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T0120
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央掘魔羅經
SŪTRA OF AṄGULIMĀLIKA
Translated From Sanskrit Into Chinese In The Liu Song Dynasty
By The Tripiṭaka Master Guṇabhadra From India
Fascicle 1 (of 4)
Thus I have heard:
At one time the Buddha was outside Śrāvastī [the capital city of Kauśala], staying in Jetavana Park, which was purchased for the Buddha from Prince Jeta by Anāthapiṇḍika the Elder. He was accompanied by innumerable Bodhisattva-Mahāsattvas, His four groups of disciples, and innumerable gods, dragons, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṁnaras, mahoragas, piśācas, and rākṣasas, as well as the god-son Sun-Moon, the four world-protecting god-kings, and celestial māras. At that time the World-Honored One, to widely expound the wondrous Dharma to deliver sentient beings, pronounced a mahāvaipulya sūtra called Wielding a Sword. Good in the beginning, in the middle, and in the end, [its teaching was] completely pure and fully revealed good meaning, good flavor, and the appearance of the Brahma way of pure life.
Not too far north of Śrāvastī was a village called Sana. There lived a poor woman named Bhadrā, in the Brahmin caste.[1] Her son, World Appearance, lost his father when he was young. At age twenty,[2] his body, strength, and appearance were outstanding, and he was intelligent and eloquent. There was another village, called Prahasa. Having lived there for a long time was a Brahmin master named Maṇibhadra, who had mastered the four Vedas, and World Appearance studied under him. Humble, submissive, and respectful, World Appearance made offerings to him with total devotion.
One day, at the invitation of King Prasenajit [the king of Kauśala], Maṇibhadra left his house and told World Appearance to stay there. Maṇibhadra’s wife was a young and comely woman. Lusting for World Appearance, she disregarded all propriety and grabbed him by his clothes. World Appearance said to her, “You are virtually my mother. How can you do this wicked thing in your house?”
Ashamed and fearful, he abandoned his clothes and evaded her.
Driven by burning desire, she wept and thought, “He flatly refused to comply with my will. Because he disobeyed me, I want to end his life, so that he cannot marry.”
Consumed by burning desire like a disease, she scratched her body with her fingernails. Then she suspended herself with a rope, her feet still on the floor. After Maṇibhadra finished his business, he came home and saw his wife suspended on a rope. He cut off the rope with a knife and loudly asked her, “Who did this?”
She answered, “World Appearance tried to ravage me and forced me to do this.”
Maṇibhadra knew that World Appearance had the power of great virtue, as he thought to himself, “The day he was born, all those in the kṣatriya [warrior] caste were terrified because their sabers and swords unsheathed themselves, bent, and fell to the ground. So I know that he has the power of great virtue.”
After pondering, he said to World Appearance, “You are shamefully honored by evil men and are not a true Brahmin. You should kill a thousand people to expunge your sin.”
World Appearance was by nature humbly obedient. Respectful of his teacher’s words, he said, “Alas, Preceptor, killing a thousand people is not something I should do.”
His teacher asked him, “You are an evil man. Do you not aspire to become a Brahmin and be reborn in heaven?”
He answered, “Very well, Preceptor, at your command, I will kill a thousand people.” Then he prostrated himself at his teacher’s feet.
His teacher marveled at his obedience and said, “Because you are a hugely evil man, you will not be killed.”
Then he thought, “I will let him die [by law].”
He told World Appearance, “From every person you have killed, take a finger. After you have killed a thousand people, use their fingers to make a garland, wear it, and come back. Then you can become a Brahmin.”
World Appearance said to his teacher, “Very well, Preceptor, I will follow your instruction.”
Then he killed nine hundred ninety-nine people, short of a thousand by only one, and became known as Aṅgulimāla [Finger Garland]. At that time Aṅgulimāla’s mother thought that her son might be hungry. She took four kinds of fine food and went to give to him. When he saw his mother [in the distance], he thought, “I should enable my mother to be reborn in heaven.”
He drew his sword and went to kill her.
At that time [the World-Honored One was sitting under] a tree called aśoka [carefree], ten yojanas less ten feet from Śrāvastī. Using his wisdom [He knew that Aṅgulimāla was about to kill his mother]. As elegant as a goose-king, He walked toward Aṅgulimāla. When Aṅgulimāla saw the World-Honored One approaching, he drew his sword and quickly charged forward. He thought, “I will kill this śramaṇa called Gautama.”
When the World-Honored walked away, Aṅgulimāla spoke in verse:
Stand still, stand still, great śramaṇa, the prince of King Śuddhodana.
I am Aṅgulimāla, and must take a finger of Yours.
Stand still, stand still, great śramaṇa, the one who has no greed and dons a dyed robe.
I am Aṅgulimāla, and must take a finger of Yours.
Stand still, stand still, great śramaṇa, the one who shaved off His hair to blemish his appearance.
I am Aṅgulimāla, and must take a finger of Yours.
Stand still, stand still, great śramaṇa, the one who is content and holds a begging bowl.
I am Aṅgulimāla, and must take a finger of Yours.
Stand still, stand still, great śramaṇa, the one who is fearless and roams like a lion.
I am Aṅgulimāla, and must take a finger of Yours.
Stand still, stand still, great śramaṇa, the one who is robust and walks like a ferocious tiger.
I am Aṅgulimāla, and must take a finger of Yours.
Stand still, stand still, great śramaṇa, the one who is elegant and walks like a goose-king.
I am Aṅgulimāla, and must take a finger of Yours.
Stand still, stand still, great śramaṇa, the one who is serene and walks like an elephant.
I am Aṅgulimāla, and must take a finger of Yours.
Stand still, stand still, great śramaṇa, the one who is radiant like the rising sun.
I am Aṅgulimāla, and must take a finger of Yours.
Stand still, stand still, great śramaṇa, the one who is radiant like the full moon.
I am Aṅgulimāla, and must take a finger of Yours.
Stand still, stand still, great śramaṇa, the one who is majestic like a mountain of gold.
I am Aṅgulimāla, and must take a finger of Yours.
Stand still, stand still, great śramaṇa, the one who is like the eye of a thousand-petaled lotus flower.
I am Aṅgulimāla, and must take a finger of Yours.
Stand still, stand still, great śramaṇa, the one whose teeth are like the petals of a white lotus flower.
I am Aṅgulimāla, and must take a finger of Yours.
Stand still, stand still, great śramaṇa, the one whose tongue speaks truthful words.
I am Aṅgulimāla, and must take a finger of Yours.
Stand still, stand still, great śramaṇa, the one who has a white hair between His eyebrows.
I am Aṅgulimāla, and must take a finger of Yours.
Stand still, stand still, great śramaṇa, the one who has lustrous purple hair.
I am Aṅgulimāla, and must take a finger of Yours.
Stand still, stand still, great śramaṇa, the one whose long arms reach below the knees.
I am Aṅgulimāla, and must take a finger of Yours.
Stand still, stand still, great śramaṇa, the one who is free from desire and whose male organ is hidden like that of the horse-king.
I am Aṅgulimāla, and must take a finger of Yours.
Stand still, stand still, great śramaṇa, the one whose kneecaps are inconspicuous.
I am Aṅgulimāla, and must take a finger of Yours.
Stand still, stand still, great śramaṇa, the one who has copper-colored fingernails and toenails.
I am Aṅgulimāla, and must take a finger of Yours.
Stand still, stand still, great śramaṇa, the one who takes light steps.
I am Aṅgulimāla, and must take a finger of Yours.
Stand still, stand still, great śramaṇa, the one whose voice is like that of a kalaviṅka bird.
I am Aṅgulimāla, and must take a finger of Yours.
Stand still, stand still, great śramaṇa, the one whose kākila [throat] emits wonderful tones.
I am Aṅgulimāla, and must take a finger of Yours.
Stand still, stand still, great śramaṇa, the one who emits 100 koṭi beams of radiant light.
I am Aṅgulimāla, and must take a finger of Yours.
Stand still, stand still, great śramaṇa, the one whose faculties excel in taming sentient beings.
I am Aṅgulimāla, and must take a finger of Yours.
Stand still, stand still, great śramaṇa, the one who possesses the Ten Powers.
I am Aṅgulimāla, and must take a finger of Yours.
Stand still, stand still, great śramaṇa, the one who upholds the Four Noble Truths.
I am Aṅgulimāla, and must take a finger of Yours.
Stand still, stand still, great śramaṇa, the one who reveals the Eightfold Right Path to benefit others.
I am Aṅgulimāla, and must take a finger of Yours.
Stand still, stand still, great śramaṇa, the one who possesses the thirty-two physical marks [of a great man].
I am Aṅgulimāla, and must take a finger of Yours.
Stand still, stand still, great śramaṇa, the one who possesses the eighty excellent physical characteristics.
I am Aṅgulimāla, and must take a finger of Yours.
Stand still, stand still, great śramaṇa, the one who has ended forever His love and desire.
I am Aṅgulimāla, and must take a finger of Yours.
Stand still, stand still, great śramaṇa, and do not anger me.
I am Aṅgulimāla, and must take a finger of Yours.
Stand still, stand still, great śramaṇa, the one who is extraordinary, never before seen.
I am Aṅgulimāla, and must take a finger of Yours.
Stand still, stand still, great śramaṇa, the one who conquers the arrogance of the god-king Indra, asuras, and rākṣasas.
Who are you, walking so fast?
Before I slay You with my sword, You should know that this is the time to stand still.
Stand still, stand still, great śramaṇa.
Have you not heard my name?
I am Aṅgulimāla, and You should quickly relinquish a finger of Yours.
Stand still, stand still, great śramaṇa.
All those who hear my name die from fear.
How can anyone survive after seeing me face to face?
Stand still, stand still, great śramaṇa.
Quickly tell me who You are.
Are You the sky or the wind
As You walk swiftly before me?
Stand still, stand still, great śramaṇa.
I am tired now
And cannot catch up with You,
But I must take a finger of Yours.
Stand still, stand still, great śramaṇa.
Because You observe well the pure precepts,
You should quickly relinquish a finger of Yours,
Not to cross me.
Then the World-Honored One, like a goose-king, walked seven steps and looked about like a lion. He spoke to Aṅgulimāla in verse:
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in [the truth that dharmas have] no birth,[3] which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in the true reality [of dharmas], which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in [the truth that dharmas have] no action,[4] which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in what is asaṁskṛta [free from conditions], which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in no aging, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in no illness, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in no death, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in no taints, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in no afflictions, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in no sins, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in the truth [of dharmas], which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in the Dharma, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in accordance with the Dharma, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in quietness, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in stability, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in no worry, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in freedom from worry, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in no soil, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in freedom from soil, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in no weakness, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in no disaster, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in no distress, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in no trouble, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in freedom from trouble, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in nonexistence, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in the immeasurable, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in the unsurpassable, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in utmost excellence, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in eternity, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in exaltation, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in superiority, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in no destruction, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in no collapse, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in the boundless, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in the invisible, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in the profound Dharma, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in what is hard to see, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in what is subtle and tiny, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in the entire Dharma, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in what is extremely hard to see, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in no fixity, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in no dispute, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in no differentiation, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in nothing, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in liberation, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in silence, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in stillness, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in superior stillness, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in no cessation, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide on that shore,[5] which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in wondrousness, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in no falsity, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in no constraints, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in no arrogance, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in no illusion, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in no delusion, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in equability, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in the dharma realm, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in no entrance [into anything], which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in pure goodness, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in transcending the world, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in no motion, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in the Dharma hall, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in no regrets, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in rest, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in the ultimate, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in the end of the three poisons [greed, anger, and delusion], which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in the end of afflictions, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in the end of remnants, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in the depletion of the three poisons, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in the eradication [of afflictions], which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in relinquishment, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in protecting [sentient beings], which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide as [sentient beings’] reliance, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide on [sentient beings’] life-paths, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide as a safe island [for sentient beings], which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in accommodating all, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in no stinginess, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in no thirst [for rebirth], which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in relinquishing everything, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in leaving everything behind, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in stopping everything, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in the end of suffering, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in the bliss of emptiness, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in removing fetters, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in the end of love [of being], which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in no desire, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
I abide in nirvāṇa, which you do not know.
You are Aṅgulimāla, and I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
I now give you the water of the unsurpassed good Dharma.
You should drink it quickly to end forever your thirst for birth and death.
Abide, abide, Aṅgulimāla, abide in the pure precepts.
I am a Samyak-Saṁbuddha, and give you the sword of wisdom.
Quickly cast away your sharp sword and return to radiant wisdom.
Do not follow the wisdom of an evil teacher, who claims that non-dharma is dharma.
Taste the supreme medicine and come to profound self-realization.
All [sentient beings] dread the pain of being clubbed, and love their lives.
Using yourself as an example, do not kill and do not tell others to kill.
As self and others are no different, so too are others and self.
Using yourself as an example, do not kill and do not tell others to kill.
Do not assume the form of a rākṣasa, who smears its body with human blood.
Do not wield a sharp sword stained with human blood.
Quickly cast away your finger garland and end the karma of a double life.[6]
Your double life does not accord with the Dharma, but is that of an evil rākṣasa.
Even a lamb knows devotion to its mother.
Sadly, you are pitiable because you were misguided by an evil teacher,
Wielded a sharp sword, and killed those born to live [their lives].
The karma you have done is more evil than that done by animal predators.
Your killings surpass a rākṣasa’s.
You will enter the gang of evil māras, and be forever separate from humans.
Denounce the rebellious evil one, who does not requite his mother’s kindness.
She carries, protects, and nourishes him in her womb for twelve months.
After he is born, she nurses him and endures his filth day and night.
Observe your mother, who is shedding bloody tears.
Out of love and concern for you, she has brought you food in person.
Her hair is disarrayed by wind, and her body is soiled by dust.
Her hands and feet are cracked, revealing the suffering of her deteriorating body.
Long distressed by hunger and thirst through winter and summer,
Her mind is perturbed as she laments her suffering.
When Aṅgulimāla’s mother heard the dialogue between the Buddha-Bhagavān and her son, and saw that her son’s mind was subjugated, because he lowered his menacing arm, concerned for her son, she spoke to the Buddha in verse:
Today a long-lost treasure store is recovered.
My eyes, impaired by dust and filth, have become bright and clear.
How sad that my son’s mind was deranged
As he smeared his body with human blood.
Constantly holding a sharp sword in his hand,
He killed many people, who became a pile of corpses.
I would like my son to follow me
To reverently bow down to the Samyak-Saṁbuddha.
Many who see me scold me in foul language
Because I have such a son.
Then the World-Honored One told Aṅgulimāla, “Under this tree is your mother, who gave birth to you and reared you. Her great kindness is hard for you to requite. How can you kill her to have her be reborn in heaven? Aṅgulimāla, whoever claims that non-dharma is dharma is like a thirsty deer that seeks water in a mirage in springtime. Likewise are you. Because you follow an evil teacher’s instruction, you are confused. Whoever does non-dharma and claims that it is dharma, after death, will fall into the indiscriminate hell.[7]
“Aṅgulimāla, come quickly to take refuge in the Tathāgata. Aṅgulimāla, have no fear. The Tathāgata’s great lovingkindness is the place of no fear. He regards all sentient beings equally as Rāhula [His only son], and cures their diseases. For those without reliance, He serves as their reliance. The stability of the Tathāgata is their rest place. For those without kin, He serves as their kin. For those in poverty, He serves as their treasure store. To those who have lost the Buddha path, He indicates the unsurpassed path. For those in fear, he serves as their protector. For those adrift, He serves as their ship.
“You should quickly cast away your sharp sword, and renounce family life to train to attain bodhi. You should prostrate yourself at your mother’s feet to repent and cleanse [off your sin]. Earnestly request her permission to renounce family life in order to deliver her from her suffering in the Three Realms of Existence. I now approve your renouncement of family life and your acceptance of the complete monastic precepts. You now should drink the Dharma water like sweet dew. You are tired after long roaming in confusion on the evil path. You now should rest. You will become a giver like me, to give benefits to all those who abide by the law and enable them to cross the ocean of birth and death.”
Forthwith Aṅgulimāla cast away his sharp sword. As a yearling infant recoils at once when he touches fire, and cries as his hands tremble, likewise Aṅgulimāla cast away his finger garland at once and cried aloud as his hands trembled. If a man in deep sleep is bitten on the foot by a snake, he immediately awakens and casts the snake far away. Likewise Aṅgulimāla cast away his finger garland. Then Aṅgulimāla, as if having exorcized possession by a nonhuman, regained his sense of shame and sense of dishonor. His entire body sweated blood, and his tears poured like rain. As a good doctor recites a mantra to a patient bitten by a snake to have him slither like a snake, so Aṅgulimāla slithered on his abdomen in a circle thirty-nine times. Then he moved forward, prostrated himself at the Buddha’s feet, and spoke in verse:
Amazing! The Saṁbuddha, the one who possesses the foremost lovingkindness,
The tamer and teacher of men, comes to me,
To enable me to cross the ocean of ignorance,
Which abounds with dark waves of delusion and confusion.
Amazing! The Saṁbuddha, the one who possesses the foremost compassion,
The teacher and tamer of men, comes to me,
To deliver me from the wilderness of birth and death,
Which abounds with the thorn brushes of various afflictions.
Amazing! The Saṁbuddha, the one who possesses the foremost sympathetic joy,
The teacher and tamer of men, comes to me,
To deliver me from my delusions,
Caused by the wrong views, like the perils of tigers, wolves, and other predators.
Amazing! The Saṁbuddha, the one who possesses the foremost equability,
The teacher and tamer of men, comes to me,
To deliver me from the indiscriminate hell
And save me from immeasurable suffering.
For those without reliance, He serves as their reliance.
For those without kin, He serves as their kin.
He now comes to me to be my refuge,
Though I am laden with evil karmas and bound for tremendous suffering.
Then the World-Honored One told Aṅgulimāla, “Rise, quickly go to your mother, earnestly repent, and request her permission to renounce family life.”
Aṅgulimāla rose from his place at the Buddha’s feet and went to his mother. He circled her many times and prostrated himself. He earnestly repented and cried out in sorrow. Then he spoke to his mother in verse:
Alas, loving-kind mother, I have made grave mistakes,
Gathering evil karmas into a mass of sins.
I followed my evil teacher’s instruction to commit murder
And killed nine hundred ninety-nine people, short of a thousand by only one.
I now take refuge in my mother
And take refuge in the Buddha-Bhagavān.
I bow down at my mother’s feet
And request her permission to renounce family life.
His mother answered in verse:
I now give you permission
To renounce family life for the sake of your next life.
I also beseech the Tathāgata to permit me
To renounce family and accept the complete monastic precepts.
Amazing, inconceivable!
The Tathāgata is beyond analogy.
The Buddha, who now delivers my son,
Pities all in the world.
His sublime physical body
And virtues are unparalleled.
I now praise Him,
The supreme god of gods.
Then the World-Honored One answered in verse:
Very good, good woman!
You will enjoy uninterrupted joy
Because you permit your son
To renounce family life before me.
You now are old and feeble,
Already past the time to renounce family life.[8]
Nevertheless, you should have the joy of deep faith
And take the Dharma as your rest place.
You now should wait a little while,
For the arrival of King Prasenajit.
Then the god-king Śakra and his celestial multitude, including palace maids and retinues, emitted light from their bodies to illuminate the city of Śrāvastī. Having seen that Aṅgulimāla confronted the Buddha, lost his strength, changed his state of mind, and repented of his sins, they rejoiced, and the god-king Śakra spoke in verse:
Amazing! The hero who possesses the Ten Powers,
The tamer of men, the unequaled one,
Tamed Aṅgulimāla,
Who used to smear his body with blood.
When the generous god-king Indra, asuras, rākṣasas,
Violent yakṣas, dragons, kiṁnaras,
Strong garuḍas, and evil men
Heard of Aṅgulimāla, they closed their eyes out of fear.
How can a human king not be terrified upon seeing him?
When he was born, even dragons trembled with fear.
The armors of those in the kṣatriya caste fell apart, and their sabers and swords fell [to the ground].
How can a human king not be terrified upon seeing him?
However, the Tathāgata has tamed him, who has done such evil karma.
As the power of the Buddha is inconceivable, so too is His wisdom.
Amazing! Aṅgulimāla now well abides in the pure precepts,
And his Brahma way of life is pure like a mountain of gold.
Amazing! Today I rejoice that I have received the benefits of the good Dharma.
I now offer Aṅgulimāla a garment,
And pray that he will accept it because of the World-Honored One’s compassion.
I now offer Aṅgulimāla the Dharma robe of a śramaṇa.
He will become a great mendicant king, as the World-Honored One can see.
Then the god-king Śakra said to Aṅgulimāla, “I pray that the great one will accept this celestial garment as his Dharma robe.”
Aṅgulimāla said to the god-king Śakra, “What kind of mosquito or small insect are you? How can I accept alms from you? What kind of greedy donkey are you? You have not crossed the long flow of suffering from birth and death, and are in poor shape. How can you give away a robe as alms? You should know that you are in poor shape. How can you give anyone a priceless robe as alms?
“As an analogy, a king has a thousand strong men. However, before they see bandits, they already fall to the ground. How can they fight a thousand strong warriors of the enemy state? Hence, if I accepted this priceless robe, how could I subjugate a koṭi affliction māras and self-essence māras? I should eradicate countless afflictions, which is praised by the Buddha. I, a śramaṇa, should do the twelve dhūta practices.
“You are not a god-king because you are no different from those born blind. God-King Śakra, you do not know how to differentiate dharmas. What is called an atrocious evil karma? You are a mosquito. How can you know whether I am a violent evil man? Alas, God-King Śakra, if you regard Aṅgulimāla as a violent evil man, how can you understand the true meaning of the Buddha Dharma? What kind of śramaṇa would don a priceless robe when he has just renounced family life? You do not know the purity of renouncing family life.
“Alas, God-King Śakra, you are an outsider to the Tathāgata’s true Dharma [saddharma]. His eldest son, Mahākāśyapa the Elder, had 80,000 treasure troves of jewels and countless other treasure stores, and various priceless precious garments. He discarded them all like spit. A śramaṇa has renounced family life to train to attain bodhi. He should do the twelve ascetic dhūta practices. Why does he not abandon self-restraint by donning a priceless robe?
