KING ŚRĪVIJAYA PRAJÑĀ PĀRAMITĀ SŪTRA
VOLUME 2
Chapter 3: DHARMA REALM
At that time, King Śrīvijaya immediately rose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, knelt on his right knee, joined his palms, bowed respectfully, and addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One! How does a great Bodhisattva who studies Prajñāpāramitā deeply understand the profound Dharma realm?”
At that time, the World-Honored One praised King Śrīvijaya:
“Excellent, great king! Listen carefully, listen carefully, and reflect!”
King Śrīvijaya said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One! I will respectfully listen.”
The Buddha said to King Śrīvijaya:
“Great king! A wise great Bodhisattva should draw near to good spiritual friends, diligently practice and cultivate, abandon all afflictions and obstacles, keep the mind pure, respectfully honor and revere [the Dharma], delight in cultivating the practice of emptiness, stay far away from all views and attachments, and cultivate the true path of practice; then he will be able to understand the Dharma realm.
“Great king! A wise great Bodhisattva should draw near to good spiritual friends, rejoice in and respectfully honor them, regarding them as being like the Buddha. Because of being close to them, he does not become lazy; he eradicates all evil and unwholesome dharmas, and his wholesome roots increase. Having destroyed afflictions, he becomes free from obstructive dharmas and attains purity of the three karmas of body, speech, and mind. Through purity, he gives rise to reverence; through reverence, he cultivates the practice of emptiness; through cultivating emptiness, he becomes free from all views and attachments; through becoming free from views and attachments, he practices the correct path; through practicing the correct path, he sees the Dharma realm.”
King Śrīvijaya said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One! What is the Dharma realm?”
The Buddha said to King Śrīvijaya:
“Great king! It is precisely the true reality.”
“World-Honored One! Why is it called true reality?”
“Great king! Because it does not change or differ.”
“World-Honored One! Why is it without error and without difference?”
“Great king! Because it is suchness.”
“World-Honored One! Why is it suchness?”
“Great king! Here, only wisdom can know it; it cannot be explained through words. Why? Because it transcends all written characters and is beyond the realm of language and speech. Therefore, it has no conceptual elaborations, neither this nor that. Apart from characteristics, there are no characteristics. Having abandoned conceptual thought, it has already transcended the realm of perception and contemplation. Without thought and without characteristics, it has already surpassed the two realms, transcending the realm of ordinary beings and leaving behind the realm of ordinary beings. It surpasses all demonic activities and is free from delusions and obstacles. It is not the knowledge of consciousness.
“Yet it also has no place where it abides. When the noble wisdom is silent and still, afterward it becomes the realm of non-discriminating wisdom, without self and without anything belonging to self. It cannot be obtained through seeking; it neither holds nor rejects, neither defiled nor impure. Pure and free from stains, its nature is the supreme and foremost. It always remains unchanged. Whether a Buddha appears in the world or does not appear in the world, its nature and characteristics eternally abide.
“Great king! This is the Dharma realm in which great Bodhisattvas practice Prajñāpāramitā. By cultivating this Dharma realm, even through hundreds of difficult ascetic practices, they enable all sentient beings to attain understanding.
“Great king! This is the true suchness and ultimate reality of Prajñāpāramitā. It has no discriminating characteristics, is the realm of true emptiness, inconceivable, and the realm where All-Knowing Wisdom and the Wisdom of All Modes are non-dual.”
King Śrīvijaya said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One! How can one realize this Dharma realm?”
The Buddha said to King Śrīvijaya:
“Great king! By realizing the supramundane Prajñāpāramitā, one afterward attains the subsequent non-discriminating wisdom.”
King Śrīvijaya said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One! What difference is there between realization and attainment?”
The Buddha said to King Śrīvijaya:
“Great king! With regard to Prajñāpāramitā, correctly seeing true reality is called realization; through wisdom, penetrating and understanding it is called attainment.”
King Śrīvijaya said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One! As the Buddha has taught: hearing wisdom, contemplative wisdom, and cultivation wisdom are forms of penetration and understanding. Is Prajñāpāramitā not a supramundane dharma, after which one attains non-discriminating wisdom?”
The Buddha said to King Śrīvijaya:
“No, great king! Why? Because profound and wondrous Prajñāpāramitā is deep and subtle, while hearing wisdom is coarse and shallow; it cannot see the ultimate truth and therefore cannot measure or speculate upon it. Because it is a supramundane dharma, even through cultivation it cannot be practiced in the ordinary sense.
“Great king! Such profound Prajñāpāramitā cannot be seen by ordinary beings or by the Two Vehicles. It is like someone born blind who cannot see colors and forms; a child only seven days old cannot see the sun, and even more so cannot see this profound reality, how much less through ordinary cultivation.
“Great king! It is like during the hot summer, a person traveling westward across an open plain. Another person comes from the west toward the east and asks the person ahead: ‘I am hot and thirsty; where is there clear water and the cool shade of trees?’
“The other person replies: ‘Good man, from here going east there are two paths, one on the left and one on the right. You should take the right path, where there is a clear spring and the cool shade of trees.’
“Great king! What do you think? Although the person hears these words, if he only reaches that place through thinking about them, can he eliminate his heat and thirst and obtain the taste of the clear water?”
The World-Honored One replied:
“No, he cannot. This person must arrive at that place, enter the pond to bathe, drink the water, and rest beneath the trees; only then will his heat and thirst disappear, and only then will he know the taste of the clear water.”
The Buddha said:
“Indeed, indeed! Great king! The three wisdoms of hearing, contemplation, and cultivation alone cannot enable one to completely understand the true reality of Prajñāpāramitā.
“Great king! The open plain represents birth and death; the person who asks represents sentient beings; heat represents afflictions; thirst represents craving and attachment; the person coming from the east represents the Bodhisattva; the right path represents the path to the Wisdom of All Modes.
“A great Bodhisattva practicing Prajñāpāramitā skillfully knows birth and death and the path that transcends the world. The clear, cool water represents Prajñāpāramitā; the tree providing shade represents great compassion.
“A great Bodhisattva practices these two dharmas and therefore becomes free from the paths of ordinary beings and the Two Vehicles.
“Great king! Thus, profound Prajñāpāramitā has no form and no characteristics, yet Bodhisattvas must skillfully explain it in many ways so that sentient beings may enter the Dharma of emptiness.
“Great king! A great Bodhisattva practicing Prajñāpāramitā truly knows that the Powers are empty; the Fearlessnesses are empty; the Unique Qualities are empty; the aggregate of precepts is empty; the aggregates of concentration, wisdom, liberation, and liberated knowledge and vision are empty; emptiness itself is empty; ultimate truth is empty; yet even the characteristic of emptiness cannot be grasped. One does not cling to the characteristic of emptiness, does not give rise to seeing emptiness as a characteristic, does not grasp the characteristic of emptiness, and does not rely upon emptiness. Thus, without attachment or grasping, one does not fall into error regarding emptiness.
“Great king! A great Bodhisattva practicing Prajñāpāramitā completely abandons all characteristics, does not see characteristics within or outside, abandons the characteristics of conceptual elaboration, abandons the characteristics of discrimination, abandons the characteristics of seeking, abandons the characteristics of attachment, abandons the characteristics of objects of experience, abandons the characteristics of dependent grasping, and abandons the characteristics of knower and known.”
King Śrīvijaya said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One! When great Bodhisattvas contemplate non-characteristics in this way through Prajñāpāramitā, how have the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, contemplated it?”
The Buddha said to King Śrīvijaya:
“Great king! The realm of the Buddhas is inconceivable. Why? Because it is free from all realms. If all sentient beings attempt to conceptualize the realm of the Buddhas, their minds will become confused and they will understand nothing. Why? Because it is identical with the nature of empty space, beyond thought and measure, impossible to obtain through seeking, and free from the realm of perception and contemplation.
