[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Buddhist Sanskrit literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit) › [Mahāyāna sūtras](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra) › [Saddharmapuṇḍarīkasūtra](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika) › [妙法蓮華經](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva) › The Lotus Sutra # The Lotus Sutra Translation of [妙法蓮華經](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva) - **Language:** English - **Date:** 2007 CE - **Translators:** [Tsugunari Kubo](https://indike.org/pramana/person/tsugunari-kubo), [Akira Yuyama](https://indike.org/pramana/person/akira-yuyama) - **Extent:** 145 passages, 80,692 words - **Text:** complete digital text - **Source:** bdk · Tsugunari Kubo, Akira Yuyama (tr.), The Lotus Sutra, BDK English Tripiṭaka 13-I (revised second edition),… · CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 (Bukkyō Dendō Kyōkai and Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research, digital edition… ## Contents - [1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk.1) — 17 parts - [2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk.2) — 15 parts - [3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk.3) — 21 parts - [4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk.4) — 25 parts - [5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk.5) — 24 parts - [6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk.6) — 23 parts - [7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk.7) — 20 parts ## Text ### [1.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk.1.1) Introduction ### [1.10](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk.1.10) Thus have I heard. Once the Buddha was staying in the city of Rājagṛha, on the mountain called Gṛdhrakūṭa, together with a great assembly of twelve thousand monks, all of whom were arhats whose corruption was at an end, who were free from the confusion of desire, who had achieved their own goals, shattered the bonds of existence, and attained complete mental discipline. Their names were Ājñātakauṇḍinya, Mahākāśyapa, Uruvilvakāśyapa, Gayākāśyapa, Nadīkāśyapa, Śāriputra, Mahāmaudgalyāyana, Mahākātyāyana, Aniruddha, Kapphiṇa, Gavāṃpati, Revata, Pilindavatsa, Bakkula, Mahākauṣṭhila, Nanda, Sundarananda, Pūrṇamaitrāyaṇīputra, Subhūti, Ānanda, and Rāhula. All of them were great arhats, known to the assembly. There were in addition two thousand others, both those who had more to learn and those who did not. The nun Mahāprajāpatī was there, together with her six thousand attendants; and also the nun Yaśodharā, Rāhula’s mother, together with her attendants. ### [1.14](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk.1.14) There were also eighty thousand bodhisattva mahāsattvas, all of whom were irreversible from highest, complete enlightenment (anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi). They had obtained the dhāraṇīs, were established in eloquence, and had turned the irreversible wheel of the Dharma. Each had paid homage to countless hundreds of thousands of buddhas, planted roots of merit in their presence, and had always been praised by those buddhas. They had also cultivated compassion within themselves, skillfully caused others to enter the wisdom of a buddha, obtained great wisdom, and reached the other shore. All of them were famous throughout countless worlds and had saved innumerable hundreds of thousands of sentient beings. They were Mañjuśrī, Avalokiteśvara, Mahāsthāmaprāpta, Nityodyukta, Anikṣiptadhura, Ratnapāni, Bhaiṣajyarāja, Pradānaśūra, Ratnacandra, Candraprabha, Pūrṇacandra, Mahāvikramin, Anantavikramin, Trailokyavikrama, Bhadrapāla, Maitreya, Ratnākara, and Susāthavāha. There were altogether eighty thousand such bodhisattva mahāsattvas. At that time Śakra, king of the devas, was also there, attended by twenty thousand devaputras. Candra, Samantagandha, and Ratnaprabha, and the great devas of the four quarters were there, together with a retinue of ten thousand devaputras. The devaputras Īśvara and Maheśvara were there, attended by thirty thousand devaputras. Brahma, the lord of the sahā world, as well as the great Brahma Śikhin and the great Brahma Jyotiṣprabha were there, together with a retinue of twelve thousand devaputras. The eight nāga kings—namely, Nanda, Upananda, Sāgara, Vāsukin, Takṣaka, Anavatapta, Manasvin, and Utpalaka—were also there, each of them surrounded by sev- eral hundreds of thousands of attendants. There were four kings of the kiṃnaras whose names were Dharma, Su- dharma, Mahādharma, and Dharmadhara, and each had several hundreds of thousands of attendants. The four kings of the gandharvas were there. They were Manojña, Manojñasvara, Madhura, and Madhurasvara, each of them also with several hundreds of thousands of attendants. There, too, were four ### [1.15](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk.1.15) kings of the asuras, called Baḍin, Kharaskandha, Vemacitra, and Rahu, each with several hundreds of thousands of attendants. Mahātejas, Mahākāya, Mahāpūrṇa, and Maharddhiprāpta, the four kings of the garuḍas, were there together with several hundreds of thousands of attendants. Finally, King Ajātaśatru, Vaidehī’s son, was also there with several hundreds of thousands of his attendants. Each of them, after having bowed at the Buddha’s feet, withdrew and sat to one side. At that time the Bhagavat was respectfully surrounded by the fourfold assembly (i.e., monks, nuns, laymen, laywomen), paid homage, honored, and praised. He then taught the bodhisattvas the Mahayana sutra called Immeasurable Meanings (Mahānirdeśa), the instruction for the bodhisattvas and the treasured lore of the buddhas. After having taught this sutra, the Buddha sat cross-legged, entered the samādhi called the “abode of immeas- urable meanings” (ananta-nirdeśa-pratiṣṭhāna) and remained unmoving in both body and mind. Māndārava and great māndārava flowers, mañjūṣaka and great mañjūṣaka flowers then fell like rain from the sky, scattering upon the Buddha and all of his attendants; and the whole buddha world quaked in six ways. At that time, that whole assembly of such humans and nonhumans as monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen, the devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, mahoragas, kings, and noble emperors, having experienced something unprecedented, were filled with joy, and with their palms pressed together they gazed attentively at the Buddha. Then the Buddha emitted a ray of light from the tuft of white hair between his eyebrows. It illuminated all the eighteen thousand worlds in the east, down as far as the lowest hell, Avīci, and up as high as the Akaniṣṭha Heaven. All the sentient beings in those worlds living in the six transmigratory states became visible from this world. The buddhas in those worlds were also seen, and the Dharma they were teaching could be heard. The monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen and those who had practiced and achieved the path were also to be seen, while the bodhisattva mahāsattvas, of various background causes and conditions, endowed in various degrees with the willingness to understand and having various appearances, were also seen practicing the bodhisattva path. All of the buddhas who had achieved parinirvāṇa were seen, as well as their relic stupas made of the seven precious treasures. At that moment it occurred to Bodhisattva Maitreya: “The Bhagavat has now manifested the sign of great transcendent power. What could be the reason for this marvel? The Buddha, the Bhagavat, has now entered samādhi. Whom should I ask about this wonderful marvel? Who would be able to answer my question?” Then he thought further: “This Mañjuśrī, Prince of the Dharma, has closely attended and paid homage to innumerable buddhas of the past. He must certainly have seen such a marvelous sign before. I should ask him now.” ### [1.19](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk.1.19) At the same time it occurred to the monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen, devas, nāgas, yakṣas, and others: “Now whom should we ask