“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 faculties.

“Long ago in the limitless cycle of existence, Maudgalyāyana, long before even the distant past, there was a brahmin known as Famous Sound. This brahmin was like a great sal tree, a master of all the sciences, and a great donor and benefactor, both in terms of Dharma and material things. He endeavored to realize the omniscient mind.

“At that time there was a thus-gone known as Stainless Teacher. His lifespan was boundless, and his saṅgha of hearers, his buddha realm, and his assembly of hearers were all immense. The brahmin Famous Sound, who was like a great sal tree, had heard of the thus-gone Stainless Teacher, and so he went before him together with nine hundred eighty million other brahmins. Once there, they presented offerings to the blessed thus-gone Stainless Teacher. In the sky above they unfolded a bejeweled canopy and on the ground below they spread a golden floor. They then ornamented the ten directions with eighty thousand golden mansions, each a league tall. Within each one of them resided thousands of ladies richly adorned with jewelry, and from each of the buildings came the melodious sounds of thousands of cymbals. On the ground bloomed flowers of five colors, divine perfumes filled the air, and the mansions were fragrant and delightfully scented with divine incense. Thus, all the mansions were pleasant and delightful due to the scent of incense and perfume. By the power of the Buddha, all the mansions rested in midair without being otherwise supported. From all of them came the sounds of praises to the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha. Likewise, each of the houses resounded with words of emptiness, absence of marks, and absence of wishes; of the fruitions of the stream-enterer, once-returner, and non-returner; of impermanence, suffering, and the absence of self; of concentrations, freedoms, absorptions, and equilibriums; of miraculous powers, the divine eye, the divine ear, knowledge of the minds of others, and knowledge of past situations and of cessation. In some places one would hear words that accord with liberation. Such were the sounds that resounded from all of the mansions. From the sky where the mansions were fell rains of perfumed water and divine flowers that were otherworldly. As for the thus-gone Stainless Teacher’s throne, it was covered with five types of flowers. When flowers were cast in offering at the throne, the power of the Buddha made it so that none of the flowers landed on the ground. Instead they came to form a floral canopy above.

“As the brahmin Famous Sound, who was like a great sal tree, witnessed these miraculous events, the power of the roots of virtue attained thereby made him ascend into the air up to the height of seven palm trees. From there he then spoke the following verses of praise to the Blessed One:

“ ‘Hero of pure heart, lion of men, you crush the māras’ power. Conqueror of the afflictions, as you know beings, you have obtained the higher realms. You heal all beings, accomplish the great means, and are beyond virtue and evil. Your ten powers dried up the rivers of craving and you crossed the ocean of existence.

“ ‘Lord of humans, lion of men, you dried up the ocean of existence and arrived at dry land. Thus, now you liberate the pitiful beings who are lost in the sea of existence. Lion of men, you let beings tormented by the three fires gain release from their pain. Self-arisen, thus you realize and show the path to the world.

“ ‘As their teacher, you explain to lost beings the path. Great sage, by following you we will win unexcelled awakening. Your children leave bondage behind and cross the ocean of existence. Reaching dry land, they go beyond suffering—homage to you!

“ ‘Great renunciant, here you show the path for beings in darkness. I, too, shall upon awakening set those who have lost their way upon the path. Protector, learning from you I shall enter the peace of unsurpassed awakening. Realizing the peace of awakening, I shall give peace to the minds of those who lack it.

“ ‘Seeing those on mistaken paths, I feel compassion. I shall light the lamp brightly, and heal the blind. By the not insignificant merit that is gained from thus praising a victorious one, May I tame the enemy, be victorious, and so show the path to wandering beings.’

“Maudgalyāyana, in case you may think that at that time the brahmin Famous Sound was anyone else, do not think so. In those days I was the brahmin Famous Sound. Therefore, Maudgalyāyana, bodhisattvas should train by praising the qualities of the thus-gone ones.

“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 faculties.

“Long ago in the limitless cycle of existence, Maudgalyāyana, long before even the distant past, there was a brahmin known as Victorious God, who was like a great sal tree and endeavored in the appropriation of karma. While doing so, he would think to himself, ‘Which virtues should I produce today, which evils should I abandon, and which neutral states should I produce?’ He was very knowledgeable, discerning, and aware regarding all actions that he engaged in. Whenever he brought forth a virtue he would do so with great discernment. He possessed accurate knowledge of the types of faculties that are involved when engaging in an action. Thus, with respect to desire, he correctly comprehended the faculties that are employed in the overcoming of desire, whether of the lesser, medium, or greater types. He correctly understood how the lesser faculties are employed to overcome lesser, medium, and greater afflictions; how the medium faculties are employed to overcome lesser, medium, and greater afflictions; and how the greater faculties are employed to overcome lesser, medium, and greater afflictions. With such knowledge he would then carry out the relevant actions, and so he avoided all lapses into error for eighty eons.

“Maudgalyāyana, in case you may think that at that time the brahmin Victorious God, who was like a great sal tree, was anyone else, do not think so. In those days I was the brahmin Victorious God, and thus I trained to gain knowledge of the faculties of sentient beings. Also now, having awoken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, I correctly understand the faculties of sentient beings.

“Therefore, Maudgalyāyana, bodhisattvas should train to understand the faculties of sentient beings. The bodhisattva who trains to comprehend the faculties of sentient beings becomes irreversible and will quickly attain unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood.

“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 the faculties.

“Maudgalyāyana, once there was a king named Moon God. This king had a learned and intelligent daughter called Goddess of Speech. Acting as her father’s regent, she was taking care of his realm. Once, King Moon God asked his daughter, ‘My daughter, what are the causes for accomplishing knowledge of the faculties? I would like to ask you how one may gain knowledge of the origin as related to knowledge of the faculties.’

