“Maudgalyāyana, when I was training in the practices of a bodhisattva in the past, I created unfathomably numerous roots of virtue in order to understand abiding. I did this by wondering, ‘How can I fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood and then teach beings about the knowledge of abiding?’
EN
“Long ago in the limitless cycle of existence, Maudgalyāyana, long before even the distant past, there appeared in the world a thus-gone one named King of Banyan Trees; he was learned and venerable, a well-gone one, a knower of the world, a steersman who guided beings, unexcelled, a teacher of gods and humans, a buddha, a blessed one. The buddha realm of the thus-gone King of Banyan Trees consisted of ninety-six ineffable worlds. Throughout the vast cities of that buddha realm there were no realms of hell, no animals, nor any realms of the Lord of Death. Sentient beings there were not of different complexion, but all were alike, sharing the same golden color. The shapes of the beings there were not different either, as all grew to the size of a banyan tree. Neither did their possessions differ, because all property was shared, and the beings of that realm did not have different lifespans. Everyone’s life was equally long, lasting for eighty trillion years. No one died from anything but natural causes and no one would die with fear. Everyone would pass away in special circumstances.”
EN
“Blessed One,” inquired venerable Maudgalyāyana, “if beings there were not different from each other, how could their deaths be special?”
EN
The Blessed One replied, “Well said, Maudgalyāyana, excellent. Generally, there is no apparent existence with respect to phenomena. Therefore, with respect to phenomena there is also no apparent existence for hearers or solitary buddhas. Even the existence of bodhisattvas who have aroused the mind of awakening for the first time and thus brought forth the initial mind of awakening is also not apparent, so why even mention the hearers? Maudgalyāyana, this does not even pertain to the level of those bodhisattvas who abide on the level of a regent. Nevertheless, Maudgalyāyana, they appear due to the power of such bodhisattvas’ roots of virtue. Maudgalyāyana, in this realm, however, beings did not progress by means of any roots of virtue. Still, the minds of those bodhisattvas would constantly develop, without ever waning, throughout day and night. It is in this sense that they were special.
EN
“At that time in the realm of the thus-gone King of Banyan Trees there lived a bodhisattva named Beyond Doubt who ruled a kingdom. In the retinue of King Beyond Doubt there were eight million women, and he had one thousand ministers. Once, during the summer, the king went, without great craving, to a cool and peaceful park full of flowering trees, together with eight hundred thousand of the ladies. There King Beyond Doubt made the following prayer: ‘May all beings who are near me and experience poverty avail themselves of my treasury and find wealth.’ And with this thought in mind he ruled his kingdom.
EN
“King Beyond Doubt did not have any notions of flawed discipline, nor did he entertain ideas about the observation of discipline. He did not have any thoughts about being mindful, and neither did he remain ensnared by the mind of desire, the mind of anger, or the mind of stupidity. Thus, with a completely pure mind, he never separated from the mind of awakening. Whether coming, going, staying, sitting, lying down, or asleep, he was free of any conceit. Needless to mention that he did not become careless either. Instead he continuously entered the mind of awakening. He had love for suffering beings, compassion for afflicted beings, delight at witnessing happy beings, and equanimity with respect to those who had completed their tasks. As he lay down to sleep at night, he gave rise to the mind of awakening, wishing, ‘I must find out where in the world to find a person worthy of offerings who will develop my roots of virtue and be my spiritual teacher. How can I rest in the first concentration, and how can I emerge from it? Likewise, how can I enter and emerge from all the concentrations up to and including the fourth? Likewise, how can I rest in the knowledge of abiding in the states of love, compassion, joy, and equanimity? How can I emerge within the knowledge of abiding? How can I rest in the knowledge of abiding as related to knowledge of the origin, knowledge of cessation, and knowledge of the path that leads to cessation, and how can I emerge from the knowledge of abiding as related to knowledge of the origin, knowledge of cessation, and knowledge of the path that leads to cessation? How can I rest in the knowledge of abiding, the origin, cessation, and the path, as well as the knowledge of omniscience, and how can I emerge from them? And how can I do so for the knowledge of the origin, cessation, and the path?’
EN
“At this point a god who was an old friend of King Beyond Doubt, and who had before been his relative, illumined the royal palace. Without hiding his physical form, the god then spoke the following verses to the king:
EN
“ ‘Excellent, Great King, excellent! Lord of humans, bravo to you! Intent on benefiting the entire world, You have excellent thoughts on your mind.
EN
“ ‘There is a thus-gone one in this world, And he is known by the name Banyan. Go before that buddha And there, lord of beings, ask your questions.’
EN
“As the lord of beings heard These words of the god They filled him with joyous happiness, And so he said:
EN
“ ‘Wherever the illuminator of the world, Supreme among men, resides, There I shall go myself To worship and to venerate him.’
EN
“Then the god spoke the following verses to King Beyond Doubt:
EN
“ ‘To the east of here Lies the city of Emerging Mounts. There resides the protector; There he teaches the Dharma to beings.
EN
“ ‘He is the object of the world’s worship, Sustained by the offerings of others. Out of great love for sentient beings He accepts the role of a recipient of offerings.
EN
“ ‘For billions of eons This Thus-Gone One remains. Great King, the Thus-Gone One Is never disturbed and always free of desire.
EN
“ ‘With great love for all beings He accepts the role of a recipient of offerings, And upon request he teaches— Such is the effect of offerings.
EN
“ ‘The sage is an expert on the world And a field of merit for the threefold world. Go to him and venerate him, Then he shall make things clear to you.’
EN
“King Beyond Doubt kept the god’s exhortation in mind, and when the night was over he gathered his ministers and said, ‘O village chiefs, you must know this. To the east of here lies the city called Emerging Mounts. In that city resides a thus-gone one known as Banyan. I wish to venerate that Thus-Gone One, so, quickly, bring good horses. I shall leave now so that I may see him today.’
EN
“ ‘As Your Majesty commands!’ replied the ministers, and so they brought fine horses just as King Beyond Doubt had told them.
