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འཕགས་པ་དག་བའ་རྩ་བ་ཡངས་ས་འཛན་པ་ཞས་བྱ་བ་ཐག་པ་ཆན་པའ་མད 1

Upholding the Roots of Virtue 1

Language
English

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Chapter 1

The Setting

Homage to all the buddhas and bodhisattvas!

Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was at the Kalandaka­nivāpa in the Veṇuvana, near Rājagṛha—an abode for those who practice concentration, an abode for those who do not abide, an abode for those who dwell in emptiness, an abode for those who dwell in signlessness, and an abode for those who dwell in wishlessness. The Blessed One was there together with a great saṅgha of one hundred thousand monks, all of whom talked only little, remained in solitude, and diligently practiced meditative seclusion.

At one point the venerable Śāradvatī­putra rose from his meditative seclusion

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and went before the Blessed One. He bowed his head to the Blessed One’s feet and then sat to one side. Likewise did the venerable Mahā­maudgalyā­yana, the venerable Mahākātyāyana, the venerable Mahākauṣṭhila, the venerable Kapphiṇa, the venerable Mahācunda, the venerable Subhūti, the venerable Amogharāja, the venerable Vāṣpa, the venerable Nanda, the venerable Ānanda, the venerable Nandaka, the venerable Kimbhīra,⁶ the venerable Upagupta, the venerable Nārada, the venerable Vasiṣṭha,⁷ the venerable Mokila, and the venerable Upāli, along with five hundred others who had all gained mastery. They all now rose from their afternoon meditation session and went before the Blessed One, bowed their heads to his feet, and sat to one side.

A party including the venerable Yaśodatta, the venerable Dhṛtarāṣṭra, the venerable Marutpūjita,⁸ the venerable Yaśaskāma, the venerable Nandisena, the venerable Nandikāma, and five hundred other monks had been traveling from Śrāvastī where they had spent the rainy season. Now they arrived at the Kalandaka­nivāpa in the Veṇuvana by Rājagṛha. They also went before the Blessed One, bowed their heads to his feet,

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and sat to one side.

At that time another party consisting of the bodhisattva great being Ajita and one thousand bodhisattvas like him were likewise on the way from Campā where they had stayed during the rains retreat. When they arrived at the Kalandaka­nivāpa in the Veṇuvana by Rājagṛha they also went before the Blessed One, bowed their heads to his feet, and sat to one side.

Traveling at that time were also the bodhisattva great beings Bhadrapāla, Ratnākara, Susārthavāha, Guhagupta, Naradatta, Indradatta, Varuṇa, Brahmādeva, Balabhadra, Viśeṣamati, Vardhamānamati, Amoghadarśin, Susaṃ­prasthita, Suvi­krānta­vikrāmin, Nityo­dyukta, Anikṣiptadhura, Sūryagarbha, Jagatīṃdhara, Dharaṇīṃdhara, Amṛtaṃdhara, Susthitamati, Anantamati, Dṛḍhamati, Trailo­kyavi­krāmin, Anantavikrāmin, Apra­meya­vikrāmin, Vajra­pada­vikrāmin, Amogha­pada­vikrāmin, Acala­pada­vikrāmin, Mahāpratibhāna, Tīkṣṇa­prati­bhāna, Gambhīra­pratibhāna, Ananta­pratibhāna, Aprameya­prati­bhāna, Mañjuśrī­kumāra­bhūta, Padmaśrīgarbha, Dharmodgata, Ratnapāṇi, Ratnadhara, Bearer of the Armor for Infinite Eons, Bearer of the Armor of Female Forms, Bearer of the Armor of Male Forms, Bearer of the Armor of the Forms of Sentient Beings, Infinite Leader, Unfathomable Leader, and Leader Destroying All Reference Points.

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All these bodhisattva great beings had equally donned the armor of activity, and while they had observed the rains retreat at different locations, they were now gathered in one group, and so they also arrived at the Kalandaka­nivāpa in the Veṇuvana by Rājagṛha. Upon their arrival, they went before the Blessed One, bowed their heads to his feet, and sat to one side.

Knowing that this gathering of bodhisattva great beings had assembled, the Blessed One performed a miraculous feat. Thus, by the doing of the Blessed One, all the monks and nuns, as well as all the male and female lay practitioners, who were present near the Kalandaka­nivāpa in the Veṇuvana by the city of Rājagṛha now approached the grove and the place where the Blessed One was. They came there in order to see the Blessed One, pay him their respect, and offer him their worship. As they arrived before him, they each bowed their heads to the feet of the Blessed One, and then sat to one side.

At that time Mahākāśyapa was dwelling in the Indra­śailaguha cave on Vaidehaka Mountain together with five hundred monks. They were all forest dwellers, receivers of alms, wearers of refuse rags, wearers of the three Dharma robes, upright dwellers, users of the grass mat, dwellers at the foot of trees, men of few desires, men of contentment, recluses, and wearers of inferior Dharma robes. Now, as the Blessed One effected his miraculous deed, Mahākāśyapa and the five hundred monks disappeared from the Indra­śailaguha cave on Vaidehaka Mountain and emerged at the Kalandaka­nivāpa in the Veṇuvana by Rājagṛha. Such was the Blessed One’s miraculous activity.

