維摩經義疏 6.9

6.9

經有三分，序、正已說，今次辨流通。流通有二：一者讚歎、二者付囑，即兩品文也。〈法供養品〉者，法謂大乘了義究竟之法也。如說而行，自養法身；如行而說，養他法身。此二並以稱會佛心，即是供養於佛，名法供養。品開為二：一天帝歎法美人、二如來印述。初有三句：一歎所聞法、二美能聞之人、三結誓弘護。「爾時釋提桓因於大眾中白佛言：世尊！我雖從佛及文殊師利聞百千經，未曾聞此不可思議自在神通決定實相經典」下，此初句，歎法也。《大品》等廣故難尋，此簡其略故歎未曾有也。《智度論》云「說智慧多對出家人，明福德多對在家人。」今既明功德，是以天主稱歎勸修福。「如我解佛所說義趣，若有眾生聞是經法，信解受行讀誦之者，必得是法不疑，何況如說修行。斯人則為閉眾惡趣、開諸善門，常為諸佛之所護念；降伏外學、摧滅魔怨，修治菩提、安處道場，履踐如來所行之跡」下，此第二次歎人也。「世尊！若有受持、讀誦、如說修行行者，我當與諸眷屬供養給事，所在聚落、城邑、山林、曠野有是經處，我亦與諸眷屬聽受法故共到其所，其未信者，當令生信；其已信者，當為作護」。此第三結誓弘護。「佛言：善哉善哉！天帝！如汝所說，吾助汝喜。此經廣說過去、未來、現在諸佛不可思議阿耨多羅三藐三菩提故」。此第二明佛述成。成上三章，即為三意。此初第一述歎法也。「天帝！若善男子、善女人，受持、讀誦、供養是經者，則為供養去來今佛」下，此第二述其歎人。初正述歎，次須格量。此初文也。「天帝！正使三千大千世界，如來滿中，譬如甘蔗、竹葦、稻麻、叢林，若有善男子、善女人，或一劫或減一劫，恭敬、尊重、讚歎、供養，奉諸所安，乃至諸佛滅後，以一一全身舍利起七寶塔，縱廣一四天下、高至梵天，表剎莊嚴，以一切華香、瓔珞、幢幡、伎樂，微妙第一，若一劫若減一劫而供養之。於天帝意云何？其人殖福，寧為多不？釋提桓因言：多矣，世尊！彼之福德，若以百千億劫說不盡。佛告天帝：當知是善男子、善女人聞是不可思議解脫經典，信解、受持、讀誦、修行，福多於彼。所以者何？諸佛菩提皆從是生。菩提之相不可限量，以是因緣，福不可量」。此第二須辨格量。「佛告天帝：過去無量阿僧祇劫，時世有佛，號藥王如來、應供、正遍知、明行足、善逝、世間解、無上士、調御丈夫、天人師、佛、世尊。世界名曰大莊嚴，劫名莊嚴，佛壽二十小劫，其聲聞僧六十六億那由他，菩薩僧有十二億。天帝！是時轉輪聖王，名曰寶蓋，七寶具足，主四天下。王有千子，端正勇健，能伏怨敵。爾時，寶蓋與其眷屬，供養藥王如來，施諸所安，至滿五劫。過五劫已，告其千子：汝等亦當如我，皆以深心供養於佛。於是千子受父王命，供養藥王如來，復滿五劫。一切施安」下，此第三引往古事，述成天帝結誓弘護。就文為五：一明法供緣起、二正明法供、三聞法供得益、四會古今、五總結也。此即初文。「其王一子，名曰月蓋，獨坐思惟：寧有供養殊過此者？以佛神力，空中有天曰：善男子！法之供養。勝諸供養。即問：何謂法之供養？天曰：汝可往問藥王如來，當廣為汝說法之供養。即時月蓋王子行詣藥王如來，稽首佛足，却住一面，白佛言：世尊！諸供養中，法供養勝。云何名為法之供養？佛言：善男子！法供養者，諸佛所說深經」下，此第二正明法供養。深經者，謂方等了義究竟之經也。「一切世間難信難受，微妙難見，清淨無染，非但分別思惟之所能得」下，非但分別者，謂非智慧分別之所能得也。思惟之所得者，要由禪定方乃得也。又要由正觀然後能得耳，非分別取相思惟之所得也。「菩薩法藏所攝」。大明佛法，凡有二藏：為小乘人說，名聲聞藏；為大乘人說，名菩薩藏。「陀羅尼印印之」下，陀羅尼是行，以念智為體。記法不忘為念也，知生法不生，是智也。一者聞持，持教不忘；二者思議，持義不失。持義不失，故不可改，所以為印。又釋持有多門，此是實相總持，以實相對印此經，名深經也。「至不退轉」。行深經必得不退也。「成就六度，善分別義、順菩提法，眾經之上，入大慈悲」下，由慈悲故能知深經，知深經必入慈悲，以此經教菩薩化益眾生，故可入慈悲也。「離眾魔事及諸邪見，順因緣法」下，深經所說因緣非定有無，故順因緣也。「無我、無人、無眾生、無壽命，空、無相、無作、無起，能令眾生坐於道場」，先坐道場，正是入金剛三昧。若通論，萬行悉能起道，名為道場。此深經能令坐此二道場也。「而轉法輪，諸天、龍、鬼、乾闥婆等所共歎譽，能令眾生入佛法藏，攝諸賢聖一切智慧，說眾菩薩所行之道，依於諸法實相之義，明宣無常、苦、空、無我寂滅之法」下，不依實相而解無常者，則破常而著無常；若依實相而說無常，則破常不著無常，謂明宣之義也。「能救一切毀禁眾生」下，四重五逆，小乘不能救之，大乘無所不濟也。「諸魔外道及貪著者，則能使怖畏」下，外道為見、貪著是愛，深經能轉其愛見，則於愛見生怖畏也。「諸佛賢聖所共稱歎，背生死苦，示涅槃樂，十方三世諸佛所說」下，自上已來，正明法也。「若聞如是等經，信解、受持、讀誦」。此明如法修行，稱會佛心，謂供養也。「以方便力，為諸眾生分別解說、顯示分明，守護法故，是名為法之供養」下，此明如行而說，令諸人悟道法。是又使前人資養法身並稱順佛心，名法供養。「又於諸法如說修行，隨順十二因緣，離諸邪見，得無生忍，決定無我無眾生，而於因緣果報無違無諍，離諸我所」下，此重明如說修行為供養也。「依於義，不依語」。語為教，義為理本。以教詮於理，如因指示月，故須依理，不得依教。「依於智，不依識」。識以執著為情，智以達理為用，故依智不依識也。「依了義經，不依不了義經」。智所知義，有了不了，故須依了義經，不依不了義。「依於法，不依人」，法雖人弘，人不必盡能依法。法有定楷，人無常則，是故依法，不依於人。法又一種次第，初、依法不依人，如向釋；二、依了義經不依不了義，向雖去人取法，但法有了、不了，故次簡於不了，令取了也。三、依義不依語，就了義經，有理有教，故須依理不依於教。四、依智不依識，識所知理不足可依，智所知理方乃可依，故須依智不依識也。「隨順法相，無所入、無所歸。無明畢竟滅故，諸行亦畢竟滅，乃至生畢竟滅故，老死亦畢竟滅。作如是觀，十二因緣無有盡相」。問：滅即是盡，今既云無盡，上何得云畢竟滅耶？答：前對虛妄謂有生，故畢竟滅耳。然十二因緣本自不生，故今無滅，無滅故言無盡。亦上云畢竟滅，破凡夫有生；今稱無盡，斥二乘有滅。是以後句云「不復起見」。不復起見者，上離凡夫生見，今不起二乘滅見。「不復起見，是名最上法之供養」。結法供養為最上也。簡法供養有二：若於法起見，非最上法供養；若不於法起見，名最上法供養也。「佛告天帝：王子月蓋從藥王佛聞如是法，得柔順忍」。第三聞法供養得利益也。心柔智順，堪受實相，未及無生，名柔順忍位。順忍有二：一在地前三十心位、二在六地已下也。無生亦兩：一在初地、二居七地。「即解寶衣嚴身之具以供養佛，白佛言：世尊！如來滅後，我當行法供養，守護正法，願以威神加哀建立，令我得降魔怨，修菩薩行。佛知其深心所念，而記之曰：汝於末後，守護法城。天帝！時王子月蓋見法清淨，聞佛授記，以信出家，修集善法，精進不久，得五神通，具菩薩道，得陀羅尼、無斷辨才。於佛滅後，以其所得神通、總持、辨才之力，滿十小劫，藥王如來所轉法輪，隨而分布。月蓋比丘以護持法，懃行精進，即於此身化百萬億人，於阿耨多羅三藐三菩提立不退轉，十四那由他人深發聲聞、辟支佛心，無量眾生得生天上」。上明得柔順忍，今云獲五神通，謂無生忍也。以具得二忍，即如說修行，名法供養；復能如行而說，令多人悟道，亦名法之供養也。「天帝！時王寶蓋，豈異人乎？今現得佛，號寶炎如來。其王千子，即賢劫中千佛是也。從迦羅鳩孫大為始得佛，最後如來號曰樓至。月蓋比丘則我身是」。第四會古今。賢劫者，淨居天見劫初來時，水內有千寶蓮華，即知有千佛出世，故名此劫以為善劫。賢，即善也。樓至翻為啼泣，事出他經。「如是，天帝！當知此要，以法供養，於諸供養為上為最，第一無比。是故，天帝！當以法之供養，供養於佛」下，第五總結法供為勝也。

A sūtra has three parts; the prologue and main body have already been explained, and next is to analyze the propagation. Propagation has two parts: first, praising; second, entrustment—these constitute the texts of two chapters. In "The Chapter on the Offering of the Dharma," "Dharma" refers to the definitive and ultimate Dharma of the Mahāyāna. Practicing as taught nourishes one's own dharmakāya; teaching as practiced nourishes others' dharmakāyas. Both of these accord with the Buddha's mind, and this very [accordance] is making an offering to the Buddha; hence it is called the offering of the Dharma. The