“Maudgalyāyana, when I was training in the practices of a bodhisattva in the past, I created innumerable roots of virtue in order to understand liberation. Long ago in limitless cyclic existence, Maudgalyāyana, long before even the distant past there was a thus-gone one named Revitalizer. He revitalized those in the god and demigod realms who were tormented by old age and illness, and taught them the Dharma so they could transcend old age and illness. In doing so the beings who were liberated from old age and illness became fearless. He made those who had been attached free from attachment, those who had been angry free from anger, and those who had been deluded free from delusion. He made them not attached to states of concentration, not attached to the sphere of totality, and not attached to the attainments of the successive stages. With his mind free and emancipated, he was known as having knowledge of liberation.
EN
Once he had realized these eight liberations, he went on to teach the Dharma. At that time there was also a king named Vanquisher of All Enemies who reigned over a great trichiliocosm. Along with numerous assemblies of commoners and sixty thousand vassal kings, he went to visit the thus-gone one named Revitalizer. Once there, he bowed his head at the feet of the thus-gone Revitalizer before sitting off to one side. As King Vanquisher of All Enemies was sitting off to the side, the thus-gone Revitalizer taught him the eight liberations. Once he had heard about the eight liberations, he filled the great trichiliocosm with the seven precious substances and offered it all to the Blessed One. Then, along with all the vassal kings, he took ordination and gave up the life of a householder to be a mendicant. All sixty thousand vassal kings of his realm actualized the eight liberations. Only King Vanquisher of All Enemies did not.
EN
“What do you think, Maudgalyāyana? In case you may think that at that time King Vanquisher of All Enemies was anyone else, do not think so. In those days I was King Vanquisher of All Enemies. Once I had learned of the eight liberations, I no longer dwelled in any form of existence. Out of my great compassion for all beings who live, migrate, die, and take rebirth, I remained in cyclic existence for eighteen incalculable eons, intent on the welfare of beings in cyclic existence. Therefore, Maudgalyāyana, bodhisattvas should not dwell on anything. Maudgalyāyana, bodhisattvas who do not dwell in any state of equipoise soon fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood.
EN
“Maudgalyāyana, when I was training in the practices of a bodhisattva in the past, in order to understand the origin as related to knowledge of liberation, I wondered how I could free my mind from all observation and attachment to miserable things. With that in mind, I created a countless variety of roots of virtue to gain liberation and to understand the origin as related to knowledge of liberation.
EN
“Long ago in the limitless cycle of existence, Maudgalyāyana, long before even the distant past there was a king named Well-Considered Intelligence who, in order to help beings, was suffused by great compassion and determined to sever all beings’ fetters. Once he wondered to himself, ‘What sort of wisdom will enable me to sever my and all sentient beings’ fetters?’ In order to realize that wisdom he did not let himself become attached to any possessions. Without any such attachment, he wondered, ‘Is there one thing which, when cultivated, leads to knowledge of all sentient beings’ origin?’ He continued, thinking, ‘Apart from the omniscient mind, there is nothing that brings knowledge of all sentient beings’ origin. Bodhisattvas who attain the omniscient mind aspire to awaken. So, aspiring to awaken, and thus engendering compassion for all sentient beings, I resolve to attain unsurpassed and perfect awakening. When I eventually become an omniscient thus-gone one, I will guide those who lack guidance, pacify those who lack peace, liberate those who are not liberated, invigorate those who need invigoration, and lead those who have not reached nirvāṇa to nirvāṇa.’ He then wondered, ‘Which venerable ascetic or brahmin will set me on the path to omniscience?’
EN
“At that time there had appeared in the world a thus-gone, worthy, perfect buddha named Anointed with Ambrosia; 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 his buddha realm there was a king named Wrathful Master who was a bodhisattva. He was an unseen friend, a qualified friend, and a spiritual friend of King Well-Considered Intelligence. So when this king heard that the thus-gone Anointed with Ambrosia—the omniscient one, the all-seeing one, the one who sees every quality and flaw—had appeared in the world, he dispatched a messenger to King Well-Considered Intelligence, telling the messenger to set off and to serve him.
