Translated by the Tripiṭaka Master Zhu Fahu of the Western Jin Dynasty by Imperial Command
At this moment, Tranquil Mind once again asked Secret Vajra Guardian, “The Tathāgata has several secrets that are beyond the reach of all śrāvakas and pratyekaBuddhas, let alone ignorant and mundane people. Excellent, Secret Guardian! Would you be willing to proclaim the secrets of the Tathāgata here and liberate all beings? Everyone wants to listen.”
Secret Vajra Guardian responded to Tranquil Mind, “Listen carefully, think deeply, for now I will proclaim the secrets of the Tathāgata. There are three secrets. Which three? First is the secret of the body, second is the secret of speech, and third is the secret of the mind. What is the secret of the body? The Tathāgata, without initiating thoughts or considerations, can universally manifest all dignified gestures and etiquettes. When celestial beings who enjoy practicing themselves see the Tathāgata practicing, they think in their hearts: ‘The World-Honored One is the most venerable.’ These beings then witness the secret of the Tathāgata’s body, while the Buddha’s mind remains unmoved. All beings see the Tathāgata’s supremely true and wonderful virtues. If celestial beings like sitting, they see the Tathāgata sitting. If they like lying down, they see the Tathāgata lying down. If they like listening to the scriptures, they see the Tathāgata speaking them. If they prefer silence, they see the Tathāgata in silence. If they favor meditation, they see the Tathāgata in samādhi. If celestial beings’ eyes do not blink, they see the Tathāgata’s eyes never blinking. If their minds are free and they favor light, they see the Tathāgata’s light unobstructed. Those who like purple-gold also see purple-gold.
“If celestial beings like silver, aquamarine, lapis lazuli, agate, conch shell, gold, pearl colors, pure white, pure red, yellow white red purple colors, or colors of bright moon beads, vivid colors, sun and moon fiery light, colors of the Four Heavenly Kings, Indra’s color, Brahma’s color, Asura’s color, or colors of central division, Mount Meru flower, colors of wondrous thoughts, colors of medicines, azurite, or colors of worry-free flowers, Campaka flowers, or colors of green lotus, red yellow white flowers, or colors of the Trāyastriṃśa heaven, or colors of Vaiśravaṇa King, or colors of the Four Heavenly Kings, auspicious treasure colors, Emperor’s Green treasure colors, Emperor’s Yellow treasure colors, Emperor’s Red treasure colors, Emperor’s White treasure colors, or if the celestial beings’ minds aspire immeasurable varied colors, they also see the Tathāgata’s various kinds of virtues and colors.
“Tranquil Mind! Even if there were as many worlds of Buddhas as the grains of sand in the rivers, filled with beings who love and procreate with each other, having ended their karmic deeds and reincarnated as humans, then, if even one person contemplates the body of the Tathāgata, just as there are numerous beings, so there would be countless intentions among these many beings. The Tathāgata’s form can manifest in accordance with various intentions without contradiction. There are countless forms of dignified gestures and etiquettes that each being favors in their heart, and the same goes for their intentions to understand speech and actions from beginning to end. Because of this reason, the Tathāgata can manifest in front of every being, with such dignities, etiquettes, and actions, just as a person who attains liberation does not share it with others. The supremely true Tathāgata brings joy to all beings and to make them joyful, thus displaying the body’s form, dignified gestures, etiquettes, and actions, aiming for beings to recognize the true mind and achieve liberation. Tranquil Mind! Just as a clean mirror reflects according to its appearance, it can display images without losing its essence, and the mirror is impartial, never changing, and the reflected images harbor no thoughts. Similarly, the Tathāgata, although rescuing all beings through the Dharma, harbors no thoughts or selfish intentions, completely understanding the actions of all beings’ minds, opening, cultivating, and liberating them from the delusions of the three realms according to profound and superficial teachings. This is the secret of the Tathāgata’s embodied actions. “
Secret Vajra Guardian then said to Tranquil Mind Bodhisattva, “The Tathāgata’s body’s secret is not composed of the five aggregates or the six sense bases, nor is it created by karma, not born of afflictions, not born from parents, not from the womb, and it lacks flesh and bone. The virtues of the Tathāgata you hear about have no applied scents or flowers, nothing at all, not dependent on forms, without breath, and even life itself does not exist. Know that the Buddha’s body is the Dharma body, the body without physical form, devoid of beings’ delusions, the manifested form is for those beings who covet and pursue noble statuses, displaying forms for them to see. The Dharma’s form is tranquil, honoring wisdom, leading all beings towards the divine eye.”
