དམ་པའ་ཆས་པད་མ་དཀར་པ་ཞས་བྱ་བ་ཐག་པ་ཆན་པའ་མད 6

The White Lotus of the Good Dharma 6

Language: English

6.2

hung with thousands of strings of jewels, hung with thousands of streamers and bells, and emitting the aroma of bay leaves and sandalwood. That aroma spread throughout the entire all-containing world. Its crowning parasol reached as high as the palaces in the paradises of the Four Mahārājas. It was made of the seven precious materials, which are gold, silver, beryl, white coral, emerald, red pearl, and chrysoberyl. At the stūpa, devas of the Trāyastriṃśa paradise scattered coral tree and great coral tree flowers on the precious stūpa, bestrewing it with them, and covering it with them.

These words came from the precious stūpa:³⁵⁹ “The tathāgatas have no thinking, no thoughts, and manifest all modes of conducts. The tathāgatas do not originate from skandhas, dhātus, and āyatanas. They do not come into being from karma, kleśas, parents, and the primary elements. They have no connection with flesh, blood, and veins.

They have no inhalation, no exhalation, and no connection with life. The tathāgatas are the same as space; they are not permanent and not impermanent. However, the tathāgata Prabhūtaratna, who passed into nirvāṇa many hundreds of thousands of quintillions of eons ago, who is free of thoughts and ideas, is seen for the sake of beings, through the power of his previous prayers, in order that the Dharma be heard and in order to ripen beings, but the body of the Tathāgata is without the slightest thought. The tathāgatas do not speak even a single syllable. The beings who are guided³⁶⁰ hear the teaching of the Dharma from the tathāgatas in accord with their individual natures and their individual aspirations. A tathāgata is the true nature,

6.3

and that true nature is the limit of reality. That limit of reality is the essence of phenomena. That true nature, limit of reality, and essence of phenomena is the Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma. When the completely pure tathāgatas come, are seen, and speak, through the power of their previous prayers they teach the great skillful method of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma to completely pure beings.”

Then the precious stūpa also said:³⁶¹ “It is excellent, excellent, Bhagavān Śākyamuni, that you have taught well the Dharma teaching The White Lotus of the Good Dharma. It is thus, Bhagavān. It is thus, Sugata!” Those are the words that were emitted.

The fourfold assembly became happy, delighted, joyful, and overjoyed on seeing that precious stūpa that remained suspended in the air. At that time they rose from their seats and stood with palms together in homage.

At that time, the bodhisattva mahāsattva named Mahāpratibhāna, seeing that the world with its devas, humans, and asuras was astonished, asked the Bhagavān, “Bhagavān, what is the cause of the appearance of such a great precious stūpa as this? What are the conditions for its appearance? Bhagavān, who uttered the words that came from this great precious stūpa?”

The Bhagavān said to the bodhisattva mahāsattva Mahāpratibhāna, “Mahāpratibhāna, inside this great precious stūpa there is the complete body of a tathāgata. This is his stūpa. He uttered those words.

“Mahāpratibhāna, in the eastern direction, beyond countless thousands³⁶² of worlds,

6.4

there is a world named Ratnaviśuddhā. In that realm there appeared the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Prabhūtaratna. That bhagavān made a prayer. He said, ‘In the past when I was practicing bodhisattva conduct, the highest, complete enlightenment did not arise while I had not heard the instruction to bodhisattvas, the Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma. After I had heard this Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma, I attained the highest, complete enlightenment.’³⁶³ Mahāpratibhāna, when the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Prabhūtaratna was about to pass into nirvāṇa, he said to the world and its devas who were before him, ‘Bhikṣus, when I have passed into nirvāṇa, a great precious stūpa that contains my body should be made.’ Mahāpratibhāna, then the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Prabhūtaratna made this resolution:³⁶⁴ ‘This stūpa that is mine, the stūpa that contains my body, may it appear within the buddha realms in world realms in the ten directions wherever this Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma will be taught. When those buddha bhagavāns are giving this Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma, may it be suspended in the air above the circle of the assembly. May the stūpa that contains my body congratulate the Buddha Bhagavān who is giving this Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma.’

6.5

“Therefore, Mahāpratibhāna, this is the stūpa that contains the body of the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Prabhūtaratna, which on my giving this Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma in this world realm, Sahā, has appeared from the middle of the circle of the assembly, remained suspended in the air, and congratulated me.”

Then the bodhisattva mahāsattva Mahāpratibhāna said to the Bhagavān, “Bhagavān, through your³⁶⁵ power let us see the body of the tathāgata.”

The Bhagavān replied to the bodhisattva mahāsattva Mahāpratibhāna, “Mahāpratibhāna, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Prabhūtaratna made a momentous³⁶⁶ prayer. This was his prayer: ‘When buddha bhagavāns in other realms are giving this Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma, may the stūpa that contains my body come into the presence of those tathāgatas in order to listen to this Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma. When those buddha bhagavāns wish to expose my body and reveal it to the fourfold assembly, then may those tathāgatas assemble together all the emanations from their own bodies that are in the form of tathāgatas in the ten directions, each in their own buddha realm, each with their own name, and teaching the Dharma in those buddha realms. Then afterward, together with those emanations from their own bodies in the forms of tathāgatas, may they open the stūpa that contains my body and reveal it to the fourfold assembly.’