Perceiving the venerable Mahākāśyapa’s arrival from afar,

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the Blessed One said to his monks, “Monks, the elder Mahākāśyapa, who has just arrived, is a forest dweller, a receiver of alms, a wearer of refuse rags, a wearer of the three Dharma robes, a wearer of inferior Dharma robes, a hermit, a man of few desires, a man of contentment, a recluse, an incorruptible one, and a master of the entire Dharma. Monks, in terms of the ascetic practices, all my hearers should be equal or comparable to the monk Mahākāśyapa. Monks, since the monk and wearer of the three Dharma robes, Mahākāśyapa, does not even wish to speak with the gods, what need is there to mention his disinterest in human conversation.”

When the Blessed One saw Mahākāśyapa arriving from afar, he said, “Kāśyapa, come here. Be welcome here, Kāśyapa. Ah, the elder Kāśyapa has traveled far to be here. Take this free seat, Kāśyapa.” As soon as the Blessed One had thus given a seat to the elder Kāśyapa, the Blessed One caused a tremor to arise from that seat, so that the entire trichiliocosm quivered, shivered, and trembled; vibrated, quaked, and moved; and rattled, shook, and convulsed. At the same time, the world became engulfed in a great light. Just as a jar of alloyed metal produced in Magadha emits a deep, reverberating sound when it is struck with an iron hammer, so too from the tremor arising from the seat he had just given to the venerable Mahākāśyapa, the Thus-Gone One, the Worthy One, the Truly and Completely Awakened One likewise now caused a great sound to reverberate throughout the entire trichiliocosm.

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The venerable Mahākāśyapa then draped his Dharma robe over one shoulder, knelt on his right knee, and, bowing toward the Blessed One, joined his palms in respect. He approached the Blessed One, bowed his head to the Blessed One’s feet, and said, “Blessed One, you are my teacher, and I am your hearer. Thus, for us hearers it would not be appropriate to enjoy the Dharma robe, alms bowl, cushion, or any other object used by the Blessed One, the Thus-Gone One, the Worthy One, the perfect Buddha himself. And why is that so? Because, Blessed One, for the entire world including its gods, humans, and demigods these serve as a basis for worship.⁹ Nor, Blessed One, shall I use the refuse rags that the Blessed One dons, because such garments serve as a basis for the worship of the Blessed One.

“Blessed One, from now on I shall not entertain any thoughts of desire, ill will, or malice. I shall not bring to mind any of the torments of desire, anger, or delusion. Blessed One, in short, for as long as I train, and until I have reached the ground of no more training, I shall place the Blessed One’s refuse rags at the crown of my head. Blessed One, such garments I do not receive for my enjoyment but for the sake of practicing the instructions and advice. Blessed One, as I take up such garments I think myself neither superior nor inferior. Blessed One, I do not think of the

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refuse rags as something to be worn on the body in the absence of Dharma robes. Blessed One, I do not think of the refuse rags as something that should be touched by unwashed hands. Blessed One, wherever I may be, I will always prostrate to the refuse rags. Blessed One, I do not think of the refuse rags as something that should be touched by any unclean limb. Blessed One, I bear the refuse rags as a basis for worship. Blessed One, that which I bear is what the Blessed One has relinquished and granted.

“Apart from the recollection of the buddhas, I do not engage in any attainment for the sake of abiding in some other state. As for the way that I abide, I do not identify earth as earth, water as water, fire as fire, or wind as wind. I do not have any notion of either this world or something that is beyond it. Blessed One, I do not form any notion about anything seen, heard, distinguished, cognized, conceived, or contemplated. Blessed One, the state free from perception, the state of the attainment free from perception, the state of the transcendence of perception, the state of the transcendence of freedom from perception, the state of perception, the state without perception, as well as the state of training and the state of no more training—none of these do I truly perceive. Blessed One, within this state I do not perceive any thus-gone ones, any qualities of the thus-gone ones,

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nor any state of the thus-gone ones. That is how I abide.

“Blessed One, take as an analogy the various names, signs, and designations for open space. Blessed One, in terms of such an application of names, signs, and designations, we may say ‘space’ and so employ a convention, sign, or representation. Blessed One, likewise, just as we may speak of ‘space,’ we may also say ‘the open,’ ‘the empty,’ ‘the void,’ ‘the hollow,’ ‘the essenceless,’ ‘the ungraspable,’ ‘the limitless,’ ‘the unsupported,’ ‘that which cannot be adopted,’ ‘that which cannot be discarded,’ ‘the bodiless,’ ‘the actual,’ ‘the completely pure,’ ‘mid-air,’ ‘the unimpeded,’ ‘the insubstantial,’ ‘what cannot be shown’—or any other such convention. Nevertheless, Blessed One, no name, sign, or representation can be employed to successfully delineate, determine, compare, or distinguish space. Blessed One, wherever we may look, we will not find any color, shape, or objective referent whereby space can be demarcated or contained.

