佛說觀佛三昧海經 8
English (machine translation) 8
- Language
- English
8.1
Translated by Buddhabhadra, Tripiṭaka Master from India, under the Eastern Jin
8.2
Chapter 7: Contemplating the Sheathed Organ of the Horse King
8.3
The Buddha told Ānanda: “How should future sentient beings contemplate the Tathāgata's mark of the sheathed organ? As for the mark of the sheathed organ: when I was at home, Yaśodharā and five hundred attendants all had this thought: ‘The Prince was born into the world with many extraordinary wonders, yet there is only one matter about which we have doubts.’ Among the assembly of female attendants, there was a woman named Sumanā, who said to the Princess: ‘The Prince is a divine person. The Veda says: “If there is a divine person who is pure by nature, because of his brahmacarya his bodily organ is flat and full.” The Prince now resembles a person of brahmacarya. Having taken a consort for many years, during which the female attendants have served him for years on end, we have not seen his bodily organ, let alone worldly affairs.’ There was another woman named Śuddhamati who said: ‘Mistress! I have served the Prince for eighteen years, yet I have never seen the Prince have the trouble of urinating or defecating, let alone any desires.’ At that time, the women spoke diversely, all saying that the Prince was not a potent male. While the Prince was taking a daytime nap, he heard all the women wishing to see the Prince's mark of the sheathed organ. At that time, the Prince, through the power of his vow, accommodated the women: he slowly turned his body, his inner garments opening, and they saw his golden body shining brilliantly. His knees briefly parted, and all beheld the holy form, flat as the full moon, possessing a golden light like the sun's disc. The women rejoiced: ‘Such a divine person is truly worthy of respect and love, yet our worldly hopes are completely cut off!’ Having spoken these words, they wept tears like rain. Then, from the Prince's organ issued a white lotus flower, its color red and white, one above and two below, three flowers connected. Having seen it, the women said to one another again: ‘Such a divine person has the mark of a lotus flower; how could this person's mind harbor any defiling attachment?’ Having spoken these words, they choked up and could not speak. At that time, from within the flower there suddenly appeared a bodily organ shaped like that of a boy. Seeing it, the women said to each other again: ‘The Prince now displays an extraordinary thing: suddenly there is a bodily organ, which thus gradually takes the form of a mature man.’ When the women saw this, their desires were fulfilled and they could not contain their delight.
8.4
“When this mark was manifested, the mother of Rāhula saw that bodily organ, flower upon flower in succession like heavenly karpāsa. Upon each flower were countless large-bodied bodhisattvas holding white flowers and circumambulating the bodily organ; having appeared, it retracted and disappeared again like the aforementioned sun's disc. This is called the bodhisattva’s mark of the sheathed organ. The Tathāgata has now attained the path to awakening; he is a great man possessing a male body, and he shall again manifest the male mark for you.”
8.5
The Buddha told Ānanda: “Before you went forth from the household, the King of Mathurā had a wet-nurse named Dhūmapā, who nursed that king for fifteen years. When the king had grown up, she joined her palms, knelt long, and sought a boon from the king, saying to the Great King: ‘Though I am lowly, I have labored to nurse the Great King for years on end. I prostrate and beg the Great King to grant me a boon!’ The king asked: ‘What does my wet-nurse desire?’ The wet-nurse then said: ‘In the king’s palace, I am like the Goddess of Fortune (Śrīmahādevī), lacking nothing at all; I lack only one thing, namely, what a woman desires to enjoy.’ The king said to the wet-nurse: ‘I shall match my wet-nurse with a great minister to be husband and wife.’ The wet-nurse did not wish this, and said to the Great King: ‘Noble men are full of affairs; that is not what I enjoy. I wish an order to be given to all the men in the country, from fifteen and older to thirty and younger, that all submit to me. If any can come, I will bestow on that person a large gold coin; if one is ugly, I will bestow a silver coin.’ Then that king, to repay the nurse's kindness, built a high tower and proclaimed an order throughout the country commanding the men: ‘Gather together according to her wish as stated above.’ As years passed, the wet-nurse grew old and feeble. She recruited many women, eventually numbering five hundred. Each woman furthermore bought female servants, adorned in various ways, numbering a full eight thousand.
8.6
“At that time, that king fell ill and passed away. The crown prince succeeded to the throne, and a wise minister said to him: ‘The late king repaid her kindness by indulging this old servant woman, making the king's realm like a village of harlots, bringing no small amount of harm and disgrace to the nation's reputation. What use is this? She should be banished at once!’ Having so spoken, he went outside, burned down the high tower, and drove away all the women.
