Translated by the Tripiṭaka Master Zhu Fahu of the Western Jin Dynasty by Imperial Command
At that time, the Secret Vajra Guardian said to the Venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana, “Venerable Maudgalyāyana! You are the one whom the World-Honored One praises as foremost in supernatual powers. Please try to lift this vajra pestle from the ground.” Thereupon, Mahāmaudgalyāyana stepped forward to lift the vajra pestle, exerting immeasurable strength until the waters of the four great oceans surged and billowed, even disturbing the sun, while his power extended to the ends of the world where the finest dust is stirred—nowhere was left untouched. Maudgalyāyana employed his supernatural transformations, straining with all his might to move it through his supernatual powers, causing the entire trichiliocosm to tremble from top to bottom, yet he could not budge the vajra pestle even by the width of a single hair.
At this, Mahāmaudgalyāyana felt astonishment unlike anything before and prostrated at the Buddha’s feet, saying to the World-Honored One, “O Great Sage! You praised me as foremost in supernatual powers among your śrāvaka disciples. I personally tested my spiritual strength and found I could shake this trichiliocosm as easily as turning a small bowl, even toss it to another Buddha-land. I could subdue and tame the two great nāga kings, Nanda and Upananda, and consume food equal to Mount Sumeru—yet I cannot move this tiny vajra pestle? In the space of a single thought, I can seize the sun and moon, halt their movements, and even stroke them with my hand—yet I cannot shift this vajra pestle by the width of a hair. What is the reason for this? Have I lost my supernatual powers?”
The Buddha said, “Maudgalyāyana, it is not that you have lost your supernatual powers. Maudgalyāyana! This is the manifestation of a bodhisattva’s spiritual might—something no śrāvaka or pratyekaBuddha can match. Even if all the Mount Sumerus from as many Buddha-lands as the sands of the Ganges were combined into a single Mount Sumeru, that single Mount Sumeru could still be shaken, yet this vajra pestle cannot be moved. Such is the inconceivable, supreme majesty of a bodhisattva’s awe-inspiring power.”
At that time, the Venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana, feeling an unprecedented sense of awe, said, “O Great Sage! The majestic supernatual power of the Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva is truly rare and wondrous. Is the strength with which this Secret Vajra Guardian wields the vajra pestle the power of his physical body born of parents, or is it the power of his spiritual faculties?”
The Buddha replied, “It is the power of his physical body born of parents. If a bodhisattva were to employ the power of his spiritual faculties, it would be boundless and inexhaustible, capable of manifesting universally throughout all realms of heaven and earth.”
The Buddha then said to the Secret Vajra Guardian, “Now, you can lift this vajra pestle yourself.” At that moment, the Secret Guardian shook the trichiliocosm, raised the vajra pestle with his right hand, and hurled it into the sky. The pestle whirled seven times in the void before descending back into his right hand, where it came to rest steadily.
All those present in the assembly were struck with unparalleled amazement. With palms joined in reverence, they exclaimed in unison, “How rare! How extraordinary! Could the strength of the Secret Vajra Guardian truly be so miraculous? May all beings attain such boundless, inexhaustible power!”
Then, King Ajātaśatru stepped forward and asked the Buddha, “How many dharma-gates must a bodhisattva cultivate to attain such supreme and incomparable power?”
The Buddha replied, “There are ten great dharma-gates through which a bodhisattva attains this peerless, supreme strength. What are these ten?
First, he would rather sacrifice his life than neglect diligent practice of the true Dharma.
Second, he never exalts himself but remains humble and reverent, treating all beings with respect.
Third, upon encountering stubborn and difficult beings, he arouses patience and refrains from harmful thoughts.
Fourth, seeing those who are hungry, he offers them delicious food in charity.
Fifth, when meeting frightened and unsettled beings, he comforts and guides them to peace.
Sixth, if any beings suffer severe illness, he provides them with healing medicine.
Seventh, if belittled or slighted by the weak, he honors them instead, ensuring they are no longer disregarded.
