རྒྱ་ཆེར་རོལ་པ།
The Play in Full
Lalitavistara
འཕགས་པ་རྒྱ་ཆེར་རོལ་པ་ཞེས་བྱ་བ་ཐེག་པ་ཆེན་པོའི་མདོ།
’phags pa rgya cher rol pa zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo
The Noble Great Vehicle Sūtra “The Play in Full”
Āryalalitavistaranāmamahāyānasūtra
Toh 95
Degé Kangyur, vol. 46 (mdo sde, kha), folios 1.b–216.b.
Translated by the Dharmachakra Translation Committee
under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha
First published 2013
Current version v 4.44 (2019)
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Summary
The Play in Full tells the story of how the Buddha manifested in this world and attained awakening, as perceived from the perspective of the Great Vehicle. The sūtra, which is structured in twenty-seven chapters, first presents the events surrounding the Buddha’s birth, childhood, and adolescence in the royal palace of his father, king of the Śākya nation. It then recounts his escape from the palace and the years of hardship he faced in his quest for spiritual awakening. Finally the sūtra reveals his complete victory over the demon Māra, his attainment of awakening under the Bodhi tree, his first turning of the wheel of Dharma, and the formation of the very early saṅgha.
Acknowledgements
This text was translated by the Dharmachakra Translation Committee under the supervision of Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche.
Cortland Dahl, Catherine Dalton, Hilary Herdman, Heidi Koppl, James Gentry, and Andreas Doctor translated the text from Tibetan into English. Andreas Doctor and Wiesiek Mical then compared the translations against the original Tibetan and Sanskrit, respectively. Finally, Andreas Doctor edited the translation and wrote the introduction.
The Dharmachakra Translation Committee would like to thank Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche for blessing this project, and Khenpo Sherap Sangpo for his generous assistance with the resolution of several difficult passages.
This translation has been completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.
The generous sponsorship of 簡源震及家人江秀敏，簡暐如，簡暐丞 Chien YuanChen (Dharma Das) and his wife, daughter, and son for work on this sūtra is gratefully acknowledged.
Introduction
The Play in Full (Lalitavistara) is without a doubt one of the most important sūtras within Buddhist Mahāyāna literature. With parts of the text dating from the earliest days of the Buddhist tradition, this story of the Buddha’s awakening has captivated the minds of devotees, both ordained and lay, as far back as the beginning of the common era.
In brief, The Play in Full tells the story of how the Buddha manifested in this world and attained awakening. The sūtra, which is structured in twenty-seven chapters, begins with the Buddha being requested to teach the sūtra by several gods, as well as the thousands of bodhisattvas and hearers in his retinue. The gods summarize the sūtra in this manner (chap. 1):
“Blessed One, there is an extensive collection of discourses on the Dharma that bears the name Lalitavistara (The Play in Full). This teaching illuminates the basic virtues of the bodhisattvas, showing how the Bodhisattva descended from the sublime palace in the Heaven of Joy, intentionally entered the womb, and sojourned in the womb. It shows the power of the place where he was born to a noble family, and how he surpassed others through all the superior special qualities that he demonstrated through his actions as a youth. It shows his many unique qualities, such as his skills in arts, crafts, writing, arithmetic, calculations, astrology, fencing, archery, feats of physical strength, and wrestling, demonstrating his superiority to all others in these areas. It shows how he enjoyed his retinue of consorts and the pleasures of his kingdom.
“This teaching proclaims how he attained the result brought about by the concordant cause of all the bodhisattva activities, showing how he manifested as a bodhisattva and destroyed the legions of Māra. It explains the ten powers, the fourfold fearlessness, and the other innumerable qualities of a thus-gone one, and presents the infinite teachings taught by the thus-gone ones of times past.”
The Buddha silently accepts this request, and the following day he commences the teaching.
The story begins in the divine realms where the future Buddha (who, prior to his awakening, is known as the Bodhisattva) enjoys a perfect life surrounded by divine pleasures. Due to his past aspirations, however, the musical instruments of the palace call out to him, reminding him of his prior commitment to attain awakening (chap. 2). Inspired by this reminder, the Bodhisattva announces, to the despair of the gods, that he will abandon his divine pleasures in pursuit of full and complete awakening on this earth (Jambudvīpa), where he will take birth within a suitably noble family (chap. 3). However, before his departure from the heavenly realms, the Bodhisattva delivers one final teaching to the gods (chap. 4) and, having installed the bodhisattva Maitreya as his regent, he sets out for the human realm accompanied by great displays of divine offerings and auspicious signs (chap. 5). He enters the human world via the womb of Queen Māyā, where he resides for the duration of the pregnancy within an exquisite temple, enjoying the happiness of absorption (chap. 6).
After taking birth in the Lumbinī Grove and declaring his intention to attain complete awakening (chap. 7), we follow the infant Bodhisattva on a temple visit where the stone statues rise up to greet him (chap. 8) and hear of the marvelous jewelry that his father, the king, commissions for him (chap. 9). Next, as the Bodhisattva matures, the sūtra recounts his first day at school, where he far surpasses even the most senior tutors (chap. 10); his natural attainment of the highest levels of meditative concentration during a visit to the countryside (chap. 11); and his incredible prowess in the traditional worldly arts, which he uses to win the hand of Gopā, a Śākya girl whose father requires proof of the Bodhisattva’s qualities as a proper husband (chap. 12).
The Bodhisattva has now reached maturity and can enjoy life in the palace, where he is surrounded by all types of pleasure, including a large harem to entertain him. Seeing this, the gods begin to worry that he will never leave such a luxurious life, and they therefore gently remind him of his vows to awaken (chap. 13). This reminder, however, turns out to be unnecessary, as the Bodhisattva is far from attached to such fleeting pleasures. Instead, to the great despair of everyone in the Śākya kingdom, he renounces his royal pleasures. Inspired by the sight of a sick person, an old man, a corpse, and a religious mendicant (chap. 14), he departs from the palace to begin the life of a religious seeker on a spiritual journey, which eventually leads him to awakening (chap. 15).
Already at this early stage of his religious career, the Bodhisattva is no ordinary being. It quickly becomes apparent that he surpasses all the foremost spiritual teachers of his day. His extraordinary charisma also attracts many beings, such as the king of Magadha, who requests the Bodhisattva to take up residence in his kingdom, but without success (chap. 16). In a final test of the established contemplative systems of his day, the Bodhisattva next follows Rudraka, a renowned spiritual teacher. But once again he is disappointed, although he quickly masters the prescribed trainings.
These experiences lead the Bodhisattva to the conclusion that he must discover awakening on his own, so he sets out on a six-year journey of austere practices, which are so extreme in nature that they take him to the brink of death (chap. 17). Finally the Bodhisattva realizes that such practices do not lead to awakening and, encouraged by some protective gods, he begins to eat a normal diet once again, which restores his former physique and health (chap. 18). At this point he senses that he is on the verge of attaining his goal, and therefore sets out for the seat of awakening (bodhimaṇḍa), the sacred place where all bodhisattvas in their last existence attain full and complete awakening (chap. 19). As he arrives at the seat of awakening, the gods create a variety of impressive miraculous displays, and the place eventually comes to resemble a divine realm, fit for the epic achievement that awaits the Bodhisattva (chap. 20).
Still, just as everything has been prepared to celebrate the attainment of awakening, Māra, the most powerful demon in the desire realm, arrives with the aim of preventing the Bodhisattva from attaining his goal. Together with his terrifying army and seductive daughters, Māra tries every trick in the book to discourage the Bodhisattva, but to no avail. Sad and dejected, Māra eventually gives up his disgraceful attempt at creating obstacles (chap. 21). Now the stage is finally set for the Bodhisattva to attain awakening under the Bodhi tree, a gradual process that unfolds throughout the night until he fully and perfectly awakens at dawn to become the Awakened One (Buddha), or Thus-Gone One (Tathāgata), as he is known subsequent to his awakening (chap. 22). As is only suitable for such an epic achievement, the entire pantheon of divine beings now hurry to the Thus-Gone One, making offerings and singing his praise (chap. 23).
During the first seven weeks following his awakening, the Buddha keeps to himself and does not teach. In fact he worries that the truth he has discovered might be too profound for others to comprehend, except perhaps a bodhisattva in his last existence. Māra, who senses the Buddha’s dilemma, turns up and tries one last trick, suggesting to the Buddha that perhaps this would be a suitable time to pass straight into parinirvāṇa. The Buddha, however, makes it clear that he has no such plans, and finally Māra relents. During these first seven weeks, we also hear of other encounters between the Buddha and some local passersby, but significantly no teaching is given (chap. 24). Setting up an important example for the tradition, the Buddha eventually consents to teach the Dharma only after it has been requested four times, in this case by all the gods, headed by Brahmā and Śakra. As he says, “O Brahmā, the gates of nectar are opened” (chap. 25).
At this point, the Buddha determines through his higher knowledge that the first people to hear his teaching should be his five former companions from the days when he was practicing austerities. Although these ascetics originally rejected the Bodhisattva when he decided to abandon their path, when they meet the Buddha again at the Deer Park outside of Vārāṇasī, they are rendered helpless by his majestic presence and request teachings from him. The five companions instantly receive ordination and, in a seminal moment, the Buddha teaches them the four truths of the noble ones: suffering, the origin of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the path that leads to the cessation of suffering. Thus this occasion constitutes the birth of the Three Jewels: the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Saṅgha (chap. 26). This marks the end of the teaching proper. Finally, in the epilogue, the Buddha encourages his retinue of gods and humans to take this sūtra as their practice and propagate it to the best of their abilities (chap. 27).
This version of the story thus ends at the very moment when the Buddha has finally manifested all the qualities of awakening and is fully equipped to influence the world, as he did over the next forty-five years by continuously teaching the Dharma and establishing his community of followers. From our perspective, this may seem odd. Why do we not get to follow the Buddha as he builds his community of monks and nuns and interacts with the people of India, high and low, throughout his teaching career? And why do we not get to hear the details of his old age and passing into nirvāṇa? After all, this is the part of his life where his inconceivable qualities are most evident and where his glory as the fully awakened Buddha is most radiant.
The answer of course cannot be settled here, but we can at least surmise. Perhaps the aim of this account is not to describe the life of the Buddha in the way one would expect in a traditional biography, or even a religious hagiography. Instead, the scope of The Play in Full may be to tell the story of the complete awakening of a bodhisattva in his last existence. The many events that occurred post awakening during the Buddha’s forty-five-year teaching career are therefore not of particular interest to a project that aims to describe the awakening of a buddha. These events, moreover, are well documented in the teachings preserved elsewhere in the Buddhist canon.
If this assumption is correct, The Play in Full should not be viewed exclusively as the “life of the Buddha” in the way we might ordinarily understand such a phrase, but rather as an account of the unfolding of awakening itself, clearly centered around the figure of Buddha Śākyamuni, yet with many themes and plots that do not exclusively refer to his particular life example. Although we do hear of events specific to the life of Buddha Śākyamuni in the chapters concerning his education, athletic prowess, and so on, we are often reminded that the main occurrences recounted in The Play in Full have unfolded previously, namely whenever past bodhisattvas awoke to the level of a thus-gone one. Thus this story represents nothing new under the sun; instead it recounts what happens to everyone who is in a position such as the Bodhisattva’s.
This brings up another important feature of The Play in Full, which is the ahistorical Mahāyāna backdrop that informs the entire story line. Throughout the text, the story is covered by a latticework of mind-boggling miracles and feats that defy comprehension by the ordinary intellect. Clearly, in the perspective of the Mahāyāna, the world is fashioned according to the lenses that we use to see with. And here, in The Play in Full, the lenses are those of full and complete awakening. This fact is already alluded to in the title of the text, which describes the events in the Bodhisattva’s life as a play. As such the events in the Bodhisattva’s life are not ordinary karmic activity that unfold based on the mechanisms of a conceptual mind, but rather the playful manner in which the nonconceptual wisdom of a tenth-level bodhisattva unfolds as an expression of his awakened insight. In this manner of storytelling, the reader is invited into the worldview of a timeless and limitless universe as perceived by the adepts of the Mahāyāna. The time span, numbers, and sizes within this Mahāyāna scripture are so persistently overwhelming that all historical and scientific thinking as we know it eventually loses meaning and relevance.
As such The Play in Full is not an historical document and it was probably never intended to be. Instead it is a story of awakening that itself contains all the key teachings of the Mahāyāna. Thus, to fully appreciate this text, the reader must also attend to its aesthetic and rhetorical functions and how its narrative progression and episodes have been designed to impact readers, rather than simply approaching the text as documentary evidence of a life well lived. The text can thus be read on many levels from a Buddhist perspective, with new facets being discovered upon each reading. For the layperson it may provide an inspiring glimpse into the ethos of the Mahāyāna worldview, for the renunciant it can represent an encouragement to live the contemplative life, and for the scholar it may appear as an exemplary specimen of Buddhist philosophy and literature. For others it may be all of these, and still more.
Still, the fact that The Play in Full is not a text meant to provide historical details of the founder of Buddhism should not prevent us, if we are so inclined, from enjoying this magnificent religious literature through the lenses of historical awareness and philological scholarship. If we choose to adopt such perspectives, The Play in Full does indeed contain a wealth of information of interest to the historically inclined. The basic framework for the story of the Bodhisattva’s awakening was already in place within the Buddhist tradition many centuries before this text appeared in writing, as early scholarship on the sūtra has already pointed out (e.g., Winternitz 1927). This essential framework, however, was greatly developed and adorned by the sūtra’s compilers/authors in order to create its current form, which Vaidya (1958) has dated to the third century ᴄᴇ. Before that time, stories surrounding the life of the Buddha (and the Bodhisattva in his last and previous existences) were in place in the various canons of the early Buddhist schools. However, the extensive account of awakening according to the Mahāyāna perspective only manifests with the appearance of The Play in Full.
This scripture is an obvious compilation of various early sources, which have been strung together and elaborated on according to the Mahāyāna worldview. As such this text is a fascinating example of the ways in which the Mahāyāna rests firmly on the earlier tradition, yet reinterprets the very foundations of Buddhism in a way that fits its own vast perspective. The fact that the text is a compilation is initially evident from the mixture of prose and verse that, in some cases, contains strata from the very earliest Buddhist teachings and, in other cases, presents later Buddhist themes that do not emerge—in written form at least—until the first centuries of the common era. Previous scholarship on The Play in Full (mostly published in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries) devoted much time to determining the text’s potential sources and their respective time periods, although without much success. For example, while the first critical publications argued that the verse sections of the text represent a more ancient origin than the parts written in prose, that theory had largely been dismissed by the beginning of the twentieth century (Winternitz 1927). Although this topic clearly deserves further study, it is interesting to note that hardly any new research on this sūtra has been published during the last sixty years. As such the only thing we can currently say concerning the sources and origin of The Play in Full is that it was based on several early and, for the most part, unidentified sources that belong to the very early days of the Buddhist tradition.
The Play in Full makes no attempt to present itself as a homogenous text composed by a single author. In fact it seems that the compilers of the text took pride in presenting an account of the Bodhisattva’s last existence that was as detailed and all-encompassing as possible and thus, to this end, it was perfectly acceptable to draw openly on a variety of sources. One obvious example of this is the fact that although the story is for the most part recounted in the third person, it occasionally and abruptly shifts into a first-person narrative where the Buddha recounts the events himself. In addition, there is often a significant overlap between the topics covered in the prose and verse sections, and in these places the compilers of the text have made no attempt to polish away the inconsistencies and redundancies. It is likely that the discerning readers of the time may have been quite aware of the sources on which The Play in Full draws, and that it was perfectly acceptable at the time to compile a “new” scripture from traditional sources, and to have this newly assembled literature be afforded the same inspired status as other instances of “the words of the Buddha” (buddhavacana). Certainly the Mahāyāna literature contains many statements in support of such an open-ended approach to canonical standards.
The title of this sūtra indicates that this is an elaborate account of the playful activity performed by the Bodhisattva. The fact that it is called in Full (vistara) indicates that the compilers saw this text as an elaborate way of viewing the awakening of the Buddha, as opposed to other (from a Mahāyāna perspective) more limited accounts, which have less emphasis on miracles and elasticity of time and place. But in Full is not to be understood only in terms of the vast Mahāyāna worldview. It can also signify an elaborate account that includes more details than previous presentations of the topic, since the Sanskrit word vistara can communicate this meaning as well.
Both of these interpretations of vistara are also possible based on the translated title in Tibetan (rgya cher rol pa). Although the grammatical elements in the Sanskrit and Tibetan titles differ, the Tibetan title can nevertheless be interpreted in ways similar to the Sanskrit. As such the title of this text already gives subtle hints that the internal hermeneutics of this sūtra may differ from our contemporary historical perspective regarding definitions of “the words of the Buddha.” Instead, by embracing the worldview of playful activity that The Play in Full presents, the words of the Buddha can manifest at any time, whether compiled, edited, or even newly authored.
In India, The Play in Full was no doubt a work in progress over several centuries before it finally settled into the form that we know today. It appears to have enjoyed a certain popularity in India, and it also had significant influence in several other Asian regions. In the Gandharan art of the period in which The Play in Full emerged, the themes of the text are widely represented in temple art, and even as far away as the Borobudur Temple complex in Indonesia, this sūtra provided inspiration for the elaborate artwork adorning sections of the temple structures. Versions of The Play in Full were translated into Chinese in the fourth century by Dharmarakṣa and in the seventh by Divākara.
We also have a very beautiful and accurate Tibetan translation of the text. This was produced in the ninth century ᴄᴇ during the early period of translation, which attests to the text’s popularity and perceived importance at the time. This is the text that we have translated here. Once the text was available in a Tibetan translation, it quickly became the primary source for recounting the Buddha’s attainment of awakening and, unlike many other sūtras, The Play in Full appears to have been read and studied often in Tibet. While numerous scriptures from the Kangyur have slipped into relative obscurity, The Play in Full has continued to have a lasting impact on Tibetan Buddhism, all the way down to the present.
In the West, the first mention of The Play in Full occurred in 1839 when Alexander Csoma de Koros gave a summary in his Analysis of the Mdo (Calcutta, pp. 288-296). Eugène Burnouf also mentioned this text in his Introduction à l’histoire du Bouddhisme Indien published in 1844. The first efforts toward a translation of The Play in Full did not occur, however, until 1874 when Salomon Lefmann published a Sanskrit edition of the text, as well as a partial translation into German. Shortly thereafter further translations appeared, including an English translation by R. L. Mitra in 1875, and most influentially a full French translation by Édouard Foucaux in 1892. Almost a hundred years later, Gwendolyn Bays, who based her work on Foucaux’s translation with reference to the original Sanskrit and Tibetan, published a complete translation in English.
This present translation builds on, and benefits from, the considerable efforts of these previous scholars. Unlike earlier translations, however, we have based our translation on the Tibetan text as found in the Degé Kangyur (Toh 95), with reference to the other available Kangyur editions. In addition we have also compared the Tibetan translation line by line with the Sanskrit (Lefmann 1874), and we have revised the translation on numerous occasions where the Sanskrit clarified obscure passages in the Tibetan version or represented a preferred reading.
As such it is fair to say that this translation as it stands is an equal product of the Tibetan and the Sanskrit. Although some scholars may have preferred a translation from the Sanskrit alone, we believe that the present approach is justified, since a comparative study of the available manuscripts makes it clear that several strands of manuscripts were extant in India, sometimes with significant differences in wording and content. Moreover, as the Tibetan translation predates the existing Sanskrit manuscripts by centuries, the Tibetan may indeed represent an earlier stratum that merits attention apart from merely complementing the Sanskrit.
In producing this translation, we have sought to incorporate the best of both manuscript traditions through a diplomatic approach that does not give preference to either language a priori. Since there are literally thousands of differences between the Sanskrit and the Tibetan manuscripts when all levels of variance are considered, we have avoided annotating each individual reading preference in the translation. Our motivation for this has been to present a translation that the general reader can enjoy without getting distracted by numerous philological discussions and annotations that would interest but a few scholarly specialists. Instead, for those who would like to study the translation together with the original manuscripts, we have included references to the page numbers of both the Sanskrit and the Tibetan manuscripts, providing the specialist with an easy means for comparative textual studies. In this way it is our hope that both the general reader and the specialist may find the present translation to be of benefit and inspiration.
The Translation
The Noble Great Vehicle Sūtra
The Play in Full
Chapter 1
The Setting
Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was staying in Śrāvastī at Jeta Grove, in the park of Anāthapiṇḍada, along with a great saṅgha of twelve thousand monks.
Among them were venerable Ājñātakauṇḍinya, venerable Aśvajit, venerable Bāṣpa, venerable Mahānāma, venerable Bhadrika, venerable Yaśodeva, venerable Vimala, venerable Subāhu, venerable Pūrņa, venerable Gavāṃpati, venerable Urubilvā Kāśyapa, venerable Nadīkāśyapa, venerable Gayākāśyapa, venerable Śāriputra, venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana, venerable Mahākāśyapa, [F.2.a] venerable Mahākātyāyana, venerable Mahākapphiṇa, venerable Kauṣṭhila,1 venerable Cunda, venerable Pūrṇamaitrāyaṇīputra, venerable Aniruddha, venerable Nandika, venerable Kampila, venerable Subhūti, venerable Revata, [2] venerable Khadiravaṇika, venerable Amogharāja, venerable Mahāpāraṇika, venerable Vakkula, venerable Nanda, venerable Rāhula, venerable Svāgata, and venerable Ānanda.
Along with these monks were 32,000 bodhisattvas, all of whom had only a single birth remaining and were adept in all the perfections of the bodhisattvas. They enjoyed all the superknowledges of the bodhisattvas and had attained all the dhāraṇīs and all the confidence of the bodhisattvas. They had completed all the aspirations of the bodhisattvas, understood and realized all discriminating knowledges of the bodhisattvas, and gained mastery over all the absorptions of the bodhisattvas. They had obtained all the powers of the bodhisattvas and dwelt with all the patience of the bodhisattvas. Indeed each of them had completed all the bodhisattva grounds.
Foremost among them were the bodhisattva great being Maitreya, the bodhisattva great being Dharaṇīśvararāja, [F.2.b] the bodhisattva great being Siṃhaketu, the bodhisattva great being Siddhārthamati, the bodhisattva great being Praśāntacāritramati, the bodhisattva great being Pratisaṃvitprāpta, the bodhisattva great being Nityodyukta, and the bodhisattva great being Mahākaruṇācandrin.
At that time the Blessed One dwelt in the city of Śrāvastī, where he was revered by his fourfold retinue, as well as by kings, princes, royal ministers, vassal kings, and attendants. Likewise his followers among the military, the priests, the merchants, the householders, and the royal court revered him. Both city dwellers and those who lived in the countryside, as well as the adherents of extremist philosophies, ascetics, priests, logicians, and wandering hermits, also revered him. He was treated as their master and showed great respect.
Presented with offerings, the Blessed One received abundant savory food and drink, robes, alms bowls, [3] bedding, healing medicines and remedies, and other appropriate necessities. Yet the great wealth and renown he enjoyed were like drops of water rolling off the petals of a lotus flower. The Blessed One remained detached and untainted by it all.
As the Blessed One’s fame spread throughout the world, he became known by various names and epithets, such as the Blessed One, the Worthy One, the Perfectly and Completely Awakened One, He Who Is Both Wise and Virtuous, the Bliss-Gone One, the Knower of the World, the Peerless Guide Who Tames Beings, the Teacher of Gods and Men, and the Blessed Buddha.
Endowed with the fivefold vision, the Blessed One taught the inhabitants of this and other worlds, each with its gods, Māra, Brahmā, monks, nuns, and priests. [F.3.a] To all these beings, gods and humans alike, he taught what he himself had realized, and what he had thereby actualized and accomplished.
The teachings he gave were virtuous in the beginning, virtuous in the middle, and virtuous in the end. Sublime in both word and meaning, the Dharma he taught was at once distinct, complete, pure, and wholesome. He taught all these beings how to live a life of purity.
One evening during his midnight session, the Blessed One entered a state of deep absorption known as the array of the Buddha’s adornments. The moment he entered into this state of absorption, the ray of light known as the light of wisdom free from attachment that arouses the memory of the buddhas of times past shone forth from the protuberance on the crown of his head. Illuminating all the pure realms, the light attracted Maheśvara and innumerable other gods. From the mass of light that radiated from the Thus-Gone One, the following verses of exhortation arose:
Struck by the light of wisdom free from attachment, which arouses the memory of the buddhas of times past, the gods of the pure realms were inspired by these verses and immediately arose from their tranquil absorptions. Through the power of the Buddha, they recalled the blessed buddhas of innumerable and incalculable eons, remembering the qualities of the buddha realms of each blessed buddha, as well as the retinue that surrounded the buddhas and the teachings they gave.
That night, just as people went to bed, the gods of the pure realms visited the Blessed One. Among them were Īśvara, Maheśvara, Nanda, Sunanda, Candana, Mahita, Praśānta, Praśāntavinīteśvara, and many other gods of the pure realms. With their brilliant colors, they illuminated the entirety of Jeta Grove with a divine light. They prostrated to the Blessed One, placing their heads at his feet, and then stood to one side, supplicating him with the following words:
“Blessed One, there is an extensive collection of discourses on the Dharma that bears the name Lalitavistara (The Play in Full). This teaching illuminates the basic virtues of the bodhisattvas, showing how the Bodhisattva descended from the sublime palace in the Heaven of Joy, intentionally entered the womb, and sojourned in the womb. It shows the power of the place where he was born to a noble family, and how he surpassed others through all the superior special qualities that he demonstrated through his actions as a youth. It shows his many unique qualities, such as his skills in arts, crafts, writing, arithmetic, calculations, astrology, fencing, archery, [F.4.a] feats of physical strength, and wrestling, demonstrating his superiority to all other beings in these areas. It shows how he enjoyed his retinue of consorts and the pleasures of his kingdom. [5]
“This teaching proclaims how he attained the result brought about by the concordant cause of all the bodhisattva activities, showing how he manifested as a bodhisattva and destroyed the legions of Māra. It explains the ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, and the other innumerable qualities of a thus-gone one, and presents the infinite teachings taught by the thus-gone ones of times past, including the blessed Padmottara, Dharmaketu, Dīpaṃkara, Guṇaketu, Mahākara, Ṛṣideva, Śrītejas, Satyaketu, Vajrasaṃhata, Sarvābhibhū, Hemavarṇa, Atyuccagāmin, Prabālasāgara, Puṣpaketu, Vararūpa, Sulocana, Ṛṣigupta, Jinavaktra, Unnata, Puṣpita, Ūrṇatejas, Puṣkara, Suraśmi, Maṅgala, Sudarśana, Mahāsiṃhatejas, Sthitabuddhidatta, Vasantagandhin, Satyadharmavipulakīrti, Tiṣya, Puṣya, Lokasundara, Vistīrṇabheda, Ratnakīrti, Ugratejas, Brahmatejas, Sughoṣa, Supuṣpa, Sumanojñaghoṣa, Suceṣṭarūpa, Prahasitanetra, Guṇarāśi, Meghasvara, Sundaravarṇa, Āyustejas, Salīlagajagāmin, Lokābhilāṣita, Jitaśatru, Sampūjita, [F.4.b] Vipaśyin, Śikhin, Viśvabhū, Krakucchanda, Kanakamuni, and the Thus-Gone One, the Worthy One, the perfectly and completely awakened Kāśyapa.
“Blessed One, please teach this now to benefit the multitude of beings. Teach it to bring them happiness. Teach it out of compassion for the world, to benefit a great multitude of beings, gods and humans alike. Teach it to be our doctor and to bring us happiness. Teach it to propagate this Great Vehicle. Please teach it to defeat our opponents and overpower all demonic forces; to instruct all the bodhisattvas and inspire all those who follow the Bodhisattva Vehicle to arouse diligence; to embrace the true Dharma and ensure the continuity of the Three Jewels. [6] Please teach it to illuminate all the enlightened activities of the Buddha.”
Out of compassion for these gods, and indeed for the entire world including the gods, the Blessed One remained silent, thereby offering his consent. Seeing that this silence indicated the Blessed One’s consent, the gods were overjoyed and content. With happiness and delight, they prostrated at his feet and circled him three times, scattering sandalwood powder, aloeswood powder, and māndārava flowers. Then they vanished.
At dawn the next day, the Blessed One proceeded to a circular bamboo grove. Surrounded by the assembly of bodhisattvas, and with the saṅgha of listeners gathered before him, he sat down on the seat they had prepared and addressed the monks: [F.5.a]
“Monks, this evening a group of gods from the pure realms came before me. Among them were Īśvara, Maheśvara, Nanda, Sunanda, Candana, Mahita, Praśānta, Vinīteśvara, and many others.”
The Blessed One then continued to recount the events of the previous evening, up to the point where the gods disappeared. Bowing before the Blessed One with palms joined, the bodhisattvas and great listeners then made the following request:
“Blessed One! Please grant us the teaching entitled The Play in Full. Please teach this now to benefit the multitude of beings and bring them happiness. Please teach it out of compassion for the world and to benefit the myriad of beings, gods and humans alike. Please teach it to benefit the bodhisattva great beings of the present as well as the future. Please teach it to bring benefit and happiness.”
Out of compassion for the great bodhisattvas, for the great listeners, for gods, humans, and demigods, and indeed for the entire world, the Blessed One remained silent, thereby offering his consent. He then addressed the assembly: [7]
This concludes the first chapter, on the setting.
Chapter 2
The Inspiration
Now, monks, what is this extensive discourse on the Dharma known as The Play in Full?