EN
“The messenger said, ‘I will obey your command,’ and, heeding King Wrathful Master’s words, he went before King Well-Considered Intelligence. After repeatedly addressing the king with respect, he presented the letter, reading it aloud: ‘O Your Majesty, this is a meaningful era, a spiritual era, an era of arrival. Your Majesty, the thus-gone one known as Anointed with Ambrosia has appeared in the world. He possesses countless praiseworthy qualities.’ Praising the thus-gone Anointed with Ambrosia in this way, King Well-Considered Intelligence learned of the Thus-Gone One and heard his name.
EN
“He then descended his lion throne and, kneeling on his right knee with his palms together, uttered three times, ‘Homage to the thus-gone Anointed with Ambrosia!’ Then he swiftly prepared a proper, superb steed, which he proceeded to mount. Surrounded by an entourage of ministers, he then headed off toward King Wrathful Master along with a great many people. Once he had arrived, he asked in a friendly manner, ‘My friend, where does the Thus-Gone One reside?’
EN
“King Wrathful Master replied, ‘My friend, first feast and later I will show you the Thus-Gone One.’
EN
“ ‘My friend,’ said King Well-Considered Intelligence, ‘it will be a feast just to behold the Thus-Gone One.’
EN
“King Wrathful Master heeded King Well-Considered Intelligence’s request, and so, with the great pomp and power of royalty, they left the jeweled palace together with King Well-Considered Intelligence’s entourage of ministers and eight hundred sixty thousand other beings, traveling to a grove called ‘Resounding of All Spirits’ where the blessed thus-gone Anointed with Ambrosia resided. Once they had ridden as far as they needed, they dismounted and went before the blessed thus-gone Anointed with Ambrosia. Seeing that the two kings and the large assembly of beings had traveled a great distance to arrive there, the thus-gone Anointed with Ambrosia levitated into the sky about the height of a palm tree. Levitating there, the thus-gone Anointed with Ambrosia let a stream of water pour down from his lower body and flames blaze from his upper body. Gods of the desire realm held up parasols and scattered divine mandārava flowers. As soon as King Well-Considered Intelligence saw the Thus-Gone One, he felt immense faith. He set his resolve on unsurpassed and perfect awakening, and immediately achieved acceptance that phenomena are unborn. He then praised the thus-gone Anointed with Ambrosia in verse:
EN
“ ‘Your body is matchless, better than that of anyone in the three realms. O Guide, no one could be compared to you. You appear as a leader of beings. In that way your body is incomparable.
EN
“ ‘Your body is accomplished by mind. Thus, no one in the three realms compares to you. May my body become like yours; may I have such wisdom.’ The liberator of beings bound in the dungeon of saṃsāra,
EN
“The foremost of humans, was aware of his thoughts, and prophesied: ‘You will achieve the level of a supreme guide named Nārāyaṇa.’ When everyone heard the prophesy of Anointed with Ambrosia, The perfect buddha, foremost of humans, teacher of the world,
EN
“And peerless guide of beings, they aroused the will to awaken, And the Guide prophesied about them as well. The Victor prophesied everyone’s awakening. They venerated the Victor before passing into awakening.
EN
“All those wise buddhas who benefitted the world then passed into nirvāṇa. In that way they formed the supreme will toward complete awakening.
EN
“What do you think, Maudgalyāyana? In case you may think that at that time King Well-Considered Intelligence was anyone else, do not think so. In those days the thus-gone Kāśyapa was King Well-Considered Intelligence. And what do you think, Maudgalyāyana? In case you may think that at that time King Wrathful Master was anyone else, do not think so. Why is that? Because in those days I was King Wrathful Master. Gaining conviction in the knowledge of liberation, I achieved acceptance that phenomena are unborn. Therefore, Maudgalyāyana, in order to understand the origin as related to knowledge of liberation, bodhisattvas should venerate their spiritual guides and cultivate a character of inquisitiveness. Maudgalyāyana, bodhisattvas who are in the hands of a spiritual guide swiftly become irreversible from unsurpassed and perfect awakening.
