འཕགས་པ་ད་བཞན་གཤགས་པའ་གསང་བ་བསམ་གྱས་མ་ཁྱབ་པ་བསྟན་པ་ཞས་བྱ་བ་ཐག་པ་ཆན་པའ་མད 4
The Secrets of the Realized Ones 4
- Language
- English
4.2
all these beings would then think over their doubts and questions, assess them, and evaluate them critically for an eon or more than an eon in such a way that the doubts and questions of one being would be different from those of a second being. In this way, Śāntamati, each and every being would ponder over their own respective doubts and questions. Now, consider that all these beings were then to go and see the Blessed One all together, and in the time it takes to snap one’s fingers they were all to ask him to clarify their doubts and questions. After giving his full attention to them with one penetrating thought, the Blessed One would resolve all their doubts and questions by pronouncing a single utterance, and all these beings would know that their respective doubts and questions were resolved, and they all would be gladdened by the Blessed One’s elucidation of their questions.
“In this way, Śāntamati, the speech of a realized one dispels the doubts of all beings and eliminates their hesitancy. Still, a realized one has ceased all thought and therefore does not articulate any words, and yet, he does what needs to be done. This, too, Śāntamati, is the secret of the speech of a realized one. This is the marvel of a realized one’s speech.¹³⁵ This is its purity.”
When Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, had described the wondrous nature and the mysterious nature of the speech of a realized one, thirty-two thousand beings conceived the aspiration for unsurpassable and perfect awakening, and the bodhisattvas of this Fortunate Eon from within the buddha domains of the blessed buddhas throughout the ten directions, who were leading the holy life in their presence, showered flowers upon Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, in order to worship him. They also sent him jeweled parasols. The flowers fell upon the bodies of the Blessed One and Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, and spread throughout the entire assembly, while the jeweled parasols
4.3
remained hovering in the air above the head of the Blessed One. A voice was then heard coming from the jeweled parasols and this is what it said: “Blessed One, we have been sent by the bodhisattvas of this Fortunate Eon to worship the Blessed One and to convey our appreciation to Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, for having described the nature of a realized one as a marvelous thing.”
When they heard this voice, everyone in the assembly was even more awestruck than before, and they all bowed to Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, and developed an even greater sense of respect for him. They said, “We have obtained something well worth obtaining by having seen Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, and having heard about the inconceivable nature of a realized one.¹³⁶ Among those beings who hear this teaching, none will fail to obtain rebirth as a human being, gain motivation, and stop entertaining doubts. All of them will become ready to be guided by the Realized One and it will be impossible to be turned back from unsurpassable and perfect awakening.”
At that point, the Blessed One gave his approval to the entire assembly and spoke to the bodhisattva of great courage, Śāntamati. He said, “Śāntamati, a realized one’s qualities, which are possessed by the Realized One as they truly are,¹³⁷ run counter to all the worlds. Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, has described them here in this teaching of the Dharma. He has pointed them out and made them clear. Beings will become endowed with these qualities without delay. They will hear this teaching of the Dharma and become motivated by it. They will hold on to it. They will not fear. They will not tremble. They will not fall into a state of terror. They will develop a firm understanding of its meaning, and they will hasten to make it their reality. This is the prediction of their unsurpassable and perfect awakening.”
When Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, had taught this teaching, then incalculable, immeasurable worlds throughout the ten directions shook in the six ways
4.4
and were pervaded with a great light.¹³⁸ A great shower of flowers rained down, and the sound of musical instruments and singing could be heard. Incalculable beings conceived the aspiration for awakening. Incalculable bodhisattvas gained the acceptance that brings one into conformity with the Dharma. Incalculable bodhisattvas acquired the acceptance of the fact that things do not arise. Incalculable bodhisattvas brought to maturity the roots of virtue required to be limited to only one more life.
At that point, a jet of water became visible. With a diameter measuring the length of a chariot’s axle, it burst through the earth in the middle of the assembly right there in front of the Blessed One, having risen from a depth of sixty-eight thousand leagues. It then rose into the sky as far as the Brahmā world and showered fragrant water upon this entire cosmos of a billion worlds. The Blessed One asked the bodhisattva Śāntamati, “Śāntamati, do you see this jet of water rising into the sky?”
“Blessed One, I see it!” he said. “Of whom is this the preceding sign?”