“Similarly, Blessed One, we may say ‘the Thus-Gone One,’ ‘the Buddha,’ ‘the Teacher,’ ‘the Refuge,’ ‘the Protector,’ ‘the Support,’ ‘the Guide,’ ‘the Leader,’ ‘the Perfect Leader,’ ‘the Doctor,’ ‘the Healer,’ ‘the Revealer of the Path,’ ‘the Teacher of the Path,’ or make use of some other name or convention.

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In that way the learned may praise, venerate, extol, laud, and applaud the Blessed One. Yet whichever mundane quality they may express through words and conventions in this way, this will not make me cognize, regard, or perceive the Blessed One. And why is that so? Because, Blessed One, all phenomena are by nature hollow and without essence.

“Blessed One, take the analogy of a magician who conjures a universal monarch—a king who has received the royal anointment, is the master of the four divisions of the army, and is in possession of the seven precious treasures. Blessed One, that magically produced monarch may then be engaged in the subjugation of all the beings that inhabit that universe of four continents, and he may succeed in vanquishing that infinite amount of beings. Blessed One, the monarch’s body is distinct, and the bodies of the sentient beings are likewise seen as distinct. However, Blessed One, the magically conjured universal monarch will certainly not be thinking, ‘I shall be the master of this great army! I shall rule this world of four continents!’ And the four divisions of the army will certainly also not be thinking, ‘That universal monarch is our leader, so we must follow him!’ And yet they do follow him.

“Similarly, Blessed One, that which is the intrinsic nature of phenomena does not exist as a blessed thus-gone one, a hearer, someone training, someone not training, a solitary buddha, or an ordinary being. Blessed One, within the intrinsic nature there is

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no observation, perception, or apprehending of the thus-gone ones’ intrinsic nature. There is no observation, perception, or apprehending of the solitary buddhas’ intrinsic nature. There is no observation, perception, or apprehending of the hearers’ intrinsic nature. There is no observation, perception, or apprehending of ordinary beings’ intrinsic nature. There is no observation, perception, or apprehending of the intrinsic nature of form. Likewise, there is no observation, perception, or apprehending of the intrinsic nature of feeling, perception, formation, or consciousness. Blessed One, within the intrinsic nature, form is empty, form is empty thereby, and within that there is no observation of empty form. Likewise, herein feeling, perception, formation, and consciousness are also all empty, they are empty thereby, and within that there is no observation of them as empty. Similarly, herein the thus-gone one is empty, the thus-gone one is empty thereby, and within that there is no observation of the thus-gone one as empty. In the same way, the intrinsic nature of the thus-gone one is empty, the intrinsic nature of the thus-gone one is empty thereby, and within that there is no observation of the intrinsic nature of the thus-gone one as empty. Blessed One, in the same way, there is no hearer either, and no intrinsic nature of the hearer. There is no ordinary being and no intrinsic nature of the ordinary being.

“Blessed One, in the analogy of the magically produced universal monarch and his divisions of the army, there is neither any universal emperor nor any divisions of the army.

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They are not to be found within the illusion itself, the intrinsic nature of the illusion, or within the magician. They are not in earth, not in water, not in fire, not in wind, not in space, and not in consciousness. They are not within the elements of earth, water, fire, wind, or space. Nor are they within the element of consciousness. Blessed One, all phenomena are this way. Blessed One, I do not think about them, I do not produce them, and I do not speak of them. Blessed One, as I am in this way disengaged from desirable qualities, I recollect the qualities of the thus-gone ones.

“Blessed One, this is the path, this is the way. The noble sons and daughters who abide upon and have attained this path will not think, ‘I must engage in other trainings. I must search for other teachers. I shall follow other mendicants or brahmins as they teach. That other venerable one knows with insight, sees with vision, and applies the true view with mastery.’ Such thinking is not appropriate. Blessed One, since I have become certain about this, that is how I am. Since I have attained that gateway of the Dharma, that is how I am. This is how all phenomena are: they all share the same nature in terms of their voidness and unborn nature.

“Blessed One, I wish to bring my doubts about the Dharma before the Thus-Gone One, the Worthy One, the perfect Buddha, and as the Thus-Gone One has given me the opportunity, I have come here to the Kalandaka­nivāpa from the Indra­śailaguha cave. Blessed One,

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I am here, and the Blessed One has granted me a seat. When he granted me a seat, this entire trichiliocosm reverberated and the ground trembled and shook in six ways.

“Blessed One, this is how I think: The Thus-Gone One is a tremendously great being in possession of the Dharma, the vast Dharma. Without any master, the Thus-Gone One is self-arisen, and yet he follows the way of great compassion. Free of special pride, without any pride, he has granted me a seat. This, I find, is a wonder.

