Chapter 24: The Inexhaustible Nature of the Analogies in Praise of the Virtues of Powerful Memory and the Formulas That Support It

24.1The bodhisattva Śāntamati then asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, what kind of powerful mnemonic formula is the one called accessing the aspects of the Dharma?”

24.2“Śāntamati,” the Blessed One answered, “accessing the aspects of the Dharma is the knowledge that accesses the imperishable in syllables. Śāntamati, all things have the syllable ā as their point of entry. All things have the syllable ā as their gateway; they are created from the syllable ā; they reach their end in the syllable ā. The syllable ā does the action in verbal action, [F.195.b] but the syllable ā does not know; it does not ascertain, and yet it is the point of entry to all things. This is why the powerful mnemonic formula is called accessing the aspects of the Dharma.

24.3“Access means in this case that nothing, Śāntamati, not even an atom, has entered or exited. The syllables, Śāntamati, do not come from somewhere and enter an interior space inside the body; also, the syllables neither take up residence within an interior space inside the body, nor do the syllables come out and then go in some direction. The syllables also do not stimulate one another. The syllables also do not form an idea of right or wrong. The syllables are not pronounced, nor are they not pronounced. They do not waste away, and they do not grow. No one can produce these syllables, and no one can extinguish them. No one can create the syllables, and no one can destroy them.

24.4“Just as there is a count of syllables, Śāntamati, in the same way there is a count of thoughts. Just as there is a count of thoughts, in the same way there is a count of all things. Just as there is a count of all things, in the same way there is no count. What is the reason for this? It is because one does not reach a count of the Dharma. Therefore, there is no count that is the count of the Dharma. Just as the Dharma does not reach a count, in precisely the same way is the access to its aspects. A point of entry that is not born from the very beginning is an entry into what does not arise, and there is no entry into what is not born and is not arisen. For so it is that this entrance is not a point of entry, and, Śāntamati, it is not possible to interrupt the inspired eloquence of one who has entered into such a count. This is because a count that is uninterrupted has thereby reached the true nature of things; a count that is not exhausted has thereby reached the true nature of things.

24.5“Just as one teaches a thing, in exactly the same way those things are put into words and arise in the mind. With precisely the same method one uses to access the aspects of the Dharma, one accesses the aspects of beings. By accessing the aspects of beings, one teaches the Dharma in accordance with beings’ level of dedication. [F.196.a]

24.6“Bodhisattvas who have acquired a powerful memory and the formulas that support it, Śāntamati, are stainless in thought. They are pure in motivation. They are transparent in practice. They are superior in ambition. They are firmly established in good conduct. They are superior in wisdom. They are rock-solid in keeping their promises. They are not liable to be disturbed by the māras. They are unmatched by rival teachers. They are not liable to be oppressed by the afflictions. They are unassailable by adversaries.

24.7“They have strength in their bodies. Their minds are not depressed. Their inspired eloquence is inexhaustible. There is no end to their teachings. There is no limit to their explanations. They have no doubt about their knowledge. Their intellects are difficult to plumb. Their teachings of the truths are deep. What they have learned is comparable to the ocean. They are the same as Mount Meru in concentration. They are the same as the lion among assemblies. They are the same as the lotus among things of the world. They are the same as the earth in being a support for all beings. They are the same as water in removing the thirst of the afflictions. They are the same as fire in that they bring all beings to maturity. They are the same as the moon in that they are even-minded toward all beings. They are the same as the sun in that they disperse the darkness of the afflictions.

24.8“They are the same as the valiant warrior in that they kill the enemy of the afflictions. They are the same as the bull elephant in that their minds are well trained. They are the same as the clouds in that they produce the thunder of the Dharma. They are the same as rain in showering the Dharma. They are the same as the doctor in that they alleviate the afflictions, which are the sickness of beings. They are the same as the king in that they create a kingdom of the Dharma. They are the same as the Lokapālas in protecting the Dharma for the world. They are the same as Śakra in that they are the overseer of gods and men. [F.196.b] They are the same as Brahmā in that they obtain offspring by having gained control over their own minds.

24.9“They are like birds in that they wander without a home. They are the same as forest-dwelling creatures like monkeys and deer in that they are filled with the fear of society. They are the same as a mother in that they mitigate all the bad actions of all beings. They are the same as a father in that they offer training in all practical crafts and trades. They are the same as Vaiśravaṇa in that they distribute all the jewels of the Dharma.

