“Maudgalyāyana, I also underwent countless trials and deprivations in order to understand karma. Long ago in the limitless cycle of existence, Maudgalyāyana, in the distant past there was a brahmin named Descendant of Bharadvāja. Once he was traveling to visit someone. He was resting along the way when untimely storm clouds formed in the sky and it began to rain. The brahmin Descendant of Bharadvāja took shelter under a tree without anything to eat, while it continued to rain for seven days. In the hollow of the tree trunk there happened to live an extraordinary rabbit. It came out of its hollow and licked the foot of Descendant of Bharadvāja, who then took the rabbit onto his lap and held it there for the week he was there, petting it with his hand. He looked at the rabbit with affection in his heart and caressed its body. With loving gestures he stroked it and with love in his voice and in his heart, he spoke to it, uttering for instance these verses:

“ ‘Rabbit, it is well that you live here in the forest, To be righteous and follow a virtuous teacher. But, how are you able to live here in this forest? Please grant a reply to my question.

“ ‘Are you not afraid to be here with me? Are you not also hungry and thirsty? Do you eat grass, or otherwise How do you survive out here in the forest?’

“The rabbit replied:

“ ‘O human brahmin, please hear what I say. Look, O Dharma practitioner, around this forest— There is no grass or anything to drink, But to see a sage like you brings me delight.

“ ‘Seeing the virtuous, one practices disciplined conduct And becomes glad and joyful at such happiness in the world. Tell me, what deeds have you performed to enter the human realm? And what deeds lead to rebirth as an animal?

“ ‘I would be overjoyed to hear about this. Please choose your words well and tell me.’

“The rabbit continued:

“ ‘In a past life I listened to a Dharma teaching, But then hurt the Dharma teacher— Due to that I ended up as an animal.’

“The brahmin said:

“ ‘I have been here a while, so I must go. Be patient, little one—quench your thirst And eat some grass, you will not die here.’

“The rabbit continued:

“ ‘I am not interested in water, I don’t want grass, and I don’t need speeches. Brahmin, don’t forsake me or go away But look after me and stay here in the forest.’

“The brahmin retorted:

“ ‘But, little one, what could I eat here? There is nothing to drink, nor place to dwell, So how could a brahmin Make a home in this forest?’

“The rabbit responded:

“ ‘O sage, since you’ve asked: There is no food, nor anything to drink, Not even sesame seeds or rice. I do not have a mat or bedding.

“ ‘So I’ll give myself to you, O sage— You can wear my skin with pleasure, O sage. You will then find pleasure in this visible world. Wearing my skin, please stay here in my forest.’

“The brahmin decided to test him, saying:

“ ‘I will eat you today and make my home in the forest. Please kill yourself and give your body to me— Once I’ve eaten you, I can stay here contentedly.’

“The rabbit replied:

“ ‘I will throw myself in the fire without hesitation; Today you will wear my skin. Once I die you will be happy And the wise will rejoice.’

“To continue to test him, The sage gathered grass and wood And started a fire, then told the rabbit, ‘Roast yourself so I can stay in the forest.’

“The rabbit saw the fire; then, full of faith And without a second thought, It jumped into the flames As if diving into a pool of cool water.

“The sage was pleased and lovingly Grabbed the rabbit and saved it. ‘Little one, may you live in this forest an eon. I will stay in the forest to help you.’

“Remaining there in the forest, The sage gave the rabbit helpful advice, So that it did countless good deeds And found happiness in the higher realms.

“What do you think, Maudgalyāyana? Maudgalyāyana, in case you may think that at that time the rabbit was anyone else, do not think so. In those days the rabbit was me. And what do you think, Maudgalyāyana? In case you may think that at that time the sage was anyone else, Maudgalyāyana, do not think so. In those days the sage was Śāriputra. Due to those deeds and roots of virtue, I gained knowledge of karma. Therefore, Maudgalyāyana, those bodhisattva great beings who wish to fully awaken to unexcelled and perfect buddhahood should train in knowledge of karma and not mix up the principles of karma. They should also dedicate their merit toward unexcelled and perfect awakening. Maudgalyāyana, in this way should bodhisattva great beings understand the knowledge of karma.

