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འཕགས་པ་བླ་གྲས་མ་ཟད་པས་བསྟན་པ་ཞས་བྱ་བ་ཐག་པ་ཆན་པའ་མད 2

The Teaching of Akṣayamati 2

Language
English

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The intention of vigor is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, while their practice is the appearance of having all roots of virtue as a basis. The intention of meditation is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, while their practice is the appearance of the application of their meditation. The intention of insight is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, while their practice is the appearance of the application of what they have learned. The intention of friendliness, compassion, joy, and equanimity is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, while their practice is the appearance of bringing benefits and happiness to living beings, bringing joy and confidence in the Dharma, and getting rid of aversion and attachment. The intention concerning the body is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, as it is the purification of the threefold vows related to physical deeds. The intention concerning the speech is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, as it is the giving up of the four kinds of negative deeds in speech. The intention concerning the mind is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, as it is the absence of covetousness, ill will, and wrong views. The intention concerning study is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, as they have no teacher’s secrecy concerning the Dharma. The intention of having no teacher’s secrecy concerning the Dharma is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, as it is the practice of generating the mind of omniscience. The intention of generating the mind of omniscience is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, as it leads other living beings to adopt the mind of awakening. The intention of leading other living beings to adopt the mind of awakening is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, as it puts living beings in touch with the roots of virtue. The intention of practice concerned with the roots of virtue is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, as it dedicates to awakening. The intention to dedicate to awakening is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, as it is the attainment of all the qualities of a buddha.

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The intention to attain all the qualities of a buddha is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, as it is the understanding of the sacred Dharma. Understanding the sacred Dharma is the bodhisatvas’ imperishable practice, as it is the admission of one’s wrongdoings. The intention to admit one’s wrongdoings is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, as it is the confession of one’s negative actions. The intention to confess one’s negative actions is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, as it is rejoicing in all merit. The intention to rejoice in all merit is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, as it is the collection of an immeasurable accumulation of merit. The intention to collect an immeasurable accumulation of merit is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, as it is the request of teachings from all the buddhas. The intention to request teachings from all the buddhas is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, as it is the support of the sacred Dharma. The intention to support the sacred Dharma is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, as it is the deed of a holy person. The intention of the deed of a holy person is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, as it frees others from their burdens. The intention of freeing others from their burdens is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, as it consists in never taking off the strong armor of vigor. The intention to never take off the strong armor of vigor is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, as it is the carrying out of the duties of all beings.

“Furthermore, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, there are four imperishable practices of the bodhisatvas. What are these four? They are the imperishability of practice that is the mind of awakening, the imperishability of practice that is explanation—the gift of the Dharma, the imperishability of practice that consists in bringing beings to maturity,

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and the imperishability of practice that consists in accumulating roots of virtue. These are the four imperishable practices.

“There are four more imperishable practices. What are these four? They are the imperishability of practice that consists in tirelessness in conforming to the qualities of asceticism and penance when living in the wilderness, the imperishability of practice that consists in tirelessness in amassing the accumulations of merit and wisdom, the imperishability of practice that consists in tirelessness in the quest for learning, and the imperishability of practice that consists in tirelessness in knowing how to dedicate to awakening. These are the four imperishable practices.

“There are four more imperishable practices. What are these four? They are the imperishability of practice that consists in understanding numbers, the imperishability of practice that consists in understanding weights, the imperishability of practice that consists in understanding through investigation, and the imperishability of practice that consists in understanding through discernment. These are the four imperishable practices.

“There are four more imperishable practices. What are these four? They are the imperishability of practice that consists in understanding the causes of affliction, the imperishability of practice that consists in understanding the causes of purity, the imperishability of practice that consists in proclaiming the causes of affliction, and the imperishability of practice that consists in proclaiming the qualities and advantages of purity. These are the four imperishable practices.

“There are four more imperishable practices. What are these four? They are the imperishability of practice that consists in investigating the aggregates, the imperishability of practice that consists in investigating the elements, the imperishability of practice that consists in investigating the sense sources, and the imperishability of practice that consists in investigating dependent origination. These are the four imperishable practices.

“There are four more imperishable practices. What are these four? They are the imperishability of practice that consists in explaining that formative factors are impermanent, the imperishability of practice that consists in explaining that formative factors are suffering, the imperishability of practice that consists in explaining that all phenomena are selfless, and the imperishability of practice that consists in explaining the enjoyment of peace in nirvāṇa.

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These are the four imperishable practices.

“In short, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, all of the bodhisatvas’ practices are inclined toward omniscience, directed toward omniscience, and bent upon omniscience. As omniscience is imperishable, all the practices of the bodhisatvas are therefore also imperishable. This, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, is called the bodhisatvas’ imperishable practice.