EN
“King Beyond Doubt then spoke to his queen: ‘Know this, O wife. I am leaving to see the thus-gone King of Banyan Trees. Meanwhile you must act with prudence.’
EN
“The queen asked, ‘Will we also be able to see the Thus-Gone One?’
EN
“ ‘Yes, wife,’ answered the king, ‘you will.’
EN
“ ‘Your Majesty,’ replied the queen, ‘if that is so then we shall also come to behold the Thus-Gone One.’
EN
“ ‘Wife,’ answered the king, ‘proceed if you know that the time has come.’
EN
“Thus, without any second thoughts about his kingdom and possessions, King Beyond Doubt left behind his city and traveled to see the thus-gone King of Banyan Trees. Possessing the stainless buddha eye, the thus-gone King of Banyan Trees saw that King Beyond Doubt was leaving his city. He then emanated a wish-fulfilling cotton fabric, suspended above the entire path traveled by the king. Along the way he created lakes, pools, and ponds, and he made the road as even as the palm of a hand. Fanned by a cooling breeze, the king thus traveled beneath the wish-fulfilling fabric that the thus-gone King of Banyan Trees had emanated.
EN
“The Thus-Gone King of Banyan Trees then addressed the gods of the pure abodes: ‘Go sprinkle with scented water the path that King Beyond Doubt is traveling. Let his path be covered by numerous canopies. Prepare his welcome ceremony.’
EN
“The gods of the pure abodes did as instructed, and so they endeavored to bring offerings to King Beyond Doubt, using their miraculous powers. Seeing all these gifts of provisions for his journey, the king said to his ministers, ‘Village chiefs, how is it possible that divine beings, whose bodies are vastly superior to those of humans, are in this way worshiping me? I do not possess anything that could cause such offerings to be made.’
EN
The god who was an old friend and relative of the king then spoke these verses:
EN
“ ‘Your Majesty, what you witness is the ceremony Of the world’s protector. By the command of the Thus-Gone One These offerings are brought here.
EN
“ ‘With his divine eye the Buddha has seen Your Majesty leaving the royal palace. As he knows that you are coming, He has made the gods busy.
EN
“ ‘They fulfill his command To render perfect service to the bodhisattva. The protector and savior of the world Has great love for you.
EN
“ ‘Thus he has sent these gods To bring fine offerings, And to adorn the road traveled by the king Who wishes to see the Buddha.
EN
“ ‘Go forth, Great King! Do you not see the bodhisattvas and hearers, Worshiping and bringing fine offerings To the supreme man?’
EN
“Having heard these words of the god, King Beyond Doubt descended from his chariot. He draped his shawl over one shoulder, stripped himself of all adornments, took off his bejeweled footwear, and then joined his palms in the direction of the Blessed One’s residence. ‘Thus-Gone King of Banyan Trees,’ he exclaimed, ‘homage, homage, homage to you!’
EN
“Surrounded by his attending retinue of many hundreds of thousands, the thus-gone King of Banyan Trees saw that King Beyond Doubt paid homage to him in this way, and in response he spoke these verses:
EN
“ ‘Joyfully taking one step In the direction of the world’s protector Is more valuable than a hundred thousand measures Of gold from the Jāmbū River.
EN
“ ‘Joyfully taking one step In the direction of the world’s protector Is more valuable than twenty million measures Of gold from the Jāmbū River.
EN
“ ‘Taking one step to pay homage To the protector of the world Is more valuable than tens of millions of measures Of gold from the Jāmbū River.’
EN
“At this point the gods of the pure abodes emanated eight million pieces of fabric in order to shelter the Blessed One and his retinue. When King Beyond Doubt saw how the gods brought forth such offerings to the Thus-Gone One, he wondered, ‘Where do these parasols come from?’ Yet at that very moment they all vanished. ‘Where did all the parasols go?’ thought the king. The gods then spoke these verses to King Beyond Doubt:
EN
“ ‘The parasols do not come about anywhere; Neither do they cease anywhere. Such is the nature of all phenomena, And this is what the buddhas understand.
EN
“ ‘Such is the way of the illuminators of the world And such is the intrinsic nature of things. Those who understand this Have been born from the heart of the buddhas.
EN
“ ‘Breaking the shackles of the māras, They enter the path of the buddhas. Seeing the world illuminators, They proceed to tame the māras.
EN
“ ‘Whoever hears this declaration Made by gods and great humans Will be confirmed by the great hero As having the nature of a bodhisattva.
EN
“ ‘Without bondage or liberation, And having accomplished all tasks along the great path, The great hero teaches The unsurpassed Dharma of the buddhas.
EN
“ ‘Whoever hears the voice Of the world’s protector Understands that there is No coming, arising, or abiding.
EN
“ ‘For those who receive this teaching No phenomena come into being, Nothing ceases, and nothing remains. This is what the gods see.
EN
“ ‘When hearing these words All the many beings Will recognize empty phenomena. Nothing has ceased and nothing will come.
EN
“ ‘Neither are there any past phenomena, And no consciousness and no future. The very essence of all phenomena Is understood by the children of the victorious ones.
EN
“ ‘For whoever hears these words All phenomena are of the same characteristic. The buddhas, the great sages of great awakening, Have all entered into this.
EN
“ ‘When someone hears these words, And a thus-gone thus appears, Ten million victorious ones will be emanated, Teaching the Dharma of emptiness.
EN
“ ‘To eight hundred thousand gods The Thus-Gone One, illuminator of the world And the master of the path of awakening, Has given his teaching.’
EN
“Maudgalyāyana, in case you may think that King Beyond Doubt was anyone else, do not think so. In those days I was King Beyond Doubt. Maudgalyāyana, bodhisattva great beings should therefore endeavor to obtain the unborn Dharma so that they may gather transcendent roots of virtue.
EN
“Maudgalyāyana, when I was training in the practices of a bodhisattva in the past, I created numerous different roots of virtue in order to understand the origin as related to knowledge of abiding. I did this by realizing knowledge of the cessation of peaceful liberation and then wondering how to teach this genuinely to sentient beings.