EN
“Furthermore, 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 liberation. 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 named Noble Fame. He had served and created roots of virtue with countless thus-gone ones, maintained chastity for a long time, and had innumerable qualities of a bodhisattva. Day and night he searched the world for ascetics and brahmins who knew how to escape from cyclic existence. At the same time, in the kingdom known as Utterly Disciplined there had appeared in the world a thus-gone one named Voice Proclaiming the Cloud of Dharma. There the people had calm minds and were well settled in the Great Vehicle. They all made their homes among splendid gardens, groves, waterfalls, and parks, and lived according to the principles of pure conduct. Once, King Noble Fame was told, ‘The blessed, thus-gone, worthy, perfect buddha Voice Proclaiming the Cloud of Dharma lives in the kingdom of Utterly Disciplined and he knows how to escape from cyclic existence.’
EN
“Hearing this news, with sixty thousand chariots and nine hundred sixty million people, he immediately departed from the royal palace in the kingdom of Utterly Disciplined. In the great pomp and power of royalty, they set off toward the Cloud Grove Park where the blessed thus-gone Voice Proclaiming the Cloud of Dharma was dwelling. He rode as far as he could before entering the Cloud Grove Park on foot. There he went before the blessed, thus-gone, perfect buddha Voice Proclaiming the Cloud of Dharma, bowed his head at the feet of the Thus-Gone One, and then sat off to one side. Sitting there, King Noble Fame addressed the blessed thus-gone Voice Proclaiming the Cloud of Dharma in verse:
EN
“ ‘O you who are so famed and magnificent, So luminous in this great assembly, Omniscient One, You have achieved great miraculous powers. You are the father of infinite guides.
EN
“ ‘Liberated One, you soothe the pangs of desire. O great doctor, O physician, Liberated, you are a healer of wounds. Foremost of humans, please teach me!
EN
“ ‘Immersed in the accumulation of discipline, You perfected absorption. Immersed in the accumulation of insight, You conquered and achieved liberation.
EN
“ ‘You have transcended the three worlds, And are unafraid of any pain. Utterly luminous, you have arrived on dry ground, Having crossed fear and danger.
EN
“ ‘You put an end to questions And dispel all doubts. Having gained the supreme site, You are a shrine for the entire world.
EN
“ ‘No gods, nāgas, yakṣas, Kinnaras, or mahoragas Understand the realization In which you dwell, O Sage.
EN
“ ‘No gods, gandharvas, Yakṣas, or rākṣasas Understand the path You have achieved, O Sage.
EN
“ ‘Transcender of the world, luminous one, You have traveled the path Traversed by the guides, As numerous as the sand grains of the Ganges River.’
EN
“Due to the roots of virtue from having thus praised in verse the blessed thus-gone Voice Proclaiming the Cloud of Dharma, King Noble Fame avoided going astray for nine hundred thousand eons.
EN
“What do you think, Maudgalyāyana? In case you may think that at that time King Noble Fame, who was liberated from all attachment, was anyone else, do not think so. In those days I was King Noble Fame. Due to those roots of virtue, I did not go astray for nine hundred thousand eons. And now I have realized the knowledge of cessation as related to knowledge of liberation. Therefore, Maudgalyāyana, bodhisattvas who wish to perfectly understand the knowledge of cessation as related to knowledge of liberation should be unattached and free with regard to any possessions.
EN
“Furthermore, Maudgalyāyana, when I was training in the practices of a bodhisattva in the past, I wondered, ‘How can I genuinely teach sentient beings once I have fully awakened to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood?’ With this thought I created numerous different roots of virtue in order to understand the path that leads to cessation as related to knowledge of liberation.
EN
“Long ago in the limitless cycle of existence, Maudgalyāyana, long before even the distant past there appeared in the world a thus-gone, worthy, perfect buddha named Meaningful Arrival; 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 first assembly of hearers belonging to the thus-gone, worthy, perfect buddha Meaningful Arrival numbered ten thousand and his assembly of bodhisattvas was double that number. His second assembly of hearers numbered ten million. They were all worthy ones, and so forth. The second assembly of bodhisattvas was double that. His third assembly of hearers included countless billions of hearers.
