Protection of the Sacred Dharma

[B1] [F.91.b]

1.1Homage to all buddhas and bodhisattvas!

Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was residing in the Veṇuvana at the Kalandakanivāpa near Rājagṛha, surrounded and attended by an innumerable, limitless, and indescribable number of bodhisattva great beings who had arrived from countless other buddha realms of the ten directions. He was also surrounded and attended by an innumerable, limitless, and indescribable number of great hearers who had gathered there from different buddha realms of the ten directions. In the same way, an innumerable, limitless, and indescribable number of other beings who had arrived there from the various buddha realms of the ten directions‍—Śakra, Lord Brahmā, the rulers of the gods, the rulers of the nāgas, the rulers of the yakṣas, the rulers of the gandharvas, the rulers of the asuras, the rulers of the garuḍas, the rulers of the kinnaras, and the rulers of the mahoragas‍—filled all the pathways on the ground and in the sky throughout the entire buddha realm of Sahā. There also arrived an innumerable and limitless number of different gods from the desire and form realms, of nāgas, yakṣas, and rākṣasas, and of asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas. Sitting in silence, they looked up at the Blessed One as he revealed how bodhisattva conduct quickly brings perfection and manifests like space and as he gave teachings on the mindfulness of breathing, which is the gateway to immortality, and the sublime states. [F.92.a] They filled all the pathways on the ground and in the sky throughout the entire buddha realm of Sahā.

1.2Still not satisfied by the teachings of the Blessed One’s Dharma rain, they remained with their palms joined together, staring at the Blessed One. They beheld him like sick persons seeing the doctor, or like beings engulfed in darkness seeing a source of light, or like beings carried off by a river looking at the riverbank, or like afflicted beings looking at a refuge from their suffering. In that way, filling all the pathways on the ground and in the sky throughout the entire buddha realm of Sahā, the bodhisattva great beings and the hearers as well as Lord Śakra and everyone else up to the lords of the mahoragas, the different gods from the desire and form realms, and the various humans and nonhuman beings were sitting silently with their palms joined together, looking at the Blessed One, the righteous King of the Dharma.

1.3Present at that time was a mahābrahmā named Glorious Blazing Lotus. He had generated roots of virtue under many buddhas and would no longer regress on the path to unsurpassed and perfect awakening. He had also thoroughly trained in love by observing phenomena. This mahābrahmā Glorious Blazing Lotus then stood up, draped his shawl over one shoulder, and knelt on his right knee. Bowing down with his palms joined together in the direction of the Blessed One, with these verses he supplicated him to expound the Dharma:

1.12The Blessed One replied to the mahābrahmā Glorious Blazing Lotus:

1.27At that moment, all the beings present throughout the entire buddha realm of Sahā thought, “Alas, the Thus-Gone One will now give a hearers’ discourse. He will not give a discourse related to the Great Vehicle!”

1.28All the bodhisattvas thought to themselves, [F.93.b] “O, the Thus-Gone One wishes us to withdraw into meditative seclusion, to ensure that we subsist on the earth in this buddha realm; to ensure that the way of the Dharma remains for a long time into the future; to ensure that the lineage of the Three Jewels remains uninterrupted in this buddha realm; to ensure that in the future the gods, nāgas, yakṣas, rākṣasas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans, and nonhumans who lack faith generate faith; to ensure that those among them who have faith develop it further and further; to ensure that those beings who strive for the Dharma, who abide by the Dharma, who possess a wealth of qualities, and who are endowed with the scent of discipline gain happiness, remain free from harm, and perfect the happiness of emancipation; to ensure that, by all means, this buddha realm becomes saturated with qualities; to ensure that all the other buddha realms of the ten directions are also worthy of such a saturation; and to ensure that the masters receive reverence and respect. O, we must now fulfill the wish of the Thus-Gone One! We must ensure that we all sit cross-legged upon this earth and abide by our various individual acceptances, dhāraṇīs, absorptions, and practices replete with the most excellent aspects!”

1.29Then all the bodhisattva great beings who had reached emancipation over the course of a hundred eons, who had reached the ten levels, who abided by the acceptance of the unborn nature of phenomena, who were endowed with the eighteen unique qualities of the buddhas and were skilled in the wisdom that does not depend upon anything else, and who had reached fearlessness sat cross-legged upon the earth, and thus they settled within their individual acceptances, [F.94.a] dhāraṇīs, and absorptions replete with the most excellent aspects.

