Indriyeśvara

15.1Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, recited, promulgated, presented, investigated, elucidated, reflected on, described, taught, contemplated, bestowed, understood, was immersed in, repeated again and again, realized, propounded, illuminated, and surveyed the teaching of the bhikṣu Sudarśana.

15.2He eventually, with an entourage of devas, nāgas, yakṣas, and gandharvas, arrived at the city of Sumukha in the land called Śramaṇa­maṇḍala.

15.3He searched for the boy Indriyeśvara until the devas, nāgas, yakṣas, and gandharvas in the sky above called down, “Noble one, [F.2.a] the boy Indriyeśvara, accompanied by ten thousand other children, is playing in the sand at the conflux of the rivers.”

15.4Then Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, went into the city of Sumukha toward the confluence of the rivers. When he arrived there, he saw the boy Indriyeśvara accompanied by ten thousand children, playing in the sand.

15.5When he saw the boy Indriyeśvara, he approached him, bowed his head to the boy Indriyeśvara’s feet, circumambulated the boy Indriyeśvara many hundreds of thousands of times, keeping him to his right, and then sat down before the boy Indriyeśvara. He placed the palms of his hands together and said, “Ārya, I have developed the aspiration for the highest, complete enlightenment. How does a bodhisattva train in bodhisattva conduct? In what way does a bodhisattva practice it?”

15.6“Ārya, I have heard that you teach and give instructions to bodhisattvas. Therefore, Ārya, teach me how bodhisattvas train in bodhisattva conduct and in what way they practice it!”

15.7Indriyeśvara said, “Noble one, Mañjuśrī Kumāra­bhūta has taught me writing, numbers, symbols, and counting so that I entered through the gateway called the wisdom that possesses clairvoyance in all crafts.

15.8“Thus, noble one, [F.2.b] I know all writing and terminology in this world; all numbers, calculations, symbols, the knowledge of dice throwing, and the knowledge of the various crafts; physiology; methods to cure poisoning; exorcising śoṣas, apasmāras, bhūtas, pretas, and demons ; the knowledge of where to establish villages, towns, marketplaces, cities, parks, and forest groves for ascetics; the knowledge of the measurements of walls, houses, windows, and kūṭāgāras; the knowledge of how to make various machines and chariots; the knowledge of good and bad omens, omens of danger and safety; the knowledge of the practices of farming and business; the knowledge of the analysis of the signs of the movement and characteristics of the limbs and the minor extensions of the body; the knowledge of the ways of purifying the path of karma that leads to the higher realms or the lower existences; the knowledge of good and bad groups and offerings; the knowledge of the accumulations that lead to the higher existences or to the lower existences; the knowledge of the accumulations that lead to the Śrāvakayāna and Pratyeka­buddhayāna; the knowledge of the accumulations that lead to the level of the tathāgatas; and the knowledge of the processes of application to causes and actions.

15.9“I make all beings enter into those knowledges, settle them in those knowledges, establish them in those knowledges, make them study those knowledges, make them practice those knowledges, make them stable in those knowledges, make them dedicated to those knowledges, make them complete those knowledges, make them accomplished in those knowledges, make them use those knowledges, make them elevate those knowledges, make them increase those knowledges, make those knowledges effective, bring those knowledges to their conclusion, make them purify those knowledges, make those knowledges stainless, make those knowledges shine, make those knowledges bright and clear, and make those knowledges vast.

15.10“Thus, noble one, I know the way of calculations of the bodhisattvas. What is it? [F.3.a]

