Chapter 1

[B1] [F.34.a]

1.1Homage to all buddhas and bodhisattvas!

1.2Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was dwelling on the Vulture Peak of Rājagṛha, seated together with a great gathering of fully ordained monks, all of whom had perfected virtuous qualities, roared mighty lion’s roars as great teachers, and were expert in seeking an immeasurable accumulation of gnosis, in all more than a thousand fully ordained monks.

1.3A great gathering of bodhisattvas was also assembled there, including the bodhisattva great being Samanta­bhadra, the bodhisattva great being Ratna­mudrā­hasta, the bodhisattva great being Nityodyukta, the bodhisattva great being Ornamented by Good Qualities, the bodhisattva great being Announcing Merits, the bodhisattva great being Mahāmati, the bodhisattva great being Array of Good Qualities, [F.34.b] the bodhisattva great being Vajra Intelligence, the bodhisattva great being Vajragarbha, the bodhisattva great being Light of a Vajra, the bodhisattva great being Weapon of a Vajra, the bodhisattva great being Adamantine Vajra, the bodhisattva great being Dhāraṇī­dhara, the bodhisattva great being Dhāraṇī­mati, the bodhisattva great being Seeing All Purposes, the bodhisattva great being Avaloki­teśvara, the bodhisattva great being Mahā­sthāmaprāpta, the bodhisattva great being Dṛḍhamati, the bodhisattva great being Vajrapāṇi, the bodhisattva great being Mañjuśrī Kumāra­bhūta, the bodhisattva great being Avoiding Evil Destinies, the bodhisattva great being Overcoming All Sorrow and Darkness, the bodhisattva great being Suvikrānta­vikrāmin, the bodhisattva great being Not Taking or Rejecting, the bodhisattva great being Essence of Sandalwood , the bodhisattva great being Sāgara­mati, the bodhisattva great being Durabhi­sambhava, the bodhisattva great being Arising Joy, the bodhisattva great being Intelligence of Conduct, the bodhisattva great being Pratibhākūṭa, the bodhisattva great being Essence of Speed, and the bodhisattva great being Maitreya.

1.4Those and other bodhisattva great beings all dwelled in inconceivable emancipation, had left everything behind through the meditative absorption heroic progress , [F.35.a] had unimpeded melodic voices, and were skilled in holding sway over limitless buddha realms. They all dwelled in fearlessness, were devoid of attachment and anger, possessed pleasant-sounding voices, were not attached to the three realms of existence, possessed undivided retinues of attendants, were arisen from omniscience, and possessed limitless meditative absorptions and meditative attainments. They all fulfilled every hope, experienced the perfection of discriminating wisdom, were inclined toward meaningful goals in their bodily, verbal, and mental deeds, were intent on omniscience, were blessed to have limitless meditative absorptions and conduct, had attained fearlessness, had emptiness as their sphere of experience, and dwelled in the absence of phenomenal marks.

1.5The bodhisattva great being Samanta­bhadra, who was seated as part of that assembly, bowing with his head to the feet of the Blessed One, said, “Blessed One, how should we understand dharmadhātu?”

The Blessed One answered, “Son of a good family, dharmadhātu is to be understood as the absence of entities. Son of a good family, you should understand dharmadhātu as follows: as space-like, as without conceptual elaborations, as unelaborated, as without accepting, as without rejecting, as the absence of entities, and as foundationless.”

1.6The bodhisattva Samanta­bhadra asked, “Blessed One, does dharmadhātu arise?”

The Blessed One answered, “Son of a good family, dharmadhātu has no arising. Son of a good family, dharmadhātu is inconceivable. You should understand it as the absence of entities: entities are in no way expressible, nor can they be shown in any way.”

1.7The bodhisattva Samanta­bhadra asked, “Blessed One, how many aspects does awakening have?” [F.35.b]

The Blessed One answered, “Son of a good family, the aspects of awakening are measureless; they cannot be shown to have a fixed measure.”

1.8The bodhisattva Samanta­bhadra asked, “Blessed One, can dharmadhātu be conceptualized?”

The Blessed One answered, “Son of a good family, dharmadhātu is nonconceptual.”

1.9The bodhisattva Samanta­bhadra asked, “If dharmadhātu is nonconceptual, how could it be that spiritually immature ordinary people would think of it?”

The Blessed One answered, “All spiritually immature ordinary people have arisen from thinking, conceptualizing, and imagining.”

1.10The bodhisattva Samanta­bhadra said, “Blessed One, the awakening of the tathāgatas is profound.”

The Blessed One said, “So it is. As you say, son of a good family. Moreover, the fact that all phenomena are without conceptual elaborations is what is called awakening.”

1.11Then Mañjuśrī Kumāra­bhūta, who had already arrived at that assembly and was already seated, bowed his head to the Blessed One’s feet and addressed him with these words: “I request that the Blessed One explain the dhāraṇī of the jewel torch .”

The Blessed One answered, “Son of a good family, ask the bodhisattva Samanta­bhadra. He possesses eloquent confidence that is unhindered with respect to all dharmas. He will teach it to you.”

1.12Then Mañjuśrī seated himself directly facing the Blessed One with palms joined in supplication and said, “Why cannot the Blessed One himself, who is omniscient and all-seeing, explain it?”

The Blessed One said, “Son of a good family, where there is a bodhisattva who possesses such excellent qualities, there the tathāgatas remain in indifference.” [F.36.a]

Mañjuśrī said, “Blessed One, tathāgatas do not remain in indifference.”

1.13The Blessed One said, “Son of a good family, I am not abandoning the realm of sentient beings. Nevertheless, the teaching of the bodhisattvas is an immeasurable and inconceivable teaching.”

Then Mañjuśrī repeated, “I request the Blessed One to explain the dhāraṇī of the jewel torch .”

1.14The Blessed One answered, “Son of a good family, ask the bodhisattva Samanta­bhadra! He will teach it to you. Why? Because that sublime man remains in the accumulation of gnosis.”

Mañjuśrī said, “If it is the Tathāgata’s intention that I do so, I will request it from that sublime man.”

1.15The Blessed One said, “Mañjuśrī, if you have attained as many meditative absorptions as there are atoms, what need is there for you to request it from the Tathāgata? Son of a good family, you possess fortunate endowments regarding all the qualities of a buddha.”

1.16Mañjuśrī said, “Blessed One, all the qualities of a buddha that I have relied on, cultivated, and enhanced should be understood as the power of the person of the Tathāgata.”

1.17The Blessed One said, “Son of a good family, excellent, excellent! You have spoken well. But I request you, Mañjuśrī, to ask the bodhisattva Samanta­bhadra to teach.”

1.18Then Mañjuśrī Kumāra­bhūta said to the Blessed One, “This bodhisattva Samanta­bhadra teaches the exceedingly profound. He has mastered the Mahāyāna.” [F.36.b]

1.19The Blessed One said, “Son of a good family, you, too, are a king whose might extends over all dharmas; do not address me. You also possess the inconceivable meditative absorption of abiding in emptiness.”

1.20So Mañjuśrī Kumāra­bhūta respectfully paid homage to the bodhisattva Samanta­bhadra, pressing the ten fingers of his hands together and saying to him, “O son of the victors, if you grant me the occasion, I would like to ask you a few words.”

1.21The bodhisattva Samanta­bhadra said, “Son of a good family, if you know the right time to have come, ask!”

1.22Then Mañjuśrī Kumāra­bhūta asked the bodhisattva great being Samanta­bhadra, “O son of the victors, what is the basic meaning behind calling the Buddha ‘Buddha’?”

1.23The bodhisattva Samanta­bhadra said, “O son of the victors, the basic meaning of buddha is groundlessness. The basic meaning of buddha is the absence of entities. The basic meaning of buddha is inconceivability. The basic meaning of buddha is to be equal to the unequaled. The basic meaning of buddha is the absence of conceptual elaborations. The basic meaning of buddha is unelaborated. The basic meaning of buddha is the absence of accepting. The basic meaning of buddha is the absence of rejecting. The basic meaning of buddha is space-like. The basic meaning of buddha is ineffability. Son of a good family, such is the nature of the qualities of a buddha.”

1.24Mañjuśrī said, “O son of the victors, but if all phenomena are without conceptual elaborations, how can you teach ‘qualities of a buddha’?”

The bodhisattva Samanta­bhadra said, “O son of the victors, such a ‘teaching’ is unteachable.”

