འཕགས་པ་ད་བཞན་གཤགས་པའ་གསང་བ་བསམ་གྱས་མ་ཁྱབ་པ་བསྟན་པ་ཞས་བྱ་བ་ཐག་པ་ཆན་པའ་མད 8
The Secrets of the Realized Ones 8
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and an immeasurable number of beings took up the basic moral precepts.
Vajrasena, son of the Lord of the Guhyakas, then covered the Blessed One with a net of jewels and inquired of the Blessed One, “How is it, Blessed One, that bodhisattvas become unshakable in their resolve for unsurpassable and perfect awakening?”
The Blessed One answered, “Noble son, bodhisattvas of great courage who have ten qualities become unshakable in their resolve for unsurpassable and perfect awakening. What are these ten qualities? They are great love without anger; great compassion without weariness; heroic effort that brings to completion everything one has begun; concentration that is brought into contact with emptiness; wisdom that is perceived with one’s own eyes; all-encompassing expertise; knowledge that cleanses the three times; vision of the truths that is not obscured by any smudges; being endowed with emptiness, which is the finest of all qualities; and having set out upon the path of what is entirely pure just as it is. Young one, bodhisattvas who have these ten qualities become unshakable in their resolve for unsurpassable and perfect awakening.”
Vajrasena, son of the Lord of the Guhyakas, then spoke again to the Blessed One: “How is it, Blessed One, that bodhisattvas can avoid feeling fear, fright, or terror when they hear about the inconceivable qualities of a buddha?”
The Blessed One answered, “Young one, bodhisattvas who have eight qualities do not become fearful, frightened, or terrified when they hear about the inconceivable qualities of a buddha. What are these eight qualities? They are steadiness due to one’s wisdom, steadiness due to one’s knowledge, being held firmly
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by companions in what is good, having lofty aspirations, letting go of things that have the characteristics of a magical illusion, having an interest in the idea that things are impermanent, having a mind that is equal to space, and knowing that all things have the characteristic of being involved in a magical creation. Young one, bodhisattvas who have these eight qualities do not become fearful, frightened, or terrified when they hear about the inconceivable qualities of a buddha.”
“With what qualities should bodhisattvas be equipped, Blessed One, so that they gain the power to do everything that should be done?”
The Blessed One answered, “Young one, bodhisattvas equipped with four qualities gain the power to do everything that should be done. What are these four? They have thoroughly cultivated and become equipped with the five supernormal faculties without any impairment. They are equipped with the four states of meditation that are fully pervaded by the gateway to liberation. They are equipped with the four dwellings of Brahmā, which transcend even the highest Brahmā world. They are masters of wisdom and skill in means, which apply to every situation. Young one, bodhisattvas equipped with these four qualities gain the power to do everything that should be done.”
“What are the gateways of the bodhisattvas, Blessed One?”
The Blessed One answered, “Young one, there are four gateways of the bodhisattvas. What are these four gateways? They are as follows: the gateway of knowledge, which comprehends the spiritual faculties of beings; the gateway of wisdom, which teaches the fine analysis of words; the gateway of powerful memory and the formulas that support it, which enables a thorough grasp of all languages; and the gateway of the special modes of knowledge, which teaches the inexhaustible Dharma. Young one, these are the four gateways of the bodhisattvas.”
“What are the powers of the bodhisattvas, Blessed One?’
The Blessed One answered, “Young one, there are nine powers of the bodhisattvas. What are these nine powers?
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They are the power of profound contemplation so that one may do the work of compassion; the power of heroic courage so that one may become impossible to turn back from awakening; the power of learning so that one may develop great wisdom; the power of ardent devotion so that one may fulfill the goal of liberation;²⁵³ the power of cultivation so that one may become free; the power of patience in order to protect the mind; the power of the aspiration for awakening in order to gain power over Māra; the power of great compassion so that one may bring beings to maturity; and the power of acceptance of the fact that things do not arise so that one may gain full possession of the ten powers of the realized ones. Young one, these are the nine powers of the bodhisattvas.”
