Translated in the Great Tang Dynasty by the Tripiṭaka Master Xuan Zang by Imperial Command
“Furthermore, Śāriputra, when in future degenerate ages the Dharma is about to decline and perish, there will be Bodhisattva-Mahāsattvas who abide in the Great Vehicle and cultivate the Vīrya-Pāramitā. When they see evil beings slandering and destroying the True Dharma in such a manner, they will instead become all the more invigorated, arousing a great force of vigorous, upright, and diligent exertion. Regarding the profound Dharma gates contained in this scripture, the Great Bodhisattva Treasury, they will earnestly listen, uphold, copy, and recite it, and will widely explain and teach it to others. Śāriputra, those Bodhisattva-Mahāsattvas at that time should give rise to four kinds of thoughts. What are the four? Śāriputra, they are these: “The treasure of my Father will soon be extinguished; precisely because of this, the Buddha, the Bhagavān Śākyamuni, the Tathāgata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Awakened One, through countless great kalpas numbering in the hundreds of thousands of nayutas of koṭis, diligently cultivated difficult and painful practices, and thereby obtained this treasury of the True Dharma. Therefore, I should arouse diligent exertion, uphold this treasury, uphold it universally, uphold it to the utmost, and communicate it broadly, so that the Dharma-treasure may abide long without extinction.
“Śāriputra, it is like a man who has only one son—beloved and treasured, endowed with great auspicious marks—and no matter how he looks, he can never look enough. Later, when this man must travel somewhere, he takes the child along to traverse dangerous and difficult paths. Fearing that the child might fall, he grasps him tightly with his hand, and furthermore holds him universally, and to the utmost degree, saying, “Do not let my son fall into danger.” In the same way, Śāriputra, those virtuous men are thus. They cherish deep faith and reverence toward me, do not abandon this unsurpassed Dharma treasure, and their aspiration constantly seeks purity and quiescence. Even though they dwell in an evil age, they are still able to receive and maintain the foremost True Dharma. Śāriputra, I now entrust to such persons this cause of Bodhi and this unsurpassed True Dharma.
“Furthermore, Śāriputra, it is like when two armies in the world confront one another in battle: very few beings are able to rush to the front lines to protect the multitude; only the resolute, valiant, and vigorous great champions can lead brave warriors, resist powerful foes, and stand before the great army with uplifted might. In the same way, Śāriputra, when in future degenerate ages the True Dharma is about to perish and those who destroy the Dharma appear, there will still be beings who arouse deep resolve, delight in quiescence, and are able even to uphold only a small portion of the essential meaning of this unsurpassed Dharma treasure. You should know that such a person likewise puts on the firm armor of right exertion, arouses the vigorous force of great diligence, and crushes the entire army of Māra. Why is this? Śāriputra, if there are beings who, regarding this scripture, even uphold only a single four-line verse without giving rise to slander, and who can rejoice, praise it, declare that ‘This scripture is truly spoken by the Buddha,’ and widely proclaim and reveal it before the multitude, then you should know that such a person is rejoicing in and praising the scriptures spoken by all Buddhas of the past, future, and present. Śāriputra, the Tathāgata does not say that such a person obtains only a small share of merit; I say such a person accomplishes a vast accumulation of merit equal in measure to space. Why is this? Śāriputra, I call such a person a virtuous person. Such virtuous persons are extremely difficult to encounter—they are those who know gratitude and repay gratitude. Śāriputra, you should know that these who know gratitude and repay gratitude are jewels among human beings.
“Furthermore, Śāriputra, when in future degenerate ages the True Dharma is extinguished and the powers of evil Māras become manifest, if there are beings who, with regard to the Tathāgata, hold a profound and weighty faith and never abandon it, and uphold this scripture without ever distancing themselves from it, I say such a person is a foremost champion, a virtuous champion, a superior champion, a vigorous champion, a great champion. You should know such a person is a companion of the Tathāgata’s supreme Dharma, not a person who is false or deceitful or who associates with evil factions. You should know such a person is one who practices the conduct of the true. Śāriputra, Bodhisattva-Mahāsattvas should cultivate such firmly established right conduct until the end of life, without allowing even a single moment of interruption; regarding all Buddhas, they should diligently protect, until the end of life, without allowing even a single moment of interruption; regarding the True Dharma, they should diligently receive and maintain, until the end of life, without allowing even a single moment of interruption; regarding the profound Dharma of emptiness, they should diligently believe and understand, until the end of life, without allowing even a single moment of interruption.
“Śāriputra, these are the four kinds of Dharma that Bodhisattva-Mahāsattvas should arouse in later evil ages. If there is a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva who accomplishes these four kinds of Dharma, then in future degenerate ages when the Dharma is about to be exhausted, when the True Dharma is slandered, when the True Dharma is extinguished, when the power of those who break the precepts becomes strong, when people ardently pursue heterodox worldly teachings and evil incantations, when the kalpa becomes turbid and chaotic, when sentient beings become turbid, when life force becomes turbid, when afflictions become turbid, when views become turbid—at such a time the Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva should abide in three places as supports. What are the three? They should abide in Araṇya places, should abide in places where quarrels have ceased, and should abide in the place of Buddha-Bodhi. Śāriputra, these are the three places in which Bodhisattva-Mahāsattvas should abide in future evil ages. They should uphold them in this manner—this is to be fully endowed with the Vīrya-Pāramitā.”
At that time, the World-Honored One wished to restate this meaning and spoke in verse:
“Not distancing oneself from the foremost Dharma, and in order to bring an end to the suffering of birth, aging, illness, and death,
one constantly applies diligent exertion without false or deluded thoughts, and will swiftly accomplish benefit for oneself and benefit for others.
If someone, after hearing this wholesome Dharma, abides in right contemplation,
you should know that I am that person’s great teacher, and he is my true disciple.
If someone does not hear such a Dharma, or even having heard it does not abide in right contemplation,
that person will certainly proceed toward the evil destinies, just as all streams flow toward the great ocean.
