THE GREAT PRAJÑĀPĀRAMITĀ SŪTRA
Volume 503
Chapter 6: PROCLAIMING THE MERITS (2)
At that time, Śakra, Lord of the Devas, addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, by what signs may these good men and good women know that the devas, dragons, yakṣas, asuras, and others from the three thousand great thousandfold world-system and from countless worlds in the ten directions have come here to behold, pay homage to, and recite the profound Prajñāpāramitā that they have copied and upheld, making offerings to it, honoring, respecting, praising it, joining their palms, circumambulating it clockwise, and joyfully protecting and remembering it?”
The Buddha said to Śakra, Lord of the Devas:
“If these good men and good women see a wondrous radiance shining from the place where the profound Prajñāpāramitā scripture is kept, or if they smell an extraordinary fragrance there, or hear gentle celestial music, they should know that at that time devas, dragons, and other beings endowed with majestic virtue and great spiritual powers have come to that place to behold, worship, and recite the profound Prajñāpāramitā that has been copied and upheld, making offerings to it, honoring, respecting, praising it, joining their palms, circumambulating it clockwise, and joyfully protecting and remembering it.
“Furthermore, Kauśika, if these good men and good women cultivate purity, adorn that place, and sincerely make offerings to the profound Prajñāpāramitā, they should know that at that time devas, dragons, and the others, endowed with majestic virtue and great spiritual powers, have come there to behold, worship, and recite the Prajñāpāramitā that has been copied and upheld, making offerings to it, honoring, respecting, praising it, joining their palms, circumambulating it clockwise, and joyfully protecting and remembering it.
“Kauśika, wherever such devas, dragons, and others endowed with majestic virtue and mighty spiritual powers arrive, if evil Māras or malevolent spirits are present, they become frightened, terrified, and disperse, not daring to remain there. Because of this, these good men and good women give rise to pure and resolute faith. Their cultivation of wholesome deeds grows ever brighter and stronger, and whatever they undertake is free from obstacles. Therefore, wherever the profound Prajñāpāramitā is kept, the surrounding area should be cleaned of all impurities, swept and wiped, sprinkled with fragrant water, furnished with a precious seat, and the scripture placed upon it. Lamps should be lit, flowers offered, incense burned, jeweled banners and canopies hung, bells rung together, and the place adorned with precious treasures, gold, silver, fine garments, necklaces, music, lamps, and various silks. If one is able to make offerings to the profound Prajñāpāramitā scripture in this way, devas, dragons, and others endowed with majestic virtue and great spiritual powers will come to that place, behold and recite the Prajñāpāramitā that has been copied and upheld, then make offerings to it, honor, respect, praise it, join their palms, circumambulate it clockwise, and joyfully protect and remember it.
“Furthermore, Kauśika, if these good men and good women make offerings to, honor, respect, and praise the Prajñāpāramitā in this way, they will surely obtain diligence of body and mind, peace of body and mind, harmony of body and mind, and lightness of body and mind. Because they keep their minds focused on the Prajñāpāramitā, when they sleep at night they will not have evil dreams but only auspicious ones. They may dream of the Tathāgata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, whose body is golden, magnificently adorned with the marks of excellence, emitting brilliant light that illuminates everything. They may see śrāvakas and bodhisattvas gathered around him, and hear the Buddha teaching generosity, morality, patience, diligence, meditation, Prajñāpāramitā, and even the teachings corresponding to unsurpassed perfect enlightenment. They may also hear explanations of the meanings of generosity, morality, patience, diligence, meditation, Prajñāpāramitā, and the meanings corresponding to unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.
“Or, in dreams, they may see the Bodhi tree, lofty and vast, adorned with precious jewels, with a great Bodhisattva seated beneath it in the lotus posture, attaining unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, turning the wondrous Wheel of Dharma, and liberating sentient beings. Or they may dream of immeasurable hundreds of thousands of millions of great Bodhisattvas discussing and examining the meaning of the Dharma—how sentient beings should be brought to fulfillment, how Buddha-lands should be adorned, how the Bodhisattva path should be practiced, Māra’s armies subdued, afflictions and habitual tendencies eliminated, and unsurpassed perfect enlightenment attained.
“Or they may dream of immeasurable hundreds of thousands of millions of Buddhas throughout the worlds of the ten directions, and hear the voices of those Buddhas, saying: ‘In this world there is this Tathāgata, Worthy One, Perfectly Enlightened One,’ with hundreds of thousands of millions of great Bodhisattvas and śrāvaka disciples respectfully surrounding the Buddha and listening to the Dharma. Or they may dream of immeasurable hundreds of thousands of millions of Buddhas in the ten directions entering Nirvāṇa. After each Buddha enters Nirvāṇa, faithful donors make offerings to the Buddha’s relics, using the seven precious substances to build immeasurable hundreds of thousands of millions of great stupas.
“Furthermore, each of those stupas is honored with immeasurable excellent flower garlands, powdered incense, scented ointments, garments, jeweled ornaments, banners, precious canopies, various treasures, music, and lamps. Thus they make offerings, honor, respect, and praise them throughout those immeasurable stupas.
“Kauśika, when these good men and good women experience such auspicious dreams, whether asleep or awake, their bodies and minds are peaceful and joyful. They receive added strength from heavenly deities, so that they naturally feel light and refreshed. Because of this, they become less attached to food, medicine, clothing, and bedding. Toward these four requisites, they remain indifferent, just as a yogin who has entered a sublime meditative absorption. By the power of that concentration, body and mind are thoroughly pervaded, and after emerging from meditation, even when presented with delicious food, he still regards it with indifference. Why is this? Kauśika, it is because these good men and good women are endowed with the majestic virtue and spiritual power of all Tathāgatas, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, śrāvakas, Bodhisattvas, devas, dragons, yakṣas, asuras, and others throughout the three thousand great thousandfold world-system and the worlds of the ten directions. Out of compassion, these beings protect and remember them, infusing their bodies and minds with wondrous power, making them courageous in spirit and strong in body.