When this teaching had been given, the sons of the Lord of the Guhyakas gained acceptance of the fact that things do not arise, and once they had gained acceptance of this fact they implored the Blessed One, “Use your empowering authority, Blessed One, to ensure that this formulation of the Dharma continues to exist and be circulated for a long time in the abode of the Lord of the Guhyakas. Ensure that those beings who are worthy recipients of it will continue to hear of it, that it will spread widely throughout Jambudvīpa, and that by no means will it disappear after the complete cessation of the Realized One.”
Thinking of what the sons of the Lord of the Guhyakas had requested of him, the Blessed One said to Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, “So that the way of the true Dharma continues to exist for a long time and the māras and proponents of other doctrines are defeated in accordance with the Dharma, I request you, Lord of the Guhyakas, to speak the words of the mantra that you called to mind and then expressed and intoned in order to protect the Bodhisattva when he was seated at the supreme point of the seat of awakening and to defeat the māras when the armies of Māra had come there.”
Understanding the Blessed One’s request, Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, then rose from his seat, arranged his cloak over one shoulder
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, knelt down on his right knee, and bowing toward the Blessed One with his arms outstretched, palms together in a gesture of salutation, he spoke the words of the mantra:
tadyathā | hulu hulu | hule dhire | hariti | akuśalakṣaye | cale | calavati | sāre | kṣure kṣāntivale | kṣeme | śāntikare| kṣame | śame | hulu | ilikhi | khire | khare | aveśaṇi | saraṇe | jaye | jayavati | sthire | āvarte | vivarte | āvartani | maitre | bhutanān | sanggrahe | dame | damasampanne | tāraṇe | tārayasesvayan | svasti devebhyo | nāgebhyo | yakṣebhyo | gandharvebhyo | rākṣasebhyo | manuṣebhyo | amanuṣebhyo | svastir bhavatu sadāmukham | |²⁵⁴
The recitation of the words of the mantra
Shook even the king of mountains;
It made the earth quake, too,
And it also made the king of waters roil.
The recitation of the words of the mantra
Defeated the proponents of other doctrines,
Brought together the exponents of the Dharma,
And safeguarded the treasury of the Dharma.
When they heard the words of the mantra
The groups of gods were overjoyed,
And each one of them stated the wish,
“May the true Dharma last a long time.”
As the cosmos of a billion worlds shook,
The assembly, too, began to tremble.
They touched the feet of the Lord of Men,
To whom they had gone for protection.
They had gone to the one without fear,
The Teacher, who had spoken thus,
Whose authority empowered this discourse,
Ensuring that the true Dharma would last long.
The Blessed One then spent seven days in the abode of Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, and for seven days he fulfilled the wishes of limitless beings. As many different wishes as the beings had in that assembly in the capital city of Aḍagavatī, he fulfilled them all.
Then the Blessed One left the abode of Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, and, surrounded by the host of bodhisattvas and accompanied by the host of disciples, he flew freely through the vault of the sky like the king of swans, as a host of gods paid homage to him; a host of goddesses
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praised him; yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, and garuḍas surrounded him; and Śakra, Brahmā, and the Lokapālas offered him praise. The rays of light they emitted made a latticework of light, as musical instruments were played, it rained down showers of flowers, and all the domains trembled. All this was due to the great majestic power of the Buddha, the great superhuman power of the Buddha, the great transformative power of the Buddha, the great miraculous display of the Buddha, the great glory of the Buddha, the great vital energy of the Buddha, the great demeanor of the Buddha, and the great child’s play of the Buddha.
With Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, following as his attendant, the Blessed One returned to the hill, Vulture Peak.
Chapter 21: On Śūrabala
At that point, the Blessed One remained at the hill, Vulture Peak, together with the bodhisattvas and great disciples. The Blessed One rested in the afternoon and then he got up and taught the Dharma. Then the sixty thousand inhabitants of the great city of Rājagṛha, including King Ajātaśatru and his household, came to know that the Blessed One had returned. So in the afternoon they took flowers, incense, garlands, and scented oils, left the great city of Rājagṛha and came to the hill, Vulture Peak, and into the presence of the Blessed One. They bowed their heads at the Blessed One’s feet and sat to one side. As they were sitting to one side, King Ajātaśatru spoke to the Blessed One.