“Śāntamati,” the Blessed One answered, “just as this jet of water bursts through the earth, which is insentient, and rises into the sky, in exactly the same way those beings who hold on to this teaching of the Dharma and hasten to make it their reality will rise up and burst through the door of all views made from ignorance. Doing so, they will manifest the wisdom and inspired eloquence that are the inexhaustible light of the Dharma. In this way, these good people will satisfy all beings with their well-spoken words. This should be known as a unique quality of this teaching of the Dharma.”
4.5
Chapter 9: The Secret of the Realized One’s Mind
Once more Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, spoke to the bodhisattva of great courage, Śāntamati: “In this regard, Śāntamati, what is the secret of the mind of the realized ones and the purity of their mental action? Śāntamati, let me draw an analogy: Those beings who have been reborn among the classes of gods in the formless realm remain focused upon a single object of consciousness for eighty-four thousand eons. They do not change the object of their consciousness to a different object of consciousness so long as their concentration lasts until the time they die and acquire another rebirth in accordance with their accumulation of karma. In precisely the same way, Śāntamati, a realized one has a mind that is not fixed on anything, in such a way that from the night when the bodhisattva awakens to unsurpassable and perfect awakening until the night when the Realized One passes into complete cessation, the state of cessation that is free of any remaining thing, during the intervening time there is no modification of the Realized One’s mind; no mental activity; no mental examination; no forgetfulness of mind;¹³⁹ no mental alteration;¹⁴⁰ no measurement of mind; no excitement of mind;¹⁴¹ no mental conflict;¹⁴² no mental avoidance;¹⁴³ no mental distraction; no mental elation; no mental depression; no mental protection; no movement of mind; no excessive joyfulness in the mind; no mental disturbance;¹⁴⁴ no malice in the mind; no vacillation of mind; no special comprehension of mind; no mental stimulation; no mental pressure; no application of mind; no wandering of the mind; no formation of ideas in the mind; no mental conceptualization; no mental imagination; no calming state of mind, no deep mental insight;
4.6
no consciousness that chases after thoughts; no dwelling on one’s own thoughts; no mental perception of the thoughts of others; no support from the mind for the eye; no support from the mind for the intellect, the physical body, the tongue, nose, or ear; no support from the mind for visual forms; no support from the mind for thoughts, tactile sensations, tastes, smells, or sounds; no support from the mind for mental objects; no place in the mind for mental appearances; no mind that is without a place; no internal place for the mind; and no external place for the mind. He also has a mind that does not engage with things, a mind that does not engage with knowledge,¹⁴⁵ and also a mind that is not perceived as being past, present, or future.
“In this way, Śāntamati, a realized one has purity of mind, and he does not produce any mental object with the mind. Yet, he develops a knowledge and vision toward all things without any aversion or attachment. With the purity of his own mind, he does not perceive the mind of any being as impure. He sees, but he does not see anything, and he does not form any concepts. He sees, but he does not generate any conceptual elaborations. He does not see seeing or discerning by means of seeing.¹⁴⁶ In addition, the knowledge of the realized one is not connected with the vision of the eye of flesh, nor is it connected with the vision of the divine eye, nor is it connected with the vision of the eye of wisdom, nor is it connected with the vision of the eye of Dharma, nor is it connected with the vision of the buddha eye. It is not connected with the hearing of the divine ear. It is not connected with the knowledge of others’ minds. It is not connected with the remembrance of past lives. It is not connected with the marvelous manifestation of superhuman powers. It is not connected with the knowledge of the destruction of the defilements.
“He is disconnected from attachment to everything while not being disconnected from anything, and thus streams of a realized one’s knowledge become manifest for him effortlessly, spontaneously, and without fabrication
4.7
so that he perceives the behaviors of all beings, knows about the purification of all beings’ afflictions, and never becomes bewildered. This is due to the ten powers, the forms of self-assurance, and the eighteen unique attributes of a buddha. These qualities of a realized one come into being spontaneously, effortlessly, and without fabrication. Moreover, a realized one is free of mental consciousness and mind; he does not leave the state of meditative concentration, but he performs all the deeds of a buddha.¹⁴⁷ Due to the fact that his knowledge is unattached to everything, he does not cling to anything.