about the illumination and marvelous sign of this buddha?” Then Bodhisattva Maitreya, wanting to clear up his own confusion, and knowing the minds of the fourfold assembly of monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen and of the nāgas, yakṣas, and other beings in that gathering, asked Mañjuśrī: “What is the reason for this marvelous sign, this great ray of light that illuminates the eighteen thousand worlds in the east and renders visible the adornments of all the buddha worlds?” Thereupon Bodhisattva Maitreya, wanting to elaborate the meaning of this further, spoke to Mañjuśrī in verse: “O Mañjuśrī! Why has the Leader Emitted this great ray of light far and wide From the tuft of white hair Between his eyebrows, Raining down māndārava and mañjūṣaka flowers, And gladdening the people With the fragrant winds of sandalwood? For this reason The earth is completely adorned, And this world quakes in six ways. And the fourfold assembly Is completely enraptured, Delighted in body and mind at the experience of Such an unprecedented marvel. From the depths of the Avīci Hell Up to the summit of existence, The ray of light from between his eyebrows Illuminates the eighteen thousand worlds, Which shimmer like gold, And, throughout all these worlds, The births and deaths of the living beings Of the six transmigratory states of existence, And the good and bad deeds, Through which they have received Good and bad consequences, Are all to be seen from here. The buddhas, the Sage Lord (Narendrasiṃhā), Who teach the subtle and supreme sutra Are also seen. Uttering soft sounds With their pure voices, They teach innumerable myriads Of koṭis of bodhisattvas. With their voices, deep and enticing Like the sounds of Brahma They make the people eager to hear them. In each world they teach the True Dharma; They illuminate the Buddha-Dharma And enlighten sentient beings By means of various explanations And innumerable illustrations. To those who are suffering And are cast down by old age, illness, and death They teach nirvana To extinguish their sufferings. To those who have merit, Have paid homage to the buddhas And seek the excellent Dharma, They teach the ideal of the pratyekabuddha. To those heirs of the buddhas Who have practiced in various ways And are seeking the utmost wisdom, They teach the pure path. O Mañjuśrī! Abiding here, I see and hear Thousands of koṭis of things in this way. There are many such things. I shall now explain them in brief. In these worlds I see bodhisattvas, Equal in number to the sands of the Ganges River, Seeking the path of the buddhas According to their various situations. Some undertake the practice of giving gifts, Joyfully giving gold, silver, coral, pearls, Jewels, conch shells, agates, diamonds, Servants, carts, and ornamented litters— They give these things joyfully, Transferring the merit To the path of the buddhas, Wishing to obtain this vehicle Which is the highest in the three worlds, And praised by all the buddhas. Other bodhisattvas give gifts Such as ornamented carts yoked with four horses And furnished with railings, Canopies, and decorated eaves. Moreover, I see bodhisattvas Who, seeking for the highest path, Give gifts such as their bodies, flesh, hands, And feet, as well as their wives and children. Moreover, I see bodhisattvas Who are joyfully giving their heads, eyes, and bodies, While searching for the wisdom of the buddhas. O Mañjuśrī! I see kings making pilgrimages to the buddhas, Asking about the highest path, Abandoning their prosperous lands, Palaces, subjects and harems, Shaving their heads and beards, And wearing the robes of the Dharma. I see some bodhisattvas becoming monks, Dwelling apart in tranquility, Reciting the sutras with contentment. I also see bodhisattvas Persistent and courageous, Going into remote mountains And contemplating the buddha path. I see some abandoning worldly desires, Dwelling always in lonely places, Practicing profound meditations And obtaining the five transcendent powers. I see bodhisattvas Meditating with palms pressed together, Praising the Kings of the Dharma With thousands of myriads of verses. I also see bodhisattvas, Profound in wisdom and firm in resolution, Asking the buddhas questions, Listening carefully and retaining everything. Furthermore, I see heirs of the buddhas, Endowed with concentration and wisdom, Teaching the Dharma by innumerable illustrations For the benefit of living beings, Leading and inspiring the bodhisattvas By joyously teaching the Dharma, Destroying Māra and his minions And beating the drums of the Dharma. I also see bodhisattvas Who are tranquil and silent in ease, And never exult Even in the homage paid by devas and nāgas. I see bodhisattvas Dwelling in forests, radiating light, Alleviating the suffering of beings in the hells And causing them to enter the buddha path. I also see heirs of the buddhas Who have never fallen asleep, And are constantly wandering in forests In search of the buddha path. I see some who are pure like jewels, Endowed with integrity And faultless in behavior, In search of the buddha path. Furthermore, I see heirs of the buddhas In search of the buddha path, Who have the power of perseverance And patiently endure Those of excessive pride Who abuse them verbally and physically. I see bodhisattvas Who have been searching for the buddha path For thousands of myriads of koṭis of years, And who have renounced idlers and foolish companions And approached the wise. Having singlemindedly rid themselves of inner confusion They are meditating in mountain forests. I also see bodhisattvas seeking For the highest path, Who are giving food and drink, And a hundred kinds of medicine To the Buddha and the sangha. They give superb garments and clothing Worth thousands of myriads, And priceless robes To the Buddha and the sangha. They give thousands of myriads of koṭis Of treasured monasteries made of sandalwood, And various kinds of excellent bedding To the Buddha and the sangha. They give clean garden groves Full of flowers and fruits, Fountains and bathing pools To the Buddha and the sangha. Thus they give such various excellent things, With joy and vigor, Seeking the supreme path. There are also bodhisattvas Who are teaching innumerable sentient beings The Dharma of tranquility In various ways. Furthermore, I see bodhisattvas Who have perceived the essential character Of all dharmas (phenomena) to be without duality, Just like empty space. I also see heirs of the buddhas Who are seeking the highest path Through this subtle wisdom, Their minds free of attachment. O Mañjuśrī! There are bodhisattvas Who pay homage to the relics (śarīras) of the buddhas After their parinirvāṇas. I also see heirs of the buddhas Who have built stupas As numerous as the sands of the Ganges River, With which to decorate the buddha worlds. These jeweled stupas are magnificent— Five thousand yojanas in height and Two thousand yojanas in both length and width. On each of these stupas Are one thousand banners, flags, and canopies, And jeweled bells ringing harmoniously. And devas, nāgas, humans, and nonhumans Constantly give offerings of Perfume, flowers, and music to them. O Mañjuśrī! The heirs of the buddhas Have decorated the stupas In order to pay homage to the relics. These worlds have been spontaneously Made as extraordinarily beautiful As the king of the heavenly trees When his flowers bloom. Because the Buddha has emitted this ray of light, I and those with me in the assembly can see ### [1.21](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk.1.21) These worlds of marvelous and varied beauty. The wisdom and transcendent powers Of all the buddhas are extraordinary; By emitting a single ray of light He has illuminated innumerable lands. Seeing this, we attain That which we have not met with before. O Mañjuśrī, Heir of the Buddhas! We entreat you to rid us of our confusion! The fourfold assembly is joyfully Looking up at you and me. Why did the Bhagavat emit this ray of light? O Heir of the Buddhas, now answer! Resolve our confusion and gladden us! Why is he emitting this ray of light? Will the Buddha teach us the True Dharma That he obtained