Secret Guardian further said to Tranquil Mind, “If there are beings gathered together, each sees the Buddha’s body according to their own minds. Some see from afar but not up close; some see up close but not from afar; some neither see from afar nor up close; some see when focused, not when their mind is scattered; some see when their mind is scattered, not when focused; some see others but not themselves; some see themselves but not others; some see in dreams but not upon waking; some see in meditation but not after coming out of it; some see after coming out of meditation but not during it; some see in tranquil places but not when it’s noisy; some don’t see in tranquil places; some see when they develop the aspiration for enlightenment, not when they don’t; some see when they haven’t developed the aspiration, not when they do.”
Secret Vajra Guardian further spoke to Tranquil Mind Bodhisattva, “The body of the Tathāgata manifests conditionally from countless phenomena. The beings of the form realm, whose bodily actions are tranquil and dignified with natural composure of mind, then become chaotic, also cannot perceive the dimensions and forms of the Tathāgata’s body. The body of the Tathāgata has no boundaries, no limits, no obstacles, and no delusions. The body of the Tathāgata is immeasurable, with no fixed image, omnipresent just like space, which harbors no delusions and is forever thought-free. Just as space can enter all forms and colors, so can the Tathāgata universally illuminate all beings. Like space pervasively entering various forms and filling them, the Tathāgata’s body does likewise, illuminating all beings everywhere. Just as space can nurture all kinds of grains and plants, so can the Tathāgata nourish all good roots of all beings. Like space, which does not distinguish between permanence and impermanence, nor has day or night, so is the body of the Tathāgata, neither permanent nor impermanent, and its peak cannot be seen. Tranquil Mind! All the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, see the heavens and the worlds, the Mara, and Brahma, but no one can look directly at the peak of the Buddha. The gods, nāgas, spirits, Gandharvas, Asuras, Garudas, Kinnaras, Mahoragas, humans and non-humans, Śrāvakas, PratyekaBuddhas, and even all Bodhisattvas, cannot see the top head of the Tathāgata. Why is this?
“Shortly after the Buddha’s enlightenment, when he turned the Wheel of Dharma in the country of Varanasi, far to the east from this world, there is a Buddha named Campaka Flower, whose Buddha realm is called ‘Harmonizing Intentions’. A bodhisattva named ‘Concide Uphold’ came to the Saha world to visit the Bhagavān, bowed deeply with respect, and after completing his salutations, circumambulated the Buddha seven times, then stood before him. At that moment, Impulse Uphold Bodhisattva thought: ‘I wish to know the height of the Tathāgata’s body.’ He then transformed himself to be three hundred and thirty-six million miles tall, observing the Tathāgata’s body, which was five thousand four hundred and thitry duodecillion and two trillion miles tall. He thought: ‘I have obtained divine powers, and I entertain myself with these supernatural powers. Can I measure the height of the Buddha’s body again?’ Above this world by a hundred billion Buddha lands filled with sands of the Ganges River, there is a world named ‘Lotus Decoration’, where a Buddha named ‘Lotus Superior’ Tathāgata, the Supremely True, Fully Enlightened One, is currently teaching the Dharma. By the virtue and divine powers of the Buddha, Impulse Uphold Bodhisattva went there. He could not see the Buddha. He looked from above, forever unable to reach and see the Great Saint Śākyamuni Buddha’s top head, unknowing of how many septendecillion grains of sands of Buddha lands are the actual height and breadth of the Buddha’s body. At that time, Impulse Uphold Bodhisattva proceeded to where Lotus Superior Buddha was, bowed at his feet, circumambulated three times to the right, stood before the Buddha, and asked: ‘The place from which I came, is it far or near?’ The Buddha replied: ‘From here, a hundred billion Ganges sand Buddha lands, you came from there.’