“A great Bodhisattva practicing Prajñāpāramitā does not even see a realm of ordinary beings to be conceptualized, much less the realm of Buddhas. Nor does he rely upon any vows. Although he practices giving, he does not cling to the rewards of giving. The same applies to morality, patience, diligence, meditation, and wisdom. All merits, even up to Nirvāṇa, are not clung to and are not relied upon. Why? Because one is free from self and what belongs to self; thus one’s own nature is free, non-dual, and without difference.”
When this Dharma gate of Prajñāpāramitā was spoken, the great trichiliocosm trembled in six ways. Mount Sumeru, Mucilinda Mountain, Cakravāḍa Mountain, Great Cakravāḍa Mountain, Treasure Mountain, Black Mountain, and Great Black Mountain all shook. Countless hundreds of thousands of millions of great Bodhisattvas removed their upper garments and spread them out as a high seat like Mount Sumeru to offer to the Buddha. Countless hundreds of thousands of Śakras, Brahmās, and guardian deities of the heavens joined their palms respectfully and scattered various wondrous flowers as offerings, such as Māndārava flowers, Great Māndārava flowers, Mañjūṣaka flowers, Great Mañjūṣaka flowers, white lotuses, red lotuses, pink lotuses, and blue lotuses. From Vulture Peak Mountain, they spread throughout forty yojanas, filling the area up to the Buddha’s knees with flowers. Countless celestial sons played heavenly music; instruments that were not struck resounded by themselves in the sky, praising the Buddha.
They also saw Buddhas appearing in the world and saw the turning of the Dharma wheel. It was a fortunate thing for all beings in the land of Jambudvīpa that they diligently cultivated various merits, planted many wholesome roots, and were even able to hear such profound Prajñāpāramitā; how much more so would those in future ages who could believe in this Dharma be fortunate. Any sentient being who attained such a condition would certainly abide within the realm of the Tathāgata.
There were also countless hundreds of thousands of great Dragon Kings who, through their spiritual powers, created great clouds covering everything. Fragrant rain fell throughout Vulture Peak Mountain and the great trichiliocosm. Those who heard the Dharma felt nourished by the fragrance but did not become wet. Countless dragon maidens stood before the Buddha with joined palms praising him. Countless Gandharvas used wondrous music to make offerings to the Buddha. The Yakṣas also scattered many beautiful flowers as offerings. The World-Honored Buddhas in countless, boundless Buddha lands throughout the ten directions each emitted a beam of light from between their eyebrows, illuminating Vulture Peak Mountain in this Sahā world and the dark places throughout the great trichiliocosm where the sun and moon could not cast their light. The light illuminated all worlds, then returned to the Buddha’s place, circumambulated him clockwise three times, and slowly entered the crown of the Buddha’s head. Countless hundreds of thousands of Brahmins, Kṣatriyas, elders, and householders used fragrant pastes, powdered incense, flower garlands, banners, and jeweled canopies to make offerings to the Buddha.
At that time, among the assembly there were seventy-two billion great Bodhisattvas who had attained the patience with regard to the unborn nature of dharmas; there were countless hundreds of thousands of millions of sentient beings who had removed the dust and defilements and attained the pure Dharma eye; and there were countless hundreds of thousands of millions of sentient beings who had generated the aspiration for unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.
King Śrīvijaya addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One! Prajñā-pāramitā is free from written words and cannot be expressed through speech. Then why do great Bodhisattvas who practice Prajñā-pāramitā teach the Dharma to sentient beings?”
The Buddha told King Śrīvijaya:
“Great King! Why do great Bodhisattvas who practice Prajñā-pāramitā teach the Dharma in this way? It is because, in cultivating the Buddha Dharma, the ultimate Buddha Dharma cannot be attained; because, in perfecting the various pāramitās, the ultimate pāramitās cannot be attained; because, for the purity of Bodhi, ultimate Bodhi cannot be attained; because, for Nirvāṇa that is the extinguishing of desire and separation from defilements, ultimate Nirvāṇa that is the extinguishing of desire and separation from defilements cannot be attained; because, for the fruits of the stream-enterer, once-returner, non-returner, and arhat, the ultimate attainment of the stream-enterer up to the arhat cannot be attained; because, for the Pratyekabuddha, the ultimate Pratyekabuddha cannot be attained; because, for the elimination of grasping at self, neither self nor grasping can ultimately be attained.
“When great Bodhisattvas practice profound Prajñā-pāramitā in this way, their minds do not discriminate any and all characteristics. The one who discriminates and the dharmas discriminated by me are both unattainable. They should accord with Prajñā-pāramitā without opposing saṃsāra; although within saṃsāra, they do not oppose Prajñā-pāramitā, and furthermore accord with the characteristics of phenomena.”
King Śrīvijaya addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One! Why do great Bodhisattvas accord with the characteristics of phenomena without opposing the worldly realm?”
The Buddha told King Śrīvijaya:
“Great King! Great Bodhisattvas accord with profound Prajñā-pāramitā and do not separate from form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness; they do not separate from the Desire Realm, Form Realm, and Formless Realm; they do not separate from phenomena, yet they do not cling to Prajñā-pāramitā, and they do not separate from the path. Why? Because they possess complete skillful means.
“Great King! What are the skillful means of great Bodhisattvas?”
The Buddha told King Śrīvijaya:
“Great King! They are the immeasurable practices of great Bodhisattvas: loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity. They do not abandon sentient beings and constantly benefit sentient beings.
“Great King! Great Bodhisattvas practicing Prajñā-pāramitā should perfect all forms of great loving-kindness: boundless loving-kindness, non-discriminating loving-kindness, the loving-kindness of Dharma, unceasing loving-kindness, undefiled loving-kindness, beneficial loving-kindness, equal loving-kindness, universally beneficial loving-kindness, and transcendent loving-kindness. They should accomplish all such great loving-kindness.”
“World-Honored One! Why is it called great compassion?”
The Buddha replied:
“Great King! Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajñā-pāramitā. Because sentient beings suffer and have no refuge, they save and protect them from suffering, arouse the aspiration for Bodhi, and diligently seek the true Dharma. After attaining the true Dharma themselves, they teach the Dharma to sentient beings. For those who are stingy and greedy, they teach the practice of generosity; for those without precepts and those who break precepts, they teach the observance of precepts; for those with harmful dispositions, they teach patience; for those who are lazy and negligent, they teach diligence; for those who are distracted, they teach meditation; for those who are ignorant, they teach wisdom. Because of the vow to liberate sentient beings, even when encountering suffering, they never abandon the mind of Bodhi. This is called great compassion.”
“World-Honored One! Why is it called great sympathetic joy?”
The Buddha taught:
“Great King! Great Bodhisattvas practicing Prajñā-pāramitā should reflect in this way:
‘Having left behind the burning fire of the three realms, I rejoice. Having long been bound by the chains of birth and death, I have now cut them off, and therefore I rejoice. All thoughts, perceptions, and grasped characteristics within the ocean of saṃsāra—I have escaped from them, and therefore I rejoice. I have broken the banner of arrogance erected since beginningless time, and therefore I rejoice. Using vajra wisdom, I have destroyed the mountains of afflictions so that they will never return again, and therefore I rejoice. I have attained peace and also bring peace to others.
‘Because of the darkness of ignorance and the bondage of craving, beings have long slept within the world; now they have awakened, and therefore I rejoice. I have left behind all evil realms and have also rescued sentient beings, causing them to escape from the evil paths. Sentient beings have long remained in saṃsāra, deluded and unaware of the way out. I have rescued them, shown them the correct path, and enabled them all to arrive at the city of omniscience; therefore I rejoice.’