while he sat On the terrace of enlightenment (bodhimaṇḍa)? Will he predict enlightenment to us? It is not for a trifling reason That all the buddha lands, ornamented With various jewels, And all the buddhas have been made visible. O Mañjuśrī! You should know that the fourfold assembly, Nāgas, and devas, Look forward to hearing What you shall reveal.” Thereupon Mañjuśrī spoke to Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Maitreya and the other worthy beings: “O sons of a virtuous family! I am very sure that the Buddha, the Bhagavat, will now teach the great Dharma, rain down the great Dharma, blow the conch of the great Dharma, beat the drum of the great Dharma, and reveal the meaning of the great Dharma. “O sons of a virtuous family! I have seen buddhas in the past who have shown this marvel and have taught the great Dharma immediately after emitting a ray of light. Therefore, you should know that in the very same way the Buddha has now emitted this light and has shown this marvel in order to cause all sentient beings to hear and understand the Dharma which in all the worlds is difficult to understand. “O sons of a virtuous family! In the past, more than innumerable, unthinkable, incalculable kalpas ago, there was a buddha called Candrasūryapradīpa, a Tathāgata, Arhat, Completely Enlightened, Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, Well-Departed, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed, Tamer of Humans, Teacher of Devas and Humans, Buddha, Bhagavat. He taught the True Dharma that was good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end. It was profound in meaning, elegant in speech, and endowed with the character of the pure path of discipline and integrity. “To those seeking for the śrāvaka vehicle he taught the Dharma with respect to the Four Noble Truths, causing them to overcome birth, old age, illness, and death and to attain nirvana. He taught the Dharma with respect to dependent origination to the pratyekabuddhas; and to the bodhisattvas he taught the Dharma with respect to the six perfections (pāramitās), causing them to attain highest, complete enlightenment and perfect all-knowledge (sarvajñātā). “Then there was another buddha named Candrasūryapradīpa, and after him another buddha also named Candrasūryapradīpa. And so in this way twenty thousand buddhas all had the same name Candrasūryapradīpa. They also had the same family name Bharadvāja. “O Maitreya! You should know that these buddhas, beginning from the ### [1.24](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk.1.24) first up to the last, all had the same name Candrasūryapradīpa, endowed with the ten epithets. The Dharma that they taught was good in the beginning, the middle, and the end. “The last buddha fathered eight princes before he renounced household life. The first was called Mati, the second Sumati, the third Anantamati, the fourth Ratimati, the fifth was called Viśeṣamati, the sixth Vimatisamudghātin, the seventh Ghoṣamati, and the eighth was called Dharmamati. These eight princes were endowed with dignity and power, and each of them ruled over four great continents. Having heard that their father had renounced household life and obtained highest, complete enlightenment, all of them abandoned their kingdoms and also renounced household life. Each caused the spirit of the Mahayana to arise within him, practiced the pure path of discipline and integrity, and became an expounder of the Dharma. They all planted roots of good merit under many thousands of myriads of buddhas. “At that time, the Buddha Candrasūryapradīpa taught the Mahayana sutra called Immeasurable Meanings, the instruction for the bodhisattvas and treasured lore of the buddhas. Having taught this sutra, he sat down cross-legged, undisturbed in body and mind among the great assembly and entered the samādhi called the ‘abode of immeasurable meanings.’ “Then māndārava and great māndārava flowers, mañjūṣaka and great mañjūṣaka flowers fell like rain from the sky, scattering over the Buddha and all of his attendants. And the whole buddha world quaked in six ways. At that time all in that assembly of humans and nonhumans—monks, nuns, laymen, laywomen, devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃ- naras, mahoragas, kings, and noble emperors—having experienced such an unprecedented marvel, were filled with joy and pressing their palms together they gazed attentively at the Buddha. “Then the Buddha emitted a ray of light from the tuft of white hair between his eyebrows which completely illuminated all the eighteen thou- sand worlds in the east, in the same way that all of these buddha worlds are visible now. “O Maitreya! You should know that at that time there were twenty koṭis of bodhisattvas in the assembly who wanted to hear the Dharma. All of these bodhisattvas, having seen all the buddha worlds completely illuminated by this ray of light, were struck with wonder and wanted to know why it was emitted. “A bodhisattva named Varaprabha was there with his eight hundred dis- ciples. At that time the Buddha Candrasūryapradīpa, having emerged from samādhi, remained sitting for sixty intermediate kalpas and revealed to Bodhi- sattva Varaprabha the Mahayana sutra called Saddharmapuṇḍarīka, the White Lotus of the Marvelous Law (hereafter Lotus Sutra), which was the instruc- tion for bodhisattvas and the treasured lore of the buddhas. The assembly also sat there undisturbed in body and mind listening to the Buddha’s exposition for sixty intermediate kalpas as if only a single mealtime had passed; during that time not a single person among them experienced fatigue of body or mind. “Having taught this sutra for sixty intermediate kalpas, the Buddha Candra- sūryapradīpa made this proclamation to the assembly of Brahmas, māras, ### [1.27](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk.1.27) śrāmaṇas, brahmans, devas, humans, and asuras, saying: On this day during the middle watch of the night, the Tathāgata will enter nirvana without residue. “Then the Buddha Candrasūryapradīpa gave this prediction to a bodhi- sattva called Śrīgarbha. Addressing the monks, he said: This Bodhisattva Śrīgarbha will become the next buddha after me. He will be called Vimalāṅganetra, a Tathāgata, Arhat, Completely Enlight- ened. “The Buddha, after having made this prediction, entered nirvana without residue during the middle of the night. After the Buddha passed into extinction, Bodhisattva Varaprabha, having preserved the Lotus Sutra, taught it to humans for the full period of eighty intermediate kalpas. “This Bodhisattva Varaprabha was made the teacher for the Buddha Candrasūryapradīpa’s eight princes. Varaprabha led and inspired them and caused them to be firm in highest, complete enlightenment. “After paying homage to innumerable hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of buddhas, all these princes attained the path of the buddhas. The last of these to become enlightened was named Dīpaṃkara. “Among the eight hundred disciples of Bodhisattva Varaprabha there was a man named Yaśaskāma who was attached to profit. Even though he had repeatedly recited the sutras he never became versed in them and forgot the greater part. That is why he was called Yaśaskāma, ‘Fame Seeker.’ But because he had also planted various roots of good merit, he was able to meet innumerable hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of buddhas whom he rendered homage to, honored, revered, and praised. “O Maitreya! You should know that Bodhisattva Varaprabha at that time was none other than myself, and Bodhisattva Yaśaskāma was none other than you. The marvel we see here is exactly the same as the previous one. Therefore I am certain that today the Tathāgata will teach the Mahayana sutra called the Lotus Sutra, the instruction for bodhisattvas and treasured lore of the buddhas.” Thereupon Mañjuśrī, wanting to explain the meaning of this further, spoke to the great assembly in verse: I remember that in the past, Innumerable incalculable kalpas ago, There was a buddha, the Best of Humans, Called Candrasūryapradīpa. This Bhagavat taught the Dharma, Leading and inspiring innumerable sentient beings And incalculable numbers of bodhisattvas, To attain the wisdom of the buddhas. Before renouncing household life The Buddha fathered eight princes. Having seen the Great Sage Renounce household life, They also followed him And practiced the pure path of discipline and integrity. At that time the Buddha taught And extensively illuminated the Mahayana sutra Called Immeasurable Meanings To the great assembly. After having taught this sutra, The Buddha sat down cross-legged On the seat of Dharma and entered the samādhi Called the “abode of immeasurable meanings.” The heavenly māndārava flowers Fell down like rain; The heavenly drums resounded spontaneously. All the devas, nāgas, and yakṣas Paid homage to the Best of Humans. All of the buddha worlds suddenly quaked greatly. And the Buddha emitted a ray of light From the tuft between his eyebrows And manifested various marvels. This ray of light illuminated The eighteen thousand buddha worlds in the east And revealed the conditions Resulting from the karma of each sentient being. Through this light of the Buddha All the buddha worlds appeared As if they were decorated with various jewels Such as lapis lazuli or crystal. All the devas, humans, nāgas, Yakṣas, gandharvas, and kiṃnaras Were each seen paying homage to the buddhas. All the Tathāgatas, who had spontaneously attained The path of the buddhas, Looked majestic and very beautiful With bodies like golden mountains. Each Bhagavat appeared like a golden image In the midst of lapis lazuli, Expounding the meaning Of the profound Dharma to the great assembly. There were innumerable śrāvakas In each of the buddha worlds, And they saw all the great assemblies Because of the light of the Buddha. There were also monks Living in mountain forests, Who, through persistence, possessed purity of conduct, Which they protected like a precious jewel. There were bodhisattvas, As numerous as the sands of the Ganges River, Practicing by giving (dāna), perseverance (kṣānti), and so on (i.e., the six perfections), Who also became visible through the light of the Buddha. There were bodhisattvas, who, Having entered deep samādhi, Were tranquil and undisturbed in body and mind, And who were seen seeking for the highest path. There were also bodhisattvas, Who, knowing the tranquil character of the Dharma, Were seen teaching the Dharma And seeking the path of the buddhas In each of the buddha worlds. At that time the fourfold assembly, Having seen the Buddha Candrasūryapradīpa Manifest these great transcendent powers, Became delighted, and asked each other What the reason for this could be. The Noble One, revered by devas and humans, Then emerged from samādhi and Praised Bodhisattva Varaprabha, saying: You are the Eye of the World. You are believed in by all and Possess the treasure house of the Dharma. You are the only one who can understand The Dharma that I have taught! The Bhagavat praised Varaprabha, delighting him, And taught this Lotus Sutra For the full period of sixty intermediate kalpas Without rising from his seat. This expounder of the Dharma, Varaprabha, Firmly and completely Preserved this most excellent Dharma That was taught by the Buddha. After having taught this Lotus Sutra And having then gladdened the assembly On that very day, The Buddha told the assembly of devas and humans: I have already taught you the meaning Of the essential character of all dharmas. Today I will enter nirvana In the middle of the night. Exert yourselves attentively And rid yourselves of negligence! The buddhas are extremely hard to meet And can be encountered only once In koṭis of kalpas! All the sons of the Bhagavat, On hearing that the Buddha was to enter nirvana, Became sad, thinking: Why will the Buddha enter nirvana so soon? The Noble Lord, the King of the Dharma, Consoled the innumerable beings saying: Do not fear after I enter nirvana! This Bodhisattva Śrīgarbha has fully realized The true character of freedom from corruption And after me he will become A buddha named Vimalāṅganetra. And then he will bring Innumerable sentient beings to the path. And that night the Buddha entered nirvana, Like a fire that goes out when the wood is exhausted. His relics were distributed And innumerable stupas were built. There were monks and nuns, As numerous as the sands of the Ganges River, Who increased their efforts And sought for the highest path. This expounder of the Dharma, Varaprabha, Possessed of the treasure house of the Buddha, Extensively proclaimed the Lotus Sutra For eighty intermediate kalpas. All of the eight princes Led and inspired by Varaprabha, Became firmly established In the highest path, And met innumerable buddhas. After having paid homage to the buddhas And following them in their practice of the great path, ### [1.29](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk.1.29) They all in turn received their predictions, Becoming buddhas in succession. The last Buddha, the Highest of Devas, Was called Dīpaṃkara, And, as the leader of all the sages, Had brought innumerable sentient beings to the path. This expounder of the Dharma, Varaprabha, Had one disciple who was lazy And attached to fame and fortune. This disciple ceaselessly sought these things And amused himself from house to house. He abandoned recitation of the sutras, And, forgetting them, Never became versed in them. For this very reason he was named Yaśaskāma. But since he had also performed many good deeds, He was able to meet innumerable buddhas. He paid homage to all these buddhas And having practiced the great path after them, Acquired all the six perfections and Now meets the Lion of the Śākyas. He shall subsequently become a buddha called Maitreya Who will extensively bring Innumerable sentient beings to the path. After the parinirvāṇa of that Buddha Candrasūryapradīpa, The lazy one was none other than you; And the expounder of the Dharma, Varaprabha, Was no one but myself. When I saw the Buddha Dīpaṃkara He also revealed this marvel of light. That is why I know that this buddha Will now teach the Lotus Sutra. This sign is just like the previous marvel. It is the skillful means of all the buddhas. The Buddha has now emitted this ray of light In order to reveal The essential character of dharmas. Now it should be clear to everyone. Wait attentively with palms pressed together! Having rained the Dharma, The Buddha will satisfy those seeking the path. If there is anyone seeking the three vehicles Who still has any doubts, The Buddha will completely remove them, Extinguishing them with none left over. Skillful Means At that time the Bhagavat arose tranquilly with insight out of samādhi and addressed Śāriputra: “Profound and immeasurable is the wisdom of the buddhas. The gate to their wisdom is hard to enter and difficult to understand. None of the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas may be capable of understanding it. Why is this? The buddhas have closely attended innumerable hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of other buddhas. They have exhaustively carried out practices with courage and persistence under uncountable numbers of buddhas, their names becoming universally renowned. They have perfected this profound and unprecedented Dharma, and their intention in adapt- ### [1.31](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk.1.31) ing their explanations to what is appropriate is difficult to understand. “O Śāriputra! After attaining buddhahood I expounded the teaching extensively with various explanations and illustrations, and with skillful means (upāya) led sentient beings to rid themselves of their attachments. Why is this? Because all the Tathāgatas have attained perfect mastery of skillful means, wisdom, and insight. “O Śāriputra! The wisdom and insight of the Tathāgatas is extensive, profound, immeasurable, and unhindered. They are possessed of power, fearlessness, meditation, liberation, and samādhi that is profound and endless. They have completely attained this unprecedented Dharma. “O Śāriputra! The Tathāgatas can, through various methods, skillfully illuminate the Dharma with gentle speech and gladden the hearts of the