佛說仁王般若波羅蜜經 2

English (machine translation) 2

Language: English

2.1

Translated by Kumārajīva, Tripiṭaka Master of the Yao Qin

At that time, the Buddha addressed the Great King: "Listen well, all of you! I shall now explain properly the ritual method for protecting the state. You should uphold the prajñāpāramitā. When the state is about to fall into turmoil, when kalpa-fires bring destruction, or when bandits come to devastate the realm, you should invite one hundred images of buddhas, one hundred images of bodhisattvas, one hundred images of arhats, and an assembly of one hundred bhikṣus; let the four assemblies and the seven assemblies listen together; invite one hundred dharma masters to lecture on the prajñāpāramitā. Before the one hundred lion-roar high seats, light one hundred lamps, burn blended incense of one hundred varieties, and offer flowers of one hundred colors to make offerings to the Three Jewels. Provide the three robes and daily utensils to the dharma masters, and offer light breakfast and midday meals in accordance with the proper times. Great King! Lecture on and recite this sūtra twice a day. In your state there are one hundred classes of ghosts and spirits, and each of these classes further has one hundred divisions who delight in hearing this sūtra; these ghosts and spirits will protect your state.

2.4

"Great King! When a state falls into chaos, the ghosts and spirits become chaotic first; because the ghosts and spirits are chaotic, the myriads of common people become chaotic; bandits come to pillage the realm, and the populace perishes. Ministers and sovereigns, crown princes, royal princes, and the hundred officials mutually generate disputes; strange prodigies occur in heaven and earth; the twenty-eight lunar mansions and the courses of the stars, sun, and moon lose their times and measures; and many bandits arise.

2.5

"Great King! If there are calamities of fire, calamities of water, calamities of wind, and all manner of disasters, one should also lecture on and recite this sūtra, following the ritual method as described above.

2.6

"Great King! Not only does it protect the state, but it also protects blessings: when seeking wealth, nobility, official rank, the seven treasures, unobstructed travel, when seeking sons and daughters, when seeking wisdom, understanding, and fame, and when seeking the retribution of the six desire heavens or the blissful fruits of the nine grades among humans, one should also lecture on this sūtra, following the ritual method as described above.

2.7

"Great King! Not only does it protect blessings, but it also protects against all tribulations: in the case of illness, suffering, and distress, when stocks, manacles, fetters, and chains bind one's body, when one has committed the four grave offenses, created the causes for the five heinous deeds, incurred the offenses of the eight difficulties, or engaged in deeds of the six destinies, and throughout all immeasurable suffering and tribulations, one should also lecture on this sūtra, following the ritual method as described above.

2.8

"Great King! In ancient times there was a king, Śakra Devānām Indra. King Māndhātṛ came up to heaven wishing to destroy his realm. At that time, Devendra Śakra followed the ritual method of the seven buddhas: he set out one hundred high seats, invited one hundred dharma masters, and had them lecture on the prajñāpāramitā. Māndhātṛ thereupon retreated, as told in the Sūtra on Eradicating Sins.

2.9

"Great King! In the past there was a king of Aśmaka who had a crown prince about to ascend the royal throne, named Kalmāṣapāda. The prince received instruction from a non-Buddhist master named Luotuo, who told him that he should take the heads of one thousand kings to sacrifice to his ancestral deities. Having ascended the throne, he had already obtained nine hundred and ninety-nine kings, lacking only one king. He then traveled ten thousand li to the north and obtained a king named King Samantaprabhāsa. King Samantaprabhāsa said to King Kalmāṣapāda: 'I beg you to grant me one day to provide a meal for śramaṇas and to pay homage to the Three Jewels.' King Kalmāṣapāda granted him one day. Thereupon King Samantaprabhāsa, relying on the method of the past seven buddhas, invited one hundred dharma masters, set out one hundred high seats, and twice a day had them lecture through the eight hundred billion verses of the prajñāpāramitā. The foremost dharma master spoke a verse for King Samantaprabhāsa:

2.10

"'When the kalpa-fire reaches its end, heaven and earth burn through and through;
Mount Sumeru and the vast oceans
are entirely reduced to ashes;
when the merit of gods and dragons is exhausted,
they wither and perish therein.
Even the two primal forces perish—
how could a kingdom be permanent?
Birth, old age, sickness, and death
revolve without limit;
affairs run contrary to one's desires;
sorrow and grief cause harm.
Desires are deep and calamities heavy,
boils and sores without exception;
the three realms are entirely suffering—
what reliance is there in a kingdom?
Being is fundamentally non-being;
causes and conditions bring about all things.
What flourishes must decline;
what is substantial must become empty.
Sentient beings, crawling and swarming,
are all like dwellers in an illusion;
sounds and echoes are both empty,
and the lands of the state are likewise so.
The conscious spirit has no physical form,
provisionally riding upon four serpents;
it takes the precious elephant of ignorance
to be a pleasure chariot.
The body has no permanent master;
the spirit has no constant home.
If body and spirit still separate,
how could a kingdom remain?'"