“Kauśika, if any good man or good woman wishes to obtain such excellent present benefits and merits, they should generate the aspiration for the wisdom of omniscience, using non-attainment as the skillful means, and toward this profound Prajñāpāramitā scripture they should sincerely listen, receive and uphold it, recite it, diligently cultivate it, contemplate it correctly, copy it, explain it, teach it, and spread it widely.
“Kauśika, if any good man or good woman does not listen to, receive and uphold, recite, diligently cultivate, contemplate correctly, or widely teach this profound Prajñāpāramitā scripture to sentient beings, but merely copies it, adorns it with precious objects, and offers immeasurable excellent flower garlands and even lamps, honoring, respecting, and praising it, that person will likewise attain the excellent merits and benefits just described. Why? Kauśika, because these good men and good women are capable of bringing benefit and happiness to immeasurable, boundless sentient beings.
“Furthermore, Kauśika, if any good man or good woman, with a mind in accord with the wisdom of omniscience and using non-attainment as the skillful means, sincerely listens to, receives and upholds, recites, diligently cultivates, correctly contemplates, copies, explains, teaches, and widely propagates this profound Prajñāpāramitā scripture, and furthermore offers it excellent flower garlands and even lamps, then these good men and good women will obtain immeasurable and boundless merit. Their merit surpasses that of other beings who throughout their entire lives offer immeasurable food, drink, clothing, bedding, medicine, and necessities to all Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and assemblies of śrāvakas in all the worlds of the ten directions. It also surpasses that of those who build stupas of the finest seven precious substances to honor the relics of Buddhas and their disciples after Nirvāṇa, and throughout their lives offer them immeasurable excellent flower garlands and even lamps, honoring, respecting, and praising them. Why? Kauśika, because all Buddhas and their assemblies of disciples throughout the ten directions arise and grow through this profound Prajñāpāramitā.”
Chapter 7: THE BUDDHA’S RELICS
At that time the Buddha said to Śakra, Lord of the Devas:
“Kauśika, suppose that the Buddha’s relics filling the entire continent of Jambudvīpa were one part, and the copied scripture of the profound Prajñāpāramitā were another part. Of these two, which part would you choose?”
Śakra, Lord of the Devas, addressed the Buddha:
World-Honored One, I choose the profound Prajñāpāramitā. Why? Because I always have faith in, delight in, make offerings to, revere, respect, and praise the relics of all Buddhas. Yet the bodies and relics of all Buddhas arise through the profound Prajñāpāramitā scriptures and are all the result of the cultivated merit and power of Prajñāpāramitā. Therefore they are worshiped, revered, respected, and praised by all beings in the world—gods, humans, asuras, and others.
At that time Śāriputra said to Śakra, Lord of the Devas:
“Kauśika, the profound Prajñāpāramitā is without form, without visible appearance, without opposition, and has the single characteristic called signlessness. A dharma that is signless cannot be grasped. How can you grasp it? Why? Because, Kauśika, the profound Prajñāpāramitā neither grasps nor rejects, neither increases nor decreases, neither combines nor disperses, neither benefits nor harms, is neither defiled nor pure. It does not interfere with the dharmas of the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Pratyekabuddhas, or Śrāvakas; nor does it abandon the dharmas of ignorant ordinary beings. It does not interfere with the unconditioned realm, nor does it abandon the conditioned realm. It does not interfere with emptinesses, nor abandon existences. It does not interfere with Prajñāpāramitā up to the knowledge of all aspects, nor does it abandon all defiled dharmas.”
Then Śakra, Lord of the Devas, replied to Śāriputra:
“Indeed, indeed, exactly as you have said! Venerable sir, if one truly knows that the profound Prajñāpāramitā is without form, without visible appearance, without opposition, possessing the single characteristic called signlessness, neither grasping nor rejecting, up to not interfering with the knowledge of all aspects nor abandoning all defiled dharmas, then that is truly embracing the profound Prajñāpāramitā and truly practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā. Why? Because Prajñā, meditation, diligence, patience, morality, and generosity—the pāramitās—do not belong to dual practice or dual characteristics.”
The Buddha praised Śakra, Lord of the Devas:
“Excellent, excellent! Exactly as you have said! The profound Prajñāpāramitā, down to the perfection of generosity, does not belong to dual practice or dual characteristics.
“Kauśika, whoever wishes to make the profound Prajñāpāramitā, down to the perfection of generosity, possess dual characteristics simultaneously wishes to make suchness, up to the inconceivable realm, possess dual characteristics. Why? Because the profound Prajñāpāramitā, down to the perfection of generosity, together with suchness up to the inconceivable realm, are all nondual and indivisible.”
Śakra again addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, the profound Prajñāpāramitā should be sincerely worshiped by all in the world—gods, humans, asuras, and others—with prostrations, circumambulation to the right, offerings, reverence, respect, and praise. Why? Because all great Bodhisattvas diligently cultivate and study Prajñāpāramitā and thereby attain unsurpassed enlightenment.
