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དམ་པའ་ཆས་པད་མ་དཀར་པ་ཞས་བྱ་བ་ཐག་པ་ཆན་པའ་མད 3

The White Lotus of the Good Dharma 3

Language
English

3.2

“Bhagavān, whenever I went to stay alone in mountains, caves, forests, groves, river banks, or the foot of trees, and many other places for my daytime rest, I thought, ‘Everyone enters the nature of the Dharma equally, but we are being liberated by the Bhagavān through the Hīnayāna.’

“At that time I thought, ‘The fault is ours, the fault is not the Bhagavān’s.’ Why is that? If we had stayed¹⁷⁰ when the Bhagavān was teaching the excellent Dharma, commencing with the highest, complete enlightenment, then, Bhagavān, we also would have been liberated in that Dharma. Also, Bhagavān, when the bodhisattvas were not present, we did not understand the Bhagavān’s teaching that had an implied meaning. We immediately heard, retained,¹⁷¹ meditated on, contemplated, and focused upon the first Dharma teaching given by the Tathāgata. Bhagavān, I have reprimanded myself for that day and night.

“Bhagavān, I have heard from the Bhagavān this marvelous Dharma that I have never heard before. Bhagavān, today I have attained nirvāṇa. Bhagavān, today I have become calmed.¹⁷² Bhagavān, today I have attained complete nirvāṇa. Bhagavān, today I have attained arhathood. Bhagavān, today I have become the Bhagavān’s principal son, born from his heart and mouth, born from the Dharma, emanated from the Dharma, descended from the Dharma, and created from the Dharma.

3.3

Today I have become freed from sorrow.”

Then at that time Brother Śāriputra addressed these verses to the Bhagavān:

“Great Guide, I am astonished.
I am content on hearing these words.
From now on, I will never have doubts.
I am ripened in this supreme yāna. {1}

“The teaching of the Sugata is marvelous.
It clears away the doubts and misery of beings.
My defilements have ceased and there is no misery.
Hearing your speech has dispelled everything. {2}

“Sitting and walking during the day
In forests, in groves, and under trees,
Dwelling in mountains and in caves
I contemplated with these thoughts: {3}

“ ‘Alas! I have been deceived by bad thoughts
Of the equal accessibility of the Dharma teachings, free of defilements.
I will not be teaching in future times
That which is the highest Dharma in the three realms. {4}

“ ‘Alas!¹⁷³ I was deluded about the equal accessibility of the dharmas.
I am deprived of the thirty-two signs.
I am deprived of the shining color of gold.
I am devoid of all the strengths and the liberations. {5}

“ ‘Alas! I am deceived, and deprived also
Of the full eighty supreme,
Excellent features of a great muni,
And the unique eighteen qualities.’ {6}

“Having seen you who compassionately benefits the world,
I went to sit alone in the day’s time of rest.
I considered, ‘Alas! I have gone astray
From inconceivable, unobstructed wisdom!’ {7}

“Protector, in that way throughout day and night
I contemplated this over and over,
Thinking I shall ask the Bhagavān,
‘Have I strayed or have I not?’ {8}

“This is how I was thinking, Lord of Jinas,
All the time, throughout day and night.
I saw many other bodhisattvas
Being praised by the Guide of the World. {9}

“I heard this Dharma of the Buddha
That was taught with a hidden meaning.
The Jina taught at the Bodhimaṇḍa
An inconceivable, subtle, immaculate wisdom. {10}

3.4

“I was in the past attached to views.
I was an esteemed tīrthika mendicant.
Then the Lord, knowing my thoughts,
Taught me nirvāṇa¹⁷⁴ to free me from those views. {11}

“After I was liberated from all those views
I realized the emptiness of phenomena.
Therefore I believed I had attained nirvāṇa,¹⁷⁵
But this was not what is called nirvāṇa. {12}

“When one becomes a buddha, the highest being,
Humans, maruts, yakṣas, and rākṣasas come before you,
And you possess a body with the thirty-two signs.
That is when there is the attainment of nirvāṇa without remainder. {13}

“I have dispelled all my pride,
Heard your words, and today I have attained nirvāṇa.
You prophesied my supreme enlightenment
In front of the world and its devas. {14}

“When I first heard the words of the Guide
I experienced a powerful terror
That this might be the wicked Māra
Manifesting on this earth in the appearance of a buddha. {15}

“When you taught through a quintillion
Causes, reasons, and parables, establishing
Buddhahood’s highest enlightenment,
Hearing that I had no doubt in the Dharma, {16}

“At that time you taught how ten billion jinas
Of the past who had passed into nirvāṇa
Were established in skillful methods
And they also in that way taught the Dharma; {17}

“That many future buddhas who will be in the world,
And the present ones who have seen the ultimate truth,
Will be teaching and in that way are teaching
The Dharma through hundreds of skillful methods. {18}

“And you taught the nature of your own conduct,
Beginning with when you renounced your home,
And the way you realized the wheel of the Dharma,
And the way that you established the teaching of the Dharma. {19}

“And then I knew that you were not Māra,
But a lord of the world teaching correct conduct.
That is not found in the activity of the māras
And that had been the doubt in my mind. {20}

“When the gentle, profound, melodious
Speech of the Buddha filled me with joy,
All my uncertainties were dispelled
And in wisdom I remained free of doubt. {21}

3.5

“Without doubt I shall become a tathāgata
And the world and its devas will come before me.
Through words with an implied meaning, many bodhisattvas
Have been inspired toward the enlightenment of buddhahood.” {22}

In response to these words from Brother Śāriputra, the Bhagavān said to him, “Śāriputra, before the world and its devas, with its Māra and Brahmā, its mendicants and brahmins, I declare to you, and reveal to you, Śāriputra, in the presence of twenty hundred thousand quintillion buddhas, that I have ripened¹⁷⁶ you for complete enlightenment.

