The White Lotus of the Good Dharma
The Past
Toh 113
Degé Kangyur, vol. 51 (mdo sde, ja), folios 1.b–180.b.
Translated by Peter Alan Roberts
under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha
First published 2018
Current version v 1.14.13 (2021)
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Table of Contents
Summary
The White Lotus of the Good Dharma, popularly known as the Lotus Sūtra, is taught by Buddha Śākyamuni on Vulture Peak to an audience that includes bodhisattvas from countless realms, as well as bodhisattvas who emerge out from the ground from the space below this world. Buddha Prabhūtaratna, who has long since passed into nirvāṇa, appears within a floating stūpa to hear the sūtra, and Śākyamuni enters the stūpa and sits beside him. The Lotus Sūtra is celebrated, particularly in East Asia, for its presentation of crucial elements of the Mahāyāna tradition, such as the doctrine that there is only one yāna, or “vehicle”; the distinction between expedient and definite teachings; and the notion that the Buddha’s life, enlightenment, and parinirvāṇa were simply manifestations of his transcendent buddhahood, while he continues to teach eternally. A recurring theme in the sūtra is its own significance in teaching these points during past and future eons, with many passages in which the Buddha and bodhisattvas such as Samantabhadra describe the great benefits that come from devotion to it, the history of its past devotees, and how it is the Buddha’s ultimate teaching, supreme over all other sūtras.
Acknowledgements
The White Lotus of the Good Dharma Sūtra was translated from Tibetan with reference to the Sanskrit by Peter Alan Roberts. Ling Lung Chen was the consultant for the Chinese versions. Emily Bower was the project manager and editor. Ben Gleason was the proofreader.
The translation was completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.
The generous sponsorship of May & George Gu, which helped make the work on this translation possible, is most gratefully acknowledged.
Preface
If we try to imagine 2,500 years ago, atop a small mountain in the ancient kingdom of Magadha, in the heat of the subcontinental sun, an audience—that included 1,200 bhikṣus, 2,000 bhikṣus-in-training, and 6,000 bhikṣunīs—gathering around Buddha Śākyamuni, we might have some difficulty. It is difficult to imagine historical places to which we have never been. It is also difficult to imagine such a large group of people fitting comfortably on a small mountain. And even more difficult to imagine it if one has been recently to the actual place, in the Indian state of Bihar, where all of this supposedly took place.
Introduction
Introduction
The White Lotus of the Good Dharma, popularly known as the Lotus Sūtra, not only contains one of the fullest expressions of the transcendent nature of the Buddha, but also, through its successive descriptions of astonishing events and its vivid parables, is imbued with a distinctive literary power of its own. The sūtra inspired a devoted following in India, but it is above all in east Asia that it has been particularly popular. There it has been the impetus for a range of exquisite artistic and architectural forms, and indeed, whole traditions of study and practice that thrive to this day. An extensive body of literature, too—both scholarly and popular—is based upon the sūtra.1
The Lotus Sūtra in India
The Sūtra in China and Beyond
The Sūtra in Tibet
Translations into Western Languages
This Translation
Translation of the Title
Translation of Specific Terms
Detailed Summary of “The White Lotus of the Good Dharma”
The Introduction
[B1] [F.1.b] Homage to the buddhas and the bodhisattvas.
Thus have I heard at one time.56 The Bhagavān was dwelling on Vulture Peak in Rājagṛha together with a great saṅgha of twelve hundred bhikṣus,57 all of whom were solely arhats whose defilements had ceased; who were without kleśas; who had mastered themselves; who had liberated minds; who had completely liberated wisdom; who were noble beings;58 who were great elephants;59 who had done what had to be done; who had accomplished what had to be accomplished; who had put down their burden; who had reached their goals; who had ended engagement with existence; and who had liberated their minds through true knowledge, had perfectly attained all the powers of the mind, were renowned for their higher knowledge,60 [F.2.a] and were mahāśrāvakas.
Skill in Methods
Then the Bhagavān mindfully and knowingly arose from that samādhi. Having arisen from it, he addressed Brother Śāriputra.99
“Śāriputra, the wisdom of the buddhas, which is profound, difficult to see, and difficult to understand, has been realized by the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas. It is difficult for all śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas to know. Why is that? Śāriputra, the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas have served many hundred thousand quintillions of buddhas; they have practiced for the highest, complete enlightenment with many hundred thousand quintillions of buddhas; they have followed them for a long time; they have been diligent; [F.13.a] they have obtained marvelous, amazing Dharma; and they know the Dharma that is difficult to know.
The Parable
Then at that time, Śāriputra felt contented, delighted, elated, and joyful. With happiness and gladness he bowed with palms together toward the Bhagavān. Facing the Bhagavān, gazing solely upon the Bhagavān, he said to the Bhagavān, “Bhagavān, I am astonished and amazed. I am overjoyed to have heard this kind of speech from the Bhagavān.
“Why is that? Bhagavān, it is because I have never heard this kind of Dharma from the Bhagavān. When I saw other bodhisattvas and heard the names of the buddhas that those bodhisattvas will become in the future, and yet, still had not heard this kind of Dharma teaching from the Bhagavān, I imagined that I was deprived of that kind of vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom,169 and was extremely grieved and extremely distressed. [F.25.a]
The Aspiration
Then Brother Subhūti, Brother Mahākātyāyana, Mahākāśyapa, and Mahāmaudgalyāyana, having heard from the Bhagavān this kind of Dharma that they had never heard before, and having heard directly from the Bhagavān the prophecy of Brother Śāriputra’s attainment of the highest, supreme enlightenment, were amazed, astonished, and overjoyed.
At that time they rose from their seats, approached the Bhagavān, uncovered one shoulder, knelt on their right knees, and with palms together in homage to the Bhagavān, looking directly at the Bhagavān, they inclined their bodies, they bowed their bodies, they bowed well, bowed perfectly.
Herbs
Then the Bhagavān said to Brother Mahākāśyapa and the other great sthaviras, “Excellent! Excellent, Kāśyapa! It is excellent, Kāśyapa, that you have praised the true qualities of the Tathāgata. Kāśyapa, those are qualities of the Tathāgata. There are immeasurably and innumerably more than those. It would not be easy to enumerate them entirely even in countless eons.
The Prophecies to the Śrāvakas
When the Bhagavān had finished reciting those verses, he announced to the complete saṅgha of bhikṣus, “Oh bhikṣus! I declare to you,278 I make it known to you, that this śrāvaka bhikṣu of mine, Kāśyapa, will serve three hundred billion buddhas, will venerate them, honor them, make offerings to them, praise them, and respect them.279 He will hold the Dharma of those buddha bhagavāns. [F.55.a] In his last life, in an eon named Mahāvyūha, in a world named Avabhāsaprāptā, he will appear in the world as the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha, the one with perfect wisdom and conduct,280 the sugata, the one who knows the world, the unsurpassable guide who tames beings, the teacher of devas and humans, the buddha, the bhagavān named Raśmiprabhāsa. His lifespan will be twelve intermediate eons. His Dharma will remain for twenty intermediate eons, and the outer form of his Dharma will remain for a further twenty intermediate eons. His buddha realm will be pure and clean, without stones, pebbles, or gravel, without chasms or cliffs, without drains or cesspools.281 It will be flat, pleasant, beautiful, delightful, made of beryl, adorned by jewel trees, divided eightfold like a checkerboard by golden cords,282 and filled with flowers. There will be many hundred thousands of bodhisattvas there. There will be countless hundred thousand quintillions of śrāvakas there. The evil Māra and his followers will not appear there. Even if Māra and Māra’s followers were to appear there they would become dedicated to maintaining the Dharma taught by the bhagavān tathāgata Raśmiprabhāsa.”