“Goddess of Speech replied, ‘Venerating disciplined and learned mendicants and brahmins brings knowledge of the origin as related to knowledge of the faculties. And why? Because venerating disciplined and learned mendicants and brahmins causes such knowledge and allows oneself to train in it. Thus, such causal factors will bring the accomplishment of knowledge of the origin as related to knowledge of the faculties.’

“Having heard this teaching, King Moon God would regard mendicants with delight and appreciation. With great joy, he attained undivided faith.

“Maudgalyāyana, in case you may think that at that time King Moon God’s daughter was anyone else, do not think so. In those days I was the daughter of King Moon God, and in this way I gained knowledge of the origin as related to knowledge of the faculties. Also now do I correctly understand the knowledge of the origin as related to knowledge of the faculties, and I impart that knowledge to sentient beings. Therefore, Maudgalyāyana, bodhisattvas must persevere in gaining knowledge of the origin as related to knowledge of the faculties.

“Maudgalyāyana, when I was training in the practices of a bodhisattva in the past, I created numerous roots of virtue in order to understand the knowledge of cessation as related to knowledge of the faculties.

“Maudgalyāyana, long ago, long before even the distant past, there was a sage named Origin, who possessed the five superknowledges. While practicing austerities in the forest he thought, ‘Which knowledge will bring cessation of the faculties and prevent their reemergence? It is through the knowledge of the noble ones that one knows the cessation of the faculties. From that cessation of the faculties they do not recur. Just as when the head of a human has been cut off and does not grow back, so no faculties reappear out of the cessation of the faculties. Such is cessation as related to knowledge of the faculties.’

“Yet, although he wished for knowledge of the faculties, he could not achieve it. He therefore decided to go searching for that knowledge of the faculties whereby they do not recur. Thus, in pursuit of knowledge, he traveled to meet mendicants and brahmins who had few objectives and few pursuits and who lived in remote areas. Of such people he would ask, ‘Friends, which insight brings knowledge of the faculties and the absence of their reemergence?’

“In reply, people would tell him, ‘Friend, we do not ourselves understand the knowledge of the faculties and the absence of their reemergence.’

“The sage then realized that he would have to gain such knowledge of the faculties and the absence of their reemergence himself. Hence, in pursuit of such knowledge, he practiced a boundless amount of very demanding generosity. Yet, although he gave away everything, including his own head and eyes, he could not find such knowledge.

“Maudgalyāyana, in case you may think that at that time the sage Origin was anyone else, do not think so. In those days I was the sage Origin. Wishing to awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, I achieved knowledge of the path of the noble ones, and thus understood the faculties and the absence of their reemergence. Therefore, Maudgalyāyana, bodhisattvas should be diligent in pursuing the knowledge whereby the faculties and the absence of their reemergence is known.

“Maudgalyāyana, when I was training in the practices of a bodhisattva in the past, in order to understand the path that leads to cessation as related to knowledge of the faculties, I wondered how I could attain knowledge of the cessation of the faculties and the absence of their reemergence. I therefore gave away innumerable elephant mounts, horses, chariots, and infantrymen. Thus, in order to accomplish the accumulations for the middle path, I produced unfathomable roots of virtue. If they had form, those roots of virtue could not even be contained within as many universes as there are grains of sand in the river Ganges.

“Long ago in the limitless cycle of existence, Maudgalyāyana, long before even the distant past there was a king by the name of Joyful Sight, who ruled throughout the world of four continents. During his reign the world underwent great developments, and so on each continent eight hundred million new cities sprang up. Each of the cities was square, measuring ten leagues on each side. They were of an artful checker design, and the buildings were plated with gold. The cities were encircled by ramparts of various precious stones, and the fences were made of gold from the Jāmbū River. Above hung nets of invaluable jewels, the ground was studded with priceless jewels, and the cities were adorned with nets of small bells that were made of the seven precious substances.

“These cities were the abode of beings who had gathered unfathomable roots of virtue. The cities were beautified by trees of the seven precious substances and full of enjoyments, both outside and within. Whenever the inhabitants wished to play, they would do so accompanied by the natural sound of the five types of instruments. Likewise, whenever the music of sitars, flutes, and cymbals would be appropriate, such music would come about naturally. Whenever people wished to enjoy the music of gandharvas, such music could be heard. Whatever the people wished to enjoy, such entertainment would indeed manifest, and remain for as long as they desired. Whether for one year, a thousand years, or ten thousand years, people could frolic for as long as they wished. Such were the riches of those cities, each one of them a center of entertainment.

“At that time there had appeared a thus-gone one known as Amṛtaprabha, whose retinue included eight hundred thousand hearers. King Joyful Sight adorned his entire world of four continents with silk tassels and ornaments, and so he offered it, along with the people of that time, for the use of the blessed thus-gone Amṛtaprabha and his saṅgha of hearers. The king also offered his children, spouse, and retinue. Thus that blessed one and his saṅgha of eight hundred thousand hearers took up residence in innumerable dwellings, and for eight million years King Joyful Sight offered them the most delicious meals. His queen and retinue also made similar offerings.

“Maudgalyāyana, in case you may think that at that time King Joyful Sight was anyone else, do not think so. In those days I was the king Joyful Sight. Maudgalyāyana, by those roots of virtue I gained knowledge of the path that leads to cessation as related to knowledge of the faculties. Therefore, Maudgalyāyana, bodhisattvas must have faith in the buddhas and in the saṅgha of monks. Having attained faith, one will gain pleasurable enjoyments throughout innumerable and boundless eons, and also accomplish awakening.”