“Śāriputra, the wisdom of the buddhas, which is profound, difficult to see, and difficult to understand, has been realized by the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas. It is difficult for all śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas to know. Why is that? Śāriputra, the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas have served many hundred thousand quintillions of buddhas; they have practiced for the highest, complete enlightenment with many hundred thousand quintillions of buddhas; they have followed them for a long time; they have been diligent; they have obtained marvelous, amazing Dharma; and they know the Dharma that is difficult to know.
“Śāriputra, it is difficult to know the true meaning of the teachings given by the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas. Why is that? They teach the Dharma that they have understood themselves though a diversity of skillful methods, visions of wisdom, illustrations of causes and reasons, supports, expressions, and modes of communication. Through these skills in methods, they liberate this and that being, here and there, from attachment. Śāriputra, the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas have reached the perfection of great skill in methods and the highest vision of wisdom.
“Śāriputra, the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas are endowed with the wonderful dharmas of the strength of the unimpeded, unobstructed vision of wisdom, as well as the fearlessnesses, the unique qualities, the powers, the strengths, the aspects of enlightenment, the dhyānas, the liberations, the samādhis, and the samāpattis, and they teach a variety of Dharma teachings.
“Śāriputra, the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas have obtained that which is a great marvel. Śāriputra, it is enough to say just that. Śāriputra, the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas have obtained that which is a supreme marvel.
“They know what those dharmas are, the way they are, their characteristics and their nature just as those dharmas are, the way those dharmas are, the characteristics those dharmas have, and the nature of those dharmas.”
“There have been countless great heroes In the world with its maruts and humans, But all those beings were unable to know Those guides in their entirety. {1}
“The wisdom of the jinas is beyond the scope Even of the śrāvakas following the knower of the world, Who have served him well and been praised by the Sugata, Whose defilements have ceased and who are in their last bodies. {8}
“If all of those worlds were filled With beings who were the same as Śāriputra And they all in unison contemplated it They would still not understand the wisdom of the sugatas. {9}
“Even if those who were as wise as you Were to fill all the ten directions, And if all ten directions were also filled in that same way By those who are my other śrāvakas, {10}
“And if they all today in unison Were to contemplate the Sugata’s wisdom, Even all of them together would still not know The extent of my limitless buddha wisdom. {11}
“If pratyekabuddhas who are without defilements, Have sharp faculties, and are in their last bodies Were to fill all the ten directions Like reeds or a stand of bamboo, {12}
“And if they were in unison to contemplate Just a fraction of my superior Dharma For endless quintillions of eons, They would still not understand its meaning. {13}
“If the ten directions were to be filled By bodhisattvas who have newly entered the yāna, Those who have served many millions of buddhas And many dharmabhāṇakas of the definitive meaning, {14}
“If they filled all worlds like stands of bamboo Uninterruptedly at all times, And if for countless millions of eons That are as innumerable as the Ganges sands {15}
“They were in unison to contemplate, With subtle wisdom thinking of nothing else, The Dharma that the Sugata has directly perceived, It would still be beyond the scope of their understanding. {16}
“If bodhisattvas who are irreversible— Not a few, but as numerous as the Ganges sands— Were to contemplate this without a thought of anything else, Even for them this would be beyond the scope of their knowledge. {17}
“The jinas in the worlds in the ten directions Who understand the profound and very subtle Dharma, Who are free of thinking and whose defilements have ceased, Have for a long time been teaching this highest meaning. {18}
“Those jinas, those great sages teach nothing else Than exactly this kind of knowledge that I have. Śāriputra, you should have complete aspiration For that which the tathāgatas are teaching. {19}
“I instruct all of these śrāvakas, Those who are pratyekabuddhas, And those I have brought to nirvāṇa, To liberate them from the continuity of suffering. {20}
“I teach many dharmas in the world So that here and there I bring liberation from attachment. I give the teaching of the three yānas, Which is my supreme skill in methods.” {21}
In that assembly two hundred thousand great śrāvakas such as Ājñātakauṇḍinya, who were arhats, whose defilements had ceased and who had attained power, and also bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, and upāsikās who followed the Śrāvakayāna, and also those who followed the Pratyekabuddhayāna, all thought, “What is the cause and what is the reason why the Bhagavān has praised the skill in methods of the tathāgatas, and said, ‘This profound Dharma is the attainment of buddhahood’ and ‘It is difficult for all śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas to understand it’? The Bhagavān has said there is but one liberation, and we have obtained the Buddha’s Dharma and we have attained nirvāṇa, and yet we do not know the meaning of what the Bhagavān has said.”
