Translated in the Great Tang Dynasty by the Tripiṭaka Master Xuan Zang by Imperial Command
At that time, the Buddha told Śāriputra, “What is called the Kṣānti-Pāramitā of the Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva? The Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva, for the sake of attaining Anuttarā-Samyak-Saṃbodhi, diligently learns and cultivates this kind of Dharma gate, and practices the Bodhisattva path. Śāriputra! Because the Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva abides in this Kṣānti-Pāramitā, he is endowed with the power of forbearance, his mind is firm and upright, and he is able to endure and bear with the sufferings of physical contact—such as cold and heat, hunger and thirst, serpents and scorpions, mosquitoes and gadflies, wind and sun, and so forth. He is also able to endure harsh and evil words, lowly and vile speech, and the intense, swift, hard, severe sensations of pain arising from the body—pain so extreme it can even take one’s life and lead to death. All of these painful experiences he is able to bear and endure. Śāriputra! If these Bodhisattva-Mahāsattvas are able to possess these qualities, this is called the Kṣānti-Pāramitā.
“Furthermore, Śāriputra! In the distant long night of the past, before I attained Buddhahood, when I was still cultivating the Bodhisattva path, I constantly practiced forbearance.”
Śāriputra said to the Buddha, “World-Honored One! When the World-Honored One was practicing the Bodhisattva path, how did he practice forbearance and cultivate the Bodhisattva path?”
The Buddha told Śāriputra, “I recall that when I was practicing the Bodhisattva path in the past, many sentient beings repeatedly reviled me, unjustly scolded and blamed me, and spoke all kinds of unreasonable and evil words right to my face. Śāriputra! At that time, because I was cultivating the Kṣānti-Pāramitā, I subdued my own mind and did not give rise to anger, resentment, stinginess, afflictions, or inner heat. I merely reflected in this way: ‘Among all conditioned dharmas, there is nothing more commonly encountered than revilement and scolding, so today I ought to rest and relinquish my mind. Moreover, I should give rise to compassion toward them. Why is that? Most sentient beings in the world dwell in the habit of revilement and scolding, and due to this karma, they will in turn reap the retribution of being reviled and scolded. In every place where they are reborn, they often receive bodies that are ugly and repulsive. Now, since I do not like ugliness, should I delight in committing acts of revilement and scolding? Why is that? Such acts of revilement and scolding are evil karma—karma that is improper, unreasonable, and committed by foolish ordinary beings. It is lowly karma, not the karma of good people, not the karma of noble sages. Due to such karma, one falls into the hells, the animal realm, or the realm of Yama. And again, because of this karma, one becomes associated with all the evil destinies. Due to such karma, one reaps the body of a poor yakṣa. Also because of this karma, one receives the fundamental retribution of becoming a poor yakṣa. Due to this karma, one obtains the body of a poor hungry ghost. Also because of this karma, one receives the fundamental retribution of becoming a poor hungry ghost. Due to this karma, one obtains the body of a poor human. Also because of this karma, one receives the fundamental retribution of becoming a poor human. Furthermore, because of the karmic force of such revilement and scolding, one is led to inferior destinies and the fundamental retributions of those inferior destinies. I now ought not to pursue these inferior destinies. Why is that? If I pursue such actions, how would I be different from those sentient beings? However, those sentient beings do not comply with the correct principle, whereas I do comply with the correct principle, so I should not be the same as they are.’
“Śāriputra! These Bodhisattva-Mahāsattvas who cultivate the Kṣānti-Pāramitā should follow my example in practicing this Dharma gate. Why is that? Śāriputra! When these Bodhisattvas are reviled and scolded and blamed by others, they are able to contemplate and reflect in accordance with this correct Dharma and bear with it. These Bodhisattva-Mahāsattvas, because they acquire this power of forbearance, thereby obtain immeasurable and subtle wholesome roots. Even if someone were to fill the four great continents of a Buddha land with various precious treasures and give them all away in charity, it would not match the merit of what was previously described. Why is that? This practice of forbearance can only be cultivated by supremely skillful great beings. Why is that? Because all sentient beings are mostly bound and held by revilement and scolding, and for this reason they endlessly transmigrate in saṃsāra without cessation.
