Chapter 22: The Explanation of Ajātaśatru’s Questions
EN
At that point, it occurred to King Ajātaśatru, “The vajra that Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, is holding in his right hand must be heavy, because if it is light, why is Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, said to possess incredibly great strength?”
EN
Then, knowing with his own mind the train of thought of King Ajātaśatru, Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, said to him, “It is, indeed, heavy, Great King, and it is light.”
EN
“For what reason is it heavy, and how is it light?”
EN
“It is heavy, Great King, in order to gain full control over beings who are arrogant, conceited, haughty, and overly proud. For beings who are honest and humble, it is light.”
EN
Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, then used his empowering authority and made that spot of earth into vajra, and he placed his vajra on that ground. Just as soon as he set it down, the cosmos of a billion worlds quaked in six ways. Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, then said to King Ajātaśatru, “Lift this vajra off the ground, Great King.”
EN
Then, as someone with the incredible strength of a being with a great physique, King Ajātaśatru thought, “I will lift this vajra,” but with all his incredible strength he could not move or budge it, even to the slightest degree. Awestruck, he stretched out his arms, palms together in a gesture of salutation, and said to the Blessed One, “With the incredible strength of a being with a great physique, I can lift an elephant that is fully arrayed with armor with one hand, but, Blessed One, I cannot move or budge this mere trifle of a vajra in the slightest, not to speak of lifting it. What is the reason?”
EN
“Great King,” the Blessed One answered, “this vajra is heavy. Therefore, you cannot lift it.”
EN
Then King Ajātaśatru said to Śakra, Lord of the Gods, “Kauśika, you are called ‘The Vajra-Bearer.’ Lift this vajra off the ground.”
EN
Yet, even though he was in possession of a great reserve of power, both the power of his superhuman powers and his own incredible strength, Śakra, Lord of the Gods, was unable to move or budge the vajra. Awestruck, Śakra, Lord of the Gods, then said to the Blessed One, “At a time when I was waging war on the asuras, Blessed One, I was able to lift the chariot of the asura lord Vemacitra with just one hand, even though the chariot was more than seven hundred leagues long. Still, I am unable to move or even budge this mere trifle of a vajra. Blessed One, is this due to the empowering authority of the Buddha?”
EN
“Kauśika,” the Blessed One said, “this vajra is heavy, but it should be understood that this is not due to my empowering authority. What do you think, Kauśika? Is Mount Meru, the king of mountains, heavy?”
EN
“Mount Meru is so heavy, Blessed One, that it would not be easy to describe how much, even by analogy.”
EN
“Kauśika,” continued the Blessed One, “this vajra is heavy, so much so that, for example, Kauśika, if Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, were to strike it against the Cakravāḍa Mountains, which form this world’s perimeter and are made of vajra, they would be pulverized into tiny bits no bigger than chaff. This vajra has that much incredible power, Kauśika.”
EN
Śakra, Lord of the Gods, then said to Venerable Maudgalyāyana the Great, “Revered Maudgalyāyana the Great, since you are foremost among the Blessed One’s disciples in the possession of superhuman powers, lift this vajra off the ground.”
EN
The thought then occurred to Venerable Maudgalyāyana the Great, “If I am unable to pick up this vajra in front of this world and its gods, then I would become an impostor.” So, he grasped the vajra with such incredible strength that the cosmos of a billion worlds quaked in six ways, the rivers overflowed, and the oceans roiled, but he could not move or even budge the vajra.
EN
Venerable Maudgalyāyana the Great was awestruck. He bowed his head at the feet of the Blessed One and said, “Blessed One, you have declared that I am foremost among the Blessed One’s disciples in the possession of superhuman powers. Blessed One, I have such great superhuman powers, such great exalted status, and such great majestic power that, if I wish, Blessed One, I can even hold all the water in the four great oceans in the palm of my hand. Blessed One, I could even make this cosmos of a billion worlds revolve in one direction and then reverse direction, just as if someone were rolling a coin back and forth with the tips of their fingers. Blessed One, I can even touch the sun and moon, which have such great superhuman power and such great majestic power. With one hand, I could even pick up Mount Meru, the king of mountains, and throw it as far as the world of Brahmā. Blessed One, I have even tamed the nāga kings Nanda and Upananda. Blessed One, I have even traveled to the Marīcika world. Blessed One, when I can do what I want even with things as large as Mount Meru, does the fact that I cannot move or even budge this mere trifle of a vajra indicate that the power of my superhuman powers is insufficient, Blessed One, or am I not the only one?”
