འཕགས་པ་ད་བཞན་གཤགས་པའ་གསང་བ་བསམ་གྱས་མ་ཁྱབ་པ་བསྟན་པ་ཞས་བྱ་བ་ཐག་པ་ཆན་པའ་མད 5
The Secrets of the Realized Ones 5
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- English
5.1
Sit beneath the lord of trees and touch the highest awakening.’
“At that point, Śāntamati, the Bodhisattva stepped out from the abode of the nāga king, Kālika, and approached the seat of awakening. As he approached the seat, on the right-hand side there was a grass seller named Svastika who was collecting grass.¹⁷⁶ He saw that the Bodhisattva was heading toward the seat of awakening, and, impelled by the gods, he gathered up a bundle of grass that was soft, tender, agreeable, attractive, curved like a peacock’s neck, spiraling nicely to the right, fragrant, and pleasant to touch like the down of the kācalindika bird. He took the bundle of grass, approached the Bodhisattva, and offered it to him with the ambition that he would conceive the aspiration for unsurpassable and perfect awakening.
“Now, Śāntamati, if one were to think that the grass seller Svastika had not previously given grass and conceived the aspiration for awakening, or that he had done so for the last time, one should not see it in that way. For it was because of the previous vow made by the grass seller Svastika—namely, ‘I will be responsible for spreading out the mats upon the seat of awakening for all the bodhisattvas of this Fortunate Eon.’ Now, what was the cause of this? I know from first-hand experience, Śāntamati, that in the past, ninety-one eons before our Fortunate Eon, a realized one, a worthy one, a perfectly awakened buddha named Vipaśyin arose in the world. He was perfected in knowledge and conduct, a sublime one, a knower of the world, an unsurpassable trainer of those ready to be trained, a teacher of gods and humans, a blessed buddha.
“While giving a teaching, he made a prediction for a group of one thousand monks who were leading the holy life with satisfaction. He said, ‘You will all awaken fully to unsurpassable and perfect awakening during the Fortunate Eon.’ At that time, there was a householder sitting in that very assembly whose name was Matimat.
5.2
When he heard the prediction made on behalf of those bodhisattvas as he was sitting there, he conceived the aspiration for unsurpassable and perfect awakening, and made this vow: ‘I will prepare the lion’s seat for those realized ones of the Fortunate Eon as they are going to the seat of awakening.’
“Now again, Śāntamati, if one were to have the doubt, the differing opinion, or the question that perhaps the person who was the householder Matimat at that moment and time was someone else, one should not see it in that way. That is because the grass seller Svastika was at that moment and time the householder named Matimat. Furthermore, Śāntamati, in this very same manner you should understand the previous vow of the grass seller Svastika to be such that he gives a bunch of grass to some of the bodhisattvas and he presents some bodhisattvas with lion’s seats set with splendid arrays of jewels, according to the motivations of beings¹⁷⁷ and according to the degree of maturity of their spiritual faculties.
“At that point, Śāntamati, as the Bodhisattva arrived at the seat of awakening, which was at the base of the tree of awakening, the deity of the tree of awakening approached the Bodhisattva together with a thousand divine girls from the ten directions who were holding bouquets of flowers as well as incense, powders, and scented oils. Once they had approached the Bodhisattva, they bowed their heads at his feet and scattered the flowers, incense, powders, and scented oils that they had brought all around the Bodhisattva. Then they praised him with these verses:
“ ‘Homage to you, Magnanimous One; to you, fearless, steady, calm one;
To you, disciplined, delighted, contented, and brilliant one;
To you, the one who brings happiness; to you, blameless one;
To you who are liberated from faults. Homage to you, Teacher.
“ ‘Homage to you, the one and only source of help
Who bestows happiness on helpless folk mired in great suffering.
Homage to you, illustrious king of the physician-kings,
Who rids the world of the illnesses that are the afflictions.
“ ‘Just as sure as congregations of gods, faithful and delighted,
5.3
Have rained down showers of heavenly flowers upon you,
In the same way, once you have defeated Māra with love,
You are certain to attain the supreme awakening today.
“ ‘Approach the lord of trees and sit down upon this seat.
Once you defeat Māra, all the darkness will dissipate.
You will awaken to that calm, supreme, highest awakening,
Just as those lordly sages of the past were awakened.
“ ‘Just as you have become purified for the sake of freeing the world
Through your completion of difficult deeds for tens of millions of eons,
In the same way, Great Seer, your supreme ambition has reached completion.