“A hundred thousand times a hundred is ten million. Ten million times ten million is an ayuta. An ayuta times an ayuta is a niyuta. A niyuta times a niyuta is a bimbara. A bimbara times a bimbara is a kiṃkara. A kiṃkara times a kiṃkara is an agara. An agara times an agara is a pravara. A pravara times a pravara is a mapara. A mapara times a mapara is an avara. An avara times an avara is a tapara. A tapara times a tapara is a sīma. A sīma times a sīma is a yāma . A yāma times a yāma is a nena. A nena times a nena is an avaga. An avaga times an avaga is one mṛgava. One mṛgava times one mṛgava is one vināha. A vināha times a vināha is one viraga. A viraga times a viraga is one avagama. An avagama times an avagama is a vigava. A vigava times a vigava is a saṃkrama. A saṃkrama times a saṃkrama is a visara. A visara times a visara is a vibhaja. A vibhaja times a vibhaja is a vijaṅgha. A vijaṅgha times a vijaṅgha is a visota. A visota times a visota is a vivāha. A vivāha times a vivāha is a vibhakta. A vibhakta times a vibhakta is a vikhata. A vikhata times a vikhata is a tulana. A tulana times a tulana is an atula. An atula times an atula is a varaṇa. A varaṇa times a varaṇa is a vivaraṇa. A vivaraṇa times a vivaraṇa is an avana. An avana times an avana is a thavana. A thavana times a thavana is a viparya. A viparya times a viparya is a samarya. A samarya times a samarya is a viturṇa. A viturṇa times a viturṇa is an hetura. A hetura times a hetura is a vicāra. A vicāra times a vicāra is a visāra. A visāra times a visāra is a vyatyasta. A vyatyasta times a vyatyasta is an abhyudgata . An abhyudgata times an abhyudgata is a viśiṣṭa . A viśiṣṭa times a viśiṣṭa is a nivala. A nivala times a nivala is a haribha. A haribha times a haribha is a vikṣobha. A vikṣobha times a vikṣobha is a halibha. A halibha times a halibha is a harisa. A harisa times a harisa is an aloka. An aloka times an aloka is a dṛṣṭānta. A dṛṣṭānta times a dṛṣṭānta is a hetuna. A hetuna times a hetuna is a durbuda. A durbuda times a durbuda is a haruṇa. A haruṇa times a haruṇa is an ela. An ela times an ela is a dumela. A dumela times a dumela is a kṣemu. A kṣemu times a kṣemu is an akṣayamukta. An akṣayamukta times an akṣayamukta is an elada. An elada times an elada is a māluda. A māluda times a māluda is a maṇḍumā. A maṇḍumā times a maṇḍumā is a viṣamatā. [F.3.b] A viṣamatā times a viṣamatā is a samatā. A samatā times a samatā is a visada. A visada times a visada is a pramantā. A pramantā times a pramantā is a pramātra. A pramātra times a pramātra is an amātra. An amātra times an amātra is a bhramātra. A bhramātra times a bhramātra is a gamātra. A gamātra times a gamātra is a namātra. A namātra times a namātra is a hemātra. A hemātra times a hemātra is a vimātra. A vimātra times a vimātra is a paramātra. A paramātra times a paramātra is a śivamātra. A śivamātra times a śivamātra is an ela. An ela times an ela is a vela. A vela times a vela is a tela. A tela times a tela is a śaila.A śaila times a śaila is a gela. A gela times a gela is a śila. A śila times a śila is a śvela. A śvela times a śvela is a nela. A nela times a nela is a bhela. A bhela times a bhela is a kela . A kela times a kela is a sela. A sela times a sela is a pela. A pela times a pela is a hela. A hela times a hela is a mela. A mela times a mela is a saraḍa. A saraḍa times a saraḍa is a māruta. A māruta times a māruta is a meruda. A meruda times a meruda is a kheluda. A kheluda times a kheluda is a māluda. A māluda times a māluda is a samula. A samula times a samula is an ayava. An ayava times an ayava is a kamala. A kamala times a kamala is a magava. A magava times a magava is an atara. An atara times an atara is a heluya. A heluya times a heluya is a veluva. A veluva times a veluva is a kajāva. A kajāva times a kajāva is a havava. A havava times a havava is a havala. A havala times a havala is a vivara. A vivara times a vivara is a bimba. A bimba times a bimba is a caraṇa. A caraṇa times a caraṇa is a carama. A carama times a carama is a parava. A parava times a parava is a dhavara. A dhavara times a dhavara is a dhamana. A dhamana times a dhamana is a pramada. A pramada times a pramada is a nigama. A nigama times a nigama is an upavarta. An upavarta times an upavarta is a nirdeśa. A nirdeśa times a nirdeśa is an akṣaya. [F.4.a] An akṣaya times an akṣaya is a saṃbhūta. A saṃbhūta times a saṃbhūta is an amama. An amama times an amama is an avada. An avada times an avada is an utpala. An utpala times an utpala is a padma. A padma times a padma is a saṃkhya. A saṃkhya times a saṃkhya is a gati. A gati times a gati is an upagama. An upagama times an upagama is an aupamya. An aupamya times an aupamya is an asaṃkhyeya. An asaṃkhyeya times an asaṃkhyeya is an asaṃkhyeya­parivarta. An asaṃkhyeya­parivarta times an asaṃkhyeya­parivarta is an aparimāṇa. An aparimāṇa times an aparimāṇa is an aparimāṇa­parivarta. An aparimāṇa­parivarta times an aparimāṇa­parivarta is an aparyanta. An aparyanta times an aparyanta is an aparyanta­parivarta. An aparyanta­parivarta times an aparyanta­parivarta is an asamanta. An asamanta times an asamanta is an asamanta­parivarta. An asamanta­parivarta times an asamanta­parivarta is an agaṇeya. An agaṇeya times an agaṇeya is an agaṇeya­parivarta. An agaṇeya­parivarta times an agaṇeya­parivarta is an atulya. An atulya times an atulya is an atulya­parivarta.An atulya­parivarta times an atulya­parivarta is an acintya. An acintya times an acintya is an acintya­parivarta. An acintya­parivarta times an acintya­parivarta is an aparyanta. An aparyanta times an aparyanta is an aparyanta­parivarta. An aparyanta­parivarta times an aparyanta­parivarta is an amāpya. An amāpya times an amāpya is an amāpya­parivarta. An amāpya­parivarta times an amāpya­parivarta is an anabhilāpya. An anabhilāpya times an anabhilāpya is an anabhilāpya­parivarta. An anabhilāpya­parivarta times an anabhilāpya­parivarta is an anabhilāpyānabhilāpya . An anabhilāpyānabhilāpya times an anabhilāpyānabhilāpya is an anabhilāpyānabhilāpya­parivarta .”

