Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was dwelling in Rājagṛha on Vulture Peak, together with a great saṅgha of 1,250 monks and a great saṅgha of bodhisattvas.
Carrying golden parasols, They went before the perfect Buddha. Bowing their heads to the feet of the Buddha, They offered the five hundred parasols. {3}
“How does one become beautiful? How does one take miraculous birth? How does one remember previous births? Great Sage, please give your instruction.” {6}
Knowing their pure intentions with his wisdom, The Buddha gave his instruction: “I will give a teaching on what you have asked: The conduct of bodhisattvas. {7}
“One becomes beautiful through patience. One takes miraculous birth by pure conduct. One recalls past lives by giving the Dharma. Youth, know it to be thus!” {8}
“How does one manifest The thirty-two marks, the eighty excellent signs, And a body radiant like gold That delights beings upon seeing?” {9}
EN
“The marks manifest through complete generosity. Likewise, the excellent signs come to be through love. The golden radiance of the victorious ones Manifests by having an attitude of equality toward all beings.” {10}
EN
“How is retention attained? How does absorption arise? How do statements become acceptable? Great Sage, please give your teaching!” {11}
EN
“Retention is attained through receptivity to the Dharma. Absorption arises by training the mind. Statements become acceptable When one abandons senseless talk.” {12}
EN
“How does one become mindful? O Sage, how does one become intelligent? How does one come to act according to the Dharma? O Holy Being, how does one become wise?” {13}
EN
“One comes to possess mindfulness by being undeceiving. One becomes intelligent by contemplating meaning. One comes to act according to the Dharma by having reverence. One becomes wise by knowing the characteristics of phenomena.” {14}
EN
“By what action is a bodhisattva born In the presence of the guardians of the world? How do they come to ask questions Directly before the guardians of the world?” {15}
EN
“The one who never obstructs The giving of Dharma Will with great swiftness Come to meet the guardians of the world.” {16}
EN
“How does one relinquish rebirth in inopportune states? How does one go forth to favorable states? How does one become heedful Wherever one takes birth throughout all of one’s lives?” {17}
EN
“Inopportune births are relinquished through faith. One goes forth to favorable states through moral discipline. One becomes always heedful By becoming familiar with emptiness.” {18}
EN
“O Sage, how do bodhisattvas Purify their karma? How do they dodge the snares of Māra? How do they avoid becoming bereft of Dharma?” {19}
EN
“Karma is purified through firm resolution. Māra is subdued through perseverance. They avoid becoming bereft of the Dharma By acting according to their words.” {20}
EN
“How does one’s voice become like the pleasing song Of the kalaviṅka bird and like the voice of Brahmā? O Sage, how does one please beings With their diverse inclinations?” {21}
EN
“The voice of Brahmā is obtained by speaking truthfully. The voice becomes pleasing by abandoning harsh words. One pleases beings By relinquishing senseless talk and slander.” {22}
EN
“How does one come to have a long life? How does one come to have fewer illnesses? How, O Supreme Guide, Does a retinue come to be undivided?” {23}
EN
“One comes to have a long life by not killing. One will have fewer illnesses by causing no harm. A retinue comes to be undivided When one reconciles disputes.” {24}
EN
“How does one obtain wealth? How do possessions cease to diminish? How does one become distinguished Wherever one is born?” {25}
EN
“Wealth is obtained through nonattachment. Possessions increase by being without stinginess. One will be distinguished wherever one is born By being without jealousy.” {26}
EN
“How does one obtain divine sight? How does one obtain divine hearing? And how, O Guide, does one know The dying, transmigration, and rebirth of beings?” {27}
EN
“Divine sight is obtained by giving lamps. The ear is purified by giving music. The dying, transmigration, and rebirth of beings are known through wisdom. Thus do these accomplishments arise.” {28}
EN
“O Guide, how do the defilements of bodhisattvas Come to be exhausted? How do they recollect previous lives? How do they obtain miraculous powers?” {29}
EN
