Introduction to the Domain of the Inconceivable Qualities and Wisdom of the Tathāgatas
Introduction to the Domain of the Inconceivable Qualities and Wisdom of the Tathāgatas

Homage to all the buddhas and bodhisattvas.

Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was dwelling in the region of Magadha, on the seat of awakening in the Dharma Discernment hermitage in the mansion of Samantaprabha, which was a great store of accumulated meritorious attributes, delightful, and free of flaws, and had a vast number of qualities.

The Blessed One had fully realized the equality of all phenomena. He possessed a mind with excellent comprehension and was not duplicitous in conduct. He was completely absorbed in the teaching of signlessness. He lived in the state of buddhahood, and had attained equality with all buddhas. He had attained flawless understanding, and possessed irreversible qualities. Not captivated by worldly spheres of activity, he engaged in vast, never-ending, and inconceivable buddha activity. He had realized the holy truth of signlessness. He had mastered the equality of the three times. He was endowed with a body that pervaded all the realms of the world. He held resolute knowledge about all phenomena, and was familiar with all forms of conduct. He was certain in his knowledge of the Dharma. He had an unimaginable body, and had internalized the wisdom held by all bodhisattvas. He had realized the nondual, excellent state of a buddha, and had perfected the wisdom that brings about the unique liberation of a tathāgata. [F.106.b] Having penetrated all-pervading buddha equality, he possessed the excellent dharmadhātu and reached the furthest reaches of space. In possession of a body that ceaselessly turns the wheel of the Dharma for eons until the end of time, he took a seat on a lion throne made of lotus flowers in the company of a saṅgha of six million two hundred thousand monks.

These included the Venerable Śāriputra, as well as Mahāmaudgalyāyana, Mahākāśyapa, Aniruddha, Subhūti, Kātyāyana, Mahākapphiṇa, Citra,16 Nanda, Nadī-Kāśyapa, Gayā-Kāśyapa, Uruvilvā­Kāśyapa, Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇī­putra, Gavāṃpati, Cūḍāpanthaka, Vasumallaputra, Khadiravanika, Cunda, Mahākauṣṭhila, Rāhula, Ānanda, and so on. Altogether there were six million two hundred thousand monks, all of whom were absorbed in a single teaching and established in the sphere of conduct of the noble ones.

They all were established in the true, quintessential nature of all phenomena. They abided without support or foundation in the sphere of space. They had cast aside the deeply ingrained obscuration of the afflictive emotions. They possessed the knowledge of how to enter into the spheres of conduct and wisdom of the omniscient ones. They engaged in the conduct of the bodhisattvas. They were established in a method that revealed the dharmadhātu of all the tathāgatas. They were immersed in the single Dharma method. They had approached omniscience. [F.107.a] They were unswerving on the path of omniscience; their minds never turned away from omniscience. Their minds were established in understanding and wisdom. They had perfected the wisdom and insight of omniscience. Their methods and conduct had become steadfast.

The Buddha was also accompanied by sixty-two thousand nuns, including Mahāprajāpatī and Yaśodharā. They, too, had amassed virtuous qualities and were approaching the wisdom of omniscience. They were established in a method that revealed omniscience. They had realized the nonsubstantiality of all phenomena. They were established in the signlessness of all phenomena. They understood the true nature of all phenomena. They were convinced that all phenomena are unproduced, unceasing, and beyond oppositional factors. They were established in inconceivable liberation and meditative absorption. They manifested, spontaneously and nonconceptually, in shapes, bodies, colors, and modes of conduct that were perfectly suited to all the sentient beings to be trained.

The Buddha was also accompanied by a large retinue of bodhisattvas that consisted of as many bodhisattva mahāsattvas as there are atoms in the indescribably many billions of buddhafields.

They included the bodhisattva mahāsattvas Samantabhadra, Universal Guide, Universal Emanation, Universal Insight, Samantanetra, Samantaprabha, Samantāloka, [F.107.b] Samantaraśmi, and Samantaketu, as well as the bodhisattva mahāsattva Samantabuddhi; the bodhisattvas Great Strength, Great Strength Holder, Great Emanation, Great Emanation King, Great Diligence Hero, Great Energy Hero, Great Poise, Great Powerful Poise, Great Lord of the Feast, and Great Musth Elephant; the bodhisattva mahāsattvas Mahācandra, Sucandra, Guṇacandra, Ratnacandra, All-Illumining Moon, Stainless-Dharma Moon, Illuminating Moon, Famous Moon, and Brilliant Moon, as well as the bodhisattva mahāsattva Pūrṇacandra; the bodhisattvas Brahmaghoṣa, Famous Melody of Brahmā, Melodious Song of the Earth, Dharmadhātu Melody, Melody That Conquers All the Throngs of Māras, Great Dharma-Drum Melody, Universally Understood Melody, Thought-Free Nonconceptual Melody, and Earth Melody, as well as the bodhisattva mahāsattva Melody That Eclipses All Types of Song; the bodhisattva mahāsattvas Samantagarbha, Universal Stainless Essence, Guṇagarbha, Vairocana­garbha, Ratnagarbha, Candragarbha, Sūryagarbha, Jyotigarbha, Padma­śrī­garbha, Vajragarbha, Sumati, Mahāmati, Viśeṣamati, Vidhuṣṭhamati, Mahārājamati, Gurumati, Improving Intellect, Anantamati, Vipulamati, Buddhamati, [F.108.a] and Akṣayamati, as well as the bodhisattva mahāsattvas Sāgaramati, Sthiramati, Vajramati, and Intellect Perceiving the Buddha; the bodhisattvas Merupradīpa, Mahāpradīpa, Torchlight of Dharma, Light Pervading All Directions, Universal Light, Light Dispelling All Darkness, Light That Shines on All Beings, Sole Lamp of the World,17 and Candrapradīpa, as well as the bodhisattva mahāsattva Sūryapradīpa; the bodhisattvas Youthful Mañjuśrī, Youthful Jewel-Holder, Youthful Precious Seal-holder, Youthful Sky-Treasury, Youth Who Turns the Dharma Wheel Upon Generating the Mind of Awakening, Youth of Latticed Light, Youthful Clearer, Youth Who Renounces All, Youthful Glorious Essence, Youthful Lion, Youthful Moonlight, Youthful Moonbeam, Youthful Supreme Intelligence, Youthful Ornament, Padmapāṇi, Vajrapāṇi, Sūryaprabha, Ratna, Vidyut, Sūrya, Candra, All-Outshining Light of Brahmā, Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin, and Intelligence that Conquers All Suffering and Darkness, as well as the bodhisattva mahāsattva Intelligence that Renounces All Objects; the bodhisattvas Heroic Cleanliness, Heroic Purity, Heroic Aggregates, Heroic Faculties, Heroic Constituents, Heroic Emptiness, [F.108.b] Heroic Signlessness, Heroic Wishlessness, Heroic Birthlessness, Heroic Ceaselessness, Heroic Nondisappearance, Heroic Nonarrival, Heroic Without Birth or Death, Heroic Nonarising, Heroic Clear-Light Nature, Heroic in the Three Worlds, Heroic Limitlessness, Heroic in All World Systems, Heroic in All Phenomena, Heroic Liberation, Heroic Absorption, Heroic in Every Meditative State, Heroic Clairvoyance, Heroic Awareness, Heroic in the Mental Deeds of All Sentient Beings, Heroic at the Limit of Reality, Heroic Tathāgata, and Heroic Sameness, as well as the bodhisattva mahāsattva Heroic Dharmadhātu; the bodhisattvas Unstained by the Realm of Māras, Mārajit, Great Conqueror of Māra, Ratnacūḍa, Emitter of a Thousand Light Rays, Hard Renunciation, Durdharṣa, Hard to Realize, Intellect Hard to Approach, Sears the Lower Realms, Bhadrapāla, Ratnākara, Susārthavāha, Nārada, Varuṇadeva, Candradeva, Vimaladatta, and Vimalakīrti, as well as the bodhisattva mahāsattva Maitreya; and other such bodhisattva mahāsattvas, assembled from the various world systems, as many as there are atoms in the indescribably many billions of buddhafields. All were only one birth away from awakening. [F.109.a]

In bringing all the dispositions of sentient beings to maturity, all were skilled in analysis, means, methods, and discipline, as well as in establishing them in the bodhisattva teaching. All had accessed the boundless knowledge of the method of analysis of infinite world systems. All were skilled in examining and analyzing the sphere of conduct of the level beyond suffering. They had cut through mental constructs and attachment to conduct, and were skilled in integrating all the aspects of sentient experience. All were skilled in entering the method of the Dharma that is beyond center or periphery. All were skilled in the nonobjectifying examination and discrimination of the never-ending maturation of actions in all sentient beings. All were skilled in examining and analyzing all the constituent thoughts, predispositions, faculties, intentions, and activities of sentient beings.

All were skilled in correctly retaining and pondering the knowledge of the transmitted meanings, words, and letters imparted by all the tathāgatas of the past, present, and future. All employed18 both worldly and transcendent methods of Dharma, as well as that which is without center or periphery. All were skilled in analyzing conditioned, unconditioned, phased, and gradual methods. They were established all at once and instantaneously as the maṇḍala of wisdom of all the tathāgatas of the past, present, and future. All were skilled in exhibiting‍—in a single, instantaneous moment of thought‍—death, becoming, birth, [F.109.b] renunciation, the practice of austerities, approach to the seat of awakening, victory over Māra, the attainment of perfect awakening, the turning of the wheel of Dharma, and entry into mahā­parinirvāṇa. Once they had generated the mind of awakening for the sake of all sentient beings, they were inseparable from awakening to buddhahood. By penetrating the mind-frame of a single sentient being, they were able to understand the mind-frames of each and every sentient being. They possessed the body of a bodhisattva that never strayed from the level of self-originated wisdom. Due to their omniscience, their attainment19 was irreversible. Without disrupting the bodhisattvas’ power of application, they were established in a method understanding the absence of application.

All were skilled in bestowing blessings through persistent involvement over countless ages in the deeds of a single sentient being. They bestowed blessings through continuously turning the wheel of the Dharma, and were skilled at inducing in all beings a temperament suitable for instruction. They had entered the pure state of all the tathāgatas of the past, present, and future, and possessed the quality of the powers of conduct20 and aspiration.

They possessed the special intention of the Aspiration Prayer for the Conduct of Samantabhadra. All were skilled in approaching and appealing to all the buddhas of the present. All were skilled in holding on to the Dharma methods of all the tathāgatas. All followed in the unbroken lineage of all the buddhas. [F.110.a] They all made buddhas appear in world systems that were without buddhas. They all purified world systems polluted by defilements. All had severed the chain of karmic obscurations faced by all bodhisattvas and entered the unveiled dharmadhātu. All possessed qualities as immeasurable as the sphere of space. They all maintained equality as they entered the dharmadhātu. They maintained equality at the limit of reality and in the dharmadhātu. They were dedicated to maturation in accordance with the action that brought it about. They were dedicated to the result in accordance with the causes that brought it about. They understood that all phenomena are equal, like the raised designs on a seal. They knew that phenomena, which appear like illusions and reflections, are in a state of equality. They knew that the auditory perceptions of all phenomena resemble echoes. They were established in liberation and inconceivable absorptions. They disported themselves in the absorption of heroic progress.

They possessed dhāraṇīs21 that accomplish the perfect hues of the limitless bodies of the buddhas. They were able to display all the world systems on just a single hair. They were able to display in all ten directions‍—on just a single hair‍—death, becoming, birth, renunciation, the practice of austerities, approach to the seat of awakening, [F.110.b] victory over Māra, the attainment of perfect awakening, the turning of the wheel of Dharma, and entry into mahā­parinirvāṇa.

They knew how to fill the celestial expanse of all the world systems in the ten directions by simply sitting in cross-legged posture. All were skilled in displaying the adornments of all the buddhafields in one buddhafield. All were skilled in displaying the adornments arranged in one buddhafield in all the buddhafields. All were skilled in displaying, in the retinue of a single tathāgata, all the retinues of all tathāgatas in all the vast world systems of the ten directions. All were skilled in displaying, in the retinues of all tathāgatas of all world systems of the ten directions, the retinue of a single tathāgata. All were skilled in demonstrating that all phenomena are without limit or center. All were skilled in displaying the bodies of all sentient beings within their own bodies. All were skilled in displaying the bodies of all the buddhas within a single buddha body. All were skilled in displaying the body of a single buddha within the bodies of all the buddhas. All were skilled in displaying all the world systems of the ten directions within their own bodies. All were skilled in displaying the bodies of the sentient beings of the three times within the body of a single sentient being.

All were skilled in displaying the future and the present in the past, and the past and the present in the future, as well as the past and the future in the present. [F.111.a] All were skilled in resting in absorption with a single body, but manifesting based on boundless, countless bodies. All were skilled in resting in absorption in boundless, countless bodies, but displaying manifestations based on a single body.