Today, beneath the lord of trees, you will awaken to awakening.’
“At that point, Śāntamati, the Bodhisattva came to the seat of awakening carrying the bundle of grass, which he spread out as his very own seat of grass at the base of the tree of awakening. He then bowed down to the tree of awakening and walked around it seven times, keeping it on his right. Just as soon as the Bodhisattva had spread out his seat of grass, Śāntamati, eighty-four thousand deities also prepared eighty-four thousand lion’s seats for the Bodhisattva. These seats were multicolored, beautiful to behold, tall, and lofty. They were entirely studded with jewels, raised upon jeweled daises, covered by jeweled nets, and draped with nets that had tiny bells woven into them. The seats had strands of pearls hung on them, and they were arranged upon several thousand bolts of cloth. Śāntamati, the Bodhisattva then displayed himself seated upon each and every one of those eighty-four thousand lion’s seats. Yet, the deities did not see each other. They were not aware of each other. Rather, each and every deity knew only this: ‘The Bodhisattva is seated upon my lion’s seat. Seated upon my lion’s seat, he will awaken to unsurpassable, perfect awakening.’ As a result of the joy and pleasure they felt at this very thought, they all became unable to be turned back from unsurpassable, perfect awakening.
Chapter 13: The Taming of the Māras
“Just as soon as the Bodhisattva took his seat upon the lion’s seat, Śāntamati, a ray of light issued from the tuft of hair between his eyebrows. This light is called challenging Māra,
5.4
and it reached a billion māras throughout the cosmos of a billion worlds and touched each of them in their respective abodes, which immediately gave them goose bumps. When they realized that their abodes were being consumed by the light and made dim in comparison, they thought to themselves, ‘What is the cause of this? For what reason have these abodes seemingly been made dim? Could it not be that a bodhisattva is seated on the seat of awakening and is awakening to unsurpassable, perfect awakening?’ Looking down, they saw that the Bodhisattva was seated at the seat of awakening.
“At that point, each and every one of those evil māras vanished from their respective abodes. Each and every māra was surrounded by immeasurable, incalculable hundreds of thousands of millions and billions of yakṣas. The yakṣas had various complexions, various disguises, various appearances, various heights, various turbans, and various heads. The yakṣas were carrying various weapons and various victory banners. Uttering various expressions, and with the great majestic power of a māra and the great superhuman power of a māra, each and every māra approached the tree of awakening so that māras extended for twenty thousand leagues and the māras’ assembly extended for more than eighty-four thousand leagues.
“Just as soon as this assembly of māras arrived, Śāntamati, at that moment they raised a great din of unpleasant, offensive, and unsavory sounds, like ‘Ooduk!’ ‘Pijik!’ ‘Huluhulu!’—that is, ‘Seize him!’ ‘Beat him!’ ‘Bind him!’ If those beings who were not yet free from passion were to have heard that din, they would have vomited hot blood and died, or they would have experienced the suffering of simply dying right away—that is, Śāntamati, unless the Bodhisattva were to conceal that noise from them. Consequently, the Bodhisattva was seized by a feeling of great compassion at that moment,
5.5
and so he concealed that sound, saying, ‘May this sound not harm beings! May it not kill them!’ This, Śāntamati, is the scope of a bodhisattva’s mastery of skill in means. Moreover, Śāntamati, even though he heard the noise, not even a single hair on the Bodhisattva’s body stood on end. Why was that? The reason is that he had completely understood that all sounds are just like echoes, including that noise too.
“Once the deities who attended upon the tree of awakening became aware of the arrival of the assembly of māras, Śāntamati, they sought to dissuade the evil māras with sixteen different forms of dissuasion.¹⁷⁸ ‘Enough, evil ones,’ they said. ‘What is the use of your putting so much effort and difficulty into making trouble in this way? Why do we say this? Evil ones, today the Bodhisattva is going to strike you down just like a great wrestler strikes down a much inferior wrestler. Evil ones, today the Bodhisattva is going to defeat you just like a great hero defeats an army of opponents. Evil ones, today the Bodhisattva is going to overpower you just like the full moon overpowers a firefly. Evil ones, today the Bodhisattva is going to blow you away like a strong wind blows away a bundle of straw. Evil ones, today the Bodhisattva is going to fell you as if you were a great sāla tree cut down at the roots. Evil ones, today the Bodhisattva is going to terrify you like only a great-maned lion can terrify a herd of deer. Evil ones, today the Bodhisattva is going to evaporate you like the heat of the sun evaporates water in the hoofprint of a cow. Evil ones, today the Bodhisattva is going to destroy you like a great king destroys a city of enemies. Evil ones, today the Bodhisattva is going to make you run away like a criminal trying to escape from an execution. Evil ones, today the Bodhisattva is going to confound you like a conflagration confounds a merchant loaded with provisions for the road. Evil ones, today the Bodhisattva is going to make you suffer like an unrighteous king who is exiled from his kingdom.¹⁷⁹
5.6
Evil ones, today the Bodhisattva is going to make you hang your heads like an old curlew whose wings have been clipped. Evil ones, today the Bodhisattva is going to strike a blow upon you like a group of travelers in the wilderness who have just exhausted their provisions. Evil ones, today the Bodhisattva is going to make you flail about like passengers whose ship has wrecked in the middle of the ocean. Evil ones, today the bodhisattva is going to make you wither like the grass and forests during the conflagration at the end of an eon. Evil ones, today the Bodhisattva is going to pulverize you like stones being struck with a great vajra.’