“Indeed, Śāntamati, consider the example of a realized one who magically creates the form of a second realized one. While no mind, no mental consciousness, no bodily formations, no verbal formations, and no mental formations are produced with respect to this magically created form, it still performs all the deeds of a buddha, and it does so only by means of the majestic power of a buddha. In precisely the same way, Śāntamati, a realized one, being equivalent to a magically created form and something that does not form concepts, because it has the quality of a magically created form, does not appear as something of bodily origin, verbal origin, or mental origin, but performs all the deeds of a buddha, and does so spontaneously, effortlessly, and without fabrication.¹⁴⁸ Why is this? Śāntamati, a realized one has awoken to the fact that all things have, as their defining characteristic, the essential nature of being magically created, and having awoken to this fact, a realized one illuminates all things out of compassion for beings.
“Moreover, Śāntamati, a realized one’s knowledge is not founded on what is conditioned, nor is it founded on what is unconditioned. It is not founded on the aggregates, nor is it founded on the elements, nor is it founded on the sense spheres.
4.8
. It is not founded on what is interior, nor is it founded on what is exterior. It is not founded on what is good, nor is it founded on what is bad. It is not worldly, nor is it transcendent. It is not blameworthy, nor is it blameless. It is not defiled, nor is it undefiled. It is not situated in the past, nor is it situated in the future, nor is it situated in the present. It is not based on enumerative analysis, nor does it come from a lack of enumeration. In this way, Śāntamati, a realized one is one whose knowledge has no foundation. Without undertaking anything whatsoever, but out of compassion for beings, his knowledge and vision of the thoughts, actions, and motivations of all beings arises without attachment or impediment, and this happens effortlessly, spontaneously, and without fabrication.¹⁴⁹
“This, Śāntamati, is the secret of a realized one’s mind and the inconceivable nature of his thoughts—he does not leave the state of meditative concentration, but he meets the demands of all beings.¹⁵⁰
Chapter 10: Celebrating the Virtues of Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas
Venerable Śāriputra then spoke to the Blessed One: “Throughout the ten directions, Blessed One, bodhisattvas of this Fortunate Eon are leading the holy life in the presence of blessed buddhas. Is there a Lord of the Guhyakas standing behind all these bodhisattvas?”
The Blessed One responded, “Enough, Śāriputra, such activity is inconceivable. The world including its gods would fall into confusion about the conduct of the bodhisattvas. Nevertheless, Śāriputra, those who have faith will be embraced by
4.9
companions in what is good and will not worry about this subject at all.”
“Blessed One, please explain this. I would trust the Realized One.”¹⁵¹
“Śāriputra, do you see my constant companion, Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas?” asked the Blessed One.
“I can see him, Blessed One, through the majestic power of the Buddha. I have never seen him before.”¹⁵²
“In precisely the same way, Śāriputra, this Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, stands behind each and every bodhisattva of this Fortunate Eon. Through his former vow and the power of his supernormal faculties, he appears in the likeness of Vajrapāṇi everywhere. As many beings as there are throughout this cosmos of a billion worlds, Śāriputra, behind each and every one of those beings Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, could appear in the likeness of Vajrapāṇi, and his appearance would not thereby exhaust his knowledge and empowerment. Śāriputra, do you see Vajrapāṇi standing behind the bodhisattva Maitreya?”
“Blessed One, I see him now. He wasn’t visible to me at first.”
“He is always truly standing behind him; you simply do not see him. By contrast, the bodhisattvas, śakras, brahmās, and lokapālas who come from other worlds see Vajrapāṇi always standing behind the bodhisattva Maitreya, with a vajra in his hand. At this moment and time, Śāriputra, the bodhisattva Maitreya, and all the other bodhisattvas of this Fortunate Eon, magically create hundreds of thousands of millions and billions of magically created forms, and behind each and every one of them, too, stands Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas. All of this is the empowering authority of that Lord of the Guhyakas alone.
4.10
What is more, Śāriputra, Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, also stands behind the magically created forms that are magically created by the Realized One, and this, too, is due to his very own empowering authority. In this manner, Śāriputra, Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, is endowed with inconceivable power, empowering authority, supernormal faculties, and knowledge.”¹⁵³
Chapter 11: The Exalted Nature of the Severe Ascetic Practices: The Method of Acquiring Food to Bring Beings to Maturity
The bodhisattva Śāntamati then requested Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, “Please use your inspired eloquence, Lord of the Guhyakas, to shine light on those occurrences that were the causes of wonders, beginning with a description of the splendid array of the Bodhisattva’s severe ascetic practices, his arrival at the seat of awakening, his defeat of Māra, and his turning of the wheel of Dharma, all of which you have witnessed.”