24.10“They are adorned with merits. They are decorated with the distinctive features of a great being. They are beautified by the secondary marks. They are worthy of the world’s regard. They are worthy of holding the gaze. They are not destitute, being endowed with the seven riches. They are remembered by the buddhas. They are worthy of praise by those with practical knowledge. They are irreproachable by all learned persons. They are well protected by the gods. They are well received by nāgas and yakṣas.

24.11“They become sovereign lord over the teachings of the Dharma. They become master of the supernormal faculties. They have reached an understanding of beings’ motivations. They have gained access to the spiritual faculties of beings. They have an insatiable hunger for the teachings of the Dharma. They take no interest in profit and recognition. They do not selfishly hoard the teachings of the Dharma. They do not take part in amusements, because of the purity of their moral conduct. They do no violence, because of the purity of their patience. They are highly accomplished in their professions, because of the purity of their heroic effort. They are well bred, because of the purity of their meditation. Their intellects have stunning clarity, because of the purity of their wisdom. They surpass Brahmā in regard to the immeasurable states. They are transcendent in regard to the meditative states, concentrations, and absorptions. They are supreme among those on the path of awakening. They are endowed with virtue in all its aspects, because they have obtained the level of consecration. [F.197.a]

24.12“So it is, Śāntamati, that the description of the virtues of a bodhisattva who has acquired a powerful memory and the formulas that support it is immeasurable. Even if the Realized One were to set aside all other activities and give a description in praise of the virtues of a bodhisattva who has acquired a powerful memory and the formulas that support it, he would not arrive at the end of it, Śāntamati, even after hundreds of thousands of years.”

24.13At that point, the bodhisattva Śāntamati said to the god Bhadrarāja, “The profit is well earned by you, friend, such that the Realized One gives this immeasurable praise of you.”

24.14The god Bhadrarāja responded to the bodhisattva Śāntamati, “From the perspective of ultimate truth, noble son, there is no real thing here whatsoever that receives this praise. In fact, noble son, it is not possible to arrive at the end of the form of the virtues of something that has no color, form, or shape at all. Indeed, it is possible to praise the form of something only if it has form, color, and shape.”

24.15The god Bhadrarāja then said to the Blessed One, “All things are not grasped, Blessed One; they are not ‘mine’; they are not property, they are not offered by anyone, they are not snatched away by anyone. Moreover, a constant effort should be made in this regard to do the correct practice, and then these things will appear before the minds of those who make a constant effort and do the correct practice.

24.16“Just as this great earth is situated upon a mass of water, Blessed One, so that if any person digs a well, even a small one, it fills with water, but if one doesn’t dig the well, then one won’t get any water, in precisely the same way, Blessed One, one who makes a constant effort for all-pervading knowledge reaches that knowledge, and one who does not make a constant effort assuredly does not reach that knowledge. It is for this reason then, Blessed One, that those who are intent upon awakening [F.197.b] should make a constant, perpetual effort to cultivate this knowledge, and they should do so with heroic effort, and as a result these things will appear before their eyes.

24.17“Just as someone who is blind from birth, Blessed One, does not see the forms there to be known, in the same way, beings who are blinded by the afflictions, Blessed One, do not see the things there to be known.

24.18“Just as someone with the eyes to see does not see without a light, Blessed One, in the same way, others, even those who possess the divine eye, Blessed One, do not see or even take any interest without the instructions of a companion in the good.

24.19“Just as someone who possesses the divine eye has no need for light, Blessed One, in the same way, one who has done the preparatory work, Blessed One, has no need for more instructions.

24.20“Just as a being who has gone into the womb is not seen and does not see, Blessed One, but still develops, in the same way, a bodhisattva who has set out on the path with heroic effort does not see awakening at that time, Blessed One, but still develops the qualities of a buddha.

24.21“Just as a tree that has grown on the snowy king of mountains does not splinter or wither before its time, Blessed One, in precisely the same way the knowledge that has grown in a noble one while engaged in the practice of the Dharma does not splinter or wane.

