KING ŚRĪVIJAYA PRAJÑĀ PĀRAMITĀ SŪTRA
VOLUME 4
Chapter 6: EQUALITY
At that time, Śrīvijaya rose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, knelt with his right knee touching the ground, joined his palms toward the Buddha, bowed his head in reverence, and said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One! As the World-Honored One has taught regarding the equality of the nature of Dharma, what is equality, and which dharmas are called equal?”
The Buddha said to Śrīvijaya:
“Great King! Equality means contemplating all dharmas as neither arising nor ceasing, with their own nature being quiescent. All afflictions, falsehoods, discriminations, neither arising nor ceasing, with their own nature being quiescent, are called equality. Names, characteristics, and false conceptualizations, neither arising nor ceasing, with their own nature being quiescent, are called equality. Eliminating all inverted views and not giving rise to a mind that grasps at conditions is called equality. When the conditioned mind has ceased, ignorance and craving for existence are both quiescent. Because delusion and craving have ceased, there is no arising of the self and what belongs to self; this is called equality. When self and what belongs to self are extinguished, name and form are quiescent; this is called equality. Because name and form are extinguished, extreme views do not arise; this is called equality. When the views of annihilation and permanence have ceased, the view of self is quiescent; this is called equality.
Great King! All afflictions, the grasping subject and grasped objects, and obstacles to wholesome dharmas all arise based upon the view of self. When a great bodhisattva eliminates the view of self, all karmic formations and bonds are severed and become quiescent.
It is like a great tree: if its roots are pulled out, its branches and leaves all wither and die. It is also like a person without a head, who dies. All afflictions are likewise. If the view of self is cut off, the bonds naturally cease.
Great King! If someone contemplates that all dharmas are without self, then the grasping subject and grasped objects both become quiescent.”
Śrīvijaya said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One! Why does the arising of the view of self obscure the true principle?”
The Buddha said to Śrīvijaya:
“Great King! Regarding the five aggregates of the body, falsely grasping that there is a self immediately gives rise to the view of self. But the true Dharma, by its own nature, is originally equal and has no grasping subject or grasped object. The view of self is contrary to this, therefore it is called an obstruction.
Great King! Thus, the view of self is not within, not outside, and not both within and outside; therefore it has no place to abide. This is called quiescence, which is equality. Being free from the view of self and clearly realizing equality is called contemplating true emptiness, namely Emptiness, Signlessness, and Wishlessness. The quiescent nature does not arise or cease, does not grasp or cling, and being free from the view of self is called equality.
Great King! Speaking of self means that it neither goes nor comes; there is no true distinction between real and false. Dharmas that arise from delusion are also called false. Great bodhisattvas practicing Prajñāpāramitā contemplate all dharmas in this way, becoming free from falseness; therefore it is called quiescence and equality.
Great bodhisattvas practicing Prajñāpāramitā, through skillful means, can know as they truly are that afflictions are extinguished. Because wholesome dharmas increase, afflictions are cut off, yet they do not see arising and do not see ceasing; this is called equality. Practicing the pāramitās, they become free from demonic obstacles, yet they do not see a Dharma to cultivate or a Dharma to abandon; this is called equality. Bodhisattvas constantly strive to support the Dharma of Bodhi and do not give rise to the mind of the Śrāvaka or Pratyekabuddha. Regarding supporting the Dharma of Bodhi, they do not see any different characteristics of Śrāvakas or Pratyekabuddhas; this is called equality. Their minds are directed toward omniscience, yet they do not dwell on thoughts; they constantly cultivate emptiness and use the power of great compassion to not abandon sentient beings, therefore it is called equality.
Great King! Great bodhisattvas practicing Prajñāpāramitā, with complete skillful means, immediately attain freedom in the mind’s objects. Using the mind that is directed toward signlessness to cultivate enlightenment, yet not seeing that signlessness and enlightenment are different, this is called equality. The mind directed toward wishlessness does not abandon the three realms; yet not seeing wishlessness and the three realms as different, this is called equality. Contemplating the body as impure, the mind must abide in purity; contemplating the practice of impermanence, the mind abides in birth and death without weariness or seeking escape; contemplating the suffering of sentient beings, the mind abides in Nirvāṇa; contemplating the selflessness of dharmas, they give rise to great compassion toward all sentient beings. They constantly teach the medicine of impurity to sentient beings, yet do not see the disease of greed; they constantly teach great compassion, yet do not see anger; they constantly teach dependent origination, yet do not see ignorance and various illnesses; they teach the medicine of impermanence, yet do not see other illnesses or impermanence.
Great bodhisattvas practicing Prajñāpāramitā, using such power of skillful means, have freedom of mind regarding all dharmas. Directing their minds toward the Dharma of freedom from desire, they teach Śrāvakas; directing their minds toward the Dharma of freedom from anger, they teach Pratyekabuddhas; directing their minds toward the Dharma of freedom from ignorance, they teach bodhisattvas; directing their minds toward all forms, they aspire to attain the Buddha’s form-body that cannot be obtained. Directing their minds toward all sounds, they aspire to attain the wondrous voice of the Tathāgata. Directing their minds toward all fragrances, they aspire to attain the pure fragrance of the Tathāgata’s precepts. Directing their minds toward the supreme flavors, they aspire to attain the supreme taste within the marks of the great person of the Tathāgata. Directing their minds toward all tactile sensations, they aspire to attain the soft and gentle hands of the Tathāgata. Directing their minds toward all dharmas, they aspire to attain the quiescent mind of the Tathāgata. Directing their minds toward generosity, they aspire to accomplish excellent physical marks. Directing their minds toward pure morality, they aspire to attain a pure Buddha-land. Directing their minds toward patience, they aspire to attain the great Brahmā voice of the Tathāgata and a body radiating pure light. Directing their minds toward diligence, they aspire to liberate sentient beings. Directing their minds toward meditation, they aspire to accomplish the great spiritual powers. Directing their minds toward wisdom, they aspire to cut off all afflictive views. Directing their minds toward great loving-kindness, equality, and unobstructedness is to enable sentient beings to attain peace and happiness. Directing their minds toward great compassion, they aspire to protect the true Dharma. Directing their minds toward great joy, they aspire to teach Dharma that delights sentient beings. Directing their minds toward great equanimity, they aspire not to see the afflictive bonds of sentient beings.