Monks, the Bodhisattva dwelt in the supreme realm of the Heaven of Joy, where he was honored by offerings, received consecration, and was praised and revered by one hundred thousand gods. [8] He had achieved his goal and was elevated by his former aspirations. His intelligence was such that he had attained the entire range of the Buddhadharma. Indeed his eye of wisdom was at once both vast and utterly pure. Radiating with mindfulness, intelligence, realization, modesty, and joyfulness, his mind was extremely powerful. He had mastered the perfections of generosity, discipline, patience, diligence, mental stability, knowledge, and skillful means, and was adept in the fourfold path of Brahmā: great love, great compassion, great joy, and great equanimity. With great awareness, he was free of obscurations and had manifested the vision of wisdom free from attachment. Likewise he had perfected each and every quality of awakening: the applications of mindfulness, the thorough relinquishments, the bases of miraculous power, [F.6.a] the faculties, the powers, the branches of awakening, and the path.
Sublime signs and marks, indicating his boundless accumulation of merit and wisdom, beautifully adorned the body of the Bodhisattva, who had engaged in proper conduct for a long time. Acting in perfect accordance with his words, his unerring statements were always genuine. At once honest, straightforward, and free of guile, his mind was invincible. Free of pride, conceit, arrogance, fear, and timidity, he was impartial toward all beings.
The Bodhisattva had paid homage to countless awakened beings, to billions upon billions of buddhas. His loving gaze was revered by billions upon billions of bodhisattvas. Likewise Śakra, Brahmā, Maheśvara, the guardians of the world, gods, nāgas, gandharvas, demigods, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, and yakṣas, in their multitudes, rejoiced in his glory.
Having perfectly discerned their every word, the Bodhisattva’s learned understanding of the teachings was at once unimpeded, discerning, and perfect. He was an unerring vessel of mindfulness, able to recall the teachings of all the buddhas. The number of dhāraṇīs he had received was infinite. The Bodhisattva was the great captain of the vessel of the Dharma, which he had perfectly accomplished through the applications of mindfulness, the thorough relinquishments, the bases of miraculous power, the faculties, the powers, the branches of awakening, the path, the perfection of knowledge, the precious quality of skillful means, and merit. With the intention to travel beyond the four rivers,2 he conquered Māra, subdued hostile forces, and defeated all of his opponents. Indeed he set himself at the frontlines and destroyed the enemy hordes of the afflictions with the firm vajra weapon of supreme wisdom. [F.6.b]
This great being was like a lotus. Having a stem of great compassion deeply rooted in the mind of awakening, this lotus was born of superior intention. It was sprinkled with the water of profound diligence and had skillful means as its center, branches of awakening for its anthers, and mental stability for its stamen. This lotus arose from an immaculate ocean of a vast accumulation of virtues. Its blossoming petals, illuminated by moonlight free from the torment of pride and arrogance, were pristine. Emitting the scent of discipline, study, and conscientious speech unhindered throughout the ten directions, this lotus was foremost throughout the world in terms of knowledge, [9] yet untainted by the eight worldly concerns. It radiated the sweet fragrance of the accumulation of merit and wisdom, while the sunlight of knowledge and wisdom warmed it, causing the hundred petals of its pure vision to blossom.
The Bodhisattva was a lion among men. Swift and strong were his four bases of miraculous power, just as the claws and fangs of the four noble truths were extremely sharp. He bared the fangs of the four communions with Brahmā and gathered others through the four ways of attraction with his head. With a well-proportioned body, due to having understood the twelve links of dependent origination, and a flowing mane of the complete perfection of the thirty-seven branches of awakening, along with awareness and wisdom, his mouth opened with the three gateways to liberation, while his eyes indicated the utter purity of tranquility and insight. He dwelt in the mountain caves of mental stability, complete liberation, absorption, and deep meditation. Born of the jungles of the four activities and discipline, he was endowed with the ten powers, the fourfold fearlessness, and perfect might. The hairs on his body did not bristle with the fear of creation and destruction, nor did his valor ever diminish. He subdued the masses of extremists, who are like rabbits and deer, [F.7.a] letting out the great lion’s roar of no self.
As the sun of great beings, light rays of knowledge radiated from the orb of his liberation and concentration, dispelling the light of the swarms of extremists, who are like fireflies, and eliminating the darkness and obscuring film of ignorance. Indeed, with brilliant strength and diligence, the radiant majesty of his merit shone brightly among gods and humans.
As the light of the moon, there was no darkness within him; he perfectly embodied all that is wholesome. The sight of him was beautiful to behold and pleasing to the mind, and his eye faculty was unobstructed. Adorned by the constellations of one hundred thousand gods, the moonlight of the soothing branches of awakening radiated from this sphere of concentration, liberation, and wisdom, causing the lilies among humans and gods to bloom.
The Great Bodhisattva was followed by a fourfold retinue, like the moon by the four continents, and he was endowed with the jewels of the seven branches of awakening. He engaged all beings equally and possessed an unimpeded analytical capacity. His intention was enhanced by the sublime and perfectly complete austerities and spiritual practices that he observed on the path of the ten virtuous activities. As the king of Dharma, he turned the precious wheel of the supreme Dharma without hindrance, having been born into a line of universal monarchs.
Filled with all the precious teachings, including that of dependent origination, so profound and difficult to fathom, he never tired of study. Thus his boundless wisdom had become vast and all-encompassing. His discipline was beyond measure as well. Indeed his mind was as vast as the oceans and the earth. Equal to earth, water, fire, and air, [10] his mind was as firm and unmoving as Mount Meru. He was free from attachment and aversion, with a mind as pristine and open as the center of space; it was vast and unlike any other. His superior intent was utterly pure. [F.7.b] His acts of generosity were done well, as were his previous endeavors and his superior deeds.
He sought out all basic virtues and had formed positive habitual tendencies. Ascertaining the basic virtues, he practiced all such virtues for seven incalculable eons. He practiced the seven forms of generosity and engaged in the five types of action that create merit, just as he tread the path of the ten virtues—the three physical, the four verbal, and the three mental wholesome actions—and practiced the forty kinds of correct application. Likewise did he make the forty kinds of correct aspiration, immerse himself in the forty kinds of right intention, perfect the forty kinds of liberation, and erect the forty kinds of right interest.
He took ordination with four million buddhas and presented five and a half million buddhas with offerings. Similarly the Bodhisattva served 1,540 million solitary buddhas. Establishing innumerable sentient beings on the paths to the higher realms and liberation, he desired to become perfectly and completely awakened, to attain supreme, genuine, and complete awakening.
With only one lifetime remaining, he passed away and was reborn in the supreme realm of the Heaven of Joy as a supreme divine child named Śvetaketu. The assembly of gods showed him great reverence, honoring him as one who would leave their midst and take birth in the human world, where before long he would become the Buddha, attaining perfect, complete, and unexcelled awakening.
He dwelt in a celestial palace with 32,000 floors, adorned with verandas, domes, architraves, skylights, cool pavillions, multiple stories, and courtyards. [F.8.a] This palace was filled with parasols, flags, and streaming banners; it was covered by canopies of tiny jeweled bells and strewn with māndārava and mahāmāndārava flowers. The songs of millions upon millions of celestial maidens could be heard throughout. [11] Its enchanting, even grounds were covered with golden canopies and filled with various trees, such as mountain ebonies, campakas, trumpet vines, orchids, muchalindas, mahāmuchalindas, aśokas, banyans, persimmon trees, narras, karṇikāras, kesaras, sāls, and coral trees. In every direction there were flowered canopies, overflowing with jyotiṣ, mālikas, barasikas, taraṇīs, sumanas, bali, kotaranis, and other sweet-smelling flowers. Likewise there were danukari flowers, celestial flowers, blue lotuses, pink lotuses, water lilies, and white lotuses. Various birds flew through the air, singing out their beautiful melodies. Among them were parrots, śārikas, cuckoos, geese, peacocks, ducks, pheasants, snipe, partridge, and many others.
Millions upon millions of gods turned their eyes toward the palace and gazed at it in awe. The great and vast Dharma was proclaimed throughout, and thereby the force of their enthusiastic desire subdued all the afflictions, eliminating pride, conceit, arrogance, aggression, rage, and anger, and bringing about happiness, well-being, joy, and mindfulness on a vast scale.
The Bodhisattva dwelt comfortably in this great celestial palace, where a discourse on the genuine Dharma emerged amid a symphony of 84,000 musical instruments. From their sound, the following verses of inspiration arose, telling of the many virtuous deeds that the Bodhisattva carried out in times past:
This concludes the second chapter, on the inspiration.
Chapter 3
The Purity of the Family
Monks, in this way the Bodhisattva was exhorted that the time for the Dharma had come. Emerging from that great celestial palace, [F.9.b] the Bodhisattva went to the great Dharmoccaya Palace, where he taught the Dharma to the gods in the Heaven of Joy. In the palace, he seated himself upon a lion throne known as Sublime Dharma. He was joined in the palace by a group of gods whose good fortune equaled that of the Bodhisattva, and who had entered the same vehicle. Bodhisattvas with similar conduct to the Bodhisattva gathered from throughout the ten directions. Retinues with equally pure intentions accompanied the gods, without the assembly of divine maidens and even without ordinary gods. Altogether a retinue of 680 million entered the palace, each sitting on a lion throne according to rank.
The Bodhisattva then said, “Monks, in twelve years the Bodhisattva shall enter the womb of his mother.”
At that time the gods from the pure realms ventured to Jambudvīpa. Hiding their divine forms, they took on the guise of priests and taught the Vedas to other priests. They made it known that one who entered the womb in this manner [14] would be a great being possessed of thirty-two marks:
“Someone with such marks would become one of two things. There would be no third option,” they said. “If such an individual were to live as a householder, he would become a universal monarch with a fourfold army. He would become a conqueror, a righteous Dharma king. Such a king would have the seven treasures: the precious wheel, the precious elephant, the precious horse, the precious jewel, the precious wife, the precious steward, and the precious minister.
“How is it that a universal monarch comes to possess the precious wheel? Such a wheel can only belong to a king who has been properly consecrated by sprinkling his head. On the fifteenth day of the lunar month, while observing a poṣadha fast, the king will first wash his head and then go to the top terrace of the palace, surrounded by the women of the female quarters. Then a precious, divine wheel with one thousand spokes will appear from the east. [F.10.a] As high as seven tāla trees, the wheel, which is not made by a smith, is round with a central hub and made entirely of gold.
“This precious, divine wheel will now belong to the king, who is appointed to the highest rank of the ruling class. As he sees it, he will think to himself, ‘I have heard that if a precious, divine wheel appears from the east when a king, who has been appointed to the highest rank of the ruling class, ascends to the top floor of the palace surrounded by a gathering of women while observing a poṣadha fast on the fifteenth day of the lunar month, then he shall become a universal monarch. Since I can now clearly perceive this precious, divine wheel, I must certainly be a universal monarch!’
“The king appointed to the highest rank of the ruling class will then draw his cloak back from one shoulder and lower his right knee to the ground. Turning the precious, divine wheel with his right hand, he will proclaim, ‘Precious wheel, noble and divine, please turn in harmony with the Dharma, rather than that which is not the Dharma.’
“The precious, divine wheel, set in motion by the king appointed to the highest rank of the ruling class, will magically travel through space to the east, followed by the universal monarch and his four army divisions. Wherever the wheel comes to rest, [15] there the king appointed to the highest rank of the ruling class and his four army divisions will set up their camp.
“As he travels, the provincial kings of the eastern lands will come to greet him, carrying silver vessels filled with gold dust, and gold vessels filled with fragments of silver. ‘Welcome, lord,’ they will say. ‘Please come. This kingdom is yours. It is extremely vast and prosperous. [F.10.b] With bountiful harvests, it is both delightful and populous. Indeed it is filled with people. Now that you have arrived in this land, lord, it is yours. We beseech you to stay.’
“Replying to the provincial kings, the king appointed to the highest rank of the ruling class will respond, ‘May you rule your respective kingdoms according to the Dharma, and not by what is not Dharma. Do not take the lives of living beings, do not take what is not given, and do not engage in sexual misconduct. Likewise you should refrain from telling lies, sowing discord, speaking harshly, and talking frivolously. Do not let your mind be overcome by covetousness, malice, or misguided beliefs. Do not befriend those who take life or those with misguided beliefs. Should non-Dharma arise in my dominion, do not applaud those who practice it.’ In this way the king, who is appointed to the highest rank of the ruling class, will conquer the east.
“Having conquered the east, the precious wheel will then move toward the eastern seas. Crossing over them, it will travel magically through space to the south, accompanied by the universal monarch and his four army divisions. As before he will conquer the south, and then move on to conquer the west and the north.
“Once the king has conquered the north, the wheel will move toward the northern seas and, traveling magically through the sky to the royal palace, it will come to rest unharmed at the entrance to the quarters of the queen’s retinue. In this manner the king appointed to the highest rank of the ruling class comes to possess the precious wheel.
“How is it that a universal monarch comes to possess the precious elephant? [F.11.a] The precious elephant of the king appointed to the highest rank of the ruling class appears in the same way that the precious wheel appeared. Completely white in color, the precious elephant has four limbs, two tusks, and a trunk. Its head is ornamented with gold, and it bears a gold victory banner. Likewise it is bedecked with gold ornaments and covered with gold netting. [16] Its magical powers enable it to fly through the sky and transform itself. This king of elephants is known as Bodhi.
“When the king appointed to the highest rank of the ruling class wishes to examine the precious elephant, he will mount it at daybreak and travel throughout this great earth, which is surrounded by oceans. After returning to the royal palace, he will fondly resume his governance. In this manner the universal monarch comes to possess the precious elephant.
“How is it that a universal monarch comes to possess the precious horse? The precious horse of the king appointed to the highest rank of the ruling class appears just as before. The precious horse has a blue body and a black head with a braided mane. It is bridled, bearing a gold victory banner and gold ornaments, and it is covered with gold netting. With its magical powers, it can fly through the sky and transform itself. This king of horses is known as Bālāhaka.
“When the king appointed to the highest rank of the ruling class wishes to examine the precious horse, he will mount it at daybreak and travel throughout this great earth, which is surrounded by oceans. After returning to the royal palace, he will fondly resume his governance. In this manner the universal monarch comes to possess the precious horse.
“How is it that a universal monarch comes to possess the precious jewel? The precious jewel of the king appointed to the highest rank of the ruling class appears just as before. [F.11.b] It is a lapis lazuli gem of pure blue color, with eight facets and very fine craftsmanship. With the light emitted from the precious jewel, the entirety of the female quarters are bathed in light.
“When the king appointed to the highest rank of the ruling class wishes to examine the precious jewel, then, at midnight, in complete darkness, he will affix it to the tip of a victory banner and venture out in the gardens [17] to observe the sublime grounds. The light emitted by the precious jewel will illuminate the surrounding area for an entire league, including all four divisions of the king’s army. The people who dwell in the vicinity of the precious jewel will be illuminated by its radiance. Seeing and recognizing each other, they will say to one another, ‘Wake up, friends. Start your work and get to the market. The sun is up and the day has begun.’ In this manner the universal monarch appointed to the highest rank of the ruling class comes to possess the precious jewel.
“How is it that the universal monarch appointed to the highest rank of the ruling class comes to possess the precious wife? The precious wife of the king appointed to the highest rank of the ruling class appears just as before. In accord with tradition, the precious wife has been born into the warrior class. She is not too tall or short, too fat or thin, too dark or fair. Indeed she is beautiful in form, pleasant in manner, and pleasing to the eye. She is in the full bloom of life, and every pore of her body gives off the scent of sandalwood, while from her mouth wafts the fragrance of utpala flowers. Her body is as soft to the touch as kācilindika cloth; in cold weather her body is warm to the touch, and in warm weather it is cool. Her mind, let alone her body, desires no one other than the universal monarch. In this manner the universal monarch comes to possess the precious wife. [F.12.a]
“How is it that the universal monarch appointed to the highest rank of the ruling class comes to possess the precious steward? The precious steward of the king appointed to the highest rank of the ruling class appears just as before. Learned, lucid, and intelligent, the precious steward’s divine sight will enable him to perceive treasures—both those that are owned and those that are not—in the surrounding area for up to an entire league. With those treasures that do not belong to anyone, he will cater to the material needs of the universal monarch. In this manner the universal monarch comes to possess the precious steward. [18]
“How is it that the universal monarch appointed to the highest rank of the ruling class comes to possess the precious minister? The precious minister of a king who has been properly consecrated by sprinkling his head appears just as before. The precious minister is learned, lucid, and intelligent. The universal monarch merely has to think of commissioning an army and it is done. In this manner the universal monarch comes to possess the precious minister. The universal monarch thus possesses these seven treasures.
“The universal monarch will also have one thousand sons. Brave, heroic, and supremely able in body, these sons will attain nothing but victory over the forces that oppose them. Without resorting to punishment or acts of violence, the king will rule with the Dharma, bringing peace and order to the entire vast kingdom that extends all the way to the oceans.
“If, however, he leaves his family behind and becomes a monk, he will become a buddha. Relinquishing the attachment of desire, and without relying on anyone else as a guide, he will become the teacher of gods and humans.”
With these words, the gods inspired the priests to recite the Vedas.
In a similar manner, other gods arrived in Jambudvīpa to exhort the solitary buddhas. “Noble ones,” they said. “Give up this buddha realm. In twelve years’ time, the Bodhisattva will enter the womb of his mother.”
Monks, at that time there was a solitary buddha named Mātaṅga who dwelt on Mount Golāṅgulaparivartana in the city of Rājagṛha. [F.12.b] Hearing the exhortation of the gods, he became as still as mud resting upon a boulder, then rose up into the sky to the height of seven tāla trees. Merging with the fire element, like a torch he passed into nirvāṇa. His bile and phlegm, ligaments and bones, and flesh and blood were completely consumed by fire, leaving nothing but a few relics on the ground. Even today, they are known as ‘the footprints of the sage.’
Monks, at this same time five hundred solitary buddhas were assembled in a deer park outside Vārāṇasī. They too heard the exhortation of the gods, rose up into the sky to the height of seven tāla trees and, turning into fire, passed into nirvāṇa like a torch. [19] Their bile and phlegm, ligaments and bones, and flesh and blood were completely consumed by fire. Nothing was left behind, save a few relics that fell to the ground. From this point on, the area came to be known as Ṛṣipatana, or the Hill of the Fallen Sages. The area also came to be known as Mṛgadāva, or the Deer Park, since deer frolicked there without fear.
Monks, in this manner the Bodhisattva dwelt in the supreme realm of the Heaven of Joy, where he engaged in four great examinations. What were these four? He examined the time of his birth, the continent of his birth, the country of his birth, and the family of his birth.
And why, monks, did the Bodhisattva examine the time of his birth? Because a bodhisattva does not enter his mother’s womb at the beginning of time when sentient beings are evolving. Rather it is when the world has formed and when birth, [F.13.a] old age, sickness, and death have become known that a bodhisattva enters his mother’s womb.
And why, monks, did the Bodhisattva examine the continent of his birth? Because a bodhisattva is not born in an outlying continent, nor is he born on the eastern continent of Pūrvavideha, on the western continent of Aparagodānīya, or on the northern continent of Uttarakuru. Rather a bodhisattva is born on the southern continent of Jambudvīpa.
And why, monks, did the Bodhisattva examine the country of his birth? Because a bodhisattva is not born in outlying lands where people are as stupid as sheep, with dull faculties, ignorant, and incapable of distinguishing right from wrong. Rather a bodhisattva is born in a central land. [20]
And why, monks, did the Bodhisattva examine the family of his birth? Because a bodhisattva is not born into an inferior family, like a family of outcastes, flutemakers, cartwrights, or servants. A bodhisattva is only born into one of two families—a priestly family or a family of the ruling class. When the priestly families are dominant in the world, the bodhisattva is born into a priestly family. When the ruling-class families are dominant in the world, the bodhisattva is born into a ruling-class family. Thus, monks, at this time the ruling-class families were dominant in the world, so bodhisattvas were born into such families.
For this reason, the Bodhisattva engaged in these four great examinations as he dwelt in the supreme realm of the Heaven of Joy. Having examined these points, he remained silent. [B2]
Monks, the gods and bodhisattvas then asked one another, “Into what precious family will the Bodhisattva be born? In what mother’s womb will he be conceived?” [F.13.b]
Some said, “The Vaideha family in the land of Magadha is wealthy, prosperous, and happy. This is a fitting place for the Bodhisattva to be conceived.”
“This is not a worthy place for the Bodhisattva to be conceived,” others responded, “for the mother’s family is not pure, nor is the father’s. The family’s fortunes have come about from little merit, not a vast store of merit. They are impetuous, unstable, and fickle. The surrounding environs of their land are like a desert, with few groves, lakes, and ponds. This is a primitive land, like a remote village. Hence this is not a worthy place for the Bodhisattva to take birth.”
Some said, “The Kośala family has a large retinue, many mounts, and great wealth. This is a fitting place for the Bodhisattva to be conceived.”
“This is not a worthy place, either,” others replied. “The Kośala family descends from outcastes. Neither the father’s nor the mother’s families are pure. Their interests are base and their line is ignoble. Moreover, they have no limitless store of wealth and treasures. Hence this is not a worthy place for the Bodhisattva to take birth.” [21]
Some said, “The family of the king of Vatsa is wealthy, prosperous, and happy. This is a fitting place for the Bodhisattva to be conceived.”
To this, others replied, “This is not a worthy place. The family of the king of Vatsa is base, violent, and lacking in nobility. They are illegitimate by birth, and their accomplishments have not resulted from the noble deeds of their parents. The king is a nihilist. Hence this is not a worthy place for the Bodhisattva to take birth, either.”
Some suggested, “The city of Vaiśālī is wealthy, prosperous, and happy. Delightful and teeming with people, [F.14.a] it is like a heavenly palace, with terraces, balconies, architraves, skylights, cool pavilions, multistoried buildings, and palaces. This city is filled with blooming flowers, ringed with gardens, and encircled by forests. This is a worthy place for the Bodhisattva to be conceived.”
“This is not a worthy place, either,” others replied. “They do not speak to one another with decorum. They have no Dharma practice, nor do they respect their superiors, elders, leaders, or those in between. Each thinks that he is king, never taking on the role of a student or accepting the Dharma. Hence this city is not worthy of the Bodhisattva, either.”
Others said, “The Pradyota family in the city of Ujjayinī has a great army and many mounts. They have emerged victorious in battle over their foes. This is a fitting place for the Bodhisattva to be conceived.”
To this the response came, “This is not a worthy place, for these people are malicious and violent. They are uncivilized, wild, and impetuous, without any heed for the consequences of their actions. Hence this is not an appropriate place for the Bodhisattva to be conceived.”
Some said, “The city of Mathurā is rich, prosperous, and happy. It is populous, filled with people. [22] The royal palace of King Subāhu, who commands an army of brave warriors, is a fitting place for the Bodhisattva to be conceived.”
“This is not a worthy place,” others replied. “This king was born into a family with wrong views. Indeed he is like a savage, so it is inappropriate for the Bodhisattva to take his final existence in a family with wrong views. [F.14.b] Hence this as well is not an appropriate place for the Bodhisattva to be conceived.”
Some suggested, “The king of the city of Hastināpura was born in the family descended from Pāṇḍu. This king is brave, courageous, and handsome. He has conquered opposing armies. Thus it is fitting for the Bodhisattva to be conceived in this family.”
To this, others responded, “This family is also not worthy of the Bodhisattva. Those born into the Pāṇḍava family have confused their genealogy. They say that Yudhiṣṭhira is the son of Dharma, that Bhīmasena is the son of Vāyu, that Arjuna is the son of Indra, and that Nakula and Sahadeva are the sons of the two Aśvins. Hence it is not proper for the Bodhisattva to be conceived in this family.”
Some said, “The city of Mithilā is extremely beautiful and prosperous. This is the land ruled by King Sumitra, who has many elephants, horses, chariots, infantry, and troops. He also has great material wealth, with great stores of gold, silver, jewels, pearls, beryl, conches, crystals, corals, fine gold, and many other riches and belongings. He is powerful, with an army unafraid of the kings from surrounding lands. He has many friends, and he delights in the Dharma. This family is a fitting place for the Bodhisattva to be conceived.”
“This is not appropriate,” others replied. “King Sumitra does indeed have these qualities. Yet he is extremely aged, so he does not even possess the ability to produce a son. Moreover, he already has many sons. It is not proper for the Bodhisattva to be conceived in this family.”
In this manner the bodhisattvas and gods observed all the illustrious royal families to be found throughout the sixteen kingdoms of Jambudvīpa, [F.15.a] [23] and found them all to be inadequate.
As they considered this, a god named Jñānaketudhvaja, who was firmly established in the Great Vehicle and could not be turned away from awakening, spoke to the great assembly of gods and bodhisattvas: “Come, my friends. Let us go before the Bodhisattva himself and ask him what sublime qualities a precious family must have in order for a bodhisattva to take his final birth there.”
“Excellent!” they replied. With palms joined, they all went before the Bodhisattva and asked him, “Sublime Being, what sublime qualities must a precious family have for a bodhisattva to take his final birth there?”
Looking upon the great assembly of bodhisattvas and the great assembly of gods, the Bodhisattva then addressed the gathering: “Friends, the family into which a bodhisattva takes his final birth must have sixty-four excellent qualities. What are these sixty-four qualities?
“This family must be noble and it must be known by all. It must not be petty or prone to violence. It must be of a good caste and good clan. It must have excellent marital unions, with excellent marital unions in the past, and marital unions between individuals who are pure. These marital unions must be between people who are both pure, well-known by all, and renowned for their great power. This family must have many men and women. It must be fearless, not base or cowardly. [F.15.b] It must not be greedy, but disciplined. It must be wise and watched over by ministers. This family must be creative and thereby enjoy worldly pleasures. This family should be steadfast in its friendships and safeguard the lives of all the beings throughout the animal kingdom. [24] They must have gratitude and know how to conduct themselves appropriately. They must not be moved by ambition, anger, ignorance, or fear. They must be afraid of engaging in negative deeds. They must not dwell in ignorance. This family must be benevolent and industrious. It must be inspired to give, be generous, and remember the kindness of others. They must be physically strong, with great power and strength, indeed supreme strength. They must make offerings to the sages, to the gods, and to stūpas, and also pay homage to their ancestors. They must not hold grudges.
“This family must be renowned throughout the ten directions and have a vast retinue. It must not be divided. It must be peerless. This family must be the most senior and the most illustrious among all families. It must be powerful, and renowned as such. They must respect their fathers, mothers, mendicants, and priests. They must have great stores of treasure and grain. They must have a great deal of gold, and many jewels, gems, pearls, lapis lazuli, conches, crystals, corals, fine gold, silver, and many other riches and belongings. They must have many elephants, horses, camels, oxen, and [F.16.a] sheep. They must have many male servants, female servants, officials, and workers. This family must be difficult to defeat. It must accomplish all of its aims. It must be a family of universal monarchs. It must be aided, in great measure, by the root virtues accumulated in the past. It must be descended from a noble family, a family of bodhisattvas. [25] Indeed this family must be irreproachable when it comes to any accusations of faults related to one’s birth, such as those found in this entire world with its gods, demons, and brahmās, mendicants and priests. Friends, the family of a bodhisattva in his final existence must have these sixty-four qualities.
“Friends, the woman in whose womb a bodhisattva is conceived in his final existence must have thirty-two qualities. What are these thirty-two qualities? A bodhisattva in his final existence must be conceived in the womb of a woman known by all and steadfast in conduct. She must come from a good caste and a good family. She must have an excellent figure, an excellent name, and excellent proportions. She must not have given birth previously, and she must have excellent discipline. She must be generous, cheerful, and adroit. She must also be clear-minded, calm, fearless, learned, wise, honest, and without guile. She must be free from anger, jealousy, and greed. She must not be coarse, easily distracted, or prone to gossip. She must be patient and good-natured, with a good conscience and sense of modesty. She should have little attachment, anger, and ignorance. She should be free from the faults of womankind [F.16.b] and be a devoted wife. In his final existence, a bodhisattva must be conceived in the womb of a woman with all of these excellent qualities.
“Friends, a bodhisattva is not conceived in his mother’s womb while the moon is waning. A bodhisattva in his final existence must be conceived during a full moon. On the fifteenth day of the waxing moon, and in conjunction with the constellation Puṣya, the Bodhisattva will be conceived in the womb of a mother who is observing the poṣadha fast.” [26]
The bodhisattvas and gods, having heard the Bodhisattva explain the attributes of the pure family and the pure mother, thought to themselves, “Where can a family with the qualities described by this holy being be found?”
Pondering this question, they then thought, “The seat of the Śākyas is wealthy, prosperous, agreeable, and pleasant. It has bountiful harvests and is teeming with people. Its king, Śuddhodana, descends from pure families on both his mother’s and father’s side. His wife as well is pure. His deeds are not swayed by the afflictions, and he bears excellent physical characteristics. Extremely wise and endowed with brilliant merit, the king comes from an illustrious family and is descended from a line of universal monarchs. He has incalculable wealth and treasures and innumerable precious jewels. He believes in karma and does not hold negative views. He rules over all the lands of the Śākya clan and is honored and revered by all the merchants, householders, ministers, and people in his court. He is kind and handsome, neither too old nor too young. He has a fine body and every excellent quality. He is knowledgeable concerning crafts, astrology, the self, the Dharma, the truth, the world, and signs. Indeed he is a Dharma king who guides according to the Dharma. [F.17.a]
“The city of Kapilavastu is the abode of sentient beings who have generated basic virtues. All those who are born there are equal in fortune to the king. The wife of King Śuddhodana is Māyādevī, the daughter of Suprabuddhā, a ruler of the Śākya clan. She is wealthy and youthful. Indeed she is in the prime of life. She has an excellent figure and has not given birth. She has no sons or daughters. With a beautiful form, as pleasing to the eye as a finely drawn picture, she is bedecked with jewelry like a celestial maiden, free from the faults of womankind. She speaks the truth, with words that are soft, gentle, dependable, and altogether beyond reproach. Her voice is like that of the cuckoo; she is demure and speaks only sweet and pleasant words.