Across kalpas counted in hundreds of thousands of koṭis of nayutas, the appearance of Buddhas is exceedingly difficult;
and if, having met them only by rare chance, one does not personally serve and attend them, then one will drift along following evil Māras.”
“Furthermore, Śāriputra, in the past, during a kalpa ninety-one in number, there appeared a Buddha in the world named Superior Observation, the Tathāgata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Awakened One, the One Perfect in Clarity and Conduct, the Well Gone, the Knower of the World, the Unsurpassed Leader, the Teacher of Devas and Human Beings, Buddha, the World-Honored One.
“Śāriputra, within the teaching of the Buddha Superior Observation, there were six bhikṣus who constantly committed evil and followed one another. Their names were: first, Good Vision; second, Good Delight; third, Joy; fourth, Well-Tamed; fifth, Suyuccha; and sixth, One Granted by the Fire-Deva. Śāriputra, these six bhikṣus constantly proclaimed adharma, namely, “there is a self, there is a person, there is permanence, there is annihilation.” They formed a tightly bound faction, associated intimately, trusted one another, and gathered in hidden places to plot together, saying: “We should each convert and entice a full hundred households as our followers; and we should have these hundred households further pass our teaching on to their own kin. Thus transmitted in succession—relatives to relatives, in-laws to in-laws—it may reach as many as fifty or a hundred additional families.” Having decided this plan, they immediately set out to preach. Whether in villages, towns, wilderness regions, marketplaces, royal capitals, or other neighboring lands, in every household they arrived without exception, they went in person. Upon arrival they did not expound the True Dharma but first slandered the Buddha, the World-Honored One.
“Śāriputra, how did those evil bhikṣus slander? Śāriputra, they said to the people: “In the world there certainly is a self, beings, a life-bearer, and those who go on to person. If in the world there were no self and no dharmas, then who comes and who goes? Who sits and who lies down? Who speaks and who remains silent? Who gives alms and who receives? Who is able to enjoy? Who experiences suffering and happiness? Who experiences what is neither suffering nor happiness? If someone should tell you: ‘In the world there is no self, no beings, no life-bearer, no those who go on to person,’ you should understand that such a person is your enemy, not your good friend.” Śāriputra, at that time these evil bhikṣus further enticed both men and women, the young and the old, saying: “If someone proclaims teachings such as no-self, then know that person to be unwholesome, violent and wicked, your evil friend and not your good friend.” And they further instructed them: “All of you are intelligent and can deeply understand the meaning of what I teach. From now on, if evil friends, non-good friends, approach you and preach that in the world there is definitely no self and so forth, you should not easily approach them, speak with them, associate with them, or serve and provide offerings to them.” Śāriputra, through this teaching of the evil bhikṣus, within half a month each one enticed a full five hundred households who accepted their views.
“Śāriputra, at that time there was another bhikṣu, already an Arhat, who had forever abandoned all defilements, a true disciple of the Tathāgata Superior Observation, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Awakened One. Because of seeking alms and other causes, he went to those households converted by the evil bhikṣus. As soon as he reached the doorway, he was jointly reviled by men and women, the old and the young. They scolded him without reason, used harsh and vile speech to disgrace him to his face, and recited verses at the bhikṣus, saying:
‘You are unable to know the True Dharma. You have strayed from the Noble Path.
Toward the pure teaching you produce retreat and abandonment. You shall all fall into the hells.’
“Śāriputra, after uttering these words, they scolded the Arhat even more severely. After scolding, they used various expressions to insult the Buddha, and before the Buddha they recited a gāthā, saying:
‘The Dharma spoken by the Tathāgata is false. He says that all conditioned dharmas are impermanent,
and further says that all dharmas are without self, And that there is no eternality, nothing unchanging,
and that conditioned dharmas have no solidity. All this is false and deceptive speech,
Like empty flowers in the air, without any reality, Able only to delude foolish men.’
“Śāriputra, after speaking these words and belittling the Buddha, they became even more enraged and again recited a gāthā before the Buddha:
‘All dharmas spoken by the Tathāgata, saying “there is definitely no self, no beings,
no life-bearer, no person, No agent, and no recipient,”
Yet now we observe in the world That indeed there are those who give and those who receive,
And many others who enjoy various things, and great numbers who can be awakened.
Therefore it is known that if one says there is no self, Then all should fall into the evil realms.’
“Śāriputra, at that time, the unwholesome people who together proclaimed such adharma, men and women, young and old, numbered sixty-eight thousand koṭis of sentient beings. All of them, because they had been influenced and misled by those evil bhikṣus, created such evil deeds. At the end of their lives, they were all born together within the great Avīci hell, taking on coarse and massive bodies in the form of giant fish with human heads. Their tongues were broad, long, and spread across the ground, densely studded with iron spikes, just like a field planted with ginger. Upon these tongues, numerous iron ploughs ceaselessly ploughed. Each of their bodies was also torn at and devoured by a hundred exceedingly wicked śavkhas. In the sky above, blazing iron balls—fierce and filled with intense flames, with radiance glaring and raging—fell downward without cease, striking their bodies like a rainstorm. Because of their evil deeds, these beings experienced such manifold and intense sufferings.
At that time, the World-Honored One wished to restate this meaning and spoke in verse:
‘The iron balls burned fiercely, flashing like lightning;
innumerable fearsome objects of hundreds of thousands of kinds continually fell upon their bodies,
causing them to endure unremitting scorching pains.
The fire blazed in violent intensity, coursing throughout their bodies, impossible even to approach.
Flames rose upward to a height of a hundred yojanas, and the flowing fire filled every pore of their bodies.
Furthermore, each of those beings had a tongue ploughed by countless iron ploughs;
all their tongues were split apart, and the sensations of such agony clung to them without interruption.
