Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was dwelling in Veṇuvana, at the Kalandakanivāpa, near the city of Rājagṛha, with a great saṅgha of a thousand monks, all of whom were noble ones. They had all exhausted defilements, were free from the afflictions, were powerful, had liberated minds, had liberated insight, were of noble birth, were great elephants,12 had done what needed to be done, had completed their mission, had cast off the burden, had achieved their own welfare, had severed the bonds that tied them to existence, had liberated their minds with genuine knowledge, and had perfected all mental powers. There was also a great saṅgha of ten thousand bodhisattvas, including [F.188.a] {TK6} the princely youth Holder of Meru’s Peak, the princely youth Varuṇamati, the princely youth Sumati, the princely youth Jayamati, the princely youth Jinamati, the princely youth Intelligent Light, the princely youth Intelligent Sky, the princely youth Intelligent Lightning, the princely youth Mañjuśrī, the princely youth Durdharṣa, the princely youth Varuṇa, the princely youth Vimala, the bodhisattva great being Maitreya, and others. Each of these ten thousand bodhisattvas had achieved acceptance, retention, and absorption. {TK7} Each possessed the wisdom that is unobscured by any phenomenon, had equal concern for all beings, had transcended all the domains of Māra, and had entered the domain of all the thus-gone ones. Each was knowledgeable, possessed great love and compassion, and was skilled in means.

At the same time, there were two wandering mendicants13 in the city of Rājagṛha who were learned, lucid, and intelligent, had perfected the eighteen branches of knowledge, and had five hundred servants. One was named Upatiṣya and the other Kaulita. These two were heads of their retinues and leaders of pupils. They made each other the promise that “whoever first attains the nectar14 shall let the other know.” {TK8}

Early the next morning, Venerable Aśvajit donned his lower and upper Dharma robes. Carrying his alms bowl, he went to the city of Rājagṛha to collect alms. The wandering mendicant Upatiṣya happened to come across Venerable Aśvajit and saw that he had entered the city of Rājagṛha to collect alms. He thought, “How is it that I have never before seen such beautiful deportment in any other mendicant, brahmin, or person as in this mendicant? [F.188.b] I shall go before him and ask, ‘Venerable One, who is your teacher? With whom did you go forth? Whose doctrine are you devoted to?’”

So the wandering mendicant Upatiṣya went to where Venerable Aśvajit was and engaged in a good deal of friendly conversation. They then sat down to one side. Sitting there, the wandering mendicant Upatiṣya asked Venerable Aśvajit, “Venerable One, who is your teacher? With whom did you go forth? Whose15 doctrine are you devoted to?”

Then Venerable Aśvajit answered the wandering mendicant Upatiṣya: {TK9}

“What does your teacher preach? What does he teach?” asked Upatiṣya.

Venerable Aśvajit responded, “I will answer you. Venerable, listen well and bear what I say in mind. I will answer you.

When the wandering mendicant Upatiṣya heard this teaching, he purified the stainless and immaculate Dharma eye that sees phenomena. A state free from the afflictions arose, and he attained the fruit of stream entry. He then said:

The wandering mendicant Upatiṣya then asked Venerable Aśvajit, “Venerable, where is the thus-gone, worthy, perfect Buddha right now?”

Venerable Aśvajit answered, {TK11} “Venerable, the Blessed One is now staying in Veṇuvana, at the Kalandakanivāpa, near Rājagṛha. He is residing there with the great monastic saṅgha of one thousand monks who have gone forth and who used to have matted hair.”17

Upatiṣya said, “Once I have seen my best friend and disciples, I will vow to go forth before the Blessed One.”

The wandering mendicant Upatiṣya then bowed his head to the feet of Venerable Aśvajit and circumambulated him three times. He once again departed and went to meet the wandering mendicant Kaulita. The wandering mendicant Kaulita saw the wandering mendicant Upatiṣya coming from far off and exclaimed, “Venerable, given that your faculties look so clear, that your facial complexion looks so pure, and that the tone of your skin looks so light—Venerable, you must have found the nectar!”

“So it is, Venerable One!” Upatiṣya responded. “I have found the nectar! Therefore, Venerable, listen well and bear what I say in mind. I will tell you of what I have found.”

The wandering mendicant Kaulita then rose from his seat, draped his shawl over one shoulder, and knelt on his right knee. With palms together he bowed toward Upatiṣya and said: {TK12}

The wandering mendicant Upatiṣya then said:

Kaulita responded:

Upatiṣya said:

The wandering mendicant Kaulita then purified the stainless and immaculate Dharma eye that sees phenomena. As he was thus purified and his afflictions were eliminated, he attained the fruit of stream entry. Then he proclaimed:

Kaulita asked, “Where is the thus-gone, worthy, perfect Buddha right now?”

“Venerable,” Upatiṣya answered, “I have heard that the Blessed One is now staying in Veṇuvana, at the Kalandakanivāpa, near Rājagṛha, with a great saṅgha of monks and a great saṅgha of bodhisattvas. {TK14} What if we go forth in the presence of the Blessed One?”

“Venerable One,” replied Kaulita, “we should do so. With our followers in mind, let us go forth.”

The wandering mendicants Upatiṣya and Kaulita then went to their followers.

Just then in the land of Aṅga-Magadha, Māra the evil one heard that the learned, well-spoken, eloquent, [F.190.a] and renowned good men Upatiṣya and Kaulita, along with their followers, were on their way to take ordination under the teachings of the monk Gautama. He thought, “Alas! If those two become students of the monk Gautama, they will empty my māra realm. So I must go there and dissuade those two good men from going forth. {K1}18 I must make them embrace the view of the evil one.”19

At the same moment, Māra, the evil one, disappeared from his abode and took on the apparel, attributes, and behavior of Venerable Aśvajit. He stood in the road before the two good men, and declared:

Upatiṣya and Kaulita then thought, “It must be Māra, the evil one, who has approached us in order to dissuade us from entering the religious life.”

Upatiṣya turned around and addressed his followers. “Listen, my pupils, and remember the shortcomings of saṃsāra:

Kaulita, for his part, spoke to Māra:

Those gods who were able to behold truth hovered in the sky and {K3} applauded these two good men: “Good, good it is, O good men! This path whereby one leaves home to embrace the life of a wandering mendicant is eminent throughout the entire world. It quells all suffering. It is the path leading into the domain of all the thus-gone ones. {TK16} It has been explained and praised by all the blessed buddhas as the path that leads from home to the life of a wandering mendicant.”

Māra, the evil one, unhappy, dejected, and sullen, disappeared then from that very spot.

The two wandering mendicants, Upatiṣya and Kaulita, directed their gaze at their followers and said, “You ought to know, pupils, that owing to the Thus-Gone One23 the two of us are setting forth into the wandering mendicant’s life in order to reach the far shore of the ocean of aging, sickness,24 and death. Any of you who do not wish to go forth in line with the teachings of the Blessed One should turn back here and now.”

Then the five hundred pupils all said, “Whatever we know is through your authority. If the two of you are embracing the wandering mendicant’s life on account of someone great, we too shall become wandering mendicants on account of the same person.”

The two wandering mendicants Upatiṣya and Kaulita, together with their retinue of five hundred,25 then set out to go forth under the Blessed One. Māra, the evil one, knew this, and so he conjured up a huge chasm outside of the great city of Rājagṛha one hundred leagues deep {K4} so that the two would be unable to go before Gautama the monk. The Blessed One, however, performed a miraculous feat whereby the wandering mendicants Upatiṣya and Kaulita did not see that great chasm [F.191.a] and could travel by the most direct route.

Māra, the evil one, further conjured a mountain range in front of them—stable, solid, unbreakable, without valleys, singularly thick, hard, and26 one thousand leagues tall. {TK17} In addition, he conjured one thousand fierce lions, vicious and terrible, making a great din.27 But the two good men, thanks to the force of the Blessed One’s splendor and miraculous powers, did not see that mountain. Nor did they see the lions or hear their roaring. Instead, they arrived where the Blessed One was by the straightest possible route.

The Blessed One, attended upon by a congregation of many hundreds28 of thousands of followers, was expounding the Dharma.29 “Look, O monks, at these two good men, surrounded by followers, who are the heads of their assembly!”

“We see them, O Blessed One,” they replied.

The Blessed One foresaw, “Of these two good men who are here, along with their retinues, to enter the wandering mendicant’s life by my side, one will become the best of those endowed with insight among all the hearers, {K5} and the other will become the best of those endowed with miraculous powers.”

One of the monks recited on that occasion the following stanza:

The monk then got up from his seat and, together with many other monks, householders, and wandering mendicants, welcomed the two good men and honored them. The two men, for their part, moved near to the Blessed One, bowed their heads to his feet, circumambulated him clockwise three times, and, standing before him, said, “Please allow us to go forth and bestow the monk’s ordination upon us. Close to you, [F.191.b] {TK18} let us practice celibacy.”

“What are your names, O noble sons?” asked the Blessed One.

Upatiṣya replied, “I am the son of the brahmin Tiṣya, and so I am called Upatiṣya.31 My mother’s name is Śārikā. As I was born of her, my given name is Śāriputra.32 {K6} I already have my parents’ permission to go forth.”

Kaulita replied, “My father’s name is Kauṇḍinya, and so I am called Kaulita. My mother’s name is Mudgalā, so the common name given to me is Maudgalyāyana. Some people know me as Kaulita, while others as Maudgalyāyana.33 I already have my parents’ permission to go forth.”

“Śāriputra, Maudgalyāyana, and your retinues, you may live the holy life by my side,” said the Blessed One.

This is how they went forth and received their ordination as monks.34

Not long after Śāriputra, Maudgalyāyana, and their retinues had gone forth, Māra, the evil one, assuming the form of Maheśvara, stood in front of the Blessed One and said:

The Blessed One replied: {K7}

Māra, the evil one, then disappeared in his form of Maheśvara, and again reappeared in front of the Blessed One in the guise of Brahmā, saying:

The Blessed One replied:

Māra, the evil one, again became unhappy, dejected, and sullen. He vanished on the spot and went back to his abode. He sat there, sinking into despondency. Immediately, all the beings who inhabited Māra’s abode started asking one another, “What could be the reason that our great king just sits there, sinking into despondency? Nobody knows why.”

Then the five hundred daughters of Māra, wearing clothes and adornments most pleasing to the mind, brought flower garlands and unguents capable of giving supreme pleasure. They played celestial instruments with the most captivating sounds that totally thrill the mind, danced, and sang songs. With sounds of a great celestial orchestra composed of five types of instruments that amuse and delight, they stood in front of the evil Māra. But he, the evil one, stretched forth his arms and cried out, “Stop this noise! Stop this noise!”

At these words, the celestial nymphs fell silent for a moment, but then broke into song again, striking and strumming their instruments. At that, Māra, the evil one, once again threw up his arms and began to bellow. Seven times the nymphs began to sing, dance, and play instruments, in ways bound to give pleasure, and seven times Māra, the evil one, threw {K9} his arms in the air and hollered, “Stop this noise! Stop this noise!” Thus commanded, the nymphs fell silent. However, one nymph called Vidyudvalgusvarā bowed in the direction of the evil Māra and asked:

Māra replied:

The nymphs inquired:

Māra replied:

Having heard this description of the Blessed One’s virtues from the evil Māra, all of his five hundred daughters attained the bodhisattva absorption formless bolt of lightning. {K11} To offer worship to the Blessed One, they cast in his direction items such as celestial instruments, flowers, perfume,44 garlands, fragrant oils, adornments, and jewelry. They cast them in the direction of the Blessed One, by whose magical power these instruments [F.193.a] and so forth rained down onto Veṇuvana, and the daughters themselves, along with their retinues, could see it raining. Seeing that such rain was falling upon Veṇuvana, they were delighted and delighted even more.

The monks, however, became suspicious and asked the Blessed One, “How is it, O Blessed One, that such a marvelous and extraordinary rain, never seen or heard before, is showering upon Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana along with their retinues? What could be the cause of it? What is the occasion?”

The Blessed One replied, “It is not by the will of these two noble sons that this great rain of flowers and so forth is falling. Rather, it was released from the abode of the evil Māra by his five hundred daughters along with their retinues, {TK23} in order to worship me. Soon they will come here and receive from me the prophecy regarding their attainment of the unsurpassed and perfect awakening.” {K12}

The five hundred daughters of Māra, the evil one, heard the Blessed One’s discourse from his own mouth and were overjoyed.45 Through faith and intense joy, which they developed in his presence, they attained the absorption not losing the mind of awakening. Subsequently, right there in Māra’s abode, they each donned a robe of a single piece of material, and they placed their right knees on the ground, folded their hands, and, looking in the direction where the Blessed One was seated, said:

The daughters then rose from their seats and, in one voice, said this to Māra, the evil one: {TK24}

But the evil Māra, his mind absolutely corrupted, thought this: “I must now think of such force, within the power of Māra, that these five hundred along with their retinues49 will each be snared and bound with five fetters and turned back at this very point, not being able to proceed any further.”

However, Māra was unable to bind them. Why was that? Because these five hundred with their retinues50 had been blessed by the Thus-Gone One. He was unable to stop them, and the five hundred, along with their retinues, went before Māra, the evil one, {K14} who became even more enraged.51 He thought, “I must now think of such force, within the power of Māra, {TK25} that this entire area becomes covered in thick black clouds and pummeled by violent gusts of wind, so that they get lost wandering in all directions with their retinues and, unable to see the monk Gautama, will return to my abode.”

However, because of the power of the Buddha’s blessing, he was unable to raise sufficient wind to stir even a single hair tip, not to mention anything more. The evil Māra then became even more unhappy, dejected, and sullen. Crying, he bellowed in a forceful voice [F.194.a] to the hosts of his sons along with their retinues, engulfing the entire abode of Māra with these words:

At these words, all of Māra’s daughters and servant girls, as well as all {K15} his sons with their retinues, {TK26} making haste, swiftly approached and stood in front of Māra, the evil one. There was in that gathering a son by the name Jayamati. With folded hands he inquired:

Māra replied:

All the sons of Māra with their numerous retinues folded their hands and promised, “We will do it. What we can do is put on a display of our magical powers, strength, dominion, [F.194.b] authority, and miracles. If we are able to turn the son of the Śākyas to ashes, that’s good. If we are unable to, we shall take refuge in him. You yourself, O Father, have witnessed that we, surrounded by our huge army, have previously been defeated by the son of the Śākyas acting alone, without a companion, using merely his magical powers. What then can we expect if he is surrounded by his followers?”

Māra, the evil one, replied, “You should go anyway, my good sons! If you manage to kill that monk Gautama, come back again. If you can’t manage this, you should still return, as we will have to defend our abode.” {TK28}

Then Māra’s twelve trillion attendants, {K17} in a formation stretching upward for more than three hundred and twenty leagues and spreading over an area of thousands of leagues, displayed the magical power and speed of Māra’s army. They filled the entire space over the four continents with thick black clouds and struck the king of mountains, Sumeru, with their hands, releasing black tornadoes and lightning bolts and making all the four continents shake violently.59 They uttered the most terrifying cries. Subsequently, the nāgas, great nāgas, yakṣas, and great yakṣas assembled in the sky when they witnessed that the entire great earth with its rocks, mountains, and mountain ranges—including even Sumeru, the king of mountains—was quaking, and that the lakes, great lakes, rivers great and small, and the great oceans were churning. The great assembly of Māra’s followers stood on top of Mount Sumeru, conjured up rain pellets one league in size,60 and released them onto the country of Aṅga-Magadha. They also conjured up and released a great rain of swords, clubs, stones, lances, javelins, razor blades, razors mounted on objects, razor-like objects, adzes mounted on objects, adze blades, and terrible wheels armed with teeth—a downpour of solid, hard, rough objects.61

At this time, the Blessed One entered the absorption grinding the hosts of Māra. Through [F.195.a] its blessing power the whole rain of stones and weapons {TK29} turned into a rain of celestial flowers, such as lotuses and water lilies in white, red, and blue varieties and flowers of the coral tree and the great coral tree.62 63{K18} He also transformed through his blessing all the different yells and noises into melodious sounds, the sounds of the Buddha, the Dharma, the Saṅgha, the perfections, the superknowledges, the state of not turning back, consecration, victory over the four māras, going to the seat of awakening, . . .64 the state of clinging to existence, and the state without clinging. All the wind, darkness, and dust settled down. All the grasses, bushes, herbs, trees, soil, rocks, and mountains—whatever there were in the four continents—turned into the seven precious gems by the power of his blessing.

The Blessed One, endowed with an uṣṇīṣa that is not fully visible,65 extended his control by means of his body as far as the realm of Brahmā. From each of the Blessed One’s major marks a light issued forth of such a kind that the world spheres of the great trichiliocosm became clearly and distinctly visible, illuminated by their great radiance. And whatever gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, pretas, piśācas, kumbhāṇḍas, humans, nonhuman beings, animals, {TK30} and denizens of the hells and the realms of Yama there were in the great trichiliocosm, all were able to see the Blessed One. Many hundreds of thousands of gods, nāgas, yakṣas, and human and nonhuman beings66 arrayed in the sky threw flowers, circumambulated the Blessed One clockwise, praised him, and bowed to him.67 Many hundreds of thousands of millions of hell beings, [F.195.b] animals, and denizens of Yama’s realms attained recollection. Recollecting the roots of virtue planted in former lives, they chanted, “Homage to the Buddha!” {K19} Having died and transmigrated from the lower realms, they were reborn as gods.

Twenty-two hundred thousand68 of the soldiers of Māra, along with their numerous retinues, witnessed this display of miracles by the Blessed One and developed deep faith in his presence.69 They approached him accompanied by the five hundred daughters of Māra. Together they bowed their heads to the Blessed One’s feet and with folded hands uttered these stanzas for him:

All the sons and daughters of Māra, together with their numerous retinues, then sprinkled flowers over the Blessed One. Through the Blessed One’s magical power, however, the scattered flowers turned into many thousands of millions of billions of flower parasols, exceeding in number even the sand grains in the Gaṅgā. The flower parasols remained in midair above the crowns of the heads of all the living buddhas75 in the ten directions.

The daughters of Māra with their retinues beheld {K22} these flower parasols positioned above the crowns of the heads of the living blessed buddhas, who were expounding the Dharma, surrounded by their followers, in innumerable and infinitely vast buddha fields in every direction. They were all sitting down, resplendent with light. They all had the same color, attributes, form, and appearance. {TK33} The only differences that the daughters could see were among the individual lion thrones of these blessed buddhas, their retinues, and the marvelous characteristics of their individual buddha fields. They also heard the stanzas recited by the blessed buddhas to the sound of lutes.76

And so this retinue of Māra, having seen such a miraculous display through the power of the Blessed One, developed strong faith.77 [F.196.b] They bowed their heads to his feet and sat down in front of him to listen to the Dharma.

However, from among Māra’s sons, along with their retinues, ten trillion78 returned back to Māra’s abode and relayed to Māra, the evil one, this detailed account: “We weren’t able to harm even a single pore of the skin of that monk Gautama, let alone kill him.79 And furthermore, twenty thousand of your children have taken refuge with him and are now sitting in front of him to hear the Dharma.”

The evil Māra, enraged, unhappy, dejected, and even more sullen, lamented:

Then Māra, the evil one, sat down, sinking into despondency.

The daughters and sons of Māra, accompanied by their retinues, said to the Blessed One, “The extent to which the Thus-Gone One is endowed with means and wisdom is incredible! We seek, O Blessed One, the same sort of Dharma vehicle, wisdom, magical powers, compassion, means, and eloquence. What are the qualities, O Blessed One, that a person should have in order to not fall into the hands of evil companions, but instead swiftly realize unsurpassed and perfect awakening?”

“O noble sons and daughters,”80 replied the Blessed One, “should any person in this world be endowed with four qualities, they will not fall into the hands of evil companions, but instead swiftly realize unsurpassed and perfect awakening. What are these four?

1. “My friends, a noble son or daughter must not be attached to any phenomenon. They must never grasp, hold on to, [F.197.a] dwell upon, conceptualize, or falsely identify any phenomenon, so that when they are training in the perfection of generosity, they neither reject nor grasp at the fruit of generosity, hold on to it, dwell upon it, conceptualize it, nor falsely identify it.81 [And so this continues] up to not conceptualizing or falsely identifying when practicing the perfection of insight.82

2. “Another quality, my friends, {TK35} is that a noble son or daughter must not profess the independent existence of beings, the vital principle, an individual soul, {K25} or personhood,83 must not be attached in their minds . . .84 and must not conceptualize or falsely identify the realm of beings.85

3. “Another quality, my friends, is that a noble son or daughter must not be attached to . . .86 and must not conceptualize or falsely identify forms, sounds, smells, flavors, or tactile perceptions.

4. “Another quality, my friends, is that a noble son or daughter must not be attached to . . .87 and must not conceptualize or falsely identify the arising of the body based on the ripening of results dependent on causes, which happens throughout the three times and the threefold universe wherever there are the aggregates and the organs and objects of the senses.88

“And why is that? It is because omniscient wisdom, devoid of all dualistic concepts and speculation with regard to the domain of conduct, is developed by means of the yoga of non-observation. Neither phenomena nor omniscience, my friends, have any existence as separate entities. They make no sound, are signless, are not imperishable, are wishless, are not subject to arising or cessation, and have no characteristics. They are unobstructed, imperceptible, and cannot be shown. They are void,89 without self, and without characteristics.90 They are momentary, calm, neither dark nor light, and without location, and they are neither sense objects nor faculties. They are neither friendly nor hostile,91 are inconceivable, and cannot be taken away. They are free from selfishness {TK36} or mental elaboration, are stainless, [F.197.b] and have no component parts. They are not anything in particular, not agents, devoid of sensations, and without support. They are ungraspable, cannot be cognized, do not appear discretely, and are not momentary. Omniscience, my friends, is sky-like and empty. Being emptiness, it should be engaged in by applying nonperception, nondwelling, nonattachment, nonconceptuality, and nonspeculation. {K26}

“Endowed with these four qualities, my friends, a person will not fall into the hands of evil companions but instead swiftly realize unsurpassed and perfect awakening. Anyone who seeks omniscient wisdom by treating sense objects as specifically located and characterized by being objects of attachment becomes bogged down in duality. A mind bogged down in duality is conceptual and contradicts omniscience. What is this duality?

“When one dwells upon the aggregates, elements, and sense bases, by analyzing them according to their characteristics and becoming attached to them, this is duality and it runs counter to omniscience.

“Duality is conceptualizing the nexus of one’s conduct and its fruits. Duality is conceptualizing the nexus of appropriation, becoming, and birth92 of beings. Duality is conceptualizing the nexus of instruction, elucidation, discourse, terminology, and language. Duality is conceptualizing the nexus of knowledge consisting in eternalistic and nihilistic views, and subjects of knowledge. Duality is conceptualizing the nexus of notions that postulate a being, a vital principle, an individual soul, a person, an agent, or an instigator of action. Also, if somebody dwells upon and conceptualizes the nexus of this shore and the other,93 {TK37} and of thoughts and delimitations, this is duality.