“Furthermore, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, the determination of the bodhisatvas is also imperishable. Why is this? It is because it rests upon all the roots of virtue. Whatever the bodhisatvas think rests upon the roots of virtue because of their determination. It is the determination to pass on, as it is to progress from one stage the next. It is the determination to cross over, as it is to go to a different state. It is the highest determination, as it is utterly noble. It is an especially noble determination because it grasps specific qualities. It is the determination that has all the qualities of a buddha clearly in view. It is the determination that rests upon qualities that accord with that which is especially noble. It is the determination to carry through all undertakings. It is a persevering determination, because of its indefatigability in perseverance. It is the determination of perfected vows, because of the fulfillment of the vows. It is an unassailable determination, since one has only oneself as a companion. It is the determination on the stage of being well trained, because of the absence of unruliness. It is the determination on the stage of being disciplined, because of nobility. It is the unmixed determination, because it is not contaminated by the afflictions of untrained beings.

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It is the determination of giving gifts that are hard to give, because of the giving of even the head, the best part of the body. It is the determination of morality that is hard to practice, because of the assistance for the immoral. It is the determination of patient acceptance that is hard to practice, because of putting up with the faults of weak beings. It is the determination of vigor that is hard to practice, because of giving up the awakening of disciples and isolated buddhas even when one has it at hand. It is the determination of meditation that is hard to practice, because of not enjoying the taste of meditation. It is the determination of insight that is hard to practice, because of not deriding the accumulation of any root of virtue. It is the determination to carry through any practice undertaken, because of completing the duties of all beings. It is the determination that is free from conceit, pride, haughtiness, self-conceit, self-esteem, the pride of modesty, and illusory pride, because of discerning through knowledge. It is the determination of regarding all beings as worthy of gifts, because of not hoping for recompense. It is the determination of fearlessness, because of understanding the deep Dharma of the buddhas. It is the determination to go to a different state, because of progressing by means of powers. It is the determination to never be fainthearted, because of helping those carrying burdens. It is an imperishable determination, because of constant efforts.

“Furthermore, determination is said to be kindness to nonhumans, friendliness to living beings, thought for the welfare of the noble, compassion for those who are not noble, respect for the masters, protection for the unprotected, a refuge for those without refuge,

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an island for the shipwrecked, an ideal for those without ideals, friendship to the friendless, straightness to the crooked, correctness to the unruly, absence of fraud to the fraudulent, absence of trickery to the dissemblers, gratitude to the ungrateful, thankfulness to the harmful, help to the unhelpful, truth to the mistaken, humility to the stubborn, absence of reproach to the virtuous, refrain from proclaiming the mistakes of others, protection to those who behave wrongly, refrain from seeing faults in any skillful practice of virtue, homage to all those who are worthy of offerings, adequate obedience to admonitions, enjoyment of instructions and admonitions, respect for the hermits, absence of desire for gain, honor, and fame, absence of regard for one’s own body or life, absence of hypocrisy because of pure determination, absence of boasting because of restraint in speech, absence of threats because of contentment with what one has, responsiveness because of the lack of any mental afflictions, inclination toward existence because of the accumulation of all roots of virtue, and endurance of any suffering because of concern for all beings.

“Thus, the determinations of those holy persons are all imperishable. All the afflictions of existence cannot cause them to perish, as they are supported by all merit. They are the nourishment of all beings, and one attains imperishable knowledge by them. This, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, is called the bodhisatvas’ imperishable determination.”

Then Venerable Śāradvatīputra said to the bodhisatva Akṣayamati,

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“Son of good family, is there any other imperishability of the bodhisatvas?”

Akṣayamati said, “There is, Venerable Śāradvatīputra. The generosity of the bodhisatvas is also imperishable. Why? It is immeasurable. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, the bodhisatvas’ enjoyment of generosity is immeasurable. They give food to those who desire food, in order to display life, eloquence, happiness, strength, and complexion. They give drinks to those who desire drinks, to eliminate the thirst of all their afflictions. They give vehicles to those who desire vehicles, to collect all kinds of things that bring happiness and welfare. They give clothes to those who desire clothes, in order to purify their modesty, bashfulness, and golden complexion. They give lamps to those who desire lamps, to provide them with the divine sight of the Tathāgata. They give music to those who desire music, to purify their divine hearing of the Tathāgata. They give perfumes and unguents to those who desire perfumes and unguents, to anoint them with morality, learning, and concentration. They give garlands to those who desire garlands, to make them attain the flowers of remembrance, eloquence, and the limbs of awakening. They give aromatic powders to those who desire aromatic powders, to make them attain a pleasant bodily scent. They give all kinds of tastes to those who desire all kinds of tastes, to bring about the character of the great beings that consists in having excellent taste. They give houses to those who desire houses, to provide all beings with houses, refuges, places to go to, and places of protection. They give places of rest to those who desire places of rest, to eliminate all their hindrances and make them attain the abodes of the gods, the abodes of Brahmā,

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and the tathāgatas’ place of rest. They give seats to those who desire seats, to make them attain the adamantine seat, the seat of awakening, in each of the great trichiliocosms. They give the necessities of life to those who desire the necessities of life, to make them complete the necessities for awakening. They give medicine to the sick and to those who desire medicine, to make them complete the happiness that is the ambrosia of agelessness and deathlessness.

