འཕགས་པ་རྒྱ་ཆར་རལ་པ་ཞས་བྱ་བ་ཐག་པ་ཆན་པའ་མད 18
The Play in Full 18
- Language
- English
18.2
such is the wheel of Dharma that the Thus-Gone One turns. It is when the Thus-Gone One turns this wheel that he is called a thus-gone one. Then he is called a perfectly awakened buddha, the one who naturally manifests, lord of Dharma, the guide, the perfect guide, the complete guide, the captain, the one with mastery over all dharmas, and the lord of the Dharma.
“He is also called the one who turns the wheel of Dharma, the liberal provider of the gift of Dharma, lord of the offerings, the one who grants offerings perfectly, the one who accomplishes disciplined action, the one who fulfills all aims, the teacher, the one who gives comfort, the hero, and the one who abandons disturbing emotions.
“He is also known as the one who has conquered in battle, the one who hoists the parasol, the victory flag, and the banner, the one who shines, the radiant one, the one who dispels darkness, the torchbearer, the great king among physicians, the perfect healer, and the great remover of pain.
“He is the one who sees wisdom perfectly clear, the one who sees all around, the one who looks all around, the one with eyes in all directions, the one who shines in all directions, the one who lights up the world all around, the one who faces all directions, the universal sun, the universal moon, the one beautiful in every way, and the one who never abides and neither accepts nor rejects.
“He does not feel elated or depressed, and therefore he is known as the one similar to the earth. Since he is unshakable, he is known as like the king of mountains. He is known as the glory of the world because he possesses all the qualities of the world. Since he is clearly superior to the entire world, he is known as the one whose crown cannot be seen. He is called ocean-like because his profundity and depth are hard to fathom.
“He is called the source of the precious Dharma because he has perfected all the precious teachings that lead to awakening.
18.3
He is said to be like the wind because he does not rest anywhere. He is known to possess a nonclinging intellect because his mind is nonclinging, unfettered, and liberated. He is called the irreversible Dharma because of his realization that penetrates all phenomena. He is known as the fire-like one because he burns away all disturbing emotions, having given up all pretense.
“He is like the water because he is purified of evil and always has pure thoughts and stainless body and mind. He is like the sky because he has actualized the wisdom of the realm of phenomena, without center or edge, within the range of nonclinging wisdom.
“He is known as the one who abides in a liberated state of unobstructed wisdom because he has abandoned all the different obscuring phenomena. He is called the one with a body that issues forth entirely from the realm of phenomena because he transcends the path of space-like vision. He is called the supreme being because he has no disturbing emotions caused by worldly objects.
“He is called the nonclinging being, the one with the limitless intellect, the teacher of the Dharma that transcends the world, the spiritual preceptor of the world, the physician of the world, the most sublime in the world, the one who is not stained by worldly concerns, the protector of the world, the most excellent in the world, the foremost in the world, lord of the world, the one honored by the world, the ultimate refuge of the world, the one who has gone beyond the world, the light of the world, and the one transcending the world.
“He is called the master of the world, the one who benefits the world, the one who serves the world, the one who knows the world, the one who has become the regent of the world, the excellent recipient of gifts, the one worthy of offerings,
18.4
the great field of merit, the great being, the supreme being, the most supreme being, the unexcelled being, the being with no one above, the unequaled being, and the unique being.
“He is called the one who always rests in equanimity, the one who rests in the equality of all phenomena, the one who has discovered the path, the teacher of the path, the one who shows the path, and the one who genuinely abides on the path.
“He is called the one who has transcended the domain of Māra and the one who has conquered the retinue of Māra. Since he is no longer subject to old age and death he is known as the one who discovered the cool quality. He is the one without darkness, the one without pains, the one without yearnings, the one without disturbing emotions, the one who has eliminated hesitation, the one who has conquered doubt, the one without attachment, the one who is free, the pure one, the one without desire, the one without anger, the one without delusion, the one who has exhausted defilements, the one without disturbing emotions, the one with power, and the one whose mind is utterly free.
“He is called the one with the realization of a liberated one, the all-knowing one, the great elephant, the one who accomplishes things that need doing, the one who removes the burdens, the one who postpones his own benefit, the one who has exhausted all bonds to existence, and the one who has been freed by the wisdom of equality.
“He is called the one who has perfected all supreme powers of the mind, the one who has perfected generosity, the most sublime through discipline, the one who has perfected patience, the most sublime through diligence, the one who has discovered higher knowledge through concentration,
18.5
the one who has perfected knowledge, and the one who has accomplished aspiration.
“He is called the one who abides in great love, the one who abides in great compassion, the one who abides in great rejoicing, and the one who abides in great equanimity.
“He is called the one who is diligent in gathering sentient beings, the one who has discovered undimmed awareness of everything, the one who is each and everyone’s refuge, the one of great merit, the one possessing great wisdom, and the one with perfect mindfulness, mode of thinking, and intellect.
“He is known as the one who attained the light because he possesses the branches of awakening, such as the foundations of mindfulness, the authentic eliminations, the bases of miraculous powers, the faculties and the powers, as well as tranquility and insight.
“He is the one who crossed the ocean of saṃsāra, the one who came to the other shore, the one who has reached dry land, the one who attained peace, the one who found fearlessness, and the one who is unharmed by the thorns of disturbing emotions.