“World-Honored One, just as when I sit upon the throne of the Lord of the Devas in the Hall of Good Dharma in the Heaven of the Thirty-three, expounding the true Dharma to the celestial assembly, countless heavenly sons come before me to hear my teaching, make offerings, revere, respect, praise, circumambulate me to the right, join their palms, bow, and then depart. Even when I am not seated upon that Dharma throne, the heavenly sons still come there. Though they do not see me, they continue to honor and make offerings just as if I were present, saying, ‘This is the seat where Śakra, Lord of the Devas, taught the Dharma to the gods. We too should make offerings, join our palms, bow, circumambulate to the right, and then depart, just as when the Lord of the Devas is present.’
“World-Honored One, likewise, if someone copies, upholds, recites, expounds, and widely propagates the profound Prajñāpāramitā scriptures for all beings, then one should know that countless gods, dragons, yakṣas, asuras, and others from this world and innumerable worlds in the ten directions will gather there. Even if no one is preaching the Dharma, because they honor and respect the Dharma itself, the gods and others will still come to that place to make offerings, revere, respect, praise, bow, and depart. Why? Because all Tathāgatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Awakened Ones, together with all great Bodhisattvas, Pratyekabuddhas, Śrāvakas, and all sentient beings, attain complete peace and happiness through Prajñāpāramitā. Even the Buddha’s relics receive offerings through the merit accumulated from Prajñāpāramitā.
“World-Honored One, the profound Prajñāpāramitā serves as the cause, condition, support, and source for the practices of the great Bodhisattvas and for the attainment of omniscient wisdom. Therefore I say that if the Buddha’s relics filling the entire continent of Jambudvīpa were one portion, and a copied scripture of the profound Prajñāpāramitā were another portion, then of these two I would rather choose the profound Prajñāpāramitā.
“World-Honored One, when I uphold, recite, and contemplate this profound Prajñāpāramitā, my mind becomes one with the Dharma, and I perceive no signs of fear or terror whatsoever. Why? Because Prajñāpāramitā has no characteristics, no words, and no discourse. Therefore the other five pāramitās, such as meditation, up to the knowledge of all aspects, likewise have no characteristics, no words, and no discourse.
“World-Honored One, if Prajñāpāramitā possessed characteristics, words, and discourse instead of being beyond them, then how could the Tathāgata, Worthy One, Perfectly Awakened One know all dharmas as being without characteristics, without words, and without discourse, attain unsurpassed enlightenment, and teach all beings those same characteristicless, wordless, discourse-free dharmas?
“World-Honored One, precisely because the profound Prajñāpāramitā is without characteristics, without words, and without discourse—not possessing characteristics, words, or discourse—the Tathāgata, Worthy One, Perfectly Awakened One knows all dharmas to be without characteristics, without words, and without discourse, attains unsurpassed enlightenment, and teaches all beings accordingly.
“World-Honored One, therefore the profound Prajñāpāramitā scriptures deserve to receive offerings, reverence, respect, and praise from all in the world—gods, humans, asuras, and others—with countless exquisite flower garlands, lamps, and other offerings.
“World-Honored One, if someone sincerely listens to, upholds, recites, diligently studies, correctly contemplates, copies, explains, teaches, and widely propagates the profound Prajñāpāramitā, and furthermore makes offerings to it with countless exquisite flower garlands, lamps, and other offerings, honoring, respecting, and praising it, that person will certainly not fall into the evil destinies or be born in remote or lowly regions, nor fall into the paths of the Śrāvakas or Pratyekabuddhas. They will surely advance toward unsurpassed enlightenment, always meet Buddhas, constantly hear the true Dharma, never be separated from good spiritual friends, adorn Buddha lands, benefit sentient beings, travel from one Buddha land to another, and with countless offerings honor, revere, respect, and praise all the Buddhas, World-Honored Ones, and the great Bodhisattvas.
“Furthermore, World-Honored One, suppose the Buddha’s relics throughout the entire three-thousand-great-thousand world system were one portion, and copied scriptures of the profound Prajñāpāramitā another. Of these two, I would choose Prajñāpāramitā. Why? Because the relics of all Tathāgatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Awakened Ones, and all Buddhas throughout the three-thousand world system arise from Prajñāpāramitā.
“Moreover, the Buddha’s relics throughout the three-thousand world system are honored, revered, respected, and praised by gods, humans, asuras, and others because they have been permeated with the majestic power of Prajñāpāramitā. Therefore, any good man or good woman who honors, reveres, respects, and praises the Buddha’s relics will certainly avoid dangerous destinies, be reborn in fortunate realms, enjoy abundant wealth and happiness, and according to their aspirations within the three vehicles ultimately attain the nirvāṇa of the three vehicles.
“Furthermore, World-Honored One, for any good man or good woman, seeing the Tathāgata, Worthy One, Perfectly Awakened One, and seeing the profound Prajñāpāramitā scriptures produce equal merit without difference. Why? Because the profound Prajñāpāramitā and the Tathāgatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Awakened Ones, are equal, nondual, and indivisible.
“Furthermore, World-Honored One, if a Tathāgata, Worthy One, Perfectly Awakened One teaches and guides beings three times, proclaiming the true Dharma—namely, the sūtras and all the way to treatises—and if good men and good women uphold, recite, and explain the profound Prajñāpāramitā to others, these two kinds of merit are equal without difference. Why? Because whether it is the Tathāgata’s threefold guidance or the exposition of the twelve divisions of the teachings, all arise in dependence upon Prajñāpāramitā.
“Furthermore, World-Honored One, if Buddhas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges throughout the ten directions teach and guide beings three times, proclaiming the true Dharma—the sūtras through treatises—and if good men and good women uphold, recite, and explain the profound Prajñāpāramitā to others, these two kinds of merit are equal without difference. Why? Because the threefold guidance and the exposition of the twelve divisions of the teachings by all those countless Buddhas arise from Prajñāpāramitā.
