“Maudgalyāyana, when I was training in the practices of a bodhisattva in the past, I created boundless roots of virtue in order to understand the defilement of existence. I did this by wondering how I could fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood and then teach sentient beings about the knowledge of the defilement of existence.
EN
“Long ago in the limitless cycle of existence, Maudgalyāyana, long before even the distant past there was a sage known as Fond of Existence. He possessed tremendous miraculous powers and splendor, and had attained freedom from attachment to pleasures by means of the outer path.
EN
“This sage knew existence to be pointless, impermanent, painful, and flawed. He thought to himself, ‘All of existence is base, defiled, without relief, and subject to change. Hence, sentient beings who are fond of existence suffer. And why? Because “existence” is the arising of suffering, and no sentient being appreciates suffering. All want happiness. Therefore, sentient beings who are fond of existence are fond of suffering and do not know real happiness. And why is that? Because, existence is precisely the arising of suffering. On the other hand, what does not arise, does not involve any suffering.’
EN
“As he contemplated this correctly, the sage became disenchanted by existence and, since he now felt that way, he no longer remained within existence. He then thought, ‘This knowledge, which does not dwell in existence, is supreme, paramount, sublime!’ Thus, when he arose from his absorption, he proclaimed, ‘Existence is suffering! Not dwelling in existence is happiness!’
EN
“Therefore, existence is impermanent, conditioned, and arises in dependence. When this is kept correctly in mind, without abiding, one attains the acceptance that phenomena are unborn. Whoever hears this message of not abiding will become irreversible from unsurpassed and perfect awakening.
EN
“Maudgalyāyana, in case you may think that at that time the sage Fond of Existence was anyone else, do not think so. In those days I was that sage. I caused innumerably many tens of thousands of beings to hear that statement of non-dwelling and made them irreversible from unsurpassed and perfect awakening. Therefore, Maudgalyāyana, bodhisattvas must train in not dwelling in existence, and they must praise this non-dwelling in front of others.
EN
“Maudgalyāyana, when I was training in the practices of a bodhisattva in the past, I created boundless roots of virtue in order to understand the origin as related to knowledge of the defilement of existence.
EN
“Long ago in the limitless cycle of existence, Maudgalyāyana, long before even the distant past there was a sage named Pacifier of Existence. The sage possessed tremendous miraculous powers and splendor and had attained freedom from attachment to pleasures by means of the outer path. He was also known as He Who Does Not Pursue Existence. Once he thought to himself, ‘Pacification of existence is what I wish for, but I do not know how to accomplish that. Where might I find a destroyer of existence? Where might I find a mendicant or brahmin who correctly understands the pacification of existence?’
EN
“At that point there was a sage called Realizer of Existence, who correctly understood that Pacifier of Existence had developed a mindset in agreement with the path. Knowing that, he did not teach anyone else. And why not? Because he was free of any desire for the business of existence.
EN
“When the sage Pacifier of Existence heard that the sage Realizer of Existence was free of any desire for the business of existence, he thought, ‘Freedom from desire for the business of existence may be blissful, but what is meant by “business of existence”? The business of existence must be the afflictive business that is the nature of existence. That is also scorned by the wise.’
EN
“Thus, as he accurately perceived the way of the wise, he gained freedom from desire. When he arose from his absorption he proclaimed, ‘Ah, freedom from desire for the business of existence is bliss!’ The wind carried the sage’s words unhindered throughout the four directions so that they were heard by innumerably many tens of thousands of beings who became irreversible from unsurpassed and perfect awakening.
EN
“Maudgalyāyana, in case you may think that at that time the sage Pacifier of Existence was anyone else, do not think so. In those days I was the sage Pacifier of Existence. My voice rendered innumerably many tens of thousands of beings irreversible from unsurpassed and perfect awakening. Therefore, Maudgalyāyana, bodhisattvas should despise business. A bodhisattva who reviles business will quickly become irreversible from unsurpassed and perfect awakening.
EN
“Maudgalyāyana, when I was training in the practices of a bodhisattva in the past, I created boundless roots of virtue in order to understand cessation as related to knowledge of the defilement of existence.
EN
“Long ago in the limitless cycle of existence, Maudgalyāyana, long before even the distant past, there was a sage named Courageous Knowledge. Undaunted in all fields of knowledge, he understood all the treatises that must be comprehended, and he was trained in terms of all the qualifications of a master of the treatises.
EN
“The sage thought to himself, ‘Cessation is certain when no defilements occur. This is the vital point. Thus, all the training that is undertaken to bring the aggregates, elements, sense sources, faculties, and truths to cessation is pursued for the very purpose of bringing the aggregates, elements, sense sources, faculties, and truths to cessation. The one who comprehends this vital point has accomplished the scholar’s task. This is the key point of the aggregates, elements, sense sources, faculties, and truths. In this way it becomes clear that engagement with affliction brings engagement in karmic action, and that karmic actions, in turn, yield ripening. When this vital point is overcome, there is no engagement in affliction, and so the ways of existence are utterly disrupted.’