“Blessed One,” he said, “I was sitting in my assembly hall, and my son, Given by the Frightful One, was there, too, and he said to me, ‘Father, I heard that the Blessed One had a meal
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in the capital city of Aḍagavatī in the abode of Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, and now he has returned.’ Regarding this, Blessed One, I had the following thought:
“ ‘For what reason was the Blessed One invited to the capital city of Aḍagavatī in the abode of Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas? He must have gone to the capital city of Aḍagavatī in order to bring beings there to maturity, because there is no class of beings that is abandoned by the realized ones. The application of the blessed buddhas’ great compassion to those beings is marvelous! By making a prediction of Vajrapāṇi’s determination for the Dharma, the Realized One has delighted the Lord of the Guhyakas. The Blessed One’s greatness of self is marvelous!’
“In the company of how many realized ones, worthy ones, fully awakened buddhas has Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, cultivated roots of virtue, Blessed One, so that he now possesses such inspired eloquence?”
This is what he said, and the Blessed One then responded to King Ajātaśatru, “Great King, it is difficult for beings who have not developed the roots of virtue to take an interest in this matter. However, those who have developed the roots of virtue could take an interest in it. Great King, it is possible to comprehend an endpoint to the number of worlds throughout the ten directions, which are equal in number as the grains of sand in the Ganges, by doing a calculation. However, it is not possible to comprehend, by doing a calculation, an endpoint to the number of blessed buddhas worshiped and served by Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas. He has come to possess such inspired eloquence by leading the holy life in their vicinity.
“It is in this fashion, Great King, that you should understand the following: Once upon a time, Great King, in a past eon, going back an incalculable eon,
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going back more than an incalculable eon, going back a limitless, inconceivable, and immeasureable span of time, there was an eon called Irreproachable. At that time, in a world called Land of Victory, there appeared a realized one, a worthy one, a perfectly awakened one, one 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 whose name was Vaiśramaṇa. The blessed realized one Vaiśramaṇa gave only teachings for bodhisattvas, such as, ‘Noble sons, you should practice with heroic effort, giving up even your body and life!’
“At that time, Great King, there was a bodhisattva named Śūrabala sitting in the assembly, and he said this to that blessed one:
“ ‘The Blessed One has said to the bodhisattvas that we should practice, giving up even our bodies and lives. Regarding the meaning of the Blessed One’s statement, I would ask if it is appropriate, Blessed One, to say that those bodhisattvas who think that they should quickly awaken to unsurpassable and perfect awakening should be known as slothful ones for thinking such a thing. Why do I say so? Blessed One, bodhisattvas who practice with heroic effort do not conceive the thought of being exhausted by saṃsāra. Blessed One, bodhisattvas hold the view that saṃsāra is something to be celebrated because it enables them to bring beings to maturity, but they do not view nirvāṇa in this way. Blessed One, bodhisattvas work on behalf of beings. Why do I say so? Blessed One, for bodhisattvas who are ardently devoted to heroic effort, saṃsāra is a great pleasure, but they do not view nirvāṇa in this way. Why do I say so? Blessed One, bodhisattvas who work on behalf of beings become happy to the degree that they do the work that benefits beings.
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“ ‘What is there to be done, Blessed One, by someone who has passed into nirvāṇa? Bodhisattvas who think in this way, Blessed One, make saṃsāra their field of action even though the pleasures of saṃsāra do not have any flavor. They do not make nirvāṇa their field of action. Blessed One, bodhisattvas who make saṃsāra their field of action, even though the pleasures of saṃsāra do not have any flavor, and work on behalf of beings gain the vision of an immeasurable number of blessed buddhas, hear about the immeasurable nature of the Dharma, and bring an immeasurable number of beings to maturity. Blessed One, bodhisattvas who make saṃsāra their field of action become immersed in the field of action of beings. Blessed One, bodhisattvas who take nirvāṇa as their field of action sink into apathy.²⁵⁵ When bodhisattvas are fearful of saṃsāra as a field of action, Blessed One, they fall into the state of having no field of action, and subsequently they do not work on behalf of beings. They do not become established in the field of action of the realized ones, and they do not become someone on whom all beings can depend.
