འཕགས་པ་ཤན་ཏ་རྒྱས་པ་ཆན་པའ་སྡ་ཉ་མའ་སྙང་པ་ཞས་བྱ་བའ་མད 4
The Quintessence of the Sun 4
- Language
- English
4.2
In that place, merely by hearing that great teaching, the lesser, moderate, and intense cravings of sentient beings and their afflictions that are the cause of saṃsāra will be completely pacified, as will their afflictions that act as the causes of rebirth in the form and formless realms. All their afflictions, as numerous as the grains of sand in the Ganges, will be pulverized, and all the physical, verbal, and mental negativities of the five classes of beings that they have accumulated so far—those that have not yet reached full fruition and those that have not been purified—will be counteracted. If some beings listen one-pointedly and appropriately to this great teaching of the fundamental knowledge mantra and cultivate this Dharma for seven days without doing anything else, everything that causes the deterioration and obstruction of virtue will be exhausted without coming to fruition. The same applies to everything that causes wealth to decline, everything that causes one to be separated from desirable objects, everything that harms the body and disturbs the mind, everything that causes one to feel weary of any type of virtue, and everything that causes one to feel joyful about any type of nonvirtue—except for the acts of immediate retribution, the rejection of the sacred Dharma, the denigration of the noble ones, and the root downfalls.
“Those beings will then engage in such roots of virtue. If they undertake the practice of the perfection of generosity, they will be blessed by all buddhas, by all bodhisattvas, by all circumstantial victors, and by all worthy ones, and their households will experience inexhaustible wealth. If they cultivate the perfections of discipline, patience, diligence, concentration, and insight,
4.3
they will not be harmed by the world with its gods and asuras. Instead, they will be worthy to be trusted, remembered, pleased, worshiped, revered, and protected by everyone, from all the lords of the gods to all the lords of the humans. Later, when they die, they will see in the ten directions blessed buddhas who will extend their hands and tell them, ‘Sublime beings, welcome! Please stay here in my pure buddha realm. I will establish you on the ten levels.’ Due to their visions of the buddhas and their noble joy and faith, they will, after they die, be born into buddha realms where the buddhas are present. There, they will reach the ten levels, and before long they will awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood. Noble son, this great teaching of the fundamental knowledge mantra is therefore very valuable.
“Noble son, in that buddha realm of Sahā, sentient beings are deteriorating in the roots of virtue that are conducive to certainty. Why is it so? Because they have been removed from all the buddha realms of the ten directions and because they commit the acts of immediate retribution, reject the sacred Dharma, denigrate the noble ones, and commit the root downfalls. For a long time, they have all experienced various types of intense and harsh suffering in the three lower realms. Due to their release from and purification of those three lower realms,
4.4
they adopt the paths of the ten virtuous actions. Due to that cause, as well as the previous aspirations of the thus-gone Śākyamuni, they have now obtained a human body in that buddha realm. However, because of their familiarity with the experience of suffering in the lower realms, they have completely forgotten any faculties of faith up to insight that they had developed familiarity with in the past. This also applies to any previous familiarity with generosity up to insight, and it also applies to aspirations, weariness of saṃsāra, happiness of emancipation, and cultivation of the sublime states. Having forgotten all these, they have been born into that buddha realm. Moreover, due to all their former negative acts, they are born unattractive, ugly, with limbs missing, and lacking food, drinks, clothes, bedding, and ornaments. There they have short lifespans, their intellect and intelligence are weak, and they have few resources and possessions. Their roots of virtue, merits, and accomplishments are weak, and they perform few positive deeds. They engage in negative activities, they are seized by wrong view, they have faith in negative treatises, and they form harmful aspirations. They are affected by many diseases, they have many distractions, they have many activities and undertakings, and they repeatedly perform the three types of negative acts.²⁹ They are discomposed, scathing, impetuous, harsh, and angry. They follow the paths of the ten nonvirtuous actions, and they reject the Three Jewels. Therefore, most beings in that buddha realm are headed for the three lower realms.