“The miraculous powers are obtained by offering vehicles. The recollections are gained by cultivating mindfulness. They reach the cessation of defilements By fully abandoning the two extremes.” {30}
EN
“How is the buddhafield perfected? How is its saṅgha perfected? How does its light shine perfectly Such that the ten directions are illuminated?” {31}
EN
“The buddhafield is perfected through aspiration. The saṅgha is perfected by magnetizing disciples. The ten directions are illuminated brightly By offering jeweled canopies.” {32}
EN
“By what quality does one attain The embodiment of all qualities, So that a bodhisattva will be dear to beings Wherever they are born?” {33}
EN
“By surrendering the mind to the purpose of awakening In order to liberate all beings, They attain the embodiment of all qualities And will thus be held dear.” {34}
EN
“In what instruction should one train, And how should one cultivate the mind, To become an omniscient teacher Like you, Great Sage?” {35}
EN
“If one trains in being impartial To all beings without exception, And if the mind is cultivated in that impartiality, One will become an all-surpassing victorious one.” {36}
EN
“Throughout all one’s lives, How will the mind of awakening Never be abandoned even in a dream, Let alone while awake?” {37}
EN
“In whatever region one dwells, Whether a village or a city, By correctly guiding others toward awakening, The mind of awakening is not abandoned.” {38}
EN
“Wherever one is born, How can one acquire great strength And always be elevated with power So that even ten million māras can do no harm?” {39}
EN
“In this life, if one offers the five essences And gives courage to those who are afraid, Then wherever one is born One will also have great strength, Always be elevated with power, And be unharmed even by ten million māras.” {40}
EN
Having heard this teaching On the conduct of bodhisattvas Directly from the Guardian of the World, Siṃha was overjoyed. {41}
EN
He and his companions Spoke the following words: “We will train In this teaching on conduct.” {42}
EN
Then the Buddha smiled, And the trichiliocosm quaked. Ajita then asked the Buddha The following question: “Why did you smile? Great Sage, please explain this!” {43}
EN
And so to Ajita The Buddha replied, “Ajita, please listen to the reason That I smiled. {44}
EN
“Previously, these boys assembled before Eight hundred million buddhas and a quadrillion more. For the purpose of awakening, They made offerings to those guides of humans. {45}
EN
“Since the time of Dīpaṅkara— The perfect buddha, supreme among people— I have been ripening These brahmin boys. {46}
EN
“When the splendid eon called Great Illumination arises, In that single eon They will all become guides. {47}
EN
“They will become guides for the world Named Jñānaketudhvaja, And their array will be Just like that of Amitābha. {48}
EN
“From the time of Maitreya Through three hundred full eons, They will always Meet with buddhas. {49}
EN
“Moreover, whoever hears but the name Under which they attain awakening Shall, without exception, become incomparable And omniscient beings in the world. {50}
EN
“Whoever, on hearing this prophecy, Becomes inspired Will have merit unparalleled Throughout these three worlds. {51}
EN
“Consider someone who for six thousand eons Filled up all the buddhafields With jewels and offered them For the purpose of awakening. {52}
EN
“The tally of that person’s merit Could never match or compare to Hearing this Dharma presentation And setting out for the sake of awakening.” {53}
EN
When this Dharma had been expounded, By the power of the Protector of the World, The gods brought down a rain of flowers, And the trichiliocosm quaked. {54}
EN
Siṃha, along with his companions, Obtained the five superknowledges and, Having made offerings for one week, Took ordination in the teaching. {55}
EN
All of them obtained absorption And inexhaustible retention. Wishing to accomplish the welfare of beings, They brought them to the Dharma of the buddhas. {56}
EN
When this Dharma presentation was taught, eight hundred million beings set out for supreme awakening. When the Blessed One had spoken, Siṃha, along with his companions and the world with its gods, humans, asuras, and gandharvas, rejoiced and praised the words of the Blessed One.
EN
The Indian preceptors Dānaśīla and Munivarman and the chief editor-translator Bandé Yeshé Dé translated, edited, and finalized this according to the new lexical register.
Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was dwelling in Rājagṛha on Vulture Peak, together with a great saṅgha of 1,250 monks and a great saṅgha of bodhisattvas.
Carrying golden parasols, They went before the perfect Buddha. Bowing their heads to the feet of the Buddha, They offered the five hundred parasols. {3}
“How does one become beautiful? How does one take miraculous birth? How does one remember previous births? Great Sage, please give your instruction.” {6}
Knowing their pure intentions with his wisdom, The Buddha gave his instruction: “I will give a teaching on what you have asked: The conduct of bodhisattvas. {7}
“One becomes beautiful through patience. One takes miraculous birth by pure conduct. One recalls past lives by giving the Dharma. Youth, know it to be thus!” {8}
“How does one manifest The thirty-two marks, the eighty excellent signs, And a body radiant like gold That delights beings upon seeing?” {9}
EN
“The marks manifest through complete generosity. Likewise, the excellent signs come to be through love. The golden radiance of the victorious ones Manifests by having an attitude of equality toward all beings.” {10}
EN
“How is retention attained? How does absorption arise? How do statements become acceptable? Great Sage, please give your teaching!” {11}
EN
“Retention is attained through receptivity to the Dharma. Absorption arises by training the mind. Statements become acceptable When one abandons senseless talk.” {12}
EN
“How does one become mindful? O Sage, how does one become intelligent? How does one come to act according to the Dharma? O Holy Being, how does one become wise?” {13}
EN
“One comes to possess mindfulness by being undeceiving. One becomes intelligent by contemplating meaning. One comes to act according to the Dharma by having reverence. One becomes wise by knowing the characteristics of phenomena.” {14}
EN
“By what action is a bodhisattva born In the presence of the guardians of the world? How do they come to ask questions Directly before the guardians of the world?” {15}
EN
“The one who never obstructs The giving of Dharma Will with great swiftness Come to meet the guardians of the world.” {16}
EN
“How does one relinquish rebirth in inopportune states? How does one go forth to favorable states? How does one become heedful Wherever one takes birth throughout all of one’s lives?” {17}
EN
“Inopportune births are relinquished through faith. One goes forth to favorable states through moral discipline. One becomes always heedful By becoming familiar with emptiness.” {18}
EN
“O Sage, how do bodhisattvas Purify their karma? How do they dodge the snares of Māra? How do they avoid becoming bereft of Dharma?” {19}
EN
“Karma is purified through firm resolution. Māra is subdued through perseverance. They avoid becoming bereft of the Dharma By acting according to their words.” {20}
EN
“How does one’s voice become like the pleasing song Of the kalaviṅka bird and like the voice of Brahmā? O Sage, how does one please beings With their diverse inclinations?” {21}
EN
“The voice of Brahmā is obtained by speaking truthfully. The voice becomes pleasing by abandoning harsh words. One pleases beings By relinquishing senseless talk and slander.” {22}
EN
“How does one come to have a long life? How does one come to have fewer illnesses? How, O Supreme Guide, Does a retinue come to be undivided?” {23}
EN
“One comes to have a long life by not killing. One will have fewer illnesses by causing no harm. A retinue comes to be undivided When one reconciles disputes.” {24}
EN
“How does one obtain wealth? How do possessions cease to diminish? How does one become distinguished Wherever one is born?” {25}
EN
“Wealth is obtained through nonattachment. Possessions increase by being without stinginess. One will be distinguished wherever one is born By being without jealousy.” {26}
EN
“How does one obtain divine sight? How does one obtain divine hearing? And how, O Guide, does one know The dying, transmigration, and rebirth of beings?” {27}
EN
“Divine sight is obtained by giving lamps. The ear is purified by giving music. The dying, transmigration, and rebirth of beings are known through wisdom. Thus do these accomplishments arise.” {28}
EN
“O Guide, how do the defilements of bodhisattvas Come to be exhausted? How do they recollect previous lives? How do they obtain miraculous powers?” {29}
EN