1.25Mañjuśrī said, “O son of the victors, if it is unteachable, what is taught?”

The bodhisattva Samanta­bhadra said, “Mañjuśrī, that which is the unteachable is taught through designation.” [F.37.a]

1.26Mañjuśrī said, “O son of the victors, what does one designate through designation?”

The bodhisattva Samanta­bhadra said, “Mañjuśrī, through designation one designates neither entities nor the absence of entities.”

1.27Mañjuśrī said, “O son of the victors, if one does not designate entities through designation and does not designate the absence of entities either, then how could the Three Vehicles ever be taught?”

1.28The bodhisattva Samanta­bhadra said, “Mañjuśrī, do not be attached to the dharmadhātu, which is free of attachment! Why not? Mañjuśrī, it is because the Tathāgata taught that all phenomena are the absence of entities. Why are they the absence of entities? It is because the five aggregates are not apprehended.”

1.29Mañjuśrī asked, “Is awakening something with conceptual elaborations? Or is it something that is without conceptual elaborations?”

1.30The bodhisattva Samanta­bhadra replied, “Son of a good family, awakening is neither something with conceptual elaborations, nor is it something that is without conceptual elaborations. Thus, awakening exists neither in terms of having elaborations nor as being devoid of elaborations; it is indivisible into two.”

1.31Then the Blessed One said to the bodhisattva great being Samanta­bhadra, “Son of a good family, this inconceivable teaching is excellent, excellent! Yet, through the teaching of this discourse, the world with its gods will become confused.”

1.32Mañjuśrī said, “Blessed One, to teach the Dharma in this way is not best suited to its being understood.”

The Blessed One replied, “Son of a good family, just as you say, it is not.”

1.33Then Mañjuśrī Kumāra­bhūta asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, are all phenomena designated by this type of designation?”

The Blessed One said, “Son of a good family, just as you say, they are.” [F.37.b]

1.34Then the bodhisattva Samanta­bhadra said to the Blessed One, “This pure access to the Dharma is difficult to appreciate!”

The Blessed One said, “Son of a good family, just as you say, it is.”

1.35Then the bodhisattva Sāgara­mati said to the Blessed One: “This pure access to the Dharma that was taught by the bodhisattva Samanta­bhadra was well expressed.”

The Blessed One said, “Son of a good family, just as you say, it was. Moreover, son of a good family, this is the natural result of all phenomena. It is a great rain of the Dharma.”

1.36Then a brahmin who was like a great śāla tree and who dwelled in sameness said, “Blessed One, awakening is inconceivable sameness. No letters or words are perceived in it.”

1.37The Blessed One said, “Son of a good family, it is so; in the dharmadhātu no words are perceived, nor are any sense objects perceived.”

1.38Then Mañjuśrī Kumāra­bhūta said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, what is the natural result of emptiness? What is its aspect? What is its sign ? What is its phenomenal mark?”

1.39The Blessed One said, “Mañjuśrī, emptiness is inexpressible and ineffable. That which partakes of its inexpressible nature is what is called emptiness . Emptiness is without letters, and thus it is called emptiness . Emptiness is ineffable, and hence it is called emptiness . Son of a good family, all phenomena are empty of their own essential nature.”

1.40Then the venerable Śāradvatī­putra said to the Blessed One: “Blessed One, look at the magical displays of the bodhisattvas who dwell in the inconceivable reality.”

1.41The Blessed One said: [F.38.a] “Venerable Śāradvatī­putra, the knowledge of a bodhisattva who has generated the thought of awakening for the first time is sublime, while the knowledge of an arhat is not like that. Why not? It is because the arhat remains far removed from the qualities of a buddha, while the bodhisattva will become a blessed buddha.”

1.42The bodhisattva great being Sarva­dharmeśvara then said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, according to my understanding of the sense of what the Blessed One has taught, the śrāvaka has simply not obtained the qualities of a śrāvaka.”

1.43The Blessed One said, “Son of a good family, it is not that the śrāvaka has not obtained the qualities of a śrāvaka, but rather, how could śrāvakas answer questions together with bodhisattvas or have the power and potency to bring about a transformation of their conduct?”

1.44Then Mañjuśrī Kumāra­bhūta said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, if the Tathāgata taught that this Śāradvatī­putra was foremost among disciples possessing discriminating wisdom, what did that teaching reveal?”

The Blessed One said, “Mañjuśrī, what I taught was without teaching.”

1.45Then Mañjuśrī Kumāra­bhūta said to the elder Śāradvatī­putra, “Elder, did you obtain the qualities of a śrāvaka?”

He answered, “No, I did not.”

1.46Mañjuśrī said, “In that case, are you an ordinary person?”

“No.”

1.47“So, are you a trainee?”

“No.”

1.48“Are you foremost among those who possess discriminating wisdom?”

“No.”

1.49Mañjuśrī said, “Honorable Śāradvatī­putra, if you are neither an ordinary person nor a trainee, nor foremost among those possessing discriminating wisdom, that can only mean you are someone who adheres to a heretical view.” [F.38.b]

1.50Śāradvatī­putra said, “Son of a good family, I am not going to debate with you, a sublime person whose profound depth is as unfathomable as the ocean.”

Mañjuśrī said, “Honorable Śāradvatī­putra, do not say that! You are the most prominent of the older generation.”

1.51The elder said, “The fact of my age will not itself achieve anything, nor will it lead to realization. To make it better understood, son of a good family, I will give you an analogy. Consider how with a small diamond even a great boulder may be destroyed. Likewise, the discriminating wisdom that you have in a single pore of your body is more than a sentient being like myself has in all the particles of my body put together. Son of a good family, to make it understood, I will use another analogy for you. It is like, for instance, how a powerful man can, with just a small iron hook, tame a huge frightful elephant. Son of good family, likewise, you possess power. I am weak. How can I debate with a great elephant like this?”

1.52Then the elder Śāradvatī­putra said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, it is like this: if a blind man cannot follow after someone or see a city, how would he manage to go from house to house? That would be impossible. Similarly, I see myself as blind in the presence of great elephants like these. The qualities of a buddha are that vast. I am not a suitable vessel for the qualities of a buddha. Now there is nothing for me to do.”

1.53The Blessed One said, “Śāradvatī­putra, do not talk like that! Consider, for example, that however many sentient beings may be touched by light from a tathāgata, all will obtain the qualities of a buddha. Likewise, Śāradvatī­putra, you will be a recipient of limitless and inconceivable meditative absorptions.” [F.39.a]

1.54When the Blessed One explained this Dharma discourse, ninety-two thousand among the gods and humans gained a clear understanding of the Dharma.

1.55It was at this point that the bodhisattva Dharma­mati entered the bodhisattva’s meditative absorption called the infinite application of the jewel torch . No sooner had the bodhisattva Dharma­mati entered that meditative absorption than, from the world systems in each of the ten directions that exceed in number the atoms of ten thousand buddhafields, blessed buddhas numbering as many as the atoms of ten thousand buddhafields showed their faces. Those blessed buddhas all had but one and the very same name: Vajra Quintessence.

1.56As though they were in just one place despite issuing from the ten directions, those blessed buddhas said to him, “Dharma­mati, that you have entered the bodhisattva’s meditative absorption of the infinite application in this way is excellent, excellent! Son of a good family, it is like this. Through the previous aspirations and previous blessings of this blessed tathāgata Vairocana himself, and reinforced by your own roots of virtue, all we buddhas from the ten directions, numbering as many as the atoms of ten thousand buddhafields and each one with the same name, bless you, so that you may teach all Dharma teachings, purify the gnosis of buddhahood, increase the gnosis of buddhahood, enter into the dharmadhātu, liberate the realms of sentient beings, enter and penetrate unbound gnosis, engage with gnosis, speak all languages, enter into omniscient gnosis, become unobstructed with respect to all phenomena, and engage in teaching the Dharma through knowing all three times. [F.39.b] Through the strength and blessing of the Buddha, expound the Dharma with inspired speech, beginning with the ten categories of the bodhisattva!”

1.57Then those blessed buddhas caused that blessed bodhisattva Dharma­mati to attain the light of unimpeded gnosis, with a very nature that was free of obstruction, free of interruption, and not forgetful; a gnosis free from differentiation, with a very nature that was morally blameless, inviolable, dauntless, inalienable; and excellent speech. Why so? Because he had thus obtained the very nature of that absorption.