Brother Śāriputra, knowing that the fourfold retinue was uncertain and in doubt, at that time said these words to the Bhagavān: “Bhagavān, what is the cause and what is the reason why the Bhagavān has in this way repeatedly praised the teaching of the Dharma of being wise in skill in methods, and repeatedly said, ‘I have realized this profound Dharma’ and ‘It is difficult to know the intended meaning of the teaching’? I have never before heard this Dharma teaching from the Bhagavān. Also the fourfold retinue is uncertain and in doubt. What is the Tathāgata’s intended meaning? I request that the Bhagavān explain perfectly the profound Dharma of the tathāgatas, of which you have repeatedly spoken.”
“Without anyone asking you to speak of it You are praising your own conduct. You speak of your attainment of wisdom And you declare it to be profound. {24}
“Those who are intent on pratyekabuddhahood, And the bhikṣus and likewise bhikṣuṇīs, The devas, nāgas, and yakṣas, And the gandharvas and mahoragas, {26}
“Emit the sound of the supreme drum By relating the nature of this Dharma. The heart children of the Jina are present here, Gazing at the Jina with hands together in homage. {30}
“There are devas and nāgas together with yakṣas and rākṣasas In many billions, as numerous as the Ganges sands. There are eighty thousand present of those Who are intent upon supreme enlightenment. {31}
“There are great monarchs, cakravartin kings Who have come from billions of realms. They have respectfully placed their hands together. How can we make our practice perfect?” {32}
When Śāriputra had thus spoken, the Bhagavān asked him, “Śāriputra, why should I teach this? What would be the reason? Śāriputra, if I were to teach the meaning of this, it would alarm this world with its devas.”
Then Brother Śāriputra for a second time made his request to the Bhagavān, saying, “Bhagavān, I request that you teach this meaning. I request that the Sugata teach it. Why is that? Bhagavān, in this assembly there are many hundreds of beings, many thousands of beings, many hundred thousands of beings, many hundred thousand quintillions of beings, who have seen past buddhas and are endowed with wisdom, and they will have faith in the teaching of the Bhagavān, will have conviction in it, and will uphold it.”
“There are thousands of beings in this assembly Who have faith in, delight in, and venerate the Sugata, And they will understand the Dharma that you teach. Therefore, king and lord of humans, I request that you clearly teach.” {33}
Then the Bhagavān said a second time to Brother Śāriputra. “Śāriputra, if I were to teach the meaning of this it would alarm this world with its devas, and it would cause bhikṣus who have great pride to fall into a great abyss.”
“I have taught enough of this Dharma. This wisdom is subtle and cannot be analyzed. There are many present who are foolish and proud. They will not understand and will reject my teaching.” {34}
Then Brother Śāriputra made a third request to the Bhagavān, saying, “I request that the Bhagavān teach. I request that the Sugata teach. Bhagavān, in this assembly there are many hundreds who are like me. Bhagavān, there are many hundreds of such beings, many thousands of such beings, many hundred thousands of such beings, many hundred thousand quintillions of such beings, and there are others who were ripened by the Bhagavān in their previous existences. They will have faith in, have conviction in, and will uphold the Bhagavān’s teaching, and for a long time it will bring them benefit, welfare, and happiness.”
“Supreme human, teach the Dharma. I, your senior son, make this request to you. Here there are present billions of beings Who will have faith in the Dharma you teach. {35}
“These beings, who in their previous lives You constantly ripened over a very long time, Are all standing here with hands in homage. They will have faith in this Dharma. {36}
“There are twelve hundred here who are like me, Who are established in the highest enlightenment. Sugata, regard them and give your teaching So that they will experience the highest happiness.” {37}
Then the Bhagavān, knowing Brother Śāriputra had made this request for the third time, said these words to Brother Śāriputra: “Śāriputra, now that you have made this request to the Tathāgata three times, I have said what I had to say about your request. Therefore, Śāriputra, listen carefully and remember, for I will give you the teaching.”