“Blessed One, I think of the analogy of a poor man, who has been struggling to maintain the most basic livelihood. That man may toil hard and so end up with a fine home. At that point he may go before a king who has received the royal anointment and is the commander of an army of four divisions—he may go before such a king in order to see him, prostrate before him, pay him respect, and ask him questions. If, when the man arrives, the king then offers him a free seat the man will think, ‘I came here to see the king and pay my respects to him. Even an opportunity just to see the king and prostrate before him is rare, let alone the prospects of being able to ask him questions. Still, as soon as I arrived, this monarch who has received the royal anointment granted me a free seat. What a wonder this is!’

“Blessed One, you are the king of Dharma, a thus-gone one, a worthy one, a perfect buddha, self-arisen and without master. How may I wish what even for hearers and solitary buddhas is hard to achieve and hard to imagine, let alone for the world of gods, humans, and demigods? How is it that have I come here—before the Thus-Gone One, the Worthy One, the perfect Buddha—to ask questions on the Dharma, to behold you, to prostrate, and to pay you my respects?

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Blessed One, this is how I think: I have succeeded in seeing the Thus-Gone One. I have succeeded in prostrating to him. I have succeeded in paying him my respects. I have succeeded in addressing him. I have succeeded in addressing him in full. As I now stand before the Blessed One, he has granted me a free seat. Indeed, my success is of the finest sort.

“Blessed One, when the poor man beholds the universal monarch he is filled with wonder, and, Blessed One, I too must marvel. Blessed One, this is how I think: The Thus-Gone One is endowed with great love, great compassion, great joy, and great equanimity. The qualities that the Thus-Gone One possesses are only his, the Teacher’s, and no one else’s. Yet the Thus-Gone One does not think himself special, supreme, or superior. What a wonder this is. I think of how the buddha qualities that belong to the Thus-Gone One, the Worthy One, the perfect Buddha are not shared by any hearer or solitary buddha.”

The Blessed One then spoke to the venerable Mahākāśyapa: “That is right, Kāśyapa, that is right. Kāśyapa, you are right. Kāśyapa, the thus-gone ones are boundless and endowed with boundless qualities. It is impossible to measure the extent of their generosity, and their transcendent generosity, and so on, through to their insight and their transcendent insight. Their aspiration, their transcendent aspiration, their means, their transcendent means, their activity, their transcendent activity,

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their liberation, their transcendent liberation, their vision of liberated wisdom, and their vision of transcendent liberated wisdom—these are all immeasurable.

“Kāśyapa, four factors pertain to the thus-gone ones’ unequaled wisdom. Due to their possession of those four factors, the thus-gone ones bring forth the lion’s roar in the midst of their retinue. Which are those four? They are the equality of discipline, the equality of absorption, the equality of insight, and the equality of buddha qualities. Kāśyapa, whoever is endowed with this fourfold wisdom of equality is a thus-gone one who proclaims the lion’s roar in the midst of their retinue.”

The Blessed One then spoke the following verses:

“Buddhas throughout inconceivable worlds,
Endowed with the infinite wisdom of buddhahood,
Have purified the actions of the mind,
And so proclaim the lion’s roar.

“In letting the lion’s roar resound,
They terrify the extremists,
Who when hearing of phenomena’s intrinsic nature
Fall into the abyss.

“Those harboring the notion of self
And the notion of a sentient being—
Kāśyapa, such beings I declare
To be extremists in terms of this teaching.

“Those keeping the notion of an entity
And of ‘my self’—
Kāśyapa, such beings I declare
To be extremists in terms of this teaching.

“Those deluded beings
Who conceitedly consider themselves disciplined,
Concentrated, and learned—
Those are extremists, Kāśyapa.

“ ‘I am content and have few desires;
I remain in solitude
And adhere to the simplest of Dharma robes’—
Those who think this are extremists, Kāśyapa.

“Take the analogy of space:
When a hand moves through space, it is unobstructed.
Moreover, as for space,
It can never be stained by dust.

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“Likewise, Kāśyapa, those who practice
This Dharma that I have taught
Will not be stained by the afflictions;
It is just as with space and dust, or clouds.

“People may offer flowers and incense,
Or garlands and ointments to the sky,
Yet the sky will not keep track, thinking,
‘Offerings that arise and cease are made to me.’

“Space will not be stained,
Its nature will not be stained—
Its nature is devoid of any essence.
To mendicants, so are all empty phenomena.

“Space will not be threatened,
Nor will it ever be abused—
To mendicants, this is how all phenomena are.
Like space, they cannot be tarnished by anything.

“Mendicants who train well in this Dharma,
While also showing others the points of training,
Will never develop attachments.
These I declare to be well-trained mendicants.

“Just as space cannot be blocked by the hand,
Nor sullied by dust or smoke,
And just as its path cannot be altered,
So are mendicants who trust the Dharma accordingly.¹⁰

“Across the cloudless sky
The moon travels unhindered,
Yet it does so without thinking,
‘I shall illumine this space.’

“Likewise, when, free from agitation, moon-like mendicants
Visit the households of benefactors
Their minds should be liberated, free from excitement and pride,
And unstained by any mundane phenomenon.

