佛說觀佛三昧海經 6

English (machine translation) 6

Language: English

6.1

Translated by Guṇabhadra, Tripiṭaka Master from India, under the Eastern Jin

6.2

Chapter 5: Contemplating the Four Immeasurables

At that time, when the Bhagavat spoke these words, through the power of the Buddha's heart, ten kinds of white light issued from the Buddha's heart. Their light illuminated the worlds of the ten directions universally. In each light were immeasurable transformation Buddhas riding upon jeweled lotus flowers. The great assembly in the gathering at that time saw the Buddha's light as crystal water or saw it as milk; they saw the transformation Buddhas issuing from the Buddha's chest, entering into the Buddha's navel, roaming within the Buddha's heart, and riding upon great jeweled ships to journey through the five destinies to the places of sinners undergoing retribution. Each sinner saw the transformation Buddhas like their own parents, good friends, and relatives, who gradually expounded to them the supramundane Dharma. At that time, a great voice in the sky addressed the great assembly: "All of you now should contemplate the Buddha's heart! The heart of the Buddhas is great benevolence; that which great benevolence takes as its object is suffering sentient beings."

6.4

The Buddha said to Ānanda: "What is called the benevolent mind? As for the benevolent mind: one should fix one's mindfulness upon suffering sentient beings. As for suffering sentient beings, they are those in the three evil destinies who undergo utmost suffering and affliction."

6.5

When the Buddha spoke these words, the great assembly in the gathering saw the hells, hungry ghosts, and animals; through the power of the samādhi of the marks of liberation, all the sentient beings were caused to recognize their past lives on their own, seeing that those undergoing suffering were all, during immeasurable kalpas in previous lives, their parents, masters, disciples, and good kin and friends. Having seen this, they wept, bowed to the Buddha, and said: 'Bhagavat! We now, through the Buddha's power, see the suffering sentient beings, and all of them are our parents, masters, and elders.'

6.6

The Buddha said to the great assembly: "Sentient beings of the three realms transmigrate through the six destinies like a whirling firebrand, becoming at times parents, brothers, and clan relatives. None in the three realms is not your close kin; how could you give rise to intentions of killing and jealousy?"

6.7

When he had spoken these words, King Śuddhodana and all the great assembly said to the Buddha: "Bhagavat! What is called the samādhi of the benevolent mind? We only pray that the Bhagavat will briefly explain it for us."

6.8

The Buddha said to the great assembly: "Now, as for the benevolent mind, one should form a visualization, taking first one's relatives as the object. When fixing one's mindfulness, one thinks of one's own parents undergoing various suffering and distress, and of those who are unfilial; one thinks of one's own wife, children, and loved sentient beings undergoing various suffering and distress; and seeing sentient beings who have leprosy and ulcerous sores, having seen them, one thinks: 'How shall I save them?' When one visualization is accomplished, one should make a second visualization; when the second visualization is accomplished, one should make a third visualization; when the third visualization is accomplished, one fills one room with the visualization; when the visualization of one room is accomplished, one fills a monastery; when that of one monastery is accomplished, one fills a yojana; when that of one yojana is accomplished, one fills one Jambudvīpa; when that of Jambudvīpa is accomplished, one fills Pūrvavideha; when that of Pūrvavideha is accomplished, one fills the three continents; thus expanding gradually, it fills the realms of the ten directions.

6.9

"One sees all sentient beings of the eastern direction as one's fathers; one sees all sentient beings of the western direction as one's mothers; one sees all sentient beings of the southern direction as one's elder brothers; one sees all sentient beings of the northern direction as one's younger brothers; one sees all sentient beings of the downward direction as one's wives and children; one sees all sentient beings of the upward direction as one's teachers and elders; and all in the four intermediate directions as śramaṇas, brāhmaṇas, and the like. Seeing these sentient beings, one sees that they all suffer pain and distress, or encounter severe illnesses, or are on mountains of blades, trees of swords, fire-carts, and burning coals. Seeing all these afflictions, one weeps in compassion and wishes to eradicate their suffering. Generating the thought of oneself, one rides a jeweled lotus and approaches each person: tending their bodies, massaging them, and washing their leprous sores. Seeing the fires of hell, one weeps tears of sorrow and compassion, wishing to extinguish those fires. Seeing the hungry ghosts, one pierces one's own body to draw blood, imagining it transformed into milk, and supplies it to the hungry ghosts so that they are satisfied. Once they are satisfied, one preaches the Dharma to them, praising the Buddha, praising the Dharma, and praising the bhikṣu-Saṅgha. Having sung these praises, one's sorrow and compassion deepen all the more, without pausing for a moment. Bringing such loving-kindness to the utmost proficiency, explaining each matter extensively as in the loving-kindness samādhi—such loving-kindness is called the practice of loving-kindness.

