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དམ་པའ་ཆས་པད་མ་དཀར་པ་ཞས་བྱ་བ་ཐག་པ་ཆན་པའ་མད 11

The White Lotus of the Good Dharma 11

Language
English

11.2

The Bhagavān said to the bodhisattva mahāsattva Akṣayamati, “Noble one, if the hundred thousand quintillion beings in this world who are experiencing suffering were to hear the name of the bodhisattva mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara they would all become freed from that mass of suffering.

“Noble one, if those who possess the name of the bodhisattva mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara were to fall into a great mass of flames, they would all, through the splendor of the bodhisattva mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara, be freed from that burning great mass of flames.

“Noble one, if they call out to the bodhisattva mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara when they are swept away by rivers, those rivers will bring them to shallow waters.

“Noble one, if a hundred thousand quintillion beings were to set out to sea in a ship, sailing to find cowries, gold, jewels, pearls, beryl, conch, crystal, emeralds, coral, white coral, red pearls, and so on, and if a tempest blew them to the island of the rākṣasīs, and if among them one being would call on Avalokiteśvara, they would all become freed from that island of the rākṣasīs.

“Noble one, if someone being led to execution were to call on Avalokiteśvara, the weapons of the executioners would break into pieces and be scattered around.

“Noble one, if this world realm of a thousand million worlds

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were to be filled with yakṣas and rākṣasas, none of them would even be able to look angrily at someone who possesses the name of the bodhisattva mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara.

“Noble one, if there were beings who were bound in iron fetters or were placed in wooden stocks, whether they were guilty or not guilty, through calling out the name of the bodhisattva mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara those iron fetters and those wooden stocks would open. Noble one, that is the kind of power that the bodhisattva mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara has.

“Noble one, if this world realm of a thousand million worlds were to be filled with rogues, bandits, and foes who were holding weapons in their hands, and if a caravan leader was leading a great caravan of merchants who had obtained a great wealth in jewels, and those travelers saw the rogues, bandits, and foes holding weapons in their hands, and seeing them were frightened and terrified, knowing that they had no protection, and the caravan leader said to the caravan, ‘Do not be afraid! Noble ones, do not be afraid! Through calling out in one voice to the bodhisattva mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara, who brings freedom from fear, he will free you from this fear of bandits and the fear of foes,’ and then the entire great caravan called out in one voice to Avalokiteśvara, saying, ‘We pay homage, we pay homage to the bodhisattva mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara, who brings freedom from fear,’ the instant they called out his name, that entire great caravan would be freed from fear. Noble one, that is the kind of power that the bodhisattva mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara has.

“Noble one, if those beings who engage in the conduct of desire pay homage to the bodhisattva mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara,

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they will become free from desire. If those beings who engage in the conduct of anger pay homage to the bodhisattva mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara, they will become free from anger. If those beings who engage in the conduct of ignorance pay homage to the bodhisattva mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara, they will become free from ignorance. Noble one, that is the kind of great miraculous power that the bodhisattva mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara has.

“Noble one, if a woman wishes to have a son and she pays homage to the bodhisattva mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara, she will give birth to a boy who has the qualities of having a good body, being good looking, and being attractive. He will be dear and pleasing to many people and will generate roots of merit. A woman who wishes to have a girl will give birth to a girl, a girl who has the qualities of having a good body, being good looking, and being attractive. She will be dear and pleasing to many people and will generate roots of merit. Noble one, that is the kind of power that the bodhisattva mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara has.

“Those who pay homage to the bodhisattva mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara and possess his name⁵⁹⁷ will obtain fruitful results.

“If we compare—to those who pay homage to the bodhisattva mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara and possess his name—those who pay homage to and possess the names of buddha bhagavāns as numerous as the grains of sand in sixty-two Ganges Rivers, or those who offer clothing, alms,

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beds, medicine at times of illness, and necessary utensils to living, present, and remaining buddha bhagavāns as numerous as the grains of sand in sixty-two Ganges Rivers, then, noble son, what do you think? How much merit has such a noble man or noble woman created?”

“Bhagavān, it will be great!” replied the bodhisattva mahāsattva Akṣayamati. “Sugata, the merit that those noble men and noble women will have created on that basis will be great.”

“Noble one,” continued the Bhagavān, “the merit created by honoring those buddha bhagavāns will be the same, not more and not higher, as the merit created by paying homage just once to the bodhisattva mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara and possessing his name.

“The accumulation of merit from paying homage to and possessing the names of buddha bhagavāns as numerous as the grains of sand in sixty-two Ganges Rivers, and that created by paying homage just once to the bodhisattva mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara and possessing his name, will not easily be exhausted even in a hundred thousand quintillion eons.

“Noble one, in that way the merit from possessing the name of the bodhisattva mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara is immeasurable.”

Then the bodhisattva mahāsattva Akṣayamati inquired of the Bhagavān, “Bhagavān, how does the bodhisattva mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara move around in this Sahā world realm? How does he teach the Dharma to beings?

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What is the scope of the skillful methods of the bodhisattva mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara like?”