“However, Śāntamati, even though the deities who attended upon the tree of awakening sought to dissuade those evil māras with the sixteen forms of dissuasion, the māras did not turn back. At that point, Śāntamati, the Bodhisattva raised his right arm, which was golden-colored, soft, youthful, full of vitality, and had made the preparations for liberation and the knowledges by practicing generosity, self-discipline, restraint, moral conduct, patience, heroic effort, meditation, wisdom, love, compassion, joy, equanimity, the applications of mindfulness, the right efforts, the foundations for superhuman power, the spiritual faculties, the powers, the constitutive factors of awakening, calm abiding, and deep insight for incalculable hundreds of thousands of millions and billions of eons, and he wiped his whole body clean, including the top of his head. Then, directed by great compassion and with the ambition to bring about the liberation of all beings, he brought down the blessed buddhas in all the worlds directly before him, and with attention and full awareness, he touched the great earth with his hand.
“Just as soon as the Bodhisattva touched the great earth, Śāntamati, at that very moment the great earth shook in six ways.
5.7
It quaked, it quivered, it trembled; it wobbled, it wavered, it swayed; it teetered, it tottered, it tremored; it shook, it shivered, it shuddered; it rattled, it rolled, and it clattered. It boomed; it thundered; it rumbled. When the eastern side fell, the western side rose. When the western side fell, the eastern side rose. When the southern side fell, the northern side rose. When the northern side fell, the southern side rose. When the edges fell, the middle rose. When the middle fell, the edges rose. In this way, Śāntamati, a great earthquake occurred in the world at that moment in these six ways and with these eighteen indications of its magnitude.
“Still, the evil māras could be heard making a great noise, with sounds like ‘Phucchak!’ ‘Picik!’ ‘Seize him!’ ‘Strike him!’ ‘Bind him!’¹⁸⁰
“Then, through the majestic power of the Bodhisattva, the assembly of māras heard a voice calling out from the sky above them. It sounded like this:
“ ‘You should go for refuge to this seer
Who maintains perfect moral conduct.
For he is the giver of fearlessness;
He is protector of all embodied beings.’
“When the assembly of māras heard this voice, Śāntamati, eight millions of billions upon billions of yakṣas fell down upon the surface of the earth, face-down on the ground, and they cried, ‘Protect us!’¹⁸¹
“The remaining māras and their armed forces wanted to flee, but they were unable to flee. So, out of compassion for them, the Bodhisattva released a ray of light from his body that made all their fears disappear and returned them to their own abodes.
“While the Bodhisattva was showing the conquest of the māras to be child’s play for him, Śāntamati, the eight millions of billions upon billions of yakṣas who were in the assembly of māras conceived the aspiration for unsurpassable and perfect awakening, a further ninety-nine thousand millions and billions of other beings conceived the aspiration for unsurpassable and perfect awakening,
5.8
and eighty-four thousand divine beings who had already completed the preparations for it attained acceptance of the fact that things do not arise.”