“Māyādevī is reserved, free of anger, pride, conceit, and arrogance. She does not get indignant or jealous; rather what she says is timely, and she gives generously. She is disciplined and devoted to her husband, unconcerned with other men. Her head, ears, and nose are perfectly symmetrical. Her hair, as black as a bee, frames a fine forehead and a beautiful brow. Always smiling, she speaks with sincerity, her words measured and pleasing to the ear. [27] She is quick to learn, honest and straightforward, free from guile, artifice, and deceit. She is modest and decent, constant and dependable, and not prone to idle or frivolous chatter. She has little attachment, anger, and ignorance; rather she is patient and of good character, carefully guarding her limbs, eyes, and mind. The movement of her limbs is gentle, and her skin is as soft as kācilindika cloth. Her eyes are as pure as the petals of a newly blossomed lotus flower. Her nose is well formed with a beautiful complexion. Her limbs are firm and gently curved like the arch of a rainbow. [F.17.b] Every part of her body is beautiful and free of faults. She is attractive, with lips as red as the bimba fruit, a tapered neck bedecked with jewelry, and teeth as white as jasmine and sumana flowers. She has sloping shoulders, tapering arms, a waist curved like the arch of a bow, perfect sides, and a deep navel. Her hips are smooth, wide, round, and firm. Her body is as firm as a vajra. She has thighs that are as well proportioned as an elephant’s trunk, and calves like an antelope’s. The palms of her hands and the soles of her feet are like liquid lac. She is attractive to others, with faultless eyes. Alluring to the mind and pleasing to the eye, her form is superior even when compared with other beautiful women. Indeed she is without peer. Since her form is like a magical emanation, the word māyā, meaning ‘magically emanated,’ was included in her name. She is also skilled in all the arts. Like a celestial maiden in the garden of Indra, Māyādevī lives in King Śuddhodana’s female quarters. She is fit to be the mother of the Bodhisattva. Thus it appears that the purity of the family described by the Bodhisattva can be seen only in the Śākya clan.”
On this topic, it is said:
This concludes the third chapter, on the purity of the family.
Chapter 4
The Gateways to the Light of the Dharma
Monks, while the Bodhisattva was seeing the family of his birth, he dwelt in the Heaven of Joy in Uccadhvaja, a great celestial palace measuring sixty-four leagues around, where he taught the Dharma to the gods of the Heaven of Joy. The Bodhisattva had come to this great celestial palace where he now addressed all the gods of the Heaven of Joy. “Come, gather here,” he said. “Come listen to the Bodhisattva’s final teaching on the Dharma, a recollection of the Dharma entitled ‘The Application of Passing.’ ” [30]
Hearing these words, all the gods in the Heaven of Joy, along with the assembly of goddesses, gathered together in the great celestial palace. [F.19.a] There the Bodhisattva blessed the surrounding area, which was as vast as the entire world with its four great continents. The area was so splendid, so beautiful to behold, so filled with ornaments, and so enchanting that all the gods of the desire and form realms came to think that their own homes seemed like charnel grounds in comparison.
The Bodhisattva was seated upon a lion throne that was utterly resplendent as a result of the ripening of his merit. The base of the throne was bedecked with various precious jewels, and piles of cushions covered in celestial cloth sat upon it. Scented with the fragrant smells of various celestial perfumes and the finest of incense, the throne was covered with colorful and fragrant flowers. It was magnificent indeed, glittering with the light of many hundreds of thousands of precious jewels, draped with nets of priceless gems, and giving off the sound of strings from jeweled chimes. Delightful to behold, the throne radiated the sounds of hundreds of thousands of jeweled bells, and it was covered with many hundreds of thousands of nets made of precious jewels. Hanging from it were many hundreds of thousands of silk streamers, and it was ornamented with many hundreds of thousands of silk tassels and garlands.
Hundreds of thousands of goddesses sang, danced, and played instruments, proclaiming hundreds of thousands of sublime qualities. Hundreds of thousands of guardians of the world stood watch, while hundreds of thousands of Śakras offered prostrations, and hundreds of thousands of Brahmās bowed down before the throne. Billions upon billions of bodhisattvas surrounded it, and billions upon billions of buddhas from the ten directions, infinite in number, focused their attention on it. This throne came about due to the force of the ripening of merit amassed through the perfections carried out over billions upon billions of eons, indeed incalculable eons.
Monks, in this way the Bodhisattva sat upon a grand lion throne with these qualities and spoke to the great gathering of gods. “Friends,” he said, [F.19.b] “look upon the body of the Bodhisattva, adorned as it is with the signs of a hundred merits. Look upon those innumerable and uncountable [31] bodhisattvas who dwell in the ten directions, in the east, south, west, and north, above, below, and all around, and who are now in the sublime realm of the Heaven of Joy. They are all approaching their final existence and, surrounded by an assembly of gods, they each delight the gods with the appearance of their passing, demonstrating the gateway to the light of Dharma. Look upon them, countless, innumerable, and incalculable such as they are.”
Then, through the blessings of the Bodhisattva, the entire assembly of gods saw all these bodhisattvas. Observing them, they faced the Bodhisattva, joined their palms, and bowed down before him. Prostrating with their entire bodies, they exclaimed, “How wondrous! The blessings of the Bodhisattva are indeed inconceivable, for we can see all these bodhisattvas by merely directing our gaze.”
The Bodhisattva then addressed the great assembly of gods with the following words: “Friends, please listen to the gateways to the light of the Dharma that delight the gods, which these bodhisattvas teach the gods by the way in which they pass away. There are 108 gateways to the light of the Dharma, and they must be taught without fail to a gathering of gods by a bodhisattva at the time of his passing. What are these 108 gateways? They are as follows:
Faith, my friends, is a gateway to the light of Dharma, for with it one’s mind is unshakable.
Inspiration is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for with it the mind is divested of impurities.
Supreme joy is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for with it the body becomes extremely pliable.
Contentment is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for with it the mind becomes pure.
Physical restraint is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for with it the three physical faults are purified.
Verbal restraint is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for with it the four verbal faults are relinquished.
Mental restraint is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for with it covetousness, malice, and misguided views are abandoned. [F.20.a]
Recollection of the Buddha is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads to the pure perception of the Buddha.
Recollection of the Dharma is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads to the pure teaching of the Dharma.
Recollection of the Saṅgha is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it stops one from transgressing the rules.
Recollection of giving is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads one to let go of all material things.
Recollection of discipline is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads to the fulfillment of aspirations.
Recollection of the divine is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads to a vast mindset. [32]
Love is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it surpasses all things created by merit based on material things.
Compassion is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads one to take up nonviolence.
Joy is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it clears away all displeasure.
Equanimity is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads to contempt for desire.
Investigating impermanence is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads to the transcendence of the attachment of the desire, form, and formless realms.
Investigating suffering is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads to the cessation of misguided goals.
Investigating the absence of self is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it eliminates overt fixation on the self.
Investigating peace is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it dampens the flames of passion.
Having a good conscience is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it brings complete inner peace.
Modesty is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it brings complete peace in others.
Truth is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for with it gods and humans are not deceived.
The authentic is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for with it one is not deceived.
Dharma practice is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for with it one relies upon the Dharma.
Going to the Three Jewels for refuge is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it enables one to transcend the three lower realms.
Acknowledging the kindness of others is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it ensures that the basic virtues one has engaged in do not go to waste.
Gratitude is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, [F.20.b] for it leads one to not condemn others.
Knowing oneself is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads one to not praise oneself.
Knowing sentient beings is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads one to not belittle others.
Knowing the Dharma is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads one to apply the Dharma assiduously and in the correct manner.
Knowing the right time is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it ensures that seeing will be meaningful.
Conquering pride is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads to the perfection of wisdom.
A mind free from vindictiveness is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it allows one to protect both oneself and others.
Not holding grudges is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it allows one to be free from regret.
Sincere interest is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it enables one to make great effort and be free from doubt.
Investigating repulsiveness is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it enables one to dispense with thoughts about what one desires.
Absence of malice is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it enables one to dispense with vengeful thoughts. [33]
Absence of stupidity is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it clears away ignorance.
Pursuit of the Dharma is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it enables one to rely upon the meaning.
Desiring the Dharma is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads one to connect to the light of the Dharma.
Seeking to listen is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it enables one to investigate the Dharma precisely and in the correct manner.
Correct application is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads to the right conduct.
Knowledge of names and forms is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it enables one to transcend all attachment.
Conquering views about causes is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads to the attainment of awareness and complete liberation.
The elimination of attachment and aversion is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it eliminates judgmental thoughts.
Expertise concerning the aggregates is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads to thorough understanding of suffering.
Equality of the elements is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads to the relinquishment of the source of suffering.
Withdrawal of the senses is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads one to meditate on the path. [F.21.a]
Acceptance of nonarising is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads to the actualization of cessation.
Mindfulness of the body is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads to physical isolation.
Mindfulness of sensations is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads to the cessation of all sensations.
Mindfulness of the mind is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads to a precise understanding of the mind’s illusory nature.
Mindfulness of phenomena is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads to unimpaired wisdom.
The four thorough relinquishments are gateways to the light of the Dharma, for they enable one to relinquish all nonvirtuous qualities and to perfect all virtuous qualities.
The four bases of miraculous power are gateways to the light of the Dharma, for they lead to lightness of body and mind.
The faculty of faith is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads one to not depend on the guidance of others.
The faculty of diligence is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it endows one with the wisdom of realization. [34]
The faculty of mindfulness is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads one to engage in wholesome deeds.
The faculty of absorption is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads to the liberation of mind.
The faculty of knowledge is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads to the wisdom of direct perception.
The power of faith is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads to the thorough transcendence of the power of Māra.
The power of diligence is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for with it one will not turn back.
The power of mindfulness is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for with it one will not be led astray.
The power of absorption is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for with it one will relinquish all discursive thinking.
The power of knowledge is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for with it one will not be easily deceived.
The aspect of awakening of complete mindfulness is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it enables one to understand the Dharma as it is.
The aspect of awakening of the complete discernment of the Dharma is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it enables one to accomplish all Dharmas.
The aspect of awakening of complete diligence is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it endows one with the intelligence of perfect realization. [F.21.b]
The aspect of awakening of complete joy is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it enables one to accomplish absorption.
The aspect of awakening of complete agility is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it enables one to accomplish one’s endeavors.
The aspect of awakening of complete absorption is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it enables one to comprehend the equality of all phenomena.
The aspect of awakening of complete equanimity is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads to distaste for all births.
Right view is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it prevents one from transgressing the rules.
Right resolve is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads one to relinquish all thoughts, concepts, and ideas.
Right speech is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads one to realize that all words, sounds, language, and speech are like echoes.
Right action is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads to the absence of karma and the absence of ripening.
Right livelihood is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads one to cease all pursuits.
Right effort is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads one to reach the other shore.
Right mindfulness is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads to the absence of mindlessness and mental engagements.
Right absorption is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads to the attainment of the absorption of an undisturbed mind.
The mind of awakening is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it ensures the continuity of the line of the Three Jewels.
Intention is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads to a lack of desire for the Lesser Vehicle.
Superior intention is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads to a distinct focus on the vast Buddhadharma.
Application is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads to the perfection of all virtuous qualities.
The perfection of generosity is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads to the sublime marks and signs, to the complete purity of the buddha realms, and to the thorough ripening of those sentient beings that are greedy.
The perfection of discipline is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, [F.22.a] for it enables one to transcend all the restricted and lower states of existence and to ripen [35] those sentient beings with lax discipline.
The perfection of patience is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it enables one to relinquish malice, aggression, anger, pride, arrogance, and conceit, and to ripen those sentient beings that harbor malice.
The perfection of diligence is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it enables one to practice all virtuous endeavors and to ripen those sentient beings that are lazy.
The perfection of concentration is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it enables one to give rise to all states of equipoise and superknowledge and to ripen those sentient beings that are distracted.
The perfection of knowledge is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it enables one to relinquish the dark fog of ignorance and stupidity, to abandon incorrect views, and to ripen sentient beings with incorrect knowledge.
Skillful means are gateways to the light of the Dharma, for they enable one to teach modes of conduct that accord with the interests of sentient beings and to practice all the teachings of the Buddha.
The four ways of attracting students are gateways to the light of the Dharma, for they gather sentient beings and turn them into suitable recipients for the Dharma that comes from the discovery of awakening.
Ripening sentient beings is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it enables one to not be attached to one’s own happiness and to be free from discouragement.
Grasping the true Dharma is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it enables one to eliminate the afflictions of all sentient beings.
The accumulation of merit is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it enables one to nurture all sentient beings.
The accumulation of wisdom is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it perfects the ten powers.
The accumulation of calm abiding is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads to the attainment of the absorption of the thus-gone ones.
The accumulation of insight is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads to the attainment of the eye of knowledge.
Accessing authentic discerning awareness is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads to the attainment of the eye of Dharma. [F.22.b]
Accessing the trustworthy is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads to the purity of the eye of the Buddha.
The attainment of dhāraṇī is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it enables one to retain everything said by the Buddha.
The attainment of confidence is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it enables one to satisfy all sentient beings by offering them clear explanations.
Acceptance of the concordant Dharma is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads to being in accord with the entirety of the Buddhadharma.
Acceptance of the Dharma of nonarising is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads to the attainment of prophecy.
The ground of nonreturning is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads to the complete perfection of the entirety of the Buddhadharma. [36]
The wisdom that evolves from ground to ground is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads to being empowered with the wisdom of omniscience.
The ground of empowerment is a gateway to the light of the Dharma, for it leads one to be conceived in the womb, to be born, to manifest in the world, to undergo austerities, to go to the seat of awakening, to tame Māra, to attain complete awakening, to turn the wheel of Dharma, and to manifest great parinirvāṇa.
“These, friends, are known as the 108 gateways to the light of the Dharma, which a bodhisattva must teach to the assembly of gods at the time of his passing.”
Monks, when the Bodhisattva taught this chapter, “The Gateways to the Light of the Dharma,” out of the assembly of gods, 84,000 gods gave rise to the mind of unexcelled, perfect, and complete awakening. The 32,000 gods who had previously been trained gained acceptance that phenomena are nonarising. The 360 million gods gained the pure eye regarding phenomena, unblemished and untainted. The entire fine realm of the Heaven of Joy was covered knee deep in celestial flowers.
Monks, at that time the Bodhisattva uttered these verses in order to bring even more joy to the assembly of gods: [F.23.a]
This concludes the fourth chapter, on the gateways to the light of the Dharma.
Chapter 5
Setting Out
Monks, in that way the Bodhisattva taught this Dharma discourse to the large congregation of gods, [F.24.a] instructed them, inspired them, delighted them, and caused them to be receptive. He then said to that assembly of fortunate gods:
“Friends, I will now proceed to Jambudvīpa. In the past when I practiced the conduct of a bodhisattva, I attracted sentient beings through the four activities of giving, pleasant speech, beneficial activity, and demonstrating consistency in speech and aims. But friends, I would be acting without gratitude, and it would be inappropriate, if I were not now to achieve unexcelled, perfect, and complete awakening.”
Hearing that, the gods of the Heaven of Joy wept and embraced the feet of the Bodhisattva. They said, “Virtuous One, without you, this Heaven of Joy will [39] lose its splendor.”
To this, the Bodhisattva replied to the great retinue of gods, “The bodhisattva Maitreya will teach you the Dharma.” He then took the crown from his own head and placed it on the head of the bodhisattva Maitreya, saying, “You, virtuous one, shall awaken to perfect and complete buddhahood after me.”
Thus it was that the Bodhisattva enthroned the bodhisattva Maitreya in the Heaven of Joy. Then he again spoke to the great retinue of gods: “Friends, in what form should I enter the womb of a mother?”
Some replied, “As a human in the form of a young brahmin.” But other gods suggested, “In the form of Śakra, or Brahmā, or a great king, or Vaiśravaṇa, or a gandharva, or a kiṃnara, or a mahoraga, or Maheśvara, or the moon god, [F.24.b] or the sun god, or a garuḍa.”
There was also one of the gods of the Brahmā realm present, who was called Ugratejā. Having been a sage in his previous life, he had taken rebirth among the gods, where he had become irreversible from unexcelled and perfect awakening. He now spoke:
“The priests’ mantras and the treatises of the Vedas mention the proper form for a bodhisattva to take when descending into the womb of his mother. It should be in the form of an excellent, great elephant with six tusks, covered with golden netting. Its head should be very red and exceedingly handsome. It should ooze fragrant fluids from its temples and have a glorious body. Someone who is learned in the Vedas and scriptures of the priests will then recognize such features and use them to predict the arrival of a person endowed with the thirty-two marks of a great man.”
Monks, while the Bodhisattva was still residing in the sublime Heaven of Joy, he considered the time for his birth. At that time he manifested eight omens at the sublime residence of King Śuddhodana. What were these eight?
The residence was immaculate since all weeds, stumps, brambles, small pebbles, and gravel had been removed. It was [40] well watered and very clean. It was undisturbed by wind and free from soot and dust. There were no mosquitoes, flies, bees, or snakes. It was covered with flowers, and the area became level, like the palm of a hand. This was the first omen.
Flocks of birds came to the palace from the Himālayan mountains, the king of mountain ranges. There were pattraguptas, parrots, mynas, cuckoos, swans, curlews, peacocks, wild geese, painted snipes, nightingales, pheasants, and many others. The birds had beautiful and delightful wings in many colors and sang in melodious sounds. They perched upon the verandas, turrets, doorways, pavilions, and [F.25.a] upper terraces of King Śuddhodana’s sublime residence. The birds were joyful and content, and they each sang happily. This was the second omen.
In all of King Śuddhodana’s delightful parks, woodlands, and gardens, the various trees blossomed and carried fruits of all seasons. This was the third omen.
In each of King Śuddhodana’s lotus ponds and reservoirs, there appeared lotuses the size of cartwheels, each with many trillions of petals. This was the fourth omen.
In that sublime residence of King Śuddhodana, all the provisions of butter, sesame oil, honey, raw sugar, and sugar-cane juice were never depleted and appeared to be full even though they were used abundantly. This was the fifth omen.
Inside the women’s quarters of King Śuddhodana’s excellent residence, all the instruments, such as the great kettledrums, the clay and wooden kettledrums, the flutes, lutes, reed pipes, three-stringed lutes, bells, and cymbals suddenly emitted wonderful music by themselves without being played. This was the sixth omen. [41]
In that most excellent residence of King Śuddhodana, all the containers of different types of precious substances, such as gold, silver, jewels, pearls, beryl, shells, crystals, and corals, opened their lids and displayed their flawless perfection and abundance. This was the seventh omen.
A pure and immaculate light, much brighter than those of the sun and the moon, appeared and produced mental and physical pleasure. This was the eighth omen. [F.25.b] [B3]
Queen Māyā bathed and applied perfumes to her body. She ornamented her arms with many bracelets and dressed in the softest and most beautiful garments. Joyful, happy, and rapturous, accompanied and encircled by ten thousand women, she went to where King Śuddhodana was seated comfortably in the music hall. She seated herself to his right side on the fine, precious throne draped with jeweled latticework. With a smiling and trusting face free from anger, she spoke to King Śuddhodana in these verses:
Monks, in the meantime the gods were gathering. There were the four great kings; Śakra, lord of the gods; and the gods of Suyāma, Santuṣita, Sunirmita, and Paranirmitavaśavartin.
There were also Sārthavāha, the officer son of Māra; Brahmā, the lord of the Sahā World; the divine priest Brahmottara; the divine priest Subrahmā; and Prabhāvyūha, Ābhāsvara, Maheśvara, and the gods living in the pure realms of Niṣṭhāgata and the Highest Heaven, as well as many hundreds of thousands of others as well. They spoke to one another in these words:
“Friends, if we were to allow the Bodhisattva to depart alone, without expressing our gratitude to him, it would be inappropriate. Friends, who among us will have the courage to serve the Bodhisattva constantly and ceaselessly as he travels to the womb of his mother? Who will serve him as he is in the womb, when he is born, as he grows and plays as a young child? Who will serve him when he is in the female quarters watching the musical performances, and when he renounces his home and is practicing austerities? Who will serve him as he proceeds to the seat of awakening, tames the demons, attains perfect and complete awakening, and turns the wheel of the Dharma? Who will serve him until he demonstrates passing into great parinirvāṇa? Who can keep him company with a kind, affectionate, friendly, loving, and noble attitude?”
Then they sang these verses: [45]
When they heard these verses, the gods assembled. There were 84,000 gods from the Heaven of the Four Great Kings, 100,000 gods from the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, 100,000 gods from the Heaven Free from Strife, 100,000 gods from the Heaven of Joy, 100,000 gods from the Heaven of Delighting in Emanations, 100,000 gods from the Heaven of Making Use of Others’ Emanations, 60,000 gods from the realm of Māra who were born there because of their former virtuous actions, 68,000 [47] gods from the realm of Brahmā, and many hundreds of thousands of gods assembled from all the realms up to the highest heaven.
Moreover, many hundreds of thousands of gods came together from the east, the south, the west, and the north. [F.28.a] The foremost among the gods then spoke these verses to the great assembly of gods:
Monks, the goddesses who sport in the desire realms saw the perfection of the Bodhisattva’s bodily form and wondered, “What is she like, that maiden who will conceive this sublime and supreme pure being?”
Filled with curiosity, they gathered the finest and best flowers, incense, lamps, perfumes, garlands, ointments, powders, and cloths. Then, blessed as they were with supernatural powers from the ripening of merit and with divine bodies that are mentally created, they instantaneously disappeared from that celestial palace.
By means of their celestial powers, they traveled to Kapilavastu, that sublime city with a hundred thousand gardens, [49] and arrived at King Śuddhodana’s residence, known as the Home of the Swans, the great mansion that resembled the palaces of the ruler of the gods.
The goddesses, wearing loose gowns, were well adorned by the splendor of their immaculate merit, and their arms and hands were full of divine ornaments. They saw Queen Māyā resting on her fine bed. They pointed her [F.29.a] out to each other and, hovering in midsky, they sang these verses to one another:
Monks, as the Bodhisattva was about to pass away and take rebirth, many hundreds of thousands of bodhisattvas, who were bound by just one more birth, came to him from the east of the sacred abode of the Heaven of Joy. They approached the Bodhisattva in order to make offerings to him. Likewise many hundreds of thousands of bodhisattvas, all of them bound by just one more birth, came from all ten directions within the sacred abode of the Heaven of Joy, also approaching the Bodhisattva in order to make offerings to him.
There were eight million four hundred thousand goddesses from the Heaven of the Four Great Kings who approached the Bodhisattva, making offerings to him accompanied by music and singing. Similarly, eight million four hundred thousand goddesses from each of the realms of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, the Heaven Free from Strife, [51] the Heaven of Joy, the Heaven of Delighting in Emanations, and the Heaven of Making Use of Others’ Emanations approached the Bodhisattva. Singing songs and playing musical instruments of all types, they made offerings to the Bodhisattva.
At that time the Bodhisattva had taken his seat on the Glorious Essence lion throne inside his great palace. This throne had come about through all his merit and was visible to all the gods and nāgas. Then, as the bodhisattvas and many millions of gods, nāgas, and yakṣas assembled around him, he began his departure from the sublime realm of the Heaven of Joy.
Monks, [F.30.a] as he started to move, the Bodhisattva’s body began to shine with a brilliant and dazzling light that surpassed any other celestial light. This unprecedented light illuminated all the vast and enormous realms of the great trichiliocosm. Even the darkest regions of the world, filled with negativity and obscurity, where even the renowned great power and magical ability of the sun and the moon are unable to produce light, colors, or heat, were bathed in light. In those realms, the unfortunate beings normally cannot even see their own hands. But even there, the dazzling light shone. Due to the light, the beings in those realms now recognized one another and remarked, “Listen, friends! Other beings have also been born here!”
Then the whole billionfold world system shook in six ways and exhibited eighteen great signs. It began to quiver, tremble, quake, move, make sound, and roar, each in three degrees of intensity. [52] The world shook so violently that its center and edge, east and west, as well as north and south, all bounced around, so that when one side was up, the other was down.
At that point one could hear all sorts of pleasant and cheerful sounds. There were sounds that inspired love and made everyone serene. There were inviting and refreshing sounds that were impossible to describe or imitate, agreeable sounds that do not produce fear. [F.30.b] At that moment there was not a single being anywhere that felt hostile, frightened, or anxious. At that moment even the light of the sun and moon and the splendor of the gods, such as Śakra, Brahmā, and the world protectors, was eclipsed. All beings who were living in the hells, along with those born as animals and all those in the realm of the lord of death, became instantaneously free from suffering and filled with every happiness. No being had any painful emotion, such as anger, delusion, envy, jealousy, pride, hypocrisy, arrogance, wrath, malice, or burning anguish. At that moment all sentient beings felt love for each other, wished each other well, and saw each other as parents and children.
Trillions of divine and human musical instruments played sweet sounds without even being touched or played. Hundreds of millions of gods lifted and carried that great mansion using their hands, shoulders, and the crowns of their heads. Hundreds of thousands of goddesses each sang songs. From all around they praised the Bodhisattva with the sounds of their tunes: [53]
This concludes the fifth chapter, on setting out.
Chapter 6
Entering the Womb
Monks, the cold season had passed and it was the third month of spring. It was the finest season, when the moon enters the constellation Viśākhā. The leaves of trees unfurled and the most exquisite flowers blossomed. It was neither cold nor hot, and there was no fog or dust in the air. Fresh green grass covered the grounds everywhere.
The Lord of the Three Worlds, [55] revered by all the worlds, now judged that the time had come. On the fifteenth day, during the full moon, while his future mother was observing the poṣadha precepts during the constellation of Puṣya, the Bodhisattva moved, fully conscious and aware, from the fine realm of the Heaven of Joy to the womb of his mother. [F.32.a]
He entered through his mother’s right side in the form of a baby elephant, white in color with six tusks. His head was the color of a reddish insect, and the tusks were blazing gold. He had all his limbs intact and his full faculties. As he entered, he stayed only at the right side of the womb and never on the left. As this occurred, Queen Māyā was sleeping on her pleasant bed and saw the following in her dream:
As she awoke, Queen Māyā first adorned herself with ornaments and flowing garments. Refreshed in body and mind, she felt affectionate, joyful, and calm. She then arose from her bed and made her way down from the upper floors of the palace, surrounded by her female attendants. She proceeded to the aśoka-tree forest, where she felt at ease. Once there, she sent a message to King Śuddhodana: “Your Majesty, please come, the queen would like to see you.”
When King Śuddhodana heard this message, he became very elated, and immediately he rose from his throne. Surrounded by his ministers and townspeople, attendants and relatives, he went to the aśoka forest. However, as he arrived, his body suddenly felt very heavy and he was unable to enter the forest. In this way he just stood at the entrance to the aśoka forest. Reflecting a little, he then spoke these verses: [F.32.b]
Some gods of the pure realms had settled in the middle of the sky. Now they revealed half their bodies and spoke these verses to King Śuddhodana:
The queen replied:
The brāhmins replied, “Your Majesty, please speak. When we hear what you saw in your dream, we will explain.” [F.33.a]
The queen replied:
Monks, when King Śuddhodana heard that message from the priests who understood how to analyze marks and signs and who knew the scriptures related to dreams, he was satisfied. Impressed, delighted, and joyful, he felt blissful and happy. He pleased the priests by offering them delicious food and drink. When they were all full, he entertained them and presented them with gifts before they departed.
At the same time, as an offering to the Bodhisattva, alms were distributed at the four gates of the city of Kapilavastu and at all its crossroads and junctions. The king offered food to those who were hungry, and drink to those who were thirsty. He offered clothes to those who needed clothing, carriages to those who required transportation, perfumes to those who desired perfume, garlands to those who wished for garlands, oils to those who wanted ointments, sheets to those who longed for bedding, shelter to the homeless, and necessities to those who yearned for provisions.
Then, monks, [F.33.b] King Śuddhodana considered, “I wonder in which residence Queen Māyā can stay happily and without affliction?”
At that very instant the four great kings approached King Śuddhodana and spoke to him: “Your Majesty, do not worry; remain happily in equanimity. We will prepare a palace for the Bodhisattva.”
Then Śakra, lord of the gods, approached King Śuddhodana and spoke to him:
Then a god from the Heaven Free from Strife approached King Śuddhodana and spoke to him:
Then a god from the Heaven of Joy approached King Śuddhodana and spoke to him:
Then a god from the Heaven of Delighting in Emanations approached King Śuddhodana and spoke to him:
Then a god from the Heaven of Making Use of Others’ Emanations approached King Śuddhodana and spoke to him:
Monks, in this way each of the eminent gods of the desire realm [F.34.a] individually presented their respective residences as an offering to the Bodhisattva, right there in the fine city of Kapilavastu. King Śuddhodana also provided an excellent mansion. It far surpassed those built by other humans, although it could not match the divine palaces. However, by the power of the Bodhisattva resting in the absorption known as the great array, Queen Māyā appeared in all of those residences.
During the period when the Bodhisattva stayed in Queen Māyā’s womb, he remained on the right side of the womb, seated in a cross-legged posture. [60] In addition all the chief gods believed that the mother of the Bodhisattva remained only in the residence they had given her, and not anywhere else.