Eighth, he repairs damages in the temples of the Tathāgata with clay and pure water.
Ninth, upon seeing those who are destitute, suffering, and in hardship, he takes on their burdens and rescues them from grave calamities.
Tenth, for those who are unprotected and helpless, he constantly aids them, keeping his promises without fail.
These are the ten dharma-gates.”
King Ajātaśatru further asked the Buddha, “What dharma-gates should a bodhisattva cultivate to attain unimpeded freedom in all actions, maintaining gentle and dignified conduct without ever giving rise to coarse or malicious thoughts?”
The Buddha replied, “There are eight dharma-gates through which a bodhisattva attains such freedom. What are these eight?
First, his mind is honest and straightforward, free from flattery.
Second, his speech and conduct are gentle and dignified, never deceitful.
Third, his heart is mature and steadfast, forever free from falsehood.
Fourth, his mental state is firm and balanced, without discrimination between high and low.
Fifth, his aspirations are clear and unconfused, filled with kindness and benevolence.
Sixth, he serves as a refuge for all beings in the world, embracing diverse virtues.
Seventh, his mind is penetrating and unattached.
Eighth, he contemplates the causes and effects of karma, abiding without hindrance.
These are the eight dharma-gates.”
The Buddha said, “Furthermore, there are four dharma-gates that mature the mind, enabling unimpeded freedom in all actions. What are these four?
First, as a wheel-turning sage-king in the human realm, encountering the advent of a Buddha, he never abandons the bodhi-mind.
Second, as Śakra, Lord of the Devas, though ruling over the heavens, he constantly draws near to the Buddhas without contradicting the Dharma.
Third, as Mahābrahmā, though wielding sovereignty, he deeply plants roots of bodhi and never destroys the bodhi-mind.
Fourth, he is always reborn in pure Buddha-lands, where he personally beholds the World-Honored Ones expounding the Dharma.
These are the four dharma-gates.”
King Ajātaśatru asked the Buddha further, “What is the result of faith?”
The Buddha replied, “Great King, virtuous friendship is the result of faith.”
The King asked, “What is the result of generosity?”
The Buddha said, “Great King, generosity leads to great wealth and abundant treasures. Upholding precepts leads to rebirth in the heavens. Patience results in a pure, joyful countenance and dignified appearance. Diligent practice enables one to cultivate and transcend ordinary people. Meditation brings constant serenity and undistracted faculties. Wisdom severs the defilements of afflictions. Vast learning gives rise to great wisdom, allowing one to perfectly resolve all doubts when questioned. Diligent study leads to the supreme, true path. Observing impermanence , selflessness, and cessation eliminates inverted delusions.”
The King asked, “What is the result of correct observation?”
The Buddha replied, “Great King, contemplating impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and cessation brings right view as its result. If one does not follow unwholesome actions and keeps body and mind pure, then meditation and supernatual powers are the results.”
The King asked, “What is the result of the Noble Path ?”
The Buddha answered, “Complete liberation, attainment of the Path’s fruition, and transcendence over the sufferings of the three realms.”
The King asked, “What is the result of complete liberation?”
The Buddha replied, “One who is fully liberated is freed from the sufferings of birth and death.”
The King asked, “What is the karmic cause for the appearance of Buddhas in the world?”
The Buddha answered, “Buddhas arise from cultivating the Thirty-Seven Aids to Enlightenment , not destroying the true Dharma, turning the Wheel of Dharma, and never severing the teachings of the Three Jewels .”
The King asked, “Who can appear as a Buddha?”
The Buddha replied, “Great King, it is the whose who rise pure faith and penetrate the nature of emptiness .”
The King asked, “Who can give rise to pure faith?”
The Buddha answered, “Those who arouse the bodhi-mind .”
The King asked, “Who can arouse the bodhi-mind?”
The Buddha replied, “Those whose minds are resolute and undistracted.”
The King asked, “Who can have a resolute and undistracted mind?”
The Buddha answered, “Those who ceaselessly practice great compassion .”
The King asked, “Who can never abandon great compassion?”