1.30At that moment, in accordance with the strength of that merit and through the power of that concordant cause, light started to radiate from the bodies of those great bodhisattvas who were settled in equipoise and from the bodies of those great bodhisattvas who were absorbed in concentration. Those lights were like the light of lamps. Some of those lights were equal to the light emitted by shooting stars; some were equal to the light emitted by Śakra, some were equal to the light emitted by Brahmā, the lord of the Sahā world, and some were equal to the light emitted by the moon. Some were equal to the light emitted by the sun, some were equal to the light emitted by two suns, some were equal to the light emitted by three suns, some were equal to the light emitted by five suns, and some were equal to the light emitted by a thousand suns. From the bodies of some of those bodhisattvas radiated light equal to the light emitted by a trillion suns. This far-reaching, brilliant light, which had never been seen or heard of before anywhere in this entire buddha realm of Sahā, pervaded the world. From their bodies radiated a light that brought the most supreme form of bliss to the bodies and minds of sentient beings and provided delight and satisfaction. This light completely pacified all diseases, completely pacified all unwholesome views, completely pacified all kinds of physical depravity, completely pacified all types of hunger and thirst, completely pacified all desires, and completely pacified all forms of aggression, fear, affliction, and bondage. In this buddha realm, this light completely pacified all the fears associated with the suffering experienced in the prison of the three realms.

1.31At that time, all those sentient beings‍—who were inclined toward the Buddha and the Dharma and skilled in delighting in the qualities of the Saṅgha‍—were seated in this buddha realm. [F.94.b] At the same time, this buddha realm became visible, in a radiant, clear, and brilliant manner, from as many buddha realms in the ten directions as there are grains of sand in the Ganges‍—whether those realms were empty of buddhas or not, whether they were pure or impure. This buddha realm had the radiance, clarity, and brilliance of a hundred thousand moons rising in the darkness of the night. In that way, this buddha realm of Sahā appeared in the most radiant, clear, and brilliant manner in buddha realms of the ten directions as numerous as the grains of sand in the Ganges‍—whether those realms were empty of buddhas or not, whether they were pure or impure.

1.32Then, through the power of the Buddha, all bodhisattva great beings present in those different buddha realms who had reached emancipation over the course of a hundred eons, who were endowed with the eighteen unique qualities of the buddhas and skilled in the wisdom that does not depend on anything else, and who had reached fearlessness departed from those places, entered this buddha realm in a single instant of thought, and sat cross-legged upon the earth in their respective ways of abiding. The exact same lights radiated from the bodies of each of those beings who exerted themselves in virtuous endeavors, who had developed the power of virtue, and who were endowed with the causes and conditions of fearlessness.

1.33Surrounded by his saṅgha of monks, the Blessed One then said to the great hearers, “Look at the power of the domain of concentration! Having used their blessings to overpower the domains of all the māras and nāgas, all the thus-gone ones of the past engaged with this entire buddha realm of Sahā to ensure that the way of the Dharma and the lineage of the Three Jewels remain uninterrupted and illuminated here. [F.95.a] Similarly, a countless and limitless number of bodhisattva great beings‍—as numerous as the grains of sand in the Ganges‍—who revel in the domains of concentration and higher perception are now engaging with this great earth in this buddha realm of Sahā to ensure that the Dharma way remains for a long time and is illuminated; to ensure that the gods, nāgas, yakṣas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans, and nonhumans who lack faith develop faith; to ensure that those among them who have faith develop it further and further; to ensure that sentient beings who strive for the Dharma, abide by the Dharma, possess a wealth of qualities, and have developed control over their minds experience happiness and remain free from harm; to ensure that my teachings do not vanish; and to perfect the happiness of emancipation. The bodhisattva great beings are thus reveling in the domains of concentration to bless those goals. In the places where these bodhisattva great beings revel in the domains of concentration, sentient beings who are afraid of saṃsāra’s suffering and wish for nirvāṇa will, now and after I pass away in the future, order the construction of stūpas and build buddha shrines, buddha statues, or repositories for the Dharma. Alternatively, in those places they will write down my teachings in books and carry this Dharma body of mine. In those places they will also engage in different forms of worship and offer a variety of precious substances such as gold, silver, beryl, crystals, [F.95.b] red pearls, emeralds, white corals, jewels, pearls, gemstones, conch shells, moonstones, corals, silken clothes, bells, silk brocades, high-quality cotton fabrics, fine cloths from Vārāṇasī, padded cushions, carpets, parasols, banners, flags, Dharma robes, necklaces, bracelets, perfumes, flowers, incense, and music, and they will express intense veneration, respect, devotion, and reverence.”

1.34At that moment, the Blessed One joined his palms and his ten fingers together and continued: “I will then accept their offerings. In accordance with their inclinations, all those sentient beings will practice the three vehicles in order to reach the level of nonregression. In some lands, they will arrange temples, dwelling places, walking paths, hermitages, parks, and monastic compounds. Alternatively, they will perform or cause others to perform various acts of worship and veneration toward the followers of the hearers’ Dharma by offering Dharma robes, alms, bedding, seats, medicine, and tools. In those temples, walking paths, and hermitages, they will respectfully listen to the Dharma, engage in exegetical discussions about it, and read the scriptures. In those temples, walking paths, and other such places, they will also offer various types of gifts such as offerings stemming from the fields, households, and monastic compounds as well as male and female servants, elephants, horses, camels, oxen, buffaloes, donkeys, and other types of cattle and a variety of containers. [F.96.a] They will dedicate various bedding and seat articles for the use of my hearers who abide by the Dharma, so that they may attain mental ornaments, mental tools, an assembly of practices, and the supreme happiness of emancipation. They will, now and in the future, offer various types of gifts to benefit my teachings. I will rejoice in and accept all those meritorious deeds manifested through the generosity of those sentient beings, to ensure that they are certain to experience a great result. All those beings will then avoid falling into error and will certainly abandon the three lower realms. Then, in accordance with their inclinations, they will reach the level of nonregression by practicing the three vehicles. As long as they continue in cyclic existence, those beings will never be separated from the two types of enjoyments‍—the enjoyment of the Dharma and material enjoyment.