EN
“Maudgalyāyana, present during the thus-gone Meaningful Arrival’s discourses was a monk named Famous Light who lived by the Great Vehicle. He had made the following commitment: ‘Until I achieve unsurpassed and perfect awakening, I will not forsake diligence, even if my body, skin, sinews, and bones dry up—even if my guts, flesh, and blood entirely dry up.’ So, in the presence of the thus-gone Meaningful Arrival he draped his body in a piece of cotton cloth, which he doused with sesame oil before setting himself on fire, thus turning himself into a torch. Once the blazing flames had consumed his body, he praised the thus-gone Meaningful Arrival with these verses:
EN
“ ‘O Guide, your supreme self-arisen mind is infinite. You have left behind faults, vanity, and flaws. You are compassionate to beings on wrong paths— Please teach, O all-seeing, supreme object of reverence!
EN
“ ‘Beings with degenerate minds in their utter suffering Roam around, aimless and blind— Having developed great compassion for them, I act to liberate such beings.
EN
“ ‘I do not take pleasure in the ego, But keep watch on beings on wrong paths. Beings suffer from blazing desire and anger, Which I quell with the water of my path.
EN
“ ‘Great Sage, you who have the ten powers, I practice your doctrine without concern for myself. When these beings are burning up, I will cool them with ambrosial water.
EN
“ ‘By thus burning my body for beings’ sake May all beings be physically free of illness. May my struggle for the sake of beings Eliminate all beings’ harm and suffering.’
EN
“Having thus honored the Guide, Having offered myself to the Well-Gone One, Having thus paid reverence, for thirty-six inexpressible great eons I did not fall into the lower realms.
EN
“Always migrating among the gods or reaching the human world, I became a luminous one, a lord, Constantly turning the wheel in accord with beings, Worshiped by gods and humans.
EN
“What do you think, Maudgalyāyana? In case you may think that at that time the bodhisattva Famous Light was anyone else, do not think so. In those days I was the bodhisattva known as Famous Light. Such was the diligence that I applied. By applying diligence in that way, I was able to bring the perfection of diligence to its full measure. Therefore, Maudgalyāyana, bodhisattvas should apply diligence. It is through diligence that one can fully awaken to buddhahood, not through laziness.”
“Maudgalyāyana, when I was training in the practices of a bodhisattva in the past, I created innumerable roots of virtue in order to understand liberation. Long ago in limitless cyclic existence, Maudgalyāyana, long before even the distant past there was a thus-gone one named Revitalizer. He revitalized those in the god and demigod realms who were tormented by old age and illness, and taught them the Dharma so they could transcend old age and illness. In doing so the beings who were liberated from old age and illness became fearless. He made those who had been attached free from attachment, those who had been angry free from anger, and those who had been deluded free from delusion. He made them not attached to states of concentration, not attached to the sphere of totality, and not attached to the attainments of the successive stages. With his mind free and emancipated, he was known as having knowledge of liberation.
EN
Once he had realized these eight liberations, he went on to teach the Dharma. At that time there was also a king named Vanquisher of All Enemies who reigned over a great trichiliocosm. Along with numerous assemblies of commoners and sixty thousand vassal kings, he went to visit the thus-gone one named Revitalizer. Once there, he bowed his head at the feet of the thus-gone Revitalizer before sitting off to one side. As King Vanquisher of All Enemies was sitting off to the side, the thus-gone Revitalizer taught him the eight liberations. Once he had heard about the eight liberations, he filled the great trichiliocosm with the seven precious substances and offered it all to the Blessed One. Then, along with all the vassal kings, he took ordination and gave up the life of a householder to be a mendicant. All sixty thousand vassal kings of his realm actualized the eight liberations. Only King Vanquisher of All Enemies did not.
EN
“What do you think, Maudgalyāyana? In case you may think that at that time King Vanquisher of All Enemies was anyone else, do not think so. In those days I was King Vanquisher of All Enemies. Once I had learned of the eight liberations, I no longer dwelled in any form of existence. Out of my great compassion for all beings who live, migrate, die, and take rebirth, I remained in cyclic existence for eighteen incalculable eons, intent on the welfare of beings in cyclic existence. Therefore, Maudgalyāyana, bodhisattvas should not dwell on anything. Maudgalyāyana, bodhisattvas who do not dwell in any state of equipoise soon fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood.