The Past
“Bhikṣus, in the past, in a time gone by, beyond and even further beyond the most countless, innumerable, incalculable, unquantifiable, inconceivable asaṃkhyeya eons ago, at that time, in that era, in an eon named Mahārūpa, in a world named Saṃbhavā, there appeared in that world the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha, the one with perfect wisdom and conduct, the sugata, the one who knows the world, the unsurpassable guide who tames beings, the teacher of devas and humans, the buddha, the bhagavān named Mahābhijñājñānābhibhū.
“Bhikṣus, how long has it been since that tathāgata appeared? Bhikṣus, it is like this: A man crushes all the earth of the worlds in this realm of a billion worlds into powder. Then that man takes a single smallest particle of dust from those worlds and goes beyond a thousand worlds in the eastern direction and puts it down. Then that man takes a second290 smallest particle of dust, and passing beyond an even further thousand worlds puts down that second291 smallest particle of dust. In that way the man removes the entire element of earth into the eastern direction.
“Bhikṣus, what do you think? Is it possible to calculate the end, the furthest extent of those worlds?”
“Bhikṣus,” continued the Bhagavān, “a mathematician, a great mathematician could calculate the number of the worlds in which particles were placed and the number of those in which a particle was not placed. [F.59.b] However, they could not through their enumeration know the number of the hundred thousands of quintillion of eons that have passed since the bhagavān tathāgata Mahābhijñājñānābhibhū passed into nirvāṇa.
“Bhikṣus, there has been such an inconceivable, such an immeasurable length of time since that tathāgata passed into nirvāṇa, but through possessing the power of the vision of a tathāgata’s wisdom, I remember that nirvāṇa as if it were yesterday or today.”
“Bhikṣus, the lifespan of the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Mahābhijñājñānābhibhū was fifty-four hundred thousand quintillion eons. Before that bhagavān attained the highest, complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood, he went to the sublime, supreme Bodhimaṇḍa. He conquered and defeated the entire army of Māra. Having defeated and conquered it, he thought, ‘I shall attain the highest, complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood.’
“While those qualities had not yet manifested, he sat on the Bodhimaṇḍa at the foot of the Bodhi tree for an entire intermediate eon. He sat there for a second intermediate eon but still did not attain the highest, complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood. During a third, a fourth, a fifth, a sixth, a seventh, an eighth, a ninth, and a tenth intermediate eon he sat on the Bodhimaṇḍa at the foot of the Bodhi tree, with legs always crossed, never standing up, with his mind unwavering and his body motionless, but even so, during that time those qualities did not manifest for him.
“Bhikṣus, the devas of Trāyastriṃśa erected for that bhagavān, who had come to the sublime, supreme Bodhimaṇḍa, a great lion throne, which was five hundred yojanas high, for the highest, complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood. As soon as that bhagavān sat on the Bodhimaṇḍa, the Brahmakāyika devas sent down a rain of flowers up to ten yojanas around the Bodhimaṇḍa, and from the sky a breeze would come that removed all the withering flowers. In that way a rain of flowers fell and fell continuously on the Bhagavān sitting on the Bodhimaṇḍa. [F.60.b] They fell on that bhagavān throughout the entire ten intermediate eons. That rainfall of flowers continued to fall until the nirvāṇa of that bhagavān, being tossed down upon that bhagavān.
“The devas of the paradises of the four mahārājas, in order to honor the Bhagavān seated at the sublime, supreme Bodhimaṇḍa, played the divine drums of paradise and played them throughout the entire ten intermediate eons. The delightful divine music continued until the time of the great nirvāṇa of the Bhagavān.
“Bhikṣus, after ten intermediate eons had passed, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Mahābhijñājñānābhibhū attained the highest, complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood. When the Bhagavān was young he had had sixteen sons of his own, and they immediately knew that he had attained buddhahood. The eldest of those sons was named Jñānākara.
“Bhikṣus, each of these sixteen young princes enjoyed delightful, captivating, and beautiful amusements of many kinds.
“Bhikṣus, when the sixteen young princes knew that the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Mahābhijñājñānābhibhū had attained the highest, complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood, they abandoned their many different kinds of delightful amusements and, encircled and accompanied by their weeping292 mothers and wet nurses, and encircled and accompanied by their grandfather,293 who was the cakravartin king Mahākośa, [F.61.a] the king’s ministers, and many hundred thousands of quintillions of beings, they went to the Bodhimaṇḍa where the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Mahābhijñājñānābhibhū was seated, in order to serve him, venerate him, honor him, make offerings to him, praise him, and respect him.
“When they arrived there, they bowed their heads to the Bhagavān’s feet, circumambulated the Bhagavān three times, and with hands together in homage, in front of the Bhagavān they fittingly praised him with these verses:
“Bhikṣus, those sixteen children, young princes, with these verses fittingly praised the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Mahābhijñājñānābhibhū. They then said, ‘Bhagavān, we request you to teach the Dharma for the benefit and welfare of devas and humans and of the great multitudes of beings. Sugata, we request you to teach the Dharma!’ They thus requested the bhagavān to turn the wheel of the Dharma, and they made a further request through these verses:
“Bhikṣus, when the bhagavān , the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Mahābhijñājñānābhibhū attained the highest, complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood, fifty hundred thousand quintillion worlds in each of the ten directions shook and were filled with a great light. [F.62.a] There were in all those worlds the unfortunate existences in between worlds where there was complete darkness. The moon and sun with their great miraculous power, their great might, and their great brilliance could not with their light illuminate them. They could not with their color bring color there or with their brilliance bring brilliance.294 The great light appeared even in those places. The beings who had been reborn between the worlds saw each other and knew that each other were there and they said, ‘Oh my! There are other beings who have been born here! Oh my! There are other beings who have been born here!’
“In all those worlds the paradises and heavenly residences shook in six ways, even as far up as the paradise of Brahmā, and were filled with a great light, which transcended the divine power of the devas.
“Bhikṣus, in that way, at that time, those worlds shook and were filled by a great light.
“The airborne palaces of the Brahmās who were in the fifty hundred thousand quintillion worlds in the east became very beautiful, bright, radiant, glorious, and majestic.
“Bhikṣus, those Brahmās wondered, ‘These airborne palaces of the Brahmās have become very beautiful, bright, radiant, glorious, and majestic. Who is this a sign of?’
“Bhikṣus, the Mahābrahmās who were in the fifty hundred thousand quintillion worlds came to each other’s homes295 and spoke with each other.
“Bhikṣus, the Mahābrahmā named Sarvasattvatrātā [F.62.b]296 spoke these verses to the great assembly of Brahmās:
“Bhikṣus, then all the Mahābrahmās who lived in those fifty hundred thousand quintillion worlds and who had gathered together each entered his own divine Brahmā palace and, holding a basket of divine flowers that was the size of Sumeru, flew in their airborne palaces297 into the four directions.
“Bhikṣus, when they went to the west those Mahābrahmās saw in the west the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Mahābhijñājñānābhibhū, who had come to the sublime, highest Bodhimaṇḍa and was seated on a lion throne at the foot of the Bodhi tree. Before him were assembled devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans, and nonhumans, who were gazing upon him, and the sixteen young princes, who were requesting him to turn the wheel of the Dharma. When they saw that, they approached the Bhagavān, and bowed their heads to the Bhagavān’s feet, circumambulated the Bhagavān many hundreds of thousands of times, and upon the Bhagavān they tossed and scattered flowers from their baskets the size of Sumeru. [F.63.a] They strewed flowers up to a distance of ten yojanas from the Bodhi tree. They offered their divine Brahmā palaces to the Bhagavān, saying, ‘Bhagavān, for the sake of showing compassion to us, accept these airborne palaces of the Brahmās. Bhagavān, for the sake of showing compassion to us, enjoy these airborne palaces of the Brahmās. Sugata, enjoy these airborne palaces of the Brahmās.’