“He is known as the person, the great person, the lion of a man, the one who is not subject to fear and the thrill of excitement, the elephant, the stainless one, the one who has abandoned the three stains, the knower, the one with the three types of insight, the one who has crossed the four rivers, and the one who has reached the other shore.
“He is known as the member of the royal class because he is the only one who carries the jewel parasol. He is known as the priest because he abandons misguided religions. He is known as the monk because he smashes the eggshells of ignorance. He is known as the spiritual practitioner because he is genuinely beyond attachment to money and gain. He is conversant with sacred knowledge. He is known as the one whose disturbing emotions have departed.
“He is called the powerful one, the holder of the ten powers, the blessed one, the one who has developed physical restraint, the king among kings, the king of Dharma, the one who turns and teaches the sacred and supreme wheel of Dharma,
18.6
the one who teaches a Dharma that is without strife, and the one who grants consecration into omniscient wisdom.
“He is the one who is bound with a stainless headband of liberation, great wisdom, and nonattachment. He is the one who possesses the gems of the seven branches of awakening. He is the one who has actualized all the distinctive qualities of the Dharma. He is the one whose round face is gazed upon by all ministers and noble listeners. He is the one who is surrounded by his sons the bodhisattvas, the great beings. He is called the one who is exceedingly gentle through discipline, and the one who can easily predict the future awakening of a bodhisattva.
“He is called the one who is like Vaiśravaṇa, the one who grants the treasury of the seven noble riches, the one who sees clearly, the one who has renounced renunciation, the one who is in possession of all perfect kinds of bliss, the one who fulfills all hopes, and the one who sustains the entire world with assistance and happiness.
“He is said to be like Śakra, holder of the vajra of the power of wisdom, and the one with eyes that see all around. He is known as the one who sees all phenomena with unobscured wisdom, the one who is transformed through wisdom in every respect, and the one who displays the great dance of Dharma.
“He is like the moon, the one that beings never tire of beholding, the one with brilliant light that reaches everywhere, the light that grants friendly disposition and great delight, the light that sees all sentient beings face-to-face, the one that shines on the minds and thoughts of all beings so that they appear exactly as they are, the great array, and the one surrounded by the stars of those who learn and those who no longer learn.
“He is called the one like the disk of the sun, and the one who clears away the darkness of delusion. He is the king who holds the great banner. He is limitless and boundless light. He is the one who illumines all with the great light. He is never confused and so clarifies questions and offers predictions.
18.7
He is called the one who has conquered the great darkness of ignorance. He is called the one who perceives everything with the great light of wisdom. He is the nonconceptual one. He is called the one who sends light rays equally to all sentient beings in a limitless manner through his love, care, and great compassion. He is known as the one who possesses the maṇḍala of the profound perfection of wisdom that is hard to gain and hard to behold.
“He is called the one who is like Brahmā, the one whose path of a religious mendicant is exceedingly calm, and the one who is endowed with all the distinctive qualities of conduct on the path of mendicancy. He is the one with the supreme form beautiful to behold. He is the one with calm faculties, the one with the peaceful mind, the one who has perfected tranquility, the one who has obtained ultimate tranquility, the one who has obtained perfect discipline and tranquility, and the one who has perfected tranquility and insight.
“Concealed and with senses subdued, he is very restrained like an elephant. He is stainless, pure, and calm like a lake. He is the one who has fully abandoned all obscurations of habitual tendencies and disturbing emotions. He is endowed with the thirty-two marks of a great being. He is called the supreme being. His body is beautifully embellished with the eighty excellent signs. He is the foremost among men. He is the one with the ten powers, the charioteer of those to be guided by the unexcelled being who possesses the four types of confidence, the teacher, and the one who has perfected the eighteen unique qualities of a buddha.
“He is the one whose physical, verbal, and mental activity is beyond blame. He is endowed with all supreme aspects and therefore is known as the one who has purified the surface of the mirror of wisdom. Because he has realized equality in relation to dependent origination, he is the one who abides in emptiness. Because he realizes the way of the ultimate truth, he is the one who abides in signlessness. Since he is unstained by any undertaking, he abides in wishlessness.
18.8
“Since he cuts the stream of all formations, he is not within the sphere of performance. Since his sphere of wisdom is not disturbed regarding the authentic limit, he is known as the one who speaks the truth. Because he knows suchness, the realm of phenomena, to be like space, neither with nor without characteristics, he is known as the one who unerringly teaches suchness and nothing else.
“Since he understands that all phenomena are like an illusion, a mirage, a dream, a reflection of the moon in water, an echo, and a hallucination, he is known as the one who realizes the teaching that is free of disturbing emotions. Because he produces the cause of passing beyond suffering, he is meaningful to see and to hear. Because he has the heroic capacity to guide sentient beings, he is called the one who strides with unerring steps. Because he has cut through ignorance and the craving for existence, he is known as the one who is free from weariness.
“Because he correctly teaches the liberating path, he is known as the one who has built the bridge. Because he is not sullied by any demonic activities and places, he is known as the one who has defeated the enemies of demons and disturbing emotions. He has genuinely transcended the desire realm and therefore he is called the one who crossed the swamp of desire. He has genuinely transcended the form realm and therefore he is called the one who has put down the banner of pride. He has genuinely transcended the formless realm and therefore he is called the one who hoists the banner of wisdom.