1.58Then those blessed buddhas extended their right hands and touched the head of the bodhisattva Dharma­mati. As soon as those blessed buddhas had touched the bodhisattva Dharma­mati, he rose from that absorption and said to the bodhisattvas, “O sons of the victors, this family of bodhisattvas is as follows: it is vast owing to the boundlessness of the dharmadhātu and of the element of space. O sons of the victors, the bodhisattva great beings were born into the family of past blessed buddhas, future blessed buddhas, and present blessed buddhas.”

1.59Then those bodhisattvas said to the bodhisattva Dharma­mati, “O son of the victors, who are those bodhisattva great beings who were born into the family of the past, future, and present blessed buddhas? Tell me what thought they came from. O son of the victors, explain what those ten categories of bodhisattvas are!” [F.40.a]

1.60The bodhisattva Dharma­mati said to those bodhisattvas, “O sons of the victors, ten categories of bodhisattvas were taught, are taught, and will be taught by buddhas of the past, present, and future. What are those ten? They are: (1) bodhisattvas who have generated the initial thought of awakening, (2) beginners, (3) those who engage in yogic practice, (4) those who have taken rebirth, (5) those who have perfected application, (6) those who have perfected intention, (7) those who are irreversible, (8) those who are still youths, (9) those who are regents, and (10) those who have been consecrated. O sons of the victors, those ten categories of bodhisattvas were taught, are taught, and will be taught by buddhas of the past, present, and future.

1.61(1) “O sons of the victors, what is the category of bodhisattvas who have generated the initial thought of awakening? O sons of the victors, these bodhisattvas who have generated the initial thought of awakening will, as soon as they see the blessed buddhas, see an excellent or beautiful form with a completely excellent and brilliant complexion, miracles of magical displays, miracles of mind reading, or miracles of insightful admonition, or see suffering sentient beings, or hear the praises of the Tathāgata, such that they will long for all-knowing gnosis and from the very beginning generate the intention to attain the highest insuperable awakening. And as soon as that very first intention to attain awakening is generated, those beings will have taken up ten things that are difficult to approach. What are those ten? [F.40.b] They are: (1) the knowledge of what is possible and impossible, (2) the knowledge of deeds that occur in the past, present, and future and qualities that were obtained, (3) the knowledge of everywhere that paths lead, (4) the knowledge of the numerous and varied constituents of beings, (5) the knowledge of numerous spiritual inclinations and liberations, (6) the knowledge of the superior and inferior faculties, (7) the knowledge of the meditative concentrations, emancipations, absorptions, and meditative attainments in their defiled and purified forms and their arising, (8) the knowledge that remembers previous lives, (9) the knowledge of the divine eye, and (10) the knowledge of the exhaustion of defilements. Thus, they will have taken up those ten things that are difficult to approach. O sons of the victors, such is the category of bodhisattvas who have generated the initial thought of awakening.

1.62“O sons of the victors, these bodhisattva great beings who have generated the initial thought of awakening should worship the Buddha and apply the requisites for a bodhisattva’s happiness. Concerning that, they should provide explanations on becoming the lord of the world, acting sublimely, not being outshone, meeting with an immeasurable number of buddhas, engaging in yogic practice in the absorption of complete pacification, turning back the wheel of saṃsāra, setting in motion the wheel of the holy Dharma, and protecting suffering sentient beings. Why so? It is because upon generating the thought of awakening, they apply themselves for the most part to all the qualities of a buddha, and those subjects of learning acquired previously are mastered with their own application and without recourse to dependence on others. O sons of the victors, such is the category of bodhisattvas who have generated the initial thought of awakening.

1.63(2) “O sons of the victors, what is the category of beginner bodhisattvas? O sons of the victors, these beginner bodhisattvas have from the start generated ten aspects of mind. What are the ten aspects? [F.41.a] They are: (1) a mind that brings benefit, (2) a mind that brings happiness, (3) a mind of kindness, (4) a mind that is flexible, (5) a mind that feels sadness, (6) a mind that intends to help, (7) a mind that aims at protecting everyone, (8) a mind of equality, (9) a mind of becoming a teacher, (10) and a mind of becoming a great teacher. They have generated these ten aspects of mind. O sons of the victors, such are beginner bodhisattvas.

1.64“O sons of the victors, such beginner bodhisattvas should apply themselves to receiving instructions on scriptures and recitation. After becoming learned, they should devote themselves to retiring into solitude. Having retired into solitude, they should devote themselves to pleasing their spiritual teachers. Having pleased their teachers, they should devote themselves to delighting in following their instructions. Having followed their instructions with delight, they should devote themselves to awareness of temporality. Having become aware of temporality, they should devote themselves to fearlessness. Having become fearless, they should devote themselves to knowing the meaning. Having become knowledgeable in the meaning, they should devote themselves to following the Dharma. Having become a follower of Dharma, they should apply themselves to the nature of non-confusion. Having become free of confusion, they should apply themselves to formulating the Dharma. Why so? Because upon first generating the thought of awakening, for the most part they apply themselves with diligence to all the teachings of the Buddha, and those subjects of learning acquired previously are mastered with their own application and without recourse to dependence on others. O sons of the victors, such is the category of beginner bodhisattvas.

1.65(3) “O sons of the victors, what is the category of bodhisattvas who engage in yogic practice? O sons of the victors, concerning this, bodhisattvas who engage in yogic practice will understand entities by means of ten aspects of apprehending. What are those ten? They are: (1) understanding all phenomena to be impermanent, (2) understanding all phenomena to be suffering, (3) to be without a self, (4) to be empty, (5) to be immovable, (6) to be without increase, [F.41.b] (7) to be without any situation, (8) to be nonconceptual, (9) to be effortless, and (10) not to be produced. These bodhisattvas should understand those ten aspects, but since they are followers of the Dharma, they practice neither application nor non-application. O sons of the victors, such are bodhisattvas who engage in yogic practice.

1.66“O sons of the victors, bodhisattvas who engage in yogic practice should apply themselves to investigating the constitution of sentient beings. They should apply themselves to investigating the dharmadhātu. They should apply themselves to investigating the world realm. They should apply themselves to investigating the element of earth. They should apply themselves to investigating the elements of water, fire, air, and space, and the form and formless realms. Why is that? It is because for the most part they have direct insight that operates regarding all phenomena, and those subjects of learning acquired previously are mastered with their own application and without recourse to dependence on others. O sons of the victors, such is the category of bodhisattvas who engage in yogic practice.

1.67(4) “O sons of the victors, what is the category of bodhisattvas who have taken rebirth? O sons of the victors, bodhisattvas who have taken rebirth are born as exalted in sacred scripture thanks to ten purifiers. What are those ten? They are: (1) Not turning back from ultimate reality, (2) accomplishing what will become the highest undivided faith in the Buddha, (3) contemplating the Dharma, (4) investigating sentient beings, (5) investigating the pure lands, (6) investigating the world, (7) investigating deeds, (8) investigating karmic consequences, (9) investigating saṃsāra, and (10) investigating nirvāṇa. Bodhisattvas will take rebirth as exalted in sacred scripture thanks to those ten purifiers. O sons of the victors, such is the category of bodhisattvas who have taken rebirth.

1.68“O sons of the victors, these bodhisattvas who have taken rebirth should apply themselves to investigating the sameness of the dharmas of all past buddhas, [F.42.a] apply themselves to investigating the sameness of the dharmas of all future buddhas, and apply themselves to investigating the sameness of the dharmas of all present buddhas. They should apply themselves to investigating the sameness of the dharmas of all buddhas.

1.69“They should apply themselves to the investigation that correctly establishes the dharmas of past buddhas, apply themselves to the investigation that correctly establishes the dharmas of future buddhas, and apply themselves to the investigation that correctly establishes the dharmas of present buddhas. They should apply themselves to the investigation that correctly establishes the dharmas of all buddhas.

1.70“They should apply themselves to investigating the sameness of the perfection of the qualities of past buddhas, apply themselves to investigating the sameness of the perfection of the qualities of future buddhas, and apply themselves to investigating the sameness of the perfection of the dharmas of present buddhas. They should apply themselves to investigating the sameness of the perfection of the dharmas of all buddhas.

1.71“Why is that? It is because for the most part they understand the sameness of the three times, and those subjects of learning acquired previously are mastered with their own application and without recourse to dependence on others. O sons of the victors, such is the category of bodhisattvas who have taken rebirth.