When this was said, Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, responded to the bodhisattva Śāntamati. “Śāntamati,” he said, “the splendid array of the Bodhisattva’s virtues is immeasurable. It would not be easy for me to describe them in full or in detail if I were to use the whole length of my life, even if it were to last for an eon. However, I could gesture at them to some extent.
“Moreover, Śāntamati, the severe ascetic practices of the Bodhisattva were not of a single type. In order to defeat the rival teachers and their followers, the Bodhisattva undertook various vows, physical austerities, and physical postures. The rival teachers and their followers longed to undertake them, too, but the austerities were so intense, so extreme, and so severe that they were unable actively to display them. However, they were all displayed by the Bodhisattva.¹⁵⁴
“In this respect, Śāntamati, some beings saw the Bodhisattva standing on one leg. Some saw him standing with one arm raised above his head. Some saw him staring at the sun. Some saw him practicing the austerity of the five fires. Some saw him engaged in the ascetic practice of standing without ever sitting down. Some saw him standing
4.11
without moving. Some saw him standing with one leg held aloft. Some saw him standing on his head. Some saw him lying on a bed of thorns. Some saw him lying on a bed of cow dung. Some saw him sitting on a seat of stone. Some saw him lying on a bed of reeds. Some saw him lying on a bed of wooden boards. Some saw him lying on a bed of pestles. Some saw him lying on a bed of dust. Some saw him following the sun.¹⁵⁵
“Some saw him wearing clothes made of nut palm leaves.¹⁵⁶ Some saw him wearing clothes made of muñja grass. Some saw him wearing clothes made of balbaja grass. Some saw him wearing clothes made of kuśa grass. Some saw him wearing black antelope skin. Some saw him wearing monastic robes.¹⁵⁷ Some saw him naked. Some saw him wearing clothes made of darbha grass. Some saw him wearing clothes made of tree bark.¹⁵⁸
“Some saw him eating grains of millet.¹⁵⁹ Some saw him eating grains of barley. Some saw him eating roots, leaves, flowers, fruits, shoots, seeds, and lotus roots. Some saw him undertaking a six-day fast. Some saw him abstaining from meat. Some saw him eating jujube fruits, kodo millet,¹⁶⁰ mung beans, māṣa beans, grains of puffed rice,¹⁶¹ sesame seeds, or grains of uncooked rice. Some saw him sustaining himself only with water. Some saw him sustaining himself with drops of ghee. Some saw him sustaining himself with drops of honey. Some saw him sustaining himself with drops of milk. Some saw him eating no food at all. Some saw him free of fatigue. Some saw him sitting alone. Some saw him standing alone.
“Indeed, Śāntamati, the Bodhisattva displayed severe ascetic practices such as these and an immeasurable number of other demeanors. For six whole years, not even a single one of his demeanors was disturbed, and all of them were displayed to perfection.
4.12
With vows of the most distinguished kind,¹⁶² unsurpassable heroic efforts, and the most intense austerities, he displayed all these vows and austerities for six years and he did so in such a way that beings whose inclinations were mutually exclusive to one another did not see the mutually exclusive vows and austerities. Instead, those beings saw only the vows and austerities by which they themselves were guided and not the others.
“In this regard, Śāntamati, the Bodhisattva was irreproachable in every respect and he displayed this activity while being in a state of equanimity. Six hundred and forty million gods and humans within the three vehicles were brought to maturity by these severe ascetic practices. Furthermore, Śāntamati, those gods and humans with lofty aspirations, who had completed the preparations, saw the Bodhisattva sitting in a jeweled pavilion for six years absorbed in the all-pervading meditation ,¹⁶³ without moving and in a state of bliss, after which the Bodhisattva arose from that meditation.
“In this regard, Śāntamati, for those gods and humans for whom the important thing is the Dharma, who desire the Dharma, and who need to be brought to maturity through the teaching of the Dharma, they saw the Bodhisattva occupied by no other activity than teaching the Dharma. This, Śāntamati, is the practice of great compassion, which is called the coming together of the Bodhisattva’s great knowledge. It is the gateway to the guiding principles of the Dharma, which is called the descent into the inconceivable. It is the gateway to the knowledge of what is difficult to do, which is called the overpowering of all Māras and proponents of rival doctrines.