4.5
“Noble son, merely hearing this great teaching of the fundamental knowledge mantra will immediately liberate those beings from the paths that lead to the lower realms, since it connects them to the virtues that accord with certainty. They will rejoice in their past familiarity with the faculties of faith up to insight, as well as in their former formation of aspirations, meditation on the defects of saṃsāra, and cultivation of the sublime states. Just by hearing it, their lifespans will increase, their health will improve, their resources and possessions will multiply, and their virtuous deeds will immensely increase, as will their accomplishments of roots of virtue, their insight, their love, their equanimity, and their wholesome actions. Just by hearing it, they will all develop the correct view. Those beings who listen respectfully to this great teaching of the fundamental knowledge mantra and contemplate these qualities one-pointedly for seven days without doing anything else will follow the paths of the ten virtuous actions. They will engage in the three types of positive acts, take refuge in the Three Jewels, delight in the strength of aspirations, abide by the Dharma, and illuminate the lineage of the Three Jewels. All those beings—except for those who have committed the acts of immediate retribution or the root downfalls—will recollect their previous lives there. After they die, they will then be born in this buddha realm of Sahā, over and over again. Those sentient beings who have not yet experienced the karmic ripening of their extremely severe negative actions will,
4.6
if they hear this great teaching of the fundamental knowledge mantra, achieve such qualities. As soon as they hear it, all their immeasurable karmic obscurations will be exhausted.
“In that place, those sentient beings should write down this entire Dharma teaching. They should build statues of the seven perfect buddhas and create monastic compounds for the saṅgha of the thus-gone Śākyamuni’s hearers who abide by the Dharma. They should also arrange benefactors in that place, exert themselves in restoring their vows at the proper times, and listen to the Dharma. For those sentient beings who have developed delight and supreme joy in the Three Jewels, there may manifest some undesirable consequences that resemble those various types of intense suffering they would otherwise experience in the three lower realms for myriads of eons: some may be sick for extended periods, but this will lead to the exhaustion of the capacity of their previous nonvirtuous actions. For some, it will be exhausted through their limbs being cut off. For some, it will be exhausted through running out of wealth. For some, it will be exhausted through the dissolution of their retinues. For some, it will be exhausted through losing their resources and possessions. For some, it will be exhausted through being harmed physically by members of their retinues and servants, or through being thrown into prison. For some, it will be exhausted through being told unpleasant words and being insulted. Through such consequences of similar nature, the nonvirtuous actions they created previously will be exhausted. Noble son, this great teaching of the fundamental knowledge mantra is therefore very valuable.
4.7
tadyathā: khagapariccheda garbhakṣase garbharevidyā prabhagakṣe kṣavayoge pratihāre śamanasikathe samameghajuṣṭe akṣayatate kṣabhavaje ninadanajhuṣe samāgrajhuṣe adhyāśayajhuṣe viprabhajhuṣe śaikṣajhuṣe satyajavajhuṣe sainyajavajhuṣe salilaguhyajhuṣe salaguhyavyākṣe paṇaghoṣe sadānakone sarvadhananthye vītapravṛtate upakramaṇathe anacchadyaprakhe pratikramana sakhathyeśe salocanavame krodhadharekāśasaśe ākāśakhage nayakuñje vidyāvane klānavane upavane samemakāre śārayavane meghajhuṣe harikona vanayanmukhe sarakṣakole narāyanajhuṣe indravasane o a a va ā aravaha jarā avarāva sameghaduḥkhenastiraṇirvāhe svāhā.
“Noble son, this great teaching of the fundamental knowledge mantra is very valuable and beneficial. It benefits, cleanses, illuminates, reminds, and pacifies all beings. Sentient beings who listen to it one-pointedly and accomplish it as it is taught will be blessed by all thus-gone ones, by all bodhisattva great beings, by all circumstantial victors, and by all the worthy ones. They will deserve the consideration, trust, reverence, offerings, and protection of everyone—from the lords of the gods to the lords of the humans. Later, in their last moment of consciousness when they are about to die, they will see in front of them blessed buddhas from the ten directions
4.8
who will extend their hands and tell them, ‘O, come here, you who possess a wealth of qualities! Please stay in my pure buddha realm. I will establish you on the ten levels.’ Due to their noble joy, delight, and faith born from their visions of the buddhas, they will, after they die, be born into buddha realms where the buddhas are present. There they will reach the ten levels and swiftly awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood. This great teaching of the fundamental knowledge mantra is therefore very valuable and beneficial for exhausting the karmic actions of sentient beings and causing the attainment of complete purity and the attainment of the happiness of emancipation. Therefore, take it with you, go to the Sahā world, and present my words to the thus-gone Śākyamuni!”