“The bodhisatvas’ gift consisting in letting female and male slaves go is to complete self-originated wisdom, which is dependent only on itself, on its own power. The bodhisatvas’ gift consisting in giving away all kinds of riches, gold, silver, jewels, pearls, lapis lazuli, conches, crystals, and corals is to complete the thirty-two major marks of a great being. The bodhisatvas’ gift consisting in giving away different kinds of ornaments is to complete the eighty excellent minor marks. The bodhisatvas’ gift consisting in giving away head jewels and diadems is to obtain the invisible crown of the head. The bodhisatvas’ gift consisting in giving away vehicles, horses, elephants, carts, and footmen is to complete the Great Vehicle. The bodhisatvas’ gift consisting in giving away gardens, palaces, meditation groves, and monasteries is to complete the multitude of limbs of meditation. The bodhisatvas’ gift consisting in giving away their dear sons, daughters, and wives is for the sake of waking up to the joy of incomparable, complete awakening.

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The bodhisatvas’ gift consisting in giving away riches, grains, treasuries, and granaries is to fill the treasuries and granaries of the sacred Dharma. The bodhisatva’s gift consisting in giving away sovereignty over villages, towns, market towns, royal cities, capitals, Jambudvīpa, or the four continents is to go to the seat of awakening of the King of the Dharma, which is excellent in all respects. The bodhisatvas’ gift consisting in giving away all pleasure, joy, and amusement is to attain joy and confidence in the Dharma.

“The feet are the bodhisatvas’ gift in order to go to the seat of awakening on the feet of the sacred Dharma. The palms of the hands are the bodhisatvas’ gift in order to give the hands of the sacred Dharma to all beings. The ears and nose are the bodhisatvas’ gift in order to attain unimpaired faculties. The eyes are the bodhisatvas’ gift so that, with regard to all beings, they may attain the unhindered sight of a buddha, the sight of the Dharma. The head, the best part of the body, is the bodhisatvas’ gift in order to attain the highest omniscience that is superior to the three realms. The bodhisatvas’ gift when giving away flesh and blood is to nourish bodies without strength, so that they may attain strength. The bodhisatvas’ gift when giving away their skin is to purify a golden complexion, with the skin soft and shining. Bones and marrow are the bodhisatvas’ gift in order to attain the body of a buddha, unbreakable and firm as a diamond and strong as that of Nārāyāṇa.

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“Furthermore, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, there is no gift of the bodhisatvas for the sake of seeking perverted pleasure. There is no gift that entails harm to living beings. There is no gift that produces conceit. There is no gift that is accompanied by fear, worries, or shame. There is no gift that is not given once it has been offered. There is no gift that is smaller than promised. There is no gift of bad things when good things are available. There is no gift offered without determination. There is no gift offered with falsehood or fraud. There are no artificial gifts. There is no gift offered for the sake of getting a certain result, for the sake of frivolity. There is no gift given with a wrong intention. There is no gift offered with deluded intentions. There is no gift offered with the intention of seeking a goal. There is no gift offered with perverted intentions. There is no gift offered without faith. There is no gift not offered with joy. There is no gift to which they are attached. There is no gift offered because of compliance. There is no gift offered while conceiving of a difference between living beings. There is no gift offered while seeking out a special recipient. There is no gift offered while despising any being as unworthy of gifts. There is no gift accompanied by praise of the moral and blame of the immoral. There is no gift offered in the expectation of a return. There is no gift offered for the sake of renown, fame, and praise. There is no gift offered to exalt themselves and deprecate others. There is no gift that causes subsequent annoyance. There is no gift offered with regret. There is no gift offered with remorse. There is no gift that is irksome. There is no gift offered with hidden hope. There is no gift offered with criticism. There is no gift offered with the hope that a good result for themselves should be expected. There is no gift that is measured out. There is no gift that produces rage, aversion, delusion, or harmfulness.

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There is no gift that is troublesome to the one who asks. There is no gift offered with mocking and derision. There is no gift offered with hostility. There is no gift offered that has already been thrown away. There is no gift that is not treated with respect. There is no gift that is not from their own hands. There is no gift that is not always given. There is no gift offered without serenity. There is no gift prompted by others. There is no gift offered with special limitations. There is no gift that is less than appointed. There is no gift that is not in accordance with the original resolution. There is no gift offered while thinking, ‘That being is not a worthy recipient.’ There is no gift offered with contempt for the small. There is no gift offered with pride because it is magnificent. There is no gift offered with the wrong purpose. There is no gift offered with the wish for any particular birth. There is no gift offered for the sake of the enjoyment of beauty, pleasure, and power. There is no gift offered with the wish to be reborn as Śakra, Brahmā, a protector of the world, or in the group of all the gods. There is no gift that is dedicated to the vehicles of the disciples or the isolated buddhas. There is no gift offered with the wish to be a crown prince and to have the power of a king. There is no gift of which the result disappears in one lifetime. There is no gift offered while thinking, ‘One lifetime is enough; further giving is not needed.’ There is no gift that is not transformed into the mind of omniscience. There is no unsuitable gift. There is no gift given at the wrong time. There is no gift of poison or weapons. There is no gift that involves the injury of living beings.