2.11

"At that time, when the dharma master had spoken this verse, King Samantaprabhāsa's retinue attained the emptiness of the dharma-eye, and the king himself realized a samādhi equal to space, gaining an enlightened understanding upon hearing the Dharma. Returning to Aśmaka to the assembly of King Kalmāṣapāda, he immediately told the nine hundred and ninety-nine kings: 'The time to meet our fate has arrived; each person should recite the verse lines from the Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra Inquired by Humane Kings of the past seven buddhas.' Then King Kalmāṣapāda asked the kings: 'What Dharma are you all reciting?' King Samantaprabhāsa answered the king with the above verse. Hearing this Dharma, the king attained the emptiness-samādhi; having heard the Dharma, the nine hundred and ninety-nine kings also realized the samādhi of the three doors to liberation through emptiness. Then King Kalmāṣapāda was greatly delighted and said to the kings: 'I was led astray by a mistaken non-Buddhist teacher; it was not the fault of you rulers. You may return to your respective native countries and each invite dharma masters to lecture on the names, phrases, and syllables of the prajñāpāramitā.' King Kalmāṣapāda then entrusted the state to his younger brother, left home to practice the path, and realized anutpattika-dharma-kṣānti, as spoken in the Stages of the Ten Kings. Five thousand kings constantly recited this sūtra, receiving retributions in their present lives.

2.12

"Great King! For the sixteen kings of the great states who cultivate the method for protecting the state, the method should be like this; you should uphold it. Sentient beings in the heavens, among humans, and throughout the six destinies should all uphold the names, phrases, and syllables of the seven buddhas. In future worlds, when immeasurable kings of small states wish to protect their realms, they too should act likewise: they should invite dharma masters to expound the prajñāpāramitā."

2.13

At that time, when Śākyamuni Buddha expounded the prajñāpāramitā, fifty billion people in the assembly attained entry into the first stage; furthermore, eight hundred thousand sons of the gods of the six desire heavens attained the stage of inherent emptiness; furthermore, eighteen Brahma kings attained anutpattika-kṣānti and the kṣānti of delight in the unproduced Dharma; furthermore, those who had previously trained as bodhisattvas realized the first stage, second stage, third stage, up to the tenth stage; furthermore, asura kings of the eight classes attained the ten samādhi-doors and the three samādhi-doors, were able to shed their ghostly bodies, and attained correct absorption in the heavens. Those present in this assembly all attained faith in their own nature, up to immeasurable faith in emptiness. I have now briefly spoken [of this]; the merits of the devas and others cannot be fully described.

2.14

Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra for Humane Kings on the Protection of the State, Chapter 6: Scattering Flowers

2.15

At that time, when the sixteen kings of the great states heard the Buddha speak the one hundred billion verses of the prajñāpāramitā, they rejoiced immeasurably. They immediately scattered one million billion stems of flowers, which transformed in mid-air into a single throne; the buddhas of the ten directions sat together upon this throne and expounded the prajñāpāramitā. An immeasurable great assembly sat together upon the single throne; holding golden net flowers, they scattered them over Śākyamuni Buddha, turning into ten thousand wheel flowers that formed a canopy over the great assembly. Again, they scattered eighty-four thousand prajñāpāramitā flowers in mid-air, which transformed into a platform of white clouds; upon the platform, the Buddha Radiance King, together with an immeasurable assembly, expounded the prajñāpāramitā. The great assembly upon the platform held thunder-roar flowers and scattered them over Śākyamuni Buddha and the great assembly. Again, they scattered wondrous enlightenment flowers in mid-air, which transformed into a vajra city; inside the city, the Buddha Lion Roar King discussed paramārtha-satya together with the buddhas of the ten directions and the great bodhisattvas. At that time, the bodhisattvas inside the city held radiance flowers and scattered them over Śākyamuni Buddha, turning into a single flower platform, upon which sat the buddhas of the ten directions. The devas scattered celestial flowers, which formed a purple cloud canopy in mid-air over Śākyamuni Buddha, covering the trichiliocosm; within the canopy, the devas and humans scattered flowers numerous as the sands of the Ganges, which descended like clouds. When the kings had completed their offering of scattered flowers, they vowed: 'May the past buddhas, present buddhas, and future buddhas constantly expound the prajñāpāramitā; may all those who uphold it—bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, laymen, and laywomen—have their wishes fulfilled, and constantly practice the prajñāpāramitā.'

