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Toh 116

The Basket’s Display

Kāraṇḍa­Vyūha

佛說大乘莊嚴寶王經

Translated By Peter Alan Roberts With Tulku Yeshi Under The Patronage And Supervision Of 84000

The Basket’s Display

1.

PART ONE

[F.200.a]

1.­1

Thus have I heard: One time the Bhagavat was staying, with a great saṅgha of 1,250 bhikṣus and a multitude of bodhisattvas, at Jetavana, the monastery of Anāthapiṇḍada, in Śrāvastī.

Eight hundred million bodhisattva mahāsattvas had gathered there, such as Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Vajramati, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Jñānadarśana, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Vajrasena, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Guhyagupta,20 Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Ākaśagarbha, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Sūryagarbha, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Anikṣiptadhura, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Ratnapāṇi, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Samantabhadra, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Mahāsthāmaprāpta, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Sarvaśūra, [F.200.b] Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Bhaiṣajyasena, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Vajrapāṇi, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Sāgaramati, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Dharmadhara, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Pṛthivīvaralocana, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Āśvāsahasta, and Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Maitreya.

1.­2

The thirty-two classes of devas had also gathered there, the principal ones being Maheśvara and Nārāyaṇa. Śakra, who is the lord of the devas, Brahmā, who is the lord of the Sahā universe, Candra, Āditya, Vāyu, Varuṇa, and other deities were also assembled there.21

1.­3

Many hundreds of thousands of nāga kings had also gathered there in that retinue. Nāga King Utpala, Nāga King Elapatra, Nāga King Timiṃgira, Nāga King Gavāṃpati, Nāga King Śataśīrṣa, Nāga King Hullura,22 Nāga King Vahūdaka,23 Nāga King Takṣaka, Nāga King Gośīrṣa, Nāga King Mṛgaśīrṣa, Nāga Kings Nanda and Upananda, Nāga King Vātsīputra, Nāga King Sāgara, Nāga King Anavatapta, and many hundreds of thousands of other nāga kings were gathered there.

1.­4

Many hundreds of thousands of gandharva kings had also assembled there. Gandharva King Dundubhisvara, Gandharva King Manojñasvara, [F.201.a] Gandharva King Sahasrabhuja, Gandharva King Sahāpati,24 Gandharva King Śarīraprahlādana, Gandharva King Nirnāditabhūrya, Gandharva King Alaṃkārabhūṣita, Gandharva King Kumāradarśana, Gandharva King Subāhuyukta, Gandharva King Dharmapriya, and many hundreds of thousands of gandharva kings were gathered there in that retinue.

1.­5

Also gathered in that retinue were many hundreds of thousands of kinnara kings. Kinnara King Sumukha, Kinnara King Ratnakirītī, Kinnara King Svārimukha, Kinnara King Prahasita,25 Kinnara King Cakravyūha, Kinnara King Puṣpāvakīrṇa, Kinnara King Maṇi, Kinnara King Pralambodara, Kinnara King Dṛdhavīrya, Kinnara King Suyodhana, Kinnara King Śatamukha, Kinnara King Druma,26 and many hundreds of thousands of other kinnara kings were gathered there.

1.­6

Many hundreds of thousands of apsarases had gathered there. The apsaras named Tilottamā, the apsaras named Suvyūhā, the apsaras named Suvarṇamekhalā, the apsaras named Vibhūṣutā, the apsaras named Karṇadhārā, the apsaras named Amṛtabindu, the apsaras named Pariśobhitakāyā, the apsaras named Maṇiprasthanā, the apsaras named Cuḍakā, the apsaras named Mṛdukā, the apsaras named Pañcabhūryābhimukhā, the apsaras named Ratikarā, the apsaras named Kañcanamālā, the apsaras named Nīlotpalā, the apsaras named Dharmābhimukhā, the apsaras named Sakrīḍā, [F.201.b] the apsaras named Kṛtsnākarā, the apsaras named Suvyūhamati, the apsaras named Keyūradharā, the apsaras named Dānaṃdadā, the apsaras named Śaśī, and many hundreds of thousands27 of other apsarases were gathered there.

1.­7

Many hundreds of thousands28 of female nāgas were gathered there. The female nāga named Vibhūṣaṇadharā, the female nāga named Acilillanā,29 the female nāga named Trijaṭā, the female nāga named Svātimukhā,30 the female nāga named Jayaśrī, the female nāga named Vijayaśrī, the female nāga named Mucilindā,31 the female nāga named Vidyullocanā, the female nāga named Vidyutprabhā,32 the female nāga named Svātigiri, the female nāga named Śataparivārā, the female nāga named Mahauṣadhi, the female nāga named Jalabindu,33 the female nāga named Ekaśīrṣā, the female nāga named Śatavāhāna,34 the female nāga named Śatabāhu, the female nāga named Grasatī, the female nāga named Anākṛtsnagatā,35 the female nāga named Subhūṣaṇā,36 the female nāga named Pāṇḍarameghā,37 the female nāga named Rathābhiruḍhā,38 the female nāga named Tyāgānugatā,39 the female nāga named Anāgatā,40 the female nāga named Abhinnaparivārā, the female nāga named Pulindā,41 the female nāga named Sāgarakukṣi, the female nāga named Chatramukhā, the female nāga named Dharmapīṭhā, the female nāga named Mukhakarā,42 the female nāga named Vīryā, the female nāga named Sāgaragambhīrā, the female nāga named Meruśrī, and many hundreds of thousands of other female nāgas were gathered there.

1.­8

Many hundreds of thousands of female gandharvas had also gathered there. The female gandharva named Priyamukhā, the female gandharva named Priyaṃdadā, [F.202.a] the female gandharva named Anādarśakā, the female gandharva named Vajraśrī, the female gandharva named Vajramālā, the female gandharva named Sumālinī, the female gandharva named Vanaspati, the female gandharva named Śatapuṣpā, the female gandharva named Mukulitā, the female gandharva named Ratnamālā, the female gandharva named Muditapuṣpā,43 the female gandharva named Sukukṣi, the female gandharva named Rājaśrī, the female gandharva named Dundubhi, the female gandharva named Śubhamālā, the female gandharva named Vibhūṣitālaṃkārā, the female gandharva named Abhinamitā, the female gandharva named Dharmakāṅkṣiṇī, the female gandharva named Dharmaṃdadā,44 the female gandharva named Audumbarā,45 the female gandharva named Śatākārā, the female gandharva named Padmaśriyā,46 the female gandharva named Padmāvatī,47 the female gandharva named Padmālaṃkārā,48 the female gandharva named Pariśobhitakāyā, the female gandharva named Vilāsendragāminī,49 the female gandharva named Pṛthivīṃdadā, the female gandharva named Phalaṃdadā,50 the female gandharva named Siṃhagāminī, the female gandharva named Kumudapuṣpā, the female gandharva named Manoramā, the female gandharva named Dānaṃdadā, the female gandharva named Devavacanā,51 the female gandharva named Kṣāntipriyā, the female gandharva named Nirvāṇapriyā, the female gandharva named Ratnāṅkurā, the female gandharva named Indraśrī, the female gandharva named Indramaghaśrī, the female gandharva named Prajāpatinivāsinī, the female gandharva named Mṛgarājinī, the female gandharva named Sphurantaśrī, the female gandharva named Jvalantaśikharā, the female gandharva named Rāgaparimuktā, [F.202.b] the female gandharva named Dveṣaparimuktā, the female gandharva named Mohaparimuktā, the female gandharva named Sujanaparivārā, the female gandharva named Ratnapīṭhā, the female gandharva named Āgamanagamanā, the female gandharva named Agniprabhā, the female gandharva named Candrabimbaprabhā, the female gandharva named Sūryalocanā, the female gandharva named Suvarṇāvabhāsā,52 and many hundreds of thousands53 of other female gandharvas.

1.­9

Many hundreds of thousands54 of female kinnaras had gathered there. The female kinnara named Manasā, the female kinnara named Mānasī, the female kinnara named Vāyuvegā, the female kinnara named Varuṇavegā, the female kinnara named Ākāśaplavā,55 the female kinnara named Vegajavā, the female kinnara named Lakṣmīṃdadā, the female kinnara named Sudaṃṣṭrā, the female kinnara named Acalaśriyā,56 the female kinnara named Dhātupriyā, the female kinnara named Jvalantapriyā,57 the female kinnara named Suśriyā,58 the female kinnara named Ratnakāraṇḍakā, the female kinnara named Avalokitalakṣmī, the female kinnara named Kuṭilā, the female kinnara named Vajramuṣṭi, the female kinnara named Kapilā, the female kinnara named Subhūṣaṇabhūṣitā, the female kinnara named Vistīrṇalalāṭā, the female kinnara named Sujanaparisevitā, the female kinnara named Sahāpatī,59 [F.203.a] the female kinnara named Ākāśarakṣitā, the female kinnara named Vyūharājendrā, the female kinnara named Maṇicūḍā, the female kinnara named Maṇidhāriṇī, the female kinnara named Maṇirocanī, the female kinnara named Vidvajjanaparisevitā, the female kinnara named Śatākārā,60 the female kinnara named Āyurdadā, the female kinnara named Tathāgatakośaparipālitā, the female kinnara named Dharmadhātuparirakṣiṇī, the female kinnara named Satataparigrahadharmakāṅkṣiṇī, the female kinnara named Sadānukāladarśinī, the female kinnara named Nūpurottamā, the female kinnara named Lakṣaṇottamā,61 the female kinnara named Āśvāsanī, the female kinnara named Vimokṣakarā, the female kinnara named Sadānuvṛtti, the female kinnara named Saṃvegadhāriṇī, the female kinnara named Khaṅgajvalanā, the female kinnara named Pṛthivyupasaṃkramaṇā, the female kinnara named Surendramālā, the female kinnara named Surendrā, the female kinnara named Asurendrā, the female kinnara named Munīndrā, the female kinnara named Gotrakṣānti, the female kinnara named Tyāgānugatā,62 the female kinnara named Bahvāśrayā, the female kinnara named Śatāyudhā, the female kinnara named Vibhūṣitālaṃkārā, the female kinnara named Manoharā, and many hundreds of thousands63 of other female kinnaras were gathered there.

Many hundreds of thousands64 of upāsakas and upāsikās had gathered there.

Many hundreds of thousands65 of tīrthika mendicant renunciants66 had also gathered there. [F.203.b]

1.­10

At the time of this great gathering, light rays shone in the great Avīci hell. Having shone there, they came to the Jetavana Monastery, where they became adornments for the monastery: pillars adorned with divine, precious jewels; multistoried buildings that were covered with gold; buildings with doors made of gold and silver; buildings with steps made of gold and silver; and upper stories made of gold and silver, the silver upper stories having gold pillars adorned with divine jewels and the gold upper stories having silver pillars adorned with divine jewels.

In the gardens around Jetavana, there appeared various kinds of wish-fulfilling trees. They had trunks of gold and leaves of silver and were bedecked with a variety of adornments, with beautiful monastic robes,67 with Kaśika cloth, with hundreds of thousands of pearl necklaces, and with hundreds of thousands of crowns, earrings, braided ribbons, armlets, and anklets.

1.­11

Outside the monastery there appeared hundreds of trees, which, like the wish-fulfilling trees, were made from precious metals and were bedecked with precious bracelets.

Within the Jetavana Monastery, there appeared stairs made from diamonds and entrance chambers hung with pearls and silks.68

Many bathing pools also appeared. Some were completely filled with water that had the eight qualities.69 Some were completely filled with a variety of flowers: they were completely filled with blue lotuses, red lotuses, night lotuses, white lotuses,70 tiger claw flowers and great tiger claw flowers,71 and udumbara flowers.

Moreover, there were a variety of tree blossoms: magnolia, [F.204.a] ashoka, oleander, trumpet flower, mountain ebony, jasmine, and other beautiful tree blossoms.

The Jetavana Monastery appeared completely beautified.

1.­12

From within that assembly Bodhisattva Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin arose from his seat, bared one shoulder, and kneeling on his right knee and facing the Bhagavat, placed his palms together and inquired of the Bhagavat, “Bhagavat, I have perceived a great, wonderful marvel. Bhagavat, where did these great light rays come from? Who has this power?”

The Bhagavat replied, “Noble son, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva72 Avalokiteśvara entered the great Avīci hell. When he had completely liberated the beings there, he went to the city of the pretas. It was he who emanated these light rays.”73

1.­13

Then Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin asked the Bhagavat, “Bhagavat, as the great Avīci hell is without respite, how did Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara enter it? In the great Avīci hell a wall encloses a ground made of burning iron, which has become one raging flame in the shape of a reed basket. Within this Avīci hell there is a pot from which comes the sound of wailing. Many hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of hundreds of millions of beings have been thrown into that pot. Just as green or black mung beans are massed together in a water-filled vessel, rising and sinking as they are cooked, [F.204.b] that is how the beings in the great Avīci hell undergo physical suffering. Bhagavat, how did Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara enter the great Avīci hell?”

1.­14

The Bhagavat answered him, “Noble son, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara entered the great Avīci hell just as a cakravartin king enters a grove made of divine jewels. Noble son, it had no effect upon his body. As he approached the Avīci hell, it cooled. The beings that were Yama’s guards were in a state of agitation and extremely terrified. They wondered,74 ‘Why has an inauspicious sign appeared in this Avīci hell?’ When the bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara entered the Avīci hell, lotus flowers the size of cartwheels appeared, the pot burst open, and the inferno of fire transformed into a pool. On seeing these inauspicious signs appear in Avīci hell, Yama’s guardians became dismayed.

1.­15

“Then Yama’s guardians gathered their swords, clubs,75 short spears, long spears, maces, discuses, tridents, and so on, and, taking all their Avīci utensils,76 went to the Dharmarāja Yamarāja. When they arrived, they told him, ‘Divine One, know first that our place of work is completely destroyed.’

“Dharmarāja Yamarāja asked them, ‘Why is your place of work completely destroyed?’

“Yama’s guardians answered, ‘Divine One,77 know first that an inauspicious omen appeared in this Avīci hell, all of which became peaceful78 and cool. There entered a handsome being, with his hair in a topknot, his body beautified by divine adornments, with an extremely loving mind, and resembling a golden statue.79 [F.205.a] That is the kind of being that arrived. The moment he arrived, lotus flowers the size of cartwheels appeared, the pot burst open, and the inferno of fire was transformed into a pool.’

“Yamarāja wondered, ‘What deity has manifested this power? Is this a special result that has occurred through the blessing of the deity Maheśvara, Nārāyaṇa, or some other deity? Have they descended to this level? Or has a powerful rākṣasa been born who rivals great Rāvaṇa?’80

“He looked with his divine sight into the heavens, wondering whose blessing this could be. Then he looked back into the Avīci hell and saw Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara there.

1.­16

“Yamarāja went to Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara, bowed down his head to his feet, and made this special praise:

“ ‘I pay homage to Avalokiteśvara, Maheśvara, lover of lotuses, giver of the supreme boon, who has power; who illuminates the world;81 who brings relief; who has a hundred thousand arms; who has a hundred thousand times ten million eyes; who has eleven heads; who reaches Vaḍavāmukha; who delights in the Dharma; who completely frees all beings; who brings relief to turtles, crocodiles, and fish; who creates the greatest mass of wisdom; who brings joy; who is a splendor of jewels; who is sublime; who extinguishes Avīci; who is adorned by the splendor of wisdom; who delights in wisdom; who is the one to whom all devas make offerings, pay homage, and show reverence; who brings freedom from fear; who teaches the six perfections; who illuminates like the sun;82 [F.205.b] who creates the lamp of Dharma; whose perfectly supreme form is whatever form is pleasing; who has the form of a gandharva; who has a form like a mountain of gold; who is deep like the vast ocean; who has attained the ultimate yoga; who shows his own face; who has many hundreds of thousands of samādhis; who brings true pleasure; who has a beautified body; who manifests as the supreme rishi;83 who brings freedom from the terrors of bondage in stocks and manacles; who is free from all existences; who has many retinues; who creates abundance;84 who is a precious wish-fulfilling jewel; who teaches the path to nirvāṇa; who brings the city of the pretas to an end; who is a parasol for beings; who liberates beings from illness; who has a sacred thread made of the nāga kings Nanda and Upananda;85 who reveals the beneficial lasso; who has hundreds of mantras; who terrifies Vajrapāṇi; who terrifies the three worlds; who frightens yakṣas, rākṣasas, bhūtas, pretas, and piśācas,86 vetālas, ḍākinīs, kūṣmāṇḍas, and apasmāras; who has eyes like blue lotuses; who has profound wisdom;87 who is the lord of knowledge; who brings freedom from all afflictions; who accumulates various paths to enlightenment; who has entered sacred liberation; who has paths to enlightenment accumulated within his body; who completely liberates pretas; and who has hundreds of thousands of samādhis as numerous as atoms.’

“In that way, Yamarāja praised Avalokiteśvara with a particularly sacred praise. Then Yamarāja circumambulated him three times and departed.” [F.206.a]

1.­17

Bodhisattva Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin asked the Bhagavat, “Bhagavat, did Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara leave?”

1.­18

The Bhagavat replied, “Noble son, he left the Avīci hell and went to the city of the pretas. Many hundreds of thousands of pretas came running toward him. They were like burned tree trunks; they were like standing skeletons; they were covered with hair; they had stomachs the size of mountains and mouths the size of a needle’s eye.