“The generosity of the bodhisatvas is not censured by the wise. That generosity is accomplished in the form of emptiness, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is pervaded by the absence of distinguishing marks, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is established in the absence of longing for anything, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is transformed into the unconditioned, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is correctly undertaken, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is not contaminated by the three realms, which is why it is imperishable.

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That generosity has liberation as its outcome, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is the absolute subjugation of all the māras, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is not mixed with any of the afflictions, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is going to a different state, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is definitely a good deed, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is the accumulation of merit on the way to awakening, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is rightly dedicated, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity has liberation as its outcome and is an ornament of the place of awakening, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is the nourishing of all beings, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is boundless, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is beyond decrease, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is not included in anything, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is never interrupted, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is abundant, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is without any basis, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is endless, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is faultless, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is blameless, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is never subdued, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is unsurpassed, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is bent on the wisdom of omniscience, which is why it is imperishable. This, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, is called the bodhisatvas’ imperishable generosity.”

Then Venerable Śāradvatīputra addressed the bodhisatva Akṣayamati, saying, “Well described by you, son of good family, was this imperishability of the bodhisatvas’ generosity. Give us some inspired speech, son of good family, on the subject of the imperishability of the

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bodhisatvas’ morality, how the morality of the bodhisatvas becomes imperishable.”

Akṣayamati said, “The bodhisatvas’ mass of pure morality, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, is imperishable in sixty-five ways. What are these sixty-five ways? They are (1) not harming any living being; (2) not stealing others’ possessions; (3) having no desire for others’ wives; (4) telling no lies to any being; (5) not committing slander through being content with one’s own circle of followers; (6) enduring harsh words and not speaking harshly; (7) giving up gossip and not chattering confusedly; (8) not being greedy through rejoicing in others’ pleasure; (9) not bearing ill will through tolerating ways of speech involving accusation and slander; (10) holding right views through staying away from the teachings of other teachers; (11) trusting in the Buddha through having no impurity of thought; (12) trusting in the Dharma, as it is the sacred Dharma that teaches the way things are; (13) trusting in the community through the joy caused by all groups of saints; (14) being obedient through respect for the teachers; (15) paying obeisance with the body through honoring the Buddha, his Dharma, and the Community with full prostration; (16) having no lax morality through seeing the smallest imperfection as a danger; (17) having unbroken morality through not relying on any other vehicle; (18) having unimpaired morality through avoiding bad rebirth; (19) having unadulterated morality through not being corrupted by the afflictions of bad people; (20) having untroubled morality through increasing only virtuous qualities; (21) having the morality of the noble through behaving in the way one wishes; (22) having morality that is praised through not being faulted by the wise; (23) having morality that is of the best kind through its close relation to recollection and awareness; (24) having morality that is not derided, as it is without imperfection in all respects; (25) having morality that is well guarded through the guarding of the senses;

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(26) having morality of wide renown through bearing all the teachings of the Buddha in mind; (27) having the morality of moderate wishes through knowing due moderation; (28) having the morality of being content through rejecting attachment; (29) having the morality that is essentially aloof through body and mind being detached from the world; (30) having the morality of staying in the wilderness through shunning entertainment; (31) having the morality that is content with the family of saints as it is not for the sake of complying with others; (32) having the morality that is in accordance with the qualities of the pure and with severe austerity, through having all the roots of virtue in one’s own power; (33) having the morality of the harmony between words and actions through the propitiation of both gods and humans; (34) having the morality of friendliness through protecting all beings; (35) having the morality of compassion through patiently accepting all suffering; (36) having the morality of joy through the absence of despondency; (37) having the morality of equanimity through giving up aversion and attachment; (38) having the morality of examining one’s own mistakes through introspection concerning one’s own thoughts; (39) having the morality of seeing nothing wrong in the mistakes of others through protecting the minds of others; (40) having the morality of generosity through bringing beings to maturity; (41) having the morality that is well adopted through guarding morality; (42) having the morality of patient acceptance through the absence of hostile thoughts toward any being; (43) having the morality of vigor through never turning back; (44) having the morality of meditation through increasing the accumulation of the limbs of awakening; (45) having the morality of insight through never having enough of the root of virtue that consists in learning; (46) having the morality of learning through grasping the essence of learning; (47) having the morality of relying on a spiritual friend through increasing the accumulation of the limbs of awakening; (48) having the morality of avoiding bad friends through rejecting wrong ways; (49) having the morality that has no concern for the safety of the body through understanding the concept of impermanence;