2.16

The Buddha said to the Great King: "So it is, so it is! It is just as the king has said. The prajñāpāramitā should be spoken and should be received; it is the mother of all buddhas and the mother of all bodhisattvas, the place from which supernatural powers are born."

2.17

Then the Buddha manifested for the king five inconceivable spiritual transformations: a single flower entered into immeasurable flowers, and immeasurable flowers entered into a single flower; a single buddha-land entered into immeasurable buddha-lands, and immeasurable buddha-lands entered into a single buddha-land; immeasurable buddha-lands entered into a pore-land, and a single pore-land entered into immeasurable pore-lands; immeasurable Mount Sumerus and immeasurable great oceans entered into a mustard seed; a single buddha-body entered into the bodies of immeasurable sentient beings, and the bodies of immeasurable sentient beings entered into a single buddha-body, entered into the bodies of the six destinies, and entered into the bodies of earth, water, fire, and wind. The buddha-body is inconceivable; the bodies of sentient beings are inconceivable; the worlds are inconceivable. When the Buddha manifested these supernatural powers, the devas and humans of the ten directions attained the buddha-flower samādhi; bodhisattvas numerous as the sands of ten Ganges rivers attained buddhahood in their present bodies; kings of the eight classes numerous as the sands of three Ganges rivers accomplished the bodhisattva path; and ten thousand women attained supernatural powers and samādhi in their present bodies.

2.18

"Good men! This prajñāpāramitā brings benefit in the three periods of time: it was taught in the past, it is taught now in the present, and it will be taught in the future. Listen attentively, listen attentively! Reflect on it well, and practice in accordance with the Dharma."

2.19

Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra for Humane Kings on the Protection of the State, Chapter 7: Upholding

2.20

At that time, Candraprabha reflected in mind and said aloud: "I see Śākyamuni Buddha manifesting immeasurable spiritual powers, and I also see the Buddha Jewel-Full upon the thousand-flower platform, who is the master of the transformation bodies of all buddhas. Further, I see the buddhas in the thousand flower-petal worlds, among whom each buddha expounds the prajñāpāramitā." He said to the Buddha: "Such immeasurable prajñāpāramitā cannot be spoken, cannot be conceptualized, and cannot be known by consciousness. How should good men clearly awaken and understand this sūtra, and open the empty path of Dharma for all sentient beings in accordance with the Dharma?"

2.21

The Great Sage said: “There are good sons who practice the contemplation-gates of the thirteen [levels of patience] and are great Dharma kings. From the patience of habituation up to the diamond summit, they are all dharma masters on whom [the world] relies and depends. You, the great assembly, should make offerings to them just as you would offer to a buddha, bringing millions of billions of heavenly flowers and heavenly incense to present to them.

2.22

“Good sons! Such a dharma master is a bodhisattva of the habituation-disposition. Whether laymen, laywomen, or renunciant monks and nuns, they cultivate the ten virtuous deeds, contemplating their own bodies and that the components of earth, water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness are part by part impure. Furthermore, they contemplate the fourteen faculties—namely, the five affective faculties, the five feeling faculties, masculinity, femininity, mind, life, and so forth—as having limitless faults and transgressions; they then generate the supreme aspiration for awakening. Constantly contemplating that all things across the three realms are impure in thought after thought, they attain the contemplation-gate of patience regarding impurity. Dwelling in the house of the Buddha, they cultivate the six reverent harmonies—namely, sharing the same precepts, views, and training through the three karmic activities—and practice the paths of eighty-four thousand pāramitās.

2.23

“Good sons! Bodhisattvas who practice the ten virtuous deeds before reaching the patience of habituation experience regression and progression, just like a light feather carried east and west by the wind. These bodhisattvas are also like this: although they practice the ten right paths and generate the three aspirations for awakening over ten thousand kalpas, only then will they enter the position of the patience of habituation. Even as they constantly train in the dharmas of the three subduing patiences, they cannot yet be designated as definitive persons. Those who are definitive persons enter the position of the emptiness of birth: by virtue of their noble nature, they certainly do not commit the five heinous acts, the six grave transgressions, or the twenty-eight minor ones. In the Buddha's teachings and scriptural texts, committing rebellious transgressions and claiming they were not spoken by the Buddha is an impossibility. Only by spending one asaṃkhyeya kalpa cultivating the practices of the patience of the path of subduing can they first enter the saṅghāta position.

2.24

“Furthermore, those of the nature-disposition practice the ten wisdom-contemplations, extinguishing the ten inversions, along with the views of self and person, seeing part by part that they are provisional and false. Recognizing that there are only names, only recipient entities, and only dharmas, which are ungraspable and without fixed characteristics, and without characteristics of self and other, they cultivate the contemplation guarding emptiness. Constantly practicing millions of pāramitās without letting them leave their minds from moment to moment, they practice the teachings of the right path for two asaṃkhyeya kalpas and dwell in the bhārata position.