Chapter 14: The Turning of the Wheel of Dharma
“Indeed, Śāntamati, some gods and humans thought that the conquest of the māras had immeasurable differences in this way, while some thought that Māra was not approaching in any way at all.¹⁸² Some thought the Bodhisattva was seated upon a mat of grass, while some saw the Bodhisattva seated upon a lion’s seat resting on a splendid arrangement of lotus flowers made of jewels. Some saw the Bodhisattva situated upon the surface of the earth, while some saw the Bodhisattva seated upon a lion’s seat situated in the vault of the sky. Some saw the tree of awakening as the king of trees, the sacred fig tree; some saw it as the divine Pārijāta tree; some saw it as the divine Kovidāra grove.¹⁸³ Some saw the tree of awakening as entirely made of jewels. Some gods and humans saw the tree of awakening as being equal in height to a palm tree, and they saw the lion’s seat as equal to half the height of a palm tree. Some saw the tree of awakening as being equal in height to seven palm trees, and they saw the lion’s seat to be equal in height to three and a half palm trees. Some saw the tree of awakening to be eighty-four thousand leagues in height and the lion’s seat to be forty-two thousand leagues in height.
“Now, some gods and humans saw the Bodhisattva conquering Māra. Some saw only one māra. Some saw a vast army of māras. Some saw the Bodhisattva making child’s play out of defeating Māra. Some saw the bodhisattva up in the vault of the sky at the same time as he was awakening to supreme awakening while being seated upon the lion’s seat at the base of the tree of awakening. Indeed, Śāntamati, bodhisattvas have immeasurable capacity. The particular conditions and qualities of those who have gone to the supreme point of the seat of awakening have appeared in truly immeasurable ways.
5.9
“What is more, Śāntamati, when the Bodhisattva had gone to the supreme point of the seat of awakening, an immeasurable, incalculable number of bodhisattvas, whose past actions were in the same category as his own, came from immeasurable, incalculable worlds throughout the ten directions, and they urged him on by uttering words to him. They said the word ‘fearlessness,’ and the word ‘security,’ and the words ‘happiness’ and ‘bliss.’ They said the words ‘haste’ and ‘speed.’ They said the word ‘bravo!’ They urged him on by uttering the words ‘success,’ ‘valor,’ ‘good man,’ ‘irreversible one,’ ‘nourishment,’ ‘auspicious,’ ‘no more pain,’ ‘no fatigue,’ ‘past motivation,’ ‘unfailing effort,’ ‘cheerfulness,’ ‘rock-solid as a vajra,’ ‘the child’s play of a good man,’ ‘benefit,’ ‘connecting with awakening in a single moment,’ ‘the knowledge of an omniscient one,’ and ‘complete awakening.’
“In this way, Śāntamati, the bodhisattvas who had gathered there from the worlds throughout the ten directions cheered on the Bodhisattva who had gone to the supreme point of the seat of awakening with thousands of different words of encouragement. They performed various forms of worship, and they extolled him with hymns of various sorts. The Bodhisattva’s past actions were done well, and thus the bodhisattvas who had gathered there from the worlds throughout the ten directions cheered on the Bodhisattva who had gone to the supreme point of the seat of awakening and they worshiped him. Nevertheless, he did not feel any affection for them, nor did he feel any anger toward the army of māras.
“Being free of affection and anger, Śāntamati, and with the wisdom that is connected with awakening in a single moment of thought,¹⁸⁴ the Bodhisattva then awakened fully to that which should be known, to that which should be seen, to that which should be attained, to all that to which one should be fully awakened—that is, complete awakening.
5.10
“Moreover, Śāntamati, when the Realized One had achieved awakening, an immeasurable and incalculable number of blessed buddhas from throughout the ten directions extended their right hands to him, and they asked him, ‘Is your body not tired?’ And they asked, ‘Have you become awakened to the tireless state?’ and, ‘Have you become awakened to the state of ease?’ ‘Have you become awakened completely to what is self-arisen?’ ‘Have you awakened to what is not hindered?’ And they asked him, ‘Have you awakened through the knowledge of sameness?’ ‘Have you awakened through omnipresent knowledge?’¹⁸⁵ ‘Do you have as your scope what is unadulterated?’ ‘Are you wearing the armor of great compassion?’ ‘Have you made sure the lineage of the Three Jewels remains unbroken?’ And they asked him, ‘Have you gained mastery over all things?’
“In this respect, those beings whose spiritual faculties had reached maturity were aware of the activity of the realized ones, whereas those beings whose spiritual faculties were still immature were unaware of it.
“Moreover, Śāntamati, once the Realized One had attained awakening he experienced the happiness that finds pleasure in the Dharma for seven nights without closing his eyes. He also gazed at the tree of awakening without closing his eyes. Hundreds of thousands of gods also worshiped him, sang songs of praise to him, and bowed down before him. Hundreds of thousands of apsarases also worshiped him, sang songs of praise to him, and bowed down before him. When they saw the Realized One’s demeanor, they also conceived the aspiration for unsurpassable, perfect, and complete awakening.