“Bhikṣus, then those Mahābrahmās each offered to the Bhagavān their own airborne palace, and at that time, in the presence of the Bhagavān, they fittingly praised him with these verses:
“Bhikṣus, the Mahābrahmās in the presence of the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Mahābhijñājñānābhibhū fittingly praised him with those verses, and then said to the Bhagavān, ‘Bhagavān, turn the wheel of the Dharma in the world! Bhagavān, teach nirvāṇa! Bhagavān, liberate beings! Bhagavān, take this world into your care! [F.63.b]
“ ‘Bhagavān, teach the Dharma to the world including its devas, māras, and brahmakas, to beings including mendicants and brahmins, and to the devas, asuras, and humans. Then there will be benefit for many beings, happiness for many beings, compassion for the world, and welfare, benefit, and happiness for a great multitude of beings, devas, and humans.’
“Bhikṣus, then those fifty hundred thousand quintillion Mahābrahmās, speaking as one voice, recited these verses to the Bhagavān:
“Bhikṣus, the Bhagavān gave his assent by saying nothing to the Mahābrahmās.
“Bhikṣus, at that time the airborne palaces of the Brahmās who were in the fifty hundred thousand quintillion worlds in the southeast became very beautiful, bright, radiant, glorious, and majestic.
“Bhikṣus, those Brahmās wondered, ‘These airborne palaces of the Brahmās have become very beautiful, bright, radiant, glorious, and majestic. Who is this a sign of?’
“Bhikṣus, the Mahābrahmās who were in the fifty hundred thousand quintillion worlds came to each other’s homes299 and spoke with each other.
“Bhikṣus, the Mahābrahmā named Adhimātrakāruṇika spoke these verses to the great assembly of Brahmās: [F.64.a]
“Bhikṣus, then all the Mahābrahmās who lived in those fifty hundred thousand quintillion worlds and who had gathered together each entered his own divine Brahmā palace and, holding a basket of divine flowers that was the size of Sumeru, flew in their airborne palaces301 into the four directions.
“Bhikṣus, when they went into the west those Mahābrahmās saw in the west the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Mahābhijñājñānābhibhū, who had come to the sublime, highest Bodhimaṇḍa and was seated on a lion throne at the foot of the Bodhi tree. Before him were assembled devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans, and nonhumans, who were gazing upon him, and the sixteen young princes, who were requesting him to turn the wheel of the Dharma. When they saw that, they came to the Bhagavān, and bowed their heads to the Bhagavān’s feet, circumambulated the Bhagavān many hundreds of thousands of times, [F.64.b] and upon the Bhagavān they threw and scattered flowers from the baskets the size of Sumeru. They strewed flowers up to a distance of ten yojanas from the Bodhi tree.
“They offered their divine Brahmā palaces to the bhagavān, saying, ‘Bhagavān, for the sake of showing compassion to us, accept these airborne palaces of the Brahmās. Bhagavān, for the sake of showing compassion to us, enjoy these airborne palaces of the Brahmās. Sugata, enjoy these airborne palaces of the Brahmās.’
“Bhikṣus, then those Mahābrahmās each offered to the Bhagavān their own airborne palace, and at that time, in the presence of the Bhagavān they fittingly praised him with these verses:
“Bhikṣus, the Mahābrahmās in the presence of the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Mahābhijñājñānābhibhū fittingly praised him with those verses, and then said to the Bhagavān, [F.65.a] ‘Bhagavān, turn the wheel of the Dharma in the world! Bhagavān, teach nirvāṇa! Bhagavān, liberate beings! Bhagavān, take this world into your care!
“ ‘Bhagavān, teach the Dharma to the world including its devas, māras, and brahmakas, to beings including mendicants and brahmins, and to the devas, asuras, and humans. Then there will be benefit for many beings, happiness for many beings, compassion for the world, and welfare, benefit, and happiness for a great multitude of beings, devas, and humans.’
“Bhikṣus, then those fifty hundred thousand quintillion Mahābrahmās, speaking as one voice, recited these verses to the Bhagavān:
“Bhikṣus, the Bhagavān gave his assent by saying nothing to the Mahābrahmās.
“Bhikṣus, at that time the airborne palaces of the Brahmās who were in the fifty hundred thousand quintillion worlds in the south became very beautiful, bright, radiant, glorious, and majestic.
“Bhikṣus, those Brahmās wondered, ‘These airborne palaces of the Brahmās have become very beautiful, bright, radiant, glorious, and majestic. Who is this a sign of?’ [F.65.b]
“Bhikṣus, the Mahābrahmās who were in the fifty hundred thousand quintillion worlds came to each other’s homes306 and spoke with each other.
“Bhikṣus, then all the Mahābrahmās who lived in those fifty hundred thousand quintillion worlds and who had gathered together each entered his own divine Brahmā palace and, holding a basket of divine flowers that was the size of Sumeru, flew in their airborne palaces307 into the four directions.
“Bhikṣus, when they went into the west those Mahābrahmās saw in the west the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Mahābhijñājñānābhibhū who had come to the sublime, highest Bodhimaṇḍa and was seated on a lion throne at the foot of the Bodhi tree. Before him were assembled devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans, and nonhumans who were gazing upon him, and the sixteen young princes, who were requesting him to turn the wheel of the Dharma. When they saw that they came to the Bhagavān, and bowed their heads to the Bhagavān’s feet, circumambulated the Bhagavān many hundreds of thousands of times, and upon the Bhagavān they tossed and scattered flowers from their baskets the size of Sumeru. They strewed flowers up to a distance of ten yojanas from the Bodhi tree. They offered their divine Brahmā palaces to the Bhagavān, saying, ‘Bhagavān, for the sake of showing compassion to us, accept these airborne palaces of the Brahmās. Bhagavān, for the sake of showing compassion to us, [F.66.a] enjoy these airborne palaces of the Brahmās. Sugata, enjoy these airborne palaces of the Brahmās.’
“Bhikṣus, then those Mahābrahmās each offered to the Bhagavān their own airborne palace, and at that time, in the presence of the Bhagavān, they fittingly praised him with these verses:
“Bhikṣus, the Mahābrahmās in the presence of the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Mahābhijñājñānābhibhū fittingly praised him with those verses, and then said to the Bhagavān, ‘Bhagavān, turn the wheel of the Dharma in the world! Bhagavān, teach nirvāṇa! Bhagavān, liberate beings! Bhagavān, take this world into your care!
“ ‘Bhagavān, teach the Dharma to the world, including its devas, māras, and brahmakas, to beings including mendicants and brahmins, and to the devas, asuras, and humans. Then there will be benefit for many beings, happiness for many beings, compassion for the world, and welfare, benefit, and happiness for a great multitude of beings, devas, and humans.’ [F.66.b]
“Bhikṣus, then those fifty hundred thousand quintillion Mahābrahmās, speaking as one voice, recited these verses to the Bhagavān:
“Bhikṣus, the Bhagavān gave his assent by saying nothing to the Mahābrahmās.
“The same occurred in the southwest, the same in the west, the same in the northwest, the same in the north, the same in the northeast, and in the downward direction.
“Bhikṣus, at that time the airborne palaces of the Brahmās who were in the fifty hundred thousand quintillion worlds in the upward direction became very beautiful, bright, radiant, glorious, and majestic.
“Bhikṣus, those Brahmās wondered, ‘These airborne palaces of the Brahmās have become very beautiful, bright, radiant, glorious, and majestic. Who is this a sign of?’
“Bhikṣus, the Mahābrahmās who were in the fifty hundred thousand quintillion worlds came to each other’s homes308 and spoke with each other.