“When six years had passed in this way, Śāntamati, the Bodhisattva gave up the vows and austerities that he had previously displayed and went to the banks of the Nairañjanā River. There he took a bath according to worldly custom. His body cleansed, he came away from the Nairañjanā River and stayed there. A village girl named Sujātā came there holding a bowl of milk rice with honey, which had been made from the boiled milk of a hundred cows, and offered it to the Bodhisattva.¹⁶⁴
4.13
In addition, six hundred million gods, nāgas, yakṣas, and gandharvas were also standing there, each holding their own particular kinds of food and saying, ‘Good sir! Please eat my food! Good sir! Please eat my food!’¹⁶⁵
“When this occurred, Śāntamati, the Bodhisattva received all the food, beginning with that of the village girl Sujātā, and including the food brought by the six hundred million gods, nāgas, yakṣas, and gandharvas, and he ate all of it. However, none of them saw the others. Each and every one of them had the understanding ‘the Bodhisattva has taken my food,’ and ‘having eaten my food, the Bodhisattva will awaken to unsurpassable and perfect awakening,’ and all of them were brought to maturity for the sake of their unsurpassable and perfect awakening.
“This, Śāntamati, this is the method of bringing beings to maturity by means of acquiring food, which is, indeed, the exalted nature the Bodhisattva’s severe ascetic practices.”
Chapter 12: The Journey to the Seat of Awakening
“As soon as the Bodhisattva had washed his body and strength had returned to his body after he had eaten the food, he went to the seat of awakening. An earth-dwelling deity nearby there, named Subhūma, addressed all the earth-dwelling deities, saying:
“ ‘An earth bearer, unwavering and unshakeable,
Without craving and devoid of enmity,
The Bodhisattva is approaching that tree.
I will decorate the surface of the fertile ground.’
“Joyous earth-dwelling deities responded, ‘Great idea!’
And cleansed this whole cosmos of a billion worlds,
Scattered flowers, burned the most fragrant incense,
4.14
And sprinkled the fertile earth with scented water.
“Bowl-holding deities and, indeed, garland-bearing deities,
As well as deities who dwell in floating palaces in the sky
Were joyous, too, when they looked upon the Bodhisattva,
And they showered him with heavenly flowers.
“The lokapālas from the four continents
And, indeed, their whole assemblies
Covered this whole cosmos of a billion worlds
With golden nets out of devotion to the Conqueror.
“In this billion-world cosmos, the Śakras, too, possessors of superhuman power,
Lit up the Vaijayanta Palaces in the Heavens of the Thirty-Three
And similarly made the billion worlds shine and decorated them
As an act of veneration of the Bodhisattva.
“All the gods of the Yāma Heaven were joyous, too,
And they covered the skies of the billion worlds
Of this Sahā realm with a net of beryl
As an act of veneration of the Supreme Being.¹⁶⁶
“The gods of the Heaven of the Contented and their chief
Decorated him with a net of pearls,
And, indeed, adorned him with crescent moons,
And rained upon him a shower of coral and pearls.
“The divine kings of the Heaven of Delightful Magical Forms made a net
To the knots of which they tied bells made of gold from the Jambu River
That filled the whole Sahā realm with brilliant light and pleasant sound
When, delighted, they draped it over this billion-world cosmos.
“There were divine jewels, and truly they were clear,
Radiating boundless light, immaculate and resplendent,
Out of which the power-possessing gods magically created a net
With devotion to the One with the Confidence to Accomplish All Aims.
“The nāgas, gandharvas, and mahoragas,
And all the daityas and garuḍas along with the kinnaras
Made the desire realm beautiful and adorned it
With splendid arrangements like the surfaces of their own abodes.
“Now, Śāntamati, it so happened that when Great Brahmā, the powerful one who was lord over this cosmos of a billion worlds, saw the Bodhisattva approaching the seat of awakening, he spoke to all the gods in the Heaven of Brahmā’s Assembly:¹⁶⁷
“ ‘Friends, know this!