assemblies. “O Śāriputra! To put it briefly, the buddhas have attained this immeasurable, limitless, and unprecedented Dharma. Enough, O Śāriputra, I will speak no further. Why is this? Because the Dharma that the buddhas have attained is foremost, unique, and difficult to understand. No one but the buddhas can completely know the real aspects of all dharmas—that is to say their character, nature, substance, potential, function, cause, condition, result, effect, and essential unity.” Thereupon the Bhagavat spoke these verses to explain this meaning again: The Heroes of the World are inconceivable, Neither devas, humans, nor any other sentient beings Are able to comprehend them. No one is able to discern the power, fearlessness, Liberation, samādhi, and Other attributes of the buddhas. Formerly, under innumerable buddhas, They have fully accomplished their practices And the Dharma, which is profound and excellent, Hard to perceive and difficult to understand. Having pursued these practices For innumerable koṭis of kalpas, I attained the result on the terrace of enlightenment And understood completely. I and the buddhas of the ten directions Know such matters, Such as the great results and rewards, And the meaning of various aspects and characteristics. It is impossible to explain this Dharma; The powers of speech fail. No other sentient being is able to understand it, Except for those bodhisattvas Who, in their belief, are willing to understand. Even the multitude of the Buddha’s disciples, Who have formerly paid homage to all the buddhas, Who have put an end to all their corruption And are bearing their last bodies, ### [1.34](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk.1.34) Are not able to understand it. Even if this whole world Were filled with those such as Śāriputra, And they tried together to comprehend it, They still would not be able to understand completely The wisdom of the buddhas. Again, even if the worlds of the ten directions Were filled with such disciples As Śāriputra, And they tried together to comprehend it, They still would not be able to completely understand. And even if the worlds of the ten directions Were filled with pratyekabuddhas, As numerous as bamboo trees in a grove, Who had keen wisdom And were bearing their last bodies, Free from corruption, Even if they tried together singlemindedly, For innumerable kalpas, To comprehend the wisdom of the buddhas, Still they would not understand it in the least. Even if the worlds of the ten directions Were packed as thick as stalks of rice, Flax, bamboo, and reeds With bodhisattvas, recent aspirants to enlightenment, Who had paid homage to innumerable buddhas— Though they fully understood the meaning And could expound the Dharma, Even with this subtle wisdom, If they tried together singlemindedly to comprehend, For as many kalpas as the sands of the Ganges River, They still would not be able to know The wisdom of the buddhas. Even if bodhisattvas, As numerous as the sands of the Ganges River, Who had reached the stage of nonretrogression, Tried together singlemindedly to comprehend it, Still they would not be able to know. The Buddha, still speaking to Śāriputra, said: I have already attained the profound and subtle Dharma That is incorruptible And beyond all comprehension. Only I and the buddhas of the ten directions know this. O Śāriputra! You should know that the words Of the buddhas are never inconsistent. You should trust fully in the Dharma That the Buddha expounds; The Dharma of the Bhagavat Has been in existence for a long time. I will now definitely expound the truth. I address myself to the śrāvakas And those seeking the pratyekabuddha vehicle. It was I who caused them to become free From the bondage of suffering, and to attain nirvana. I have revealed the teaching of the three vehicles With the power of the skillful means of the buddhas So as to free the sentient beings From their various human attachments. At that time it occurred to the great assembly of twelve hundred śrā- vakas, arhats free from corruption, beginning with Ājñātakauṇḍinya, and the ### [1.35](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk.1.35) other monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen who had set out to become śrā- vakas and pratyekabuddhas: “Why has the Bhagavat just now so earnestly praised skillful means? For what reason has he declared that the Dharma that the buddhas have attained is very profound and difficult to understand? Why has he said that their intention in adapting their teaching to what is appro- priate is so difficult to comprehend that all the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas are not able to understand it? “As long as the Buddha taught the meaning of the single liberation we thought we had attained that Dharma and achieved nirvana. But now we do not understand what he means.” At that time Śāriputra, aware of the confusion of the fourfold assem- blies and himself also feeling confused, addressed the Buddha saying: “O Bhagavat! For what reason and on what grounds have you so earnestly praised the unique skillful means of the buddhas and the profound and subtle Dharma that is difficult to understand? Never before have I heard such a thing from the Buddha. Now Bhagavat, I entreat you to explain this because the fourfold assemblies are confused. O Bhagavat! Why have you so earnestly praised the Dharma that is profound, subtle, and difficult to understand?” Thereupon Śāriputra, wanting to further explain what he meant, spoke these verses: O Great Seer, Sun of Wisdom! Now, after a long time, You have taught this Dharma, saying, I have attained the inconceivable Dharma, That is to say, power, fearlessness, Samādhi, meditation, and liberation. No one has ever questioned the Dharma That I attained on the terrace of enlightenment. No one has ever questioned my intentions, So difficult to conceive. Without being asked You explained it by yourself And praised the path you have practiced, saying, The wisdom the buddhas have attained Is extremely subtle! The arhats free from corruption And those seeking nirvana Have all fallen into confusion. Why has the Buddha said this? Those seeking to become pratyekabuddhas, Monks, nuns, devas, nāgas, Yakṣas, gandharvas, and the others Glanced at each other in confusion And looking toward the Best of Humans asked: O Buddha! We entreat you to explain why this is so! The Buddha has said that I am the foremost Among the śrāvakas, yet now I am confused About my own knowledge and unable to understand. Is it the ultimate Dharma? Is it a path to be practiced? ### [1.38](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk.1.38) The sons born from the mouths of the buddhas Stand waiting with palms pressed together, Looking at the Buddha. I entreat you to proclaim the truth, Speaking in the finest voice! The devas, nāgas, and others, As numerous as the sands of the Ganges River, As many as eighty thousand bodhisattvas Who are seeking buddhahood, and noble emperors Who have come from myriads of koṭis of countries, Are all standing respectfully with palms pressed together Asking how to accomplish the path. Then the Buddha addressed Śāriputra, saying: “Enough, enough! Speak no more! If I explained this matter, the devas and humans in all the worlds would be astounded.” Then Śāriputra again addressed the Buddha: “O Bhagavat! Please explain it! I entreat you to explain it, because in this assembly there are innumerable hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of incalculable sentient beings, sharp in faculties and possessed of wisdom, who have previously encoun- tered the buddhas. When they hear the teaching of the Buddha they will trust, believe, and accept it.” Thereupon Śāriputra spoke in verse to explain this again: O King of the Dharma, the Best of Humans! I entreat you to explain it. Please explain it without hesitation! In this assembly there are innumerable sentient beings Who will trust and accept it. Then the Buddha again tried to dissuade Śāriputra, saying: “If I explain it, the devas, humans, and asuras in all the worlds will be astounded, and arrogant monks will certainly go to their