Sanghata Sutra Dharma-Paryaya
Mahayana SanghataSutra DharmaParyaya PDF
Mahayana SanghataSutra DharmaParyaya Text
“Then, those sentient beings will tell each other the following:
‘By what was done and accumulated, there must be some other ripening result of the virtuous Dharma of directly, completely awakening into unsurpassed, perfectly completed enlightenment and of wanting to benefit all sentient beings.’
Whoever, after trusting in the Dharma, says the following - ‘there is a Dharma perfectly in accordance with things as they are’ – the great ripening result of their happiness will be the unsurpassed happiness of the Dharma. Those ignorant, foolish sentient beings who say the following – ‘there aren’t any dharmas; there is no passing beyond the dharmas either.’ – their great ripening result will be to go to bad realms.
Again and again they will course towards the ground of bad realms. For eight aeons, they will experience the sensations of the sufferings of sentient beings’ hells. For 12 aeons, they will experience the sensations of the sufferings in the lands of pretas.
For 16 aeons, they will be born among the asuras.
For 9,000 aeons, they will be born among the demonic spirits and goblins. For 14,000 aeons, they will be without tongues. For 16,000 aeons, their time of death will come in their mother’s womb. For 12,000 aeons, they will become round balls of flesh. For 11,000 aeons, they will be born blind and will experience suffering sensations, and the parents will think, ‘We have suffered meaninglessly. The birth of our son was meaningless. Bearing him in the womb for nine months was meaningless.’ They will experience the sensation of cold and heat. They will experience intensely the suffering of hunger and thirst also. They will experience many sufferings in this life as well. Even when the parents see a son in their house, there is no joy and the parents’ hopes will be utterly cut off.
“Sarvashura, in that way, the sentient beings who abandon the holy Dharma are coursing towards hell and animal rebirths.
[SANSKRIT TRANSLATION BEGINS HERE]
At the time of their death they will be affected by the great arrows of sorrow.
Sarvashura, those who speak such words as these – ‘there is Dharma. There is a profound scholar in the Dharmas’ – by that root of good they will be born in the Uttarakurus for twenty aeons. They will be born in the community of the devas of the Trayastrimsha for 25,000 aeons. Having fallen from among the Trayastrimsha devas, they will be born again in the Uttarakurus. They will not be born in the uterus of a mother. They will see 100,000 worlds. Having seen the vision of all the Buddha-fields which have the name Sukhavati, and having established themselves there, they will fully realize enlightenment in that very place.
Sarvashura, the great efficacy indeed of this Sanghata dharma-paryaya is such. Those who place belief in this will by no means die by a blow of misfortune. They will be endowed with pure morality.
“Sarvashura, there are beings who will say thus: ‘The Tathagata frees many beings day and night. Even so, the world of beings does not diminish. Many make the resolution
to enlightenment.
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Many are born in the celestial world. Many are made to attain happiness. Then, for what reason is it that there is no diminution of beings?’’”
Then, the sectarians, wandering ascetics, religious mendicants, and non-believers had a thought like this: ‘We shall go. We shall dispute with the ascetic Gautama.’
Thereupon the 94 sectarians, wanderers, religious mendicants, brahmins, and many hundreds of non-believers approached there, where the great city Rajagriha was. At that time, at that moment, the Blessed One displayed a smile.
Thereupon the bodhisattva, the great being Maitreya, having risen from the seat, putting his upper robe over one shoulder, placing his right knee on the earth and making obeisance with folded hands in the direction of the Blessed One, spoke to the Blessed One thus, “Blessed One, what is the cause, what is the reason for displaying a smile? Not without cause, not without reason, do Tathagatas, Arhats, perfectly completed Buddhas display a smile.”
The Blessed One said, “Listen, son of the lineage. Today, there will be a great assembly in this great city of Rajagriha.”
He said, “Blessed One, who will come here? Devas, or nagas, or yakshas, or human beings or non human beings?”
The Blessed One said, “Maitreya, all of them: devas, nagas, yakshas, human beings, and non human beings are coming here today. And 84,000 brahmins will also come here; 90,000 million sectarians, wandering ascetics, religious mendicants and non-believers will come here. They will dispute with me. I will preach the Dharma to silence the disputes of all of them. All those brahmins will produce the thought of supreme perfectly completed enlightenment. 9,000,000 millions of sectarians, wandering ascetics, religious mendicants and non-believers will attain the fruit of a stream enterer. 18,000 million naga kings will come. They will hear the Dharma from me. Having heard it, all will produce the thoughts of supreme perfectly completed enlightenment. 60,000 million sons of deities of the pure abodes will come. Mara, the evil one, will come with his retinue of 32,000 million followers. 12,000 million asura kings will come. Kings, 500 in number, will come with their retinues to hear the Dharma. Having heard the Dharma from me, they will all produce the thought of unsurpassed, perfectly completed enlightenment.”
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Then the bodhisattva, the great being, Maitreya, having worshipped at the feet of the Blessed One with his head, and having circumambulated the Blessed One, vanished in that very place.
Thereupon the bodhisattva, the great being, Sarvashura, having risen from the seat, putting his upper robe over one shoulder, placing his right knee on the earth and making obeisance with folded hands in the direction where the Blessed One was, spoke to the Blessed One, thus, “Blessed One, what are the names of the kings, 500 in number?”