All were skilled in displaying full awakening commensurate with the bodies of all sentient beings. All were skilled in displaying the body of a single sentient being in the bodies of all sentient beings. All were skilled in displaying the bodies of all sentient beings in the body of a single sentient being. All were skilled in displaying a buddha body in the bodies of all sentient beings. All were skilled in displaying the emergence of the bodies of sentient beings from a buddha body. All were skilled in displaying the bodies of sentient beings as the dharmakāya. All were skilled in displaying the adornments arranged in all buddhafields within a single buddhafield. All were skilled in displaying the adornments arranged in a single buddhafield within all buddhafields. All were skilled in displaying the dharmakāya as the body of sentient beings. All were skilled in displaying all the world systems of the ten directions condensed in a single pore. All were skilled in demonstrating in their complete and perfect awakening the basis of all the buddhas’ powerful former resolve to attain complete and perfect awakening. All were skilled in demonstrating unsurpassed, complete, and perfect awakening perfectly suited to maturing sentient beings to be trained within all the infinite world systems of the ten directions. [F.111.b] All were skilled in displaying, in a single world system, for the entire number of eons, a body that ceaselessly engages in bodhisattva conduct.

All were skilled in displaying, with the single cultivation of the mind of awakening, the venues for engaging in behavior, deeds, and spontaneous and nonconceptual conduct perfectly suited to maturing all the sentient beings to be trained within each of the infinite world systems of the entire universe in the ten directions including those born from an egg or womb, born from heat and moisture, and born miraculously; those with and without corporeality, those with and without perception; those with two, four, or more legs; and gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, Brahmā, Śakra, world guardians, humans, and nonhumans. All were skilled in entering into each minute particle in countless, inconceivable, matchless, vast, boundless, and indescribable world systems, without harming a single sentient being. All were skilled in blessing countless, inconceivable, matchless, vast, boundless, and indescribable eons, in just a single moment. All were skilled in blessing a single moment, during countless, inconceivable, matchless, vast, boundless, and indescribably many eons. [F.112.a] All were skilled in displaying, spontaneously and nonconceptually, bodily hues and modes of conduct that bring sentient beings to maturation. These bodhisattvas-mahāsattvas, and all the others, possessed vast and countless qualities.

Then countless, inconceivable, matchless, vast, boundless, and indescribably many gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas, as well as Brahmā, Śakra, and the world guardians, assembled from all the various buddhafields. Furthermore, from this world system, the many millions of gods belonging to the league of the Four Great Kings, each with his own vast retinue, approached the Blessed One in order to behold him, pay homage to him, make offerings to him, and listen to the Dharma. Many millions accompanying Śakra, many millions with the divine king of the Suyāmā Heaven, many millions with the divine king of Tuṣita, many millions with the divine king of Nirmāṇarati, and many millions with the divine king of Para­nirmita­vaśa­vartin‍—each divine king with his own vast retinue approached the Blessed One in order to behold him, pay homage to him, worship him, make offerings to him, and listen to the Dharma.

Many millions of gods belonging to the league of Māra, such as Sārthavāha and so on, approached the Blessed One in order to behold him, pay homage to him, worship him, make offerings to him, and listen to the Dharma. One million eight hundred thousand rākṣasa spirits, [F.112.b] three million eight hundred thousand demon spirits, eight million asura spirits, and six million five hundred thousand knowledge-mantra practitioners, as well as nine million nine hundred thousand sages, all in possession of the five supernormal knowledges, approached the Blessed One. The great kings of the wind known as Vairambhaka and Great Vairambhaka with their myriad retinues, a hundred million Brahmās, a hundred million Great Brahmās, a hundred million gods of the Heaven of Lesser Light, a hundred million gods of the Heaven of Immeasurable Light, a hundred million gods of the Heaven of Radiant Light, a hundred million gods of the Heaven of Lesser Virtue, a hundred million gods of the Heaven of Immeasurable Virtue, a hundred million gods of the Heaven of Vast Virtue, a hundred million gods of the Heaven Without Clouds, a hundred million gods of the Heaven of Large Fruit, a hundred million gods of the Heaven Born from Merit, a hundred million gods of the Heaven of Those of Exquisite Appearance, a hundred million gods of the Heaven of Acute Perception, a hundred million gods of the Heaven of Unsurpassed, a hundred million gods of the Heaven of Sorrowless, and a hundred million gods of Akaniṣṭha‍—they all, with each Great Brahmā in possession of his own vast retinue, approached the Blessed One in order to behold him, pay homage to him, worship him, make offerings to him, and listen to the Dharma.

They included Devaputra Maheśvara, one of the hundred million gods of the pure heavens, and his retinue,22 who all approached the Blessed One in order to behold him, pay homage to him, worship him, make offerings to him, and listen to the Dharma. One hundred million nāga lords, a hundred million yakṣa lords, a hundred million gandharva lords, a hundred million asura lords, a hundred million garuḍa lords, a hundred million kinnara lords, and a hundred million mahoraga lords, [F.113.a] each with his own vast retinue‍—they all approached the Blessed One in order to behold him, pay homage to him, worship him, make offerings to him, and listen to the Dharma. Limitless, countless numbers of human and nonhuman23 beings also approached the Blessed One in order to see him, pay homage, make offerings, venerate him, and listen to the Dharma. Myriad millions of male and female lay disciples also approached the Blessed One in order to behold him, pay homage to him, worship him, make offerings to him, and listen to the Dharma.

All the gods of the grasses, branches, medicinal herbs, and forests, as well as all the gods of the mountains, including Meru and Great Meru, Mucilinda and Great Mucilinda, Himavat, and Cakravāḍa and Great Cakravāḍa, along with their holy sites,24 also approached the Blessed One in order to behold him, pay homage to him, worship him, make offerings to him, and listen to the Dharma. In addition, all the gods of the seas and oceans, rivers and streams, lakes and ponds, springs and waterfalls, along with their holy sites, approached the Blessed One in order to behold him, pay homage to him, worship him, make offerings to him, and listen to the Dharma. All the gods of the villages, cities, towns, districts, provinces, royal precincts, and surroundings,25 [F.113.b] together with their own holy sites, approached the Blessed One in order to behold him, pay homage to him, worship him, make offerings to him, and listen to the Dharma. All the gods of the holy sites of the nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas, with each positioned in his or her own holy site, approached the Blessed One in order to behold him, pay homage to him, worship him, make offerings to him, and listen to the Dharma. By the power of the Blessed One, no sentient being was harmed or kept in the dark. The divinities of a hundred million moons, a hundred million suns, and a hundred million oceans, each with his or her own vast retinue, approached the Blessed One in order to behold him, pay homage to him, worship him, make offerings to him, and listen to the Dharma. In addition, the great nāga king Anavatapta, along with his retinue, approached the Blessed One in order to behold him, pay homage to him, worship him, make offerings to him, and listen to the Dharma. All the beings who had been born as animals also approached the Blessed One in order to behold him, pay homage to him, worship him, make offerings to him, and listen to the Dharma. All the beings who had been born as animals unanimously aspired toward the Mahāyāna; they dedicated themselves to the Mahāyāna, and sought to attain the wisdom of omniscience.

At that time the Blessed One’s bodily hue, form, luster, and radiance outshone his entire retinue. He was luminous, glowing, and bright [F.114.a]. For example, just as the sun emits countless, myriad rays that surpass all glowworms in their luminosity, glow, and brightness, in the same way the luminosity, glow, and brightness of the Blessed One surpasses Śakra, Brahmā, and all the guardians of the world. Or, as another analogy, just as the full moon, when it emerges from behind the surrounding clouds, surpasses all the constellations of stars in luminosity, glow, and brightness, in the same way the Blessed One overawes and surpasses Śakra, Brahmā, and all the world guardians in his luminosity, glow, and brightness. Like Mount Meru, the king of mountains, he is resplendent, imperturbable, unchanging, and steadfast in his luminosity, glow, and brightness.

Then Youthful Mañjuśrī said to the bodhisattva mahāsattva Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin, “O Son of the Jina, in this way the Tathāgata abides here in an unperturbed, unchanging, and steadfast manner.”

Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin replied to Youthful Mañjuśrī, “Mañjuśrī, some within this very retinue observe that the Tathāgata takes religious vows and leaves household life behind. Others observe him taking religious vows and living in austerity. Some within this very retinue observe him going to the seat of awakening. Others observe that he resides on the seat of awakening. Some within this very retinue observe him surrounded by and overcoming a vast, immeasurable circle of evil spirits. Others [F.114.b] observe the gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, Śakra, and Brahmā, as well as all the innumerable, countless world guardians, rejoicing and proclaiming: ‘Victory! Victory to you, O great guide!’ Some observe how, after he achieved full awakening, Śakra petitioned him. Others observe how Brahmā petitioned him. Some of this retinue observe that the guardians petitioned the Blessed One.

“Some observe the Blessed One teaching them a discourse on generosity. Others of this very retinue observe the Blessed One teaching a discourse on moral conduct, and still others observe the Blessed One teaching a discourse on patience, diligence, concentration, or insight. Some observe the Blessed One teaching them a discourse on skillful means, or on miraculous powers, resolve, or wisdom.

“Some observe the Blessed One teaching them a discourse on the Śrāvakayāna, others observe him teaching a discourse on the Pratyekabuddhayāna, and others observe him teaching a discourse on the Mahāyāna.

“Some observe the Blessed One teaching them the factors that cause sentient beings to be born in the hell realms, others observe him teaching on factors that cause birth among the animals, others observe him teaching on factors that cause birth among the hungry ghosts, others on factors that cause birth in the realm of the Lord of Death, and others still [F.115.a] on factors that cause birth among the gods in the league of the Four Great Kings. Some observe the Blessed One teaching on factors that cause birth in the abode of the Thirty-Three Gods. Some observe the Blessed One teaching on factors that cause birth in the Yāma abode. Some observe the Blessed One teaching on factors that cause birth in Tuṣita, or in Nirmāṇarati, or in Para­nirmita­vaśa­vartin, or in the abode of Māras, or in the abode of Brahmā. Similarly, some observe the Blessed One teaching on factors that cause birth in the abode of Brahmā’s High Priests, on birth in the abode of Brahmā’s Entourage, and on birth in the abodes of Lesser Light, Immeasurable Light, Radiant Light, Lesser Virtue, Immeasurable Virtue, and Vast Virtue. Some observe the Blessed One teaching on factors that cause birth in the abodes of Without Clouds, Born from Merit, Large Fruit, Unsurpassed, Sorrowless, Exquisite Appearance, and Acute Perception, and on birth in Akaniṣṭha. Some observe the Blessed One teaching on factors that cause birth in the abodes of Infinity of Space, Infinity of Consciousness, Nothingness, and birth in the abode of Neither-Perception-nor-Nonperception.

“Mañjuśrī, some within this retinue observe the Blessed One teaching on factors that cause birth as human beings. Some observe the Blessed One teaching on factors that cause becoming a universal monarch. Some observe the Blessed One teaching on factors that give rise to monarchs of one, two, or three continents. And some observe the Blessed One teaching on factors that give rise to a monarch of the chiliocosm, dichiliocosm, and trichiliocosm and their worlds as numerous as grains of sand in the Ganges.

“Mañjuśrī, some within this retinue observe the Tathāgata’s body as exceeding six feet tall; others as much as a mile, or as much as two miles; and still others [F.115.b] as much as a league. Others observe the Tathāgata’s body as exceeding two leagues, and others as much as ten leagues. Some within this retinue observe the Tathāgata’s body as being a thousand leagues tall. Others observe the Tathāgata’s body as ten, twenty, thirty, forty, or fifty thousand leagues tall. Some observe the Tathāgata’s body as being a hundred thousand leagues, one million, two million, three million, four million, or five million leagues tall. Some observe the Tathāgata’s body as being one hundred eighty-four thousand leagues tall. Within this very retinue, some observe the Tathāgata’s body as being countless hundreds of thousands of leagues tall.

“Some within this retinue see the Tathāgata’s body as golden in color. Others observe that it is the color of a precious lapis lazuli jewel, others as the color of a great jewel of sapphire, others as the color of a great gem of azure, others as the color of a jewel of starlight, others as the color of a jewel of precious ruby, others as the color of the precious jewel held by Śakra, others as the color of a precious, shining diamond, others as the color of a precious jewel that shines like all the gods, others as the color of a precious jewel that shines like the sun and moon, others as the color of a precious water-purifying gem, others as the color of a precious crystal jewel, others as the color of a precious wish-fulfilling jewel, others as the color of a precious jewel that includes all lights, others as the color of a precious jewel the color of [F.116.a] the maned lion, the king of beasts, others as the color of a jewel at the apex of a lion victory-banner, and others see it as precious gems that radiate light rays of the jeweled array of all the pristine domains of the oceans. Mañjuśrī, some within this retinue see the Blessed One as the color of a precious wish-fulfilling jewel.

