and future statcs'I 'hc' l 'athagata

docs not hold

To a nihi l ist ic or eternal ist ic lviewl of t l .re eye.

May I, too, achicvc the wisdom

To know thc past and future states without doubt. . . .

I f onc docs not understand

The past and future states,

He is doomed to be fettered by desire.

Since t lre Tathigata real izes

Thc past and futurc states,

He is not defiled by desirc.

I f one does not understand bcing and nonbcing,

He is door.rred to be fettered by desire.

Since the Tathlgatr realizcs thcm both,

He is not defi led by desrre.

lf one docs not understand

Ultimate exhaustior-r and nonexhaustion.

216 ON rrrr Lrcur ornrr TarnAcara

Hc is doomcd to be fcttered bv dcsire.Since thc Tathlgata rcal izes thcnr both,He is not defi led by dcsire. ."

At rhat t ime, knowing young Moonlight 's earncst thouchts, the ! i lor ld-Horored onc smiled graciously a'd shed a golden l ight u'hich i l lun'r i 'atcd i ' -nurncrable Buddha-lands, and, after rcndcring bcncfi t to thenl al l , circled thcBuddha threc t imcs and entcred thc top of his hcad. Thcreupo', BodhisattvaMaitrcya rose from his seat, barcd his r ight shouldcr, kr-rcl t upo' his r ight kncc,bor" 'ed with his head at the Buddha's fcct, thcn joi.cd his palms reverc't ly andspokc ir-r versc, praisir-rg thc Buddha and questioning hinr:

". . . The Tath5gata rvi l l take no further birth;He embraccs al l rvorids with grcat compassron.May the Dhrrma king,

The Supremely Honorcd One of rncn,Tel l us why hc smilcd.

Now, innumcrablc great IJodhisattvasAnd many au'e-inspir ing godsAre al l in thc air holding wonderful canopres,Whilc the great earth is shaking.

In thc presence of past Tathigatas,'Who

practiccd wholesome l)harmas in thc long night?May the impart ial, dcl ightful

Lord ol- grcf, t compJssiol ' )

Tel l us why hc srni lecl.

Who in the past madc offerings to rhe tsuddhasAnd rejoiced at hearing this tcaching cxpoundcd?May the Teacher, thc Supremcly Honorcd One of menTcll us why he smiled. . . .

The Supren-rely Honorcd One among humans and gods,The L)rre of grcat courpassion,Ful ly knows thc wishcs of sentier-rt bcrngs.He has obtaincd thc wonderful, unimpcded eloqucncb.May he te l l us why hc snr i l cd .

The Tathigata has reachcd the other shore;Hc is cndowed

V/ith thc three insightsle

And the six miraculous powers,And he manifesrs inf ini te, pure l ights.May he tcll us why he smiled.

Ttrr MaNtrrsrATION or Ltcttrs 217

Thc l luddha, for inrmcasurablc kalpas in the past,

Served and made offcr ings

To hundreds of thousands of World-Honorcd Oncs.

Such decds do not go unrequited.

May he tcl l us why hc sn'r i led.

The Buddha, for imnreasurable kalpas in thc past.

Abided in subtlc, wondcrful samidhis;

And he real izes thc arising

And ult imatc exhaustion of the eye.

May hc tel l us rvhy he snri led.

Thc Grcat Teacher knows evcrything

lrr the p.rst. prcscut. arrd [ururel

His purc wisdom is uninrpeded and inconceivable.

May he tc l l us why hc s rn i l cd . "

' l 'hercupon, arnid thc asscmbly, thc World-Honorcd Onc strokcd Moon-

l ight 's head with his golden-hued hand and then spoke in verse:

"Lacl, l istcn carcful ly!

I now entrust you

With this tc:rchirrg of cnl ightcnnrcnt,

Thc Shtra of thc Manifcstat ion oi Lights,

So that in t l-re later depraved age,

When thc Dharna is about to perish,

You m:ry rcvcal and cxpouncl i t to scnticnt bcings.

Numbcr lcss ka lpas ago,

Thcrc u'as r ljr,rclclha namecl Diparhkara.

I, as thc rsi Mat,avaka,()f lercd f lowcrs to him.

Thereupon, he prophcsicd

That I would beconre a -tsuddha namcd Sikyamuni

And would sit at thc I)harn-ra-site

To expound this sf i tra.

You wcrc thcn a boy.

Hcaring thc prophccy about my future,

You felt joy, and became pure in mind.

You vowcd r '" ' i th palns.1oined,' I f Mir lavaka bccomcs a Buddha,

I w i l l . rss is t h i r r r in p rerch ing .

And wil l protcct and uphold his Dharma

After his parinirvana. '

21u ON rnE Llcnr or rur TarsAcara

When Diparhkara Buddha explainedThc Sltra of the Manifestat ion of Lights,Both Manavaka and the boyListened, and held i t dear.

Once, in the past,

I offered blue lotus f lowers to that Buddha.You were prescnt on that occasion.Ancl vowed to acccpt and uphold this sutraAnd preach and circulate i t u. idclv

In thc Last Era of nry l)harma.

One who, r.rpon hcaring this doctr inc.

Does not fcel avcrsion,

But acccpts, upholds, reads, and recites i tIs indeed a man of virtuc.

You should in later agcs

Uphold this scldom-heard teaching

And clucidatc i ts rneaning widclyFor a l l scn t ic r r t bc ings- . "

When thc Workl-Honorcd C)nc f inishcd teaching this sutra, the boy Moon-l ieht and evcrvonLr irr thc asscnrbly, inch,rding the gods, hurnans, asuras, gandhar-las, and so forth in thc * 'or lcl , were al l jubi lant over the tsuddha's tcaching. Theyacceptcd i t with faith arrd began to practicc i t with veneration.

NOTES

1. Arnong thc tn 'enty- two sutras prcscntccl in th is volumc, "The Mani festat ion of

Lights" is perhaps the most difficult onc to cornprchcncl. Thc central question concerns the

rneaning of thrs so-cal led l ight . Is i t s imply a k ind of luminous ent i ty such as rays or beanrs of

l ight , or is i t spi r i tual i l lurn inatron-the myst ical l ight rcportcd by many medi tators? To give

an cxact answcr is c l i f f icul t . Not iccably, thc l ights t reated in th is sutra appear to denote al l the

dynamic aspects of tsudclhahood, i .e. , Sar i rbhogakaya and Nirmtr lakiya; a l l n. rer i ts and func-

t ions ofTathagatahood are expressed in terms of l ight . ln fact , a l l the essent ia l pr incip les of

Mah- i r ina Buddhism seenl to be expressed in ternrs of th is l ight .

In a broacl scnsc, wc rnay associatc "myst ical Lght" wi th the Dharmakaya. However,

rhe lights clcscribcd in this sthtra arc not of the Dharmakaya, but of the Rupakaya ('bodv of

fornr ' ) , which is the f ru i t or dynamic nrani festat ion of Dharmakaya. The "rnyst ical l ight" can

be regarded as prel iminary to at ta innlent of Dharrnak-ya, u 'hereas thc l ight of Rupak5ya is

\ r 'quent to i t . This, however, does not in any sense underrate l )harnrakaya, for thc dynamic

hqhts of Rupakaya can only be brought lor th through the rcal izat ion of empt iness, as is

. lcrr lv stated in th is sutra. ( (1.C.)

Tnr MaNrrr,srArroN on Ltcsrs 219

2. This may also be t ranslated as 'Dccis ive Light ' , or 'Cc-r ta in L ight . '

3. The Chincsc text reads S, 'cvcnt ' . l t is obviouslv a tcxtual error .

'L ight ' is mcant

here.

4. 'Clouds'here does not refer to thc c louds in the skr ' . I t is a common ternr in sutrJs

to dcscr ibe profusion, hugeness, bount i fu lness, mul t i tudc. laree qualr t i ty , gather ing, accumu-

lat ion, and so for th.

5. Since mind and body are interrelated, psychological tirnctions can alfcct the body

and v ice versa. Anger can producc bad physical ef fects; k indncss ( i .e. , to bestowjoy upon

others) can producc benef ic ia l and pur i fy ing ef lects on thc bodr. Hence, b-v cul t ivat ing

kindness i t is held that one automat ical ly pur i f ies the mind-bodv cornplcr . (G.C.)

(r . Real izat ion of empt iness and undcrstanding of the law of karnrr are interdependctr t .

Herc, by reveal ing the karrnic pr incip le to the wor ld, i t is impl ied that one s rcal izat ion of

empt iness is enhanced.

7. The Tath5gata ut ters t ruthfu l words, words f rcc of decept ion, *orc ls in accordrnce

with suchncss, because his wisdorn is no other than real izat ion of thc dharmadhi tu.

8. The ul t i r late exhaust iorr of condi t ioned dharmas, e.g. , the cyc, re lers to the state of

thorough libcration tiom sarirsaric attachmcnt to clharrnas. This is acconrplished b1' cultivating

thc unclerstanding and rcalization of the unconditioned dharmas such as emptiness and de-

pendent llcncration. These unconditioned dharmas constitute not a dead void, nor an an-

nihilation of things, but rathcr thc nonclinging, lacking in self-naturc, inexhaustible flow of

events in the mtrltidimcnsional dharmadhatu.

9. Cessat ion of- thc causc of sufGr ing; i .e. , the state of n i rvana.

10. One who goes nowhcrc and rcachcs al l l imi ts t ranscends thc l imrts of thc three

phases of tirnc; thcrelore, he beholds the past and foresees the future.

11. tsuddhist sagcs wcrc kccnly aware of the importance of symbols, through which a

rnalor portion of Dharma teaching is understood. This becomcs especially evident in thc

doctr incs ofTantr ism.

12. ( )ne who nainta ins that there is something at ta inable in empt iness is arrogant,

while one with true realization sees nothing attainablc in cmptiness and is naturally lree lrom

arrogancc.

13. Hcrc, as in other p laces throughout the text , the discussion of the eye is only an

examplc which can also be appl ied to the ear, nose, etc. , and al l condi t ioned dharmas, as

explaincd bclow-

14. No matter how innumerablc arc thc scnticnt beings to whom one q.rakes olferings,

thc merits of such decds arc finite, but those who truly practice this sitra can realize such-

ness, and thusly acquirc inf in i te mer i ts .

15. Perhaps refers to moxibustion or cautcrization.

1(r . L i teral ly , " l imi t . "

17. L i teral ly , "Tathigata 's," here and below.

18. Seems to refer to thc purc, pcrfcct Sarirbhogakiya, the bod,v of iorrn. See Nu-

mcr ical Glossary, " three bodies of the Buddha."

19. The three insights: first, the insight of past lives, w'ith which one knows the past

livcs of sclf and others; second, the insight ofbirth and death (otherrvise called the insight of

the deva-eye), with which one knows the conditions of future births and deaths oF self and

others; third, the insight of nondcfilcmcnt, with which one knows one's present suffering

and knows whether all his dcfilements are ended.

N

On Consciousness

12 ^*ffiffitrs

The Elucidation of Consciousnessl

Thus have I heard. Once the World-Honorcd One rvas dwell ing in the bamboogrove of Elcler Karanda, in thc grcat ci ty of Ri jagrha, togcthcr with twelve hun-dred fifty great monks r,r'ho were all Arhats. These monks had crrdcd thcir dcfile-f i1ents arld were no longer subject to aff l ict ions. Thcy had acquircd ease andachieved l iberation front passions and from igrrorancc. They perccivcd thc past, theprescnt, and thc future without hindrancc. These grcat dragonsl had, in accordancc

with thc Buddha's tcaching, dorrc what they had sct our to do and abandoned thegreat burden [of sarirsara]. Thcy had gaincd bencfi t fbr themselves. They hadalready freed thernselvcs from thc sr,rtTcrings caused by cxistcnce in sarhsara. Bythc power of r ight wisdor-n, t l -rey kncw wcll scrrt ient beings' propcnsit ies. These

; . ,great Sravekas were led by E idcr Sar ipur r l .

Also in the asser-nbly were innurncrablc Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas.At thrt r inre, at the dwell ing placc of thc World-Honorcd C)ne, most of the

monks felt t i recl and lcthargic. Thcy looked l ist less and could not dcport thenr-selves properly. Thereupon, thc face of the World-Hor-rorcd Onc beanred l ikc anopened lotus l l<>wcr. Al l the monks then becamc ftul ly alvakc ancl straightcnedthemselves up with dignity. They thought, "Now thc Buddha, thc World-Honorcd ()r-re, en-r i ts bright l ight fror-n his Iacc. What Dharnra wil l he rcach robenefl t Iser-rt ient beingsl greatly?"

At that t ime, Wise Protcctor, a yourh, . joincd his palnrs rcspcctful ly,borvcd down with his l-read at the Buddha's fcet, and said to hin-r, "World-Honored

Onc, you always takc pity on al l scnticr-rt beings and hold thenr ir .r vour cmbraccand protection. I wish to ask a few qucstions. May thc World-Hor-rorcd One grantme permission."

Sutra 39, Taisho 347, pp. 178-186; translated into Clhinese by Divikara.

t f 1 ON CoNscrousNrss

Thc tsuddha said to Wisc Protector, "Your rcqucst is granted. You may

Frcscnt your doubts and I wi l l answcr them with detai lcd cxplanations."Wise Protector asked the tsuddha, "World-Honorcd ()nc, although scnricnt

bcings know that consciousness exists, they cannot undcrstand i t thoroughly i f i t isnot cxplained clcarly, just as no onc knows that t l -rere is a rrcasure i f i t is lockcd upin a box. World-Honoreci One, what fornr docs t l-re consciousncss assume? Why isi t cal led consciousncss? Whcn scntient beings arc dying, thcv frantical ly jcrk theirhands and l i :ct, thcir cyes change color, thcv arc constr ictcd and cannot moveticcly, thcir scnse-organs function no lnorc, and t l-rcir I fcrurl clcrncnts disintegrate.After the consciousness lcavcs thc boclv, rvherc docs i t go? What is i ts sclfnaturc?What form docs i t takc on? Hou,' does i t lcave thc old bodv to reccivc a new body?Hor.v can i t leave onc body hcrc, and, taking al l thc:cn:c-l lcldst rvi th i t , bc bornagair-r and again in various other bodics to undcrgo karnric results? Worlci-HonoredOnc, how can scnticnt bcings prodr.rcc sense orsans agair.r alter thcir bodics dccayand clisiutegrate? How carl one bc rcu'ardcd in future lives tbr meritorious deeds per-formed in this l i fc? How can a futurc body cnjoy thc rcs'ards of meritorious

actiol ls perfornrcd by thc prcscnt body? How can thc consciousness bc r-rourishedand grow in the body? How can the consciousness changc ancl rnodify i tsclf inaccord .urcc w i th thc body?" '

' l 'hc IJucldha answcrcd, "Marvelous, marvelous! Wisc Protector, your qLrcs-

t ions arc cxccl lcnt. Listcn attcntivcly and think wcl l about this. I wi l l explain i t toy o u . "

Wisc Protector said to thc Buddha, "Yes, World-Honored One, I wi l l acccptyour teaching with rcspcct."

Thc l3r"rddha told Wisc Protcctor, "The consciousuess ntoves and turns,transmigratcs5 and cxpircs, arrd corrres ancl gocs l ikc thc u' ind. Wind has no color orshape and is irrvisible, yet i t cen [gcncratc and] st ir up things and cause thcm totake or.r ditTerent shapcs. It r-r-ray shakc trccs so violcntly that they brcak or splitu, i th a loud crack. I t nray toucl.r scnticnt beings' bodics with cold or heat and makcthem fbel pain or pleasurc.

"Thc wind has no hands, no feet, no face, no cyes, and no sl-rapc; i t is notblack, white, yel low, or red. Wisc Protcctor, the sanrc is truc of consciousness.Conscicusncss is without color, shapc, or l ight,6 and cannclt be manifestcd. I tshows i ts various functions only when Iproper] causcs and condit ions arc met. Thesamc is true of the elc:ments of t-eel ing, awarcncss, and dharnras.r Thcsc clcments,too, are devoid of color and sh:rpc:rncl depend on [propcr] causcs and condit ions todisplay thcir functions.

"Wisc Protcctor, when a senticnt bcirrg dics, the ele ments of lccl ing, aware-ncss, and dharmas, togcthcr with corrscioi:sness, al l lcavc thc [old] body. Takingthe elements of feel ing, awareness, ar-rd dharnras with i t , thc consciousness is born. rqa in rn a new body .

"As ar-r i l lustrat ion, when the wind passcs ovcr cxquisite f lowcrs, the f lowers

TnE ErucroarloN oF CoNsr;rctusNrss

remain where thcy arc, whilc thcir fragrance spreads tar and widc. Tl-re substancc

of the wind docs not takc in a fragrancc of thc cxquisite 1' lo.,vers. The substanccs of

thc fragrance, the wind, end thc org. ln of touch* havc- neithe r shapc nor color, but

the fragrancc cannot sprcad far away without the pou'er of the lvind. Wisc Pro-

tector, in thc samc way, aftcr a sentient being dies. his consciousncss wil l take

birth again togcthcr with thc clements of feel ing, a\\ 'arcr)css. and dharmas. Ac-

companied by the elements of feel ing, awarcncss, and dharnras. the consciousness

is rcincarnatcd through [thc union of] i ts parents, r. ' , 'ho arr ' thc condit ior-rs of i ts

rebirth."By virtue of Isweet] f lowers, the nose smells fragrance; bv virtuc of thc sense

of smell , thc fragrancc is cxpcricnced; by virtue of a wind, \ \ 'e sec and f ccl thc

effect of the wind, whose powcr spreads the fragrance far and s'ide . Sir-nilarlr.,

l iorn thc consciousncss comcs fccl ing; fronr feel ing conlcs awarcncss: trorn awarc-ness come dharmas; and as a result, one can tel l good from evi l . . ' )

"Wise Protcctor, when a sentient being dies at thc exhalrst ion of his karrnicresults [ for that l i fel , his consciousness is st i l l bound by karmic hindrances. lAt thc

nloment of death,] the consciousness leaves thc body and i ts elements to takc birthin anothcr body, just as thc consciousness of an Arhat who has entcred thc dhyinaof ult imate quiescence disappears lrom his body. However, by the powcr of nrcm-ory, the consciousness knows both thc idcnti ty of thc clcceased and al l hc has

clonc in l i fc, which occur clearly to thc dying pcrson and prcss him mcntal ly

ancl physical ly."Wisc'Protector, what is the' mcaning of consciousncss? Consciousness is thc

seed which carr brirrg fbrth the sprout of various bodily fornrs as a rcsult of karma.Pcrception, awarcness, conception, and mcmory are al l comprised in the conscious-

ucss, so th:rt i t can tcl l joy frorn pain, good from cvi l , and wholcsonc states from

unwholcsorr.rc oncs. For this rcason. i t is cal led consclousness."You ask how the consciousncss lc-avcs thc body and Itakc-s birth] again to

undergo other karmic results. V/ise Protcctor, the consciousness movcs into abodl ' as a face appears in a mirror, or as the letters ofa seal reveal thcnrsclvcs irr thcmud. Whcn thc surr r iscs, darkncss disappears whercvcr thc sunl ight reaches.

Wher-r the sun sets and there is no l ight, darkncss rcappears. I)arkncss has no fornror substancc, and is ncither permanent nor impernrar"rent; i t is nou'here to befbund. Tl-re same is true of consciousncss: i t is devoid of form and substancc. r 'ct i tmanifcsts i tsclf by fccl ings and conceptions. Thc consciousness in the bods is just

l ike the substance of darkness; i t cannot be sccn or grasped."A rnothcr cannot know whether the baby shc has conccived is a bov or a

gir l ; black-, white-, or yel low-skinncd; with complete or inconrplete organs; with

wcll- f trrmcd or dcformcd organs; or whether i ts hands, feet, ears, and eyes resem-ble hers. Whcn the mother eats or drinks something hot, horvever, her babymoves [ in her won-rbl and she feels pain. Similarly, scrl t icnt bcings come and go,bend and stretch, look arrd wink, talk and laugh, carry heavy burdcns, and do

226 ON CoNscrousNlss

other things. Through these activi t ies the consciousness manifests i tself , but no one

can tel l exactlv where i t is except that i t is in thc body, and no one knows what i t

looks l ike."Wise Protector, the consciousness, in i ts self-nature,11)pervades everywhere

[in the body] but is not tainted by any part. Although i t dwells in thc six scnsc-

organs, the six sense-objects, and the f ive aggregates which are defi led, i t is not

stained by any of them; i t only functions through them."Wise Protector, a wooden puppet strung up somewhcrc can give a varicty

of performances, such as walking, prancing, .1umping, throwing, playing, and

dancing. What do you think? By whose power can the wooden puppct do so?"

Wise Protector said to the Buddha, " l an not intcl l igent enough to know the

answer. "

The tsuddha told Wise Protector, "You should know that i t is by the powcr

of the puppeteer. The puppeteer is out of sight; only the opcration of his intel l i -

gence can be seen. Similarly, the body does everything by thc power ofconscious-

ness. Rsis, gandharvas, dragons, gods, humans, asuras, and other bcings in the

various planes of existence all depend on the power of cor-rsciousness to act. The

body is cxactly l ikc thc woodcn puppet. Consciousness is devoid of form and

substance, but i t upholds al l in the dharmadhttul lr i t is ful ly etrdowed with the

power of wisdom and can even know events of past l ives.12"Sunlight impartially illumir.ratcs cvildocrs and such filthy things as stinking

corpses without being tainted by thcir foulncss. Sirni lar ly, consciousness may residein a pig, a dog, or a being of another n.r iscrablc plane who eats dirty food, but

is stained by none of them."Wise Protector, alter leaving thc body, the consciousness Itakes birth againl

with its good and evil karm:rs to undergo othcr karmic rcsults. The wind becomes

fragrant i f i t cntcrs a grovc of lragrant campaka f lowersl-t after coming out of a deep

valley. However, i f the wind passes through a st inking, dirty place where there are

cxcrcmcnt and corpscs, it catches an offensive smcll. If the wind passes through aplacc which is pcrmcatcd with both a fragrant odor and an of-fensive one, it carries

good and bad odors at the same t irne, but the stronger of the two prcdominatcs.

The wind is devoid of form or substancc. Fragrance and stench, too, have noshape' however, the wirrd can carry both fragrance and stench far away. The

consciousness takes good and evil karmas with it from one body to anothcr toundcrgo diffcrcnt karmic rcsults.

'Just as a person who is dreaming sees many images and events without

knowing that he is lying asleep, so, when a blesscd, virtuous pcrson is dying andhis consciousness departs, he is peaceful and unaware [ofhis deathl; he passes away

fearlessly as if he were dreaming."Thc consciousncss docs not leave from the throat or any other ori f ice. la No

one knows where i t departs or how it goes out."

The Elder Wise Protector bowed down with his head at the Buddha's feet

and asked him, "World-Honored Onc, the egg-shell of hen, a goose, or the like is

Tnr Eluctr,qrloN oF Carrs<-rousNrss 227

airt ight al l around rvhen thc egg has not hatched. Hou' can the consciousncss gct

into i t? I f the embryo dies in thc egg and the egg-shcl l docs not break, how can thc

corrsciousncss get out of the egg-shel l , wl-r ich has no opening at al l?"

Thc Buddha ansu'ered, "Wisc Protector, aftcr bcing pcrfunred by campaka

flowcrs, castorl5 beans yicld a fragrant oi l cal lcd campaka oi l . u'hich smclls rnuch

bettcr than ordinary castor oi l . By i tself , castor oi l is not tr .rgrantl i t becomcs

fragrant only bccausc the bear"rs havc been perfumed bv canrpak:r f lolvers. The

fragrance does not get into or out of the beans by breaking thcnr. Thor-reh i t is in

thc oi l , the fragrancc has rro form or substance. I t is the [-.on'cr of causes and

condit ions that moves thc fragrancc into the oi l to makc i t aronratic. Lr thc samc

way, the consciousncss of a chickcn or gosl ing cntcrs and lcavcs thc eqq."The consciousncss trannl igratcs [ into a ncw body] iust as thc sr.rn shcds

l ight, as a pearl shincs, or as wood produccs f irc. lTransrnigrat ionl is also l ikc thc

sowing of a seed. After a sced uncicrgocs tr lnsformation in thc soi l , sprouts. stems,

and leaves cmerge. -fhcn

comc f lowcrs of various colors, such as r.vhrte or red,

manifcst ing a varicty of powcrs and sccnts at nraturi ty."This sar-r-re great earth provides l- lutr ients composed of al l the four clements

to nourish plants, but dif f-crent secds wil l producc dif fcrcnt crops. In thc sanrc

way, from the same consciousness that upholds the entire dharmadhitu come al l

thc sarirsaric bcings with bodies of dif f trcnt colors, such as white, black, yel low,

and rccl; and with cl i f f i : rcnt cl isposit ions, such as !{cntlcncss rncl irascibi l i ty.r ' '"However, Wise Protector, consciousness has no hands, no fcet, no nlem-

bers, ancl no languagc."T l tc porvcr o f t t t c t t to ry i s very s t ro r rg in the dhar r r radhatu . l ' so w l rcn thc

conscrousncss lc;rvcs a scnticnt bcing's bocly at his dcath, i t conrbincs lvi th the

power of memory to become the seed of his r-rext l i fe. Apart from conscrousness,

thcrc is no dharrnadhatu, and vicc vcrsa."T l re cor rsc io r rsness is re incarn . r t t 'd tug ,c t l le r w i th t l r t ' p ra r . r r -c lcnrc r r t , l " a r rd thu

elements of subtle memory, lbel ing, and dharnras."

Wise Protector asked the Buddha, " l f so, why does the World-Honored C)ne

say that consciousness is formless?"

Thc Buddha answered. "Wisc Protcctor. form is of tu'o kinds: onc rs ur-

tcrnal; the other, external. Visual consci.ousness is intcrnal, while the elc is c.r-

ternal. Similarly, auditory consciousness is internal, whi le the ear is extcrnal;

olf ict<>ry consciousness is internal, whi le the nose is external; gustatorv consclous-

ness is internal, whi le the tongue is external; tact i le consciousncss is intcrnal, rvhi le

the body is cxternal."Wise Protcctor, supposc a man born bl ind sees a bcauti ful woman ln a

dream.le Her hands, feet, and features are al l extremely pretty, so in the dream the

bl ind nran bccomcs grcatly dcl ightcd with hcr. Whcn hc'wakcs up, therc is r lothing

to bc sccn. In thc daytirnc, among thc crowd, thc blind man spcaks of thc pleasant

event in his dream, saying, ' I saw a gorgeous woman in a magnif icent garden,

together with hundreds of thousar.rds of people, all well-adorned and making merry.

2t8 ON CoNscrousrurss

Hcr skin was lustrous, her shouldcrs plump, and her arms long and round l ike the

rrunk of an elephant. ISccing thcsc] in the dream, I was f i l lcd with joy, comfort,

and admi ra t ion . '"Wise Protector, this man, bl ind fronr birth, has nevcr seen anything in his

lrte . How can hc see those forms in the dream?"

Wise Protector said to thc Buddha, "May you explain this to mcl"

Thc tsuddha told Wise Protector. "Thc forms seen in the dream are the in-

ternal objects ofthe eye. I t is through the discrimination of intel lect, not the physical

cye, that the intcrnal objects of the eye are sccn. Bccausc of the power of memory,

thc internal objects of thc cyc appear for a moment in the drcan-r of the bl ind man.

Also because of the power of memory, thc bl ind man renretnbers them when he

wakes up. Thus do the internal lbrms rclate to the conscrousness.

"Furthermore, Wise Protector, u'hen a body dics, the consciousncss leaves

thc body to be reir-rcarnated. As an i l lustrat ion, consider a seed: after being sown tn

the soi l ar-rd supported by the four clcments, i t wi l l gradually grow into sprouts,

stems, branchcs, and lcavcs. In l ike manner, the consciousness lcaves the dead

body to bc reincarnated undcr thc control of four things-t-ncr-norv, fceling, wholc-

some dharmas, and unwholesome dharmas."

Wisc Protectr>r askcd thc tsuddha, "World-Honorcd Onc, how do wholc-

sornc and unwholcsonre dharmas control the consciousncss?"

Tl-re Buddha answered, "Wise Protector, as an i l lustrat ion, a piece of pre-

cious crystal looks white or black according to whcthcr i t is put in a whitc or black

placc, Sirni lar ' ly, wherr the conscior.rsness leaves the dead body to be reincarnated

arrd undergo dif f trcnt karmic results, i t wi l l become virtuous or nonvirtuous ac-

cording to whcthcr i t is control lccl by wholcsornc or unwholesome dharmas."

Wisc Protector further asked t l .re Buddha, " ln what way is the body con-

nected with the consciousness?"

The Buddha answered. "Wise Protector. consciousness does not accumulate

or gr()w. As an i l lustrat ion, thcre wil l be no sprout i f thc sccd docs not grow or i f

i t rots. I t is when the seed changes and undergoes transformation that thc sprout

ef i lerges. Wise Protector, what do you think? Where does the sprout abide? In the

sced, branch, stcm, lcaf, or thc top of thc tree?"

Wise Protcctor answercd thc tsuddha, "World-Honored One, the sprout

does r-rot abide in any part of the tree."

[The Buddha said, j "Similarly, Wise Protector, the consciousness does not

abidc in any part of the body. I t abides ncithcr in thc cyc, nor in thc car, nose,

tongue, nor body. The t ime wher-r thc consciousness gains sl ight awareness may be

compared to thc timc u'hcn thc sccd sprouts; the time when the consclousness

acquires fbel ing may be compared to the t ime when buds appear; arrd the t ime

during whicl-r the conscionsness has a body nray be compared to the t ime during

r','hich thc flowcr blossoms and the tree bears fruit."From consciousl lcss the body arises, ar-rd consciousncss covers al l the body

and its lin'rbs. V/hcn we look for conscior,rsncss in thc body, wc cannot find it

anywhere; yet without consciousness, the body cannot l ive.

Tug ErucloarroN oF CorscrousNtss 229

"Thc tree bears the seeds of futurc trees whcn its fruits are ripe, not whenthey are unripe. In the same way, when the body dics as the karmic rcsults [of onel i fe] are sctt led, the consciousncss-seed appears. Bccause there is conscrousness,there are sensations. Because therc are sensations, thcre is craving. Becausc of thebondage of craving, memory occurs and is absorbed bv the cotrsciousness. Throughthc union of thc parents, and in accordance with i ts good and evi l karmas, theconsciousness takes birth again togethcr with the elements of prir-ra, perceptions,and mcmory.

"A mirror can ref lect a person's facc, but i f thc mrrror is 'ot clca' andbright, the face wil l 'ot be ref lected. only whc' rhe mirror is bright can the imageof the facc appear. A pcrson's image in the mirror has no fccl ing or memory, but i tbc'ds, stretchcs, looks up ar-rd down, spcaks, comcs, goes, advances. stops, andpcrforms other acts just as the pcrson does. wise Protector, by r. l 'hosc porvcr doesthe image appear?"

Wise Protector answered the Buddha, " l t is by the power of that person:-Because there is thc face, thcrc is the image of that face. Thc image and the face arethe samc in color, and the image is exacrly l ike thc face, with or without completcorgans. "

Thc Buddha said, "The facc is the causc of the image, and thc mirror is rhecondit ion of i t . Through the combination of the cause and condit ion, thc image isproduccd. f)ue to the consciousness [scrving as the cause of thc body], there arefeelings, conceptions, inrpulses, and other mcntal functions. Thc parents are thecondit ion [of the body]. Through the cornbination of the cause and condit ion, thebody is produced.

"The image in thc mirror wi l l disappear when thc body moves away, yer rhebody's image may be ref lected in water or in other places. In the samc way, afterlcaving the body, the consciousness takcs birth again rogether with good and evi lkarmas to undergo othcr karmic rcsults.

"Furthermore, as an i l lustrat ion, consider the sceds of banyan and udum-bara. Though srnall, thcse seeds can engender huge trees, which will in turnproducc seeds. Thc new seeds wil l leave the old trces to produce new trees. Int ime, the old trees wil l becomc weak, sapless, withered, and rotten. Similarly,after leavin-g its small body, the cor-rsciousness of a small sentient being mav takcon a big body of some kind, according to i ts karmas.

"Moreover, considcr barley, wheat, castor-oi l plants, soybcans, grccn len-t i ls, and so forth: thcir sprouts, stems, f lowcrs, and fruits grow and r ipen bccauseof their seeds. Similarly, bccause thcy have a consciousness, sentient beings whoare subjcct to transmigration havc awarencss. Because they have awarencss, theyhave feelings, and as a rcsult, the consciousness takes on different bodies tosetherwith good and evil karntas.

"As a furthcr example, a bee rests on a flowcr and becomes attachcd to it.The bee sucks the nectar of the flowcr to nourish itself, and then leavcs the flowerto rest on another onc. It may fly from a fragrant flowcr to a stinking one, or froma stinking onc to a fragrant one, and it becomes attached to whatevcr flower

13( ) ON CoNscrousNnss

:i rests upon. Similarly, bccause of meritorious karmas, the consciousness may

acquire the body of a god to enjoy superior bl iss. Then thc consciousness may lose

the body of a god and, because of [prcvious] evi l karmas, bc reborn as a hcl l-

drvcller to undcrgo many sufferings. Thc consciousness is thus born again and

again in various bodies."The consciousness is l ike the seed of a tul ip, of a rcd or blue I lotus] f lowcr,

or of a giant white lotus f lowcr. The seeds of thcse f lowers are al l white. I f you

break them, you wil l f ind no sprout, no f lou'er, and no colors [other than white].

Yet when sown in thc soi l and moistened with water, thc seeds wil l sprout and, in

due t ime, produce abundant f lowers and fruits, rvhich arc red, whitc, or other

colors. Thc colors, sprouts, and so forth are not within thc sccd, but they cannot

be produced i f thcrc is no seed. ISimilarly,] after thc consciouness lc-aves the body,

no features, sensc-organs, or scnsc-fields of the bodv are to be found lvithin the

consciousness. By wonderful vision, wonderful hcaring, sound, texturc, taste,

dharmas, nlemory, and the sense-f ields, thc consciousness knows thc good and

evi l karmas i t has donc and wil l acquire a [ncw] body according to those karmas

whcn proper causes and condit ions combinc.'Just as a si lkworm makes a cocoon in which to wrap i tself and then leaves

the cocoon behind, so consciousncss produces a body to er-rvelop itself and then

leaves that body to undergo othcr karnric results I in a new body].

"Becausc thcrc is a seed, there are the color, fragrance, and f lavor [of a

plantl . ISimilarly,] after the consciousness lcavcs thc body, the sense-organs, scnse-

objccts, feel ing, and thc clcmcnt of dharmas go whcrcver the consciousrtess goes.2')

"Whcrc thcre is a wish-fulf i l l ing pearl, there are con-rfbrts; where therc is the

sun, there is l ight. The saure is true with the conscrousness: feel ing, awarcncss,

conception, the element of dharmas, and so forth go wherever tire consciousttess

goes."When the consciousness lcavcs thc body, i t carr ies al l the body's attr ibutes

witl-r it. It assumes an [ethcrcal] form as its body;2r it has no body of flesl-r and

bones. Because it has the senses, it has fcelings and subtlc mcmory and can tell

good from cvil."The fruits of datc, pomegranate, mango, bimba, Persian date,22 kapittha,

and so on are pungent, bitter, sour, sweet, salty, or astringcnt. They differ not

only in taste, but also in their capacity to quench thirst. After the fruits [r ipen and]

decay, thcir l"lavors go with the seeds no tnattcr where the seeds are sown. In the

same way, fgqling, mcmory, and good and evil [karmas] go wherevcr thc con-

sciousness-seed goes. I t is cal led consciousness because i t knows that i t has left one

body to receive anothcr one, knows the good and cvi l karmas [ i t has performed],

knows that i t is accompanied by the karmas, and knows that i t wi l l be reincarnated

togcthcr with the karmas to undergo duc karmic results. I t is cal led consciousness

because i t knows al l that the body has done."Thc element air has no form to be grasped and no substance to be held.

Hor'"'ever, when propcr causes and conditions combinc, it can manifest its exis-

Tnr ErucroarroN oF CoNsctousrurss Z J I

tence in many ways; i t can carry cold and heat, waft fragrance and stench, swaytrees, and blow violently to destroy things. In the sanrr- rvay, consciousness has noform or substance, and cannot be seen or heard. Horve'cr, r .vhc' propcr causcs andcondit ions combinc, al l i ts attr ibutcs appear. Maintaincd bv consciousness, thebody fccls pai ' and pleasure, looks healthy, goes ancl comcs. advances and stops,speaks and laughs, cxperienccs loy and sorrow, and pe rtbrms clcarly visible ac-t ions. ISeeing these,] one knows thcrc is a consciousncss.

The Buddha said to Elder True Moon, ". Truc Moon. in the body bornof parents, sol id matter is of the clement carth, f luid is oi thc elemcnr warcr,warmth is of the elcment f irc, and motiorl is of the elenrcnt air: that rvhichis aware of and remembcrs sounds, odors, tastes, tcxt l l res, and so fbrth is thcconsciousness. "

True Moo' asfcd the l luddha, "world-Ho'ored onc, r '" 'hen a senricr lr beirgis on thc point of dcath, how can the consciousncss leavc thc bodr'? Ho,, can i tmove into another body? How can i t be aware of i ts own lcaving thc bodv?"

The tsuddha repl ied to Truc Moo', "whcn a scntient bei 'g rs rcu,arded rvitha body according to.his karnas, thc consciousncss wil l maintain that body u' i thoutintcrruption, l ikc a strearn. when the scnticnt being's l i fe comes to arl end and hisbody dics, t trc consciousness wil l lcave his body to take birth agair-r togethcr withhis karmas.

"As an i l lustrat iorr, consider a nrixture- of watcr and milk: when i t is boi ledovcr a f irc, rni lk, watcr, and cream wil l al l scrparate. Sirni lar ly. True Moon, whcnthe l i fc of a sentic ' t bcing comcs to an end, his body, consci<.rusncss, sense-()rgans,and ser-rse-objects wil l el l disperse bccause the power of karrrra is cxhaustcd. Theconsciousness wil l thcrr beconrc thc only rcl iance Iof the ethcreal nrind-body com-plcxl23 and wil l cor-rtact various objccts, rnakc up Ial l sorts of] notions about thcm,and bc reincarnated, rogcther with the good and evi l karmas, to undergo otherkarnric results.

"True Moon, ;rs an i l lustrat ion, considcr the'grcat auspicious butter. '2a It ispreparcd by boi l ing a cornbination of various good mccl icines together with thcbuttcr. Thc attr ibutes of ordinary butter al l vanish; instead, the buttcr beconrcssaturated with thc powers of thc good mediciners and their six f lavors: acnd, bit tcr,sour, salty, astr ingcnt, and sweet. I t nourishes thc body and givcs i t a sansr-r incIook and a pleasar-rt odor. Sirni lar ly, after lcaving thc {deadJ bodv, thc conscrous-r-ress wil l takc birt l -r agairr to undcrgo othcr karn-r ic results, toeethcr u. i th theclcnrcrrt of dharmas and good and evi l karrnas.

"True Moor-r, the esscncc of such butter is l ike thc bociv. Buttcr combineswith thc mcdicines to become the great auspicious buttcr, just as rhc sense-orqanscornbinc with dharma-objects to produce karmas. Karmas nourish the conscious-ness in the sanlc way as the rncdicines f1avor bl l t ter to nrakc i t the grcat auspiciousbuttcr. whcn nourishcd with t l-r is buttcr, o'e bcarns and bccomes f l l l of c 'ergy,peaceful, and frec lrom al l discascs; similarly, when nourished by good karmas, theconsciousncss accluircs bl isslul rewards. When lcd with improper butter, one turns

Or.r CoNscrouswrss

Falc instead of acquir ing a rosy conrplexion; similarly, whcn nourishcd by cvi l

karn.ias. thc consciousncss suffers painful retr ibutions."True Moon, though having rro hand, foot, or eyc, tht: prccious great aus-

F1.1oLl5 buttcr can absorb the colors, fragrances, f lavors, aud powcrs of good

nrcJicrncs. In a sinri lar nranner, after leaving thc body and scnsc-organ complex.2l

rh. 'conscrousness can takc up thc clcnrcnt of dharmas, f i 'c l ing, and good karmas to

rs5Linrr ' thc intcrmediatc existence bctwecrr dcath and rcincartrat ion ancl acquire the

s'onclcrful rncmory of a god.l ' ' l t rvi l l see thc six hcavcns of thc I{calm of Desire and

the sixrccn hcl ls. l t wi l l see i tself as havinq a body u' i th shapcly l imbs and beauti ful

scnse-organs. Whcn i t secs the dead body i t has lcft , i t wi l l say, 'This rn" 'as the body

of my prcv ious l i l c . '" I t wi l l also sec a cclcst ial palacc, r.vhich is high, inrposing and ful l of dc-cora-

t iorrs. There are f lowcrs, fruits, plarrts, and trccs cnt:rnqlcd u' i th vir-rcs which have

tcndri ls as shiny as ncw gold chains inlaid rvith various qcms. The sight wi l l f i l I

I thc consciousness] with exultat ion. t leirrg vcry fond of thc palacc, i t wi l l takc

birth thcrc."For a pcrson u' i th €jood karmas, to give r.rp one bodv and receive another is

con-rf irr table and painless, Just l ike a r ider's dismounting from one horse and

mounting anothcr. As an i l lustrat ion, whcn a bravc man ski l lccl in f ighting sccs

cncmy troops corrr ir .rg, hc wil l put or) strong arnror and r ide on a brave horse to

mcct them fearlessly. Similarly, whcn a pcrson cndowcd with good roots brcathcs

his last, his consciousncss wil l lhappilyI leave thr: loldI body and scnsc-organ

cornplcx2T arrcl t ;rkc birth again in the -tsrahml Heaven, or cvcn in thc Akanistha

Heaven, to cnjoy worrdcrful plclsurcs."

At that t in-re, Prir-rcc ( ireat Mcdicine rose from his seat in the assembly,

3oincd his palnrs, arrcl askcd thc tsudclha, "World-Honorcd L)nc, what fornr does

the corrsciousrrc'ss takc af ier leaving thc Idead] body?"

The Buddha answercd, "Marvclous, marvelousl Great Medicine, what you

rrow ask conccrns thc great, prolbund state of thc tsuddha. No one except thc' l 'ath-gata

carr uncicrstarrd i t . "

At this, Wisc l ' rotcctor saic' l to thc Budciha, "Thc qr-rcst ion raiscd by Princc(lrcat Meclicine is indccd profound. l t shorvs his subtlc wisdom and quick mind."

Sccirrg th.rt t luJdha r 'vas bcnisn ar-rd that his facc r.vas bcaming with joy l ike

an arl tul-r. l11 lotus l lorn'cr in l i r l l bloom, Princc ( lrcat Mcdicinc bccamc jubi lant. Hejoined his palms and said r,vholehcartedly to the tsuddha, "World-Honored Onc, I

lovc t l-rc prolbund l)harn-ra; I thirst aftcr thc profound I)harn'ra. I arn in constant

t i 'ar of thc Tath-gata's cntcring parinirv-na, bccausc I r .r , i l l havc no chancc to hcar

hir-n cxplain thc true l)harma. I wi l l thcn be lelt among the senticnt beings of the

l ive depravit ics, r.vho ceasele'ssly renrain in safirsira to underqo sut-ferings because

thcy arc confusccl lncl too igt ioraut to ktrow good l ionr evi l , rvholcsome from

ur ru l ro lcsor r rc . o r pcr lcc t l ru r r r i l t rpc r f tc t . '

Tur ErucrrarroN oF CoNscrousruEss 233

Princc Grcat Mcdicine than asked the Budclha Iagain], "World-Honored

One, what is thc form of thc consciousness? Pleasc cxplain i t for me."

The Buddha told Princc Great Medicine, " l t rs hkc one's imagc in watcr.Such an inragc is ungraspablc. I t is ncithcr existent nor noncxistcnt; and i t changesshapc w i th the water .

"Thc 'shapc' of good and cvi l karmas ar-rd the tbrnr oi thc consciousncss are

invisible. Just as a person born bl ind cannot scc sunrisc or \un\r ' t . day or night,

brightness or darkness, so we cannot scc thc consciousncss. Tl-rerc arc thirsty

desires, feel ings, and thoughts rvithin oncself, but thesc arc also invisiblc. How-

ever, al l thc Ifourl clcmcnts, the Itwelve] entranccs, and thc It ivc] aegrcgatesrvhich consti tutc onc's ,elf l8 arc nranifcst.rt ions of thc consciousness. Both the

rt1pas,2e such as the eye, ear, nose, tonguc, body, fbrm, sound, odor. tastc, and

tcxturc, and the non-rupas, such as thc cxpcricnccs of pain and plcasurc. arc

Imarri fcstat ions ofI thc consclousncss."Great Medicine, when a pcrs()n tastes food with his tongue, hc knorvs the

food to bc swcct, bit tcr, acrid, sour, salty, or astr ingent. The tongr.rc and the food

arc visible and tangible, whilc thc tastc is not. Furthermorc, bccausc of bones,nrarrow, f lesh, and blood, a persol l can bc awarc of scnsations. Bones and so forthare tar-rgible, but sensations are not. The sanrc is truc with knowing u'hethcr aconsciousness is nourished by blessings3" or rrot."

Then, bowing with his head ar the Buddha's fect, Wise Protector askcd thcBucldha, "Is i t possiblc fo know whcthcr or not a consciousncss has blcssings?"

The Buddha answered, "Listen attcntivcly! No onc can see thc conscrousncss

unless he has seen the truth. Unlike a nlango in the hand, thc consciousness rsinvisiblc. I t is not within the eye or othcr scnse-organs. I f the consciousness werewithin thc eye or other sense-organs, i t could be seen i f thc cye or other sense-

organs wcrc disscctcd. Wisc Protcctor, I , l ike al l other Buddhas, as numeyous as the

sands o.fthe ()anges, see that the consciousness has noJorm. T'he ronsciouyrcss rannotbeseen by ortlinary people; it can he tlescrihcd only through parables. .31

"Suppose a god, a ghost, a spir i t or other being possesses a pcrson.

Wl.rat do you think? Can wc find its cntity insidc the person's body?"

Wise Protector said to thc Buddha, "Certainly not, World-Hor-rored One.When a go . l , a ghos t , o r a sp i r i t poss( 'ss ( ' s a persor l . we cJn l ro t scc i t s c r r r i t v cvcr r i Iwc scarch for i t inside and outside the person's body, because i t is formlcss andshapelcss. "

"\X/isc Protcctor," said thc Buddha. " i fa person is possessed bv a grcat godwith sr.rpcrior rncri ts, thcn fragrant f lowers, supcrior inccnsc, dcl icious lbod anddrirrk, arrd clean quarters must be offcrcd to him, and the offerings rnust all ben-ragnif icer-rt ar-rd ur-rsul l ied. In the same way, a consciousness nourishcd b1' blcss-ings wil l be rewarded with nobi l i ty and comfort. I t wi l l be rcborn as a king, amirr ister, a nobleman, a very r ich n1an, a chieftair-r, or a great mcrchant. I t mayacquire the body of a god to enjoy wonderful celest ial bl iss. A person whose

234 ON CoNscrousNrss

consciousness is nourished by blessings acquires bl issful rewards, just as a pcrson

possessed by a god with superior merits should be given cxcel lcnt f lowcrs and

incense, as well as delicious food and drink, which will makc him happy and cure

him of his i l lness when he is sick. 'r2 Thereforc, onc should know that those of high

standing or great wealth acquire such bl issful rcwards solely because their con-

sciousncsses are nourished by blessings."Wise Protector, when a person is possessed by a lowly, evi l ghost or spir i t

. . . he wil l be fond of excrement, putr id things, nrucus, sal iva, and so on; i f offered

such f i l thy things for rel ief, he wil l bc happy and cured of his i l lness. Owing to the

power of the ghost or spir i t , the person del ights in such impure, st inking things as

excrement, just as the ghost or spir i t del ights in thcm. Similarly, a consciousness

pervaded by sin wil l bc born of poor parents, or in miserable planes of existcncc,

such as the plane of hungry ghosts or thc plane of animals which eat dirty food. I f

one's consciousness is pervaded by sin, he wil l undergo painful karmic results.

"Wise Protcctor, thc po*.rrt of a superior god who possesses a person has

no substance and no shape, but i t can Imake the possessed pcrsonl obtain fragrant,

pure offerings. In thc same way, a consciousness nourished by blessings is shapc-

less, but i t can [make the person i t resides in] acquire wondcrful, bl issful rcwards.

Inf-crior, evi l ghosts causc thc pcoplc t ircy posscss to takc irnpurc, bad food.

Similarly, a consciousness pervaded by sin wil l lcause the persor-r i t resides in tol

undergo painful rcrr ibutions."Wise Protector, this you shoulcl know: thc consciousncss is devoid of form

or subs tar rce . ye t . accord i r rg to whether i t i s nour ished by s in o r b less ings . i t

wi l l Imake the person i t resides inl receive painful or joyous rcsults." .

Great Medicine asked thc Buddha. "How does the consciousness take on the

form of a god or a hell-dweller?"

The tsuddha rcpl icd to Great Medicine, "The consciousness has subtlc vision

regarding thc element of dharmas. This subtlc vision does not depend on thc

physical cyc in order to see. When this subtlc vision cncounters a blissful realm and

sccs pleasures and merry-making in cclestial palaces, the consciousness becomes

delighted and attached to them, thinking, ' I shal l go there. 'This thought of dcf i led

attachment is thc causc of existence [in sarirsaral. Seeing the dead body forsaken in

a cemrtary, thc consciousness thinks, 'This corpsc is my good friend. Because it

has hoarded good karmas, I am now rewarded with rebirth in heaven." '

Grcat Mcdicine asked the Buddha, "World-Honored One, since the con-

sciousness still has an attraction to the corpsc, why does it not return to the

corpsc?"

The tsuddha asked in turn, "Great Medicinc, can hair and beard, though

black, lustrous, and fragrant, be inserted into the body to grow there again after

being cut and discarded?"

Grcat Medicine answered the Buddha, "No, World-Honored Onc. The hair

and beard which have been cut and discarded cannot be inserted into the body to

grow there again."

Tttt ErucloarroN oF Consr;tcl t- 'sNrss 235

Thc Buddha said, "Similarly, Grcat Medicirrc, thc consciousrless cannot rc-turn to the castoff corpsc to undergo karn'r ic rcsults."

Great Mcdicine asked the Buddha, "World-Honorc-d One, consciousness rsindeed subtle and abstrusc. I t has no substancc to be qrasped and no forn to berecognized. How can i t maintain the body of a big scnricnr being l ikc an elephant?How can i t get into a strong body as hard as a diamond? Hou' can i t maintain thebody of a strong man who even can tame nine elephants?"

Thc Buddha repl ied, "Great Mcdicine, take the r l ' ind ior instance. I t isdcvoid of form or substance, . . . yet i t may become f icrcc enouqh to blorv MountSumeru to dust-motes. Grcat Mcdicine, what is thc form ancl shape of thc lvind,which can even dcstroy Mount Sumeru?"

Great Medicine said to thc Buddha. "The wind is subtle and rvithout tbrmor substance. "

The tsuddha said, "Great Medicine, the wind is [ indccd] subtlc and rvithoutfbrm or sl lbstance. Thc consciousness is also subtlc and without form or substance.yet i t can maintain any body, u'hether big or small . I t can takc on the bodv of amosquito, ancl i t can aiso take on thc body of an clcphant. As an i l lustratron,considcr a lamp with a subtle f lame. Wher-r put ir1 a room, thc lamp can dispcl al lthe darkness of the room, whether the roon is largc or small . Similarly, thccor-rsciousness can maintain a big or a srnal l bocly according to i ts kannas "

Great Medicine asked the Buddha, "World-Honorecl Onc, what arc thechar;rctcristics of karrnas? What causcs and conditions enable them to manifestthemselves?"

The Buddha repl ied, "Great Mcdicine, i t is bccausc of his Igood] karmas that

[a senticnt bcing] is rcborn in heaven, enjoying del icious food, peace, and happi-ncss. Supposc t$,o thirsty persons walk in the wilderness; one f inds cool, sweetwatcr, but thc othcr finds nothing and has to suffer from thirst and fatigue. Noone gives the former cool watcr or hindcrs the latter from obtainir-rg i t . Theyacquire their fruits, bl issful or painfrr l , accordir-rg to their karmas.

"As an i l lustrat ion, consider a seed which is sown in the soi l ; aftcrrvards,fruits appear at the top of thc trcc. Howcvcr, the seed does not go from branch tobranch ancl f inal ly rcach the top ofthc trcc. The seed is not found even i f the trunkis cl isscctcd. No onc puts i t into any branch. When the tree grows up and the roots

bccomc f irm, thc sccd cannot be found. Similarly, al l good and cvi l karmas rely onthe body, but no karma is found when the body is examined. Bccausc of the seed,there are flowers, but within the seed no flowcr is found; because of t'lorvcrs, thereare fruits, but within the f lowers no fruit is found. . . . Similarlv, because of thebody, there are karmas, and bccause of karmas, thcre is the bodr' . bur no karmasare found within the body and no body is found within the karmas.

"Fruits do not appear unti l f lowers fal l down at maturi tv. Similarly, the fruitof karma does not r ipcn unti l the body dies at l i fe's end. Just as thc seed is the causeof the flower and fruit, so the body is thc cause of karmas, good and evil

"Karmas have no form and give no sign of r ipening. As an i l lustrat ion,

236 ON CoNscrousNrss

consider a person's shadow, which is insubstantial, unimpcdcd, ungraspable, and

unattachcd to the pcrson. I t advances, stops, goes, and comes as the person docs,

vet i t is not seen to come out of the body. In the same way, wherc thcrc is thc

body, there are karmas, yet karmas are not found within the body or apart from it ."A dosc of good mcdicinc, whcther i t tastcs acrid, astr ingent, or bit ter, can

curc a sick pcrson's discasc and givc him comfort and a good complexion. When

pcople see that person, they immediatcly know that hc has takcn f ine medicine.

The f lavor of thc mcdicinc can bc tasted, but i ts thcrapeutic function cannot be

seen. Though invisible and ungraspablc, [ thc mcdicinc's potency] can bring a

good complexion to thc pcrson who takes i t . Similarly, though without form or

substance, karmas can inf luencc a pcrson. Undcr thc inl lucncc of good karmas, a

person has abundant, splendid food and drink, clothing, and other internal and

external ncccssit ics. Hc has shapcly l imbs and handsome features. He has sump-

tuous houscs and a hoard of wish-fulf i l l ing pearls, gold, si lver, and other trea-

sures. Hc is peaceful, h.ppy, well-amused, and satisf ied. I t should bc known that

all these are the mar-rifestations of good karmas. To be reborn in a lowly, distant,

poor region, to lack the necessit ies of l i fe, to envy others'happiness, to have coarse

food or no foocl, to be shabby and ugly in appearancc, to stay in inferior places-

al l thesc, you should know, arc the manifestat ions of evi l karmas."A clear mirror reflects the beauty or r.rglincss of a facc, but the image of the

face in the mirror is insubstantial arrd ungraspable. Simiiarly, under thc inf luence

of good or cvi l karmas, thc consciousness is born in a plane of humans, gods,

hcl l-dwcllcrs, animals, or othcrs. Great Medicine, y()u should know that karmas

stay with the consciousness when i t leaves one body for another.".

Grcat Mcclicinc asked. "World-Honored One. how can this soft. subtle con-

sciousncss pcnctratc a hard forrn?"

The tsuddha answcrcd, "Grcat Medicine, water is extremely soft, yet tor-

rcnts and cataracts can piercc mountain rocks. What do you think? How soft is

water and how hard is a rock?"

Great Medicine said, "World-Horrored One, a rock may be as hard as a

diamond, while water is soft and plcasant to thc touch."

[The Buddha said, j "Great Medicine, the same is true with the conscious-

ncss. I t is cxtrcrncly soft and subtlc, but i t can pcnctratc into a hard, big body in

which to undergo karmic results.".

Great Medicine asked the Buddha, "World-Hor-rored One, how can the form-

less conscionsncss givc birth to a form by virtue ofcauses and condit ions?. . ."

The Buddha repl ied, "( lreat Medicine, two pieces of wood rubbed together

can producc firc by friction. The fire cannot bc found within thc wood. Flowcvcr,

*'ithout the wood. there would be no fire. The fire arises from the combination of

causcs and conditions; without sufficient causes and conditions, no firc is pro-

duced. No onc can find thc form of the firc within the wood. but the 6re which

comes from the wood is visible to al l ."ln the same way, Great Medicine, the consciousncss givcs birth to thc

Tsr ErucroarroN oF CoNscrousNrss 237

corporeal body through the union of the parents. However, thc conscrousness

cannot be found either within the corporeal bod1, or rpart from it ."( lreat Medicine, before the f ire is bui l t , rro attr ibutes of f i re appear, such as

warmth and so on. Similarly, Great Medicine, u' i thout the body, there would bc

no appearance ofthe consciousnesses, feel ings, conceptions, or in-rpulses.

"Great Mcdicine, thc sun shincs brightly, but ordinarv pcoplc are unable to

know whether the substance of the sun is black. u'hite. r 'cl lorv. or red. bccausc

they have not sccn i t . However, from thc functions oi the sun, such as i ts giving

forth l ight and warmth and i ts r ising and sctt ing, ther, knou' that thc sun exists.

Sinrilarly, Jrom the functions oJ the consciountess , it is knou,tr that thert i -r a r orr-sri orrsness. "

Great Medicine askcd thc Buddha. "What are thc functrons oi the con:cious-

ness ?"

The l luddha repl ied, "Grcat Medicine, feel ing, awareness, conceptron, lm-

pulsc, thought, grief, sorrow, and distress-al l these are functions oi thc corr-

sciousness. The good and evi l karmas, which have become seeds sorvn in thc

consciousness by pcrvading i t rcpcatcdly, also reveal the consciousness b1 their

functions. ".

Whcrr thc Buddhas had explaincd this sutra, al l those in the assembly, in-

cluding Elder Wise Protector, Prince ( lreat Mcdicinc, thc n'ronks, Bodhisattva-

Mahlsattvas, gods, asuras, gar-rdharvas, and so forth, were jubi lant over thc Bud-

dha's tcaching and bcgan to practice i t with veneration.

NOTES

1. Buddhisrn does not usual ly t reat consciousncss as an indiv idual uni ty, but as a

group ofclilferent consciousnesses. Howevcr, in this sutra thc totality ofdiffcrent conscrous-

nesses is viewed as a unity, This consciousness differs lrom thc various component con-

sciousnesses, strch as the eye- or visual consciousness, the ear- or auditory consciousness, and

so forth.

This sutra seems to be one of the forerunners or germinal sources of the Mind-Onlv

philosophy ofthe Yogicara school. Thc rcadcr will find that the consciousness discussed here

is in many ways s imi lar to the Yogaclra idca of thc 'store consciousness' (a layar l i l , r r ra) . fhe

storc consciousncss is a lso cal lcd thc ' fundamental consciousness' , rvhich stores or upholds

nremory, impressions, and karmic powcr. Some Buddhists bel ieve that rv i thout i t . the doc-

t r ines of re incarnat ion, karma, supreme enl ightenment of Buddhahood. and. u l t rnratel r ' , the

al t ru ist ic deeds of a Bodhisat tva would not be possib le. (G.C.)

2 . A t c rn r o f r cspcc t .

3. L i teral ly , "cntrances" (ayatana, Ch. ) . A specia l tcrm dcnot ing the s ix sense-

organs and the six sense-objects or sensations, rnaking up tu'elve entrances to perccprion.

Here the text reads, "taking all the sense-fields with it." However, wc should not

interpret this to mean that thc consciousness carries the biological sense-organs or their

objects with it. Instcad, it may be prcsurned that this refers to the consciousness's carrying

238 ON CoNscrousNrss

with it the impressions and habits of the former lifc's sense-organ and sense-object complex,

thus creating a new, cornplete, ethereal mind-body complex of the intcrmcdiatc existence

between death and reincarnation (Tib. bar-do). (G.C.)

4. These qrrest ions and others ra iscd later are not a l l c lcar ly answcred in the text below.

However nonc of the major points of explanation of the consciousness have been ot.nitted in

our translation.

5. The text herc reads S , literally meaning to move lrom one place to another, which

would t ranslate as ' t ransmigrat ion ' .

In certain passages of thc tcxt, Thc Questions o.l Kittg Milinda, the conccpt of transmi-

€i rat ion is severcly cr i t ic ized and refuted; instead of ' t ransmigrat ion ' that sutra says that ' re in-

carnation' should be used. However, this rnay onl,v bc a problenr of semantics. As long as

one does not c l ing to an eternal , unchanging, indiv is ib le substancc of 'sc l f ' thcre wi l l be no

conflict with the basic Buddhist rto-self (anannarr) doctrine. (lonsciousness can transnligrate

without being considercd as an eternal and indcstructible self-. Furthernrore, the problerrr of

transrnigration and reincarnation can bc trcatccl on two differcnt levcls. On the rrtunclane

level , the existencc of a consciousness rvhich t ransmigrates can bc adnr i t tcd. However, on a

higher level , even th is consciousness is wi thout substancc or cnt i t ) ' . (G.Cl . )

6. It should bc noted that in other contcxts ancl Buddhist scripturcs, purc conscious-

ness is said to have light.

7. Ch. * .Et 'En- The second i tcm in thc scr ies, E, is herc t ranslated as 'awarcncss' .

The usage of E here is rathcr unusual ; i t is not lbund in thc rcgular nt tnrcr ical ser ies in

Buddhist terminology. i*4 is not usccl in thc usual sense of dharrnaditu.

Thc word 'dharmas' (if) hcrc is also used in an unusual sense (see the Glossary for its

ordinary meaning). It probably relcrs to the impressions and habits lcft in thc conscrousness.

It is not clear to me whethcr i*F (dharma-rcalnt) hcrc rcfcrs to thc univcrse or to the

realm of ent i t ics. (G.C.)

8. Both the Abhidharrna and Yogaclra schools seem to bel ieve that wi th in or behind

cach of the five sense-orlaans there is a correspotrding pure organ of lorm ( H€tR ). These

organs arc invisible to ordinary hur.nan beings, and only those with the deva-cvc can see

thern.

Here thc tcxt reads, " the organ of touch" (4&), but the other vcrs ion of th is sutra,

t ranslatcd byJiranagupta (Taisho 310, chapter 39, p. 610), reads " thc ol factory organ," which

is morc appropr iate. (G.C.)

9. Here the text reads, "From consciousness con.rcs lccling. . . ." This seenls to mean

that lrom fundamental consciousness-the forerunner of thc concept of store consciousncss-

all fcclings, or sensations, can arise. That is to say, without the fundamental consciousness

serving as a sLlbstratum to uphold the views and impressions inrpinging upon the sense-organ

complex, no feelings could possibly arise.

"Frorn feeling comes awareness" presumably mcans that from pleasant, unplcasant, or

neutra l leel ings comc di f fcrcnt k inds ofawareness, i .e. , pain, p leasure, and so for th.

"From awareness come dharmas" seems to suggest thc Yogicira idea of the 'seed'

(6E) or 'habi t ' (€k) of consciousness. Memory is only possib le when an impresston ts

plantcd. Impression is not possible without awareness, for impression simply means thc

awareness ofobjccts (dharmas) being impressed upon the consciousness. This, pcrhaps, is the

significance of thc statement "from awareness come dharrnas." However, it can also be

intcrpreted to nlean that when the consciousness of a person leaves the dead body, it takes

Tur Elucr lar loN oF Corscrc lusNlss 239

along wi th i t the imprcssions and habi ts regarding dharmas. These intpressions and habi ts

rv i l l serve as the seed ofhis character in the next l i le . (Scc also nore 7 abovc.)

Imprcssions include moral impressions and judgments; thus, "one can tc l l good f ron.r

ev i l . " (G .C . )

10. 'Sel f -nature ' (Ei4) hcre does not implv the quai in o i c l inging to scl f -narure(sudbhaua), but s imply denotes the part icular nature of consciousness as scnt ient beings per-celve l t .

1 1. See Glossary. In th is sutra i t is d i f f icul t to idcnt i f r , u 'hrch nrcrninq (or nreani t rgs) of' dha rn radha t r r ' a r c i n t cndcd .

12. Here rve c lear ly see the emergence of the concept o i thc storc consciousness.

13. A kind of lragrant yellow flower.

14. I r r othcr scr iptures, such as thc Llahdyinasafugraha Sastra, r i c do t lnd sr . r r r 'mcnts t i ratthe cot . tsc iousness lcavcs thc bod-v through a spcci f ic or i f ice. For instance. r i thc being rsdest ined to take rebir th in hcavetr , the consciousncss n ' i l l leave through thc "pure or i i lce" onthe headl if the being u'ill lall to hell, thc consciousncss wrll leave throueh rhe anus or teet,e t c , (G .C . )

15. Precise t ranslat ion of thrs p lant 's name is uncerta in.

16. In the previous paragraph the consciousncss is conrpared to a seed fronr rvhich

srows a plant ; in th is paragraph i t is compared to the earth which nour ishcs al l p lants. Thisscems to inc l icatc that 'consciousness'as used in the s[ t ra cen rnc: ln e i ther thc conseiou:nessof a sent ient br : ing, or thc cosmrc col lsc lo l lsness under ly ing al l scnt ient beings, or both.( ( ] .C . )

17. Thc tcxt reads. " HES#f, / :d4; t . " The Cl l inese i*4 herc sccnrs not to c lcnotcthe 'e lenrent of c lhart r t ; rs ' wi th in the eightccn dhatus, but instcad i t s t rongly suggests theclharmadh,r tu of tota l i ty which is embraced by and ident ical wi th thc root-consciousncss(fE^,# ) Agr in, wc scc a germinal ic lca of Yog-ci ra phi losophv.

' lB. Ihe Chinese word E\ may t re t ranshtccl c i ther as 'u ' ind 'or 'a i r ' . I presunre that

herc it is the equivalerrt of fr which trarlslf,tcs the Sanskrit praqta. This rcrm can meanvi ta l i ty , spi r i t , v i ta l breath, or a i r . According to tantr ic doctr inc, the consciousness of asL-nt iL-nt bcing cannot I ive independent lv of prana. Mrnd ant l pr ina lbrnt a two- in-onc uni ty.Mintl is thc firnctional awareness, r,', 'hereas prina has thc function of- activity and porvcr.At the t inre of c lcath, whcn the consciousness leaves t l ie o ld body and t ransnr igratcs c lse-u 'hcrc, i t carr ies thc subt lc pr lna lv i th i t . (G.C.)

19. Commot. t sense te l ls us that a r r ran born bl ind c locs not see colors or shapes indreants. Howcvcr, th is passagc rr tay ret i r to onc who can remcnrber h is past l ives. I t isthrough his r r1s111s1y of past l ivcs that thc man boru bl ind can sec forr t rs in: r drcarn.

20. This clocs not mean that the actual sense-organs antl sense-otrjccts go \\'ith thecor.rsc iousness. Sce note 3 abovc-.

21. L i tcra l ly , " i t has the cause of fornr as i ts bor ly."22 . Thc t r ans la t i ons ' b imba ' and 'Pe rs i an da te ' a re uncc r ra i n .

23. This refcrs to a sent ient bcing in the intcrmcdiate state (Tib. lar-do). rn uhich thercis an ethereal body wi thout tangiblc b io logical const i tuents.

24. The t ranslat ion of # as 'but tcr ' is uncerta in.

25. L i tcra l lv , "e lements."

26. This passage only re lers to the consciousncss of a sent icnt being wi th good kar-nras, who is destined to bc born in heavcn.

2,10 C)N CoNsctousNess

27. L i teral ly , "c lcments and entratrces."

28. L i teral ly , " the bodY."

29. ,Ripa'may bc t ranslated ei thcr as ' forrn, 'which means the object of v is ion, or r t

'objcct' or 'matter', which rcfers to altv phcrlomenal thrlrg. ln tlrc fornrcr usagc, rup.r is otlc

oi the s ix scnse-objects. In the lat ter scnse, rupa contrasts u ' i th the nl ind, as indicated in thc

Clhinesc phrase € 'L ' : i * , ' t rvo dharmas of rhpa and mind'

30. Thc Chinesc r,vord nA is an abbreviation {br crther fiE# or nFffi Thc Sanskrit

cquivalcnt is put tya, which cart n lean'nrer i t ' , 'v i r tue, ' ' luck ' , ' for tu lc ' , 'auspic ioustress" 'b lcss-

ings, , c tc. Si i lce the nrcaning is vcr-v broad, i t is dr f f icul t to t ranslatc. Al though rve t ranslatc

i t hcre as 'b lessings' , i t should not bc undcrstood in the theological scnse. l t has becn

ncccssa ry t o t r ans la te t h i s r vo rd as ' r nc r i t ' o r ' v i r t ue ' i I r o t he r con t cx t s '

31 . Th i s p . l s sJgc 5 ta t ( . s onc o f r h r . cen t r J l n l c s5JHc . o f t he \ u t r J . v i z . . t h . t t consc ious -

ncss has no fornr , and yet i t can mani fest a l l tbrms; cannot be sccn or known by ordinary

pcople; i ts profundi ty and rvoncler arc beyoncl the conrprehcnsion of the ordinary mind, and

i t thercfore can be c lcscr ibcd only bv parablcs.

32. This scents to re lcr to thc s ickncss resul t ing l rom posscssio l l '

33. L i teral lv , "cnt i tY. "

On Virtwe and Discipline

13 #lrmsffi€Bodhisattva Surata's Discourse

' fhus have I heard. ()nce the Ruddha was dwell i rg i ' the gardc' of Anithapin-

dada, in the Jeta ( lrove .car Srivasti . rcspectful ly surrounded by frve l-ru'dredSravakas, ten thousand Bodhisattvas, and others.

At that t inre, a Bodhisattva namcd Surata was l iving in Srivasti . In his pastl ivcs, hc had planted good roots of al l kinds in t l .rc lanc' ls of innumcrablc Buddhas,had served and n-radc offerings to thosc tsuddhas, and had attair-red nonrcgressionlrorn thc pursuit of supreme enl ightenment. Dwcll ing in great kindness, he wasfrcc of angcr or resentmcnt at heart. l )wel l ing in great cornpassion, hc ncvcr t iredof saving others. Dwcll ing in grcat .1oy, he was always in harnrorry with thcdharmadhatu. Dwell ing in grcat equanimity, he saw the equali ty of misery andhappincss.l Hc atc sparirrgly ar-rd at the propcr t ime, had feu'desires, and wascontent. Senticnt beings were always glad to scc him. Out of his compassion forthe people in the city, hc consranrly taughr rhem thc f ive lay precepts and the eightspccial prccepts, and urged them to cult ivatc l the piramitas of l giving, discipl ine,paticnce, vigor, mcditat ion, and wisdom; also kindness, compassion, .1oy, andequanimity; and pure conduct.

Onc day, Bodhisattva Surata, surrounded by an assembly of scntient bcines,was about to lead them to see the Buddha and hear thc Dharma. Sakra, king of thegods, saw with his clear deva-eyc that Surata cult ivated austeri t ics and observedthe pure precepts, both with remarkable diligcnce, and that he r.r'as firnr in hisefforts to dcl ivcr sentient beings. Sakra thought ro himsclf, "surata never neglectsto cult ivate pure conduct. Does he not intend to usurp my thronc? Is he not greedyfor kingship and pleasures?"

With this in mind, Sakra conjurcd up four srrong nten, who wcnt to theIlodhisattva and abused him with al l kinds of foul language, bcat him with st icks,

Sutra 27, Taisho 310, pp. 536-540; translated into Chinese by Bodhiruci.

111 ON VIn'rue aNo DtscIPuNr

hr,rrt him with knivcs, and thrcw t i les and stones at hinr. Howevcr, abidirrg in the

pou'cr of kindr-ress and patiencc, the tsodhisattva endured al l this without fcel ing

anger or hatrcd.

Then Sakra conjured up four ntorc men, rvho went to thc Bodhisattva

and said, "Surata, those wickcd men scolded and insulted you with evi l languagc,

and harmed you with t i les, stoncs, knives, and st icks, for no rcason at al l . Why not

lct us avcnge you? We wil l ki l l thosc mcn for you."

Surata said to them, "Good men, do not say such things! Ki l l ing is evi l

karr-na. Evcn i f somcone should cut mc into as m.any pieccs as thc leavcs of a date

tree, I would not think of ki l l ing hinr. Why? Becausc a ki l ler wi l l fai l to thc plane

of hcl l-dwellers, hungry ghosts, or aninrals Even i f he gains a hunran body, he

wil l always bc dctcsted by pcople, and even his oq'n parcnts wil l not lovc him.

"Good mcn, al l dhan-nas nray gcneral ly be groupcd into two catcgories:

wholesome and unwholesomc. (Jnwholesone dharmas lead to rcbirth in the miscr-

able plancs of existcncc, while wholesome dharmas lcad to benefi t and blessing."

Then l lodhisattva Surata rcpcatcd this in vcrse:

"As in planting, happiness arrd miscry

Resuit frorn thc dceds performed.

How can a bit tcr seed

Yicld a sweet fruit?

Sccing this univcrsal truth,

The wisc shouid think:

Evi ldoing brings painful results,

Whilc good deeds always lcad

To pcacc and happincss."

Hcaring this, the nretr whom Sakra had conjurcd up rcal ized that thcy would

ncver bc ablc to cause Surata to ki l l , and they at oncc disappeared.

Then Sakra magicai ly produccd a huge amount of gold, si lver, and other

treasurcs, alolg with some men! who brought thc treasures to the Bodhisattva,

saying, "You may take thcsc trcasures i f you l ike. They arc at your disposal."

At this, Surata told them, "Good men, do not say such things. Why not?

lJccause the karma of stealing can make senticnt beings poor, lowly, inferior, and

helpless. Evcn i f I wcrc so poor that I could not maintain my l i fe, I would never

takc anything r-rot belonging2 to -. . You should know that ordinary people arc

si l ly, ignorant, and enveloped in desire. How can a wisc person take anything not

belonging to him?"

Then Bodhisattva Surata spoke in verse:

"One who accumulates bi l l ior-rs

And is greedily attachcd [to his wealth],

Bopntsarrva Sunara's Dtscounsl 245

Unable to give i t awaY,

Is said by the wise

To bc r man ever poor in thc rvorld.

A pennilcss man

Who wil l readi ly give whatever hc has

Is said by the wise

To be the noblest and r ichest on carth.

The wise, being free from all cvii,

Have forms of pcrfect magnificence;

But fools, due to their transgressiotrs,

Arc ugly from head to foot.

The wise pcrsuadc others to do good;

Fools arc always for evil.

I t is better to be scolded by the wise

Than to be praised by fools."

Whcn thcy hearcl this, the men corrjured up by Sakra wcnt away disaP-

poir.rted. Thcn Sakra himsclf wcnt to test Surata. Taking with him a great amount

of gold, hc approachcd thc Bodhisattva at-rd said, "I have been in contention with

some people in Srlvastr [ in the court of] King Prasenaji t . I nced someonc to give

f) lse test imony for rnc. I f you can be my witness, I wi l l givc you al l this gold'"

The Bodhisattva told Sakra, "Virtuous one, you should know that i t is evi l

karma to l ie. A l iar l ics to himself as well as to gods, dragons, yaksas, gandharvas,

asuras, garudas, kinnaras and mahoragas. Lying is the origin ofal l evi ls; i t leads to

rebirth in thc miscrable plancs of exister-rce, to breach of the pure preccpts, and to

corruption of the body. A l iar 's mouth wil l often reek, and his words wil l be

scorned ar-rd despised."

Thcn Bodhisattva Surata spoke in vcrse:

"A l iar 's mouth wil l give off a stench.

He will fall to the miserable realms,

Where no onc can rescue hint.

A l iar l ies not only

To gods, dragons, mahoragas, and others;

He also lies to himselt-.

Know that lying

Is thc origin of al l evi ls;

I t destroys onc's pure discipl inc

And brings one to rcbirth

In the thrcc rniserable realms.

216 ON Vrnrur aro DrscrplrNr

Even i f you gavc mc cnough gold

To fill the entire world,

Never would I tcl l a l ic. "

^ l

Hcaring this, Sakra disappcarcd at oncc. Then hc ordered thc goddessesr

Saci. Survaprabha, Pafrcacuda, and others to go to Surata to tcst him again, by

trving to make him break thc precepts. Along with f ive hundrcd young goddesses,

Sacr and the others anointed thcir bodies rvith perfumed ointment and adorned

themselves with f lowcrs and other beauti ful ornaments. Thcy wcnt to the Bodhi-

sattva latc at night, saying, "Wc are lovc-l \ 'n 'omen in the primc of l i fe. Wc wish toshare your pi l low and bed so that \ 've mav cnjoy cach othcr."

Looking at those wonen with his stainless cvcs, Surata said to them, "You

are relat ives and fr iends of hel l-drvel lers, animals, beirrgs of thc Yama Realm,lunatics, evi l-minded people, and atrocions r iksasrsJ thar gorgc rhcnrselves on st ink-ing, f i l thy pus and blood and indulge in impure lovc. You do not belong to thcpurc family of gods'."

Thcn thc Bodhisattva sooke in verse:

"Confuscd anci full of impure thoughts,

Fools arc attached to the st inking, f i l thy bodyFil led with pus and blood.

All that they desire. though,

Wil l quickly pcrish

Ancl pass into nought.

Thcn, sucl.r fools will fall to hell,

The rcalnr of Yarna. and there renuin.

Even if all the won-ren in the world

Wcrc translbrmed into goddesses

As lovcly as you,

My mind would remairr prist ine,

Innocent of evcn thc subtlcst dcsrre.

I would regard them all

As drcarns or cnemies."

Saci and thc othcr goddesses flirted to thc utmost, but the Bodhisattva wasnot in thc lcast st irrcd to passion. They returned to the celestial palace and toldSakra, "We lbund Surata to be resolute. No doubt he wil l attain supreme cnl ightcn-ment. Why? Because he is free of cvcn thc sl ightcst craving for us. He abhors usa l l . "

Although Sakra hcard this, hc was st i l l worried and upsct and fcl t as thoughhc had becn shot by an arrow. Again and again he thought, "No doubt hc wil l

ruin me and deprive me of what is mine. I must now test him once again todetermine his true purpose. "

BooHrsarrv,r Sunara's l)rscounss 247

With this in mind, Sakra went to Surata. Giving up his conceit and ar-rogance and prostrat ing himself with his head at the tsodhisattva's feet, he asked

ln verse:

"Virtuous one, you are most di l igerrt

In cult ivat ing pure conduct.'What,

then, is your aim?

To be a sun-god, a moon-god,

An indra, or a brahma?

I)o you str ive for the throne

Of any king in thc three realms?"

Bodhisattva Surata answcrcd in vcrsc:

"To mc, thc rcwards of being a sun-god,

A rnoon-god, an indra, or a brahml;

Or of bcing a worldly king

ln the three realms

Arc al l impcrmanent and insubstantial.

How can the wise seek these?"

Hearing this, Sakra inqir ircd, " l f you speak truly, what thcn do you seek?"The Bodl-r isattva answcrccl in vcrsc:

" l covct not u'orlcl ly pieasure,

But scck only that bodys

Subjcct to ncither birth nor death.

Tirelessly I cult ivate ingcnuity

To dcl ivcr scnticnt bcings,

So that toqether we nray trcad

The path to enl ightenment."

When he heard this, Sakra felt happy and securc, and was surc ar lasr rharSurata cl id r lot str ivc for his throrrc. C)verjoyed, he praised thc Boclhisattva rnV C T S C :

"You say you rvish to save sentient beings

Crcat is yt-rur anrbit i t-rn-

Indeed, i t is unequalcd.

May you dcf'cat thc der-non-hordes

And rcal izc the ambrosial [)harnral,And thcnceforth turn forcvcr

Thc subl ime Dharma-whccl."

2-1tt ON Vrnrut aNr l) tsctPt-tNn

Aftcr hc spokc this vcrsc, Sakra rcspcctful ly circumanrbulatcd Surata, pros-

treted hinrself with his head at thc Bodhisattva's fect, and then disappearcd irr an

ins tan t .

The ncxt nrorning, when Bodhisattva Surata rn.as makirrg his rourrds tcach-

ine pcople in the city of Sravasti , hc found a gold beJl madc at thc beginning of the

kalpa, which was worth morc than thc world i tself . Thc Bodhisattva hcld the gold

bel l in his hand and cal led out at thc mair l crossroads of thc city, "Who is thc

poorcst in thc city of Sravastr? I sl .ral l givc l .r inr this bcl l ."

whel thc oldcst eldcr of thc citv heard this, hc canre running and said to

Surata, " l am thc poorest i t-r the cit-v. Yott nlav givc nlc that bcl l ."

Surata told the clcler, "You arc 11or poor. whv do I say so? I lccause in the

city there is a good man who is the poorcst of t l -rc poor. I shal l givc him thc bcl l ."

The eldcr askcd. "Who is this nran?"

Surata answered, "King Prasena-j i t is thc poorcst in thc cit .v."

The elder said to Surata, "Do not say so. Why? -Becausc Kins Prasctraj i t is

very r ich and rroble; his trcasury is ovcrt ' lowing r.vi th r.vealth and precious things

that wi l l ncver be exhausted. Why do you say hc is the poorest of thc poor?"

Surrourrded by thc assembly [hc had been tcaching], the Rodhisattva an-

swcrcd i tr verse:

" l f one has a trcasury of bi l l iotrs

And yet, duc to grccci, is st i l l ur.rsatisf led,

He is l ikc a great occan,

Which nevcr has cnough

Of thc nryriad strcams it swallows.

Sucl-r a fool is the poorest of thc poor.

I f such a fool al lows his grccd'I

o grow, sprcad, and PcrPett late,He will alr.vays be nccdy

In his prcsent and future l ivcs."

Aftcr spcakiug this versc, tlodhisattva Suratl wcnt rvitl-r tl-rt- assclnbly to see

King Prasenaji t . At that t inrc, the king, with l lve hundrecl clcicrs, r 'vas countinl l

and chccking the valuables in his treasury. The Bodhisattva approachcd the king

and said, "Tl-r is morrr irrg wthcn I was nraking my rounds teaching the pcople in thc

ci6', I found a gold bcl l nrade at thc bcginning of thc kalpa, which is worth more

than thc world i tsclf . At that t ime, I thought to nryself, ' l should takc the bel l and

qivc i t to thc poorest person in the city. 'Then I thought, 'Thc poorest in the city is

Hrs Majcsty. 'Now I want to offer the bel l to Your Majcsty. Since Your Majesty is

the poorcst, pleasc accept i t fron-r me."

Having said this, thc tsodhisattva spoke furthcr in vcrsc:

Boonrsarrva Sunara's l)rscounsn 249

"Such a senseless rnar.r

Who is nlonstrously grccdy

And amasses r iches ir-rsatiably

Is cal lcd the poorest of al l .

Yor"rr Majesty, you' lcvy harsh taxcs

And punish the innocent for no rcason.

In la tua ted w i th your sovcrc ig r r i ry .

You ncvcr hcccl

Thc future effects of your karmas.

While you cnjoy powcr in this world,

You do not piotect your subjects,Ar-rd have no pity

For thc poor and srrf fering.

You indulge in womcn's company

Without any fear of lal l ing

To thc' miserablc plancs of existencc.You arc not even conscious

Of your outragcous wickedness

Arc you not poor?

If one practiccs mir-rdfulness diligerrtly

And dcl ights in self-control,

Hc is cal lcd r ich and noble,And his wcalth of goodncss u. i l l br ing himEtenral peace andjoy.

As a roaring conflagratior-r

Never has enough wood to consunrc,

So, O King, your avarice

Is nevcr satiated.

As the watcr can always engulf rnorc clouds,And tl-rc occan ncvcr ovcrflows with water,So arc you, O King,

Ncvcr satiated.

As thc sun arrd rnoon

Incessantly course through spacc,

So you, O King, wi l l nevcr rcstlrr al l your l i fe.

A wise person, though,

Like roaring f lamcs

250 ON Vrnrul aNl DrscrptrNn

Insatiably devouring wood,

Never ceases to do good.

As the water can ever engulf morc clouds,

And the occan never overflou's with water,

So a wise man is never satiated

With his ever-increasing goodncss.

Although the throne gives por,vcr,

I t is, after al l , impernranent.

Al l such things arc impurc;

The wise should abandon thcm."

Whcn hc hcard this, King Prascnaji t fcl t shame and rcmorse, but he said toSurata, "Well said, virtuous onc. Although you are vcrv pcrsuasive, I st i l l do notbel ieve you. Is al l that you have said merely your own opinion? Can sornconc clsebear witness to i ts truth?"

The Bodhisattva repl icd, "The Tathagata, the Worthy Or.re, thc SupremelyEnlightcned One, who is endowecl rvi th al l-knowing wisdorn, is now dwcll ingnear Srdvasti in thc garden of Arr i thapindada in the Jeta Grovc, toBcther withcountless gods, humans, gandharvas, asuras, ar-rd so forth. L)o you not know that?Hc wil l bcar witncss that Your Majcsty is a poor man."

The king said, "Virtuous one, i f what you say is rruc, thcn I wi l l go withyou to see the Tathigata, listen to his teaching, take rcfugc in him, and rnakeofferings to him."

Thc Bodhisattva said, "Your Majcsty should know that the state of theTathagata cannot be fathomed by ignorant, ordinary pcrsons. He is frec of allafflictions and arrogancc, and has great compassion for sentient bcings. He knowsthc prcscnt ancl the future through his saintly wisdom. He will protect anyone whohas good roots and superior aspirat ions, cven i f he is far away. I f he knows that Iwish to convincc Your Majesty, hc wil l surcly come here and be my witness."

Then, in the presence ofthc king, Surata bared his r ight shoulder, kf l t on hisright knee, respectfully joincd his palms, and with this verse invited the Tathigatato aFpear:

"The Tathigata, with truc wisdom,

Has compassion lbr sentient bcings.May hc disccrn the depth of my mind

And bc so kind as to be mr{witncss."

The moment the Bodhisattva f inished speaking, the ground suddenly quakedand burst open, and the Tathagata sprang from the chasm, surrounded by fivehundrcd Sravakas; ten thousand Bodhisattvas; brahmas, Sakras, gods, dragons,spir i ts, and countless other sentient beings.

Bolsrsarrva Sunara's I)rscounse 251

Bodhisattva Surata the' approachcd thc Buddha with his palms rcspectful lyjoincd, and said, "world-Honored one, this morni 'g whc' I was teachi 'g peoplcin the city, I found a gold bel l made at thc beginni 'g of thc kalpa, which is worthmore than the cntire world i tselt-. I thought, ' l shal l civc this bcl l to thc poorestperson in thc city of Sravasti . ' Ther-r I thought, 'King Prascnaji t is the pooresr inthe city. 'Why? Presumptuously rest ing on his thro.e, His Malcsty has no sym-pathy for senticnt beings. He oppresses, exploits, cheats. a'd robs them, a'dharms them unreasonably. He is wrapped in insatiablc greed a'd passion. Thcrc-forc, I consider him to be thc poorest of men and wish to givc hinr thc gold bcl l .

"His Majesty asked me, 'You say that I am the poorest. Who can provc i t tobe true?'

"I lnswcred, 'The Tathigata, thc Grcat Master, the Worthr. ()ne, thc Su-prcrncly Enl ightcned one, is lrce of r l l aff l ict ions, without thc sl ightest rrace ofhatrcd, and treats al l sentient bcings irnpart ial ly. He wil l prove thc trurh of mvstatcnlcnt. ' May thc world-Flonored one instruct, benefi t , and gladdcn usl"

Thereupo', wishirrg to subdue King Prasenaji t , the Tathagata told hinr,"Your Majesty should k.ow that from one viewpoi ' t , Surata is poor but your

Ma.lesty is r ich. From another vicwpoint, Your Majcsty is poor but Surata is r ich.why? Being enthroncd, Your Majesty has worlci ly powcr, and your trcasury is ful lof 'gold, si lver, pearsl, sapphires, and corals. In this rcspect, surata is poor butYour Majesty r ich.

"Howcver, Surata cult ivates purc conduct di l igently, dcl ights i ' thc pureprecepts, has lcft the household l i fe, has acquired great learning, shuns self- in-dulgencc, and t irelessly del ivers larg6 nr.rnrbers of people by teaching them thc f ivelay prcccpts a'd the eight special prcrccpts. Any one of thesc rneri ts is enough toshow that Your Majesty is poor but Surata r ich. your Majesty should know thatall the wcalth and treasures of thc scntient bcings in the kingdonr of Kosala6 cannotcqual one hundredth, onc thousandth, or one mil l ionth of Surata's [ treasury of ' ]f i rmness and purity i 'kecping the f ive lay precepts and the eight special preccprs."

Flearing for himself thc true teaching of the Tathagata, King prasenajit aba'-doncd al l his conccit and arrogance. Looking up at surata atrenrivcly, hejoined hispalms and said in verse:

"How wonderful!

You have thwarted my arrogance.You will acquircThe suprcmc body of a Tathigata.I wi l l abdicate my thronc in your favorAnd wish to remain foreverAmong your er-r l ightened assembly.

I am irrdeed poor, but you are r ich.Now I know your words arc true.

t 5 l ON Vrnrur ANn Dtsctpt-tNr

A thronc is or-r ly a cause of great suffering,

Compcll ing onc to act against good doctr incs

And bc rcborn in thc miserable plancs of existcnce."

After speaking this vcrse, King Prasenaji t said to the tsuddha, "World-

Honorcd One, I now vow to attaitr sttprcnrc c-nl ightenment. I wish that sentrent

beings may bc secure, h"ppy, and frcc fronr thc bondage of sarirsara.

"I wi l l now dividc al l my wcalth and trcasures of gold, si lvcr, and so forth

into thrcc parts. Onc port ion l wi l l offer to thc Tathtgata, the World-Hor-rored

Onc, and to thc assembiy of monks. Another port ion I wi l l give to the poor,

distressed, and hclplcss peoplc- in thc city o[ Srivasti . Thc third port ior l wi l l be

rcserved for state use. I will offer all r-ny gardet-rs, ponds, flowcrs, and fruit

trccs to the Supreme Tathagata and to thc asscnrbly of mor-rks. May the World-

Honored One be so kind as to acccpt them!"

Seeing this occur, f ivc hundred elders of Kosala al l cngendercd supreme

bodhicit ta.

Thcn Bodhisattva Surata said to thc Buddha, "World-Honored Onc, may

the Tatiragata teach thc cssence of the Dharma to thc asscmbly so that those who

havc nct thc Tathagata nlay not have met him in vain!"

Thc World-Honorcd One told thc asscrnbly, "Good people, there are threc

provisions of immeasurablc nrc-rits, .rrerits which cannot be fully cr-rumcrated evcn

by ' I 'athagatas, lct alone by Sravakas or Pratyekabuddhas. What arc the three? To

protect ar.rd uphold thc true Dharma, to bring fortl.r bodhicitta, and to Persuadeothers to make uncxccl lcd vows.

"Furthermore, there are thirty-two l)harmas that good men and good women

1-nust practicc industr ior-rsly in order not to have met the Tathagata in vain:

(1) To have indestructible faith in Tathegatas;

(2) to protect and uphold the true l)harma so that i t rnay endure;

(3) to cstcerr tlre rnembers of the Sagha and never to slight them;

(4) to rcspect and closely associate with Arhats;

(5) to have an equal mind toward what is lovable or hateful;

(6) always to be lbnd of hearing thc trr'rc Dl.rarma and to respect it;

(7) to abide securely in quietude and tranqrrillity and to shun noise and

disturbance:(8) to teach the Tathagata-vehiclc untiringiy;

(9) to tcach the Dharr-rra, but not for thc sake of famc or profit;

(10) to str ive for thc truth and practice assiduously in accordance with i t ;

(11 to practice giving;

(12) to observc discipl ine;

(13) to havc paticnce;

1 l -1 ) to s t r i vc w i th v igor ;(15) to cult ivate meditat ion;

Boontsarrva Sunara's Dtscounsr 253

(16) to develop true wisdom;

(17) to takc good care of sentient beings in accordancc u' i th their wishes;

(18) to bring all serltient bcings to maturity, so that they may not fall away

from the l)harmal

(19) always to subdue oneself well ;

(20) to subdue others by ski l l fui ly making use of the csscnce of the Dharma;

(21) not to be contaminated by any defi lements;

(22) ro dclight in lcaving the household life;

(23) to live in a forest hermitage;

(24) tc> rejoicc in cult ivat ing the four noble practices;

(25) to practice austeri t ics di l igently;

(26) to give up unwholcsonre dharmas;

(27) to bc f irm in one's great vows;

(28) to lead the lifc of a forest-dweller conscicntiously;

(29) to plant good roots;

(30) always to abidc i tr scl{ ' -control:(31) to abandon thc vicws of the two vehicies; and

(32) to praise the Mahlyina."

When thcy heard this doctrine prtached, five hundrcd monks were freed

from defilcrncnts and achieved the pure Dharma-eye; twelve thousand sentient

bcings resolvecl to attain suprenle enl ighterrment.

After bcr.rcfiting sentient beings by preaching the Dharma, the World-

Honorcd One, togethcr with tl.re monks and others who had appeared [with him

in the king's trcasury], suddenly disappcared.

Having sccn al l this, King Prascnaji t was jubi lant. He gavc Bodhisattva

Surata two garmcnts, cach of which cost one hundred thousand taels of gold, and

said, "Wondcrful, vir tuous onc! Plcasc bc so kind as to accePt these."

Bodhisattva Surata told thc king, "Your Majcsty should know that I should

not take these two garments. Why so? Becausc I have a patche'd robc, which I

oftcn hang on a branch in lieu of a closet. No one has ever thought of taking it

away from me by fraud or by force. Purc arc thc gifts given by those who

arc not orr ly free of avarice thernselves, but also cause others not to bc attached

to anything."

At this, King Prasenaji t said, " l f you do not accept them, please, for my

sakc, trcad upon them to bring nre the benefit of peace and happir-ress in the long

night [of sarirsira]." For the king's sake, Surata trod upon the two garments.

King Prasenajit then told the Bodhisattva, "Now you have personally ac-

ccptcd the garments. What is thc usc of them to me?"

Bodhisattva Surata told the king, "Takc thc garments to the poor, distressed

pcoplc in the city who have no one to depend on."

As instructed by the Bodhisattva, King Prasenajit called the poor people

together and gavc them the two garments. When they touched the clothes, the

251 ON Vtnrur aNn DisctprtNr

lunarics regained their sanity, the deaf regained thcir hearing, the bl ind regainedtheir sight, and the deformed werc made whole again, al l because of Surata'sa\\ 'esome miraculous power.

The people said in unison, "What can we offer tsodhisattva Surata in rcturnfor his kindness?"

A voice from thc sky told them, "Know that you cannot rcpay his kindnessb,v offering him flowers, incense, food, or beverage; you can do so only byimmedia tc ly cngcndcr ing bodh ic i t ta . "

When thc fivc hundred poor people hcard this voice from the sky, they allspoke in verse:

"Now we resolvc to attain bodhi.

We shall bccome perfect ly enl ightencdAr-rd teach thc superb doctr ines,To givc pcacc andjoy to sentient beings.

We del ight in bodhi,

For we havc obtaincd the Buddha-Dharma."

Then King Prasenaji t said to turata, "Wondcrful, vir tuous onc. Please tel lme whcn you wil l go to see the Tathigata. I shal l fol low you."

Boc' lhisattva Surata advised him, "Your Majesty should know that i t is veryrarc to meet a Buddha and hear thc truc Dharma. Your Majesty should not goalone. Irrstead, be a good fr icnd to sentient bcings and order al l thc people in thecity of Sravastr to follow you tl-rcrc. Dccrce that anyonc who disobeys your in-struct ions wil l be punished accordir-rg to the royal ordinancc. Why? IJecausc just asa Bodhisattva is adorned by the ret irrue surrounding hin, a king should also bethus adorned."

King Prasenaji t asked the l lodhisattva, "What is the ret inue of a Bodhisattva?"Surata repl ied, "To pcrsuade sentient beings to cngender bodhrcit ta is the

retinue of a Bodhisattva, becausc i t causes them to be enl ightencd."To persuade sentient beings to scc thc Tathagata is thc rctinue of a tsodhi-

sattva, bccausc thcy wil l then not be misled."To persuade sentient beirrgs to hear the truc Dharrna is the retinue of a

Bodhisattva, becausc i t causes them to havc grcat learning."To persuade sentient bcings to see the noblc assenrblyT is the ret inue of a

Bodhisattva, bccausc i t enables them to have virtuous fr icnds."The four inducements are the ret inue of a Bodhisattva, because they attract

scnticnt bcings [to the Buddha-Dharmal."The six piramit is are the ret inue of a Bodhisattva, becausc thcy enhance the

sro\\-th of cnlightenmcnt."The thirty-seven ways to enlightenment are the retinuc of a Bodhisattva,

because thev lead to the bodhi-site.

Boosrsarrva Sunara's DrscounsE 255

"Adorned and guarded by such a retinue, a Bodhisattva can dcfcat the demon-

hordes, make the l ion's roar, and ascend to the supreme state."

At this, King Prasenaji t and the entire assembly were overjoyed. Nine thou-

sand sentient beings were freed from defilements and obtained the clear [Dharma-]eye.

Af te r the Buddha had spoken th is s l t ra ,8 Bodh isar r r a Surara . K ing l ) rasena j i t .

the gods, humans, gandharvas, asuras, and so forth u.ere jubi lant over the Bud-

dha's teaching and began to practice i t with veneration.

NOTES

1. Kindness, cor.npassion, joy. and equanirr r ty are cal led the four i rnrneasurables.

2. L i teral ly , "g ivcn.": . ,

J . Lc . , ) rR r r \ ( ' 0 I r so r l s .

4. Raksasas are demonic, terr i fy ing spir i tsdhat are said to devour hurnan bt- ings.

5. This probably refers to tl.re l)harnra-body of the Bucldha.

6. The c i ty of Sravast i was located in the k ingdom of northern Kosala (Uttarakosala,

the modern Oude), over which King Prasenaj i t re igned. "Kosala" is sornct inrcs spcl lcd"Ko: ia la" i r l othcr texts.

7. I .e. , the Sar i rgha.'6. Al though Surr te preached most of th is sr l t ra, thc t radi t ional conclusion has been

rctaincd. Onc might say that Surata 's preaching was inspired b,v thc Buddha and his teachings.