EN
“Maudgalyāyana, when I was training in the practices of a bodhisattva in the past, in order to understand the origin as related to knowledge of liberation, I wondered how I could free my mind from all observation and attachment to miserable things. With that in mind, I created a countless variety of roots of virtue to gain liberation and to understand the origin as related to knowledge of liberation.
EN
“Long ago in the limitless cycle of existence, Maudgalyāyana, long before even the distant past there was a king named Well-Considered Intelligence who, in order to help beings, was suffused by great compassion and determined to sever all beings’ fetters. Once he wondered to himself, ‘What sort of wisdom will enable me to sever my and all sentient beings’ fetters?’ In order to realize that wisdom he did not let himself become attached to any possessions. Without any such attachment, he wondered, ‘Is there one thing which, when cultivated, leads to knowledge of all sentient beings’ origin?’ He continued, thinking, ‘Apart from the omniscient mind, there is nothing that brings knowledge of all sentient beings’ origin. Bodhisattvas who attain the omniscient mind aspire to awaken. So, aspiring to awaken, and thus engendering compassion for all sentient beings, I resolve to attain unsurpassed and perfect awakening. When I eventually become an omniscient thus-gone one, I will guide those who lack guidance, pacify those who lack peace, liberate those who are not liberated, invigorate those who need invigoration, and lead those who have not reached nirvāṇa to nirvāṇa.’ He then wondered, ‘Which venerable ascetic or brahmin will set me on the path to omniscience?’
EN
“At that time there had appeared in the world a thus-gone, worthy, perfect buddha named Anointed with Ambrosia; 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 his buddha realm there was a king named Wrathful Master who was a bodhisattva. He was an unseen friend, a qualified friend, and a spiritual friend of King Well-Considered Intelligence. So when this king heard that the thus-gone Anointed with Ambrosia—the omniscient one, the all-seeing one, the one who sees every quality and flaw—had appeared in the world, he dispatched a messenger to King Well-Considered Intelligence, telling the messenger to set off and to serve him.
EN
“The messenger said, ‘I will obey your command,’ and, heeding King Wrathful Master’s words, he went before King Well-Considered Intelligence. After repeatedly addressing the king with respect, he presented the letter, reading it aloud: ‘O Your Majesty, this is a meaningful era, a spiritual era, an era of arrival. Your Majesty, the thus-gone one known as Anointed with Ambrosia has appeared in the world. He possesses countless praiseworthy qualities.’ Praising the thus-gone Anointed with Ambrosia in this way, King Well-Considered Intelligence learned of the Thus-Gone One and heard his name.
EN
“He then descended his lion throne and, kneeling on his right knee with his palms together, uttered three times, ‘Homage to the thus-gone Anointed with Ambrosia!’ Then he swiftly prepared a proper, superb steed, which he proceeded to mount. Surrounded by an entourage of ministers, he then headed off toward King Wrathful Master along with a great many people. Once he had arrived, he asked in a friendly manner, ‘My friend, where does the Thus-Gone One reside?’
EN
“King Wrathful Master replied, ‘My friend, first feast and later I will show you the Thus-Gone One.’
EN
“ ‘My friend,’ said King Well-Considered Intelligence, ‘it will be a feast just to behold the Thus-Gone One.’
EN
“King Wrathful Master heeded King Well-Considered Intelligence’s request, and so, with the great pomp and power of royalty, they left the jeweled palace together with King Well-Considered Intelligence’s entourage of ministers and eight hundred sixty thousand other beings, traveling to a grove called ‘Resounding of All Spirits’ where the blessed thus-gone Anointed with Ambrosia resided. Once they had ridden as far as they needed, they dismounted and went before the blessed thus-gone Anointed with Ambrosia. Seeing that the two kings and the large assembly of beings had traveled a great distance to arrive there, the thus-gone Anointed with Ambrosia levitated into the sky about the height of a palm tree. Levitating there, the thus-gone Anointed with Ambrosia let a stream of water pour down from his lower body and flames blaze from his upper body. Gods of the desire realm held up parasols and scattered divine mandārava flowers. As soon as King Well-Considered Intelligence saw the Thus-Gone One, he felt immense faith. He set his resolve on unsurpassed and perfect awakening, and immediately achieved acceptance that phenomena are unborn. He then praised the thus-gone Anointed with Ambrosia in verse:
EN
“ ‘Your body is matchless, better than that of anyone in the three realms. O Guide, no one could be compared to you. You appear as a leader of beings. In that way your body is incomparable.