15.11In front of Indriyeśvara there was a heap of sand that was many yojanas high. [F.4.b] He counted how many grains of sand there were in that heap, beginning with “the number of grains of sand in this mound” and continuing until he said, “there are an anabhilāpyānabhilāpya­parivarta of grains of sand in this heap.” Having taught Sudhana through the teaching that stipulated the number of grains of sand in that heap of sand, he said, “Noble one, this method of counting of the bodhisattvas continues from one world realm to another. With this method of counting of the bodhisattvas, one can calculate the number of the entire extent of world realms in the eastern direction. In the same way, with this method of counting of the bodhisattvas, one can calculate the number of the entire extent of world realms in the southern direction, in the western direction, in the northern direction, in the northeastern direction, in the southeastern direction, in the southwestern direction, in the northwestern direction, in the upward direction, and in the downward direction.

15.12“Noble one, with this method of counting of the bodhisattvas, the entire extent of the succession of the names of world realms in the ten directions are taught; with this method of counting of the bodhisattvas, the entire extent of the succession of the names of world realms in the ten directions is counted.

15.13“Just as the entire extent of the succession of world realms in the ten directions is taught, in the same way the succession of names of kalpas in the ten directions is taught, the succession of the names of buddhas is taught, the succession of the names of Dharmas is taught, the succession of the names of beings is taught, and the succession of the names of actions is taught, so that all these are comprehended.

15.14“With this method of counting of the bodhisattvas, the entirety of however many successions of names that can be taught and that are in the ten directions is comprehended in full. [F.5.a]

15.15“With this method of counting of the bodhisattvas, the entirety of however many successions of names that can be taught and that are in the ten directions is counted in full.

15.16“However, noble one, in that way I know only this light of bodhisattva wisdom that is the possession of the clairvoyance of crafts that is the knowledge of all phenomena. How could I know the conduct of the bodhisattvas who engage with the number of all beings, who engage with the number of all the accumulations of Dharmas, who engage with the number of all the buddhas and bodhisattvas, and who have power over the wheel of the names of all the Dharmas? How could I describe their qualities? How could I reveal the range of their activity? How could I elucidate the scope of their knowledge? How could I praise their strengths? How could I proclaim their resolute intentions? How could I cast light on their accumulations? How could I explain their prayers? How could I teach their conduct? How could I speak of their pure perfections? How could I make clear their pure attainments? How could I describe the range of their samādhis? How could I comprehend the light of their wisdom?

15.17“Depart, noble one. In this southern region there is a town called Samudra­pratiṣṭhāna, where dwells an upāsikā by the name of Prabhūtā. Go to her and ask her, ‘How should a bodhisattva train in bodhisattva conduct? How should a bodhisattva practice it?’ ”

15.18When Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, heard the words of the kalyāṇamitra, the hairs on his body rose, he felt a powerful great happiness, and he had great joy in his mind. He had obtained this rare, wonderful jewel of motivation. He had developed the motivation of intending to benefit many beings. He had the power to encounter the successive appearances of the buddhas. [F.5.b] He was dedicated to understanding the pure field of the Dharma. He was dedicated to demonstrating setting forth to liberation in different ways appropriate to all places. He knew the distinct ranges of activity of the buddhas in the levels of the three times. He had a state of mind that had arisen from an inexhaustible ocean of merit. He had the power of the illumination of great wisdom. He had broken open the gate that sealed beings within the city of the three realms.

15.19Sudhana bowed his head to the feet of the boy Indriyeśvara, circumambulated the boy Indriyeśvara many hundreds of thousands of times, keeping him to his right, and, looking back again and again, departed from the boy Indriyeśvara.