“Impulse Uphold Bodhisattva said to the Buddha: ‘I passed through numerous Buddha lands upwards, yet could not see Śākyamuni Buddha’s top head, unknowing how many thousand billion Ganges sand Buddha lands are the height.’ That Buddha replied: ‘Even if you use such expedient means and holy wisdom, with such divine powers, traveling from here upwards through the sands of the Ganges kalpas, rapidly surpassing countless Buddha lands, you still cannot see the top head of the Honored Śākyamuni, nor can you reach its bodily boundaries. Concide Uphold, you should know that the Buddha’s body is infinitely majestic, incomparable, the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, are immeasurable. Concide Uphold, because there is no being that can compare with the Buddha, it cannot be understood through analogy. The precepts of the Tathāgata also cannot be likened, the concentration, wisdom, insight of liberation, the actions of body, speech, and mind, the physical forms and qualities, are all incomparable. All beings use various methods to liken, praise the limitless precepts of the Tathāgata, the qualities of concentration, wisdom, liberation, insight, the deeds of body, speech, and mind, the physical forms and qualities, but these comparisons are all imperfect, like trying to reach the boundary of space. The body of the Tathāgata is boundless.’ At that time, Impulse Uphold Bodhisattva, upon hearing the words of Lotus Superior Tathāgata, was overjoyed, achieving unprecedented joy, immediately bowed at the Buddha’s feet, circumambulated seven times, disappeared from that Buddha land, received the holy decree of the Buddha, also graced by the his divine power, swiftly arrived to this Buddha land when his thoughts just arise. He went to the Buddha, bowed at Śākyamuni Buddha’s feet, circumambulated seven times to the right, stood before the Buddha, and spoke in verse:
“All Buddha-dharma is extremely vast, equal to the expanse of space, without boundaries.
If someone tries to measure its edges, they will only bring harm upon themselves.
I have crossed countless billions of Buddha-fields, immeasurable and boundless,
as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, attempting to observe the crown of the Tathāgata.
After passing through an infinite number of Buddha-fields, I arrived in a world named Lotus,
but I did not know the size of the Buddha’s body there, nor could I see how tall the Buddha’s crown was.
The Buddha of that land, named Lotus Superior,
knew my thoughts and spoke to me, saying,
‘If someone wishes to use a metaphor to describe the boundless Buddha-dharma,
that would be not following the Buddha’s teachings, essentially slandering the holy.
To understand the Buddha-dharma through metaphors,
one must recognize that all Buddha-dharma is equal, just like the boundless realms of space.
Just as space is vast and without boundaries,
so are the moral precepts of the Buddha, including concentration, intention, wisdom, and the insight of liberation.
Desiring to observe the crown of the Buddha,
one must understand that the Buddha’s physical form is as vast as space.
As space is vast and unobstructed, so is the extent of the Buddha’s body;
as space pervades everything, so does the Buddha’s radiance illuminate all.
Radiance illuminates everything, and the Buddha’s secret speech is likewise;
just as the secret speech is boundlessly extensive, so is the Buddha’s secret mind.
As the secret mind is vast and unbounded, so is the Buddha’s compassion.
Just as the Buddha’s compassion is vast and unbounded, so is the Buddha’s wisdom.
As the Buddha’s wisdom is boundlessly vast, so is the size of the Buddha’s body.
The merits produced by the mind of enlightenment are likewise vast and unbounded.
As the merits from the mind of enlightenment are vast and unbounded, so are the merits from understanding the Buddha’s physical form, which fills space,
and the beings the Buddha liberates surpass even the limits of space.
If one gathers all the blessings and merits of all beings,
and compares them to the merits from generating the mind of enlightenment, then the latter equals the former.
If after generating the mind of enlightenment, one diligently practices, creates good deeds, and attains great renown,
the merits from protecting the right Dharma surpass those previously mentioned.
Even if all Buddhas, over billions of kalpas, collectively expound the merits of protecting the right Dharma,
they cannot fully describe how immense these merits are.
However, the merits from maintaining the right Dharma with the mind of enlightenment,
compared to the merits from understanding emptiness, do not reach even one-sixteenth of the latter.
Understanding emptiness ensures not losing the mind of enlightenment, and with emptiness and the mind of enlightenment,
one can adhere to and protect the most noble and supreme Buddha-dharma.
If one comprehends the profound intent of this wonderful Dharma, then they are a courageous Bodhisattva,
who through practicing the Bodhisattva path, will ultimately achieve the Buddha’s merits.’