“Therefore, Mahāpratibhāna, I shall gather here all my many emanations in the form of tathāgatas teaching the Dharma to beings in other buddha realms in thousands of other world realms.”

6.6

Then the bodhisattva mahāsattva Mahāpratibhāna said to the Bhagavān, “Bhagavān, we shall pay homage to all those tathāgatas that are emanations from the Tathāgata’s own body.”

Thereupon the Bhagavān emitted a ray of light from his ūrṇā hair. The instant that ray of light shone forth, all those buddha bhagavāns that resided in the eastern direction in hundreds of thousands of quintillions of world realms as numerous as the grains of sand in fifty Ganges Rivers were revealed. The buddha realms with their grounds made of crystal, beautified by trees made of precious materials, adorned by wreaths of calico and silk, filled with many hundred thousands of bodhisattvas, overspread with canopies, and covered with a network of gold and the seven precious materials were revealed. The bhagavāns teaching the Dharma with their mellifluous and gentle voices to beings in those realms were revealed. The hundreds of thousands of bodhisattvas who filled those realms were revealed.

In the same way in the southeast, in the same way in the south, in the same way in the southwest, in the same way in the west, in the same way in the northwest, in the same way in the north, in the same way in the northeast, in the same way above, in the same way below—in each of the ten directions—all of those many hundreds of thousands of quintillions of buddha bhagavāns as numerous as the grains of sand in fifty Ganges Rivers, who were in many hundreds of thousands of quintillions of world realms as numerous as the grains of sand in fifty Ganges Rivers, were revealed.

Those tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas in the ten directions each instructed their own multitude of bodhisattvas,

6.7

“Noble youths, I should go to the Sahā world realm, into the presence of the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Śākyamuni, so that I may pay homage to the stūpa that contains the body of the tathāgata Prabhūtaratna!”

So those buddha bhagavāns, accompanied by either one or two³⁶⁷ of their own attendants, came to this Sahā world realm.

At that time this all-containing Sahā world realm became adorned by precious trees. Its ground became made of beryl and was covered with a network of the seven precious materials and of gold. It became perfumed by very precious incense and perfumes. It became strewn with coral tree and great coral tree flowers. It became adorned with strings of little bells. It became divided eightfold like a checkerboard by golden cords.³⁶⁸ There were no longer any villages, towns, market towns, districts, countries, or capitals. There were no Kāla mountain ranges. There were no Mucilinda or Mahāmucilinda Mountains. There were no Cakravāla or Mahācakravāla mountain ranges. There were no Sumerus, which are the kings of mountains. There were no other great mountains or mountains. There were no great oceans. There were no rivers or great rivers that were present there. There were no devas, asuras, or humans. There were no hells, animals, or realm of Yama. At that time, apart from those who were in that assembly, all beings that had been born into the six classes of existence in this Sahā world realm were transferred to other world realms.

The buddha bhagavāns with their one or two attendants then arrived in this Sahā world realm. Having arrived, the tathāgatas approached the bases of precious trees and stayed there.

6.8

Each of those precious trees was five hundred yojanas high, with branches, leaves, and petals in succession at their extremities.³⁶⁹ They were perfectly adorned with flowers and fruit. A lion throne had been arranged at the foot of each precious tree. They were five hundred yojanas in height and adorned with huge jewels. Each of the tathāgatas sat cross-legged upon one. In that way, tathāgatas sat cross-legged at the foot of all the precious trees in all the worlds in this world realm of a billion worlds.

At that time all the worlds in this world realm of a billion worlds were filled with tathāgatas, but all the emanations of the body of the bhagavān tathāgata Śākyamuni had not yet come even from just one direction.

The tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Śākyamuni now manifested places for the bodies of the tathāgatas who were coming and arriving. In all ten directions there were two hundred thousand million buddha realms made of beryl, covered with a network made of the seven precious materials and of gold, adorned with strings of little bells, strewn with coral tree and great coral tree flowers, overspread with canopies, hung with divine flower garlands, and perfumed by divine incense and perfume.

In those two hundred thousand million buddha realms there were no villages, towns, market towns, districts, countries, or capitals. There were no Kāla mountain ranges. There were no Mucilinda or Mahāmucilinda Mountains. There were no Cakravāla or Mahācakravāla mountain ranges. There were no Sumerus, the kings of mountains. There were no other great mountains or mountains. There were no great oceans.

6.9

There were no rivers or great rivers. There were no devas, asuras, or humans. There were no hells, animals, or realm of Yama.

All those buddha realms were created as if they were one buddha realm, as if they were one land,³⁷⁰ which was flat, delightful, and adorned by trees made of the seven precious materials. Those trees were five hundred yojanas high, with branches, leaves, flowers, and fruit in succession at their extremities. Arranged at the foot of all those precious trees there were magnificent, beautiful lion thrones that were five hundred yojanas in height and were made from divine jewels. The tathāgatas who came and arrived sat cross-legged on the lion thrones in front of those trees. In this way, moreover, Śākyamuni purified³⁷¹ two hundred thousand million buddha realms in each direction in order to create space for the tathāgatas who were coming and arriving.

In those two hundred thousand million world realms in each direction there were no villages, towns, market towns, districts, countries, or capitals. There were no Kāla mountain ranges. There were no Mucilinda or Mahāmucilinda Mountains. There were no Cakravāla or Mahācakravāla mountain ranges. There were no Sumerus, the kings of mountains. There were no other great mountains or mountains. There were no great oceans. There were no rivers or great rivers. There were no devas, asuras, or humans. There were no hells, animals, or realm of Yama.

