Then Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta said to the Bhagavān, “Bhagavān, what these bodhisattva mahāsattvas are resolved to do because of their reverence for the Bhagavān is a difficult task, extremely difficult. Bhagavān, how should these bodhisattva mahāsattvas expound this Dharma teaching in the later times, in a later era?”

The Bhagavān said to Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta, “Mañjuśrī, bodhisattva mahāsattvas should expound this Dharma teaching in the later times, in a later era, by maintaining four qualities. What are these four?

“Mañjuśrī, bodhisattva mahāsattvas should expound this Dharma teaching in the later times, in a later era, by maintaining their practice and field of activity.

“Mañjuśrī, in what way do bodhisattva mahāsattvas maintain their practice and field of activity?

“Mañjuśrī, bodhisattva mahāsattvas are patient, self-controlled, have attained the level of self-control, and their minds are without anger or envy.

“Mañjuśrī, bodhisattva mahāsattvas do not practice within any phenomenon whatsoever. They see correctly the specific characteristics of those phenomena. They have no analysis or examination of those phenomena. That, Mañjuśrī, is what is called the practice of bodhisattva mahāsattvas.

“Mañjuśrī, what is the bodhisattva mahāsattvas’ field of activity? Mañjuśrī, bodhisattva mahāsattvas do not associate with a king, do not associate with, revere, serve, or visit princes, the king’s ministers, or the king’s courtiers. They do not associate with, revere, or serve those other practitioners, mendicants, beggars, and naked ones who are tīrthikas, nor those who teach poetry. They do not associate with, revere, serve, or become familiar with those who possess worldly mantras, nor with Lokāyatas. They do not frequent the company of caṇḍālas, swindlers, pig sellers, chicken sellers, deer hunters, fishermen, singers and dancers, musicians, or wrestlers. They do not frequent places of entertainment for others. They do not associate with them. Other than that, they teach the Dharma freely to them at those times when they approach them. They do not associate with, revere, serve, or become familiar with the bhikṣus and bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas and upāsikās who follow the Śrāvakayāna. They do not mingle with them either on their walkways or in their temples. Other than that, they teach the Dharma freely to them at those times when they approach them.

“Mañjuśrī, that is the bodhisattva mahāsattvas’ field of activity.

“Moreover, Mañjuśrī, the bodhisattva mahāsattva does not constantly teach the Dharma to women while possessing one or another sign of attachment to them. He does not constantly desire to be looking at women. He does not approach families constantly thinking of teaching the Dharma to the women, the girls, and the wives, and does not delight in doing so. He does not teach the Dharma to paṇḍakas and does not become familiar with them, nor delight in them. He does not enter homes alone to procure alms, unless he is recollecting the Tathāgata.

“If he does teach the Dharma to a woman, he does not even teach the Dharma with desire for the Dharma, let alone with desire for the woman. He teaches the Dharma without even revealing his teeth, let alone any obvious facial expression.

“He does not associate with śrāmaṇeras or śrāmaṇerīs, bhikṣus or bhikṣuṇīs, young men or young women, and does not converse with them. He is someone who reveres isolation and always remains in isolation.

“Mañjuśrī, that is the first field of activity of bodhisattva mahāsattvas.

“Moreover, Mañjuśrī, bodhisattva mahāsattvas see the emptiness of all phenomena—phenomena as they are, not as they are not—as they truly are, unwavering, unshakeable, immutable, unchanging, always as they truly are, having the nature of space, beyond definition and terminology, unborn, neither existing nor not existing, not composite, not continuous, spoken of through the word nonexistence, in an unimpeded state, and manifested from erroneous conceptualization.

“Mañjuśrī, bodhisattva mahāsattvas are always seeing phenomena in that way, and by remaining in that state, they maintain the bodhisattva mahāsattvas’ field of activity.

“Mañjuśrī, that is the second field of activity of bodhisattva mahāsattvas.”

Thereupon the Bhagavān taught on this topic in detail, speaking these verses:

“The bodhisattvas who wish To give the teaching of this sūtra With confidence and courage In the later, terrifying times, {1}

“Should maintain their practice and field of activity: They should be isolated and pure. They should always abstain From association with kings and princes. {2}

“They should have no association either With those who are the king’s courtiers, Nor at all with caṇḍālas, swindlers, Or those who are tīrthikas. {3}

“They should not associate with arrogant bhikṣus, Who follow vinaya and scripture And conceive of themselves as arhats. They should avoid those with poor conduct.