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(50) having the morality of not seeking the safety of one’s life through acting with zeal for the roots of virtue; (51) having the morality that is without regret through pure intention; (52) having the morality that is not artificial through pure action; (53) having the morality that is without great desires through pure determination; (54) having indefatigable morality through actions well done; (55) having the morality that is without conceit since it is without arrogance; (56) having the morality that is without frivolity through the absence of greed; (57) having the morality that is undistracted because of straightness, that is, having thoughts one-pointedly directed toward their objects; (58) having the morality that is not loquacious through being well trained; (59) having the morality that is disciplined through being undisturbed; (60) having the morality that is peaceful through the appeasement of the primary and secondary afflictions; (61) having the morality of adequately grasping gentle speech through acting according to the instructions; (62) having the morality of bringing living beings to maturity through not giving up the ways of attracting people; (63) having the morality of guarding the sacred Dharma through not wasting riches; (64) having the morality of fulfilling all wishes through being originally pure; (65) having the morality of attaining the morality of the Tathāgata through being transformed into that morality; (66) and having the morality that is concerned with the concentrations and states of absorption of the buddhas through having the same attitude toward all beings. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, the bodhisatvas’ mass of pure morality is imperishable in these sixty-five ways.

“Furthermore, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, morality is where there is no attribution of a self, an animated being, a life principle, a life-sustaining principle, a spirit, a personality, a man, or a human being. Morality is where there is no attribution of form,

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feeling, perception, formative factors, or consciousness. Morality is where there is no attribution of the element of earth, the element of water, the element of fire, or the element of wind. Morality is where there is no attribution of the distinguishing marks of the eye and forms, the ear and sounds, the nose and smells, the tongue and tastes, the body and physical objects, or the mind and mental phenomena. Morality is where there is no attribution of body, speech, or mind.

“Morality has the essential character of peaceful meditation through one-pointedness. Morality has the essential character of expanded vision through skill in discerning phenomena. Morality is the knowledge of emptiness, fully beyond distinguishing marks, beyond anything to long for, and not mingled with the three realms. Morality is the patient acceptance of the absence of birth, brought about as unconditioned, and unborn. Morality is not made and not active. Morality is not born in the beginning, does not perish in the end, and does not remain in between. Morality is pure thought, not dependent on consciousness, and not mingled with mental effort. Morality is not dependent on the desire realm, does not remain in the form realm, and does not stay in the formless realm. Morality is the giving up of the impurities of passion, which is avoiding malice, harshness, faults, and aversion and which is the absence of delusion, obscurity, and ignorance. Morality is neither belief in permanence nor belief in nihilism and is not in discord with the principle of dependent origination. Morality is without the principle of an ego,

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it is without possession, and it does not abide by the view that there is a permanent substance. Morality is without attachment to names and signs, it does not abide by the distinguishing marks of form, and it does not mingle with names and forms. Morality is the absence of causal bad dispositions. It is the nonarising of doctrinal viewpoints, and it does not abide by hindrances like regret. Morality does not abide by the root of nonvirtue that is attachment, it does not abide by the root of nonvirtue that is aversion, and it does not abide by the root of nonvirtue that is delusion. Morality is indefatigable and without desires and thus has the essential character of fitness. Morality is the noninterruption of the buddhas’ lineage because of the attainment of the transcendent body. It is the noninterruption of the lineage of the Dharma because of the attainment of nonseparation from the realm of phenomena. It is the noninterruption of the lineage of the community because the unconditioned is revealed.

“Morality, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, should be seen as imperishable because of the imperishability of its continuity. Why? The morality of ordinary people perishes because of the places where they are born. The morality of those who possess the five outer supernormal powers perishes when they are deprived of their supernormal powers. The morality of humans perishes when the ten ways of virtuous actions perish. The morality of the gods in the desire realm perishes when their merit perishes. The morality of the sons of gods in the form realm perishes when their immeasurable states and meditations perish. The morality of the gods in the formless realm perishes when their meditation-produced births perish. The morality of the disciples—those still to be trained and those needing no more training—perishes in the end when they reach nirvāṇa. The morality of the isolated buddhas perishes because of their lack of great compassion.

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“On the other hand, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, the morality of the bodhisatvas is imperishable. Why? Because all types of morality originate from that morality. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, when the seed is imperishable, the grain is also imperishable. Similarly, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, the morality of the tathāgatas should be known as being imperishable since its seed, the mind of awakening, is imperishable. That is why these holy beings are called those whose morality is imperishable. This, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, is called the bodhisatvas’ imperishable morality.