2.25

“Furthermore, those of the path-disposition abide in firm patience, contemplating that all dharmas are unproduced, non-abiding, and unceasing—namely, that the five feelings, the three realms, and the two truths have no characteristics of self and other, because their nature as it truly is cannot be grasped. Constantly entering the tenth ultimate truth, their thoughts are extinguished in tranquility, yet they take birth in the three realms. Why is this? Because the karmic habituations and retributions have not yet been completely exhausted, they take birth in accordance with the path. Further, for three asaṃkhyeya kalpas, they cultivate eighty billion pāramitās, and because they are to attain the ground of equal noble ones, they abide in the correct position of avaivartika.

2.26

“Furthermore, the mahāsattva of Good Awakening abides in equal patience, cultivating the four means of embrace without letting them leave the mind from moment to moment. Entering the renunciation devoid of characteristics, they extinguish the defilements of craving in the three realms. Not being dual regarding the ultimate truth, it is the unconditioned dharmatā; because it extinguishes all characteristics in accord with principle, it is the cessation through deliberate wisdom that is unconditioned and devoid of characteristics. When abiding in the initial patience, the limitless future births and deaths are extinguished not through deliberate wisdom; hence it is not cessation through deliberate wisdom, being unconditioned and devoid of characteristics, without characteristics of self and other, and without the characteristic of non-existence. Thus, limitless skillful means all manifest before them. The skillful means of contemplating the real mark: toward the ultimate truth, they neither sink nor emerge, neither turn nor become inverted. The skillful means of universal learning: neither realizing nor not realizing, they learn all things. The skillful means of dedication: neither abiding in the fruit nor not abiding in the fruit, they dedicate themselves toward omniscience (sarvajñā). The skillful means of mastery over māras: walking the Buddha path within non-paths, they are unmoved by the four māras. The skillful means of the One Vehicle: regarding non-dual characteristics, they thoroughly comprehend all practices of sentient beings. The skillful means of transformation: through the power of vows, they take birth with mastery in all pure buddha-lands. Such, good sons, is the wisdom of initial awakening: non-dual regarding the characteristics of existence and non-existence, it is the illumination of real wisdom; its skillful application, neither realizing nor sinking, neither emerging nor arriving, is the contemplation of skillful means. Just as water and waves are neither one nor different, so too all practices—pāramitās, dhyāna concentrations, and dhāraṇīs—are neither one nor dual; thus every single practice is accomplished. By engaging in these practices for four asaṃkhyeya kalpas, they enter this gate of the treasury of merit. Because rebirth driven by karmic habituations of the three realms does not occur, their old [karma] is exhausted and they do not create new [karma]; through the power of vows, they transformingly take birth in all pure lands. Constantly cultivating the contemplation of renunciation, they ascend to the kumārabhūta position, continually bestowing the four great treasuries of jewels upon people.

2.27

“Furthermore, the bodhisattva of Virtuous Wisdom, through the four immeasurables, extinguishes defilements such as hatred in the three realms of existence; abiding in middle patience, they practice all merits. For five asaṃkhyeya kalpas, they cultivate the contemplation of great benevolence, with it constantly manifesting in thought after thought, and enter the position of jātapāla devoid of characteristics, transforming all sentient beings.

2.28

“Furthermore, the practitioner of Radiant Wisdom constantly practices the contemplation of the three knowledges within the patience devoid of characteristics, knowing that the dharmas of the three times neither come, nor go, nor have an abode. With thoughts extinguished in tranquility, they exhaust the defilements of ignorance in the three realms, attaining the contemplation of all merits of the three knowledges. Constantly accumulating the limitless pāramitā of radiance for six asaṃkhyeya kalpas, they enter the galata position, upholding all dharmas through practice devoid of characteristics.

2.29

“Furthermore, the Jñeya-Awakened Bodhisattva cultivates the patience of compliance with the Dharma, opposing the flow of the five views and accumulating limitless merit to abide in the srotāpanna position. Constantly endowed with the divine eye, divine ear, knowledge of past lives, knowledge of others' minds, and physical mastery, in thought after thought they extinguish all views in the three realms, practicing the five spiritual penetrations for seven asaṃkhyeya kalpas, never letting the Ganges-sands pāramitās leave their minds.