EN
“Maudgalyāyana the Great,” the Blessed One answered, “it is not that the force of your superhuman powers is insufficient. Rather, when the empowering authority of a bodhisattva’s power cannot be shaken even by all the disciples and solitary buddhas, what more needs to be said about other beings? Maudgalyāyana, even if you were able to move the Mount Merus, those kings of mountains, that exist in as many buddha domains as there are grains of sand in the Ganges River, you would still not be able to move this vajra from its place, even slightly.”
EN
Venerable Maudgalyāyana the Great then asked, “Does the fact that he holds this vajra, Blessed One, give Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, great power?”
EN
“Maudgalyāyana,” the Blessed One answered, “even if all the Mount Merus that exist in this cosmos of a billion worlds were made into a single mountain and you were able to lift even that mountain, you would still not be able to lift this vajra.”
EN
At this, the elder, Maudgalyāyana the Great, was awestruck, and he said to the Blessed One, “It is marvelous, Blessed One, that Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, has the incredible power to hold this vajra. Blessed One, did Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, inherit this power from his parents, or is it the power of his own superhuman powers?”
EN
The Blessed One answered, “Maudgalyāyana, the power that comes from human parents is sufficiently explained just by giving it a suitable name, whatever it may be, but if one were to explain fully the power of the superhuman powers of the bodhisattvas, then the world and its gods would be driven mad.”
EN
At that point, the Blessed One surveyed all the directions with the gaze of a bull elephant, and then he said to Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, “Lift this vajra from the ground, Lord of the Guhyakas!”
EN
Then, with his left hand, Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, lifted the vajra, which shook this cosmos of a billion worlds, and he threw it into the air, at which point it circled the sky seven times and returned to his right hand. Thereupon everyone in the assembly was awestruck, and stretching out their arms, palms together in a gesture of salutation, they paid homage to Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, and said, “It is marvelous that the Lord of the Guhyakas possesses such incredible strength that he can hold this vajra in that way. Blessed One, may all beings come to possess such incredible power!”
EN
King Ajātaśatru then asked the Blessed One, “By means of what things, Blessed One, can a bodhisattva obtain that kind of power?”
EN
“Great King,” the Blessed One answered, “bodhisattvas can obtain that kind of power by means of ten things. What are these ten? Great King, they are the following: bodhisattvas give up their bodies and their lives, and they never give up the true Dharma; they bow down to all beings, and they do not allow their pride to rise; they have patience with beings who have little strength, and they do not act out of anger; they provide the supreme nourishment to feed beings who are starving, and they give fearlessness to beings who are fearful; they bring joy through the work of healing those beings who are sick; they bring contentment by providing resources to beings in poverty; they apply coats of plaster to the shrines of the realized ones; they cause words to be heard that fill beings with complete joy; they distribute wealth to beings who are destitute and suffering; and they bear the burdens of those beings who are exhausted and languishing. By means of these ten things, Great King, bodhisattvas obtain that kind of power.”
EN
“Blessed One, how do bodhisattvas remain well bred, and how are they reborn in the places of rebirth of those who are well bred?”
EN
“Great King,” the Blessed One answered, “bodhisattvas who have eight qualities become well bred and are reborn in the places of rebirth of those who are well bred. What are these eight? They are as follows: good speech, honesty, flexibility, mildness, steadiness, forthrightness, contentedness, and having a mind that is ready for any endeavor. Great King, bodhisattvas who have these eight qualities become well bred and are reborn in the places of rebirth of those who are well bred.”