“My friends, if any person who seeks omniscience dwells upon, conceptualizes, speculates about, or gets attached to the analysis of the arising and cessation of the thoughts ‘I’ and ‘my’ throughout the three times, [F.198.a] this is duality pertaining to omniscience.

“It is as if somebody {K27} would get hold of soil when they need fire, would get hold of fire when in need of drink, would get hold of a stone when in need of food, would get hold of garments when in need of flowers, would get hold of a corpse when in need of perfume, would get hold of rocks94 when in need of clothes, and would get hold of space when in need of scented oils. In this way, my friends, if anybody seeks omniscient wisdom while steeped in duality arising through the analysis of and attachment to the mastery of conduct, their endeavors will be fruitless.”

There was, seated among this assembly, a bodhisattva by the name Dhāraṇamati. Folding his hands in the direction of the Blessed One, he bowed and asked, “Is it possible to realize that which is inexpressible?”

“Only one who knows the inexpressible is realized,” said the Blessed One. “Therefore, O noble son, I will ask you something. Answer according to your degree of acceptance. If you are able to explain this, please do. Is there a substance, characteristic, or entity that is called ‘omniscience’?”

“If I were to say that there is,” replied Dhāraṇamati, “this would be an eternalist view. If I were to say that there isn’t, this would be a nihilist view. In the middle way nothing can be apprehended: omniscience neither exists nor does not exist. Perfect realization is the understanding of the nature that is unobstructed, unarisen, {TK38} unceasing, immeasurable, incalculable, without darkness,95 and without light.”

“Perfect awakening, O Blessed One,” said the bodhisattva Vidyunmati, “is the ability to gain realization where there is neither coming nor going.” [F.198.b]

“Perfect awakening, O Blessed One,” said the bodhisattva Vairocana, “is the state that is characterized neither by attainment nor nonattainment. It is not an intuitive grasp or an intuitive perception, nor is it tranquility or complete tranquility. Neither is it the three times, {K28} the three vehicles, aspiration, civility, or conceitedness.”

“Perfect awakening, O Blessed One,” said Dhāraṇamati, “is the state where one does not conceptualize or speculate about the threefold universe, the three fetters, the three types of knowledge, the three vehicles, the five aggregates, the elements, or the sense bases. It is a state where there is no increase or decrease and that is not subject to deterioration.”96

“Perfect awakening,” said the bodhisattva Vajramati, “is the state where one does not conceptualize, speculate about, or defer to the teachings, whether those of ordinary people, the noble ones, the students, the adepts,97 the hearers, or those of the solitary buddhas.”

“Perfect awakening,” said the bodhisattva Dṛḍhamati, “is the state where, in the mode of disengagement, {TK39} one does not analyze98 suchness.”

“Perfect awakening,” said the bodhisattva Ratnapāṇi, “is the state where, for the sake of accomplishing or realizing the unborn characteristic of all phenomena, one does not conceptualize.”

“Perfect awakening,” said the bodhisattva Acintyamati, “is the state where one does not try to apprehend, through mental analysis, the two minds—the one that ponders the threefold universe and the one that ponders the analyzing mind.”99

“Perfect awakening,” said the bodhisattva Arivijaya, [F.199.a] “is the state where one does not cling to, does not become seduced by, {K29} indifferent to, angry at, desirous of, or deluded by, and does not grasp at or reject any phenomenon.”

“Perfect awakening,” said the bodhisattva Padmagarbha, “is the state where one is not attached to either virtue or vice and, through entering profound acceptance, does not conceptualize ‘I’ or ‘my.’ ”

“Perfect awakening,” said the princely youth Candraprabha, “is the state where one realizes all phenomena to be the same as the reflection of the moon in water and perceives the nature of phenomena as neither increasing nor decreasing.”

“Perfect awakening,” said the princely youth Khagamati, {TK40} “is when there is no darkness, light, arising, decay, increase, or decrease within mind and mental states.”

“Perfect awakening,” said the bodhisattva Maitreya, “is the state where one neither apprehends nor attempts to become equal to the Brahmās that abide in the three realms of existence, wherever or whether they abide.”100

“Perfect awakening,” said the bodhisattva Akṣayamati, “is the state where, by purifying the three spheres, one cultivates the perfections while knowing that there is no reality to them, and one is therefore neither attracted to nor indifferent to them.”

“Perfect awakening, O Blessed One,” said the princely youth Mañjuśrī, “is the state where one is neither attracted to nor indifferent to phenomena and knows the profound doctrine of the Dharma. One neither exerts oneself nor remains inert with regard to that which one cognizes. Nor does one accept or reject it. One does not accumulate, {K30} lose, generate knowledge of, relinquish, destroy, diminish, or increase any phenomena. By not conceptualizing things, [F.199.b] one stops the afflictions. It is by this single principle that one realizes omniscient wisdom.”

The bodhisattva Kautūhalika then asked, “How, O Mañjuśrī, should one apply the practices whereby one actualizes this single principle and {TK41} subsequently acquires omniscient wisdom by cultivating profound emptiness?”101

Mañjuśrī replied, “The following, noble children, are twenty methods for attaining omniscient wisdom.

“One should (1) abandon wrong views and adopt right views, (2) adopt honesty and sincerity, (3) respect the teacher without being tainted by negativity, (4) be receptive to good advice, (5) adopt right livelihood, (6) cast off the fetters that bind one to saṃsāra, (7) have the same anger-free compassion for all beings, (8) take up the threefold restraint, (9) sincerely adopt undeceptive wholesome mental states, (10) avoid what is not peaceful, (11) guard the sacred Dharma, (12) never abandon any sentient being, (13) renounce all wealth, (14) give strength to the weak, (15) offer refuge and fearlessness to the frightened, (16) establish those who follow the wrong path in good behavior, (17) be gentle and patient, (18) adopt all the characteristics that curb grasping, {TK42} (19) avoid the accumulation of any impurities {K31} and darkness,102 and (20) give up the expectation of the personal ripening of any fruits that have been dedicated. [F.200.a]

“Omniscient wisdom is applied through fathoming the knowledge of the nature of the divisions of all letters, languages, sounds, speech, and descriptive words. One has mastered the method of omniscience when one gains knowledge through fathoming the nature of the doctrine of all the thus-gone ones103 and of other religious doctrines; the nature of all conduct; the nature of applying all the merit and the perfection of insight; the nature of clinging, arising, and cessation; and the nature of the three emancipations, the abodes, the causes, action, and all phenomena.”

“It is so, Mañjuśrī!” exclaimed the bodhisattva Kautūhalika. “When one fully understands this profound Dharma principle, one does not see anyone who teaches the Dharma, anywhere it is taught, any meanings, words, and letters by means of which it is taught, or any Dharma that is taught. Nor does one consider which Dharma one should abandon, which to practice, or which to understand thoroughly. The one who can fathom the true nature of things as being inexpressible will realize omniscient wisdom.”

“Good! Good it is, O noble son!” said the Blessed One. “You have eloquently shown that the attainment of omniscient wisdom can only happen through this single principle. {TK43} Why is that? It is because all phenomena, when they are not mere imputations, have an ultimate reality of neither arising nor decaying. Their ultimate reality is the nonarising of either ignorance or nirvāṇa and the nonarising of either space or nirvāṇa.104 Ultimately all phenomena are inexpressible. The same is true for all beings. {K32} Ultimately all phenomena are insubstantial and all are explained in terms of things coming together. Ultimately the three times,105 the threefold universe, and all the aggregates are [F.200.b] nothing whatsoever. Ultimately, the three formations are empty. In their ultimate reality, the congeries of phenomena, ripening fruits of actions, accumulations, and dissolutions are insubstantial.106 Bodhisattva great beings attain omniscience when they are fully endowed with the understanding that all phenomena are ultimately empty and their meaning is inexpressible.”107

At this time, while this explanatory discourse on acquiring omniscient wisdom was being presented, Māra’s twenty thousand daughters and sons, along with their retinues, gained acceptance that phenomena are unborn. Accordingly, having renounced their gross physical forms, they attained mental bodies. Another twenty-eight thousand beings also gained acceptance that phenomena are unborn. Eighteen trillion108 gods and humans of many different types obtained the bodhisattva’s acceptance, {TK44} absorption, and various dhāraṇīs.

Subsequently, these twenty thousand bodhisattva great beings,109 who gained acceptance that phenomena are unborn, sprinkled celestial flowers toward and upon the Blessed One and, bowing their heads to his feet, said, “You see, O Blessed One, how beings attach no importance to the roots of virtue that lead to the accumulation of merit because of associating with nonvirtuous companions.” {K33}

“This indeed ought to be understood as the karmic precondition,” the Blessed One agreed. And in order to remove the doubts of these astonished beings, he shared the following episode from one of his previous lives:

“In the distant past, O noble children, many immeasurable eons ago, in this world sphere consisting of the four continents, during the great eon called Glorious, when people lived sixty-eight thousand years, there was a thus-gone one by the name Splendorous with the Gentle Glow of Light and Fragrance. He was a blessed buddha who was learned and virtuous, a blissful one, a knower of the world, an unsurpassed being, a charioteer [F.201.a] who guides beings, and a teacher of gods and humans. In the world of that time, afflicted with the five degenerations, he taught to a fourfold assembly the Dharma that comprises the three vehicles. {K34}

“At that time there also lived a king by the name Utpalavaktra, a universal monarch ruling over the four continents. On one occasion, accompanied by his harem110 and army, he came to the place where the thus-gone Splendorous with the Gentle Glow of Light and Fragrance stayed. {TK45} Having bowed his head to the feet of the Blessed One, he besprinkled him with flowers and worshiped him further with the sounds of various instruments, fragrances, and incense. He circumambulated him clockwise thrice, bowed his head to the feet of the assembly of his monks, and praised the Blessed One with these two stanzas:

“In reply, O noble children, the thus-gone Splendorous with the Gentle Glow of Light and Fragrance said this to King Utpalavaktra:

“ ‘A person becomes a bodhisattva with a subtle mind113 when endowed with three qualities. What are these three? (1) Out of a pure motivation, one feels compassion for all beings. (2) Like a mother, one strives to remove their suffering. (3) One equally views all phenomena as being without self, the vital principle, or individuality and as being nondifferentiable and uncaused.114 Endowed with these three qualities, a good person will become a bodhisattva with a subtle mind.115

“ ‘When endowed with another three qualities, O King, [F.201.b] one will not become trapped in the snares of Māra.116 {TK46} What are these three? {K36} (1) One does not get angry with any sentient being and does not look for an opportunity to attack. (2) One sees all beings as equally worthy of generosity. (3) One examines all phenomena according to the single principle,117 and consequently views them as being the same as space—unfabricated, nondifferentiable, unborn, nonarising, and unceasing—and realizes them, without apprehending them, to be just like space in being devoid of any characteristics of substantiality. With these three qualities, O King, a good person will not get entrapped in the snares of Māra and will be released from his ways.’

“Now the chief queen of King Utpalavaktra, Surasundarī by name, served by a retinue of eighty-four thousand women, approached the blessed, thus-gone Splendorous with the Gentle Glow of Light and Fragrance and, sprinkling him with various flowers, uttered the following stanzas:

“Thus addressed, O noble children,121 the thus-gone Splendorous with the Gentle Glow of Light and Fragrance addressed Surasundarī, the chief queen:

“ ‘There is, O sister, a method whereby a woman may easily change her female sex. Her previously acquired female sex [F.202.a] will promptly disappear without a trace, and until the final nirvāṇa, she will not obtain a female form again, unless she aspires otherwise. So, sister, what is this method through which a woman may swiftly become a man and that causes her female sex to promptly disappear? For this, O sister, there is a dhāraṇī called Ratnaketu. It has great magical power,122 is highly beneficial, and is very powerful. It completely dispels the condition of being a woman and removes, without residue, all depravities of the body, speech, and mind that ripen as suffering.

“ ‘Through merely hearing this dhāraṇī, the state of being a woman will disappear without leaving a trace. The female sex organs will disappear and male ones will appear. {TK48} Also, the resulting male body will be beautiful in form {K38} and complete in every limb. He will be honest, skilled in subtle wisdom, and able to accomplish his tasks, whether they are physical, verbal, or mental. He will follow the right conduct and will defeat all his enemies. And whatever fruits of bad actions may have been ripened for him and would be experienced as suffering with respect to the body, speech, or mind, whether in this or future lives, all of them will be dispelled, unless he has committed any of the five acts of immediate retribution, opposed the sacred Dharma, or reviled a noble one. However, the female sex of such evildoers would disappear, too. With regard to the residual womanhood that has persisted throughout consecutive lives, reactivated by its latent seeds that ripen to be experienced as suffering—womanhood resulting from the physical, verbal, and mental depravities and arising out of the karmic obscurations thus acquired—even if this residual womanhood were as big as Mount Sumeru, it would all dissipate completely. Why is this?

“ ‘It is because this dhāraṇī, Ratnaketu by name, has been taught and blessed by all the thus-gone, worthy, perfect [F.202.b] buddhas of bygone times, thus bringing mutual joy to them and the reciters. It has been praised, extolled, and described in superlative terms as the means for eliminating action that would ripen as the suffering of beings, {K39} and for increasing their roots of virtue.

“ ‘Whatever thus-gone, worthy, perfect buddhas there are presently in the ten directions, dwelling in their respective buddha fields, all of them teach this Ratnaketu dhāraṇī while recommending it as the means for eliminating bad action and increasing the roots of virtue of the beings in their buddha fields. And whatever thus-gone, worthy, perfect buddhas will exist in the future in the ten directions, {TK49} in their respective places they also will teach this Ratnaketu dhāraṇī while recommending it as the means for eliminating action that would ripen for beings as suffering, and of increasing their roots of virtue. I also will presently teach the Ratnaketu dhāraṇī. Rejoicing in its being taught by the thus-gone ones arisen in the ten directions, I will praise and extol this dhāraṇī.

“ ‘O sister, if any head-anointed kṣatriya king who has achieved power and dominion writes the Ratnaketu dhāraṇī and upholds it, stanzas of praise sung for such a king will spread far and wide throughout the ten directions, filling everywhere up to the realm of form with words of praise. Many thousands of millions of billions of gods, nāgas, yakṣas, and gandharvas123 will form a chain behind this kṣatriya king,124 standing abreast in order to guard and protect him. All the depravities, quarrels, {K40} famine, disease, [F.203.a] invasions by foreign powers, untimely storms, torrential rains, and afflictions of heat and cold will completely cease in his kingdom. All the evil yakṣas, rākṣasas, lions, buffaloes, elephants, and wolves will become harmless. All the unpleasant problems experienced when coming into contact with poisonous, sharp, bitter, pungent, or tasteless {TK50} substances, or the pain felt when touching rough objects, will completely cease. All wealth, on the other hand, will increase, and all crops, medicinal herbs, forest trees, fruits, and flowers will grow in abundance and thrive, succulent and delicious in taste.

“ ‘And if this head-anointed kṣatriya king should hoist a volume containing the Ratnaketu dhāraṇī on top of a banner when engaged in battle, he will defeat the hostile army. If two head-anointed kṣatriya kings should hoist a volume containing the Ratnaketu dhāraṇī on top of a banner when engaged in mutual war, they will come to a mutually satisfying settlement. Thus, the Ratnaketu dhāraṇī brings many benefits and advantages.

“ ‘If there is any village, town, or marketplace in which untimely death or harm breaks out for humans, nonhuman beings,125 or animals, a volume containing the Ratnaketu dhāraṇī should be brought there and worshiped with many offerings. When it is brought, a celibate ascetic who has bathed, dried his body, and put on new garments should sit on a lion throne126 adorned with various flowers, censed with fragrant incense, and covered in foodstuffs of many tastes, and he should read the text aloud.

“ ‘Consequently, all the killing and untimely death will cease, and {K41} the bad omens that bring on fear and goosebumps will disappear. If any woman wishes to give birth to a son, she should commission a celibate ascetic, bathed {TK51} and dressed in clean garments, to worship this text with flowers, fragrances, [F.203.b] garlands, and scented oils, while himself sitting on a throne127 that is adorned with various flowers, censed with fragrant incense, and covered in foodstuffs of many tastes. She should have him read the Ratnaketu dhāraṇī aloud. She will give birth to a son, and her present life will be the last one as a woman until she has attained final nirvāṇa, unless she herself wishes this to be otherwise for the sake of bringing sentient beings to maturity.128 O sister, even by just hearing the words of the Ratnaketu dhāraṇī recited once, anyone, even deer or birds, will never again turn back from unsurpassed and perfect awakening.’ ”

Then the blessed, thus-gone Śākyamuni said, “O noble children, when the big toe of thus-gone Splendorous with the Gentle Glow of Light and Fragrance’s [F.204.a] right foot touched the ground, the earth trembled six times.”

As he said this, the thus-gone Śākyamuni blessed the earth in this buddha field so that it likewise trembled six times. Countless gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, pretas, piśācas, kumbhāṇḍas, humans, and nonhuman beings were terrified. The buddha field of the Sahā world was totally pervaded with a great light. It became as even as the palm of the hand, and the mountains, forests, walls, {TK52} Mount Sumeru, the world perimeter, and the great world perimeters all disappeared. The gods, nāgas, and yakṣas were also terrified by the trembling of the earth and the flash of light. Through the power of the Blessed One, looking into the four directions they noticed the Blessed One, the sage of the Śākyas, at about the distance of an arrow shot. They were astonished, and gazed upon the Thus-Gone One, the sage of the Śākyas, with their palms joined together. The thus-gone Śākyamuni then recited the Ratnaketu dhāraṇī:129

As soon as the thus-gone Śākyamuni recited the Ratnaketu dhāraṇī, this great earth shook again. Through hearing the dhāraṇī, the five hundred daughters of Māra [F.204.b] lost their female sex organs and grew the corresponding male organs. The same happened to infinite numbers of girls from the realms of the gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, pretas, piśācas, and kumbhāṇḍas. All of them became non-returners on the path to unsurpassed and perfect awakening. For all of them, the karmic obstacle that would cause their being reborn as women in the future was {TK55} completely removed.

All these women saluted the thus-gone Śākyamuni with folded hands and, in a strong voice, exclaimed, “Homage, homage to {K43} Śākyamuni, the miracle worker, the thus-gone, worthy, perfect buddha! Please relate in full, O compassionate one, the episode from your past life that will explain how and why our womanhood has now disappeared and we have become men with complete male physiques. By the power of this miracle, this magical display, and our disenchantment,133 we have now engendered a wish to attain unsurpassed and perfect awakening. Narrate, O Blessed One, this episode from your past life, with these countless gods and humans as witnesses.”

The blessed, thus-gone Śākyamuni then continued with the narration of his past life:

“Listen, good people! Together with Her Majesty Surasundarī, the chief queen of King Utpalavaktra, eighty-four thousand women from her retinue heard the Ratnaketu dhāraṇī from the thus-gone Splendorous with the Gentle Glow of Light and Fragrance. As soon as they heard it, {K44} their female sex organs disappeared, and the corresponding male organs appeared. Simultaneously, the same happened to infinite numbers of girls—the celestial ones, . . . up to humans and nonhumans. [F.205.a] {TK56} For all of them, the karmic obstacle that would cause their being reborn as women in the future was completely removed.

“When Surasundarī, the chief queen of King Utpalavaktra, along with her retinue134 attained the state of manhood, then Utpalavaktra, the universal monarch and the ruler of the four continents, consecrated his eldest son to kingship and, together with his remaining nine hundred and ninety-nine divinely beautiful august sons, eighty-four thousand other such men, and ninety-two thousand other individuals, renounced worldly life and, {K45} in the presence of the thus-gone Splendorous with the Gentle Glow of Light and Fragrance, they shaved off their hair and beards and donned monk’s robes, embracing, with complete faith, the life of an ascetic who goes forth from home to homelessness. Having thus become a wandering mendicant, he engaged in inward contemplation and took delight in reciting prayers.

“At that time many tens of millions of beings wondered why their king, the universal monarch, had become a wandering mendicant. They remarked to each other, ‘That thus-gone one135 is a rogue and a trickster who engages in the works of Māra. He preaches a doctrine that is linked to Māra’s activity.136 From some he removes their female sex organs, and from some the male.137 He shaves off the hair and beards of some. To some he gives dyed robes and to others white. To some he gives teaching so that they may obtain birth as a god; to some, birth as a human; to some, birth as an animal; to some, birth as a preta; to some, birth as a hell being;138 and to some, the ending of birth, death, and transmigration altogether.139 That monk Splendorous with the Gentle Glow of Light and Fragrance, {TK57} engaged in the conduct of Māra, duplicitous in having contacts with women, is breaking his vows while assuming the appearance of a monk. For that reason we should now depart from this place so that we do not have to witness his stealing of sexual organs or hear his teachings.’

“Among those who were talking in this manner there was a soldier by the name of Kumārabhṛta. He said, ‘All my wives, daughters, and women of the harem {K46} [F.205.b] had their female sex organs removed and male organs magically planted by that rotten monk. All of them had their heads shaven and were then given dyed robes by him. And I am left alone, lost in grief. Let us all gather together and go into the rugged wilderness where we will not hear the sound or talk of that fake and rotten monk who employs Māra’s snares. Let us reconnoiter first.’

“Enthusiastically, they all replied, ‘Let’s do so!’

“The soldier Kumārabhṛta then set forth together with those many tens of millions of individuals, who were full of doubt, to a place on the outer fringes of inhabited lands, deep in the rugged mountain wilderness. There, he lived the life of a sage, preaching the following doctrine to all those people:

“ ‘There is no liberation from saṃsāra and no ripening of the results of good or bad actions. There is, at this time, a monk who preaches nihilism—a vow breaker140 {TK58} who indulges in the activities of Māra. Those who approach him for an audience, salute him, and listen to his teachings become mentally distracted. He shaves their heads, causes them to leave home, gives them dyed robes, and has them live in cemeteries. He forces them to beg and allows them to eat only once a day. Because of him their minds are warped by wrong views and they are continually upset. They are content to live in seclusion and make do without bedsteads. He also deprives them of sensory and erotic pleasures, dance, {K47} song, perfume, scented oils, ornaments, jewelry, and sexual relationships. He forbids them to drink liquor or wine and allows them to eat only a little. Doing such, he is an enemy of beings who preaches nihilism in the guise of a monk while engaging in the ways of Māra. I have exposed the acts of this monk, Gautama, which were previously unheard of and unseen.’

“Through this speech of Kumārabhṛta many hundreds of thousands of millions of beings fell for his evil views.