EN
“When he emerged from his absorption, the sage exclaimed three times, ‘Ah, how delightful it is to overcome this point!’ The wind carried his words unhindered in all four directions, and so they were heard by innumerably many tens of thousands of beings. As those beings set out to overcome that vital point they became irreversible from unsurpassed and perfect awakening.
EN
“Maudgalyāyana, in case you may think that at that time the sage Courageous Knowledge was anyone else, do not think so. In those days I was the sage Courageous Knowledge. I rendered innumerably many tens of thousands of beings irreversible from unsurpassed and perfect awakening. Therefore, Maudgalyāyana, bodhisattvas must become expert in overcoming the vital point.
EN
“Maudgalyāyana, when I was training in the practices of a bodhisattva in the past, I created vast and boundless roots of virtue in order to understand the path that leads to cessation as related to knowledge of the defilement of existence. I did this by wondering how I could fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood and then teach sentient beings about the knowledge of the path that leads to cessation as related to knowledge of the defilement of existence.
EN
“Long ago in the limitless cycle of existence, Maudgalyāyana, long before even the distant past there was a king and sage named Samantacakṣu. No matter what topic he examined, he would always understand it. Remaining briefly in composure, the king noticed how the arts and crafts of sentient beings were bringing them only little benefit. He also saw how beings were suffering from poverty, and how the suffering of conditioning afflicted them. Hence, he thought, ‘Unvirtuous actions and defiled virtue take beings into the realms of hell beings, animals, and starving spirits. Defiled virtue leads to the realms of humans and the higher realms. Undefiled virtue for the sake of moving toward the transcendence of suffering is neither created by virtuous nor unvirtuous acts. When, for the sake of awakening, one at all times and occasions refrains from both virtuous and unvirtuous acts one will gain the acceptance of the undefiled qualities in the present. That which was not done cannot ripen. This, then, is the transcendence of suffering.’
EN
“When he arose from his absorption, he proclaimed, ‘Not acting on any phenomenon is bliss; in that, there is no ripening.’
EN
“The wind carried his words unhindered in all four directions. They were heard by innumerably many tens of thousands of beings, who thereby gained acceptance that phenomena are unborn and became irreversible from unsurpassed and perfect awakening.
EN
“Maudgalyāyana, in case you may think that at that time King Samantacakṣu was anyone else, do not think so. In those days I was the king and sage Samantacakṣu. By hearing my voice, innumerably many tens of thousands of beings gained acceptance that phenomena are unborn and became irreversible from unsurpassed and perfect awakening. Thus, Maudgalyāyana, bodhisattvas must train in non-action with respect to all phenomena.”
“Maudgalyāyana, when I was training in the practices of a bodhisattva in the past, I created boundless roots of virtue in order to understand the defilement of existence. I did this by wondering how I could fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood and then teach sentient beings about the knowledge of the defilement of existence.
EN
“Long ago in the limitless cycle of existence, Maudgalyāyana, long before even the distant past there was a sage known as Fond of Existence. He possessed tremendous miraculous powers and splendor, and had attained freedom from attachment to pleasures by means of the outer path.
EN
“This sage knew existence to be pointless, impermanent, painful, and flawed. He thought to himself, ‘All of existence is base, defiled, without relief, and subject to change. Hence, sentient beings who are fond of existence suffer. And why? Because “existence” is the arising of suffering, and no sentient being appreciates suffering. All want happiness. Therefore, sentient beings who are fond of existence are fond of suffering and do not know real happiness. And why is that? Because, existence is precisely the arising of suffering. On the other hand, what does not arise, does not involve any suffering.’
EN
“As he contemplated this correctly, the sage became disenchanted by existence and, since he now felt that way, he no longer remained within existence. He then thought, ‘This knowledge, which does not dwell in existence, is supreme, paramount, sublime!’ Thus, when he arose from his absorption, he proclaimed, ‘Existence is suffering! Not dwelling in existence is happiness!’
EN
“Therefore, existence is impermanent, conditioned, and arises in dependence. When this is kept correctly in mind, without abiding, one attains the acceptance that phenomena are unborn. Whoever hears this message of not abiding will become irreversible from unsurpassed and perfect awakening.
EN
“Maudgalyāyana, in case you may think that at that time the sage Fond of Existence was anyone else, do not think so. In those days I was that sage. I caused innumerably many tens of thousands of beings to hear that statement of non-dwelling and made them irreversible from unsurpassed and perfect awakening. Therefore, Maudgalyāyana, bodhisattvas must train in not dwelling in existence, and they must praise this non-dwelling in front of others.
EN
“Maudgalyāyana, when I was training in the practices of a bodhisattva in the past, I created boundless roots of virtue in order to understand the origin as related to knowledge of the defilement of existence.
EN
“Long ago in the limitless cycle of existence, Maudgalyāyana, long before even the distant past there was a sage named Pacifier of Existence. The sage possessed tremendous miraculous powers and splendor and had attained freedom from attachment to pleasures by means of the outer path. He was also known as He Who Does Not Pursue Existence. Once he thought to himself, ‘Pacification of existence is what I wish for, but I do not know how to accomplish that. Where might I find a destroyer of existence? Where might I find a mendicant or brahmin who correctly understands the pacification of existence?’