On this topic, it is said:
Then some gods among the assembly began to wonder, “Even the gods in the Heaven of the Four Great Kings turn back when they approach human habitations. So what about the gods of the highest order—those in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, the Heaven Free from Strife, or the Heaven of Joy? How could the pure Bodhisattva, who is free from bad-smelling odors, superior to the entire world, a jewel among beings, transmigrate from the divine realm of the Heaven of Joy and remain for ten months in the foul-smelling human body inside his mother’s womb?”
Then at that time, by the power of the Buddha, venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One, “O Blessed One, the Thus-Gone One has taught how the female body is inferior and enjoys desire. That was astonishing. But, Blessed One, it is even more astonishing that when you, who are superior to all worlds, were a bodhisattva in the past, you moved from the divine realm of the Heaven of Joy and entered your mother, remaining in a human body on the right side of the womb! [F.34.b] Blessed One, you have mentioned how it all happened, and yet it is simply beyond me!”
The Blessed One asked, “Ānanda, would you like to see the jeweled structure that the Bodhisattva delighted in? The one that became the Bodhisattva’s delight as he stayed in his mother’s womb?”
Ānanda replied, “Yes please, Blessed One, right away. Bliss-Gone One, now would be a perfect time! If the Thus-Gone One should reveal the Bodhisattva’s delight, it would be a great pleasure to witness it.” [61]
Then, through the Blessed One’s doing, Brahmā, lord of the Sahā World, disappeared from the Brahma Realm together with six million eight hundred thousand gods of that same realm. They all appeared in the presence of the Blessed One, where they prostrated at the feet of the Blessed One and circled him three times. Then Brahmā stood to one side, bowing to the Blessed One.
Although the Blessed One knew already, he asked Brahmā, the lord of the Sahā world, “Brahmā, did you remove the structure that delighted me in the past when I was a bodhisattva and stayed for ten months in my mother’s womb?”
Brahmā replied, “Yes, Blessed One. Indeed, Bliss-Gone One.”
“Well, Brahmā,” the Blessed One inquired, “where is it now?”
Brahmā responded, “Blessed One, it is in the Brahma realm.”
“In that case, Brahmā,” directed the Blessed One, “fetch this structure that delighted me as a bodhisattva for ten months and show it to everyone so they can know how it was constructed.”
Brahmā, lord of the Sahā World, now spoke to the gods of the Brahma realm, saying, “Please wait here until I bring the jeweled structure that delighted the Bodhisattva.”
Then Brahmā, lord of the Sahā World, [F.35.a] prostrated with his head at the feet of the Blessed One before disappearing from the presence of the Blessed One. In that very instant he reached the Brahma realm. There he spoke these words to the god Subrahmā:
“Friend, go from this Brahma realm up to the Heaven of the Thirty-Three and tell them, ‘We are bringing the jeweled structure that delighted the Bodhisattva and we are taking it into the presence of the Blessed One. Those among you who would like to see it should come quickly!’ ”
Brahmā, lord of the Sahā World, together with 84 trillion gods, lifted the jeweled structure that had delighted the Bodhisattva and placed it atop a great mansion in the Brahma realm that was three hundred leagues high. Surrounded by all these many trillions of gods, he then descended back down to Jambudvīpa. [62]
At that time there was a great gathering of gods from the desire realm who wished to serve the Bodhisattva. These gods further embellished the jeweled structure that had delighted the Bodhisattva, using divine fabrics, garlands, perfumes, flowers, music, and other divine delights. The most eminent among the gods all surrounded the structure.
At the same time Śakra, lord of the gods, was standing far away on top of Mount Sumeru in the middle of the ocean. Shielding his face with his palm, he turned his head and stared out unblinking and completely transfixed, but he was unable to see the jeweled structure. Why was that? Among the gods, those of the Brahma realm have the greatest ability, and the gods in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, the Heaven Free from Strife, the Heaven of Joy, the Heaven of Delighting in Emanations, and the Heaven of Making Use of Others’ Emanations are inferior in comparison to them. So what need is there to speak of Śakra, master of the gods?
At that moment the Blessed One quieted the divine music because the humans in Jambudvīpa would all go insane merely from hearing such music. [F.35.b]
The four great kings now came before Śakra, lord of the gods, and asked him, “Lord of the gods, what can we do? We are unable to see this jeweled structure that delighted the Bodhisattva.”
“Friends, what can I do?” Śakra responded. “I also cannot see it right now. Nevertheless, friends, when it is brought into the presence of the Blessed One, we should be able to see it.”
The four great kings pleaded, “Lord of the gods, for that reason let us quickly do whatever is necessary to see it!”
“Friends,” replied Śakra, “wait until the best of the superior gods come into the presence of the Blessed One and delight him.”
Thus they stood aside, turned their heads, and gazed intently at the Blessed One. [63] Suddenly Brahmā, lord of the Sahā World, arrived together with 84 trillion gods, carrying the jeweled structure that had delighted the Bodhisattva and bringing it in front of the Thus-Gone One.
The jeweled structure that had delighted the Bodhisattva was finely shaped, exquisite and beautiful to behold. It was square in form and had four pillars. At the top was a beautifully adorned upper floor scaled to fit a six-month-old fetus. Inside that upper chamber was a throne with a sitting area that was likewise scaled to fit a six-month-old fetus.
There is nothing whatsoever in the world, including the realms of gods and Brahma gods, that is similar in color and shape to the jeweled structure that delighted the Bodhisattva. When the gods saw it, their eyes were dazzled and they were amazed. When it was placed in the presence of the Thus-Gone One, it gleamed, radiated heat, and shone brightly. This multistoried structure was as resplendent as gold that has been smelted twice by an expert goldsmith [F.36.a] so that it has become perfectly refined and free of any impurity.
Likewise nothing whatsoever in all the divine realms can compare to the size and shape of the throne inside the structure that had delighted the Bodhisattva, except perhaps the neck of the Bodhisattva, which resembles a conch in shape and color. Even the garments worn by the great Brahmā lost their beauty in front of the Bodhisattva’s throne, causing them to resemble cast-off black blankets that have been beaten by wind and rain. The temple was made from uraga sandalwood, which is so precious that a single mote of its dust is equal in value to a thousand universes. Furthermore the temple was surrounded on all sides by more such uraga sandalwood.
Inside that temple hovered an identical second structure, which did not touch the first structure. Inside this second temple hovered [64] an identical third structure, which also did not touch the second structure. Within that third temple made of incense was a throne with cushions. The color of the uraga sandalwood was like the finest blue beryl. Around the temple of incense were all types of flowers that surpassed even those of the gods. They had not been planted there, but appeared solely because of the maturation of the Bodhisattva’s previous basic virtue.
That precious structure that delighted the Bodhisattva was like a diamond—solid, firm, and indestructible. Yet it was also pleasant to the touch, like kācilindika cloth. Moreover, the precious structure that delighted the Bodhisattva clearly reflected all that is found within the abodes of the gods of the desire realm.
On the evening in which the Bodhisattva entered the womb, a lotus appeared from below the waters, piercing the earth and rising up six million eight hundred thousand leagues, as far as the Brahma realm. [F.36.b] Only the best of charioteers and the great Brahmā, who is master of a thousand powers, were able to see that flower. To everyone else, it was invisible. In that great lotus appeared a drop of nectar, which embodied the extracted essence and vitality of the entire great trichiliocosm. The great Brahmā placed this drop into a beautiful vessel of beryl and offered it to the Bodhisattva. The Bodhisattva accepted the gift and, out of affection for the great Brahmā, he drank it. Apart from a bodhisattva in his final existence, who has completed all the bodhisattva stages, no other being is able to digest such a drop of vital energy.
What were the previous actions that prepared the Bodhisattva for digesting this drop of vital energy? [65] When the Bodhisattva was practicing the conduct of a bodhisattva for extended periods in the past, he gave medicine to the sick, fulfilled the wishes of those who had aspirations, and never abandoned those who came to him for refuge. He always offered the finest flowers, the best fruits, and the most delicious foods first to the thus-gone ones, the memorials of the thus-gone ones, the saṅgha of hearers of the thus-gone ones, and his parents. Only then would he cater to his own needs. It was as a result of this activity that the great Brahmā offered the Bodhisattva this drop of nectar.
Within that temple all the most excellent and exquisite pleasures and amusements came together, manifesting due to the maturation of the Bodhisattva’s previous actions. Moreover, within the precious structure that delighted the Bodhisattva, a set of garments appeared, known as the ornament of a hundred thousand. Apart from a bodhisattva in his final existence, [F.37.a] no other being anywhere could ever receive such garments. In fact all possible sublime and perfect forms, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures were present within that peaked structure. [B4]
In this way the temple that delighted the Bodhisattva was completely perfect and finely constructed both inside and outside. It was also pleasant to touch, like silk from Kaliṅga. This is merely an example, for in reality nothing could compare to it.
Because of the previous aspirations of the Bodhisattva, his intentions were accomplished. It is the nature of things that a great bodhisattva is born into the human world. Having renounced his home, he attains perfect and complete awakening and turns the wheel of Dharma. Yet before he enters his mother’s womb, a temple of precious materials is manifested on the right side of the mother’s womb. Then as a bodhisattva transmigrates from the Heaven of Joy, he remains seated in a cross-legged position in that tiered chamber. The body of a bodhisattva in his last existence is free from the four stages [66] of embryonic development. Instead he appears seated, with all his limbs, organs, and characteristics fully formed. As such Queen Māyā saw the arrival of an elephant in her dream.
Now Śakra, lord of the gods, as well as the four great kings, the twenty-eight great commanders of the yakṣas, and the master of the guhyakas, who are the type of yakṣa from which Vajrapāṇi came, all knew that the Bodhisattva had entered the womb of his mother, and they constantly stayed close to him. The Bodhisattva also had four goddesses named Utkhalī, Samutkhalī, [F.37.b] Dhvajavatī, and Prabhāvatī serve him. When these four goddesses knew that the Bodhisattva had entered the womb of his mother, they kept a constant guard over him. In addition, when Śakra, lord of the gods, discovered that the Bodhisattva had entered the womb of his mother, he brought along five hundred gods to constantly follow the Bodhisattva.
The body of a bodhisattva who has entered the womb of his mother develops certain features. For example, it is like a great fire burning on a mountaintop during the darkest night, visible from a league or even five leagues away. The body of the Bodhisattva as he entered the womb of his mother was just this way. It was radiant, well formed, handsome, and pleasing to see. As he sat with crossed legs inside that peaked structure, he was exceedingly beautiful. He appeared to have a golden hue, shining like refined gold adorned with precious beryl. The mother of the Bodhisattva could also see the Bodhisattva within her womb.
In the same way that a lightning bolt illumines everything as it emerges from a mass of clouds, so the Bodhisattva dwelling in his mother’s womb also illuminated the innermost chamber of the precious temple through his splendor, brilliance, and color. When that was illuminated, he illuminated the middle chamber of the fragrant temple. When the second level [67] of the fragrant temple was illuminated, the light went farther and illuminated the outer chamber of the fragrant temple. Then, as the third level of the fragrant temple was bathed in light, his mother’s entire body became filled with light. The light then went farther and illuminated the seat upon which his mother was seated. Gradually the light streamed forth and brightened the entire palace. The light rays rose beyond the palace and illuminated the east. Likewise, while the Bodhisattva was residing in the womb of his mother, the glory, brilliance, and color of the Bodhisattva illuminated the south, the west, and the north, below and above. In fact all the ten directions [F.38.a] were bathed in light for several miles in each direction.
Monks, in the early morning the four great kings and the twenty-eight great commanders of the yakṣas together with five hundred yakṣas arrived to meet the Bodhisattva and to offer him their respect and veneration, and also to listen to the Dharma. At that time the Bodhisattva, who was aware of their arrival, extended his right hand and pointed out their seats. The guardians of the world and the other guests sat down on the arranged seats. They perceived the Bodhisattva, who was in the womb of his mother, in the form of a child who has already taken birth, extending his hand and moving it in various positions. Upon seeing this they prostrated to the Bodhisattva and were filled with joy, devotion, and well-being.
When the Bodhisattva saw that they were settled, he taught them a Dharma teaching and instructed them, inspired them, and delighted them. When they wished to go, the Bodhisattva, who knew full well their thoughts, extended his right hand as a farewell greeting. As he retracted his hand, there was no harm done to his mother. The four great kings understood the greeting and thought, “We have been dismissed by the Bodhisattva.” [68] Then they circled around the Bodhisattva and his mother three times before departing. This was the circumstance and the reason why the Bodhisattva, in the quiet of the night, would extend his right hand and draw it back. Finally he would let the hand rest while maintaining mindfulness and carefulness.
At other times when people came to see the Bodhisattva, be they women or men, [F.38.b] boys or girls, he would first joyfully welcome them, and then his mother would do the same. Monks, in this way the Bodhisattva became very skilled at initiating delightful salutations as he dwelt in his mother’s womb. There was no one, whether god, nāga, yakṣa, human, or nonhuman, who was ever able to greet the Bodhisattva first with a delightful salutation. Instead the Bodhisattva would initiate the salutations, and afterward the mother of the Bodhisattva would joyfully welcome the guests.
When the morning had passed and the noon hour arrived, Śakra, the lord of the gods, along with the most eminent gods of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, came to meet the Bodhisattva and to offer him their respect and veneration, and also to listen to the Dharma. The Bodhisattva, who saw them coming from a distance, extended his golden-colored right hand and, to the delight of Śakra, lord of the gods, and the gods of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, pointed out their seats. Monks, at that moment Śakra, lord of the gods, was unable to resist the Bodhisattva’s request, and so he and the gods all settled down on the seats that had been arranged for them.
When the Bodhisattva knew that they were settled, he taught them a Dharma teaching and instructed them, inspired them, and delighted them. In whichever direction the Bodhisattva would extend his hand, the mother of the Bodhisattva would turn to face that way. Then the gods reflected, “The Bodhisattva is having a heartwarming conversation with us.” And each one of them thought, “The Bodhisattva is speaking directly to me; to me alone he extends a friendly welcome.” All the while the images of Śakra, lord of the gods, [F.39.a] and those of the gods of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three were reflected within the temple. Thus nowhere else were the Bodhisattva’s enjoyments as perfectly pure as in the womb of his mother.
Monks, when Śakra, lord of the gods, and the other gods wished to depart, the Bodhisattva, who knew full well their thoughts, extended his right hand as a farewell greeting. As he retracted his hand, there was no harm done to his mother. At that time Śakra, lord of the gods, and the other gods of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three reflected, “We have been dismissed by the Bodhisattva.” [69] Then they circled around the Bodhisattva and his mother three times before departing.
Monks, noontime passed, and it was now evening when Brahmā, lord of the Sahā World, surrounded by many hundreds of thousands of gods, approached the Bodhisattva carrying a drop of the vital force of the divine realms. They came to meet the Bodhisattva and to offer him their respect and veneration, and also to listen to the Dharma.
Monks, the Bodhisattva knew that Brahmā, lord of the Sahā World, was arriving together with his retinue, and again he raised his golden-colored right hand. He cordially greeted Brahmā, lord of the Sahā World, and those gods of the pure realms, and pointed out their seats to them. Monks, again it was not possible [70] for Brahmā, lord of the Sahā World, to resist the Bodhisattva’s command. Thus Brahmā, lord of the Sahā World, as well as the other gods of the pure realms, settled on those seats that had been arranged. When the Bodhisattva knew that they were settled, he taught them a Dharma teaching and instructed them, [F.39.b] inspired them, and delighted them. In whichever direction the Bodhisattva would extend his hand, the mother of the Bodhisattva would turn to face that way. Then the gods reflected, “The Bodhisattva is having a heartwarming conversation with us.” And each one of them thought, “The Bodhisattva is speaking directly to me; to me alone he extends a friendly welcome.”
Monks, when Brahmā, lord of the Sahā World, and those gods of the pure realms wished to depart, the Bodhisattva, who knew full well their thoughts, extended his right hand as a farewell greeting. As he retracted his hand with mindfulness and carefulness, there was no harm done to his mother. Then Brahmā, lord of the Sahā World, and those gods of the pure realms reflected, “We have been dismissed by the Bodhisattva.” Then they circled around the Bodhisattva and his mother three times before departing. Finally the Bodhisattva let his hand rest while maintaining mindfulness and carefulness.
Monks, from everywhere, such as the east, the south, the west, the north, above and below, many hundreds of thousands of bodhisattvas came to meet the Bodhisattva and to offer him their respect and veneration, and also to listen to the Dharma and correctly proclaim that Dharma. Once they had arrived, the Bodhisattva’s body began emitting light, which manifested into lion thrones. The Bodhisattva then indicated to the bodhisattvas to take their seat on these thrones. When he knew that they were settled, the Bodhisattva questioned and examined the bodhisattvas [71] regarding the divisions pertaining to the Great Vehicle. However, with the exception of the gods who were of equal fortune, no one else perceived this. [F.40.a] Monks, this was the circumstance and the reason why the Bodhisattva projected light from his body in the quiet of the night.
Monks, while the Bodhisattva was dwelling in the womb of his mother, Queen Māyā did not feel any heaviness in her body. On the contrary she felt light, supple, and happy, and she did not experience any uncomfortable pains in her belly. She was not afflicted by attachment, anger, or delusion. She did not entertain any desirous thoughts, nor any thoughts of ill will or harm. She neither experienced nor witnessed any heat, cold, hunger, thirst, gloom, uncleanliness, or fatigue. No unpleasant forms, sounds, smells, tastes, or textures appeared to her, and she also had no bad dreams. There was no female deception, guile, envy, or feminine disturbing emotions to trouble her.
At that time the mother of the Bodhisattva observed the five basic precepts. She was disciplined and followed the path of the ten virtuous actions. The mother of the Bodhisattva never desired any man whomsoever, and neither did any man feel lust in the presence of the mother of the Bodhisattva.
Merely by seeing the mother of the Bodhisattva, any woman, man, boy, or girl in the city of Kapilavastu and its surrounding areas who had been possessed was cured and regained consciousness immediately, regardless of whether they had been possessed by gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, demigods, garuḍas, or bhūtas. Those nonhuman beings quickly departed for other places.
All those who had been struck by illness were freed from their disease as soon as the mother of the Bodhisattva placed her right hand on the top of their head. In this way she would cure those who suffered from any illness or ailment that arises from disharmony among wind, bile, or phlegm. [F.40.b] She would cure illnesses related to the eyes, [72] ears, nose, tongue, and lips, as well as toothaches, throat diseases, goiters, lumps, various forms of leprosy, tuberculosis, madness, dementia, fevers, swellings, boils, rashes, scabs, and other illnesses. Once they were freed from their disease, these people could then return to their homes. Queen Māyā would also pick herbs and distribute them to the sick, who would immediately regain their health and vigor.
When Queen Māyā looked inside her belly, she saw the Bodhisattva resting on the right side of her womb. She could see this as clearly as if she was looking at her own face in a spotless mirror. Seeing him in that way, she was satisfied, elated, and delighted. She felt extremely happy, buoyant, and joyful.
Monks, through the blessings of the Bodhisattva staying in his mother’s womb, the sounds of divine musical instruments arose constantly without interruption both day and night, and a rain of divine flowers fell. The gods sent timely rains, and the winds blew at appropriate moments. The seasons and the stars all moved in a balanced manner. The kingdom was joyful and the harvests were bountiful. There were no disturbances or animosity anywhere.
In the city of Kapilavastu, the clan of the Śākyas and everyone else had plenty to eat and drink, and they enjoyed themselves with various amusements. They were generous and created merit. They happily amused themselves just as one does during the autumn festival at the end of the fourth month. King Śuddhodana devoted himself purely to religious practice. Setting aside all his kingly work, he lived in complete purity as if he had entered an ascetic’s grove. [F.41.a] With great delight, he followed the Dharma. [73] Monks, such were the miraculous marvels that occurred while the Bodhisattva remained in his mother’s womb.
At this time the Blessed One asked venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, would you like to see the jeweled structure that delighted the Bodhisattva when he stayed in his mother’s womb?”
Ānanda replied, “Yes, Blessed One. I would love to, Bliss-Gone One!”
The Blessed One then showed the jeweled structure to venerable Ānanda as well as to Śakra, lord of the gods; the four guardians of the world; and many other gods and humans. As they saw the structure, they were satisfied, uplifted, and full of rejoicing. In a joyful mood, they were happy and delighted.
Then once again, Brahmā, lord of the Sahā World, lifted up the jeweled structure and brought it with him to the Brahma realm, where he installed it as an object of worship.
Then the Blessed One again addressed the monks: “Monks, in this way, while the Bodhisattva dwelt in his mother’s womb, he ripened 36 million gods and humans within the Three Vehicles.”
On this topic, it is said:
This concludes the sixth chapter, on entering the womb.
Chapter 7
The Birth
Monks, in this way ten months passed, and the time came for the Bodhisattva to take birth. At that time thirty-two omens occurred in King Śuddhodana’s parks:
All flowers budded and blossomed. In the ponds, all the blue, red, and white lotus flowers also budded and blossomed. New fruit and flower trees sprung from the earth, budded, and came into blossom. Eight trees of precious gems appeared. Twenty thousand great treasures emerged and remained on the grounds. [F.42.b] Inside the women’s quarters, jeweled shoots sprouted forth. Scented water, saturated with fragrant oils, flowed forth. Lion cubs descended from the snow mountains. They joyfully circled the sublime city of Kapilavastu and then rested by the gates without harming anyone. Five hundred young white elephants arrived, stroking King Śuddhodana’s feet with the tips of their trunks, and then settling down next to him. Divine children, wearing sashes, [77] were seen moving back and forth between the laps of the women in the retinue of King Śuddhodana’s queen.
Nāga girls could be seen holding aloft various offerings, revealing the upper half of their bodies as they moved about in the sky. Ten thousand celestial maidens were seen hovering in the sky, holding up peacock feathers. Ten thousand full vases appeared in a ring around the city of Kapilavastu. Ten thousand celestial maidens appeared with vases of scented water on their heads. Ten thousand celestial maidens appeared holding up parasols, flags, and banners. Many hundreds of thousands of celestial maidens appeared holding conch shells, drums, clay drums, and cymbals adorned with bells.
The winds became still and ceased to blow. All streams and rivers stopped their flow. The sun, the moon, the celestial chariots, the planets, and the stars all stood still. The constellation of Puṣya appeared. King Śuddhodana’s residence became adorned with a net of jewels. [103] All fires were extinguished. The palace, temples, gateways, and doorways were decorated with tassels of jewels and gems. The doors to the storehouses of cloths and gems appeared wide open. [F.43.a] The calls of crows, owls, vultures, wolves, and jackals ceased to be heard. Instead many delightful sounds were heard. All people stopped their work. The ground became level without any bumps or hollows. All crossroads, junctions, roads, and marketplaces became as even and smooth as the palm of a hand and were beautifully bestrewn with flower petals. All pregnant women birthed their babies with comfort and ease. All the gods in the sāl forest revealed half their bodies from among the trees’ leaves and remained there, bowing. Such were the thirty-two omens that occurred. [78]
Then Māyādevī, due to the magnificence and strength of the Bodhisattva, knew that it was time for her to give birth. During the first watch of the night, she came to King Śuddhodana and spoke these words:
Monks, Māyādevī now set forth, surrounded and protected by 84,000 richly ornamented horse-drawn chariots, 84,000 richly ornamented elephant-drawn chariots, [82] and 84,000 brave, heroic, and handsome foot soldiers wearing excellent and solid armor. She was escorted by 60,000 Śākya maidens. She was guarded by 40,000 elders, youths, and middle-aged men from King Śuddhodana’s Śākya clan. She was also surrounded by 60,000 women from King Śuddhodana’s retinue, who sang songs and played music, bells, and cymbals. Some 84,000 celestial maidens followed her, as did 84,000 nāga maidens, 84,000 gandharva maidens, 84,000 kiṃnara maidens, and 84,000 female demigods. All of them were lavishly ornamented and sang her praise in melodic voices accompanied by music.
All of Lumbinī Grove was sprinkled with droplets of perfumed water and strewn with celestial flowers. Every tree in that perfect grove had leaves, flowers, and fruits, even though it was out of season. Even the gods had done their best to decorate the forest. They had, in fact, made it appear like the gods’ Miśraka Garden. [F.45.a]
When Māyādevī arrived at the Lumbinī Grove, she stepped down from her fine chariot. As human and divine maidens encircled her, she wandered from tree to tree and from grove to grove. She looked among all the trees and eventually arrived beneath a very special and exquisite fig tree. Its branches spread out, full of lush leaves and clusters of blossoms, and further adorned with numerous flowers from the realms of both humans and gods. Richly scented cloths of many colors were draped across its branches. It was sparkling with the light of many gems and jewels. Its roots, trunk, branches, and leaves were all adorned with jewels. Its branches were long and spread out spaciously. The ground where the fig tree stood was smooth like the palm of a hand, beautiful and open, and it was full of dark blue grass, the color of a peacock’s neck. The earth was pleasant to the touch, like soft kācilindika cloth. This tree had supported the mothers of previous victorious ones, and it had been praised in the poetry of the gods. [83] It was a tree to which the wholesome and peaceful gods of the pure realms would bow down and touch with their heads, including their topknots and diadems. Now the queen and her retinue had arrived at this pure and stainless fig tree.
However, at this moment the Bodhisattva’s magnificence and power caused the fig tree itself to bow down and pay homage to him. Māyādevī stretched out her right arm, like a flash of lightning appearing in the middle of the sky, and grasped a branch of the tree. She auspiciously directed her gaze into the open sky and stretched her body. At that point sixty thousand goddesses from the desire realm approached Māyādevī to assist and venerate her.
Such were the miracles that occurred while the Bodhisattva was in his mother’s womb. Now, as the ten months had been completed, [F.45.b] he emerged from his mother’s right side, fully aware and mindful. In this way he was unstained by any impurities of the womb, which otherwise are said to stain everyone else.
Monks, at that time Śakra, lord of the gods, and Brahmā, lord of the Sahā World, appeared before the Bodhisattva. As they remembered and recognized who he was, they were full of veneration for the Bodhisattva and wrapped him up in divine silk. The temple in which the Bodhisattva had dwelt while in his mother’s womb was carried off by Brahmā, lord of the Sahā World, and the other gods of the Brahma realm up into their realm, where they enshrined the temple in a memorial and made it an object of worship. Thus the Bodhisattva was first received by the gods rather than by any humans.
As soon as he was born, the Bodhisattva stepped onto the ground. Wherever his feet touched the ground, a large lotus immediately sprung from the earth. Then the great nāga kings Nanda and Upananda revealed their upper bodies in the sky and produced two streams of cool and warm water to rinse the Bodhisattva’s body. [84] Śakra, Brahmā, the guardians of the world, and many hundreds of thousands of gods then bathed the Bodhisattva in perfumed water and scattered flower petals over him. A parasol of precious gems and two yak-tail whisks also appeared from midair.
The Bodhisattva stood on a large lotus and surveyed the four directions with his lion’s gaze, the gaze of a great being. At that time the Bodhisattva, with unhindered higher knowledge, which he manifested due to the ripening of previous roots of virtue, saw the entire great trichiliocosm. He saw all the cities, towns, [F.46.a] estates, kingdoms, royal cities, and lands, as well as all gods and humans. He also perfectly knew the minds of all sentient beings and carefully surveyed them, looking to see if there was anyone similar to himself in terms of virtuous conduct, discipline, meditative absorption, or knowledge. However, in the entire great trichiliocosm, the Bodhisattva did not see anyone like himself.
At that point the Bodhisattva felt a lion-like fearlessness, free of anxiety or apprehension. Without any hesitation or wavering, he reminded himself of his good motivations. Because he had examined the minds of all sentient beings, he now knew their thoughts. Unsupported, he took seven steps toward the east and declared, “I will be the cause of all virtuous practices.”
Wherever the Bodhisattva took a step, a lotus sprouted forth. He then took seven steps toward the south and said, “I am worthy of the offerings of gods and humans.” Next he took seven steps toward the west and, pausing on the seventh step, he proclaimed these satisfying words in lion-like fashion: “I am the Supreme Being [85] on this earth. This is my last birth, where I shall uproot birth, old age, sickness, and death!” He then took seven steps toward the north and said, “I will be supreme among all sentient beings!” Next he took seven steps downhill, saying, “I will subjugate Māra and his army! I will cause great rain clouds of the Dharma to shower down on all hell beings, extinguishing the fires of hell and filling the beings there with happiness.” Finally he took seven steps uphill, lifted his gaze, and said, “All sentient beings will look up to me.” [F.46.b]
As the Bodhisattva spoke in this way, his words were immediately heard throughout the entire great trichiliocosm. Such was the nature of the foreknowledge that sprang from the ripening of the Bodhisattva’s previous actions. Whenever a bodhisattva takes birth into his final existence, and as he awakens to perfect and complete buddhahood, various miracles unfold.
Monks, at that time all beings were so delighted that the hairs on their bodies shivered. There was also a terrifying quaking of the earth, which caused the hairs on their bodies to stand on end. The cymbals and musical instruments of gods and humans sounded without being played by anyone. At that time all the trees in the great trichiliocosm—whether in season or not—blossomed and bore fruit. From the expanse of pure space, the sound of thunder rang out, and from the cloudless sky, a fine mist of rain showered down ever so gently, mixed with divinely colored flowers, cloths, ornaments, and powdered incense. Deliciously scented breezes blew, delightful and cooling. In all directions there was no darkness, dust, smoke, or mist to be seen, and everything appeared bright and beautiful.