EN
“Long ago in the limitless cycle of existence, Maudgalyāyana, long before even the distant past, there appeared in the world a thus-gone one named Unfathomable Light Rays; he was learned and venerable, a well-gone one, a knower of the world, a steersman who guided beings, unexcelled, a teacher of gods and humans, a buddha, a blessed one. In the thus-gone Unfathomable Light Rays’ first assembly of hearers there were nine hundred million, in the second assembly there were nine hundred forty million, and in the third assembly there were nine hundred sixty million.
EN
“Present during the thus-gone Unfathomable Light Rays’ discourses was a wealthy householder, a man of great riches and possessions known as Wishing for Disengagement, who bore the virtuous marks of the Dharma. This man diligently pursued well-spoken words, and there was nothing that he would not sacrifice for the sake of the meaning of teachings. One day he heard a voice speaking out of midair: ‘The thus-gone Unfathomable Light Rays cuts through all the doubts of beings. He explains the paths to the realms of hell beings, animals, starving spirits, humans, the heavens, and the transcendence of suffering. Such a teacher has appeared in the world.’ Hearing these words the householder draped his shawl over one shoulder, knelt on his right knee, and then, looking up into space, he spoke this verse:
EN
“ ‘Who speaks such beautiful words From the empty sky today? Where does the great guide reside? Whoever you are, please tell me.’
EN
“Again words could be heard out of midair:
EN
“ ‘To the east of here Lies the city known as Mountain Banner of Joy. That is where this man resides, Cutting through all doubts.’
EN
“Joining his palms, the householder then spoke this verse:
EN
“ ‘It may be millions of leagues from here But I shall certainly go there. Having covered as many leagues as it takes, I shall then see the Thus-Gone One.’
EN
“Then once more he heard words from the space above him:
EN
“ ‘A hundred million and one thousand Leagues from here Resides the perfect Buddha. You must go there and make your request.’
EN
“Hearing these words he then told his ministers, ‘Quickly, village chiefs, bring me a fine horse. One hundred million and one thousand leagues to the east of here lies a city known as Mountain Banner of Joy. That is the place where the thus-gone Unfathomable Light Rays has taken up residence. I am leaving so that I may see and venerate that Thus-Gone One.’
EN
“ ‘As you command,’ said the ministers, and in compliance with the householder’s words they prepared some excellent horses. To the householder they said, ‘Lord, since you know that the time has come, we have prepared fine horses for you.’ Thus, riding an excellent mount, the householder Wishing for Disengagement, who was like a great sal tree, left his city. Wherever he went on his way, all the local people followed him. As they journeyed to the Thus-Gone One’s residence, the gods of the pure abodes rendered them service by the power of the Buddha.
EN
“The Thus-Gone One was at that time staying in a park called Suṣmā, near the city of Mountain Banner of Joy and, as the party arrived, they saw his awesome figure from afar, seated clear and bright within the park. The householder had been riding until that point, but he now dismounted his horse. Surrounded by foot soldiers and following a greeting party of infantry, he walked into the Suṣmā Park. Due to the power of the Buddha, as they entered a delightful cooling breeze blew and a trickling shower of scented water fell.
EN
“The Thus-Gone Unfathomable Light Rays was aware of the thoughts of the householder Wishing for Disengagement, who was like a great sal tree. He therefore emitted a cooling, nectar-like light that dispelled all weariness from the journey. When the Thus-Gone One saw that the householder was relieved of all discomfort, he ascended into the air and remained seated at the height of a palm tree. The householder Wishing for Disengagement, who was like a great sal tree, beheld the beautiful appearance of the Blessed One as he resided in midair with his senses and mind serene. The sight made the householder exclaim:
EN
“ ‘Now I see what I had heard about, Yet what I see is even more magnificent! In this world there is nothing Like you and your qualities of wisdom.’
EN
“The thus-gone Unfathomable Light Rays replied:
EN
“ ‘Householder, what you speak Are words of disengagement—excellent! For long have you been practicing The cultivation of roots of virtue.
EN
“ ‘There is no one like me in the world; How could I have any superior? Householder, now you should put forward Even the slightest question that may be on your mind.
EN
“ ‘Noble man, I shall ensure that your mind Will be completely satisfied. Whatever issue you bring to me, I shall settle it today beyond all doubt.’
EN
“Then the householder Wishing for Disengagement, who was like a great sal tree, offered the following verses to the Thus-Gone One:
EN
“ ‘How does one arise from concentration, And how should one apply one’s mind To concentration and its delightful qualities? Please answer these questions for me.
EN
“ ‘Which roots of virtue will bring Understanding of such knowledge? What are the causes for understanding their acquisition? Please explain these issues to me.’
EN
“In response the thus-gone Unfathomable Light Rays delivered a single, satisfying teaching in verse:
EN
“ ‘For concentration without marks Emergence is utterly certain. The mind that achieves concentration Will comprehend this as it is achieved.’
EN
“Having heard this teaching in reply to his questions, The wise and heroic householder Was established within the unborn state By the protector and savior of the world.
EN
“And so he remained, free of doubt and hesitation About the qualities of the buddhas. Having illumined the retinue, He asked the guide:
EN
“ ‘How are the words of the blessed ones To be understood?’
EN
“In reply, the thus-gone Unfathomable Light Rays spoke this verse to the householder Wishing for Disengagement, who was like a great sal tree:
EN
“ ‘As many sentient beings as there are sand grains in the Ganges Hear my instructions, Understand reality, just as it is, And are thus established within the unborn.’
EN
“Maudgalyāyana, what do you think? In case you may think that at that time Wishing for Disengagement, who was like a great sal tree, was anyone else, do not think so. In those days I was the householder Wishing for Disengagement, who was like a great sal tree, and I asked those questions for the benefit of all beings. Thus, Maudgalyāyana, those bodhisattva great beings who wish to benefit all beings should become expert in concentration. They should become expert in emerging from concentration. They should carefully strengthen the roots of virtue associated with knowledge of the origin as related to the knowledge of emergence.