“They should always avoid bhikṣuṇīs Whose behavior is talking and laughing. They should also avoid the upāsikās Who are evidently dissolute. {5}

“They should avoid association with Those upāsikās who are seeking For nirvāṇa within this lifetime. This is what is called the practice. {6}

“The brave one should always teach Confidently and freely Those who come asking for the Dharma For the sake of supreme enlightenment. {7}

“He should avoid association with Beings who are women, or paṇḍakas. He should also avoid families That have brides and young women. {8}

“He should not delight those women, Laughingly asking after their welfare. He should avoid association With pig farmers and shepherds. {9}

“He should avoid association With those who will kill various creatures For the sake of pleasure, And those who sell flesh to eat. {10}

“He should avoid association With those beings who are keepers of women, Dancers, wrestlers, musicians, And other people of that kind. {11}

“He should not frequent courtesans Or others who provide pleasures; He should completely avoid The enjoyments that they provide. {12}

“When the wise one is teaching The Dharma to a woman, He should not be alone with her, Nor should it be an occasion for laughter. {13}

“If he has to enter a village Repeatedly to obtain alms, He should find a companion bhikṣu Or otherwise should recollect the Buddha. {14}

“I have here taught The first practice and field of activity That should be maintained by the wise ones Who uphold this kind of sūtra. {15}

“When they are not engaged in any phenomenon, Whether inferior, superior, or middling, Whether composite or noncomposite, Whether existent or nonexistent, {16}

“When the stable ones do not entertain the notion of ‘woman,’ And do not have the concept of ‘man,’ Then, because all phenomena are unborn, Upon seeking them they do not see them. {17}

“This practice that I have described Is completely that of the bodhisattvas. Listen to the explanation Of that which is their field of activity. {18}

“These phenomena are declared nonexistent; They are all unproduced and unborn. They remain empty and motionless at all times: That is what is called the field of activity of the wise. {19}

“Being and not being, existing and not existing: These are fabrications of erroneous conceptualization. Unborn phenomena that are also unoriginated Are misconstrued to be born and existing. {20}

“With a one-pointed mind, always in meditation, As completely stable as Mount Sumeru, Stable in this way, they should view All these phenomena as being like space. {21}

“They are always the same as space, without an essence, Motionless and devoid of illusory thoughts. This is the way phenomena are throughout time. This is what is called the field of activity of the wise. {22}

“The bhikṣus who after my nirvāṇa Maintain my way of mendicancy Should teach this sūtra in the world And be free of any apprehension. {23}

“The wise ones should at times contemplate, Enter their room, close the door, View the nature of phenomena, Rise up, and teach without apprehension. {24}

“They will be given protection by the kings And those princes who listen to the Dharma. Moreover, householders and brahmins Will all be present as their followers. {25}

“Moreover, Mañjuśrī, after I have passed into nirvāṇa, in the later times, in a later era, when the Dharma is being destroyed, bodhisattva mahāsattvas who wish to teach this Dharma teaching will be established in happiness. Thus established in happiness, they will teach the Dharma. When they teach it to others, whether it is from memory or based on a book, they will not be those who are seeking for faults in others, they will not speak ill of other bhikṣu dharmabhāṇakas, they will not say unpleasant things about them, they will not state unpleasant things about them. They will not say unpleasant things about them while mentioning by name bhikṣus of the Śrāvakayāna. They will not speak unpleasant things about them, nor will they have the concept of being their opponent. Why is that? It is because they will be remaining in a state of happiness. They will teach the Dharma to those who come to listen to them beneficially and without envy. They will not quarrel and will not answer questions with an answer from the Śrāvakayāna, but instead they will answer as one would who has attained the enlightenment of the wisdom of buddhahood.”

Thereupon the Bhagavān recited these verses:

“The wise ones will always remain happy. Being so, they will teach the Dharma. In a pure and pleasant place They will spread out a wide seat. {26}

“They will wear a clean Dharma robe That has been dyed an excellent color. They will wrap themselves in a dark monastic cloak And wear a large, excellent lower robe. {27}

“They will sit upon a seat, with a footstool, That is covered with various pieces of calico. They will wash their feet well and then go up onto it, Having oiled their head and their face. {28}

“Seated upon that Dharma throne, They will give a variety of teachings To the single-minded beings who have assembled, And to the bhikṣus and bhikṣuṇīs. {29}

“Those wise ones who are without envy Will speak pleasantly on various subjects To the upāsakas and upāsikās, And similarly to the kings and princes. {30}

“At that time when they ask them questions They will again teach with the appropriate meaning. Whoever hears the meaning that is taught In this way will attain enlightenment. {31}