Also, from the empty space above, the great melodious and profound sounds of the realm of Brahmā were heard. All the light of the sun, the moon, Brahmā, Śakra, and the guardians of the world [86] was eclipsed by an otherworldly light of a hundred thousand colors, which filled the entire great trichiliocosm and brought pleasure and happiness, both physical and mental, to everyone that it touched. At the very moment when the Bodhisattva was born, all beings became filled with bliss. All types of attachment, anger, delusion, pride, [F.47.a] dislike, dejection, fear, greed, jealousy, and stinginess subsided, and everyone abandoned all forms of unwholesome conduct.
The illnesses of the sick were cured. The hungry and the thirsty were relieved of their hunger and thirst. The drunk and intoxicated were freed from their intoxication. The mad had their sanity restored. The blind could see. The deaf could hear. The crippled had their capacities restored. The destitute gained wealth. The imprisoned were freed. All ailments and sufferings of those in the hell realms, starting with the Hell of Ultimate Torment, ceased at that moment. The suffering of those born into the animal realm, such as the fear of being eaten by one another, was also pacified. Likewise the sufferings experienced by beings in the realm of the lord of death, such as hunger and thirst, were also pacified.
The newborn Bodhisattva had already practiced good conduct for countless trillions of eons, and he possessed great diligence and strength. As such, when he took his first seven steps, he had already attained the state of reality. Therefore all the buddhas, the blessed ones, in all the realms in the ten directions blessed the earth at that spot of vajra nature so that it would not be destroyed by his steps. Monks, such was the awesome strength of the newborn Bodhisattva’s first seven steps.
At that time the entire world was filled with a bright light, and the sounds of singing and dancing were heard. A rain of flowers, powders, incense, garlands, jewels, ornaments, and cloths [F.47.b] showered down from innumerable clouds. All beings were filled with perfect joy. [87] In short, when the Bodhisattva, who is more exalted than anyone in all the worlds, came into this world, many inconceivable events took place.
Venerable Ānanda now stood up from his seat, removed his robe from one shoulder, and kneeled, placing his right knee on the ground. He joined his palms in the direction of the Blessed One, bowed, and addressed these words to him:
“The Blessed One, the Thus-Gone One, is truly more amazing than anyone else. The Bodhisattva possessed incredible qualities, but how much more so the One Who Has Awakened to Perfect and Complete Buddhahood? O Blessed One, I therefore take refuge in Lord Buddha four times, five times, ten times, fifty times, a hundred times, or rather many hundreds of thousands of times!”
The Blessed One responded to these words from Ānanda by proclaiming:
“In the future there will be some monks who do not train their bodies and minds and do not acquaint themselves with discipline and knowledge. Like unskilled children, they will be highly proud, wild, arrogant, unrestrained, distracted, hesitant, doubting, and without trust. They will bring stains on the monastic order and not live like proper monks. When they hear about the Bodhisattva entering his mother’s womb in such a pure way, they will not believe it. Instead they will gather and gossip, saying, ‘Listen, all of you, just listen to this nonsense! The Bodhisattva supposedly entered into his mother’s womb, where he mixed with impure fluids. And yet he is said to have had such enjoyments. Moreover, it is said that when he was born, he emerged from his mother’s right side without being sullied by any stains of the womb. [F.48.a] But how could this be possible?’
“Such fools will not understand that the bodies of those who have engaged in excellent actions are not begotten from unclean fluids. Monks, such sublime beings enter into and abide in the womb in the finest manner. [88] It is due to their love and compassion for sentient beings that bodhisattvas are born into the world of humans, since gods do not turn the wheel of Dharma. Why is this? Ānanda, it is because beings would otherwise have been discouraged, thinking, ‘The Blessed One, the Thus-Gone One, the Worthy One, the completely perfect Buddha is a god. We are just human beings, so we are not able to achieve that state.’
“It will not occur to these foolish beings, such thieves of the Dharma, to think, ‘This being is inconceivable and we cannot judge him.’ Ānanda, these future people will also not believe in the Buddha’s miracles, let alone the miracles displayed by the Thus-Gone Bodhisattva. Ānanda, these foolish beings will be overcome with desire for wealth, respect, and praise. They will sink into filth and be overcome with their lust for honor. In this way these impertinent beings will abandon the Buddha’s teachings. Just consider how much nonvirtue they will accumulate!” [B5]
Ānanda asked, “Blessed One! In the future will there really be such monks who reject excellent sūtras like this one, and who speak poorly of them?”
“Ānanda,” replied the Blessed One, “not only will there be those who reject the sūtras and speak poorly of them, [F.48.b] there will also be monks who perform many negative deeds and leave aside their obligations as monks.”
Ānanda then asked, “Blessed One, please tell me how life will turn out for those wicked beings? What will happen as they move from one life to the next?”
The Blessed One replied, “They will share the fate of those who deny the Buddha’s awakening and those who insult and defame the buddhas, the blessed ones, of the past, present, and future.” [89]
Venerable Ānanda’s hairs stood on end as he exclaimed, “I pay homage to the Buddha!” He then said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, when I hear about the conduct of those wicked beings, it almost makes me faint!”
“Ānanda,” said the Blessed One, “the behavior of such people will not be proper, but base. Ānanda, through their improper conduct, these beings will fall into the great hell of incessant pain. Why is this? Ānanda, there are some monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen who do not feel inspired when they hear sūtras like this one. Instead they do not trust these sūtras and they reject them. As soon as they die, they will all fall into the great Hell of Ultimate Torment. Ānanda, one should never attempt to measure the thus-gone ones. Why not? Because, Ānanda, the thus-gone ones are immeasurable, profound, vast, and difficult to judge.
“Ānanda, when some beings hear sūtras like this one, they become joyful, elated, and full of faith. Those beings obtain something wonderful. Their lives become meaningful and their humanity serves a purpose. Their conduct is excellent and they take hold of what is truly essential. They are freed from the three lower realms. [F.49.a] They become heirs of the thus-gone ones and obtain all that they need. Their trust is meaningful and they will receive their fair share of the provisions of the kingdom. They will trust deeply in noble beings and cut through Māra’s snares. They will cross over the wastelands of saṃsāra and remove the thorns of misery. They will reach a place of supreme joy and genuinely take refuge. As appropriate objects for others’ generosity, they are worthy recipients of offerings. These beings appear in the world only rarely, and when here they are to be held as proper objects of generosity. Why is that? It is because they have faith in the teachings of the thus-gone ones, which go against all worldly conventions.
“Ānanda, those beings do not possess any inferior forms of roots of virtue. [90] Ānanda, those beings are not just companions who befriend me for a few lifetimes only. And why is that? Because, Ānanda, some beings are pleased and delighted to hear me, but not to see me. Some, Ānanda, are pleased and delighted to see me, but not to hear me. Still others, Ānanda, are pleased and delighted both to see me and to hear me. Ānanda, whatever the case, when beings are pleased and delighted to see me or hear me, you can be certain that they are friends who have accompanied me for multiple lifetimes. The Thus-Gone One sees them, and the Thus-Gone One will liberate them. They have the same qualities as the Thus-Gone One. They have gone for refuge in the Thus-Gone One. The Thus-Gone One has accepted them.
“Ānanda, even during earlier times when I was practicing the conduct of a bodhisattva, [F.49.b] others came to see me, desperate and bound by fear, begging me to protect them from their fears, which I did. So now that I have awakened to perfect and complete buddhahood, I will certainly do the same. Ānanda, strive in faith; the Thus-Gone One urges you thus! Ānanda, the task before you has already been completed by the Thus-Gone One. The Thus-Gone One has pulled out the thorn of pride.
“Ānanda, if a person is willing to travel for hundreds of miles just to receive news of a friend and is delighted to hear that news, then how about if they actually meet their friend? Whoever relies on me and generates the roots of virtue will be recognized by the future thus-gone ones, the worthy ones, the completely perfect buddhas, who will think, ‘Those beings are the old friends of the thus-gone ones. They are also our friends.’
“Why is that? Ānanda, it is because friends please and delight each other. Whoever is dear to one’s friend is also dear and delightful to oneself. Therefore, Ānanda, have trust and understand it to be so. Develop trust and think, ‘I also entrust myself to the thus-gone ones, the worthy ones, the completely perfect buddhas [91] of the future. They are also my friends.’ Think like this, and your wishes will be fulfilled.
“Ānanda, think of this example: Consider a man who is strong and well-regarded but has only one son. Now, if that father has many friends, then even if he should pass away, the friends of the father will still accept the son and not reject him. Ānanda, in the same way, whoever has faith in me, I will accept as my friend. They will take refuge in me. The Thus-Gone One has many friends. [F.50.a] And because those friends of the Thus-Gone One speak genuinely and tell no lies, I entrust those friends of the Thus-Gone One to those who speak the truth—the future thus-gone ones, the worthy ones, the completely perfect buddhas. Therefore, Ānanda, strive to have faith! That is what I ask of you!”
Thus, monks, when the Bodhisattva was born, many trillions of goddesses resting in the center of the sky showered divine flowers, incense, garlands, scented oils, cloths, and jewels upon Māyādevī.
On this topic, it is said:
Monks, at the time of the Bodhisattva’s birth, a great show of generosity was instigated. Moreover, five hundred children of noble family were born. Ten thousand girls, headed by Yaśovatī, were also born, as well as eight hundred female servants and five hundred male servants, headed by Chanda. Likewise ten thousand mares and ten thousand colts, headed by Kaṇṭhaka, were born. Finally five hundred female elephants and five hundred male elephants were born following the Bodhisattva’s birth. These births were all recorded in registers by King Śuddhodana and given to his young son for entertainment.
Through the power of the Bodhisattva and for his enjoyment, a bodhi tree grew at the center of the four billion regions, while a sandalwood-tree forest grew at the inner region. Also for the Bodhisattva’s enjoyment, five hundred parks sprang forth in the area surrounding the city. The entrances to five thousand treasures became visible as they broke forth from the earth. Thus all of King Śuddhodana’s intentions were perfectly fulfilled.
Then the king wondered, “Now, what shall I name my young son? Well, immediately when my son was born, all of my aims were fulfilled, so I will name him Sarvārthasiddha, Fulfiller of All Aims.” Then King [96] Śuddhodana arranged a great naming ceremony and announced, “This child’s name is Sarvārthasiddha.”
[F.52.a] Monks, although the Bodhisattva had now been born, his mother’s right side was not torn or damaged but had returned to its usual state. Moreover, Trita’s wells manifested with flowing waters, and three ponds of scented oil sprang forth. Then five thousand celestial maidens came before the Bodhisattva’s mother, bringing fragrant oils perfumed with the scent of celestial perfumes. They wanted to know how the birth had gone and whether she was feeling weary. Likewise five thousand celestial maidens bearing unguents came before the Bodhisattva’s mother and asked how the birth was and whether she was weary. Then five thousand celestial maidens bearing vases filled with water scented with celestial perfumes came before the Bodhisattva’s mother and asked how the birth was and whether she was weary. Next five thousand celestial maidens bearing divine children’s clothing came before the Bodhisattva’s mother and asked how the birth was and whether she was weary. Then five thousand celestial maidens bearing divine children’s ornaments came before the Bodhisattva’s mother and asked how the birth was and whether she was weary. Finally five thousand celestial maidens singing and playing divine instruments came before the Bodhisattva’s mother and asked how the birth was and whether she was weary.
All of the extremist sages from Jambūdvīpa who possessed the five extraordinary abilities came flying through the sky and arrived before King Śuddhodana. They called out, “May the king thrive!”
Monks, for seven days following the Bodhisattva’s birth, he was honored with celestial and human music, respected, revered, [F.52.b] and given various offerings in the Lumbinī Grove. Food, drink, and enjoyments were proffered. The entire Śākya clan gathered, and everyone called out with delight, practiced generosity, [97] engaged in merit, and satisfied the needs of 32,000 priests each day. They gave anything that was desired to whoever desired it. Śakra and Brahmā also manifested themselves in the form of young priests within that gathering of priests and, sitting at the head of the line, they sang these verses of auspiciousness:
Monks, seven days after the Bodhisattva was born, the time came for Māyādevī to pass away. Upon her death, she was born among the gods in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.
Monks, you may think that it was because of the Bodhisattva that Māyādevī died. But you should not look upon things that way, since she had reached the maximum extent of her lifespan. Monks, seven days after the bodhisattvas of the past were born, their mothers also died. And why is that? Because once a bodhisattva is born and has grown up, it would destroy his mother’s heart if he were to renounce his home.
Monks, seven days earlier Māyādevī had gone in great pomp from the city of Kapilavastu to the pleasure grove. However, with a splendor one trillion times greater than that, the Bodhisattva now entered the city of Kapilavastu. When he entered, five thousand vases filled with scented water were carried ahead of him. Likewise five thousand maidens carrying fans made of peacock feathers walked ahead. Five thousand maidens waving palm fronds preceded them, and farther ahead came five thousand maidens holding golden vases of scented water, who sprinkled this water upon the path. They were preceded by five thousand maidens holding various fresh garlands of wildflowers, as well as five thousand maidens carrying various boxes. Then came five thousand maidens holding fine jewels and sweeping the path. Farther ahead walked five thousand maidens carrying beautiful cushions, and [99] five thousand priests carrying bells and ringing out sounds of auspiciousness. In front of them there were five thousand beautifully decorated elephants. Then came twenty thousand horses covered with golden ornaments and full of jewels. [F.53.b]
Following the Bodhisattva were eighty thousand chariots beautifully outfitted with lattices of golden bells, and with parasols, victory banners, and flags hoisted. Then came forty thousand imposing foot soldiers and heroes wearing strong armor. Uncountable billions of gods of the desire and form realms, hovering in the sky, made various types of offerings to the Bodhisattva and followed after him. The Bodhisattva himself rode in a chariot, which the gods of the desire realm had decorated with a great array of ornaments. Twenty thousand celestial maidens with ornate jewelry held up jewel garlands and guided the chariot. Between every two of the celestial maidens was a human maiden, and between every two human maidens was a celestial maiden. However, because of the power of the Bodhisattva, the celestial girls did not find the smell of the human girls displeasing. Nor were the human maidens overwhelmed by the sight of the beautiful celestial maidens.
Monks, in the city of Kapilavastu, five hundred Śākyas had constructed five hundred homes for the Bodhisattva. When the Bodhisattva entered the city, they stood in front of these houses with their hands folded. Bowing reverentially, they invited the Bodhisattva:
“Sarvārthasiddha, please come here! God of Gods, please come here! Pure Being, please come here! Sublime Captain, please come here! Bringer of Pleasure, Joy, and Rapture, please come here! [100] You Who Are Renowned as Being beyond Reproach, please come here! All-Seeing One, please come here! Peerless One beyond Equal, with your splendor, qualities, and [F.54.a] body adorned with the major and minor signs, please come here!”
King Śuddhodana wanted to make everyone happy, so he took the Bodhisattva into all the houses. In this way it took four months before the Bodhisattva entered his actual residence, the palace known as Display of Gems.
Then the eldest of the elders of the Śākya clan gathered to discuss who among their women should be responsible for the upbringing, care, and nurturing of the Bodhisattva. They agreed that it should be a skilled and kind person who could care for him in a loving and altruistic atmosphere. Five hundred Śākya women came to volunteer, saying, “I will care for the prince! Please let me take care of the prince.”
The eldest male and female Śākyas then argued, “All of these women are impetuous young girls, who are vain and proud because of their beauty and youth. Such women are incapable of caring for the prince and his needs. However, the prince’s maternal aunt Mahāprajāpatī Gautamī would be able to raise the prince so that he is happy and well. She will also be able to please King Śuddhodana.”
Since everyone agreed with this suggestion, they encouraged Mahāprajāpatī Gautamī to take on this task. And indeed Mahāprajāpatī Gautamī raised the prince well. At that time thirty-two additional nurses were appointed to serve the Bodhisattva. Of these, eight would carry him, eight were nursemaids, eight were playmates, and eight were appointed to bathe him.
King Śuddhodana then gathered all of the Śākyas for a council and asked, “Will this prince be a universal monarch or will he instead depart from here as a renunciant?” [F.54.b] [101]
At that time the great sage Asita, who had the five extraordinary powers, was residing on the slopes of Himavat, the king of mountains, together with his sister’s son Naradatta. When the Bodhisattva was born, he saw many amazing miraculous displays and he perceived many gods who joyfully hovered in the sky, waving banners and calling out, “Buddha!” Witnessing this, he thought to himself, “Excellent! I must see this!” With his divine eye, he looked all over Jambūdvīpa and saw that a prince had been born to King Śuddhodana in the city of Kapilavastu. It was a prince who shone with the light of merit, who was worshiped by everyone, and whose body was beautifully adorned with the thirty-two marks of a great being. He said to the young priest Naradatta,
“Young priest, listen! A jewel has come into this world! In the city of Kapilavastu, in the household of King Śuddhodana, a prince has been born. He shines with the light of merit, is worshiped by everyone, and is beautifully adorned with the thirty-two marks of a great being. If he remains in his palace, he will become a universal monarch who commands the four armies. He will be a victorious and pious Dharma king with the necessary strength to govern. He will also have seven precious possessions, which are the precious wheel, the precious elephant, the precious horse, the precious wife, the precious jewel, the precious steward, and the precious minister. He will beget one thousand sons, who will all be heroic, brave, handsome, and triumphant. By his innate strength, he will subdue and conquer the entire world and its oceans without using force or weapons, and in a way that accords with the doctrine. [F.55.a] In this way the entire world will be his kingdom. If, however, he leaves his home and goes forth as a renunciant, he will become a thus-gone one, a worthy one, a completely perfect buddha. He will become a teacher and a guide who is independent of others and renowned throughout the world. So come, let us go and see him.” [102]
Just like the king of swans, the great sage Asita, accompanied by his nephew Naradatta, soared through the sky to the city of Kapilavastu. When he arrived, he concealed his magical powers and entered the city on foot. He went to the palace of King Śuddhodana and walked right up to the palace gates where, monks, he saw many hundreds of thousands of animals gathered.
The sage Asita went to the gatekeeper and told him, “Sir! Go and tell King Śuddhodana that a sage has come to see him.”
The gatekeeper went before King Śuddhodana with folded hands and said, “Your Majesty! There is an old, elderly, and decrepit sage at the gate, who says that he wishes to see the king.”
King Śuddhodana had a seat prepared for the sage Asita and said to the gatekeeper, “Let the sage enter.”
The gatekeeper returned from the king’s quarters and told the sage Asita to enter the palace. The sage Asita went before King Śuddhodana and told him, “Great King, may you be victorious! May you be victorious! May you live long! May you rule in accord with the Dharma!” [F.55.b]
King Śuddhodana first honored the sage by giving him water to bathe his feet and rinse his mouth. He then very respectfully seated him on a cushion. Once he saw that the sage was sitting comfortably, he respectfully addressed him, “Sage, I do not recall having seen you before. Why have you come here?” [103]
The sage Asita replied to King Śuddhodana, “Great King, I have come to see the son who was born to you.”
The king said, “Great Sage, the child is sleeping now. Please wait for a short while until he wakes.”
The sage replied, “Great King, a great being like this does not sleep long. Great beings like him usually remain awake.”
Monks, out of affection for the sage Asita, the Bodhisattva now showed signs of having awakened. King Śuddhodana carefully lifted Prince Sarvārthasiddha with both hands and carried him before the sage Asita. When the sage Asita looked at the Bodhisattva, he saw that his body was wonderfully adorned with the thirty-two marks and eighty signs of a great being. His body was superior even to that of Śakra, Brahmā, and the guardians of the world. It was even more splendorous than hundreds of thousands of suns, and all of its parts were perfectly beautiful.
The sage exclaimed, “Oh! An amazing being has been born in this world! An exceptional and amazing being has been born in this world!” He stood up from his seat, joined his palms, prostrated to the Bodhisattva’s feet, and circumambulated him.
He then took the Bodhisattva on his lap and remained pensive. He saw that the Bodhisattva’s body bore the thirty-two marks of a great being, and he knew that these marks could only indicate one of two possibilities. [F.56.a] He saw that if the Bodhisattva was to stay in the palace, he would become a universal monarch who commands the four armies. He would be a victorious and pious Dharma king with the necessary strength to govern. He would also have the seven precious possessions of the wheel, the elephant, the horse, the wife, the jewel, the steward, and the minister. He would beget one thousand sons, who would all be heroic, brave, handsome, and triumphant. By his innate strength, he would subdue and conquer the entire world and its oceans without using force or weapons, and in a way that accords with the doctrine. In this way the entire world would be his kingdom. On the other hand, if he were to leave his home and go forth as a renunciant, he would become a thus-gone one, renowned as the completely perfect Buddha, a peerless leader. As the sage saw this, tears streamed down his face and he sat there sobbing. [104]
Seeing the sage crying, shedding tears and sobbing, the king became afraid and distressed, and he very quickly inquired of the great sage, “Sage! You shed tears, you cry, and you sigh deeply. What is wrong? Is some misfortune to befall the prince?”
The great sage Asita replied to the king, “Great King, I am not crying for sake of the prince, and no misfortune will befall him. I cry for myself because, Great King, I am elderly, old, and decrepit. Prince Sarvārthasiddha, however, will awaken to perfect and complete buddhahood and turn the wheel of the unexcelled Dharma in a way that cannot be done by any ascetic, priest, god, demon, or anybody else who follows worldly teachings. He will teach in a way that is beneficial and brings happiness to the world, including the gods. He will share a teaching of pure conduct, which is good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end. It will be a teaching with excellent meaning and excellent words. It will be unique, perfect, pure, purifying, and consummate. [F.56.b]
“When those who are bound within the caste system hear his teaching, those who are not free from birth will be liberated. Likewise those who are afflicted by old age, sickness, death, grief, lamentation, suffering, unhappiness, and irritation will be liberated from old age, sickness, death, grief, lamentation, suffering, unhappiness, and irritation. The rain of the sublime teaching will refresh those who are tormented by the flames of desire, anger, and stupidity.
“He will lead onto the straight path to nirvāṇa those beings who are veiled by a variety of mistaken views and who have entered mistaken paths. He will free from bondage those who are trapped in the cage and prison of saṃsāra and who are bound by the fetters of disturbing emotions. In those beings who are blinded by darkness, clouded vision, and the cataract of ignorance, he will engender the eye of insight. For those beings who are wounded by the thorn of disturbing emotions, he will pull out that thorn. [105] Great King, an uḍumbara flower sometimes, though rarely, blooms in the world. Great King, in the same way, rarely, once in many millions of years, a blessed buddha is born in the world. And this great prince will certainly awaken to unexcelled, perfect, and complete buddhahood.
“Once he awakens to unexcelled, perfect, and complete buddhahood, he will liberate many billions of beings, bringing them across the ocean of saṃsāra and establishing them in immortality. Yet I shall not live to see this jewel of the Buddha. This is why, Great King, I cry and sigh so sadly. [F.57.a] I will not be able to venerate him, even if I remain healthy.
“Great King, if you look in our scriptures, you will see that the prince Sarvārthasiddha will not stay at home. The reason is, Great King, that the prince Sarvārthasiddha bears the thirty-two marks of a great being. And what are these marks?
“(1) Great King, Prince Sarvārthasiddha has a crown protuberance. That, Great King, is the first mark of a great being found on Prince Sarvārthasiddha. (2) Great King, Prince Sarvārthasiddha’s hair is deep blue like the neck of a peacock or kohl powder, and curls to the right. (3) His forehead is even. (4) Great King, at the place between Sarvārthasiddha’s eyebrows, there is a ringlet of hair the color of snow or silver. (5) Great King, Prince Sarvārthasiddha’s eyelashes are like those of a bull. (6) His eyes are of a deep blue color. (7) He has forty teeth. (8) He has even teeth. (9) His teeth are without gaps between them. (10) His teeth are perfectly white. (11) Great King, Prince Sarvārthasiddha has the voice of Brahmā. (12) His experience of taste is unexcelled. (13) His tongue is very long and slender. (14) His jaw is like that of a lion. (15) His shoulders are well-rounded. (16) Seven of his body parts are well-rounded. (17) His chest is broad. (18) His skin is smooth and golden. (19) When standing up straight, his hands reach his knees. (20) His torso is like that of a lion. (21) Great King, Prince Sarvārthasiddha’s arm span and height are identical, like the banyan tree. (22) Each of his hairs grows individually, and their tips curl to the right and upward. (23) His private parts are well sheathed. (24) His thighs are well-rounded. (25) His calves are like those of the black antelope, the king of deer. (26) His fingers are long. (27) His heels are broad. (28) [F.57.b] [106] His arches are high. (29) His palms and the soles of his feet are soft. (30) His fingers and toes are webbed. (31) Great King, on the palms of his long-fingered hands and on the soles of his long-toed feet, there are beautiful thousand-spoked wheels with both center and rim. (32) Great King, Prince Sarvārthasiddha has even and well-placed feet.
“Great King, Prince Sarvārthasiddha possesses these thirty-two marks of a great being. Great king, marks of this type are not found on the body of a universal monarch; these are the marks found on the body of a bodhisattva.
“Great King, the body of Prince Sarvārthasiddha is adorned with eighty minor marks. Because he has these signs, Prince Sarvārthasiddha will not stay at home, but will certainly develop renunciation and depart from his home. Great King, what are these eighty minor marks? Well, Great King, (1) Prince Sarvārthasiddha’s fingernails are rounded, (2) copper colored, and (3) glossy. (4) His fingers and toes are rounded, (5) long, and (6) well proportioned. (7) His veins are not visible. (8) His anklebones are not visible. (9) His joints are not visible. (10) His feet are even, rather than uneven. (11) His heels are broad. Great King, (12) Prince Sarvārthasiddha has markings on his hands that are even, (13) clear, (14) deep, (15) straight, and (16) well arranged. (17) His lips are red like the bimba fruit. (18) His voice is not loud. (19) His tongue is supple, soft, and copper colored. (20) His voice is melodious like the trumpeting of an elephant, or the roll of thunder. [F.58.a]
“Moreover, (21) his arms are long. (22) He is excellently clean. (23) His body is soft. (24) His body is not subject to fear or hesitancy. (25) His body is well proportioned, (26) heroic, (27) beautiful, and (28) well composed. (29) His kneecaps are broad, large, and well-developed. Great King, (30) Prince Sarvārthasiddha’s body is rounded, (31) very smooth, (32) straight, and (33) well structured. (34) His navel is deep, (35) not crooked, and (36) tapering. [107] (37) Like a sage, he is very pure in his conduct. (38) He is exceedingly attractive, (39) of pure appearance, and (40) shines with a light that dispels all darkness.
“Great King, (41) Prince Sarvārthasiddha moves with the serene gait of an elephant, (42) the stride of a lion, (43) the step of a great bull, (44) the swoop of a swan. (45) His steps always make beautiful circles to the right. (46) His sides are rounded, (47) well proportioned, and (48) straight. (49) His waist is slight like the curve of a bow. (50) His body is free of any blemishes or dark spots. Great King, (51) Prince Sarvārthasiddha has rounded canines. (52) His canines are sharp and well spaced. (53) His nose is elegantly high. (54) His eyes are clear, (55) stainless, (56) warm, (57) elongated, (58) large, and (59) resemble blue lotuses.
“Great King, Prince Sarvārthasiddha has (60) even eyebrows that are (61) thick, (62) dark, (63) continuous, and (64) tapered. (65) His cheeks are plump, (66) even, [F.58.b] (67) unblemished, and (68) free from the flush of aggression. (69) His sense organs are clearly apparent. Great King, (70) Prince Sarvārthasiddha has a perfect tuft of hair between his brows. (71) His face and forehead are proportional. (72) His head is large. (73) His hair is black, (74) even, (75) fragrant, (76) soft, (77) well kempt, (78) well arranged, and (79) curly. Great King, (80) Prince Sarvārthasiddha has hair that curls into the forms of the endless knot, the mark of auspiciousness, the mark of eternal happiness, and the mark of prosperity. Great King, Prince Sarvārthasiddha has all of these eighty marks.
“Great King, these eighty marks that Prince Sarvārthasiddha bears mean that Prince Sarvārthasiddha will not remain in his home, but will certainly leave the palace in order to live the life of a renunciant.”
When King Śuddhodana heard the sage Asita’s prophecy about the prince, he rejoiced and felt satisfied, elated, joyful, and blissful. He rose from his seat, prostrated at the feet of the Bodhisattva, and spoke this verse:
And so, monks, King Śuddhodana satisfied the sage Asita and his nephew Naradatta appropriately with a banquet, offered them fine garments, and circumambulated them. Then the great sage Asita returned to his own abode by magically flying through the air. Once there, the great sage Asita told the young priest, “Naradatta, when you hear that a buddha has appeared in this world, [F.59.a] you must go immediately to see him and take ordination with that teacher. This will have a long-lasting purpose and bring you benefit and happiness.”
On this topic, it is said:
Monks, as soon as the Bodhisattva was born, the god Maheśvara called out to the gods of the pure abodes,
“Friends, there is a bodhisattva, a great being, who has excellently and diligently practiced purification, generosity, discipline, patience, diligence, concentration, knowledge, methods, studies, conduct, ascetic practices, and austerities for countless trillions of eons. He has great love, great compassion, and great joy, and is possessed of a noble mind by virtue of its equanimity. He strives for the benefit of all beings and is shielded by the armor of diligence. He has appeared out of the roots of virtue that were brought about by previous buddhas.