“Furthermore, Śāriputra! These Bodhisattva-Mahāsattvas who cultivate the Kṣānti-Pāramitā should encourage themselves, carefully examine and observe, and think in this way: ‘If I am reviled and scolded by others, am I able to contemplate the Buddha, Bodhi, as well as the Dharma and the Saṅgha? If I am able to contemplate them, that is good; if I am not able to contemplate them, that is not good.’ Then further using countless other methods, they contemplate the Buddha, contemplate Bodhi, as well as the Dharma and the Saṅgha. Śāriputra! After contemplating in this way, the Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva should observe: What difference, what distinction or uniqueness do I have compared to all sentient beings now? Why should they observe in this way? Because those sentient beings now give rise to minds of hatred and harm toward me, and regarding the Buddha’s Bodhi, as well as the Dharma and the Saṅgha, they have never had any contemplation. If I, like them, also fail to contemplate, then what difference, what distinction, or uniqueness do I have compared to those sentient beings? Śāriputra! These Bodhisattva-Mahāsattvas then further reflect: ‘If, when others show hatred and anger to my face, I give rise to thoughts of abandonment in my heart and completely fail to remember the Buddha, Bodhi, and the Dharma and the Saṅgha, then this is not appropriate for me.’ They further think: ‘If I give rise to a mind of hatred toward them, that means I have no wisdom, no power of forbearance, and it also means I have abandoned my original vow.
“Why is that? If I give rise to a mind of hatred, then I will not have this kind of thought: I should gather in all sentient beings; I should not abandon all sentient beings. If I give rise to a mind of hatred—even toward a single sentient being—then it no longer counts as the Dharma gate of a Bodhisattva gathering and transforming sentient beings. Who asked me to practice the Bodhisattva path? All the more so considering that in the past I made such a vow: After I swiftly attain Anuttarā-Samyak-Saṃbodhi, I shall extensively proclaim the true Dharma for the benefit of sentient beings. When I made such a vast vow, the World-Honored Buddhas all bore witness to me and thought: This son of the lineage, having given rise to such a mind, will abide in this unsurpassed Right and Perfect Enlightenment and will certainly proclaim the true Dharma extensively for sentient beings. Moreover, at this very moment, the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, with their unobstructed wisdom and unobstructed vision, are directly and presently realizing and knowing my mind. Therefore, I should not, when being reviled and scolded by others, give rise to a mind of hatred or give rise to thoughts of abandoning the Buddha, Bodhi, the Dharma, and the Saṅgha—such thoughts ought not to be remembered or entertained. Why is that? At present, in the eastern direction, there are as many Buddha lands as the sands of the Ganges River, and within those lands are also as many Tathāgatas, Worthy Ones, Rightly and Perfectly Enlightened Ones as there are sands in the Ganges, all presently abiding and sustaining the world. These World-Honored Buddhas also realize and know the upright vow in my mind. In the southern, western, northern directions, in the intermediate directions, and above and below, it is likewise so. At the time I gave rise to this upright vow, the Buddhas all praised in unison my power of forbearance. Therefore, after having let out a lion’s roar, I should not emit the cry of a jackal. The lion’s roar refers to my attainment of great power in forbearance; the jackal’s cry refers to the outward appearances of hatred, scolding, and reviling of sentient beings.’
“Śāriputra! These Bodhisattva-Mahāsattvas also think in this way: ‘Sentient beings in the world only benefit others if they themselves have gained benefit. If I am also like this—only benefiting sentient beings after I have received benefit from them—then what difference, what distinction or uniqueness do I have compared to the sentient beings of the world?’ They also think: ‘Sentient beings in the world, if others commit harm toward them, they in turn respond with harm. If I am also like this—when sentient beings do harm to me, I in turn do harm to them—then what rarity, what distinction, what uniqueness do I possess compared to other sentient beings?’ Śāriputra! The Bodhisattva-Mahāsattvas should cultivate within such a Dharma gate. They further reflect: ‘Sentient beings in the world harbor mutual resentment and hostility. If they receive benefit from others, they call them good friends; if they do not receive benefit, they even kill each other. Because I see the grave faults in this, I ought not to examine whether all sentient beings have brought various benefits and happiness to my body, or whether they have inflicted meaningless harm on my body.’ They should only think: ‘Right now I must certainly bring benefit and welfare to all sentient beings—this is for the purpose of fulfilling the Kṣānti-Pāramitā.’”