“They will free themselves from all laziness And they will not give rise to thoughts of fatigue. The wise ones will dispel all unhappiness And contemplate their followers with love. {32}

“Day and night, they will meditate on the supreme Dharma And those wise ones, using a quintillion parables, Will delight the assembly and make them happy, And they will never have even the slightest desire. {33}

“They will not think of food and drink, Eating and drinking, clothes, bed and seat, Dharma robes, or medicine when ill, And they will not request anything from their followers. {34}

“Moreover, the wise ones will always think, ‘May I and these beings attain buddhahood! This Dharma that I teach in order to benefit the world Has all the requisites for bringing happiness.’ {35}

“The bhikṣus who after my nirvāṇa Teach this without envy Will have no suffering, no obstacles, Will have no misery or be disturbed. {36}

“They will never be afraid, Will not be beaten or abused; They will never be chased away And will be established in the power of patience. {37}

“The wise ones always remain in happiness. They remain just as I have taught. They will have many billions of qualities That could not be described in a hundred eons. {38}

“Moreover, Mañjuśrī, when the Tathāgata has passed into nirvāṇa, in the final age when the Dharma will vanish, the bodhisattva mahāsattvas who possess this sūtra will be without envy, or deceit, or fraud. They will speak no ill of other individuals of the Bodhisattva­yāna. They will not malign them and will not criticize them. They will not inspire regret in the bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, and upāsikās who follow the Śrāvakayāna, the Pratyeka­buddha­yāna, or the Bodhisattva­yāna.

“They will not inspire regret in those who follow the Bodhisattva­yāna by saying, ‘Noble ones, you are far from the highest, complete enlightenment; it will not appear to you. You should remain utterly inattentive, and do not have the power to attain the Tathāgata’s wisdom in complete buddhahood.’

“They will not delight in disputes concerning the Dharma. They will not engage in Dharma disputes. They will not abandon the power of love for all beings. They will perceive all the tathāgatas as their father. They will perceive all bodhisattvas as teachers. Continuously, with a higher motivation, they will pay reverential homage to the bodhisattva mahāsattvas who are in the worlds in the ten directions. When they teach the Dharma, they will teach the Dharma without omission or addition. When teaching this Dharma teaching, they will teach the Dharma with an equal joy in all the Dharma. Even their slightest joy will be joy in the Dharma through which they bring great benefit.

“Mañjuśrī, the bodhisattva mahāsattvas who have this third quality, who teach this Dharma teaching after the Tathāgata has passed into nirvāṇa, in the final times when the Dharma is coming to an end, will teach this Dharma teaching while remaining in contact with happiness and being free of harm, and will have companions with whom to chant the Dharma.

“There will also appear those who listen to this Dharma teaching, and those who listen to this Dharma teaching will have faith in it, have conviction in it, possess it, comprehend it, write it out, cause it to be written out, and, having made it into a text, honor it, revere it, respect it, and make offerings to it.”

That is what the Bhagavān said, and when the Tathāgata had spoken these words, the Teacher added the following verses:

“The dharmabhāṇakas who wish to teach this sūtra Should completely eliminate All deception, arrogance, and similarly calumny, And also the wise ones should harbor no envy. {39}

“They will never say anything unpleasant to anyone. They will never engage in disputes over view. They will never create a cause for doubt, saying, ‘You will not attain the highest wisdom.’ {40}

“They will always be mindful and gentle And have the patience of a sugata’s child. They will teach this Dharma again and again And they will not have the slightest weariness in doing so. {41}

“The bodhisattvas who are in the ten directions Are active in the world with compassion for beings. The wise ones will think, ‘They are all my teachers,’ And they will have toward them the respect one has for a guru. {42}

“They will think of the buddhas, the supreme human beings, And always conceive of the jinas as their father. They will eliminate all ideas of pride And at that time there will arise no obstacles. {43}

“Having heard such Dharma as this, The wise ones will at that time protect it well. Because they will remain in happiness and meditation They will be protected by millions of beings. {44}

“Moreover, Mañjuśrī, when the Tathāgata has passed into nirvāṇa, at the time when the Dharma is abandoned, the bodhisattva mahāsattva bhikṣus who wish to possess this Dharma teaching should dwell farther than far away from householders and renunciants. They should dwell there through dwelling in love. They should have compassion for all those beings who are not yet dedicated to enlightenment. They should think, ‘Oh! Those beings who do not listen to the Tathāgata’s skillful method, to his teaching with an implied meaning, and do not know it, do not understand it, do not ask questions about it, have no faith in it, and have no aspiration for it—those beings have extremely corrupt knowledge . Moreover, those beings are not following and have not understood this Dharma teaching. I shall attain the highest, complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood, and then, wherever they are, through my miraculous power I will cause them to be attracted to it, have conviction in it, follow it, and I will completely ripen them.’