“Furthermore, World-Honored One, if good men and good women make offerings, revere, respect, and praise those Buddhas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges in the ten directions with countless exquisite flower garlands, lamps, and other offerings, while other good men and good women copy and uphold the profound Prajñāpāramitā scriptures and likewise make offerings, revere, respect, and praise them with exquisite flower garlands, lamps, and other offerings, then the merit of these two acts is equal without difference. Why? Because all Buddhas, World-Honored Ones, arise through Prajñāpāramitā.
“Furthermore, World-Honored One, if good men and good women sincerely listen to, uphold, recite, diligently study, correctly contemplate, copy, explain, teach, and widely propagate the profound Prajñāpāramitā, then in future lives they will not fall into hell, the animal realm, or the realm of hungry ghosts, nor into the paths of the Śrāvakas or Pratyekabuddhas. Why? Because these good men and good women will certainly abide in the stage of non-retrogression, far removed from all misfortunes, illnesses, afflictions, panic, and fear.
“It is like a debtor who trembles in fear upon meeting a creditor. That person immediately enters the service of the king. Relying upon the king’s power, the fear disappears. The king is a metaphor for Prajñāpāramitā. The debtor is a metaphor for good men and good women who rely upon Prajñāpāramitā and thereby become free from all suffering, panic, and fear.
“World-Honored One, just as someone who relies upon the king and is protected by him is also honored, revered, respected, and praised by the people of the world, so too are the Buddha’s relics honored, revered, respected, and praised by gods, humans, asuras, and others because they have been permeated by Prajñāpāramitā. The king symbolizes Prajñāpāramitā, while the Buddha’s relics symbolize reliance upon the king.
“World-Honored One, the Buddhas’ attainment of omniscient wisdom is likewise accomplished through Prajñāpāramitā. Therefore I say that even if all the Buddha’s relics throughout this three-thousand-great-thousand world system were gathered into one portion, and all copied scriptures of the profound Prajñāpāramitā into another, I would choose the profound Prajñāpāramitā. Why? Because the Buddha’s relics, hard as vajra, adorned with perfect colors, the thirty-two marks of a Great Person, the eighty excellent characteristics adorning the bodies of the Tathāgatas throughout the ten directions, and even the knowledge of all aspects, are all accomplished through Prajñāpāramitā. The other five pāramitās, such as generosity, are called pāramitās—‘arriving at the other shore’—only through Prajñāpāramitā. Why? Because without Prajñāpāramitā, generosity and the others cannot reach the other shore.
“Furthermore, World-Honored One, whether in kingdoms, capitals, cities, towns, villages, or hamlets throughout the three-thousand-great-thousand world system or in other worlds, if there are people who uphold, recite, copy, expound, make offerings to, and honor the profound Prajñāpāramitā, then the beings in those places will not be harmed by humans or nonhuman beings, except for the unavoidable results of fixed evil karma. The beings there will gradually cultivate the proper practices of the three vehicles, and according to their aspirations will ultimately attain the nirvāṇa of the three vehicles.
Again, O World-Honored One, the profound Prajñāpāramitā, fully possessing great spiritual power, benefits the three thousand great worlds. Wherever it may be, there is a Buddha carrying out the deeds of a Buddha, which is called bringing benefit and happiness to all sentient beings.
O World-Honored One, it is like a priceless great wish-fulfilling jewel, fully endowed with immeasurable, extraordinarily wondrous and supreme virtues. Wherever this divine jewel exists, humans and non-humans will never be able to cause harm. Suppose there is a man or woman who is possessed by a demon and whose body and mind are afflicted. If someone brings this jewel there, then by the majestic power of the jewel, the demon immediately departs. Also, if there are illnesses such as fevers, or wind disorders, or phlegm disorders, or illnesses caused by the combination of wind and phlegm, if one wears this jewel on the body, such illnesses will be cured. When this jewel is in a dark place, it makes the place bright; when it is hot, it makes it cool; when it is cold, it makes it warm. Wherever this jewel exists, the weather becomes balanced, neither cold nor hot. Wherever this jewel exists, poisonous snakes, scorpions, and the like dare not hide there. If any man or woman is struck by poison and suffers unbearable pain, and someone brings this jewel and shows it to them, by the power of the jewel the poison will naturally disappear. If any sentient beings suffer from leprosy, tumors, sores, ulcers, blindness, and so forth, diseases of the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, throat, body, joints, if they wear this jewel, such illnesses will be cured. If ponds, lakes, rivers, streams, wells, and so forth have muddy, filthy water, or are about to dry up, if this jewel is placed into them, the water will immediately become abundant, fragrant, pure, and clear, possessing the eight excellent qualities. If garments embroidered with various colors of blue, yellow, red, and white are used to wrap this jewel and it is placed into the water, the water will follow the garments and manifest those colors. Such a priceless great jewel possesses limitless virtues that cannot be fully described. If it is kept in a chest or pouch, it causes that object to become endowed with limitless virtues. If the chest or pouch is empty, merely because it once contained the jewel, that object will still be cherished and respected by many people.
The Venerable Ānanda asked Śakra, Lord of the Devas:
“Such a jewel—does it exist only in the heavenly realms, or does it also exist in the human realm?”
Śakra, Lord of the Devas, replied:
“This jewel exists in both the human and heavenly realms. If it is in the human realm, its form is small but its weight is great; if it is in the heavenly realm, its form is large but its weight is light. Furthermore, in the human realm the characteristics of the jewel are incomplete, whereas in the heavenly realm its characteristics are perfect. The heavenly jewel’s majestic virtues are immeasurably greater than those of the human realm.”