“Śāriputra, you have been my follower for a long time.¹⁷⁷ Śāriputra, it is through the bodhisattva instructions and the great secret of the bodhisattvas that you have appeared here within my teaching.

“Śāriputra, you do not remember your past conduct, prayers, bodhisattva instructions, and great bodhisattva secret, formed through your firm bodhisattva resolve. You have thus thought, ‘I have attained nirvāṇa.’

“Śāriputra, I wish to make you remember and understand your past conduct, prayers, and wisdom. So I will teach to the śrāvakas this great, extensive sūtra, the Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma, which is an instruction for bodhisattvas, and is possessed by all the buddhas.

“Śāriputra, in this way in the future, during countless, innumerable, incalculable eons, you will be the holder of the Dharma of many hundred thousand quintillions of tathāgatas, make all kinds of offerings to them, and perfectly complete these practices of the bodhisattva, and then you will appear in the world as the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha, the one with perfect wisdom and conduct, the sugata, the knower of the world, the unsurpassable guide who tames beings, the teacher of gods and humans, the buddha, the bhagavān named Padmaprabha.

“Śāriputra, at that time, the bhagavān tathāgata Padmaprabha will have a realm named Virajā,

3.6

which will be level, delightful, good, beautiful, pure, prosperous, wealthy, peaceful, with an abundance of food,¹⁷⁸ and filled with many humans and maruts. The ground will be beryl, divided eightfold like a checkerboard by golden cords,¹⁷⁹ and within each square there will be jewel trees, which will always be adorned by flowers and fruits made of the seven precious materials.

“Śāriputra, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Padmaprabha will teach the Dharma beginning with the three yānas. Moreover, Śāriputra, although that tathāgata will not appear during an eon of degeneration, he will nevertheless teach the Dharma in accordance with his previous prayers.

“Śāriputra, the name of that eon will be Adorned by Great Jewels. Śāriputra, why do you think that eon will be called Adorned by Great Jewels? Śāriputra, in that realm the bodhisattvas will be called great jewels (mahāratna), and at that time, in that era, in the realm Virajā there will appear so many bodhisattvas that they will be countless, incalculable, innumerable; only a tathāgata will be able to count them. That is why that eon will be called Adorned by Great Jewels.

“Śāriputra, at that time the bodhisattvas¹⁸⁰ in that buddha realm will be stepping upon jewel lotuses when they walk. Those bodhisattvas will not be novices, but will have practiced the roots of merit for a long time, practiced celibacy with many hundreds of thousands of buddhas,¹⁸¹ been praised by the tathāgatas, been dedicated to the wisdom of buddhahood, given rise to the development of the great higher knowledges, become skilled in all the ways of the Dharma, and will be kind and mindful.

“Śāriputra, that buddha realm will be filled by that kind of bodhisattva.

3.7

“Śāriputra, the lifespan of Tathāgata Padmaprabha will be twelve intermediate eons, not counting his youth. The lifespan of the beings there will be eight intermediate eons.

“Śāriputra, when those twelve intermediate eons have passed, Tathāgata Padmaprabha will say, ‘Bhikṣus, this bodhisattva mahāsattva named Dhṛtiparipūrṇa will be next to attain the highest, complete enlightenment of buddhahood and will appear in the world as the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha, the one with perfect wisdom and conduct, the sugata, the knower of the world, the unsurpassable guide who tames beings, the teacher of gods and humans, the buddha, the bhagavān named Padma­vṛṣabha­vikrāmin.’ After he gives to the bodhisattva mahāsattva Dhṛtiparipūrṇa the prophecy of his highest, complete enlightenment, he will then pass into nirvāṇa.

“Śāriputra, the buddha realm of Tathāgata Padma­vṛṣabha­vikrāmin will have the same appearance as that of Padmaprabha.

“Śāriputra, after Tathāgata Padmaprabha passes into nirvāṇa the Dharma will remain for thirty-two intermediate eons, and then the outer form of the Dharma will remain for another thirty-two intermediate eons.”

Thereupon the Bhagavān spoke these verses:

“In a future time you, Śārisuta,
Will become a jina, a tathāgata,
The all-seeing Padmaprabha,
Who will guide ten billion beings. {23}

“You will honor many millions of buddhas,
You will accomplish powerful conduct,
You will develop the ten strengths,
And you will reach the supreme, highest enlightenment. {24}

“After countless, incalculable eons
There will be the eon Many Jewels.
There will be a world named Virajā
That will be the pure realm of that supreme human. {25}

“The ground will be covered with beryl

3.8

And it will be adorned by cords of gold.
Present there will be hundreds of trees made of jewels
That are beautiful and adorned by flowers and fruits. {26}

“There will be many mindful bodhisattvas there
Who are skilled in the accomplishment of perfect conduct.
Those who will be born into that realm
Will have trained in conduct with hundreds of buddhas. {27}

“That jina in his final lifetime,
When he has passed beyond the time of his youth,
Will forsake desires, leave the worldly life,
And will attain the highest, complete enlightenment. {28}

“The lifespan of that jina
Will be the same as twelve intermediate eons.
The lifespan of humans in that world
Will be eight intermediate eons. {29}

“When that jina has passed into nirvāṇa
The Dharma will remain during the time
Of thirty-two intermediate eons in their entirety
In order to benefit the world and its devas. {30}

“The Dharma will cease but its outer form
Will remain for a futher thirty-two intermediate eons.
The relics of that protector’s body will multiply
And the humans and maruts will continually honor them. {31}

“That you will thus become a bhagavān,
Śārisuta, you should be delighted.
That is what you will become:
An unsurpassable supreme human.” {32}

Then the fourfold assembly of bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, and upāsikās, as well as devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans, and nonhumans, having heard directly from the Bhagavān this prophecy of Brother Śāriputra’s highest, complete enlightenment, were contented, delighted, elated, and joyful. With happiness and gladness they presented the Bhagavān’s body with their own clothing. Śakra, the lord of devas, and Brahmā, the lord of Sahā, and another trillion devas also presented the Bhagavān’s body with divine clothing. They scattered divine coral tree and great coral tree flowers.