“Because he is endowed with the Dharma body and the wisdom body, he is genuinely beyond all worldly concerns. He is called the great tree because he blossoms with precious wisdom of limitless qualities and is endowed with the fruits of liberation. He is called the one who is like the udumbara flower because it is so rare for him to appear and be seen. He is said to be like the king of gems, the wish-fulfilling jewel, because he has genuinely fulfilled his aim of attaining nirvāṇa according to the way.
“For so long he has practiced renunciation, discipline, hardship, and religious practices in a firm and pure manner without wavering or getting weary,
18.9
and therefore he is known as the One with Firmly Planted Feet.¹⁴
“For so long parents, monks, priests, spiritual teachers, worthy people, and religious people have been protected and defended by him, and those who have taken refuge with him are never abandoned, so therefore he is said to have the soles of his feet marked with various swastikas, auspicious symbols, and thousand-spoked wheels.
“For so long he has abandoned killing and therefore he is the One with Broad Heels.
“For so long he has inspired others to abandon killing living beings, so he is the One with Long Fingers.
“For so long he has explained the benefits of desisting from killing, so he is called the Protector of Many People.
“For so long he has exerted himself in preparing his own hands and his own body by rubbing them with ghee and sesame oil, and then using his hands for bathing and anointing the bodies of parents, monks, priests, spiritual teachers, and worthy people as part of his devoted service to them, so he is the One with Soft and Smooth Hands and Feet.
“For a long time, with the net of the four means of attracting disciples—generosity, kind talk, meaningful actions, and practicing what one preaches—he has skillfully trained the multitudes of beings, so he is the One with Webbed Fingers and Toes.
“For so long he has been acquiring increasingly superior roots of virtue, so he is the One with Arched Feet.
“For so long he has circumambulated parents, monks, priests, spiritual teachers, worthy people, and memorials with relics of the thus-gone ones, respectfully listened to the Dharma, painted images, had his hair stand on end, and caused the same rapture in others by teaching the Dharma, so he is the One Who Has the Hair on His Head Curling to the Right.
“For so long, with great skill, he has paid respect and listened to the Dharma, understood it, memorized it, recited it, caused others to understand it, ascertained the meaning and the words, and with a mind of humility offered refuge to beings faced with old age, sickness, and death,
18.10
and respectfully explained the Dharma to them, so he is the One with Shanks like an Antelope.
“For so long he has steadfastly applied himself to praising the religious life of monks, priests, and other religious practitioners, and giving them all the necessary supplies. He has given clothing to the naked and never approached another man’s woman. He has explained the virtues of spiritual practice and preserved his self-dignity, and therefore he is the One Who Has His Private Parts Well Sheathed.
“For so long the loving actions of his body, speech, and mind have been directed toward not harming living beings, by means of guarding his arms and legs. Therefore he is the One with Long Hands.
“For so long he has known the right measure in eating and has only eaten a little in a restricted manner. He has given medicine to those weakened by the travails of self-control, never despised the poor or the base, never oppressed those who are without protector, repaired the broken memorials of the thus-gone ones, built memorials, and removed fear from those plagued by anxiety. Therefore he is the One with Proportions of a Perfect Circle like the Nyagrodha Tree.
“For so long he has served parents, priests, monks, spiritual teachers, and worthy ones by washing them, anointing them, and massaging them with oils. When it was cold he has used hot water in the sun, and when it was hot he has used cool water in the shade, offering them comforts depending on the season of the year. He has given them beds and seats covered with soft and pleasant cloth, and to the memorials of the thus-gone ones he has offered fragrant oils, banners of delicate cloth, flags, and threads of silk. Therefore he is the One with Smooth and Fine Skin.
“For so long he has never rejected any sentient being, and instead he has delighted in practicing love and patience while inspiring others to do the same by praising the good qualities of forgiveness and altruism.
18.11
To the memorials of the thus-gone ones and the statues of the thus-gone ones, he has offered golden ornaments, golden flowers, gold dust, and silken banners in golden color. He has also offered ornaments, golden vessels, and golden-colored garments. Therefore he is the One with Skin like Gold.
“For so long he has attended scholars and clarified what is virtuous and what is not. He has inquired about what is objectionable and what is not, what is to be practiced and what is not, which dharmas are bad, which mediocre, and which sublime. He has examined the meaning, evaluated it, and gained full certainty. He has cleaned away the insects, spider webs, faded flowers, various weeds, and sand from the memorials of the thus-gone ones. Therefore he is the One with Untangled Hair.
“For so long he has showed respect to parents, leaders, elders, holy people, monks, priests, beggars, destitute beings, and many others who have come to him, satisfying their wishes by providing them with food, drinks, bedding, medicine, clothes, homes, lamps, and all the manufactured necessities of life, plus wells and lotus ponds filled with cool water. Therefore he is the One with the Seven Protuberances.
“For so long he has showed respect to parents, monks, priests, spiritual teachers, and worthy ones, addressing them while bowing or prostrating, and protecting them from danger. He has never shown disrespect to the weak, and never forsaken those seeking refuge. He has never abandoned his firm resolve. For this reason he is known as the One with the Torso like a Lion.
“For so long he has recognized his own faults and never pointed out the faults of others who have stumbled.
18.12
He has relinquished the cause of debate and has not engaged in divulging secrets that cause discord among others. In this way he has carefully guarded his speech, actions, and mind, and so he is the One with Broad Shoulders.