The bodhisattva great being Glorious Essence of Light replied, “Respected Blessed One, I shall do so!”
At that moment, in that retinue, an innumerable and limitless number of bodhisattva great beings exclaimed in unison, “Respected Blessed One, we also want to behold the thus-gone Śākyamuni, to pay homage to him, to revere him, to behold his great assembly, and to hear the practice of the Dharma of The Quintessence of the Sun, the section on the light rays that destroy the domain of the nāgas, this dhāraṇī mantra that exhausts the karmic actions of sentient beings. It has not been long since we arose from the practice of absorption. Respected Blessed One, since many others have already left, please allow us also to go to the Sahā world!”
4.9
The thus-gone Royal Mass of Glorious Wisdom said to them, “Noble sons, all of you proceed together while assuming the complexion, marks, appearance, shape, behavior, and attire of Nārāyaṇa!”
They replied, “Respected Blessed One, we shall do so!”
The bodhisattva great being Glorious Essence of Light and all those bodhisattva great beings now transformed themselves to have the complexion, marks, appearance, shape, behavior, and attire of Nārāyaṇa. They prostrated to the feet of the thus-gone Royal Mass of Glorious Wisdom and circumambulated him three times. Then they left and instantaneously arrived in the buddha realm of Sahā. As soon as they arrived, they showered a rain of gold from the Jambū River everywhere in the buddha realm of Sahā in order to worship the Blessed One. They then proceeded toward the middle region of the four continents, in the direction of Magadha. When they arrived there, they prostrated to the feet of the blessed Śākyamuni and sat to one side. The Blessed One was still engaged in a discourse with King Bimbisāra about how to abide by the Dharma.
Also during that time, in the northern direction, beyond buddha realms as numerous as the grains of sand in eighty Ganges Rivers, there was a buddha realm ripe with the five degenerations called Manifestation of All Perfumes, where the thus-gone, worthy, perfect Buddha Glorious Essence of Flowers was residing. He thrived, lived well, and taught the Dharma.
4.10
A bodhisattva great being named Ākāśagarbha was present in that assembly in order to listen to the Dharma. At one point, he looked in the sky above and saw an innumerable and limitless number of bodhisattva great beings departing from the north and proceeding toward the south. When he looked in the southern direction, he saw a brilliant light. He then bowed down with his palms joined together in the direction of the Buddha Glorious Essence of Flowers and said, “Respected Blessed One, when I recently arose from the practice of absorption, I saw in the sky above an innumerable and limitless number of bodhisattva great beings departing from the north and going toward the south. Then, respected Blessed One, as I looked toward the south, I saw a brilliant light and wondered, ‘Why is this so?’ ”
The thus-gone Glorious Essence of Flowers replied to the bodhisattva great being Ākāśagarbha, “Noble son, in the southern direction, beyond buddha realms as numerous as the grains of sand in eighty Ganges Rivers, there is a buddha realm ripe with the five degenerations called Sahā, where the thus-gone, worthy, perfect Buddha Śākyamuni resides. He thrives, lives well, and to a great assembly he now reveals Dharma teachings that are the gateways to the ascertainment of the three vehicles, to ensure that the Dharma way endures for a long time and that those who abide by the Dharma of the lineage of the Three Jewels remain without interruption. In that buddha realm of Sahā,
4.11
a great assembly of the Buddha has gathered to destroy and cleanse the domain of the māras, to raise the banner of the Dharma, and to ensure that the Dharma way remains for a long time. There, all the thus-gone ones have uttered the dhāraṇī mantra called jewel crest and then left after having engaged with that buddha realm. The thus-gone Śākyamuni has gathered a great assembly of bodhisattva great beings and great hearers who possess the three eyes that are endowed with the four correct knowledges and who display the sublime states. This retinue fills the earth and the sky of that buddha realm of Sahā, and it is insatiable with respect to the Dharma teachings of the thus-gone Śākyamuni, who is endowed with the most delightful voice.