24.22“Just as when a wheel-turning king arises to become sovereign lord of the four continents, Blessed One, then the seven jewels also arise for him, in the same way, when one conceives the aspiration for awakening, Blessed One, then the seven jewels of the Dharma arise‍—namely, generosity, moral conduct, patience, heroic effort, meditation, wisdom, and skill in means.

24.23“Just as when the wheel-turning king travels throughout the four continents of the world, Blessed One, [F.198.a] there is no variation in the love he has for beings, in the same way, when a bodhisattva draws beings with the four means of drawing others to oneself, Blessed One, the bodhisattva has no variation toward beings.

24.24“Just as when a wheel-turning king sits in council, Blessed One, there is no discord or dispute, in the same way, when a bodhisattva sits down to have a similar discussion of the Dharma, Blessed One, there is no discord or dispute in the discussion.

24.25“Just as when the cosmos of a billion worlds takes shape, Blessed One, then Mount Meru, the king of mountains, is the first thing to take shape, as well as the great ocean, in the same way, when a bodhisattva conceives the aspiration for awakening for the first time, Blessed One, then ambition and great compassion are the first things to take shape.

24.26“Just as when the sun rises, Blessed One, then rays of light fall first upon the tall mountains, in the same way, when the light of knowledge arises, Blessed One, then those beings who have put energy into developing the roots of virtue experience the light of knowledge.

24.27“Just as the earth receives all the seeds of all the grasses, shrubs, plants, and trees of the forest, Blessed One, and the earth gives life to all of them equally, in the same way, the bodhisattva who has acquired a powerful memory and the formulas that support it, Blessed One, gives detached thought to all beings by giving them the motivation for the Dharma.”

24.28The Blessed One then congratulated the god Bhadrarāja: “Excellent, divine one, excellent! By laying out this set of analogies, you have expressed this teaching well. [F.198.b]

24.29“Indeed, divine one, there are as many teachings that lay out analogies for the bodhisattva who has acquired a powerful memory and the formulas that support it as there are grasses and trees; as many as there are names, words, and sounds, the meanings of which are established by convention; as many as there are forms and colors; as many as there are ways beings think and behave; as many as there are creations of name and form; as many as there are daily concerns of beings; and as many as there are foods and drinks that beings enjoy.

24.30“Moreover, divine one, there is nothing said by a bodhisattva who has acquired a powerful memory and the formulas that support it that is not the word of the Buddha. There is no manifestation of form, no manifestation of sound, smell, taste, tactile sensation, or mental object that such a bodhisattva does not manifest. Such a bodhisattva’s inspired eloquence does not depend at all upon the hearsay of others. The teaching of such a bodhisattva does not depend on someone else’s point of view. With regard to all engagements, such a bodhisattva does not become exhausted, has no limitations, and is capable of going everywhere. The mind of such a bodhisattva does not stay in one place, the body of such a bodhisattva has no heaviness, and the thoughts of such a bodhisattva are not of discouragement. Even when teaching in front of hundreds of thousands of buddhas, such a bodhisattva is undaunted. For, indeed, empowered by the empowering authority of the buddhas, this bodhisattva has obtained inspired eloquence, knowledge, wisdom, and a powerful memory and the formulas that support it.

24.31“This bodhisattva teaches, but remains undaunted, does not hide, and does not turn back. For, indeed, the bodhisattva adheres to three forms of detachment: detachment from self, detachment from beings, and detachment from things. The bodhisattva adheres to three forms of purity: the purity of the realm of reality, the purity of the way things are, and the purity of the true end. The bodhisattva adheres to the three imperishables: [F.199.a] the imperishable nature of things, the imperishable nature of syllables, and the imperishable nature of teachings.

24.32“This bodhisattva acquires three kinds of empowerment: the empowerment in inspired eloquence, the empowerment in the meaning of the Dharma, and the empowerment in the use of the Dharma. This bodhisattva obtains three kinds of joy: the joy of knowledge, the joy of wisdom, and the joy of removing doubt. This bodhisattva obtains three types of swiftness: the swiftness of mindfulness, the swiftness of intelligence, and the swiftness of understanding.”

24.33While this teaching on a powerful memory and the formulas that support it was being taught, eight hundred bodhisattvas attained a powerful memory and the formulas that support it.

24.34This was the twenty-fourth chapter, “The Inexhaustible Nature of the Analogies in Praise of the Virtues of Powerful Memory and the Formulas That Support It.”