The Blessed One said, “Listen, Sarvashura. There is the king named Nanda, the king named Sunanda, the king named Upananda, the king named Jinarsabha, the king named Brahmasena, the king named Brahmaghosha, the king named Sudarshana, the king named Jayasena, the king named Nandasena, the king named Bimbisara, the king named Prasenajit and the king named Virudhaka. Thus preceded by them are the kings, 500 in number. Each king is accompanied by 2,000,000 million followers.
All of them have set out for the unsurpassed, perfectly completed enlightenment except the king Virudhaka.
In the eastern direction 30,000 million bodhisattvas are coming. In the northern direction 80,000 million bodhisattvas are coming. In the nadir 90,000 million bodhisattvas are coming. In the zenith 100,000 million bodhisattvas are coming. All of them are established in the ten stages.”
Then, all those bodhisattvas approached there, where the great city Rajagriha was, where Vulture’s Peak was and where the Blessed One was, in order to see the Blessed One; and all those bodhisattvas had set out for the unsurpassed, perfectly completed enlightenment.
Then, the Blessed One addressed the bodhisattva, the great being, Sarvashura:
“Sarvashura, go. Speak in this manner to the bodhisattvas in all the worlds in the ten directions: ‘Today, the Tathagata preaches the Dharma in the great city of Rajagriha. Therefore, all of you dwelling in the worlds in the ten directions, pay homage with folded hands.’ Proclaim it for a short time only, and again come back to listen to the Dharma.”
Thereupon the bodhisattva, the great being, Sarvashura, having risen from his seat, having worshipped at the feet of the Blessed One with his head, and having circumambulated the Blessed One, vanished by miraculous power.
Thereupon the bodhisattva, the great being, Sarvashura, having gone to the worlds in the ten directions, announced to the bodhisattvas: “Friends, today, the Shakyamuni
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Tathagata, the Arhat, the perfectly completed Buddha, preaches the Dharma to beings in the great city of Rajagriha in the Saha-world. Therefore you all express your approval. This very day, it will be a great profit for you, for your welfare and happiness.”
Thereupon the bodhisattva, the great being, Sarvashura, having gone to the worlds in the ten directions, respectfully venerating all the Buddhas, and having addressed the bodhisattvas, just as when a strong man snaps his fingers, in that interval, having come there, where the great city Rajagriha, and where the Blessed One was, stood in front of the Blessed One. All the sectarians, wandering ascetics, religious mendicants, non-believers and brahmins were assembled there. Many devas, nagas, human beings, non-human beings and the kings, numbering 500, were assembled with their followers. 33,000 million Maras, the evil ones, were also assembled with their followers.
Now then, at that time, the great city of Rajagriha trembled. Thereupon, celestial sandalwood powder rained down in the worlds in the ten directions, and a rain of celestial flowers rained down too; that formed into a pavilion on the interstice of the head of the Blessed One. At that time, Indra, the chief of the devas, struck a thunderbolt in front of the Tathagata.
Thereupon, at that moment, four great violent winds blew to the four directions. They removed from the city all the sweepings, dust and sand that was in the great city Rajagriha. Perfumed water rained in the worlds in the ten directions. Utpala flowers, lotuses, kumudas and pundarikas rained in the worlds in the ten directions, and those flowers stood above the heads of those beings as flower-umbrellas; and 84,000 pavilions formed in the sky, over the head of the Tathagata. In those 84,000 flower-pavilions, 84,000 seats were provided, and they appeared to be made of seven kinds of jewels. In every seat a Tathagata, seated, was preaching the Dharma. Then, these three-thousand great-thousand worlds trembled in six ways.
Thereupon the bodhisattva, the great being, Sarvashura, making obeisance with folded hands there, where the Blessed One was, spoke thus to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, what is the cause, what is the reason that such miracles as these are seen in the great city Rajagriha?”
The Blessed One said, “It is just as if a certain man were unsteady, wavering, arrogant and selfish, and he were very poor. Then, that man, in his pride, having gone as far as the royal gate thinking that the king would anoint his head, would wish to enter that royal palace by force. Then, those royal ministers and attendants would seize that
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man and beat him in many ways. Then, at that time, at that moment, the king would hear of the occurrence how that poor man desired to enter inside by force. Having heard, it would thus occur to him: ‘This man, by all means, desired to kill me.’ Then, that king would speak thus, with anger, to those attendants: ‘Sirs, you go. Take that man to a cleft in the mountain and kill him. Destroy all his dependants: parents, sons, daughters, maid servants, men servants and workmen.’ Then all of them were killed. All the groups of his own people and relatives would be afflicted by the arrows of extreme sorrow. In the same way, Sarvashura, the Tathagata, Arhat, perfectly completed Buddha, preaches the Dharma to the beings.