“Having abandoned pride they thus visit the households,
And once there they speak the Dharma.
Having given up desire for pleasures and acquisitions,

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They live in the world by pure discipline.”

The Blessed One then spoke to Mahākāśyapa: “Stand up, Kāśyapa. Stand up and go take your seat. Kāśyapa, whatever doubts you may have about the Dharma, you must bring them before the Thus-Gone One. Kāśyapa, I shall answer your questions and delight your mind.”

The venerable Mahākāśyapa then rose from where he had been kneeling, bowed his head to the feet of the Blessed One, and took a place at one side. Once more the Blessed One performed a miraculous act, so that all the monks and nuns as well as all the male and female lay practitioners in Jambudvīpa now came to the Kalandaka­nivāpa in the Veṇuvana by Rājagṛha. They approached the site where the Blessed One was, and as they arrived, they bowed their heads to the Blessed One’s feet and then sat to one side.

Miraculously, the Blessed One next caused all the monks, nuns, male lay practitioners, female lay practitioners, gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, demigods, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas to enter the Kalandaka­nivāpa in the Veṇuvana and, as they entered, this limitless and boundless mass of beings gained insight. The Blessed One then proceeded to perform more miraculous acts. Thereby, from the entire trichiliocosm, the four great kings, King Śakra of the gods, Brahmā, Mahābrahmā, as well as all the divine sons of the heavens of Luminosity, Unlofty, No Hardship, Excellent Vision, and Unexcelled arrived at the Kalandaka­nivāpa in the Veṇuvana by Rājagṛha due to the power of the Buddha. As they arrived, they proceeded to the place where the Blessed One was residing.

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Having bowed their heads to the Blessed One’s feet, they sat to one side, facing the Blessed One with their palms joined in homage.

The Blessed One then performed further miraculous acts. Thus, by the power of the Buddha, there now appeared the kings of the nāgas—Sāgara, Anavatapta, Kambaleśvara, Gautama, Nanda, Upananda, Manasvin, Takṣaka, Sundara, and Elapatra—accompanied by a billion other nāgas. They all went before the Blessed One, bowed their heads to his feet in homage, and sat to one side.

In this way, by the power of the Buddha, such a vast gathering of gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, demigods, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, monks, nuns, and male and female lay practitioners had now come together at the Kalandaka­nivāpa in the Veṇuvana. Everyone entered the grove and took a place there without any anxiety about one another. Such was the Blessed One’s miraculous activity.

The Blessed One now addressed the venerable Maudgalyāyana: “Maudgalyāyana, stand up and prepare a seat for the Thus-Gone One. Seated there, the Thus-Gone One shall deliver the Dharma discourse known as ‘Cutting Through All Doubts.’ He will display the activity that fulfills the wishes of all sentient beings. He will deliver a teaching of the Dharma that satisfies all sentient beings. He will reveal the ocean seal that leads all sentient beings to merge with the Dharma. He will explain how to accomplish the activities of all bodhisattva great beings.

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He will explain the way to cultivate the qualities of the buddhas. He will explain the practices that bring sentient beings to maturity. He will explain how to practice transcendent generosity up until transcendent insight. He will explain the practice of the door to the way of all phenomena. He will show the accomplishment of the lord of all beings. He will show the accomplishment of the activities pertaining to the states of all beings. He will satisfy the four retinues. He will satisfy the retinue of gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, demigods, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas. He will teach just a fraction of the wisdom that is unhindered and unimpeded with regard to past, present, and future. He will teach just a fraction pertaining to the ripening of karmic action, as well as to activity, aspiration, and wisdom.”

The venerable Maudgalyāyana rose from his seat and bowed his head to the feet of the Blessed One. He then emanated a seat for the Blessed One that was as large as the world of Brahmā. In the sky above he emanated a courtyard for the Blessed One made of the seven precious substances that was as smooth to the touch as kācalindika fabric. The courtyard was as vast as a thousandfold universe, and it extended for a distance of seven hundred leagues. Surrounding the courtyard were seven fences, seven arches, seven ledges, and seven layers of lattices made of bells and bangles. To its sides he emanated trees of four precious substances: gold, silver, crystal, and beryl. The trees of gold

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had silver leaves, crystal flowers, and beryl fruits; the trees that were of silver had golden leaves, flowers of beryl, and fruits of crystal; the beryl trees had leaves of gold, flowers of silver, and fruits of crystal; and the crystal trees had leaves of gold, silver flowers, and beryl fruits. Between the trees were ponds filled with water endowed with the eight qualities. Leading to the water were four steps, each of them made of precious substances: gold, silver, beryl, and crystal. Sand of gold was strewn, and in the ponds blossomed blue, pink, red, and white lotuses. In the sky above, he emanated a latticed canopy made of the seven precious substances. The courtyard was decorated with numerous silken tassels, the air was filled with pleasant wafts of incense, and there were beds of various flowers, each the size of seven people. Within each of the blue, pink, red, and white lotuses Maudgalyāyana created a monk who looked just like himself.