“ ‘What is the state of having no field of action? It is the state sought by disciples and solitary buddhas, a state of laxity in regard to the work of bringing beings to maturity. What is the reason for that? Blessed One, the disciple’s field of action is not the bodhisattva’s field of action. What is the reason for that? The field of action of the disciples and solitary buddhas is that of one who is afraid of saṃsāra. The bodhisattvas’ grasp of saṃsāra is immeasurable. In this respect, Blessed One, bodhisattvas dwell in their own field of action.’
“This is what he said, Great King, and the realized one Vaiśramaṇa then said this to the bodhisattva Śūrabala: ‘Excellent, my good man, excellent! What you have said has been well said.
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Bodhisattvas should be focused on what needs to be done in their own field of action. They should work within their own field of action, and they should not work within the field of action of others.’
“ ‘What is the bodhisattvas’ own field of action, Blessed One?’
“ ‘The bodhisattva’s own field of action, noble son, is the field of action of one who does not fear the immeasurable grasp of saṃsāra; one who celebrates the way of the bodhisattva; one who does not wish for the level of a disciple or a solitary buddha; one who gathers the means to sever the connection to rebirth in the three worlds, while knowing that there is no such connection; one who is skilled in the ways of making the roots of virtue grow; one who knows the means of drawing others to oneself; one who is skilled in accumulating all virtues; one who is skilled in not using up the supply of one’s merit, while understanding the nature of extinction; and one who is skilled in deliberately being reborn while realizing what is never born.
“ ‘It is the field of action of one who is skilled in bringing beings to maturity, even though there is no such thing as a being; one who is skilled in grasping the true Dharma, while knowing all things to be isolated and free; one who is skilled in purifying a buddha domain, while knowing that space is the true nature of all buddha domains; one who is skilled in the acquisition of the distinctive features and secondary marks of a great being, while knowing that one possesses the Dharma body of all the buddhas; one who is skilled in not severing the roots of virtue, which are themselves conditioned things, while knowing what is unconditioned; and one who knows the joy that is the isolated and free state of one’s mind and body, while being skilled in doing what all beings need done, even when there is little need and little desire for the enjoyment of conditioned things.
“ ‘It is the field of action of one who is wise to censure those who argue their positions, and yet does not fail to teach the Dharma; one who does not relish the flavor of meditative concentration, while still producing a state of meditative concentration; one who is skilled in revealing teachings and engaging in the various actions of beings, while still comprehending the profound Dharma;
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one who deliberately grasps the world of becoming, even while knowing what does not arise at all; one who knows deep insight, but is skilled in not causing oneself to obtain the fruit of such knowledge; one who is skilled in not cutting the thread of desire for the liberation of the realized ones, while still being within the range of the disciples and the solitary buddhas; and one who is skilled in seeing the range of the buddhas, while still knowing not to neglect the actions of a bodhisattva. This, noble son, is the bodhisattvas’ own field of action.’
“When the bodhisattva Śūrabala heard this teaching from the blessed realized one Vaiśramaṇa on the purification of the field of action, Great King, he was awestruck, and he said this to that realized one: ‘It is marvelous, Blessed One, how well the Realized One has expressed this teaching on the purification of the bodhisattvas’ own field of action!
“ ‘If I were to express my own understanding of the meaning of what the Blessed One has just taught, I would say that bodhisattvas who have mastered skill in means have all things as their own field of action.²⁵⁶ Just as, Blessed One, space has a field of action that has all forms as its appearance, because it has no resting place, because the appearances of all forms are by nature without obstruction, and because the range of action of space is by nature without obstruction, in precisely the same way, Blessed One, bodhisattvas who have mastered skill in means have all things as their own field of action, because they have the nature of perfect and complete awakening.
“ ‘To draw another analogy, Blessed One, just as space has a field of action that has all forms as its appearance, because it is not injured thereby, in the sense that whatever poisonous trees, medicinal trees, thorny trees, flowering trees, fruit trees, and fragrant trees there are,
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all of them grow in space, and yet space is not sullied or cleansed by them, and it does not become stuck on them or repelled by them, in precisely the same way, Blessed One, bodhisattvas who have mastered skill in means and become adept at wisdom have all things as their own field of action, including the qualities of ordinary people, the qualities of those who are still undergoing training and of those who have reached the stage of no more training, the qualities of the solitary buddhas, and the qualities of bodhisattvas, as well as the qualities of the realized ones, for the reason that all these qualities are things to which the bodhisattva should become perfectly and completely awakened.