L4 f,ts.€k'sSumati's Questions

Thus l-rave I heard. ()nce the I luddha was dwell ing on Mount Grdhrakhta near

Rijagrha, accon'rpanicd by twelve hundred l i f ty great monks lnd tcn thousand

llodhisattva-Mahlsattvas. IAt that t imc, an cldcr 's daughtcr t t :rrnccl Surnati , who was only eight years

olcl, was l iving in the city of R-jagrha. She had graccful lcaturcs and was cx-

quisitcl l , bcauti ful. -Bccausc of hcr bcauty and gracc, shc was adored by evcryor-re

who saw hcr. Irr hcr past l ives, shc had associated closely with innumcrablc tsud-

dhas, hacl nradc offerirrgs to them, and had planted good roots of every kind.

One day this young gir l wcnt to visi t thc Tatl-r igata. Whcr-r shc arr ived, shc

paid hornagc to the Br.rdcl ira by bowing down with her head at his 1-eet and

circumambulating hirn thrcc t iures to thc r ight. Tl-ren, kneeling with her palms

joined, she spokc to thc Buddha in versc:

"Uncxccl lcd, Pcrfcct ly Enl ightcncd One,

Cireat, bri l lant l ight of the world,

Please l istcr-r to my questions

About thc Dracticcs of a l lodhisattva."

The tJuddha told Sumati, "Ask whatcvcr questions you wish. I wi l l explain

the answers to you and rcsolvc yor-rr doubts."

Thcn Surnati asked thc Buddha in versc:

"How does one obtain graccful fcatures,

Or great wcal th ancl nobi l i ty?

Shtra 3() . Taisho 310, pp. 547-549; t ranslatccl into Clhinese by Bodhiruci

Suuarr 's QursrroNs 257

What causes onc's rebirthAmong harmonious relat ivcs and fr iends?

tsy what ncans may one be born ethercal ly,Scatcd upon a thousand-petaled lotus,To worship thc Buddhas face to facc?

How can onc obtain a free contnandOf superb, miraculous powers,And thr.rs journey to countless tsuddha-landsTo pay homage to myriad I luddhas?

How can one be tiec frorn ennityAnd cause othcrs to bel ieve one's words?l low may al l hindranccs to Dharma be removedAncl cvi l decds forcver cast away?

At thc cnd of onc's l i fe,

How may one see nrany Buddhas,And therr,free of pain,

Hear thern prcach the pure Dharrna?

Most Conrpassionatc, Supremely Honored Orrc,Pleasc tr: I l rnc al l this."

The Ruddha said t. thc you.g gir l Sumati, "Excel ler.rt , excel lert! I t is goodtl-rat you raise such profouncl qLrestions. Now, l isterr careful ly and think well aboutth is . I w i l l te l l yor r . "

Sur.nati said, "Ycs, World-Honorcd One, I wi l l l isten with plcasurc."Thc- Brrddha said, "Sumati, i f a Bodhisattva achicvcs four things, hc wil l be

cndowcd with a graceful appearancc. What arc thc tour?

(1) Not to be ar.rgry [evcn] with a bad fr icnd;(2) to havc great kir.rdness;(3) to rcjoicc in the truc Dharma; arrd(4) to make irnagcs of Buddhas."

The World-Honorcd Onc rcpeatcd this in verse:

"Harbor no hatred, which dcstroys good roots.Rcjoice in thc Dharma, be kind,And make images o f Br rddhas.Thcsc wil l givc you a well- formcd body,An ever-del ightful sight ro al l ."

The l luddha continued, "Furthermore, Sumari, i f a Bodhisattva achievesfour things, he wil l be endowcd with wealth and nobil i ty. What are the four?

258 ON VIntur aNo DtscrPuNe

(1) To give t imely gif ts;

(2) to give without contempt or arrogance;

(3) to give cheerfully; and

(4) to expect no reward."

The World-Honored One repeated this in verse:

"To give t imely gif ts without contempt or arrogance,

To give gladly without expecting a reu'ard-

One who diligently practiccs thesc

Vri l l be reborn with wealth and nobil i tv."

The Buddha continucd, "Furthcrnrorc, Sumati, i f a Bodhisattva achieves

four things, he wil l have harmonious fr iends and kinsmen. What are the four?

(1) To avoid using words that causc disagrccncnt;

(2) to help those witl.r wrong views to have right view;

(3) to protect the true L)harma from extinction, causing it to endure; and

(4) to teach sentientrbeings to pursue the Buddha's enl ightenment."

The World-Honorcd Onc rcocated this in vcrsc:

"Sow no discord, help uproot wrong vrcws,

Protcct thc truc Dharnra from cxtinct ion,

And bring al l beirrgs within the secure embrace of bodhi.

For this you wil l have harmonious fr iends and kinsmcn." .

The Buddha continued, "Furtherrnore, Sumati, i f a Bodhisattva achieves

four things, he will be able to live among people without enmity. Wl.rat are the

four?

(1) To be closc to virtuous fricnds without using flattcry;

(2 ) no t to envy o thers ' supcr io r i t y :

(3) to rejoicc whcn somcor-re wins a good reputation; and

(4) not to slight or defarne the practicbs of a Bodhisattva."

f'hc World-Honorcd Onc rcpcatcd this in vcrsc:

"If one does r-rot win friends by flattery,

Is not jealous of others' superiori ty,

Always rejoiccs when othcrs gain fame,

And never slanders a Bodhisattva,

He wil l be free of enmitv."

The Buddha continued, "Furthermore, Sumati, a Bodhisattva's words wil l

be trustcd if hc practiccs four things. What arc thc four?

Suualr 's QursrroNs 259

(1) To be consistent in word and deed;(2) not to conceal one's cvil from friends;(3) never to f ind lault with the Dharma one hears: and(4) not to fostcr malicc against a teacher of thc l)harrna."

The World-Honored One repcated this in vcrse:

"One who is consistent in word and dccd.And ncver hides misdeeds l iom lr iends.Nor f inds faulu with a sf i tra or i ts preachcrWil l havc his words bel ievcd."

The Buddha continued, "Furthermorc, Sumati, i f a Bodhisattva achic'esfbur things, hc wil l mcct no obstaclcs to [his practicc of] thc l)harma and r.vi l lquickly gain puri ty. What are thc four?

(1) To embrace the three rules of conductr with deep joy;(2 ) r ro t to d isparage pro fbr rnd s I r ras when hcar ing rhenr :(3) to treat a newly avowcd Bodhisattva as ar-r All-Knorn,ing One; and(4) to bc equally kind toward al l beings."

The Worlcl-Honorcd ()ne repeatcd this in vcrse:

" l f one, with dccp joy, en-rbraccs rulcs of conduct;[Jnderstands with faith thc profound discourses;Honors a novicc as a -tsuddha;And is equally kind toward al l-Then such a person's hindrar-rces wil l vanish., '

The Buddha continucd, "Furthermore, Sumati, i f a Bodhisattva achicvesfour thirrgs, hc wil l be protected from dcmons. What are the four?

(1) T'o understand that al l dharmas are equal in nature;(2) to str ive vigorously for progrcss;(3) to rccollect the Buddha continually; and(4) to dedicate al l good roots [ to the univcrsal attainment of el l ighrenmt-1r]."

The World-Honored One repeatcd this in verse :

"I f one knows that al l dharmas are cqual in nature,Constantly makes energetic progress,Is ever mindful of the Buddha,And dedicates all roots of virtue

[To the atrainmenr of Buddhahood by al l ] ,No dcmon can devise a way to attack him."

16r I C)N Vrprur auo l)rscrpr-rNr

Thc Buddha continued, "Furthcrmorc, Sumati, i f a Bodhisattva achieves

tirur thinqs. Buddhas wil l appear to him at the t imc of his death. What are the

tbur?

(1) To satisfy those in nccd of charity;

(2) to understand and deeply bel ieve in virtu'ous practiccs;

(3) to provide Bodhisattvas with adornmcnts; and

(,1) to make frequent offcr ings to the ThreeJe'"vels."

The World-Honored One repeated this in verse:

"One who fulf i l ls the needs of a scekcr,(Jndcrstands and bcl ieves in the profound Dharma,

Furnishcs Bodhisattvas with adornments.

And makcs frequent offerings

To the ThreeJewels, the f ields of blessing,\' Wil l see Buddhas when he dies." . . .

Then Mairjr,r5ri, the Dharna Princc, askcd Sumati, "ln what L)harma do you

abide, that you are able to make such a sinccrc vow?"

Sum:rt i rephed. "Manju(r i , this is not a propcr qucstion. Why? -tsecause thcreis no abiding in the dharmadhatu."

"What is bodhi?"" N ond iscr im ina t i ( )n i s bodh i . " )

"Who is a Bodhisattva?"

"One who knows that al l dharmas havc the same nature as empty space is a

tsodhisattva. "

"What arc thc cnl ightcncd deeds Iof a -tsodhisattval?""Deeds that are l ike mirages ar-rd echocs are the enl ightened deeds.""Upon what esoteric teaching do you basc your statcncnt?""l do not see anything in this that is csotcric or otherwise."" l f that is the case, every ordinary person should be an Enlightened Ole."3"Do you think an ordinary person is different from an Enlightcned One?a Do

not take such a vicwl Why? Becar.rsc they both share the sante nature, that of the

dharr-nadhatu; there is nothing in eithcr to grasp or abandon, to accomplish ordcstroy. "

" lJow many people can understand this?""Thc i l lusory bcings who undcrstand this are equal in numbcr to the i l lusory

nr i r rds and mcr r ta l func t io r rs . "5

Mairju5ri said, "lllusions do not cxist; how can thcrc be minds and mentalfunc t ions?"

"They are l ike the dharnradhitu, which ncithcr exists nor does not exist. Thc

same is true of the Tathacata." . . .

Suuau's QursrroNs 261

NOTES

1. The threc mles of conduct may reler to the thrcc rulcs for protecting onc from evil,

namely, d isc ip l ine, medi tat ion, and t ranscendental u ' isdom. They may also re ler to the

Bodhisat tvas ' precepts, which includc thrcc branches: the disc ip l ine of pure conduct (Prat i -

moksa), the disc ip l inc ofa l t ru ist ic deeds, and the disc iphne oicmbracrng al l v i r tuous deeds.

2. L i teral ly , "The Dharma of nondiscr iminat ion is bodhi . "

3. L i teral ly , "every ordinary person should be bodhi ."

4. An Enlightened One: literally, "bodhi."

5. The Chinese tcrm ,L'ffi is hcrc rcndercd as 'rnental functions'. but it can also mean

the oualitics and conditrons of mind.

15 @w.ffieThe Definitive Vinava

Thus have I heard. Orrce the Buddha was dwcll ing in thc gardcn of An-thapi ' l -

clada, in thcJcta Grovc ncar Srivastr, accornpanicd by twclvc hundred f i f ty great

monks ar-rd f ivc hundrcd thousand Bodhisattva-Mahisattvas.

The World-Honored One cast his eyes upon the assembly and surveyed it

l ike a king of dragons or elephants. Then he asked thc tsodhisattva-Mahlsattvas,"Good men, which one of you can, in thc Last Era, protect and uphold the true

Dharma?"Which one of you can cmbrace the Dharma leading to supreme cnlightcn-

rnent thc Dharma which took thc Tathagata ir-rcalculablc hundrcds of thousands

of Imillions ofl billions of myriads of kalpas to accumulate-and abide securely in

thc csoteric [tcachings] to bring scnticnt bcings to maturity by various skillful

means?"

Then tsodhisattva Maitreya rose irom his seat, bared his r ight shoulder,

knclt on his r ight kncc, joincd his palms, and said, "World-Honored One, I can, in

the Last Era, protect and uphold the Dharma leading to supreme enl ightenment-

thc Dharma which took the Tathigata incalculable hundreds of thousands of [mil-l ions of] bi l l ions of myriads of kalpas to accumulatc."

Bodhisattva Lion Wisdom said, "I can abide securely in the esoteric [ teach-ingsl and bring sentient beings to maturi ty by various ski l l ful means."

Bodhisattva Infinite Thought said, "l can libcrate inexhaustiblc rcalms of

scnticnt bcings by my great vows."

llodhisattva Worthy said, "l can cause all sentient beings who hear my name

to rt tain maturi ty without fai l ." . . .1

tlodhisattva Ren-roving Obstruction said, "I can release selltient beings from

the shackles of defi lements."

Sutra 24, Taisho 310, pp. 514-519; translated into Chinese by Bodhiruci.

Tnr DtrrNrrrvl VrNaya 263

Bodhisattva Wisdom Banner said, " l can r id sentienr beinqs of the shroud ofignorance. "

Bodhisattva Sun Banner said, " l can constantl ,v bring scnticnt bcings romaturi ty by giving them pcace and joy." . . .

Bodhisattva Good Eyc said, " l can give senrienr bcings the pcacc and hap-piness that arc in their self-nature. "

Bodhisattva Avalokitc(vara said, "I can exrr icatc se-ntient bcinss from themiserable planes of cxistcnce."

l lodhisattva lJnivcrsal Virtue said, "I can cause senticr)t bcings to l ibcratethcmsclves by remembcrir-rg the suffcr ings they cndurcd in the past."

Bodhisattva Wonderful ly Pl iant said, " l can brinq to nraturirv the lou' ly,inferior beings who have l i t t lc rvisdonr." .

Bodhisattva Great Might said, "I can close thc doors to al l the n-r iserablcpianes ofexistcncc for scntient beings." . . .

Bodhisattva Moonlight said, "I can givc sentient beings ult ir-r-rate peacc andh. rpp ine ss . "

Bodhisattva Sunlight said, " l car-r bring to maturi ty those scntient beingswho have not yet nraturcd."

Rodhisattva Unclef i led said, " l can causc sentient beinqs to fulf i l al l thcira s p i r a t i o n s . " .

Bodhisattva Fearless said, " l can attract sentierl t beir-rss into the Buddha-l)harma bv praising and benefi t ing thcm."

-Bodhisattva Imt-neasurable said, "I can show sentient bcir-rgs the uncondi-t ioncd truth that underl ies al l dharmas."

.Bodhisattva Fcarless said, " l can r-nake whatcvcr kinds of manit i .stat ionsscnt icn t beurgs w is l r . " .

Boclhisattva Trcasurc ' I ' rove

said, "I can del ivcr scnticnt bcinss from al lhindranccs." .

I lodhisattva l) ianrond said, " l can rcvcal to senticnt beings the r ight path."Bodhisattva l l lessed Appcarance said, " l can l iberatc sentient bcings by plcas-

ing them." . .

Bodhisattva Undefi led said, " l can love and protect al l sentient bcinss andthcrcby bring thern to rnaturi ty."

,Bodhisattva ( iolden Light said, " l can appcar in various corporc:r l tbrms tobring sentier-rt bcings to rnaturi ty." .

Thc youthful [ tsodhisattva] Net of Light said, " l can manitt 'sr l ieht lbrsentient beings to el iminatc thcir aff l ict ions in thc Last Era."

When Sariputra heard thc Bodl-r isattvas val iantlv nrakc thcsc srcat vows tobring senticnt beings to maturi ty, he marvclcd at this unprccccler.rted cvent and saidto the Buddha, "Most extraordinary, World-Honored ()ncl Thcse Bodhisattvasare inconceivablc. They arc f i l led with great compassion and ingcnuity; thcy adornthemselves with valor and vigor. Thcy cannot be fathomcd or corrupted by anybeing, nor can they be outshone by any bri l l iance. World-Honored One, I wi l l

261 ON Vrnrul aNt l)rs<;tpul l

crrol thc crtr lordinary feats of thc Bodhisattvas: they can lrcclv givc anything

rhcr' h,rvc to anyone who asks for i t , including their heads, cycs, cars, r loscs,

boJrcs. hands, ar-rd feet. World-Honored C)nc, I of ien think that i f a l lodhisattva isnor atraid or fainthcarted evcn whcn forccd to givc up al l hc has, external andinrcrnal. then he must be an inconccivablc, l ibcratcd IJodhisattva."

Thc Buddha ro ld S l r ip r r t r , r . " l t i s s . r . i t i s s . r . jus r as you s ; ry . No Sr iv rka or

l)ran'ckabr,rddha can know thc statc of . ,visdonr, ingenuity, and sam5dhi in whichthcsc Bodhisattvas dwcll .

"sir iputra, thcsc grcat Bodhisatn'as, l ike Buddhas, can pcrform miraculousteats to satisfy thc dcsircs of sentient beings, rvhi lc thcir nrinds remain unnovcd by

ant ' dharma."l f senticnt beings are lbnd of thc houschold l i fc, haughti ' , and unrestrained,

these I lodhisattvas can appear as qrcat laynrcl-r of arr" 'csonrc virtuc to teach thosesenticnt bcings thc Dharnra, so that thcy nray bc brought to nraturi ty.

" l f sentient beings with great strength become arroqant, thc I lodhisattvas

can appear in the form of a gigantic Nlrayana and explain the l)harnra to thcrn, so

that thcy may be subdued."l f sentient beings wislr to seek nirvina, thcsc Boc' lhisattvas can appcar as

Sravakas ar-rd explain the l)harr-na to thcl-r-r, thcreby liberating thcnr." l f ser-rt ient beir-rgs l ike to contcnrplate dependent origination, thc I lodhi-

sattvas can appear as Pratyckabuddhas'ar-rd explain thc l)harnra to thosc scnricntbeings, thercby l iberating thcrn.

"If scntictrt bcings wish to attain suprenrc cnl ightcnmcnt, thcsc Bodhisattvascan appear as Buddhas and lead thenr into thc Buddha-wisdom, thereby l ibcrat ingthem.

"Thus, Sr. ip,t trr, thcse Bodhisattvas employ various ski l l ful nlearls ro per-

le'ct scnticnt bcings and cause thcm al l to dwell securely in the Buddha-Dharnra.

Why? tsecause only thc ' l 'athagata's

wisdorlr can result in l ibe-rat ior-r and ult imatenirv-rra; there is no other vehiclc that can carry onc to salvation. I t is for thisrcasorl that the Tatl-r-gata is cal led a Tathigata. Bccausc the Tathlgata knowsthusness as i t is, he is cal led a Tathigata Ia Thus-Conrc Onc]. Bccause he can do

arrything that scnticnt bcings wish, hc is cal lcd a Tathlgata. I lecause hc has pcr-lected the root of al l wholcsomc dharmas and cut off the root of al l unwholcsomcdharrr-ras, he is cal led a Tathagata. Bccausc- hc can shor,v scnticnr bcings the parh tol ibcrat iol, hc is cal leci a Tath-gata. IJccause he can causc scnticlrt bcings to avoid\\ ' ron!l paths and rcnrain on the r ight path, he is cal led a Tath-gata. Because he cancxplairr the true'meaning of t l -re enrptincss of al l cihlrmas, hc is cal lcC a Tathigata.

"Sir iputra, a Bodhisattva knows thc various aspirat ions of scntient bcings,.rnd bv preacl-r ing thc l)harnra to thcnr accordingly, hc l ibcratcs thcm. l ' {e revealstnrc u' isdom to ignorant peoplc. He carr producc al l kinds of i l l t rsory splcndorsn'rthout af-tcct ing thc clharnradhatu, and crusc scnticnt bcings to niove uraduallyt r ' \ \ . r r d r l t , r h , r r t ' t r l ' n i r v a n a .

"Furthcrniorc, St. iput.", a lav Bodhisattva who dwells in kindncss and

THI l ) ruNrrrv l VrN,qya

harmlcssncss should practicc two kinds of giving. What arc thc two? The f irst isthc giving of Dharma; the second is the giving of rnate r ial possessions.

"A Bodhisattva who has left thc household l i fe should practicc four kinds ofgiving. What arc thc four?

(1) To give pens [with which to copy sutras];(2) to givc ink;

(3) to give scriptures; arrd(4 \ ro r ' i ve i r rs r r r rc r io l r in thc l )her r r ra .\ ' / ' - b ' -

"A Bodhisattva who has achieved the Realization of the Nonarising of Dhar-nras should always bc rcady to givc in thrce ways. What arc thc thrce ? To qive histhrone; l-r is wifc and sorr; and his head, cycs, and l in-rbs. To givc thus is srcat, rnostrvonde-rtul giving. "2

Sariputra asked thc Br,rddl-ra, "World-Honored Onc, arc these lJodhisattvasnot : l fraid of dcsirc, hatrcd, and ignorance?"

' I 'he Buddha answcrcd. "S-r ipLrtra, al l Bodhisattvas should guard against

two breraches of discipl ine . What arc thc two? First, to break thc discipl inc out ofhatred; second, to brcak the discipl ine out of ignorancc. Both are qravc breaches.

"sariputra, i f a breach of discipl ine is comrnitted out of desire, i t is a f inc,srrbt le fault , but hard to el iminatc; i f out of hatred, i t is a gross, serious fault , buteasy to el iminatc; i [ out of ignorancc, i t is a very gravc, decp-seatcd fault and veryharcl to clirninate.

"Why? Desire is the seed of al l kincls of existencc; i t causes onc to beinvolvcd in sadrsira cncl lcssly. For this rcason, i t is f ine and subtle, but hard toscvcr. Onc who breaks thc prcccpts out of hatred wil l f i l l to thc miserablc plancs ofcxistcncc, but rnay quickly get r id [of hatredl. Onc who breaks thc prccepts out ofignorance wil l fal l to thc cighr grcrrt hel ls.r and have grcat dif f iculty in beingrc lcascd I f ronr ig r ro rar rcc l . I

"Furthermore, Sir ip.rt .a, i f a Bodhisattva has commirrcd a pir i j ika,s he shouldcarncstly and sincerely confbss his misdecd to ten pure monks (bhiksus). If a tso-dhisattva has cornmitted a sarhghave6esa,( 'hc should earncstly confcss his misdccdto f ivc purc monks. I f a Bodhisattva is affcctcd by a woman's passion, oris attractcdto her because they have exchangcd glances, he should carnestly confess his mis-dccc' l to one or two purc monks.

"slr iputra, i f a tsodhisattva has conrmitted onc of the f ive grave oti 'enses, apart j ika, or a sarirghivaiesa; or has dorre harnr to stt lpas or nronks: or has com-mrtted some other crime, l-rc should sincerely rcpcnt in sol i tudc dar. and nightbcforc thc thirty-f ive Buddhas, saying:

" '1, so-and-so, taker refugc in the Buddha, the Dharnra. ancl the Sarhgha.NamoT Sikyamuni Uuddha; namo Indcstructible Diamond Buddha; namoJewelledLight Buddha; nanlo Noblc Dragon King Buddha; namo Vigorous Soldier Bud-dha; namo Joy of Vigor Buddha; namo Precious Flamc Buddl-ra; namo PreciousMoonlight Suddha; namo Manilbstillg No Ignorance Buddha; namo Precious Moon

266 ON Vrnrul aNr DrscrprrNr

Buddha; namo Stainlcss Buddha; namo Unsull ied Buddha; namo Courageous Giv-

inq tsuddha: namo Pure Buddha; namo Pure Giving tsuddha; namo Sa-Liu-Nan

tsuddha: namo Water Deva Buddha; namo Firm Virtue Buddha; namo Sandal-

s'ood Merit tsuddha; namo Inf inite Quanti t ies of Light Bud{h-a; namo Bri l l iant

Virtue tsuddha; namo Confident Virtue Buddha; namo-.$i i i iyana Buddha; namo

Flon'er of Merit Buddha; namo Performing Miracles with Lotus Light Buddha;

namo Wealth and Merit Buddha; namo Virtuous Thought Buddha; namo Good

Re putation and Merit Buddha; namo King of Red, Flaming Banner Buddha; namo

Roaming Wcll in Merits Buddha; namo -Batt le-Winning tsuddha; namo Good

Wayfarer tsuddha; namo Surrounded by Glorious Merits Buddha; namo Roaming

among Precious Flowers Buddha; namo King Residing Well among Precious Lot-

uscs and Sala Trees Buddha." 'May al l these and other Buddhas, World-Honored Ones of al l the uni-

verses, stay in the world forever. May thcy havc conrpassiotr ott nrc.

" ' I now reperrt al l the transgressions which I have committed by myself,

abettcd othcrs to commit, or been glad to sce othcrs comnrit , in nry present l i fe, in

my past l ives, and cvcr since my involvement in beginninglcss sarirsira." ' l reper r t th t ' c r i r r rcs o f s tea l i r rg f rom s tupas . f rom monks . o r f ron t the

common possessions of thc Srrhgha in thc four quarters-crirrrcs'which I havc conr-

mittcd by mysclf, abcttcd others to comnit, or been glad to scc othcrs commit.

"'l rcpcnt thc fivc grave offenses which I have committccl by mysclf, abetted

othcrs to commit, or been glad to see others contrnit ." ' I repent the ten evi l deeds which I have comn.ri t ted by myseli abetted

others to commit, or been glad to see others commit." ' l repent thc crinres I have committed, which, whether I hide them or not,

will cause me to fall to the miserable planes of existence-the planes of hell-

dwcllcrs, hungry ghosts, and animals-or cause me to be reborn in the frorrt iers; as

a lowly, infcr ior being; or in a land of barbarians. May the tsuddhas, the World-

Honorcd Oncs, be rny witnesses and take care of me.

" ' In thc presence of the Buddhas, the World-Honorcd Oncs, I wi l l further

say: i f in my present l i fc or other l ives I have planted any good roots, such as the

good roots of giving, even giving only a handful of food to an animal; of kccping

the di"cipline; of leading a purc lifc; of helping sentient beings; and of cultivating

enlightenment and thc uncxcelled wisdom-then, I will gather up all thcsc good

roots, calculate them, neasure them, and dedicate them to [the universal attain-

ment of] supreme enlightcnmcnt. I will make the same dedication as that made by

all the Buddhas of the present, past, and futurc.

" 'Al l my transgressions I now repent.

I rcjoice in al l othcrs' blessings.

And in the virtues of Buddhas.

May I achieve the unexcelled wisdom

Tnn I)prrNrrrvr VrNay,q

The Buddhas of thc past, prcsent! and fururcArc suprenrc among al l bcings.I now take refugc in and pay hontagt- toThe lmmcasurablc Oceans of Vrrtue. '

"Thercfore, Sr. ip.rt .r , the l lodhisattva should f irst oi al l contcrnplatc thosethirty-f ive Buddhas singlc-mi'dedly, then pay homagc ro al l Tarhrgatas, and rhusrcpcnt with a pure mind. I f his transgrcssions have bccn purit- icd, thc Buddhas wil limmediately appcar belbrc hinr.

"Furthcrmore, in order to dcl iver scntient beings, IJodhisattvas u. i l l . withoutaffccting thc dharrnadhatu, manifest tl-renrsclvcs in diffcrcnt fbrn-rs to lultll thcvarious wishes of scnticr l t bcings, thcreby l iberating thcrn.

"Seripnt.r, i f a I lodhisattva entcrs the Samadhi of Great Co'rpassion, hc canappcar in thc realrns of hcl ls, animals, or Yarna to bring scntient beir-rgs to nlatur-i ty. I f he enters the Samidhi of Great Magnif icc'ce, he ca' appcar as a' cldcr t<rbring sentient bcings to maturi ty. I f he enters thc Samadhi of Supremacy, he ca'appcar as a universal motrarch to bring scntient beirrgs to maturi ty. I f hc cntcrs theSan-radhi of Awcsornc Effulgcncc, he car-r appear in thc wondcrful form of a (akra

or a brahn-ri to bring scrl t icnt beings to maturi ty. I f hc cntcrs thc Samadhi of Orrel) irect iorr, he can appcar ls a Sravaka to bring serlr icnt beings to maturi ty. I f hecntcrs the Samadhi of Purity, hc can appcar as a Pratyekabuddha to bring scntientbcirrgs to natlrr i ty. l f he entcrs the Samidhi of Tranquail l i ty, he can appear as atsuddha to bring scnticnt bcirgs to maturi ty. I f he enters thc samldhi of the Freecommarrd of Al l Dharrrras, hc carr manifcst al l kinds of forrns as he wishcs tobr. i t tg scutrent bcings tcr matr:r irr ' .

"A Bodhisattva may appear as a 6akra, a brahmi, or a universal monarch inorder to bring scntient beings to maturi ty, but hc does not af lcct the dharmadhituin doing so. !7hy? Becausc although he appears i 'al l forrns to comply with I thedesires of l senticnt beings, hc sccs no bodily forrn a'd no se'r icnt being, for botharc inapprehensiblc.

"Serip.rtr", what do you think? Can a snral l jackal roar l ike a l ion?"Sa.iprrtra answered, "No, World-honored One.""Car a donkey bear thc sane hcavy burdcn borne by a large elephant?""No, World-Honored Onc. ""( lan a poor, humblc person bc as awe-irrspir ing and free as a jakra or a

Drann lJ i

"No, World-Honored Or-re. ""Can any small bird soar l ike a powerful, golden-wingcd garuda, the king of

birds?""No, World-Honored One. "

The Buddha s r id , "s i rn i la r l y , Ser ipu t ra , by the i r w isdorn o f renunc ia r ion ,tsodhisattvas who have good roots and courage can purify their transgressions, be

l(rft ON Vrnrup AND L)IScIPLINE

t ice oiuorrv atrd rcmorse, and thcrcby see Buddhas and achieve samidhis. How-

tvcr. ordinan'peoplc, Srivakas, and Pratyekabuddhas cannot r id thcmsclves ofthe

hinlranccs caused by thcir transgressions.' ' I i a Bodhisattva repeats thc names of thosc tsuddhas and docs the three

thrn!:s nrentioncd abovee day and night, he can eradicate his offcnses, be free from

norrv and remorsc, and achieve samadhis."

At that time, Upali cmcrged from concct-ttration and werlt to see the Bud-

.1ha. After bowing with his hcad at the Buddha's feet ar.rd circumambulating thc

t luddha three t imes to his r ight, he stood to onc side and said to him, "World-

Honorecl One, as I was sit t ing alonc in a quiet placc r-t ' reditat ing, I thought, 'When

the World-Honored Onc was cxplainine thc Prit inroksa-the pure discipl irre-to

Sravakas, Pratyekabuddhas, and Bodhisattvas, hc said, "You should rather givc up

your body and l i fe than brcak thc prcccpts." 'World-Horrored ()nc, what should

bc the Prit imoksa of Srivakes and Pratyekabuddhas, ar.rd what should bc thc

Prit imoksa of Bodhisattvas, rvhi lc thc Buddha stays in thc world and after he

entcrs parinirv[r]a? The Worid-Honored C)ne says I an-r forcmost in preccpt-

kccping. How should I understand the subtlc mcaning of the Vinaya? If I pcrson-

al ly hear i t from thc Buddha and acccpt and practice i t unti l I achieve fearlcssness,

then I can cxtcnsivcly cxplain i t to othcrs. Now that t l -re Bodhisattvas and monks

lrom al l places havc gathcrccl hcrc, may the Buddha discourse extensively on the

" defirr i t ivc Vinaya to resolvc our doubts."

Thereupon, the World-Honored One told Upali , "Now, Upil i , you should

kr-row that the purc precepts observed by Bodhisattvas and thosc observed by

Srivakas are dif fbrent both in aim and in practice. Upali , a purc precept observcd

by Sravakas may be a great brcach of discipl ine for Bodl.r isattvas. A pure precept

observed by Bodhisattvas may be a great brcach o[discipl ine for Srlvakas.

"What is a pure prccept for Srdvakas but a grcat brcach of discipl ine for

Bodhisattvas? For cxample, Upali , not to engender a single thought of taking

flr ther rebirth is a pure precept for Sravakas but a great breach of discipl ine for

Bodli isattvas. What is a pure precept for tsodhisattvas but a grcat brcach of dis-

cipline for Srivakas? For example, to lbilow the Mahayina doctrine and to tolcrate

rcbirths, without abhorrence, for an incalculablc nunber of kalpas is a pure precept

lbr Bodhisattvas but a grcat breach ofdiscipl ine for Sravakas.

"For this rcason, the Buddha tc-achcs Bodhisattvas precepts which need not

bc str ict ly and l i teral ly observed, but teaches Sravakas prcccpts which must bc

srr ict ly and l i tcral ly observcd; hc tcachcs Bodhisattvas prcccpts which are at once

pcrnrissive and prohibit ive, l0 b.tt teaches Sravakas prcccpts which are only prohibi-

t ive; he teaches tsodhisattvas precepts which are for the dcpth of thc nrind, but

t! 'aches Sravakas precepts which guidc thcnr step by step.lr

"Why do thc Bodhisattvas' precepts not need to be str ict ly and l i teral ly

obrcrvcd rvhi le thosc for Srlvakas must be str ict ly and l i teral ly observed? Whcn

kecp.vlq the pure precepts, Bodhisattvas should comply with sentient beings, but

Sravakas shor-r ld not; therefore, the tsodhisattvas' prcccpts need not be str ict ly and

Tnr DrrrNrrrvs VrNaya 269

l i teral ly observcd while those for Sravakas nlust be str ict ly and l i teral ly observed."why do Bodhisattvas kecp preccpts which arc at once permissive a'd pro-

hibit ivc, while Sravakas keep prccepts which arc only prohibit ive?"lf a Bodhisattva who has resolved to practice the Mahtyana breaks a pre-

ccpt in the morning but does not abandon his detcrmination to seek all-knowingwisdom at midday, his discipl ine-bodyr2 remains undestroycd. I f hc breaks a pre-cept at midday but docs not abandon his detcrmination to seek al l-knowing wisdomin the afternoon, his discipline-body remains undestroyed. If he breaks a precepr rnthe afternoon but docs not abandon his determination to seek all-knowing wisdomin thc cvening, his discipl ine-body remains undestroyed. I f he breaks a precepr inthe evening but docs not abandon his determination to seek al l-knowing wisdomat midnight, his discipl ine-body remains undestroycd. I f he brcaks a precept atmidnight but does not abandon his dctcrmination to seek al l-knowing wisdombefore dawn, his discipl ine-body remai's u'destroyed. I f he breaks a precept be-tbre dawn but docs not abandon his determination to scck al l-knowing wisdom inthe morning, his discipline-body remains undestroyed.

"For this reason, people who fol low the Bodhisattva-vehicle keep preceptswhich arc both permissive and prohibit ive. I f they violate any precepr, they shouldnot becomc dismayed and afflict themsclves wirh unnecessary grief and remorse.

"However, i f a Sravaka breaks any precept, he destroys his pure discipl ine.'[/hy?

Because Srivakas, to eradicate their dcfilements, must keep the preceprswith such inte'sity as if they wcrc saving their heads from fire. They aspireto nirvana only. For r l .r is rcason, they kcep precepts which are prohibit ivc only.

"Furthermore, Upali , why do Bodhisartvas keep precepts for the depth ofthc mind, while Sravakas keep preccpts which guide them step by step?

"Eve' if tsodhisattvas enjoy the five sensuous plcasures with unrestrictedfreedom for kalpas as numcrous as the sands ofthc Ganges, as long as they do notgivc up their bodhicit ta, they are said not to break thc precepts. Why? BecauseBodhisattvas arc ski l led in protecting their bodhicitra, and dwell securely in i t ; theyare not aff l ictcd by any passions, even in dreams. Further, they should graduallyroot out their defilcmcnts instead of exterminating them all in one lifetime.

"In contrast, Sravakas riper-r their roots of virtue as hurriedly as if tney weresaving thcir heads from fire. They do not likc to entertain even one thought oftaking furthcr rebirth.

"For this reason, followers of thc Mahayina keep precepts for the depth ofthe mi'd, prcccpts which are both permissive and prohibit ive and which need notbc str ict ly and l i teral ly observed; while Srivakas keep precepts which gurde themstep by step, which are prohibit ive only, and which must be str ict lv and l i teral lyobserved.

"Upeli , i t is very hard for those who pursue the Mahiytna to attain supremeenlightenment; they cannot achieve it unless they are equipped with great, magnif-ice't [virtucs]. Therefore, Bodhisattvas never feel abhorrence even if they areconstantly involved irr sarhsira for an incalculable number of kalpas. This is why

270 ON Vrnrur aNl I)rscrprruE

rl-rc Tathaqata. through his observation, f inds that hc should not always teach thcdoctr inc of rcnuncration to fol lowers of the Mahayana, nor should hc always teachrhcnr rhc \\ ' r . \ ' to real ize nirvana quickly. Instcad, thcv should bc taught the pro-t,runl. u'onde-rtul, undcfi led doctr ine which is in unison r.vi th kindness and joy, the.l tr i rr lnr oi detachment and freedom from gricf and remorse, the doctr inc ofunhindc-red cmptincss, so that after hearing i t , the Bodhisattvas wil l not t i rc oft 'L-1ng involved in sarhsara and wil l attain suprcmc enl ightetrmcnt without fai l ."

Then Upali asked the tsuddha, "World-Honorcd One, suppose a Bodhi-satn'a brcaks a prccept out ofdesirc; another does so out ofhatred; and st i l l anotherdocs so out of ignorance. World-Honorecl One, u-hich one of thc three offenses isthe most serious?"

The World-Honorcd One ansn'ered Upil i . " l f , whi le pracricing the Maha-yana, a Bodhisattva continucs to break precepts out of desird lbr kalpas as numcr-ous as the sands of thc Ganges, his oifcnsc is st i l l minor. I f a Bodhisattva breaksprecepts out of hatre{ evcnjust once, his offcnse is very serious. Why? Becausc a-tsodhisattva who breaks precepts out of desire [st i l l ] holds senrienr beings in hisembrace, whereas a Bodhisattva who breaks precepts or.rt of hatrcd forsakes sen-tient beings dltogether.

"Upali , a Bodhisattva should not be afraid of the passions which can helphim hold sentient beir-rgs in his embrace, but hc should fear the passions which cancause him to forsakc scnticnt beings.

"Upali , as the Buddha l .ras said, dcsirc is hard to give up, but is a subtle fault ;hatrcd is casy to give up, but is a serious fault ; ignorancc is dif f icult to give up, andis a very serious fault.

"Upali , when involved in dcfi lcments, Bodhisattvas should tolerate the smalltransgressions which are hard to avoid, but should not tolerate the grave transgres-sions which are easy to avoid, not even in a drcam. For this rcason, i f a fol lower ofthe Mahayana breaks precepts out of desire, I say he is not a trans€lressor; but i f hebrcaks prccepts out ofhatred, i t is a grave offense, a gross fault , a scrious, degener-ate act, which causes tremendous hindrances to the Buddha-Dharma.

"Upil i , i f a Bodhisattva is not thoroughly conversant with the Vinaya, hewill be afraid when he transgresses out of desire, but will not be afraid when hetransgrcsscs out of hatred. I f a Bodhisattva is thoroughly conversant with theVinaya, he will not be afraid when he transgresses out of dcsire, but will bc afraidwhen he transgresses out ofhatred."

Then, from among the asscmbly, Manju5ri, Prince of the Dharma, asked theBuddha, "World-Honorcd One, all dharmas are ultimately Vinayr,. Why arc reg-ulat ions necessary?"

The Buddha answered ManjuSri, "lf ordinary people knew that all dharmasare ult imately Vinaya, thc Tathagata would not tcach them the regulat ions, butbecause they do not know that, the Tathagata gradually teaches them the rules toenl ighten them."

Upil i said to the Buddha, "World-Honorcd One, the Tathasata has dis-

Tsr DtnNrrrvr VrNava 271

coursed on the definit ive Vinaya, but Manju5ri has not said anything on thissubjcct. May thc Worid-Honored One command Manju(r i to explain i t breif ly."

The Buddha told ManjuSrr, "Now you should expound the subtlc meaningof the Ult imate Vinaya. Up5li wi l l be happy to hear i t ."

Manju5ri, the I)harn-ra Princc, said to Upil i , "Al l dharmas are ult imatelyquiescent when the mind is quiesccnt; this is cal led thc Ult imatc Vinaya.

"No dharma is found to have a self-enti ty whcn the mind is not defi led orattached; this is cal led thc Vinaya of No Regret.

"Al l dharmas are purc by nature when the mind is not confused Iby wrongvrcws]; this is cal led thc Supreme Vinaya.

"Al l dharrnas are suchness i tsclf when the mind is dcvoid oial l viervs: this iscal lcd the Pure Vinaya.

"No dharnra comes or goes whcn the mind does not discriminatc; this iscal lcd thc Inconccivablc Vinaya.

"No dharma abides or cl ings when thc mind ceases from monlcnt to mo-nrcnt; this is cal lcd thc Vinaya of the Purif icat ion of the Planes of Existencc.

"Al l dharmas abidc in emptiness whcn the mind is lrec of al l signs; this iscalled ther Vinaya oi Intrinsic Transccndcnce.

"Dharmas have no past, present, or future, for they arc inapprehensiblc; thisis cal led the Vinaya of thc Equali ty of the Thrce Phases of Timc.

"No dharma can be cstabl ished when thc mind is lrec from discrimination:13this is cal led the Vinaya of thc Pcrmanent Resolutron of l)oubt.

"Upeli , this is thc Ult imate Vinaya of thc dharmadhatu, by which tsuddhas,World-Honorcd Oncs, have attained tsuddhahood. A good man who does notobserve this wcl l is far from keeping the pure prccepts of the Tathigata."

Thcreupon, Upali said to thc tsuddha, "World-Honored One, the doctr inesManju6rr cxpounds are inconccivablc. "

The World-Honorcd Onc told Upil i , "Manju5rr cxpounds rhe Dharma ontl-re basis of inconccivablc, uninrpeded l ibcrat ion. For this reasorl, whatever doc-tr ine he preaches enables one to be frcc from mental forms, which is the l iberationof mind. He causes the arrogant to give up thcir arrogance."

Up-l i asked the Buddha, "What corrst i tutcs rhe arrogancc o[ a SrJvaka or aBodhisattv,?"

The Buddha repl ied to Up5li , " l f a monk thinks he has e radicatccl de sire , hcis arrogant. I f hc thinks he has cradicated hatred and ignorance, hc is arrosant. I fhe thinks that desire is dif fcrent fron'r thc Dharma of Buddhas, hc is arrosant. I f hethinks that hatreci is dif fcrcnt from the l)harma of Buddhas, hc is arroeant. I f hethinks that ignorance is dif fcrent from thc Dharma of I luddhas, hc is arroeant. la I fhe claims to have gained something, he is arrogant. I f hc claims to have real izedsomething, hc is arrogant. I f hc claims to havc attained l iberation. he is arrogant.I f he claims to perceive emptiness, signlessness, and rvishlessness, hc is also ar-rogant. I f he claims to perceivc nonarising and nonaction, he is arrogant. I f heclaims to perceivc the existence of dharmas, he is arrogarrt. I f hc claims to pcr-

l - l ON Vrtrur aNo DtscrplrNr

-eivc thc impermanence of dharmas, he is arrogant. I f he savs, 'What is thc use,i f .ract ice, sincc al l dharmas are empty?'hc is also arrosant. Upali , these con-

- : : : u t ( t h c s r r o g a n c c o f a S r d v a k l ."What consti tutes thc arrol lance of a Bodhisattva? If a Bodhisattva thirrks hc

.:r.-uld resolvc to seek al l-knowing wisdonr, he is arrogant. I f he thinks hc should

::,1.ucr the six paramitas, hc is arrogant. I f hc savs. 'Only thc pl 'amitt of wisdom

-'. , :r bc dcpended upon to achicvc l ibcrat ion; thcrc is no other way out Iof the threc

:rr lnrsl, ' thcn he is arrogatrt. I f hc says onc doctr inc is very profout-rd and anothcr

:: not. he is agair-r arrogant. I f hc says otre doctr iuc is pure and anothcr is not, thcn

hc is arrogant. I f he says, 'This is thc doctr ine of l luddhas; this is t l -re doctr ine of

Pratvekabuddhas; this is the doctr ir-rc of Srlr ' . ikas. ' he is also arrogant. I f he says,'Th is shou ld be donc and tha t shou ld no t , 'hc i s a r roqat r t . I f he says , 'Th is doc t r inc

is profound and that is not, ' hc is arrogant. I f hc sa)'s onc doctr inc is close [tocnl iqhtcnmcnt] and another is not. he is arrogant. I f he savs, 'This is a r ight path

and that is a wrong otie, ' hc is arrogant. I f hc asks, 'Catr I attain supremc cn-

l iqh tcnnrent qu ick ly o r no t? 'he is a r rogant . I fhe savs , 'A l l dharnras are inconce iv -

.rblc and only I can understand thcm,' then hc is arroqatrt. I f hc thinks of thc

inconccivablc supremc cnl ightenmcnt and becomcs grcatlY att4chcd to i t , then he is

Jrrogant. Thcsc cor-rst i tute thc arrogance of a I lodhisattva."

Upali asked the Buddha, "World-Honored Onc, how can r monk bc free

ti-om arrogance?"

Thc tsuddha atrswerred Upali , " I f he is not attached to any doctrrnc, no

mattcr how irrconceivable i t is, he is completeiy free from arrogancc."

u.rr. ,

tn.r. , to cxplain the teaching furthcr, the World-Honored Onc spokc in

"A11 play-words arise from thc nrind;

No discriminatior-r should be made

Bctwecr-r what is dharnra and what is trot

He who secs the dharna as inconccivable

Wil l always dwcll happily in the world.

Bcing dcluded, ordinary mcn

Arc turned by their o'uvn minds;

For kalpas, thev circlc and circle

I r r thc var rous r r ' l l n ts o f sar i t s i r r .

I t is truly inconccivablc

To know that t l -re l laturc of dharmas

Is no naturc.

I f a rnorrk stays mindful of the Buddhas,

His thought is not proper

Ar-rd his mindfulness not r ight;15

Tttr DerlNtrtvr VtNava 273

Vainly making distinctions about Buddhas,

FIe sees no truth whatsoevcr.

Onc who thinks about thc teaching of emptincss

Is a fool, l ingering on thc wrong path;

Expianations of emptincss are mere words;

Both words and emptiness are inapprehensible.

One who contcmplates the teaching of quicsccnce

Should know the mind is cmpty and unboru.

The mind's reflections and observations

Arc all futilc and meaningless.

To havc no thought [and makc no dist inct ions]

Is to scc al l dharrnas,

For al l dlrarrrras xre apart frorn thought,

And al l thoughts and ideas are empty.

Onc who cnjoys colltenplatioll on emptincss

Should transcend even the statc without thought.

Dharmas, l ike grasses and trees, have no awareness;

Apart frorrr the mind they are inappreher-rsible.

Scrrticnt beings are devoid of selGcntity;

So are al l dharmas.

The eye can see while there is sunl ight,

But it sccs nought when night falls.

I f the eye could see by i tself ,'Why

should it rely orr corrditions to act?

It is cntircly due to various lights

That thc cyc can scc al l coiors.

Since sight dcpcnds on conditions,

It is obvious that by i tsclf thc cyt) cannot see.

A pleasant sound vanishes as soon as i t is heard;

One knows not whcrc i t goes.

It is due to discrimination-

That the concept of sound arises.

Al l dhannas arc but thc sounds of words,

And thc words are merely arbitrary fabrications.

Not knowing that these sounds

Are neither dharmas nor nondharmas,

Orclinary persons vainly cling to thenl./.' '\

I i praise)giving, for the sake of the world,

But g iv ing is in t r ins ica l l y empty .

274 ON Vrnrus auo l)rsctpuNn

I teach, though there is nothing to teach;Inconceivable indeed is the Buddha-Dharma!

i I often praise the observance of pure prcccpts,But no bcing ever breaks any precepts.

Prcccpt-breaking is empty by naturc.

And so is prcccpt-keeping.

I say i t i s supcrb to be pe t icn t ,

But paticnce is apart from views

And by nature does not arise.Thcrc is real ly nothing to cause anger-To real izc this is cal led supreme patiel lcc.

I say i t is unexcel led

To work vigorously day and night,

And to remain alert even in sleep.

Yet, even i f one has practiced [vigor]Diligently for kalpas,

His cfforts do not incrcase or decrease anything.

I teach rncditat ion, l iberation, and samadhisTo show the world thc cloor to truth;Yet, the Dharma-nature is never stirred from the bcginning,And meditation of all kinds is fabricated

Merely to comply [with scnticnt beings].

That which obscrvcs and comprehends is cal led wisdom;One who understands al l dharmas is cal led wise.Yet, dharmas bv lature do not exist,And there is no one who obscrves or comprchends.

I often praise austere practiccs

And extol those who delightIn such ways to tranquillity-But only those who knowThat all dharmas arc inapprehcnsible

May really be called pure, contcnted ones.

I describe thc sufferings in the hells,

So that countless people may abhorFalling to the terrible realms after dcath;But, in reality, there arc no such miscrable places.No one can produce thercin

Knives, cudgels, or similar means of torture;It is discrimination that causes one to see themAnd to suffer immeasurable tortures put to him.

Ttrn DluNtrlvr VtNaYa

Gardens covered with various lovcly f lowcrs

And palaces sparkl ing with numerous jcwcls-

Thesc things [of heaven] are crcated by no one;

They al l ar isc from the discriminating, delusive mind.

The world is dcceived by f ict i t ious dharmas'Which

confuse one who is attached to them.

However onc discriminates among mlragcs,

Whether acccpting or reject ing them,

They arc empty just the same.

I say it is supreme to ber-refit the worlds

By resolving to pursue enlightcnment;

But, in truth, enlightenment is inappreher.rsibie,

And there is no one who resolves to attain i t . l

The mind by nature is ever pure and bright;

Unsu l l i cd by fa lsehood or pass ion . i t i s t rue .

Ordir-rary pcrsons discrimrnatc

And engcndcr attachment;

Yet, from the beginning,

Their dcf i lemcnts arc enpty.

Al1 dharmas are aiways quiescent in thcir sclf-naturc-

How can there bc dcsire, hatred, or iguorance?

One who secs nowhere

To gencratc dcsirc or rel lor. lr ' rcc passton.

Is sa id to l tavc r t t l i r red n i rv l t ra .

Bccausc one's mind is never [ truly] defi lcd,

One is able to achievc great enl ightcnrtent.

Srr iving for various Dhrrrrr.r practices

For countless kalpas,

I havc dcl ivered myriad sentient beings,

Yet scntictrt beings thcmselves arc inapprehensible;

Irr reality no bcings are evcr delivered.

If a great magician produces

A rnagic crowd of a bi l l ion beings,

And th t 'n des t roys t l rc r t t agr in .

No harm or good is cver done

To thcse magic creaturcs.

Al l beings are i l lusory, l ikc magic;

No bordcrs or lir-n'its can be found.

One who knows this abscnce of l ini ts

Will never tirc of living in the world.

275

276 C)N Vtnrut aNl DrscrprrNn

To one who knows the rcal i ty of al l things,Constant involverncnt in sarhslra is nirvSna;16Amidst dcsires, he is not dcf i led;It is only to subdue sentient bcingsThat hc speaks ofthc renunciat ion ofdcsires.

The Most Compassionatc Onc benefi ts al l beings,But there is actual ly no pcrson or l i fe.To benefi t senticnt bcings yet 5gc thsm nog-This is dif f icult indecd, a grear wonder.

One may solacc a chi ld with an cmptl ' f ist,Saying i t contains something for him,Though thc ch i ld r r ray c rv aga inWhen thc hand opens and rcveals nothing.

Likewise, thc inconccivable tsuddhasSubdue sentient bcings ski l l lul ly.While thcy know dharrna-naturc is empty,Thcy fabricatc nanlcs for the world's sakc.

With great kindncss and compassion they urge you:' In my L)harma is supremc happiness.Lcave your houscholdsAnd abandorr your loved ones!You wil l then attain thc superb fruitSought by a i ranra ' la . '

Aftcr onc lcaves the houschold l i feAnd practiccs the Dharma rn earncsr,He attairrs nirvina at l f ,st through his practicc.I{e then ref lects at lengthUpon thc truth of al l dharnas.To his wonder, hc discoversThat no fruit whatsocve-r is thcre to attaill.

No frr.r i t , and yet rcal izat ion is achicvcd!

[Awcstruck,] he begins to marvcl:'How wonderful i t isThat the Most Compassionate Lion of MenIs so skillful in tcaching the DharmaIn compliance with real i ty!Al l dharmas are l ike enlpty spacc,But hc establ ishcs nunlerous namcs, words, and doctr ines.

He spcaks of meditat ion and l iberation;[Je speaks of roots, powers, and enl ightenmcr-rt ;

Tnr DrrtNirtvr VINaYa 277

But, from the beginning,

These roots and powers do not arise,

Nor do meditat ion and enl ightcnment exist.

Formlcss, shapeless, and ungraspablc, these things

Are only ski l l ful means to i l luminate l iving beings' '

When I speak of the practicc that leads to real izat ion,

I mcan detachment from all forms.

If one claims to havc achieved anything,

Hc is far from realizing the 6ramana's fruit.

No dharma has a scl lenti ty;

What is there to rcalize?

The so-called rcalization is no attainment at all:

To ur-rderstand this is called attainntent.

Those who have obtained the fruit

Are said to be superior,

But I say all beings are unborn fronr the beginning.

Since there is no sentient bcing in the first place,

How can there be anyonc achicving the frr,rit?

If no secd is sown,

How can any sprout come forth,

Even from a fcrtile field?

Whcnce can realization cornc

If there is no sentient being?

All beings are by naturc quicscent.

Arrd rro one can f ind their origin.

One who understands this doctrine

V/ill be in parinirvana forcvcr.

Of the countlcss Buddhas in the past,

None could dcliver sentient beings.

If scntient bcings were truly existent,

No one could have achieved nirvlna.

All dharmas are quicsccnt and empty;

Never has a dharma arisen.

He who can see all dharmas in this way

Has already transcended thc three realms.

This is the unhindcrcd enlightenment of Buddhas-

Yet, ultimately, nothing exists therein.

l f one knows this doctr inc,

I say he is free from desires."

278 ON VrnruE aNo Drscrpurr

when thc world-Ho'ored one f inished speaking in versc, two hundredarroqarlt monks cnded their defi lements permanently ar-rd became l ibcrated in mind;an!- l sixtv thousand Bodhisattvas attained the Rcalization of thc Nonarisine ofDharnras .

Then Upali asked the Buddha, "what should this sf i tra be cared? How shallu'c uphold i t?"

The Buddha told Upali , "This sutra is cal led'The Dcfir.r i t ive Vinaya,,or'The Elimination of the Mind a'd consciousness. 'you should accept and uphoidi t bv these names. "

When thc Buddha had taught this sf i tra, the vcnerablc Up5li , thc monks,Manjuir i , the great Bodhisattvas, humans, gods, asuras, and so forth wcre ex-ceedi 'gly joyful over the Buddha's tcachi 'g. Thcy accepted i t wirh faith and bcganto prac t ice i t w i th vcncra t ion .

NOTES

1. For brevity, wc have omitted several dcclarations irr this sectiol. C)rnissions arcindicated by ellipsr-s.

2. This passage is relevant to the qucstions concernir.rg the Bodhisattvas' practices ofextrcmc char i ty , such as thc giv ing of one's eyes, l imbs, k ingdom, etc. , ment ioned in rnanyBuddhist tcxts. Herc, it is stated that only those Boclhisattvas who havc attaincd the Realiza-tion of the Nonarising of Dharnras arc able to practice extrcme charity; for other peoplc, thispractice n'ray serve no purpose and even harm themsclves and others.

3. Thc cight grcat hells are:

the Reviving Hell, where after great sufferi.g, the ofli 'der is coolcd by a windand rcvives, only to be tor tured again;

the Black Rope Hcll, whcre' the sufferer is bound with black chains and choooedor sawed asunder;

(3) the converging Hell, whcre many implen.rents of torrure converge upor one;(.1) tire Wailing Hell;

(5) thc Grcat Wailing Hell;(6) the Scorching Hell;(7) the Crcat Scorching Flell; and(8) the Uninterrupted Hell, whcrc sullering is continuous.

4. The soundness of translating ffi as 'ignorancc' here may be scriously qucstioned.

I{norancc ofthe basic truth or no-self (andttnan) or emptiness causes one to wander in sarhsira,: : : ' ' ludrng both hcaven and hcl l . However, ignorance (Skt . cr idyal a lone cannor be thc cause

: i r lhng to a hel l . To be ignorant of a certa in t ruth or law (or s implv to lack knowledge of a.-:::::r brrnch of scicr.rce) cannot bc considcred a great ollense against moral principles,,-l'Mni one to lall to a hell. Herc ffi probably inrplies serious wrong views, such as nihilism' : :h. i r r ida) and so for th. Al though'wrong v iew' is a much bet ter r ranslat ion here. to

( 1 )

(2)

Tnr I)rrrrrrrvr VrNava 279

compll' with thc cstablished formula and sequencc, we are forccd to translate *i as ignoralrce.

The rcaders arc reminded that ' ignorancc'hcrc does not n lcan' lack ofknowlcdge' , but rathcr' rvrong v iews' on fundanrcntal Inoral and rc l iq ior ' rs pr incip lcs. (G.C.)

5. Peraj ika is the r lost ser ious typc ofof fense for monast ics. For ntonks, thcre are four

( l is ted in the Numerical ( i lossary as the " four hcavl ' t ra l rsgrcssions") : sexual intcrcourse,

steal ing, nranslaughter, and ly ing.

6. A sar i - rghivaiesa is arr of lensc sccond in gravi tv to a p i r i j ika. I f a nronk does uot

purily the offcnse through repentancc and confession, hc Itrat' be expcllcci.

7 . Nano i s de r i v cd f r om the Sansk r i t nan , mcan ing ' bou t o ' o r ' pav hon rage t o ' .

8. The Chincsc reads * ts$ , but the nreaning and or igrn:r l Sansknt are utrknon'n to

thc t ranslators.

9. ' lhe thrcc are: contenrplat ion of thc th i r ty- f ivc Buddhas, paving hor lagc to a l l

Tathigatas, ancl repent ing rv i th a pure mind.

10. Thc I lodhisr t tva precepts prohib i t unn'holcsomc act ions, but thcv pcrrn i t those

Jctions irr certain circurnstarrces. In Yogtrfirya-Bhini-Sasfta, attribtrtcd to MaitrcYr. \'c tlttd

rhc fo l lorv ing passage (Taisho 1501, p. 1112):

Those Bodhisat tvas who observc thc pure Bodhisat tva precepts u 'e l l nra\ ' . as

a ski l l fu l me:rns to benef i t others, cornmit some major rn isdccds. ln doing so, t l iev

clo not v io late t l rc lJodhisat tva precepts; instead, thcy gencratc nrr t rv r t tcr i ts .

For cxample, supposc a l3odhisat tvr secs that a v ic i t tus robber intcnds ro k i l l

n l an ) peop l c f o r t hc s , r kc u l wea l t h : o r i r r t e r r ds t o l r r r r r t r i t t t t , , t t s S ra rak . r s . P r t r veka -

huc{dhas, or L}odhisattvas; or ititends to do othcr things that w'ill causc hint to fall tcr

thr- LJnintcrrupted Hel l . When seeing th is, the Bodhisat tva wi l l th ink, "11-I k i l l that

person, I wi l l fa l l to the hcl ls ; i f I do not k i l l h im, he wi l l corrr rn i t cr inres which wi l l

lead him to thc Unintcrruptcd Hcll, rvhcre he u'ill suffcr greatly. I rvotrld rather kill

hirr and fall to the hells m1'sclf th:rn let hirn underqo grt-at sul-fcring in tl.re' Un-

intcrruptcd Hel l . "

Thcn, dceply regret t ing the necessi ty for th is act icrr , and wi th a herr t tu l l of

compassion, hc rv i l l k i l l t l la t pcrson. Lr doing th is, he doc's not v io late the tsodhi-

sJ t t va p r cccp r5 : i ns t c r J . he H ( r r r ' r r l ( \ t t t r t t r t l l c r i t s .

11. The l i teral t ranslat ion rcads: "but teachcs Sr lvakas thc graciual prcccpts." Tl r is

.tplrcltrs to contradict thc text below, rvhcrc it is statctl that thc Hinavina follorvers are lll a

grcat hr.trry to cxtr-rminatc all their defilements in one lifl 'timc. It may rncan that thc llodhi-

sJt t \ :as ' prcc.pts perta in d i rcct ly to the mind, whi le the Sr ivakas' preccpts most lV regul l tc

()utcr act ious, leading step by stcp to mcntal wholesonlcncss.

12. According to certa in Hina,vana schools, such as the Sarvast i r ' : rc l i r rs. rvhctr one

obtains thc &hi f rsu prccepts in fbrnral orc l inat ion, he acquires a "d isc ip l ine-bodv." fhrs boclv,

rhougi i inv is ib le to ordinary people, is saic l to be v is ib le to thosc u ' i th tht- dcva-cve. Th( ' tcrn l

nra) ' a lso bc interprctcd to n lean s inrply one's own discip l ine.

13. L i teral ly , " is equal . "

l . t . Clear ly, thc tsucldha is speaking now on a higher level than his car l ier d iscoursc on

precepts.

15. Evcn the concepts o[ 'Buddha' and 'Buddhahood' are enrpt l ' , and must be re-

lrrrquished if one is to attain full enlightcnmcnt.

16. An irnportant Mahtyana concept of nirvlna, radically diffe rent lrom Hinayana

Joctr ines. See Glossarv, "n i rv lna."

16 H%w@Abiding in Good and Noble Deportment

I

' I 'hus have I heard. o'cc the Buddha was dwell ing o' Mount Grdhrakura ncar thc

city of Ri jagrha, acconpanied by cight thousand great monks. At that t i rnc, six-teen thousand r lodhisartva-Mahisattvas who did not regress from pursuit of su-preme er-rlightenntent, and who were dcstined to become tsuddhas in thcir ncxt life-tinrcs, came from dilfcrcnt lluddha-lar-rds in the ten directions to join thc assembly.

-fhat day, Mahaka(yapa asked the tsuddha, "The World-Honorcd One speaks

of Srarrranas. What is a iramana?"

The tsuddha repl ied to Ka6yapa, "A Sramana is one who can:

attain ult imate quiescence;

keep himsclf undcr control;. - - - ' . r r l - - r - ^ - L : . - .a( (c l r rne re rcn lng5 i

obscrvc thc pure prcccpts;

enter dhyinas;

acquirc wisdom;

str ive for l iberation by undcrstanding thc nrear: ing oi real i ty;havc no doubts about the three doors to l iberatiou;abide securely in the practiccs of saints;ski l l ful ly cult ivate the four mindfulncsses;r

avoid al l unwholesome dharmas;sccurely dwell in the four r ight efforts;.relcptly cu]t ivatc thc four bases of miraculous powcrs;

Sutra 44, Taisho 310, pp. 63&64t3; translated into Chinese by Ven. Tao Kung.

AsrorNc rN GooD AND NoBLE DrponrulNt 281

achieve the five roots-to have firn faitir in the Buddha, the l)harma, and

the Sarhgha; not to bel ievc in any doctr inc other than the Buddha-

I)harma; to str ive to eradicate al l defi lementr. l avoiding al l unwholc-

somc dharmas but cultivating all r",'holcsonlc oncs in accordancc with

the truth; to know thoroughly the ski l l tul mcans to acquire r ight

knowledge and r ight mindfulncss, keeping r '" 'holesome dharmas tn

mirrd exclusivcly; and to know well the ski l l iul mcans to attain dhyana

and wisdom;

achieve the f ive powers so that he is not disturbcd bv env aff l ict ionsl

cult ivate well thc scvcn factors of enl ightenment lso that] he thoroughly

knows the ski l l ful means to oerceive the causcs and condit ions of al l

dharmasl

know well the ski l l ful nrcans to fol low thc lcightfold] noblc path, rvhich

includes r ight vicw and r ight conccntrat ion;

obtain the power of thc four kinds of Iunhindered] eloquencc;

disbel ieve in heterodox doctr ines;

rely on thc mcar-r ing [of thc Dharma] rathcr thar-r words, on [ intuit ivc]wisdom rathcr than intel lect, on thc sutras which convcy thc ult imatc

truth rather than the shtras which do not, and on the I)harn-ra rather

thar r the pcrsor r l t c rch i r rg i t l l r

be apart lrom the fcrur demons;

thoroughly undcrstand thc f ivc aggregates;

uproot all afflictions;

reach the last lifetime Ibefore nirvana];shr rn the ways lead i r rg to sar i rs i ra :

bc frcc frorn all craving;

persevere in comprehending suffbring, stopping thc arising of suffering,

rcal izing thc ccssation of suffering, and cult ivat ing thc path leading tothc ccssatiorr of suf-fcr ing, thus perceiving clearly the four noble truths;

rcjcct all hctcrodox doctrincs after taking refuge in the -tsuddha-l)harma;

. rcconrp l i sh wh l t hc sc t ou t ro acconrp l i sh :

c l im ina tc a l l de f i l cments ;

cu l t i ra tc thc c igh t fo ld l ibc r r t io r r :

be praised by 6akras and brahmis;

from the beginning devote himself to the practice of the path;

del ight in l iv ing in a secluded forcst;

establ ish himself securely in the noblc Dharma;

rcjoicc in Buddhist r i tcs;

be mer r ta l l y und is tu rbed:

avoid closc associat ions, ci thcr with rnonks and nuns or r.vi th laypcoplc;

err joy beirrg alone, l ike the single horn of a rhinoccros;

be alraid of bustl ing crowds;

err joy l iving by himself;

282 ON Vrnrul aNo DrscrprrNE

alrvavs fear the three realms;achicvc the true frr-r i t of a Sramana;havc no longing for anything;shun the eight worldly dharmasa-gain, loss, praisc, blame, fame, r idicule,

pleasure, and pain;

be as steadfast and immovable in mind as the great carth;guard against any confl ict of wi l l betwccn himsclf and others;be serene;

cu l r i va te r ighr p rac t iccs l

achievc a mental i ty [as pure] as space; andhave a mind rvhich is not tainted by or attached to forms and appearances,

just as a hand moving in empty spacc is not hindered by anything.

KaSyapa, i f a pcrson can accomplish these, he rcal ly is a (ramana."

Then MahikaSyapa said to thc tsuddha, "World-Honored Onc, the Tatha_gata's ski l l lul discourse on the meritorious decds of a iramana is extraordinary.world-Honored one, i f Sramarras in future ages falsely clainr to bc true jramanas

or to practice pure conduct, then thcy havc trespassed on the supreme cnl ighten-nrcnt cult ivated and perfected by thc Tathagata for countlcss kalpas."

Thc tsuddha said to Ka5yapa, "The offense of trcspassi 'g on rhe supreneenlightenment of the Tathagata is so monstrous that no one could ever finishdcscribing i t . Ka6yapa, after I cnter nirvina, you and my other great disciples wil lalso enter nirvana, and thc great Bodhisattvas of this world wil l go to otherIluddha-lands. At that time, irr my ordcr, therc will be deceitful monks (bftiftsris)who will do everything with crooked ninds. Kaiyapa, r'row I am going to cxplainthe corruption of a Sramana; that is, the faults and transgressio's of a sramana.

"K-5yapa, in the coming Last Era, thcrc wil l be mo'ks who wil l not cult i-vatc morality or disciplirre, nor will they cultivate their minds or wisdom. Theywill bc as ignorant as children; thcy will move toward dark'css unaware. Becausethey wil l not subdue rhcir rni 'ds, they wil l be corrupr 6ramanas. Kadyapa, what isthe corruption of a Sramana?

"Ka5yapa, the corruption of a 6ramana is of thirty-two kinds. or-re who hasrenounced the houschold lifc should keep them all at a disrance. What arc thethirty-two?

(1) To feel desire;(2) to fccl hatred;(3) to feel annoyance;(4) to praise oncself;(5) to defame others;(6) to seek matcrial gains;(7) to seek profit for its own sake;(8) to spoil orhers' blessings resulting from almsgiving;S

AsrorNc IN Gooo aNo NosL! L)rponrusxr 283

(9) to conceal one's own misdeeds;

(10) to be int imatc with lay peoplc;

(11) to be int imate with monks or nuns;

(12) to take pleasurc in noisy crowds;

(13) to seek by devious means material gains not belongirrg to otreself;

(14) to long for the material gains of others;

(15) not to be contcnt with one's own material posscssions;

(16) to envy others' matcrial possessions;

(17) always to f ind fault with others;(18) not to see one's own errors;

(19) not to keep str ict iy the precepts lcading to l iberation;(2{i) not to have a sense of shamc and remorsc;

(21) not to rcspcct others, but instead to be arrogant, unrcl iablc, and shame-

less i(21) to arousc onc s passiorrs;

(23) to contradict the twelvc lir.rks of dependent origination;(24) to ho ld ex t reme v iews;

(25) not to be tranqui ' l and frcc of passions;

(26) to dcl ight in sadrsara, not in nirvana;

(27) to enjoy hctcrodox scripturcs;

(2tt) to be errvelopcd in the five covers so that afflictions arise;(29) to have no faith in karn-ric results;

t(]O; t" fear thc thrcc doors to liberation;

(3i) to slander the profound, subtle Dharma instcad of cult ivat ing the prac-

t iccs lcading to rr l t imate quiescence; and

(32) to havc no respect for the Thrcc Jcwels.

Al l drese are corruptions of a Sramana. I f a iramana can cleanse himself of thcsc

kinds ofcorruption, he is a true iranrana.

"K-6yapa, furtherr.nore, cight thirrgs can destroy the lgoodl deeds of a (ra-

nrana. What are the eight?

(1) Not to bc rcspectful and obcdicnt to tcachcrs and supcriors;(2) rrot to esteenr the l)harma;

(3) not to havc proper thoughts;

(4) to slandcr the l)harma aftcr hcaring i t cxplaincd for the f irst t i r le-;

(5) to bccorne fr ightened whcn hcaring the l)harlna lvhich teaches the non-

existence of scnticnt bcings, sclf l , l i fe, and personal iclcnti tr ' :

(6) to undcrstand only cor-rdit ioncd dharn-ras, not urrcondit ioned ones, even

aftcr hearing that no phenomena ever arise from thc bcsl inninq;

(7) to fal l into thc huge, deep pit" after hearing thc graclr,ral doctr inc;7 and

(8) to bc perplexed and confuscd to hear that no dharma arises, has a self-

enti ty, or goes anywherc.

28't ON Vtxr uu Ar . rp D lsc lp r r t l

Ka5yapa, thcsc cight thirrgs can dcstroy the Igoodldeeds of a Sranana. A Sramanawho has left thc household l i fe should shun thcsc cight things.

"Kadyapa, I do not say that those who shave their heads and dress in nonas-t ic robes are Sramanas; I say that thosc who are ful ly endowed with virtues andgood deportment arc Sramanas.

"Ka6yapa, a Sramana drcsscd in a nronastic robe should kcep his mind faraway from dcsire, hatred, and ignorancc. Why? Because I al low only those whohavc no desire, no hatrcd, and no ignorancc to dress in monastic robcs.s KaSyapa,Sranranas who arc dressed in monastic robes but have desire, hatrcd, and rgnoranccirr mind and do not keep thc prccepts are burning their monastic robes, whilc thosewho observe the prcccpts single-mindedly arc not. Why? I lecausc rronastic robcsshould bc worn by thosc who have thc attr ibutes of a saint, dwell in r.r l t imatequicsccncc, practice kindness and compassion, and arc lrce from passions.

"Ka5yapa, now, l isten to me . There are twclvc signs of a saint. What are thetwelve?

(1) To observe the discipl ine;

(2) to develop mcditation;(3) to cultivate wistlorn;(4) to achicvc l ibcrat ion:(5) to acquirc the knowledge and awareness derived from l ibcrat ion;(6) to comprehcnd the four noble truths;(7) to comprehend the twelve l inks of dependent origination;(8) to fulfill thc four imrncasurables;(8) to practice the firr.rr dhyanas;

(10) to pract ' ice the four dhyin:rs of thc Rcalm of Fornrlcssncss;q(11) to errtcr r ight concentrat ion, leading to the four fruits [ofthe Sravaka-

vehiclel:1{r and

(12) to el iminatc al l onc's dcf i lcments.K-iyapa, thcse are the twclvc signs of a saint. Ka6yapa, I say thc monks who arenot f i l ly cndowed with thc twclvc signs of a saint yet dress in monastic robes donot cult ivatc thc Buddha-l)harma or approach nirvina, nor do they procccd to-ward ult imate quiescencc; ir-rstcad, they perforrn cvi l , sarhsaric deeds. They do notcross [thc sca of] sadrsSra, but are caught by demons; they do not maintain thctrue L)harma, but fbl low wrong doctr ines.

"Thcrcforc, Kaiyapa, a monk who has lcft thc household l i fe but has not yct

achieved the fruit of a Sramana should esteem in eight ways thc monastic robeu.hich he wears. What arc the eight? When he wears a monastic robc, he shouldbrins forth:

, I ) thc thor rgh t o f a s tupa:r r t the rhnr rohr o f the Wor ld -Honorcd Onc '(3) thc thought of ult imate quiescence;

AgrorNrc rN Goor aNo Nosrr Dpponrusrut 285

(4) thc thought of kindness;

(5) the thought of respecting [the robe] as a Buddha;(6) thc thought of shame;(7) the thought of remorse; and(8) the thought that the robc wil l free him of desire, hatred, and ignorance

and will causc him to fulfill the right practices of a 5ramana in future lives.

Ka6yapa, a monk should esteem a monastic robe in thcsc eight ways."K56yapa, i f Srantanas arc not content with the four noble practices, but

violate the r ight practices of a 6ramana, and do not estccnl a monastic robe in theseeight ways, they are falsc 5ramanas and wil l fal l to minor hel ls. Ki5yapa, falseSramanas suffer pain in hel l : their clothing, bowls, and bodies are al l ablaze; theplaces where they sit or sleep arrd the things thcy use burn intenscly, l ike bigfurnaces. Falsc dramanas undergo such sufferings. Why do they fal l to such anriscrablc statc? Bccause they havc committed impure deeds, words, and thoughts.

"Ka6yapa, suppose a precept-brcaking monk falsely claims to be a true 6ra-mana and to practice pure conduct. When meritorious, prcccpt-keeping peoplemake offerings to him and respectfully circun-rambulate him, he accepts all thiswithout even knowing his own wickedness. That wicked monk wil l , bccause ofthis evil root, reap eight contemptiblc attributes [in a futurc life]. What are thecight?

(1) To bc fool ish;

(2) to bc mutc;(3) to be short in staturc;(4) to have such ugly, distorted lcatures rhar anyonc who sees him laughs at

him;

(5) to be born female and work as a poor servant;(6) to be weak, emaciated, and die young;(7) to bc notorious instead of respected; and(U) not to encounter tsuddhas.

K-Syapa, if a precept-brcaking monk allows precept-keeping people to pay hom-agc and make offerings to him, he will have these eight contemptiblc attributes [ina futurc life]. K55yapa, a precept-breaking mor.rk should, after hcaring this ex-plained, not accept the homage and offerings of a precept-kccping monk.

"Ka5yapa, i f a precept-breaking monk falsely claims to bc a true 6ramana andto practice pure conduct, hc docs not deserve a space wide enough for him to spit ,let alone a space to raise and lower his feet, to go here and there, to bend down, orto stretch out. Why? Because in the past, grcat monarchs of lercd large tracts ofland to virtuous precept-keepers to serve as thcir dwelling-places while they pur-sued the path. Kt6yapa, a precept-breaking monk is not worthy of any offeringsgiven by faithful donors, not even a space to raise and lower his feet, let alone aplace with rooms for resident and visiting monks, or a place to take walking

286 ON Vrnrue aNo Drscrpr-rNr

exercise. He is not worthy of any offerings given bv faitl-rful donors, such as ahouse, a bed, a garden, a garment, a bowl, bedding, or mcdicine.

"Ka5yapa, now I say that i [ a precept-brcaking monk falsely claims to be atrue Sramana and to practice purc conduct, hc cannot rcquite thc kindness offaithful donors, not even with a blessing as r iny as rhc r ip of a hair. Why? Likethe vast ocean, noble f iclds of blessings are suprcmc and most wonderful. A donorwho, out of purc faith, sows a sccd of giving in the f iclds of blcssings may thinkthat he has made an immeasurablc gif t . Ka6yapa, when a wicked, prccept-breakingmonk accepts from a faithful donor any offering, even as little as onc hundredth ofa spl i t hair, hc wil l causc his donor to forfci t bl isslul rcrvards thc size of thc vastoccan; such a monk cannot repay at al l thc kindness ol 'his donor. K-6yapa, thcrc-forc, a monk should have a pure mind rvhen acceptine an offering from a faithfuldonor. Ka(yapa, this you should learn."

At that t ime, in the assembly, two hr.rndred monks u'ho wcre pure ir-r deed,had few desires, and wcrc free from Ithe fbur] yokcs *'ipcd a$.ay thcir tears aftcrthey had heard this doctr inc cxplained, and saicl, "World-Honorcd One, now wcwould rather die than acccpt even one meal from a faithful donor without f i rsthaving achicvcd thc lruit of a iramana."

Thc Buddha said, "Exccl lcnt, excel lelrt ! Good men, sincc you lecl shamc andrenlorsc, aricl your lear of futurc l ives is as strong as adanrant, you nay bc com-pared in this l i fc to necklaces of precious jewels. Good me'n, I say now that in theworld therc' arc only two kinds of people worthy of offerings givcn by faithfuldonors. What arc thc two? ()ne is those who cult ivate fthc Dharnta] with vigor;the othcr is those who have achieved l ibcrat ion."

Thc Buddha told these monks, "I f a nronk has achicvcd l iberation, pracuceswholcsornc dharmas, str ict ly keeps the prcccpts as I havc taught, contemplates al lphenomena as impermanent and pairrful and al l dharmas as devoid of sclf , and alsocontemplates the ult irnate quiesccncc of nirvina with a desirc to attain i t- thcn,everr if he accepts frorn faithful douors a pile of offbrings the sizc of MountSumcru, hc wil l surely be ablc to reward the donors with cornrnensuratc blcssings.

" l f such a monk acceprs offcr ings lrom a faithful donor, hc wil l causc thcdonor to obtain great ber-ref i ts and great rcwards. Wh1'? tsecause blessings alwaysresult l rom thrcc things: constant giving of food, bui lding tcmplcs and mon-asteries, and the practice of kindness. Of these thrce, the practice of kindncssresults in thc supreme blessings."

The tsuddha continued. "I f a monk entcrs the immcasurablc dhy-nalr after heacccpts clothing, a bowl, bcdding, food and drink, or medicinc from a donor, hecan cause his donor to obtain l i rnit lcss bl issful rcwards. Ki(yapa, al l the vast oceansin a bi l l ion-world universe may dry up, but the bl issful rc' ,vards which the donorrhus acquires cannot bc exhausted. KaSyapa, you should knor.v that a precept-brcaking monk damagcs the blessings of a donor. I f a monk pertbrrns misdeedsatter he accepts offerings from a faithful donor, hc wil l wastc the donor's olfcr ings.

"Ki(vapa, thereforc I discoursc on the corruption of a 6ramana, the faults

AuorNc rN Cloou AND NoBLE l)rponrurNr 287

lnd t ransgressions of a Sramana, the dc 'cei t anci crookedncss oi : r Sranrana, and thc

thievery among Sramanas.

"Ka6yapa, a precept-keeping n-ronk should be s inqle-rn incled and rcml in lar

arvav f rom al l those unwholcsomc dharn-ras. Ka(r 'apa, a ( ranrana is onc who docs

not lc t h is cycs, cars, noscr, tonguc, body, or nr ind bc at t r : rcted by anv objects.

C)nc who protccts h is s ix scnsc-organs f rom bcinq at t racted I to ob. lccts] , compre-

hends the s ix nr i raculous powers, concentrates on the s ix nr indfuhrcsscs, l r ebidct

sccurely in t l - re s ix k inds of reverent harnrony in a nronastcr . . l t . r r , . l pr . lc t iccs thc s ix

r .a luable dharmas'a is cal lcc l a 5ramana."

II

Then t l-re Buddha told Ka6yapa, "Onc who can dcstroy his aft ' l ict ions is cal lcd a

nronk. Onc who can break up the thoughts of sclf , a scnticnt bcing, a pcrsonal

idcnti ty, a nran, or a wonlan is cal lcd a nronk. Furthermore, Ka(yapa, one lvhcr

cult ivates discipl ine and wisdom is cal led a monk. Furthcrnrorc, Kaiyapa, onc who

is fc' :rr lcss; cxtr icatcs himsclf frorn the thrcc rcalnrs arrd thc four currcnts, l- rcct thci.faults and distresses, and avoids thcnr al l ; and situatcs himself securclr, on t l-re pathof f earlessr-ress is cal led a monk.

"Ka(yapa, i f a nronk does not frr l l l l this or othcr soocl doctr incs dcspitc his

knowledge of thenr, but givcs up al l good doctr incs and treacls dif fcrcnt paths, hc

is not my disciple ancl I am not his tcacher."Ki(yapa, there arc nrany rvickccl rnonks who do harm to my l)harnra.

Ki( i 'apa, i t is not the ninety-f ive kinds ofhctcrodox dcvotccs, " ' nor othcr kinds of

heterodox devotees, but the igr-rorant persons in nry ordcr lr 'ho cau cJcstroy nly

Dharma. For example, Kaiyapa, after a l ion, thc king of beasts, dies, no trgcr,r i 'ol f^, bird, or other bcast can eat i ts f lcsh; Ior-r lvl the wornls l iv ing in i ts body can

r-at i ts f lesh. Kadyapa, in my ordcr, thcrc are wicked monks * 'ho arc grccdv tor

materia' l gains and overu'helmed by avarice. They do not cl iminatc unu.holcsortreclharmas, do not cult ivatc wholesome dharmas, ar-rd do not cease to tcl l l ies.

Ka61'apa, i t is thcsc monks who can destroy my I)harma."Ki5yapa, a monk who harbors lour things is wickcd. What are the iour?

(1) Dcsirc;(2) hatrcd;

(3) ignorancc; and

(4) arrogance.lT

"Furthermore, therc arc four attr ibutes oi a u' ickcd rnonk. What are thetbur?

( l ) To be cor rce i ted ;(2) to be insensit ive to shame;

28U ON Vtnrur aNo DrscrpuNr

(3) not to feel remorse; and(4) to be carelcss in speaking.

"Moreover, thcre are four deeds of a wickcd monk. What are thc four?

(1) To be unstable;

(2) to look down on others;(3) to seek material gains grecdily; and(4) to pcrform misdccds frequcr.rtly.

"Furthcrntore, thcrc are four [other] deeds of a wickcd monk. What are thefour?

(1) To be vi l lainous and deceitful;(2) to delude and confusc others;(3) to earn a l ivel ihood in an iniproper way; and(4) to use abusive language.

"Moreover, thcrc are four [other] deeds of a wicked nronk. What are thelbur?

(1) To accept favors from othcrs without rcturning favors to them;(2) to clo small favors for others and expcct great rcwards;(3) to forget favors prcviously bestowcd by othcrs; and(4) to do harm to rclat ivcs and fr iends.

"Furthermorc, there arc four Iothcrl deeds of a wickcd monk. what arc thefour?

(1) Not to requite the kindness of faithful donors with blcssings a1d rewardsafter acceptirrg thcir offerings;

(2) not to protecr thc disciplinc well;(3) to despise the precepts one has receivcd; and(4) not to keep the prccepts str ict ly.

"Morcover, a monk who gives discourses preaching four doctr i 'cs is awickcd monk. What are the four?

(1) That there is a self ;(2) that thcre is a scntient beirrg;(3) that there is life; and(4) that thcre is a pcrsonal identi ty.

"Furthermorc, therc are four [other] decds of a wicked monk. [ /hat arc theI O U T :

( '1 ) Not to respect thc tsuddha;(2) not to respect the Dharma;(3) not to rcspect the Sarhgha; and(4) not to respecr the discipl ine.

AtrorNc tN ( looo aNl Nonrt DrponrutNr 289

"Moreover, thcre arc four [othcr] deeds of a wicked monk. What are thefour?

(1) To bc unhappy whcn there is harmony rvithin the Sarhgha;(2) to disl ike l iving alorre;(3) to enjoy being in crowds; and(4) to talk of worldly affairs all the rime .

"Furthermore, thcrc are four [other] deeds of a wickcd nronk. What arc thefour?

(1) To str ive for material gains;(2) to pursue grcat fame;(3) to form many acquair l tances; and(4) not to abide in the Ifour] noble practices.

"Moreover, thcrc are four [other] deeds of a wicked monk. What are thetbur?

(1) To bc bound by demons;( l ) to be perver red by der r ro r r r :(3) to indulgc in Icxccssivc] sleep; and(4) no t ro c r r joy p rac t ic i r rg v r r r r r t . .

"Furthermore, there arc four [othcr] dceds of a wicked monk. What are thetbur?

(1) To causc thc -tsuddha-l)harma to degcncrate;(2) to bc a sycophant at heart;(3) t t-r be harmcd by defi lenrerrts: and(4) not t() pursue the l iui t of a Sramana.

"Moreover, a ntonk who burns with four things is a wicked monk. Whatare the four?

(1) To burn with sexual desire;(2 ) to bur r r w i rh ha t rcd :

(3) to burn with igtrorance; and(4) to burn with any othcr defilemcnts.

"Furthermore, there are four [other] deeds of a wicked monk. What are thetor-rr?

p) fo visi t brothels frequcntly, without knowing thc harm it does;(2) not to bc content;(3) not to be content in spite of having much learning;l8 and(4) to bc always rniserly and not to share necessit ies with others.

"Moreover, there are four [othcr] deeds of a wicked morrk. What are thef our?

ON Vrnrur aNo DrscrplrNe

(1) To go from darkness to Imore] darkncss and from ignorance to [rnore]

(2; to doubt thc four noble truths instead sf nerceirr irro th. 'm'

(3) to be always bound by sarirsira; and

1-1.1 ro closc rhc door to nirvina.

"Final ly, a monk who is deceitful in four ways is a wickcd rnonk. What arcthe four?

(1) To be deceitful in body;(2) to be deceitful in speech;(3) to bc deceitful in mind; and(4) to be deceitful in manner.

"What is i t to be deceittul in body? To bc dcceitful in bocly is to [preter.rd to]walk with composurc. To be deceitf i r l in body is to [pretcnd tol look ncithcr to theright nor to thc lcft . To be dcccit ful in body is to [prctend to] look only a fcw fcctaway i f one looks r ight or lcft . To bc dcccit ful in body is to dress in a nronasticrobe while relyir-rg otr improper mcans of l ivel ihood; to l ive in a secluded placc inorder to gair.r praise, without fulfilling the purpose of living rhere; to beg for foodin ordcr to gain praisc, without contemplatirrg the reasons for food-begging; tow-car a garnlcnt of cast-off rags in order to gair-r praisc, without knowing that i t ismeant to €lerlerate hurni l i ty; to l ive in a cavc or under a tree in ordcr to gain praisc,wit lrout studying thc twclvc l inks of dcpcndcnt origination; to takc stale, discardcdnredicinc i tr ordcr to gain praisc, without sceking thc an-rbrosial I)harnra-nrcdicine.Ka(yapa, al l this is cal lcd bcing cleceitful in body.

"Ki6yapa, what is i t to bc deceitful in spccch? [I t is to say:] 'He knows me';'He invites me'; ' l obtain what I seek'; ' l do not seek material gains, but l-re givcstheirl to rnc'; 'l havc acquired every fine, wonderful offcrirrg, and grcat matcrialgains as wcl l ' ; ' l oftcn practicc wholesome dharmas, so offcr ings should bc rnadcto mc'; ' l arn good at debating'; ' l knorv the forms of the dharmas in direct ordcrand in inverted order' ;1e' l know the r ight and wrong trcanings of al l dharmas'; ' l f

he asks me this, I can answer him, convince him, and si lence him with myalrswer' ; or 'By spcaking, I can please cveryone, and I can also nrakc pcople admireand praise me. I can make them invite me [to their homes], make offcr ings to me,and ask me to return often after I acccpt thcir offerings. 'Ki(yapa, i f a person docsnot control his speech and says cvcrything contrary to propriety, he is deceitful inspeech. Ka6yapa, this is called being deceitful in spccch.

"Ka6yapa, what is it to be deceitful in mind? To be deccitful in mind is tosav, ' I do not want such material supports as clorhing, bowls, bedding, food anddrink, and medicinc, 'whi lc one's mind is [real lyl concerned with nothing but thepursuit of these. It is to say falsely that one is content while actually one is seekingnany things."

Then the World-Honored One spoke in verse:

AstoINc tN Gooo aNo Nosrn l)rponrueNt 291

"lf a person seeks material gains

And pursucs them in an improper way.

While claiming hc is content,

Thcn hc is forever miserable.

Being falsehearted,

This person is dcceitful to all;

His mind is utterly impurc.

Gods, dragons, spir i ts,

Thosc who have the deva-eye,

And l luddhas, the World-Honored Ones,

All know and see this.

"Ka5yapa, sr,rch r wicked mor-rk is apart from wholesome dharmas and be-

havior, and earns a living 'in an improper way; he will fall to thc thrcc miscrable

planes of cxistence."

I I I

The Buddha told K5Syapa, "What is the outcastca) of irarnanas? Ka5yapa, an out-

caste often g()es to a graveyard looking for a corpse, and is glad to sce onc. He

rreats sentient bcings without kindness or compassion. Similarly, KaSyapa, the

outcaste of Sramanas has no kindncss. Hc goes to a donor's housc with cvi l inten-

t ions, ar-rd values highly what hc obtains. He does not teach his dorrors thc Bud-

dha-Dharr-r-ra ar-rd discipline after he accepts material offerings from them. He as-

sociates closely with laypeople fbr thc sakc of material gains, not for thc sakc of

f)harma. He has no kindness and always seeks material possessions. KaSyapa, this

is what is meant by the outcaste of (rarnanas.

"Ki6yapa, al l pcoplc, including ministers, elders, prir-rces, warriors, brlh-

nrins, and ccmmon people, dissociatc thcmsclvcs from atr outcaste. Evcn thc ntost

lowly slavcs avoid his presence at-rd acquaintance. Similarly, Ki(yapa, al l people,

including virtuous, respectcd prcccpt-kccpcrs, monks, nuns, laymcn, lavu'omen,

qods, dragons, ghosts, spir i ts, and gandharvas keep aloof fronr the outcaste of

Srarnanas, because they know that he breaks the precepts and practices evi l dhar-

nras. KaSyapa, this is what is meant by the outcaste of Sramanas.

"Ki5yapa, an outcastc's clothing, food and drink, and the things hc uscs are

shunned by virtuous people. Similarly, Ki5yapa, the outcaste of Sramanas procurcs

his rnonastic robe, bowl, and other necessit ies of l i fe by breaking the prcccpts; by

perforrning irnproper decds with body, speech, and mind; and by practicing flat-

tery. Precept-keeping Sramanas and brahmins shun the things which the outcaste

292 ON Vrnrur .tNr I)rscrpr-rrr.

of Sramanas has procurcd impropcrly; they havc Ionlyl pity for him. Kaiyapa, thisis what is meant by the outcastc of Srama!as.

"Ki5yapa, an outcastc shamcful ly begs for food with bowl in hand. Simi-larly, Ki5,vapa, an outcastc of 6ramanas shamcful ly entcrs his own room, others'homcs, or the prescnce of peoplc; he gocs to the Buddha shamcful ly; hc sharneful lypays hornagc to the sthpa ofthe Tathigata; he comes and gocs, bcnds and strctchesshancful ly; and he walks, stands, si ts, a'd l ies dow' shameful ly. To summarizc,hc does cverything shameful ly bccause he conceals his cvi l dharmas.

"Ki6yapa, an outcaste never goes to a good placc, no matter wherc he goes.Why? Becausc hc practices cvi l dharmas hinrself . Similarly, Kajyapa, rhe outcasteof (ramanas docs r-rot go to any good plane of cxistence, no mattcr where hc goes,because he performs nany bad dccds and actions lcading to rcbirth in thc miserableplanes of existcncc. K-5yapa, this is what is mcant by the outcaste of Sramanas.

"Ka6yapa, what is a corrupt Sramana? Ka5yapa, thc sedimcnt of wine whichrcmains at the bottom [of a jar] aftcr the good, sweet winc has been takcn out rsuseless and is clcspisecl by pcoplc. Similarly, KiSyapa, a corrupt Sramana who givesup the f lavor of thc Dhanna and instead cl ings to the dregs of aff l ict ions is uselessand is abhorred by people. Hc srnells thc offensive odor of afflictions, not thefragrance of disciplirre. He can benefit ncither himsclf nor others, no matter whcrcl-re gocs. Kaiyapa, this is what is meant by a corrupt Sramana.

"K-Syapa, corruption may be compared to the transformation of food intodurrg, which is fct id, impurc, and disgusting. Thus, Kaiyapa, a corrupt 6ramana isl ike dung, bccausc he is impurc in decd, word, a'd thought. Kaiyapa, this is whatis meant by a corrupt Sramana.

"K-Syapa, a spoi lcd seed sowrr in the grcat earth wil l not sprout or bearfruit . Sirni lar ly, KiSyapa, a corrupt 5ramana ncither plants good roots nor achievesthc fruit of a 6ramana, though he takcs rcfuge in thc Buddha-I)harma. Ka6yapa,this is what is meant by a corrupt 5ramana.

"Ka5yapa, what is a box-6ramana? KtSyapa, just as an ornate box madc by aski l l lul craftsman may be f i l lcd with st inking, dirty things, so, Ki5yapa, a box-6ramana outwardly acts as a Sramana should act; inwardly he is ful l of f i l th andpractices evi l deeds. KaSyapa, this is what is meant by a box-6ramana

"KiSyapa, what is an amaranth-Srlmana? KaSyapa, an anaranth is vcryprcttv, but i ts substancc is as hard as wood or stone and i ts odor as offbnsive asdu'g. Thc wise wil l not come close to or touch an amaranth, and avoid even thesighr of i t , whi le fools who do nor know its defects approach and smcll i t whenthel ' see i t . Sir ' i lar ly, K5(yapa, an anlaranth-6ramana acts l ike a (ramana in appear-ance, though actual ly he is rude, indel icate, proud, conceited, f i l thy, and impure.

AstotNc; rN Gooo aNo Nosrr l)rponrinrNr 293

He breaks the prcccpts, deports himself very badlv, and docs nor hold properviews. Kl5yapa, thc wise do not associate closely with an amaranth-Sramana orrespectfully circumambulate him to his right; furthcrmore, thcy keep far awayfrom him, because hc is an evi l man. Ka6yapa, only those as si l ly as chi ldrcnassociate closely with him, make circurnambulations to his r ight to honor him,and accept his words with faith, just as a stupid person gocs to pluck an amaranth.K-Syapa, this is what is meant by an amaranth-Sramana.

"Ki6yapa, what is a prof i t-sccking 5ramana? KiSyapa, a f latterir .rg, deceitfulpcrson is always rniscrly and wrappcd in desire. When he sees another pcrson'sproperty, he is so eagcr to stcal i t that he docs not feel shame or rentorsc for usinga sharp knife or a cudgcl to attain his goal. He has no pity, and ahvays harborsharmful intentior.rs. When walking by a desolate marsh, in a forest, or in a vi l lage,he is intent on stealing othcrs' property, so he often l-rides himsclf.

"Similarly, Ki5yapa, a prof i t-sccking iramana is always miserly and chokcdby desire. He is never contel l t with his own gains, but always covets others'property. Hc gocs to a city or a vi l lage for the sake of matcrial gains, not forthe sake of wholesomc dharmas, but he conceals his evi l ways. Thinking thatgood monks know hc brcaks the prcccpts and that, when they discoursc on dis-cipl ine, they may act on their knowledgc by clr iving him away from the order,a profit-sccking irarnar.ra becomcs vcry learful of good monks. Insidc, he is flat-tering and deceitful; but outside, he behaves wcl l .

"Al l gods, dragons, ghosts, spir i ts, and t l-rose who havc the deva-cyc knowthis nror-rk for what he is: whcn hc comes, hc comes as a thief; whcn he goes, hcsoes as a thief; and similarly, as a thicf hc- walks, si ts, l ics down, r iscs, takes hisrobe, puts on his robc, enters a vi l lage, leavcs a vi l lage, eats his meal, drinks, andsh:rvcs his hair.

"K-6yapa, thc going, conring, and al l other act ions of this fbol are knownand seen by gods, dragons, ghosts, and spir i ts. They rcbukc this evi l monk wher-rthcy see what hc docs, saying, ' I t is such bad men who destroy the Dharnra ofS-kyamuni Buddha.'Whcn the gods, dragorrs, ghosts, and spir i ts see a Sramana orbrahmin who keeps the prccepts and cult ivates pure conduct, thcy wil l bel ier.e in,honor, and csteem him, saying, 'Such a persorr dcserves naterial offcr ings accord-irrg to thc Buddha-l)harnra. 'Ki6yapa, though a profi t-sccking Sramana leaves thehouschold l i fe to take refugc in thc Buddha-Dharma, he cannot generare evcn asingle thought of ult imatc quiescence or a passionless mind, lct alone acquirc thcfruit of a Sramana. I t is absolutcly impossiblc for him to acquirc i t . Ki6r 'apa, this isrvhat is meant by a profit-seeking :irarnana.

"Kaiyapa, what is a darnel-5ramana? Ka6yapa, the darnels in a wheat-f ieldlook exactly l ike wheat, so a farmer says that al l the plants are good wheat, butlater, when the kernels of whcat cmerge, hc knows that he was wrong to say that.

ON Vrnrur aNo Dlscrpr-rxr

Ki6yapa, similarly, a darnel-Sramana in a group with other 6ramanas seems to be avirtuous precept-keeper, and when a donor sccs the group, he says that al l ofthem

are Sramanas. However, actual ly that fool is not a Sramana, though he says hc is.

He does not cult ivate pure conduct, though he says he does. He is corrupt from

the outset and does not keep any precepts. He does not belong to thc order, either.

He lacks the vital wisdom of the Buddha-Dharma and wil l fal l to the miserable

planes of existence after death. He is likc the darnels among good whcat."In thc futurc, whcn gods, dragons, and those who have the deva-eye see

that fool fal l to a hel l , they wil l say to each other, 'This fool looked l ike a iranrana

in the past, but he performed unwholesomc dharmas. Therefore, now hc has fal lcn

to a great hel l , as he deserves. From now to the far distant future, he wil l not be

able to achicvc thc virtuous dccds or thc fruit of a iramana. He is l ike darnelsamong good whcat. 'Kaiyapa, this is what is meant bv a darnel-dramana.

