Chapter of Worthy and Virtuous Leader
–oOo–
Scriptural Text: At that time, Bodhisattva Worthy and Virtuous Leader rose from his seat in the great assembly, bowed at the Buddha’s feet, circumambulated him three times to the right, knelt with palms joined, and said to the Buddha:
“Great Compassionate World-Honored One, you have extensively explained for us and for beings in the Dharma-ending age these inconceivable matters. World-Honored One, what should this Mahayana teaching be called? How should it be upheld? What merit do beings gain by practicing it? How should we protect those who uphold this sutra? To what level should this teaching be spread?”
Having spoken thus, he prostrated fully to the ground and requested in this way three times.
Commentary: This passage has two parts:
A. Bodhisattva Worthy and Virtuous Leader praises the Buddha for explaining inconceivable truths for beings.
B. The Bodhisattva asks five questions:
What is this sutra’s name?
How should it be upheld?
What merit is gained by practicing according to it?
How should those who uphold it be protected?
At what level should this sutra be propagated?
Scriptural Text: Then the World-Honored One said to Bodhisattva Worthy and Virtuous Leader:
“Excellent, excellent! Good man, you are able, for the sake of all Bodhisattvas and beings in the Dharma-ending age, to ask the Tathagata about this teaching’s merit and names. Listen carefully now, and I will explain it to you.”
Then Bodhisattva Worthy and Virtuous Leader, joyfully receiving the teaching, together with the great assembly, listened in silence.
Commentary: Wishing to shower Dharma-rain upon later beings, Bodhisattva Worthy and Virtuous Leader asked the Buddha about upholding and propagating this sutra. In this section, the Buddha praises him and instructs the assembly to listen attentively.
Scriptural Text: Good man, this sutra has been spoken by hundreds of thousands of millions of Buddhas, numerous as the sands of the Ganges. It is protected by the Tathagatas of the three times, relied upon by Bodhisattvas of the ten directions, and the pure eye of the twelve divisions of scripture. This sutra is called “Great Expansive Perfect Enlightenment Dharani.” It is also called “Definitive Sutra of Ultimate Meaning,” also called “King of Secret Samadhi,” also called “The Tathagata’s Realm of Certainty,” also called “Distinctions of Self-Nature Within the Tathagata-Garbha.” You should uphold it.
Commentary: This sutra teaches the nature of Perfect Enlightenment. Whoever realizes and enters Perfect Enlightenment becomes a Buddha; one who does not realize it remains a sentient being. The Buddha’s purpose in appearing in the world is to lead beings to Buddhahood. But beings can become Buddha only by entering Perfect Enlightenment. Therefore countless Buddhas all teach this Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment. Because this sutra is so precious, Tathagatas of the three times protect and preserve it. Bodhisattvas of the ten directions rely on it, because relying on this sutra means relying on Perfect Enlightenment nature.
The Buddha’s teachings are many, but traditionally summarized as twelve divisions. All of them aim at one goal: guiding beings to Buddhahood. To become Buddha, one must enter Perfect Enlightenment. Therefore this sutra is called the eye of the twelve divisions.
This sutra has many virtues and functions, thus many names:
A. Great Expansive Perfect Enlightenment Dharani Sutra. “Dharani” means total retention: encompassing and sustaining all dharmas.
1. Dharma-dharani: one word, name, or phrase that contains all words, names, and phrases.
2. Meaning-dharani: terms like True Suchness, Mind-Only, Consciousness-Only, Dharma-Realm, which gather many distinctions.
3. Samadhi-dharani: through concentration, mind unifies and accumulates power, enabling many samadhis.
4. Mantra-dharani: mantra recitation concentrates mind and empowers fulfillment of vows.
B. Definitive Sutra of Ultimate Meaning.
“Sutra” means a teaching that accords with truth and with beings’ capacities.
“Ultimate meaning” means complete and final meaning. Buddhist sutras are often discussed in two categories:
1. Non-ultimate-meaning sutras: provisional teachings adapted to place, time, and capacity, such as many Lesser Vehicle teachings.
2. Ultimate-meaning sutras: teachings of complete and final truth, not merely provisional, such as Mahayana definitive teachings. This Perfect Enlightenment Sutra belongs to ultimate meaning.
C. King of Secret Samadhi.
“Samadhi” may be rendered as equal retention, right concentration, right absorption, or right contemplation. Perfect Enlightenment Samadhi is supreme among samadhis, therefore called king.
“Secret” means this samadhi is fully known only by Buddhas; ordinary beings do not know it, and even near-Buddha Bodhisattvas have not exhausted it.
D. The Tathagata’s Realm of Certainty Sutra.
Only the Tathagata can decisively realize and enter this realm of Perfect Enlightenment. Even high Bodhisattvas are still in the process of seeking realization.
E. Distinctions of Self-Nature Within the Tathagata-Garbha Sutra.
“Tathagata-garbha” means the Tathagata still concealed by coverings: delusive conditions not yet removed, awakening nature not yet manifest. That is, Tathagata virtue is latent in beings’ minds; Perfect Enlightenment nature is still bound.
“Self-nature distinctions” means Perfect Enlightenment nature responds to conditions and appears as diverse dharmas.
Scriptural Text: Good man, this sutra uniquely reveals the Tathagata’s realm, and only Buddha-Tathagatas can fully expound it. If Bodhisattvas and beings in the Dharma-ending age practice according to it, they will gradually progress to the Buddha ground.
Good man, this sutra is called sudden-teaching Mahayana. Beings of sudden capacity awaken through it; it also includes gradual cultivation for all categories of beings. It is like the great ocean that does not reject small streams; even gnats and asuras who drink its water are all fully satisfied.