“He is adorned with the marks of a hundred merits and is full of a determined resolve. He conquers the enemy’s army and has a joyful and excellent mind without stains. He bears the crowning banner of great wisdom. He uproots the strength of the demons. He is the great leader of the trichiliocosm and is worshiped by gods and humans. He has performed great sacrifices and possesses an exceedingly excellent accumulation of merit. Since he has his mind set on deliverance, he will uproot birth, old age, and death. He is wellborn and will bring beings to awakening. Born into the family of King Ikṣvāku, he has come to the world of humans. He will soon awaken to unexcelled, perfect, and complete buddhahood. [F.61.a] Let us go and pay homage to him, serve him, respect him, and praise him. The other gods who are overcome by their pride will see us paying homage to the Bodhisattva, and they will cast aside their pride, haughtiness, and arrogance. They will also go to pay homage, service, and respect to the Bodhisattva. This will bring lasting purpose, benefit, and happiness to those gods, until they attain immortality. The might and prosperity of King Śuddhodana will become renowned. Let us make a true prophecy about the Bodhisattva, and then return.” [113]
After the god Maheśvara had said this, he took off for the palace of King Śuddhodana surrounded by one million two hundred thousand gods, bathing the entire city of Kapilavastu in light. The gatekeeper informed the king of their arrival, and Maheśvara entered the palace with the king’s permission. He prostrated, touching his head to the Bodhisattva’s feet, drew his robe over one shoulder, and circled the Bodhisattva many hundreds of thousands of times. He then took the Bodhisattva onto his lap and spoke these joyful words to King Śuddhodana: “Great King, you should be supremely delighted! The reason, Great King, is that the Bodhisattva’s body is beautifully ornamented with the major and minor marks of a great being, and he outshines the world of gods, humans, and demigods with his color, magnificence, renown, and glory. Great King, it is therefore certain that the Bodhisattva will awaken to unexcelled, perfect, and complete buddhahood.”
[F.61.b] Monks, in this way the god Maheśvara, together with the many gods of the pure realms, made offerings to the Bodhisattva and showed him great respect. As they had now given the true prophecy, they returned to their own abodes.
On this topic, it is said:
This concludes the seventh chapter, on the birth.
Chapter 8
Going to the Temple
Monks, on the very evening of the Bodhisattva’s birth, there were twenty thousand girls born among the ruling class, the priestly class, the merchants, and the householders, such as the landowners. All of them were offered to the Bodhisattva by their parents to serve and honor him. King Śuddhodana also gave twenty thousand girls to the Bodhisattva to serve and honor him. His friends, his ministers, his [118] kinfolk, and his blood relatives also offered twenty thousand girls to serve and honor the Bodhisattva. [F.63.a] Finally the members of ministerial assemblies also offered twenty thousand girls to serve and honor the Bodhisattva.
Monks, at that time the male and female elders of the Śākya clan gathered and said to King Śuddhodana, “King, please pay heed. The prince should now worship in the temple.”
King Śuddhodana replied, “Yes, it would be excellent for him to worship in this way. Therefore, let the city be decorated! Ornament the streets, crossroads, intersections, and marketplaces. Send away all the hunchbacks and all the blind, deaf, and mute people, as well as anyone who is deformed or crippled. Gather everything auspicious! Beat the drums of merit and ring the bells of auspiciousness. Ornament the gates of this excellent city. Play the most pleasant instruments, cymbals, and drums. Assemble all the local lords and gather the merchants, householders, ministers, gatekeepers, and all the local people. Prepare chariots for the girls. Procure brimming vases. Gather the priests who are experts in recitation. Ornately decorate the temples.”
Monks, everyone followed the commands issued by the king. Then King Śuddhodana went to his home and spoke to Mahāprajāpatī Gautamī, saying, “The prince is to pray in the temple. Ornament him well.”
Mahāprajāpatī Gautamī replied, “Of course,” and dressed the prince lavishly.
While the prince was being dressed, with a slight smile and no hint of annoyance, he spoke these pleasant words to his maternal aunt: “Mother, where are you taking me?”
She replied, “Son, I am taking you to the temple.” [F.63.b]
The prince then smiled, laughed, and spoke these verses to his maternal aunt:
Monks, once the main streets, crossroads, intersections, and markets had been richly ornamented, with praises and benedictions of all kinds posted around the city, a richly ornamented chariot was prepared for the prince in the inner courtyard. With all auspicious circumstances having been arranged in this manner, King Śuddhodana lifted the prince onto his lap. Surrounded by priests, townspeople, merchants, householders, ministers, local lords, gatekeepers, local people, friends, and kinfolk, they traveled through the richly ornamented roads, intersections, crossroads, and marketplaces, which were enveloped in the fragrant scent of incense and strewn with flower petals, filled with horses, elephants, chariots, and foot soldiers, with parasols, victory banners, and flags held aloft, and resounding with many instruments. At that time a hundred thousand gods led the Bodhisattva’s chariot. Many hundreds of millions of gods and maidens scattered flowers from the sky above and played cymbals.
Monks, King Śuddhodana, accompanied by the great royal procession, splendor, and ceremony, brought the prince to the temple. As soon as the Bodhisattva placed his right foot in the temple, [F.64.a] the insentient [120] statues of the gods, such as Śiva, Skanda, Nārāyaṇa, Kubera, Candra, Sūrya, Vaiśravaṇa, Śakra, Brahmā, and the guardians of the world, all stood up from their seats and prostrated at the Bodhisattva’s feet. Right then a hundred thousand gods and humans cried out in amazement and delight. The fine city of Kapilavastu trembled in six ways. A rain of divine flowers fell, and a hundred thousand divine instruments sounded without even being played. Then the various statues in the temple all returned to their seats and spoke these verses:
Monks, when the Bodhisattva entered the temple, three million two hundred thousand gods gave rise to the intention to attain unexcelled, perfect, and complete awakening. Monks, these are the circumstances and causes related to the Bodhisattva’s equanimity as he was brought to the temple.
This concludes the eighth chapter, on going to the temple. [121]
Chapter 9
The Ornaments
Monks, at the time of the constellation of Citrā, after the constellation of Hastā had passed, the chief priest of the king, who was called Udayana, the father of Udāyin, [F.64.b] went before King Śuddhodana surrounded by some five hundred priests and said, “Your Majesty, please know that it is now proper for ornaments to be made for the prince.”
The king replied, “Very well, then do it.”
At that time King Śuddhodana had five hundred types of ornaments made by five hundred Śākyas. He commissioned bracelets, anklets, crowns, necklaces, rings, earrings, armbands, golden belts, golden threads, nets of bells, nets of gems, shoes bedecked with jewels, garlands adorned with various gems, jeweled bangles, chokers, and diadems. When the ornaments were completed the Śākyas went before King Śuddhodana at the time of the constellation of Puṣya and said, “King, please ornament the prince.”
The king replied, “It is better if you ornament the prince and make these offerings to him, since I have commissioned the ornaments for the prince.”
They replied, “The prince should wear these ornaments that we have made for seven days and nights. This will make our efforts meaningful.”
At dawn, as the sun rose, the Bodhisattva entered the park known as Stainless Array, where Mahāprajāpatī Gautamī took him onto her lap. Eighty thousand women welcomed the Bodhisattva and gazed at his countenance. Ten thousand girls welcomed the Bodhisattva and gazed at his countenance. Ten thousand Śākyas welcomed the Bodhisattva and gazed at his countenance. Five thousand priests also arrived and [122] gazed at the Bodhisattva’s countenance. [F.65.a] Then the ornaments that had been commissioned by the gracious king of the Śākyas were fastened onto the Bodhisattva’s body.
As soon as the ornaments were placed on the Bodhisattva’s body, the radiance of his body eclipsed their luster. They did not glitter or gleam, and they lost all their shine. They were just like a lump of coal that is placed next to gold from the Jambū River—it also does not glitter, gleam, or shine. In the same way, when the ornaments were struck by the light radiating from the Bodhisattva’s body, they lost all their glitter, gleam, and shine. And thus it was that any ornament that was placed on the Bodhisattva’s body lost its luster, like a lump of soot thrown before gold from the Jambū River.
Then the goddess of the pleasure grove, Vimala, revealed her vast body before the king and the group of Śākyas, and spoke these verses to them:
Having spoken these words, the goddess scattered divine flowers over the Bodhisattva and disappeared.
This concludes the ninth chapter, on the ornaments.
Chapter 10
The Demonstration at the Writing School
Monks, when the young child had grown a little older, he was taken to school. He went there amid hundreds of thousands of auspicious signs, and he was surrounded and attended by tens of thousands of boys, along with ten thousand carts filled with hard food, soft food, and condiments, and ten thousand carts filled with gold coins and gems. These were distributed in the streets and road junctions, and the entrances to the markets of the city of Kapilavastu. At the same time a symphony of eight hundred thousand cymbals was sounded, and a heavy rain of flowers fell.
Hundreds of thousands of girls, adorned with all kinds of jewelry, perched themselves on the balconies, turrets, arches, windows, [124] upper stories, and roofs of the homes. Gazing at the Bodhisattva, they tossed flowers. There were also eight thousand goddesses, who were adorned with loose hanging jewelry and carried bhadraṃkara gems. They went ahead of the Bodhisattva, cleansing his way. Gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, demigods, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, and mahoragas revealed the upper halves of their bodies, and festooned wreaths of flowers and woven silk from the sky. All the Śākya factions, with King Śuddhodana leading the way, went ahead of the Bodhisattva. With such an array as this, the Bodhisattva was taken to school.
As soon as the Bodhisattva arrived in school, the schoolmaster, who was called Viśvāmitra, was unable to withstand the Bodhisattva’s splendor and radiance, and prostrated to him face-down on the ground. [F.66.a] A god from the Heaven of Joy called Śubhāṅga saw the schoolmaster collapsed on the ground and, grabbing him with his right hand, raised him up. Suspended in the sky, Śubhāṅga then spoke the following verses to King Śuddhodana and the crowd:
When he had spoken these verses, the god honored the Bodhisattva with celestial flowers and immediately thereafter disappeared.
The nannies and the entourage of maids were asked to stay at the school, while the remaining Śākyas, headed by Śuddhodana, departed. The Bodhisattva took up a writing board made of sandalwood. It was decorated with flecks of divine gold of prime quality and studded with precious gems on all sides. He then addressed the master Viśvāmitra:
“Which script, O master, will you be teaching me? [F.66.b] Will it be the Brāhmī script, the Kharoṣṭī script, or the Puṣkarasāri script? Will it be the Aṅga script, the Vaṅga script, the Magadha script, the Maṅgalya script, the Aṅgulīya script, the Śakāri script, the Brahmavali script, the Pāruṣya script, the Drāviḍa script, the Kirāta script, the Dākṣiṇya script, the Ugra script, the Saṃkhyā script, the Anuloma script, the Avamūrdha script, [126] the Darada script, the Khāṣya script, the Cīna script, the Lūna script, the Hūṇa script, the Madhyākṣaravistara script, the Puṣpa script, the Deva script, the Nāga script, the Yakṣa script, the Gandharva script, the Kiṃnara script, the Mahoraga script, the Asura script, the Garuḍa script, the Mṛgacakra script, the Vāyasaruta script, the Bhaumadeva script, the Antarīkṣadeva script, the Uttarakurudvīpa script, the Aparagoḍānī script, the Pūrvavideha script, the Utkṣepa script, the Nikṣepa script, the Vikṣepa script, the Prakṣepa script, the Sāgara script, the Vajra script, the Lekhapratilekha script, the Anudruta script, the Śāstrāvarta script, the Gaṇanāvarta script, the Utkṣepāvarta script, the Nikṣepāvarta script, the Pādalikhita script, the Dviruttarapadasaṃdhi script, the Yāvaddaśottarapadasaṃdhi script, the Madhyāhāriṇī script, the Sarvarutasaṃgrahaṇī script, the Vidyānulomāvimiśrita script, the Ṛṣitapastapta script, the Rocamāna script, the Dharaṇīprekṣiṇī script, [F.67.a] the Gaganaprekṣiṇī script, the Sarvauṣadhiniṣyanda script, the Sarvasārasaṃgrahaṇī script, or the Sarvabhūtarutagrahaṇī script? Master, which of those sixty-four scripts will you teach me?”
The schoolmaster Viśvāmitra was amazed, and he smiled. Setting aside pride, conceit, and arrogance, he replied with the following verses:
Thus, while the schoolmaster taught the children the alphabet, there emerged innumerable hundreds of thousands of excellent Dharma teachings due to the Bodhisattva’s power. Moreover, while the Bodhisattva was attending school, 32,000 children gave rise to thoughts aimed at unexcelled, perfect, and complete awakening. This is the circumstance and the reason why the Bodhisattva attended school, even though he was already so learned.
This concludes the tenth chapter, on the demonstration at the writing school.
Chapter 11
The Farming Village
Monks, on another occasion when the prince had grown a little older, he went with the sons of the ministers and some other boys to visit a farming village. After seeing the village, he entered a park at the edge of the fields. The Bodhisattva wandered around there in complete solitude. As he was strolling through the park, he saw a beautiful and pleasant rose apple tree, and he decided to sit down cross-legged under its shade. Seated there, the Bodhisattva attained a one-pointed state of mind. [129]
He then settled into the first meditative concentration, which is free of factors connected with evil deeds and nonvirtues. It is accompanied by thought and analysis and is imbued with the joy and pleasure born of discernment.
He then brought about the cessation of thoughts and analysis [F.68.b] and became perfectly quiet. As his mind became concentrated, he settled into the second meditative concentration, which is free of thought and analysis and is imbued with the joy and pleasure born of meditative absorption.
Without any attachment to joy, he remained in equanimity with mindfulness and introspection and experienced physical pleasure. Aware and cognizant, he felt physically at ease. He had settled into the third meditative concentration, which is without joy: “impartial, aware, and abiding at ease,” as the noble ones describe it.
He had already relinquished suffering and, as he now abandoned the feeling of comfort, both mental pleasure and displeasure vanished. Thus he settled into the fourth meditative concentration: perfectly pristine with impartiality and mindfulness, unconnected with pleasure or pain.
Right then five extremist sages, who had miraculous powers and the five superknowledges, were flying through the sky toward the north. Yet as they flew above this grove, they suddenly could not go any farther, and it felt as if they were being pushed back. With the hairs on their bodies bristling with anger, they spoke the following verse:
Dwelling in that grove was a goddess, who sang this verse to the sages:
When the sages looked down below, [F.69.a] they saw a child blazing with glory and splendor, and they thought, “Who is this seated here? Could it be Vaiśravaṇa, lord of wealth? Or is it Māra, lord of sense pleasures, or perhaps the lord of the mahoragas? Could it be Śakra, the vajra holder? Or is it perhaps Rudra, or the lord of kumbhāṇḍas? Could it be the mighty Kṛṣṇa, or perhaps the divine moon, or the thousand-rayed sun? Or will it turn out to be a universal monarch?” Then they spoke the following verse:
Then the goddess of the grove addressed the sages with the following verse:
Once the sages heard the goddess’s words, they descended to the ground. There they saw the Bodhisattva practicing concentration, his body immovable and blazing with a mass of light. Reflecting on the Bodhisattva, they praised him with verses. One of the sages said:
Another sage said:
The fourth sage said:
Finally the last sage said:
Once the sages had praised the Bodhisattva with these verses, they circumambulated him three times and returned to the sky.
King Śuddhodana did not see the Bodhisattva. Displeased with his absence, he said, “Where has the child gone? I do not see him.”
A great many people ran around [132] searching for the boy. Finally one of the ministers saw the Bodhisattva seated cross-legged, practicing concentration in the shade of a rose apple tree. Although the shade of all the trees had shifted by that time, the shade of the rose apple tree had not left the Bodhisattva’s body. Seeing him there, the minister was surprised. Elated with a sense of satisfaction and joy, he was ecstatic. In a state of jubilation he rushed before King Śuddhodana and said the following verses:
King Śuddhodana went over to the rose apple tree. He saw the Bodhisattva blazing with glory and splendor and uttered this verse:
He bowed to the feet of the Bodhisattva and spoke to him in verse:
At that point some of the other boys, who were carrying their seats, made a commotion. The ministers thus told them, “Quiet down! Quiet down!”
“Why?” asked the boys.
The ministers responded, “Even though the orb of the sun has shifted, the shade of his tree does not leave Prince Siddhārtha—who has the highest and most sublime marks of virtue and is as brilliant as the sky—while he practices concentration, motionless as a mountain.” [133]
On this topic, it is said:
This concludes the eleventh chapter, on the farming village. [B7]
Chapter 12
Demonstrating Skill in the Arts
Monks, one time, when the prince had grown older, King Śuddhodana was sitting in the meeting hall together with the assembly of Śākyas. There some of the Śākya elders spoke to King Śuddhodana:
“Your Majesty, you know that the priests who are skilled in making predictions, as well as the gods who have definite knowledge, have foretold that if Prince Sarvārthasiddha renounces the household, he will become a thus-gone one, a worthy one, a completely perfect buddha. Yet if he does not renounce the household, he will become a universal monarch, a righteous Dharma king who has conquered the four quarters and is equipped with the seven treasures. The seven treasures that will be his are the precious wheel, the precious elephant, the precious horse, the precious wife, the precious jewel, [F.71.b] the precious steward, and the precious minister. He will have one thousand sons, all of them full, fierce warriors with well-built bodies that destroy the armies of the enemy. He will conquer the entire earth without the use of violence or weapons, and then he will rule [137] according to the Dharma. Therefore we must arrange a marriage for the prince. Once he is surrounded by a group of women, he will discover pleasure and not renounce the household. In that way the line of our universal monarchy will not be cut, and we will be irreproachably respected by all the kings of the realm.”
King Śuddhodana then said to the assembly, “If we are to do such a thing, then you should determine which girl would be a suitable match for the prince.”
One by one, five hundred Śākyas each came forth and said, “My daughter would be suitable for the prince! My daughter is very beautiful.”
“My son is difficult to match,” said the king. “So we should ask the prince himself which girl he prefers.”
As everyone gathered and broached the matter with the prince, he told them, “I will give you an answer in seven days.” He then thought:
The prince first reflected in this way. Then, manifesting skillful means, he considered the ripening of sentient beings and engendered intense compassion for them. He then spoke the following verses:
Monks, when King Śuddhodana heard those verses, he ordered his family priest, “Go, great priest, out to the city of Kapilavastu! Go to every household and scrutinize the girls! If there is someone with these qualities—no matter whether she is a girl of royal caste, priestly caste, merchant caste, or servant caste—report to us about that girl! Because the prince is not after family or caste; rather he is interested in her qualities alone.” [140]
On that occasion, he spoke the following verses:
Monks, the family priest went out to the city of Kapilavastu carrying the written verses, and wandered from house to house looking carefully, searching for a girl with such qualities. However, he did not see such a girl.
Eventually he reached the house of the Śākya Daṇḍapāṇi. When he entered that dwelling, he saw a beautiful, pleasant, and captivating girl. The girl had a sublimely beautiful complexion like a white lotus, was neither too tall nor too short, neither too fat nor too thin, neither too fair nor too dark, was in her first blush of youth, and was a jewel of a woman, just as the prince had described.
The girl grabbed hold of the priest’s feet and asked, [F.73.a] “O great priest, what is your aim?”
The priest said:
He then gave the girl the letter. The girl read the verses out loud, then she revealed a smile and spoke in verse to the priest: [141]
The councilor went before King Śuddhodana and told him what had happened: “I have seen, O King, a girl who would be suitable for the boy.”
The king asked, “Who does she belong to?”
The councilor replied, “Your Majesty, she is the daughter of the Śākya Daṇḍapāṇi.”
King Śuddhodana thought to himself, “The boy is unparalleled and inclined toward virtue. Most girls have no qualities, yet they think of themselves very highly. I will have some pleasing items made and let the boy distribute them to all the girls. I will choose for the prince whichever girl his eyes linger upon.”
King Śuddhodana did indeed prepare some pleasing items made of gold, silver, and various jewels. Once the preparations were completed, he had the bell sounded in the city of Kapilavastu and announced the following decree: “In seven days the prince will give a public showing. He will give pleasing goods to the girls, so all the girls should gather together in the assembly hall at that time.”
Monks, after seven days had passed, the Bodhisattva went to the assembly hall [F.73.b] and took his seat on a splendid throne. King Śuddhodana had put some spies in place and ordered them, “Report to me if the boy’s eyes linger upon any particular girl!” [142]
Monks, then the girls in the city of Kapilavastu, as many as there were, all came to the assembly hall where the Bodhisattva was seated in order to see him and lay claim to the gifts being offered.
Monks, then the Bodhisattva gave the pleasing items to the girls according to the order of their arrival. The girls, however, could not bear the Bodhisattva’s splendor and brilliance and, as soon as they received the gifts, they quickly departed.
Then the daughter of Daṇḍapāṇi Śākya, the Śākya girl named Gopā, surrounded and escorted by an entourage of female servants, came into the assembly hall where the Bodhisattva was seated. She approached the Bodhisattva and stood to one side, staring at him with unblinking eyes.
When the Bodhisattva had finished distributing all the gifts, she went up to him and, with a smile on her face, said to him, “O Prince, you pay no attention to me. Have I done anything inappropriate toward you?”
The prince responded, “I am not ignoring you. But you certainly have come very late.” He then took off his ring, which was worth several hundreds of thousands of silver coins, and gave it to her.
“Am I, Prince, worthy of this?” she asked.
The prince replied, “Here, take all these other ornaments of mine as well.”
Then the girl said, “It is not right to strip the prince of his adornments. Rather we should adorn the prince.” And then she left.
The people who were positioned as spies came before King Śuddhodana and reported the event, saying, “O King, the boy’s eyes lingered upon the daughter of Daṇḍapāṇi Śākya, the Śākya girl named Gopā, and there was a brief conversation between them.” [F.74.a] [143]
When King Śuddhodana heard this, he sent the councilor-priest before Daṇḍapāṇi Śākya with the request, “May your daughter be given to my son!”
Daṇḍapāṇi replied, “The noble boy has grown up in the palace in ease and comfort. Yet our family rule is such that a girl can only be granted to someone who is skilled in the arts, and not to a man who lacks these skills. The prince is not skilled in the arts since he does not know the maneuvers of swordsmanship, archery, combat, or wrestling. How can I give away my daughter to someone who lacks such skills?”
The king was informed of this reply and thought, “This makes two times that I have been opposed with such a commonsensical rule. When I said, ‘Why don’t the Śākya boys come to attend upon the boy?’ I was told, ‘Why should we attend upon an indolent?’ And now this.” The king sat and reflected thus.
The Bodhisattva heard the story as well. He went to King Śuddhodana and asked, “Your Majesty, what’s wrong? Why are you sitting here so depressed?”
But the king just responded, “O child, enough with your questioning!”
But the prince insisted, “Your Majesty, it is absolutely essential that you tell me!” He asked King Śuddhodana three times, until finally the king told the Bodhisattva what was wrong.
The Bodhisattva then asked, “O King, is there anyone in this city who can compete with me in the arts?”
King Śuddhodana, with a smile on his face, asked the Bodhisattva in return, “My son, are you capable of demonstrating any athletic prowess?”
The prince responded, “I surely am, [144] Your Majesty. So please assemble everyone who is skilled in the arts! [F.74.b] Then I will demonstrate my skills before them.”
King Śuddhodana then asked for the bell to be sounded in the city of Kapilavastu and announced, “In seven days the prince will demonstrate his prowess in the arts. Thus everyone skilled in the arts is to assemble then!”
When seven days had passed, a group of Śākya boys five hundred strong assembled. The daughter of Daṇḍapāṇi Śākya, the Śākya girl named Gopā, was put forward as a trophy for the victor, and a pledge was sworn: “Whoever here is victorious in swordsmanship, archery, combat, and wrestling shall have her.”
Ahead of everyone else, the boy Devadatta arrived from the city. He saw that a large white elephant was being brought to the city for the Bodhisattva to ride. Intoxicated with jealousy, and drunk with pride about his Śākya family line as well as his own strength, he grabbed hold of the elephant by its trunk with his left hand and killed it with his right hand in a single stroke.
Right then the boy Sundarananda arrived. Seeing that an elephant had been killed at the city gate, he asked, “Who killed it?”
The crowd told him, “It was Devadatta.”
Sundarananda said, “That was not right of Devadatta.” Grabbing hold of the elephant by the tail, he dragged it outside the city gate.
Later the Bodhisattva arrived riding a chariot and noticed the dead elephant. When he inquired who had killed the animal, he was told that it was Devadatta. The Bodhisattva said, “That was not good of Devadatta. [145] Who dragged the elephant outside the city gate?”
When he was then told that it was Sundarananda who had done so, he answered, “It was good that Sundarananda carried it out, but this animal has a huge body. When it decays, the entire city will fill with a horrible stench.” Then, while still on his chariot, [F.75.a] the prince extended one foot to the ground, and with his big toe he took hold of the elephant and hurled it a mile outside the city, over seven walls and seven moats. A deep pit formed where the elephant landed. Today this is aptly called Elephant Gorge.
Then hundreds of thousands of gods and humans let out hundreds of thousands of cries of amazement and waved their banners. From the sky, gods called out these verses:
Then five hundred Śākya boys emerged from the city and arrived at the place where they were to demonstrate their abilities in the arts. King Śuddhodana, the Śākya elders, and a big crowd also arrived there, eager to compare the differences in artistic skill between the Bodhisattva and the other Śākya boys.
First those Śākya boys who were skilled in the rules of writing competed with the Bodhisattva in the art of scripts. The teacher Viśmāmitra was appointed judge by the Śākyas, and he announced, “You are to determine who among these [146] boys is superior, whether in penmanship or in the knowledge of scripts.”
Then, because the teacher Viśmāmitra had witnessed firsthand the Bodhisattva’s knowledge of scripts, he smiled and said these verses:
The Śākyas said, “It may indeed be that this boy is superior in knowledge of scripts, but he should also be tested and distinguish himself in knowledge of mathematics.” So the greatest mathematician among the Śākyas, a man called Arjuna, an adept in knowledge of calculation, was appointed judge and told, “You are to determine who among the boys here is superior in knowledge of numbers.”
First the Bodhisattva proposed a mathematical problem. One of the Śākya boys tried to calculate it, but he could not solve it. Next another Śākya boy, then two, three, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, a hundred—up to five hundred of them—together tried to calculate the problem, but they could not solve it.
Next the Bodhisattva said, “Now you propose a mathematical problem, and I will calculate it.” One of the Śākya boys proposed a mathematical problem to the Bodhisattva, but the boy could not confound the Bodhisattva’s calculations. Next two of the Śākya boys, then three, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty—up to five hundred of them—together proposed a mathematical problem, but they could not confound the Bodhisattva’s calculations.
Finally the Bodhisattva said, “Enough with this dispute! All of you should convene and propose a mathematical problem for me. Then I will calculate it.” Accordingly five hundred Śākya boys [147] in unison proposed an unprecedented problem, and still the Bodhisattva calculated it without any consternation. In this way all the Śākya boys met their match while the Bodhisattva remained undefeated. [F.76.a]
The great mathematician Arjuna was amazed and said these verses:
The whole Śākya assembly was shocked and amazed, and they all said in unison, “O Prince Sarvārthasiddha, you have won, you have won!” All of them stood up from their seats, and with palms joined paid homage to the Bodhisattva.
Then they addressed King Śuddhodana: “Great King, you are so fortunate to have a son whose eloquent self-confidence is so swift, nimble, subtle, and potent in the face of questions.”
King Śuddhodana then said to the Bodhisattva, “Son, can you match the ways of calculation with the great mathematician Arjuna, an expert in the knowledge of numbers?”
“I can, Your Majesty,” responded the Bodhisattva.
“Then calculate away!” commanded the king.
The great mathematician Arjuna then asked the Bodhisattva, “Child, do you know how to calculate the number called ten million to the hundredth power?”
“Yes, I do,” said the Bodhisattva.
“How then,” asked Arjuna, “should one commence that calculation?”
The Bodhisattva replied, “One hundred times ten million is called a billion (ayuta). One hundred times one billion is called one hundred billion (niyuta). One hundred times one hundred billion is called one quadrillion (kañkara). One hundred quadrillions is called one sextillion (vivara). One hundred sextillions is called a nonillion (akṣobhya). One hundred nonillions is called [148] a vivāha. One hundred vivāhas is called an utsañga. One hundred utsañgas is called a bahula. One hundred bahulas is called a nāgabala. One hundred nāgabalas is called a tiṭilambha. [F.76.b] One hundred tiṭilambhas is called a vyavasthānaprajñapti. One hundred vyavasthānaprajñaptis is called a hetuhila. One hundred hetuhilas is called a karaphū. One hundred karaphūs is called a hetvindriya. One hundred hetvindriyas is called a samāptalambha. One hundred samāptalambhas is called a gaṇanāgati. One hundred gaṇanāgatis is called a niravadya. One hundred niravadyas is called a mudrābala. One hundred mudrābalas is called a sarvabala. One hundred sarvabalas is called a visaṃjñāgati. One hundred visaṃjñāgatis is called a sarvasaṃjña. One hundred sarvasaṃjñas is called a vibhūtaṃgamā. One hundred vibhūtaṃgamās is called a tallakṣaṇa.
“If one uses tallakṣaṇa as the basic unit of calculation, it is feasible to calculate the size of Mount Meru, the king of mountains. Beyond that is the number called dhvajāgravatī. If one uses dhvajāgravatī as the basic unit of calculation, it is possible to solve the calculation for all the grains of sand in the river Ganges. Beyond that is the number called dhvajāgraniśāmaṇī. Next is the number called vāhanaprajñapti. Then comes the number called iṅgā. Beyond that is the number called kuruṭu. Then comes the number called kuruṭāvi. Then comes the number called sarvanikṣepā. With this count serving as the basic unit of calculation, it is possible to calculate the number of grains of sand in ten Ganges rivers. Beyond that is the number called agrasārā. With this figure as the basic unit of calculation, it is possible to solve the calculation equal to the number of grains of sand in one billion Ganges rivers.