“Mañjuśrī, whatever colors, conduct, and forms will train sentient beings, they are precisely the colors, conduct, and forms of the Tathāgata that sentient beings see. Mañjuśrī, whatever Dharma teachings will mature sentient beings, they are precisely the teachings that sentient beings observe the Tathāgata teaching. Mañjuśrī, whatever conduct will lead sentient beings toward, and instruct them in, the teaching of the Tathāgata, this is precisely the conduct that sentient beings understand the Tathāgata to engage in.

“Mañjuśrī, imagine that the countless, unimaginable, incomparable, immeasurable, limitless, indescribably ineffable world systems of the east were filled with gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, Brahmā, Śakra, world guardians, humans and nonhumans; and if, just like in the east, the countless, unimaginable, peerless, immeasurable, [F.116.b] limitless, indescribably ineffable world systems of the south, the west, and the north, and similarly the southeast and southwest, and similarly the northwest and northeast, as well as those above and below, were filled with gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, Brahmā, Śakra, world guardians, humans, and nonhumans‍—like fields full of reeds or sugarcane, or fields full of sesame. If, Mañjuśrī, those sentient beings were to be instructed by seeing the Tathāgata, they would perceive themselves seated six feet in front of the Tathāgata.

“Mañjuśrī, whatever colors, conduct, and location will instruct those sentient beings, they are precisely the colors, conduct, and location in which those sentient beings see the Tathāgata as present before them. Mañjuśrī, whatever Dharma teaching will develop sentient beings, this is precisely the Dharma that they hear taught. Mañjuśrī, whatever deeds will cause sentient beings to engage with the teaching of the Tathāgata are precisely the deeds in which the Tathāgata engages. All the deeds of the Tathāgata are spontaneously and nonconceptually accomplished.

“Mañjuśrī, it is as follows: Although all sentient beings in the world observe the disk of the waxing moon when it appears before them at midnight, the moon-disk does not consciously think, ‘I shall appear before these sentient beings so that they may wonder, “Why am I aware of the moon?”’ It does not consciously think this, Mañjuśrī, and yet the moon, because of its unique qualities, spontaneously and nonconceptually acts in such a way.

“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, the thus-gone, blessed, complete and perfect Buddha may stand in the midst of countless, inconceivable, unrivaled, vast, boundless, and indescribably many [F.117.a] retinues, and everyone sees the Tathāgata present before them, yet when he does so, Mañjuśrī, the Tathāgata does not think, ‘I shall stand before these sentient beings so that that they may know that the Tathāgata is in front of them.’ He does not consciously think that. Yet whatever manner will instruct these sentient beings, this is the manner in which they observe the Tathāgata before them. It is so because of his unique qualities.

“For example, Mañjuśrī, it is because of the ripening of action‍—inferior, middling, or superior‍—of sentient beings that their mental impulses‍—inferior, medium, or superior‍—will arise. The impulses do not think‍—they are not conscious‍—and yet these impulses spontaneously and nonconceptually engage in action: inferior, medium, or superior.

“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, the thus-gone, blessed, complete and perfect Buddha, because of the ripening of the actions of sentient beings‍—inferior, medium, or superior‍—is seen by them as an inferior, middling, or superior Tathāgata. Even though, Mañjuśrī, the Tathāgata does not think or conceptualize, still the Tathāgata’s deeds spontaneously occur in this manner.

“For example, Mañjuśrī, there exists a form of azure gem that changes colors if it is placed on different colored cloth. If, Mañjuśrī, the azure gem is placed on a yellow cloth, the azure gem turns yellow. If placed on a red cloth, it turns red. If placed on a blue cloth, it turns blue. Thus, it assumes precisely the color of whatever cloth onto which it is placed. [F.117.b] Yet, Mañjuśrī, the azure gem does not think or conceptualize. Rather, such activity occurs spontaneously and nonconceptually.

“In the same way, the Tathāgata assumes different hues because sentient beings are different. If, Mañjuśrī, sentient beings are best instructed by seeing the Tathāgata’s body as golden in color, then they see the Tathāgata’s body as golden. If sentient beings are best instructed through a color similar to that of an azure gem, they see the Tathāgata’s body as the color of an azure gem. If sentient beings are best instructed by a color resembling a pearl, they see the Tathāgata’s body as the color of a pearl. If sentient beings are best instructed by a color resembling a sapphire, they see the Tathāgata’s body as the color of a sapphire. Mañjuśrī, if sentient beings are best instructed by a color resembling a special sapphire, they see the Tathāgata’s body as the color of a special sapphire. If sentient beings are best instructed by a color resembling a jewel that captures all lights, they see the Tathāgata’s body as the color of a jewel that captures all lights. If sentient beings are best instructed by a color resembling a wish-fulfilling jewel, they see the Tathāgata’s body as the color of a wish-fulfilling jewel. If sentient beings are best instructed by a color resembling a precious gem that shines with light rays of the jeweled array of all the pristine domains of the oceans, they see the Tathāgata’s body as the color of a precious gem that shines with light rays of the jeweled array of all the pristine domains of the oceans. [F.118.a] If sentient beings are best instructed by a color resembling a jewel the color of the maned lion, the king of beasts, they see the Tathāgata’s body as the color of a jewel the color of the maned lion, the king of beasts. If sentient beings are best instructed by a color resembling a jewel peak of a lion victory-banner, they see the Tathāgata’s body as the color of a jewel peak of a lion victory-banner. Mañjuśrī, if sentient beings are best instructed by a color resembling a jeweled flash of lightning, they see the Tathāgata’s body as the color of a jeweled flash of lightning. If sentient beings are best instructed by a color resembling a precious water-purifying jewel, they see the Tathāgata’s body as the color of a precious water-purifying jewel.

“In the same way, if sentient beings are best instructed by seeing the Tathāgata’s body in the form of Śakra or Brahmā or a worldly guardian, they see the Tathāgata’s body in the form of Śakra or Brahmā or a worldly guardian.

“And so on‍—if sentient beings are best instructed through the form of one born as a denizen of hell, as an animal, as a hungry ghost, and so forth, up to one born in the world of the Lord of Death, they see the Tathāgata’s body in the form of a denizen of hell, as an animal, or a hungry ghost, and so forth, up to the form of one born in the world of the Lord of Death.

“Through whatever form, body, appearance, and conduct sentient beings are best instructed‍—up to birth in the formless realm‍—they see the Tathāgata in such a form, body, appearance, and conduct.

“In the same way, although they see Tathāgata in whatever form, body, appearance, and conduct will best instruct them, that is to say, as sentient beings born from an egg or womb, born from heat or moisture, [F.118.b] or born miraculously; and born with form or without form, with or without conception, or with neither conception nor nonconception, the tathāgatas do not think or conceptualize:

‘While these sentient beings see me as golden in hue, may they not see me as the color of an azure gem. While these sentient beings see me as the color of an azure gem, may they not see me as the color of a sapphire. While these sentient beings see me as the color of a pink sapphire, may they not see me as the color of a blue sapphire. While these sentient beings see me as the color of a blue sapphire, may they not see me as the color of a jewel that captures all lights. While these sentient beings see me as the color of a jewel that captures all lights, may they not see me as the color of a wish-fulfilling jewel. While these sentient beings see me as the color of a wish-fulfilling jewel, may they not see me as the color of a precious gem that shines with light rays of the jeweled array of all the pristine domains of the oceans. While these sentient beings see me as the color of a precious gem that shines with light rays of the jeweled array of all the pristine domains of the oceans, may they not see me as the color of a precious jewel the color of the maned lion, the king of beasts. [F.119.a] While these sentient beings see me as the color of a precious jewel the color of the maned lion, the king of beasts, may they not see me as the color of a precious jewel peak of a lion victory-banner. While these sentient beings see me as the color of a precious jewel peak of a lion victory-banner, may they not see me as the color of a precious jewel held by Śakra. While these sentient beings see me as the color of a precious jewel held by Śakra, may they not see me as the color of a shining diamond. While these sentient beings see me as the color of a shining diamond, may they not see me as the color of a precious jewel that shines like all the gods. While these sentient beings see me as the color of a precious jewel that shines like all the gods, may they not see me as the color of a precious jewel that shines like sunlight and moonlight. While these sentient beings see me as the color of a precious jewel that shines like sunlight and moonlight, may they not see me as the color of a precious jewel that shines like a flash of lightning. While these sentient beings see me as the color of a precious jewel that shines like a flash of lightning, may they not see me as the color of a sovereign wish-fulfilling jewel.’

“Likewise, you should also apply this to the sentient beings born in every form of life.

“Mañjuśrī, even though the tathāgatas do not think or conceptualize, this is how their activity unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually. [B2]

“For example, Mañjuśrī, wherever a sovereign wish-fulfilling jewel appears, no iron or implements made of iron can exist. Even so, Mañjuśrī, the sovereign wish-fulfilling jewel does not think or conceptualize, ‘Wherever I appear, let no iron or implements made of iron exist!’ And yet, this is how its action occurs, spontaneously and nonconceptually.

“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, in whatever buddhafield a tathāgata appears, there the tenets of carakas, parivrājakas, nirgranthas, [F.119.b] and so forth cannot exist. No instance of wrong view can occur in such a buddhafield. No disputes can erupt there. The five offences with immediate consequences cannot transpire there. The paths of the ten nonvirtuous actions cannot transpire there. No royal edicts or rejection of cherished doctrines can occur there.

“The light of the sun and moon does not shine there. The lights of Śakra, Brahmā, and the world guardians, as well as the lights of all the gods, do not shine there. The lights of gems, fire, and lightning do not shine there. There, split seconds, seconds, months, fortnights, and years do not elapse. Mañjuśrī, only the blessing of the tathāgatas exist there in order to mature sentient beings. Mañjuśrī, even though the tathāgatas do not think or conceptualize, this is how their activity unfolds‍—spontaneously and nonconceptually‍—on account of sentient beings.

“For example, Mañjuśrī, all that is touched by the light of a precious blue sapphire jewel becomes the color of the blue sapphire, and even though the precious blue sapphire jewel does not think or conceptualize, this is how its activity unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.

“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, everyone who is touched by the light that is mentally formulated and focused by the tathāgatas turns the ‘color’ of omniscience. Even though the tathāgatas do not think or conceptualize, Mañjuśrī, this is how their activity unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.

“For example, Mañjuśrī, a large precious jewel of polished lapis lazuli, whether it adorns the head, neck, arm, or leg, remains vivid, shining, and bright, regardless of the way it always26 faces. Although the adornments remain vivid, shining, and bright on account of the power of the precious jewel of polished lapis lazuli, [F.120.a] the lapis lazuli gem does not think or conceptualize. Rather, this is how its activity unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.

“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, the actions of the thus-gone, blessed, complete and perfect Buddha, no matter what code of conduct he engages in, be it the conduct of a śrāvaka, pratyekabuddha, bodhisattva, or tathāgata; or whether it be the conduct of a caraka, parivrājaka, or a nirgrantha; or be it the conduct of the animals, hungry ghosts, or those living in the world of the Lord of Death; or be it the conduct of a flesh-eating demon, kumbhāṇḍa, or rākṣasa, or the conduct of a god, nāga, or yakṣa‍—in whatever conduct he engages, it will be vivid, shining, and bright. His conduct is beautifully vivid, shining, and bright due to the power of the Tathāgata himself. Even though the tathāgatas do not think or conceptualize, Mañjuśrī, this is how their activity unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.

“For example, Mañjuśrī, seeds, grasses, large trees, medicinal herbs, and entire forests all germinate, grow, and flourish once they are planted in the ground and rely on it for nourishment. Even though, Mañjuśrī, the ground does not think or conceptualize, this is how its activity unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.

“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, all the roots of virtue of sentient beings germinate, grow, and flourish once they are implanted in the Tathāgata and rely on the Tathāgata for nourishment. Even though the Tathāgata does not think or conceptualize, this is how his activity unfolds‍—spontaneously and nonconceptually.

“For example, Mañjuśrī, consider a great cloud that covers the whole of the earth, and then rains down a heavy downpour on the different types of seeds,27 grasses, large trees, medicinal herbs, and entire forests. [F.120.b] This flow of water, all of the same flavor, makes the different types of seeds, grasses, large trees, medicinal herbs, and forests germinate. As it falls in different places, the water assumes different flavors and colors. Even though, Mañjuśrī, the cloud does not think or conceptualize, this is how its activity unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.