downfall.” At that time the Bhagavat again spoke in verse: Enough, enough! Speak no more! The Dharma that I have attained Is excellent and incomprehensible. Though the arrogant hear it, They will never accept it. And again Śāriputra addressed the Buddha, saying: “O Bhagavat! Please explain it! Please explain it! In this assembly there are people like me and others, numbering into the hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of beings, who have been led and inspired by the buddhas in their former existences. Such people will certainly trust, believe, and accept it. And they will benefit, profit, and receive solace from it for a very long time.” Thereupon Śāriputra spoke these verses to elaborate on what he meant: O Best of Humans! Please teach the ultimate Dharma! I am the eldest son of the Buddha. Please illuminate and explain it! Innumerable beings in this assembly Will certainly trust and accept this Dharma, Because the Buddha in former existences Led and inspired such people. ### [1.48](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk.1.48) All of them will attentively listen and accept, Their palms pressed together, To the words of the Buddha. I entreat you to illuminate and explain it For the assembly of twelve hundred people like me, And the others seeking buddhahood. When they hear this Dharma They will bring forth great joy. Then the Bhagavat spoke to Śāriputra, saying: “You have now persistently asked me three times. How could I possibly not explain it to you? Therefore listen carefully and pay close attention! I will now illuminate and explain it.” When he said this, five thousand monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen in the assembly immediately got up from their seats, bowed to the Buddha, and left. What was the reason for this? Because the roots of error among this group had been deeply planted and they were arrogant, thinking they had attained what they had not attained and had realized what they had not realized. Because of such defects they did not stay. And the Bhagavat remained silent and did not stop them. Then the Buddha addressed Śāriputra: “My assembly here is free of useless twigs and leaves; only the pure essence remains. “O Śāriputra! Let the arrogant ones go! Listen carefully and I will explain it to you.” Then Śāriputra replied: “Indeed, O Bhagavat, I greatly desire to hear it.” Then the Buddha addressed Śāriputra: “Only very rarely do the Buddha Tathāgatas teach such a True Dharma as this, as rarely as the uḍumbara flower blooms. “O Śāriputra! Trust and accept what the Buddha teaches! My words are never false. “O Śāriputra! The real intention of all the buddhas in adapting their explanations to what is appropriate is difficult to understand. Why is this? Because I have expounded the teachings with innumerable skillful means and various kinds of explanations and illustrations. Yet this Dharma is beyond reason and discernment. Only the buddhas can understand it. Why is this? Because the Buddha Bhagavats appear in this world for one great purpose alone. O Śāriputra! Now I will explain why I said that the Buddha Bhagavats appear in this world for only one great purpose. “The Buddha Bhagavat appear in this world to cause sentient beings to aspire toward purity and the wisdom and insight of the buddhas. They appear in this world to manifest the wisdom and insight of the buddhas to sentient beings. They appear in this world to cause sentient beings to attain the wisdom and insight of a buddha’s enlightenment. They appear in this world in order to cause sentient beings to enter the path of the wisdom and insight of a buddha. “O Śāriputra! For this one great reason alone the buddhas have appeared in this world.” The Buddha addressed Śāriputra, saying: “The Buddha Tathāgatas lead ### [1.53](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk.1.53) and inspire only bodhisattvas. All the acts of a buddha are always for one purpose. The buddhas manifest their wisdom and insight solely to inspire sentient beings to enlightenment. “O Śāriputra! A Tathāgata teaches sentient beings the Dharma only through the single buddha vehicle. There is no other, neither a second nor a third. “O Śāriputra! The true nature of all the buddhas of the ten directions is exactly like this. “O Śāriputra! All the buddhas of the past expounded the teachings for the sake of sentient beings, using incalculable and innumerable skillful means and various explanations and illustrations. These teachings were all for the sake of the single buddha vehicle. All these sentient beings, hearing the Dharma from the buddhas, finally attained omniscience. “O Śāriputra! All the future buddhas who will appear in the world will expound the teachings for the sake of sentient beings, using incalculable and innumerable skillful means and various explanations and illustrations. These teachings will all be for the single buddha vehicle. All sentient beings who hear this Dharma from these buddhas will ultimately attain omniscience. “O Śāriputra! All the Buddha Bhagavats of the present, in immeasurable hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of buddha worlds of the ten directions, teach the Dharma to sentient beings using incalculable and innumerable skillful means with various explanations and illustrations to benefit many of them and cause them to feel at peace. These Dharmas are all of the single buddha vehicle. All the sentient beings who hear the Dharma from these buddhas will ultimately attain omniscience. “O Śāriputra! These buddhas lead and inspire only bodhisattvas, because they want to teach sentient beings with the wisdom and insight of the Buddha, to enlighten sentient beings with the wisdom and insight of the Buddha, and to cause sentient beings to enter the path of the wisdom and insight of the Buddha. “O Śāriputra! I too am now like this. Having understood the various desires and deep-rooted inclinations of sentient beings, I teach the Dharma according to their capacities through the power of skillful means, using various explanations and illustrations. “O Śāriputra! I do this in order to cause them to attain the omniscience of the single buddha vehicle. “O Śāriputra! Since there is no second vehicle in the worlds of the ten directions, how could there be a third! “O Śāriputra! The buddhas appear in the troubled world of the five defile- ments, which are the defilement of the kalpa, the defilement through desire’s confusion, the defilement of sentient beings, the defilement of views, and the defilement of lifespan. Therefore, O Śāriputra, in the period of the deca- dent kalpa, because sentient beings are filthy, greedy, jealous, and develop roots of error, all the buddhas illuminate the three \[vehicles\] with the power of skillful means in order to teach the single buddha vehicle. “O Śāriputra! If any of my disciples declare that they are arhats or pratyekabuddhas, and do not listen or comprehend that all the Buddha Tathā- gatas teach only the bodhisattvas, they are not disciples of the buddhas, nor are they arhats or pratyekabuddhas. ### [1.60](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk.1.60) “Again, O Śāriputra! If there are any monks or nuns who would declare that they have attained arhatship, that they are bearing their last bodies and are destined for complete nirvana, and yet who have not sought highest, com- plete enlightenment, they should be considered arrogant people. “Why is this? Because there is no case in which a monk who has actu- ally achieved arhatship does not believe in this Dharma, except after the Buddha has entered parinirvāṇa and there is no buddha present. “What is the reason for this? Because after the parinirvāṇa of the Buddha it is hard to find people who preserve, recite, and understand the meaning of the sutras like this. But if they should meet other buddhas they will imme- diately understand this teaching. “O Śāriputra! You should wholeheartedly accept and preserve the words of the Buddha. The words of the Buddha Tathāgatas are never false. There are no other vehicles, only the single buddha vehicle.” Thereupon the Bhagavat, wanting to elaborate the meaning of this