6.10

Those beings had been transferred to other world realms.

Those buddha realms were made of beryl, covered with a network made of the seven precious materials and of gold, adorned with strings of little bells, completely bestrewn with coral tree and great coral tree flowers, overspread with divine canopies, hung with divine flower garlands, perfumed by divine incense and perfume, and adorned by trees made of the seven precious materials. Those trees were five hundred yojanas high, and lion thrones that were five hundred yojanas in height were also manifested. The tathāgatas sat cross-legged on those lion thrones in front of those precious trees.

It was then that the tathāgatas emanated by Bhagavān Śākyamuni who had been in the eastern direction, teaching the Dharma in hundreds of thousands of quintillions of buddha realms as numerous as the grains of sand in ten million Ganges Rivers, arrived. In the same way they came and arrived from the ten directions and were seated in the eight directions.

At that time those tathāgatas in each of the eight directions arrived in three hundred million world realms. Then those tathāgatas each sat on their own lion throne and sent their own attendants carrying a basket of precious flowers to Bhagavān Śākyamuni. They said to them, “Noble men, go to the Vulture Peak in Rājagṛha. Pay homage to the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Śākyamuni and with my words ask him and his host of bodhisattvas, and host of śrāvakas, ‘Are you untroubled? Are you well? Are you strong? Are you constantly happy?’

6.11

Then scatter upon him this heap of jewels and say, ‘The Bhagavān expresses his wish that the Tathāgata’s³⁷² precious stūpa be opened.’ ”

All the tathāgatas sent their attendants in that way. Then the bhagavān tathāgata Śākyamuni, knowing that the entirety of his emanations was assembled, knowing that they were seated on their lion thrones, knowing that the attendants of the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas had all arrived, and knowing that those tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas had expressed their wish, rose up from his Dharma seat and remained floating up in the air. The entire fourfold assembly also rose from their seats and stood with hands together in homage, gazing upon the Bhagavān.

Then the Bhagavān, with the fingers of his right hand, opened the center of the great precious stūpa that was floating in the air. He opened it and separated two parts of the wall panels, as when the two great doors of a great city’s gate separate after the bolt has been removed.

In that way, the Bhagavān, with the fingers of his right hand, opened the center of the great precious stūpa and revealed its interior. As soon as the great precious stūpa of the Tathāgata was opened the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Prabhūtaratna could be seen, his whole body withered,³⁷³ seated cross-legged and upright on a lion throne as if he was in meditation.

6.12

He said, “It is excellent, excellent, Bhagavān Śākyamuni, that you have taught well the Dharma teaching The White Lotus of the Good Dharma. It is excellent, Bhagavān Śākyamuni, that you are giving the Dharma teaching The White Lotus of the Good Dharma.³⁷⁴ Bhagavān, I have come here to listen to the Dharma teaching The White Lotus of the Good Dharma.”

The fourfold assembly was amazed and astonished on seeing³⁷⁵ the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Prabhūtaratna, who had passed into nirvāṇa many hundreds of thousands of quintillions of eons before, speaking.

At that time, heaps of human and divine jewels were tossed toward the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Prabhūtaratna and the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Śākyamuni. Then the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Prabhūtaratna offered half the lion throne seat to the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Śākyamuni and from within the great precious stūpa said, “Sit here, Bhagavān Tathāgata Śākyamuni.”

So the bhagavān tathāgata Śākyamuni sat on that half of the lion throne together with that tathāgata.³⁷⁶ Both tathāgatas could be seen seated in the center of the great precious stūpa that remained suspended in the air.

The fourfold assembly now thought, “We are far from these tathāgatas; may we also rise up into the air through the power of the tathāgatas!”

6.13

At this, the Bhagavān, knowing the thoughts in the minds of the fourfold assembly, at that time, through his miraculous power, suspended the fourfold assembly up in the air.

The bhagavān tathāgata Śākyamuni then asked the fourfold assembly, “Bhikṣus, who among you in this Sahā world realm has the enthusiasm to give the Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma? This is the moment. This is the time. You are in the presence of the Buddha. Having bestowed the Dharma teaching The White Lotus of the Good Dharma, the Tathāgata wishes to enter nirvāṇa.”

Then the Bhagavān recited these verses:

“Bhikṣus, this great rishi, who is in nirvāṇa,
The Guide who entered this precious stūpa,
Has come in order to listen to this Dharma.
Who would not have diligence for the Dharma? {1}

“He entered nirvāṇa millions of eons ago
But still he listens to the Dharma.
He goes here and there for the Dharma;
This kind of Dharma is very difficult to find. {2}

“It was the prayer of this Guide,
While he practiced in his previous lives,
That even after nirvāṇa he would seek the Dharma
Throughout all ten directions in all these worlds. {3}

“All of these who are from my own body,
As numerous as the sands of ten billion Ganges,
Have come in order to accomplish service for the Dharma
And to see this Lord who has passed into nirvāṇa. {4}

“They all left behind their own realms,
And likewise all their śrāvakas, humans, and maruts,
In order that they may preserve this good Dharma,
For this way of Dharma to remain for a long time. {5}

“Through my miraculous power I purified
Many thousands of millions of world realms
And transferred the beings there elsewhere,
In order that these buddhas could be seated. {6}