Great King! Great bodhisattvas practicing Prajñāpāramitā, using the power of skillful means, do not see the two aspects; this is called the practice of equality.
Their minds are directed toward the Four Means of Embracing in order to teach sentient beings; relying on the fault of jealousy, they abandon personal wealth; relying on the fault of breaking precepts, they abide in pure morality; relying on the fault of anger, they abide in patience; relying on the fault of laziness, they attain the Buddha’s powers; relying on the fault of distraction, they attain the quiescent meditative concentration of the Tathāgata; relying on the fault of dull wisdom, they attain the unobstructed wisdom of the Tathāgata. Their minds are directed toward Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas because they wish to accomplish the unsurpassed Great Vehicle. Their minds are directed toward the evil paths because they wish to rescue all sentient beings. Their minds are directed toward heavenly beings because they know all are subject to decay. Their minds are directed toward sentient beings because they know they are not truly fixed. Their minds are directed toward recollection of the Buddha in order to accomplish meditation and the aids to enlightenment. Their minds are directed toward recollection of the Dharma in order to penetrate the secret treasury of all dharmas. Their minds are directed toward recollection of the Sangha in order to attain the irreversible stage. Their minds are directed toward recollection of giving in order not to become attached. Their minds are directed toward recollection of precepts in order to attain pure morality. Their minds are directed toward recollection of heavenly beings in order to become a Buddha praised by heavenly beings. Their minds are directed toward their own body in order to attain the Buddha-body. Their minds are directed toward speech in order to attain the Buddha’s golden mouth. Their minds are directed toward thought in order to attain the equal mind of the Tathāgata. Their minds are directed toward conditioned phenomena in order to attain Buddha wisdom. Their minds are directed toward the unconditioned in order to attain quiescence.
Great King! Great bodhisattvas practicing Prajñāpāramitā have no single thought or practice that does not turn toward omniscience. Great bodhisattvas practicing Prajñāpāramitā pervade all dharmas with their awareness without becoming attached, seeing all dharmas as leading to enlightenment; therefore this is called skillful means.
Great King! It is like the great earth in the trichiliocosm producing all things for everyone to use.
Great bodhisattvas practicing Prajñāpāramitā see all objects of experience as paths of benefit leading to enlightenment. It is like all forms being formed based upon the four great elements. Likewise, bodhisattvas engage with all objects of experience, and there is not a single Dharma that does not lead to enlightenment. Why? Because great bodhisattvas cultivate all practices, and all are accomplished through external conditions. Just as through encountering miserly people, bodhisattvas accomplish the Perfection of Giving; through encountering ungrateful people, bodhisattvas accomplish the Perfection of Moral Discipline; through encountering the evil and angry dispositions of sentient beings, bodhisattvas accomplish the Perfection of Patience; through encountering lazy people, bodhisattvas accomplish the Perfection of Diligence; through encountering distracted people, bodhisattvas accomplish the Perfection of Meditation; through encountering foolish people, bodhisattvas accomplish the Perfection of Wisdom.
If sentient beings harm bodhisattvas, because of this bodhisattvas do not give rise to anger.
If they see people cultivating wholesome Dharma and moving toward enlightenment, bodhisattvas regard them as their own children.
If they see people praising them, great bodhisattvas do not give rise to joy; if criticized, they do not give rise to anger.
Seeing suffering sentient beings, bodhisattvas give rise to great compassion. Seeing joyful sentient beings, they give rise to great sympathetic joy.
If sentient beings are difficult to teach, bodhisattvas regard them with compassion, give rise to a quiescent mind, and sentient beings thereby develop faith and practice; therefore bodhisattvas immediately attain wisdom and knowledge of gratitude.
If bodhisattvas see that external evil conditions of sentient beings are strong while their inner wholesome causes are weak, they give rise to the intention to protect them.
If bodhisattvas see sentient beings relying on their own strength, they use every means to cause them to accept guidance.
If bodhisattvas see that sentient beings’ wisdom has awakened and they understand meanings, they teach them profound Dharma.
If people possess wisdom, bodhisattvas teach Dharma according to their capacity.
If people cling to written words, bodhisattvas explain meanings.
Bodhisattvas teach contemplative Dharma to those who have cultivated calming meditation, and teach samādhi to those who have cultivated contemplation.
If people cling to holding precepts, bodhisattvas speak of hell; if they are not attached, they do not speak of it.
Bodhisattvas teach contemplation and cultivation to those attached to hearing; teach wisdom to those attached to meditation; teach the Dharma of seclusion to those who enjoy solitude; teach noble wisdom to those wishing to hear the virtues of the Buddha; teach impurity to those with desire; teach loving-kindness to those with anger; teach dependent origination to those with ignorance; and teach all beings the equality of all dharmas, such as teaching impurity, loving-kindness, causes and conditions, pure morality, meditation, wisdom, and so forth, in order to guide sentient beings.