EN
“What are the places of rebirth of those bodhisattvas who are well bred, Blessed One?”
EN
“Great King, there are four places of rebirth of those bodhisattvas who are well bred. What are these four? If they are born in the human world, they become a wheel-turning king and have the privilege of serving the buddha who arises in that very place. If they are reborn as Śakra, Lord of the Gods, they have the privilege of serving the buddha who arises in that very place. If they are reborn as Brahmā, sovereign of this Sahā world, they have the privilege of serving the buddha who arises in that very place. If they are reborn as the head of a household or a guild of tradesmen, they have the privilege of serving the buddha who arises in that very place. Great King, these are the four places of rebirth of those bodhisattvas who are well bred.”
EN
King Ajātaśatru asked, “Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of faith?”
EN
“Great King,” the Blessed One answered, “companions in what is good are the natural consequence of faith.”
EN
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of generosity?”
EN
“Great King, the natural consequence of generosity is wealth.”
EN
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of learning?”
EN
“Great King, the natural consequence of learning is discernment.”
EN
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of moral conduct?”
EN
“Great King, good places of rebirth are the natural consequence of moral conduct.”
EN
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of patience?”
EN
“Great King, the natural consequence of patience is the protection of beings.”
EN
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of heroic effort?”
EN
“Great King, the natural consequence of heroic effort is fulfillment of the qualities of a buddha.”
EN
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of meditation?”
EN
“Great King, the natural consequence of meditation is calming.”
EN
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of wisdom?”
EN
“Great King, the natural consequence of wisdom is the elimination of all afflictions.”
EN
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of hearing the Dharma?”
EN
“Great King, the natural consequence of hearing the Dharma is that one lets go of doubts.”
EN
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of inquiry into Dharma?”
EN
“Great King, the natural consequence of inquiry into Dharma is certainty.”
EN
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of a place of solitude?”
EN
“Great King, the concentrations and the supernormal faculties are the natural consequence of a place of solitude.”
EN
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of meditative cultivation?”
EN
“Great King, the natural consequence of meditative cultivation is liberation.”
EN
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of hearing that things are impermanent?”
EN
“Great King, the natural consequence of hearing that things are impermanent is that one gives away one’s possessions.”
EN
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of hearing about suffering?”
EN
“Great King, the natural consequence of hearing about suffering is that one stops clinging.”
EN
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of hearing that things have no self?”
EN
“Great King, the natural consequence of hearing that things have no self is that one stops holding on to the concepts of ‘I’ and ‘mine.’ ”
EN
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of hearing that nirvāṇa is peace?”
EN
“Great King, the natural consequence of hearing that nirvāṇa is peace is calming.”
EN
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of careful attention?”
EN
“Great King, the natural consequence of careful attention is the right view of the noble ones.”
EN
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of the isolated and free state of one’s mind and body?”
EN
“Great King, the natural consequence of the isolated and free state of one’s mind and body is the development of the meditative states and the supernormal faculties.”
EN
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of the path?”
EN
“Great King, the natural consequence of the path is the realization of the goal.”
EN
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of ardent devotion?
EN
“Great King, the natural consequence of ardent devotion is the fulfillment of liberation.”
EN
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of the arising of a buddha?”
EN
“Great King, the natural consequence of the arising of a buddha is the attainment of qualities that are conducive to awakening.”
EN
“Blessed One, how does a buddha arise?”
EN
“Great King, it is the consequence of giving rise to the aspiration for awakening.”
EN
“Blessed One, how does one give rise to the aspiration for awakening?”
EN
“Great King, it is the consequence of giving rise to great compassion.”
EN
“Blessed One, for whom is there the arising of a buddha?
EN
“Great King, a buddha arises for those who have given rise to faith.”
EN
“Blessed One, who gives rise to faith?”
EN
“Great King, the one who gives rise to the aspiration for awakening.”
EN
“Blessed One, who gives rise to the aspiration for awakening?”
EN
“Great King, one whose ambition does not waver.”