“Maudgalyāyana, when I was training as a bodhisattva in the past I created countless roots of virtue and underwent countless trials and deprivations in order to gain knowledge of the origin as related to knowledge of karma. Long ago in cyclic existence, Maudgalyāyana, long before even the distant past there was a patron-king named Aśokaśrī, who reigned over numerous regions under the single umbrella of his command. At that time there appeared in the world a thus-gone named Defeater of the Force of Evil. The blessed thus-gone Defeater of the Force of Evil had a community of nine hundred million hearers, all worthy ones whose defilements had ended.

“Once, sitting in the midst of his nine hundred million hearers, the thus-gone Defeater of the Force of Evil gave a Dharma teaching on the topic of knowledge of the origin as related to knowledge of karma. Present in the audience on that occasion was a bodhisattva great being named Dispeller of Suffering. He stood up from his seat, draped his shawl over one shoulder, and then he knelt on his right knee. With his palms together he bowed toward the blessed thus-gone Defeater of the Force of Evil, and supplicated him in the form of a song:

“ ‘Lord of men, your mind rich with virtue, Self-manifest guide, I ask of you: Protector, how should heirs of the Guide Understand the causes of good actions?

“ ‘How can their conduct become pure and detached? How can they follow virtue with pure conduct? What should they do to achieve pure action? O Guide, please tell the causes of pure action!

“ ‘How can we achieve purity of action? How can beings make their actions pure? How can we remember the causes of pure actions? O Guide, foremost helmsman, please explain this!

“ ‘Lord of men, once your heirs hear your immaculate words On the attitude of pleasant, wholly virtuous conduct And pure, peaceful action, the enactment of impartial conduct, O Guide, they will be well founded in awakening.’

“Maudgalyāyana, then the thus-gone Defeater of the Force of Evil replied to the bodhisattva Dispeller of Suffering, ‘Dispeller of Suffering, you act to help many beings, to bring about many beings’ welfare, and because you care for beings. It is excellent that you have the thought to ask this question to the Thus-Gone One. So, noble son, listen well and keep what I am about to say in your heart.’

The bodhisattva Dispeller of Suffering assented and listened carefully as the Blessed One had directed. The Blessed One then proceeded: ‘Noble son, those bodhisattva great beings who want to fully awaken to unexcelled and perfect buddhahood should train in giving up pride. They should apply themselves to being an object of all beings’ reverence. They should correctly understand the joy of the Dharma. They should never forsake the mind of awakening. They should please their spiritual guides. They should be indefatigable in their pursuit of the Dharma. They should exert themselves in extensive learning. They should seek out scriptures that are well scrutinized. They should train in discernment. They should also train in discerning individual tenets. They should be skilled in ritual service. They should respect their teachers. They should never be discourteous to their teachers. They should never go against their teachers’ words. They should seek out significant scriptures and shun the other ones that are insignificant. Immersing themselves in the vehicle of bodhisattvas, they should shun all the Lokāyata scriptures; treatises on criminal punishment, sorcery, linguistics, and demonology; the scriptures of Jambhaka; works on children’s games, cooking, gambling, acrobatics, magic, commerce, butchery, bartending, sex, and travel; works demonstrating ignorance regarding livelihood; works on sleep or paralysis; treatises that create confusion; works on snake catching; and otherwise any treatises that are at odds with liberation and simply cause more confusion. Why is this, you may ask? Because these types of works are an obstruction to liberation.

“ ‘Furthermore, Dispeller of Suffering, bodhisattva great beings who want to fully awaken to unexcelled and perfect buddhahood should exert themselves in being generous, disciplined, and restrained. They should make themselves worthy of attracting sentient beings. Their speech should in all cases be agreeable, and never in the slightest amount or manner be disagreeable, or spoken inopportunely. Thus they should utter words that are appropriate for the occasion.’