“As Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara arrived at the city of the pretas, it cooled and the vajra hail ceased. The staff-wielding guard at the gates, who had thick calves and red eyes, became kind and said, ‘I should not be performing this duty.’

“Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara’s mind was filled with compassion on seeing these beings, and he emitted ten rivers from his ten fingers; he emitted ten rivers from his ten toes; and he emitted great rivers from all his pores. When the pretas tasted the water, their throats widened, their bodies became whole, and they were completely satisfied by the supreme flavor of divine food.

1.­19

“Then they contemplated human existence.88 They thought about saṃsāric existence in this way: ‘Oh! The humans in Jambudvīpa are happy. They can perfectly enjoy cool shade. Happy are those humans in Jambudvīpa who are always supporting their parents and honoring them. [F.206.b] Happy are those good humans who always rely on a kalyāṇamitra. Those who continuously learn the Mahāyāna are good contemplative beings. Those who follow the eightfold path are good beings. Those who beat the dharmagaṇḍī are good beings. Those who repair dilapidated and ruined monasteries are good beings. Those who repair dilapidated, ruined, ancient stūpas are good beings. Those who are dedicated to the sacred representations and the dharmabhāṇakas are good beings. Those who have seen the activities of a tathāgata are good beings; those who have seen the activities of a pratyekabuddha are good beings; those who have seen the activities of a bodhisattva are good beings.’

“At that time there appeared the sound of the precious king of the Mahāyāna sūtras, The Sūtra of the Basket’s Display; wisdom, like a thunderbolt, destroyed the view of the aggregates as a self,89 which is like a mountain with twenty peaks; and the pretas were all reborn in the realm of Sukhāvatī as bodhisattvas named Ākāṅkṣitamukha.

“Avalokiteśvara, having completely liberated those beings, departed from the city of the pretas.”90

1.­20

Then Bodhisattva Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin asked the Bhagavat, “Bhagavat, did Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara leave?”

1.­21

The Bhagavat replied, “Noble son, each day he completely ripens a million trillion beings. Noble son, not even the tathāgatas have Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara’s prowess.”

Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin asked him, “Bhagavat, how is that so?” [F.207.a]

The Bhagavat answered, “Noble son, there appeared in this world the Tathāgata, the arhat, the samyaksaṃbuddha, perfect in wisdom and conduct, the sugata, the knower of the world, the unsurpassable guide who tamed beings, the teacher of gods and humans, the buddha, the Bhagavat Vipaśyin.

“At that time, Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin, I was a merchant named Sugandhamukha, and I heard Tathāgata Vipaśyin describe the qualities of Avalokiteśvara.”

1.­22

Bodhisattva Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin asked the Bhagavat, “What were the qualities of Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara that you heard the tathāgata describe?”

The Bhagavat said, “Āditya and Candra came from his eyes, Maheśvara came from his forehead, Brahmā came from his shoulders, Nārāyaṇa came from his heart, Devi Sarasvatī came from his canines, Vāyu came from his mouth, Dharaṇī came from his feet, and Varuṇa came from his stomach.

1.­23

“When those deities had come from Avalokiteśvara’s body, that bhagavat told the deity Maheśvara, ‘Maheśvara, in the kaliyuga, when beings have bad natures, you will be declared to be the primal deity who is the creator, the maker. All those beings will be excluded from the path to enlightenment. They will say to ordinary beings:

1.­24

“ ‘It is said: the sky is his liṅga,

The earth is his seat.

He is the foundation of all beings.

The liṅga is so called because they dissolve into it.’91

“Noble son, those are the words I heard Tathāgata Vipaśyin say. [F.207.b]

1.­25

“In a later time, there appeared in this world the Tathāgata, the arhat, the samyaksaṃbuddha, the one with wisdom and conduct, the sugata, the knower of the world, the unsurpassable guide who tamed beings, the teacher of gods and humans, the buddha, the Bhagavat Śikhin.

“At that time, Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin, I was Bodhisattva Dānaśūra, and I heard from him the description of the qualities of Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara.”

1.­26

Bodhisattva Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin asked the Bhagavat, “What were the qualities of Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara that you heard the tathāgata describe?”

The Bhagavat said, “When all the devas, nāgas, yakṣas, rākṣasas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, and humans had gathered together, the bhagavat Śikhin looked at the great gathering and began to speak of the Dharma within that assembly. At that time, light rays of various colors emanated from the mouth of Bhagavat Śikhin. They were blue, yellow, red, white, orange, and the color of crystal and of silver. They shone on all worlds in the ten directions, then returned and entered the mouth of the bhagavat.

1.­27

“From within that assembly Bodhisattva Ratnapāṇi arose from his seat, bared one shoulder, and kneeling on his right knee and facing Bhagavat Śikhin, placed his palms together and addressed these words to him: [F.208.a] ‘Bhagavat, why did this sign appear?’

“Bhagavat Śikhin replied, ‘Noble son, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara is coming from the realm of Sukhāvatī. I manifest this kind of sign when he is coming. When Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara comes, a profusion of wish-granting trees appears, a profusion of mango trees appears, star jasmine flowers and magnolia trees appear, ponds covered with flowers appear, and precious trees appear. There is a rain of various flowers,92 a rain of precious stones‍—jewels, pearls, diamonds, beryl, conch, crystal, and coral‍—and there is a rain of divine cloth. In the vicinity of the monastery the seven jewels of a cakravartin appear‍—the precious wheel, the precious horse, the precious elephant, the precious jewel,93 the precious wife, the precious householder, and the precious counselor‍—and the ground appears to be made of gold. When Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara comes from the realm of Sukhāvatī, the entire world shakes six times.’

1.­28

“Then Bodhisattva Ratnapāṇi asked Bhagavat Śikhin, ‘Bhagavat, what are these omens of?’

“Bhagavat Śikhin answered, ‘Noble son, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara is arriving, and that is why these omens appear.’

1.­29

“As the earth shook and it rained beautiful lotuses, [F.208.b] Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara came to Bhagavat Śikhin. He was holding lotus flowers, each with a thousand petals and a golden stem. He bowed down his head to the bhagavat’s feet and offered the lotuses to him. He said, ‘Tathāgata Amitābha sends these flowers to you. The Tathagāta asks if you are in health, if you are at ease, and if all is well.’94

“Bhagavat Śikhin took the lotuses and placed them on his left. He then spoke of the qualities of Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara. ‘How did you, Avalokiteśvara, accomplish your task among the pretas, the beings in the Avīci hell, the beings in Kālasūtra and Raurava, the beings in Hāhava, Tāpana, the great hell Pretāyana, the great hell Agnighaṭa, the great hell Śālmali,95 the great hell Śītodaka, and others?’96

1.­30

“Avalokiteśvara replied, ‘The beings in those great hells are my task. I will completely ripen those beings, and then I will bring them to the highest complete enlightenment.’

“Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara, having given this answer, bowed his head to the bhagavat’s feet, departed alone,97 and disappeared into the sky as a blazing mass of fire.

“Then Bodhisattva Ratnapāṇi asked Bhagavat Śikhin, ‘Bhagavat, if I may ask for an answer to a question, how much merit has Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara accumulated?’ [F.209.a]

1.­31

“Bhagavat Śikhin replied, ‘If someone were for a deva’s eon to serve tathāgatas, arhats, and samyaksaṃbuddhas as numerous as the grains of sand in the Ganges with robes, food, bowls, bedding, seats,98 necessary medicine, and utensils, the merit that would be produced through those tathāgatas would be the same as that of the tip of one hair on the body of Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara.

“ ‘Noble son, it is like this. As a comparison, if it were to rain day and night on the four great continents for a twelve-month year, I could count each drop, but, noble son, I cannot calculate Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara’s accumulation of merit.

1.­32

“ ‘Noble son, it is like this. As a comparison, the ocean is 84,000 yojanas deep and has an immeasurable expanse, but I can count each drop all the way down to Vaḍavāmukha. However, noble son, I cannot calculate Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara’s accumulation of merit.

“ ‘Noble son, it is like this. As a comparison, I can count every hair on all the four-legged creatures in the four great continents, such as lions, tigers, bears, hyenas, deer, camels, jackals,99 and so on, and oxen, donkeys, cattle, elephants, horses, buffalo, and cats, but, noble son, I cannot calculate Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara’s accumulation of merit.

“ ‘Noble son, it is like this. As a comparison, if stūpas100 for tathāgatas, arhats, and samyaksaṃbuddhas as numerous as atoms were made in divine gold and precious stones, [F.209.b] and in one day the relics were placed in them all, I can calculate the accumulation of that merit, but I cannot calculate Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara’s accumulation of merit.

“ ‘Noble son, it is like this. As a comparison, I can count the number of leaves in a forest of agarwood trees, but I cannot calculate Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara’s accumulation of merit.

“ ‘Noble son, it is like this. As a comparison, if all the women, men, boys, and girls in the four great continents were to gain the result of becoming stream entrants, once-returners, non-returners, arhats, and pratyekabuddhas, their merit would only be, as said before, equal to the merit of the tip of one hair on the body of Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara.’

1.­33

“Then Bodhisattva Ratnapāṇi asked Bhagavat Śikhin, ‘Bhagavat, I have never seen nor heard of tathāgatas having the kind of accumulation of merit that Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara has, let alone bodhisattvas.’

“Bhagavat Śikhin said, ‘Noble son, even if all who are tathāgatas, arhats, and samyaksaṃbuddhas like me were gathered in one place and provided for an eon with robes, food, bowls, bedding, seats, necessary medicine, and utensils, those tathāgatas, arhats, and samyaksaṃbuddhas [F.210.a] would still not be able to calculate Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara’s accumulation of merit. So, noble son, it is needless to say that I cannot do so all by myself in this world.

1.­34

“‘Those who remember Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara’s name will have happiness in this world. They will be completely freed from the sufferings of aging, death, and illness. They will be freed from the unavoidable sufferings of saṃsāra. Like white and pale yellow birds, like kings of geese moving with the speed of the wind, they will go to the realm of Sukhāvatī. They will hear the Dharma by listening to Tathāgata Amitābha teach. The sufferings of saṃsāra will not afflict their bodies. They will not become old or die. They will have no desire, anger, or stupidity. Their bodies will feel no hunger or thirst. They will not know the suffering of being inside a womb. Completely inspired by the taste of the Dharma, they will be reborn within a lotus and will remain in that realm until Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara’s powerful commitment is fulfilled and all beings have been brought to liberation.’

1.­35

“Then Bodhisattva Ratnapāṇi asked Bhagavat Śikhin, ‘Bhagavat, when will that powerful commitment be fulfilled?’

“Bhagavat Śikhin replied, ‘He completely ripens the many beings who circle in saṃsāra, teaches them the path to enlightenment, and teaches the Dharma in whatever form a being can be taught through. He teaches the Dharma in the form of a tathāgata to beings who are to be taught by a tathāgata. [F.210.b] He teaches the Dharma in the form of a pratyekabuddha to beings who are to be taught by a pratyekabuddha. He teaches the Dharma in the form of an arhat to beings who are to be taught by an arhat. He teaches the Dharma in the form of a bodhisattva to beings who are to be taught by a bodhisattva. He teaches the Dharma in the form of Maheśvara to beings who are to be taught by Maheśvara. He teaches the Dharma in the form of Nārāyaṇa to beings who are to be taught by Nārāyaṇa. He teaches the Dharma in the form of Brahmā to beings who are to be taught by Brahmā. He teaches the Dharma in the form of Śakra to beings who are to be taught by Śakra. He teaches the Dharma in the form of Āditya to beings who are to be taught by Āditya. He teaches the Dharma in the form of Candra to beings who are to be taught by Candra. He teaches the Dharma in the form of Agni to beings who are to be taught by Agni. He teaches the Dharma in the form of Varuṇa to beings who are to be taught by Varuṇa. He teaches the Dharma in the form of Vāyu to beings who are to be taught by Vāyu. He teaches the Dharma in the form of a nāga to beings who are to be taught by a nāga. He teaches the Dharma in the form of Vighnapati to beings who are to be taught by Vighnapati. He teaches the Dharma in the form of a yakṣa to beings who are to be taught by a yakṣa. He teaches the Dharma in the form of Vaiśravaṇa to beings who are to be taught by Vaiśravaṇa.101 He teaches the Dharma in the form of a king to beings who are to be taught by a king. He teaches the Dharma in the form of a paṇḍita to beings who are to be taught by a paṇḍita. He teaches the Dharma in the form of a king’s soldier to beings who are to be taught by a king’s soldier. [F.211.a] He teaches the Dharma in the form of parents to beings who are to be taught by their parents. He teaches the Dharma in whatever particular form a being should be taught through. That, noble son, is how Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara completely ripens beings and teaches them the Dharma of nirvāṇa.’

1.­36

“Then Bodhisattva Ratnapāṇi said to Bhagavat Śikhin, ‘Bhagavat, this is extraordinarily marvelous. I have never seen nor heard of such a thing before. Not even the tathāgatas have what Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara has.’

“Bhagavat Śikhin said, ‘Noble son, in this Jambudvīpa there is a cave named Vajrakukṣi in which a hundred thousand million times ten million asuras live. Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara teaches the asuras there in the form of an asura. He teaches them the precious king of the Mahāyāna sūtras, The Sūtra of the Basket’s Display. He says to the listening asuras,102 “You must listen.”

“ ‘Then all other asuras, with loving minds and peaceful minds, with palms placed together, come to listen to this Dharma teaching from Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara:

1.­37

“ ‘ “Those who turn their minds to this king of the sūtras will have happiness in this world. Hearing it will purify them of the five actions with immediate results on death. At the time of death, twelve tathāgatas will come and reassure them, saying, ‘Noble son, do not be afraid. You have heard the precious king of the Mahāyāna sūtras, The Sūtra of the Basket’s Display. You have prepared various paths for going to Sukhāvatī. [F.211.b] You have prepared various parasols, various crowns, various earrings, and various necklaces.’ When that kind of omen appears, at death they will go without impediment to Sukhāvatī.”

“ ‘Ratnapāṇi, in that way, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara teaches the Dharma of nirvāṇa to the asuras and shows them the entranceway to nirvāṇa.’

“Then Bodhisattva Ratnapāṇi bowed his head to Bhagavat Śikhin’s feet and departed.”

1.­38

At this point, Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin said to the Bhagavat, “It is very difficult, Bhagavat, to hear the manifold description of Avalokiteśvara’s qualities.”

The Bhagavat told him, “Noble son, there will be a description of Avalokiteśvara’s qualities after he has left Vajrakukṣi and come to the land of iron. Listen to it at that time. Before that there is this teaching:103

1.­39

“In a later time, there was the Tathāgata, the arhat, the samyaksaṃbuddha, perfect in wisdom and conduct, the sugata, the knower of the world, the unsurpassable guide who tamed beings, the teacher of devas and humans, the buddha, the Bhagavat Viśvabhū.

“At that time, Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin, I was a rishi who taught patience and lived in a cliff among the mountains where people did not go. At that time, I heard Tathāgata Viśvabhū describe the qualities of Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara.

1.­40

“Avalokiteśvara had gone to the land of gold and taught the eightfold noble path, the Dharma that teaches nirvāṇa, to the upside-down beings104 who lived there.

“He then left the land of gold and went to the land of silver. Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara said to the four-legged beings who lived there, ‘You must listen with perfect, pure thought to this Dharma teaching on contemplating nirvāṇa, on turning the mind to nirvāṇa.’ Then Avalokiteśvara taught them the Dharma.

1.­41

“Those beings sat before Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara and requested him, [F.212.a] ‘Show the path to blind beings! Be a protector and refuge to beings who have no protector! Be a father and mother to those who do not have a father and mother! Be a lamp for the darkness of the three lower existences! Be aware of us and show us, with great compassion, the path to liberation.105 The beings who have obtained and always remember your name are happy; they are free from this kind of suffering that we experience.’

“At this, the precious king of the Mahāyāna sūtras, The Sūtra of the Basket’s Display, issued forth into the ears of those beings. When they heard it, they reached an irreversible level and were established in the highest happiness.[B2]

1.­42

“Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara then left for another land, which was made of iron, where he approached the asura king Bali.106

“When the asura king Bali saw Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara approaching from the distance, he went toward Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara, accompanied by his queens, his retinue, and many asuras such as Kubja and Vāmanaka107 with their retinues. Bali bowed down at his feet and said these words:

1.­43

“ ‘On this day, my life has borne fruit.

On this day, my wishes have been fulfilled.

On this day, my wishes have been fulfilled,

For actually seeing you has brought me happiness for all my lifetimes.’

1.­44

“Bali offered a bejeweled throne to Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara and implored him, ‘Bhagavat, look with compassion upon those who like to perform bad actions, who lust after the wives of others, [F.212.b] who are dedicated to killing, who kill others, and who are old and dying. Be a refuge to those who are weary of saṃsāra. You, lord, be our father and mother and show the path to we who are bound in bondage.’

1.­45

“Avalokiteśvara said, ‘Noble son, it is like this: I will explain how much merit is acquired by those who give alms to a tathāgata, an arhat, a samyaksaṃbuddha.

“ ‘Noble son, it is like this. As a comparison, were there to be as many bodhisattvas like myself as there are grains of sand in twelve Ganges Rivers, and were they to be in one place with every facility for a deva’s eon, they would still be unable to calculate that aggregation of merit. So it is needless to say that I cannot do so all by myself in the realm of the asuras.

“ ‘Noble son, it is like this. As a comparison, I can count how many atoms there are, but, noble son, I cannot calculate the accumulation of merit through that alms giving.