"Ka(yapa, what is an undeveloped2l Sramana? K-5yapa, undcvcloped r ice

plants are so cal led because they are not mature yet. They arc not f i rm, so they areblown away by the wind. They are r lot strong or sturdy. They look l ike r ice, butactual ly they are not yet r ice. Ka(yapa, similarly, an undcvclopcd :(ramana looksl ike a Sramana in appearance, but no one has taught or corrected him. Becausc hclacks the power of virtue, he is blown by thc wind of demons. He has no vigorand lacks the power of discipl ine. He learns l i t t lc and his rrrcditat ion lacks power.He has no wisdom and cannot destroy the theives of aff l ict ions. Such a Sramana is

mean, inferior, and powcrless, and is bound and control led by dcmons. Hc is

subrncrgcd in alf l ict ions and blown by the wind of dcmons, just as undeveloped

rice plants are blown by the wind."Ki6yapa, just as undcvclopcd r icc plants havc no sceds to be scattered ir-r a

f icld and sprout, so undcvelopcd :(rarnanas have no seeds of the path to scattcr in

thc f icld of thc Buddha-Dharma, and cannot l iberate themselvcs lrom sari-rsira by

thc doctr incs of sagcs and saints. Kaiyapa, Sramanas who break the precepts and

do evi l are cal led undeveloped 6ramanas.

"Kaiyapa, what is a false iramana? Ka(yapa, a ski l l ful smith gi lds a picce of

copper so that i t is the color of gold, but thc copper art icle is dif- fert 'nt from golcl invaluc and pcoplc wil l know by rubbing i t that i t is not gold. Similarly, a false

5ramana l ikes to adonr hinrself . Hc bathcs oftcn, dresses neatly, and conductshrmself str ict ly in accordance with the rules of a Sramana, rvhcthcr going, conring,

bending, or stretching. Howevcr, he is always plagucd, not onlv by desire, hatred,and ignorance, but also by greed for material gains, rcspcct, and praisel :rnd byp.r idc. rrrogancc, and al i other defi lements. Although hc is highly esteemed bypcopie, he in f lct is not worthy of esteem at al l . l - le constantly and carelul ly deckshis bod1, r ' i th ornaments. Hc longs for good food and drink. Hc docs not scck thcnoblc Dharrna, and has no fcar for future l ives. He may win temporary honor, but

AntlrNc rN Goor aNr Noslr l)rpontivrNr 295

not last ing honor. Al l hc gains is weight. He depcnds on material supports, not onthe Dharma, and is entanglcd in various bonds. He handles his property as-siduously, l ike a layman. He thinks l ike a layman, and as a result hc reacts l ikc onc:he feels pain and plcasurc as a layman does, and he is plagued by attachment andaversion. He has no intention to practice the lau' of a (ranrana cxcept in r i tcs andnanners. Hc wil l dcf initelv fal l to thc miserable planes of hcl l-dwellers, hungryghosts, and animals, because hc is not a 6ramana in real i tv, cannot be quali f icd asone, and does not deserve the nanc. Ka5yapa, this is n'hat is rncanr by a falseSramana.

"KtSyapa, what is a bloodless 6ramana? K-5yapa, a ntan, \ \ 'oman. bov, orgir l whose blood has been sucked by ghosts rn' i l l becorne cmaciatcd and rveak,because of the loss of blood. Ki6yapa, dcprived of blood, hc or she cannot bccurcd by any medicine, spel l , knife, or cudgel22 and wil l dcf initclv die. K-: ivapa,similariy, a Srarnana is cal led a bloodless Sramana if he lacks thc blood of discipl inc,meditat ion, wisdom, l iberation, ar-rd the knowledgc and awareness dcrived fromlibcratiorr; thc blood of kindness, compassion, joy, and cquanimity; t l .rc blood ofgiving, sclf-control, and thc guarding of his bodi ly, verbal, and nrcr.rtal acrions; rheblood of abidirrg sccurcly in the fbur noble practices; the blood of good dcport-nreut; ancl the blood of purc dccds, words, and thoughts.

"K-5yapa, though hc acccpts thc l)harn-ra-medicincs of the Tath.rg. lrr, abloodless Sranrana cannot savc hinrsclf . I he l)harma-medicines are:

to contcruplatc the impurity of thc body when or-re feels carnal dcsirc;to practice kindness whcn one feels hatred;

to observe thc twclve l inks of deper-rderrt origination whcn onc is deludcd;to ponder aff l ict ions r ightly;

to give up fondness for crowds;

to rcnounce everything onc has; and

to takc care of three monastic dharmas, namely, to be pure in discipl ine,to subdue or-re's mind, and to bc conce-ntrated and not distracted.

Ki(yapa, though bloodless Sramanas takc thc Dharma-mcdicincs r ' , 'hich I prescribcand al low thcrn to takc, thev canl lot save themselves. KaSyapa, [ thcsc l)harnra-rncdicirrcsl arc supramundanc doctr incs:

the conternplat ion of emptiness, signlessness, and nonaction;

thc knowlcdgc of thc l f ivc] aggrcgatcs, thc Icighteenl elcnicnrs. and thc

Itwclvc] entrances;

the four noblc truths: and

the- twelve l inks of dcpendent originatior-r.

Kaiyapa. bloodless iramanas cannot savc themselvcs cvcn by taking these Isupra-nrunclanc] Dharma-rncdicincs. Kaiyapa, 6ramanas of this kind are st inking, f i l thy,end impure. Because thcy brcak the precepts and have few blcssings, they wil l be

ON Vrnrur aNo ])rscrpr-rNr

born in thc lowliest domains. Because o[ thcir arrogancc, after death thcy wil l

surely fal l to the great hel ls, and nowherc clsc. Just as pcoplc who losc their blood

wil l dcf initcly die, sc.r Sramanas of this kind wil l certainly fal l to the hel ls after

death. K-(yapa, this is what is mcant by a bloodlcss (ramana."

Whcn these doctr incs had bccn spoker-r, f lvc hundrcd monks abandoned the

nlonastic preccpts and returned to the lay l i fc. At oncc, othcr monks rebuked

tl-rcnr, saying, "I t is not good or propcr for you to regress in the -Buddha-Dharma

and return to thc lav l i fe."

The Buddha told the monks [rvho blamed the f ive hundred monks], "Do

not say so! Why? I-]ccause what they do is rn complarrcc lvi th the Dharma. I f

nronks rctunr to thc lay l i f-e because they do not wish to accept offerings from

faithful dorrors, they complv with the l)harn-ra. Thosc rnonks feel repentant bc-

cause of their faith in and understanding of the I)harma. Whcn they hcard my

tcachings, thcy thought: 'Vy'c probably did inrpurc dccds, and thcn accepted offbr-

ir-rgs from faithful donors. Wc should fccl rcpcntant and return to thc lay l i fe. '"K-6yapa, now I say t l-rat after death those monks wil l be reborn in the

Tusita Heaven, whcre Bodhisattva Maitreya dwells, and when Maitreya Tathagata

appears in the world, thcy wil l bc among thc members of his f irst assembly."

IV

Therr Mahaktiyapa asked the Ruddha, "World-Honorcd Onc, what kinds of n-ronks

niay take charge of aftairs?"

The Buddha repl ied to Kaiyapa, " l al low tu'o kinds of monks to take chargc

of af lbirs. What are the two? ()nc kind is a monk who can kccp thc purc prccepts,

and t l-re other is a monk whose fear of luture l ivcs is as strong as adamant.

Furthermore, therc arc two othcr kinds of monks who nray take chargc of affairs.

Wl-rat arc thc two? Or-re kind is a nronk who is aware of karmic results and the

othcr is a rnonk who is rcpcrl tant ancl sensit ivc to shanrc. Furthcrnrorc, the'rc arc

two other kirrds of monks who may takc chargc of affairs. What arc thc two? One

kind is a nronk who l-ras attainccl Arhatship and thc othcr is a monk who can

cult ivate thc cightfold l ibcrat ion. Ki(yapa, I permit these kinds of monks to take

charge of affairs. Why? Bccausc, Ki6yapa, thcy arc blamcless thenrselves and con-

sidcrate of others, which is a rare achicvcment."Kt(yapa, there arc many kinds of peoplc who havc left the household l i fe tcr

rake refugc irr thc Buddha-l)harma. Thcy dif lcr in naturc, mcntal i ty, l ibcrat ion,

anrl thc cracl icat ion of passions. Sornc arc forcst-dwcllcrs, sorl lc practice begging

r i ' r ' tood . s . ln rc l i kc to l rvc r r r mounta i r r g roves . sonrc e r r . loy s tay ing ncar e v i l lagc .

5onlc arc purc in cl iscipl inc, sonlc can frcc thcrnsclvcs from the lbur yokes, some

AsrorNc rN Gooo aNo Nosrt L)rponrurNr 297

are di l igent in learning much, somc debatc doctr ines, some keep the preccpts well ,somc behave thcmselvcs well according to the vinaya, and some tcach thc Dharmato people in cit ies and vi l lages. The administrat ive monks must well discerp thevarlous tempcraments of al l these kinds of monks.

"Ka6yapa, a monk who dwells in a secludcd forcst needs to have rcisure, sothc administrat ive monk should not assign him anv * 'ork. I f i t is a forest-dwell ingnronk's turn to do a job, the administrat ive monk should do i t for him if he can;otherwisc, he should ask another pcrson to do i t . Hc should not order a forcst-dwell ing monk about, but may give him a small task to do i f the nronk is notengagecl in thc practicc of the path.

"Ka5yapa, thc admi'r istrat ivc monk should give good food to those whopractice food-bcgging. Hc should give monks who can free thenrsclvcs lrom thefour yokes anything they 'ccd, such as clothi 'g, food and dri .k, bcdding, andmcdicirrc. He should not shout loudly himself or al low othcrs to shout loudlv learthe dwell i 'g-placcs of rnonks free frorn the four yokes, in order to protcct them.Thc administrat ive monk should cxtend respect to such monks, regard thern asworld-Honorcd oncs, and think, 'Thcsc

monks can be the pi l lars of the Buddha-Dharma, and I should givc thcm anything they nccd. '

"Kajyapa, i f there are 'ronks who are di l ige't in learning much, the ad_nrinistrat ivc rnonk should encourage them, saying, 'you virtuous ones di l igentlypursue kr-rowledgc, and read and recite so as to havc thorough comprehcnsion. Ishould bc at your service. You virtuous, crudite ones arc l ike necklaces ofpreciousstones alr lor lg t ire monks. Y<tu can ascend to high seats and elaboratc on the truel)harma, and also gcneratc wisdon-r of your own.' The admirr istrat ive rnonk shouldnot ask them to work at wrong t imes but should help them so that they can devotethemsclvcs to extcnsive lcarning.

"Ka5yapa, the administrative nro'k should afford everything to a monk whoteaches thc Dharma, should accornpany hin to cit ies and vi l lagcs and persuadepeople to hear hirn cxplain the I)harma. Hc should providc a teaching site andmake a high, cushioncd seat for him. I f any monk interrds to hurt thc Dharma-rnastcr by forcc, the administrat ivc monk should make pcace between the two. Hcshould also go frcquently to the l)harma-master to of-fer his praise.

"K-Syapa, thc admir-r istrat ive monk should often visi t the monk rvho keepsthc pure prccepts well , and who undcrstands the mcaning of the Vinat,a, saving,'How should I n-ranagc things, s. that I n-ray commit no misdecds and do no harmto myself or othcrs?' The monk who undcrstands the meaning of the Vinayashould observe the mind of the administrat ive monk and teach him the. Dharma inaccordancc with his managcrial dutics, advising him hor,v to act.

"The administrat ive monk should with al l his heart havc faith in, pay hom-ase to, and rnakc offerings to those who kccp the preccpts. At the proper t imes, heshould give monks thc things they need and are cnti t led to, and should lot concealthosc things. whe' he distr ibutcs things, he should not do so with an evi l mind,nor in an improper \ ray, nor with a mind ful l of desire, hatred, ignorance, or. fear.

Or.r Vrnlur AND I) IscIPLINE

"The administrat ive monk shoulcl act in accordancc with thc laws of the

Sarhgha, not in accordance with thc laws of thc laity. Hc should act according to

the rcgulat ions of t l -re Sarirgha, not according to his ou'n rcgulat ions. Hc should

not bc free with the things which bclong to thc Sarhgha. Hc should consult other

monks even on tr i f l ing nratters and not dccidc n'ratters arbitrari ly by himself.

"As regrrds the art icles uscd, r"ramely, thc resident nrotrks' posscssiorrs, thc

Buddha's possessions, and thc visi t ing monks' posscssions, the administrat ive monk

should dif fcrentiate them. Thc resident nronks'belongings should not bc given to

thc visi t ing monks, and vice vcrsa; and thc " ' is i t ing

and rcsidcnt monks' posses-

sions should not be mixcd up. The rcsidcrrt and visi t i r-rg nrotrks' things should not

be mixed up with the Buddha's things.

" l f the resident monks'bclongirrgs are plcnti ful and thc visi t ing rnonks need

somc of then-r, the administrat ivc rnotrk should sunrmoll the residcnt monks and

ask them to give away some of thcir thngs. I f thc,v agrec, t l -ren hc should give

some of their belongings to the visi t ing tnotrks.

"Kt(yapa, i f thc stupa o[thc Tathigata nceds somc rcpair or is going to ruitr .

arrd the residcnt and visi t ing nronks have many posscssions, thc adnrinistrat ive

monk shoulcl sunlntolt the monks anci ask thcm to votc whcthcr to give awal '

sorne of thcir things, saying, 'The tsuddha's st[Pa is goirrg to ruitr , and ueeds

rcpair, whi le the monks' posscssions are plcnti fr .r l . Virtuous t-uonks, i t is t imc lbr

you to consell t to my requcst. l f you consent to givc away thc t l-r ings you obtained

fronr donors, I shal l takc and usc thcrn, whcther thcy bclong to the resident monks

or the visi t ing monks, to rcpair t i rc Buclcl l-ra's stupa. ' I f the monks vote for i t , the

adnrin' istrat ive monk should use [the proccccls froni sel l ing] thc nronks'possessions

to repair the Buddha's stupa. I f the rnonks votc against i t , thc adnrinistrat ive monk

sirould persuade lay devotccs to contr ibutc nloncy to repair the Ruddha's stupa.

"K-6yapa, Ihowever,] i f thc tsuddha's things arc plcnti ful, the adninistrat ive

rnonk shoulcl not distr ibute then-r to thc resident or visi t ing monks. Why not?

Because he should rcgard the Buddha's things as the World-Honored Onc. Every-

thirrg belonging to the Buddha, cvcn a piece of thread, has been givcn to the

Buddha by faithful donors. Therefbre, gods and humans considcr cvcn such [tr iv-ial] things to be the tsuddha's stupa, lct alone precious things. I f a garment has

been .-rffered to thc Buddha's stalpa, it is better to let the llarment be blown by the

wind, rained upon, and worn out than to cxchange i t for a prcciotts thing. Why?

[First, l because no one can f ix a price on anything in the Buddha's st l lpa; and

second, because the tsuddha needs nothing.

"Ktiyapa, a good, pure administrat ive monk should not mix up the belong-

ings of the ThrecJcwcls. Furthermore, he should be constantly content with what

he himsclf possesses and not think that the bclongings of thc ThrceJewels are his.

"Ki6yapa, i f an administrat ive monk, out of hatrcd, arbitrari iy orders about

and crnploys as servants virtuous precept-keepers, whonr people resPectful ly cir-

cumambulate, he wil l fal l to a great hel l bccause of his hatred. l f he is born as a

AerorNr; rN G<ton aNo Noslr ])npclRrurNr 299

human, hc wil l be somcone's slavc, rvi l l bc put to hard labor by his rnastcr, and wil lbe whippcd.

"Furthcrmore, Ki6yapa, i [ an administrat ivc monk arbitrari ly makes newregulat ions str icter t l -ran the ordinarv regulat ions obcl 'cd b1' thc monks, upbraidsand punishes monks [according to his own ncu' resulat ions], and makes thcmwork at unnecessary t imes, he wil l fal l to thc mir.ror hel l of manv nai ls bccause oft l .r is bad root. When hc is in this hel l , his body rvi l l be prcrced by hundredsof thousands of nai ls, and wil l blaze with f ire, enit t ins ereat l lames l ike a bigfurnacc.

" l f the administrat ive nronk fr ightcns virtuous prcccpt-kecpcrs uith seriousmatters or speaks to thcm n' i th hatrcd, he wil l be born in a hcl l u' i rh a ronquefive hu'drcd

' lcagucs long- His torlguc rvi l l bc picrced bv hur-rdrcds oi thousa'ds

of nai ls, each of whicl i wi l l givc forth great f lames."Kidyapa, i f the adn-rinistrat ivc monk bcgrudses or hidcs t l-re nror-rks' be-

longirrgs, or distr ibutes thenr at the wrong t imes, unwil l inglv, bit te.r lv, lcss thar-rhe should, not at al l , or to s()me and not to othcrs, the' bccause of this badroot he wil l fal l to the niscrablc planc of hungry ghosts aftcr dcath, and wil lhave only pi l ls nraclc of dung to eat. At that t inrc, other huugrv ghosts wil lshow him lbod without givi 'g i t t . hir ' . Longing to procure thc food, hc wil lgaze at i t so inteDscly that his cycs wil l not bl ink at al l . Hc wil l be hungryarrcl thirsty, but u' i l l have nothing ro cat or drink for hundreds of t l rous:rndsof years. After t l -rat, hc wil l sometirncs obtairr food, but thc foocl wi l l soon changci ' to cl ' 'g or bioody pus. why? Because he abusccl his authority by making i tdi l l lcult fbr respectcd precepl-kcspgrs to obtain from hin-r t l -reir r ightful posscsslons.

"Ka6yapa, the admirr istrat ive l- I lonk wil l receivc a very painful karnric rct-r ibutiorr for a kalpa or nrorc i f hc himsclf uses without dist inct ion the possessionsof thc resident monks, the visi t i 'g mo'ks, or the l luddha. why? I lecausc he hasencroachcd on the possessions of thc Threc Jcwcls.

"Kaiyapa, i f an administrat ivc nonk hcars such transgressior-rs explaincd andknows thcy are transgressio's, but is recalcitrant and hates the preccpt-keepers, Isay that hc cannot bc rcformed eve' by the Buddhas, thc world-Honored o'cs.

"K56yapa, therefore, rn administrarive monk should guard well his dccds,q'ords, and thoughts aftcr heari 'g such tra'sgressio's cxplained. He should pro-tect both hirnsclf and others.

"Ki(yapa, an administrat ive morrk should prefer to eat his os,n t lesh ratherthan use without dist inct ion thc bclongings of the Threc Jcwels, such as clothrng,bowls, food, ancl clr ink."

Mahakaiyapa then said to thc Buddha, "World-I- lonorcd O'c, cxtraordi 'aryare these doctr ines, which the Tathagata teachcs out of kindncss. Hc speaks ofsharnclcssness to those who are inscnsit ivc to shame and speaks of rernorsc to thosewho are sensit ivc to shame."

-lr )0 ON Vrnrur RNo l)rscrpltr l

V

Then Mahakaiyapa asked thc Buddha, "\)7orld-Honorcd Onc, some monks de-

clarc themselvcs to be forcst-dwell ing monks. World-Honored Orre, how should a

monk act to be cal lcd a forest-dwcll ing monk? How should a monk act to bc cal led

a food-begging monk? How should a monk act to bc cal led onc who wears a

qarnlcnt of cast-off rags? How should a monk act to bc cal led one who dwells

undcr a tree? How should a monk act to be cal lcd one who wandcrs in a grave-

-vard? How should a monk act to be cal led one who l ivcs in the open air?"

Thc Buddha repl icd to KaSyapa, "A forest-dwcll ing monk must del ight in a

secludcd forest and l ivc in i t . KaSyapa, a secluded place is a placc where thcrc are

no loud noises and no dcer, t igcrs, wolves, f lying birds, robbers, cowherds, or

shepherds. Such a placc is suitable lbr a Sramaua's l)harn'ra-practice. Therefore,

such a monk should dcvotc himself to L)harma-practice in a sccludcd place.

"A monk should think of eight things i f he wishcs to l ivc in a secludcd place.

What arc thc eight?

(1) To renouncc the body;

(2) to renouncc lifc;

(3) to rcl inquish matcrial possessions;

(,1) to leavc all bcloved places;(5) to dic on a nlountain, l ike a deer;

(6) to perform thc dceds of a forest-dweller when in a secludcd place;

(7) to l ive by thc Dharma; and(8) not to abidc in afflictions.

K-Syapa, a monk who wishes to l ive in a sccludcd forest should contemplate these

eight things, and thcn hc should go to a sccluded place.

"Kidyapa, after a forcst-dwcll ing monk arr ivcs at a secluded place, he should

follow thc Dharma of a fbrest-dweller arrd perform eight dccds to show kindness

for all scntient beings. What are the eight?

(1) To benefi t scntient beings;

(2) to gladdcn scntient beings;

(3) not to hatc sentient beings;

(4) to be straightforward;(5) not to discrin-rinate amonll senticnt beings;

(6) to be compliant with scntient beings;

(7) to contemplate al l dharmas; and(8) to be as pure as spacc.

KJivapa, a forcst-dwell ing monk should perform thcsc eight deeds to show kind-

:: :ss tbr al1 scntient beings."Ki(r 'apa, when a forest-dwell ing monk arr ivcs at a secluded place, he

AnrorNc; rN Gooo aNo Noers I)pponrurNr 301

should think, ' l have come to this rcmotc placc alonc, with no companion. No oneteachcs or rcbukes me, whethcr I practicc virtue or nonvirtue. 'Hc should thinkfurther, 'However,

therc are gods, dragons, ghosts, spir i ts, and Buddhas, the!7orld-Honorcd oncs, who know that I apply mv mind c' t i rcly to devotion.They ca' be my witncsses. Now I am herc to practice s'hat a forest-dwellershould. I f I bear malice, I shal l not be free and at easc. Now I a'r i ' this remoteplace al l alonc; I associatc closcly with no one and have nothing to cal l my own. Ishould 'ow bcwarc offeel ings ofdesire, hatred, annoyance, ard so forth. I shouldnot be l ikc those who are fond of crowds or arrached to vi l lages. I f I anr, I shal l bedcceiving the gods, dragons, ghosts, and spir i ts; and the l luddhas wil l 'ot l iketo see me. I f I now fol low the r ight practice of a forest-dwellcr, the gods, dragons,Flhosts, and spir i ts wi l l not upbraid me,,and thc Buddhas wil l be glad to see me.,

"K-Syapa, when a forest-dwell ing mo'k l ivcs in a secluded placc, he shouldpractice the r ight act ions of a tbrest-dwellcr:

to persist, with al l his heart, in keeping the prccepts lcading to l iberatron;to maintain well the precepts of evcry category, and purify his ow.r dceds,

words, and thoughts;not to practice f lattery or lraud;to eanr his l ivcl ihood in a proper way;to kcep his mirrd ir.rclir.red to dhylnas;to memorize thc Dharma hc has heard;to cult ivate r ight t l .rought di l igcntly;to r lovc toward passiorr less, quiesccnt, and ccssative nirvJna;to be a f r , l id o fsar i rsJ r r ;

to rcgard thc f ive rggregrtcs :rs cncrnies, the four elenrents as porsonoussnakes, and thc six senses as uninhabitcd vi l lascsl

to be adept in devising ski l l lul means;to contemplate the twelve links of depender-rt origination in order ro parr

with the views of cfcrnal ism and nihi l ism;to contemplatc the crnptiness of a senticnt bcing, of a self , of a personal

identi ty, and of a l i te;to undlrstand that the dharmas are clevoid of signs, and to practicc signlcss-

ness ;

to decrease his act ions gradually and to practicc nonactior.r;to fear the activi t ics of the three realnts:always to practicc thc Dharma di l igc't ly, as i f to save his head rronr bcing

burncd:

always to str ive with vigor and never regress;to contcmplate the real i ty of the body, thinking ancl contemplating so as to

know the origirr of suffering, to sever the causc of suffcr ing, to real izethe ccssatiorr ofsufferirrg, and to cult ivate assiduously thc path leadirrgto the ccssation of suffcrinq;

302 Otv Vrnrur auo DtscrPI-tNl

to practice kindness;

to abidc securcly in the four mindfulnesses;

to avoid unwholesomc dharmas and enter thc door to wholesomc dharmas;

to establish himself in the four right efforts;

to nlaster the four bases of miraculous powers;

to protect the five good roots and to have a command of the fivc powers;

to be awakened to thc seven factors of enlightenment;

to practice the eightfold noblc path industr iously;

to develop dhyina ar.rd samadhi; and

to discriminate al l thc forms of dharmas by virtue of wisdom.

"Kadyapa, a forcst-dwell ing monk adorns himsclf with such doctr ines. Hav-

i1g adorned himself in this way, he should l ive in a mountain grove, and di l igently

cultivate the various practices even it-t the early and late parts of the night without

sleeping then.23 He should always bc eager to attain the supramundane Dharnra.

"Ka5yapa, a forest-du'el l ing monk should constantly cult ivatc the path wher-

evcr he is; hc should not decoratc his body with f lne clothes; he should gather

withered grass to cushion his scat; he should not takc things lrorn rcsiderlt or

visi t ing monks. In a secludcd place, a forest-dwell ing monk shouid, in ordcr to

practice the noble path, bc content with any garment which can covcr his body.

"Kadyapa, i f a forcst-dweil ing n'ronk goes to a city or a vi i lage to bcg for

food, he should think, ' I have cor.ne to this city or vi l lage from my secluded place

irr order to beg for food; my mincl should be r-reither deprcsscd rror elated, whether

I obtain food or not. Indced, i f I am not givcn food, I should bc c()ntent and regard

it as the karrnic retr ibution [for dccds] in nry prc'vious l ives, and from now on I

should cult ivate virtuous dceds industr iously. ' Furthcrnrore, he should remembcr

that even the TathSgata did not always acquire lbod rvhcn he bcggcd for it'

"A forcst-dwell ing monk should adorn himsclf with the I)harma bcforc he

begs for food in a city or a vi l lage, and should go to bcg only after hc has done so.

How does he adorn himself with thc Dharma? He should not bc contarninated

with or attached to thc sight of pleasant forms, nor be angry at thc sight of

unpleasant forms, and l ikewise with pleasant or unplcasant sounds, odors, tastcs,

tcxtures, and dharmas. He should protect his scnse-organs lrorn being attracted,

and should gazc no farthcr than several fcet ahcad. He should control his mir-rd r,vell

and kccp in rnind the Dharma he has contemplatcd. He should practicc begging for

food without defiling his n'rind with lbod. Hc should bcg for food fron door to

door without feel ing attachment to a place where he is givcn food or leel ing

aversion toward a place where he is not. I f hc obtains r lothi l lg aftcr beggir l€i at ten

or nlore houscs, hc should not be worried, and should think, 'Thcse eldcrs and

brlhnrins do not give me food for many reasons. They have ncvcr evel1 thought of

n1c. not to speak of giving me food. 'Ka(yapa, a forest-dwell ing nronk wil l not bc

atraid u'hen begging for food if hc can think in this way.

"Kl5,vapa, i f a forcst-dwell ing monk sees nlen, wonlerl , boys, gir ls, or an-

AstorNc rN ( lo<to aNo Nosr.t DrponrlreNl 303

imals when begging tbr food, hc should have kind'ess and compassion towardthem and think, ' l str ivc with vigor so that I can make thc vow thar scntient bcinsswho see me and those who givc me food rvi l l al l bc reborn in heavcn. '

"K56yapa, aftcr a forcst-dwcll ing monk obtai 's iood, whcther i t is coarse orof high quali ty, he should look for poor pcople in thc crtv or vi l lage a'd share halfthe food with them- If hc does not see any poor pcople, he shouid think, . l

Imental ly] give the best of thc food I obtain to the scntier-rt bcrpgs r,",hom l do notsee with my eycs. I am the donor and thcy arc the recrpients. '

"Ki6yapa, a forest-dwell ing mo'k should returr to his secluded dwell ing-place with the food giveu to him and v, 'ash his hands and fce-t. Accordi lg ts thcpurc rules of dcportmer-rt for a Sramana, he should arrangc a scat n' i th qrrss he hasgathered, si t cross-lcggcd on the seat, and cat without artachmcnt. pridc, hatred,or distract ion. when hc is about to eat, he should think, ' ln nry boclr. , thcrc arecighty thousand worrrs which wil l be securc a'd happy when thcy obtai ' thc foodI eat. Now I attract rhcse rvorms to my fol lowing with food; but rvhen I attainsupreme enl ightenment, I shal l attract thcm to my lbl lowing with the l)harnra.,

"Ki3yapa, when a forest-du'el l ing monk does 'ot havc enough to eat, hcshoulcl think, 'Now that my body is l ight, I ca' cult ivatc parie'cc, puri ty evi ls,and have less excremc't and urine. My mi'cl is l ight when my body is l ight.Therefore, I can slecp l i t t lc ar-rd have no clcsirc. 'Hc should think i ' this way.

"Ki iyapa, i f a forest-dwcll i .g r 'o'k is giverr much food, hc shourd gladlyput a handtir l of- i t on a clean rock, thinking, ' l give this to thc bircls and beasts thatcan cat i t . I am the donor and thcy are the recipients. '

"Ki6yapa, after cating, a forest-dwcll ing monk should wash and dry hisbowl and r inse his hanrls a'cl nouth. He should put away his patched robe a'dwalk near his secludcd placc, pondrrirrg rhq forms of dharmas.

"Ki6yapa, a forcst-dwcll ing monk who is st i l l an ordinary nlan and has notyct achicved the'fruit of a iramana may bc approacl-red at t imes by t igers or rvolvc-sas hc cult ivatcs the practices of a forcst-dr.r.cl lcr. wherr he secs thesc bcasts. heshould not fear thcnr, but should think, 'Sincc

I camc to this secludecl placc, I haverel inquishcd my body and l i fe; thcrcforc, instead of being afraicl , I shor.r lcl cl l t iyatckindness and r id nryself of al l cvi ls and fears. I f t igers or wolvcs ki l l nre and car rpr.f lcsh, I should t l .r i 'k that I am greatly be'ef i tcd, for I shal l gct r id of rnv iraci lcbody and gairr a stablc orte.24 I have no fbod to give to thc t igcrs or wolves, bLrt r l-rcr,wi l l bc cornfortable and happy after thcy cat my f lesh. 'Ka(yap:r, a lbrcst-du'cl l inqmonk shoulcl re' l i 'quish his body and l i fc in this way whe' hc fol lo*.s the r ightpracticc of a fbrest-dwclicr.

"Kaiyapa, when a forcst-dwcll ing mor-rk fol lows thc r ight practice of a forcst-dwcllcr, n.nhumars rnav co'e t . his place in eirhcr beauti lul or uglv forms.Toward such nonhumans, hc should gcneratc neither love nor hatc.

"Ka3yapa, i f the gods who have rnct thc Buddha conle to thc placc of aforcst-dwell ing monk and bring up many questions, thc monk should explain tothcn as best hc can the doctr incs which hc has studied. I fhc cannot sive an answer

30,1 ON Vnrun aNo l)tsctprtNr

to a di i f icult qucstiorr which a god puts to him, hc should l1ot becomc arrogal l t ,

but sl-rould say ' l have not lcarned much, but do not despise mc. From trow ou l

shal l cr,r l t ivate and stuCy thc Buddha-Dharnra morc di l igently, so that one day I

rnal- bc Ithoroughly] conversant with the Buddha-l)harma aud ablc to atrswcr al l

q l les t ions . 'Hc shou ld a lso urgc thc gods I to p reach] , say ing , 'P lease cxp la in the

I)h:rrnra to me. I shal l hear and accept i t . 'Hc should also say gratcfui ly, 'May you

not refuse my rcquest! '

"Moreovcr, Ka(yapa, a forcst-dwell iug mor-rk who fol lorvs the r ight practice

oi a forcst-dwellcr should cult ivatc u,cl l thc thoughts of a forcst-dweller: Just as

grass, trees, t i les, alrd stoncs have no [ innerl mastcr, selt , or owncr, so i t is with

thc body. There is rro sclf , no l i tc, no pcrsonal idcnti ty, no scntient bcrng, no

coltcl l t ion. The body arises from thc combination of condit ions. I f I contemplate

it rvcl l , I shal l scver al l u'rong vieu's. 'A forcst-drvcl l ing rnonk should always think

of t l -re doctr ine of en-rpt incss, signlcssncss, atrd uotractiotr.

"Kaiyapa, when a forcst-dwell ing morrk fol lows the r ight practicc of a forcst-

dwcllcr, he wil l f ind that f iui ts, herbs, grass, and trccs arisc fronr the combinatiou

of condit ions and ccase with thcir dispersion. ' [ 'hcsc

external things havc tro mas-

tcr, no ' l ' or 'nr ine, 'and no cotrtcntiotr, thcy arisc natural ly and cease naturai ly, yet

there is no enti ty that ariscs or ccascs. Ki6yapa, just as grass, trees, t i lcs, and stones

have no [ irrncr] self , nraster, or owner, so i t is with thc body. Therc is no sclf , no

life, no 1-rcrsonal iderrtity, t-to sentient bcing, no colrtentiolt. All dharmas arise from

thc combinatiorr of condit ions and ceasc with their dispcrsion. h-r real i ty, no dhar-

nra arises or ceases.

"KaSyapa, a fbrcst-dwcll ing rnonk should cult ivate this doctr ir-re when hc

stays in a secludcd place. K-5yapa, a forest-drvel l ing monk who practiccs this

doctr ine wil l achicvc thc fruit of a Sranrana quickly i f hc lol lorvs the Srivaka-

vchicle. I f l -re ' is hindered frorn achicving thc fruit of a Sranrana in this l i fe , he wil l

without fai l end al l his dcf i lcrncnts after sccitrg otrc Buddl-ra, or two, or at nlost

thrcc. I f he fol lo' ,vs the l lodhisattva-vchicle, hc wil l obtain in this l i fc the Rcaliza-

t ior-r of the Nonarising oII)harnras and thc l)harn-ra of Nonobstruction, see future

Buddhas rvithout fai l , uid attaitr suprcmc enl ightcnment quickly."

Wherr this discoursc on the forcst-dwcll ing monk was spokcn, f ive hundred

monks el irninatcd al l their dcf i lenrents and achievcd mcntal l iberation.

VI

Thc Buddha told Ki6yapa, "What is a food-begging monk? Ki(yapa, i f a nronk

abidcs sccurely in his past vow to lead a monastic l i fc practicing begging for food,

hc n' i l l be single-minded and wil l not usc l lattcry or dcccit , wi l l decl inc al l invita-

r1orls to dinncr, wi l l acccpt no food olfercd to a community of monks, and wil l

adorn hirnself wit l .r dignity.

AnrorNc rN GooD AND NoBLE l)EponlurNr 305

"A food-bcgging monk should not think of the f lavor of any dishes. Whenhe is given del icacies, he should warn himself, thinking, ' I am l ike an ourcasre. I t isnry body and mind which should bc pure, nor my food and beveragcs. Why?Because al l del icious food, when eatcn, wi l l change into st inking, f i l thy, andirnpure excrcmcnt. I should not seek any f inc food. '

"Having subdued his mind in this way, a food-begging monk should notthink when he begs for food from door to door in a city or a vi l lage: ' l t is a man,not a woman, who gives me food'; or ' I t is a wonlan, not a mal1, who gives mcfood'; or ' I t is a boy, not a gir l , who gives mc food'; or ' I t is a gir l , not a boy, whogives mc food'; or ' l should bc given del icacies, not coarse food'; or ' l should begiven good food, not bad food'; or ' I t is the t ime to givc me lbod'; or ' l t is not thct ime to give me food'; or ' l t should bc casy, not dif f icult , lbr me to obrain food';or ' I should bc given food quickly, not slowly' ; or ' l should bc respectcd arrd notdespised when I cnter a vi l lagc'; or ' l should be given freshly cooked food, notlcftovc'r food'; or ' I should acquire f<rod from the r ich, not from thc poor' ; or 'Men

and womcn should wclcome me.' Ka6yapa, a food-bcgging monk should not havethese unwholcsonrc idcas.

"Ki(yapa, a fbod-beggirrg r.nonk shor.rlcl adorn himself with the rules oftbod-bcgging: whcn begging frrr fbod, he should not feel sad orjoyful, whether heis given food or .ot; he should not considcr whether thc food he is givcn 1s coarseor of high quali ty. [ ihy? Because many sentient beings perforrn evi l dc-eds owingro their attachmeut to dcl icacies, and as a rcsult they fal l to the miserable planes ofhel l-dwellers, hungry ghosts, or animals. Thosc who are content are not grccdyfi>r delicacies. Therefbre, a food-begging monk should not seek high-quality foodbut acccpt coarse food. He should not lct his sensc of taste become attached todciicacies, but should feel conte't v"'ith ary kind of food. Evcn when he is giventhe coarsest food, he should be conterl t with i t . Thus, hc wil l be reborn in heavenor as a human after death and, i f he is reborn in heaven, hc wil l I then] have celestialdcl icacies.

"Ki5yapa, a food-bcgging monk should subdue his mind by dctachmentlrom del icacies. He should not be unhappy evcn i f he eats nothing but beans forscvcn days.

' ! i lhy? Because he should ear lonly] to l ivc. Hc is ablc to cult ivatc the

path aftcr eating; he should eat for this reason."K-6yapa, i f a food-begging mor.rk obtains a bowl of food in a proper rvav,

i t is a proper material support. Thc monk should share i t with thc monks q.ho

cult ivatc purc conduct."Ki6yapa, when a food-begging monk is sick and has no food ro eat bccause

he has no attendant to beg food for him, he should subduc his mind in this way: ' I

am alone without any companion, for I havc left the houschold l i fe. Thc Dharmais my companion, so I should keep thc l)harma in mind. No'uv I suffer fromil lness. I should thir.rk of the Dharma I have heard before, fbr the World-Honored()ne said that monks should keep the Dharrna in mind. What should I think of? Ishould contemplate the body as i t is. Having contemplatcd the body as i t is, i t is

306 ON Vrnrun aNo DrscrpuNr

qurte possible that a wise person can achieve the t irst dhyana i f he is singlc-minded.

Those rvho acquire thc joy of dhyana can live on dhyina and bccome cheerful in

mind ior one day, two days, or cvcn seven days [without food]. '

"Ka5yapa, i f a food-bcgging monk does not achieve dhyana whcn hc prac-

t iccs in this way, hc should practice more di l igcntly and abidc securely in whole-

some dharmas. As many people know, gods, dragons, and spir i ts wi l l offer food

to such a person as a result of his frecdom from the yoke [of attachment to food].

"Ka6yapa, when a food-begging monk cannot go out to beg for food bccause

of heavy rains or strong wind and dust, he should l ive on kindncss and adorn

himself with i t ; he should abide securely in and ponder upon the Dharma hc

practiccs. If he has nothing to eat for two or three nights, he should think, 'There

arc many sentierlt beirrgs who tlll to the plane of hungry ghosts because they have

performed evil karmas. They are miserable; for a hundred years they do not even

have sal iva to wet their throats. Now, I abide sccurely in Dharma-doors. Although

physically and rncntally I am weak, still I can bear hunger and thirst. I should

cult ivate the noble path industr iously and not regress from it . '

"Ktiyapa, a food-begging monk should not associatc closcly with laypcople,

whether they are men, women, boys, or gir ls."Ka(yapa, if a foocl-begging r-r-ronk asks a lay dcvotec to rcmovc dirt from

his food, the nrorrk should teach the l)harma to him while sitting there, until the

food is clean and givcn back to him. Thcn hc should rise from his seat and go

away."KiSyapa, a food-beggirrg monk should not be preter.rt ious. How may he be

pretentious? He is pretentious i fhe says to others, 'Today the food I have begged is

coarse and inadequate, arrd yct I am sharing it with many people. Therefore, I have

eaten little, and bcing hungry and thirsty, I will become emaciated and weak.'

Kadyapa, a food-begging monk should avoid such pretension."Kaiyapa, a food-begging mor.rk should be detached fiom all things. He

should, without feeling unhappy or glad, accept arly food put in his bowl, whethcr

coarse or of high quality, little or much, pure or impure. He should always purify

his mind and contemplate the forms of dharmas. He accepts food in order to

survivc and practice the noble path.

"Ki5yapa, if a food-beggir.rg monk is not given any food and leaves with his

empty bowl in hand after he begs food from door to door in a city or villagc, he

should think, 'Even thc Tath-gata, who has grcat, awcsomc virtuc, who re-

nounced the throne of a universal monarch and left the household life, and who

has eradicated all evils and fulfilled all wholesome dharmas, left a village with his

empty bowl in hand after he had begged for food. How can I, who have few

virtues and do not plant good roots, not come back with my bowl empty? There-

fbre, I should not be grieved. Why? tsecause it is absolutely impossiblc that thc

monks who do not plant good roots can obtain food, coarse or of high quality.

Norv, I am not given any food, probably because demons or their messengers have

prevented brahmins and laymen from giving me food. Thercfore, I should be

AnrorNc rN ( looo aNo NogLr l)sponruEur 307

diligcnt in cultivation so as to stay away front the four dcmons and eradicate alldefi lements. I f I cult ivate the path assiduously, neither Pipiyan, thc king of de-mons, nor demons' messengers can gct in my way. '

"Ki5yapa, a food-begging monk should uphold the noblc practices in thisway. "

UI

The tsuddha told K56yapa, "A monk who wcars a garmcnt of cast-off rags should

think whcn he picks up rags, ' l pick up cast-off rags lrorn garbage bccausc I am

sensit ive to the shanlc [of nakedncss], not because I want to adorn nrvself r .vi th a

garmcnt; bccause I have to protect mysclf l rom thc wind, thc sun, mosqurtos,

gnats, and harmtul objects; and because I abide securely in the teachings oi the

tsuddha, not bccausc I scck anything purc and f inc. '" l : le should engcndcr two kinds of thoughts when he is picking up rags.

What are the two? One is the thought of contentment and the other is the thought

of convenient support."Furthermore, he should engendcr two [othcr] kinds of thoughts: onc is thc

thought ofgiving up arrogancc and thc other is the thought ofupholding the noble

practlces.

"Moreovcr, hc should engender two [other] kinds of thoughts: one is the

thought of not adorning thc body and thc othcr is thc thought of puri fying thc

rnind."Furthcrmorc, rf a monk who wcars a garmcnt of cast-offrags stops picking

up rags from a rubbish heap when he sees his relativcs or frierrds arrd thir-rks,'Perhaps thcy wil l scold mc, saying, "You are a dirty person," 'Ki6yapa, I say that

this rnonk is not pure in conclrtct, Why? l3ecausc the rnincl of a monk who wears a

garmcnt of cast-off rags should be as firm as a rock, so that nothing cxtcrnal car-r

penetratc or movc i t ."Ki6yapa, a monk who wears a garment of cast-off rags should wash the

cast-off rags unti l thcy arc clean, dye them after they are washed, and thcn makc a

patched robe with them. He should patch them up well and wear the patched robe

careful ly so that i t wi l l not burst at thc scams."Ki5yapa, to f iee himself tronr desire, a monk who wears a garnrcnt of

cast-off rags should wear i t with constant contcmplation upon thc inrpuritv Iot ' thcbodyl. To free himself from hatred, hc should wear i t with kindness. To lrec

himself f iom ignorancc, hc should wear i t with contemplation upon the trvelve

l inks of dependent origination. To eradicate al l aff l ict ions, he should rvear i t with

right thought. To kr.row the [nature of the] six scnscs, he should vr 'ear i t whi le

protcct ing his sensc-organs from bcing attractcd. f 'o rnakc gods, dragons, and

spir i ts happy, hc should wear i t with no f lattery or deccit .

3()u ON Vrnru: aNo l)rscrpuNr

"Kl6yapa, why is such a garment cal led a garment of cast-off rags? Kadyapa,

lust as a repugnant corpse that no one wants to own is usually abandoned, so is aqermL-n t o f cas t -o f f rags . I t has no th ing to do rv i th I thc no t ions o f ] ' I ' and 'mi r re . ' I t

is casv to obtain. l t was acquircd in a proper way, not by bcgging or curryingtavor n' i th othcrs. I t was discardcd as rubbish and docs r lot belong to anyone.Thcrcibrc, i t is cal led a garment of cast-off rags.

"Ki6yapa, a garment of cast-off rags symbolizes the Dharma-banncr, be-causc i t is the sigrr of thc Grcat Rsi; i t symbolizes onc's caste, because i t is thc signoithe castc of saints; i t symbolizcs onc's nraintenancc of a noblc nature, bccause i t isthe sign of the noblc practices; i t symbolizcs one's conccntrated [r ight] thought,because i t is the sign of wholcsome dharnras; i t syn-rbol izes onc's ski l l ful protccrionof precepts, because i t is thc sign of discipl inc; i t symbolizcs that one r-novestoward the doors Iof l ibcrat ion], bccause i t is thc sign of dhytna; i t symbolizes thatone's mind abides securcl,v, bccar.rse i t is thc sign of wisdom; i t symbolizes thatonc's body bclongs to nothing, because i t is thc sign of l ibcrat ion; i t symbolizcsone's compliance with the Dharnra, because i t is thc sign of the knowledge andawareness d r ived l iom l iberation.

"Ka5yapa, thus, monks who wear laarmetlts of cast-off rags achicve greatblcssings.

' lhcy do not lon!! for anything. They are not grccdy:rnd arc attachcd to

nothirlg. 'I'hey

can free thcir minds from pride ar-rd abandon the heavy burdens [ofaf{ l ict ions].

"K-6yapa, becausc of his contcntment, gods, dragor-rs, ghosts, and spir i ts al ll ike to see a monk who wcars a garment of cast-off rags.

"Ka5yapa, i f a rnonk who wcars a garment of cast-of l f rags enters dhyana,then Sakra, Brahrna, and thc lbur deva kings wil l kneel upright before him, join

thcir palrns, arrd bow with thcir heads at his feet, let alonc other, minor gods."Kaf yapa, i f an evi l monk str ives to procurc a garnent to bcdcck himseli

outwardly nranifest ing pure conduct but inwardly bcing ful l of desire, hatred, andiguorancc, thcn thc gods, dragons, and spir i ts wi l l not go to his placc to payhomage and make offerings to him. Why? Because they know that this monkstr ives to acquirc a garment to bedcck himself instead of Istr iving to] cl iminate thefi l th of his mind and mental facult ies; knowing this, they avoid hirn.

"Ka5yapa, you saw that Srimancra Qdnda picked up impure, st inking, anddirty cast-offrags [for his garmentl and, after having begged for food, wcnr ro thcLakc of No l}urning Aff l ict ions in order to wash the rags thcrc. At that t ime, godsri.ho livcd by the lake canlc to greet hirrr and bowed with thcir l.reads at his fcet.Thosc gods al l l ike to be clean and pure, but they took fronr Srarnancra Cunda thcinrpure cast-offrags hc had picked up and washed out thc dirt for hinr, thcn batheds' i th thc same water. Those gods krrew that Cunda kept thc pure precepts, couldL-nr.r various dhySnas, and had great, awesontc virtue; thcrcforc, they came to\ \ L l , u n l c a n d s a l u t c h i m .

"Ki6_vapa, you saw that when Brahmacir in Virtue desircd to go ro thc Lakeoi No Burning Aff l ict ions after having begged for food in a purc, clean garment,

AnrorNc rN Gooo a,No Noslr I)eponrusnr 309

the gods who lived there stood five miles2s from the four sides of thc lake and

prevented him from coming near it, for fear that he might defile the lake with his

impurc leftover food."K-5yapa, now you have seen these things. Because of his saint ly r ight

action and awesome virtue. Sramanera Cunda received this rcward: the gods took

his unclean cast-off rags and washed them, then bathed with the samc watcr.

However, those same gods stood f ive miles from the lake to prevent Brahmacarin

Virtue from coming close to i t . K5(yapa,'wholwil l not cult ivate and study the

noble Dharma aftcr hcaring of thcsc cvcnts? Both gods and humans bow with their

heads at the feet of the saints and pay homage and make offerings to them.

K-Syapa, i t is in order to seek such saint ly virtue that monks wear garmcnts of

cast-off rags."Kaiyapa, a monk who wears a garment of cast-off rags should sccurely

abidc in the noble practices and should not be worried. [Seeing] his garmcnt of

cast-off rags, he should gcncratc thc thought of a stupa, the thought of the World-

Honorcd One, the thought of the renunciat ion of the world, and the thought of

the nonexistcncc of ' I 'and'mine. 'Only after such contemplation should he wear a ,garnrcnt of cast-off rags and subduc his rnind accordingly. Bccausc he is pure in l

rnind, hc is purc in body; i t is not truc that bccausc hc is purc in body, he is pure in

nunc1. KaSyapa, a monk should thcrcforc purify his mind and not decorate his

body. Why? In l ight of thc Bucldha-Dharma, i t is due to mental puri ty that a monk

is said to have cult ivated pure conduct."Ka6yapa, if a rnonk who wcars a garmcnt of cast-off rags can lcarn in this

way, he is fol lowing in my footsteps and yours also."Ki6yapa, as you can wear such a coarse garment, you are content with the

culr ivat ion of the noblc practices."Ki5yapa, when you take walking cxcrcisc in your uppcr garment, leaving

vour patched robe on a couch or a seat, hundreds of thousands of gods pay

homage to your patched robe, which, though used to cover the body, is oierrtedby [the fragrance ofl discipline, dhyina, and wisdom. Ka5yapa, you should know

that even your robe is so highly esteemed and honored, let alone yourself.

"Ka5yapa, I renounced the throne ofa universal monarch and left the house-

hold life to fcllow the path. Before, I wore garments made of the most wonderful

si lk and cotton, but now I am content with fol lowing the noble practices. For the

sake of others, I gave up my f ine clothes to wear a garment made of rags picked up

in graveyards. Future monks should fol low my example, when they hear of this

deed of mine."K-Syapa, you formcrly had a f inc, golden, si lk garmcnt, and u'hen I asked

vou for it, you gave it to me. Ke5yapa, it was out of compassion for -vou that I

. lccepted your garment, not because I coveted your garment or because I wanted to

hedeck my body w i th i t ."Ka(yapa, thcrc arc evil monks who follow neithcr my way nor yours.

Engulfed in dcsirc, thcy collcct many monastic robcs and bowls, hoard food and

D

l :

q

{I

1

-11 | ON Vrrrur AND DrscrplrNE

drink s' i thout giving anything away, and accumulate gold, si lver, lapis lazul i , r icc,co\\ 's. goats, chickens, pigs, donkeys, carr iagcs, and farm tools. They seek andhoard art icles which a lay family nceds.

"The wise can increase their wholcsome dharmas, cvcn i f they lcad a lay l i fe,but the ignorant can never achieve any wholesome dharmas, even i f thcy lcave thehousehold l i fe. How can wise laymcn increase thcir wholesome dharmas? Ka6yapa,some monks put their monastic robes around their necks, do not perform thcdeeds befi t t ing a Sramana, are occupicd with many secular things and bound invarious ways, and seek fine food and clothing. After they don their monrsticrobes, lay devotees salute and respect thcm on sight; givc thcm clothing, food anddrink, bedding, and mcdicinc; wclcome them whcn they arr ive; and see them offwhen they leave. Kadyapa, lay dcvotees can do such wholesome things, whilethose monks cannot. Why? Because those monks scck many things thcy do notneed and give nothing to others.

"[However, l Ka6yapa, in rhe futurc thcre wil l be mor-rks, who own man.,robcs, bowls, and other things and are saluted, estccmcd, and praiscd on sight bylay devotees. Why? Bccausc [ in that agel thc lay devotees wil l think, 'The monkshavc bccn given many things by others, and they n-ray givc- nre sonrc of thcm fror.rt i rnc to t imc. '

"K-5yqpa, [ in the futurc] there.wil l [also] be monks who keep thc preceprs.Seeing the faults and evi ls of thc world, they wil l cult ivate wholesome dharmasassiduously and rid themselves of all defilcrrlcnts as urgently as if to savr- theirheads from being burr-red; they will bc contcnt and seldom engage in r,,orldlyactivities; thcy will practicc the Dharma diligently for their own benefit ar.d breakwith al l peoplc who arc attached to thc sources of evi l . Nevertheless, not a singlclay devotee wil l go to scc those virtuous monks, associate closely with them,salutc, cstccm, or praise them. Why? Because the lay dcvorees [thcn] wi l l bcflippant and shallow. They will see only the benefit of this life, not that of futurelives. They will think: 'I can gct no profit from these virtuous monks. Why shouldI associate closely with them, or salute, revere, and extol them?' Only poor pcoplc,those who have some good roots, and those who arc bound to rcvcrc thembecausc of a connection in their past l ives wil l associate closely with thcsc monks,salutc, revcrc, and extol them, and consider them as good fr icnds.

"K-Syapa, two kinds of pcrsons wil l be pleased with what I havc said I in thissutral. What are the two? Those who perceive the four noblc truths and those whopcrccivc thc faults and evi ls of sarirsara. Furthermore, there are two [other] kinds:those who strive to free themselves from the four yokes and thosc who wish toachicve the fruits of a Sramana. Moreover, there are two Iother] kinds: thosc whocontemplate karmic results wholeheartedly and those who wish to understand themr'anir-rg of the forms of dharmas.

"Ki5yapa, now I closc thc door on al l lazy pcrsons; namely, those who arearvarc ncither of karma nor of karmic results; those who have no good dcport-ment, those u'hose bl indness to [consequent] faults and cvi ls in future l ives is as

AsrorNc; rN Gooo aNo Noslr l ) lponr l . tNr 3 1 1

immutable as adamant; thosc who perceivc onlv bencfi ts for this l i fc, not for futurcl ives; and thosc who have not a single thought to lnovc tou'ard thc doors tol iberation.

"Ki6yapa, nou, ' I say that cvi l monks should rrot rvish to hear this doctr incexplained or to comc across i t , Ibccausel '"vhcn thcy hear i t cxplair-rcd, thcy, know-ing their orvn [cvi l ] deeds, wi l l not understand the profor-rnd nreaninq of i t butinstcad wil l slander i t , saying, ' l t is not what the Buddha tcachcs. I t is concoctedby a commentator or spokcn by demons'; and they vu' i l l also trv to convincc othersof this. In this way, thosc cvi l monks wil l hurt and dctl le both thcnrselr.cs andothers, and they cannot benefi t anyonc."

Then Mahiki iyapa said to the Buddha, "World-Honorcd Onc. our ot 'conr-passion as grcat as that of al l tsuddhas Icombined], the Tath-gata has in this sutradcscribcd how the motrks who have devotcd thcmselvcs to culr ivl tror.r loi thcI)harrrra] achievc cornnrancl of al l dharnras. World-Hor-rored C)ne, i f sentrcnt bcings,aftcr hcaring t ir is sutra explaincd, bel ieve, comprchcnd, read, and rccite i t , and arcincl incd to fbl low the real l)harnra, i t should bc knolr,n that the FJuddhas havcalready acccptcd thern into thcir fol lowing."

' I 'hcn thc -tsuddha told Ananda, " l i scntir-nt beings can accept ancl uphold

this strtra, i t is bccause thev havc alrcady planted good roots i ' thc prescncc ofpastl luddhas. Now, rf such goocl nren and good women wish to rcad anc' l rccite thissutra with thorough comprchetrsiotr in ordcr to achicvc l iberatior-r, thcy rvi l l surcl l 'bc ablc to eradicatc al l thcir dcl l lemcr-rts and attain nirvlna by this doctr inc, rvhctherr l rcy s r r rdy i r as r l rc r r rb t . rs u [ t l r c o rc lc r o r : i s laypcop lc . "

Ananda said to t l .rc l luddha, "World-Hor.rored Onc, I wish to uphold thissr.rtra. What should i t bc- nanrccl, and how should i t be upheld?"

Thc Buddha to ld Ar rer rd . r , "Th is s i r r re i s n rmcd ' l hc Cho icc o f A l l l )h . r r -rna-Jcr,vels, ' or 'Abidirrg ir-r Good and Noble Dcportnrcnt, ' or 'Acccptinu Preccpt-Kccpers into the Order, ' or 'An Analysis of Precept-Brcakers, ' or 'Thc l)rcciousBr idgcs , '26 or 'A Co l lec t io r r o fTrc 'asurcs , 'o r 'The Trcasurc -Store , ' . r 'Thc Pr tc io rsl)harn-ra ])oors. " '

After MahlkaSl 'apa f inished aski lg I thc tsuddha abogt] "1'hc Strtra of thr.Prccious Bridgcs of thc Mahayina," the monks u'ere ovcrjoyccl to hcar u'hat thcBudclha had trught and bcgan to practice i t with veuerarion.

NOTES

1. This group ant l thosc- rn thc lo l lowing l is t (up to and inclur l ine thc creht to ld noblepath) makc up the th i r ty-seven ways to enl ightcnment.

2- The phrase "cul t ivatc wel l the scvcn factors ofenl ightenrner l t " occurs here, but i t isiv ident ly misplaced in th is grouping and is repeated latcr . We have omit ted i t .

312 ON Vtnrur aNo I ) tsc lpr tNr

3. Thesc are the four re l iances which guide a Buddhist . Scc Numerical Glossary.

4. Also cal led the c ight wor ld ly winds.

5. As cxpla ined ar lcngth below, i f a re l ig ious pcrson acccpts o l lcr ings l rom donors

but docs not obscrve the preccpts, the karmic b lcssings that would havc accrued to thc donor

(had the recip ient kept thc precepts) arc lost .

6. Probably, thc n i rvana of the tu 'o vchic les.

7. Probably, the teachings of the two vchic les.

8. This is probably a hyperbole.

9. I )hy5na in thc statc of inf in i te spacc, in the statc of l imi t less consciousness, in thc

statc of nothingncss, and in the state of nci ther th inking nor nonthinking

10. Thcy are: Strcanr-enterer ( i rot ipannn), ( )nce-rcturncr ( :akrdn.gin i t t ) . Nonrcturner

(anagdniu) , and Arhat . Sce Glossary.

11. This probably means dwel l ing in thc four immcastt rablc c i l iyanes.

12. Thc s ix thoughts to dwel l upon: the tsuddha, the l )harma, thc 'Sarhgha, the

prccepts, g iv ing, and the. joys of 'heavcn.

13. The s ix k incls of revcrcnt r rn i t ; in r nronJstery: bodi l -v uni ty in worship, oral ur i ty

in chant ing, nrental uni ty in {a i th, moral uni ty in obscrv ing thc prccepts, doctr inal uni ty in

v iew and explanat ion, and ccot tornic uni ty in thc contnlut ta l goods.

1 -1 . l ' r o l r ab l y t l r e s i x pa ram i tas .

15. Also cal led the four yokes. Scc Numerical Glossary.

16. Sorrre say ninety-s ix: a l lcgcdly thc s ix founders of hctcrodox schools, each wi th

fiftccn strb-schools, Thc cclitor confesses his ignorance of the trames and doctrincs of the

nincty-s ix schools, as hc has never e l lcountered any sourcc provid ing th is informatron.

17. In th is and the fo l lou ' ' ing 15 paragraphs, thc opening sentcncc is rcpcatccl at the end

of thc paragraph. In thc interest of conciseness, wc havc el inr inr ted the rcpct i t rorr .

18. This refcrs to lcarning which does not fur ther onc's wisdonr or comp.rssior t , or

which is not conclucive to devot lon or cnl ightennrent .

19. This probably refers to thc scquent ia l and rcverse orders of thc twelve l inks of '

deper.rdent origination.

20. In th is sect ion, rhe tsuddha, whosc teachings of cqualr ty st r idcnt ly contradict the

prcvalcnt caste syster l r of India, expedicnt ly ut i l izes that vcry systenl to nrakc a point about

evi l Srar .nanas. The Buddha welcomcd mcrnbcrs of a l l four castes and outcastes into h is

l o l l ow ing . w i r l r ou t d i : c r i n r i na t i on .

21. L i teral ly , "ncw-borIr . "

22. A kni le is obviously an instrunlcnt which could bc uscd for surgical purposcs. The

appl icat ion of a cudgel for lncdical t reatment, thouqh cxtrcnrc ly rarc, secnts a lso to exist in

lblk mcclicinc.

23. The night is d iv ided into thrcc pcr iods of three hours cach. A forest-dwel ler , in

l ine wi th th is passage, should s le 'cp only dur i l rg the nr iddlc per iod.

24. This probably denotcs the adamant inc I )harrra-body.

25. L i tcra l ly l i ,9. The Clhinese 1l is rnuch shorter than a rn i lc , but lacking an exact

equivalcnt , we have uscd thc rvord 'nr i le 'herc.

26. "Br idgcs" lcacl ing to the other shorc, I r i rv ina.

VI

On Pure Land

L7 r"ffirux€The Dharma-Door of Praising Tathagata

Akgobhya's Merits

I

Thus have I heard. Once the tsuddha was dwell ing on Mount Grdhrakuta near

R-lagrha, together with an assen.rbly of twelvc hundrcd f i f ty great monks. Al l

these monks wcrc wcll-known Arhats who had cxtinguishcd all dcfilemcnts and

suffcrcd aff l ict ions r1o nlore. They were l iberated in mind and in wisdom,l and

were as frcc and unhindercd as grert dragons. They had donc what should be done

and abandoncd thc hcavy burdcns. They had bencfi ted themselves and severed al l

bonds of existence. Thcy were convcrsant with thc truc teaching and had rcachcd

t l rc o t l rc r shore . lAr r ro r rg ther r t . lo r r l y Ananda re r t ra ined i r r rhe s ragc o f l carn ing .

At that t ime, the Venerable Sariputra rose from his seat, uncovcred his r ight

shoulder, knclt on his r ight knee, joined his palms toward the Buddha, and said,"World-Honored One, how did Bodhisattva-Mahisattvas of the past resolvc to

pursue suprenrc cnl ightcnncnt, cult ivatc al l purc dccds, and wcar thc arnror of

vrgor, aclornirrg thcrnsclvcs with rncri ts? How did thosc Bodhisattva-Mahisattvas

u'ear thc armor of vigor, which cnablcd thcrn to attain nonrr 'gression t iorn the

pursuit of suprcrnc cnl ightcnnrcnt? May thc utterly kind World-Honorcd One

reveal and expound their dccds, thcir vows, and thcir cngcndcring of bodhicit ta.

World-Honored One, those tsodhisattva-Mahlsattvas, for the benetl t , peace, and

happincss of gods and humans, exerted themselves to cult ivatc al l purc- deeds and

s'ore the armor of vigor; thereby they rer-rdered bcncfi t , pcacc, and happir-rcss to al l

sentient beings, and i l lumir-rated the Buddha-Dharma for Bodhisattvas of ' the pre-

SItra (r, Taisho 310, pp. 101-1 12; translated into Chrnese by tsodhiruci.

3 1 6 ON Punr LaNo

sent and future. By praising merits and obtaining good roots, thcy caused thcBodhisattvas Iof the present and future] to lcarn ar.rd cult ivatc di l igcntly I the insightintol suchncss, the Dharma-nature, and to attain supremc cnl ightenment withoutfai l after hearing the Buddha-Dharma cxplained."

The Buddha said, "Excel lent! k is excel lent, S"r iputra, that you can ask meabout past2 Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas' purc dccds, their i l lumination, thcrr greatarnlor, and their praising of merits for the sake of cmbracing Bodhisattva-Mahisattvas of the futurc. Now, l isten attentively and think in accordance with thetruth. I wi l l cxplain this to you."

S.. iput.. said, "Ycs, World-Honorcd One, I am wil l ing and glad to l istcn."Thc Buddha told Sariputra. "A thotrsand worlds from here to thc cast, there

is a Buddha-land named Wondcrful Joy, where ' I 'athtgata

Great Eyes, thc WorthyOnc, the Perfectly Enl ightencd One, oncc appcared to expound the subtle, won-derful Dharma to Bodhisattva-Mahisattvas, beginning with thc six piramitas.

" S ; - ; * , , r - , - r + L -Jdrrpurrd, ar rrrat t ime, a monk rosc from his scat, uncovercd his r ightshoulder, kr.rcl t on his r ight kncc, joined his palms toward thc tsuddha, and said,'World-Honored ()ne, I am determincd to fol low thc wav of thc tsodhrsattva ast a u g h t b y t h c B u d d h a . '

" l 'hat l luddha said, 'Now, good rnan, you should know that the way of theIJodhisattva is vcry dif f icult to fol low. Why? Rt-cause a Bodhisattva bears nonral icc against scntient bcings. '

"Thereupon, thc rnonk saici to thc Buddha, 'World-Honored Onc, I nowengender suprenle bodhicit ta. I wi l l scck al l-knowing wisdom by doirrg away withcrookedness and dcccit , and by invariably speaking the truth. I f I bear maliccegainst sentierl t bcings from now unti l my attainment of supremc cni ightenmcnt, Iwi l l be disobcying al l the Buddhas, Tathagatas, who are now expounding thcl) l-rarma in numbcrless, countlcss, boundless worlds.

" 'Worlcl-Honorcd One, now I have resolved to pursue al l-knowing wisdomand dcdicate myself to this. l f , during this pursuit , I fecl any incl ination to be aSravaka or Pratyckabuddha, I wi l l be deceiving al l Buddhas.

" 'World-Honorcd One, now I have rcsolved to pursuc al l-knowing wisdomand am dedicatcd to this. I f I gcnerate any desire, hatrcd, or ignorance towardscnticr l t beings, or arn pronc to stupor, arrogance, or misdccds from now unti l myattainmcnt of supreme enl ightenment, I wi l l bc dcceiving al l Buddhas.l

" 'World-Horrored One, now I havc resolved to pursuc al l-knowing wisdomand am firr-nly dedicated to this goal. If I generate any doubt, any intention to killor stcal, any wrong view or impure dccd; or i f I am pronc to lying, dupl ici ty, orhersh languagc; or i f I hurt others in othcr ways fronr now unti l my attainment ofsr. i frrcnle cnl ightcnrncnt, I wi l l bc dcceiving al l tsuddhas. '

"Sr. iput.r, at that t inre, certain othcr monks thought, 'After hc has f irstL.rolrsht lbrth bodhicit ta, this Bodhisattva-Mahdsattva wil l wear thc armor ofvrqor. and wil l never be moved by hatrcd or thc l ike toward any sentient being. 'Sir iputra, then, becausc of their thought, the Bodhisattva was cal led Aksobhyaa of

PnarsrNc TarnAcara ArsocHya's Mnnrrs 317

the Land of Wonderful Joy. V/hen Tath-gata Great Eyes, the Worthy One, thePerfectly Enlightened One, saw that this Bodhisattva had obtained rhe name 'Akso-

bhya, 'he rejoiced over the name and acclaimcd i t as exccl lent. Thc four devakings, Sakra, and Brahml, upon hearing his name, also rejoiccd over i t .

"Se.ip.rt .r , in that Buddha's prescnce, Bodhisartva-Mahisartva Aksobhyacontinucd, 'World-Honored One, now I havc resolved to pursue al l-knowingwisdom and am dedicated to the attainment of suprcme enlighter-rment. If mypractice, from now unti l my attainment of supreme enl ightennrcnt, is evcr con-trary to these words, then I wi l l be deceiving al l the Buddhas, the Tathagaras, whoexpound the Dharma in numberless, countless worlds.

" 'World-Honored C)ne, now I have made this great decision arrd have dedi-cated myself to it. If I say anything that is not in harmony with the recollcction ofthc Buddha or with al l-knowing wisdom from now unri l my attainment of en-lightenment, therr I will bc dcceiving all Buddhas.

" 'World-Honored One, now I have brought forth this aspirat ion and amdcdicatcd to i t . I f I remain in the household l i fc instead of renounci 'g ir in anylifetin-re from now until nry artainmcnr of supreme enlightenment, then I will bedisobeyirrg al l Buddhas.

" 'World-Honored One, now I have rcsolved to pursue al l-knowing wis-dom. If I leave the houschold life in cvcry lifetime, but do not beg for food, takeonly onc mcal a day, practicc temperance in eating, . . . l imit my clothing to thethrcc garrrrents,5 wear garments of cast-off rags, sit anywherc, practice never lyingdown, live in a secluded forest, rcst under a trcc, sit in the open air, or live amonggravcs from now until my attainn-rerrt of suprcme enlightenment, then I will bedeceiving al l Buddhas.

"'World-Honored One, now I have resolved to pu.rsuc great enlightenmentand am so dedicatcd. I f I cannot attain unin-rpeded'eloquencc to expound thewonderful Dharma from now until my attainment of all-knowing wisdom, then Iwi l l be deceiving al l Buddhas.

" 'World-Honored One, now I have thus resolved. I f I do not remain digni-fied in standing, sitting, and walking from now up to my atrainment of supremeenlightenment, then I will be deceiving all the innumerable Buddhas.

" 'World-Honored One, now I have thus resolved. I f I commit anv maJoroffense against sentient beings, or l ie, or speak iq_a worldly or boisterous manner,or have any inclination td defeat others in argument from now until m-v attainmentof al l-knowing wisdom, then I wi l l be deceiving al l the countless Buddhas.

" 'World-Honored One, now I have resolved to pursuc al l-knou' ing u. isdomand am firmly dedicated to the attainment of supreme enlightenment. If, whencxpounding the Dharma to women, I do not keep in mind inrpermanence, suffer-ing, cmptiness, or thc absence of self , but am attracred by the womcn's appearanceand smile broadly, then I will be deceiving all Buddhas.

" 'V/orld-Honored One, I have now resolved to pursue al l-knowing wisdomand am firmly dedicated to the attainmenr of supremc enlightenmcnt. If I look

3 1 8 ON Punr LaNp

around and gesture fr ivolously when expounding the Dharma, or do not regard

other Bodhisattvas as grcat mastcrs whcn I scc thcm, thcn I wi l l be dcceiving

numberless Buddhas." 'World-Honored One, now I have resolved to pursuc al l-knowing wis-

dom. From now unti l my attainment of supreme enl ightenment, i f I si t down to

l isten to [heterodox] doctr incs or pay homagc to hctcrodox 6ramanas and brah-

mins, instead of f l istening to the Dharma and paying homage to] Buddhist Sra-

manas and dcvotees, then I wi l l be deceiving al l Buddhas." 'World-Honored One, now I have brought forth this great aspirat ion.

From now until I attain supreme enlightenment, if, when practicing the giving of

matcrial things or the giving of the Dharma, I am part ial or discriminate anlong

the recipients of my offerings, then I will be deceiving all Buddhas.

" 'World-Honored One, now I have resolved to pursue al l-knowing wis-

dom. From now unti l I attain suprene enl ightenment, i f , wherr seeing criminals

about to bc punishcd, I do not savc thcm cvcn at thc risk of my own lifc, thcn I

wi l l be deceiving al l Buddhas. '6"Sr. iput.r, from the t ime when this Bodhisattva began to cult ivate such a

great practice up to his attainmcnt of suprcmc enlightenment, not a single sentient

being about to be punished for some crime was not rescued by him."Sa.iput.a, at that t ime, a monk thought, 'The Tathagata wil l be the witness

for this Dharma-practict ioner, as wil l these gods, humans, asuras, and so forth. '"Sirip,rt.a, thereupon, perceiving what the monk thought, Tathigata Great

Eyes, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Er-r l ightened One, told him, 'So i t is, so i t is;

the Tathigata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened Onc, will be his wit-

ncss, as wil l these gods, humans, asuras, and so forth. Monk, any Bodhisattva-

Mahasattva who thus wcars the armor of grcat vigor to pursuc supremc cnl ight-

enment wil l surely attain i t . '"Sa.iprt.r, after that, the Bodhisattva-Mahasattva Aksobhya further said to

thc Buddha, 'World-Honored One, now I have resolved to pursue al l-knowing

wisdom. If I mention any offense committed by, or any dissension among, monks,

nuns, laymen, or laywomen from now until my attainmcnt of suprcmc cnlight-

enment, then I will be disobeying all Buddhas, the Tathigatas. World-Honored

Or-re, I will devote myself to the practice of this vow until I attain supreme

cnlightenment, so as to make my [tsuddha-] land vast and pure and the Srivakas

there all faultlcss." 'World-Honored One, from now unti l my attainment of supreme enl ight-

enment, i f I , who have resolved to pursue al l-knowing wisdom, have any sensual

desire result ing in an ejaculat ion, even in a dream, then I wi l l be disobeying al l

Buddhas, the Tathagatas. World-Honored One, I wi l l fol low this practice unti l I

realize supreme enlightenment, so as to makc the monastic Bodhisattvas rn my

larrd free fronr ejaculat ions. even in drcams.T"'World-Honored One, I have resolved to pursue al l-knowing wisdom. If ,

however, lvhen I have attained supreme enlightenment, the women in my Bud-

PnarsrNt; TaltrA<;lra Axsr)sHyA's Mrnrrs 319

dha-land have the same femalc faults as those of womcn in other lands, then I wi l lrel inquish suprcme enl ightcnment. I f I do not rel inquish i t , then I shal l bc cheatingal l tsuddhas. ' . . .

"Sa.iput.a, at that t imc, Tath-gata Great Eycs prophesied Bodhisattva Akso-bhya's attainment of supreme cnl ightenment, saying, 'Good man, in a future l i feyou wil l become a tsuddha named Tathagata Aksobhya; the Worthy O'e, thc per-

fcct ly Enl ightened one, thc one Pcrfect i ' Learning and co'ducr, thc well-GoneOne, the World-Knowcr, the Unexcellcd One, thc Great Tanrer, the Tcacherof Gods and Humans, thc Buddha, the World-Honored Onc. ' Thc prophecywas similar to l) iparhkara Buddha's prophccy of my attainment of suprenrc cn-l ightcnrncnt.

"Sir iput.", when lJodhisattva Aksobhya reccive-d the prophco,, rhcre was agrcat l ight that i l luminatcd the whole world, and the carth quaked rn the six u-avs,as did thc bi l l ion-world univcrse u, 'herr I real ized al l-knowing wisdom.

"Furthermore, Sariput.", at thar t inrc al l thc t lowers, trees, a'd. junglcs ofthe bi l l ion-world univcrsc leancd toir" 'ard that Bodhisattva, just as al l the srasscsand trees lcancd toward mc rvhen I real ized cnl ightenmcnt.

"Furthermorc, Srr ip,rtr . , when Bodhisattva Aksobhya received thc prophccylrorn thc -tsuddha, al l the gods, r lrasons, yaksas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, andmahoragas of that bi l l iorr-world univcrsc joincd their palnrs ani l prostrated thcm-selves with their heads at thc Bodhisattva's feet to pay honragc to him, just as al lthe gods, dragons. a'd so forth of thc Saha world did to me whcrr I rcal ized ercatcrr l ightennrent here.

"Furthcrnrorc, S,r iputra, at the momc't when Bodhisattva Aksobrrya re-ceived thc pr 'phccy, al l the pregnanr wonrc. in the world gave birth to rhcirchi ldrcrr safely and pcace{ul ly, u' i thout travai l or dif l lculty; the bl ind rccovercdtheir sight and the deaf restorcd their hcaring, al l just as ir was whcn I attaincdBuddhahood.

"Furthcrmore, Si. i1-tut. . , at the tw() moments-whe' thc I lodhisattva-Mahasattva Aksobhya resolved to pursuc suprcme enl ightenr-nc't , and n,hcn Ta-thagatir Great Eycs, the worthy o'c, rhc Perfcct ly Enl ightencd o'c, prophcsicdhis attainnrent of enl ightenmcnt-no scntient being died an unnatural dcath, jr-rsr.rsi t was when I real izccl al l-knowing wisdom.

"sariputra, when Bodhisattva Aksobhya receivcd thc prophecy, the scrt ientbcirrgs of thc l l .calm of Dcsire brought superb dcl icacies to him and plavccl cclcst ialmusic tbr him, as oflerings.

"Se.ip.rt .", such arc thc mcrits achieved by thc Bodhisattva-MahisattvaAksobhya alter hc received the prophccy."

Therr the Venerable S..tpr,t .a said to the tsuddha, "Worlcl-Honored One,most extraordinary is thc Tathagata, the Wort l-ry or-rc, the Pcrlcct ly Enl ightenedorrc, who is so ski l l ful i ' cxplai. i 'g the inconceivable statcs of tsuddhas, theinconceivablc states ofdhyinas, the i 'conceivablc states ofdragons, and the incon-ccivable karmic rcsults. world-Ho'orcc' l one, whcn the Bodhisattva Aksobhya

32() ON PupE Lauo

abidc-d in the init ial generation of bodhicit ta, he embraced the before-mentioned

mcnts: u'hen hc rcccivcd the Tathagata's prophecy, he perfected those great, in-

conccivable merits. "

The Buddha to ld Sar ipu t ra , "So i t i s . so i t i s , as you say . "

Then thc Venerable Ananda said to Sariputra, "Most virtuous onc, thc World-

Honorcd One has explained only a small port ion of that novice Bodhisattva's

nrcri ts of wearing thc armor of vigor, not al l of them."

Sa.iput., said, "So i t is, so i t is. Thc Tathtgata has only touched upon thenl

brief ly. Why? Becausc when that Bodhisattva f irst brought forth bodhicit ta and

donned thc armor of vigor, he achieved inconccivablc, immeasurable merits."

Sa.ipnt., said furthcr to thc Buddha, "World-Honored Onc, now you have

praised brief ly tsodhisattva Aksobhya's superb merits of wearing the armor of

vigor. May the World-Honoreci ()ne elaborate upon thcm for thc sake of gathcr-

ing in Bodhisattvas of thc prcscnt and futurc."

The I luddha told SJriputra. " lnconcervable are thc merits of I lodhisattva

Aksobhya whcn hc f irst brought forth bodhicit ta and donncd the armor of vigor.

Now I wi l l further relate to yorr a small port ion of them. Listen attcl l t ively and

thirrk wcl l about thcrn."

Sa.ipr.t t . , said, "Yes, World-Honored One. I am wil l i rrg and glad to l isten."

Thc Buddha said, "Thc tsodhisattva Aksobhya oncc madc this vow: 'Evcn i f

cmpty space changcs, I shal1 not withdraw from my grcat,vows.'Bccausc of this

vow, IJodhisattva Aksobhya acl-rieved all merits quickly. S-ripr.rtra, I cannot find

any Bodhisattva in thc Worthy Kalpa who wcars thc arrnor of vigor as Bodhi-

sattva Aksobhya did. S5.ip.rt .r , thc practiccs cult ivatcd by Bodhisattva Precious

Banrrer were less than a small part. or everl an inf ini tesimal part, of those cult i-

vated by Bodhisattva Aksobhya."Si. iput.r, in wcaring the armor of vigor, Bodhisattva Aksobhya had no

peer among countlcss thousands of other -Bodhisattvrs. Sir iputra, with his f irm

vows, Bodhisattva Aksobhya has real ized supremc cnl ightenment. Now he is l iv-

ing in the World of WondcrfulJoy and is named Tathagata Aksobhya, the Worthy

Onc, the Perfectly Enl ightened One. ."

II

At that t ime, Sariputra said to the Buddha, "World-Honorcd Onc, the tsuddha has

cxplained the merits acquircd by Tatl .ragata Aksobhya when he was cult ivat ing the

Bodhisattva practices. I hope that the World-Honored One wil l reveal and elabor-

atr- Lr[]ol1 the merits and magr-rificence of the present land of Tathigata Aksobhya.

\\ 'hr '? So that sentient beings who fol low the Bodhisattva-path may dcl ight in the

rncri ts of that land after hearing them and desire to scc, worship, and make

ot-terings to thc Buddha thcrc; and so that scntient bcings in thc Srlvaka stage who

PnRrsrNc TarnAcara AxsosHya's Mlnrrs 321r

have real ized Arhatship may also wish to worship, makc offcr ings to, and servc

that Tathagata after hearing of the merits and magnif iccncc of his land."

Thc Buddha told Sir iputra, "Well saidl I t is cxcel lent that you can make a

requcst of such significance. Now listen attentively and think well about this; I will

explain i t to you in detai l ."

Setiput." said, "Ycs, 'World-Honored One, I am wil l ing and glad to l isten."

Thc Buddha told Sariputra. "Whcn Tathigata Aksobhya, the Worthy One,

the Perfectly Enl ightcned Onc, real izcd al l-knowing wisdom. he emitted a great

l ight ovcr thc entirc bi l l ion-world univcrsc. At the same t ime, thc earth quaked in

the six ways. Knou' ir .rg that Tathagata Aksobhya had real ized supreme enl ighten-ment, the sentient beings of that world did not think of food, hungcr, thirst,fat igue, a rest ing place, or sleep for seven days and nights; thcy telt only peace.

happiness, joy, love, and kindness. At that t ime, al l sentient beings irr that land,

including the gods in the Realm of l)esire, were r id of sexual desire. Why wcrc

those sentier-rt beings ablc to err joy such blessings in that l i fet ime? It was bccausc of

the powcr of that Tathagata's original vows. Sariputra, when Tathagata Aksobhya,

thc Worthy One, the Perfectiy Enlightcncd Onc, realized all-knowing wisdom, all

the sentient beings in that land joined their palms with utmost sincerity towardhirn. Duc to this carncst aclnrirat ion for the lathagata, they were able to cnjoy

such innumerablc blcssinss in that lifctimc."Furthermore, Sa.i-put.r, that tsuddha-larrd is peerless in merit and magnif i-

cence arnong the innumerable Buddha-lands. Sariputra, that Tathigata has achieveda supcrbly adorncd Buddl-ra-land bccausc hc made those great vows when fol low-

ing the Bodhisattva path, just as I have now achieved what I original ly vowed to

achicvc."Sa.iput.a, when Tathagata Aksobhya, tl.re Worthy One, thc Perfcctly En-

lightcncd Onc, rcalizcd suprcmc enlightenment, at that instant, at that very mo-

ment, all the sentient beings of that billion-world univcrsc, with or without the

dcva-cye, could see Tathtgata Aksobhya. S5riprt.", i t was also the fulf i l lment

of that Tath-gata's original vows that caused the sentient beings to attain this

blessing."Morcover, Sr. ipnt.r, whcn Tathagata Aksobhya rcal izcd supreme enl ight-

enment while sit t ing orr the bodhi-site, Papiyan, the king of demons, did not try

to hinder him. Also, innumerable hundreds of thousands of gods made offerings to

the Tathagata with fragrant flowers and celcstial music; and each one brought firre,

powdered sandalwood to sprinkle over the tsuddha. The powdered incense and

garlands of f lowers formed a canopy in thc air. Seriputrr, al l this was made

possible by the power of Tathagata Aksobhya's original vows."Furthermore, Sariputra, when that Buddha attained enl ightenmenr, a grear

l ight i l luminated the whole bi l l ion-world universe, outshining the l ights of the

sun, moon, and heavens. The appearance of this auspicious sign was also due to

thc fulf i l lment of Tathagata Aksobhya's past vows."At that time, Siriputra said to the Buddha, "World-Honored One, when

!

I

I

-)zz ON Punc LaNo

Bodhisattva Aksobhya was fol lowing the Bodhisattva parh in thc past, hc wore thegreat armor of vigor and was therefore ablc to rnake those grcat vows. Because hehad cult ivated the practices and vows of a Bodhisattva, he could causc innumcrablehundreds of thousands of sentient beings to plant good roots leading to suprcmcenlightenment. He further dcdicated those good roots to thc attainment of su-premc enlightenment and of a pure Buddha-land, which were both fulfilled throushthe power of such a vow of dcdication."s

The tsuddha told Sariputra, "Morcover, in that Buddha-land, thcre is abodhi-tree made ofthe seven treasures, one leaguc in height. The trunk ofthe treeis half a milee in circumferencc; the shade of i ts branches and lcavcs, onc league incircumfercncc. Under thc tree is a platform, four leagucs in circumference, withsteps leading down to thc ground. That tsuddha u'as seated on the platform whenhe realized enlighter-rmer-rt. Around the bodhi-tree are rows of palm trecs andjasmine trees, which, in thc gcntle breeze, gave lorth a harmonious ar-rd elegantsound surpassing al l worldly nrusic.

"Furthermorc, Sir iput.a, that Buddha-land docs not have the three misera-blc plancs of existcnce. what are the thrcc? They are: the plane of hcl l-dwellcr, theplanc of animals, and the rcalm of Yama.ro Al l ser-rt ient beings in that Buddha-landhave accomplished the te' good deeds. f 'he ground is as f lat as a palm and thecolor of gold, with no gul l ies, brarnblcs, or gravcl; i t is as soft as cotton, sinking assoon as one's foot steps on i t and rcturning to i ts origirral state as soon as the foot isliftcd.

"Se.iprtrr, that Buddha-land is free of three ki 'ds of sick'css. what are thethree? Thcy are: the discases causcd by wind, coldness, a'd phlcgm.11 Se.iputra, i 'that l luddha-land, al i scntient beings are free from lying, an ugly appearance, a badodor, and f i l th. Thcy have l i t t le desire, hatred, and ignorancc. There are no jai ls orprlsoners.

"S5.iputr. , i ' that Budclha-land, no one lcar 's or fol lows hcterodox doc-trines. Thc trees thcre are always laden with flowers and fiuits, and thcrc is also aspccial kind of trcc named kalpataru, which produces f ine garments of f ive colors.The garments remain bright, beautiful, fresh, clean, and cxtraordinarily fragrant allthe t ime. Just as celestial f lowers give forth various kinds of fragrance, so do thegarmcnts. The fragrance issuing from the bodies of those who wear these gar-ments is exactly thc same as that issuing fron-r the garmcnts. Thc sentient beings inthat land, l ikc people in this world who are r ich and happy, have plenty ofwonderful garments to wear as they please.

"Se.iprrt.r, the sentient beings in that land, like thosc in thc Heaven of theThirty-Three, obtain rhe food and drink they need whenever they wish; and theydo not discharge excrement, filth, or anything impure.

"Se.ip,.ttt", the palaces and towers of that land are all decorated with thesevcn treasures and surroundcd by many ponds filled with the watcr of eightmeritorious qualities, to be enjoyed at will. There are also many gardens andpavilions, all pure and clean. The sentient beings there all live with joy in theDharma.

PnarsrNc TarnAcara Arsossya's Mgnlts 323

"Sariput.r, in that , land, there is no jealousy antong human bcings. Everywoman is bctter than thc best in this world, and has achieved cclest ial mcrits ofwhich earthly merits arc less than o'e hundredth, one thousandth, onc hundredthousandth, onc of a hundrcd thousand mil l ion myriad parts, onc of any numbcrof parts, numerical or f igurative, down to one inf lnitesinral part.

"Sa.ip.rt .r , the people of that land possess lavishlv decoratcd couches madeof the seven trcasures, in accordancc with their karmic results. when thcy sleep orrcst, thcy usc pi l lows madc of cotton f loss. Al l thesc splcndid things arc achievedby virtuc of Tathagata Aksobhya's past vows.

"sir iputra, the food ar-rd drink of thc people in that land arc thc sanre asthose ofthe gods ir color, fragrance, and taste.Just as thc pcoplc ofUrtarakurur2have only o'e ki 'g, so thc peoplc of the Land of wondcrfulJov havc only Trtha-gata Aksobhya as t l-rcir Dhrrma-Lord; rnd just as the gods of the Hca'cn of thcThirty-Thrce attend o' Sakra. so thc pcople of the Land of wo'clcrfr.r l loy al lattend on

' I 'athagata Aksobhya.

"Sr. iput.r, you should know thc r.neri ts and magnif icence of AksobhyaBuddha's land. Sariputra, none of thc sentie' t bei.gs of that land arc mental lyunrestrained- why? It is also becausc of the por, l 'er of Tathagata Aksobhya's orig-ina l vows. "

At that t imc, hearing the I luddha praise thc mcrits of the Buddha-land ofTathagata Aksobhya, a nronk became greedily attachecl to i t and said to the Bud-dha, "Y/orld-Ho'orcd c)nc, now I wish to be bor' i ' Aksobhya l luddha's land."

The Buddha told the rnonk, "With your lbol ishness and delusion, how canyou be born there? Why? Recause onc with any passion or attachment cannot beborn in that tsuddha-land. o'ly thosc who havc planted good roots and cultivatedpure conduct can be born there."

Ther r he addrcsscd St r ipu t . r aga in . "Fur thernrorc . S i r ipu t r : r , in tha t land . i f 'the sentient beings wish it, a clean pond will appcar at their thought, filled with thewater of cight meritorious quali t ies, f i t for drinking, r insing the mouth, washing,and bathing. I f anyone disl ikes i t , i t wi l l immediately disappear.

"Sarip.t trr, in that Buddha-land, there is a fragrant brcczc, gentle, agreeable,antl plcasant to everyonc's mind. The fragrant brccze carr ies fragrance to al l godsand humans who l ikc i t , but not to those who do not l ikc i t . Seriputra, al l thesemcrits and splendors are brought about by the powcr of rathigata Aksobhva'soriginal vows.

"Furthernrore, i ' that land, mothcr and chi ld are safe a'd u.sul l ied. fromconception to birth. How can this be? All this is duc ro the pou'cr of TathigataAksobhya's original vows. Sir iputra, in rhat Buddha-land, thcre is such peace andbliss.

"Sa.iput.a, in thc land of Tathagata Aksobhya, the Worthy One, the per-

fectly Enlightened one, there is neithcr trade nor trader, neither farms nor farming;there is happiness at all trn-res.

"Sariputra, in that Buddha-land, singing and playing do not involve sexualdcsire. The sentient beings there derive their joy exclusively from the Dharma.

321 ON Pune LaNo

"Sariputra, in that Buddha-land, therc arc rows ofjasrnine trccs and palmtrccs, which, when st irred by a gcntle breezc, rvi l l give forth a harmonious andclegant sound that surpasses evcn thc celestial music played by gods.

"Sariputra, any Bodhisattva-Mahasattva who intends to acquire a tsuddha-land should accumulate such merits, adornments, and purity for his tsuddha-land as Tathagata Aksobhya did for his wher.r he was following the Bodhisattvapractices.

"Sa.iputra, therc is no darkncss in that Buddha-land. I t has sur-rs and moons,but they do not givc out l ight. Why? Because Tathagata Aksobhya has an ever-shining l ight which i l luminates the cntire tsuddha-land.

"Si. ipr.. , t .r , i f a wish-fulf i l l i r .rg pearl is put in rhc cenrer of a high, large rowerwith i ts windows and doors closcd t ightly, the sentient beirrgs therein wil l scc abri l l iant l ight day and night. Lr thc same manncr, the sentient beings of thatBuddha-land always scc thc radiance of the Tathigata. Sir iputra, thc large towerstands for the world of wonderful Joy; thc wish-fulf i l l ing pcarl stands for Tathi-gata Aksobhya; the l ight of thc wish-fulf i l l ing pearl, the l ight of t l .rat Buddha; andthc scnticnt beings within the tower, the sentient beings in thc World of Wonder-fu l Joy .

"Se.iputra, wherever Tathagata Aksobhya walks or stands, a thousand-pctalcd lotus appcars spontaneously to support his [cet. The f lowcr is goldcn incolor; there is rrothing l ike i t in this world. Sariputra, this is also achieved by thesupcrb powcr of the vows of Tathagata Aksobhya, thc Worthy Onc, the PerfectlyEnlighterred One."

Thcrcupon, S"ripr. l t . , asked the tsuddha, "World-Honorcd One, whcn Ta-thagata Aksobhya enters_a room, wil l a golden lotus support his feet or not?"

Thc BLrddha told Sir iputra, "Why do you bother to ask such a tr ivial ques-t ion? When that tsuddha, the World-Honored Onc, cnrcrs a vi l lage or a house, athousand-petaled lotr,rs appears with him. I f any good man or good women thinks,'V/hcn the Tathigata condescends to enter this roonr, may the lotus beneath hisfeet close i ts pctals, ' the f lower wil l do so immediately. I f anyonc wishes the lotusto stay in the air, the flower will also do so immediatcly. All this is due to thatTath-gata's awcsome power.

"Sariputra, the lotus which holds the feet [of thc Tathagatal wi l l then begiven to the people, and they will build a stfrpa for it and make offerings to it.

"S.rip.rt.r, that Buddha, the V/orld-Honored Onc, travels through the wholebillion-world universe to expound the Dharma; and whcrcver he goes, a flowerappears with him. Moreover, in whatever land that Tathigata manifests himself, inthat land golden lotuses also appear. By the awesomc power of that Buddha, hiscntire bi l l ion-world universe is adorncd with thousand-pctaled goidcn lotuses."

Pn,trsrNG TarsAc;ara Axsosnva's MERrrs 325

I I I

"Furthermore, Sa.iput.r, when Tathigata Aksobhya cxpounds thc Dharma, he

can ski l l ful ly subdue countless sentient beings, rnaking thcm al l attain Arhatship;

numerous are those who wil l dwell in the mcditat ion of thc cightfold l iberation."Sa.iputrr, Tathigata Aksobhya, the Worthy Onc, thc Pcrfect ly Enl ightened

One, has a host of Sravakas incalculable in number. I cannot f i r-rd any ari thmetician

or any ari thmetician's disciple able to compute how manv hundreds of thousands

of mil l ions of bi l l ions of tr i l l ions of Sravakas thcrc arc ir .r thc host. Sir iput.a, , ,o

onc can asccrtain thc total numbcr of the Srlvakas in ternrs oi thosc f igurcs.

Si. iput.", just as the nun-rber of good men r,vho have attained thc fruit of e

Strcanr-enterer, thc fruit of a Oncc-rctunle r, or the fruit of a Nonrcturncr irr ury

land is difficult to asccrtain, so is thc nurnbcr of good men r,r,ho havc attair-rcd thc

f luit of an Arhat in that land."str iputra, [ i rr my land,] indolent people can attain thc lruit of a Strcam-

cnte rer. They will bc born as humanp'scvcrr'i rnorc timcs and bc further taught the

Dharrna bcforc thcy can attairr thc supcrior fruit [of an Arh:rt ] ; thercfbrc, I cal l

t l -rer-r-r ' ; reople of seven rebirths. ' Sir iputra, I in thc land of Tathigata Aksobhya, j

inclolcnt pcoplc can attain thc fruit of a Stream-entercr at Tathlgata Aksobhya's

f irst discourse on the l)harnla, thc fruit of a Or-rcc-returner at the second cl iscoursc,

thc fruit of a Nonrcturncr at thc third discoursc, and the fruit of an Arhat at thefourtl-r discourse. They are said to be indolcnt bccauscr thcy lail to cnd all their

detl len-rents at one sit t i r lg.

"Sa.iput.a, ir-r that tsuddha-land, those who have attained thc fruit of a

Strcam-cntcrcr wi l l bc clcanscd of al l dcf i lcments in one l i fet ime, unl ike the Stream-

enterers of this world, who have to go through scvcn morc births. Those who

have attained the fruit of a Once-returner will be frecd frorn all suffcring in onc

l i fct imc, unl ikc thosc cal icd Oncc-rcturncrs in this world, who have to EJo through

one more birth. Thosc who have attained the fruit of a Nonrcturncr r". i l l bcconrc

Arhats in one l i fet ime, unl ike those cal lcd Nonrcturncrs in this world, who have to

be born in thc uppcr rcalms Ibeforc they are l iberated], though thcy wil l not rcrurn

to th is car th . .13"Furthcmrorc, Sa.iput.a, in that Buddha-land, thcre art: stcps rnadc oi thrcc

precious materials-gold, si lvcr, and lapis lazul i-extending from Janrbudvipa to

the Hcaven of thc Thirty-Thrcc. Sir iputra, when the gods of thc Heaven oi the

Thirty-Threc desirc to sec Tathagata Aksobhya, to worship and nrake oit tr inqs to

him, thcy can dcscend thc prccious stcps to thc I luddha's place. Whcn thc,v f ind

that the peoplc of [ that] Jambudvipa are r ich, prospcrous. and have cvcrything

thcy need, they wil l become dcsirous and say, 'Wc gods havc thc good fortune of

gods, and the people ofJambudvipa have the good fortune of human beings. Now

I see that thcir fortunc is as excel lent as ours. What is morc, thc pcoplc ofJambu-

dvipa have a good fortune even surpassing ours: Tath-gata Aksobhya is expounding

ON Punr LaNo

of the true Dharma there. This is why we gods always prefer the human world. '"Saripntr", the pcople of that Jambudvipa havc no dcsire at al l to be born in

the heavens. Why? Because [they think,] ' ln the human world, Tarhigata Akso-bhya constantly cxpounds the true Dharma to benefit us, and our good fortune isnot different from that of the gods. The gods of the Heaven of the Thirty-Threeare no match for us. '

"Sariprtr", in that land, by the Buddha's divine power, gods and humanscan see each other. Just as the people of this Jambudvipa scc the moon and stars,so, Sa.iputra, the people there can look upward and see thc palaces of the godsabove. Sariputra, this is also achievcd by the power of the original vows whichTath-gata Aksobhya made when he was cult ivat ing the Bodhisattva practices.

"Se.ip,rt .", the voice of the I luddha expounding thc Dharma spreads ovcrthc cntirc billion-world universe, and is heard everywherc by the four kinds ofdevotees.

"Sa.ipnt.r, the Sravakas there wish for no othcr food than Dharma-food.When listening to thc Dharma, they are singlc-minded and calm; they do not feclt i red physical ly or mental ly, whether sit t ing or standing. Sir ipurra, TathagataAksobhya stays in midair whcn cxpounding thc l)harma to rhc assembly. TheSravakas, whether or not they themselves have miraculous power, al l stay inrnidair by thc awcsomc power of the Buddha when they l isten to the essence of theDharma, bcaring thcrnsclvcs with dignity in thc three deportnrerrts. What are thethred? Walk i r rg . s ta r rd i r rg , and s i t t ing .

"When these Srivakas intcnd to enter parir-r irvlna, they sit cross-legged andthen immediately enter i t . At that ntoment, the earth quakcs. After thcir parinir-vlna, al l gods and hurnans conle to makc offcr ings to them.

"When the Arhats arc rcady for parinirvana, they producc fire fron-r theirbodies to cremate themselvcs; or become extinct spontaneously, lcaving no rel icsbehind; or roam in thc' sky l ike clouds of f ivc colors, and thcn disappear in aninstant, without leaving a trace; or stand in thc sky and then vanish like rairr fallingto the ground.