6.10

"Having practiced loving-kindness, next one should cultivate compassion. As for compassion: seeing sentient beings suffer pain is like an arrow piercing one's heart, like having one's eyes destroyed; one's mind is profoundly grief-stricken and one's whole body rains blood, wishing to eradicate their suffering. Compassion of this kind has a hundred billion gates; it is explained extensively as in the samādhi of great compassion.

6.11

"Having cultivated loving-kindness and compassion, next one cultivates great sympathetic joy: seeing sentient beings at ease and enjoying happiness, one gives rise to joy in one's mind, no different from it being one's own.

6.12

"Having given rise to sympathetic joy, next one cultivates equanimity: these sentient beings have no marks of coming or going; they arise from mental conceptualization (that which arises from mental conceptualization is nominally called 'mind' through the combination of causes and conditions). Such mental conceptualization is like a wild blossom arising from distortion; suffering arises from conceptualization, and happiness is born from conceptualization; the mind is like a plantain tree, lacking solidity within, as explained extensively as in the sūtras' ten similes. When performing this contemplation, one sees neither body nor mind; one sees all dharmas as identical with the true nature of reality. This is called the bodhisattva's body, feeling, mind, and dharmas. Relying on this dharma, one extensively cultivates the thirty-seven factors conducive to awakening. If one attains realization, it is the śrāvaka's dharma; if one does not attain realization, it is the bodhisattva's dharma."

6.13

When these words had been spoken, the light from the Buddha's heart became even more brilliant. From the radiance at the tip of the Buddha's heart, jeweled blossoms were born, each jeweled blossom accompanied by retinue blossoms as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Upon each blossom were immeasurable and boundless subtle and wondrous transformation Buddhas, their bodies sixteen feet in height, just like Śākyamuni. When this mark appeared, the eighty-four thousand pores of the Buddha's body each emitted jeweled lotuses; upon each blossom were eighty-four thousand great transformation Buddhas of boundless stature. The pores of these transformation Buddhas' bodies, as well as the light of their hearts, were also as described above.

6.14

Such light illuminated the ten directions everywhere. It entered the Buddha's crown and emerged from the white curl mark between the Buddha's eyebrows. Emerging from the white curl, it illuminated the ten directions everywhere like a golden banner, turning the ground of the ten directions into genuine gold. Rolling up the transformation Buddhas, it entered the Buddha's mouth and emerged from the Buddha's mouth, also illuminating the ten directions, and came to enter the Buddha's chest. Emerging from the Buddha's chest, it again illuminated the ten directions and came to enter the Buddha's navel. When this light entered, the interior of the Buddha's body was like clear, motionless vaidūrya water. All sentient beings of the three realms and five destinies were reflected within the Buddha's heart. They saw the transformation Buddhas riding great jeweled platforms, touring the Buddha's heart like jeweled ships. Each transformation Buddha praised and spoke of non-killing, praised mindfulness of the Buddha, praised mindfulness of the Dharma, praised mindfulness of the Saṅgha, praised mindfulness of morality, praised mindfulness of giving, praised mindfulness of the devas, praised the six points of harmony and respect, and praised the loving-kindness samādhi: 'These six recollections are able to produce wholesome dharmas. These six recollections are the cause of the Buddhas. The Buddha-mind is the mind of the six recollections. This dharma is obtained on account of the six points of harmony and respect. Those who wish to accomplish the Buddha Path should train in the Buddha-mind.'

6.15

When these words had been spoken, the light of the Tathāgata's body became twice as brilliant. The transformation Buddhas and jeweled lotuses on the Buddha's body were of unknowable number, the light of each blossom as described in the Gaṇḍavyūha: 'Contemplating in this manner is called right contemplation; contemplating otherwise is called wrong contemplation. After the Buddha's parinirvāṇa, those disciples of the Buddha who cultivate the six recollections are called those who are mindful of the Buddha-mind. Being mindful of the Buddha-mind eradicates the offenses of birth-and-death for twelve hundred million kalpas. Those who perform this contemplation, in whatever place they are born life after life, will never hold wrong views, their minds will not be perverted or erroneous, and they will constantly meet unarisen bodhisattvas. If such a person is born in a borderland where there is no Buddhadharma, by the power of the merit of mindfulness of the Buddha, they will naturally awaken and become a pratyekabuddha.' At that time, after the Bhagavat had spoken these words, he gathered in the light of his body, which returned to its original state without difference.

6.16

The Buddha told his father, the king: 'Regarding the marks of a great person, the light of the white curl, and all the marks: if there are those who can contemplate them in reverse, contemplate them in order, or contemplate them with discernment, fully contemplating the circular radiance and the sixteen-foot body, merely by generating this mind—whether they seem to see them or not—their multitude of offenses will be eradicated as explained above. Suppose there is a donor endowed with the five supernormal powers who obtains a cintāmaṇi and flies throughout the ten directions. In the worlds of the ten directions, in each and every world, the number of sentient beings is unknowable, but is reckoned only as immeasurable and boundless. If all such sentient beings were arhats, and this great donor, for kalpas beyond count, were to make offerings to these noble ones with the four requisites without lack, would the merit obtained by this person be great or not?'