“For so long he has showed respect to parents, monks, priests, spiritual teachers, and worthy ones by rising for them, welcoming them, and addressing them honestly. Because he is an expert in the entire commentarial literature, he has been able to restrain beings in their desire to argue and instead has promoted his own Dharma-precepts in a tactful way. He has established others, such as well-intentioned kings and ministers, on the path of Dharma, which has duly furthered the cause of virtue. In this way he has upheld the totality of the teaching of the Thus-Gone One perfectly and inspired others to practice every virtue. For this reason he is the One with Round Shoulders.
“For so long he has given up all possessions and addressed beggars by pleasant names, whichever they may like to hear. Whenever they have approached, he has never felt contempt for them, disappointed them, or turned them away. Duly fulfilling their wishes, he has never wavered in his firm resolve to give up his wealth. For this reason he is known as the One with a Lion’s Jaw.
“For so long he has totally given up divisive talk and has not accepted advice that might lead to dispute, shining with the complete harmony of concord. He has criticized divisive talk and praised the qualities of getting along in complete harmony. Therefore he is called the One with Forty Even Teeth.
“For so long he has abandoned evil ways and adopted the virtue of goodness. He has avoided bad actions and their maturation, and praised good actions and their maturation. He has made offerings of white cloth and food mixed with milk, and he has painted the memorials of the thus-gone ones with whitewash mixed with milk,
18.13
while offering them various white flowers and garlands of sumanā, vārṣikī, and dhānuṣkari flowers. Therefore he is the One with Pure White Teeth.
“For so long he has given up laughing at and mocking others. Instead he has made everyone happy, guarded his words, and spoken in a way that has made others happy. Never looking for shortcomings and mistakes in others, he has been striving to make everyone get along. He has never wavered in his firm resolve to teach the same Dharma to everyone. Therefore he is the One with Teeth without Gap.
“For so long he has never harmed nor hurt anyone. Instead he has nursed those stricken by disease and given medicine to the sick. He has never tired of giving all kinds of elixirs to those who needed them. Therefore he is called the Possessor of the Universal Elixir of Elixirs.
“For so long he has never lied or spoken harsh words. Nor has he been rude or dishonest, or sought to humiliate others. Nor has he been unpleasant, or attacked others’ weak points. Instead he has practiced love and compassion and applied himself to making others feel happy and fulfilled. With sympathetic joy, he has spoken words that cause happiness—loving, pleasant, and soft words that have touched others, satisfied them, and refreshed their senses. In this way he has applied himself to proper talk and therefore he is the One with the Voice of Brahmā.
“For so long he has regarded sentient beings, with his unhindered vision, as his mothers, fathers, and children. Looking at beggars as if they were his only children, he has been filled with love and compassion and has never disappointed them. With his senses still, he has looked at the memorials of the thus-gone ones with unblinking eyes. He has made a firm resolve to inspire other beings to meet the Thus-Gone One, and therefore he is the One with Deep Blue Eyes.
18.14
“For so long he has given up unintelligent and lowly attitudes and instead has applied himself perfectly to the lofty and vast. He has inspired beings with the feeling of delight for the Dharma. He has never frowned at others but always showed a smiling face. He has sought the presence of all spiritual teachers and, being so predisposed, he has transformed himself into a collection of everything auspicious. Therefore he is said to have eyelashes like a cow.
“For so long he has given up all faults of speech. Instead he has expounded elaborately on the virtues of the listeners, the solitary buddhas, and all who teach the Dharma. He has copied the sūtras of the thus-gone ones, read them, recited them, and explained them to others. Regarding the teachings contained in them, he has been able to differentiate between the words and the meaning, and has been skilled in making others understand the same. Therefore he is the One with a Well-Developed Tongue.
“For so long he has venerated parents, monks, priests, spiritual teachers, and worthy ones by putting his head to their feet. He has praised those who have gone forth and greeted them respectfully, shaved their hair, and anointed their heads with scented oils. To all the beggars he has offered colored powders, chaplets and garlands, and head ornaments. Therefore he is called the One with the Crown Extension, the Top of Whose Crown Cannot be Seen.
“For so long he has encouraged others to make liberal offerings of all sorts and admonished them to follow the teachings of all spiritual friends. Entrusted by those who teach the Dharma, he has gone in all directions without feeling weary in order to serve the buddhas, the bodhisattvas, the solitary buddhas, the noble listeners, Dharma teachers, parents, teachers, and all worthy ones. He has offered them lamps with scented oils of many kinds, and lights and lamps made with oil, ghee, or grass that dispel darkness.
18.15
He has beautified the statues of the thus-gone ones with the most exquisite, pleasing things, and adorned them with heaps of milky-white jewels. Because he has made others develop the mind of awakening, his accumulation of virtue has been exceptional. Therefore he is known as the One with the Beautiful, Glowing Tuft of Hair between the Eyebrows That Curls Clockwise and Has an Exquisite Color.
“Because he is endowed with the great strength of Nārāyaṇa, he is called the Great Nārāyaṇa. Because he is endowed with power to tame many millions of demons, he is called the Destroyer of All Adversaries.