EN
“At that point there was a sage called Realizer of Existence, who correctly understood that Pacifier of Existence had developed a mindset in agreement with the path. Knowing that, he did not teach anyone else. And why not? Because he was free of any desire for the business of existence.
EN
“When the sage Pacifier of Existence heard that the sage Realizer of Existence was free of any desire for the business of existence, he thought, ‘Freedom from desire for the business of existence may be blissful, but what is meant by “business of existence”? The business of existence must be the afflictive business that is the nature of existence. That is also scorned by the wise.’
EN
“Thus, as he accurately perceived the way of the wise, he gained freedom from desire. When he arose from his absorption he proclaimed, ‘Ah, freedom from desire for the business of existence is bliss!’ The wind carried the sage’s words unhindered throughout the four directions so that they were heard by innumerably many tens of thousands of beings who became irreversible from unsurpassed and perfect awakening.
EN
“Maudgalyāyana, in case you may think that at that time the sage Pacifier of Existence was anyone else, do not think so. In those days I was the sage Pacifier of Existence. My voice rendered innumerably many tens of thousands of beings irreversible from unsurpassed and perfect awakening. Therefore, Maudgalyāyana, bodhisattvas should despise business. A bodhisattva who reviles business will quickly become irreversible from unsurpassed and perfect awakening.
EN
“Maudgalyāyana, when I was training in the practices of a bodhisattva in the past, I created boundless roots of virtue in order to understand cessation as related to knowledge of the defilement of existence.
EN
“Long ago in the limitless cycle of existence, Maudgalyāyana, long before even the distant past, there was a sage named Courageous Knowledge. Undaunted in all fields of knowledge, he understood all the treatises that must be comprehended, and he was trained in terms of all the qualifications of a master of the treatises.
EN
“The sage thought to himself, ‘Cessation is certain when no defilements occur. This is the vital point. Thus, all the training that is undertaken to bring the aggregates, elements, sense sources, faculties, and truths to cessation is pursued for the very purpose of bringing the aggregates, elements, sense sources, faculties, and truths to cessation. The one who comprehends this vital point has accomplished the scholar’s task. This is the key point of the aggregates, elements, sense sources, faculties, and truths. In this way it becomes clear that engagement with affliction brings engagement in karmic action, and that karmic actions, in turn, yield ripening. When this vital point is overcome, there is no engagement in affliction, and so the ways of existence are utterly disrupted.’
EN
“When he emerged from his absorption, the sage exclaimed three times, ‘Ah, how delightful it is to overcome this point!’ The wind carried his words unhindered in all four directions, and so they were heard by innumerably many tens of thousands of beings. As those beings set out to overcome that vital point they became irreversible from unsurpassed and perfect awakening.
EN
“Maudgalyāyana, in case you may think that at that time the sage Courageous Knowledge was anyone else, do not think so. In those days I was the sage Courageous Knowledge. I rendered innumerably many tens of thousands of beings irreversible from unsurpassed and perfect awakening. Therefore, Maudgalyāyana, bodhisattvas must become expert in overcoming the vital point.
EN
“Maudgalyāyana, when I was training in the practices of a bodhisattva in the past, I created vast and boundless roots of virtue in order to understand the path that leads to cessation as related to knowledge of the defilement of existence. I did this by wondering how I could fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood and then teach sentient beings about the knowledge of the path that leads to cessation as related to knowledge of the defilement of existence.
EN
“Long ago in the limitless cycle of existence, Maudgalyāyana, long before even the distant past there was a king and sage named Samantacakṣu. No matter what topic he examined, he would always understand it. Remaining briefly in composure, the king noticed how the arts and crafts of sentient beings were bringing them only little benefit. He also saw how beings were suffering from poverty, and how the suffering of conditioning afflicted them. Hence, he thought, ‘Unvirtuous actions and defiled virtue take beings into the realms of hell beings, animals, and starving spirits. Defiled virtue leads to the realms of humans and the higher realms. Undefiled virtue for the sake of moving toward the transcendence of suffering is neither created by virtuous nor unvirtuous acts. When, for the sake of awakening, one at all times and occasions refrains from both virtuous and unvirtuous acts one will gain the acceptance of the undefiled qualities in the present. That which was not done cannot ripen. This, then, is the transcendence of suffering.’
EN
“When he arose from his absorption, he proclaimed, ‘Not acting on any phenomenon is bliss; in that, there is no ripening.’
EN
“The wind carried his words unhindered in all four directions. They were heard by innumerably many tens of thousands of beings, who thereby gained acceptance that phenomena are unborn and became irreversible from unsurpassed and perfect awakening.
EN
“Maudgalyāyana, in case you may think that at that time King Samantacakṣu was anyone else, do not think so. In those days I was the king and sage Samantacakṣu. By hearing my voice, innumerably many tens of thousands of beings gained acceptance that phenomena are unborn and became irreversible from unsurpassed and perfect awakening. Thus, Maudgalyāyana, bodhisattvas must train in non-action with respect to all phenomena.”
Sutraya