If sentient beings are suited to receive guidance through the Buddha Vehicle, bodhisattvas gradually teach the pāramitās. If sentient beings are suited to receive guidance through restraint, bodhisattvas first refute their words, then later teach Dharma to them.
If sentient beings are suited to receive guidance through words, bodhisattvas should immediately teach them causes, conditions, and examples so they can understand clearly. Those wishing to be guided through profound Dharma are taught Prajñāpāramitā and the power of skillful means. Without cause and without self, and without speaking of the Dharma characteristics, those who cling to seeing sentient beings are taught emptiness. Those with many conceptual thoughts are taught signlessness. Those attached to conditioned dharmas are taught wishlessness. Those attached to the five aggregates of sentient beings are taught illusion. Those attached to the elements of sentient beings are taught that there is nothing to be found. Those attached to the sense fields of sentient beings are taught dreams. Those attached to the Desire Realm are taught burning; those attached to the Form Realm are taught the suffering of conditioned activity; those attached to the Formless Realm are taught the practice of impermanence. Difficult-to-teach sentient beings are praised for the noble lineage. Easily teachable sentient beings are taught meditations and immeasurable minds. Those wishing to be guided to rebirth in heaven are taught the Dharma of happiness. Those wishing to receive the Śrāvaka teaching are taught the Four Noble Truths. Those wishing to receive the Pratyekabuddha teaching are taught dependent origination. Those receiving the bodhisattva teaching are taught pure mind and the Dharma of great compassion. Those cultivating bodhisattva practices are taught the merits of wisdom. Non-retrogressive bodhisattvas are taught pure Buddha-lands. Those in the final birth before Buddhahood are taught the adornment of the enlightenment site. Those accepting guidance through the Buddha’s words are continuously taught in proper sequence.
Great King! Great bodhisattvas practicing pure Prajñāpāramitā, through the power of skillful means, attain freedom and teach beneficial Dharma without error.
When the bodhisattva taught this Dharma gate of freedom, three thousand people among the assembly of humans and gods gave rise to the aspiration for unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, and five thousand bodhisattvas attained the patience with the Dharma of non-arising.
At that time, the World-Honored One joyfully smiled. As is customary, when the Buddha smiles, great rays of light are emitted from the space between his eyebrows, in the colors blue, yellow, red, white, purple, and crystal, illuminating countless, boundless worlds, reaching as far as the Heaven of the Highest Form, and then returning to the Buddha’s realm, circumambulating him three times to the right before being reabsorbed into the crown of the Buddha’s head.
At that time, the greatly wise Śāriputra immediately rose from his seat, uncovered his right shoulder, knelt with his right knee touching the ground, placed his palms together, bowed his head in reverence toward the Buddha, and addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One! The Buddhas, the Thus Come Ones, do not manifest such rare and wondrous signs of excellence without a great cause and condition. Now the World-Honored One emits rays of light that illuminate countless worlds throughout the ten directions. What is the cause and condition for this? I respectfully request that you explain it.”
At that time, the Buddha said to Śāriputra:
“Good man! This Śrīvijaya, throughout countless, boundless, innumerable kalpas in the past, cultivated the various pāramitās under all the Buddhas, and safeguarded the Dharma of the pāramitās for Bodhisattvas. Continuing in this way into the future, after passing through countless hundreds of thousands of innumerable kalpas, he will complete the provisions for attaining unsurpassed enlightenment, and only then will he attain Unsurpassed Complete and Perfect Enlightenment. His Buddha name will be Virtue-Adorned, the Tathāgata, the Worthy of Offerings, the Fully Enlightened One, the One Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, the Well-Gone One, the Knower of the World, the Unsurpassed One, the Tamer of Beings, the Teacher of Gods and Humans, the Buddha, the World-Honored One.
“His land will be called Pure Adornment; the name of that kalpa will be Pure. That realm will be prosperous, with peaceful and joyful people, and the entire country will consist solely of assemblies of Bodhisattvas. That land will be magnificently adorned with the seven kinds of treasures.
“These are gold, silver, lapis lazuli, crystal, mother-of-pearl, agate, and pearls. The seven treasures will be blended together to form the ground, which will be level and smooth like the palm of a hand, decorated with soft grasses and fragrant flowers. That realm will have no hills, mountains, mounds, valleys, thorns, or roots. It will be adorned with countless precious banners and flags. Its city will be called Difficult to Overcome, with seven-jeweled nets covering the city above and golden bells hanging everywhere.
“During the six periods of day and night, heavenly beings in the sky will naturally play various celestial instruments, scattering heavenly fragrances and flowers. The people of that realm will joyfully enjoy pleasures surpassing those of the Heaven of Freely Enjoying Others’ Transformations. Humans and gods will freely come and go, and there will be no three evil paths. The beings in that realm will seek only the wisdom of the Buddha, and there will be no name of the Two Vehicles.
“The Buddha, the World-Honored One, will teach the pure Dharma to the great Bodhisattvas of lofty virtue. The immeasurable and boundless retinue of Bodhisattvas will contain no one who breaks precepts, is arrogant or holds wrong views. There will be no mute, speech-impaired, blind, deaf, crippled, naked, or beings with incomplete faculties. All will possess the twenty-eight excellent marks that adorn their bodies. The Buddha will live for eight small kalpas, and among the assemblies of gods and humans there will be no premature death.
“Good man! The Buddha in that land will possess immeasurable merits and virtues such as these. Whenever he wishes to teach the Dharma, he will emit rays of light illuminating the entire land. The Bodhisattvas who encounter that light will immediately know that the World-Honored One is teaching the Dharma, and they will think: ‘We should go listen at the proper time.’