"Se.iput.r, this is also because, while cult ivat ing thc Bodhisattva practiccs inthc past, Tathtgata Aksobhya, the Worthy Onc, the Perfectly Enl ighterred One,madc this vow: ' l f I rcal ize supremc cnl ightcnment. thc Sravakas I in nry land] wi l lcntcr parinirvarla with dignity in thc threc deportmcnts. '

"Furthermore, S.r iput.,r . nrany Srlvakas of that tsuddha-land havc attainedthc fbur fearlessnesses, and even nrorc havc attained the four bascs of miraculouspowers. Sa.iprrt .", thc Sravakas of that land have accomplishcd thesc complctenrcri ts. "

At that t imc, Sariputra said to the tsuddha, "World-Horrorcd Onc, i l lus-tnous, great, and vast indccd are the merits accomplishcd by thr- Srivakas ofTathlqata Aksobhya, the Worthy ()nc, the Perfectly Enl ightened Onc."

PnarsrNc T.qrHAcara ArsoeHva's Mrnrrs 327

N

At that t ime, the Venerablc Sr. iput.r thought, "The World-Honored One has just

now discussed the merits of the Srivakas. Mav thc Tathigata also cxpound thc

completc mcrits of the Bodhisattvas. Why? Becausc al l othcr nrcri ts comc 1-rom

them."

Then, knowitrg S;. iput." ' r thought, the tsuddha told hinr, " ln that Buddha-

land, innumerablc hundreds of thousands of Imil l ions of] bi l l ions of Bodhisattvas

attend the assembly, and, by thc divinc powcr of the l luddha, al l thc Rodhisattvas

who havc icft the household l i fe can understand, accept, uphold, rcad, and rccite

what they have heard."sir iputra, thc Dharma which I havc cxpounded ir"r this rvorld rs a r. 'crv

small part- less than one hundrcdth, onc thousandth, onc hundrcd thousandth,

onc hundred bi l l ionth, one of any number of parts, onc minutc part, or cvcn orlc

inf initcsimal part-of the I)harma-treasure expounded by Tathigata Aksobhva.

"sariputra, this is al l bccausc Tathagata Aksobhya, thc Worthy One, thc

Perfcctly Enlighter-red One, made this vow when cultivating thc Bodhisattva prac-

t ices: 'When I attain Buddhahood, may al l thc Bodhisattvas in my land, by my

awesome power, be able to understand, accept, uphold. read, and recite rvhatever

they hear l l iom the l luddhal. 'Sir iputra, by thc divine power of thc original vow

made by that Tathigata, those Bodhisattvas are able to understand, accept, uphold,

read, and rccitc with faci l i ty al l that thcy havc hcard from thc Buddha."Furthermorc, Si. ip., t ." , i f thosc Bodhisattvas want to go to anothcr Bud-

dha-land, they arr ive thcre as soon as they think of that land, wcaring the nativc

costumc, spcaking thc local languagc with no acccnt, and acting in harmony with

the customs of that land. They pay homage ar"rd make offerings to the Tathigata of

that land, l isten to the true Dharma, and ask pert inent questions. When thcy have

done al l they can, they return to Aksobhya Buddha."Sa.iputra, nine hundred ninety-six Buddhas wil l appear in this world dur-

ing this Worthy Kalpa.ra A tsodhisattva who wishcs to scc thesc Tathagatas should

make a vow to bc born in Aksobhya Buddha's land."Sariput.a, i f good mcn or good womcn Iwho fol low the Bodhisattva-path].

after their dcath in this Buddha-land or anothcr Buddha-land, have becn born. are

beirrg born, or wi l l be born in the tsuddha-land of Tathagata Aksobhva. thcr. u' i l l

not bel ieve or abide in the stage of Sravakas. Why? Becausc thosc r,r 'ho tbl lou' the

tsuddha-path wil l always meet the Tathagata, and give thc cclcst ial demon Pipivan

no opportunity to hinder them. They wil l give up thc- two vchiclcs tbrcver, and

attain supremc cnl ightcnrncnt without fai l . Thcy wil l alu'a-vs part icipate in that

Tathigata's great assemblies."Seriputra, you should know that thosc scnticnt beings who dwcll in the

purc Buddha-land of Tathagata Aksobhya wil l nevcr bc subjcct to dcgcneration,

328 ON Puns Lar.ro

seduction, or regressior-r; thcy wil l abidc in the pursuit of suprcmc enl ightcnment,have grcat power, bc immovable, and never regrcss.

"S.. ip.rtrr, i f good men or good women arc born in that land aftcr theirdeath in this world or othcr worlds, thcy rvi l l , at thc t ime of thcir birth, have thisthought: ' I have entered the Tathagata's roorn and havc taken up my abode in thccity of fcarlessness. '

"sir iputra, those tsodhisattvas wil l comply u' i th thc p-ramita of wisdom in' whatever thcy say, and they wil l respect onc another and regard ol lc another as

teachers.

1 i "Furthernrore, S.. iput.r, oI thc ] lodhi:attvas in that l luddha-land, f i - 'w areI householdcrs; many are nronks. By thc tsuddha's divinc power, thcy can under-i stand, accept, uphold, rcad, and rccitc rvhatever thcy have hcard [fronr thc Bud-

dhal. Sariputra, thc lay l lodhisattva-Mahasattvas who are unablc to part icipare i l lthe assemblyls can by thc tsuddha's miraculous pou,cr hcar, undcrstand, accept,uphold, read, and rccite with faci l i ty the l)harma expourrdcd, wherevcr they are,whether sit t ing or standing. The tsodhisattvas r,vho havc lcft the household l i fe andare not in the assembly can do the sane. Also, thcsc Bodhisattvas, in thc course ofdecease and rcbirth, never forgct the sutras thcy have hcard, and can be born inarry Buddha-land thcy wish. Sariputra, rhis is also achieved through thc merits ofTath-gata Aksobhya's original vows.

"sir iputra, i f a l lodhisattva wishes to scc numcrous hundrcds of thousandsof [nri l l io 's of l bi l l io 's of ' ryr iads of Buddhas in onc l i fet ime, he should vow robe bor' i ' thc la'd of Tathigata Aksobhya. After his birth there, hc wil l seei ' 'umcrable Buddhas a'd plant al l kinds of good roots; he can also expound thecssence of the Dharma to l lumcrous hundreds of thousands of sentient beinss toincrease their good roots.

"Sariprtr", i f tsodhisattvas, afrcr their death in this world or orhcr worlds,havc bccn born, are bcing born, or wi l l be born in the tsuddha-land of TathagataAksobhya, thcy wil l al l attain thc stagc of nonregrcssion. Why? Because in thatBuddha-land, one is not obstructcd by the cclcst ial demon Pipiyan or disturbed bydemonic inf luences.

"Sit iput.r, a vcnomous snakc subjugatcd by a magic spel l cannot hurt any-onc, and insects or wornrs wil l not be worricd or afraid upon sccing i t . Yet,harmlcss as i t is, i t is st i l l cal led a vcnofi lous snakc becausc i t has reccivcd the formof a snake as a result of i ts previous karmas. Sir iputra, thc sanre is rruc with thecelestial demon P-piyan. Whcn TathSgata Aksobhya was fol lowing thc Bodhi-sattva practices in the past, hc vowcd to dedicate his good roots thus: 'Whcn Ireal izc supreme enl ightcnnrcnt, I wi l l subjugate al l dcmons so that they wil l notc:rusc hindrances or troublcs. They wil l not hinder or trouble the Bodhisattvas,Srar-akas, ordinary peoplc, or othcrs in the wholc bi l l ion-world ur-r ivcrsc. ' ISub-

iug.rtud i is thcy arc, l the demons remain in demons' forms bccause of their pre-vious karmas They regret this in thc hcaven whcrc they arc born, and blamethenrselvcs for bcing incarnatcd as beings cal led 'dcmons' owning to thelr prcvious

PursrNc TarnAcara Axsosuya's MERrrs 329

karmas perforned from beginningless t ime. In spitc of the powcr thcy cnjoy, they

loathe their state. When that Tathagata expounds thc Dharma, thc dcmons and

thcir ret inues are often among the l isteners. After hearing the Dharma, thcy bc-

come pure in mind and ycarn to bc Srtvakas, thinking, 'How can we, too, abidc in

tranquil l i ty, havc fcw dcsircs, and bc contcnt?' Bccause those demons have a

constant dcsire to leavc the houschold l i fc and have no intention of hindering

others, the Sravakas, Bodhisattvas, and ordinary peoplc in that land can al l abidc in

pcace and happiness. This is also due to thc awesomc po\\ 'cr of that Buddha's

previous vigor and great vows. Sariputra, this is also a superb adornmcnt of

Aksobhya Buddha's land. . . ."sariputra, thosc Bodhisattvas who have received my prophecv and attaincd

nonrcgrcssion wil l bc born in Aksobhya l luddha's land. Howcver. Sir iputra, this

does not mcan that I forsake the Bodhisattvas born in that Buddha-land. I f an

anointed ksatr iya king lcarns that the army of a hosti le nation is coming to stcal his

wealth and throne, he wil l think, 'My queen, concubincs, and bclovcd chi ldren are

not strong enough to resist the enemy. I wi l l kccp them, together with mv trea-

sures, in the palace, out of harm's way. 'Then he wil l ovcrcomc his encmy, so that

his country is blesscd with pcacc and frccd from danger, and there is no longcr any

fear of disaster. Sa.iput.r, j r-rst as the king docs not abandon his treasures, beloved

cl-r i ldren, queen, and concubines, so I do not forsake the Bodhisattvas, and thosc

who fol low the Boclhisattva practiccs should know this. Like the palacc, thattsuddha-land is free from fear; like thc lcadcr of thc cncmics, the celestial demon

Plpiyan [ in my land] tr ies in every way to hinder those who fol low the Bodhi-

sattva practices; and l ike the great kir lg who is not disturbcd by thc invading

encmics, thc Tathagata is not harassed by the celestial demons."Sa.iput.. , suppose a nran, afraid of his creditor, runs far away to the

frontier. He wil l be spared pcrsccution at the hands of the creditor and others

conccrned. Why? Because the creditor and his farni ly cannot rcach him, due to the

great distance and danger involved. In the same way, thc Bodhisattvas born ir-r the

Land of Wonderful Joy are beyond the reach of Pipiyan, who is kept away by the

insurnrountab lc d i f f i cu l ty o f thc journcy . ro

"Seripr.tt.", in this billion-r'u'orld universe, the celestial demon Papiyin hin-

ders Bodhisattvas and Sravakas in every way. In the Land o[ Wondcrful Jor ' . thc

celestial dcmons do not do dcvi l ish deeds. The Bodhisattvas born there in thc past,

prcscnt, and future are free from fcar fbrcvcr. Why? Because when that Tathagata

was fol lowing the tsodhisattva-path, hc dedicatcd al l his good roots thusi 'When I

real ize supreme enl ightenment, the celestial denons wil l not hindcr anvone or do

any dcvi l ish dceds. 'Sir iprrt .r , just as poison loses i ts toxici ty and bccomes food for

a strong man who can take i t ski l l ful ly and digest i t , so the cclest ial demons of that

land, instead of doing harm, are always bcneficial."Sa.iputrr, innumerable such merits are achieved in that tsuddha-land."

At that t imc, Sariputra thought, "Now I wish to scc Tathigata Aksobhya,

the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enl ightened Onc, and the Srivakas o[ that Bud-

330 ON Purs LaNrr

dha-land." Thereupon, perceiving what was in Sir iputra's nrind. the World-Honored One, by his divine power and without r isins from his scat, causedSa.iput.. to see al l of them.

Thc Buddha asked Seriputra, "Havc yolr sccn thenr now?"Sa.ip., t . . answered, "Ycs, I have."

Thc tsuddha askcd S l r ipu t ra , " l )o you scc ar r l ' d i f i l rencc . such as s r rper io r i ry

or inferiori ty, among thosc gods and humans?"

Seriputra answercd, "No, I do not. Why? Bccause I see that thc clothing,lbod and drink, and valuable objects enjoyed by thc humans of thc Land ofWonderful Joy are gods' implcmcnts of plcasurc. Tathigata Aksobhya, expound-ing the Dharma to the asscmbly, is l ike a gold nountain, shining bri l i iant ly.There are innumerable, l imit less Srivakas. Just as thc horizons in the four direc-t ions arc boundless in the eyes ofonc sai l ing upon the great occan, so the Srrvakasthcrc a rc l in r i t less i r r r runrbcr to thc bcho ld t ' r . Whcr r thosc Sravak . rs r rc l i s tcn ing tot l .re Dharma, they keep their bodics and minds as st i l l as i f they had entercddhyana, unl ikc the people in this world, who sway and st ir , sonlct imes cvcn rnmeditat ion." . . .

At that t imc, a thougll t occtrrrcd to Ananda: "Nor" ' I should test the powcrof Venerablc Subhuti 's. 'e"l ,oquencc." With this in mind, hc said to Subhuti , "We

should have a look at Tathlgata Aksobl.rya, his disciplcs, ancl his tsuddha-land."Subhuti told Anar-rda, " l f you wanr to scc that Tathtgata, you should look

upwards. "

After Ananda had looked upwards, he said to Subhuti , " I have looked up-wards as far as I could, but I saw nothing except emptincss and st i l lness."

Subhnti said, "Tathagata Aksobhya, his disciples, and his Buddha-land aresimilar to what you saw when you looked upwards."

Then Sariputra said to thc Buddha, "World-Honored One, as the Buddhahas said, the Bodhisattvas in this world whosc attainmenr of tsuddhahood has beenprophesied are not different frorn thc Bodhisattvas born in that land. World-Honored One, now I do not know why they are cqual."

The Buddha told Sir iputra. "Becausc of the equali ty of the dharmadhatu,there is no diffbrence between them."

V

At that time, the Vcnerable Sa.ip,rt.a thought further, "The World-Honored Onehas spoken of the infinite merits of Tathagata Aksobhya, the Worthy One, thePerfectly Enlightened One, in following the Bodhisattva-path. He has also spokenof the vast, great adornments of that land and the excellent, virtuous deeds of theSravakas and Bodhisattvas there. I hope that the World-Honored One will furthertell us about that Buddha's parinirvana and his deeds ofdeliverance thereafter."

PnarsrNc; TarHA<;ara AxsosHyA's Mrnrrs 331

Thcn, knowitrg Sa.ip.rt ." 's thought, the World-Honored One told him,"Seriput.a, on thr: day of Tathigata Aksobhya's parinirvana, his magical ly pro-

duced bodies wil l appear throughout al l thc worlds, including the hel ls, and wil l

expound the wonderful Dharma. He wil l subduc with thc Dharma numerous

sentient beings, al l of whom wil l attain Arhatship. As a result, thcrc wil l bc morc

people who have attained the stage beyond learning than therc r.vcre before that

Buddha's parinirvina."On that day, he wil l also predict Bodhisattva Fragrarrt Elcphant's attain-

ment of Buddhahood, saying, 'After my parinirvana, vou u,i l l become a Buddha,

named Tathagata Golden Lotus, the Worthy One, the Pcrfect lv Enl ightened One.'; -

Furthcrnrorc, Sir iputra, thc mcrits of Tathigata Golden Lotus's tsuddha-land and

the number of his disciples wil l be the same as those of Tathigata Aksobhya."Furthermore, Seriputr. , when Tathagata Aksobhya enters parinirvana, the

grcat carth wil l quakc al l ovcr, and the whole bi l l ion-world universc wil l roar in

the quake. The sound wil l reach up to the Akanistha Hcaven. [ /hen the gods hear

thc sound, they will know that the tsuddha has entered parinirvana."Moreover, Sa.ipl-rtr", the forcsts and herbs of that Buddha-land will all

incl ine toward the place wherc Tathagata Aksobhya is enrering parinirv.rna. At thatt imc, thc gods ar-rd humans wil l al l scatter over the Buddha garlands of f lowers,

many kinds of incense, and clothing. Thc scattered fragrant f lowers wil l pi le up

around the Buddha to a height ofonc lcague."Furthcrmorc, Se.iputrr, when Tathagata Aksobhya is entering parinirvana,

al l the gods, dragons, yaksas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, and maho-

ragas of the bi l l ion-world universe wil l join their palms to salute him; also, by the

divine power of the Buddha, the gods in other lands wil l be able to see that

Buddha enter parinirvina. For scven days and nights, these gods wil l bc over-

whelmed with grief, will dcsist from the amusements of gods and humans, and

will fecl no dcsire. They will say to one another, 'Tathagata Aksobhya has been thelight of the world and the eye of sentier.rt beings. Alas, why does he enter parinir-

vana so soon?'."Furthermore, Sa.ip.. t ." , Tathigata Aksobhya, the Worthy One, the Per-

fectly Enlightened One, will issue fire from his own body to cremate himself.All his relics will be goldcn in color. Just as the timira tree revcals a swastikasign17 in i ts cross-section wherevcr i t is cut, so wil l the rel ics of that Tathlgata.

"Moreover, Sa.ipnt.r, every rel ic of Tathagata Aksobhya wil l bc round,

with the auspicious swastika sign both inside and outside. Sa.iput.r, just as the

pulaka tree reveals the auspicious swastika sign both inside and outside rvherever i t

is cut across, so will the relics of that tsuddha."Sa.ip,, tr", the sentient beings of that land wil l bui ld str lpas out of the seven

treasures for thc relics all over that billion-world univcrse, and will offer to the

stupas thousand-petaled golden lotus f lowers. These st ipas and lotus f lowers wil l

then serve as splendid adornments of that billion-world universe."Furthermore, Se.iput.", after Tathagata Aksobhya has entered grear nrr-

132 C)N Punn LaNr

vJna. thc truc Dharma wil l endure in his world for a hundred thousand kalpas."

Thereuporr, Seriputr. asked the Buddha, "World-Hor.rored One, for [a hun-

Jred rhousand] kalpas of what kind wil l the true I)harma of Tathlgata Aksobhya

:-n. lLlrr i r-r the world?"

The Buddha told Str iputrai "Twenty small kalpas makc onc kalpa,rs and the

truc Dharma wil l endurc for a hundrcd thousand such kalpas."sir iputra, aftcr thc cxt inct ion of thc true Dharma, thcrc wil l be a grcat l ight

r l lurninating al l the worlds in the ten direct ions, and al l the earths wil l quake,

nraking a great sound. However, [you should know that] the true Dharma cannot

be destroyed by thc cclcst ial dcmons, nor wil l thc Tathagata and his disciples pass

rnto obl ivion of thcir own accord. I t is bccausc pcoplc of that t imc wil l lack interest

in learning thc Dharma that those who can expound the Dharma will go away

from them. Hearing l i t t le of the true Dharma, the people wil l become more

irrcredulous, and as a rcsult , they wil l not str ivc to practicc the Dharma. Seeing the

indifference of the people, monks well-versed in the I)harma will naturally with-

draw into seclusion and preach the Dharma no more. In this way, the subtle,

profound teaching of the tsuddha wil l gradually disappear."

VI

At that t ime, the Venerable S"riput." asked the tsuddha, "World-Honored One,

what causes and good roots enable Bodhisattva-Mahlsattvas to be born in that

tsuddha-land?"

The Buddha told Sir iputra, "Bodhisattva-Mahlsattvas who wish to bc born

in the World of Wonderful Joy should follow the Bodhisattva practices cultivated

by Tathagata Aksobhya in thc past, and make a great vow to be born in that land.

These practices and this vow will enable them to be born in that Buddha-land."Furthermore, S"t iprtr. , i f Bodhisattva-Mahisattvas, when practicing the

plramit i of giving, dedicate the ensuing good roots to the attainment of supreme

cnlightenmcnt and wish to meet Tathagata Aksobhya, then they will consequently

be borir in that Buddha-land. The same is true i f they do l ikewise when practicing

the paramit i of discipl ine, and so on up to the piramit- of wisdom."Moreover, Sariput.. , the l ight of Tathigata Aksobhya shines over the whole

billion-world Buddha-land. One should vow to realize supreme enlightenment in a

future life as a result of seeing this light, so that, after attaining great enlightenment

in that way, he will in turn emanate a light from his own body to illuminate the

n'hole world. Seriputr^, a Bodhisattva who so vows wil l be born in that land."Furthermore, Se.ip., t ." , Tathagata Aksobhya, the Worthy One, the Per-

tecth' Enl ightened One, has a l imit less number of Sravakas. One should vow to

see them and, afterwards, to perform deeds leading to the attainment of the Bud-

dha's enlishtcnment. This will enable one to have the same limitless number of

PnarsrNc TaruAc.,{ra AxsosHya's Menrrs 333

Sravakas after hc rcalizes cnlightenment. Sariputra, a Bodhisattva-Mahasattva who

so vows can be born in that Buddha-land.

"Furthermorc, Seriputra, in that tsuddha-land, there are innumerable Bodhi-

sattva-Mahasattvas. One should wish to see these Bodhisattvas, to learn from

them thc practice of meditat ion, to be with them at al l t imes, to study with them

the same vehiclc, and to attain the ult imate goal together with them. One should

wish to meet those who pursue perfect, great kindncss and compassion, who seek

enlightenment and (ramanahood, who forgo the intentiorr to fol low the two vehi-

cles, who abidc in thc real emptiness, and who are constantly mindful of the name

of the Al l-Knowing Buddha, the Tathagata, and the names of the Dharma and thc

Sarhgha."Si. iptt t ." , even those good men and good women rvho have heard the

namcs of such Bodhisattvas wil l be born in that Buddha-land, let alonc thosc who

plant good roots in harmony with the plramit i of wisdom and dedicate them to

fathtsata Aksobhya, thc Wt-rrt lry ()nc. thc Pcrfcct ly Enl ightcncd Onc. 55rrputra.

thcsc arc causes and condit ions which enablc onc to bc born in that Buddha-land

without fail."Furthermorc, Se.ipnt.r, Bodhisattva-Mahlsattvas who wish to be born in

that Buddha-land shouid often visual ize the Buddhas, the Tathtgatas, expounding

the subtle, wonderfu' l Dharma in the innumerable eastern worlds, together with

their disciplcs. Thcy should vow: ' I wi l l rcal izc enl ightcnmcnt, expound the subtle,

wonderful Dharma, and have [a l imit less number of] disciples, just as those Bud-

dhas do . '"S"ripr.rt.", thcsc Bodhisattvas should cultivate thc good roots of the three

kinds of recol lcct ion;1e thcy should wish to practicc rccol lcct ion together with al l

sentient beings cqually, and dcdicatc thcsc good roots to thc attainmcnt of supreme

enlightenment."Sariput.. , the Bodhisattvas' good roots thus dedicated are l imit less. Sup-

pose all sentient beings, each holding a container with the same capacity as that of

[ai l ] space, said [to onc of thc Bodhisattvas], 'Great man, plcase give me somc of

your good.oorc. 'Sa.ip.rtra, these good roots, supposing they were material arrd

given to the senticnt bcings, would fill all their containers and the containcrs

would be taken away without exhausting the good roots. [Why?] Because these

good roots are dedicatcd to thc attainment of supreme enl ightenment, and so arc

infinite and unchangeable."Sa.ip,rtr", becausc of thcsc good roots, which arc achicvcd through these

thrcc kinds of recol lect ion and are dedicated to al l-knowing u.isdom, one rvi l l be

fol lowed land protected] by thc Threc Jewcls whcrcvcr he gt.rcs. Sir iputra, you

should know that i f a Bodhisattva has achieved thesc good roots, he'rvi l l not fal l to

any miscrable planc of existence, he wil l be able to subjugate Papiyin and other

demons, and he wil l bc born as hc wishcs in any Buddha-land in the east, south,

west, north, northcast, northwcst, southeast, southwcst, the zenith, or the nadir.

Therefore, a tsodhisattva-Mahlsattva should accumulate the good roots of such

334 ON Punr LeNo

recollection, and, having accumulated them, dedicate them to Tathigata Akso-bhya. In this way he can be born in that Buddha-land.

"Furthermore, Sa.ip.rt .", the merits and vast adornmcnts of the Buddha-land ofTathagata Aksobhya cannot be found in any other ofthe countless Buddha-lar-rds. A Bodhisattva-Mahasattva, therefore, should resolve thus: 'By virtue ofthese good roots, I wish to see that land, acquire i ts adornments, and see theBocihisattvas there. 'By doing this, Sariputra, the Bodhisattva wil l be born in thatBuddha-land.

"Sa.iputra, Bodhisattva-Mahisatrvas who wish to be born in that Buddha-land should generate an intense aspirat ion for i t . Sir iputra, i [ good men or goodwomen have generated such intense aspiration, I will predict thcir birth in thatBuddha-land.

"Sa.iput.", a city is not magnif icent rvi thout such cmbell ishmcnts as rowers,gardens, groves, ponds, and places for elephants and horses to roam, though i tsru le r may have power to n ra in ta in peace and order . S imi la r ly . Sar ipu t ra , s ince myBuddha-land does not have the same mcrirs Ias Tathagata Aksobhya's], i t is not asmagnif icently adorned.

"Si.ipnttt, Tathigata Aksobhya leads the Bodhisattvas and followers of othervehicles in other lands as well as in the World of Wonderful Joy. Sir iputra, i f goodmen and good womcn, after hearing the t)harma-door of Tathigata Aksobhya'smcrits, are well able to acccpt, uphold, read, recite, and comprehend it, and wishto bc born in that land, thcn Tathigata Aksobhya wil l always prorect and remem-ber then-r unti l the t imc of their death, and wil l keep demons and der'ons'rct inuesfrom causing them to rcgress from their determinatron.

"S5riputra, you should know that r ight up to their attainment of supremcenlightenrnent, thcse good men ar-rd good wonlen will be lree from the fear ofregression; frcc from harm by water, f i re, kr-r ives, cudgels, ferocious beasts, andpoisonous insects; and frcc from the terror of Ievi l ] humans or nonhumans. Why?Because they are always protected and remembercd by Tathigata Aksobhya, andwill be born in his Buddha-land.

"Sa.iput.. , just as thc sun, though far away, gives l ight to the scnricnrbeings of this world, so Tathegata Aksobhya, though far away, i l luminates theBodhisattvas of other worlds.

"Si. iput.a, just as a monk who has the deva-cye can see dif fcrent things2') inthe distance, so Tathagata Aksobhya, while renrainir-rg in his own land, can see thelbrms of al l kinds of Bodhisattvas in other worlds.

"Sa.iput.", furthermore, just as a monk who has acquircd thc perfect com-nrand of thc powcr of [knowing others'] thoughts can rcad the ninds of senticntbcings cvcn i f he is renotc from them, so Tathagata Aksobhya can perceive thenrinds of thc Bodhisattvas in other worlds.

"Sir iput.r, just as a monk who has attained the dcva-ear can hcar any soundat a distance, so Tathagata Aksobhya can hear thc scntient beings l iving in others'orlds sar' , ' l rvish to be born in that land. 'Sariputra, Tathigata Aksobhya knows

PH.qrsrNG TaruAcara Axsosrrva's MrRrrs 335

the names of al l such good men and good women; he knows, protects, and

remembers al l those who accept, uphold, read, recite, and comprchcnd this Dhar-

ma-door of merits. "

Sariputra then said to thc Buddha, " l t is rnost cxtraordinary, World-Hon-

ored One, that that Buddha, the World-Honored One, protects and rcmembers

thosc Bodhisattva-Mahisattvas. "

Aftcr Seriputra said this, the tsuddha told hin, "So i t is. so i t is. As you say,

Tathagata Aksobhya protccts and remembers those Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas. Why?

Because, by protecting and remcmbcring Bodhisattvas, hc protccts and rcmcmbcrs

al l senticnt beings.

"S5.ip.rt .", an anointcd ksatr iya king who has many barns ful l of grain and

beans wil l str ict ly command thc keeper to guard them well . Why? I lecause he wil l

then be able to rel ieve [the hunger of l sentient beings when lamirre occurs. Simi-

larly, Sariputra, the Tathagata renders good protection to those Bodhisattvas so

that, after his parinirvlna, they wil l real ize supreme enl ightenment and servc as an

ahundant harvest during the famine of the truc Dharma.

"Se.iput.r, in this world, there are -Bodhisattvas who, al ler hcaring the

Dharma-door of Tathigata Aksobhya's merits, can acccpt, uphold, rcad, rccite,

and comprchend i t , and wish to be born in that tsuddha-land. You should know

that these people have attained nonregressiorl ."Sariput.a, good men and good wonlen with purc faith should expound this

nreri t-praisir-rg Dharn-ra-door to others at al l t imes- Those who do so wil l be

cleansed of al l dcf i lcmcnts in thcir prcscnt l i fct imcs, or Iat mostl in two l i fet imes."Furthermore, Se.iputr. , this Dharma-door of praising Tathagata Akso-

bhya's merits cannot be accepted by fool ish, shal low people. I t can be accepted

and upheld only by thosc with profound, vast wisdom. SJriputra, those good men

and good women [with such wisdom] u' i l l see Buddhas and wil l certainly obtain

this merit-praising Dharma-door in their present lifetimes."Serip.rt .r , supposc thcrc arc priceless pearls taken from the sea. Who do

you think wil l be the f irst to obtain thesc priceless treasures?"

Sa.ip,rtr. said to the Buddha, "World-Honorcd One, kings, princcs, and

ministcrs will bc the first to obtain thenl."

The B',rddha told Sir iputra. " ln thc sanre way, Bodhisattvas wil l bc thc f irst

to acquirc the l)harma-door of that Buddha's mcrits, and those Bodhisatn'as s' i l l

attain the stage of nonregression. They wil l surely be able to accept, uphold. rcad.

recite, and comprehend this Dharma aftcr hearing i t ; they wil l dr l igcnth studv thc

nature of suchness for the purpose of attair-r ing suprcmc cnl ightcnmcnt."

S-r iputra said to the tsuddha, "World-Honored Onc, i f Bodhrsatrvas s' ish to

abidc in thc stagc of nonrcgrcssion, thcy should acccpt, uphold, rcad. rccitc, and

conrprehend this n-reri t-praisir-rg l)harr-r-ra-door after hearing i t . Why? Rccausc Bo-

dhisattva-Mahasattvas who abide in this Dharma-door wil l not rel lress from Itheirrcel izat ion of l thi ' Dharma-nature. "

Thc Buddha told Sariputra, " l f a man, in order to hear this Dharma, gave

ON PunE LaNo

arvay cnough gold to f i l l the entire world, he might st i l l bc unable to hcar i t . Why?Bccausc this meritorious l)harnra cannot be upheld by scnticnt beings rvith meagerb lcss ings .

"Furthermore, Sa.iputra, i f fol lowers of rhe Srivaka-vehiclc acccpt, uphold,rcad. . rnd rec i tc th is mer i to r ious Dharnra-door r [ t c r hcar ing i t . a r rd p racr icc i tdi l igently in order to conform to supremc enl ightenmcnt and suchness, thcy wil lattain rcal izat ion2l in thcir ncxt l i fet inres; thcy wil l attain candidacy for Buddhahoodin trvo lifctimcs; thcy will attain suprcmc cnlighterrment in no more thar{' threl)l i t i ' r inrcs.

"Furthermore, Sa.iput.", i f , in pursuit of this l)harma-door, good men andgood women l isten to, accept, uphold, read, recite, and circulate i t i rr a vi l lagc orto$'n, and for this purposc l ive in the houscs of laypcople though they themselvesare monks or nuns, I wi l l sav they are fault less and wil l al lou' thcn-r to stay in suchplaces- Why? Because these good mcn and good women arc trying to keep thisl)harma from fal l ing into obl ivion after their death. Str iputrr. cvcn i f the vi l lage ortown is far away, thcsc Bodhisattvas st i l l should go and stay thcre to accept,uphold, read, and recite this I)harma-door, and revcal arrd cxpound i t to othcrs.

"Setiputr", good mer-r arrd good wonlen should makc this vow: ' I should notthink of rcgrcssing from the pursuit of suprcme enl ightenment, for I have heardthc nanrc of thc Dharma-door22 of Tathagata Aksobhya." . . .

Sir iputra saicl to thc l3r-rddha, "World-l lonored ()nc, this l)harma-door canbring vast merits."

Thc Buddha to ld Sar ipu t ru . "So i r i s . so i r i s , as you havc sa id . Ser ipur ra . i l ' ac()untry is assai led by hai lstorms, untinely thundcr, or other tcrr iblc things, goodmen and good women should concentrate their minds on Tathigata Aksobhya andinvokc his nane;2-r this wi l l put an cnd to al l the disastcrs. lWhy?] Because in thepast, that

' I-athagata hclped l-rundreds of thousands of dragons out of their suffer-

ings.2a Because his compassionatc original vows arc glcnuine and sincere, and be-cause he wishes to f ir l f i l the dedication of his good roots wirhour fai l , al l those whoinvoke his namc wil l have their sorrow and distress rcl icved spontaneously, exceptthosc scntient beings whose prcvious [evi l ] karmas have r ipencd."

Sariputra said to thc Buddha, "World-Honored One, Bodhisattvas who wishto real ize supreme cnl ightcnment in this l i fc should act as Tathagata Aksobhyaacted when he was fulf i l l ing his vor,vs."

The Buddha to ld S i r ipu t ra , "So i t i s . so i t i s . . . . "At that t ime, the gods of the Realnr of l)esire and the gods of the Brahma

Hcavcn al l joined their palnrs toward IAksobhya] tsuddha, prosrrared themselvesto pay homage to hin'r, and chanted thrcc t irnes: "We pay homage to TathigataAksobhya, thc Worthy One, the Perfectly Enl ightcncd One, who is most extraor-dinarr ' ; and we takc refuge in Tathigata Sikyamuni, thc Worthy One, the Per-tcct lv Enl ightcncd One of this world, who is so ski l l ful in cxpounding this mcrit-praisinq Dl-rarnta-door. "

Then the gods of the Rcalm of l)esire strewed f lolvers of the coral tree and

PnarsrNc TalrrAc;ara Arsoeuv,r 's Mlurs 331

celestial incense over the Buddha. In the air. thc incense and f lowers fuscd andtbrnred a canopy. Furthermorc, thc gods scattcred thc celestial f lowers and incensetor.vard Aksobhya Buddha as offerings from afar. .

When thc Buddha had expoundcd this l)harma-door, f ive hundrcd monksacquircd mcntal l ibcrat ion concerning thc undefi led l)harn'ra; f ivc thousand Bod-hisattvas, six thousand nuns, cight thousar-rd laynren, tcn thousalld laywomen, andnunlerous gods of thc Rcalm of I)esire al l wished to be born in that l luddha-land.Thcrcupon, thc Tathagata predicted that thcy would al l bc born in that tsuddha-land.

When the Buddha f inishcd cxpoundirrg this sfrtra, Slr ipurr:. thc gods, hu-mans, asuras, gandharvas, garudas, kinnaras, and mahoraqas rvcre al l jubi lant overthc -tsuddha's Tcaching. They accepted i t with faith and began ro practicc i t q' i t l r

vcncration.

NOTES

1. To bc l ibcratcd in wisdom rncans thc complete eradicat ion of subt le igrrorancc orrnnate ego-cl i t rg ing, which rs thc obstruct ion to wisdorn. To bc l ibcrated in mir . rd impl ies thel ibr ' rat ion f rom passions and def i lerr rcnts u.h ich are thc obstruct ions to medi tat ion.

2. Thc text reads "past arrc l futurc." but th is $ 'as not thc quest ion asked. Also, i t istnappropr iatc hcre, lor thc cnt i re sutra is an account of Aksobhya who is a past Bodhisat tva.Therefore wc have dclctcd "ancl futurc."

3. This von' and many others in this sutra arc sublirnc and ex;rlted. They sccm to be of5upcrhuman naturc, bcyond the reach ofordinary hurnrn bcings. How,cvcr, thrs can also bcn)tcrprctcd as mcaning that i t rvas because of Aksobirya l luc ldha's superhurnan cf for t that herrrs atr lc to crcatc such an extraordinary pure land, thus enabl ing thc sot t ient t re ings thcrc tcr

f ract icc Dharrna easi ly in pcacc anci joy. (G.C.),1. Aksobhya nreans ' the Inrmovable One' .

5. Bhiksus s l . rould have no morc than three scts of robcs. Most of thc i tenrs in th is l is tr re : rn long the twelve ascct ic pract ices al lowcd bv the Buddha.

6. I f Aksobhya l ivcd in our Saha World, I doubt i f hc wor.r ld havc t imc fbr anvthinq.1sc . (C l .C . )

7. To the bcst of mv knorvlcdge, nei the-r in Hrnayana, Mahayina, nor Tantr ic rc lch-rr tqs is a "wct dreanr" or scxual dcsire in a drcanr considercd to t rc a v io latrorr o i1.p. . - .1.1r .

r . r 'c l lsc a purelv physical , involuntary act ion cannot bc construed as an ol icnsc. t ( i . t i . )

8. Al ternate t ranslat ion: " . he could causc innumerablc l . rundrcds oi rhousands of- . ' r l t icnt bei l rgs to p lant good roots lcading to suprcme enl ightenrnent. a l ld to de. l icr fc t l rosc

:ood roots to the at ta inment of suprcnre cnl ightcnrncnt and oia pure tsuddl t . r - land. Through

: rc power of h is dcdicat ion his vows rvere al l fu l f i l lcd."

9. The text reads "hal f 'a kro(a." A kro6a is the c l is tancc that thc lorv ins ofarr ox can bc: r l r r r l .

338 ON Punr LaNo

10. Thc three miserable plancs of existence arc usually listed as the plancs of hell-

dsel lcrs. l . rungry ghosts, and animals.

11. Instead of "coldness" (*) , thc rcxt reads "yel lowness" (F) , which wc th ink may be

r r r r ispr int . (Scc iF-Ff 6K , Taisho 2122, p.986). Wc c lo not know exact ly what k inds of

diseascs thc three are. (W.H.)

12. One of the four cont inents in Buddhist cosmology

13. A Nonreturner wi l l not return to th is wor ld, the Realm of l )esi rc, beforc he is

liberated. but he will be born in either the Realm of Form or the Realt.n of Formlesslress.

14. This rcfers to the tradition that in tl.rc Worthy Kalpa, a total of one thousand

Buddha; wi l l appcar. Sincc Slkyanruni Buddha \vrs rhe fourth, 996 more wi l l appear.

1/15- l l - i teral ly , "who are not th inking of the assembly."

16. This seltcnce is a lree translatiot.t. Thc text litcrally reads: "similarly, lconcerningl

those tsodhisat tvas born in the Land of woncler fu lJol , Papiyan's road is endecl . "

17. A swast ika is an auspic ious symbol i I r Buddhisn-r .

18. Such a kalpa is cal led a "nrccl iunl kalpa." Sce Ci lossary, "kalpa."

19. Thc three k incls of recol lect ion are probably thc rccol lect iot r of the Buddha, the

Dharrna, antl the' Sarhgha.

20. L i tcra l ly , "good and bacl fornrs."

21. L i teral ly , " rcach achicvernent."

22. Hcrc we see the powcr o1-thc namc of the Dharma-Door of Prais ing T'ath igata

Aksobhya's Mcr i ts . As far as the pract ice of thc Pure Land teaching is conccrned, however, i t

is most i rnportant to rccol lcct and repeat the Buddl-ra 's name constant ly . ( )nc should also

recollect the Br,rddha's original vows, his rnerits, purity, lancl, etc. Sincc we treat this sutra as

a Pure Lancl d iscourse, i t seerns appropr iate to strcss the inrportance ofrecol lect ing Tathagata

Aksobhya's namc.

23. This is an cxarnple of the power of rcpeat ing thc Buddha's name.

24. According to Buddhist mythology, dragons cause some natural d isasters such as

floods, thunder, ancl hailstorms. Becausc he helped the dragons in thc past, Tathagata Akso-

bhya has tlre power to influcnce them to stop causillg srich disasters.

18 ffi€#rux€The Land of Utmost Bliss

I

Thus have I hcard. Oncc thc l luddha was dwcll ing on Mount Grdhrakuta ncar thc

city of Rajagrha, accon-rpar-r ied by twelve thousand great nronks, who were grcat

Srdvakas wcl i known to cvcryonc. Anrong them, thc lbrenrost were the Vencrable

. . . Mahaki(yapa, Si. iputra, Mahinraudgalyayarra, . . . Rihula, and Ananda.

Surrounding thc Buddha wcrc also such lcading Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas as

tsodhisattva Samantabhadra, Bodhisattva Manju(r i , IJodhisattva Maitreya, and

other Bodhisattva-Mahisattvas of the Worthy Kalpa. . . .

Al l these Bodhisattvas fol lowed the path of Samantabhadra, They had ful-

illled all the practices and vows of a lJodhisattva. They abided securely in all

rncritorious dharrnas, and had reached the ultirnatc othcr shorc of tsuddha-Dhar-

mas. They aspired to attain supreme enl ightenment in al l the worlds.

At that t imc, thc Vcnerablc Ananda rosc fronr his scat, adjustcd his robc.

bared his r ight shoulder, knelt on his r ight knee, joined his palms toward the

Buddha, anC said, "Most virtuous World-Honored One, your body and organs are

cornpletely pure, shedding an awesorne light as bright as that of a pile of gold. and

shining l ike a clear mirror. I havc never seen such a sight before. I am f l l led rvithjoy to have this rare chance to gaze at them. World-Honored Onc, r 'ou have

perfected thc dccds of a Tathigata and havc skillfully cstablished the dceds of a

Great Man. Now, entering the great, tranquil dhyana, you are thinking about past,

present, and luture Buddhas. World-Honored One, why do you have such a

thought in mind?"

Thereupon, the Buddha askcd Ananda, "How carl vou know this? Is i t

Sutra 5, Taisho 310, pp. 91-101; translated into Chinese by Bodhiruci.

ON Punr LaNo

becausc some gods havc comc to tel l you? Or becausc vou see me and know it by

l,oursclf?"Ananda answcrcd thc tsuddha, "World-Honored Onc, this idea occurs to me

becausc I scc the extraordinary, auspicious l ight of thc Tathigata, not bccausc the

gods have to ld rne . "

I hc t luddha told Ananda, "Exccl lent, cxccl lcnt l You have asked a very good

qucstion. I t is because you are very observant and wonderful ly eloquent that you

can ask the Tathagata such a question. You have brought up this question so that

in this world may appcar al1 Tathagatas, the Worthy Ones, the Perfectly Enl ight-

cncd Oncs, and thc great Bodhisattvas as wcl l , for thcy al l abidc sccurcly in grcat

compassion to bcnefi t scrl t icnt beings, ancl their appearance in the world ls as rare

as ther blossoming of an udumbara t ' lou' 'er. I t is also bccausc you take pity on

sentient beings and wish to benefi t ar-rd gladden then-r that you ask thc Tathagata

this qucstior-r."Ananda, the Tathigata, thc Worthv One, the Perfcct ly Enl ightcncd Onc, is

ski l led in revealing immeasurable knou' ledge ar.rd views. Why? Because the Ta-

thigata is unhindcred in his knowlcdgc and views."

Then the tsuddha t,-r ld Ananda, "An innumerablc, incalculable numbcr of

great kalpas ago, there was a Buddha . named Freest in thc World, thc Tatha-

gata, thc Worthy Onc, the Perf-ect ly Enl ightcncd Onc, thc Onc Pcrfect in Learning

ancl Concluct, the Well-Gone One, thc World-Knower, thc Uncxccl lcd Onc, thc

Great Tamer, the Teacher of Gods and Hur-nans, the tsuddha, the World-Honored

Onc."Anar-rda, irr thc cra of that tsuddha, there was a monk named l)harmikara.

He rvas a man of superior deeds and vows, and had strong powcrs of mindfulness

and wisdom. He was f lrm ar-rd imn-rovablc in mind. Hc had grcat blcssings al ld

knowlcdge and his fcaturcs werc handsome."Ananda, [one day], Monk Dharmikara wcnt to thc Tathigata Frccst in thc

World, bared his r ight shoulder, bowed down with his head at the -tsuddha's feet,joincd his palnrs toward thc Buddha, and praiscd hirn in vcrsc.

"Ananda, after Monk I)harnrakara had praised the Buddha's nreri ts, he said,'World-Honored One, now I anr dctcrnrined to pursue supreme enl ightenment.

Ma1' the Tathlgata expound to nre thc doctr ines that wi l l cause me to attain the

grcat enl ightennent unequaled in the world, and to develop a pure, magnif icent

I luddha-land! ""That Buddha told the monk, 'You should devclop a purc Buddha-land by

yourself. '"Dharmakara said to that Buddha, 'World-Honorcd Onc, I havc no power

ro develop one. May the Tathigata relate the purity and magnif icence of other

Bucldha-lands! I swcar to cndow [rny tsuddha-land with thosc purc, magnificent

quali t iesl after hearing them revealed. '"Thereupon, that !ilorld-Honored One told him in detail the perfect adorn-

Tnr LaNo or Urnosr Brtss 341

ments of two bi l l ion one hundred rni l l ion purc Buddha-lands. I t took that Bud-dha a hundred mil l ion years to do this.

"Ananda, Monk Dharnrlkara assimilatcd al l the pure, magnif icent qual i t iesof these two billion one hundred million tsuddha-lands. Then hc cngaged in con-templation and practice of [ fulf i l l ing] thcm for f ive complete kalpas."

Ananda asked the Buddha, "World-Honored Orre, ho.,v long did TathigataFreest in the World l ive?"

The World-Honored One answcrcd, "That Buddha l ived tbr forty kalpas.Anar.rda, the Buddha-larrd which Monk Dharmakara would develop surpasses anyof thc two bi l l ion onc hundred mil l ion Buddha-lands mentioned abovc. After hehad assimilated [al l the practices for developing a Buddha-land], he went to Tathi-gata Frccst in thc Wogld, bowed down with his head at that Buddha's fect, cir-cumambulatcd him ' i i rv-en t imcs to the r ight, stood to one side, and said, 'World-

Honored Onc, I havc assirni latcd Ial l thc practices to dcvclopl a pure, n-ragnif icentBuddha-land with ful l merits. '

"That Buddha said, ' l t is t ime for y<-ru to rcveal the practices completelv, sothat you can makc thc asscrnbly joyful, and also cnablc thcm to develop perfectBuddlra-lands. '

"Dharnrikara said, 'May thc World-Honored One be so kind as to l isten.Now I am go ing to p roc la in r n ry g rer t iows:

(1) I shal l not attain suprene enl ightcnmcnt i f thcrc would st i l l be the planes

of hel l-dwellers, hungry ghosts, and aninrals in my land.r(2) I shal l not attain supreme enl ightenment i f any sentient being from

my land woulc' l fal l to thc thrcc miserable planes of existence [ in otherlands l .

(3) I shall not attain supreme enlightenrnent if the scnrient bcings in my landwould not al l be endowed with a complexion of gcnuine gold.

(4) I shal l not attain supremc cnl ightenement i f thcrc would bc such dist inc-t ions as good and ugly appearances among the sentient beings in myland.

(5) I shall not attain supre me enlightenment if any senricnt being in my landr,';ould fail to achieve the powcr to remember the past lives of himself

[and others]-even events that happened hundreds of thousands of Inri l -

l ions of] bi l l ions of myriads of kalpas ago.

I shall not attain supreme enlightenmcnt if any sentient being in mv land

would not be endowcd with thc dcva-eye, enabling him to scc hundreds

of thousar.rds of Imil l ions of] bi l l ions of myriads of Buddha-lands.I shal l not attain suprcmc cnl ightenment i f any senticnt bc.rng in my land

would fai l to obtain thc dcva-car, cnabling him to hcar thc Dharma

expounded by another Buddha hundreds of thousands of [mil l ions of]bi l l ions of myriads of leagues away.

(6)

342 ON PunE LaNo

(ti) I shall not attain supreme enlightenment if any sentient being in my land

would not be endowed with thc power of knowing othcrs' minds, so

that he would not know the mcntal i t ies of the sentient beings in hun-

dreds of thousands of Imillions of] billions of myriads of othcr tsuddha-

lands.

(9) I shal l not attain supreme enl ightenmcnt i f any sentient being in my land

would fail to achieve the perfcct mastery of the power to appear any-

where at wi l l ,2 so that hc would not be able to travcrsc hundreds of

thousands of Imil l ions of] bi l l ions of myriads of tsuddha-iands in a l lash

of thought.

(10) I shal l not attain supremc cnl ightcnnrent i f any sentient being in n-ry land

wou ld en ter ta in cvcn an io ta o f the no t ion o f ' l ' and 'mine . '

(11) I shal l not attain supreme cnl ightcnment i f any sentient being in my land

would rrot certainly achieve supremc enl ightcnrncnt and real ize grcat

nrrvana.

(12) I shal l not attain suprerne' cni igirtcnmcnt i f my l ight would bc so l imited

as to be unable to i l lur.rr irrate hundrcds of thousands of [mil l ions of]

billions of r.r.ryriads-or any number-of tsuddha-lands.

(13) I shal l not attain suprcmc enl ightcnmcnt i f my l i fc span would be l imitcd

to cvcn hundreds of thousands of [nri l l ions of l bi l l ions of myriads of

kalpas, or any countablc number of kalpas.

(14) I shal l not attain suprcnle enl ightenment i f arryone would bc able to

knou' the l lumber of Srivakas in my land. Even i f al1 thc scnticnt be ings

and Pratyckabuddhas in a billion-world universe exercised their utmost

courlt ing power to count togethcr for hundreds of thousands of years,

thcy would not be ablc to krrow it .

(15) I shal l not attain supreme cnl ightctrment i f any scrl t icnt being in my land

would have a l imited l i fe span, except those who arc born duc to their

V O w S .

(16) I shai l not attain supreme enl ightcnmcnt i f any sentient bcing in my land

would havc a bad reputation.

(17) I shal l not attain supreme enl ightcnment i f my land would not be praised

and acclaimed by innumerablc Buddhas in countlcss tsuddha-lands.

(18) When I rcalize suprenlc cnlightennrent, therc will be sentient bcings in

other Buddha-lands who, after hearing my name, dcdicatc thcir good

roots to birth in my land in thought aftcr thought. Even if they navc

only tcn such thoughts, thcy wiil be born in nly land, except for thosc

who have pcrformed karmas leading to the Uninterrupted Hell and those

who speak i l l of the true l)harma or saints. I f this would not bc thc case,

I shall not attain cnlightcnmcnt.

(19) When I bccome a Buddha, I shal l appcar with an assembly of monks at

the deathbeds ofscnticnt beings ofother Buddha-lands who have brought

forth bodhicitta, who think of my land with a purc mind, and who

i

TnE LaNo oE l jruosr Brrss 343

dedicate their good roots to birth in the Land of Utmost Bl iss.r I shal l not

attain supreme enlightenment if I would fail to do so.

(20) When I become a Buddha, al l the sentient beings in countless Buddha-lands, who, having heard my name and dedicated their good roots to

birth in the Land of Utmost Bl iss, wi l l be born there. Otherwisc, I shal l

not attain suprcmc enlightenment.

(21) I shal l not attain supreme enl ightenment i f any Bodhisattva in my land

would fai l to achieve the thirty-two auspicious signs.(22) I shal l not attain supreme enl ightcnmcnt i f any I lodhisattvas in my land

on their way to great bodhi would fail to reach the stage of being only

one l i fet ime away from Buddhahood. This excludes those Bodhisattvas

with great vows who wear the armor of vigor for thc sake of sentrent

beings; who str ive to do beneficial deeds and cult ivate great nirvatra; whoperform the deeds of a Bodhisattva throughout al l Buddha-lands andmake offerings to al l Buddhas, the Tathigatas; and who establ ish asmany serl t ient beings as the sands of the Ganges in supremc eni ighten-

ment. [This also cxcludes] those who seek l iberation by fol lou' ing thepath of San-rantabhadra, dcvoting themselves to [Bodhisattvas'] practiccseven more than those [who have attained the stage of being only onc

l i t t imc away trorn Buddhahoodl.(23) I shal l not attair.r supreme enl ightcnnrcnt i f the Bodhisattvas in rny land

wor.r lcl not, by thc awcsonre power of the tsuddha, bc ablc to makeofferings to countless hundreds of thousands of Imil l ions of] bi l l ions ofmyriads of Buddhas in other l luddha-lands every morning and return totheir own larrd before mealt ime.

(24) I shal l not attain supreme enl ightennrent i f the Bodhisattvas in my land

would not possess every varicty ofoffering they need to plant good rootsin various Buddha-lancls.

(25) I shal l not attain suprenlc cnl ightcnmcnt i f thc Bodhisattvas in my land

would not bc ski l led in expounding thc esst:nce of the l)harma in har-

mony with al l-knowing wisdorn.(2Q I shai l not attain suprcnlc enl ightenrnent i [ the Bodhisattvas in mv land

wculd not have thc cnormous strength of a Nlrtyana.(27) When I becon.re a Buddha, no one wil l be able to describc conrplctelv

thc art iclcs of adornnrcnt irr my land; cvcn onc with thc dcva-eve vu' i l l

not bc ablc to know al l their variet ies of shapc, color, and bri l l iancc.

If anyone could know and describc thcm al l , I shal l not attair.r supreme

enlightenment.(28) I shal l not attain supreme cnl ightenment i f in nry land there u'ould be

Ilodhisattvas with inferior roots of virtuc who could not knou' thc nu-

merous kir-rds of trees, one hundred thousand leagucs high, which wil l

abound in my land.

(29) I shal l not attain suprcme enl ightenment i f those sentient beings in my

344 ON Punr Larl

land who read and recite shtras and explain thcm to others would not

acqu i rc superb e loqucnce.

I shal l not attain supreme err l ightenment i f any tsodhisattva in my land

would bc unable to achieve l imit less eloqucncc.

Vy'hcn I beconre a Buddha, my land wil l bc uncqualcd in brightncss and

purity; i t wi l l clearly i l luminate countless, numberless tsuddha-lands-

inconceivable in nunrbcr- just as a clear nrirror reveals one's features. I f

this would not bc so, I shal l not attairr supreme enl ightennrcnt.

Whcn I become a Buddha, there wil l bc innumcrablc kinds of inccnse on

land and ir.r the air within the borders of mv land, and therc wil l bc

hundreds of thousands of [mil l ions of] bi l l ions of myriads of precious

censers, from which wrl l r isc thc fragrancc of the inccnsc, permeating al l

of space. Thc inccnsc wil l be supcrior to thc rnost cherished incensc of

humans and gods, and wil l be used as an olf lr ing to Tathigatas and

Bodhisattvas. I f this would not bc thc casc, I shal l not attain suprcmc

enlightenment.' !?he'n

I bcconrc a Bucldha, scntierl t beings in countless realms-incon-

ceivablc anci ur.rcqualccl in nurnbcr throughout the tcn dircct ions who

are touchcd by thc awcsomc l ight of thc Buddha r.vi l l f i 'c l morc secure

and .1<,ryfu1 in body ancl rnind than othcr hunrans or gods. Otherwisc, I

shal l not attain supreme er-r l ightenmer-rt.

I shall not attain suprerrrc enlighte-nmcnt if Bodhisattvas in countlcss

Bucldha-lands-inconceivable and unequaled in number-would not real-

izc [ thc truth of] nonarising and acquirc dhiranis aftcr they hcar my

nainc.

Whcn I bccomc a tsuddha, al l thc womcn in numbcrlcss Buddha-lands-

inconccivable and unequaled in number who, af ier hearing my nane,

acquirc purc faith, bring forth boc'lhicitta, ancl arc tircd of thc fcmalc

bocly, will rid thcnrsclvcs of thc fc'nralc body in thcir futurc livcs. If this

would not be thc case, I shal l not attain suprcmc cnl ighterrment.

I shal l not attain suprenre cnl ightennrcnt i f Bodhisattvas in countless

Buddha-lands-inconccivablc and urrcqualcd in nunrbcr-who attain the

doctrinc of nonarisinga aftcr hcarin!! my namc would fail to cultivate

supcrb, purc conduct unti l thcy attain grcat bodhi.

I shrl l not attain suprcmc cnl ightcnmcnt i f , whcn I bccomc a tsuddha,

humans and gods would not pay homage to al l the tsodhisattvas of

numbcrlcss tsuddha-lands who, aftcr hcaring my nanc, prostrate them-

sclvcs I in obeisance to me] and cult ivate the deeds of a l lodhisattva with a

pure mind.

Whcn I become a lluddha, serltierlt beings in my land will obtain the

clothing they nccd as soorl as they think of i t , just as a man wil l be

spontaneously clad in a monastic robe whe-n thc Buddha says, "Wel-

(3 t t ;

( 3 1 )

(32)

(33)

(14)

(37)

(35)

(.16)

/ ltt\

(3e)

(40)

( 4 1 )

(4) \

Tnr Lauo or Uruosr Brrss 3,+5

come, monkl" I f this would not bc thc casc, I shal l not attain supreme

enlightenmcnt.

I shal l not attain suprcnc cnl ightcnmcnt i f any sentient being in my land

would not at birth obtain the neccssit ies of l i fe and become secure, pure,

and bl issful in nrind, l ike a monk who has ended al l dcf i lemcnts.

When I bccomc a Buddha, i f serrt ient beings in nrv land u' ish to sec other

superbly adorned, pure Buddha-lands, thcsc lands rvi l l imn'rediately ap-

pear to thenr among the precious trL-cs. just as onc's face appears in a

clcar mirror. I f this u'ould not be the case, I shal l not attain supreme

enlightcnment.

I shal l rrot attain supreme enl ighter-rment i f any scnticnt being in any

other Buddha-land, atter hearing my name and before attaining bodhi,

would be [bornl with incomplctc organs or organs restr ictcd in function.

When I become a Buddha, any Boclhisattva in any othcr Buddha-land,

after hearing my name, wil l be able to know dist inct ly the names of

supcrb samadhis. Whilc in remaining in samadhi, thcy wil l bc ablc to

make offcr ings to countlcss, numbcrlcss Buddhas-inconccivablc and un-

equalcd in nunrbcr- in a monlcnt, and wil l bc ablc to rcal izc grcat sama-

dhis5 instantly. I f this would not be the case, I shal l not attain supreme

cnlightenment.

I shal l not attair.r suprcnrc cn' l ightenment i f , whc-n I bccomc a Buddha,

any ,Bodhisattva in any other Buddha-land who has heard my namc

would not bc born in a noble: family aftcr dcath.

I shal l not attain suprenre enl ightennrent i f , when I become a Buddha,

any Boclhisattva in any othcr Buddha-land would rrot immcdiatcly cul-

t ivatc the Bodhisattva practices, become purif icd and joyful, abidc in

cquali ty, and possess al l good roots after he hears my nanle.

When I becorne a tsuddha, Bodhisattvas in other Buddha-lands wil l

achieve the'Sar-nadhi of Equali ty.rt tcr heering lr ly nf,nrc and wil l , with-

out rcgrcssion, abidc in this samadhi and makc constant offcr ings to an

innumerable, unequaled number of Buddhas unti l those Bodhisattvas

attain bodhi. I f this would not bc thc casc, I shal l not attain supreme

cnlightcnmcnt.

I siral l not attain suprcrnc cnl ightcnmcnt i f tsodhisatn'as irr nr) '

land would not hcar at wi l l thc Dharrna thcy wishcd to hcar.

I shal l not attair-r supreme enl ightenment i f , when I beconie a tsucldha,

any Bodhisattva in arry othcr tsuddha-land wor.r ld rcgrcss trom thc path

to supremc enl ightenmcnt alter hc hcars my namc.

I shal l not attai l l supreme enl ightenment i t , when I beconre a Buddha, any

Bodhisattva in any othcr Buddha-land would r-rot acquirc thc f irst, the

sccond, or thc third rcal izat ionb as soon as hc hcard r ly nanle, or would

not instantly attain nonregression with regard to l luddha-l)harmas." '

(43)

(41)

(1s)

(46)

(17)

(48)

346 ON PunE LaNo

Then the Buddha told Ananda. "Having made these' vows in the prcscnce of

f athagata Freest in the World, Monk Dharmikara, by thc awesome power of thc

Buddha, spoke in verse:

" ' I now make great oaths

In the presence of the Tath-gata:

If I have not fulfilled these lofty vou,s

The day whcn I would real ize supremc bodhi,

I shal l not become an unequrled Honorcd One

Possessing the tcn powers.

If I car-rnot always givc abundantly

To rel ievc the poor and sulfcr ing,

And to bcncfi t worldl ings with peace and joy,

I shal l not become

A world-delivcrir.rg Dtrarma King.

I i whcn I would real ize enl ightenment

j On the bodhi-site,

My narne is not known throughout thc ten direct ions

ln courrt lcss, boundlcss Buddha-lands,

I shall not beconre a World-Honorcd C)ne'

with the ten powcrs.

If I lack wisdorn, mindfulness, aud pure conduct

When moving toward suprcmc bodhi

And renouncing thc houschold life

To be frec from desire,

I shal l not become the Tamer,

The Teacher of Gods and Humans.

I vow to acquire thc immeasurable l ight

Of a Tath iga ta . i l l umina t ing

All Buddha-lands in the ten directions;

I vow to eradicate

All desire, hatrcd, and igr-rorance,

And to eliminate the miscrable realms of the world.

I vo'uv to open the clear wisdom-eye,

[Gaining] the light to dispel darkness

In all realms of existcncc.

I vow to climinate

All adversities completely,

And to become the Great, Awesome One

Among gods and humans.

Tgr LRNo on Uruosr Buss 317

When I havc cultivated tl-re original practicesT

To the stage of puri ty,

I shal l acquire the l imit less, superb, au'esome l ight

!?hich can outshine the brilliance

Of suns, moons, gods, pearls,

Or any othcr source of l ight.

After the Supreme Man has cult ivated those practiccs,

Hc wil l be a hidden treasure to thc poor.

Unequaled, perfect in wholesomc Dharmas,

He wil l makc thc l ion's roar

Arnong the crowd.

In thc past, for many kalpas,

I rnade offerir-rgs to those with spontaneous wisdom,And pcrscvcred i r r p r rc t i c ing . tus te r i t ies

To scck the supreme store of wisdom,

Fulf i l my original vows,

And become an Honored One among gods and humans.

A Tathagata is unhindcrcd in knowlcdgc and views;

He carr understand cvcrything in the world.n

May I becomc an (Jnequalcd One,

A Suprcmc Knowcr, a Truc Tcachcr!

If I can trr.rly fulfill thesc grcat vows,

And rcal izc grcat cnl ightcnnrcnt,

May the billion-world universe quake

Arrd thc gods shower f lowers from the sky! '

"Thereupon, thc grcat carth began to quake, celest ial f lowers and the sounds

of drums and music filled thc sky, and a drizzle of fine powdered sandalwood

began to fal l . A voice proclaimcd, 'You wil l become a Buddha in the futurel ' . . .""

Then Ananda asked the Buddha, "World-Honored One, when docs Bodhi-

sattva Dharmakara attain enl ightenment? Has l-re done so in the past, wi l l he do so

in the frrture, or does he do so r-row ir-r another world?"

The tsuddha said to Ananda, " ln thc west, ten tr i l l ion Buddha-lands away

from here, there is a world cal lcd Utmost Bl iss. Monk Dharrnakara has become a

Buddha there named Amit-yus.1{) Right now, surrounded respectfulh' bv courrt less

Bodhisattvas and Srivakas, he is preaching the Dharma."Ananda, the l ight of that Buddha is i l luminating al l Buddha-lands, incal-

culable and inconceivable in number. Now I wi l l speak about this brict ly. His l ight

illuminates Buddha-lands in the east as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, and

cqually numerous Buddha-lands irr the south, the west, the north, irr each of the

four intermediate directions, the zenith, and the nadir, except for places illumi-

ON Punr LaNo

natcd by other tsuddhas with their own l ights, through the power o[ thcir originalvows. The l ights of Amit iyus Buddha may reach as far as scveral feet, one lcaguc,and so on, up to hundrcds of thousands of [mil l ions of l bi l l ions of myriads oflcagucs; somc may cvcn shine over al l Buddha-lands. Ananda, for this rcason,Amitayus Buddha has other nancs, such as Inf inite Light, Boundless Light, De-tached Light, Unhindered Light, King of l l lumination, Magnif icent Light, LovingLight, Joyful Light, Pleasant Light, Inconccivable Light, Unequaled Light, Im-measurable Light, Light Outshining the Sun, Light Outshining the Moon, andLight Outshining Suns and Moons. His l ight, purc and immcnse, makes al l sen-t icnt bcings [ in his land] feel joyful in body and mind. I t also gives joy to gods,dragons, yaksas, asuras, and other beings in al l othcr Buddha-lands. Ananda, i ff iom this monlent I began to dcscribc the l ight of that Buddha, I would not be ableto f inish describing i t even in an entire kalpa.

"Furtherrnore, Ananda, thc nurnbcr of Tathigata Amitayus's assembly ofSrlvakas cannot be known by countir-rg. Suppose there were hundrcds of thou-sands of Imil l ions of] bi l l ions of myriads of monks, ai l of whorn cnjoycd rhe samemastcry of nriraculous powcrs rs Mahimaudgalyayana, and who could in themorning travcrsc a billion-world universc and return to their own abodes in aninstant. Furthermore, supposc al l thcsc rnonks gathcred togethcr and spent hun-drcds of thousands of [mil l ions of j bi l l ions of myriads of years, excrcisir.rg theirmiraculous l lowers to the utmost unti l thcy cntcrcd nirvana, in calculat ing thenumber of Sravakas in thc f irst asscmbly hcld by Amitayus Buddha. They wouldsti l l be unable to know one hundredth, one thousandth, one hundred thousandth,and so on, down to one inf initesinral part of i ts number. . . . Thc same is true ofthe number of Bodhisattva-Mahisattvas in his land, which cannot be known bycountlng.

"Ananda, thc l i fc span of that Buddha is immeasurable and l imit less; i t isimpossible for anyonc to know how rnany kalpas hc wil l l ive. The samc is true ofthe Sravakas, Bodhisattvas, gods, and humans [ in his landJ."

Ananda askcd the Buddha, "World-Honored One, how long has i t beensince that Buddha, who can cnjoy such an immcasurable life, appeared in theworld?"

Thc tsuddha told Ananda, " l t has bcen ten kalpas since that Buddha wasborn.

"Furthermore, Ar-randa, the Land of Utmost Bliss abounds in countless nter-i ts and adornmcnts. I t is a r ich land. Gods and humans thrive there; they arecongenial, peaceful, and always feel secure. There are no planes of hell-dwellers or

aninrals, nor thc domain of Yama. The land is pcrvaded by the fragrance of al lkinds of incense and spread with various wonderful flowers. Banncrs bcdcckcds'rth thc scvcn trcasurcs stand in rows everywhere. Ovcr thc jewelled banners areset canopies, from which precious bel ls of hundrcds of thousands of wondcrfulcolors are suspended.

"Ananda, there are many prccious trccs in that Tathagata's land: gold trees,

Tsr LaNo or l j ruosr Bltss 349

si lver trees, lapis lazul i trees, crystal trees, red pearl trees, agate trees, and jade

trees. Some of them are made purely of one treasure, not mixed with other

treasures. Some are adorneC with two, threc, and so on, up to scvcn treasures."Also, all over that Buddha-land, there are numberless trees adorned with

pcarls or other treasures. The bri l l iance of these precious trees is incomparable in

the world. Thcy are covered with nets made of the seven treasurcs, as soft as

cotton."Morcovcr, Ananda, in Amit iyus tsuddha's land, therc is a bodhi-trce six-

teen hundred million leagues high, with branches and leaves spreading out over an

area eight hundrcd mil l ion lcagucs [ in radiusl. I ts roots abovc the- ground are f ive

thousand lcagucs high. . . . The bodhi-trcc is adorncd all around u.ith gold chains

from which hang jeweled tassels made of various gems,rrred. white, and green

pearls, and so forth. The.leweled columns [of the bodhi-tree] are decorated with

chains madc of 'lion-cloud-gathcring' gcms. Thc chains arc covcred with a net, to

which are attached bel ls made of pure gold, pearls, and various other gems. Orr the

nct, crystal swastikas,l2 half-moon jewels, and so forth ref lcct onc anothcr. Whcn a

breeze st irs, many kinds of sounds are given forth, which cause the sentient beings

in that billion-world universe to attain [various dcgrccs of] the Realization ofNor-rarising with regard to the profour-rd Dharn-ra, according to their respecrive

inclinations. Ananda, aftcr hcaring the sounds, some sentient beings in that billion-

world universe will not further regress from thc path to supreme enlightenment,

and innumcrablc othcrs will achicvc thc Realization of the Nonarising of l)harmas."Furthermore, Ananda, if a sentient being sccs thc bodhi-tree, hears its

sounds, smclls its fragrance, tastes thc flavor of its fruit, touches its brilliance and

shade, or thinks of its merits, he will have no ailments of his five sense-organs,

will not be distracted in mind, and will not regress fron-r his progress toward

suprcmc cnlightcnmcnt until hc cntcrs nirvar.ra. Moreover, because hc sccs the

bodhi-tree, he will acquire three kinds of realization. What are the three? First, the

realization derived from sound; second, the realization ofpliancy;13 third, the Real-

ization of the Nonarising of Dharmas. All this is possible because Amit-yus Bud-

dha has vested lin the bodhi-tree] the divine power of his original vows. ."

I I

The tsuddha told Ananda, " ln the Land of (Jtmost Bl iss, there are no seas, but

there are rivers. The narrowest river is ten leagues wide and the shallorvest water

twclvc lcagucs dccp. Somc rivcrs arc twcnty, thirty, and so on, cvcrl a hundrcd

leagues in depth or width. The deepest and the widest ones measure up to one

thousand lcagues. The water is clear and cool and has the eight meritorious quali-

ties. Thc decp currcnts flow rapidly, giving forth a wonderful sound, which is like

the sound of hundreds of thousands of musical instruments played by gods; it is

350 ON Punr LeNo

heard all ovcr the Land of Utmost Bliss. tseautiful flowers float downstream onthe water. A gentle breeze wafts fragrance of al l kinds. On the two banks of therivers, there arc many sandalwood trees with long branches and dense foliageinterlaced into canopies over the rivers. They produce bcautiful, fragrant flowcrsand bear lovely, shiny fruit. People come there to roam about and enjoy them-selves as they likc. Some wade through thc water, washing their feet in thc streamsand making merry. The celestial water in thc streams is agreeablc to all and altersits depth and temperature at any t imc to suit thc peoplc in i t .

"Ananda, the bottom of the great r ivers is covcred with gold sand. Therivers give forth a celestial fragrance sprcad by thc wind, with which nothingworldly can comparc. Thc sweet-smell ing water f lows along, strewed with celes-t ial f lowers of the coral tree, bluc lotus f lowers, red lotus f lowers, white lotusf lowers, and giant white lotus f lowers. Furthermore. Ananda. whcn people in thatBuddha-la'd go togcther on an excursiorl ro thc r iversidc, those who do not wishto hcar the sound ofthe rapids wil l not hear i t at al l , eve' i f they have acquircd thedeva-ear. Those who wish to hear i t wi l l immcdiately hear hundreds of thousandsof pleasant sou'cls, such as thc sounds of the Buddha, thc Dharma and the Sarhgha;the sounds ofcessation; thc sounds ofno essence, the sounds ofthe paramitas; thesounds of the ten powers and thc four fearlcssnesses; the sounds of miraculouspowers; the souncls of nonaction; thc sounds of nonarising and nonccssation; thesouncls of quicsccnce, universal l4 quicscence, and utter quicscence; the sounds ofgrcat kindness and grcat compassion; thc sounds of the Realization of the Nonaris-ing of Dharmas; and the sounds of anointment and enthronement. Aftcr hearingthcsc various sounds, the l isteners wil l bc ovcrwhelmcd by feehngs of great joy anddcl ight, and become responsivc to I the tcachings onl corrtemplation, renunciat ion,dcstruction [ofdefi lements], quiesccncc, universal quiescence, utter quiesccnce, thetaste of the doctr irre, thc Buddha, thc Dharma, thc Sarirgha, the tcn powers, thefour fearlessncsscs, the miraculous powers, cessation, cnl ightenment, Sravakahood,and nirvlna.

"Furthermore, Ananda, in the Land of Utmost tsl iss, thc names of themiserable planes of cxistence are not heard. There are no such ternls as hindrancc,or enshrouding defi lements; nor such terms as hel l , Yama, or animal. There arc nosuch tcrms as the eight adversities, nor ternls for painful or neutral feelings. Thcrcis not even the concept of sufferi'g, let alonc real suffering. This is why thattsuddha-land is cal lcd (Jtmost Bl iss. A'arrdr, .ow I can speak only brief ly of thisbl issful land. I f I spoke of i t in detai l , I would not be able to f inish even i f I spentan entire kalpa.

"Moreovcr, Ananda, al l the sentient beings of the Land of Utmost l l l iss,rvhether they have been, arc being, or wi l l be born there, have exquisite bodi lyforms a'd handsome features. They have frcc cornmand of miraculous powers anda full complement of merits. They enjoy all kinds of palaccs, gardens, groves,garments, food and drink, incense, flowers, and necklaces. Whatevcr they wantappears to thcm spontaneously, as it is with the gods of the paranirmita-Va5avartin

Heaven.

Tns LaNo or Urlaosr Blrss 351

"Furthermore, Ananda, in that Buddha-land there is a kind of subtlc foodwhich sentient beings eat without using their mouths; they feel they are eating rhefood as soon as they think about it, as it is with the gods in the Sixth Heaven. Thefood nourishes the body but produces no excrement.

"Moreover, there are unl imited quanti t ies of the most agreeable incense,perfumed ointmcnt, and powdered incensc, the fragrance of which permeates allthat Buddha-land. Also found everywhere are banners and scattered flowers. Thosewho wish to smell the fragrance will smell it at will, while those who do not wishto wil l smell nothir)g.

" l f senticnt beings want palaces, storied bui ldings, or pavi l ions-whetherhigh or low, long or short, wide or narrow, squarc or round-or i f they war-rt bcdsor couches with wonderful covcrings, decoratcd with various gen1s, thcsc thingsrvi l l appcar bcfore them spontaneously according to thcir respectivc wishes, so thateveryorle will think hc is living in a palace of his own.

"Furthermore, Arran.la, thc scnticnt beings in the Land of Ljtmosr Bl iss arerrot different from one anothcr in appearance; however, to conform to thc conven-t iorrs of other lands, they assul lc the names of gods or huma's. . A.anda, voushould kr-row that the scntient beings in that land are al l l ike the king of theParanirmita-VaSavart in Heaven.

"Ananda, every morning, a gcntle brcczc blows al l over the bl issful land,which causes l1o reverse or disturbing winds and carr ies the fragrancc of variousflowers to every corner of that Buddha-tand. Al l sentient bei 'gs, when touched bythr.: breeze, feel as pcacc-ful and comfortable as a monk who has achieved the Dhy-naof complete cessatiorr of Fecl ing and conccption.l5 whe'the trccs madc of thescvcn treasures arc blown by the breezc, their blossoms f i ; l l and form pi lcs as tal l asseven persons, and thc eutir!: Buddha-land is illumirratcd bv thcir multicoloredlights. The flowers are evcnly nrixcd and sprcad out according to their diffcrentcolors, as i f someonc had spread them over the ground and levclcd them with hishar-rds. Thcy are exquisitc flowers, large, ar-rd as soft as cotton. whcn the seprielrbei 'gs trcad on the pi les, their feet sink as nruch as four f ingers deep, but whc'they lift their feet, the ground returns to its original condition. When the rnornrngis over, the f lowcrs sponta'eouslv sink into the ground. As the old f lowers disap-pear, the great earth bcconcs refreshingly clean, and thcn a rain of neu. f lou.erscntirely covcrs the grour-rd again. Thc same thing happens [six t inrcs a dar' ] : in rheearly, nriddlc, and last part of the day, and in thc early, middle, ar.rd last p.rrt oirher r i g h t . l 6

"Ana'da, al l thc rarest trcasures are fou'cl in the Land of Utmosr Bl iss.Ananda, in that Buddha-la'd, there arc lotus f lowers made of the se 'cn rreasures,and each of thc lotus f lowers has countless hundreds of thousands oiInri l l ions of]bi l l ions of pctals i ' nurncrous hundreds of thousands of rare colors. Each lotusis adorned with hu'dreds of thousands of wonderful wish-fulfilling pearls a'dcovercd with precious nets, al l of t i rem mutual ly ref lcct ing. Ananda, a lotus f lowerthere has a diameter of half a leaguc, or onc, two, three, four, even one hundred orone thousarrd leagues, and each emits three billion six hundred million myriads of

352 ON Punr LaNo

lights.17 hr cach l ight appcar three bi l l ion six hundred mil l ion myriads of Buddhas.These Buddhas are golder.r in complexion and supcrbly adorned with thc thirty-two auspicious signs and thc cighty nrinor ones. Thcy emit hundrcds of thousandsof l ights to i l luninate every corner of the world. They go to the east to preach theI)harma to thc pcople and cstabl ish countless scnticnt beings in the Buddha-Dharma. For thc same purposc, they also go to thc south, thc wcst, thc north, thefour intcrmcdiate direct ions, the zcnith, and thc nadir.

"Furthermorc, Ananda, in the Land of Utmost Bl iss. therc is no darkncss orgloom, r lor the l ight of f i re. Thcrc is no namc for spring, pond, or lakc. There isno name for rcsidcnce, honrc, grove, or garden. Thcre is no kind of syrnbol ofcxpressior-r to denote chi ldren. Thcrc is no sun or moon, day or night. Thcrc rs noclcsignation ornamc anywhere exccpt those rvhich are blcsscd by the Tathigata.

"Ananda, al l thc scr-rt ient beings irr that l luddha-hnd rrc among those whowil l ever-rtual ly attain suprcmc cnl ightcnnrcnt and rcach nirvana. why? Bccauscthose who support hctcrodox vicws and those who are unde-cided cannot knowhow to establ ish thc cause for being born thcrc.18

"Anar-rda, in thc cast, thc-rc arc as many tsuddha-lands as thc sands of thc(ianges; the l luddhas in those la'cls al l praise thc countlcss rncri ts of Amit-yusBtrdclha. ' r 'he

samc is thc case with the l luddhas in t l-rc south, the wcst, the north,the four internrediate dircct ions, thc zcnith, and thc nadir. why? Except thosc whocornnrit thc f ivc gravc off i 'nccs and those who slandcr thc true l)harma and defamesaints, any sentiel l t being irr any orhcr uuddha-land can do the fol lowing:le afterhcaring thc nanc of Tathagata Amit iyus, i f thcy havc cvcn one thought of purefaith, joy, and aspirat ion and dedicate al l their good roors to birth in that Buddha-land, thcy wil l be bom there as they wish, and wil l achieve nonregression from thepath to sl lprerne cnl ightcnment.r0

"Ananda, i f a sentient being in anothcr tsuddha-land engendcrs bodhicit ta,single-mindedly thinks of Amit iyus Buddha, constantly plants roots of virtue anddedicatcs them to birth in that Buddha-larrd, the', whc'he is about to die, Ami-tayus Buddha, surrounded by a host of monks, wi l l appear bcfore him. The dyingpcrson wil l immediatcly fol low the Tathigata ro bc born in that land, attainnonregression, and be destined to real izc supremc enl ightcnment. Thereforc, Anan-da, i f good men and good wonrcn wish to be bor' i ' the Land of Utmost Brissand see Anrit-yus Buddha, they should engcndcr suprcrlc bodhicit ta, concentratcthcir thoughts on the La'd of (Jtmost Bl iss, accumulate good roots, and dedicatethern as taught. Thereby, they wil l sce rhat Buddha, be born in his land, and attainnonregression frorn thc path to suprcme enl ightenntent.

"Ananda, supposc a sentient being in another Buddha-land errgenders bo-Jhrcit ta and dedicates his merits ro birth in Amitayus Buddha's land. but does not..)ncentratc his mind orr Amit-yus Buddha or constantly plant numcrous good:rr.r i . when he is about to dic, Amit iyus Buddha wil l scnd a rnagical ly producedllr lJh.r to him, surroundcd by a host of monks. The magical ly produced tsuddha,* ho rs exactlv the same as the real Buddha in bri l l iance and auspicious signs, wi l l

Tnr LaNo or- lJruosr Brrss 351

appcar before the dying pcrson to rcccive and guidc him, and that person wil l

immcdiately fol low thc Buddha to bc born in that land and attain nonregresslon

f rom thc pa th to suprcmc cn l igh tcnnrcn t ."Ananda, i f a senticnt bcing who abidcs in the Mahayina feels pure-mindcd

devotion for Tathagata Amit lyus for only ten consecutive thoughts, wishing to be

born in his land; or i f he bel ieves and understands this profound teaching as

soon as hc hears i t expounded, with no doubt in his mind, and thcreby thinks

of Anritayus Buddha for even one pure thought, then, when hc is about to dic, \

he wil l sce Amit iyus Buddha as i f in a dream. Thc dying pcrson wil l without

fail be born in that Buddha-land to achicvc nonregression from the path to su-

prcmc cniightcnmcnt."Ananda, i t is becausc of thcsc bcncfi ts that al l thc Buddhas, Tathigatas, in

countlcss worlcls- incol lceivablc, unequaled, and l imit less in number-extol the

rncri ts of Arnitayus tsuddha. . . .

"Morcovcr, Ananda, al l the Srivakas in that Buddha-land havc halocs sc'vcral

feet in radius; thc Bodhisattvas'halocs rcach as far as hundreds ofthousands offeet

in radius. There are two Bodhisattvas whose l ights constantly i l luminatc thc wholc

bi l l ion-world univcrsc. "

Ananda askcd thc Buddha, "World-Honored Onc, who arc thc two tsodhi-

sattva s ?"-I 'hc Ruddha tolcl Ananda, "Now, l istcn carcful ly. C)ne of the two Bodhi-

sa t tvas i r c r l l cd Av : r lok i tc (vara ; thc o thcr . Mahastharnapr ip ta . Ananda, these two

-Bodhisattvas were born in that Buddha-land after their lifctinics camc to an cnd in

the Saha Worlcl.

"Ananda, al l thc Bodhisattvas born in thc Land of Utmost Bl iss have the

thirty-two auspicious signs. They are supple physical ly, keen in senses, and en-

dowcd with wisdom and ir.rgenuity. They know all diversified phenomcna, and

havc a lrcc command of dhy-na and miraculous powers. None of them has l i t t le

virtue or an inadequate capacity. An incalculable numbcr of those Bodhisattvas

have achieved the first or the second rcalization;21 some have attained thc Rcalization

of thc Nonarising of Dharmas.

"Ananda, the Bodhisattvas in that Buddha-land wil l not fal l to the miserable

planes of eristence on thcir way to attainment of supreme cnl ightcnmcnt. They'

will rcrncmber all their prcvious lives wherever they are born, except wherr ther'

appcar in the worlcl of fivc dcpravities."Ananda, every morning, thc Bodhisattvas in that Buddha-lar-rd n-rake offer-

ings to countlcss hundreds of thousands of Buddhas in other tsuddha-lands. Due to

the divinc power of Arnit-yus Buddha, garlands, perfumed ointnent, pou'dered

incense, banners, canopies, and rnusical instruments of al l kinds appcar in their

hands as they wish, to bc offcrcd to thc tsuddhas. Such offerir-rgs are immense,

countless, and inconceivablc. Whcn thc Bodhisattvas wish i t , various rare blos-

soms resplendent with incalculablc hundrcds of thousands of l ights and colors wil l

appear in their hands to bc scattcrcd on thc Buddhas as an offering. Ananda, the

354 ON PunE Laruo

flowers they scatter will immediately change into flower canopies in the sky, the

smallest of which measures ten leagues [in diametcr]. The flowers first scatteredwill not fall from the air unless new flowers are scattered. Ananda, some of thesecanopies measure twenty leagues, thirty, forty, and so on, up to one thousand

leagues [in diameter]. Some are largc enough to cover the four continents; some

are large enough to cover a thousand-world, a million-world, or even a billion-

world universe. Thus, the Bodhisattvas engender minds full of wonder and hearts

fu l l o fg rea t joy ."Every morning, these Bodhisattvas attend on, make offbrings to, show

respect for, and praise incalculable hundreds of thousands Iof millionsl of billionsof myriads of Buddhas. Aftcr they have thus planted good roots, they return to

their land in the sarne morning. All this is madc possiblc because Amitayus tsud-

dha vcsts in thcm thc powcr of his original vows, which he thoroughly cultivated,

maintained, and fulfilled, and because of his good roots in making uninterrupted

ar-rd perfect offerings to Tathigatas in the past."Furthcrmorc, Ananda, whatcver thc Bodhisattvas in the Land of (Jtmost

Bliss say is in consonance with al l-knowing wisdom. They do not take possession

of anything thcy cnjoy. Thcy travel to al l Buddha-lands without attachment or

aversion, expectation or nonexpectation; they have no thought of a self, defile-

nent, the'I , 'c l isputat ion, discord, hatrcd, or angcr. Why? Bccausc thcsc Bodhi-

sattvas have the great mind of kindncss, compassion, and beneficence toward all

sentielrt beings. They have the mind which is supple, unobstructed, frce of f i l th

and resentment, impart ial, rcgulated, quiet, patient, subdued by patience, equable,

clear, without distract ion, free of coverings, pure, extremely pure, i l luminating,

unsoi led, awe-inspir ir-rg, virtuous, vast, incomparable, profound, fond of the Dhar-

ma, exultant over the Dharma, well-intentioned, free from all attachments, and

[able to] rid sentient beings of all defilements and to eliminate the miserable planes

of existence."They have cultivated the practices of wisdom, and achieved inrmeasurable

mcrits. They are ablc not only to discourse on meditation and the other factors of

enlightenment, but also to have a free command of them. They diligently cultivate

supreme enlightenment and explain it to others. They can discern things well with

their physical eyes, see various Buddha-lands with their deva-eyes, free themselves

from attachn-rent with their clear l)harma-eyes, reach the other shore with theirpenetrating wisdom-eyes, and realize thc Dharma-naturc with thcir tsuddha-eyes.22

They engender unimpeded wisdom with which they can teach the l)harma exten-sively to others. ."

The World-Honored One then told Ananda, "Such is Amitayus Buddha's

Land of [Jtmost Bl iss. You should r ise frorn your scat, join your palms respect-

tllly, and prostratc yoursclf full-lcngth on thc ground to pay homage to that

Buddha. That Buddha's namc is known throughout thc ten dircct ions; in each

dirr'ctior-r, therc are Buddhas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges who praise

him incessantly and without reservation."

THn LaNo or lJruosr Blrss 355

Thereupon, Ananda rosc from his scat, barcd his r ight shouldcr, joined his

palms toward thc west, prostrated himself ful l- length on the ground, and said to

thc Buddha, "World-Honorcd Onc, now I wish to scc Amit iyus tsuddha in the

Land of (Jtmost Bl iss and to makc offcr ings to and scrvc countless hundreds of

thousands of [mii l ions of l bi l l ions of myriads of tsuddhas and Bodhisattvas, in

ordcr to plant good roots."

Right then, Amitayus Buddha emitted from his palm a great l ight which

i l luminated hundreds of thousands of mil l ions of myriads of Buddha-lands. In

those lands, al l the mountains, small and large, such as Black Mountain, Treasurc

Mountain, Mount Sumeru, Mount Meru, Mount Mahameru, Mount Mucil inda,

Mount Mahamucil inda, Mount lron Circlc, and Mount Great lron Circle; . . . and

all thc gods, humans, and so forth were revcaled by thc l ight of that Buddha. Justas a person with the pure deva-eye can see evcrything clearly within a distarrce of

scveral feet, arrd just as a person can see everythirlg clearly when the sun comes

olrt , so thc monks, nuns, laynrcrr, and laywonrcn in othcr Buddha-iands al l saw

Tathagata Anritryus. Hc, l ikc Mount Surneru, thc king of mountains, i l luminated

his tsudtlha-land and revealed i t as clearly as i f i t l . rad bccn only a fcw fcct away.

Bicausc thc wonderful l igl-rt of Tathagata Anrit iylrs was cxtrcnrcly purc and clear,

they saw his high thronc, and his assen.rbl ies of Sravakas. Bodhisattvas, and so

fbrth. l t is just l ikc wircn a f loocl subrnerges al l trees, mountains, and r ivcrs, thcrc

is nothing to be sccn on thc grcat earth except the great f lood. Likewise, in that

Buddha-land, where there wcre no heterodox bel icvcrs or beings othcr than grcat

Srivakas, with haloes scveral feet in radius; and Bodhisattva-Mahisattvas, with

haloes hundrecls of thousands of leagues in radius, the l ight of Tathagata Amit i-

yus, the Worthy Onc, the Perfectly Enl ightened Onc, outshone thc l ights of al l

thc Srivakas and -Bodhisattvas and enablcd al l thc scnticnt bcings to scc hrm.

At thc same t ime, the Bodhisattvas, Sravakas, humans, and gods in thc Land

of Utmost tsl iss al l saw' Tathigata Sikyemunr of thc Saha World prcaching the

Dharma, surrounded by an assembly of monks.

Then thc Buddha asked Bodhisattva Maitreya, "Did you see the magnif icent

Buddha-land, which is pcrfcctly purc and full of awesome mcrits? . . . Did -vou scc

myriads of f lowers scattered as adornments in the sky over the earth and in the

heavens up to the Akanistha Heaven? I) id you see the birds in the skv, q.hich are

not real creatures but magical creations, uttering various sounds which. l ikc the

voice of the Buddha, are heard al l over that world?"

Maitreya answered the Buddha, "Yes, I did."

The Buddha further asked Bodhisattva Maitreya, "Did vou scc the- scntient

beings who, after entering palaces a hundred to a thousand leagues across, traveled

in space, unattached and unhindered, to al l Buddha-lands to make offerings to the

Buddhas? Did you see those sentient beings who think of the tsuddha continuously

day and night?"

Maitreya answered, "Yes, I did."

The Buddha asked further, "Did you see any difference between the things

356 ON Punp LaNo

used by pcople in the Land of Utmost Bl iss and rhose uscd by gods in theParanirmita-Va6avart in Heaven?"

Maitreya answered, " l did not see any dif fcrence betwccn them."Thc Buddha asked Maitreya, "Did you see any bcing in the Land of Utmost

B l iss conce ivcd in a wonrb?" ) l

Maitrcya answered, "!ilorld-Honored One, gods in the Heaven of the Thirty-Thrcc and the Yama Heaven and so forth play and make mcrry in palaces onchundrcd to five hundred lcagues wide. I saw rhar when people in the Land of(Jtmost Bl iss are conceived in a womb, thcy feel just l ikc those gods l iving inpalaces. I also saw senticnt beings who wcre seated cross-legged in lotus flowersand thcn born ethereal ly al l ofa sudden."

Thc tsodhisattva Maitrcya askcd the Buddha, "World-Honored Onc, why aresome beings in that tsuddha-land born lrom the womb and others born ethere-al ly?"2+

Thc Buddha told Maitreya, "lf a sentient beirrg is full of doubt and rcgretwhen he accumulates good roots and seeks Buddha-wisdom, univcrsal wisdom,inconceivabie wisdorn, uncqualed wisdom, great wisdom, and the wisdom ofawesonle merits, thcn, bccause he has no faith in his own good roots, he has tostay in the palacc [- l ike womb] for f ive hundred years wirhour seeing a Buddha, aBodl-r isattva, or a Srlvaka, or hearing thc I)harma expounded. I f a sentient bcing iscomplctely free of doubt and regret when hc accur-nulates good roots and seeksBuddha-wisdonr, then, because hc bcl icvcs in his own good roots, he wil l beseated cross-legged ir-r a lotus flower and bc born cthereally all of a sudden, emerg-ing from it in ar-r irrstant. Just as pcoplc have come herc from other countries, sosucl-r a Bodhisattva, due' to his vow, has bccn born in the Land of l j tmost Bl iss tosee, serve, and n.rake offerings to Amitayus Buddha and the assembly of tsodhi-sattvas and Srivakas.

"Aj i ta, you see, those superior, intel l igcnt beings, duc to thcir immensewisdom, are bom ethereally from the louts flowers in which they sit cross-legged.As for thc inferior ones, they [arc born from the womb, and,] for five hundredyears, see no Buddhas, Sravakas, or Bodhisattvas, hear no Dharma, and know norules for a Bodhisattva's conduct. Because they cannot cultivate mcrits [in thewomLl, they f ind no chance to serve Amit iyus Buddha. Al l this is a resuk of theirdoubt and rcgrct in the past.

"As an i l lustrat ion, consider a ksatr iya king's son who breaks thc law andconsequently is imprisorrcd in an inner palace. Hc l ivcs among gardens, storiedbuildings, and halls that are exquisitcly furnished with rare treasures, preciouscurtains, and gold couches with thick, soft mattrcsses. The floor is covered withrarc flowcrs, the most precious inccnsc is burned, and all necessary articles areabundantly provided. Howcver, his feet are fettered with a chain of Jambu-rivereo ld . "

Thc Buddha asked Maitreya, "What do you think? Does thar prince enjoy al lth is?"

Tnr LaNo or l j ruosr Blrss J J /

Maitreya answered, "No, !7orld-Honored One. Whcn he is imprisoned, he

wil l try to be set free, asking relat ives, fr iends, respcctablc people, ministers,

elders, and court iers for help. However, although the prince is anxious to bereleased, his wish will not be fulfilled until the king willingiy agrees to it."

Thc Buddha said to Maitreya, "So i t is, so i t is. Similarly, i f one is ful l of

doubt and regret when he plants good roots and seeks the Buddha-wisdom, the

grcat wisdom, then, though hc will be born in that land due to his cngendering offaith in thc tsuddha at hcaring his name, he will remain in thc [womb of a] lotusflower after birth and be unable to come out, all because he has no faith in his owngood roots.

"Such a sentient being, l iv ing in thc f lowcr womb, wil l think of i t as a palace

with gardens. Why? Because the lotus womb is clcan and frec of filth, and nothing

in i t is unplcasant. Nevcrthcless, the sentient being wil l for f ive hundred years see

rro Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, or Srivakas, and hear no Dharma; he cannot ntake

offerings to or serve the Buddhas; he cannot inquire about thc Bodhisattva canon;

he is far apart from all superb roots of virtue. He does not enjoy living ir.r the

flowcr womb, for he cannot come out of it to practice wholesome dharmas until

all his faults committcd in thc past arc exhausted. When he comes out, he will iose

all scnsc of dircction, not knowing thc zcnith, the nadir, or the four cardinal

direct ions. Not unti l al l his doubts disappear during thosc f ivc hundrcd years wil l

hc bc ablc to rnakc of-fcrings to countlcss hundreds of thousands of millions of

myriads of Buddhas arrd plant incalculable, l imit less roots of virtue. Aj i ta, you

should know that doubt does great harm to Bodhisattvas."

Then Bodhisattva Maitreya asked the tsuddha, "World-Honored One, how

many nonregressing -Bodhisattvas in this Buddha-land will be born in the Land of(Jtmost tsliss?"

The Buddha told Maitreya, " ln this Buddha-land, seven bi l l ion two hundred

million Bodhisattvas, who have plantcd good roots in incalculable hundreds of

thousands of [millions of] billions of myriads of Buddha-lands and have bccomc

nonregressing, will be born in that tsuddha-land. The Bodhisattvas who will be

born in that Buddha-land because of fewer roots of virtue are countless."Ajita, if I enumerate the names of the Bodhisattvas in other lands who have

been, are b"ing, and will be born in the Land of Ultimate Bliss to make offerings

to, pay homage to, and worship Amit iyus Buddha, I wi l l not be able to f inish

doir-rg so even if I sper-rd an entire kalpa."Ajita, you see how highly those Bodhisattva-Mahesattvas bcnefit. If one

can generate a single thought of joy after hearirrg that tsuddha's name, he wil l

obtain the merits mentioned above, he will feel neithcr inferior nor superior, and

all the good roots he has achieved will bc enhanccd. Thcrcforc, Ajita, I tell you and

gods, humans, and asuras: I now entrust you with this Dharma-door. You should

take pleasure in practicing i t . You should accept, retain, read, and recite i t , even

day and night. You should aspirc for this sutra, explain it to others, and havepeople write it and preserve it. You should regard this sutra as a teacher.

358 ON PunE LaNo

"Aji ta, i f Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas wish to causc numerous sentlent beings

to be rapidly and securely established in nonrcgrcssion from Ipursuit of] supreme

enlightcnment, and wish to see the magnificcnt adonrments of that superb Bud-

dha-land and to embrace its perfect merits, then they should strive vigorously to

learn this Dharma-door. Thcy should not back away or become pretentious in

seeking the Dharma, even if they have to go through r raging fire that fills a whole

billion-world univcrse. They should read, recite, accept, retain, and copy this

sutra, and make usc of every moment to explain it to others and persuade them to

listen to it without worry or annoyance. Even if they are thrown into a firc for

doing so, they should cntcrtain no doubt or rel lret. Why? Countless bi l l ions of

Bodhisattvas seek, estcem, learn, and obey this sr,rbt lc teaching. Thereforc, al l of

you should seek this teaching, too. Aj i ta, thosc scnticnt bcings wil l obtain grcat,

high bcncfi ts. In thc future, even at the t ine of the true l)harma's decl ine, some

sentient beings wil l plant good roots. These are thc scnticnt bcings who havc made

offerings to innumerable Buddhas and who, being blesscd by those Tathigatas, are

able to acquire this great l)harn.ra-door, which is praised and approved by al l

Tathagatas. I f onc acccpts and upholds this l)harma-door, he wil l acquire the vast

al l-kr iowing wisdom and plant good roots as he pleases. Good merr and good

women who have a superior understanding of this tcaching will bc ablc to obtain

great joy fror.r.r hearing it; they will accept, uphold, read, and recite it, explain it to

othcrs, and always del ight in practicing i t .

"Aj i ta, irrnurncrablc bi l l ions of Bodhisattvas havc sought this teaching untir-

irrgly. You good men and good wonlen will benefit greatly if you are able to seek

this teaching in your present or future lives. Ajita, the Tathigata has already done

what he should do. You should be f irnr and free of doubt in planting good roots;

you should constantly study and practicc anything that can rcnovc your doubt,

lest you be imprisoned I in a palace-l ike womb] made of various treasures."Ajita, there are one hundred million Bodhisattvas of great, awesomc virtue

who can propound numcrous other doctr ines of the Buddha-Dharma, but have

regressed in [the pursuit ofl suprcmc enlightenment because they have not heard

this tcaching."Ajita, it is difficult to 6nd a Buddha appearing in the world. It is also

diffic'ilt to have a body free from the eight adversities. Evcn an eloqueht Dharma-

teacher finds it difficult to cxplain thc Buddhas' uncxccllcd Dharmas, such as the

very profound Dharmas of the ten powers, the four Garlessnesses, unimpededness,

and detachmcnt, and the Bodhisattva doctrines such as the piramitis, and so on.

