གླང་པའ་རྩལ་ཞས་བྱ་བ་ཐག་པ་ཆན་པའ་མད 28

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fully freed those beings from disease. What do you think, Mañjuśrī? If you think I was somebody other than the bodhisattva called Victory Banner of the Vajra at that time, in that life, you should abandon that view. Why? Because at that time, in that life, I myself was the bodhisattva called Victory Banner of the Vajra. I had faith in this Dharma discourse and acted for the sake of those very beings. According to this discourse, Mañjuśrī, you should understand it in this way: regard this Dharma discourse as the source of all medicines.”

“Blessed One,” asked Mañjuśrī, “how should bodhisattvas who memorize, keep, and realize the words of this mantra of knowledge put it into practice?”

The Blessed One answered, “Mañjuśrī, bodhisattvas who recite this mantra of knowledge should practice cleanliness and should not eat meat. They should not massage their feet or engage in social distractions. They should again and again develop feelings of kindness toward all beings. They should not resent those who happen to hurt them. Furthermore, they should not chant this Dharma discourse without performing ablutions. Neither should they keep it in a filthy place.”

“Blessed One, it seems to me that bodhisattvas who teach this Dharma discourse should even disregard their own body and life,” said Mañjuśrī.

“So it is, Mañjuśrī,” replied the Blessed One. “It is just as you have said it is.”

Then, the Blessed One spoke to the venerable Ānanda: “Because this Dharma discourse will benefit many beings, Ānanda, you should remember it. Ānanda, beings who yearn for this Dharma discourse will be subdued by the strength of the bull and the strength of the elephant. Ānanda,