1.35“Now and in the future, whether in mountains, in jungles, under great trees, in the wilderness, or in the woods, there will be monks, nuns, and male and female lay practitioners who strive for liberation, abide by the Dharma, speak few words, observe silence, withdraw into meditative seclusion, engage in proper mental activity, and act in wholesome ways. There will also be gods, nāgas, and yakṣas. For the sake of discipline, monks, look at the power of the domain of concentration! Having overpowered the domains of all the māras and nāgas, the thus-gone ones of the past who resided, thrived, and lived well engaged with this buddha realm of Sahā to ensure that the way of the Dharma remains for a long time [F.96.b] and that the lineage of the Three Jewels remains uninterrupted. Now, a countless and limitless number of bodhisattva great beings have arrived in my buddha realm from other buddha realms of the ten directions as numerous as the grains of sand in the Ganges in order to ask questions, behold me, pay homage to me, worship me, honor me, and hear about the practices of the bodhisattvas who abide by the Dharma and who are endowed with the eye of space and the four correct knowledges. Since they are close to my heart, those bodhisattva great beings are sitting on this earth in states of concentration in order to ensure that the way of the Dharma remains for a long time and that the lineage of the Three Jewels remains uninterrupted; they are engaging with this buddha realm in order to subjugate the domains of the māras out of affection for those sentient beings who are afraid of cyclic existence and exert themselves in generosity.

1.36“Now and in the future, as long as my teaching and the sacred Dharma, or even a reflection of the sacred Dharma, remain, should immoral monks who engage in negative actions make use of things that have been dedicated to monks who abide by the Dharma‍—even just a single leaf, fruit, or flower coming from any house, monastic compound, or field or, likewise, any male or female servant‍—such fools will encounter misfortune and trouble.

1.37“They will experience four types of harm. What are the four? (1) Great infamy related to them will spread in the ten directions. (2) They will soon be separated from their dear and beloved friends, relatives, kin, preceptors, teachers, and attendants. (3) They will suffer from severe and long-lasting diseases. [F.97.a] (4) Their Dharma robes and alms bowls will be taken away from them by the five great dangers. What are the five? They are (1) kings, (2) thieves, (3) fire, (4) water, and (5) the hostile confiscation of one’s property.

1.38In their next lives, four undesirable consequences will quickly manifest for such beings. What are the four? (1) After their bodies disintegrate, they will be born within the terrible great hells. (2) When, in a rare combination of circumstances and after a long time has passed, they finally pass away and leave the hell realms, they will be born in a dry and barren wilderness as blind animals or pretas without arms and legs, and for many hundreds of thousands of years they will experience the suffering of the intense torments caused by hunger and thirst. (3) When, in a rare combination of circumstances and after a long time has passed, they then pass away and transmigrate, they will be born for many hundreds of thousands of years as blind poisonous snakes that feed on dust. (4) When, in a rare combination of circumstances and after a long time has passed, they finally pass away and are born among humans, they will achieve the human condition within empty buddha realms ripe with the five degenerations. They will be stupid and ugly, their eyes, arms, and legs will be impaired, and they will crave dog food and feed on excrement. They will sleep in filthy swamps and rubbish heaps and spend their lives in the wilderness, in barren lands, and on highways. Then, after they pass away, they will again be born within the hell realms.

1.39“Why will they experience such severe undesirable consequences? Because those monks who engage in negative actions steal and use for their own personal enjoyment the houses, fields, monastic compounds, male and female servants, and cattle that have been dedicated to those who abide by the Dharma. [F.97.b] By doing so, those monks who engage in negative actions are exerting themselves to eliminate, destroy, interrupt, and weaken the amazing and marvelous Dharma way of all the blessed buddhas who have appeared. Similarly, they put effort into eliminating, destroying, interrupting, and weakening the lineage of the Three Jewels. Why is it so? Because there are many on the side of virtue and because the Dharma way, as well as the lineage of the Three Jewels, blossoms due to the side of virtue. This is the reason why such severe ripening of undesirable circumstances will manifest to them.”

1.40At that moment, the elder Gayākāśyapa started to shed tears and said, “Respected Blessed One, it would be permissible to remain unchanged even after achieving a human birth, but that is not the case if one engages in evil behavior for the sake of food and drink after becoming a renunciate!”