1.72(5) “O sons of the victors, what is the category of bodhisattvas who have perfected application? O sons of the victors, these bodhisattvas who have perfected application will perform whatever virtuous deeds they may undertake (1) for the sake of protecting all sentient beings, (2) with the desire to benefit all sentient beings, (3) with the resolve to make all sentient beings happy, (4) with kindness toward all sentient beings, (5) in order to liberate all sentient beings, (6) in order that all sentient beings avoid harm, [F.42.b] (7) in order to guide all sentient beings, (8) in order that all sentient beings have faith, (9) in order to train all sentient beings, and (10) in order to cause all sentient beings to enter perfect nirvāṇa. O sons of the victors, such are bodhisattvas who have perfected application.

1.73“O sons of the victors, to those bodhisattvas who have perfected application ten topics ought to be expounded. What are they? They are (1) that sentient beings are boundless, (2) that sentient beings are inestimable, (3) that sentient beings are innumerable, (4) that sentient beings are inconceivable, (5) that sentient beings are incomparable, (6) that sentient beings are immeasurable , (7) that sentient beings are empty, (8) that sentient beings are immovable, (9) that sentient beings are nonexistent, and (10) that sentient beings have no intrinsic nature. Why is that? It is because for the most part they settle their minds in non-attachment, and those subjects of learning acquired previously are mastered with their own application and without recourse to dependence on others. O sons of the victors, such is the category of bodhisattvas who have perfected application.

1.74(6) “O sons of the victors, what is the category of bodhisattvas who have perfected intention? O sons of the victors, these bodhisattvas who have perfected intention, if they learn ten factors, will be decisively intent on the qualities of a Buddha. What are those ten? They are: (1) their resolve will be set on the qualities of a buddha regardless of whether someone teaches in praise of or not in praise of a buddha, (2) their resolve will be set on the qualities of a buddha regardless of whether someone teaches in praise of or not in praise of the Dharma, (3) their resolve will be set on the qualities of a buddha regardless of whether someone teaches in praise of or not in praise of bodhisattvas, (4) their resolve will be set on the qualities of a buddha regardless of whether someone teaches in praise of or not in praise of the conduct of bodhisattvas, (5) their resolve will be set on the qualities of a buddha regardless of whether someone teaches that the realm of sentient beings is small or vast in scope, [F.43.a] (6) their resolve will be set on the qualities of a buddha regardless of whether someone teaches that the realm of sentient beings is defiled or not, (7) their resolve will be set on the qualities of a buddha regardless of whether someone teaches that the realm of sentient beings is easy or difficult to train, (8) their resolve will be set on the qualities of a buddha regardless of whether someone teaches that the dharmadhātu is small or vast in scope, (9) their resolve will be set on the qualities of a buddha regardless of whether someone teaches that the world realms perish or do not perish, and (10) their resolve will be set on the qualities of a buddha regardless of whether someone teaches that the dharmadhātu exists or does not exist. O sons of the victors, such are bodhisattvas who have perfected intention.

1.75“O sons of the victors, bodhisattvas who have perfected intention will be taught ten things that conform with phenomena. What are those ten? They should be taught that all phenomena: (1) are the very absence of phenomenal marks, (2) are without defining marks, (3) are not entities, (4) are nonexistent, (5) are deceptive, (6) are disengaged, (7) are essenceless, (8) are like illusions, (9) are like dreams, and (10) are without conceptual thought. Why is that? It is because since they are thus inalienable they possess for the most part the quality of increasing their excellent intention, and those subjects of learning acquired previously are mastered with their own application and without recourse to dependence on others. O sons of the victors, such is the category of bodhisattvas who have perfected intention.

1.76(7) “O sons of the victors, what is the category of bodhisattvas who are irreversible? O sons of the victors, bodhisattvas who are irreversible will not turn back from their progress toward the qualities of a buddha if they learn ten objectives. What are those ten? They are: (1) to progress irreversibly toward qualities of a buddha whether one hears that a buddha exists or does not exist, (2) to progress irreversibly whether one hears that the Dharma exists or does not exist, (3) to progress irreversibly whether one hears that bodhisattvas exist or do not exist, [F.43.b] (4) to progress irreversibly whether one hears that the conduct of bodhisattvas exists or does not exist, (5) to progress irreversibly whether one hears that in bodhisattva conduct a bodhisattva leaves everything behind or does not leave everything behind, (6) to progress irreversibly whether one hears that the tathāgatas have passed away or have not passed away, (7) to progress irreversibly whether one hears that the tathāgatas have come into the world or not, (8) to progress irreversibly whether one hears that the tathāgatas have presently appeared or not, (9) to progress irreversibly whether one hears that the gnosis of the Buddha is exhausted or is not exhausted, and (10) to progress irreversibly whether one hears that the three times have the same defining mark or that they have dissimilar defining marks. O sons of the victors, such are bodhisattvas who are irreversible.

1.77“O sons of the victors, to those bodhisattvas who are irreversible, ten continuities of phenomena should be explained. What are those ten? They are: (1) explaining all phenomena as the same and different in nature, (2) as multiple and single in nature, (3) as meanings attributed to words, (4) as words attributed to meanings, (5) as the absence of entities attributed through entities, (6) as entities attributed through the absence of entities, (7) as the absence of phenomenal marks attributed through phenomenal marks, (8) as phenomenal marks attributed through the absence of phenomenal marks, (9) as the absence of defining marks attributed through defining marks, and (10) as defining marks attributed through the absence of defining marks. Why is that? It is because they have, for the most part, left everything behind as do those who have brought their expertise in all phenomena to fruition, and those subjects of learning acquired previously are mastered with their own application and without recourse to dependence on others. O sons of the victors, such is the category of bodhisattvas who are irreversible.

1.78(8) “O sons of the victors, what is the category of bodhisattvas who are still youths? O sons of the victors, bodhisattvas who are still youths possess ten understandings of the Dharma. What are those ten? [F.44.a] They are: (1) knowing bodily deeds together with their karmic results, (2) knowing verbal deeds together with their karmic results, (3) knowing mental deeds together with their karmic results, (4) knowing how to obtain a new birth merely by generating the thought of doing so, (5) knowing the thoughts of other sentient beings and people and understanding their inclinations, (6) knowing the different realms of sentient beings, (7) knowing the different desire realms, (8) knowing the different form realms, (9) knowing the different formless realms, and (10) swiftly gaining clairvoyance for the sake of beings present in different time periods. O sons of the victors, such is the category of bodhisattvas who are still youths.

1.79“O sons of the victors, to bodhisattvas who are still youths should be taught ten ways of perfecting the Dharma. What are those ten? They are being correctly shown how to (1) comprehend buddhafields, (2) shake buddhafields, (3) bless buddhafields, (4) investigate buddhafields, (5) journey to buddhafields, (6) journey to countless world realms, (7) ask countless questions, (8) fully achieve a mental body, (9) have measureless translations of words and languages, and (10) accomplish countless buddhafields by generating the thought of doing so. Why is that? It is because for the most part they apply themselves to expertise in perfecting things, and those subjects of learning acquired previously are mastered with their own application and without recourse to dependence on others. O sons of the victors, such is the category of bodhisattvas who are still youths.

1.80(9) “O sons of the victors, what is the category of bodhisattvas who are regents? O sons of the victors, bodhisattvas who are regents are expert in ten factors to be understood. What are those ten? They are: (1) expertise in understanding the births of sentient beings, (2) expertise in understanding the flux of the defilements, [F.44.b] (3) expertise in understanding the connections of latent tendencies, (4) expertise in understanding the engagement in the object domains, (5) expertise in understanding ultimate reality, (6) expertise in understanding experiences , (7) expertise in understanding the sphere of the world, (8) expertise in understanding the past and the future, (9) expertise in understanding the present, and (10) expertise in understanding the investigation of the relative truth. O sons of the victors, such are bodhisattvas who are regents.

1.81“O sons of the victors, to these bodhisattvas who are regents should be taught ten things. What are those ten? They consist in being correctly taught: (1) the expertise concerning the royal palace, (2) the modes of conduct in the royal palace, (3) the entering of the royal palace, (4) the investigation of the royal palace, (5) the consecration as a Dharma king, (6) the blessings as a Dharma king, (7) the punishment of the opponents of a Dharma king, (8) the abode of a Dharma king, (9) and the orders of a Dharma king. Why is that? It is because for the most part their minds engage in realization without obscurations regarding all phenomena, and those subjects of learning acquired previously are mastered with their own application and without recourse to dependence on others. O sons of the victors, such is the category of bodhisattvas who are regents.