8.7
“Terrified, the women fled to the kingdom of Śrāvastī. Having arrived in Śrāvastī, they set up a brothel at the crossroads and plied their alluring arts as before. Śrāvastī was a great realm with a vast population; those who flocked to the women’s house and spent a single night had to pay two hundred gold coins. In that country was an elder named Rulüda, who had accumulated ten billion in wealth. The elder had a son named Huade. The three brothers dissipated themselves without restraint and vied with one another in rushing to the brothel. On their very first visit, each of them paid fifteen gold coins; day and night they continually paid gold coins, more than twice the amount of ordinary men. Within a single month, one treasury of gold was exhausted. His father, the elder, inspected his various treasuries and saw that one treasury was empty. He asked the treasury keeper: ‘Where has the gold in this treasury gone?’ The treasury keeper said: ‘The master’s sons take gold every day to the house of the courtesans. If they are not stopped, all the gold will be used up.’ Hearing this, the elder beat his chest and wept aloud: ‘Alas, these villainous sons have ruined my household!’ Taking a large stick in hand, he struck the sons’ mother on the head. His wife wailed and wept: ‘Alas, these villainous sons! Giving birth to such sons has brought no benefit; they stole the gold until the treasury was exhausted. You as their father provided no discipline and were never stern with them—why beat me now?’ Enraged, the elder went weeping to the king, threw himself prostrate before the king, and said: ‘Great King! The realm has fallen into disorder. The rākṣasa women from the kingdom of Mathurā have come to dwell in this city and have ruined my family estate.’ The king said to the elder: ‘You are exceedingly wealthy, yet even your treasury of gold was exhausted; how much worse for the ordinary folk—how could they not be reduced to distress?’ The elder said to the king: ‘I only pray that the Great King will swiftly execute these wicked people.’ The king told the elder: ‘I have received the Buddha’s precepts and do not even harm an ant, so how could I kill a person?’ Hearing this, the elder raised his hands, beat his head, and said: ‘Great King! I have heard that when a ruler executes and punishes wicked people to rid the state of harm, what fault could there be? Today, the Great King makes common cause with evil, indulging these courtesans to subvert and throw into chaos the true Dharma. When the realm falls into disorder and the people are destitute, where will your precepts stand?’”
8.8
“The king told the elder: ‘When the Tathāgata appears in the world, he tames many beings: Aṅgulimāla, breath-exhaling caṇḍālas, mighty spirit-kings, rākṣasas, and executioners—all have been transformed by him. I shall now go to the Buddha and report this matter. You may be slightly patient.’ Having comforted his minister, the king mounted a noble elephant and went with his attendants to Jetavana. He paid homage to the Buddha, circumambulated the Buddha three times, joined his palms, knelt upright, and said: ‘Bhagavat! The courtesans of the kingdom of Mathurā have now come here to delude the youths. May the Buddha please transform them.’ The Buddha told the great king: ‘After seven days, the Buddha himself will see to it.’ At that, King Prasenajit paid homage to the Buddha and withdrew.”