1.41The Blessed One replied, “Thus it is, Mahāgayākāśyapa! Just as you have said, it would be better for beings to remain in the hell realms and exhaust their previous actions than for them to misbehave like that. Yet, there are some fools who have obtained a human birth, which is so hard to find, and received the vows, which are also so hard to obtain, pertaining to going forth and becoming fully ordained monks under the well-spoken Dharma and Vinaya. These are amazing and marvelous conditions that lead to the exhaustion of all suffering and bring an end to all defilements, yet those fools will entertain thoughts about nonvirtuous practices that will instead cause them to be disrespected and go without food and drink. [F.98.a] Due to the strength of their erudition or due to the influence of remaining in households, those monks who engage in negative actions will then steal and misappropriate the resources and possessions‍—houses, fields, monastic compounds, parks, male and female servants, and cattle‍—that have otherwise been dedicated to support the side of virtue by faithful members of the kṣatriya class, the brāhmaṇa class, the vaiśya class, and the śūdra class who have all donated this to be used by monks that abide by the Dharma and possess a wealth of qualities. Such will be the evil behavior of those fools.”

1.42At this point King Bimbisāra asked the Blessed One, “Respected Blessed One, if such undesirable consequences are experienced by ordained monks who steal and use for themselves the resources and possessions that have been dedicated to monks who abide by the Dharma and possess a wealth of qualities, what analogy would illustrate the mass of nonvirtue generated by householders who steal and use for themselves the resources and possessions that have been dedicated to monks who abide by the Dharma?”

1.43The Blessed One replied, “Tell me, Your Majesty, what is the point of your question?”

“Respected Blessed One, I donate resources and possessions to those monks who abide by the Dharma and who possess a wealth of qualities‍—I do not steal them. However, in the future, there will be members of the kṣatriya class, the brāhmaṇa class, the vaiśya class, and the śūdra class who lack faith and are not afraid of the afterlife. They will steal and use for themselves the resources and possessions that have been dedicated to monks who abide by the Dharma and possess a wealth of qualities. What troubles will they experience?”

1.44“Your Majesty,” replied the Blessed One, [F.98.b] “If I were to describe the misfortunes that will be experienced by those oxen-like beings‍—whether from the kṣatriya class, the brāhmaṇa class, the vaiśya class, or the śūdra class‍—who steal and use for themselves the resources and possessions that have been dedicated to those who abide by the Dharma and possess a wealth of qualities, they would reject and disbelieve my words whenever they have the opportunity to hear my teachings. Those beings will experience two types of harm stemming from great terrors that cause ruin.”

1.45King Bimbisāra requested the Blessed One a second time, “Blessed One, please instruct us! Well-Gone One, please instruct us! Respected Blessed One, there will be members of respectable family lineages‍—from members of the kṣatriya class to śūdras‍—who are afraid of the afterlife and genuinely uphold and consider the excellent teachings of the Blessed One’s well-spoken Dharma and Vinaya. Blessed One, upon hearing the teachings that stem from the activity of your speech, they will, with utmost strength and diligence, consider and protect the well-spoken teachings of the Victor. They will worship, look after, and protect those who correctly follow these teachings, who abide by the Dharma, and who possess a wealth of qualities. They will not steal from householders or from those who have gone forth. However, respected Blessed One, what troubles will be experienced by those householders who steal and use for themselves the resources and possessions of those who abide by the Dharma?”

1.46“Your Majesty,” replied the Blessed One, “If I were to describe the misfortunes that will be experienced in the future by those oxen-like beings‍—[F.99.a] from members of the kṣatriya class to śūdras‍—who steal and use for themselves the resources and possessions that have been dedicated to those who abide by the Dharma and possess a wealth of qualities, they would reject and disbelieve my words whenever they have the opportunity to hear my teachings. Those beings will experience two types of harm stemming from great terrors that cause ruin.”

1.47King Bimbisāra spoke a third time to the Blessed One: “Blessed One, please instruct us! Well-Gone One, please instruct us! Respected Blessed One, there will be members of respectable family lineages‍—from members of the kṣatriya class to śūdras‍—who are afraid of the afterlife and genuinely uphold and consider the excellent teachings of the Blessed One’s Dharma and Vinaya. Having heard the teachings that stem from the activity of the Blessed One’s speech, they will, with utmost strength and diligence, consider the well-spoken teachings of the Victor, and they will worship, look after, and protect those who correctly follow these teachings, abide by the Dharma, and possess a wealth of qualities. They will not steal from householders or from those who have gone forth, and they will not steal the resources and possessions of those who abide by the Dharma.”