6.14

“I acted with such dedication so that
This way of the Dharma may be taught.
These countless buddhas are now seated
At the foot of trees like a multitude of lotuses. {7}

“The guides are seated upon lion thrones
At the foot of no fewer than millions of trees.
Very beautiful, they sit there constantly,
Like a fire in a great darkness. {8}

“The beautiful aroma of the guides of the world
Spreads throughout the ten directions
So that as the breeze blows
It pervades these beings here.³⁷⁷ {9}

“Those who wish to hold this Dharma teaching
After I have passed into nirvāṇa
Should quickly state their intention
In the presence of the lords of the world. {10}

“The buddha who has entered nirvāṇa,
The muni Prabhūtaratna,³⁷⁸ also
Is someone who is dedicated
To listening to this lion’s roar. {11}

“Secondly I, and the many millions
Of these guides who have come here,
Will with dedication listen to a child of the jinas
Who with enthusiasm teaches this Dharma. {12}

“It is because of this that offerings are always being made
To me and Prabhūtaratna, the self-arisen Jina.
He is one who is constantly going in every direction
In order to listen to such a Dharma as this. {13}

“The lords of the world who have arrived here,
Who have made brilliant and beautiful the land,
Will receive vast and not little offerings
Through their teaching of the sūtra. {14}

“This bhagavān residing inside the stūpa,
And I who am upon this seat,
And these many other lords of the world,
Arrived from many hundreds of realms, are seen. {15}

“Noble ones, I ask you to contemplate,
Out of compassion for all beings,
This extremely difficult task
That the guides have enthusiasm for. {16}

6.15

“If someone had to give the teaching
Of many thousands of sūtras
As numerous as the sands of the Ganges,
That would not be a very difficult task. {17}

“If someone had to grasp
Mount Sumeru in their hand
And throw it into millions of realms,
That would not be a very difficult task. {18}

“If someone had to dislodge
This realm of a billion worlds with their big toe,
And kick it into millions of realms,
That would not be a very difficult task. {19}

“If someone had to teach the Dharma
Through thousands of other sūtras
While residing at the summit of existence,
That would not be a very difficult task. {20}

“If someone upholds this sūtra
In the dreadful future times
After the Lord of the World’s nirvāṇa,
That will be a very difficult task. {21}

“If someone had to grasp in their hand
The entire element of space,
And having grasped it, go away,
That would not be a very difficult task. {22}

“If someone writes out a sūtra like this
In the dreadful future times
When I have passed into nirvāṇa,
That will be a very difficult task. {23}

“If someone had to insert into their fingernail
The entire element of earth,
And having done so, go away
And climb up to the world of Brahmā, {24}

“And does that difficult task
In front of the entire world,
That would not be a very difficult task,
And would not take such great dedication. {25}

“Far more difficult than that
Would be if someone were to recite³⁷⁹
This sūtra in the future times
When I have passed into nirvāṇa. {26}

“It would not be difficult in this world
For someone in the inferno of the eon’s end
To go into its center, carrying a load
Of straw, without its burning.³⁸⁰ {27}

“Far more difficult will be
If someone after my nirvāṇa
Is a holder of this sūtra
And makes one being hear it. {28}

“If someone were a holder of the collection
Of eighty-four thousand dharmas
And were to teach them to millions of beings
Together with the transmission of instructions, {29}

6.16

And were at that time to guide
The bhikṣus who are my śrāvakas
And establish them in the higher knowledges,³⁸¹
Then that would not be difficult. {30}

“It will be far more difficult
For someone to uphold this sūtra,
To have faith in and aspiration for it,
And teach it again and again. {31}

“If someone were to establish in arhathood
Many thousands of millions
Of those with great good fortune, who have the six higher knowledges,
As numerous as the grains of sand in the Ganges, {32}

“The one who after my nirvāṇa
Upholds this excellent sūtra
Will be a supreme human
Who accomplishes a far greater activity. {33}

“I have taught many dharmas
Within thousands of world realms,
And I am teaching again now
For the sake of the wisdom of buddhahood. {34}

“From among all sūtras,
This is said to be the supreme sūtra.
The one who upholds this sūtra
Is holding the body of the Jina. {35}

“Noble ones, whoever among you
Aspires to uphold this sūtra
In the later times, say so
In the presence of the Tathāgata. {36}

“If someone upholds, even for a moment,
This sūtra which is so difficult to uphold,
They will have completely brought
Great pleasure³⁸² to all the lords of the world. {37}

“They will be highly praised
By all the lords of the world.
Those heroes, those mighty ones, will soon
Attain higher knowledge and enlightenment. {38}

“Whoever upholds this sūtra,
Will be a true child of the lords of the worlds.
That one will be the carrier of their burden,
And will have attained the state of pacification. {39}

“The one who teaches this sūtra
After the nirvāṇa of the chief of humans³⁸³
Will become the eyes for the world
With its humans and maruts. {40}

“The one who in the later times
Teaches this sūtra for just a moment,
That wise one will be worthy
Of homage by all beings.” {41}

Then the Bhagavān instructed the entire host of bodhisattvas,

6.17

and the world with its devas and asuras, saying, “Bhikṣus, in the past, in a time gone by, I sought The Sūtra of the White Lotus of the Good Dharma, without weariness, without fatigue, for countless, innumerable eons. In the past, for many hundreds of thousands of eons I was a king who prayed for the highest, complete enlightenment and my mind never wavered from that. I was dedicated to fulfilling the six perfections. I performed immeasurable acts of generosity, giving away gold, jewels, pearls, beryls, conch, crystal, corals, refined gold, silver, emeralds, white coral, red pearls, village towns, market towns, districts, lands, capitals, wives, sons, daughters, male slaves, female slaves, elephants, horses, chariots, and so on, up to my own body—my hands, feet, head, limbs, smaller body parts—and my life. I never had any clinging arise in my mind.