The Buddha replied, “Those who never forsake any sentient being.”
The King asked, “Who never forsakes sentient beings?”
The Buddha answered, “Those who bring peace to themselves and to all beings.”
The King asked, “Who brings peace to themselves and all beings?”
The Buddha replied, “Those who propagate the Noble Path and never separate from the Three Jewels.”
The King asked, “Who can never separate from the Three Jewels?”
The Buddha concluded, “Only those who cut off afflictions can never separate from the Three Jewels.”
King Ajātaśatru stepped forward and addressed the Buddha, saying: “Truly unprecedented, O World-Honored One! The Tathāgata has perfectly expounded this pure Dharma. The teachings of the Tathāgata are gentle and accord with truth—free from the extremes of annihilationism and eternalism, never undermining cause and effect, transcending falsehood, practiced without confusion, neither good nor evil, neither pure nor impure, diligently cultivated and realized without contradiction. O World-Honored One! Who, relying on this vow-power, could sever doubts and follow the Tathāgata’s true Dharma? Who, hearing this teaching, would still hesitate? Only those who in past lives planted no virtuous roots—such people follow evil companions, disbelieving and slandering. O World-Honored One! We, in former lives, planted virtuous roots; we are not without merit. Today, though we hear the true Dharma, it is difficult to repay the Buddha’s kindness. The compassion of all the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, and Mañjuśrī has severed our doubts and revealed this radiance. The World-Honored One has perfectly expounded the holy life—he is the supreme spiritual friend, able to reveal to us the ultimate, complete, unsurpassed true Dharma!”
Then the Bodhisattva Tranquil Mind came forward and said to the Secret Vajra Guardian, “I earnestly beseech you to vow to protect this Dharma teaching, ensuring its widespread propagation throughout all places in the future.”
he Secret Vajra Guardian replied, “Protecting this Dharma teaching is particularly crucial after the Tathāgata’s parinirvāṇa, during the Dharma-ending age, when it shall spread extensively throughout Jambudvīpa, illuminating all Dharma teachers and practitioners.”
The Secret Vajra Guardian continued, “Noble son! The Buddha has already protected this sūtra, as have all Buddhas. Why? The true Dharma does not rely on words. The true Dharma is neither born nor perish, and will never disappear. The meaning of true Dharma has no ending or break point. Furthermore, noble son! The Tathāgata does not cause any dharma to cease. Why? Because all dharmas are unarising. That which has never arisen cannot be subject to cessation. Therefore the Buddha has said: ‘The Tathāgata’s appearance in the world does not create dharmas. Whether Buddhas appear or not, the Dharma-nature eternally abides without cessation, the Dharma-realm remains unmoved, the Dharma-dwelling is pure in its ultimate reality – this is the natural state of all dharmas.’ Thus abiding in the true Dharma, the twelve links of dependent origination contain no contradictions; since dependent origination is free from confusion, the true Dharma naturally abides eternally. Therefore it is said that the true Dharma fundamentally has no characteristic of verbal expression.”
The Bodhisattva Tranquil Mind asked, “Secret Guardian! Why do those Dharma protectors wear the armor of great vows?”
The Secret Guardian replied, “They don this armor of vows to protect the true Dharma without opposing any dharma. Why? Because the true Dharma does not oppose any dharma.”
Tranquil Mind pressed further, “Then what constitutes opposing the true Dharma?”
The Secret Vajra Guardian explained, “If there is fear and dread, then one opposes the true Dharma. However, noble son, the true meaning of non-opposition is in fact neither not-opposing nor ‘not-not-opposing’—this is what is called genuine protection of the true Dharma.”
Tranquil Mind asked again, “Do worldly dharmas conflict with protecting the true Dharma?”