6.17

His father, the king, said: 'Merely making offerings to the arhats of a single direction brings immeasurable merit, how much more so to the immeasurable arhats of the ten directions!'

6.18

The Buddha told his father, the king: 'Even if someone were to mature beings with wrong views, in number as stated above, and cause all those persons to attain the path of the arhat, with the three knowledges, the six supernormal powers, and endowed with the eight liberations, it would still not equal generating the mind that aspires to the Buddha's wisdom and being mindful of the Buddha for a single moment.'

6.19

When the Buddha spoke these words, one hundred million Śākyas in the assembly of Śākyas gave rise to the mind of anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, vowing of their own accord never to seek the path of the śrāvakas or pratyekabuddhas. They addressed the Buddha, saying: 'Bhagavat! In the parts of the Buddhas' bodies, down to a single pore, there are immeasurable transformation Buddhas; the bodies of the śrāvakas are like scorched, spoiled seeds—of what benefit are they?'

6.20

Chapter Six, Part One: Contemplating the Four Postures

6.21

At that time, amidst the great assembly, the Bhagavat arose and walked, stepping into empty space. His father, the king, watched and his mind was exceedingly joyful, and he also followed the Buddha's walking. As the Buddha raised his feet, the thousand-spoked wheel marks beneath his feet each rained down eighty-four thousand jeweled lotuses. Each lotus blossom in turn transformed into eighty-four thousand billion nayutas of blossoms; each lotus blossom transformed into a platform; each flower platform and each flower petal completely covered immeasurable worlds of the ten directions; each lotus blossom had eighty-four thousand petals. Śākyamuni walked in empty space, raining down jeweled blossoms everywhere; from these blossoms there were further Buddhas, countless as dust motes, walking in empty space. Having seen this, his father, the king, was filled with great joy and attained the stage of anāgāmin; throwing his five limbs to the ground, he paid homage to the Buddha. The great assembly gathered at that time all witnessed this matter and addressed the Buddha: 'Bhagavat! Among the countless transformation Buddhas in the worlds of the ten directions, which is the real Buddha, and who are the transformation Buddhas?'

6.22

The Buddha told the great assembly: 'The Buddhas, the Tathāgatas, enter the place of emptiness and tranquility, and through the samādhi of liberation they are sovereign according to their wish; there is neither real nor transformed. Why is this? The Buddha-mind is empty and tranquil, and further enters the samādhi of the radiant king of empty and tranquil liberation. Through the power of this concentration, the Buddhas, the Tathāgatas, manifest boundless bodies. The boundless body is sarvajña; sarvajña is called the unattached samādhi. On account of the unattached samādhi, the Tathāgatas manifest walking: whether manifesting begging for food, or manifesting walking meditation. These two dharmas abundantly benefit sentient beings. If there are sentient beings who, when the Buddha is in the world, see the Buddha walking, with every step they see the thousand-spoked wheel mark and eradicate extremely grave, evil offenses of a thousand kalpas. After the Buddha has left the world, those who, in samādhi and right meditative absorption, imagine the Buddha walking also eradicate extremely grave, evil karma of a thousand kalpas. Even if they do not imagine his walking, those who see the Buddha's footprints or see an image walking also, with every step, eradicate extremely grave, evil karma of a thousand kalpas.'

6.23

The Buddha told Ānanda: 'From this day forward, uphold the Tathāgata's words and proclaim them everywhere to the disciples: "After the Buddha's parinirvāṇa, create fine images, making their bodily marks complete. Also make the physical forms of immeasurable transformation Buddhas, the light encompassing their whole bodies, and paint the Buddha's footprints; with exquisite pigments and crystal gems, place them at the site of the white curl, so that sentient beings may see this mark. Merely by seeing this mark and giving rise to joy in their hearts, such persons will eradicate the offenses of birth-and-death for a hundred billion nayutas of Ganges-sands kalpas."' Having spoken these words, the Tathāgata returned to his seat.

6.24

His father, the king, again asked the Buddha: 'What beneficial matters are there in the world that can cause sentient beings to attain peace and happiness?'

6.25

At that time, the Bhagavat told the great king: 'In the city of Śrāvastī, the elder Sudatta had an old mother named Pitilā who diligently managed the household affairs. The elder instructed her to keep the keys to the storehouses, entrusting all receiving, storing, taking out, and giving to her. The elder Sudatta invited the Buddha and the Saṅgha, supplying what was needed. At that time, a sick bhikṣu requested many things. The old mother, being stingy, became angry and resentful toward the Buddhadharma and the Saṅgha, and said: "The elder of our house is deluded and foolish, accepting the tricks of the śramaṇas. These mendicants demand much without satiety; what path do they possess?" Having spoken these words, she further made an evil vow: "When will I be able not to hear the Buddha's name, not to hear the Saṅgha's name, and not to see anyone who shaves their hair and dyes their clothes?" When one person heard these evil words, a second heard them, and gradually they spread throughout the city of Śrāvastī.