EN
“Blessed One, whose ambition does not waver?”
EN
“Great King, one who gives rise to great compassion.”
EN
“Blessed One, how does one give rise to great compassion?”
EN
“Great King, it is the consequence of not forsaking beings.”
EN
“Blessed One, how does one not forsake beings?”
EN
“Great King, it happens when one forsakes one’s own welfare.”
EN
“Blessed One, how does one forsake one’s own welfare?”
EN
“Great King, one does not forsake the Three Jewels.”
EN
“Blessed One, who does not forsake the Three Jewels?”
EN
“Great King, one who forsakes the afflictions does not forsake the Three Jewels.”
EN
At this point, King Ajātaśatru said to the Blessed One, “It is marvelous, Blessed One! It is marvelous, Sublime One, how well the Dharma and Discipline made known by the Realized One have been spoken, how well the training of the Realized One has been prescribed, how the teaching of the Dharma by the blessed buddhas conforms with reality, how cause and effect are said to be imperishable, how it avoids the extreme views of eternalism and complete annihilation, how it lays out an introduction to deeds and actions, how the effects of both good and bad actions are said to be imperishable, and how it characterizes keeping one’s word—how well all this has been spoken!
EN
“Among those here who are intent upon such a lofty and superior teaching, Blessed One, who would dare to harm it, or resist it, or oppose it, apart from those who have not put down roots of virtue or who are surrounded by companions in what is bad?
EN
“We, Blessed One, ought not to feel ungrateful for the roots of our virtue in the past. It is certainly not possible for us to repay, even with our own flesh and blood, the Realized One by whose majestic power we have been turned away from all the afflictions. Blessed One, it is not even possible for us to repay Prince Mañjuśrī, who has been our companion in the good for a long time and by whose majestic power our regret over the tremendous evil deed we did has been eased and by whose majestic power we have obtained the great light of the Dharma. As the Blessed One has said so well, this holy life in its entirety is due to one’s companions in the good.”
Chapter 22: The Explanation of Ajātaśatru’s Questions
EN
At that point, it occurred to King Ajātaśatru, “The vajra that Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, is holding in his right hand must be heavy, because if it is light, why is Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, said to possess incredibly great strength?”
EN
Then, knowing with his own mind the train of thought of King Ajātaśatru, Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, said to him, “It is, indeed, heavy, Great King, and it is light.”
EN
“For what reason is it heavy, and how is it light?”
EN
“It is heavy, Great King, in order to gain full control over beings who are arrogant, conceited, haughty, and overly proud. For beings who are honest and humble, it is light.”
EN
Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, then used his empowering authority and made that spot of earth into vajra, and he placed his vajra on that ground. Just as soon as he set it down, the cosmos of a billion worlds quaked in six ways. Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, then said to King Ajātaśatru, “Lift this vajra off the ground, Great King.”
EN
Then, as someone with the incredible strength of a being with a great physique, King Ajātaśatru thought, “I will lift this vajra,” but with all his incredible strength he could not move or budge it, even to the slightest degree. Awestruck, he stretched out his arms, palms together in a gesture of salutation, and said to the Blessed One, “With the incredible strength of a being with a great physique, I can lift an elephant that is fully arrayed with armor with one hand, but, Blessed One, I cannot move or budge this mere trifle of a vajra in the slightest, not to speak of lifting it. What is the reason?”
EN
“Great King,” the Blessed One answered, “this vajra is heavy. Therefore, you cannot lift it.”
EN
Then King Ajātaśatru said to Śakra, Lord of the Gods, “Kauśika, you are called ‘The Vajra-Bearer.’ Lift this vajra off the ground.”
EN
Yet, even though he was in possession of a great reserve of power, both the power of his superhuman powers and his own incredible strength, Śakra, Lord of the Gods, was unable to move or budge the vajra. Awestruck, Śakra, Lord of the Gods, then said to the Blessed One, “At a time when I was waging war on the asuras, Blessed One, I was able to lift the chariot of the asura lord Vemacitra with just one hand, even though the chariot was more than seven hundred leagues long. Still, I am unable to move or even budge this mere trifle of a vajra. Blessed One, is this due to the empowering authority of the Buddha?”