“Mahākāśyapa the Elder forsook various kinds of delectable fine food and the flavor of flesh. He does spiritual training and refrains from eating flesh. When he begs for food from door to door, he never has any aversion. He remains the same, unchanged by pain or pleasure. When he begs for food, some say that they have no food for him, and some scold or insult him. He always responds, ‘Have peace and joy,’ then leaves, his mind never moving. If some say that they have food for him, he does not entertain greed or feel happy. He always responds, ‘Have peace and joy,’ accepts the food, and leaves, his mind never moving.
“If one gives great wealth as alms to monks, one’s treasure stores will never be depleted. Why does one give alms not to monks, but to hungry ghosts, poor people, and forlorn beggars? God-King Śakra, a śramaṇa’s way of life is not to accumulate things, not even salt or oil. Therefore, keeping slaves, servants, farmland, or houses, buying or selling impure things, or giving or accepting impure things is not a śramaṇa’s way of life, but the way of one who lives a family life.
“Those who share your huge ignorance should be tamed, like treating weeds that harm seedlings. Those whom I killed and whose fingers I made into a garland were sentient beings that sabotaged the Dharma. None was a bhikṣu, bhikṣuṇī, upāsaka, or upāsikā.”
Then the god-king Śakra asked Aṅgulimāla, “No harm is dharma. As the Tathāgata regards all sentient being equally as Rāhula, how can an evil man be tamed?”
Aṅgulimāla answered, “How do you know the difference between harm and no harm? Their appearances are like a magician’s skillful means that others do not know. However, a Bodhisattva knows illusory states. You are an outsider to the Buddha Dharma. How can you know that there are two kinds of harm and no harm, such as no harm done by a Bodhisattva and no harm done by a voice-hearer? You are a puny mosquito. How can you know these two kinds of no harm? The difference between your state and a Bodhisattva’s state is like a mosquito’s wings that cover the open sky. Suppose that a śramaṇa is [in danger of] being abducted by a nonhuman. Should people safeguard him?”
The god-king Śakra answered, “They should.”
Aṅgulimāla asked, “Indeed. If [that nonhuman] dies because of their safeguarding, who is guilty [of murder]?”
The god-king Śakra answered, “Those who have no intention to harm anyone are not guilty.”
Aṅgulimāla said, “If the guardians kill evil ones in the process of taming them, they are not guilty of murder. Instead, they will acquire immeasurable excellent merit. This is called a Bodhisattva’s doing no harm. Indeed, the difference between harm and no harm is hard to know.
“Suppose that a good doctor treats a patient. He uses a hook to hook out his tongue. If the patient dies, is the doctor guilty [of murder]?”
“No. That good doctor benefits patients, without any intention to harm any of them.”
“When one tames evil ones, if one causes their death, is one guilty [of murder]?”
“No. One will acquire immeasurable merit, unless one intended to harm them.”
“If a student studies under a teacher and dies because of his teachings, is his teacher guilty [of murder]?”
“No, unless he intended to harm his student.”
“If evil ones die after seeing a dignified or prominent person, has he committed a sin subject to repentance?”
“No, unless he intended to harm them.
“Therefore, God-King Śakra, you do not know the difference between good karma and evil karma, nor that between a śramaṇa and a non-śramaṇa. The evil ones who sabotage the true Dharma should be tamed.
“For example, eighty great voice-hearers, such as Mahākāśyapa the Elder, relinquished their great treasure stores and renounced family life to train to attain bodhi. Abiding in the true Dharma, they have few desires and much contentment. Does a bhikṣu need to don a priceless robe? All bhikṣus shave off their hair and beard, travel alone with a begging bowl, and survive by begging for food. How can such a bhikṣu abandon self-restraint? He is oppressed by heat and cold, hunger and thirst. His feet tread dirt as do a wild deer’s. He never violates even a minor precept, like a yak that loves its tail. He protects [the purity of] the precepts, like a bird sitting on its chicks. Like an elephant with a broken tusk, he has lost his good appearances. Why would he need a priceless robe? You are an outsider to the true Dharma and should take care not to speak [about the robe again]. As a non-Buddhist or caṇḍāla [outcaste] does not have two births[9] as does a śramaṇa, so too you do not because you are a caṇḍāla, outside the true Dharma. You, a puny mosquito, should keep quiet.”
—Sūtra of Aṅgulimālika, fascicle 1
Translated from the digital Chinese Canon (T02n0120)
Notes
1. See “Brahmin caste” defined in the glossary’s “four Indian castes.”
2. Text 120 (T02n0120) states “age twelve.” It is possible that the Chinese number twenty (二十) was erroneously written as twelve (十二).
3. See a sentient being’s birth, aging, illness, and death in the glossary’s “four appearances.” In true reality, because a dharma has no birth, it has no death, no aging, no illness, no taints, etc.
4. See “no action” in the glossary’s Three Liberation Doors.
5. That shore of bodhi (enlightenment) is opposite this shore of birth and death.
6. Aṅgulimāla is a human but leads the life of a rākṣasa.
7. The indiscriminate hell is Avīci Hell, the hell of interrupted suffering, which is indiscriminate of the gender and privileges of those who have committed the five rebellious sins, one of which is matricide. See the glossary’s Avīci Hell and “five rebellious sins.”
8. Considering that Aṅgulimāla is only twenty years of age, his mother is not old and not past the time to renounce family life.
9. According to text 1547, the Chinese version of the Great Commentary (Vibhāṣā), a bird is called two births because an egg is born from the mother bird, and a chick is born from the egg. Likewise a śramaṇa or Brahmin is called two births because he is born from his mother and is born again when he renounces family life to train to attain bodhi (T28n1547, 0522b26–28).
fascicle 1 fascicle 2 fascicle 3 fascicle 4
央掘魔羅經
SŪTRA OF AṄGULIMĀLIKA
Translated From Sanskrit Into Chinese In The Liu Song Dynasty
By The Tripiṭaka Master Guṇabhadra From India
Fascicle 2 (of 4)
Then the Brahma-King Śikhin, the ruler of this Sahā World, emitted vast radiance to illuminate the city of Śrāvastī. Single-mindedly he joined his palms and bowed down at the Buddha’s feet. After making offerings to the Tathāgata and Aṅgulimāla, he spoke in verse:
Amazing! Today I have seen a great battle, like a battle between two ferocious lions.
Amazing! The Tathāgata, the tamer of men, the teacher of gods and humans, has well tamed Aṅgulimāla.
As an analogy, when a venomous snake sees a mantra master, it spews venom.
But he has no fear and tames it to make it quiet.
Likewise the great master in the Three Realms of Existence
Has tamed the atrocious Aṅgulimāla.
I now bow down to the physician of the Three Realms of Existence, whose great spiritual power is inconceivable.
I now bow down to the sovereign king, whose establishings are extraordinary.
He has established Aṅgulimāla in the Dharma.
Because there is no analogy for His utmost excellent works, He is called the beyond-analogy honored one.
Now Aṅgulimāla does excellent karmas and tamely abides in the precepts and extreme quietness.
His body and mind are stable and fearless,
Just as one’s true nature is golden,
Like the pure and wonderful Jambūnada gold.[1]
I pray that the Tathāgata, out of pity, will accept my offerings
And command Aṅgulimāla to don a celestial garment,
So that I will attain great bodhi.
When he dons this robe to protect his Brahma way of life,
His ultimate pure mind will remain motionless.
Aṅgulimāla said to the Brahma-king, “Who are you, speaking these superfluous divisive words? Your saying that Aṅgulimāla should don your robe to practice the Brahma way of life for a long time is an insult. You are an evil Brahma god, not an image of Brahmā. You, a mosquito, mention Brahma. What is meant by Brahma? What is meant by worldly Brahma karma? Why would I don a mosquito’s garment to practice the Brahma way of life? Nor would I be a servant, take others’ orders, or be a debtor. As a trapeze flyer quickly flies to and fro in the sky, likewise you, a puny mosquito, after enjoying the pleasures in your Brahma heaven, will fall to this human world. You do not know the true merit of a Bodhisattva’s rebirth here, but take non-dharma as dharma. Gods like you are unaware of the deluded turning of the wheel of birth and death. Alas, Brahma-King, do you truly know good versus evil? You say that Aṅgulimāla has done huge evil karmas. How do you, a mosquito, an evil Brahma, know that? You should learn to take Bodhisattva actions.”
The Brahma-king answered, “You killed nine hundred ninety-nine people, short of a thousand by only one. I see that you are still aggressive. Even an eagle or vulture dares not come near you. If you are not an aggressive one, where can a truly aggressive one be found? If you are not an evil māra, where can a truly evil māra be found? Aṅgulimāla, do not abandon self-restraint but use skillful means to obliterate your evil karmas. Very good! The Tathāgata has truly great compassion, which can deliver even atrocious sentient beings, such as Aṅgulimāla.”
Aṅgulimāla said to the Brahma-king, “Evil Brahma mosquito, where will you go? Where will you go round and round in confusion? You do not know that evil sentient beings, after death, go down evil life-paths. As an analogy, someone goes to a forest at night. He sees fireflies on the trees and is terrified. He returns to the city and tells others, ‘That forest is burning.’ Then people go there and see fireflies, not a fire. It is the same with you, an evil Brahma god. You declare, ‘I am deluded,’ to deceive yourself and others. Later on, you and others will come to know that one’s delusion is illusory. As an analogy, a deluded man goes to a forest. When he sees the [red] flowers of the aśoka trees,[2] he takes them as fire. He returns to the city and tells others, ‘That forest is burning.’ Then people go there and see that there is no fire. It is the same with you, a puny mosquito. Later on, you and others will come to know that good and evil are illusory. Do not speak such untrue words again. You should keep quiet and not tell lies.”
Then the four world-protecting god-kings came to the Buddha. After making great offerings to the Buddha and Aṅgulimāla, they spoke to them in verse:
Amazing! So extraordinary!
Today the hero of this world fought a great battle.
He answered questions about the highest truth [paramārtha]
And used wisdom light to dispel the darkness of ignorance.
Amazing! The tamer of men, the unsurpassed teacher of gods and humans,
Because of His immeasurable power, is called the Tathāgata.
He is the foremost padma [red lotus flower], completely pure and soft,
Untainted by dust or water.
Hence we bow down to the Buddha’s feet and take refuge in Him.
Single-mindedly we ask Him to grant our request for Aṅgulimāla to accept and use our bowl.
Now Aṅgulimāla is excellent, like the moon in the sky.
He is stately, and his observance of the precepts is perfect.
Aṅgulimāla said to the four world-protecting god-kings, “What kind of mosquitoes or small insects are you? Because you protect the world, you exalt yourselves. Your saying that you will give me a celestial bowl as alms is an insult. Although you now see my tribulations, you soon will see yourselves holding pottery vessels. Why do you use a luxurious bowl and call yourselves renowned world protectors? He who is called a world protector claims that he can tame evil ones. Actually, whoever is called a protector protects the true Dharma [saddharma], not the world. As an analogy, someone hears the sound of a kañjala [hill myna] and sees its shape. Then he sees a crow and gets confused. He keeps calling it ‘kañjala, kañjala.’ It is the same with you. You take non-dharma as dharma and safeguard it, just like that person who sees a crow and calls it kañjala. You should protect the Dharma, not the world. You four mosquito god-kings should keep quiet.”
Then Pāpīyān, the evil māra-king, came to the Buddha. After making offerings to the Buddha, he stood aside and spoke to Aṅgulimāla in verse:
You should quickly renounce family life as a hoax and enter my city.
I do not care about you but will let you evade naraka [hell].
Aṅgulimāla answered in verse:
Go far away, thieving dog māra, who speaks like a fearless mosquito.
Before you are bound by five fetters, Pāpīyān, quickly go away.
Do not force me to instantly kick a vile dog with my left foot.
When I realize the emptiness of dharmas and that they have no self, I will freely visit [celestial] palaces.
As a golden-winged garuḍa-king dwells atop Mount Sumeru
And observes dragons frolicking in the vast ocean,
Likewise a Bodhisattva dwells above hell,
Joyfully drinks the water of liberation, and observes suffering sentient beings.
You thieving dog māra should keep quiet and intently listen to the Dharma like drinking sweet dew,
Then return to heaven and do whatever you want.
Then the Brahma-king Maheśvara made great offerings to the Tathāgata and Aṅgulimāla and stood aside. With joy and respect, he praised in verse:
I now bow down at the feet of the World-Honored One, and speak stanzas with joy and respect.
The Tathāgata’s sublime physical body is like an utpala [blue lotus flower].
His white teeth are like a kumuda [white lotus flower], and his pure eyes are like thousand-petaled flowers.
His wisdom is taint free, purer than a puṇḍarīka [large white lotus flower].
Amazing! Aṅgulimāla is excellent and so extraordinary.
Although abiding on the ground of ordinary beings, he has tamed that māra.
He will quickly attain saṁbodhi [true enlightenment] and rescue all in the world.
Aṅgulimāla answered in verse:
On what lowly life-path are you, falsely calling yourself Maheśvara?
Īśvara [lord] is a false name because you are not truly a sovereign king.
How do you know whether I abide on the ground of ordinary beings?
Long-toothed piśāca, quickly answer my question.
Suppose that a mange victim with an unsightly body
Widely prescribes for the world the cure for mange.
Unable to cure his own disease, how can he cure others’ diseases?
Likewise is a puny mosquito’s delusion.
If you do not know your true nature, how can you know others’ minds
And say that Aṅgulimāla abides on the ground of ordinary beings?
You should not be empowered to be a sovereign king.
To see [this problem], the ignorant should keep quiet.
Then the goddess of the tree under which the Tathāgata sat, saw Aṅgulimāla, and respect and faith rose in her heart. She praised in verse:
Come quickly, Aṅgulimāla, the brave, wise, and firm one.
I ask you to don the Dharma robe, and I will offer you your first meal.
Giving alms to you and the Tathāgata will bring me the highest fruit.
Aṅgulimāla answered in verse:
The Tathāgata has never eaten anything, nor have the voice-hearers.
To whom are you giving alms?
Speak quickly to resolve my doubts.
The tree goddess challenged him in verse:
As the Tathāgata regularly eats food, so too do voice-hearers.
If you firmly decide to renounce family life, you should not tell lies.
You should discard falsity and fawning, which are impure.
If one oversteps even one dharma, it becomes a lie.
Then one cannot transcend the world, but will do evil.
Aṅgulimāla answered in verse:
You are on a lowly life-path, and what do you want to do?
You should observe yourself because the Buddha speaks ill of women.
Who in the world tells lies, and who speaks the truth?
Who in the world is greedy for food, and who in the world falls ill and dies?
The Tathāgata possesses all the virtues of a vast self.[3]
If one says something that one cannot know, this is a lie.
If one does not eat food but claims that one does, this is a lie.
If one says that one does not understand veiled words, this is a lie.
If one has not even renounced family life, how can one accept the complete monastic precepts?
I do not overstep a single dharma, while you overstep countless dharmas.
Go quickly to the god of gods [the Buddha] to repent of your false speech.
The tree goddess challenged him in verse:
Why do you say that I am on a lowly life-path?
Not yet having discarded the way of a piśāca, how can you know that I am male or female?
Aṅgulimāla answered in verse:
As an analogy, a Wheel-Turning King possesses a jewel-adorned throne.
If a dog lies on it, even temporarily, it becomes impure.
You possess a lowly nature and live a life of convenience.
You assume a female body and indulge in the pleasures of the five desires.
You should use skillful means to quickly abandon your body, which is as lowly as a female dog’s body.
You should discard [your attachment to] male or female appearances, and train to realize the emptiness of dharmas.
Once you realize their emptiness, you will quickly acquire a man’s nature.
Then the venerable Śāriputra and Mahāmaudgalyāyana, like goose-kings, used their transcendental powers to soar across the sky. They came to the Buddha, bowed down at His feet, and stood aside. When they saw Aṅgulimāla, sympathetic joy rose in their hearts, and Mahāmaudgalyāyana praised in verse:
Outstanding! The brave and wise one excels in doing excellent karmas.
You should quickly follow the Buddha to renounce family life and observe the pure precepts.
Accompanied by those who practice the Brahma way of life, you can soar across the sky to Jetavana Park.
I pray that the Buddha will compassionately give you permission to renounce family life and accept the complete monastic precepts,
So that all in the world will look up to you.
As you soar in the sky like a goose-king, you will be radiant and pure like the full moon.
Aṅgulimāla asked in verse:
What are transcendental powers in the world, and what are their roots?
The one honored as possessing the foremost transcendental powers,
Speak quickly to resolve my doubts.
Mahāmaudgalyāyana answered in verse:
If one practices pure relinquishment, one often gives away shoes and vehicles as alms.
If a bhikṣu observes the pure precepts, he stays far away from dissipation.
For these two reasons, one quickly acquires transcendental powers.
Aṅgulimāla again spoke in verse:
Alas, Mahāmaudgalyāyana practices the way of a mosquito
And cannot discern the truly foremost transcendental powers.
Even a mosquito can fly across the sky, and the ignorant should keep quiet.
One should constantly practice benefiting oneself and others, and wish to bring others peace.
If one trains in these skillful means, one will quickly acquire superior transcendental powers.
One should comfort Dharma expounders and those who endure tribulations.
If one sacrifices one’s body to save and protect others, one will quickly acquire superior transcendental powers.
I now should take quick action to widely deliver sentient beings.
When I arrive at Jetavana Park, I will acquire great transcendental powers.
Limitless is the Mahāyāna!
Immeasurable and boundless are Tathāgatas!
After speaking these stanzas, Aṅgulimāla asked Śāriputra in verse:
Why is Śāriputra honored in the world as one with great wisdom?
Whence does wisdom arise?
Speak quickly to resolve my doubts.
Śāriputra answered in verse:
Faithful observance of the five precepts bring great wisdom.
After one’s death, wisdom always comes with one’s rebirth.
As one’s renown travels far, one’s wisdom remains motionless.
Aṅgulimāla again spoke in verse:
Praising that Tathāgatas are eternal brings one great wisdom.
The Buddha says that great wisdom enables one to expound the Dharma.
Alas, Śāriputra practices the way of a mosquito
And does not know the true meaning of wisdom.
Crude is a mosquito’s wisdom, and the ignorant should keep quiet.
Then the venerable Ānanda came to the Buddha. He bowed down at the Buddha’s feet and stood aside. When he saw Aṅgulimāla, sympathetic joy rose in his heart, and he praised in verse:
Very good! Aṅgulimāla is training to do excellent karmas.
I now express sympathetic joy over his mastering sūtras in the nine categories.[4]
Aṅgulimāla asked in verse:
The Tathāgata praises you as foremost in hearing much [of the Dharma].
What is meant by hearing much [of the Dharma], and whence does it arise?
Ānanda answered in verse:
Recite and study sūtras in the nine categories and, without stinginess, expound them to others.
From these practices, one hears much [of the Dharma], and one’s total retention of it is inconceivable.
Aṅgulimāla again spoke in verse:
Whoever praises that Tathāgatas are eternal
Is called foremost in hearing much [of the Dharma].
Alas, Ānanda practices the way of a mosquito
And does not know how to hear much [of the Dharma].
Crudity is what a mosquito upholds, and the ignorant should keep quiet.
Then the venerable Rāhula came to the Buddha. He bowed down at the Buddha’s feet and stood aside. When he saw Aṅgulimāla, sympathetic joy rose in his heart, and he praised in verse:
Very good! Aṅgulimāla is training to acquire excellent merits.
I now express sympathetic joy over his respecting the precepts.
Aṅgulimāla asked in verse:
The Tathāgata praises you as foremost in respecting the precepts.
What is meant by respecting the pure precepts?
You are the Buddha’s beloved son.
Speak quickly to resolve my doubts.
Rāhula answered in verse:
Intently and respectfully observe all precepts pronounced by the Buddha.
This is the foremost way to respect the precepts.
Aṅgulimāla again spoke in verse:
Saying that Tathāgatas are eternal
Is called the highest way to respect the precepts.
Alas, Rāhula practices the way of a mosquito
And does not know the truly foremost way to respect the precepts.
Crude is a mosquito’s respect, and the ignorant should keep quiet.
Then Aniruddha came to the Buddha. He bowed down at the Buddha’s feet and stood aside. When he saw Aṅgulimāla, sympathetic joy rose in his heart, and he praised in verse:
Amazing! Aṅgulimāla excels in doing excellent karmas.
I now express sympathetic joy over his soon acquiring the god eye.
Aṅgulimāla asked in verse:
The Tathāgata praises you as the one with the foremost god eye.
What is the god eye, and how is it acquired?
Speak quickly to resolve my doubts.
Aniruddha answered in verse:
Always give away bright lamps as alms and expound the Dharma to develop others.
From these practices, one acquires the god eye, to see faraway things hindrance free.
Aṅgulimāla again spoke in verse:
Diligently expounding the Tathāgata’s profound Dharma store by skillful means,
With full disclosure and without concealment, brings one the most excellent eye.
Alas, Aniruddha practices the way of a mosquito
And does not know the skillful means to acquire the god eye.
Crude is a mosquito’s eye, and the ignorant should keep quiet.
Then the venerable śramaṇa Dravya came to the Buddha. He bowed down at the Buddha’s feet and stood aside. When he saw Aṅgulimāla, sympathetic joy rose in his heart, and he praised in verse:
Amazing! Aṅgulimāla excels in doing excellent karmas.
I now express sympathetic joy over his training in enduring adversity.
Aṅgulimāla asked in verse:
How does one acquire the foremost endurance?
How does one’s endurance of adversity arise?
Speak quickly to resolve my doubts.
The śramaṇa Dravya answered in verse:
Whether one’s right arm is smeared with sandalwood [perfume] or one’s left hand is cut by a sharp knife,
If one’s mind remains equable and motionless, one’s foremost endurance arises.
Then one can endure superior self-restraint in the world.
Aṅgulimāla again spoke in verse:
If one reveals the Tathāgata store [tathāgata-garbha] to the world,
One can enable those who hold the wrong views to discard their self-view and train to realize that dharmas have no self.
One should declare that this is the Buddha’s true Dharma, so that they will not dread to hear it.
One should discard arrogance and attachment to one’s body and life, to widely expound the Tathāgata store.
This is called enduring superior self-restraint in the world.