As soon as the Bhagavān had consented, more than five thousand arrogant bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, and upāsikās within that assembly rose from their seats, bowed down their heads to the Bhagavān’s feet, and departed from the assembly. As a result of their arrogance they believed that they had obtained roots of merit when they had not obtained them, and believed they had realization when they did not have realization. They had become aware of their own error and departed from that assembly, the Bhagavān giving his permission to do so by remaining silent.
Then the Bhagavān said to Brother Śāriputra, “Śāriputra, my assembly has become free of its dregs. Śāriputra, it has become free of those who were worthless, while those for whom faith is essential remain. It is good that those who are arrogant have departed. Therefore, Śāriputra, I shall teach that meaning.”
“Śāriputra,” said the Bhagavān, “a tathāgata rarely teaches this kind of Dharma. Śāriputra, just as fig tree flowers rarely appear, a tathāgata rarely teaches this kind of Dharma. Śāriputra, believe me, I am speaking the truth. I am speaking correctly. I am not speaking otherwise.
“Śāriputra, the tathāgatas’ teaching that contains an inner meaning is difficult to understand. Why is that? Śāriputra, I teach the Dharma by using various definitions, expressions, and parables, using hundreds of thousands of different skillful methods.
“Śāriputra, that Dharma cannot be analyzed. It is beyond the scope of sophists; it is what is known by a tathāgata. Why is that? Śāriputra, a tathāgata, arhat, perfectly enlightened buddha comes into the world in order to perform one deed, one action: a great deed and a great action.
“Śāriputra, what is a tathāgata’s one deed and one action, his great deed and great action, for which a tathāgata, arhat, perfectly enlightened buddha comes into the world? A tathāgata, arhat, perfectly enlightened buddha comes into this world for the sake of causing beings to acquire the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom. A tathāgata, arhat, perfectly enlightened buddha comes into this world in order to reveal to beings the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom. A tathāgata, arhat, perfectly enlightened buddha comes into this world in order that beings will enter the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom. A tathāgata, arhat, perfectly enlightened buddha comes into this world in order that beings will realize the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom. A tathāgata, arhat, perfectly enlightened buddha comes into this world in order that beings will enter the path to the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom.
“Śāriputra, a tathāgata appears in this world for that one deed and one action, for that one great deed and one great action, and with that one intention.
“Śāriputra, in that way a tathāgata accomplishes that one deed and one action, that one great deed and great action of the tathāgatas. Why is that? Śāriputra, I cause the acquisition of the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom. I reveal the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom. Śāriputra, I cause entry into the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom. Śāriputra, I cause the realization of the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom. Śāriputra, I cause entry into the path to the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom.
“Śāriputra, I also I teach the Dharma to beings through a single yāna, which is the Buddhayāna, ultimate omniscience. There are no second or third yānas.
“Śāriputra, this is the true nature everywhere in all worlds in the ten directions. Why is that? Śāriputra, the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas who in the past have appeared in countless, innumerable worlds in the ten directions have known the thoughts that are the various aspirations, natures, and intentions of beings. For the sake of many beings, for the benefit of many beings, for the happiness of many beings, and with compassion for the world, for the sake of a great number of beings, and for the benefit and happiness of devas and humans, they taught the Dharma by using a variety of teachings on accomplishment, and various teachings on causes, reasons, parables, supports, and skillful methods.
“Śāriputra, all those tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas taught the Dharma to beings through a single yāna, which is the Buddhayāna, ultimate omniscience. It is the teaching of the Dharma that causes the acquisition of the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom, reveals the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom, causes entry into the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom, causes the realization of the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom, and causes entry into the path to the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom.
“Śāriputra, all the beings who heard that Dharma from those tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas in the past attained the highest, supreme enlightenment.