2.30

“Furthermore, the Victorious-Comprehending Bodhisattva, regarding the patience of compliance with the path, uses the four fearlessnesses to contemplate nayutas of truths, internal treatises, external treatises, medicinal prescriptions, crafts, and incantations; thus [they realize]: ‘I am an omniscient person.’ Having extinguished defilements such as doubt in the three realms, the characteristic of a self is already exhausted. Knowing that on ground after ground there is emergence, it is called the path of emergence; knowing that there is non-emergence, it is called the obstructing path; they oppose the doubts of the three realms. Cultivating limitless merit, they immediately enter the sakṛdāgāmin position. Further accumulating practices over eight asaṃkhyeya kalpas through practicing various dhāraṇī gates, they constantly maintain the contemplation of fearlessness without letting it leave their minds.

2.31

“Furthermore, the Bodhisattva of Constantly Manifesting Reality abides in the patience of compliance, engaging in the middle-way contemplation. Because they exhaust all the defilements of accumulative causes and accumulative karma in the three realms, they contemplate neither existence nor non-existence, the single characteristic that is without characteristics and non-dual, thereby realizing the anāgāmin position. Further, over nine asaṃkhyeya kalpas, accumulating the illuminating middle way, they take birth in all buddha-lands through the power of delight.

2.32

“Furthermore, the Profound-Comprehending Bodhisattva cultivates the patience of non-production—the patience of joy in the Dharma—over ten asaṃkhyeya kalpas, which is called bound patience. Complying with all paths, they are born; within single-minded patience, they extinguish the habituated causes, karma, and results of the three realms. Abiding in their final bodily existence, their limitless merits are all accomplished, and their wisdom of non-production, wisdom of exhaustion, and the fivefold dharma body are all fulfilled. Abiding in the arhat Brahmā-heaven position of the tenth stage, they constantly practice the contemplation of the three doors to liberation through emptiness, fully endowed with millions of samādhis, broadly propagating the treasury of the Dharma.

2.33

“Furthermore, the Equal Awakening Bodhisattva abides in the patience of non-production, contemplating that thoughts are extinguished in tranquility: without the characteristic of characteristics, without the body of bodies, and without the cognition of cognition. Exercising the mind, they ride the directions of all quarters; tranquil and still, they abide in the abode of non-abiding. In existence, they constantly cultivate emptiness; dwelling in emptiness, they constantly manifest myriad transformations. Illuminating all dharmas equally, they know what is possible and what is impossible, up to and including the contemplation of the ten powers of omniscience; thus they ascend to the mahārāja position, transforming sentient beings in all lands. For one thousand asaṃkhyeya kalpas they practice the dharmas of the ten powers, with each thought in correspondence, constantly entering the samādhi of seeing buddhas.

2.34

“Furthermore, the Bodhisattva of Wisdom-Radiance and Spiritual Transformation abides in the supreme patience of non-production, extinguishing the characteristics of thought after thought. With the Dharma eye they see all dharmas, purifying the views of form and emptiness of the three eyes. Through the power of their great vows, they constantly take birth in all pure lands. Over ten thousand asaṃkhyeya kalpas, they accumulate the samādhi of limitless buddha radiance and are able to manifest the spiritual powers of millions of Ganges-sands of buddhas. Abiding in the bhagavat position, they also constantly enter the buddha-flower samādhi.

2.35

“Furthermore, the Contemplating-Buddha Bodhisattva abides in the patience of tranquility and cessation. From the initial generation of the aspiration until now, passing through millions of asaṃkhyeya kalpas, having cultivated the merits of millions of asaṃkhyeya kalpas, they ascend to liberation in all dharmas and abide on the diamond terrace.

2.36

“Good sons! From the patience of habituation up to the summit samādhi, all are called subduing all defilements. With faith devoid of characteristics, they extinguish all defilements and produce the wisdom of liberation; illuminating the ultimate truth is not yet called ‘seeing’. What is called ‘seeing’ is omniscience (sarvajñā). For this reason, from the past until now, I have always said that only buddhas know, see, and awaken [to it]. From below the summit samādhi down to the patience of habituation, that which is not known, not seen, and not awakened to, is only suddenly understood by buddhas; it is not called faith. As for those who gradually subdue [defilements]: although their wisdom arises and ceases, because they are capable of non-production and non-cessation, once this mind ceases, there are no entanglements that are not extinguished. Being unproduced and unceasing, they enter the diamond samādhi that reaches the ultimate principle, identical with bhūta-koṭi and equal to dharmatā, yet not yet equal to the unequalled. It is just like someone climbing a high terrace and looking down upon everything, leaving nothing not clearly perceived; abiding in the samādhi reaching the ultimate principle is just like this. Constantly practicing all deeds to fulfill the treasury of merit, they enter the bhagavat position, and also constantly abide in the samādhi of buddha wisdom.

2.37

“Good sons! Bodhisattvas such as these are all able to transform sentient beings in all the Tathāgatas’ lands throughout the ten directions, correctly explaining the correct doctrine, receiving, holding, reading, reciting, and thoroughly comprehending the real mark, no different from myself today.”

