At that point, the bodhisattva of great courage, Śāntamati, said this to Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas: “When the Blessed One creates magically created forms of himself, Lord of the Guhyakas, do you create magically created forms of yourself, too?”
EN
Vajrapāṇi responded, “I am an eyewitness to what comes directly before the eyes of the Blessed One, Śāntamati, and therefore, even if the Realized One were to create magically created forms of the Realized One equal in number to the grains of sand in the Ganges River, then precisely that many magically created forms of me would accompany them, taking a variety of forms and making child’s play in a variety of ways. This, Śāntamati, is a natural consequence of the purification of my motivation in the past.”
EN
The bodhisattva Śāntamati then said to Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, “Please make a request of the Blessed One, Lord of the Guhyakas, for this formulation of the Dharma to be circulated and widely distributed in the latter time—that is, in the final five-hundred-year period of the Dharma—and to come into the hands of those good persons who grasp on to the true Dharma.”
EN
“This formulation of the Dharma has been empowered by all the buddhas, noble son,” the Lord of the Guhyakas replied. “For what reason do I say so? The syllables through which this formulation of the Dharma has been communicated are not real; they are not exhausted, and they do not disappear. Moreover, the meaning that is expressed through these syllables, too, cannot be made to disappear. The true Dharma of the Realized One is not something that can be made to disappear, Śāntamati, because, indeed, it has not arisen in the first place, and what does not arise, does not cease.
EN
“With this in mind, the Blessed One has said that whether the realized ones arise or they do not arise, this is what truly remains: the true nature of things wherein things are just as they are in the realm of reality. In this way, dependent arising is not impeded, and what does not impede dependent arising is the true Dharma. And the true Dharma is forever and not something that disappears—for this reason it is called the true Dharma.”
EN
“Lord of the Guhyakas, those who prepare themselves to grasp the true Dharma, for what do they prepare themselves?” asked Śāntamati.
EN
“Those who prepare themselves to grasp the true Dharma prepare themselves not to oppose anything. What is the reason for this? It is because the true Dharma is precisely what does not oppose anything.”
EN
“How could there be an opposition to the Dharma?”
EN
“From an opposition to syllables, there is an opposition to the Dharma, and the Dharma should not be opposed. Those who are not oppositional in this respect, they grasp the true Dharma completely.”
EN
“Is it possible, Lord of the Guhyakas, that a formulation could be opposed by the entire world, and yet it grasps the true Dharma?”
EN
“Yes, it is possible, Śāntamati. What is the reason for this? The world is strongly attached to views, Śāntamati, and so one who affirms emptiness is, for this reason, opposed by the whole world. The world affirms permanence, happiness, beauty, ‘I,’ and ‘mine,’ and so one who affirms impermanence, suffering, repulsiveness, ‘not-self,’ and ‘not-mine’ is, for this reason, opposed by the whole world. The world goes with the current, and so one who goes against the current is, for this reason, opposed by the whole world. The world puts the weight on this lifetime, and so one who puts the weight on a future lifetime is, for this reason, opposed by the whole world. The world is strongly attached to the aggregates, the elements, and the sense spheres, and so one who teaches the Dharma to be completely unattached to all things is, for this reason, opposed by the whole world. In this manner, Śāntamati, the one who is opposed by the whole world grasps the true Dharma.”
EN
“Do you grasp the true Dharma, Lord of the Guhyakas?”
EN
“I grasp it, noble son, but I do not grasp an ‘I,’ or a being, or a thing.”
EN
“How then do you grasp it?”
EN
“I grasp it as something separate from and free of an ‘I,’ as something separate from and free of a being, and as something separate from and free of a thing, and as something not separate from and not free of an ‘I,’ a being, or a thing. I grasp it as something separate from and free of a past, a present, and a future, and as something not separate from and not free of a past, a present, and a future. I grasp it as something separate from and free of an awakened one, and as something not separate from and not free of an awakened one. I grasp it as something separate from and free of a domain, and as something not separate from and not free of a domain. I grasp it as something separate from and free of the Dharma, and as something not separate from and not free of the Dharma.”
EN
At that point, the Blessed One congratulated Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas: “Excellent, my good man, excellent! This is what it means to grasp the true Dharma. Moreover, Lord of the Guhyakas, those who grasp the true Dharma do not grasp anything or cling to anything, they do not grasp on to or act upon any vain imaginings of a mental image of a being, and they do not form an idea or form a concept of any figment of the imagination.”
EN
There was also a god named Bhadrarāja sitting in the assembly at that time, and he said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, calming is the word of the Buddha, and, Blessed One, what makes it the word of the Buddha is that it is the word of one who is calmed. So, one who is calmed possesses the word of the Buddha. In this regard, Blessed One, those who see all objects of cognition as being calmed are those who are calmed themselves. Being calmed themselves, they are not set on fire, they do not burn, and they are not consumed by fire. Those who are calmed, quiet, and at peace retain the true Dharma of the Realized One in their minds, and they retain it in their minds in such a way that they do not hold on to or let go of anything.”