“ ‘Noble son, it is like this. As a comparison, I can count each drop in the vast extent of the ocean, but, noble son, I cannot calculate the accumulation of merit through that alms giving.

1.­46

“ ‘Noble son, it is like this. As a comparison, if all the men, women, boys, and girls in the four continents were to apply themselves to work, and those people in the four continents were to do no other work than growing mustard, and from time to time the king of the nāgas would send down rain, and the mustard would grow perfectly for one harvest; and then if the men, women, boys, and girls were to load that mustard into carts, bags, and baskets, onto camels, donkeys, and cattle, and collect the great harvest together; and then if the donkeys and cattle threshed it to make a vast heap of mustard seeds, [F.213.a] noble son, I could count each one of those grains, but, noble son, I cannot calculate the accumulation of merit through that alms giving.

1.­47

“ ‘Noble son, it is like this. As a comparison, the lower half of the supreme mountain Sumeru extends downward for 84,000 yojanas and the upper half extends upward for 84,000 yojanas. Noble son, if Sumeru were to become a mass of birch bark; if the vast ocean was to become an inkwell; and if all the men, women, boys, and girls who live in the four continents were to become scribes; and if they were to write on the limitless, endless extent of Mount Sumeru as birch bark, I would be able to count each letter, but, noble son, I cannot calculate the accumulation of merit through that alms giving.

“ ‘Noble son, it is like this. As a comparison, if all those scribes were to become bodhisattvas on the tenth bhūmi, then the accumulation of merit of all those bodhisattvas on the tenth bhūmi would then equal the accumulation of merit through that alms giving.

“ ‘Noble son, it is like this. As a comparison, I can count each grain of sand in the ocean, but, noble son, I cannot calculate the accumulation of merit through that alms giving.’

1.­48

“Then the asura king Bali, with tears, a darkened face,108 choking, with stuttering words and sighs, told Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara his story:

“ ‘What kind of gift did I, Bali, make, with my queens and retinue, that brought me bondage in this lifetime? I made an offering to a bad recipient, and I am now experiencing the result of that action. Even a handful of dust thrown toward an omniscient one transforms into amṛta, but I made my offerings not knowing that, [F.213.b] and made an offering to a petitioner who came to me in the form of a dwarf.

1.­49

“ ‘I had prepared offerings of elephant- and horse-drawn carts carrying diadems, earrings, and necklaces, hung with precious yak-tail whisks, and covered with strings of pearls, a net of pearls as a rear adornment, and jingling golden bells hanging from silver cords.

“ ‘I had also prepared offerings of a thousand tawny cows with silver hooves, golden horns, and covered with nets of pearls.

“ ‘I had also prepared an offering of a thousand young women with excellent complexions, who were full-bodied, very beautiful, similar to and rivaling divine maidens; adorned with divine jewelry; wearing diadems, earrings, and necklaces; adorned with armlets, bracelets, anklets, and girdles; and wearing rings, sash necklaces, and gold rings on the big toes of their left feet.109 They jingled as they moved, and wore clothing of silks in a variety of colors.

“ ‘I had also prepared a hundred thousand precious seats, numerous heaps of gold, heaps of silver, and heaps of jewels.

“ ‘I had prepared numerous heaps of clothing and jewelry.

“ ‘I had prepared many hundreds of thousands of herds of cows along with herders.

“ ‘I had prepared numerous kinds of food and drink. I had prepared divine food with supreme flavors.

“ ‘I had continuously prepared bejeweled bells of gold and silver, many bejeweled lion thrones of silver and gold, many thousands of divine yak-tail whisks, parasols, shoes adorned with gold, and bejeweled gold diadems.

1.­50

“ ‘At that time, I had invited a thousand kings, a hundred thousand brahmins, and many hundreds of thousands of kṣatriyas, and I became arrogant on seeing110 that I was their sole ruler. [F.214.a]

“ ‘I now confess my first bad action. I tore out the hearts of the kṣatriya wives, slaughtered the boys and girls, bound all the great kṣatriyas in stocks111 and shackles, and took them to a copper cave. I imprisoned many hundreds of thousands of kṣatriyas in that copper cave. I fastened the legs and arms of those kṣatriyas, such as the Khasas and Pāṇḍavas, with iron chains and iron pegs to keep them in that cave.

“ ‘I made doors for the cave: the first door was made of wood, the second door was made of acacia, the third door was made of bronze, the fourth door was made of copper, the fifth door was made of iron, the sixth door was made of silver, and the seventh door was made of gold. Then I heaped seven mountains, one on top of the other, in front of the golden door.112

1.­51

“ ‘Then I went in search of Daśarathaputra,113 one day in the form of a beggar, one day in the form of a bee, one day in the form of a pig, and one day in the form of a man, transforming into a different form each day, but I did not see him.

“ ‘Then, after contemplating, I began to make my offerings. Daśaratha­putra, seizing the opportunity, quickly removed the seven mountains, throwing them to another place. He then shouted loudly to the kṣatriyas. Yudhiṣṭhira, Nakula, Sahadeva, Bhīmasena, Arjuna, the Kauravas, and the other kings heard him and were relieved and comforted.114

1.­52

“ ‘Daśarathaputra asked, “Are you alive or dead?”

“ ‘They replied, “We are alive, Bhagavat.”

“ ‘Then the great hero destroyed all the doors and looked inside the copper cave. All the bound kings saw Nārāyaṇa. They discussed among each other, saying, “Either the time has come for the asura king Bali to die, [F.214.b] or the time has come for us to be slain.” They said to each other, “It is good if we die in battle, but it’s not good to die in chains. If we die in chains, the way of the kṣatriyas will come to an end, but if we die on the battlefield, we will be reborn in the higher realms.”

“ ‘Then all the great kings returned to their own cities and made preparations with many horse-drawn chariots.

1.­53

“ ‘While they prepared their very precious chariots and weapons, Daśaratha­putra transformed himself into a dwarf who wore a deerskin as a sash, held a bamboo staff, and carried a stool. He came to where I was and arrived at my door.

“ ‘The guard stationed there said, “Brahmin dwarf, you can’t enter.”

“ ‘He said, “I have come a long way.”

“ ‘Then the guard asked, “Brahmin, where do you come from?”

“ ‘He answered, “I have come to the rishi king from Candradvīpa.”

1.­54

“ ‘Then the guard came to me115 and said, “Your Majesty, a brahmin dwarf has arrived here.”

“ ‘I, the lord of the asuras, asked, “What is it that he requires?”

“ ‘The guard said, “Your Majesty, I don’t know.”

“ ‘Then I said, “Go and bring the brahmin to me.”

“ ‘The guard summoned him, saying, “Come in, great brahmin.”

“ ‘Then he came inside and was placed on a precious seat.

1.­55

“ ‘Śukra, who was renowned as my upādhyāya, was also present at this time and said to me, “This is a person who brings doom.116 He will certainly cause you an obstacle.”

“ ‘I asked him, “Bhagavat, how do you know that?”

“ ‘Śukra answered, “I know by seeing his signs and omens.”

“ ‘I asked, “What can we do?” [F.215.a]

“ ‘Nārāyaṇa thought, “If he thinks about this, he will definitely decide against making a gift, so I will put divinely inspired speech into his mouth.”

1.­56

“ ‘So I said, “Come here, brahmin. What is your wish?”

“ ‘The brahmin answered, “I ask for two steps of ground.”

“ ‘I said, “Great brahmin, if you are asking for two steps, I will give you three.”

“ ‘The dwarf accepted this gift, saying, “This is auspicious.” He accepted it along with a gift of water, sesame, and gold, and then vanished.

“ ‘Śukra said to me, “Rishi King, I said that this was a man of doom who had come, but you did not pay heed to what I said. So may you experience the result of your actions!”

1.­57

“ ‘Then Nārāyaṇa appeared in his own form. He was vast, with the sun and moon on his shoulders, and holding a sword, a bow, a wheel, a long spear, and a short spear117 in his hands. I, lord of the asuras, became faint, grew dizzy, fell headlong, and said, “What have I done? I have taken poison with my own hand!”

“ ‘Nārāyaṇa took two steps and said, “Give me my third step!”

“ ‘I said, “There can be no third. You have taken all the ground that can be taken. What can I do?”

“ ‘Nārāyaṇa said, “Wherever I place you, there shall you stay.”

“ ‘Then I, lord of the asuras, said to him, “Whatever you command, that I will do.”

“ ‘Nārāyaṇa asked, “Is this true? Is this true?”

“ ‘I answered, “It’s the truth, it’s the truth.”

1.­58

“ ‘Thus Nārāyaṇa caught me in the noose of truth. The offering site was destroyed and the offering bowls discarded. The Pāṇḍavas and Kauravas took away the maidens. The Kauravas, Pāṇḍavas, and the others118 took away the golden lion thrones, the divine parasols, the bejeweled shoes, the clothing, the jewelry, the bejeweled golden armlets, [F.215.b] and the tawny cows, destroying the offering site.

“ ‘I, lord of the asuras, having been expelled from the offering site,119 contemplated my situation and said, “I was about to make an excellent offering, but I made an unfortunate offering that has resulted in this bondage. Homage to you, lord. Do what is to be done. It will be as you do.”120

“ ‘Then Nārāyaṇa took me, my queens, and my retinue and placed us in the underworld.

1.­59

“ ‘I121 have this to say to the bhagavat: In the past I made that gift to a bad recipient, and now I am experiencing the result of that action.

“ ‘Be my refuge, holder of beautiful lotuses.

“ ‘I make this praise to the one who wears a matted topknot; to the one who has an omniscient buddha122 upon his head; to the one who brings relief to many beings; to the one who has compassion for the inferior and desolate; to the one who has beautiful eyes like parasols; to the one who has illuminated the world;123 to the one who is a supreme king of healing; to the one who is a perfectly pure being; to the one who has the supreme attainment of yoga; to the one who has perfect liberation; to the one who is a lover of liberation; to the one who is like a wish-fulfilling jewel; to the one who protects the treasure of the Dharma; to the one who is a teacher of the six perfections; and to the one whose thoughts are good.

1.­60

“ ‘The beings who remember your name, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara, will have happiness. When those who have been born in Kālasūtra, Raurava, Avīci,124 and in the city of the pretas remember your name, they will be freed from the great suffering of the lower existences. The beings who remember your name will have good thoughts. They will go to the realm of Sukhāvatī, and listen to the Dharma from Tathāgata Amitābha.’

1.­61

“Then Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara made the following prophecy to Bali, the lord of the asuras: [F.216.a] ‘You, lord of the asuras, will become the Tathāgata, the arhat, the samyaksaṃbuddha, perfect in wisdom and conduct, the sugata, the knower of the world, the unsurpassable guide who tamed beings, the teacher of devas and humans, the buddha, the Bhagavat Śrī. You will guide all the asuras. In your buddha realm there will not be the word desire, there will not be the word anger, there will not be the word ignorance, and you will come into possession of the six-syllable mahāvidyā.’

1.­62

“As a gift with which to request the Dharma, Bali presented Avalokiteśvara with strings of pearls worth a hundred thousand silver coins125 and diadems adorned with various jewels.

“Then Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara began to teach the Dharma.

1.­63

“ ‘Listen, great king. Human beings are continually thinking about transitory things, about acquisitions,126 about great pleasures, about male and female slaves, servants, and hired workers, about costly clothes, beds, and seats, about valuable treasures, riches, stores of grain, and storerooms, about sons and daughters, and about wives and parents. They are ignorant. Those things that they are attached to appear as dreams do.

1.­64

“ ‘At the time of death, there will be no one to protect them. When they are separated from their lives they will look back at Jambudvīpa. They will see the great river filled with pus and blood. They will see the great trees that blaze with fire, blaze strongly, and blaze fiercely. When they see them they will be terrified. Yama’s guards127 will bind them with nooses and drag them away. When their feet are cut through on the great road of razors, as they lift that foot another foot will replace it. [F.216.b] Numerous ravens, vultures, eagles, and dogs will devour them. They will experience the sensation of great suffering in the hells. When they step off the great road of razors, five hundred thorns, each with sixteen spikes, will pierce each foot. They will cry out, “What have I, who delighted in bad actions, done?”128

1.­65

“ ‘Yama’s servants will reply, “Friend, you did not offer alms to the Tathāgata. You did not hear the gaṇḍī being beaten. You did not circumambulate a stūpa anywhere.”

“ ‘To that they will reply, “We were without faith, delighted in bad actions, rejected the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha, and are experiencing the result of those actions.”

“ ‘Yama’s guardians will then take them to King Yama, bring them before him, and present them to him.

“ ‘King Yama will say to the guardians, “Show them today your place of work!”

1.­66

“ ‘So Yama’s guardians will bring them to the great Kālasūtra hell and put them into it. Inside there, though a hundred spears strike them, they will not die. Though a hundred spears strike them a second time, they will not die. Though a hundred spears strike them a third time, they still will not die. Because they will not die, they are thrown into a furnace, but there they still will not die.

“ ‘A red hot metal ball will be inserted into their mouths, incinerating their lips, destroying their teeth, splitting their palate, and loudly burning up their throat, gullet, heart, anus, and whole body.

“ ‘It is like this, great king. There will be no one to protect them in that other world. Therefore, great king, you must diligently create merit in this life.’

1.­67

“In that way Avalokiteśvara gave Bali the appropriate Dharma teaching. [F.217.a] Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara then told that great king, ‘I must leave, for today many are gathering in the Jetavana Monastery.’129

“Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara now radiated many blue, yellow, red, white, crystal, and silver light rays that reached Tathāgata Viśvabhū, before whom devas, nāgas, yakṣas, mahoragas, and humans had gathered.

“From within that assembly of bodhisattvas the bodhisattva named Gaganagañja arose from his seat, bared one shoulder, and kneeling on his right knee and facing Bhagavat Viśvabhū, placed his palms together and addressed these words to him: ‘Bhagavat, where did these light rays come from?’

“Bhagavat Viśvabhū said, ‘Noble son, the light rays came from Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara, who is in the palace of Bali, the lord of the asuras.’

“Bodhisattva Gaganagañja then asked Bhagavat Viśvabhū, ‘Is there a way for me to see Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara?’

“Bhagavat Viśvabhū answered, ‘Noble son, he is coming here.’

1.­68

“When Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara left the palace of Bali, lord of the asuras, divine flowers fell on Jetavana Monastery, and extremely beautiful wish-granting trees appeared there. They were hung with hundreds of thousands of adornments, with many hundreds of thousands of strings of pearls, with silk, with monastic robes,130 and with clusters of garlands. Their trunks were red, and their leaves were made of gold and silver. There were also many trees made of coral, many blossom-covered trees, [F.217.b] and pools that were completely filled with flowers.

1.­69

“Then Bodhisattva Gaganagañja asked Bhagavat Viśvabhū, ‘Bhagavat, is Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara not coming?’

“Bhagavat Viśvabhū answered, ‘Noble son, he has left the palace of Bali, lord of the asuras, and is going to an extremely dreadful land131 named Tamondhakāra where there are no humans. There, noble son, the sun and moon do not shine. A wish-fulfilling jewel named Varada provides light in that place.

“Many hundreds of thousands of yakṣas and rākṣasas live in that continent. They become happy as Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara arrives there, and with joy in their hearts they run to him. When they come to Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara, they pay homage at his feet and ask, ‘You are not tired? You are not exhausted? It has been a long time since you were here in Tamondhakāra.’

1.­70

“He answers, ‘I have been doing much. I have not been ripening my own mind for the sake of one being, but have been, with the motivation of great compassion, ripening many beings.’132

“The yakṣas and rākṣasas lead him to a lion throne of divine gold and jewels, upon which he sits. Seated,133 he teaches the Dharma to the yakṣas and rākṣasas:

1.­71

“ ‘Listen! Those who hear and then possess, study, promulgate,134 and have their minds completely focused on even one four-line verse135 of the precious king of the Mahāyāna sūtras, The Sūtra of the Basket’s Display, will be inspired to accumulate merit.

1.­72

“ ‘Noble sons, it is like this: For example, I know the number of atoms that exist, but, noble sons, I cannot calculate the accumulation of merit that comes from the precious king of the Mahāyāna sūtras, The Sūtra of the Basket’s Display.

“ ‘Noble sons, it is like this: For example, I can count the drops in the vast ocean, but, noble sons, I cannot calculate the accumulation of merit that comes from even one four-line verse136 of the precious king of the Mahāyāna sūtras, The Sūtra of the Basket’s Display. [F.218.a]

1.­73

“ ‘Noble sons, if tathāgatas, arhats, and samyaksaṃbuddhas as numerous as the grains of sand in twelve Ganges Rivers were gathered together in one place and for twelve eons were provided with robes, food, bowls, bedding, seats,137 necessary medicine, and utensils, they would still not be able to calculate the merit that comes from even one four-line verse138 of the precious king of the Mahāyāna sūtras, The Sūtra of the Basket’s Display. So it is needless to say that I cannot do so all by myself in Tamondhakāra.

“ ‘Noble sons, it is like this: For example, even if all the households in the four continents built monasteries of gold and jewels and built a thousand stūpas inside each of those monasteries, and in one day inserted relics in them all, the accumulation of merit from one four-line verse139 of the precious king of the Mahāyāna sūtras, The Sūtra of the Basket’s Display, would be far greater than the merit from inserting the relics.