“Śāriputra, the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas who in the future will appear in countless, innumerable worlds in the ten directions will also know the thoughts that are the various aspirations, natures, and intentions of beings. For the sake of many beings, for the benefit of many beings, for the happiness of many beings, and with compassion for the world, for the sake of a great number of beings, and for the benefit and happiness of devas and humans, they will teach the Dharma by using a variety of teachings on accomplishment, and various teachings on causes, reasons, parables, supports, and skillful methods.
“Śāriputra, all those tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas will teach the Dharma to beings through a single yāna, which is the Buddhayāna, ultimate omniscience. It is the teaching of the Dharma that causes the acquisition of the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom, reveals the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom, causes entry into the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom, causes the realization of the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom, and causes entry into the path to the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom.
“Śāriputra, all the beings who hear that Dharma from those tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas in the future will attain the highest, supreme enlightenment.
“Śāriputra, the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas who in the present have appeared in countless, innumerable worlds in the ten directions also know the thoughts that are the various aspirations, natures, and intentions of beings. For the sake of many beings, for the benefit of many beings, for the happiness of many beings, and with compassion for the world, for the sake of a great number of beings, and for the benefit and happiness of devas and humans, they teach the Dharma by using a variety of teachings on accomplishment, and various teachings on causes, reasons, parables, supports, and skillful methods.
“Śāriputra, all those tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas teach the Dharma to beings through a single yāna, which is the Buddhayāna, ultimate omniscience. It is the teaching of the Dharma that causes the acquisition of the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom, reveals the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom, causes entry into the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom, causes the realization of the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom, and causes entry into the path to the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom.
“Śāriputra, all the beings who hear that Dharma from those tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas will attain the highest, supreme enlightenment.
“Śāriputra, in that same way, I am a tathāgata, arhat, perfectly enlightened buddha who knows the thoughts that are the various aspirations, natures, and intentions of beings. For the sake of many beings, for the benefit of many beings, for the happiness of many beings, and with compassion for the world, for the sake of a great number of beings, and for the benefit and happiness of devas and humans, I teach the Dharma by using a variety of teachings on accomplishment, and various teachings on causes, reasons, parables, supports, and skillful methods.
“Śāriputra, I also teach the Dharma to beings through a single yāna, which is the Buddhayāna, ultimate omniscience. It is the teaching of the Dharma that causes the acquisition of the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom, reveals the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom, causes entry into the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom, causes the realization of the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom, and causes entry into the path to the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom.
“However, when tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas appear during the degeneration of an eon, or when there is the degeneration of beings, degeneration through the kleśas, degeneration of view, or degeneration of lifespan, then, Śāriputra, when there is that turmoil of the degeneration of the era, many defilements, and beings have craving and few roots of merit, then, Śāriputra, the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas with skill in methods teach that single Buddhayāna as a teaching of three yānas.
“Śāriputra, those śrāvakas, arhats, and pratyekabuddhas who do not listen to, do not engage in, and do not comprehend the activity of the tathāgatas that causes the acquisition of the Buddhayāna, you should know that they, Śāriputra, are not śrāvakas of the Buddha, and you should know that they are not his arhats or pratyekabuddhas.
“Also, Śāriputra, those bhikṣus or bhikṣuṇīs who vow to become arhats do not possess the aspiration to the highest, complete enlightenment. They say, ‘I have cut myself off from the Buddhayāna; this is my last existence, my nirvāṇa.’
“Śāriputra, know them to be arrogant. Why is that? Śāriputra, it is impossible that a bhikṣu arhat, whose defilements have ceased, who hears this Dharma in the presence of the Tathāgata, will be unable to have faith in it, unless it is after the Tathāgata’s nirvāṇa. Why is that? Śāriputra, at the time, after the Tathāgata’s nirvāṇa, these śrāvakas will not preserve or teach this kind of sūtra.
“Śāriputra, they will have no doubt concerning this Dharma teaching from other tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas. Śāriputra, have faith in me, trust in me, and have confidence in me.