EN
“ ‘Your body is accomplished by mind. Thus, no one in the three realms compares to you. May my body become like yours; may I have such wisdom.’ The liberator of beings bound in the dungeon of saṃsāra,
EN
“The foremost of humans, was aware of his thoughts, and prophesied: ‘You will achieve the level of a supreme guide named Nārāyaṇa.’ When everyone heard the prophesy of Anointed with Ambrosia, The perfect buddha, foremost of humans, teacher of the world,
EN
“And peerless guide of beings, they aroused the will to awaken, And the Guide prophesied about them as well. The Victor prophesied everyone’s awakening. They venerated the Victor before passing into awakening.
EN
“All those wise buddhas who benefitted the world then passed into nirvāṇa. In that way they formed the supreme will toward complete awakening.
EN
“What do you think, Maudgalyāyana? In case you may think that at that time King Well-Considered Intelligence was anyone else, do not think so. In those days the thus-gone Kāśyapa was King Well-Considered Intelligence. And what do you think, Maudgalyāyana? In case you may think that at that time King Wrathful Master was anyone else, do not think so. Why is that? Because in those days I was King Wrathful Master. Gaining conviction in the knowledge of liberation, I achieved acceptance that phenomena are unborn. Therefore, Maudgalyāyana, in order to understand the origin as related to knowledge of liberation, bodhisattvas should venerate their spiritual guides and cultivate a character of inquisitiveness. Maudgalyāyana, bodhisattvas who are in the hands of a spiritual guide swiftly become irreversible from unsurpassed and perfect awakening.
EN
“Furthermore, 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 liberation. 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 named Noble Fame. He had served and created roots of virtue with countless thus-gone ones, maintained chastity for a long time, and had innumerable qualities of a bodhisattva. Day and night he searched the world for ascetics and brahmins who knew how to escape from cyclic existence. At the same time, in the kingdom known as Utterly Disciplined there had appeared in the world a thus-gone one named Voice Proclaiming the Cloud of Dharma. There the people had calm minds and were well settled in the Great Vehicle. They all made their homes among splendid gardens, groves, waterfalls, and parks, and lived according to the principles of pure conduct. Once, King Noble Fame was told, ‘The blessed, thus-gone, worthy, perfect buddha Voice Proclaiming the Cloud of Dharma lives in the kingdom of Utterly Disciplined and he knows how to escape from cyclic existence.’
EN
“Hearing this news, with sixty thousand chariots and nine hundred sixty million people, he immediately departed from the royal palace in the kingdom of Utterly Disciplined. In the great pomp and power of royalty, they set off toward the Cloud Grove Park where the blessed thus-gone Voice Proclaiming the Cloud of Dharma was dwelling. He rode as far as he could before entering the Cloud Grove Park on foot. There he went before the blessed, thus-gone, perfect buddha Voice Proclaiming the Cloud of Dharma, bowed his head at the feet of the Thus-Gone One, and then sat off to one side. Sitting there, King Noble Fame addressed the blessed thus-gone Voice Proclaiming the Cloud of Dharma in verse:
EN
“ ‘O you who are so famed and magnificent, So luminous in this great assembly, Omniscient One, You have achieved great miraculous powers. You are the father of infinite guides.
EN
“ ‘Liberated One, you soothe the pangs of desire. O great doctor, O physician, Liberated, you are a healer of wounds. Foremost of humans, please teach me!
EN
“ ‘Immersed in the accumulation of discipline, You perfected absorption. Immersed in the accumulation of insight, You conquered and achieved liberation.
EN
“ ‘You have transcended the three worlds, And are unafraid of any pain. Utterly luminous, you have arrived on dry ground, Having crossed fear and danger.
EN
“ ‘You put an end to questions And dispel all doubts. Having gained the supreme site, You are a shrine for the entire world.