EN
“Maudgalyāyana, when I was training in the practices of a bodhisattva in the past, I created numerous different roots of virtue in order to understand cessation as related to knowledge of abiding. I did this by realizing knowledge of the cessation of peaceful liberation and then wondering how to teach this genuinely to sentient beings.
EN
“Long ago in the limitless cycle of existence, Maudgalyāyana, long before even the distant past, there was a king known as Conquest of the Enemy who ruled exclusively in a buddha realm. In his vicinity resided the thus-gone Kṣemaṅkara, surrounded by a retinue of innumerable thousands of hearers and innumerable thousands of bodhisattvas. Among the bodhisattvas there was one named Endowed with the Power of Inspiration.
EN
“At that time the beings of that buddha realm belonged to the three vehicles of the hearers, the solitary buddhas, and the buddhas. Those dwelling within this vehicle of the buddhas would again and again try to make those of the Hearer Vehicle become fond of the vehicle of the buddhas, telling them, ‘Friends, the Great Vehicle is a joyous one. There is nothing that is not known, seen, recognized, or perceived. There is nothing that arises, remains, or ceases.’
EN
“The beings of the Hearer Vehicle would respond to this with irritation, saying, ‘Who could ever feel happy with beings who race around in cyclic existence without any knowledge of the past?’ They would therefore enter into religious debates with those abiding in the Bodhisattva Vehicle, telling them, ‘Alas, venerable ones, are you aware that you have been creating suffering again and again for so long?’
EN
“ ‘No, venerable ones,’ the reply would sound.
EN
“Again the hearers would ask, ‘Well, have you been afraid at those times when you have made gains while apprehending? Or have you been overjoyed, thinking about what you have not done rather than thinking of what you have done? Venerable ones, if you forget what you have done, and instead think of what you have not done, you will end up in danger. On the other hand, those who keep track of what they have done, and not of what they have not done, will be free from danger as they keep in mind the many things that they have done.’
EN
“ ‘Venerable ones,’ replied the bodhisattvas, ‘we understand the teaching of the Blessed One to be telling us to examine what “done” means. And if you do that, you will not be thinking, “I have done many things.” Venerable ones, once in the past there was a sage by the name of Red Horse. This sage set out on a journey thinking, “I shall travel to the end of the world before I die.” When the sage walked, he stepped from one Sumeru mountaintop to another, traveling with great speed, as when one travels miraculously through mental powers. Yet still he died before reaching the end of the world. Venerable ones, the Blessed Buddha does not tell us to reach the end of the world on foot. Rather, it is due to wisdom that one reaches the end of the world. Venerable ones, if you stay concerned about suffering then you will also be conceiving of suffering in the future. Bodhisattva great beings journey to the end of the exhaustion of craving. They do not think about reaching the end of the world. Such beings are free from suffering and the notion of suffering.’
EN
“However, the Great Vehicle monks were unable to reverse many of the monks of the Hearer Vehicle. Why was this? Because those monks did not possess the power of inspiration, and when someone lacks the power of inspiration, that person lacks the fortune to accomplish unexcelled and perfect awakening. Thus, Maudgalyāyana, bodhisattva great beings who are intent on benefiting all sentient beings should endeavor to achieve the power of inspiration.
EN
“Maudgalyāyana, what do you think? In case you may think that at that time the monk of the Great Vehicle known as Endowed with the Power of Inspiration was anyone else, do not think so. In those days I was the monk Endowed with the Power of Inspiration.
EN
“Maudgalyāyana, when I was training in the practices of a bodhisattva in the past, I created numerous different roots of virtue in order to understand the path that leads to cessation as related to knowledge of abiding. I did this by wondering how I could fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood and then teach sentient beings.
EN
“Long ago in the unfathomable, incalculable, inconceivable, immeasurable, and inexpressible cycle of existence, Maudgalyāyana, long before even the distant past, there appeared in the world a thus-gone one named Master of Brahmā; he was learned and venerable, a well-gone one, a knower of the world, a steersman who guided beings, unexcelled, a teacher of gods and humans, a buddha, a blessed one. The saṅgha of monks and the retinue of bodhisattvas around that buddha were beyond measure. Within the retinue was a bodhisattva by the name of Gatimān, who for the sake of taming all sensations realized the intrinsic nature of sensation. With that understanding he illumined all of the miraculous realms of the buddhas. In order to tame the sensations of his friends, he spent an inexpressibly long time ripening the sentient beings of his buddha realm toward awakening. To tame them he would say ‘knowledge.’ Thereby desire would be tamed in the sentient beings experiencing desire, anger would be tamed in the sentient beings experiencing anger, stupidity would be tamed in the sentient beings experiencing stupidity, and all afflictions would be tamed in the sentient beings experiencing a mixture of afflictions.
EN
“Maudgalyāyana, what do you think? In case you may think that at that time the bodhisattva Gatimān was anyone else, do not think so. In those days I was the bodhisattva Gatimān. Using my speech, I guided the beings of that buddha realm toward awakening, and when all those thus-gone ones had benefitted sentient beings they would pass beyond suffering in the realm in which there is no remainder of the aggregates. I upheld the three types of teaching of all those thus-gone ones as they gained perfect awakening, remained, and finally passed beyond suffering. Maudgalyāyana, bodhisattva great beings must therefore uphold the teachings of the buddhas. They must also uphold the knowledge of abiding as related to the path that leads to cessation. Upholding that, Maudgalyāyana, the bodhisattvas will be upholding the sacred Dharma, because by taking hold of the path one takes hold of the teachings.
EN
“Immature, childish beings, who lack the true path, may speak of ‘suffering,’ yet they do not understand what suffering is. They may talk about ‘the causes of suffering,’ yet they do not recognize those causes. They may speak of ‘impermanence,’ but they do not comprehend the cessation of suffering. Even if they run away from suffering, they cannot escape it.
EN
“Thus, Maudgalyāyana, bodhisattva great beings must become experts about cause and effect. Maudgalyāyana, bodhisattvas who are experts regarding cause and effect will reveal the path that brings an end to causes.
EN
“These three preceding activities belong to the knowledge of the world.”