1.82(10) “O sons of the victors, what is the category of bodhisattvas who have received consecration? O sons of the victors, bodhisattvas who have received consecration possess ten realizations of knowledge. What are those ten? They consist in: (1) many ways of making innumerable spheres of the world shake, (2) many ways of blessing innumerable spheres of the world, (3) many ways of passing beyond innumerable spheres of the world with a single thought, (4) many ways of purifying innumerable spheres of the world, [F.45.a] (5) many ways of making innumerable sentient beings known with a single thought, (6) many ways of viewing innumerable spheres of the world, (7) expertise in investigating the mental activity of innumerable sentient beings with a single thought, (8) expertise in making understood the faculties of innumerable sentient beings with a single thought, (9) expertise in disciplining innumerable sentient beings, and (10) expertise in introducing innumerable sentient beings to the mind of omniscience.

1.83“O sons of the victors, bodhisattvas on the level of regent and below cannot know the bodily deeds of bodhisattvas who have received consecration. Nor can they understand their verbal deeds, mental deeds, magical power, or magical vision. Neither do they know how to see what is in past times, nor can they know their karmic conditioning. They do not know how they see with the mind, nor can they know their objects of mind or the sphere of their experience of gnosis. O sons of the victors, such are bodhisattvas who have received consecration.

1.84“O sons of the victors, to bodhisattvas who have received consecration will be taught ten things by the blessed buddhas. What are these ten? They are: (1) knowing the three times, (2) knowing the Buddhadharma, (3) knowing that the dharmadhātu is indivisible, (4) knowing that the dharmadhātu is without limit and without center, (5) knowing how to suffuse all the spheres of the world, (6) knowing how to illuminate all the spheres of the world, (7) knowing how to bless all the spheres of the world, (8) thorough knowledge of all sentient beings, (9) clairvoyant knowledge of all phenomena, and (10) the infinite gnosis of the Buddha. [F.45.b] Why is that? Because for the most part they apply their minds to knowing everything. O sons of the victors, such is the category of bodhisattvas who have received consecration.”

1.85Immediately after the bodhisattva Dharma­mati explained the ten bodhisattva categories of bodhisattva great beings through the power of the Buddha,world realms numbering as many as the atoms in ten thousand buddhafields shook in every direction. They shook strongly and shook violently. They quaked, quaked strongly, and quaked violently. They trembled, trembled strongly, and trembled violently. They were disturbed, strongly disturbed, and violently disturbed. They shuddered, shuddered strongly, and shuddered violently. And they were agitated, strongly agitated, and violently agitated.

1.86By the power of the Buddha and through the attainment of the ultimate nature, a shower of divine flowers poured down from the clouds. From the clouds, there also fell showers of divine incense, of divine fragrance, of divine incense powder, of divine flower garlands, of divine textiles, of divine jewels, of divine lotuses, of divine necklaces, and of divine ornaments. Divine cymbals sounded without being played, divine light shone forth, and divine cheers sounded forth.

1.87In this world with its four continents, and in all world realms, this Dharma teaching pervaded everywhere without omission or repetition, just as in the dwelling place of the king of gods on Mount Meru. And by these very words, this same meaning was taught. [F.46.a] Through the power of the Buddha, as many bodhisattvas as there are atoms in ten thousand buddhafields arrived from beyond as many world realms as there are atoms in ten thousand buddhafields. Filling up space throughout the ten directions, they said, “O son of the victors, it is excellent, excellent that you are teaching the true nature of bodhisattvas. O son of the victors, we, too, are all named Dharma­mati. We have come here from world realms called Dharmamegha, from the presence of tathāgatas who are all named Dharma­mati­bhadra. By the blessing-power of the Buddha, this Dharma instruction occurred for all of them; within an audience such as this, the same sense is being expressed by these very words, with nothing added or left out. O son of the victors, we have come under your power, and by the power of the Buddha we all came to this world sphere. And just as we came to this world sphere, so too as many bodhisattvas as there are atoms in ten thousand buddhafields went to the residences of the lords of gods at the peak of Mount Sumeru of all the four-continent worlds in every world sphere throughout the ten directions.” [B2]

1.88Then, by the power of the Buddha, the bodhisattva Dharma­mati looked in the ten directions and, after seeing the fully-equipped retinue and the dharmadhātu, spoke these verses:

1.179Then the bodhisattva Samanta­bhadra said to the bodhisattva Dharma­mati, “Son of a good family, your explanation of the dhāraṇī of the jewel torch was well expressed. Son of a good family, the qualities of a buddha are inconceivable. Since all those sentient beings who hear the name of this Dharma discourse have approached omniscience, it goes without saying that those who maintain, read, and completely comprehend this Dharma discourse and realize suchness will surely become buddhas.”

1.180The bodhisattva Dharma­mati replied, “O son of the victors, so it is. Just as you say, we should know that those who possess profound discriminating wisdom will be anointed by the Tathāgata.”

1.181The bodhisattva Samanta­bhadra said, [F.51.a] “And if those sons or daughters of good families‍—those sublime beings who have heard these renowned teachings‍—are to be understood as prophesied in the Buddha’s Dharma teachings, it goes without saying that those who actually hold this Dharma discourse in their hands should be too.”

1.182The elder Śāradvatī­putra then bowed to the Blessed One’s feet and said, “Blessed One, please behold me. Since I do not understand such Dharma teachings as these, I am like a blind person. Blessed One, not only am I like a blind person, but all other sentient beings who have not heard this Dharma discourse are similarly blind.”

1.183The Blessed One answered, “Elder, so it is, just as you say.”

Śāradvatī­putra said, “I ask that the Blessed One kindly explain the inconceivable.”

1.184The Blessed One said, “Śāradvatī­putra, go and encourage Indra, Brahmā, and the guardian deities of the world. Tell them what the Tathāgata commands. Inform that assembly that I will proclaim the holy Dharma seal of this dhāraṇī of the jewel torch !”

1.185Having heard the Tathāgata’s decree, the venerable Śāradvatī­putra, thirsting to hear the dhāraṇī of the jewel torch , told Indra, Brahmā, and the guardian deities of the world, “Gather all the Dharma listeners. Gather them because the Tathāgata is going to explain the dhāraṇī of the jewel torch and teach the inconceivable. Later you will certainly regret missing it. Hey friends, it is extremely rare for precious sūtras like this to appear in the world!” [F.51.b]

1.186Then, at that very instant, Indra, Brahmā, and the guardian deities of the world gathered and circumambulated the Blessed One three times. Taking their seats in the presence of the Blessed One, they humbly folded their hands and supplicated the Blessed One: “We ask that the Blessed One kindly explain the dhāraṇī of the jewel torch !” Then, by remaining silent, the Blessed One assented.

1.187Although Indra, Brahmā, and the guardian deities of the world made their request to the Blessed One a second and third time, he still remained silent.

1.188Then the venerable Śāradvatī­putra said, “I ask that the Blessed One kindly teach the dhāraṇī of the jewel torch ! I ask the Sugata to explain it!”

1.189At that time the Blessed One showed his tongue, making these words understood throughout the entire billionfold world system: “Any son of a good family who implores the Tathāgata for the meaning of the dhāraṇī of the jewel torch will not turn back from insuperable perfect awakening.”

1.190The Blessed One now told the venerable Śāradvatī­putra, “Śāradvatī­putra, go ask Mañjuśrī Kumāra­bhūta to explain it!”

1.191At that time, Mañjuśrī Kumāra­bhūta was staying seated with a motionless body near the foot of some palāśa and sāla trees. He sat facing forward in a pavilion surrounded by the gods Indra, Brahmā, and the guardian deities of the world, with a form and complexion more radiant than countless millions of suns. His body had a golden color, and he sat there illumined, bright, and resplendent. [F.52.a]

1.192The venerable Śāradvatī­putra approached Mañjuśrī Kumāra­bhūta and said, “Son of a good family, the Tathāgata told me to request you to explain the Dharma.”

To this Mañjuśrī Kumāra­bhūta answered, “Honorable Śāradvatī­putra, what is the basic meaning of ‘tathāgata’?”

1.193Śāradvatī­putra said, “Son of a good family, you have profound discriminating wisdom; I cannot debate with you.”

“Do not worry! I will teach according to what you can tolerate,” replied Mañjuśrī.

Śāradvatī­putra said, “Son of a good family, I will listen. You explain!”