chapter is divided into two: first, Śakra praises the Dharma and extols [such] persons; second, the Tathāgata confirms and ratifies it. The first has three passages: first, praising the Dharma heard; second, extolling persons able to hear it; third, concluding with a vow to broadly protect it. From "At that time Śakra Devānām Indra said to the Buddha among the great assembly: 'World-Honoured One! Although I have heard hundreds of thousands of sūtras from the Buddha and Mañjuśrī, I have never before heard such an inconceivable, sovereign, supernatural scripture of the definitive true mark'" onward: this is the first passage, praising the Dharma. Because the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā and others are extensive, they are difficult to seek out; here [the sūtra] is concise and compact, and hence he praises it as unprecedented. The Dazhidulun states: "Speaking of wisdom is mostly directed toward renunciants; explaining merit is mostly directed toward householders." Here, having already explained merits, the lord of the devas therefore praises it and encourages cultivating merit. From "'As I understand the meaning and purport of what the Buddha has spoken, if there are sentient beings who hear this scripture and Dharma, and faithfully understand, receive, practice, read, and recite it, they will certainly attain this Dharma without doubt—how much more so if they practice as taught! Such persons will close off all evil destinies and open up all good gates, constantly being protected and remembered by all Buddhas; they will subdue non-Buddhists, destroy the demon-foes, cultivate bodhi, dwell securely in the bodhimaṇḍa, and tread in the footprints of the Tathāgata's practice'" onward: this is the second, praising the person. "'World-Honoured One! If there are practitioners who uphold, read, recite, and practice as taught, I and my retinues will make offerings and attend upon them; wherever there are villages, cities, forests, or wild plains where this scripture is present, I and my retinues will also go together to that place to listen to and receive the Dharma. To those who have not yet had faith, we will cause them to generate faith; for those who already have faith, we will provide protection.'" This is the third, concluding with a vow to broadly protect it. "The Buddha said: 'Excellent, excellent, Śakra! As you have spoken, I rejoice with you. It is because this scripture extensively explains the inconceivable anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi of all past, future, and present Buddhas.'" This is the second, explaining the Buddha's confirmation. Confirming the above three sections, these become three meanings. Here the first confirms the praise of the Dharma. From "'Śakra! If good sons and good daughters uphold, read, recite, and make offerings to this scripture, they are making offerings to past, future, and present Buddhas'" onward: this is the second, confirming his praise of the person. First it directly confirms the praise, and next there must be an evaluation. This is the first text. "'Śakra! Suppose a trichiliocosm were filled with Tathāgatas, like sugarcane, bamboo, reeds, rice, hemp, and thickets; if there were good sons or good daughters who for an aeon or less than an aeon reverently respected, praised, and made offerings to them, providing all comforts, and even after all Buddhas had entered extinction, erected a seven-jeweled stūpa with whole-body relics of each, broad as a fourfold continent and high as the Brahmā heaven, its banner-standards adorned, and with all flower incense, necklaces, banners, flags, and musical entertainment, subtle, wonderful, and supreme, made offerings to it for an aeon or less than an aeon—what do you think, Śakra? Would the merit planted by that person be great or not?' Śakra Devānām Indra said: 'Very