This is called great sympathetic joy.”
“Great King! Great Bodhisattvas practicing Prajñā-pāramitā see forms with their eyes without attachment, without separation, and with a mind of relinquishment; hearing sounds with their ears, smelling fragrances with their noses, tasting flavors with their tongues, touching objects with their bodies, and perceiving phenomena with their minds are all the same.
“Great King! Great Bodhisattvas practicing Prajñā-pāramitā will accomplish such immeasurable wisdom of the mind.”
King Śrīvijaya addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One! How do great Bodhisattvas practicing Prajñā-pāramitā reveal characteristics in order to liberate sentient beings?”
The Buddha told King Śrīvijaya:
“Great King! The characteristic of Prajñā-pāramitā cannot be attained; the characteristic of great Bodhisattvas cannot be attained. They only use the power of skillful means to teach and transform sentient beings, manifesting entry into the womb until Nirvāṇa. Why? Because heavenly beings often believe that such beings do not fall into decline.
“Great Bodhisattvas practicing Prajñā-pāramitā use the power of skillful means to break this attachment. Therefore, they manifest entering the womb, thereby causing those heavenly beings to give rise to thoughts of impermanence. The most exalted person in the world, incomparable to anyone else, is one who does not cling to the five desires and is not defiled by the five desires, yet even such a person may still fall. How much more so other heavenly beings? Therefore, everyone should not be careless but should strive diligently and wholeheartedly cultivate the path. For example, if one sees that even the sun can set, then one knows that the light of a firefly cannot last forever.
“Great King! There are also heavenly beings who are indulgent and careless, who delight in greed and attachment, and therefore do not cultivate the true Dharma. Although they dwell together with the Bodhisattva in the heavenly palace, they do not come to pay respects, ask questions, or receive and uphold the Dharma. They only think:
‘For now, let us continue to enjoy ourselves. When we go to where the Bodhisattva is, if they ask us questions, we will say: The Bodhisattva and we have always practiced here together; what mistake is there?’
“Great Bodhisattvas practicing Prajñā-pāramitā must diligently and vigorously cultivate as if rescuing themselves from fire burning upon their heads. They break the negligence of those beings day by day and reveal its faults. Such manifestations have two causes and conditions: first, to cause heavenly beings to abandon negligence; second, to allow all sentient beings to see.
“Great King! In the world, there are also sentient beings of inferior capacities who cannot see the Buddha attain unsurpassed enlightenment and turn the Dharma wheel. For the sake of these sentient beings, great Bodhisattvas manifest as childlike youths playing in the inner palace. If the Bodhisattva manifested another form to teach the Dharma, the women in the inner palace would not believe or delight in it; therefore, they manifest as childlike youths.
“Great King! Those with lofty virtues often distance themselves from worldly life. To teach and transform such people, great Bodhisattvas manifest leaving home and becoming monastics.
“Great King! There are also those who think:
‘If one sits peacefully enjoying the pleasures of gods and humans, one can still attain the noble path.’
To teach and transform these people, great Bodhisattvas manifest ascetic practices. To defeat non-Buddhist practitioners, great Bodhisattvas also manifest ascetic practices.
“Great King! There are also heavenly beings who have long made the vow:
‘If the great Bodhisattva goes to the place of enlightenment, we heavenly beings will always make offerings.’
For the sake of teaching and transforming these beings, great Bodhisattvas manifest going to the place of enlightenment. Through this, all people gain the necessary causes and conditions to attain the fruit of Bodhi.”
O great king! Again, there was a certain Deva who thought as follows: Because evil demons and non-Buddhist outsiders obstruct the true Dharma, I vow to attain the Bodhisattva fruit, sit at the place of enlightenment, subdue all demons and non-Buddhist outsiders, and enable those with right faith to see the Dharma.
When a Great Bodhisattva has attained the Way, countless sounds praising him will arise throughout the empty space of the trichiliocosm: “When the sun of the Buddha has risen, the fire of fireflies disappears.” These Devas all make the vow: “In future lives, I vow to attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, just as today the Great Bodhisattva, for the sake of sentient beings, sits at the place of enlightenment and realizes the fruit of enlightenment.”
O great king! Again, there was a certain Deva who said: “May I encounter a Teacher who has attained Omniscience, the Wisdom Without a Teacher, and Natural Wisdom, and may I never be separated from the mature faculties of beings who are profound vessels of the Dharma; for the sake of sentient beings, may [that Teacher] turn the Dharma wheel three times and teach the twelve aspects of the Dharma.”
O great king! Again, there was a certain Deva who delighted in hearing about Nirvana; therefore, the Bodhisattva manifests Nirvana in order to teach and transform those sentient beings.
O great king! When practicing Prajñāpāramitā, the Great Bodhisattva is able to manifest all such appearances.
O great king! A Great Bodhisattva who practices Prajñāpāramitā does not take birth in places of danger. Why? Because only those without merit fail to hear the name of Prajñāpāramitā. Furthermore, the Bodhisattva constantly stays far away from all evil actions, does not violate the precepts taught by the Buddha, and has no jealous mind. Having planted many roots of goodness with countless Buddhas of the past, he possesses complete merit and wisdom, uses skillful means as a power, fulfills great vows, delights in quietude, and diligently practices.
O great king! A Great Bodhisattva who possesses the nature and conduct of the ten wholesome deeds has no evil karma and does not fall into hell. A Great Bodhisattva who upholds the precepts and does not violate them does not fall into the realm of animals. A Great Bodhisattva who is free from jealousy and envy does not fall into the realm of hungry ghosts; he is not born into a family of wrong views and always encounters good spiritual friends. Why? Because he has planted deep roots of goodness with countless Buddhas of the past; therefore, wherever he is born, he obtains right views. When the Bodhisattva is born, his faculties are always complete and he becomes a vessel for the Buddha Dharma. Why? Because in past lives he had made offerings to Buddhas, listened to the true Dharma, and paid homage to and respected the great assembly; therefore, his faculties are complete, his appearance is dignified and beautiful, and he becomes a vessel for the Buddha Dharma.
O great king! A Great Bodhisattva is not born in border regions, does not possess dull faculties or foolish ignorance, does not speak words whose meanings are incompatible with the Buddha Dharma, and knows of Śramaṇas and Brāhmaṇas. Why? Because when a Great Bodhisattva is born, he is certainly born in the center of a country, possesses sharp faculties and wisdom, speaks fluently, understands clearly the language and meaning that are the vessel of the Buddha Dharma, and knows Śramaṇas and Brāhmaṇas. Why? Because the Great Bodhisattva possesses the power of wisdom from past lives. The Bodhisattva is not born in the long-lived heavens, because there he does not encounter Buddhas and cannot benefit sentient beings. The reason the Bodhisattva is born in the Desire Realm and appears in the world is to benefit sentient beings. Why? Because this is accomplished through skillful and wise expedient means.
O great king! The Bodhisattva is not born in a world of emptiness, because there are no Buddhas in that place, no opportunity to hear the True Dharma, and no opportunity to make offerings to the Sangha. Why? Because the place where a Bodhisattva is born necessarily possesses the Three Jewels, and he firmly maintains his former vows. If the Bodhisattva hears the name of an evil world, he immediately develops aversion and seeks separation from it, practices pure and quiet cultivation, does not allow his mind to become lazy, and uses all wholesome dharmas to eliminate unwholesome dharmas. Due to these causes and conditions, the Bodhisattva is not born in places filled with many dangers.
O great king! A Great Bodhisattva practicing Prajñāpāramitā does not forget the mind of Bodhi even in dreams, much less while awake. Why? Because all wholesome dharmas arise from this mind, which is the mind of Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.
