འཕགས་པ་ལྷག་པའ་བསམ་པ་བསྐལ་བ་ཞས་བྱ་བ་ཐག་པ་ཆན་པའ་མད intro.5

intro.5

This is followed by a lengthy series of enumerations by the Buddha, in response to inquiries by Maitreya, concerning the negative consequences of each fault of conduct in which the sixty bodhisattvas had engaged, as well as the advantages of refraining from each one. In several instances, these lists are presented first in prose form and then repeated in verse as an aide-memoire. Maitreya’s questions also prompt the Buddha to caution about the future degeneration of the Dharma, when it will be corrupted by the materialistic interests of teachers. He describes the pitfalls of teaching the Dharma without ridding oneself of attachment to personal gain and honor.