At that time, Śakra, Lord of the Devas, again addressed the Buddha:
“O World-Honored One, the profound Prajñāpāramitā is likewise so. It is inherently complete with all majestic virtues and is able to eliminate immeasurable evil and unwholesome phenomena. Wherever it exists, it causes all physical and mental sufferings of sentient beings to be eradicated, and neither humans nor non-humans can harm them.
O World-Honored One, the priceless great jewel I have described is not only an analogy for Prajñāpāramitā, but also an analogy for the wisdom of omniscience of the Tathāgata. It is also an analogy for the Dhyāna pāramitā up to the Dāna pāramitā; for emptiness of inner phenomena up to emptiness of the non-existence of inherent nature; for the four foundations of mindfulness up to the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha; for suchness up to the inconceivable realm; for the quality of not forgetting and the nature of always relinquishing; for the wisdom of all-knowing, the wisdom of knowing the path, and the wisdom of knowing all aspects; for all dhāraṇī gateways and all samādhi gateways; and for the immeasurable and boundless Buddha teachings. Why? Because such merits all arise through the guidance and revelation of the Great Mantra King, Prajñāpāramitā. Those merits are profound, vast, immeasurable, and boundless. The Buddha’s relics are the result of cultivating and perfuming oneself with these merits; therefore, after the Buddha entered Nirvāṇa, they received offerings, reverence, honor, and praise from all worldly beings, gods, humans, asuras, and others.
Furthermore, O World-Honored One, the Buddha’s relics are supremely complete, most excellent, and pure. They are the perfection of Prajñā, Dhyāna, diligence, patience, pure morality, generosity pāramitā, and so forth, extending to the complete severance of the continuity of afflictive habitual tendencies, and they serve as the basis for immeasurable and boundless other Buddha teachings. Therefore, only after entering Nirvāṇa could they receive offerings, reverence, honor, and praise from all worldly beings, gods, humans, asuras, and others.
Furthermore, O World-Honored One, the Buddha’s relics are supremely complete, most excellent, pure, and endowed with meritorious treasures because they rely upon the pāramitās. The Buddha’s relics are supremely complete, most excellent, pure, undefiled, not purified, unborn, undying, neither entering nor leaving, neither increasing nor decreasing, neither coming nor going, neither moving nor abiding, neither this nor that, because they rely upon the pāramitās. The Buddha’s relics are supremely complete, most excellent, and pure because they rely upon the pāramitās of the true nature of all phenomena. Therefore, after the Buddha entered Nirvāṇa, they were able to receive offerings, reverence, honor, and praise from all worldly beings, gods, humans, asuras, and others.
Furthermore, O World-Honored One, if all the Buddha relics throughout the three thousand great worlds, even if all the relics of Buddhas in the ten directions as numerous as the grains of sand of the Ganges River were gathered together into one portion, and the written scriptures of the profound Prajñāpāramitā were also gathered together into one portion, between these two portions I would choose the Prajñāpāramitā. Why? Because all Tathāgatas, Arhats, Fully Enlightened Ones, and their relics arise from Prajñāpāramitā; they all arise through cultivating Prajñāpāramitā, and because they rely upon Prajñāpāramitā, they are able to receive offerings, reverence, honor, and praise from all worldly beings, gods, humans, asuras, and others.
O World-Honored One, if any virtuous man or virtuous woman makes offerings to, reveres, honors, respects, and praises the Buddha’s relics, they will enjoy limitless peace, happiness, and prosperity in the realms of gods and humans. In the human realm, they will belong to great families, from the great Kṣatriya lineage up to the great householders’ lineage. In the heavenly realms, they will become the Four Heavenly Kings up to the Heaven of Freely Enjoying Others’ Transformations, and through such supreme wholesome roots they will proceed toward their final body and realize Nirvāṇa.
O World-Honored One, if any virtuous man or virtuous woman, with sincere mind, listens to, receives, maintains, recites, copies, explains, proclaims, and properly reflects upon the profound Prajñāpāramitā, they will quickly perfect the profound Prajñāpāramitā. Having perfected the profound Prajñāpāramitā, they will perfect the Dhyāna pāramitā up to the Dāna pāramitā, as well as the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment up to the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha.
Because of this, they will be able to surpass the ranks of Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas, enter the correct nature of separation from birth as a Bodhisattva, and attain the wondrous and supreme supernatural powers of a Bodhisattva. Using these supernatural powers, they travel among Buddha realms, going from one Buddha realm to another, making offerings to, revering, honoring, and praising the Buddhas, World-Honored Ones; bringing about the accomplishment of sentient beings; and adorning and purifying Buddha realms.
They themselves vow to take on various bodies, and for the sake of benefiting sentient beings, they become Great Wheel-Turning Kings, Lesser Wheel-Turning Kings, Brahmins, Vaiśravaṇas, Śakras, Brahmā kings, or other kinds of beings, solely to bring benefit, peace, and happiness to immeasurable sentient beings.
Therefore, O World-Honored One, toward the Buddha’s relics I always have faith, delight, make offerings, revere, honor, and praise them. But making offerings, revering, honoring, and praising the profound Prajñāpāramitā brings even greater merit than that. For this reason, I am willing to choose Prajñāpāramitā.
O World-Honored One, if any virtuous man or virtuous woman makes offerings to, reveres, honors, respects, and praises the profound Prajñāpāramitā, all Buddha Dharma will increase, and they will also enjoy worldly and transcendent prosperity, happiness, and freedom. In this way, they have made offerings to, revered, honored, respected, and praised the Buddha’s relics and the Tathāgatas, Arhats, Fully Enlightened Ones.”