When this gāthā was spoken, koti of Buddha-fields trembled,
millions of billions of celestial beings played trillions of musical pieces,
and countless trillions of people developed a vast mind of enlightenment.
Upon hearing the great Dharma, I, Impulse Uphold, now thus praise.
The Buddha is so inconceivably supreme, immeasurable.
All Buddhas manifest all aspects of gates, the natural wisdom truly secret.”
Secret Guardian said to Tranquil Mind Bodhisattva, “This is the Tathāgata’s secret of the body: If all these beings gather together, some can see the Tathāgata’s body, while others cannot. Those who can see will joyfully observe, while those who cannot, will keep silence. The Tathāgata does not eat, yet all beings see the Tathāgata eating. Moreover, Tranquil Mind, consider a celestial being named ‘Vigor’ who, at the start of his practice, took the Tathāgata’s food and served it in vessels to aid those who are poor and needy. Everyone sees the Tathāgata eating, sees the Tathāgata putting food into his mouth, but the food reappears in the vessels and is taken away by the celestial beings. If there are beings within the Dharma who should be liberated, who have planted good roots in past lives, whose karmic obstacles have ended, with only some residual negative karma remaining, who cannot find food or drink anywhere, suffering from hunger and thirst, weak in body, the Tathāgata, out of compassion, gives them food. These beings, after eating this food, feel stable in body, free from worldly toil, their distracting thoughts calm, their hearts become gentle, their aspirations dwell in the highest, and they initiate an incredible, supreme mind of equal enlightenment. Therefore, it should be understood: the Tathāgata does not eat; the Tathāgata feeds on the Dharma. Why is that?
“The Tathāgata’s body is like chains and locks, firm and indestructible, without tissues, organs or impurities like feces, urine or saliva. The Tathāgata’s body is purple-gold, without weakness or fear. Tranquil Mind, you see the Tathāgata’s body, vast and boundless, extremely solid like a diamond, yet soft as the finest heavenly fabric. Sometimes, displaying a subtle body, celestial beings and goddesses prostrate and kneel at the Tathāgata’s feet, worship the Tathāgata’s body, touch the Tathāgata’s feet, which are incredibly soft and delicate, indescribable in words. As a result, celestial beings and goddesses generate the supreme, perfect enlightenment mind, forever free from defilement. If lustful, angry, or foolish people, or those fully endowed with greed, hatred, and ignorance, see the Tathāgata’s body, their lust, anger, and ignorance, as well as the karmic obstacles of their bodies, will be eradicated, leaving no trace of defilement. If stingy, violating precepts, angry, lazy, distracted, or foolish people see the Tathāgata’s body, they will be able to practice giving, uphold precepts, endure insults, advance diligently, enter meditation, and develop wisdom. In short, if someone has strayed from the pure Dharma and sees the Tathāgata’s body, they will abandon unwholesome thoughts and cultivate good roots. Only by contemplating the Tathāgata without illusion is true practice achieved. Tranquil Mind, this is the Tathāgata’s secret of the body.
“When beings come to offer alms to the Buddha, the Tathāgata liberates them at ease, using the Dharma to guide these beings, preventing their evil deeds from increasing, dispelling their delusions, preaching the Dharma to them, and helping them cultivate the perfections. When the Tathāgata liberates beings, there is no deliberate action in his mind, nor any special enlightenment or intention. The Tathāgata does not think, “I should liberate those who are to be liberated.” When those who should be liberated are about to be liberated, their minds naturally become enlightened. Moreover, whether in this world or in countless other worlds, the Tathāgata freely travels to liberate beings according to their karma and conditions, without any arising of thoughts or intentions. The Tathāgata emits countless colors of light from his body, the colors too numerous to count, with thousands of dazzling hues. These lights illuminate Buddha-lands as numerous as the sands of the rivers, widely maturing all beings. And the Buddha Tathāgata does so without any arising of thoughts or deliberate actions. Tranquil Mind, this is the secret of the Tathāgata’s body, and all his thoughts, the Dharma he speaks, and the supreme perfect enlightenment mind he achieves are thus. The secret of the Tathāgata’s body is beyond words and measurement.”