fur- ther, uttered these verses: In the fourfold assembly there were five thousand Monks and nuns who were excessively proud, Laymen who were arrogant, And laywomen who were unaccepting. They did not see their own defects, Being faulty in self-discipline, And clung to their shortcomings; These of little wisdom have already left. Through the virtuous dignity of the Buddha The dregs of the assembly have departed. Having little virtue, These people were incapable of accepting this Dharma. Free of useless twigs and leaves, Only the pure essence of this assembly remains. O Śāriputra, listen carefully! All the buddhas teach the Dharma That they have attained Through the immeasurable power of skillful means, For the sake of sentient beings. Completely knowing their intentions, Their various ways of practice, Their wishes and capacities, And the good and bad karma Of their previous lives, The Buddha gladdens all sentient beings With the power of words and skillful means, Using examples and illustrations. The Buddha teaches by means of sutras, verses, Stories of his past deeds, and of past events, Miraculous tales, explanatory tales, Allegories, poems, and exegeses. The Buddha teaches nirvana To those with dull faculties, Who are satisfied with lowly aspirations And attached to birth and death, Who have not practiced the profound path In the presence of innumerable buddhas And are confused by suffering. Having devised this skillful means I enable them to enter the wisdom of the buddhas. But I have never said That all of you would attain The path of the buddhas. I have never said this Because the occasion never arose. Now is precisely the right time for me To teach definitively the Mahayana. I apply these nine kinds of teachings According to the capacities of sentient beings. I teach these sutras Because they are the basis for entering the Mahayana. I teach the Mahayana sutras To those heirs of the buddhas Who are pure in mind, mild, and receptive, Have keen faculties, And who have practiced the profound path Under immeasurable buddhas. I predict that such people Will attain the path of the buddhas In their future lives, Because they keep the buddhas in mind With profound thoughts And practice pure conduct. Hearing that they shall attain buddhahood They will be filled with great joy; Because a buddha knows their intentions He teaches the Mahayana. Those śrāvakas or bodhisattvas, Who have heard even a single verse Of the Dharma that I have taught, Will all become buddhas. There can be no doubt about it. In the buddha worlds of the ten directions There is only the Dharma of the single vehicle. Apart from the skillful means of the buddhas, There is neither a second nor a third \[vehicle\]. A buddha merely uses provisional words In order to lead sentient beings. All the buddhas appear in the world To teach the wisdom of the buddhas. Only this one thing is real, The other two are not true. In the end, A buddha does not save sentient beings Through an inferior vehicle. The buddhas themselves Abide in the Mahayana; The Dharma that they have attained, Is adorned with meditation, wisdom, and power; And through these they save the sentient beings. I would be ungenerous If I were to lead and inspire even a single person Through an inferior vehicle, Having attained the highest path, The universal Dharma of the Mahayana. This is simply not possible. If anyone takes refuge in the Buddha, The Tathāgata will not deceive him. A Tathāgata has neither stinginess nor jealousy And has detached himself From the evils of the phenomenal world. That is why the buddhas of the ten directions Are the only ones who have no fear. Having a body adorned with the marks of a buddha, Emitting a ray of light that illuminates the worlds And revered by immeasurable sentient beings, I teach the signs of the true aspects Of the phenomenal world. O Śāriputra! You should now know That originally I made a vow To make all sentient beings my equal Without any difference. Now I have already fulfilled this vow That I made in the past. I will lead and inspire all sentient beings And cause them to enter the path of the buddhas. If I met sentient beings And taught them till the end the path of the buddhas, Those with little understanding Would be confused and perplexed And would not accept the teaching. I know that these sentient beings Have never cultivated the roots of good merit. They are attached to the desires of the five senses, Disordered by delusion and passion, And have fallen into the three troubled states of being Because of these desires. They are wandering through The six transmigratory states, Tormented by every kind of suffering. They are continually being born as tiny embryos In one world after another. These people of few qualities and little merit Are afflicted by various sufferings. They enter into the jungle of sixty-two false views Such as “This exists” or “This does not exist.” They are so firmly and deeply attached to false teachings That they cannot get rid of them. They are arrogant, proud, deceitful, and dishonest. They have heard neither the names Nor the True Dharma of the buddhas For thousands of myriads of koṭis of kalpas. Such people are difficult to save. That is why, O Śāriputra, I devised the method of teaching The way to extinguish all suffering through nirvana. Even though I taught nirvana, It is not the true extinction. Every existing thing from the very beginning Has always had the mark of quiescence. The heirs of the buddhas who practice this path Will thereafter become buddhas in the future. With the power of skillful means I have presented the teachings of the three vehicles. Yet all of the Bhagavats Teach the path of the single vehicle. This great assembly Should now rid itself of confusion. The words of the buddhas are not inconsistent. There is only the single vehicle; There is no other. In the past innumerable kalpas There appeared immeasurable and incalculable buddhas, Hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis in number, Who have attained parinirvāṇa. All the Bhagavats Taught the characteristics of all dharmas With the power of innumerable skillful means, Using various examples and illustrations. All these Bhagavats Taught the Dharma of the single vehicle, Led and inspired immeasurable sentient beings, And enabled them to enter the path of the buddhas. Understanding the deepest desires of the entire world Of the devas, humans, and other beings, The Great Sage Lord has illuminated The highest meaning With diverse skillful means. All those sentient beings Who encountered and heard the teaching Of the buddhas of the past, And who accumulated various merits Through acts of giving (dāna), integrity (śīla), perseverance (kṣānti), Diligence (vīrya), meditation (dhyāna), and wisdom (prajñā) (i.e., the six perfections) Have certainly attained the path of the buddhas. And after the parinirvāṇa of the buddhas, Those sentient beings with well-governed minds Have certainly attained the path of the buddhas. After the buddhas attained parinirvāṇa, All those who paid homage to the relics, Who made myriads of koṭis of stupas Extensively and beautifully adorned with gold, silver, Crystal, mother of pearl, agate, ruby, Lapis lazuli, and pearl; Those who made rock stupas, Stupas out of sandal, aloe, deodar, and other woods, As well as brick, tile, mud, and other materials; All those who made buddha stupas Out of piles of earth in desolate places; And even children in play Who made buddha stupas out of heaps of sand— All such people have certainly attained The path of the buddhas. And all those who made images of the buddhas Carved with their extraordinary marks Have certainly attained the path of the buddhas. All those who made buddha images Out of the seven treasures, Decorated with brass, copper, pewter, lead, Tin, iron, wood, mud, glue, lacquer, and cloth, Have certainly attained the path of the buddhas. All those who made or had others make buddha images Painted with the one hundred embellishing Marks of merit, Have certainly attained the path of the buddhas. This even includes children in play Who have drawn a buddha image With a blade of grass or a