The Bhagavān said to the bodhisattva mahāsattva Akṣayamati, “Noble one, there are world realms where the bodhisattva mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara teaches the Dharma to beings in the form of buddhas. There are world realms where the bodhisattva mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara teaches the Dharma to beings in the form of bodhisattva mahāsattvas. The bodhisattva mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara teaches the Dharma to some beings in the form of a pratyeka­buddha, to some in the form of a śrāvaka, to some in the form of Brahmā, and to some in the form of Śakra. The bodhisattva mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara teaches the Dharma to some beings in the form of a gandharva. He teaches the Dharma in the form of a yakṣa to those beings who are to be guided by a yakṣa. He teaches the Dharma in the form of Īśvara to those beings who are to be guided by Īśvara. He teaches the Dharma in the form of Maheśvara to those beings who are to be guided by Maheśvara. He teaches the Dharma in the form of a cakravartin to those beings who are to be guided by a cakravartin. He teaches the Dharma in the form of piśāca to those beings who are to be guided by a piśāca. He teaches the Dharma in the form of Vaiśravaṇa to those beings who are to be guided by Vaiśravaṇa. He teaches the Dharma in the form of a general to those beings who are to be guided by a general. He teaches the Dharma in the form of a brahmin to those beings who are to be guided by a brahmin. He teaches the Dharma in the form of Vajrapāṇi to those beings who are to be guided by Vajrapāṇi.⁵⁹⁸

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“Noble one, the bodhisattva mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara possesses such inconceivable qualities. Therefore, make offerings to the bodhisattva mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara!

“Noble one, the bodhisattva mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara gives freedom from fear to beings who are afraid. Therefore in this Sahā world realm he is known as ‘He Who Gives Freedom From Fear.’”

Then Akṣayamati said to the Bhagavān, “Bhagavān, we will give a Dharma gift to the bodhisattva mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara.”

“Noble one,” said the Bhagavān, “know that it is the time, and give it.”

Then the bodhisattva mahāsattva Akṣayamati took from around his own neck a long necklace of pearls of the value of a hundred thousand silver coins and gave it as a Dharma gift to the bodhisattva mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara, saying, “Superior being, accept from me this Dharma gift.” When he did not take it, the bodhisattva mahāsattva Akṣayamati implored the bodhisattva mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara, “Noble one, accept this string of pearls out of compassion for me!”

Then the bodhisattva mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara, with compassion for the bodhisattva mahāsattva Akṣayamati, and through compassion for devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans, and nonhumans,

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accepted the string of pearls from the bodhisattva mahāsattva Akṣayamati. When he had accepted it he divided it into two. One half he offered to Bhagavān Śākyamuni and one half he offered to the precious stūpa of the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Prabhūtaratna.

“Noble son, this is the manner in which the bodhisattva mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara miraculously moves around in this Sahā world realm.”

Then his nature was described:⁵⁹⁹

The multicolored banner,⁶⁰⁰ Akṣayamati,⁶⁰¹
Asked for the cause of this name’s meaning:
“For what reason is this son of the jinas
Called Avalokiteśvara?” {1}

Then he gazed into the directions
And spoke these words to that ocean of prayers,
That multicolored banner, Akṣayamati:⁶⁰²
“Listen to the conduct of Avalokiteśvara. {2}

“For many countless billion eons,
Just as he had prayed, he purified himself
Under many thousands of millions of buddhas.
I shall describe this, so listen to me! {3}

“Hearing, seeing, and thus
Subsequently remembering this⁶⁰³
Will be fruitful for beings in this world,
Eliminating all the suffering and misery of existence. {4}

“If someone were thrown by a murderer
Into a pit of fire in order to be killed,
If they were thinking of Avalokiteśvara
The fire would be extinguished as if by water. {5}

“If someone is crossing a perilous ocean⁶⁰⁴
Where nāgas, makaras,⁶⁰⁵ asuras, and bhūtas reside,
If they are thinking of Avalokiteśvara
They will never sink in the water.⁶⁰⁶ {6}

“If someone were thrown by a murderer
Off the summit of Meru, in order to be killed,
If they were thinking of Avalokiteśvara
They would stay in the sky like the sun. {7}

“If a mountain made of vajra were thrown
Onto someone’s head to kill them,

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If they were thinking of Avalokiteśvara
Not even a pore would be harmed. {8}

“If a crowd of enemies surrounded someone,
Holding weapons, intending to kill them,
If they were thinking of Avalokiteśvara
In that instant they would become friends. {9}

“If someone is under the power of an executioner
And is approaching the place of execution,
If they are thinking of Avalokiteśvara
The executioner’s sword will disintegrate. {10}

“If someone is chained in iron fetters
Or imprisoned in wooden stocks,
If they are thinking of Avalokiteśvara
Their bonds will quickly break apart. {11}

“Spirits and vetālas, who destroy the body,
From the power of mantras, spells, and herbs
Return to the place from where they were sent,
If they are thinking of Avalokiteśvara. {12}

“If someone were surrounded by nāgas, yakṣas, asuras,
Bhūtas, and rākṣasas, who steal the vitality of beings,
If they were thinking of Avalokiteśvara
Not even a pore would be harmed. {13}

“If someone were surrounded
By terrifying, malevolent wild beasts with sharp fangs,
If they were thinking of Avalokiteśvara
They would quickly scatter in all directions. {14}

“If someone were surrounded by snakes⁶⁰⁷
Whose terrifying eyes emit light that is like fire,⁶⁰⁸
If they were thinking of Avalokiteśvara
They would quickly cease to be poisonous. {15}

“If thunderbolts and hail fall from dense clouds
Along with thunder⁶⁰⁹ and lightning,
If they are thinking of Avalokiteśvara
They will quickly cease in that instant. {16}

“He sees beings tormented by many sufferings,
Oppressed by many hundreds of sufferings.
He looks⁶¹⁰ at them with the power of excellent wisdom
And thus he is the protector of the world and its devas. {17}

“He has attained the perfection of miraculous power;
He is skilled in vast wisdom and methods.