“Bhikṣus, then all the Mahābrahmās who lived in those fifty hundred thousand quintillion worlds and who had gathered together each entered his own divine Brahmā palace and, holding a basket of divine flowers that was the size of Sumeru, flew in their airborne palaces310 into the four directions.
“Bhikṣus, when they went into the west those Mahābrahmās saw in the west the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Mahābhijñājñānābhibhū, who had come to the sublime, highest Bodhimaṇḍa and was seated on a lion throne at the foot of the Bodhi tree. Before him were assembled devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans, and nonhumans, who were gazing upon him, and the sixteen young princes, who were requesting him to turn the wheel of the Dharma. When they saw that, they came to the Bhagavān, and bowed their heads to the Bhagavān’s feet, circumambulated the Bhagavān many hundreds of thousands of times, and upon the Bhagavān they threw and scattered flowers from the baskets the size of Sumeru. They strewed flowers up to a distance of ten yojanas from the Bodhi tree. They offered their divine Brahmā palaces to the Bhagavān, saying ‘Bhagavān, for the sake of showing compassion to us, accept these airborne palaces of the Brahmās. Bhagavān, for the sake of showing compassion to us, enjoy these airborne palaces of the Brahmās. Sugata, enjoy these airborne palaces of the Brahmās.’
“Bhikṣus, then those Mahābrahmās each offered to the Bhagavān their own airborne palace, and at that time, in the presence of the Bhagavān they fittingly praised him with these verses:
“Bhikṣus, the Mahābrahmās in the presence of the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Mahābhijñājñānābhibhū fittingly praised him with those verses, and then said to the Bhagavān, ‘Bhagavān, turn the wheel of the Dharma in the world! [F.68.a] Bhagavān, teach nirvāṇa! Bhagavān, liberate beings! Bhagavān, take this world into your care!
“ ‘Bhagavān, teach the Dharma to the world including its devas, māras, and brahmakas, to beings including mendicants and brahmins, and to the devas, asuras, and humans. Then there will be a benefit for many beings, happiness for many beings, compassion for the world, and welfare, benefit, and happiness for a great multitude of beings, devas, and humans.’
“Bhikṣus, those fifty hundred thousand quintillion Mahābrahmās, speaking as one voice, now recited these verses to the Bhagavān:
“Bhikṣus, thereupon the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Mahābhijñājñānābhibhū, knowing what was requested by the many hundred thousand quintillions of Brahmās and the sixteen young princes, at that time, in accord with Dharma, turned the Dharma wheel that had never been turned by any mendicant, brahmin, deva, māra, or Brahmā in the world:
“ ‘This is suffering. This is the origin of suffering. This is the cessation of suffering. This is the path that leads to the cessation of suffering.’ This was repeated three times so that there were twelve turnings of the Dharma wheel.
“ ‘Bhikṣus, in this way, through the factor of ignorance there is formation. Through the factor of formation there is consciousness. [F.68.b] Through the factor of consciousness there is name-and-form. Through the factor of name-and-form there are the six āyatanas. Through the factor of the six āyatanas there is contact. Through the factor of contact there is sensation. Through the factor of sensation there is craving. Through the factor of craving there is grasping. Through the factor of grasping there is becoming. Through the factor of becoming there is birth. Through the factor of birth there is old age, death, misery, wailing, suffering, unhappiness, and disturbance. In that way there arises a great mass of sheer suffering.
“ ‘Through the cessation of ignorance there is the cessation of formation. Through the cessation of formation there is the cessation of consciousness. Through the cessation of consciousness there is the cessation of name-and-form. Through the cessation of name-and-form there is the cessation of the six āyatanas. Through the cessation of the six āyatanas there is the cessation of contact. Through the cessation of contact there is the cessation of sensation. Through the cessation of sensation there is the cessation of craving. Through the cessation of craving there is the cessation of grasping. Through the cessation of grasping there is the cessation of becoming. Through the cessation of becoming there is the cessation of birth. Through the cessation of birth there is the cessation of old age, death, misery, wailing, suffering, unhappiness, and disturbance. In that way there is the cessation of the great mass of unalloyed suffering.’ In that way he taught dependent origination extensively.
“Bhikṣus, in that way the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Mahābhijñājñānābhibhū turned the Dharma wheel before the world with its devas, māras, and brahmakas, and before the assembly with its mendicants and brahmins.
“In that moment, in that instant, sixty hundred thousand quintillion beings became free of grasping and their minds were liberated from the defilements. They all became meditators possessed of the three insights, the six higher knowledges, and the eight liberations.
“Bhikṣus, in conclusion, the Bhagavān taught the Dharma a second time, and then he taught the Dharma a third [F.69.a] and a fourth time.
“Bhikṣus, each time the Bhagavān taught the Dharma, as many beings as there are grains of sand in a hundred thousand quintillion Ganges Rivers became free of grasping, and their minds were liberated from the defilements.
“Bhikṣus, at that time the sixteen young princes, having faith, together renounced home for homelessness. They all became mendicants who were wise, had clear minds,311 sharp minds,312 were learned, had practiced under hundreds of thousands of buddhas, and were dedicated to the highest, complete enlightenment.
“Bhikṣus, the sixteen mendicants said to the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Mahābhijñājñānābhibhū, ‘Bhagavān, these many thousands of quintillions of the Tathāgata’s śrāvakas have through the Dharma teaching of the Bhagavān accomplished great miraculous abilities, great power, and great might. Bhagavān, that being so, out of compassion give us the teachings that commence with the highest, complete enlightenment, so that we also may be students of the Tathāgata. Bhagavān, our goal is to have the visions of the Tathāgata’s wisdom; Bhagavān, this is evident to you. Bhagavān you know the thoughts of all beings, and you know our thoughts.’
“Thereupon, bhikṣus, as soon as they saw that those princes, those young boys, had become renunciants and mendicants, half the retinue of the cakravartin, numbering eighty-four hundred thousand quintillion beings, themselves all became renunciants.
“Bhikṣus, the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha [F.69.b] Mahābhijñājñānābhibhū knew the aspiration of those mendicants and, after twenty thousand eons had passed, he taught the fourfold assembly that instruction for bodhisattvas possessed by all the buddhas, the great extensive sūtra, the Dharma teaching entitled The White Lotus of the Good Dharma.
“Bhikṣus, at that time the sixteen mendicants acquired, maintained, and understood that teaching of the Bhagavān.
“Bhikṣus, the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Mahābhijñājñānābhibhū then gave to the sixteen mendicants the prophecy of their complete enlightenment.
“Bhikṣus, śrāvakas aspired to the teaching given by the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Mahābhijñājñānābhibhū, and the sixteen mendicants and many hundred thousands of quintillions attained freedom from doubt.313
“Bhikṣus, the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Mahābhijñājñānābhibhū gave this Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma uninterruptedly for a hundred thousand eons. He then entered the temple in order to be alone.
“Bhikṣus, the sixteen mendicants, knowing that the Bhagavān was staying in solitude, each set up a Dharma seat, a lion throne, sat upon it, and extensively taught for eighty-four thousand eons this Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma to the fourfold assembly. [F.70.a]
“Bhikṣus, each mendicant bodhisattva taught as many hundred thousand quintillions of beings as there are grains of sand in sixty Ganges Rivers. They inspired them, brought them joy, and made them retain it, and ripened them for the highest, complete enlightenment.
“Bhikṣus, at that time, the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Mahābhijñājñānābhibhū, after eighty-four thousand eons had passed, mindfully and knowingly arose from his samādhi. After the Bhagavān had arisen from his samādhi, he went to where his Dharma seat was. He came to the arranged seat and sat upon it.