great, World-Honoured One! If one were to speak of that person's merit for hundreds of thousands of koṭis of aeons, one could not exhaust it.' The Buddha told Śakra: 'You should know that if good sons or good daughters hear this scripture of inconceivable liberation, and faithfully understand, uphold, read, recite, and practice it, their merit will be greater than that. Why? All Buddhas' bodhi is born from this. The mark of bodhi cannot be measured; for this reason, its merit cannot be measured.'" This is the second, analyzing the evaluation. "The Buddha told Śakra: 'In the past, immeasurable asaṃkhyeya aeons ago, there was a Buddha in the world named Bhaiṣajyarāja Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyaksaṃbuddha, Vidyācaraṇasaṃpanna, Sugata, Lokavid, Anuttara, Puruṣadamyasārathi, Śāstādevamanuṣyāṇāṃ, Buddha, Bhagavat. His realm was named Mahāvyūha, the aeon was named Vyūha. The Buddha's lifespan was twenty minor aeons. His saṃgha of śrāvakas numbered sixty-six hundred million nayutas, and the saṃgha of bodhisattvas was twelve hundred million. Śakra! At that time there was a wheel-turning sage king named Ratnacchatra, endowed with the seven treasures and ruling over the four continents. The king had a thousand sons, handsome, courageous, and capable of subduing enemy foes. At that time, Ratnacchatra and his retinue made offerings to Bhaiṣajyarāja Tathāgata, bestowing all comforts, for full five aeons. When the five aeons had passed, he told his thousand sons: "You too should be like me, making offerings to the Buddha with a deep mind." Thereupon the thousand sons received their father the king's command and made offerings to Bhaiṣajyarāja Tathāgata for another full five aeons, bestowing all comforts'" onward: this is the third, citing past events to confirm Śakra's concluding vow to broadly protect it. Regarding the text, there are five: first, explaining the origin of the Dharma offering; second, directly explaining the Dharma offering; third, the benefit gained from hearing the Dharma offering; fourth, gathering past and present; fifth, the overall conclusion. This is the first text. "'One son of the king, named Candracchatra, sat alone and contemplated: "Could there be an offering surpassing this?" By the Buddha's supernatural power, a deva in the sky said: "Good son! The offering of the Dharma surpasses all offerings." He then asked: "What is called the offering of the Dharma?" The deva said: "You may go and ask Bhaiṣajyarāja Tathāgata; he will extensively explain the offering of the Dharma for you." At once the prince Candracchatra went to Bhaiṣajyarāja Tathāgata, prostrated at the Buddha's feet, stepped back to one side, and said to the Buddha: "World-Honoured One! Among all offerings, the offering of the Dharma is supreme. What is called the offering of the Dharma?" The Buddha said: "Good son! The offering of the Dharma refers to the profound sūtras spoken by all Buddhas'" onward: this is the second, directly explaining the offering of the Dharma. "Profound sūtras" refers to the definitive and ultimate sūtras of the vaipulya. From "'difficult for all the world to believe and receive, subtle and difficult to see, pure and untainted, not to be attained merely by conceptual discrimination'" onward: "not to be attained merely by discrimination" means it cannot be attained by the discrimination of wisdom. That it is "attained by contemplation" requires dhyāna concentration before it can be attained. Moreover, it requires correct contemplation before it can be attained; it cannot be attained through discrimination, grasping at marks, and conceptualization. "'Subsumed under the Bodhisattva Piṭaka.'" In extensively explaining the Buddha's Dharma, there are altogether two piṭakas: taught for those of the small vehicle, it is named the Śrāvaka Piṭaka; taught for those of the great vehicle, it