The Buddha said to Śakra, Lord of the Devas:
“So it is, so it is, exactly as you have said!”
Chapter 8: Accumulation of Merit (1)
At that time, Śakra, Lord of the Devas, addressed the Buddha:
“O World-Honored One, if any virtuous man or virtuous woman wishes always to see the physical bodies and Dharma bodies of all Tathāgatas, Arhats, Fully Enlightened Ones throughout the immeasurable and innumerable worlds of the ten directions, they should sincerely listen to, receive, maintain, recite, diligently practice and study, properly contemplate, copy, explain, proclaim, and widely transmit the profound Prajñāpāramitā scriptures. Then these virtuous men and women will always see the physical bodies and Dharma bodies of all Tathāgatas, Arhats, Fully Enlightened Ones throughout the ten directions, gradually cultivate and quickly perfect the profound Prajñāpāramitā. At that time, they should cultivate the nature of Dharma and, according to their minds, contemplate the Buddha.
O World-Honored One, the nature of all phenomena, in summary, has two kinds: First, conditioned phenomena. Second, unconditioned phenomena.”
Why is it called conditioned dharma-nature?
It is the wisdom of the dharma of emptiness within, up to the wisdom of the dharma of emptiness having no self-nature; the wisdom of the four foundations of mindfulness up to the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha; the wisdom of wholesome dharmas and unwholesome dharmas; the wisdom of determinate and indeterminate dharmas; the wisdom of contaminated and uncontaminated dharmas; the wisdom of conditioned and unconditioned dharmas; the wisdom of sinful and sinless dharmas; the wisdom of worldly and supramundane dharmas; the wisdom of defiled and pure dharmas. All such immeasurable gates of wisdom are called conditioned dharma-nature.
Why is it called unconditioned dharma-nature?
It is all dharmas that are unborn, undying, not permanently abiding, not changing, not defiled, not pure, not increasing, not decreasing, without marks, unconditioned, self-nature, empty in nature. Such is called unconditioned dharma-nature.
These good men and good women should, by relying on these two kinds of dharma-nature, follow their minds in cultivating mindfulness of the Buddhas, the Thus Come Ones, Worthy of Offerings, Perfectly Awakened Ones.
At that time, the Buddha told Śakra, Lord of the Devas:
“Indeed, indeed, just as you have said! Kauśika, all Buddhas of the past, future, and present rely upon Prajñāpāramitā and have attained, will attain, and are attaining the supreme unsurpassed Enlightenment. The disciples of the Buddhas, the Śrāvakas of the past, future, and present, all rely upon Prajñāpāramitā and have attained, will attain, and are attaining the fruits of Stream-enterer, Once-returner, Non-returner, and Arhatship. The Pratyekabuddhas of the past, future, and present all rely upon Prajñāpāramitā and have attained, will attain, and are attaining Pratyekabuddha Bodhi.
Why is this so? Kauśika, because within the profound secret treasury of Prajñāpāramitā, all dharmas corresponding to the three vehicles, as spoken here, use non-attainment as the means; use emptiness of nature and absence of marks as the means; use non-arising and non-ceasing as the means; use non-defilement and non-purity as the means; use non-creation and non-action as the means; use non-entering and non-exiting as the means; use non-increase and non-decrease as the means; use non-taking and non-abandoning as the means.
Such statements are all based on conventional truth, not based on ultimate truth. Why? Because profound Prajñāpāramitā is neither Prajñāpāramitā, nor is it not Prajñāpāramitā; it is neither this shore, nor the other shore, nor the middle of the stream, nor land, nor water, nor high, nor low, nor equal, nor unequal, nor with marks, nor without marks, nor worldly, nor supramundane, nor contaminated, nor uncontaminated, nor conditioned, nor unconditioned, nor wholesome, nor unwholesome, nor determinate, nor indeterminate, nor past, nor future, nor present.
Kauśika, profound Prajñāpāramitā does not relate to the dharmas of the Buddhas, does not relate to the dharmas of Bodhisattvas, does not relate to the dharmas of Pratyekabuddhas, does not relate to the dharmas of Śrāvakas, and also does not abandon the dharmas of ordinary beings.”
Śakra, Lord of the Devas, again said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, profound Prajñāpāramitā is the great Perfection, the unsurpassed Perfection, the incomparable Perfection. When great Bodhisattvas cultivate profound Prajñāpāramitā, although they know the distinctions in the mental activities and realms of all sentient beings, they do not attain a self, do not attain sentient beings, and so forth do not attain the knower and the seer. They also do not attain form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness; they do not attain the sensations produced through the condition of the six contacts. They likewise do not attain the Perfection of Giving up to the Perfection of Wisdom. Thus they do not attain the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha and the immeasurable, boundless other Buddha-dharmas.
Why is this so? Because Prajñāpāramitā does not arise in dependence upon all dharmas through attachment to attainment. Why? Because profound Prajñāpāramitā is completely without self-nature and cannot be grasped. The attainable object, the attainment, and the two places upon which they depend are all empty in nature and marks, and cannot be grasped.”
The Buddha told Śakra, Lord of the Devas:
“Indeed, indeed, just as you have said! Kauśika, great Bodhisattvas, using non-attainment as the means, cultivate and study profound Prajñāpāramitā for a very long time. How could they fail to attain Bodhi and sattva? How much less would they fail to attain the status of Mahābodhisattva? If they do not attain Mahābodhisattva, how could they attain the dharmas of a great Bodhisattva? The dharmas of a great Bodhisattva are not attained; how much less could they attain the supreme unsurpassed Enlightenment of the Buddhas?”