8.9
“The Buddha told Mahākāśyapa: ‘Go to the house of the great elder Sudatta and say to the dānapati: “After seven days, the Buddha will go to the debate grounds to transform the courtesans.”’ Having heard this, Sudatta leaped for joy and prepared various offerings: he fashioned seven-jeweled lotuses eleven fathoms high and set them at the Buddha’s seat, hung silk canopies, and sprinkled the ground with scented water. When that day arrived, the king struck the golden drum and commanded all the debating masters throughout the kingdom to go to the debate grounds. The elder Sudatta invited the monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen all to assemble so that he might offer them provisions. When the time arrived the next day, the king and the multitude went to the debate grounds. The elder Rulüda sent caṇḍālas to summon the courtesans, and the elder Sudatta likewise announced that the time had arrived. At that time, the Tathāgata instructed the one thousand two hundred and fifty monks: ‘Monks! Each of you, according to your meditative concentration, manifest great supernormal powers.’ The senior elder Kauṇḍinya, together with four monks, transformed [themselves] into a cave as large as Gandhamādana, with hundreds of thousands of lotuses; atop each lotus were five monks seated cross-legged, their bodies emitting golden light that turned their forms golden, stately and lovable just like Maitreya. Furthermore, there were transformed beings performing eighteen miraculous feats, and within each transformation were eighteen monks displaying eighteen miraculous supernormal powers that were wonderful to behold: some entered samādhi, some engaged in walking meditation, their radiance swirling about like a golden mountain bringing forth jeweled blossoms; the monks remained within the cave with body and mind undistracted, flew to the debate grounds, and took their seats in the high places. Uruvilvā-Kāśyapa leaped into the air and transformed into six dragons whose coiled bodies entwined to form a monk’s seat; seated upon it, he performed the eighteen miraculous feats and flew to the debate grounds. The two brothers Gayā[-Kāśyapa] and Nadī[-Kāśyapa] leaped into the air and transformed into a great stone cave, entered the fire-radiance samādhi, performed the eighteen miraculous feats, and flew to the debate grounds. The venerable Mahākāśyapa, wearing a patchwork robe of a thousand scraps, held his alms bowl in his hands, preserved his deportment, and paced through empty space; with every step he took, he transformed a jeweled tree, and beneath each tree was a transformed Kāśyapa walking in the grove, performing the eighteen miraculous feats, and he too arrived at the debate grounds. Greatly wise Śāriputra leaped into the air and performed the eighteen miraculous feats: from his upper body issued the blazing radiance of a thousand suns that did not obstruct one another, and from his lower body issued a thousand moons, round and lovely like the full autumn moon; having performed the eighteen miraculous feats, he flew to the debate grounds. Mahāmaudgalyāyana leaped into the air and transformed into eighty-four thousand lion thrones, each lion with closed eyes lying prone on the ground, white as a snow mountain; Mahāmaudgalyāyana sat on their backs, performed the eighteen miraculous feats, and flew to the debate grounds. The venerable Upāli leaped into the air, spread his niṣīdana in the midst of empty space, sat cross-legged, and entered the samādhi of loving-kindness, golden light flowing forth from all his pores; having performed the eighteen miraculous feats, he flew to the debate grounds. Mahākātyāyana leaped into the air and transformed into fifteen Maheśvaras, each god mounted on a bull king, with blossoms growing upon their heads; Mahākātyāyana sat upon this flower-seat, performed the eighteen miraculous feats, and flew to the debate grounds. Subhūti leaped into the air, remained invisible in darkness with only his voice to be heard, and spoke these verses:
8.10
“‘The true nature of all phenomena is suchness;
There is no self and no sentient being;
Nor is there any thought of sensual desire:
Who, then, is to be taught and transformed?
All phenomena are inherently devoid of intrinsic nature,
Nor do they possess names or characteristics;
Because of clinging attachment, desire arises:
Who, then, is to be taught and transformed?’”
8.11
“Having spoken these words, he performed the eighteen miraculous feats and flew to the debate grounds. At that time, Aniruddha leaped into the air, transformed into ten thousand Brahmā kings and made various Brahmā palaces; the monk remained in their midst, performed the eighteen miraculous feats, and flew to the debate grounds. Rāhula and Nanda—these two monks leaped into the air, transformed into a jeweled mansion, remained in its midst, entered deep dhyāna concentration, performed the eighteen miraculous feats, and flew to the debate grounds. In this way, the one thousand two hundred and fifty monks each manifested distinctive transformations and likewise performed the eighteen kinds of supernormal powers, flying to the debate grounds.”
8.12
“At that time, the Bhagavat, accompanied only by Ānanda, carried his niṣīdana and held a water pitcher in his hand, the Bhagavat in front and Ānanda behind. From the Buddha’s alms bowl issued six lotuses, each lotus emitting golden light that illuminated the kingdom of Śrāvastī and turned it golden. Within the water of the pitcher was a great golden banner, and the head of the golden banner had five hundred rays of light; each ray of light transformed into a thousand transformation Buddhas, each fully endowed with the thirty-two primary marks, who paced through empty space and flew to the debate grounds. King Prasenajit and the great multitude scattered flowers, burned incense, and paid homage to the Buddha; hundreds of thousands of heavenly instruments sounded on their own without being struck, chanting the Tathāgata’s immeasurable merits. King Prasenajit knelt upright with joined palms and entreatingly invited the Tathāgata to transform the courtesans. The Buddha sat upon a flower throne and briefly explained suffering, emptiness, impermanence, and the various pāramitās to the great multitude, but the women would not accept it.”