“At that time, the heavenly beings will arrange a lion throne one hundred yojanas high for the World-Honored One and make offerings of immeasurable treasures to adorn that throne.
“The World-Honored One will then sit upon the throne and teach the Dharma to living beings. The intelligent and keen Bodhisattvas, upon hearing the Dharma, will immediately awaken to the absence of self and the absence of anything belonging to self. In that realm, food, drink, and necessities will be obtained merely through recollection.
“When the Dharma door of prediction was spoken for the Śrīvijaya, fifty thousand gods and humans in the assembly generated the aspiration for Unsurpassed Complete and Perfect Enlightenment and vowed that in the future they would be born in that Buddha land.
“At that time, the Śrīvijaya, hearing that he had received a prediction from the World-Honored One, experienced unprecedented joy and immediately soared into the sky to a height of seven Tāla trees.
“At that time, the great trichiliocosm shook in six ways. Various celestial instruments played naturally without being struck, and heavenly flowers were scattered as offerings to the Buddha and the Śrīvijaya.
“Then the Śrīvijaya descended from the sky, bowed his head in homage to the Buddha, and sat to one side.
Chapter 7: Manifestation of Signs
At that time, the greatly wise Śāriputra said to the Śrīvijaya:
“Great Bodhisattvas who practice the Perfection of Wisdom and penetrate the nature of Dharma should immediately sit upon the seat of enlightenment and turn the Dharma wheel. For what reason must they practice austerities and subdue evil demons beforehand?”
The Śrīvijaya replied to Śāriputra:
“Good man! Great Bodhisattvas who practice the Perfection of Wisdom actually do not practice austerities. In order to overcome non-Buddhist practitioners, they manifest the appearance of practicing austerities, but in truth they cannot be harmed by Māra. Because Māra is the lord of the Desire Realm, they manifest this in order to subdue and teach living beings.
“Śāriputra! Non-Buddhist practitioners consider ascetic practices to be supreme; therefore, Bodhisattvas manifest austerities in order to completely surpass them.
“Śāriputra! If there are living beings who see a Bodhisattva standing on one foot, or see a Bodhisattva standing on both hands, or see a Bodhisattva standing while gazing at the sun, or see a Bodhisattva using five fires to burn the body, or see a Bodhisattva standing upside down with the head toward the ground, or see a Bodhisattva lying on sharp thorns, or lying on cow dung, or sitting on gravel, or lying on the ground, or lying on boards, or lying on spikes, or lying in dust and dirt; or wearing thin garments, garments of hemp, garments made of tree bark, or going naked, or wearing grass garments; or looking at the sun and turning along with it; or eating bitter rice, millet, grass roots, other leaves, fruits, flowers, yam roots, sweet potatoes, thorn plants, rice, or drinking water to pass the day; or eating a single blade of grass to pass the day, a drop of milk, a drop of honey; or not eating at all, or appearing to be deeply asleep—
“Śāriputra! Great Bodhisattvas manifest all such austerities, without omitting any of them, for six full years. Bodhisattvas truly do not undergo such austerities, but because living beings perceive them as existing, they manifest these austerities. The reason Bodhisattvas manifest austerities is to liberate living beings, because there are sixty nayutas of people abiding in the Three Vehicles.
“Śāriputra! There are also gods and humans who, in previous lives, planted deep roots of virtue and delight in the Mahāyāna Dharma. They see the Bodhisattva sitting upon a seven-jeweled platform, with body and mind unmoving, a joyful smiling expression, entering samādhi, and remaining in this state for six years before emerging from concentration.
“Śāriputra! There are also living beings who delight in the profound Mahāyāna Dharma and wish to listen to it; they see the Bodhisattva sitting peacefully and teaching the Dharma.
“Śāriputra! Great Bodhisattvas who practice the Perfection of Wisdom use the power of skillful means and great compassion to transform and liberate all living beings, and they are able to subdue Māra and all non-Buddhist practitioners.
“After six years, the Great Bodhisattva emerged from meditation. Following worldly customs, he went to the Nairañjanā River. After bathing, he stood on the riverbank and saw a young cowherd girl selecting one cow from among one hundred milk cows; she then used the milk from that cow to cook porridge and offer it to the Bodhisattva. There were also six hundred million gods, nāgas, yakṣas, and gandharvas, all bringing food and drink as offerings and saying:”
Great One, please accept our offerings! Righteous One, please accept our offerings!
The Bodhisattva accepted all of them, but the shepherd girl and the Devas, Nāgas, Yakṣas, and others could not see one another; each heavenly being saw only the Bodhisattva personally accepting that offering.
Śāriputra, this Bodhisattva manifested the acceptance of offerings so that sentient beings, by seeing this, would awaken to the path. But in truth, this Bodhisattva did not actually bathe or receive any offerings.
