Once again, Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, spoke to the bodhisattva Śāntamati: “Śāntamati, what is the secret of the Bodhisattva’s speech and the purity of his verbal action? Śāntamati, the succession of the bodhisattvas’ rebirths continues for precisely so long as beings continue to be reborn, and for as long as they continue to be reborn, these bodhisattvas make use of language. The knowledge and vision of the bodhisattvas penetrates without impediment beings’ use of language in all the ways they express linguistic utterances, verbal expressions, explanations, conventions, speeches, descriptions of reality, signs, actions, and happiness and suffering. Their knowledge and vision even penetrate the languages used by worms, mosquitoes, flies, bees, and moths. Since their knowledge and expression of language enables them to relieve the bodies and minds of beings, such verbal expressions emerge from the mouths of those bodhisattvas who know and use language. This is in accordance with the nature of things. In this respect, it should be said:

“Just as there is no end to beings, The succession of rebirths is immeasurable. Even if one were to speak of it for a hundred eons, there would be no end. One should thus say that these things are inconceivable.

“The Great One’s words are faultless, His teachings truly vast as mind and thought. Like space, they do not increase or decrease. Yet, one should still speak in metaphors.

“Śāntamati, the speech of bodhisattvas is expressed in the brahmās’ voices, the śakras’ voices, and in the voices of the lokapālas. It is expressed in the voices of the gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas. It is expressed in the voices of all beings. It satisfies the wishes of all beings. About this, it should be said:

“The irreproachable words of the great ones Are without increase or decrease, like space. Such teachings are vast as mind and thought. Listen earnestly to those who speak them.

“Engaging in compassion, along with love, Joy, and equanimity as well, Will take one even beyond Brahmā, it is said. With such well-spoken words, one satisfies Brahmā.

“Whatever pleasing music of Śakra there may be Is surpassed by the splendor of such sayings. Immeasurable divisions of phenomena arise From the production of these musical melodies.

“This speech is supreme; more marvelous Than the songs of the kinnaras, It does not inflame sensual desire. Such speech becomes whatever people enjoy.

“Many are the divine songs and instrumental music Found pleasing in the realm of desire. Yet, virtuous words that bestow the meaning of the Dharma— Such words can satisfy completely.

“Upon hearing the words of the Guide of Men, Sensual desire is quelled, and so, too, is hatred. Ignorant deception and prideful arrogance are allayed. One determines the meanings, and doubts vanish.

“By hearing the words of the Best of Men, Gods in the realm of form, wherever they are, Find their minds satisfied. Saying, ‘A buddha has appeared in the world,’ they seek awakening.

“The sound of the music made by Powerful nāgas, gandharvas, and mahoragas Resounds with an ocean of virtuous qualities And creates profound delight in all.

“Though there are infinite sounds and languages In each of the different directions of this world, It is by speaking in any of these languages And by hearing them that people attain freedom.

“The gods upon the earth and equally the gods in the sky Are enmeshed in sounds and languages. Thus, bodhisattvas also employ these languages, But their words convey the truth with certainty.

“The swan, crane, cuckoo, Peacock, parrot, partridge, Myna bird, and wild goose— Bodhisattvas satisfy them in their respective tongues.

“The tiger, lion, bear, monkey, Leopard, cat, deer, elephant, rhinoceros, Horse, dog, pig, and owl— Bodhisattvas satisfy them in their respective tongues.

“In order to inspire, restrain, and help Any being with four legs, two legs, Many legs, and likewise none at all, They employ all their languages and calls.

“Their voices accord with the languages of everyone: All beings in the three worlds, Whether of the highest, middling, or lowest forms, Including the realms of hell beings, Yama, animals, humans, and gods.

“Although they do whatever is needed, They do not form thoughts, ideas, or concepts. They are without attributes, attachments, and bonds. Settled in meditative equipoise, their minds do not go astray.

“If they want, those with pure minds, Without making any effort or grasping anything, Can use their voice to bring understanding To countless realms as numerous as grains of sand in the Ganges.

“When all the māras in the cosmos of a billion worlds Hear the horrifying voices of the bodhisattvas, They and their wives immediately become terrified, Place their palms together out of respect, and bow.

“Any beings who wish to propound a rival doctrine, And who are overwhelmed by pride and bow to no one, Will place their palms together out of respect and bow When they hear these brilliant words.

“When the deaf, dumb, mute, And those who stammer and stutter Hear this excellent speech, They will express most attractive sounds.

“Those tormented and harassed by the afflictions, Who are engulfed in a hundred regrets over past faults, Will have their regrets allayed and be appeased When they hear these virtuous words.

“When beings hear the words Buddha, Dharma, Saṅgha, and impermanence, They will begin cultivating generosity, learning, moral conduct, Patience, heroic effort, meditation, and intelligence.

“One could not exhaustively describe the qualities Of those who have attained the pristine speech of the buddhas, Who possess infinite expressions and boundless knowledge, Even if one spoke about them for many thousands of eons.