4.15
This is the Bodhisattva, the Mahāsattva! He has arrayed himself with great armor for the battle. He has not cast aside his great vow. He has arrayed himself with rock-solid armor. His mind is not wearied. He is an adept at all the conduct of a bodhisattva. He has perfected all the perfections. He has achieved mastery of every stage of the bodhisattva’s path. He has completely purified every one of a bodhisattva’s motivations. He understands the faculties of all beings. He has fully comprehended all the secrets of the realized ones. He has transcended all of Māra’s actions. None of the roots of his virtues depend on someone else. His authority has been empowered by all the realized ones. He is the great caravan leader who shows all beings the path to liberation. He is the one true hero of this cosmos of a billion worlds who will rub out Māra’s whole assembly. He is the great king of doctors who has acquired all the medicine of the Dharma. He is the great Dharma king who wears the royal turban of liberation.¹⁶⁸ He is the king whose mighty banner gives off the light of great wisdom. Unstained by the eight worldly concerns, he is the true great lotus. Being one from whom the powerful memory of all the teachings and the formulas that support it have not been stolen, he is the true great ocean. Being unmovable, unshakeable, and devoid of aversion and attachment, he is the true mighty Mount Meru. Completely unblemished, utterly pure, and possessing an intellect that is dazzlingly clear, he is the true priceless gem. Possessing power over all things, he has a mind that is ready for any endeavor.
“ ‘The Bodhisattva, who is the true Great Brahmā, is approaching the seat of awakening. He wishes to awaken to unsurpassable and perfect awakening for the sake of conquering the soldiers of Māra. He wishes to do so for the sake of perfecting the ten powers, the forms of self-assurance, and the eighteen unique attributes of a buddha. He wishes to do so for the sake of turning the great wheel of the Dharma,
4.16
for the sake of roaring the great lion’s roar, for the sake of satisfying all beings with the gift of the Dharma, for the sake of purifying the Dharma eyes of all beings, for the sake of using the Dharma to defeat all the proponents of other doctrines,¹⁶⁹ for the sake of demonstrating the fulfillment of all his past promises to the blessed buddhas, and for the sake of gaining lordship over all things. Therefore, friends, you should all be restless with the longing to worship and serve the Bodhisattva!’
“Then, with a feeling of great joy in his heart, Great Brahmā, sovereign of this Sahā world and lord of the cosmos of a billion worlds, spoke to all the gods of the Heaven of Brahmā’s Assembly: ‘Friends, this great and true person is an accumulation of the vows and austerities he has undertaken over many hundreds of thousands of eons. He is now approaching the seat of awakening. Therefore, you should decorate the entire cosmos of a billion worlds with great, splendorous arrangements.’¹⁷⁰
“Then, at that moment, Great Brahmā, sovereign of this Sahā world, spoke the following verses:¹⁷¹
“ ‘A purified being whose vow is resolved on the Dharma,
Who acts for the benefit of the world with its gods,
Supreme God of Gods, worshiped by gods and men,
The Great Sage is walking to the seat of awakening.
“ ‘For the sake of conquering Māra and his army,
For the sake of awakening the knowledge that is wakefulness,
For the sake of perfecting the qualities of complete awakening,
For the sake of turning the wheel of the true Dharma,
“ ‘He has the aim to roar the great lion’s roar,
And, indeed, the purpose of satisfying all embodied beings.
For the sake of purifying the eye of the supreme Dharma,
The Guide is going to the seat of awakening.
“ ‘For the sake of defeating the proponents of other doctrines,
For the sake of fulfilling the promises he made previously,
For the sake of displaying the deeds of a perfect buddha, too,
The Guide is going to the seat of awakening.
4.17
“ ‘Therefore, all of us, gathered together,
We will adorn the fertile ground properly.
Oh, let us see the billion worlds adorned!
Let us see the desire realm adorned!’
“ ‘We will adorn the form realm in precisely the same way!’ the brahmās said,
And the Paternal Grandfather, gladdened at heart, said, ‘Good.’
Then they set about decorating the rest of this Sahā world
So that it appeared just like the splendid array of the desire realm.¹⁷²
“Yet, what they displayed far exceeded that worship
With an abundance of flowers and clouds of incense.
With heaps of jewels and symphonies of music,
It was something that incited rapture and reverence.
“With splendid arrays like the surfaces of their own abodes,
The brahmās and all the deities up to the Supreme Heaven
Enraptured truly everyone in the Sahā world
And made them feel they should bow down before it.