“Subsequent to this, the great monk Utpalavaktra heard that in a certain mountain wilderness [F.206.a] there were people who not only were established on the wrong path themselves but also induced others to adopt the same distorted views and speak badly about the Three Jewels. He thought to himself, ‘If ultimately I don’t liberate those beings from the evil of their wrong views {TK59} and don’t establish them in the right views, then my life as a monk will have become worthless. How in this blind world will I realize, in the future, the unsurpassed and perfect awakening? How will I teach and ultimately liberate miserable beings caught in the snares of the four māras?’

“The great monk Utpalavaktra, steadfast, courageous, and compassionate, having then requested the thus-gone Splendorous with the Gentle Glow of Light and Fragrance’s permission, set forth on his journey to all those towns, villages, hamlets, and marketplaces located in the rugged mountain wilderness in the frontier areas. Traveling through all these places in the company of hundreds of thousands, he taught the Dharma to all those misguided beings. He made those beings turn away from the evil of their wrong views, set them on the path of the right views, and established them on the path to unsurpassed and perfect awakening. Some he established in the aspiration toward the vehicle of the solitary buddhas, some toward the vehicle of the hearers, and some he established in the fruit itself.141 Some he induced to take up the life of renunciation. Some he established in the vows of a lay practitioner, some in the vows of fasting and abstinence, and some in the vows of the threefold refuge. To women {K48} he taught the Ratnaketu dhāraṇī, {TK60} thus preventing them from becoming women again and establishing them in the state of manhood.142

“With regard to the many tens of millions of beings who harbored doubts when being near the Thus-Gone One,143 he made all of them turn away from the evil of their wrong views, taught them the perils of vice, and established them on the path to unsurpassed and perfect awakening. He brought them into the presence of the thus-gone Splendorous with the Gentle Glow of Light and Fragrance where they all, except for the soldier Kumārabhṛta, [F.206.b] took up the life of renunciation. Kumārabhṛta, for his part, made the following aspiration:

“ ‘As the monk Utpalavaktra is leading my followers astray, may I become a māra in the buddha field where he is to attain unsurpassed and perfect awakening so that I will be able to harm him from the moment he enters the womb. Later, after he is born, may I terrorize and create obstacles for him when he plays as a child, learns arts and crafts, learns to read, enjoys amorous pastimes in the harem . . .144 until he ascends to the seat of awakening.145 Should he attain awakening, may I sabotage his teachings.’

“The great monk Utpalavaktra, however, through his great courage full of effort and painful sacrifice, managed to instill faith in the soldier Kumārabhṛta, who had been so determined in his aspiration. {K49} He made him turn away from the evil of his wrong views, taught him the perils of vice, and planted in him the aspiration to attain unsurpassed and perfect awakening. {TK61} Consequently, the soldier Kumārabhṛta, now tame and faithful, made the following wish:

“ ‘O most compassionate Utpalavaktra! At the time when you have attained unsurpassed and perfect awakening, may you provide me with the prophecy of my attaining unsurpassed and perfect awakening.’

“ O good people, should you have any doubts, uncertainties, or other such thoughts, then know that Utpalavaktra, on that occasion, attended upon the thus-gone Splendorous with the Gentle Glow of Light and Fragrance and his retinue with manifold offerings and then left the household life and became a wandering mendicant together with hundreds of thousands of millions of beings. He turned infinite hundreds of thousands of millions of beings away from the evil of their wrong views. He set infinite numbers of beings upon the three paths and established them in the fruits thereof. For infinite hundreds of thousands of millions of women, he enabled them to attain the state of manhood.

“This may not be immediately obvious to you, but at that time, during those events, I was the king Utpalavaktra, the universal monarch [F.207.a] ruling over the four continents.146 It was I who discharged my duties as a man.147 And if again, O good people, you should have any doubts, uncertainties, or other such thoughts with regard to Surasundarī, the chief queen who went forth during the time those events occured, {TK62} you should know that this was the great bodhisattva Maitreya during that particular time.148 O good people, you may have doubts, uncertainties, or other such thoughts with regard to the soldier Kumārabhṛta and his retinue of tens of millions of beings who took part in the events of that time, {K50} as it may not be immediately obvious to you that this was Māra, the evil one, during that particular time.149 Because I set his followers, at that time, upon the path of renunciation, he first took umbrage with me but then made a wish that once I myself had attained unsurpassed and perfect awakening, I would prophesy the same for him.

“You, O noble children, became disaffected when you were in the presence of the thus-gone Splendorous with the Gentle Glow of Light and Fragrance. You talked without self-control and harbored wrong views. Consequently, I released you from the evil of your wrong views {TK63} and made you take up the life of renunciation. From then on you have attended upon many thousands of buddhas and worshiped them with offerings. Having learned the Dharma from them, you made aspirations and practiced the six perfections. However, because of the bad action previously accumulated by you with your body, speech, and mind, you have endured suffering for many eons in the three miserable realms. It is only because of this karmic obscuration that you were born, in your present life, in the abode of Māra, the evil one.”

While these past events concerning the Ratnaketu dhāraṇī were being narrated by the blessed, thus-gone Śākyamuni, the female characteristics of the five hundred daughters of Māra vanished, and male ones appeared. [F.207.b] They gained acceptance that phenomena are unborn. Infinite hundreds of thousands of millions of beings beyond count, including gods, humans, {K51} and asuras,150 developed the wish to attain unsurpassed and perfect awakening and entered the path of no return. In this way, infinite hundreds of thousands of millions of beings entered the path of {TK64} no return of both the hearer and solitary buddha vehicles. For infinite numbers of celestial and human girls, womanhood ceased, and each became a man.

While the Ratnaketu dhāraṇī was being recited by the thus-gone Śākyamuni, the entire Sahā world became clearly visible, illuminated by a powerful light. The one hundred billion lords of sensual pleasure, each one a māra active in one of the one hundred billion worlds of four continents in this buddha field of Śākyamuni, became alarmed by this display of the Buddha’s power and directed their eyes toward this world of four continents. “Where is this light emanating from?” they wondered. “Surely this must be through the power of Māra, the evil one, who lives in that particular world of four continents. He is stronger, mightier, and more powerful than us.”

As they looked, however, the māras saw Māra, the evil one, overcome with grief151 and utterly dejected. So the one billion māras went to the world of four continents where Māra, the evil one, lived and asked, “Why is it, O lord of sensual pleasures, that you are just sitting there, miserable and overcome with grief, when your entire world sphere is awash with light?” {K53}

Māra, the lord of sensual pleasures, {TK66} then explained the matter at length to the one hundred billion māras:

“As you know, friends, there is a monk from the Śākya clan, [F.208.a] a trickster and rogue of the worst kind. As soon as he was born here, the entire Sahā152 world became filled with light, shook, and trembled. Whatever intelligent beings there were in this entire world sphere—the lords of brahmās, nāgas, yakṣas, asuras, mahoragas, garuḍas, kinnaras, and other intelligent human and nonhuman beings—all went to him to offer worship for the last six years. Sitting alone on his seat, without a companion, he has been creating inauspicious illusions.

“I, for my part, desirous to make a show of my military might, approached him in the company of soldiers numbering three hundred sixty billion and surrounded him with displays of power, valor, magical skill, and transformations of my entire army, but I was unable to stir or disturb even a single hair on his body, let alone dislodge him from his seat or assault him some other way. That villain, however, displayed the magical power that he did and made the earth tremble.

“Defeated along with my military, I was like a cut-down tree, prostrate upon the surface of the earth, while he, {K54} sitting there on his seat, produced inauspicious illusions {TK67} of such a kind that my entire domain was overpowered. Having accomplished the knowledge he sought, he rose from his seat and started instructing beings. Thereupon, all the learned and knowledgeable beings in this world of four continents became astounded, so that I am unable to divine their thoughts or their future destiny within the six realms. I am unable to stir or disturb even a single hair of those who took refuge with him, let alone mislead them about him, or pry them away from him.

“And now my five hundred daughters with their retinues, as well as my twenty thousand sons with their followers, have taken refuge with that villainous monk, Gautama, and sit in front of him in order to listen to the Dharma,153 while I no longer have the power to persuade them to leave him. For this reason, [F.208.b] you, being powerful, full of merits, knowledgeable, and mighty, must help me. We need to stamp the life out of that villainous son of the Śākyas. And whatever beings have taken refuge with him, we must annihilate them too. {K55} We will defeat the black faction of that deceitful monk, and bring glory to the white faction of Māra. We will then be able to live happily ever after.”

Now, the māra Jyotiṣprabha looked toward Jambudvīpa where the Thus-Gone One {TK68} was sitting and teaching the Dharma. When he saw the Blessed One’s body and heard the sound of his Dharma talk, he was awed and the thrill of it caused the hairs on his body to stand on end. He said to Māra, the evil one:

Then another māra, Sannimika by name, addressed Māra, the evil one, thus:

The evil one replied:

The māra Navarāja said this to Māra, the evil one:

The māra Khaḍgasoma said:

The evil one replied:

The māra Kṣititoya said:

The evil one replied:

The māra Tṛṣṇājaha said:

The evil one replied:

The māra Bodhākṣa asked:

The evil one replied:

The māra Durdharṣa said:

The evil one replied:

And so this exchange between the evil one and the other māras continued until ten million stanzas were spoken by the ten million māras, after which all the māras spoke with a single voice:

“So be it! We will go! We will now go to our individual abodes, don our armor, and come along with our military cohorts. {K60} Whatever magical powers we have at our disposal, we will display them all. You will then know for yourself, at that time, what valor the monk Gautama will exhibit.”160

These tens of millions of māras {TK72} then departed for their respective homes to don their armor, each māra accompanied by tens of thousands of millions of followers. All of them donned their coats of mail, armed themselves with different types of weapons, and girded themselves with different types of body armor. As night fell, they traveled to Jambudvīpa and arrayed themselves in the sky above Aṅga-Magadha.

Any gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, pretas, piśācas, and kumbhāṇḍas in this world of four continents who harbored ill will toward the Blessed One and who had not attained respect and devotion for him and were also ill-disposed toward the Dharma and the Saṅgha were all mobilized under the command of the evil Māra for the sake of killing the Blessed One. Brandishing various weapons and types of armor, they hovered there in the sky. Māra, too, went to one side of the Himalaya Mountains where there lived, [F.210.a] with a retinue of five hundred, the sage Jyotīrasa, a devotee of Maheśvara who was accomplished in the eighteen branches of knowledge and who had attained excellence in the field of magical arts. Having assumed the form of Maheśvara, Māra stood before the sage and said:

Having spoken this stanza, Māra, the evil one, disappeared right there and, having gone to his abode, declared the following to his retinue of māras:

Another māra said:

Another māra said:

And, as far as the extent of the māras’ magical power would allow, they enacted everything in full. The Blessed One, however, turned this entire world sphere—the great trichiliocosm—into diamond. Subsequently no māras were able to make any sounds, and no mountains of fire stood in the four directions. [F.210.b] There were no black clouds {TK75} and no unseasonable winds. No nāga was able to send even a single drop of rain—all this through the power of the Buddha’s blessing.

Around that time, in the morning, four great hearers put on their lower garments and robes and, bearing their alms bowls, entered the great city of Rājagṛha to beg alms. Venerable Śāriputra entered the city through the southern gate to beg alms. {K63} There, in the city, fifty māra youths, endowed with supreme youthful beauty, attired to resemble sons of distinguished personages, roamed about dancing and singing. They seized Venerable Śāriputra by both hands and pranced along the street. Dancing and singing, they urged him, “Dance, monk! Sing, monk!”

Śāriputra replied, “Listen, friends, as I sing you a song that you have not heard before.”

All the māra youths, moving onward, then sang the following in unison with Śāriputra:

“The mantra is:

Elder Śāriputra sang this stanza and recited the words of the mantra while bounding along with the fifty māra youths, who, supremely thrilled and kindly disposed, said: {K64}

They all bowed their heads to the feet of Śāriputra [F.211.a] and sat down in front of him, in the middle of the street, to hear the Dharma.

Around the same time, the great Venerable Maudgalyāyana entered the great city of Rājagṛha through the eastern gate, in order to beg alms. But as before, fifty māra youths sang the following in unison with Maudgalyāyana:164

“The mantra is:

The great Maudgalyāyana sang these stanzas and recited the words of the mantra to the sons of Māra while bounding along with them. Subsequently, the fifty māra youths, supremely thrilled and kindly disposed, said:

The fifty māra youths bowed their heads to the feet of Venerable Maudgalyāyana and sat down in front of him, in the middle of the street, to hear the Dharma.

Around the same time, Venerable Pūrṇa, the son of Maitrāyaṇī, entered the city through the northern gate to beg alms. {K66} As before, fifty māra youths sang in unison with him: [F.211.b] {TK78}

“The mantra is:

Venerable Pūrṇa sang these stanzas and recited the words of the mantra to the sons of Māra while bounding along with them. Subsequently, the fifty māra youths, supremely thrilled [F.212.a] and kindly disposed, said:

All fifty of the māra youths bowed their heads to the feet of Venerable Pūrṇa and sat down in front of him, in the middle of the street, to hear the Dharma.

Around the same time, Venerable Subhūti entered the great city of Rājagṛha through the western gate {TK81} to beg alms. There, at the gate to the city, fifty māra youths, endowed with supreme youthful beauty, attired to resemble sons of distinguished personages, gallavanted about, dancing and singing. They seized Venerable Subhūti by both hands and, prancing along the street, urged him, “Dance, monk! Sing, monk!”

Subhūti replied, “Listen, friends, as I sing you a song that you have not heard before.”

Then all of them fell silent. Moving along with them, Venerable Subhūti sang the following:

“The mantra is:

Venerable Subhūti sang these stanzas and recited the words of the mantra to the sons of Māra while bounding along with them. {TK83} Subsequently, the fifty māra youths, supremely thrilled and kindly disposed, said:

All fifty of the māra youths bowed their heads to the feet of Venerable Subhūti and sat down in front of him, in the middle of the street, to hear the Dharma. At the same time, through the power of the Buddha, the street appeared stretched to a radius of one hundred leagues. In the middle were seated Elder Śāriputra, {K71} the great Maudgalyāyana, Pūrṇa, and Subhūti, facing north, west, south, and east respectively and positioned at a distance of half a league from one another. In the center of the area between these great four hearers a lotus appeared—fifty cubits in diameter, with a golden stalk, petals of blue beryl, stamens of śrīgarbha,173 and a pericarp of pearl.174 {TK84}

From this lotus, which appeared to tower above the street to three times the height of a man, great light streamed forth, visible as far as the gods’ realm of the Four Great Kings, [F.213.a] to whom the lotus appeared to be fifty “celestial leagues” tall. In the realm of the Thirty-Three Gods, it appeared to be one hundred leagues tall. It could be seen as far as the Akaniṣṭha realm, where it appeared to be half a league tall. From the petals of this lotus emanated various stanzas with words rich in meaning.175 All beings on this earth heard the following stanzas: {K72}

The following stanzas, also emanating from the lotus, could be heard as far as the realms of the six classes of the gods of desire.

The following stanzas, also emanating from the lotus, could be heard as far as the sixteen desire god realms. {K75}

While these expressions of the Dharma, pregnant with meaning, were issuing forth from the lotus, the human and nonhuman beings present in this world sphere gathered together in the middle of the street and took their seats around the lotus. They included many beings up to the countless Akaniṣṭha gods, who descended from their realm in infinite numbers and took their seats around the lotus to hear the Dharma.

The same stanzas were overheard by Māra, the evil one. Looking around, he saw, in the middle of the street in the great city of Rājagṛha, the lotus from which these stanzas were issuing {K77} and, seated around the lotus to hear the Dharma, infinite hundreds of thousands of millions of people. He then looked up and saw the same lotus in every abode of the gods throughout the six realms of desire. Those lotuses too were surrounded by infinite numbers of hundreds of thousands of millions of gods, seated in order to hear the Dharma. {TK89}

Consequently, Māra, the evil one, became even more frustrated, upset, and dejected. Covered in goosebumps and sweat, shivering, he flew up into the sky and, in a loud voice, angrily addressed the other māras:

Another māra said to the evil one:

Then another māra, lamenting loudly, his words198 full of utmost indignation, said this to Māra, the evil one:

Other māras said with folded hands:

There was a māra there in the sky called Ghoṣavati. He proposed in a loud voice:

At this moment all the māras descended from the sky and constructed gates to the city of Rājagṛha from the seven gems. Some, taking on the appearance of universal monarchs, {TK91} stood in front of the Blessed One, making every effort to worship him. Some took on the appearance of Brahmā, some of Vaśavartin, some of Maheśvara, some of Nārāyaṇa, some of a Tuṣita god, {K80} some of Yāma, some of Śakra, and some of a god from the realm of the Thirty-Three. Some took on the form of Kumāra, Vaiśravaṇa, Virūḍhaka, Virūpākṣa, or Dhṛtarāṣṭra, and some, the form of the mundane Four Great Kings.202 Some took on the appearance of Sūrya, Candra, or Tāraka; some, the appearance of an asura, garuḍa, kinnara, or mahoraga; and some, the appearance of jewel mountains, golden ornaments, various gems, or jeweled trees. Some took on the appearance of a kṣatriya; some, the appearance of members of religions other than Buddhism; some, the appearance of the precious wheel,203 the precious jewel, the elephant Airāvaṇa, Bālāha the king of steeds, or the precious consort; and some, the appearance of a respected merchant or a royal minister. Magically transformed into these forms, they stood in front of the Blessed One in order to worship him.

Some of them, who were blue with a blue complexion, magically adorned their bodies with white ornaments.204 In order to worship the Blessed One they floated in the sky at the height of a palm tree, [F.215.b] holding red parasols, banners, flags, and strings of pearls. Some were dazzling white with a white complexion and adorned with bright red ornaments;205 they floated in the sky holding yellow parasols, {TK92} banners, flags, and strings of pearls.206 {K81} Some were bright red with a red complexion and adorned with ornaments207 of a golden color. They floated aloft, holding blue parasols, banners, and flags. Some were red with a red complexion and rained down white pearls. Some were white with a white complexion and rained down red pearls. Some, magically appearing as celestial ṛṣis, rained flowers from the sky in great profusion. Some, appearing as the Blessed One’s hearers, rained divine fragrances of various kinds from the sky. Some, appearing as gandharvas, strummed various divine instruments. Some, appearing as celestial nymphs, sprinkled the ground with perfumed water from vessels made of various gems. Some, of obsidian-black complexion, burned incense of various fragrances. Some, appearing as gods, danced and sang. Some, of varying complexion, praised the Blessed One with their folded hands directed toward him. Some māras, and even their retinues, turned to face the direction where the Blessed One resided and, holding various jewels, offered them to him in worship. Some, having placed themselves by the upper windows of houses and buildings along the street or upon gateways, tall buildings, houses at crossroads of three or four roads, gates, trees, or palaces, were sitting there for the purpose of worshiping the Blessed One.

When Māra, the evil one, saw all those māras with their retinues going for refuge in the monk Gautama, he became even more rattled, frightened, and confused. Wailing aloud, he said: {K82}

Having thus made up his mind, Māra, the evil one, descended from the sky, fast as wind, to the street where the lotus was, and, having crept up to its stalk, tried to uproot it but could not even touch it. He tried to cut the petals but could not even see them. He also tried to smash the pericarp with his fist but could not even grasp it. Just as lightning, or a shadow, can be seen but not grasped, in the same way he could see the lotus but not grasp it.

When he thus saw the lotus without being able to touch it or seize it, he tried to let loose a most horrific deafening cry in order to frighten the entire congregation, but this too he was unable to do. He tried further, with great vehemence and force, to strike the great earth with both his hands to make it shake, but was unable, in this case too, to touch it or to seize it. Just as someone wanting to hit the sky cannot reach it, in the same way Māra, the evil one, saw the earth but could not touch it or seize it.

He then thought, “If I could only punch the beings assembled here, or distract their minds.”208 But while he could see these beings, {TK94} he was unable to touch or seize even one of them. Then Māra, the evil one, wept bitterly. Through the power of the Buddha, his entire body shook like a tree. {K83} With a tear-streaked face he looked in the four directions and lamented:

But even though he tried to go home, he could not. Frightened still more, he could only weep. He thought, “I am deprived of my magical power completely. Woe is me! May I not fall under the control of the monk Gautama! And may I now disappear, so that I do not die in front of him, my enemy. [F.216.b] As no being should see me die in his buddha field, may I die as soon as I am out of the Sahā world buddha field.”

But still, he was unable to disappear from sight or flee in any direction, cardinal or intermediate. Instead, he perceived himself, still at the same location, tied around the neck with a fivefold noose,210 and became even more upset and frightened. Howling in a raucous voice, he lamented, “Woe is me! I will never again see my dear sons or kinsmen.”

Then the māra by the name Ghoṣavati, seated in the manner of a universal monarch, asked Māra, the evil one: {K84}

Māra, the evil one, then thought, “If I approach the monk Gautama, with pleasing words, to take refuge, I would then be freed from these fetters.” {TK95}

Bowing with folded hands toward the Blessed One, he said, “Homage to you, the most eminent person and the ultimate deliverer from birth,212 aging, disease, and death! I herewith go to the Blessed Buddha to take refuge.”

Then he continued:

When Māra, the evil one, thus took refuge in the Blessed Buddha, saying pleasant words, he had the sense that he was released. But when he had the thought to escape from the assembly, he had the sense that his neck was once again bound by a fivefold noose. {K85} [F.217.a] When he was again unable to go anywhere and thought, once again, of seeking refuge and protection from the Blessed One, he had the sense that he was released. Staying right in that spot, he had the sense of being bound and released seven times over.

When the four great hearers were, as described before, in the great city of Rājagṛha collecting alms, they were rudely accosted by the māra youths who urged them, “Dance, monk! Sing, monk!” When, subsequently, the great hearers, running along the street, sang their verses with lyrics that describe the path to nirvāṇa, this great earth trembled. At that moment many hundreds of thousands of gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas, inspired with faith in the Blessed One’s instructions,215 said this, their faces awash with tears:

Then, many hundreds of thousands of millions of gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas,216 and rākṣasas, their faces bathed in tears, approached the Blessed One. Standing before him, they said:

The Blessed One replied:

All those gathered there pleaded with one voice, “Do not go, O Blessed One! [F.217.b] Have you not said before that the domains of the blessed buddhas, the māras, and the nāgas, and of the acts they commit, are inconceivable? Among all these domains, that of the buddhas is preeminent. The Blessed One can, while sitting right on his seat, defeat tens of millions of māras, explain tens of millions of Dharma treatises, dry up the ocean of afflictions, tear up the net of wrong views, and submerge tens of millions of beings in the ocean of wisdom. The time is not right for the Blessed One to go now.”