6.26

"Queen Mallikā heard these words and said: 'Why is it that Sudatta is like a fine lotus whom people delight in seeing, yet there is a poisonous snake guarding him?' Having said this, she ordered Sudatta: 'Send your wife here; I wish to speak with her.' Anāthapiṇḍada hastened to the royal palace. Arriving, he paid homage and stepped back to stand to one side. Queen Mallikā bade him take a seat. When he was seated, she spoke to him: 'The old maidservant in your household engages in malicious speech and slander; why do you not drive her out?' Anāthapiṇḍada knelt and addressed her: 'Lady! The sun of the Buddha has appeared in the world, bringing much moisture and benefit. A greatly evil man like Aṅgulimāla, or Sunīta, a lowly person whose very breath was that of a caṇḍāla—the Buddha was able to subdue them. How much more so an old maidservant, could she not be subdued?' Queen Mallikā, hearing these words, was greatly delighted: 'I wish to invite the Buddha; you send the maidservant here. Tomorrow at mealtime, invite the Buddha and the Saṅgha to be offered a meal in the palace.' The elder sent the maidservant carrying a vase filled with gold and a maṇi jewel parasol to help the royal house make offerings to the Saṅgha, telling her: 'Trustworthy one, take these items and present them to the royal house.' Hearing these words, the maidservant leaped for joy, took the jeweled vase, and ran. Queen Mallikā saw the maidservant coming and thought: 'This person of wrong views is to be transformed and taught by the Buddha. When I see this person receiving transformation, she will surely attain the benefit of the Dharma.'

6.27

"At that time, the Bhagavat entered through the main gate, with Nanda on his left, Ānanda on his right, and Rāhula behind the Buddha. Seeing the Buddha, the old mother was terrified, her hair standing on end: 'How hateful that this person has followed behind me!' She immediately wished to retreat and exit through the dog hole, but the dog hole closed up. The side alleys in all four directions were blocked simultaneously; only the main road remained open. The old mother covered her face, shielding herself with a fan, unwilling to see the Buddha. The Buddha was before her and made the fan like a mirror, without any obstruction. Turning her head to look east, there was a Buddha in the eastern direction; looking south, there was a Buddha in the southern direction; looking west, there was a Buddha in the western direction; looking north, there was a Buddha in the northern direction; raising her head to look up, there was a Buddha in the upward direction; bowing her head to the ground, the earth transformed into a Buddha; when she covered her face with her hands, the ten fingers of her hands all transformed into Buddhas. When the old mother closed her eyes, the eye of her mind immediately opened, and in empty space she saw all the transformation Buddhas filling the worlds of the ten directions."

6.28

"When this sign appeared, there were in the city of Śrāvastī twenty-five caṇḍāla women, fifty brāhmaṇa women, and others of various classes, together with five hundred women in the palace of Queen Mallikā, who harbor slander in their hearts and do not believe in the Buddha's Dharma. Seeing the Buddha, the Tathāgata, walking through the empty sky and manifesting countless bodies for the old servant woman, their hearts were filled with great joy; tearing through the net of wrong views, they bowed their heads and made prostrations at the feet of the Bhagavat.

6.29

"At that time, the Bhagavat comforted those women with his brahma-voice and told them: 'Women! You may now invoke the name of Śākyamuni. Because you invoke my name and contemplate my physical marks, you will attain liberation.' When he had said this, the women together cried with one voice: 'Namo Buddhāya!' The Buddha emitted light from the mark of the white hair-tuft (ūrṇā) between his eyebrows, illuminating the hearts of those women. The women saw that the Buddha walked with solemn and orderly deportment, with flowers raining down beneath his feet like canopies, and transformation Buddhas standing like a forest beyond count. Having seen this, the women gave rise to the thought of anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi. When even this old servant woman, holding wrong views and lacking faith upon seeing the Buddha, could still extinguish the sins of life and death accrued over eighty billion kalpas, how much more so for one who with good intent respectfully pays homage and bows?

6.30

"At that time, because the old servant woman had seen the Buddha, the alleys and streets opened again. She ran swiftly back home and addressed her master, saying: 'Today I encountered a great and terrible foe—the ascetic Gautama! In front of the palace gate and before a great crowd, he performed various magical illusions. His body was like a mountain of gold adorned with multitudes of flowers; his eyes surpassed blue lotuses, with light of myriad billions [of beams] that could not be fully looked upon. That ascetic is skilled in illusions, peerless in the world. Master, you are young; you must not take pleasure in seeing him.' Having said this, she climbed into a wooden cage, covered the wooden cage with a hundred skins, wrapped her head in white cotton cloth, and lay back down in a dark place.