8.13
“At that time, among the multitude of women, there was a courtesan named Ke’ai (‘Lovely’), who said to the women: ‘The śramaṇa Gautama is by nature devoid of desire; people say he is not a man. That is why, in the midst of the assembly, he expounds suffering and emptiness and denounces desire as impure. If he is fully endowed with bodily parts, he should abandon shame in the midst of the great assembly like a Nirgrantha, bare his body, and show it to me! If he truly possesses this mark, we will submit to him and become his disciples; if he lacks this mark, his talk of impurity is in vain. If this rootless man is by nature devoid of desire, why would he not speak of desire as impure?’ Having spoken these words, the Tathāgata then transformed an elephant like the elephant jewel of a wheel-turning sage king. From between the elephant’s legs emerged a white blossom, like an elephant’s organ, which gradually touched the ground. Seeing this, the women laughed joyfully and said to one another: ‘The śramaṇa is skilled in illusions, thus transforming this.’ The Buddha again transformed into the likeness of a horse king, revealing the sheath of the horse king, which was like a beryl tube hanging down to its knees. Seeing this, the women even more declared it an illusion. Queen Mallikā, seeing these transformed signs, said to the nuns and laywomen: ‘We women should all withdraw and return; what the courtesans say should not be listened to. The Bhagavat is of great compassion; now, wishing to transform them, he will surely display extraordinary transformations. We ought to avoid this.’ Paying homage to the Buddha, they withdrew.”
8.14
“The Buddha instructed Ānanda: ‘Tell King Prasenajit and the monks to stroll about as they please.’ King Prasenajit said to the venerables: ‘The Tathāgata in his great compassion wishes to transform the courtesans; we should now all go far away.’ Having spoken thus, he backed away and withdrew, leaving only the one thousand two hundred and fifty monks standing in attendance behind the Buddha. The Buddha told Kauṇḍinya: ‘Lead your followers to engage in walking meditation in the grove.’ The five hundred monks, with the greatly wise Śāriputra as their leader, still joined their palms and attended upon the Buddha to his left and right. The Buddha told Śāriputra: ‘You too may go as you please and debate and discuss what is appropriate with the debate masters.’ The five hundred monks followed behind Śāriputra to the flower grove, where they further explained the Four Noble Truths for King Prasenajit. Only Ānanda remained. The Buddha told Ānanda: ‘Leave the sitting mat behind; you too should go.’ Having spoken these words, the Bhagavat then went alone to the place of the women.”
8.15
“At that time, seeing the Buddha alone, the women laughed aloud and said: ‘Śramaṇa, do you now have bodily parts or not?’ The Buddha said: ‘I am endowed with a male body and am a great man.’ Hearing this, the women covered their mouths and laughed. Thereupon, the Bhagavat spread his niṣīdana; the vajra earth deity transformed into a golden couch with legs made of the seven jewels beneath the sitting mat, and the Buddha sat upon it. He folded his saṅghāṭī and pulled aside his saṃkakṣikā, revealing the svastika on his chest for the women to see. When the women saw the character, it appeared like hundreds of thousands of men in the prime of their youth, with extraordinary features that delighted the women’s hearts. The Buddha further pulled aside his nivāsana, and they saw that the Buddha’s body was completely flat and smooth, with golden light like a thousand suns. Seeing this, the women all said: ‘Gautama is a rootless man.’ Hearing these words, the Buddha, according to the manner of a horse king, gradually caused it to appear: when it first emerged, it was like the bodily organ of an eight-year-old boy, and gradually it grew larger, resembling the form of a youth. Seeing this, the women were all delighted. Then the sheath of the concealed horse organ gradually grew larger like a lotus banner; within each tier were ten billion lotuses; on each lotus were ten billion jewel colors; within each color were ten billion transformation Buddhas; and each transformation Buddha was attended by ten billion bodhisattvas and an immeasurable multitude. At that time, with different mouths but one voice, the transformation Buddhas denounced the faults and perils of women’s evil desires, speaking these verses:
8.16
“‘Even if there were men,
All aged fifteen or sixteen,
In their prime and of great vigor,
In number filling the sands of the Ganges,
Used to gratify a woman,
They would not satisfy her desire for a single moment.’”