“Wishing to explain the four means of attracting disciples, the practice of the Dharma of The Quintessence of the Sun, the section on the light rays that destroy the domain of the nāgas, the dhāraṇī mantra that exhausts the karmic actions of sentient beings, that thus-gone Śākyamuni, who is endowed with the most delightful voice, has formed the wish, ‘May the bodhisattva great beings from the buddha realms of the ten directions—from those who will reach emancipation over a hundred eons up to those who are in their final existence and possess the eighteen unique qualities, who are not led astray by others, and who are experts in unobstructed wisdom—enter this buddha realm of Sahā at this very moment! Once they are here, may they abide by each of their virtuous concentrations! In the same way, may the great earth in this buddha realm come to possess great strength, nourishment, and qualities. In the same way, may everyone be endowed with recollection, diligence,
4.12
generosity, and insight—just as in other buddha realms! May all bodhisattva great beings who are dwelling in the buddha realms of the ten directions enter this buddha realm of Sahā at this very moment! Once they have gathered here, may they dwell in accordance with the power of their individual virtues and in accordance with their concentrations!’
“The light that radiates from the bodies of some of those beings who are absorbed in states of concentration is like the light emitted by oil lamps. The light that radiates from the bodies of some is like the light emitted by […] many trillions of suns and moons. This brilliant light emitted by the gathering of those bodhisattva great beings is now pervading the buddha realm of Sahā. Right now, the bodhisattva great beings who had withdrawn into meditative seclusion in all the buddha realms of the ten directions and who had never previously gone to the buddha realm of Sahā have arisen from their absorptions and departed for that realm. Once they arrive there, they will behold that thus-gone one and his great assembly. They will hear that great dhāraṇī mantra, sit cross-legged, and revel in a variety of individual virtuous concentrations.
“Noble son, you should also arise from your absorption and go to the buddha realm of Sahā! Noble son, in that buddha realm of Sahā, sentient beings have extremely short lifespans. They are affected by many diseases, their intelligence is weak, and their involvement with roots of virtue is limited. Their merit and their pursuit of virtuous activities are weak,
4.13
they are not afraid of the afterlife, their resources and possessions are few, and they are attached to desirable objects. They engage in nonvirtue, they are envious, and they have abandoned modesty and humility. Since most of them have adopted the paths of the ten nonvirtuous actions, they will be born in the lower realms. Why is it so? Because, after they die, sentient beings living there who engage in a variety of actions are born in that same place as evil beings—from yakṣas to kaṭapūtanas. Those evil beings—from yakṣas to kaṭapūtanas—feed themselves by robbing the earth of its vitality. They also feed themselves by robbing of their vitality all grains, herbs, flowers, fruits, leaves, and juices. In this sense they are powerful beings. They also rob the vitality of humans who are in the womb and the vitality of those who have just been born. They also rob the vitality of the milk and the vitality of food and beverages. Since, in that place, they rob the vitality of humans when they are in the womb and right after they are born, the humans lack vitality and so must feed themselves on food and drink that are already degraded. Because of this, the humans living there are very sickly and have short lifespans. They are forgetful, and all their roots of virtue are corrupted. They are devoid of merit, they are not afraid of the afterlife, they lack resources and possessions, and they are attached to desirable objects. Since their conduct is impure, […] and since they have adopted the paths of the ten nonvirtuous actions,
4.14
they will be born in the lower realms.
“Noble son, in the past, when I was a bodhisattva, I made the aspiration to be endowed with diligence, enthusiasm, and firm³⁰ resolution during my activities, and I venerated the perfect buddhas of the past. I supplicated them so that I may be able to protect pregnant women by whatever means necessary. I supplicated them so that, through my diligence, both the mothers and the children present in their wombs may experience well-being. I supplicated them so that no gods, nāgas, yakṣas, rākṣasas, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, kumbhāṇḍas, pretas, piśācas, pūtanas, kaṭapūtanas, ojohāras, apasmāras, fevers that last one day, fevers that last two days, fevers that last three days, fevers that last four days, vetālas, mantras, or medicines may be able to harm their bodies and minds. I supplicated them so that the mothers, the children present in their wombs, the newborn children, the milk they drink, and the food and drink they ingest may not be harmed in any way. I supplicated them so that their vitality may not be robbed and so that their bodies, elements, and minds may not be disturbed in any way. I supplicated them so that those beings may remain in the womb in a natural way and so that they may come out of the womb easily and unharmed, without their bodies or minds being hurt. I supplicated them so that they may drink milk and enjoy food and beverages with ease. I supplicated them so that they may experience little discomfort, live a long life, be intelligent,
4.15
[…] adopt the paths of the ten virtuous actions, delight in generosity, self-control, and restraint, and be afraid of the afterlife. I asked them what are the mantras and medicines through which I could ripen those sentient beings, and so those perfect buddhas of the past taught me this great teaching—a mantra formula, a dhāraṇī mantra called the peaceful core of knowledge, through which I could ripen infinite myriads of beings and establish them in the six perfections.