“Maudgalyāyana, when I was training in the practices of a bodhisattva in the past, I created unfathomably numerous roots of virtue in order to understand abiding. I did this by wondering, ‘How can I fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood and then teach beings about the knowledge of abiding?’
EN
“Long ago in the limitless cycle of existence, Maudgalyāyana, long before even the distant past, there appeared in the world a thus-gone one named King of Banyan Trees; he was learned and venerable, a well-gone one, a knower of the world, a steersman who guided beings, unexcelled, a teacher of gods and humans, a buddha, a blessed one. The buddha realm of the thus-gone King of Banyan Trees consisted of ninety-six ineffable worlds. Throughout the vast cities of that buddha realm there were no realms of hell, no animals, nor any realms of the Lord of Death. Sentient beings there were not of different complexion, but all were alike, sharing the same golden color. The shapes of the beings there were not different either, as all grew to the size of a banyan tree. Neither did their possessions differ, because all property was shared, and the beings of that realm did not have different lifespans. Everyone’s life was equally long, lasting for eighty trillion years. No one died from anything but natural causes and no one would die with fear. Everyone would pass away in special circumstances.”
EN
“Blessed One,” inquired venerable Maudgalyāyana, “if beings there were not different from each other, how could their deaths be special?”
EN
The Blessed One replied, “Well said, Maudgalyāyana, excellent. Generally, there is no apparent existence with respect to phenomena. Therefore, with respect to phenomena there is also no apparent existence for hearers or solitary buddhas. Even the existence of bodhisattvas who have aroused the mind of awakening for the first time and thus brought forth the initial mind of awakening is also not apparent, so why even mention the hearers? Maudgalyāyana, this does not even pertain to the level of those bodhisattvas who abide on the level of a regent. Nevertheless, Maudgalyāyana, they appear due to the power of such bodhisattvas’ roots of virtue. Maudgalyāyana, in this realm, however, beings did not progress by means of any roots of virtue. Still, the minds of those bodhisattvas would constantly develop, without ever waning, throughout day and night. It is in this sense that they were special.
EN
“At that time in the realm of the thus-gone King of Banyan Trees there lived a bodhisattva named Beyond Doubt who ruled a kingdom. In the retinue of King Beyond Doubt there were eight million women, and he had one thousand ministers. Once, during the summer, the king went, without great craving, to a cool and peaceful park full of flowering trees, together with eight hundred thousand of the ladies. There King Beyond Doubt made the following prayer: ‘May all beings who are near me and experience poverty avail themselves of my treasury and find wealth.’ And with this thought in mind he ruled his kingdom.
EN
“King Beyond Doubt did not have any notions of flawed discipline, nor did he entertain ideas about the observation of discipline. He did not have any thoughts about being mindful, and neither did he remain ensnared by the mind of desire, the mind of anger, or the mind of stupidity. Thus, with a completely pure mind, he never separated from the mind of awakening. Whether coming, going, staying, sitting, lying down, or asleep, he was free of any conceit. Needless to mention that he did not become careless either. Instead he continuously entered the mind of awakening. He had love for suffering beings, compassion for afflicted beings, delight at witnessing happy beings, and equanimity with respect to those who had completed their tasks. As he lay down to sleep at night, he gave rise to the mind of awakening, wishing, ‘I must find out where in the world to find a person worthy of offerings who will develop my roots of virtue and be my spiritual teacher. How can I rest in the first concentration, and how can I emerge from it? Likewise, how can I enter and emerge from all the concentrations up to and including the fourth? Likewise, how can I rest in the knowledge of abiding in the states of love, compassion, joy, and equanimity? How can I emerge within the knowledge of abiding? How can I rest in the knowledge of abiding as related to knowledge of the origin, knowledge of cessation, and knowledge of the path that leads to cessation, and how can I emerge from the knowledge of abiding as related to knowledge of the origin, knowledge of cessation, and knowledge of the path that leads to cessation? How can I rest in the knowledge of abiding, the origin, cessation, and the path, as well as the knowledge of omniscience, and how can I emerge from them? And how can I do so for the knowledge of the origin, cessation, and the path?’
EN
“At this point a god who was an old friend of King Beyond Doubt, and who had before been his relative, illumined the royal palace. Without hiding his physical form, the god then spoke the following verses to the king:
EN
“ ‘Excellent, Great King, excellent! Lord of humans, bravo to you! Intent on benefiting the entire world, You have excellent thoughts on your mind.
EN
“ ‘There is a thus-gone one in this world, And he is known by the name Banyan. Go before that buddha And there, lord of beings, ask your questions.’
EN
“As the lord of beings heard These words of the god They filled him with joyous happiness, And so he said:
EN
“ ‘Wherever the illuminator of the world, Supreme among men, resides, There I shall go myself To worship and to venerate him.’
EN
“Then the god spoke the following verses to King Beyond Doubt:
EN
“ ‘To the east of here Lies the city of Emerging Mounts. There resides the protector; There he teaches the Dharma to beings.
EN
“ ‘He is the object of the world’s worship, Sustained by the offerings of others. Out of great love for sentient beings He accepts the role of a recipient of offerings.
EN
“ ‘For billions of eons This Thus-Gone One remains. Great King, the Thus-Gone One Is never disturbed and always free of desire.
EN
“ ‘With great love for all beings He accepts the role of a recipient of offerings, And upon request he teaches— Such is the effect of offerings.
EN
“ ‘The sage is an expert on the world And a field of merit for the threefold world. Go to him and venerate him, Then he shall make things clear to you.’
EN
“King Beyond Doubt kept the god’s exhortation in mind, and when the night was over he gathered his ministers and said, ‘O village chiefs, you must know this. To the east of here lies the city called Emerging Mounts. In that city resides a thus-gone one known as Banyan. I wish to venerate that Thus-Gone One, so, quickly, bring good horses. I shall leave now so that I may see him today.’
EN
“ ‘As Your Majesty commands!’ replied the ministers, and so they brought fine horses just as King Beyond Doubt had told them.
