妙法蓮華經 3.75

3.75

All the buddhas explain and teach

The three vehicles through skillful means.

Although there is only the single buddha vehicle,

They teach two in order to provide a place of rest.

For your benefit I now teach the truth:

What you have attained is not the ultimate goal.

You must call forth great efforts

In order to obtain the omniscience of a buddha.

If you attain omniscience

And the qualities of the Buddha,

Such things as the ten powers,

And become endowed with the thirty-two marks,

Then you will have attained the ultimate goal.

The buddhas, the Leaders, teach nirvana

In order to let beings rest in comfort.

When they know that they have rested,

They lead them to the wisdom of the buddhas.

The Five Hundred Disciples

Receive Their Predictions

At that time, Pūrṇa, the son of Maitrāyaṇī, after hearing the Buddha teach the Dharma according to what is appropriate to sentient beings through the wisdom of skillful means and bestow the prediction of highest, complete enlightenment on all the great disciples, and then hearing stories about past causes and conditions and that all the buddhas have obtained perfect mastery of transcendent powers, obtained an unprecedented experience and became pure in mind and joyful. He immediately rose from his seat, went into the presence of the Buddha, bowed until his forehead touched the Buddha’s feet, and then stood to one side gazing unwaveringly at the Buddha and thought this:

The Bhagavat is truly marvelous. His actions are rare. He teaches the

Dharma according to the natural capacities of the beings in the world

through skillful means, wisdom, and insight. He leads sentient beings

away from their various attachments. We have no words to describe

the Buddha’s qualities. Only the Buddha, the Bhagavat, is able to know

our deep intentions and original vow.

Then the Buddha addressed the monks, saying: “Do you see Pūrṇa, the son of Maitrāyaṇī? I always praise him as the foremost among the teachers of the Dharma. I also always praise his various qualities. He diligently maintains and propagates my teaching and is able to gladden and benefit the four-