“They do not have the good karma For listening to this Dharma. Knowing them to be the very dregs of this assembly I, the Lord of the World, gave them leave. {40}
“Listen to me, Śārisuta! The supreme beings, The guides, the buddhas have taught The perfect Dharma of the buddhas With many hundreds of skillful methods. {42}
“In that way I know the thoughts and the conduct And the many aspirations of millions of beings, And I know their various kinds of karma, And the good actions they have previously accomplished, {43}
“And I shall make those beings understand Through various definitions and reasons, And through hundreds of causes and parables, And in those ways I will please beings. {44}
“I teach through prose and likewise verse, Histories, my previous lifetimes, accounts of miracles, Prologues, hundreds of different analogies, Prose put into verse, and similarly elucidations. {45}
“I give the teaching of nirvāṇa to those Who lack wisdom, who are attracted to inferior paths, Who do not practice the way of the many millions of buddhas, Who are clinging to saṃsāra and suffer deeply. {46}
“A self-arisen one performs this method So that the wisdom of buddhahood may be realized. But I have never said to them, ‘You will become buddhas in this world.’ {47}
“Why is that? The Protector waits for an appropriate time, And when he sees that time has come he teaches it. That appropriate time has somehow arrived today And that is why I shall teach the definitive truth. {48}
“My teaching has nine aspects, Which are taught according to the strengths of beings. I teach with this method so that they will approach The supreme gift that is wisdom. {49}
“I give the teaching of the extensive sūtras To those bodhisattvas who are always pure, Who are wise, unsullied, and gentle, Who have served many millions of buddhas. {50}
“As their aspirations are fulfilled And they have purity of conduct, I say that they will be in a future time Beneficial and compassionate buddhas. {51}
“Hearing so, they all are filled with joy, Thinking, ‘We will become buddhas, supreme among beings.’ And also, knowing their attitude, I give them the teaching of the extensive sūtras. {52}
“Those śrāvakas of the Guide who in this way Have heard this teaching of mine, They who have heard or retained even one verse, Will all, without doubt, attain enlightenment. {53}
“Apart from the skillful methods of supreme beings Who give the teaching of separate yānas, There is only one yāna; there is no second, And there is never in the world a third. {54}
“A lord of the world appears in the world In order to teach the wisdom of buddhahood. That is his one activity, there is no second: The buddhas do not guide beings with a lesser yāna. {55}
“A self-arisen one establishes beings In that in which he is himself established: In that very same buddhahood, In the strengths, dhyānas, liberations, and powers. {56}
“If having attained preeminent, stainless enlightenment I were then to establish even one being In a lesser yāna, that would not be good: I would have the fault of stinginess. {57}
“I do not have the slightest stinginess; I have no envy and no desire. I have eliminated every bad quality. I am a buddha and I understand beings. {58}
“Just as the signs I am adorned by Illuminate all these worlds, I give the teaching of this seal of the Dharma’s nature To the many hundreds of beings who are before me. {59}
“This is what I think of, Śāriputra: ‘How may all beings become Possessed of a body with the thirty-two signs And be self-luminous, self-arising knowers of the world?’ {60}
“Just as I saw and just as I thought, And just as I resolved in the past, My aspirations have been fulfilled And I teach enlightenment and buddhahood. {61}
“If, Śārisuta, I were to say to beings, ‘Develop the desire for buddhahood,’ All who are ignorant would be bewildered And they would not follow my good advice. {62}
“I have the knowledge of their nature; They have not practiced the way in previous lifetimes. They have attachment and cling to sensory pleasures. They are stupefied by craving and bewildered by ignorance. {63}
“Desire causes them to fall into the lower existences. They are tormented within the six existences. They increase the charnel grounds over and over. They have little merit and are tortured by suffering. {64}
“They constantly cling to the darkness of wrong views: That things exist, do not exist, and similarly both exist and do not exist. They rely upon the sixty-two fabricated views. They remain fixated upon things that have no reality. {65}
“They are treacherous, conceited, and incorrigible. They are crooked, deceitful, fools with little learning. Throughout billions of their lifetimes They never hear these words from a buddha. {66}
“Śārisuta, I teach to them the method That will bring an end to their suffering. On seeing beings tortured by suffering I then give to them the teaching of nirvāṇa. {67}