“ ‘Indeed, Blessed One, to make another analogy, just as there is no grass or type of wood whatsoever that can escape from fire, but all of them can be made into something useful when set alight as a burning torch, in precisely the same way, Blessed One, bodhisattvas have all things as their own field of action, because they are set alight by the burning torch of wisdom.
“ ‘Indeed, Blessed One, just as the body of a being with a great physique cannot be burned by fire, pierced by a weapon, or killed by poison, and it is not an object of attack by another, in precisely the same way, Blessed One, the knowledge and wisdom of a bodhisattva cannot be subdued by close acquaintance with disciples, by close acquaintance with solitary buddhas, or by close acquaintance with the afflictions—and what is more, the closer a bodhisattva’s acquaintance with them becomes, the more a bodhisattva comes to be fixed on deep insight and refines wisdom.
“ ‘To draw another analogy, Blessed One: just as a water-purifying precious jewel purifies water of all pollutants, in precisely the same way, Blessed One, the bodhisattva’s jewel of wisdom purifies beings of the filth of all the afflictions.
“ ‘Indeed, Blessed One,
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to make one more analogy, just as the medicine known as a purgative does not remain in the body along with the poison, but eliminates all the poison, in precisely the same way, Blessed One, a bodhisattva’s cultivation of wisdom and skill in means does not remain along with beings’ afflictions or the bodhisattva’s own afflictions, but eliminates the poison of all afflictions. In this manner, Blessed One, bodhisattvas have all things as their own field of action.’
“When the bodhisattva Śūrabala gave this instruction, Great King, eight thousand beings conceived the aspiration for unsurpassable and perfect awakening, and two hundred bodhisattvas gained the acceptance of that fact that things do not arise. Moreover, if you were to think, Great King, that the bodhisattva Śūrabala, when he was in dialogue with the realized one, the blessed Vaiśramaṇa, was someone else at that moment and time, then it should not be seen in that way. The bodhisattva Śūrabala at that moment and time was this very Lord of the Guhyakas, Vajrapāṇi. As such, Great King, this good man is, indeed, arrayed with the strong armor of heroic effort as well as someone who has attended upon many buddhas.”
Chapter 22: The Explanation of Ajātaśatru’s Questions
At that point, it occurred to King Ajātaśatru, “The vajra that Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, is holding in his right hand must be heavy, because if it is light, why is Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, said to possess incredibly great strength?”
Then, knowing with his own mind the train of thought of King Ajātaśatru, Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, said to him, “It is, indeed, heavy, Great King, and it is light.”
“For what reason is it heavy, and how is it light?”
“It is heavy, Great King, in order to gain full control over
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beings who are arrogant, conceited, haughty, and overly proud. For beings who are honest and humble, it is light.”
Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, then used his empowering authority and made that spot of earth into vajra, and he placed his vajra on that ground. Just as soon as he set it down, the cosmos of a billion worlds quaked in six ways. Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, then said to King Ajātaśatru, “Lift this vajra off the ground, Great King.”
Then, as someone with the incredible strength of a being with a great physique, King Ajātaśatru thought, “I will lift this vajra,” but with all his incredible strength he could not move or budge it, even to the slightest degree. Awestruck, he stretched out his arms, palms together in a gesture of salutation, and said to the Blessed One, “With the incredible strength of a being with a great physique, I can lift an elephant that is fully arrayed with armor with one hand, but, Blessed One, I cannot move or budge this mere trifle of a vajra in the slightest, not to speak of lifting it.²⁵⁷ What is the reason?”
“Great King,” the Blessed One answered, “this vajra is heavy. Therefore, you cannot lift it.”
Then King Ajātaśatru said to Śakra, Lord of the Gods, “Kauśika, you are called ‘The Vajra-Bearer.’ Lift this vajra off the ground.”