EN
“King Beyond Doubt then spoke to his queen: ‘Know this, O wife. I am leaving to see the thus-gone King of Banyan Trees. Meanwhile you must act with prudence.’
EN
“The queen asked, ‘Will we also be able to see the Thus-Gone One?’
EN
“ ‘Yes, wife,’ answered the king, ‘you will.’
EN
“ ‘Your Majesty,’ replied the queen, ‘if that is so then we shall also come to behold the Thus-Gone One.’
EN
“ ‘Wife,’ answered the king, ‘proceed if you know that the time has come.’
EN
“Thus, without any second thoughts about his kingdom and possessions, King Beyond Doubt left behind his city and traveled to see the thus-gone King of Banyan Trees. Possessing the stainless buddha eye, the thus-gone King of Banyan Trees saw that King Beyond Doubt was leaving his city. He then emanated a wish-fulfilling cotton fabric, suspended above the entire path traveled by the king. Along the way he created lakes, pools, and ponds, and he made the road as even as the palm of a hand. Fanned by a cooling breeze, the king thus traveled beneath the wish-fulfilling fabric that the thus-gone King of Banyan Trees had emanated.
EN
“The Thus-Gone King of Banyan Trees then addressed the gods of the pure abodes: ‘Go sprinkle with scented water the path that King Beyond Doubt is traveling. Let his path be covered by numerous canopies. Prepare his welcome ceremony.’
EN
“The gods of the pure abodes did as instructed, and so they endeavored to bring offerings to King Beyond Doubt, using their miraculous powers. Seeing all these gifts of provisions for his journey, the king said to his ministers, ‘Village chiefs, how is it possible that divine beings, whose bodies are vastly superior to those of humans, are in this way worshiping me? I do not possess anything that could cause such offerings to be made.’
EN
The god who was an old friend and relative of the king then spoke these verses:
EN
“ ‘Your Majesty, what you witness is the ceremony Of the world’s protector. By the command of the Thus-Gone One These offerings are brought here.
EN
“ ‘With his divine eye the Buddha has seen Your Majesty leaving the royal palace. As he knows that you are coming, He has made the gods busy.
EN
“ ‘They fulfill his command To render perfect service to the bodhisattva. The protector and savior of the world Has great love for you.
EN
“ ‘Thus he has sent these gods To bring fine offerings, And to adorn the road traveled by the king Who wishes to see the Buddha.
EN
“ ‘Go forth, Great King! Do you not see the bodhisattvas and hearers, Worshiping and bringing fine offerings To the supreme man?’
EN
“Having heard these words of the god, King Beyond Doubt descended from his chariot. He draped his shawl over one shoulder, stripped himself of all adornments, took off his bejeweled footwear, and then joined his palms in the direction of the Blessed One’s residence. ‘Thus-Gone King of Banyan Trees,’ he exclaimed, ‘homage, homage, homage to you!’
EN
“Surrounded by his attending retinue of many hundreds of thousands, the thus-gone King of Banyan Trees saw that King Beyond Doubt paid homage to him in this way, and in response he spoke these verses:
EN
“ ‘Joyfully taking one step In the direction of the world’s protector Is more valuable than a hundred thousand measures Of gold from the Jāmbū River.
EN
“ ‘Joyfully taking one step In the direction of the world’s protector Is more valuable than twenty million measures Of gold from the Jāmbū River.
EN
“ ‘Taking one step to pay homage To the protector of the world Is more valuable than tens of millions of measures Of gold from the Jāmbū River.’
EN
“At this point the gods of the pure abodes emanated eight million pieces of fabric in order to shelter the Blessed One and his retinue. When King Beyond Doubt saw how the gods brought forth such offerings to the Thus-Gone One, he wondered, ‘Where do these parasols come from?’ Yet at that very moment they all vanished. ‘Where did all the parasols go?’ thought the king. The gods then spoke these verses to King Beyond Doubt:
EN
“ ‘The parasols do not come about anywhere; Neither do they cease anywhere. Such is the nature of all phenomena, And this is what the buddhas understand.
EN
“ ‘Such is the way of the illuminators of the world And such is the intrinsic nature of things. Those who understand this Have been born from the heart of the buddhas.
EN
“ ‘Breaking the shackles of the māras, They enter the path of the buddhas. Seeing the world illuminators, They proceed to tame the māras.
EN
“ ‘Whoever hears this declaration Made by gods and great humans Will be confirmed by the great hero As having the nature of a bodhisattva.
EN
“ ‘Without bondage or liberation, And having accomplished all tasks along the great path, The great hero teaches The unsurpassed Dharma of the buddhas.
EN
“ ‘Whoever hears the voice Of the world’s protector Understands that there is No coming, arising, or abiding.
EN
“ ‘For those who receive this teaching No phenomena come into being, Nothing ceases, and nothing remains. This is what the gods see.
EN
“ ‘When hearing these words All the many beings Will recognize empty phenomena. Nothing has ceased and nothing will come.
EN
“ ‘Neither are there any past phenomena, And no consciousness and no future. The very essence of all phenomena Is understood by the children of the victorious ones.
EN
“ ‘For whoever hears these words All phenomena are of the same characteristic. The buddhas, the great sages of great awakening, Have all entered into this.
EN
“ ‘When someone hears these words, And a thus-gone thus appears, Ten million victorious ones will be emanated, Teaching the Dharma of emptiness.
EN
“ ‘To eight hundred thousand gods The Thus-Gone One, illuminator of the world And the master of the path of awakening, Has given his teaching.’
EN
“Maudgalyāyana, in case you may think that King Beyond Doubt was anyone else, do not think so. In those days I was King Beyond Doubt. Maudgalyāyana, bodhisattva great beings should therefore endeavor to obtain the unborn Dharma so that they may gather transcendent roots of virtue.
EN
“Maudgalyāyana, when I was training in the practices of a bodhisattva in the past, I created numerous different roots of virtue in order to understand the origin as related to knowledge of abiding. I did this by realizing knowledge of the cessation of peaceful liberation and then wondering how to teach this genuinely to sentient beings.