“Bhikṣus, as soon as the Bhagavān sat on the Dharma seat, he looked upon the gathered assembly and addressed the saṇgha of bhikṣus: ‘Bhikṣus, these sixteen mendicants are amazing, wonderful, and wise; they have been honoring many hundred thousands of quintillions of buddhas, they have been perfectly practicing proper conduct, they have been encouraging beings to receive the wisdom of the buddhas, they have been introducing beings to the wisdom of the buddhas, and they have been teaching the wisdom of the buddhas. Bhikṣus, you must continue to honor these sixteen mendicants. Bhikṣus, those noble sons who follow the Śrāvakayāna, the Pratyekabuddhayāna, or the Bodhisattvayāna, who do not reject or malign the Dharma teaching, will all quickly attain the highest, complete enlightenment. They will all attain the wisdom of the Tathāgata.’
“Bhikṣus, those sixteen noble sons taught again and again this Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma within the teaching of that bhagavān.
“Bhikṣus, each of those bodhisattvas, those sixteen mendicant bodhisattva mahāsattvas, [F.70.b] guided to enlightenment as many hundred thousand quintillions of beings as there are grains of sand in sixty Ganges Rivers. All those beings, in all their lifetimes, became renunciants with those sixteen, gazed upon them, and heard the Dharma from them. They served four hundred thousand million buddhas and some are still serving buddhas.
“Bhikṣus, you should aspire to this and comprehend it. Those sixteen young princes who as youths were mendicants who taught the Dharma in the Bhagavān’s teaching all attained the highest, complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood, and they are all now present, living, and remaining. In their separate buddha realms in the ten directions they are teaching the Dharma to many hundred thousand quintillions of śrāvakas and bodhisattvas.
“Bhikṣus, they are like this: In the eastern direction there is the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha named Akṣobhya in the realm named Abhirati and there is the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha named Merukūṭa.
“Bhikṣus, in the southeastern direction there is the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha named Siṃhaghoṣa and the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha named Siṃhadhvaja.
“Bhikṣus, in the southern direction there is the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha named Ākāśapratiṣṭhita and the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha named Nityaparinirvṛta.
“Bhikṣus, in the southwestern direction there is the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha named Indradhvaja and the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha named Brahmadhvaja.
“Bhikṣus, in the western direction there is the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha named Amitāyus and the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha named Sarvalokadhātūpadravodvegapratyuttīrṇa. [F.71.a]
“Bhikṣus, in the northwestern direction there is the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha named Tamālapatracandanagandhābhijña and the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha named Merukalpa.
“Bhikṣus, in the northern direction there is the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha named Meghasvaradīpa and the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha named Meghasvararāja.
“Bhikṣus, in the northeastern direction there is the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha named Sarvalokabhayacchambhitatvavidhvaṃsanarakara and the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha named Śākyamuni.
“Those sixteen attained the highest, complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood in this central world realm named Sahā.
“Bhikṣus, those beings who within the teaching of that bhagavān heard the Dharma from us when we were mendicants, from each of us bodhisattvas,314 those hundreds of thousands of beings as numerous as the sand grains in the Ganges River were guided by us toward the highest, complete enlightenment.
“Bhikṣus, they still remain on the level of the śrāvakas but have been ripened for the highest, complete enlightenment. They will in the course of time attain the highest, complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood. Why is that? Bhikṣus, it is because it is difficult to aspire to the wisdom of a tathāgata. [F.71.b]
“Bhikṣus, who are those countless hundred thousands of quintillions of beings, who are as numerous as the grains of sand in the Ganges River, whom I caused to hear the Dharma of omniscience when I was a bodhisattva in the teaching of that bhagavān? Bhikṣus, at that time, on that occasion, you were those beings.
“Bhikṣus, in the future times when I have passed into nirvāṇa, there will be śrāvakas who will hear of the practices of the bodhisattva, but they will not think, ‘We are bodhisattvas.’ They will all have the concept of nirvāṇa, and they will enter into nirvāṇa.
“Bhikṣus, however, I will be dwelling in other worlds under other names, and they will be reborn there, seeking the wisdom of the tathāgatas and they will hear, ‘There is only one nirvāṇa of the tathāgatas. There is no second nirvāṇa other than that.’
“Bhikṣus, that practice of the teaching of the Dharma should be known to be the skillful method of the tathāgatas.
“Bhikṣus, when a tathāgata sees that the time has come for his passing into nirvāṇa, he sees that his followers are pure, with deep dedication and realization of the Dharma of emptiness,315 and have acquired dhyāna and great dhyāna.
“Bhikṣus, a tathāgata, knowing the time has come, assembles all the bodhisattvas and all the śrāvakas, and then proclaims to them this meaning: ‘Bhikṣus, there is no second yāna or nirvāṇa in this world at all, let alone a third. Bhikṣus, that is the skillful method of the tathāgatas. Seeing that beings have been depraved for a long time, delight in the inferior, and are attached to desires, then, bhikṣus, the tathāgata teaches them nirvāṇa in accordance with their aspirations.’ [F.72.a]
“Bhikṣus, it is like this: A group of beings, in order to go to an island of jewels, comes to a jungle that is five hundred yojanas wide. They have a single guide who is wise, bright, clever, intelligent, and has brought many travelers through that difficult jungle.
“That great group of beings becomes tired, exhausted, and frightened. They say, ‘O noble guide, we are tired, exhausted, frightened, and miserable. We are going to turn back. This jungle goes on too far.’
“Bhikṣus, the guide who has skill in methods, knowing that the people wish to turn back, thinks, ‘These distressed people must not fail to reach the great island of jewels!’ Then with compassion for them he employs a skillful method. He conjures up in the middle of the jungle a miraculous city that is more than a hundred yojanas, or two hundred yojanas in size. He says to those people, ‘Do not be afraid! Do not turn back! Rest in this great region! Here you may do whatever you wish! There you will rest and attain relief from misery.316 Then the one who has more to accomplish can go on to the great island of jewels.’
“Bhikṣus, those people who entered the jungle are astonished and think, ‘We are freed from the jungle. We will stay here where we have attained relief from misery.’
“Bhikṣus, those people enter the miraculous city and believe they have arrived at their destination. They believe they have crossed through the jungle, and they believe they have gained tranquility317 and relief from misery. When the guide knows that they have rested, he causes the miraculous city to vanish. [F.72.b]
“When it has vanished he says to them, ‘This great city was conjured up by me for you to rest in. We are close to the great island of jewels so you beings should go there.’
“Bhikṣus, the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the perfectly enlightened Buddha is the guide for you and all beings.
“Bhikṣus, the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the perfectly enlightened Buddha sees that the great jungle of kleśas is to be left behind, departed from, and abandoned. But if these beings hear only of the wisdom of the buddhas they will be afraid and turn back, thinking, ‘The accomplishment of the wisdom of the buddhas involves many hardships!’ and they will not set out toward it.
“The Tathāgata knows the weakness of the aspirations of beings. Just as the guide conjured up a miraculous city for beings to rest in, and when they had rested told them that this was a miraculous city, in that way, bhikṣus, the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the perfectly enlightened Buddha employs a great skillful method so that beings may rest. He describes and teaches two levels of intermediate nirvāṇas. Those are the level of the śrāvakas and the level of the pratyekabuddhas.