6.31

"At that time, the Bhagavat returned to the Jetavana. Queen Mallikā addressed him, saying: 'Bhagavat! I pray that you transform this woman of wrong views; do not return to the monastery.' The Buddha said to Mallikā: 'This woman's sins are heavy; she has no karmic connection with the Buddha, but she has a great karmic connection with Rāhula. The Buddha's walk today was to eliminate her sins.' Having said this, he returned to the monastery and said to Rāhula: 'Go to the house of the great elder Sudatta and liberate the wicked old woman.' When he said this, one thousand two hundred and fifty ascetics all said: 'Today we wish to follow you.'

6.32

"At that time, Rāhula, sustaining the Buddha's spiritual power, entered the samādhi of wish-fulfillment. After paying homage and circumambulating the Buddha seven times, he transformed his own body into a wheel-turning sage king (cakravartin). Ānanda attended on the left and Nanda on the right, while the one thousand two hundred and fifty monks transformed into a thousand sons. Ānanda served as the minister of the treasury, and Nanda served as the minister of weapons; the seven treasures and the fourfold army were all complete. Then the golden wheel treasure, riding upon a lotus terrace in the empty sky, proceeded straight to the house of the great elder Sudatta. A yakṣa proclaimed: 'The sage king has appeared in the world to banish all wicked people and propagate the good Dharma.' When the old woman heard this, her heart was filled with great joy: 'When a sage king appears, he possesses a wish-fulfilling jewel (cintāmaṇi) and seeks nothing; one may surely speak to this one.'

6.33

"At that time, the sage king struck bells and beat drums, riding upon a great jeweled carriage to Sudatta's house. Seeing him, the old woman was exceedingly joyful: 'The emergence of a sage king into the world brings abundant benefit. He distinguishes good from evil and will surely not be deceived by ascetics.' Coming out of the wooden cage, she respectfully bowed to the sage king. The sage king then dispatched the minister of the treasury to go to where the woman was, saying to her: 'Sister! You have past merit that corresponds to the marks of royalty. The sage king now wishes to make you, sister, his jeweled woman (strī-ratna).' The old woman replied: 'My body is low and wretched, like filth and dung. That the sage king has deigned to ask after me brings immeasurable joy and celebration, but how could I be worthy to serve as a jeweled woman? If he takes pity on me, let him order my master to release me and set me free; what is bestowed would already be great.'

6.34

"At that time, the sage king said to Sudatta: 'The old woman of your household possesses majestic and imposing marks; I now wish to take her to serve as the jeweled woman.' Sudatta replied: 'I obey your command entirely; I wish to offer her to the Great King.' Hearing that she was freed, the old maidservant was overjoyed beyond measure. The sage king then illuminated the woman's face with a wish-fulfilling jewel, causing the woman to see herself as a jeweled woman. She was redoubled in great joy and said: 'Those ascetics boast and talk big, claiming to possess the Way without a single proof. The sage king's appearance in the world brings vast and abundant benefits, causing my old and decrepit self to become like a jeweled woman.' Having said this, she threw her five limbs to the ground in homage to the sage king. Then the minister of the treasury proclaimed the king's gracious edict, promulgating the teaching of the ten good actions. Hearing the ten good actions, the woman's heart was filled with great joy, and she thought: 'What the sage king teaches contains nothing that is not good.' She bowed to the king, repented and blamed herself, and her heart was instantly subdued.

6.35

"Then Rāhula reverted to his original form. The old woman lifted her head and saw the one thousand two hundred and fifty monks; thereupon she said: 'The Buddha's Dharma is pure and does not abandon sentient beings, transforming and liberating even someone decrepit and wicked like me.' Having spoken these words, she sought to receive the five precepts. Then Rāhula explained the three refuges and conferred the five precepts on her. Upon hearing this Dharma, before she could even raise her head, she became a srotāpanna. The earth deity rejoiced and, welling up from the earth, said to Sudatta: 'Excellent, elder! You have torn the net of wrong views. It is precisely for this that the Tathāgata appears in the world!'

6.36

"Then Rāhula led this old woman to the Jetavana. Having arrived, she saw the Buddha's body with the marks of purple-gold, and rejoicing with joined palms, she paid homage to the Buddha, repented of her former sins, and asked the Buddha to go forth [as a monastic]. The Buddha said to Rāhula: 'Take this woman to Gautamī.' Before they had even arrived, Rāhula explained to her the dharmas of suffering, emptiness, impermanence, and non-self. When the old woman heard this, her hair fell out of itself and she became a nun (bhikṣuṇī). Endowed with the three knowledges, the six supernatural powers, and the eight liberations, she ascended into the sky and performed the eighteen transformations.