1.194Then Mañjuśrī Kumāra­bhūta rose from his meditative absorption and with his voice made himself understood throughout the world realms of the billionfold world system. At that time, all the resident deities from the class of pure abodes down to the Akaniṣṭhā class gathered. Along with the four great kings and their troops and servants, several tens of millions of yakṣa deities assembled. Indra, Brahmā, and the guardian deities of the world gathered. Those who desired Dharma and even those who did not desire it congregated. Many goddesses also joined the gathering.

1.195A retinue of fully ordained monks, a retinue of fully ordained nuns, a retinue of novice monks, and a retinue of novice nuns came together. A retinue of gods from the Trāyastriṃśa class, a retinue of gods from the Yāma class, a retinue of gods from the Tuṣita class, a retinue of gods from the Nirmāṇarati class, a retinue of gods from the Paranirmitavaśavartin class, a retinue of gods from the Brahmā class, and likewise a retinue of gods from down to the Akaniṣṭhā class gathered. Similarly, a gathering of great śrāvakas assembled, including the venerables Subhūti, Mahā­kāśyapa, [F.52.b] Mahā­maudgalyā­yana, Śāradvatī­putra, Kātyāyana, Aniruddha, Gayā­kāśyapa, Koṣṭhila, Cūḍā­panthaka, Revata, Nadīkāśyapa, Urubilvā­kāśyapa, Pūrṇa­maitrāyaṇī­putra, Rāhula, Bhadra­pāla, Bāśya, and Ānanda‍—they and other great śrāvakas all gathered. Also, a group of five hundred fully ordained nuns led by Yaśodharā came. The rulers of the realms and universal emperors also joined the group, as did an assembly of kṣatriyas, brahmins, and householders.

1.196Then the venerable Śāradvatī­putra circumambulated the Blessed One three times and said, “Blessed One, through whose power has this assembly gathered here and now? How are we to understand it?”

The Blessed One answered, “Venerable Śāradvatī­putra, it is the power of the dhāraṇī of the jewel torch .”

1.197Śāradvatī­putra declared, “Blessed One, I would like to learn the dhāraṇī of the jewel torch .”

The Blessed One told him, “Śāradvatī­putra, go and ask Mañjuśrī Kumāra­bhūta and the bodhisattva Samanta­bhadra.”

1.198Then the venerable Śāradvatī­putra requested Mañjuśrī Kumāra­bhūta, “Son of a good family, explain this teaching on the jewel of absorptions, the dhāraṇī of the jewel torch !”

1.199Mañjuśrī said, “Honorable Śāradvatī­putra, who is going to listen to the dhāraṇī of the jewel torch ?”

Śāradvatī­putra said, “The members of the four parts of this assembly and Indra, Brahmā, and the guardian deities of the world will listen to it. And I myself have come to listen to it.” [F.53.a]

1.200Then Mañjuśrī asked the elder Śāradvatī­putra, “Elder Śāradvatī­putra, among those who listen to the Dharma who have arisen solely through illusion, to whom will I explain the Dharma? Who is it that listens? Who is it that explains?”

The elder answered, “Noble one, you explain! I will listen.”

1.201Mañjuśrī said, “Honorable Śāradvatī­putra, what is ‘explaining’ an epithet for?”

Śāradvatī­putra replied, “Mañjuśrī, ‘explaining’ is an epithet for emptiness.”

1.202“Śāradvatī­putra, what is ‘emptiness’ an epithet for?”

“Mañjuśrī, ‘emptiness’ is the absence of words.”

1.203Mañjuśrī said, “Honorable Śāradvatī­putra, if emptiness is without words, how can we explain it? Honorable Śāradvatī­putra, all phenomena are impossible to teach. Śāradvatī­putra, they are unteachable and impossible to learn.”

1.204The elder said, “Son of a good family, all of those things that you thus have taught are explained as being emptiness. They are explained as being without phenomenal marks, wishless, without acceptance, without rejection, without conceptual elaborations, and unelaborated.”

1.205Then the fully endowed assembly of bodhisattvas, as well as Indra, Brahmā, and the guardian deities of the world, were very pleased. They declared unanimously that Mañjuśrī Kumāra­bhūta and the venerable Śāradvatī­putra’s teaching of the dhāraṇī of the jewel torch was well explained and excellent.

1.206Then the venerable Subhūti said to Mañjuśrī Kumāra­bhūta: “Mañjuśrī, how should a bodhisattva memorize, recite, study, or explain to others in great detail the dhāraṇī of the jewel torch ?”

1.207Mañjuśrī said: “Subhūti, this dhāraṇī should be thought of as birthless. You should think of it as the absence of entities, without defining marks, without conceptual elaborations, and without rejecting.” [F.53.b]

1.208When Mañjuśrī Kumāra­bhūta explained this Dharma discourse, from among that retinue ninety-two bodhisattvas gained the absorption heroic progress and sixty-two deities and humans gained the acceptance of unborn phenomena.

1.209Then the bodhisattva Samanta­bhadra rose from his seat and, covering one shoulder with his robe, addressed the Blessed One: “Blessed One, what sort of thing is the great compassion that the bodhisattva great beings have?”

1.210The Blessed One said, “Son of a good family, regarding the great compassion of the bodhisattva great beings, to not at all abandon the three realms is great compassion. To thoroughly display the buddhafields to all sentient beings is great compassion. To receive into one’s care any sentient beings who are lax in their discipline is great compassion. To not abandon the perfection of wisdom is great compassion. To sacrifice one’s body and life for the sake of all sentient beings is great compassion. To express loving kindness to sentient beings who are engaged in desire is great compassion. To have loving kindness for powerful sentient beings is the great compassion of the bodhisattva great beings. Son of a good family, moreover, bodhisattva great beings should keep their minds free from animosity. They should practice being unassociated many times over.”

1.211Then the bodhisattva Samanta­bhadra said to the Blessed One, “For the benefit of many beings, for the happiness of many beings, with kindness toward the world, for the majority of beings, and for the purpose and benefit of gods and humans and for their happiness, would the Blessed One kindly explain the dhāraṇī of the jewel torch ? [F.54.a] For the benefit of all sentient beings, I beg the compassionate Blessed One to explain it!”

1.212Then the Blessed One, with the voice of Brahmā, said to those bodhisattvas, “Who among you would like this Dharma discourse to be taught at a later time, at the time of the final five hundred years of the holy Dharma’s existence?”

1.213Then sixty-two hundred billion bodhisattvas spoke unanimously, including the bodhisattvas Samanta­bhadra, Mañjuśrī Kumāra­bhūta, Avaloki­teśvara, Mahā­sthāmaprāpta, Avoiding Evil Destinies, Bhaiṣajya­rāja, Pratibhākūṭa, King Elevated by All Dharmas, Akṣaya­mati, Sāgara­mati, Anther-Possessing Jewel, Maṇiprabha, Maṇicūḍa, Observing , Not Seen when Viewed, Always Watching, Vajrapāṇi, Heap of Jewels, Ratnākara, Dharmaśrī, Glory of Thought, Dhanaśrī, Puṇyaketu, Candanaśrī, Dharma­mati, Amṛtamati, Unimaginable Intelligence, Ornamented with Merit, Ornamented by Good Qualities, Ornamented by Marks , [F.54.b] Always Laughs and His Faculties All Rejoice, King Who Smashes the Peak of the Mountain, Expert Eloquence, Nityotkṣipta­hasta, Dhāraṇī­dhara, Quick Eloquence, Ākāśa­garbha, Essence of the Moon, Sūrya­garbha, Śaśi­vimala­garbha, Āditya­garbha, Superior King, Mahāmeru, Dṛḍhamati, Valiant Eloquence, and the bodhisattva great being Maitreya. They said, “Blessed One, we all would be delighted if in later times, during the final five hundred years of the holy Dharma’s existence, we all assemble en masse so that the dhāraṇī of the jewel torch could then be fully explained.”

1.214The Blessed One said, “Sons of good families, excellent, excellent! Sons of good families this is difficult to do. A ceremony like this is extremely difficult.”

1.215Then the Blessed One said to the bodhisattva Samanta­bhadra, “Son of a good family, for the benefit and happiness of many beings, listen to the dhāraṇī of the jewel torch .” Then the Blessed One sat upon an elaborate lion’s throne and spoke the mantra:

1.216Homage to all tathāgatas, arhats, and perfectly awakened buddhas! Tadyathā oṃ maṃ bharate bharate bhara bharanate svāhā.