Ajita, it is not easy to meet a person who is adept ir-r preaching the Dharma. It is

also rare to encounter one of firm and deep faith. Now I have .aught this discoursc

rn accordancc with thc truth, and you should all practice it as I have taught."Aj i ta, I entrust to you this teaching and the l)harma of al l Buddhas. You

[al l ] shoulcl practicc i t and not lct i t perish. This great, subtle Dharma-door is

praised by al l tsuddhas. Do not abandon i t in dcf iancc of thc Buddha's instruct ions;

orhcrrvise, you will encounter hindrances-you will be engulfed in the long night

Tnr LaNo or (Jruosr Brrss 359

to go through al l dangers and sufferirrgs. Thcrcforc, I now solemnly bid you to doeverything to cause this doctr ine to last long. You should practicc this teachingdi l igently as I have taught.". .

When the tsuddha had spoken this shtra, Bodhisattva Maitreya, VcnerableAnanda, and everyone in the assembly were jubi lant over what the tsuddha hadtaueht .

NOTES

1. A nrore l i teral t rarrs lat ion of thcse for ty-c ight vows fo l lows th is forr .nula: " lXi /hen] Ibecomc a l lu<ldh.r , i f , in rny land, thr-rc arc st i l l the planes of hcl l -dwcl lc . rs, hungrr , ehosts, oranirnals, I u ' i l l r rot u l t intate ly take up suprcnrc cnl ig l r tcnmcnt."

2. "The powcr to appear anyrvhcrc at wi l l " r r ray also be cal lcd " thc porver of pcr form-

ing t r r i raclcs." I t can i l ic lude sr . rch miraculous powers as remairr i r . rg under rvater * i thout

drow' t r ing, toucl l lng f l re wi thout bcing burned, or t ransfbrming onc'sel f into any k ind ofcrcaturc or object . Howevcr, in somc contexts, " the porver to appear anyu,hcre at x ' i l l "

seems to be a nrore appropr iate t ra i ls lat iorr , as in th is paragraph.

3. Monk l )harrn:k l re 's land whcn he becomcs Anr i tayus Buddha.

4. C)r , " thc t loctr ine conccrni t rg l rccdom froni sar i rsara." ln ' la isho 3(r0, p.268, th is

reads, " . r .vho hear my natne would fa i l to cul t ivatc pure conduct af tcr dcath:rnd beforcachicving Buddhahoocl . " A th i rc ' l vcrs ion, Tr isho 363, p.320, does not n lent ion " thc doctr inecortcerning f ieedonr l ront sar i tsarr" and "r f tcr dcath." l t mav make more sense and be lcss

nrisleading to ignorc these two phrases altogethcr.

. - " ' 5 . The C l i i n csc t cx t r cads " s i x samadh i s . " Pe rhaps ' s i x ' ( ^ * ) i s a n r i sp r i n t f t r r ' g r ca t '( * )

6. Ihc rcal izat ion dcr ived f rom sound, the real izat ion ofphancy, and the Rcal izat ion

of the Nonar is ing of Dharrnas.

7. Or ig inal pract iccs: the pract ices that a Buddha cul t ivatcd rvhen hc was st i l l to l lou-

ing thc Bodhisat tva-path. The fundamcntal pract ices for achicving tsuddhahood.

t i . L i tcra l ly , "He can understand al l condi t ioned (sainskna) dharmas. "

9. This paragraph fbrrns the last part o l - the above verse in the Chincsc tcxt .10. Amitayus means' lnf ln i te L i fe" . As re lated be' lorv, hrs l i le span is inrr lcrsur. rb lc- .

His othcr name, more [ requendy used, is Amit ibha, or ' ln f inr tc L ight ' .

11. The Chinese text reads f r* i l f r and *#fr . Thc ident i t ics o i t l tcsc t \ \ 'o gcnrs areunknown to us.

12. An ancicnt Aryan ausprcious svrnbol , uscd by Hindus and tsuddhrsts., l3.

With th is rcal izat ion, there is cngcndered a pl ianr, t ' lcx ib le nrrnd of u ' isdon rocomply wi th the Dharm;r and to accommodate sent ient beings.

14. Thc Chincse reads * , meaning 'border ' or 's ide ' . Perhaps i t is a nrrspr int of f f i ,mean ing ' un i ve r sa l ' .

15. Dhyarra that lcads onc ro n i rvana.

16. Actual ly there are no such dist inct ions as day ancl n ight in that land; i t is to

360 ON Punr LaNr

confort.n to thc convcntion of other lands that thc day there is dividecl into six parts. Scc twoparagraphs belorv.

17. L i teral ly , " thrcc bi l l ion s ix hundrcd rn i l l ion niyr iads ofhundrcds of thousands ofl ights. " The l le xt ser) tencc rcads s imi lar l ,v .

18. Thcsc thrce k inds ofpeople arc rhc r l r ree groups. Scc Nunier ical Ci lossary.19. This para*raph c lcscr ibcs the gencral karmic rcrv l rd lor la i th in Anr i tavus Br.rddha.

Thc next paragraph c lcscr ibcs the highest rcward, fo l lowed by paragraphs descr ib ins thcnr iddlc and lowcst rcwards, rcspect ivelv.

20. According to the Chinese Purc Land School , the Ruddha's teachings fa l l in to two

categor ies: thosc which tcach people to rcach salvat ion and l ibcrar ion bv fa i th. i .c . , by thctsuddha's power ( the Pure Land school bclongs to th is catcsory) ; and thosc which tcachsalvat ior . r and l iberat ion by onc's owr) st r rargth. This passagc is an cxamplc of the f l rs tce t cgo rv . (W. H . )

2 | . S r ' e r r o te ( r abo r . .

22. Thc or ig inal is verv obscurc hcrc. Freel ,v t ranslatcd, i t could bc as fo l lous: "Hav-

ing aclr icved Br,rc lc lha-cycs, thcy can enl ightcr . r Iothers b,v l revcal ing l to t l icrn thc t ruth] . " Thetranslr t ion givcn in thc tcxt is bascd on al tother vcrs ion (Tais l . ro 36() , p. 27.1) . Morcuver, i r isa c loubt fu l point whcthcr or not a Bodhisat tva can be endo$'ed u ' i th thc l luddha-eve, whichis gcncr: r l ly undcrstood as a unique qual i ty of the Buddhas.

23. A lotr rs f lorver wor lb. Scc bclorv.

24. In tsuddhist t radi t ior , thcre are fbur nrodes of b i r th: (1) b i r th { ionr r rvomb, aswith mamt'nalia; (2) birth fionr an egg, as rvith birds; (3) birth fiom nroisturc or \\rarer, aswtt l t wornrs arrc l l lshcs; and (4) b i r th by t ranslornrr t ion (r l ternatc t r : rnslat ion: ethereal b i r th) ,as wi th hcl l -drvel lers, dcves, thc l l rs t bcings in nerv ly cvolvcd wor lds, and supcr ior beingswho rrc born in a purc Buddha- land such as the Land of Utnrost Bl iss.

VII

On General Mahayana Doctrine

19 waxleThe True Lion's Roar of Queen Srimala

Thus havc I hcard. Once thc Buclclha was dwcll ing in the garden of Arrathapin-

clacla, in thg: Jc'ta Grove, near Srivastr. At that t ime, King Prascnaji t and QueenMall ika of Kosala hacl just had an i l r i t ial real izat ion of thc Dharnra. They said to

cach other, "Our daughter, Srim;rl l , is kind, intcl l igcnt, lcarncd, alrd wisc-. I f shc

coulcl scc thc Tatl-rigata, she would be quick to ur-rderstand the profound l)harnra

anci woulcl travc no doubt about i t whatsoever. We should trow send ai i-e-loqucr-rt

nressenger to hcr to rrousc hcr sincerc fr i th." l

lmmcdiatcly upon t l-r is clecision, thc king and queetr wrote Queen Srimala a

lettcr cxtol l ing the true n-reri ts of the Tathagata, and scnt a mcsscngcr, Chandra, to

del ivcr i t to her at Ayodhyl. Queen Srimala receivcd thc lctter with reverencc atrd

joy. Aftcr she opened ar-rd read i t , shc felt how unusual i ts rnessage was and spoke

to thc rncssetrger in verse:

" l t is said that the Tathagata's voicc

Is difficult to encolrntcr in this world.

I f this saying is truc,2

I shal l reward you with apparel.

I f the Buddha, the World-Honored ()ne,

Has man'ifested hin-rself to bencflt this world,

His compassion wil l certainly extend to mc,

That I may see his true appearance."

As soon as she had so spokcrr, the Buddha appeared in the air in an incon-

ceivable form, emitt ing a bri l l iant l ight. Queen Srimali and her ret inue gathered

Sutra 48, Taisho 3 '10, pp.672*678; t ranslated into Chinesc by Bodhiruci .

361 ON Grrurnal ManAvANa DocrnrNr

togethcr. With palms joined, they bowcd respectful ly to him, and thc queen,looking up in adoration, praised thc great tcacher:

"The wondrous form of thc Tathagata

Is unequaled in this world;

, I t is incomparable and inconccivablc;

I Therefore I pay homage to him.

The form of thc Tathagata knows no bounds,

And boundlcss, too, is his wisdom.

, Al l aspects [of his nature] abide eternal ly;3

I Thcrcforc I take refuge in him.

He has ski l l ful ly subducd al l ncntal faults,

As wcl l as thc tour viccs of the body;a

He has reachcd thc inconccivable stage;

Thcrcforc I pay homage to him.

Hc knows cverything that can be known,

For l-ris wisdonr-body mccts no obstaclcs;

Hc tbrgcts nothing;

Therefore I pay hor-nage to hirn.

I bow dowr-r to the One who is infinite;

I bow down to thc Onc who is peerless;

I bow down to the OneWl-ro l-ras frec comrnand of all dharmas;

I bow dowrr to the One

Who is beyond thought.

May his cornpassion shclter me

And cause the seeds of the Dharma

To grow [within me],

So that I may always be with the Tathagata

Unti l my last existcnce [ in sarhsaral.

I have practiced al l mcritorious dccds

In this life and in all othcr livcs.May thc Budclha always takc mc,

With al l my roots of virtuc,

Into his fol lowing."

Whcn Queen Srimili had spokcn thcsc vcrses, she and her entire retinuc

Frrostrated thernselvcs at the Buddha's fcct. Thcn thc World-Honored One spokei . -

to 5 r ln ra la ln verse :

THE Tnur LroN's Roan or QurtN SninaAlA

"ln your former l ives I taught you

Arrd revealed to you the path of enlightenmcnt.

Now once again you meet me here;

We shall also meet in future l ives."

Aftcr speaking this verse, the Buddha prophcsicd to thc asscmbiy that QueenSrimila would attain suprcmc cnl ightcnmcnt, saying, "You norv praise the superb

rnerits of the Tathigata. Because of this good root, you wil l be a sovereign among

gods and humans for incalculable kalpas. Al1 your needs i ,vi l l bc fulf i l led. Wherever

you arc born, you will bc ablc to nleet nle and praise me facc to face, just as you

do now. You wil l also make offerings to innumerable, countless other lJuddhas,

World-Honorcd Ones. After, twentyr thousand incalculable kalpas, you, too, wi l l

bccomc a Buddha, named Univc-rsal Light Tath-gata, the Worthy One, thc Pcr-

tcct ly Enl ightened One.

"In your .BucldhaJancl, there will be no miserabic plancs of cxiste-nce', no

suffering of aging or sickness, and no evi l deeds, not even their names. The

scrltient beirrgs there will appear ir-r magr-rificent forms, arrd will solely experience

thc five exquisite Isensuous] pleasures, enjoyirrg them even more than do the gods

in thc Paranirmita-Va6avart in Heaven ancl other heavens. Al1 these scnticnt beings

will follow the Mahayana teachings. Others who have corrcctly learned the Ma-

l.rayana [elsewherel nray be born ir .r that land."

Aftcr Queen Srimala hacl received the prophecy, innumerable gods and hu-

mans were jubi lant, and they al l wishcd to bc born in that tsuddha-land. The

World-Honorcd One then prophesied that they would all be born in that land.

Aftcr having hcard thc Bucldha's prophccy, Quccn Snnri la stood bcforc thc

Tathigata with her palms joined, and made ten great vows, saying:

"World-Honored One, from now until my attainment of enlightenment,

I will never think of breaking the precepts I have rcceivcd."World-Honored One, from now until my attainment of enlightenment,

I wi l l never be arrogant toward teachers or my superiors."World-Honorcd Onc, from now until my attainment of enlightenment,

I .vill never feel ill will toward any senticnt being.

"World-Honorcd Onc, from now unti l my attainmelrt of enl ightenment,

I wi l l ncvcr bc jealous of my superiors or those whosc possessions arc

superior to mine."World-Honorcd Onc, from now unti l my attainment of enl ightenment,

I wi l l never be relrrctant to give, even i f I have only a l i t t le food.

"World-Honored Onc, from now until my attainment of enlightenment,

I will not acccpt moncy or accumulatc property for my own sake, but

only for thc sakc of rclicving thc poverty and sufferings of sentient

beings.

365

( l )

()\

(3)

(4)

(s)

(6)

366 ON GENEnar MasAvAN,r DoclnrNr

(7) "World-Honorcd Onc, from now until my attairlment of enlightenment,

I will practicc the four inducements without expecting rewards. I will

embrace scnticnt beings with a mind that never covets prolit, rs never

weary, and is free of hindrances.

(8) "World-Honored One, from now until my attainment of enlightenment,

i f I sec any sentient being bereft of parents or chi ldren, imprisoned, sick,

distressed, or suffering from any kind of danger or misfortune, I will not

forsake him. Instcad, I wi l l give him peace and sccurity, hclp him prop-

erly, and rcl icve him o[al l sufferings.

(9) "World-Honored One, from now ur-rtil my attainmcnt of cnlightenment,

i f I see anyone pursuing evi l ways or violat ing the pure precepts of the

Tathagata, I wi l l not forsakc himl. In thc cit ics, towns, and vi l lagcs

undcr my inf luencc, I wi l l subdue whocver should bc subducd and em-

brace whoever should be embraccd. Why? ()nly by subduing and em-

bracing [sentient beings] wi l i the true Dharmaq cndure. Whcu the true

Dharrna endures, gods and humans wil l thr ive, the miserable planes of

existence will diminish, and the Tathagata's Dharma-wheel will turn

pcrpctual ly.

(1 0) "World-Honored C)ne, from now unti l my attainment of enl ightenmer-rt,

I wi l l ncvcr forgct the true L)harma I havc cmbraced. Why? To forgct the

true Dharma is to forget the Mahayana; to forget the Mahiyina is to

forget the ptramites; to forget the paramitas is to abandon the Mahayana.

If a Bodhisattva wavers in regard to the Mal-ray-na, then he will not be

firm ir-r embracirrg the truc Dharma, and consequcntly will not bc able to

transcend the state of an ordinary person, causing a great loss. 'S/orld-

Honored One, the Bodhisattvas who embrace the true I)harma now or

in the future will receive urrlimited, great benefits.

"World-Honored Onc, Noblc Mastcr, although you have witnessed the pro-

nouncement of these great vows, sentient beings with meager roots of virtue may

very well doubt the ten great vows, for they are most difficult to accomplish.

These sentient beings may habitually perform unwholesome actions in the long

night and be alflicted by all kinds ofsuffering. It is to bcncfit thcse scnticnt bcings

that I now make this sincere declaration belbre the Buddha: World-Honored One,

if the terr great vows are true and not false, may celestial flowers rain down over

this assembly and may a celestial voice be heard."

As soon as Quccn Srrmala had said this to thc Buddha. the sky began to rain

down celestial f lowers, and a celestial voice exclaimcd, "Excel lent, Queen Srimala!

Whrt you have said is true indeed."

After the asse-mbly saw thc auspicr-, thcy wcre freed from every doubt and

rvere ovcrjoycd. They proclaimed in unison their desire to bc born whercver

Queen Srimala would be born, to make the samc vows shc had made, and to

TsE Tnue LtoN's l lonn or QureN Sni, ' r ,rAt A 367

perform thc same dccds she would perform. Thereupon, the Buddha, the World-

Honored One, prophesied that all thcir wishes would be fulfilled.

Then Queen Snmala made three more great vows before the I luddha, saying.

"I will benefit an infinite numbcr of seuticnt beir-rgs through thc power of these

vows: f irst, I wi l l , by my good roots, attaitr thc wisdom of thc true Dharma in al l

my lifetimes; second, after I have attained the true vu'isdom, wherever I may bc

born I wi l l cxplain i t untir ingly to al l senticnt beings; third, in rvhatcver form I

may be born, I wi l l not spare l i fe or l imb in embracing, protectiug, and upholding

the truc Dharma."

Whcn the World-Honored One heard these vou's, he told Srrnlt l r l , "Just as

al l forrns are contained in the rcalm of sp:rcc, so al l the lJodhisattva's vows, as

numerous as the sands of the Clanges, are containcd in these yorvs. Thcsc three

vows are truly vast."

Tl-ren Queen Srimila said to the tsuddha, "World-Honored One, through

thc cloquencc vcsted in r-ne by the tsuddha's tr iraculous Po\\ 'cr, I u'ould l ike to

explain thc grcat vow. Plcasc grant me permissit ln to spcak."

The Buddha said, "Srirnal i , speak as yotr wish."Srimlla said, "Thc Bodhisattva's vows, as nunrerous as the sands of thc

Ganges, arc al l contained in onc great vow. This one great vow is cal lcd thc

cmbracing of the Tathagata's Truc Dharma. This embracing of the true I)harma is

t r u l y g r c a t r t t t l v : t s l . "

The Buddha said, "Well saicl, Srirni l i ! You havc practiced the L)harma for a

long t imc; your wisclonr ar-rd ingenuity are subtle and profound. Anyonc who can

undcrstand your words nlust have planted many good roots in thc long night. You

spcak of thc cnrbracing of thc true Dharma; i t is the tcaching of thc Buddhas of the

past, present, and future . Now that I have attaincd suprcme cnl ighte-nn'rcnt, I , too,

often teach thc cmbracing of the true l)harma in various rzu'ays. The mcrits dcrived

fronr praising the embracing of thc truc Dharma arc l int i t less, just as the rvisdom

of the Tathagata is l imit lcss. Why? IJecausc i t is most meritorious and bencficial to

errrbrace the true Dharma."

Q.uecn Snmal4. then said to the Buddha, "World-Honorcd One' bv the

Buddha's,divine powc\ I wish to explain the broad mcaning of t trc cnrbr;crnq ot-

thc true l)harma." -

Thc Buddha sa id , "Speak as you w ish . "

Srirnl l i said, "To embrace the true l)harma, broadly spcaking. nrcans to

attain al l thc inf ini tc Bucldha-l)harr-nas, inciuding the eighty thousand prrctrces.'Just as thc rnult icolorcd clouds at thc bcginning of a kalpa rait t dorvn

myriad gems, s() the cloud of thc good root of cnrbracing the true l)harnla ratns

dowrr in rmeasurab lc b less ings .

"World-I lonorcd One, to i lh.rstratc further, the great t- lood at thc bcginning

of a kalpa contair-rs the cause of- the bi l l ion-world univcrse, includir-rg thc forty

billion differerlt continents.{' In thc samc way, thc crnbracing of the true Dharma

ON GrNEnar MasAyANa I)ocrnrNt

contains the cause of thc imrneasurablc rcalm of the Mahayina, and also themiraculous powers of thc Bodhisattvas, thc various l)harma-doors, and thc perfec-r ion ofthe nrundanc and supranrundarrcjoy ncvcr before expcrienccd by any godor hur r ran .

"To i l lustratc further, thc grcat earth bears lbur br,rrdens. What are the four?The occans, the mountain rangcs, the grasses and trccs, and thc scntient beings.Thc good men and womcn who embracc thc truc l)harrna can bear four burdensheavier than those bornc by the earth. What are the four?

(1) To teach [cult ivat ion of] the good roors of gods and humans to thc sen-tierrt bcit-rgs rvho are apart froln virtuous friends, lack lcarning, and aresinful, thus bringing those beings to r-uaturir l ' ,

(2) to teach thc Sravaka-vehicle to thosc rvho scck to be Srdvakas;(3) to te-ach thc Pratyckabr-rcldha-vchiclc to thosc rvho seek to bc Pratycka-

buddhas: ancl(.1) to teach thc Mah:ry-na to rhosc who scck the Mahtyina.

Thesc arc the four burclcns, hcavicr than those bornc b,v the cart l-r , bornc by thegood mer-r and worrren who crnbr:rcc thc true I)harma.

"World-H'norcd L) 'c, thc good mcn and wonlen who cr 'brace the trucDharma arc able to establ ish [thcrrrselves l ikc] thc grcat carth to bcar thcsc fbr-rrheavy burdens. Thcy bcconre thc lr icnds of al l scnticnt beir-rgs universal ly, without'ccrl . f ar irrvi tat ion. They arc thc l)harma-mothers of the rvorld, who bcnefi tscntiel l t beir-rgs out of pity and grcat cornpassion.

" ' Io i l lustratc further, thc qreat carth is thc sourcc ofthc lour categories ofgcnrs. What arc thc t irur? Thc invaluablc gcms, t l-rose of high valuc, those ofrr icdrurrr valuc, and thosc of low value- Sirr-r i lar ly, the- good nrcn anci womcn whocnrbracc the true l)harma and cstabl ish Ithenrsclvcs l ikcl thc great earth can causethc sctrt icnt bcings who mect thcnr to obtain the four great trcasures, which arc thebcst of al l precious thir-rgs. What are thc four? Whcn sentient bcir-rgs meet suchvirtuous fr icnds, thcy wil l obtain thc good roots lcading ro birth as huntans orqods, to Sravakahood, to Pratyekabuddhahood, or to rcal izat iotr ofthc UnexcelledVehiclc. Scntient bcings rvi l l obtain these lbur grcat trcasures aftcr mccting theqood tt . tcn atrcl wonrcn u'ho cmbrace thc truc l)harma and establ ish Ithcnrselvesl ikcl the grcat carth.

"World-Honored C)ne, that which viclds thc Ifour] grcat treasures is thc rcalr-nrbracirrg of thc truc l)harnia.

"World-Honorcd Orre, regarding thc cnrbracing of the true l)harnra, I doltof ntcatl that thc truc Dharna and the embracing of the true l)harnra are dif fer-rnr. Thc truc l)harma r.s to errnbrace thc truc L)harma.

"Worlcl-Honored ()ne, thc enrbracing of thc truc l)harrna is no othcr than-'r-

fr l rrnri t :rs. and rhe piranri t-s arc no othcr than thc embracing of the truel ) i r . r rn r . r . Whv?

Tnr Tnur LroN's Roan or QureN SniuArA

"For thosc sentient beings who can bcst bc matured through giving, the

good men and womcn who embrace the true l)harma practice charity, giving even

their own l ivcs and l imbs. In this way, they bring thosc scntient beings to nraturi ty

in accordancc with their incl inations, to cstabl ish thcm f irmly in the true Dharma.

This is cal lcd the pararnit i of giving.

"For those sentient bcings who can bcst bc rnatured by discipl inc, f thosewho cmbrace the true Dharmal guard their ovn'n six senscs; puri fy thetr own

vcrbal, bodi ly, and mcntal act ions; and conduct thenrselves r i ' r th dignity. In this

way, thcy bring thosc sentient beings to maturi ty in accordancc u' i th thcir incl ina-

t ions, to establ ish thcm f irmly in the true l)harrna. This is cal lcd thc paramita of

discipl inc."For those sentient bcings who can bcst bc maturcd by paticncc, I thosc r 'vho

embracc the true Dharmal are lrce of i l l wi l l ; intend only to bcncfi t ; and bcar

rebukes, scoldings, ir-rsults, outral le, slander, l ibel, annoyance, and harassmcnt r ' , ' i th

the utmost patience, even without thcir f ices changing color in thc sl ightcst. In this

way, thcy bring those sentient beirrgs to maturi ty in accordance with their ir-rcl ina-

t ions, to cstabl ish thcrn f irmly in thc true l)harrna. This is cal led the paramrta of

Pa trcr lcc."For thosc scnticnt beings who can best be matured by vigor, [ those who

cnrbrace the true Dharr-r-ral do not have an indoler-rt or negative nrental i ty, but

show grcat aspirat ion ancl suprerne vigor, whether walking, stancl ing, si t t ing, or

lyir-rg down. In this way, thcy bring thosc scnticnt bcings to maturi ty in ac-

corclance- with thcir incl inations, to establ ish thenr f irmly in the true l)harma.

This is cal lcd the plramit i of vigor."For those sentient bcings u'ho can bcst bc matured by meditat ion, [ those

who embracc thc truc Dharmal arc not distractcd, and achicvc r ight nrindfulncrss

and rcmembrance. In this way, they bring those sentient beings to maturi ty in

accordance with their incl inations, to cstabl ish thcm f irnrly in thc truc Dharnra.

This is cal led the paramit i of meditat ion."For those sel l t ient beings who can bcst bc nraturcd by wisdom and u'ho ask

qucstions about the l)harma in ordcr to bcncfi t frorn i t , [ those who embrace the

truc Dharma] untir ingly cxplain al l doctr ines, al l scicnccs, and al l techniques. unti l

those sentier:t beings ful ly comprehend what is ult imate. In this '"vay, thcv brrnq

thosc sentient beings to maturi ty in accordance with their incl inatior-rs. to cstabl ish

thcm f irmly in thc truc Dharrna. This is cal lcd thc p-ranri t- of wisdonr."Thcrcforc, World-Honored One, the cmbracing of t l -rc trr.rc l)hlrrn.r is not

cJi l lerent f ionr thc pirar-r-r i t ls; the en-rbracing of the true I)harma l- i thc piramit is."

Thc Quccn Srinral i continucd, "World-Honorcd One , thror.rqh thc c-loque-ncc

vestcd in me by t l-re l luddha's divine power, I wish to elaborate on the great

rncaning [of the' cnrbracing of thc truc l)harmal."' Ihc

Buddha said, "What is the great meaning?""World-Honored Or-re, irr referr ir-rg to those who embrace the true I)harma,

370 ON GrNrnar ManAvANa DocrnrNr

I do not mean that they constitute an entity that differs from the embracing of thetrue Dharrna.T The good mcn and women who embrace thc true l)harma are thcembracing of thc true Dharma. Why?

"The good men and womcn who embracc the true Dharma givc theirbodies, l ives, and possessions for the sake of thc true Dharma. By giving theirbodies, these people will realize that which transccnds the limits of sari-rsira, willbe free from old age and sickness, and r.vi l l attain the Tathagata's Dharma-body,which is indestructible, cternal, changclcss, ult imately tranquil , and inconceivable.By giving their lives, they will rcalize that rvhich transcends the linits of sarirsara,wil l be forever released from death, wi l l attain eternity, wi l l acquire the inconceiv-able merits, and wil l securely abide in al l thc Buddha-l)harmas and miraculouspowers. By giving their possessions, they wil l rcal izc that which transccnds thel imits of sarirs-ra, and wil l go far bcyond rhe realm of sentient beings. They wil lattain i trexhaustiblc, undiminishing, pcrfect accon-rpl ishn-rcnts; wi l l acquirc rncon-ccivable- mcrits and magnif iccnt attr ibutcs; and wil l be honorcd and servcd byother senticnt bcings.8

"World-Honorcd one, the good mcn and women who give thcir bodies,l ives, and posscssions in order to cmbracc the truc l)harr-na wil l rcccivc tht- Tatha-gata's prophecy Iof their attainnrcnt of Buddhahood].

"Worlcl-Honorcd Onc, when the true Dharma is on thc vcrge of cxt inctron,the monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen wil l gathcr in groups, fornr fact ions, anddispute with onc another. At that t ime, the good nen and wonrcr-r who, withoutcrookedness or deceit, chcrish and crnbracc the truc l)harma wil l associate with thegood fact ion; ' those who associarc with thc good fact ion wil l definitcly receive thcl luddha's prophccy [of their attainment of enl ighterrment].

"World-Honored C)ne, I see that to enrbracc the truc l)harma has this tre-mendous power. Thc Tath-gata rcgards this Idoctr inel as the cyc Iof the l)harma],thc basis of the Dharma, the guidc of thc Dharma, and the understanding of theDharma."

Then thc World-Honored Onc, having hcard Queen Srtmala explain thcgreat power of cmbracing thc true Dharma, exclaimed, "So i t is, so i t is! Exccl lcnt,Srfmala! Just as you say, to embracc the true Dharma has trcmendous, awesotnepower. A pcrson wil l feel great pain or even bccome sevcrcly i l l when onc of hisvulncrable spotsr ') is touched even sl ightly by a strong man. In the same way,Srimil i , the demo'Pipiyin fcels excruciaring pain, worry, and distress, and howlsand moans with woc whcn someone embraces even a srnall portion of the trueDharma. Srimala, I have never seen any way to cause that demon worry anddistress as effcct ivc as embracing the true Dharma, evcn a small port ion of i t .

"SrTmalt, just as thc king of cattlc is more beautiful in form and color andl.rrqer in size than othcr catt le, so. Srimtl i . orre who pracrices thc Mahiyina. evcnrihe cmbraces only a small port ion of thc truc Dharma, is superior to the Srivakasand Pratvekabuddhas with all their wholesome dharmas.

"Srimala, Mount Sumeru, the king of mountains, surpasses al l other moun-

Trrr Tnus LtoN's l i .onn or QuetN SnfrraArA 371

tains in hcight, breadth, and beauty. I tr the sanc rvay, SrinrJl l , a novice in the

Mahayana who, in order to benefi t othcrs, cmbraccs the true l)harma without

regard for his l i fe or l i rnb is supr-r ior to a pL-rsorl who has long been abiding in the

Mahiyana, but who is always coucerued u' i th his body and l i fe, in spite of al l his

good roots."Therefore, Srimila, you should reveal, dcmonstratc, and tcach the embrac-

ing of the true Dharma to al l sentient beings.

"Thus, Srimila, to cmbrace the true Dharrna yields grcat blcssings, benefi ts,

and karmic fruits. Srimali , al though for innumcrablc, incalculabic kalpas I havc

praised t ire merits of embracing the true l)harma, I har. 'c not cxhaustcd them.'fherefbre,

to cmbrace the truc l)harma brings about irr f ini tc nrcri ts."

The tsuddha told Srimalt, "You should nolr, explain lurthcr thc crnbracing of

rhc true L)harma, which I have taught, and which is chcrishcd by al l tsuddhas

alike. "

Srinralt said, "Vcry well , World-Honored One. Thc crnbracing of thc truc

Dharma is cal led the Mahay5na. Why? Because the Mahayana gives birth to al l

Srivakas and Pratyckabuddhas, and al l mundanc and supramundane rvholesome

dharmas. Just as Lakc"Anavatapta is thc sourcc of thc cight r ivers, rr so the Mahayana

produccs al l Sravakas anci Pratyckabucldhas, ald al l nrundane ancl supramundane

wholesonrc dharnras."World-l lonorcd Onc, just as al l sccds,. grasscs, trecs, and forests depend

upon thc grcat earth in order to grow, so al l Sravakas ar-rd Pratyekabuddhas, and

all mundanc and supramundane wholesome dharmas, depend upon thc Mahayana

in ordcr to grow. Therefore, World-Honored Onc, to abidc in and cmbrace the

Mahlytna is to abidc in and cmbrace [the vehicles of] the Srivakas and the Prat-

yckabuddhas, and al l mundanc atrd supratnundanc wholesome dharmas.

"Thc Buddha, the World-Honored One, has discoursc'd on six subjects,

namely, thc abiding of the true l)harma, the extinct ion of the true Dharma, the

Pratimoksa, thc Vinaya, truc rcnunciation of thc houschold life, and full monastic

ordination. I t is for the sake of the Mahayana that these six subjects are taught.

Why? Thc abidirrg of the true Dharma is taught for the sake of the Mahi,vina

becausc the abiding of the Mahayana is the abiding of the true Dharn.ra. The

extinct ion cf the true l)harma is taught for the sake of the Mahayina becausc the

extinct ion of thc Mahayana is the extinct ion of the true I)harma. As for the

Pritimoksa and the Vinaya, thcsc two Dharmas diffcr in name, but mean the srme.

Vinaya is instruct ion for the Mahayana. Why? It is tbr thc sakc of Buddhahood,

[which is the aim of the Mahayana, l that one leaves the household l i te and reccivcs

full monastic ordination. Therefore, the Vinaya, true renunciatior-r oi the house-

hold l i te, and ful l monastic ordination are al l Mahayana discipl incs.

"World-Honorcd One, the Arhats do not [ truly] lcavc thc household l i fe or

receive ful l monastic ordination. Why? Bccausc i t is not for the sake of Tath-gata-

hood that they leave the household life or receive full monastic ordir-ration.

"The Arhats take refuge in the Tathagata out of fear. Why? Thc Arhats are

372 ON GrNspar MasAvANa DocrnrNn

constantly afraid of al l phenomena, as i f someone sought to harm them with a

sword in hand. Thereforc, thcy do not actual ly accomplish t l-re deeds of renuncia-

t ion, nor do they attain thc ult imate bl iss. World-Honored One, [he who does not

r-reed] a refuge docs not scck a rcfugc. Just as scrlticnt bcings without refuge are

afraid of this and that and seek refuge for the sake of security and peacc, so,'V/orld-Honorcd

Onc, the Arhats takc rcfugc in thc Tathigata out of fear."Thus, the Arhats and thc Pratyckabuddhas havc not endcd their rebirths,

havc not sulf iciently cult ivated purc conduct, havc not accomplished what should

bc accomplishcd, and havc not complctclv cradicatcd what should be eradicated;

they are st i l l far from nirvana. Why? Only the Tathagata, thc Worthy Onc, thcPerfbctly Enl ightened C)r.re, has attained nirvlna; has achieved al l the inf ini te, in-

conceivable merits; has eradicated al l that should bc cradicatcd; is ult imatcly purc;

is adored by al l sentient beings; and has transcended the states of t l -rc rwo vchicles

ancl of thc Bodhisattvas. Thc Arhats and so forth havc not done so. I t is only as

skillful means that the Br-rddha spcaks of thcrn as having attained nirvana. There-

fo rc . they are s t i l l t l r f ron t r r i rv i r ra .

"World-Honored One, when the Tathigata says that the Arhats ar-rd Prat-

yekabuddhas have an insight into l iberation, thoroughly posscss thc four knowl-

edges,l2 and have attaincd ult imate rel ief and rest, hc is speakirrg of the expedient

truth in ordcr to accornrnodatc othcrs' incl inations. Why? Therc are two kinds of

[birt l -r andl death. Wl.rat are the two? They are the recurring Ibirth and] dcath and

the transfirrmational [birth and] death. The recurring [birth andl death are the

[birth ancl dcath of] senticnt beings who continuc [to cxist in sarirsara]. Thc trans-

formational [birth and] deat]r are [the birth and dcath of] thc mind-created bodiesr3

of Arhats, Pratyekabuddhas, and l iberatcd Bodhisattvas,r+ which they retain unti l

they attain bodhi. Now, of the two kinds of [birth and] dcath, i t is with regard to

the recurring [birth and] death that the Arhats and Pratyckabuddhas arc said toknow they have exhausted their rebirths. Because they have rcal izcd thc rncom-

plctc fruit , thcy arc said to know thcy havc ful ly cult ivated pure conduct. Bt:cause

they have thoroughly eradicated the continuous defi lementsls-which cannot be

accomplished by any ordinary people or by the sevcn gradcs of lr-arnc'15rr--1hsy x1s

said to know they have accomplished what should be accomplished."World-l" lonored C)ne, to say that the Arhats and Pratyekabuddhas know

they are no more subject to future existence does not meall that they have eradi-cated all defiler.nents or that they know all their rebirth\. Why? Thc Arhats and

Pratyekabuddhas st i l l have somc rcsidual dcf i lcmcnts not yct eradicated; therefore,

they cannot know al l the' ir rebirths.

"There arc two kinds of defi lements: underlying defi lemcnts and active dcfi lc-nrcnts. ' ' The underlying defi lements are four in numbcr. What arc thcy? Attach-

nrcnt to a part icular vicwpoint, attachmcnt to desirc, attachment to form, and

cravinq fbr existence. World-Honored One, these four underlying defi lements can

produce al l act ivc dcfi lcmcnts. Thc activc dcfi lements arise from moment to mo-

ment in concomitance with the mind. World-Honored One, the underlying de-

TnE Tnur LtoN's Roan or QUEEN SnimAt-A 373

fi lement of ignorance never arises in concomitance with the mind from bcginning-

less t ime. lE"World-Honorcd One, the four undcrlying defi lements are powerful; thcy

can breed al l thc active defi lements. Yct, in comparison with them, the underlying

defilement of ignorance is so much more powerful that the difference is incx-

pressible eithcr by f igures or analogics. Thus, World-Honored One, the undcr-

lying defi lement of ignorance is more powertul tharr the craving for cxistcncc.

Just as the form, power, authority, and rct inuc of the denron king overshadow

those of thc gods of the Paranirmita-VaSavart in Heaven, so thc underlying dc6lc-

ment of ignorancc overshadows the other four underlying defi lenrents. Al l other

defi lements, which are morc numerous than the sands of thc Ganges, depend on

the urrderlying del i lement of ignorance. I t also causes the othcr four undcrlying t

t lef i lcnrcnts to crrdtrrc. I t carr be eradicated orr ly by the wisdonr of thc Tathlgata.

not by thc wisdonr of the Srivakes or the Pratyekabuddhas. This beirrg the case,

World-Horrored One, tl-re underlying defilement of ignorance is the most por','erful

o f a l l ." lVorld-Honored Onc, with grasping as thc condit ion and dcfi lcd karmas as

the cause, the thrcc rcalms arc produccd. Likcwisc, with thc underlying dcfi lcment

of ignorance as the condit ion ancl r.rnclcf i lcd karrnas as thc causc, thc nrind-created

bodies of Arhats, Pratyekabuddhas, ar-rd powerful Bodhisattvas are produced. These

three kinds of mind-crcatcd boclics ancl thc unclcfilcd karnras all dcpcnd on the

underlying del l lement of ignorance, being condit ioned as well as condit ioning.

Thereforc, World-Honorcd One , the thrcc kinds of mind-created bodies and unde-

f i led karmas al l have the underlying deti lement of ignorance as their condit ion, just

as the craving for cxistcncc [also dcpcnds on thc undcrlying dcfilcmcnt of igno-

rance as i ts condit ion]."World-Honored One, the underlying craving for exister-rce functions differ-

cntly from the underlying defilcment of ignorance. Thc undcrlying dcfilcmcnt of

ignorancc is different from the other four underlying defilemcnts, and for this rea-

son i t can bc eradicated only by the Buddha. Why? Because, though thc Arhats and

Pratyekabuddhas have eradicated thc four undcrlying defilements, they have not

ful ly mastered the power of utter exhaustion of defi lenents. Thcy have not real ized

that state. Why? World-Honored One, to say that their defi lements have been

exhausted is an exaggeration. Being clouded by the underlyirrg defi lement of

ignorance, the Arhats, Pratyekabuddhas, and Bodhisattvas in their last Isarirslr ic]existenccs do not know and perceive al l dharmas. Because the,v do not kno$' and

perccive al l dharmas, they have left urreradicated what should be eradicated, and

left unfinished what should bc f inishcd. Bccausc thcy have not eradicated and

finishcd ali that should be eradicated and finished, they havc attained irrcomplete

l iberation, not completc l ibcrat ion; incomplctc puri ty, not complete puri ty; incom-

plcte merits, not complctc mcrits. World-Honore'd Onc, because they have only

attained incomplete l iberation, not thorough l iberatiorr, and only incomplete mer-

its, not all merits, their knowledge of suffering is incomplete, their eradication of

374 ON GsNenal ManAvAua DocrnrNr

thc cause of suffering is incomplcte, thcir realization of thc cessatiorl of suffcring is

incomplctc, and thcir fol lowing of the path is incomplctc."

Queen Srimalt continued, "World-Honorcd Onc, if onc knows suffcring

only in part, eradicates thc causc of suffcr ing only in part, real izes thc cessation of

suffering only in part, and follows the path only in part, hc is said to havc realizcd

part iai nirvena. One who has rcal izcd part ial nirvtna is only advancing toward the

realm of nirvana."However, if one knows suffcring complctely, eradicates all causcs of suffer-

ing completely, rcalizcs thc complctc ccssation of all suffering, and follows the

path in its cntirety, then he will realize thc permancnt, quiet, cool nirvina within

an impermanent, decaying, corrupt world. World-Honored One, such a person

can be a protector and refuge in a world where there is no protector or refugc.

V/hy? One lyho sccs high and low in things cannot rcalizc nirvina. Only onc who

perceives.6qrral i ty ' ' in wisdonr, equali ty in l iberation, ancl equali ty i1 puri ty can

rcalizc nir\ana; therefore, nirvina is called tl-rc uniforn-r, onc tastc. What is the one

taste? It is the tastc of l ibcratron."'World-Honored One, one canllot attain nirvina, the one tastc, the unifornr

tastc, i fhc docs not conrpletely eradicate and exhaust thc underlying dcfi lcment of

ignorance. Why? tsecause i f he does not do so, hc cannot completely wipe out al l

thc far,r l ts that should bc wipcci out, which arc morc nunrerol ls than thc sands of

the Ganges. I f he does not wipc or,rt al l faults, which arc morc numerous than thc

sands of thc Gangcs, he cannot real ize al l merits. which are equally numerous.

"This being the case, the underlying defi lement of ignorance is the brceding

ground of al l defi lements that should bc cradicatcd. From it arisc al l thc dcfi lcmcnts

causing hindranccs to thc mind: hindranccs to tranquil l i ty, contcmplation, mcdita-

t ion, samipatt i , intensive cffort, wisdorn, fruit ion, rcal izat ion, powcr, and fcarlcss-

ncss. [From it arisel al l the defi lcnlcnts, more numerous thar-r the sarrds of the

Ganges, that can bc cradicatcd only by the Tathigata's enl ightenment and the

Buddha's diamondlikc wisdonr. Al l act ive defi lenrents depend on the underlying

dcfilcment of ignorance, for ignorancc is thcir cause and condition.

"World-Honored Or-re, these activc dcfilcmcnts arisc fronr nomcnt to lllo-

ment in concomitance with the mind. Howcvcr, World-Honorcd Onc, thc under-

lying defi iemcnt of ignorancc l lcvcr ariscs ur concomitance with the mind from

beginnirrgless t ime."World-Honored Or-rc, al l thc dcfi lements, more nunlerous than the sands of

the (Janges,le which should bc cradicatcd by thc Tathlgata's cnl ightcnmcnt and thc

l luddha's diamondlike wisdom, depend on and are establ ishcd by the underlying

dcfilcment ofigrroiance. As an illustration, considcr sccds, plants, and forcsts, all

of which gcrmillate and gror.v from the great earth. If the earth wcre destroyed,

thev would also bc dcstroycd. Similarly, al l the defi lenrents, more numerous than

thc sands of the Ganges, which should be eradicated by the Tathigata's enl ighten-

ment and the tsuddha's diamondlikc wisdom, depcnd on the underlying defi lement

Tsr Tnur LroN's Roan or QrrreN SnirraArA 375

of ignorance for their cxistence and growth. oncc the undcrlying del l lcment ofignorance is cut off, all these defilements2ll will sin'rultaneouslv be cut off.

"when al l things-the Iunderlying] dcf i lemc'ts and active defi lemenrs, morenumerous than thc sands of the Gangcs-which should be cut off have becn cutoff, one wil l be able to real ize the inconceivablc Buddha-Dharrnas, which arc Ialso]more numerous than thc sands of the Ganges. Hc rvi l l pcnetratc al l dharmaswithout obstruction,2l bccomc al l-krrowing arrd al l-seeing, be frcc from al l faults,achievc al l merits, and bccome a great Dharma king u'ho has gaincd mastery of al ldharmas and who has real ized thc state of free command of al l dharmas. Hc wil l bcable to make the true l ion's roar: ' l have cnded my rebirths; I havc iul ly cult ivatedpurc conduct; I have done what shor.r lcl bc done; and I am r.ro more subjcct t<;[sarirslr ic] existence. 'Tl-r is is why thc world-Hor-rored onc constantly nrakes hisf irm proclamatiorr in a l ion's roar bascd on the ult imatc truth.

"World-Honored Onc, the knowledge of being rro nrore subjcct to {sarirslr ic]cxistcnce is of two kinds. what arc thc t ' ,vo? "I 'he f irst Iknorvledgc] belongs to theTath-gatas. The

'rathigatas havc vanquishcd, with thcir harncssing and subduipg

power, the tbur dernons; havc transcended al l worlcls and are csteemed by al lsenticnt beings; havc' rcal izccl the inconceivable, pure l)harrrra-body; have attair-rednrastcry in al l f ic lds of knowledge, are unexccl lcd and supremcly magnif iccnt: havcnothing more to do and sec no lirrther stage to realize; arc cnckrr',,cd r.vith the te1

Powcrs; have ascenclcd to thc suprcme stage of fearlcssness, ancl obscrve al l dhar-rrras without hindrancc. Thercfbre, they can nrakc the truc l ion's roar, proclain-r insthat they arc no ntore sul l ject to Isafirsaricl existence.

"Thc sccorrd [knowledge of being r)o morc subject to sarirsir ic existcncc]belongs to the Arhats and Pratyekabuddhas. Thcy havc bccn released frorn thc lcarof countless births and deaths and are cnjoying the bl iss of l ibcrat ion; thcrcfore,thcy think, ' l have left the fr ightful sarirsara behind and wil l suffcr no more pain. '

"world-Honorcd o'e, by 'raki 'g this .bservation, the Arhats and prarve-

kabuddhas also claim that thev are no morc subjcct to lsarirsaricl cxistcncc. Ho\\,-ever, they have not rcal izcd the highest state of rcl ief and rest-nirvina. on theother hand, i f thcy are nor deludcd by thc l)harnra thcy havc rcal izcd, thcv rvi l lbe able to understand Ithat therc arel states thcy have not real izcd, Isaying ro thr-nr-selves,] 'Ncw I have only real izcd an inconrplcte statc' ; and they wil l dct lprtclr.attain suprcrnc enl ightcnment. why? I lccausc l thc vehicles of l thc Srivak:rs ald th..Pratyckabuddhas are both includcd in the Mahryana, and thc Mlh:rr. :rr-ra is thc-Buddl-ra-vchicle. This bcing the case, thc three vchicles arc rhc c) 'c Vchiclc.

"One who rcal izcs thc Onc Vehicle attains supremc cnl ightenrn"'rr. Suprr-nrccrr l ightenrncnt is nirvlna. Nirvina is thc pure L)harma-bodv ot ' thc Tathaeata. Torcal ize the l)harnra-body is thc One Vehicle. The- Tathigata is not dif- tcrent lromthc Dharrna-body; thc 1'athigara i , i thc I)harnra-body. The rcal izat ion of the ult i-mate L)harma-body is thc ulr imatc C)nc Vehicle.

"The ult imate c)ne Vchicle is that which is apart 1iom Iordi.aryi continuity.

376 ON GrNErar- MauAyANa DocrrrNn

Why? World-Honored Onc, i f one says that thc abiding t inrc of thc Tathagata isimmcasurablc, cqual to the boundless luturc, and that thc lathlgata can benefi t thcworld with l i rnit lcss courpassion and l imit lcss vovn's, hc is said to spcak r,vel l . I f orresa)'s that thc Tath-gata is pcrnr. lncnt, is an r.rncnding I)harrna, and is the ult inatercfuge of al l sentient beings, he is also said to spcak r ' , 'el l . Thcretbre, thc Tathagata,the Wbrthy Onc, thc Suprcncly Enl ightcncd One, is an incxhaustiblc rcfuge, anevcr-abiding refuse, and an tr l t inratc rcluge, for an inf lnitc length of t ime strctch-ing into t l-re future, in a rn-orld without Ianv othcrl protcct ion or rcfuge.

"The Dharma is thc path of thc One Vehiclc. Thc Sarirgha is the assemblyof the thrcc vehicles. Howevcr, the I)harma and the Sarirgha are partial rcfuges,not ult imate refugcs. Why? Although thc path of the One Vehiclc is taught, i t is nolonger mentioned aftcr onc has attained thc ult imate Dharma-body. Bccause theyhave fear, those ir-r the asser-nbly of thc thrcc vehicles takc rcfuge in the Tathlgataand learn and practicc thc I)harma; thcy are st i l l in the activc process of workingtoward sLlprcnte enlightcnmcnt thcmselves. Therefore, thc two rcfugcs are onlyl imitcd rcfuges, not ult imate ones.

"When sentient bcings arc subducd by the ' l 'athtgata

and takc refuge in theTathigata, thcir thirst is rcl icvcd by the nectar of Dharma, and thcy generate faithand joy; [consequently] thcy takc refuge also in the Dl.rarma and the Sarirgha.These two refuges are lconceivcd asl refuges bccausc of senticnt beings' faithgencratr. :cl througJh the qucnching of their thirst by the nectar of Dharma. TheTathagata is not such a refuge; t l -re Tath-gata is a truc rcf irge. Neverthelcss, internrs of thc r-rltirnate trr.rth, to takc refuge in the Dharma and thc Sarhgha ls totake ultirnatc rcfugc in the Tathagata. why? Thc Tathagata is r.rot diffcrent fromthese two refuges; the' Tathagata ls the thrcc retuges.

"Why is t l .re path of thc One Vchiclc taught? Thc Tathagata, rhe SupremeOlc, is cndowed with thc lour fearlessnesses and is able to make the truc l ion'sroar. I f thc Tath-gatas, in accordance with scntient beings' necds, teach the twovehicles as skillful means, [thcn tl-re two vchicles they teach] are no other than theGreat Vehicle, because in thc highest truth there are no two vchicles. The twovchicles both mergc into the Onc Vehicle, and the One Vchicle is thc vehicle ofsupremc truth.

"World-Honored Onc, whcn Srlvekas and Pratyekabuddhas rcach the init ialreal izat ion of thc lour noble truths, i t is not with the onc [supremc] knowledgethat thcy eradicate thc undcrlying dcl l lenrents, rcal ize thc rncri ts of complete knowl-edge of the four rroble truths, or urrdcrstand the csscncc of the four truths. World-Honorcd One, they lack thc supramundane knowledge, so the four knowlcdgcs

lof the four truthsl come to thcm gradually, cach condit ionir.rg the next. World-Honored Onc, thc supramundane knowledge, l ike a diamond Iwhich cuts things atone stroke], ' is not gradua'! in nature.

"V/orld-Honored Onc, thc Srlvakas and Pratyekabuddhas eradicatc thc un-derlvirrs defi lements by knowing the noble trurhs in many ways, but they do notpossess the suprcme, supramundane knowledgc. Only the Tathigata, the Worthy

Tur Tnur LtoN's Roan or QuErN SninArA 377

One, the Al l-Knowing One, can break up thc shcl ls of al l defi lements by his

ir-rconceivable knowledgc of cmptiness; i t is beyond the domain of thc Sravakas

and Pratyckabuddhas."World-Honored Onc, thc ult imate knou' ledge which shatters the shcl ls of

dcfi lements is cal led the supreme, supramundane knowlcdgc. Thc init ial knowl-

edgc of the noble truths is not the ultimate kr.rou'ledge; it is knowledge only leading

to supreme cnl ightenment." l7orld-Honored One, the truc mcaning of thc word'rroble'does not apply

to [those who fol low] the two vehiclcs. Why? The Srivakas alLd Pratyekabuddhas

arc said to bc noblc mcrcly bccausc they can attain a Small part of the merits [of a

Tath-gata]. World-Honored One, the Ireal l noble truths are not truths belonging

to Srivakas or Pratyekabuddhas, and are not merits bclonging to thcnr. Thc Ireal]noble truths arc real ized only by a T'athagata, a Worthy Onc, a Pcrfcct ly Enl ight-

ened ()r-re, and afterwards revealed, demonstrated, and explaincd to scnticnt bcings

in the world who are confined in shel ls of isnorance. Hence the namc 'noblc

t ru ths . '

"World-Honorccl Onc, thc [rcal] noblc truths arc vcry profound, subtle,

dit f icult to perccive, hard to understand, and not to bc discriminatcd; thcy art-

beyond the realn-r of thought and speculat iorr, and they transcend the credence of

al l thc worlcl . They arc krrown only to l 'athagatas, Worthy Oncs, Pcrfcct ly En- I

l ighterred ()rrcs. Why? These trr.r ths explain thc vcry profbund Tathagata-cmbryo.rr I

The Tath-gata-cmbryo belongs in the realm of the tsuddha and is beyond the

domain of thc Srivakas and Pratyekabuddhas. Since the noble truths are explained

on thc basis of thc Tathagata-embryo, and since the Tath-gata-embryo is profound

and subtle, the noble truths are also profound ar-rd subtle, dif f icult to perceive, hard

to understand, arrd not to be discrin-r irrated; they are beyond the realm of thought

and speculat ion, and transcend the credence of al l the world. Thcy can bc known

only by a Tathigata, a Worthy One, a Perfectly Enl ightened One."If one has no doubt about the Tathagata-embryo, which [ in ordinary beings]

is wrapped in an incalculable number of defi lements, he wil l also have no doubt

about the Dharrna-body of the Tathagata, which is beyond al l dcf i lcmcnt."World-Honored One, i f one can have true faith in thc Tathagata-embr1'o

and the Buddha's Dharma-body-thc inconccivablc, csoteric rcalm of the tsud-

clha-he wil l then be able to bel ieve in and understand well the two meaninss of

the noble truths.

"What are thc two mcanings of the noble truths? They are the active and the

nonactivc. The active noble truths arc thc four noblc truths in an inconrplctc sense.

Why? When one has to rcly on othcrs for protection, hc cannot completelv know

suffcring, cradicate al l causes ofsuffering, real ize thc complete ccssation ofsuffcr-

ing, or fol low in i ts cntircty the path leading to thc cessation of suf-fering. There-

forc, he cannot know condit ioned things, uncondit ioned things, or nirvina.

"World-Honorcd Onc, the nonactive noblc truths refer to thc four r-roble

truths in the completc scnse. Why? Because, when one can rely on himself for

378 ON GrNEnar MasAyANa DocrnrNr

protection, he can completely know suffering, eradicate all causes of suffering,realize thc complctc ccssatlor-r of suffering, and follow in its entircty thc pathleading to the cessation of suffering.

"Thus, therc are in all eight noble truths mentioned; however, the tsuddhateaches them only [in tcrms of ] four noble truths. Thc mcaning of the nonactivcfour noble truths is pcrfectly realized only by Tathigatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly

Enlightened Ones, and is bcyond the capacity of Arhats and Pratyekabuddhas.

Why? Because nirvina is not to be real ized by any dharma, whether supcrior orinferior, whether low, middlc, or high.

"What does i t mean that the Tathigatas perfcct ly rcal ize the nonactive truths?Thc Tathagatas, thc Worthy C)nes, the Supremely Enlightened Oncs, completelyknow suffering; have eradicated all causcs of suffcring, which are thc dcfilements;havc rcalized the complete cessation of all suffering, Ieverr that] derived from thealllTregates of a mir-rd-created body; and have followccl in its entirety the pathleading to the cessation of sulfbring.

"World-Honorcd Onc, thc term 'cessation of suffcr ing' does not imply thedestruction of anything. Why? Because the cessation of sufli'ring has no beginning,no action, no originatiorr, and r-ro end; i t is ever-abiding, irnmovable, intr insical lypurc, and fiec liom thc shcil of defilemer-rts.2l

"World-Honored One, the Tath-gata has achieved inconccivablc Dharmasmore r lunlcrous than thc sands of the Gangcs, Dharmas which embody thc wisdomof libcration ancl which are relerrcd to as the Dharma-body. World-Honored Or-rc,when this l)harnra-body is not apart from dcfi lcrncnts, i t is cal led the Tathagata-embryo.2a

"World-Honored One, the Tathigata-en.rbryo is the Tath-gata's knowlcdgc2sof emptincss. Thc Tathagata-embryo has never been seen or realized by anySrSvaka or Pratyekabuddha. I t is perceived and wirncsscd only by the Buddhas.

"World-Honored One, the knowledge of emptiness of thc Tathagata-embryois of two kinds. What arc thc two? The first is the knowledge that the Tathagata-embryo is empty: that it is apart from all dcfilements and apart from knowledgewhich does not lead to liberation. The second is thc knowlcdge that the Tathagata-embryo is not empty: that it contains inconceivablc Dharmas mort: numcrous thanthe s:nds of the Ganges, which embody the Buddhas' wisdom of l ibcrat ion.

"World-Hor-rored Oue, the advanced Sravakas can, through faith, garn accessto thcsc twg knowledges of_emptincss. World-Honored One, the knowledge ofemptiness possessed by the Srlvakas and Praryekabuddhas is connccted with andrcvolves around the four wrong views. Therefore, no Sravaka or Pratyekabuddha

has ever perceived or realized thc complete cessation of suffering. Only the Bud-dha has realized it dircctly; hc has eradicated all defilemcnts and followed in itsentirety the path leading to the cessation of suffering.

"World-Honored One, of the four noblc truths, three truths are imper-nlanerlt, and one truth is permanent. Why? The three noble truths [of suffering,the cause of suffering, and the path leading to the cessation of sufferingl belong to

THt Tr r t e L roN 's l l r )AR ( )F Qr - r . r -N SHi ,vAr A 379

the realm of condit ioned dharmas. what is condit ioned is impermancnt, and whatis impermanent is destructible. what is destructiblc is not truc, not pcrmancnt, andnot a refuge. Thcrcfore, in the ult imate serlse, the three noblc truths are not true,not pcrmanent, and not a refuge.

"World-Honored One, the noble truth of the ccssation of suffering is bc-yond thc realnt of condit ioncd dharmas. lVhat is be1'ond the rcalnr of condit ioneddharmas is evcr-abiding by naturc. what is ever-abiding by rature is i 'destructi-blc. what is indcstructiblc is true, pernlancnt, and a refugc. For this reason, world-Flonored One, thc noble truth of the cessation of suffcr ing is in the ult imate sensetrue, pcrmanent, and a rcfugc.

"World-Flonored C)nc, this noblc truth of the cessation oisulfcr ing is ir-rcorr-ceivable. I t is beyond thc rcalm of al l sentier-rt beings'mind and consciousness; i t isalso beyor.rd thc donrai ' of al l Arhats'and Pratyckabuddhas'knou' lcdge.Just as themyriad colors cannot bc sccn by a marr born bl ind, or as the sun cannot be scen bya seven-day-old infant, so the noblc truth ofthe cessatiorl ofsuflcr ing cannot be arlobject.f ordinary peoplc's mind and c.nsciousness, nor is i t in the domain of anySrivakas' or Pratyckabuddhas' knowledge.

"Thc consciousncss of ordinary people refers to the two extrenle vicr, ' , 's. Thcknowlcdge of 'Srtvakas and Pratyekabuddhas means their pure knowlcdge.

"Extrcnre views r.can [the views which arisc whcn] 'nc cl ings to thc f iveaggrcgates as thc sclf and makes various discrirninations. There are two exrrcmeviews. What are the two? The ctcrnal ist ic vicw and the nihi l ist ic view.

"world-Horrored onc, i f one sees sarhsara as impermancnt and nirvi 'a aspermanent, his vicw is neithcr nihi l ist ic nor eternal ist ic, but is their ight view.26why? when deludcd peoplc scc that bodies, sense-orgarls, and that which thinksand fccls all perish irr this lifc, but do not understand the continuation of existence,therr, being bl ind and without the eye of wisdom, rhcy conceive a nihi l ist ic vicw.whcn they see the continuity of the r'ind but fail to see the aspect of its momen-tary perishing, then bcing ignorant of the [true] statc of consciousness, thcy con-ceive an eternal ist ic view.27

"world-Honored one, thc before-mentioned truth is beyond all discrimina-tion and beyond inferior understanding. Because fools havc delusive thoughts andcling to misconceived idcas, they believc either nihilism or etcrnalism.

"world-Ho'ored onc, concer' irrg the f ivc aggregates, deluded senriert be-irrgs considcr the impcrmanent to be perrnanent, suffering to be joy, no'sclf to bcself, and the impure to be purc. The Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas, *. i th al l theirpure wisdom, ncvcr gl impse the Buddha's Dharma-body or the starc- of thc Ta-thigata. l

" I f a sentient bei 'g, out of faith in the Tathagara, regards the Tathegata aspefmanent, joyous, pure, and possessi 'g a self , he does not sec [the Tathigata]wrongly; he sees him correctly. why? Because the Dharma-body of the Tathagatais the pcrfection28 of permanence, thc perfection ofjoy, thc perfection of self, andthe perfcction of purity. Those sentient beings who assume such a view are said to

3U0 ON GrNrnal ManAvANa DocrnrNr

have the r ight view. Those who assunle th{r ight view are cal led the rrue sons ofthe Buddha, born from the Buddha's mouth, born from thr- truc Dharma, bornfrom thc Dharma miraculously,2e and hcirs to the Buddha-Dharma.

"World-Honored One, thc so-cal lcd pure knowledgc is the perfect ion ofknowledge of al l Arhats and Pratyckabuddhas. Even this pure knowledge, pure asit is said to be, cannot embrace thc realm of the noble truth of the cessation ofsuffering, let alonc thc knowledge of [those who practicc] the four reliances. Why,thcn, docs thc World-Honored One teach thc four reliances? In order that ther-rovices of thc thrcc vchiclcs may not be ignorant of the Dharma and may even-tual ly real ize i ts meaning.

"World-Honored One, these lour rcl ianccs are mundane dharmas. World-Honorcd ()ne, there is one rel iance which is the highest of al l rcl ianccs, which isthc supramundane, supreme, and ult irnatc rcl iancc-namely, [nirvana,] the nobletruth of thc ccssrt ion ctf sufferrng. t ' '

"World-Honorcd Onc, thc cycle of birth and death [sarirsira] is basedon tht: Tathigata-cmbryo. Because of the Tathlgata-en.rbryo, the beginning [ofsarirs-ral cannot be known.

'World-Honored One, if onc says that because there is

tl-re Tatl-r-gata-embryo thcrc is sarirs-ra, he speaks wcll." ! i lor ld-Honored One, thc cycle of birth and dcath mcans the cessation of

thc scnsc facultics and the immcdiatc arising of new serlse faculties. World-Honored Or-re, the two dharmas, birtl-r and death, are thc Tath-gata-embryo itself;thcy arr.: callccl birth and death from thc convcntional viewpoint. World-HonoredOne, death means the cessatior-l of sense faculties, and birth mcans the arising ofscnsc facult ics.

' l 'hc fathlgata-embryo, however, neither arises nor ccascs to be,

ncithcr cnrerges nor vanishes; i t is beyond the realm ofcondit ioned Idharmas]."World-Honored Onc, thc'1'athagata-embryo is permanent and indestructi-

ble. Thereforc, World-Honored One, the Tathagata-embryo is the base, the sup-port, and the four-rdatiorr of the wisdom of libcration. It is also the basc, thesupport, and the foundation of all conditior-red dharmas.

"World-Honored One, if thcre were no Tathigata-cmbryo, there would beno abhorrence of suffering and no longing for nirvina.3l Why? The seven dharmas-the six consciousncsses and their objccts-arc momentary and nonabiding, andtherefcre cannot rctain thc cxperience ofsuffbring. Hcnce, they are unable to abhorsuffering or aspire to nirvina. The Tathagata-embryo has no beginning, neithcrariscs nor ccases, and can retain the cxpcricncc of suffering. It is thc cause of

[scnticnt bcings' l renunciat ion ofsuffering and aspirat ion for nirvana."World-Honored One, tht: Tath-gata-embryo is not a self, a personal iden-

t i tr ' . a being. or a l i fc. Thc Tathagata-enrbryo is rrot in the domain of senrientbeines who believe in a real self, whose thinking is confused, or whordiig i.orh ( \ ' r ( ' \ \ ' o f cmpt incss .

"World-Honorcd Onc, the Tath-gata-embryo is the store of the dharma-lh.rtu. thc storc of thc Dharna-body, the store of thc supramundane, and the storeo i in r r ins ic pur i t y .

"This intrinsically pure Tathigata-embryo, as I understand it, is always the

Tnr Tnur LroN's Roan oE Qunnru SniuAt-A 381

inconccivable state of the Tathlgata cvcn if contaminated by defilements, the ad-

venti t ious dust. Why? World-Honored One, the mind, whether virtuous or non-

virtuous, changes from moment to momcnt, and it cannot be contaminated by

defilcments, the adventitious dust. Why? Defilements are not in contact with the

mind; the mind is not in contact with defilements. Hor.v can anything that is not in

contact with the mind contaminatc thc mind? Yet, World-Honored One, because

thcre are defilemcnts there is a defiled mind. It is cxtrcmcly difficult to know and

understand contamination by defi lements. Only thc tsuddha, the World-Honored

One, who is the eye, the wisdom, the root of thc Dharna. the guide, and the

foundation of the true Dharma, can know and see i t as i t is."

Thcn thc Buddha praised Queen Snnrl l i , saying, "splendid, splendid! Justas you say, it is difficult to knou' and undcrstand how the intrinsicall-v pure mind

can be contaminated by dcfilemcnts."Srimila, there are two things difficult to understand. What are the two?

First, the intrinsically purc mind; sccond, thc contarnination of this mind by defile-

mcnts. C)nly you and those Bodhisattvas who havc alrcady accomplishcd the

great Dharma can acccpt thcsc two things upon hcaring of them. The Sravakas can

understand them only through faith."Srinrala, i f rny disciples strengthen their faith and comply with the Dharma-

wisdom, then they wil l reach the utrnost [undcrstanding] of this Dharma. Com-

pliance with the Dharma-wisdom means: cor-rten-rplatior-r of the sense-organs, the

consciousncsscs, and their objects; contenplat ion ofkarmas and thcir rcsults; con-

templation of the dormant dcfilcmcnts of thc Arhats; contcmplation of the joy of a

liberated mind and thc bliss of mcditation; and corltcmplation of thc noblc, mirac-

ulous powers of the Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas. By accomplishing these f ive

skillful corrtemplations, nly preserlt and future Srivaka followers will, because of

their strengthened faith and thcir compliancc with thc Dharma-wisdom, be able to

understand thc intrinsically pure mind and how it becomes contaminated by defile-

ments. They wil l reach the utmost [understanding of this Dharma]. Srimil t , the

utmost [understanding] is the causc of thc Mahayana.

"Now you should know that he who has faith in the Tathegata does not

slander the profound Dharma."

Theu Quccn Srimil i said to the Buddha, "World-Honored One, there are

sti l l othcr doctr ines that wi l l be of great benefi t . By the awesomc, divinc power of

the Buddha I wi l l explairr them."

Thc Buddha said, "Excel lent! Now speak al l you wish."

Queen Snmala said, "Thcrc arc thrcc kinds of good men and u'onren 'who

can, with rcgard to the profound Dharma, avoid harming thcn'rselves, generate

nunlerous mcrits, and enter the path of the Mahiyina. What are the three? They

are: the good men and women who have by thcmsclvcs attained the u' isdom of the

profound Dharma; those who succeed in complying rvith thc Dharma-wisdom;

and thosc who cannot understand the profound Dharma but fully rely on the

Tathagata, saying, 'This is only known to the Buddha; i t is not in my domain. '"Aside from these three kinds of good men and women, other sentrent

382 Or.r GENEnar ManAvAua DocrnrNn

beings may take from the profound Dharma only what they likc, cling to misrakeninterpretat ions, dcfy the truc Dharma, or learn hctcrodox doctr ines. Whcreverthese rotten secds [ i e., wrong bel icfs,] are, we should go there and cl iminatethem. All gods and humans should combine their efforts to destroy these rottcnseeds. "

After Queen Srimilt had thus spokcn, she and hcr rerinuc bowed down arthe feet of thc Buddha.

The Buddha then praiscd Queen SrimalJ, saying, " l t is wonderful, Srimala,that you can skillfully protect the profour.rd Dharma and propcrly vanquish itsenemics. Bccausc you have already associated int imately with hundreds of thou-sands of mil l ions of Buddhas, Tathlgatas. you are able to explain this doctr inc."

Then thc World-Honored Or.re emanated a nragnificent light illuminating theentire assembly, and elcvatcd himsclf into midair to thc height of seven palm trees.Using his n-riraculous powcrs, he walkcd ir-r the air and rcturned to thc city ofSravasti , Mcanwhilc, without taking their eyes off the World-Honored Onc for anitrstant, Quccn Srimala and hcr retinue gazed at him with adoration until hepasscd out of sight. Then they al l danccd with joy and cxchanged praises ofthe virtucs of the Tathigata. Recollcct ing thc I luddha singlc-mindedly, they re-turncd to Ayodhya.

IWher.r she had returncd ro rhc ciry, Srrmrla] pcrsuaded King Mitrakirt i32 roestabl ish thc Mahayana [as thc state rel igior.r] . She taught the Mahayana to al lfc 'malcs of the city over seven years of agc, and King Mitrakirt i taught the Maha-yana to nralcs ovcr scven; as a result, al l the cit izens of the country, withoutexception, learncd thc Mahayana.

'Wher-r the World-Honorcd One entercd theJeta (lrove, he called thc Vcncra-

ble Ananda. He also summoned the king of devas by thinking about him. Inresponse to the Buddha's summoning thought, Sakra, the king of devas, and hisrct inuc instantly appeared before the Buddha.

Then the World-Honorcd One told Sakra the dcva king. "Kau6ika, youshould accept ar.rd uphold this sutra, explain it, and revcal it lor the sake of thcpeace and happiness of those who dwcll in the Heavcn of the Thirty-Three . "

He thcn told Ananda, "You, too, should acccpt and uphold this sutra andexphin i t in dctai l to the four kinds of devotees."

Sakra, king of devas, said to the t luddha, "World-Honorcd One, whatshould we cal l this sutra? How should wc uphold i t?"

Thc Buddha told the king of devas, "This sOrra has l imit lcss merits. I t isbeyond the power of al l Srivakas and Pratyckabuddhas, let alorre othcr sentrentbeings. Kauiika, you should understand that this sutra is very profound and subtlcand is a grcat amassment of merits. I shal l now tel l you brief ly i ts names. Listencaretul lyl Listen carcful ly and rhink wcl l about i t ."

Thereupon, Sakra, king of devas, and the Vcncrablc Ananda said to theBuddha. "Yes, World-Honored One. We shall accept your reaching."

The Buddha said, "This sitra is cal led'Acclamation of rhe Tathisata's TrueVirtues, ' and should be upheld accordingly.

THr Tnun LroN's Rtran or Qumn Sni,uArA 383

"It is also cal led'A Discourse on thc Tcn Inconceivable Vows,'and shouldbc uphcld accordingly.

"I t is also cal lcd 'A l) iscourse on the One Grcat Vow That Compriscs Al lVows,' and should be uphcld accordingly.

"I t is also cal led 'A Discoursc on the Inconceivable Embracins of the True

Dharma,' and should be upheld accordingly."I t is also cal lcd'A Discourse on the Entry into thc Onc Vehicle, 'and should

be upheid accordingly."I t is also cal lcd'A Discourse on the Boundless Truth, 'and should be upheld

accordingly." l t ' i s a lso ca l led 'A l ) i scourse on thc Tathasata-cmbrvo . 'and shou ld bc

upheld accordingly." l t is also cal lcd'A I) iscourse on the tsuddha's l)harma-bodv, 'ar.rd should be

upheld accordingly." l t is also cal lcd 'A Discourse on the Hidden Rcali ty in the l)octr ine of

Emptincss, ' and should bc uphcld accordingly." l t i s a lso ca l led 'A D iscourse on the C)ne Tru th , 'and shou ld bc uphc ld

accordingly." l t is also cal lcd 'A l) iscoursc on the Onc, Evcr-abiding, Immovable, and

Quict Rcfugc, ' ancl should bc uphcld accordingly." I t i s a lso ca l led 'A D iscourse on Invers ion and Rca l i t y , 'and shou ld bc uphc ld

accordingly." l t is also cal led 'A Discourse on the Inrr insical ly Pure Mind Wrappcd rn

l)cf i lcments, ' and should bc uphcld accordingly." I t i s a lso ca l led 'A l ) i scoursc on the True Sons o f thc Tath iea ta . 'and shou ld

bc uphcld accordingly." I t i s a lso ca l led 'A I ) i scourse on rhc Truc L ion 's Roar o f Quccn Sr in ra la , '

and should be upheld accordingly."Moreover, KauSika, this sutra's teaching resolvcs al l doubts; i t is thc dcfini-

t ive, ult imate teachir-rg, the way to the One Vehiclc. KauSika, I now cntrusr vouwith this'Sutra of the Lion's Roar of Quccn Srimila. 'Reveal and cxplain i t to thebeings in the ten dircct ions as long as the Dharma cndures."

Sakra, the king of devas, saicl, "Ycs, World-Honored Onc. Wc u.i l l ibl lou'your instruct ions."

' I 'hcn, hcaring what the tsLrddha had said, Sakra, the king o[ dcr-.rs. thc

Venerable Ananda, and al l the gods, hunrans, asuras, gandharvas. and othcrs rn theassembly were jubi lant. They accepted thc sutra with faith and bcsan ro pr11. '1i6" 1,wit ir vcncration.

381 ON GlNrnar- MauAyANa DocrRrNn

NOTES

1. TI . re other extarr t Chinese vcrs ion of th is sutra, t ranslatcd l ror l the Sanskr i t byclunabhadra (Taisho 353, p. 217), re 'ads: "ve should promprly send her a lc t tcr ro arousc hcrthought ofbodhi . " Sincc i t is the let tcr which is c loquent, not the nlcsscnger, th is readingmay bc prcferable.

2. This l inc can also bc t ranslated as: " l f rvhat is said [ in thc lc t ter ] is t rue. . "

. 3. L i teral ly , "Al l dharmas eternal lv abidc." Accorcl ing to l ' l rc Record o- l 'a Distoursc on

thc Srtmala.Srtrc ( f f i f f {7\ f f i#;d) , bv Vcn. Yin Shun (Taipci , 197{)) , p. 3(r , th is refers roal l the phvsical a l td r t tcntal at t r ibutes of- thc Tathlqata, rvhic l r arc ln accunrulat ion ol - lncr i ts .

'1. Ki l l ing, stcal ing, scxual nr isconcluct , and lv ins. Hcrc thc v iccs of the body arci r ) tcrprctccl in a broacl scnse, aud includc thc v icc of spccch, i .e. l1, ing. [u a nrore detai ]edclassi f icat iot r , thc v icr- of specch is scparated l iorn the v ice.s of thc body rncl cxpandcd intolot t r i tcrns: ly ing, shndcr, harsh speech, and f i ivoloLrs chat tcr . Thcsc fbur, conrt r ined rv i ththc unwholcsomc act ions of mind and bodv, lbrnr thc ten cvi l dccds. Sec Numerical Ci lossary.

5. See Glossary, " t ruc Dharnra."

6. Ancient tsudclh ist cosmologv holds that in a b i l l ion-rvor ld urr ivcrsc there arc ten bi l -lion Mor.tnt Sumerus, each surrounded by lour continer)ts. Hcncc "the fbrty billion contincnts."

7. Hcrc thc tcxt is obscure. This is a f rcc, cxtrernclv intcrprct ive t ranslat ion[J. Arr e] t r : rnat ivc r r rnsiat ion bascd on Gurrabl . radra 's vcrs ion (Taisho 353, p. 219). reads:

By, lcont inual ly ] g iv ing thci r bodics unt i l rhe end of sadts i ra, these peoplewi l l bc f rcc f rom old age and s ickncss, and wi l l at te in thc Tathagatr 's l )harma-

botly, rvhich is inclcstrtrctiblc, pcrmanent, changclcss, ultirr.rately tranquil, and in-

conccivablc. I lv Icont inual ly ] g iv ing thci r l ives unt i l thc end of sadrsara, they wi l lbe fbrcver released fionr clcath; will attain infinitc, ctcrnal, inconceivable merits; andrvi l l sccurc ly abide in a l l thc Bucldha- l )harnras and miraculous powcrs. By Icon-t inual l1, l g iv ing their possessions unt i l the end ofsar i rsara, thcy u ' i l l a t ta in endless,

ur-rdinrinishing, perfect kart.nic results; will :rcquirc inconceiv:rblc merits and splen-dors surpassing those of others; and n'rll bc l.ronored and scrvccl by other sentiel)tbcings.

9. Gunabhadra's vcrs ion reads " the lact ion oi the l )harn.ra," instead of " thc qood

laction. "

10. Skt . ndr i lnn. A marman is a spot on the body, a s l ight tor . rch on u ' l i i tJr r r rav causrgrcat pain or rcsul t in dcath. According to d i l ferent sourcos, there arc cr thcr ( r4 or 120 such

spots; M. Monier-Wi l l ian-rs, Sarrs lcr l t - IJrg l ish Dtt t i t tnary. (Oxford, 1899) p. 791, g ivcs thci rnun-rber as 107.

' I 1. Lakc Anavatapta is a lake in Buddhist and Hindu cosntology, norrh of the Snow

Mountain and south of the Fragrant Mountain. The c ight r ivcrs are: Gangcs, Indus, Oxus,Si t5. 1. , t r , t . t " , Saravast i (?) , Hiranyavat i or Aj i ravat i , and Mahi(?) . Somct i rncs only the f i rs tiour l rc l r rc l l t ionccl .

12. I .e. , knowledge of the four noblc t ruths.

13. The mind-created bodv refers to thosc rvho have been relcascd lrom ordinary birthrn. l dcath. and can appear in lnv forrn at wi l l wi thout being subject to the l imirar ions of t ime:nd sp : c r - .

Tnr Tnur LroN's l{oan or QutEN SnivAt-A 385

14. Bodhisat tvas of thc scventh or e ighth stage, who havc at ta ined the l leal izat ion of

the Nonar is ing of Dharmas. There are othcr interpretat ions. Scc Ven. Yin Shun. op. r l f . , pp.

1,52-3

15. Thc four underlying dcfilements mentioncd belou'.

16. The sevcn grades of learncrs are: those rvho arc approaching the f ru i t ofa strernr-

entcrcr , and thosc who havc obtained i t ; those who arc approacht l rg thc l ru i t of a once-

returncr, and thosc who have obtained i t ; those u 'ho arc approaching thc f ru i t of a non-

returncr, and those who have obtaincd i t ; and those rvho arc approaching thc f ru i t of o l re

beyond learning, i .e. , an Arhat .

17. The act ivc dcf i lcrncnts are the unwholesorrc mental iunct ions such as lust , angcr,

e ' tc . , which ar ise when the mind st i rs .

18. We are corrscious of thc act ivc dcf i lcmcnts ar is ing f rorn I I IoInr 'nt to l r lonlent ,

whcrcas t rnclcr lv ing ignorarrcc, rvhich scrvcs as a "store" or basis lbr othcr c lct l lenrcnts. is

ver1, subt le and dccply inhercnt , so thc orc l inarv nr ind is not rwere of i ts e 'x ist r ' l tce. This is

presunrablv the nreaning here. The text reads " the unclcr ly ing dt- f i lenrent o i t i rnorancc nc-vcr

ar iscs in concont i tance wi th the mind f rom beginninglcss t i rne." This i rnpl ics that s ince

bcgmninglcss t inrc, u 'hen the mind ar ises, ignorance is latent , not act ivc; thcrc- forr- . a scnt lc l r t

bcing is not conscious of r t .

19. In thc tcxt , "morL- numerous than thc sands of t l ie ( ianges" seetns to nrodi f r'enl ightenment ' , not 'dcf i lcrncnts ' .

20. The text rcads in fu l l : "a l l the def i lements, more numcrous than the s;rnds of thc

( ianges, which should bc cut o l f by thc Tathigata 's enl ightcnmcnt and thc Buddha's d ia-

rnondl ikc wisdort t . . "

21. L i teral ly , "He wi l l real izc thc unobstr l rc tcd miraculous pou'ers wi th rcgard to a l l

dharmas. "

22 . Scc G lossa ry , " I a t h l ga ta - c t t t b r yo . "

23. Al tcrnat ive t ranslat ion: " t lcc:rusc thc ccssrt ion ofsul fer ing nreans the crnergence of

the pure or ig i r ra l nature l rom thc shcl l of dcf iL-rnents. This naturc has no begirr r r ing. no

act ior l , no or ig i r . rat ion, no end, and is ever-abid ing and immovablc."

24. Tathtgata-ernbryo is sornct inres t ranslated as the 'wornb of the Tathigata ' , or' t rcasure of the Tathigata ' ; that is to sa,v, thcrc is a complete, per lect Buddha-naturc wi th in

every sentient being. lt cannot nlanifest itself duc to thc covering of defilerr.rcnts. When one

attains supreme enlightcnment, the Tathigata-cmbryo is no more. lt n.ranifcsts in full Ta-

thagatahood.

25. 'Knowledge' , here, and in othcr passages, can also bc rcndered'u ' isdotn ' . l I r I .nanr '

cases. 'wisdom' is a bct tcr t ranslat ion. Horvcvcr, in ordcr to rnake the t ranslat iorr uni tbrnr .

rvc use 'knowlcdgc' hcrc.

2b. Gunabhaclr l 's vers ion (Taisho 353, p. 222) sccrns to be bct tcr and dcr 'pr-r . l t readsi

" l f one sees al l phenomena as imperr .nanent, h is is a n ih i l is t ic v ierv, not thc r ight v ict . l io l re

sees ni rvana as pcrnancnt , h is is an eternal is t ic v icrv, t rot the r ight v ics ' . "

27. This scntcncc is a f ree t ranslat ionl the text is obscurc.

2t l . 'Perfect ion ' here t ranslates paramit i .

29. We usual ly t ranslate {b4 as 'ethereal ly born ' u,hcn i t rc t i rs to rn actual b i r t l . t

in a heaven, a Pure Land, ctc. Horvever, herc i t is uscd al legor ical l r ' . so *c usc 'born

miraculously ' .

30. For thesc nvo paragraphs we fo l low cnt i rc ly the reat l ing of Clunabhadra's vers ion

(Taisho 353, p.222); thc or ig inal text is extremcly obscure.

386 ON GENrnar MaHAyaNa DocrnrNr

31. Here is an important statement indicat ing that wi th in cvcry human being thcre is

Buddha-nature, which gives rise to religious aspiration, i.e., the qucsr for perlection and

ultimate meaning in life. This Buddha-nature is called hcre the 'Tathigata-cmbryo'

32 . P resumab l y Queen S r i n r i l l ' s husband .

20 BEEsffi€

The Sutra of Assembled Treasures

Thus havc I heard. Once the tsuddha was dwcll i r-rg on Mount Grdhrakuta ne.rr

Rajagrha, acconr; 'ranicd by cight thousancl great monks. Also in thc asscmbly wcrc

sixtccn thousancl Boclhisattva-Mahlsattvas from various Ruddha-lands. al l of u'hon-rhad attained the stage of nonregression and wcre destincd for suprr-me c-nl ighten-rncnt in thcir ncxt l ivcs.

1'hat day, the World-Honorcd C)r.re told Mahakadyapa, "Four things cause a

Boclhisattva's wisdon to decrcase or bc lost. What arc thc four?

(1) To disrespect thc Dharr-rra or l)harrna-nlasters;

(2) to withhold thc profound Dharrna he has acquired instead of disclosing i t

fullY;

(3) to hinder those who rejoicc in the l)harma by giving thenr rcasons to

dcspair; and

(4) to be arrogant and conccitcd, and to disdain others. l

Furthermore, KaSyapa, four things cause a Bodhisattva to gain great \ \ ' rs-

dom. What are thc four?

(1) Always to respect the Dharma and rcvcrc Dharma-nrastcrs;

(2) to preach widely whatever Dharma he has lcarned, with a pure mind not

in pursuit of fame or prof i t ;

(3) to know that wisdom ariscs lrom much lcarning, and to pursuc lcarning

with such constant, urgcnt cffort as i f to save his hcad from f ire; and \(4) to recite the sutras he has learned, and practicc chccrful l ,v as instructcd,

without becoming entangled in words.

Sutra 43, Taisho 310, pp. 631-638; translated into Chinese by an anonymous translator.

388 ON GEuEnar MaHAvANa Docrnrur

"Furthermorc, Ki6yapa, four things causc a Bodhisattva to lose his bodhi-

cit ta. What are the four?

(1) To deceive his teacher and pay no respect to thc sf i tras hc has been taught;(2) to cause unwarranted doubt or regret in others;

(3) to revile and slander those who seek the Mahiyina, thus defaming them

far and wide: and

(4) to be fawning and crooked in dealing with people.

"Furthermore, Ka5yapa, four things enable a tsodhisattva to retain his bo-

dhicitta from one lifetime to another, so that it will always bc naturally present rn

him unti l his attainment of Buddhahood. What are the four?

(1) Not to l ie even wher-r his l i fe is at stake, much less ir-r jest;

(2) always to deal with pcople sinccrely and honcstly, without f lattcry or

crookedness;(3) to think of fJodhisattvas as '0Vorld-Honored Ones, and to extol their names

in all the four directions; and

(4) not to enjoy the Hinay-na doctr ines, but [ instead] to cause al l who bcl icvc

in thc Dharma to pursuc supremc bodhi.

"Furthcrmorc, K-dyapa, fbur things cxuse the wholesome practices cult i-vated by a Bodhisattva to stop increasing or to ccasc. What arc the four?

(1) 1'o rc'ad, rccitc, and study the secular scripturcs out ofarrogance;(2) to approach a donor with a mind lusting for material gains;

I t : l to rcscnt and slarrdcr ot ircr Bodhisattvas; and

i (4), to discredit and contradict sutras which he has not heard before.

"Furthermore, Ki6yapa, four thirrgs cause the wholesome practices cult i-vl ted bf a Bodhisattva to grow instead of ceasing. What are thc four?

i (t) The Bodhisattva rejects heterodox doctr incs and seeks the orthodox scrip-

tures-such as those on thc six paramitas, which consti tutc the Bodhi-

sattva's canon-and when doing so, casts away arrogance and remalrlshumble toward al l sentient beings.

(2) Hc rcccivcs offerings in accordance with thc Dharma, is content withwhat he obtains, does not earn a l ivel ihood in improper ways, and abidesin thc f-our noblc practiccs.

(3) Hc does not expose others' wrongdoings, whether they are true or not,and does not look for people's shortcomings.

(-1) When he f inds some [Buddhist l doctr ines incomprehcnsible, he thinks,'Thc tsuddha-Dharma has inf inite varict ics, for i t is preached according rothe incl inations of sentient beings. I t is known to the Buddha only, not tome. I should dcfcr to the Buddha as thc ccrtifying authority and notharbor disobedience or opposit ion. '

Tsr S0rna or Assr^asno Tnrasunrs 389

"Furthermorc, KaSyapa, a Bodhisattva must shun four wrong mental i t ies.2What are the four?

(1) To harbor doubts about the tsuddha-Dharma or to regrer [having acceptedi t l ;

(2) to be resentful and arrogant toward sentient beings;(3) to be jealous of others for their gains and good l iving; and(4) to [wish to] revi le othcr Bodhisattvas and defamc them far and wide.

"Furthermore, Ki6yapa, four signs indicate a Bodhisattva's r ight mental i ty.3What are thc four?

(1) Thc Bodhisattva does not hidc his transgressions, but cxposes rhen roothers so that his mirrd is free from covcrs and bonds.

(2) Hc ncvcr speaks false words even i f he loses his own body, l i fe , country,or kingdom.

(3) When he encounters nrisfortunes, being scolded, beaten, slandered, bound,or otherwisc injurcd, hc blamcs himself only; resigning himsclf to karmicre t r ibu t ion , he does no t ha te o thers .a

(4) Hc maintains his faith firmly; when he hears thc Buddha-Dharma which isprofound and difficult to believe, his pure mind can accept and uphold itentirely.

"Furthermore, Ka6yapa, four signs indicatc a Bodhisattva's corruption. Whatare the four?

(1) After reading a scripturc, a corrupted tsodhisattva indulges in play-words,instcad of practicing in accordance with the Dharma.

(2) He does not obcy, rcspect, or gladden his masters.(3) Hc wastes devotees' offerings by accepting them even whcn he has broken

h is fo rmer vows.(4) Hc is contentptuous and disrespectful toward virtuous Bodhisattvas.

"Furthermore, Ka6yapa, four signs indicate a Bodhisattva's wil l ing com-pl iancc. What are the four?

(1) The Bodhisattva faithful ly acccprs a surra the f irst t imc he hears i t , andpractices i t as taught, rclying on the doctr ine rather than on the s'ords.

(2) He fol lows his master 's instruct ions, knows his intention, and speaks rvithhim openly; everything he does is in harmony with virtue and his master 'slntentlon.

(3) He never regresses in discipl ine or dhyana, and accepts offcnngs with amind wcl l subdued.

(4) When he secs a virtuous Bodhisattva, he respccts him, admires him, andemulates his virtuous deeds.

"Furthermore, Ki6yapa, there are four mistakes that a Bodhisattva maymake. What are the four?

390 ON GENrnar ManAvANa I)ocrntNr

(1) To comply with an untrustworthy person;

(2) to prcach a profound doctr inc to a scnticr l t bcine who is incapable of

accepting i t ;

(3) to praise thc Hinayina among thosc v,'ho rejoice in the Mahayina; and(4) to give only to virtuous precept-keepers, not to wicked peoplc.

"Furthermorc, Ki(yapa, therc are four r ight paths lor a Bodhisattva. What

are the four?

(1) To treat al l sentient beings impart ial l l , ;

(2) to teach al l sentient beings impart ial ly Ion the basis of thel Buddha's

wisdom;(3) to preach the l)harma to al l sentier-rt beings'"vithout discrimination; and

(4) to causc al l scnticnt bcings to abidc in r igl .r t act ion equally.

"Furthermorc, Kaiyapa, there are four kinds of people u'ho are not good

fr iends or companions lbr a tsodhisattva. What arc thc fbur?

(1) Sravakas, who dcsirc only to bcncfi t themselves;

(2) Pratyckabuddhas, who enjoy having few things to attend to;

(3) the worldly scholars, who study heterodox scriptures and indulge in f low-

ery literature; and

(4) associates who can only increase his worldly acquisit ions, r-rot his acquisi-

t ion of the Dharrua.

"Furthcrmore, Ka6yapa, there are four kir-rds of people who are good friends

and companions for a llodhisattva. What are the fbur?

(1) Those who cal l upon a Bodhisattva for help are his good fr iends, bccausc

they cause hinr to walk upon the tsuddha's path.

(2) Those who can expound the Dharma are his good fr iends, because thcy

spread wisdom.

(3) Those who can persuade others to rcrlouncc the household life are his

good fr iends, because they can increase Iothers'] vir tucs.

(4) Al l the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, arc his good fr iends, because

thcy cause al l Buddha-Dharmas to grow and thrive.

"Furthermore, Ka5yapa, there are four kinds of people who may appear to

bc Bodhisattvas but actual ly are not. What are the four?

(1) Those who lust for material gains instead of secking the Dharma;

(2) those who wish to acquire fame instead of virtues;

(3) those who seek their own happiness and do not show other sentient beings

the path to the cessation of suffering; and(-l) those rvho enjoy the company of many'disciples and dislike detachment

and scclusion.

the

THr Surna or AssENasLED Tnrasunrs 391

"Furthermore, Ka6yapa, thcre arc four ki 'ds of truc Bodhisattvas. what arefour?

(1) Those who 'rot only u'dersta'd a'd bcl ievc in emptiness, but also bel icvein karmic rc t r ib r r t io r r l i

(2) those who know that al l dharrnas are dcvoid of sclf-enti tv, but who st i l lhave great compassion for senticnt bcinqs;(,

(3) thosc rn'ho decply chcrish nirvrna, but conti 'uc to roanr i ' sarhsara; and('1) thosc who practice giving fbr thc bc'cfit of scnric'r bcings, ."virhout scek-

lng al ly rcward.

"Furthermorc, Ktsyapa, a Bodhisattva has four great trcasurcs. what are thctour i

(1) Encountering Buddhas;(2) hcaring the six paranrit is and the clucidation of their meaning,(3) regarding a Dharma-mastcr witl-r an unobstructcd mindl and(4) being incl incd ro the unrenrit t ing practice of renunciat ion.

"Furthcrmorc, Ki5yapa, four things enablc'a Bodhisattva to transcclc. l dcvi l-ish hindrances.T What are the four?

(1) Ncvcr to bc apart from bodhicit ta;(2) to harbor no i l l fcel ings against scnricnt bcings;(3) to be awarc of evcry kind of knor.vlcdgc and view; and(4) nevcr to dcspisc or bcl i t t lc any senticnr bcing.

"Furthernrore, K-(yapa, four things cnable a tsodhisattva to accumulatc soodroots. What arc the four?

(1) To avoid a wrong mcntal i ty u'hcn in sol i tudc;(2) to practicc thc four iuduccnrcnts anron!a senricnt bcirrgs without cxpccti lg

any reward;(3) to pursuc thc l)harma vig.rouslv, cvcn at the cost of his l i fc; and(4) to cult ivate nunlcrous good roots ,uvithout sancry.

"Furthlrmorc, Ki(yapa, a Bodhisattva has four adornments Icarisirq] i ' -measurable blcssings.8 What arc the fbur?

(1) To tcach the l)hanna u' i th a pure mind;(2) to havc grear conpassion for thosc who brcak thc preccprs:(3) to cxtol bodhicit ta among scntient beings; and(4) to practice patience whcn insulted by the lowly ancl infcr ior.

"Furthernrore, K56yapa, a l truel Bodhisattva is nor a Bodhisattva rn nameonly. one who ca' practicc wholcsome dharmas and has a mind of equali ty iscal lcd a Bodhisattva. t l r ief ly speaking, one who accomplishcs thirty-two things iscal led a Bodhisattva. What arc thc thirtv-two?

392 ON GrNrnal MRnAvANn DocrnrNr

(1) To aspirc to bring scnticnt bcings pcacc and happincss;

(2) to cnablc al l scnticnt beirrgs to abidc in al l-knowing wisdorn;

(3) not to rescl l t othcrs' wisdom;(- l) to shattcr onc's own haughtincss and arrogancc;(5) to take deep pleasure in the Buddha's path;

((r) to lovc and rcspcct al l scnticnt bcings sinccrcly;

(7) to remain thoroughly kind to fr iends and lbcs al ike up to one's attain-

ment of nirvlna;

(8) always to speak with a smile anci be thc f irst to offer greetings;

(9) ncver to stop halfway through in performing a task;(10) to extend great compassion cquallv to al l senticnt beinss;

(11) to scck cxtcnsivc lcarning untir ir lgl \ ,and insatiabl l ' ;

(12) to look fo r onc 's ou ,n fau l ts , bu t no t to sprcak o fo thcrs 'shor tconr ings l

(13) to be insp i red by bodh ic i t ta in ever l 'aspec t o fonc 's behav io r ;

(14) to practice giving r 'vi thout expecting anvthing iu r. ' turn;"

(15) to observe the discipl ine, but not for the purposc ofa highcr rcbirth;

(16) to practicc paticncc rvith an unimpcded nrind anrorrg sentient beings;

(17) to str ive with vigor to cult ivate al l good rootsl

(1tt) to practicc meditat ion without aspir ing to rcbirt l .r in the realm of form-

les sness;(19) to apply thc wisdom of ski l l ful means;

(20) to practicc thc four induccmcnts;

(21) to bc cqually kincl to both good and evi l scnticr l t beings;

(22) to l istcn to thc Dharma singlc-mindcdly;

(23) to renrain detached in rnind;

(2.1) not to indulge in worldly affairs;

(25) not to cnjoy thc Hrnavana, but always to sec €lrcat bcncfi t in thc Ma-

h-yana;(26) to avoici bad fr iends and associate rvith good ones;

(27) to accomplish thc lbur inrmeasurablcs and achievc total conrmand of the

five miraculous powers;

(28) always to rel,v on thc truc wisdom;

(19) not to forsake any senticnt bcings, whcthcr thcir act ions are r ight or

wrolrg;

(30) always to discoursc with decisivcncss;(31) to valuc thc truc l)harnra; and

(32) to dcdicatc al l onc's dccds to bodhi.

Kr(r ' :rpa, i f a person fulf i l ls these thirty-two thinss, hc is cal led a l lodhisattva.' 'Furthcrmorc, Ka6yapa, t l-rc virtues of a Bodhisattva are innunrerable and

: ' . , , : l l lcss: thcy can only bc i l lustrated by parables and similcs.' 'KJ(r 'apa, just as thc grcat carth, uscd by al l sentierrt beings, does not

Tsr Surra or AssrnnrEu TplasunEs 393

discrinrinate or seck rcwards, so a Bodhisattva betref i ts al l sentient bcings from the

timc he engendcrs bodhicit ta unti l the t ime he attains tsuddhahood, but does not

discriminate or scck rewards."Ka5yapa, just as the clcment water causes a1l kinds of grains, medicinal

hcrbs, and trees to grow, so a Bodhisattva, bccausc his mind is pure, extcnds his

kindness and compassion to al l sentient beings and causes al l "vholesome

dharmas

ro grow."Ka6yapa, just as thc clcment f ire r ipens al l grains and frr-r i ts, so a tsodhi-

sattva's wisdom ripens ai l wholesome dharmas."Ka6yapa, just as the elemcnt air causes the formation of al l the

"r 'or lds, so a

Bodhisattva's ingenuity causcs the formation of al l the Buddha-Dharmas

"Ka6yapa, just as the bri l l iancc and size of a new moon incrcase fronr dav to

day, so al l the wholesomc dharmas in a Bodhisattva's pure mind gros' l ronr day to

dry ."Ka(yapa, just as thc l ight of the r ising sun sinultaneousl.v i l lun-r inatcs al l

scntient beings, so a Bodhisattva's l ight of wisdom simultaneously i l lunrinatcs al l

senticnt beir-rgs."Ki6yapa, just as the l ion, the king of bcasts, is fearless wherevcr i t gocs, so

a Bodhisattva, being f lawless in keeping the precepts and endowcd with true

wisdom, is fearless whercver he dwells."Ki6yapa, just as a well- trained, hugc clcphant can perform great fcats with-

out t i r ing, so a Bodhisattva, duc to his wcl l-subdued mind, can yicld great benefi ts

to sentient bcings rvithout feeling wcary at heart.

"Ka6yapa, just as the lotus grows in muddy water but is not soi led by thc

mud, so a Bodhisattva l ivcs in the world, but is unsul l icd by worldly things.