2.38

The Buddha told King Prasenajit: “After my parinirvāṇa, when the Dharma is about to be extinguished, those who uphold this prajñāpāramitā will perform great buddha-work. That all realms are stably established and the myriad common folk enjoy happiness is entirely due to this prajñāpāramitā. For this reason, I entrust it to kings, not to monks, nuns, laymen, or laywomen. Why is this? Because they lack royal power, I do not entrust it to them. You must receive, hold, read, and recite it, and comprehend its meaning and principles.

2.39

“Great King! The realm I now transform comprises ten billion Mount Sumerus and ten billion suns and moons, and each Mount Sumeru has four continents. In this southern Jambudvīpa, there are sixteen great states, five hundred medium states, and ten thousand small states. In these states there are seven calamities; when all the kings, on account of these calamities, expound and read the prajñāpāramitā, the seven calamities will instantly be extinguished, the seven blessings will instantly arise, the myriad common folk will be peaceful and happy, and emperors and kings will rejoice.

2.40

"What are these calamities? The sun and moon lose their courses; the seasons become disordered; or red suns appear, black suns appear, two, three, four, or five suns appear together; or solar eclipses occur without light; or a single, double, triple, quadruple, or quintuple solar halo appears. When such strange anomalies occur, one should recite and expound this sūtra. This is the first calamity. The twenty-eight lunar mansions lose their courses; Venus, comets, wheel stars, ghost stars, Mars, Mercury, wind stars, sword stars, the Southern Dipper, the Northern Dipper, the five presiding great stars, all stars of rulers of states, stars of the three ducal ministers, and stars of the hundred officials—when such various stars each display anomalous transformations, one should also recite and expound this sūtra. This is the second calamity. Great fires burn the state, and the ten thousand commoners are consumed by fire; or phantom fires, dragon fires, heavenly fires, mountain-spirit fires, human fires, tree fires, or bandit fires appear—when such strange anomalies occur, one should also recite and expound this sūtra. This is the third calamity. Great floods drown and submerge the common people; the seasons become disordered: rain in winter and snow in summer, thunder and lightning in winter, ice, frost, and hail in the sixth month; rain of red water, black water, and blue water; rain of earthen mountains and stone mountains; rain of sand, gravel, and rocks; rivers flowing backward; floating mountains and drifting rocks—when such anomalies occur, one should also recite and expound this sūtra. This is the fourth calamity. Great winds blow and kill the ten thousand commoners; the land, mountains, rivers, and trees are destroyed and submerged all at once; untimely great winds, black winds, red winds, blue winds, heavenly winds, earthly winds, and fire winds appear—when such anomalies occur, one should also recite this sūtra. This is the fifth calamity. Heaven, earth, and the realm suffer from scorching drought and blazing fire that burns thoroughly; all grasses dry up in severe drought, the five grains do not ripen, the earth is fiercely scorched, and the ten thousand commoners are wiped out—when such anomalies occur, one should also recite this sūtra. This is the sixth calamity. Bandits from the four quarters come to invade, internal and external bandits arise within the state, fire bandits, water bandits, wind bandits, and demon bandits appear; the common people fall into chaos, and the kalpa of weapons arises—when such strange times occur, one should also recite this sūtra. This is the seventh calamity.

2.41

"Great King! This prajñāpāramitā is the spiritual foundation of the minds and consciousnesses of all buddhas, bodhisattvas, and all sentient beings; it is the father and mother of all kings. It is also called the divine talisman; it is also called the demon-repelling pearl; it is also called the wish-fulfilling pearl; it is also called the state-protecting pearl; it is also called the mirror of heaven and earth; it is also called the dragon-jewel divine king."

2.42

The Buddha told the Great King: "One should make nine-colored banners ninety feet long; nine-colored flowers twenty feet high; a thousand-branched lamp fifty feet high; nine jade cases; nine jade cloths; and also make tables of the seven jewels upon which to place the sūtra. When the king travels, he should constantly have it precede him by a full hundred paces. This sūtra will constantly emit a thousand rays of light, causing the seven calamities not to arise and transgressions not to be produced within a thousand li. When the king halts, he should make a tent of the seven jewels, with a high seat of the seven jewels within it, and place the sūtra scrolls upon it, making offerings day after day by scattering flowers and burning incense, just as one serves one's father and mother, just as one serves Devendra Śakra.

2.43

"Great King! I now clearly see with the five eyes that all kings of the three times, because they served five hundred buddhas in the past, have attained being sovereigns and rulers of kings. For this reason, all sages and arhats are born in their states to bring about great benefit. When a king's merit is exhausted, all sages will abandon him and depart. When all sages depart, the seven calamities will surely arise.