EN
When the god had expressed this point, a thousand monks became liberated in their minds, and the Dharma eyes of a thousand gods were purified.
EN
The bodhisattva Śāntamati then asked the god Bhadrarāja, “Divine one, who possesses this inspired eloquence?”
EN
“This is the inspired eloquence of those who have eliminated any lingering traces of past actions, those who have gone beyond the range of language, those who are indescribable from the standpoint of ultimate truth, and those to whom nothing is stuck.”
EN
“Divine one, how is this inspired eloquence born?”
EN
“It is born by reason of the fact that there is no inspired eloquence and there is an absence of inspired eloquence. Why do I say this? ‘No inspired eloquence’ is a way of saying that there is no link to rebirth, while ‘an absence of inspired eloquence’ is a way of saying that there is an absence of the proliferation of vain imagining.
EN
“Furthermore, noble son, since you ask who possesses this inspired eloquence, it is the inspired eloquence of one for whom consciousness does not arise in regard to the imputation of a body, and one for whom consciousness is not established in regard to the imputation of a self; it is the inspired eloquence of one for whom the imputation of a mind is not taken up as an object of cognition, and who dwells in a state in which things are unobscured; it is the inspired eloquence of one for whom knowledge does not arise with regard to anything, and one for whom nothing is especially known by means of knowledge; and it is the inspired eloquence of one who stands still, does not exert any effort, but crosses the flood. It is the inspired eloquence of someone who is born, while being one who is not born, and who enters nirvāṇa, while being one for whom there is no cessation.”
EN
Then the bodhisattva Śāntamati said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, the inspired eloquence of the god Bhadrarāja is marvelous!”
EN
The Blessed One said, “Śāntamati, the god Bhadrarāja has come here from Abhiratī, the buddha domain of the realized one Akṣobhya, in order to hear the teaching from Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, of this formulation of the Dharma, ‘The Secret of the Realized One.’ Śāntamati, the god Bhadrarāja has acquired a powerful mnemonic formula called accessing the aspects of the Dharma. If he wished, he could teach for hundreds of thousands of eons with his inspired eloquence unimpeded, and still his inspired eloquence would not be exhausted.”
At that point, the bodhisattva of great courage, Śāntamati, said this to Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas: “When the Blessed One creates magically created forms of himself, Lord of the Guhyakas, do you create magically created forms of yourself, too?”
EN
Vajrapāṇi responded, “I am an eyewitness to what comes directly before the eyes of the Blessed One, Śāntamati, and therefore, even if the Realized One were to create magically created forms of the Realized One equal in number to the grains of sand in the Ganges River, then precisely that many magically created forms of me would accompany them, taking a variety of forms and making child’s play in a variety of ways. This, Śāntamati, is a natural consequence of the purification of my motivation in the past.”
EN
The bodhisattva Śāntamati then said to Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, “Please make a request of the Blessed One, Lord of the Guhyakas, for this formulation of the Dharma to be circulated and widely distributed in the latter time—that is, in the final five-hundred-year period of the Dharma—and to come into the hands of those good persons who grasp on to the true Dharma.”
EN
“This formulation of the Dharma has been empowered by all the buddhas, noble son,” the Lord of the Guhyakas replied. “For what reason do I say so? The syllables through which this formulation of the Dharma has been communicated are not real; they are not exhausted, and they do not disappear. Moreover, the meaning that is expressed through these syllables, too, cannot be made to disappear. The true Dharma of the Realized One is not something that can be made to disappear, Śāntamati, because, indeed, it has not arisen in the first place, and what does not arise, does not cease.
EN
“With this in mind, the Blessed One has said that whether the realized ones arise or they do not arise, this is what truly remains: the true nature of things wherein things are just as they are in the realm of reality. In this way, dependent arising is not impeded, and what does not impede dependent arising is the true Dharma. And the true Dharma is forever and not something that disappears—for this reason it is called the true Dharma.”
EN
“Lord of the Guhyakas, those who prepare themselves to grasp the true Dharma, for what do they prepare themselves?” asked Śāntamati.
EN
“Those who prepare themselves to grasp the true Dharma prepare themselves not to oppose anything. What is the reason for this? It is because the true Dharma is precisely what does not oppose anything.”
EN
“How could there be an opposition to the Dharma?”
EN
“From an opposition to syllables, there is an opposition to the Dharma, and the Dharma should not be opposed. Those who are not oppositional in this respect, they grasp the true Dharma completely.”
EN
“Is it possible, Lord of the Guhyakas, that a formulation could be opposed by the entire world, and yet it grasps the true Dharma?”