“Then Venerable Śāradvatīputra addressed the bodhisatva Akṣayamati, saying, “Well described by you, son of good family, was this imperishability of the bodhisatvas’ morality. Give us some inspired speech, son of good family, on the subject of the imperishability of the bodhisatvas’ patient acceptance, how the patient acceptance of the bodhisatvas becomes imperishable.”

Akṣayamati said, “Venerable Śāradvatīputra, the bodhisatvas’ patient acceptance is to be seen in thirty-two ways. What are these thirty-two? (1) Patient acceptance is to be seen in the giving up of bad dispositions. (2) Patient acceptance is to be seen in the absence of inflicting injury. (3) Patient acceptance is to be seen in the absence of anguish. (4) Patient acceptance is to be seen in the absence of malice. (5) Patient acceptance is to be seen in the absence of enmity. (6) Patient acceptance is to be seen in the absence of rage. (7) Patient acceptance is to be seen in the absence of quarreling. (8) Patient acceptance is to be seen in the absence of dispute. (9) Patient acceptance is to be seen in not being injured by the outside world. (10) Patient acceptance is to be seen in guarding oneself and others. (11) Patient acceptance is to be seen in being in accordance with the mind of awakening. (12) Patient acceptance is to be seen in thorough spiritual penetration. (13) Patient acceptance is to be seen in disgust for worldly things and the absence of greed. (14) Patient acceptance is to be seen in the confidence in the fact that actions have consequences. (15) Patient acceptance is to be seen in the ornamentation of the body.

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(16) Patient acceptance is to be seen in the purity of speech and thought. (17) Patient acceptance is to be seen in firm intention. (18) Patient acceptance is to be seen in the understanding that the words of abusive speech are void. (19) Patient acceptance is to be seen in the absence of thought-construction. (20) Patient acceptance is to be seen in the introspection into one’s own thoughts. (21) Patient acceptance is to be seen in protecting the minds of others. (22) Patient acceptance is to be seen in following the way to the world of Brahmā. (23) Patient acceptance is to be seen in experiencing the good qualities of gods and humans. (24) Patient acceptance is to be seen in perfecting the excellent major and minor marks. (25) Patient acceptance is to be seen in attaining a voice like that of Brahmā. (26) Patient acceptance is to be seen in having done away with all negativities. (27) Patient acceptance is to be seen in having done away with malice, faults, and harshness. (28) Patient acceptance is to be seen in rejecting anger. (29) Patient acceptance is to be seen in rejecting all roots of nonvirtue. (30) Patient acceptance is to be seen in the crushing of all one’s enemies. (31) Patient acceptance is to be seen in aloofness from the harm done by others. (32) Patient acceptance is to be seen as the cause of attaining all the qualities of a buddha. The bodhisatvas’ patient acceptance, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, is to be seen in these thirty-two ways.

“What is purified patient acceptance? One does not respond to insults with more insults, through understanding that speech is like an echo. One does not respond to beatings with more beatings, through understanding that the body is like a reflection. One does not respond to abuse with more abuse, through understanding that thoughts are like illusions. One does not respond to anger with more anger, through having the determination to be peaceful. One does not feel aversion at not being praised, through the accomplishment of one’s own qualities. One is not flattered by praise, through the absence of conceit. One does not delight in gain, through being well trained. One feels no aversion to loss, through utter peace.

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One does not become perplexed by fame, through discerning it with wisdom. One feels no despondency at the absence of fame, because of broadmindedness. One is not depressed by blame, because one is well established. One is not exalted by praise, since one is unshakeable. One is not fatigued by suffering, through care for living beings. One does not get excited by pleasure, because of the impermanence of conditioned pleasure. One does not become sullied by the ways of the world, since one is dependent on nothing. One patiently accepts violence against oneself, through using no violence against others. One accepts the cutting off of limbs and extremities, through fulfilling the attainment of the limbs of awakening. One patiently accepts the destruction of one’s own body, through desiring the body of a buddha. One patiently accepts every misdeed, through developing the power of performing good actions. One endures pain and suffering, through having the courage to defeat all non-Buddhists. One undertakes every kind of asceticism, through overpowering Śakra, Brahmā, and the protectors of the world.