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He sees the worlds everywhere in the ten directions
And all the realms without exception. {18}

“He ends the terrors of beings in the lower realms,
In unfortunate existences, and in the hells,
Who are animals, or under the command of Yama,⁶¹¹
And the agonies of birth, aging, sickness, and death.⁶¹² {19}

“I strongly wish to see the beautiful eyes and face
Of the one who has virtuous eyes, loving eyes,
Who has the eyes that have special method and wisdom,⁶¹³
And has compassionate eyes and loving⁶¹⁴ eyes. {20}

“He is an immaculate light, free of stains,
The sunlight of wisdom free of darkness,
A light that is not obscured by clouds,
Beautifully illuminating the world, {21}

“With the roar of conduct that comes from compassion,⁶¹⁵
And the good qualities of the great clouds of kindness.
You send down the nectar of the rain of the Dharma
That extinguishes the fire of the kleśas of beings. {22}

“If someone is in the midst of fighting and battle,
In the great terror of humans at war,
If they are thinking of Avalokiteśvara
Immediately the enemies will be pacified.⁶¹⁶ {23}

“The thunder from clouds, the beat of a drum,
Thunderclaps⁶¹⁷ and the voice of Brahmā
Should make one think of Avalokiteśvara,
Who has reached the perfection of the scope of the voice. {24}

“Free of doubt, think and think again
Of that pure being, Avalokiteśvara.
When dying or tormented by pain
He will be your protector, refuge, and defender. {25}

“He has reached the perfection of all good qualities.
He has eyes of kindness and compassion for all beings.
He has true qualities, a great ocean of qualities.
One should pay homage to Avalokiteśvara.⁶¹⁸ {26}

“He thus has compassion for beings,
And in a future time will become a buddha
Who will eliminate all fear and misery.⁶¹⁹
You should think of Avalokiteśvara.⁶²⁰ {27}

“He is the chief king, the lord of the world.⁶²¹
The world makes offerings to him, the source of the bhikṣus’ Dharma.
Having practiced for many hundreds of eons,
He has attained the stainless, highest enlightenment. {28}

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“On the left or right of the guide Amitābha
He holds a fan and he fans him.
And through the samādhi similar to an illusion
He goes to all realms and makes offerings to the jinas. {29}

“In the western direction, in the source of happiness,
There is the stainless realm of Sukhāvatī.
There dwells the guide Amitāyus,⁶²²
The one who is the leader of beings. {30}

“There are no females appearing there,
And there are absolutely no qualities of deception.
The sons of the jinas are born there miraculously,
Sitting on the center of stainless lotuses. {31}

“That guide Amitāyus⁶²³
Is seated upon a lion throne
On the center of a delightful, stainless lotus,
And he is as beautiful as a sal tree. {32}

“There is no one in the three existences
That is similar to this guide of the world.
Whoever hears the name Avalokiteśvara,
Their merit will be inexhaustible.” {33}

Then the bodhisattva mahāsattva Dharaṇīṃdhara rose from his seat, removed his upper robe from one shoulder, knelt on his right knee, and with his hands together in homage bowed toward the Bhagavān and said to the Bhagavān, “Bhagavān, the beings who hear the chapter on the bodhisattva mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara, who hear of his miraculous power, who hear the chapter called ‘Facing Everywhere: The Teaching of the Miracles of the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara,’ will not have inferior roots of merit.”

When the Bhagavān was teaching this teaching of this chapter “Facing Everywhere,” eighty-four thousand beings within that assembly developed the aspiration to attain the unequaled,⁶²⁴ highest, complete enlightenment.

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Chapter 25

The Past of King Śubhavyūha

Then the Bhagavān said to the all-inclusive assembly of bodhisattvas, “Noble ones, in the past, in a time gone by, countless eons ago, at that time, in that era, in an eon named Priyadarśana, in a world named Vairocana­raśmi­prati­maṇḍitā, there appeared in that world the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha, the one with perfect wisdom and conduct, the sugata, the one who knows the world’s beings, the unsurpassable guide who tamed beings, the teacher of devas and humans, the buddha, the bhagavān named Jala­dhara­garjita­ghoṣa­susvarana­kṣatra­rāja­saṃkusumitābhi­jña­.

“During the time of the teaching of Tathāgata Jala­dhara­garjita­ghoṣa­susvarana­kṣatra­rāja­saṃkusumitābhi­jña­, there was a King Śubhavyūha.

“Noble ones, King Śubhavyūha had a wife named Vimaladattā.

“Noble ones, King Śubhavyūha had two sons. One was named Vimalagarbha and one was named Vimalanetra. Those two boys had miraculous power, wisdom, merit, and knowledge. They were dedicated to the practices of a bodhisattva, which means they were dedicated to the perfection of generosity, the perfection of good conduct, the perfection of patience, the perfection of diligence, the perfection of meditation, the perfection of wisdom, and the perfection of skillful method, love, compassion, rejoicing, equanimity, and the thirty-seven factors for enlightenment. They had perfected them all. They had perfected the samādhi stainless.

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They had perfected the samādhi of the constellations, stars, and the sun. They had perfected the samādhi of stainless light. They had perfected the samādhi of bright, stainless light. They had perfected the samādhi of glorious ⁶²⁵ adornment. They had perfected the samādhi of the essence of great brilliance.

“At that time, during that period, the Bhagavān, with compassion for beings and with compassion for King Śubhavyūha, taught this Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma.

“Then, noble ones, the boy Vimalagarbha and the boy Vimalanetra went to their birth mother and, with their ten fingers and palms placed together in homage, they said to their birth mother, ‘Mother, please come into the presence of the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Jala­dhara­garjita­ghoṣa­susvarana­kṣatra­rāja­saṃkusumitābhi­jña­, so as to see, pay homage to, and honor the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Jala­dhara­garjita­ghoṣa­susvarana­kṣatra­rāja­saṃkusumitābhi­jña­. For what reason? Mother, it is because the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Jala­dhara­garjita­ghoṣa­susvarana­kṣatra­rāja­saṃkusumitābhi­jña­ is teaching extensively the Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma to the world and its devas, and we are going to listen to it.’