"Ka6yapa, after a trcc is fel led, i ts stump wil l continuc to grow as long as i ts

root remains. In thc same way, after a tsodhisattva has severed thc knots of

defi lement, he st i l l takes rcbirth in the three realms by thc powcr of his ingenuity,

becausc he retains his intr insic love [for sentient bcings].

"K-6yapa, just as thc strcams f lowing from al l dircct ions assunle a uniform

taste whcn they join the ocean, so the numerous good roots accunlulated in dif fer-

t :nt ways by a Bodhisattva bccome uniform in taster" whcn thcy are dedicated to thc

attainment of supreme enl ightenmcnt."Ka6yapa, just as Mount Sumeru, the king of mountains, is the du'el lrrrg-

place of the gods of thc Hcaven of the Thirty-Thrcc and the Heavetr oi thc Four

I)eva Kings, so the Bodhisattva's bodhicit ta is thc basis of al l-knor'r ' ing s' isdonr."Kadyapa, just as the king of a large country can administcr state ait l i rs rvi th

the assistance of his ministcrs, so a Bodhisattva's wisdom cat 'r acconrpl ish al l the

tsuddha's undertakings with thc power of ingenuity.

"Ka5yapa, just as a sunny sky without a speck of cloud is a sure sign that

there wil l be no rain, so a Bodhisattva who has lcarncd l i t t le u' i l l show no sign of

a Dharma-rain.

394 ON GsNrnal ManAyANa l)ocrnrul

"Ka6yapa, just as a dark, cloudy sky wil l inevitably producc rain to fulf i l l theneeds ofsentient beings, so a Bodhisattva produccs a heavy I)harma-rain from thecloud of great compassion, for thc benefi t of sentient beirrgs. lr

"Ki6yapa, just as the seven treasures appear whcrcvcr a universal monarchappears, so the thirty-seven ways to cnl ightenmerlt appear in thc world whenever aBodhisattva appears.

"Ka6yapa, just as there is an inf inite quanti ty of gold, si lvcr, and preciousgems wherever a wish-fulfilling pearl is found, so there are infinitc numbers ofSrivakas and Pratyckabuddhas wherever a Bodhisarrva appears.

"Ka6yapa, when the gods of thc Hcavcn of the Thirty-Thrcc cnter the Gar-den of Equali ty, al l the things thcy use are the same; similarly, a Bodhisattva, withhis truly pure mind, teaches al l senticnt bcings equally.

"Ka5yapa, just as poisons can be rendered harmlcss by charrns and antidotes,so the poison of dcf i icmcnts is rendered harnrless to a Bodhisattva by thc powcr ofhis wisdom, and does not causc him to fal l to the miserablc planes of existence .

"Ka6yapa, just as thc excrement and garbagc discarded by the pcopic l ivingin big cit ies wil l yield benefi ts whcn placed in vineyards and sugarcane f ields, sothe residual defilements of a Bodhisattva will yicld benctrts because thcy arc con-ducive to al l-knowing wisdom. 12

"Moreover, KaSyapa, a Bodhisattva who wishcs to learn this Sutra of As-sembled Treasures should constantly cult ivate thc r ight insight into al l dharmas.What is the r ight insight? It is to think of al l dharmas as they real ly are. The true,r ight insight means not to see a self , a personal identi ty, a senticnt being, or a l i fe.This is cal led the middlc way,1'r the true, r ight insight.

"Furthermore, Ki6yapa, true insight means to regard forms as ncithcr pcr-manent nor impermanent; to rcgard feel ings, conccptions, impulses, and conscious-ness as neither permanent nor impcrmanerlt . This is cal lcd the middle way, thetrue, r ight insight.

"Furthermore, Ka6yapa, true insight means to regard the element earth asneithcr permanent nor impermanent, and to regard the elements water, fire, andair as neither permanent nor impermanent. This is called the middlc way, the true,right insight.

"Why? Permanence is one extrcmc, impermanence is the othcr, and [thetwo-in-onc of] pcrmanence-impermanence is the middle, which is formless, shapc-less, incognizable, and unknowable. [To real ize] i t is cal led the middle way, thctrue insight into all dharmas.

"Ego is one extreme, egolessncss is the other, and [thc two-in-one of]ego-egolessness is the middle, which is formless, shapeless, incognizable, and un-knoq'able. [To real ize] i t is cal led thc middle way, the true insight into al l dharmas.

"Furthermore, K-Syapa, [ to regard] the mind as real is one extreme; [ toreqard] i t as unreal is the other. [To real ize] that thcre is no mind or mentaltunction is cal led the middle way, the true insight into al l dharmas.

"The same is true of the dharmas which are wholesome and unwholesome.

Tnn SDrna or Asslunl lo TRlasupls 395

mundane and supramundane, sinful and not sinful, aff l ict ive and nonaff l ict ive,condit ioned and uncondit ioncd, defi lcd and undefi lcd. That which is apart fromthe two extrcmes cannot b.: feltra or cxprcsscd. [To real izcl i t is cal led the middlcway, the true insight into al l dharmas.

"Furthermore, KiSyapa, existcnce is one cxtrenrc, noncxistepcc is thc other,and that u'hich fal ls on neithcr cxtremc is formless, shapclcss, incognizable, andunknowablc. [ ' ro rcai ize] i t is cal lcd the middle wav, thc truc insight into al ldharmas.

"Next, KaSyapa, therc is a doctr inc I have expou'ded, narncly, the twclvel inks of dependcnt origination: on ignorance dcpend actions; on actio.rs dcpendscorlsclousness; on consci<tusncss depcnd name and form; on name and fornr de-pend the six scnses; on the six senses depends contact; on contact depends fcel ing;on fcel ing dcpends craving; on craving dcpends grasping; or.r graspinq depcndsbecoming; o' becomi'g depcnds birth; on birth depend old age, dcath, *.orry,sorrow, miscry, and distress. These l inks of dependent origination arc nothing buta great mass of suffering. I f ignorance ccases, act ions cease; i f act ions ceasc, con-sciousness ceases; i f consciousnc'ss ccases, nanle and form ceasc: i f namc and fornrccasc, the six senses cease; i f the six senses cease, contact ceascs; i f contacr ccases,feel ing ceases; i f feel ing ceases, craving ceases, i fcravrng ccases, grasplr-rg ceases; i fgrasping ceascs, becoming ceases; i f becoming ceases, birth ceascs; i f birth ccases,then old age, death, worry, sorrow, distrcss, and the whole mass of sulferinse l togc thcr ceasc .

"Ico'cerni 'g the twelve l i 'ks of depcnde't origination,] ignorance, [or notknowi'g], and wisdom, [or knowi'g], arc one a'd thc same. To undcrstand this iscal lcd the middle way, the true ir .rsight into al l dharmas. In l ikc manner, act ionsand nonactions, consciousness and the objccts ofconsciousness, the perceptible andthe imperceptiblc aspects of namc and form, the six senses and thc six miraculouspowcrs, contact and objects of contact, fecl ing and i ts ccssation, craving a1d i tscessation, grasping and i ts cessation, becoming and i ts cessation, birth and i tscessation, old agc and dcath and their cessation-al l these arc one and the same. Toundcrstand this is cal lcd the middle way, the true i 's ight into al l dharmas.

"Next, Ka6yapa, to one who has the truc insight, things are cmpry, r lorbecause onc contemplates them as cmpty; they are empty by nature. Things aresignlcss, not bccause onc contcmplates them as signless; thcy are signless in them-selves. Things are unsought, l5 not becausc one contemplates thcm as unsought; thcvare unsought in themselves. Things are dcvoid of origination, arising, cr.rr irv, andself-nature; they are impossiblc to grasp, r lot because onc contcmplatcs thcm assuch; they are so in thcmselves. This understanding is cal led thc true insight.

"Furthermore, K-Syapa, personal identi ty is empty, not bccausc onc thinksthere is no personal idcnti ty; i t is empty in i tself . I t was cmpty in the past; i t wi l l beempty in the future; and i t is empty at present. Therefore, one should rcly onemptiness, not on personal identi ty.

"However, if one thinks that he has realized emptiness and becomcs attached

396 ON GrNrnal ManAyANa DocrnlNr

to emptincss, thcn he regresses in thc pursuit of thc tsuddha-l)harma. Thus, Ka-(yapa, i t is bettcr for one to take a view of the self as massive as Mount Sumeruthan to takc a view of emptiness and become arrogant. Why? Bccause al l views canbe el iminatcd by cmptiness, but i f onc gives r ise to thc vicw of emptincss, there isl r o w a y r o d o a w a y w i t h i t . r n

"Ki6yapa, i f a physician gives his patient somc mcdicine to purge an i l lness,but the medicine stays in thc body instead of bcing discharged, what do you think?Will the patient get berter?"

"No, World-Honorcd One. The paticnt 's i l lness wil l become worse i f themcdicine is not discharged."

" ln l ike manrlcr, Kt(yapa, al l views can be el iminatcd by emptincss, but theview of emptiness cannot be cradicated.

"Suppose a person is afraid of emptv space and wails in grief and pounds hisches t , say ing , ' l want to cscape f rom enrp ty space l 'What do you th ink? Can oneescape from empty space?"

"No, World-Honored One. "

"Similarly, KiSyapa, i f a person is afraid of the doctr ine of emptiness, I sayhe is crazy and has lost his mind. Why do I say so? Bccause he is always inemptiness, and yet is afraid of i t .

'Just as a painter paints a picture of demons and then faints at the sight of hisown creation, so ordinary people fabricate forms, sounds, odors, tastes, and tex-turcs, and then wander in sarirsara afllicting thcmselves with all kinds of sufferingwithout knowing i t .

'Just as a magician produces an i l lusory being and then is dcvoured by i t , soa monk who follows the path cngenders the view that all dharmas are empty, still,and insubstantial; and then hc, the viewcr, is also voidcd [by this view].17

"Ka5yapa, just as f ire produced by rubbing two picccs of wood together wil lburn up wood, so, Ka5yapa, the sacred wisdom born of true insight wi l l burn uptrue insight.

"Whcn a lamp is l i t , the darkness completely vanishes. Thc darkness goesnowhere, just as it comes from nowhere-it docs not go to or come from the east,the south, thc west, the north, the four intcrmediate dircctions, the zenith, or thcnadir. Furthermore, the lamplight does not think. " l can dispel darkness, ' thoughit is becausc of the l ight that thc darkness vanished. Both l ight and darkness areempty, inert, and impossible to grasp. Similarly, K-5yapa, once true wisdomarises, ignorance ends. Both wisdom and ignorancc are enrpty, inert, and impos-sible to grasp.

"Ka6yapa, suppose a room has been total ly dark for a thousand years andthen a lamp is l i t therein. Do you suppose thc darkness wil l think to i tself , ' l havcl ived here for a long t ime and do not want to go'?"

"No, World-Honored One. When the lamp is l i t , the darkness wil l be pow-erlc-ss. Even i f i t should refuse to go, i t would surcly be dispcl led."

" ln the samc way, KaSyapa, with one true insight, al l thc defi lemenrs and

TnE S0rna or AsslnasrEn Tnrasunrs 397

karmas accumulated through hundreds of thousands of mil l ions of kalpas can be

cradicated. The lamplight stands for the sacred wisdom; thc darkness stands for the

defilements and karmas."To i l lustrate, KaSyapa, i t is absolutely impossible for a sced to grow in

midair. Likewise, i t is impossiblc for a Bodhisattva to develop the tsuddha-

Dharma if he cl ings to his rcal izat ion [of emptiness]. Ka6yapa, just as a sced

sprouts when sown in a fert i le f ield, so, Kt6yapa, thc Buddha-Dharma grows

when a Bodhisattva dwells among defilemcnts and involvcs himself in worldlyI Rtn lngs . - -

"Ki5yapa, just as a lotus f lower cannot grow in high, dry land, so the

Buddha-Dharma cannot grow in a Bodhisattva who stays in [ thc rcalm of] the

uncondit ioned. Ki5yapa, just as a lotus f lower grows in a lou' ' , wet, nruddy land,

so the Buddha-Dharma grows only when a Bodhisattva stays in the mirc of sarhsara

among those in thc group convinced by heterodox teachings.le"Ki5yapa, the quanti ty of a tsodhisattva's condit ioned good roots is l ike the

quantity of cream sufficient to fill thc four great oceans, while the quantity of a

Sravaka's good roots is l ike a t iny droplet from that ocean suspended from a

hundrcd th par t o fa ha i r ."Ka5yapa, a Srlvaka's condit ioned wisdom is l ike the space insidc a t iny

mustard sccd. Kesyapa, a Bodhisattva's condit ioned wisdom2o is l ikc thc rmmca-

surablc, boundlcss spacc throughout the ten direct ions, and i ts powcr is inf ini tc."Ka6yapa, suppose the wifc of a ksatriya ruler bears the child of a poor,

lowly man. What do you think? Will the child be a prince?"

"No, World-Honored One. "

"In the same way, Ka6yapa, although my Sravaka disciples [and the tsodhi-

sattvas] both real ize the Dharma-naturc and are born of i t , Srivakas are not cal led

the t rue sons o f the Tathagata .

"Ka5yapa, if a ksatriya ruler has a child with his maidservant of low caste,thc child may be called a prince. Similarly, though a novice Bodhisattva is notfully equipped with merits or wisdom, wanders in sarhsara, and can only benefitsentient beings within the limits of his [meager] power, he is still called a true sonof the Tathagata.

"Ka<yapa, if a universal monarch has a thousand sons, but not one of thembears the characteristics of a universal monarch, the monarch will not considcr any

of thcm as hcir to the throne. Similarly, i f a Tathlgata is surrounded by hundredsof thousands of mil l ions of Sravakas, but no Bodhisattvas, hc wil l not consider anyof them as his true son.

"Ka5yapa, supposc the wife of a universal monarch is pregnant for seven

days with a son who is already endou'ed with all the charactcristics of a universalmonarch. This son will be rcspccted by gods more than other, grown sons [wholack those characterist icsl. Why? Because this embryo prince wil l someday inherit

the throne and perpetuate the l ineagc of the universal monarch. Similarly, Ka-

dyapa, though a novice Bodhisattva does not yet fully possess the qualities of a

398 ON GlNenal MaHAyANa DocrnrNr

Bodhisattva, he wil l , as in the case of the embryo prince, be more deeply honored

by gods and spir i ts than great Arhats who have achieved the eightfold l iberation.

Why? Because such a Bodhisattva is heir to the supreme throne [of the Tathagata]

and will perpetuatc thc tsuddha-lincagc."K-dyapa, just as one bead oi lapis lazui i is worth nrore than ordinary crystai

beads pi led as high as Mount Sumcru, so a Bodhisattva, cvcn when he f irst brings

forth bodhicit ta, surpasses al l Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas combined."Ka5yapa, when a prince is newly born, al l the chieftains and ministers come

to pay their respects to him. Simiiarly, rvhen a Bodhisattva first brings forth

bodhicit ta, al l gods and humans should pay homage to hinr."K-6yapa, just as the hcrbs growing in thc Himalayas bclong to no one and

wil l cure any person of his i l lness without discrirnirrat ion, so the medicine of

wisdom acquired by a Bodhisattva can del iver al l sentient beings equally, without

discrimination."Ki5yapa, just as people adore a new noon more than a ful l moon, so thosc

who bel ieve my words adore a Bodhisattva more than they adorc a Tathagata.

Why? Because Tathagatas arc born of Bodhisattvas.r l"Ka6yapa, a fool may worship stars instead of the moon, but a wise man

wil l never pay homage to Srivakas instead of Bodhisattvas."K-Syapa, no nlatter how ski l l ful a god or human may be in making art i f i -

cial gems, he cannot turr l an ordinary bead into a precious bead of lapis lazui i .

Similarly, for all their accomplishments in discipline and meditation, those who

seek Sravakahood can never sit at thc bodhi-site to real ize supreme bodhr."Ki5yapa, whcn a bead of lapis lazul i is formed, myriads of gems wil l appcar

with i t . Similarly, when a Bodhisattva is taught and develops, hc wil l yicld myr-

iads of Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas."

Then the World-Honored One told Mahiki6yapa further, "A Bodhisattva

should always try to benefit senticnt bcings. He should correctly cultivate all

meritorious deeds and good roots and dedicate them to all sentient beings equally.

He should administer to sentient beings everywhere in the ten directions the med-

icines of wisdom he has acquired, and thus cure them thoroughly."What are the genuine medicines of wisdom?22 Contemplation on Ibodi ly]

impurit ies cures lust. Contemplation on kindness cures angcr and hatrcd. Con-

templa t ion on dcpcndcnt o r ig ina t ion cures ignorance. l l"Contemplation on the emptiness of phenomena cures al l deluded vicws.

Contemplation on signlessness cures mcmorics, discriminations, and wandering

thoughts. Contemplation on wishlessness cures the desire to escape from the three

rea lms."Contemplation on the four right vicws cures thc four wrong views; con-

templation on thc impernlancncc of al l condit ioned dharmas cures the wrong view

of regarding the impermanent as permanent; contemplation on the sufferings caused

bv condit ioned dharmas cures the wrong vicw of regarding suffering as pleasure;

contemplation on the absence of self-enti ty in dharmas curcs the wrong view of

402 ON GrNrnar ManAyArv,r I)ocrnrNr

"Furthcrmore, one who has left the household l i tc may have two blemishes.what are the two? First, to rolerate defi lements [ in himself ] ; second, to be attachedto donors.

"Furthermore, one who has lcft thc houschold l i fe may be aft l icted by twohailstorms that wi l l ruin his good roots. what arc the two? First, to rebel againstand to corrupt the true Dharma; second, to accept offeri 'gs from devotccs afterhaving broken the preceprs.

"Furthermore, one who has lcft the household life may suffcr from twoabccsses. what arc the two? First, to f ind fault with others; sccond, to hidc his ownfaults.

"Furthermore, one who has left the household l i fc nray be al l l ictcd with twofevers. what are the two? First, to be dcfi led in mind whilc wearing a monasticrobc; second, to accept offcr ings from virtuous pcoplc who kecp thc preccpts,[while violat ing the prccepts himsclf ] .

"Furthermore, one who has left the houschold l i fe may suffer from twoil lnesses. what are the two? First, to bc arrogant and reluse to be humblc; second.to ruin others' aspirat ions for the Mahayina.

"Moreover, Mahakdsyapa, therc are four ki 'ds of iramanas. what are thcfour?

(1) Sramanas in appearance and att ire [only];(2) Srama'.ras who are deceptively dignified in conduct;(3) Sramalas who lust for fame; and(4) Sramalas who really practice thc l)harma.

"what is a 6ramana in appearance a'd att ire [only]? Suppose a iramana rsful ly drcssed in a monastic robe, has cleanly shaven hair a'd beard, and an alms-bowl in hand, yet he performs impure acrions of body, specch, and mind. Insteadof properly guarding himself from evi l , hc is miserly, jearous, idle, and lazy; heviolates the precepts and engages in vile pursuits. Such a sramana is onc in appear-ance and attire [only].

"whar is a Sramana who is deceptively dignif icd i ' conduct? Suppose aSramana displays full dignity in walking, sranding, sitting, and lying dow'. He iscomposed and serene; does not take delicacies; follows the four noble pracriccs:avoids the bustl ing crowd. cven a group of monksl and spcaks soft ly. Howcver. hcdoes all this deceitfully, not for the sake of rruc purity. or, hc thinks there issomething to be attained in emptineps, and is afraid of the doctrine of nonattain-nrent, Just as one is afraid of an(ibysg;l he regards as cnemies or bandits thosemonks who prcach tha t a l l dharmas arc u l t imate ly empty . Such a s ramana is oncrvho is deceptively dignified in conduct.

"what is a dramana who lusts for fame? Supposc a iramana obscrves thepreccpts only because he wants to be known and to achieve certain goals in hispreserlt l i [e. He reads and recites the sutras on his own because he wants people toknou' that he is lcarned; and he lives alone in a secluded spot because he wants

TnE S0rna or AssEIlgLLo TnEasuREs

peoplc to know that he is a recluse who has fcw- desires, is content, and practrccs

detachment. In short, he does cverything for the solc purposc of fame, not out of

renunciat ion, nor to achieve truc tranquil l i ty, nor to real ize the truth, nor to attain

the fruit of a Sramana or brahmin, nor to achieve nirvlna. Such a (ranrana ls one

who lusts for fame.

"Final ly, Ka6yapa, what is a Sramana who real ly practices the Dharma?

Suppose a Sramana does not even cravc for physical cxistencc, much less for

material gains. When he hears that al l dharmas arc empty, sigr-r lcss, and unsought,

he undcrstands this doctr ine thoroughly, conforms to i t , and Practices i t as taught.

He docs not cult ivate purc conduct in ordcr to achicve ntrvana, nluch less to [bcreborn in] the three realms. He does not cherish thc idea of emptiness, or thc idea

tha t there is no '1 , ' le t a lone the idea o fan '1 , ' a be ing , o r a persona l idcn t i t y .

"He parts with rel iance in seeking releasc from al l defi lements; sccing that al l

dharmas arc original ly undefi led and ult imately pure, he rcl ies on l-r inrsclf instead

of others. Realizing the true Dharrna-body, he does not evel l see the Buddha'

much lcss [his physical] form. Through real izing emptincss, he has bcconre dc-

tached, and does not even perceive the Dharn-ra; much less docs he crave for the

sounds and words [dcscribing i t ] . Rcal izing thc uncondit ioncd, he docs not even

scc the Sarhgha, much less the cxistence of a harmonious assentbly. Hc docs not

eradicatc anything or cult ivate anything; he does not abidc in sari-rsara or attach

himself to nirvina.2T Knowing that al l dharmas arc from thc bcginning ult imately

quicscent, he pcrceives no bot-rdagc ar-rd seeks no l ibcrat ion. Such a 5ramaua is otre

who real ly practices the Dharma.

"Thus, Ka5yapa, you should imitate the 5ramana who rcai iy practiccs the

Dharma. Do not be ruined by. namcs)-rKaiyapa, suppose a poor, lowly n-ran as-

sumed the name of a r ich, noble perso'n. Do you think thc name would f i t him?"

"No, World-Honored One. "

" ln thc same way, Ka6yapa, i f one is cal lcd a Sramatra or brihmir, but does

not perform the real mcritorious deeds of a Sramana or brlhmin, hc u' i l l be ruined

by the namc."For exarnple, a person swcpt away by a f lood may die of thirst and fat iguc.

Similarly, Kaiyapa, i f a Sramana reads many sutras but cal lnot qucnch his thirst of

desire, hat 'ed, and ignorance, hc wil l be swept away by the Dharma-f lood, dic o[

the thirst of dcf i lcments, and fal l to the miscrable planes of existencc.

"For exarnple, a physician who always carr ies a medicinc pottch nrav bc

unable to curc his owrr i l lncss. The samc is true of a lcarned persotr aff l icted s' i th

the i l lness of defi lements; although hc has much learning, hc cannot benci l t hinrself

unless he puts an end to his defi lemcnts.

"A person who takcs a king's expcnsive medicinc mav be unablc to adjust

himself to i t and be hurt by i t . Thc sanre is truc of a learncd pcrson atf l icted with

thc i l lness of defi lemcnts: although he has obtained the good rnc-dicinc of the

Dharma, he wil l hurt his own root of wisdorn i f he does not cult ivate virtucs.

"Ka5yapa, just as a wish-fulfilling pearl that has just fallen into filth cannot

I t' t

ON GrNEnal MaHAvANa DocrnrNr

bc worn, so a lcarned person who covets materiar gains cannot bencfi t humans orgods.

'Just as a corpsc may wear gold ornaments, so a learned mo'k who breaksthe prccepts may [ improperly] wear monastic robcs and accept offerings frompcople.

"I f a' elder's son tr ims his nai ls, bathcs, rubs himself with rcd sandalwoodincense, puts a garland around his ncck, and wears new, white clothi 'g, then hisappearancc befi ts his social status. Similarly, KtSyapa, a lcarned monk who ob-scrves the prccepts is worthy to wear a nonastic robe and accept offcrings frompeoplc.

"Next, Mah-ka5yapa, there are four kinds of monks who break the preceprsbut appcar to kccp thc preccpts wcl l . What arc the four?

"Some monks observc the precepts complctely. Thcy arc always afraid ofcommitt ing any transgression, whether najor or minor, and obey al l thc rules ofdiscipl inc they have learncd. They are purc in act ion, word, and thought, andadopt a pure, r ight means oi l ivcl ihood. However, they uphold thc doctr ine whichclaims that therc is a rcal lself.lP8 Thesc people co'stirute thc first kind of mor.rk whobreaks the precepts but appears to keep the precepts well .

"Furthermore, Ka6yapa, somc rnonks recite the codc of discipl i 'c and prac-t ice i ts tcachings. Howevcr, thcv conrinuc to hold thc vicw of a rcal ' tody. Theyconsti tute thc sccond kind of monk who breaks thc prcccpts but appfars to keepthc prccepts well .

"Furthermore, Krdyapa, sorne monks observc the precepts complctely. How-evcr, in practicirlg kind'css thcy bccone attached to senticnt beings, and whenthey hear that no dharma evcr arises, they are tcrr i f icd. They consti tute the thirdkincl of monk who breaks the prccepts but seems to keep the precepts well .

"Final ly, K-Syapa, some monks practice al l d' ielvcausterir ies,2e bur see somc-thing attainablc in doing so. They constirutc the fourth kind of monk who breaksthc preccpts but secns to keep the preccpts well

"Next, K55yapa, o'c who observcs the preccpts rvci l secs no ' I ' or 'mine'; nodoing or no'doi 'g, no deed or doer, no action or i 'act ion, 'o l lamc or form, nosrgns or nonsrgl ls, no ccssation or conrinuation, no cl inging or abandoning, noth-1r1g to grasp and 'othi 'g to givc up, no senticnt being and no tcrnl ,senticnt

be i 'g , 'no mind and no te rm'nr ind , 'no wor ld o r nonrvor ld , and no re l iance ornonrel iance. Such a person does 'ot pride himself on keepi 'g the prccepts, nordocs he look down upoll thc way othcrs observe the precepts, nor does hc thi 'k ordiscriminatc about the precepts. He is cal led one who observes the discipl ine of al lsaints; he is free from defi lements and bondage, not caught in the three .ealmr, andbcvoncl al l doctr ines of rel iancc. "

Thcreupon, to clari fy this point, thc l for ld-Honored One spokc in vcrse:

"One u'ho observes the preccpts purelyIs [rc'c fronr any blenrish:He is free from everything.

THE Surna or Assrunlr. l Tnl, tsunls 405

In keeping the preccpts,

He is not arrogant,

And rel ies upon nothing

In keeping the precepts,

He is not deludcd,

And is frcc from al l bonds.

In keeping the preccpts,

He is untainted,

And does nothing amiss.

In keeping thc precepts,

His mind is pliant and gentle,

And hc always dwells in ult i rnate quiescence.

Such a pcrson is far apart

From a l l thoughrs and d isc r im i t ra t ions l

Hc is l iberatcd from every st irr ing

Of thc mind.

This is the pure obscrvance

Of thc Buddha's precepts.

If one is not attached to his [present] lifc,

Nor cravcs for any [future] birth,

Bur pcrforms only r ight act ions,

And abides sccurely in thc noble path-

He is one who purely, and in truth,

Obscrves the Buddha's precepts.

One who keeps the precepts IIs not defiled by the world, ]Nor docs he rely

On anything mundane.

Once he attains the l ight of wisdom,

All darkness vanishcs and nothing remains;

Without a notion of self or others,

He knows and sees al l phenomena.

He is one who purely, and in truth,

Observes the Buddha's precepts.

There is no this or other shore,

Nor anything in between.

Be not attached [to them], nor

To the absence of the thrce.

To be frec from bondagc, defilements, and deceit

Is called the true, pure observance

Of the Buddha's precepts.

406 ON GrNEnar ManAyANa DocrnrNr

If one is not attached to name or formAnd has no no t ion o f ' I ' o r 'm inc , '

He is said to securely abideIn the truc, pure observanccOf the precepts.

Although one may observe al l precepts,His arrogance should not increasc,Nor should he rcgard

The discipl ine as supremc.He should transcend i t ,And seek the holy parh.To do this is a sign

Of thc true, purc observance

Of the prccepts.

; I , I)o not regard the discipl ine as supreme,l

, I Nor overvalue samidhi.: I f one can transcend both discipl ine and samadhi,

: But cult ivate wisdom,

I ; He will realize emptiness, still and void,Which is the very naturc sharedIly all saints and sagcs.To do this is the true. pure

Observance of the precepts,Extol led by al l Buddhas.

Release the mind from the view of a self,El iminate the ' l ' and 'mine, '

Belicve in and understandThe teaching of quiescence and emptiness,Which al l Buddhas practice;He who so obscrves the holy disciplincIs indecd peerless.

i One depends on discipl inc ro achicve samidhi,And on samadhi to cult ivate insight.Relying on the insight thus cult ivated,One achieves the purc wisdom:He who achieves the pure wisdomIs able to kecp the pure preccpts."

when this was spoken, five hundred monks became detached from all dhar-mas and achieved mental liberation;30 thirty-two thousand persons left mundanefilth behind and attained the clear Dharma-eye.31 Flowcver, five hundrcd monks did

TnE Surna or AsslusLso TRr,rsunps - l( r-

not understand or bel ieve in the profbund Dharma they had hcard, and they rose

from thcir seats and walked awaY.

Seeing this, Mahika5vapa said to the Buddha, "world-Honored one, these

five huldred monks have al l attained dhyana; howcver, because they cantrot un-

derstand or have faith ir-r thc profound Dharma. thc,v have riscn atrd €!o1e a\\"aY."

Thc Buddha said to K-6yapa, "Thcse monks al l havc arrogancc; thercfore,

whcn thcy hcar of the purc, f lawlcss discipl inc, thev canlrot understand i t or havc

faith in i t . The meaning of the vcrses spoken by the Buddha is profbund. Why?

Becausc thc enl ightenrnent of Buddhas is profound. I i a pc'rson has not planted

good roots abundantly, or associates with evi l fr icnds, l-rc u' i l l lack thc porvcr of

taith and understanding, and i t wi l l bc dif f icult 1or him to acccPt :rnd bel icve in

Ithis doctr inel., ,Furthcrmore, Mah-kt6yapa, at rhe t ime of Ka6yapa tsuddha. t l .rcsc f lve'

hundrcd monks r.vere disciples of heterodox masters. Once they visi tcd KlSvapa

Buddha in order to f ind fault with him; however, after they heard that Buddha

expound the Dharma, they acquircd a l i t t le faith and thought, 'This l luddha is

unusual; how wonderful ly he spcaks! 'Becausc of this virtuous thought, thcl 'u'erc

born in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three afte r dcath. When their l ives endcd the re.

thcy were born in this world, and herc they renounced the household l i f-e fbr thc

Dharma."Thcse monks are strongly attachcd to variot ls views; thercfbre, thcy canl lot

bel icve in, confbrm to, or thoroughly r.urdcrstand the profound Dharma thcy hear

cxpounded. Although thcy do not thoroughly understand thc profound l)harnra,

thcy wil l obtain great benefi t mcrcly bccause they have heard i t . They wil l not be

reborn in thc miscrablc plancs of cxistcnce, but wi l l real izc nirvana in this vcry

l i fe. "

Then the tsuddha told Subhuti , "Go bring thosc monks back'"

Subhuti said, "world-Horrored one, thesc peoplc do not cvcn bel icve thc

Buddha; much less wil l thcy bel ieve Subhnti ."

Thereupon thc Buddha magicaily prodr.rced two monks to follou' thc five

hundrcd monks. Whcn the lrcal l monks saw thc two magical ly produccd oncs,

they asked them, "Whcre arc you going?"

The magical ly produced monks answcred, "we arc going to sonlc sc-cludcd

spot to etr joy the ptacticc of mcditat ion. Why? Bccause we cannot ul ldcrstal lcl or

bel ieve in what the Buddha said."

The other monks said, "Elders, we canl lot undcrstarld or bcl icvc in u'hat the

tsuddha said, eithcr. Wc, too, are going to a secludcd spot to practice nicditat iou."

Then the magical ly produced monks said to thc othcrs, "wc should eivc up

arrogance, dcf iancc, and contention, and try to understand and bcl icvc in u'hat thc

tsuddha taught. Why? tsccause to havc no arrogal lce or contL-ntiol l rs thc law of

6ramanas. N i rvana means cessat ion . what ceascs? ln the body , i s thc re an '1 , 'a

personal identi ty, a doer, a recciver, or a l i fe to ceasc?"

The other monks said, " ln the body, there is no'1, 'no personal identi ty, no

'l0U ON GeNEnar MaHAvANa DocrnrNr

doer, no rcceiver, and no l i fc that ccases. I t is the ccssation ofdcsire, hatred, andignorance that is cal lcd nirvina."

Thc magical ly produccd monks asked, "Do thc desirc, hatrcd, and rqnoranceyou mentioncd have dcfinite forms to be total ly ext inguishcd?"

The other monks answered, "Desirc, hatrcd, and ignorance arc neithcr ir-rsidcnor outside thc body, nor anylvhcre in betwecn. When one does not st ir his mind.thcy do not arise."r2

Thc magical ly produccd monks said, "I ' that casc, you should not st ir yourminds. I f you do not st ir your minds or make dist inct ions about dharnras, thenyou will be ncithcr defilcd by nor detached from anything. To bc neither defiledby nor dctached from arrything is cal led ult imatc quiesccnce. Discipl ine docs notcomc or go or perish; meditat ion, * ' isdon, l iberation, and the knowlcdge andawarencss derived from l iberationl3 also do not comc or go or pcrish. I t is in l ightof this doctr ine that we speak of nirvlna. This truth is empty [ in i tself ] , detachedfrom al l things, and cannor bc grasped. you should aba'don cven thc thought ofnirvina. Do not fol low any thought3a or nonthought. I)o not r id yourselves of athought by another thought. Do not contemplate a thoughr by another thought. I fyou r id yourselves of a thought by using a thought, you are st i l l bound bythought. You should not discriminate anything concerning thc Dhyana of cessa-t ion of Feeling and conception, bccausc al l dharmas arc beyond discrimination. I fa monk el iminates al l feel ings and conccption and attains this dhyana, then hcfulf i l ls himself to the urmost."

whcn the magical ly produced monks had spoken thus, rhc f ivc hu'rdrcd[real] monks bccame detachcd from al l dharmas and l iberated in mind. Theyreturncd to thc Buddha, bowcd with their heads at his fcet, and stood to one side.

Subhfi t i asked the monks, "Where did you go and wherc do you comefrom?"

The monks said, "The Dharma expoundcd by the tsuddha comes fromnowherc and goes nowhere."

"Who is your tcacher?""He who has never been born and u'ill never die is our tcacher. ""Where do you lcarn thc Dharma?""we learn the Dharma i ' the place where the f ivc aggrcgates, the twelve

entrances, and the cightecn elemcnts do not cxist.""Why do you learn the Dharma?""Not for the sake of bondagc or for the sake of l iberation.""What doctr ine do you practice?""We do not try to attain anything or to el iminate anything. ' ,"Who subducd you?""We arc subducd by [one whose] body has no definite nature and [whose]

mind does not act."35"What act ion leads to the l iberation of the mind?"

Ttrt S0rna or AssElasrno Tnrasunes 409

"Neither the eradication of ignorance nor the generatiol l of wisdom. "

"Whosc disciples are you?""Wc are disciples of one who attains nothing and knows nothing.""You have attained [the ult imate l iberationj; when wil l you entcr nirvina?""When a person magical ly produced by the Tathagata enters nirvana, we

. " l a ,wl l l oo so . too . - -

"Have you obtained bcnefit for yourselves)"" Self-bencfit is inapprehensible. "

"Havc you accomplished what you set out to do?""Deeds are inapprehensiblc. "

"Have you cult ivatcd purc conduct?""Wc cult ivatc nothing in the three realms, nor do we not cult ivate anything;

this is our pure conduct.""Have you exhaustcd your dcf i lcmcnts?""Uit imatcly, nothing can be exhaustcd.""Have you vanquished the demons?""The demons of the aggregates are inapprehensible.""Do you serve the Tathagata?""Not with body or mind.""Do you abide in the f ields of blessings?""We do not abide in anything.""Have you cut off circl ing in sarhslra?""There is neither permanence nor severance."" l)o you conform to the l)harma?""We are l iberated from every obstruction."rT"What is your ult imate destination?""Wherevcr a pcrson magical ly produced by the Tathagata gocs, we wil l go."

While Subhnti was questioning thc monks, five hundred other monks be-

came detached from all dharmas and libcrated in mind; thirty-two thousand people

parted from mundane defilements and attained the clear Dharma-eye.

Then a Bodhisattva in the assernbly named LJnivcrsal Light asked the Bud-

dha, "World-Honored One, i f a Bodhisattva wishcs to lcarn this Sutra of As-

sembled Treasures, what should he abide in and how should he learn i t?"

The Buddha answered, "A Bodhisattva lcarning this s[tra should kno*' that

what I have said has no definite nature, and he should not be attachcd to i t or cl ing

to i t . I f he foi lows this instruct ion in his practice, he wil l benefi t greatl \ ' ."Universal Light, suppose a person tr ies to cross the Ganges in a poorh' bui i t

boat. With what vigor should he row the boat?"

Bodhisattva Universal Light repl ied, "World-Honored Or.rc, hc should row

it with great vigor. Why? Because i t n'ray col lapse in nridstreanr."

The Buddha said, "Universal Light, a Bodhisattva rvho wishcs to cult ivatc

the Buddha-Dharma should exert himsclf twice as hard. Why? Because the body is

41t) ON GrNrnar MaHAyAr.ra DocrnrNr

impermanent and uncertain, a decaying form which cannot long remain and will

eventually wcar out and perish; it may disintegratc bcfore one benefits from the

Dharma."[A Bodhisattva should think,] ' I wi l l learn to navigate the Dharma boat in

this strcam [ofsarhsira], so that I may ferry sentient bcings across the four currents.I rvi l l ply this Dharma boat back and forth in sarirsira to del iver scntienr beings. '

"The Dharma boat which a Bodhisattva should use is made for thc purposcof saving al l sentient beings cqually. I ts strong, thick planks are the intmeasurablcn-reri ts result ing from the practice of pure discipl ine; i ts embcll ishments are thepractice and the fruit of giving; i ts beams are rhe purc faith in the Buddha-path; i tsstrong r iggings are al l kinds of virtucs; i ts nai ls are paticnce, tenderness, andthoughtfulness. The raw wood is the various ways to enl ightenment, cult ivatedwith vigor, taken from thc forest of the suprenre, u'ondcrful Dharma.

"Its builders arc thc infinite, inconceivable dh1'anas and the tranquil, wcll-subducd mind result ing from one's meritorious deeds. Evcr-cndurir-rg cornpasslonand the four induccments are the means to attract immense numbcrs of sentientbcings aboard to ferry them over thc great distance. The powcr ofwisdom guardsthe boat from robbcrs. Ingenuity of al l kinds and the four inrmeasurablcs are i tssplendid adornments. Thc four r ight mindfulnesses form its golden bridge. Thcfour right efforts and the four bases of miraculous powers arc the swift winds lthatpropel the boat].

"The fivc roots are the ablc navigator who steers the boat away from thedangerous waters. The f ive powers are i ts strong buoyancy. The sevcn factors ofenlightenment serve to discover and vanquish devilish pirares. By sailing Ion thccourse ofl the eightfold noble path, the boat will arrivc ar its destination on theother shore, away from the landings ofhctcrodox teachings.

"Concentration serves as the hclmsman, whilc insight brings the true ben-efit. The boat steers clear of [the reefs of ] the two extremcs and sails safely by thelaw of dependent generation. The followcr of the vast Mahayana has inexhaustibleeloquencc, and his name spreads far and wide. Being able to deliver sentient beingsin the ten directions, he proclaims, 'Come aboard this Dharma boat! It sails on asafe course to nirvina. It ferries you from the shorc of all wrong vicws, includingthat of a real self, to the shore of tsuddhahood.'

"Thus, (Jniversal Light, a tsodhisattva-Mahisattva should learn cverythingabout this Dharma boat. For hundreds of thousands of millions of billions ofincalculable kalpas, he should use this Dharma boat to rescue those sentient beingswho are drifting and drowning in the vast strcam of sarhsara."

The Buddha then said to (Jniversal Light, "Moreover, thcrc are other Dhar-

I:,t"tr.r.rtons

that can cause a Bodhisattva to achieve Buddhahood quickly. They

Be sincere in every endeavor and cultivate an abundance of virtue.Keep a pure, deeply [compassionate] mind and never cease to be vigorous.

Tsp S0rna or AssEllsleo Tneasunls 4 1 1

Take del ight in approaching enl ightenment and cult ivate al l good roots.

Always maintain r ight thought and enjoy wholesome dharmas.

Learn the Dharma insatiably in order to bc f i l led with wisdom.

Shatter your conceit and arrogance in order to increase your knowledge.

Rid yourself of play-words in order to accomplish nleri torious decds-

Take pleasure in sol i tude in order to bc detached in body and mind

Stay away from noisy crowds in order to avoid wickcd peoplc.

Probc the depth of the Dharma in accordance rvith the ult inlatc truth.

Seek the wisdom that pcnetrates reality.

Seek the real truth to attain the indcstructiblc Dharma.

Seek the doctr ine of emptiness so that your practice may be r ight.

Scck detachment in order to attain ult imatc quiescencc.

In this way, Universal Light, a Bodhisattva may quickly achieve Buddhahood."

When this sdtra had been spoken, Bodhisattva Universal Light. Mahiki-

6yapa, and al l the gods, asuras, and hunrans were jubi lant. With grcat veneration,

they began to practice thc sutra as taught.

NOTES

1. Af ter each ser ies of four, the catcgory is repeated (e.g. , "These four cause a Bodhi-

sat tva 's wisdom to decreasc.") We havc omit ted th is repet i t ion for brevi ty.

2. L i teral ly , "crooked n.r inds."

3. L i tcra l ly , "st ra ight mind."

4. That is, hc considers all adversity as retribution for his own negativc karma

comnri t ted in a previorrs l i fe.

5. This is a rccurring quandary for pcople who arc interestcd in Buddhist doctrinc: If

therc is no ' l ' , no 'mine' , and al l dharmas arc ut ter ly empty, how can the lau of karma

prevai l? Thc answer is : i t is precisely becausc cveryth ing ls cmpty and thcre is no scl f or '1 .

that everyt l , ing rar exist and the pr incip le of karma rar t prevai l . I f th ings were t ru lv e\ is tcnt .

i .e. , wi th a dcf in i te, endur ing substance or ent i ty , then rro changc or f low rvould be possrbl . ' .

Because nothing has a sel f -naturc (svahhaua), cveryth ing is possib le. Thc Buddhrst sav oi

th inking is unique in th is aspect . To undcrstand th is point more c lcar ly, the rcadcr is referred

to the Madhyamika and Praj i iaparamita l i teraturc, such as T.R.V. Murt i , I lc ( ,utr ra l Phi los, t -

phy of Buddhisr ,n (London: Al len & Unwin, 1955) ch. 1,2, and 3; and ( iarnrr Chang, The

Buddhist Teaching oJ Total i ty , (Univers i ty Park: Pennsylvania State Univcrs in Press, 1971)

Pa r t 2 , sec . 1 . (G .C . )

6. A s imi lar quandary. I f sent ient beings, l ike al l dharmas in the ul r ivcrse, are ut tcr ly

empty and do not exist , on whonl is compassion bestowed?

I think this problem is much morc difficult to cxplain than that in note 5. I personally

do not know any completely satisfactory answer, for it is not only an ontological problcm,

1 1 1 ON GsNenar ManAYANa DocrnrNr.

but also an ethical one; hence, it involves a rnuch broader spectrum of questions than the

preccding onc. The t radi t ional Buddhist answcrs to th is problem are as fo l lows:

A. When a Bodhisattva sccs the illusory sentient beings undergo the illusory sulferings

caused by their i l lusory karma, he generates an i l lusory compassion toward the i l lusory

sentient bcings and delivers them from their delusions. Thc Bodhisattva is illusory and

empty, for hc has no concept of'self'; the scntient beings and thcir suffcrings arc also illusory

and empty because they havc no self-entities; the compassion of the Bodhisattva and thc

suffcrings of sentient beings are also illusory, because they are inapprehensible or unobtain-

able, l ike dreams or rnagic. Everyth ing in sadrsi ra is i l lusory Qnayf l , l lke magic. However,

an i l lusory or rnagic- l ikc Buddhist game-the Bodhisat tva 's compassion and his a l t ru ist ic

deeds-can still take place without thcre bcing attachment to man's innate view that self and

beings are all real (satkayadr;1i).

B. On the mundane lcvel, scnticnt beings and thcir suffcrings, Bodhisattvas and thcir

vows, etc. , arc a l l ' rcal ' and do appear to cxist , but on the t ranscendcntal levcl they are al l

empty or nonexistent. However, these tr.l 'o levels (the t\\'o truths system) arc not separate

rcalms or ent i t ies; they are actual ly one. There is a mutual ly penetrat ing and mutual ly

identical all-merging totality, in which the arising of cornpassion and the emptiness of sen-

tient beings are not contradictory but interdcpcndcnt and n.rutually supplementary. The

complete merging of the mundane and the t ranscendental is expressed here as the coexistence

of the ar is ing of the tsodhisat tvas 'compassion and thc empt incss of scnt ient beings. Cornpas-

sion and emptiness secm to bc irreconcilablc and contradictory by definition. Howcvcr, this

is only lrom the lirnited human viewpoint; in the great n.rerging totality (ffiffiif,S) the

contradict ions al l become harmonious noncontradict ions. As long as there is the appearance

of a dichotomy of sarirsara and nirvana, these contradictions are unavoidable, because the

svabhaua way of thinking preconditions men to think in this manner. ln the totalistic way of

th inking no such problem exists. See Chang, The Buddhist Tearhing o. f Total i ty ,Part2, sec.2.

7. The l i teral t ranslat ion of mo shih ( ,FS) could bc 'dcvi l ish mattcrs ' . I ts mcaning is

very broad; it can include acts of demons alfecting thc llodhisattvr, as wcll as any devilish

tendencies he may have himself.

8. L i teral ly , " four immeasurablc v i r tuous adornnents" ( @*EtFf f i#f f i ) .9. This and the five following lines refer to the practice of thc six ptramitls.

10 . -Dk i s t r ans la ted hc re as ' un i f o rm i n t as t c ' . ' Tas t c ' hc r c mcans 'na tu r c ' . -DF has

been t ranslated by di f ferent scholars as 'one taste ' , 'one naturc ' or 'at -one-ment ' .

11. Thcse two similes taken together indicate the two main themes of the Mahayana:

wisdom and compassion.

12. This perhaps is suggcstive of the Tantric view that cnlightenment can be found

dircctly in defilements thcmselves, as when the Bodhisattva identifies his defilements with

bodhi .

13. 'The middle way', as it is translated here, may also be interpreted as an adjective

modi fy ing ' ins ight ' , and mcaning 'not lavor ing one extreme or another ' . (Y.C.H.)'14.

Although the Chinese text reads f ('felt'), I believe that this could be a mistransla-

tion, and that it should be rendcrcd as 'apprchcnded'. That which is apart from the two

exrremes cannot bc apprchcndcd or expresscd, but i t can be " fe l t " or "expcr icnccd" by

cnl ightened beings. (G.C.)

15. 'Unsought ' indicates that th ings cannot be wished for . Since'wishless 'and'beyond

*ishing'are ambiguous terms-though corresponding to the th i rd door to l iberat ion cal led

* ' ishlessness-we use'unsousht ' .

TsE S0r'na cir Asssnnlt.o TnlasuRls .+13

16. The tendencv to cling to cmptiness is very cornmon, cspccially for advanced

yogis. Many Zen koans bcar wi tncss to th is fact . (G.C.)

17. Al temate t ranslat ion: 'Just as bcings magical ly produced by a magic i . rn nrav

destroy each othcr and fina1ly all cones to nought, so dharrnas contenrplated by a monk who

fol lows the path are empty, st i l l , and insubstant ia l , and even his contemplat ion of them is

also cmpty. "

18. L i teral ly , "he is apart f rom wor ld ly th ings," but the Chincsc word f t ( 'apart

f rom') does not f i t the contcxt . l t may bc a mispr int for f f i ( 'become involved') . Shih Hu's

translat ion, Taisho 352, p. 208, comes c lose to our interprerat ion here.

19. One of thc thrcc groups. See Numerical Glossary.

20. This and thc preceding sentences al l use the rvord 'condi t ioned' (€H). I t could be

a corrupt ion of the text ; Shih Hu's t ranslat ion has no modi fy ing rvord 'condi t ioned' , and i t

reads more smoothly and c lear ly. Of coursc, Shih Hu's tcxt is obviousl l 'a d i i - f t rcnt vcrs ion,

probably of a much latcr date. Sec Taisho 325, pp. 208-209. (G.C.)

21. A novice tsodhisat tva, wi th a l l h is immatur i ty and imper i lc t ions, st r ivcs for

Buddhahood and pract ices the Bodhisat tva 's deeds. In h is undertaking of the tsodhisat tva 's

acts, he of ten appears morc at t ract ive and appeal ing to n lan, because he speaks our laneuage,

understands our problems, and shares our fcelings. He is onc of us. As in thc parablc of thc

new moon and thc full moon, impcrlection is sometimes more beautiful than perfection.

( G C )

There may be a different interpretation. Thosc who bclicvc thc Buddha's rvords (as

opposed to people in general) "adore a Bodhisattva more than they adore a Tathagata"

simply because they accept the tsuddha's statement that "Tath-gatas are born of tsodhi-

sat tvas." To "adore a new moon more than a fu l l moon" may be just a custoni in lndia,

marking the beginning of a bright future, and thus a handy illustration in this case; it rnay

have nothing to do wi th beauty. (S.L.M.)

22. Or, " the Bodhisat tva 's u l t imate medic incs of wisdom."

23. In this way, the three poisons or defilen.rents are counteracted.

24. This and the subsequcnt six paragraphs apply thc thirty-seven ways to enlighten-

ment.

25. All these eight terms arc dillercnt names for the 'l ', which non-tsuddhists think of

as that which knows and sees, performs actions, and receives karmic results.

26. This parable is not clear in the tcxt, but we presume it means this: the person rvho

throws the clods of earth at thc dog represents the inner desires, while the clods he throrvs

represent scnsuous pleasures. Thc person is the root of the dog's problem; as long as the

person is there, the clods ofearth will keep coming. Therefore, to free itselflrom the attack,

the dog should chase the person instead of the clods of earth. Similarly, a 5ramana should

conquer the desires within instead of trying to live in a secluded place devoid of sensuous

pleasures in order to cure his defilements.

27. See Glossary, "nirvlna." This is the nonabiding nirvana.

28. Atma-uada, Ch. €.Xnf f i . This is the doctr ine which c la ims that 'sel f ' (arrnarr) , which

also may be t ranslated as 'soul ' or 'substance' , is real , permanent, eternal , unchanging, and

irreducible.

29. 'the twelve are:

1) living in a secluded forest;

2) begging for food;

414 ON GrNEnar MauAyANa DocrnrNt

3) taking turns at begging for food;

4) eating only one meal a day;

5) eating only a small amount o[ food;

6) taking no food, and no drinks n.rade with fruit or honcy, after midday;7) wearing garments of cast-off rags;

8) having only three garments;

9) dwelling amon€i graves;

10) staying undcr a tree;

11) s i t t ing on bare ground; and

12) never ly ing down.

30. To become detached f rom al l dharmas and achieve mental l iberat ion is tantamountto attaining Arhatship, the fourth and ultimatc lruit of a Srivaka.

31. To leave ntundanc filth behind and attain the clcar l)harma-cyc is to achicve thefru i t ofa Stream-entercr , the f i rs t f ru i t ofa Sravaka.

32. L i teral ly , "When one does not rementbcr and th ink, they do not ar ise."33. Discipline, meditation, wisdom, liberation, and the knowledge and awareness

derived from liberation are called 'the five lactors and the Dharma-body'.34. The Chinesc word hsiang (ffi) is here rendcred as 'thought',

which is not analtogethcr satislactory translation. Other renderings havc dilficulties, too, however. Flsiarrgseems to contarn many meanings; here, in this context, it dcnotes thoughts, concepts, no-t ions, ideas, etc. , a broad range ofntental act iv i t ies.

35. Al ternate t ranslat ion: "We are subdued because we real ize that the body has nodeftn i tc nature and the mind does not act . " (V/ .H.)

36. Shih Hu's t ranslat ion reads:

"When will you cnter nirvana?"

The monks said, "When thc Tathagata enters nirvana, we will then enterni rv ina." (Taisho 352, p. 215)

37. This can also be t ranslated, "Wc are unimpcdedly l ibcrated_" (y.T.L.)

2L ffi#ffisffie

Dialogue With Bodhisattva Infinite Wisdom

Thus havc I heard. Once the Buddha was dwcll ing ncar Rajagrha on MountGrdhrakuta, together with an asscmbly of tr .vclvc hundred f i f ty rnonks. Thercwcrc also tcn thousand Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas present, anrong r '" 'hom lvcre Bo-dhisattva Wisdom Banner, Bodhisattva I)harnta Ranncr, Bodhisattva Moon Ban-r-rcr, Bodhisattva Sun Banncr, and Bodhisattva Boundless Banncr; sixteen lay Ro-dhisattvas, with t lhadrapl la fbremost; sixty tsodhisattva-Mahisattvas of inconr-parable mind, with Manjuir i forernost; al l the Bodhisattva-Mahlsattvas of rheWorthy Kalpa, with Bodhisattve Maitrcya forcmost; and sixty thousand othcrBodhisattva-Mahlsattvas, with tsodhisattva Int lnitc Wisdonr forcmost.

At that t imc, Bodhisattva Inf initc Wisdonr rosc frorn his seat, uncovcrcd hisright shoulder, knelt upon his r ight knec, faccd the Buddha with palns joined, andpaid homage to him by boi.ving down with his hcad at thc tsuddha's fect. Hc thcnscattered precious f lowcrs around the Buddha as an offering and said, "The World-Horiored Onc spcaks of bodhi-nrindlhodhicit tdl. Ry. 'vhat principle do vou spcak ofi t? What are the ways ir .r wl.r ich a l lodhisattva achieves bodhi-mind? What isbodhi-nrind? In bodhi, thc mind is inapprchcnsible; in the mind, bodhi is alsoinapprehcnsiblc. Apart from bodhi, thc nrir-rd is inapprchcnsiblc; apart fronr thcmind, bodhi is also inapprehensible. Bodhi is lbrmless, signless, and incxprcssible;the mind is also formlcss, signless, and not dcmonstrable; thus, too, arc senrientbeings. None of the thrcc is apprehensible. World-Honored One, sincc al l dharmasare such, by what principlc should we cult ivatc ourselves?"

The Buddha said, "Good man, l istcn to me attentively. Thc bodhi I speak ofhas intr insical ly no name or descript ion. Why? Becausc in bodhi. nante and de-script ion arc inapprehensible. The samc is true of the mind and sentient bcings.Such an undcrstanding is cal led bodhi-mind.

Sutra 45, Taisho 310, pp. 6.{8-650; translated into Chincsc by tsodhiruci.

+ 1 6 ON GENEnar- MauAyANa l)ocrnrnl

"tsodhi has nothing to do with the past, prcserlt , or futurc. The mind andsentient beinss also have nothing to do with the past, present, or futurc. He whounderstands this is cal led a Bodhisattva. Horvevcr, in Bodhisattvahood, too, thereis nothing apprchensible

"One who rcal izes that al l dharmas arc inapprchcnsible is said to have at-tained bodhi-mind. An Arhat who has attaincd Arhatship has actual ly attainednothing; i t is only to fol low convention that he is said to havc attaincd Arhatship.

"Al l dharnras arc inapprehensiblc, and bodhi-mind is no exceprion. To guidcnovice Bodhisattvas, bodhi-mind is mcntioned, but there is ncither mind nor thctc rm 'mind ' in a l l th is , ne i ther bodh i nor the tc rm 'bodh i , 'ne i ther scn t ien t bc ingsnor the tc rm 'sent ien t bc ings , 'ne i thcr Sr . rvakas nor the te rm'Sr lvakas , 'ne i therPratyekabuddhas nor the term 'Pratyekabuddhas, ' rrci ther Bodhisattvas nor thcterm'Bodhisattvas, ' ncithcr Tathagatrs nor the terrn'Tathigatas, ' ncither thc con-dit ioncd nor the term'the condit ioncd, 'neithcr the uncondit ioncd nor thc term'thc uncondit ioned, 'ncither attainnrcnt at present nor attainrnent in the futurc.

"Ncvertheless, good man, I wi l l use words as a means of exprcssion andcxplain to you [thc tcn ways to gcnerate bodhi-mind]:

"First is the vow to bc forernost in the cult ivat ion of extensive good roots,just as Mount Sumeru towcrs above everything elsc. This is the basis of theparamit i of giving.

"Second is thc vow to establ ish al l or-re's undertakings f irmly, just as thegreat earth anchors al l things. This is thc basis of thc paramit i of discipl ine.

"Third is the vow to have a strong wil l to bear al l aff l ict ions with courageand ease, just as an awesomc l ion fearlcssly subducs al l beasts. This is the basis ofthe piramit5 of patience

"Nrlrttt-t is the vow to have overwhelming po.\^/cr to conqucr defilemcnts,

Just as Nariyanq vanquishes his opponents. This is thc basis of the plramita ofvlgor.

"Fif th is the vow to cult ivatc virtucs and develop al l kinds of good roots,which wil l blossom l ikc f lowering pari jata and kovidira trees. This is thc basis ofthc paramit l of mcditat ion.

"Sixth is thc vow to cradicatc ignorance and dclusion, just as thc boundlessl ight cf the sun dispels darkness. This is thc basis of the piramita of wisdom.

"Scve'th is the vow to consummatc al l meritorious aspirat ions and al l glo-r ies, so that one can del iver people frorn dangers and disastcrs, l ike a wealthy,

[bcnevolent] merchant who uscs his resourccs ski l l ful lv. This is the basis of theplranri ta of ingenuity.

"Eighth is the vow to overconc al l obstaclcs, and thus acquire a mind aspcrtcct lv pcaceful and pure as a clear, ful l moon. This is the basis of thc pararnit iof ; '6 t . 'a t .

"Ninth is the vow ro adorn and purify al l bcings and al l Buddha-lands, topertbrr-n al l * 'holesome deeds, and to succccd in whatcvcr one does, just as a poornran u'ho acquircs inexhaustible trcasures can fulf i l al l his wishes. This is thc basisof thc piramit i of vol i t ion.

l )raloc;ur wtrH Booulsarrva INrtNtrE Wtsotlra 117

"Tenth is the vow to acquirc blessings and knowlcdge as boundless as spacc,

and to master al l dharmas, l ikc an anointed univcrsal monarch [who is mastcr of

the world]. This is the basis of thc p-ramita of knowledgc.

"Good man, onc who succeeds in cult ivat ing these ten ways to gcncrate

bodhi-mind is cal led a Bodir isattva, a prc-cminent being, a being frcc of hindrance,

not an inferior being. Yet, since the real i ty of things is inapprehensible, there is

actual ly neither senticnt being nor mind nor bodhi in al l this.

"Furthermore, good man, a Bodhisattva who practices thc paramita of giv-

ing regards ten things as foremost:

( l ) thc roo t o f fa i th ; r

(2) the powcr of faith;

(3) aspirat ion;

(4) evcr- increasing aspirat ion:

(5) benefiting senticnt bcings;

(6 ) g rea t k indness :

(7 ) g rea t compass ion :

(8) thc practice of the four induccments;(9) lovc for the Buddha-Dharma; and

(10) the quest for al l-knowing wisdom.

These are thc tctr.. .Good n1an, a l lodhisattva who practices the paramit i of discipl ine regards

ten th ings as fo remost :

(1) keeping his bodi ly act ions pure and clean;

(2) keeping his verbal actions pure and clean;

(3) kceping his mcntal actions purc and clcan;

(4) not bearing grudges or i i l wi l l ;

(5) purification and abolition of thc miserable planes of existence;

(6) avoiding the eight adversit ies;

(7) transcending the stages of Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas;

(8) abiding securely in the Buddha's merits;

(9) f'rlfillment of all wishes; and

(10) fulf i l lment of his great vows.

These are the ten."Good man, a Bodhisattva who practices the ptramita of patiencc regards

ten things as foremost:

(1) abandoning hatred;

(2) disregarding his own body;

(3) disregarding his own life;

(4) bel ief in and understanding of I the Dharma];

(5) bringing scntient beings to maturity;

(6) the power of kindness;

418 Or{ GrNEnaL ManAyANa Dclcrnrrur

(7) the real izat ion of compliancc with the I)harnra;(8) thc rcal izat ion of the profound Dharma;(9) the vast, supremc patience; and

(10) dispci l ing the darkness of ignorancc.

Thcse are the tcn."Good man, a Bodhisattva who practices thc p-ramita of vigor regards ten

things as foremost:

(1) act ing in conformity with sentient beings;(2) always rcjoicing over others' Imeritorious] act ions, words, and thoughts;(3) never being ir"rdolent;(4) devoting himsclf to progress;(5) cultivating right effort;(6) cult ivat ing thc Ifour] mindfulncsscs;

(7) destroying aff l ict ions, the encmics;(8) obscrving al l dharmas;

(9) bringing sentient beings to maturi ty; and(10) pursuing al l-knowing wisdom.

Thcsc are the ten."Good man, a Bodhisattva who practices the paramita of rneditat ion rcgards

tcn things as foremost:

(1) abidnrg sccurcly in wholesome dharmas;(2) fixing the mind on one objcct;(3) attaining poise by f ixing thc mind on one objcct;(4) r ight concr'rrtrat ion:

(5) l iberation through dhyana;(6) the root of concentrat ion;2(7) the power of concen[ranon;(8) the destruction ofafflictions, the enenrics;(9) thc perfection of all dhyanas;3

(10) the samadhi that protects thc Dharma.

These are the ten."Good man, a Bodhisattva who practices the paramitt of wisdom regards

ten things as foremost:

(1) ski l l f lul observation of the [f ive] aggregares;(2) skillful observation of the [eighteen] elements and Itwelve] entrances,(3) right view;(4) right mindfulness;

(5) thoroughly understanding the [four] noble truths;(6) abandoning wrong views:(7) the root of wisdom;

Draroc;ur wrrs -Boonrsarrva lNrrNtr l Wrslou 419

(8) the Realization of thc Nonarising of Dharmas;(9) the powcr of wisdom; and

(1{J) unimpcdcd knowledgc.

These are the ten."Good man, a tsodhisattva who practiccs thc paramit i of ingenuity rcgards

ten things as forcmost:

(1) pcnctrat ing the nrcntal i t ies and dcsires ofsenticnt beings;(2) strcngthening senticnt beings with his powcrs;(3) great kindncss and great cornpassion;(4) untir ingly bringing senticnr beings to matunty;(5) rcjcct ing the statcs of the Srivaka and Pratyekabuddha;(6) superior knowledge and vicws;(7) cult ivat ing al l thc paranrit ls;(8) sceing al l dharmas as they real ly arc;(9) acquir ing the ir .rconccivable powers; and

(10) [attaining] thc state ofnonrcgression.

These are the ten."Good man, a Bodhisattva who practiccs the piramit- of powcr regards ten

things as foremost:

(1) knowing the jungle of al l beings' mental i t ics;(2) knowing the jungle of al l beings' defi led activi t ies;(3) knowing the junglc of al l bcings' acrivi t ies of aspirat ion and supcrior

understanding;

(4) knowing the junglc of al l beings' sensuous acrivir ies;(5) knowing thc jungle of al l beings' act ivir ies of thc Icighteen] elcments;(6) knowing the junglc of the secondary dcfi lcd activi t icsa of al l bcings;(7) knowing the jungle of ali beings' activiries in sarirsira;(8) knowing thc jungle of al l beings' karmic results from activi t ics in the

past. present. and future:(9) knowing thc jungle of al l beings' defi led habits; and

(10) t i :elessly bringing to maruri ty scnricnr beings with their junglc-l ike

capacit ies. s

These are thc ten."Good man, a Bodhisattva who practices the peranit l of vol i t ion rcgards

ten things as foremost:

(1) knowing that no dharma arises;(2) knowing that all dharmas are formless;(3) knowing that no dharma ceases;(4) knowing that there are no dharmas;(5) being attached to nothing;

420 ON GeNEnar MnrrAvANa DocrnrNe

(6) knowing that no dharma comes l into bcing];(7) knowing that no dharma goes [ into extinct ion];(t3) knowing that al l dharmas are devoid of sclf-nature;(9) knowing that al l dharmas are equal, without a bcginning, middle, or end;

and

(10) not dif ferentiat ing thc beginning, middlc, or end of any dharma.

Thesc are thc ten."Good n1an, a Bodhisattva who practices the paranrit i of knowledge regards

ten thinss as foremost:/-x

(1)iski l l ful undcrstanding and analysis of al l dharmas;(2) ski l l ful perfect ion of white I i .e., rvholcsome] dharmas;(3) accumulating the numerous spir i tual provisions of a Bodhisattva;(4) gathcring an abundar-rt provision of blessed deeds and knowledge;(5) perfecting grcat compassion;

(6) entering all different worlds;

(7) understanding the dcfi lcd activi t ies of al l senrient beings;(8) exert ing himself to enter the Tathagata's state;(9) seeking to entcr thc cxcel lent states of posscssing the tcn powers, the

[four] fearlessncsscs, and the Ieightccn] unique quali t ies ofa Buddha; and(10) ascending to the throne of an Anointcd One6 and achicving the supreme

qualities of an All-Knowir.rg Orrc.

These are the ten."Good man, when Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas practice the ten paramitas, they

regard the ten things in cach category as foremost."Furthermore, good man, what are the meanings [and functions] of the

paramitas? [Thcy are to cause onc:]

to recognize clearly the practices that surpass those of Srtvakas andPratyekabuddhas;

to recognize ciearly thc vast, perfcct wisdom of the Tathagatas;to be detached from both conditioned and unconditioned dharmas;to understand the undesirability of sarirsara as it really is;to enlighten those who are not yet enlightened;to acquire the inexhaustible Dharma-treasury of the Tathigata;to obtain unhindered liberation;

to save sentient beings by giving;

to fulfill his original vows by discipline;

to obtain all thc majestic auspicious signs through patience;to fathom the ultimatc depth of all the Buddha's teachings by vigor;to gcncrate the four immcasurables by mcditation;to cradicate al l aff l ict ions by wisdom;

. to accumulate the Buddha's teachings by ingenuity;

Drarocur wrrs BooHtsarrva INrtNrrr WIsoon 421

to fulf i l l the Buddha's teachings by vol i t ion;

to awakcn sentient bcings' pure faith by power;

to obtain thc al l-knowing wisdom of the Tathagata by knowlcdge;

to acquirc the Realization of the Nonarising of l)harmas;

to attain the statc of nonregression;

to purify a Buddha-land;

to b r ing sent ien t be ings to matur i t y l

to consummate at the bodhi-site thc wisdom of al l Tathigatas;

to vanquish al l dcmons;

to gain command of thc four bases of miraculous Powers;to abide neither in sarhsira nor in nirvana;

to transcend al l the virtues of Srivakas, Pratyckabuddhas, and Bodhisattvas;

to overcome all hetcrodox doctrinesl

to achicve the ten powcrs, the four fearlcssnesses, and the [cighteen] unique

quali t ies of the Buddha;

to realize suprcme enlightenmcnt; and

to turn the twelve kinds of Dharma whccls.T

A11 these are the mcanings [and functions] of thc piramit is.

"Furthcrmorc, good rnan, when a Bodhisattva-Mahasattva is about to abide

in thc Stage of GreatJoy-thc f irst stage of Bodhisattva development-he wil l f i rst

havc a vision of al l thc hundreds of thousands of mil l ions of myriads of hidden

treasurcs irr the billion-u'orld universe.

"When a Bodhisattva is about to abide in the Stage of Stainless Purity-thc

second stage-he will first have a vision of a billion-world universe with its ground

as flat as one's palm and with pure adornments of innumerable hundreds of thou-

sands of millions of myriads of precious lotus flowers.

"When a Bodhisattva is about to abide in thc Stage of l l lumination-the

third stage-hc will first have a vision of himself clad in armor and brandishing a

cudgel, repressing enemies dauntlessly and rcsolutely.

"When a Bodhisattva is about to abide in the Stage of Radiant Flames-the

fourth stage-he will first havc a vision of all kinds of rare flowcrs being scatte red

over thc grcund by the wind from the four quarters.

"When a Bodhisattva is about to abide in the Stage of Invincible S.trcngth-

the f i f th stage-he wil l f i rst have a vision of womcn with garlands of at in-ruktaka,.

varsika, and campaka f lowers on their heads and various adortrments otr thcir

bodies.

"When a Bodhisattva is about to abide in thc Stagc of Direct Presence-the

sixth stagc-hc will first have a visiot"t of a beautiful pond fillcd u'ith pure, lucid

watcr having eight merits. Gold sand will form thc botton.r of the pond, four

jewelled f l ights of stcps wil l be on i ts sides, and i t wi l l be adorned with blue, rcd,

white, and variously colored lotus f lowers. He wil l see himself playing in this

pond.

422 ON GrNEnar ManAvANa DocrnrNr

"When a Bodhisattva is about to abide in the Far-Reaching Stage-rhe sev-enth stage-he will first have a vision of hells to his left and right, and will seehimself passing through them unharmed.

"When a Bodhisattva is about to abide in thc Stage of Immovable Stead-fastness-the eighth stage-he will first have a visior.r of himsclf bearing the signsofa l ion king on his shoulders, fr ightening al l beasts.

"When a Bodhisattva is about to abide in thc Stage of Meritorious Wis-dom-the ninth stage-he will first have a vision of himself as a universal monarch

teaching the true Dharma, surrounded by innumerable hundreds of thousandsof mil l ions of myriads of kings, and shaded by various clean, white, jewelled

canopies."When a Bodhisattva is about to abide in the Stage of the Dharma-Cloud-

the tenth stage-he will first have a vision of himself [with a body] the color ofgenuine gold, complete with all thc thirty-two auspicious signs of a Tathigata, andhaloed with a circle of l ight several feet in radius.s He wil l be seated comfortably ona broad, high l ion-thronc, and surrounded by innumcrable hundreds ofthousands

of mil l ions of myriads of gods from the Brahma Heavcn, who wil l respcctful lymake offbrings to him and listen to his preaching o[ thc Dharnra.

"Good man, due to the power of samadhi, a Bodhisattva-Mahisattva wil lhave each of thcsc visions respectively prior to his attainment of each of the tcnstagcs.

"Furthermore, good man, a Bodhisattva:

in the first stage perfects thc piramiti of giving;

in the second stagc, the paramit i of discipl inc;

in the third stagc, the paramita of patience ;in the fourth stage, the p5ramite of vigor;

in the fifth stage, the paramitt of meditation;

in the sixth stage, the paramit i of wisdom,

in the seventh stage, the paramit i of ingenuity;

in the eighth stage, the p-ramita of power,in the ninth stage, the paramit- of vol i t ion; and

in the tenth stage , the paramita of knowledgc.

"Furthermore, good man, a Bodhisattva who brings forth:

the f irst vow I in gcncrating bodhi-mindl wi l l attain the Trcasurc-Rcvealing

Samadhi;

the second vow, the Wcll-Abiding Samadhi;

the third vow, the Immovable Samadhi;

the fourth vow, thc Nonrcgressing Samadhi;the f i f th vow, the Precious Flower Samadhi;

the sixth vow, the Sunlight Samadhi;

the seventh vow, the Samadhi of the Realization of Al l Meanir-rgs;the cighth vow, the Samadhi of thc Torch of Wisdom;

Dralocur wrrs Bolr irsarrva INrrNrre Wrsoou 423

the ninth vow, the Samadhi of Direct Realization of the Buddha-Dharma;

and

the ten th vow. thc S f i ra rhgama Samadh i . '

"Furthermore, good man, a Bodhisattva attains:

thc Dhiralr of Superior Blcssings in thc f irst stage;

the (Jnsurpassablc Dhiral i in the second stage;

the Well-Abiding Dharal i in thc third stage;

the Indcstructible Dharani in the fourth stage;

the Stainless Dharani in thc fifth stage;

the I)harani of thc Whccl of Wisdom-Light in the sixth stagel

the Superb l)eed Dharani in the seventh stage;

the Pure Discernment Dharal i in the eighth stage;

the DharaTi of thc Manifcstat ion of Boundless Doctr ines in the ninth stage;

and

the Inexhaustiblc Dharma Store Dharani in thc tcnth stage."

At that t ime, in thc assembly, a god named Lion Banner of UnimpededLight rose from his seat, barcd his r ight shoulder, knelt upon his r ight knee, faced

the Buddha with palms joincd, and said, "How wonderful, World-Honored C)ne!I-Iow wondcrful, Wcll-Gonc Onc! This doctrine is so profound and extensive that

i t cornpriscs al l thc tcachings of thc Buddhas."

Thereupon, the Buddha told Lion Banncr of Unimpcdcd Light, "So i t is, s<-r

i t is, as you have said. Good man, i f a Bodhisattva can l isten to and accept this

doctr inc, cvcn tcmporari ly, hc or she wil l never regress from thc pursuit of su-

preme enl ightenment. Why? That good man or goocl woman has plantcd and

matured various roots ofvirtue; thereforc, hc or shc is inlprcsscd by the sutra upon

hcaring i t ."Good man, i f men or womcn hcar this sutra, al l the good roots thcy havc

planted wil l be purif ied, and conscqucntly thcy wil l not fai l to see the tsuddha,

l isten to thc Dharma, makc offcr ings to the Sarhgha, and bring scrl t iel t t beings tomaturi ty. They wil l not be separated from:

the Dharani of the Ocean Seal;

the I)h-ral i of Boundless Manifestat ions;

the I)h5ranr of Penetrat ing thc Dcsircs and Mcntal i t ies of Sentient Beinqsl

the Dhirar. i of thc Banncr of Pure Sunlight;

the Dhirar. i of the Banrrer of Stainless Mbbnlight;

the Dhlrar.i of tsrcaking All Bonds;

thc Dhiralr of l)cstroying Boundless Aff l ict ions as Adamant as a l) iamond

Mountain;

thc Dharal i of Undcrstanding Words Exprcssing the Equali ty of the l)harma-

Naturc :

the Dharani of Understanding the Languagc and Voicc of Reali ty;

424 ON GrNEnar MAHAYANA DocrnrNt

thc Dharani Imprinted by thc Seal of Boundless Purity as Rcvcaled byEmptiness; and

thc l)haral i of Achicving and Manilest ing the Boundlcss Buddha-Body.

"Good man, i f a Bodhisattva achieves thesc dhiranis, he wil l thcn be able totransform himsclf into Buddha-forms to teach scrl t ient beings in al l the lands of thetcn dircct ions. However, in l ight of thc Dharnla-naturc, he ncithcr comes norgocs, nor does he teach any sentient bcings. He docs not cl ing to thc words he uscsto teach thc Dharma. Hc is impart ial and steadfast. Although hc manifests a bodythat l ivcs and dies, in real i ty nothing ever ariscs or ceases; not a single dharmacomcs or goes. He rcal izcs t l-rat al l phenomena arc original ly quiescent, and thusabides securcly in the tsuddha-Dharma. Whv? Becausc he makcs no dist inct ionsamong dharmas."

During the preaching of this doctr ine, thirty thousand tsodhisattvas in theasscmbly achieved the Realization of the Nonarising of Dharmas; innumerableBodhisattvas attaincd the state of nonregression frorn the pursuit of supremc en-l ightenmcnt; innumerable scntient beings resolved to scck enl ightcnment; and in-numerable monks attained the clear Dharma-cye

When thc Buddha f inishcd teaching this sutra, Bodhisattva Inf inite Wisdomand the monks, gods, humans, asuras, gandharvas, and so on wcrc al l jubi lant.They accepted i t with faith, and began to practice i t with veneration.

NOTES

1. Thc root of la i th is one of the f ive roots. Scc Numerical ( i lossary.

2. The root of concentration is another of the five roors.

3. !7e render the Chincse characters E* as 'a l l dhyinas' . t * usual ly means ' the

group of people decidcd on enl ightenmcnt ' , but th is docs not sui t the contcxt .

4. The activitics resulting fror.n the secondary defilcments. I)esirc, I.ratred, ignorance,arrogance, doubt, and wrong views arc the primary dcfilcmcnts. All othcr unwholesorncmcntalitics, such asjealousy, vcxation, and miserliness, are secondary defilerncnts.

5. L i teral ly , " t i re lessly r ipcning thejungle- l ikc capaci t ies ofscnt ient beings."6. One who has rcached the tenth stage of Bodhisat tvahood, and is abour to atra i r l

Buddhahood.

7. Wc are not sure of the idcntity of the twclvc kinds of l)harnra whecls; they mayrefer to thc threefold formula of the four noble truths.

8. The Chinese text reads H)E-€ . € is a measurc of eight Chinese feet. Thcor ig lnal Sanskr i t for th is phrase is not known to us. I t is a lso ambiguous whethcr the halo iscreht tcct in d iameter or in radius- We expedient ly t ranslatc i t as 'sevcral Feet ' .

9. Strrar i rgama means 'heroic ' , 'durablc ' , or 'a l l th ings cornplctcd ' . This sama<lhi isattained bv a Buddha or advanced tsodhisattva.

UIIOn Skillful Means

22 ^*frffie-On the Paramita of Ingenuity

I

Thus have I heard. Once the Buddha was dwell i r .rg near Srivasti . in thc Garden ofAnathapi ' ldada in thc Jcta Grove, accompanied by eight thousand monks, al l ofwhom were great Sravakas in thc learning stagc or in the stage beyond learning;and by twelve thousand Bodhisattva-Mahisatrvas known to all, who had achievedmiraculous powers, dharal is, unhindered eloquence, the rcal izat ion of dharmas,and countless merits.

At that time, the Tathtgata emerged from samidhi and was ready to teachthe Dharma to the incalculable hundreds of thousands of Imil l ions of] bi l l ions ofsentient beings who surrounded him respectfully. Then, in rhe asscmbly, a Bo-dhisattva-Mahisattva named Superior Wisdom rose from his seat, bared his rightshoulder, knelt on his r ight knee, joined his palms toward the Buddha, and said,"World-Honored One, I wish to ask a question. May you be so kind as to al lowme to do so. I dare not bring up my question without the permission of theBuddha. "

The Buddha told Bodhisattva Superior Wisdom, "Good man, you mavinquire as you l ike. I wi l l answer you and resolve al l your doubts."

Then Bodhisattva Superior Wisdom asked the Buddha, "World-Honored

One, regarding ingenuity, what is the ingenuity of a Bodhisattva? World-HonoredOne, how does a Bodhisattva-Mahasattva practice ingenuity?"

After Bodhisattva Superior Wisdom had asked his question, the Buddhapraised him, saying, "Excel lent! I t is excel lent, good man, thar for the sake ofBodhisattva-Mahesattvas, you ask about the meaning of ingenuity. This will bene-

Sutra 38, Taisho 310, pp. 5944071- translated into Chinese by Nandi.

128 ON Srrl l rur MsaNs

fit , comfort, and gladden many sentient beings. Good man, in order to show

compassion for gods and humans, to bring them-peacc, happincss, and bcncfi t , and

to help them obtain the wisdom of the future Bodhisattvas and the Buddha-

Dharmas of the past, prcscnt, and future, I wi l l now explain this to you. Listen

attentivcly and think careful ly about i t ."

Bodhisattva Superior Wisdom obeyed and l istencd.

The tsuddha said, "Good man, a Bodhisattva who practices ingenuity can

usc even a handful of food as alms for al l sentient beings. ' Why? When a Bodhi-

sattva who practices ingenuity gives a handful of food to any single sentient being,

even an animal, he does so with an aspiration for all-knowing wisdom, and vows

to share the merit of this giving with all sentient beings by dedicating it to the

[universal] attainment of supremc cnlightcnmcnt. Bccausc of thcsc two-his seek-

ing all-knowing ,$rGiorn and his skillful vow-he attracts sentient beings into his

fol lowing. Good man, this is the ingenuity practiced by a Bodhisattva-Mahasattva. t"Furthermore, good man, when a Bodhisattva-Mahisattva who practices

ingenuity sees others practice giving, he rejoices and wishes to share with all

sentient beings this merit2 of sympathctic joy by dedicating i t to thc [universal lattainment of supreme enlightenmcnt. He also hopcs that givers and recipients will

not be apart from the aspirat ion for al l-knowing wisdom.l even i f the recipients are

Sravakas or Pratyekabuddhas. This is thc ingcnuity practiccd by a Bodhisattva-

Mahasattva."Moreover, good man, whcn a Bodhisattva-Mahesattva who practiccs in-

genuity sees flowers, trees, or any kind of incense which do not belong to anyone

in any of the worlds of the ten directions, he will gather them up and offer them to

Buddhas. Whcn he sees flowers, trees, or any kind of incense which once belonged

to someone but now have been blown away by the wind, he will gather them up

and offer them to the Buddhas in the worlds of the ten directions. He cultivates

these good roots in order to cause himself and all other sentient beings to have the

aspiration for all-knowing wisdom. Because of this good root, he will achieve

immeasurable discipline, meditation, wisdom, liberation, and thc knowledge and

awareness derived from l iberation.a This is the ingenuity practiced by a Bodhi-

sattva-Mahlsattva."Furthermore, good man, when a Bodhisattva-Mahasattva who practices

ingenuity sees sentient beings in any of the worlds in the ten directions enjoy

blissful karmic results, he will think: 'May all sentient beings attain the bliss of

al l-knowing wisdom!'When he sees sentient beings in any of the worlds of the ten

directions suffer from painful karmic results, he will repent their transgressions on

their behalf and adorn himself with this great vow: 'I will undergo all the sentient

beings'sufferings in their stead, and make them h"ppy. ' tsy this good root, he

hopes to achicve all-knowing wisdom and to relieve the af-ilictions of all sentient

beings. Bccause of this, [he and al l those sentient beings] wi l l be completely free

from all suffering and can enjoy pure bliss. This is the ingenuity practiced by a

Bodhisattva-Mahlsattva

ON rut PAnarr.rlrA or IrcrNurry 429

"Moreover, good man, when a Bodhisattva-Mahasattva who pracrices in-genuity pays homage to one Buddha, respects him, makes offerings to him, hon-ors him, or praises him, the Bodhisattva-Mahisattva wil l think: 'Al l Tathigatasshare the same dharmadhitu and Dharma-body; they share the same discipl ine,meditation, wisdom, liberation, and the knowledge and awarcness derived fromliberation. 'with this in mind, he wil l know that to pay homage to one Buddha,respect him, make offcrings to him, honor him, or praisc him is to do so to allBuddhas. For this reason, he can makc offerings5 in this way to all the Buddhas inthe worlds of the ten directions. This is the ingenuity pracriced by a Bodhisattva-Mahdsattva.

"Furthermore, good man, a Bodhisattva-Mahasattva who practices inge-nuity should not fcel inferior if he is slow to learn. Even if he is conycrsant withonly a four-line stanza, he should think: 'If one understands the mea'ing of onefour-line stanza, he understands all Buddha-Dharmas, because all Buddha-Dhar-mas are comprised in the meaning of this stanza.'when he thoroughly knows this,he will spare no effort to cxplain the stanza to others widely, out of kindless a1dcompassion, whether he is in a city or in a village. Hc does so without seekingmaterial gains, reputation, or praise. He wil l vow: ' I wi l l cause othcrs to hear thisfour- l ine stanza. 'By this good root and ski l l ful vow, he wil l causc al l sentientbeings to bc rs well- lcarned as Ananda a'd to acquire the eloquencc of a Tathagata.This is the ingenuiry practiccd by a Bodhisattva-Mahasattva.

"Furthcrmore, good ma', i f a Bodhisattva-Mahisattva who practiccs inge-nuity is born in such a poor family that he has to beg for food, and if he obtainso'ly a handful of food and gives it to a monk, he will nor be ashamed of this.Instead, he wil l think: Just as the Buddha says, "To develop a great mind is betterthan to give marerial gif ts." Although I give so l i t t le, I give i t with an aspirat ionfor all-knowing wisdom, hoping that I shall, by this good root, achieve all-knowing wisdom and cause all sentient beings to acquirc precious hands likc theTathagata's. ' For this reason, he is ful ly endowed with the blessings of giving,discipline, and meditation. This is thc ingenuity practiccd by a Bodhisattva-Mahasattva.

"Furthermore, good man, when a Bodhisattva-Mahasattva who practicesingenuity sees Srivakas and Pratyekabuddhas obtain many offerings and muchprofi t , respect, and praise, hc wil l console himself with this thought: 'Because

thcre are Bodhisattvas therc are Tathagatas, and because there arc Tathagatas thereare Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas.{ 'Although Sravakas and pratyckabuddhr, , .-quire prof i t and offerings, I am st i l l superior to thcm. what thcv eat bclorrgs ro myfather;7 why should I covet i t?' This is the ingenuity practiced bv a Bodhisattva-Mahasattva.

"Furthermore, good man, a Bodhisattva-Mahisattva u,ho practiccs inge_nuity can cultivate all the six paramitas while practicing [the pirarnita of] giving.How? Good man, a Bodhisattva who practices i'genuity will not be miserly butwill be generous when he sees a bcggar. This is the piramiti of giving.

430 ON Sxtnrur MraNs

"He himself keeps the precepts and makes offerings to those who keep the

precepts; he persuades those who have broken the precepts to obscrve the precePts,

and then bestows offerings upon them. This is the paramita of discipline.s

"He rids himself of hatred, practices kindncss and compassion, and, with an

undefiled mind, benefits sentient beings by impartially giving them alms. This is

thc paramita of patienci.

"While giving food and drink and medicine, he is full of vigor in mind and

body, whether he is going or coming, advancing or stopping, bending or stretch-

ing, looking up or looking down. This is the paramita of vigor.

"After he has practiced giving, his mind becomcs tranquil, cheerful, and

undistracted. This is the paramita of meditation.

"After giving, hc analyzes these matters: Who is the giver? Who is the

recipient? Who is the one who receives the karm'ic results? After contemplating

these, he finds that there is no giver, no recipient, and no one who will receivc the

karmic results. This is the paramiti of wisdom.

"Good man, a Bodhisattva-Mahasattva who cultivates ingcnuity can in this

way fulfill the six paramitas when he practices giving." /Then, Bodhisattva Supcrior Wisdom said to the Buddha, "Marvelous, World-

Honored One! A Bodhisattva-Mahasattva who practices giving with ingenuity is

able to acquirc all Buddha-Dharnas and attract all scntient beings into his follow-

ing by his giving."

The Buddha told Bodhisattva Superior Wisdom, "Good man, i t is just as

you say. Even when a Bodhisattva-Mahisattva who practices ingcnuity gives only

a little, he obtains immeasurable, countless blessings and merits by virtuc of his

ingenuity. "

The Buddha told Bodhisattva Superior Wisdom further, "Good man, even

when a Bodhisattva-Mahisattva has reachcd the stagc of nonregression, he still

practices giving skillfully. This is the ingenuity practiccd by a Bodhisattva.

"Good man, sometimes bad people may urgc a Bodhisattva [to forsake

sentient beingsl, saying, 'Why do you stay in sarirsara for such a long t ime? You

may enter nirvana early, in this l i fe. 'Thc Bodhisattva should leave them as soon as

he hears this, thinking, 'I have adorned myself with the great vow to teach and

convcrt al l scntient beings, and these people are trying to stop me. I f I do not stay

in sarirsara, how can I tcach and convcrt incalculablc nurnbers of senticnt beings?"

Bodhisattva Supcrior Wisdom aske! the Buddha, "World-Honored Onc,

what i f a sentient bcing commits the,{6ulheavy transgressionse bccause of cr-

roneous thoughts?"

The Buddha told Bodhisattva Superior Wisdom, "Good man, i f a Bodhi-

sattva who is a monk commits thc four heavy transgressions becausc of erroncous

thoughts, [anothcr] Bodhisattva well verscd in ingenuitv can purgc him of al l his

sins. I also say that [actual lyl no one commits transgressions or rcct- ives karmic

resu l ts . " " 'Bodhisattva Superior Wisdom asked the Buddha, "World-Honored One,

when does a Bodhisattva commit transgressions?"

C)N lnr PAnaurrA rtr INc;rNutry 431

The tsuddha repl ied to Bodhisattva Superior Wisdom, "Good man, i f aBodhisattva harbors the view of the Dharma hcld by Srivakas a'd pratyckabud-

dhas, then he commitstcavy transgrcssions. even i f hc keeps thc Pratinroksa pre-"cepts, has eaten only fruits and grasslfor hurrdrcds ofthousa'ds ofkalpas,11and isab lc to to le ra tc the good and bad words u t tc rcd by senr ic r r t be ings . ( iood man, jus tas Srivakas cannot enter nirvana in this l i fe i f thcy commit heavv transgrcssions, soBodhisattvas cannot attain supreme cnl ightenment i f thcy continuc, without re-pentance, to harbor the view of Dharma held by Srlvakas and Prrtyekabuddhas.

[As long as they think thus,] i t is absolutely impossiblc for such Bodhisartvas toacquire thc Buddha-Dharma. "

Then the Venerablc Anandr said to thc Buddha, "World-Honorecl Onc. thisrnorning when I begged for food fron door to door in Srlvastr, I san BodhisattvaKing Honored by Al l si t on thc same couch with a woman."

As soon as Ananda uttercd these words, quakes of six kinds shook the greatearth. From the assembly Bodhisattva King Honored by Al l ascended ir.r midair tothc hcight of l ievcn palm trees'oqe above anothcr and askcd A.a'da, "Vcrerable

one, how can an offendcr stay in midair? Ananda, you may ask the World-Honored One this: 'What is a trarlsgression, and what is not a transgrcssion?"'

Then, Ananda, knccl ing on his r ight knee and clasping the Buddha's fcctwith his hands, said wocful ly, "World-Honored One, now I repe't mv faulr: Islar-rdcrcd such a grcat giant, 12 saying he was an offbndcr; I found fault with thisgreat tsodhisattva. World-Honored Orrc, now I rcpent my wrongdoing. May theWorld-Honored Onc acccpt my sincere repentance!"

The Buddha told Ananda, "You should nor f ind fault with sreat .Bodhi-sa t tvas o f thc Mah iy ina . Ananda. you Sr ivakas prac ice in a sec ludcd p lacc th t .meditat ion lcading to ult imate quiescence and cut off al l passions without hin-drance. Howevcr, Ananda, a Bodhisattva who practices ingc'uity has achicvcd amind so incl ined to al l-knowing wisdom that, though he may even amuse himselfwith maids of honor in a palace, hc wil l not be affectcd by demons' inf luences andvarious hindranccs, and hc wil l attain supreme cnl ightenmcnt. Why? Becausc,Ananda, when enjoying pleasurcs u, i th sc't ient beings, thc Bodhisattvas who prac-t ice ingcnuity, without exceptio.r, al l persuade them to pursue supremc enl ightc'-ment through the Three Jcwels. Anarda, as long as good men a'd good 'vonrcnwho learn the Mahiyana are not apart from thc aspirat ion for al l-knowi'g *. is-dom, they can amuse thcmselvcs with thc f ive dcl ightful scnsuous pleasurcs u.henthcy cncounter thcnr . l t A 'a r rda . you shou ld th ink : 'Such Bodh is . r t t r . l . le r r l r r i . r t c lthe root that leads to Tathigatahood. " '

The Buddha said to Ananda further, "Now, l isten attentivclr ' . Whv didBodhisattva-Mahasattva King Honored by Al l si t on a couch u'rth that w.oman?Ananda, that woman has been the wife of Bodhisattva Ki 'e Honorcd b,v Al l forf ive hundred l i fet imcs. Because of past habit, she was attached to BoclhisattvaKi 'g Honorcd by Al l and could not tcar hersclf away from him whcncvcr she sawhim. Bodhisattva King Honored by Al l has awesome virtucs and handsome featuresbccause of the power of his discipl ine. At the sight of him, that woman was over-

432 ON Sxt l r rut . MEaNs

whelmed wi th joy. Alone, in a secluded place, she thought, ' l f

tsodhisat tva King

Honorcd by Al l can s i t on the same couch wi th me, I shal l br ing tbr th bodhic i t ta. '

"Ananda, at that t in1e, Bodhisat tva King Honored by Al1 read that woman's

mind. On the fo l lowing morning, c lad in a n lonast ic robc and hold ing a bowl in

his harrds, he bcggcd for food f rom door to door in Sravastr . Whcn hc arr ived at

that woman's house, he entered i t , th inking at oncc: 'Thc

inncr carth-c lcment and

the outcr carth-c lement are one and the same. ' l r He took thc woman's hand and sat

togethcr wi th her on the couch wi th a mind [as steady] as the earth. Seated on thc

couch, tsodhisat tva King Honored by Al l spoke rn vcrsc:

'The Tathagata disapproves of

Indulgence in desires.

One who is free from desircs and lust

Can become a Teacher of Gods and Humans." '

The Buddha said to Ananda, "Hearing thc vcrsc, that woman was ovcr-

whclmi:d with joy. Immcdiately, she rose from her seat, prostrated hersclf with

her head at the feet of Bodhisattva King Honorcd by Al l , and spoke in verse:

' l wi l l uproot my lust and desires,

Which the Buddhas dccry;

For one who is trce fron-r desires and lust

Can bccome a Teacher of Gods and Humans.'

"Having spoken this verse, she said: ' I should repcnt having had an impropcr

dcsire. ' Right thcn, shc cngcndered a proper desire: she brought lbrth bodhicit ta

for the benefi t of al l sentient beings."

The Buddha told Ananda, "Aftcr Bodhisattva King Honored by Al l had

irrf luenced that woman to bring forth bodhicit ta, he rose from his seat and left .

Ananda, see what blissful results that woman will receive from her devotion: I, as

an All-Knowing Onc, prcdict that the wonan will changc from a female into amalc whcn hcr prcscnt lifc ends, and that she will makc offcrings to incalculablehundi 'cds of thousands of Buddhas for ninety-rr inc kalpas. After perfect ing al lBuddha-Dharmas, she wil l bccomc a Buddha nanred Tathigata Frcc of Stain and

l)ef i lement, the Worthy Onc, thc Al l-Knowing One. When that Buddha atteins

the path, 1s not a single person [ in his worid] wi l l cherish nonvirtuous intentions.Ananda, you should krrow that when a Bodhisattva who practices ingenuity at-

tracts people into his fol lowing, thcy wil l ncver fal l to the three miserable planes of

e r is tence. "

Thereupon, Bodhisattva King Honorcd by All dcsccndcd from midair, boweddon'n u' i th his hcad at the Buddha's feet, and said to thc Buddha, "World-

Honorcd Onc, suppose, out of great compassion for a pcrson and in order to causehim to accumulatc wholcsome dharnras, a Bodhisattva who practiccs ingcnuity

ON lsE PAnanrrA or INC; lNuttv ,+33

apparently or actually commits misdccds seriouS enough for hirn to fall to thc grcathel ls and rcmain there for l-rundreds of thousands of kalpas. Then, his virtuousvow not to forsake a singlc pcrson would enablc him to bear al l the cvi ls andsufferings of the hel ls."

Thcn thc World-Horrored One praiscd Bodhisattva King Honored by Al l ,saying, "Excel lent, excel lent! Good man, a Bodhisattva who has achievcd such acompassionate mind commits no heavy transgrcssions, even i f hc cnjoys the f ivescnsuous pleasurcs. Hc is frcc from al l transgrcssions and fronr al l karmas leadingto the miserable planes of cxistence.

"Good man, I rcmcmber that in thc past, countless kalpas ago and morc,there was a brahmaclr in named Constel lat ion. He cult ivated purc conduct ina secluded forest for tbur billion two hundrcd million years. lUhcn he cameout of the forest, hc cntcred the city cal led Ult imate Bl iss, and encounrered awoman there. At the sight of this handsomc brahmacarin, the woman's passionwas aroused. Shc wcnt to him imrnediately, ciasped his feet u'ith her hands, andprostratcd hcrsclfon the ground.

"Good man, then the brahmacarin askcd the woman, 'What do you want,sistcr?'

" ' Ihe woman answered, ' I want you, brahmacarin. '"Thc brahmaclr in said, ' I do not indulge in desire, sister. '"The woman said, ' l f you do not consent to my demand, I shal l die. '"Good man, at that t ime, the brahmacir in Constel lat ion thought: 'That is

not proper for me to do, especial ly at this t ime. I havc cult ivated pure conduct forfour bi l l ion two hundrcd mil l ion years. How can I destroy i t now?'

"Thus, thc brahmacarin forced hirnself to leave her, but aftcr hc had walkcd

seven steps away, he telt pity for her and thought, ' l can cndurc the pain of the

hells i f l fal l to them bccause ofbrcaking the precepts, but I cannot bear to scc this

woman suffcr so much. I wi l l not let her die for me.'"Good man, with this thought in mind, the brahmacarin went back to the

woman. Hc took her with his r ight hand and said, 'Stand up, please. You may do

as you l i ke . '"Good man, the brahmacarin was marricd to her for twelve years. After

that, he left the household l i fe and immcdiatcly rcgained the four immeasurables.

He was reborn in the Brahma Heaven after dcath."Good man, havc no doubt. The brahmacir in of that t imc was no other than

myself [ in a former l i fe]. That woman was Gopar" of today."Good man, because at that t imc I took compassion on that woman who

was engulfed in dcsirc, I skipped the suffering of one million aeons of sarhsira."Good man, you scc, sentient beings fal l to the hel ls becausc of thcir lust

and desires, but a Bodhisattva who practices ingenuity is reborrr in the BrahmaHeaven [even i f he indulges in lust and desirel. This is the ingenuity practiced by

a Bodhisattva. "

The Buddha told Bodhisattva Superior Wisdom further, "Good man, if

434 ON Sxrlrrur MsaNs

Sariputra and Mahamaudgalytyana had practiced ingenuity, they would not havelet [Monk] Untimely fall to the hells.17 !(/hy? Good nran, I remembcr that in theEra of Krakucchanda Buddha, thcre was a monk named Undcfi led who stayed in acavc in a secluded forest, not far from where five rsis lived. one day, dense cloudssuddenly gathered and soon i t rained hcavi ly. At that t imc, a poor gir l was caughtwalking in the heavy rain. cold, poorly drcssed, and frightcncd, shc entered thecave where Monk Undefiled livcd. Whcn the rain stopped, Monk Undefilcd cameout of the cave togerher with the girl. when the five rsis saw this, their mindsbecame perverted and they said to onc another, 'Monk Undefilcd is deceptive andcrooked. He has committed an impurc deed.'