“At that time, life in this world was long. One lived for many hundreds of thousands of years. During that time I was a king for the sake of the Dharma and not for the sake of dominion. I consecrated my oldest son to be king and dedicated myself to searching in the four directions for the highest Dharma.

“I rang a bell and announced, ‘I will become the slave of anyone who will give me the highest Dharma and teach me its meaning!’

“At that time there was a rishi who said to me, ‘Great King, I have the Dharma teaching of the supreme sūtra called The White Lotus of the Good Dharma.

6.18

If you promise to be my slave I will enable you to hear it.’

“When I heard the words of the rishi I was happy, content, delighted, and overjoyed, and I approached that rishi and said to him, ‘I will do whatever work a slave would do for you!’

“In that way I promised to be that rishi’s slave and then I did the work of collecting straw, wood, water, roots, tubers, fruit, and so on. I was even the guard at his door. I did that kind of work during the day and at night I grasped the feet of his bed.³⁸⁴ However, I never had any physical fatigue and I never had any mental fatigue.”

Thereupon, in order to make this clear, the Bhagavān recited these verses:

“I remember how in past eons
I was a Dharma king for the sake of the Dharma.
I became a king for the sake of the Dharma,
Not for pleasures but for the supreme Dharma. {42}

“I made this declaration in the four directions:
‘I shall be the slave of whoever teaches me the Dharma.’
At that time there was a wise rishi
Who taught the sūtra called The Good Dharma. {43}

“He said to me, ‘If you wish for the Dharma,
Promise to be my slave and I will teach you the Dharma.’
When I heard those words, I was overjoyed
And I worked for him as his slave. {44}

“When I worked as his slave for the Dharma
My body and mind were untouched by fatigue.
At that time my prayers were for beings
And not for myself nor for my desires. {45}

“That king had that degree of dedication,
That for a full thousand eons, without weariness,
He did no other work in the ten directions
Until he obtained that which was called the Dharma. {46}

“Bhikṣus, what do you think? If you have the thought that at that time, on that occasion,

6.19

the king was someone else, do not see it in that way. Why is that? At that time, on that occasion, I was that king. Bhikṣus, if you have the thought that at that time, on that occasion, the rishi was someone else, do not see it in that way. Why is that? Bhikṣus, at that time, on that occasion, this Devadatta was that rishi.

“Bhikṣus, Devadatta was my kalyāṇamitra, and relying on that kalyāṇamitra I fulfilled the six perfections. It was through relying upon Devadatta that I perfected great love, great compassion, great rejoicing, great equanimity, the thirty-two signs and eighty features of a great being, a fathom-wide aura, a golden color, the ten strengths, the four fearlessnesses, the four methods of attracting disciples, the eighteen unique qualities of a buddha, the great miraculous powers, and the liberating of beings in the ten directions.

“Bhikṣus, I declare to you,³⁸⁵ I make it known to you, this Devadatta, bhikṣus, will in a future time, after countless innumerable eons, in a world realm named Devasopānāyā be the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha³⁸⁶ Devarāja.

“Bhikṣus, the lifespan of Tathāgata Devarāja will be twenty intermediate eons long and he will teach the Dharma extensively. Beings as numerous as the grains of sand in the Ganges will eliminate the kleśas and manifest arhathood. Many beings will develop the aspiration to enlightenment. Beings as numerous as the grains of sand in the Ganges will develop the aspiration to the highest, complete enlightenment and attain irreversible patience.

6.20

“Bhikṣus, after Tathāgata Devarāja has passed into nirvāṇa, the Dharma will remain for twenty intermediate eons. The relic of his body will not be divided but remain as one whole that will be placed inside a stūpa made of the seven precious materials. That stūpa will be sixty³⁸⁷ yojanas high and forty yojanas wide. All devas and humans will make offerings to it of incense, perfume, flowers, garlands, ointments, powders, cloths, parasols, banners, flags, banners of victory, and so on, and they will praise it in song.

“Whoever will circumambulate that stūpa or bow down to it will manifest the supreme result of arhathood, some will attain pratyekabuddhahood, and countless, innumerable devas and humans will develop an irreversible aspiration to the highest, supreme enlightenment.”

The Bhagavān then said to the bhikṣus, “Bhikṣus, in future times, noble men or noble women who listen to this chapter from The Sūtra of the White Lotus of the Good Dharma, and having heard it have no doubt,³⁸⁸ and with pure minds are dedicated to it, will close the doorway to the lower existences. They will not be reborn in the hells, as an animal, or in the realm of Yama. They will be reborn in the buddha realms in the ten directions and in lifetime after lifetime will hear this sūtra. If they are reborn in a deva or human world they will have a superior status. Whatever buddha realm they are born into, they will be born miraculously in front of the Tathāgata from within a lotus made of the seven precious materials.”

6.21

At that time the bodhisattva mahāsattva Prajñākūṭa, who had come from the buddha realm of Tathāgata Prabhūtaratna that was in the downward direction,³⁸⁹ said to Tathāgata Prabhūtaratna, “Bhagavān, let us return to our own buddha realm.”