“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, the thus-gone, blessed, complete and perfect Buddha pervades all the vast realms of the ten directions with the cloud of his buddha body. He pours down a great rain of Dharma onto the accumulated roots of virtue, prayers, noble intentions, different aspirations, and dispositions of sentient beings. Mañjuśrī, although that Dharma rain is of equal flavor, through the rain of different types of teachings that pours down on those established in different accumulations of roots of virtue, in diverse aspirations, intentions, and interests, and in multiple dispositions, he generates roots of merit in accordance with those beings’ abilities and strengths.

“Even so, Mañjuśrī, the Tathāgata does not think or conceptualize, with the thought, ‘For these sentient beings, I shall produce the roots of virtue that lead to the wisdom of a śrāvaka; for those sentient beings I shall produce the roots of virtue that lead to the wisdom of a pratyekabuddha. For these sentient beings I shall produce the roots of virtue that lead to the wisdom of a buddha. For those sentient beings I shall produce the roots of virtue that lead to birth in the heavenly abode of the Four Great Kings. And for these sentient beings I shall produce the roots of virtue that lead to birth in the heavenly abode of the Thirty-Three Gods. And so on, likewise, I shall produce the roots of virtue of those born in the abode of Yāma, Tuṣita, [F.121.a] Nirmāṇarati, and Para­nirmita­vaśa­vartin; as well as those of Brahmā and Brahmā’s Attendants, those of Lesser Light, Immeasurable Light, and Radiant Light; those of Lesser Virtue, Immeasurable Virtue, and Vast Virtue; those of Without Clouds, Born from Merit, and Large Fruit; and those of the pure realms Unsurpassed, Sorrowless, Exquisite Appearance, Acute Perception, and Akaniṣṭha. I shall produce the roots of virtue of the gods born in the league of Māra.’

“Mañjuśrī, the Tathāgata does not think or conceptualize, with the thought, ‘For these sentient beings I shall produce the various roots of virtue that lead to birth as a king; for these sentient beings I shall produce the various roots of virtue that lead to human birth; for these sentient beings I shall produce the various roots of virtue that lead to birth as a powerful deity.’

“Mañjuśrī, the Tathāgata does not think or conceptualize in that way. Nevertheless, the activity of the Tathāgata unfolds‍—spontaneously and nonconceptually‍—in accordance with the aspirations, noble intentions, interests, and roots of virtue that sentient beings have accumulated.

“Mañjuśrī, the Tathāgata is impartial toward everything; he does not conceptualize while in a state of equanimity. For example, Mañjuśrī, as soon as the sun rises, it emits countless myriads of light rays, and thus dispels the world’s thick clouds of darkness. But the sun does not think or conceptualize; this is how its activity unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.

“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, as soon as the sun-likeTathāgata rises, he emits countless myriads of wisdom light-rays, [F.121.b] and thus dispels the darkness that engenders wrong views in sentient beings; then it is only the blessing of the Tathāgata that turns the world toward the correct view, in order to develop sentient beings.

“Mañjuśrī, even though the Tathāgata does not think or conceptualize, with the thought, ‘I am dispelling the wrong views of sentient beings,’ or ‘I shall dispel them,’ this, Mañjuśrī, is how the activity of the Tathāgata unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.

“Mañjuśrī, the Tathāgata does not conceptualize; he is impartial and evenhanded in all matters. For example, Mañjuśrī, on account of the power of a magician, magical trickery displays various actions and different types of bodies; however, Mañjuśrī, the magical illusion is ineffable, unproduced, unceasing, unwritten, soundless, objectless, insubstantial, inconceivable, without characteristics, nondual, without any activity, equal to the dharmadhātu, and beyond oppositional factors. Yet, Mañjuśrī, on account of the magician’s power, his magical emanations display different types of action, spontaneously and nonconceptually.

“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, although the thus-gone, blessed, complete and perfect Buddha assumes a variety of physical bodies, hues, activities, behaviors, and deeds within saṃsāra for the sake of sentient beings, he is still ineffable, unproduced, unceasing, unwritten, soundless, objectless, insubstantial, inconceivable, without characteristics, nondual, without any activity, equal to the dharmadhātu, and beyond oppositional factors, and he transcends the three realms of existence. Yet, Mañjuśrī, the Tathāgata, for the sake of sentient beings, displays‍—spontaneously and nonconceptually‍—his many different deeds.

“For example, Mañjuśrī, although there is only one sun, [F.122.a] due to the influence of the sovereign Mount Meru, sentient beings see it in many different aspects on the four continents. Some perceive it to be rising, and others to have already risen. Some perceive it to be just warming up, and others to be hot. Some perceive midnight, and others noon. Some observe the sun at the first watch at dawn, while others observe the sun only in the afternoon. Some are only aware of the sun once it disappears, while others only know it at dawn. Even though the sun is a single orb, sentient beings on the four continents perceive it to be different things. The orb of the sun does not think or conceptualize, but due to Mount Meru, it displays its various actions‍—spontaneously and nonconceptually‍—in the world systems of the four continents.

“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, the thus-gone, blessed, complete and perfect Buddha, on account of the power of sentient beings, is known by some within his retinue as a fully awakened Tathāgata, while others know him to have passed into nirvāṇa; still others know him as the Blessed One, the complete and perfect Buddha.

“Within that very retinue, some know that the Blessed One has passed into nirvāṇa. Others know that ten years have elapsed since the Tathāgata, Blessed One, attained perfect awakening. Still others know that ten years have elapsed since the Tathāgata passed into nirvāṇa. Some know the essence of the teaching of the Blessed One, while others know the Blessed One’s teaching in a state of decline. Some know that ten, twenty, thirty, [F.122.b] forty, or fifty years have elapsed since the Blessed One taught the Dharma. Some know that ten, twenty, thirty, forty, or fifty years have elapsed since the Blessed One passed into nirvāṇa. Some know that a hundred or a thousand years have elapsed since the Blessed One attained perfect awakening. Others know that a hundred or a thousand years have elapsed since the Blessed One passed into nirvāṇa. Some know that ten, twenty, thirty, forty, or fifty thousand years have elapsed since the Blessed One attained perfect awakening. Others know that ten, twenty, thirty, forty, or fifty thousand years have elapsed since the Blessed One passed into nirvāṇa. Some know that ten, twenty, thirty, forty, or fifty hundred thousand million eons have elapsed since the Blessed One attained perfect awakening, while others know that ten, twenty, thirty, forty, or fifty hundred thousand million eons have elapsed since the Blessed One passed into nirvāṇa.

“Mañjuśrī, within this retinue, some gods and men know that inexpressibly, indescribably many eons have elapsed since the Blessed One, Śākyamuni, attained perfect awakening. Mañjuśrī, within this retinue, some gods and men know that inexpressibly, indescribably many eons have elapsed since the Blessed One, Śākyamuni, passed into nirvāṇa.

“Mañjuśrī, the Tathāgata does not think or conceptualize. Even so, Mañjuśrī, for the sake of sentient beings, the Tathāgata’s deeds unfold in this way, spontaneously and nonconceptually.

“For example, Mañjuśrī, when stormy winds arise in this world, [F.123.a] the grasses, large trees, medicinal herbs, forests, and every leafy thing waver, vibrate, and judder; tremble, quiver, and quake; and clamor, roar, and howl. While they are agitated, disturbed, and shaken, some leaves fall down in the east and are blown aloft in the west, but some fall down in the west and are blown aloft in the east. The edges of some leaves fall while their centers rise. Some leaves fall down in the north but are blown aloft in the south.

“The grasses, large trees, forests, and leaves do not think or conceptualize. Yet, even so, Mañjuśrī, due to the power of the stormy wind, they display many different actions. In the same way, Mañjuśrī, the thus-gone, blessed, complete and perfect Buddha does not think or conceptualize. Even so, for the sake of sentient beings, there arise, perpetually and instantaneously in the vast, countless world systems of the ten directions, innumerable venues for his entry into physical bodies, hues, modes of conduct,28 training, and tasks.

“Mañjuśrī, for as long as sentient beings focus their minds on the Tathāgata, for that long they interrupt or reverse the process of their rebirth in hell, among animals and hungry ghosts, and in the realm of the Lord of Death.

“Thus, Mañjuśrī, the thus-gone, blessed, complete and perfect Buddha, possesses innumerable qualities. Even bodhisattva mahāsattvas, who abide in inconceivable states of absorption and liberation, cannot comprehend, in a hundred billion eons, [F.123.b] the scope of the qualities attributable to just a single tathāgata.

“Mañjuśrī, among those who claim to possess the five supernormal knowledges, a small number of non-Buddhist sages who are free from desire behold, with the divine eye, more sentient beings than the gods and humans of the trichiliocosm in a place no bigger than a chariot wheel.

“Mañjuśrī, the many sentient beings of the trichiliocosm beheld with the divine eye in a place no bigger than a chariot wheel by a small number of non-Buddhist sages who are free from desire, among those who claim to possess the five supernormal knowledges, are fewer in number than the many sentient beings beheld with the divine eye in a place no bigger than a chariot wheel by the śrāvaka disciples of the Tathāgata, the arhats whose defilements are exhausted, and who meditate on the eight aspects of liberation.

“Mañjuśrī, the many sentient beings of the trichiliocosm beheld with the divine eye in a place no bigger than a chariot-wheel by the śrāvaka disciples of the Tathāgata, the arhats whose defilements are exhausted, and who meditate on the eight aspects of liberation, are fewer in number than the many sentient beings beheld with the divine eye in a place no bigger than a chariot wheel by the pratyekabuddhas.

“Mañjuśrī, the many sentient beings of the trichiliocosm that the pratyekabuddhas behold with the divine eye are fewer in number than the many sentient beings beheld with the divine eye in a place no bigger than a chariot wheel by the bodhisattvas, who abide in inconceivable liberation and absorption.

“Mañjuśrī, the many sentient beings of the trichiliocosm that the bodhisattvas, who abide in inconceivable liberation and absorption, behold with the divine eye are innumerably fewer [F.124.a] than the sentient beings beheld with the divine eye in a place no bigger than a chariot wheel by the Tathāgata.

“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, it is not easy, even for the bodhisattvas, who abide in inconceivable liberation and absorption, over as many eons as there are grains of sand in the Ganges, to quantify, conceive of, or enumerate the past, present, and future mental contents and events of each sentient being that dwells in every place no bigger than a chariot-wheel throughout the infinite worlds of the ten directions.

“Mañjuśrī, the thus-gone, blessed, complete and perfect Buddha, spontaneously knows‍—at once, in one instant, and in just one moment‍—the past, present, and future minds and mental factors of sentient beings.

“Mañjuśrī, the Tathāgata knows‍—through his spontaneously present wisdom, in a nonconceptual way, at once, in one instant, and in just one moment‍—exactly and correctly how the past, present, and future causes, aims, and conditions of the mind and mental factors, as well as the venues for engaging in the conduct, training, and tasks, of all those sentient beings living within all the worlds of the ten directions will come about.

“Mañjuśrī, he also knows‍—through his spontaneously present wisdom, in a nonconceptual way, at once, in one instant, and in just one moment‍—how those sentient beings may be trained for unsurpassed, complete, and perfect awakening.

“Mañjuśrī, the Tathāgata also knows‍—through his spontaneously present wisdom, in a nonconceptual way, all at once, instantaneously, and in just one moment‍—the defilements, as numerous as grains of sand in the Ganges, of the state of ignorance of each sentient being. [F.124.b]

“Mañjuśrī, he also knows‍—through his spontaneously present wisdom, in a nonconceptual way, all at once, instantaneously, and in just one moment‍—the causes, aims, and conditions through which those defilements arise, and through knowledge of what skillful means these beings’ defilements may be trained.

“Thus, Mañjuśrī, the thus-gone, blessed, complete and perfect buddhas, possess inconceivable wisdom. For example, Mañjuśrī, the moon, due to the power of the sun, shows the world its form, color, brilliance, and light, to the fullest, intermediate, and least extent; but the moon itself does not wax or wane. Nevertheless, the maturation of the actions of sentient beings causes the counting of days, calculated in seconds and half-seconds; this is how it occurs. Mañjuśrī, the moon-disk does not think or conceptualize; this is how its activity unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.

“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, sentient beings with the highest, intermediate, and lowest mental capacities, in all the vast world systems of the ten directions, see the thus-gone, blessed, complete and perfect buddha-forms, buddha-hues, buddha-brilliance, and buddha-light at their highest, intermediate, and lowest levels. Mañjuśrī, sentient beings see the tathāgatas in accordance with their roots of virtue, conduct, and aspirations, as well as the strength of their resolution; however, Mañjuśrī, there are no highest, intermediate, or lowest levels among the tathāgatas.

