“Long ago in the limitless cycle of existence, Maudgalyāyana, long before even the distant past, there was a captain named Loving All Beings who had abundant possessions. This captain went to sea with a group of five hundred merchants, yet when their ship was in the middle of the ocean it was attacked by a sea monster. As the monster held the ship in its jaws the merchants paid homage and cried out to whichever gods they had faith and belief in. Thus they called out to Śiva, Skanda, Maheśvara, Indra, Varuṇa, Prajāpati, Brahmā, Kṣemaṅkara, Sūrya, or Candra. Some even paid homage to the ocean itself, and some again sat speechless, thinking, ‘We have no protector of that sort—let us just die!’ Regardless, nobody came to anyone’s rescue.

“The captain Loving All Beings thought to himself, ‘Alas, all these merchants have relied on an inferior source of refuge. They have put their hopes in a being who is neither a protector nor a refuge. In their mistaken devotion they perceive that things have essences. Yet were I to teach, I would not teach any essences to anyone.’

“Thus, Maudgalyāyana, when conditioned things are understood correctly, as they are, one does not perceive any entities. There is no certainty with respect to formations. If one wishes for purity one must give up the marks of purity and instead rely on the marks of impurity. Similarly, one must give up marks and rely on the absence of marks; that is the path of liberation. Maudgalyāyana, for the sake of knowledge with an interest in several elements I teach that permanence is bondage, and impermanence is liberation; self is bondage, and absence of self is liberation; and marks are bondage, and absence of marks is liberation.

“Maudgalyāyana, if a bodhisattva wishes to go beyond suffering, and is concerned about bringing all sentient beings beyond suffering as well, then that bodhisattva will display a pure appearance. Yet if one conceives of impurity one will display an impure appearance. If one thinks in terms of happiness, suffering, permanence, impermanence, self, absence of self, marks, or absence of marks, one will display an appearance of the absence of marks. Maudgalyāyana, conceiving of purity is bondage, thinking of impurity is liberation. Conceiving of happiness is bondage, thinking of suffering is liberation. It is in this way that affliction occurs.

“The captain Loving All Beings wanted to free his companions from their distress. At that time a thus-gone one known as Conqueror of All Darkness had appeared in the world. As soon as he had heard about him, the captain had developed faith in that Thus-Gone One and now he told the merchants, ‘Among all the saviors you believe in, there is not a single one who is a source of refuge. So follow me! Take refuge in the one to whom I go for refuge!’

“ ‘Who is that?’ the merchants wanted to know.

“ ‘Friends,’ replied the captain, ‘the thus-gone Conqueror of All Darkness is in this world. I take refuge in him. And you should follow suit. Pay homage and take refuge in him! Make up your minds completely and say, “Homage to the thus-gone Conqueror of All Darkness!” ’

“Stricken by terror in the face of death, the merchants became entirely focused and cried, ‘Homage to the thus-gone Conqueror of All Darkness!’ As soon as the sea monster heard the name of the Buddha it was pleased, and so it closed its mouth and let all the merchants escape from their agony.

“Maudgalyāyana, what do you think? In case you may think that, at that time, the captain Loving All Beings was anyone else, do not think so. And why not? Because in those days I was the captain Loving All Beings. Therefore, Maudgalyāyana, the bodhisattva who wishes to perfectly comprehend the several inclinations must endeavor to dispel any grasping at entity.

“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 several inclinations. 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 Friend of Beings. Within the buddha realm of the thus-gone Friend of Beings was a bodhisattva known as Nityodyukta. Rousing diligence, this bodhisattva’s mind was undaunted, he had donned the great armor, and had pure aspirations for innumerable buddha realms. He had pure aspirations for inconceivable, incomparable, immeasurable, and inexpressible buddha realms. This bodhisattva asked himself, ‘What are the causes and conditions for knowing the distinct and numerous inclinations of sentient beings? What are the various inclinations of sentient beings?’