"At that time, knowing the thoughts of the fivc rsis, Monk Undefiledascended in midair to thc height of sevin palm trees one above another. whcn thefive rsis saw Monk Undefi led ascend in midair, they said to one anothcr, 'Accord-

i'g to the books and scriptures wc have rcad, a pcrson canrlot asccnd in midair ifhe has committed impurc deeds, but he can i f he has cult ivated pure deeds. '

"Then the five nis threw themselves full-length on the ground beforc MonkUndefi lcd, joined their palms, and repentcd their misdeeds, 'ot daring to hidethem. "

The Buddha continucd to tsodhisattva Supcrior Wisdom, "Good man, i fMor rk Undcf i led had nor resor tcd to the sk i l l fu l mcans o f ascend ing i r r n r ida i r a tthat time, the five rsis would havc fallen bodily to the hclls right then. Good nan,who was Monk Undcfi lcd? Hc was no other than Bodhisattva Maitreva l in aformer life].

"Good man, now you should know, i [ Sa.iputr. and Mahlmaudgalyayanahad resorted to skillful mea's such as ascending in midair, Monk Untimely wouldnot have fallen to the hells. Good man, now you should know that Sravakas andPratyekabuddhas do not have the ingenuity practiced by Bodhisattva-Mahisattvas.

"Good man, as an i l lustrat ion, consider a prosti tute. She has sixty-fourseductive wiles; for example, to obtain wealth and treasures, she may coax a maninto generously giving her his valuables by pretending that shc is going to marryhim, and then shc drives him away without regrer when she has obtained theprecious objects. Similarly, good man, a Bodhisattva who practices ingenuity canuse his skill according iolpiiiftnfd-A;cumstinlcs;-hi-te"ches and coriverts-allsentient beings by manifesting himself in forms they like and by freely giving themeverything they need, even his body. For the sake ofsentient beings, he del ights increating roots of virtue wittrorit expecting any blissful karmic rcsults. As soon ashe knows that the scntient beings [hc teachesl are cultivating good roors and willnot regress, he abandons without the least attachment the five sensuous Dleasuresu'hich he pretended to enjoy.

"Good man, as an illustrarion, consider a black bce. Although it enjoys thefragrances of all flowers, it does not think of taking up an abodc in or becomingattached to any flower, nor does it take away the petals, stalk, or scent of anyflower when it leaves. In like manncr, good man, a Bodhisattva-Mahisattva who

ON rns PAnaurlA or INc;ENurry ,+35

practices ingenuity plunges himself into the f ive sensuoui pleasures in order toconvert scntient beings, but, seeing that dharmas are impermanent, he does notthink the f ive sensuous pleasures are pernlancnt, and so has no love for them. l8 Hehurts neither himself nor others.

"Good man, as an i l lustrat ion, consider a small sced. when i t producessprouts, i t does not lose i ts original qual i t iesle and produce something al ien to i tsnature. Similarly, good man, though a Bodhisattva may havc defi lemcnts andamuse himself with the f ivc sensuous pleasures, st i l l , because he has the wisdom-seed of emptiness, signlessness, nonaction, and nonself within him, he wil l not fal lto the miserablc planes of cxistence, lose the quali t ies of his good roots, or regressIfrom the pursuit of supreme enl ightenment].

"Good man, as an illustration, consider a fisherman. He rubs his net r,",rthbait and casts ir into a deep river; when his wishes are fulfilled, he hauls rt our. h.rthc same way, good man, a Bodhisattva who practices ingenuity cult ivatcs hismind with the wisdom of cmptiness, signlessncss, nonaction, and no'self . Heknits a net of this wisdom, rubs it with the bait of aspiration for all-k'orvingwisdom, and casrs i t into the f i l thy mire o[ the f ive desires. when his wishes arefulfilled, he hauls it out of the Realnr of Desire. At the end of his life he is rcbornin thc Brahmi Heavcr r .

"Good man, as an i l lustrat ion, consider a man wcll-versed in spel ls. I f he iscaught by an ofr lcial and bound with f ivc cords, he wii l . by thc- power of hisrncantation, soo' brcak thc cords a'd go away at wi l l . In thc same way, goodman, though a Bodhisattva-Mahasattva who practices ingenuity joins scntient be-ings and amuses himself with the f ive sensuous pleasures, he docs so in order todel iver those bcings. when his objcct is attained, he wil l , by the spcl l of al l-knowing wisdom, break the bondage of the f ive sensuous pleasurcs and be rcbornin the Brahmi Hcaven.

"Good man, as an i l lustrat ion, consider a f ighter, who hides the sharp k' i fe , ;- ,he carr ies and escorts a group of travel lers. No'e of the travel lers know this man'ssecret stratagem. They despise and pity him, showi'g no respect, and say to oneanother' 'He has no weapon and no partncr, and is not cven strong or po'uverful.He cannot save cven himself from danger; how can he hclp others? It is absolutclvimpossible for him to dcfeat any robbcr. Hc wil l certainly run into troublc.,whcna pack of robbers suddenly appears from an uninhabited marsh, the f ighter standsground f irmly and ar oncc draws our thc hidden knife. with one stroke. he ki l ls al lthc robbcrs, and the' he again hidcs thc k' i fe hc carr ies. I ' Lkc rnan.e-r, qoodnan, a Bodhisattva who practiccs ingenuity hides well his knife oi g. isdonr aldjoins senticnt bcings, amusing himsclf with thc f ivc sensuous plcasures as a ski l l fulmcans to convert thosc beings. wtr." p.opr. who do not knoq, rhis to bc a ski l l fulmeans see the Bodhisittva-tmnsc hiir-self-with-rhEpl&-suris, thev b".om.aJ.fil.di" ;i;4,-t'ty [i-, l"J ir'i"l lim to ue aia;it;l;if,rti"g, ts"lh , p..*,, .",,,rotsave even himself from sarhsara, let alone al l sentient beings. I t is absolutelyimpossible for him to defeat demons.'Howcver, the tsodhisattva is ski l led ar usins

436 ON Sxrnrul MEaNs

ingcnuity and thc knife of wisdom. Whcn hc has attaincd his object [of convcrt ingsentient beings], he will, by the knife of wisdom, eradicatc all afflictions and reacha pure Buddha-land whcrc thcre are no women and no thoughts of desire." .r i

At the t ime [the Buddha was preachirrg,] a tsodhisattva named Loving Decdwas begging for food from door to door in Srtvasti , gradually approaching thehome of an eldcr. Thc eldcr had a daughter namcd Incrcasing Virtue , who l ivcd ina high tower. The maiden took some food ar-rd went out toward BodhisattvaLoving Deed as soon as she hcard his voice. When she saw the Bodhisattva,

she became attached to his handsome appearance and fine voicc, and her passio4was at once aroused- Burning with desire, shc dicd on the spot, and hcr bones,d is in tegra tcd .

Bodhisattva Loving Deed also had scrrsual craving for Increasing Virtucwhen he saw her. However, at that very moment, hc thought, "What is that? Thatis attachment. What is that cye [of hers]? What is this cyc [of mine]? Thc eyeis insensible by nature and is nothing but a lump of f lcsh. I t neither lovcs norknows, r-reither thinks nor fccls, discrirninates nothing, and is empty by nature.

The same is true of thc ear, nosc, tongue, body, and mind." He contemplatedmembranes, skin, blood, f lesh, fat, hair, pores, nai ls, teeth, boncs, marrow, slnews,and veins. Hc contcmplatcd cvcrything from head to foot and found that no [partof the bodyl, internal or external, is worthy of craving, attachmcnt, aversion,or delusion. When hc had corrcctly observed all these dharr-nas, hc was freed fronrdesire ar-rd achieved the Realization of the Nonarising of Dharmas.20 Ovcrwhclmedwith joy, he asccndcd in midair to the height of a palm tree, and circled Sravastiscvcn tlntcs.

When the World-Honorcd One saw llodhisattva Loving l)eed fly unhin-dered in the air l ike a king of swans, he asked Ananda, "Ananda, do you seeBodhisattva Loving Decd fly unhir.rdered in thc air like a king of swans?"

Ananda answered, "Yes, I do."

The tsuddha told Ananda, " lJodhisattvr Loving Deed contcnrplated the dhar-mas when his carnal desire was arouscd, and at that nlontent defcatcd demons. Hewil l turn the Dharma-whccl."

Increasing Virtuc was immediately reborn aftcr dcath as a male in the Hcavenof the Thirty-Three. Suddcnly, he found hirnself l iv ing in a palace made of theseven treasures, twelve leagucs square. He was attendcd by fourteen thousandcelestial maidens. Knowing his prcvious l i fe, Devaputra Incrcasing Virtue invcsti-gated his past karnla, asking himself, "What karma caused my rebirth in this place?"Then hc remcmbcred that he had beerr thc daughtcr of an elde r in Srivasti , whosecarnal desire had been aroused by seeing Bodhisattva Loving l)eed. With hcr

dcsire raging, she had died imnrcdiatcly and changed from a female into a malc.Because of this ever-rt , she acquircd vast miraculous powers.21

Then l)evaputra Incrcasing Virtue thought: " l receivcd this result bccause ofmv carnal desire [ for Bodhisattva Loving Deed]. Now, I should respcct him and

ON rsr PApaurrA or lNceNurry 437

make offerings to him with a pure mind. It is not fitting for me to enjoy the five

[heavenly] scnsuous pleasures herc f irst."

With this resolution, he dccided to go to see rhe Tathigata and BodhisattvaLoving Deed, in order to pay homage and make offerings to then1. Therefore, atnightfall he and his rctinue came to the place where the tsuddha was staying,bearing celestial, fragrant flowers, perfumcd ointment, and powdered incense.Illuninating the Jeta Grove with their own lights, they approached the World-Honored one and Bodhisattva Loving Deed. They offered the tsuddha the cclestialflowers, perfumed ointment, and powdered incense; bowed down with their headsat the Buddha's feet; made three circumambularions to the r ight of the Buddha,Bodhisattva Loving Decd, and the assembly; and joined their palms toward theBuddha. Thcn Devaputra Increasing Virtue spoke in vcrse:

"Inconceivable is the Honorcd One among gods and humans;Inconceivable are the Bodhisattva's deeds.The Dharma of the Tathigata is inconceivable,As is the Renowncd One himself.

In my previous l i fe, in Sravastr,I was an elder's daughtcr

Named Increasing Virtue.

I was young and pretty then,

Cherished and protected by -y parenrs.

We never jested at the Tathagata, the World-Honored One.

One day, the Buddha's son22 Loving Deed,

Who had great, awesome vlrtue,

Approached my father's house

While begging for food in Sravasti .

I was filled with great joy

When I heard his fine vorce.At once, I took some food

nnd went out toward Bodhisattva Loving Deed,Son of the Tath-gata

And cult ivator of the great mind.

When I found the Bodhisattva so handsome and elcgant,23My mind was defiled with desire for him.I thought, 'If my desire is not fulfilled,I shal l die instantly. '

I could not utter a word then,Nor could I give him the food I held in my hand,

438 ON Sxurrur MraNs

For the depths of my hcart werc burning

With aroused carnal desire.

My body was inflamed with heat,

And thercupon I died.

Within the span of a f lash of thought

After my death, I was born

In the Heaven of the Thirty-Three,

Changed from a lowly girl

Into a male god praised by mankind.

A superb, wonderful palace spontancously appeared,

Ful l of marvelous, precious treasures.

Fourteen thousand beautiful women

Became my rctinuc.

This event prompted me

To examine my past l ives at once

Ry contemplation [ in sol i tudel.

Then, I knew the reason [for my rebirth]:

I t was the result

Of my carnal desire-

Bccausc I had gazcd at Bodhisattva Loving Dccd

With a passionate mind.

Bccausc I saw the Bodhisattva,

I obtained the l ight of joy;

The bright flames now radiating from my body

Are caused by that karma.

Even carnal desire [for a Bodhisattva]

Can produce such a Ibl issful] result,

Let alone making offerings to him

With a virtuous mind.

I do not wish to seek the two vehicles;

What I want, only the Buddha can tell.

Now, in the presence of the World-Honored One,

I vow to seek all-knowing wisdom.

I will not regrcss in pursuing Buddha-wisdom

Even i f I must practice for kalpas

As numerous as the sands of the Ganges.

I have met a good fr iend, Bodhisattva Loving Deed;

Now I want to make true offerings to him.

ON rul PAnal l r rA or INclNurty ,139

Only one offering is true:

To brirrg l 'orth bodhicirta.

To cult ivate bodhi

Is the supreme, nlost vencratcd decd.

I wi l l never look at women with lust.

And wish to be [forcvcrl free

From a fenalc body thcreby.

I say this to the Buddha

Who has thc four fearlessnesses.

When rny parents found mc dead and rotten,

Thcy wcpt with much gricf, and saidThat i t was due to Monk Loving I)eed.

Complaining and crying, thcy scolded the monk."

Then2a thc Bucldha, bv his miraculous power, causcd the god to go to up-braid his [ former] parents and admonish thcm not to blame thc monk, lest thel 'should undergo suffcr ings in the long night.

The god [did sol, saving, "Your daughter Increasing Virtuc has been rcborrrin the Heaven of the'Ihirty-Three, and has changcd from a lcnralc into a male. Hel.ras the body of a god, with a l ight shining far and widc. Now you, his [ former]parents, should go to thc World-Hor-rorcd One and repent your nral iciousncss.Except for the Tathigata, the Buddha, thc World-Honorcd Onc, there is no one rnwhom you can take refuge." Thc god thus admonished his [ fornrcr] parcnrs wirh afcarlcss mind. As soon as thcy hcard the name of Sakyamuni Buddh.r, they wcnttogether to see him. Whcn thcy arr ived, thcy bowcd down u' i th their heads at thcBuddha's fcct and said, "Honored Onc among gods and humans, now we repentthe hatred we harbored, and pay our respcct to the Honorcd C)ne anlong humans.

"The Tathigata knows thc questions in our minds. How should wc ntakeoffcr ings to the tsuddha, the l)harma, and the Sarirgha? How should wc pcrforr lrand cult ivate good decds? May the Buddha tel l us! We wil l practice single-mindcdlvaccording to your instruct ion."

Knowing that they werc dctcrrnined, the Tcacher of Gods and Hunrans said," l f one wishcs to make offerings to al l tsuddhas, he should f irn'r l ,v bring iorthbodhicit ta. "

Hearing thc Tcachcr of Gods and Humans say this, Increasins Virruc, his

[former] parents, and his rct inue, f ive hundred in numbcr, al l brought torth bo-dhicit ta and made grcat vows.

The Buddha thcn told the Vcncrable Ananda. "Now. heed rnv rvords. TheBodhisattva acts I spcak of are inconccivable. With unexcel lcd wrsdom and inge-nuity, Bodhisattva Loving Deed often makes this vow: ' I f a woman is seized withlust when she sees mc, she shal l changc into a male at once and win othcrs'resDect. '

440 ON Sxtt-lrur MraNs

"Ananda, you see how wonderful is the power of his virtue . I f an ordinary

person pcrforms a misdeed, he wil l fal l to the nriserablc planes of existcnce; but i f a

couragcous one [ i .c., a Bodhisattva] docs i t , he can defeat dernons thereby and

cause others to bc born in heaven as gods."Now L)cvaputra Increasir-tg Virtue makes offerings to me resPectful ly. He is

procccding toward bodhi. After making offcr ings to countless World-Honored

Ones, hc wil l bccome a tsuddha namcd Good Vicw in a futurc l i fe. Thc f ive

hundrcd persons hcre who are nroving tou'ard bodhi wi l l also bccome Buddhas,

Teachers of Gods and Humans. Buddhas have great merits; who would not make

offcrings to them?"Those r ' , 'ho have dccp faith irr Bodhisattva Loving Deed wil l acquire im-

measurablc joy. I t is not one woman, or two or three, but incalculable hundrcds of

thousands of mil l ions of bi l l ions of women who are seized with carnal desire when

they see Bodhisattva Loving Deed, and die immcdiately, to bc rcborn as maics;

they wil l become great hcalers with widc renown. SUho does not esteem such a

Bodhisattva? Even onc who l-ras carnal desire for such a Bodhisattva catr acquirc

joy, let alonc one who veneratcs him."

II

Then the Vcnerable Anarida said to the Buddha, "World-Honorcd One, just as

different colors takc on the color of gold when they are bcsidc Mount Sunrcru,25 so "v

scntient bcings, wl-rether they arc wrathful, purc, or mentally dcfilcd with dcsire,

take on the color of al l-knowing wisdorn whcn they stand bcside a Bodhisattva.

World-Honored Onc, from now on I wi l l hold Bodhisattvas in as great esteem as I

do Mount Sumeru."World-Honored One, there is a mcdicine namcd 'Al l-Seeing' which is an

antidote for al1 poisons; it will cure all thosc who take it, whether they are wrathful -';.

or purc in mind. In thc same way, a Bodhisattva can cure thosc who come to him ."

of ar-ry disease of desire, hatred, or ignorance, whethcr thcy are wrathful or purc in

mind. "

Then thc World-Honored One prarscd Ananda, saying, "Excel lcnt, excel-

l cn t ! I t i s jus t as you say . "

: '

Mahaki6yapa. thcn said to the Buddha, "Marvclous, World-Honored One !

Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas are the suprcme, most vcnerable beings. Bodhisattva-

Mahasattvas cult ivate al l dhyanas and samadhis, but, after such cult ivat ion, thcy

asain enter thc Realm of Dcsire to teach and convert sentiel l t beings. Although

thcv practice emptiness, signlessness, and nonaction26 to convert sentient beings and

ro cause them to become Sravakas or Pratyekabuddhas, st i l l , out of great kindncss

and compassion, thcy are never apart from the mind of al l-knowing wisdom.

"World-Honorcd One, inconccivable is thc ingenuity which Bodhisattva-

ON rrr l PArar'arrA op IrcrNurry ,+-+ I

Mahisattvas practice. They are not attached to forms, sounds, scents, tastes, or

tcxtures, though they may be involved in them."World-Honored One, with great del ight, I wi l l enurnerate a few merits of

the Bodhisattva. "

Thc tsuddha said to Ka6yapa, "You may do as you wish."

Ka5yapa said, "World-Honorcd Onc, suppose there is a vast marsh, whose

inhabitants are aff l icted with a grievous famine. Surrounding i t is a wall high

enough to reach the Rcalnr of Formlcssness. Leading out of the marsh, in which

many sentient beings l ive, there is only one gate. Not far from the marsh, supposc

thcre is a large city, which is r ich, h.ppy, prosperous, beauti ful, and grand. The

sell t ient beings who enter that ci ty do not suffer from old age, sickncss, or death.

The only path from thc marsh to that ci ty is one lbot wide and very straight."Among thc pcoplc in thc marsh, there is a wise person, r,n'ho suddenly, out

ofgreat kindness and compassion, decides to give benefi t , peace, andjoy to a1l thc

sentient beings thcrc. Hc announccd loudly in the center of the rnarsh, 'Know that,

not far from here, thcrc is a large city where many gods l ive, which is r ich, happv,

prosperous, beauti ful, and grand. The sentient beings who enter that ci tv u. i l l not

suffcr frorn old age, sickness, or death, and will bc ablc to tcach othcrs thc way to

avoid old agc, sickncss, and dcath. You may go there with me. I shal l be your

gu ide . '" ln thc rnarsh, thcrc are lowly and inferior sentient beings who wish to

acquire l iberation but say, 'We wil l accept your teaching i f you can enable us to

l ive on in the marsh; we wil l not accept i t i f you wish us to move from here. '"Thc supcrior scnticnt bcings there say: 'We wil l go with you to that placc. '

Howcvcr, aftcr hcaring thc wisc pcrson's words, other sentient beings in thc marsh

who are less fortunate do not believe hirn and refuse to follow hirn."World-Honored One, when thc wisc pcrson enlerges from the narsh, he

looks around and secs the narrorv path, only one foot wide. To the left and right

of thc path, thcrc arc largc pits, hundreds of thousands of feet deep. After the wise

person fcnccs both sidcs of thc path with boards, his fol lowers crawl forrvard

without looking left or r ight; they do not look back cven when malicious robbers

pursuc them and fr ightcn them. Brave and Garless, they proceed graduallv along

the road. Final ly, they see the city, and thcn fccl assured. Aftcr entering rhe citr ' .

they suffer no nlore fronr old age, sickncss, or dcath; furthcrmorc, thev can norv

benefi t countless other sentient beings by tcaching thcm thc way to avoid old age,

sickncss, and dcath."World-Honored One, thc vast marsh at ' l l icted with a grier.ous taminc is thc

marsh of sarirsira; thc thick, high wall reaching to thc Rcaln-r of Formlessness rsignorance and the craving for cxistcnce; the many sentient beings in thc marsh

stand for all the ordinary persons irrvolvcd in sarirsara; the onl,v road to that city, thefoot-wide path, is the One Path. The wisc pcrson in thc marsh is a Bodhisattva-Mahasattva; the lowly and inferior sentient beings who wish to acquire l iberationbut rcmain in thc n rarsh arc Sravakas and Pra tyckabuddhas: thc supcr io r sen t ien t

142 Ou Srrl l rur MreNs

beings who say, 'We wil l go with you to that place' arc othcr Bodhisartvas; theunfortunate sentient beings who hear thc wise pcrson's words but do not bcl icvehim are the heterodox mastcrs and their disciplcs. Thosc who cscape fron themarsh are those who di l igently cult ivatc the mind of al l-knou' ing wisdom; thconly gate27 lcading out of the marsh is the gate of thc Dharma-nature; the hugc pitson the left and r ight ofthe path, which are hundrcds ofthousands offeet decp, arethe Srlvaka-vehicle and thc Pratyekabuddha-vehicle; to fcnce both sides of thc pathrvith boards is ski l l ful mcans born of wisdom. Thosc who crawl forward arcsentierl t beings attracted to the Buddha-Dharma by Bodhisxrtvas using the fourinducements;28 the malicious robbcrs who pursue and fr ighte' them arc the king ofdemons and his subjects, thc sentient beings who stubbor' ly hold thc sixty-tw.

[wrong] views, and those who despise and slander Bodhisattvas. Not to look backis to be ful ly absorbed in thc paramit i of paticnce; not to look lcft or r ight is nor topraise the Sravaka-vehicle or thc Pratyekabuddha-vehicic; the largc city is the mindof al l-knowing wisdom. Thosc who, having proceeded gradually along the road,finally see that city and feel assured are Bodhisattvas .,vho, having seen Buddhasand their dccds, respect the Buddhas' wisdom and awesome virtue with al l thcirhcarts, learn well the ptramita of wisdom, and gradr,ral ly acquire thc ski l l toapproach al l sentient bcings with propriety ar.rd without nrisgivings. Those whosuffcr no rnorc from old age, sickncss, and dcath alter er-rtering that ciry arcIlodhisattvas who ber-refit countlcss sentient beings {by teaching thcm thc way tolavoid old age, sickness, and dcath; this wav is I the I)harma] taught by Tathagatas,the Worthy Oncs, thc Al l-Knowing Or.res. World-Honored One, now I pay hom-age to al l Bodhisattvas."

After Mahikesyapa had said this, rcn rhousand gods and humans broughtforth bodhicitta.

Then the World-Honored One praised Mahakaiyapa, saying, , ,Excel lent,

excel lentl You encourage many Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas and achievc incalculablemcrits. A Bodhisattva-Mahisattva will never pcrform any deed harrnful to himsclfor others, nor wil l he utter any word harmful to himself or others.":

Then Bodhisartva-Mahisatrva Increasing Virtuc asked the Buddha, , ,World-

Honored one, you say that no Bodhisattva will perform any decd or urrcr anyword harmful to himself or others. Then, World-Honored One, whcn you wcre agreat brahmacirin named Constellation treading thc Bodhisattva-parh in thc cra ofK-Syapa tsuddha, with Buddhahood only one life away from you, why did yousay ' I t is very hard to arrain the bodhi-path. How can a bald-head [Ka6yapaBuddha] attain i t? I do not wish to sec him'? World-Ho'ored Onc, what is thencaning of the words you spoke at that t ime?"2e

The Buddha repl ied to Bodhisattva lncreasing Virtue, "Good man, do notdoubt Tathigatas or Bodhisattvas. why? Because Buddhas a'd Bodhisatrvas haveachievcd inconceivable ingenuity, and they abide in al l kinds of ingenuity ro teachand co'r 'ert senticnt beings. Good man, heed my words and think well aboutthem. There is a sitra named rhe Piramita of Ingenuity, which I shall explain to

ON rrre PAnaurrA or INcr.Nurrv 113

you. I also shal l rcveal to you a few of thc ski l l ful mcans which the Bodhisattvar' '

has dcviscd gradually sincc the era of Drparirkara Buddha."Good man, the Bodhisattva-Mahisattva acquired the Realization of thc

Nonarising of Dharmas as soon as he saw Diparirkara tsuddha. From then on hehas ncvcr madc a mistakc; bccn fr ivolous, unmindful, or distractcd; or become lesswisc.

"Good man, seven days aftcr the tsodhisattva tulf i l led a past vow by attain-ing the Realization of the Nonarising of I)harmas, he could havc attaincd supremeenlightenment, and i fhe had so desired, he could also have attaincd i t one hundred

kalpas latcr. For the sakc of sentient beings, thc Bodhisattva-Mahasattva was rc-born many t imes and, wherever hc was, fulf i l led al l sentient bcings' rvishes by thcpower of his wisdom. Only after that did he attain suprenle enl ightcnmcnt.

"Good man, by the power of his ingcnuity, the Bodhisattva-Mahasattva has

dweiled in the world for countless bi l l ions of kalpas without worry or rcpugrlance.This was the ingenuity practiced by the tsodhisattva-Mahasattva.

"Fur thermorc , good mar r . i f a Sravaka cn tered o l te o t ' thc dhy inas or sa-nradhis of the Bodhisattva-Mahisattva, he would becomc unmoved in body andmind, and think that he had already entered nirvina. Howevcr, when the Bodhi-sattva entered any dhyana or samadhi, hc bccrnrc vigorous in body and mindinstead of indolent. He attracted sentierl t beings into his fol lowing by thc fourinduccmcnts. Out of great kindncss and compassion, hc taught and convertedsentient beings by means of the six paramitds. This was the ingenuity practiced bythe tsodhisattva-Mahasattva.

"Morcover, good man, when the Bodhisattva fulf i l lcd a past vow by resid-ing in the palace of the Tusita Heavcn, he could have attaincd suprcmc cnl ight-enment and turned thc Dharma-wheel then. Howevcr, hc thought, while in theTusita Heaven: 'People in the world cannor asccnd to this heaven to hcar thcDharma explained, whilc gods in the Tusita Heaven can desccnd to the world tohear the Dharma taught. 'Thcrcfore, he left thc Tusita Heavcn and attained su-premc enl ightenment in this world. This was the ingcnuity practiced by thc Bo-dhisattva-Mahasattva.

"Furthcrmore, good nan, after the Bodhisattva fulf i l lcd a past vo\v by conr-ing herc from the Tusita Hcavcn, he could have attained suprcmc enl ightenrnentwithout cntcringJ his mother's womb. However, i f hc had not entered his nrothcr 'swomb, sentient bcings would have had doubts, saying, 'Whcrc docs rhe Bodhi-sattva come from? Is hc a god, a dragon, a ghost, a spir i t , a gandharva, or . l bcingproduced by magic?' I f thcy had had such doubts, they could not har.c hcard theI)harma explained or devoted thcmselves to Dharma practicc to eradicatc theiraff l ict ions. Therefore, the Bodhisattva-Mahisattva did not artain supre-me enl ight-cnment before errtering his mothcr's womb. This was the ingenuit l ' practiced bythe Bodhisattva-MahIsattva.

"Good man, do not say that the Bodhisattva real iy stayed in the womb ofhis mother. Do not think so. Why? Becausc the Bodhisattva-Mahasattva actual ly

141 ON Sxr r r ru r MraNs

did not enter his mothcr's womb. why? Because the tsodhisattva had errtercd theUndefiled Dhyana in the Tusita Heaven; hc remained in that dhyana when hedesccnded from the heaven, unril thc time when he sat undcr the bodhi-tree. Thegods i ' the Tusita Heaven thought that the Bodhisattva's l i fe had come to an endand he would not again return to that hcave', but actual ly hc remaincd unmovedin that heaven al l that t ime. Hc appearcd to enter the womb of his mother, enjoythe f ive sensuous pleasurcs, leave thc household l i fe, and practicc austeri t ics. Al lserl t ient bcings took thcsc deeds for real, but to the Bodhisattva, these wcre just amagical display. The Bodhisattva cntered thc womb of his mothcr, anruscd him-sclf with sensuous plcasures, left the houschold l i fc, and practiced austeri t ies; butal l these werc a magical display. Why? The Bodhisattva was pure in conducr. Hedid not enter the womb, and so on, bccause he had renounced al l these [worldlyactions] long ago. This was the ingenuity practiccd by thc Bodhisattva-Mahisattva.

"Why did the Bodhisattva appear to enrer his mother's womb iir thi torrtn ofa white elephant?31 Good man, in thc bi l l ion-world universe, thc Bodhisarrva wasthe most venerable. Having achievcd white, pure dharmas, he appearcd to entcrthe womb in thc form of a white elephant. No god, human, ghost, or spir i t couldenter a womb in this way. This was the ingenuity practiccd by the tsodhisatrva-Mahlsattva.

"Why did thc Bodhisattva stay in his mother's wornb for a ful l ten [ lunar]nronths before he was born? Good man, some scntient beings n-r ight think: ' I f thechi ld does not stay in his mothcr's womb for a ful l te' months, his body may norbe ful ly dcvcloped.'Thcrcfore, the Bodhisattva appeared to stay i 'his mother'swomb for a ful l tc ' mo'ths. During this pcriod, gods often came close to thcmother to show respect for the Bodhisattva and makc circurnarnbulat ions aroundhim. Once, the gods saw the Bodhisattva l iving in a high tower, surpassrng cvcnthose of the gods, bcauti ful ly adorned with thc seven treasures; sccing this auspi-cious sign, twenty-four thousand gods brought forth bodhicitta. This was thc in-genuity practiced by the Bodhisattva-Mahtsartva.

"Why did the Bodhisattva enter thc womb of his mother through her r ightside? Good man, some senticnt beings might doubt and say, 'The Bodhisatrva isborn of the combination of his father's sperm and his mother's egg-ccl l ' ; in ordcrto resolve their doubt and to manifest his miraculous birth. the Bodhisarrva cn-tcrcd the womb of his mother through her r ight side. Though he c' tered [hcrbody] through thc side, he [real ly] cnrered no place at al l . euccn Miyi experi-enced then a physical and mental joy that she had ncver expcrienced before. Thisrvas thc ingenuity practiced by the tsodhisattva-Mahisarrva.

"!Uhy was the Bodhisattva born in a secluded place, not at home in thc city?Good nan, the Bodhisattva always del ightcd in sol i tude; he praised lonely, sol i taryspots in a mountain forest as good places to cult ivatc ult imate quicscence. I f theBodhisatt 'a had bce' born at homc i ' the city, no god, drago', ghost, spir i t , organdhar'a rvould have comc to offcr him fragrant flowcrs, powdered incense, per-fumcd ointment, and countless hundreds of thousands of kinds of music. Al l thc

ON rur PAnaurrA or INcrNurry 445

people in Kapila at that time werc intemperate, unrestrained, and arrogant; theycould not make offerings to the Bodhisattva. Therefore, he was born in a secludedplace, not at home in the city. This was the ingenuity practiced by the Bodhi-s a ttva-Mah-s att va.

"Why did the tsodhisattva's mother reach up and hold a branch of a treewhen she gave birth to him? Good man, senrienr beings might suspect that eueenM-y- went through travai l when she gave birth to thc Bodhisattva, just as orherwomen do [when they give birth]. In order to show thcm that she was joyful, shereachcd up and held the branch when shc gave birth to the Bodhisattva. This wasthe ingenuity practiced by the Bodhisattva-Mahasattva.

"Why did the tsodhisattva come into the world with right mindfulnessthrough the r ight side of his mother, not through any orher part of her body?Good man, the pure deeds of the Bodhisattva were supreme, the most venerable inthe great billion-world universe; he did not enter the female organ, or come out ofit. only a Bodhisattva who will become a Buddha in his next lifc can perform sucha feat, not any othcr cultivator of pure conduct. Hence, the Bodhisattva came inrothe world through his mother's r ight sidc. Though he was born thus, he [real ly]came from nowhere, just as [he cntered no place] in his pure conccption describedbefore. This was thc ingcnuity practiced by the Bodhisartva-Mahasattva.

"Why was it Sakra, not any othcr god, who received the Bodhisattva with aprecious garment whcn he was born? Because, good man, Sakra madc this vow inthe past: 'Whcn the Bodhisattva is bor', I will receivc him with a precious garmenrbecause of his wonderful good roots. This will cause other gods ro have more faithin the Bodhisattva, more rcspect for him, and to make more offerings to him.'This was the ingenuity pracriced by the Bodhisattva-Mahdsattva.

"Why did the Bodhisattva walk seven steps, not six or eight, ' immediatelyafter he was born? Good man, the Bodhisaitva doubtless had great miraculouspowers, vigor, and the auspicious signs of a great man, and he wished to showsentient beings a manifestation that no one else could make. If it had been morebeneficial to sentient beings to walk six steps than to walk seven steps, the Bodhi-sattva would have walked six steps. If it had been more beneficial to sentient beingsto walk eight steps than to walk seven steps, the Bodhisattva would have walkedeight steps. Since it was most beneficial to sentient beings to walk scven steps, hewalked seven steps, not six or eight, with no one support ing him.32 This was theingenuity practiced by the Bodhisarrva-Mahtsartva.

"Why did the Bodhisattva say afrer he had. walked seven sreps, 'I am su-preme, the most venerable in the world; I am free from old age, sickness, anddeath'? Good man, at that t ime, in the assembly [which behe]d his birthl, Sakra,Brahma, and other gods were very proud and had claimed, 'I am the most vener-able in the world.' Since they were arrogant and conceited, they had no respect foranyone. At that time, the Bodhisattva thought: 'The gods are arrogant; because ofthis, they will fall to the three miserable planes of existence in the long night.'Consequently, he said, 'l am supreme, the most venerable in the world. I am free

446 ON Srurur Mrar.rs

from old age, sickness, and death.' When he said that, his voice was heard in the

entire billion-world univcrse. Those gods who had not come [to see him] at the

time of his birth all came when they heard this voice. Then the gods of thc Realm

of Desire and the Realm of Form joined their palms rcspcctfully and paid homage

to the Bodhisattva. They said to one another, 'How marvelous!' This is why the

Bodhisattva spoke truthful ly after he walked seven steps, saying, ' l am supreme,

the most venerable in the world. I am free from old age, sickness, and death. 'This

was the ingenuity practiced by the Bodhisattva-Mahesattva.

"Why did the Bodhisattva laugh loudly after he had walked seven steps?

Good man, he laughed not because of desire, arrogance, or fr ivol i ty. At that t ime,

the Bodhisattva thought: 'Now these sentient beings [who have come to see me]

have desire, hatred, ignorance, and other afflictions, as they have had in their past

lives. I previously persuaded them to bring forth bodhicitta. Now I have alrcady

reachcd accomplishment, but they are still in sarhsira, the ocean of suffering, with

their afflictions unsevered, because they have been idle and negligent. These sen-

tient bcings and I brought forth bodhicitta at the same time. Now I have already

attained enlightenment,33 but they are still in sarhsara, the ocean of suffering, be-

cause thcy havc been idle and negligent. These inferior serltient beings, out of

desire for material gains, neglected to make vigorous efforts to pursue all-knowing

wisdom. Now they are still in a position of paying homage and making offerings

to mc. In the past, I took great compassion on them [and vowed to attain en-

l ightenment to dcl ivcr theml; now I have fulf i l led my vow.' I t was for thrs reason

that the Bodhisattva laughed loudly. This was the ingenuity practiccd by the

Bodhisattva-Mahasattva."When the llodhisattva was born, his body was immaculate; why did Sakra

and Brahma bathe him? Good man. because the tsodhisattva wished to cause the

heavenly subjects of Sakra and Brahma to make offerings, and because convention

demands that a newborn baby be bathed, he caused Sakra and Brahma to wash his

body, though it was immaculate. This was the ingenuity practiced by thc Bodhi-

sattva-Mahdsattva.

"Why did the Bodhisattva go to the palace after he was born in the secluded

place, instead of going immediately to the bodhi-site? Good man, iri order to let

his organs fully develop, he appeared to live in the palace and amuse himself with

the five sensuous pleasures; then he appearcd to give up the four continents and

leave the household life.3a Also, in order to convert other people so that they may

abandon the five sensuous pleasures, shave their beards and hair, don monastic

robes, and leave the household life, the Bodhisattva went home instead of going

immediately to the bodhi-site after he was born in thc secluded place.3s This was

the ingenuity practiced by the Bodhisattva-Mahlsattva."Why did Queen Maya die seven days after the Bodhisattva was born? Good

man, Queen Maya died simply because her l i fe had come to an end; i t was not

the Bodhisattva's fault. Good man, when the Bodhisattva was still in the Tusita

F{eaven, he saw with his deva-eye that Queen Maya had only ten months and

ON rrrr PAnautrA oE INcsNutrv 447

seven days to live in the world. It was then that hc descended from thc TusitaHeaven to be reborn herc, knowing already by his ingenuity that euec' Mayawould soon die.36 Therefore, i t was not his fault . This was the inge'uity practicedby thc tsodh isar tva-Mah isa t rva .

"Why did thc Bodhisattva thoroughly learn reading, dcbating, chess, ar-chery, chariot-driving, strategy, planning, and various arts and techniqucs? Bc-cause, good man, he wanted to fol low mundane conventions. Thcre was nothingin the bi l l ion-world universe which the Bodhisattva did not know. whc'he wasborn, hc was already conversant with al l such things as poetry, spcech, debate,incantation, drama, si 'ging, dancing, music, and craftsmanship. This was theingenuity practiced by the Bodhisarrva-Mahasartva.

"Why did the Bodhisattva takc a wifc and concubines? Good man, theBodhisattva did not do so out of desirc. why? Because hc was a nan frce of desirc.I f he had not appeared to have a wifc and concubines at that t ime, scntient bcingsmight have said, 'Tl.re Bodhisattva is nor a nan. ' I f they had had such suspicion,they would havc committed a very great transgression. Thcrefbrc, in order toforcstal l their suspicion, the tsodhisartva appeared to marry a womarl of the Stkyaclan and beget Rahula. I f a person says that Rahula was bo.r of the union bctweenhis father and mother, [hc is wrong;] he should not view the evcr-rt in this way.The fact is that as soon as his life in heaven cndcd, Rihula came down from hcavenand entcrcd the womb of his mother. Hc was not bonr of the union between hisfather and mother.37 Besidcs, Rahula had previously macle a vow to be the son of aBodhisattva who would attain Buddhahood in that l i fet ime.

"In the era of Diparhkara Buddha, Gopi38 said, , l hope that from now on,this brahmacarin will bc my husband and I will be his wife, even in thc lifetimc inwhich hc wil l attain tsuddhahood.'At that t ime, the Bodhisattva, after receivingseven blue lotus f lowers [fron her], said, 'Though I do not want to accept thisgif t , I wi l l now grati fy the wishes of this good woman.'Aftcr he said that, she wasnever apart from the good root o[ having offered thc seven flowcrs. Hcnce, theBodhisattva took that wontan for his wife.

"Furthermorc, the Bodhisartva, who would attai ' tsuddhahood in that l i fe-t ime, appcared to stay with the ladies in thc palacc. At that t imc, the Bodhisattvahad a wonderful body and the gods made offerings to him, but he fi'ally lcft thehouschold life. Seeing all these things clearly, rhe woman of the Sakya clanie broughtforth bodhicit ta and madc this vow sincerely: 'May I [alsol achieve such thi 'gs!,Hencc, i t was in order to cause Gop- to bring forth bodhicit ta that the Bodhisattvatook her for his wife.

"Moreover, there are great-minded sentient beings who lead the life of lay-men and enjoy the f ive sensuous pleasures, wealth, treasures, thc service of atten-dants, and the company of household members. In order to causc these beings togive up the lay life, the five sensuous pleasures, and so on, and to leave thehousehold life, the Bodhisattva first appeared to sray at home enjoying the fivesensuous pleasures, wealth, treasures, the service of attendants, and the companv

448 ON Sxrlrrul MEaNs

of household members, and then appearcd to give up al l thcse and leavc thehousehold l i fe. Aftcr seeing this, the sentienr beings thi 'k: 'The f ive sensuouspleasures which thc Bodhisattva enjoyed wcre the most wondcrful; they wcreunrivaled. I f he can givc them up and leave the household l i fc, why can we not dothe same?'

"Furthermorc, the Bodhisattva's wifc and his malc and fcmale householdmembers wcrc pcople whom the Bodhisattva had converted through wholesomedharmas when he trod the Bodhisattva-path irr the past. Thesc sentient bcings hadalso vowcd to be his wifc or household members until the lifetime in which theBodhisattva would attain Buddhahood. In ordcr to increasc the white, pure dhar-mas of these people, the Bodhisattva appcared to stay with his wife and householdmembers.

"Morcover, in order to tcach and convert thc forty-two thousand ladies, tomake them bring forth bodhicitta, and to cause others not to fall to the miserableplanes of existence, the tsodhisattva appcarcd to stay with his wife and householdmembers in the palace.

"Furthermorc, all women who were burning with thc fire of carnal desircparted with their desirc when they saw the Bodhisattva.

"Moreovcr, the Bodhisattva produced by magic many Bodhisattvas whowere exactly like himsclf in features and bodily form. The wonlcn who amuscdthemselvcs with the magical ly produced Bodhisattvas said to themselves that theyamused themselves with the real Bodhisattva. Actual ly, al l the t ime the Bodhi-sattva remaincd in meditat ion and cult ivated practices causing peace and joy. Justas thc magically produced Bodhisattvas had no thoughts of desirc when enjoyingthc fivc sensuous plcasures, so the real tsodhisattva was free from carnal desirefrom thc era of Drparhkara Buddha unril the lifetime in which he would attainBuddhahood.ot ' This was the ingenuity practiccd by the tsodhisartva-Mahasatrva.

"Why was the tsodhisattva absorbed in thought under thc rose-apple tree?Good man, thc Bodhisattva wished to teach and convert the seven hundred milliongods; he wishcd to cause his parents to know that he would surely shave his beardand hair, don a monastic robe, and leave the houschold l i fe; he wishcd ro showthat hc added to his wisdom when he took shade under the rose-apple tree; and hewished to cause sentient beings to increase their good roots. This is why he sat inmeditation under the rose-apple tree. This was the ingenuity practiced by thcBodhisattva-Mahesattva.

"Why did the Bodhisattva go forth from the city to observc things instead ofamusing himself with the f ivc sensuous pleasurcs?41 Good man, because he wishedto show that he saw an old person, a sick one, and a dead one, he went forth fromthc citl'. He wished his relativcs ro know that he lcft the household lifc from fearof old agc, sickness, and death, not out of arrogance; that he left the household l i fern order to bcnefit his relatives, not to harm them; that he left the household lifebecause he saw the faults ofhousehold l i fe. In order to show al l sentient beings thesufferings of old age, sickness, and death, thc Bodhisattva went forth from the city

ON rur PAnaurrA or INclNurry 149

to observe things instead of amusing himself with the f ive sensuous plcasures. Thiswas the ingenuity pracriccd by the Bodhisattva-Mahesattva.

"Why did the Bodhisattva appear ro lcave home ar midnight? Good man, i twas because the tsodhisattva wishcd to show what is beneficial for sentient beings'good roots, for he improved sentient beings' good roots wherever he was. Goodman, i t was also because the Bodhisattva wanted to abandon thc f ive sensuouspleasurcs for thc sake of white, pure dharmas. In order to part with pleasures, notwhite, pure dharmas, he renounced the household l i fc; and in order not to let hisrelatives know, he left home at midnight. This was the ir.rgenuity pracriced by theBodh isa t tva-Mahasat tva .

"why did the Bodhisattva make his attcndants sleep before he left home?Because, good man, he wished to make the gods rcsponsible for his leaving home.Some of his relatives would become angry when thcy werc informed that theBodhisattva had left the houschold l i fe. The Bodhisattva thought, ' I f they harbormalicc against me, rhey will suffer very much in the long rright and fall to themiserable planes of existcnce. However, if they think that it is gods who havecheatcd the attendants into sleep, opened the door for me, led the way, and thenascended in the sky and flown away, and that it is not my fault, they will havenrorc faith in me and distrust thc gods. 'a2 with this in mind, thc Bodhisattva madchis attendants slccp beforc he left home. This was the ingenuity pracriced by theBodhisattva-MahSsattva

"why did thc Bodhisattva send [his chariotcer] chandaka back with theBodhisattva's white horse, precious clothes, and nccklaces? Because, good man, hewished to let his relatives know that he was not grecdy for the fine clothes andprccious necklaces of a layman. Besides, the Bodhisattva thought, 'My doing thiswill cause others to follow my example in giving up everything and leaving thehousehold life for the sake of the Buddha-Dharma. After people imitate me inparting with all they love, they will cultivate the four noble practices. Neverthe-less, they should not [follow my cxample and] leave the household life without thepermission of their parents.a3 This was the ingenuity practiced by the Bodhisatva-Mahasattva.

"why did the Bodhisattva himself shave his hair with a knife? Good man, inthe bi l l ion-world universc, no god, dragon, ghost, spir i t , gandharva, human, ornonhuman could go near the Bodhisattva, who had awesome virtue; how couldany one shave his hair? Furthermore, the Bodhisattva appeared to shave his hairwith a knife in order to cause sentienr beings to believe that he deeply wished toIcave the household l i fc. Moreover, the Bodhisattva did so for the sake of [hisfatherl King Suddhodana. when [the Bodhisattva left home], King Suddhodanaharbored malice and, presuming upon his own power, said arrogantly, ' l wi l l ki l lthe person who shaves my son's hair. 'when he heard that the Bodhisattva himselfhad shaved his own hair with a knife, his malice vanished. This was the ingenuitypracticed by the Bodhisatva-Mahdsatva.

"Good man, heed my words. why did rhe Bodhisattva pracrice austerities

450 ON Srt l l rur MeaNs

for six years? Good man, it was not duc to the results of his past karmas that thcBodhisattva endured the sufferings. It was bccause he wished to cause all sentientbeings to bc afraid of all miserable karmic results and turn to thc Bodhisattva.

"Furthermore, good man, in the era of Ka6yapa Buddha, the Bodhisattvaonce said, ' I do not want to see rhat bald rccluse [Ka6yapa Buddha]. How can abald-head attain bodhi? The bodhi-path is very profound and hard to attain. 'Thiswas also the ingenuity practiccd by the Bodhisattva. You should know rhe mean-ing of what he said. Why did the Bodhisattva utter such rude words?

"Good man, when Ki6yapa Buddha appeared in the world, there was abrahmin's son named co'stel lat ion.44 He had f ive close fr ie'ds, al l of whom weresons of great brthmins and had studied thc Mahayina before [in thcir prevlousl ives]. At that t ime, thc f ive had lost bodhicit ta becausc they had associated closelywith bad fr ie'ds for a long t ime. Good man, in the era of Kadyapa Buddha, thescfive men, who had no faith i' the tsuddha-Dharma, served hcterodox masters.They understood the words of thc heterodox masters, not the words of [Kesyapa]Buddha. They comprehe'ded thc doctr incs ofheterodox nlasrers, nor the Buddha-Dharma. These f ivc men werc then fol lowing a heterodox master, who said, , I amthe Buddha, thc world-Honored one, the All-Knowins one. I have also amainedthc bodhi-path. '

"At that t imc, Brahmacarin Corrstcl lat ion dcvised a ski l l ful means to induccthe five mcn to practice the L)harma again and to break their wrong faith in theheterodox master. Usi 'g ingcnuity, hc went to see a potter and said, 'Now I wantto see that bald reclusc. How can a bald-head attain bodhi? The bodhi-parh is vcrvprofound and hard to attain. '

"Good man, not long aftcr he had uttered these words, Brahmacdrin Con-stellation was with the five men in a secluded place. At that timc, the potter wentto see them and spoke to Brahmacarin constellation, praising Kajyapa Buddha,the Tathigata, the worthy one, the All-Knowing one. Hc also said to Brahma-cirin Constellation, 'You may go with me to the tsuddha.'

"Good man, at that t ime, Brahmacir in Constel lat ion thought, .Thc goodroots of these five men have not yet come ro maturity. They will be skeptical if Ipraise Ka6yapa Buddha instead of their heterodox teacher. It will be impossible forthem to go with me to rhe Buddha.'Therefore, in order to keep his original vowand practice the skillful means resulting from the paramita of wisdom, he said, 'l

do not want to see that bald recluse. How can a bald-head artain bodhi? Thebodhi-path is very profound and hard ro attain.'

"what is the result of the paramita of wisdom? The tsodhisatrva who prac-t ices the paramit i of wisdom has no thought of bodhi or Buddha. At that t ime,constellation saw neither Buddha nor bodhi; he did not see bodhi [in any loca-tion,] inside, outside, or in between. Thus, he comprehended thoroughly thatbodhi is empty and nonexistent. Knowing that all dharmas are nonexisrenr, as askillfull means constellation said, 'l do not want to see that bald recluse. How cana bald-head attain bodhi? The bodhi-path is very profound and hard to artain.'

ON rnr PAnanatrA or INcrNurry 451

"Latcr, good man, Brahmaciri' constellation and the five persons went iothe bank of a river. In order to convert the five men, the potter, invested withmiraculous power by thc Buddha, again came to scc thcm and said to Brahmacarinconstel lat ion, 'You may go r '" . i th me to the Buddha and pay homage, makeofferings, show rcspect, and accord praisc to him. The appearance ofa Buddha, aWorld-Honored One, in the world is a very rare occasion. '

"Hearing what the potter had said, Brahmacir in constel lat ion purposelyrefused to go. The' thc potter approached the brahmacir in, seized him by thehair, and pulled him by force to the Buddha. The five men followed on the heelsof Brahmacarin constcl lat ion and consequently arr ived at the placc where theBuddha was.

"According to the law of thc country at that t ime, a perso. who seizedanother by the hair had to die, if he were accuscd before an official. when the fivemen saw thc potter seize Brahmacrri' constellation by thc hair and pull him byforce to the place where the Buddha was, they followcd on the heers of thebrahmacarin with this thought in mind: 'what

merits does the Dharma of theTathagara have that this potter, risking the death penalty, seized constellation bvthe hair ancl is pul l ing hir ' to pay ho'rage, make offerings, show respcct, andaccord praisc to that Buddha?'

"whe' the five men arrived at the pracc whcre Kaiyapa Buddha !\^,as srayrngand saw thc Buddha, they again brought forth their original vows [gencrated inpast l ivcs] and bel ieved in and respectcd the Buddha. After that, thef reproachedconstellatio' bcfore the Buddha, saying, 'The

world-Honorcd one tras such awe_some virtue! If you had heard about this before, why did you nor rcspecr andbelieve in him?'

"Good man, whcn the 6ve men had seen the awesome virtue of Kasyapatsuddha and heard his eloquence, they again brought forth supreme bodhicitta.

"Seeing that the f ive men were devored to bodhi, Kasyapa Buddha explainedto them first the Diamondlike Sentences of the Nonregrcssive Dharari of theBodhisattva canon, and then the Realization of the Nonarising of Dharmas. Thefive men immediately achieved rhe Realization of the Nonarising of Dharmas.

"Good man' now I have fully attained Buddha-wisdom. I knor,,", that if. atthat t ime, Brahmacarin constel lat ion had praised Ki jyapa Buddha instead of theirheterodox teacher, the five men would not have gone to see the Buddha, andcertainly would not have believed in or respected the Buddha.

"Good man, in order to induce the f ive men to learn the Bodhisattva-vehicle, Brahmacarin constellation devised a skillful means by his accomplishmentof the p-ramita of wisdom and said, ' I do not want to see that bald recluse. Howcan a bald-head artain bodhi? The bodhi-path is very profound and hard to attain.,Good man, the Bodhisattva, who never regressed [from the path], had no doubtabout the Buddha, bodhi, or the Buddha-Dharma. This was the inqenuirv orac-t iced by the Bodhisattva-Mahasattva.

"Furthermore, in order to teach and convert the five men and to exemolifv

452 ON Srrl l rur MEaNs

karmic retr ibution, the Bodhisattva appearcd to be hindered by the karma [ofhaving slandered KiSyapa Buddha], and hc cndured six ycars of ausreri t ies as a'apparent result. It is an cntirely diffcrent case if sentient bcings, for lack of knowl-edge and perccption, speak ill of precept-keeping 6ramanas or brahmins, calling thelearned unlcarned and the iiberated unliberated; they will really undergo sufferingin the long night without gaining any benefit, and fall to rhe miserable planes ofexistence. It was for the sake ofsuch sentient beings that thc tsodhisattva appearedto receive the retribution from the apparent karma, though he was actually frccfrom al l obstructive karmic results. The samc is rrue of [al l ] Tathigatas. Somesentient beings were alflicted with worry and distress and could not acquire libera-tion or thc fruit of the path becausc they had slandered precept-keeping sramanasor brihmins. In order to frce these scnticnt beings from worry and distress, thcBodhisattva appeared to undergo that karmic result, and thus those sentient beingsthought, 'Even the Bodhisattva, who achicved Buddhahood in this life, can obtainl iberation, in spitc of the fact that he slandcrcd Ki6yapa Buddha. As for us, wehave uttcred abusive language only from ignorancc. Now we should repent ourown transgressions and never again perform any evi l karma.'

"Good man, i t was also in order to subdue the heterodox devotees [ofasceticisml that the Bodhisattva practiced austeritics for six ycars, not due to anyreal karmic hindrances. why? Somc Sramanas and brahmins in the world ate agrain of sesame or rice a day and said that thcy could achieve purity and liberationthereby. In order to subdue them, the Bodhisattva appeared to eat a grain ofsesame or r icc a day, to show thcm that, by taking [such small amounts of] coarsefood, the Bodhisattva could 'ot attain thc noble path, let alone puriry and libera-tion.as Thc Bodhisattva [deliberately] had said, 'l do not want to see that bald recluse.How can a bald-head attain bodhi? The bodhi-path is vcry profound and hard toattain,' and appeared to suffer for it by enduring austeritiesa6 for six years, for thepurpose of subduing the ascetics, including five million two hundred thousandgods, somc heterodox pis, and some Bodhisattvas. This was the ingenuity practicedby the Bodh isa t tva-Mahasat tva .

III

"Why did the Bodhisattva reach the bodhi-tree when he had earen4T and was full ofenergy, not when he was emaciated and weak? Good man, thc Bodhisattva couldhave attained supreme enlightenment even if he had eaten and drunk nothing andso had become feeble, let alonc when he had taken a grain of sesame or rice [daily].At that time, out of pity for senrient beings of the future, the tsodhisattva ate ther"'onderful food [offered to him]. V/hy? Because if sentient beings who wish toseek thc path when their good roots are still immature suffer hunger and thirst as a

Oru rHs PAnaurrA or lNceNurry 453

result of eating and drinking nothing, rhey cannot obtain wisdom; but if theypracticc [ the Dharma] peaceful ly and happily, they can obtain wisdom. In order tomake i t clear that the Dharma does not demand austeri t ies, the Bodhisattva showedsentient beings that he obtained wisdom by practicing [the Dharma] peacefully andhappily. Also, out of pity for the future sentie' t beings, the Bodhisattva wished tocause them to take good food, as he had; thereforc, he [appeared to] achieve thethirty-seven ways to bodhi and to attain suprcme enlightcnment only after havingeaten thc food given to him by the woman Sujata. This woman also achieved the

[thirty-seven] ways to bodhi. Furthermore, the Bodhisattva was blissful evenwhen in the first dhyana, and could abide in it without taking food for hun-dreds of thousands of kalpas. This was the ingcnuity practiced by the Bodhi-sattva-Mahasattva.

"Why did the tsodhisattva ask the god Auspiciously Peaceful for grass rocover his seat? Good man, i t was bccause former tsuddhas did not cover the seat ofliberation with fine silkcn fabric, and also becausc the Bodhisattva wished to helpthe god Auspiciously Peaceful achieve the thirty-seven ways to bodhi. After hegave grass to the Bodhisattva, Auspiciously Peaceful brought forth bodhicit ta.Good man, I now predict that the god Auspiciously Peaceful will, in a future life,become a tsuddha named Purc Tathlgata, the Worthy One, the Suprcmely Enlight-cncd One. This was the ingenuity practiced by the Bodhisarrva-M5hasamva.

"When the Bodhisattva sar undcr the bodhi-tree, why did he causc papiyan,

the demon kir-rg, to attenrpt to prevent his attainment of supremc cnlightenmcnt?Good man, the demon king could not approach thc bodhi-tree [by his own power].It would havc bccn absolutely impossible for hirn to do so if the Bodhisattva hadnot surnmoncd him. Good man, the Bodhisattva thought when sit t ing under thcbodhi-tree, 'Who is supreme, the most honored onc in the four continents? Towhom do the four conrinents belong?' Immediately, thc Bodhisattva knew thatPipiyan, the demon king, was the most honored one in the Realm of Desire. Hethought: 'Now, i f I batt le with the demon king and hc loses, i t wi l l prove that heand all the sentient beings in the Realm of Desire are inferior to mc. At that nme, amultitude of gods will come together to the bodhi-tree and engender faith [in theThree Jewels] when they arr ive. Gods, demons, dragons, ghosts, spir i ts, gan-dharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, and mahoragas wil l then cncircle the bodhi-tree; some of thcm wil l br ing forth supremc bodhicit ta, some wil l aspirc to beBodhisattvas, and some wil l cngender faith [ in the ThreeJcwels] when thev sec me

[perform] the l ion's sport; somc wil l evcn achieve l iberation just because they seem e . '

"Good man, with this thought in mind, the Bodhisattva emittcd from thewhitc curl betwecn his brows a l ight which ovcrshone thc palace of papiyin. Atthat t imc, every corncr of thc bi l l ion-world universe becamc verv bright becauseof the brilliance of the light. From the light came this voicc: 'The offspring of theSakya clan, who has left the household life to learn the path. will now attain

+ f+ ON Srrllrur MEaNs

supreme enl ightenment. He wil l transcend the realm of demons, overcome de-mons, and decrcase the number of future demons. Now he is f ighting with Pa-piyan, the demon king. '

"Good man, having heard the voice, Pipiyan bccame extremcly worried,and felt as if an arrow had been shot into his heart. Then he ordered his four kindsof soldiers,as marching in a f i le thirty-six leagues long, to come besiege the bodhi-tree in order to cause the Bodhisattva troublc. At that time, the Bodhisattva abidedin great kindness, great compas_sion, and.great wisdom. By virtuc of his wisdomhe beat the ground with his golden-hued hand,,31d soon the demons were dis-persed. After the demons had been dispcrsed, eight tr i l l ion four hundred bi l l iongods, dragons, ghosts, spir i ts, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, mahoragas,kumbh-r.rdas, and so forth brought fbrth suprente bodhicitta, bccause they saw theawcsomc virtue, exquisite body, handsome featurcs, and dauntlcss strength of theBodhisattva. This was the ingenuity practiced by the Bodhisatrva-Mahisatrva.

"Why did the Tath-gata rcmain sitting cross-lcgged, looking up ar the bo-dhi-trcc without bl inking, fbr seven days and seven nights? Good man, ar thart ime, some gods in the Realm of Form were cult ivat ing ult imate quiescence. Theywere very glad to see thc Tathegata sit t ing cross-legged, and thought, 'Now, let ustry to f ind out what S.amar-ra Gautama's mind rests on. 'The gods could not locatea single thought i ' the Tathagata's mind after sevcn days and seven nights ofscarching, so they became doubly joyful. Thirty-two thousand of thcm broughtforth supreme bodhicit ta and made this vow: 'we wil l in a futurc l i fe achicve suchquiesccnce that we can look up at a bodhi-trec [ in the samc way.l 'Hence, after thcTathigata had attained thc path, hc remained sit t i 'g cross-lcgged, lookrng up arthe bodhi-trec without bl inking, for seven days a'd sevcn nights. This was theTathtgata's ingenuity.

"Since thc Tathagata cult ivatcd countless dccds and vows to givc al l senticntbeings thc joy of l iberatio'when he trod the Bodhisattva-path, why did hc reachthe Dharma only after Brahma had askcd hinr to do so? Good man, the Tathagataknew that many gods and humans took rcfuge in Brahma and held him in estecm,because thcy thought that Brahma had crcated them, that hc was thc most vcnera-ble being in the world, and that no one exccpt him could creatc the world. Goodman, at that moment, knowing this, the Tathtgata thought, 'Now, I should waitfor Brahma to ask nre to tcach thc Dharma. I f Brahma bows to mc, then thesenticnt beings who take rcfuge in him wil l al l takc refuge in me and say ro oneanothcr, "Brahmi asked the Tathagata to teach the l)harnra. Hc truly did so." '

"Good man, bccausc the Tathigata had great, awcsontc virtuc, Brahmlcame to him and askcd him to teach the I)harma and turn thc l)harma-whecl.Good nran, i f I had not throu€lh my miraculous powcr caused I lrahma to ask me,he * 'ould not havc conre to ask, because he had no intcntion of doi 'g so. Goodman. irr order to causc the senticnt beings u'ho took refugc in Rrahma to part withhim. i t \ \ 'as necessary for the Buddha to wait for Brahma to make his rcquest:

ON rsr PAnarurrA or lNcrNurrr- .155

BrahmS's action proved thc exccl lencc of thc Buddha. Good nran, lvhcn l l rahn-raasked the Tathagata to turn thc Dharma-u.hcel, six mil l ion eight hundred thousaldgods of the Brahnia Heaven brought forth supremc bodhicit ta a'd said, 'Hc rsreal ly a Buddha. Hc is suprcme, the most vcncrablc of senticnr bcings. 'They maclethis vow: ' I wi l l in some f-uture l i fc achicve thc same vl, isdom and awcsomc virtucthc Buddha has achieved. ' This was the Tathlgata's ingcnuitv.

"Good man, I have just spokcn about thc causes ancl condit ions of mali fest-ing the ten deedsae to scntient beings. Lr performi'g thcsc ten deeds, thc Bodhi-sattva, thc Tathigata, manifcstcd ingcnuity. Thc wise alone can understand this.Good man, you should not think that thc Bodhisattva nlust have comnrit tcd sometransgressions, evcn the sl ightest ones. I t would have bccn absolutelv impossiblcfor thc Bodhisattva to sit on the bodhi-sitc and attain suprcnle cnl ishtenment i f hchad do'e a'y unwholesomc thinss, evcn thc sl ightcst o'cs. why? Becausc, goodman, thc Tathigata has achicved al l wholesorne dharnras and severed al l ulrvholc-sofi le oncs. He is free l iont sarhslra, karmic results, and forcc of habit: i t is abso-lutcly impossible that hc has not yet eradicated any of them, let alonc that he ishindered by karmic rctr ibutions. Good ma', lor thc sake of senticnt beings whosaid there was no karr l ic rctr ibution and did not bcl ieve in i t , the Tathagataappeared to crcatc causcs and condit ions for 'karn-r ic retr ibr.rt ions. 'He actual lv hadno karmic retr ibutions, but rnanifcsted them to scnticnt bcings, so that thcy couldthink, 'Evetr hc, the King of L)harnra, wrs subjcct to karnric results, lct al6nc othersentierl t bcings. 's()

"Good man, thc Tathagata docs nor have a'y karmic hi 'dranccs. As a'i l lustrat ion, suppose a well- learncd tcacher of chi ldren rcads to them some chaptersofa book. He does so not bccausc he does not urdcrstand the book, but bccause hethinks that thc chi ldrc' wi l l fol low his examplc and read. In l ikc manncr, goodman, the Tathtgata, who has learned al l dharnras wcl l , says certain words andmakes certain nranifcstat ions [trot bccausc he st i l l has karmic hi ldralces. but]bccause hc wants to causc othcr scntier-rt beinss to pcrfornt purc deeds.

"Good man, as an i l lustrat io' , consider a great doctor who can cure al ldiseases. Hc may take some bit ter nrcdicinc in thc prescnce of his patients thoushhe himself is not i l l , so thar, having sccn rhis, thc patients nray also takc themedici 'e and be hcaled of their diseascs. Similarly, good man, thc Tarhisata hascured himself of al l thc discases of defl lcrnents, and is not Ikarnrical lv] obstructedat al l . Howevcr, he can nranifest anything, and so may appear to underqo ccrtair-rretr ibutions for certain'cvi l karrnas' in order to causc senticnt bcinqs to pcrtormpure dceds and to be frec lrom al l bodi ly, verbal, and mental karnric hipdrapces.

"Good man, as an i l l us t ra t io ' , cons ider the wct nurse o f a 'e ldcr ' s son . Forthe sake of thc baby committcd to hcr carc because of his parcnts' lor.e tbr l-r im, shemay take bit ter mcdicine without having any i lhrcss. She drinks thc birtcr nrcdicincbecausc she wishes to ntake hcr milk pure. In l ike manner, eood man, the Tatha_gata, Father of Al l thc worlds, does not fal l i l l , but may appcar to bc i l l in order ro

.156 ON Sxrrlrul MraNs

teach the serl t iel l t bcings rvho do not knor". karmic results; hc may appear toreceive part icular results of part icular karmas, so that, af ier hcaring5 oI this, sentientbcings may be fr ightened and not do any morc cvi l dccds."

The Buddha told l lodhisattva Superior Wisdorlr furthcr, "Good man, in theera o[ Drparhkara Buddha, there wcre f ive hundrecl tradcrs who \ l , 'cnt to the occanto scck precious trcasures. Good man, with thc t lve hundrcd tradcrs, there was arvicked man who was trcachcrous and ol lcn did evi l things remorsclessly. He wasski l led at dcvising strategies. This robbcr constantly dcprived others of thcir pos-sessions, though he looked l ikc a tradcr. When he was in the samc ship with theother traders, he thought, 'These tradcrs have acquircd many prccious trcasures. Ishould ki l l thcm and return alone toJarnbudvipa r.vi th thc loot. 'With this thoughtin mind, he deciderd to ki l l thcm. Good rnan, at that t imc, thcrc was a man namedGreat Compassion, rvho u.as thc lcadcr of thosc traders. In a dre;nr, a sea-godappcarcd to him, saying, 'Anrong your people, there is a wickcd man with acertain appcarance who is a robbcr and often steals from othcrs. Now hc has theevi l intention to ki l l thcsc f ivc hundrcd mcn and return alonc to Janrbudvipa withthc prccious treasurcs. I f this wicked man carr ies out his intention to ki l l these f ivehu'drcd men, hc wil l perform an cxtrcmely evi l karma. Why? Becausc al l theseflve hundred nlcn arc Bodhisattvas who do not regress l iom thcir advancc towardsupreme cnl ightenment. I f this wickcd nran ki l ls the tsodhisattvas, lbr this graveoffbnse he will rcrnain in hcll for as long as the period of time from the momcntthcse tsodhisattvas brorrght fbrth bodhicit ta to thc n]omcnt they wil l attair i su-prcnrc cnl ightenment. You are their leadcr. You nray dcvise a ski l l ful means toprcvelrt this u' icked man from fal l ing to the hcl ls, and also to save thc l ives of thesefive hundrcd Bodhisattvas. '

"Good man, Great Compassion, the leader, thcn thought, 'What ski l l fuimcans should I devisc to prevent that wicked man from falling to the hells andsavc the l ives of thc f ive hundred Bodhisattvas?' Though he thought in this way,hc told nobody about i t .

"At that t imc, they werc wait ing for thc wind, which was expectcd to comein seven days to bring them back to Jambudvrpa. Aftcr scven days had passed, hethought, 'There is no way to save the l ivcs of these f ivc hundred persons except toput t i r is wicked rnan to dcath. ' Thcn he thought furt l .rer, ' l f I tcl l these f ivehundred pcople about him, they wil l hate this wickcd man and ki l l him them-sclvcs, and then they wil l fal l to the nriserable plancs ofexistencc. '

"Good man, Great Compassiorr, thc lcadcr, then thought, ' l should ki l l himrn,vself'. Though I may fall to thc miserablc plane of hell and undergo suffcrings forhundrcds of thousarrds of kalpas becausc of ki l l ing him, I am wil l ing to bear thosesr.rf tcr ings, but I wi l l not lct this wickcd man ki l l thcsc f ivc hundrcd Bodhisattvasancl suffer in hel l for that evi l karma.'

' 'Good man, at that t ime, the lcader Great Compassion took pity on thatu' ickcd nran and devised a ski l l ful ncans. Thinking to himself, ' I wi l l ki l l thiswickeri man bccause I want to protect thcsc f ive hundrcd people, 'hc ki l led the

ON lnr PAn,rurrA or lNcrNurry 157

wickcd man with a spear. I ' the end, the traders rcturned to Jambudvipa safc andsound.

"Good man, you sbould not harbor any doubt. Thc reader at that rrme \, ! ,asno other than myself, and the f ive hundred traders were the f ive hundred Bodhi-sattvas of the worthy Kalpa who wii l attain suprenle e' l ightcnment during thiskalpa.

"Good ma', because I used inge'uity out of grcat compassion at that t ime, Iwas ablc to avoid the suffcr ing of onc hundrcd thousand kalpas of sarhsara, andthat wicked nlan was rebor' in heaven, a good pla'e of cxistence, aftcr dcath.

"Good man, now you shourd know this was o' ly a display of the powerof thc Bodhisattva's ingcnuity. Do not thi 'k that the Bodhisattva could reccivcobstructive karmic retr ibutions a'd yet avoid the sufferi 'g of hundrcds a'd thou_sands o f ka lpas o f sarhsara .

"Good ma', for the sake of al l sentient bei 'gs, thc Tathigata as a ski l l fulnlca's appeared to be pierced by the thor' of a khadira trce [as an apparenrretributio' for killing thc man with a spearl. Good man, oncc a khadira rhornpierced the foot of the Tathigara, and you shourd know, good man, that rr was theBuddha's miraculous power causing the thor' to pierce his foot. why? Because theT'athagata's adamantine body cannot be in any way damagcd

"Good man, once in the past, in Sr'vasti , therc were twcnty persons whohacl cornc to their last cxiste'ce in sarhsara. Each of the twenty p"rror-r, had onee'cmy, and each encmy thought: 'pretendi 'g

to be his close fr iend, t wi l l go to hishouse and ki l l him, without tel l ing anyone about i t . '

"Good man, at that t ime, because of the Buddha's miraculous powers, thetwenty persons who had come to thcir last existence in sarhsara, alor-rg with theirtwenty cnemies, cante to the place where the Buddha was staying.

"Good man, in order to subdue thesc forty persons, the Tathieata said toMah-maudgalyiyana in the prescncc of the assembly, 'A khadira thor"n wil l nowemerge from the ground and pierce my r ight foot.,

"Thereupon, the thorn came out of thc ground to a rength of one foot.Bcforc i t reached the Buddha's foot, Mahimaudgalyayana said to the tsuddha,'world-Honored

one, let me pul this thorn out of the ground and thror,", rt roanother wcrld. '

"The Buddha told Mahamaudgaryayana, 'This is beyond your powcr. Thekhadira thorn is herc, but you cannot pul l i t up. '

"Then, Mahamaudgalyayana took the thorn and pullcd it with aI hrs dir.inestrength. The whole billio'-world universe shook violently a'd all thc r.vorldswere l i f ted up, but the thorn did not move a hair 's breadth.

"Good man, at that t ime, by his miraculous power, the Tathaqata ascendedto the Heaven of the Four [Deva Kings], but the khadira thorn went wih hrm. Thenthe Tathagata went up to the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, the yama Heaven, theTusita Heaven, the Nirminarati Heaven, and the paranirmita-Vaiavartin Heaven,but the thorn went with him to those placcs, too; it was the same even when he

458 ON Sxrrlrur MEaNs

ascended to the Brahma Heavcn. Then, thc Tathigata returncd from the BrahmiFleaven to his seat i ' r Sravastr, but the thorn came back with him, jutt ing towardhim. Then, the Tathagata seized thc khadira thorn with his r ight hand and, placinghis left hand on the ground, trod upon i t wirh his r ight foot. Thereupon, thewhole billion-world universe shook violently. Sccing this, the Venerable Anandarose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, and paid homage to the Buddha; rhenhe joined his palms toward the Buddha, and askcd, 'World-Honored

One. whatkarma did you perform in your past livcs that you receive this retribution now?'

"The Buddha repl ied to Ananda, ' ln onc of my past l ives, on an occanvoyage, I picrccd a man to death with a spear. Ananda, becausc of that karma, Ireceived this retribution '

"Good man, after I had explained this karma, the twenty cnenties whowished to ki l l the twenty persons thought, 'Everr rhe Tathagata, the King ofDharma, has to receive such a retr ibution for his ncgativc karma: how can we beexempt frorn karmic results?'

"The twenty cnemies rose from thcir seats instantly, bowcd down with theirheads at the Buddha's feer, and said, 'Now, in the presence of thc Buddha, wercpent our fault and darc not hidc i t . world-Honored one, wc maliciously in-tended to ki l l twenty persons. Now, we rcpcnt i t in earnest arrd dare not hide i t . '

"Then, for the sakc of these twenty e'emies, thc Honored O'e discoursedon thc condit ions of the perfornrancc of karmas and the exhaustion of karmas.Having heard this doctr inc, the twcnty enemies acquired a r ight understanding ofthe Dharma, as did forty thousand others. This was the reason why thc Tathagataappeared to havc his lbot hurt by a khadira thorn. This was the Tathasata'singenuity.

"Why did the Tathigata once ask the doctor Life-Giving for a blue lotusf lower,sl smell i t , and swallow it , though he was'ot i l l? Good nran, not long afterthe Tathigata composed thc precepts for liberatio', there were five hundrcd monkswho had come to their last cxistence in sarhsara and who had often cultivated thepath in secluded forcsts. These monks were af{lictcd with a disease which couldnot be cured with the stale medicine they had, but they did not seek or take othermedicine, because they kept the Buddha's precepts with respcct and care.

"Good man, ar that t ime, the Tathigata thought, 'What ski l l ful mcans shouldI devise to givc them pcrmission to takc other medicinc?' If the Tathigata gavethem permission, those monks would seek and take another medicine [whichcould cure them]. If the Tathigata did not give them permission, future monkswould break the noble law [when they take good medicines]. Hence, the Tathigataas a skillful means asked the doctor Life-Giving for a blue lotus flower, smelled it,and swallowed i t .

"Then, a god of the Pure-Abode Heavens2 went to those monks and said,'Virtuous ones, you may seek another medicine. Do not die of sickness. '

"Those monks said, 'We dare not disobey the instructions of the World-Honored one. If we disobey his instructions, we will feel terrible. we would

ON rne PAnaurrA or INcrNurry .159

rather die than disobey the instrucrions of the Buddha. lve will not scek a life-prolonging good medicine . '

"After they had said so, thar god said, 'Virtuous ones, rhe Tath-gata, theKing of Dharma, has himself sought a l lood medicine, rejcct ing stalc ones. virtuousones, you may seek another mcdicine Iwhich rvi l l cure you].

"Having heard these words, the monks no longer hesitated to seek and takethe good medicine, and thus they were healed of their diseasc. Less than sevcn daysafter they had recovered fron'r their illncss, they realized Arhatship. Good man, ifthe Tathagata had not taken other medicine, the monks would not have done so,either. I f they had not takcn other medicine, i t would have bcc' impossible forthem to get r id of thcir ci isease, scvcr their defi lements, and rcal ize Arhatship. Thiswas the Tathagata 's ingcr ru i ty .

"Why did thc Tathagata once enter the city to bcg for food and rhen comcout with his bowl empty? Good man, the Tathagata is frcc from karmic hindrancc.At that t ime, the Tath-gata had pity on future monks. Thosc monks who enter acity or a vi l lage to bcg for food but are given norhing because they lack blessingsand merits wi l l think: 'Even the Tathagata, the World-Honored One, who hadachieved [all] rncrits, oncc entered the city to bcg for food but came out with hisbowl cmpty; not to speak of us, who havc few good roots. We should nor bccomeworried or annoyed just becausc when we beg for food we arc not given any. 'This is why the Tathagata appeared to enter the city to bcg for food and appearedto comc out with his bowl empty.

"Good man, i f you say that i t is bccause the dcmon king papiyan [byhimselfl confuscd the minds of the elders a'd brahmins in the city, so that they didnot give the Tathagata even a handful of food, good man, do not think so! Why?Because the demon king Papiyin could not have prevented the Tathagara fromreceiving food. At that t imc, the Buddha by his miraculous powcr caused thedemon king Pipiy-n to confuse the minds of the people in the city. The demonking could not have done this by his own power.

"At that time, I was completely free from karmic hindrances. In order toteach sentient beings, I appeared to comc out of the city with my bowl empty.When I and my assembly of monks were not given any food, the demons and godsall thoughr, 'Do the tsuddha and the monks become worried when they acquire 'ofood?' That night, when they saw the Buddha and monks, thcy found that the_vwere not worried or annoyed at ali, and that they were neither elated nor de-pressed, Geling just as they had felt before [they had begged in vain]. Good man,seeing this, seven thousand gods began to respect and havc faith in the Tathagata,whereupon I explained the Dharma to them. As a result, they obtai 'ed the clearDharma-eye regarding all things.

"Good man, a l i t t le later, some of the brahmins and elders hcard that theWorld-Honored One had great, awesome virtue; so, f i l led with sincere admira-t ion, they went to see the Buddha, bowed down with their heads at the Buddha'sfeet, and repented their faults. The Tathigata then taught them the four noble

460 ON Sxrrrrul MEaNs

truths. As soon as he cxplaincd the Dharma, twcnty thousa'd persons acquired theclear Dharma-eye regarding all things. This is why thc Tath-gata cnrered the cityto beg for food but came out with his bowl enrpty. This was the Tathagata'singenuity.

"why did ciiici-Manavika, a brahmin woman, tic a piece of wood to hcrbel ly and slandcr the Tathrgata, saying, ' l t is Sramana Grutr 'r . , , who has made mepregnant. Hc should supply me with clothing, bcdding, food, and drink,? Goodman, the Tathagata had not the least karmic hindrance regarding this evcnt; i f hehad had karmic hindrance f in the form of that brahmin woman], he could havethrown hcr to a place as many worlds away from here as the sands of the Ganges.However, as a skillful means, the Tathagata manifested this karmic hindrance toteach ignorant senticnt beings. why? In thc futurc, there will be monks who takerefuge in my Dharma and leave thc houschold l i fe to learn the path. Some of themmay be slandered. Because of this, they might Gel ashamcd, disl ike the Buddha-Dharma, givc up discipl ine, and rcturn to the lay l i fe. However, now, whensla'dered, these monks wil l think of the Tathagara: 'Even

the Tathagata, who hasachieved al l wholcsome dharmas and possesses great, awcsomc virtue, was slan-dered; how can wc avoid being slandercd?' T'hirrki'g thus, they will not feelashamcd, and wil l be able to cult ivate wonderful, purc conduct.

"Good nan, bei 'g always wrapped in cvi l karma, thc brihmin womanciiici-Mirlavika was faithless in characrcr; and rrot beir.rg subduecl by the Buddha-L)harrna, she was wrapped in cvil karma even more. She slandered others even inhcr dreams a'd fcl t happy because of i t when she woke up. This woman wouldhavc fallen to the hells after death. Good man, by special inge'uity, I was able tobc the woman's savior, ridding her of her evil karma and delivering her fromsarirsara. Good man, do not think that the Tathagata will not save certain persons.why? Because the Tathagata rrears al l sentient beings impart ial ly. This was theTathagata's ingenuity.

"why did somc brahmins ki l l Sundari,s3 the brihmin woman, and bury herin a moat of the Jeta Grove? Good man, at rhar time, the Tath-gata knew all aboutthis but did not say a word. The Tathigata has achieved rhe mind of all-knowingwisdom and is obstructed by nothing. By his miracurous power, he could havecausei the knifc not to run into the woman's body, but he knew that the life ofSundari would come to its end anyway and [her karmal would cause her to bekilled by others for certain. So as a skillful means, he let this happen [and did notintervene]. As a result, the evildoings of those heretics were displayed and theevildoers all fell to inferior places. only the Buddha knew this event [and all itsimplications] in advancc. He let the event run its own course and did not rnter-venc, so that more sentient beings could gcnerate purc faith and increase their goodroots .

"At thar t ime, thc Tathegara did not enter Srivasti for seven days. Duringthis t ime, he subdued six bi l l ion gods. After seven days had passed, gods andhumans came together to his place, and the Tathagata explained the Dharma to

ON rsl PAnalarrA or lNcrNurrv 461

the four kinds of devotces. Having heard the Dharma, eighty-four thousand peo-ple acquircd the clear Dharma-eye regarding al l thi 'gs. This was the Tath-gata'singenuity.

"Why did thc Tathigata and the monks eat horses' wheat for three monthsin the village where Brihnin Veranja lived? Good man, from the ourser, I knewthat this brahmin would certainly give up his original intention of inviting thetsuddha and the monks and would offer them neither food nor drink, but I ac-cepted his invitat ion and wenr to his placc on purposc. Why? I did this forthe sake of f ivc hundred horses. Thc f ive hundrcd horses had already learned theBodhisattva-vehicle and had made offerings to past Buddhas, but because they hadassociated closcly with bad fricnds and performed evil dccds, they were born asanimals. with thc f ivc hu'dred horses, there was a large o'c named Sun-Store,who was [actual lyl a great Bodhisattva. In his past l ives, when he was a man,-Bodhisattva Sun-Storc had already persuadcd the f ivc hundred horses to bringforth bodhicit ta. In order to del iver them from sadrsara, he appeared to be bornas a horse. Because of the awcsome virtue of the largc horse, thc five hundred horsesremcmbered their prcvious l ives and regaincd their lost aspirat ions for bodhi.Good man, out of pity for the f ive hundrcd l lodhisattvas who were born as horscs,and to er-rable them to be liberatcd from the plane of animals, thc Tathagataacceptcd thc invitation given by the brihmin, though hc already kr.rew that hewould meet with bad trearmcrlr.

"Good nan, at that t imc, thc f ive hundred horses atc half of thcir wheat andgave the othcr half to the monks, and thc large horsc offered the Tathagata half ofhis wheat. For thc large horse had explai'cd the Dharma to the five hundredhorses in a horsc's voice; hc had also taught thern to rcpent their own misdeeds andto pay homagc to the tsuddha and the monks, and had said, 'you should offer halfof your food to thc monks. '

"After they had rcpented thcir misdeeds, thc fi.r.'e hundred horses engendcredpure faith in the Buddha and thc Sarirgha. Three months later, thc five hu'dredhorses died and were rcborn [as gods] in the Tusita Heave'. Soon after that, thefive hu'dred gods descended from the heaven to the Buddha's dwell ing-place romakc offerings to the Tathigata. Right then, the Tathigata explained the Dharmato them. Having [agai ' ] heard thc Dharma, they subdued thcir minds rvel l . Inthcir future livcs, they will first achieve Pratyekabuddhahood, and the' u'ithoutfail will attain supreme enlightenmcnt. In his future livcs, the large horsc Sun-Store wil l make offerings to countless Buddhas and achieve thc thirrv-sc\.en wavsto bodhi. Aftcr that, he wil l become a Buddha namcd Ski l l ful Subduer Tathasata.the Worthy One, thc Supremely Eniightcned One.

"Good man, thcre is no dcl icacy in the world which the Tathagata does notcnjoy. Good man, Aven i f the Tathagata ate grass, a piece of wood, a clod of earth,or a broken t i le, no dish in the bi l l ion-world univcrse would be as del icious as thegrass, the piecc of wood, the clod of earth, or the broken t i le caten by the Tathi-gata. Why? Good man, because the Tathagata, the Great Man, has attained the

462 ON Srrrlrur MraNs

supreme taste among all tastes. Even when the Tathagata eats the coarsest food, ittastes better than any celestial ambrosia. Good man, thercfore, you should knowthat the Tathagata's food is the best and the most wonderful.

"Good man, at that t ime, Ananda felt grief-str icken because the Tathigata,who belonged to the royal caste and had left the household life to follow the oath.a te horses 'wheat jus t l i kc low ly peop le . I perce ived what Ananda had on h is mind .Thereupon, I gave a grain of whear to him and said, 'Try this grain of wheat andsee how it tastes. '

when Ananda tried it, he found ir marvelous and said to the tsuddha,'world-Honored

one, I was born and brought up in a royar family, but I havenever before experienced such a good tastc.' For sevcn days and seven nights afterhe ate that grai' of wheat, Ananda did not car or drink anything and was free ofhunger and thirst. Therefore, good man, you should know that this was theingenuity of the Tathigara, nor his karmic hindrance.

"Good man' some precepr-keeping dramanas and brahmins may accept apcrson's invitat ion as I did, but, after learning that their misled and confuscd hostwill not give them anyrhing, they may refuse ro go to his house. Lest they shoulddo this,sa the Tathagata demonstrared that he would definitely go to a parron,s placeonce he had acccpted his invitation. He did so also because he wished to manifcstthe existencc of karmic results. Good man, i t should bc known that, as a rule, evenif the T'athSgata is offcrcd nothing to ear whcn he is invited, he will not let the hostfall to the miscrable planes of existcnce.

"Good man, of thc f ive hundred monks who, together with the Tathagata,ate horses' wheat during that summer retreat, four hundred had cnqendered carnaldesirc because they had seen many attractivcss [women]; if they had caten fine food,that would o' ly havc added to their desirc. Since they only ate coarse food, theywere not overcomc with desirc. Three months latcr those nonks werc relcasedfrom carnal desire and rcalized Arhatship. Good man, in ordcr to subduc thc fourhundred monks and save the f ive hundrcd Bodhisattvas from the plane of animals,thc Tathigata, by thc powcr of ingenuity, ate horses'wheat for threc months. Thiswas not thc Tathigata's karmic rctr ibution, but his ingenuity.

"Why did the Tathagata say to the clder Kadyapa, ,My back is aching; youdiscoursc [on my behalf l on the scven factors of enl ightenment, ' whe' he wasexplaining discipline on thc fifteenth day of a month? Good man, at that tinle,sit t ing in the assembly were eight thousa'd gods who subducd thcmselves withthe Srtvaka doctr ines. Good ma', t l .rese gods had bec' taught by Mahak-syapa r 'their past l ives. They took refuge in the tsuddha, t l-rc Dharma, and the Sarhgha,and did not lose self-control. They had often heard Monk KiSyapa explain rhe sevenfactors of enl ightenment. clood man, cxcept for Monk Kidyapa, no one couldha'c madc thosc gods understand thc doctr ine, not even hu'drcds ofthousands ofBuddhas. At that t imc, Ki jyapa explained the scven facors of enl ightenment l .rdetai l to thc gods. After they had heard the doctr ine explaincd by Monk Kiiyapa,thev acquircd the clear Dharma-eye.

ON rrrr PAnarurrA or lNcrNurry 463

"Good man, i f diseascd sentient beings cannot go to the place r.vhere theDharma is taught to l isten respccrful ly to i t , they should think, 'The Buddha is thcKing of Dharma. Even he was cured of his sickness by hearing the seven factors ofcnl ightenment; how can we not go to hear thc Dharma and show respect for i t?'

"Good man, in ordcr to subduc the gods, to r id pcople of their suffcr ings,and to manifest respcct for the Dharma, thc Tathagata said, 'Kaiyapa, my back isaching. You discourse on thc scven factors of enl ightennlent. 'Why? Because theDharma should be revered. Thc Tathigata does not have a coarse, weighty bodymadc of the four clements; how can hc be aff l icted with a disease? This was theTathagata's ingcnuity.

"Why did the Tathagata say, 'My head is aching, 'when thc Sikva clan rvasdefeated? Good man, some senticnt beings said, 'The World-Honored One cannotbenefi t his clan; he does not take pity on them or wish to give thcnr securitr , . Sincehe left the household l i fe, he has had no fccl i 'g for his clan and no dcsire to savea'd protect thcm.'These sentient beings said so because they did not know thclbcts. Good man, the Tathagata had transccnded al l suffering. Howcver, knorvingthose sentient beings' thoughts, he sat under a withcred tree and said that his headwas achi 'g. Good man, when I said to Ananda that my hcad was aching, therewcrc t irrce thousand gods preser-rt in the asscmbly who held the view of nihi l ism,as well as numberless scnticnt bcings who were incl ined to ki l l . In ordcr to mani-fest the existcncc of karmic hindrances to those gods who held thc view of nihi l ismand those bcings rvho del ighted in ki l l ing, the Tathagata said, ' r lecausc I [once]enjoyed sceing a person ki l l , now I suffer from a headache.'After I said thrs, scventhousand hurnans and gods were subdued. This was thc Tathagata's ingcnuity.

"Why did the Tathigata remain parienr whcn the brihmin Keen Mind re-vi lcd him with f ive hundred kinds of abusive words? Good man, by his miraculouspower, the Tathagata could have thrown this brahmin to anothcr world; he alsocould have made this brahmin unable to utter a single abusive word. Good man, atthat t ime there werc many gods and humans in the assembly. They saw that thcTathagata could put up with this bit ter abuse without saying anyrhing u1 rerorr,and that the Tathigata felt just as hc had felt before he was revi led, with a nind ofequanimity, bcneficence, and patience. Thereupon, four thousand persons brouehtforth bodhicit ta. Al l this was perccived by the Tathigata. Furthermore, good man,when the brihmin Keen Mind had revi lcd the tsuddha with f ive hundred ki 'ds oiabusivc words and found that the world-Honored one remai'ed equaninrous, rhebrahmin's mind bccame f i l led with faith a'd respcct. He took refuse in rhc Bud-dha, thc Dharma, and the Sarhgha and pianted the root of l ibcrat ion. This s.as the' lath-gata's

ingcnuity."Good man, Devadattas6 and the Bodhisattva havc bccn born in thc same

place in every l i fct ime. This is also a ski l l ful means of thc tsodhisattva. why?Because of Devadatta, I have fulf i l led thc six paramitas and benefi tcd countlesssentient bcings. How can this be understood? Good man, in a past age, [when thcBodhisattva was a king,] t i rere were sentient beings who cnjoyed thcmselvcs heart-

On Srt l l tur- Mr,rNs

i ly, but did not know how to give or to whonl to givc, and the Bodhisattvawishcd to teach them to practice giving. Devadatta, who became jealous of theBodhisattva, went to see him and asked for his capital ci ty, wifc, chi ldrcn, hcad,eyes, hands, and feet. The tsodhisattva gavc hirn al l these gladly. At that t imc,incalculable numbers of sentient beings became cheerful, and bel ievcd in and undcr-stood giving whc' they saw thc Bodhisattva give i ' this way. They said, ' l wi l lpractice giving just as the Bodhisattva docs, so rhat I may attain bodhi.,

"Good man, once, knowing that thc Bodhisattva kept thc preccpts purely,Dcvadatta tr ied to cause rhc Bodhisattva to brcak them, but the _tsodhisattva didnot violate any of them. when countlcss senticnt beings saw the Bodhisattva keepthc prccepts they followed his example and did so themsclves. The Bodhisattva,who kept the precepts, harborcd no malice wher-r hc was dcspiscd, slandered, orreviled by othcrs; ar such timcs he fulfilled the piran.rita of patience . Seeing theBodhisattva subdue his mind with patience, innumcrable scntienr beings fol lowedhis examplc and practiced patic 'ce. Good man, you should k'ow that Devadattahas bencfi ted the Bodhisattva grcarly.5T

"Good man, recently I)evadatta, trying to ki l l the Buddha, relcased a hugedrunken clephant. He also pushcd down a large boulder from the pcak of MountGrdhrakuta for the same purPose. Al l these were manifcstat ions of thc Tathagata'singcnuity, not his karmic rctr ibutions. why? I lecause thcsc ski l l ful means wouldber-refi t nuntberlcss sentient beings.

"Good man, the Tathagata has cxplaincd the causes and coldit ions of thesete' cvcnts,ss which werc all rnanifestations of his ingenuity, not karmic retribu-t ions.

' !?hy? Senticnt beings did nor know that karma brings about results. For thcir

sake, thc Tathigata manifested thcsc karmic results and said, ' I f you have done thiskarma, you wil l get this result; i f you have done that karma, you wil l ger thatrcsult. Such ar-rd such a karma brings about such and such a result. 'Aftcr hearingthis, scntient beings would perform ccrtain karmas and refrain from othcrs; thcywould avoid evi l karmas and cult ivate good or-rcs.

"Good rran, now I have f inishcd explaining and revealing my ingenuity.You should keep this a secret and not speak of i t to lowly, inferior people whohavc few good roots. why? Bccausc, even Srivakas and pratyekabuddhas cannotcomprehcnd this sutra, much less can lowly, inferior, ordinary persons bcl ieve orunderstand i t . ordinary people cannot lcarn ingenuity, and so thc Sltra of Ingc-r-ruity is of no usc to them; not a single ordinary person can accepr or practice i t .

"only Bodhisattvas can iearn and tcach thc doctr ine of ingc'uity. Goodnan, Just as one can see cverything in a room whcn a largc lamp is l i t at night, so aBodhisattva can, afrer hcaring abour ingcnuity, see thc path that al l Bodhisattvastread and know what he should lcarn. For those who are ski l led in fol lowing thcBodhisattva-path, ir is not dif f icult to perform the decds of al l Tathagatas andBodhisartvas who have alrcady reachcd the other shore.

"Good man, I now say: i f thosc good men and good wonrcn u,ho wish toattai ' thc rvholesome dharmas of the bodhi-path hear that thc Sfi tra of Ingcnuity is

ON rsr PAnaillrrA or INclNurrv 465

taught hundreds ofthousands ofleagues away from their homcs, then they should

go and l isten to i t . Why? Because, i f a Bodhisattva has heard this Sutra of Inge-

nuity, he wil l achicvc i l lumination and have no doubt about any dharmas."

When this sutra was spoken, the four kinds of devotees and other humans

and gods who wcrc ablc to practice this Dharma heard and undcrstood i t . How-

ever, those who werc unable to practice this Dharma did not hcar or understand i t ,

though they were present in the asscmbly. Since they did not even hear this shtra

with their ears, how could they explain i t to others with their spccch? Because they

were unablc to practicc this Dharma and because they were not blcssed by the

tsuddha with miraculous power, they did not hear or understand this Dharma

whcn thc Tathagata cxplaincd i t to the assembly.

When this sutra had bccn spokcn, seventy-two thousand persons brought

fo r th supreme bodh ic i t ta .

Then, the Venerable Ananda askcd the Buddha, "World-Honored Onc, what

is this sutra cal led? How shall we uphold i t?"

fhe Buddha repl ied to Ananda, "This sf i tra is cal lcd 'Thc Paramit i of Inge-

nuity, ' 'The Application of Ingenuity, ' or 'The l) iscourse on Subduing by In-

gcnuity. ' You should uphold i t by thcsc names."

When the tsuddha had said this, Bodhisattva Superior Wisdom was jubi lant,

and al l the fol lowers of thc Srivaka-vehicle, the Pratyekabuddha-vehicle, and thcRodhisattva-vehicle; monks, nuns, laynren, layworncn, gods, dragons, ghosts,

spir i ts, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, mahoragas, and nonhumans ap-plauded, [sayingl, "Exccl lent, cxcel lentl"

Here ends the explanation of the Sutra of the Ingenuity of the Mahayina.

NOTES

1. Al ternate t ranslat ion (bascd on the Tibetan): " . when a Bodhisat tva who prac-

tices ingenuity intends to givc even a handful of food as charity, he gives it to all sentient

be ings . " (G .C . )

2. L i teral ly , "good root ."

3 . I . e . . bodh i c i t t a .

4. Chinese f f iWt{H: Hcre, 'awareness' impl ies thc Buddha's t ranscendenral n isdom.

5. Offer ings are of three k inds: (1) incense, f lowers, food, etc, ; (2) praise and rever-

cnce; (3) right conduct.

6. L i teral ly , "He wi l l console himscl f wi th two thoughts. What are the nvo? One is

that there arc Tathagatas because there arc Bodhisat tvas; the othcr is t ] . rat there are Sravakas

and Pratyekabuddhas bccause there are Tathigatas."

7. This relers to the Buddha.

8. Since the pararnrta o[ g iv ing is appl ied to a l l s ix paramitas, the def in i t ion of the

p-ramiti of discipline given here extends bcyond keeping the precepts onesclf.

9. Ki l l ing, steal ing, adul tery, and ly ing.

466 ON Sxrlrrur MraNs

10. The Buddha here momentarily escalates the dialogue to the higher level of empti-ness, which is the ultimate solution for purifying all transgressrons.

11. This indicates not only vegetar ianism, but a lso ascet ic pract ice.12. L i tenl ly , "dragon," or "dragon elephant;" a rernr of respect apphed to a Bodhi-

sat tva, as herc, or to a saint or Buddha.

13. Here wc see the great dillerence bctween the doctrine of the Hinayana and that ofthe Mahiyina. The latter stresses the importance of the tsodhisattva's compassionate andaltruistic involvement with living beings in sarhsira. He is allorved to enjoy the fivc sensuouspleasures as long as hc does not lose his bodhicitta. The grcatest sin a tsodhisattva cancommit is to harbor the Sravakas' intent ion; i .e. , the wish to enter par in i rvena even at thecost of abandoning sent ient beings. (G.C.)

14. This probably means that the Bodhisattva contemplated the earth-element of hisown body ("inner") and the earth-element of the woman's body ("outer") as identical, andthus he penetrated the apparerrt dillerences bctween man and womall and pcrceived theiressent ia l sameness (S.L.M.)

15. Meaning his supreme enlightenrnent and acquisition of a Buddha-land.16. She is usually called YaSodhari, thc wife of Princc Siddhirtha (who became

Sakyamuni Buddha).

17. This refers to the following story:

S".iprtr. and Mahamaudgalytyana lodgecl in a potter's housc overnight because ofrain, not knowing that there was a woman i' the placc. The woman took a bath thcfollowing morning, after having had a female nocturnal emission. Monk Untimcly saw herbathing, and accusecl thc two venerable disciples of having had an allair with her. For hiswrong accusation, hc was reprimanded three timcs by the Buddha, but he did not repenr. Hesuffered much the rest of his life and fell to hell after his death. (Based primarily on The Sitraof Miscellaneous Treasures, III, Taisho 2{13, p- 461.)