When the venerable Mahā­maudgalyā­yana had magically produced a seat of this sort, he went before the Blessed One and said, “Blessed One, I have prepared a seat for you. Please know that the time is now right.”

“Maudgalyāyana,” the Blessed One then asked, “have you finished arranging my seat?”

“Yes, Blessed One, I have,” replied Maudgalyāyana.

The Blessed One then addressed the bodhisattva great being

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Revealing the Accomplishment of Apprehending Infinite Objects: “Noble son, prepare a lion throne for the Thus-Gone One. Seated upon that throne, the Thus-Gone One shall deliver the Dharma teaching known as ‘Truly Satisfying All Sentient Beings.’ ”

Paying heed to the Blessed One, the bodhisattva great being Revealing the Accomplishment of Apprehending Infinite Objects then prepared a seat, and all the bodhisattvas who were in attendance likewise offered their own shawls to the seat, spreading them upon the lion throne.

Next the Blessed One formed the following intention: “In order to dispel the doubts and hesitations of these bodhisattvas, I shall produce a miracle. Based on their own Dharma robes, I will grant them a vision of their bodhisattva activities, engagements, aspirations, display of realms, and maturation of sentient beings. I shall let them perceive the features of the realms within which they are to awaken to true and complete buddhahood. Likewise, I shall let them see their perfect hearers, their perfect bodhisattvas, and their perfect Dharma teaching. I shall show them their perfect lifespan, perfect complexion, perfect form, perfect name, perfect marks, perfect endowments, and their perfect Dharma fearlessness.”

Then, with his wisdom mind thus inclined, the Blessed One sat down upon his seat

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and entered the buddhas’ absorption known as revealing the accomplishment of apprehending infinite objects. As soon as the Blessed One had entered this meditative absorption, all the bodhisattvas who had placed their upper garments upon the Blessed One’s seat now came to perceive everything—from the perfect array of their own future buddha realm up to their perfect Dharma fearlessness—within each of their own shawls. Witnessing all this, the bodhisattvas were deeply gratified and delighted. Joyous and elated, with one voice they sang the following verses to the Blessed One:

“O you of proper comportment and conduct, source of excellent qualities,
Fearless master of all phenomena—
Endowed with all excellent qualities, how beautiful you are!
You are a masterful victor who abides in absorption.

“You are free from falseness and deceit.
Knowing neither pride, agitation, nor pretense,
You know the deeds related to knowledge and liberation.
Abiding in this meditative absorption, how beautiful you are!

“With fearless mastery you remain in meditation
And so display unparalleled and unsurpassable miracles.
Revealing your unhindered wisdom,
With mastery, today you have disclosed the future.

“We now think we have attained the peace of the immutable stage;
We now think we have entered awakening;
We now think we have conquered the māras;
We now think we have gained knowledge.

“We now think we have attained the supreme eye
With which the victorious ones perceive the voidness of all things conditioned.
By the kindness of your unhindered wisdom
The eye sees, utterly unhindered.

“While perceiving distinctly, nothing is seen,
And no phenomenon is threatening.
When the mind is free from hostility

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Then that is the supreme buddha eye.

“With the victor’s supreme buddha eye
The three realms are known and accessed without any hindrance.
With a mind in which entity and non-entity are equal
You display true diligence, resting within your own vision.

“When the Victorious One entered this absorption,
He made everyone feel that they had gained accomplishment.¹¹
All achieved these gateways of retention
As well as the supreme gateway of Dharma liberation.

“Having entered the gate, become skilled, and achieved purity,
The mind of the Victorious One shall never decline.
Such is the ripening of great generosity.
Such are the qualities of great discipline.

“Such are the qualities of great insight.
Thus, having relied upon these teachings in the past,
As you took your seat and practiced concentration,
Lord of men, you shone throughout the ten directions.

“Victor, all aspects of death, transference, and karmic action,
As they will be for this gathering of your heart children,
Became clearly evident today
For all gods, nāgas, nonhumans, and kinnaras.

“Within this illuminating absorption
Arose knowledge across eons.
Thus, clearing away doubts and hesitations,
The best of humans will speak with the voice of a lion.

“Pursuing the welfare of self and others
He has been generous in the past.
Generous, disciplined, patient, and diligent—
Throughout eons, he has practiced for all beings.

“Without any gratitude from sentient beings
He is generous, disciplined, patient, and diligent,
Displaying great skill for the sake of all beings.
In this way you enter absorption.

“With supreme insight you master such absorption.
O hero, as today you took your seat,
We joined our palms and requested
You to cut through our doubt and dispel our hesitation.

“Today we have achieved the illumination of all phenomena.
Free from doubt, we have achieved illumination.
For us and for beings to come

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The way of the Dharma will endure for long.”