Without this mind, there would be no Buddha; without Buddha, there would be no Dharma; without Dharma, there would be no Sangha. Because of this mind, there are the Three Jewels, and because of this mind, there are gods and humans. A Great Bodhisattva is always straightforward and gentle, staying away from flattery and deceitful crookedness. His mind is pure and without doubt regarding the Buddha Dharma. Whoever wishes to hear and learn, the Bodhisattva never conceals the profound meanings. He is free from the Dharma of jealousy and is free from the three evil paths. Regarding the beginning, middle, and end, the characteristics do not differ. He protects the Mahayana; his actions do not contradict his words. Seeing fellow practitioners, he gives rise to respect, encourages others to cultivate, and praises the Mahayana. Toward the Teacher who teaches the Dharma, he always regards him as the Buddha; he should draw near to good spiritual friends and stay away from evil companions.
O great king! A Great Bodhisattva who practices Prajñāpāramitā in this way will accomplish the Bodhisattva mind; through this mind, he can know his previous lives. Why? Because he has made offerings to countless Buddhas, protected the True Dharma, cultivated pure precepts, stayed away from evil karma, and is no longer obstructed. His mind is constantly joyful, he diligently studies and practices, is not distracted, and his wisdom of mind does not disappear. Why?
O great king! If a Bodhisattva has previously made offerings to immeasurable Buddhas, then he will honor the True Dharma. Because he honors the True Dharma, he teaches it widely to everyone, and because he protects the True Dharma, he does not begrudge his own body or life. The three karmas of body, speech, and mind are pure; because karma is purified, he is free from obstacles; because he is free from obstacles, his mind is constantly joyful; because his mind is joyful, he diligently strives; because his mind-nature is upright and correct, mindfulness and wisdom are complete; because mindfulness and wisdom are complete, he knows past lives: one kalpa, ten kalpas, one hundred kalpas, one thousand kalpas, and even countless kalpas.
O great king! A Great Bodhisattva who practices Prajñāpāramitā in this way should know clearly his former lives and know that in the past he drew near to good spiritual friends. Because good spiritual friends, regarding the Buddhas, do not forget the three great matters of seeing, hearing, and remembering, they constantly hear the True Dharma, make offerings to the Sangha Jewel, do not allow time to pass meaninglessly, and always respectfully bow, honor, and revere the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Whether walking, standing, lying down, or sitting, they never separate from extensive learning.
O great king! A person who upholds pure precepts will constantly hear with the ear faculty the name of Prajñāpāramitā; he will diligently cultivate the practices that aid the Path, never depart from the three liberation gates, cultivate the four immeasurable minds, and constantly hear the name of Omniscience.
O great king! A Great Bodhisattva practicing Prajñāpāramitā, through these causes and conditions, draws near to good spiritual friends.
O great king! A Great Bodhisattva practicing Prajñāpāramitā does not even draw near to evil friends in dreams, much less while awake. Why? Because a Great Bodhisattva does not associate with those who break precepts, those with wrong views, those without proper conduct, those with false arrogance, those who speak meaningless words, those who are lazy, those who delight in samsara, those who abandon Bodhi, or those who delight in worldly affairs.
O great king! A Great Bodhisattva practicing in this way is practicing the Dharma of staying away from evil spiritual friends.
O great king! A Great Bodhisattva practicing Prajñāpāramitā can attain the pure body of the Tathāgata; these are the equal body, the pure body, the inexhaustible body, the body attained through cultivation, the Dharma body, the body that cannot be understood, the inconceivable body, the tranquil body, the body equal to empty space, and the wisdom body.
King Śreṣṭha Deva addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One! At which stages can a Great Bodhisattva attain the ten bodies of the Tathāgata?”
The Buddha told King Śreṣṭha Deva:
“A Bodhisattva at the First Ground attains the equal body. Why? Because he leaves behind all crooked and false paths, penetrates the nature of Dharma, and sees equality. At the Second Ground, he attains the pure body. Why? Because of pure precepts. At the Third Ground, he attains the inexhaustible body. Why? Because he is free from anger. At the Fourth Ground, he attains the body attained through cultivation. Why? Because he constantly diligently cultivates and advances in the practice of the Buddha Dharma. At the Fifth Ground, he attains the Dharma body. Why? Because he sees profound meanings and their fundamental basis. At the Sixth Ground, he attains the body free from conceptual thought. Why? Because he contemplates the principle of dependent origination, which is not within the domain of conceptual thought. At the Seventh Ground, he attains the inconceivable body. Why? Because skillful means are complete. At the Eighth Ground, he attains the tranquil body. Why? Because he is free from all conceptual elaborations and no longer has afflictions. At the Ninth Ground, he attains the body equal to empty space. Why? Because its characteristics cannot be measured and it pervades everything. At the Tenth Ground, he attains the wisdom body. Why? Because he accomplishes all-knowing wisdom.”
King Śreṣṭha Deva said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One! Is there any difference between the body of the Tathāgata and the body of a Bodhisattva?”
The Buddha told King Śreṣṭha Deva:
“The body itself has no difference; only the merits and virtues are different.”
King Śreṣṭha Deva asked:
“What is the meaning of this?”
O Great King! The body of the Buddha and the body of the Bodhisattva are not different. Why is this so? Because all dharmas arise from the same nature and characteristics, yet their merits are different.
The World-Honored One! Why do merits have differences? The Buddha said to King Thắng Thiên: Now I will give an example so that the Great King may understand clearly. It is like a precious jewel: whether it is adorned or not adorned, its value is not different. The merits of the Buddha and Bodhisattva may differ, but the Dharma Body is not different. Why is this so? Because all the merits of the Tathāgata are complete, and throughout the Dharma realm, all sentient beings in the ten directions are purified; forever there are no defilements remaining to obstruct them. The merits of the Bodhisattva’s body, however, are not yet complete, so there are still obstacles. It is like from the fifteenth day onward, the moon gradually wanes and becomes different, but the essence of the moon is unchanged. These bodies are all as firm as vajra and cannot be destroyed. Why? Because the three poisons cannot destroy them; worldly phenomena cannot defile them; the sufferings of the evil realms and the human realm cannot oppress them. They have all already departed from birth, aging, sickness, and death; they can subdue the teachings of outsiders, surpass the realms of Māra, and no longer turn toward the vehicles of Śrāvakas or Pratyekabuddhas. Because of these causes and conditions, they cannot be destroyed.
O Great King! The Great Bodhisattva who practices Prajñāpāramitā is able to skillfully guide all gods, humans, and asuras in the world.
It is like a person who is skilled at guiding the way; all kings, elders, and householders make use of such a person. The Bodhisattva is the same: Śrāvakas, Pratyekabuddhas, Bodhisattvas, and all Buddhas all need such guidance.
Again, if there is someone in the world who is skilled at guiding the way, then kings, Brahmins, elders, and householders all respectfully honor and esteem that person. The Bodhisattva is the same: gods, dragons, yakṣas, those in training, and those beyond training all make offerings.
Again, it is like someone traveling through a dangerous wilderness, exhausted and fearful; upon meeting a skilled guide, they can become safe and secure. The Bodhisattva is the same: using the power of skillful means, they guide sentient beings out of birth and death, afflictions, and dangers, bringing them to a place of peace and security.
Again, it is like a poor person who must rely on a wealthy elder in order to overcome difficulties. Brahmacārins, Nirgranthas, and various outside practitioners, while dwelling in birth and death, must rely on the conduct of Bodhisattvas who practice Prajñāpāramitā in order to be freed from birth and death.
Again, just as an extremely wealthy elder, possessing immeasurable riches, can provide for everyone’s use, so too the Great Bodhisattva who practices Prajñāpāramitā becomes a place of refuge and enjoyment for all sentient beings within the six paths of birth and death.