At that time Śakra, Lord of the Devas, again said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, should great Bodhisattvas only cultivate profound Prajñāpāramitā, or should they also cultivate the five other Perfections?”
The Buddha told Śakra, Lord of the Devas:
“Great Bodhisattvas, using non-attainment as the means, practice all six Perfections.
When practicing the Perfection of Giving, they do not see the thing given, do not see the giver, and do not see the receiver.
When practicing Pure Discipline, they do not see discipline to be purified, do not see one who maintains discipline, and do not see one who violates discipline.
When practicing Patience, they do not see the patience being endured, do not see the one who practices patience, and do not see the one who becomes angry.
When practicing Diligence, they do not see diligence, do not see the diligent person, do not see the lazy person, do not see the action that should be diligently performed, and do not see body or mind as something capable of acting.
When practicing Meditation, they do not see meditation, do not see the meditator, and do not see the distracted person.
When practicing Prajñā, they do not see Prajñā, do not see the person possessing subtle and perfect wisdom, do not see the person with much erroneous wisdom, and do not see Prajñā’s observation of the distinctions in the nature and marks of dharmas.
Furthermore, Kauśika, the profound Prajñāpāramitā of great Bodhisattvas is light and a guide for cultivating all Perfections. Without attachment to anything, it causes such cultivation to quickly become complete.
Furthermore, Kauśika, great Bodhisattvas use non-attainment as the means with regard to all dharmas. Profound Prajñāpāramitā is the light and the guide. Although they contemplate all dharmas, they do not cling to anything, causing their cultivation to quickly become complete.
This means that, using non-attainment as the means and Prajñāpāramitā as the light and guide, they contemplate the aggregates, sense fields, elements, and even the wisdom of all aspects, without attachment. Through this cause and condition, their cultivation quickly becomes complete.
Kauśika, just as the body, branches, leaves, fruits, seeds, stems, and flowers of all trees in Jambudvīpa have different forms and colors, yet their shade is completely without distinction and becomes a refuge for great virtues, so too are the five Perfections above. Although each has its own differences, because they are protected by Prajñāpāramitā, dedicated toward the wisdom of all-knowing knowledge, and use non-attainment as the means, their differentiating characteristics cannot be grasped at all. They become a foundation possessing great majesty and virtue.”
Śakra, Lord of the Devas, again said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, profound Prajñāpāramitā accomplishes vast and excellent virtues; accomplishes all excellent virtues; accomplishes complete excellent virtues; accomplishes immeasurable excellent virtues; accomplishes countless excellent virtues; accomplishes boundless excellent virtues; accomplishes incomparable excellent virtues; accomplishes inexhaustible excellent virtues.
If any good man or good woman copies such profound Prajñāpāramitā, adorns it with precious objects, upholds it, reads and recites it, makes offerings to it, respectfully honors it, reveres it, praises it, and contemplates it according to reason as taught in the sutra. Or if another man or woman also copies such profound Prajñāpāramitā, teaches others to uphold it, and spreads it widely. Between these two merits, which merit is greater?”
The Buddha told Śakra, Lord of the Devas:
“I will ask you again. Answer according to your understanding.
If there is a good man or good woman who obtains the Buddha’s relics from another person, places them inside a precious container, puts them in an elevated place, and then uses excellent banners and flowers, even lamps of light, to make offerings, respectfully honor, revere, and praise them.
And there are other good men and good women who obtain the Buddha’s relics, distribute them to others in portions as small as mustard seeds. Those people respectfully receive them and place them properly according to the Dharma, and again use immeasurable excellent banners and flowers, even lamps of light, to make offerings, respectfully honor, revere, and praise them.
What do you think? Between these two merits, which merit is superior?”
Śakra, Lord of the Devas, replied:
“World-Honored One, according to my understanding of the meaning of the Buddha’s teaching, among these two merits, the latter merit is superior. Why? Because the Thus Come Ones, Worthy of Offerings, Perfectly Awakened Ones, out of great compassion for sentient beings, cause those who make offerings and show respect to the Buddha’s relics to be liberated.
When the Thus Come One was about to enter Nirvana, he used the Vajra-like Samadhi power to break his Vajra body into pieces like mustard seeds, and then used the profound and vast power of great compassion to bless them.
After the Thus Come One entered Nirvana, if anyone obtains even a single Buddha relic as small as a mustard seed and makes offerings and shows respect, they gain immeasurable merit, enjoy superior happiness among gods and humans, and ultimately end all suffering. Therefore, the person who gives the relics to others has greater merit.”
The Buddha praised Śakra, Lord of the Devas:
“Excellent, excellent! Just as you have said! Kauśika, regarding Prajñāpāramitā, if one personally upholds it, makes offerings to it, respectfully honors it, and also spreads it widely to others, between these two merits, the latter merit is greater. Why? Because by transmitting it to others, immeasurable and boundless sentient beings attain happiness and benefit.”
Furthermore, Kauśika, if there is a person who, regarding the meaning and principles proclaimed in this profound Prajñāpāramitā, truly analyzes, explains, and expounds them to everyone, causing them to become liberated, that person will attain superior merit exceeding by hundreds of thousands of times the merit of the person who merely transmits it. One should honor this Dharma Master as one honors the Buddha, and likewise serve them as one serves a venerable practitioner of the holy life. Why is this so? Because the profound Prajñāpāramitā itself is all the Buddhas, and all the Buddhas themselves are the profound Prajñāpāramitā.