At that time, the World-Honored One wished to restate this meaning and spoke in verse:
“Even if others bring me no benefit, even after hundreds and thousands of koṭis of kalpas,
upon seeing those sentient beings undergoing various forms of suffering, I still will never abide in a mind of abandonment.
If both parties obtain mutual benefit in terms of worldly wealth and possessions, they will praise each other as good friends;
but if they fail to obtain mutual benefit in terms of worldly wealth and possessions, they will resent and oppose each other, and even inflict harm upon one another.
Suppose someone were to offer me treasures filling the entire Jambudvīpa, or treasures filling a great trichiliocosm of Buddha worlds,
constantly seeking to become a virtuous and good friend of mine;
or suppose someone were to take sharp blades and swords to sever my body’s joints one by one
—toward those sentient beings I should still hold a mind of equal benefit, a mind without discrimination.
I should endure all kinds of revilement, and likewise endure all kinds of hardship and pain.
I should praise the power of forbearance on behalf of sentient beings and myself abide in great forbearance.
As for those fierce and wicked sentient beings in the world, who use knives, poison, and so forth to harm me,
I should harmonize with them and cause them to become good friends—this is the mark of the noble ones and of the wise and insightful.
I ought not imitate the appearance of the worldly foolish ordinary beings, and I should also be distinct from them.
For the conduct of ordinary beings and that of noble ones are different: one leads to the revolving cycle of birth and death, and the other to the realization of quiescent Nirvāṇa.”
“Furthermore, Śāriputra! When the Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva is cultivating the Kṣānti-Pāramitā, he should practice the true Dharma in this way. Śāriputra! These Bodhisattva-Mahāsattvas also think: ‘Even if, for a hundred thousand nayuta koṭis of great kalpas, I am constantly harmed by multitudes of sentient beings using knives, staffs, tiles, stones, clods of earth, and other such things, so that I can barely preserve a faint breath of life for even a moment, I should still rejoice and feel grateful, thinking: “How marvelous! How amazing! These sentient beings are truly noble—not completely end my life.”’ From then on, these Bodhisattva-Mahāsattvas become even more diligent in their cultivation and further think: ‘Even if, in just the time it takes to walk seven steps, my head is severed as many times as there are sands of the Ganges River, still I would never give rise to even the slightest anger or hatred toward them. Why is that? Because anger and hatred can swiftly destroy the wholesome roots accumulated over hundreds of thousands of great kalpas. If my wholesome roots are damaged by hatred, I would need to go through hundreds of thousands of great kalpas again just to begin the arduous cultivation of the noble Path. If that is the case, then Anuttarā-Samyak-Saṃbodhi would be extremely difficult to attain. Therefore, I must don the armor of forbearance and use solid strength to destroy the great army of wrath.’
“Furthermore, Śāriputra! If a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva abiding in the Mahāyāna gives rise to a mind of anger, then Māra will gain an opportunity. Once Māra gains an opportunity, he will create obstacles to the attainment of Anuttarā-Samyak-Saṃbodhi. Śāriputra! The mind of anger can disrupt the Bodhi path; a mind that is disrupted can give rise to all the karmic acts of Māra. Among these, what is called the karma of Māra? If a Bodhisattva becomes attached to robes and bowls and cannot let them go, know that this is the karma of Māra. If his mind is attached to alms and he cannot give up the homes of donors, know that this is the karma of Māra. If his mind is attached to fame, respect, and gain and he cannot renounce them, know that this is the karma of Māra. If he often gives rise to disgust for the monastic life, know that this is the karma of Māra. If he frequently belittles the pure Dharma, know that this is the karma of Māra. If he has no aspiration for quiet places, know that this is the karma of Māra. If he takes no joy in pursuing unsurpassed right and perfect Bodhi, know that this is the karma of Māra. If he constantly seeks and delights in other kinds of worldly knowledge, know that this is the karma of Māra. Even if toward the two excellent teachers—Upādhyāya and Ācārya—he does not cultivate a mind of reverence and obedience, know that this too is the karma of Māra. Śāriputra! Such kinds of anger disturb the path to Bodhi. Śāriputra! This is what is called a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva abiding in a disturbed mind, being driven by evil Māras to engage in various kinds of Māra’s karma.