“Because he is endowed with the ten powers of the thus-gone ones, he is called the One with the Ten Powers of a Thus-Gone One.¹⁵
“He is skilled in knowing what is proper and improper. He gives up the low and minor vehicle and possesses the power of accomplishing the qualities of the Great Vehicle. He employs its inexhaustible power. Therefore he is the One Who Is Skilled in Knowing What Is Proper and Improper.¹⁶
“He has the power that comes from knowing the cause and result of all actions in the past, present, and the future. Therefore he is the One with the Power That Comes from Knowing the Cause and Effect of All Actions in the Past, Present, and the Future.
“He has the power to know the capacities of all sentient beings and their levels of diligence. Therefore he is the One with the Power to Know the Capacities of All Sentient Beings and Their Levels of Diligence.
“He has the power to know how one enters various types of worlds. Therefore he is the One with the Power to Know How One Enters Various Types of Worlds.
“He has the power to know what liberates various inclinations, many inclinations, and all inclinations.
18.16
Therefore he is the One with the Power to Know What Liberates Various Inclinations, Many Inclinations, and All Inclinations.
“He has the power to know the path that leads everywhere. Therefore he is the One with the Power to Know the Path That Leads Everywhere.
“He has the power to know all contemplations, liberations, concentrations, and absorptions, as well as the way of purifying and stopping the disturbing emotions. Therefore he is the One with the Power to Know All Contemplations, Liberations, Concentrations, and Absorptions, as well as the Way of Purifying and Stopping the Disturbing Emotions.
“He has the power to know all previous situations without attachment. Therefore he is the One with the Power to Know All Previous Situations without Attachment.
“He has the power of knowledge stemming from his divine eye that sees clearly all forms without exception. Therefore he is the One with the Power of Knowledge Stemming from His Divine Eye That Sees Clearly All Forms without Exception.
“He has the power to know how all habitual tendencies are formed and how all defiled states without exception are exhausted. Therefore he is the One with the Power to Know How All Habitual Tendencies Are Formed and How All Defiled States without Exception Are Exhausted.
“He has attained the confidence that results from his declaration of realizing all dharmas without exception,
18.17
a confidence that outshines the entire world, including the realm of gods. Therefore he is the One Who Has Attained the Confidence That Results from His Declaration of Realizing All Dharmas without Exception, a Confidence That Outshines the Entire World, including the Realm of Gods.¹⁷
“He declares, ‘All disturbing emotions are obstacles for passing beyond suffering,’ and thus discovers a confidence that the entire world, including the gods, cannot destroy. Therefore he is the One Who Declares ‘All disturbing emotions are obstacles for passing beyond suffering,’ and Thus Discovers a Confidence That the Entire World, including the Gods, Cannot Destroy.
“With his claim, ‘Passing beyond suffering is attained when the path of renunciation is accomplished,’ he has attained a fearlessness that the entire world, including its gods, cannot overturn. Therefore he is the One Who Claims ‘Passing beyond suffering is attained when the path of renunciation is accomplished,’ and Thereby Has Attained a Fearlessness That the Entire World, Including Its Gods, Cannot Overturn.
“He has attained a fearlessness that the entire world, including the gods, cannot reverse, which is expressed through a statement concerning knowledge of the way to abandon all defilements. Therefore he is called the One Who Has Attained a Fearlessness That the Entire World, Including the Gods, Cannot Reverse, which Is Expressed in a Statement Concerning Knowledge of the Way to Abandon All Defilements.
“Because he is a Dharma teacher who never stammers or falters, therefore he is the One Who Teaches the Dharma without Stammering or Faltering.¹⁸
“He keeps in his heart the essence of the Dharma, which is beyond being spoken or heard. Therefore he is the One Who Keeps in His Heart the Essence of the Dharma, which Is beyond Being Spoken or Heard.
“He is beyond cessation and therefore he is the One beyond Cessation.
“He is able to bless the countless sounds of sentient beings and transform them into the Dharma language of the Buddha. Therefore he is called the One Who Is Able to Bless the Countless Sounds of Sentient Beings and Transform Them into the Dharma Language of the Buddha.
“He is the one who does not forget, therefore he is the One Who Does Not Forget.
“He does not perceive differences, and therefore he is the One Who Does Not Perceive Differences.
“He has one-pointed concentration in all his thoughts as well as in all his absorptions, and therefore he is the One Who Has One-Pointed Concentration in All His Thoughts as well as in All His Absorptions.
“He has developed an equanimity that does not differentiate, and therefore he is the One Who Has Developed an Equanimity That Does Not Differentiate.
“He never loses his absorption in the formation of faith, and therefore he is the One Who Does Not Lose His Absorption in the Formation of Faith.
18.18
“With uninterrupted absorption in the formation of diligence, he never loses his diligence. Therefore he is the One Who Does Not Lose His Diligence, Having One-Pointed Absorption in the Formation of Diligence.
“He never loses his mindfulness, and therefore he is the One Who Never Loses His Mindfulness.
“He never loses his wisdom, and therefore he is the One Who Never Loses His Wisdom.
“He never loses his liberation, and therefore he is the One Who Never Loses His Liberation.
“He never loses his vision of liberated wisdom, and therefore he is the One Who Does Not Lose His Vision of Liberated Wisdom.
“He lets wisdom inform all his physical, verbal, and mental actions, and he possesses the wisdom that is guided by wisdom. Therefore he is the One Who Lets Wisdom Inform All His Physical, Verbal, and Mental Actions, and Who Possesses the Wisdom That Is Guided by Wisdom.