Again, just as an extremely wealthy elder, wishing to cross dangerous obstacles, must have many companions and sufficient food, drink, and provisions in order to cross over, so too the Great Bodhisattva, wishing to leave the world behind, must use the power of wisdom to save all sentient beings, helping them cross the dangers of birth and death and reach Omniscience.
Just as a person traveling far away who carries many precious treasures will gain benefit, so too the Bodhisattva, from the ocean of birth and death to Omniscience, has extensively cultivated merits and wisdom in order to attain Omniscience.
Just as worldly people seek wealth without becoming weary, so too the Bodhisattva’s mind delights in the Dharma without weariness.
Again, just as a guide who skillfully leads the way gains four superior things: wealth, prosperity, status, and people who follow their words, so too the Bodhisattva is greatly rich in merit, possesses a supreme position, is free and sovereign with regard to the Dharma, and does not act contrary to their own words.
Just as a skilled guide can arrive at a great city, so too the Bodhisattva is extremely skilled at guiding the way to reach the city of Omniscience.
O Great King! The Great Bodhisattva who practices Prajñāpāramitā clearly knows which paths should be followed and which should not be followed; which paths are false and which are right; which paths are safe; which paths have water and which do not; whether the terrain is winding or straight; and which paths can be crossed. All are thoroughly understood.
O Great King! Because the Great Bodhisattva knows these things, they do not become lost on the wrong path. When showing the way, they do not contradict the faculties and capacities of beings. For those of the Mahāyāna, they teach the unsurpassed path and do not teach the paths of Śrāvakas or Pratyekabuddhas. For those of the Lesser Vehicle, they teach the path of Śrāvakas and do not speak of the Mahāyāna. According to the capacities of Pratyekabuddhas, they reveal the path of Pratyekabuddhahood and do not speak of the path of Omniscience. For those attached to a self, they teach the path of non-self. For sentient beings attached to dharmas, they teach emptiness. For those attached to the two extremes, they teach the Middle Way. For those who are scattered and distracted, they teach methods of cultivating calm abiding and insight, and do not teach methods of distraction. For sentient beings who engage in reasoning and debate, they reveal the path of suchness and do not rely on verbal expression. For those attached to birth and death, they reveal the path of Nirvāṇa and do not teach worldly dharmas. For those who are mistaken and deluded, they guide them onto the true and correct path.
O Great King! This is called the Great Bodhisattva’s knowledge of the false and correct paths.
**Chapter 4: The Foundations of Mindfulness**
At that time, King Thắng Thiên immediately rose from his seat, exposed his right shoulder, knelt down, joined his palms, bowed respectfully, and said to the Buddha:
World-Honored One! The Great Bodhisattva who practices Prajñāpāramitā in this way is able to know the correct path and the false path. Upon what does the mind rely?
The Buddha said to King Thắng Thiên:
O great king! When the Great Bodhisattva practices the Perfection of Wisdom, the mind is upright and not scattered. Why is this so? Because he skillfully practices mindfulness of the body, mindfulness of feelings, mindfulness of the mind, and mindfulness of phenomena. O great king, whenever the Great Bodhisattva needs to travel to villages and hamlets and hears of offerings and benefits, he should remember that, according to the Buddha’s teaching on precepts, these are bonds of afflictions.
O great king! Why does the Great Bodhisattva who practices the Perfection of Wisdom constantly contemplate the body and become in accordance with the body, while detesting unwholesome phenomena?
Because by using true wisdom, he can distance himself from those evil phenomena and contemplate the faults of the body: From the feet to the crown of the head, this body is without a self, decaying, impermanent; it is merely formed by the joining together of sinews and veins, filled with pus, flesh, and foul odors, with an ugly appearance, truly something to be repelled. When one contemplates oneself in this way, greed and desire cannot grow within the body; because of this cause and condition, one becomes in harmony with and follows wholesome phenomena.
How does the Great Bodhisattva who practices the Perfection of Wisdom practice mindfulness of feelings?
The Bodhisattva should reflect in this way: All feelings are suffering, but because of inversion, sentient beings think they are happiness. Foolish ordinary people take suffering as happiness; the Noble Ones speak only of all things as suffering. Therefore, one should diligently cultivate practice to eliminate all afflictions and teach everyone else to cultivate this Dharma as well. Having contemplated in this way, one constantly maintains mindfulness of feelings, does not act according to feelings, but cultivates the cessation of feelings, and also causes others to learn this.
How does the Great Bodhisattva who practices the Perfection of Wisdom constantly practice mindfulness of the mind?
One should think in this way: This mind is impermanent yet is called permanent; it regards suffering as happiness, the non-self as the self, and the impure as pure. It is constantly moving without stopping, changing and shifting rapidly. Because the bonds of defilements are the root of the evil destinies, and afflictions are the causes and conditions that destroy the path of goodness, they cannot be trusted. Because greed, anger, and ignorance govern what cannot be trusted; the mind is foremost among all phenomena. If one knows the mind well, then one understands all phenomena. Everything in the world is created by this mind. The mind itself does not see whether something is good or evil; everything arises from the mind. The nature of the mind changes like a revolving wheel of fire, moves like the galloping hooves of a horse, can burn like fire, and surge like flowing water. Having contemplated in this way, regarding mindfulness one does not move, does not act according to the mind, but causes the mind to follow oneself. If one can tame the mind, then one can tame all phenomena.
How should the Great Bodhisattva who practices the Perfection of Wisdom practice mindfulness of phenomena?
It is to know truthfully the unwholesome phenomena, such as greed, hatred, ignorance, and all afflictions, in order to cultivate their antidotes: knowing how to counteract greed, counteract hatred, and counteract ignorance. Having understood this, one immediately changes one’s thoughts, does not follow those phenomena, and also causes others to distance themselves from them.
How does the Great Bodhisattva who practices the Perfection of Wisdom give rise to mindfulness toward sense objects?
If seeing forms, sounds, fragrances, tastes, or tactile sensations, the Bodhisattva reflects in this way: Why should one give rise to attachment and love toward unreal phenomena? This is the attachment of foolish ordinary beings, and it should be regarded as unwholesome. The World-Honored One said: Because of craving, there is attachment; because of attachment, there is delusion; because of delusion, one does not know wholesome and unwholesome phenomena. Due to this cause and condition, one is born into evil destinies. The Great Bodhisattva does not lose awareness within sense objects, does not cling to sense objects, and causes others to do likewise.
O great king! When the Great Bodhisattva practices the Perfection of Wisdom and practices mindfulness of the A-lan-nhã (forest dwelling), he should reflect in this way: A-lan-nhã is the dwelling place of those without disputes, a quiet and secluded dwelling place. In this place, gods, dragons, yakshas, and humans with knowledge of others’ minds can know my mind and mental factors. Therefore, one should not dwell here with distorted thoughts, but immediately abandon and leave them. One should always remember the true Dharma and strive diligently in cultivation.
O great king! The Great Bodhisattva who practices the Perfection of Wisdom should think in this way: There are cities and villages that monastics should not frequent, such as taverns and brothels; they should avoid places of singing, gambling, and royal cities.
O great king! When the Great Bodhisattva who practices the Perfection of Wisdom hears of offerings and benefits, he should rightly reflect in this way: I accept these things in order to create blessings for the donor, not because of craving or attachment. I do not bring them home to support children and descendants, nor do I say that these possessions are mine. Instead, I should provide them universally to all the poor and needy. One who practices in this way is praised by everyone and has absolutely no intention of acting for my sake or for things belonging to me. Again, he thinks: Everyone will praise my reputation for generosity; yet the world is impermanent and quickly destroyed. Why would a wise person also pursue impermanence, that which is unreal, unstable, and without authority, thereby giving rise to the notions of “I” and “mine”?