3.9

They waved¹⁸² divine cloths in the sky above him. They played a hundred thousand divine musical instruments and beat drums in the sky. A great rain of flowers fell and they proclaimed, “The Bhagavān previously turned the wheel of Dharma in the Ṛṣipatana deer forest¹⁸³ in the land of Vārāṇasī, and on this day the Bhagavān has turned the highest Dharma wheel.”

At that time those devas recited these verses:

“Unequaled individual, great hero,
In the land of Vārāṇasī
You turned the Dharma wheel
Of the arising and cessation of the skandhas. {33}

“There took place the first turning
And here, Guide, this is the second.
You have taught today, Leader,
That which is difficult to believe. {34}

“We have heard many dharmas
In the presence of the world’s lord,
But we have never before
Heard a dharma of this kind. {35}

“Great hero, we are overjoyed by
The great rishi’s words with implied meaning.
Just as in the prophecy
To the fearless Ārya¹⁸⁴ Śāriputra, {36}

“May we also in that way become
Unsurpassable buddhas in the world,
And through words with implied meaning
Teach buddhahood’s highest enlightenment. {37}

“Whatever good we do
In this or in other worlds,
And through pleasing the Buddha,
May we aspire for enlightenment.” {38}

Then Brother Śāriputra said to the Bhagavān, “Bhagavān, I have directly heard from the Bhagavān the prophecy of my attaining the highest, complete enlightenment. Bhagavān, I have no doubt. I am free of uncertainty.

“Bhagavān, these one thousand two hundred who have gained self-control were previously established as students by the Bhagavān, and were instructed thus, were taught thus: ‘Bhikṣus, the ultimate conclusion of the discipline of the Dharma is the transcendence of birth, aging, sickness, and death,¹⁸⁵ the goal of nirvāṇa, being absorbed in nirvāṇa.’

3.10

Bhagavān, these bhikṣus, both those training and trained, have renounced the view of self, the view of production, the view of destruction, and all views. All of these two thousand¹⁸⁶ śrāvakas of the Bhagavān think, ‘I reside on the level of nirvāṇa.’

“Having heard from the Bhagavān this kind of Dharma, which they have never heard before, they are puzzled. Bhagavān, so that the fourfold assembly will be without doubt, and without uncertainty, and so that these bhikṣus will have their worries dispelled, I beseech the Bhagavān to teach them well.”

The Bhagavān said to Brother Śāriputra, “Śāriputra, knowing the different aspirations and different thoughts and natures of beings, a tathāgata, arhat, perfectly enlightened buddha teaches the Dharma through various accomplishments, causes, reasons, parables, supports, definitions, and skillful methods in this way. Commencing with the highest, complete enlightenment, through all the teaching of the Dharma he inspires them to enter into this very Bodhisattva­yāna. Have I not already taught you this earlier?

“However, Śāriputra, in order to teach that meaning extensively I shall teach you parables. Why is that? Some wise individuals will understand through parables the meaning of what has been said.

“As a parable, Śāriputra, in a village, a town, a market town, a district, a region, a country, or a capital, there was a householder who was old, an elder, advanced in years, aged, and was rich, wealthy, and had many possessions. His home was tall and extensive. It had been built a long time ago and had deteriorated. A hundred, two hundred, three, four, or five hundred people lived in it. It had only one entranceway. It was roofed with hay. Its terrace was crumbling.

3.11

The bases of its pillars were rotten. The walls and doors were disintegrating. A great fire started suddenly throughout the house from all sides. The man had many sons—five, ten, or twenty—and the man came out from the house. Śāriputra, the man then saw the great fire burning everywhere throughout his house. He was frightened and dismayed. He thought, ‘I have not been touched, I have not been burned by this great fire. I was able to quickly escape from the burning house through the door. But my sons, who are young, who are children, are engaged in enjoying themselves playing games inside the burning house. They are not aware that the house is burning, they have not understood it, do not know it, have not realized it, and so they will be burned in this great fire, and will experience great suffering. But they are not dismayed at the thought of being touched by that great fire, they do not think of that suffering, and do not think of escaping from the house.’

“Śāriputra, the man was very strong and had very strong arms. He thought, ‘I am strong and I have strong arms. I shall gather all the children together and carry them on my hips out from the house.’ Then he thought, ‘The house has only one door and that door is narrow. These young ones don’t stay still, are always running around, so I won’t be able to bring them out, and there will be the disaster of their agony in the great fire. So I should call out to them.’

“Then he called out to the children, ‘There is a massive fire burning the house! Everything inside is going to be burned in this great fire! You will suffer disastrously! Children, come here! Come out!’

“The man gave that command wishing to help them, but the children, not knowing what ‘burning’ meant were not dismayed, not frightened, and not terrified.

3.12

They did not think about it and did not come out, but ran and scampered around here and there, repeatedly looking out at their father. Why was that? They were like that because they were children.

“Then the man thought, ‘A great fire is burning this house. My children and I are going to be afflicted disastrously by this great fire. But if I use a skillful method I will be able to bring the children out of the house.’

“The man knew what his children thought. He understood that they would wish for many different kinds of amusements, and many different kinds of things: a variety of delightful, desirable, pleasing, beautiful, and charming and pleasant things, which would be difficult to find.

“Then the man, knowing their thoughts, called to the children, ‘Those toys that you delight in and marvel at, and that you are unhappy not to have obtained, which have many different colors and shapes, such as an ox-drawn cart, a goat-drawn cart, and a deer-drawn cart, which you think are delightful, desirable, pleasing, beautiful, charming, and pleasant, those I have placed outside at the entrance door of the house outside so that you can play with them. So come, run outside, and I will give each of you whatever you want. So come quickly for that reason!’