“With firm diligence and resolution, in all my lives I continuously protected pregnant women with this dhāraṇī mantra, this mantra formula, this vidyā mantra called the peaceful core of knowledge. I established in the three objects of refuge these women and the children in their wombs. From then on, those pregnant women and their children could not be hurt or injured, and their bodies, elements, and minds could no longer be disturbed by gods or any other beings, including māras, apasmāras, humans, and nonhumans. The world with its gods and asuras could no longer rob their vitality or hurt them with any medicines or mantras. Pregnant mothers would not be harmed by them anymore, and the children present in their wombs would remember their previous lives. The bodies of those beings who had entered the womb would have perfectly developed faculties, beautiful and elegant appearances, and excellent complexions which are replete with the most delightful features. They would be highly intelligent and emerge from the bellies of their mothers with ease
4.16
and with minds free of forgetfulness. Immediately after their births, powerful gods renowned for their great strength, each surrounded by a retinue of a hundred thousand members, would protect them and guard them. No humans or nonhumans could hurt them, injure them, disturb their bodies, elements, and minds, take their vitality, or hurt them with mantras and drugs. Those beings would have the most excellent physiques, and they would remember their past lives and be afraid of the afterlife. They would be endowed with a loving mindset, great compassion, and a generous attitude. They would delight in discipline and be endowed with patience, diligence, and other qualities. They would enjoy seclusion, exert themselves in concentration, and experience great joy in the presence of virtuous friends, and they would be endowed with the noble knowledge of emancipation that brings such qualities and leads to the exhaustion of suffering. Gods, nāgas, and yakṣas would diligently venerate those beings who dwelled in peace and with few afflictions. These people would vividly perceive the defects of saṃsāra and wish for the happiness of emancipation. If they were to give rise to the mind set on unsurpassed and perfect awakening, they would accordingly swiftly achieve the absorption of the bodhisattvas without forgetting the mind set on awakening. If they were to give rise to the mind set on the vehicle of the solitary buddhas, they would swiftly achieve the acceptance that accords with birth and disintegration. If those sentient beings were to give rise to the mind set on the vehicle of the hearers,
4.17
they would, in accordance with this, achieve the acceptance that accords with the truth. All those sentient beings would be free from the three lower realms and proceed toward the higher realms. Noble son, through my commitment to engaging in the application of such skillful means, I ripened sentient beings and accomplished unsurpassed and perfect awakening. Noble son, this great teaching of the peaceful core of knowledge is therefore very meaningful.
“Noble son, when I saw sentient beings affected by diseases, I would infuse³¹ the medicinal plant siṃhakṣir³² with this great teaching of the peaceful core of knowledge and give it to those sick persons, and all their diseases would be completely cured. Where no such medicinal plant was available, I would instead infuse food and drink with the teaching of the peaceful core of knowledge and give it to those sick persons, and all their diseases would be completely cured. If those were not available either, I would infuse medicinal decoctions³³ with the mantra formula of the peaceful core of knowledge and give it to those sick persons, and all their diseases would be completely cured. Noble son, through my commitment to engaging in the application of such skillful means, I ripened sentient beings and accomplished unsurpassed and perfect awakening.
“Noble son, in places where trees did not bear flowers or fruits, I would infuse rainwater with the mantra formula of the peaceful core of knowledge and sprinkle it on those trees. Many flowers and fruits would then grow on those trees for many years, even in the absence of any water. I did the same with sugarcane plants, grapes, grains, and herbs. In places affected by droughts, where no rain was falling, I would infuse tortoise heart³⁴ with the mantra formula of the peaceful core of knowledge and wrap it with campaka leaves.