Chapter 2

Praising the Magnificent Display of Miracles

Present within the gathering was a youth by the name of Padmaśrīgarbha. He now rose from his seat, draped his shawl over one shoulder, and knelt on his right knee. Joining his palms, he bowed toward the Blessed One. As he faced the Blessed One, the following thoughts arose in his mind: “I wish to request the gateways of the Dharma from the Thus-Gone One. I wish to receive the vajra words. I wish to request the words for practice that are without interruption. I wish to request the words that overcome all other statements, the words of progressive discernment,¹² the words wherein all teachings of the Dharma are contained. If the noble sons and daughters practice such a gateway seal, they will attain the stainless eye that sees all phenomena and they will gain expertise regarding the mind. Ah, Blessed One, in the past I have borne my armor through the accumulation of intentions and practical deeds. Thus, you will be aware of my roots of virtue from the past, arisen through the accumulation of intentions and applications.”

Aware of the youth Padmaśrīgarbha’s thoughts and prayers, and aware of his practice of accumulating roots of virtue, the Blessed One now looked in the four directions, and at the same time four great light rays shone forth from his mouth. As this light emerged from the mouth of the Blessed One, it spread out into infinite and endless universes, and wherever the light reached—whether to trees, walls, mountains, earth, or the empty atmosphere—everything became suffused with a golden color. In this way the light shone unhindered throughout all the cardinal and intermediate directions.

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Throughout the trichiliocosm, wherever sentient beings were touched by this light their bodies became as if made of gold. Whoever was suffering from the torments of desire, anger, or delusion felt that those afflictions decreased. All beings within the trichiliocosm who were living in hell, suffering the unbearable, ceaseless torments of heat, now experienced relief from their pain due to the power of the Buddha and the power of the bodhisattva’s past prayers. Likewise, all beings within the trichiliocosm who were affected by the obscurations of karma, affliction, and the ripening of karma were freed from their obscurations by the power of the Buddha and the power of the bodhisattva’s past prayers.

Next, to intensely brighten the roots of virtue in sentient beings, the Blessed One projected great light from all the pores on his body. This great light traveled to the east, traversing infinitely many universes. Likewise, the same occurred in the south, west, north, zenith, and nadir: the light from the Blessed One shone forth and extended across infinitely many universes. The Blessed One then produced a special sound that likewise could be heard throughout all those universes.

At that point, in the east, beyond innumerable universes, there was a universe known as Single Parasol. Within that

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universe resided the thus-gone one, the worthy one, the perfect buddha Single Jewel Ornament. Abiding and remaining present there, he taught the Dharma. The blessed one, the thus-gone one, the worthy one, the perfect buddha Single Jewel Ornament had prophesied that after himself the bodhisattva great being Jālinīprabha would awaken to unsurpassable and perfect buddhahood.

Now the bodhisattva Jālinīprabha approached the blessed thus-gone Single Jewel Ornament and asked, “Blessed One, who made this special sound and what is the source of that great light?”

The blessed one, the thus-gone one, the worthy one, the perfect buddha Single Jewel Ornament replied, “Noble son, to the west of this buddhafield, beyond innumerable world realms, there is a universe known as Enduring. Within that universe resides the thus-gone one, the worthy one, the perfect buddha Śākyamuni. Abiding and remaining present there, he is delivering a Dharma teaching that belongs to the Bodhisattva Collection, known as ‘Truly Satisfying All Sentient Beings.’ Present in the gathering of the blessed thus-gone Śākyamuni’s retinue is the bodhisattva great being Padmaśrīgarbha. That bodhisattva wishes to request the gateway for accomplishing all syllables—the seal whereby one truly engages with all dharmas.

“Jālinīprabha, in that buddha realm, the retinue contains bodhisattva great beings who bear the inconceivable armor,

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the armor of undifferentiated activity. Jālinīprabha, the bodhisattva great beings who have donned such armor also benefit other buddha realms. Jālinīprabha, anyone born within the buddha realm of the thus-gone Śākyamuni will, upon seeing or hearing those bodhisattva great beings, be protected and cared for by them. Jālinīprabha, needless it is, then, to mention what will be the case when someone, upon seeing these bodhisattva great beings, proceeds to pay them respect, reveres them, venerates them, worships them, and asks them questions.”

The bodhisattva great being Jālinīprabha then addressed the thus-gone Single Jewel Ornament: “Blessed One, I wish to go to that universe, so that I may see, venerate, and serve the blessed thus-gone Śākyamuni, and so that I may see those bodhisattva great beings who bear the inconceivable armor.”

“Noble son,” said the thus-gone Single Jewel Ornament, “if you know that the time is right, then go. But act with mindfulness when you remain in that buddha realm. Why do I say so? Because, noble son, the bodhisattva great beings of that realm are hard to approach.”

The thus-gone Single Jewel Ornament then gave an utpala flower that was like a hand to the bodhisattva great being Jālinīprabha. “Jālinīprabha,” he said, “you should offer this hand-like utpala flower to the thus-gone Śākyamuni. Tell him that the blessed thus-gone Single Jewel Ornament

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inquires whether the Blessed One has encountered but little hardship and discomfort, and whether he remains healthy, strong, and at ease.”