It is by associating with evil friends that such a vast accumulation of suffering can be felt;
and by distancing themselves from those who uphold the precepts, they swiftly fell into the evil destinies.’
“Śāriputra, at that time those six evil bhikṣus who were with adharma, because they had misguided the multitude through their erroneous teachings, after death were all reborn in the Great Avīci Hell. Each of them possessed a body thirty yojanas in height and breadth, and upon each body grew more than a thousand mouths. Within every mouth there arose two tongues, and each tongue was four yojanas in length and width. Upon every tongue there were five hundred iron ploughs, drawn by iron oxen that ploughed their tongues. Although these sinners endured intense and violent pain, because of the extremity of their suffering they did not even have the chance to cry out. Upon their heads were hundreds of koṭis of wardens of hell, each holding knives, saws, spears, pikes, and various instruments of punishment, chopping, piercing, splitting, and destroying their bodies and heads. Their life force in this hell extended for trillions of years, and in this manner they passed on again into other great hells, tasting all manner of bitterness and suffering. Why was it so? It was because they had once given rise to hatred and had reviled the sacred teaching of the Buddha.
“Śāriputra, at that time there was a great elder named Peaceful Rest. He possessed immeasurable wealth and abundant assets, accumulating many precious treasures: gold, silver, crystal, coral, maṇi, pearls, shells, and jade; all were fully complete. He also had many male and female servants, and the storehouses of his wealth and grain were heaped full to overflowing. At that time, this elder was instructed by those evil bhikṣus, accepted their assertions, and gave rise to a view of annihilation. The elder had a wife named Flame-Wisdom, whose appearance was beautiful and pleasing, and she was well respected by the people. She bore a boy whose form was upright, adorned, and lovely; all who saw him felt no displeasure. He was endowed with the foremost perfection of a pure and luminous body, and in the past before countless hundreds of thousands of nayuta koṭis of Buddhas he had planted various wholesome roots. When he was first born, he laughed three times and then said, “Marvelous indeed, marvelous indeed. Why have I now been born into a family that holds a view of annihilation?” When his mother heard these words, she was seized with terror, her hair standing on end, and together with the other women she abandoned him and fled.
“Śāriputra, at that time those women, wishing to ascertain the matter, returned and approached again to observe what kind of being this child was. Was he a deva? A nāga? A yakṣa? A gandharva? An asura? A garuḍa? A kiṃnara? A mahoraga? A kumbhāṇḍa? Or was he a piśāca, a human, or a non-human?
“Śāriputra, then the infant again addressed the women and spoke a verse:
‘You should delight in seeking what is meaningful and beneficial, and regarding what is meaningful and beneficial you should not be afraid.
I shall enlighten you and lead you away from the deviant path.
You should dwell in peace without fear, and instead you ought to fear those evil companions.
I shall enlighten you and lead you away from wrong views.’
“Śāriputra, then the parents and the other assembly, having heard the infant recite the gāthā, came to where the child was. At this time the infant addressed his parents, saying:
‘All the vast wealth and grain stored in this household should be quickly brought out;
I shall offer them to the Buddha and to the Śrāvakas.
Those great Śrāvakas and the Buddha Superior Observation, who illumines the world
—within the three realms there is none who can compare with them.
Those great Śrāvakas and the Buddha Superior Observation, who illumines the world,
widely proclaim the wondrous Dharma and bring benefit to all beings.
Those great Śrāvakas and the Buddha Superior Observation, who illumines the world,
are furnished with the thirty-two marks of a great person.
That Buddha and his Śrāvakas are like the utpala flower;
their names are exceedingly difficult to hear, and even through hundreds of koṭis of kalpas they are hard to encounter.’
“Śāriputra, at that time the child’s parents, after hearing this Dharma, immediately brought forth from their household twenty koṭis of the finest precious treasures, came to the child’s side, and said to him: ‘These treasures belong to your parents. You should take them and, according to the objects of reverence and faith in your heart, make offerings with a mind of respect.’ At this time the parents also spoke a gāthā for the child:
‘These are treasures accumulated by your parents.
You may, according to your own wishes, give them away as offerings to those whom you revere and trust.
Whether gold or precious jewels, the household is exceedingly abundant.
You may, according to your wishes, swiftly give them away.
Clothing, bedding and seats, flower-garlands and perfumes,
you may, according to your wishes, joyfully give as offerings.
For the benefit of all beings, you should give offerings
to the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha, the unsurpassed field of merit.’
“Śāriputra, at that time, when the infant heard the gāthā spoken by his parents, he in turn spoke a gāthā for his parents:
‘I shall now go before the Buddha Superior Observation, the refuge of the world,
and broadly establish offerings for the benefit of all beings.
All beings who wish to obtain happiness among the devas and among humans
should follow me to the presence of the Tathāgata Superior Observation.’
“Śāriputra, at that time the infant, with right mindfulness and right awareness, surveyed the four directions and said to his parents: ‘Parents should know that I shall now go to where the Bhagavān Superior Observation, the Tathāgata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Awakened One dwells.’ Then the multitude, hearing these words, were all greatly astonished: ‘How is it that this infant, newly born, can converse back and forth with people, and can even walk on foot?’ At that time eighty-four thousand beings, upon hearing of this strange marvel, gathered like clouds and said, ‘We should see what kind of being this infant is. Is he a deva? A nāga? A yakṣa? Perhaps a piśāca, a human, or a non-human?’