“Thus I give all these Dharma teachings Of eternal nirvāṇa and primordial peace, While a bodhisattva who has perfected his practice Will in a future time become a jina. {68}
“Similarly, the three yānas that I teach Are a skillful method of mine. There is but one yāna, but one way— There is but this one teaching of the guides. {69}
“Those of you here who have doubt about this Should dispel your doubt and your uncertainty. The guides of the world do not teach anything else. There is but this one yāna; there is no second. {70}
“The tathāgatas who have appeared in the past, The many thousands of buddhas who have entered nirvāṇa In the countless eons of the past Could never be enumerated. {71}
“The tathāgatas, in a world with its devas, Knowing the aspirations and thoughts of beings, Are teaching this supreme Dharma With other various methods of the jinas. {74}
“Those beings who in their presence Are listening to the Dharma or have listened to it, Who have practiced generosity, maintained good conduct, Who have accomplished all practices with patience, {75}
“Who have served with diligence and meditation, Who have contemplated with wisdom these Dharma teachings, And have created various kinds of merit: They will all of them attain enlightenment. {76}
“Those beings who have followed the teaching Of the jinas who have passed into nirvāṇa, And who are patient, peaceful, and self-controlled: They will all of them attain enlightenment. {77}
“Those who make offerings to the relics Of the jinas who have passed into nirvāṇa, And have built countless thousands of stūpas That are made of jewels, gold, and silver, {78}
“And of crystals, and of emeralds, That are made from pearls and chrysoberyls, Of the best beryls and likewise sapphires: They will all of them attain enlightenment. {79}
“Also those who make stūpas out of stone, Those who make them from sandalwood and agarwood, Those who make stūpas out of deodar cedar, Those who make them from a combination of woods, {80}
“And those who with delight make stūpas of jinas From bricks or build them from clay, And those who for that purpose create them In remote forests from piles of earth, {81}
“Similarly those who have others work In order to create the precious images Of statues that possess the thirty-two signs: They will all of them attain enlightenment. {83}
“Those who make them from the seven precious materials, Those who make them from copper and bronze, Those who have made statues of the sugatas: They will all of them attain enlightenment. {84}
“Those who have representations of the sugatas made From lead, from iron, or from clay, Or beautifully painted on cloth: They will all of them attain enlightenment. {85}
“Those who paint their representations in murals, Their entire bodies with a hundred signs of merit, Whether they paint them themselves or have others do so: They will all of them attain enlightenment. {86}
“Also those, whether adults or children, Who in learning, or for their own amusement Or to entertain others, draw those images On a wall with a fingernail or with a stick: {87}
“They will all of them attain enlightenment, All of them will become compassionate, All of them will liberate millions of beings, And they will make many become bodhisattvas. {88}
“Those who make offerings of flowers and incense To the relics of the tathāgatas, To stūpas and images made of clay, And to murals and stūpas made of earth; {89}
“Those who cause music to be played for them With the pleasant sounds of ḍamarus, conches, and bherī drums; Those who play well upon drums As an offering to the perfectly enlightened ones; {90}
“Those who do so with melodious lutes, cymbals, and gongs, Mṛdaṅga drums, single-stringed lutes, and flutes, Which bring delight, and are pleasant to hear: They will all of them attain enlightenment. {91}
“Those who, in order to make offerings to the sugatas, Make music with strings of little bells, With bowls of water, by clapping their hands, And with sweet, lovely well-sung songs— {92}
“Those who perform many kinds of offerings to the relics— They will all become buddhas in the world. Even those who make a little offering to the relics of a sugata, Who play music on just one instrument, {93}
“Or make an offering with just one flower, Or make an offering with a distracted mind To the image of a sugata in a mural, They will eventually see millions of buddhas. {94}
“Those who make the gesture of homage to a stūpa, Either completely or even with just one hand; Or bow their head for just an instant, Or similarly bow their body just one time; {95}
“Or say ‘Homage to the Buddha’ just one time To those containers of the relics— Even those who do so once with a distracted mind— They will all of them attain enlightenment. {96}
“Those beings who, at a time when the sugatas Have passed into nirvāṇa or are present, Have heard this Dharma teaching’s name: They will all of them attain enlightenment. {97}