1.48The Blessed One exclaimed, “Excellent, Your Majesty, excellent! Your eloquence is excellent! Your Majesty, in the future, there will be members of the kṣatriya class, the brāhmaṇa class, the vaiśya class, and the śūdra class who steal and rob the offerings related to the houses, fields, monastic compounds, and parks as well as the male and female servants, the bedding, [F.99.b] the seats, the medicine, the tools, and the cattle that have been dedicated to those who abide by the Dharma. All those beings‍—from the members of the kṣatriya class to śūdras‍—will soon experience twenty undesirable consequences in their present life. What are the twenty? (1) They will be abandoned by the gods. (2) Their infamy will resound in all the cardinal and intermediate directions. (3) They will be abandoned by their friends and kin. (4) They will have a lot of enemies. (5) Their wealth and valuables will deteriorate. (6) They will have a lot of distractions. (7) Their limbs will be impaired. (8) They will suffer from insomnia. (9) They will constantly be tormented by craving. (10) They will be poisoned by what they eat and drink. (11) They will quickly be separated from their dear and loved ones. (12) They will continuously fight with others. (13) Their fathers, mothers, siblings, spouses, daughters, and male and female servants will not follow their instructions. (14) All their secret mantras, secret riches, secret retinues, and secret possessions will be revealed. (15) Their possessions will be squandered by the five terrors, such as the hostile confiscation of one’s property. (16) They will quickly be struck by severe diseases. (17) They will be without doctors and attendants and will experience the suffering of their flesh and blood drying out. (18) They will die in their excrement and urine. Your Majesty, those are the twenty undesirable consequences that those beings will quickly experience.

1.49“After they die, those who steal and use for themselves the resources, possessions, and valuables that have been dedicated to the monks who abide by the Dharma [F.100.a] will be born in the great Hell of Unceasing Torment. There, for a lifetime stretching over eons, they will drink molten iron and copper, eat lumps of iron, and experience a variety of intense and unbearable harms while having to use clothes, resources, and belongings made of fire. Once the eons of their lifespans are exhausted, they will pass away and be born on paths within a dry and barren wilderness, with the general fortune of pretas with impaired legs, arms, and eyes. There, scorching winds blowing from the four directions will torture them, and they will experience torment and agony on razor-like grounds. They will undergo those types of suffering for many hundreds of thousands of years. When, in a rare combination of circumstances, they pass away and transmigrate, they will then be born within the great oceans as creatures with oblong shapes and bodies that measure a hundred leagues. Due to their previous actions, the water surrounding them will be red like molten copper for leagues. In those waters, they will experience the harms of the hell realms for many hundreds of thousands of years. Then, after they pass away, they will be miraculously born into a vast wilderness as creatures with oblong shapes as large as mountains. They will be burned by scorching winds blowing from the four directions, and wild beasts and birds will come to feed on them. If, in a rare combination of circumstances, they pass away and transmigrate, they will then be born into the great hells. Then, after passing away, they will experience such great misfortunes again and again. Considering their condition thoroughly, even if, in a rare combination of circumstances, they are then born with the general fortune of humans, they will be born blind in miserable circumstances, in buddha realms ripe with the five degenerations. [F.100.b] Your Majesty, such are the misfortunes that will be experienced by those who steal the resources, possessions, and valuables that have been dedicated to those who abide by the Dharma.”

1.50At that moment, King Bimbisāra shed tears and said, “Respected Blessed One, such beings will surely have to remain in the hell realms, but how can they achieve a human condition and then engage in such severe nonvirtuous acts while they are humans?”

“Your Majesty,” replied the Blessed One, “now and in the future, people will put their trust in you members of the kṣatriya class who abide by the Dharma, so look after them and protect them! You must by all means punish, in accordance with the Dharma, the renunciates or householders who steal the resources, possessions, and valuable belongings that have been dedicated to the monks who abide by the Dharma!”

1.51“Respected Blessed One,” said the king, “if the king does not by all means punish, in accordance with the Dharma, those householders and renunciates who steal the resources, possessions, and valuable belongings that have been dedicated to the monks who abide by the Dharma, and if he remains indifferent toward them, what mass of nonvirtue would that member of the kṣatriya class generate?”

1.52“Your Majesty,” replied the Blessed One, “if a single being were endowed with the entire mass of virtue of all sentient beings, including the hearers and solitary buddhas but not the thus-gone ones, would that sentient being be much more exalted than all the hearers and solitary buddhas, [F.101.a] and would they possess much greater merit?”

The king answered, “Respected Blessed One, that is correct! Respected Blessed One, that being would be much more exalted! Among all the living beings, there are not many who possess much greater merit than all the hearers and solitary buddhas.”

1.53“Your Majesty,” continued the Blessed One, “imagine that all beings were endowed with the mass of merit in possession of this previously mentioned being and that some persons cut the limbs, gouged the eyes, and chopped the ears, noses, hands, and feet of all the living beings. Your Majesty, what do you think? What amount of nonvirtuous, evil actions would such persons generate?”

King Bimbisāra shed tears and remained silent.

1.54The Blessed One insisted, “Answer this question, Your Majesty, answer this question!”

Weeping, the great king Bimbisāra answered, “Respected Blessed One, the persons who would cut the limbs, gouge the eyes, and chop the ears, nose, hands, and feet of a single one of those meritorious sentient beings would generate an uncountable, limitless, unfathomable, and incomparable amount of nonvirtuous, evil actions, so there is no need to speak of what would happen if one were to cut the limbs, gouge the eyes, and chop the ears, noses, hands, and feet of all those meritorious sentient beings!”