When Secret Vajra Guardian recounted the secret of the Tathāgata’s body, ten thousand people developed the supreme, perfect enlightenment mind, and eight thousand Bodhisattvas acquire the conviction that dharmas do not arise. Celestial beings, humans, Asuras, and worldly beings all praised Secret Guardian, “Excellent! Excellent!” The heavenly music played without being struck, and heavenly flowers fell from the sky.
The World-Honored One placed his purple-golden colored palm on the head of Secret Vajra Guardian and praised, “Excellent! Excellent! Secret Guardian! You have spoken well of the Tathāgata’s body secret. What you have declared today is completely consistent with the Buddha’s teachings, without any difference.”
The Secret Vajra Guardian said to Tranquil Mind, “What is the Tathagata’s speech secret? From the night when the Tathagata achieved supreme and perfect enlightenment, until the night he entered Parinirvana without remainder, during this period, the Tathagata proclaimed various dharma gates, expounded and spread infinite principles. If one were to exhaust these principles, countless kalpa would not suffice to speak of them all, yet actually, not a single character can be established. Why is this? Because the Tathagata always abides in meditation. The Tathagata also does not breathe, has no mental actions, no physical actions, absolutely no thoughts, and no behaviors. Although he speaks verbally, there are no thoughts or actions. The Tathagata’s actions involve neither seeking nor observing, no words nor speech, and does not entertain the notion of ‘a person’ existing. All that the World-Honored One speaks transcends meditation and proper reception, only needing words to express it. All beings come and go in the world, generating faith and emphasis through words, thinking to themselves: ‘The Tathagata expounds the scriptures for me.’ But the Tathagata does not give rise to thoughts or ideas. The Tathagata observes, knows when to stop, his tongue emits sounds from his mouth, and all beings who hear these sounds feel joy. The Tathagata’s teachings and words emit a sound that can universally convey the thoughts and ideas of all beings; this is how the Tathagata unfolds his explanations through his mouth.
“The words of the Tathagata have sixty different sounds. What are these sixty? Auspicious sound, gentle sound, joyful sound, pleasant and pure sound, free from impurity sound, illuminating sound, subtle sound, clearly audible sound, unconfused sound, unangered sound, master sound, harmonizing sound, not harsh sound, skillfully gentle sound, pleasing sound, bodily fitting sound, timely according to the mind sound, empty and joyful sound, loving and peaceful sound, untroubled sound, as instructed sound, well-understood sound, intimate sound, pleasing intent sound, joyous sound, leading others as instructed sound, making others well-understood sound, diligent sound, tolerant sound, beneficial sound, free from repetitive faults sound, lion’s roar sound, nāga’s roar sound, cloud thunder sound, ocean nāga king sound, Kinnara singing sound, Kalavinka sound, eagle soaring sound, crane cry sound, medicine king sound, hero bird sound, thunder shock sound, not low sound, not high sound, universally entering sound, eliminating untimely faults sound, inexhaustible sound, fearless sound, delighted anticipation sound, smooth sound, precept sound, sweet sound, advancing sound, widely pervasive sound, fully endowed sound, flawless in all faculties sound, not light and fast sound, unattached sound, resonating universally in assembly sound, proclaiming all virtues sound.”
The Secret Vajra Guardian said to Tranquil Mind Bodhisattva, “These are the Tathagata’s sixty kinds of sounds. The Tathagata’s voice reaches the ten directions of the Buddha worlds, delighting the minds and behaviors of all beings. The Tathagata observes without delusion, and the Tathagata’s mind does not think: ‘I should verbally expound the Dharma for them,’ referring to the Sutras of Hearing, Sutras of Virtue, Performed Sutras, Discriminative Sutras, Verses, and Canonical Sutras. Regarding these sequential Sutras, original cause Sutras, equality Sutras, unprecedented Dharma Sutras, parable Sutras, verse Sutras, as well as speaking of ancient parables, drawing parallels, formally announced talks, various supreme matters, and elaborating on various matters, the Tathagata, according to the proximity or distance of beings’ hearts, opens up and explains the causes and conditions, elucidating the meanings for them, causing the beings themselves to understand. Also, in a great assembly, there are bhikkhus, bhikkhunis, laymen and laywomen of clear faith, gods, nāgas, spirits, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans, and non-human gatherings, all close to the Buddha and seated. The Tathagata, in accordance with the nature of beings, the actions of beings, and the earnest behaviors of beings, speaks the Dharma according to the law that beings delight in, leading them onto the path. In order to facilitate beings’ smooth entry into the path of liberation, the Tathagata seeks the times and ways of teaching that are most conducive for beings to be liberated, enabling them to be enlightened. The Tathagata uses various Dharma sounds to make beings believe and rejoice. These beings think in their hearts: ‘The Tathagata verbally expounds the Dharma.’ The Dharma spoken by the Tathagata does not overlap, adjusting to the various minds of beings, with timely words, allowing each being to hear the Dharma and gain understanding. This is called the Tathagata’s speech secret.