“ ‘Noble sons, it is like this: For example, just as the five great rivers flow into the great ocean, noble sons, in that same way merit accumulates from one four-line verse140 of the precious king of the Mahāyāna sūtras, The Sūtra of the Basket’s Display.’

1.­74

“Then the yakṣas and rākṣasas asked Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara, ‘What kind of accumulation of merit is obtained by those beings who write out this precious king of the Mahāyāna sūtras, The Sūtra of the Basket’s Display?’

“ ‘Noble sons, their accumulation of merit is immeasurable. Those who engage in writing out the precious king of the Mahāyāna sūtras, The Sūtra of the Basket’s Display, are engaged in writing the eighty-four thousand compilations of the Dharma. They will become kings; they will become cakravartins who rule the four continents; they will give birth to thousands of brave heroic sons with perfect bodies and who defeat their adversaries.

1.­75

“ ‘Those who always possess and remember the name of the precious king of the Mahāyāna sūtras, The Sūtra of the Basket’s Display, [F.218.b] will be completely liberated from the suffering of saṃsāra and be completely liberated from birth, aging, sickness, death, misery, lamentation, suffering, unhappiness, and conflict. Wherever they are reborn, in every life they will remember their previous lives. Their bodies will have an aroma like gośīrṣa sandalwood. From their mouths will come the scent of the blue lotus. Their bodies will be completely perfect, and they will have immense, powerful strength.’

1.­76

“In that way Avalokiteśvara taught them an appropriate Dharma. Some of the yakṣas and rākṣasas attained the result of becoming a once-returner. The others attained the result of becoming a non-returner.141

The yakṣas and rākṣasas then said, ‘Stay here.142 Do not go anywhere else. We will build a stūpa of divine gold in Tamondhakāra. We will create a circumambulatory walkway of gold.’

“But Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara said to them, ‘I have to bring many beings onto the path to enlightenment.’

“The yakṣas and rākṣasas, resting cheeks on hands, brooded and said to each other, ‘Our Avalokiteśvara is going to leave us, and we will not be able to talk about the Dharma with him.’

“As Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara was leaving, the yakṣas and rākṣasas followed him.

“Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara said to them, ‘It is too far for you to come, so you should go back.’

“The yakṣas and rākṣasas bowed down at the feet of Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara and returned.

“Then Avalokiteśvara vanished into the sky as a mass of flames.”

1.­77

“Avalokiteśvara then manifested in the form of a brahmin and went among the devas in the Śuddhāvāsa realms. [F.219.a] Among those devas there was a deva named Sukuṇḍala who was poor and suffering.

“Avalokiteśvara came to that deva in the form of the brahmin and said to him, ‘I’m hungry and thirsty.’

“The deva said to the brahmin, ‘Great brahmin, I have nothing at all.’

“The brahmin said, ‘You should give me what little you have.’

1.­78

“So Sukuṇḍala entered his divine palace and looked inside his pots. He saw that some pots had become completely filled with priceless precious jewels, other pots had become completely filled with food that had the supreme flavors, and the left side of the divine palace had become completely filled with divine clothing.

“Sukuṇḍala thought, ‘Without a doubt the one at my door is an excellent recipient for offerings, and he has brought me this attainment of splendor.’

“Sukuṇḍala invited the brahmin into his divine palace. The brahmin entered, and Sukuṇḍala offered him the divine jewels, served him the food with divine perfect flavors, and gave him the divine clothing.143 The brahmin ate and recited a benediction.

“The deva Sukuṇḍala then asked him, ‘Great brahmin, where do you come from?’

“He replied, ‘I come from the monastery named Jetavana.’

1.­79

“Sukuṇḍala asked him, ‘What is that place like?’

“The brahmin answered, ‘It is a place that is delightful, filled with divine jewels, and completely beautified by divine wish-granting trees. There are beautiful flowers, many kinds of bathing pools, many who have the qualities of right conduct and are worthy recipients for offerings, and there are the miracles of Tathāgata Viśvabhū. Son of a deva, that is how pleasant that place is.’

“The deva then said, ‘Brahmin, you definitely speak the truth. Who are you? Are you a deva or a human? If you are a human you don’t seem to be one.’ [F.219.b]

“The brahmin replied, ‘I am not a deva and I am not a human. I am one who has compassion for the poor and the wretched. I am one who shows them the path to enlightenment. I am a bodhisattva.’

1.­80

“Deva Sukuṇḍala then offered his diadem and earrings to the brahmin and recited:

“ ‘Oh, the one who is comprised of qualities

Is devoid of all evil.

On this day the seed has been planted,

And on this day the fruit has been produced.’

“After the deva had recited this verse, the brahmin departed.

1.­81

“The great brahmin descended from the deva realms to the island of Siṃhala. Arriving there, he transformed himself into a handsome form and approached the rākṣasīs. When they saw his handsome body they desired him. Desiring him, they came to him and said, ‘Sir, take us young women. We have no husband. For we who have no husband, be a husband. For we who have no protector, be a protector. For we who have no support, be a support. These are your homes with food; homes with drink; and homes with clothes and a variety of multicolored beds,144 beautiful gardens, and beautiful pools.’

“He said, ‘Only if you do as I command.’

“They answered, ‘We will!’

1.­82

“He then taught them the noble eightfold path. He made them recite the fourfold scriptures. Some of them attained the result of becoming a once-returner, and some attained the result of becoming a non-returner.145 The rākṣasīs were no longer afflicted by the suffering of desire, there was no anger in their minds, they did not wish to cause anyone’s death, they continually delighted in the Dharma, and they took vows. They promised, ‘We shall kill no more. We will nourish ourselves in the same way that humans do in Jambudvīpa: with food and drink. From now on we will not act like rākṣasīs, and we will keep the upāsikā vows.’146 In this way the rākṣasīs took vows.

1.­83

“Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara then left the island of Siṃhala [F.220.a] and went to a place where many hundreds of thousands of different kinds of insects lived within a cesspit in the great city of Vārāṇasī. When Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara arrived there, he transformed himself into the form of a bee that made a buzzing sound that was heard by the insects as the words, ‘Namo buddhāya, namo dharmāya, namaḥ saṃghāya.’147 The insects remembered the words namo buddhāya, namo dharmāya, namaḥ saṃghāya,148 and the thunderbolt of wisdom destroyed the mountain, which has twenty peaks, that is the view of the aggregates as a self,149 and they were then all reborn in the realm of Sukhāvatī as bodhisattvas named Sugandhamukha.

“After Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara had ripened those beings, he left the great city of Vārāṇasī.

1.­84

“Next he went to Magadha. When he arrived in the land of Magadha, he saw beings that had lived for twenty years in the wilderness eating each other’s flesh. Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara wondered, ‘By what method can I bring contentment to these beings?’

“Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara then caused divine rains to fall. First there was a rain of water, and the water brought them satisfaction. Then there came a rain of divine food with supreme flavors, and they were completely filled. When they were completely satisfied by eating the food, a rain of grain fell. Then there fell sesame, rice, jujubes, and wild rice. Whatever those beings wished for, their wishes were fulfilled each time.

1.­85

“Those beings in the land of Magadha were amazed, and they all sat down150 together. Seated,151 they asked each other, ‘What deity manifested all of this?’

“Among them there was one being who was many hundreds of thousands of years old. He was aged, old, feeble, hunchbacked, and bent like a cow’s ear. He said to them, ‘Only Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara has this kind of power [F.220.b], no other deity.’

“Those gathered there asked him, ‘What are the qualities of Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara?’

1.­86

“The man began to describe Avalokiteśvara’s qualities to them:

“ ‘He is a lamp for those in darkness. He is a parasol for those burned and pained by the sun. He is a river for those afflicted with thirst. He gives freedom from fear to those who are terrified and afraid. He is medicine for those afflicted with sickness. He is a father and mother for beings who suffer. He is a teacher of nirvāṇa to those reborn in Avīci. Those are his special qualities.

“ ‘Those who remember his name will have happiness in this world and will completely leave behind every suffering in saṃsāra.

1.­87

“ ‘Those who continually gather and offer flowers and incense to Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara will become cakravartin kings who possess the seven jewels. The seven jewels are: the precious wheel, the precious horse, the precious elephant, the precious jewel, the precious wife, the precious householder, and the precious counselor.

“ ‘Those who offer flowers to Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara will have aromatic bodies, and wherever they are reborn, their bodies will be perfect.’

“The old man taught Avalokiteśvara’s special qualities in that way. Then those gathered there returned to their homes, and the aged man, having taught them an appropriate Dharma, returned to his home, and Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara [F.221.a] vanished into the sky.

1.­88

“While Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara was in the sky he thought, ‘It has been a long time since I’ve seen Tathāgata Viśvabhū,’ and so he next went to Jetavana Monastery. Bhagavat Viśvabhū saw him coming.

“As Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara approached the Jetavana monastery, he saw devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans, and nonhumans, and a gathering of many hundreds of bodhisattvas.

“Bodhisattva Gaganagañja asked Bhagavat Viśvabhū, ‘Bhagavat, which bodhisattva is arriving?’

“Bhagavat Viśvabhū said, ‘This is Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara who is arriving.’

1.­89

“Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara bowed his head to Bhagavat Viśvabhū’s feet, circumambulated him three times, and sat on his left.

“Bhagavat Viśvabhū asked him, ‘Are you tired? Are you weary? Noble son, what work have you been doing?’

“Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara told Viśvabhū what had occurred. Bodhisattva Gaganagañja was extremely amazed and said, ‘I have never seen such a field of activity as that of this bodhisattva. There is no such field of activity among the tathāgatas, let alone among the bodhisattvas.’

1.­90

“Bodhisattva Gaganagañja now came to Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara and sat before him. Seated,152 he asked Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara, ‘Are you tired? Are you weary?’

“He replied, ‘I am not tired and I am not weary.’

“They talked with each other and then became silent. [F.221.b]

1.­91

“Bhagavat Viśvabhū then began to teach upon the six perfections:

“ ‘Noble sons, listen. Having become a bodhisattva, you must complete the perfection of generosity. Similarly, you must complete the perfection of conduct, the perfection of patience, the perfection of diligence, the perfection of meditation, and the perfection of wisdom.’

“Having taught that Dharma he became silent.

“The assembled beings each returned to their own dwelling places, and the bodhisattvas returned to their own buddha realms.”

This completes part one of the precious king of the Mahāyāna sūtras, “The Sūtra of the Basket’s Display.”

2.

PART TWO

2.­1

Bodhisattva Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin then said to the Bhagavat, “Bhagavat, I request that you teach what samādhis Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara has previously remained in.”

2.­2

The Bhagavat said, “Noble son, they are as follows: the samādhi named Creation, the samādhi named Illumination, the samādhi named Sublime Vajra, the samādhi named Sunlight, the samādhi named Dispersal, the samādhi named Armlet, the samādhi named Supreme Vajra Victory Banner, the samādhi named Ornament, the samādhi named King of Arrays, the samādhi named Seeing the Ten Directions, the samādhi named The Supreme Illumination of the Wish-fulfilling Jewel,153 the samādhi named Dharma Holder,154 the samādhi named Descending into the Ocean,155 the samādhi named Totally Stable,156 the samādhi named Giving Joy,157 the samādhi named Vajra Victory Banner,158 the samādhi named Viewing All Worlds,159 the samādhi named Completely Present,160 [F.222.a] the samādhi named Truly Bowing Down, the samādhi named Coiled at the Crown, the samādhi named Supreme Illumination by the Moon,161 the samādhi named Many Attendants, the samādhi named Divine Bright Earrings,162 the samādhi named Lamp of the Eon,163 the samādhi named Manifesting Miracles, the samādhi named Supreme Lotus, the samādhi named King’s Power,164 the samādhi named Extinguishing Avīci, the samādhi named Blazing, the samādhi named Divine Circle,165 the samādhi named Drop of Amṛta, the samādhi named Circle of Light, the samādhi named Immersion in the Ocean, the samādhi named Door of the Celestial Palace, the samādhi named Cuckoo’s Song, the samādhi named Scent of the Blue Lotus, the samādhi named Mounted, the samādhi named Vajra Armor, the samādhi named Elephant’s Delight, the samādhi named Lion’s Play, the samādhi named Unsurpassable, the samādhi named Subduing, the samādhi named Moon on High, the samādhi named Shining, the samādhi named Hundred Light Rays, the samādhi named Sprinkling, the samādhi named Brightening, the samādhi named Beautiful Appearance, the samādhi named Summoning the Asuras, the samādhi named Meditation, the samādhi named Summoning Nirvāṇa, the samādhi named Great Lamp,166 the samādhi named Liberation of Sensation,167 the samādhi named King of Lamps,168 the samādhi named Creating the Supreme State,169 the samādhi named Creating Indestructibility,170 the samādhi named Facing the Deities,171 the samādhi named Creating Union, the samādhi named Teaching Ultimate Truth, the samādhi named Lightning, the samādhi named Array of Names,172 the samādhi named Gaping Lion, the samādhi named Face of Arcturus,173 [F.222.b] the samādhi named Approaching, the samādhi named Flash of Intelligence,174 the samādhi named Increasing Power of Mindfulness, the samādhi named Aspiration, the samādhi named Carriage of Victory, and the samādhi named Teaching the Path.

2.­3

“Noble son, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara has those samādhis. In each of his pores there are a hundred thousand samādhis. Noble son, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara thus has an incalculable accumulation of merit. Even the tathāgatas do not have that kind of accumulation of merit, let alone a bodhisattva. [B3]

2.­4

“Noble son, in the past, when I was a bodhisattva named Siṃhalarāja,175 I was going to the island of Siṃhala with five hundred merchants. We were going to Siṃhala Island bringing much merchandise in chariots, in bags, baskets, and pots, carried by camels, oxen, donkeys, and so on, so as to go to villages, towns, suburbs, cities, and markets.

“I found an excellent ship that had been to Siṃhala Island many times. I asked the pilot, ‘Toward what lands are the winds blowing? Are the winds blowing toward Ratnadvīpa,176 or are the winds blowing toward Yavanadvīpa,177 or are the winds blowing toward the island of the rākṣasīs?’178

“The pilot answered, ‘Know this, lord: the breeze is blowing toward Siṃhala Island.’179

“So we set sail in the great ship in the direction of Siṃhala Island, but the rākṣasīs who lived on Siṃhala Island sent untimely winds that broke the great ship into pieces. We180 fell into the water and swam to the shore.

2.­5

“Five hundred rākṣasīs took on the form of maidens, and with a great cry came down to the shore. They gave us cotton robes. We put them on, wrung our clothes dry, [F.223.a] and went to sit under a large magnolia tree. Seated, we talked among ourselves, asking each other what we should do, but we agreed that there was nothing we could do, and we became silent.

“The rākṣasīs came to us and said, ‘You who are not masters of a house, become masters. You who have no refuge, obtain a refuge. You who have no home, obtain a home. These will be your homes supplied with food. These will be your homes supplied with drink. These will be your gardens for you to enjoy. These will be your bathing pools for you to enjoy.’

2.­6

“After the rākṣasīs had spoken to us thus, each one took a merchant home to be the master of her house. The senior rākṣasī181 took me home to be the master of her house. She satisfied me with food that had perfect, divine flavors. Having satisfied me with food, she frolicked with me, and in this way I was perfectly satisfied with human pleasures. Two or three weeks182 passed in that manner.

2.­7

“One night as I was lying in bed, I was astonished to see that the lamp was laughing. I had never seen or heard before of a burning, laughing lamp.183 I asked it, ‘Why are you laughing?’

“It answered, ‘This is one of the rākṣasīs who live on Siṃhala Island. She is going to kill you.’

“I asked it, ‘How do you know she is a rākṣasī?’

“It answered, ‘If you don’t believe me, take the road south184 and follow it. You will come to a high fortress185 without windows or doorways. Many hundreds of merchants have been thrown in there. Some are alive. Some are dead. If you don’t believe me, follow that road. Follow that road and observe. Then you will believe me.’

2.­8

“So I186 made the rākṣasī enter the sleep named Ignorance’s Net, and I went out at night, armed with a sword187 that glowed like moonlight. [F.223.b] I took the road that led south, and followed it until eventually I came to an iron fortress. I walked around it, but could not find a door. However, there was a magnolia tree beside the iron fortress, and so I188 climbed up it. I made the sound of spitting, and the merchants inside heard me,189

“They said, ‘Great head merchant, know this! We have been thrown into this iron fortress. Each day a hundred men are taken and eaten. When they have been eaten, their bones are scattered around the iron fortress.’

2.­9

“That is how they described what had happened to them. I climbed down the magnolia tree and went quickly back up the southern road.

“When I returned to the house, the lamp asked me, ‘Head merchant, did you see?’

“I answered, ‘I saw,’ and then asked it, ‘What can I do?’

“The lamp said, ‘Lord, I have a way by which you can comfortably and happily leave Siṃhala Island and see Jambudvīpa once more.’

“It said, ‘There is a divine king of horses named Bālāha who has compassion for the desolate and destitute. Bālāha, the king of horses, eats the herb named sarvaśetāna,190 rolls back and forth on the golden sand, shakes his body, and then asks, “Who is going to cross over to the far shore?” You should then say, “Lord, I am going to cross over to the far shore.” ’

“Once the lamp had told me this, I went to lie down next to the rākṣasī. She awoke and asked me, ‘Noble son, why is your body cold?’

“I answered, ‘I went outside the town to defecate and urinate. [F.224.a] That’s why my body has become cold.’ And so she went back to sleep.

2.­10

“At sunrise I got up and said to all the merchants, ‘Come with me. We are going outside the town.’