“Mañjuśrī, the reason for this is [F.125.a] that the thus-gone, blessed, complete and perfect buddhas, are the dharmakāya: they are completely nonoriginated, nonarisen, and nonceasing. Nevertheless, Mañjuśrī, due to their highest, intermediate, or lowest mental capacities, sentient beings perceive tathāgatas at a high, intermediate, or low level. Mañjuśrī, the tathāgatas do not think or conceptualize, but this is how their activity unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.

“Mañjuśrī, to the sentient beings of this trichiliocosm‍—born in the realms of the gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, Brahmā, Śakra, world guardians, humans, nonhumans, and so on, down to the abode ofanimals‍—the tathāgatas both eat and do not eat food, both see and do not see, are both empty and not empty,29 are both stern and not stern, and are both tangible and intangible. This is how all their activity unfolds through the power of the buddhas, spontaneously and nonconceptually.

“For example, Mañjuśrī, everyone who sees, touches, and is affected by a precious sapphire jewel will turn the color of the precious sapphire jewel, but the precious sapphire jewel does not think or conceptualize.

“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, all those sentient beings who at least see the tathāgatas in painted forms or statues, who touch them, or who are even aware of their influence will assume inconceivable, perfect forms and hues. But the tathāgatas do not think or conceptualize.

“For example, Mañjuśrī, if anyone sees the royal elixir tree called Well-Seen, irrespective of his malevolent or benign intentions, [F.125.b] his eyes will become pure. If anyone hears the sound it makes when stirred by the wind, irrespective of his malevolent or benign intentions, his ears will become pure. If anyone smells its scent, irrespective of his malevolent or benign intentions, his nose will become pure. If anyone tastes its flavor, irrespective of his malevolent or benign intentions, his sense of taste will become pure. If anyone touches it with his body, irrespective of his malevolent or benign intentions, his body will be purified. Mañjuśrī, the royal elixir tree called Well-Seen does not think or conceptualize; still, this is how its activity unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.

“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, irrespective of his malevolent or benign intentions, if anyone so much as beholds the tathāgatas in painted forms or statues, their eyes will become pure through that root of virtue. Even down to those born in the abode of animals, irrespective of their malevolent or benign intentions, if anyone hears the words buddha, or tathāgata, or protector of the world, his sense of hearing will become pure through that root of virtue. If anyone catches the scent of their qualities, irrespective of his malevolent or benign intentions, his nose will become pure through that root of virtue. If anyone tastes the flavor of their teaching, irrespective of his malevolent or benign intentions, his tongue will become pure through that root of virtue. [F.126.a] If anyone makes physical contact with them, irrespective of his malevolent or benign intentions, his body will become pure through that root of virtue.

“Mañjuśrī, the tathāgatas do not think or conceptualize. But because they possess unique qualities, this is how their activity unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.

“For example, Mañjuśrī, when sentient beings who are in pain or poisoned hear the sound of a drum smeared with the ointment of the royal elixir tree called Separation, all their pains are relieved and their poisons become nontoxic. Mañjuśrī, the royal elixir tree called Separation does not think or conceptualize. Still, due to sentient beings’ accumulations of causes and conditions and the ripening of their actions, this is how the activity of the royal elixir tree called Separation unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.

“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, as soon as sentient beings hear the name of the tathāgatas, the pains of their wrong views are relieved, and the poisons of their desire, anger, and ignorance become nontoxic.

“Mañjuśrī, the tathāgatas do not think or conceptualize. Still, because they possess unique qualities, this is how their activity unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.

“Mañjuśrī, the atomic particles of the trichiliocosm are fewer than the myriad deeds the Blessed One, Śākyamuni, performed in order to train sentient beings in as many world systems of the ten directions as there are grains of sand in the Ganges, and as there are individual atomic particles in those world systems, by means of the four ways of collecting merit, while having previously trained in the conduct of a bodhisattva.

“Mañjuśrī, the particles, as numerous as grains of sand in the Ganges, [F.126.b] of the world systems of the ten directions are fewer than the ceaseless, spontaneous, nonconceptual deeds the Blessed One, Śākyamuni, performed that have already developed, are developing, and will train for unexcelled, complete, and perfect awakening, sentient beings as numerous as the limitless atomic particles in the boundless world systems of the ten directions.

“Mañjuśrī, this is why the activity of the thus-gone, blessed, complete and perfect Buddha, performed in order to develop sentient beings, is inconceivable.

“For example, Mañjuśrī, due to the sun, the moon appears to wax, wane, and vanish, even though the moon does not wax, wane, or vanish. So even though it works in this way, Mañjuśrī, due to the blessing of the tathāgatas for the sake of calculating the number of days, seconds, split-seconds, fortnights, months, and years, in line with the ripening of past virtuous actions of sentient beings, the moon itself does not wane, vanish, or wax. And yet, Mañjuśrī, due to the ripening of past virtuous actions of sentient beings, together with the sun, this is the way in which the activity of the moon unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.

“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, the thus-gone, blessed, complete and perfect Buddha‍—in order to break the pride, conceit, and arrogance of sentient beings who have previously accumulated roots of virtue, in order to ripen their previously accumulated roots of virtue, [F.127.a] and in order to guide them to the teaching of the Tathāgata‍—displays the decline and disappearance of the authentic Dharma of the Tathāgata.

“Mañjuśrī, even though the authentic Dharma of the Tathāgata vanishes, declines, and increases due to sentient beings, this is how, nonetheless, Mañjuśrī, the activity of the Tathāgata unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.

“For example, Mañjuśrī, the various forms of action of all sentient beings are based on, take place in, and unfold in space, but space itself is unproduced, unceasing, noncomposite, unwritten, soundless, ineffable, inexpressible, nondual, and without oppositional factors. Yet this is how the various activities unfold, spontaneously and nonconceptually.

“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, dwelling upon the thus-gone, blessed, complete and perfect Buddha, and based on the thus-gone, blessed, complete and perfect Buddha, all the activity of all sentient beings unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.

“But, Mañjuśrī, the Tathāgata is unproduced and unceasing; the Tathāgata, Mañjuśrī, noncomposite, beyond words, soundless, ineffable, inexpressible, nondual, and beyond oppositional factors. Nonetheless, because of the power of his past roots of virtue, conduct, and aspiration, and through his blessing, his various Dharma deeds unfold among sentient beings, spontaneously and nonconceptually.

“Mañjuśrī, bodhisattvas who are dedicated to the Mahāyāna‍—through even a single act of focusing on buddhahood‍—cause countless, innumerable sentient beings in each of the particles of the atoms of the countless, innumerable world systems of the ten directions [F.127.b] to realize supreme wisdom. They cause countless, innumerable sentient beings to become śrāvakas or pratyekabuddhas. They cause countless, innumerable sentient beings to attain the abode of Brahmā. They cause countless, innumerable sentient beings to attain rebirth in the god realm of Para­nirmita­vaśa­vartin. They cause countless, innumerable sentient beings to attain rebirth in the god realm of Nirmāṇarati. They cause countless, innumerable sentient beings to attain rebirth in the god realm of Tuṣita. They cause countless, innumerable sentient beings to attain rebirth in the divine Yāma abode. They cause countless, innumerable sentient beings to attain rebirth in the abode of the Thirty-Three Gods. They cause countless, innumerable sentient beings to attain rebirth in the abode of the Four Great Kings.

“They cause countless, innumerable sentient beings to attain the status of the divine king, Śakra. They cause countless, innumerable sentient beings to attain the status of a universal monarch. They cause countless, innumerable sentient beings to attain the status of a universal monarch of great might. They cause countless, innumerable sentient beings to attain the status of a nāga lord. They cause countless, innumerable sentient beings to attain the status of a yakṣa lord. They cause countless, innumerable sentient beings to attain the status of a gandharva lord. They cause countless, innumerable sentient beings to attain the status of an asura lord. They cause countless, innumerable sentient beings to attain the status of a kinnara lord. They cause countless, innumerable sentient beings to attain the status of a mahoraga lord. They cause countless, innumerable sentient beings to attain the status of a human king. They cause countless, innumerable sentient beings to attain human birth. [F.128.a] They cause countless, innumerable sentient beings to attain noble birth.

“Therefore, what need is there to mention prayers, incense offerings, flower offerings, or other kinds of offerings? What need to mention listening to, reading, or memorizing even so little as a single verse? What need to mention receiving many kinds of authentic teachings? Therefore, through the completely incalculable activity of the Buddha, bodhisattvas30 render an even greater service.

“Mañjuśrī, it would be easier31 for a bodhisattva to be reborn in hell, among animals, or in the realm of the Lord of Death, for a single eon, a hundred eons, or vast, innumerable eons, than for a bodhisattva not to have served the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha.

“Mañjuśrī, failure to serve the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha means here any of the following: at the least, inappropriate mental activities that spring from sexual intercourse with one’s wife; anger, ridicule or scorn toward a bodhisattva; renunciation or abandonment32 of the Dharma; disrespect toward a bodhisattva; failure to show reverence toward a spiritual friend; neglect of the spiritual development of sentient beings; failure to show respect toward one’s teacher, or toward those worthy of offerings, a preceptor, a parent, an ordained person, a holy brahmin, or someone on the right path; failure to bow down, ostentation, or haughtiness toward Dharma teachers, toward those who have realized the special doctrine and who teach the vast doctrine, toward those engaged in the Mahāyāna, [F.128.b] who know what is to be done on the path to nirvāṇa, and toward those who have become masters of dhāraṇī and sūtra collections; lack of respect toward the Dharma and Dharma teachers, and failure to venerate and revere them, or, if a vast range of doctrine is disseminated, thinking it inappropriate that certain people have faith in it; failure, then, to offer approbation to an exponent of that Dharma, failure to study it, and harboring doubt about the doctrine; to be proud of oneself; to withhold praise of those individuals who are praiseworthy, speaking harshly of them; to feel disapproval about the qualities and praises of others; through hatred of individuals, to develop hatred of the Dharma and give up the Dharma; to lead others into arguments; to wish for an elevated seat and look for ways to acquire one; to eagerly perform rites that should be conducted by others; failure to honor or welcome senior monks who have long maintained pure conduct, and to scowl at them; to persist in a harsh attitude and seek out quarrels and faults in others; to develop pride, and then not visit or attend to those who are learned; failure to honor them, or pay them respects, or ask them what is virtuous or nonvirtuous, or what should or should not be done, or what action is meaningful and beneficial and brings happiness in the long term; and to have no regard for emancipation, or excessive engagement in debates.

“That is how, Mañjuśrī, one fails to serve the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha.

“Mañjuśrī, a bodhisattva who has been accepted by a spiritual friend will attain dhāraṇīs that confer empowerment. He will attain the dhāraṇī of the immaculately shining clear light of the essence of the sublime oceanic assembly. [F.129.a]

“Mañjuśrī, a bodhisattva who has been accepted by a spiritual friend will ripen in this life the actions which would cause him to live for countless, innumerable, vast eons in hell, among animals and hungry ghosts, and in the realm of the Lord of Death. Through any of these eight obstacles‍—brain fever, plague, pain in the ribcage; civil, foreign, or famine-induced strife; and physical or mental injury‍—he will also become purified in one lifetime, and even be purified simply through his dreams.

“Mañjuśrī, a bodhisattva who has been accepted by a spiritual friend will surpass in a single morning the roots of virtue developed through generosity, offerings, and receiving precepts from countless myriads of buddhas. Thus, revering a spiritual friend is inconceivably excellent.

“Mañjuśrī, a bodhisattva who has been accepted by a spiritual friend discovers ten treasures. What ten? They are as follows: the treasure of the enumeration of all the qualities of the buddhas; the treasure of the realization of all the teachings of the buddhas; the treasure of the display of retention of all the teachings of the buddhas; the treasure of instructing others in the correct knowledge of every one of the teachings of the buddhas; the treasure that brings about realization of expertise in the ineffable principles of all the teachings of the buddhas; the treasure of seeing in actuality all the manifestations and magical emanations of the buddhas; [F.129.b] the treasure of the skill to accomplish equanimity toward all the teachings of the buddhas; the treasure of never being bereft of the sight of all the buddhas; the treasure of skillful, perfect entry into inconceivable, apparitional eons; and the treasure of attaining joy, delight, and steadfast devotion for all buddhas and bodhisattvas.

“Mañjuśrī, a bodhisattva who has been accepted by a spiritual friend attains ten powers. What ten? They are as follows: power over lifespan, in order to be blessed with a life lasting inexpressible, ineffable eons; power over the mind, in order to access wisdom that realizes countless, limitless states of absorption; power over resources, in order to display all world systems and demonstrate the blessings of adorning them with many ornamentations; power over birth, in order to demonstrate rebirth in every world system; power over action, in order to demonstrate the blessing of the ripening of actions at the proper time; power over devotion, in order to display the blessing of filling all world systems with buddhas; power over aspiration, in order to become completely and perfectly awakened in a period, in a life, and in a buddhafield where one wishes to become awakened; power over miraculous powers, in order to display magical emanations and manifestation in all buddhafields; power over the Dharma, in order to open the door to infinitely many teachings; and power over wisdom, in order to display the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four kinds of fearlessness, [F.130.a] and the thirty-two major and eighty minor physical marks, as well as perfect awakening.