But the bhagavān tathāgata Śākyamuni said to the bodhisattva Prajñākūṭa, “Noble one, stay a little while, gain some ascertainment of the Dharma with my bodhisattva mahāsattva Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta, and then after that return to your buddha realm.”

At that time, Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta, who was seated upon a lotus that had a thousand petals and was the size of a cartwheel, and who was encircled by many bodhisattvas, rose from the palace of the nāga king Sāgara within the ocean high into the sky and floated through the sky to Vulture Peak Mountain, into the presence of the Bhagavān.

Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta descended from the lotus and bowed his head to the feet of Bhagavān Śākyamuni and Tathāgata Prabhūtaratna. He then approached the bodhisattva Prajñākūṭa, spoke with the bodhisattva Prajñākūṭa about many pleasant and joyful things, and then sat down to one side.

The bodhisattva Prajñākūṭa then asked Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta, “Mañjuśrī, how many beings have you guided since you entered the ocean?”

6.22

“I have guided countless, innumerable beings of a number that it is not possible to describe in words or to conceive of in the mind,” answered Mañjuśrī. “Noble one, stay a little while until you see an omen.”

As soon as Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta said those words, many thousands of lotuses rose up into the sky from within the oceans. Many thousands of bodhisattvas were seated upon those lotuses. Then those bodhisattvas came through the sky to Vulture Peak and remained suspended in the sky above it. Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta had guided all of them toward the highest, complete enlightenment. Those bodhisattvas who had previously entered the Mahāyāna praised the six perfections and the qualities of the Mahāyāna, while the bodhisattvas who had previously been śrāvakas praised the Śrāvakayāna. All of them knew the qualities of the Mahāyāna and the emptiness of all phenomena.

Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta said to the bodhisattva Prajñākūṭa, “Noble one, since I entered the ocean I have guided all these beings³⁹⁰ that have appeared here.”

Then the bodhisattva Prajñākūṭa asked Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta questions by chanting these verses:

“Great excellent one, who describes wisdom through parables,³⁹¹
You who are the god of humans, I ask you to tell me
Through whose power have you become
Someone who today has guided countless beings? {47}

“What sūtra teaches the path to enlightenment?
What is the Dharma that you have taught,
That by hearing it they developed the aspiration for enlightenment
And have definitely³⁹² attained profundity within omniscience?” {48}

Mañjuśrī answered, “In the ocean I taught The Sūtra of the White Lotus of the Good Dharma and nothing else.”

6.23

“This sūtra is profound, subtle, and difficult to see,” said Prajñākūṭa. “There is no other sūtra that is its equal. Is there a being who is able to comprehend this sūtra jewel and attain the highest, complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood?”

“Noble one,” answered Mañjuśrī, “there is the daughter of Sāgara, king of the nāgas, who was born eight years ago. She has great wisdom, sharp faculties. The actions of her body, speech, and mind are preceded by wisdom. She has attained the retention by which she remembers the words and meaning of the teachings of all tathāgatas. She has attained in an instant a thousand samādhis of meditation on all phenomena and all beings. She has irreversible aspiration for enlightenment. She has made vast prayers. She cares for all beings as she would for herself. She can develop qualities and never lose them. She has a smiling face. She has a perfect, magnificent complexion. She has a loving mind. She speaks with compassion. She is able to attain the highest, complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood.”

Prajñākūṭa said, “I have seen that when the bhagavān tathāgata Śākyamuni had become a bodhisattva dedicated to attaining enlightenment, he generated much merit, and his diligence never weakened throughout thousands of eons. There is nowhere throughout the worlds of the realm of a billion worlds, not even a place the size of a mustard seed, where he has not given up his own body for the sake of beings. Only after all that did he attain the enlightenment of buddhahood. Who can believe that the daughter of Sāgara could attain the highest, complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood in an instant?”

Then at that time the daughter of Sāgara, the king of the nāgas, appeared before them. She bowed her head to the feet of the Bhagavān, sat down on one side, and recited these verses:

“His merit, that merit³⁹³ is profound,
And pervades every direction.

6.24

His subtle body is adorned
By the thirty-two signs. {49}

“He has the excellent features.
All beings pay homage to him.
All beings come to him
Like they do to a market town. {50}

“The Tathāgata is my witness
That my wish is for enlightenment.
I will teach extensively
The Dharma that liberates from suffering.” {51}

At that time Śāriputra said to the daughter of Sāgara, king of the nāgas, “Noble lady, although you have an irreversible aspiration for enlightenment and immeasurable wisdom, it will be difficult for you to attain enlightenment. Noble lady, a woman may maintain diligence, create merit for many thousands of eons, and complete the six perfections, but still she will not attain buddhahood. Why is that? It is because a woman has still not attained five states. What are these five? The first is the state of being a Brahmā, the second is the state of being a Śakra, the third is the state of being one of the four mahārājas, the fourth is the state of being a cakravartin, and the fifth is the state of being an irreversible bodhisattva.”

At that time, the daughter of Sāgara, king of the nāgas, had a jewel of the value of an entire realm of a billion worlds. The daughter of the nāga king offered it to the Bhagavān, and the Bhagavān accepted it out of compassion.

The daughter of Sāgara, king of the nāgas, then asked Prajñākūṭa and Sthavira Śāriputra, “Did the Bhagavān quickly accept the jewel that I offered to the Bhagavān, or not?”