Yet, even though he was in possession of a great reserve of power, both the power of his superhuman powers and his own incredible strength, Śakra, Lord of the Gods, was unable to move or budge the vajra. Awestruck, Śakra, Lord of the Gods, then said to the Blessed One, “At a time when I was waging war on the asuras, Blessed One, I was able to lift the chariot of the asura lord Vemacitra with just one hand, even though the chariot was more than seven hundred leagues long. Still, I am unable to move or even budge this mere trifle of a vajra. Blessed One, is this due to the empowering authority of the Buddha?”
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“Kauśika,” the Blessed One said, “this vajra is heavy, but it should be understood that this is not due to my empowering authority. What do you think, Kauśika? Is Mount Meru, the king of mountains, heavy?”
“Mount Meru is so heavy, Blessed One, that it would not be easy to describe how much, even by analogy.”
“Kauśika,” continued the Blessed One, “this vajra is heavy, so much so that, for example, Kauśika, if Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, were to strike it against the Cakravāḍa Mountains, which form this world’s perimeter and are made of vajra, they would be pulverized into tiny bits no bigger than chaff. This vajra has that much incredible power, Kauśika.”
Śakra, Lord of the Gods, then said to Venerable Maudgalyāyana the Great, “Revered Maudgalyāyana the Great, since you are foremost among the Blessed One’s disciples in the possession of superhuman powers, lift this vajra off the ground.”
The thought then occurred to Venerable Maudgalyāyana the Great, “If I am unable to pick up this vajra in front of this world and its gods, then I would become an impostor.” So, he grasped the vajra with such incredible strength that the cosmos of a billion worlds quaked in six ways, the rivers overflowed, and the oceans roiled, but he could not move or even budge the vajra.
Venerable Maudgalyāyana the Great was awestruck. He bowed his head at the feet of the Blessed One and said, “Blessed One, you have declared that I am foremost among the Blessed One’s disciples in the possession of superhuman powers. Blessed One, I have such great superhuman powers, such great exalted status, and such great majestic power that, if I wish, Blessed One, I can even hold all the water in the four great oceans in the palm of my hand. Blessed One, I could even make this cosmos
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of a billion worlds revolve in one direction and then reverse direction, just as if someone were rolling a coin back and forth with the tips of their fingers. Blessed One, I can even touch the sun and moon, which have such great superhuman power and such great majestic power. With one hand, I could even pick up Mount Meru, the king of mountains, and throw it as far as the world of Brahmā. Blessed One, I have even tamed the nāga kings Nanda and Upananda. Blessed One, I have even traveled to the Marīcika world. Blessed One, when I can do what I want even with things as large as Mount Meru, does the fact that I cannot move or even budge this mere trifle of a vajra indicate that the power of my superhuman powers is insufficient, Blessed One, or am I not the only one?”
“Maudgalyāyana the Great,” the Blessed One answered, “it is not that the force of your superhuman powers is insufficient. Rather, when the empowering authority of a bodhisattva’s power cannot be shaken even by all the disciples and solitary buddhas, what more needs to be said about other beings? Maudgalyāyana, even if you were able to move the Mount Merus, those kings of mountains, that exist in as many buddha domains as there are grains of sand in the Ganges River, you would still not be able to move this vajra from its place, even slightly.”
Venerable Maudgalyāyana the Great then asked, “Does the fact that he holds this vajra, Blessed One, give Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, great power?”
“Maudgalyāyana,” the Blessed One answered, “even if all the Mount Merus that exist in this cosmos of a billion worlds were made into a single mountain and you were able to lift even that mountain, you would still not be able to lift this vajra.”
At this, the elder, Maudgalyāyana the Great, was awestruck, and he said to the Blessed One, “It is marvelous, Blessed One, that Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, has the incredible power
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to hold this vajra. Blessed One, did Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, inherit this power from his parents, or is it the power of his own superhuman powers?”
The Blessed One answered, “Maudgalyāyana, the power that comes from human parents is sufficiently explained just by giving it a suitable name, whatever it may be, but if one were to explain fully the power of the superhuman powers of the bodhisattvas, then the world and its gods would be driven mad.”
At that point, the Blessed One surveyed all the directions with the gaze of a bull elephant, and then he said to Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, “Lift this vajra from the ground, Lord of the Guhyakas!”