is named the Bodhisattva Piṭaka. From "'sealed with the seal of dhāraṇī'" onward: dhāraṇī is practice, having mindfulness and wisdom as its essence. Remembering the Dharma without forgetting is mindfulness; knowing that arising dharmas do not arise is wisdom. First, retaining what is heard: retaining the teaching without forgetting; second, contemplating the meaning: holding the meaning without losing it. Because the meaning is held without loss, it cannot be altered, and hence it is a seal. Another explanation is that retention has many gates; this is the retention of the true mark: using the true mark to seal this sūtra, it is called a profound sūtra. "'Reaching non-retrogression.'" Practicing the profound sūtra will certainly attain non-retrogression. From "'fulfilling the six pāramitās, skillfully discerning meanings, according with the dharmas of bodhi, supreme among all sūtras, entering into great loving-kindness and compassion'" onward: because of loving-kindness and compassion, one can know the profound sūtra; knowing the profound sūtra, one will certainly enter loving-kindness and compassion; because this sūtra instructs bodhisattvas to transform and benefit sentient beings, one can enter loving-kindness and compassion. From "'departing from all demonic deeds and all wrong views, according with the Dharma of causes and conditions'" onward: causes and conditions as explained by the profound sūtra are not definitively existent or non-existent, and therefore accord with causes and conditions. "'Free of self, free of person, free of sentient being, free of life-span; empty, signless, wishless, unarisen; able to cause sentient beings to sit in the bodhimaṇḍa.'" Sitting in the bodhimaṇḍa first refers specifically to entering the vajrasamādhi. Broadly discussed, the myriad practices can all give rise to the Way, and are named bodhimaṇḍa. This profound sūtra can cause one to sit in these two bodhimaṇḍas. From "'and turn the wheel of the Dharma, praised together by devas, nāgas, spirits, and gandharvas, able to cause sentient beings to enter the treasury of the Buddha-Dharma, gathering all wisdom of the sages and worthies, expounding the path practiced by all bodhisattvas, relying upon the meaning of the true mark of all dharmas, clearly declaring the dharmas of impermanence, suffering, emptiness, selflessness, and quiescent extinction'" onward: if one understands impermanence without relying on the true mark, one destroys permanence yet clings to impermanence; if one explains impermanence relying on the true mark, one destroys permanence without clinging to impermanence—this is the meaning of "clearly declaring." From "'able to rescue all sentient beings who have violated the precepts'" onward: the small vehicle cannot rescue those of the four grave offenses and five heinous deeds, but the great vehicle leaves nothing unrescued. From "'able to cause demons, non-Buddhists, and those who are covetously attached to feel fear'" onward: non-Buddhists consist of views, covetous attachment is craving; the profound sūtra can transform their craving and views, so they generate fear regarding craving and views. From "'praised together by all Buddhas, worthies, and sages, turning away from the suffering of saṃsāra, showing the bliss of nirvāṇa, spoken by all Buddhas of the ten directions and the three times'" onward: from above up to here directly clarifies the Dharma. "'If one hears such sūtras, faithfully understands, upholds, and recites them.'" This clarifies that practicing according with the Dharma and matching the Buddha's mind is called an offering. From "'using the power of skillful means, to analyze, explain, and clearly demonstrate them for sentient beings, for the sake of protecting the Dharma: this is named the offering of the Dharma'" onward: this clarifies teaching as practiced, causing many