“Then we all left the town. When we were outside the town and had sat down,191 I asked them, ‘How affectionate are your wives toward you?’

“Some said, ‘She is very loving toward me.’

“Some said, ‘She takes care of me with food that has perfect, divine flavors.’

“Some said, ‘She provides me with all kinds of clothes.’

“Some said, ‘She gives me diadems, earrings, and necklaces.’

“Some said, ‘I don’t have to do any physical work.’

“Some said, ‘She cares for me with sandalwood, musk, and camphor.’

“After the merchants told me these things, I said to them, ‘It is not right for us to be attached to rākṣasīs in this way.’

2.­11

“They were disturbed by my words, and asked, ‘Great head merchant, is it true that they are the rākṣasīs who live on Siṃhala Island?’

“I answered, ‘It is true, indeed it is true. By the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha, they are not humans. They are rākṣasīs.’

“The merchants asked me, ‘What can we do? Do you have a plan for us?’

“I told them, ‘On Siṃhala Island there is Bālāha, the king of horses, who has compassion for the desolate and destitute. He eats the herb called sarvaśetāna, rolls back and forth on the golden sand, shakes his body, and then asks three times, “Who is going to cross over to the far shore? Who is going to cross over to the far shore? Who is going to cross over to the far shore?”192 We should go to him.’

“The merchants asked me, ‘On what day should we go?’

“I answered, ‘We should definitely leave in three days’ time. Each person should prepare provisions for the journey.’ [F.224.b]

“They promised they would and returned to town, each to their own home.

2.­12

“The rākṣasī asked me,193 ‘Are you tired? Are you weary? Have you seen the delightful gardens and the delightful bathing pools?’194

“I answered, ‘I haven’t seen any.’

“The rākṣasī then said, ‘Noble son, in this Siṃhala Island there are pleasing gardens of all kinds that are completely filled with flowers, and there are many hundreds of bathing pools.’

“I said, ‘I will go to those gardens and the various flower-filled pools in three days’ time. I will gather beautiful flowers there and then return. Therefore you should prepare good traveling provisions for me.’

“She said, ‘Noble son, I will do so.’

2.­13

“I contemplated my predicament, thinking, ‘These rākṣasīs will kill us if they find out.’ I remained silent, contemplating this predicament. The rākṣasī served me good food, and as I ate it, I sighed.

“The rākṣasī asked me, ‘Noble son, why did you sigh?’

“I said to her, ‘The people of Jambudvīpa and my homeland are so pleasant.’

“The rākṣasī said, ‘Noble son, what would you do in your homeland? In this Siṃhala Island you have a home with food, a home with drink, a home with clothes, a variety of delightful gardens, and a variety of delightful bathing pools.195 Enjoy these divine pleasures. Why be sorrowful in Jambudvīpa?’ I said nothing in reply.

2.­14

“That day passed, and on the second day, my provisions of good food were quickly prepared. Everyone had made his preparations, and at dawn on the third day we all left the city, coming out through its gate. When we were outside, we agreed that not one of us would turn to look back at Siṃhala Island. After we had made that agreement, we hurried as quickly as we could, and eventually reached the location of Bālāha, the king of horses. [F.225.a]

“Bālāha, the king of horses, was enjoying the sarvaśetāna herb. When he had finished enjoying it, he rolled back and forth on the golden sand and shook his body. When he shook his body, the island of Siṃhala shook.

2.­15

“He asked three times, ‘Who is going to cross over to the far shore? Who is going to cross over to the far shore? Who is going to cross over to the far shore?’196

“The merchants said, ‘We are going to cross over to the far shore.’

“Bālāha, the king of horses, said to us, ‘None of you must look back at Siṃhala Island. None of you must turn your eyes toward Siṃhala Island.’

“We agreed to do as he said. Then first I alone mounted him, and then the five hundred merchants mounted him. When we were all mounted, the rākṣasīs who lived on Siṃhala Island came running after us, making a great clamor, weeping and wailing pitifully. Hearing the noise, the merchants turned round and looked back at them, and when they did so they fell headlong into the water. When they had fallen into the water, the rākṣasīs pulled them out and ate them.

2.­16

“I arrived in Jambudvīpa alone. When we reached the shore, I circumambulated Bālāha, the king of horses, three times, bowed to him, and departed. I journeyed toward my home and eventually arrived there. My father and mother embraced me and wept, and their tears dissolved their cataracts so they regained their sight.

“Then I sat with my parents and told them everything that had happened. My parents said, ‘Son, we have got you back alive. We do not need wealth. We only need a walking stick for when we are old, someone to guide us on the path when we are blind, someone to make food offerings to us when we have died, and someone to be our protector when we are dead. Son, you have brought us delight like a cooling breeze.’ That is what my parents said to me.

2.­17

“Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin, those are the sufferings I experienced when I was a head merchant. [F.225.b] Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin, it was like this: Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara was Bālāha, the king of horses, and he rescued me from the fear of death.

“Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin, it is like this: I cannot calculate Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara’s accumulation of merit, but I can say just a little about his pores.

“Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin, it is like this: A trillion gandharvas dwell in a pore named Suvarṇa. They do not experience the sufferings of saṃsāra and are satisfied by perfect happiness. They perceive divine objects but are free from attachment. They have no aversion, they do not become angry, and they never have malice. They all dwell on the noble eightfold path and always aspire to the Dharma. Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin, it is like this: in this pore named Suvarṇa there is a wish-fulfilling jewel named Avabhāsa. Whenever the gandharvas wish for something, their wishes are fulfilled.

2.­18

“Beyond the pore named Suvarṇa, there is a pore named Kṛṣṇa, within which a trillion rishis dwell. Some have one clairvoyance; some have two clairvoyances; some have three clairvoyances; some have four clairvoyances; some have five clairvoyances; and some have the six clairvoyances.

“Within that pore the ground is silver and the mountains are gold with silver peaks adorned by rubies.197 There are seventy-seven such mountains, and on each of those mountains live eighty thousand rishis. Those rishis have leaf huts198 where there are wish-fulfilling trees with red trunks and gold and silver leaves that shine like jewels. [F.226.a] There are four pools near each wish-fulfilling tree. Some are filled with water that has the eight qualities, and some are completely filled with divine flowers. The area around them is completely adorned by wish-fulfilling trees that are divine coral trees hung with divine adornments; hung with diadems and earrings; hung with one hundred and eight-string necklaces and sixty-four-string necklaces; and hung with bracelets; and their leaves are made of jewels and gold.

2.­19

“In each of those wish-fulfilling trees there live a hundred gandharvas. When they play music, deer, birds, and so on contemplate deeply. They see the suffering and happiness of beings in saṃsāra199 and the way in which suffering is experienced in Jambudvīpa. They see birth, aging, and death. They see separation from the desired and beloved, and encounters with the disliked. They see human beings undergoing many kinds of suffering. The deer and birds contemplate deeply200 in that way. When they remember the name the precious king of the Mahāyāna sūtras, The Sūtra of the Basket’s Display, food with supreme divine flavors appears, divine aromatic substances appear, and divine clothing appears. Whenever they wish for something, their wishes are fulfilled.”

2.­20

Bodhisattva Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin said to the Bhagavat, “Bhagavat, I am utterly astonished.”

The Bhagavat said, “Noble son, why are you astonished?”

Bodhisattva Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin said to the Bhagavat, “Bhagavat, if those kinds of things appear just because someone thinks of the name of the precious king of the Mahāyāna sūtras, The Sūtra of the Basket’s Display, [F.226.b] then those who listen to, cause to be written out,201 possess, recite, study, and have their minds completely focused on the precious king of the Mahāyāna sūtras, The Sūtra of the Basket’s Display, will have happiness.

2.­21

“Those who write a single letter from the precious king of the Mahāyāna sūtras, The Sūtra of the Basket’s Display, will have happiness and will not see these sufferings of saṃsāra. They will not be reborn as an untouchable202 or of mixed caste;203 they will not be reborn as someone with defective senses; they will not be reborn as lame, hunchbacked, with a deformed nose, a goiter, or a cleft lip, nor with leprosy.204 Their bodies will not be afflicted by illness. They will have health, great strength, and clear faculties.”

The Bhagavat gave his approval, saying, “That is excellent, Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin. Your eloquence and your teaching of this kind of Dharma to a gathering of devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans, nonhumans, upāsakas, and upāsikās is excellent! Excellent!”

2.­22

Then Bodhisattva Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin said to the Bhagavat, “Bhagavat, when you teach what I request, the devas gain unwavering faith.”

The Bhagavat gave his approval, saying, “Excellent, noble son. That you repeatedly make these requests is excellent, excellent.

“Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin, it is like this: Beyond the Kṛṣṇa pore there is a pore named Ratnakuṇḍala. Many trillions of female gandharvas live within it. Those female gandharvas have excellent figures; are beautiful and attractive; have magnificent, fair complexions; their bodies are adorned with divine jewelry; and they rival the apsarases. [F.227.a] Even though they have this beauty, they are not afflicted by the suffering of desire, they are not afflicted by the suffering of anger, and they are not afflicted by the suffering of stupidity. Their bodies do not experience the sufferings that humans do.

“Those gandharva maidens remember the name of Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara. Whenever in the three periods they remember it, all valuable things appear for them.”

2.­23

Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin said to the Bhagavat, “Bhagavat, I will go to those pores because I want to see them.”

The Bhagavat said, “Noble son, those pores cannot be perceived, just as the element of space cannot be perceived. Noble son, those pores cannot be perceived, and they cannot be touched.

“Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Samantabhadra spent twelve years wandering in search of those pores, but he never saw them. He did not even see the hundred buddhas who live in each of those pores, let alone any bodhisattvas.”205

Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin asked the Bhagavat, “Bhagavat, if Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Samantabhadra did not see them in twelve years of wandering, if he did not see those pores and did not even see the hundred buddhas who are in each of those pores,206 why should I go?”

2.­24

The Bhagavat answered, “Noble son, I also searched and looked for one of his pores but did not see one.

“Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin, noble son, this bodhisattva is taught to be illusory, unattainable, and subtle.207 This bodhisattva is described as being unstained;208 as being with form,209 a vast form, a hundred thousand arms, a trillion eyes, and eleven heads; as being a great yogin, a sublime yogin; as residing on the level of nirvāṇa; as having an excellent mind;210 as having great wisdom; as liberated from existence; as being from the good family;211 as being imperceptible; and as being wise; and therefore he casts no shadow in the midst of all phenomena.212

2.­25

“Thus, noble son, no one can see or hear213 Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara. [F.227.b] No tathāgata can see the body of his true nature,214 let alone Samantabhadra or other bodhisattvas.

“Noble son, this bodhisattva mahāsattva is inconceivable. He manifests inconceivable215 miracles. He has completely ripened many trillions of beings. He has led those beings onto the path to enlightenment. Having entered that path, they have gone to the realm of Sukhāvatī where they hear the Dharma from Tathāgata Amitābha.”

2.­26

Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin asked the Bhagavat, “Bhagavat, how can I see Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara?”

The Bhagavat replied, “Noble son, you will see him if he comes here, to the Sahā universe, to look at me, bow down to me, and honor me.”

Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin said to the Bhagavat, “I request it, Bhagavat, that Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara may come.”

The Bhagavat answered, “Noble son, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara first comes when a being is ripened.”

Then Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin rested his cheek on his hand216 and said, “What point is there in my having a long life that is devoted to bad actions, deprived of the sight of Avalokiteśvara, blind, and following a path of darkness?”217

2.­27

Then Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin asked the Bhagavat, “Bhagavat, when is Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara coming?”

The Bhagavat laughed and said, “Noble son, it is not yet time for Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara to come. [F.228.a]

2.­28

“Noble son, it is like this: Beyond that pore, there is a pore named Amṛtabindu.218 In that pore a million trillion devas live. Some are on the first bhūmi; some are on the second bhūmi; some are on the third bhūmi; some are on the fourth bhūmi; some are on the fifth bhūmi; some are on the sixth bhūmi; some are on the seventh bhūmi; some are on the eighth bhūmi; some are on the ninth bhūmi; and some are on the tenth bodhisattva bhūmi.

“Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin, it is like this: Within that pore named Amṛtabindu there are sixty mountains of gold and silver. Each one is sixty thousand yojanas high, and each one has ninety thousand peaks adorned by gold. Bodhisattvas who have developed one-pointed minds219 dwell on their slopes. On those kings of mountains, there dwell many millions of trillions of gandharvas, who are continuously playing music.

“Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin, it is like this: Within that pore named Amṛtabindu there are many millions of trillions of extremely beautiful celestial palaces completely adorned with divine jewels, having many kinds of visual delights, and adorned by a hundred thousand strings of pearls.

2.­29

“Bodhisattvas relax in those celestial palaces and discuss the Dharma. Then they leave the celestial palaces and go each to their own walkways, each of which has seventy bathing pools. Some are filled with water that has the eight qualities, some are completely filled with flowers, and some are completely filled with blue lotuses, red lotuses, night lotuses, white lotuses, fragrant water lilies, tiger claw flowers, and great tiger claw flowers.220 Along these walkways there are beautiful wish-fulfilling trees that have red trunks and leaves made of silver and gold; are adorned with divine adornments; [F.228.b] are hung with diadems, earrings, garlands, one hundred and eight-string and sixty-four-string necklaces; and are perfectly hung with armlets and a variety of other adornments.

“The bodhisattvas walk each evening along these walkways while thinking about various aspects of the Mahāyāna. They think of nirvāṇa, they contemplate all the sufferings of saṃsāra, and after contemplating suffering they meditate on love. Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin, such are the bodhisattvas within that pore.

2.­30

“Beyond that pore, there is a pore named Vajramukha.221 Within it live many hundreds of thousands of kinnaras beautified by necklaces, earrings, garlands, various jewelry, and ointments.

“They have continuous faith in the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha. They are focused one-pointedly on the Dharma, remain in loving kindness, meditate on patience, contemplate nirvāṇa, and are saddened for humans. Noble son, such are the kinnaras that live there.

“There are many hundreds of mountains within that pore. Some are made of diamonds, some of silver, some of gold, some of crystal, some of rubies,222 some of sapphires, and some of the seven jewels. Noble son, such are the signs seen within that pore.

2.­31

“Noble son, within that pore there are many wish-fulfilling trees, coral trees, sandalwood trees, and aromatic trees. There are many hundreds of thousands of bathing pools. There are extremely beautiful and delightful divine celestial palaces of crystal and silver. Such are the celestial palaces that appear there.

“The kinnaras relax in those celestial palaces and discuss the Dharma. Seated,223 they talk about the Dharma. They talk about the perfection of generosity, [F.229.a] they talk about the perfection of conduct, they talk about the perfection of patience, they talk about the perfection of diligence, they talk about the perfection of meditation, and they talk about the perfection of wisdom.

2.­32

“When they have talked about the six perfections, they leave the celestial palaces and they each go to walk in their own walkways. Some of the walkways are made of gold. Some of the walkways are made of silver. All around the walkways there are wish-fulfilling trees that have red trunks and leaves made of silver and gold, and that are hung with divine ornaments; hung with diadems, earrings, and garlands; hung with armlets; hung with anklets; hung with one hundred and eight-string and sixty-four-string necklaces; and hung with strings of jewels. These wish-fulfilling trees around the walkways are like many-storied mansions.

2.­33

“The kinnaras take walks along these walkways. While they are walking, they contemplate with sadness the sufferings of saṃsāra: ‘Oh, the suffering! Oh, the suffering! Death is suffering! Oh, the suffering! Poverty is also suffering! Oh, the suffering! Separation from the desired and beloved and encountering the undesired and the disliked is extremely unendurable suffering! There are those who are born in Kālasūtra, born in Raurava, born in the great hell of Hāhava, born in Agnighaṭa, born in Vajraśaila,224 and born in the city of the pretas.225 Those beings have the greatest suffering.’

“The kinnaras contemplate in that way, and following that contemplation they contemplate the essence of nirvāṇa.

2.­34

“Noble son, the kinnaras who rejoice in the Dharma in that way continually remember the name of Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara. Remembering his name, they receive all kinds of things.

“Thus, noble son, it is difficult to find Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara, [F.229.b] who is the father and mother of all beings, who brings freedom from fear to all beings, who reveals the path to all beings, who is a kalyāṇamitra for all beings. Noble son, this is what Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara is like.

“Noble son, it is difficult to obtain his name. Those who remember the name that is the six-syllable vidyāmantra will be reborn in those pores. They will no longer continue to be in saṃsāra. They will go from one pore to another, living within those pores until they reach the level of nirvāṇa.”

2.­35

Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin asked the Bhagavat, “Bhagavat, where can the six-syllable mahāvidyā be obtained?”

The Bhagavat replied, “Noble son, even the tathāgatas do not know the six-syllable mahāvidyā, let alone the bodhisattvas.”

Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin asked the Bhagavat, “Bhagavat, do the tathāgatas, arhats, and samyaksaṃbuddhas not know it?”

The Bhagavat replied, “Noble son, the six-syllable mahāvidyā is the supreme essence of Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara. Those who know that supreme essence know liberation.”

Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin asked the Bhagavat, “Bhagavat, are there any beings who know the six-syllable vidyāmantra?”

The Bhagavat answered him, “Noble son, no one knows the six-syllable mahāvidyā. It is an inconceivable yoga and therefore difficult to obtain. Even the tathāgatas do not know it, let alone the bodhisattvas. [F.230.a]

“Noble son, all the tathāgatas have spent sixteen eons wandering in search of this six-syllable mahāvidyā, so therefore how could bodhisattvas know it? It is the supreme essence of Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara.