Śāriputra, the Great Bodhisattva practicing the Prajñāpāramitā, using the power of skillful means, manifested going to the place of enlightenment. At that time, an Earth-dwelling deva named Wonderful Ground, together with the heavenly spirits, swept and cleaned that land and scattered various precious flowers. They then sprinkled the place with many kinds of fragrant water, extending throughout the trichiliocosm and beneath Mount Sumeru. The Four Heavenly Kings and their hosts caused heavenly flowers to rain down. The Thirty-three Devas and the Yāma Devas, dwelling in the sky, praised and played various celestial instruments. The king San-tuṣita in the Tuṣita Heaven used a net made of seven precious jewels to cover the entire world; at its four corners hung golden bells, and flowers rained down as offerings to the Bodhisattva. The king Sunirmita in the Nirmāṇarati Heaven used a pure golden net to cover the world, played various celestial music, and caused flowers to rain down as offerings to the Bodhisattva. The gods of the Paranirmita-vaśavartin Heaven, together with the Devas, Nāgas, Yakṣas, Gandharvas, Asuras, Garuḍas, Kinnaras, Mahoragas, humans and non-humans, each arranged offerings of every kind. The Īśvara Deva, together with the Great Brahmā, lord of the Sahā world, saw the Bodhisattva approaching the place of enlightenment and immediately said to all the Brahmās:
Good sons, you should know that this Great Bodhisattva adorns himself with a great, firm body, does not go against his vows, and has a mind free from laziness. All Bodhisattva practices are complete and he fully understands them. He teaches and transforms immeasurable sentient beings; all stages of the Bodhisattva path are mastered with freedom. Toward all sentient beings, his mind is always pure. He skillfully knows their faculties, penetrates the profound Secret Treasury of the Tathāgata, surpasses the deeds of Māra, and all his roots of virtue do not depend on external conditions. He protects immeasurable Buddhas and is able to open the gate of liberation for sentient beings. He is the Great Teacher who guides the way, the one who subdues all kinds of Māras. He is the foremost powerful being in the great thousandfold world system. He is the great physician king who skillfully gives the medicine of Dharma to liberate all beings and receives the position of Dharma King. He radiates the light of wisdom, is unstained by the eight worldly concerns like a great lotus flower. He penetrates all profound dhāraṇīs as vast as the ocean, abides unmoved like Mount Sumeru, and his pure wisdom is without defilement like a maṇi jewel. He is free and sovereign regarding all dharmas, and his holy conduct is pure.
Good sons, the Great Bodhisattva practicing the Prajñāpāramitā, through the power of skillful means, arrives at the place of enlightenment; he sits beneath the Bodhi tree to subdue evil Māra, accomplishes the Ten Powers, the Four Fearlessnesses, and the Eighteen Unshared Qualities, turns the great Dharma wheel, and gives forth the lion’s roar. Through the gift of Dharma, he causes sentient beings to become fully endowed. In order that sentient beings may obtain the pure Dharma eye, he uses the supreme right Dharma to subdue non-Buddhist paths. In order to fulfill his original vows, he manifests the Buddhas; therefore, regarding all dharmas, he attains complete freedom.
Good sons, you may go and make offerings to the Bodhisattva.
Śāriputra, the Great Bodhisattva practicing the Prajñāpāramitā, using the power of skillful means, manifested his arrival at the place of enlightenment. Beneath his feet immediately appeared the mark of the thousand-spoked wheel, whose wondrous light illuminated all hell realms, hungry ghost realms, and animal realms. Those who encountered this light were able to leave suffering and affliction behind and attain peace and happiness.
When this light shone upon the Dragon Palace, the dragon king Kalika saw it and immediately said to the assembly of dragons:
This golden-colored light has reached the Dragon Palace and brought peace and joy to your bodies and minds. In the past, I once saw this sign and immediately knew that a Buddha had appeared. Now this light is exactly the same as before, without difference. I should know with certainty that a Buddha has appeared in the world. You may use various perfumes, powdered incense, fragrant substances, gold, silver, pearls, conch shells, agate, coral, amber, white jade, jeweled banners and canopies, and play various kinds of music to go to the Bodhisattva’s palace and offer these beautiful gifts.
At that time, Dragon King Kalika, together with his retinue, raised a great cloud, caused fragrant rain to fall upon the place of the Bodhisattva, and played various kinds of music to express their offerings. Then they circumambulated the Bodhisattva clockwise and praised:
The golden light brings the greatest joy to all beings; there is certainly no longer any doubt that a Buddha has appeared. Afterward, many kinds of precious jewels adorned and dignified the entire earth: all trees growing on the ground were transformed into precious objects; rivers and streams became still without waves or turbulence. Judging from these auspicious signs, it is certain that a Buddha has appeared, causing the light of the sun, moon, Indra Heaven, and Brahmā Heaven to be obscured. The evil paths have all become purified, therefore it is certain that a Buddha has appeared.
It is like a person who, when young, became separated from their parents, and upon growing up suddenly meets their parents again; their heart is filled with great joy. The entire world encountering the Buddha’s appearance is the same way. You have previously made offerings to Buddhas of the past, and now you meet the Dharma King, the lion among humans. Therefore, being born as a human at this time has not been in vain.
Śāriputra, the Great Bodhisattva practicing the Prajñāpāramitā, through the power of skillful means, took grass and spread it as a seat beneath the Bodhi tree, then circumambulated it seven times clockwise and sat upright with proper mindfulness. Beings of inferior capacity saw this appearance in this way.
Śāriputra, there were also Great Bodhisattvas of lofty virtue. They saw eighty-four thousand heavenly beings spread eighty-four thousand great lion thrones made of various precious materials and covered the thrones above with nets of seven kinds of jewels. At the four corners and everywhere around, golden bells, banners, jeweled canopies, and five-colored silken fabrics were hung in abundance.
At that time, the Bodhisattva sat upon all eighty-four thousand thrones, yet the heavenly beings did not see one another. Each thought that the Bodhisattva was sitting only on his own throne and attaining unsurpassed perfect enlightenment there. Because of this cause and condition, the heavenly beings gave rise to joyful minds, saw what had never been seen before, and all attained the irreversible stage.
Śāriputra, the Great Bodhisattva practicing the Prajñāpāramitā, through the power of skillful means, from the white hair between his eyebrows, emitted a beam of light that illuminated all the palaces of Māra. All the palaces of Māra throughout the trichiliocosm lost their radiance.