“Bhikṣus, while the beings are dwelling on those levels, then, bhikṣus, the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the perfectly enlightened Buddha says to them, ‘Bhikṣus, you have not done what needs to be done, you have not accomplished what needs to be accomplished! Bhikṣus, you are close to the wisdom of the Tathāgata. Look and see! Understand! That which is your nirvāṇa is not nirvāṇa. Bhikṣus, the three yānas that the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas teach are their skillful method.’ ”
This concludes “The Past,” the seventh chapter of the Dharma teaching of “The White Lotus of the Good Dharma.” [B7]
The Prophecy to the Five Hundred Bhikṣus
Brother Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra, having heard directly from the Bhagavān about this wisdom insight into skillful methods, about the teachings with implied meaning, and having heard the prophecies made to the great śrāvakas, and having heard of the connections with the past, and having heard of the preeminence of the Bhagavān, was astonished and amazed, without worldly concerns, and filled with delight and joy. Then with great delight and joy and great reverence for the Dharma, he rose from his seat, bowed down to the feet of the Bhagavān, [F.75.b] and thought, “Bhagavān, it is wonderful! Sugata, it is wonderful! The tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas accomplish that which is extremely difficult—they teach the Dharma to beings according to the different concerns of the world, through many wisdom insights into skillful methods, and they liberate330 beings attached to this and that.331 Bhagavān, what are we able to do? The Tathāgata is the one who knows our aspirations and our past.”
The Prophecies to Ānanda, Rāhula, and Two Thousand Bhikṣus
At that time, Brother Ānanda thought, “May I obtain a prophecy like these!” Thinking that, contemplating it, and wishing for it, he rose from his seat and bowed down to the Bhagavān’s feet. Brother Rāhula also, thinking, contemplating, and wishing for the same thing, bowed down to the Bhagavān’s feet, and they said, “Bhagavān, may we have such an opportunity! Sugata, may we have such an opportunity! Bhagavān, you are our father, our progenitor, our refuge, our support, and our protector. Bhagavān, we are honored by the world with its devas, humans, and asuras as the sons of the Bhagavān, the attendants of the Bhagavān, and the keepers of the Dharma treasure of the Bhagavān. Therefore, Bhagavān, it would be fitting if the Bhagavān were quickly to give us the prophecy of our attainment of the highest, complete enlightenment.”
The Dharmabhāṇakas
Then the Bhagavān said to the bodhisattva Bhaiṣajyarāja and eighty thousand other bodhisattvas, “Bhaiṣajyarāja, do you see this assembly’s numerous devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans and nonhumans, bhikṣus and bhikṣunīs, upāsakas and upāsikās, and followers of the Śrāvakayāna and the Bodhisattvayāna who have heard this Dharma teaching directly from the Tathāgata?” [F.84.a]
The Appearance of the Stūpa
Then a stūpa made of the seven precious materials arose from the center of the assembly, directly in front of the Bhagavān. It was five hundred yojanas tall and of a corresponding circumference. Having risen up, it remained suspended in the air, bright and beautiful, adorned with five thousand encircling railings358 covered in flowers, and beautified by many thousands of toraṇas, hung with thousands of sacred flags and banners of victory, [F.89.a] hung with thousands of strings of jewels, hung with thousands of streamers and bells, and emitting the aroma of bay leaves and sandalwood. That aroma spread throughout the entire all-containing world. Its crowning parasol reached as high as the palaces in the paradises of the Four Mahārājas. It was made of the seven precious materials, which are gold, silver, beryl, white coral, emerald, red pearl, and chrysoberyl. At the stūpa, devas of the Trāyastriṃśa paradise scattered coral tree and great coral tree flowers on the precious stūpa, bestrewing it with them, and covering it with them.
Resolutions
Then the bodhisattva mahāsattva Bhaiṣajyarāja and the bodhisattva mahāsattva Mahāpratibhāna, together with a following of two hundred thousand bodhisattvas, facing the Bhagavān, said, “Bhagavān, have no concern over this matter. Bhagavān, we will teach, we will expound this Dharma teaching to beings after the nirvāṇa of the Tathāgata.
“Bhagavān, in that time beings will be wicked, have few roots of merit, be arrogant, be devoted to gain and honor, engage in roots of demerit, be difficult to guide, have no interest, and be filled with disinterest, but, Bhagavān, we will demonstrate the power of patience and in that time we will teach this sūtra, we will uphold it, we will expound it, we will write it out, we will honor it, we will venerate it, and we will make offerings to it. Bhagavān, we will cast aside body and life and teach this sūtra. Therefore, Bhagavān, have no concern.”
Dwelling in Happiness
Then Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta said to the Bhagavān, “Bhagavān, what these bodhisattva mahāsattvas are resolved to do because of their reverence for the Bhagavān is a difficult task, extremely difficult. Bhagavān, how should these bodhisattva mahāsattvas expound this Dharma teaching in the later times, in a later era?”
The Bhagavān said to Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta, “Mañjuśrī, bodhisattva mahāsattvas should expound this Dharma teaching in the later times, in a later era, by maintaining four qualities. What are these four?
The Bodhisattvas Emerging Out of the Ground
Then the bodhisattvas who had arrived from other world realms, who were as numerous as the grains of sand in eight Ganges Rivers, stood up in the circle of the assembly, bowed to the Bhagavān with hands together in homage, and said these words:
“Bhagavān, if the Bhagavān will permit us, [F.111.a] after the Tathāgata has passed into nirvāṇa, we too will teach this Dharma teaching in the Sahā world realm. We will read it, write it, and make offerings to it. We shall be dedicated to this Dharma teaching. Bhagavān, teach well this Dharma teaching to us.”
The Lifespan of the Tathāgata
Then the Bhagavān said to the complete assembly of bodhisattvas, “Noble ones, have faith and certainty in the true words that I, the Tathāgata, will speak.”
The Bhagavān said a second time, and a third time, to those bodhisattvas, “Noble ones, have faith and certainty in the true words that I, the Tathāgata, will speak. Noble ones, have faith and certainty in the true words that I, the Tathāgata, will speak.”
The Extent of the Merit
When the teaching of the Tathāgata’s lifespan was taught it benefited innumerable, countless beings. The Bhagavān said at that time to the bodhisattva mahāsattva Maitreya, “Ajita, when the Dharma teaching that teaches the Tathāgata’s lifespan was given, a hundred thousand quintillion bodhisattvas, as numerous as the grains of sand in sixty-eight Ganges Rivers, developed receptivity to the birthlessness of phenomena.
Teaching the Merit of Rejoicing
Then the bodhisattva mahāsattva Maitreya asked the Bhagavān, [F.129.a] “Bhagavān, if a noble man or noble woman rejoices after hearing this Dharma teaching explained, how much merit, Bhagavān, does that noble man or noble woman create?” And at that time the bodhisattva mahāsattva Maitreya also addressed to him this verse:
The Benefits of the Purity of the Six Āyatanas
Then the Bhagavān said to the bodhisattva mahāsattva Satatasamitābhiyukta, “If any noble man or noble woman possesses, reads, teaches, or asks questions about this Dharma teaching, that noble man or noble woman will gain eight hundred qualities of the eyes, will gain twelve hundred qualities of the nose, will gain eight hundred qualities of the ears, will gain twelve hundred qualities of the tongue, will gain eight hundred qualities of the body, and will gain twelve hundred qualities of mind.
Sadāparibhūta
Then the Bhagavān said to the bodhisattva mahāsattva Mahāsthāmaprāpta, “Mahāsthāmaprāpta, you should know that this Dharma teaching is like this: Whoever rejects this Dharma teaching, and scolds, rebukes, and speaks crudely489 and harshly to the bhikṣus, [F.139.b] bhikṣunīs, upāsakas, and upāsikās who possess such a sūtra as this, will experience the undesirable result ripening from that, which is that they will be unable to speak words. Whoever possesses such a sūtra as this, reads it, studies it, teaches it, and teaches it extensively to others will have the desirable result ripening from that, which is, as I have said before, that they will attain purified eyes, nose, ears, tongue, body, and mind.
The Tathāgata’s Miracles
Then those hundreds of millions of quintillions of bodhisattvas who had emerged from out of the ground, as numerous as the atoms in a world realm, placed their hands together in homage and said to the Bhagavān, “Bhagavān, we will teach this Dharma teaching in all the buddha realms where the Tathāgata has passed into nirvāṇa, and in the buddha realms where the Bhagavān will pass into nirvāṇa.