people to awaken to the path and Dharma. This also causes those persons to nourish their dharmakāyas, and equally accords with the Buddha's mind; hence it is named the offering of the Dharma. From "'Furthermore, practicing all dharmas as taught, following the twelve links of dependent origination, departing from all wrong views, attaining the forbearance of non-arising, definitively having no self and no sentient being, yet with respect to causes, conditions, and retributive fruits having no violation and no contention, departing from all possessions of the self'" onward: this again clarifies that practicing as taught is the offering. "'Rely on the meaning, do not rely on the words.'" Words are the teaching; meaning is the root of principle. Using teaching to explain principle is like using a finger to point at the moon; therefore, one must rely on principle and must not rely on teaching. "'Rely on wisdom, do not rely on consciousness.'" Consciousness takes grasping attachment as its disposition; wisdom takes reaching principle as its function; therefore, rely on wisdom and do not rely on consciousness. "'Rely on definitive-meaning sūtras, do not rely on provisional-meaning sūtras.'" The meanings known by wisdom have the definitive and the provisional; therefore, one must rely on definitive-meaning sūtras and not rely on provisional-meaning sūtras. "'Rely on the Dharma, do not rely on the person.'" Although the Dharma is propagated by persons, persons cannot necessarily all accord with the Dharma. The Dharma has fixed models, while persons have no constant rule; therefore, rely on the Dharma and do not rely on the person. The Dharma has yet another sequence: first, rely on the Dharma and not on the person, as explained above; second, rely on definitive-meaning sūtras and not on provisional-meaning sūtras—although previously one rejected the person and took the Dharma, the Dharma still has the definitive and provisional, so next one screens out the provisional and causes one to take the definitive; third, rely on the meaning and not on the words—with regard to definitive-meaning sūtras, there are principle and teaching, so one must rely on principle and not on teaching; fourth, rely on wisdom and not on consciousness—the principle known by consciousness is insufficient to rely on, whereas the principle known by wisdom can truly be relied on; therefore, one must rely on wisdom and not on consciousness. "'According with the characteristics of dharmas, there is nowhere to enter, nowhere to return. Because ignorance is completely extinguished, all formations are also completely extinguished, up to: because birth is completely extinguished, aging and death are also completely extinguished. Contemplating thus, the twelve links of dependent origination have no aspect of exhaustion.'" Question: Extinction is just exhaustion; now that it says "inexhaustible," how could it say above "completely extinguished"? Answer: Previously, in opposition to delusion, it was said that there is arising, and hence it is completely extinguished. However, the twelve links of dependent origination are fundamentally unarisen, and therefore now have no extinction; having no extinction, they are said to be inexhaustible. Also, saying "completely extinguished" above destroys the ordinary person's view of arising; now calling them "inexhaustible" refutes the two vehicles' view of extinction. For this reason, the next phrase says, "not giving rise to views again." Not giving rise to views again means: above one leaves behind the ordinary person's view of arising, and now one does not give rise to the two vehicles' view of extinction. "'Not giving rise to views again is named the supreme offering of the Dharma.'" This concludes that the offering of the Dharma is supreme. In screening the offering of the Dharma there are two: if