“Householder, you may wonder how the Thus-Gone One correctly understands the knowledge of the past. Householder, the Thus-Gone One correctly understands the previous eons. He correctly understands the names of the eons, the circumstances for their names being given, and how they remained. For example, just as he knows that this excellent eon is called ‘Vision of One Thousand Lotuses,’ he knows the names for each of the eons. He correctly understands how the blessed buddhas were named. For example, to the one who was born as a leader among the Śākya tribe, the name Śākyamuni was given. Likewise, the Thus-Gone One knows how the names were given throughout the eons to the various buddhas. The Thus-Gone One also knows how all beings are named. When the Thus-Gone One is asked about the knowledge of the past, he can respond for an eon, and so forth, up until…. Therefore, he will enjoy this temple with its sandalwood courtyard. As for the origin, cessation, and path, they are as previously taught.

“Householder, you may wonder how the Thus-Gone One correctly understands the knowledge of past existences. Householder, the Thus-Gone One correctly understands an inexpressible number of inexpressible eons. He correctly understands where and when beings lived in past existences, whether in hell, the animal realm, the realm of the Lord of Death; or as a human, god, or starving spirit; as a lion, tiger, leopard, a being that courses the sky, a bird, a poisonous snake, a serpent, a bear, a being that courses the earth, or a being that courses empty space; or as a being with no legs, two legs, four legs, or many legs; or as a being that courses through water, a being that courses over dry land, or a being born as a yakṣa, piśāca, rākṣasa, bhūta, demigod, garuḍa, kinnara, mahoraga, or a non-human; or as a god who bears a garland, a god who proffers a vessel, a god who is always intoxicated, a god who stands upright, or a god in the Heaven of the Four Great Kings, the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, the Heaven Free from Strife, the Heaven of Joy, the Heaven of Delighting in Emanations, or the Heaven of Making Use of Others’ Emanations; or as Brahmā, or in the Brahmā Realm, the Heaven of the High Priests of Brahmā, the Heaven of the Retinue of Brahmā, the Heaven of Great Brahmā, the Heaven of Light, the Heaven of Limited Light, the Heaven of Limitless Light, the Luminous Heaven, the Heaven of Virtue, the Heaven of Limited Virtue, the Heaven of Limitless Virtue, the Heaven of Perfected Virtue, the Greater Heaven, the Heaven of Lesser Greatness, the Heaven of Limitless Greatness, or the Heaven of Great Fruition; or as a being with no consciousness; or as a being in the sphere of limitless space, the sphere of limitless consciousness, the sphere of nothing whatsoever, or the sphere of neither notion nor no notion. That is what the Thus-Gone One correctly understands. The Thus-Gone One correctly understands all roots of virtue that have been formed in the past, whether involving the perfection of generosity, or the perfection of discipline, or the perfection of patience, or the perfection of diligence, or the perfection of concentration, or the perfection of insight. The Thus-Gone One correctly understands precisely where in saṃsāra beings have lived, which blessed buddhas they have served, and what type of knowledge they have gained upon receiving instruction, as well as the skills they learned, their practical knowledge, and their accomplishments in terms of equilibrium. Not only does he know the exhaustion of defilements, there is also no skill or knowledge of skill, karma or knowledge of karma, that the Thus-Gone One has not previously produced. Therefore, as his wisdom vision is unimpeded, he will enjoy this temple with its sandalwood courtyard. As for the origin, cessation, and path, they are as previously taught.