The Blessed One replied, “Even if all beings, however many there are in the inhabited realms, were to become māras, and if all the particles of dust, however many there are on earth, were individually mobilized by his power to advance toward me in order to take my life, they would not be able to harm even a single hair on my body. Whereas I, sitting on this very seat, would be able to defeat tens of millions of billions of māras, except for Māra himself along with his personal retinue.

“I will go back so that the entire great city of Rājagṛha becomes adorned by the māras offering worship to me {TK98} with marvelous displays magically created by the power of Māra. I will use this event to inspire them with compassion, so that these māras, when supreme appreciation and faith are born in them, will create the roots of virtue necessary to realize unsurpassed and perfect awakening.” {K88}

When the Blessed One was thus about to get up from his seat, Prabhāvaśobhanā, the guardian deity of Veṇuvana, stood in front of him with a tearful face and insisted:

When the Blessed One did, nevertheless, get up from his seat, the goddess of the monastery, Dyutimati, bowed her head to his feet and said:

When the Blessed One did, nevertheless, walk out of the monastery, {TK99} the medicine goddess, Siddhimati, bowed her head to his feet and said:

But the Blessed One set forth from the monastery courtyard. The tree goddess Dyutindharā, wailing most piteously, bowed her head to his feet and pleaded:

When the Blessed One approached the covered gate passage, the goddess thereof, Jyotivaruṇā by name, wailing in a loud voice, bowed her head to his feet and said:

When the Blessed One nevertheless entered the gate passage, the protector goddess of the city of Rājagṛha, Tamālasārā by name, {K90} crying out from the sky in a loud voice, hastily approached him, bowed her head to his feet, and warned:

Seeing that the Blessed One would not turn back, the goddess shed even more tears and begged:

But the Blessed One advanced farther along the gate passage. The earth goddess, Dṛḍhā, together with ten thousand other deities each endowed with great vigor, her face bathed in tears and hair disheveled, stood before the Blessed One with folded hands {K92} and pleaded:

The Blessed One, however, proceeded farther along the gate passage. At that moment many hundreds of thousands of millions of billions of gods, nāgas, yakṣas, and rākṣasas, their faces bathed in tears, flew through the sky, imploring him:

Another goddess warned:

Another goddess said:

Under these circumstances, many hundreds of thousands of millions of billions of gods, nāgas, yakṣas, rākṣasas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas descended from the sky above with forlorn expressions on their tear-soaked faces. Arraying themselves before the Blessed One, they acted in many different, self-harming ways.

Some pulled out their hair. Some cast off their adornments. Some {K95} threw away their parasols, banners, and flags. Some threw themselves on the ground. Some took hold of the Blessed One’s feet. Some wailed most piteously. Some beat their breasts {TK105} with their hands. Some, standing at the Blessed One’s feet, spun in circles like the madgu234 bird. Some, standing in front of the Blessed One with folded hands, bowed to him and recited praises. [F.220.a] And some showered upon him flowers, incense, perfume, garlands, scented oils, clothes, adornments, golden thread, strings of pearls, and fine cloth. Some others, numbering tens of millions, chanted the following in a single loud voice:

Another goddess said:

Now many hundreds of thousands of millions of billions of gods from the Pure Abode gathered together and said:

Another goddess said in tears:

Then Śakra, Brahmā, and the world protectors clasped the feet of the Blessed One and pleaded:

The Blessed One then looked at the entire congregation, eyes wide with loving kindness, and uttered the following words to comfort them, his voice as sweet as Brahmā’s:

On that occasion, infinite and innumerable hundreds of thousands of millions of billions of gods, nāgas, yakṣas, rākṣasas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, and human and nonhuman beings applauded the Blessed One by exclaiming, “Homage to the one endowed with infinite diligence who has the power to work miracles and wonders! Homage, homage to the Blessed Buddha who is thus endowed! {TK110} The world and its gods have been comforted by the Blessed One, and the followers of Māra defeated. The filth of the afflictions that bind beings to existence has been dispelled. {K100} The mountain of their arrogance has been split asunder. The tree of birth [F.221.b] has been cut down, the sun of death241 turned to powder, the darkness of ignorance dispelled, the followers of other religions brought to have faith, the four rivers dried up, the torch of the Dharma lit, and the path to awakening shown.

“Beings have been established in acceptance and gentleness, caused to playfully abide in the bliss of meditation, and made to realize the four truths of the noble ones. The world and its gods have been ferried across the ocean of births by the most compassionate, blessed teacher. Sentient beings have been transported to the city of fearlessness.”

Then the gods and humans worshiped the Blessed One with sundry flowers, incense, perfume, garlands,242 ornaments, and adornments and swept the road for his sake. They covered it243 in celestial cloth, calico, and flowers, including celestial flowers such as mandārava and great mandārava, pāruṣaka and great pāruṣaka, mañjuṣaka and great mañjuṣaka, and roca and great roca, as well as blue, red, and white lotus flowers. In the places where the Blessed One would put his feet {TK111} on the road, they conjured up, on either side, trees made of the seven precious gems, and adorned them with celestial cloth,244 calico, and hand, ear, and head adornments. Between the trees, they conjured up celestial lotus ponds with cool and sweet water, completely limpid and free of turbidity. These were filled with water possessing eight qualities245 and adorned all around with the seven precious gems.

In the space above, they held up parasols made from the seven precious gems, banners, flags, golden thread, and strings of pearls. They sent showers of dust made of gold, silver, and beryl, and the powders of aloeswood, crape jasmine, white sandalwood, and benjamin, and the leaves of the tamāla tree. {K101} They sprinkled powdered gośīrṣa and uragasāra sandalwood upon the road. They also adorned the entire firmament with golden thread, strings of pearls, [F.222.a] and loose jewels and pearls, as well as various other ornaments. Outside the city the gods and humans decorated the road in order to worship the Blessed One, while inside, the māras and their retinues created beautiful magical displays in order to worship him.

At this time the Blessed One entered the absorption called becoming indestructible and, immersed in it, proceeded on his way down the road. {TK112} He advanced on the road assuming various physical forms and features with their corresponding modes of deportment. Those beings who were devoted to Brahmā and capable of being guided by him saw the Blessed One walking in the form of Brahmā. Those who were capable of being guided by Śakra, Nārāyaṇa, Maheśvara, the Four Great Kings, a universal monarch, the master of a castle, a great sage,246 a monk, a princely youth, a woman, a lion, an elephant, a nāga, or an asura saw the Blessed One in that respective form. Those who were devoted to and capable of being guided by rabbits saw the Blessed One with the form and features of a rabbit, advancing on the road in the manner of a rabbit. Those capable of being guided by buddhas saw the Blessed One with the form and features of a buddha, advancing on the road in the manner of a buddha. All these beings walked along close together with folded hands, one after the other, bowing and singing praises.

At that time, the sage Jyotīrasa, who lived next to the Himalayas, {K102} spurred on by Māra,247 arrived in the vicinity of the gates of the great city of Rājagṛha, along with his retinue of five hundred. [F.222.b] 248When he saw the Blessed One proceeding down the road in the form, features, color, shape, deportment, and style of a sage, and the many billions of gods {TK113} diligently venerating him, he had the following thought:

“Truly, this man is a great sage with tremendous power. He is worthy of veneration and both gods and humans are venerating him. His entire body is ornamented with the marks of merit. I can see that he is a learned preceptor. I would like to check to see which of the two of us is elder and more learned. So, I will go before him and inquire about his caste, family lineage, dwelling place, and ascetic discipline.”

Then the sage Jyotīrasa gazed upon his retinue and announced:

All the young brahmins in his retinue pledged with one voice that they would do as their preceptor had instructed. The sage Jyotīrasa and his retinue then went to the Blessed One. Standing before the Blessed One, they joined their palms and asked, “Who are you?”

The Blessed One answered, “I am a brahmin.”

“What is your family lineage?”

“I am of the Gautama family lineage.”

“What is your ascetic discipline?”

“My ascetic discipline is the threefold liberation.”

“What is your practice?”

“I practice suchness, the ultimate reality.”

“How long has it been since you went forth?”

“I have gone forth {TK114} since ignorance arose.”

“Great Sage, can you explain the Vedic teachings of astrology?”

The Blessed One responded, “When one is free from superimposition, everything is the same. [F.223.a] So from that perspective, what is the point of worldly knowledge?”

“It delights the learned,” replied the sage.

“Where do the stars abide?” asked the Blessed One.

The sage answered, “There are said to be the twenty-eight constellations that are supported by, and follow, the sun and the moon. In relation to the measurement by fingers,249 there are thirty-eight. Using this measurement by fingers, there are twelve fingers lengthwise within the body where the stars abide. With one measure of a finger at the brain in the head and one measure of a finger at the soles of the feet, there are a total of fourteen such fingers within the body. What exists at those locations does not change into anything else. Thus, the way one is follows the star under which one is born. What else is there? Let me explain. Please listen, Great Sage!

The Blessed One then said:

The sage Jyotīrasa showered the Blessed One with flowers {TK120} and was deeply pleased. He then inquired:

The Blessed One answered:

261Immediately after the Blessed Buddha had spoken these verses, the sage Jyotīrasa and his retinue saw the Blessed One transform into the form, features, and deportment of a buddha as their previously accumulated roots of virtue became activated. The sage Jyotīrasa then attained a state of absorption such that, sitting like the bodhisattva Peak of the Victory Banner, he was able to see into all states of absorption without depending on any other factors. Through all these forms of absorption, [F.225.a] his state became such that nobody could take it away from him. He attained the bodhisattva absorption called Ratnaketu.262

The great sage, holding a flower263 in his folded hands, then praised the Blessed One with the following verses: {K103}

Then the sage Jyotīrasa cast the flowers he had just spoken of upon the Blessed One, and they became a single parasol floating above the crown of his head. When he saw this, satisfying feelings of tremendous and extraordinary joy and pleasure arose in Jyotīrasa’s mind. [F.226.a] He fell to his knees and touched the Blessed One’s feet. As soon as he did so, the entire great trichiliocosm286 shook in six different ways. The hundreds of thousands of millions of billions of beings who were there became so moved287 that they beheld a vision.288

Those beings who were capable of being guided by elephants perceived the Blissful One in the form of an elephant. They were overjoyed. When they saw the flowers cast by the great sage transformed and floating in the sky as a parasol and the earth shaking, {TK127} they fell to the Blessed One’s feet in amazement. Those who were capable of being guided by buddhas all perceived the Blessed One in the guise of a buddha and were wonderstruck.289

When the Blessed One then emerged from his absorption, becoming indestructible, those beings who were capable of being guided by buddhas290 felt joyous and exhilarated on seeing him emerge and showered him with all the flowers, incense, perfume, garlands, scented oils, clothes, ornaments, and adornments they had. For this occasion, the Blessed One,291 addressing Jyotīrasa, uttered the following stanzas: {K107}

Jyotīrasa, the bodhisattva great being, then asked, “In what buddha field will I turn the wheel of the Dharma?” [F.226.b] {TK128}293

The Blessed One replied,294 “In countless eons, you will appear in a buddha field to the north called Extensive Scent of Flowers. This buddha field will be arranged just as the present-day world of Sukhāvatī is. You will fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood in this buddha field. You will be a thus-gone, worthy, perfect buddha, someone learned and virtuous, a blissful one, a knower of the world, a charioteer who guides beings, an unsurpassed being, and a teacher of gods and humans. You will be known as the blessed buddha Immaculate Fragrant Star of Bright Splendor. Your lifespan will extend to an intermediate eon. There will be no hearers or solitary buddhas in your buddha field; it will be a realm exclusive to bodhisattva great beings. You will only give Great Vehicle teachings there.”

When the assembly that had amassed there heard the prophecy of the bodhisattva great being Jyotīrasa, they exerted themselves in venerating the Blessed One. The five hundred young brahmins and ninety-two trillion other beings there developed the mind directed toward unsurpassed and perfect awakening. They achieved the bodhisattva absorption called not forgetting the mind of awakening.

The millions of māras then thought, “We should adorn the gates of the city through which the Blessed One is to enter, as well as the earth surrounding them, with sublime and magnificent ornaments in the same manner as the gods, nāgas, and yakṣas have adorned the surroundings of the city.”

With his mind, however, the Blessed One knew the thoughts of the millions of māras,[F.227.a] and he manifested a miracle such that through the twelve gates of the city, twelve blessed buddhas entered the city of Rājagṛha. The millions of māras then, while hovering in the sky, adorned the city gates, the area around them, the city walls, its trees, and the surface of the earth with magical ornaments of the māra realm, as well as countless other magnificent miraculous manifestations set in the finest and most beautiful arrangements. Some of the millions of māras transformed into guises ranging from that of Brahmā to those of great sages. {TK131} From their perch in the sky, they placed various flowers, incense, scented powders, garlands, gold, silver, jewels, and pearls on the windows, ledges, and turrets of the mansions in the city, as well as in the trees. They also cast down a rain of cloth, cotton, linen, and ornaments, played many instruments, and venerated the Blessed One with songs of praise, extolling his qualities. The Blessed One then entered Rājagṛha’s city gates, adorned as they were with a supremely extensive and elevating display made in such a novel, incredible, and miraculous fashion.

As he entered, he touched the threshold of the city gate with the big toe of his right foot. As soon as he did so, the entire great trichiliocosm shook in six different ways. This earthquake was felt by Śakra, Brahmā, Sūrya, Candra, the world protectors, and Maheśvara, as well as all leaders of the gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas, and also by the gods of the earth, water, oceans, cities, [F.227.b] and countryside. It was also felt by all the men, women, {TK132} boys, and girls and all the retinues of the divine great sages up to the Unexcelled Heaven. The earthquake immediately mobilized all these majestic beings to gather at the area surrounding the city of Rājagṛha. From the ground below and the sky above, they cast flowers and incense powder, suitable to the season, toward the Blessed One.

The Blessed One then scattered the flowers, powders, and so forth into each of the ten directions in order to venerate and honor the buddhas in all the buddha fields—pure as well as impure,295 empty as well as not empty—that are as numerous as the atoms in existence. The following verses then rang out from the flowers, powders, and ornaments in those buddha fields:

Then the bodhisattva great beings, hearers, and great hearers who were settled in mental composure in the grove of Veṇuvana gazed at the Teacher. They saw that the Blessed One was at the gate of the city of Rājagṛha, calm and collected. [F.228.a] All these bodhisattva great beings and great hearers also saw the ranks and formations {TK134} on the edges at the Blessed One’s sides.

The sound of the verses that came from the flower and powder decorations then rang out in the buddha fields—pure and impure, empty and not empty—as numerous as the atoms existing throughout the ten directions. When the bodhisattva great beings and hearers in those buddha fields heard the sound, they thought, “How pleasing this sound is. How enjoyable, delightful, satisfying, and pleasant it is. Its great qualities are indeed worthy of praise. Now, whence have this sound and this rain of flowers and powders come?” The bodhisattva great beings and great hearers thus halted their individual virtuous activities in utter amazement.

The blessed, thus-gone Śākyamuni then entered into an absorption called corresponding to the causes of the Buddha’s ornaments and jewelry. As soon as he entered this absorption, {TK135} an immense display appeared throughout this entire Sahā world and all the buddha fields throughout the ten directions. They all became just like the future thus-gone Samantadarśin’s buddha field, which is called Pure and Unstained. In all the buddha fields with their world systems as numerous as atoms, throughout the ten directions, that were all unconstructed296 yet marvelously adorned, the blessed, thus-gone Śākyamuni appeared—clearly, precisely, and brilliantly—entering the city gates of Rājagṛha. [F.228.b] As the bodhisattva great beings and great hearers in those buddha fields heard these sounds, they were intrigued. Gazing in all directions, they all saw the Sahā world—not very far away. Through the domain of the Buddha, they also saw the divine, miraculously created ornaments.

The bodhisattva great beings and great hearers then thought, “We should go to see and examine the presence of that great assembly and the qualities of the buddha field. We should go to see, venerate, and serve the thus-gone Śākyamuni. {TK136} There we will definitely receive our prophecies of unsurpassed and perfect awakening!”

Through the thus-gone Śākyamuni’s miraculous power, bodhisattva great beings and great hearers as numerous as the atoms in all the buddha fields throughout the ten directions then disappeared from their own buddha fields and arrived instantaneously in this Sahā world. When the countless, limitless bodhisattva great beings, who were as numerous as the atoms in all the buddha fields, arrived from each of the ten directions, they filled the earth and the sky above this buddha field entirely. Due to the power of the cause that is in accord with these bodhisattva great beings’ roots of virtue, they set out venerating the thus-gone Śākyamuni.

In order to venerate the Blessed One, some bodhisattva great beings covered the entire buddha field {TK137} with a rain of various flowers, while others cast down showers of pearls, and so forth. In order to venerate the Blessed One, yet others cast down showers of gold, silver, beryl, [F.229.a] crystal, emerald, coral, white sandalwood, uraga sandalwood, and the powdered leaves of the palm tree, thus filling the sky. In order to venerate the Blessed One, others cast down a rain of dangling and swaying ornaments and various cloth and linens. In order to venerate the Blessed One, some held up jeweled parasols, banners, and flags. In order to venerate the Blessed One, some anointed the earth with various scents. Some tossed jeweled garlands. Some played instruments and cymbals. Some sang and danced. Some played music. Some cleansed the earth with scented water. Some bore jeweled vessels containing jewels to the Blessed One. Some {TK138} filled jeweled vessels with scented water, decorated them with flowers, fruits, and leaves, and bore them to the Blessed One. Some decorated jeweled trees with divine cloth, jewelry, flowers, and fruits and held them high.

Some transformed themselves into the guise of Mahābrahmā and prostrated to the Blessed One with palms joined together. Standing there, they made extensive offerings in the manner just mentioned. Some transformed themselves into the guise of lions, prostrated to the Blessed One, and took their places. Drawing on the Blessed One’s miraculous power and the strength of their own roots of virtue, the beings there were able to perceive one another’s forms unimpededly with their own eyes. The Blessed One then entered the city of Rājagṛha through the transformative power of the gods of the great māra realm, as well as his own297 applications of mindfulness, right exertions, bases of supernatural power, faculties, strengths, limbs of awakening, [F.229.b] paths, and eighteen unique qualities of a buddha. {TK139} He then proceeded to a lotus that was right in the center of the road, touched the head of the flower with his right palm, and picked it up. As he plucked the lotus, it vibrated, which caused all the encircling mountains, greater encircling mountains, Mount Sumeru, the great oceans, and all the māra realms in this buddha field to shake. The celestial palaces, abodes, beds, and seats in the māra realms also shook violently. All the māra boys and girls and their retinues there were terrified and worried and said to one another, “Since our celestial palaces do not shake for no reason, perhaps Māra, our king, has passed from his domain? What if we are also to die and pass from our home? We should definitely go to see what is happening!”

Once they saw what had happened, they thought, “If this buddha field is influenced by the five degenerations, who has then ornamented it so? Who has made it so pleasant?”

Then, as the māras and their servants were standing in that place, they saw the thus-gone Śākyamuni seated there—shining, {TK140} gleaming, brilliant, and adorned with the thirty-two marks of a great being. They did not recognize even a single one of the many other beings of various forms, colors, characteristics, and shapes that existed in the whole trichiliocosm, including this entire buddha field. Yet they saw each of those beings exerting themselves in venerating the Blessed One.

It then occurred to them, “We must by all means go to see the thus-gone Śākyamuni, pay our respects to him, and ask him where our leader and his servants have gone.” {K108}298 [F.230.a]

299The billion māras together with their retinues arrived in the presence of Blessed Śākyamuni and took their seats.300 Māra, the evil one, bowed with folded hands in the direction of the Blessed One and said:

The Blessed One replied:

The evil one said:

The Blessed One replied: {K109}

The Blessed One then looked with his buddha eye at the entire buddha field and, seeing it completely filled with beings that live on earth and in the sky, recited the following stanzas:

When through the power of the Blessed One’s merit, {TK146} his strength of fearlessness, and the influence of his merit according to his roots of virtue {K112} he chanted these verses with the unimpeded sound of his voice, his words of the maṇḍala of space were heard throughout the ten directions in worlds—with and without the five degenerations—equal in extent to the infinite grains of sand in the Gaṅgā. Immediately, infinite hundreds of thousands of millions of billions of beings in every buddha field obtained faith and undefiled joy. They proceeded irreversibly to unsurpassed and perfect awakening. Some attained absorption, acceptance, or different dhāraṇīs. Those who were gathered in this buddha field obtained the level of irreversibility when they heard the Blessed One’s words, syllables, and meaning. Infinite numbers of beings attained renunciation according to one of the three vehicles.322

Jyotīrasa, the bodhisattva great being,323 magically created the stairs, [F.231.b] made of the seven precious gems324 and shaded with flowers, for ascending to the lotus throne and, with hands folded325 in the direction of the Blessed One, implored:

The Blessed One then climbed atop the lotus throne via the magically emanated staircase and took his seat at the center of the lotus. Gazing in all ten directions, the Blessed One {TK148} then addressed the evil Māra: “O Māra, evil one, you are the reason that the Dharma teaching of the Great Collection was taught here today, whereby countless infinite beings will be liberated and freed from the misery of being in the womb, as well as from aging and death. They will cross over the four rivers. [F.232.a] They will travel the peaceful path. They will realize that wisdom that is equal to space. Evil Māra, because you have set the proliferation of these beings’ roots of virtue in motion, you should rejoice! Evil Māra, you should request me to teach the Dharma. Then I shall teach the Dharma so that those in your Māra world may be able to cross the rising river.

Then Māra, the evil one, spoke the following verse:

The Blessed One responded:

Māra, the evil one, became furious with the Blessed One. Disturbed and distressed, he wished to turn back but now noticed he was bound by a fivefold noose. He wished to cry out in fear, but was unable. Through the power of his anger, he blew out incredibly hot breath to kill the Blessed One. Yet the Blessed One transformed it into a most exquisite flower, which he then blessed so that it became a very pleasing parasol in the space directly above the crowns of the heads of all the blessed buddhas dwelling, flourishing, and teaching the Dharma in all the buddha fields throughout the ten directions. The bodhisattva great beings in each of those buddha fields asked their respective blessed buddhas, “Where have these flower parasols come from? And due to whose magical power?”

The blessed ones answered the bodhisattva great beings, saying, “Noble children, there is a world called the Sahā world.329A thus-gone, worthy, perfect buddha called Śākyamuni made aspirations in the past to fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood within that buddha field, which is rife with the afflictions and the five degenerations and where he now teaches the Dharma. This thus-gone one is about to give an exposition of the dhāraṇī-seal, including its verbal formula, which is called the terminator of birth based on the essential nature of phenomena in their vajra-like indivisibility.