EN
“Long ago in the limitless cycle of existence, Maudgalyāyana, long before even the distant past, there appeared in the world a thus-gone one named Unfathomable Light Rays; he was learned and venerable, a well-gone one, a knower of the world, a steersman who guided beings, unexcelled, a teacher of gods and humans, a buddha, a blessed one. In the thus-gone Unfathomable Light Rays’ first assembly of hearers there were nine hundred million, in the second assembly there were nine hundred forty million, and in the third assembly there were nine hundred sixty million.
EN
“Present during the thus-gone Unfathomable Light Rays’ discourses was a wealthy householder, a man of great riches and possessions known as Wishing for Disengagement, who bore the virtuous marks of the Dharma. This man diligently pursued well-spoken words, and there was nothing that he would not sacrifice for the sake of the meaning of teachings. One day he heard a voice speaking out of midair: ‘The thus-gone Unfathomable Light Rays cuts through all the doubts of beings. He explains the paths to the realms of hell beings, animals, starving spirits, humans, the heavens, and the transcendence of suffering. Such a teacher has appeared in the world.’ Hearing these words the householder draped his shawl over one shoulder, knelt on his right knee, and then, looking up into space, he spoke this verse:
EN
“ ‘Who speaks such beautiful words From the empty sky today? Where does the great guide reside? Whoever you are, please tell me.’
EN
“Again words could be heard out of midair:
EN
“ ‘To the east of here Lies the city known as Mountain Banner of Joy. That is where this man resides, Cutting through all doubts.’
EN
“Joining his palms, the householder then spoke this verse:
EN
“ ‘It may be millions of leagues from here But I shall certainly go there. Having covered as many leagues as it takes, I shall then see the Thus-Gone One.’
EN
“Then once more he heard words from the space above him:
EN
“ ‘A hundred million and one thousand Leagues from here Resides the perfect Buddha. You must go there and make your request.’
EN
“Hearing these words he then told his ministers, ‘Quickly, village chiefs, bring me a fine horse. One hundred million and one thousand leagues to the east of here lies a city known as Mountain Banner of Joy. That is the place where the thus-gone Unfathomable Light Rays has taken up residence. I am leaving so that I may see and venerate that Thus-Gone One.’
EN
“ ‘As you command,’ said the ministers, and in compliance with the householder’s words they prepared some excellent horses. To the householder they said, ‘Lord, since you know that the time has come, we have prepared fine horses for you.’ Thus, riding an excellent mount, the householder Wishing for Disengagement, who was like a great sal tree, left his city. Wherever he went on his way, all the local people followed him. As they journeyed to the Thus-Gone One’s residence, the gods of the pure abodes rendered them service by the power of the Buddha.
EN
“The Thus-Gone One was at that time staying in a park called Suṣmā, near the city of Mountain Banner of Joy and, as the party arrived, they saw his awesome figure from afar, seated clear and bright within the park. The householder had been riding until that point, but he now dismounted his horse. Surrounded by foot soldiers and following a greeting party of infantry, he walked into the Suṣmā Park. Due to the power of the Buddha, as they entered a delightful cooling breeze blew and a trickling shower of scented water fell.
EN
“The Thus-Gone Unfathomable Light Rays was aware of the thoughts of the householder Wishing for Disengagement, who was like a great sal tree. He therefore emitted a cooling, nectar-like light that dispelled all weariness from the journey. When the Thus-Gone One saw that the householder was relieved of all discomfort, he ascended into the air and remained seated at the height of a palm tree. The householder Wishing for Disengagement, who was like a great sal tree, beheld the beautiful appearance of the Blessed One as he resided in midair with his senses and mind serene. The sight made the householder exclaim:
EN
“ ‘Now I see what I had heard about, Yet what I see is even more magnificent! In this world there is nothing Like you and your qualities of wisdom.’
EN
“The thus-gone Unfathomable Light Rays replied:
EN
“ ‘Householder, what you speak Are words of disengagement—excellent! For long have you been practicing The cultivation of roots of virtue.
EN
“ ‘There is no one like me in the world; How could I have any superior? Householder, now you should put forward Even the slightest question that may be on your mind.
EN
“ ‘Noble man, I shall ensure that your mind Will be completely satisfied. Whatever issue you bring to me, I shall settle it today beyond all doubt.’
EN
“Then the householder Wishing for Disengagement, who was like a great sal tree, offered the following verses to the Thus-Gone One:
EN
“ ‘How does one arise from concentration, And how should one apply one’s mind To concentration and its delightful qualities? Please answer these questions for me.
EN
“ ‘Which roots of virtue will bring Understanding of such knowledge? What are the causes for understanding their acquisition? Please explain these issues to me.’
EN
“In response the thus-gone Unfathomable Light Rays delivered a single, satisfying teaching in verse:
EN
“ ‘For concentration without marks Emergence is utterly certain. The mind that achieves concentration Will comprehend this as it is achieved.’
EN
“Having heard this teaching in reply to his questions, The wise and heroic householder Was established within the unborn state By the protector and savior of the world.
EN
“And so he remained, free of doubt and hesitation About the qualities of the buddhas. Having illumined the retinue, He asked the guide:
EN
“ ‘How are the words of the blessed ones To be understood?’
EN
“In reply, the thus-gone Unfathomable Light Rays spoke this verse to the householder Wishing for Disengagement, who was like a great sal tree:
EN
“ ‘As many sentient beings as there are sand grains in the Ganges Hear my instructions, Understand reality, just as it is, And are thus established within the unborn.’
EN
“Maudgalyāyana, what do you think? In case you may think that at that time Wishing for Disengagement, who was like a great sal tree, was anyone else, do not think so. In those days I was the householder Wishing for Disengagement, who was like a great sal tree, and I asked those questions for the benefit of all beings. Thus, Maudgalyāyana, those bodhisattva great beings who wish to benefit all beings should become expert in concentration. They should become expert in emerging from concentration. They should carefully strengthen the roots of virtue associated with knowledge of the origin as related to the knowledge of emergence.