2.44

"Great King! If in future ages there are kings who protect and maintain the Three Jewels, I will send five bodhisattvas of great strength to go and protect their states: first, the Bodhisattva Vajraghoṣa, holding a wheel with marks of a thousand jewels in his hand, will go to protect that state; second, the Bodhisattva Nāgarājaghoṣa, holding a golden-wheel lamp in his hand, will go to protect that state; third, the Bodhisattva Abhayadaśabalaghoṣa, holding a vajra pestle in his hand, will go to protect that state; fourth, the Bodhisattva Vidyudghoṣa, holding a net of a thousand jewels in his hand, will go to protect that state; fifth, the Bodhisattva Amitabalaghoṣa, holding five thousand sword-wheels in his hand, will go to protect that state. These five great beings and five thousand great divine kings will bring about great benefit in your states; you should set up their images and make offerings to them.

2.45

"Great King! I now entrust the Three Jewels to all of you kings: of the states of Kosala, Śrāvastī, Magadha, Vārāṇasī, Kapilavastu, Kuśinagara, Kauśāmbī, Kuru, Kapiśa, Mithilā, *Kharakaṇa, Gandhāra, *Śātha, *Saṅghaṭa, Kaṇagocara, and Po-ti. All such kings should receive and uphold the prajñāpāramitā."

2.46

At that time, the great assembly and the asura kings, hearing the Buddha speak of the seven dreadful things of future ages, had their hair stand on end; crying aloud with great shouts, they said: "May we not be born in those states!" Then the kings of the sixteen great states immediately entrusted state affairs to their younger brothers, went forth from household life to cultivate the Way, contemplating the characteristics of transcendence over the four great elements and the four colors, the characteristics of entering practice through emptiness without consciousness using the four great elements and four colors, the characteristics of the first stage of the thirty patiences, and the characteristics of the nine stages of the ultimate truth. For this reason, the great kings abandoned their ordinary bodies and entered the bodies of the six abodes; they abandoned the seven reward bodies and entered the eight dharma bodies, realizing the prajñāpāramitā of all practices. The eighteen Brahma heavens and the asura kings attained the contemplation of the three vehicles identical with the realm of non-arising. They again scattered flowers in offering: flowers of emptiness, flowers of dharmatā, flowers of sages, flowers of accord, flowers of non-arising, flowers of the joy of the Dharma, vajra flowers, flowers of contemplating conditions in the middle way, and flowers of the thirty-seven factors [of awakening], scattering them over the Buddha and the assembly of ninety billion great bodhisattvas. All the rest of the assembly realized the fruit of the stream-enterer, scattering mental flowers of emptiness, mental flowers of trees, flowers of the six pāramitās, and flowers of wondrous enlightenment over the Buddha and the entire assembly. Ten thousand bodhisattvas, mindful of sentient beings of future ages, immediately realized the wondrous-enlightenment samādhi, the fully-luminous samādhi, the vajra samādhi, the samādhi of conventional truth, the samādhi of true truth, and the samādhi of ultimate truth—these samādhis of the three truths are the king of all samādhis—and also attained immeasurable samādhis, the samādhi of the seven treasures, the samādhi of the twenty-five states of existence, and the samādhi of all practices. Furthermore, ten billion bodhisattvas ascended the vajra-peak and realized right awakening in the present.

2.47

Chapter 8: Entrustment, of the Humane Kings Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra for the Protection of the State

2.48

The Buddha told King Prasenajit: "I admonish and instruct you all: after my parinirvāṇa, in the period of eighty years, eight hundred years, or eight thousand years, when there is no buddha, no Dharma, and no Saṅgha, when there are no faithful laymen and no faithful laywomen, this sūtra and the Three Jewels are entrusted to the kings and the fourfold assembly of disciples to receive, uphold, recite, expound, and explain its meaning, opening up the path of empty wisdom for the sentient beings of the three realms, cultivating the practices of the seven worthy stages and the ten good actions, and transforming all sentient beings. Later, in the age of the five turbidities, monks, nuns, the fourfold assembly of disciples, the eight classes of devas and nāgas, all divine kings, kings, ministers, crown princes, and royal princes, relying on their own nobility, will destroy and ruin my Dharma. They will clearly enact restrictive laws to restrict my disciples, the monks and nuns. They will not allow them to go forth from household life or practice the Way, nor will they allow the making of buddha images or stupas. They will establish official controllers to oversee the assembly and set up registers to record the monastics; monks will stand on the ground, while white-robed laity sit high; soldiers and slaves will be made monks; and they will follow the practice of accepting individual invitations. Monks who are acquaintances will unite in exclusive favoritism; monks will hold vegetarian banquets for them to seek worldly merit, just like the practices of non-Buddhists, which are entirely not my Dharma. You should know that at that time, the true Dharma will soon be extinguished.