“Śāriputra, at that time, surrounded before and behind by eighty-four thousand beings, the infant proceeded toward the place where the Tathāgata Superior Observation was dwelling. When the infant went toward the Buddha, by the power of his merit, so that he would not be harmed by wind or sun, there naturally appeared above him ten-thousand jeweled canopies that covered his body. And upon the path he travelled, in the sky there was spread a net of gold, and marvelous flowers and fine powdered incense descended, surpassing what the devas normally scatter. Cool winds combined with heavenly fragrance drifted everywhere, unceasing. The devas in the sky further sprinkled the path with various perfumed waters and laid down nets of golden gauze along with various precious garments. Those devas also rained down flowers, spreading them over the road; their radiance intermingled, piled up to the height of the knees. On both sides of the road, immeasurable hundreds of thousands of pure pools naturally appeared, filled with the eight qualities of excellent water, and growing all sorts of wondrous flowers, namely the utpala flower, the padme flower, the kumuda flower, and the puṇḍarīka flower, all of which bloomed brightly and filled the pools. There were also ducks, geese, and mandarin ducks, and various birds of different kinds playing upon the water.
“Śāriputra, at that time, on the two sides of the path the infant traveled, there were railings of the seven treasures marking the boundaries, and uncountable thousands of divine musical performances, producing deep and marvelous sounds. Rows of jeweled trees adorned both sides, and in the center of the great road a flower-path was laid out before him as an offering, awaiting the infant’s tread. On this flower-path, the blossoms that bore his footsteps naturally vanished when he lifted his foot, and when he was about to place his foot down, the blossoms again sprang forth. At that time the infant, after proceeding for a moment upon this flower-path, turned back to gaze at the assembly and spoke a gāthā:
‘You who grasp mistaken doctrines should not advance. Outside the path that I tread, other paths are mistaken.
I always travel upon the path of true principle, and thus I go toward the most supremely meaningful place.
It is only after immeasurable nayuta kalpas that, through blessed fortune, one again encounters the occasion of obtaining a human body,
the occasion of a Buddha appearing in the world, and the occasion of diligent cultivation bringing forth pure faith and wisdom.’
“Śāriputra, at that time, after the infant finished speaking the gāthā for the great assembly, eighty-four thousand great devas in the sky all praised in unison, saying: ‘Excellent, excellent.’ Immediately they further praised the infant with a gāthā:
‘Excellent, excellent, great one of wisdom, what you have proclaimed accords with true principle.
Those whom the noble one looks back upon are people of mistaken views; those who possess true principle should advance forward.’
“Śāriputra, at that time the infant again answered the devas with a gāthā:
‘What you devas have spoken, concerning what is reasonable and unreasonable,
I now wish to question you. You should respond: what is the true meaning of what is reasonable and unreasonable?’
“Śāriputra, at that time the devas again answered the infant with a gāthā:
‘If one delights in and abides in wealth, and does not delight in renouncing such places,
then such unreasonable ordinary fools are dwelling upon the path leading toward hell.
But if one delights in abandoning the household and going forth, then one should abandon desire and wealth.
Such a person in the world is one who possesses true principle, and before long will open the gateway of liberation.’
“Śāriputra, at that time the infant again answered the devas with a gāthā:
‘What you have spoken concerning what is reasonable and unreasonable—I see that you have failed to understand it entirely.
As for this meaning of what is reasonable and unreasonable, I have already profoundly and rightly awakened to it.’
“Śāriputra, at that time, after this infant had finished speaking these words, he went forward and came to the great assembly hall of the Bhagavān Vipaśyin, the Tathāgata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Awakened One. When he arrived there, he bowed to the Buddha’s feet, circumambulated him to the right three times, then withdrew to one side. Toward the Bhagavān Superior Observation, the Tathāgata, he aroused deep reverence, and immediately praised him with a gāthā:
‘He constantly acts for the benefit of all beings in the world; Superior Observation is complete in the three insights, bestowing nectar.
He is like a great nāga-elephant and a great lion; therefore I now continually pay him reverent homage.
The illuminator of the world is extremely difficult to encounter, rare like the udumbara flower.
He serves as refuge for the world, bringing forth radiance; his form and colour are subtle and perfectly complete.
Beings of the world are oppressed by manifold afflictions and cannot know the true Holy Path;
they wander astray from the right road, just like those born blind dwelling in the world.
May I in this very life become a Buddha, just like the present Superior Observation, the Most Honoured among humans.
I shall remove the measureless sufferings of beings and rescue those who are burned by the three fires.
Such boundless hundreds of thousands of beings have all followed me to this place;
I only wish that you might proclaim the wondrous Dharma so that they may all abide in Unsurpassed Bodhi.’
“Śāriputra, at that time, after the infant finished speaking this gāthā, he addressed the Tathāgata Superior Observation, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Awakened One, saying: ‘World-Honored One, may I in a future life, in this very world, become a Tathāgata, a Worthy One, a Perfectly Awakened One, and for the sake of all beings proclaim the true Dharma, just as the present Tathāgata Superior Observation is now broadly revealing the wondrous Dharma for the great assembly.’
“At that time, eighty-four thousand beings within the Dharma assembly likewise spoke to the Tathāgata Superior Observation, saying: ‘World-Honored One, we also wish that in future lives we may attain Buddhahood, becoming Tathāgatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Awakened Ones, and for the sake of beings reveal the true Dharma, just like the present Tathāgata Superior Observation, with no difference whatsoever.’
“At that time, the Tathāgata Superior Observation, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Awakened One, having understood the powerful vows in the minds of these eighty-four thousand beings, smiled. Śāriputra, the rule of the Buddhas is thus: whenever they smile, various lights—blue, yellow, red, white, crimson, and crystal-coloured—issue naturally from the Buddha’s face and illumine immeasurable, boundless Buddha-worlds, reaching up to the Brahmā heavens and outshining the radiance of all suns and moons. After these rays of light universally illuminate all places and accomplish what ought to be done, they then return, circumambulate the Tathāgata Superior Observation on the right a hundred thousand times, and finally enter the crest-knot of the Bhagavān.
“Śāriputra, at that time the Tathāgata Superior Observation had an attendant who, when he saw the Buddha display this supernormal transformation and emit a smile, rose from his seat, bared his left shoulder, and placed his right knee on the ground. With palms joined, bowing his body, he then addressed the Buddha with a gāthā:
‘I now wish to ask the Buddha, the World-Honored Superior Observation: you, whose deportment is pure and rare, who cause beings to rejoice
—what is the reason and condition that the Great Sugata, the refuge of the world, manifests this smile?