EN
“Maudgalyāyana, when I was training in the practices of a bodhisattva in the past, I created numerous different roots of virtue in order to understand cessation as related to knowledge of abiding. I did this by realizing knowledge of the cessation of peaceful liberation and then wondering how to teach this genuinely to sentient beings.
EN
“Long ago in the limitless cycle of existence, Maudgalyāyana, long before even the distant past, there was a king known as Conquest of the Enemy who ruled exclusively in a buddha realm. In his vicinity resided the thus-gone Kṣemaṅkara, surrounded by a retinue of innumerable thousands of hearers and innumerable thousands of bodhisattvas. Among the bodhisattvas there was one named Endowed with the Power of Inspiration.
EN
“At that time the beings of that buddha realm belonged to the three vehicles of the hearers, the solitary buddhas, and the buddhas. Those dwelling within this vehicle of the buddhas would again and again try to make those of the Hearer Vehicle become fond of the vehicle of the buddhas, telling them, ‘Friends, the Great Vehicle is a joyous one. There is nothing that is not known, seen, recognized, or perceived. There is nothing that arises, remains, or ceases.’
EN
“The beings of the Hearer Vehicle would respond to this with irritation, saying, ‘Who could ever feel happy with beings who race around in cyclic existence without any knowledge of the past?’ They would therefore enter into religious debates with those abiding in the Bodhisattva Vehicle, telling them, ‘Alas, venerable ones, are you aware that you have been creating suffering again and again for so long?’
EN
“ ‘No, venerable ones,’ the reply would sound.
EN
“Again the hearers would ask, ‘Well, have you been afraid at those times when you have made gains while apprehending? Or have you been overjoyed, thinking about what you have not done rather than thinking of what you have done? Venerable ones, if you forget what you have done, and instead think of what you have not done, you will end up in danger. On the other hand, those who keep track of what they have done, and not of what they have not done, will be free from danger as they keep in mind the many things that they have done.’
EN
“ ‘Venerable ones,’ replied the bodhisattvas, ‘we understand the teaching of the Blessed One to be telling us to examine what “done” means. And if you do that, you will not be thinking, “I have done many things.” Venerable ones, once in the past there was a sage by the name of Red Horse. This sage set out on a journey thinking, “I shall travel to the end of the world before I die.” When the sage walked, he stepped from one Sumeru mountaintop to another, traveling with great speed, as when one travels miraculously through mental powers. Yet still he died before reaching the end of the world. Venerable ones, the Blessed Buddha does not tell us to reach the end of the world on foot. Rather, it is due to wisdom that one reaches the end of the world. Venerable ones, if you stay concerned about suffering then you will also be conceiving of suffering in the future. Bodhisattva great beings journey to the end of the exhaustion of craving. They do not think about reaching the end of the world. Such beings are free from suffering and the notion of suffering.’
EN
“However, the Great Vehicle monks were unable to reverse many of the monks of the Hearer Vehicle. Why was this? Because those monks did not possess the power of inspiration, and when someone lacks the power of inspiration, that person lacks the fortune to accomplish unexcelled and perfect awakening. Thus, Maudgalyāyana, bodhisattva great beings who are intent on benefiting all sentient beings should endeavor to achieve the power of inspiration.
EN
“Maudgalyāyana, what do you think? In case you may think that at that time the monk of the Great Vehicle known as Endowed with the Power of Inspiration was anyone else, do not think so. In those days I was the monk Endowed with the Power of Inspiration.
EN
“Maudgalyāyana, when I was training in the practices of a bodhisattva in the past, I created numerous different roots of virtue in order to understand the path that leads to cessation as related to knowledge of abiding. I did this by wondering how I could fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood and then teach sentient beings.
EN
“Long ago in the unfathomable, incalculable, inconceivable, immeasurable, and inexpressible cycle of existence, Maudgalyāyana, long before even the distant past, there appeared in the world a thus-gone one named Master of Brahmā; he was learned and venerable, a well-gone one, a knower of the world, a steersman who guided beings, unexcelled, a teacher of gods and humans, a buddha, a blessed one. The saṅgha of monks and the retinue of bodhisattvas around that buddha were beyond measure. Within the retinue was a bodhisattva by the name of Gatimān, who for the sake of taming all sensations realized the intrinsic nature of sensation. With that understanding he illumined all of the miraculous realms of the buddhas. In order to tame the sensations of his friends, he spent an inexpressibly long time ripening the sentient beings of his buddha realm toward awakening. To tame them he would say ‘knowledge.’ Thereby desire would be tamed in the sentient beings experiencing desire, anger would be tamed in the sentient beings experiencing anger, stupidity would be tamed in the sentient beings experiencing stupidity, and all afflictions would be tamed in the sentient beings experiencing a mixture of afflictions.
EN
“Maudgalyāyana, what do you think? In case you may think that at that time the bodhisattva Gatimān was anyone else, do not think so. In those days I was the bodhisattva Gatimān. Using my speech, I guided the beings of that buddha realm toward awakening, and when all those thus-gone ones had benefitted sentient beings they would pass beyond suffering in the realm in which there is no remainder of the aggregates. I upheld the three types of teaching of all those thus-gone ones as they gained perfect awakening, remained, and finally passed beyond suffering. Maudgalyāyana, bodhisattva great beings must therefore uphold the teachings of the buddhas. They must also uphold the knowledge of abiding as related to the path that leads to cessation. Upholding that, Maudgalyāyana, the bodhisattvas will be upholding the sacred Dharma, because by taking hold of the path one takes hold of the teachings.
EN
“Immature, childish beings, who lack the true path, may speak of ‘suffering,’ yet they do not understand what suffering is. They may talk about ‘the causes of suffering,’ yet they do not recognize those causes. They may speak of ‘impermanence,’ but they do not comprehend the cessation of suffering. Even if they run away from suffering, they cannot escape it.
EN
“Thus, Maudgalyāyana, bodhisattva great beings must become experts about cause and effect. Maudgalyāyana, bodhisattvas who are experts regarding cause and effect will reveal the path that brings an end to causes.
EN
“These three preceding activities belong to the knowledge of the world.”
Sutraya