“Then, just like that arrogant person, common ordinary people, having taken a sign from the form, color, sex and figure of the Tathagata, think, ‘This is the body of a Tathagata’. Then, having heard many Dharma teachings, they fall into arrogance. They speak various sorts of nonsense. Overcome by self-interest and selfishness, they do not hear the Dharma themselves nor do they proclaim it. If someone explains a sutra, a stanza or so much as an example to them, they neither grasp it nor are they attentive, but rather they say, ‘We know this ourselves.’ What is the reason for that? It is because of this arrogance that they become infatuated with their own learnedness. Those who associate with common ordinary people, and do not hear such speech connected with the Dharma, will be infatuated with that learnedness. Such men put out their own poems. They put out their own literary compositions and prefaces. They cause misfortune to the whole world and to themselves. Uselessly, they will eat much public alms too. But after eating they will not digest it properly.
“At the time of death, they will fear greatly, and those beings will say thus, ‘Many have been trained by you in this knowledge of crafts. Why is it that you are unable to establish yourself?’ He would say to them thus, ‘Friends, now it is not possible to establish myself.’ There, those beings will lament in various ways. Just as on account of that one person, many groups of relatives, though they were innocent, were deprived of their life as a result of their own karma, so similarly, these beings, having lamented at the time of their death, contemplate themselves stuck in hells and the wombs of animals, due to the association with non-virtuous friends.
“Thus I say to you brahmin, sectarians, wandering ascetics, religious mendicants and non-believers: Do not be reckless. Just as a bird without wings is not able to proceed into the sky to reach the world of the gods, so for you who abide in self-interest and selfishness, it is not possible to attain nirvana. Such a miraculous power is not found in you. What is the reason for that? On account of karma, you are like those born from the womb of a hen.
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Soon, this body, whose nature is dissolution, will end in death. At the time of death there will be despair and trouble: ‘Why have we maintained this body, we who will not enjoy the happiness of the devas or the happiness of the human world? Nor will we dwell in the place of nirvana. Uselessly was this body of ours maintained. What will be our rebirth? Who will be our protector? Where will be our birth and end?’”
Then, the Blessed One addressed those sectarians, wandering ascetics, religious mendicants and brahmins: “Friends, do not despair of the Jambudvipa made of the seven kinds of jewels. Do not become excludible from the Dharma-jewel. Friends, ask the Tathagata whatever you doubt. I will fulfill all your requests.”
Thereupon all those sectarians, wandering ascetics, religious mendicants, non-believers and brahmins, having risen from their seats, covering one shoulder with their mantle and holding their hands folded, asked the Blessed One: “The Blessed One releases many beings from samsara day and night. But neither a deficiency nor a fullness of the world of beings is known.
Blessed One, what is the cause, what is the reason that the beings, being the same in number, show origination and cessation?”
There, the Blessed One addressed the bodhisattva, the great being Bhaishajysena: “The sectarians are equipped with the great spiritual armor. They ask a great series of questions to dispel great mental disturbances, to light the great torches of the Dharma. At a later date, indeed, there will not be any beings, young or old, who cause origination and cessation. Bhaishajyasena, there are old and young ones, indeed, who do not know anything.
“Bhaishajyasena, it is as if a certain man should wash his head, should put on new garments and should come out of the house. The people address that man thus, ‘Your new garments are well worn.’ Then, there would be a certain other person. He would wash his head, would put on old garments. Those garments are loose and are not beautiful; that man has his head washed well, but his dress is not beautiful. Similarly, Bhaishajyasena, there are old ones who do not beautify Jambudvipa. The young ones, however, show origination and cessation.”
Thereupon all those sectarians, wandering ascetics, religious mendicants, non-believers and brahmins, having risen from their seats, said thus to the Blessed One: “Blessed One, who of us is old and who is young?”
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The Blessed One said, “Old are those of you, who, having seen again and again the painful sensations of the hells and of animals and pretas, still today have not had enough of that.”
Then, all those sectarians, wandering ascetics, religious mendicants, non-believers, brahmins, and all the naga kings said thus to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, we can no longer bear to experience the painful sensations of samsara.”
And those sectarians, wandering ascetics, religious mendicants, non-believers and brahmins said thus, “There are no young ones who could realize directly the true nature of things.”
Then the bodhisattva, the great being Bhaishajyasena, spoke thus to the Blessed One, “Venerable Blessed One, see to what extent these beings are hard to make actively interested.”
The Blessed One said, “Listen, Bhaishajyasena. The Tathagata now apprehends the whole world.”
Thereupon 94,000 million new beings, having stood in front of the Tathagata, neither saluted, nor spoke, nor conversed with the Tathagata, but remained in silence.
Then, the bodhisattva, the great being Bhaishajyasena said thus to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, what is the cause, what is the reason, that these beings neither speak, nor converse, nor salute the Blessed One, nor question the Blessed One?”
The Blessed One said, “Listen, Bhaishajyasena. Those novices should be seen by you who say thus: ‘The novices are not able to realize the normal condition’.”
And those beings said thus, “Venerable Blessed One, we are novices. Venerable One Gone to Bliss, we are novices.”
The Blessed One said, “Sirs, of these beings, realize this world properly and show the extent of the world from your own body.”
Then, at that time, at that moment, the 94,000 million novices, having stood in the sky, after the dissolution of the body, became possessed of the ten stages.
Thereupon the bodhisattva, the great being Bhaishajyasena said thus to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, such beings who strive have well gained their gain of the cessation and exhaustion in samsara. Blessed One, this very day these beings were born. Blessed One, this very day these beings have been released. All are seen to be established in the ten stages.”