When the World-Honored One of two feet displays a smile, such a sign cannot be without a cause.
May you reveal the fundamental reason for this smile, for the sake of benefiting the world, out of compassion.
Now there are hundreds of thousands of koṭis of beings dwelling before the Muni, the World-Honored One,
gathering in their faculties, attentively listening. May the refuge of the world, out of compassion for beings, speak forth.
The Buddha is the eye of all beings, their dwelling place, protector, and destination;
he cuts off the many doubts of beings, and is the compassionate benefactor who brings them benefit.
The Tathāgata well knows all the past and also penetrates the future;
he has no doubts concerning all Dharmas and fully comprehends all Buddha-lands of the present.
The Dharma-King of omniscience speaks with mastery, the wondrous Tathāgata who surpasses the three times.
I now ask the refuge of the world: for what reason has this smile appeared?
The Buddha can forever cut away the net of doubts of others, and he himself has no doubts regarding all Dharmas.
With the eight kinds of voice he clearly proclaims the subtle Dharma and is well able to remove the poisoned arrows of beings’ afflictions.
My heart is joyful and leaps with delight beyond expression; with hands joined and mind reverent,
I dare to ask the Lord of Dharma, the Great Holy One: for what reason has this smile appeared?’
“Śāriputra, at that time the Tathāgata Superior Observation, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Awakened One, said to the attendant: ‘Bhikṣu, do you now see this infant standing before me?’ The attendant replied, ‘Yes, I now see him.’ The Buddha Superior Observation said, ‘This infant, in the past, before sixty-four hundred thousand koṭis of nayutas of Buddhas, made offerings, paid reverence, honoured, and praised those Buddhas, and with various garments, food and drink, bedding, medicines for illness, and other material requisites, he performed giving and offerings to all those Buddhas. And for the sake of directing himself toward supreme Bodhi, he also, in the past before ten nayutas of Buddhas, cultivated the Brahma-conduct and dedicated it toward Anuttarā-Samyak-Saṃbodhi. Bhikṣu, you should know that the eighty-four thousand beings whom this infant now leads were, in past lives, all fathers and mothers of this infant throughout his births and rebirths. Why is this so? Because this infant in the past made this vow: ‘Wherever I am born, may all the parents of my bodily births be able to dwell in Buddha-Bodhi; and may all these mothers never again receive a woman’s body.’ Because of the power of this vow, those beings, all the way until today, have followed this infant to my presence, and, following his lead, they have generated the mind of unsurpassed perfect awakening.’
“At that time, the Tathāgata Superior Observation wished to restate this meaning and recited verses for the attendant bhikṣu:
‘Bhikṣu, you should observe this infant and the thousands of beings standing before you,
whose hearts leap with joy and who sincerely make vows, saying, “May we in future lives accomplish Buddhahood just like the Lord of Dharma.”
You should know that in past births they, in the presence of that number of Buddhas,
made reverential offerings to the great Guides, the awakened ones who benefit devas and humans in the world;
and before ten nayutas of Buddhas, they went forth from home under the Buddhas, upheld the true Dharma,
constantly cultivated the most excellent practices for the sake of seeking unsurpassed Bodhi.
Just look at these eighty-four thousand beings now standing before the Tathāgata.
In remote past ages they all were parents of this infant,
and this infant vowed: “May all my parents in my births and rebirths
all be enabled to abide in unsurpassed perfect awakening, and never again take a woman’s body.”
They all follow the practices of the infant and have generated the mind of Bodhi before me;
now I shall confer predictions upon them, that in the future they will surely become the Most Honoured among the two feet.
Because of this condition, I now display a smile. I fully know their past sublime practices,
and also know all the deeds they shall perform in the future—they shall certainly attain the great Holy Lord among humans.’
The devas, nāgas, spirits, and humans, whose numbers were immeasurable hundreds of thousands of nayutas,
upon hearing the Buddha confer predictions upon them, generated great joy toward the Venerable Superior Observation.
“Śāriputra, at that time, when the infant heard the Buddha’s conferral of predictions, his heart rejoiced, leapt in boundless delight, felt joyful, serene, and at ease as never before, and he quickly went to where his parents were and spoke a gāthā:
‘So many thousands of my parents of former lives, have already dwelt in Bodhi.
My parents of this present life—toward what does your mind now incline?’
“Śāriputra, at that time the parents also answered him with a gāthā:
‘Toward the aim that you pursue, my mind also turns.
I shall accomplish the wisdom of the All-knowing One; this resolve is without doubt.
You are now born into my family; may you in the future not abandon me
but constantly remember me, so that I may swiftly realize Bodhi.’
“Śāriputra, at that time the infant again addressed his parents with a gāthā:
‘All those whom I guide all wish to become Buddha first.
I shall become the last one of the illuminator of the world, the trainer of beings.’
“Śāriputra, you should now observe: that infant who was in the Dharma assembly of the Tathāgata Superior Observation in a past age—could he be someone else? You must not give rise to doubt. He is precisely the present Maheśvara. From that time onward, across koṭis of nayutas of kalpas, he never regressed or fell back; after that kalpa passed, he was born into the lineage of a Wheel-Turning Holy King. His future father will be named Reputation, just like my present father, King Pure-Rice. His future mother will be named Dispel-Darkness, just like my present mother, Mahā-Māyā. His future son will be named Sorrow-Free, just like my present son, Rāhula.