1.55“Your Majesty,” continued the Blessed One, [F.101.b] “whether the Thus-Gone One is alive or has passed into nirvāṇa, now and in the future, until the last five hundred years when the sacred Dharma will be about to vanish, if members of the kṣatriya class remain indifferent toward householders and renunciates who steal and rob the resources, possessions, valuable belongings, offerings related to fields and houses, monastic compounds, parks, male and female servants, cattle, Dharma robes, alms, bedding, seats, medicine, and tools that have been dedicated to those who abide by the Dharma and who possess a wealth of qualities, and if they do not order those renunciate and householder thieves to be punished in all possible ways, those members of the kṣatriya class will generate much more nonvirtue. Just as it is for the members of the kṣatriya class, if those who have been appointed as authorities in villages, cities, towns, and countries remain indifferent and do not act against such thieves, all of them will also generate a much greater mass of nonvirtue.”

1.56King Bimbisāra then asked, “Respected Blessed One, the king himself is heavily burdened, and the members of the kṣatriya class live with a great amount of carelessness. Nevertheless, respected Blessed One, if the king, while living carelessly, were to protect those persons who abide by the Dharma and stand up against the evil actions of sentient beings who steal the resources and possessions that have been dedicated to them, and if all the authorities‍—from those of villages to those of countries‍—also stand up against the evil actions of those who rob the resources and possessions that have been dedicated in that way, [F.102.a] what mass of merit will they generate?”

1.57“Your Majesty,” said the Blessed One, “imagine that all beings were endowed with the mass of merit that I have described before and that they were thrown into a prison where they would be tormented by hunger and thirst. Imagine that some beings then appeared and freed all those meritorious beings from that prison and served them for a full hundred years with offerings of Dharma robes, alms, bedding, seats, medicine, and tools. Your Majesty, what do you think? Would those beings generate a lot of merit on that basis?”

“A lot of merit, respected Blessed One! Respected Well-Gone One, the mass of merit generated by those beings would be immeasurable, limitless, and unfathomable!”

1.58“Your Majesty,” continued the Blessed One, “now and in the future, until the last five hundred years, if any member of the kṣatriya class or any regional authority acts against the evil actions of people who steal something that has been dedicated to those who abide by the Dharma and who possess a wealth of qualities, they will generate a much greater mass of merit than that.”

1.59The king then asked, “Respected Blessed One, if not protecting a single monk who abides by the Dharma generates that amount of nonvirtue, does protecting a single one of them generate that same amount of merit?”

“Your Majesty,” replied the Blessed One, “I have not allowed the practice of having only a single individual, or two, or three, or four; instead, Your Majesty, for the purposes of the saṅgha in the four directions, [F.102.b] I have prescribed that in each temple or hermitage there should be at least five monks who abide by the Dharma. I have prescribed that those monks who gather swiftly from the four directions at the sound of the gong should share their resources, possessions, rooms, bedding, seats, food, beverages, medicine, and tools. Even if as many as a hundred thousand monks reside in a single temple or hermitage, I have also prescribed in those places the shared use of all those things‍—up to and including tools‍—to those monks who gather swiftly at the sound of the gong. I have prescribed such use to those who are detached, unfettered, and dispassionate, to those who do not sleep but exert themselves during the first and last parts of the night, to those who turn their backs to saṃsāra, to those who focus inwardly on nirvāṇa, to those who do not criticize others, to those who do not praise themselves, to those who are content, to those who engage in ascetic practices, to those who remain in seclusion, to those who engender diligence, to those who are settled in equipoise, and to those who engage in the applications of mindfulness.

1.60“Your Majesty, such beings are present within the saṅgha of monks. Your Majesty, by giving away resources and possessions to those beings present within the saṅgha of monks, people generate limitless merit. Your Majesty, when five or more monks reside in a temple or a hermitage, people will acquire limitless merit in relation to such a saṅgha of monks when, at the sound of the gong, they offer resources to those monks who are disciplined, who observe pure discipline, who are apprehensive of the slightest wrongdoing, who teach and recite the discourses related to emptiness that were taught by the Thus-Gone One, who neither criticize others nor praise themselves, [F.103.a] who have abandoned envy and miserliness, who are affectionate toward all sentient beings, and who strive for liberation.