“Furthermore, Tranquil Mind! The number of beings is infinite, and their actions are innumerable. The mental natures of beings encompass eighty-four thousand types, while many are beings of inferior disposition, for whom the Tathagata speaks the Dharma to help them understand the truth. Additionally, the actions of beings are immeasurable, and for those with excessive lust, the Tathagata, according to the time, adapts to their behaviors and skillfully employs expedient means to rescue them. If there are beings with much anger or ignorance, or those who possess all three obstacles—lust, anger, and ignorance—the Tathagata saves them with majestic power when these thoughts arise, calming their afflictions without differentiating among the beings’ sinful or virtuous actions, nor does he conceive distinctions among them. The Tathagata appears to have a limited lifespan, seemingly unaware of the sins or virtues of beings, but in fact, through skillful means, he speaks various Buddha-dharma amidst the myriad actions of beings, each different from the next. Moreover, according to the differences in the minds and actions of beings, the various Dharma gates spoken by the Tathagata penetrate their hearts, cleverly proclaiming the teachings according to each being’s causes and conditions, enabling each to understand and enter the Buddhist path; this is called the Tathagata’s secret.
“If there are Bodhisattvas who enter the Tathagata’s secret teachings, these Bodhisattvas cannot truly understand them, instead believing that ‘the Tathagata genuinely expounds the conditioned teachings,’ whereas the Tathagata’s teachings are in fact unconditioned. Furthermore, beings might think, “The Tathagata sits and expounds in one sound,” thus they recall, imagine, and cherish the Tathagata’s voice. This is a delusion-induced speech and should not be viewed as such. The Tathagata’s mouth has, in fact, never spoken any words. Why? Because some beings, upon hearing the Tathagata’s voice, think it emanates from between the eyebrows, or from the crown of the head, or from blue hair, or from the neck, shoulders, arms, fingers, sides of the body, from the back to the feet, from the abdomen, navel, genital area, knees, shins, or from the various major and minor physical characteristics of the Tathagata.
“The voice emitted by the Tathagata, according to the preferences of beings and the thickness of their faculties, guides them from angles they can accept, expounding these instructive sounds to lead them to the path of liberation. Nonetheless, when observing and guiding beings, the Tathagata’s mind does not entertain any thoughts or fluctuations. Tranquil Mind! Like a musician playing music, by adjusting the tones and striking drums, producing compassionate and harmonious sounds, but in reality, there is no person making these sounds; rather, the music arise from the combination of expedients and conditions, producing this special compassionate harmony. Similarly, Tranquil Mind, the Tathagata’s words cultivate the minds of beings; in his teachings, he is not biased towards any side, and it is all according to the differences in the past karma of beings. The Tathagata’s true state is far superior to beings, majestic and distinguished, because his original cause is exceptional.