8.17
"Then, having heard these words, the women felt shame and remorse, threw themselves on the ground, beat their heads with their hands, and said: 'Alas! How evil is desire, that it causes the Buddhas to speak of such matters! We harbored evil minds and clung to foul desires, unaware of their perils, thereby causing the Buddhas to hear of such depravities. It is as if a raging fire is burning us!' While they were saying these words, they saw all the transformation Buddhas in the empty sky broadly expounding the contemplation of impurity for the women—namely: the nine contemplations, the ten contemplations, the thirty contemplations, and the counting of breaths in ānāpāna. Hearing the contemplation of impurity expounded, the women took joy in the Dharma and joy in dhyāna, no longer taking joy in sensual craving.
8.18
"At that time, the Bhagavat drew back the light of his body and sat upright on the golden couch. The great assembly gathered like clouds and returned to the Buddha's presence. King Prasenajit said: 'Bhagavat! The Tathāgata's appearance in the world brings vast benefit: he has manifested such great radiance here, not to mention the boundless merits of the rest of his bodily parts!' All the gods in the empty sky also praised the Tathāgata's hundreds of thousands of brahma-practices: 'Such are the brahma-practices of the Tathāgata that his supreme organ concealed in a sheath retracts leaving no trace, and displays golden lotuses and countless transformation Buddhas. This is the reward of holding the precepts, towering in merit.' When the women heard this exposition, four thousand among them brought forth the mind toward anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi; two thousand women left the dust and cleared the stains, attaining the purity of the Dharma-eye; and two thousand women, after twelve kalpas have elapsed in the future, will successively attain the path of a pratyekabuddha.
8.19
"The elder Rulüda, seeing that the Buddha had transformed the evil women of Māra, praised him, saying: 'Excellent, excellent! In the past, the Tathāgata crushed Pāpīmān's army; now his conversion of these women is no different from the original [victory]. When this mark is displayed, immeasurable gods bring forth bodhicitta.' Among the troops brought by King Prasenajit, five hundred men asked the Buddha to go forth [into homelessness]. Their beards and hair fell off naturally, the clothes they wore transformed into kāṣāyas, and they immediately attained the path of arhatship. At that time, in the great assembly, those who rejoiced at the sight of the sheath of the horse king eliminated the sins of fifty billion kalpas of birth and death; they paid homage to the Buddha and withdrew."
8.20
The Buddha said to Ānanda: "Formerly, when I was in the summer rains retreat, in the kingdom of Vārāṇasī there was a brothel. In the tower there was a woman named Myōi (Carumukhadā?). Long ago she had a deep karmic connection with the Buddha. I, together with Nanda and having taken you along, went to this courtesan's dwelling day after day to beg for alms. This woman had never shown reverence toward me, but developed an exclusive romantic attachment toward Nanda. When seven days had passed, the woman thought in her mind: 'If the recluse Gautama can send his younger brothers Nanda and Ānanda to comply with my wishes, I will present various offerings to the recluse.' The Buddha told Ānanda and Nanda: 'From this day on, do not go to that village.' The Bhagavat went alone holding his alms bowl to the woman's tower. For one day up to three days, he emitted a golden light to transform gods and humans, but this woman did not awaken. Later, the Bhagavat again led Ānanda and Nanda along beneath the tower. Because the courtesan felt affection and respect for the two monks, she scattered a multitude of flowers from afar over the Buddha and the two monks. Ānanda said to her: 'Will you pay homage to the Buddha?' Out of her fondness for Ānanda, the woman immediately made obeisance.
8.21
"At that time, the Bhagavat conjured three youths, all fifteen years of age, whose faces were handsome and surpassed all human beings in the world. When this woman saw them, her body and mind were filled with joy. She cast all five limbs to the ground before the conjured youth, paid respectful homage to him, and said: 'O man! This dwelling of mine is like [the abode of] the goddess Guṇadevī: through the sovereign power of my merit, it is adorned with many jewels. I now offer myself, along with my slaves and handmaids, to you, sir, to serve in sweeping and cleaning. If you would deign to accept and grant my desire, I will supply everything without sparing a thing.' Having spoken these words, the conjured man sat upon the couch. Before the space of a meal had passed, the woman approached closely and said: 'O man! May you fulfill my desire.' The conjured man did not refuse, and according to what she wished, he immediately coupled with her. For one day and one night, her mind was untiring; on the second day, her passionate craving began to subside; on the third day, she said: 'O man! May we rise to eat and drink?' The conjured man then arose, clinging inextricably to her without ceasing. The woman felt revulsion and regret, and said: 'O man! What kind of person are you to act like this?' The conjured man told her: 'The rule of my former lives was that whenever I engaged with a woman, only after twelve days had passed would I rest.' Hearing these words, the woman felt like a person choking on food—unable to vomit it out, yet unable to swallow it down. Her body was in agonizing pain as if being pounded by a pestle. By the fourth day, it felt as though she were being run over by a cart; by the fifth day, as though iron balls were entering her body; by the sixth day, all her joints ached as if an arrow had pierced her heart. The woman thought: 'I have heard people say that the prince of Śuddhodana in Kapilavastu has a body of purple-golden color with the thirty-two primary marks, is compassionate toward the blind and destitute, rescues those in suffering, constantly performs blessings in this city, and emits golden light to save all people. Why does he not come to save me today?' Having thought this, she reproached herself with deep anguish: 'From this day until the end of my life, I will never covet lust! I would rather dwell in the same cavern with tigers, wolves, lions, and ferocious beasts than suffer this affliction out of lustful desire!' Having spoken these words, she arose again to eat and drink, yet they were bound together whether walking or sitting, and she could do nothing about it. The conjured man also grew angry: 'Curse you! Wretched woman, you have ruined my endeavors! Now that I am joined with you in one body, it would be better to die early. If my parents and kin come looking for me, where can I hide myself? I would rather die than bear this shame!' The woman said: 'You wretched thing, I have no use for you! If you wish to die, do as you please.'