Then, with his left hand, Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, lifted the vajra, which shook this cosmos of a billion worlds, and he threw it into the air, at which point it circled the sky seven times and returned to his right hand. Thereupon everyone in the assembly was awestruck, and stretching out their arms, palms together in a gesture of salutation, they paid homage to Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, and said, “It is marvelous that the Lord of the Guhyakas possesses such incredible strength that he can hold this vajra in that way. Blessed One, may all beings come to possess such incredible power!”
King Ajātaśatru then asked the Blessed One, “By means of what things, Blessed One, can a bodhisattva obtain that kind of power?”
“Great King,” the Blessed One answered, “bodhisattvas can obtain that kind of power by means of ten things. What are these ten? Great King, they are the following: bodhisattvas give up their bodies and their lives, and they never give up the true Dharma; they bow down to all beings, and they do not allow their pride to rise; they have patience with beings who have little strength, and they do not act out of anger;
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they provide the supreme nourishment to feed beings who are starving, and they give fearlessness to beings who are fearful; they bring joy through the work of healing those beings who are sick; they bring contentment by providing resources to beings in poverty; they apply coats of plaster to the shrines of the realized ones; they cause words to be heard that fill beings with complete joy; they distribute wealth to beings who are destitute and suffering; and they bear the burdens of those beings who are exhausted and languishing. By means of these ten things, Great King, bodhisattvas obtain that kind of power.”²⁵⁸
“Blessed One, how do bodhisattvas remain well bred, and how are they reborn in the places of rebirth of those who are well bred?”
“Great King,” the Blessed One answered, “bodhisattvas who have eight qualities become well bred and are reborn in the places of rebirth of those who are well bred. What are these eight? They are as follows: good speech, honesty, flexibility, mildness, steadiness, forthrightness, contentedness, and having a mind that is ready for any endeavor. Great King, bodhisattvas who have these eight qualities become well bred and are reborn in the places of rebirth of those who are well bred.”
“What are the places of rebirth of those bodhisattvas who are well bred, Blessed One?”
“Great King, there are four places of rebirth of those bodhisattvas who are well bred. What are these four? If they are born in the human world, they become a wheel-turning king and have the privilege of serving the buddha who arises in that very place. If they are reborn as Śakra, Lord of the Gods, they have the privilege of serving the buddha who arises in that very place. If they are reborn as Brahmā, sovereign of this Sahā world, they have the privilege of serving the buddha who arises in that very place. If they are reborn as the head of a household or a guild of tradesmen, they have the privilege of serving the buddha who arises in that very place. Great King, these are the four places of rebirth of those bodhisattvas who are well bred.”
King Ajātaśatru asked, “Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of faith?”
“Great King,” the Blessed One answered,
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“companions in what is good are the natural consequence of faith.”
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of generosity?”
“Great King, the natural consequence of generosity is wealth.”
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of learning?”
“Great King, the natural consequence of learning is discernment.”
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of moral conduct?”
“Great King, good places of rebirth are the natural consequence of moral conduct.”
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of patience?”
“Great King, the natural consequence of patience is the protection of beings.”
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of heroic effort?”
“Great King, the natural consequence of heroic effort is fulfillment of the qualities of a buddha.”
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of meditation?”
“Great King, the natural consequence of meditation is calming.”
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of wisdom?”
“Great King, the natural consequence of wisdom is the elimination of all afflictions.”
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of hearing the Dharma?”
“Great King, the natural consequence of hearing the Dharma is that one lets go of doubts.”
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of inquiry into Dharma?”
“Great King, the natural consequence of inquiry into Dharma is certainty.”
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of a place of solitude?”
“Great King, the concentrations and the supernormal faculties are the natural consequence of a place of solitude.”
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of meditative cultivation?”
“Great King, the natural consequence of meditative cultivation is liberation.”
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of hearing that things are impermanent?”
“Great King, the natural consequence of hearing that things are impermanent is that one gives away one’s possessions.”
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“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of hearing about suffering?”
“Great King, the natural consequence of hearing about suffering is that one stops clinging.”
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of hearing that things have no self?”
“Great King, the natural consequence of hearing that things have no self is that one stops holding on to the concepts of ‘I’ and ‘mine.’ ”
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of hearing that nirvāṇa is peace?”