“Mañjuśrī, the bodhisattva mahāsattvas who have this fourth quality and teach this Dharma teaching after the Tathāgata has passed into nirvāṇa will not be harmed. Bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, upāsikās, kings, princes, the king’s prime ministers, the king’s counselors, the people of the city, the people of the country, the brahmins, and the householders will honor them, respect them, revere them, and make offerings to them. The devas who live in the air and have faith will follow them in order to hear the Dharma. The devas will constantly follow them in order to protect them. Whether they are in a village or in a temple there will come to them day and night those who wish to ask them about the Dharma and they will delight and please them with their answers.

“Why is that? Mañjuśrī, it is because this Dharma teaching has been blessed by all the buddhas. Mañjuśrī, it is because this Dharma teaching is constantly blessed by the past, future, and present tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas.

“Mañjuśrī, it is difficult in many worlds to be able to hear the words, the sound, or the name of this Dharma teaching.

“Mañjuśrī, it is like this: A bala­cakra­vartin king obtains his kingdom through his might. The allied kings who are his adversaries go to battle with him. The bala­cakra­vartin king has numerous warriors. They go into battle with his enemies. When the king sees his warriors battling, he is delighted, pleased, and overjoyed because of those warriors. Being delighted, pleased, and overjoyed, he gives various gifts to those warriors. He gives them villages and the land of the villages, towns and the land of the towns, clothing, turbans, bracelets, anklets, short necklaces, cords of gold, earrings, medium-length necklaces, long necklaces, cowries, gold, silver, jewels, pearls, beryls, conch, crystal, and corals. He gives them elephants, cavalry, chariots, infantry, male slaves, and female slaves. He gives them carriages and palanquins. However, he does not give his crest jewel to anyone. Why is that? It is because there is only the one jewel that is affixed on his topknot. Mañjuśrī, if the king were to give away his crest jewel, all four divisions of the king’s army would be astonished and amazed.

“Mañjuśrī, it is likewise that the Tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened Buddha creates through the might of his arms and his merit the three realms of a Dharma king within the three realms, which is trampled on by evil Māra. Then the ārya warriors of the Tathāgata battle with Māra.

“Mañjuśrī, the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the perfectly enlightened Buddha, the King of the Dharma, the Lord of the Dharma, teaches hundreds of thousands of sūtras to those battling ārya warriors. In order to make happy the fourfold assembly he gives them the gift of the town of nirvāṇa and the great city of the Dharma, teaching them through nirvāṇa, but not teaching them this kind of Dharma teaching.

“Mañjuśrī, the bala­cakra­vartin king is amazed by the great strength of the men when the warriors are fighting, and subsequently he does give them his crest jewel, the supreme of all his possessions, which the world does not believe in, and which is amazing.

“Mañjuśrī, just as that king keeps the crest jewel fixed upon his topknot for a long time, in the same way, Mañjuśrī, the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the perfectly enlightened Buddha, who is the great King of the Dharma, while he is the King of the Dharma sees the śrāvakas and bodhisattvas battling with the Māra of the skandhas or the Māra of the kleśas. When they battle with them, desire, anger, and ignorance cease, they escape from all three realms, and have the great strength of a great being who defeats all the māras. This pleases the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the perfectly awakened Buddha, who then teaches those ārya warriors this kind of Dharma teaching, which is contrary to the world, which is not believed in by the world, which has previously not been expounded, which has previously not been taught. The Tathāgata gives to the śrāvakas that which causes all to attain omniscience, which is like the great crest jewel.

“Mañjuśrī, this is the supreme Dharma taught by the tathāgatas. This is the final Dharma teaching of the tathāgatas. Among all Dharma teachings this is the most profound Dharma teaching. It does not accord with the world.

“Mañjuśrī, just as the bala­cakra­vartin king unties the crest jewel he had kept for a long time and gives it to the supreme warriors, likewise today the Tathāgata teaches the secret Dharma teaching of the Tathāgata that has been kept for a long time, which is at the crest of all Dharma teachings, and which is known by the Tathāgata.”