“Maudgalyāyana, once there were two friends, one named Dark Joy and the other called Guru. Both belonged to the king’s court. One served the king—that was Guru—and the other, Dark Joy, chased after prostitutes. Guru, the assistant who served the king, spoke in an opportune and appropriate manner, while the one who chased after prostitutes, the assistant Dark Joy, always spoke inopportunely and inappropriately. When the prostitutes knew he had imbibed too much wine and become drunk, they would carry him out on a straw mat and dump him on a street corner. Being so different from Guru, that young man uttered inopportune and inappropriate language, which led to him becoming further disturbed. What do you think, Maudgalyāyana? In case you may think that at that time the assistant Guru was anyone else, Maudgalyāyana, do not think so. In those days I was the assistant named Guru. And what do you think, Maudgalyāyana? In case you may think that at that time the assistant Dark Joy was anyone else, Maudgalyāyana, do not think so. In those days the assistant named Dark Joy was Devadatta. He became disturbed from using language that was inopportune and inappropriate. The origin of the happiness I feel lies in the fact that at that time I spoke opportunely and appropriately. The cause that led to the karmic ripening by which Devadatta undergoes so much suffering lies in the inopportune and inappropriate language he uttered.

“Therefore, Maudgalyāyana, bodhisattvas should exercise themselves in knowledge of the origin as related to knowledge of karma. Maudgalyāyana, those bodhisattva great beings who live by opportune speech carry out the practice of mindfulness. Maudgalyāyana, bodhisattvas who live by the strengths can be said to be conscientious. They will never decline in the qualities of a bodhisattva. Maudgalyāyana, what are the qualities of a bodhisattva I refer to? They are what a bodhisattva should never allow to decline, namely the six perfections: the perfection of generosity, the perfection of discipline, the perfection of patience, the perfection of diligence, the perfection of concentration, and the perfection of insight. Maudgalyāyana, these are qualities of bodhisattvas. Bodhisattvas should never let them decline.

“Bodhisattvas who live by mindfulness train in remembering to give. In this way they perfect the meritorious activity of generosity and thus counteract stinginess. Those who counteract stinginess uphold generosity. They have no concerns of possessing anything, and those who have no concerns of possessing anything cut their fetters. Those who cut their fetters are liberated, and those who are liberated are free. Those who are free are beyond observation and pass beyond suffering within the field of nirvāṇa free from any remainder of the aggregates. Maudgalyāyana, these are the qualities of bodhisattvas: bodhisattvas are bound by nothing and never regress. Maudgalyāyana, because bodhisattvas never regress, they should be regarded as teachers by the whole world including gods, and all other beings such as demons, Brahmā, mendicants, and brahmins. They should be regarded as guides, leaders, lamps, illuminators, and similarly as clarifiers, mentors, instructors, soothers, and peacemakers. They should be regarded as beings who bring joy, who enrich, who take the lead, who lead the way, and who bring things to an end. They should be regarded as liberated, as perfected, as illuminators, and as those who bring happiness. They should be regarded as a foundation, a protection, a refuge, as perfected, and as those who bestow fearlessness.

“Why is this, Maudgalyāyana? Because bodhisattvas derive their great compassion from these sentient beings, as they think, ‘Alas! These sentient beings have no protector. Some of them wish to escape suffering and gain the pleasure of desire. Others wish to escape suffering and gain the pleasure of equilibrium. Thus they deviate from the path and go astray, ending up on inferior paths.’

“Long ago in the limitless cycle of existence, Maudgalyāyana, in the distant past there was a teacher known as Practicing Detachment. He was someone who led sentient beings to freedom and emancipation from the harm of sense pleasures and regarded that state as pure. He led numerous beings to that state and when they became detached from sense pleasures, he would assert that in that moment they had reached nirvāṇa. Thus he was able to establish many of them fully in detachment from sense pleasures. A number of them would then have the idea, ‘I am now perfectly detached from sense pleasures.’ When beings had become detached from sense pleasures, they were told they had achieved nirvāṇa, and that they would never take on a physical form again. He established eighty million beings in this state of acceptance, and they all thought they were liberated. In such a frame of mind, after they died they were reborn in the realm of Brahmā. Witnessing that happen, they concluded, ‘This so-called nirvāṇa is a perverted doctrine. The path leading to this so-called nirvāṇa is a perverted path. Any mendicants or brahmins who espouse such a doctrine of nirvāṇa are preaching falsehoods.’ In fact, after they were born there, although they did see Brahmā’s celestial palace, it immediately vanished and they instead became beings in the great hells. This shows that while other paths may claim to lead directly to liberation, emancipation from sense pleasures is not liberation.