At that time, all the hosts of Māra thought:
For what reason have the lights of our palaces disappeared? Could it be that the Bodhisattva has already sat at the place of enlightenment and attained unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
The hosts of Māra then immediately observed and saw the Bodhisattva sitting upright and dignified at the place of enlightenment beneath the Bodhi tree.
At that time, the evil Māras in their own palaces gathered their armies of Māra and manifested countless billions of kinds of colors, forms, appearances, and faces, holding various weapons, banners, and many kinds of terrifying sounds. If anyone heard those sounds, their ears, nose, and mouth would bleed. At that moment, the Bodhisattva used the power of great compassion and caused the Māras to be unable to produce any sound.
Śāriputra, this is how the Bodhisattva uses the power of great compassion and skillful means while practicing the Prajñāpāramitā.
Śāriputra, the Bodhisattva practicing the Prajñāpāramitā, through the power of skillful means, for countless billions of eons practiced generosity, morality, patience, meditation, diligence, wisdom, loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, equanimity, the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of miraculous powers, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, the Noble Eightfold Path, calm and insight meditation, the eight liberations, and the four liberations. The Bodhisattva then used his golden-colored arm to stroke himself from the crown of his head throughout his body and said:
Because sentient beings are afflicted by suffering, I wish to save and liberate them; therefore, I give rise to this great compassionate mind.
At that time, the demon king and his retinue, upon hearing the Bodhisattva speak thus, immediately fell down.
The Great Bodhisattva used the power of compassion to cause the groups of demons dwelling in the sky to hear a voice saying: “You can use the spiritual powers of heavenly demons to take refuge, uphold the precepts, and give fearlessness in order to save and liberate all sentient beings.”
The heavenly demons and their retinues, after hearing this voice, all prostrated themselves on the ground and said together:
“We humbly pray that the Great One, the True Practitioner, will save our lives!”
Śāriputra! At that time, the Great Bodhisattva practiced Prajñāpāramitā, used the power of skillful means, and emitted a great bright radiance. Whoever encountered this light would be freed from fear and anxiety. The demons and their retinues, seeing this miraculous power, felt both joy and fear, with the two emotions mixed together.
Śāriputra! The Great Bodhisattva practicing Prajñāpāramitā: some sentient beings might see the armies of Māra; there were also others who did not see this event. Some sentient beings only saw the Bodhisattva spreading grass to make a seat and sit upon; some saw the Bodhisattva sitting upon a jeweled lion throne; some saw the Bodhisattva sitting directly upon the ground; some saw a lion throne naturally appear in the middle of the sky, with the Bodhisattva seated upon it; some sentient beings saw the Aśvattha tree as the Bodhi tree; some saw a fragrant transformed tree; some saw a Bodhi tree formed from various kinds of jewels; some sentient beings saw the Bodhi tree as seven times taller than a Tāla tree; some saw the Bodhi tree as eighty-four thousand yojanas high; some saw the lion throne as forty thousand yojanas high; some sentient beings, from afar, saw the Bodhisattva wandering in the sky, while others saw the Bodhisattva sitting beneath the Bodhi tree.
Śāriputra! The Great Bodhisattva practicing Prajñāpāramitā uses the power of skillful means to manifest all such miraculous transformations in order to teach and liberate sentient beings.
Śāriputra! The Great Bodhisattva practicing Prajñāpāramitā uses the power of skillful means to manifest sitting at the place of enlightenment. Countless, boundless Great Bodhisattvas from the ten directions and from worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges all came together in the midst of the sky and spoke words of joy to comfort the Bodhisattva:
“Excellent! Quickly, courageously, diligently, greatly auspicious one, do not give rise to fear. Let your mind be like vajra. Use supernatural powers to benefit sentient beings. In but a single moment, you will attain All-knowing Wisdom.”
Śāriputra! When the Bodhisattva sat at the place of enlightenment, although the hosts of Māra came to disturb him, he did not give rise to hatred. In only a single instant, when his mind was in accordance with Prajñāpāramitā, all objects of seeing and understanding became fully penetrated and comprehended.
Śāriputra! At that time, the Thus Come Ones, the Buddhas of the ten directions and worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, spoke together in one voice praising:
“Excellent, Great One! You have penetrated natural wisdom, unobstructed wisdom, equal wisdom, wisdom without a teacher, and the adornment of great compassion.”
Śāriputra! The Great Bodhisattva practicing Prajñāpāramitā, through the power of skillful means, can manifest many such ways. Some sentient beings saw the Bodhisattva just attaining enlightenment; some saw the Bodhisattva having attained enlightenment long ago; some saw the Four Heavenly Kings of one world coming to offer alms bowls; some saw the Four Heavenly Kings from the countless worlds of the ten directions coming to offer alms bowls.
Śāriputra! At that time, because the Bodhisattva wished to liberate sentient beings, he immediately accepted all those alms bowls and stacked them together in his hand, forming them into a single bowl. However, the Heavenly Kings did not see one another and thought that the World-Honored One had used only their own individual bowl.
Śāriputra! The Great Bodhisattva practicing Prajñāpāramitā, through the power of skillful means, manifests such events.
When this Dharma teaching was spoken, among the assembly there were thirty thousand Great Bodhisattvas who attained the patience of non-arising dharmas; thirty-six thousand Bodhisattvas who were irreversible in attaining Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi; eighty thousand devas and humans who were freed from dust and defilements and attained the pure Dharma eye; and countless, boundless sentient beings who aroused the mind of Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi.
Śāriputra! There were also sixty thousand heavenly beings who came before, silently making offerings. This was due to the power of their vows from past lives: if the Bodhisattva attained enlightenment, they wished to be the first to make offerings to him.