2.­36

“If someone traveled throughout this realm of beings, there would be found a few226 who know the six-syllable mahāvidyā. Those beings who continually possess the six-syllable mahāvidyā and are dedicated to repeating it are meritorious. When they repeat it, bhagavats and buddhas to the number of sand grains in ninety-nine Ganges Rivers gather around them, bodhisattvas to the number of atoms gather around them, and they reach the entranceway to the six perfections.

“The devas of the Trāyastriṃśa paradise also gather there. The four mahārājas guard the four directions. Many millions of trillions of nāgas such as Nāga King Sāgara, Nāga King Anavatapta, Nāga King Takṣaka, and Nāga King Vāsuki227 guard the ground.228 Also, the yakṣas from above the earth guard the open space above them.

2.­37

“Ten million tathāgatas reside in each pore of that noble son. Residing there they give their approval, saying, ‘Excellent, excellent, noble son! You have acquired such a wish-fulfilling jewel as this. Seven generations of your descendants will attain liberation.229 Noble son, even all the beings who live in your stomach will become irreversible bodhisattvas.

“ ‘Noble son, those who wear this six-syllable mahāvidyā on their body or on their throat230 will be known to have a body that is a vajra body, will be known to be a stūpa containing relics, and will be known to be the wisdom of ten million tathāgatas.’ [F.230.b]

2.­38

“A noble son or noble daughter who repeats the six-syllable mahāvidyā will have indestructible mental brilliance. He or she will become a pure mass of wisdom. That person will have great love and great compassion. That person will complete the six perfections each day. That person will receive the consecration of a vidyādhara cakravartin.

“Those who inhale that person’s breath, whether in love or in anger, will become irreversible bodhisattvas. They will quickly attain the highest complete enlightenment and be samyaksaṃbuddhas.

“All those who just touch that person with their clothing231 will become bodhisattvas in their last existence.

“Women, men, boys, and girls who just see that person, and even the deer, birds, oxen, donkeys, and so on, who see that person, will all become bodhisattvas in their last existence. They will not experience the suffering of birth, aging, sickness, death, and separation from the beloved. They will become inconceivable yogins.”

In that way the Bhagavat encouraged the repetition of the six-syllable mahāvidyā.

2.­39

Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin said to the Bhagavat, “Bhagavat, I wish to hear the six-syllable mahāvidyā, which is the inconceivable yoga and the immeasurable and highest dhyāna; which shows the way to the nirvāṇa of supreme enlightenment; which is the entranceway into liberation; which pacifies desire and hatred;232 which fills the treasury of the Dharma;233 which uproots saṃsāra and the five existences; which brings the hells and afflictions to an end; which takes those who have become animals to a higher existence; [F.231.a] which completes the taste of the Dharma; and which is the imperishable234 teaching of omniscience.

2.­40

“Bhagavat, how can I obtain it? I would offer the four continents filled with the seven precious materials to anyone who bestows upon me the six-syllable mahāvidyā.

“Bhagavat, if I cannot find a birch bark page to write it on, nor ink, nor a reed pen, I will make ink from my blood, I will slice off my skin to make a page, and I will break one of my bones to make a pen. Bhagavat, I have no concern for my body. The one who bestows it upon me will be my parents, my guru of gurus.”

2.­41

The Bhagavat told Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin, “Noble son, I remember going to as many worlds as there are atoms in the world for the sake of obtaining this six-syllable mahāvidyā. I honored many millions of trillions of tathāgatas, but I did not obtain it, and I did not hear it from those tathāgatas.

“At that time I went, weeping, to the Tathāgata, the arhat, the samyaksaṃbuddha, the one with wisdom and conduct, the sugata, the knower of the world, the unsurpassable guide who tames beings, the teacher of gods and humans, the buddha, the Bhagavat Ratnottama.

“The Tathāgata, the arhat, the Samyaksaṃbuddha Ratnottama said, ‘Noble son, don’t weep so pitifully. Noble son, go to the Tathāgata, the arhat, the Samyaksaṃbuddha Padmottama.235 He knows this six-syllable mahāvidyā.’

2.­42

“Noble son, I went to Tathāgata Padmottama. I approached the realm of Tathāgata Padmottama, arrived there [F.231.b], and bowed my head to the feet of Tathāgata Padmottama. I placed my palms together before him and said, ‘Bhagavat Padmottama, I must obtain this six-syllable mahāvidyā, which purifies all bad karma merely by the remembrance of its name. I seek to obtain that which is difficult for a bodhisattva to obtain. For that purpose I have been to many worlds, in distress. I have arrived here, exhausted and without any result.’

2.­43

“Then Tathāgata Padmottama praised the qualities of this six-syllable mahāvidyā:

“ ‘Noble son, it is like this. As a comparison, I can know the number of atoms, but, noble son, I cannot calculate the accumulation of merit from repeating the six-syllable mahāvidyā once.

“ ‘Noble son, it is like this. As a comparison, I can count the grains of sand in the ocean, but, noble son, I cannot calculate the accumulation of merit from repeating the six-syllable mahāvidyā once.

“ ‘Noble son, it is like this. As a comparison, a person builds a building that is a hundred yojanas high and five hundred yojanas wide, and completely fills it with sesame seeds. There isn’t even a needle-sized hole in this building. At its door there is an immortal man who never ages. If every hundred eons that man takes out one sesame seed, I can calculate236 the time when such a building would be emptied down to the floor, but, noble son, I cannot calculate the accumulation of merit that comes from repeating the six-syllable mahāvidyā once.

2.­44

“ ‘Noble son, it is like this. As a comparison, if the people in the four continents were all to work at various kinds of agriculture, such as barley, wheat, rice, green or black mung beans, and so on; and jujubes, horse gram, and so on; and the nāga kings sent rain at the appropriate times; and those grains grew, ripened, and were harvested; if Jambudvīpa were made into one threshing floor, and the grain was brought in carts, in animal loads, in bundles and baskets, and put on that threshing floor, trodden by oxen and donkeys, and made into one big heap; [F.232.a] then, noble son, I could count every single grain, but, noble son, I cannot calculate the accumulation of merit that comes from repeating the six-syllable mahāvidyā once.

2.­45

“ ‘Noble son, it is like this. As a comparison, in Jambudvīpa there are great rivers that flow day and night. They are the Sītā,237 the Ganges,238 the Yamuna, the Indus,239 the Pakṣu,240 the Sutlej,241 the Chenab,242 the Ravi,243 the Sumāgandha,244 the Himavatī,245 and the Godavari.246 Each of these rivers has five hundred tributaries. Day and night they flow into the ocean. Noble son, this is how the accumulation of merit increases as the result of a single repetition of the six-syllable mahāvidyā: I can count each drop in those great rivers, but, noble son, I cannot calculate the accumulation of merit that comes from repeating the six-syllable mahāvidyā once.

“ ‘Noble son, it is like this. As a comparison, I can count each hair on all four-legged beings such as herds of oxen, donkeys, buffaloes, horses, and elephants; dogs, jackals,247 goats, and similarly lions, tigers, wolves, deer, monkeys, hares, pigs, and so on; and rats and cats, and so on; but, noble son, I cannot calculate the accumulation of merit from repeating the six-syllable mahāvidyā once.

2.­46

“ ‘Noble son, it is like this. As a comparison, the king of mountains, named Vajrāṅkuśa, is 99,000 yojanas high and extends downward into the sea for 84,000 yojanas. Vajrāṅkuśa, the king of mountains, is 84,000 yojanas wide on each side. On the side of that king of mountains there is an ageless, immortal man, who once every eon wipes the mountain one time with a Kaśika cloth. Even this alone will eventually cause the mountain to be worn down and vanish. I can count the number of years, months, days, hours,248 and minutes of time that would take,249 but, noble son, I cannot calculate the accumulation of merit that comes from repeating the six-syllable mahāvidyā once.

2.­47

“ ‘Noble son, it is like this. [F.232.b] As a comparison, the ocean is 84,000 yojanas deep, and it has an immeasurable expanse, extending as far as Vaḍavāmukha. I can count all its drops of water, which are the size of the tip of a hair, but, noble son, I cannot calculate the accumulation of merit that comes from repeating the six-syllable mahāvidyā once.

“ ‘Noble son, it is like this. As a comparison, I can count the number of leaves in a forest of agarwood trees, but, noble son, I cannot calculate the accumulation of merit that comes from repeating the six-syllable mahāvidyā once.

2.­48

“ ‘Noble son, it is like this. As a comparison, even if all the men, women, boys, and girls who live in the four continents were to be on the seventh bodhisattva bhūmi,250 the accumulation of merit that comes from repeating the six-syllable mahāvidyā once would be far greater than the accumulation of merit of those bodhisattvas.

“ ‘Noble son, it is like this. As a comparison, if for a year of twelve months, or with a leap-month to make a year of thirteen months,251 it were to rain day and night, noble son, I could count each drop of rain, but, noble son, I cannot calculate the accumulation of merit that comes from repeating the six-syllable mahāvidyā once.

2.­49

“ ‘Noble son, it is like this: There is no need to say much, but if, for example, a million tathāgatas like me were to be in one place for an eon, provided with all requirements, with robes, food, bowls,252 bedding, seats,253 necessary medicine, and utensils, still those tathāgatas would not be able to calculate the accumulation of merit from the six-syllable mahāvidyā, so it is needless to say that I cannot do so all by myself in this world.

“ ‘Noble son, I have entered the yoga of meditation through an inconceivable dhyāna. This is a subtle Dharma, an imperceptible Dharma, an unknown Dharma; it is the attainment of the ultimate essence. It has been established through the qualities of Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara’s skillfulness in methods. In that way, noble son, [F.233.a] I too obtained skillfulness in methods through the six-syllable mahāvidyā.

“ ‘Noble son, I also wandered through many hundreds of thousands of millions of tens of millions of worlds, and then in front of Tathāgata Amitābha, with palms placed together, I wept because of my emotion for the Dharma.

2.­50

“ ‘At that time, Tathāgata Amitābha, who knew the present and the future, said, “Noble son who is united with the yoga of meditation, do you desire the six-syllable queen of mahāvidyās?”

“ ‘I replied, “I do desire it, Bhagavat;254 I do desire it, Sugata. I have gone to many worlds in search of the six-syllable mahāvidyā, Bhagavat, just like a thirsty person seeks water. I have attended to many millions of trillions of tathāgatas, but I have not obtained the six-syllable queen of mahāvidyās. Bhagavat, be my protector, refuge, and support. Be the eyes for those whose faculties are poor. Be the path for those who have lost the path. Be a parasol for those burned by the sun. Be like a great sal tree for a great crossroad. Be infinite teachings for those thirsty for the Dharma. Be armor for the complete stability of the mind.”

2.­51

“ ‘Then the Tathāgata, the arhat, the Samyaksaṃbuddha Amitābha said to Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara with a voice as beautiful as a cuckoo’s song, “Noble son, look! The Tathāgata, the arhat, the Samyaksaṃbuddha Padmottama has been to many millions of trillions of worlds for the six-syllable mahāvidyā. The Tathāgata has traveled like this, noble son, so therefore give him the six-syllable queen of mahāvidyās.”

2.­52

‘Then Bhagavat Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara said, [F.233.b] “It should not be given to one who has not seen the maṇḍala.255 How would one apprehend the Bhagavat’s lotus-hook hand gesture?256 How would one know the Maṇidhara hand gesture?257 How would one know the lord-of-all-kings hand gesture?258 How would one know the correct maṇḍala?259

2.­53

“ ‘ “These are the features of the maṇḍala: It should be square with a circumference of five cubits.

“ ‘ “Draw Amitābha in the center of the maṇḍala. To create the body of Tathāgata Amitābha, sprinkle powder made from precious sapphire powder, emerald powder, ruby powder, crystal powder, and powdered silver and gold.

“ ‘ “On his right create Bodhisattva Mahāmaṇidhara. On his left draw Ṣaḍakṣarī Mahāvidyā, who has four arms and is white like the autumn moon. She is adorned with various adornments and holds a lotus in her left hand. Draw a jewel upon that lotus. Draw a jewel rosary in her left hand. Portray the palms of two hands being placed together in the gesture named the lord-of-all-kings.

2.­54

“ ‘ “Draw a vidyādhara beneath the legs of Ṣaḍakṣarī Mahāvidyā. Draw him holding a smoking stick of incense in his right hand and a basket filled with various adornments in his left hand.

“ ‘ “Draw the four mahārājas at the four doors260 of the maṇḍala. Draw them holding their individual offerings.261

“ ‘ “Place vases filled with various precious jewels at the four corners of the maṇḍala.

2.­55

“ ‘ “A noble son or noble daughter who wishes to enter that maṇḍala should write the names of the entire lineage of his or her family and first of all cast those names into the maṇḍala. They will then all be freed from every human suffering [F.234.a] and will become bodhisattvas in their last life. They will also quickly attain the highest complete enlightenment, which is complete buddhahood.

“ ‘ “The ācārya should not give it to those who are inappropriate. It should be bestowed upon those who aspire for it with faith, or bestowed upon those who aspire for it with faith in the Mahāyāna. It should not be given to tīrthikas.”

2.­56

“ ‘Then the Tathāgata, the arhat, the Samyaksaṃbuddha Amitābha said to Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara, “Noble son, what if the noble son or noble daughter is poor and cannot use precious sapphire jewel powder, emerald powder, or gold or silver powder?”

“ ‘ “Bhagavat, he should use powder dyed with various colors and use various flowers and various incenses.”

“ ‘ “Noble son, what if, because he has gone to another land and lacks the facilities, he cannot even obtain those?”

“ ‘ “Then the ācārya should imagine the maṇḍala in his mind, and the ācārya should teach the nature of the mantras262 and gestures.” ’

2.­57

“Then the Tathāgata, the arhat, the Samyaksaṃbuddha Padmottama263 said to Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara, ‘Noble son, give the six-syllable queen of mahāvidyās to me. I will liberate many millions of trillions of beings from saṃsāra so that they will quickly attain complete buddhahood with the highest complete enlightenment.’

“Then Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara gave the six-syllable queen of mahāvidyās264 to the Tathāgata, the arhat, the Samyaksaṃbuddha Padmottama:

“Oṁ maṇipadme hūṁ. [F.234.b] [B4]

2.­58

“When Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara gave the six-syllable queen of mahāvidyās to the tathāgata, the arhat, the Samyaksaṃbuddha Padmottama, everywhere from the four continents to the deva realms shook like plantain leaves. The four great oceans shook. All vighnas and vināyakas, yakṣas and rākṣasas, together with the companies of mahākālas, and mātṛs, fled.265

2.­59

“Tathāgata Padmottama extended his arm like an elephant extending its trunk and offered a hundred thousand precious strings of pearls to Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara, who accepted them and offered them to the Tathāgata, the arhat, the Samyaksaṃbuddha Amitābha, who then offered them back to the Tathāgata, the arhat, the Samyaksaṃbuddha Padmottama.

“Then the Tathāgata, the arhat, the Samyaksaṃbuddha Padmottama, having received the six-syllable queen of mahāvidyās, went to the realm named Padmottama.266

“Noble son, in the past, that is what I heard from the Tathāgata, the arhat, the Samyaksaṃbuddha Padmottama.”

2.­60

Bodhisattva Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin asked the Bhagavat, “Bhagavat, how can I obtain the six-syllable mahāvidyā of perfect yoga? Bhagavat, just like those who are not satisfied by just a taste of amṛta, Bhagavat, I am not satisfied by simply hearing about the six-syllable mahāvidyā. Meritorious are those beings who, with higher motivation, possess this six-syllable mahāvidyā and repeat, listen to, and contemplate it.”

The Bhagavat answered him, “Noble son, those who write out this six-syllable mahāvidyā are writing out the collection of eighty-four thousand Dharmas. [F.235.a] If stūpas267 were made from precious divine gold for tathāgatas, arhats, and samyaksaṃbuddhas equal in number to atoms, and if in one day they were all filled with their relics, the result ripening from that would only equal the result that ripens from one syllable of the six-syllable mahāvidyā, which has inconceivable qualities and brings liberation.

2.­61

“The noble son or noble daughter who repeats this six-syllable mahāvidyā will attain these samādhis: the samādhi named Jewel Holder, the samādhi named Purification of Hells and Animals, the samādhi named Vajra Armor, the samādhi named Stable Conduct, the samādhi named Skillfulness in All Methods, the samādhi named Scattering, the samādhi named Revealing All Buddha Realms,268 the samādhi named Entering All Dharmas, the samādhi named Adornment of Dhyāna, the samādhi named Entering the Chariot of the Dharma, the samādhi named Complete Liberation from Desire and Anger, the samādhi named Eternal Calf, the samādhi named Teaching269 the Six Perfections, the samādhi named Holding Great Meru, the samādhi named Rescuing from All Existences, the samādhi named Seeing All the Tathāgatas, and the samādhi named Complete Stability.

“Noble son, it is like this: those who possess the six-syllable queen of mahāvidyās will attain one hundred and eight samādhis.”

2.­62

Bodhisattva Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin asked the Bhagavat, “Bhagavat, where can I go to obtain this mahāvidyā?” [F.235.b]

“Noble son, in the great city of Vārāṇasī there is a dharmabhāṇaka who possesses, recites, and is completely focused on the six-syllable mahāvidyā.”