“Moreover, Śāntamati, when the Realized One had attained awakening, the Four Great Kings approached him bearing alms bowls.¹⁸⁶ Just as they came from this world of four continents, in the same way four billion more great kings from a billion more worlds with four continents also approached the Realized One, and they were bearing alms bowls, too. In this regard, Śāntamati, the Realized One accepted these four billion alms bowls,
5.11
and having accepted them he made them into a single alms bowl through the force of his empowering authority. Still, each of the great kings had the thought, ‘The Realized One has accepted my alms bowl! The Realized One will eat from my alms bowl!’ As a result of the joy and pleasure they felt at this very thought, they all became unable to be turned back from unsurpassable, perfect awakening.
“Moreover, Śāntamati, once the Realized One had attained awakening, the merchants Trapuṣa and Bhallika,¹⁸⁷ and another sixty thousand gods, approached the Realized One carrying his first meal, and gave it to him. They had made the prior vow, ‘We will be the first to provide the Realized One with a meal.’ Once they had provided the Realized One with his first meal, they became unable to be turned back from unsurpassable, perfect awakening as a result of the joy and pleasure they felt at this very act.
“Indeed, Śāntamati, when he had gone to the supreme point of the seat of awakening, the Bodhisattva worked for the benefit of beings even before he had achieved the knowledge of an omniscient one, and once he had achieved awakening, the Realized One worked for the benefit of beings even before he turned the wheel of the Dharma, and he did so to a great extent. It isn’t that he only did so from the time when he first conceived the aspiration for awakening until he reached the seat of awakening. In this way, too, Śāntamati, one should understand that by the very act of being seated for awakening—just by that very act—a bodhisattva works for the benefit of immeasurable beings.
“Moreover, Śāntamati, when the Realized One had attained awakening, Brahmā Śikhin vanished from the Brahmā world and, accompanied and preceded by six million eight hundred thousand gods from the Heaven of Brahmā’s Assembly, he appeared right in front of the Blessed One. He bowed his head at the feet of the Blessed One and walked around him seven times, keeping him on the right, and entreated the Blessed One, ‘Teach the Dharma, Blessed One, so that the wheel of Dharma may be set in motion! Teach the Dharma, Sublime One! There are beings who are worthy recipients of the Dharma. They will understand the Dharma taught by the Realized One!’
5.12
He did this, too, as a result of the vow he made in the past at the time when he was the son of King Dhṛtarāṣṭra: ‘I will entreat all the realized ones who attain awakening in the Fortunate Eon to turn the wheel of Dharma.’
“Now, Śāntamati, if one were to think that Brahmā Śikhin was the only one who entreated the Realized One to turn the wheel of Dharma, and no one else did too, then one should not see it in that way. The reason is that just as Brahmā Śikhin entreated him, the Realized One was likewise being entreated by one billion other brahmās. One billion śakras and one billion bodhisattvas were also entreating the Blessed One to turn the wheel of Dharma.
“When the Blessed One had settled upon the place where he would turn the wheel of Dharma, Brahmā Śikhin prepared the lion’s seat for the Blessed One at the Deer Park at Sage Landing in Vārāṇasī. It was forty-two thousand leagues tall, endowed with the finest of all features, multicolored, and beautiful to behold as it rested upon the surface of the earth. Just as Brahmā Śikhin prepared a lion’s seat for the Realized One, lion’s seats were likewise prepared for the Realized One by one billion other brahmās, one billion śakras, and one hundred billion bodhisattvas along with their retinues. They were also multicolored, beautiful to behold, and endowed with the finest of all features.
“Now, Śāntamati, the Blessed One went to the Deer Park at Sage Landing in the great city of Vārāṇasī, and once he had arrived there he made it appear that he sat down upon every single one of those lion’s seats. In this regard, each and every one of the śakras, brahmās, lokapālas, and bodhisattvas thought,
5.13
‘The Realized One is seated upon my lion’s seat! Seated upon my lion’s seat, he will set the wheel of Dharma in motion!’ As a result of the joy and pleasure they felt at this very thought, they all became unable to be turned back from unsurpassable, perfect awakening.