“He is endowed with the unimpeded wisdom vision that sees the past, the future, and the present without attachment. Therefore he is the One Who Is Endowed with the Unimpeded Wisdom Vision That Sees the Past, the Future, and the Present without Attachment.
“He has attained stainless freedom, and therefore he is the One Who Has Attained Stainless Freedom.
“He is continuously skilled in inspiring the activities of sentient beings, and therefore he is the One Who Is Continuously Skilled in Inspiring the Activities of Sentient Beings.
“He is skilled in teaching the Dharma to others according to their capabilities, and therefore he is the One Who Is Skilled in Teaching the Dharma to Others according to Their Capabilities.
“He has perfected the sacred environment of all aspects of melodious speech, and therefore he is the One Who Has Perfected the Sacred Environment of All Aspects of Melodious Speech.
“He is skilled in articulating all sounds and echoes, and therefore he is the One with a Voice like a God, a Nāga, a Yakṣa, a Gandharva, a Demigod, a Garuḍa, a Kinnara, and a Mahoraga.¹⁹
“He is the one whose voice resounds like the voice of Brahmā. He is the one with the voice of a cuckoo bird. He is the one with a voice like a great drum. He is the one with the voice like the resounding of the earth.
18.19
He is the one with the rumbling voice of a thundercloud of the nāga king Sāgara.
“He is the one with a voice like the roar of a lion or a bull. He is the one with a voice that satisfies, because it is in accord with the languages of all sentient beings. He is the one with a voice that delights the circle of his audience without impediment or obstruction. He is the one with a single voice that is understood in all languages.
“He is the one who is honored by the lord of the Brahma realm. He is the one who is respected by the lord of the gods. He is the one to whom the lord of the nāgas bows. He is the one upon whose face the lord of the yakṣas gazes. He is the one who the lord of the gandharvas praises in song. He is the one who is gazed upon by the lord of the demons, who beholds him with bright and unblinking eyes. He is the one to whom the lord of the demigods bows. He is the one who is unharmed by the gaze of the lord of the garuḍas. He is the one who is praised by the lord of the kinnaras. He is the one who the lord of the mahoragas longs to see. He is the one who is venerated by the lord of the humans.
“He is the one who is supported by large gatherings of worthy ones. He is the one who instructs the bodhisattvas, who inspires them, and delights them. He is the one who teaches the Dharma free from worldliness. He is a venerable teacher of the Dharma who never mistakes any words or syllables. He teaches the Dharma in a timely manner.
“Maitreya, this turning of the wheel of Dharma is merely a brief teaching that praises just a few of the qualities of the Thus-Gone One. Maitreya, to list them in an elaborate manner, the Thus-Gone One would need an eon or more. And still that would not be enough to list them all.”
At that time the Blessed One spoke these verses:
“The wheel of Dharma has been turned,
Which is profound, hard to behold, and subtle.
It is not understood by the extremists,
Nor by the demons.
“The wheel of Dharma has been turned,
Which is without an all-ground and beyond concepts,
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Unborn and without origination,
Unique and empty of inherent nature.
“The Buddha has turned the wheel
That teaches the Dharma of equality,
Without anything to accept and reject,
Causeless and without characteristics.
“The Protector of the World
Has turned the wheel that is like
An illusion, a mirage,
A dream, an echo, or a moon reflected in water.
“It leads beyond conditioned phenomena;
It is not nihilistic and neither is it permanent,
But cuts through all views—
So is the wheel of Dharma described.
“It is an infinitely vast teaching,
Ever equal to space,
Luminous and nonconceptual—
So is the wheel of Dharma described.
“It is free from existence and nonexistence,
Beyond self and no self,
A teaching that is naturally unborn—
That is what we call the wheel of Dharma.
“In the truth of suchness,
It is the final end, yet it is without an end,
This nondual teaching of the Dharma—
That is what we call the wheel of Dharma.
“The eye is essentially empty,
So are the ear and the nose.
The tongue, the body, and also the mind
Are empty and inert.
“Such a wheel is the wheel of Dharma
That has now been turned.
He awakens unawakened beings;
That’s why he is called the Awakened One.
“By myself have I realized this nature—
The nature defined as Dharma—
Without instructions from others,
And so I am the self-arisen possessor of the wisdom eye.
“The one who masters all Dharmas
Is called a lord of Dharma.
The one who knows the genuine Dharma from the incorrect,
That is what we call a guide.
“As many beings as there are to be trained,
That many limitless beings I train.
I have perfected my training,
And so I am called the Perfect Guide.
“All beings that have strayed from the path,
I show the supreme path.
I guide them to the other shore,
And therefore I am the Guide.
“Since I know the way to magnetize,
I gather beings at my side.
Since I save beings from the wasteland of cyclic existence,
I am their leader.
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“I master all phenomena,
And so I am the Victorious One, the master of Dharma.
Since I turn the wheel of Dharma,
I am known as a king of Dharma.
“I am the generous giver of the Dharma, the Teacher,
The unexcelled Lord of the Dharma.
My offering was well performed and the goal accomplished;
My aim is fulfilled and goodness accomplished.
“I am the one who consoles and gives comfort,
The hero who has conquered disturbing emotions.
I am victorious in all battles,
A liberated one who liberates beings.
“I am the light of the world.
I spread the light of knowledge wisdom;
I conquer the darkness of ignorance.
I hold the torch; I am the bright light.
“With great wisdom I am the skillful doctor,
A great healer of the wounds of disturbing emotions.