The profound Prajñāpāramitā is not different from all the Buddhas. The Buddhas are not different from the profound Prajñāpāramitā. Why is this so? Because all the Buddhas of the three times rely upon the Prajñāpāramitā, diligently cultivating and learning, and thereby realizing the supreme unsurpassed Enlightenment.
You should know that the venerable practitioner of the holy life is precisely the Great Bodhisattva abiding at the stage of non-retrogression. This Great Bodhisattva also relies upon the Prajñāpāramitā, diligently cultivating and learning, and realizes the supreme unsurpassed Enlightenment.
Those of the lineage of Śrāvakas also rely upon the Prajñāpāramitā, diligently cultivating and learning, and attain the fruit of Arhatship.
Those of the lineage of Pratyekabuddhas also rely upon the Prajñāpāramitā, diligently cultivating and learning, and realize Pratyekabuddha Bodhi.
Those of the lineage of Bodhisattvas also rely upon the Prajñāpāramitā, diligently cultivating and learning, surpassing the vehicles of Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas, entering the right nature of separation from arising of the Bodhisattva, gradually cultivating the practices of the Bodhisattva, and abiding at the stage of the non-retrogression of Bodhisattvas.
Therefore, Kauśika, if any virtuous man or virtuous woman wishes to use immeasurable excellent garlands of flowers, even up to lamps of light, to make offerings to, honor, respect, revere, and praise a present Buddha, then they should copy the profound Prajñāpāramitā scriptures and use immeasurable excellent garlands of flowers, even up to lamps of light, to make offerings to, honor, respect, revere, and praise it.
Kauśika, when I had just attained the supreme unsurpassed Enlightenment, I contemplated this meaning and reflected: “Upon whom should I rely in order to abide? Who is worthy to receive my offerings and reverence?” When I thought in this way, I found no god, Māra, Brahmā, human, or non-human equal to me, let alone superior to me. Therefore, I again reflected: “I should rely upon the Dharma of the supreme unsurpassed Enlightenment that I have realized. This Dharma is profound, peaceful, and wondrous. I shall rely upon this Dharma again in order to abide, make offerings, and show reverence. That Dharma is the Prajñāpāramitā.”
Kauśika, having become a Buddha, I still rely upon the Prajñāpāramitā to make offerings and show reverence. How much more so should virtuous men and virtuous women who seek the supreme unsurpassed Enlightenment rely upon the profound Prajñāpāramitā to diligently cultivate and learn, make offerings, show reverence, honor, and praise it? Why is this so? Kauśika, the profound Prajñāpāramitā can give rise to the assembly of Great Bodhisattvas, and from this assembly of Great Bodhisattvas arise the Thus Come Ones, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Enlightened Ones. Relying upon the Thus Come Ones, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas arise.
Therefore, Kauśika, virtuous men and virtuous women, whether of the Bodhisattva Vehicle, the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle, or the Śrāvaka Vehicle, must all diligently cultivate and learn the Prajñāpāramitā, using immeasurable excellent garlands of flowers, even up to lamps of light, to make offerings, show reverence, honor, and praise it. Why is this so? Because the Śrāvaka Vehicle, Pratyekabuddha Vehicle, and Bodhisattva Vehicle essentially rely upon the Prajñāpāramitā to diligently cultivate and learn, reaching the ultimate end.
Furthermore, Kauśika, if any virtuous man or virtuous woman teaches all sentient beings in the continent of Jambudvīpa and causes them all to abide in the ten paths of wholesome action, what do you think? Do these virtuous men and virtuous women, through this cause and condition, obtain much merit?
Śakra, Lord of the Gods, addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, that merit is extremely great! Sugata, it is extremely great!”
The Buddha said to Kauśika:
If any virtuous man or virtuous woman copies the Prajñāpāramitā scriptures, recites them for others, or copies and spreads them everywhere, then the merit of these virtuous men and virtuous women is greater than that mentioned above. Why is this so? Kauśika, because within the secret treasury of the profound Prajñāpāramitā, all unconditioned Dharma is included. The virtuous men and virtuous women who have learned, are learning, or will learn therein, whether they have entered, are entering, or will enter the right nature of separation from arising of the lineage of Śrāvakas, gradually until they have attained, are attaining, or will attain the fruit of Arhatship; or whether they have entered, are entering, or will enter the right nature of separation from arising of the lineage of Pratyekabuddhas, gradually until they have attained, are attaining, or will attain Pratyekabuddha Bodhi; or whether they have entered, are entering, or will enter the right nature of separation from arising of the lineage of Bodhisattvas, gradually cultivating the practices of Bodhisattvas, and have attained, are attaining, or will attain the supreme unsurpassed Enlightenment.
Kauśika, within the secret treasury of the profound Prajñāpāramitā, all unconditioned Dharma has been taught. These include the Perfection of Giving up to the Perfection of Wisdom; emptiness of the internal up to emptiness of the emptiness of inherent nature; the realm of true suchness up to the inconceivable realm; the realm of cessation up to the unconditioned realm; the noble truths of suffering, origin, cessation, and path; the four foundations of mindfulness up to the eightfold noble path; the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations; the eight liberations and the nine successive concentrations; the liberation doors of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; the stage of pure contemplation up to the stage of the Tathāgata; the stage of Extreme Joy up to the stage of Dharma Cloud; the five types of eyes and the six supernatural powers; the ten powers of the Tathāgata up to the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha; the Dharma of not forgetting and the nature of constant equanimity; all dhāraṇī gateways and all samādhi gateways; all-knowing wisdom, path-aspect wisdom, omniscient wisdom, and the immeasurable, boundless other Buddha-dharmas—all are the entirety of the unconditioned Dharma proclaimed herein.