The bodhisattva great being Jālinīprabha bowed his head to the feet of the thus-gone one, the blessed buddha Single Jewel Ornament, and then circumambulated him three times. Accompanied by bodhisattva great beings beyond number and count, he next traveled to the world of Enduring, arriving there in a single instant of the mind. Once here, he proceeded to the Kalandaka­nivāpa in the Veṇuvana by Rājagṛha, and the place where the Blessed One was residing. Bowing his head to the Blessed One’s feet, he said, “Blessed One, the bodhisattva Jālinīprabha bows his head to your feet in homage. Blessed One, I am Jālinīprabha. Bliss-Gone One, I am Jālinīprabha, and in homage I bow my head to your feet.”

“Jālinīprabha,” replied the Blessed One, “you shall live long, and you shall be happy and healthy.”

Having in this way bowed to the Blessed One’s feet, the bodhisattva great being Jālinīprabha sat to one side and from there addressed the Blessed One: “Blessed One, the blessed thus-gone Single Jewel Ornament

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inquires whether the Blessed One has encountered but little hardship and discomfort, and whether he remains healthy, strong, and at ease. The blessed one, the thus-gone one, the worthy one, the perfect buddha Single Jewel Ornament also sends a hand-like utpala flower for the Blessed One. Blessed One, please therefore accept this hand-like utpala flower from the bodhisattva Jālinīprabha.”

The Blessed One accepted the flower and then gave it to the bodhisattva Ajita. Holding the hand-like utpala, the bodhisattva Ajita turned to a group of five hundred that included the bodhisattva Bhadrapāla. “Kinsmen,” said the bodhisattva Ajita, “the Thus-Gone One has given us this hand-like utpala.”

Bhadrapāla, leading the group of five hundred bodhisattvas, now held the hand-like utpala and addressed the Blessed One in the following way: “Blessed One, we have undertaken proper practices and carry out bodhisattva activities. Therefore, is anyone who hears our names certain to awaken to unsurpassable and perfect buddhahood? Blessed One, the bodhisattva Ajita has given us this hand-like utpala. Blessed One, relying on the power of our aspirations, activities, intentions, and resolve never to abandon sentient beings, we shall today toss this hand-like utpala in supplication of the Thus-Gone One. Blessed One, we likewise toss it before all the thus-gone ones, the worthy ones, the perfect buddhas who remain and reside in the east.

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We also toss this flower before the blessed ones who have not yet appeared there, before those who are still to appear there, before those who are now appearing, and before those who are disappearing. We do so, likewise, in all the universes located in the south, west, north, nadir, and zenith, as well as in the intermediate directions—we toss this flower before all the blessed buddhas who are present there, or who will appear there. Blessed One, may each and every being who sees this hand-like utpala also experience its fragrance. May each and every one of them be certain to awaken to unsurpassable, true, and perfect buddhahood. May they also journey throughout all buddha realms.”

Then, as they tossed the hand-like utpala, the Blessed One touched the flower with his right hand. As soon as he touched it a half-sized body of the Thus-Gone One appeared within the utpala. Moreover, within each of the utpalas¹³ there was again a half-sized version of the Thus-Gone One. All these half-sized bodies of the Thus-Gone One now declared, “The teachers of those who do not know all phenomena to be like an illusion, and who are not inclined to think so; the teachers of those who do not know all phenomena to be stainless and devoid of characteristics, and who are not inclined to think so—the teachers of all those who have no such comprehension are neither thus-gone ones, nor hearers of the thus-gone ones.” Speaking such words, they departed. They also spoke the following verses:

“Illusion-like phenomena cannot be grasped,
And all that cannot be grasped is like the moon in water.
Because they are empty, they do not possess any empty nature.
Thus, this intrinsic nature

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has been taught by the victorious ones.

“Absence of characteristics is the true characteristic of all phenomena.
With such a nature, devoid of characteristics,
Upon examination all phenomena are empty and devoid of self.
They cannot be grasped, nor serve as grounds for dispute.

“Whenever beings wish for this intrinsic nature
Their wish occurs by the blessings
Of the victorious teachers of great power,
And their activities throughout the worlds in the ten directions.”

After the Thus-Gone One’s emanations had proclaimed these verses, they moved ahead, into the ten directions.

Now the bodhisattva great being Jālinīprabha said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, those noble sons are perfectly trained in aspiration. Any sentient being who hears their prayers, or pronounces their names, will be entirely freed from the experience of numerous pains, and they will become destined for unsurpassable and perfect awakening. What a wonder this is! But, Blessed One, such blessed ones and such noble sons are not suited for this universe. Why not?

“Blessed One, as an analogy, a man or woman may have heard of the fame of a priceless and flawless jewel, a jewel that can deliver all possible benefit and happiness. That person may then wish to search for the jewel, and he or she may also have learned the specific characteristics of that precious jewel. Now, imagine that this man or woman sees that immaculate jewel in the middle of the dirt in a latrine pit, or some other filthy place. Around that spot there are some bamboo cane workers, untouchables, outcastes,

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