For all those afflicted with disturbing emotions,
I am the remover of pain.
“All the signs are complete,
And all the marks of goodness adorn me.
Yet, with this body, excellent in every way,
I adapt to the ways of the worldly ones.
“I am powerful with the ten powers,
Confident with the four confidences,
And possessor of the eighteen unique qualities—
The great sage who turns the wheel of Dharma of the Supreme Vehicle.
“This brief explanation
Will set in motion the wheel of Dharma.
This praise of the qualities of the Thus-Gone One
Has listed just but a few.
“For the limitless wisdom of the Buddha
Is as vast as the sky.
Even if one were to speak for an eon,
That would not suffice to describe the Buddha’s qualities.”
Chapter 27
Epilogue
The gods, who had requested this Dharma teaching from the Thus-Gone One, were now gathered for the turning of the wheel of Dharma. In total there were more than 18,000 divine beings from the Pure Realms, led by such beings as Maheśvara, Nanda, Sunanda, Candana, Mahita, Śānta, Praśānta, and Vinīteśvara. At that point the Thus-Gone One addressed the divine beings, headed by Maheśvara, who had come from the pure realms, in the following way:
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“Friends, this sūtra known as The Play in Full is a very extensive account of the Bodhisattva’s playful activity. It constitutes an introduction to the play that is the domain of the Buddha. The Thus-Gone One has taught it to introduce himself. So now you should absorb it, preserve it, and cause it to be retold. In this way, this Dharma-method of mine will spread.
“When the followers of the Bodhisattva Vehicle hear this teaching, they will develop an extremely steadfast diligence. Those beings that develop a strong inclination to attain unsurpassable and perfect awakening will develop a strength that brings down a rain of the great teaching. The demons will be destroyed. All those who proclaim different doctrines will not make their appearance. Your request to teach this Dharma will become a root of virtue—very valuable, yielding great benefits, and earning great praise.
“Friends, whoever joins his palms in respect to this Dharma teaching of The Play in Full will attain eight supreme attributes. What are these eight? These are to attain a supreme body, supreme strength, supreme retinue, supreme presence of mind, supreme renunciation, supreme purity of thoughts, supreme level of meditative concentration, and supreme manifestation of insight. These are the eight supreme attributes that one will attain.
“Friends, whoever sets up a throne for the Dharma teacher who wishes to expound this Dharma teaching of The Play in Full will attain eight desirable positions as soon as he sets up the throne. What are these eight? They are the position of a merchant, a householder, a universal monarch, a world protector, Śakra, Vaśavartin, Brahmā, a nonreturning bodhisattva who has reached the supreme essence of awakening,
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sits on a lion throne, and vanquishes the attacks of demons, and a buddha who has reached perfect and unsurpassable awakening and sits on the throne of turning the wheel of Dharma. These are the eight desirable positions that one will attain.
“Friends, whoever applauds a Dharma teacher expounding this Dharma teaching of The Play in Full will attain eight purities of speech. What are these eight? With the pure action of speech that accords with the truth, others will do as one says. With the pure action of speech that overwhelms one’s audience, one’s words will be accepted. With the pure action of not being ignored, one’s words will be heeded. By peacefully gathering beings, one will speak pleasantly and softly. By satisfying bodies and minds, one’s voice will be like the voice of the cuckoo bird. By uniting beings, one will have one’s say. By outshining all voices, one will have a voice like Brahmā. By not being dominated by any propagators of other doctrines, one will have a voice like the roar of a lion. By satisfying the sense faculties of all sentient beings, one will have the voice of a Buddha. These are the eight purities of speech that one will attain.
“Friends, whoever puts this Dharma teaching of The Play in Full into writing, and carries, venerates, respects, honors, and pays homage to it while praising this Dharma teaching into the four directions without any feeling of miserliness, saying, ‘Come here! Write this teaching down! Hold it! Pass it on! Reflect on it! Memorize it well!’ they shall attain eight great treasures. What are these eight great treasures? They are: the treasure of unfailing recall because of not forgetting, the treasure of intelligence by careful analysis, the treasure of realization by assimilating enthusiastically the meaning of all the sūtras, the treasure of memorization by remembering everything that one hears, the treasure of confidence by satisfying all sentient beings with good counsel,
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the treasure of Dharma by preserving the true Dharma, the treasure of the mind of awakening by maintaining the lineage of the Three Jewels, and the treasure of accomplishment by developing receptiveness to the truth of nonorigination. These are the eight great treasures that one will attain.
“Friends, whoever teaches this Dharma teaching of The Play in Full and explains it will perfect eight accumulations. What are these eight? They are: generosity by being free of miserliness, discipline by perfecting all virtuous intentions, learning by accomplishing unattached knowledge, calm abiding through actualizing all meditative states and equilibriums, insight through perfecting knowledge by means of the threefold knowledge, merit by refining the excellent marks and the adornments of the buddha realms, wisdom by satisfying the inclinations of all sentient beings, and great compassion because of never tiring of ripening all sentient beings. These are the eight accumulations that one will perfect.
“Friends, whoever has this outlook and, thinking that other sentient beings should receive this instruction, teaches this Dharma teaching of The Play in Full elaborately, will attain eight great forms of merit through this virtuous cause. What are these eight?