1.61“Your Majesty, even if a saṅgha of monks consists of the minimum of five members, that saṅgha is referred to as an ocean-like saṅgha of monks as long as they observe pure discipline, are perfectly modest and humble, fear wrongdoing related to the next life, and exert themselves in ascetic practices and in the noble lineage. Since even such a saṅgha is said to help and benefit countless humans and liberate all beings from all their suffering, what need is there to mention a saṅgha of monks that consists of ten members or a hundred thousand members? Your Majesty, brāhmaṇas and great householders who are filled with faith will beat the gong in order to serve the saṅgha of monks. Your Majesty, regardless of whether there are few or many monks in that saṅgha who engage in negative actions and pretend to be spiritual practitioners, if there are just five monks in that congregation who abide by the Dharma and observe pure discipline and who are perfectly modest and humble, that saṅgha of monks will possess limitless qualities. That saṅgha is very deserving of generosity and deserves to be worshiped by all gods and humans. Therefore, Your Majesty, I entrust to your hands those monks who abide by the Dharma and who delight in the joy of the Dharma. If, for some reason, any householders or renunciates should threaten or harm them, do not let this happen but protect them!” [F.103.b] [B2]

1.62King Bimbisāra then asked, “Respected Blessed One, should monks with impaired discipline who engage in negative actions be allowed to reside within the saṅgha? Should they be allowed to use and avail themselves of the sacred Dharma robes, alms, bedding, seats, medicine, and tools?”

1.63“Your Majesty,” replied the Blessed One, “imagine that one of your senior ministers or important officials, someone appointed by the king, a eunuch, a member of the kṣatriya class, a brāhmaṇa, or a householder were to transgress the laws of the government and commit crimes. Your Majesty, would you allow such a criminal to join your personal retinue during royal celebrations and festivals and enjoy him or herself, thus delighting and frolicking to his or her heart’s content?”

The king replied, “No, Respected Blessed One.”

1.64“Similarly, Your Majesty,” continued the Blessed One, “such persons with impaired discipline who engage in negative actions, who are like a rotten tree, who pretend to be spiritual practitioners, and who pretend to observe pure conduct are harming all the blessed buddhas of the past, present, and future. They are not the Blessed One’s hearers‍—they have fallen under the influence of Māra. Those persons are following a degenerate path, and they will not be counted within the saṅgha of hearers in the future‍—they will not be able to enter it. [F.104.a] It is inappropriate for such people to consume even the husk of a sesame seed that has been dedicated to those monks who abide by the Dharma, so what need is there to speak of them residing within the saṅgha? Those persons will be rejected by the Dharma and Vinaya.”

1.65King Bimbisāra then asked, “Respected Blessed One, what are the signs of behavior through which one knows that monks with impaired discipline who engage in negative actions are henceforth not worthy of remaining, residing, and living among monks who abide by the Dharma?”

1.66“Your Majesty,” replied the Blessed One, “this is not something that can be known immediately by saying ‘These are the features through which their impaired discipline becomes apparent.’ Nevertheless, Your Majesty, the first of these signs is being disrespectful toward the Buddha as well as the Dharma, the Saṅgha, the preceptors, the teachers, and those who are exalted. It also involves renouncing the noble lineage, not delighting in spiritual contemplations, giving up modesty and humility, associating with householders, engaging in idle gossip, praising oneself, criticizing others, enjoying such behaviors, being caught in the trap of negative actions, following unwholesome paths, being arrogant, being haughty, being petty, being conceited, being rude, being a hypocrite, being deceitful, being a cunning spiritual practitioner, being like an indolent monk, talking with the wish to cause disharmony in the saṅgha of monks, delighting in gain, honor, and praise, and enjoying the pleasure of entertainment. However, as long as their impaired discipline has not become apparent, one cannot immediately identify such signs in the monks with impaired discipline who engage in negative actions. [F.104.b] It is when such monks who engage in negative actions take possession of offerings related to houses, fields, and monastic compounds, as well as male and female servants, elephants, horses, camels, donkeys, and sheep, that their impaired discipline becomes apparent. Due to this, those evil monks will be banished from the saṅgha of monks; they will not be allowed to remain and live there, since they have violated and lost their status as monks, and they will not be able to regain this status in the future.

1.67“Your Majesty, it is better to reside in the dwelling places of outcastes than to reside with vile and greedy monks who are filled with aggression, who have no consideration for what is beneficial, who reject the afterlife, who lack compassion, who are like great pits filled with excrement, who follow the path of Māra, who harm gods and humans, who deceive all the sages of the three times, who extinguish the Dharma lamp of the lineage of the Three Jewels, who dry up the ocean of the Dharma, who create dissension among Dharma preachers, who deceive almsgivers and benefactors, who hurt monks that abide by the Dharma, and who disrupt the harmony of the Saṅgha. Through their attitude of greed, such evil monks turn the king away from the path that leads to the higher realms, and they will do the same to members of the kṣatriya class and to brāhmaṇas, vaiśyas, śūdras, men, women, boys, and girls. Instead they establish them on the three paths that lead to the lower realms.