6.37

"King Prasenajit and Queen Mallikā, seeing these transformations, were filled with great joy in their hearts: 'Excellent! The Buddha-sun appears in the world to shatter the darkness of ignorance, enabling even one of wrong views to attain the path of the Arhat (yingzhen).' Having spoken these words, they paid homage to the Buddha and said: 'Bhagavat! What past sin did this old woman have that she was born in a low and wretched state as someone's maidservant? And what past good fortune did she have that she encountered the Bhagavat, like fine white cotton cloth easily taking dye, and immediately attained the path of the arhat?'"}, War

6.38

"The Buddha told the Great King: 'Listen attentively, listen attentively, and reflect upon it well! The Tathāgata will analyze and explain it for the King. In the remote past, immeasurable kalpas ago, there was a Buddha, a Bhagavat named Tathāgata Ratnacchatradīparāja (King of the Lamp with a Single Jeweled Canopy), complete with the ten epithets. After that Buddha passed away, during the Semblance Dharma, there was a king named Miśraratnapuṣpaprabha (Varied Jeweled Flower Radiance). That king had a son named Sudarśana (Pleasant to Behold), who sought to go forth [as a monastic], and his father granted permission. The prince went to the mountain to a monastery and sought to go forth. At that time there was a monk, intelligent and of great wisdom, who deeply understood the true nature of reality (dharmatā); he accepted him as a disciple. There was also a monk named Guṇapuṣpaprabha (Radiance of the Flower of Virtue), who was skilled in explaining the essentials of the Dharma to guide and advance beginners. Although the prince-monk had gone forth, he still harbored arrogance. When his preceptor (upādhyāya) explained to him the profound and wondrous Dharma, the perfection of wisdom (prajñāpāramitā), and the meaning of great emptiness, the prince, upon hearing it, misunderstood it and spoke errantly. After the monk passed away, he said: "My great upādhyāya was empty of wisdom, capable only of praising non-existent, empty matters. May I in future births not take pleasure in seeing him! My ācārya possessed wisdom and eloquence; may he be my good spiritual friend (kalyāṇamitra) in birth after birth!" After the prince-monk said this, he explained the Dharma as non-Dharma and explained non-Dharma as the Dharma, instructing his followers to practice wrong views. Although he maintained the prohibitions and was not deficient in deportment, because of his erroneous understanding, after his life ended, in the time it takes to shoot an arrow, he fell into the Avīci hell, constantly suffering anguish for eighty billion kalpas. When his retribution was finished, he emerged to become a poor and lowly person; for five hundred lifetimes he was deaf, foolish, and blind, and for one thousand two hundred lifetimes he was constantly a maidservant to others.' When the Buddha said this, Queen Mallikā's five hundred maidservants repented, reproached themselves, and gave rise to bodhicitta, vowing to understand the profound teaching of emptiness in future lives.

6.39

"The Buddha told the Great King: 'The upādhyāya at that time was none other than myself! The ācārya was none other than Rāhula! The prince-monk was this old woman! The followers and disciples were these women of wrong views today who have now given rise to bodhicitta!' When the Buddha said this, twenty thousand upāsakas in the city of Śrāvastī gave rise to bodhicitta and attained the samādhi of mindfulness of the Buddha (buddhānusmṛti-samādhi), constantly seeing the Buddha preaching the Dharma while in samādhi."

6.40

The Buddha said to his father the king: "When wicked people of wrong views see the Buddha walking, they still attain such immeasurable merit, how much more so those who contemplate the Buddha walking and the walking of his image?"

6.41

His father the king said to the Buddha: "The Buddha's mother, Māyā, was born in the Trāyastriṃśa heaven. The Buddha now possesses all marks of light and supernatural powers; how will you go to preach the Dharma for your mother?"

6.42

The Buddha told the Great King: "The Tathāgata shall walk on foot according to the manner of a wheel-turning sage king, ascending from Jambudvīpa to the Trāyastriṃśa heaven to inquire after his patron and preach the wondrous Dharma for her."

6.43

At that time, there was in the assembly a bodhisattva-mahāsattva named Dharaṇīṃdhara (Earth Holder). He rose from his seat and entered the śūraṅgama-samādhi. Through the power of the samādhi, from the vajra-boundary, with vajra as the wheel, vajra as the root, and vajra as the flower, flowers emerged one after another out of Jambudvīpa. At that time, the four dragon kings—Nanda, Upananda, Anavatapta, and Sāgara—each holding the seven treasures, went to Dharaṇīṃdhara's presence and presented the seven treasures, fashioning for the Buddha, the Bhagavat, a three-tiered jewel staircase: silver on the left, crystal on the right, and gold in the middle. Stretching from the vajra earth-boundary of Jambudvīpa up to the Trāyastriṃśa palace, each jewel staircase had seven tiers of balustrades. These balustrades were formed of ten billion jewels and had ten billion beams of light; in each beam of light were ten billion jeweled flowers, and within each flower immeasurable musical instruments naturally surged forth. At that time, Dharaṇīṃdhara spread jeweled lotus flowers as numerous as the sands of the Ganges where the Buddha would tread. Along the sides of the staircase path, he erected jeweled banners, with immeasurable jeweled pennants hanging from the tops of the banners, and ten billion jeweled canopies covering them from above. The devas of Trāyastriṃśa rained down māndarāva flowers, mahāmāndarāva flowers, mañjūṣaka flowers, and mahāmañjūṣaka flowers, adorning the space between. Then the Brahmā King, holding an incense burner in his hands, together with ten thousand Brahmās, stood in attendance by the side of the stairs. Each stream of incense smoke was like a cloud of lapis lazuli, filling the empty sky, and within the clouds hundreds of thousands of musical instruments played of themselves without being struck. The dragons headed by Nanda took candana powder from this shore of the ocean and scattered it upon the path. The fragrance and light rose upward like flames of golden light, transforming into a golden terrace the height of a tāla tree. Immeasurable devas held heavenly necklaces to adorn the staircase path; such offerings were beyond count.