“Furthermore, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, this patient acceptance is absolutely invulnerable. Why is this? It is because it is beyond apprehension. The patient acceptance that thinks, ‘He abuses me,’ is the patient acceptance that apprehends duality; it is not absolute patient acceptance. The patient acceptance that thinks, ‘Who abuses here?’ is the patient acceptance that calculates and constructs phenomena; it is not absolute patient acceptance. The patient acceptance that thinks, ‘How can it be that his eyes abuse my eyes?’ and, similarly, the patient acceptance that thinks, ‘How can my ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind be abused by his [ . . . ] mind?’ is the patient acceptance that concerns the sense sources; it is not absolute patient acceptance. The patient acceptance that thinks, ‘No one abuses here,’ is the patient acceptance that conceives of selflessness; it is not absolute patient acceptance. The patient acceptance that thinks, ‘These things come from the sounds of words,’ is the patient acceptance similar to an echo;

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it is not absolute patient acceptance. The patient acceptance that thinks, ‘This is impermanent, and I am also impermanent,’ is the patient acceptance that relates to impermanence; it is not absolute patient acceptance. The patient acceptance that thinks, ‘This is perverted, and I am not perverted,’ is the patient acceptance that is concerned with high and low; it is not absolute patient acceptance. The patient acceptance that thinks, ‘I am right, and he is wrong,’ is the patient acceptance that is concerned with right and wrong; it is not absolute patient acceptance. The patient acceptance that thinks, ‘I am established on good ways, and he is established on bad ways,’ is the patient acceptance that is concerned with good ways and bad ways; it is not absolute patient acceptance. The patient acceptance that thinks, ‘I patiently accept impermanence, but I do not patiently accept permanence,’ is the patient acceptance that rejects by means of antidotes; it is not absolute patient acceptance. The patient acceptance that thinks, ‘I patiently accept suffering, but I do not patiently accept pleasure; I patiently accept selflessness, but I do not patiently accept the ego; I patiently accept the ugly, but I do not patiently accept the beautiful,’ is the patient acceptance that rejects by means of an antidote; it is not absolute patient acceptance. The patient acceptance that thinks, ‘I patiently accept emptiness, but I do not patiently accept doctrinal viewpoints; I patiently accept the absence of distinguishing marks, but I do not patiently accept the thought-constructions that consist in distinguishing marks; I patiently accept the absence of longing, but I do not patiently accept longing; I patiently accept the absence of conditionality, but I do not patiently accept conditionality; I patiently accept the cessation of all afflictions, but I do not patiently accept the afflictions; I patiently accept virtue, but I do not patiently accept nonvirtue; I patiently accept the transcendent, but I do not patiently accept the worldly; I patiently accept that which cannot be blamed, but I do not patiently accept the blamable; I patiently accept the unsullied, but I do not patiently accept the sullied; I patiently accept the purified,

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but I do not patiently accept affliction. I patiently accept nirvāṇa, but I do not patiently accept existence,’ is the patient acceptance that rejects by means of an antidote; it is not absolute patient acceptance.

“What is absolute patient acceptance? It is to understand emptiness, but not to suppress doctrinal views or impute the concept of emptiness. The patient acceptance of the fact that ‘doctrinal views are empty’ is absolute patient acceptance; it is to understand the absence of distinguishing marks, but not to suppress the thoughts of distinguishing marks or impute the concept of the absence of distinguishing marks. The patient acceptance of the fact that ‘the thoughts of distinguishing marks are empty’ is absolute patient acceptance; it is to understand the absence of longing, but not to suppress longing or impute the concept of the absence of longing. The patient acceptance of the fact that ‘longing is empty’ is absolute patient acceptance; it is to understand the absence of conditionality, but not to suppress conditionality or impute the concept of the absence of conditionality. The patient acceptance of the fact that ‘the conditioned is empty’ is absolute patient acceptance; it is to understand the cessation of afflictions, but not to suppress afflictions or impute the concept of the cessation of afflictions. The patient acceptance of the fact that ‘afflictions are empty’ is absolute patient acceptance; it is to understand virtue, but not to suppress nonvirtue or impute the concept of virtue. The patient acceptance of the fact that ‘nonvirtue is empty’ is absolute patient acceptance; it is to understand the transcendent, but not to suppress the worldly or impute the concept of transcendence. The patient acceptance of the fact that ‘the worldly is empty’ is absolute patient acceptance; it is to understand that which cannot be blamed, but not to suppress the blamable or impute the concept of being unblameable. The patient acceptance of the fact that ‘the blamable is empty’ is absolute patient acceptance;

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it is to understand the unsullied, but not to suppress the sullied or impute the concept of being unsullied. The patient acceptance of the fact that ‘the sullied is empty’ is absolute patient acceptance; it is to understand the pure, but not to suppress affliction or impute the concept of purity. The patient acceptance of the fact that ‘affliction is empty’ is absolute patient acceptance; it is to understand nirvāṇa, but not to suppress existence or impute the concept of nirvāṇa. The patient acceptance of the fact that ‘existence is empty’ is absolute patient acceptance.

“That which is unoriginated, uncreated, unborn, and unarisen is beyond destruction. Since there is no destruction, there is no decay. Patient acceptance of this is absolute patient acceptance. In that which is not made, unconditioned, not imputed, unconstructed, not possible to demonstrate, not possible to display, and beyond limitations there is no origination. That which is beyond origination does not arise, and that which does not arise is absolute patient acceptance. That kind of patient acceptance is the patient acceptance of the unoriginated, and the patient acceptance of the fact that things are unoriginated is absolute patient acceptance. The bodhisatvas who understand that kind of patient acceptance have achieved the patient acceptance that was prophesied to them. This, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, is called the bodhisatvas’ imperishable patient acceptance.”