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The first of these eight great types of merit results in becoming a universal monarch. The second great merit results in becoming a supreme ruler in the Heaven of the Four Great Kings. The third great merit results in becoming Śakra, lord of the gods. The fourth great merit results in becoming the god Suyāma. The fifth great merit results in becoming Santuṣita. The sixth great merit results in becoming Sunirmāṇarati. The seventh great merit results in becoming Vaśavartin, the king of gods. The eighth great merit results in becoming Brahmā from the Mahā-Brahmā Heaven. Finally one becomes a thus-gone one, a worthy one, a perfectly awakened one, free from all unvirtuous dharmas and endowed with all the virtuous ones. These are the eight great merits that one will attain.
“Friends, whoever listens attentively to this Dharma teaching of The Play in Full as it is being explained will gain eight pure mind states. What are these eight? They are: love in order to conquer all anger, compassion in order to abandon all ill will, sympathetic joy in order to clear away all depression, equanimity in order to abandon desire and anger, the four concentrations in order to master the entire desire realm, the four equilibriums of the formless realm in order to master the mind, the five types of higher knowledge in order to travel to other buddha realms, and the ability to conquer all traces of habitual tendencies in order to attain the meditative concentration of the heroic gait.
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These are the eight pure mind states that one will attain.
“Friends, wherever this Dharma teaching of The Play in Full is found, whether in a village, a city, a market, an inhabited place, a district, a courtyard, or a temple, the eight fears will not manifest except from the ripening of past actions. What are these eight? They are: the fears of the troubles caused by (1) rulers, (2) thieves, (3) malicious beings, (4) starvation in a wilderness, (5) fights, quarrels and disputes, (6) gods, (7) nāgas, (8) yakṣas, and all types of misfortune. Other than the ripening of previous actions, my friends, these eight fears will no longer occur.
“Friends, in short, even if the lifespan of the Thus-Gone One were to last for an eon, and even if he were to praise this Dharma teaching uninterruptedly day and night, he would not be able to end his praise of this Dharma teaching, and his inspired speech would still continue.
“Friends, the discipline, absorption, knowledge, liberation, and wisdom vision of liberation of the Thus-Gone One is immeasurable and boundless. For this reason, my friends, if anyone develops the wish that others receive this vast teaching, and subsequently memorizes this Dharma teaching, carries it, propagates it, writes it down,
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or commissions it to be written, comprehends it, and teaches it elaborately to his congregation, then their merit shall also be boundless.”
Then the Thus-Gone One announced to venerable Mahākāśyapa, venerable Ānanda, and the bodhisattva great being Maitreya:
“Friends, the unsurpassable and perfect awakening that I have accomplished through limitless billions of eons, I now place in your hands. I entrust you with a supreme entrustment. Now you should keep this teaching with you and teach it elaborately to others.”
When he had said this, the Blessed One uttered the following verses in order to pass on his Dharma teaching more fully:
“If the beings whom I see with my buddha-eye
Were all worthy ones equal to Śāriputra,
And if someone would make, for millions of eons,
Offerings to them, equal in number to sand grains in the Ganges,
“The merit of this would be surpassed
If one would joyfully make offerings of garlands and the like
To a single solitary buddha,
Even for just a single day and night.
“If all sentient beings were solitary buddhas,
And someone were to offer with great attention
Flowers, perfumes, and ointments
Continually over several eons,
“That merit would be greatly surpassed
If someone were to offer a single thus-gone one
A single prostration accompanied by a devoted attitude
And say, ‘Homage to the Worthy One!’
“If all sentient beings were buddhas,
And someone were to worship as just explained,
With divine flowers and the most precious flowers of this world,
For many eons, with many kinds of offerings,
“That merit would be greatly surpassed
If someone, at the time when the sacred Dharma is degenerating,
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Gives up concern for his body and life
And recites this sūtra for a single day and night.
“Whoever wishes to venerate the guides,
And likewise the solitary buddhas and the listeners,
Should give steady rise to the mind of awakening
And always keep this sūtra firmly in mind.
“This is the king of all good advice
Given by all thus-gone ones.
Wherever this jewel of a sūtra is found,
In that house the Thus-Gone One always resides.
“Whoever gives this sūtra to others or recites just a single word,
For millions of eons he shall never stray
Either from its words or its meaning,
And thus attain limitless eloquence and virtue.
“Whoever hears this teaching and puts it into practice
Shall not only be an unsurpassable guide of humans,
But a being without equal,
Inexhaustible like the ocean.”
When the Blessed One, the Exalted Lord, had spoken, the gods from the pure realms headed by Maheśvara; all the bodhisattvas, the great beings, headed by Maitreya; the great listeners headed by Mahākāśyapa; and the entire world with its gods, humans, demigods, and gandharvas rejoiced at the Blessed One’s teaching.
Colophon
Colophon to the Sanskrit Edition
The Thus-Gone One explained the causes
Of those dharmas that have a cause
And also their cessation.
This is the teaching of the Great Ascetic.
May there be good goodness! May there be goodness in every way!
Colophon to the Tibetan Translation
This was taught and translated by the Indian preceptors Jinamitra, Dānaśīla, and Munivarman, and the translator-editor Bandé Yeshé Dé, who proofed and finalized the translation.
Linked texts (1)
- འཕགས་པ་རྒྱ་ཆེར་རོལ་པ་ཞེས་བྱ་བ་ཐེག་པ་ཆེན་པོའི་མདོ — Classical Tibetan