“Some mendicants and brahmins hold that liberation can take place through the bliss of concentration. Long ago in the limitless cycle of existence, Maudgalyāyana, in the distant past there was a sage named Inferior Class. He perceived sense pleasures to be fetters and so renounced them. He took ordination and eventually achieved the first absorption level, with both conception and discernment. Then he thought, ‘No matter what I direct my conception and discernment toward, I am not completely at peace. There must be something more tranquil and magnificent than this.’ With that in mind, he achieved a non-conceptual state of meditation. Then he thought to himself, ‘There is no longer any conception or discernment—this must be nirvāṇa. It is so tranquil and magnificent. Without conception or discernment there is no need to continue to reincarnate—there is no longer the slightest appropriation, and so I have passed into nirvāṇa in the realm without remainder.’ Emerging from his state of absorption, he went on to establish six hundred thousand beings in the same state of acceptance. Each of them also thought, ‘Now that I am rid of conception and discernment, there will be no more rebirth. With no need to continue taking rebirth, I have achieved nirvāṇa.’ So pleased with their state of acceptance and experiences, luminous celestial palaces manifested before them. Beholding those palaces, however, they had the thought, ‘This so-called nirvāṇa is a fallacy. Those mendicants and brahmins who preach about nirvāṇa are misguided. Why? Because there cannot be a celestial palace in the state of nirvāṇa.’ In fact, as soon as they beheld them, the celestial palaces disappeared, and they fell into the great hell realms.

“At this time there was a brahmin known as Possessor of Myriad Knowledges who had the five superknowledges as well as extraordinary vision. He could see those beings who had ended up in the great hell, and thought to himself, ‘Alas, the state of this world is really in decline. These beings’ misconceptions have landed them in the great hell.’ With this in mind he rested in a state of absorption, and by the miraculous powers created by his equilibrium, all those beings in the great hell were cooled. They also heard a voice saying, ‘Listen, all of you! There is a nirvāṇa—you have just not heard about it. You have come to take something that is not nirvāṇa to be nirvāṇa—this is why you were reborn in hell. You all must totally give up these ideas! If you do, you will achieve nirvāṇa!’ When the beings heard these words, they gave up their ideas and again conceived of nirvāṇa. As soon as they did so, they died within their existence in the great hell and were transported into the presence of the teacher Possessor of Myriad Knowledges.

“Maudgalyāyana, in case you may think that at that time the teacher Possessor of Myriad Knowledges was anyone else, do not think so. In those days I was the teacher Possessor of Myriad Knowledges. Maudgalyāyana, for long sentient beings have been deceived by misconceptions. Therefore, Maudgalyāyana, bodhisattvas should rid themselves of observing distorted conceptions. They should apply effort to understand the essential characteristics of phenomena. They should also seek out spiritual guides.

“Maudgalyāyana, the ‘awakening’ of bodhisattvas happens in association with a spiritual guide. Maudgalyāyana, bodhisattvas should not follow the vehicle of the hearers; neither should they follow the vehicle of the solitary buddhas. Why is this, you may ask, Maudgalyāyana? Faulty discipline and wrong views are not a bad influence on bodhisattvas compared to the negative influence that the vehicles of the hearers and solitary buddhas have on them. Why is this? Faulty discipline cannot ruin a bodhisattva’s discipline, nor can wrong views ruin a bodhisattva’s view. Why is this, you may ask? Faulty discipline cannot make a bodhisattva’s discipline faulty, nor can wrong views distort a bodhisattva’s view. However, the adherents of the vehicle of the hearers and the vehicle of the solitary buddhas cannot lead bodhisattvas to undefiled knowledge. It is for this reason that adherents of the vehicles of hearers and solitary buddhas are a bad influence for bodhisattvas.

“Moreover, for those who are well founded in the vehicle of the bodhisattvas, it is permissible to fraternize with people with faulty discipline and distorted ideas, while this is not the case for the vehicles of the hearers and solitary buddhas. Bodhisattvas have distanced themselves from faulty discipline and distorted ideas. Followers of the hearers and solitary buddhas should be viewed as murderers, since they terminate the presence in the vehicle of the bodhisattvas. Those bodhisattvas who are grounded in the vehicle beyond analysis become unable to pursue it. In view of this, bodhisattvas should not fraternize with followers of the vehicles of the hearers and solitary buddhas. It is incongruous for lions to keep company with foxes. In that sense, all followers of the vehicles of the hearers and solitary buddhas should be regarded like foxes, whereas those who are grounded in the vehicle of bodhisattvas should be considered analogous to lions. Why is that?