“The assemblies of gods displayed adornments
That rose higher and even higher into the sky,
While down here six hundred billion apsarases
Decorated the vajra seat of awakening.
“They sprinkled scented water everywhere,
And upon the surface of the fertile ground
That had been prepared they scattered
Many-colored flowers and splendorous jewels.
“The tree of awakening was displayed with adornments,
The totality of which cannot be expressed in words.
The splendid array that they made there
Was at a scale just like that.
“Then, Śāntamati, as the Bodhisattva was settling down upon the seat of awakening, Great Brahmā, lord of a thousand and sovereign of this Sahā world, spoke to all the gods of the Heaven of Brahmā’s Assembly: ‘Friends, this great person and preeminent being has been walking the proper path and undertaking vows and austerities for many hundreds of thousands of millions and billions of eons. He is sitting down now upon the seat of awakening. Therefore, you all should decorate this whole cosmos of a billion worlds with great, splendorous arrangements.’
“Then, Great Brahmā, sovereign of this Sahā world, spoke these verses to the gods of the Heaven of Brahmā’s Assembly:
“ ‘A purified being whose vow is resolved on the Dharma,
A magnanimous one
4.18
who wants to help and does what is useful,
He has drawn near to the tree of awakening
To defeat the misguided Māra and his family, too.
“ ‘Indeed, all of us, gathered together, shall proceed
To decorate this Sahā world in its entirety.
For this world, including its gods, he is the Lord of Dharma.
So if we honor him with worship, we will gain infinite merit.’
“When the multitudes of brahmā gods heard that high praise,
They decorated this Sahā world in its entirety.
They cleaned it well, adorned it with flowers and banners,
And transformed this Sahā world into something made of jewels.
“They magically created tens of millions of parasols in the sky
That were just like a splendid array of sunlight and moonlight;
They magically created sāla trees variegated with the finest flowers,
Which were comparable to the trees in divine pleasure groves.
“As the Wise One walked down the path,
They magically created a train of seven chariots
And surrounded him with seven concentric railings
Made with jewels and inlaid with golden lotuses.
“The whole splendid array that Śakra made there
Truly had never been seen before by gods or humans.
Verily, the continents were made to shine
So that they were adorned like Śakra’s Vaijayanta Palace.
“Gods of the Yāma Heaven, the Heaven of the Contented,
The Heavens of Delighting in Magical Creations and Transforming Others’ Delight,
And the Supreme Heaven, bearing strength and excitement,
Were all intent upon decorating the sublime seat of awakening.
“As the Bodhisattva came close to the seat,
The most splendorous arrays were all displayed
At that very moment here in the desire realm
By the nāgas, deities, and kinnaras.
“From the four directions came tens of millions of apsarases,
Who decorated the tree of awakening
With flowers, incense, and scented oils,
And sprinkled scented water everywhere.
“The tree of awakening was so well decorated
It shone like the Pārijāta tree in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.
The splendorous arrays magically created by myriads of gods
Shone so brightly they were impossible to describe.
“Indeed, Śāntamati, as the Bodhisattva was stepping upon the seat of awakening,
4.19
a light emanated from the thousand-spoked wheels on the soles of his feet. This light relieved the painful suffering of the beings in all the hell realms, the realm of animals, and the realm of Yama. The abode of the nāga king Kālika was also pervaded with a great radiance.¹⁷³ When the nāga king Kālika saw the Bodhisattva’s light, he felt joyful, enraptured, glad at heart, delighted, and filled with pleasure. He then spoke these verses to all the women of his inner chambers as well as their attendants:
“ ‘When this golden light
Bathed this abode of mine,
I felt a thrill in my body
And delight in my mind.
“ ‘I saw signs like these
Of the previous buddhas.
Doubtless, a great hero, a buddha,
Will be coming into the world.
“ ‘It is good that we take powders,
Garlands, scented oils, perfumes,
Gold, jewels, and pearls,
Conches and necklaces.
“ ‘Grasping cymbals and musical instruments,
And holding aloft parasols
And banners of victory,
We will worship the Teacher.
“ ‘Joyfully we will serve the Sage
With those ornaments
That are most splendorous
In this abode of nāgas.’