O great king! When the Great Bodhisattva practices the Perfection of Wisdom, regarding the Buddha’s teachings he should be mindful of the precepts and reflect in this way: All Buddhas of the past learned these precepts, attained unsurpassed enlightenment, and reached the fruit of Nirvana. The Buddhas of the future and the present are likewise. Having understood this, one should diligently cultivate and study them.
O great king! The Great Bodhisattva who practices the Perfection of Wisdom, in order to teach and transform sentient beings, should have few desires and know contentment regarding his own body, wear rag robes, keep his mind always pure, and maintain firm faith. He would rather lose this body and life than violate the prohibitions of the precepts. His mind is far removed from arrogance and conceit. When walking through cities and villages, he does not feel ashamed for wearing old robes. He distances himself from laziness and constantly practices diligently. Before his tasks are completed, he does not abandon them halfway. He does not regard rag robes as a source of worry, nor does he despise old and unattractive robes; he only maintains virtuous conduct. Those who have abandoned desire wear such garments, and the Thus Come One praises this as a way to prevent greed. He also does not take pride in wearing such robes, nor does he criticize those who do not wear them. Those who cultivate this practice are praised by all Buddhas, protected by Bodhisattvas, and honored by gods, Brahmins, and Kshatriyas.
O great king! The Great Bodhisattva who practices the Perfection of Wisdom thus cultivates pure conduct. King Shengtian said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One! Does the Great Bodhisattva who practices the Perfection of Wisdom with such lofty conduct still wear rag robes?”
The Buddha said to King Shengtian:
“Because all Great Bodhisattvas always guide and support people in the world. Why is this so?
Because they see that sentient beings have different preferences.
O great king! What do you think? Is a Bodhisattva’s virtue as lofty as that of the World-Honored One?”
King Shengtian replied:
“The lofty virtue of a Bodhisattva cannot compare even to one hundred thousand million billion Ganges rivers’ sands beyond calculation when compared with the virtue of the Buddha. Why? Because the Thus Come One, the World-Honored One, is the Great Dharma King possessing omniscient wisdom; there is no phenomenon that is not completely clear to him.”
“O great king! What do you think?
Why do all Buddhas, the Thus Come Ones, throughout the entire world, among gods, dragons, yakshas, humans, and non-humans, manifest ascetic practices and praise the virtues of the practice of Dhutanga?”
The king said to the World-Honored One:
“Because they wish to teach and save sentient beings and newly initiated Bodhisattvas, they teach methods of counteraction for those whose afflictions have not yet been exhausted.”
The Buddha said:
“Indeed, indeed! O great king! A Great Bodhisattva with noble virtue wearing rag robes is the same way. Therefore, the Great Bodhisattva who practices the Perfection of Wisdom has many skillful means to benefit sentient beings.
O great king! When the Great Bodhisattva who practices the Perfection of Wisdom appears in the world, he only keeps three robes. Why? Because knowing contentment and not seeking many things, he has few desires; because he does not seek, he does not store possessions; because he does not store possessions, he does not suffer loss; because he does not suffer loss, he does not give rise to suffering; because he does not give rise to suffering, he distances himself from all afflictions; because he is free from afflictions, he has no attachment; because he has no attachment, this is called the complete ending of outflows.
O great king! The Great Bodhisattva who practices the Perfection of Wisdom enters cities and villages carrying an alms bowl for the sake of benefiting sentient beings. Why? Because the Great Bodhisattva has cultivated the mind of loving-kindness and compassion, truly observes the poverty and suffering of sentient beings, and wishes them to become wealthy; therefore, he accepts their offerings.
Whether entering villages or hamlets, his dignified conduct is orderly, his mind is upright and undistracted. He skillfully restrains his senses, looks forward six feet (one foot and eight Western inches), and this practice of begging for alms is like two yokes guiding an ox plowing the earth: he walks in order without passing over poor households, accepts food only in moderation, and is not permitted to take much. Regarding the things received in the bowl, he sets aside a portion to make offerings again. Why? Because offerings given with faith are difficult to consume, and because he wishes to give rise to merit and virtue.
O great king! The Great Bodhisattva who practices the Prajñā-pāramitā eats only once while sitting, without changing. Why is this so? Because once he has sat in the place of enlightenment, even if Māra comes to disturb him, he cannot be moved; his wisdom is far removed from worldly meditation, the Noble Path is truly realized, and all dharmas are without a path. Having attained the Suchness and ultimate reality of Omniscient Knowledge with regard to these dharmas, he remains unmoved. Why? Because this Dharma of Omniscient Knowledge is attained by sitting only once; therefore, when the Great Bodhisattva practices this Dharma, he sits in one place while eating.
O great king! The Great Bodhisattva who practices the Prajñā-pāramitā, by the power of skillful means, manifests such a practice of begging for alms.
O great king! The Great Bodhisattva who practices the Prajñā-pāramitā learns the practice of dwelling in Āraṇya (seclusion); that is, he constantly cultivates pure conduct; does not allow faults to arise through the sense faculties; deeply understands and delights in hearing much of the Dharma; practices abandoning fear of self; is not attached, and constantly practices tranquility. The Great Bodhisattva who leaves the household life in the true Dharma preserves the three kinds of pure precepts, understands the characteristics of dharmas, and penetrates all that the Tathāgata has taught concerning the precepts of the three types of people: the young, the middle-aged, and the old. He does not follow external conditions; his mind reflects upon itself, rejects and criticizes worldly dharmas, praises transcendent dharmas, and disciplines the faculties so they do not become attached to evil objects. Āraṇya is a place of residence free from troubles; if one wishes to go to the village for alms, it is neither too far nor too near. It has clear and cool streams for bathing and daily activities, quiet forests of flowers and fruits, and no fierce animals. The mountains are silent and secluded, with few people coming and going. Day and night, during the three periods, one diligently recites and studies the teachings one has heard, with a voice neither too loud nor too soft; the mind does not become attached to external objects, but with a single thought it maintains recitation and remembers continuously within. If Brahmins or Kshatriyas come to this Āraṇya, he invites them to sit. If they do not listen, he earnestly encourages and invites them, and according to their faculties, teaches them the Dharma, causing them to rejoice, accept faith, and practice. Only when possessing such complete skillful means should one abandon the thought of self. Because there is no self, one is not afraid while dwelling in Āraṇya; because one has abandoned fear, one delights in cultivating practice in solitude. The Great Bodhisattva, using such skillful means, demonstrates the practice of Āraṇya.
O great king! The Great Bodhisattva who practices the Prajñā-pāramitā skillfully observes this practice and reflects: All fragrant, pure foods and drinks in the world, when they come into contact with the heat of the body, become impure, rotten, and foul-smelling. All ordinary foolish beings lacking wisdom love and cling to this body and to food and drink. If one relies upon Noble Wisdom and observes truly, one will give rise to disgust and no longer delight in or crave them.
O great king! The Great Bodhisattva who practices the Prajñā-pāramitā reflects in this way: Because many hateful thoughts have been created, evil karma arises. I must now abandon them, direct my upright mind toward the path, and contemplate truthfully rather than follow empty words.