When the bodhisatva Akṣayamati had taught that exposition of the Dharma, the chapter on the imperishability of patient acceptance, that whole assembly applauded him. To honor him, they showered him with flowers, perfumes, incense, garlands, ointments, aromatic powders, garments, parasols, banners, and celestial pennants that had never been seen or heard of before. They played music and proclaimed,

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“Those who are not frightened, alarmed, or scared when they hear about this imperishability of patient acceptance possess the patient acceptance of the tathāgatas.” They showered him with flowers, perfumes, incense, garlands, ointments, aromatic powders, garments, parasols, banners, and celestial pennants in such amounts that they filled up this entire great trichiliocosm.

Then the Blessed One addressed the bodhisatva Akṣayamati, saying, “Make a vessel, son of good family, for these flowers, perfumes, incense, garlands, ointments, aromatic powders, garments, parasols, banners, and celestial pennants.”

Akṣayamati said, “The vessels of the bodhisatvas, Blessed One, are their own bodies, since they are created through the power of their magical transformation. Thus I will make one.”

Then the bodhisatva Akṣayamati entered the bodhisatva concentration named the absorption of all forms in the body. As soon he had done so, the flowers, perfumes, incense, garlands, ointments, aromatic powders, garments, parasols, banners, and celestial pennants were absorbed into his navel, but his body did not appear to diminish or to increase in size.

Then a bodhisatva called Mahāvyūha, who had come to that assembly and was sitting there, addressed the bodhisatva Akṣayamati, saying, “Son of good family, what is the name of the concentration in which you dwell when that amount of flowers, perfumes, incense, garlands, ointments, aromatic powders, garments, parasols, banners, and celestial pennants are absorbed into your body without your body appearing to diminish or to increase in size?”

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Akṣayamati said, “The name of that concentration, son of good family, is the absorption of all forms in the body.”

The bodhisatva Mahāvyūha asked, “What is the range of this concentration, son of good family?”

Akṣayamati said, “Even if all the forms of this great trichiliocosm, son of good family, were to be absorbed into my body, the condition of my body would undergo no increase or decrease.”

In that assembly, some bodhisatvas, gods, and humans then thought, “We too wish to see the power of that concentration.”

The Blessed One realized what those bodhisatvas, gods, and humans were thinking. He addressed the bodhisatva Akṣayamati, saying, “Son of good family, you should demonstrate the power of that concentration.”

Then, by cultivating that concentration, the bodhisatva Akṣayamati absorbed that entire assembly—the bodhisatvas who had assembled from the ten directions and the Blessed One attended by his community of monks—into his body. Having absorbed them, he showed them such wealth and enjoyment as is found among the bodhisatvas in the multitude of world spheres in the buddha field of the tathāgata Bhūṣaṇarāja. Everyone in that assembly thought that they had personally entered the body of the bodhisatva Akṣayamati. Then, when the bodhisatva Akṣayamati had displayed this great miracle, he again put that entire assembly—all those bodhisatvas who had come from the ten directions and the Blessed One attended by his community of monks—back on their seats.

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Then the bodhisatva Mahāvyūha addressed the bodhisatva Akṣayamati, saying, “The power of this concentration is amazing, son of good family!”

Akṣayamati said, “Son of good family, even if this whole great trichiliocosm were to be absorbed into my body, the condition of my body would display no increase or decrease.”

When this exposition of the Dharma, the chapter on the imperishability of patient acceptance, had been taught, and when this miracle had been displayed, seventy-six million gods and humans developed the mind of incomparable absolute awakening, and twenty thousand bodhisatvas attained the patient acceptance of the fact that phenomena are unborn.

Then Venerable Śāradvatīputra addressed the bodhisatva Akṣayamati, saying, “Well described by you, son of good family, was this imperishability of the bodhisatvas’ patient acceptance. Give us some inspired speech, son of good family, on the subject of the imperishability of the bodhisatvas’ vigor, how the vigor of the bodhisatvas becomes imperishable.”

Akṣayamati said, “These eight, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, are the bodhisatvas’ assumptions of vigor. What are these eight? They are (1) the imperishable armor, (2) the imperishable courage, (3) the imperishable attainment, (4) the imperishable maturation of beings, (5) the imperishable accumulation of merit, (6) the imperishable accumulation of wisdom, (7) the imperishable accumulation of insight, and (8) the imperishable accumulation related to the attainment of all the buddha qualities.

“What then, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, is the bodhisatvas’ imperishable armor? Not exhausted by existence, they do not seek awakening by counting world ages, thinking, ‘For so many world ages I will put on this armor, and for so many world ages I will not put on this armor.’ Instead, they put on the inconceivable armor,

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