twig, Brush or fingernail. Such people, having gradually accumulated merit And perfected great compassion, Have certainly attained the path of the buddhas. Leading and inspiring the bodhisattvas, They save countless sentient beings. All those who paid homage to stupas, Sculpted or painted images, Honoring them with flowers, perfumes, Banners, and canopies; Those who paid homage with all kinds of sweet music— With drums, horns, conches, pipes, flutes, lutes, harps, Mandolins, gongs, and cymbals; Those who joyfully praised the qualities of the buddhas With various songs or Even with a single low-pitched sound, Have certainly attained the path of the buddhas. Those who, even with distracted minds Have offered a single flower to a painted image Will in time see innumerable buddhas. Or those who have done obeisance to images, Or merely pressed their palms together, Or raised a single hand, or nodded their heads, Will in due time see immeasurable buddhas. They will attain the highest path And extensively save innumerable sentient beings. They will enter nirvana without residue Just as a fire goes out after its wood is exhausted. Those who, even with distracted minds, Entered a stupa compound And chanted but once, “Homage to the Buddha!” Have certainly attained the path of the buddhas. Anyone who heard this teaching, Either in the presence of a past buddha Or after their parinirvāṇa, Has certainly attained the path of the buddhas. The future Bhagavats, Tathāgatas, Immeasurable in number, Will teach the Dharma with skillful means. All the Tathāgatas Will save sentient beings With immeasurable skillful means, Causing them to enter the wisdom of the buddhas That is free from corruption. Of those hearing this Dharma There will be no one Who will not become a buddha. The original vow of the buddhas Was to cause all sentient beings to universally Attain the very same buddha path That I have practiced. Even though the buddhas of the future Will teach hundreds of thousands of koṭis Of innumerable paths to the Dharma, Their teachings will actually be For the sake of the single vehicle. All the buddhas, the Best of Humans, Know that all dharmas are ever without substance And that the buddha-seeds germinate Through dependent origination. That is why they will teach the single vehicle. Having realized on the terrace of enlightenment That the state of the Dharma Is permanent and unchangeable in this world, The Leaders will teach with skillful means. The present buddhas of the ten directions, As numerous as the sands of the Ganges River, Revered by devas and humans, Appear in the world and teach this Dharma To make sentient beings feel at peace. They know the utmost tranquility, And although they teach various paths With the power of skillful means, Their teachings are actually for the buddha vehicle. Knowing the character of sentient beings— Their deep intentions, past acts, Wishes, persistence, and strength, Their keen or dull faculties— The buddhas teach with skillful means Using various explanations, illustrations, and words, In accordance with the capacities of sentient beings. Now I too reveal the path of the buddhas Through various paths to the Dharma To make sentient beings feel at peace. Through the power of my wisdom I know the dispositions and desires of sentient beings, And explain various teachings with skillful means, Enabling them all to obtain joy. O Śāriputra! You should know that through the buddha-eye I see beings wandering in the six states of existence Who are poor, deprived of merit and wisdom, Who are entering into the bitter path of birth and death, And are suffering repeatedly and without end. They are deeply attached to the desires of the five senses, Just as yaks are attached to their tails. Obstructed by greed, they are blind and cannot see. They do not seek the buddha who has great power, Nor the Dharma that cuts off suffering. Deeply immersed in false views, They try to eliminate suffering through suffering. I feel great compassion For such sentient beings. Sitting on the terrace of enlightenment for the first time, Looking at the bodhi tree And walking about, During those twenty-one days I was thinking thus: The wisdom I have attained Is subtle and supreme. But the faculties of sentient beings are dull. They are attached to pleasures and blinded by delusion. How can I save such beings? Then Brahma and his devaputras, Śakra, The world-protectors of the four quarters, Maheśvara and the other devas, Together with a retinue of hundreds Of thousands of myriads of attendants, Paid their respects with palms pressed together And begged me to turn the wheel of the Dharma. Then I thought: If I only praise the buddha vehicles, Those beings who are submerged in suffering Will not believe this Dharma. Because they reject and do not believe the Dharma, They will fall into the three troubled states of being. I would rather not teach the Dharma And instead immediately enter nirvana. Then I thought of the power of skillful means Practiced by past buddhas. This path that I have attained Should now also be taught as the three vehicles. When I thought this, The buddhas of the ten directions appeared And with beautiful voices praised me saying: O Śākyamuni! Splendid! O Supreme Leader, You have attained the highest Dharma, And yet still use the power of skillful means, Following all the other buddhas. We too have attained the best and utmost Dharma And with discretion have explained the three vehicles For the sake of sentient beings. Those with little wisdom Seek inferior teachings And do not believe that they will become buddhas. That is why we use skillful means And with discretion teach of various results. Although we teach the three vehicles It is just for the instruction of the bodhisattvas! O Śāriputra! You should know That when I heard this profound And beautiful roar of the Noble Lions, I chanted with joy, “Homage to the buddhas!” And I thought: Since I have been born in this defiled world I will follow the other buddhas And expound what they have expounded. After contemplating this I set out for Vārāṇasī. All dharmas have the tranquil character Of the Dharma: This could not be expressed in words, So I taught the five monks Through the power of skillful means. This I named: “Turning the Wheel of the Dharma,” And immediately the word nirvana appeared in it And the different designations for Arhat (Buddha), Dharma, and Sangha. From a great many kalpas ago I have always taught like this: I have praised and illuminated The teaching of nirvana, Saying that it ends the sufferings Of birth and death. O Śāriputra! You should know that I see Immeasurable thousands of myriads of koṭis Of the Buddha’s heirs, Who, having set out for the buddha path, And heard the Dharma explained with skillful means, Have respectfully come before the Buddha. Then I thought: The reason why the Tathāgatas appear is To explain the wisdom of the buddhas. Now is precisely the right time for this! O Śāriputra! You should know that Those who have dull faculties and little wisdom, And those who are attached to mere signs and Are arrogant cannot accept this teaching. Now I am happy and fearless. Having openly set aside skillful means, I will teach only the highest path To all the bodhisattvas. Having heard this teaching The bodhisattvas and twelve hundred arhats, Freeing themselves from the web of doubt, Will all become buddhas. Just as the buddhas in the three periods Of the past, present, and future, Teach the true nature of the Dharma, Now I too will expound the Dharma That is beyond conception. All the buddhas Appear in worlds far away And are difficult to meet. Even if they appear in this world It is difficult to hear their teaching. Even in immeasurable, innumerable kalpas It is difficult to hear this Dharma, And those who are able to hear this Dharma Are also hard to find. They are just like the uḍumbara flower Which appears only once in a very long while And, beloved by all, Is considered a wonder among devas and humans. _First 16 of 152 passages. [Read on](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk)_ --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk) · Pramāṇa