The Secret Vajra Guardian answered, “Noble son! It is precisely because of the delusions of worldly dharmas that bodhisattvas protect the true Dharma. Worldly people cling to sixty-two wrong views, while bodhisattvas take emptiness as fundamental—thus the secular world opposes the bodhisattvas. Furthermore, noble son, worldly people believe things exist eternally, clinging to ‘self’ and ‘mine’ as places of security; bodhisattvas realize the truths of impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and non-self—thus the secular world opposes the bodhisattvas. Worldly people follow the current; bodhisattvas reverse the stream of birth and death to return to the source; worldly people value only present benefits; bodhisattvas emphasize accumulating future merits—thus the worldly oppose the bodhisattvas. Worldly people cling to material phenomena like the five aggregates, six sense bases, and eighteen elements; bodhisattvas teach transcendence of all attachments—thus the secular world opposes the bodhisattvas. Why? Because the practice of bodhisattvas does not mingle with worldly ways. Therefore, Tranquil Mind, when bodhisattvas protect the true Dharma, they necessarily do not conform to the secular world.”
Tranquil Mind further inquired, “Secret Vajra Guardian! How should practitioners protect the True Dharma?”
The Secret Guardian replied, “Noble son! True Dharma protection means embracing the True Dharma to guard one’s own being while simultaneously safeguarding the lives and forms of all sentient beings. Yet in essence, to protect all dharmas is nothing can be protected.”
Tranquil Mind asked again, “What exactly does ’embracing’ mean?”
The Secret Guardian answered, “When the discrimination of ‘self’ becomes extinct, the minds of sentient beings return to tranquility; when the minds of sentient beings become extinct, the three periods of past, present and future enter into silence; when the three periods become silent, the Buddha Dharma naturally becomes wordless; when the Dharma is wordless, the Buddha lands enter stillness; when the Buddha lands are still, all dharmas become quiescent. At this point, all dharmas have nothing to rely upon and nowhere to turn – this is called upholding the True Dharma.”
At this moment, the World-Honored One praised the Secret Vajra Guardian, saying, “Excellent, excellent! This is true Dharma protection. To protect all dharmas without clinging to the notion of ‘protection’, and without omission. True Dharma protectors accept all things yet give rise to no ‘conceptions’; being free from conceptions, they naturally maintain vigilance against all deluded thoughts. Only this can be called ‘maintaining vigilance regarding all dharmas’ – this is the ultimate path.”
At that time, in the Dharma assembly, there was a Heavenly Prince named Virtuous King who came forward and asked the Buddha, “World-Honored One! The teachings of all Buddhas are quiescent – what is the meaning of this?”
The Buddha replied, “The quiescent meaning of all Buddhas’ teachings lies in how all practices ultimately return to cessation. If one can abide patiently in this state, the blazing fires of afflictions will be extinguished; when afflictions are extinguished, the light of wisdom shines everywhere; when illumination is complete, the mind-nature naturally becomes serene and detached. This is the true meaning of the Tathāgata’s protection of the True Dharma, called ‘the Universal Holding of Tathāgatas.’ What the Buddha Way upholds is precisely this – neither clinging to dharmas nor abandoning them, thus teaching and thus practicing.”
When the Buddha finished speaking these words, a thousand bhikṣus present attained the liberation of the exhaustion of outflows, and a thousand celestial beings became free from dust and defilements, obtaining the Dharma-eye.
The Bodhisattva Tranquil Mind asked Virtuous King, “From where does your eloquence arise?”
Virtuous King replied, “If one can sever all attachments and obstructions, completely relinquish thoughts of ‘gaining something,’ and realize the ultimate truth, then unimpeded eloquence arises from having no reliance or dependence. The mind awakens to this: consciousness does not follow external conditions, does not depend on others’ cognitions, nor clings to anything – this is true eloquence. When the mind remains undistracted, dwelling in non-attachment, if one practices the Dharma of non-clinging, one attains this eloquence. If one contemplates all dharmas as illusory, clearly understanding all manifestations while the mind abides in stillness, then eloquence is obtained. Noble son! Practitioners who comprehend thus attain eloquence because they dwell nowhere and act not, transcending the four floods of birth and death, no born and nothing has been born, also no extinguish and nothing can be extinguised – this is how to obtain the ultimate eloquence.”
Dharma Torch 