8.22
"At that time, the conjured man took a knife and pierced his neck; blood gushed in torrents, soiling the woman's body as he collapsed in a heap on the ground. The woman could not bear his weight, nor could she free herself. Two days after death, [the corpse] turned blue-bruised and foully blackened; on the third day, it swelled and bloated; on the fourth day, it rotted and burst open, with feces, urine, evil worms, splattering blood, and foul pus smearing the woman's body. The woman felt intense revulsion, yet could not get away. On the fifth day, the skin and flesh gradually decayed; on the sixth day, the flesh sloughed off entirely; on the seventh day, there remained only foul bones, stuck to the woman's body like glue and lacquer. The woman made a vow: 'If the gods, the ṛṣis, or the prince of Śuddhodana can relieve me of my suffering, I will give away all the treasures in this house as alms.' While she had this thought, the Buddha came leading Ānanda and Nanda. Śakra walked before them holding a jeweled incense burner and burning priceless incense; the Brahmā King followed behind holding a great jeweled parasol; and countless gods played celestial music. The Buddha emitted his regular radiance, brightening heaven and earth; all the assembly saw the Tathāgata approach this woman's tower. When the woman saw the Buddha, she felt deeply ashamed and had nowhere to hide the bones. She took white cotton fabrics and countless perfumes to wrap up the foul bones, but their stench remained as before, impossible to conceal. Seeing the Bhagavat, the woman paid homage to the Buddha; out of shame, her body concealed the bones, but suddenly the foul bones appeared on her back. Overwhelmed with shame, she wept and said: 'The Tathāgata's merit, kindness, and compassion are boundless. If you can free me from this suffering, I vow to become your disciple and never backslide in mind.' By the Buddha's supernatural power, the foul bones disappeared. The woman was overjoyed; she paid homage to the Buddha and said: 'Bhagavat! All that I hold dear I now give to the Buddha.' The Buddha gave a blessing for her, his brahma-voice flowing melodiously. Hearing the blessing, the woman was overjoyed and immediately attained the path of a srotāpanna. The five hundred maidservants, hearing the Buddha's voice, all brought forth the mind toward supreme bodhi. Countless assemblies of Brahmā gods, seeing the Buddha's supernatural transformation, attained the endurance of the non-arising of dharmas; and among the devaputras brought by Śakra, some brought forth bodhicitta, while others attained the fruit of anāgāmin."
8.23
The Buddha said to Ānanda: "Formerly, when I had just attained awakening, I stayed by the bank of the Nairañjanā River near the city of Gayā. There were five nirgranthas. The first nirgrantha was named Sajjāta, who had five hundred followers; the remaining four each had two hundred and fifty disciples. At that time, these nirgranthas claimed to have attained the Way and came to where I was. Wrapping their organs seven times around their bodies, they came to where I was, spread grass, sat down, and spoke these words: 'Gautama! Because I am free from desire, the mark of brahma-practice has been accomplished in me. My organ can do this, like that of Maheśvara. My spiritual powers now surpass those of the recluse by hundreds of thousands of times. If the recluse does one thing, I will do two.' Immediately, out of the earth he conjured a tree, wound his organ around the tree for a full seven turns, and caused clouds and mist to emerge from the tree like the breath of a dragon king. Raising his voice in a loud shout and holding up his hands, he proclaimed: 'Gautama! The mark of my brahma-practice is verified like this! You call yourself a man and say you are a great man—what proof do you have?'