“Furthermore, Śāriputra! When the Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva is cultivating the Kṣānti-Pāramitā, he would think: ‘Throughout the long night of saṃsāra, sentient beings become the targets of evil Māras who constantly seek opportunities—and that opportunity is what is called anger.’ Śāriputra! I shall now speak of this matter in detail for your sake. I recall that in a past life I was a great sage named Place of Practice. At that time, there were evil Māras who transformed into five hundred robust men skilled in reviling, who constantly pursued and followed me, continually hurling every kind of vile abuse. Whether by day or by night, in movement or stillness, walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, whether in monasteries, quiet chambers, lay villages, streets and alleys, or open and remote places—whether I sat or stood—these transformed Māras ceaselessly reviled and rebuked me with harsh and evil words for five hundred years, never once stopping. Śāriputra! I recall that during those five hundred years in which I was scolded and reviled by those Māras, I never once gave rise to even the slightest thought of resentment or hatred. On the contrary, I constantly gave rise to a heart of compassion and protection, observing them with kindness.
“Śāriputra! At that time, I further thought: ‘If there are virtuous men who uphold śīla and are complete in various wholesome qualities, and who have only a faint trace of the nature of greed, hatred, and delusion—then I, as one who practices the hard-to-practice path, not only should benefit them in various ways, and not just by benefitting them alone can I attain unsurpassed right and perfect Bodhi. Why is that? If there are sentient beings who are stubborn and hard to tame, who violate and break the precepts, are full of all kinds of unwholesome qualities, and whose natures are deeply defiled, ablaze with greed, hatred, and delusion—if I can still benefit them in various ways, then I am truly one who performs what is hard to do. Because I benefit them in such ways, I can swiftly attain unsurpassed right and perfect Bodhi, since the goal is to first lead those sentient beings to realize quiescence.’ Śāriputra! When a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva gives rise to a mind of anger, he should generate these various great proper recollections. If he gives rise to such proper recollections, all the endeavors to benefit sentient beings will swiftly be brought to completion. Śāriputra! In past lives, the Tathāgata, due to cultivating such Bodhisattva practices of Kṣānti-Pāramitā, attained Anuttarā-Samyak-Saṃbodhi. Therefore, Bodhisattva-Mahāsattvas who seek unsurpassed right and perfect enlightenment must constantly be complete in the power of forbearance. They must be able to endure all sufferings of bodily contact, such as cold, heat, hunger, thirst, wind, sun, mosquitoes, gadflies, serpents, and scorpions. They must also be able to endure harsh and evil words, low and vile speech, and the intense, hard, and fierce painful sensations that arise from the body—pain so extreme that it can take one’s very life. All of these painful sensations must be patiently borne and endured. Śāriputra! This is what is called a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva abiding in such forbearance, who is able to swiftly perfect the Kṣānti-Pāramitā.