“Those children, hearing that and the names of those things that they wished for, that they longed for, which they thought delightful, desirable, pleasing, beautiful, charming, and pleasant, in order to play with those things, quickly and zealously ran out from the burning house with great speed, calling out to each other, ‘Who will be first? Who will be first of all?’ And as one body they quickly came running out of the burning house.

“Then the man saw that they had come out safe and well, and were no longer in danger. Then they came to the village square, in the open air. He was delighted and joyful. He was free of sorrow, untroubled¹⁸⁷ and unafraid.

3.13

“Then the children went to their father and said, ‘Father, give to us the various kinds of toys for playing with, such as an ox-drawn cart, a goat-drawn cart, and a deer-drawn cart.’

“Then, Śāriputra, the man gave all his sons carts drawn by powerful oxen that were as fast as the wind. The carts were made of the seven precious materials. They had seats. They had strings of small bells attached. They were high and stable. They were adorned with marvelous, amazing jewels. They were beautified by strings of jewels. They were decorated with flower garlands. They had cotton-filled cushions covered with calico and silk, and red backrests on both sides. Yoked to them were dazzling white oxen that were swift and that were held by many men. They had banners. He gave to each of his children an ox-drawn cart that was as fast as the wind.

“Śāriputra, what was the reason for that? The man was rich, wealthy, and had many treasuries. He thought, ‘There is no reason why I should give inferior¹⁸⁸ carts to my children. Why is that? All these children are my sons. All of them are dear and precious to me. If I have such great carts, I should treat them all equally, and not unequally. I have many treasuries, so not to speak of my own sons alone, I should give all beings this kind of great cart.’ Then at that time those children, astonished and amazed, climbed onto those great carts.

“Śāriputra, what do you think? In that way, the man first promised three carts to those children, but afterward gave them all such great carts,¹⁸⁹ magnificent carts. Does that mean that the man would be a liar?”

3.14

“No, Bhagavān, he would not be,” answered Śāriputra. “Sugata, it is not like that. The man through employing that skillful method brought those children out from the burning house in order to save their lives. That would not be a reason for his being a liar. Why is that? Bhagavān, it was only through saving their own bodies that they could obtain all those toys, and, Bhagavān, the man did not give just one cart to his children. Therefore, Bhagavān, the man was not a liar. Why is that? Bhagavān, first the man thought, ‘Using a skillful method I shall save the children from immense suffering.’ Because of that approach, the man would not be a liar. That man had many treasuries and he thought of his children with affection, and wished to delight them. Not to speak of just giving them a great cart, he gave each one a cart with the same colors. Therefore, Bhagavān, the man would not be a liar.”

When he had said that, the Bhagavān commended Śāriputra, “Excellent, excellent, Śāriputra! It is so, Śāriputra! It is exactly as you have said! In that same way a tathāgata, arhat, perfectly enlightened buddha saves from all dangers, all violence, troubles, harm, suffering, unhappiness, the darkness of ignorance, the obscuration of the dark of blindness, and being in bondage.

“A tathāgata has wisdom, strengths, fearlessnesses, and the unique qualities of a buddha. He has great power through miraculous powers. He is a father to the world. He has reached the perfection of the supreme wisdom of skill in great methods.

3.15

He has great compassion. He has an untiring mind. He wishes to benefit. He is compassionate. He appears in the three realms that are like a house with a ruined upper story and roof burning with a great mass of suffering, and he liberates from desire, anger, and ignorance those beings who undergo birth, aging, illness, death, misery, wailing, suffering, unhappiness, the darkness of ignorance, the obscuration of the dark of blindness, and being in bondage, in order to bring them to the highest, complete enlightenment.

“As soon as he appears he sees the beings who are being burned, roasted, pained, and tormented by birth, aging, illness, death, misery, wailing, suffering, and unhappiness. For the sake of pleasures, with their desire as the cause and basis, they experience many forms of suffering. In this lifetime their grasping is the basis for experiencing in their next life many kinds of sufferings in the hells, as animals, and in the realm of Yama.

“The devas and humans experience the suffering of being poor, encountering what is unpleasant, and being separated from what is pleasant. While circling within a great mass of suffering, they take pleasure in amusements, are not afraid, are not terrified, and cannot be made to be terrified; they do not understand, are not aware, are not troubled, and do not wish to leave.

“They amuse themselves in the three realms, which are like a burning house, running back and forth. Even though they are afflicted by that great mass of suffering, they do not see it or identify it as suffering.

“This, Śāriputra, is how a tathāgata sees: I am the father of these beings. I will liberate these beings from this mass of suffering. I shall give to these beings the inconceivable, incalculable bliss of the wisdom of buddhahood, which they will delight in, enjoy, take pleasure in, and amuse themselves with.

3.16

“This, Śāriputra, is how a tathāgata sees: it is said I have the strength of wisdom, the strength of miraculous powers, but if I had no method and instructed these beings to attain a tathāgata’s wisdom, strengths, and fearlessnesses, those beings would not become liberated through those dharmas. Why is that? Those beings are attached to the five sensory pleasures, and delight in the three realms. They would not become liberated from birth, aging, illness, death, misery, wailing, suffering, unhappiness, and disturbance. They would not escape from the three realms, which are like a house with a dilapidated roof and rafters that are on fire, and in which they will be burned, roasted, pained, and tormented. So how could they enjoy the wisdom of buddhahood?