“At that point, the nāga king Kālika, along with the women from his inner chambers, his attendants and relations, and his sons and the members of his assembly, left his abode, all of them bearing flowers, incense, garlands, perfumes, powders, clothes, parasols, banners, and flags while playing cymbals, drums, and other musical instruments. They created clouds full of fragrant water, produced rain showers of fragrant rain, and made it rain a shower of nāga pearls and nāga flowers. Thus, with the great marvelous presence of the nāgas and the great superhuman power of the nāgas, they approached the Bodhisattva. Once they and their retinues had approached him, they worshiped the Bodhisattva,
4.20
bowing down before him with their heads at his feet, and they circled around him while playing cymbals and musical instruments. Then they stood to one side, praising him in verse. This is what they said:
“ ‘When the supreme person released that light
This entire buddha domain was illuminated.
For a moment, the three bad rebirths also ceased,
And Kālika’s abode was pervaded with light.
“ ‘The king of nāgas appeared truly delighted,
Seeing that light, and he spoke these words:
“Without a doubt, a buddha will come into being today,
For this light is, indeed, his golden-colored radiance.
“ ‘ “Accompanied by multitudes of nāga girls
Carrying parasols, banners, and clothes,
Delighted, we come before the Bodhisattva
To worship him with deep respect.
“ ‘ “Adorned with an abundance of jewels and flowers, the whole earth is glittering;
All the groves of trees and medicinal shrubs are bending to the tree of awakening;
All the rivers here are standing still, and the wind has likewise ceased to blow,
For today you conquer Māra and become a buddha celebrated in the three worlds.
“ ‘ “Today, you have dimmed the rays of light of the sun, moon, Brahmā, and Śakra
With your light, Incomparable One, the touch of which has appeased the three bad rebirths.
May the coming of your light to our abode today, announcing the arising of a buddha,
Make us happy, too, and may your arising today, Worthy One, gladden our hearts.
“ ‘ “Just like these gods who come bearing full vessels and circle you,
Just like flocks of Indian rollers that come and wheel around in the sky,
This world, too, with its gods and humans stands intent on worshiping you,
For today you become a true path for seekers of wisdom, worthy of the world’s veneration.
“ ‘ “One can acquire no wealth greater than what we have found here, Swift One.¹⁷⁴
Indeed, I have worshiped Krakucchanda, and the other preeminent sage named Kanaka.
I honored the best of conquerors, Kāśyapa, and today also the great bull of the Śākyas.
Aspiring for the state of the all-knowing, I have never been deprived of seeing the sages.
4.21
“ ‘ “Release your lion’s roar, O Sage, its resonance pleasant like the sound of holy water,
So that your speech will ever shake the earth and its tall mountains, our whole world.
For one whose mind is fixed upon awakening and is uplifted by this ambition even now,
It is not possible that such a being could be stayed from coming to possess the ten powers.” ’
“At that point, Śāntamati, the chief queen of the nāga king Kālika, whose name was Suvarṇaprabhāsā, came forward surrounded by many nāga girls.¹⁷⁵ They were holding many parasols, they were holding many cotton cloths, they were holding many pearl necklaces, they were holding many precious jewels, they were holding many high-quality garlands made by gods and humans, they were holding many bowls of incense, and they were playing many cymbals and other musical instruments. They scattered many jeweled flowers on the path on which the Bodhisattva was walking, and they praised him with these verses:
“ ‘To you who are not bewildered; to you who have no trembling, no fears, no frights;
To you who are not dismayed or dispirited, joyful, unyielding, dispassionate;
To you who have no anger, no ignorance, no lust; to you who are free of craving;
To you who have become liberated—to you, Great Seer, we pay homage!
“ ‘You are a physician who removes the dart, a leader of those who are led;
Truly learned doctor, you free beings from their sufferings.
Recognizing those who are without sanctuary, refuge, or shelter,
You, a sanctuary, you, a refuge—you have arisen in the three worlds.
“ ‘Just as congregations of gods, faithful and delighted,
Rain down great showers of flowers from the sky
And cast down great bolts of cloth, Great Seer,
Be delighted, for today you will become a victor!
“ ‘Approach the lord of trees and sit there without fear.
Shake off the army of Māra and tear apart the net of afflictions.
Awaken to the calm, the supreme, the highest awakening,
Just as the victors of the past were awakened.
“ ‘The time has come for the fulfillment of your aspiration,
The reason you have worked so many tens of millions of eons,
Undertaking difficult deeds for the sake of freeing beings.