“Śāriputra, after he renounces the household and realizes Bodhi, he will attain the Buddha-path, and his title shall be the Tathāgata Great Compassion, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Awakened One, fully endowed with the Ten Epithets. The life force of that Buddha will extend for a hundred thousand koṭis of years; the constant radiance of the Buddha’s body will reach across ten yojanas; and the Dharma assembly in which the Buddha expounds the Dharma will be filled for a hundred yojanas. During the period when the Tathāgata Great Compassion abides in the world and teaches, in order to liberate the Śrāvakas he will hold three great Dharma assemblies: in the first assembly he will liberate one hundred koṭis of disciples; in the second assembly he will liberate nayutas of koṭis of disciples; in the third assembly he will liberate hundreds of thousands of nayutas of koṭis of disciples.
“Śāriputra, among his disciples, one koṭi will all be great Arhats, all outflows exhausted, afflictions ended, possessing the wisdom of mastery, endowed with the eight liberations, and accomplished in meditative absorptions and the six supernormal powers. Śāriputra, the Śrāvaka Arhat assembly liberated by the Tathāgata Great Compassion will be of the numbers described in those three assemblies; and his Bodhisattva assembly will be equal in number. All these persons were fathers and mothers of that Buddha in past lives. After that World-Honored One has proclaimed the wondrous Dharma and benefited immeasurable beings, he will enter Nirvāṇa. After the Buddha’s passing, the true Dharma will remain in the world for koṭis of years; his śarīras will be distributed and bring benefit to beings, just as the dissemination and offerings to my own relics after my Nirvāṇa will be, without any difference.
“Śāriputra, Bodhisattva-Mahāsattvas who abide in right vigour are also thus. While cultivating the Vīrya-Pāramitā, for the sake of seeking Anuttarā-Samyak-Saṃbodhi, they are able to cultivate the correct practice of this scripture and arouse even greater exhortation, generating a force of courageous right vigour that is exceedingly resolute, liberating immeasurable beings. I call such a person a virtuous great man, one who contemplates and discerns, neither weary nor retreating, courageous in vigour, always tying it to the mind. Śāriputra, what is Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva’s indefatigable diligence?
“Śāriputra, when a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva seeks Bodhi for the sake of all sentient beings, he should not delimit his aspiration by any measure. Why is this? Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva does not think in this way: ‘I should wander in birth and death for this many kalpas,’ or ‘I should not wander in birth and death for this many kalpas.’ Precisely for this reason the Bodhisattva, at that time donning the inconceivable armor, abides within birth and death and reflects thus: ‘If the births and deaths I have previously endured were like this, then for the sake of seeking Bodhi, even if I must undergo hardships doubled from former lives and traverse an even longer span of birth and death, I shall never grow lax or stop.’ Śāriputra, when a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva possesses such firm and vast vows, he is said to have accomplished indefatigable diligence.
“Furthermore, Śāriputra, how does a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva cultivate vigorous diligence? Śāriputra, if the three-thousandfold great-thousand world-system were filled with blazing flames, a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva who has aroused courageous right exertion, relying on the power of diligence, would pass through them in order to pay homage to that Tathāgata, without fear or retreat.
“Furthermore, Śāriputra, a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva of courageous right exertion, relying on the strength of diligence, would pass directly through such flames without fear or retreat in order to hear the profound Dharma gates of the Great Bodhisattva Treasury.
“Furthermore, Śāriputra, if the three-thousandfold great-thousand world-system were filled with blazing flames, a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva of courageous vigour, relying on the power of diligence, would pass directly through them without fear or retreat in order to proclaim the deep and wondrous Dharma of the Great Bodhisattva Treasury.
“Furthermore, Śāriputra, if the three-thousandfold great-thousand world-system were filled with blazing flames, a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva of courageous right exertion, relying on the power of diligence, would pass through them without fear or retreat in order to bring forth wholesome roots and conditions.
“Furthermore, Śāriputra, if the three-thousandfold great-thousand world-system were filled with blazing flames, a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva of courageous right exertion, relying on the power of diligence, would pass through them in order to benefit all sentient beings; and in order to bring others to quiescence and to subdue them, even when encountering such flames, he would pass through without fear or retreat.
“Furthermore, Śāriputra, a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva who arouses courageous and indefatigable right exertion, relying on the power of diligence, would pass through such flames without fear or retreat in order to enable others to realize Parinirvāṇa.
“Śāriputra, this is called the mark of the Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva’s cultivation of the Vīrya-Pāramitā in its aspect of courage.
“Furthermore, Śāriputra, when a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva who has aroused courageous, indefatigable diligence cultivates the Vīrya-Pāramitā, through the permeation of the supreme great compassion brought forth by steadfast and unrelenting wholesome roots, he constantly arouses the force of great, courageous diligence and continually carries out teaching and guidance among sentient beings.
“Furthermore, Śāriputra, such a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva who has aroused courageous, indefatigable right exertion, in all acts of lifting or placing his feet, never abandons the great mind of Bodhi. Toward the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha he constantly gives rise to cherishing reverence and keeps them always held in his mind. Toward all sentient beings he always observes universally, seeking only to benefit them and not wishing that they be seized or oppressed by the powers of affliction.
“Furthermore, Śāriputra, the Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva who has aroused courageous, indefatigable vigour dedicates all the subtle and wholesome roots he has already brought forth toward unsurpassed Bodhi, so that these wholesome roots will never come to exhaustion. It is like a small quantity of water poured into the great ocean; such water will not be exhausted until the kalpa-ending fires burn. Śāriputra, so it is with the Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva: when he dedicates various wholesome roots to Bodhi, they are likewise inexhaustible. This is called the great exertional force of courageous and indefatigable diligence of the Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva.
“Furthermore, Śāriputra, the Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva who is courageous and indefatigable in exertion, through the equality practice he accumulates wholesome roots, gives rise to wholesome roots with an equal mind toward all sentient beings. He accumulates wholesome roots in order to bring forth and activate the wisdom of omniscience, and he accumulates wholesome roots in order to benefit all sentient beings. Śāriputra, such immeasurable and manifold great wholesome roots are all brought forth through the great exertional force of the Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva who is courageous and never weary.