“As soon as the Blessed One sat upon those lion’s seats, at that precise moment infinite and limitless worlds throughout the ten directions trembled and were pervaded by a great light. Now, at that moment the Blessed One settled into a state of meditative concentration known as infinite range. As soon as the Blessed One had settled into that meditative concentration of infinite range, at that precise moment the worlds throughout this cosmos of a billion worlds became level like the palm of one’s hand, and the beings in the hell realms, the animal realms, the realms of Yama, the human realms, and the god realms throughout the cosmos of a billion worlds were all transfixed in bliss. Not a single being was troubled by passion, hatred, or ignorance, nor were they troubled by any of the afflictions. Their minds were filled with love for one another, and they thought of one other as their mothers and fathers.
“Moreover, as soon as the Blessed One settled into the meditative concentration of infinite range, at that precise moment immeasurable and incalculable bodhisattvas from throughout the ten directions came to hear the Dharma from the Blessed One. At the same time, all the mighty and distinguished gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans, and superhuman beings throughout the cosmos of a billion worlds also drew near to the Blessed One to hear the Dharma from the Blessed One. Indeed, Śāntamati, at that moment there was not a single spot of ground here in this cosmos of a billion worlds, not even one so small in size as the very tip of a hair from a horse’s tail,
5.14
that was not occupied by mighty and distinguished beings there to hear to the Dharma from the Blessed One.
“At that point, knowing that a great assembly was gathered there, the Blessed One emerged, mindful and alert, from that state of meditative concentration. Emerging from that state, he looked upon the entire world with the eye of a realized one, directed by great compassion, and he turned the wheel of the Dharma that had not been turned before for ascetics and brahmins as well as for anyone in this world who is in accord with the Dharma. Moreover, Śāntamati, the Realized One turned the wheel of Dharma in such a way that all beings were satisfied according to their own thoughts and motivations, and so that the beings gathered in the assembly understood the declaration of the Dharma to be speaking to each of them personally. When the Blessed One turned the wheel of Dharma, immeasurable and incalculable bodhisattvas came from throughout the ten directions to hear it, and thousands upon millions upon billions of gods formed a great gathering of deities from the desire realm and the form realm.
“In this respect, Śāntamati, when the Blessed One pronounced the statement, ‘Kauṇḍinya, the eye is impermanent,’ the beings there who could be trained by the word suffering heard ‘the eye is suffering.’ Those who could be trained by no self heard ‘the eye is not self.’ Those who could be trained by emptiness heard ‘the eye is empty.’ Those who could be trained by calm heard ‘the eye is calmed.’ Those who could be trained by withdrawal heard ‘the eye is withdrawn.’¹⁸⁸ Those who could be trained by groundlessness heard ‘the eye is groundless.’¹⁸⁹ Those who could be trained by baselessness heard ‘the eye is baseless.’
“Those who could be trained by illusion heard ‘the eye is like an illusion.’ Those who could be trained by dream heard ‘the eye is like a dream.’ Those who could be trained by moon reflected in water heard ‘the eye is like the moon reflected in water.’¹⁹⁰ Those who could be trained by mirror image heard ‘the eye is like a mirror image.’ Those who could be trained by echo heard ‘the eye is like an echo.’
5.15
Those who could be trained by thus characterized by emptiness, groundlessness, desirelessness, being unconditioned, not being born, and not arising heard ‘the eye is characterized by emptiness, groundlessness, desirelessness, being unconditioned, not being born, and not arising.’
“Those who could be trained by dependent arising heard ‘the eye is dependently arisen,’ and they also heard, ‘As is the case with the eye, so, too, the other senses up to and including the mind are dependently arisen.’¹⁹¹ They heard, ‘In the same way, the objects of sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch, as well as mental objects are empty.’
“Some heard about the impermanence of the aggregates, some about the impermanence of the elements, and some about the impermanence of the sense spheres.¹⁹² Some heard about the impermanence of the aggregates, but not about the impermanence of the elements. Some heard about the impermanence of the elements, but not about the impermanence of the aggregates.¹⁹³
“Some were liberated by the word suffering. Some were liberated by the word origin. Some were liberated by the word cessation. Some were liberated by the word path.
“Some heard a talk about the applications of mindfulness. Some heard a talk about the right efforts. Some heard a talk about the foundations for superhuman power. Some heard a talk about the spiritual faculties. Some heard a talk about the powers. Some heard a talk about the constitutive factors of awakening. Some heard a talk about the path. Some heard a talk about calm abiding. Some heard a talk about deep insight. Some heard a talk about causal dependence. Some heard a talk connected to the disciples. Some heard a talk connected to the Vehicle of the Solitary Buddhas. Some heard a talk connected to the Great Vehicle.