“Hearers are involved with benefiting themselves, while bodhisattvas are involved in helping both themselves and others. Hearers only know their own path, while bodhisattvas understand fully the paths of all sentient beings as well as their own. Hearers only purify their own minds, while bodhisattvas purify all sentient beings’ minds as well as their own. Hearers and solitary buddhas pacify their own afflictions, while bodhisattvas pacify others’ afflictions as well as their own. Hearers use their one path to escape, while bodhisattvas traverse the great path. Hearers and solitary buddhas abandon the afflictions but not the habits for them, while bodhisattvas, upon fully awakening to buddhahood, abandon not only the afflictions but also the habits to which they are connected. Hearers attain nirvāṇa via a path taught by someone else, while bodhisattvas attain nirvāṇa by means of a path that is self-manifest. The sublime Dharma of the hearers does not last, while the sublime Dharma of the bodhisattvas remains after they awaken to unexcelled and perfect buddhahood. Hearers and solitary buddhas lack the excellent powers, while bodhisattvas gain the excellent ten powers upon fully awakening to buddhahood. Hearers and solitary buddhas lack the excellent types of fearlessness, while buddhas master the excellent types of fearlessness. Hearers and solitary buddhas lack the thus-gone ones’ correct understanding, while the thus-gone ones possess extraordinarily correct understanding. Hearers and solitary buddhas all lack the marks, while the thus-gone ones possess extraordinary marks.

“Those who train in the thus-gone ones’ correct understanding can be described by means of the following analogy. They can be compared to people who are ignorant of the great trichiliocosm, which causes their minds to be entirely enmeshed in limitless negativity and non-virtue, but who later gain the same qualities as a buddha. Those who cultivate these qualities of bodhisattvas realize this path and thus cannot be deluded by anyone in the world, including the gods. Thus, when bodhisattvas die in this life, they are irreversible from unexcelled and perfect awakening, and have the thought, ‘Alas! How pointlessly and blindly these sentient beings immerse themselves in all that is the opposite of virtue. Controlled by negativity, whenever they encounter a desirable sight, sound, smell, taste, or texture, they become inharmonious and dreadful. They lack correct understanding of deliverance.’ For instance, if someone is bitten by a venomous snake, they will think to attack the snake rather than trying to remove the poison. Similarly, foolish ordinary beings become unhappy thinking about the sense pleasures of the gods instead of trying to remove their own afflictions. Why is this, you may ask? It is because they do not correctly understand the cause of suffering. Therefore bodhisattva great beings who want to benefit sentient beings and counteract what does not benefit them should understand precisely how the afflictions serve as the causes of karma.

“Maudgalyāyana, I have explained how to understand and recognize that afflictions lead to the appropriation of karma, just as I have explained how the end of defilements is not understood or perceived. How is this cognized and perceived, you may ask? Through correct mental engagement and incorrect mental engagement. What is incorrect mental engagement? It refers to the three ways of darkness. What is correct then? The three gateways to liberation: emptiness, absence of marks, and absence of wishes. Once one has a basis in emptiness, there is no longer any doubt or reservation about there being a self, something that is ‘mine,’ or something that is permanent, stable, tranquil, or eternal. Once one has realized this with certainty, one overcomes any darkness and confusion regarding the absence of self and something being ‘mine,’ just as daylight eliminates darkness. Similarly, once one has certainty about emptiness, one will no longer be threatened by the darkness. This is how the Blessed One gains knowledge, and how the Thus-Gone One’s ten powers are revealed. This can be said about knowledge of what is possible, knowledge of the origin as related to knowledge of what is possible, knowledge of cessation as related to knowledge of what is possible, knowledge of the path leading to cessation as related to knowledge of what is possible, and so on, all the way through to knowledge of the path leading to cessation as related to knowledge of omniscience.

“Therefore, Maudgalyāyana, those noble sons and daughters who are well grounded in the vehicle of the bodhisattvas and who wish to fully awaken to unexcelled and perfect buddhahood should have knowledge of the three ways of dark confusion. Moreover, they should correctly understand the three gateways to liberation and aspire toward the ten powers. They should develop compassion for sentient beings who are obscured by the transitory collection and darkness, and practice for the sake of revealing what sentient beings’ darknesses are.”