“This exposition completely destroys the forces of the entire dominion of Māra and elevates all the strengths, the types of fearlessness, and the domains of a buddha. It ensures the continuity of the teachings of the buddhas and the lamp of the Three Jewels. {TK152} It activates the blessings of his diligence [F.233.b] to increase all roots of virtue. It destroys all enemies and obstructers. It pacifies the ordinary, the inauspicious, disputes, bad dreams, evil omens, famine, the mass of fears, struggle, warfare, captivity, fighting, arguments, drought, unseasonable heat and cold, storms, heat waves, sickness, and unpleasant sounds. It motivates all the gods, nāgas, yakṣas, and human and nonhuman beings. It summons and motivates the warrior caste. It engages the four castes in the service of Dharma. It sets ablaze the torch of insight and teaches a direct path. It motivates all the households, towns, cities, villages, districts, countryside, royal cities, and hinterlands. It aligns constellations, planets, nights, days, months, fortnights, and years.330 It ensures good harvests and an abundance of flowers, fruits, grains, and medicinal herbs. It accomplishes all manufacturing and business ventures and supervisory331 tasks. It pacifies all the faults of body, speech, and mind. {K114} It increases insight, mindfulness, intelligence, interest, courage, stability, patience, and eloquence. It awakens the unobstructed vision of all phenomena. It blesses the Dharma tradition with the four noble attributes. It elucidates the Great Vehicle. It nurtures bodhisattva great beings and gives comfort to them. It blesses the vajra-like minds of those at the stage of irreversibility. It makes beings realize the acceptance that phenomena are unborn.332 It establishes beings in realization consistent with {TK153} the tenth bodhisattva level. It cares for beings that require guidance. It turns the wheel [F.234.a] of Dharma. It covers all beings with great compassion. It engages them in the practice of the perfections. It establishes them on the unsurpassed path. It rains Dharma. It satisfies all beings with the essence of Dharma. It completes the fully awakened intention of the buddhas. It brings freedom from the domain of the four māras. It places beings in the expanse of nirvāṇa without any remainder of the aggregates.333

“This exposition of the dhāraṇī-seal, including its verbal formula, which is called the terminator of birth based on the essential nature of phenomena in their vajra-like indivisibility,334 was given, blessed, and rejoiced at, upon each other’s giving it, by all the thus-gone, worthy, perfect buddhas of the past. Whatever blessed buddhas now dwell and pass their time in the ten directions, teaching the Dharma there, they all give, bless, and rejoice in each other’s offering of this exposition. In the future, whatever thus-gone, worthy, perfect buddhas will dwell in other worlds {TK154} in the ten directions, they all will also {K115} give, bless, and rejoice in each other’s offering of this exposition.”

Hearing this, all the bodhisattva great beings who dwelled in these buddha fields asked their respective buddhas, “What is this exposition, O Blessed One, that we haven’t heard before [F.234.b] and that is a treasure trove of so many qualities, that is endowed with inconceivable qualities, that grants unobstructed vision of all phenomena, . . .335 and that pacifies? Please, O Blessed One, give this exposition that completely destroys the forces of the entire dominion of Māra . . .336 and places beings in the expanse of nirvāṇa without any remainder of the aggregates. Give it out of compassion for the world, for the benefit and happiness of many people. It will surely be in the interest of great numbers of beings, bringing benefit and happiness to gods and humans alike.”

The blessed buddhas replied to the bodhisattvas, {TK155} “O noble children! We also are going to the Sahā world where the thus-gone, worthy, perfect buddha Śākyamuni dwells. Similarly, whatever blessed buddhas now dwell and pass their time in the ten directions in their respective worlds, they are all going along with their retinues of bodhisattvas and congregations of hearers to the Sahā world where the thus-gone, worthy, perfect buddha Śākyamuni dwells. {K116} Together with the thus-gone Śākyamuni they will give, bless, and rejoice in each other’s offering of this exposition [F.235.a] in order to benefit all beings by stopping them from committing evil acts, fully establishing them in wholesome conduct, and filling them with unsurpassed wisdom.

“Once all these blessed buddhas have gathered today in the Sahā world along with their retinues of bodhisattvas and congregations of hearers, they will give this exposition there. So, if any of you wants to hear this exposition and to worship the blessed buddhas, as innumerable as the grains of sand in the river Gaṅgā, {TK156} who are abiding together at the same time337 in the same buddha field, and if any of you want to hear their teachings and to see the domains of all the buddhas, bodhisattvas, gods, māras, and the marvelous ornamentation of all the buddha fields, and if any of you want to see a gathering of buddhas such as has never been seen or heard of, let us now go together to the Sahā world where the thus-gone, worthy, perfect buddha Śākyamuni dwells.”

The bodhisattva great beings replied to their respective buddhas, “If this is so, O venerable Blessed One, we shall go together with you, our thus-gone one, to the Sahā world where the thus-gone, worthy, perfect buddha Śākyamuni dwells, {K117} in order to hear this exposition that we have not heard before. [F.235.b] We shall worship there, all at the same time and on the same occasion, in the same buddha field, infinite numbers of blessed buddhas living and spending their time there. We will request them to teach us the Dharma. We will see the Sahā world adorned with the miraculous displays originating from the four bases of supernatural power, and that great gathering in a marvelous array. And if we manage to get a place in that buddha field while the dhāraṇī included in this exposition is being recited, we will be able to honor, praise, serve, and worship the buddhas and the bodhisattva great beings who have gathered there.”

Then each of the blessed buddhas in his respective buddha field spoke to his own retinue of bodhisattva great beings and congregation of great hearers: {TK157}

“Do not be anxious, noble children, or have any doubts about whether there will be enough space available in that world to accommodate everybody. Why so? Because the blessed buddhas have an infinite ability to bring beings to maturity—an ability that derives from their skill in the wisdom of equality particular to their buddha fields. Because, O noble children, the thus-gone Śākyamuni has such great skillful means, he has the ability to expand space. {K118} Noble children, imagine that he is able to accommodate in a single mustard seed all the beings, who depend for existence on physical elements and sense faculties, taken together from their respective realms, even if each and every one of them were as big as Mount Meru. Each of them would have ample room for themselves and none would even arrive in one another’s field of vision. Even if the bodies of all beings were placed in a single mustard seed, they would not appear to shrink, nor would the seed appear to grow. The thus-gone Śākyamuni, noble children, is indeed endowed with such skill in means.

“And furthermore, O noble children, whatever solidity there is in existence constitutes the earth element. The thus-gone Śākyamuni could place [F.236.a] all of it within a single particle of dust, and this particle, with all of the earth element having entered there, would not appear to expand, nor would the earth element appear to shrink. With such skill in means is the thus-gone Śākyamuni endowed.

“Again, O noble children, anything that appears as wet constitutes the water element—the thus-gone Śākyamuni could place all of it on a single hair tip, {TK158} and this hair tip, with all the water element having entered there, would not appear to expand, nor would the water element appear to shrink. With such skill in means is the thus-gone Śākyamuni endowed.

“And further, O noble children, whatever of the wind element is known to exist, the thus-gone Śākyamuni could place all of it within a single pore. This entire element of wind, {K119} even though contained within a single pore of skin, would be able to move around, provided with ample room as if within its own usual sphere of activity.

338“Again, O noble children, anything that appears as hot constitutes the fire element. The thus-gone Śākyamuni could place anything relating to the fire element that has arisen, is arising, or will arise within a single particle of dust. Even if the entire fire element was gathered there in a single particle, it would still be able to function within that single particle, provided with ample range as if within its own usual domain.

“And further, O noble children, whatever buddha fields there are in the ten directions, the thus-gone Śākyamuni could place all of them, together with all the beings there and the four great elements, on a single hair tip.

“Then, in that infinitely small space, all those beings and the great elements would be able to go about their usual business and move around as if in their own usual spheres of operation, provided with sufficient space. They would not get into each other’s way, and this infinitely small space would not appear to expand, nor would they appear to shrink. With such skill in means is the thus-gone Śākyamuni endowed.

“And further, O noble children, the thus-gone Śākyamuni can know the six sense bases, conduct, grasping, aspirations, blessings, ranges of speech, sounds, phonemes, expressions of language, actions or endeavors that involve the three predispositions,339 aggregates, analytical minds, and the range of methods for gathering accumulations of all the beings of the three times, in a single instant. {TK159} He is able to know anything at all about any being from the far reaches of the past to that which generates the rebirths in saṃsāra of any of the six kinds of beings throughout the three times, [F.236.b] as well as their deaths, births, and what occurs for each of them. He can know the extent of the particles of earth. He can know how beings pass the moments and hours throughout the three times. He can know every pore of all beings throughout the three times.340 He can know the extent of the enjoyments, behaviors, and experiences of happiness and suffering of all beings throughout the three times. The thus-gone Śākyamuni can know all this within a single instant. {K120}

“The thus-gone Śākyamuni is able to comprehend the three times up to their farthest limit effortlessly and without ideas or concepts, because he is endowed with this kind of clairvoyant wisdom that is miraculous in character. The thus-gone Śākyamuni is endowed with such immeasurable means to bring beings to maturity through equanimity, O noble children, because of his skill in wisdom that derives from his buddha domain.”

When these characteristics were elucidated, infinite and uncountable hundreds of thousands of bodhisattvas from the respective retinues of the thus-gone ones from all the different directions reached the perfection of insight, based on their previous aspirations.341

At that time the thus-gone Akṣobhya set out from the world in the east called Abhirati in the company of an infinite number of bodhisattva great beings. Through the power and mastery of miracles particular to a buddha, he arrived instantaneously in the buddha field that includes the central world with its four continents, where the thus-gone, worthy, perfect buddha Śākyamuni was staying. Having arrived, he sat upon a lotus seat that appeared just as needed. The bodhisattva great beings [F.237.a] from his retinue also sat upon lotus seats that appeared through their own magical power.

Headed by Akṣobhya, infinite numbers of the blessed buddhas living in buddha fields as numerous as atoms also arrived. They arrived in a split second, in the same buddha field that includes the central world with its four continents where the thus-gone, worthy, perfect buddha Śākyamuni was staying. Each and every one of these thus-gone ones was accompanied by an infinite number of bodhisattva great beings and hundreds of thousands of millions of billions of hearers. Having arrived, they sat down upon lotus seats that appeared just as needed.

At the same time, the thus-gone Ratnadhvaja came from the south . . .342 and he sat upon a seat of lotus filaments.

In the same way {TK161} there came from the north {K122} the thus-gone Dundubhisvara. Having arrived, he sat upon a seat of lotus filaments.

At the same time, the thus-gone Amitāyus came from the west. Having arrived . . .343 he sat upon a seat of lotus filaments.

Simultaneously, the thus-gone Vairocana came from below. Having arrived . . .344 he sat upon a seat of lotus filaments.

The thus-gone Jñānaraśmirāja came from above, accompanied by infinite and uncountable hundreds of thousands of millions of billions of bodhisattva great beings, just like specks of dust, hailing from the buddha fields above as numerous as the grains of sand in the river Gaṅgā. Through his mastery of miracles particular to a buddha, he started off, and within a single instant of thought he arrived in the buddha field that includes the central world with its four continents, where the thus-gone, worthy, perfect buddha Śākyamuni was staying. Having arrived, he sat upon a lotus throne345 that appeared just as needed. The bodhisattva great beings all sat upon lotus seats that miraculously appeared through their own [F.237.b] mastery of magical power according to their individual stores of merit.

Some of the bodhisattvas who had thus gathered from the ten directions around the thus-gone Śākyamuni rained down gold from the Jambu River in an act of worship of the blessed thus-gone ones. Some circumambulated clockwise the entire buddha field. Some stood with folded hands in front of the blessed buddhas, eager to hear the Dharma. And some directed their minds and abided by modes of virtue particular to themselves.346

Subhūti, the princely youth, folded his hands and, drawing on his own magical power and the power of the blessed buddhas, {TK162} filled up the entire buddha field with the words that he sang: {K123}

Subsequently, infinite and uncountable numbers of bodhisattva great beings implored with a single voice, “O most compassionate blessed buddhas! Please remain on your lotus seats and teach now this dhāraṇī that is suffused with the utmost loving kindness and acceptance, is composed with great skill,353 and contains all Dharma teachings—the one that removes fear; enables escape from all the domains of Māra;354 topples the banner of Māra, and raises the banner of the Dharma; obliterates all afflictions; {K124} defeats all enemies, severs all doubts, brings one to omniscient wisdom, frees one from all fears,355 offers complete and matchless protection; ensures no loss of memory, intelligence, demeanor, or steadfastness356 with regard to all the qualities of the bodhisattvas; shows the complete array of conduct, skillful means, and wisdom; brings one to the sense bases, blessings, absorption, dhāraṇī, and acceptance that support perfect happiness; fosters proficiency in conventional knowledge,357 . . .358 and contains the essence of the thirty-seven factors of awakening.

“Please teach us this dhāraṇī in order to bring beings into contact with charismatic splendor, health, enjoyments, strength,359 good reputation, happiness, and a comfortable life; to increase eloquence and the powers of recollection and make us able to remember what has been heard without any loss of detail; to defeat all enemies; {TK164} to ensure good harvests;360 to bring the power to retain what has been learned and become a receptacle of mindfulness; and to help accomplish the right conduct and attain awakening.

“Please, O blessed buddhas, teach this dhāraṇī to us now so that this Dharma method will be upheld and remain for a long time and so that the lineage of the Three Jewels does not perish. Teach it to show the complete path [F.238.b] to unsurpassable awakening. Teach it to show the indivisibility of the ultimate reality, space, and suchness and the indivisibility of darkness, light, the observable, the unobservable, near, far, thought, concept, beings, the vital principle, individual soul, and person.361 Teach it to show that all phenomena are insubstantial, undifferentiable from the ultimate reality, and equal in their characteristic of not being born, arising, or ceasing. And teach it to show the indivisibility of the elements of earth, water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness.

“May all the blessed buddhas here recite for us this dhāraṇī, promulgated as the collection of all the Dharma teachings that constitute the path, so that, immediately upon hearing it, innumerable {K125} hundreds of thousands of millions of billions of beings directly realize the nature of the Three Jewels. May they then work as spiritual friends for each other’s benefit. May an infinite number of beings develop the wish to attain unsurpassable, perfect awakening, reach the stage of a non-returner, and each obtain a prophecy of attaining buddhahood.”

Thus addressed, all the blessed buddhas, now assuming responsibility for the delivery of the Dharma, fell silent and remained seated on their seats of lotus filaments. They entered an absorption that manifests equanimity according to the former aspirations of a buddha. {TK165} All the beings in all these buddha fields gained mindfulness, faith, inspiration, and devotion that served to quell all forms of suffering and to gather all roots of virtue. By merely beholding the blessed buddhas, the attachment, aggression, delusion, wrong views, pride, arrogance, haughtiness, personalistic false views, doubt, acquisition, craving for existence, and faults in the substratum comprising the minds and mental states of all the beings in all these buddha fields were all quelled. Each and every one of these beings had this perception: [F.239.a] “It is just me alone that is here to hear the Dharma before the Thus-Gone One. There is no one else! The entirety of the Blessed One’s mind is directed toward me. He is teaching me the Dharma in order to alleviate all forms of sickness. No one else has requested the Thus-Gone One so as to hear the Dharma.” This perception was possible because the buddhas entered an absorption that manifests impartiality according to the former aspirations of a buddha.362

Whatever beings dwelled at that time in this entire buddha field, {K126} all of them, their senses alert, folded their hands and said in one voice:

“Please teach us the Dharma, O blessed buddhas! Teach us the Dharma, venerable blissful ones! We will apply ourselves to the teachings of the blessed buddhas with earnestness.” {TK166}

At this point, the thus-gone Śākyamuni, in order to worship the other blessed buddhas, flooded this entire buddha field, through his blessings, with an exquisite and particularly powerful fragrance, far exceeding that of the already present array of aromas. And he placed in the hands of363 all the beings that were in all the buddha fields various jewels, flowers, chaplets, scented oils, parasols, banners, flags, ornaments, and embellishments, so that they could themselves worship the remaining364 blessed buddhas.

He then said, “I beg your attention, O blessed buddhas in the other buddha fields in the ten directions. Please come to my buddha field so we may have a discussion. I made the aspiration in the past to awaken fully and completely to unsurpassed and perfect awakening in this world debased by the five degenerations, to take responsibility for liberating365 {K127} all beings from the weariness366 caused by heat, cold, and hot winds; for liberating, out of compassion, all the beings who have lost their sanity, lost their way, or, veiled by the dark veil of ignorance, been thrown into [F.239.b] the darkness of afflictions;367 and for all the beings who are on their way to being reborn in the three miserable realms, who fall into bad company and are deprived of good company, who spurn the wise, who commit the five acts of immediate retribution, who reject the sacred Dharma, who revile the noble ones, and who have no compassion in their hearts. I do this with the diligence, power, and effort that arise out of great compassion.

Traveling on foot, I visit villages, towns, cities, countries, and capital cities. To benefit beings, I consume {TK167} small quantities of harsh and disagreeable food, tasteless and utterly disgusting. To develop their roots of virtue, I wear coarse rags for robes, unpleasant to the touch, made from scraps of cotton and hemp salvaged from garbage dumps.368 I live in places such as mountain wildernesses, forest thickets, deserted towns, or charnel grounds. I make my bedding from hemp, sticks, and leaves—rough, stale-smelling, and unpleasant to the touch.369 Donning the armor370 of skillful means, great compassion, and diligence, I engage beings in conversation in various ways. With kṣatriyas, I talk about the might of the king, with brahmins about the Vedas and astrology, {K128} with ministers about the administration of the country. I talk with physicians about the efficacy of mineral and herbal remedies, with merchants about buying and selling merchandise, and with householders about responsibilities pertaining to the affairs of the house. I talk with women about beauty, jewelry, pregnancy, and avoiding petty competition. With monks I discuss the delights of acceptance, good character, and the three types of activity.371

“In order to bring beings to maturity, I set on the path of attainment those who have not yet reached it. I help those not yet realized to attain realization, those who have not had a direct experience to have it, [F.240.a] and those who are not yet liberated to become so. I relieve a variety of sufferings. I travel the country in order to bring beings to maturity.

“At such times, these beings curse and abuse me. Filled with envy,372 they falsely accuse me of indulging in sex.373 They harass me with hypocritical gossip and women’s tales—treacherous, wicked, untrue, and mean. They throw dirt upon me. They boldly approach374 me to slay me with weapons, poison, and fire, {TK168} raining upon me discuses, javelins, arrows, swords, spears, axes, and rocks. In order to kill me, they set upon me elephants, venomous snakes, lions, tigers, bulls, buffaloes, wolves,375 and athletes. They fill up my houses, monasteries, and temples376 with filth and foul odors.377 When my hearers enter a town {K129} to beg alms, these ignoble beings rudely follow them in the streets, dancing and singing. They employ many hundreds of thousands of stratagems to kill me, striving to obliterate my doctrine, extinguish the torch showing the way to the Dharma, bring down the banner of the Dharma, break the boat of the Dharma, and scatter my Dharma offerings.

“Now, may all of you, O blessed buddhas, look at the Dharma methods of the blessed buddhas of the past.378 Please consider how they had gathered together in this buddha field afflicted by the five degenerations in order to ensure the long continuity of the Dharma methods; to crush the entire force and the dominion of Māra; to prevent the interruption of the continuity of the lineage of the Three Jewels; to increase beings’ roots of virtue; to suppress the proclamations of all the hostile preachers of other doctrines;379 to pacify discord, [F.240.b] quarrels, famine, disease, invasions by foreign powers, enslavement, wars, disputes, unseasonable cold and hot spells, storms, torrential rains, hurricanes, the defects of body, speech, and mind, and wrong views; to propitiate all the gods, nāgas, yakṣas,380 {TK169} and human and nonhuman beings; to protect every house, village, town, city, and kingdom; to dispel all the wickedness, poison, evil spirits, blind infatuation, bad dreams, and bad omens;381 {K130} to provide beings with all the grain, medicine, fruits, flowers, and extracts that they need for livelihood; to engage the kṣatriyas, brahmins, vaiśyas, and śūdras in virtuous conduct; to generate the mind of awakening; to encourage the practice of the six perfections; to increase the wisdom, skillful means, powers of recollection, mental resourcefulness, demeanor, contemplation, devotion, valor, stability,382 and eloquence particular to the bodhisattva great beings; and to reach the other shore of wisdom that brings the reprieve of the final bodhisattva level.

“These thus-gone, worthy, perfect buddhas of the past taught, blessed, and rejoiced in each other’s giving of this Dharma discourse and exposition of the dhāraṇī-seal, including its verbal formula, which is called the terminator of birth based on the essential nature of phenomena in their vajra-like indivisibility. So now, in exactly the same way, all of you, O blessed buddhas, who live and spend your time in the ten directions but have now come together for the sake of inquiry to this buddha field of mine afflicted by the five degenerations, who are now seated here all together, may all of you give, bless, and rejoice in each other’s offering of this Dharma discourse and exposition of the dhāraṇī-seal, including its verbal formula, which is called the terminator of birth based on the essential nature of phenomena in their vajra-like indivisibility.

“Please do this in order to ensure the long continuity of this Dharma method, to crush the entire force [F.241.a] and dominion of Māra, . . .383 and to reach the other shore of unobstructed384 wisdom. Do this out of regard for my wish {TK170} that this sacred Dharma method will continue in this buddha field for a long time, will not be violated by any of the followers of other systems, and will not suffer annihilation,385 and also to ensure the continuity of the lineage of the Three Jewels,386 and provide sustenance to all beings by means of the nectar of Dharma.” {K131}

The blessed buddhas replied, “Yes, of course! We will certainly carry out our duties as buddhas and take charge of the Dharma situation in this buddha field. To ensure that this Dharma method continues for a long time, to crush the entire force and the dominion of Māra, . . .387 and to reach the other shore of unobstructed388 wisdom, we will give this Dharma discourse and exposition of the dhāraṇī-seal, including its verbal formula, which is called the terminator of birth based on the essential nature of phenomena in their vajra-like indivisibility. All the beings who are in this buddha field, please listen! This dhāraṇī-seal is:

Immediately, all the beings present in all the buddha fields thrice exclaimed, “Homage to all the buddhas!389 Homage! Homage to all the buddhas!” and then further marveled, [F.242.a] “How wonderful is this gathering of sages! How wonderful is this gathering of bodhisattva great beings and great hearers! How extraordinarily wonderful is this exposition of the dhāraṇī-seal, including its verbal formula, which is called the terminator of birth based on the essential nature of phenomena in their vajra-like indivisibility! It shows how to master all the instructions of the Teacher, the Dharma methods, and the tradition of the Three Jewels. It destroys the army and the dominion of Māra and cuts his noose. It defeats all enemies. It raises up the banner of the Dharma. It protects the Dharma followers . . .390 and it completely fills the entire domain of the Buddha.391 This Dharma discourse and exposition of the dhāraṇī-seal, including its verbal formula, which is called the terminator of birth based on the essential nature of phenomena in their vajra-like indivisibility, has presently been spoken by all the blessed buddhas in order to seal the hearts {TK176} of all beings and thus refine their five great elements, their conditioned intellect, and their six sense bases, until they attain the ultimate, final nirvāṇa.”