1.217Then the Blessed One solemnly declared once, then a second time and a third time, “How wonderful is the Dharma, How wonderful is the Dharma, How wonderful is the Dharma!” [F.55.a]

1.218The bodhisattva Samanta­bhadra asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, when you say ‘Dharma, Dharma,’ what is its basic meaning?”

1.219Then the Blessed One said, “Son of a good family, the basic meaning of all dharmas is the meaning of having no basis. The basic meaning of all dharmas is the basic meaning of the absence of entities. The basic meaning of all dharmas is the basic meaning of space. The basic meaning of all dharmas is the basic meaning of not accepting. The basic meaning of all dharmas is the basic meaning of not rejecting.”

1.220Then the bodhisattva Samanta­bhadra said, “Blessed One, in that case, why did you speak of ‘all dharmas’?”

The Blessed One said, “Son of a good family, when I mentioned ‘all dharmas,’ I meant the senses of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind, and similarly the elements of perception, the cognitive faculties, and dependent origination. That is what I meant when I mentioned ‘all dharmas.’ Son of a good family, moreover, all dharmas, since they are from the beginning unborn, are empty.”

1.221Then Mañjuśrī Kumāra­bhūta said to the bodhisattva Samanta­bhadra, “O son of the victors, how should the dhāraṇī of the jewel torch be retained?”

The bodhisattva Samanta­bhadra answered, “This dhāraṇī should be retained as a teaching on reality, the reality of the unborn, the reality of non-arising, the reality of being without defining marks, the reality of space, the reality of the absence of entities, the reality of the essential nature, and the reality of the essential nature of the absence of entities. Son of a good family, the retention, the complete retention, the cultivation through meditation, the investigation, the designation, [F.55.b] the positing, the liberation, the differentiation, and the clarification of the dhāraṇī of the jewel torch should be like this. Son of a good family, that is the sense of cultivating and investigating the dhāraṇī of the jewel torch .”

1.222Then the venerable Śāradvatī­putra asked Mañjuśrī Kumāra­bhūta, “Mañjuśrī, how long has it been since you properly entered into this Dharma discourse?”

Mañjuśrī replied, “Śāradvatī­putra, for as long as the defilements of desire, anger, and ignorance have been entered into.”

1.223Śāradvatī­putra asked him, “Son of a good family, how long have the defilements of desire, anger, and ignorance been entered into?”

Mañjuśrī replied, “Śāradvatī­putra, for as long as the element of earth has been entered into.”

1.224“Son of a good family, how long has the element of earth been entered into?” Śāradvatī­putra then asked.

“Śāradvatī­putra, for as long as knowledge and ignorance have been entered into,” answered Mañjuśrī.

1.225“Son of a good family, how long have knowledge and ignorance been entered into?” asked Śāradvatī­putra.

“Śāradvatī­putra, for as long as the element of space has been entered into,” was Mañjuśrī’s reply.

1.226“Mañjuśrī, how long has the element of space been entered into?” asked Śāradvatī­putra.

“Śāradvatī­putra, for as long as all phenomena with the nature of the absence of entities have been entered into,” answered Mañjuśrī.

1.227The venerable Śāradvatī­putra then said to Mañjuśrī Kumāra­bhūta, “It is beyond my ability to converse with such noble people as these. Son of a good family, it is like all the dogs and cats of the world, or all of its foxes, being unable to pick apart and comprehend the great central mountain, Sumeru. Similarly, son of a good family, if none of the śrāvakas who are like this Śāradvatī­putra can understand even a single basic principle of the bodhisattva doctrine, it goes without saying that will be unable to fathom what Mañjuśrī Kumāra­bhūta has taught.” [F.56.a]

1.228The bodhisattva Samanta­bhadra now said to Mañjuśrī Kumāra­bhūta, “Go and supplicate the Tathāgata to protect those Dharma teachers who in later times and periods will maintain this king of sūtras, requesting that he guard them.”

1.229So Mañjuśrī Kumāra­bhūta rose from his seat and addressed the Blessed One as follows: “May the Blessed One kindly explain the special excellent qualities possessed by those future Dharma teachers who will maintain this Dharma discourse, recite it, study it, and teach it in great detail to others.”

1.230The Blessed One answered, “Mañjuśrī, those monks and Dharma teachers who maintain this king of sūtras will leave everything behind in my dharmakāya. They will attain the awakening of a buddha. They will draw closer to the Buddha’s teaching. Māra and the divine sons belonging to the family of māras who search for an opening to attack them will not find one. Son of a good family, people who produce an unfriendly attitude toward such Dharma-teaching monks for even the duration of a single snap of the fingers will distance themselves from attaining even human rebirth, so it goes without saying that they will be far removed from attaining the awakening of a buddha. Moreover, Mañjuśrī, people who have no faith in the monks who maintain this king of sūtras will have ugly, crooked teeth and will be without tongues or noses; their feet and hands will point outward, their bodily diseases will become worm-infested, they will lose their eyes, and they will possess faulty intelligence and poor diligence. Mañjuśrī, such are the problems experienced by such ignorant people. In brief, Mañjuśrī, at the time of death such people will experience, in every pore of their bodies, the infinite sufferings of the hells. And even if they gain human rebirths, they will be constantly blind and without tongues. [F.56.b] Mañjuśrī, those who abandon this Dharma instruction in this very life will suffer from leprosy. Their lips will become terrifying. Their bodies will become ravaged, naked, and thin; they will look like hungry ghosts. Moreover, Mañjuśrī, I know through my inconceivable buddha knowledge where they will be born.”

1.231Mañjuśrī Kumāra­bhūta requested, “Blessed One, please prophesy it. Sugata, kindly foretell it.”

1.232The Blessed One replied, “Mañjuśrī, do not ask with a hushed voice. Indeed, this teaching will make the whole world including the gods crazy, scared, fearful, and terrified.”

Mañjuśrī said, “May the Blessed One explain it out of kindness so that, having heard about this, such sentient beings may in the future never abandon the noble Dharma.”

1.233The Blessed One said, “These are the names of hells that exist below this earth: (1) Tapana, (2) Pratāpana, (3) Kālasūtra, (4) Burning , (5) Intense Burning, (6) Difficult to Touch, (7) Fierce, (8) Pressing the Lips, (9) Iron Hammer, (10) Iron Stick, (11) Darkness , (12) Upper Head, (13) Ūrdhvapāda, (14) Monkey Face, (15) Always Burning, (16) Rotten, (17) Always Foul Smelling, (18) Destruction , (19) Certain Destruction, and (20) Extremely Thorough Destruction. Mañjuśrī, these are hells in any of which ignorant ones are reborn.”

1.234Then the bodhisattva Samanta­bhadra said to the Blessed One: “Blessed One, when those Dharma teachers who maintain this sūtra die, where will they be reborn?”

1.235The Blessed One said, “Samanta­bhadra, your question is good. [F.57.a] Samanta­bhadra, those sons or daughters of good families who teach this Dharma will be reborn after death in beautifully ornamented world realms, in buddhafields filled with the inconceivable eloquence of the tathāgatas, and in those worlds will live only very beautiful bodhisattvas. And when those beings later die, tens of millions of buddhas will manifest. In brief, son of a good family, the benefits of this teaching are incalculable and infinite. Moreover, son of a good family, they could not be adequately expressed even by speaking for a thousand eons.”

1.236The bodhisattva Samanta­bhadra said, “Blessed One, what sorts of sentient beings will appear in later times and periods who will reject this Dharma discourse?”

1.237The Blessed One said, “Samanta­bhadra, those sentient beings who will reject such Dharma teachings as these will mostly appear in the form of monks. They will reject this Dharma discourse, saying: ‘These were composed as poems but not spoken by the Tathāgata. They are fabrications; sūtras such as these were not heard before.’ Even though they reject the teachings, they do not confess or renounce their fault. Owing to their rejecting of Dharma, they will be reborn in unbearable flaming hell realms immediately after death. As soon as they are born there, the heads of those ignorant ones will be cut off by an iron wheel, and in that way many eons will pass. For many thousands of eons they will be born blind, and even when they are born as humans, after the passage of hundreds of eons they will have always been born blind. They will have no tongues, with faces facing backwards, with backs like tents, centers that are are recessed, and lame feet, with voices like dogs and with bodies emaciated through constant hunger and thirst, and with faces always looking skyward. Thus they will become unpleasant looking and sounding to all sentient beings.” [F.57.b]

1.238Then the members of that fully endowed retinue said, speaking unanimously, “Blessed One, we ignorant ones were wrong to reject such sūtras as this or to angrily ridicule those who were teaching this Dharma. We confess this as a mistake. Blessed One, we regret how spiritually immature we were, how ignorant, unskilled, and how small-minded we were! That being so, may the blessed ones consider us!”