EN
“ ‘No gods, nāgas, yakṣas, Kinnaras, or mahoragas Understand the realization In which you dwell, O Sage.
EN
“ ‘No gods, gandharvas, Yakṣas, or rākṣasas Understand the path You have achieved, O Sage.
EN
“ ‘Transcender of the world, luminous one, You have traveled the path Traversed by the guides, As numerous as the sand grains of the Ganges River.’
EN
“Due to the roots of virtue from having thus praised in verse the blessed thus-gone Voice Proclaiming the Cloud of Dharma, King Noble Fame avoided going astray for nine hundred thousand eons.
EN
“What do you think, Maudgalyāyana? In case you may think that at that time King Noble Fame, who was liberated from all attachment, was anyone else, do not think so. In those days I was King Noble Fame. Due to those roots of virtue, I did not go astray for nine hundred thousand eons. And now I have realized the knowledge of cessation as related to knowledge of liberation. Therefore, Maudgalyāyana, bodhisattvas who wish to perfectly understand the knowledge of cessation as related to knowledge of liberation should be unattached and free with regard to any possessions.
EN
“Furthermore, Maudgalyāyana, when I was training in the practices of a bodhisattva in the past, I wondered, ‘How can I genuinely teach sentient beings once I have fully awakened to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood?’ With this thought I created numerous different roots of virtue in order to understand the path that leads to cessation as related to knowledge of liberation.
EN
“Long ago in the limitless cycle of existence, Maudgalyāyana, long before even the distant past there appeared in the world a thus-gone, worthy, perfect buddha named Meaningful Arrival; 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 first assembly of hearers belonging to the thus-gone, worthy, perfect buddha Meaningful Arrival numbered ten thousand and his assembly of bodhisattvas was double that number. His second assembly of hearers numbered ten million. They were all worthy ones, and so forth. The second assembly of bodhisattvas was double that. His third assembly of hearers included countless billions of hearers.
EN
“Maudgalyāyana, present during the thus-gone Meaningful Arrival’s discourses was a monk named Famous Light who lived by the Great Vehicle. He had made the following commitment: ‘Until I achieve unsurpassed and perfect awakening, I will not forsake diligence, even if my body, skin, sinews, and bones dry up—even if my guts, flesh, and blood entirely dry up.’ So, in the presence of the thus-gone Meaningful Arrival he draped his body in a piece of cotton cloth, which he doused with sesame oil before setting himself on fire, thus turning himself into a torch. Once the blazing flames had consumed his body, he praised the thus-gone Meaningful Arrival with these verses:
EN
“ ‘O Guide, your supreme self-arisen mind is infinite. You have left behind faults, vanity, and flaws. You are compassionate to beings on wrong paths— Please teach, O all-seeing, supreme object of reverence!
EN
“ ‘Beings with degenerate minds in their utter suffering Roam around, aimless and blind— Having developed great compassion for them, I act to liberate such beings.
EN
“ ‘I do not take pleasure in the ego, But keep watch on beings on wrong paths. Beings suffer from blazing desire and anger, Which I quell with the water of my path.
EN
“ ‘Great Sage, you who have the ten powers, I practice your doctrine without concern for myself. When these beings are burning up, I will cool them with ambrosial water.
EN
“ ‘By thus burning my body for beings’ sake May all beings be physically free of illness. May my struggle for the sake of beings Eliminate all beings’ harm and suffering.’
EN
“Having thus honored the Guide, Having offered myself to the Well-Gone One, Having thus paid reverence, for thirty-six inexpressible great eons I did not fall into the lower realms.
EN
“Always migrating among the gods or reaching the human world, I became a luminous one, a lord, Constantly turning the wheel in accord with beings, Worshiped by gods and humans.
EN
“What do you think, Maudgalyāyana? In case you may think that at that time the bodhisattva Famous Light was anyone else, do not think so. In those days I was the bodhisattva known as Famous Light. Such was the diligence that I applied. By applying diligence in that way, I was able to bring the perfection of diligence to its full measure. Therefore, Maudgalyāyana, bodhisattvas should apply diligence. It is through diligence that one can fully awaken to buddhahood, not through laziness.”
Sutraya