“The miraculous powers are obtained by offering vehicles. The recollections are gained by cultivating mindfulness. They reach the cessation of defilements By fully abandoning the two extremes.” {30}
EN
“How is the buddhafield perfected? How is its saṅgha perfected? How does its light shine perfectly Such that the ten directions are illuminated?” {31}
EN
“The buddhafield is perfected through aspiration. The saṅgha is perfected by magnetizing disciples. The ten directions are illuminated brightly By offering jeweled canopies.” {32}
EN
“By what quality does one attain The embodiment of all qualities, So that a bodhisattva will be dear to beings Wherever they are born?” {33}
EN
“By surrendering the mind to the purpose of awakening In order to liberate all beings, They attain the embodiment of all qualities And will thus be held dear.” {34}
EN
“In what instruction should one train, And how should one cultivate the mind, To become an omniscient teacher Like you, Great Sage?” {35}
EN
“If one trains in being impartial To all beings without exception, And if the mind is cultivated in that impartiality, One will become an all-surpassing victorious one.” {36}
EN
“Throughout all one’s lives, How will the mind of awakening Never be abandoned even in a dream, Let alone while awake?” {37}
EN
“In whatever region one dwells, Whether a village or a city, By correctly guiding others toward awakening, The mind of awakening is not abandoned.” {38}
EN
“Wherever one is born, How can one acquire great strength And always be elevated with power So that even ten million māras can do no harm?” {39}
EN
“In this life, if one offers the five essences And gives courage to those who are afraid, Then wherever one is born One will also have great strength, Always be elevated with power, And be unharmed even by ten million māras.” {40}
EN
Having heard this teaching On the conduct of bodhisattvas Directly from the Guardian of the World, Siṃha was overjoyed. {41}
EN
He and his companions Spoke the following words: “We will train In this teaching on conduct.” {42}
EN
Then the Buddha smiled, And the trichiliocosm quaked. Ajita then asked the Buddha The following question: “Why did you smile? Great Sage, please explain this!” {43}
EN
And so to Ajita The Buddha replied, “Ajita, please listen to the reason That I smiled. {44}
EN
“Previously, these boys assembled before Eight hundred million buddhas and a quadrillion more. For the purpose of awakening, They made offerings to those guides of humans. {45}
EN
“Since the time of Dīpaṅkara— The perfect buddha, supreme among people— I have been ripening These brahmin boys. {46}
EN
“When the splendid eon called Great Illumination arises, In that single eon They will all become guides. {47}
EN
“They will become guides for the world Named Jñānaketudhvaja, And their array will be Just like that of Amitābha. {48}
EN
“From the time of Maitreya Through three hundred full eons, They will always Meet with buddhas. {49}
EN
“Moreover, whoever hears but the name Under which they attain awakening Shall, without exception, become incomparable And omniscient beings in the world. {50}
EN
“Whoever, on hearing this prophecy, Becomes inspired Will have merit unparalleled Throughout these three worlds. {51}
EN
“Consider someone who for six thousand eons Filled up all the buddhafields With jewels and offered them For the purpose of awakening. {52}
EN
“The tally of that person’s merit Could never match or compare to Hearing this Dharma presentation And setting out for the sake of awakening.” {53}
EN
When this Dharma had been expounded, By the power of the Protector of the World, The gods brought down a rain of flowers, And the trichiliocosm quaked. {54}
EN
Siṃha, along with his companions, Obtained the five superknowledges and, Having made offerings for one week, Took ordination in the teaching. {55}
EN
All of them obtained absorption And inexhaustible retention. Wishing to accomplish the welfare of beings, They brought them to the Dharma of the buddhas. {56}
EN
When this Dharma presentation was taught, eight hundred million beings set out for supreme awakening. When the Blessed One had spoken, Siṃha, along with his companions and the world with its gods, humans, asuras, and gandharvas, rejoiced and praised the words of the Blessed One.
EN
The Indian preceptors Dānaśīla and Munivarman and the chief editor-translator Bandé Yeshé Dé translated, edited, and finalized this according to the new lexical register.
Sutraya