“Furthermore, Śāriputra, these Bodhisattva-Mahāsattvas of courageous and indefatigable diligence should constantly apply diligence in cultivating this Dharma, and the accumulation of merit they obtain is measureless and boundless. Now I shall expound broadly the marks of this accumulation of merit.
“Śāriputra, I observe that the merit-accumulations possessed by all sentient beings in the world is measureless and boundless, and the merit-accumulation of all Noble Ones who are still learning and those who are beyond learning, and the merit-accumulation possessed by all Pratyekabuddhas, are even more immeasurable and inconceivable. If all such accumulations of merit, as previously described, were gathered together and placed into one single pore of a single sentient being, and if each and every pore of that sentient being contained merit-accumulations equal to what was just described—measureless, boundless, inconceivable—and if, further, all accumulations of merit within the pores of all sentient beings were gathered together and placed into the great Dharma Shrine of a Great Assembly that has no lock, Śāriputra, the merit-accumulation of such a Dharma Shrine would still need to increase a hundredfold to produce even a single great bodily mark of the Tathāgata. Each such great mark is accomplished by such a vast accumulation of merit. And the total accumulation of merit belonging to all the great marks of the Tathāgata’s entire body gathers together into the tuft of fine hair between the eyebrows. This accumulation of merit woven into the tuft exceeds by hundreds of thousands the vast merit-accumulations previously mentioned. From these arises the usnīṣa, the great mark that none can gaze upon at the crown of the Tathāgata. The merit-accumulation gathered into this flesh-protuberance surpasses by koṭis of hundreds of thousands the previously mentioned great accumulations of merit, and from this is formed the great Dharma śaṅkha of the Tathāgata. Śāriputra, this great Dharma-conch of the Tathāgata is assembled from immeasurable varieties of merit, and therefore the Tathāgata is able, following his own intention, to emit a great sound that proclaims throughout boundless worlds, widely expounding the wondrous Dharma for all beings and enabling them, according to their capacities, to hear, understand, believe, and rejoice. Why is this? All of this arises from diligent cultivation.
“Śāriputra, the Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva should thus reflect: ‘Although this unsurpassed, perfectly complete Bodhi is exceedingly difficult to realize, I shall never abandon the armor of exertion. I will arouse great courage and shall assuredly and swiftly realize the unsurpassed Bodhi; this is by no means difficult. Once I have become a Buddha, in accordance with my intention, from the Dharma-conch mark I shall emit a great sound that proclaims throughout boundless worlds, expounding the subtle Dharma for all beings, enabling them to hear it according to their capacities, believe and understand, and all gain joy.’ Śāriputra, this is called the mark of courageous and indefatigable vigour of the Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva.
“Furthermore, Śāriputra, the Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva who is courageous and never weary in diligent exertion, relying on the Vīrya-Pāramitā, should constantly apply diligence and cultivate in this manner. Because of such cultivation, he becomes fully accomplished in all knowledge. Śāriputra, suppose that all sentient beings throughout the three-thousandfold great-thousand world-system were to accomplish the knowledge of those who practice in accordance with faith—yet compared to the knowledge of a single person who practices in accordance with the Dharma, it would not equal even a hundredth part, nor a thousandth part, nor a hundred thousandth part, nor a sāṁkhya part, nor a kalā part, nor a gaṇana part, nor an upamā part, nor an upaniṣad part.
“Furthermore, Śāriputra, suppose that all sentient beings throughout the three-thousandfold great-thousand world-system were to accomplish the knowledge of those who practice in accordance with the Dharma—yet compared to the knowledge of a single Eighth Person, it would not equal a hundredth part, even up to not equaling an upaniṣad part.
“Furthermore, Śāriputra, suppose that all sentient beings throughout the three-thousandfold great-thousand world-system were to accomplish the wisdom of the Eighth Person—yet compared to the knowledge of a single person who has attained the fruit of Stream-Entry, it would not equal a hundredth part, even up to not equaling an upaniṣad part.
“Furthermore, Śāriputra, suppose that all sentient beings throughout the three-thousandfold great-thousand world-system were to accomplish the knowledge of Stream-Entry—when compared with the knowledge of a Once-Returner, and then with the knowledge of a Non-Returner, then with the knowledge of an Arhat, then with the knowledge of a Pratyekabuddha, then with the knowledge of a Bodhisattva who has practiced for more than a hundred kalpas, then with the knowledge of a non-retrogressing Bodhisattva, then with the knowledge of a Bodhisattva dwelling in the station of the One-More-Life-to-Come, the difference is immeasurably vast, boundless, and cannot be matched by any enumeration or analogy.
“Thus, Śāriputra, even if all sentient beings in the immeasurable and boundless worlds of the ten directions were to accomplish the knowledge of Bodhisattvas dwelling in the One-More-Life-to-Come, compared with the Tathāgata’s power of knowledge of knowing what is possible and what is not possible, it would not equal a hundredth part, nor a thousandth part, nor a hundred thousandth part, nor a sāṁkhya part, nor a kalā part, nor a gaṇana part, nor an upamā part, nor an upaniṣad part—indeed not equal to any enumeration or analogy whatsoever.
“Śāriputra, when a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva, through cultivating the Vīrya-Pāramitā, hears of such profound wisdom and understanding of the Tathāgata, his mind is not startled, nor does he become frightened. Instead, he gives rise to joy and longing for such knowledge, arouses right exertion, and never abandons or relinquishes it. He reflects: ‘Now that I cultivate courageous and diligent exertion, even if the skin, flesh, bones, blood, sinews, veins, marrow, and brain of my body were all to dry up, decay, and perish without anything remaining, until I have realized the Tathāgata’s knowledge of what is possible and what is not possible, during this entire interval I shall arouse great courage and firm diligence, never slackening, never abandoning.’ Śāriputra, this is called the firm mark of the Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva’s Vīrya-Pāramitā of courageous and indefatigable right exertion. It should be cultivated in this way.