“The many millions of buddhas in the future, Who are innumerable, beyond reckoning, Those jinas, supreme lords of the world, They will also teach these methods. {98}
“There will never be even one being Who has heard this Dharma teaching that will not become a buddha. The prayer of the tathāgatas is: ‘Having followed the path, may I make others follow it for enlightenment.’ {100}
“They will teach in the future times Many thousand millions of entrances to the Dharma. In buddhahood, they will teach the Dharma Through teaching this single yāna. {101}
“This way of the Dharma is always constant; The nature of the Dharma is always illuminating. The buddhas, the supreme humans, will know it And will expound this single yāna of mine. {102}
“The constancy of the Dharma, the eternality of the Dharma Is always constant, unfluctuating in this world. The buddhas in the center of the earth Will expound buddhahood and skillfulness in methods. {103}
“The buddhas, as numerous as the Ganges sands, Present in the ten directions, to whom humans and devas make offerings, Also teach this supreme yāna For the sake of the happiness of all beings. {104}
“The buddhas expound skillfulness in methods, And they teach different kinds of yānas. They also elucidate the single yāna, This supreme level of peace. {105}
“They teach through knowing the conduct of all beings And similarly their thoughts and past practice, Knowing their strengths and their diligence, And through knowing their aspirations. {106}
“The guides, through the power of wisdom, Teach many causes, parables, and supports. Knowing the various aspirations of beings They teach various kinds of practices. {107}
“At this time, I, the guide who is a Lord of Jinas, Have also appeared so that beings may attain happiness. I teach this enlightenment of buddhahood Through billions of various kinds of practices. {108}
“Knowing the thoughts and aspirations of beings I teach the Dharma in many different forms. I gladden them through various methods: That is the power of my own wisdom. {109}
“I also see that destitute beings Are without wisdom and merit. They are sunk in saṃsāra, enveloped in misery, And immersed in a continuum of suffering. {110}
“Bound to craving, the fools are like yaks; They are continually blinded by desire. They do not seek buddhahood that has great power; They do not search for the Dharma that ends suffering. {111}
“Their minds are impeded in the six existences, They adhere unshakably to incorrect views, They experience suffering after suffering. I have powerful compassion for them. {112}
“I stared, without blinking, at the lord of trees While walking to and fro beneath it. ‘This wisdom is preeminent and marvelous. These beings are unwise and blinded by ignorance.’ {114}
“They all stood respectfully with palms together. I contemplated my goal and how to accomplish it: ‘If I speak the praises of enlightenment To these beings who are oppressed by suffering, {116}
“ ‘Those with foolish minds will reject my Dharma, And having rejected it, they will go to the lower realms. It is best that I never say anything. May I enter nirvāṇa, peace, on this very day.’ {117}
“I remembered the buddhas of the past And the skill in methods that they had: ‘I too therefore shall teach this enlightenment Of buddhahood divided into three categories.’ {118}
“I contemplated that meaning in this way, And the other buddhas in the ten directions Revealed their own bodies to me And with their voices they declared, ‘Excellent! {119}
“ ‘Excellent, Muni, supreme Guide of the World, Who, having attained the supreme wisdom, Is contemplating skill in methods, Following the way of the guides of worlds. {120}
“ ‘We also, having realized the highest state, Are teaching through a division into three. Humans with inferior aspiration and lacking knowledge Will not believe us if we say, “You shall become buddhas.” {121}
“ ‘Therefore we are employing skill in methods Through a compilation of causes. We are inspiring many bodhisattvas By declaring what is the desired result.’ {122}
“I was filled with joy on having heard The pleasant voices of the leaders of beings, And filled with joy I said to those protectors, ‘Supreme great rishis, you speak meaningfully. {123}
“ ‘I too will act in the way that the wise ones, The guides of the world, have described.’ I have also been born during this dreadful chaos, In the midst of the degeneracy of beings. {124}
“And so, Śārisuta, knowing this, At that time I walked to Vārāṇasī. There, applying a method, I taught the five bhikṣus The Dharma that is the state of pacification. {125}
“Then my wheel of the Dharma was turned, And the word nirvāṇa appeared in the world. The word arhat and likewise the word Dharma And the word saṅgha also appeared at that time. {126}
“Śāriputra, there came a time When I saw infinite thousands of quintillions Of offspring of the highest of humans Who had set out for the supreme, highest enlightenment. {128}