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Thereupon, for their part, all the sectarians, wandering ascetics, religious mendicants, non-believers and brahmins, and the naga kings and Mara, the evil one, with his followers, approached to cause confusion. And they all said thus to the Blessed One:
“Blessed One, we had approached the Blessed One in order to cause confusion. Blessed One, having heard this dharma-paryaya, we have become inspired with faith in both the Buddha and the Dharma. Blessed One, all of us then wish to gain the same sort of Buddha-happiness as that of the Blessed One. We wish to become the same sort of Tathagatas, Arhats, perfectly completed buddhas, in the world.”
The Blessed One said, “Just so, good sirs, just so. As you have approached the Tathagata, the Arhat, the perfectly completed Buddha, and generate thoughts of unsurpassed, perfectly completed enlightenment after hearing the Sanghata sutra dharma-paryaya, by that root of virtue, good sirs, you will soon awaken into the unsurpassed, perfectly completed enlightenment.”
Then, as soon as this word was spoken by the Blessed One, at that very moment, all those sectarians, wandering ascetics, religious mendicants, non-believers and brahmins attained the state of forbearance with regard to non-productive phenomena, and all became bodhisattvas established in the ten stages. And all those bodhisattvas, having ascended above in the atmosphere, to a height of seven palm trees in the air, offered seven pavilions made of jewels, to the Tathagata; and all wrought acts of transformation, control, and miraculous powers. Then, at that moment, having stood above the head of the Blessed One, they all strewed the Blessed One with various flowers. They contemplated the Tathagatas. They produced the notion of a Buddha in their own body. Many 100,000 million billions of devaputras too, bestrewed the Tathagata with flowers.
They spoke a word, thus, “The ascetic Gautama has great gain; he is a great field; a savior of the world; he has arrived at the attainment of samadhi-power; cognizant; he is in possession of discretion, who releases such beings from samsara, gradually, through skill in means. By this good saying alone so many beings are released from samsara.”
Thereupon the bodhisattva, the great being Bhaishajyasena, having risen from his the seat, putting his upper robe over one shoulder, placing his right knee on the earth and making obeisance with folded hands in the direction where the Blessed One was, spoke thus to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, what is the cause, what is the reason,
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that these devaputras speak such words, perform many miraculous feats, and with many eulogies of virtue truly praise the Tathagata?”
The Blessed One said, “Listen, son of the lineage. They do not praise me. They praise their own body. They will place their own body on the Dharma-throne; they will establish their own body on the superior Dharma-seat; they will send forth the Dharma-ray from their own bodies; they will be embraced by all the Buddhas. Having realized the realization of the unsurpassed, perfectly completed enlightenment, they will preach the Dharma.”
Thereupon the bodhisattva, the great being Bhaishajyasena spoke thus to the Blessed One, “Many beings, Venerable Blessed One, many beings, Venerable One Gone to Bliss, are released day and night. Even now there is no exhaustion of beings.”
The Blessed One said, “Excellent, excellent, Bhaishajyasena, that you think it proper to inquire on this matter from the Tathagata. Listen, Bhaishajyasena. It is as if there were a certain man, opulent, a possessor of great riches, a possessor of great wealth, and abounding in possessions. He has much money and grain, treasuries and granaries. He also has many female servants, men servants, and workers. He also has a great mass of riches. He is also provided with many fields and gardens abounding in wealth and grain, such as barley, wheat, rice, sesame, wild-beans and beans. During the season of spring that man would sow all that wealth and grains. Then during a later season all that wealth and grain would mature. Knowing that it is completely matured, after reaping the crops, he would send them into the house. That man stores those seeds of grain, separately, in his house, and having stored them, he possesses them. During the spring season, he again sows those seeds. In the same way, Bhaishajyasena, having performed virtuous actions in the past, these beings, seeking the fields of merit again and again, plant roots of virtue when those actions have exhausted. Having planted the roots of virtue, there they put into effect their virtuous practice in that good Dharma. Having put into effect the virtuous practice, they make all Dharmas increase. Having made all Dharmas increase, they produce happiness and delight. Then, by that thought of happiness and delight, Bhaishajyasena, they will not perish for many 1,000 million aeons.
“In the same way, Bhaishajyasena, the bodhisattva who has formed the initial resolution [to enlightenment] will never be subjected to ruin. He knows all the Dharmas in a condensed form.”
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He said, “Blessed One, what dream does a bodhisattva who has formed the initial resolution see?”
The Blessed One said, “Bhaishajyasena, the bodhisattva who has formed the initial resolution sees many fears in his dream. What is the reason for that? When fears are seen in dreams, then he purifies all evil actions. Bhaishajyasena, it is not possible for an evil being to repel the severe pains. But by seeing an evil dream he has no fear.”
Bhaishajyasena said, “Blessed One, what are the fears that a bodhisattva who has formed the initial resolution sees in his dream?”
The Blessed One said, “Bhaishajyasena, he sees a fire blazing. There that bodhisattva should produce a thought like this. ‘I have burnt all desires.’ Secondly, Bhaishajyasena, he sees the water stirred and agitated. There, that bodhisattva who has formed the initial resolution should not fear. What is the reason for that? Bhaishajyasena, it is because having thrown off all the bonds of delusion, all evils are destroyed by the bodhisattva. Thirdly, Bhaishajyasena, the bodhisattva who has formed the initial resolution sees a fearful dream.”