6.44

At that time, the Bhagavat in Jambudvīpa took up his three robes and instructed Ānanda, Nanda, Rāhula, and the other five hundred monks to walk upon the great earth on foot. When he first raised his foot, the earth shook in six ways; when he set down his foot, jeweled palaces like the palace of the Brahmā King sprang forth from the earth, palace after palace in succession suspended in the empty sky, following and shining behind the Buddha by the side of the staircase path. Bodhisattva Dharaṇīṃdhara, together with Maitreya and one thousand bodhisattvas, joined their palms simultaneously and praised the immeasurable virtuous deeds of the Tathāgata with myriad billions of sounds. At that time, the Brahmā King and countless hundreds of thousands of Brahmā devas, holding incense burners and immeasurable musical performances to make offerings to the Buddha, stood attending on the left staircase; Śakra Devānām Indra, along with countless devaputras and hundreds of thousands of devīs, playing drums, musical instruments, and singing with strings, also stood on the left staircase; the countless great assembly of śrāvakas and bodhisattvas stood attending on the right staircase.

6.45

At that time, the Bhagavat emitted a great light that illuminated the sides of the staircase path. The light was like clouds of hundreds of thousands of billions of colors, resembling multistoried pavilions. The Buddha sat in their midst, surrounded by eighty-four thousand transformation Buddhas; five hundred emanated bodies of Buddhas were exactly equal to the Buddha, holding robes and bowls with solemn and orderly deportment, and these emanated Buddhas likewise had Ānanda and Nanda as attendants.

6.46

At that time, Māra Pāpīyān in the sky, together with his demonic host, chanted wonderful verses praising the Tathāgata's merits. Śakra Devānām-indra said to Māyā: "The Tathāgata, the Hero of the World, has come here to repay his debt of gratitude." When Lady Māyā heard that the Buddha had arrived, she dispatched heavenly maidens carrying heavenly treasures, heavenly music, and māndārava flowers to welcome the Bhagavat beside the staircase.

6.47

Then, as the Tathāgata raised and lowered his feet, countless palaces appeared; in each palace, five hundred transformation Buddhas sat cross-legged, and each Tathāgata had five hundred bodhisattvas as attendants.

6.48

At that time, the five hundred replicated bodies of Śākyamuni entered the Trāyastriṃśa heaven's palace. All the devas rejoiced and spoke these verses:

6.49

"Vipaśyin Buddha, the auspicious supreme one,
Also emits light and comes to this place.
Śikhin Tathāgata, the greatly auspicious supreme one,
With countless transformation bodies, comes to this place.
Viśvabhū, [radiant like] the full moon,
Emits light from his white curl, illuminating all, and comes to this place.
Krakucchanda Buddha, light issuing from his mouth
Illuminates the realms of the ten directions and comes to this place.
Kanakamuni Buddha, with countless transformation bodies,
Emits great light and comes to this place.
Kāśyapa the Bhagavat, his body like a jeweled dais,
Walking through space, comes to this place.
Śākyamuni, divided into five hundred bodies,
With countless transformation Buddhas illuminating all, comes to this place.
Maitreya Bodhisattva, the venerable one of the Fortunate Kalpa,
Shall also emit light and arrive at this place.
This place is auspicious, serene, and unconditioned,
The roaming place of all Buddhas, the birthplace of the Munis,
Called the cave of nirvāṇa, the crossing to wisdom for the wise!"

6.50

At that time, when the Bhagavat entered the Trāyastriṃśa palace, he immediately emitted light from the mark of the white curl between his eyebrows. The light transformed into a great canopy of seven jewels that covered Māyā, and a bed adorned with seven jewels was offered for Māyā to sit upon. When Māyā, the Buddha's mother, saw the Buddha enter the palace, she joined her palms reverently to make obeisance to the Buddha. The five hundred transformation Buddhas simultaneously reached out their hands, and the devas supported her so that she was not permitted to pay homage. The eighty-four thousand transformation Tathāgatas all stood up.