“Noble sons, when they had said that, Queen Vimaladattā replied to Vimalagarbha and Vimalanetra, ‘Noble ones, your father, King Śubhavyūha, has faith in the brahmins; therefore you will not be given permission to see the Tathāgata.’

“Then, noble ones, the boy Vimalagarbha and the boy Vimalanetra,

11.14

with their ten fingers and palms placed together in homage, said, ‘We have been born into a family that holds the wrong view; we are not sons of a Dharma king.’

“ ‘Then, noble ones,’ Queen Vimaladattā said to the boys, ‘perform some miracle, so that your father, King Śubhavyūha, will be sympathetic toward you. It is possible that he will be favorably inclined⁶²⁶ toward you. If he is favorably inclined, he will give us permission to go to the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Jala­dhara­garjita­ghoṣa­susvarana­kṣatra­rāja­saṃkusumitābhi­jña­.’

“Then, noble ones, at that time the boy Vimalagarbha and the boy Vimalanetra rose into the air to the height of seven palm trees, and so that King Śubhavyūha would be sympathetic toward them they together performed miracles that are permitted by the Buddha. Having gone up into the air, they lay down there, they walked in the air, they shook themselves free of dust in the air, and then while in the air, the lower half of their bodies emitted streams of water, and the upper half of their bodies blazed with fire, and then the lower half of their bodies blazed with fire, and the upper half of their bodies emitted streams of water. Up in the air they became huge and then became small; they became small and then became huge. Up in the air they vanished and appeared down on the ground. After appearing on the ground they rose up into the air.

“Noble ones, those two boys, through performing those miracles, guided their father, King Śubhavyūha.

“Noble ones, when King Śubhavyūha saw the miracles that those two boys performed, he was pleased, delighted, overjoyed, joyful, and experienced happiness and pleasure. He placed his ten fingers and palms together in homage and asked those boys,

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‘Noble ones, who is your teacher? Whose students are you?’

“Then, noble ones, those two boys said to King Śubhavyūha, ‘Great King, the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Jala­dhara­garjita­ghoṣa­susvarana­kṣatra­rāja­saṃkusumitābhi­jña­ is alive, present, and remaining in this world. He sits upon a Dharma seat at the foot of a precious Bodhi tree. Before the world with its devas, Māra, and Brahmā,⁶²⁷ he is teaching extensively the Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma. That Bhagavān is our teacher. Great King, we are his students.’

“Then, noble ones, King Śubhavyūha said to the two boys, ‘Noble ones, I also shall go before the Bhagavān and see your teacher.’

“Then, noble ones, the two boys descended from the sky, and went to where their birth mother was, and having arrived, placed their ten fingers and palms together in homage, and they said to their birth mother, ‘Mother, we have guided our father toward the highest, complete enlightenment. We have performed the role of teacher for our father. Therefore, Mother,⁶²⁸ it is now appropriate for you to let us go. We shall become renunciants under the Bhagavān.

“Then, noble ones, at that time the boy Vimalagarbha and the boy Vimalanetra recited these verses to their birth mother:

“ ‘Mother, give us the permission
To become homeless renunciants.
It is difficult to find a tathāgata.
We shall become renunciants! {1}

“ ‘Like the flower of the fig tree,
It is extremely difficult to find a jina.
It is difficult to become endowed with opportunity.
Allow us to leave to become renunciants!’ {2}

“Queen Vimaladattā replied:

11.16

“ ‘Today I shall release you both.
Children, depart excellently!
As it is difficult to find a tathāgata,
I also will become a renunciant.’ {3}

“Noble sons, when those boys had recited those verses, they said to their father and mother, ‘Father, Mother, this is excellent. Come, and together with you we shall go into the presence of the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Jala­dhara­garjita­ghoṣa­susvarana­kṣatra­rāja­saṃkusumitābhi­jña­, in order to see the Bhagavān, pay homage to him, and honor him. For what reason? Because, Father, Mother, it is as difficult to find the appearance of a buddha as a flower on a fig tree, or for a turtle to put its neck through the hole of a yoke. Father, Mother, it is difficult to find the appearance of a buddha bhagavān and therefore, Father, Mother, based upon the highest merit, we have been born in the time of this teaching. Father, Mother, it is excellent that you let us go. We shall leave, we shall become renunciants under the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Jala­dhara­garjita­ghoṣa­susvarana­kṣatra­rāja­saṃkusumitābhi­jña­. For what reason? It is difficult to obtain the sight of a tathāgata, it is difficult to find a king of the Dharma such as this in the present time, and because it is extremely difficult to attain being endowed with this kind of opportunity.’

“Noble ones, at that time King Śubhavyūha, together with his harem numbering eighty-four thousand, became recipients for the Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma.

“The boys Vimalagarbha and Vimalanetra practiced this Dharma teaching for a hundred thousand quintillion eons, thinking,⁶²⁹ ‘How can we eliminate the lower existences?’

11.17

They practiced the samādhi of eliminating the lower existences of all beings.

“Queen Vimaladattā, the mother of those boys, understood what is taught by all the buddhas, and the secret parts of the Dharma of all the buddhas.

“Then, noble ones, those two boys guided King Śubhavyūha into the teaching of the Tathāgata, and caused him to follow it, and become completely ripened together with all his court.⁶³⁰ Together with Queen Vimaladattā and her courtiers, the two sons of King Śubhavyūha, forty-two thousand people, the harem, and the ministers, they all went into the presence of the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Jala­dhara­garjita­ghoṣa­susvarana­kṣatra­rāja­saṃkusumitābhi­jña­. When they had arrived, they bowed their head to the Bhagavān’s feet, circumambulated the Bhagavān seven times, and sat down to one side.