“Tranquil Mind! Just like sound, which travels far, but the sound is neither emitted from inside, nor from outside, nor from between. The Tathagata is the same. He expounds sounds, instructing the minds of beings, his teachings not emanating from the body, nor from the mind, neither from inside nor outside, nor from between. Like a wish-fulfilling gem in the ocean, radiating light, causing all beings to feel joy. If this gem were placed atop a flagpole, it could illuminate an entire city, producing various treasures according to the wishes of beings, with each person obtaining what they desire, but the gem itself has no thoughts. The Tathagata is the same, possessing a treasure-like heart, his speech a profound treasure of pure clarity, hanging on the flagpole of great compassion, according to the wishes of beings, the Tathagata emits subtle speech, enabling them to understand, though he manifests these teachings, the Tathagata’s mind harbors no thoughts, this is the secret proclaimed by the Tathagata. “
The Secret Vajra Guardian spoke to the Bodhisattva Tranquil Mind, saying, “I now universally observe in the heavens and in the world all the demonic heavens, Brahma heavens, ascetics, Brahmins, various gods, and people, none can comprehend the limits of the Tathagata’s proclaimed sounds and words. Why is that? I remember such an event: The World-Honored One, surrounded by numerous Bodhisattva followers on Mount Gridhrakuta, proclaimed the Dharma of the pure sound, extensively teaching this method to all beings. At that time, due to the empowerment of the Bodhisattva Maitreya, the sage Maudgalyayana thought to himself, ‘I want to see how far the Tathagata’s voice can reach.’ Therefore, Maudgalyayana suddenly disappeared from his seat, flew to the summit of Mount Sumeru, and heard the Tathagata’s voice as if it were right in front of him. Maudgalyayana again used his divine powers, traveled to the very edge of these three thousand great thousand worlds, crossed many Sumeru Mountains, worlds in all directions, and all the iron enclosure mountains, stopping on the top of the great iron enclosure mountain, where he still heard the Tathagata’s voice, unchanged, with no distinction of near or far. The Buddha thought, ‘Maudgalyayana wants to test the range of my pure voice. Now I can manifest divine powers.’ Then, the World-Honored One manifested the power of spiritual feet. At that time, Maudgalyayana, by the Buddha’s sacred decree and also by his own spiritual feet, crossed westward over the number of sands of ninety-nine rivers as many Buddha realms to a Buddha realm called ‘Banner of Light,’ where the Buddha called King of Light Tathagata, True Thusness, SamyaksamBuddha, was preaching the Dharma. Maudgalyayana reached there, stayed in that Buddha land, and again heard the Buddha’s voice as if someone were speaking face to face. The Banner of Light Buddha land was extremely luminous, the Buddha’s body was forty miles long, the Bodhisattvas’ bodies were twenty miles long, and the bowls they used were one mile high. Maudgalyayana walked on these bowls, and those Bodhisattvas said to the World-Honored One: ‘Great Sage, where does this insect come from, wearing the clothes of an ascetic, walking along the rim of the bowl?’ At that time, that Buddha said: ‘Gentlemen, do not be disdainful. Why? This venerable one is called Maudgalyayana, the greatest disciple among the Shakyamuni Buddha’s Śrāvaka disciples, foremost in supernatual powers.’ Then, the Buddha King of Light told Maudgalyayana, ‘The Bodhisattvas and Śrāvakas here, seeing your small form, all gave rise to feelings of disdain. You should, by the majestic sacred power of Shakyamuni Buddha, manifest your own supernatual powers.’”
At that moment, Maudgalyayana, in front of Buddha King of Light, respectfully prostrated at the Buddha’s feet, circumambulated seven times to the right, then stopped in front of the Buddha and said, “I now wish to sit cross-legged right here with this body, may I?” The Buddha answered, “As you wish.” Then, Maudgalyayana leaped into the sky, soaring up to a height of an eight hundred million foot, in that precious realm created a bed, and sat cross-legged. From his seat hung countless precious jewel garlands, and in each jewel bead, hundreds of thousands of rays of light were emitted, each ray of light bore a lotus, and on each lotus appeared Shakyamuni Buddha himself, sitting, their voices as pure as Shakyamuni Buddha’s, preaching the scriptures, indistinguishable. After manifesting the power of spiritual feet, Maudgalyayana returned before the Buddha. Those Bodhisattvas were very astonished and approached the Buddha to ask, “Why has this great Maudgalyayana come to this world?” The World-Honored One answered, “He came to test how far the Shakyamuni Buddha’s voice could reach; thus he came to this world.” Buddha King of Light told the sage Maudgalyayana, “Benevolent one! You should not test the Tathagata’s voice; the Tathagata’s voice is limitless, without near or far, how could you know its bounds? You have made a great mistake. Benevolent Maudgalyayana! Even if you use the power of spiritual feet to cross countless kalpas, continually walking westward without stopping, you still cannot fathom the bounds of the Tathagata’s voice. The voices of all Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, are vast and boundless, surpassing all limits, majestic and immeasurable, indescribable by words.”