“Great King, the natural consequence of hearing that nirvāṇa is peace is calming.”
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of careful attention?”
“Great King, the natural consequence of careful attention is the right view of the noble ones.”²⁵⁹
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of the isolated and free state of one’s mind and body?”
“Great King, the natural consequence of the isolated and free state of one’s mind and body is the development of the meditative states and the supernormal faculties.”
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of the path?”
“Great King, the natural consequence of the path is the realization of the goal.”
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of ardent devotion?
“Great King, the natural consequence of ardent devotion is the fulfillment of liberation.”²⁶⁰
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of the arising of a buddha?”
“Great King, the natural consequence of the arising of a buddha is the attainment of qualities that are conducive to awakening.”
“Blessed One, how does a buddha arise?”
“Great King, it is the consequence of giving rise to the aspiration for awakening.”
“Blessed One, how does one give rise to the aspiration for awakening?”
“Great King, it is the consequence of giving rise to great compassion.”
“Blessed One, for whom is there the arising of a buddha?
“Great King, a buddha arises for those who have given rise to faith.”
“Blessed One, who gives rise to faith?”
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“Great King, the one who gives rise to the aspiration for awakening.”²⁶¹
“Blessed One, who gives rise to the aspiration for awakening?”
“Great King, one whose ambition does not waver.”
“Blessed One, whose ambition does not waver?”
“Great King, one who gives rise to great compassion.”
“Blessed One, how does one give rise to great compassion?”
“Great King, it is the consequence of not forsaking beings.”
“Blessed One, how does one not forsake beings?”
“Great King, it happens when one forsakes one’s own welfare.”²⁶²
“Blessed One, how does one forsake one’s own welfare?”
“Great King, one does not forsake the Three Jewels.”
“Blessed One, who does not forsake the Three Jewels?”
“Great King, one who forsakes the afflictions does not forsake the Three Jewels.”
At this point, King Ajātaśatru said to the Blessed One, “It is marvelous, Blessed One! It is marvelous, Sublime One, how well the Dharma and Discipline made known by the Realized One have been spoken, how well the training of the Realized One has been prescribed, how the teaching of the Dharma by the blessed buddhas conforms with reality, how cause and effect are said to be imperishable, how it avoids the extreme views of eternalism and complete annihilation, how it lays out an introduction to deeds and actions, how the effects of both good and bad actions are said to be imperishable, and how it characterizes keeping one’s word—how well all this has been spoken!
“Among those here who are intent upon such a lofty and superior teaching, Blessed One,
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who would dare to harm it,²⁶³ or resist it, or oppose it, apart from those who have not put down roots of virtue or who are surrounded by companions in what is bad?
“We, Blessed One, ought not to feel ungrateful for the roots of our virtue in the past.²⁶⁴ It is certainly not possible for us to repay, even with our own flesh and blood, the Realized One by whose majestic power we have been turned away from all the afflictions. Blessed One, it is not even possible for us to repay Prince Mañjuśrī, who has been our companion in the good for a long time and by whose majestic power our regret over the tremendous evil deed we did has been eased and by whose majestic power we have obtained the great light of the Dharma.²⁶⁵ As the Blessed One has said so well, this holy life in its entirety is due to one’s companions in the good.”
Chapter 23: On Bhadrarāja
At that point, the bodhisattva of great courage, Śāntamati, said this to Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas: “When the Blessed One creates magically created forms of himself, Lord of the Guhyakas, do you create magically created forms of yourself, too?”
Vajrapāṇi responded, “I am an eyewitness to what comes directly before the eyes of the Blessed One, Śāntamati, and therefore, even if the Realized One were to create magically created forms of the Realized One equal in number to the grains of sand in the Ganges River, then precisely that many magically created forms of me would accompany them, taking a variety of forms and making child’s play in a variety of ways. This, Śāntamati, is a natural consequence of the purification of my motivation in the past.”
The bodhisattva Śāntamati then said to Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, “Please make a request of the Blessed One, Lord of the Guhyakas, for this formulation of the Dharma to be circulated and widely distributed in the latter time—that is, in the final five-hundred-year period of the Dharma—and to come into the hands of those good persons