“Furthermore, Śāriputra! What is called the Kṣānti-Pāramitā of the Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva? The Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva, relying upon it in his cultivation, becomes fully endowed with and perfects the characteristics of the Dharma of forbearance. Śāriputra! The forbearance of a Bodhisattva is like this: not giving rise to hatred and anger is the forbearance of a Bodhisattva; not giving rise to rage and resentment is the forbearance of a Bodhisattva; not giving rise to any kind of angry harm is the forbearance of a Bodhisattva; not giving rise to resentment and conflict is the forbearance of a Bodhisattva; not giving rise to any afflictions is the forbearance of a Bodhisattva; being skilled in guarding oneself is the forbearance of a Bodhisattva; being skilled in guarding others is the forbearance of a Bodhisattva; skillfully guarding bodily karma is the forbearance of a Bodhisattva; skillfully guarding verbal karma is the forbearance of a Bodhisattva; skillfully guarding mental karma is the forbearance of a Bodhisattva; observing in accordance with the Dharma is the forbearance of a Bodhisattva; becoming disenchanted with all forms of desire is the forbearance of a Bodhisattva; following pure karmic retribution is the forbearance of a Bodhisattva; bodily karma being well purified is the forbearance of a Bodhisattva; verbal karma being well purified is the forbearance of a Bodhisattva; mental karma being well purified is the forbearance of a Bodhisattva; experiencing the perfect, pure joy of devas and humans is the forbearance of a Bodhisattva; the Tathāgata’s fully adorned great marks and excellent characteristics are the forbearance of a Bodhisattva; the Tathāgata’s speech, subtle like Brahmā’s voice, is the forbearance of a Bodhisattva; practicing the Bodhisattva path and maintaining all wholesome roots without letting them be destroyed or lost is the forbearance of a Bodhisattva; rescuing sentient beings from oppression and suffering is the forbearance of a Bodhisattva; eliminating all evils and enmity is the forbearance of a Bodhisattva. Śāriputra! In brief, one should understand that all the Tathāgatas’ powers, the fearlessnesses, the unique qualities of the Buddha, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great joy, great equanimity, and the immeasurable and perfected marvelous Dharma of the Buddhas—all are accomplished through the Kṣānti-Pāramitā of the Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva.
“Furthermore, Śāriputra! When the Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva is cultivating the Kṣānti-Pāramitā, he should be complete in all the proper practices of forbearance. Śāriputra! If the Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva is insulted or reviled, he will never respond with insults or revenge, because he thoroughly understands that speech is like an echo. If he is beaten, he will never strike back in retaliation, because he thoroughly understands that the body is like an image. If others become angry at him, he will never return anger for anger, because he is skilled in observing that the mind itself is like a phantom, like a magical illusion. If he is praised or slandered, he does not give rise to either fondness or hatred, because he well understands his own merit is already perfected. If he gains benefit or loses benefit, he does not give rise to joy or sorrow, because he subdues his mind and abides in tranquility. He does not seek beautiful praise, nor is he afraid of ugly reputation, because he is skilled in observing with vast wisdom. When slandered, he does not become dejected; when praised, he does not become arrogant, because his virtuous qualities and wholesome Dharma abide unshaken.
“Toward all kinds of suffering, he gives rise to no aversion, because he deeply remembers the suffering of sentient beings. Toward all forms of pleasure, he gives rise to no attachment, because he knows that conditioned pleasures are impermanent in nature. The eight worldly conditions cannot defile him, because he is not attached to any form of existence within saṃsāra. As for the sufferings he himself undergoes, he is well able to endure and bear them, because he never causes suffering to others. He never regresses from the supreme Bodhicitta, because the resources for his awakening are well cultivated and perfected. Even if his limbs are dismembered one by one, or even his head is cut off, he is able to patiently endure and bear it, because he seeks the vajra indestructible body of the Tathāgata. Even if his flesh is sliced from his body, he is able to patiently endure and bear it, because he seeks the Tathāgata’s subtle and excellent marks. When encountering all kinds of corrupt and vile situations, he is able to patiently endure and bear them, because he seeks to cultivate the power of all wholesome karmic deeds. Śāriputra! Such characteristics are what is called the Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva’s accomplishment of the Kṣānti-Pāramitā. One should thus learn and cultivate it.