While this dhāraṇī formula was being recited, {K136} a great number of bodhisattva great beings, thirty times392 as many as there are grains of sand in the Gaṅgā, obtained the absorption and the acceptance that are engendered by this dhāraṇī.

On this occasion, the princely youth Candraprabha rose up from his seat and, looking around with folded hands, spoke as follows, filling the entire buddha field with his voice thanks to the blessing of the buddhas and his own magical power:

In reply, the youthful bodhisattva great beings, as numerous as the grains of sand in the Gaṅgā, said with one voice, “We, too, uphold and bless this dhāraṇī. If any noble sons or daughters, any monks or nuns, or any male or female lay practitioners should teach this dhāraṇī, having for this purpose bathed, donned clean clothes, and ascended a lion throne that is soft and pleasant to the touch; inside a well-constructed pavilion covered in various flowers; perfumed with various fragrances; stocked up with refreshments of various tastes; fitted with cloth, soft fabrics, and adornments of various kinds; and provided with parasols, banners, and flags, no one would be able to disturb their thoughts, bodily humors, bodies, or minds [F.243.a] or give them breathing trouble or headaches. This could not possibly happen.394

“No one would be able to inflict upon them any disease of the body,395 tongue, teeth, bones, throat, arms, back, internal organs, abdomen, pelvis, thighs, or shanks. Nor would anyone be able to interfere with their voice. {K138} If any Dharma teachers should be suffering, due to their previous accumulation of unskillful actions, from any disturbance of the humors or a loss of voice, all of them will be completely pacified when they recite this dhāraṇī. After the negative action is purified, they will become well.

“Also, the students of the Dharma who will attend their teaching will not be affected by any disturbance of the humors or a loss of voice. For those who hear this dhāraṇī, even if they had long been affected by any disturbance of the humors or a loss of voice due to their previous accumulation of unskillful actions, all of this will be cleared away.” {TK179}

At this point, Candraprabha, the princely youth, bowed with folded hands in the direction of the blessed buddhas and the surrounding bodhisattvas, as numerous as the grains of sand in the Gaṅgā, and said, “Please, O blessed buddhas, listen to and give your support for this dhāraṇī:

This dhāraṇī was applauded by all of the bodhisattva great beings and great hearers who were present in all the buddha fields, as well as other beings of great splendor—Śakra, [F.243.b] Brahmā, the world protectors, and the lords of gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas.

The blessed buddhas said, “This dhāraṇī possesses great force and power; it subdues all enemies and completely removes fear, disease, bad dreams, and bad omens . . .396 and takes beings to the other shore of unobscured wisdom. The dhāraṇī just uttered is the outcome of the supreme wisdom that comes from the accumulations of great merit and wisdom.”

At that time, the great brahmā, Bhūteśvara by name, was seated before the blessed Amitāyus. Through his mastery of magical powers particular to a great brahmā, he took on a female form endowed with all the characteristics of supreme beauty and adorned with clothing, {TK181} ornaments, flowers, fragrances, and scented oils that exceeded in greatness even the celestial realms.

Bhūteśvara, this great brahmā, now rose from his seat and said, with folded hands, “Please bless me, O blessed buddhas, with the maṇḍala of sound that conveys words397 and can magically deliver exegetical instructions, so that I can reach with my voice this entire buddha field and no obstacle will arise for me in this respect. {K140} Please bless me so that I can protect Dharma teachers and students through the articulation of mantra words. If any god or a male or female nāga, nāga elder, nāga with an entourage, or nāga offspring; . . . or a male or female piśāca, piśāca elder, [F.244.a] piśāca with an entourage, or piśāca offspring; or any human or nonhuman being should watch out for and seek an opportunity to attack a Dharma teacher or a Dharma student or approach them with an evil or hostile intent, or should disturb, harm, or remove so much as a single hair from their bodies—if any such evil being should steal their vital energy or even breathe upon them or look at them, even momentarily, with an evil intent, I will instantly restrain or punish these māras . . .398 or human and nonhuman beings, and {TK182} I will crush, confuse,399 and curse them.

“So please, O blessed buddhas, empower me with the maṇḍala of sound that conveys words, so that I will be able to penetrate with my voice the entire buddha field. Which of you will help me with this?”

The blessed buddhas remained silent, thus granting their consent. {K141}

A śakra by the name of Śikhindhara, whose body was adorned with the light of ornaments made of gold from the river Jambu, sat there for a moment before addressing Bhūteśvara the brahmā as follows: “You should not sit in front of the thus-gone Amitāyus, sister. Do not act in a casual manner and disturb the blessed one. Why so?

“The thus-gone ones have discovered the path of suchness based on discriminating all forms, letters, and words. A thus-gone one, O sister, is not in conflict with suchness. Rather, he is one with it, being the same as space, which, like him, is characterized by the absence of mental imputations and the cessation of the three predispositions.400 Just as space has no ideas or concepts with regard to the predispositions, so also a thus-gone one [F.244.b] does not cogitate {TK183} about sensual enjoyments, form ideas or concepts about them, dwell on them, or get attached to them. He thus does not conceptualize about or falsely identify beings, a vital principle, an individual soul, a person, aggregates, elements, or sense bases. Why then do you, sister, ruminate about the body of the Thus-Gone One?”401

“You should consider things carefully, O lord of gods, before you say them,” counseled the thus-gone Amitāyus, “otherwise you may incur undesirable results lasting a long period of time. In this case, this truly great person has performed great service to many buddhas and has cultivated his roots of virtue in the presence of the blessed buddhas. He magically transformed himself into a well-adorned woman in order to worship the Thus-Gone One, so do not address him as a woman.”

The śakra Śikhindhara then said to the brahmā Bhūteśvara, “Show your compassion for me and forgive me, O noble son! May I not incur the undesirable results that the thus-gone Amitāyus has spoken of.” {K142}

Now the bodhisattva Kautūhalika inquired, “O Blessed One, had the śakra Śikhindhara not confessed his words, what kind of ripened result would he have incurred?”

“Noble son,” replied the thus-gone Amitāyus, “if he had not confessed, he would have been reborn eighty-four thousand times as a woman completely suffused with sensuality. Therefore, one should guard one’s speech. The maṇḍala of sound that conveys words, O noble son, has now been made available to you through the blessing of the thus-gone ones. Express your eloquence.”

Bhūteśvara, the brahmā, now with the blessing {TK184} of the buddhas, directed his gaze in each of the ten directions and beseeched with folded hands, “Listen to me, O blessed buddhas, bodhisattva [F.245.a] great beings, great hearers, gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas! Grant your approval that my wish may come true, namely that this Dharma method will endure for a long time and that no harm will come to the Dharma teachers and students who are established in the proper conduct.402 Grant your approval that, during the degenerate time, no māras . . . or human and nonhuman beings will be able to do any harm to them.”

At this point, the brahmā Bhūteśvara, in order to restrain and reverse their aggressive intentions and take the pledge403 from the evil-minded beings, uttered a loud cry that filled the entire world sphere, and the lords of brahmās declared in one voice, {K143} “We too offer our support for the dhāraṇī. We will ourselves uphold and teach it during the degenerate period. We will protect the sacred Dharma and also protect the Dharma teachers and students that follow the proper conduct.404 Please recite it, honorable one! We declare our support for this dhāraṇī in front of the blessed buddhas, the bodhisattva great beings, and the great hearers.”

Bhūteśvara, the brahmā, again beseeched, “Give me your blessing, O holy buddhas, bodhisattva great beings, and great hearers! The dhāraṇī is:

“As sealed in the formula:

Immediately, all the brahmā lords . . .407 and piśācas applauded and said, “These mantra words possess in excess the ability to crush the great trichiliocosm with their force and power.408 This noose will affix itself to all spirits who harbor ill will, so how could they survive?”

Bhūteśvara the brahmā said, “Those spirits who have wicked minds; who are devoid of compassion and ungrateful; who wish to harass beings or are followers of Māra; who seek opportunities to harm the head-anointed kṣatriya kings that have faith in the Buddha’s teaching; who approach, seeking an opportunity to harm, the chief queens, royal sons and daughters, women of the harem, ministers, military commanders, or other members of the royal court that have faith in the Buddha’s teaching; who approach, seeking an opportunity to harm, the men and women, sons and daughters, male and female lay practitioners, Dharma teachers and students, monks and nuns, practitioners who engage in meditation and recitation of prayers {K145} or in the service of their superiors—if any such spirits should disturb the aforementioned even for a single moment of mental activity or disturb, harm, or remove even a single hair from their bodies; or if they should steal their vital energy or even breathe upon them; or if they should thus seek, their minds full of malice, an opportunity to cause harm, such māras . . . and human and nonhuman beings, with their bodies rotting and smelly, will have their heads burst into seven pieces, eyes gouged out,409 and hearts desiccated. They will contract leprosy, oozing pus and stinking, and will completely lose their magical power. [F.246.a] The earth will develop crevasses {TK187} beneath them, which they will fall into. The winds will toss them in the four directions, and they will wander aimlessly, with their bodies covered in dust, mentally disturbed. Those who roam the earth will plunge into the crevasses in the ground eighty-four thousand leagues below the surface and will spend the remainder of their lives there. Aquatic beings that are wicked, have no faith in the teachings of the Buddha, and do harm to the kṣatriya kings who do have this faith, . . .410 or to those who engage in the service of their superiors—they also will have their heads burst into seven pieces . . . and will spend the remainder of their lives there,411 should they transgress against these mantras.

“Furthermore, in whatever realm this Dharma discourse—the dhāraṇī-seal that cannot be conquered by the hosts of Māra—is disseminated, there we will {K146} eagerly apply ourselves to the cause of guarding, protecting, and preserving that realm, and we will protect412 all the beings there who yearn for the Dharma.413 We shall expel all, from hostile yakṣas to hostile kaṭapūtanas; avert the discord, quarrels, famine, invasions by foreign powers, and the unseasonable rains, storms, cold and hot spells, and disease in that land; ensure the happiness, social harmony, good harvests, and all that accords with roots of virtue; and ensure the health, renown, material gain, and honor of the teachers and students of the Dharma.”

Also at that moment, a bodhisattva great being known as Voice of Mahābrahmā, who dwelled on the tenth bhūmi, was present. He was attended by all the brahmās, māras, śakras, and so forth, {TK188} as well as Vaiśravaṇa, Virūḍhaka, Virūpākṣa, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Maheśvara, [F.246.b] Nārāyaṇa, and the lords of the gods and asuras. He had the finest and most radiant complexion and the most exquisite ornamentation. In the guise of a woman, with female characteristics and deportment, he was seated before the thus-gone Śākyamuni. As an act of venerating the blessed buddhas, he proffered a wish-fulfilling jewel in his hands. The bodhisattva great being Voice of Mahābrahmā stared at the thus-gone Śākyamuni with unblinking eyes. He stared at him like he was the only thing in existence—something indescribable and unidentifiable.

The thus-gone Śākyamuni then asked Voice of Mahābrahmā, “Listen, why are you staring at me with unblinking eyes, as if I were the only thing in existence—something indescribable and unidentifiable? Is there any phenomenon that can be called ‘a buddha’ or ‘unidentifiable’? Likewise, the verbal elements in the statement ‘the afflictions of attachment, aggression, or delusion exist’ are merely conditional characteristics. The condition for such characteristics is ignorance. Due to the condition of ignorance, formations proliferate until cessation.”

“Blessed One,” responded Voice of Mahābrahmā, “if all these do not exist, why do you speak to me of ignorance? Blessed One, if there were no ignorance, from what would the twelve links of existence arise? Can we say they come from space {TK189} when space itself does not exist?”

“Noble son, that is correct,” answered the Blessed One, “for all the qualities of buddhahood are like space. Just as space is immaterial, is without characteristics, is neither darkness nor light, is neither thought nor concept, cannot be created or described, is unidentifiable, has no component parts, and has nothing to do with entities, likewise, O noble son, the qualities of buddhahood are [F.247.a] deemed to be the ultimate reality because they are suchness. Because they involve no increase or decrease, the qualities of buddhahood are neither high nor low. Because they have no component parts, the qualities of buddhahood are indescribable. Because they do not move and cannot be placed anywhere, the qualities of buddhahood are not material or entities, and they have no characteristics. Because they transcend verbal description, the qualities of buddhahood are not superimposed, for it is from false conceptualization that the links of existence arise.”

When he gave this teaching, eighty-four thousand beings developed the mind directed toward unsurpassed and perfect awakening.

Then Māra, the evil one, demanded, “If the qualities of buddhahood are indescribable non-entities, like space, then why do you harm me in this way—oppressing me with wisdom, diligence, means, and courage? Why do you destroy my Māra domain? Why do you lead beings from my Māra domain? Why do you instruct them in the nature of illusion, which neither comes nor goes nor is identifiable in any way? When you guide beings in these trainings, no conduct that produces the afflictions can be seen in them. {TK190} For what reason are you assembling all these countless, infinite blessed buddhas, bodhisattva great beings, great hearers, great brahmās, śakras, four world protectors, maheśvaras, and gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas who have magical might and power, thus filling all the buddha fields, to go against me? Anyone who hears of this cruel act will be immediately struck with a splitting headache; their bodies will decompose [F.247.b] and begin to stink. Such is the mantra that you have spoken.”

At that moment, sixty-eight thousand māras, a countless infinitude of their retainers, and all the hostile yakṣas, rākṣasas, kumbhāṇḍas, and piśācas all declared with one voice, “As soon as we heard it, we too got headaches. Our bodies started decomposing, began to stink, and we suffered terribly.”

“Evil ones, remember what happened in the past!” countered the thus-gone Śākyamuni. “When I was sitting at the seat of awakening, you filled the area and the sky around me out to eighty leagues with the hordes of Māra, intent on killing me. And since that time you still send billions of māras and their retainers to kill me. Therefore, I have amassed a countless infinitude of blessed buddhas, bodhisattvas, and so forth, as well as human and nonhuman beings, in order to tame, pacify, and end your torment. I have done so in order to tame, pacify, and end all the suffering of other māras, and so forth, as well as human and nonhuman beings. I have done this to instruct them in the nature of illusion, which neither comes nor goes nor is identifiable in any way. I have done so to dry up the river of saṃsāra in which all beings die and are reborn, and to help them reach the expanse of nirvāṇa without any remainder of the aggregates. {TK191}

“Evil ones, you should develop the mind directed toward unsurpassed and perfect awakening right now! If you do so, you will immediately be freed from this unbearably painful headache, and ultimately you will actualize the qualities of buddhahood, which have the nature of space. You will even gain the superior domain of the buddhas, which far exceeds that of the māras.”

The sixty-four thousand māras, the countless infinitude of their retainers, and the hostile yakṣas, and so forth, as well as the hostile kaṭapūtanas, all declared with one voice, [F.248.a] “When we develop the mind directed toward unsurpassed and perfect awakening, we shall actualize the qualities of buddhahood, which have the nature of space, and win the domain of the buddhas as well, superior above all.”

“Even if I were to have a headache until the end of time,” insisted Māra, the evil one, “I would never let such cunning make me develop the mind directed toward awakening.”

Voice of Mahābrahmā then declared, “I will also joyfully uphold all the Dharma teachings that have been taught before all the blessed buddhas here in this buddha field. I will uphold the teachings of the thus-gone Śākyamuni in this buddha field rife with the five degenerations, holding them as the most important. I will make this teaching—this Dharma method—shine until Śākyamuni’s own sun sets. I will bring the Dharma discourse of this dhāraṇī, which cannot be defeated by the hosts of Māra, {TK192} to all lands where it has not previously spread. And wherever it appears, I will ensure that it flourishes. I will defend all the noble sons and daughters in all the towns, villages, cities, and countries. I will protect them. I will turn away all harm. I will lead them to virtue and what is meaningful.

“Wherever the Dharma discourse of this dhāraṇī, which cannot be defeated by the hosts of Māra, is at least written down, or where there is a lion throne set for Dharma teachers who desire to teach it authentically, people should recite the following mantra at the outset. This mantra will summon me, and I will come to that place with my retinue. We will defend and safeguard those Dharma teachers and students. The mantra is:

“Blessed One, Dharma teachers everywhere should remember this mantra at the start of their teachings. If I hear them with my divine ears of incredible purity and fail to come, I will have deceived all the thus-gone ones of the past, present, and future, and may I therefore not fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood. Therefore, Blessed One, I will go there and place {TK193} the feet of those Dharma teachers at the crown of my head. Because the eloquence of those Dharma teachers is fitting, I will support them.414 I will dispel all the sicknesses of those Dharma teachers and students. I will dispel their bad views and actions and all their doubts. Blessed One, wherever this Dharma teaching is taught, upheld, or mastered, I will travel there with my retinue and quell all discord, quarrels, famine, disease, fears, invasion by foreign powers, drought, unseasonable winds, heatwaves, and bad views and actions, as well as all fear of humans, nonhumans, and charnel grounds. Then I will dispel all that is inauspicious, bad dreams, evil omens, hostility, cruelty, meanness, bad tastes, snow, heat, foul odors, and things that are unpleasant to touch and poisonous. I will dispel the harm caused by heat and famine. I will dispel the fear of elephants, lions, tigers, buffaloes, wolves, poisonous snakes, thieves, rogues, humans, and nonhumans. There I will amass all sorts of wealth, grain, herbs, flowers, fruits, juices, [F.249.a] food, drink, clothing, and bedding for the beings’ use and enjoyment. In whatever land this Dharma teaching is held, upheld, read, mastered, or taught, there we will dispel violence toward each individual being. I will bring about what is beneficial, pleasant, and mentally satisfying for the beings’ use and enjoyment. {TK194} I will encourage beings to also desire the Dharma and engage in virtuous actions. I make these aspirations before all the blessed buddhas! All of you blessed buddhas, please be compassionate toward me! May the blessed buddhas bestow the mastery that functions to fulfill all that one wishes for in order to realize this power.”

At that moment, Śākyamuni and all the blessed buddhas directed their compassion to Voice of Mahābrahmā and said, “Voice of Mahābrahmā, because of this aspiration you shall obtain the great power to summon śakras, brahmās, all the world protectors, and the other gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, and asuras who appreciate the Dharma. We shall give this mantra to Voice of Mahābrahmā.”

Then the blessed buddhas made the aspiration, “May accomplishment come to Voice of Mahābrahmā. The mantra is:

The thus-gone Śākyamuni said, “Noble son, [F.249.b] this dhāraṇī can summon and inspire all māras, śakras, brahmās, and world protectors, as well as the other gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, and human and nonhuman beings of great splendor. It is upheld and blessed by all the buddhas. Due to its blessings you will be able to master such great powers.”

“Blessed One,” replied Voice of Mahābrahmā, “I will guard this Dharma method in the guise of a woman. I will also protect women. Blessed One, should a woman desire sons, I will fulfill her wishes if she upholds this Dharma teaching by keeping it, reading it, mastering it, or writing it down. In that way any woman can be protected, for if she holds, reads, . . . or listens to this Dharma teaching then, even if she experiences desire, she will not be attached to the womb. When a woman who is free from all negative and apprehensive conduct and behavior reads this Dharma teaching, all her wishes will be fulfilled, and she will be filled with all forms of abundant happiness. I offer these two precious gems to all the blessed buddhas in order to guard this Dharma teaching and fulfill the wishes of all.”

“Noble son, thus it is,” responded the Blessed One. “You will thus guard and protect it.” {TK196}

At that time, a bodhisattva great being called Discriminating Intellect was seated before the blessed, thus-gone [F.250.a] Glorious and Brilliantly Shining Jewel, not far from the blessed, thus-gone Śākyamuni. For a short time he was in the guise of Brahmā, before instantaneously appearing in the form of Māra. He likewise briefly appeared in the forms of Śakra, as well as a lord of the gods in the heavens of Making Use of Others’ Emanations, Delighting in Emanations, Tuṣita, Free from Strife, and the Four Great Kings, as well as in the form of Maheśvara, and also as a yakṣa, an asura, a garuḍa, a kinnara, a mahoraga, a rākṣasa, a preta, a piśāca, a kumbhāṇḍa, a kṣatriya, a brahmin, a vaiśya, a śūdra, a lion, an elephant, a buffalo, and myriad other species of the animal realm. Instantaneously he appeared in the form of a bird, a tree, a mountain, fruit, clothing, bedding, heavy cloth, a vase, ornaments, jewelry, medicinal herbs, and a jewel. Instantaneously he also appeared in the form of a monk, a nun, and a buddha. Instantaneously he appeared in eighty-four different colors, characteristics, shapes, and forms.

Then Pūrṇa, the son of Maitrāyaṇī, asked the thus-gone Śākyamuni, “Blessed One, what is the cause and what are the conditions {TK198} of this noble son shifting his appearance among eighty-four different colors, characteristics, shapes, and forms?”

“Venerable Pūrṇa, this noble son has incredibly great power,” responded the Blessed One. “The bodhisattva great being Discriminating Intellect matures beings while abiding by the power of his pledge. With the unobscured eyes of insight, in countless infinite buddha fields throughout the ten directions, both pure and impure, he can see beings and their kinds of thoughts, intentions, actions, and illnesses and where [F.250.b] they go for refuge. Abiding in this type of absorption, he adopted forms ranging from bodhisattvas to buddhas as well as colors, characteristics, actions, shapes, and forms as was necessary to guide beings and establish them at the point where they will not revert from the three vehicles. To ensure that beings who are overwhelmed by their desire, hankering after all kinds of possessions and enjoyments, could eliminate their attachment, he gave them possessions and established them at the point of irreversibility. He distributed medicine to those who were afflicted with illness and desired a cure, and he established them at the point of irreversibility. The bodhisattva Discriminating Intellect freed beings as numerous as the grains of sand in the Gaṅgā in a single day. This power of his pledge to establish {TK199} them at the point where they will not revert from the three vehicles is not the domain of the hearers or solitary buddhas. They do not reach this far.”

“Blessed One, how long has this noble son exercised this great power for the sake of bringing beings to maturity?” asked Pūrṇa.

“This noble son developed the mind directed toward unsurpassed and perfect awakening in the furthest reaches of eons past,” answered the Blessed One. “It was countless eons ago—as many as there are particles of dust in all the buddha fields. By now, sixty-four immeasurable eons have passed since the eon when that bodhisattva Discriminating Intellect began exercising this power by means of the strength of his absorption.”