EN
“Kauśika,” the Blessed One said, “this vajra is heavy, but it should be understood that this is not due to my empowering authority. What do you think, Kauśika? Is Mount Meru, the king of mountains, heavy?”
EN
“Mount Meru is so heavy, Blessed One, that it would not be easy to describe how much, even by analogy.”
EN
“Kauśika,” continued the Blessed One, “this vajra is heavy, so much so that, for example, Kauśika, if Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, were to strike it against the Cakravāḍa Mountains, which form this world’s perimeter and are made of vajra, they would be pulverized into tiny bits no bigger than chaff. This vajra has that much incredible power, Kauśika.”
EN
Śakra, Lord of the Gods, then said to Venerable Maudgalyāyana the Great, “Revered Maudgalyāyana the Great, since you are foremost among the Blessed One’s disciples in the possession of superhuman powers, lift this vajra off the ground.”
EN
The thought then occurred to Venerable Maudgalyāyana the Great, “If I am unable to pick up this vajra in front of this world and its gods, then I would become an impostor.” So, he grasped the vajra with such incredible strength that the cosmos of a billion worlds quaked in six ways, the rivers overflowed, and the oceans roiled, but he could not move or even budge the vajra.
EN
Venerable Maudgalyāyana the Great was awestruck. He bowed his head at the feet of the Blessed One and said, “Blessed One, you have declared that I am foremost among the Blessed One’s disciples in the possession of superhuman powers. Blessed One, I have such great superhuman powers, such great exalted status, and such great majestic power that, if I wish, Blessed One, I can even hold all the water in the four great oceans in the palm of my hand. Blessed One, I could even make this cosmos of a billion worlds revolve in one direction and then reverse direction, just as if someone were rolling a coin back and forth with the tips of their fingers. Blessed One, I can even touch the sun and moon, which have such great superhuman power and such great majestic power. With one hand, I could even pick up Mount Meru, the king of mountains, and throw it as far as the world of Brahmā. Blessed One, I have even tamed the nāga kings Nanda and Upananda. Blessed One, I have even traveled to the Marīcika world. Blessed One, when I can do what I want even with things as large as Mount Meru, does the fact that I cannot move or even budge this mere trifle of a vajra indicate that the power of my superhuman powers is insufficient, Blessed One, or am I not the only one?”
EN
“Maudgalyāyana the Great,” the Blessed One answered, “it is not that the force of your superhuman powers is insufficient. Rather, when the empowering authority of a bodhisattva’s power cannot be shaken even by all the disciples and solitary buddhas, what more needs to be said about other beings? Maudgalyāyana, even if you were able to move the Mount Merus, those kings of mountains, that exist in as many buddha domains as there are grains of sand in the Ganges River, you would still not be able to move this vajra from its place, even slightly.”
EN
Venerable Maudgalyāyana the Great then asked, “Does the fact that he holds this vajra, Blessed One, give Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, great power?”
EN
“Maudgalyāyana,” the Blessed One answered, “even if all the Mount Merus that exist in this cosmos of a billion worlds were made into a single mountain and you were able to lift even that mountain, you would still not be able to lift this vajra.”
EN
At this, the elder, Maudgalyāyana the Great, was awestruck, and he said to the Blessed One, “It is marvelous, Blessed One, that Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, has the incredible power to hold this vajra. Blessed One, did Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, inherit this power from his parents, or is it the power of his own superhuman powers?”
EN
The Blessed One answered, “Maudgalyāyana, the power that comes from human parents is sufficiently explained just by giving it a suitable name, whatever it may be, but if one were to explain fully the power of the superhuman powers of the bodhisattvas, then the world and its gods would be driven mad.”
EN
At that point, the Blessed One surveyed all the directions with the gaze of a bull elephant, and then he said to Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, “Lift this vajra from the ground, Lord of the Guhyakas!”