O great king! The Great Bodhisattva who practices the Prajñā-pāramitā reflects in this way: If there is any dharma that arises, it arises due to causes and conditions; and the causes and conditions of all dharmas themselves arise due to conditions. Why would a wise person create faults in these false, conditioned dharmas? Within the body of the Bodhisattva, if there are obstacles that obstruct wholesome Dharma, they should be immediately cut off. If one is unable to remove obstacles that obstruct the wholesome Dharma of others, then one’s mind should abandon them and not give rise to ignorance. What are the obstructive dharmas that hinder goodness? They are: not respectfully honoring the pure precepts of the Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, fellow practitioners, elders, and younger people, while being arrogant toward them; pursuing the five desires; turning away from Nirvāṇa and giving rise to views of self, beings, life, and person; grasping emptiness and producing the view of annihilation; grasping existence and producing the view of permanence; distancing oneself from the noble sages and drawing close to ordinary people; abandoning those who uphold precepts and relying upon those who break precepts; associating with bad friends and avoiding good friends; hearing profound Dharma and then slandering it; having improper conduct; speaking improperly; having the mind obscured by afflictions and being full of deceit; craving benefits and offerings, giving rise to five kinds of pride: first, pride in wealth and status; second, pride in lineage; third, pride in superior knowledge; fourth, pride in one’s country; fifth, pride in one’s followers; helping when seeing evil but abandoning when seeing good; praising young women, children, and outsiders; not delighting in dwelling in Āraṇya; not knowing moderation in food and drink; not drawing near to a teacher; although reciting and studying, not knowing the proper times; even seeing wholesome Dharma, having no mind of respect; seeing evil and feeling no fear, like an elephant without a hook, like a horse without reins, being uncontrolled and unrestrained; constantly giving rise to anger and not producing compassion; seeing suffering without sympathy; encountering illness without caring for it and without fearing death; being in a pile of fire without wishing to escape; failing to do what should be done and not knowing how to plan; thinking about things that cannot be thought about; seeking things that cannot be sought; considering oneself liberated before leaving; calling something a path when it is not a path; claiming to have attained when one has not attained; abandoning wholesome Dharma and even slandering Mahāyāna; praising Hīnayāna practitioners and slandering Mahāyāna practitioners; praising those with little learning and delighting in disputes; speaking harshly; lacking compassion in the mind, causing others to fear, speaking vulgar and base words, without a single truthful statement; delighting in attachment to frivolous arguments and refusing to abandon them.
O great king! For the Great Bodhisattva who practices the Prajñā-pāramitā, such actions are called obstructions to wholesome Dharma.
O great king! The Great Bodhisattva who practices the Prajñā-pāramitā eliminates all frivolous conceptualizations, cultivates the practice of emptiness, and reflects in this way: All objects of observation are empty, and the observing mind is likewise so; they cannot be obtained, and there is no distinction between the observer and the observed. All dharmas have only one characteristic, called the signless. Thinking in this way, one abandons internal and external characteristics; therefore, one does not see body, does not see mind, and does not see dharmas. In this manner, one continuously cultivates calming and insight meditation; insight means seeing the true Dharma, while calming means single-mindedness without confusion. After the Bodhisattva cultivates and practices contemplation in this way, he immediately attains pure precepts; having attained pure precepts, his conduct is likewise pure. This is called the Great Bodhisattva practicing the Prajñā-pāramitā’s contemplation of pure conduct.
O great king! The Great Bodhisattva who practices the Prajñā-pāramitā protects the treasury of the Tathāgata’s true Dharma. Hearing teachings and receiving the true Dharma is for the purpose of preserving it, not for the sake of benefits and offerings. It is to preserve the seed of the Three Jewels so that it does not become extinct, not for the sake of respect. It is to protect those who practice Mahāyāna, not for the sake of reputation. It is for sentient beings who have no place to turn for refuge, so that they may be saved and attain peace and happiness. For those without the Eye of Wisdom, it is to enable them to obtain the Eye of Wisdom. For those practicing Hīnayāna, it is to reveal the path of the Śrāvakas. For those wishing to practice Mahāyāna, it is to manifest the Great Path. Hearing such Dharma is called unsurpassed wisdom; one does not accept an inferior vehicle.
O great king! The Great Bodhisattva who practices the Prajñā-pāramitā clearly knows all precepts and disciplines; that is, the discipline of precepts and the practice of precepts. The precepts are extremely profound and wondrous; the precepts concerning purity and impurity, loss and non-loss, the precepts of individual liberation, the precepts of the Śrāvakas, and the precepts of the Bodhisattvas.
O great king! The Great Bodhisattva who practices the Prajñā-pāramitā understands all such precepts clearly.
O great king! The Great Bodhisattva who practices the Prajñā-pāramitā skillfully knows all forms of dignified conduct and precept practice; he skillfully learns the precepts of Śrāvakas, Pratyekabuddhas, and Bodhisattvas. Having practiced precepts and conduct, if he sees improper dignity and conduct, he should distance himself and not practice what is inappropriate. If he sees a Śramaṇa with dignified conduct and precepts, he will draw near. If he encounters a Brahmin practicing different disciplines, he encourages them to cultivate precepts and truly practice such conduct. Because his mind is not deceitful, jealousy is eliminated. He himself practices generosity, encourages others to practice generosity, praises generosity, and rejoices when seeing others give. He does not think: “Give it to me and do not give it to others.” He should only think: “All sentient beings suffer from hunger, cold, and hardship; may they obtain wealth and in this life attain peace and happiness. Through hearing the Dharma, may they attain happiness in future lives. I must now diligently cultivate the path so that together with sentient beings we may attain liberation from the world.” This is called the Great Bodhisattva’s mind free from jealousy; toward all sentient beings he is equal. If he practices generosity toward all sentient beings and practices morality, patience, diligence, meditation, and wisdom until attaining Omniscient Knowledge, he does not cultivate two kinds of mind. Why? Because the Dharma being cultivated, sentient beings, and thoughts as objects of contemplation cause one to quickly attain the fruit of the path. Having already escaped the fire of birth and death, he also causes others to escape. It is like an elder who has six children, all still young, and therefore loves and remembers them equally; while the elder is outside the house, the house catches fire.
O great king! What do you think? How should the elder think about these six children? Should he save one before another?
No, World-Honored One! Why? Because the father’s mind toward all his children is equal.
O great king! The Great Bodhisattva who practices the Prajñā-pāramitā is likewise. Because ordinary beings are greedy and attached within the six realms, they remain in the pit of the fire of birth and death, not knowing how to escape. The Great Bodhisattva who practices the Prajñā-pāramitā has an equal mind, using all skillful means, encouragement, and teaching to help others escape and establish them all in the peaceful realm.
O great king! The Great Bodhisattva who practices the Prajñā-pāramitā regards all dharmas equally. This means that by using the Dharma of making offerings to the Tathāgata, practicing truly to make offerings to the Tathāgata, benefiting and bringing peace and happiness to all sentient beings, protecting wholesome Dharma for all sentient beings, following sentient beings and skillfully teaching them to practice the Bodhisattva path, practicing without contradicting one’s words, and without becoming weary in mind while seeking Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi. Only when one can do this is it called making offerings to the Buddhas; it is not making offerings for the purpose of livelihood.
O Great King! The Dharma is the body of the Buddha; if one makes offerings to the Dharma, one is making offerings to the Buddha.
O Great King! All Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, arise from true practice; they all bring benefit and peace to sentient beings, preserve wholesome Dharma, and follow along with sentient beings. If a person does not act in this way, they go against their vows, become negligent and lazy, and cannot accomplish the mind of Bodhi. This is because the Great Bodhisattvas and sentient beings together exist with Supreme Perfect Enlightenment. If there were no sentient beings, how could a Bodhisattva attain Bodhi?
O Great King! When a Great Bodhisattva practices Prajñāpāramitā, making offerings of Dharma to the Tathāgata is called true and correct offering. By making such offerings, one eliminates arrogance. This means one must depart from worldly ways; shave off one’s beard and hair, and toward one’s parents, siblings, relatives, and friends, no longer maintain worldly relationships, as though one had already died. One’s appearance, clothing, and manner are different from ordinary people. Carrying an alms bowl and entering cities and towns, going to familiar households or the homes of Caṇḍālas, one humbly begs for food, thinking in this way: “My life depends upon others; I rely on their food in order to survive.” Through this cause and condition, arrogance is removed. One then reflects: “Now I should follow and accommodate my teachers, the Sangha, elders, and fellow practitioners, causing them to be joyful. Those who have never heard the Dharma should be caused to hear the Dharma. If I see others becoming angry and competing with me, I should endure patiently, remain humble, and avoid them.”
O Great King! When a Great Bodhisattva practices Prajñāpāramitā in this way, arrogance is eliminated.
O Great King! When a Great Bodhisattva practices Prajñāpāramitā, they will give rise to firm and correct faith. Why? Because they have planted many merits and virtues in past lives, their wholesome roots are strong, they possess complete causes of goodness, they attain right view, do not believe in non-Buddhist teachings, have a pure mind, do not rely on other teachers, have upright and simple conduct, stay far from deceit, possess keen faculties, have complete wisdom, are free from the obstructing hindrances, have a purified mind, stay away from evil companions and associate with good friends, seek beneficial teachings, do not become lazy, and through hearing the teachings of the Dharma, come to know the virtues of the Buddha.
King Shengtian said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One! I beg the Great Compassionate One to explain to me the great meritorious virtues and mighty spiritual powers of the Tathāgata.”
The Buddha said to King Shengtian:
“O Great King! Listen carefully, listen carefully, and contemplate well! I will, for the sake of the great king, briefly proclaim some of the spiritual powers and virtues of the Tathāgata.”
“Excellent, World-Honored One! I wish to hear.”
The Buddha said to King Shengtian:
The Tathāgata fully possesses limitless great loving-kindness that shines throughout all sentient beings. Sentient beings will be protected until the ten directions and the entire realm of empty space are completely illuminated; it cannot be measured. The great loving-kindness of the Tathāgata surpasses that of the Śrāvakas, Pratyekabuddhas, and Bodhisattvas. Why? Because it is an uncommon Dharma; there is not a single sentient being in the worlds of the ten directions who is not reached by the illumination of great compassion.
Furthermore, the Tathāgata speaks inexhaustible Dharma for sentient beings throughout the ten directions—whether for one kalpa, one hundred kalpas, one thousand kalpas, or immeasurable kalpas—teaching inexhaustible Dharma according to the causes and conditions of all beings. All the languages, meanings, and sentences of sentient beings who ask questions of the Tathāgata are, in an instant, made completely clear and distinguished for all sentient beings, and no one can refute them.
Furthermore, the Tathāgata is itself the unobstructed realm of meditation. Even if all the worlds of sentient beings were to abide on the tenth Bodhisattva stage and enter hundreds of thousands of millions of samādhis for countless kalpas, observing the meditative concentration of the Tathāgata, they still could not fathom it.
Furthermore, the body of the Tathāgata is immeasurable and boundless. According to the desires of those who wish to see, in a single thought-moment countless Tathāgatas will appear. The Tathāgata also possesses pure divine vision, seeing all worlds and immeasurable sentient beings, each individual sentient being and each individual world. Thus, all matters in the worlds are seen by the Tathāgata as clearly as seeing an āmalaka fruit in the palm of one’s hand. The eyes of humans and devas cannot see in this way. The Tathāgata also possesses pure divine hearing; all sentient beings, according to their various kinds, have different sounds, and the Tathāgata hears them all and clearly understands their meanings. The Tathāgata also possesses pure knowledge of others’ minds; in all worlds there are sentient beings who think, imagine, create karma, or experience karmic results. The Tathāgata, the World-Honored One, whether walking, standing, lying down, or sitting, knows them all in a single instant, because the Tathāgata is always in meditation and is never distracted.
O Great King! The Buddhas and Tathāgatas never lose right mindfulness, their minds are never scattered, and their faculties do not engage with other objects. Why? Because they have abandoned the habitual tendencies of afflictions, they are extremely pure, peaceful, and free from defilements. Those who possess afflictions have scattered minds and their minds seek to attach to other objects. The Tathāgata, the World-Honored One, is free from defilement, has attained the undefiled state, has attained freedom and equality in all Dharma, and always abides in correct meditative concentration.
O Great King! The Tathāgata, through a single dignified samādhi, can travel everywhere until reaching Nirvāṇa; devas and humans cannot know this. Moreover, throughout immeasurable kalpas the Tathāgata has cultivated immeasurable, boundless, tens of thousands of millions of samādhis. For the Tathāgata, these cannot be measured, cannot be conceived, and cannot be observed.
At that time, King Shengtian said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One! I have heard that the Tathāgata practiced for three asaṃkhyeya kalpas before attaining Buddhahood. Why then do you say that you cultivated for immeasurable kalpas?”
The Buddha said:
“O Great King! It is not so. Why? Because a Great Bodhisattva who cultivates and realizes Supreme Perfect Enlightenment must rely on immeasurable merits and powers. It is not merely those few kalpas; only when one realizes the principle of equality of Dharma can one be called a Buddha.”
King Shengtian said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One! Excellent, excellent! All sentient beings should always practice wholesome Dharma, stay away from karmic obstacles, delight in the fruit of Buddhahood, and cultivate the conduct of Bodhisattvas.
World-Honored One! If there are sentient beings who hear about the spiritual powers of the Tathāgata, whose minds become joyful, who believe, accept, and praise it, know that such a person will not take long to attain these spiritual powers. How much more so for those who read, recite, copy, and explain it; such people are truly inconceivable.”
The Buddha said:
“O Great King! It is exactly so! These sentient beings are protected by the Tathāgata because they have planted wholesome roots, made offerings to countless Buddhas in the past, and therefore are able to hear the great spiritual powers of the Tathāgata. Those virtuous men and women who hear this, whose minds have no doubt, should bathe and cleanse themselves for seven days, put on clean clothing, use incense and flowers as offerings, and maintain single-minded right mindfulness.”
At that time, the Tathāgata immediately displayed spiritual powers, causing them to see the Buddha and make offerings. If they are lacking even a little but maintain single-minded right mindfulness, then at the time of death the Buddhas will also appear before them.
King Shengtian said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One! Are there sentient beings who, upon hearing of the virtues and spiritual powers of the Tathāgata, do not give rise to faith but instead slander them?”
The Buddha said:
“There are such sentient beings. Some, upon hearing the Dharma gateway of the Tathāgata’s spiritual powers, immediately give rise to anger and have no wholesome mind. Toward the teacher who explains the Dharma, they think of him as an evil spiritual friend. Such a person, at death, is born into the hell realms. If, upon hearing of the virtues and spiritual powers of the Tathāgata, they are able to give rise to faith and acceptance, or if they regard the teacher who explains the Dharma as a good spiritual friend, they will immediately obtain rebirth as a human or deva, and eventually attain Buddhahood.”
At that time, the World-Honored One manifested the characteristic of a long and broad tongue, covering His entire face up to the top of His head, covering His entire body, covering the lion seat, covering the assembly of Bodhisattvas, the assembly of Śrāvakas, and then covering Śakra, Brahmā, the Protectors of the World, and the entire great assembly, before withdrawing the tongue characteristic.
The Buddha said to the great assembly:
“How could the Tathāgata, possessing this tongue characteristic, speak falsely to the great assembly? All of you should believe and accept this; you will attain peace and happiness for a long time.”
When this Dharma gateway was spoken, within the assembly there were eighty-four thousand Bodhisattvas who attained the Patience of Non-arising of Dharma; immeasurable hundreds of thousands of sentient beings abandoned dust and defilements and attained the pure Dharma eye; and immeasurable, boundless sentient beings generated the mind of Supreme Perfect Enlightenment.