“Bhagavat, I will go to the great city of Vārāṇasī in order to see that dharmabhāṇaka, to bow down to him, and to honor him.”

2.­63

“Excellent! Excellent! Do so, noble son! A dharmabhāṇaka who possesses, recites, and is completely focused on270 the six-syllable mahāvidyā is rare. He should be seen as being equal to the tathāgatas; seen as being the life of the world;271 seen as a mass of merit;272 seen as being like the Ganges and all sacred places;273 seen as one who speaks that which is not false; seen as one who speaks the truth;274 seen as a heap of jewels; seen as a wish-fulfilling jewel; seen as a Dharma king;275 and seen as a savior of beings.

2.­64

“Noble son, you should have no doubts when you see this dharmabhāṇaka. Noble son, do not fall from a bodhisattva bhūmi to be reborn in the lower existences. This dharmabhāṇaka’s conduct is poor, and his behavior is poor. He is surrounded by his wife, sons, and daughters. His orange robes are filled with feces and urine; he has not followed the noble path.”276

Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin said to the Bhagavat, “I will do as the Bhagavat has instructed.”

2.­65

So Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin set forth accompanied by many hundreds of thousands of lay bodhisattvas, monastics, boys, and girls. In order to make offerings to the dharmabhāṇaka, they brought divine parasols, divine shoes, diadems, earrings, garlands, armlets, [F.236.a] one hundred and eight-string and sixty-four-string necklaces for covering the shoulders, ear adornments, and finger rings; and also various kinds of clothing: monastic robes,277 clothing commanded by the vidyādharas, and Kaśika cloth; and also various flowers: blue lotuses, red lotuses, night lotuses, white lotuses, tiger claw flowers and great tiger claw flowers,278 mañjuṣukas and mahāmañjuṣukas, udumbaras, various kinds of turmeric flowers, magnolias, oleanders, trumpet flowers, mountain ebony, gardenia,279 star jasmine,280 night-flowering jasmine,281 and so on; beautiful peacocks, brahminy ducks, and delightful mynas;282 the colors blue, yellow, red, white, and crystal; and also various fruits and flowers.

2.­66

He went to the great city of Vārāṇasī and eventually arrived there. He went to where the dharmabhāṇaka was and bowed his head to his feet.

Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin saw someone whose conduct was poor, whose behavior was poor, and whose path was imperfect.283

Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin gave him a great offering of parasols, shoes, cloth, adornments, scents, and ointments, and placing his palms together in front of the dharmabhāṇaka, he said:

2.­67

“O you who are the treasurer of the Dharma, you are like an unfathomable ocean that is an accumulation of the treasure of amṛta. You are a repository within the human realm. The devas, nāgas, yakṣas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans, and nonhumans gather to listen to the Dharma from you.

“You teach a Dharma that is like a great vajra. [F.236.b] You liberate many beings who are bound in the bondage of saṃsāra. Meritorious are those beings who live in Vārāṇasī, can see you, and always gather around you. The instant they see you, you burn up all their bad karma. You burn up all bad karma like a fire burns a forest, just through being seen. The tathāgatas, arhats, and samyaksaṃbuddhas know of you. Many millions of trillions of bodhisattvas come to make offerings to you, as do Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara, Āditya, Candra, Vāyu, Varuṇa, Agni, Dharmarāja Yama, and the four mahārājas.”

2.­68

The dharmabhāṇaka said to him, “Noble son, do not create a cause for remorse. Those who indulge in the afflictions create the realms of beings and have the characteristics of saṃsāra.

“Those who know the six-syllable mahāvidyā will not be polluted by desire, anger, or stupidity. Noble son, just as the gold in the Jambu River does not become stained, someone who wears the six-syllable queen of mahāvidyās on his body will have a body that is not polluted by desire, anger, or stupidity.”

2.­69

Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin grasped the dharmabhāṇaka’s feet tightly and said, “My senses are impaired, so be my eyes! I have lost the path, so show me the path! I am thirsty for the Dharma, so quench my thirst with the taste of the Dharma! I lack the highest complete enlightenment,284 so give me the seed for enlightenment! Give me the opportunity of the Dharma! Give me the pure body of perfectly established forms!285 [F.237.a] Give me a good reputation so that all beings say, ‘He has gained unwavering goodness!’ Thus, guru, give me the six-syllable queen of mahāvidyās, through which I will quickly achieve the highest complete enlightenment and be a samyaksaṃbuddha! Turn the twelve wheels of the Dharma! Free all beings from the suffering of saṃsāra! Give me the six-syllable queen of mahāvidyās that I have not obtained! Give me the six-syllable queen of mahāvidyās! Be my protector, refuge, and support. Be a home for the homeless.”

2.­70

The dharmabhāṇaka answered, “The six-syllable queen of mahāvidyās is a recitation that is hard to find. It is an unequalled286 vajra recitation. It is an unbreakable vajra recitation. It is a recitation of the highest wisdom. It is a recitation of unceasing wisdom. It is an unsurpassable recitation. It is a recitation that brings liberation. It is a recitation of the pure wisdom of the tathāgatas. It is a recitation that eliminates desire, anger, stupidity, and the sufferings of saṃsāra. It is a recitation of skill in all methods. It is a recitation of dhyāna, liberation, samādhi, and samāpatti. It is a recitation of entry into all Dharmas. It is a recitation continuously yearned for by the devas.

2.­71

“Noble son, people are ordained in various orders and are ordained in the various garments of those seeking liberation, which are rainbow-colored garments,287 white garments, and pure white garments.288 They are ordained into those who stare at the sun,289 the followers of Maheśvara, the followers of Viṣṇu and Garuḍa, and naked ascetics.290 They take ordination in those orders, but those deities do not bring liberation; [F.237.b] they are not protectors, nor is theirs the conduct that is to be followed. All the hosts of deities‍—Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara, Śakra, who is the lord of devas, Āditya, Candra, Vāyu, Varuṇa, Agni, Dharmarāja Yama, and the four mahārājas‍—constantly request the six-syllable queen of mahāvidyās.”

2.­72

Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin asked him, “Bhagavat, how can we obtain the six-syllable queen of mahāvidyās, so that we can dedicate ourselves to liberation?”

The dharmabhāṇaka replied, “Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin, it is like this: Prajñāpāramitā is known to be the one who gave birth to all the tathāgatas. Even she places her palms together and pays homage to the six-syllable queen of mahāvidyās, let alone the tathāgatas, arhats, samyaksaṃbuddhas, and the hosts of bodhisattvas.

“Noble son, this is an essence, like rice. Noble son, through this you can obtain anything from within the Mahāyāna: many Mahāyāna sūtras, the geyas, the vyākaraṇas, the gāthās, the udānas, the nidānas, the avadānas, the itivṛttakas, the jātakas, the vaipulyas, the adbhutadharmas, and the upadeśas.291 Simply repeating it will bring peace and liberation. Why say more about its other virtues?

2.­73

“What does it mean that it is conceived of as a central essence? It can be conceived of as being like the essence of rice. We take it home and fill our pots with rice and keep it in there. And then, in accord with the sun, we dry it in the sun’s heat. When it is dried, we pound it with a pestle to remove the chaff. What is the essence?292 The essence is the rice. In that way, [F.238.a] all other yogas are like husks, and from among all yogas, the six-syllable queen of mahāvidyās is like the rice.

2.­74

“Noble son, the bodhisattvas produce merit in order to possess the six-syllable queen of mahāvidyās, so as to have the perfection of generosity, the perfection of conduct, the perfection of patience, the perfection of diligence, the perfection of meditation, and the perfection of wisdom. Noble son, one repetition of the mahāvidyā completes the six perfections. Those who just touch it with their clothes293 will attain the level of irreversibility. Noble son, that is what the six-syllable queen of mahāvidyās is like. Those who recite that name are rare. Possessing its name just once will make them equal to someone who has provided all the tathāgatas with all requisites: with robes, food, bowls, bedding, seats,294 necessary medicine, and utensils.”

2.­75

Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin then said to the dharmabhāṇaka, “Give me the six-syllable queen of mahāvidyās.”

The dharmabhāṇaka295 thought and thought about this. Then a voice came from the sky saying, “Give him the six-syllable queen of mahāvidyās!”

The dharmabhāṇaka wondered where this voice had come from. Again there came the voice from the sky, saying, “This bodhisattva has undergone many hardships. Give him the six-syllable queen of mahāvidyās!”

The dharmabhāṇaka looked up into the sky and saw someone who had a body white as the autumn moon, a crown of coiled hair, an omniscient buddha296 upon his head, and a beautiful lotus in his hand, and was adorned with the splendor of lotuses.

Then the dharmabhāṇaka said to Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin, [F.238.b] “Noble son, the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara has given permission for the six-syllable queen of mahāvidyās to be given to you.”

2.­76

Then Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin reverently placed his palms together to receive it.

Oṁ maṇipadme hūṁ.

As soon as this was given, the earth shook in six ways.

Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin attained these samādhis: the samādhi named Unceasing True Nature, the samādhi named Love, Compassion, and Rejoicing, the samādhi named Practicing Yoga, the samādhi named Established in the Entry to Liberation, the samādhi named Illuminating Everywhere, the samādhi named The King of Arrays, and the samādhi named Holding the Dharma. Those are the samādhis he attained.

2.­77

As soon as Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin had obtained the six-syllable queen of mahāvidyās, he offered the four continents, completely filled with the seven jewels, as payment to that upādhyāya.

The dharmabhāṇaka said, “There is no payment required for even one of the syllables, let alone the six syllables of the mahāvidyā, nor will I take anything from you, noble son. You are a bodhisattva, a noble being, with no one higher, and you are my pupil, noble son.”

The dharmabhāṇaka presented him with a string of pearls to the value of a hundred thousand silver coins and said, “Noble son, in accord with my instruction, present this to the Tathāgata, the arhat, the samyaksaṃbuddha Śākyamuni.”

2.­78

Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin bowed his head to the feet of the dharmabhāṇaka and departed, having obtained what he sought and with his wishes fulfilled. He went to the Jetavana Monastery, arrived there, bowed down to the feet of Bhagavat Śākyamuni, and sat to one side. [F.239.a]

Then the Bhagavat, the tathāgata, the arhat, the Samyaksaṃbuddha Śākyamuni asked, “Noble son, did you find what you sought?”

“Bhagavat, it happened, as the Bhagavat knows.”

2.­79

Seventy-seven times ten million297 samyaksaṃbuddhas gathered there, and those tathāgatas recited this dhāraṇī:

Namaḥ saptanām saṃyak­saṃbuddha­koṭinām tadyathā Oṁ cale cule cunde298 svāhā.299

[The homage by seven times ten million samyaksaṃbuddhas is like this: Oṁ cale cule cunde svāhā.]

That was the dhāraṇī recited by seventy-seven times ten million samyaksaṃbuddhas.

2.­80

“Beyond that pore300 there is the pore named Sūryaprabha, in which many millions of trillions of bodhisattvas dwell. Within that pore named Sūryaprabha there are ten thousand mountains of gold. Each mountain has 22,000 peaks. Rubies adorn the sides of each mountain. On the sides there are extremely beautiful gardens with divine precious jewels and adorned with many very beautiful and delightful walkways and bathing pools. There are many hundreds of thousands of many-storied palaces made of divine gold and jewels. They are decorated with braided lengths of strings of pearls and silk, and they are hung with hundreds of strings of pearls.

“Within each of the many-storied palaces there is a precious wish-granting jewel named Śārada,301 that provides each bodhisattva with everything he needs.

2.­81

“When those bodhisattvas have entered their many-storied palaces, they remember the six-syllable mahāvidyā. When they remember it, they realize nirvāṇa. They see the seven tathāgatas that are at the level of nirvāṇa. They also see Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara. [F.239.b] When they see him, faith arises in their minds. After that has occurred, the bodhisattvas leave the many-storied palaces. Then some go to their walkways; some go to the gardens of precious wish-granting jewels; some go to the bathing pools; and some go to the sides of the mountains, which are made of precious ruby jewels.

“When they arrive there, they sit cross-legged, sitting up straight, and establish themselves in focused mindfulness. Noble son, such are the bodhisattvas who live in that pore.

2.­82

“Beyond that there is the pore named Indrarāja, in which many millions of trillions302 of irreversible bodhisattvas dwell. Within that pore named Indrarāja there are eighty thousand mountains made of divine gold and jewels.303 In the middle of those mountains there is a precious jewel named Padmāvabhāsa. It fulfills whatever wishes the bodhisattvas make.

“In that way those bodhisattvas live on these kings of mountains without thinking about food or drink. They have none of the sufferings of saṃsāra. They are not stained by the afflictions of saṃsāra. They remain at all times in contemplation of nirvāṇa. They have no other thought concerning their bodies.

2.­83

“Noble son, beyond that there is the pore named Mahoṣadhī in which many304 millions of trillions of bodhisattvas live who have first developed bodhicitta.

“Noble son, there are 99,000305 mountains in that pore. Some are made of diamonds, some are made of silver, some are made of gold, some are made of precious sapphire jewels, some are made of rubies, some are made of emeralds, and some are made of crystal. Those kings of mountains are like that. Each one has eighty thousand peaks, is adorned with various jewels, [F.240.a] and is extremely beautified by various delightful features.

“On the peaks there live gandharvas who continually play music, which emanates from that pore.

2.­84

“Those bodhisattvas who have first developed bodhicitta contemplate emptiness and featurelessness. They contemplate sadness concerning the body, thinking, ‘Alas, there is suffering: the suffering of birth, aging, sickness, and death; the suffering of being separated from the beloved and pleasant; the suffering of encountering the disliked and unpleasant; the suffering of being born in Avīci; the suffering of being born in Kālasūtra; and the suffering of being born in the city of the pretas.’ At that time they are sitting cross-legged, their bodies straight, establishing themselves in focused mindfulness, dwelling in the mountains.

2.­85

“Noble son, beyond that there is the pore named Cittarāja,306 in which live many millions of trillions of pratyekabuddhas. They perform miracles of fire, heat, rain, and lightning.

“Noble son, there are a hundred thousand mountains in that pore. All those kings of mountains are made of the seven jewels.307 There are a variety of wish-granting trees on those kings of mountains. Their trunks are gold, and their leaves are silver.308 They are studded309 with a variety of jewels and hung with a variety of adornments. They are hung with diadems, earrings, garlands, armlets, and one hundred and eight-string and sixty-four-string pearl necklaces. They are hung with Kaśika cloth. They have the jingling sounds of silver and gold bells.

“Pratyekabuddhas live on these kings of mountains. [F.240.b] They talk with each other about the sūtras, the geyas, the vyākaraṇas, the gāthās, the udānas, the nidānas, the avadānas, the itivṛttakas, the jātakas, the vaipulyas, the adbhutadharmas, and the upadeśas.

2.­86

“Then, Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin, beyond that pore, last of all, there is the pore named Dhvjarāja.310 That pore is 84,000 yojanas wide. Within that pore there are 84,000 mountains, beautifully adorned with a variety of jewels.

“On those kings of mountains, there are many hundreds of thousands of wish-fulfilling trees. There are many hundreds of thousands of sandalwood trees. There are hundreds of thousands of agarwood trees.

“Within that pore the ground is made of diamonds. Within that pore there are many hundreds of thousands of ninety-nine-story311 palaces made of divine312 gold and jewels,313 decorated with pearls, cloth, and garlands, hung with strings of bells, and shining with moonstone gems.

2.­87

“In those many-storied palaces, there are golden stairs beautified by delightful jewels of various kinds.

“In those many-storied palaces, there are seated tathāgatas who teach the Dharma to the humans in Jambudvīpa.314 They teach the six perfections: they teach the perfection of generosity, they teach the perfection of conduct, they teach the perfection of patience, they teach the perfection of diligence, they teach the perfection of meditation, and they teach the perfection of wisdom. [F.241.a] They teach various kinds of Dharma, continually teaching the humans who live in Jambudvīpa.

“Thus, noble son, they see the pores of Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara. They also see deities such as devas, nāgas, yakṣas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas,315 humans, nonhumans, Maheśvara, and Nārāyaṇa assembled in Jetavana Monastery, and many millions of trillions of bodhisattvas assembled there.”

2.­88

Bodhisattva Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin asked the Bhagavat, “Bhagavat, are there no other pores?”

The Bhagavat replied, “Noble son, beyond that pore are the four great oceans that come from the big toe of Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara’s right foot. Their depth is immeasurable. When water comes from the right big toe, it falls on Vaḍavāmukha, transforming it into a heap of ash. Noble son, that is the kind of blessing that Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara has.”

2.­89

But again, Bodhisattva Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin asked the Bhagavat, “Bhagavat, is there yet another pore?”

The Bhagavat answered, “There are no more, noble son.”

Bodhisattva Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin asked the Bhagavat, “Bhagavat, is Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara coming?”

The Bhagavat said, “Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara [F.241.b] will come to this great monastery of Jetavana in order to see me, to bow down to me, to honor me, and to give a prophecy concerning the deity Maheśvara in a realm within this universe.”316

2.­90

The noble Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara radiated blue, yellow, red, white, crystal, and silver light rays, and those light rays went to Jetavana. When they came there, they circled the Bhagavat three times. Then they left Jetavana Monastery and went to the great Avīci hell. When they arrived there, they cooled the great Avīci hell.

Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin asked the Bhagavat, “Bhagavat, from where did those light rays come, and where did they go?”