EN
Then, with his left hand, Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, lifted the vajra, which shook this cosmos of a billion worlds, and he threw it into the air, at which point it circled the sky seven times and returned to his right hand. Thereupon everyone in the assembly was awestruck, and stretching out their arms, palms together in a gesture of salutation, they paid homage to Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, and said, “It is marvelous that the Lord of the Guhyakas possesses such incredible strength that he can hold this vajra in that way. Blessed One, may all beings come to possess such incredible power!”
EN
King Ajātaśatru then asked the Blessed One, “By means of what things, Blessed One, can a bodhisattva obtain that kind of power?”
EN
“Great King,” the Blessed One answered, “bodhisattvas can obtain that kind of power by means of ten things. What are these ten? Great King, they are the following: bodhisattvas give up their bodies and their lives, and they never give up the true Dharma; they bow down to all beings, and they do not allow their pride to rise; they have patience with beings who have little strength, and they do not act out of anger; they provide the supreme nourishment to feed beings who are starving, and they give fearlessness to beings who are fearful; they bring joy through the work of healing those beings who are sick; they bring contentment by providing resources to beings in poverty; they apply coats of plaster to the shrines of the realized ones; they cause words to be heard that fill beings with complete joy; they distribute wealth to beings who are destitute and suffering; and they bear the burdens of those beings who are exhausted and languishing. By means of these ten things, Great King, bodhisattvas obtain that kind of power.”
EN
“Blessed One, how do bodhisattvas remain well bred, and how are they reborn in the places of rebirth of those who are well bred?”
EN
“Great King,” the Blessed One answered, “bodhisattvas who have eight qualities become well bred and are reborn in the places of rebirth of those who are well bred. What are these eight? They are as follows: good speech, honesty, flexibility, mildness, steadiness, forthrightness, contentedness, and having a mind that is ready for any endeavor. Great King, bodhisattvas who have these eight qualities become well bred and are reborn in the places of rebirth of those who are well bred.”
EN
“What are the places of rebirth of those bodhisattvas who are well bred, Blessed One?”
EN
“Great King, there are four places of rebirth of those bodhisattvas who are well bred. What are these four? If they are born in the human world, they become a wheel-turning king and have the privilege of serving the buddha who arises in that very place. If they are reborn as Śakra, Lord of the Gods, they have the privilege of serving the buddha who arises in that very place. If they are reborn as Brahmā, sovereign of this Sahā world, they have the privilege of serving the buddha who arises in that very place. If they are reborn as the head of a household or a guild of tradesmen, they have the privilege of serving the buddha who arises in that very place. Great King, these are the four places of rebirth of those bodhisattvas who are well bred.”
EN
King Ajātaśatru asked, “Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of faith?”
EN
“Great King,” the Blessed One answered, “companions in what is good are the natural consequence of faith.”
EN
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of generosity?”
EN
“Great King, the natural consequence of generosity is wealth.”
EN
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of learning?”
EN
“Great King, the natural consequence of learning is discernment.”
EN
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of moral conduct?”
EN
“Great King, good places of rebirth are the natural consequence of moral conduct.”
EN
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of patience?”
EN
“Great King, the natural consequence of patience is the protection of beings.”
EN
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of heroic effort?”
EN
“Great King, the natural consequence of heroic effort is fulfillment of the qualities of a buddha.”
EN
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of meditation?”
EN
“Great King, the natural consequence of meditation is calming.”
EN
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of wisdom?”
EN
“Great King, the natural consequence of wisdom is the elimination of all afflictions.”
EN
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of hearing the Dharma?”
EN
“Great King, the natural consequence of hearing the Dharma is that one lets go of doubts.”
EN
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of inquiry into Dharma?”
EN
“Great King, the natural consequence of inquiry into Dharma is certainty.”
EN
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of a place of solitude?”
EN
“Great King, the concentrations and the supernormal faculties are the natural consequence of a place of solitude.”
EN
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of meditative cultivation?”