He said, “Blessed One, what is it?”
“He sees that the head on his own body is shaven. There, Bhaishajyasena, that bodhisattva who has formed the initial resolution should not fear.
What is the reason for that? Because then, he should produce a thought like this: ‘Passion, hatred and delusion, I have shaven off. Samsara, with the six states of existence, I have overcome.’ For him, in fact, there will not be any dwelling in a hell, nor in the abodes of animals, pretas, asuras, nagas and devas. Bhaishajyasena, the bodhisattva who has formed the initial resolution receives birth in the pure Buddha-fields.
“Bhaishajyasena, at a later time, at a later period, if a certain person shall cause to mature a thought of bodhi, then he will receive great reproach, and will be in a humiliated state. There Bhaishajyasena, the bodhisattva who has formed the initial resolution should not produce a depressed thought, nor settle upon one.
“Bhaishajyasena, many are the Dharmas I have taught. Bhaishajyasena, I engaged in arduous practices for many hundreds of thousands of countless aeons, not for the sake of enjoying sovereignty, not for the sake of the enjoyment of a way of life, nor for the sake of enjoying power. I engaged in arduous practices, Bhaishajyasena, for the purpose of understanding the nature of reality. And I did not actualize the unsurpassed, perfectly completed enlightenment until I heard this dharma-paryaya.
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Bhaishajyasena, at the very moment I heard this Sanghata dharma-paryaya, on that very day I awakened into unsurpassed, perfectly completed enlightenment.
Bhaishajyasena, profound is this dharma-paryaya.
Bhaishajyasena, hearing this dharma-paryaya is rare even within hundreds of thousands of countless aeons.
“The birth of a Tathagata, Bhaishajyasena, is extremely rare.
Very rare, Bhaishajyasena, are those who retain this dharma-paryaya in memory.
All those who hear this dharma-paryaya will realize the unsurpassed, perfectly completed enlightenment.
For 100,000 aeons, Bhaishajyasena, these beings will surpass samsara.
They will acquire the pure Buddha-field.
They will also realize the way of cessation.
They will be able to realize the support.
They will be able to realize the points of skillfulness.
They will be able to realize the points of skillfulness in the intuitive knowledge.
They will be able to realize the cessation of the points of skillfulness.
Bhaishajyasena, what meaning is said through ‘cessation?”
He said, “Blessed One, ‘the point of Dharma’ is the meaning said.”
The Blessed One said, “Bhaishajyasena, what is the ‘the point of Dharma’?”
He said, “Blessed One, the Dharma is said to be: ‘resoluteness,’ ‘morality’ and ‘possessed of morality’. Such is said to be the Dharma-treasure. Blessed One, this comprises the Dharma-treasure.”
The Blessed One said, “Excellent, excellent, Bhaishajyasena, that you think it is proper to ask the Tathagata on this matter.”
He said, “Blessed One, for what reason do Tathagatas appear in the world?”
The Blessed One said, “Bhaishajyasena, those who know the provision of great learning, they know the appearance of the Tathagatas.
Having known the appearance of the Tathagatas, they know that this appearance of Tathagatas is the place of happiness. And when the Tathagatas appear in the world, then, the beings know all Dharmas; know skill in means; they know mundane and supramundane Dharmas, and know the mundane and supramundane types of knowledges.”
He said, “Having known the knowledge, how do they understand nirvana?”
The Blessed One said, “Bhaishajyasena, they know the Dharma itself. Having known the Dharma itself, Bhaishajyasena, they create the initial advantage of those who know the collection of Dharmas. Having grasped what is righteous (Dharmic), there will be profit. It is as if, Bhaishajyasena, there were a certain man, a merchant. Travelling for profit, he would set out with others’ gold and his own, the load of 1,000
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men. As he sets out his parents say: ‘Listen, son of the lineage. Now you have taken others’ gold and your own, the load of 1,000 men. Therefore you should keep this gold safely, and none of it must be wasted. After you make a great profit, keep the gold safely. That will be a great profit for us, and we will live happily.’ That son would also say to his parents: ‘I will do so.’ Having said that, and taking the gold, he would go. Then, the merchant, by carelessness, would lose all the gold within just one month, and disperses it. Then, that man, thinking intensely, and with a heart pierced by the arrows of sorrow, would not enter his own house through shrinking and shame. Those parents of his would hear, ‘your son squandered all that gold.’ Having heard that, they lose hope, with hearts pierced by the arrows of sorrow. Tearing their clothes, lamenting and crying aloud, they wail thus: ‘An ill son was born in our house as our son. The whole house indeed, is ruined. Having made us helpless, he has made us slaves and workers.’ Then those parents of his, with hearts filled with thoughts of anxiety, died in despair. Then, the son heard: ‘My parents died in despair.’ The son also died in despair.
Just so, Bhaishajyasena, the Tathagata, on his part, explains this matter.
Those beings who have no faith in my message, cut off from the great Dharma-jewel, die in despair with hearts pierced by the arrows of sorrow at the time of death. Just as those parents, because of the gold, crying and lamenting in despair with hearts pierced by the arrows of sorrow, died with minds full of trouble and afflicted by the arrows of sorrow, because of the gold of others’ and of their own, just so, Bhaishajyasena, those who do not have faith in my message will lament; being tormented, they suffer grievous pain later, during the time of death.