4.18
I would then place it on the shore of the ocean of the nāgas, and strong rains and great masses of water would pour down. If the downpour of those strong rains damaged the houses, fields, and monastic compounds, I would then infuse a precious gem of the king of snakes with this mantra formula of the peaceful core of knowledge and place it in the abode of those nāgas, and the rains would then come to a halt.
“In places affected by untimely wind, sun, untimely clouds, darkness, sandstorms, cold, heat, or untimely seasons, by armies, or by disturbances of the moon, the sun, the planets, the lunar mansions, the full moon, the half-moon, the seasons, or the years, I would, for the sake of sentient beings and out of compassion for them, perform ablutions day and night for seven days, feed on milk and cooked rice, and with great delight in the cultivation of the sublime states recite this teaching of the peaceful core of knowledge without doing anything else. Had I failed to look after those lands for these seven days, I would not have kept the promise I made to myself. In those places, I would infuse with this great teaching of the peaceful core of knowledge an extract of campa herbs³⁵ combined with uragasāra sandalwood, mix it with an emetic made from the fruits of madana trees, and place it by a temple. That would pacify all instances of untimely wind, sun, untimely clouds, darkness, sandstorms, cold, and heat, and it would cause the seasons, the moon, the sun, the planets, the lunar mansions, the full moon, the half-moon, and the years to occur properly.
“Noble son, in this way I revealed the Dharma of this great teaching of the peaceful core of knowledge in places where people adhered to signs of auspiciousness and fortune and had wrong views.
4.19
Wherever people heard it, their afflictions would diminish. After renouncing all such signs of auspiciousness, fortune, and wrong views, those beings henceforth formed groups devoted to virtuous deeds and wholesome actions and to numerous aspirations.
“Noble son, similarly, through my commitment to engaging in the application of such skillful means, I ripened sentient beings, made them master the six perfections, and awoke to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood. This great teaching of the peaceful core of knowledge is therefore very helpful and beneficial to sentient beings: it benefits all of them, it cures all their diseases, and it protects and liberates all pregnant women. It pacifies all afflictions, it generates complete knowledge of all the aggregates and elements, and it causes one to discern all phenomena. It reveals all skillful means, it makes one realize the complete happiness of emancipation, and it induces sincere faith in all sentient beings. It causes one to attain happiness related to all phenomena, it eradicates all māras and enemies in accordance with the Dharma, and it thoroughly subjugates all the domains of the māras. Noble son, this great teaching of the peaceful core of knowledge annihilates all māras and vanquishes the afflictions. It pleases the gods, it delights the yakṣas, it overcomes the asuras, it frightens the garuḍas, it generates faith in the kinnaras, and it puts the mahoragas to flight. It completely pacifies quarrels,
4.20
fights, famines, death, diseases, hostile armies, untimely wind, rain, and all types of sicknesses. It pacifies cold, heat, snow, and heat waves, and it softens substances that are harsh, rough, and hard to touch. It causes the way of the Dharma related to all phenomena to blaze, it reveals the teachings of the buddhas, and it ensures that the lineage of the Three Jewels remains uninterrupted. It provides relief to those who are afraid of saṃsāra, it generates knowledge of exhaustion, it actualizes knowledge of the unborn, it overcomes all the dense darkness of ignorance, and it removes the burden of suffering. This is the great teaching of the peaceful core of knowledge:
tadyathā: manākṣa avākṣa ghasākṣa janekṣa marmanākṣa kṣavākṣa maṇḍākṣa naṭākṣa nadarahu visanāda khaganāda atanaṭa kunaṭa parikunaṭa nāṭanāṭa parikanāṭa udtaranāṭa vināṭa kuñjanāṭa cavaṃvaranāṭa khaghamabhanāṭa puśkaranāṭa siṅharudranāṭa samalanāṭa śirikusaklaunāṭa talamarutakhava tehukṣavatirakṣadāmarajuvaha naputisantiranajava amohoragajala atrinā atrinā rava atrinākṣa avahā mārgatrinākṣa eṣa evantoduḥkhasya svāhā.”
When the Blessed One delivered this teaching, six hundred million beings in that retinue achieved the concordant acceptance, and sixty trillion of them entered into faultlessness.