“Furthermore, Śāriputra, when the Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva cultivates the Vīrya-Pāramitā and arouses great courageous, indefatigable right exertion, he should constantly practice diligence in this manner. Because of such cultivation, he is able to extinguish all fires of affliction in sentient beings.
“Śāriputra, suppose that all the manifold thoughts and intentions of all sentient beings in past lives were all gathered and made to revolve within the single mind of one sentient being; and suppose that every thought of that being were then possessed by each and every sentient being in the same immeasurable multitude and complexity, difficult to comprehend. Within these thoughts, each contains immeasurable greed, hatred, delusion, and other defiled afflictions. Then suppose that all these afflictions of all sentient beings were gathered into a single mind and made to revolve therein. Śāriputra, in such progressive reflection, all sentient beings indeed possess afflictions that are immeasurable and difficult to fathom. A Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva reflects thus: ‘I shall exhort myself, arouse great courage, and diligently cultivate exertion in search of the provisions of such wisdom. By the power of the vigour I arouse, I shall cause the fires of greed, hatred, delusion, and all other burning afflictions of all sentient beings to be completely extinguished without remainder, to cut off the poisons, to destroy and disperse them like ashes, and to swiftly establish beings upon the path of Nirvāṇa.’ Śāriputra, this is called the Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva’s courageous and indefatigable Vigour-Pāramitā. It should be cultivated in this way.
“Furthermore, Śāriputra, when a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva relies upon the Vīrya-Pāramitā and abides in courageous and indefatigable exertion, he should constantly cultivate in this manner with vigour. Because of such cultivation, all wholesome bodily actions do not cease, all wholesome verbal actions do not cease, and all wholesome mental actions do not cease; indeed, all forms of vigour become skillful means that propel the Bodhisattva’s three karmas of body, speech, and mind.
“Śāriputra, yet people in the world speak only of the Bodhisattva’s diligence in bodily actions and verbal actions as being supreme; they do not speak of the Bodhisattva’s mark of mental diligence. Śāriputra, the Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva’s mark of mental diligence is immeasurable and boundless; I shall now speak of it briefly. What is called the mark of mental diligence? It is the Bodhisattva’s mind cultivating vigour, advancing or resting, and taking these as its marks.
“Śāriputra, what is called the advancing-and-resting of vigour? Śāriputra, the Bodhisattva cultivates great exertion and practices diligently for the sake of Bodhi.
“What is called ‘advancing’ is arousing great compassion toward sentient beings; what is called ‘resting’ is abiding in the forbearance of no-self.
‘Advancing’ is gathering in sentient beings; ‘resting’ is having no grasping toward dharmas.
‘Advancing’ is never becoming weary within birth and death; ‘resting’ is realizing the three realms are not obtainable.
‘Advancing’ is giving everything without remainder; ‘resting’ is to take up no characteristic in the act of giving.
‘Advancing’ is embracing pure discipline; ‘resting’ is to take up no characteristic regarding śīla.
‘Advancing’ is enduring all sufferings; ‘resting’ is keeping the mind free from destruction.
‘Advancing’ is bringing forth all wholesome dharmas; ‘resting’ is keeping the mind always distant.
‘Advancing’ is embracing meditative concentration; ‘resting’ is the mind always abiding in quiescence.
‘Advancing’ is hearing the True Dharma without weariness; ‘resting’ is o remain inwardly focused with skillfulness.
‘Advancing’ is hearing and teaching the Dharma without fatigue; ‘resting’ is free from frivolous speech.
‘Advancing’ is seeking the provisions of wisdom; ‘resting’ is cutting off all discursiveness.
‘Advancing’ is increasing purity and faith; ‘resting’ is to abandon fully aspects.
‘Advancing’ is perfecting the five supernormal powers; ‘resting’ is fully knowing the exhaustion of the defilements.
‘Advancing’ is cultivating the establishments of mindfulness; ‘resting’ is mindfulness that functions without effort.
‘Advancing’ is skillful in the right abandonments; ‘resting’ is relinquishing both good and evil.
‘Advancing’ is arousing the bases of spiritual power; ‘resting’ is spontaneous functioning.
‘Advancing’ is mastering the faculties; ‘resting’ is contemplating the non-nature of the faculties.
‘Advancing’ is gathering in the powers; ‘resting’ is knowledge unrestrained.
‘Advancing’ is bringing forth the factors of Bodhi; ‘resting’ is the wisdom that is free from discriminations regarding all Dharmas.
‘Advancing’ is seeking the provisions for the Path; ‘resting’ is the nature of no coming and no going.
‘Advancing’ is seeking Śamatha; ‘resting’ is the mind dwelling in stillness.
‘Advancing’ is accumulate superior insight; ‘resting’ is skillfully enter the nature of Dharmas.
‘Advancing’ is to enter and understand dharmas of causes and conditions; ‘resting’ is to properly know non-causal Dharmas.
‘Advancing’ is hearing sounds from others; ‘resting’ is cultivating according to the Dharma.
‘Advancing’ is adornment of the body; ‘resting’ is the body of Dharma-nature.
‘Advancing’ is adornment of speech; ‘resting’ is to rely upon the Noble Ones and abide in constant silence.
‘Advancing’ is trusting the gateways of liberation; ‘resting’ is no arising at all.
‘Advancing’ is distancing oneself from the four Māras; ‘resting’ is abandoning the habits of affliction.
‘Advancing’ is skillful means and expedients; ‘resting’ is contemplating profound wisdom.
‘Advancing’ is observing conditioned circumstances; ‘resting’ is observing beyond action.
‘Advancing’ is observing conceptual names; ‘resting’ is comprehending the true meaning.
“Śāriputra, all such marks of advancing and resting are called the Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva’s mind diligence. If Bodhisattva-Mahāsattvas hear of such marks of mind diligence, they should arouse courageous, indefatigable vigour. Śāriputra, this is called the Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva’s cultivation of the Pāramitā of right exertion, the mark of never growing weary and of courageous diligence.”
Dharma Torch 