“Having enjoyed the [results of] good actions done in the past, they do not perform further good actions after reaching a happy field. There, exhausting their merits and their hearts being pierced by the arrows of sorrow, at that time, at that moment, having seen the fearful and dreadful birth in hell, in the womb of animals and in the Yama-world, it occurs to him, thus, at the time of death: ‘Who will be a protector for me, so that I do not see the regions of the hell, animals, and pretas, and the realm of Yama and so that I may not suffer grievous pains there?’ While he talks wildly and approaches the next world, his parents speak thus: ‘What shall we do, dear son?’ And they addressed him in stanzas too:
There indeed, the pain of disease, the great fear cannot seize you. Son, death is not upon you. Fear of death is for the sick.
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Release from the danger and the terror of disease will be yours. Be steadfast, oh son! You will triumph over this.
The son said:
My consciousness is constricted. My body is greatly pained. All my limbs are painful. I see my own death. My two eyes do not see, and my ears do not hear. Never again shall I obtain hearing. The body does not cope with anything. My limbs pain me, as inanimate pieces of wood. Console me, oh mother, by saying ‘your death has not come’.
The mother said:
Son, do not say so, please. Do not fill me with alarm. Your body is affected with fever, and you see things inverted.
The son said:
I do not see fever in my body; neither a disease, nor does it pain. I see dreadful death; my body is violently attacked. I myself see my whole body oppressed with misery. Unto whom shall I go for refuge? Who will be my savior?’
The parents said: ‘Son, the anger of the deva is against you. By performing a sacrifice to the devas all will be well.’
The son said:
Do it yourselves. Do it in such a way that all will be well for me. Go quickly, and ask the temple priest.
Then his parents, having gone to the temple, had the priest offer incense to the deva. After offering the incense to the deva, the temple priest said this: ‘The deva is angry with you. You must make an offering to the deva; a sacrifice must be performed. A victim should be killed, and a man should be killed too. Then, your son will be delivered from the fever.’ Then, at that moment those parents thought: ‘What shall we do? We are poor. If the deva is not pleased, our son will die, or else, he will favor us.
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Therefore, though very poor, we will bring a victim, a man.’ Then, having gone quickly to their own house, and having sold everything, all the belongings there were in the house, went to buy a victim. Then, they would say to a certain man thus, ‘Sir, man. Give us gold. We ask for it on loan. It will be good if we are able to give it back on the tenth day. If we are not able to give it back, then, we two will become your slaves, your servants.’ They took that gold and went to buy a victim, a man.
Then the victim, the man, was bought by them both; but the man did not know they would deprive him of life.
Then, those parents, becoming giddy, did not reenter their own house. Having gone to the temple, they addressed that temple priest: ‘Now, perform this sacrifice quickly.’ Then the parents killed that victim themselves, and deprived that man of life. Then, the temple priest kindled the oblation of fat for the offering, beginning the sacrifice. Then that deva, descending, said thus, ‘Your son has been accepted by me.’ Then, those parents, blooming with happiness and delight, said, ‘It is better that our son live, though we will be slaves.’ There, those parents worshipped the deva well, and turned back to their own home. When they reached it, they saw that their son had died. Then, those parents, in grief and misery, with hearts pierced by the arrows of sorrow, died in despair on that very spot.
This, Bhaishajyasena, is precisely how the association with non-virtuous friends should be seen.”
He said, “Blessed One, I wish to ask a question. One Gone to Bliss, I wish to ask a question.”
He said, “Ask, Bhaishajyasena.”
He said, “Blessed One, where were those beings born? What were their destinies?”
He said, “Enough, Bhaishajyasena. What is it to you to ask of this matter?”
He said, “I ask, Blessed One. I ask, One Gone to Bliss.”
The Blessed One said, “There, Bhaishajyasena, the mother was born in the great hell Raurava. The father was born in the great hell Samghata. The son was born in the great hell Tapana. The temple priest was born in the great hell Maha Avici.”
He said, “Blessed One, where was the innocent man born? What was his destiny?”
The Blessed One said, “Bhaishajyasena, here it should be known that the birth of the innocent man was in the community of the Trayastrimsha devas.”
He said, “Blessed One, what is the cause, what is the reason for that man to be born in the community of the Trayastrimsha devas?”
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The Blessed One said, “Listen, Bhaishajyasena. At the time of his death, while he was being deprived of life, that man placed his faith in the Tathagata and said these words: ‘Homage be to the Blessed One, the Tathagata, the Arhat, the perfectly completed Buddha.’
This he did once. By that root of good, Bhaishajyasena, he will enjoy the happiness of the Trayastrimsha devas for 60 aeons. He will become one who remembers past lives for 80 aeons.
From birth to birth, he will be free of all sorrows. As soon as he is born all his sorrows will be extinguished. Surely, all those beings cannot wholly extinguish them.”
When this was spoken, bodhisattva, the great being Bhaishajyasena spoke thus to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, how is it that not all beings are able to extinguish them?”
The Blessed One said, “Bhaishajyasena, vigor must be exercised.”
He said, “Blessed One, what is the application of vigor?”