“Noble son, through you I will confer this great teaching of the peaceful core of knowledge upon the thus-gone Śākyamuni. I will also bestow faith in the practice of the Dharma of The Quintessence of the Sun, the section on the light rays that destroy the domain of the nāgas, the dhāraṇī mantra that exhausts the karmic actions of sentient beings.
4.21
Take this peaceful core of knowledge with you, and go to that buddha realm of Sahā! Present my words to the thus-gone Śākyamuni, and ask him if he has any ills or problems and whether he is healthy and well. Tell him, ‘In the northern direction, beyond buddha realms as numerous as the grains of sand in eighty Ganges Rivers, there is a buddha realm ripe with the five degenerations called Manifestation of All Sounds,³⁶ where the thus-gone, worthy, perfect Buddha Glorious Essence of Flowers resides and teaches the Dharma. That thus-gone one has sent me here from that buddha realm to ask these questions to the Blessed One: “Respected Blessed One, are you well and free from ills? Are the members of your retinue comfortable and in good health? Are they eager to listen to the sacred Dharma? Do they apply the Dharma persistently in the way they hear it? Do they abide by the Dharma? Are the domains of the māras and the nāgas subjugated in your buddha realm? Is this your only buddha realm? Are you turning the Dharma wheel without obstruction in this place?” For the sake of those who will turn the wheel in this buddha realm, the thus-gone Glorious Essence of Flowers will, in this place, bestow faith in the practice of the Dharma of The Quintessence of the Sun, this section on the light rays that destroy the domain of the nāgas, the dhāraṇī mantra that cleanses the karmic actions of sentient beings. He bestows this powerful and beneficial great teaching of the peaceful core of knowledge, which benefits all beings,
4.22
cures all diseases, pacifies all afflictions, […] and removes the burden of suffering.’ ”
At that moment, the entire retinue exclaimed, amazed and astonished, “The blessed buddhas’ wisdom and vision, which are unimpeded with respect to all phenomena, are amazing! They are truly amazing! The Thus-Gone One has now revealed to us nothing but this great teaching of the peaceful core of knowledge, which benefits all beings and has never been heard before. What wise being in pursuit of awakening would not strive for something endowed with such countless and limitless qualities?”
Then, the bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha said, “When the sentient beings who are afraid of saṃsāra and pursue the happiness of emancipation proclaim the names of the Blessed One and the words of this dhāraṇī mantra peaceful core of knowledge, the great attainments and virtues of sentient beings will greatly increase in them, along with feelings of joy, delight, and respect.”
The thus-gone Glorious Essence of Flowers replied, “Thus it is, noble son! It is just as you have said! Noble son, when I was a bodhisattva and practiced the conduct with diligence, I made these aspirations: ‘Once I achieve awakening, if, in all the buddha realms of the ten directions, sentient beings who have the wish to strive for the perfections—from generosity up to insight—
4.23
proclaim my name and cause sentient beings to contemplate it, then, if there are any beings in the world with its gods and asuras who have the ability to create obstacles to their practice of those perfections, may the virtuous side of those beings—all but the causes that are results of their previous actions—multiply many hundreds of thousands of times! May I postpone my awakening to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood in order to help those mothers who experience great joy with their children, those who are weary of the burden of having children, and those pregnant women who pay homage to me, as well as anyone who proclaims my name with joy, respect, and faith. May I postpone my awakening to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood in order to help should any human or nonhuman being filled with hostility use medicines or mantras to hurt or disturb the bodies and minds of such mothers and the children they carry in their wombs, or should they for a single instant hurt a newborn baby!’ Those are the aspirations I made in the past when I was a bodhisattva. In accordance with those, anyone who is now tormented by such sufferings in any buddha realm and—as it was explained before—anyone who proclaims my name with joy, respect, and faith will be liberated from their sufferings. It will not be any other way—except when it comes to causes that are results of their previous actions, if these are not purified.”
The bodhisattva said,
Linked texts (1)
- འཕགས་པ་ཤིན་ཏུ་རྒྱས་པ་ཆེན་པོའི་སྡེ་ཉི་མའི་སྙིང་པོ་ཞེས་བྱ་བའི་མདོ — Classical Tibetan