“Śāriputra, the man with strong arms did not use the strength of his arms but used a skillful method to bring his children out from the burning house, and afterward gave them magnificent great carts. In the same way, Śāriputra, a tathāgata, arhat, perfectly enlightened buddha has the wisdom, strengths, and fearlessnesses of a tathāgata, but instead of using the tathāgata’s wisdom, strengths, and fearlessnesses, through the wisdom of skill in methods he teaches three yānas in order to free beings from the three realms, which are like a dilapidated house with its roof and rafters on fire. He guides beings through the three yānas, which are the Śrāvakayāna, the Pratyeka­buddha­yāna, and the Bodhisattva­yāna.

“He says to them, ‘Do not take pleasure in the forms, sounds, smells,

3.17

tastes, and physical sensations of the three realms, which are like a house on fire. Through taking pleasure in these three realms and through craving for the five sensory pleasures, you will be burned, roasted, pained, and tormented. This is how one escapes from the three realms: obtain the three yānas—the Śrāvakayāna, Pratyeka­buddha­yāna, and Bodhisattva­yāna. This I promise you. I shall give you these three yānas. Dedicate yourself to them in order to escape from the three realms. Beings! These yānas are those of the āryas, they are praised by the āryas, and they bring great joy. Perfectly amuse yourself with them, enjoy them, and delight in them. Experience great joy through the powers, the strengths, the aspects of enlightenment, the dhyānas, the liberations, the samādhis, and the samāpattis. You will become possessed of perfect happiness of mind.

“Śāriputra, those beings who are wise will believe in the Tathāgata, the father of the world. Having that belief they will be dedicated to the teachings of the Tathāgata. Some beings long to follow the way of listening¹⁹⁰ to what is spoken. They are dedicated to the teachings of the Tathāgata in order to realize the four truths of the āryas as the cause of attaining nirvāṇa for themselves. They are called those who long for the Śrāvakayāna and they escape from the three realms. They are like the children in the parable who come out of the burning house because of their longing for a deer-drawn cart.

“There are others who long for wisdom, self-control, and tranquility without having a teacher. They are dedicated to the teachings of the Tathāgata in order to realize causes and conditions¹⁹¹ as the cause of attaining nirvāṇa for themselves.

3.18

They are called those who long for the Pratyeka­buddha­yāna and they escape from the three realms. They are like the children in the parable who come out of the burning house because of their longing for a goat-drawn cart.

“Some beings long for omniscient buddhahood, for the wisdom of buddhahood, for self-arising wisdom, for wisdom without a teacher. They are dedicated to the teachings of the Tathāgata in order to benefit many beings, for the happiness of many beings, and—through great compassion for the world—for the sake of, the benefit of, and the happiness of devas, humans, and ordinary beings, as the cause for all beings attaining nirvāṇa, and in order to realize the wisdom, strengths, and fearlessnesses of a tathāgata. They are called those who long for the Mahāyāna and they escape from the three realms. That is why they are called bodhisattva mahāsattvas. They are like the children in the parable who come out of the burning house because of their longing for an ox-drawn cart.

“Śāriputra, in the parable the man sees that he has brought the children out from the burning house, and that they are happy, fortunate, and saved. He knows that he is very wealthy, and so he gives each of the children an identical magnificent cart.

“Śāriputra, in that way the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the perfectly enlightened Buddha sees many millions of beings liberated from the three realms, which are filled with danger, fear, terror, and calamity. These beings come out through the doorway of the tathāgatas’ teachings, and are freed from danger, fear, terror, and calamity and attain the bliss of nirvāṇa.

“Śāriputra, at the time when he becomes a tathāgata, arhat, perfectly enlightened buddha, he knows that he possesses many treasuries of wisdom, strengths, and fearlessnesses,

3.19

he sees all beings as his children, and therefore brings all of them to complete nirvāṇa through the Buddhayāna. He does not teach any being to attain nirvāṇa for themselves. He brings all those beings to nirvāṇa through the great nirvāṇa, the tathāgatas’ nirvāṇa.

“Śāriputra, the Tathāgata gives to those beings that are liberated from the three realms the enjoyable, delightful dhyānas, liberations, samādhis, samāpattis, and the supreme bliss¹⁹² of the āryas. All of these are of the same kind.¹⁹³

“Śāriputra, it is like the man who promised three kinds of carts to his children and then gave each of them an identical great cart. He gave them all carts that were better than any other, that were made of the seven precious materials, adorned by all adornments, of the same color, and magnificent. Therefore he was not a liar.

“In the same way, Śāriputra, the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the perfectly enlightened Buddha, with this skill in methods, first teaches¹⁹⁴ three yānas, and afterward brings beings to nirvāṇa through a single yāna. Therefore he is not a liar. Why is that? Śāriputra, the Tathāgata possesses many treasuries of wisdom, strengths, and fearlessnesses and he has the power to teach all beings the Dharma of omniscient wisdom.

“Śāriputra, it should be known that it is through this teaching, through the accomplishment of the wisdom of various skillful methods, that the Tathāgata teaches the single Mahāyāna.”

Then the Bhagavān at that time recited these verses:

3.20

“A man possesses a house
That is large, decaying, and dilapidated,
Its terrace crumbling,
The bases of its pillars rotten, {39}

And the windows and pavilions bent out of shape.
The reeds and plaster of the walls are falling apart,
The old, decayed balconies have collapsed,
And the straw roof is disintegrating and falling. {40}

“No fewer than five hundred beings
Are living inside
In numerous narrow rooms,
Filled with excrement, and disgusting. {41}

“The rafters have all fallen apart,
The walls’ reeds and panels have fallen apart,
And ten million vultures live inside,
And similarly pigeons and owls. {42}

“There are vicious poisonous snakes
With virulent great poison everywhere.
Various kinds of scorpions and rats
And malevolent creatures live in there. {43}

“There are many nonhumans everywhere
And it is fouled by feces and urine.
There are venomous insects, fireflies, and ants,
And dogs and jackals are howling. {44}