EN
“Yes, it is possible, Śāntamati. What is the reason for this? The world is strongly attached to views, Śāntamati, and so one who affirms emptiness is, for this reason, opposed by the whole world. The world affirms permanence, happiness, beauty, ‘I,’ and ‘mine,’ and so one who affirms impermanence, suffering, repulsiveness, ‘not-self,’ and ‘not-mine’ is, for this reason, opposed by the whole world. The world goes with the current, and so one who goes against the current is, for this reason, opposed by the whole world. The world puts the weight on this lifetime, and so one who puts the weight on a future lifetime is, for this reason, opposed by the whole world. The world is strongly attached to the aggregates, the elements, and the sense spheres, and so one who teaches the Dharma to be completely unattached to all things is, for this reason, opposed by the whole world. In this manner, Śāntamati, the one who is opposed by the whole world grasps the true Dharma.”
EN
“Do you grasp the true Dharma, Lord of the Guhyakas?”
EN
“I grasp it, noble son, but I do not grasp an ‘I,’ or a being, or a thing.”
EN
“How then do you grasp it?”
EN
“I grasp it as something separate from and free of an ‘I,’ as something separate from and free of a being, and as something separate from and free of a thing, and as something not separate from and not free of an ‘I,’ a being, or a thing. I grasp it as something separate from and free of a past, a present, and a future, and as something not separate from and not free of a past, a present, and a future. I grasp it as something separate from and free of an awakened one, and as something not separate from and not free of an awakened one. I grasp it as something separate from and free of a domain, and as something not separate from and not free of a domain. I grasp it as something separate from and free of the Dharma, and as something not separate from and not free of the Dharma.”
EN
At that point, the Blessed One congratulated Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas: “Excellent, my good man, excellent! This is what it means to grasp the true Dharma. Moreover, Lord of the Guhyakas, those who grasp the true Dharma do not grasp anything or cling to anything, they do not grasp on to or act upon any vain imaginings of a mental image of a being, and they do not form an idea or form a concept of any figment of the imagination.”
EN
There was also a god named Bhadrarāja sitting in the assembly at that time, and he said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, calming is the word of the Buddha, and, Blessed One, what makes it the word of the Buddha is that it is the word of one who is calmed. So, one who is calmed possesses the word of the Buddha. In this regard, Blessed One, those who see all objects of cognition as being calmed are those who are calmed themselves. Being calmed themselves, they are not set on fire, they do not burn, and they are not consumed by fire. Those who are calmed, quiet, and at peace retain the true Dharma of the Realized One in their minds, and they retain it in their minds in such a way that they do not hold on to or let go of anything.”
EN
When the god had expressed this point, a thousand monks became liberated in their minds, and the Dharma eyes of a thousand gods were purified.
EN
The bodhisattva Śāntamati then asked the god Bhadrarāja, “Divine one, who possesses this inspired eloquence?”
EN
“This is the inspired eloquence of those who have eliminated any lingering traces of past actions, those who have gone beyond the range of language, those who are indescribable from the standpoint of ultimate truth, and those to whom nothing is stuck.”
EN
“Divine one, how is this inspired eloquence born?”
EN
“It is born by reason of the fact that there is no inspired eloquence and there is an absence of inspired eloquence. Why do I say this? ‘No inspired eloquence’ is a way of saying that there is no link to rebirth, while ‘an absence of inspired eloquence’ is a way of saying that there is an absence of the proliferation of vain imagining.
EN
“Furthermore, noble son, since you ask who possesses this inspired eloquence, it is the inspired eloquence of one for whom consciousness does not arise in regard to the imputation of a body, and one for whom consciousness is not established in regard to the imputation of a self; it is the inspired eloquence of one for whom the imputation of a mind is not taken up as an object of cognition, and who dwells in a state in which things are unobscured; it is the inspired eloquence of one for whom knowledge does not arise with regard to anything, and one for whom nothing is especially known by means of knowledge; and it is the inspired eloquence of one who stands still, does not exert any effort, but crosses the flood. It is the inspired eloquence of someone who is born, while being one who is not born, and who enters nirvāṇa, while being one for whom there is no cessation.”
EN
Then the bodhisattva Śāntamati said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, the inspired eloquence of the god Bhadrarāja is marvelous!”
EN
The Blessed One said, “Śāntamati, the god Bhadrarāja has come here from Abhiratī, the buddha domain of the realized one Akṣobhya, in order to hear the teaching from Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, of this formulation of the Dharma, ‘The Secret of the Realized One.’ Śāntamati, the god Bhadrarāja has acquired a powerful mnemonic formula called accessing the aspects of the Dharma. If he wished, he could teach for hundreds of thousands of eons with his inspired eloquence unimpeded, and still his inspired eloquence would not be exhausted.”
Sutraya