The Blessed One said, “Bhaishajyasena, listen. Vigor is said to be the display of fruits: namely, the fruit of stream-enterer is a stage of vigor. The fruit of once-returner is a stage of vigor. The fruit of non-returner is a stage of vigor. The fruit of the condition of being an Arhat and the cessation of an Arhat is a stage of vigor. The fruit of pratyekabuddhahood, with the knowledge of the fruit of pratyekabuddhahood, is a stage of vigor. Also the fruit of the stage of the bodhisattva, the stage of realization, is a stage of vigor.
Bhaishajyasena, these are known as the stages of vigor.”
He said, “Blessed One, how should a stream-enterer and the fruit of a stream-enterer be shown?”
The Blessed One said, “Bhaishajyasena, it is as if a certain man should plant a tree.
From the tree that has been planted, a sprout grows out on the same day. On that very day on which the sprout grew out, that sprout grew downwards to the extent of a yojana. And similarly, a second man planted a tree. On that day, by being shaken by the wind, no sprouts grew. Then, that man would uproot that tree from that place. Then, the other man would start to dispute with him, quarrelling, abusing and attacking him. ‘For what reason did you dig up my property?’ And at that time, at that moment, the king so heard, ‘Two men quarrel and attack each other, and were disputing.’ The king would send a messenger there, to the two: ‘Go, sir, man. Bring those two men.’ That man, having replied. ‘So be it, Your Majesty,’ having run quickly, said thus to those two men, ‘The king summons the two of you.’ Then, at that time, one man there becomes afraid and alarmed, but the second man was not frightened or alarmed. Having been led there, where the king was, they were placed before the king.
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Then, the king spoke thus, to those two, ‘Why did the two of you, sirs, dispute in quarrel, abuse and attack each other?’ Thereupon those two men, rising up, said this to that king, ‘Listen, Your Majesty. We have no land of our own. On a rented piece of land, a tree was planted. On the very day that it was planted, a sprout, leaves, flowers and fruits appeared, half unripe and half ripe. On that very day, on that plot of land, a tree was planted by this second man. No sprouts grew from that tree, nor did leaves, flowers or fruits appear, because it was shaken by the wind. Great king, the roots of that tree did not go down a yojana. Therefore this man disputes with me. Saying, “It is your fault.” Moreover, Your Majesty, examine for yourself and know. There, no fault in me is seen.’ Then the king, having summoned his thirty million ministers and having assembled them, said thus, ‘Do you speak?’ The ministers said, ‘Great King, what shall we say?’ The king said, ‘Have you seen or heard of a sprout growing on the very day a tree is planted, and that leaves, flowers and fruits grow too, half ripe and half unripe? This should be decided by you, sirs.’ Thereupon those ministers, having risen from the seats, said thus to the king. ‘Great King, it is not proper for us to make a decision on this, and we are not able to make a decision on this. This is a wonder, great king. This man should be questioned further.’ The king said, ‘Speak up, sir, man. Is this matter true which you state?’ He said, ‘Great King, this matter is true.’
The king said:
I have not heard, nor seen at all. These words of yours, that ‘on the day a tree was planted, it sprouted on that very day,’ are hard to believe. You say that leaves, flowers, and fruits were yielded on that very day. With folded hands, that man spoke thus, to the king, ‘Go, plant a tree yourself, and see a sprout grow up.’
“Thereupon the king went out with the thirty million ministers. He also had those two men imprisoned. Then, the king planted a tree himself. But the tree gave neither sprouts, nor leaves, nor flowers, nor fruits. Then, the king said thus, in anger, ‘Go, sirs. Quickly bring wood-cutting axes.’ As soon as they were brought, in anger he felled that tree that was planted by that man, and on which leaves, flowers and fruit appeared. And when that single tree was felled, twelve trees appeared. The twelve trees were felled; twenty-four trees appeared, with roots, leaves, fruits and sprouts, made of seven kinds of jewels. Then, from those twenty-four trees there appeared twenty-four cocks, with crests and beaks of gold, and wings made of the seven kinds of jewels. Then, the king, overcome with anger, taking the axe in his own hands, struck a tree. When it was struck, liquid nectar flowed from that tree. The, the king, becoming agitated mentally, ordered: ‘Go, release those two men from imprisonment.’ They said,
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‘So be it, Your Majesty,’ and having quickly run at once, they released those two men from the prison and led them to where the tree was. Then the king asked, ‘Why is it that the tree you planted, having been one, when felled grew twice as many until it reached twenty-four; and that tree planted by me neither gave sprouts, nor leaves, nor flowers nor fruit?’ Then the man said thus, ‘Great king, the kind of merit that I have is not found in you.’ Then, those thirty million ministers, placing both knees on the ground, said thus, to that man, ‘You should rule. The former king is not fit.’ Then, that man replied to those ministers in stanzas:
‘Sovereignty is of no use to me, nor is corn or wealth. My faith is placed in the Buddhas. May I become supreme among two-footed beings. May I go to the sphere of nirvana, where the Tathagata dwells, in calm. May I teach you the Dharma, which leads to the city of nirvana.’ Seated cross-legged, then, he confessed: ‘I have done evil in the past; I came into the prison of the king. But having made a resolution right there, may my evil acts be exhausted.’