“Dreadful hyenas are there
Devouring human corpses.
Many dogs and jackals are also there,
Coming out and staring at them. {45}

“They are always weak and hungry,
Devouring here and there.
They are fighting and yowling.
That is the kind of terrifying house it is. {46}

“Extremely ferocious yakṣas live there
Who are gnawing on human corpses.
Everywhere in every place there live
Centipedes, snakes, and vicious creatures. {47}

“They make their nests everywhere
As dwellings for their offspring.
The numerous yakṣas devour
Those that are placed here and there. {48}

“When the yakṣas are engorged,
Having ferociously eaten other beings,

3.21

Their bodies nourished by the flesh of other beings,
They begin to fight violently. {49}

“Dreadful, ferocious kumbhāṇḍas
Live there in that ruined abode,
Some a hand-span tall, some a cubit,
And some two cubits, wandering around. {50}

“They seize the legs of dogs
And hold them, backs to the ground,
And squeeze their throats, menacing them
And delighting in injuring them. {51}

“There are black, naked, thin,
Great pretas that have lived there long,
Extremely hungry, searching for food,
Here and there crying in pain and weeping. {52}

“Some have a needle-sized mouth and some an ox’s head.
Some are the size of humans and some the size of dogs.
Their hair is in disarray and they wail,
Tormented by their craving for food. {53}

“The yakṣas, piśācas, and pretas
Are brutes searching for food,
Looking in all four directions,
Always looking in through windows. {54}

“The house is terrifying in that way.
It is huge, tall, and very weakened,
Dilapidated and almost a ruin,
And it is owned by a single person. {55}

“That man has come out of his house
When the dwelling catches on fire,
Suddenly everywhere in all four directions,
With thousands of flames rising up. {56}

“The bamboo and wood¹⁹⁵ are burned by fire
And they make a terrifying, powerful sound.
The pillars and the wall panels are also burning
And the yakṣas and pretas are emitting cries. {57}

“The many hundreds of vultures are burned,
The kumbhāṇḍas run around with burned faces,
And the many hundreds of snakes that are there
Scream and wail as they are being burned. {58}

“The numerous piśācas are running around
And those without merit¹⁹⁶ are burned by the fire.
Their teeth bite into each other
And they scatter their blood as they are being burned. {59}

“The hyenas, their time to die having come,

3.22

Are eating beings and eating each other.
The awful smell of burning vomit¹⁹⁷
Spreads through the four directions of the world. {60}

“The kumbhāṇḍas are eating
The fleeing centipedes.
The pretas run around with burning hair,
Tormented by hunger and thirst.¹⁹⁸ {61}

“That kind of terrifying residence
Is being burned by thousands of flames.
The man who is the owner of that house
Is gazing upon it, standing at the door. {62}

He hears his sons who are inside,
Their minds fixed upon their games.
The children continue to be unaware
As they play, intoxicated by their games. {63}

“Hearing them he quickly enters
In order to rescue his sons,¹⁹⁹ thinking,
‘I shall not let my children, all these boys,
Be quickly burned and annihilated.’ {64}

“He tells them of the evils of the house:
‘Oh noble sons, this suffering is terrible.
Many kinds of beings are experiencing in this fire
Great sufferings, one after the other. {65}

“ ‘Many ferocious yakṣas, venomous snakes,
Kumbhāṇḍas, and pretas are living here.
Packs of hyenas, dogs, and jackals,
And also vultures are here seeking food. {66}

“ ‘There are many like that living in here.
Even without fire, it would be completely terrifying.
There is nothing here but this kind of suffering
And all around us a fire is burning.’ {67}

“He thus encourages those with child’s minds to leave.
But the children are intoxicated by their games.
They do not think about what their father has said
And neither do they pay it any attention. {68}

“Then at that time the man thinks,
‘I am suffering in thinking of my sons,
I shall not allow this fire to burn them
So that I am without sons and lineage.’²⁰⁰ {69}

“Then at that time he thinks of a method:
‘These children have a great longing for toys,

3.23

But they do not have any toys in there to enjoy.
Such is the foolishness of these children. {70}

“He calls to them, ‘Listen, children!
I have three different kinds of carts,
To which are yoked excellent goats, oxen, or deer,
And which are large, tall, and perfectly adorned. {71}

“ ‘They are outside the house.
Run outside and use them!
I have had them made for you.
Go out and you will be delighted!’ {72}

“The children, hearing²⁰¹ of these kinds of carts,
Become eager and make haste.²⁰²
And at that very moment they all run out
And stand in the open air, freed from suffering. {73}

“When the man sees his children have come out
He goes to the square in the center of town.
There he sits on a lion throne and says to them,
‘Oh, today I have been made perfectly happy.²⁰³ {74}

“ ‘I have saved with difficulty these who were in distress.
My beloved sons, these twenty children of mine,
They were in a dreadful, awful house
That was filled with many terrifying beings. {75}

“ ‘It was burning, filled with a thousand flames,
And they were delighting in their games.
I have today saved them all
And therefore today I am perfectly happy.’ {76}

“Seeing their father sitting happily
The children come to him and say,
‘Give us that which you have described—
Those three delightful carts! {77}

“ ‘You said to us in the house,
“I will give you three kinds of carts.”
Even if you do not have all these
The time has now come for you to give them.’ {78}

“That man has the power²⁰⁴ of treasuries
Of gold, silver, jewels, and pearls,
And a great deal of money²⁰⁵ and slaves.
And he has identical carts made for them. {79}

“They are excellent ox-drawn carts made of jewels,
With railings and strings of little bells,
Adorned with parasols and banners,
And covered with a network of pearls and jewels. {80}

“They are hung all over, here and there,
With garlands made of golden flowers.
They are covered with excellent cloth