The Bhagavat answered, “Noble son, Avalokiteśvara radiated those various light rays. They came to this Jetavana Monastery. When they arrived they circled me three times and then went to the great Avīci hell.”317

2.­91

At that time, good omens manifested in Jetavana Monastery. Divine magnolia trees appeared and divine lotus pools appeared.318 At that time, Jetavana Monastery appeared to shine like divine gold. That is what Jetavana Monastery looked like.

Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara then left the realm of Sukhāvatī and went to Jetavana Monastery, and eventually arrived there. He went inside Jetavana Monastery, bowed his head to the Bhagavat’s feet, and sat to one side.319

2.­92

The Bhagavat, with the voice of the cuckoo, asked, “Noble son, are you tired? Are you weary? Have you completely ripened beings?”

Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara said to the Bhagavat, “I have done as the Bhagavat instructed. I have accomplished the task.”

The Bhagavat gave his approval, saying, “Noble son, it is excellent that you have accomplished the task. Excellent.”

Then Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara offered lotus flowers to the Bhagavat [F.242.a] and said, “Bhagavat, the tathāgata Amitābha presents you with these lotus flowers and hopes you are not unwell, not fatigued, that you are in good health, and that life is pleasant.”

The Bhagavat accepted the lotuses and placed them on his left.

2.­93

Then the deva Maheśvara came to the Bhagavat, bowed his head to the Bhagavat’s feet, and said, “Bhagavat, I pray that you give me a prophecy.”

The Bhagavat said, “Go, noble son, to Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara, who will give you the prophecy.”

So the deva Maheśvara went and bowed down to the feet of Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara and said, “I pay homage to Avalokiteśvara, great lord, who holds a lotus,320 who has a lotus face, who loves the lotus, who has a beautiful lotus in his hand, who has the splendor of lotuses, who travels around, who brings relief to beings, who completely illuminates the world, and who brings comfort.”

The deva Maheśvara praised Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara in that way and then sat silently.

2.­94

Then Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara asked the deva Maheśvara, “Noble son, why are you silent?”

The deva Maheśvara answered, “I request the prophecy of my unsurpassable true enlightenment.”

Avalokiteśvara said, “Noble son, in the world named Vivṛta, [F.242.b] you will be the Tathāgata, the arhat, the samyaksaṃbuddha, perfect in wisdom and conduct, the sugata, the knower of the world, the unsurpassable guide who tames beings, the teacher of gods and humans, the buddha, the Bhagavat Bhasmeśvara.”321

2.­95

Then Umādevī came and bowed her head to Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara’s feet and praised him, saying, “I pay homage to Avalokiteśvara, great lord, who gives life, who completely illuminates the world,322 who has a beautiful lotus in his hand,323 who has the splendor of beautiful lotuses, who travels around, who brings beings to nirvāṇa, who creates excellent minds, and who holds the Dharma.”

Umādevī praised Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara in that way and then said, “I pray that you free me from this inferior female body of a woman. I pray that you free me from the suffering of the dark impurities in the womb, and from always being owned.”

2.­96

Then Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara said to her, “Sister, your realm will be on the southern324 slope of Himavat, the king of mountains.”325 You will be the Tathāgata, the arhat, the samyaksaṃbuddha, perfect in wisdom and conduct, the sugata, the knower of the world, the unsurpassable guide who tames beings, the teacher of gods and humans, the buddha, the Bhagavat Umeśvara.”

That was the prophecy that Umādevī received.

The Bhagavat said, “Look, Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin, [F.243.a] Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara has given them prophecies of the highest complete enlightenment. This, noble son, is entitled ‘the Maheśvara episode.’ ”326

2.­97

Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin said to the Bhagavat, “Bhagavat, Avalokiteśvara has come. I who was blind can now see. Today my life has borne fruit. Today my wishes have come true. Today my wishes have been fulfilled. Today my path to enlightenment has been cleansed.327 I have been taught correct thought, the dharmakāya, and nirvāṇa.”

Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin then said to the Bhagavat, “Bhagavat, I pray that you teach today the special qualities of Avalokiteśvara.”

2.­98

The Bhagavat said, “Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin, it like this: there are the kings of mountains Mount Cakravāla and Mount Mahācakravāla,328 the kings of mountains Mount Mucilinda and Mount Mahāmucilinda,329 the kings of mountains Mount Kāla and Mount Mahākāla, the kings of mountains Mount Saṃsṛṣṭa and Mount Mahāsaṃsṛṣṭa,330 the king of mountains Mount Pralambodara,331 the king of mountains Mount Anādarśaka, the king of mountains Mount Kṛtsrāgata, the king of mountains Mount Jālinīmukha, the king of mountains Mount Śataśṛṅga, the king of mountains Mount Bhavana, the king of mountains Mount Mahāmaṇiratna, the king of mountains Mount Sudarśana, and the king of mountains Mount Akāladarśana.

“I can calculate, noble son, the number, parts, and groups of how many palas332 are in those mountains, how many hundreds of palas, or thousands of palas, or millions of trillions of palas, but, noble son, I cannot calculate Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara’s accumulation of merit.

2.­99

“Noble son, it is like this: I can count each drop in the vast ocean, but, noble son, I cannot calculate Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara’s accumulation of merit. [F.243.b]

“Noble son, it is like this: I can count each leaf in a forest of agarwood trees, but, noble son, I cannot calculate Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara’s accumulation of merit.

“Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin, it is like this: If the king of mountains Sumeru were to become birch bark, and if the vast ocean were to become an inkwell,333 and if all the men, women, boys, and girls who live in the four continents were to become scribes, and if they were to write on the limitless, endless extent334 of Mount Sumeru as birch bark, I would be able to count every single letter, but, noble son, I cannot calculate Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara’s accumulation of merit.

2.­100

“Noble son, it is like this: If someone were to provide tathāgatas, arhats, and samyaksaṃbuddhas as numerous as the grains of sand in twelve Ganges Rivers with robes, food, bowls, bedding, seats, necessary medicine, and utensils for an eon, the accumulation of merit that would come from serving those tathāgatas would only equal the merit of the tip of one hair on the body of Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara.

2.­101

“Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin, it is like this: Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara [F.244.a] has many hundreds of thousands of samādhis: the samādhi named Completely Defeating, the samādhi named Adorning, the samādhi named Unadorning, the samādhi named Lightning’s Illumination,335 the samādhi named Being Patient, the samādhi named Great Brilliance, the samādhi named Manifesting, the samādhi named Vajra Garland, the samādhi named Sublime Gift, the samādhi named Hundred Strengths, the samādhi named Endless Array,336 the samādhi named Summit of Mental Brilliance,337 the samādhi named King’s Powers, the samādhi named Vajra Wall,338 the samādhi named Vajra Doorway, the samādhi named Continuous Sublime Gift, the samādhi named Liberation from the Senses,339 the samādhi named Liberation from Anger, the samādhi named the Senses’ Sublime Illumination,340 the samādhi named Day-Maker’s341 Sublime Illumination,342 the samādhi named Facing the Dharma, the samādhi named Vajra Womb, the samādhi named Well Taught, the samādhi named Creating Nirvāṇa, the samādhi named Creating Infinite Light Rays, the samādhi named Creating Yoga, the samādhi named Scattering, the samādhi named Complete Illumination of the World,343 the samādhi named Illumination of the Buddha Realms,344 the samādhi named Facing Love,345 the samādhi named Wisdom’s Light,346 the samādhi named Well Tamed,347 the samādhi named Abode of Beings,348 the samādhi named Creating Inexhaustibility, the samādhi named Extinguishing Avīci, the samādhi named Ocean Deep, the samādhi named Hundred Retinues, [F.244.b] and the samādhi named Teaching the Path.349 Noble son, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara has those samādhis.

2.­102

“Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin, it is like this: When the Tathāgata, the arhat, the samyaksaṃbuddha, perfect in wisdom and conduct, the sugata, the knower of the world, the unsurpassable guide who tames beings, the teacher of gods and humans, the buddha, the Bhagavat Krakucchanda, appeared in this world, at that time I was a bodhisattva named Dānaśūra.

“When I was in the presence of that tathāgata, I heard that description of the qualities of Avalokiteśvara,350 and I saw these different samādhis of Bodhisattva Samantabhadra and others.

2.­103

“When Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Samantabhadra was in the samādhi named Ascending Vajra, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara was in the samādhi named Scattering.351 When Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Samantabhadra was in the samādhi named Moon’s Sublime Illumination,352 Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara was in the samādhi named Sun’s Sublime Illumination.353 When Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Samantabhadra was in the samādhi named Sprinkling, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara was in the samādhi named Treasury of Space.

2.­104

“When Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Samantabhadra was in the samādhi named Plenitude, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara was in the samādhi named Indra’s Intelligence.354

“When Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Samantabhadra was in the samādhi named Creating Indra, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara was in the samādhi named Indra’s Intelligence.355

“When Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Samantabhadra was in the samādhi named Indra’s Way,356 [F.245.a] Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara was in the samādhi named Ocean Deep.

2.­105

“When Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Samantabhadra was in the samādhi named Intimidating Lion, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara was in the samādhi named Play of the Lion.

“When Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Samantabhadra was in the samādhi named Sublime Gift, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara was in the samādhi named Drying Up Avīci.

“When Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Samantabhadra opened up his pores, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara opened all his pores.357

2.­106

“At that time, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Samantabhadra said to Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara, ‘Avalokiteśvara, it is excellent that you have this capability. Excellent.’

“Then Tathāgata Krakucchanda said to Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Samantabhadra, ‘Noble son, you have seen only a little of Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara’s prowess. Even the tathāgatas do not have Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara’s prowess.’

“That is what I heard Krakucchanda say.”

2.­107

Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin said to the Bhagavat, “Bhagavat, I pray that you teach the precious king of the Mahāyāna sūtras, The Sūtra of the Basket’s Display, so that we will enjoy and be satisfied by the taste of the Dharma.” [F.245.b]

The Bhagavat replied, “Noble son, those who hear the precious king of the Mahāyāna sūtras, The Sūtra of the Basket’s Display, will not have the obscuration of previous karma. Those who, enamored of another’s wife, have sexual intercourse with her; those who have killed their parents; those who have killed an arhat; those who have destroyed stūpas; those who have maliciously caused a tathāgata to bleed; and those who delight in such bad actions will be freed from bad karma by the precious king of the Mahāyāna sūtras, The Sūtra of the Basket’s Display.”

Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin asked the Bhagavat, “Bhagavat, how can I know the precious king of the Mahāyāna sūtras, The Sūtra of the Basket’s Display, which brings freedom from all bad karma?”

The Bhagavat said, “Noble son, on the southern358 side of Sumeru, the king of mountains, the seven359 samyaksaṃbuddhas examine the extent of stains and stainlessness. I also am presently examining them.

“A white cloth becomes black,360 and a black cloth becomes white. When the white cloth becomes black, that is like an accumulation of bad karma. When a black cloth becomes white, that is like the accumulation of the Dharma.

2.­108

“Noble son, in that way, the precious king of the Mahāyāna sūtras, The Sūtra of the Basket’s Display, burns up all bad karma. It makes it white. It eliminates all obscurations. It is like this: For example, during the summer, plants and forests become very green. Then the nāga king Śatamukha comes from his residence and burns the grass, the bushes, the herbs, and the forests.

2.­109

“Noble son, in that same way, this precious king of the Mahāyāna sūtras, The Sūtra of the Basket’s Display, burns up all bad karma. Those who hear the precious king of the Mahāyāna sūtras, The Sūtra of the Basket’s Display, will have happiness. Noble son, they should not be known as ordinary beings. [F.246.a] They should be seen as irreversible bodhisattvas. When they die, twelve tathāgatas will come and reassure them, saying, ‘Do not be afraid, noble son, do not be afraid. You have heard the precious king of the Mahāyāna sūtras, The Sūtra of the Basket’s Display. You will no longer continue in saṃsāra. You will never again see birth, aging, sickness, and death. You will not be separated from that which is beloved and pleasant, and will not encounter that which is disliked. You will go, noble son, to the realm of Sukhāvatī. You will hear the Dharma from Tathāgata Amitābha.’ In that way, noble son, those beings will have happiness.”

2.­110

At this, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara bowed his head to the Bhagavat’s feet and departed.

Then Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin became silent.

The devas, nāgas, yakṣas, asuras, gandharvas,361 garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans, and nonhumans all departed.

After they had departed, Brother Ānanda said to the Bhagavat, “Bhagavat, I pray that you teach us the vows of training.”

2.­111

The Bhagavat said, “Those bhikṣus who wish to give complete ordination should first go and examine the various locations. When they have examined them, they should tell the other bhikṣus, ‘Noble ones,362 the various locations are completely pure. There are no bones in those various locations. There are no feces and urine. Those various places are completely pure and are worthy for bhikṣus to give ordination.’

2.­112

The Bhagavat said, “Those who have incorrect conduct should not give ordination. They cannot even make the announcement of the request for ordination, the intermediate motions, and the fourth.363 [F.246.b] What need is there to say more? Bhikṣus, a bhikṣu with incorrect conduct cannot establish the various locations for ordination, let alone make the fourth motion.364 They destroy the teaching. Those who have incorrect conduct should not dwell among those who receive offerings. They should dwell outside the monastery. The saṅgha’s alms should not be given to them. They are not worthy to be in the saṅgha. They have no part of being a bhikṣu.”

2.­113

Brother Ānanda asked the Bhagavat, “Bhagavat, in what time will they become recipients of offerings?”

The Bhagavat said, “There will be those kinds of recipients of offerings three hundred years after my passing into nirvāṇa. They will see the monastery as their home. Sons and daughters will encircle them. They will use the saṅgha’s seats, stools, clothing bags, cushions, and beds, which are prohibited to them. They will urinate and defecate in the places the saṅgha uses, and they will be reborn as insects in a cesspool of feces and urine in the great city of Vārāṇasī.365

2.­114

“They will also spit in the places the saṅgha uses, not knowing the karma that ripens from it. Those who spit in places the saṅgha uses will be reborn in a sal tree forest as insects the size of the eye of a needle for twelve years.

“Those who use the toothpicks of the saṅgha, which are prohibited to them, will be reborn as turtles, crocodiles, and fish.

“Those who use the saṅgha’s sesame, rice, millet,366 horse gram, and other grains, which are not for them to eat, will be reborn in the city of the pretas. They will be like burned tree trunks, like standing skeletons covered with hair, with stomachs the size of mountains and mouths the size of a needle’s eye. They will experience that kind of physical suffering.

2.­115

“Those who use the food of the saṅgha to feed dogs will be reborn in a low caste, with defective faculties, crippled and hunchbacked, [F.247.a] and unable to look others in the face while begging. When they die, they will be reborn with diseased bodies. They will have blood and pus dripping from their bodies; the tendons in their bodies will shrink. When they stand up, red lumps of their flesh will fall onto the ground, and their bones will be exposed. They will experience that kind of suffering for many years, for many hundreds of thousands of years.

2.­116

“Those who use land exclusive to the saṅgha will be reborn in the Raurava great hell for twelve eons. Lumps of red hot iron will be squeezed into their mouths, burning them, destroying their lips and teeth, splitting their palates, burning their throats, and burning their hearts and all their entrails until there is nothing left but bones. Bhikṣus, at that time the winds of karma will blow, and although they have died they will come back to life. Then Yama’s guards will again seize them. Their karma will come; they will be under the power of their karma. Their tongues will become vast, and a hundred thousand plows will plow them. They will experience that kind of suffering in that hell for hundreds of thousands of years.

2.­117

“When they die and leave that hell, they will be reborn in the Agnighaṭa great hell. Yama’s guards will seize them and insert a hundred thousand needles into their tongues. Then, through the power of karma, they will be come back to life and will be hurled into a mass of flames. When they are cast out from that mass of flames, they will be hurled into the Vaitarāṇi River.367 When they die, they will be reborn in other hells. They will wander in that way for three eons. When they die and leave the hells, they will be reborn in Jambudvīpa as poor people, blind from birth. Therefore, Ānanda, protect the property of the saṅgha.

2.­118

“Bhikṣus, those who have the vows of training should have the three Dharma robes. One Dharma robe is worn by the saṅgha so that there will be confidence in the saṅgha. The second robe is for when one goes to the king’s palace. [F.247.b] The third robe is for when one goes to the villages, towns, marketplaces, and hamlets. So the bhikṣus must have the three robes.

2.­119

“Those bhikṣus who have good conduct, who have good qualities, and who have wisdom368 should remember my words of instruction.

“Bhikṣus, the property of the saṅgha should not be used by those who are not entitled to use it. That which belongs to the saṅgha is like a pit of fire. That which belongs to the saṅgha is like poison. That which belongs to the saṅgha is like a vajra. That which belongs to the saṅgha is like a burden. There is a remedy for poison, but there is no remedy for the property of the saṅgha.”

2.­120

Brother Ānanda said to the Bhagavat, “Bhagavat, every bhikṣu will remember these words of instruction given by the Bhagavat and will keep the pratimokṣa vows, will follow the Vinaya, and will preserve the Bhagavat’s words of instruction.”

Then Brother Ānanda bowed his head to the Bhagavat’s feet and departed.

Then the mahāśrāvakas departed to their own buddha realms.

The devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans, and nonhumans also departed.

The joyful Bhagavat had spoken these words, and the entire community and the world with its devas, humans, asuras, and gandharvas rejoiced in what the Bhagavat had said.

2.­121

The noble Mahāyāna sūtra, “The Basket’s Display,” is concluded.

The Basket’s Display

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Uploaded / Updated on 2023-02-03