8.24
"At that time, the Bhagavat conjured a jeweled cangue. At both ends of the jeweled cangue were fourteen pearls, each radiant pearl emitting a thousand beams of light; each beam of light transformed into a transformation Buddha, performing the eighteen transformations and standing suspended in the empty sky. The Bhagavat displayed a transformation, standing upside-down in the empty sky with his feet on the cangue. At that time, from the Buddha's two feet emerged a thousand lotus flowers, each lotus flower possessing tens of billions of light beams; in each beam of light were ten billion jeweled terraces; on each terrace were countless transformation Buddhas; and each transformation Buddha withdrew one foot, making the foot invisible like rolled-up vaidūrya. All the transformation Buddhas and Śākyamuni hung by one foot, standing inverted in the empty sky. Only the nirgranthas saw the Buddha standing inverted; the countless eight classes of gods, dragons, and spirits saw the Buddha, the Bhagavat, sitting serenely in the lecture hall expounding the Great Dharma, namely the teachings of signlessness, selflessness, and the like.
8.25
"At that time, a voice in the sky said to the nirgranthas: 'The Buddha has done one; you may now do two.' Then the nirgranthas leaped and hurled themselves up, grasping tree branches with their hands and clinging to the tree, but exhausting all the nirgrantha arts, they were unable to stand inverted. The tree spirit manifested its form, boxed their ears, and scolded them: 'Madmen! You are like tiny insects daring to do battle with the lion, king of beasts! A moment ago you shouted loudly: "If the Buddha does one, I will do two." Now that the Buddha has demonstrated great supernatural power, why do you not do it?' When the tree spirit had scolded them, the earth spirit Dṛḍhā emerged from the earth, stood suspended in the empty sky, shackled the nirgranthas' feet with large iron chains, and hung them upside down in the sky. Five yakṣas beat them with staves. In acute agony, the nirgranthas wrenched themselves free and fell toward the earth. Before they reached the ground, one nirgrantha called out: 'Namo Buddhāya!' The Bhagavat caught the nirgrantha with his hand so that his body felt no pain. When the nirgranthas were back on the ground, their jealous minds had not abated; they said to the earth spirit: 'You have no compassion; you are biased toward Gautama! Because of your past sins, you took the body of a yakṣa beneath this earth. Today, once again, you lack universal compassion, and only torment us on behalf of Gautama.' At that time, the spirit of the Ganges River flew and stood suspended in the sky, holding a great stone in its hand, and declared: 'Nirgranthas! You foolish people, who eat cow dung, smear lime on your heads to make your hair fall out, and go naked without shame—you are like donkeys and horses, or like impoverished dragons unable to bring moisture and benefit! The Buddha-sun of the Tathāgata shines everywhere upon all things. How can you now take your bodies of darkness and contend for light with the sun?' When the water spirit had spoken these words, it exhorted the Bhagavat to subdue the nirgranthas."
8.26
At that time the Bhagavat said to the Nirgranthas: “You do not know the parts of the Tathāgata’s body. If you wish to see them, contemplate them as you will. The Tathāgata has cultivated pure conduct (brahmacarya) for accumulated kalpas. When at home, he had no thoughts of illicit desire, and because his mind was unstained and free of entanglements, he obtained this retribution. Just as the precious horse hides and reveals itself impermanently, I shall now display for you a small portion of my bodily form.” Then the Bhagavat descended from the sky and immediately manifested four waters on the ground like the four great oceans. In the midst of the four oceans there was Mount Sumeru. The Buddha lay on his back with an upright body at the foot of the mountain, emitting golden light whose brilliant radiance dazzled the eyes of all the devas. Slowly extending his equine-sheath mark, it encircled the mountain seven times like golden lotuses, blossom after blossom in succession reaching up to the Brahma world. From the Buddha's body emerged one hundred million nayutas of mixed-jewel lotuses, like flower banners covering and concealing the equine sheath. This flower banner had one billion tiers; each tier had hundreds of thousands of immeasurable transformation Buddhas; and each transformation Buddha had ten billion bodhisattvas and countless monks as attendants. The transformation Buddhas emitted light illuminating the realms of the ten directions. Seeing this, the Nirgranthas were greatly astonished and their minds were