“Mañjuśrī, a bodhisattva who has been accepted by a spiritual friend, even if he placed world systems as immeasurable as the ten directions of space into an area only the width of a single hair, would cause no harm or hindrance to any sentient being; and afterward, things would be exactly as they were before. He could bless countless, immeasurable, unimaginable, unmatched eons in a single instant, and bless a single instant for countless, immeasurable, unimaginable eons; and in each eon that is destroyed by fire, water, or wind, his blessing means that, no matter what, no sentient beings are deprived of resources, and no physical harm or mental distress comes to them; and he even knows the manner in which such deeds will develop sentient beings.

“Mañjuśrī, a bodhisattva who has been accepted by a spiritual friend, if he so wishes, displays‍—through each of his boundless bodies in the buddha-realm within each of the atomic particles in each world belonging to the world systems up to the boundless [F.130.b] realms of the buddhas in each of the ten directions‍—descent from Tuṣita, birth, departure from home, practice of austerities, arrival at the seat of awakening, vanquishment of the forces of evil, attainment of complete and perfect awakening, turning the wheel of the Dharma by request, and finally, entry into mahā­parinirvāṇa.

“Mañjuśrī, a bodhisattva who has been accepted by a spiritual friend, if he so wishes, places boundless buddhafields of the buddha realms in each atomic particle of each of the world systems of the ten directions; he displays the arrayed qualities of the adornments of all the buddhafields of the ten directions in a single buddhafield. He displays the arrayed qualities of the adornments of a single buddhafield in every buddhafield. He appears and dwells within the retinues of all the tathāgatas in all buddhafields, and afterward does not stir from them.

“Mañjuśrī, a bodhisattva who has been accepted by a spiritual friend, if he so wishes, displays the bodies of all sentient beings of all the world systems of the ten directions in the body of a single sentient being; he displays the body of a single sentient being in the bodies of all sentient beings, but without mixing up their bodies. Displaying deeds such as not causing harm to any sentient being, he spontaneously and nonconceptually brings about their maturation, too. He places all the buddhas of all the infinite world systems in a single buddha, and places a single tathāgata in all the tathāgatas of the boundless buddha realms. While doing so, he never mixes up the tathāgatas, spontaneously and nonconceptually displaying such deeds. Resting in meditative equipoise in a single body, he appears in countless, immeasurable bodies; resting in equipoise in countless, immeasurable bodies, he appears in a single body. [B3]

“Mañjuśrī, a bodhisattva who has been accepted by a spiritual friend has the dharmadhātu as his sphere of activity, but also manifests activity in the realms of sentient beings. He takes delight in the sphere of activity of the buddhas, but also manifests in the sphere of activity of Māra. [F.131.a] He has nirvāṇa as his sphere of activity, but also manifests in the sphere of activity of saṃsāra. The wisdom of omniscience is his sphere of activity, but he also manifests in the bodhisattvas’ sphere of activity. Calmness is his sphere of activity, but he also manifests in discordant, turbulent, and tumultuous spheres of activity and trains sentient beings who live there.

“His sphere of activity encompasses that which should not be adopted as well as that which should not be rejected; that which has no elaboration and that which is not elaborated; that which is without characteristic as well as that which is immaterial; and that which cannot be known as well as that which is equal to space. He also manifests among all sentient beings whose sphere of activity encompasses elaboration, characteristics, and conceptualization. While his sphere of activity displays the powers, he also manifests in the sphere of activity of good forms. While his sphere of activity is the antidote, by virtue of the nonorigination and noncessation of all phenomena, he also manifests in the sphere of activity that matures sentient beings. While his sphere of activity is wisdom, liberation, the supernormal knowledges, knowledge, and emancipation, he also appears in order to mature the sentient beings of all the vast world systems of the ten directions‍—the gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, Brahmā, Śakra, and world guardians; rākṣasas, evil spirits, hungry ghosts, flesh-eating demons, ghouls, zombies, and demon zombies; those born in hell, as animals, or in the realm of the Lord of Death; those born from an egg or womb, born from heat or moisture, or born miraculously; and those with form or without form, and with or without perception, [F.131.b] up to the formless abode of Neither-Perception-nor-Nonperception.

He has attained the sphere of activity of tathāgata conduct, complete and perfect awakening, and all the attainments of a buddha; yet he also displays the rites and conduct of all śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas.

“Mañjuśrī, a bodhisattva who has been accepted by a spiritual friend can place the sounds of all sentient beings into the sound of a single sentient being, and the sound of a single sentient being into the sounds of all sentient beings; and yet, the sounds will not become mixed up, and no sentient being’s sound will lose clarity.

“Mañjuśrī, a bodhisattva who has been accepted by a spiritual friend blesses his own body as the elements of earth, water, fire, and wind, in all the vast world systems of the ten directions, spontaneously and nonconceptually.

“Mañjuśrī, a bodhisattva who has been accepted by a spiritual friend displays an inanimate body in the body of a sentient being, without mixing it up with the sentient being’s body. He displays a sentient being’s body in an inanimate body, without mixing it up with the inanimate body. He displays the body of a śrāvaka or a pratyekabuddha in the body of a buddha, without demeaning the buddha’s body. He displays the body of a buddha in the body of a śrāvaka or a pratyekabuddha without aggrandizing the body of a śrāvaka or a pratyekabuddha. He displays a body of complete and perfect awakening in the body of a practitioner, without even interrupting his or her practice. He displays the body of a practitioner in a body of complete and perfect awakening, without even compromising the body of perfect awakening. [F.132.a] He displays nirvāṇa33 as an ornament of saṃsāra, without developing any attachment toward nirvāṇa. He displays saṃsāra within nirvāṇa; but because he is forever beyond suffering, he does not have to attain nirvāṇa.

“While remaining in meditative equipoise, he nevertheless displays every kind of activity, such as coming, going, standing, and lying down. While exhibiting every kind of conduct, he does not disturb his meditative absorption. While appearing to listen to the Dharma in the presence of a single tathāgata, he nonetheless listens to the Dharma in the maṇḍalas of the retinues of all tathāgatas in all the vast world systems of the ten directions, by means of various perfect forms, bodies, and hues. He does not enter distinct states of absorption while he receives and retains the Dharma; and while reciting and comprehending it, he never ceases listening to the Dharma that those buddhas teach. While bringing about the maturation of sentient beings by means of various perfect forms, bodies, and hues in all the vast world systems of the ten directions, he never acts through different bodies, or stirs from his resting place. Although he displays every type of activity in all the vast world systems of the ten directions, he does not enter different states of absorption. While accomplishing, in a single moment of consciousness, countless, immeasurable, myriad states of absorption, he does not engage in different states of absorption.

“Mañjuśrī, as a consequence of that infinite variety, bodhisattvas who rest in inconceivable liberation and absorption achieve entry into states of absorption for eons as vast as buddhafields, and there is no limit to those who have accomplished access into the states of absorption of the bodhisattvas.

“Mañjuśrī, all those excellent bodhisattva absorptions [F.132.b] occur thanks to a spiritual friend. In the same way, Mañjuśrī, all introductions to the ineffable dhāraṇī‍—boundless, immeasurable, innumerable, inconceivable, peerless, incalculable, and inestimable‍—as well as the excellent retention of dhāraṇīs, derive from a spiritual friend. This also applies to the powers, the kinds of fearlessness, and the excellent, unique qualities of the buddhas, which are boundless, immeasurable, innumerable, inconceivable, peerless, incalculable, inestimable, and indescribable.

“In brief, Mañjuśrī, this is how all the bodhisattvas’ vast accomplishments in buddha qualities and all the marvels of buddha qualities spring from a spiritual friend.

“Mañjuśrī, a bodhisattva who has been accepted by a spiritual friend accomplishes his goal of displaying to sentient beings how to enter the vast dharmadhātu; his goal of making all beings understand how to establish the many different kinds of adornments of all the world systems; his goal of producing emanations in all world systems; his goal of establishing the body of a tathāgata in a bodhisattva body, and establishing the body of a bodhisattva in a tathāgata body; his goal of establishing the sphere of space in the sphere of the world, and establishing the sphere of the world in the sphere of space; his goal of establishing saṃsāra in nirvāṇa, and establishing nirvāṇa in saṃsāra; his goal of expounding all the teachings of the buddhas in a single living language; his goal of magically projecting the display of boundless faces and bodies in a single body, while bringing forth all the body’s developmental stages; [F.133.a] his goal of filling the dharmadhātu with a single body; and his goal that nonconceptual awakening is accomplished by each single sentient being in each and every single moment of mind by means of the limitless gateways.

“Mañjuśrī, these and others are the many immeasurable, innumerable, and inconceivable goals that bodhisattvas achieve.

“Mañjuśrī, a bodhisattva who has been accepted by a spiritual friend favors and enters every world system in a single world system. He favors and enters a single world system in every world system. He favors and enters all the world systems pervaded by a single lotus throne and the body of a single tathāgata. He favors and enters all world systems as the display of the nature of space. He favors and enters all world systems as the ornaments of the buddhas. He favors and enters all world systems pervaded by bodhisattva bodies. He favors and enters all world systems set in a space only the width of a hair. He favors and enters all world systems located in, or endowed with, a single body. He favors and enters all world systems totally pervaded by the bodhi tree and the seat of awakening of a single tathāgata. He makes himself understood with a single language in all world systems, while using the terms spoken in the various realms of sentient beings, and so resolutely effects their contentment. He favors and enters the disposition and bodies of all sentient beings. He favors and enters all the realms of sentient beings, inhabiting and endowed with the body of a single being. He favors and enters all the realms of sentient beings, having [F.133.b] turned into a bodhisattva. He favors and enters all the realms of sentient beings, having turned into a tathāgata. He favors and enters all the realms of sentient beings, relying on the body of a single being. He favors and enters all the realms of sentient beings as a vessel for the Buddha’s teachings. He favors and enters all the realms of sentient beings, displaying Śakra, Brahmā, and the world guardians, manifesting whatever forms, bodies, hues, and marks he wishes. He favors and enters all the realms of sentient beings displaying the forms, bodies, hues, marks, and conduct of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas. He favors and enters all the realms of sentient beings, displaying the blessing of their adornment with the qualities of a bodhisattva. He favors and enters all the realms of sentient beings, revealing the other displays of the forms of the tathāgatas, including the major and minor marks, as well as their various forms, bodies, hues, conduct, and deeds.

“Mañjuśrī, a bodhisattva who has been accepted by a spiritual friend, while not stirring from the realm of desire, enters the concentrations of the form and formless realms, liberation, absorption, and the attainments. As a result of these, he is unborn. Even though he enters into the knowledge of the path of the śrāvakas, the power of his great compassion is never disrupted. Even though he is skilled in knowledge and view of the path of the pratyekabuddhas, the power of his great compassion is never disrupted.

“Even while he is surrounded by many attendants, he also possesses a large pure retinue of gods and men. Even though he possesses a hundred thousand celestial nymphs singing melodies and a hundred thousand cymbals sounding forth, [F.134.a] he never abandons the absorptions, concentrations, and attainments that are part of the path of a bodhisattva. Even though he dwells in the midst of every human pleasure, love, merriment, and allure, as well as all the distractions of greedy sentient beings, he never abandons, even during a single moment of thinking, the equanimity of the mind of awakening.

“Even though he is not of the world, and is completely uncorrupted by any worldly matters, he makes a show of training in the path that transcends the world, and develops sentient beings bound by their actions and passions. Even though he abides on the path and partakes of the view and proper knowledge of the path, in order to develop sentient beings who have fallen onto bad paths, he shows himself on a bad path, without perceiving that path to be essential, or considering it to be pure.

“The purpose of his physical, verbal, and mental actions is not unwholesome; he always maintains correct moral discipline and, even though he exercises the perfect discipline of a tathāgata, in order to develop sentient beings who have disregarded discipline, he may appear as someone whose experience is that of a childish, ordinary, common person. Even though he has accumulated a store of merit and wisdom, and dedicates himself to a bodhisattva’s rebirth, he displays rebirth among hell beings and animals, and in the realm of the Lord of Death, and in needy and impoverished households, in order to develop sentient beings born in the lower realms. But he himself has not really fallen into those realms.