1.68“Your Majesty, behold the amount of distress that those evil monks will generate in gods and humans because of their greed! Your Majesty, the greedy monks and the monks who abide by the Dharma [F.105.a] and possess a wealth of qualities should therefore not reside together in the same monastic compound or the same temples. If they do reside together with those evil, haughty monks who have abandoned modesty and humility, the monks who abide by the Dharma should be loving and mindful in accordance with the Dharma. If those evil monks decide to leave those places, it is excellent, but if they do not, the monks who abide by the Dharma should then summon those members of the kṣatriya class, the brāhmaṇa class, the vaiśya class, and the śūdra class who govern over those cities, towns, villages, countries, or mountain areas. If the members of the kṣatriya class or the brāhmaṇas, vaiśyas, or śūdras expel the evil and greedy monks from those places, the monks who abide by the Dharma should remain there. If it is the case that, for the sake of food, beverages, or gains, the members of the kṣatriya, brāhmaṇa, vaiśya, or śūdra classes should take the side of the evil and greedy monks, the monks who abide by the Dharma should not show any aggression, attachment, or pride. Instead, they should leave those places without saying a word and go live elsewhere in the wilderness, in forests, in hills, or on mountain slopes, where they should remain silent, withdraw into meditative seclusion, and practice correct mental activity.”

1.69Once again, King Bimbisāra shed tears and exclaimed, “Respected Blessed One, the members of the kṣatriya class, the brāhmaṇa class, the vaiśya class, and the śūdra class who, for the sake of food, beverages, or gains, take the side of the evil and greedy monks and let the monks who abide by the Dharma and possess a wealth of qualities leave their places are corrupt! [F.105.b] Respected Well-Gone One, they are extremely corrupt! It will be hard for them to achieve a human life again; for those beings who circle in saṃsāra this is the last time to achieve a human life! Even though countless and innumerable blessed buddhas endowed with great compassion‍—as numerous as the grains of sand in the Ganges‍—will appear in the world, those sentient beings who do not listen respectfully to the words of the monks who abide by the Dharma will not be liberated from the lower realms or established in the higher realms. Instead, they will possess such negative actions!”

1.70“Your Majesty,” said the Blessed One, “in the future, there will be members of the kṣatriya class, the brāhmaṇa class, the vaiśya class, and the śūdra class who have strong faith in the monks who abide by the Dharma. They will build hermitages for them. In those temples and hermitages, they will also give offerings of houses and fields, male and female servants, and monastic compounds for their use and enjoyment. After they die, they will be born as members of the kṣatriya class who are like great sal trees, or in other states up to the gods of the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception. They will also be born within pure buddha realms where they will meet blessed buddhas, and before long those almsgivers and benefactors will awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood. They will support the monks who abide by the Dharma under my teachings.

1.71“Your Majesty, imagine that one of your sons, siblings, [F.106.a] dignitaries, or senior officials were to engage in wrongdoing. Your Majesty, what do you think? While you partake in a variety of joys and pleasures during the celebrations and festivals that you, great king, offer, would that person be able to remain in front of you and feel happy and playful and experience different types of joy and pleasure?”

“No, respected Blessed One,” replied the king, “that person would dare not come in front of me, so there is no need to speak of him feeling happy and playful!”

1.72“Similarly, Your Majesty,” continued the Blessed One, “if someone takes possession of male and female servants, offerings related to houses and fields, and everything else up to sheep, I am not the teacher of that person, and that person is not my hearer. That person harms all the perfect buddhas of the three times and does not deserve to reside, in accordance with the Dharma, in those places that have been dedicated to those who abide by the Dharma. All the members of the kṣatriya class, the brāhmaṇa class, the vaiśya class, and the śūdra class who benefit those evil and greedy monks and do not make them leave those places also cause great harm to all the blessed buddhas of the three times. Though they may have performed many acts of generosity, after they die they will be born within the great Hell of Unceasing Torment. Therefore, Your Majesty, since they only consider their own benefit, one should not side with those evil and greedy monks. Why? Because they harm all the gods and humans; [F.106.b] they do not benefit them, they cause them to fall into error, and they destroy the lineage of the Three Jewels.

1.73“Your Majesty, if members of the kṣatriya class, the brāhmaṇa class, the vaiśya class, and the śūdra class remain on the side of the teaching of the monks who abide by the Dharma, and if they do not side with evil monks, even if they have not performed acts of generosity, since they side with the Dharma they are sublime benefactors of all the blessed buddhas of the three times. Since they protect the sacred Dharma, they should be regarded as the sacred upholders of the sacred Dharma. After they die they will be born within pure buddha realms, and before long they will awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood. Therefore, Your Majesty, wholesome member of the kṣatriya class, I entrust to you and place in your hands the followers of the Dharma and its teachings. Until the last five hundred years, support my Dharma followers! Thereby, my Dharma way and the lineage of the Three Jewels will endure for a long time, and the gods and humans will be benefited and experience happiness.”

1.74Then King Bimbisāra asked the Blessed One, “Respected Blessed One, what are the criteria for someone to be called an attendant ?”

“Your Majesty,” replied the Blessed One, “I have authorized two types of monks to be attendants. What are those two? They are worthy ones who cultivate the eight aspects of liberation and monks in training who have entered the stream. Your Majesty, I have authorized those two types of monks to perform the function of attendants.” [F.107.a]

1.75This concludes the chapter called “The Protection of the Sacred Dharma,” the first among the eleven chapters included in “The Quintessence of the Sun,” the Great Vehicle discourse of The Great Assembly.