5.16
“Indeed, Śāntamati, the Realized One turned the wheel of Dharma in such a way that all beings were satisfied according to their own thoughts and motivations. Indeed, Śāntamati, not even the monk Śāriputra would be able to calculate the benefit done for beings when the Realized One turned the wheel of Dharma, even if he were to spend one hundred years working on the calculation of the benefit for those beings. What more could be said by other beings?”
While this teaching was being given on the Blessed One’s turning of the wheel of Dharma, and the child’s play he made of the severe ascetic practices, the journey to the seat of awakening, the conquest of Māra, the splendid array, and the lion’s roar, eighty-four thousand beings conceived the aspiration for unsurpassable and perfect awakening, and immeasurable beings were brought to maturity by means of the three vehicles.¹⁹⁴
Chapter 15: The Bases of Cognition
Now Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, said to the Blessed One, “I hope, Blessed One, that I have not made any false statements about the Realized One in this teaching. Indeed, I hope that what I have said aligns with the teaching of the realized ones. Blessed One, the teaching of the realized ones is deep; Blessed One, the secret of the realized ones is profound. It runs counter to the whole world. The understanding of the minds of the realized ones, Blessed One, is truly difficult to grasp. What I have taught, Blessed One, is whatever knowledge of the realized ones has been established in my body and comes out in that way. It is not due to my own personal effort.”
The Blessed One responded, “Precisely so, Lord of the Guhyakas. It is just as you have said. All those who speak the Dharma in conformity with the realized ones, Lord of the Guhyakas, have had the wisdom of the realized ones established in their bodies. Why so? It would not be possible otherwise, Lord of the Guhyakas. It would make no sense. It is simply impossible for beings who have not been empowered by the authority of the realized ones
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to be in conformity with the true nature of the realized ones or to speak of the secrets of the realized ones. Why is that? Who, indeed, has the power to understand, hear about, or speak of the secrets of the realized ones without being empowered by the authority of the realized ones?¹⁹⁵ Moreover, Lord of the Guhyakas, those who say that the true nature of the realized ones is the real, that the true nature of the realized ones is reality, that the dwelling place of the realized ones is the real, they are speaking correctly. Those who say this are giving a correct formulation of the Dharma.
“Truly, Lord of the Guhyakas, what is taught, indicated, and made evident here in this formulation of the Dharma is the unsurpassable and perfect awakening of the blessed buddhas of the past, present, and future, which runs counter to the whole world. Moreover, Lord of the Guhyakas, all those beings who hear this formulation of the Dharma, take an interest in it, and accept it will also run contrary to the whole world. Lord of the Guhyakas, those who take an interest in this formulation of the Dharma and accept it after they hear it will be able to pick up Mount Meru, the king of mountains, and support it with their heads or their shoulders. However, those beings who have not put down the proper roots of virtue will not even be able to take an interest in this formulation of the Dharma, much less accept it or believe in it. What more need be said about upholding it, supporting it, understanding it, or putting it into practice? That would be impossible.
“Lord of the Guhyakas, the beings who hear this formulation of the Dharma and take an interest in it will not have served only one buddha or even ten buddhas. It should be understood, Lord of the Guhyakas, that these good persons will have served buddhas for many hundreds of thousands of millions and billions of eons, and they will have accumulated a supply of merit and become resolved upon the Great Vehicle. Lord of the Guhyakas, such beings will not have served one buddha, nor two, nor three,
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nor four, nor five, nor will they have served ten. Rather, Lord of the Guhyakas, such beings will have served many buddhas, done the preparations, and put down the roots of virtue within this Great Vehicle.”¹⁹⁶
The bodhisattva Śāntamati then inquired of the Blessed One, “It is said, ‘calming, calming.’¹⁹⁷ What is this ‘calming,’ Blessed One, or through the calming of what is there said to be calming?”¹⁹⁸
The Blessed One said, “When the word calming is said, noble son, it is a designation for the calming of the afflictions. The expression calming of the afflictions is a designation for the calming of fantasies, ruminations, and suppositions.¹⁹⁹ The expression the calming of fantasies, ruminations, and suppositions is a designation for the calming of fixed attention to notions in the mind. The expression the calming of fixed attention to notions in the mind is a designation for the calming of the distorted views. The expression the calming of the distorted views is a designation for the calming of a cognitive basis or cause. The expression the calming of a cognitive basis or cause is a designation for the calming of craving, becoming, and ignorance. The expression the calming of craving, becoming, and ignorance is a designation for the calming of the conceptualization of ‘I’ and ‘mine.’ The expression the calming of the conceptualization of ‘I’ and ‘mine’ is a designation for the calming of name and form. The expression the calming of name and form is a designation for the calming of the view that the self is eternal and the view that the self is destroyed completely at death. The expression the calming of the view that the self is eternal and the view that the self is destroyed completely at death is a designation for the calming of the belief in a true self.