subdued: “The marks of the Buddha's pure conduct are even inconceivable to this degree! His form is not ugly; it is just like a lotus. We now prostrate ourselves before the ocean of the Buddha's merit. The Buddha's wisdom is boundless and inexhaustible. May he accept our repentance and receive us!” Having spoken these words, the five hundred Nirgranthas joined their palms, bowed with hands clasped, knelt upright on the ground, and begged the Buddha for ordination. The Buddha said: “Welcome, bhikṣus!” The Buddha commanded Kāśyapa to prepare robes for them. Kāśyapa then went to the abode of the ṛṣis and said to the great ṛṣis: “Today the Bhagavat has subdued the Nirgranthas! May the sages grant a few garments.” Then the ṛṣis took fine tree bark and tāla leaves, tailored them, and made robes. The teacher of the ṛṣis was named Guangmu (Prabhālocana). He joined his palms with hands clasped and told his disciples: “The Buddha's virtue is boundless, and his vast vows extend everywhere, even receiving and taking in those clinging to wrong views. We should prepare robes to provide for these naked ones; by revering the Buddha-jewel, we too may escape all suffering.” Having spoken these words, he followed behind Kāśyapa to the Bhagavat's abode. The five hundred ṛṣis saw lotus pedestals emerge from the Buddha's body, like an array of lotuses surrounding Mount Sumeru and reaching up to the Brahma world. Having seen this, the ṛṣis rejoiced, joined their palms, and paid homage to the Bhagavat! Attentively gazing upon the Bhagavat without looking away for even a moment, they saw the light of the ūrṇā mark between the Buddha's brows curling gracefully to the right, and saw all the various marks of the Buddha's body. They reflected: “These primary and secondary marks must surely arise from having been free of bondage and attachment, free of self and actor, free of mind and consciousness, free of person and object, free of giving and receiving in previous lives—the pure dāna-pāramitā; and they also arise in accord with the sameness and signlessness of all things, the great knowledge of emptiness, prajñāpāramitā.” Having contemplated this meaning, they instantly attained the forbearance of the unproduced nature of dharmas. When the five hundred Nirgranthas donned their saṅghāṭīs and paid homage to the Buddha, before they had even raised their heads, they immediately attained the path of the arhat, endowed with the three knowledges, the six supernormal powers, and the eight liberations. Each Nirgrantha vowed that he would deliver others. When the five hundred Nirgranthas manifested this sign, immeasurable hosts of devas, nāgas, and yakṣas, seeing the pure retribution of the Buddha's pure conduct, rejoiced in body and mind and gave rise to anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi-citta.
8.27
The Buddha told Ānanda: “After the Buddha's parinirvāṇa, when the hosts of devas, nāgas, yakṣas, śramaṇas, and brāhmaṇas ask: ‘What retribution did the Buddha, the Bhagavat, attain by cultivating pure conduct in past lives, being pure and devoid of desire?’ you should answer them: ‘The Buddha possesses the horse-king sheath mark, which is proportionate with his body, perfectly filled in its seven convexities, pure inside and out like a vajra vessel. For the sake of saving sentient beings, he manifests this mark, along with immeasurable transformation Buddhas, light, and wondrous lotus clouds. Such a body arises from countless lives of being unstained and at peace, properly upholding moral discipline, wisdom, and the śīla-pāramitā.’”
8.28
The Buddha commanded Ānanda: “After the Buddha's parinirvāṇa, when disciples of the Buddha wish to contemplate the Tathāgata’s hidden equine-sheath mark, they should contemplate it in this way. Contemplating it in this way is called right contemplation; if one contemplates otherwise, it is called wrong contemplation. After the Buddha's parinirvāṇa, if any of the Buddha's disciples focus their minds, maintain right mindfulness, and contemplate the marks of the Buddha's pure conduct and the radiance of the transformation Buddhas, they will constantly see the Buddhas of the ten directions in their dreams. Such persons will constantly cultivate pure conduct life after life, and will eliminate the transgressions of birth and death for two hundred thousand kalpas.”
8.29
When this mark was spoken of, eight thousand yakṣas among the yakṣa assembly rejoiced in body and mind, praised the immeasurable virtues of the Tathāgata, and immediately gave rise to anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi-citta.
8.30
Sūtra on the Ocean-like Samādhi of Buddha Contemplation, Spoken by the Buddha, Scroll Eight
Linked texts (1)
- 佛說觀佛三昧海經 — Classical Chinese