Alas! The śramaṇa Dravya practices the way of a mosquito
And does not know the skillful means to acquire the highest endurance.
Even a mosquito can endure hunger, thirst, heat, cold, and pain.
Crude is a mosquito’s endurance, and the ignorant should keep quiet.
Then the venerable Pūrṇa-Maitrāyaṇīputra came to the Buddha. He bowed down at the Buddha’s feet and stood aside. When he saw Aṅgulimāla, sympathetic joy rose in his heart, and he praised in verse:
Very good! Aṅgulimāla is doing excellent karmas.
I express sympathetic joy over his comforting all sentient beings and expounding the Dharma.
Aṅgulimāla asked in verse:
The Tathāgata praises you as foremost in expounding the Dharma.
What is meant by expounding Dharma, and what is meant by knowing its meaning?
I pray that you will expound the Dharma to resolve my doubts.
Pūrṇa-Maitrāyaṇīputra answered in verse:
There are things never found by Buddhas or holy voice-hearers.
The truly enlightened one understands well what this means and widely expounds it to sentient beings.
[He said] “What does this stanza mean? It means that all past Buddhas delved into all dharmas by skillful means, and found neither the realm of sentient beings nor a self [ātman], a person, a sentient being, or an ever-lasting soul;[5] that all present and future Buddhas do delve and will delve into all dharmas by skill means, and do not and will not find these things; that all past, present, and future Pratyekabuddas and holy voice-hearers delved, do delve, and will delve into all dharmas by skillful means, and did not, do not, and will not find these things. Therefore, I tell sentient beings to discard [their perception of] the realm of sentient beings and [their imagination of] a self, a person, a sentient being, or an ever-lasting soul, because dharmas are empty and have no self. In this way I expound the Dharma.”
Aṅgulimāla said to Pūrṇa-Maitrāyaṇīputra, “Alas, Pūrṇa-Maitrāyaṇīputra practices the way of a mosquito and does not know how to expound the Dharma. Alas, an ignorant mosquito does not know that the Tathāgata’s teaching that dharmas have no self is a veiled teaching. It is like a moth throwing itself into the flame of the lamp of ignorance. Actually, what Buddha-Tathāgatas never find means that all past Buddha-Bhagavāns looked into all sentient beings by skillful means and did not find the absence of their Tathāgata store; that all present Buddha-Bhagavāns look into all sentient beings by skillful means and do not find the absence of their true self; that all future Buddhas will look into all sentient beings by skillful means and will not find the absence of their true nature; that all past, present, and future Pratyekabuddhas and holy voice-hearers looked, do look, and will look into all sentient beings by skillful means and did not, do not, and will not find the absence of their Tathāgata store. This is the true meaning of the Buddha’s stanza.
“Moreover, what Buddha-Tathāgatas never find means that all past Buddha-Tathāgatas delved, do delve, and will delve into all dharmas by skillful means, and did not, do not, and will not find a self imagined by the world to have various features, such as its size being that of a thumb, a grain of rice, a sesame seed, a wheat berry, or a mustard seed; its color being blue, yellow, red, or white; its shape being square, round, long, or short. Some say that one’s self is in one’s heart, or above or below one’s navel; some say that it is in one’s head, eyes, or body parts; some say that it permeates one’s body, like sweat; some say that it is constantly in peace and joy, and at rest. Such countless diverse, deluded thoughts are the worldly way to identify one’s self. All Buddhas, Pratyekabuddhas, and holy voice-hearers never find such a self, and the truly enlightened one explains this to sentient beings. This is the true meaning of the Tathāgata’s stanza, not what you just explained according to your deluded thinking.
“Moreover, what Buddha-Tathāgatas never find means that all past Buddha-Bhagavāns sought by skillful means and did not find the action of the Tathāgata store, because the Tathāgata in every sentient being by nature has no action, but has immeasurable purity and majesty and countless good characteristics; that all present Buddha-Bhagavāns seek by skillful means and do not find the action of one’s Tathāgata store, because the Tathāgata in every sentient being by nature has no action, but has immeasurable purity and majesty and countless good characteristics; that all future Buddha-Bhagavāns will seek by skillful means and will not find the action of one’s Tathāgata store, because the Tathāgata in every sentient being by nature has no action, but has immeasurable purity and majesty and countless good characteristics.
“All past, present, and future Pratyekabuddhas and holy voice-hearers did not, do not, and will not see with their eyes the Tathāgata store in their bodies. There is a reason. For example, because Rāhula respects the precepts, when he observes pure water, he does not understand that he sees an insect [in the water]. He wonders whether it is an insect, not an insect, or a dust particle. After intently observing for a long time, he gradually comes to see the tiny insect as it is. It is the same with a Bodhisattva on the tenth ground.[6] When he observes his true nature in his body, he entertains countless different views of this nature. Because it is hard to enter one’s Tathāgata store, it is hard to comfort a Dharma expounder. In the blazingly evil world, not sparing his body or life, he expounds the Tathāgata store to sentient beings. Therefore, I say that Bodhisattva-Mahāsattvas, who are heroes among men, are [virtually] Tathāgatas.
“Aniruddha possesses the foremost god eye, and truly and clearly sees bird tracks in the sky, which cannot be seen by those who possess only the physical eye. However, they believe that Aniruddha sees bird tracks [in the sky]. Likewise Pratyekabuddhas, voice-hearers, and ordinary beings with the physical eye believe that they have the Tathāgata store because it is stated in the Buddha’s sūtras. How can they see their Buddha nature [Buddha-dhātu or Buddha-gotra] as Buddhas do? Even Pratyekabuddhas and holy voice-hearers come to believe in it because of their trust in a source. How can ordinary beings, like the born blind, know [their Tathāgata store] on their own without learning about it from others?
“I heard from a past Buddha that in the initial kalpa of this world, the earth contained four flavors. Those who tasted these four flavors then still eat dirt now, because they do not abandon their longtime practice. It is the same with those who trained under past Tathāgatas to observe their Tathāgata store. Because of their longtime training, they now still believe in it with delight and train through the long night to requite the Tathāgatas’ kindness. When they hear about one’s Tathāgata store from a future Dharma expounder, they will also believe in it with delight. Those who believe [in one’s Tathāgata store] with delight are the Tathāgata’s sons and will requite His kindness.
“As an analogy, since the distant past, an owl has had no sense of shame and has never requited its mother’s kindness. Even now, it never abandons its longtime habit. It is the same with sentient beings. Because in their past lives they had no sense of shame and no sense of dishonor, they continue in this way from the past to the present, and to the future. Likewise, because they did not believe in it with delight when they heard about one’s Tathāgata store, they continue in this way from the past to the present, and to the future.
“As an analogy, an ugly monkey is constantly in fear, and its mind is restless, like raging waves. Because its past habit, it continues to be restless. It is the same with sentient beings, whose minds were, are, and will be restless in the past, present, and future. When they hear about one’s Tathāgata store, they do not believe in it with delight.
“As a horned owl that sees better by night than by day prefers dark to light, likewise sentient beings prefer evil to good and, throughout past, present, and future, do not delight in seeing a Buddha or believing in one’s Tathāgata store. Because a person has acquired the wrong views through the long night and is attached to the wrong doctrines of those on the wrong paths, he now does not abandon his past habit. It is the same with those who have long studied the veiled teaching that dharmas have no self. Like a fool attached to the wrong doctrines, throughout past, present, and future, they do not understand the secret teachings. When they hear about one’s Tathāgata store, they do not believe in it with delight.
“Suppose that someone encountered Buddhas in the past, made offerings to Them, served Them, and heard about one’s Tathāgata store even as briefly as a finger snap. Because of this good karma, his faculties became skilled, and he enjoyed unrestricted wealth and rank. In this life, sentient beings like him also have skilled faculties and enjoy unrestricted wealth and rank. Because in the past they briefly heard about one’s Tathāgata store from Buddhas, when they hear about it in the future, they will believe in it with delight and train according to the teachings heard. Their faculties will be skilled, their wealth and rank will be unrestricted, their body will be strong, their wisdom will be radiant, and their Brahma tones will be pure and loved by all. They will become a Wheel-Turning King, a prince, or a great minister. They will possess worthy virtues and be free from arrogance and conceit. They will conquer the need for sleep, and study and train diligently, never abandoning self-restraint. They will acquire other merits and will even become the god-king Śakra or one of the four world-protecting god-kings. Because of the merit they acquired by hearing about the Tathāgata store, their body will always be stable, free from illness and trouble. Their lifespans will be prolonged, and they will be loved and respected by all. They will fully hear the sweet-dew teaching that a Tathāgata constantly abides in the great parinirvāṇa, and firmly and stably abides in the world in accord with the worldly ways. They will know that a Tathāgata is not born from desire, but born to widely expound the Dharma to the world. Through the benefits of their wisdom and merit, wherever they will be reborn, they will be reborn into an excellent clan and family and have many children and grandchildren, and their parents will live long. Throughout past, present, and future, they will always enjoy all pleasures in heaven or in the human world, because they have heard that the Tathāgata store forever abides in every sentient being.
“If sentient beings on the five life-paths have missing limbs and undergo all kinds of suffering as they transmigrate through birth and death throughout past, present, and future, it is because they have slighted one’s Tathāgata store. If sentient beings serve Buddhas, and stay close and make offerings to Them, then they will come to hear about one’s Tathāgata store. If they accept it, believe in it with delight, do not malign it, and truly comfort the [Dharma] expounder, know that they are [virtually] Tathāgatas. If sentient beings go against Buddhas, or malign one’s Tathāgata store when they hear about it, they burn away their [bodhi] seeds. Alas, pain, pain! The nonbelievers in the three time frames are so pitiable.
“In this way a Dharma expounder should give teachings and praise the truth of a Tathāgata’s eternity. If he does not do so, he abandons [the truth of] one’s Tathāgata store. This person should not sit on a lion throne. Like a caṇḍāla [outcaste], he should not ride a great king’s elephant.
“All Buddhas seek the birth of one’s Tathāgata store by skillful means and never find it, because no birth is Buddha nature, which exists in every sentient being, has countless excellent characteristics, and is pure and majestic. All Buddhas seek the untruth of one’s true nature by skillful means and never find it, because truth is one’s Buddha nature, which exists in every sentient being, has countless excellent characteristics, and is pure and majestic. All Buddhas seek the impermanence of one’s true nature by skillful means and never find it, because permanence is one’s Buddha nature, which exists in every sentient being, has countless excellent characteristics, and is pure and majestic. All Buddhas seek the instability of one’s Tathāgata store by skillful means and never find it, because stability is one’s Buddha nature, which exists in every sentient being, has countless excellent characteristics, and is pure and majestic. All Buddhas seek the change in one’s Tathāgata store by skillful means and never find it, because no change is one’s Buddha nature, which exists in every sentient being, has countless excellent characteristics, and is pure and majestic. All Buddhas seek the inquietude of one’s Tathāgata store by skillful means and never find it, because quietude is one’s Buddha nature, which exists in every sentient being, has countless excellent characteristics, and is pure and majestic. All Buddhas seek the destruction of one’s Tathāgata store by skillful means and never find it, because no destruction is one’s Buddha nature, which exists in every sentient being, has countless excellent characteristics, and is pure and majestic. All Buddhas seek the damage to one’s Tathāgata store by skillful means and never find it, because no damage is one’s Buddha nature, which exists in every sentient being, has countless excellent characteristics, and is pure and majestic. All Buddhas seek the illness of one’s Tathāgata store by skillful means and never find it, because no illness is one’s Buddha nature, which exists in every sentient being, has countless excellent characteristics, and is pure and majestic. All Buddhas seek the aging and death of one’s Tathāgata store by skillful means and never find them, because no aging and no death are one’s Buddha nature, which exists in every sentient being, has countless excellent characteristics, and is pure and majestic. All Buddhas seek the impurity of one’s Tathāgata store by skillful means and never find it, because purity is one’s Buddha nature, which exists in every sentient being, has countless excellent characteristics, and is pure and majestic.
“As oil does not mix with water, likewise one’s Buddha nature never mixes with one’s afflictions, though one’s countless afflictions shroud one’s Tathāgata nature. Hence one’s Buddha nature abides in one’s afflictions, like a lamp contained in a bottle. When the bottle is broken, the lamp is revealed. The bottle means one’s afflictions, and the lamp means one’s Tathāgata store. An expounder of one’s Tathāgata store, whether a Tathāgata, a Bodhisattva, or a voice-hearer, with or without afflictions, expounds it according to his ability. Pūrṇa-Maitrāyaṇīputra, I say that such an expounder is a truly enlightened one, who can shatter the hearer’s bottle of a koṭi afflictions, enabling him to see his true nature, like seeing an āmra [mango] in his palm. As an analogy, when the sun or moon is covered by dense clouds, its light is obscured. When the clouds are removed, its radiance illuminates. It is the same with one’s Tathāgata store. When it is shrouded by one’s afflictions, it is unseen; when one’s afflictions are removed, its radiance illuminates everywhere. One’s Buddha nature is radiant and pure, like the sun or moon. Alas, Pūrṇa-Maitrāyaṇīputra practices the way of a mosquito and does not know how to expound the Dharma. He should quietly scurry away.
Then Sundara-Nanda[7] came to the Buddha. He bowed down at the Buddha’s feet and stood aside. When he saw Aṅgulimāla, sympathetic joy rose in his heart, and he praised in verse:
Very good! Aṅgulimāla is doing excellent karmas.
He should use skillful means to acquire a Tathāgata’s sublime physical body.
Aṅgulimāla asked in verse:
The World-Honored One praises your respectable looks as foremost.
What respectable looks are extraordinary?
What is the cause of one’s respectable looks?
Explain now to resolve my doubts.
Sundara-Nanda answered in verse:
Wash one’s hands and join ten fingers;
Bow down to a Buddha’s śarīras [relics];
Always make offerings to the ill.
From these practices, one acquires respectable looks.
Aṅgulimāla again spoke in verse:
As a Buddha’s [dharma] body has no tendons or bones, how can it produce śarīras?
Although a Tathagata is apart from śarīras, His dharma body [dharmakāya][8] possesses excellent skillful means.
He is inconceivable, because He enables nonbelievers to believe [in His teachings] with delight,
Using skillful means, He displays His śarīras.
Leaving śarīras behind by skillful means is the way of Buddhas.
The world has always made offerings to various images of
The Brahma-king Maheśvara, god-sons, and goddess-daughters.
Because they are not one’s refuge, one erects a memorial pagoda [stūpa] to enshrine a Buddha’s śarīras.
If sentient beings understand this skillful means,
Their applied wisdom-knowledge [jñāna] is the cause of their respectable looks.
What you just said is a deluded guess of the cause of one’s respectable looks.
Alas, Sundara-Nanda does not know the door to one’s respectable looks.
Even a mosquito has its looks, and the ignorant should keep quiet.
Then the venerable Upāli came to the Buddha. He bowed down at the Buddha’s feet and stood aside. When he saw Aṅgulimāla, sympathetic joy rose in his heart, and he praised in verse:
Amazing! Aṅgulimāla is doing excellent karmas.
I express sympathetic joy over his training to observe the pure Vinaya [rules of conduct].[9]
Aṅgulimāla asked in verse:
The Tathāgata praises you as foremost in upholding the Vinaya.
How does one uphold the Vinaya?
Speak quickly to resolve my doubts.
Upāli answered in verse:
Never do evil; always do good.
Train one’s mind by skillful means.
This is the way to uphold the Vinaya.
Aṅgulimāla again spoke in verse:
If an evil bhikṣu, against the Vinaya, sabotages the Dharma or violates the precepts,
He should be stripped of a bhikṣu’s six things[10] and all necessities of life.
He should be punished, dispelled, and tamed by skillful means.
The Brahma way of life precludes violation of the precepts.
As an analogy, a great king treasures his saber used to protect his body.
If it falls into a slaughter house, it should be forcefully retrieved.
The things treasured by a king should not belong to an evil man.
Likewise the things kept by those who practice the Brahma way of life
Should not belong to someone who sabotages the Dharma, and should be taken from him.
This is called the foremost way to uphold the Vinaya.
Do not commit any duṣkṛta [wrongdoing] or exhibit the wrong deportments.
Whoever upholds the Vinaya in this way fully upholds the Tathāgata’s teachings.
The Tathāgata regards all as Rāhula [His only son].
Alas, Upāli practices the way of a mosquito
And does not know how to well uphold the Vinaya.
The ignorant should keep quiet.
Then Mañjuśrī the Dharma Prince came to the Buddha. He bowed down at the Buddha’s feet and stood aside. When he saw Aṅgulimāla, sympathetic joy rose in his heart, and he praised in verse:
Very good! Aṅgulimāla is training to do excellent karmas.
He should train to realize the great emptiness, to see that dharmas are nonexistent.
Aṅgulimāla asked in verse:
Mañjuśrī the Dharma Prince, you are foremost in seeing the emptiness of dharmas.
What is meant by seeing that dharmas are empty?
What is meant by seeing that their emptiness is empty?
Speak now to resolve my doubts.
Mañjuśrī answered in verse:
Buddhas are like the open sky, which has no appearance of existence.
Buddhas are like the open sky, which has no appearance of birth.
Buddhas are like the open sky, which has no appearance of form.
Dharmas are like the open sky, and are a Tathāgata’s wondrous dharma body.
Wisdom is like the open sky, and is a Tathāgata’s great wisdom body.
A Tathāgata’s hindrance-free wisdom cannot be grasped or touched.
Liberation is like the open sky, which has no appearance of existence.
A Tathāgata’s liberation is empty and nonexistent.
How can you, Aṅgulimāla, understand this?
Aṅgulimāla again spoke in verse:
As an analogy, a fool sees hailstones and thinks deluded thoughts.
Mistaking them for aquamarine [vaiḍūrya] beads, he takes them home.
He places them in a bottle and guards them as if they are treasures.
Soon the hailstones melt and disappear, leaving him with their emptiness.
Then he thinks that true aquamarine is also empty.
Likewise Mañjuśrī trains to see the utter emptiness [of dharmas]
And constantly ponders their emptiness to destroy [his perception of] all dharmas.
Although liberation is actually not empty, he thinks that it is utterly empty.
As that person sees hailstones disappear, he indiscriminately decides that true treasures too will disappear.
Likewise you indiscriminately decide that all dharmas are utterly empty.
Having seen their emptiness, you declare that dharmas that are not empty are empty.
Some dharmas are empty; some dharmas are not empty.
All afflictions are like hailstones,
And destroying all evil is like hailstones melting.
True aquamarine is like a Tathāgata’s forever abiding.
True aquamarine is like a Buddha’s liberation.
While Buddhas take the open sky as Their form, riders of the Two Vehicles [see everything as] non-form.
While Buddhas take liberation as Their form, riders of the Two Vehicles [see everything as] non-form.
How can one say that perception of utter emptiness is true liberation?
Mañjuśrī should intently ponder and differentiate.
As an analogy, in an empty village the river is dry and vessels contain no water.
However, emptiness does not mean the empty space in a vessel.
A Tathāgata’s true liberation is not empty.
Because liberation is free from all faults,
It is said to be empty.
Likewise a Tathāgata is actually not empty.
Because He has left behind all afflictions and the form of a god or human,
He is said to be empty.
Alas, [whoever practices] the way of a mosquito does not know the true meaning of emptiness.
Even non-Buddhists, such as Nirgranthas,[11] attempt to realize emptiness, and they should keep quiet.
Mañjuśrī asked in verse:
Aṅgulimāla, why do you intimidate voice-hearers and scorn Buddha-sons?
You wantonly display your atrocious behavior and roar like a ferocious tiger.
Who is practicing the mosquito’s way and voicing such evil sounds?
Aṅgulimāla answered in verse:
As an analogy, a poor and timid person wanders a wilderness.
When he smells a ferocious tiger, he is terrified and scurries away.
Likewise a voice-hearer or Pratyekabuddha, who does not know the Mahāyāna,
Is terrified when he smells a Bodhisattva.
As an analogy, when a lion-king roams the mountain and roars,
All other animals are terrified.
Likewise, when a Bodhisattva, a hero among men, roars a lion’s roar,
All voice-hearers and Pratyekabuddhas are terrified
Because through the long night they have trained to see that dharmas have no self,
Unaware that this is a veiled teaching.
Even if I howled a jackal’s howl, no one could reply,
Not to mention replying to my unequaled lion’s roar.
Mañjuśrī asked in verse:
You are a puny mosquito that did evil.
If you were a Bodhisattva, where could a māra be found?
Alas, people in the world have no self-awareness.
Unable to reflect upon their own faults, they see only others’ evil.
Aṅgulimāla, how many sins have you committed?
Aṅgulimāla answered in verse:
Alas, there are two kinds of people who sabotage the true Dharma,
Those who declare that all dharmas are utterly empty and those who declare that dharmas have a self.
These two kinds of people sabotage the Buddha’s true Dharma.
Alas, Mañjuśrī, you do not know that some evil is not evil.
Nor do you know Bodhisattva actions or that a mosquito and a lion are different.
Amazing! I can know the fearless Bodhisattvas.
Mañjuśrī, listen intently.
The Buddha praises Bodhisattva actions as a skillful magician’s illusory displays,
Such as sawing or eating a person as a show to the public.
All things done by Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are illusory.
[A Bodhisattva] manifests being born or entering parinirvāṇa.
During times of famine, he gives away his body for others to eat.
[At the end of a] kalpa, he manifests fire that burns across the earth.
For those who perceive that dharmas are permanent, he enables them to know their impermanence.
During times of war, he manifests troops
To devastate and kill innumerable bandits.
In truth, he never harms anyone because his manifestations are illusory.
He puts all Three-Thousand Large Thousandfold Worlds into a mustard seed,
And not one sentient being is distressed or disturbed.
He puts the four oceans and Mount Sumeru into a pore, and they are not crammed or squeezed.
After the show he returns them to their own places.
He uses a toe to shake worlds in the ten directions, and no sentient being is distressed.
This is the way of Buddhas.
To comfort sentient beings, he manifests himself in countless forms, such as a Brahma-king,
The god-king Śakra, and any of the four world-protecting god-kings.
To comfort sentient beings, he manifests himself as a prince, a great minister,
A merchant leader, an elder, or a layman.
He may manifest as a god to change gods’ wrong views.
Because He manifests the birth of all living things, he is called the birth itself.