one gives rise to views regarding the Dharma, it is not the supreme offering of the Dharma; if one does not give rise to views regarding the Dharma, it is named the supreme offering of the Dharma. "'The Buddha told Śakra: "The prince Candracchatra heard such Dharma from Bhaiṣajyarāja Buddha and attained the compliant forbearance."'" The third: gaining benefit from hearing the offering of the Dharma. The mind is compliant and wisdom is receptive, capable of receiving the true mark, but not yet reaching the non-arising [forbearance]—this is named the stage of compliant forbearance. There are two kinds of compliant forbearance: first, in the stages of the thirty minds prior to the bhūmis; second, in the sixth bhūmi and below. Non-arising is also twofold: first, in the first bhūmi; second, dwelling in the seventh bhūmi. "'He then took off his precious robes and body ornaments to make offerings to the Buddha, and said to the Buddha: "World-Honoured One! After the Tathāgata's extinction, I will practice the offering of the Dharma and protect the true Dharma; I pray that with your majestic spiritual power you will pity and establish me, causing me to subdue demon-foes and cultivate the bodhisattva path." The Buddha, knowing what was in his deep mind, prophesied to him: "At the very end, you will protect the Dharma citadel." Śakra! At that time the prince Candracchatra saw the purity of the Dharma, heard the Buddha's prophecy, went forth from household life out of faith, and cultivated good dharmas. Diligent before long, he obtained the five supernatural powers, was endowed with the bodhisattva path, and attained dhāraṇī and uninterrupted eloquence. After the Buddha's extinction, by the power of his attained supernatural powers, retention, and eloquence, for full ten minor aeons, he accordingly distributed the wheel of the Dharma turned by Bhaiṣajyarāja Tathāgata. The monk Candracchatra, because of protecting and upholding the Dharma, diligently practiced with vigor, and within this very body transformed a hundred myriad koṭis of persons, establishing them in non-retrogression with respect to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi; fourteen nayutas of people deeply generated the mind of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas; and immeasurable sentient beings attained rebirth in the heavens.'" Above it explained attaining compliant forbearance, and now it says attaining the five supernatural powers, which refers to the forbearance of non-arising. Because he fully attained the two forbearances, he practiced as taught, which is named the offering of the Dharma; furthermore, he was able to teach as practiced, causing many people to awaken to the path, which is also named the offering of the Dharma. "'Śakra! Could the king Ratnacchatra at that time have been a different person? Now he has attained Buddhahood, named Ratnārciḥ Tathāgata. The king's thousand sons are the thousand Buddhas of the Bhadrakalpa. Beginning from Krakucchanda attaining Buddhahood, the final Tathāgata is named Rucika. The monk Candracchatra was indeed my own body.'" The fourth: gathering past and present. Regarding the "Bhadrakalpa": when the devas of the Śuddhāvāsa saw the beginning of the aeon arrive, there were a thousand precious lotus flowers in the water, and they immediately knew that a thousand Buddhas would appear in the world; therefore, this aeon was named the Auspicious Aeon. Bhadra is "good" or "auspicious." Rucika is translated as "weeping"; the matter comes from other sūtras. From "'Thus, Śakra! You should know this essential point: by the offering of the Dharma, among all offerings it is highest, supreme, foremost, and peerless. Therefore, Śakra, you should make offerings to the Buddha with the offering of the Dharma'" onward: the fifth, concluding overall that the Dharma offering is supreme.