“How long will it be until he fully awakens to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood?” Pūrṇa asked.

The Blessed One answered, “After two million six hundred thousand great eons have passed, in a great eon called Liberation,415 there will be a buddha field called Heart of the Jewel. [F.251.a] There the lifespan of beings will be forty thousand years. He will fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood among beings {TK200} who are inclined toward acts ranging from those of immediate retribution up until the ten nonvirtuous actions. He will be known as the thus-gone, worthy, perfect buddha Light of the Limitlessly Blossoming Flower. He will perform all the deeds of a buddha without exception for forty thousand years. He will mature beings in the three vehicles so that they may reach parinirvāṇa, following which he himself will enter parinirvāṇa in the expanse of nirvāṇa without the remainder of the aggregates.”

Pūrṇa then asked, “From where do this sublime being’s deeds that mature beings manifest?”

“This great being’s aspirations are without bias,” answered the Blessed One. “He made this aspiration: ‘The blessed buddhas clearly see as many buddha fields as there are particles of dust in all the buddha fields in each of the ten directions. Therefore, I too will not fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood until I see those beings that I, while I previously practiced awakened conduct, caused to initially arouse the mind set on unsurpassed and perfect awakening, {TK201} take hold of it, practice the six perfections, and fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood in buddha fields in each of the ten directions. Through this type of power, based on absorption, may all beings in all buddha fields—as many as there are atoms in all the buddha fields in each of the ten directions—and in any other realm [F.251.b] who are inclined toward acts ranging from those of immediate retribution and doubt up until the ten nonvirtuous actions, be reborn in my buddha field after they pass away. Then, may I always use this great power to manifest as a bodhisattva in order to arouse roots of virtue in these beings, establish each of them at the level of irreversibility, and ensure that they fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood.’ ”

Then the bodhisattvas who had congregated from buddha fields in the ten directions {TK202} said, “Those bodhisattvas who have come to this buddha field have gladdened such teachers. Seeing this great assembly of bodhisattvas endowed with great compassion, we have received an excellent and unprecedented opportunity to receive the blessings of the blessed buddhas of the past, present, and future. Thus, we received this Dharma method, this exposition of the dhāraṇī-seal, including its verbal formula, which is called the terminator of birth based on the essential nature of phenomena in their vajra-like indivisibility. How fortunate we are!”

At that time, the thus-gone Akṣobhya addressed the entire assembly: “Noble children, all of you śakras, brahmās, world protectors, and lords of the gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, and so forth, as well as human and nonhuman beings, who have arrived here out of faith in the buddhas’ teaching—I will uplift you! It is rare to find such a congregation of the blessed buddhas, bodhisattva great beings, śakras, [F.252.a] brahmās, world protectors, and lords of the gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, and so forth, as well as human and nonhuman beings! Therefore, now that you have seen this, may those of you who are happy to sustain this sacred Dharma—this Dharma method—and propagate the lineage of the Three Jewels in the future in this buddha field each make an aspiration before the Blessed One.” {TK204}

At that time a māra named Flower Mendicant filled a bucket made of the seven precious substances to the brim with flowers, fruits, crops, and sprouts and transformed himself into a buxom lady with a fine complexion. Dressed in women’s clothing and adorned with fine jewelry, the māra said, “All of you blessed buddhas who have come to this buddha field and now abide within it, and all the rest of you who have gathered here, please give me your attention! As I offer this wide cauldron filled to the brim with all manner of flowers, fruits, crops, and sprouts to all the blessed buddhas, out of compassion for all beings please accept this bucket filled with all manner of flowers, fruits, crops, and sprouts. In this way I will then become a female benefactor in every buddha field without exception throughout the entire Fortunate Eon, one who provides others with food, drink, fruits, and flowers. {TK205} I will bring them to maturity too. Through this ripening of merit, I will complete the six perfections and fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood. The beings I train will never lack supplies, [F.252.b] and I will serve them well. Toward that end, please bestow, right now, the accomplishment that fulfills my wishes.”

Then all the blessed buddhas said, “Sublime being, it is excellent that, out of such faith, you have performed such an excellent and lofty act of generosity and venerated all the buddhas. We accept your cauldron filled with flowers and fruits. You shall find all the flowers, fruits, grains, or crops that you wish for. Simply by bringing your wish to mind, it will be fulfilled. May you possess an abundance of flowers, fruits, and grains. May you have abundant wealth.” {TK206}

The māra Flower Mendicant spoke again: “Whether in villages, towns, cities, or border towns, I will be anywhere this dhāraṇī, which the hosts of Māra cannot defeat, is held, taught, explained, or written down. I will ensure the success of everything from the flowers and fruits of their trees to their grain and harvests. I will satisfy all the beings who desire flowers and fruits in those places. Therefore, blessed ones, except in the case of active violence, if there comes a time when there is a being in such a place who dies for want of the flowers and fruits that they desired, then I have deceived all the blessed buddhas in the three times and this great assembly. In that case, may I not fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood. [F.253.a]

“Any being there who desires flowers and fruits will be the cause of my completing the perfection of generosity. Blessed ones, having desired flowers and fruits, should any of those beings have an altruistic, amiable, or compassionate attitude toward one another, that will be the cause of my completing the perfections of discipline {TK207} and patience. Should any of them come to practice diligence, having desired flowers and fruits, that will be the cause of my completing the perfection of diligence. If they develop the perception that the mind and mental states are impermanent, that will be the cause of my completing the perfection of concentration. If, having desired flowers and fruits, even birds or wild animals should come to desire the Dharma and abide in emptiness, that will be the cause of my completing the perfection of insight. Moreover, wherever this Dharma teaching spreads, I will assiduously grant everyone whatever crop they desire, be it fruit, wheat, barley, sesame, white lentils, black lentils, peas, horse gram, red lentils, or beans. I will fill all treasuries and granaries with all kinds of grains and harvests. Should even birds or wild animals desire anything, that will be the cause of my completing the perfection of insight. I will ensure there is plenty of sugarcane, grapes, and pomegranate plants there. I will fill all the beings’ pots, vases, and ladles. {TK208} When even birds or wild animals desire something, that will be the cause of my completing the perfections up to insight. [F.253.b] Having completed the six perfections in this manner, I will fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood. All of you blessed buddhas and bodhisattva great beings, I request you to take delight in this, my bodhisattva conduct.”

The blessed buddhas expressed their approval by remaining silent. The thus-gone Jñānaketu then declared, “Sublime being, you will be able to enact this great power. Sublime being, do look after all beings with that kind of strength, diligence, enthusiasm, and gentleness.”

When the māra Flower Mendicant heard this encouragement from the thus-gone Jñānaketu, he said, “Blessed buddhas, please give me your attention. I will not dwell where this Dharma teaching is not practiced, but only wherever it is practiced. {TK209} I will ensure that all the grain, herbs, fruits, and flowers that exist in that place are resplendent, bountiful, plentiful, delicious, and colorful, so that people may savor them and enjoy them. I will satisfy people there with food and drink. I will fill their treasuries, granaries, pots, vases, and ladles. Should even the birds or wild animals desire something, that will be the cause of my completing the perfection of insight. I will satisfy the beings here in this buddha field for a thousand eons with food and drink. Likewise, I will perform this great power for a thousand eons in each and every one of the infinite, countless buddha fields, as numerous as the grains of sand in the Gaṅgā, that are afflicted [F.254.a] and ripe with the five degenerations. Then, as I fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, all my deeds shall be perfected. Please bestow upon me this accomplishment. Blessed ones, the following mantra {TK210} effects summoning according to one’s personal aspiration:

“Blessed ones, may I abide wherever this Dharma teaching and mantra are spoken, in order to bring beings to maturity and perfect my bodhisattva conduct.” {TK211}

The blessed buddhas all expressed their approval to him. All the bodhisattva great beings, Māra and his entire retinue, the śakras, the brahmās, and all the world protectors, as well as all the gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, kumbhāṇḍas, piśācas, and human and nonhuman beings in this buddha field expressed their approval with one voice, saying, “Sublime being, it is excellent that you bring beings to maturity in the form of a woman and engage in the six perfections. May we all achieve this kind of power through our own merit, [F.254.b] diligence, strengths, and bravery!”

The thus-gone Śākyamuni then said, “May you be joyful supporters who assist this sublime being.”

The entirety of the māra Flower Mendicant’s retinue then declared with one voice, {TK212} “For this purpose, we will be this being’s followers, associates, and harmonious assistants. Sublime being, when you fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, please bestow prophecies of our attaining unsurpassed and perfect awakening.”

“Friends, may this come to be!” agreed the māra Flower Mendicant. “When a being plants a seed in the earth and enjoys its flowers, fruit, and fragrance, may this bring us happiness and benefit!”

The māra Flower Mendicant then addressed the thus-gone Śākyamuni: “I will uphold your teachings and spread your Dharma methods. First and foremost, I will assiduously apply myself to eradicating all calamities involving famine. Blessed One, please bestow a prophecy of unsurpassed and perfect awakening upon me.”

The māra Flower Mendicant then bowed to the thus-gone Śākyamuni, touching the five points of his body416 to the ground, and sat to one side. The thus-gone Śākyamuni then said to him:

Extremely pleased and delighted, the māra Flower Mendicant cast a variety of flowers toward the blessed ones.

At that time, the bodhisattva great being Siddhimati rose from his seat. Joining his palms, he spoke in a clear voice to the blessed buddhas in this buddha field: “Blessed buddhas, please give me your attention! Once, at the beginning of the Fortunate Eon, I made an aspiration before the thus-gone Krakucchanda so as to be able to bring beings to maturity. In a female form, I extracted the nectar of the earth by searching among herbs and roots in order to heal the four hundred and four illnesses.417 {TK214} Thus, in order to make beings happy and free from illness, I demonstrated how to prepare one thousand and four sets of medicinal treatments. These included four hundred and four medicinal extracts, four hundred and four herbal medicines, four hundred and four medicines made from fruits, four hundred and four applications made from butter, four hundred and four applications made from seed oil, four hundred and four cleansing treatments, four hundred and four medicines known as ‘good health,’418 and so forth, as well as treatments ingested in the form of powders, pills, and aromas.419 In order to bring beings to maturity, heal their illnesses, and benefit them, I acted in various functions as the thus-gone Krakucchanda’s attendant, serving him, and from him sought a prophecy of unsurpassed and perfect awakening.

“The thus-gone Krakucchanda then declared to me, ‘In the future, when beings’ lifespan is a hundred years, there will be one called Śākyamuni who will be called a blessed, thus-gone, worthy, perfect buddha. [F.255.b] From the previous aspirations of this thus-gone one, a great gathering of buddhas and bodhisattvas will manifest. Then you will receive a prophecy of unsurpassed and perfect awakening.’ Later, this was mentioned by the thus-gone Kanakamuni and then by the thus-gone Kāśyapa as well.

“And so I aspired, ‘At that time, may I {TK215} become a great healer, a god who can extract for sick beings the essences in this buddha field for great eons as numerous as the grains of sand in the Gaṅgā. There I will also take up the vast essence of the earth, seeking among the various grasses, roots, leaves, petals, flowers, and fruits to heal the diseases of beings and be of use to them. Then, whenever a person who has prepared these medicines comes to understand that the mind and all mental states are impermanent, suffering, empty, and selfless, may this be the cause for my completing the perfection of insight. To the degree that I manifest this great power in this buddha field, may I, in a female form, ripen and serve diseased beings in worlds throughout the ten directions as numerous as the grains of sand in the Gaṅgā, for as many eons as there are grains of sand in the Gaṅgā, with great enthusiasm, strength, diligence, and gentleness. Through this may I awaken fully and completely to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood.’ {TK216}

“Even now, I strengthen my aspiration before the blessed buddhas. May I be the assistant of the greatly fortunate, victorious, and reliable Flower Mendicant. [F.256.a] We will both bring beings to maturity while in the guise of female forms bearing the same complexion. We will ripen women. Blessed ones, furthermore, for the sake of healing the diseases of the old and sick, the two of us will prepare food and drink replete with color, scent, and taste extracted from the essence of the earth. In doing so, may that become a cause for us to complete all the perfections up to insight.

“So, when I ask whether I will fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, I implore you blessed buddhas to give your assent. Blessed buddhas, please bestow a prophecy of unsurpassed and perfect awakening upon me.”

The blessed buddhas then said, “Good, good, O sublime being.”

The thus-gone Śākyamuni then declared: {TK217}

The bodhisattva great being Earth Holder also desired a prophecy. In a female form, he made the aspiration to be able to bring beings to maturity by employing earth420 and the thus-gone Śākyamuni said to him:

Likewise, the bodhisattva Supreme Wisdom also desired a prophecy. Taking a female form, he made the aspiration to be able to bring beings to maturity by employing water and the Blessed One said to him as well: [F.256.b]

Likewise, the bodhisattva Demonstrator of Consequences also desired a prophecy. Taking a female form, he made the aspiration to be able to bring beings to maturity by employing fire. The Blessed One said to him as well:

Likewise, the bodhisattva Immaculately Moved by Beings also desired a prophecy. Taking a female form, he made the aspiration to be able to bring beings to maturity by employing wind. The Blessed One said to him as well:

Likewise, the bodhisattva Unobscured Lamp also desired a prophecy. Taking a female form, he made the aspiration to be able to bring beings to maturity by employing space. {TK219} The Blessed One said to him as well:

Likewise, the bodhisattva Supreme Scent-Perfused Preacher also desired a prophecy. Taking a female form, he made the aspiration to be able to bring beings to maturity by employing flowers. [F.257.a] The Blessed One said to him as well:

Likewise, the bodhisattva Saffron Color also desired a prophecy. Taking a female form, he made the aspiration to be able to bring beings to maturity by employing various colors. The Blessed One said to him as well: {TK220}

Likewise, various gods of seeds, forests, fruits, and so forth, all the way up to sixty-seven trillion bodhisattvas, also desired to receive prophecies. All of them made aspiration prayers to reach unsurpassed and perfect awakening in order to bring beings to maturity while in female form and to be able to ripen women. Why was this? It is because it is very easy for someone who has male genitalia to acquire female genitalia, whereas it is very difficult for someone who has female genitalia to acquire male genitalia. They each individually received a verse of prophecy.

At that time, billions of gods and great nāgas also desired prophecies. They aspired to awakening, and each individually received a verse of prophecy. Likewise, sixty-four quintillion eight hundred million asuras, seventy septillion female gods and humans, and ninety-nine novillion māras and their retinues, as well as humans and nonhumans [F.257.b] {TK221} including brahmins, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, śūdras, men, women, boys, and girls, all as numerous as the grains of sand in the Gaṅgā, desired to receive a prophecy of unsurpassed and perfect awakening. They each individually received a verse of prophecy. Moreover, a countless infinitude of humans and nonhumans, and likewise gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, pretas, and piśācas that had not previously generated the mind directed toward unsurpassed and perfect awakening, developed it. Countless beings came to abide at the stage of irreversibility. Countless beings achieved the various absorptions, acceptances, and dhāraṇīs of bodhisattvas. Countless beings achieved the result, were freed from desire, and exhausted their defilements. Countless beings aroused their minds away from the vehicles of the hearers and solitary buddhas and came to abide on the stage of irreversibility within buddhahood itself.

All of these beings then declared with one voice, “We all will uphold this sacred Dharma just as the blessed buddhas have commanded. Whoever retains this Dharma teaching, commits it to writing, {TK222} or upholds it, we shall use our skills to sustain that person.”

The blessed, thus-gone Śākyamuni then said, “O all you [F.258.a] blessed buddhas who have come here to this buddha field motivated by compassion to engage in discussion, please give these beings your attention. These noble children will satisfy others with clothing, food, drink, medicine, and supplies. They will use the female form to mature others for unsurpassed and perfect awakening. From the moment they developed the mind of awakening in order to mature others, they have been dedicated to emanating and providing clothing, food, drink, medicine, and supplies to fulfill their hopes—no matter what, why, or how these things are desired. These sublime beings will enact this great power and be able to serve beings with what is enjoyable and useful.”

Thereupon, bringing to mind the concordant cause that is adorned by {TK224} great compassion, merit, wisdom, and absorption, the blessed buddhas addressed these sublime beings, saying, “In order to fulfill your wishes and hopes, the blessed buddhas who course through the three times will grant you their blessings and bestow this mantra, which accords with the cause of all roots of virtue. It is:

“Sublime beings, you should take up this mantra of the sameness of all phenomena, [F.258.b] which fulfills all wishes, in order to accomplish the enjoyment, delight, and ripening of beings and the mastery of your awakened conduct.”

At that time, ten thousand bodhisattvas, including Flower Mendicant, Goddess of Glory, the medicine goddess Siddhimati, and the goddess Earth Holder, exerted themselves in female form to accomplish the enjoyment, delight, and ripening of beings. They said together with one voice, “Since this mantra has been spoken by the blessed buddhas in order to fulfill our hopes, we will be able to serve beings by means of this blessing. We will be able to accomplish unsurpassed wisdom. We will joyfully uphold this mantra {TK226} with great zeal in order to bring beings to maturity. Additionally, out of compassion for beings, we will each live by our own pledges that we made before the thus-gone ones. Should any god, nāga and so forth, or human being attempt to extinguish, destroy, or ruin this Dharma method which the thus-gone ones have blessed, then should we then fail to repel them or act assiduously against them so that the sacred Dharma may long remain, we will have deceived all the blessed buddhas who course through the three times. In that case, may we not fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood!

“Friends, should a god and so forth, or a human, harm a monk, nun, layman, or laywoman, if we [F.259.a] do not repel them or exert ourselves to quell the disturbance they are creating, then we will have deceived all the blessed buddhas who course through the three times. In that case, may we not fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood! Blessed ones, should any noble son or daughter who seeks awakening be threatened by fire, {TK227} water, poison, weapons, evil spirits, or infectious diseases that last one, two three, or four days or be threatened by or scared of any gods, nāgas, yakṣas, kaṭapūtanas, kṣatriyas, brahmins, vaiśyas, śūdras, lions, tigers, diseases, hunger, thirst, or harm of any kind, if they recall this dhāraṇī mantra, which fulfills all wishes and is blessed by all the buddhas, and we do not deliver them from such threats—except for those brought on by their own past karmic obscurations—then we will have deceived all the blessed buddhas who course through the three times. In that case, may we not fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood!”

At that moment, all the blessed buddhas gathered in this buddha field expressed their approval, saying, “Good, O sublime beings. You have made an excellent promise. Good! You will be able to enact this kind of great power that sublime beings possess.”

The thus-gone Śākyamuni then said to Māra, the evil one:

Māra, the evil one, responded:

The thus-gone Māndāravagandharoca then addressed the thus-gone Śākyamuni, saying, “In the past, previous thus-gone ones came from their disparate buddha fields and congregated in buddha fields that were afflicted and rife with the five degenerations. They excellently blessed this sacred Dharma method. They defeated billions of māras and gazed upon all beings with the eyes of great love and compassion. They freed them from evil views, lit the lamp of insight, and laid out the peaceful path. They delivered this Dharma discourse, this exposition of the dhāraṇī-seal, including its verbal formula, which is called the terminator of birth based on the essential nature of phenomena in their vajra-like indivisibility. Thus they defeated the black faction and planted the banner of the Dharma. In the same way, right now, so many of us blessed buddhas who live and spend our time in the ten directions have assembled in this buddha field filled with the afflictions and the five degenerations out of our concern for others. We have performed acts such as excellently blessing this Dharma method and so forth, as well as planting the banner of the Dharma. However, Śākyamuni, [F.260.a] after your sun has set, who will reign supreme in this buddha field? Who will uphold this sacred Dharma? {TK230} Who will nurture these Dharma methods? Who will bring beings to maturity? Who will be included in this great assembly? Into whose hands shall I entrust this Dharma discourse?”

The thus-gone Śākyamuni answered the thus-gone Māndāravagandharoca, “You can entrust the Dharma discourse of this dhāraṇī-seal to the hands of anyone—whether bodhisattvas who have achieved acceptance, or śakras, brahmās, and world protectors, or lords of the gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas, or anyone else—as long as they exert themselves in this Dharma method, live in these four central continents, and are clearly faithful toward this Dharma method. It does not matter if they are a śakra, brahmā, world protector, and so forth, including a lord of the mahoragas.”

The thus-gone Māndāravagandharoca then let his unimpeded voice suffuse the entire buddha field, saying, “Friends, everyone who is gathered in this buddha field, please listen! It is incredibly rare that a thus-gone, worthy, perfect buddha comes to the world. But it is even more rare that all the blessed buddhas should gather together as one in a single buddha field. Now, however, all these buddhas have gathered out of concern for you, to care for all beings, to bless the methods of the sacred Dharma, {TK231} and to set out the unsurpassed path. {K147} [F.260.b]422 The entirety of the elements of earth, water, fire, wind, and space throughout the three times423 have been blessed in order to ensure that these methods of the sacred Dharma will continue for a long time, that the lineage of the Three Jewels will not be interrupted, that all beings will be brought to maturity, and so forth, and that the other shore of saṃsāra will be reached.”

All the blessed buddhas who lived in that buddha field then spoke the following words of advice to the bodhisattva great beings, to the beings of great splendor—śakras, brahmās, other world protectors, and the lords of gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas—and to the beings who inhabit the world with the four continents. They said, “To your hands especially, friends, we entrust this way of the sacred Dharma, having empowered it to bring all beings to maturity. You should keep this method of the sacred Dharma in mind, glorify it, and protect it,424 so that the sacred Dharma continues unbroken and does not disappear from this world too soon. {K148} We entrust to the hands of all of you, as is proper, all the noble sons and daughters who have faith, monks and nuns, male and female lay practitioners, all the persons who uphold the sacred Dharma, and those who uphold this Dharma discourse of the Great Collection . . . or write it down, so that you may protect them and care for them. You shall protect . . . and care for the Dharma teachers and students, persons who desire the Dharma and delight in meditation, {TK232} and those who uphold the sacred Dharma. [F.261.a] Why is this?

“Whichever thus-gone, worthy, perfect buddhas were in this world in the past, all of these thus-gone ones, having congregated in the buddha field afflicted by the five degenerations, entrusted this Dharma method to the hands of all the protectors of the world, the śakras and the brahmās, so that it was protected and did not disappear, so that the persons who uphold the sacred Dharma were protected . . . and so that all beings could be brought to maturity.

“In the same way, whatever blessed buddhas there will be in the future, throughout the ten directions, they too, having instantaneously assembled in the buddha field afflicted by the five degenerations, will recite the mantra words of this dhāraṇī for the benefit of beings and will consecrate this Dharma method. They will entrust it to the hands of the śakras, brahmās, and other world protectors, so that it is well protected.