As an analogy, when a magician sees the killing of a conjured sentient being,
He never laments that this is a tremendous evil,
Because he understands the nature of illusions.
Likewise I manifested killing sentient beings to tame those who sabotage the Dharma,
And did not actually harm anyone.
Just as a Buddha-Bhagavān manifests the times of war,
I now excel in taking Bodhisattva actions.
Alas, Mañjuśrī practices the way of a mosquito
And does not aspire to the great wisdom of the hero in the world, who is like a dragon elephant.[12]
Then the World-Honored One, who is all-knowing and all-seeing, spoke to Mañjuśrī in verse:
As Aṅgulimāla says, such are Bodhisattva actions.
You should know that, because he delivers sentient beings, he is not an ordinary being.
He is a great Bodhisattva, and his boldness equals yours.
Very good! Mañjuśrī, you should know his merits.
After saying these words, the Buddha praised in verse:
Very good! The exceptional hero among men, using skillful means
To comfort sentient beings, displays the great power of energetic progress.
I now will expound the merits, good karmas, and energetic progress required for whoever wants to quickly become an Arhat
To bring all sentient beings eternal peace and joy.
Śāriputra said to the Buddha, “World-Honored One, I pray that, out of pity for all sentient beings, You will tell me what merits, karmas, and energetic progress are required for whoever wants to quickly become an Arhat to benefit all sentient beings and bring them eternal peace and joy.”
The World-Honored One answered in verse:
When parents are united, a child enters the mother’s womb.
The parents are delighted and acquire consequent benefits,
Such as radiant looks and prosperity.
The father is extremely happy, and the mother dreams excellent dreams.
The birth of the child brings huge wealth to the family, and enemies become loving-kind.
At age seven the child enters school, where teachers and students are in harmony.
The household servants are happy and do their work diligently.
At age twenty he and his family members have no disputes.
They regard one another as parents, whose nurturance is like overflowing fragrant milk.
Great is this worthy and brilliant child, who has no greed, anger, arrogance,
Fawning, hypocrisy, excessive chatter, malice,
A child’s misconduct, or evil karmas.
With lovingkindness and filial dutifulness, he makes offerings to dignitaries, and to his parents and teachers.
When he sees elders, he joins his palms to show respect.
He accommodates the middle-aged and frolics with the young.
Respectfully he gives relief to those in urgent need, and a child’s love to those in pain.
He admonishes the evil to know shame and dishonor, and to aspire to training according to the true Dharma.
He never studies magic for fun but delights in seeing Buddhas.
He engages in reciting sūtras and rules of conduct, and in the five studies.
Staying far away from drinking and gambling, he pays reverence to the supreme.
He knows how much sleeping and eating is enough, and dislikes what is impure.
Gods love and remember him, and all people respect him.
His countless great merits are beyond analogy.
As he makes energetic progress in doing meritorious karmas, he will attain true enlightenment.
Śāriputra, know that Aṅgulimāla,
Like that youth, will quickly attain true enlightenment.
How can such a person be evil?
He has acquired countless extraordinary merits.
A majestic hero like Mañjuśrī, he surpasses even the uncommon kind [of people].
He regards all sentient beings as his only son.
Aṅgulimāla, know that a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva
Vows to deliver all in the world who have not yet been delivered.
There is nothing right about making an excellent vow
To help all in the world, then doing evil.
The World-Honored One again spoke in verse:
Manifesting as a sun-moon god, or a Brahma-king who is the ruler of sentient beings,
Through earth, water, fire, wind, and space,
A Bodhisattva, a hero among men, uses countless merits to deliver sentient beings.
Mahāmaudgalyāyana praised in verse:
Amazing! Aṅgulimāla has such great merits that
Although he has seen the Buddha-Bhagavān only briefly, he will deliver all in existence.
Aṅgulimāla asked in verse:
Mahāmaudgalyāyana, why is it that some sentient beings
Have not seen a Buddha-Bhagavān, but can know the true Dharma?
Mahāmaudgalyāyana answered in verse:
As the Buddha-Bhagavān says, there are three groups:
The group that definitely is on the wrong path; the group that definitely progresses on the right path to bodhi; the group that is indecisive about its path.
A Buddha cannot transform those in the first group.
Mahākāśyapa and his peers are in the second group.
Before the Tathāgata appeared in the world, they entered the true Dharma.
Aṅgulimāla again spoke in verse:
Do not say that Mahākāśyapa the Elder
Entered the true Dharma before the Tathāgata appeared in the world.
Why not? Because a Tathāgata forever abides in the world.
If someone relies on the true Dharma, a Buddha constantly abides in his house.
As an analogy, a river flows when there is rain; it does not flow when there is no rain.
The wise should use skillful means to observe well.
There is nothing right about a river flowing when there is no rain.
Know that because of rainfall, a river flows endlessly.
Mahāmaudgalyāyana, all excellent worldly and supra-worldly dharmas
Flow out of a Buddha.
Therefore, Mahākāśyapa relied on the Buddha to renounce family life.
Mahāmaudgalyāyana asked in verse:
If Tathāgatas forever abide in the world,
Why do I and others not see Them?
Aṅgulimāla answered in verse:
Let Mahākāśyapa know that it is like [the river and] the rains.
Therefore, when no Buddha is in the world, sentient beings cannot deliver themselves.
Only when they see Tathāgatas can they achieve liberation.
As an analogy, someone enters a dark room
And cannot see sunlight or moonlight.
Therefore, Mahāmaudgalyāyana, do not say that no Buddha is in the world,
Because all Tathāgatas forever abide in the world
To deliver those who renounce family life and accept the complete monastic precepts.
Therefore, there are only two groups, one on the wrong path and the other on the right path.
There is no group that is indecisive about its path.
Mahāmaudgalyāyana asked in verse:
There are the five precepts in the world,
Whether or not a Buddha appears in the world.
Aṅgulimāla answered in verse:
Know that all precepts and right deportments,
Whether worldly or supra-worldly, are pronounced by a Buddha.
Mahāmaudgalyāyana asked in verse:
Why are disease classified into three kinds?
Some are cured by a treatment, some are cured without a treatment,
And some are not cured by any treatment.
Therefore, there are three kinds of disease.
Aṅgulimāla answered in verse:
Not so! Do not say that there are three kinds [of disease]
Because there are only two kinds, curable and incurable.
Some voice-hearers classify disease into three kinds,
And the Buddha says that the Voice-Hearer Vehicle is the Mosquito Vehicle.
Because of their ignorance, they classify disease into three kinds.
Those definitely on the wrong path are icchantikas.
Those definitely on the right path are Tathāgatas, holy Bodhisattvas, and riders of the Two Vehicles.
Mahāmaudgalyāyana, know that the two extraordinary kinds
Are Buddha-Bhagavāns and icchantikas.
While a Tathāgata is the highest, and no one is above Him,
An icchantika the vilest.
While a great Bodhisattva fully practices the ten pāramitās,
An icchantika fully does the ten evil karmas.
While a Bodhisattva gives away as alms his body, head, eyes, blood, brain, marrow,
And his countless bones piled higher than Mount Sumeru,
An icchantika gives away his evil karmas as alms
And is reborn as a hungry ghost with burning greed and desire.
Thought after thought, his greed and desire are responded to by many women.
He sires many children but derives no happiness [from them] in the long night.
Driven by hunger and thirst, he eats his own children.
A hungry ghost may manifest as a Brahmin.
Because of the evil karmas in his past lives, he asks people for their children to eat.
With unbridled desire, he even eats his own body.
Thus an icchantika finds gratification by doing evil karmas.
Therefore, while a Buddha-Bhagavān is the highest and extraordinary,
An icchantika is the lowest and extraordinary.
Those definitely on the wrong path are icchantikas;
Those definitely on the right path are Tathāgatas, Bodhisattvas abiding on Bodhisattva grounds, Pratyekabuddhas, and voice-hearers.
The World-Honored One said to Aṅgulimāla in verse:
Aṅgulimāla, renounce family life
And take the Three Refuges [the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Saṅgha].
Aṅgulimāla responded in verse:
The Mahāyāna is the vehicle that brings the hindrance-free wisdom-knowledge,
And this One Vehicle brings the one refuge.
The Buddha is the refuge in the highest truth.
The Dharma means a Tathāgata’s wondrous dharma body.
The Saṅgha means a Tathāgata because He is the Saṅgha.
While the Dharma and the Saṅgha are the two refuges of convenience,
The Tathāgata is not a refuge of convenience, but the refuge in the highest truth.
Therefore, today I take refuge in the Tathāgata
Because He is the true refuge among refuges.
If someone wants to eat hiṅgu,[13] he should take the right plant.
If he discards the right one to eat the wrong one, he can benefit neither himself nor others.
A thousand physicians cannot save such a fool.
Therefore, if people abandon the one refuge to take refuges of convenience,
A thousand Buddhas cannot save such fools.
The World-Honored One told Aṅgulimāla, “You should accept and observe the pure precepts for an innocent youth.[14]”
Aṅgulimāla asked in verse:
What is meant by an innocent youth?
What is meant by the complete monastic precepts?
What is a true śramaṇa?
What are the fortune fields?[15]
As the World-Honored One abided in silence, Aṅgulimāla again spoke in verse:
If someone does not know that the one refuge is the refuge in the highest truth,
And does not know that the two refuges are established for convenience,
He is an innocent youth.
If someone has not received the complete monastic precepts, how can he be a śramaṇa?
If someone does not know the one refuge, how can he take it as the pure refuge?
If someone does not know that the Tathāgata is the refuge in the highest truth
And does not take [refuge in Him as] a pure refuge, how can he be a śramaṇa?
If someone does not know the true refuge, how can it be his fortune field?
Therefore, if someone does not know the difference between the true refuge and two refuges of convenience,
He is an innocent youth.
Then the World-Honored One told Aṅgulimāla, “You now should accept and observe the precept against killing.”
Aṅgulimāla responded in verse:
I definitely can neither accept nor observe the precept against killing.
I will always accept and observe the precept for ending sentient beings’ lives.
The so-called sentient beings mean countless afflictions.
Ending them is called observing the precept for killing.
The world-Honored One told him, “You now should accept and observe the precept against false speech.”
Aṅgulimāla responded in verse:
I definitely can neither accept nor observe the precept against false speech.
I will always accept and uphold false words about dharmas.
Accepting and upholding false words are [accepting and upholding] the Buddha Dharma.
What is false is that all dharmas are empty.
What is false is that voice-hearers, Pratyekabuddhas,
And Bodhisattvas take action to follow worldly ways.
What is false is that I appear in the world,
Accept and observe the complete monastic precepts, and become an Arhat;
That I accept food and drink to establish someone’s almsgiving;
That I walk to and fro in meditation as my afflictions flow through the nine life-paths;[16]
That I accept and use shoes, a willow tooth pick, and medicine;
That I get hungry or thirsty, sleep, cut my nails, and shave off my hair and beard;
That I take medicine to cure various diseases in my body;
That I will enter parinirvāṇa, like the extinction of a fire when its firewood is burnt away.
Words such as these are false words.
However, when I use skillful means to roam the world,
I never purify such false speech.
Now I reveal the real truth, and Mahāmaudgalyāyana, you should listen well.
The real truth is the Tathāgata store.
The eternal body in the highest truth is a Buddha’s inconceivable body.
What never changes in the highest truth is His eternal body.
The quiet body in the highest truth is the truly wondrous dharma body.
How does such an inconceivable body appear?
Buddhas teach that false dharmas arise [as skillful means].
He who is free from all falsity is called a Buddha.
As an analogy, when a calf dies, to delight its mother, the cow herder
Takes its hide to cover other calves.
Likewise a Tathāgata follows worldly ways.
Like that cow herder, He manifests as a deaf man
In order to teach the deaf the Dharma.
Then sentient beings will think that a Tathāgata shares their world.
Like that cow herder, He manifests countless images
And uses various skillful means to guide sentient beings.
As that cow herder uses skillful means
To coax the cow to produce milk for other calves
It is the same with a Tathāgata.
If He revealed His self-nature body, who in the world could see it?
Therefore, he uses skillful means to manifest Himself to suit worldly perceptions,
In order to enable all to achieve liberation.
This is the way of Buddhas.
Therefore, from now on, I will always do false things
And kill sentient beings as a false display.
I do not accept the precept against falsity, so that my observance of the precepts will be pure.
The World-Honored One told Aṅgulimāla, “You now should accept the precept against drinking alcohol.”
Aṅgulimāla responded in verse:
I definitely can neither accept nor observe the precept against drinking alcohol.
I will always accept the precept for drinking alcohol and indulge [in drinking] in the long night.
I will shout throughout the five life-paths that
Extreme joy is called the alcohol produced by the Mahāyāna.
It is the alcohol of the unsurpassed Buddha store.
I now drink this alcohol to my fill and persuade sentient beings to do the same
And to joyfully praise, ‘Very good! It forever abides and never changes.’
Eight times they should announce it aloud as their intoxication is endless.
The World-Honored told Aṅgulimāla, “You now should accept the pure precept against having sex.”
Aṅgulimāla answered in verse:
I definitely can neither accept nor observe the precept against having sex.
I will always accept and follow my lust for what others love,
And constantly visit the house of prostitutes to frolic with them.
I will take samādhi as my wife, the truth as my son,
The loving-kind and compassionate mind as my daughter, the emptiness of dharmas as my house,
And countless pāramitās as my high and wide bed.
Guarding afflictions, I will take veiled teachings as my food,
Total retention [of teachings] as my garden, the Seven Bodhi Factors as flowers,
Dharma words as trees, and the wisdom-knowledge of liberation as fruits.
These are called the foremost entertainment in the world.
The true nature of the wise is not the state of the foolish.
The World-Honored One told Aṅgulimāla, “You now should accept the precept against taking things not given.”
Aṅgulimāla responded in verse:
I definitely can neither accept nor observe the precept against taking things not given.
I will always take things not given and steal others’ things.
What can never be given is bodhi because there exists no giver.
Therefore, I will take bodhi, which no one can give me.
When a Buddha sits under the bodhi tree, He neither gains nor loses [bodhi]
[Because] it is one’s true nature, supreme and unsurpassed.
The Buddha told Aṅgulimāla, “You now should accept the precept against singing and dancing.”
Aṅgulimāla responded in verse:
I will always enjoy the pleasure of dancing, and of singing a gandharva’s songs
To proclaim the Tathāgata store and praise, ‘Very good!’
I will hear from Buddhas that a Tathāgata forever abides.
I will constantly use wonderful tones to recite Mahāyāna sūtras,
Like the music played by kiṁnaras and gandharvas.
I will use countless wonderful tones as an offering to sūtras.
If sentient beings constantly make such offerings,
Buddhas will bestow upon them the prophecy that they will become Buddhas with the same name.
—Sūtra of Aṅgulimālika, fascicle 2
Translated from the digital Chinese Canon (T02n0120)
Notes
1. Jambūnada gold is gold from the river that flows through the jambū (rose apple) grove. It is renowned for its supreme quality and red-golden color with a purple tinge.
2. The Sanskrit word aśoka means carefree. The aśoka is an evergreen tree, important in the cultural traditions of the Indian subcontinent and adjacent areas. It is prized for its beautiful foliage and fragrant bright red flowers in heavy, lush bunches (Wikipedia.com).
3. A vast self means the true self, which never eats food, falls ill, or dies.
4. “Sūtras in the nine categories” are the glossary’s “sūtras in the twelve categories,” excluding categories (6) nidāna, causes of the discourses; (7) avadāna, parables; (12) upadeśa, pointing-out instructions.
5. See “a self, a person, a sentient being, and an ever-lasting soul” in the glossary’s “four appearances.”
6. See “ten Bodhisattva grounds” in the glossary’s “stages of the Bodhisattva Way.” Details of the ten Bodhisattva grounds are in chapter 26 of text 279 (T10n0279), the 80-fascicle Chinese version of the Mahāvaipulya Sūtra of Buddha Adornment (Buddhāvataṁsaka-mahāvaipulya-sūtra). An English translation of this chapter appears in The Bodhisattva Way (Rulu 2013, 111–244).
7. See Sundara-Nanda’s biography under the name Nanda in the glossary’s “voice-hearer.”
8. See “dharma body” defined in the glossary’s “three bodies of a Buddha.”
9. See Vinaya in the glossary’s Tripiṭaka.
10. A monk’s six things are (1) a ceremonial robe, (2) an upper robe, (3) a lower robe, (4) an iron Bowl, (5) a seating and sleeping mat, and (6) a pouch for filtering out insects in water.
11. Nirgrantha means free from worldly ties. See Nirgranthaputra in the glossary.
12. A huge elephant is called a dragon elephant, as a title of respect.
13. Hiṅgu (興渠) is a pungent vegetable, which may be a variety of foetida with edible stinking leaves.
14. Here, an innocent youth means a śrāmaṇera, a novice Buddhist monk, usually seven to twenty years old.
15. See “three fortune fields” in the glossary.
16. Sentient beings in the Three Realms of Existence delight in taking any of the nine life-paths: (1) the human world or any of the six desire heavens, (2) Brahma Multitude (Brahma-pāriṣadya) Heaven in the first dhyāna, (3) Pure Radiance (ābhāsvara) Heaven in the second dhyāna, (4) Pervasive Splendor (śubhakṛtsna) Heaven in the third dhyāna, (5) No Perception (Asaṁjña) Heaven in the fourth dhyāna, (6) Boundless Space Heaven, (7) Boundless Consciousness Heaven, (8) Nothingness Heaven, and (9) Neither With Nor Without Perception Heaven. The first life-path is in the desire realm, life-paths 2–5 are four of the eighteen heavens in the form realm, and life-paths 6–9 are the four heavens in the formless realm. Also see the glossary’s “samādhi” and “eighteen heavens in the form realm.”
fascicle 1 fascicle 2 fascicle 3 fascicle 4
央掘魔羅經
SŪTRA OF AṄGULIMĀLIKA
Translated From Sanskrit Into Chinese In The Liu Song Dynasty
By The Tripiṭaka Master Guṇabhadra From India
Fascicle 3 (of 4)
Then the Buddha asked Aṅgulimāla, “What is meant by the one learning [śikṣā]?”
Aṅgulimāla answered in verse:
According to the Voice-Hearer Vehicle, not the Mahāyāna,
All sentient beings’ lives are sustained by food and drink.
According to the Mahāyāna, their lives are apart from food and drink, and are always firm.
What is meant by one?
It means that the Tathāgata store [tathāgata-garbha] of all sentient beings constantly abides.
What is meant by two?
According to the Voice-Hearer Vehicle, not the Mahāyāna,
It means one’s name and form [mind and body].[1]
Riders of the Voice-Hearer Vehicle and the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle
Claim that name and form are different.
They believe that only one’s name achieves liberation, and do not say that it has a wonderful form.
All Tathāgatas’ liberation has wondrous form,
Observable like an āmra [mango] in one’s palm.
What is meant by three?
According to the Voice-Hearer Vehicle, not the Mahāyāna,
It means the three kinds of sensory reception [pleasure, pain, and neither].
According to the Mahāyāna, the three kinds of reception mean that
A Tathāgata is foremost in permanence, and is never born,
And that if the Dharma and the Saṅgha are destroyed, they will be born again.
What is meant by four?
According to the Voice-Hearer Vehicle, not the Mahāyāna,
It means the Four Noble Truths [suffering, accumulation of afflictions, cessation of suffering, and the path].
According to the Mahāyāna,
It means that all Tathāgatas are foremost in absolute permanence.
This, not suffering, is a truth in the Mahāyāna.
It means that all Tathāgatas are foremost in absolute perpetuity.
This, not accumulation of afflictions, is a truth in the Mahāyāna.
It means that all Tathāgatas are foremost in changelessness.
This, not cessation of suffering, is a truth in the Mahāyāna.
It means that all Tathāgatas are foremost in absolute quietness.
This, not the path, is a truth in the Mahāyāna.
These are the four truths in the Mahāyāna, which do not include suffering.
If suffering is a truth, then those on the four evil life-paths—hell-dwellers, hungry ghosts, animals, and asuras—should uphold this truth.
What is meant by five?
According to the Voice-Hearer Vehicle, not the Mahāyāna,
It means one’s five faculties.
[According to the Mahāyāna] a Tathāgata’s eyes are permanent,
As they definitely see with perfect discernment and are never impaired;
A Tathāgata’s ears are permanent,
As they definitely hear with perfect discernment and are never impaired;
A Tathāgata’s nose is permanent,
As it definitely smells with perfect discernment and is never impaired;
A Tathāgata’s tongue is permanent,
As it definitely tastes with perfect discernment and is never impaired;
A Tathāgata’s body is permanent,
As it definitely touches with perfect discernment and is never impaired.
What is meant by six?
According to the Voice-Hearer Vehicle, not the Mahāyāna,
It means one’s six entrances.
[According to the Mahāyāna] a Tathāgata’s eye entrance is permanent,
As His visual sense is perfect and never impaired;
A Tathāgata’s ear entrance is permanent,
As His auditory sense is perfect and never impaired;
A Tathāgata’s nose entrance is permanent,
As His olfactory sense is perfect and never impaired;
A Tathāgata’s tongue entrance is permanent,
As His gustatory sense is perfect and never impaired;
A Tathāgata’s body entrance is permanent,
As his tactile sense is perfect and never impaired;
A Tathāgata’s mind entrance reveals one’s Tathāgata store,
And those with pure faith and without rejecting it can enter it.
What is meant by seven?
According to the Voice-Hearer Vehicle, not the Mahāyāna,
It means the Seven Bodhi Factors.
These seven factors in the Mahāyāna are like udumbara flowers.[2]
As a Tathāgata forever abides, the seven bodhi flowers bloom.
What is meant by eight?
According to the Voice-Hearer Vehicle, not the Mahāyāna,
It means the Eightfold Right Path.
This path of the Mahāyāna leads to the teaching that a Tathāgata forever abides.
Through the power of hearing [this teaching], one will eventually arrive at the city of nirvāṇa.
A Tathāgata is forever, eternal, supreme, changeless, pure, and extremely quiet.
The dharma body [dharmakāya][3] revealed in one’s true enlightenment
Is the profound Tathāgata store, which never grows old.
Thus the Mahāyāna fully encompasses the Eightfold Right Path.
What is meant by nine?