“Finally comes the number called application to the smallest particles (paramāṇurajaḥpraveśānugata). With the exception of a thus-gone one, a bodhisattva who dwells at the sublime seat of awakening, or a bodhisattva who is about to be initiated into all Dharmas, there is no other being [149] who understands this number, with the exception of me and perhaps one like me, namely a bodhisattva in his final existence who has departed from the household.” [F.77.a]
Then Arjuna asked, “Child, how would you enumerate the number application to the smallest particles?”
The Bodhisattva answered, “Seven of the smallest particles is one small particle. Seven small particles is one water particle. Seven water particles is one airborne dust particle. Seven airborne dust particles is one dust particle on a hare. Seven dust particles on a hare is one dust particle on a sheep. Seven dust particles on a sheep is one dust particle on a cow. Seven dust particles on a cow is one louse egg. Seven lice eggs is one mustard seed. Seven mustard seeds is one barley grain. Seven barley grains is one finger joint. Twelve finger joints is one thumb tip to one index fingertip. Two measures of one thumb tip to one index fingertip is one cubit. Four cubits is one bow. One thousand bows is considered one earshot in Magadha. Four times shouting-distance is one league. Who among you knows the total number of smallest particles in a league?”
“Well,” said Arjuna. “I am uncertain about this. So, child, how much more so will the others, who are of weaker intellect, be confused? Child, please explain how many of the smallest particles make up a league.”
The Bodhisattva explained, “A league contains 100 billion nonillions, 30 quintillions, 60 billion, 320 million, 512 thousand smallest particles. Such is the sum of smallest particles in a league. There are seven thousand leagues here in Jambudvīpa, eight thousand leagues in the western continent of Godānīya, nine thousand leagues in the eastern continent of Videha, and ten thousand leagues in the northern continent of Kuru.
“Moreover, there are one billion worlds of four continents, such as this world, and one billion oceans. [F.77.b] [150] There are also one billion surrounding mountain ranges and one billion outer ranges. Likewise there are one billion Mount Merus, the kings of mountains.
“There are one billion god realms belonging to the four great kings. There are one billion Heavens of the Thirty-Three, one billion Heavens Free from Strife, one billion Heavens of Joy, one billion Heavens of Delighting in Emanations, and one billion Heavens of Making Use of Others’ Emanations.
“There are also one billion Brahma Realms, one billion realms of the High Priests of Brahmā, one billion realms of Brahmā’s Entourage, one billion realms of Great Brahmā, one billion realms of Limited Light, one billion realms of Limitless Light, one billion realms of the Luminous Heaven, one billion realms of the Heaven of Limited Virtue, one billion realms of the Heaven of Limitless Virtue, one billion realms of the Heaven of Perfected Virtue, one billion realms of the Cloudless Heaven, one billion realms of the Heaven of Increased Merit, one billion realms of the Heaven of Great Fruition, one billion realms of the Heaven of Concept-Free Beings, one billion realms of the Unlofty Heaven, one billion realms of the Heaven of No Hardship, one billion realms of the Sublime Heaven, one billion realms of the Gorgeous Heaven, and one billion realms of the Gods of the Highest Heaven. All of this is called a great trichiliocosm.
“In width and breadth, each world system contains leagues measuring in the hundreds, thousands, ten millions, billions, hundred billions, and so on, all the way up to the measure of an agrasārā. There is also a corresponding measure of the smallest particles. The number of these particles can indeed be calculated but, since it is unfathomable, it is called incalculable. A number of smallest particles even more incalculable than that are those contained in a great trichiliocosm.”
When the Bodhisattva demonstrated this display of calculation, the great mathematician Arjuna and the entire assembly of Śākyas were surprised and delighted, and they felt great appreciation and joy. They each kept just a single garment for themselves and offered the remaining garments and jewelry to the Bodhisattva. [F.78.a] [151]
Then the great mathematician Arjuna uttered the following verses:
When he said this, hundreds of thousands of gods and humans let out hundreds of thousands of exclamations of shock and cries of joy. From the center of the sky, gods called out the following verse:
Monks, in this way all the Śākya youths were defeated and the Bodhisattva alone stood out. As the day progressed, the Bodhisattva also excelled in all aspects of leaping, swimming, and running. In the sky above, gods sang these verses:
With his performances, the Bodhisattva uniquely distinguished himself. The Śākyas then said, “The prince should also be tested in terms of his strength.”
At that time the Bodhisattva stood to one side while the five hundred Śākya youths wrestled among themselves. Then thirty-two Śākya youths stayed on to confront the Bodhisattva in wrestling. First Nanda and Ānanda approached the Bodhisattva to wrestle with him. But as soon as the Bodhisattva merely touched the two boys, they were unable to withstand the Bodhisattva’s power and brilliance, and they collapsed on the ground.
Next Devadatta vied with the Bodhisattva. He was a conceited and arrogant young man, who was bloated with pride about his strength and his relationship to the Śākya lineage. In the arena filled with spectators, Devadatta first made a round clockwise, and then he lunged at the Bodhisattva. The Bodhisattva, however, was calm and unhurried. He playfully seized Devadatta with his right hand, twirled him into a triple spin, and tossed him to the ground. All the while the Bodhisattva’s mind was full of love. He did not intend to hurt Devadatta, but only to break his pride. Therefore Devadatta was unharmed.
Then the Bodhisattva said, “Enough of this quarrel. You should now all join up and confront me in wrestling.” [153] Exhilarated, they all assailed the Bodhisattva. However, as soon as the Bodhisattva touched them, they were unable to withstand his splendor, brilliance, physical strength, and stamina. Merely by his touch, they fell to the ground. Then hundreds of thousands of gods and humans let out hundreds of thousands of exclamations of shock and cries of joy. The gods in the sky showered down a rain of flowers and called out these verses: [F.79.a]
In this way the Bodhisattva, fighting alone, was the winner. Then Daṇḍapāṇi said to the Śākya youths, “This has now been tested and witnessed. Next let him demonstrate his skill in archery.”
First Ānanda placed an iron drum [154] twice shouting-distance away as his target. Next Devadatta placed an iron drum four times shouting-distance away as his target. Then Sundarananda placed an iron drum six times shouting-distance away as his target. Daṇḍapāṇi placed an iron drum eight times shouting-distance away as his target. Finally the Bodhisattva placed an iron drum ten times shouting-distance away as his target. Behind the drum he set up seven palm trees, and beyond that he set up an iron image of a wild boar.
Ānanda struck his drum target twice shouting-distance away, but he could not shoot any farther. Devadatta struck the drum target four times shouting-distance away, but he also could not shoot any farther. Then Sundarananda struck the drum target six times shouting-distance away, but he was also unable to shoot any farther. Daṇḍapāṇi struck the drum target eight times shouting-distance away [F.79.b] and pierced it, but he also could not shoot any farther than that.
However, whichever bow the Bodhisattva drew, the string snapped or the bow broke. So the Bodhisattva asked, “King, is there any other bow here in the city that I can string or that can withstand my physical strength?”
“Yes, my son, there is.” replied the king.
“Where is it?” asked the boy.
“Son,” the king answered, “your grandfather was called Siṃhahanu. He had a bow that is now being honored in the temple with incense and flower garlands. No one since him has been able to string the bow, let alone draw it.”
The Bodhisattva said, “Your Majesty, may the bow be brought here! I would like to test it.”
When the bow was brought to the assembly, all the Śākya youths tried pulling the bow with all their strength, but they were unable to string it, let alone draw it. Then the bow was placed before the Śākya Daṇḍapāṇi, who mustered all his bodily strength and endurance and tried to string the bow, but could not. Finally the bow was placed before the Bodhisattva. [155] He picked it up and, sitting on his seat in the cross-legged position, he held it with his left hand and strung it with a single fingertip of his right hand.
While he was stringing the bow, a sound resonated throughout the entire city of Kapilavastu. All the townspeople became agitated and asked one another where the sound came from. Some said, “The sound is surely from Prince Sarvārthasiddha, who has strung his grandfather’s bow.” Then hundreds of thousands of gods and humans let out hundreds of thousands of exclamations of shock and cries of joy. The gods in the sky then addressed this verse to King Śuddhodana and to the masses:
Monks, the Bodhisattva now picked up an arrow, drew the bow, and released the arrow. His shot was so powerful that the arrow went right through the targets set up by Ānanda, Devadatta, Sundarananda, and Daṇḍapāṇi. The arrow then cleaved his own iron drum target, which was ten times shouting-distance away, then pierced the seven palm trees and the iron image of a boar before it finally entered the ground and disappeared. There, in the area where the arrow pierced the ground and vanished, a crater formed, which still to this day is called Arrow Crater.
Then hundreds of thousands of gods and humans let out hundreds of thousands of exclamations of surprise and cries of joy. The entire assembly of Śākyas was shocked and astonished. They said, “How amazing! [156] He has such expertise in the arts, without even having trained.”
The gods in the sky then called out to King Śuddhodana and the masses, “O people, why be so amazed? Do you know what’s amazing?
Having spoken thus, the gods approached the Bodhisattva, strewing him with divine flowers.
In this way the Bodhisattva was superior in all the main aspects of the mundane arts, as well as in all practices beyond the reach of gods and humans. He was superior in leaping, and likewise in writing, finger counting, computation, arithmetic, wrestling, archery, running, rowing, swimming, elephant mounting, horsemanship, carriage driving, bow-and-arrow skills, [F.80.b] balance and strength, heroics, gymnastics, elephant driving, lassoing, rising, advancing, retreating, gripping with the hand, gripping using the foot, gripping using the top of the head, cutting, cleaving, breaking, rubbing, target shooting without causing injury, target shooting at vital points, target shooting through only hearing the target, striking hard, playing dice, poetry composition, prose composition, painting, drama, dramatic action, tactical analysis, attending the sacred fire, playing the lute, playing other musical instruments, dancing, singing, chanting, storytelling, comedy, dancing to music, dramatic dancing, mimicry, garland stringing, cooling with a fan, dying precious gems, dying clothes, creating optical illusions, dream analysis, bird sounds, analysis of women, analysis of men, analysis of horses, analysis of elephants, analysis of cattle, analysis of goats, analysis of sheep, analysis of dogs, ritual science and its related lexicon, revealed scripture, ancient stories, history, the Vedas, grammar, etymologies, phonetics, metrics and composition, rules for conducting rituals, astrology, the Sāmkhya philosophical system, the Yoga philosophical system, ceremonies, the art of courtesans, the Vaiśeṣika philosophical system, economics, ethics, hydraulics, knowledge of demigods, knowledge of game animals, knowledge of bird sounds, logic, hydromechanics, beeswax crafts, sewing, wickerwork, leaf cutting, and perfume making. [F.81.a] [157]
When that became clear, the Śākya Daṇḍapāṇi decided to give away his daughter, the Śākya girl Gopā, to the Bodhisattva. King Śuddhodana also formally requested her hand in marriage for the Bodhisattva.
Then indeed, in order to conform to worldly conventions, the Bodhisattva dwelt among 84,000 women and showed himself to partake of the amorous games with pleasure. Among the 84,000 women, the Śākya girl Gopā was consecrated as the foremost wife. However, no matter who the Śākya girl Gopā encountered, whether it was her mother-in-law, her father-in-law, or any other member of the inner quarters, she did not cover her face. So people criticized her and spoke badly of her, saying, “A new wife is supposed to be covered, but this one is always exposed.”
The Śākya girl Gopā heard this rumor, and in front of all the folk of the inner quarters, she said these verses:
Monks, when King Śuddhodana heard these eloquent verses from the Śākya girl Gopā, he felt satisfied and happy, and he cheerfully rejoiced. He then offered her a pair of fine cotton fabrics that were set with many different types of jewels, a pearl necklace worth a hundred billion silver coins, and a garland of gold set with red pearls. The king then offered this sentiment:
Chapter 13
Encouragement
Monks, while the Bodhisattva was staying in the midst of his retinue of consorts, there were numerous gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, demigods, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, and mahoragas, as well as [160] Śakra and Brahmā and the guardians of the world, who were eager to make offerings to the Bodhisattva. They arrived calling out in joyous voices. However, monks, as time went on, many of these gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, demigods, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, and mahoragas, as well as Śakra, Brahmā, and the world protectors, began to think to themselves:
“Now, isn’t this sacred being staying too long among the consorts? There are beings who have been brought to maturity over a long period of time through the four means of attracting disciples, namely generosity, kind talk, meaningful actions, and practicing what one preaches. Once he attains awakening, those beings would be able to understand his teachings on the Dharma. But perhaps all these suitable recipients for his teaching may be gone by then. In that case, the Bodhisattva will leave his home and awaken to unexcelled, perfect, and complete buddhahood on his own.”
So they approached the Bodhisattva. Full of respect and devotion, they joined their palms and bowed before him. Standing expectantly in his presence, they asked with concern:
“Will we ever witness the Bodhisattva—this sacred, supreme, and pure being—leave home as an act of renunciation? Once he has left home, will we see him sitting under the great king of trees, taming Māra and his army, and awakening to unexcelled, perfect, and complete buddhahood?
“When shall we see him accessing the ten powers of the thus-gone ones, the four types of fearlessness of the thus-gone ones, and the eighteen unique qualities of a buddha? [F.82.b] Or spinning the unexcelled wheel of Dharma in its twelve aspects? Or teaching, through a vast display of buddhahood, according to the wishes of the world, including its gods, humans, and demigods, and satisfying them?”
Monks, for a long time—many uncountable eons—the Bodhisattva had always and continuously been without any need to rely on others. He was his own master with regard to worldly concerns, as well as those that go beyond the world. For a long time he had known the right time, the occasion, and the opportunity for the practice of all aspects of the roots of virtue. His higher knowledge was flawless, and his five types of superknowledge were fully manifest. Since he had a masterly command of his sense faculties, he could manifest miraculous powers. He knew indeed what was timely as well as what was untimely. Seeking the right opportunity, he would never miss it, [161] just like the great ocean, which is always timely. Since he possessed the power of clairvoyant wisdom, he knew everything himself:
“This is the appropriate time for reaching out, this is the time for separation, this is the time for getting together, this is the time for showing kindness, this is the time for resting in equanimity, this is the time to speak, this is the time to remain silent, this is the time to leave home, this is the time to take ordination, this is the time to recite, this is the time for deep reflection, this is the time to stay in solitude, this is the time to stay within royal circles, this is the time to be among priests and householders, and this is the time to be among gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, demigods, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, mahoragas, Śakra, Brahmā, the world protectors, monks, nuns, as well as male and female novices. This is the time to teach the Dharma, [F.83.a] and this is the time to rest inwardly.”
At all times the Bodhisattva knew whether the time was suitable or not, and he watched out for opportunities. Monks, for bodhisattvas who have reached their last existence, it is customary that the buddhas, the blessed ones, who dwell in the realms within the ten directions, always come while these bodhisattvas amuse themselves in the female quarters and encourage them through singing and music to enter the gate of Dharma.
On this topic, it is said:
Monks, the home of the Bodhisattva was indeed exquisite, complete with the most perfect belongings. It was anything a person could wish for, full of all the things necessary for comfortable living. Like a divine palace, it had the very best of verandas, turrets, porticoes, skylights, corridors, upper floors, and terraces. It was adorned with all sorts of jewels in many different arrangements and patterns. Parasols, flags, and banners were hoisted. Fine bells made of gems hung from lattices, as did hundreds of thousands of silk streamers. There were garlands of pearls set with various precious stones, and bridges built with boards that were ornamented by all types of jewels. Flower garlands and decorations hung everywhere. Incense burners dispensed fragrant smoke, and silk canopies were spread above. Fragrant flowers from all seasons adorned the grounds, and the ponds were full of white lotus flowers in bloom. In all the many lotus ponds were flocks of many types of birds, such as leafbirds, parrots, mynas, cuckoos, swans, peacocks, wild geese, kunālas, and pheasants that all called out in their beautiful voices. There were grounds covered in blue beryl that reflected all the many fine features of the palace. It was so delightful to watch, and thus one could never get enough.
The exquisite and perfect mansion where the [163] Bodhisattva lived was a source of supreme pleasures and joy. In his palace his body was always pure and stainless, he was adorned with flower garlands and jewelry, and his limbs were scented with the finest and most sweet-smelling oils. To cover his body he wore stainless white clothes of the finest quality, without any blemishes whatsoever. His bedding was made of divine fabrics of the finest thread, and as soft to the touch as the kācilindika cloth. [F.84.a] There on his perfect couch, he lay surrounded by his wonderful retinue of consorts, who all resembled goddesses. All the girls were virtuous, agreeable, and wholesome in conduct.
Inside this beautiful palace, the Bodhisattva woke up to the sound of conches, kettledrums, clay drums, wood drums, lutes, harps, tambourines, cymbals, and flutes that produced the most sweet-sounding and melodious tunes to accompany their many sweet songs. The girls woke up the Bodhisattva with beautiful and soft songs accompanied by the melodious tones of flutes. However, due to the grace of the blessed ones, the buddhas in the ten directions, the instruments suddenly began to encourage the Bodhisattva by resounding with these verses:
Monks, in this way, even as the Bodhisattva was with his retinue of consorts, he could not avoid hearing the sound of the Dharma. He could not avoid thinking about the Dharma. Monks, this was because for so long the Bodhisattva had paid his respects to the Dharma and to those who teach the Dharma. From the innermost core of his being, he strove toward the Dharma, wished for the Dharma, and his only delight was in the Dharma. [F.91.a] As he searched for the Dharma, he was insatiable.
He taught the Dharma just as he had heard it. He was a master of generosity in bestowing the gift of the unexcelled great Dharma. He taught the Dharma without seeking rewards. He was without any stinginess when it came to teaching the Dharma. Regarding the Dharma, he never held back anything as a teacher. He practiced the Dharma that he taught. He was brave in making the Dharma manifest. He found his home in the Dharma, his protection in the Dharma, and his refuge in the Dharma. His point of reference was the Dharma, and his ultimate resort was the Dharma. With the Dharma as his object of meditation, proficient in forbearance, he practiced the perfection of knowledge and attained skillful means.
Monks, the Bodhisattva demonstrated, with a playful mastery of his great skillful means, the actions conforming to the wishes of his entire retinue of consorts. He was acting in conformity with the bodhisattvas of the past who, while being beyond the world, acted in worldly ways. Since the Bodhisattva had long ago realized the shortcomings of desire, he now demonstrated sensual enjoyment, without himself wanting it, simply in order to ripen others. By the unique power of the accumulation of merit, gathered through limitless roots of virtue, he demonstrated the qualities of the ruler of the world. He demonstrated a complete enjoyment of the delightful forms, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures that went far beyond anything known to gods and humans in terms of quality and extent. [180]
He demonstrated a mastery of mind, which was free from attachment to any of his delightful maidens of pleasure. He ripened those who were now in his company as friends, due to the power of their previous aspirations and their accumulated roots of virtue. As such he was able to stay among the consorts without ever being disturbed by the stains of worldly emotions. While watching for the time to ripen the potential in those who were around him, [F.91.b] the Bodhisattva kept his former promise acutely in mind.
He actualized the Buddha and the Dharma and perfected the power of aspiration. For sentient beings he felt great compassion and kept their complete freedom foremost in his mind. He understood that in the end, any amount of wealth will be used up. He understood that saṃsāra is full of many calamities and terrors. He broke free from the evil shackles of Māra, extricated himself from the prison of cyclic existence, and directed his attention to nirvāṇa. [B9]
Monks, from the very beginning the Bodhisattva had already understood the many shortcomings of cyclic existence. With all his heart, he stopped striving after compounded phenomena, as well as all kinds of grasping and clinging. Instead he now only felt interest in the Buddhadharma. He turned toward the state of nirvāṇa and turned his back on saṃsāra. He delighted in the domain of a thus-gone one, because he had separated himself from the domain of Māra.
Perceiving the three realms to be ablaze with the shortcomings of existence, his wish was to free himself from them, and he became skilled in removing himself from the shortcomings and faults of cyclic existence. His wish was to become ordained, and his mind was filled with the thought of leaving home. He was determined to live in solitude and delighted in seeking remoteness. His wish was to be completely on his own and at peace.
He strove to be of help, both for himself and for others, and was a hero in unexcelled persistence. He wished to be of service to the world and to assist the world. He wished happiness and the peace of accomplishment for the world. He had compassion for the world and wanted to help. He was filled with love, saturated with great compassion, and skilled in the art of attracting others. He was never sad. [F.92.a] He was skilled in ripening and training others. In his heart he harbored the same love toward everyone that one has for one’s only child.
He had abandoned wishes for material objects and paid no attention to them. He delighted in giving and sharing. He never refused, but gave courageously with an open hand. He made religious offerings. He accumulated perfect merit and guarded it well. [181] Through discipline, he freed himself from any stains or miserliness, and was fully in control of his thoughts. He was a peerless great benefactor. Even though he gave, he had no expectation of reward. He was a heroic giver ready to subdue the hostile forces of the entire multitude of disturbing emotions, the primary ones being longing, desire, attachment, anger, haughtiness, pride, delusion, and miserliness.
He did not lapse from continually giving rise to the state of omniscience. He was always well protected by an armor of great generosity. He had love and compassion for the world and wished to help. His protection and coat of mail was diligence. His focus was on liberating others. His power was compassion, and his strength was courage. He did not turn back. He had complete impartiality with regard to all beings, and his weapon was generosity. He was able to satisfy the hopes and wishes of others. He was a vessel fit for awakening who continuously realized the Dharma. He would dedicate his awakening to all beings. He did not lower his banner. When he gave, his generosity was not involved with subject, object, and action. He had the sharp vajra weapon of supreme wisdom. He conquered all opposing forces of disturbing emotions.
He was disciplined, skilled, and behaved correctly. He guarded carefully all his physical, verbal, and mental acts, [F.92.b] and exhibited fear of even the smallest unwholesome act. His discipline was perfectly pure. Mentally he had abandoned all stains and was now clean and spotless. Disturbing emotions resulting from negative speech, harmful talk, adversity, criticism, blaming, cursing, beatings, threats, murder, bondage, and imprisonment did not perturb his mind, which was simply unshakable. He was perfectly forbearing and gentle. He had no harmful wishes, never did any damage, and was utterly free from any ill will.
He had given rise to a fervent diligence that was set on helping all other beings. It was a firm resolve. He could not be turned back from accomplishing all the practices that are the roots of virtue. He was mindful and composed. His mind was not distracted, and he rested one-pointedly in concentration. He was skilled in analyzing phenomena. He had found the light, and all darkness had disappeared for him. His mind was filled with thoughts about the nature of impermanence, suffering, and repulsiveness. He was trained in the applications of mindfulness, the thorough relinquishments, the bases of miraculous power, the faculties, the powers, the branches of awakening, the path, the four truths of the noble ones, and all the principles conducive to awakening.
His mind was purified by tranquility and insight. He perceived the truth of dependent origination. Since he had realized the truth, he was not reliant on others. He mastered the three gateways to liberation. He had realized that all phenomena are like an illusion, a mirage, a dream, a moon reflected in water, an echo, or an optical illusion. [182] Monks, in this way the Bodhisattva lived according to the Dharma. [F.93.a] In this way he rested in wisdom. In this way he rested in a state of immense qualities. In this way he strove for the benefit of others.
Encouraged even more by these verses, which emerged out of the sounds of the instruments through the blessings of the buddhas in the ten directions, the Bodhisattva at this point manifested four Dharma gates in order to mature his retinue of consorts, just as all previous bodhisattvas in their last existence had done. What are these four Dharma gates?
The first Dharma gate that he manifested is called pure accomplishment. It refers to the four means of attracting disciples: generosity, kind talk, meaningful actions, and practicing what one preaches.
The second Dharma gate that he manifested is called the irreversible state. It produces the power of aspiration toward inexhaustible omniscience, and it ensures that the capacity of the Three Jewels is upheld and not wasted.
The third Dharma gate that he manifested is called putting great compassion into practice. It is a disposition of never abandoning any sentient beings.
The fourth Dharma gate that he manifested is called the great array. It accomplishes the unique strength of the accumulation of wisdom, which ascertains the meaning of the different categories related to all the factors of awakening.
These are the four Dharma gates that the Bodhisattva manifested. At that point, in order to mature his entire retinue of consorts, he produced many miraculous manifestations. By the power of the Bodhisattva, these miraculous displays caused hundreds of thousands of Dharma gates to emerge from the sounds of the music, such as the following:
Monks, while the Bodhisattva remained in this way among his retinue of consorts, he matured 84,000 women along with many hundreds of thousands of assembled gods for the attainment of unexcelled and perfect awakening.
When it was time for the Bodhisattva to leave home, there arrived a god from the Heaven of Joy by the name Hṛīdeva, on a visit concerning the Bodhisattva’s unexcelled and perfect awakening. Then, in the quiet of the night, he arrived at the palace together with an assembly of 32,000 gods in order to serve and venerate the Bodhisattva. As he arrived, he stopped in midair and sang these verses to the Bodhisattva:
This concludes the thirteenth chapter, on encouragement.
Chapter 14
Dreams
Monks, while the god in this way was encouraging the Bodhisattva, a dream occurred to King Śuddhodana. As he was sleeping, King Śuddhodana dreamed that the Bodhisattva was leaving the palace in the quiet of the night, [186] surrounded by a host of gods. As the Bodhisattva left the palace, the king saw that he had become ordained and was wearing the saffron-colored robes.
As soon as the king awoke, he immediately asked the chamberlain, “Is the young prince with the consorts?”
The chamberlain replied, “Yes, Your Majesty.”
King Śuddhodana, sitting in the female quarters, thought to himself, “Then the young prince will surely leave us soon, as these omens foretell.” As a sharp pain shot through his heart, he began to scheme: “My young prince must never even set foot in the palace gardens. He must always remain inside with the maidens so that he will be addicted to their pleasures. He must never leave us!”
Then, in order for the young prince to enjoy himself, King Śuddhodana erected three palaces for each of the three seasons—hot, rainy, and cold. [F.95.a] The Hot Season Palace was very cool, the Rainy Season Palace was both cool and warm, and the Winter Palace was naturally warm. At each palace five hundred guardsmen walked up and down the staircase. While they were ascending and descending the stairs, their calls could be heard for a distance of half a league. Everyone thought, “The young prince will never be able to leave without being noticed.”
Nevertheless all the astrologers and fortunetellers kept making the same prediction, saying, “The young prince will leave through the Gate of Auspiciousness.” So the king had massive door panels fitted into the Gate of Auspiciousness, so large that it took five hundred men to open and close each of them. The calls of these five hundred men could be heard half a league away. The king provided the palaces with the five desirable things, the likes of which had never been seen before. There were constantly young maidens around the Bodhisattva, playing their instruments, singing songs, and dancing for him.
Monks, at that point the Bodhisattva told his charioteer, “I will go to the parks, so quick, go and prepare my chariot.”
But the charioteer went to [187] King Śuddhodana and told him, “Your Majesty, the young prince wishes to visit the parks.”
On hearing that, King Śuddhodana thought to himself, “My young prince has never been to the parks to see their lovely grounds. However, if I allow him to visit the parks, the young prince must be surrounded by women. That way he can really enjoy amorous delights and surely he will not leave us then.”
As King Śuddhodana had such love for the Bodhisattva and wanted to please him, he dispatched bell ringers and made the following announcement to the people in his city: “Seven days from now, the young prince will be visiting the grounds of the pleasure grove. You must all make sure that the young prince does not catch sight of anything disagreeable, so take care that everything that is not beautiful has been removed, and every nice thing, pleasing to the senses, has been brought forth!”
Accordingly, on the seventh day, the entire city was beautifully adorned. The parks were also adorned with canopies of cloth in various colors, as well as parasols, flags, [F.95.b] and banners. The road on which the Bodhisattva was to proceed had been sprinkled and swept, sprayed with perfumed water, and scattered with fresh flower petals. Incense burners dispensed fragrant smoke, and along the road vases had been placed and plantain trees planted. The road was shaded with silk canopies in many colors, and festooned with nets of tiny jewel bells and decorative garlands and tassels. Four army divisions had also taken position along the route, and members of the retinue were busy adorning the young prince’s consorts.
Amid all this activity, while the Bodhisattva was exiting through the eastern gate of the city on his way to the parks, through the power of the Bodhisattva the gods from the pure realms emanated an old man on the road ahead. He was a decrepit old man, so skinny that the veins on his body protruded. His teeth had fallen out [188] and he was covered in wrinkles everywhere. His hair was gray and he was hunched over like the rafters in a gable roof. Weak and broken, he had to use a stick to keep himself from falling. He was in pain and his vitality was long gone. The only sounds that emerged from his throat were a dry wheezing. As he stood there on the road, with the weight of his upper body supported by his stick, all his limbs were shaking and trembling.
When the Bodhisattva saw the man, he asked his charioteer the following, even though he already knew the answer:
The charioteer replied:
The Bodhisattva then asked:
The charioteer replied:
The Bodhisattva then remarked:
So the Bodhisattva turned his fine chariot around and returned to the city.
However, monks, sometime later, while the Bodhisattva was setting out for the parks through the southern city gate, again accompanied by a large parade, he saw on the road a man suffering from disease. His body was weak, and he was suffering greatly as he lay in his own urine and feces. There was no one to take care of him or assist him, and he was breathing only with the greatest difficulty. When the Bodhisattva saw this man, he turned to the charioteer and asked him the following, even though he already knew the answer:
The charioteer replied:
The Bodhisattva then exclaimed:
And so, monks, once again the Bodhisattva turned his beautiful chariot around and returned to the city.
However, monks, sometime later, while the Bodhisattva was setting out for the parks through the western city gate, accompanied by a large parade, he saw on the road a dead man who had reached his end. The corpse was lying on a stretcher, covered by a cotton cloth. It was surrounded by a group of relatives who wailed, cried, and lamented. [F.96.b] As they followed the deceased, they pulled out their hair, threw dust on their heads, beat their chests, and lamented loudly.