Commentary: This section has five parts:
1. This sutra speaks of the realm of Perfect Enlightenment; therefore only the Buddha fully penetrates it, while Bodhisattvas and those below rely on it for cultivation.
2. This sutra belongs to the Mahayana sudden teaching, so it is especially suitable for those with the capacity for sudden Mahayana awakening. Yet it also receives and guides those of lesser capacities who cultivate gradually, just as the great ocean does not reject any rivers. Beings as great as Asuras (symbolizing Mahayana) and as small as gnats and mosquitoes (symbolizing the two vehicles) all drink from the same ocean and are satisfied.
“Sudden teaching”: Master Puxian classified the Buddha’s treasury of teachings into five periods:
Lesser (Lesser Vehicle).
Initial (initial Mahayana teaching).
Final (later Mahayana teaching).
Sudden (Mahayana sudden teaching; “sudden” means swift and direct).
Perfect (complete Mahayana).
Master Tiantai further classified them into four:
Storehouse (Lesser Vehicle storehouse teaching).
Shared (shared with Mahayana).
Distinct (specifically Mahayana).
Perfect (complete Mahayana teaching).
Scriptural Text: Good man, suppose someone filled the entire trichiliocosm with the seven treasures and gave them all away in charity; this would still not equal someone hearing this sutra’s name or one sentence of its meaning.
Good man, suppose someone taught and led beings as numerous as hundreds of Ganges sands to attain Arhat fruit; this would still not equal someone proclaiming and explaining even half a verse of this sutra.
Commentary: The Buddha teaches that the merit of upholding this sutra is more precious than material giving.
One who gives seven treasures filling the great world-system gains great merit, but this belongs to conditioned, leaking merit and thus is enjoyed only temporarily. It does not equal hearing the name of this sutra, or even one sentence of its meaning. Though little, that hearing plants an unconditioned pure seed; sooner or later it leads to unconditioned fruit. Therefore it is superior to material giving.
One who explains this sutra has merit greater than one who guides countless two-vehicle practitioners to attainment. Guiding many to Lesser Vehicle fruit is still limited to a lesser result. By contrast, speaking even one line or one verse from this definitive Mahayana sutra can awaken beings to Perfect Enlightenment nature; sooner or later they are certain to become Buddhas. It is like many stars, however numerous, not matching the brightness of one full moon.
Scriptural Text: Good man, if someone hears this sutra’s name and has unwavering faith without doubt, know that this person has not planted roots of merit and wisdom merely before one or two Buddhas. Rather, up to all Buddhas as numerous as Ganges sands, they have planted wholesome roots and thus can hear this teaching.
Commentary: If one hears this sutra and gives rise to joy, admiration, trust, and no doubt, then one should know that this person has already planted Mahayana seeds through many lifetimes before many Buddhas.
Scriptural Text: You good men should protect practitioners in the Dharma-ending age; do not let evil demons and heterodox paths trouble their body and mind and cause them to retreat in discouragement.
Commentary: In the Dharma-ending age, heterodox teachers and false paths flourish and often disturb cultivators. Without protection, practitioners can be harmed by demonic interference and lose resolve.
Scriptural Text: Then in that assembly there were Vajra Fire-Hand, Vajra Crusher, Vajra Nilamba, and others, with eighty thousand vajra spirits and their retinues. They rose from their seats, bowed at the Buddha’s feet, circumambulated him three times to the right, and said:
“World-Honored One, in the later Dharma-ending age, if any beings can uphold this definitive Mahayana teaching, we will protect them as we protect our own eyes. At all places of practice and all way-places, we vajras will personally lead our retinues to guard them day and night, so they do not retreat. Their homes will forever be free of calamities and obstacles, epidemics will be extinguished, wealth will be abundant, and there will be no deficiency.”
Then Great Brahma King, the twenty-eight heavenly kings, Mount Sumeru King, the Protector-of-the-Nation heavenly kings, and others rose from their seats, bowed at the Buddha’s feet, circumambulated him three times to the right, and said:
“World-Honored One, we too will protect those who uphold this sutra, always keeping them secure and peaceful, with minds that do not retreat.”
Then there was a mighty ghost king named Kumbhanda, together with one hundred thousand ghost kings. They rose from their seats, bowed at the Buddha’s feet, circumambulated him three times to the right, and said:
“World-Honored One, we too will protect those who uphold this sutra, guarding them day and night so they do not retreat in fear. Within one yojana around where such a person dwells, if any spirits invade that domain, we will smash them to dust.”
When the Buddha finished speaking this sutra, all Bodhisattvas, the eight classes of devas, dragons, spirits, and their retinues, as well as all heavenly kings and Brahma kings, and the entire great assembly, rejoiced, believed, accepted, and practiced accordingly.
Commentary: Chapter Twelve concerns propagation and circulation of the teaching. The audience in that Dharma assembly, from great Bodhisattvas down to spirit beings, heard the Buddha’s teaching through the final chapter and recognized it as supremely precious, bringing inexhaustible benefit to beings. Therefore all rejoiced, accepted, and practiced it. For this reason, all the good protective spirits vowed to safeguard the sutra and fully support those who uphold and recite it.
We ourselves surely have planted wholesome roots in many former lives; only thus do we now have the rare blessing of hearing this sutra. May everyone daily arouse Bodhi-mind, cultivate practice, and widely spread this teaching for all beings. In doing so, we repay the Buddha’s kindness and carry out the Buddha’s conduct: self-awakening, awakening others, and the complete fulfillment of awakening practice.
THE END