“Then, noble ones, the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Jala­dhara­garjita­ghoṣa­susvarana­kṣatra­rāja­saṃkusumitābhi­jña­, knowing that King Śubhavyūha had arrived, taught them through speaking excellently about the Dharma, causing them to engage in it, encouraging them, and delighting them.

“Then, noble ones, when the Bhagavān taught King Śubhavyūha by speaking excellently about the Dharma, causing him to engage in it, encouraging him, and delighting him, the king became pleased, delighted, and overjoyed; he became joyful, and felt happiness and pleasure. He bound his turban on his younger brother’s head and made him king.

11.18

Then together with his court, Queen Vimaladattā, the entire retinue of a crowd of women,⁶³¹ and the two boys, accompanied by eighty-four thousand other beings, they became renunciants, leaving home for homelessness within the teaching of the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Jala­dhara­garjita­ghoṣa­susvarana­kṣatra­rāja­saṃkusumitābhi­jña­.

After becoming renunciants, King Śubhavyūha and his followers diligently contemplated, meditated on, and studied the Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma for eighty-four thousand years.

“Then, noble ones, after eighty-four thousand years had passed, King Śubhavyūha attained the samādhi called the array of all adorning good qualities. As soon as he attained that samādhi, King Śubhavyūha rose in the air up to the height of seven palm trees.

“Then, noble ones, in the middle of the sky King Śubhavyūha said these words to the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Jala­dhara­garjita­ghoṣa­susvarana­kṣatra­rāja­saṃkusumitābhi­jña­: ‘Bhagavān, my two sons are teachers. Through their miracles they turned me away from severe false doctrines and brought me into the Tathāgata’s teaching. They ripened me and caused me to practice. They inspired me to come see and pay homage to the Bhagavān. Bhagavān, these two boys are my kalyāṇamitras, who in order to make me remember my past roots of merit were born in my family in the form of boys.’

“The bhagavān tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Jala­dhara­garjita­ghoṣa­susvarana­kṣatra­rāja­saṃkusumitābhi­jña­

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said to King Śubhavyūha, ‘Great King, it is so. It is as you have said. The noble men or noble women who have planted roots of merit, even though they are born in all the states where they come into existence and die and pass away, they will easily find a kalyāṇamitra, they will be near someone who will act as a teacher, and they will be given a prophecy of the highest, complete enlightenment, be guided toward it and ripened for it. In that way, Great King, it is a great occasion for someone to be cared for by a kalyāṇamitra and guided to see a tathāgata. Great King, do you see these two boys?’

“ ‘I see them, Bhagavān,’ the king replied. ‘I see them, Tathāgata.’

“ ‘Great King,’ said the Bhagavān, ‘these two boys have made offerings to as many tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas as there are grains of sand in sixty-five Ganges Rivers. Because of their compassion for beings, and in order to cause beings who have wrong views to be dedicated to the true view, they will be holders of this Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma.’

“Then, noble ones, King Śubhavyūha descended from the sky, and with his ten fingers and palms placed together in homage, he said to the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Jala­dhara­garjita­ghoṣa­susvarana­kṣatra­rāja­saṃkusumitābhi­jña­, ‘Bhagavān, what kind of wisdom does the Tathāgata possess, by which the Bhagavān, the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the perfectly enlightened Buddha has a beautiful uṣṇīṣa, stainless eyes, a beautiful ūrṇā hair between the eyebrows that is as white and beautiful as the moon or a conch, the beautiful rows of teeth in his mouth that are even and perfectly aligned,

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the Sugata’s lips that are as red as the bimbā fruit,⁶³² and the Sugata’s beautiful eyes? I request the Tathāgata to teach this.’

“Noble ones, King Śubhavyūha, having praised the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Jala­dhara­garjita­ghoṣa­susvarana­kṣatra­rāja­saṃkusumitābhi­jña­ through describing those qualities, then praised the Bhagavān through describing another hundred thousand quintillion qualities. At that time, he said to the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Jala­dhara­garjita­ghoṣa­susvarana­kṣatra­rāja­saṃkusumitābhi­jña­, ‘Bhagavān, it is marvelous how much great benefit there is in the teaching of the Tathāgata, how the guidance of the Dharma taught by the Bhagavān is endowed with inconceivable qualities, and how excellent is the training of the Tathāgata. Bhagavān, from today onward, I will never again fall under the power of my mind. I will never again fall under the power of wrong views. I will never again fall under the power of anger. I will never again fall under the power of the arising of wicked thoughts. Bhagavān, if I again possess these bad qualities, I will not seek to come before the Bhagavān.’⁶³³

“Then he bowed his head to the feet of the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Jala­dhara­garjita­ghoṣa­susvarana­kṣatra­rāja­saṃkusumitābhi­jña­ and rose up into the air and remained there.

“Then King Śubhavyūha and Queen Vimaladattā cast into the air above the Bhagavān a string of pearls worth a hundred thousand silver coins. As soon as they threw that string of pearls, it transformed into a kūṭāgāra in the air above the Bhagavān,

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which was made of strings of pearls, was quadrangular, with four pillars, well proportioned, symmetrical, and beautiful. In that kūṭāgāra appeared a throne spread with many hundreds of thousands of calico cloths. The Tathāgata appeared sitting cross-legged upon that throne.

“Then King Śubhavyūha thought, ‘This wisdom of buddhahood is very powerful. The Tathāgata has inconceivable qualities so that in this way the Tathāgata’s body is within the kūṭāgāra and is resplendent, beautiful, and has the perfect color.’