At that time, the Great Bodhisattva, through the skillful means of Prajñāpāramitā, manifested the aspiration to turn the Dharma wheel.
Then Brahmā Śikhin, the lord of the Sahā world, together with six hundred eighty thousand Brahmā beings, came to the place of the World-Honored One, bowed their heads in reverence, circumambulated seven times to the right, and said:
“We humbly request the Great Compassionate One to turn the unsurpassed Dharma wheel! We humbly request the Great Compassionate One to turn the unsurpassed Dharma wheel!”
At that time, there immediately appeared a lion throne forty-two thousand yojanas high, magnificently adorned with many kinds of precious treasures, firm and secure. Countless Śakras from the ten directions likewise, for the sake of the Tathāgata, spread out lion thrones of the same kind.
At that time, the Bodhisattva used supernatural powers and sat upon the lion throne. All the devas saw the Bodhisattva sitting upon their own lion throne and turning the Dharma wheel.
After the Great Bodhisattva had sat upon this throne, countless, boundless worlds of the ten directions all trembled and emitted great rays of light, entering limitless realms of samādhi. All sentient beings suffering hardships in the three evil destinies throughout the worlds of the ten directions, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, were freed from the three poisons and immediately attained peace and happiness. All dwelled together like mother and child, without evil thoughts toward one another.
At that time, this great trichiliocosm, filled with devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, mahoragas, humans and non-humans, was so completely packed that there was not even a gap as small as a pore. If there were sentient beings who delighted in the Dharma of suffering and received this teaching, they heard the Buddha explain suffering.
Sentient beings who delighted in non-self, emptiness, tranquility, detachment, and impermanence were likewise taught accordingly.
Sentient beings who delighted in the Dharma of illusion and received this teaching heard teachings on illusion; sentient beings who delighted in taking the Dharma as like a dream, like the moon reflected in water, like an image, or like an echo likewise heard such teachings.
There were sentient beings who delighted in being taught through the Dharma of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; they immediately heard the Buddha explain emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness. Some heard the Tathāgata explain that all dharmas arise from causes and conditions; some heard teachings on the aggregates, elements, and sense bases; some heard teachings on Suffering, Origination, Cessation, and the Path; some heard teachings on the four foundations of mindfulness; some heard teachings on the four right efforts; some heard teachings on the four bases of miraculous powers; some heard teachings on the five faculties; the five powers; the seven factors of enlightenment; some heard teachings on the Noble Eightfold Path; some heard teachings on cultivating Śamatha; some heard teachings on cultivating Vipaśyanā; some heard teachings of the Pratyekabuddhas; some heard teachings of the Mahāyāna.
Śāriputra! The Great Bodhisattva practicing Prajñāpāramitā uses the power of skillful means to manifest every manner of turning the Dharma wheel, causing countless sentient beings, according to their faculties and capacities, to rejoice and gain benefit.
At that time, Śāriputra said to King Śreṣṭha Deva:
“What skillful means does the Great Bodhisattva practicing Prajñāpāramitā use to enter the profound realm that is difficult to know, difficult to think about, and difficult to measure?”
King Śreṣṭha Deva replied to Śāriputra:
“The Great Bodhisattva practicing Prajñāpāramitā possesses many extraordinary virtuous qualities. I shall now explain only a portion of them out of hundreds of thousands of millions of billions; even calculations and analogies cannot fully describe them. Only the Tathāgata can completely explain them. I now speak only of a small portion, all relying upon the majestic spiritual power of the Tathāgata. Why? Because even a Great Bodhisattva at the stage of One More Birth cannot fully know the realms of the Buddhas; how much less can ordinary Bodhisattvas?”
Śāriputra! The realm of the Buddhas is tranquil and cannot be expressed in words; only non-discriminating wisdom can understand it clearly.
Śāriputra! A Great Bodhisattva who wishes to enter the realm of the Buddhas should study Prajñāpāramitā and the following samādhis:
Śūraṅgama Samādhi, Illusion-like Samādhi, Vajra-analogy Samādhi, Vajra Samādhi, Unmoving Intention Samādhi, Universal Penetrating Understanding Samādhi, Non-conditioned Realm Samādhi, Lion’s Freedom Samādhi, King of Samādhis Samādhi, Virtue-adorned Samādhi, Tranquil Intention Samādhi, Transcendent Samādhi, Non-attachment Samādhi, King of Intention Adornment Samādhi, Unequalled Equal Samādhi, Equal Enlightenment Samādhi, True Enlightenment Samādhi, Delightful Intention Samādhi, Joyful Samādhi, Pure Samādhi, Flaming Fire Samādhi, Radiant Light Samādhi, Difficult-to-Conquer Samādhi, Always Present Samādhi, Non-approaching Samādhi, Non-arising Samādhi, Penetrating Understanding Samādhi, Supreme Samādhi, Transcending the Realm of Māra Samādhi, All-knowing Intention Samādhi, Banner Mark Samādhi, Great Compassion Samādhi, Joyful Samādhi, Loving Remembrance Samādhi, and Non-seeing Dharma Samādhi.