Dhāraṇīs
498Then the bodhisattva mahāsattva Bhaiṣajyarāja rose from his seat, removed his upper robe from one shoulder, knelt on his right knee, [F.147.a] and with his hands together in homage bowed toward the Bhagavān and said to the Bhagavān, “Bhagavān, how much merit will a noble man or noble woman generate by carrying this Dharma teaching The White Lotus of the Good Dharma on their body or making a text of it?”
The Past of Bhaiṣajyarāja
Then the bodhisattva mahāsattva Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña said to the Bhagavān, “Bhagavān, through what cause is the bodhisattva mahāsattva Bhaiṣajyarāja active in this Sahā world realm? Bhagavān, he must have undergone many hundred thousands of quintillions of hardships. I request the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the perfectly enlightened Buddha to speak of just a fraction of what the bodhisattva mahāsattva Bhaiṣajyarāja has practiced, so that those who have heard the Bhagavān—the devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans and nonhumans, and the bodhisattva mahāsattvas who have arrived here from other world realms and these great śrāvakas—will all be pleased, delighted, and happy.”
Gadgadasvara
Then at that time the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Śākyamuni emitted light from the ūrṇā hair between his eyebrows, which was a sign of a great being. That light shone throughout hundreds of thousands of quintillions of buddha realms in the east, which were as numerous as the grains of sand in eighteen Ganges Rivers. Beyond those hundreds of thousands of quintillions of buddha realms, which were as numerous as the grains of sand in eighteen Ganges Rivers, there was the world realm named Vairocanaraśmipratimaṇḍitā, in which there lived, was present, and remained the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha named Kamaladalavimalanakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña. He was accompanied and revered by an immeasurably great saṅgha of bodhisattvas. Then the ray of light emitted by the bhagavān tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Śākyamuni from his ūrṇā hair shone at that time throughout the world realm Vairocanaraśmipratimaṇḍitā.
Facing Everywhere: The Teaching of the Miracles of Avalokiteśvara
596Then the bodhisattva mahāsattva Akṣayamati rose from his seat, removed his upper robe from one shoulder, knelt on his right knee, and with his hands together in homage bowed toward the Bhagavān and asked the Bhagavān, “Bhagavān, why is the bodhisattva mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara called Avalokiteśvara?” [F.164.b]
The Past of King Śubhavyūha
Then the Bhagavān said to the all-inclusive assembly of bodhisattvas, “Noble ones, in the past, in a time gone by, countless eons ago, at that time, in that era, in an eon named Priyadarśana, in a world named Vairocanaraśmipratimaṇḍitā, there appeared in that world the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha, the one with perfect wisdom and conduct, the sugata, the one who knows the world’s beings, the unsurpassable guide who tamed beings, the teacher of devas and humans, the buddha, the bhagavān named Jaladharagarjitaghoṣasusvaranakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña.
Samantabhadra’s Encouragement
The bodhisattva mahāsattva Samantabhadra, leading a following of countless bodhisattva mahāsattvas, and leading a following of countless devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas, humans, and nonhumans, came from the east, and the realms shook, a rain of lotuses fell, and a hundred thousand quintillion musical instruments played. With the great power of a bodhisattva, with the great manifestations of a bodhisattva, with the great miraculous power of a bodhisattva, with the great majesty636 of a bodhisattva, with the great brilliant magnificence of a bodhisattva, with the great way637 of a bodhisattva, with the great miracles of a bodhisattva, and with the great miraculous manifestation of leading a following638 of devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans, and nonhumans—it was with such an inconceivable miraculous manifestation that the bodhisattva mahāsattva Samantabhadra came to this Sahā world realm.
The Entrusting
Then the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Śākyamuni [F.179.b] rose from his Dharma seat and manifested the miracle of his right hand taking hold of the right hands of those in the entire gathering of bodhisattvas. At that time he said, “Noble ones, this highest, complete enlightenment that I accomplished after a hundred thousand quintillion asaṃkhyeya eons I place in your hands: I entrust it to you, I present it to you, and I pass it on to you. Noble ones, you should do whatever will make it extensively widespread.”
Colophon
Translated, revised, and finalized by the Indian Upādhyāya Surendrabodhi and the chief editor Lotsawa Bandé Nanam Yeshé Dé.
Notes
Bibliography
Tibetan Editions of the Sūtra
dam chos padma dkar po’i mdo (Saddharmapuṇḍarīkasūtra) [The White Lotus of the Good Dharma]. Toh 113, Degé Kangyur, 103 vols. New Delhi: Karmapae Chodhey Gyalwae Sungrab Patrun Khang, 1976–79, vol. 51 (mdo sde, ja), folios 1a–180b.
———. bka’ ’gyur (dpe bsdur ma) [Comparative Edition of the Kangyur], krung go’i bod rig pa zhib ’jug ste gnas kyi bka’ bstan dpe sdur khang (The Tibetan Tripitaka Collation Bureau of the China Tibetology Research Center). 108 volumes. Beijing: krung go’i bod rig pa dpe skrun khang (China Tibetology Publishing House), 2006–2009, vol. 51 (mdo sde, ja), pp. 3–427.
———. Choné Kangyur (co ne bka’ ’gyur). 108 vols. Choné: co ne par khang, 1926, vol. 31 (mdo sde, ja), folios 1–212b.
———. Lhasa Kangyur (lha sa bka’ ’gyur). 100 vols. Lhasa: zhol bka’ ’gyur par khang, 1934, vol. 53 (mdo sde, ja), folios 1b–285b.
———. Narthang Kangyur (snar thang bka’ ’gyur). 102 vols. Narthang: snar thang par khang, eighteenth century, vol. 53 (mdo sde, ja), folios 1b–281b.
———. Stok Palace Kangyur (stog pho brang bris ma bka’ ’gyur). 109 vols. Leh: smad rtsis shes rig dpe mdzod, 1975–80. vol. 67 (mdo sde, ma), folios 1a–270b.
———. Urga Kangyur (ur ga bka’ ’gyur). New Delhi: International Academy of Indian Culture, 1990–94. vol. 51 (mdo sde, ja), folios 1a–180b.
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Sanskrit Editions of the Sūtra
Zhongxin, Jiang. Sanskrit Lotus Sutra Fragments from the Lüshun Museum Collection. Tokyo: Sōka Gakkai, 1997.
Vaidya, P. L. Saddharmapuṇḍarīkasūtra. Darbhanga: The Mithila Institute of Post-Graduate Studies and Research in Sanskrit Learning, 1960.
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Translations of the Sūtra
Borsig, Margareta von. Lotos-Sutra: Das Große Erleuchtungsbuch des Buddhismus. Freiburg: Herder, 2003.
Burnouf, Eugene. Le lotus de la bonne loi. Paris: L’imprimerie Nationale, 1852.
Hurvitz, Leon. Scripture of the Lotus Blossom of the Fine Dharma. New York: Columbia University Press, 1976.
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Kern, H. Saddharma-Puṇḍarīka or the Lotus of the Good Law. Sacred Books of the East XXII. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1884.
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Soothill, W.E. The Lotus of the Wonderful Law, or The Lotus Gospel. Richmond: Curzon Press, 1987.