3.24

And spread over with the best white calico. {81}

“Those carts are spread with the best cotton
And likewise with the softest silks.
They are covered with excellent rugs
Decorated with geese,²⁰⁶ that are worth billions.²⁰⁷ {82}

“White, well-fed, strong oxen,
Of great size and beauty,
Are yoked to those precious carts
And are held by many people. {83}

“This kind of excellent, superior cart
Is what the man gives to all his children,
And they feel delight and joy,
And amuse themselves going in every direction. {84}

“In that way, Śārisuta, I am a great rishi.
I am the protector and the father of beings.
All of these beings are my sons,
Children attached to pleasures in the three realms. {85}

“The three realms are like that house
Dreadful and filled with suffering.
It is entirely burning everywhere
With hundreds of births, old age, and illness. {86}

“I am liberated from the three realms and at peace.
I reside in the forests and remain in solitude.
These three realms are my possession
And those who are burning within it are my sons. {87}

“Knowing that I am their protector,
I teach them of the distress that is in there.
All these children, they do not listen to me,
Because their minds are fixated upon pleasures. {88}

“I employ skillful methods
And teach them three yānas.
I teach them a method so that by knowing the many evils
In the three realms they may escape from them. {89}

“Those sons who have relied upon me have gained
Great power, the six higher knowledges, and the three insights,
And have become the pratyeka­buddhas
And irreversible bodhisattvas who are here. {90}

“To those who are like my sons, at this time
I teach this single Buddhayāna, O wise ones,
Through the best of parables.
Follow it, and you will all become jinas. {91}

3.25

“The wisdom of the buddhas, the supreme humans,
Is superior and beautiful,
Unique in all these worlds,
And a magnificent form that is worthy of homage. {92}

“The strengths, the dhyānas, and likewise the liberations,
And numerous millions of samādhis,
They are the most excellent cart,²⁰⁸
Which the Buddha’s sons continually enjoy. {93}

“They spend nights enjoying it,
And days, half-months, and months,
And likewise years and intermediate eons.
They spend ten billion eons doing so. {94}

“It is this excellent cart made of jewels
That goes from here to the Bodhimaṇḍa,
Which the Sugata’s śrāvakas listen to
And which many bodhisattvas enjoy. {95}

“Tiṣya, you should know this today:
You may search in all ten directions,
But there is no second yāna whatsoever
Other than as a skillful method of the superior beings. {96}

“I am your father and you are my sons.
I have saved you from the suffering
Of being burned for many millions of eons
Within the terrifying three realms. {97}

“I have thus taught you nirvāṇa.
You are freed from the suffering of saṃsāra,
But you have still not attained nirvāṇa.
You need to seek the yāna of buddhahood. {98}

“You bodhisattvas who are gathered here,
Listen to my way to buddhahood.
Through this many bodhisattvas are trained.
This is the skillful method of the jinas. {99}

“When beings take delight
In the lower, inferior yāna,²⁰⁹
At that time the Guide of the World teaches nothing
Other than the ārya’s truth of suffering. {100}

“There are those with foolish minds
Who, being ignorant, do not see the source of suffering.
To them I teach the path that craving
Is the origin of the arising of suffering. {101}

“The cessation of craving²¹⁰ is perpetual nonattachment.²¹¹
This truth of cessation is my third truth.

3.26

Humans are liberated by that and by nothing else;
It is through meditation on the path that they are liberated. {102}

“From what, Śārisuta, are they liberated?
They are liberated from fixation on the unreal,
But they are still not liberated from everything.
The guides state that they have not attained nirvāṇa. {103}

“Why do I say that this is not liberation?
Because this supreme, highest enlightenment is not attained.
I was born in this world in order to bring happiness.
That is the wish that I, the King of Dharma, have. {104}

“This, Śāriputra, is my Dharma seal
That I teach today, at this later time.
You should teach this in every direction
In order to benefit the world and its devas. {105}

“If, when you teach it, there are beings
Who say the words ‘This makes me rejoice’
And place this sūtra upon their head,
You should hold such people to be irreversible. {106}

“The ones who have faith in this sūtra
Have seen the tathāgatas of the past.
And they are those who have honored them
And heard from them this kind of Dharma. {107}

“The ones who have faith in this teaching of mine
Have seen me and have seen you,
Have seen this entire bhikṣu saṅgha of mine
And have seen all of these bodhisattvas. {108}

“I have taught with great higher knowledge
This sūtra, which would bewilder foolish beings.
It is not within the scope of the śrāvakas,
And is not in the course of the pratyeka­buddhas. {109}

“Śāriputra, if you have no aspiration for this,
What could be said for the other śrāvakas of mine?²¹²
These follow because they have faith in me,
Without having knowledge through their own wisdom. {110}

“You should not teach this to those who are proud,
Who are arrogant, and who are unsuitable.
The foolish are constantly intoxicated by desires.
Ignorant, they will reject the Dharma that is taught. {111}

“They will reject this skillful method of mine,
This way of the buddhas that is always in the world.
They will frown and then reject this yāna.
Listen to what is the dreadful ripening of their karma. {112}

3.27

“Whether I am present or have passed into nirvāṇa,
When they have rejected a sūtra such as this
Or speak harshly to the bhikṣus,
This is the result that ripens for them; listen to me! {113}

“When they die and depart from the human world
They will remain in Avīci for an entire eon.
And then for many intermediate eons
Those fools will die and fall into that place. {114}

“When they die and depart from the hells
Then they will be reborn as animals.
They will become weak dogs and jackals,
And become playthings for others. {115}

“Having contempt for my supreme enlightenment,
They will be black in color,
Have spots, sores, and itching,
Lose their body hair, and be very weak. {116}

“They will always be abhorred among beings;
They will howl as they are hit by clods and stones.
Here and there they will be terrified by sticks;
Hungry and thirsty, they will be emaciated. {117}