6.51

Then, from within Lady Māyā's palace, fifty billion beams of light spontaneously surged forth. Within this light were great jeweled terraces, upon each of which sat Buddhas of the ten directions. These Buddhas each spoke their own names to comfort the Buddha's mother: In the east, Good Virtue Buddha, holding wonderful jeweled flowers, scattered them over Śākyamuni and Māyā, transforming into a canopy of flowers, within which ten billion transformation Buddhas joined their palms, stood up, and inquired after the Buddha's mother; in the south, Candana Virtue Buddha, holding jeweled lotuses, scattered them over Śākyamuni and the Buddha's mother, transforming into a canopy of flowers, within which countless transformation Buddhas joined their palms, stood up, and inquired after the Buddha's mother; in the west, Immeasurable Light Buddha, holding jeweled lotuses, scattered them over Śākyamuni and the Buddha's mother, transforming into a canopy of flowers, within which countless transformation Buddhas joined their palms, stood up, and inquired after the Buddha's mother; in the north, Mark Virtue Buddha, holding jeweled lotuses, scattered them over Śākyamuni and the Buddha's mother, transforming into a canopy of flowers, within which countless transformation Buddhas joined their palms, stood up, and inquired after the Buddha's mother. In the southeast, Sorrow-Free Virtue Buddha; in the southwest, Jewel Giving Buddha; in the northwest, Flower Virtue Buddha; in the northeast, Three Vehicles Practice Buddha; in the zenith, Vast Multitude Virtue Buddha; and in the nadir, Bright Virtue Buddha—such Buddhas each took jeweled flowers and scattered them over Śākyamuni Buddha and the Buddha's mother, transforming into canopies of flowers, within each of which countless transformation Buddhas joined their palms, stood up, and inquired after the Buddha's mother.

6.52

At that time, the Trāyastriṃśa palace was filled with transformation Buddhas. From above the head of Lady Māyā, the Buddha's mother, various offerings spontaneously emerged, with countless banners and streamers honoring all the Buddhas. From within the banners and streamers, wonderful sounds praised the Buddha, praised the Dharma, and praised the Sangha of monks.

6.53

The Buddha told Ānanda: "This is called the divine transformations of bodily marks and radiant light when the Tathāgata ascended from Jambudvīpa to the Trāyastriṃśa palace. After the Buddha's parinirvāṇa, if the Buddha's disciples contemplate in this way, it is called correct contemplation; if they contemplate otherwise, it is called false contemplation. One who performs this contemplation eliminates the sins of birth and death for one hundred million kalpas, and at the end of life will see the Buddhas of the ten directions and certainly be reborn in a pure Buddha land in another realm."

6.54

The Buddha told Ānanda: "Uphold these words and expound them widely for the sake of all sentient beings in future ages. You should know that anyone who hears these words and reflects on these meanings will be protected and sheltered by the Buddhas of the ten directions, and at the end of life will certainly be born before the Buddhas."

6.55

The Buddha told the king his father: "What are the manifestations of the light marks when the Tathāgata descended from the Trāyastriṃśa heaven to Jambudvīpa? When I first descended, countless devaputras and hundreds of thousands of devīs attended the Bhagavat. They saw only one Buddha with a halo one fathom wide emitting a thousand beams of light, walking through space and treading down the staircase. At that time, seven Buddha images appeared within the Buddha's light, emerging from it to lead the Buddha forward. King Udayana, yearning for the Bhagavat, had cast a golden image. Hearing that the Buddha was about to descend, he carried the golden image on an elephant to welcome the Bhagavat. The bhikṣuṇī Utpalavarṇā transformed herself into a lapis lazuli mountain, sitting cross-legged inside a mountain cave, offering immeasurable gifts to welcome the Bhagavat. Then the golden image dismounted from the elephant just like a living Buddha, walking through space, raining down flowers beneath its feet, and emitting light to welcome the Bhagavat. The cast golden image then joined its palms and bowed in homage to the Buddha. At that time, the Bhagavat also knelt down on both knees, joining his palms toward the image. In the sky, hundreds of thousands of transformation Buddhas also all joined their palms and knelt down toward the image.

6.56

"Then the Bhagavat said to the image: 'In future ages, you shall perform great Buddha work. After my parinirvāṇa, I entrust my disciples to you.' The transformation Buddhas in the sky spoke with one voice, all saying: 'If there are sentient beings who, after the Buddha's parinirvāṇa, construct images and make offerings to them with banners, flowers, and various incenses, these people will certainly attain the pure samādhi of buddhānusmṛti in future lives. If there are sentient beings who know the various marks of the Buddha's descent, focusing their thoughts and contemplating them, they will certainly see them for themselves.'"

6.57

The Buddha told Ānanda: "After the Buddha's parinirvāṇa, if the Buddha's disciples know the Tathāgata Buddha's descent from the Trāyastriṃśa heaven and see the Buddha image, they will eradicate extremely heavy evil karma of a thousand kalpas. Contemplating in this way is called correct contemplation; contemplating otherwise is called false contemplation."

6.58

Sūtra on the Ocean-like Samādhi of Buddha Contemplation, Spoken by the Buddha, Fascicle Six

Linked texts (1)

佛說觀佛三昧海經 — Classical Chinese