Thereupon the Bhagavān taught this topic in detail in verse:

“Demonstrating the power of kindness, Always having compassion for beings, They should teach this kind of Dharma: The supreme sūtra praised by the sugatas. {45}

“To those who are householders or renunciants, And those who are not bodhisattvas in the later age, He should manifest the power of kindness to them all, Thinking, ‘Having heard the Dharma they may denounce it. {46}

“ ‘I will gain the attainment of enlightenment And when I am established in buddhahood, Established in method, I will guide them And make known this supreme enlightenment.’ {47}

“A bala­cakra­vartin king, when pleased, Gives to his warriors many cowries, And gives them towns and villages, And elephants, horses, chariots, and infantry. {48}

“Delighted, to some he gives bracelets And cords of silver and of gold. He gives to them all kinds of gifts Such as pearls, jewels, corals, and crystals. {49}

“At a time when there is someone present Who is astonishing because of his supreme heroism, Knowing that he has accomplished such wonders, He removes his topknot jewel and gives it to him. {50}

“In the same way, I, the Buddha, the Dharma King Have the strength of patience and many treasures of wisdom, And I teach the Dharma to the entire world Through caring to benefit and having compassion. {51}

“Seeing those who are in distress, I teach thousands of millions of sūtras; Knowing the heroism of those individuals, Pure beings who have defeated the kleśas, {52}

“The King of Dharma, the great physician, Gives thousands of millions of teachings. Knowing beings to have the strength and wisdom, He teaches this sūtra that is like a crest jewel. {53}

“This is the highest of all my sūtras. It is the last sūtra that I teach in the world. I have never taught it, but kept it secret. Today I will expound it, so listen everyone! {54}

“When I have passed into nirvāṇa, Those who rely upon such four qualities as these, Who aim for the highest, supreme enlightenment And carry out for me the work that has to be done, {55}

“Will have no misery and no obstacles, And will not have an ugly color or illness; They will not be black in color, And they will not live in an inferior town. {56}

“Those great rishis will always be pleasant to see And offerings wil be made to them as if they were tathāgatas. Even the young devas Will always be serving as their attendants. {57}

“They will never be harmed by poison or weapons. Their bodies will not be struck by clods, stones, or sticks. Whoever speaks ill of them Will become silent, their mouths closed. {58}

“Whoever possesses this sūtra after my nirvāṇa Will become a friend for beings. They will shine with light and travel the earth, Dispelling darkness for many millions of beings. {59}

“They will see good things in their dreams: They will see bhikṣus and bhikṣuṇīs And likewise myself upon a lion throne Teaching many kinds of Dharma. {60}

“They will also in their dreams teach many kinds Of Dharma to devas, nāgas, yakṣas, and asuras As numerous as the Ganges sands, All with hands placed together in homage. {61}

“In their dreams they will see the Tathāgata, The Lord with a beautiful voice and the color of gold, Teaching the Dharma to many millions of beings, Radiating thousands of light rays. {62}

“There they will place their hands together in homage And they will praise the Muni, the supreme human. And the Jina, the great physician, will teach The supreme Dharma to the fourfold assembly. {63}

“Hearing that, they will be overjoyed, And delighted, they will make offerings. They will quickly reach irreversible wisdom And attain the power of retention in their dreams. {64}

“The Lord of the World will know their thoughts And give them the prophecy of becoming a supreme being, Saying, ‘Noble one, here, in a future time You will reach the highest peace and wisdom. {65}

“ ‘Your realm will be extremely vast. Your fourfold assembly will be like mine. Its members will be reverential with hands together in homage, And they will listen to the immaculate Dharma.’ {66}

“They will also see my body while Meditating on the Dharma in the mountains. By meditating on the Dharma they will reach the true nature. They will attain samādhi and will see the Jina. {67}

“In their dreams they will see the body With the color of gold, possessing the signs of hundreds of merits, Will listen to the Dharma, and, having heard it, teach an assembly. Those are the kinds of dreams that they will dream. {68}

“In their dreams they will forsake a kingdom, And their harem, and likewise crowds of kinsmen; Forsaking all desires they will enter homelessness And they will go to where the Bodhimaṇḍa is. {69}

“Wishing to attain enlightenment, they will sit On a lion throne at the foot of a tree. And when seven days have passed in that way They will attain the wisdom of the tathāgatas. {70}

“Having attained enlightenment they will stand up And they will turn the immaculate wheel And teach the Dharma to the fourfold assembly For countless billions of eons. {71}

“Through teaching there the immaculate Dharma, Many millions of beings will attain nirvāṇa, The nirvāṇa that is the end of causes, like an extinguished lamp. They will dream those kinds of dreams. {72}

“Whoever in the future times teaches The supreme sūtra that I have taught well Will have many, endless benefits. Mañjughoṣa, it will always be like that for them.” {73}