2.49

"Great King! Ruining and throwing my Way into disorder will be done by you all. Relying on your own prestige and power, you will restrict my fourfold assembly of disciples. The common people will suffer disease and every kind of misery and distress; these are the causes and conditions that destroy a state, and the sins of the five turbidities cannot be fully described in an exhaustion of kalpas.

2.50

"Great King! In the end of the Dharma age, there will be monks and the fourfold assembly of disciples, as well as kings and ministers who largely engage in unlawful conduct; they will outrageously perpetrate great illegality against the Buddha's Dharma and the monastic assembly, committing all manner of sins and transgressions. Acting against Dharma and against Vinaya, they will bind and fetter monks just like the laws for prison inmates. At that time, the Dharma will not be long before it is extinguished.

2.51

"Great King! After my parinirvāṇa, in future ages, the fourfold assembly of disciples and the kings, crown princes, and royal princes of various small states—who ought to be the ones upholding and protecting the Three Jewels—will instead destroy and ruin the Three Jewels. Just like the worms within a lion's body that feed upon the lion itself, it is not non-Buddhists [who destroy it]. Causing vast destruction to my Buddha-Dharma, they will incur immense guilt; the true teaching will decline and weaken, the people will lack right conduct, and gradually turning to evil, their lifespans will diminish day by day until they reach a hundred years. When people ruin the Buddha's teaching, there will no longer be filial sons, the six relations will be in discord, heavenly spirits will not grant protection, epidemics and evil ghosts will arrive daily to cause harm, calamities and oddities will occur one after another, misfortunes will be interlinked across the land, and upon death they will enter the hells, hungry ghosts, and animals; if they emerge to become human, their retribution will be as soldiers or slaves, just as an echo answers a sound; or like a person writing at night: though the fire is extinguished, the writing remains. The retributions of the three realms are also just like this.

2.52

"Great King! In future ages, all kings, crown princes, royal princes, and the fourfold assembly of disciples will outrageously issue registers and restrictive precepts for the Buddha's disciples, just like the laws for white-robed laity and the laws for soldiers and slaves. If my disciples, the monks and nuns, are entered on registers to be used by officials, they are not my disciples at all; this is the law for soldiers and slaves. They will establish official controllers to oversee the Saṅgha and administer the monastic registers; monastic controllers, great and small, will mutually constrain and bind each other, just like the laws for prison inmates and the laws for soldiers and slaves. At that time, the Buddha-Dharma will not last long.

2.53

"Great King! In future ages, the kings of various small states and the fourfold assembly of disciples, having personally created these sins that are the causes and conditions for destroying the state, will suffer them in their own bodies; it is not the Buddha, the Dharma, or the Saṅgha [who cause it]. Great King! In future ages, those who propagate this sūtra are vessels of the Dharma of the seven buddhas, walking the Way constantly trodden by all buddhas of the ten directions. Evil monks, largely seeking fame and profit, will personally expound to kings, crown princes, and royal princes the causes and conditions for destroying the Buddha-Dharma and destroying the state. Those kings, failing to discern [the truth], will believe and heed these words, arbitrarily enacting laws and restrictions without relying on the Buddha's precepts. These are the causes and conditions for destroying the Buddha and destroying the state. At that time, the true Dharma will not last long."

2.54

At that time, the kings of the sixteen great states, hearing the Buddha speak in seven admonitions of the events of future ages, wept and shed tears, their voices shaking the trichiliocosm, and the sun, moon, five planets, and twenty-eight lunar mansions lost their light and did not appear. Then those kings each wholeheartedly received and upheld the Buddha's words, resolving not to restrict the fourfold assembly of disciples from going forth from household life or practicing the Way, acting in accord with the Buddha's teaching.

2.55

At that time, the great assembly, the eighteen Brahma kings, and the devas of the six desire heavens lamented: "At that time, the world will be desolate; that will be an age without a buddha!" Then, amid the immeasurable great assembly, the hundred billion bodhisattvas such as Maitreya and Siṃhacandra, the hundred billion disciples such as Śāriputra and Subhūti, the fifty billion eighteen Brahma kings and devas of the six desire heavens, and those of the three realms, six destinies, asura kings, and others, hearing what the Buddha spoke on the causes and conditions for protecting the buddha-fruit and the causes and conditions for protecting the state, rejoiced immeasurably, paid homage to the Buddha, and received and upheld the prajñāpāramitā.

2.56

Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra for Humane Kings, Spoken by the Buddha, Scroll Two

Linked texts (1)

佛說仁王般若波羅蜜經 — Classical Chinese