“Because he dwells in the unimpeded wisdom and courage of the Buddha’s teaching, he is learned in wisdom that does not depend on others. He is established in the blessings bestowed by all the tathāgatas. [F.134.b] His physical body is unified with the body of all the buddhas. He has realized the manifestations of Dharma methods and way of thinking that are not common to all sentient beings. He is equally established in all vehicles. He has proceeded into the domain of activity of all the buddhas, and is universally praiseworthy. All those in the realms of sentient beings gaze at his face. He is the preceptor of all beings. He delights in meditative absorption that is like the profound and constant tides of the ocean. Although he has attained the dhāraṇī that accomplishes the perfect, limitless bodies and hues of the buddhas, he never ceases to search for the Dharma. Although he is the highest teacher in the worlds of gods, humans, asuras, and gandharvas, he makes a show of kneeling and placing his palms together to receive teachings from preceptors and teachers, and appears to attend to all those worthy of respect.

“Since he has embarked on the path of the bodhisattva, the very skillful means that will develop or improve sentient beings are the skillful means by which he teaches them. He has collected every root of virtue and reached the pinnacle of every bodhisattva activity. He is empowered34 by all the tathāgatas, attains supreme, sacred mastery of and sovereignty over the Dharma, and is encircled by a vast, immaculate Dharma diadem. Through all the world systems, he ceaselessly displays the body of a tathāgata and he is blessed to ceaselessly turn the wheel of the Dharma. And he is endowed with a physical form to enter into every world system. He is further endowed with the truly supreme sovereignty over all teachings. And he has attained all bodhisattva empowerments. [F.135.a] He possesses knowledge of how to display rebirth in all the realms of living beings. Even though he belongs to the same domain as all the tathāgatas of the past, present, and future, he never interrupts his bodhisattva activity. The strength of his bodhisattva motivation never weakens. He is never far from the blessings of bodhisattva activity and also never abandons the essential nature of a bodhisattva. He never departs from the bodhisattva aims, or turns back from the bodhisattva path. He never becomes discouraged in his bodhisattva duties.

“Mañjuśrī, for the bodhisattva who has been accepted by a spiritual friend, all phenomena are said to be without acceptance or rejection, neither raised up nor put down; illusions and mirages, dreams, optical illusions, reflections, and the moon in water; emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; and devoid of conditioning, inexpressible, indescribable, inexplicable, suchness, the limit of reality, imperishable, equality, without differentiation, and nondual. They are apprehended this way because all phenomena are without oppositional factors.

“Here, the expression all phenomena refers to what is ‘apprehended this way’ because one clings to conceptions; this is apprehension. Why is this? Because to apprehend mind where there is no mind is an erroneous conception, and when the mind has succumbed to error, it becomes demented. When the mind is demented, it becomes distorted. From mind being distorted, mind grows terrified. From mind being terrified, the mind of awakening grows weaker. For this reason, Mañjuśrī, a bodhisattva should use his mind [F.135.b] to closely scrutinize his mind.

“Mañjuśrī, a bodhisattva who has been accepted by a spiritual friend attains ten powers. What ten? They are the powers with respect to lifespan, mind, resources, activities, rebirth, devotion, aspiration, miraculous powers, and Dharma, along with the power over wisdom.

“He also attains ten miraculous displays. What ten? They are the miraculous displays of sentient beings, buddhafields, qualities, bodies, aspirations, spheres of activity, wisdom, supernormal knowledges, and miraculous magical displays along with the miraculous display of powers.

“Mañjuśrī, a bodhisattva who has been accepted by a spiritual friend understands the aspirations within all the realms of sentient beings and understands the differences between the buddha realms. He also understands the different types of questions among all the viewpoints. He also knows all the lineages of those without upper garments and nihilists35 living among the worldly realms. He is skilled in understanding countless explanations of the sameness or difference of all phenomena. He understands that all action is bound up with change. He understands the different conceptions belonging to the different existent worlds that have succumbed to error due to erroneous conceptions. He understands the single state of emancipation as the culmination of understanding that all phenomena undergo change. He understands the entire dharmadhātu as graced by the miraculous display of the tathāgatas. He knows all beings of the three times. And he brings forth the wisdom that exists within the unbroken lineage of all the buddhas.

“Mañjuśrī, [F.136.a] a bodhisattva who has been accepted by a spiritual friend surpasses in a single morning all the roots of virtue produced through making offerings to, through worshiping, and through receiving instructions from countless, innumerably many buddhas. Mañjuśrī, the qualities that a spiritual friend possesses are that inconceivable.

“Mañjuśrī, bodhisattvas who have been accepted by a spiritual friend awaken to complete and perfect awakening. They enter, in the three times, into each atomic particle in each world system of the vast, boundless world systems of the ten directions and bless them for eons until the end of time, teaching in them the Dharma that engages with the past, present, and future. Mañjuśrī, this is so because the thus-gone, blessed, complete and perfect buddhas, are permanent, stable, and unchanging.

“Mañjuśrī, the thinking of bodhisattvas who have been accepted by a spiritual friend is free from error. Mañjuśrī, sentient beings whose minds misconstrue things, on account of mistaken ideas, are obsessed with declaring ‘these are the Buddha’s teachings’ or ‘these are not the Buddha’s teachings,’ and thus reject the Dharma. They also commit various kinds of nonvirtuous actions. Mañjuśrī, the teachings of the Buddha neither arise nor cease. The teachings of the Buddha, Mañjuśrī, are unproduced, unceasing, unwritten, soundless, nondual, and without oppositional factors. They transcend language because they are without oppositional factors. Mañjuśrī, the statements ‘these are the Buddha’s teachings’ and ‘these are not the Buddha’s teachings’ are both [F.136.b] limited positions. Anything that is limited, Mañjuśrī, is not the Buddha’s teaching. Mañjuśrī, the essence of the Buddha’s teaching is that it is unlimited. Mañjuśrī, this unlimited essence is unproduced and unceasing. Mañjuśrī, that which is unproduced and unceasing is devoid of both limit and nonlimit. It is unwritten, soundless, and transcends language. It cannot be designated, is nondual, and is without oppositional factors. Mañjuśrī, that which is without oppositional factors is unproduced and unceasing. That which is unproduced and unceasing is the word of the Buddha. That is so, Mañjuśrī, because the Tathāgata is the dharmakāya: totally unproduced, nonarising, and unceasing. Although there are, indeed, no words for this, sentient beings see the tathāgatas on account of the blessings generated by their previous roots of virtue, their conduct, and the strength of their aspirations.

“For example, Mañjuśrī, as soon as a precious water-purifying36 gem is placed into water, it purifies it of all mud and mire. Mañjuśrī, even though the precious water-purifying gem does not think or conceptualize, this is how its activity unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually. Similarly, Mañjuśrī, as soon as a tathāgata arises, he purifies all the mud and mire of the passions of all sentient beings in the vast world systems of the ten directions. Even though the tathāgatas do not think or conceptualize, this is how their activity unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.

“For example, Mañjuśrī, a potter’s wheel that is driven fast and forcefully by a potter creates various containers. Even though, Mañjuśrī, the potter’s wheel does not think or conceptualize, this is how its activity unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually. Similarly, Mañjuśrī, the thus-gone, [F.137.a] blessed, complete and perfect Buddha, actualizes in sentient beings a variety of roots of virtue, through the force of the blessing of their previous roots of virtue, conduct, and aspirations. Even though the tathāgatas do not think or conceptualize, this is how their activity unfolds‍—spontaneously and nonconceptually‍—because they possess the unique qualities of the buddhas.

“Mañjuśrī, the deeds of sentient beings who offer food to the Tathāgata and those who do not offer food, of those who behold him and those who do not behold him, of those who praise him and those who do not praise him, of those who revile him and those who do not revile him, and of those who make humble requests to him and those who do not make humble requests, through the Buddha’s blessings, are all actions that unfolds spontaneously and nonconceptually.

“Mañjuśrī, all the supreme tathāgatas have appeared because a spiritual friend has accepted them.

“Mañjuśrī, a bodhisattva who has been accepted by a spiritual friend attains the dhāraṇī that accomplishes the perfect, limitless bodies and hues of the buddhas. The attainment of this dhāraṇī causes buddha bodies to pervade all the world systems of the ten directions. In each world system, too, he displays a body of perfect awakening. Spontaneously and nonconceptually, he turns the wheel of the Dharma countless times, and bestows countless different teachings, without ever stirring from his place of rest. Therefore, Mañjuśrī, spiritual friends possess inconceivable qualities.

“Consequently, Mañjuśrī, a bodhisattva should rely on spiritual friends and behave toward them, serve them, and honor them as he would a tathāgata. [F.137.b]

“Mañjuśrī, he should abandon nonvirtuous friends as he would a blazing rock shelter on a cliff. That is so, Mañjuśrī, because the mind and conceptions of a bodhisattva become aberrant if he relies on a nonvirtuous friend. When his mind is aberrant, it becomes deluded. When it is deluded, it becomes confused. When it is confused, it becomes afraid. When his mind is afraid, he forsakes the mind of awakening. When he squanders the mind of awakening, he gives up on the deity.37 When he gives up on the deity, the gods declare him to be no longer praiseworthy. Also, the nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans, and nonhumans, on up to the buddhas, declare him to be no longer praiseworthy. Consequently, Mañjuśrī, a bodhisattva should rely on, serve, and honor virtuous spiritual friends.

“For example, Mañjuśrī, the medicine called refuge removes, at the very least, all the ailments of those born in the abode of animals, irrespective of their dispositions, devout or wicked. The medicine called refuge does not think or conceptualize, but because it possesses unique properties, this is how its activity unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.

“Similarly, Mañjuśrī, those born in the abode of animals who see a painted image or statue of a tathāgata, irrespective of their dispositions, devout or wicked, will at the very least be liberated from all the ailments of38 the disturbing emotions. These tathāgatas do not think or conceptualize, but because they possess unique qualities, this is how their activity unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.

“For example, Mañjuśrī, [F.138.a] the sun’s disk rises up from the great ocean to dwell in the expanse of the sky. It then emits countless rays of light, making itself visible in every hamlet, village, town, district, province, and royal palace, to dispel the darkness there. It dries up all the mud and mire, and opens all lotus flowers. It also causes all grasses, trees, and medicinal herbs, as well as entire forests, to grow. It ripens all medicinal herbs. It bathes all the areas within in its range, and every stream, pond, and lake receives its light simultaneously, yet it does not stir from its dwelling place. During all this, Mañjuśrī, the sun does not think or conceptualize. But because it possesses unique qualities, this is how its activity continually unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.

“Similarly, Mañjuśrī, the thus-gone, blessed, complete and perfect Buddha, too, rises up from the ocean of saṃsāra and dwells in the sphere of activity of the space of the dharmadhātu. He then issues countless light rays of wisdom, rendering himself visible throughout the vast world systems of the ten directions, and dispelling the darkness, distorted views, and blurred sight of ignorant sentient beings. He dries up all the mire and mud of their passions. He rouses the realms of sentient beings from their long sleep of error. He causes all the roots of virtue of all sentient beings to grow. He brings to maturity all the amassed roots of virtue of all sentient beings. He puts in place every opportunity for roots of virtue; and although all his deeds take place simultaneously, he does not stir from his dwelling place. During all of this, Mañjuśrī, the Tathāgata does not reflect [F.138.b] or conceptualize. But because he possesses unique qualities, this is how his activity unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.

“Thus, Mañjuśrī, acceptance by a spiritual friend is the basis of the tathāgatas’ spontaneous and nonconceptual maturation of sentient beings.

“Mañjuśrī, a bodhisattva who has been accepted by a spiritual friend becomes skilled in the discrimination and analysis of phenomena. He analyzes phenomena in the following way: The eyes are not the cause of the objectification of form, nor is form the cause of the objectification of the eyes. Consciousness arises, as the actual cause and condition of perception, but this consciousness arises neither from the eyes nor from form; and once arisen, this consciousness dissolves, and does not remain. The ears, nose, tongue, and body are just the same. In addition, the mental faculty is not the cause of the objectification of mental phenomena, nor are mental phenomena the cause of the objectification of the mental faculty. Consciousness arises, as the actual cause and condition of perception, but this consciousness arises neither from the mental faculty nor from phenomena; and once arisen, this mental consciousness dissolves, and does not remain.

“Similarly, roots of virtue are not a condition for awakening, nor is awakening a condition for roots of virtue. Yet, because roots of virtue are also interpreted as a condition for awakening, those who generate the mind of awakening produce them. But once these roots have developed, they dissolve, and do not remain. Hence, a mind that has formed roots of virtue and a mind that has dedicated them toward awakening are not correlated.

“For example, fire comes from nowhere and goes nowhere, and yet, due to causes and conditions, it burns. Similarly, Mañjuśrī, the blazing fire of a bodhisattva’s wisdom comes from nowhere and goes nowhere. Yet, the bodhisattva’s blazing fire of wisdom depends on his roots of virtue. Because he possesses such knowledge, he quickly [F.139.a] attains unsurpassed, complete, and perfect awakening. Therefore, Mañjuśrī, spiritual friends possess an immeasurable ocean of qualities.