Then, those twenty four cocks struck musical instruments with their diamond beaks. Then, at that time, at that moment, 32,000 pavilions appeared; and each pavilion appeared to be 25 yojanas in size. In each pavilion 25 cocks with golden beaks, golden crests and golden faces appeared. They uttered human speech:
It is not proper in you, great king, that the tree was felled by you. Twenty-four trees, of the 100 million trees, stood before him. Because of evil actions, you will consume undesirable fruit. Do you know what person it was who planted the tree?
The king said:
I do not know this matter. Explain, great ascetic. What great being was he, who planted the tree?
The birds said:
He indeed is the lamp of the world; he will arise as the leader, releasing all beings from the bondage of birth in samsara.
The king said:
Who was the second man whose tree did not grow? What are the evil actions done by him? Expound it, birds.
The birds said:
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He of whom the tree did not grow is the foolish Devadatta. How could his tree grow, without his doing good actions?
Then, at that time, at that moment, the thirty million ministers, having heard this dharma-paryaya, all became bodhisattvas established in the ten stages, possessing intuitive knowledge. And that king, being established in the ten stages, obtained a realization of the good Dharma.”
Thereupon the bodhisattva, the great being Bhaishajyasena said thus to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, what is the cause, what is the reason, that thirty million people gained intuitive knowledge and were established in the ten stages?”
The Blessed One said, “Listen, Bhaishajyasena. I shall explain.”
Then, the Blessed One displayed a smile at that moment. Then, in the very instant that the Blessed One smiled, 840,000 rays of numerous and various colors, many hundreds of thousands of colors, such as blue, yellow, red, white, madder-color, crystal and silver, issued out of the mouth of the Blessed One. Those rays, having illuminated the limitless and incalculable worlds, turning back again and having circumambulated the Blessed One three times, vanished in the head of the Blessed One. Thereupon the bodhisattva, the great being Bhaishajyasena, having arisen from his seat, covering one shoulder with his garment, placing his right knee on the earth and making obeisance with folded hands there, where the Blessed One was, spoke thus to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, what is the cause, what is the reason, for displaying a smile? Not without any cause, not without any reason, do Tathagatas, Arhats, perfectly completed Buddhas, smile.”
The Blessed One said, “Do you see, Bhaishajyasena, the whole body of people coming from all around the worlds of the four directions, in my presence?”
He said, “Not so, Blessed One. I do not see.”
The Blessed One said, “Bhaishajyasena, then make a survey and see the multitude.” 45
There upon the bodhisattva, the great being Bhaishajyasena, having surveyed, saw a tree appearing in the eastern direction, 7,000 yojanas in extent. There, on one side, a body of people 25,000 million in number was assembled, but they did not speak, nor converse, nor talk, nor speak together, nor eat, nor rise, nor walk. They waited in silence. In the southern direction a tree appeared, 7,000 yojanas in extent. There, a body of people, 25,000 million in number, was assembled. But they did not talk, nor converse, nor speak together, nor speak, nor rise, nor walk.
They waited in silence.
In the western direction, 7,000 yojanas in extent. There, a body of 25,000 million in number, was assembled. But they did not converse, nor talk, nor speak together, nor chat, nor rise, nor walk. They waited in silence. In the northern direction a tree appeared, 7,000 yojanas in extent. There, a body of people, 25,000 million in number, was assembled. But they did not talk, nor converse, nor speak together, nor speak, nor rise, nor walk. They waited in silence. In the zenith a tree appeared, 7,000 yojanas in extent. There, a body of people, 25,000 million in number, was assembled. But they did not talk, nor converse, nor speak together, nor speak, nor rise, nor walk; they waited in silence. In the nadir a tree appeared, 7,000 yojanas in extent. There, a body of people, 25,000 million in number, was assembled. But they did not talk, nor converse, nor speak together, nor speak, nor rise, nor walk. They waited in silence.
Thereupon the bodhisattva, the great being Bhaishajyasena said to the Blessed One, “I wish to ask a certain matter from the Blessed One, the Tathagata, the Arhat, the perfectly completed Buddha, if the Blessed One would give an opportunity to be asked for the solution of the question.”
When this was spoken, the Blessed One said thus to the bodhisattva, the great being Bhaishajyasena, “Bhaishajyasena, ask whatever you desire. I shall satisfy your thoughts by solving each question asked.”
When this was spoken, the bodhisattva, the great being, said thus to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, why is it that such a body of people in the worlds in the four directions have come and stay? Why is it that a body of people, 500 million in number, from the space between zenith and nadir have come and stay? They do not converse with, nor talk to, nor chat with, nor pay homage to, nor speak with, the Blessed One. Neither do they rise nor do they walk. They wait in silence. Blessed One, what is the cause, what is the reason?”
The Blessed One said, “Bhaishajyasena, go. Ask the Tathagatas yourself: ‘From what world have such bodies of people come?’ ”
He said, “Blessed One, by whose miraculous power shall I go? By the miraculous power of the Tathagata, or else by my own miraculous power?”
The Blessed One said, “Bhaishajyasena, go by your own miraculous power, and again come back through the miraculous power of the Tathagata.”
Thereupon the bodhisattva, the great being Bhaishajyasena, having circumambulated the Blessed One three times, disappeared in that very place.
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