At that moment, Maudgalyayana knelt before the Buddha and confessed his mistake, “World-Honored One! I am indeed foolish and ignorant. The Buddha’s voice is immeasurable and boundless, yet I foolishly sought to know its limits and distances.” The Buddha King of Light told Maudgalyayana, “You have come from afar, crossing over ninety-nine rivers and as many Buddha lands to arrive at this Buddha land.” Maudgalyayana then said to the Buddha, “It is too far, too far. Heaven of heavens! I am very tired and cannot return to my homeland.” The World-Honored One told Maudgalyayana, “Maudgalyayana! Do you think you came to this world by your own divine powers? Do not think so. It is by the majestic grace of Shakyamuni Buddha that you have come to this world. You should take refuge and prostrate from afar to Shakyamuni Buddha, whose majestic virtue can bring you back to your homeland. If you think to return to your country by your own power of spiritual feet, even after a kalpa you would not reach it; before you arrive, Shakyamuni Buddha would have already entered Nirvana. Maudgalyayana! Do you feel you are now in the east, south, west, or north?” Maudgalyayana answered, “I do not know the direction. I am confused and do not know where my homeland is, in which direction it lies.” The World-Honored One told Maudgalyayana, “Shakyamuni Buddha is in the east.” At this, Maudgalyayana knelt on his right knee, facing the east where Shakyamuni Buddha was, joined his palms in reverence, and then chanted:
“O Honor of gods and men, may you cast your merciful regard,
World-Honored One, whose majestic virtue is vast and venerated by gods and men.
The World-Honored One’s voice spreads boundlessly, his wisdom limitless,
May the World-Honored One manifest the land, I now wish to return.”
Tranquil Mind! The voice of the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, is boundless, immeasurable. When Shakyamuni Buddha was at Mount Gridhrakuta, Shariputra heard the grand voice that Maudgalyayana prayed for, and was very surprised. The venerable Ananda stepped forward and asked the Buddha, “Who is now proclaiming this grand voice, reverently taking refuge from afar?” The Buddha told Ananda, “The venerable Maudgalyayana is in the west, a distance of number of sands of ninety-nine rivers as many Buddha lands away, in a world called ‘Banner of Light,’ where the Buddha is called ‘King of Light’ Tathagata, True Thusness, currently preaching the Dharma. Venerable Maudgalyayana has reached that Buddha land and wishes to return to our land, thus he is proclaiming this grand voice from afar.” Ananda asked again, “For what reason did he go to that Buddha land?” The Buddha told Ananda, “Wait for Maudgalyayana to return, and you can ask him yourself.” At this time, the assembly all said to the Buddha, “We wish to see the world of the Banner of Light and the Buddha King of Light Tathagata, True Thusness, SamyaksamBuddha, and also to see what Maudgalyayana is doing in that Buddha land.” Thus, the World-Honored One, seeing the request of the assembly, emitted a great light called All-Encompassing from between his eyebrows, illuminating the ninety-nine rivers and as many Buddha worlds all the way to the Banner of Light Buddha land. This great light illuminated all present, enabling them to see the Buddha King of Light, True Thusness. Maudgalyayana saw this light and immediately prostrated on the ground, issuing a grand voice. At that moment, World-Honored One Shakyamuni Buddha told the sage Maudgalyayana, “Through this light, you can return here.”
Thus, Maudgalyayana, by the light of the Buddha, had the thought and instantly returned to this land, prostrated at the Buddha’s feet, circumambulated seven times to the right, then stopped before the Buddha to confess and take refuge, deeply reproaching himself, “I was indeed too foolish. The Tathagata’s voice is immeasurable, and yet I attempted to test it. The places I reached were extremely distant, but wherever I went, the Buddha’s voice I heard was no different from here, the voice of the Tathagata is majestic and boundless.” The Buddha said, “Yes, Maudgalyayana! As you have said, the Tathagata’s voice reaches far and is beyond verbal description. Trying to discern the nearness or farness of the Tathagata’s voice is like trying to measure the edges of space. Why? Because just as space is limitless, so too are the words and voice of the Tathagata.” Tranquil Mind! When the story of Maudgalyayana’s travels was told, ten thousand people in the assembly developed the supreme enlightened mind of unsurpassed, proper and equal enlightenment. This is the secret of the Tathagata’s speech.”
Dharma Torch 