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Other Kangyur Texts
rgya cher rol pa’i mdo (Lalitavistarasūtra, Toh 95. Degé Kangyur vol. 46 (mdo sde, kha), folios 1b–216b. English translation: The Play in Full. 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2013.
ting nge ’dzin gyi rgyal po’i mdo (Samādhirājasūtra), Toh 127, Degé Kangyur vol. 55 (mdo sde, da), folios 1a–175b. English translation: The King of Samādhis Sūtra. 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2018.
de bzhin gshegs pa thams cad kyi gsang ba’i mdo (Tathāgataghuyakasūtra) [The Secret of the Tathāgatas Sūtra]. Toh 443, Degé Kangyur vol. 81 (rgyud, ca), folios 90a–157b.
phal po che’i mdo (Avataṁsakasūtra) [A Multitude of Buddhas Sūtra]. Toh 44, Degé Kangyur vols. 35–38 (phal chen, ka–a), folios ka 1a–nga 363a.
lang kar gshegs pa’i mdo (Laṅkāvatārasūtra) [The Entry into Laṅka Sutra]. Toh 107, Degé Kangyur vol. 49 (mdo sde, ca), folios 56a–191b.
shes rab pha rol tu phyin pa brgyad stong pa (Aṣṭasāhasrikāprajñāpāramitā) [The Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Verses]. Toh 12, Degé Kangyur vol. 33 (brgyad stong pa, ka), folios 1b–286a.
sa bcu pa’i mdo (Daśabhūmikasūtra) [The Sūtra of the Ten Bhūmis]. Chapter 31, in Toh 44, Degé Kangyur vol. 36 (phal chen, kha), folios 166a–283a.
gser ’od dam pa’i mdo (Suvarṇaprabhāsūtra) [The Golden Light Sūtra]. Toh 556, Degé Kangyur vol. 89 (rgyud, pa), folios 151b–273a.
Tengyur Texts
Abhayākaragupta. thub pa’i dgongs pa’i rgyan (Munimatālaṁkāra). Toh 3903, Degé Tengyur vol. 210 (dbu ma, a), folios 73b–293a.
Asaṅga. theg pa chen po rgyud bla ma’i bstan bcos rnam par bshad pa (Mahāyānottaratantraśāstravyākhyā). Toh 4025, Degé Tengyur vol. 225 (sems tsam, phi), folios 74b–129a.
Candrakīrti. dbu ma la ’jug pa’i bshad pa (Madhyamakāvatārabhāṣya). Toh 3862, Degé Tengyur vol. 204 (dbu ma, ’a), folios 220b–348a.
———. byang chub sems dpa’i rnal ’byor spyod pa bzhi brgya pa’i ’grel pa (Bodhisattvayogacaryācatuḥśatakaṭīkā) Toh 3865, Degé Tengyur vol. 205 (dbu ma, ya), folios 30b–239a.
Daṃṣṭrāsena, Vasubandhu, or neither. shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa ’bum pa dang nyi khri lnga stong pa dang khri brgyad stong pa’i rgya cher bshad pa (Śatasāhasrikāpañcaviṁśatisāhasrikaṣṭādaśasāhasrikāprajñāpāramitābṛhaṭṭīkā). Toh 3808, Degé Tengyur vol. 93 (sher phyin, pha), folios 1a–292b. English translation: Sparham, Gareth. The Long Explanation of the One Hundred Thousand, Twenty-five Thousand, and Eighteen Thousand Perfection of Wisdom Sūtras. 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, forthcoming.
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Kamalaśīla. shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa bdun brgya pa rgya cher bshad pa (Saptaśatikāprajñāpāramitāṭīkā). Toh 3815, Degé Tengyur vol. 95 (sher phyin, ma), folios 89a–178a.
Maitreya-Asaṅga. theg pa chen po rgyud bla ma’i bstan bcos (Mahāyānottaratantraśāstra) [A Mahāyāna Treatise on the Supreme Continuum]. Toh 4024, Degé Tengyur vol. 225 (sems tsam, phi), folios 54b–73a.
Nāgārjuna. mdo kun las btus pa (Sūtrasamuccaya). Toh 3934, Degé Tengyur vol. 212 (dbu ma, ki), folios 148b–215a.
Saitsalak (sa’i rtsa lag, Kuiji, Pṛthivībandhu). dam pa’i chos padma dkar po’i ’grel pa. Toh 4017, Degé Tengyur, vol. 120 (mdo ’grel, di), folios 175b–302a.
———. dam pa’i chos padma dkar po’i ’grel pa. bstan ’gyur (dpe bsdur ma) [Comparative Edition of the Tengyur], krung go’i bod rig pa zhib ’jug ste gnas kyi bka’ bstan dpe sdur khang (The Tibetan Tripitaka Collation Bureau of the China Tibetology Research Center). 120 volumes. Beijing: krung go’i bod rig pa dpe skrun khang (China Tibetology Publishing House), 1994–2008, vol. 69 (mdo sde, di, vol. 135), pp. 476–826.
Śāntideva. bslab pa kun las btus pa (Śikṣāsamuccaya). Toh 3940, Degé Tengyur vol. 111 (dbu ma, khi), folios 3a–194b.
Vasubandhu. theg pa chen po bsdus pa’i ’grel pa (Mahāyānasaṁgrahabhāṣya). Toh 4050, Degé Tengyur vol. 225 (sems tsam, yi), folios 121b–190a.
Wantsik (wan tshig, Yuan Tso). dgongs pa zab mo nges par ’grel pa (Gambhīrasaṁdhinirmocanasūtraṭīkā). Toh 4016, Degé Tengyur vols. 220–22 (mdo ’grel, ti–ti), folios ti 1a–di 175a.
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Butön Rinchen Drup (bu ston rin chen grub). bde bar gshegs pa’i bstan pa’i gsal byed chos kyi ’byung gnas gsung rab rin po che’i mdzod. In The Collected Works of Bu-ston. Edited by Lokesh Chandra from the collections of Raghu Vira. 28 volumes. Zhol bka’ ’gyur par khang edition. New Delhi: International Academy of Indian Culture, 1965–71, 633–1056.
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Glossary
Ābhāsvara
- ’od gsal
- འོད་གསལ།
- Ābhāsvara
The highest of the three paradises that are the second dhyāna paradises in the form realm.
Abhijñājñānābhibhū
- mngon shes ye shes zil gnon
- མངོན་ཤེས་ཡེ་ཤེས་ཟིལ་གནོན།
- Abhijñājñānābhibhū
A shorter form of the name of Buddha Mahābhijñājñānābhibhū.
Abhijñaprāpta
- mngon par shes thob
- མངོན་པར་ཤེས་ཐོབ།
- Abhijñaprāpta
A short form of Sāgaravaradharabuddhivikrīḍitābhijña, the name that Ānanda will have when he is a buddha.
Absence of aspiration
- smon pa med pa
- སྨོན་པ་མེད་པ།
- apraṇihita
The absence of any conceptual goal that one is focused upon achieving, knowing that all composite phenomena create suffering. One of the three doorways to liberation.
Absence of attributes
- mtshan ma med pa
- མཚན་མ་མེད་པ།
- animitta
The absence of the conceptual identification of perceptions. Knowing that the true nature has no attributes, such as color, shape, etc. One of the three doorways to liberation.
Ācārya
- slob dpon
- སློབ་དཔོན།
- ācārya
A spiritual teacher, meaning one who knows the conduct or practice (caryā) to be performed. It can also be a title for a scholar, though that is not the context in this sūtra.
Adhimātrakāruṇika
- rab tu snying rje can
- རབ་ཏུ་སྙིང་རྗེ་ཅན།
- Adhimātrakāruṇika
A Mahābrahmā in the southeast.
Agarwood
- a ga ru
- ཨ་ག་རུ།
- agaru
The resinous heartwood of the Aquilaria and Gyirnops evergreen trees in India and southeast Asia.
Airborne palace
- gzhal med khang
- གཞལ་མེད་ཁང་།
- vimāna
Vimāna, translated here as “airborne palace,” can mean a divine chariot or palace, or a combination of the two, as in this translation. These flying palaces of the deities are well known in Indian mythology. Burnouf translates as “chariots”; Kern has “aerial cars.”