“He then thought, ‘Sentient beings are concerned about, and take delight in, whichever objects they rely on the most. Those are the objects they are fond of and pursue. They concentrate on those objects to the extent that they will be adverse to others. However, if that object disappears from their experience, they instead become accustomed to another, which will then replace the former object as their object of concern. And so the process continues, as the inclinations shift from one type of object to another. Sentient beings will thus pursue whichever object they currently find rewarding and they will be hostile toward whichever object they deem flawed. One should therefore not become obsessed with the qualities of any object, nor should one develop aggression toward any object one may hold to be flawed. Instead, one should discern the objects and then remain neutral.’ In this way the bodhisattva Nityodyukta would neither crave for desirable objects nor be averse to faulty ones. Instead he would discern objects and remain neutral. In doing so, his achievement of the qualities of the bodhisattvas became irreversible.

“Maudgalyāyana, in case you may think that at that time the bodhisattva Nityodyukta was anyone else, do not think so. Because in those days the thus-gone Dīpaṃkara was the bodhisattva Nityodyukta. Therefore, Maudgalyāyana, bodhisattvas should give up concern for all objects and instead be concerned with the transcendence of suffering. That is the supreme concern.

“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 several inclinations.

“Long ago in the limitless cycle of existence, Maudgalyāyana, long before even the distant past, there appeared in the world a sage by the name of Unequaled Jewel Splendor, who taught the true path to those who were on mistaken paths. In order to show the flaws of being attached to several inclinations he taught the knowledge of cessation as related to knowledge of several inclinations. Thus, he would explain, ‘All the inclinations, the qualities of cessation, and your own inclinations should not become the cause of obsession, because all of these inclinations are deceptive. Your inclinations are one thing and the essence of the Dharma another. So let go of your inclinations.’ Through such teaching many thousands of beings were freed from suffering.

“Maudgalyāyana, you should not think that at that time the sage Unequaled Jewel Splendor was anyone else. And why not? Because in those days I was the sage Unequaled Jewel Splendor.

“Maudgalyāyana, I remember that in the past, when I was inclined toward form, I would relinquish an unfathomable number of tens of thousands of ravishingly beautiful women. Likewise, when I was inclined toward sounds, I would present all sorts of musical offerings to the memorials of the thus-gone ones, and still that was not enough for me. When I was inclined toward scents, I would produce abundant fragrances, and still that was not enough for me. When I was inclined toward taste, I would produce many different grains and a wide variety of dishes, and still that was not enough for me. When I was inclined toward texture, I would receive a wide array of soft garments, and still that was not enough for me. Maudgalyāyana, when I was inclined toward mental phenomena, I trained in various forms of knowledge, and still that was not enough for me. Maudgalyāyana, those who are inclined toward the transcendence of suffering will never waver in their dedication. Thus, Maudgalyāyana, bodhisattva great beings must train to acquire knowledge of several inclinations, and yet all inclinations should be understood to be subject to cessation.

“Maudgalyāyana, I have created numerous different roots of virtue in order to understand the path that leads to cessation as related to knowledge of several inclinations.

“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 Rainfall from the Clouds of Dharma. This Thus-Gone One was surrounded by an unfathomable retinue of members of the vehicle of hearers, members of the vehicle of solitary buddhas, and members of the vehicle of bodhisattvas. Among these followers was a bodhisattva by the name of Dharaṇīdhara. Endowed with boundless qualities, this bodhisattva was in possession of sharp faculties. With each state of mind he would create incalculable eons’ worth of roots of virtue and bring innumerable sentient beings into the vehicles of the hearers, the solitary buddhas, and the bodhisattvas. Likewise, with each state of mind he would establish innumerably many tens of thousands of bodhisattvas at the irreversible stage.

“During that time there were unfathomably many tens of thousands of beings within the vehicle of the hearers, unfathomably many tens of thousands of beings within the vehicle of the solitary buddhas, and unfathomably many tens of thousands of beings within the vehicle of the bodhisattvas. Considering those beings, the bodhisattva Dharaṇīdhara thought to himself, ‘Ah, may the thus-gone Rainfall from the Clouds of Dharma grant prophecies about the deliverance of all these beings! And may all these members of his different retinues hear those prophecies and rejoice!’ When the bodhisattva Dharaṇīdhara had made this prayer the thus-gone Rainfall from the Clouds of Dharma then indeed granted the prophecies.

“Maudgalyāyana, in case you may think that at that time the bodhisattva Dharaṇīdhara was anyone else, do not think so. In those days I was the bodhisattva Dharaṇīdhara. Thus, Maudgalyāyana, one must provide for sentient beings who remain within the vehicle of the bodhisattvas.”