O Śāriputra! The Great Bodhisattva who practices Prajñā-pāramitā, by means of skillful methods and power, comprehends countless, boundless hundreds of thousands of millions, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, of such Samādhis, and only then can enter the realm of all Buddhas, with a mind peaceful and free from fear. Just as the lion king has no fear of beasts. Why is this so? Because the Great Bodhisattva has cultivated such a vast number of Samādhis, wherever they go they are without fear, and they do not see even a single enemy or adversary before them. Why is this so? O Śāriputra! The Great Bodhisattva who practices Prajñā-pāramitā, by means of skillful methods, has a mind without any object of attachment and without any place of abiding. It is like a person born in the Formless Realm, who for forty-eight thousand kalpas has only a single consciousness, without any place of abiding and also without any object of attachment. The Great Bodhisattva who practices Prajñā-pāramitā is likewise so; the mind has no place of abiding and no object of attachment. Why is this so? Because the mind does not act and has no place where it acts; the mind has no thoughts and has no place where it thinks; the mind has no objects and has no place where it takes objects; the mind has no attachment and has no place where it attaches; the mind has no disturbance and has no place where it is disturbed; the mind is neither high nor low and does not follow along, does not oppose, does not rejoice, does not worry, does not discriminate and is free from discrimination; it is free from calm abiding and insight; the mind does not follow wisdom; the mind does not abide in itself and does not abide elsewhere; it does not rely upon the eye to abide, nor does it rely upon the ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind to abide; it does not rely upon form to abide, nor does it rely upon sound, smell, taste, touch, or dharmas to abide; the mind does not abide internally and does not abide externally; the mind does not take dharmas as objects and does not take wisdom as an object; it does not abide in the past, future, or present.
O Śāriputra! The Great Bodhisattva who practices Prajñā-pāramitā does not hold onto any single dharma; regarding all dharmas, they see and know without obstruction. With pure mental practice, they see and know that all dharmas are without defilement and without grasping. They do not cling to the mark of seeing; seeing without discrimination, they become free from all forms of conceptual proliferation.
O Śāriputra! The Great Bodhisattva who practices Prajñā-pāramitā is not in accordance with the Flesh Eye; is not in accordance with the Heavenly Eye; is also not in accordance with the Wisdom Eye, Dharma Eye, or Buddha Eye; is not in accordance with the Heavenly Ear; is not in accordance with the Knowledge of Others’ Minds; is not in accordance with the Knowledge of Former Lives; is not in accordance with Supernatural Power Knowledge; and is not in accordance with the Knowledge of the Exhaustion of Defilements.
O Śāriputra! This Prajñā-pāramitā is also not in accordance with all dharmas; yet it is not that there is any kind of accordance.
The Great Bodhisattva who practices Prajñā-pāramitā, by means of skillful methods, attains equal wisdom regarding all things; they are able to observe all mental activities of sentient beings and know all defilement and purity exactly as they truly are. Regarding the Ten Powers, the Four Fearlessnesses, the Eighteen Unshared Qualities, and the Omniscience of the Buddha, they do not lose mindfulness.
The Great Bodhisattva who practices Prajñā-pāramitā, using a mind without effortful activity, comprehends all dharmas, without mind, thought, or consciousness. They constantly abide in silent Samādhi without abandoning Samādhi, in order to teach and transform sentient beings, performing all Buddha activities without allowing them to cease; regarding the dharmas of all Buddhas, they attain unobstructed wisdom, with a mind free from attachment and defilement.
O Śāriputra! It is like the Transformation Buddha creating another Buddha through transformation. The transformed Buddha has no mind, thought, or consciousness; no body and no karma of the body; no speech and no karma of speech. There is no mind and no karma of mind, yet it is able to perform all Buddha activities to benefit sentient beings. Why is this so? Because this is the miraculous power of the Buddha.
O Śāriputra! The Great Bodhisattva who relies upon Prajñā-pāramitā can also manifest in this way; without body and the karma of body; without speech and the karma of speech; without intention and the karma of intention, using a mind without effortful activity to constantly perform Buddha activities that benefit sentient beings.
Because the Great Bodhisattva who practices Prajñā-pāramitā comprehends all dharmas and is also like the mark of an illusion, the mind does not discriminate, yet there are sentient beings who constantly hear the teaching of the Dharma.
O Śāriputra! The wisdom of the Great Bodhisattva is like this: it does not abide in conditioned phenomena, does not abide in unconditioned phenomena, does not abide in the aggregates, elements, or sense bases; does not abide within or outside; does not abide in wholesome or unwholesome dharmas; does not abide in the worldly or supramundane; does not abide in defilement or purity; does not abide in the tainted or untainted; does not abide in the past, present, or future; does not abide in cessation through analytical extinction, nor does it abide in non-analytical cessation.
O Śāriputra! This is the Great Bodhisattva who practices Prajñā-pāramitā: the mind has no place of abiding, yet it can comprehend all dharmas. With unobstructed wisdom and the power of non-effortful activity, they teach the Dharma to sentient beings, constantly dwelling in stillness while the work of teaching and transforming sentient beings never ceases.
O Śāriputra! The Great Bodhisattva’s former life vows are extremely powerful; with a mind without effortful activity, they speak the Dharma for the sake of others.
O Śāriputra! The Great Bodhisattva who practices Prajñā-pāramitā, through the power of skillful methods, therefore has no fear. Why is this so? Because there is a deity holding a Vajra club who constantly protects them; when they walk, stand, lie down, or sit, it never leaves them.
O Śāriputra! The Great Bodhisattva who hears the profound teaching of Prajñā-pāramitā does not become frightened or afraid; they do not doubt or regret, and they know that such a person will receive a prediction of Buddhahood. Why is this so? Because accepting and believing in Prajñā-pāramitā means drawing near to the realm of all Buddhas. With this single-mindedness, they can comprehend all Buddha dharmas; after comprehending the Buddha’s teachings, they benefit sentient beings, yet they do not see sentient beings and the Buddha’s teachings as separate. Why is this so? Because the principle is that there is no duality.