“Then the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Jala­dhara­garjita­ghoṣa­susvarana­kṣatra­rāja­saṃkusumitābhi­jña­ asked that fourfold assembly, ‘Bhikṣus, do you see King Śubhavyūha roaring the lion’s roar in the middle of the sky?’

“ ‘We see him,’ they answered.

“ ‘Bhikṣus,’ said the Bhagavān, ‘King Śubhavyūha, having become a bhikṣu within my teaching, will appear in the world as the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha, the one with perfect wisdom and conduct, the sugata, the one who knows the world, the unsurpassable guide who tames beings, the teacher of devas and humans, the buddha, the bhagavān named Śālendrarāja, in an eon named Abhyudgatarāja, in the world realm Vistīrṇavatī.

“ ‘Bhikṣus, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Śālendrarāja will have an innumerable saṅgha of bodhisattvas and an innumerable saṅgha of śrāvakas. The world realm Vistīrṇavatī will be as level as the palm of a hand. In that way, that tathāgata, arhat, perfectly enlightened buddha will have inconceivable qualities.’

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“Noble ones,⁶³⁴ if you are uncertain, unsure, or undecided, thinking that King Śubhavyūha at that time, on that occasion was someone else, do not have such a view. Why is that? This bodhisattva mahāsattva Padmaśrī was at that time, on that occasion, King Śubhavyūha.

“Noble ones, if you are uncertain, unsure, or undecided, thinking that Queen Vimaladattā at that time, on that occasion was someone else, do not have such a view. Why is that? This bodhisattva mahāsattva Vairocana­raśmi­prati­maṇḍita­dhvaja­rāja was at that time, on that occasion, Queen Vimaladattā, who out of compassion for King Śubhavyūha and those beings had made a commitment to become the wife of King Śubhavyūha.

“Noble ones, if you are uncertain, unsure, or undecided, thinking that the two boys at that time, on that occasion were someone else, do not have such a view. Why is that? It is⁶³⁵ Bhaiṣajyarāja and Bhaiṣajya­samudgata who at that time, on that occasion, were the sons of King Śubhavyūha.

“Therefore, noble ones, both Bhaiṣajyarāja and Bhaiṣajya­samudgata possess inconceivable qualities. They have planted roots of merit under many hundred thousand quintillions of buddhas. These higher beings are both truly superior through their inconceivable qualities. The world and its devas will pay homage to those who possess the names of these two high beings.”

When this chapter on the past was taught,

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eighty-four thousand beings gained pure, immaculate, stainless Dharma eyes.

Chapter 26

Samantabhadra’s Encouragement

The bodhisattva mahāsattva Samantabhadra, leading a following of countless bodhisattva mahāsattvas, and leading a following of countless devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas, humans, and nonhumans, came from the east, and the realms shook, a rain of lotuses fell, and a hundred thousand quintillion musical instruments played. With the great power of a bodhisattva, with the great manifestations of a bodhisattva, with the great miraculous power of a bodhisattva, with the great majesty⁶³⁶ of a bodhisattva, with the great brilliant magnificence of a bodhisattva, with the great way⁶³⁷ of a bodhisattva, with the great miracles of a bodhisattva, and with the great miraculous manifestation of leading a following⁶³⁸ of devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans, and nonhumans—it was with such an inconceivable miraculous manifestation that the bodhisattva mahāsattva Samantabhadra came to this Sahā world realm.

He came to Vulture Peak, to the Bhagavān, bowed his head to the Bhagavān’s feet, circumambulated the Bhagavān seven times, and said to the Bhagavān, “Bhagavān, I have come here from the buddha realm of the bhagavān tathāgata Ratna­tejobhyudgata­rāja. Bhagavān,

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I have come before the bhagavān tathāgata Śākyamuni in order to listen to this Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma in this Sahā world realm. Bhagavān, these hundred thousand bodhisattvas have also come to listen to this Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma. Therefore, Bhagavān, Tathāgata, Arhat, perfectly enlightened Buddha, teach extensively this Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma to these bodhisattva mahāsattvas.”

The Bhagavān said to the bodhisattva mahāsattva Samantabhadra, “Noble one, these bodhisattva mahāsattvas all have instant comprehension. This⁶³⁹ Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma is like this: it is inseparable from the true nature, the limit of reality, and the essence of phenomena.”⁶⁴⁰

“Bhagavān it is so!” exclaimed those bodhisattvas. “Sugata, it is so!”

Then in order to establish the bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, and upāsikās who had gathered in that assembly in this Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma, the Bhagavān said to the bodhisattva mahāsattva Samantabhadra, “Noble one, a woman who has four qualities will obtain The White Lotus of the Good Dharma in her hands. What are these four? She will have the blessing of the buddha bhagavāns, she will have planted the roots of merit,

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she will be among the class of those who are determined,⁶⁴¹ and she will have developed the aspiration to attain the highest, complete enlightenment in order to protect all beings.

“Noble son, a woman who has those four qualities will obtain this Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma in her hands.”

Then the bodhisattva mahāsattva Samantabhadra declared, “Bhagavān in the later times, during the later times, in the last five hundred years of the Dharma, I will protect the bhikṣus who are upholding such a sūtra as this. I will bring them happiness. I will cause them to avoid punishment, and I will neutralize poison. Bhagavān, I will continually guard and protect those dharmabhāṇakas so that whoever seeks to harm them and seeks such an opportunity will not be able to find such an opportunity.

“The evil Māra, Māra’s sons, and the Mārakāyika devas, Māra’s maidens, and Mara’s retinue who seek to harm them and seek such an opportunity will not be able to find such an opportunity. No deva, yakṣa, rākṣasa, preta, pūtana, kṛtya, or vetāla that seeks to harm those dharmabhāṇakas and seeks for such an opportunity, will be able to find such an opportunity.