According to the Voice-Hearer Vehicle, not the Mahāyāna,
It means sūtras in the nine categories.[4]
The Mahāyāna is the One Vehicle that leads to a Tathāgata’s hindrance-free wisdom-knowledge [jñāna].
What is meant by ten?
According to the Voice-Hearer Vehicle, not the Mahāyāna,
It means the Ten Powers.
The Mahāyāna brings countless powers because a Buddha is inconceivable.
He uses skillful means to give veiled teachings in countless sūtras.
What is meant by the one path,
One vehicle, one refuge, one truth,
One reliance, one realm, one birth, and one form?
[They all] mean a Tathāgata.
Therefore, the One Vehicle [Buddha Vehicle] is the only definitive vehicle.
All others are for convenience.
Then the World-Honored One praised, “Very good, very good, Aṅgulimāla! Come, bhikṣu.[5]” And Aṅgulimāla immediately became a śramaṇa, his deportment as perfect as that of a longtime bhikṣu.
Aṅgulimāla bowed down at the Buddha’s feet and said, “World-Honored One, following Your voice, I have immediately become an Arhat.”
The Buddha told him, “You should come to Jetavana Park to widely deliver sentient beings.”
Then, like a full moon surrounded by stars, the World-Honored One was attended by Aṅgulimāla, Śāriputra, Mañjuśrī, and all others in the multitude. Like a goose-king, He ascended from under the aśoka tree into the open sky, to a height of seven tāla [palm] trees, and went to the city of Śrāvastī, forty cows’ bellows away. Aṅgulimāla, together with gods, dragons, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṁnaras, and mahoragas, made huge offerings in Jetavana Park. Like a goose-king, the World-Honored One entered Jetavana Park, which had been donated by Anāthapiṇḍika the Elder, and ascended onto a lion throne. Then the ground of this Three-Thousand Large Thousandfold World became as level as a palm and carpeted with soft grass, as if it were [Amitābha Buddha’s] Land of Peace and Bliss.
At that time all great Bodhisattvas [in worlds] in various directions wished to see Aṅgulimāla. Their Buddhas told them, “You all should go. Śākyamuni Buddha is fighting a Dharma battle, subjugating a great lion and delivering an innumerable multitude. He is staying in Jetavana Park and will expound the unsurpassed Dharma to the multitude. You Buddha-sons should go to listen to and accept the Dharma, and to look upon Aṅgulimāla with respect.”
These Bodhisattvas, who came from various directions, showered down lotus flowers as large as carriage wheels. When sentient beings smelled the fragrance of these lotus flowers, they all left their afflictions behind.
Then gods, dragon, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, kiṁnaras, mahoragas, and goddess-daughters made celestial offerings and showered down various treasures. With one mind and one voice, they spoke in verse:
I now bow down to the one with the thirty-two physical marks of a great man.
His countless merits are like a pure lotus flower in bloom.
The white hair between His eyebrows is brighter and purer than moonlight.
I now bow down to the muni [saint] with a sublime form.
His great lovingkindness and comforting virtues are like a pure lotus flower in bloom.
The white hair between His eyebrows is brighter and purer than moonlight.
I now bow down to the one with the foremost ever-abiding body.
The supreme muni is the unsurpassed one revered by gods and humans.
His comforting of sentient beings is like the blooming of a pure lotus.
The white hair between His eyebrows is brighter and purer than moonlight.
I now bow down to the one with the foremost eternal merits.
The supreme muni is the unsurpassed one revered by gods and humans.
His comforting of sentient beings is like the blooming of a pure lotus.
The white hair between His eyebrows is brighter and purer than moonlight.
I now bow down to the one with changeless merits that never dwindle.
The supreme muni is the unsurpassed one revered by gods and humans.
His comforting of sentient beings is like the blooming of a pure lotus.
The white hair between His eyebrows is brighter and purer than moonlight.
I now bow down to the one with quiet and extraordinary merits.
The supreme muni is the unsurpassed one revered by gods and humans.
His comforting of sentient beings is like the blooming of a pure lotus.
The white hair between His eyebrows is brighter and purer than moonlight.
Namo [Homage to] Aṅgulimāla, who endures adversity and trains to observe the pure precepts and acquire countless merits.
So I bow down to him.
Namo Aṅgulimāla, who upholds the path of the One Vehicle and the Mahāyāna’s virtue of lovingkindness.
So I bow down to him.
Namo Aṅgulimāla, who uses [the power of] his body and voice, and their immeasurable secrets.
So I vow down to him.
Namo Aṅgulimāla, who uses the immeasurable wisdom light to give countless veiled teachings.
So I bow down to him.
Namo Aṅgulimāla, who uses countless illusions to subjugate countless māras.
So I bow down to him.
Namo Aṅgulimāla, who abides in the immeasurable nirvāṇa to follow innumerable sentient beings in the world.
So I bow down to him.
Then Aṅgulimāla asked the Buddha, “World-Honored One, You say, ‘I abide in the state of no birth.’ What is meant by that? Why does the World-Honored One, who abides in the state of no birth and on the ground of liberation, also abide here? Who can believe this? I pray that You will explain.”
The Buddha answered Aṅgulimāla, “You and Mañjuśrī together should go north, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of one Ganges River, to the world called Immeasurable Bliss. Teaching there is a Buddha called Accumulation Ground of Immeasurable Wisdom and Merit Sovereign King, the Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyak-Saṁbuddha. You two should go there to ask that Buddha, ‘Why does Śākyamuni Buddha, who abides in the state of no birth, also abide in this world called Sahā?’”
Mañjuśrī and Aṅgulimāla responded, “We gladly accept your instruction.”
Using their transcendental powers, like goose-kings, they went north to the world called Immeasurable Bliss and arrived at the place of Accumulation Ground of Immeasurable Wisdom and Merit Sovereign King Tathāgata. They bowed down at His feet and said, “World-Honored One, we two came from the Sahā world because we are sent by Śākyamuni Buddha to ask you, ‘Why does Śākyamuni Tathāgata, who abides in the state of no birth and on the ground of liberation, not enter parinirvāṇa but abides in the Sahā world?’ That Buddha told them, “Good men, I am one of the bodies of Śākyamuni Tathāgata. You should go back and tell your Buddha, ‘Immeasurable Wisdom Buddha sent us back and said that You would explain to us.’”
Then, like goose-kings, they came back from that world and bowed down at the Buddha’s feet. With joined palms they asked, “Amazing, World-Honored One! The Tathāgata is immeasurable, with an immeasurable body and immeasurable virtues. We two just saw Your amazing virtues because Immeasurable Wisdom Sovereign King Tathāgata said, ‘I am that Buddha, who will explain to you.’ We pray that the World-Honored One will compassionately explain why He, who abides in the state of no birth, also abides here.”
The Buddha told Mañjuśrī and all others, “Why do I, who abide as Accumulation Ground of Immeasurable Wisdom and Merit Sovereign King Buddha in the world called Immeasurable Bliss, also abide here? Do not ask why I, who abide in the state of no birth, also abide here. A Tathāgata’s body is boundless, and what He does is also boundless. A Tathāgata is indescribable, and what He does is also indescribable. A Tathāgata is immeasurable, and what He does is also immeasurable. Aṅgulimāla, you ask the Tathāgata why He displays the birth of a body that has no birth. The Tathāgata will now explain to you.”
Aṅgulimāla said to the Buddha, “Very good! World-Honored One, I pray that you will explain, to pity all sentient beings and bring them peace and joy.”
The Buddha told Aṅgulimāla, “For countless hundreds of thousands of koṭis of kalpas, I fully practiced the ten pāramitās to draw in innumerable sentient beings, and enabled those who had not activated the bodhi mind to activate it. Because I fully practiced countless pāramitās and planted roots of goodness for countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I display the birth of a body that has no birth.”
Aṅgulimāla asked the Buddha, “World-Honored One, why does the Tathāgata display the birth of His body, as He abides in the true reality [of dharmas]?”
The Buddha told Aṅgulimāla, “You and Mañjuśrī together should go north, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of two Ganges Rivers, to the world called Unreal Lightning Garland. Teaching there is a Buddha called Vairocana, the Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyak-Saṁbuddha. You two should go there to ask Him, ‘Why does Śākyamuni Tathāgata, who abides in the true reality [of dharmas], also abide in the Sahā world?’”
They acted upon His instruction and, like goose-kings, soared away to the world called Unreal Lightning Garland and arrived at the place of Vairocana Buddha. They bowed down at His feet and asked that question. However, that Buddha, as did Immeasurable Wisdom Buddha, sent them back to Śākyamuni Buddha.
Mañjuśrī and Aṅgulimāla said to the Buddha, “World-Honored One, we pray that you will tell us how the Tathāgata came to abide in the true reality [of dharmas].”
The Buddha told Mañjuśrī and all others, “For countless hundreds of thousands of koṭis of kalpas, I fully practiced the ten pāramitās to draw in innumerable sentient beings, and established them in the joy they never before had. Because I practiced asaṁkhyeyas of pāramitās for countless hundreds of thousands of koṭis of kalpas, I have realized this true-reality body.”
Aṅgulimāla asked the Buddha, “World-Honored One, how did the Tathāgata come to abide in the asaṁskṛta [free from conditions] state?”
The Buddha answered, “You and Mañjuśrī together should go north, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of three Ganges Rivers, to the world called Taking by Intention. Teaching there is a Buddha called Immeasurable Intention, the Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyak-Saṁbuddha. You two should go there to ask Him, ‘How did Śākyamuni Tathāgata come to abide in the asaṁskṛta state?’ They went there and asked that Buddha, but He sent them back to Śākyamuni Buddha.
[Then the Buddha told them to] go north, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of four Ganges Rivers, to the world called Adorned with Colors, whose Buddha was called Supreme Subjugation; go north, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of five Ganges Rivers, to the world called Deep Dust, whose Buddha was called Deep Superior; go north, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of six Ganges Rivers, to the world called Wind, whose Buddha was called Like Wind; go north, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of seven Ganges Rivers, to the world called Vajra Mind, whose Buddha was called Vajra Superior; go north, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of eight Ganges Rivers, to the world called Taint-Free Light, whose Buddha was called Taint-Free Superior; go north, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of nine Ganges Rivers, to the world called Moon Master, whose Buddha was called Moon Superior; go north, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of ten Ganges Rivers, to the world called Sunrise, whose Buddha was called Sunrise. However, each of those Buddhas sent them back to Śākyamuni Buddha.
[Then the Buddha told them to] go east, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of one Ganges River, to the world called Good Flavor, whose Buddha was called Good Flavor Superior; go east, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of two Ganges Rivers, to the world called Bandhujīva, whose Buddha was called Bandhujīva Light; go east, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of three Ganges Rivers, to the world called Fragrance-Suffused Garland, whose Buddha was called Fragrant Garland; go east, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of four Ganges Rivers, to the world called Tamālapatra [Cinnamon Tree], whose Buddha was called Tamālapatra Cool Fragrance; go east, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of five Ganges Rivers, to the world called Moon Master, whose Buddha was called Moon Store; go east, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of six Ganges Rivers, to the world called Agalloch Fragrance, where it Buddha was called Agalloch Fragrance Superior; go east, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of seven Ganges Rivers, to the world called Suffused with Powdered Incense, whose Buddha was called Powdered Incense; go east, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of eight Ganges Rivers, to the world called Radiance Illuminating, whose Buddha was called Radiance; go east, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of nine Ganges Rivers, to the world called Ocean Master, whose Buddha was called Ocean Virtues; go east, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of ten Ganges Rivers, to the world called Dragon Master, whose Buddha was called Dragon Store. However, each of those Buddhas sent them back to Śākyamuni Buddha.
[Then the Buddha told them to] go south, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of one Ganges River, to the world called Vermilion, whose Buddha was called Vermilion Light; go south, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of two Ganges Rivers, to the world called Great Cloud, whose Buddha was called Great Cloud Store; go south, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of three Ganges Rivers, to the world called Lightning Garland, whose Buddha was called Lightning Gained; go south, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of four Ganges Rivers, to the world called Vajra Wisdom, whose Buddha was called Vajra Store; go south, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of five Ganges Rivers, to the world called Turning Wheel, whose Buddha was called Holder of a Turning Wheel; go south, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of six Ganges Rivers, to the world called Treasure Ground, whose Buddha was called Holder of the Treasure Ground; go south, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of seven Ganges Rivers, to the world called Sky Wisdom, whose Buddha was called Equal to the Open Sky; go south, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of eight Ganges Rivers, to the world called Subjugation, whose Buddha was called Subjugation Superior; go south, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of nine Ganges Rivers, to the world called Superb Garland, whose Buddha was called Superb Store; go south, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of ten Ganges Rivers, to the world called Lion Wisdom, whose Buddha was called Lion Store. However, each of those Buddhas sent them back to Śākyamuni Buddha.
[Then the Buddha told them to] go west, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of one Ganges River, to the world called Tranquility, whose Buddha was called Tranquility Flavor; go west, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of two Ganges Rivers, to the world called Eternal Garland, whose Buddha was called Eternal Virtue; go west, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of three Ganges Rivers, to the world called Universally Worthy, whose Buddha was called Universally Worthy Wisdom; go west, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of four Ganges Rivers, to the world called Splendid Garland, whose Buddha was called Splendid Garland Superior; go west, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of five Ganges Rivers, to the world called Boundless, whose Buddha was called Boundless Splendid Garland; go west, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of six Ganges Rivers, to the world called Worthy Master, whose Buddha was called Worthy Store; go west, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of seven Ganges Rivers, to the world called Eye, whose Buddha was called Eye King; go west, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of eight Ganges Rivers, to the world called Banner Master, whose Buddha was called Banner Store; go west, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of nine Ganges Rivers, to the world called Drumbeat, whose Buddha was called Drumbeat Mastery; go west, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of ten Ganges Rivers, to the world called Joyful Vision, whose Buddha was called Joyful Vision Superior. However, each of those Buddhas sent them back to Śākyamuni Buddha.
[Then the Buddha told them to] go northwest, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of one Ganges River, to the world called Delight, whose Buddha was called Delightful Progress; go northwest, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of two Ganges Rivers, to the world called Adornment, whose Buddha was called Adornment Store; go northwest, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of three Ganges Rivers, to the world called Cause of Wisdom, whose Buddha was called Cause of Wisdom Store; go northwest, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of four Ganges Rivers, to the world called Enjoying Aspiration Delight, whose Buddha was called Enjoying Aspiration Delight Superior; go northwest, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of five Ganges Rivers, to the world called Gathering of Sentient Beings, whose Buddha was called Above Sentient Beings; go northwest, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of six Ganges Rivers, to the world called Intelligence, whose Buddha was called Intelligence Superior; go northwest, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of seven Ganges Rivers, to the world called Aspiration Delight, whose Buddha was called Aspiration Delight Sound; go northwest, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of eight Ganges Rivers, to the world called Immeasurable, whose Buddha was called Immeasurable Life; go northwest, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of nine Ganges Rivers, to the world called Abiding, whose Buddha was called Abiding Superior; go northwest, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of ten Ganges Rivers, to the world called Water, whose Buddha was called Water Flavor Superior. However, each of those Buddhas sent them back to Śākyamuni Buddha.
[Then the Buddha told them to] go northeast, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of one Ganges River, to the world called Treasure Master, whose Buddha was called Treasure Banner; go northeast, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of two Ganges Rivers, to the world called Maṇidhara, whose Buddha was called Maṇi [Jewel] Cool Store; go northeast, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of three Ganges Rivers, to the world called Precious Wisdom, whose Buddha was called Precious Wisdom Superior; go northeast, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of four Ganges Rivers, to the world called Golden Color, whose Buddha was called Sound of Golden Light; go northeast, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of five Ganges Rivers, to the world called Web, whose Buddha was called Web of Light; go northeast, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of six Ganges Rivers, to the world called Gold Master, whose Buddha was called Jambūnada Gold[6] Superior; go northeast, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of seven Ganges Rivers, to the world called Web, whose Buddha was called Web of Light;[7] go northeast, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of eight Ganges Rivers, to the world called Pure Water, whose Buddha was called Water King; go northeast, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of nine Ganges Rivers, to the world called Jade Continent, whose Buddha was called Jade Store; go northeast, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of ten Ganges Rivers, to the world called Treasure Continent, whose Buddha was called Treasure Ground. However, each of those Buddhas sent them back to Śākyamuni Buddha.
[Then the Buddha told them to] go southeast, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of one Ganges River, to the world called Vajra Accumulation, whose Buddha was called Vajra Wisdom; go southeast, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of two Ganges Rivers, to the world called Total Awareness, whose Buddha was called Total Awareness Banner; go southeast, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of three Ganges Rivers, to the world called Siddhānta [Doctrine] Master, whose Buddha was called Excellent Meaning of Siddhānta; go southeast, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of four Ganges Rivers, to the world called Taint-Free, whose Buddha was called Taint-Free Aquamarine [Vaiḍūrya]; go southeast, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of five Ganges Rivers, to the world called Pūrṇa [Abundant] Flavor, whose Buddha was called Pūrṇa Accumulation; go southeast, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of six Ganges Rivers, to the world called Fragrance, whose Buddha was called Adorned with Fragrance; go southeast, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of seven Ganges Rivers, to the world called Fragrance Master, whose Buddha was called Fragrance Store; go southeast, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of eight Ganges Rivers, to the world called Straight Action, whose Buddha was called Straight Victory; go southeast, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of nine Ganges Rivers, to the world called Priceless, whose Buddha was called Priceless Superior; go southeast, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of ten Ganges Rivers, to the world called Boundless Encompassment, whose Buddha was called Boundless King. However, each of those Buddhas sent them back to Śākyamuni Buddha.
[Then the Buddha told them to] go southwest, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of one Ganges River, to the world called Immeasurable Light, whose Buddha was called Immeasurable Life; go southwest, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of two Ganges Rivers, to the world called Immeasurable Eye, whose Buddha was called Immeasurable Sovereignty; go southwest, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of three Ganges Rivers, to the world called Flaming, whose Buddha was called Flaming Light; go southwest, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of four Ganges Rivers, to the world called Dispelling Darkness, whose Buddha was called Dispelling Darkness King; go southwest, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of five Ganges Rivers, to the world called Taming Master, whose Buddha was called Taming Store; go southwest, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of six Ganges Rivers, to the world called No Birth, whose Buddha was called Mastery of No Birth; go southwest, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of seven Ganges Rivers, to the world called Fragrance Master, whose Buddha was called Fragrant Elephant’s Frolic; go southwest, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of eight Ganges Rivers, to the world called Fragrance Chest, whose Buddha was called Fragrance Chest King; go southwest, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of nine Ganges Rivers, to the world called Delightful Praise, whose Buddha was called Dragon’s Delight; go southwest, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of ten Ganges Rivers, to the world called Superb Garland, whose Buddha was called Victorious Subjugation Superior. However, each of those Buddhas sent them back to Śākyamuni Buddha.
[Then the Buddha told them to] go upward, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of one Ganges River, to the world called Enduring Vision, whose Buddha was called All in the World Delight in Seeing High King Display Spiritual Power to Adorn the Majestic Ground of Great Vows and the Door of Accumulation of All Radiance; go upward, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of two Ganges Rivers, to the world called Puṇḍarīka [Large White Lotus Flower], whose Buddha was called Puṇḍarīka of the Wondrous Dharma; go upward, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of three Ganges Rivers, to the world called Smiling Water Flower, whose Buddha was called Smiling Flower King; go upward, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of four Ganges Rivers, to the world called Carefree, whose Buddha was called Freedom from All Cares; go upward, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of five Ganges Rivers, to the world called Utpala [Blue Lotus Flower], whose Buddha was called Superb Treasure Flower; go upward, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of six Ganges Rivers, to the world called Padma [Red Lotus Flower] Master, whose Buddha was called Padma Store; go upward, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of seven Ganges Rivers, to the world called Kumuda [White Lotus Flower], whose Buddha was called Kumuda Store; go upward, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of eight Ganges Rivers, to the world called Bamboo, whose Buddha was called Bamboo Fragrance; go upward, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of nine Ganges Rivers, to the world called Kuṅganī [Plant], whose Buddha was called Victorious King; go upward, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of ten Ganges Rivers, to the world called Merit River, whose Buddha was called Sovereign King of All Rivers in the World. However, each of those Buddhas sent them back to Śākyamuni Buddha.
[Then the Buddha told them to] go downward, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of one Ganges River, to the world called Gathering of Lions, whose Buddha was called Lion’s Frolic; go downward, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of two Ganges Rivers, to the world called Lion’s Den, whose Buddha was called Lion’s Roar; go downward, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of three Ganges Rivers, to the world called Enduring Action, whose Buddha was called Enduring Action Flower; go downward, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of four Ganges Rivers, to the world called Excellent, whose Buddha was called All Excellent Births; go downward, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of five Ganges Rivers, to the world called Hindrance-Free Accumulation, whose Buddha was called Mahāyāna Frolic King; go downward, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of six Ganges Rivers, to the world called Piṇḍa [Globe], whose Buddha was called Summit of Piṇḍa Mountain; go downward, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of seven Ganges Rivers, to the world called Hard-to-See Respect, whose Buddha was called Respected by All; go downward, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of eight Ganges Rivers, to the world called Possessing Wisdom, whose Buddha was called Possessing Wisdom King; go downward, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of nine Ganges Rivers, to the world called Ground Wisdom, whose Buddha was called Ground Wisdom King. After each of those nine Buddhas sent them back to Śākyamuni Buddha, the Buddha told them go downward, passing worlds as numerous as the sands of ten Ganges Rivers, to the world called Always Joyful King, whose Buddha was called Resolving All Doubts.
The Buddha told Aṅgulimāla, “You and Mañjuśrī together should go there to ask that Buddha, ‘Why does Śākyamuni Buddha, who abides in the majestic state, also abide in the Sahā world, and not enter parinirvāṇa?’ He will explain to you and resolve your doubts. Because He can resolve all doubts, He is called Resolving All Doubts Buddha.”
Mañjuśrī and Aṅgulimāla bowed down to the Buddha and said, “World-Honored One, very good, very good! We gladly accept your instruction.”