1.239Then all the great śrāvakas, Indra, Brahmā, the guardian deities of the world, and the retinue of fully ordained monks, fully ordained nuns, and male and female lay followers gasped and said, “Blessed One, after hearing such an explanation, we gasp in terror!”

1.240The Blessed One said, “Friends, so it is. Just as you say, it is right for you to be afraid. Friends, if I, who have attained omniscient gnosis, am frightened, it is natural for my students to be. Sons and daughters of good families, the teachings are profound. If no human or demon, no god, nāga, yakṣa, or gandharva can endure this disruption, it goes without saying that no human ascetic or brahmin can. Sons of good families, this Dharma discourse is a sacred stūpa for the world, including the gods. Sons of good families, you should view this king among sūtras as like, for instance, the Kāraṇḍavyūha Sūtra.”

1.241Then Mañjuśrī Kumāra­bhūta said, “Blessed One, this was well taught. Blessed One, how will such monks be able to comprehend gifts given in faith?” [F.58.a]

The Blessed One said, “Mañjuśrī, those who abandon this Dharma discourse and who view its teachers with an unfriendly attitude‍—I do not allow them to use things given in faith for a day or for a finger snap, or to come as far as one can spit to land that was donated to the monastic assembly.”

1.242Then the venerable Śāradvatī­putra asked, “Is this deed almost as bad as their committing the five heinous sins of immediate hell consequence? Or is it far better than that?”

1.243The Blessed One said: “Elder Śāradvatī­putra, do not ask with a hushed voice! Why not? Because the five heinous sins of immediate hell consequence would be better to commit, whereas to abandon this Dharma discourse is something altogether different. Śāradvatī­putra, the karmic consequences of the five heinous sins of immediate hell consequence would be quickly exhausted, and one could quickly become a human again. But people who abandon the holy Dharma will never achieve the qualities of a buddha; they bring disaster to both themselves and others.”

1.244Then the venerable Śāradvatī­putra broke into tears in the presence of the Blessed One, saying, “How sad! Those who abandon the Dharma experience such suffering! May I never see such karmic obscurations, even in a dream!”

1.245The Blessed One said to venerable Śāradvatī­putra: “Śāradvatī­putra, do not think like that! If my doctrine is associated with ordinary reality, then in the world one commits one’s own karma, experiences one’s personal share of karmic retribution, and reinforces one’s own karma. Thus, sentient beings experience suffering according to their own karmic deeds; that is not the Tathāgata’s fault. Śāradvatī­putra, I have explained the path leading to excellent virtue. [F.58.b] I explained the path leading to happiness, fearlessness, nirvāṇa, and immortality. Nevertheless, these sentient beings who commit bodily, verbal, and mental misdeeds defame the āryas and harbor wrong views. Through their wrong views and because of abandoning the Dharma, when they die they will be reborn in the hells, and for that the Tathāgata is not to blame.

1.246“Śāradvatī­putra, my compassion for all sentient beings arises like this. For the sake of one sentient being, I have the thought to not abandon one who experiences the sufferings of hell for either an eon or longer than an eon; such is the great compassion of the Tathāgata.

1.247“Śāradvatī­putra, it is like this: suppose, for example, that some person had an only son who was of sound body, was handsome, attractive, of good complexion, and had reached the full growth of young adulthood. But owing to certain circumstances, that son died. That person, thinking of his son, would suffer and feel unhappy, crying and wailing. Śāradvatī­putra, a tathāgata, arhat, and fully awakened buddha also thinks of suffering sentient beings as his only son. But the tathāgatas do not stay together with the emotional defilements. Śāradvatī­putra, just as, for example, the great ocean will not remain together with a corpse without casting it up on the shore, the tathāgatas do not stay together with the emotional defilements. Or it is like, for example, a magician or one of his skilled apprentices who magically projects a great gathering of people at the junction of four roads. [F.59.a] Though the conjurer displays those people performing actions, in fact those activities do not reside either in that location or in that position. Being unborn, those actions are neither obstructed nor do they come to an end. Śāradvatī­putra, just so, the tathāgatas bring sentient beings to maturity and demonstrate aspirational conduct, but though they reveal such conduct it does not exist. For instance, the element of space is without conceptual thought and without elaborations. Nevertheless, the tathāgatas act in conformity with sentient beings. Similarly, the body of a tathāgata is without conceptual thought and without elaborations. Nevertheless, the tathāgatas act in conformity with the way that is most conducive to the training of sentient beings.

1.248“Śāradvatī­putra, the Tathāgata does not have delusion, nor does he harbor unknowing or forgetting. Śāradvatī­putra, I am the elder brother of the world, and together with its gods I am the chief, the superior, the best, the preeminent, the revered, the unsurpassed, the one without a superior, and the one equal to the unequaled. Śāradvatī­putra, this statement of mine corresponds to the truth. Whether they are monks or laymen, all those beings who reject this Dharma discourse will experience the sufferings of hell in this way.”

1.249Then the venerable Subhūti, after hearing what the Blessed One had taught, said, “Blessed One, what those sentient beings gain, they gain as a crime. What will the tongues of those who abandon this Dharma discourse be like?”

1.250The Blessed One said, “Subhūti, their tongues will grow a hundred thousand yojanas long, and they will be plowed by a flaming iron plow that burns hotter and hotter, flaming higher and higher and more and more intensely, bursting into five hundred million individual tongues of flame. [F.59.b] Why so? Because they did not guard their speech. Subhūti, those ignorant ones will be subject to karmic obscurations like that.”

1.251Then by the power of the Buddha, the entire assembly of disciples uttered the solemn utterance: “What the Tathāgata has taught is a great marvel!”

1.252Then Indra, king of gods, said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, I will carry in homage on my shoulders those monks who teach this Dharma. I will worship them with flowers, incense, fragrance, garlands, and unguent oils. I will bow after offering parasols three times by day and three times by night. I will venerate, I will pay homage, I will adore as my guru, I will pay respect, I will worship, I will venerate, and I will honor them. I will pay them homage, honor them as guru, and respectfully protect them. Why so? Because they are the sons of the Blessed One and have left everything behind on the basis of the dharmakāya. Blessed One, it is like, for example, the son of a king of the royal lineage who has been anointed prince and successor, who has a fine body and who is good looking and handsome. He is worthy of the respect of all his underlings and worthy of their honor. Similarly, those teachers of this Dharma teaching are worthy of the respect and honor of the world, together with its gods.”

1.253Then the Blessed One said to the bodhisattva Samanta­bhadra, “Son of a good family, Indra spoke well when he said he would keep those monks safe from worries and protect and watch over them.”

1.254The bodhisattva Samanta­bhadra said, “Blessed One, I, too, will watch over those sons or daughters of good families. [F.60.a] I will protect them, favor them, and make them attain peace and excellent happiness. Within an area a hundred yojanas in circumference, I will watch over them.”

1.255Then the Blessed One said to Samanta­bhadra, “Son of a good family, your well-spoken words are excellent, excellent!” Then the Blessed One spoke this verse with the beautiful voice of Brahmā:

1.257Then the bodhisattva Samanta­bhadra asked the Blessed One, “What are the qualities that those bodhisattva great beings must possess for them to obtain the dhāraṇī of the jewel torch ?”

1.258The Blessed One said, “Son of a good family, those bodhisattva great beings will obtain the dhāraṇī of the jewel torch if they possess one quality. What is it? It is not having anger toward any sentient beings. Also, Samanta­bhadra, those bodhisattva great beings should have two more qualities. What are they? They are to have neither jealousy nor pride. Those are the qualities of the bodhisattva great beings. Moreover, Samanta­bhadra, those bodhisattva great beings should not harm the faculties of any sentient beings. Samanta­bhadra, furthermore, in all ways and in all respects, a bodhisattva should not cause harm to any sentient beings.”

1.259When the qualities of bodhisattvas were explained and the special virtues of the dhāraṇī of the jewel torch were taught in detail, [F.60.b] infinite numbers of human beings attained the non-forgetting retention of the dhāraṇī.

1.260Here ends the chapter in which the special virtues of the dhāraṇī of the jewel torch were taught in detail.