“Bhagavān, when the dharmabhāṇakas are walking while dedicated to the practice of contemplating this Dharma teaching, at that time, in order to protect this Dharma teaching, I will mount a white, six-tusked king of elephants and, accompanied by an entourage of bodhisattvas, I shall come before those dharmabhāṇakas in the place where the dharmabhāṇakas are walking.

“When the dharmabhāṇakas

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who are dedicated to the practice of contemplating this Dharma teaching make a mistake in even one word or one letter of this Dharma teaching, at that time I will mount a white, six-tusked king of elephants and reveal myself to them and I will repeat the Dharma teaching correctly. Those dharmabhāṇakas will see my body and hear from me this Dharma teaching correctly and they will be pleased, delighted, and overjoyed—they will be joyful, and experience happiness and pleasure—and they will be dedicated to this Dharma teaching. As soon as they see me they will attain samādhi. They will attain the power of mental retention that is called the convergence of retentions. They will attain the power of mental retention that is called a trillion convergences. They will attain the power of mental retention that is called expertise in all sounds.

“Bhagavān, in the later times, during the later times, in the last five hundred years of the Dharma, I will reveal my body, the sight of which brings happiness to all beings, to the bhikṣus or bhikṣuṇīs, the upāsakas or upāsikās who possess such a sūtra as this, who write out such a sūtra as this, who seek for such a sūtra as this, who read such a sūtra as this, and who in the later times, during the later times, in the last five hundred years of the Dharma, are dedicated to walking, for the sake of this Dharma teaching, for three weeks—twenty-one days. I will mount a white, six-tusked king of elephants and, accompanied by an entourage of bodhisattvas, I shall come before those dharmabhāṇakas in the place where those dharmabhāṇakas are walking for twenty-one days. When I have arrived there I will reveal myself to those dharmabhāṇakas, inspire them to uphold it, encourage them, and bring them joy. I shall give them a dhāraṇī so that no one will be able to harm those dharmabhāṇakas,

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no human or nonhuman will find such an opportunity and no woman will beguile them. I shall protect them. I shall save them from punishment. I shall counteract poison. Bhagavān, I shall give the dharmabhāṇakas these dhāraṇī words:

“Tadyathā:⁶⁴² adaṇḍe⁶⁴³ daṇḍapati⁶⁴⁴ daṇḍāvartani⁶⁴⁵ daṇḍakuśale⁶⁴⁶ daṇḍasudhāri⁶⁴⁷ sudhārapati⁶⁴⁸ buddhapaśyane⁶⁴⁹ sarvadhāraṇi⁶⁵⁰ āvartani⁶⁵¹ saṃvartani⁶⁵² saṃgha­parīkṣite⁶⁵³ saṃgha­nirghātani⁶⁵⁴ dharma­parīkṣite⁶⁵⁵ sarva­sattva­ruta­kauśalye kauśalyānugate⁶⁵⁶ siṃhavikrīḍite⁶⁵⁷ anuvarte⁶⁵⁸ vartani vartāli⁶⁵⁹ svāhā.⁶⁶⁰

“Bhagavān, the bodhisattvas, to whose faculty of hearing comes the sound of these dhāraṇī words, should know that they are the blessing of Samantabhadra.

“Bhagavān, while this Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma is existing in this Jambudvīpa, the bodhisattvas into whose hands it comes, those dharmabhāṇakas, Bhagavān, should know that this Dharma teaching has come into their hands through the power of the bodhisattva mahāsattva Samantabhadra, and through the magnificence of the bodhisattva mahāsattva Samantabhadra.

“Bhagavān, the beings who write out this sūtra and who uphold it have obtained the activity of the bodhisattva Samantabhadra. Those beings will be those who have planted roots of merit under many buddhas.

“Bhagavān, those beings will have their heads stroked by the hand of the Tathāgata.

“Bhagavān, those beings who write out this sūtra and who uphold it⁶⁶¹ will please me.

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“Bhagavān, those beings who write out this sūtra, and those who study it after having written it out, Bhagavān, when they pass away they will be reborn as one of the devas of Trāyastriṃśa. The moment they are reborn there, in front of them will be eighty-four thousand deva maidens, and as devas with crowns the size of bherī drums they will dwell among those deva maidens.⁶⁶²

“Bhagavān, the accumulation of merit of those beings who write out this Dharma teaching is like that, let alone that of those who transmit it, chant it, contemplate it, and keep it in mind.

“Therefore, Bhagavān, this Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma should be contemplated in the mind⁶⁶³ and written out. If someone keeps it in mind without distraction and writes it out, a hundred thousand buddhas will extend their hands toward them. When they die they will see a thousand buddhas. They will not fall into the lower existences at death. When they pass away from this world they will be reborn among the devas of Tuṣita. They will be reborn where the bodhisattva mahāsattva Maitreya, possessing the thirty-two signs of a superior being, is teaching the Dharma accompanied by an entourage of bodhisattvas and attended upon by a hundred thousand quintillion deva maidens.

“Therefore, a wise noble man or noble woman should respectfully write out this Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma. They should respectfully transmit it. They should respectfully read it aloud. They should respectfully keep it in mind.

“Bhagavān, someone who writes out this Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma, transmits it, reads it aloud, meditates on it, and keeps it in mind will have countless qualities.

“Therefore, Bhagavān, a wise noble man or noble woman should possess this Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma and they will have the benefit of that great number of qualities.

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“Therefore, Bhagavān, I will give my blessing to this Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma so that through my blessing this Dharma teaching will continue to exist in Jambudvīpa.”

Then the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Śākyamuni said to the bodhisattva mahāsattva Samantabhadra, “It is excellent, Samantabhadra, excellent that for the benefit of many beings⁶⁶⁴ you, who are thus endowed with inconceivable qualities, with a superior motivation of compassion, and with an inconceivable aspiration, are blessing this Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma.