“Indeed, Śāntamati, all those afflictions that occur in association with beliefs, causes, and cognitive bases arise from the belief in a true self. From the calming of the belief in a true self comes the calming of all views. From the calming of the belief in a true self comes the calming of all wishes.
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From the calming of the belief in a true self comes the calming of all afflictions.²⁰⁰
“Indeed, Śāntamati, just as all the blossoms, leaves, and branches of a tree wither when the tree is cut at the roots, in the same way all afflictions are calmed through the calming of the belief in a true self.²⁰¹ All the afflictions and the things to which one clings, Śāntamati, arise when one does not thoroughly comprehend the nature of the belief in a true self. Whereas for one who has thoroughly comprehended the nature of the belief in a true self, all the afflictions and the things to which one clings do not arise and do not cause one trouble.”
“Once again, Blessed One, what is thorough comprehension of the belief in a true self?” asked Śāntamati.
The Blessed One answered, “Thorough comprehension of the belief in a true self, Śāntamati, is the nonarising of a self. Thorough comprehension of the belief in a true self is the nonarising of a being; it is also the nonarising of the beliefs in a person or a life force. Moreover, Śāntamati, this belief is not found internally, and it is not found externally. This belief is everywhere unfounded, and it is from the unfounded nature of this belief that there is the knowledge that is without foundation. This, Śāntamati, is the thorough comprehension of the belief in a true self.
“The expression thorough comprehension of the belief in a true self, Śāntamati, is a designation for emptiness. Due to an acceptance that it is in conformity with emptiness, one does not hold on to that belief. This, too, Śāntamati, is thorough comprehension of the belief in a true self.²⁰² Due to the belief in emptiness, groundlessness, desirelessness, being unconditioned, not being born, and not arising, Śāntamati, one does not hold on to the belief that there is a true self.²⁰³ This, too, Śāntamati, is thorough comprehension of the belief in a true self.
“This so-called ‘true self,’ Śāntamati, does not have a self.²⁰⁴ It does not draw anything to itself; it does not expand its control. It does not accumulate; it does not disperse.²⁰⁵ From the very beginning, it is an unreal thing, a figment of the imagination, and an unreal thing, a figment of the imagination, cannot be ascertained or determined. What cannot be ascertained or determined cannot be made, firmly established,
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erected, or inhabited.²⁰⁶ What cannot be made, firmly established, erected, or inhabited is what is called calm.”²⁰⁷
Śāntamati then further inquired, “It is said, ‘a calmed one, a calmed one.’ Blessed One, through the calming of what is one said to be a calmed one?”
The Blessed One answered, “When one has a basis for cognition, one inflames the mind. The one who does not make anything into the basis for cognition, that one does not become inflamed. One who is not inflamed is called a calmed one. Indeed, Śāntamati, just as a fire burns when it has fuel and it stops burning when it has no fuel, in the same way one inflames the mind when one has a basis for cognition and one calms down when one does not have a basis for cognition.²⁰⁸
“In this respect, Śāntamati, the bodhisattvas who have mastered skill in means and purified the perfection of wisdom understand the nature of calming the bases for cognition, but they do not calm down the cognitive basis for the roots of virtue.²⁰⁹ They do not generate the cognitive bases for the afflictions, but they still generate the cognitive bases for the perfections.²¹⁰ They let go of the cognitive bases for the secondary afflictions and Māra, but they do not let go of the cognitive bases for the qualities that are conducive to awakening. They do not take hold of the cognitive bases for desiring the teachings for the disciples and the solitary buddhas, but they do not give up the cognitive basis for the aspiration for the state of an omniscient one. They have a strong regard for the cognitive basis of emptiness, but they still look for the cognitive basis of great compassion for all beings.
“Furthermore, Śāntamati, bodhisattvas who have mastered skill in means and purified the perfection of wisdom attain mastery over the bases of cognition.²¹¹ They have a profound knowledge of the cognitive basis of what is not born, but they do not let go of the cognitive basis of taking rebirth intentionally. They enter into the cognitive basis of what is unconditioned, yet they bring out the cognitive basis of the roots of virtue, which are conditioned. They examine the cognitive basis of the groundless, but they do not destroy the cognitive basis of the aspiration for awakening.