“You offered it quickly and the Bhagavān accepted it quickly,” the sthavira answered.

The daughter of Sāgara, king of the nāgas, said, “Venerable Śāriputra, if I have great miraculous power, I will attain the highest, complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood even more quickly than that jewel was accepted.”

6.25

Thereupon, in front of the entire world, and in front of Sthavira Śāriputra, the daughter of Sāgara, king of the nāgas, manifested the vanishing of her female genitalia, the appearance of male genitalia, and her transformation into a bodhisattva.

That bodhisattva now went to the south and, in a southern world realm named Vimalā, manifested the attainment of perfect buddhahood while seated at the foot of a tree made of the seven precious materials.

That buddha had a body that possessed all thirty-two signs and the excellent features, and shone with a light that pervaded the ten directions as he gave the teaching of the Dharma. All beings in this Sahā world realm saw all the devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans, and nonhumans paying homage to that tathāgata and saw him teaching them the Dharma. All those beings who listened to that tathāgata’s Dharma teaching attained irreversible progress toward the highest, complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood.

That Vimalā world realm and this Sahā world realm both shook in six ways. Three thousand beings within the circle of Bhagavān Śākyamuni’s assembly attained receptivity to the birthlessness of phenomena, and three thousand received the prophecies of their attainment of the highest, complete enlightenment.

At this, the bodhisattva mahāsattva Prajñākūṭa and Sthavira Śāriputra fell silent.

6.26

Chapter 12

Resolutions

Then the bodhisattva mahāsattva Bhaiṣajyarāja and the bodhisattva mahāsattva Mahāpratibhāna, together with a following of two hundred thousand bodhisattvas, facing the Bhagavān, said, “Bhagavān, have no concern over this matter. Bhagavān, we will teach, we will expound this Dharma teaching to beings after the nirvāṇa of the Tathāgata.

“Bhagavān, in that time beings will be wicked, have few roots of merit, be arrogant, be devoted to gain and honor, engage in roots of demerit, be difficult to guide, have no interest, and be filled with disinterest, but, Bhagavān, we will demonstrate the power of patience and in that time we will teach this sūtra, we will uphold it, we will expound it, we will write it out, we will honor it, we will venerate it, and we will make offerings to it. Bhagavān, we will cast aside body and life and teach this sūtra. Therefore, Bhagavān, have no concern.”

That assembly’s bhikṣus, both those in training and those who had passed beyond training, and the five hundred bhikṣus, then said to the Bhagavān, “Bhagavān, we too are resolved to teach this Dharma teaching and will do so in other world realms.”

Thereupon the Bhagavān gave prophecies of the highest, complete enlightenment to all the Bhagavān’s śrāvakas, both those in training and those who had passed beyond training. All the eight thousand bhikṣus, with their hands together in homage, bowed toward the Bhagavān and said to the Bhagavān, “Bhagavān, do not be concerned. In the later times, in the later era, after the Tathāgata has passed into nirvāṇa, we also will expound this Dharma teaching in other world realms.

6.27

Why is that? Bhagavān, the beings in this Sahā world realm will be arrogant, with few roots of merit, constantly malicious, deceitful, and dishonest.”

The Bhagavān’s maternal aunt Mahāprajāpatī Gautamī and six thousand bhikṣuṇīs, both bhikṣuṇīs in training and those who had passed beyond training, now arose from their seats at the same time, with their hands together in homage, bowed toward the Bhagavān, and stood there gazing at the Bhagavān.

The Bhagavān said to Mahāprajāpatī Gautamī, “Gautamī, do not stand³⁹⁴ gazing at the Tathāgata, unhappily thinking, ‘The Tathāgata has not spoken to me, has not prophesied the highest, complete enlightenment for me.’ For when I gave a prophecy to the entire assembly, you too, Gautamī, received a prophecy accordingly.

“Gautamī, from now on you will be a bodhisattva mahāsattva dharmabhāṇaka under thirty-eight hundred thousand quintillion buddhas. These six thousand bhikṣuṇīs, both bhikṣuṇīs in training and those who have passed beyond training, will be bodhisattva dharmabhāṇakas with you under those tathāgatas.

“Beyond that and even further beyond that, you will complete your bodhisattva practice and 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 Sarvasattvapriyadarśana.

“Gautamī, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Sarvasattvapriyadarśana will give a prophecy to those six thousand bodhisattvas

6.28

of their successive attainment of the highest, complete enlightenment.”

Then the bhikṣuṇī Yaśodharā, the mother of Rāhula, thought, “The Bhagavān has not said my name.”

The Bhagavān, knowing the thoughts that were in the mind of Bhikṣuṇī Yaśodharā, said to Bhikṣuṇī Yaśodharā, “Yaśodharā, I declare to you, I make it known to you,³⁹⁵ that you will be a bodhisattva dharmabhāṇaka under a hundred thousand million buddhas. You will eventually complete your bodhisattva practice and in the world realm named Bhadrā 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 Raśmiśatasahasraparipūrṇadhvaja. The lifespan of the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Raśmiśatasahasraparipūrṇadhvaja will be immeasurable.”

At this, Bhikṣuṇī Mahāprajāpatī Gautamī and her following of six thousand bhikṣuṇīs, and Bhikṣuṇī Yaśodharā and her following of four thousand bhikṣuṇīs, were astonished and amazed by obtaining from the Bhagavān the prophecy of their highest, complete enlightenment.