“The noble men or noble women who possess the name of the bodhisattva mahāsattva Samantabhadra should be known to be those who have seen the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Śākyamuni and have heard this Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma directly from Tathāgata Śākyamuni, have made offerings to Tathāgata Śākyamuni, have lauded Tathāgata Śākyamuni’s teaching of the Dharma, and have rejoiced in this Dharma teaching. Tathāgata Śākyamuni will have placed his hand upon their heads. They will have dressed Śākyamuni in Dharma robes.

“Samantabhadra, those noble men or noble women should be known to be the holders of the Tathāgata’s teaching. They will not delight in the Lokāyatas.

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They will not delight in those who recite poetry. They will not delight in dancing, music, wrestling, meat sellers, butchers, chicken sellers, pig sellers, or pimps. Those who have heard, have written out, possess, and read such a sūtra as this will have no craving for anything else. Those beings will possess the essence of the Dharma. They will have their own correct attention. They will possess the power of their own merit. Beings will be happy to see them.

“The bhikṣus who possess such a sūtra as this will not be tormented by desire. They will be without anger, ignorance, envy,⁶⁶⁵ miserliness, hypocrisy, pride, arrogance, and mistaken pride.

“Samantabhadra, those dharmabhāṇakas will be satisfied with whatever they obtain.

“Samantabhadra, in the later times, during the later times of the last five hundred years of the Dharma, if someone sees a bhikṣu who is a holder of this Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma, they should think, ‘This noble man is going to go to the Bodhimaṇḍa. This noble man is going to be victorious over Māra’s army.⁶⁶⁶ This noble man is going to turn the wheel of the Dharma. He is going to beat the drum of the Dharma. He is going to blow the conch of the Dharma. He is going to send down a rain of the Dharma. He is going to sit upon the lion throne of the Dharma.’ Those are the thoughts that should arise in their minds.

“In the later times, during the later times of the last five hundred years of the Dharma, the bhikṣus who are holders of this Dharma teaching will not have cravings,

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will have no attachment to Dharma robes, and will have no attachment to their alms bowls. Those dharmabhāṇakas will be honest. Those dharmabhāṇakas will have attained the three liberations.⁶⁶⁷ They will have turned away from this life.

“Those who criticize bhikṣus who are holders of such a sūtra as this will become blind. Those who speak unpleasantly to bhikṣus who are holders of such a sūtra as this will in that life have a discolored body. Those who ridicule and mock those who write out such a sūtra as this will have broken teeth, blackened teeth, ugly lips, flat noses, disfigured legs and arms, defective eyes, and a bad body odor. Their bodies will be covered with blisters, rashes, sores, abscesses, and itching spots.

“If someone says something unpleasant, whether it is true or not, to someone who upholds such a sūtra as this, who writes out such a sūtra as this, who reads aloud such a sūtra as this, who teaches such a sūtra as this, they should be known to have extremely heavy, bad karma.

“Therefore, Samantabhadra, one should stand up for bhikṣus who hold this Dharma teaching, even when they are far away. One should respect those bhikṣus who hold such a sūtra as this just as one would respect the Tathāgata.”

When this chapter on “Samantabhadra’s Encouragement” was being taught, bodhisattva mahāsattavas as numerous as the grains of sand in the Ganges River attained the power of mental retention called a trillion convergences.

Chapter 27

The Entrusting

Then the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Śākyamuni

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rose from his Dharma seat and manifested the miracle of his right hand taking hold of the right hands of those in the entire gathering of bodhisattvas. At that time he said, “Noble ones, this highest, complete enlightenment that I accomplished after a hundred thousand quintillion asaṃkhyeya eons I place in your hands: I entrust it to you, I present it to you, and I pass it on to you. Noble ones, you should do whatever will make it extensively widespread.”

A second time and a third time the Bhagavān with his right hand took hold of the right hands of those in the entire gathering of bodhisattvas and said, “Noble ones, this highest, complete enlightenment that I accomplished after a hundred thousand quintillion asaṃkhyeya eons I place in your hands: I entrust it to you, I present it to you, and I pass it on to you.

“Noble ones, you should receive this and possess it, read it, study it, teach it, explain it, and make it known to all beings.

“Noble ones, I am without avarice, I have no clinging, and I fearlessly give to you the wisdom of buddhahood. I give you the wisdom of the tathāgatas and the self-arisen wisdom.

“Noble ones, you should practice as I have. Be without avarice and make known to the noble men and noble women who come to you this Dharma teaching that is a great skillful method for seeing the wisdom of the tathāgatas. Lead into this Dharma teaching the noble men or noble women who have faith, and also those beings who do not have faith.

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“Noble ones, if you do that, then you will have repaid the Tathāgata.”

When the bhagavān tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Śākyamuni had said that, the bodhisattva mahāsattvas were overjoyed and filled with happiness. With great veneration they bowed, bowed down, bowed deeply toward the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Śākyamuni, and with their heads bowed down and their hands placed together in homage they spoke in one voice to the bhagavān tathāgata Śākyamuni: “Bhagavān, we shall accomplish all that the Tathāgata has instructed us to do. We shall fulfill all the instructions that the Tathāgata has given. Bhagavān, be at ease and be content.” That entire gathering of bodhisattvas declared a second time and a third time in one voice, “Bhagavān, be at ease and be content. We shall accomplish all that the Tathāgata has instructed us to do. We shall fulfill all the instructions that the Tathāgata has given.”

Then the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Śākyamuni gave leave to the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas who had come from other world realms to depart, telling those tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas to dwell happily by saying, “Tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas, dwell happily!”

The stūpa of the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Prabhūtaratna was remaining in the same place,

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