When he saw this, the Bodhisattva turned to the charioteer and asked him the following, even though he already knew the answer:
The charioteer replied:
The Bodhisattva exclaimed:
And so, monks, once again the Bodhisattva turned his fine chariot around and returned to the city.
Monks, sometime later, while the Bodhisattva was setting out for the parks through the northern city gate, through the power of the Bodhisattva the gods emanated a mendicant in the street where they were passing. The Bodhisattva saw the mendicant and noticed that he was peaceful. He was self-controlled and restrained. He had pure conduct, and his eyes didn’t wander but looked down ahead at a distance of six feet. His behavior was beautiful and exquisite, as was the way he walked. The way he looked ahead and to the left and right was also beautiful. When he bent and stretched his limbs, he did so in an exquisite manner. The way he wore his robes and his offering bowl was delightful to see.
When he saw this monk, the Bodhisattva turned to the charioteer and asked him the following, even though he already knew the answer: [F.97.a]
The charioteer replied:
The Bodhisattva said:
And so, monks, once again the Bodhisattva turned his fine chariot around and returned to the city.
Monks, King Śuddhodana both saw and heard that the Bodhisattva had been inspired in these ways. So in order to guard the Bodhisattva even more, he erected a perimeter wall around the palace, dug trenches, and strengthened the gates. He also posted guards, alerted his brave soldiers, and even prepared the cavalry. All of them were in full armor. In order to guard the Bodhisattva, he placed a full army division at each of the junctions by the four city gates to keep watch day and night, and told them to prevent the Bodhisattva from eloping. At the quarters of the consorts he directed everyone to [193] continuously sing and play music, and not to stop for even a moment.
“You must apply all your skills in pleasure and games!” he told them. “Use all your female trickery and keep persevering with the young prince so that when his mind becomes attached to you, he will not want to leave for the sake of ordination!”
On this topic, it is said:
This concludes the fourteenth chapter, on dreams. [128]
Chapter 15
Leaving Home
Monks, in the meantime the Bodhisattva thought to himself, “It would not be right if I did not share my plans with the great king Śuddhodana and simply left home without his permission. It would be very ungrateful of me.”
So that night when everything became quiet, he left his own quarters and entered the quarters of King Śuddhodana. As soon as the Bodhisattva stepped foot on the palace floor, the entire palace became illuminated with light. The king woke up and, when he saw the light, he promptly asked his chamberlain, “Did the sun rise? It is such a beautiful light!”
His chamberlain replied, “No, my lord, it is still the middle of the night.” He continued:
Monks, then the Bodhisattva left and went to his own residence, where he lay down on his bed. No one had even noticed that he had left.
Monks, at daybreak King Śuddhodana gathered the entire Śākya clan and announced, “The prince wants to abandon his home. What shall we do?”
The Śākyas replied, “Your Majesty, let us guard him. There are many of us in the Śākya clan, and he is alone. He will not be able to leave home.”
Thereafter the Śākyas and King Śuddhodana placed five hundred young men by the eastern city gate to guard the Bodhisattva. All the men were armed, trained in combat, skilled in archery and javelin throwing, and were as strong as powerful wrestlers. [201] In order to further guard the Bodhisattva, each of the young Śākya men had five hundred chariots at their disposal, and along with each chariot were five hundred infantrymen.
Likewise they placed five hundred young men by the southern, western, and northern city gates to guard the Bodhisattva. All the men were armed, trained in combat, skilled in archery and javelin throwing, and were as strong as powerful wrestlers. In order to further guard the Bodhisattva, each of the young Śākya men had five hundred chariots at their disposal, and along with each chariot were five hundred infantrymen.
The elders of the Śākya clan, both male and female, were also placed everywhere at road intersections, junctions, and many highways in order to guard the Bodhisattva. Even King Śuddhodana kept watch at the palace gate, accompanied by five hundred young Śākyas mounted on elephants and horses.
Mahāprajāpatī Gautamī said to her servants:
Monks, at that point the twenty-eight great yakṣa generals, such as Pāñcika, met with the five hundred sons of Hārītī and voiced their concern: “Friends, tonight the Bodhisattva will leave his home. [F.101.a] So you should delight in making offerings to him.”
Likewise the four great kings, who had entered the Aḍakavatī Palace, told the great gathering of yakṣas, “Friends, tonight the Bodhisattva will leave his home. You must help him leave by carrying the hooves of his fine horse with your hands.”
The gathering of yakṣas responded:
Vaiśravaṇa said: [203]
Monks, then Śakra, lord of the gods, spoke to the gods in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three: “Friends, tonight the Bodhisattva will leave his home. So you should delight in making offerings to him.”
The god Śāntamati replied, “I will cause all men, women, and children in the city of Kapilavastu to fall asleep.”
The god Lalitavyūha offered, “I will silence all sounds from horses, elephants, donkeys, camels, cows, buffaloes, women, men, boys, and girls.”
Then the god Vyūhamati volunteered, “I will construct in midair a fabulous road seven chariots wide, flanked on both sides by jeweled platforms, blazing with the light of sunstone gems, shaded with raised parasols, flags, and banners, strewn with various flowers, and censed from incense burners of various fragrances. On this road the Bodhisattva will set forth.”
Then the king of the elephants named Airāvaṇa spoke: [F.101.b] “Upon my trunk I will erect a mansion thirty-two leagues tall. In that mansion divine maidens [204] can assemble to serve and venerate the Bodhisattva by making music, singing songs, and playing instruments.”
Then Śakra, lord of the gods, himself said, “I will open the gates and show him the path.”
Next the god Dharmacārin said, “I will cause the retinue of consorts to look unappealing.”
Then the god Sañcodaka spoke: “I will help the Bodhisattva to rise from his bed.”
Finally the nāga kings Varuṇa, Manasvin, Sāgara, Anavapta, Nanda, and Upananda spoke: “We, for our part, will produce cloud banks of sandalwood and let a rain of sandalwood powder descend as offerings to the Bodhisattva.”
Monks, then all the gods, nāgas, yakṣas, and gandharvas set out to do what they had promised.
In the meanwhile the Bodhisattva’s mind was on the Dharma. He was resting comfortably in the music hall, surrounded by his ladies. As he reflected on the conduct of past buddhas and the way to benefit all sentient beings, he was thinking about four aspiration prayers that he had formed in the past:
“Previously I wished to become a self-appearing lord and pursue omniscience. At that time I donned the armor of the following fourfold resolve.
“First, I have seen how sentient beings suffer. So may I free and liberate those who are bound to the world and caught in the prison of cyclic existence. May I liberate sentient beings from the tight shackles and chains of craving.”
Such was his first aspiration prayer from the past. [F.102.a] [205] Next he thought of his second aspiration prayer from the past:
“May I shine the light of Dharma for those who are thrown deep into the darkness of great ignorance within the world—for the people whose eyes are obscured by the cataract of ignorance, who lack the eye of wisdom, and who are blind with ignorance and delusion. May I raise the lamp of wisdom, which destroys the darkness for those who are blinded by ignorance. May I apply the medicine of the three gateways to liberation—the remedy that employs means, wisdom, and knowledge. May I remove the darkness of ignorance and all cataracts and faults of dullness, and in this way purify their wisdom eye.”
Then the Bodhisattva thought of his third aspiration prayer from the past:
“Alas, this world has raised the banner of pride and egotism. It is obsessed with clinging to ‘I’ and ‘mine.’ People’s minds grasp at the self, and false notions of a self distort their views. May I bring down this banner of pride that thinks ‘I am’ by showing them the noble path.”
Finally the Bodhisattva thought of his fourth aspiration prayer from the past:
“Alas, this world is not at peace because of the self. The world is continually disturbed and is like a tangled mass of cords. Beings come and go. They always move and circle back and forth between this world and the next. Their spinning around knows no end and resembles a firebrand’s circle. May I show them the Dharma of tranquility, which brings fulfillment through knowledge.”
Right then the god Dharmacārin and the gods of the pure realms made the retinue of consorts appear unappealing. After the gods had revealed the consorts’ unpleasant and unattractive features, they took position in the sky and uttered the following verses:
When the Bodhisattva looked at the entire retinue of women, he saw that some had garments that had slipped off, some had disheveled hair, and some had their jewelry in disarray. Others had lost their head ornaments, some had ugly shoulders, while some had uncovered arms and legs. Some had repulsive expressions, while the eyes of others were crossed. Some were drooling, and others were snoring.
Some were laughing wildly, some were coughing, and others were prattling incoherently. Some others were gnashing their teeth, and the complexion of others had changed. Some of the women had unpleasant features, such as arms that were too long. Some tossed their feet around. Some had their heads uncovered, while the heads of others were covered. The facial features of some had changed. The bodies of some looked awful, and some were even lying naked.
Some were hunched over and making gargling sounds. Some, still holding clay kettledrums, were twisting their bodies and heads. Some of the women held their instruments, such as lutes and three-stringed lutes. Others were grinding their flutes with their teeth, making crushing noises. Some were playing kimpalas, nakalus, and sampas whose resonance boxes had been removed. Some had their eyes closed, some had them open, and some were rolling their eyes. Some of the women were also lying with their mouths agape.
The Bodhisattva looked at the retinue of consorts, who were lying there on the floor looking utterly revolting, and he had the impression that he was indeed in a cemetery.
On this topic, it is said:
Then the Bodhisattva examined his retinue of women by means of this gateway to the light of the Dharma. Next, with words spoken out of great compassion, he lamented sentient beings:
The Bodhisattva examined the retinue of consorts by means of these thirty-two similes. He contemplated the impure nature of the body and developed a feeling of repulsion, and then disgust. Next he meditated the fact that his own body was just like theirs, and so he truly saw the shortcomings of the physical body. Then he let go of his attachment toward the body, destroying his perception of it as being attractive and instead seeing it as repulsive. He saw that the body, from the soles of the feet all the way up to the top of the head, is made of filth, produces filth, and emits filth. At that moment he exclaimed the following verses: [F.104.a]
In this way the Bodhisattva remained mindful of the body as something that must be left behind.
The gods, who were hovering in the sky above, asked the god Dharmacārin, “Dear friend, what is this? Siddhārtha dawdles and keeps looking at the retinue of consorts. He even smiles and does not seem displeased. But perhaps he is like a deep ocean that cannot be fathomed? Because isn’t it true that whoever is unattached does not cling to objects? Or will he perhaps forget the promise he made when he was inspired by the gods?”
The god Dharmacārin replied, “Why say something like that? There is surely evidence that when he practiced awakened conduct in the past, he developed this kind of detachment. Why then would he all of a sudden become attached in this existence, which is his last?”
Monks, indeed the Bodhisattva had become certain. He was filled with distaste and had made up his mind. So without any delay, he gracefully rose from his seat in the music hall and turned toward the east. With his right hand he parted the bejeweled lattice and went onto the palace roof. [F.104.b] There he folded his hands and, recalling all the buddhas, he bowed to them. When he looked up into the expanse of space, he saw Indra, the one-thousand-eyed lord of the gods, with a retinue of one hundred thousand gods, holding flowers, incense, garlands, perfumes, scented powder, garments, parasols, victory banners, flags, earrings made of flowers, and garlands made of precious stones. Bowing before him, Indra paid his respect to the Bodhisattva.
The Bodhisattva also saw the four guardians of the world together with hordes of yakṣas, demons, gandharvas, and nāgas. They all wore solid armor, corselets, and helmets. In their arms they held swords, bows and arrows, spears, javelins, and tridents. They gracefully took off their bejeweled diadems and crowns and bowed before the Bodhisattva. Then he saw two gods, [210] the Sun and Moon, standing on his right and left sides. Puṣya, the chief of all constellations, was also seen standing by.
Seeing that it was now midnight, the Bodhisattva called upon Chanda:
When Chanda heard these words, he felt sad and asked:
The Bodhisattva replied:
Chanda replied, “I have heard, my Lord, that when you were born, you were brought to the priests who are skilled in making predictions based on examining signs. They prophesied before your father, King Śuddhodana, ‘Your Majesty, your royal line will flourish.’ When King Śuddhodana inquired further, the priests replied:
“My Lord, there is this prophecy and it cannot be denied. But please listen to what I have to say, for I may be able to help you!”
“How so?” asked the Bodhisattva.
Chanda replied, “My Lord, why is it that some people go through disciplined actions and practice austerities? They wear deerskin and tie their hair in a topknot. They wear garments made of tree bark. They let their nails, hair, and beard grow long. They take pleasure in torturing their bodies and go through various difficult torments. They take up the harshest of austerities because, as they say, they wish to attain the best among gods and humans. But you, Lord, you already possess this good fortune!
“The kingdom is prosperous, large, and peaceful, with excellent harvests. It is delightful and filled with many people. [F.105.b] Your parks are the best of the best, full of flowers and fruits and resounding with the singing of birds. There are beautiful ponds with blue, pink, and white lotus flowers, and they resound with the cries of swans, peacocks, cuckoos, wild ducks, storks, and whooper swans. There are many flowering trees growing around the lakes, such as mango, aśoka, campaka, amaranth, and saffron trees. The parks are adorned with groves of jeweled trees that are arranged like chessboards and surrounded by jewel platforms. One sees jeweled lattices hanging everywhere. The parks can be enjoyed during any season, and they are pleasant to visit whether it is the hot season, the rainy season, autumn, or winter.
“Your palaces [212] are like the palace of Vaijayanta, wherein one finds the peace of true Dharma, and all one’s worries are gone. Since your palaces are the color of autumn clouds, they resemble Mount Kailāśa. They are adorned with verandas, arches, portals, windows, cooling terraces, and top-floor terraces. They resound with the tinkling of tiny bejeweled bells on latticed draperies.
“Your retinue of consorts is well trained. They sing songs while playing melodious music and dancing. They play tuṇas, paṇavas, flutes, lutes, wood kettledrums, reed pipes, wooden pins, cymbals, kimpalas, nakalus, guitars, clay kettledrums with a good sound, and paṭahas. They attend upon you with comedy and dance—playful, enjoyable, happy, and sweet.
“And you, my Lord, are still young. You are in the prime of your life. You are a fresh and tender boy with black hair and a body like a lotus. You have not yet given yourself to the pleasures of the senses. So now enjoy yourself, like the lord of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, the lord of the gods, the one endowed with a thousand eyes. We can always leave our homes later, once we are old.” [F.106.a]
At that moment Chanda spoke the following verse:
But the Bodhisattva replied, “Enough, Chanda! These sense pleasures are impermanent and unstable. They do not endure and are subject to change. Like the rapids of a mountain torrent, they quickly pass and are turbulent. Like dewdrops, they do not last. Like an empty fist that tricks a child, they have no substance. Like the core of a plantain tree, they have no strength. Like a vase of unbaked clay, they naturally break. Like autumn clouds, they appear one moment and vanish the next. Like a flash of lightning in the sky, they last for just the briefest time. Like a vessel filled with poison, they cause pain. Like poison ivy, they bring discomfort.
“The objects of desire, which are desperately craved by all those with immature minds, are like water bubbles, always changing. Like a mirage, they are caused by mistaken perception. They are like a hallucination that has come about through false thinking. Just like dreams, they cannot satisfy, since one is grasping at a false appearance. Just as it is difficult to fill the oceans, desires can never be fulfilled. Like salty water, objects of desire only make you thirstier. Like the head of a viper, they are dangerous to touch. [213] Like a deep abyss, they are abandoned entirely by wise people. They produce anxiety, cause strife, and generate distress and faults. Knowing this, the wise ones avoid them, the clever ones deplore them, the noble ones abhor them, and the intelligent ones disparage them. Yet the ignorant embrace them, and the immature rely on them.”
At that moment he spoke the following verses:
Then Chanda, wailing as if in sharp pain, with tearful eyes and stricken with agony, exclaimed the following verses:
The Bodhisattva answered: [214]
Chanda replied:
The Bodhisattva replied:
At that time Chanda, who now cried even harder, exclaimed, “Lord, is your resolve based on conviction?”
The Bodhisattva replied:
Chanda then asked, “Lord, how can you be so certain?”
The Bodhisattva replied:
At this moment the gods who were watching from the sky uttered cries of joy and rained down flowers, exclaiming: [F.108.a]
Monks, when the gods Śāntamati and Lalitavyūha understood the Bodhisattva’s determination, they caused all men, women, and children in the city of Kapilavastu to fall asleep. They made everything plunge into deep silence.
Monks, at that moment the Bodhisattva realized that everyone in the city was sound asleep, that the hour of midnight had come, and that the moon was in the constellation of Puṣya, the lord of constellations. He was aware that right then the time had come for him to leave home.
So he told his servant, “Chanda, don’t badger me now. Instead, without any further delay, bring me my horse Kaṇṭhaka, well adorned.”
As soon as the Bodhisattva uttered these words, the four great kings left their residences. They had listened to the Bodhisattva’s words and had prepared to make offerings to him. Now they hurried quickly to the city of Kapilavastu.
King Dhṛtarāṣṭra, lord of the gandharvas, arrived from the east together with several trillion kiṃnaras playing various instruments and singing songs. As soon as Dhṛtarāṣṭra arrived, he began to circumambulate the city of Kapilavastu. Stopping in the east, from where he had arrived, he paid homage to the Bodhisattva.
The great king Virūḍhaka arrived from the south with several trillion kumbhāṇḍas holding in their hands various pearl necklaces. [218] In addition they carried various precious gems, and vases filled with different types of perfumes. [F.108.b] As soon as Virūḍhaka arrived, he also began to circumambulate the city of Kapilavastu. Stopping in the south, from where he had arrived, he paid homage to the Bodhisattva.
The great king Virūpākṣa arrived from the west with several trillion nāgas holding in their hands various necklaces made of pearls and different types of precious gems. They sent forth a gentle breeze from a rain of flowers and perfumed powders that emitted beautiful scents. When Virūpākṣa arrived, he also circumambulated the city of Kapilavastu. Stopping in the west, from where he had arrived, he paid homage to the Bodhisattva.
The great king Kubera arrived from the north with several trillion yakṣas holding in their hands precious jewels of the type called starlight. They also carried oil lamps and lighted lanterns. They held in their hands various weapons, such as bows and arrows, swords, spears, lances with two and three points, discuses, one-pointed pikes, and javelins, and they were armed with strong armor and helmets. When Kubera arrived, he also began to circumambulate the city of Kapilavastu. Then he settled in the northern direction, from where he had arrived, and paid homage to the Bodhisattva.
Thereafter Śakra, lord of the gods, arrived together with the gods from the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, bringing divine flowers, perfumes, garlands, ointments, scented powders, garments, parasols, victory banners, flags, earrings, and adornments. When he arrived there, he began to circumambulate the city of Kapilavastu.
Then he settled together with his retinue in the space above, in the same direction from which he had come, and began to pay homage to the Bodhisattva. [F.109.a]
Monks, when Chanda heard the Bodhisattva’s words, his eyes became filled with tears and he said, “Lord, you know the right time, the right moment, and the right occasion. However, this is not the right time and not the occasion to leave. So why do you give me the order for leaving?”
The Bodhisattva replied, “Chanda, the time has come.” [219]
Then Chanda asked, “The time for what, my Lord?”
The Bodhisattva replied:
Monks, once the Bodhisattva had left his home, he crossed over the lands of the Śākyas, the Kroḍyas, and the Mallas. When day broke, he had arrived six leagues away from the town of Anumaineya in the country of Maineya. There he dismounted from his horse Kaṇṭhaka and, once he was on the ground, he dismissed the great assembly of gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, demigods, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, and mahoragas. Then he thought to himself, “I should entrust these ornaments and the horse Kaṇṭhaka to Chanda, and then send him back.”
So he summoned Chanda and told him, “Chanda, you should go back now. Take these ornaments and my horse Kaṇṭhaka and return to the palace.”
At the place where Chanda left the Bodhisattva in order to return home, a memorial was later built. [F.112.a] This memorial is still known today as “Chanda’s Return.”
The Bodhisattva then thought to himself, “With my hair this long, I cannot be a monk.” So he took his sword, cut off his hair, and then cast it into the air. The gods in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three collected the hair for worship. Even to this day the gods in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three celebrate this event during the Hair Festival. At this very place another memorial was built, which today is still known as “Receipt of the Hair.”
Again the Bodhisattva considered, “If I am to be a monk, it would not be right to wear silken garments. So it would be good if I could find some clothes suitable for living in the forest.” [226]
The gods of the pure realms then thought, “The Bodhisattva needs saffron-colored robes.” Immediately a god left and manifested in front of the Bodhisattva in the form of a hunter wearing saffron-colored cloth.
The Bodhisattva asked the god, “My friend, would you give me your saffron-colored robes? Then I will give you my silken garments.”
The god replied, “Your clothes already suit you well, and I am happy with what I wear.”
But the Bodhisattva insisted: “Please, I beg you.”
The god, still in the shape of a hunter, then gave his saffron-colored clothes to the Bodhisattva, while he himself took the Bodhisattva’s silken garments. Because the god was overcome with devotion to the Bodhisattva, he touched the garments to his head, holding them with both of his hands. Then he returned to the celestial world in order to render offerings and veneration to the garments there. Chanda had witnessed the exchange of clothes, and later a memorial was erected at the site. This memorial is still known today as the “Memorial of Receiving the Saffron-Colored Cloth.” [F.112.b]
When the Bodhisattva cut off his hair and put on the saffron-colored cloth, one hundred thousand gods felt joyous, pleased, and elated. Happy and delighted, they called out cries of joy and exclaimed,
“Friends, Prince Siddhārtha has left his home! Friends, Prince Siddhārtha has become a monk! He will awaken to unexcelled, perfect, and complete buddhahood and will turn the wheel of the Dharma. He will liberate from birth the infinite number of beings who are born. Then he will free them from old age, death, sickness, pain, lamentation, suffering, depression, and distress, and ferry them to the other shore of the ocean of saṃsāra. He will establish them in the realm of phenomena, which is blissful, peaceful, deathless, and free from fear, suffering, [227] harm, and stain.”
These words of amazement, delight, and joy resounded all the way up to the Highest Heaven.
When the retinue of consorts did not see the young prince, they began to search for him in the spring, summer, and winter palaces, and in his private rooms and apartments. Unable to find him, they all began to wail like fish hawks. The ladies were overcome by extreme grief, and some cried out, “My son!” Others called out “My brother!” “My husband!” “My lord!” and “My master!” Some mumbled different tender words, while others contorted their bodies in various ways and wept. Some of the ladies plucked their hair, while others faced each other and sobbed.
Some cried with rolling eyes, and others shed tears, wiping their faces with their garments. Some slapped their thighs with their hands, and others beat their chests.
Some slapped their arms with their hands, and others beat their heads. [F.113.a] Some covered their head with dust and wept, crying out loud. Some ladies were seen disheveling their hair, others pulling it out. Some raised their arms and lamented loudly. Some ran headlong, like gazelles pierced by poisonous arrows, all the while crying. Some among them staggered about like a plantain tree shaken by the wind and sobbed. Others tossed their bodies around on the floor, as if they were just about to die, while some writhed on the ground, as if they were fish pulled from water, and cried. Others collapsed suddenly on the ground, like a tree that has been cut from its root, and wept.
When the king heard these noises, he asked his fellow Śākyas, “What is this loud noise coming from the ladies’ apartments?”
The Śākyas looked into the matter and replied, “Your Majesty, the young prince [228] is not in the ladies’ apartments.”
The king then ordered, “Quickly close the city gates! Let us search for the prince within the gates!” But the prince was nowhere to be found, whether inside or outside the gates.
Mahāprajāpatī Gautamī collapsed on the ground lamenting and said to King Śuddhodana, “Your Majesty, get my son back quickly.”
The king then sent messengers on horseback into the four directions with the order: “Go, and do not come back until you have found the prince!”
Since those who can read signs and the future had prophesied that the Bodhisattva would leave through the Gate of Auspiciousness, the messengers proceeded to this gate. There they saw that a rain of flowers had fallen on the road, and they thought, “He must have left this way.”
When they had traveled a little farther, they met the god who was carrying the Bodhisattva’s silken garments on his head. Again they thought, “These are the silken garments of the prince. Can it be that he has been killed for their sake? Get hold of this man!”
However, right then they saw Chanda trailing behind the god, leading the horse Kaṇṭhaka and carrying the Bodhisattva’s ornaments. [F.113.b] So they said, “Here comes Chanda with Kaṇṭhaka. Let us not act rashly but instead question him first.”
So they asked him, “Chanda, did this man kill the prince for the sake of his silken garments?” [229]
Chanda replied, “No, not at all. This person offered the prince his own saffron-colored clothes, and the prince in return gave him these silken garments. That god then placed the garments on top of his head and returned right then to his celestial realm in order to venerate them.”
The men questioned Chanda further: “What do you think, Chanda? Should we go after the prince? Will we be able to make him return?”
Chanda replied, “No, you will not be able to do so. The young prince is so diligent, disciplined, and steadfast. He said that unless he awakens to perfect and complete buddhahood, he will never again enter the city of Kapilavastu. So he will not return with you. What the prince said will happen is in fact what will happen. And why will the prince not return? Because of his enthusiasm, discipline, and steadfastness.”
Then Chanda took the horse Kaṇṭhaka and the ornaments and went to the inner quarters. Three young Śākyas called Bhadrika, Mahānāma, and Aniruddha tried for a long time to lift the ornaments, but they were unable to. These ornaments were made for someone with a body as strong as Nārāyaṇa, and so other people were not able to wear them.
When Mahāprajāpatī Gautamī saw that nobody could move the ornaments, she thought, “When I see his ornaments lying there, my heart is pierced with pain. I think it is better therefore to throw the ornaments into the pond.” So she let the ornaments be thrown into the pond, and even to this day that lake is called the Lake of the Ornaments.
On this topic, it is said:
This concludes the fifteenth chapter, on leaving home. [B11]
Chapter 16
The Visit of King Bimbisāra
Monks, through the blessing of the Bodhisattva, Chanda told King Śuddhodana, the Śākya princess Gopā, the retinue of consorts, and everyone else among the Śākyas what had happened in order to alleviate their suffering. [238]
Monks, the Bodhisattva first gave his silken robes to a god in the form of a hunter, and then he donned the hunter’s saffron-colored robes. He adopted the lifestyle of a renunciant in order to act in agreement with the perception of worldly people, and also because he felt compassion for others and wished to mature them.
The Bodhisattva then went to the hermitage of a brahmin woman called Śākī. The woman invited the Bodhisattva to stay and have a meal. Next the Bodhisattva went to the hermitage of a brahmin woman called Padmā, who also invited the Bodhisattva to stay for a meal. Later he went to the hermitage of a sagely priest called Raivata, who offered the Bodhisattva hospitality in the same way. Likewise Rājaka, the son of Datṛmadaṇḍika, also invited him as a guest. Monks, in this way the Bodhisattva slowly made his way to the city of Vaiśālī.
At that time Ārāḍa Kālāma had arrived in Vaiśālī, where he resided together with a saṅgha of listeners and three hundred students, to whom he delivered teachings on the practices related to the sense field of utter absence. [F.117.b] When Ārāḍa Kālāma saw the Bodhisattva approaching in the distance, he was amazed and told his students, “Oh, look at his figure!”
The students replied, “Yes, we see him. He is amazing.”
Monks, I walked up to where Ārāḍa Kālāma was staying and addressed him in the following way: “Ārāḍa Kālāma, I have come to learn spiritual practices from you.”5
Ārāḍa Kālāma replied, “Gautama, I shall give you a teaching through which a faithful person of good family can accomplish omniscience with very little hardship.” [239]
Monks, I then thought to myself, “I have faith. I am also diligent. I am mindful and I can practice absorption. I also have knowledge. So therefore, in order to master and actualize that teaching, I will practice on my own in a solitary place, without getting distracted.”
Monks, I then practiced on my own in solitude with carefulness and diligence. And indeed, with only little hardship, I was able to understand and actualize the teaching.
Monks, I then went to Ārāḍa Kālāma and asked him, “Ārāḍa Kālāma, you have understood and actualized this teaching, isn’t that true?”
“Yes, Gautama, indeed I have,” he replied.
I then told him, “I have also understood and actualized this teaching.”
Ārāḍa Kālāma replied, “Well then, Gautama, whatever teaching I know, you also know. And whatever you know, I also know. So now both of us should assume patronage of the students.”
After he made that offer, Ārāḍa Kālāma honored me with exquisite offerings and installed me as a teacher in residence, who would share his duties with him.
Monks, I then thought to myself, “Ārāḍa’s teaching does not bring freedom. It would not bring total freedom from suffering for either of us. So now I must depart and search for a better practice.” [F.118.a]
Monks, since I had now stayed in Vaiśālī for as long as I found enjoyable, I proceeded to the country of Magadha and found my way to Rājagṛha, the capital city of that country. Once there I took up residence at Pāṇḍava, the king of mountains, where I stayed on its slope alone in solitude without any company. At that time many trillions of gods protected me. [240]
One morning I dressed in the skirt and robes of a mendicant and, holding my offering bowl, I went into the city of Rājagṛha through the Gate of Warm Water and started my alms round. I looked ahead and to both sides and proceeded in a gracious manner, moving my limbs with elegance. I carried the skirt, the offering bowl, and the monk’s robes in a very beautiful manner. My senses were undistracted and my mind was not diverted by outer events. Like an image of someone who is carrying a vase filled with oil, I looked ahead at a distance of six feet.
When the people of Rājagṛha saw me, they were amazed and thought, “Goodness, is that Brahmā? Or perhaps Śakra, king of the gods, or Vaiśravaṇa? Or is it some kind of mountain god?”
On this topic, it is said:
The king of Magadha now asks:
The Bodhisattva replies:
The king of Magadha says: