“Dṛḍhamati, if you have four qualities, they will enable you to accomplish that absorption and teach it to others. What are those four qualities? Apply diligence to attain that absorption and do not discard your efforts. When seated, enthusiastically preaching day and night, manifest the thus-gone ones seated at the supreme seat of awakening, or turning the wheel of Dharma, and likewise have no stinginess with Dharma. While giving the gift of Dharma, transform yourself and the audience members for the Dharma into the bodies of thus-one ones; for while one’s own body will be destroyed, those bodies do not abide anywhere at all, and teach the Dharma while not abiding anywhere. One should sit on the cushion observing that, with that kind of experience, and effecting that kind of transformation, and while seated in this manner, one should give the gift of Dharma.

“One will thus attain that absorption, Dṛḍhamati. Some will attain it while giving the gift of Dharma. For some it will be afterward. For some it will be while composing.

“Dṛḍhamati, one should connect with that absorption by having four other qualities. What are these four qualities? That such bodhisattvas have gone forth from their household. That they sleep in peripheral areas, delighting in forests and wildernesses. That they give oral advice and instructions in accordance with the audience, in view of those who engage in the conduct of beings. Such bodhisattvas also know perfectly well the conduct that accords with their inclinations.

“Dṛḍhamati, those who have four other qualities should be known as spiritual friends. What are those four qualities? They are in possession of expressions that defeat others. They connect beings with the profound Dharma. They are in possession of timely expressions of oral advice. And they let go of those instructions when the time is right. Those who possess those four other qualities should be known as spiritual friends.”

In that regard, the Blessed One then said the following:

“Perfectly knowing place and region, And perfectly knowing people too, Spiritual friends dispense to them oral instructions Through which they will swiftly emerge.

“Spiritual friends speak defeating expressions to beings, And also connect them with the profound. They instruct them in a timely fashion, And let go of those instructions when the time is right.

“Whichever turns of phrase spiritual friends have spoken, Even while conversing intensively, They have no fixation upon them, And thus let go of them when the time is right.

“Dṛḍhamati, those in possession of four qualities should be known as spiritual friends. What are those four qualities? Dṛḍhamati, spiritual friends cause beings to connect with going forth. They cause them to connect with the intention to ascertain the profound meaning. They cause beings to connect with non-attachment toward any focal point in concentration. They also cause beings to connect with the perception of the absence of characteristics. These are the four.”

The Blessed One then said the following about this:

“They should cause beings to connect With isolated forests and going forth. Speaking always in praise of that— Such are spiritual friends.

“They should connect beings with teachings ascertained as profound, According to their ultimate meaning, And they should not be devoid of concentrations— Those are sublime spiritual friends.

“Dṛḍhamati, there are four qualities which, if bodhisattvas possess them, enable them to cultivate that absorption. What are those four qualities? Having discarded their own intellect, bodhisattvas should be moved according to the intellect of the master. They should apply diligence uninterruptedly. They should not discard diligence and should delight in forests and wildernesses. They should fully abandon all social interactions. Dṛḍhamati, bodhisattvas who have these four qualities will be able to attain that absorption.

“Dṛḍhamati, there are four other qualities which, if bodhisattvas possess them, enable them to attain that absorption. What are those four qualities? In perceiving thus-gone ones that they uphold well, they do not abandon the thus-gone ones even while so much as dreaming of them. In perceiving Dharma teachings that they uphold well, they do not discard the perception of the Dharma teachings even while so much as dreaming of them, and neither are they apathetic about Dharma teachings. Through the perishability of all things, they also acquire acceptance of the profound Dharma. Through practicing disengagement, they are also those who practice the concentration of non-abiding. Dṛḍhamati, bodhisattvas who have those four qualities will be able to attain that absorption.”

About this, the Blessed One then said:

“If a spiritual friend Should instruct in accordance with this, The path traversed by the buddhas, It should not be abandoned, I say.

“Dṛḍhamati, those who possess four qualities should be known as spiritual friends. What are those four qualities? They connect beings with virtue. They turn them away from wickedness. They bring them to the Dharma. And they give teachings appropriate to them. Those are the four.”

The Blessed One then said:

“Bodhisattvas should always rely on spiritual friends. They should rely on such supreme persons, Who turn beings away from wicked qualities, And teach the Dharma given by the victorious ones.

“The heroes from whom the Dharma originates Dispense appropriate oral instructions. They abide by the Dharma, precisely as it is taught, And based on abiding by the Dharma, they progress.

“They rely upon the teachings that should be relied upon. They know the teachings that should be relied upon. Having also abandoned what should be abandoned, They rely on the teachings given by the victorious ones.

“Bodhisattvas who want eloquence In order to teach from their own knowledge Should quickly cultivate that absorption And follow a spiritual friend.

“They should renounce entirely, precisely as taught, But should not discard any phenomena whatsoever. They should teach for the sake of benefiting Precisely those who will receive the Dharma.

“They should accomplish their wishes in all respects, But should certainly not teach moved by them. Bodhisattvas should seek such teachings In reliance always upon a spiritual friend.

“Therefore, bodhisattvas should rely upon spiritual friends. They should abandon wicked companions. They will become learned based on spiritual friends, And based on them, they will also quickly attain that absorption.

“Dṛḍhamati, bodhisattvas should rely upon spiritual friends with four qualities. What are those four qualities? They fully know the oral instructions. They fully know their cultivation. They fully know the faults with oral instructions. And they fully know the faults with their cultivation. Those are the four.”

About this, the Blessed One then said:

“They know oral instructions, and likewise, cultivation. They also fully know the faults with cultivation, And the faults with oral instructions, And thus connect beings with the faultless Dharma.

“Dṛḍhamati, those with four qualities should be known as spiritual friends. What are those four qualities? They fully know place. They fully know location. They fully know persons. And they fully know conduct.

“How is it that they fully know place? They fully and precisely know place in accordance with persons. How is it that they fully know persons? They fully and precisely know what persons will become based on their conduct. How is it that they fully know conduct? They decisively demonstrate engagement in Dharma teachings in accordance with desirous, hateful, and delusional conduct. Thereby, in order to abandon desire, they enthusiastically embrace the three Dharma robes and go forth, do not associate with householders, abandon argumentation, accept the profound, and experience emptiness. Dṛḍhamati, those with those four qualities should be known as spiritual friends who will attain that absorption.

“Dṛḍhamati, there are four qualities that, if householder bodhisattvas possess them, enable them to attain that absorption and strive in that absorption. What are those four qualities? Dṛḍhamati, householder bodhisattvas should observe the five precepts. They should also stay in a monastic rest house, taking only one meal a day. They should become highly learned. They should become adept at ascertaining the meaning and rely upon spiritual friends who instruct while abiding in that absorption. Dṛḍhamati, if householder bodhisattvas have those four qualities, they should apply themselves to attaining that absorption.

“Dṛḍhamati, bodhisattvas should apply themselves to it by having four other qualities. What are those four qualities? In order to bring about the attainment of that meditative concentration through not dwelling on any phenomenon, they should have a pristine practice of discipline, a pristine livelihood, and disregard their life and limb without any remorse. They should form the notion that the one from whom they listen to the Dharma is the teacher. They should manifest the body of the thus-gone ones. They should also be free of stinginess.

“Dṛḍhamati, the following four qualities help those who have perfectly embarked on the Great Vehicle to attain that absorption. With regard to the body, they should not examine the body with any concepts involving a body to be observed. With regard to feelings, they should not examine feelings with any concepts involving feelings to be observed. With regard to the mind, they should not examine the mind with any concepts involving a mind to be observed. With regard to phenomena, they should not examine phenomena with any concepts involving phenomena to be observed. Dṛḍhamati, those four qualities help those who have perfectly embarked on the Great Vehicle to attain that absorption.”

About this, the Blessed One then said:

“They cultivate the applications of mindfulness, Which I have always praised. With the experience of a monk They will attain such an absorption.

“They meditate on the body as impermanent, Yet do not dwell on the body. With a mind that does not dwell, They will attain such an absorption.

“They have no miserliness about Dharma in their pursuit of the teachings On the four bases of supernatural powers and the four genuine discernments. While observing discipline, they rely upon sublime friends. Seeking that absorption, they cultivate the idea of the teacher.

“That is the family of abundant wholesomeness. That is the source of learning. It likewise dispels Māra, And connects one with that absorption.

“That is the supreme among their visions, The unexcelled vision of Dharma. By teaching the Dharma, No one at all will be obscured.

“That is the scripture of the sūtras, And the scripture of the highly learned. From it came my awakening; One should therefore rely upon it.

“The ten powers and the four authentic discernments, Which I have taught, All appeared from this. One should therefore rely upon it.

“The buddhas have taught the absorption That yields accomplishment and transformation. That eloquence cannot be exhausted Through teaching.

“It has no depletion And no completion. Through fully discerning it, They will become as immovable as the ocean.

“Since I have explained the absorption That they will attain, They will not behold the face Of anyone at all teaching it later.

“It has also been explained By gods, nāgas, kinnaras, humans, and nonhumans, So they behold their faces, And will behold many of them.

“That is the source from which Those who have taught it attained it, Just as they trained in it, Just as they were exalted in Dharma.

“Through teaching that sūtra Their intentions will be known. Through training in that absorption, The conduct of beings will be known.

“Stabilize your mind in this sūtra And you will know the names Of all the buddhas that I have taught, And their teachings too.

“Observing me, They will fully know All the myriad sūtras That were taught throughout the realms of the world.

“Abiding in that absorption, They will fully know All the respected hearers That the saviors of the world have had.

“They will fully know the buddha realms Just as they are arrayed. Whoever cultivates such absorptions Will also know their life spans.

“They will fully know the days that have passed, The fortnights, the months, Complete years as well, And eons too.

“They will fully know the best of men, The fully awakened ones, In the worlds throughout the ten directions, And they will know all realms.

“Those who cultivate absorption Will fully know All the names of the saviors of the world, Which were taught by the teacher.

“They will fully know the sūtras, Which were taught by the protector. They will know the myriad excellent hearers And saviors of the world.

“Whoever attains this absorption Will become stable in intelligence. They will also here know What the experience of buddhas is.

“They will fully know All the future buddhas, Who will appear over the course of ten million eons, And what their names and family lineages will be.

“They will know their life spans, And their hearers too. They will also know the sūtras, Which will be explained by the protectors.

“What their buddha realms are like, How they are arrayed, And how long the Dharma Of buddhas passed away will remain—

“While abiding in absorption, They will know all those things. Therefore, whoever wants to be highly learned Should rely on it.

“By relying upon that absorption, They will know its meaning too. As that is the gate for entering the wisdom of awakening, Their intelligence will be stabilized.

“The meaning will emerge from it, And they will enter the wisdom of awakening. From it they will attain Merit without limit.

“They will fully know as many buddhas As will appear— Fully awakened ones, Saviors of the world, the best of men.

“Those who have embarked upon awakening Will worship The myriad hearers Of each and every buddha.

“For the sake of offering To each and every buddha, They will fill no fewer than a billion worlds With accumulated wealth.

“By that estimation, They will serve all buddhas, Victorious ones with their hearers, Until the eon is completely finished.

“Future buddhas, Highly renowned saviors of the world, Will also manifest for them As they make such offerings.

“Such abundant heaps of merit Will also endow them with stable intelligence. It will compel them to pursue the ultimate wisdom, The inconceivable wisdom of awakening.

“Whoever seeks awakening, Should cultivate this absorption. Whoever has cultivated this absorption Will be exalted in learning.

“For whoever has cultivated this absorption And for whoever will cultivate it, I cannot say that the heap of their merit Has any limit.

“The merit from cultivating this absorption Is abundant. It increases knowledge, While offering to the buddhas is not like that.

“Honoring with flowers, fragrances, garlands, Food, drinks, And utensils Is not honoring the buddhas.

“Dṛḍhamati, whoever connects with the Dharma— The Dharma realized by me At the seat of awakening— Honors the buddhas.

“Whoever pursues that Dharma And wants to behold buddhas Should immediately pursue this absorption— Precisely this kind of Dharma.

“Whoever engenders sublime joy Based on having attained this absorption Has previously known Many thousands of buddhas.”