Like goose-kings, they soared away to the world called Always Joyful King, and bowed down at the feet of Resolving All Doubts Buddha. They sat aside and said to that Buddha, “We came from the place of Śākyamuni Buddha, in the Sahā world. We went to ten worlds in each of the ten directions and asked their Tathāgatas, ‘Why does Śākyamuni Buddha abide in the Sahā world and not enter parinirvāṇa, the state of liberation?’ They each answered, ‘I am one of the bodies of Śākyamuni Buddha. He will resolve your doubts.’ Then Śākyamuni Buddha told us, ‘Resolving All Doubts Tathāgata will explain to you’ and sent us to You. Therefore, we now ask You, ‘Why does Śākyamuni Buddha abide in the Sahā world and not enter parinirvāṇa?’”
That Buddha answered, “You should go back. Śākyamuni Buddha will resolve all your doubts. That is why innumerable Śākyamuni Tathāgatas sent you back.”
Together they responded, “Very good, very good! We gladly accept Your instruction.”
They bowed down at that Buddha’s feet and returned to Śākyamuni Buddha’s place. They bowed down to the Buddha and marveled, “Amazing, World-Honored One! Śākyamuni Buddha assumes countless asaṁkhyeyas of bodies. They each tell us, ‘You should go back, and Śākyamuni Buddha will resolve your doubts. I am that Buddha-Bhagavān’s body.’”
Then the World-Honored One asked Mañjuśrī, “Did those Tathāgatas each tell you, ‘I am that Tathāgata’s body’?”
Mañjuśrī answered, “Indeed, World-Honored One. All those Tathāgatas said so.”
Then the World-Honored One asked Mañjuśrī, “How are those Tathāgatas’ worlds?”
Mañjuśrī answered, “Those worlds have no grit, and their ground is level, like [the surface of] clear water. The ground is soft to the touch, like cotton. Like the Land of Peace and Bliss, those worlds do not have the five turbidities, nor are there women, voice-hearers, or Pratyekabuddhas. They have the One Vehicle only, no other vehicles.”
The Buddha told Mañjuśrī and all others, “If a good man or woman, whether following others or taking the initiative, says all those Buddhas’ names, whether he or she is reading, writing, listening [to something], or even frolicking or speaking, all things that terrify him or her will be eliminated. No god, dragon, yakṣa, gandharva, asura, garuḍa, kiṁnara, or mahoraga can disturb him or her. Whoever hears those names will shut the door to the four evil life-paths. Whoever has not activated the bodhi mind will acquire the cause of attaining bodhi, not to mention those who with a pure mind [think of those names], whether they are reading, reciting, writing, or listen [to something].
“Aṅgulimāla, a Tathāgata has extraordinary awesome powers to totally retain the teachings in all sūtras. Eighty koṭi Buddhas are but one Buddha, myself. As Buddha Lands are countless, so too are Tathāgatas. A Tathāgata’s body is immeasurable and boundless because He has acquired immeasurable merit. How is it possible that His body can be impermanent or have illnesses? A Tathāgata forever abides in His boundless body. I now broadly say that it has roots, and causes and conditions. All Buddhas have reasons to dislike being born in this world, because sentient beings here are incurable. However, to cure incurable sentient beings in this world, time and again I abandoned my bodies, so I have realized this body that has no birth and no action.[8]
“For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, to protect the Dharma I abandoned my bodies, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because each and every body was injured, battered, or broken, I have realized this indestructible asaṁskṛta body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, in many dwelling places, I purposely abandoned my bodies, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because each and every body energetically practiced asceticism for countless kalpas, I have realized this never-aging body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I was [repeatedly] born in times of epidemics to provide good medicine. Because each and every body abided for kalpas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, I have realized this no-illness body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because, to end the hunger of innumerable sentient beings, I gave them as alms the flavor of the Mahāyāna, I have realized this no-death body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, Because, to remove the filth of innumerable sentient beings’ afflictions, I did difficult things for them and indicated to them their Tathāgata store, I have realized this filth-free body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because, to end the hunger and thirst of innumerable hungry ghosts, I gave them the flavor of the One Vehicle to satiate them, I have realized this body that has no afflictions to discharge. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, Because, to love and think of all sentient beings equally, I regarded them as a father, mother, child, or sibling, I have realized this no-sin body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I established in the Mahāyāna innumerable sentient beings, such as gods and humans, who told lies, I have realized this permanent body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I established in the supra-worldly dharmas innumerable sentient beings, such as gods and humans, who did non-dharmas, I have realized this dharma body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I established in the right views innumerable sentient beings, such as gods and humans, who followed the wrong views, I have realized this quietest body.
“For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I established in fearlessness innumerable sentient beings, such as gods and humans, who were in fear, I have realized this stable body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I established in freedom from anxiety innumerable sentient beings, such as gods and humans, who were in anxiety, I have realized this anxiety-free body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I established in great moral conduct all gods and humans who indulged in sex, I have realized this taint-free body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I drew in innumerable evil sentient beings, purified them, and established them in the true Dharma [saddharma], I have realized this weakness-free dharma body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I gave material things and the Dharma as two stores to innumerable sentient beings, such as gods and humans, who were in poverty, and set them on the bodhi [path], I have realized this disaster-free dharma body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I established in freedom from desire innumerable sentient beings, such as gods and humans, who followed their love and desire, I have realized this immeasurable vexation-free dharma body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I removed all afflictions, like removing venomous snakes, of innumerable sentient beings such as gods and humans, I have realized this trouble-free dharma body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I formed a Dharma family, stronger than all worldly families, with innumerable sentient beings such as gods and humans, I have realized this no-action wondrous body revealed in dharma illumination. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I gave apt teachings on the pure Tathāgata store to innumerable sentient beings such as gods and humans, I have realized this beyond-existence body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I established innumerable sentient beings such as gods and humans, and enabled them to abide in a Tathāgata’s extraordinary secret, I have realized this extraordinary body.
“For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because a Buddha brings to accomplishment innumerable sentient beings such as gods and humans, I have realized this immeasurable, boundless, supreme body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because, to deliver innumerable sentient beings, I displayed everywhere my births with various names, I have realized this exalted body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I enabled innumerable sentient beings to transcend all existence and be set on the bodhi [path], I have realized this unsurpassed body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I followed the world and manifested [bodies with] missing limbs to set innumerable sentient beings on the bodhi [path], I have realized this unexcelled dharma body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I never withheld [teachings on] the eternal Tathāgata store but explained it with comforting words to all sentient beings, I have realized this eternal body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I observed the pure precepts and never entertained lust when I saw celestial, māra, or human women, I have realized this non-fragile body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I never entertained lust when I saw honored women in the world, I have realized this never-collapsing body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I cured the diseases of innumerable sentient beings such as gods and humans, I have realized this unparalleled body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I established in the profound Dharma innumerable sentient beings, including animals, I have realized this profound body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because, to reveal their Buddha nature [buddha-dhātu or or buddha-gotra], I explained to all gods and humans that one’s Tathāgata store is like a bird track in the sky, I have realized this invisible body.
“For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I converted innumerable sentient beings, such as gods and humans, who held the view of no self, and revealed to them their hard-to-see Tathāgata store, I have realized this body that all sentient beings find hard to see. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because, to establish the true Dharma, I enabled all gods and humans not to harm others, I have realized this unobservable body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I enabled all gods and humans to experience Dharma delight, I have realized this perfect body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I indicated to all gods and humans their Tathāgata store as clearly as they could see Mañjuśrī, I have realized this easy-to-see body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I untied all sentient beings’ fetters and established them in liberation, I have realized this extremely hard-to-see body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I abided among all gods, humans, and those on evil life-paths, in the Three Realms of Existence, and established them in true liberation, I have realized this non-discriminating body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I enabled all gods and humans to observe with purity the five precepts, I have realized this body with neither muscles nor bones. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I made a great vow to deliver all sentient beings, I have realized this ubiquitous liberation body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I pulled out the arrows of all sentient beings’ wrong views and established them in the true Dharma, I have realized this quiet, changeless body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I regarded all sentient beings equally as Rāhula [my only son] and enabled them to see the equality of all, I have realized this still body.
“For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I trained myself to be content and enabled others to do the same, I have realized this superior still body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I taught voice-hearers to be content without [attachment to] food, I have realized this pāramitā body that has ended all seeking. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I relinquished fine food such as fish and meat, and taught sentient beings to do the same, I have realized this splendid body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I enabled innumerable sentient beings, such as gods and humans, to purge all their afflictions, I have realized this falsity-free body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I destroyed the dwellings of innumerable evil sentient beings and drove them away like huge hailstones, I have realized this body that destroys [evil] dwellings. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I gave the drink of Dharma flavor to innumerable sentient beings confused by the four inverted views,[9] I have realized this arrogance-free Brahma body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I enabled innumerable sentient beings to take the quiet, perpetual path of their Tathāgata store, and to leave behind their disturbing faults to become upright and truthful, I have realized this quiet, equable body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because, for innumerable sentient beings that only received a Tathāgata’s teaching that dharmas have no self, like pointing at the moon, I established [that one has a true] self, I have realized this body that has abandoned [provisional teachings]. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I never entered parinirvāṇa though there were countless opportunities to do so, I have realized this dharma body in accord with the Dharma. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I used skillful means to look for the taints of innumerable sentient beings’ Tathāgata store and never found any, I have realized this [dharma-]realm body, and all sentient beings have this realm.
“For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I imparted the Mahāyāna hindrance-free wisdom-knowledge and the true door to see that dharmas have no self and its belongings, I have realized this no-entrance body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I brought innumerable sentient beings to achievement and enabled them to fear their afflictions, I have realized this supra-worldly, supreme body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I served as the refuge for all sentient beings, the reliance for those without reliance, and the kin for those without kin, I have realized this body that is like a vast ocean, into which myriad streams flow. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because with a fearless mind I expounded sūtras on the Tathāgata store, I have realized this securely abiding body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I abandoned superb palaces, [the reign of] a Wheel-Turning King, and countless pleasures to enter a mountain and train to attain bodhi, I have realized this palace-like, blissful, motionless body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I shunned arrogant sentient beings as if they were caṇḍālas [outcaste] and regarded those who observe the precepts as various Dharma vessels, I have realized this no-regret body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I lightened innumerable sentient beings’ burden of afflictions, I have realized this luminously apparent, restful body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I denounced family life as a prison, I have realized this body that all sentient beings seek. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I enabled innumerable sentient beings to end their greed, anger, and delusion, I have realized this body that has no illness, no fear, and no belongings. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I enabled innumerable sentient beings, such as gods and humans, to guard against women, amusements, and afflictions, as if they were a venomous snake, I have realized this [hindrance-]eliminating body.
“For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I trained in Bodhisattva actions under Lamp Lighter [Dīpaṁkara] Tathāgata, received His prophecy [of my attaining Buddhahood], and never maligned the Dharma, I have realized this house[-like] body.[10] For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, Because, having heard the teaching that all sentient beings possess the Tathāgata store and will attain Buddhahood when they end their afflictions, I protected those who believed and delighted [in this teaching], I have realized this protective body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because when I was a ṛṣi called Endurance Advocate [Kṣāntivādin],[11] I cultivated the Four Immeasurable Minds [lovingkindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equability], I have realized this body on which all sentient beings rely. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I often expounded the hindrance-free wisdom-knowledge from the Mahāyāna, the One Vehicle, the unexcelled vehicle, to greatly illuminate the vehicle that all sentient beings are destined to ride, so that they could use the Mahāyāna to eliminate asaṁkhyeya evils, I have realized this destined body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I praised the taint-free Tathāgata store as the secure realm, the foremost realm of all sentient beings, which has no aggregation, I have realized this non-aggregate body.[12] For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I enabled innumerable sentient beings, such as gods and humans, to enter the celestial abode of pure liberation, I have realized this vast, unlimited, encompassing body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I regarded innumerable sentient beings, whether male or female, as my parents, brothers, or sisters, I have realized this fatherly body that is supreme everywhere. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I gave away countless bodies as food in times of famine, I have realized this body that is free from hunger and thirst. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I denounced the evil of an icchantika to innumerable sentient beings to make them fearful [of becoming one], I have realized this body that has discarded all existence. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I displayed countless skillful-means bodies and medicinal-tree bodies, and never increased the cause of evil, I have realized this no-action, still body.
“For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I delivered innumerable sentient beings, enabled them to end their afflictions, and indicated to them their true nature [for them to see it like] an āmra [mango] in the palm, I have realized this prahāṇa-mārga[13] body. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I denounced to sentient beings all existence, which is like an empty bottle and like the four venomous snakes [earth, water, fire, and wind], I have realized this body that is free from fluid, muscles, and veins. For countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I displayed my births, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Because I enabled innumerable sentient beings to end countless afflictions in all their existences, discard their desires, and enter parinirvāṇa, I have realized this motionless, joyful body in nirvāṇa.
“Aṅgulimāla, for countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas, I, who abide in all boundless places, also abide here. Aṅgulimāla, nirvāṇa is liberation, and liberation is [an attainment of] a Tathāgata.[14]”
—Sūtra of Aṅgulimālika, fascicle 3
Translated from the digital Chinese Canon (T02n0120)
Notes
1. See “name and form” defined in the glossary’s “five aggregates.”
2. Udumbara, the ficus glomerata, a tree that produces fruit with hidden flowers. Hence the appearance of its bloom is likened to the rare appearance of a Buddha.
3. See “dharma body” defined in the glossary’s “three bodies of a Buddha.”
4. “Sūtras in the nine categories” are the glossary’s “sūtras in the twelve categories,” excluding categories (6) nidāna, causes of the discourses; (7) avadāna, parables; (12) upadeśa, pointing-out instructions.
5. When the Buddha says to someone, “Come, bhikṣu,” he immediately becomes a fully ordained monk. No ceremony is needed.
6. Jambūnada gold is gold from the river that flows through the jambū (rose apple) grove. It is renowned for its supreme quality and red-golden color with a purple tinge.
7. The name of this world and the name of its Buddha are identical to an earlier pair.
8. In the following paragraphs, the Buddha gives seventy-three reasons for, and descriptions of, the dharma body that He has realized.
9. See “inversion” in the glossary.
10. Later in this paragraph, the dharma body is described as vast, unlimited, and encompassing. Therefore, it is not a house or like a house.
11. According to fascicle 1 of text 673 (T16n0673), the Chinese version of the Sūtra of Achieving a Clear Understanding of the Mahāyāna, in a past life, the Buddha was a ṛṣi called Endurance Advocate [Kṣāntivādin], who sought bodhi. When His body was mutilated by the king of Kaliṅga, He endured pain without harboring malice toward that king. Then He expounded the Dharma to that king and his queen to delight them. The English translation of this sūtra appears in Transcending the World (Rulu 2015, 192–230).
12. A sentient being’s body is composed of the five aggregates.
13. Prahāṇa-marga (斷道) means the path that has the power to eliminate all one’s affliction hindrances and attain bodhi. It is also called the uninterrupted path (ānantarya-mārga, 無間道). On this path, one enters the Vajra-Like Samādhi (vajropamā-samādhi, 金剛喻定) and, without interruption, enters the liberation path and eliminates all remaining traces of afflictions, thus attaining bodhi. A Bodhisattva also eliminates all hindrances to wisdom-knowledge (jñeyāvaraṇa, 智障), thus attaining Buddhahood. Also see “two kinds of hindrances” in the glossary.
14. For the differences in attainments between a Buddha and an Arhat or Pratyekabuddha, see “deliverance” and “bodhi” in the glossary.
fascicle 1 fascicle 2 fascicle 3 fascicle 4
央掘魔羅經
SŪTRA OF AṄGULIMĀLIKA
Translated From Sanskrit Into Chinese In The Liu Song Dynasty
By The Tripiṭaka Master Guṇabhadra From India
Fascicle 4 (of 4)
Then Aṅgulimāla said to the Buddha, “Amazing! World-Honored One, pitying all sentient beings is the foremost difficult thing.”
The Buddha told Aṅgulimāla, “For a Tathāgata, that is not the foremost difficult thing. There are other foremost difficult things. During the remaining eighty years when the true Dharma abides in the world, to say comforting words about this Mahāyāna sūtra on the eternal and changeless Tathāgata store [tathāgata-garbha] will be very difficult. For sentient beings to uphold this sūtra will also be very difficult. For those who have heard a Tathāgata’s teaching on the eternal and changeless Tathāgata store, truly to follow it will also be very difficult.”
Aṅgulimāla asked the Buddha, “World-Honored One, how difficult are these things?”
The Buddha answered, “As an analogy, the great earth bears four heavy burdens. What are these four? They are (1) immense waters, (2) huge mountains, (3) grass and trees, and (4) sentient beings. These are the four burdens that the great earth bears.”
Aṅgulimāla agreed, “Indeed, World-Honored One.”
The Buddha told Aṅgulimāla, “It is not just the great earth that bears four heavy burdens. Why? Because there are people who bear heavy burdens.”
Aṅgulimāla asked the Buddha, “Who, World-Honored One?”
The Buddha told Aṅgulimāla, “During the remaining eighty years when the true Dharma [saddharma] abides in the world, every Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva who expounds to all sentient beings a Tathāgata’s teaching on the eternal and changeless Tathāgata store should bear four burdens. What are these four? When the evil kind wants to harm him, he should disregard his survival and even abandon his body and life, to expound a Tathāgata’s teaching on the eternal and changeless Tathāgata store. This is the first burden, which is heavier than the totality of all mountains. When the evil kind slanders him as an icchantika and scolds him, he should endure it. This is the second burden, which is heavier than the totality of all immense waters. If he cannot stay in prosperous and pleasurable cities or places, he should stay on their edges or in trouble-ridden places, where necessities, such as food, clothing, and medicine, are coarse, men are slanderous, women have little faith, and all his experiences are painful. This is the third burden, which is heavier than the totality of all grass and trees. If conditions do not permit him to expound the Tathāgata store to kings, ministers, strong warriors, and their retinues, he should endure in expounding it to the lowly, the handicapped, the poor, or the vagrant. This is the fourth burden, which is heavier than the totality of all sentient beings. Whoever can bear these four heavy burdens is called a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva capable of bearing huge burdens.
“During the remaining eighty years as the true Dharma perishes, for a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva who can abandon his body and life, to expound a Tathāgata’s teaching on the eternal and changeless Tathāgata store will be very difficult. For him to sustain [the belief of] sentient beings will also very difficult. For those who have heard a Tathāgata’s teaching on the eternal and changeless Tathāgata store, to elicit belief and delight will also very difficult.
“However, Aṅgulimāla, for a Tathāgata, those things are not the foremost difficult things. I now will tell you other difficult things. Suppose that a man has an immeasurable lifespan. For countless hundreds of thousands of koṭis of years, he uses the tip of a hair to take a drop of water from the immense ocean until it is depleted, like a puddle in a cow’s track. Is that difficult?”
Aṅgulimāla answered, “Very difficult, World-Honored One. That is indescribably difficult.”
The Buddha told Aṅgulimāla, “That is not difficult. There are truly difficult things.”
Aṅgulimāla asked, “Who [does them], World-Honored One?”
The Buddha told Aṅgulimāla, “During the remaining eighty years when the true Dharma abides in the world, for a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva who can abandon his body and life, to expound a Tathāgata’s teaching on the eternal and changeless Tathāgata store will be very difficult.”
“However, Aṅgulimāla, for a Tathāgata, that is not the foremost difficult thing. There are other difficult things. Suppose that a man bears Mount Sumeru, the great earth, and the immense ocean for a hundred koṭi years. Is that the foremost difficult thing for a strong man?”
Aṅgulimāla said to the Buddha, “That is a Tathāgata’s state, and no voice-hearer or Pratyekabuddha can match it.”
The Buddha told Aṅgulimāla, “That would not be difficult for a strong man. Suppose that he divides each dust particle in the immense ocean into a hundred thousand koṭi pieces and takes away one dust particle every hundred thousand koṭi kalpas until [all dust particles] are depleted [and the ocean] resembles a cow’s track. And suppose that he can bear Mount Sumeru, the great earth, and the immense ocean for a hundred thousand koṭi kalpas. However, during the remaining eighty years when the true Dharma abides in the world, he cannot expound a Tathāgata’s teaching on the eternal and changeless Tathāgata store. Only a Bodhisattva who is a hero among men can expound it to protect and uphold the true Dharma. I say that he does the foremost difficult thing.”
“Moreover, Aṅgulimāla, suppose that a man can use water to extinguish the blazing fire of a Three-Thousand Large Thousandfold World. Is that man doing a very difficult thing?”
Aṅgulimāla answered, “World-Honored One, to extinguish the fire of even one [small] world is very difficult, much more a Three-Thousand Large Thousandfold World. It is very difficult.”
The Buddha said, “Indeed, Aṅgulimāla. In the future, those who observe the precepts will decrease, and those who violate the precepts will increase. During the remaining eighty years when the true Dharma abides in the world, if a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva abandons his body and life, slaves and servants, cows and sheep, and material things, propagates with purity the true Dharma, and expounds a Tathāgata’s teaching on the eternal and changeless Tathāgata store, what kind of man is he?”
Aṅgulimāla answered, “Only a Buddha, not a voice-hearer or Pratyekabuddha, can know. At that time, supporting even worldly pure dharmas will be difficult, not to mention a Tathāgata’s supreme supra-worldly teaching on the eternal and changeless Tathāgata store. If that man can use water to extinguish the blazing fire of a Three-Thousand Large Thousandfold World, it is very difficult. In the future, during the remaining eighty years when the true Dharma abides in the world, if a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva abandons his body and life to expound a Tathāgata’s teaching on the eternal and changeless Tathāgata store, he is [virtually] a Tathāgata.”
The Buddha told Aṅgulimāla, “Very good, very good! Good man, I say the same. All Tathāgatas say that all the difficult things done by that man cannot reach even the edge [of what this Bodhisattva does].”
“Moreover, good man, as an analogy, hundreds of rivers enter the immense ocean and no longer appear. Likewise, all men enter the wisdom acquired by one man and no longer appear.
“Moreover, good man, as an analogy, the immense ocean does not accept corpses. Likewise a man who never does non-dharmas should not associate with those who malign the Tathāgata store. To be such a man is very difficult. To sustain his group and those who hear the Dharma is also very difficult.”
Aṅgulimāla asked the Buddha, “World-Honored One, what things should a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva achieve to indicate that he is not a novice?”