“Those with foolish minds who reject the way of the Buddha
Will become camels or donkeys
Who only think thoughts about food,
Carry loads, and are beaten by sticks and whips.²¹³ {118}

“Those fools will then become jackals,
Loathsome, one-eyed, and maimed,
Tormented by the village children
Who throw stones and clods at them. {119}

“Then when those with foolish minds pass away
They will become creatures of great length,
Measuring five hundred yojanas,
And they will be stupid and dull, rolling back and forth. {120}

“Having rejected this kind of sūtra
They will be legless, moving on their stomachs.
They will be eaten by many millions of creatures
And will experience extremely dreadful sensations. {121}

“They who have no faith in my sūtra,
Whenever they obtain a human existence,
They will be maimed²¹⁴ and crippled,
Humpbacked, one-eyed, stupid, and inferior. {122}

“Those who have no faith in this enlightenment of the buddhas
Will encounter antipathy in this world.
A rotten smell will come from their mouths
And they will be possessed by yakṣas that enter their bodies.²¹⁵ {123}

3.28

“They will be poor, menial workers.
They will always be powerless servants of others.
They will have many illnesses and harms²¹⁶
And will live in the world without any protector. {124}

“The one that they serve
Will not wish to pay them.
Even if paid, it will soon be lost.
Such will be the result of their bad karma. {125}

“Any medicine that they obtain,
Even if given by an expert in its preparation,
Will only cause their illness to increase
And they will never be free of their sickness. {126}

“Others will steal from them.
There will be disorder, riots, and strife.
Others will take away their wealth,
And they fall into this through their bad karma. {127}

“The ones who reject my way to buddhahood
Will live in inopportune existences.
They will not see the appearance of a world protector,
A king who is the lord of men, teaching in this world. {128}

“Such fools will not hear the Dharma;
They will be deaf and without thought.
Rejecting this kind of enlightenment,
They will never find peace. {129}

“As the result of the bad karma of rejecting this sūtra
They will be paralyzed and crippled
For many thousand trillions of eons,
As numerous as the sand grains in the Ganges. {130}

“Their gardens will be the hells.
Their homes will be the lower realms.
And they will always be in the form of
A donkey, pig, jackal, or dog.²¹⁷ {131}

“Even if they become a human,
At that time their adornments will be
Being blind, deaf, and stupid,
Always poor, and a servant to others. {132}

“Illness will be their clothing:
There will be quintillions of sores on their bodies,
And likewise abscesses, itching, and pustules,
And likewise leprosy, white leprosy, and a rotten smell. {133}

“They will have a strong belief in a self
And the strength of their anger will be great.

3.29

Their desires will be very powerful
And they will take pleasure in the vaginas of animals. {134}

“Śārisuta, if I were from today to describe
For an entire eon the harm that comes
To those who reject this sūtra,
I could not finish describing that harm. {135}

“Śārisuta, I have truly taught to you
This very meaning that I see.
You should not teach such a sūtra as this
In the presence of foolish beings. {136}

“You should teach this ultimate truth
To those who are learned,²¹⁸ have heard much Dharma,
And who have mindfulness, are wise, have knowledge,
And are set upon supreme enlightenment. {137}

“You should proclaim this ultimate truth
To those who have seen many millions of buddhas,
Who have developed immeasurable merit,
And have a stable, higher motivation. {138}

“You should teach this sūtra directly
To those who are diligent and always kind,
Who for a long time have meditated on kindness,
And who have no concern for body or life. {139}

“Proclaim this excellent sūtra to those
Who are considerate and respectful to each other,
Who do not rely on fools,
And are happy in mountain caves. {140}

“Teach this sūtra
To those children of the buddhas
Whom you see serving kalyāṇamitras,
And who have given up sinful friends. {141}

“Recite this sūtra in the presence
Of those children of the buddhas whom you see
To have unimpaired conduct, who are like precious jewels,
And have a vast possession of sūtras. {142}

“Recite this sūtra in the presence
Of those who are without anger and always honest,
Who have compassion for all beings,
And are respectful in the presence of the Sugata. {143}

“Give the teaching of this sūtra
To those who teach the Dharma in the center of an assembly,
Without impediment, their minds focused,
And who use quintillions of parables, {144}

“And to those who with hands in homage upon their head
Are searching for the state of omniscience,

3.30

Who travel in all the ten directions
Seeking a bhikṣu who has the excellent teaching. {145}

“You should teach this supreme sūtra
To those who possess extensive sūtras,
Who do not long for anything else,
And do not retain even one verse from anywhere else. {146}

“Just as when someone possesses a relic of the Tathāgata,
People go in search of it,
In that way they go in search of this sūtra
And, finding it, place it on the crown of their head. {147}

“They never think about other sūtras,
Other worldly treatises that are
In that way the realm of fools.
You should reject them and teach this! {148}

“Śāriputra, I could teach for a whole eon
The many thousand million features of those
Who are set upon the supreme, highest enlightenment;
It is in their presence that you should teach this sūtra.” {149}

Chapter 4

The Aspiration

Then Brother Subhūti, Brother Mahākātyāyana, Mahākāśyapa, and Mahā­maudgalyāyana, having heard from the Bhagavān this kind of Dharma that they had never heard before, and having heard directly from the Bhagavān the prophecy of Brother Śāriputra’s attainment of the highest, supreme enlightenment, were amazed, astonished, and overjoyed.

At that time they rose from their seats, approached the Bhagavān, uncovered one shoulder, knelt on their right knees, and with palms together in homage to the Bhagavān, looking directly at the Bhagavān, they inclined their bodies, they bowed their bodies, they bowed well, bowed perfectly.

They said to the Bhagavān, “Bhagavān, we are old, aged, and decrepit. We are esteemed to be the elders in the saṅgha of bhikṣus. We are old, infirm, and are said to have attained nirvāṇa.

First 29 of 53 passages. Read on

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