“In the same way, we also now entrust especially to your hands—śakras, brahmās, and other world protectors and the lords of gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas who inhabit this buddha field and this world consisting of the four continents—this method of the sacred Dharma so that it is protected and brings beings to maturity. You should likewise {K149} keep it in your mind and glorify and protect it,425 so that it continues unbroken and does not disappear too soon.

“You should protect, honor, and venerate all the noble sons and daughters who have faith—the persons who uphold the sacred Dharma, monks and nuns, and male [F.261.b] and female lay practitioners—who uphold this Dharma discourse of the Great Collection . . . or write it down and preserve it in the form of a book, as well as the Dharma teachers and students who practice meditation {TK233} and uphold the sacred Dharma. Why is this?

“Because this Dharma discourse has been blessed by all the buddhas. In the hamlets, villages, towns, cities, district capitals, state capitals, inhabited forests, . . .426 or family houses where this Dharma discourse is disseminated, explained, taught, studied, or merely written down and preserved in the form of a book, the elixir of the Dharma will increase the potency of the earth and the vitality of beings.

“By this means you will become full of vitality, energy, strength, diligence, and courage, and your retinues and palaces will thrive. Any king who rules over a populace will obtain protection, his royal might will increase, and his entire kingdom will be protected. Satisfied by this Dharma elixir, the kings of Jambudvīpa will become kindly disposed toward one another. Placing their faith in the ripening of action, they will develop minds full of good qualities; free from envy, benevolent, compassionate toward all beings . . . they will embrace correct views, and each will be content with his respective domain. {K150}

“The whole of Jambudvīpa will prosper, filling up with inhabitants far and wide. It will abound in provisions and will be pleasant to inhabit. The earth will be populated with many people over vast areas and will be fecund, yielding juicy and sweet fruits, leaves, medicinal herbs, [F.262.a] {TK234} crops, and other treasures in abundance. It will afford a healthy and comfortable life. All the discord, quarrels, famine, disease, invasions by foreign powers, stinging insects, venomous snakes, troublesome yakṣas, rākṣasas, deer, birds, wolves, unseasonable rains, and storms will be pacified. Auspicious constellations, nights, days, months, fortnights, seasons, and years will rule.

“The beings, for the most part, will conduct themselves according to the ten virtuous actions. After dying in this world, they will proceed to the blissful forms of existence in the heavens. They will form your retinue. This Dharma discourse of this dhāraṇī thus possesses many qualities and brings much benefit.

“This Great Collection sūtra427 has been consecrated by all the buddhas so that beings may reach the far shore of saṃsāra.428 It will attract increasing and eventually great fame, and it will completely exhaust the action that causes one to experience the condition of being a woman in this life or in future lives. In short, {K151} even if the condition of a woman were experienced in one’s current birth, this already acquired female gender would be completely purified, except in the case of those who have committed any of the five acts of immediate retribution, opposed the sacred Dharma, or reviled a noble one. Whatever other unpleasant results could ripen because of actions committed with the body, speech, or mind, will all be completely purified.

“If one merely writes down this Dharma discourse and preserves it in the form of a book, one’s obscurations that are due to action and afflictions, even if they are as enormous as Mount Meru, will dissipate completely. And all one’s roots of virtue—the bases of support—will grow until fully accomplished. One will be complete and perfect in every limb and [F.262.b] have all one’s wishes come true, and all the good that one does with one’s body, speech, {TK235} and mind will flourish. One will abandon all wrong views and defeat all of one’s enemies in accordance with the Dharma. One will engage in all actions that are peaceful and subtle. All this will occur through the power of this Dharma discourse—this Great Collection dhāraṇī—blessed by all the buddhas.

“The earth in the realm where this Dharma discourse—the Great Collection dhāraṇī—spreads and proliferates will be most kind, full of vitality, and rich in juicy and sweet fruits. It will not produce anything sour, bitter, acerbic, or tasteless. It will abound in flowers and fruit, and the pots and jars in the granaries and storehouses will be brimful of grain and other crops. The beings who will live there will be amply provided with clothing, food, water, medicines, and tools. If they sustain themselves with this water and food, they will be completely free from disease and will be wealthy, beautiful, strong, astute, and intelligent. They will yearn for the Dharma and will delight in wholesome pursuits. They will give up evil ways.

“After they die in this world, they will be reborn as your companions.429 {K152} With your retinues enhanced by all this, you, powerful with your invincible armies, will protect humankind with its four castes, your strength fueled by the Dharma. You will engage beings in the pursuit of the Dharma, worshiping in this way all the blessed buddhas of the three times.”

At this point, the thus-gone Māndāravagandharoca, filling the entire buddha field with the pure sound [F.263.a] of his special wisdom-voice of a buddha that so aptly conveys the meaning of words, {TK236} exhorted all the bodhisattva great beings, the lords of the śakras, the lords of the brahmās, . . . and the lords of mahoragas who dwell in this buddha field and this world sphere consisting of the four continents, to preserve, teach, and protect the Dharma methods taught in this Great Collection sūtra, thus following the instructions of all the buddhas.

In response, all of the ninety-seven tens of thousands of millions of bodhisattva great beings who dwell in this buddha field and have attained acceptance, led by Maitreya, spoke with a single voice: “We also, following the instructions of all the buddhas, accept, as is proper, our responsibility with regard to this Dharma discourse that has been commended by our supreme guides, as the way to worship the thus-gone ones of the three times and out of respect for our teachers. Acting out of compassion we will, in order to bring beings to maturity . . . and to establish them on the unsurpassable path, glorify this Dharma discourse far and wide—in villages, towns, cities, countries, state capitals, and inhabited forests. We will bring beings to full maturity so that the sacred Dharma continues for a long time.”

All the blessed buddhas in this buddha field applauded, saying, “Good! Good it is, O good people, that you will do this!” {K153}

And the lords of śakras, brahmās, mahoragas, and other beings who were in this buddha field—sixty-four million billion beings of great splendor and majesty—all said with one voice, “To ensure that the sacred Dharma continues for a long time, we will also uphold, . . . [F.263.b] {TK237} teach in full, and glorify this Dharma discourse—the Great Collection dhāraṇī. We will bring beings to full maturity. We will protect and take care of the Dharma students who uphold the sacred Dharma. Wherever this Dharma discourse is practiced, there we will, following the instructions of all the buddhas, pacify all discord, quarrels, wars, famine, disease, invasions by foreign powers, unseasonable cold and hot spells, storms, torrential rains, hurricanes, and anything that tastes foul, unpleasant, sour, bitter, or is tasteless. We will bring about every type of comfort and pleasure and ensure there is an abundance of provisions of every kind. We will make every effort to ensure that the methods of the sacred Dharma continue for a long time. Furthermore, we will protect righteous kings and take care of those who delight in meditation.”

All the blessed buddhas applauded them, saying, “Good! Good it is, O good people, that you will do this! You should exert yourselves for the sake of yourselves as well as others. In this way you will venerate the blessed buddhas of the three times. If you make an effort to bring beings to maturity, to glorify this Dharma method, and to make the sacred Dharma continue for a long time, you will swiftly awaken fully and completely to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood.”

Now all the lords of śakras, brahmās,430 gods,431 and mahoragas [F.264.a] who live in the central universe consisting of the four continents—all of them of great splendor—rose {K154} from their seats and, standing with folded hands, said, {TK238} “We, too, following the instructions of all the blessed buddhas, will protect this Dharma method and glorify432 it. We accept, as is proper, our responsibility with regard to this Great Collection sūtra that has been blessed by all the buddhas—this dhāraṇī-seal—this Dharma discourse . . . and will teach it in full in villages, towns, cities, countries, state capitals, and inhabited forests. We will care for and protect those who uphold the sacred Dharma. As for those who are established in the practice of the Dharma—Dharma teachers and students, monks and nuns, male and female lay practitioners, and other noble sons and daughters who have faith, delight in meditation, uphold this Dharma discourse, . . . or write it down and preserve it in the form of a book—we will protect, care for, respect, revere, honor, and worship all of them. We will respectfully present them with robes, parasols, banners, flags, scented oils, . . . and all kinds of medicines and utensils.

“And while this Dharma discourse is being taught and elucidated, we will attend to it to hear it for ourselves. Recognizing it as the supreme teacher, we will respect, revere, honor, and worship this Dharma discourse with parasols, banners, and flags. Why is this? It is because while this Dharma discourse on the dhāraṇī-seal that has been blessed by all the buddhas is being taught, we will be energized by the elixir of the Dharma. Strong, [F.264.b] diligent, mindful, and surrounded by supporters, we will become an invincible army. In this way, {K155} we will quell, in every realm, all discord, quarrels, {TK239} wars, disputes, famine, disease, invasions by foreign powers, unseasonable storms, torrential rains, cold and hot spells, droughts, bad dreams, and bad omens; all the foul, unpleasant, sour, bitter, acerbic, or insipid tastes; and all immoral predilections.

“Moreover, we will provide for every possible comfort, the abundance of provisions and food, enjoyments, and freedom from disease. We will set in motion433 timely winds, rains, cool and hot weather, and an abundance of water.434 We will set in motion auspicious constellations, nights, days, months, fortnights, seasons, and years. We will fill the rivers, lakes, ponds, and lotus ponds.435 In places where beings are troubled by floods, we will stop this calamity. Furthermore, in such places of trouble—villages, towns, cities, and countries—we will procure for the benefit of beings leaves, branches, flowers, fruits, bulbs, grain, herbs, and other crops436—all of them plentiful, of prime quality and pleasant appearance, juicy, succulent, and tasty. We will also provision beings with wealth, crops, medicines, clothing, and ornaments, without leaving anything lacking.

“We will ensure the longevity that arises from glory and merit437 for those beings who engage in wholesome pursuits and will spurn evil ones.438 In the houses, towns, cities, countries, [F.265.a] or capital cities where this Dharma discourse on dhāraṇī-seals, blessed by all the buddhas, {TK240} is taught in its entirety, written down {K156} and preserved in book form, recited, worshiped, and treated with respect, any head-anointed kṣatriya kings who are living in these places will be protected and cared for by us. We will dispel anything that is harmful to them, and we will procure for them anything that is salutary. We will quell all idle curiosity,439 inauspiciousness, wrong views, wrong actions, wrong authority, wrong aspirations, wrong refuge, hypocrisy, garrulousness, treachery, deceit, lies, envy, anger, and resentment. We will establish them on the straight path of correct views and inspire them to adhere to faith, self-control, self-restraint, conscientiousness, and decorum.

“In the same way, we will protect, care for, . . . and inspire conscientiousness and decorum in the chief queens, concubines, ministers, and accountants, in the prominent people in the towns and the country, in the four castes, and in women, men, sons, and daughters. We will also, in the same places, give complete protection to all the animals. Wherever this Dharma discourse is explained . . . and written down and preserved in the form of a book, we will thus care for the beings there with great effort and courage. We will strive to glorify this Dharma method and stop it from disappearing.”440

All the blessed buddhas applauded these sublime beings, saying, “Good! Good it is, sublime beings, that you will do that, [F.265.b] and that you will strive to prevent this Dharma method and the lineage of the Three Jewels {TK241} from disappearing. In this way you {K157} will worship the blessed buddhas of the three times.”

Now the blessed, thus-gone Śākyamuni addressed Śakra, Brahmā, Virūḍhaka, Virūpākṣa, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, and Kubera:

“O sublime beings, I have fully realized unsurpassed and perfect awakening in this buddha field, which is afflicted by the five degenerations and lacking in Dharma, through my compassionate dedication to sentient beings. In order to quell the pain of beings441 thrown into the darkness of ignorance and overwhelmed by the thieves and rogues of the afflictions,442 I have conquered the faction of Māra, raised the banner of the sacred Dharma, delivered countless beings from suffering, rained showers of the sacred Dharma, and defeated ten million māras.

“O sublime beings, {K159} this Dharma discourse and exposition of the dhāraṇī-seal, including its verbal formula, which is called the terminator of birth based on the essential nature of phenomena in their vajra-like indivisibility, [F.266.a] has been consecrated {TK243} by infinite numbers of blessed buddhas and bodhisattva great beings, impossible to count, who have gathered from the world spheres in the ten directions; it has been consecrated by them to pacify the negativities of beings in this buddha field who depend for life on the earth’s vitality to bring them to maturity, to exhaust all their negative action, to ensure the long continuity of the lineage of the Three Jewels, . . . and to completely fulfill all the buddhas’ intentions. So, too, you should bless it and protect it.

“I entrust you with the responsibility for the formation of merit through the roots of virtue of anyone who protects this sacred Dharma method. Likewise, I entrust you with the responsibility for the formation of merit through the roots of virtue of anyone who imparts the scriptures or recites, memorizes, pronounces, or explains them, goes for refuge in the Three Jewels, maintains lay vows, or observes pure conduct. I also entrust you with the responsibility for the formation of merit in the process that begins with entry into the first concentration and continues until the cultivation of the cessation of perception and sensation, as well as the process that begins with actualizing the fruit of entering the stream443 and continues until actualizing the awakening of buddhahood. I entrust you with the responsibility for the formation of the roots of virtue of these kinds of accumulations of merit in the present and in the future, as well as the formation of merit that results from shining the lamp of the sacred Dharma. I entrust you with the responsibility for the formation of merit for anyone who strives to propagate the Dharma methods blessed by the thus-gone ones. Anyone in the future who retains, or even writes down, this Dharma in the form of a book and carries it will purify all karmic action through this Dharma discourse. Friends, whether in a town, a home, or another place, should a Dharma preacher bathe, put on new garments, and sit on a lion throne strewn with various flowers, censed with fragrant incense, and covered with fine fabrics and linens to teach this Dharma discourse from the tip of his tongue, or even just write it down and recite it, will you care for the Dharma teacher and student? Will you protect the Dharma students? [F.266.b] {TK244} If you do not go there to exhaust the nonvirtue of both yourselves and others, you will have deceived us and will have become deluded with regard to the development of the path.”

Brahmā, lord of the Sahā world, then made a pledge to the Blessed One, “Now or in the future, as long as this sacred Dharma method still exists, should a Dharma teacher, or a faithful noble son or daughter—whether a monk or a nun, a layman or a laywoman—in any village, town, city, country, border town, capital, temple, forest, palace, brahmin household, merchant household, or common household, first bathe, anoint their body, and put on new garments and then, in a courtyard adorned with various flowers, take a seat on a lion throne that is covered with fine fabrics and linens, censed with fragrant incense, and surrounded by delicious foods and teach this dhāraṇī-seal extensively to others from the tip of their tongue or, alternatively, write it down or read it, if I do not come, surrounded by hundreds of thousands of members of my retinue, to protect that Dharma teacher and clear away the afflicted karmic actions of those Dharma students—both myself and others444—and to ripen their virtuous qualities, to nurture this great Dharma method, and set them on the supreme path of the great light of wisdom—if I do not come to care for those villages . . . and common households and fill their treasuries and granaries with wealth and grain, then I will have transgressed the unprecedented vow I took before the blessed buddhas. [F.267.a] {TK245}

“My dhāraṇī is as follows: aṃ guha aṃ guha dhaṅga pura hana yami kha kha kha kha kha kha khava khava klinnakhava svāhā!

“Blessed One, if I do not come to support and satisfy those Dharma teachers and students with treasuries and granaries of wealth and grain, then I will have transgressed my vow.”

All the blessed buddhas, bodhisattva great beings, gods, humans, and asuras expressed their approval of Brahmā, lord of the Sahā world.

Then Kauśika repeated Brahmā’s vow and said, “My dhāraṇī is khavam rikha khavam rikha na lagha amudaña amuvaha akaṭaṭa akha aśakha jinavrakhe svāhā! Blessed One, if I do not follow through on my pledge, then I will have transgressed my vows.” Everyone then expressed their approval of Śakra, lord of the gods.

Next Virūḍhaka spoke up as well, repeating the same vow {TK246} before saying, “My dhāraṇī is ukhana­vana vasa­vana samudra­saṅṅidjña tathachyudta varuṇa vavārājā svāhā!”445 Everyone also expressed their approval of Virūḍhaka, the great king.

Now Virūpākṣa spoke up, [F.267.b] repeating the same vow before saying, “My dhāraṇī is jalaugha atogha amama mogha amasarājana­caryayamuja svāhā!” Everyone expressed their approval of Virūpākṣa, the great king.

Next Dhṛtarāṣṭra spoke up as well, repeating the same vow before saying, “My dhāraṇī is bindu­java khava javara­mukha kṣa sāra {TK247} pukavaha amārgavaṭa svāhā!” Everyone expressed their approval of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, the great king.

Then Kubera spoke up as well, repeating the same vow before saying, “My dhāraṇī is kṣutre kṣu kṣu kṣutre kha kṣutre atikṣutre anayana­kṣutre hrīda­kṣutre sagara­hrīda­kṣutre saṃkusu­kṣutre dharma­kṣaya­mutre svāhā!” Everyone also expressed their approval of Kubera, the great king.

After this, twelve hundred great yakṣa commanders who live in this world system of four continents and guard it; forty thousand who live in other four-continent systems; and other gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, [F.268.a] and mahoragas of great magical power all said with one voice, “Blessed One, now or in the future, as long as this sacred Dharma lamp still shines, should a Dharma teacher, or a faithful noble son or daughter—whether a monk or a nun, a layman or a laywoman—in any village, town, city, country, border town, {TK248} capital, forest, palace, brahmin household, merchant household, aristocratic household, or common household, first bathe, anoint their body, and put on new garments and then, in a courtyard adorned with various flowers and censed with fragrant incense, take a seat on a lion throne that is covered with fine fabrics and linens and surrounded by delicious foods and teach this dhāraṇī-seal extensively to others from the tip of their tongue or, alternatively, write it down or read it, if any one of us does not come surrounded by hundreds of thousands of members in our retinues to such places to protect the Dharma teacher and the students, protect their assemblies, protect other beings, and bring beings to maturity; or if we and our retinues do not heed their command and protect them; or if we do not come there and fill their treasuries and granaries with much wealth and grain; or if we do not avert beings’ discord, quarrels, famines, diseases, foreign invasions, untimely rains, storms, cold snaps, and heatwaves, then we will have deceived, betrayed, and displeased the blessed buddhas of the past, present, and future. [F.268.b] Our bodies will then be struck by leprosy, our sight will deteriorate, and our bodies will rot. We and our retinues will propagate this Dharma method of the blessed {TK249} thus-gone Śākyamuni in both the present and the future in this four-continent world. We will teach this Dharma discourse. We will protect people who have faith in this Dharma discourse. We will nurture them. We will make them mature. {K160} 446We will encourage any Dharma teacher to teach this Dharma discourse in order to purify bad actions. We will cause the wealth, grain harvests, enjoyments, and pleasures of these Dharma teachers and students to increase. We will support the doctrine of the victorious ones so that it is not destroyed.”

Hearing this, all the blessed buddhas applauded all the human and nonhuman beings. The bodhisattva Kautūhalika, the great being, asked the thus-gone Śākyamuni, “Blessed One, what is this? Are all the billions of māras here with their retinues?”

“Yes, they are here with their retinues,” the Blessed One replied.

The bodhisattva Kautūhalika then asked, “Have all of them and their retinues developed faith in the Three Jewels?”447

“No, O noble son!” answered the Blessed One. “Māra, the evil one, who has thousands of servants, has not developed faith. He is outraged and frustrated now and will still be so in the future. He will wait and watch for the opportunity, for as long as this method of the sacred Dharma is glorified, to strive [F.269.a] to bring about {K161} its destruction and disappearance. Likewise, the eighty māras with their thirteen thousand servants, and the two hundred māras with their twenty-one servants, have not developed faith in the Three Jewels. They are outraged and frustrated now and will still be so in the future. As long as this method of the sacred {TK250} Dharma proliferates, they will wait and watch for the opportunity to harm my doctrine. They will strive to destroy and obliterate it. Why is this?448

“It is because they are under the sway of their previous enmity. They have not planted any roots of virtue, have been taken in by evil companions, have no desire for the happiness of nirvāṇa, and are discouraged by virtue. Because they have not made any aspirations, they are unable to put their thoughts together, cannot be faithful, are never pleased, and do not become liberated. However, simply because they have seen this great gathering of the buddhas and heard this profound dhāraṇī discourse, they will later develop faith in unsurpassable and perfect awakening.”449

450“Blessed One, it is incredible,” marveled the bodhisattva Kautūhalika, {K162} “that if beings who have not produced roots of virtue hear this Dharma discourse, that in itself becomes a cause for their unsurpassed and perfect awakening. Blissful One, it is incredible.”

At that time there was a māra named Agasti who had worshiped former victors, developed roots of virtue, discovered unfailing faith in the Three Jewels, and received his prophecy of unsurpassed and perfect awakening. Appearing in the guise of a great sage, he sat before the thus-gone Śākyamuni. He rose from his seat and, gazing ahead, joined his palms together. Invigorated by the blessed buddhas, he filled the entire buddha field with his voice, saying, [F.269.b] “Buddhas and bodhisattva great beings, please give me your attention! Gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, {TK251} mahoragas, humans, nonhumans, māras and your retinues, heed my words! This teacher, the blessed Śākyamuni, is a lord of great compassion. He is a teacher who eliminates all degenerated buddha fields and perfects them with a complete array of positive attributes. It is through his past aspirations that he fully awakened to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood in this kind of buddha field, which is rife with the afflictions and the five degenerations. Thus he proceeded to mature the minds of beings who have committed the acts of immediate retribution, who spurn the sacred Dharma, slander noble beings, develop roots of nonvirtue, and indulge in evil deeds. He set out to turn them back from the three lower realms, to bring them to maturity in the three vehicles, to establish them in absorption, dhāraṇī, and acceptance, to purify the buddha field, and to ensure that the lineage of the Three Jewels remains uninterrupted.

“I implore you to ensure, by whatever means necessary, that this Teacher’s doctrine remains for a long time, so that this way of the buddhas is put into practice and does not perish. Otherwise, whether now or in the future, should this doctrine of the victors that the Thus-Gone One teaches be deprecated, threatened, or assailed by anyone, whether a māra or their retinue, then I implore you all to prevent this situation and dispel distractions and the obstacle to virtue. The same applies should Māra, the sons or daughters of Māra, his male or female retinue, or his messengers wait and watch for the opportunity to harm those who uphold this sacred Dharma, who exert themselves in it or teach it; or if they do so to monks or nuns, laymen or laywomen, or any noble sons or daughters who have faith and listen to the Dharma; or if they do so to those who are diligent in body, speech, and mind, delight in the creation of merit, [F.270.a] and exert themselves in {TK252} acts of venerating the Three Jewels; or if they do so to those who exert themselves in discarding the afflictions ubiquitous in the three realms; or if they do so to those who seek to completely free all beings from suffering.