The Buddha answered, “Good man, if a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva achieves the following eight things, he is not a novice. What are these eight? They are (1) know the Dharma, (2) ponder and uphold the Dharma, (3) support his parents, (4) acknowledge the kindness of his teachers, (5) reject the wrong views, (6) stay away from attitudes of disdain, and from unruly, evil, or impure things, (7) do not entertain thoughts of desire [objects], even in dreams, and (8) respect the precepts. If a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva achieves these eight things, he is not a novice.
“Moreover, if a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva achieves the following eight things, he is not a novice. What are these eight? They are (1) explain the Mahāyāna; (2) clearly expound the Tathāgata store, never tiring; (3) do not covet material things; (4) have lovingkindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, equability, and endurance; (5) regard all sentient beings as his only son; (6) stay close to beneficent learned friends; (7) stay far away from evil learned ones; (8) be content with worldly benefits. If a Bodhisattva achieves these eight things, he is not a novice.
“Moreover, if a Bodhisattva achieves the following eight things, he is not a novice. What are these eight? They are (1) speak comforting words well, (2) do not be mischievous, (3) endure slight afflictions, (4) endure in hearing all sūtras, (5) conquer the need for sleep, (6) do not be indolent, (7) be diligent and exercise self-restraint, and (8) delight in seeking [to accept] the precepts. If a Bodhisattva achieves these eight things, he is not a novice.
“Moreover, if a Bodhisattva achieves the following eight things, he is not a novice. What are these eight? They are (1) be truthful, (2) delight in doing pure things, (3) be radiant, (4) be civil, (5) stay far away from women, (6) stay far away from [attachment to] kin, (7) feel terrified, with body hair standing on end, when hearing evil, and (8) think compassionately of sentient beings. If a Bodhisattva achieves these eight things, he is not a novice.
“Moreover, if a Bodhisattva achieves the following eight things, he is not a novice. What are these eight? They are (1) know well what the Buddha says about māras and their differences, (2) have respect for those who know the sūtras, (3) know the differences between [the right] code of conduct and the wrong code, without concealment, (4) know well a Tathāgata’s veiled teachings, (5) know a Tathāgata’s secret, (6) know well how to follow worldly matters, (7) know well that a Tathāgata is eternal and changeless, and (8) know well that, according to time and place, a Bodhisattva’s [seeming] evil is not truly evil. If a Bodhisattva achieves these eight things, he is not a novice.
“If a Bodhisattva achieves these forty things, he is not a novice. If a good man or woman can acquire only half of these forty merits, it means that he or she neither abides in the Mahāyāna nor enters the status of a Bodhisattva. Therefore, Bodhisattva actions are very difficult. What are a Bodhisattva’s excellent virtues? If he has no thoughts of desire [objects], even in dreams, know that he has the virtues of all bodhi elements.[1]”
Then Mañjuśrī said to Aṅgulimāla, “What is meant by the Tathāgata store? If all sentient beings possess the Tathāgata store, they all will become Buddhas even if they have track records of evil karmas, such as killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, and drinking alcohol. Why? Because all sentient beings have Buddha nature [buddha-dhātu or buddha-gotra] and will someday achieve deliverance. Because one has [and cannot lose] Buddha nature, should one commit the rebellious sins[2] or become an icchantika? If one had a self [ātman], its self-realm [ātman-dhātu] could deliver all in existence. However, one has neither a self nor its realm. Buddhas teach that all dharmas have no self.”
The Buddha told Mañjuśrī, “All sentient beings possess the Tathāgata store. However, like a lamp in a bottle, it is shrouded by countless afflictions. For example, Kāśyapa Tathāgata bestowed a prophecy upon a young [spiritual] trainee. He prophesied, ‘After seven years, you will become a Wheel-Turning King and use the true Dharma to rule and transform the world, while after seven days, I will enter parinirvāṇa.’ After hearing His prophecy, the young trainee exuberantly rejoiced and thought, ‘The one with all wisdom-knowledge prophesied that I will become a Wheel-Turning King. I have no doubt [that it will come true].’ He told his mother, ‘Get me various kinds of fine food, such as fish, meat, milk, cheese, sesame, and beans, to build up my strength.’ Then he ate all these things in a mixture and died an untimely death. Mañjuśrī, did that Buddha lie? Did He not have all wisdom-knowledge? Did that young trainee not have the roots of goodness to deserve the good requital of becoming a Wheel-Turning King?”
Mañjuśrī answered, “World-Honored One, his past evil karmas must have caused his death.”
The Buddha told Mañjuśrī, “Do not say so. His untimely death was not a requital for his past evil karmas. Mañjuśrī, how could that Buddha not know the requital for his past evil karmas and bestow upon him a prophecy [by mistake]? He had no past evil karmas, but lost his life because of his own doing. Mañjuśrī, a man or woman might think, ‘My body possesses the Tathāgata store. Because I will achieve deliverance, I now might as well do evil.’ If someone does evil, will he achieve deliverance because of his Buddha nature? In that story, the young trainee had the nature of a king, but failed to use it. Why? Because he abandoned self-restraint. Likewise sentient beings fail to reveal their Buddha nature because they abandon self-restraint. Do sentient beings not have Buddha nature? They truly do have it. Was that Buddha’s prophecy of the young trainee’s becoming a Wheel-Turning King a lie? Sentient beings tell lies and abandon self-restraint. Although they hear the Dharma, they abandon self-restraint. It is their own fault that they do not become Buddhas.”
Mañjuśrī asked the Buddha, “Do not all sentient beings have past karmas?”
The Buddha answered, “They have past karmas. However, if they have heard even a little of this sūtra, their countless asaṁkhyeyas of sins will be expunged. Why? Because throughout countless asaṁkhyeyas of kalpas the Tathāgata [Śākyamuni Buddha] made a great vow: ‘I will deliver all sentient beings that have not been delivered, and liberate all those who have not been liberated.’ Because of this vow and His roots of goodness, the radiance of the Tathāgata’s wisdom sunlight can expunge countless asaṁkhyeyas of sins. Moreover, Mañjuśrī, as an analogy, before sunrise, clouds and fogs cover the world. When the sun rises, all darkness in the world is dispelled. Likewise, before this sūtra-sun rises, all sentient beings transmigrate through [their cycles of] birth and death. When this sūtra-sun rises, the darkness of asaṁkhyeyas of one’s accumulated huge evil is dispelled in a finger snap. Even for someone who jokes about a Tathāgata’s teaching on the eternal and changeless Tathāgata store, or follows those on the wrong paths, his asaṁkhyeya sins, such as parājikas, and sins that would result in uninterrupted suffering in hell,[3] will be expunged in an instant. Why? Because whoever hears the name Śākyamuni Tathāgata, even if he has not yet activated the bodhi mind, is already a Bodhisattva. Why? Because the Tathāgata made a great vow to deliver all in the world who have not yet been delivered, to transform them by using the true Dharma, and to enable them to come to realization [of the truth]. Therefore, Mañjuśrī, whoever hears the name of the Tathāgata is a Bodhisattva. He not only can quickly remove his afflictions but also will realize the [dharma] body[4], just as I have realized it. Mañjuśrī, I now speak in verse:
I have described the path
That can pull out the poisonous thorns of care and sorrow.
You all should act
[In accordance with] the Tathāgata’s words.
“What is the path? There are two paths, the voice-hearer path and the Bodhisattva path. The voice-hearer path is the Eightfold Right Path. The Bodhisattva path is [the understanding] that all sentient beings possess the Tathāgata-store self and should, step by step, eradicate their afflictions and reveal their Buddha nature, which is motionless, delightful, and lovable. Those who do not eradicate [their afflictions] transmigrate forever through [their cycles of] birth and death. [In these lines] ‘I have described the path / That can pull out the poisonous thorns of care and sorrow,’ care and sorrow mean afflictions, and one who has pulled out poisonous thorns is a Tathāgata. I have eradicated countless afflictions and become a great medicine king. You should follow me and accept [my teachings], and I will indicate to you your Tathāgata store. ‘You all should act’ means that you should act in accordance with the veiled teachings in ‘the Tathāgata’s words,’ which never deceive you. The appearing of a Buddha in the world is like the appearing of an udumbara flower.[5] One’s belief in Him is like a speck of gold in the sands of the Ganges, also like a blind turtle chancing [to find] a hole in a piece of driftwood. If you encounter a Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyak-Saṁbuddha, who expounds a sūtra on the Tathāgata store and never deceives you about the consequences of one’s birth and death, then you can deliver yourselves from all your existences and affliction diseases. This is what is meant by ‘the Tathāgata’s words.’”
Diligently do good dharmas
And subjugate evil minds.
Whoever is tardy in acquiring merit
Has intentions [āśaya] attached to evil dharmas.
“I spoke this stanza for voice-hearers’ sake. [Teachings on] the Tathāgata store are hard to obtain. Nothing in the world is so hard to obtain as such teachings. Quickly observe how one’s intentions are attached to evils. A bhikṣu who emulates the faults of evil learned ones is surrounded by many afflictions, headed by the five filths that cover his inherent pure mind. What five filths are the root of afflictions that surround him? They are (1) greed, (2) anger, (3) stupor, (4) restlessness, and (5) doubt.[6] These five filths taint his mind. To remove these five filths and other afflictions, he should diligently use the power of his inherent pure mind as skillful means, in order not to malign sūtras, nor to become an icchantika, but to train to deliver himself [from his cycle of birth and death]. Because of this meaning, I say that he should quickly pull out the root of countless visitor-like afflictions [āgantuka kleśa][7] in his mind.”
One’s mind initiates [everything],
And one’s excellent mind produces dharmas.
If one’s mind has pure belief
While speaking or doing things,
Joy follows one,
Like the shadow of a form.
“This stanza explains to voice-hearers that the Tathāgata store means one’s inherent pure mind. As one’s Tathāgata store transcends all dharmas, all dharmas are one’s Tathāgata store. If one does things with pure belief and intention, it is because one has ended all one’s afflictions and seen one’s self-realm. As one has pure belief in one’s Tathāgata store whenever one speaks or does things, likewise after one attains Buddhahood, one will speak or do things to deliver all in the world. As one sees the shadow of a form, likewise one sees one’s Tathāgata store. That is why I say, ‘Like the shadow of a form.’”
One’s mind initiates [everything],
And one’s excellent mind produces intentions.
If one’s mind does evil
Through speaking or doing things,
Pains follow one,
Like wheels [of a cart] that follow a track.
“This stanza explains what is meant by afflictions. ‘One’s mind does evil’ means that one’s mind, shrouded by countless afflictions, initiates evildoing. So it is called evil. If one does not know that one’s inherent pure mind is the Tathāgata store, one succumbs to countless afflictions. Because one is restless and confused, whether one speaks or does things, pains endlessly follow. ‘Like wheels that follow a track’ means that evils accumulate as one transmigrates through [one’s cycle of] birth and death, and that evils drive sentient beings to take the three evil life-paths, like wheels that follow a track. That is why I say that whoever is tardy in acquiring merit delights in evil dharmas.
“Moreover, Mañjuśrī, because one knows that milk contains butter, one churns milk to get butter; because water contains no butter, one does not churn it. Likewise, Mañjuśrī, because one knows that one possesses the Tathāgata store, one diligently observes the pure precepts and practices the Brahma way of life. Moreover, because one knows that a mountain contains gold, one excavates the mountain to get gold; because a tree contains no gold, one does not excavate it. Likewise, Mañjuśrī, because one knows that one possesses the Tathāgata store, one diligently observes the pure precepts and practices the Brahma way of life, and declares, ‘I will definitely attain Buddha bodhi.’ Moreover, Mañjuśrī, if one had no Tathāgata store, practicing the Brahma way of life would be futile, like churning water for a kalpa but never getting butter.”
Mañjuśrī asked the Buddha, “World-Honored One, what is meant by the Brahma way of life? Why has the Tathāgata discarded the pleasures of the five desires?”
Aṅgulimāla said to Mañjuśrī, “Innumerable gods know that [desire] will cause them to fall, so they stay away from thoughts of desire.”
The Buddha told Aṅgulimāla, “Do not say so. All sentient beings possess the Tathāgata store. Therefore, all men are brothers, and all women are sisters.”
Aṅgulimāla asked the Buddha, “World-Honored One, if King Śuddhodana and Queen Māyā were brother and sister, how could they become the Buddha’s parents?”
The Buddha answered, “[Their being my parents] was a skillful display to deliver sentient beings. Otherwise sentient beings could not be delivered. As an analogy, a great king has two thousand strong men. Then two men display skills and subjugate them all, to delight the king and entertain the multitude. Only they know [that it is a staged show], and others are unaware. Likewise a Buddha displays that He has parents as do humans, in order to deliver innumerable sentient beings and enable them to leave the boundless immense ocean of birth and death. However, sentient beings do not know this. As an analogy, an actor plays various roles to entertain the multitude. Likewise Buddha-Bhagavāns produce various manifestations to deliver sentient beings, but sentient beings do not know this. As an analogy, a magician manifests severing his body parts to entertain the multitude, but actually his body is unharmed. Likewise Buddha-Bhagavāns, like a magician, produce various manifestations to deliver sentient beings. Mañjuśrī, a Tathāgata possesses all wisdom-knowledge and knows everything. He observes all sentient beings in the world, and sees that without a beginning each appears as someone’s parent, brother, or sister, and repeatedly rises high or falls low [in station], just like an actor playing various roles. Therefore, a Tathāgata lives the Brahma way of pure life.
“Moreover, Mañjuśrī, for pleasure, a man and a woman enter each other’s realm. How can they experience pleasure? Know that such pleasure is an aggregate of tremendous suffering. As a woman possesses the Tathāgata store, so too does a man. As they have the same [Buddha] nature, why should they be attached to each other? Having the same nature, a Tathāgata lives the Brahma way of life and abides on His own ground, the no-regress ground, the Tathāgata ground.”
Mañjuśrī asked the Buddha, “World-Honored One, why does the Tathāgata not establish an upāsaka and an upāsikā in the Brahma way of life? Why, World-Honored One, do You say that a bhikṣu, a bhikṣuṇī, an upāsaka, and an upāsikā are like four pillars of a hall? An upāsaka or upāsikā lives an impure life [does not practice celibacy]. How can they be established in the way of the true Dharma?”
The Buddha answered, “This odd thought is called a worldly thought. The Tathāgata regards all sentient beings as Rāhula [His only son] and always wants to establish them on the Buddha ground without ranking or graduation. A Buddha’s thoughts are different from worldly thoughts. Your question is called a non-question.”
Mañjuśrī asked the Buddha, “World-Honored One, is it because the realms of all sentient beings are one realm that Buddhas refrain from killing?”
The Buddha answered, “Indeed, killing another in the world is like killing oneself because all are in the same realm.”
Mañjuśrī asked the Buddha, “World-Honored One, why do You regard all sentient beings as Rāhula, then teach people to tame and subjugate the evil kind in the same realm?”
The Buddha told Mañjuśrī, “Good man, do not say so. The Tathāgata regards all sentient beings as Rāhula. For example, a man usually eats more than one meal a day. However, because he loves the Dharma, he eats only one meal a day, which means starving 80,000 worms [bacteria in his body]. His act should be called killing, but it is not impure killing. Moreover, Mañjuśrī, a sage turns away from the pleasures of countless desire [objects]. To end his desire, he could kill himself, but he would be guilty of suicide. When his sexual desire blazes, he should go to someone and say, ‘Because my desire has arisen, I pray to be admonished to have a sense of shame, lest I should disregard my survival and commit suicide.’ Does it mean that he has destroyed his realm?”
Mañjuśrī answered, “No, World-Honored One, he has accumulated merits.”
The Buddha told Mañjuśrī, “Indeed. Mañjuśrī, why do [some] sages kill themselves? It is because of their venomous affliction snakes, not to mention other causes. Buddhas teach that if one’s afflictions are strong, one should teach the evil kind and those who sabotage the true Dharma, to do difficult things. This would be an offering to one’s realm. When one discards the pleasures of desire [objects], clothing, food, or even life, in order to seek the ultimate bliss, or lets oneself be harmed in order to tame another, it means that one knows well one’s Tathāgata store.”
Mañjuśrī asked the Buddha, “World-Honored One, is it because [all sentient beings possess] the Tathāgata store that Buddhas do not eat flesh?”
The Buddha said, “Indeed. Without a beginning, all sentient beings transmigrate through [their cycles of] birth and death. They have been parents, brothers, or sisters, just like an actor’s various roles. One’s flesh and others’ flesh are one flesh. Therefore, Buddhas do not eat flesh. Moreover, Mañjuśrī, one’s realm and the realms of all sentient beings are one realm, and all flesh is one flesh. Therefore, Buddhas do not eat flesh.”
Mañjuśrī asked the Buddha, “World-Honored One, are conch shells, bee wax, honey, leather, and soft silk not the flesh from some sentient beings’ realm?”
The Buddha told Mañjuśrī, “Do not say so. The Tathāgata stays away from worldly ways and does not eat flesh. It is not right to say that He stays close to worldly things. Using worldly things is a convenience. One can use anything that arrives through a chain of stations, but should not use it at its origin. One can touch anything that arrives through a chain of stations that do not involve killing.”
Mañjuśrī said to the Buddha, “In this city there is cobbler who makes leather shoes. If someone buys [shoes from him] and gives them to You as an offering, will the Buddha accept them because they arrive through a chain of stations? Moreover, if a cow dies from natural causes, and if its owner has a caṇḍāla [an outcaste] remove its hide and give it to a cobbler to make shoes, can someone who observes the precepts accept the shoes given to him as alms because they arrive through a chain of stations?”
The Buddha told Mañjuśrī, “You ask whether someone who observes the precepts should accept leather shoes made by a cobbler from the hide of a cow that died from natural causes, and offered by that cow’s owner. If he does not accept them, he complies with a bhikṣu’s way of life. If he accepts them, he has no compassion but does not violate the precepts.”
Mañjuśrī said to the Buddha, “World-Honored One, a bhikṣu should not accept food cooked with impure water.”
The Buddha told Mañjuśrī, “This is called a worldly thought. If a layperson is available, he should use pure [insect-free] water to cook food. If no layperson is available, what can a Buddha do? There are insects in the earth, the water, and the air. If purity is evil, how can the world cultivate purity? Your question is called a non-question.”
Mañjuśrī asked the Buddha, “World-Honored One, there are those in the world who decided long ago not to eat flesh.”
The Buddha told Mañjuśrī, “Those in the world who follow my words know that they are a Buddha’s words.”
Mañjuśrī said to the Buddha, “World-Honored One, some in the world talk about liberation, but their liberation is not [true] liberation. Only the Buddha Dharma leads to liberation. Some in the world talk about renouncing family life, but their renunciation is not [true] renunciation. Only the Buddha Dharma leads to renunciation of family life. World-Honored One, some in the world talk about not eating flesh, because they believe that they have no self that eats flesh. Only the Dharma of the World-Honored One reveals one’s [true] self, which definitely does not eat flesh.”
The Buddha asked Mañjuśrī, “Do you want to know the origins of the paths established outside the right path? I will tell you.”
Mañjuśrī answered, “Yes, World-Honored One, I would be delighted to hear.”
The Buddha told Mañjuśrī, “Countless asaṁkhyeya kalpas ago, a Buddha called Kucchandabhadra appeared in the world, in this city. At that time the world had no grit and no paths other than the Mahāyāna, and all sentient beings were happy. After that Tathāgata stayed in the world for a long time, he entered parinirvāṇa. After his parinirvāṇa, the true Dharma abided in the world for a long time. When it began to perish, those who observed the precepts decreased, and those who did non-dharmas increased.
“At that time in an araṇya [a temple in a remote place] lived a bhikṣu named Buddha Wisdom. A benevolent man gave him as alms a priceless robe. Out of pity for the almsgiver, that bhikṣu accepted it and showed it to hunters. When the hunters saw his fine garment, they decided to steal it. At night they took that bhikṣu deep into a mountain, beat him, bound his hands, and hung him naked from a tree. That night, a Brahmin went to that araṇya to pick flowers. When he saw a tiger, he was terrified and ran into the mountain. Then he saw that bhikṣu, with a beaten body and bound hands, hanging naked from a tree. Astonished, he said, ‘Alas! Earlier this śramaṇa wore a kaṣāya [yellowish red robe], and now he is naked. He must know that wearing a kaṣāya is not the cause of liberation. The ascetic practice of hanging himself from a tree is the right training to attain bodhi. How could he have abandoned good dharmas? This clearly is the liberation path.’ Mistaking it for the true Dharma, that Brahmin shed his clothes, pulled out his hair, and became a naked śramaṇa. This is the origin of naked śramaṇas.[8]
“After that bhikṣu was released from his fetters, to cover his body, he took tree barks, dyed them with [the pigment of] red stone, and made a grass duster to dispel mosquitoes. Then another flower-picking Brahmin saw him and thought, ‘This bhikṣu wore a fine robe, and now he wears this. How could he have abandoned good dharmas? This clearly is the liberation path.’ That Brahmin then followed suit. This is the origin of Brahmins’ renunciation of family life.
“At dusk that bhikṣu entered a river to bathe. To wash the lesions on his head, he used a wash cloth to cover them. And he took the ragged clothes discarded by a cow herder to cover his body. Then another Brahmin saw him and thought, ‘This bhikṣu wore a kaṣāya, and now he has discarded it. He must know that wearing a kaṣāya is not the cause of liberation. Therefore, he wears ragged clothes, bathes three times a day and night, and practices asceticism. How could he have abandoned good dharmas? This clearly is the liberation path.’ That Brahmin then followed suit. This is the origin of Brahmins’ practice of asceticism.
“After that bhikṣu bathed, he was plagued by flies biting the lesions on his body. So he smeared white ash on the lesions and used a wash cloth to cover his body. Another Brahmin who saw him thought that this was the way to attain bodhi, and followed suit. This is the origin of Brahmins’ smearing themselves with ash.
“Then that bhikṣu used fire to cauterize his lesions. When the pain became unbearable, he committed suicide by jumping off a cliff. The one who saw him thought, “This bhikṣu wore a fine robe, and now he has ended up like this. How could he have discarded good dharmas? Jumping off a cliff must be the liberation path.’ This is the origin of worshipping fire and jumping off a cliff.