“Śāntamati, the speech of bodhisattvas does not contain any sense of lust; aversion; delusion; affliction; impediment; obstruction; vulgarity; foulness; callousness; abusiveness; incompleteness; harshness; attachment; anger; carelessness; animosity; contradictory words; words influenced by the various afflictions; fickleness; flattery; arrogance; haughtiness; impatience; inappropriate speech; desirous speech; words praising physical appearance; aggrandizement; contrivance; overly relaxed speech; intent to shock; exhausting speech; speech resulting from an impairment of their faculties, from diminished vitality, or from a diminished mind; disingenuousness; deficiency; opacity; coarseness; rejecting others; contradicting others; causing distress; unproductiveness; scolding others; annoying others; causing oneself or others pain; inappropriate use of words; inappropriate choice of words; insincere words; irrational words; illogical words; vicious words; inauthentic words; false speech; unjust words; quarrelsome speech; harmful speech; inopportune speech; verbosity; bad grammar; hypocrisy; obsequiousness; speech intended to gain profit; ineffective demonstration; deceiving the eye; confusing the mind; expressing doubt; laconic expression; words that cause trauma and disgust; words of scornful disregard; boastful words about one’s own point of view; words that suppress the points of view of others; words that demonstrate an obsession with self-praise; words that demonstrate resistance to the praise of others; drunken speech; scornful words; excessive boasting to others; words that do not say what is needed; counterproductive words; leaking secrets; not guarding one’s words; using words that are condemned by the wise; condemning the noble ones; attacking another with abuse; public displays of praise; describing the faults of others at inopportune moments; twisting the knife; broadcasting the faults of others; words that fail to keep one’s promises; speech expounding upon the objects of one’s pride; speech that contradicts the workings of karma; or speech in which one fails to avoid using words that do not accord with reality.

“Śāntamati, the expression of the bodhisattvas’ speech is infused with the knowledge of the supernormal faculties, and because it results from the ripening of merit, it accords with the truth. Whatever they say is just exactly so. Suppose a bodhisattva were to pass by or sit under a tree and somebody were to ask, ‘Excuse me, sir, how many leaves does this tree have?’ Without looking at the tree and without counting the leaves, the bodhisattva would then be able to say exactly how many leaves there were without overestimating or underestimating the number.

“Also, if one were to ask, ‘How many hundreds, thousands, hundreds of thousands, millions, billions, hundreds of billions, trillions, quadrillions, quintillions, sextillions, septillions, octillions, nonillions, decillions, undecillions, and duodecillions of grains of sand are there in the Ganges?’ then, without looking or counting, the bodhisattva’s speech could declare exactly how many grains of sand there are. He knows the grains of sand to be this precise number by using the knowledge of the realized ones. Śāntamati, only the realized ones can directly perceive this. It is not directly perceptible to gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, marutas, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, disciples, or solitary buddhas.

“Śāntamati, you can understand this through the following teaching: At one point in the past, Śāntamati, there was a sage named Light and a brahmin named Śyāmaka. At that time, there was a tree called the Excellent King of Banyan Trees, which was covered by many branches and leaves. The crown of the tree was several miles in circumference and the sage, Light, dwelled beneath that tree. While he was dwelling there, he used the power of his supernormal faculties to count the leaves on the branches of the Excellent King of Banyan Trees for twelve years and seven days until he came to a realization of that knowledge. At a certain point the brahmin, Śyāmaka, had been out seeking alms in the village, and because it was midday he went beneath that banyan tree to take his meal. He came before the sage, Light, and was truly delighted to see him. Sitting together, they spoke of many topics about which they were passionate. Then, the sage, Light, said to the brahmin Śyāmaka, ‘Excuse me, brahmin, but do you think there are any humans in this world of beings who have the ability to count, directly perceive, or know the number of leaves on this Excellent King of Banyan Trees?’

“ ‘Yes, revered one, there is.’

“ ‘Brahmin, who would that be?’ asked the sage.

“The brahmin replied, ‘Revered one, I can count them.’

“ ‘Well, count them, then, brahmin!’ said the sage.

“Immediately, without having to look at the tree or count the leaves, the brahmin knew how many leaves there were. He then spoke in verse, saying:

“ ‘There are six hundred septillion, Sixteen sextillion, Thirteen quintillion, Ninety-six quadrillion,

“ ‘Three hundred and ninety trillion, Thirty billion, Eight hundred And ninety-two million.

“ ‘I, the true brahmin, know this.’ Hearing this, Light said to Śyāmaka, ‘Best of brahmins, you have spoken truly. Excellent, excellent. This is true.

“ ‘For twelve full years and seven days Have I, through supernormal faculties, counted these leaves. Lord, you have known them in an instant. Without looking or counting,

“ ‘You realized instantaneously How many leaves there are. Has this knowledge been taught to you by a god? Brahmin, please explain this to me.’

“ Śyāmaka replied, ‘Listen, revered one, this is not taught by gods, but by men. I follow true words and live according to their meaning. It is possible that the sky could exhaust itself and fall to pieces, but it is impossible for me ever to speak falsely.’

“Then Vajrapāṇi said:

“Light was the great one, Śāriputra, And the brahmin, Śyāmaka, was Śākyasiṃha. Such is the speech of those who possess an ocean of virtues. It is endowed with the Dharma and its meaning, which rests on the truth.

“Śāntamati, so far as the purity of the speech of the bodhisattvas is concerned, this is the secret of the speech of the bodhisattvas. This is merely a brief demonstration of the purity of their speech. If one were to go further than that, an exhaustive explanation of the purity of the bodhisattvas’ speech would have no limit or endpoint.”