18. Note the emphasis here on the Bodhisat tva 's ut ter lack of at tachment to thepleasures he enjoys in the practice ofingenuity for the sake ofother beings. In actuality, thisis perhaps rather difficult before one has attained a thorough realizatio'ofenptiness.

19. L i teral ly , "color ," as also below.

20. The sutra dcscribes the Bodhisattva's contemplation in dctail. Howevcr, judgingfrom thc sequencc of the events, his insight might bc instantaneous, inclusive of all dctails inone moment.

21. The reason lor this is a vow made by Bodhisattva Loving Dccd, explaincd below.22. "The Buddha's son" indicates Loving Deed is a Bodhisat tva.23. Literally, "purely elegant."

24. The rest of this section was originally in verse form, but since the narrarrveresumes at this point, and since the versc is prosaic in tone, we present it as prose.

25. As noted elsewhere, the four sides of Mount Sumeru are each said to bc made of adifferent precious substance. Mythology has it that when anyone nears one of the sides, hetakes on the color of that side. One side is gold.

26. The three doors to liberation are usually given as emptiness, signlessness, ands ishlcssness.

27. The Chinese text reads here: "the foot-wide path," but that has already bceninterpreted as ' the

One Path ' . Probably 'gate ' is meant here.

28. These sentient beings were identified above as being Bodhisattvas themselves.29. This <luest ion is answered below, p. 450.30. Here and in the lbllowing discussion, "the Bodhisattva" relers to Sakyamuni

ON rsr PAnatrrrA or INcENurry 467

Buddha when he was engaged in Bodhisat tva pract icc for count less kalpas before his supremecnhghtcnment.

31. Tradi t ion has i t that at the t ime of the tsodhisat tva 's concept ion, h is conscrousncssentered the womb of h is mother throu€ih hcr r ight s ide, and ar that moment shc dreamed thatan albi4o elephant entered her body. The following birth stories are self-explanatory.

l' 32...\his paragraph has been rearranged slightly to makc sense. Scven steps were best,presirm-atly because scven is an auspicious and n-rystical number in many religions.

33. L i teral ly , "supreme enl ightenment," but th is appears to be a corrupt ion of the tcxt .34. I t is said that the Bodhisat tva 's father, King Suddhodana. received a predict ion

from the seer Asita shortly after the Bodhisattva's birth. Thc seer noticcd the wheel-signs onthe prince's Feet, the wcbbing betwcen his fingers and toes, the white curlcd hair bctween hiseyebrows, and thc in lant 's grcat v igor. The seer predictcd that i f thc Bodhisat tva could beisolated lrorn the sight of suffering, he would become a univcrsal monarch and rule the fourcontinents. Otherwise, Asita prophesied, the prince would renouncc the household lile andbecome the Teacher of the wor ld. Thc k ing wished his son ro becorne thc great monarch, sohc saw to i t that the palace was inhabi tcd only by young, beaut i fu l , and happy people.

35. That is , thc I lodhisat tva went through the rrormal events of a noble lay l i fe, andthen renounced thc palace to become a Sramana, aftcrwards attaining full Uuddhahood. Intl.ris way, he sct an examplc of renunciation for othcrs to follow. This point is emphasizcdbelow.

36. 'I'he

traditional explanation of this is that if his mother had not died after his birth,it could have hindered the Buddha's going lbrth lrom the palace, since peoplc rnight haveconsiclcred the prince heartless for lcavingJ his mother. After her death, it is said that QueenMaya went to the Tusita Hcavcn, and no longer had to suller in this world. Some sutras statettrat the Buddha went to that heaven to preach the Dharma lor his n.rother aftcr his fullenl ightenment.

37. I t is qui te undcrstandable that certa in monast ical ly or iented people of later Bud-dhism tried to deify the Buddha and propound the view that he was conlplctcly free ofsexualconduct. Some pcople of our age fecl that Gautama's sexual activity with his wifc belore hercnounced the household life was not a blemish; rathcr, it was a nornral thing lor a marriedlav Bodhisat tva to do, though the pr ince may have bec' f ree of at tachment to i t . (G.c.)

38. See notc 16 above.

39. Ya6odhara.

40. The fo l lowing sentencc appears here in thc text : "The court icr Chandaka and thcstccd Kal thaka were also caused by thc Bodhisat tva 's prcvious vows." I t is out ofcontcxthere. Char 'daka was the char ioteer who helped Pr ince Siddhartha cscape f rom the palact . ant lthe horse Kal thaka drew thc char iot . See norc 41.

41 . This story is a lnrost too wel l known to bear repeat ing. The shclrered t fuurc.Buddha instructed his char iotcer to takc hinr out of the palace grounds. The- pr incc sau a s ickf i lan, an old man, and a dead man; thus he learncd of thc suf f -er ing in l i tc . f .hc totr r rh s ightrvas ol a wander ing ascet ic . Some tradi t ions hold that a l l fbur vrs io.s * .crc nraqrcal l ' pro-duced by the gods, in order to i 'duce the Bodhisat tva ro leave thc houschold l i te.

42. Thc Bodhisat tva had misgiv ings about thc heavy karnr ic rerr ibur ion l i is re lat ivcswor.rld have incurred i[they had felt ill-will toward thc futurc Buddha. Theretorc. he causcdthem to blarne the gods instead.

43. This sentence is obscure and strange, and does not appear in thc Tibetan tcxt . lnthe Vinaya, Buddha establ ishcd the ru lc that one cannor becol lc a monk or nun wi thout thepermission of one's parents. However, Buddha himsel f renounced the household l i lc against

46fl ON Sxrnrur MeaNs

his father's strong opposrtion, showing that if one is truly determined, he can renouncc thewor ld evcn wi thout h is parents ' consent.

44. This brahmacjr in, ment ioned in Part I , * r , Srkyr- . ' , r i Buddhr, in a former l i fe.45. The story goes that the Bodhisat tva at ta ined suprcmc cnl ightcnment only af ter he

gave up the ascet ic pract ice ofsel f -starvat ion. (See note 47.)46. The chinese words fifi, literally "rough practices," havc here bccn interpreted to

inean ascet ic pract iccs. The Tibetan text does not have th is sentcnce at a l l .47. Af ter the Bodhisat tva had endured s ix ycars ofaustcr i t ies wi thout at ta in ing su-

preme enl ightenment, he resolved to resume normal eat ing habi ts. As he sat under a t ree, awoman named Sujata approached the place, carrying a borvl of rnilk-porridge which sheintended to oller to the tree-spirit. When shc saw the tsodhisattva seated there, she wast.trovccl by his holy appearance and ofGrcd the food to him. Aftcr he had eaten the nourishingmeal , thc Bodhisat tva went to thc bodhi- t rcc and at ta incd supremc enl ightcnment.

48. Soldiers nrounted on c lcphants, cavalry, char ioteers, and infantry.'{9. The ten deecis of the Buddha are:

(1) dcscent f rom Tusi ta Heaven;

(2) pure concepr ion in a v is ion of a whi te e lephant;(3) remaining in h is mothcr 's womb;(4) birth lronr the right sidc;

(5) renunciation of thc household life;(6) > ix ye.rrs of . ruster i r ies;

(7) conquer ing al l denrons at the boclh i -s i tc ;(8) at ta in ing suprcntc cnl ightenment;

(9) turning the l)harma-whcel antl enciuring the tcn distresses; and(10 ) cn r c r i ng p r r i n i r v l r . r a .

50. This is a central thenre in this sutra. The Buddha was exempr frorn karmicrctr ibut ion because he was incapable of creat ing bad karma. Any apparent " r l isdeeds" com-mitted by him '"verc iIr fact ingenious methods to hclp other scntient bcings, and were notevil karnra at all. However, bv his power, he callsed cvents to occur that appeared to be hiskarnr ic rct r ibut ions. He did so, the tcxt states, in ordcr to prevent sent ient beings f romdoubt ing thc law of karma. (V.S.B.)

51 . Used d5 a med i c i nc .

52. This relers to the fivc Pure-Abode Hcavens ofthc fourth dhyana hcaven. It is saidthat those who have cradicated defilen.rcnts, the "arya saints," can be born and rcside thcre.

53. Refcrred to above as ciirca-Manavrka, the woman who accused thc Buddha offornicat ion wi th hcr .

54. l[ they dcclined thc patron's invitation, thcv rvou]d prevenr hirn frorri acquiringany mer i t at a l l . Also, thcy would bc breaking a promlsc.

55. L i teral ly , "pure."

56. The tsuddha's cousin, who olic.n sor,rght ro harr.n the Buddha out of spitc.57. That is , Devadatta, by his very mal ice, gave the Buddha mar lv opportunir ies ro

pract ice the p-ramitas, and to set an cxarnplc of v i r t r :ous pat iencc and conrpassion. In Bud-dhisrn. cnemies arc considered to be grcat ly bencf ic ia l to one's Dharma-pract icc.

58. This refers to the ten apparent afflictions, or distresses, which the Buddha facedafter hrs enlightenrnent, all of which havc been relatcd abovc.

Glossary

acarya. A teacher or guru, especially the teacher who imparts the precepts to monks ornuns during ordination.

afllictions. See "defilements "

ag€iregates. (Sce also Numerical Glossary, " f ive aggregates.") Thc pr imary goal o[Buddhismis to attain libcration. That which hinders liberation is the clinging to ego or self, thatis, to an cntity which is indivisible, unchanging, definite, and etcrnal. In order toeliminate this deep-rooted clinging, three major practices are given: adherence toprecepts, practice of n.reditation, and prajfra or nonself (anatman) training.

By applying the nonself observation in deep samidhi, the deeply entrenchedclinging to self can be broken and liberation obtained.

In order to practice nonself observation, a yogi should first have a thorough,rational understanding of how the erroneous concept of self arises, and how it canbe eliminated. For this purpose, the very tedious and awkward Buddhist formulas,such as the five aggregates, the twelve entrances, and the eighteen elements, weredeveloped.

First, since the selfis considered to be an eternal, definite, and indivisible unity,the antidote to this idea is to emphasize that there is no such entity, but instead thereare only aggregates. For instance, when we analyze the so-called self, we find only amo'nentary, ever-changing, flowing, psycho-physical complex of aggregates (com-ponents). Hence, we have first the aggregate of form, which includcs all the bodilvorgans, such as the eye, ear, brain, etc. Going one step further, we examine the mentalaspects, in which we cannot find a de6nite, indivisible entity. lnstead, we find concep-tions, feelings, impulses, and mental awareness.

Another approach to analyze the so-called self is to regard it as an illusioncreated by the impact of sense-objects upon sense-organs. One such analvsis is theformula of the twelve ayatunas,literally translated as 'entrances', u'hich are composedof the six sense-organs and the six sense-objects. (The six sense-organs should not betreated merely as biological organs. They reler to the sense-organs-consclousnesscomplex). For example, the "form" of an object impresses itself upon ("enters") theeye and generates sight, and so forth with the other senses. This also includes themind, which has dharmas, or things in general, for its objects. The fact that the sensedata, impinging upon the sense-organs, generate mental awareness indicates that there

470 GrossanY

is no entity called "self" who perceives objects. Rather, there is a continuous, fluctuat-ing process of seeing causcd by the combination of various factors.

Another device is the less confusing group ofeighteen elements: the six organs,the six objects, and the six consciousnesses.

The reader should bear in mind that the entrances and elements do not differ incontent, but simply in the method o[ analysis. Above all, it should be stressed thatthese three major devices (the aggregates, entrances, and elements) are for the purposeof nonself observation leading to spiritual liberation. (G.C.)

Ajita6atru. Son of King Bimbisira o[ Magadha. Abetted by the rebellous Devadatta, heusurped the throne, imprisoned his parents, and starved them to death. After he hadconquered and annexed neighboring states, laying the foundation for the r,rnification ofIndia, he became afflicted with a skin disease. Remorseful, he went to the tsuddha torepent his sin and take refuge in him. After the tsuddha's parinirv-na, King Ajitaiatrusponsored the five hundred Arhats to collect the Buddha's teaching. Indian tsuddhismis greatly indebted to the converted King Ajita6atru lor its prevalence and prosperity.

Ajita. 'The Invincible One'; an epithet of Maitreya.

Akanistha Heaven. The highesr heaven in the Rea.lm of Form.

alayavijfrina. See "store consciousness. "

all-knowirrg wisdom (Skt. sarvajna). The Buddha's wisdom of omniscience. Because theBuddha is the embodiment of perfection, his wisdom is also perfect. lt is of two types:vertical and horizontal. The former is penetrativc wisdom, knowing thc underlyingtruth, or suchness, of all things. The latter is all-embracing wisdom, knowi.g theforms and characteristics of all dharmas.

Amit ibha Buddha. The "Buddha of Inf in i te L ight ," a lso cal led Amitayus. See chapter 1g.Ananda. A cousin, and long-time attendant, of Sikyamuni Buddha. Ananda w,as noted lor

his grcat learning and was presert at most of the Buddha's preachings. He was said toremember all the sutras, and to havc recited them at the time of their compilation.

Anithapindada, Garden of. A gardcn in the Jcta Grove near Srivasti, where SikyamunrBuddha gave numerous sermons. So named because it was donated to thc Buddha bvthe elder Anathapindada. See "Jeta Grove."

Arhat. A saint who has fully realized the truth of nonself and eradicated all passions and de-sires. one who has reached the highest stage of enlightenment in Hrnayina Buddhism.

ansing (Skt. utpdtti or utpada). This word appears lrequently in Mahiyana texts, often in thenegative form. It denotes the appearance, production, or coming into being of a thingor event. According to the emptincss (iunyatQ view, that which arises lrom dependcntgeneration is by nature empty, hence all arising things are illusory (za1,aJ.

asura. A demi-god often grouped with the devas (gods) in the five planes of existence.Asuras, though they have great good fortune, are known for their quarrelsomenessand jealousy toward the devas. Female asuras are beautiful and male ones ugly.

Avaloki teSvara (ch. gBe*E ) . A Bodhisat tva who wi l l come to the aid of anyone who

invokes his name. This Bodhisattva is the embodiment of thc comoassion of allBuddhas. He appears in many sfr t ras and tantras, and plays an i -porrar t ro le in mostMahiyana activities. Avalokite6vara is worshipped in either a male or a female form inthe var ious Buddhist countr ies.

Avodhya. The capi ta l ofKosala.

bardo (Skt. antarabhava, T)b. bar-do). The intermediate stage between death and rebirth.

bhiksu. Sec "monk."

GlossanY 471

bhiksuni . See "nun."

bhumi. See Numerical Glossary, " ten stagcs of a Bodhisat tva."

birth by translormation. When a being is suddenly born with all the sense-organs and lirnbsof a complete body, without depending on anything such as an egg or a womb, he issaid to be born by transformation, or born ethereally. All hell-dwellers, devas, andbeings in the bardo; some dragons, garudas, and hungry ghosts; and humans bornat the very beginning of a kalpa are born in this manner.

The Chinese For this term is {L&; it is ditficult to find an exact equivalent inEngl ish for i t . Some scholars use 'b i r th by t ransformat ion' , 'meramorphic

b i r th ' , or'miraculous bi r th ' , but none of these are completc ly accurate. Sincc the nrajor port ionof sentient beings arc lb1} , it cannot bc considered "miraculous" at all, or cvenmagical-it is a common phenomenon in the cosmos. Wc use the term birth bytranslormat ion' or 'ethereal b i r th ' .

b lessings. The Chincse term iEf f , a t ranslat ion of the Sanskr i t wordpunya, has a var iety ofmeanings and usages, as do karma, dharma, bodhic i t ta, etc. , and i t is impossib lc totranslate it correctly into English. We translate it as virtue, merit, fortune, blessing,blessed dccd, mcritorious deed, and so forth in different conrexts. Howcvcr. thereader should bcar in mind that nonc of these translations is a cor.npletely satislactorvone.

When translated as 'blessing', it should not bc understood in the theological

scnse, i .e. , as that which is bestowed by thc gracc of God. Thc blcssings or for tunes inthe Buddhist scnsc arc caused by onc's own karma or previous act ions.

bodhi . See "cnl ightenment."

bodhic i t ta. The thought o l , or spir i t o l - , cnl ightenment (a lso: thought on, or in, enl ighten-ment) . Gcncral ly , i t refers to thc in i t ia l not ivat ion of a Mahay-na lJuddhist whoaspircs to the at ta inment ofBuddhahood for thc benef i t ofa l1 scnt ient beings. As soonas one arouscs this aspiration, and makes a formal vow to carry out thc Bodhisattva'sacts, one is considered to be a Bodhisat tva, a 'being

for enl ightenment ' . This in i t ia laspiration and deternrination may be called thc "thought of enlightenr.nent." Whenonc rcaches the first stage of enlightennlent, he no longer stays in sarhsara, but is fullyabsorbed in the actualization of enlightenment. Hence, like all other Bodhisattvas whohave reached any of the ten stagcs (hhnmis), hc can be said to possess "mind inenlightenment." Bodhicitta seems to have many degrccs of profundity and applica-t ion, but the Sanskr i t word by i tsel f does not suggest thcsc dist inct ions.

bodhi-mind. The same as "bodhic i t ta."

Bodhisat tva. One who aspires to the at ta inment of Buddhahood and devotcs hi rnsel f toaltruistic deeds, especrally deeds that cause others to attain enlightenrnent. Sec aiscr"bcJhic i t ta. "

Bodhisat tva in h is last existcnce. A Bodhisat tva who wi l l achieve Buddhahood in th is r .err .l i fet imc. An exarnple would be S;kyam.. i Buddha af ter he was born as Pr ince Sid-dhSrtha and before he achieved Buddhahood under the bodhi-tree.

A Bodhisattva in his last existence is different from a Bodhisattva \\'ho hasattained the candidacy lor Buddhahood in that the latter will achieve Buddhahood inhis next lifetimc. An example of the latter would be Slkyanruni Buddha rvhen he wasin the Tusita Heaven, awaiting his birth to Queen Miyi.

Bodhisattva-Mahisattva. A Bodhisattva who has reached the advanced stages ofenlightenmcnt.

bodhi-seat. The seat upon which the Buddha sat during his enlightenmenr, under the bodhi-tree. All tsuddhas are enlightened upon a bodhi-seat, according to tradition.

bodhi-site. The place where a tsuddha is enlightened.

472 Grossanv

bodhi-tree. The tree under which a Buddha sits during his enlightenment. Sometimes it

symbol izes Buddhahood.

tsrahma. The god who, in the Hindu view, created the world. In Buddhism, one of the

major gods. When uncapitalizcd, thc word indicates the corresponding god o[ any

particular world, not only the Brahmi of this world.

brahmacarin. A brahmin who practices spiritually purc acts, such as celibacy, diligent study,

rclraining from taking intoxicants, and so on. A pcrson who is undergoing the train-

ing of the first of the four stages of a brahmin.

Brahmi Heavcn. A dhyana heaven in the Realm of Form whcre thc god Brahmi dwells,

according to Buddhist (not Hindu) tradition.

brahmin. A Hindu priest and scholar. tsrahmins havc thc highest social rank in the fourfold

caste systcnl in Hindu tradition.

Buddha. A Suprcrnely Enlightened One, or 'Awakened Onc'. According to Mah-y-na tradi-

tion, Buddha Sakyamuni is the present one in a serics of Buddhas, past and future.

Buddha-Dharma. The all-encompassing principle about reality as cxpounded by thc tsuddha.

See "Dharma."

Buddha-land. A universe in which a particular Buddha dwells and teaches.

Buddha-nature. The basic, quintessential nature of sentient beings, which is identical withthe nature ofBuddha, without any differentiation whatsoever. Sentient beings wanderin sarhsSra because they do not realize their Buddha-nature. The complete unfoldmentof Buddha-nature is supreme enlightenment itself. Thus, Buddha-nature is also the

sced of Buddhahoocl

Buddha-vchicle. The Great Vehicle. or Mahivina.

candidacy for Buddhahood. A Bodhisattva is said to be a candidate for Buddhahood when

he achieves the stage from which Buddhahood is only one lifetime away; that is, he

will take only one morc birth before he achieves tsuddhahood.For example, Bodhisat tva Mai t reya, who wi l l succeed Slkyamuni Buddha as

the Buddha ofour wor ld, has at ta ined candidacy for Buddhahood.Another term. 'a Bodhisattva who will achieve Buddhahood in his next life-

t ime' , is an equivalent of 'a Bodhisat tva who has at ta ined candidacy for Buddhahood' .See also " tsodhisat tva in h is last existence."

causation. See "dependent generation. "

clear Dharma-eyc. Thc enlightcncd vision which clearly sees the four noble truths (for

Hinayina), or the truth of the nonarising of dharmas ([or Mahayana) . ln the Maharat-nakita Sitra, this term mainly applies to Hinayana. See "Stream-enterer."

compassion. Sympathy for people who sufTer, and the will to end thcir sufferings. Maha-yana Buddhism greatly emphasized compassion, along with wisdom. These two formthc outstanding Mahiyina virtues, sometimes callcd thc "two-in-onc" (compassion-wisdom). The infinite compassion of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas is reflected intheir constant attempt to succor sentient beings.

condi t ioned dharmas (Skt . sans&rra) . Phenomena which appcar to ar ise due to causes andconditions; things which are transient and changeable.

concentrat ion. See "6amatha."

cravine (Skt. raga or kdma). Also 'dcsirc', onc of thc major dcfilcments. The basic worldlyinst inct of grasping, especia l ly mani fested in lust , avar ice, and greed.

defilements (Skt. kleia). The passions and ignorance that cause one to wander in sarhsara andhinder one lrom reaching enlightenment. Sometimes called "afflictions," which em-

Gross.tnv 173

phasizes the ellects of defilements. One list of the basic defilen.rents names six: desire,

hatred (or anger) , ignorancc (or delusion), arrogance, doubt, and wrong v iews. See

also Numerical Glossary, " three poisons."

delusion (Skt . ruof ta) . Also t ranslated as ' ignorance' or 'b l indness' .

dcmon (Skt. mara). The personification of any de{ilement or negative tendency which hinders

one from practicing the Dharma. Thc bcings in the Paranirmita-VaSavartin Heaven

are also called "demons," or "celestial demons," for they are supposed to hinder

practioners of the Dharma. See Numerical Glossary, "four demons."

dependent gencration. Since all things in the phenomenal world are brought into being by

the cornbination of various causes and conditions, they are relative and without sub-

stantiality or sclf-cntity. From the transcendental viewpoint, this absencc ofsclf-entity

is called emptiness; lrom the phenomenal vicrvpoint, it is called dependent gerreration,

and is thc central doctrine of Buddhism that dcnics thc existencc of any form of

etcrnal or substantial being. Whcn applied to sentient beings' endless lives in satirsara,

i t becomes the twelve l inks of depcndent or ig inat ion (q.v.) .

ln the Mahiratnakitd Sitra, we often find passages connecting emptiness with

dependent generation, or causation; howcvcr, no clear explanation is provided, for the

author ofthe sfitra assurnes that thc cr.nptincss-causation relationship is understood by

the rcadcrs. For those to whom it is not obvious, the following may be helpful:

1. All things in the phenomenal world are found to consist ofand to depend on other

th ings. For example, a book consists ofpapcr, ink, and binding. Apart f rom theseparts, there is nothing to be called "book." The paper, ink, and binding, too, can

be dissected into nlolecules and other particles. Everything in the world is divisi-

blc, so thcrc arc no real entities. Therefore, objects are rnerely namc conglomerates

of 'dcpcnclcnt parts wi th imputed, not rc: r l , cx istcncc. In th is sense, a l l products of. . l ^ ^ - , . 1 - , . r ^ - - - . "uspcr rucr I L B(r rcr dt lon are emPty.

2. All entities of dependent gene'ration arc pcrccivcd to exist in timc. The classicjustification lor calling thern empty from this viewpoint is that the present does not

remair.r, the past has gone, and the future has not yet come.

3. All things are in continual flux, and momentarily changing, perishing as soon as

they arise. Since things are momentary, they have no duration, and that which is

without duration cannot be said to be truly existent.,1. From the functional viewpoint, a thing rnay also change. (For example, if we use a

chair to leed a fire, it is no longer a "chair," but "fuel.") Thus there is nothing with

real existence to be termed "chair."

5. From dilferent viewpoints, a thing may bc rcgarded in a totally different manner.

For example, what is H2O to the chemist is something to drink for one who isthirsty, and a place to dwell for a fish. Therefore, "water" is not a definite thing, as

we would think. It is relative to the viewpoint or sphere from which it is regarded.

For these reasons, all products of dependent generation are said to be emptv.(G .C . )

dependent or ig inat ion. See Numcrical Glossary, " twelve l inks of dependent or ig inat ion."

deva. A celestial being, or god. Gods are on the highest of the five planes of exlstence ln

sarhsara, and enjoy long life and celestial plcasure. When the rewards for therr previ-

ous virtuous karmas end, however, they must lall lrom the heavens to be reborn in

other realms. Thereforc, they also suffer greatly. Buddhists are urged not to strive for

temporary heavenly bliss, but lor permanent liberation or enlightenment.

Devadatta. Cousin of Sakyamuni Buddha, whom he r ivaled and at tempted to thwart . For

his wicked designs on the Buddha he is said to have been swallowed up alive in

hell; nevertheless, he is predicted to become a Buddha as Devaraja.

474 GrossanY

deva-ear. One of six miraculous powers. Supernatural hearing is the ability to hear thesounds ofhumans and nonhumans, distant and near sounds, and so on. The desree ofthis power differs according to one's karmic reward or yogic achievement.

deva-eye. see Numerical Glossary, "s ix miraculous powers," and " f ive k inds o[eyes."devaputra. Literally, "son ofthe gods," but seems generally to denote a celestial beinq who

resides in a particular heaven.

dhrrani. 1. A synonym for mantra, spell, or incantation; 2. the capability ofholding in mind thevast amount of the Buddha's teachings; 3. extraordinary memory and comprehension.

Dharma. The teaching given by the Buddha; the moral principlcs; the truth; the all-encom-passing principle that governs all manifestations o[ things and events; transcendentalreality. (lt is capitalized to distinguish it from 'dharma',

which refcrs to any thin€i orphenomenon.)

dharma. A thing, phenomenon, event, atrribute, being-a general term for anything re-garded as an event or "cnt i ty ." Some Buddhist scholars d isagrec that 'dharma' means athing in general, and hold that thc term denotes one of the 75 particular dharmasmentioned in the Abhidharma literaturc. In Mahiylna texts. ho*ever, 'dharma'

clearlvdenotes a thing or phenomenon of any kind.

Dharma-body- See Numerical Glossary, ,,three bodics of the Buddha."

dharmadhitu. Litcrally, "rhe realm of dharmas." However, in Buddhist texts it has lourmeanings:

1. The nature or essence of dharmas (the same as tathati), which is the unifying, u'-derlying rcality regarded as the ground ofall things, both noumenar and phenomenal.

2. lnfinity; the all-ernbracing totality of the infinirc universes as revealcd before theBuddha's eycs.

3. ln certain sutras, denotes onc ofthe eighteen elemcnts: the dharma-elemcnt: that is.the mental objects (dharmas).

4. The infinite universe per se.

The reader should bear in mind that 'dharmadhetu' may have any of the above four

meanings.

Dharma-door. A figurative term for a specific doctrine, implying that it is an entry-way rounderstanding of the Dharma.

Dharma-eye. See Numerical Glossary, "five kinds of eyes."Dharmakaya. See Numerical Glossary "three bodies of the Buddha.,,Dharma-nature. The quintessence, or true naturc, of all things. Same as'emptiness', .such-

ness' , ' real i ty ' , or 'dharmadhatu ' ;

in some schools, ,Buddha_nature ' .

dharma-nature. The apparent nature of phenomena, or the nature of a particular thrng.Dharma-realm. See "dharmadhatu. "

Dharma-wheel. "Turning the Dharma-wheel" is a figurative expression for preaching theDharrna. An eight-spoked wheel is the symbol of the Dharma

dhyena (Ch. E or ilft ). An equivalent of samadhi in Buddhism. We find thar, in manyMahiyina sirtras, these two words are used interchangeably. Some Buddhist scholarsare of the opinion that E is exactly samadhi. The difference lies perhaps in the factthat dhyina stresses the unifying aspect. Samedhi is considered the hishest srate ofyogic achievement in Hinduism. However, in Buddhism there are innumerable kindsof samadhis' In reading Buddhist scriptures, one should bear in mind that the usage ofthe word samidhi is quite different from that of the Hindu tradition. See a/so "mJita-tion" and Numerical Glossary, "four dhytnas.',

Glossanr 475

dhylna heavens. This refers to the four dhyina heavens of the Realm of Form and the fourdhylna heavens of thc Realm of Formlessness. Each o[ the first four contains fourheavens; together with the four formless dhy-na heavens, they total 20. According totradition, one who attains certain kinds of meditation will be reborn in the dhyinaheavens, but he will not stay there eternally. The dhyana heavens are still in the realmsof sarhsira.

Dhyina of the Cessation of Feclings and Thoughts. A state of pure concentration in whichone's mind and mental functions stop arising. It is achieved by parting with thedcfilements of the formless dhyanas. The saints who abhor the latiguc of thc dis-tracted, fluctuating mind in sarhsira can temporarily enter this dhyana, and therebyimmediately dwell in a state similar to that of nirvina. This should not be confusedwith the dhyina of no thought, which belongs in the fourth dhyana heaven of theFonn Realm.

Drparhkara Buddha. The Buddha who prophesied Sikyamuni 's at ta inment of cnl ighten-ment. According to legcnd, in a past lile when Sakyamuni Buddha was still treadingthe Bodhisattva-path, he brought some lotus flowcrs to otTer to Diparhkara Buddha,and spread his hair ovcr a puddle so the ancient Buddha could pass it unsoiled. Upondoing that, he attained the Realization of the Nonarising of Dharmas and received theprophecy of his attainmcnt of Buddhahood.

discrimination (Skt. uikalpa). Thc fundamental cause of sarhsara: the mental function of dis-tinguishirrg things. Irr reality, all phenomena are one and empty. The phenornenalworld appears to exist as a result of discrimination. Transcendental wisdom goesbeyond discrimination, reaching the realm of equality and nondillerentiation.

dragon (Skt. naga). A mythical snakelike being, usually said to be living in the oceans.Dragons are believed to have miraculous powers and to cause rain to fall in thc world.

elenrerrts (Skt. dhatu, Ch. F ). See "aggregates"; See also Numerical Glossary, "eighteen

elements, " and, in other contexts, "four clcments. "

emptiness (Skt. lunyata). The void or insubstantial nature of everything; the central teachingof Buddhisrn. Through realization of emptiness one attains liberation and the perlec-tions of tsuddhahood. Emptiness is not a nihilistic void, but a wondrous state whereindynamic events and dramas can take placc. Truc realization of emptiness is a state lreeof all types of clinging, a state encompassing all and unifying all.

enlightenment (Skt. bodfil). ln the Mahayana sense, enlightenment is the awakening to the pri-rnordial, fundamcntal truth of suchness (tathata) and to the innate Buddha-nature in allbeings. To be enlightened is to dwell in the constant, living realization of one's orvnBuddha-nature, as well as that of other bcings. See also "supreme enlightenmenr.

'

entrances 1Skt. ayatana Ch. y'' ). See "aggrcgates," and Numerical Glossary, "trvelve enrrf,nces.

equal i ty . A "character is t ic" of the real i ty oIa l l dharmas, which are one, nondual , undi t - ier-entiatcd, and not to be discriminated. Equality is often illustratcd by emptv space.

ctcrnalism. See Numerical Glossary, "two extreme views. "

ethereal birth. This relers to all 1L,4 , or metamorphic births, such as those ofdevas, asuras,hungry ghosts, and inhabi tants of hel l , the Purc Land, and t l . re bardo. Sce "bi r th bytransformation. "

field of blessings. A figurative term for someone who is worthy' of offerings. Just as a fieldcan yield crops, so people will obtain blessed karmic results if they makc offerings toone who dcscrvcs thcm. There are many k inds o[ " { re lds of b lessings": monks, en-lightened beings, parents, the poor, etc., including animals.

476 Grossanv

gandharva. A mythical spirit that leeds on lragrancc and givcs forth a lragrant odor. (]an-dha rvas a r c l nd ra ' : mus i c i a r r s .

garuda. A mythical b i rd wi th stron€1, large wings. I t leeds on dragons.

gi th i . A stanza, a set ofverscs.

giv ing. See Numcrical Glossary, "s ix p i ramitas."

god. Sec "deva."

good plancs of existence. The states o[ gods, asuras, and humans are the three "good planesoFexistence." Thesc beings are not subject to as much sullcring as are animals, hungryghosts, and hcl l -dwel lers. In the three good planes, onc has the opportuni ty to pracr icethe Dharma; onc cannot do so in the lower states.

good roots (Skt. kuialamnla). Virtuous deeds accumulated in past or presenr lives which

- contribute to one's practice and rcalization of the Dharma.

Great Vehic le. Scc "Mahayana."

Hcave' oF thc Thirty-Three. A hcaven in the Realm of Desire, with thirty-two deva kingsprcsided over by Indra, th,s totaling rhirty-threer located at thc. summit of Mt.Surncru.

hel l . Hel l in Buddhism is actual ly a purgatory. I t is not a hel l in the Chr ist ian sense, bccauseit is rot perrnanenr. Although the duratio' of lilc in hell may be long, depending onthe gravity of one's karrnic ollcnses, eventually it will be rcrrninarcd, and the hell-du'eller will oncL- rrore bc born in higher planes of cxistence.

Hinaylna. "Srnal l Vchic le" or "Lesser Vehic le" ; thc ear ly Buddhism. A rerm coined byMahayanists to d ist inguish th is school of Buddhism from Mahayina. I t is so cal lcdbccause thc tcaching of th is school puts crnphasis on one's own Liberat ion, whereasthe teaching o[ Maheyana strcsses the attainment of Buddhahood for all sentient be-ings. Hrnayina is now prevalent in southcast Asia, whi le Mahayana has spread overthe northern area lrom Nepal to Japan.

hungry ghost (Skt. preta). A denizen of one of thc miserable planes of existencc. Somchungry ghosts have hugc stomachs which always burn - i ih hunger. but t iny throatsthrough which food cannot pass. one may bc reborn in this state if he has exrremegrced or avarice.

ignorance. See Numerical Glossary, " threc poisons."

i l lus ion (Skt . naya] . Things in the phenomenal wor ld are not rcal or substant ia l , as ordinarypeople regard them to be. They are transient, momentary, indcfinite, insubstantial,and subject to constant alteration. In rcality thcy are like phantoms or hallucinations.

inapprehensible. The English word "apprehend" means "to seize, to perccive, to grasp men-tally," and so forth. The chinese phrase 6EI€ docs not cxactly mean "inapprehcnsi-b le," a l though i t is c lose. 4oJ{s l i tcra l ly should be t ranslatcd as "unobrainable" or"unattainable," which could apply both to the subjective perceiver or ro the objectwhich is perceived or graspcd. Since we are unable to find a bettcr word. we use" inapprchensiblc" throughout to t ranslate Td{5. However, the reader is remindedthat whcrever " inapprehcnsib le" appears, he should know that th is denotes the com-pletc absencc ofei ther the subject , i .c . , the pcrceiver, or the perceived objcct , or both.

incrntat ion (skt . tnantra or dharalr ) . Sacred or holy sounds blesscd by a Buddha or a Bodhi-sattva. By reciting mantras one may receive blessings and spiritual guidance, andobtain miraculous powers.

Indra. Sec "Sakra."

Grossanv 477

ingenuity (Skt. upaya). The ingcnious, expedient, and even roundabout methods by whicha compassionate Buddha or Bodhisattva teaches sentient beings and brings them tomaturity. Also may be translated as 'skillful means.'

Jambudvipa. The 'Continent of the Jambu Tree', so called because it is overlooked by agigantic Jambu tree growing on the summit of Mount Sumeru. Jambudvipa is thesouthernmost of the four continents, supposedly the world in which we humans live.It is said to be wide in the north and narrow in the south, shaped almost like atriangle. We now think it probably denotcs thc sub-continent of India.

Jeta Grove. A grove near Srivasti in India, originally owned by a Prince Jeta and donated toSikyamuni Buddha. Site of a monastery, frequently the location of Dharma-preachingsby the Buddha.

Jiva (orJivaka). A contemporary ofthe tsuddha and an influential sponsor and protector oftsuddhism. Son of King Bimbisara by a concubine. On his birth he is said to haveseized the acupuncture needle and bag. He became famous lor his medical skill andwas honored as the k ing ofhealers. J iva 'can be rendered as 'L i fe-Giv ing' .

kalpa. According to Hinduism, a kalpa is one day for Brahmi, and consists of 1,000 yugas(1 yuga:4,320,000 years), altogether 4,320,000,000 years for mortals. However, inBuddhism, a kalpa generally indicates the length of time between the creation andrecreation of a world or universe, spanning the period of a world's formation, ex-istence, destruction, and nonexistence. There are dillerent interpretations of measure-ment of a kalpa in Buddhism. It often simply denotes a very long period of time,similar to an aeon. There are small, medium, great, and incalculable kalpas

karma. Literally, "action" or "deed." It also means the effect ofa deed or dccds that survrvesclcath and contributcs to thc formation of one's next life. The "law of karma" assertsthat virtuous or evil deeds ofbody, speech, and mind will inevitably bring correspond-ing results to the doer, in this or a [uture life. A group of people, such as a nation,may create a common karmic power that determines their fate or destiny; the wholecosmos and all sentient beings, by implication, are driven on and on in an endlesscircle by this mystical power.

karmic result. The natural reward or retribution for a deed, brought about by the law ofkarma. See "karma."

K-Syapa. See "Mahik i6yapa."

Ka6yapa Buddha. One of the Buddhas who have appeared in this kalpa.

Kau6ika. An epi thet of Sakra.

kinnara (kiinnara) A kind of mythical celestial musician. It has a horse-like head with onehorn, and a body like that of a human. The males sing, and the females dance.

Kosala. A region in ancient India divided into Northern Kosala (the modern Oude) andSouthern Kosala (the modern Central Provinces).

ksatriya. One of the four Indian castes; the warrior and ruling class.

kumbhanda. A ghost shaped like a gourd or pot; or with a scrotum shaped thus. lt devoursthe vitality of men.

Last Era. The third and final era of the presence of the Dharma in the world, when genuinetsuddhism almost disappears. The first era is the period immediately following theBuddha's parinirvina, when people teach and practice the true Dharma, and many canachieve various stages of genuine enlightenment. The second era begins when the

478 Grossanv

Dharma is taught and practiced in a "diluted" manner, but certain samadhis andrealizations are still possible. In the third era, only the appearance of the Dharmaremains, few care to practice it, and realization is extremely difficult to attarn.

Lesser Vehicle. See "Hinay-na."

liberation. Freedom from the suflering and entanglement oFsarirsira.

lion's roar. A figurative expression to denotc the preaching of the Buddha or an advancedBodhisattva. Such preaching can overcome all erroneous doctrines, iust as a lion's roarcan subdue all the beasts of the jungle.

lion-throne. A glorified throne adorned by lions, on which the Buddha may sit to preach. Itis often depicted in Mahayana art.

long night. A figure ofspeech denoting the perdurable suffering and darkness ofsarhsara.

Midhyamika. The "Middlc Way" School of Buddhism, lounded by Nagirjuna and hisfollowers. Its tenets are mainly based upon the Prajfliparamiti Sutra group, stressingthe teaching of emptiness (nnyatQ.

Magadha. An ancient kingdonr in central India, thc center of Buddhisr:r up to about A.D.400. Rajagrha was its capital city.

magical production. A miraculous fcat such as the creation of forms out of nothing. Somegods and even humans can also effect magical productions. Therefore, sucir power rsnot cvidence of enlightenment.

magically produced being. A being ter'porarily created for a specific purpose by thc miracu-Ious power ofa Buddha or high tsodhisattva. Also, an illusory being conjured up by arnagician.

magically produced Ruddha (Ch. ftlqp ). An illusory Buddha-forrn produced with miraculouspowers. This is different from the incarnated Buddha (Skr. nirmatlakaya, Ch.,fu*)-see Numerical Glossary, " three bodies of the Buddha." A magical ly produced Buddhaor Bodhisattva is identical in lorm with an actual Buddha or Bodhisattva and caninteract with sentient beings-

Mahakl5yapa. A chief d isc ip le of Sakyamuni Buddha. foremosr in the pract ice of ausrer i t ies.Mahamaudgalylyana. onc of the Buddha's main disciples, who was noted for his powers

to perform miraculous feats.

Mahiratnakirta Sutra. Literally, "The Great Jewelled pinnaclc Sutra," or 'Jcwelled Hcap

Sutra," indicating that this sutra is like a jewelled summit or a treasury ofjewels.Mahayana. The "Great Vehicle" o[Buddhism, whose followers vow to attain cnlightenmcnt

for the sake ofdelivering all other scntient beings from suffering. Thc spiritual hero ofthe Mahaytna is the Bodhisat tva (q.v.) , in whom the v i r tues of wisdom and compas-sion are stressed and balanced.

mahoraga. A mythical being with a head shaped like a python, and a man-like body.Maitreya. Literally, "the kind one"; a great Bodhisattva. Thc future Buddha after Sikya-

muni, who will come ro this world to teach the Dharma.

Manju5ri. The youthful Bodhisattva who is the embodiment of the wisdom of all Buddhas.Mira The chief demon, who usually creates hindrances to Dharma practice. Also called

Plpiy in.

mava. See " i l lus ion. "

meditarion (dhyana). A state of pure concentration, in which the meditator and the objectmeditated upon are unified. Also, a general term for serene contemplation. There are

Glossanv 179

numerous ways ro meditate, but all of them are methods to pur€ie unwholesome

thoughts and desires, and to cause one to reach insight or realization of the highcst

wisdom.We have t ranslated 'dhyana' as 'medi tat ion ' where thc tcrm is used in a general

sense. When the more tcchnical meaning is intended, we have rctained the Sanskrit

word. See a/so "dhyana," "samadhi ," and Nuner ical Glossary, " four dhyanas "

middle way. The "way" that falls on neithcr side of such extrcmes as nihilism and eternal-

ism, ascet ic ism and hcdonism, being an<l nonbeing, sarhsara and ni rvana. etc.

rn indfulness (Skt . srr r r l ) . 1. In Hinayana, i t is a medi tat ional device for practrc ing thc nonsel f

(anatman) doctrine; 2. in Mahayana, refcrs gcnerally to thc practice of holding to

correct thought or a right mcntal state.

miserable p lanes of existcncc. The three lower statcs of sar i lsera: hel l -dwcl ler , hungry ghost ,

and animal . To be born in a miscrable state is the resul t of evi l karma commit ted in a

past life. When thc rctribution for that karma is completed, one will again bc born in a

higher state.

rnonk. Usually ref'ers to a fully ordaincd monk (Skt. 6fu1&w).

Mount Grdhrakuta. "Vulturc Pcak," a mountain where thc lluddha often preached, located

near Ilijagrha in Central lndia.

Mount Sunreru. Also cal lcd Mount Meru. Thc mythical mountain of ancient Indian cosnol-

ogy, located at thc ccntcr of each wor ld.

Mun i . I n Sansk r i t t h i s means a ' see r ' o r a ' sagc ' ; f r om the ( l h i nese i t t r ans la t cs as 'He who i s

capable of doing v i r tuous th ings' . When uscd as a proper l roun, i t ref i ' rs to the I ludclhe

(cf . "Sikyarnuni L luddha") .

Nar iyana. In L.rd ian nlythology, Nar lyana is somcwhat l ike an lndian vcrs ion of Hcrcules.

He is an imrncnsely stro l rg being.

nih i l ism. See Numerical Glossary, " t rvo extrenre v icws. "

Nirmanaklya. Sct ' Nurner ical Glossary, " three bodies of the Buddha."

Nirmanarat i Hcaven. The hcavcn of " t ransformat ional dcl ight . " One of the heavens of the

Reahn of Desire. locatcd above Mount Sumeru.

nirvlna. Originally meant total extinction of dcsire and suffering. Rclcrs to the state of

liberation through full cnlightenment. In Maheyina, nirvana is classified into four

categor ies:1. n i rv lna wi th residue, the state ofa person who has real ized the naturc ofn i rvana,

but has not yet e l iminated thc f ive aggregates;

2. nirvina without residue, rvherein thc aggregates have becn climinatedi

3. ;vabhava ni rv- ta (Ch. Ht4iH# ) , the pr imcval n i rv ina which is a l rvavs present.

whethcr we realize it or not; and

4. nonabiding ni rv ina, in which one abides nei thcr in sar i rsara nor in u l t intatc quies-

cencc. This is the ni rvana of thc Buddhas and the highcst Bodhisat tvas.

nonar is ing (Skt . anutpada). Ncvcr coming into being; not t ru lv exist ing. Sec "ar is ing."

nonregression. One who has rcached realization of emptiness or Buddha-nature n'ill never

regress f rom the Bodhisat tva-path. Nonrcgression some' t imes s impl ,v denotes an ad-

vanced stage of aspiration and practice from which one rvill never rctreat. Some

sources say nonrcgression is not reachcd until the eighth of the tcn stages of a Bo-

dhisat tva (q.v. , Numerical Glossary) .

Nonreturner (Skt. anagamin). An enlightcncd being in the third stage of the four classes o[

Hinayana enlightenment, who will no more return to the Realm of Desire, but will be

480 Grossany

born in a heaven in thc Realm of Form or Fornr lessness and at ta in Arhatshiprhcre.

nun. Usual ly rcfers to a fu l ly ordained nun (Skt . bhikstn l ) .

Once-returncr (Skt. sakrdiganil). An enlightened bcing in the second stage of the Hrr.raySnapath, who has realized the four noble truths and has eradicated a great portion ofdefilcments, Hc will rcturn to the human world for only one more rebirth belorehe reaches full realization of Arhatship.

out f low. Another name for dcf i lement (q.v.) .

Papiy in. See "Mara."

p i r am i t i . Th i s can be t r ans la ted as ' t hc pe r l ec t r on o f . . ' o r ' r each ing t he o the r sho re bymeans of . - ' . I t may have both mcanings in Mahayina sutras. 'per fect ion '

i rnpl iesthe posi t ive aspcct , whercas ' reaching

thc other shore ' refcrs to the t ranscending aspect .Pararnita is the ccntral practice of a tsodhisattva. It is sometimes divided into

six or ren, making the s ix (or ten) peramitas (q.v.) .Pararni t i pract ice is the cul t ivat ion of one's potent ia l inte l l igence, love, and

will. when all these thrcc potential capacrties, or "Buddha-seeds," are cultivated toperfcction, piramita practice is conrpleted.

Paranirr .n i ta-va6avart in Heaven. The dwel l ing place of papry-n thc Mara. The heaven ofthe "enjoyr.r.rents of clclights crcated by others." Thc sixth oI the six heavels in theRealm of l )esi re.

pannirv ina. According to the Hlnayana concept, one who rcal izes ni rvana in h is l i le t imcw i l l e r r r e r pa r i n i r vJ r ra a t dea rh . a r rd w i l l r r o r he r cbo rn . Fo r t he Mah i y j na v rew , seenlrvxrr e

path (Skt. tnarga). The way along which a Dharma practitioncr procecds toward liberationand enl ightcnment.

pat iencc. Sre Numcrical Ci lossary, "s ix paramit is ."

passions. See "dcf i lements."

play-words. Words dcrived lrom delusive thinking and discrimination, which have no realvalue or servc no practical purpose for religious awakening. Thus, in the tsuddhistsense, all metaphysical speculations and all forms of "isms" are play-words, for theyare not only useless in one's search lor truth, but are also not conducive to liberationor realization. Play-words, in "emptiness literature," often refer to any form of cling-ing to extremes, such as the doctr ines of n ih i l ism, eternal ism, monism, dual ism, andso forth. Any views that imply 'self-nature' (suabhaua) clingi'g, and are expressed inwords, are play-words.

power of knowing others 'minds. Also rendered as "power of reading thoughts." one of thesix nt i raculous powers.

Prajfripiramiti. The paramiti (or perfection) of wisdom. Also refers to an important andvoluminous sutra group in which the doctr ine of cmpt iness $nnyare is taught.

Prajnl is translated as intuitive wisdom, in contrast to the mundane wisdom ofconceprual knowledge. Prajni wisdom is a transccndental, mystical, immediatc, anddirect "sceing" or real izat ion of the ul t i rnate t ruth. This "seeing" or real izat ion, how-evcr, has many degrees ofprofundi ty and thoroughness.

That which the prajiii wisdom knows or sces is the omnipresent suchncss(tarhata) , which is somet imes cal led the prajnapiramit i o[ real i ty . The intu i t ive wis-donl is sometimes callcd the prajiiaparamiti of observation; that is; the intuitive ortranscendental sceing by the subject. Third is the prajiiparamita ofwords, the expres-

Glossanv ,181

sion of the other two through symbols. Thus, the Prajr iaparamit i l i tcrature is merelv

the prajiiip-ramita of words.

Prltimoksa. The rules ofconduct for guarding against evil bodily and verbal actions, therebv

lreeing one fiorn the bondage ofdefilen.rents. It is slightly different lrom the Vinaya in

that it refers to a specific set of rules practiced by both monks and laymen, while the

Vinaya deals only with the discipline prescribed for ordained monks.

Pratyekabuddha. In Hinayina, a seltenlightened being who has contemplated dependent

origination and thus attained realization of truth without a teacher.

precepts. Vows of moral conduct taken by lay and ordained Buddhists. There are five vows

for lay Buddhists, and 250 tor fully ordained monks. See also Numerical Glossary," f ive lay precepts."

R- jagrha. An ancient c i ty in Central India, located near the present-day town of Rajgi r . The

capi ta l of the ancient domain of Magadha.

raksasa. A terrifying ghost or demon wrth a black body, red hair, and green eyes. Rlksasas

are reputed to bc dcvourcrs ofhumans.

rcality. Can refer to the eternal, unchanging, all-embracing truth, which is no other than

suchness, dharmadhatu or the Dharma-body; in other contcxts it refers to "reality" in

the ordinary sensc.

rcal izat ibn. Imrnediate, d i rect "seeing" or "percept ion" of real i ty , in contrast wi th mere

conceptual understanding, which is indirect and seconclary.

Realization o[ Compliance with the Dharn.ra-Truth. The word 'realization' is here a render-ing of the Skt . &sant l , Ch. ts , which l i teral ly mcans 'pat icncc' or ' to lcrancc' , but in

cxtcnsion also mcans 'acceptance' , ' recogni t ion ' , or ' real izat ion ' . In the process of

practicing the tsuddha's teaching, there is a stage whcrc onc rccognizcs, acccpts, and

complies with thc truth that there is no self-substance in any dharma, even though one

nray not yet have fully realized the prajna truth. The actual acceptance of and com-

pliance with this truth is called the Realization of Compliancc with thc Dharma-Truth.'[/hen

one goes a step further and realizes fully this truth of suchness, he is said to

at ta in the Real izat ion of the Nonar is ing of Dharmas.

Real izat ion of the Nonar is ing of Dharma (Skt . anutpada-dharma-kunt i ) . 'Real izat ion 'here is a

free translation of kinti, which literally means 'patience', or 'patient acceptance'. An

enlightened Bodhisattva of the eighth stage (some say the first) has Fully realized the

nonarising nature ofall things. Therefore, he is said to havc truly achieved the Realiza-

tion of the Nonarising of Dharmas.

realization of the profound Dharna. The direct, immediate realization of thc profunditv and

enrpt iness ofdependent generat ion. I t is ofscveral k inds, inc luding " the Real izat ion of

Compl iance wi th thc Dharma-Truth" (q." . ) .

Realm of Desire. See Numcrical Glossary, " three realms."

Realm of Form. Ses Numerical Glossary, " three realms."

Realm of Formlcssness. See Numerical Glossary, " three realms."

refuge. The Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sarhgha are the three refuges in rvhich Buddhists

put their trust and reliance.

relics (Skt. larira). When an enlightened being dies and his body is cremated, certain incom-

bustible particles are found in the ashes. This phenomenon is believed to be due to the

enlightencd being's accomplishments. Such relics are said to have been left by in-

numerable saints and Bodhisattvas. Naturallv, true relics of the tsuddha are most

treasured.

482 Grossanv

renunciation. According to Buddhist teaching, the 6rst stcp toward serious Dharma-practiceis to renounce all worldly ties and desires.

right action (also, right concenrration, elTort, livelihood, mindfulness, speech, thought, andvicw). See Numerical Glossary, "e ight fo ld noble path."

ni. A yogi or saint who dwells in a hcrmitage.

Sahi World. This wor ld, in Buddhist cosmology. 'Sahi ' r .neans ' to bcar ' ; rhus, scnr ient

beings of this world, like the earth which bears all burdcns, must bcar miserv, dcfile-ment, and contention.

Sakra. The chiet god of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three. A prorector of Buddhism. Anepithet of Indra. When uncapitalized, 'Sakra'indicates

the equivalent god of any world,not Sakra o[the Saha World. In a billion-world universc there are onc billion Heavensofthe Thir ty-Thrce and one bi l l ion Sakras.

Sekya Clan. One of thc important clans of the ksatriya caste in Northern lndia, of whichGautama Buddha was a member.

Sekyar 'uni Budclha. Sakyamuni l i teral ly mea's 'Sage of thc S;kya Cl . rn ' . The name oFthetsuddha of this agc, also called Ciautama.

samedhi. It usually denotes thc particular, final stage of pure concentration. In MahlvinaBuddhisnt, however, samadhi is defined more gencrally: there are innumerable sarna-dhis, not only of stat ic , serene nature, but a lso wi th the dynamic and powerfu lfunct ions of those who abide in spir i tual real izat ion. Sce a/so "dhyina."

San-rantabhadra. A wcll-known Bodhisattva whose particular emincnce is the adherence toprofound vows of great compassion. Hc is a lso the embodiment of a l l Buddhas'vows(or bodhic i t ta) and pract ices.

samapatt i . This word l i teral ly rneans 'coming together ' , 'meet ing' , or 'complet ion ' .

I t ispract ical ly a synonym of dhytna.

Chinese Buddhologists interpret samlpat t i as S5: " through the cf for t of equi-l ibr ium, the state of samidhi is rcached." 'Equi l ibr ium'here impl ics overcoming bothdistraction and drowsiness in meditation practice, thus reaching the srate of perfectabsorpt ion, or samidhi .

6amatha. A meditational technique to calm the mind to a state of tranquility and concentra-t ion. I t is pract ical ly an equivalent ofdhyina.

Sarhbhogakiya. See Numerical Glossary, " threc bodies of the Buddha."

Sarhgha. See Numerical Glossary, "ThreeJewels."

sarhsira. The relentless cycle of repcated birth and death in which ordinary, unenlightenedsentient beings are deeply entangled- The cause of sarirsira is the presence of defile-inents, particularly desire, hatred, and ignorance.

Seriprlt.". one of thc principal disciples of the Buddha, sometimes said to be the wisestamong them.

Sator i . TheJapanese pronunciat ion of the Chinese word "Wu" (q.v.) .

self. Sentient beings consider the 6ve aggregates (q.v.) to constitute a unitary self or ego(atman). This wrong idea derives from deep-rooted clinging.

self-entity. See "self-nature."

self-nature (Skt. svabhaua). Things in the phenomenal world are transient, momentary, andwithout duration; hence they have no self-nature (self-entity) or individual substan-tiality. However, ordinary beings cling to the idea of existence or being (bhaua). Thisclinging is called clinging to self-nature or selflentity. However, in some conrexrs,

Gr-ossanr 183

'se l f -nature ' is used in an approbat ive sense to denotc the Buddha-nature u ' i th in one'smind. This usage is part icular ly conlmon in Zen l i teraturc.

sent ient being. Any l iv ing being who has a consciousness.

Sixth Heaven. Thc Paranirmi ta-Va5avart in Heaven (q.v.) , h ighest of the hcavens of theDesirc Realm.

ski l l fu l means. See " ingenui ty."

spir i t oIenl ightcnmcnt. Sec "bodhic i t ta."

spir i tual provis ions. Provis ions for thc journey toward Buddhahood. Thcy are twofold:provis ions of wisdom (r ight understanding of the l )harma) and provis ions of mer i t(virtuous deeds).

6ramana. A religious devotce, often a forest-dwelling ascetic, who attempts to purify hisdef i lements: a lso. a monk.

Sr ivaka. L i teral ly "hearer." Onc who has heard the tsuddha's teaching. General ly denorcs afol lower of the HinayJna parh. Sr;vaka is a lso t ranslated as 'd isc ip le ' .

Sravaka-vehic le. See Nurner ical Glossary, " three vehic les."

Sravast i . A c i ty and ancicnt k ingdom in lndia, now cal led Rapetrnapct . The Jeta Grove,where Sikyarnuni Buddha of tcn preached, is ncar Sravast i .

s tage beyond learning. The highcst stage ofHrnayina development, that ofArhatship. Fromthe viewpoint of the Hinayina, no morc learning or striving for religious achievementis needed when one reaches this stage.

stage of learning. One who has attained onc of the tlrst thrcc stagcs of Hrnayina enlighten-nlent bclorc Arhatship-the stagcs of a Stream-enterer, a Once-returner, and a Non-rctlrrncr-is said to be in thc stage of learning. According to Mahiy5na, although sucha person has reached sot.ne enlightenmcnt, it is not complctc; thcrc is still more to belearned and a fu l ler reahzat ion to bc gained.

stage of nonregression. A stage o[ spir i tual ac]r ievement in which a Bodhisat tva wi l l neverfa l l away f rom the stage of a Bodhisat tva and become a Sr iv;ka. Praryekabuddha, orordinary pcrson. There are diflcrcnt opinions concerning in which stage a Bodhisattvaattains the stage of nonregression. Generally, howcvcr, it refers to the timc when oneacquires the enlightened vision which reer the truth of nonarising (thc first stage), orwhen one attains the Reahzation of the Nonarising of I)harmas (the first or the elghthstage).

stagcs of a Bodhisattva. See Numerical Glossary, "ten stages of a Bodhisattva. "

stillness. He who realizes suchness perceives that all dharmas never arise or come into being,and are "still" or peaceful through and through without disturbance.

store consciousness (Skt. alayauijfiana). Thc fundamental consciousness that underlies all otherconsciousnesses; it holds all rnemories, forms a personality, sustains the efficacv ofkarma, and makes religious progress and enlightenment possiblc. It is the seed of theDharma-body, the foundation of both sarirsira and nirvina. One of the ntost im-portant doctrines of the Yog-c-ra school.

Stream-enterer (Skt. irota-apanna). One who has reached the first Hinaylna stage, so calledbecause he has entered the "stream," the undefiled noblc path. Alternate translation ofthis term is "one who goes against the stream," in which case the stream representsthe current of sarhslra. Upon acquiring the enlightened vision which clearly sees thefour noble truths, one eradicates all the delusive views of the three realms, such as theview of a real self. See "clear Dharma-eye. "

stupa. A monument bui l t over re l ics (q.v.) of Buddhas, Bodhisat tvas, or saints.

484 Grossanv

subdue. To subdue a sentient being is to cause him or her to abandon passions and otherhindrances to cnlightenment. Subduc here does not mean to vanquish by force, but toconvert by skillful persuasion, training, or the like.

Subhuti. one of the tsuddha's chief disciples, known best for his ability to expound thedoctrine ofemptiness, and for his achievement ofnon-contention.

suchness (Skt. tathata). Also, 'thusness'. Refers to Buddha-naturc, I)harma-body, reality,

dharmadhltu, Dharma-naturc. Reality is beyond all words and descriptions, so inreferring to it, Buddhists often use the term 'suchness'.

A frequent synonym is 6ftu-tatathaf i , ' real i ty-suchness' .

suffering. See Numerical Glossary, "four noblc truths."

Sunyata. See "empt iness."

supreme enlightenment (skt. anuttara-samyak-sainbodhi). Same as supreme Buddhahood. TheSa'skrit means 'unexcelled perfect enlightenment'; i.e., the perfcct wisdom whichcomprehcnds rrurh that is attained only by a Buddha, in contrast to the differentgrades ofenl ightenmcnt at ta ined by Bodhisat tvas and saints.

sutra. A preaching of the Buddha as recorded in documents. In the ear ly stages ofBuddhisthistory, sutras were memorizcd, and only in later times were they written down.

svabhava. See "self-nature. "

Tathagata. L i teral ly , " the Thus-come one." A t i t le o[ the Buddha. I t may mean he who hascorne ancl gone as have former Buddhas-that is, he imparts the sane truth andfollows the same parh ro rhe same goal. Thc Mahiyina interprets Tathagata differ-ently, as one who has attaincd full realization ofsuchness (tathata), and who thus neithercomes frorn anywhcrc, nor goes anywhere.

Tath-gata-cnrbryo (Skt. tathagata-garbha). 1. The innatc tsuddha-nature (suchness) obscuredtcmporarily by defilements; 2. the "storchouse" of the Buddha's teaching.

Tathlgata-vehicle. Synonymous with the Bohisattva-vehicle and the Mahiyina ('Great ve-hicle'). 'Bodhisattva-vehicle'

is used when referring to the cause and practice, while'Tathigata-vehicle'

is used when referring to the rcsult. See a/so Numerical Glossary,"three vehicles. "

Theravida Buddhism. The'sect of the elders-'. The sole survivor of the eiehteen sects of theoriginal Hinay-na school. Sometimes called the Southcrn School, as ir is prevalent inSoutheast Asia. See "Hinavina."

thusness. See "suchness."

true Dharma. The equivalent of the Chinese 6if, ; here 'true' is dam jn 'flbetan and sa, in

Sanskrit. The Tibetan word dam can be translated in a number of ways: .true', .emi-

nenr ' , 'outstanding' , 'holy ' , ' r ight ' , etc.

truth. In these texts, usually denotes transcendental truth, or emptiness $nnyatd); also, Bud-dha-nature, or suchness.

Tusita Heaven. The heaven in the Realm of Desire from which each Buddha descends toearth. The 'heaven

of contentment'. The present dwelling-place of Maitreya, the nextBuddha ofour wor ld.

uduntbara flower. An udumbara tree is said usually to bear fruit without flowers. Once in avery long period of time it is said to bloom; hence, the udumbara flower is a symbolof the rare appearance of a Buddha.

ultimate quiescence (ch. fid). This term, as it appears rn the Mahiratnakula sutra, has avariety of meanings. often it denotes the absolute, quiescent, still, and undisturbed

Grossanv 485

Dharma-nature, which is the pure transcendency above the distrubances of sarirsara.Secondly, it can refer to the realization of the above-mentioned Dharma-nature. Also,in some cases it refers to the stage of the Dhyina of the Cessation of Feelings andThoughts. Furthermore, it refcrs to the nature ofnirv5na, which is no other than thenature of a l l dharmas.

ul t imate t ruth (Skt . paramartha). Also may be t ranslated as ' f i rs t t ruth ' . Connotes the supremetruth, in contrast to mundane or expedient truth.

unconditioned dharmas (Skt. asansktta). Those dharmas which do not anse or cease, and arenot transient. Exemples: nirvina, the Dharma-body, and the ancient philosophicalconcept of space.

(Jnexcclled vehicle. The highest vchicle to tsuddhahood; in these tcxts, rhe Mahiylna.Uninterrupted Hell (Skt. aurci). The worst of the hot hells, in which suffering, death, and

painful rebirth are continuous until the retribution for the suller's evil karma is ex-haustcd, at which time he or she will be reborn in a higher plane of existence.

universal monarch (Skt. cakravartin). ln the Indian mythological history of the world, a uni-versal monarch occasionally appears who is supposed to be a most powerful and mer-itorious king capablc of ruling the entire world.

Up; l i . A leading disc ip le of Sakyamuni Buddha, famous for h is knowledge of v inaya and hisobservance o[ i t . Hc was a member of the 6udras, the lowcst Indian caste.

upaya. See " ingenui ty."

vajra. L i tcra l ly "a d iamond." Usual ly a symbol of the i r . rdestruct ib lc nature of Buddha'swisdom. A weapon to conquer dcmons and protecr Buddhism.

vehicle (Skt. yana). See Numerical Glossary, "three vchicles.',

v igor. See Numerical Glossary, "s ix p i ramit is ."

vinaya. The precepts for monks and nuns, designed to hclp them eliminate defilements. oneof the major sections of the Buddhist canon.

vipaSyana. The intuitive observation on the prajia truth practiced in Mahayana meditations.

wisdom. See Numerical Glossary, "s ix p l ramitas."

worthy Kalpa (skt. bhadrakalpa). A kalpa is the period of time betwcen thc creation andrecreation of a world or universe. In Mahiyina tradition, the present kalpa is called"worthy" because dur ing i ts span, 1,000 Buddhas wi l r appear to save sent ient beings.

wrong views. Usually, views belonging erther to nihilism or eternalism. May also meanwrong ideas about religious teachings. See also Numerical Glossary, "four rvrongviews. "

wu. Thc chinese word l4 la ( f f i ) can bc t ranslatcd as awakening, cogni t io l , realzarron. orenl ightenment. I t is widcly used by the Zen Buddhists to denote thc intu i t ive real iza-tion of the Buddha-nature within one's own mind.

yaksa. A swift, powerful kind o[ ghost or demon, which is usualiy harmful, but in somecases is a protector of the Dharma. some yaksas, according to tsuddhist mythology,live in the air, and some on land.

Yama Heaven. One of the heavens in the Realm of l)esirc, the 'hcaven of constant iov' is

located above the Heaven ofthe Thirty-Three.

Yama Realm. A dismal place where the dead are judged.

Yoglcira. The name of a Buddhist school, founded probably in the fourth century by the

486 Gtossanv

brothers Asanga and Vasubandhu. I t advocates the doctr ine of"mind only" ; i .e. , a l ldharmas ofsarhsara and nirv5na are projections ofone's own mind; hence everythingin the external world is merelv an illusion.

Zen Buddhism . 'Zen' is the Japanese mispronunciation of the Chinese name Ch'an, which inturn derives from the Sanskrit dhyana. A school of Mahayina Buddhism in Chinafounded by Bodhidharma. This school stresses the cultivation o[intuitive wisdom. Anextremely influential Buddhist sect in China andJapan.

Numerical Glossarv

One Vehicle (Skt. EkayAna). According to Mahiyana tsuddhism, the true teaching ofthe Buddha is provided only in onc vchicl-the Mahiyina. Other vehicles, such asthose of the Sravaka and Pratyekabuddha, arc only expedient tcachings for the unpre-pared. The One Vehicle is also callcd the Buddha-vehicle.

two cxtrcmc v icrws.

l. Nihilism: considering that things do not exisr in any sensc, evcn the delusorymani festat ior ts o[ the wor ld; a lso, the tenct that nothing cont inues af ter death, i .e. ,the dcnial of thc doctrine of reincarnation.

2. Eternalisrn: believing that thcrc is true existence of rcal being in objccts, or thatthere is some entity that exists forcver.

two vchicles. The Sravaka-vehicle and the Pratyekabuddha-vehicle, which together con-stitute what is called Hinavana.

three bodics ofthc tsuddha (Skt. trikaya).1. Dharmakiya: The Dharma-body, or the 'body

ol real i ty ' , which is forrn lcss. un-changing, t ranscendental , and inconceivablc. Synonymous wi th suchness, or entpn-N C S S .

2. Sarhbhogakaya: the 'body of enjoyment ' , the celest ia l body of thc tsuddha. Per-sonification ofeternal pcrfcction in its ultimate sense. It "residcs" in the Purc Land.and never mani lests i tsel f in thc mundane wor ld, but onh' in the celcst la l spheres.accompanied by enl ightcncd Bodhisat tvas. Example: Vairocana in the -{ r ,arul r - i i rA,rSitra.

3. Nirmanakiya: thc ' incarnated body' o[ the tsuddha. In order to bencf i t ccr ta in

sent ient beings, a Buddha incarnates himscl f into an appropr iatc r . is ib le body, suchas that of Sikyamuni Buddha.

The incarnated body of the Buddha should not be confused u ' i th a magical lyproduccd Buddha. The lormer is a rcal , tangible human bodv * 'h ich has a def in i tclile span. The latter is an illusory Buddha-iorm which is produced with miraculouspowers and can be wi thdrawn wi th miraculous powcrs. Both t ,vpes of bodies aretranslated in Chinese as \bh, whereas in Tibetan rexts. the dist inct ion is rather

488 Nurtlrnrcar Grossany

clear: Nirmanak-ya is translatcd as sprul-sku, and a magical ly produced o"-.g asspfut-pd.

three doors to liberation. Liberation is possible only through these three realizations:1. AI I th ings are devoid of a sel f (empt incss).2. There are no objects to be pcrceived by sensc-organs (signlessness).3. No wish of any kind whatsoevcr rernains in the yogi's mind, lor hc no longer

nceds to strive for anything (wishlcssness).

three groups. People are divided into three groups according to their inclinations and views(or achievement) in the prcsent IiJe. They are: first, the group dccided to pursue bodhi;sccond, thc group decided to pursue othcr faiths; and third, the undecided group.

According to Buddhism, in the ultimate scnse every bcing will pursue bodhisooner or later, in this lile or in the future, and eventually will achieve suprentcenlightenmcnt. Therefore, pcople now bclonging to thc €iroup dccided to pursue otherlaiths or the undecided group will be in the first group in thcir future lives

Three Jewels.1. The Buddha-the supremcly enlightencd being.2. Thc L)harma-the teaching in.rparted by Buddha.3. The Sarhgha-the congrcgation of monks and nuns, or of genuine Dharma fol-

lowcrs.

These three are said to bejewels because they can protcct one, impart truth, and fulfillone's good wishcs, They arc also the refuges of Buddhist followers. Notc: A tsuddhistshould take refugc in thc ' jcwel- l ike"

Sar i rgha; i .e. , the enl ightcncd beings, nor or-dinary monks and nuns, though they should also be respcctcd.

thrce per iods of t i rne. The past , presenr, and l i r turc.

threc poisons. The major causes of sarhsaric suffering:1. Desire (Skt . kana, raga, or / rsrra-) : lust or greed. Broadly, to t ry to, ,get hold of '

sornething, and to have more and more of it. In its most specific sense, lrsna refersto sexual craving. Dcsirc can also mcan avar icc or any k ind of at tachment.

2. Hatred or anger (Skt . d lcsa): animosi ty, avcrs ion, re ject ion ofwhat d isplcases oneor infringes upon one's ego.

3. lgnorance or delusion (Skt. dridya, tnoha).. ln Hinayana, ignorancc implies holdingrvrong v iews-cl inging to nonsel f as scl f , etc. In Mahay-na, thcrc are two aspects:first, wrong kr.rowledge; and second, lack of knowledge. Wrong knowledge is thcsallle as the Hinayana concept. Lack of knowledge mcans all the hindrances toattaining the all-knowing wisdom ofBuddhahood. Thereforc, eradication ofigno-rancc or delusion in Mah-yina requires, on the onc hand, climination of wrongviews, and on thc other hand, thc posi t ive acquis i t ion of a l l -knowing wisdom.

three rerlms (of sarirsara). The Realm of Desirc, the Realm of Forrn, and the Realm of Form-lessness.

Sent ient beings l iv ing in the Rcalm of I )esi re possess lust , hatred, jealousy,infatuation, and other passions. Y/ithin this realm there are six dillcrent plancs ofexistence: gods, asuras, hurnans, aninrals, hungry ghosts, and hcl l -dwel lers.

The Rcalm of Form contains sixteen heavens inhabited by various celestialbcings who have certain accomplishments in one of the four dhy-nas of lorm.

The Realm of Formlcssness has four heavcns, inhabitcd by those with dilferentaccomplishments in onc of the lour dhyanas of formlcssness. The heavens both in thcRealm of Form and in that of Formlessness arc classified according to the depth ofdhyana attained in thcir lormer lives by the celestial beings who dwell there.

three vehic les. The threc paths to enl ightenment: the Sravaka-vchic le. thc Pratyekabuddha-vehicle, and the Bodhisattva-vehiclc (also callcd the Tathigata-vchicle).

NuuEnrcar Gr-ossanv 489

threc wheels. Three componcnts or spheres ofan act ion: the actor , the object of the act ion,and the person who is aflected by the action. For example, the three wheels of theaction "giving" arc: thc giver, the gift, and the recipient. All three, the tsuddhateaches, should be known as cmpty, devoid of self-nature. 'Wheels' suggests some-thing that may destroy as well as move: when performing an action, one should crushattachment to these three spheres and at the same time, by riding on the emptiness ofthe three wheels, move towards perfection.

four bases ofmiraculous powcrs. 1. Strong aspirat ion;2. v igor 3. intense concentrat ion; and4 . i n t ense con temp la t i on .

four continents. The four land areas centered around Mount Sumeru, according to ancientBuddhist cosmology: Jambudvipa in the south, Purvavideha in the east, Aparagodinain thc west. and uttarakuru in the north.

four currents. 1. Desire; 2. sarirsiric existence; 3. [wrong] views; and 4. ignorance. These arcthe defilements that sweep away the wholesomc dharmas and cause senticnt beings todrilt and drown in the "torrential stream" of sarhsira.

four demons Qnara). L. Defilements; 2. the aggregates; 3. dcath; and 4. the Mira of thcParanirmita-Va6avartin Heaven (the sixth heaven in the Realm of Desire). These fourare called demons because they bring suffering and impede one's Dharma-practice andliberation.

four deva k ings. The ru lers in thc four d i rcct ions of thc lowest of the heavcns in the Realm ofDesire. Their namcs arc: Vai6ravana (in the north), Dhnarastra (in thc east), Virudhaka(in the south), and Virupiksa (irr the west).

four dhyinas. Four stages ofmedi tat ion that correspond wi th the dhylna hcavcns \q.v. / :1. The f i rs t s tage, in which one exper iencesjoy and plcasure due to the re l inquish-

ment of desire and unwholesone thoughts.2. The second stage, in which one feels joy and pleasure due to concenrration (one-

pointedness of mind), with all thoughts overcome.3. The third stage, in which one dwells in subtle bliss due to the relinquishment of

Joy .4. The fourth stage, in which one experiences equanimity and pure awareness, and all

leel ings of joy and bl iss are absent.

four clcrrrcnts. Thc four basic constitucnts of matter: 1. earth (solid matter), 2. water (liquid),3. fire (heat), and 4. air (energy or motion).

lour fearlessnesses. There are two groups, one for Buddhas and one for Bodhisattvas.For a Buddha:1. f:arlessly realizing all things;2. fearlessly extinguishing all defilements;3. fearlessly expounding all obstructions to liberation; and4. fearlessly asserting the true path to liberation.For a Bodhisattva:1. fearlessly teaching the Dharma as he has learned it;2. fearlessly teaching the Dharma according to senticnt beings' different inclinations

and spiritual ills;3. fearlessly dealing with all arguments in teaching; and4. fearlessly resolving sentient beings' doubts.

four fruits. These are the four stages of enlightenment in the Hinayina path, namely, thestage of the Stream-cntercr, the Once-returner, the Nonreturner, and the Arhat (qq.v . ) .

490 NuuEnrcar Grossanv

four great oceans. In Buddhist cosmology, the four oceans on each of the four sides of Mt.Sumeru. In each ocean there is a continent (sec "four continents").

four heavy transgressions (for a monk). 1. Killing, 2. stealing, 3. sexual misconduct, and 4.ly ing.

four immeasurables. 1. Kindness (nai t r t ) ,2. compassion (karuna), 3. joy (mudi ta) , a 'd 4.equanimity (upek;a)

four inducements. The four methods by which a Bodhisattva attracts peoplc to the Dharma:1. g iv ing unspar ingly; 2. using pleasant words; 3. a lways help ing others; 4. comarade-ship and accommodation.

four kinds ofdcvotees. The four categories ofBuddhist followers: 1. monks (bfti&sus); 2. nuns(bhiksunts); 3. laymcn (upasakas); and .{. laywom en (upasikas).

four kinds of unhindered eloquence. 1. Unhindered eloquence in expressing the Dharma; 2.unhindered eloquence in explaining the mcaning of the Dharma; 3. unhindered com-mand of language; and 4. unhindered pleasure in preaching and debating the Dharma.

four kinds o[ unimpeded understanding. Thc same as rhe four kinds of unhindered elo-quencc, but taken from the viewpoint of the Bodhisattva's understanding.

four mindfulncsscs. 1. Mindfulness of thc body as impure; 2. mindfulness of fceling assuffering; 3. mindfulness of the mind as impermanent; and 4. mindfulness of dharmasas dependent, without self-entity.

four noble pract ices. To be contenr wi th: 1. s imple c loth ing;2. s imple sustenancc; 3. s implesleeping faci l i t ies; and 4. cul t ivat ion ofv i r tues and sever ing ofdet l lcmcnts.

four noble truths. The Four fundamental truths taught by Buddha:1. Life is suffering.

a. This is so, f i rs t , because any pleasure or happiness has an ending; thus pleasurcorjoy is a preludc to eventual sulfering. During thc experience oFpleasurc, oneis afraid oflosing it, causing amachment and suffering.

b. Most pleasures enjoycd by individuals involvc suffering lor other beings.c. In comparison with the ecstasy of samidhi and nirvalic joy, all sarirsiric plea-

sures are various forms of suffering. Therefore, fronr the vicwpoint of enlight-encd beings, all sari.rslra is a raging fire, including whatever "pleasure" existstherein. (Cf. the Buddha's famous Flre Sermon.)

2. Defilements are the cause of suffering.a. when desirc, the instinct to have and to posscss, is fulfilled, it merely leads to

further desire. Thus desire is bound to follow a pattern in which craving andgreed expand continuously.

b. Hatred, animosity, anger, jealousy, etc., are all instincts which exclude othersinstead ofincluding them. This increases clinging to ego and aversion to others.

c. Ignorance is the innate wrong view concerning the self and things: for exampleregarding the impermanenr as pcrmanent, what is really sulfering as joy, what isnot a self as a self, and what is impure as pure. Therefore, ignorance is the rootcause of all suffcring in sarhsira.

3. There is a state in which all suffering is ended. All enlightcned beings in Buddhismtestify that there is a state called nirvlna, which is forever free from all sufferingsand entanglements in sarirslra. It is a state beyond words and descriptions, yer rrcan approximately be said to be filled with peace, joy, and ultimate meaning.

4. There is a correct path that leads to the cessation ofsuffering.a. Discipline, or keeping the precepts, results in the avoidancc of thoughts and

actions which hinder one's spiritual progress.b. Through meditation (dhyana), ever-flowing discursive thoughts and passion-

desires can be controlled. The ordinary state of mind is transformed into a

NuulnrcRr Grossanv 191

luc id, ref lect ive, pure awareness. By the pract ice ofmedi tat ion, great yogic joy,

both physical and mental , is produced. One's inte l l igence, ins ight , compassion,and spiritual awakening arc cnhanced and elevatcd in all aspccts.

c. Through intuitive wisdom; all precepts and dhyanas are the foundation for thenondiscurs ive, penetrat ing wisdom to observc the t ruth of no-sel f (anatman). ln

Mahayana, the penetrating intuitive wisdom is applied not only to no-self, butalso to the Buddha-nature within and the totality of the dharmadhatu without.

Thus, by el iminat ing innate, inborn ignorance, one reaches enl ightenment.

four re l iances. 1. Rely ing on thc t ruc mcaning or spir i t of a Dharma statemcnt in a sutra, not

merely on the words of that statement; 2. relying on the teaching, not on any person;

3. relying on intuitive wisdom, not on intellectual understanding; and 4. relying on

sutras that g ive ul t imatc teachings, not on those which preach expedient teachings.

four r ight ef for ts. 1. Ending exist ing evi l ;2. prevent ing new evi l ;3. causrng new vi r tue; and

4. i : rcrcasir rg exist ing vrr tuc.

four wrong v iews. 1. Consider ing what is real ly impermanent to bc pcrmanent; 2. consider-

ing what is really suffcring to bcjoy; 3. considering what is not a selfto be a self; and

4. consider ing what is i rnpure to be pure.

lour yokes. An equivalent of thc " four currcnts" (q.v.) ; namely, desires, sarhsir ic existence,

lw rong l v i ews . and i gno rancc .

five aggregatcs. The aggregates of which a human being is composed are: form, feeling,

concept ion, i rnpulse, and consciousness. The physical body is made ofvar ious mate-

r ia ls wi th color , shapc, and so for th; i t belongs to the cate€iory of form. Pain, joy, etc.

bclong to the eggregate of feel ing. Conccpt ions arc thc not ions or abstract ideas

formulatcd by thc rnind. Impulses are the rnental drives, which include the will and all

kincis of crnotions. Consciousness is the faculty of awareness; for example , the eye-

consciousness is the laculty of awarcness of forms; thc car-consciousness, of sounds;

the nose-consciousness, of smells; the tonguc-consciousness, of tastes, and the mind-

consciousness, of dharmas. See also main Glossary, "aggregates."

fivc covcrs. Frvc dharmas that can "cover" the mind and prevent wholesome dharmas fromaris ing. They are: 1. desire;2. anger;3. drowsiness;4. exci tabi l i ty and remorsc; and 5.doubt.

five depravities (or five filths). Some historical periods, such as the present era, are times ofchaos and dcgcncration. The fivc are: 1. the filth ofkalpa, when the historical cycle isin a period of degeneration; 2. the filth of views, when all sorts of wrong views

prevail; 3. the filth of passions, when dcsirc, hatred, and other defilements are pre-dominant; 4. the filth of human condition, when peoplc are more often miserable thanhappy; and 5. the filth oilife span, when the human life span diminishes. or, \{'e nlavsay, when the leisure and opportunity to practice the l)harma become more rare.

five desires. See "five sensuous pleasures."

f ive grave of fenses. 1. Patr ic ide;2. matr ic ide; 3. k i l l ing an Arhat ; 4. mal ic iousl ,v causing the

Buddha to bleed; and 5. causing disharmony in the Sarirgha. Such offenses are said to

lead to birth in the Uninterrupted Hell.

f ive k inds of eyes. 1. The physical eye 2. the deva-eye of celest ia l beings, which can be

developed by humans through meditation and which can see even in darkness, at great

distances, and through obstacles; 3. the wisdom-eye, which sees the emptiness of all

things, is possessed by all enlightened beings, including Sravakas and Pratyekabud-

dhas; 4. the Dharma-eye of Bodhisattvas, which sees the truth of the Buddha's teach-

ing and all Dharma-doors; and 5. the Buddha-eye, which nondualistically sees every-

thing in its real nature, and which is possessed only by Buddhas.

192 Nuulnrcal Glossanr

f ive lay preceprs. The vows take'by lay Buddhists, prohib i t ing: 1. k i l l ing; 2. steal ing; 3.ly ing; 4. scxual misconduct ; and 5. intoxicat ion.

f ive miraculous powers. The f i rs t f ive of the s ix miraculous powcrs (q.v.) .f ive planes of exisrence ( in sarhsara). Usual ly s ix: the srares of being a god, an asura, a

hunan, an animal, a hr,ngry ghost, and a heil-dwcller. In the sequcnce of five, godsand asuras are grouped together. Sentient beings in sarhsara circle within these planesof existence according to their karma. To be libcrated is to be lreed from destinedrebirth in these planes.

five powers. Powers arising from thc five roots (q.v.).

6ve roots. 1. Fai th; 2. v igor; 3. mindfulness; 4. conccntrat ion; and 5. wisdom. lhey arecalled "roots" bccause they can give rise to other wholesome dharmas.

five sensuous plcasures. Sarhsiric delights of the senses: forms, sounds, scents, tastes, andtcxtures. The awakencd ones see thcm as impure and painful by nature, but ordinarysentient beings consider therl to be pleasurable

six consciousnesses. Thc consciousnesses associatcd with the eye, car, nose, tongue, body,and mind.

s ix k inds of quakes. Three of movement: shaking, r is ing, and surging; and three of sound:banging, roaring, ancl crackling.

s ix miraculous powers. 1. The deva-eye, supernatural v is ion capable ofseeing th ings even indarkness, at great distances, and through obstacles; 2. the deva-ear, supernatural hear-i 'g ; 3. the powcr to know others ' thoughts; 4. rhe powcr ro know ,h. p" . , l ives ofoncsel f and others; 5. the powcr to perform miracles. such as appear i 'g anywhe.e atwill; and 6. the power to totally eradicate defilerncnts.

srx p l ramitas. Paramita (q.v. in ( i lossary) means ' reaching the other shore ' , ,perfect ion ' ,

or'consummation' . Thcrc are usual ly s ix, and somet imcs ten, p i ramit is . Thc s ix (ex-

plained in many places irr the text) are the prramit-s oI giving, discipline (precepts),paticnce, vigor, rneditation (dhyana), and wisdom (pra,inn).

In thc case of ten prramitas, four more are added to thesc six, in order tocorrcspond with the ten stages of a Bodhisattva. The four are the paramitis of inge-nui ty, vows, powcr, and knowledge (7fra la) .

six periods. The six divisions of a day, three for daytime and three lor nighttime: the first,middle, and last parts of thc day (morning, r.idday, and afternoon); and the first,middlc, and last parts of thc n ight .

six sense-objects. Forms, sounds, smells, tastes, textures, and mental objects.six sense-organs. The cye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind.six wal's to foster harmony in a monastery. The cultivators of pure living in a monastery will

dwell in mutual respect and harmony if they do the following: L engagc in the samebodi ly deeds; 2. engage in the same verbal deeds;3. engage in the same mental decds;4. keep thc same precepts; 5. share material offerings; and 6. hold the same views. Thevery word for the monastic community (Sarhgha) implics harmony.

seven factors of enlightenmcnt. 1. Mindfulness; 2. discriminative investigation of Dharma; 3.v igor; 4. joy; 5. ease o[body and mind; 6. concentrat ion; and 7. equanimity.

seven trcasures. Gold, silver, lapis lazuli, crystal, agate, red pearl, and carnelian.For a universal monarch, the seven treasures are: the golden wheel; white

elephants; dark steeds; beautiful pearls; fine women; able ministcrs; and loyal generals.

eight adversities. The eight conditions which prevent one from seeing the Buddha or hearingthe Dharma: 1. rebir th in hel l ;2. rebir th as a hungry ghost ; 3. rebir th as an animal ; 4.rebirth in LJttarakuru (the continent where liG is easy, so that one who lives there is

\ i , r r rRrc r r GrossrRr 193

not nrot l \ J t r 'd :c s. . ' { I ) r ; rn- . : . 5 rebrr th tn the long- l i tc heavens (rvhere one is a lsonot mot ivated to seek Dharma):6. rebir th rv i th impaired facul t iest 7. rebir th as au'or ld ly phi losopher c lever at sophistry; and 8. rebir th in a wor ld where there is noBuddha.

c i gh t d i v i s i ons o fd i v i n i t i e s . 1 . Gods (devas ) , 2 . d ragons (n i gas ) , 3 . yaksas ,4 . gandha rvas ,5 .asuras, 6. garudas, 7. k innaras, and 8. mahoragas. (For descr ipt ions of each of thesebeings, see main Glossary.)

eightlold libcration. Liberation lrom attachment to forms and desires through eight kinds ofmedi tat ion:1. Because of having an internal scnsual desire for pleasant forms, the yogi meditates

on extenral impure forms.2. Having no intcrnal dcsirc for forms, the yogi meditates on cxternal forms in order

to stabl izc thc v is ion of impur i t ies.3. Since there is no intpurity remaining, the yogi meditates on pure light of dillerent

colors.4. The yogi medi tates on endless space.5. The yogi nieditates on infinitc consciousness.(r. The yogi meditates on nothing whatsocver.7. The yogi meditates on ncithcr conception nor nonconception.8. The yogi experiences thc cessation of conception and feeling.

c ight fo ld noblc path- Thc f r rndamcntr l tcrching of Sakyamuni Buddha; the path to l iberat ion:l. Right view: understandirrg the four noble truths (q.v.) and having pcnctrativc

i ns i gh t i u ro r ea l i t y ( e rnp t r r r ess ) .

2. Right thouqht: having only thoughts which are unsclfish, loving, and nonviolent.3. Right spccch: abstcntion from lying, slander, harsh or abusive language, and idlc

chattcr.4. Right action: conducting onesclf in moral, peaceful, and honorable ways, and

keeping the basic precepts.

5. Right livelihood: living honorably by a profession which is in no way harmful tosenr ienr beings. and avoiding such l ivel ihoods as t rading in wcapons, intoxicants,or poisons.

6. Right cffort: following the four right efforts (q.v.).7. Right mindfulness: practicing thc fonr mindfulnesses (q.v.).8. Right conccntration: developing onc's mcditation according to rhe lour dhyanas

( q . u . )

These eight are somet imes c lassi f icd in three groups: cth ical conduct ( r ight speech,action, and livclihood); rnental discipline (rrght effort, mindfulness, and concentra-t ion); and wisdom (r ight v iew and thought) .

e ight mer i ts (said ofwater) . 1. Clar i ty and c leanl iness;2. coolncss;3. su 'eerness;4. l ightnt-ss;5. moistening power; 6. abi l i ty to g ive cornfor t , 7. abi l i t i ' to qucnch th i rst ; and 8.ability to improve hcalth.

e ight specia l precepts. Vows which may be taken by lay Buddhists for a da1 's span or longer:

1. not k i l l ing; 2. not steal ing; 3. not engaging in sexual act iv i ty ; 4. not l ,v ing; 5. nott ak i ng i n t ox i can t s : 6 . no t s i ng i r r g . danc ing . o r wea r i r r g o rnamer ) t s ; 7 . no t s i t t i ng o rslecping on a high bed; and 8. not eating aftcr noon.

eight worldly winds. Four pairs of influences which hindcr one's Dharma-practice: praise andblarnc, gain and loss, happiness and suffering, and fame and ridicule.

ten directions. The eight points of the compass (north, south, east, west, northeast, south-east, northwest, and southwest), plus the zenith and nadir. "ln the ten directions" is af igurat ive term meaning " in a l l space."

494 Nuurrrcar Grossanv

ten evil deeds. 1. Killing, 2. stealing, 3. sexual misconduct, 4. lying, 5. harsh speech, 6.words causing rifts, 7. frivolous chatter, 8. covetousness, 9. ill will and 10. holdingwrong v iews.

ten good deeds. Abstain ing f rom each of the ten evi l deeds (q.v.) .

ten piramitis. The six piramitas (q.v.) plus: ingenuity, vows, power, and knowledge.

ten powers. There are two groups, one for Bodhisattvas and one for tsuddhas.For tsodhisattvas, the ten are: 1. the power of profound aspiration; 2. the

power ofever-increasing profound aspiration; 3. the powcr ofingenuity; 4. the powerof wisdom; 5. the power of vows; 6. the power of vehicle; 7. the power of practice; 8.the power of miracuious feats; 9. the power o[ enlightenment; and 10. the power ofturning the Dharma-wheel.

For a Buddha:1. He knows wisely, as i t real ly is , the possib le to be possib lc, and the impossib le to

be impossib le.2. He knows wisely, as they really are, thc karmic results of past, future, and present

actions, and of the undertaking of actions with regard to place and cause.3. He knows wisely, as thcy really are, the various elements in the world.4. He knows wisely, as thcy rcally are, the various dispositions of other beings and

persons.

5. He knows wisely, as they rcally are, the higher and lower faculties o[other beingsand persons.

6. He kr.rows wisely, as it really is, tl.re way that leads everywhcrc.7. He knows wisely, as they really arc, thc tranccs, dcliverances, conccntrations, and

meditational attainmcnts, as well as their defilements, purifications, and the con-di t ions i r r which thcy arc wel l establ ished in pur i ty .

8. He recollects his various previous livcs.9. With his deva-eye, he knows the decease and rebirth of berngs as they rcally arc.

10. Through ext inct ion of the out f lows, hc dwcl ls in the at ta inment of thc l iberat ionof his heart and wisdom, which is u'ithout outflows, and which has, in this verylife, been well krrown and realized by hinself.

Anothcr source gives the lollowing list for the ten powers of a Buddha:1. He knows wisely, as i t real ly is , what is r ight or wrong.2. He knows wisely, as thcy real ly arc, the causc and el fcct of the karmic rcsul ts of

pJst . Prcscnt . anel futurc.3. He knows wisely, as they real ly arc, thc order and grades of a l l dhyinas, l ibera-

tions. sarridhis. and other nreditational attainments.4. Hc knows wiscly, as they really arc, thc higher and lowcr faculties of sentient

bcings.5. He knorvs wisely, as thcy rcal ly are, the var ious undcrstandings and aspirat ions of

sent ient beings.6. He knows wisely, as they real ly are, the var ious condi t ions and c i rcur.nstanccs of

sentient beings.7. He knows x'isely, as thcy rcally are, which ways and pratices lead to which

dest inat ions and conscqucnces (rebir th as a human, a god, etc. , or at ta inment ofsainthood), and also the causc and el lect ofsuch courses.

8. Hc rcmcmbers, as they real ly arc, past l ives.9. With h is deva-eye, he knows wisely, as i t rcal ly is , the decease and rebir th of

sent ient beings, and the matur i ty of good and evi l karnta in future l ives.10. He knows wisely, as it really is, the present cxtinction of clefiler.ncnts by hirnself

and othcrs.

Nuurrucal Grossanr ,195

ten stages of a Bodhisat tva. These ten stages (Skt . bhnm) are thc ten lcvels of Bodhisat6 'aenl ightment: i . the Stage ofGreatJoy;2. the Stage ofsta in less pur i tyr 3. the Stage ofI l luminat ion; 4. the Stage of Intensc wisdom; 5. the Stagc of l 'v inc ib lc Strength; 6.the Stage of Direct Presence; 7. the Far-Reaching Stage; f3. the Stage of ImmovableSteadfastness; 9. the Stage of Mer i tor ious wisdom; and 10. the Stase of the DharmaCloud.

twelve entrances. The s ix sense-orga.s (cye, ear, nose, tongue, bocly, and mind) and theircorresponding objects (forms, sounds, scents, tastes, texturcs, and nrental obiects). Seealso main Glossary, "aggregates_"

twelve links ofdependent origination (Skt. dvadaiahga-prdtttya-saflutpaTa). Intcrlinkcd lactorsof sarhsara: ignorance, act ion, consciousness, name and lorm, thc s ix sense-orsans.contacr, feel ing, craving, grasping, bccoming, b i r th, and old age and death.

eighteen elenelrts-(Jsually translated as 'eightcen realms', but this translation is misleadilg.

The eighteen arc: a. thc s ix sense-organs (cyc, ear, nose, tonguc, bodv, and rn ind); b.thc six sense-objects (forrns, sounds, scents, tastes, tcxtures, and mental objects); andc. rhe s ix consciousncsses (associated wi th the s ix organs).

Actual ly , thcre are s i r " realr 's ," each composed ofan orga. , an object , and aconsciousness ( for example, the eye, form, and thc eve-consciousness const l tute onerealm). Since there are s ix such realms, each composed of three elements, a bet tert ratrs lat ion of the term lor the ent i rc group is 'e ightccn

elements ' , rathcr than'c iqhteenrealrr rs ' .

Thc cighteen elernents should not be confused with the four clements of rlat-ter , r .e. , car th, water , f i re, and ai r . See also main Glossary, . .aggrcgates. ' ,

e ightccn uniquc qual i t ies ofa Buddha. Thcsc eightccn v i r rues are exhib i ted cxclusivelv by af i . r l ly enl ightened Buddha: 1. uncrr ing bodi ly act ions;2. unerr ing verbal act io ls;3.une r r i ng t t t e r t t a l r r t i on r ; 4 . impa r t i . r l i t y l 5 . r r evc r l os i ng concen t ra t i o r r : f r . r cn ta i n i ngequaninrous in spi tc of h is awareness of a l l dharmas; 7. unla i l ing zeal ; g. unla i l ingcl i l igcnce; 9. unfai l ing mindfulness; 10. unl) i l ing wisdorn; 11. unla i l i lg l iberat ion; 12.unfailing knowledgc and awareness derivcd from liberation; 13. all bodily dccds guidcclby wisdom; 14. a l l verbal deeds guided by wrsdorn; 15. a l l n. rental deeds guided byrv isdom; 16. unimpeded knowledgc of the past ; 17. unimpedccl knowlcdgc of thcpresent; 18. unimpcded knowledge of thc futurc.

th i r ty- two auspic ious s igns. The major s igns adorning the v is ib le bodv of a But ldha or thatof a ,n iversal monarch. Some examplcs are: a protubcrancc on thc crown; a cur l ing,whi te harr between the eyebrows; a goldcn complexio, ; a long, broacl tonguc: a haloten feet in radius; even, c lose, whi te teeth; an excel lcnt voice, c, tc .

th l r ty-seven ways to bodhi- Thcse are: a. the four nt indfulncsses; b. the four r ight cf for ts: c .thc four bases of miraculous powers; d. thc f ive roots; c. the 6vc pou'crs: f . thc sevenfactors of enl ightenmcnt; and g. the eight fo ld t ioblc path. (See dcf in i t ro ls of cachgroup, l is ted separately. )

s ixtv- two [wrong] v iews. A group of doctr incs based on the v icw of a sel f .

e ighty minor s igns. tsodi ly at t r ibutcs of a Buddha, morc subr le than thc th i r tv- two auspi-c ious s igns. Examples: coppcr-colorcd nai ls , th in and lustrous; long, s letrdcr f ingcrs;

496 Nunrnrcal Grossanv

vouthful cornplexion; a sol t body; l ips colored l ikc a red, br ight gourd; lace l ike a fu l l ,c lear moon; emit t ing f ragrance f rom the porcs and mouth; deportmert as awesonlc asthat ofa l ion; graccful and stcady gai t , etc. ,

b i l l ion-r i or ld univcrse.a Onc of the innumerable systems in tsuddhist cosmology, contain ing a bi l l ion wor lds

or solar systems. Each wor ld has i ts sun and moon, Mount Sumcru, e ight concen-tric rings of mountains separated by eight concentric rings of oceans, and fourinhabited contincnts. A world reaches up to the first dhyana heaven in the Realm ofForm.

b. A thousand wor lds const i ture a thousand-wor ld univcrse, which reaches up tothe second dhylna heaven. A thousand thousand-wor ld universcs const i tutc a mi l -lion-world universe, which reaches up to the third dhyina heavcn. A thousandmillion-world universcs constitute a billion-world univcrse, which rcaches up tothe lourth dhyina hcaven, thc highcst heaven in thc ll.calnr of Form.