“Thus ninety-six paths arose because people saw that bhikṣu in various appearances, entertained various thoughts, and formed their own views. As an analogy, people in a country look at one another and entertain violent thoughts. Then they kill one another. Likewise ninety-six paths were established on people’s different thoughts. As an analogy, a thirsty deer chases a mirage that looks like water, until the deer dies from exhaustion. Likewise, when the true Dharma is perishing, some people took that bhikṣu’s non-dharma behavior as the Dharma. When the true Dharma is perishing, such things happen. Then the true Dharma ends.
“Mañjuśrī, all things in the world, such as the precepts and the right deportments, are a Tathāgata’s manifestations. However, Mañjuśrī, people in the world hold wrong views and entertain strange thoughts about one’s true self, as they describe liberation and self. Those who seek the supra-worldly truth do not know a Tathāgata’s veiled teachings but claim that a Buddha has taught “no self” [only]. They ponder their words as did those who established the wrong paths. The world follows ignorance, and those who seek the supra-worldly truth have lost the wisdom-knowledge of making veiled statements. Therefore, a Tathāgata expounds the Middle Way[9] of the One Vehicle [Buddha Vehicle], which is apart from the two opposites, and reveals that one’s true self, the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Saṅgha are true. Therefore, the Middle Way is called the Mahāyāna.”
Then Aṅgulimāla said to the Buddha, “World-Honored One, sentient beings do not know the Middle Way but fancy that they can expound it.”
The Buddha told Aṅgulimāla, “Few people who have heard this sūtra believe it. Most people in the future will malign this sūtra.”
Aṅgulimāla said to the Buddha, “World-Honored One, I pray that You will tell us how many sentient beings from which directions will malign this sūtra and how many sentient beings will become icchantikas. Where can one find those who can say comforting words to sentient beings? I pray that the Tathāgata, out of compassion, will tell us.”
The Buddha answered, “In the future, in the central region, 98 hundred thousand koṭi sentient beings will malign this sūtra, and 70 koṭi sentient beings will become icchantikas; in the east, 98 thousand koṭi sentient beings will malign this sūtra, and 60 koṭi sentient beings will become icchantikas. In the west, 98 hundred koṭi sentient beings will malign this sūtra, and 50 koṭi sentient beings will become icchantikas; in the south, 98 koṭi sentient beings will malign this sūtra, and 40 koṭi sentient beings will become icchantikas. The Kophen Kingdom [in present-day Kashmir] will preserve my remaining Dharma, and my Dharma will not perish in the Bharukaccha Kingdom [present-day Bharuch, in northwestern India], nor the kingdom of the Vindhya mountain range [in central India]. Half of the bhikṣus in Kophen will practice the Mahāyāna, and half of them will delight in the Mahāyāna and expound it. In the south, there will be those who, free from the eight evil ways, walk the firm path, train in a Tathāgata’s actions, and expound that a Tathāgata is eternal and changeless, in accordance with a Tathāgata’s store of teachings. Bodhisattva-Mahāsattvas, bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, and upāsikās will walk the firm path, and bear and uphold my Dharma.”
Then Mañjuśrī said to the Buddha, “Amazing! World-Honored One, the Buddha Dharma will abide in the south.[10]”
The Buddha told Mañjuśrī, “Indeed, indeed. When my Dharma abides in the south for a while, you Bodhisattvas who practice asceticism should not spare your bodies and lives and, to comfort all sentient beings, should expound a Tathāgata’s teaching on the eternal and changeless Tathāgata store. As other Buddhas do not delight in being born here to bear innumerable sentient beings in this Three-Thousand Large Thousandfold World, I alone have come here to deliver them. Likewise, during the remaining eighty years as the true Dharma perishes, [most] Bodhisattva-Mahāsattvas will not delight in bearing and upholding the true Dharma. However, you and other Bodhisattvas will bear and uphold the true Dharma in Jambudvīpa [the southern continent] and other continents. Not sparing your bodies and lives, you all will expound a Tathāgata’s teaching on the eternal and changeless Tathāgata store. At that time, whether or not sentient beings believe it, you Bodhisattvas should think, ‘Even if my [physical] body is chopped into pieces, I will realize the ever-abiding body.’
“Therefore, for you and innumerable other Bodhisattva-Mahāsattvas to bear and uphold the true Dharma in the south is the foremost difficult thing. Therefore, I often praise the south as the final place to expound the Dharma. Because of the power of Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva’s awesome virtue and renown, or because of fear or a sense of shame, sentient beings in Jambudvīpa and other continents will turn to [the Dharma]. As an analogy, a king hears other kings’ ways in order to rule his country. Likewise [some people in] Khopen and Bharukaccha, out of fear or a sense of shame, will expound the secret store in the Mahāyāna. However, they will not expound a Tathāgata’s teaching on the eternal and changeless Tathāgata store.
“Mañjuśrī, as an analogy, when grassland is set on fire, it burns in the middle, not the edges. Likewise the firm path in my birthplace is gone, but my remaining Dharma will abide on the edges of the south because Bodhisattvas there will bear and uphold the true Dharma. Know that a Tathāgata will [virtually] be in their midst.”
Then the god-king Śakro-Devānām-Indra and his retinue from the Thirty-three Heavens [Trayastriṁśa Heaven] bowed down at the Buddha’s feet. After making great offerings, he said to the Buddha, “World-Honored One, together we will protect and uphold this sūtra. We request Your permission, and pray that, out of compassion for all sentient beings, You will tell us the name of this sūtra.”
The Buddha told the god-king Śakra, “Kauśika, this sūtra is called Aṅgulimālika. Uphold it as such. Kauśika, this sūtra is as hard to acquire as is an udumbara flower.”
Then Abhimaṁru,[11] the god-king Śakra’s eldest son, bowed down at the Buddha’s feet and said, “World-Honored One, when my father-king battles asuras, he tells his chariot driver, ‘You should gloriously subjugate the asura army.’ The driver says to him, ‘Have no worry. I will never let the king die before I die. I am resolved to fight to my death. Others will also do their best, not sparing their bodies.’ Likewise, World-Honored One, during the remaining eighty years as the true Dharma perishes, Bodhisattva-Mahāsattvas who will expound a Tathāgata’s teaching on the eternal and changeless Tathāgata store might think, ‘When I expound the Dharma, many sentient beings cannot endure hearing it. So I will not expound it.’ At that time, do not allow good men who hear about difficulties to quit. [They should] know how to drive well the majestic Dharma vehicle [to deliver teachings on] the Tathāgata store, and know that a Tathāgata, who is eternal, quiet, and changeless, widely expounds [the Dharma] in the world. At that time, if a good man will expound a Tathāgata’s teaching on the eternal and changeless Tathāgata store, I will become a bhikṣu to protect him, not sparing my body and life.”
Then the god-king Śakra’s many children, male and female, and other gods bowed down at the Buddha’s feet and vowed, ‘I will become a bhikṣu, a bhikṣuṇī, an upāsaka, or an upāsikā to protect him, not sparing my body and life.’
Then the Buddha praised, “Very good, very good! Good men, you all are seekers of the true Dharma. I too will protect those who delight in the Dharma. Like a skillful [chariot] driver, I will go before them. You all should stand firm, acknowledge a Tathāgata’s kindness, and widely expound a Tathāgata’s permanence, eternity, quietness, and changelessness.”
Then King Prasenajit, commander of the four types of troops, told his ministers, “Now someone like a rākṣasa has killed nine hundred ninety-nine people, short of a thousand by only one, made a garland with their fingers, and smeared his body with their blood. Bold and agile, he has devastated this area. He is now forty cows’ bellows from this city. Maybe he will kill me and my ministers to make his quota. Together we should eliminate this killer. In this city, men and women dare not leave their homes, and even birds and animals are too scared of him to come forth. You now should announce inside and outside [the city]: ‘King Prasenjit is leading the four types of troops to crush that rākṣasa Aṅgulimāla. All of you should take up arms and fight him with all your strength. Whether or not you can kill him, you will receive a reward according to your merit. You will be rewarded with elephants, horses, treasures, cities, or land. You will be given whatever you want.’
However, people were terrified of Aṅgulimāla’s evil name, and no one responded to the announcement, except the king’s attendants, who had no choice but to obey, because of their respect for the king. Then his queen and concubines wept and pleaded, “We would rather that you lose the position of a king than go to battle in person.”
Then King Prasenajit summoned divinators and inquired about the favorable or unfavorable outcome. He asked, “Will I be able to subjugate Aṅgulimāla?” And all divinations stated: “He will perish.”
Although the king received these words, he still disbelieved them. He took his four types of troops to visit the Buddha. Upon arrival, he bowed down at the Buddha’s feet. Looking fearful and with sweat flowing down his forehead, he sat aside.
Although the World-Honored One, who possessed all wisdom-knowledge, knew everything, He purposely asked, “Great King, why do you perspire?”
The King answered, “Now there is a rākṣasa called Aṅgulimāla. He has killed a thousand people, short only by one, made a garland with their fingers, and smeared his body with their blood. I fear that he will attack me. The people in my entire kingdom are terrified. Afraid to go outside their doors, they have neglected their work. Even birds and animals dare not go near him. I will lead these four types of troops to battle him.”
The Buddha asked the king, “Does the great king want to battle him today?”
The king answered, “I now single-mindedly place my faith at the Buddha’s feet.”
While the four types of troops were in huge fear, the king withheld his fear because he relied on the Buddha’s awesome virtue. The king said to the Buddha, “If he comes, he will be by himself.”
Then the World-Honored One pointed at Aṅgulimāla and said, “This is the ever-victorious Aṅgulimāla.”
The king stared at Aṅgulimāla without a blink. Observing his body, blood-shot eyes, and commanding bearing, the king was astounded, and his hair stood on end, as if he were seized by a non-human. His courage dissipated, and his saber fell to the ground. He drew near the Tathāgata’s lion throne, earnestly taking refuge in the Tathāgata, who regarded all as Rāhula. Meanwhile the four types of troops were even more terrified. In confusion and disorder, they scurried away. Then, to comfort sentient beings, the Tathāgata emitted the radiance of fearlessness, illuminating sentient beings and bringing them peace and joy. King Prasenajit, his retinues inside and outside [the city], and his people in the city thought, “Aṅgulimāla must have been subjugated by the World-Honored One.”
King Prasenajit praised, “Amazing! World-Honored One, You are truly the foremost yoke [of a cart]. You are truly the unsurpassed teacher of gods and humans, who has skillfully established in the true Dharma such a violent man who did huge, evil karmas.”
Then the World-Honored One praised in verse:
If someone who abandoned self-restraint
Has quit his violation [of the precepts],
He illuminates the world,
Like the moon after the clouds are gone.
“If a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva first displays abandonment of self-restraint, then displays his merit, he illuminates the world, like the moon after the clouds are gone. He delivers innumerable sentient beings to display a Tathāgata’s merit. Great King, know that he is not an evil man, but a Bodhisattva versed in using skillful means.”
The king asked the Buddha, “Why do You say that he is not an evil man? He ravaged his teacher’s wife, then followed his evil teacher’s command to act like a piśāca.”
The Buddha told the king, “He did not ravage his teacher’s wife. That teacher and wife were a manifestation to convert his mind because he delighted in learning from his teacher and in speaking pure words. Great King, know that this event is extraordinary. As an analogy, the thrust of a dragon elephant[12] is beyond that of a donkey. Indeed, Great King, a Tathāgata is a great elephant-king. He gives veiled teachings in secret words, which are beyond voice-hearers and Pratyekabuddhas. Only Buddhas can do so.
“Great King, south of here, past worlds as numerous as the sands of sixty-two Ganges Rivers, there is a world called Adorned with All Treasures, whose Buddha is called Superior Great Energetic Progress That the World Is Delighted to See, the Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyak-Saṁbuddha. He teaches in that world, where there is neither the Voice-Hearer Vehicle nor the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle. The Mahāyāna is the only vehicle, and even the names of other vehicles do not exist. The sentient beings there have no aging, illness, or suffering. Enjoying only happiness, they have an immeasurable lifespan and immeasurable radiance. The wonderful things there are beyond analogies in all worlds. That is why that world is called Adorned with All Treasures and why its Buddha is called Superior Great Energetic Progress That the World Is Delighted to See. Great King, you should express sympathetic joy and join your palms in reverence. Is that Tathāgata a different person? Aṅgulimāla is none other than [the self-manifestation of] that Buddha. Know that Buddhas’ states are inconceivable.”
Then King Prasenajit said to the divinators, “All you said is a lie. You should quickly go far way. Do not lie again.”
Then gods, humans, dragons, voice-hearers, Bodhisattvas, King Prasenajit, and people from all cities and villages, through the Buddha’s awesome spiritual power, gathered there. They bowed down at Aṅgulimāla’s feet and, with one voice, praised in verse:
Namo the Tathāgata with a boundless body.
Namo Aṅgulimāla, who uses skillful means.
I now bow down at the holy one’s feet
And repent at the honored one’s soft feet.
I now repent to the honored Tathāgata Aṅgulimāla,
Whose body lives a double life.
For our sake, he has come here
And manifested a Buddha’s image in superb flaming radiance,
To illuminate sentient beings and give teachings.
I repeatedly repent to the immeasurable body of a Samyak-Saṁbuddha,
Who serves as the reliance for those without reliance
And as the kin for those without kin.
Amazing! Two Buddhas have appeared in the world.
What never before happened in the world has now happened.
It is extraordinary to see two Buddhas in the world,
Like a lotus flower born from fire.
Then the World-Honored One told King Prasenajit, “North of here, past worlds as numerous as the sands of forty-two Ganges Rivers, there is a world called Constant Joy, whose Buddha is called Joy Store Jewel Accumulation, the Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyak-Saṁbuddha. He teaches in that world, where there is neither the Voice-Hearer Vehicle nor the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle. The Mahāyāna is the only vehicle, and even the names of other vehicles do not exist. The sentient beings there have no aging, illness, or suffering. Enjoying only happiness, they have an immeasurable lifespan and immeasurable radiance. The wonderful things there are beyond analogies in all worlds. That is why that world is called Constant Joy and why its Buddha is called Joy Store Jewel Accumulation. Great King, you should express sympathetic joy and join your palms in reverence. Is that Tathāgata a different person? Mañjuśrī is none other than that Buddha [His self-manifestation].
“If one reverently pays respects to Aṅgulimāla and Mañjuśrī and has heard their names, one will see the world Constant Joy as if seeing one’s own home. Because one has heard their names, one can close the door to the four evil life-paths. Even if one jokes, follows others for fame and profit, follows those on the wrong paths, violates the grave prohibitions,[13] or commits sins that will result in suffering in the hell of the five no interruptions, one also can close the door to the four evil life-paths. If good men or women use these two names for protection, in their present and future lives, they will be protected in wilderness and perilous or terrifying places, and will have no fear anywhere. Even gods, dragons, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṁnaras, mahoragas, and piśācas will not disturb them.”
Then the World-Honored One told King Prasenajit, “A Tathāgata’s words have such great, awesome virtues. A Bodhisattva’s actions also have such great, awesome virtues. Mañjuśrī and Aṅgulimāla also have such great, awesome virtues. If one expresses sympathetic joy over their virtues, one can take a Bodhisattva’s immeasurable actions. Great King, you should make an offering to Aṅgulimāla’s mother. Do not forget that his mother is protected by my skillful means.”
Then Aṅgulimāla’s mother ascended into the sky, to a height of seven tāla [palm] trees, and spoke in verse:
A Tathāgata’s manifestations
Are unknown to sentient beings.
The illusions manifested by a Tathāgata
Are the king of illusions.
A Tathāgata can manifest
A huge or skillful-means body.
After speaking this stanza, she vanished. Then King Prasenajit asked the Buddha, “World-Honored One, was that an illusion?”
The Buddha told the great king, “It was a manifested mother. As this manifested mother said, likewise are Bodhisattva actions.”
Then Aṅgulimāla’s teacher, Maṇibhadra, ascended into the sky, to the height of seven tāla trees, and spoke in verse:
Suppose that a jackal
Often roams with a lion.
Although it stays near the lion,
Its voice can never compare with the lion’s.
As it is scared to death by the lion’s sound,
How can it mimic a lion’s roar?
I am like that small animal.
Although I have long been Aṅgulimāla’s teacher,
I can never emit
The fearless sounds of a hero among men.
If he did not use skillful means,
I would be dead.
I am like a jackal.
How can I accept his offerings?
My actions are foolish,
And Bodhisattvas stay far away from me.
Regarding all sentient beings
Equally as His only son,
The Buddha manifests countless illusions,
But sentient beings cannot know this.
Even if He manifests a hundred thousand koṭi
Brahmin teachers,
Sentient beings cannot know this.
Only a Buddha knows another Buddha’s illusions.
Know that a Buddha-Bhagavān
Is the king of illusions.
Then Maṇibhadra’s wife spoke in verse:
Alas! Sentient beings do not know a Buddha’s virtues.
They say that the Ciñcā-mānavika was real,[14]
Because they do not know that she was manifested by the Tathāgata.
He manifested my body,
Which is an illusion.
Great King should know that
A Buddha’s body is inconceivable.
Caṇḍālas [outcaste] cannot get near the king
Because they constantly fear death,
Not to mention speaking to the king.
Although they are humans,
They dare not get near another human,
Not to mention gods or a Buddha.
Innumerable gods, dragons, and other protectors of the Dharma[15]
Constantly make offerings to the Tathāgata.
They end the lives of
Those who have evil intentions toward the Buddha.
The Buddha uses skillful means
To display various illusions
In order to restrain future sentient beings
From doing countless non-dharmas.
As a Buddha’s manifestations are a great illusion,
So too is His skillful-means body.
After speaking these words, she vanished. King Prasenajit, after hearing and seeing these extraordinary things, exuberantly rejoiced. He asked the Buddha, “Was that an illusion?”
The Buddha said, “Great King, know that Aṅgulimāla’s mother, teacher, and teacher’s wife [who each just spoke and vanished] were manifested by me. The way I display manifestations is inconceivable as I teach and transform Aṅgulimāla, in order to deliver innumerable sentient beings.”
Then King Prasenajit said to the Buddha, “World-Honored One, I will give great alms for seven days because Aṅgulimāla Tathāgata is a fortune field.[16]”
The Buddha approved, “Indeed, indeed.”
Then gods, dragons, and other protectors of the Dharma spoke together in verse:
Namo the king of illusions,
Who displays great energetic progress.
A Tathāgata’s skillful-means body
Is an appearance of skillful means.
He enters parinirvāṇa by skillful means
And displays distribution of His relics [śarīra].
A Tathāgata has a boundless body,
Boundless wisdom,
Countless good names,
And countless strong guards.
As a Tathāgata’s body is boundless,
So too are His secret marks.
As His words are boundless,
So too are His veiled statements.
As He boundlessly illuminates the world,
His radiance is boundless.
His merits are beyond number,
Description, and measure.
With hindrance-free wisdom like the open sky,
And a body like the open sky,
The Tathāgata comforts Mañjuśrī
And all of us.
Because of Aṅgulimāla,
The Buddha-Bhagavān has come.
Whether or not He comes
Is not something we can know.
The Tathāgata regards all
Equally as Rāhula.
After the World-Honored One pronounced this sūtra, all in the assembly, such as gods, dragons, other protectors of the Dharma, voice-hearers, Bodhisattvas, and King Prasenajit, admired the actions of Aṅgulimāla and Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva. Wishing to be born in their Buddha Lands, the multitude activated the anuttara-samyak-saṁbodhi mind and exuberantly rejoiced.
—Sūtra of Aṅgulimālika, fascicle 4
Translated from the digital Chinese Canon (T02n0120)
Notes
1. See Thirty-seven Elements of Bodhi in the glossary.
2. See “five rebellious sinsfive rebellious sins” and “ten evil karmas” in the glossary.
3. See “hell of the five no interruptions” in the glossary.
4. See “dharma body” in the glossary’s “three bodies of a Buddha.”
5. Udumbara, the ficus glomerata, a tree that produces fruit with hidden flowers. Hence the appearance of its bloom is likened to the rare appearance of a Buddha.
6. In other texts, these five filths are called “five coverings.” See “five coverings” in the glossary.
7. See note 39 in Sūtra 51 on this website.
8. Some followers of Jainism are also naked śramaṇas. The Jain community is divided into two denominations: the Digambara, clad in no clothes, and the śvetāmbara, clad in white clothes. See Nirgranthaputra in the glossary, who is the 24th and last patriarch of the Jain School, and revered as the Mahāvīra (great hero).
9. The word middle does not mean a midpoint or a compromise between opposites, nor is it their union. The Middle Way (Mādhyamaka) means that emptiness is non-dual, above the plane of polar opposites, which are illusory appearances of dharmas through illusory causes and conditions, all with false names. Emptiness is also a false name. Although the Buddha often likens emptiness to the open sky, one should not take emptiness as nothingness or as a metaphysical base for saṁskṛta dharmas (Rulu 2012a, 25).
10. In fascicle 2 of text 270 (T09n0270), the Chinese version of the Sūtra of the Great Dharma Drum (Mahā-bherīhāraka-parivarta-sūtra), the Buddha says that during the last eighty years as the Dharma perishes, a youth of the Licchavi clan, called Entire World Is Delighted to See, will be reborn in the south as a bhikṣu to uphold the Dharma and pronounce the Sūtra of the Great Dharma Drum. The English translation of text 270 appears in Teachings of the Buddha (Rulu 2012a, 151–83).
11. The name Abhimaṁru is phonetically translated from Chinese. Maybe it should be Abhimanyu, which is a well-known Sanskrit name.
12. A large elephant is called a dragon elephant, as a title of respect.
13. See “four grave prohibitions” in the glossary.
14. The Sanskrit word mānavikrayin means selling one’s honor. Ciñcā-mānavika refers to the Brahmin woman who attempted to hinder the Buddha’s delivering the multitude. Hiding a wooden bowl inside her clothes, she entered the ashram in Jetavana Park, where the Buddha was giving teachings, and declared that she was pregnant with the Buddha’s child. Then the god-king Śakra manifested himself as a white mouse, entered her clothes, chewed off the string that tied the bowl to her clothes, and exposed the bowl. As the multitude was relieved of its doubts, the earth cracked open, and that woman fell into Avīci Hell (Buddha’s Light Dictionary 1988, 4119a).
15. See “eight classes of Dharma protectors” in the glossary.
16. See “three fortune fields” in the glossary.
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