“Mañjuśrī, some sons and daughters of noble families continuously offer food with a hundred flavors and divine clothing every single day to as many blessed buddhas, along with bodhisattvas and śrāvakas, as there are particles in all the world systems of the ten directions. They make such offerings for as many eons as there are grains of sand in the Ganges. Once those tathāgatas have attained parinirvāṇa, they again build a stūpa for each tathāgata in each world system in all the vast world systems of the ten directions. Each stūpa, as numerous as the atoms in all the world systems of the ten directions, is made of Jambu River gold and embellished with lightning lamps, surrounded by terraces of precious jewels that reflect all lights. Each is beautified with strings of gems, pearls, and jewels, with parasols, victory banners, and flags raised, adorned with latticed canopies of jingling bells, anointed with the perfume of dragon-heart sandalwood, and festooned with nets of powerful sovereign gems. These stūpas are then strewn with divine garments, billowing parasols, victory banners, and flags; and clouds of blossoms, incense, powerful sovereign gems, and precious wish-fulfilling jewels pervade the entire billionfold universe. For as many eons as there are grains of sand in the Ganges, the stūpas are bedecked in this fashion and receive daily offerings. Countless, innumerable other sentient beings may also set out the same offerings. But compared to that, Mañjuśrī, the devotion of any other son or daughter of noble family [F.139.b] to this Dharma discourse that explains the domain of the inconceivable qualities and wisdom of the tathāgatas naturally generates inestimably greater merit.

“Mañjuśrī, a bodhisattva who has devotion toward this dharma discourse accomplishes countless, innumerable perfections. He conquers countless, innumerable stages of realization. He causes countless, innumerable eons to collapse. He is aware of countless, innumerable playful manifestations of the buddhas. He demolishes countless, innumerable mountains of arrogance. He overturns countless, innumerable victory banners of envy and avarice. He causes countless, innumerable streams of saṃsāra to dry up. He traverses countless, innumerable oceans of rebirth. He cuts through countless, innumerable snares of Māra. He constantly surpasses the moon and sun, Śakra and Brahmā, and the world guardians in his splendor. He journeys from buddhafield to buddhafield. He is a refuge for beings born in hell and among animals, and for those born as hungry ghosts and in the realm of the Lord of Death. He meets with the buddhas and bodhisattvas.

“He attains the absorption called ocean symbol. He attains the absorption called gathers all qualities. He attains the absorption called controls all things. He attains the absorption called arrayed. He attains the arising jewel absorption. He attains the absorption called causes joy. He attains the absorption called lotus array. He attains the sky treasury absorption. [F.140.a] He attains the absorption called follows all worlds. He attains the holy Dharma white lotus absorption. He attains the absorption called controls objects. He attains the greatly posing absorption. He attains the absorption that controls mind and aspects. He attains the absorption of the posing lion. He attains the absorption of the lamp of the sun. He attains the absorption of the boundless spiral. He attains the absorption following intense movement. He attains the absorption of the vajra maṇḍala. He attains the absorption of the vajra banner. He attains the vajra like absorption. He attains the absorption of the vajra navel. He attains the earth embracing absorption. He attains the absorption of the lamp of Meru. He attains the absorption of the banner of Meru. He attains the jewel treasure absorption. He attains the mind controlling absorption. He attains the absorption that controls the minds of all sentient beings. He attains the absorption of emancipation in the domain of all conduct. He attains the profound and secret union absorption. He attains the absorption of confidence in the appearance of variety. He attains the not seeing with sight absorption. He attains the absorption that sees the aspects of all things. He attains the absorption of manifold display. He attains the absorption of certainty produced from all kinds of supernormal knowledge. He attains the absorption that conquers the throng of māras. He attains the absorption that displays all forms. He attains the absorption of the particularities of all forms. [F.140.b] He attains the absorption that eliminates the body. He attains the absorption that engages in all actions. He attains the insight lamp absorption. He attains the absorption that visibly manifests awakening. He attains the absorption that teaches the precious analytic knowledge. He attains the absorption that enters into all aspects of qualities. He attains the absorption of the definitive teaching about mastery over all phenomena. He attains the absorption of the magical display that ascertains perfect calm. He attains the absorption of heroic progress. He attains the absorption of the profound and heroic ocean tide. He attains these and countless other such absorptions.

“He attains the dhāraṇī that accomplishes the perfect, limitless bodies and hues of the buddhas. He attains the dhāraṇī endowed with wisdom. He attains the dhāraṇī of a very clear voice. He attains the dhāraṇī of the inexhaustible casket. He attains the dhāraṇī of the boundless spiral. He attains the dhāraṇī of the ocean symbol. He attains the dhāraṇī of the lotus bouquet. He attains the dhāraṇī that enters the door of no desire. He attains the dhāraṇī that enters into ascertainment of correct discriminating knowledge. He attains the dhāraṇī graced with the adornment of buddhahood. He attains the dhāraṇī that accomplishes the perfect, limitless bodies and hues of the buddhas. He attains these and countless myriad other such dhāraṇīs.

“He attains distinction in his engagement with all phenomena. He attains independent knowledge of all phenomena. [F.141.a] He attains certainty about all phenomena. He attains countless thousands of buddha emanations. He attains understanding of the actions specific to each and every sentient being.

“For example, Mañjuśrī, the sovereign Mount Meru surpasses all other mountains, and is then vividly present, shining, and resplendent. Similarly, Mañjuśrī, a bodhisattva with devotion toward this Dharma discourse surpasses all roots of virtue of all sentient beings, and is then vividly present, shining, and resplendent.”

Then Youthful Mañjuśrī said to the bodhisattva mahāsattva Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin, “O son of the Jina, are there convictions through which a bodhisattva acquires distinction that allows him to attain these and other special qualities?”

The bodhisattva Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin replied to Youthful Mañjuśrī, “Mañjuśrī, there are five convictions through which a bodhisattva acquires distinction that allows him to attain these special qualities, as well as countless others. The five are as follows: the conviction that all phenomena are without oppositional factors, unarisen, without cessation, and inexpressible; the conviction that, at any one moment in time, without interruption, continually, there are more spontaneous, nonconceptual introductions that serve as a foundation to introduce one to the conduct and activity of the tathāgatas than there are atomic particles in the world; the conviction in the deeds of the blessed Śākyamuni, who developed sentient beings as set out in the narrative of the son of Siṃhadāsa,39 and realized complete awakening as many eons ago as there are grains of sand in the Ganges; the conviction that all the bodhisattva deeds of the blessed Śākyamuni, from the time of the prophecy of Dīpaṃkara up to the attainment of awakening, [F.141.b] throughout eons as vast as the domains of the buddhas, were revealed once he was a complete and perfect buddha; and the conviction that the maturation of sentient beings through the Buddha’s teachings, for eons as vast as the domains of the buddhas, is the task of the blessed Śākyamuni after he achieved perfect awakening.

“Mañjuśrī, these are the five convictions through which a bodhisattva attains these and countless other special qualities.

“Mañjuśrī, some sons or daughters of noble family may offer, every day, celestial food of a hundred flavors and celestial garments to as many arhats endowed with the six supernormal knowledges, who meditate on the eight aspects of liberation, as there are particles in all the world systems. But, Mañjuśrī, if some other sons or daughters of noble family give food for one day to a single pratyekabuddha, they create immeasurably greater merit than making such offerings to arhats for as many eons as there are grains of sand in the Ganges.

“Mañjuśrī, some sons or daughters of noble family may build, in each world system, as many temples as there are particles in all the world systems of the ten directions: the abodes of countless thousands of pratyekabuddhas. These temples may be made of Jambu River gold, embellished with lightning lamps, surrounded by terraces of precious jewels that reflect all lights, and beautified with strings of gems, pearls, and jewels, along with parasols, victory banners and raised flags. They may be adorned with latticed canopies of tinkling bells, anointed with the perfume of snake-essence sandalwood, covered with powerful sovereign gems, overlaid with many nets of brilliantly sparkling precious-jewel ornaments of authentic marine gems. They may be floored with planks of precious ‘lion’s mane’ wood,40 [F.142.a] adorned with gateways, pediments, and windows made from tips of the gem called ‘lion victory-banner,’41 and decorated with many silken fringes. They may offer celestial food of a hundred flavors and celestial garments to those pratyekabuddhas every day.

“However, Mañjuśrī, if some other sons or daughters of noble family were to hear the words buddha, world protector, tathāgata, or omniscient one, they would create immeasurably greater merit than making such offerings for as many eons as there are grains of sand in the Ganges. This being so, I need hardly mention that the sight of the painted form or a statue of a tathāgata’s body creates immeasurably greater merit still. Needless to say, whoever offers him a lamp, parasol, incense, flowers, or music, or makes various other kinds of offering, creates immeasurably greater merit still. Not to mention that whoever keeps one precept for a single day for that tathāgata’s sake creates immeasurably greater merit still.

“Mañjuśrī, some sons or daughters of noble family may offer, every day, celestial food of a hundred flavors and celestial garments to as many tathāgatas, along with their bodhisattvas and śrāvakas, as there are particles in all the world systems of the ten directions, for as many eons as there are grains of sand in the Ganges. Once those blessed buddhas have entered into parinirvāṇa, they may build a stūpa for each of those tathāgatas, as many as the particles in all the world systems of the ten directions, as large as the four continents, endowed with all the supreme aspects, [F.142.b] and perfect in every good quality. These stūpas may all be made of Jambu River gold, embellished with lightning lamps, surrounded by terraces of precious jewels that reflect all lights, and beautified with strings of gems, pearls, and jewels, along with parasols, victory banners, and raised flags. They may be adorned with latticed canopies of tinkling bells, anointed with the perfume of snake-essence sandalwood, and covered with a net of regal gems.

“Those stūpas may be entirely strewn every day with celestial garments pervading the entire trichiliocosm, billowing parasols, victory banners, and flags, along with clouds of blossoms, incense, and precious jewels, and accompanied by wafts of music, multitudes of ornaments, and masses of lion victory-banner moon-pinnacles, as well as reverberations of melodies from celestial cymbals and drums.

“However, Mañjuśrī, in comparison to a devotee of this Dharma discourse, if any son or daughter of noble family with devotion for this Dharma discourse that explains the domain of the inconceivable qualities and wisdom of the tathāgatas were to give merely a mouthful of barley meal to a single being born as low as in the abode of animals, this in itself would generate inestimably greater merit still.

“Mañjuśrī, a bodhisattva who is devoted to this sūtra may make offerings to the tathāgatas as set out in this sūtra. By comparison, if another bodhisattva who is devoted to this sūtra, upon seeing a bodhisattva with devotion for this same sūtra, were to think, ‘This bodhisattva is devoted to this sūtra,’ and then feel glad and joyful, [F.143.a] prostrating in devotion before him, and assisting him to the best of his ability as appropriate, he would create, through this very attitude, immeasurably greater merit, which would bring about the attainment of the wisdom of a buddha.

“Consequently, Mañjuśrī, a bodhisattva who desires the wisdom of a buddha should, in order to hear this Dharma discourse, traverse as many worlds filled with fire as there are grains of sand in the Ganges.

“Mañjuśrī, compared to a bodhisattva who practices the five perfections for many millions of eons, if another bodhisattva were to think and believe, ‘The Tathāgata is eternal,’ he would create immeasurably greater merit still.

“Mañjuśrī, a bodhisattva may offer, every day, celestial food having a hundred flavors and celestial garments to as many tathāgatas as there are particles in all the world systems of the ten directions, for as many eons as there are grains of sand in the Ganges. But, Mañjuśrī, compared to that, if another bodhisattva were to marvel at a bodhisattva who has devotion for this Dharma discourse that explains the domain of the inconceivable qualities and wisdom of the tathāgatas, and sincerely think, ‘It is excellent that you have devotion for this Dharma discourse; you are worthy to receive homage from everyone in the world, including the gods,’ and were then to say of this thought ‘It is good,’ and request, ‘Please turn the wheel of the Dharma that enters into the secret topics of all the tathāgatas,’ Mañjuśrī, such a bodhisattva would develop immeasurably greater merit. The merit from the former generosity [F.143.b] does not come close to a hundredth part of this formation of merit, or a thousandth, a hundred thousandth, a millionth, a hundred millionth, a billionth, a hundred billionth, or even a zillionth part‍—it is overwhelmingly greater in quantity, scope, number, and comparisons, and as a cause.”

After the bodhisattva Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin had said this, with the Blessed One’s permission, the bodhisattva Youthful Mañjuśrī, together with those other bodhisattvas and great śrāvakas, as well as the whole world with its gods, humans, asuras, and gandharvas, rejoiced and praised the words of the Blessed One.