“Furthermore, Śāriputra! When the Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva cultivates the Kṣānti-Pāramitā, the various characteristics of forbearance—what is called the Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva’s forbearance in cultivation—are referred to as ultimate forbearance. How is that? If one gives rise to a mind of forbearance thinking ‘I am able to endure being reviled,’ that is called innate or natural forbearance. Such forbearance is not ultimate forbearance. If one gives rise to a mind of forbearance thinking ‘Who is it that is reviling? What is being reviled?’ this is called forbearance that discriminates the characteristics of dharmas. If one gives rise to a mind of forbearance by thinking ‘Can the eye revile the eye?’ this is called the forbearance that observes the faculties. If one gives rise to forbearance based on the understanding that there is neither reviler nor one being reviled, this is called the forbearance that realizes the absence of all sentient beings. Śāriputra! All these kinds of forbearance are not the Bodhisattva’s ultimate forbearance.
“Furthermore, Śāriputra! If one thinks that reviling is merely a combination of sounds and syllables, this is called echo-like forbearance—such forbearance is not ultimate. If one sees both the reviler and the one being reviled as impermanent, this is called insight into impermanence forbearance. If one sees the other as deluded and oneself as not deluded, this is called superior-inferior discriminating forbearance. If one sees the other as not conforming to true principle and oneself as in accord with true principle, this is called consonant versus dissonant forbearance. If one sees the other as abiding in the wrong path and oneself in the right path, this is called dual-path distinction forbearance. These types of forbearance are not ultimate. If one thinks, ‘I can forbear with emptiness, but not with wrong views; I can forbear with formlessness, but not with sensory experiences; I can forbear with wishlessness, but not with aspirations and striving; I can forbear with non-action, but not with action; I can forbear with the cessation of afflictions, but not with the afflictions themselves; I can forbear with wholesome dharmas, but not with unwholesome ones; I can forbear with non-culpability, but not with guilt; I can forbear with undefiled dharmas, but not with defiled ones; I can forbear with the supramundane, but not with the mundane; I can forbear with purity, but not with defilement; I can forbear with Nirvāṇa, but not with saṃsāra’—Śāriputra! Such forbearances are only called forbearances of suppression or elimination. They are not the Bodhisattva’s ultimate forbearance.
“Furthermore, Śāriputra! What is the Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva’s cultivation of the Kṣānti-Pāramitā that is ultimate forbearance? Śāriputra! If one accords with emptiness and does not deliberately try to eradicate wrong views, and neither does one increase anything concerning emptiness itself—such forbearance is called Bodhisattva’s ultimate forbearance. If one accords with emptiness and does not eliminate pursuit, and does not augment the nature of wishlessness; if one accords with emptiness and does not eliminate fabrication, and does not augment the nature of non-action; if one accords with emptiness and does not forcibly eradicate afflictions, and does not increase the nature of the cessation of afflictions; if one accords with emptiness and does not eliminate unwholesome dharmas, and does not augment the nature of wholesome dharmas; if one accords with emptiness and does not eliminate guilty, and does not increase the nature of guiltlessness—up to and including: if one accords with emptiness and does not deliberately eliminate saṃsāra, and does not increase the nature of Nirvāṇa—Śāriputra! Forbearance arising from such characteristics is called the Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva’s ultimate forbearance.
“Śāriputra! All dharmas are not that which can generate, nor are they what is generated; they are not what has already arisen, nor are they what is currently arising; there is no dharma whatsoever that can arise. Because there is no arising, there is also no cessation. If one can realize and understand this principle of non-arising and non-ceasing, that is called the Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva’s ultimate forbearance. Śāriputra! All dharmas are neither conditioned nor unconditioned; there is no increase, no decrease, no accumulation, no nourishment, no flourishing, no decline, no creator, and no producer. Because there is no arising, there is likewise no ceasing. This kind of forbearance is called the Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva’s forbearance of non-arising. Śāriputra! The Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva practices the Bodhisattva path for the sake of attaining Anuttarā-Samyak-Saṃbodhi. If one has fully accomplished such forbearance, this is called the Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva’s perfection of Kṣānti-Pāramitā. Śāriputra! If the Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva abides in this Kṣānti-Pāramitā, diligently cultivating and practicing the Bodhisattva path, he will not be disturbed or obstructed by Māras and their hordes, nor will he be defeated by the wrong theories of heterodox paths.”
Dharma Torch 