EN
“Great King, the natural consequence of meditative cultivation is liberation.”
EN
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of hearing that things are impermanent?”
EN
“Great King, the natural consequence of hearing that things are impermanent is that one gives away one’s possessions.”
EN
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of hearing about suffering?”
EN
“Great King, the natural consequence of hearing about suffering is that one stops clinging.”
EN
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of hearing that things have no self?”
EN
“Great King, the natural consequence of hearing that things have no self is that one stops holding on to the concepts of ‘I’ and ‘mine.’ ”
EN
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of hearing that nirvāṇa is peace?”
EN
“Great King, the natural consequence of hearing that nirvāṇa is peace is calming.”
EN
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of careful attention?”
EN
“Great King, the natural consequence of careful attention is the right view of the noble ones.”
EN
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of the isolated and free state of one’s mind and body?”
EN
“Great King, the natural consequence of the isolated and free state of one’s mind and body is the development of the meditative states and the supernormal faculties.”
EN
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of the path?”
EN
“Great King, the natural consequence of the path is the realization of the goal.”
EN
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of ardent devotion?
EN
“Great King, the natural consequence of ardent devotion is the fulfillment of liberation.”
EN
“Blessed One, what is the natural consequence of the arising of a buddha?”
EN
“Great King, the natural consequence of the arising of a buddha is the attainment of qualities that are conducive to awakening.”
EN
“Blessed One, how does a buddha arise?”
EN
“Great King, it is the consequence of giving rise to the aspiration for awakening.”
EN
“Blessed One, how does one give rise to the aspiration for awakening?”
EN
“Great King, it is the consequence of giving rise to great compassion.”
EN
“Blessed One, for whom is there the arising of a buddha?
EN
“Great King, a buddha arises for those who have given rise to faith.”
EN
“Blessed One, who gives rise to faith?”
EN
“Great King, the one who gives rise to the aspiration for awakening.”
EN
“Blessed One, who gives rise to the aspiration for awakening?”
EN
“Great King, one whose ambition does not waver.”
EN
“Blessed One, whose ambition does not waver?”
EN
“Great King, one who gives rise to great compassion.”
EN
“Blessed One, how does one give rise to great compassion?”
EN
“Great King, it is the consequence of not forsaking beings.”
EN
“Blessed One, how does one not forsake beings?”
EN
“Great King, it happens when one forsakes one’s own welfare.”
EN
“Blessed One, how does one forsake one’s own welfare?”
EN
“Great King, one does not forsake the Three Jewels.”
EN
“Blessed One, who does not forsake the Three Jewels?”
EN
“Great King, one who forsakes the afflictions does not forsake the Three Jewels.”
EN
At this point, King Ajātaśatru said to the Blessed One, “It is marvelous, Blessed One! It is marvelous, Sublime One, how well the Dharma and Discipline made known by the Realized One have been spoken, how well the training of the Realized One has been prescribed, how the teaching of the Dharma by the blessed buddhas conforms with reality, how cause and effect are said to be imperishable, how it avoids the extreme views of eternalism and complete annihilation, how it lays out an introduction to deeds and actions, how the effects of both good and bad actions are said to be imperishable, and how it characterizes keeping one’s word—how well all this has been spoken!
EN
“Among those here who are intent upon such a lofty and superior teaching, Blessed One, who would dare to harm it, or resist it, or oppose it, apart from those who have not put down roots of virtue or who are surrounded by companions in what is bad?
EN
“We, Blessed One, ought not to feel ungrateful for the roots of our virtue in the past. It is certainly not possible for us to repay, even with our own flesh and blood, the Realized One by whose majestic power we have been turned away from all the afflictions. Blessed One, it is not even possible for us to repay Prince Mañjuśrī, who has been our companion in the good for a long time and by whose majestic power our regret over the tremendous evil deed we did has been eased and by whose majestic power we have obtained the great light of the Dharma. As the Blessed One has said so well, this holy life in its entirety is due to one’s companions in the good.”
Sutraya