At that time they recited this verse:

“Bhagavān, you are the Instructor, the Guide,
The Teacher of the world and its devas.
You bring relief and devas and humans make offerings to you.
And today we also, Lord, have been made content.” {1}

Having recited that verse, the bhikṣuṇīs said to the Bhagavān,

6.29

“Bhagavān, we too are resolved to teach this Dharma teaching in a future time, in a future era, in other world realms.”

The Bhagavān now looked toward the eighty thousand³⁹⁶ bodhisattvas who had attained retention and had turned the irreversible Dharma wheel.

As soon as the Bhagavān looked at them, those bodhisattva mahāsattvas rose from their seats. With their hands placed together in homage they bowed toward the Bhagavān and thought, “The Bhagavān is going to exhort us to teach this Dharma teaching.” At that thought, they all trembled and said to each other, “Noble ones, if the Bhagavān exhorts us to teach this Dharma teaching in the future times, how shall we respond?”

Then those noble ones, because of their veneration for the Bhagavān and because of their past practice and prayers, roared the lion’s roar in the presence of the Bhagavān. “Bhagavān, in the future time when the Tathāgata has passed into nirvāṇa, we will go into the ten directions, and through the power of the Bhagavān we will have beings write out this Dharma teaching, recite it, contemplate it, and teach it. And the Bhagavān, who will be residing in other world realms, will guard us, protect us, and hide us.”

Thereupon those bodhisattva mahāsattvas together spoke these verses to the Bhagavān:

“Do not be concerned, Bhagavān!
After you have passed into nirvāṇa,
In the very dreadful later era
We will teach this supreme sūtra. {2}

“Guide, we will endure it,
We will bear it
When fools brandishing sticks
Abuse us and threaten us. {3}

“In the dreadful future era,
The fools will be deceitful,

6.30

Will lack understanding, will be dishonest and arrogant,
And will believe they have attainment when they do not. {4}

“With evil minds they will say,
‘We dwell in solitude,
Wear clothing made of patches,
And we practice renunciation.’ {5}

“Eager for tastes, and having attachment,
They will teach the Dharma to laypeople,
And they will be venerated
As if they had the six higher knowledges. {6}

“They will have anger and they will have hate.
Their thoughts will be on homes and wealth.
They will remain in solitude in the forest
And they will be maligning us. {7}

“They who are focused on gain and honor
Will speak in this way concerning us:
‘These bhikṣus are tīrthikas
Who teach what they have made up.’ {8}

“They will strongly malign us, saying,
‘They have created their own sūtra
In order to obtain gain and honor,
And teach it in the middle of assemblies.’ {9}

“In front of kings and princes,
And likewise the king’s ministers,
And brahmins and householders,
And also in front of other bhikṣus {10}

“They will speak ill of us,
Saying that we are tīrthikas.
We will endure it all
Through our veneration for the great Rishi. {11}

“Those who have evil minds
Will at that time mock us,
Saying, ‘They will become buddhas.’
But we will endure it all. {12}

“In the disturbed era of destruction,
The dreadful time of great fear,
Many bhikṣus in the form of yakṣas
Will condemn us. {13}

“Because of our veneration for the Lord of the World
We will be resolved to do that which is so difficult.³⁹⁷
We will put on the armor of patience
And we will teach this sūtra. {14}

“Guide, we will have no concern
For our bodies or even our lives.
We will be dedicated to enlightenment
And preserving what you have bestowed on us. {15}

“The Bhagavān knows the nature
Of those wicked bhikṣus
Who will appear in the future times
And who will not understand the teaching with implied meaning. {16}

“We will endure all the frowns,
Being repeatedly abused,
Being expelled from temples,
Being bound, and many beatings. {17}

6.31

“We will remember in the later times
The instructions given by the Lord of the World,
And we will fearlessly teach this sūtra
In the middle of the assembly. {18}

“Guide, we shall go to the towns
And go to the villages
Where there are those who seek this,
And bestow on them what you have taught. {19}

“Lord of the World, great Muni,
We will be your emissaries.
You who have attained peace, excellent nirvāṇa,
You have no need to be concerned. {20}

“All who are lamps for the world
Come from the ten directions;
We are speaking words of truth
And you know our aspiration.” {21}

Chapter 13

Dwelling in Happiness

Then Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta said to the Bhagavān, “Bhagavān, what these bodhisattva mahāsattvas are resolved to do because of their reverence for the Bhagavān is a difficult task, extremely difficult. Bhagavān, how should these bodhisattva mahāsattvas expound this Dharma teaching in the later times, in a later era?”

The Bhagavān said to Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta, “Mañjuśrī, bodhisattva mahāsattvas should expound this Dharma teaching in the later times, in a later era, by maintaining four qualities. What are these four?

“Mañjuśrī, bodhisattva mahāsattvas should expound this Dharma teaching in the later times, in a later era, by maintaining their practice and field of activity.

“Mañjuśrī, in what way do bodhisattva mahāsattvas maintain their practice and field of activity?

“Mañjuśrī, bodhisattva mahāsattvas are patient, self-controlled, have attained the level of self-control, and their minds are without anger or envy.

Linked texts (1)

དམ་པའི་ཆོས་པད་མ་དཀར་པོ་ཞེས་བྱ་བ་ཐེག་པ་ཆེན་པོའི་མདོ — Classical Tibetan