“They who had arrived before me Stood respectfully with palms together. They had heard the Dharma from the jinas And were skilled in many kinds of methods. {129}
“Then in that instant I had this thought: ‘The time has come for me to teach the highest Dharma. It is for that purpose that I was born into this world And I shall teach here the highest enlightenment. {130}
“ ‘Those with foolish understanding, who conceptualize characteristics, Who have become arrogant and who are lacking in wisdom Will on this day not have faith in it. But these bodhisattvas will listen to me.’ {131}
“At that time, fearlessly and joyfully, Having abandoned every hesitation, I spoke in the middle of the offspring of the sugatas And inspired them toward enlightenment. {132}
“Having seen children of the buddhas such as these, You too should be one who has banished doubt. These twelve hundred who have no defilements Will all become buddhas in this world. {133}
“Just like the nature of the past protectors And like that of the jinas in the future, I too have eliminated conceptualization And will teach you in that way today. {134}
“Sometimes, somewhere, somehow, A leader of beings appears in a world. When someone with infinite vision appears in a world Then sometimes this kind of Dharma may be taught. {135}
“Even in a million trillion eons it will be Very difficult to find a supreme Dharma such as this. It will be very difficult to find beings such as these Who listen to the supreme Dharma and believe in it. {136}
“They are as difficult to find as a fig tree flower That is sometimes, somehow, somewhere seen. It may be a beautiful sight for beings And a marvel for the world and its devas. {137}
“Therefore, I will teach the greatest marvel, And whoever hears this well-taught Dharma, Rejoices, and recites just one word of it Will have made an offering to all the buddhas. {138}
“Banish all doubt and uncertainty concerning this. I, the King of the Dharma, shall proclaim it. I shall guide toward the highest enlightenment; Here, I have no śrāvakas whatsoever. {139}
“Śāriputra, you must keep this great secret. And also all those who are my śrāvakas, And these who are eminent bodhisattvas, They must maintain this great secret of mine. {140}
“Why is that? In the time of five degenerations There are beings who are cruel and evil. They are blinded by desires and have foolish judgment And they will never develop the aspiration to enlightenment. {141}
“In future times, beings will be confused, And having heard this single yāna of mine That has been taught by the Jina, They will reject the discourse and go to hell. {142}
“To those beings who will be modest and pure And are intent upon the supreme, highest enlightenment, To them I will relate without any fear Endless praises of the single yāna. {143}
“In this way, in the teaching of the guides, This skill in methods, which is most excellent, Has been taught many times in words with an implied meaning That those who are untrained could not understand. {144}
“Therefore, understanding the implied meaning taught By the buddhas, the teachers of the world, the protectors, Rejecting doubts and abandoning uncertainty, You will become buddhas, so be joyous!” {145}
“Śāriputra, the wisdom of the buddhas, which is profound, difficult to see, and difficult to understand, has been realized by the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas. It is difficult for all śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas to know. Why is that? Śāriputra, the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas have served many hundred thousand quintillions of buddhas; they have practiced for the highest, complete enlightenment with many hundred thousand quintillions of buddhas; they have followed them for a long time; they have been diligent; they have obtained marvelous, amazing Dharma; and they know the Dharma that is difficult to know.
“Śāriputra, it is difficult to know the true meaning of the teachings given by the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas. Why is that? They teach the Dharma that they have understood themselves though a diversity of skillful methods, visions of wisdom, illustrations of causes and reasons, supports, expressions, and modes of communication. Through these skills in methods, they liberate this and that being, here and there, from attachment. Śāriputra, the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas have reached the perfection of great skill in methods and the highest vision of wisdom.
“Śāriputra, the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas are endowed with the wonderful dharmas of the strength of the unimpeded, unobstructed vision of wisdom, as well as the fearlessnesses, the unique qualities, the powers, the strengths, the aspects of enlightenment, the dhyānas, the liberations, the samādhis, and the samāpattis, and they teach a variety of Dharma teachings.
“Śāriputra, the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas have obtained that which is a great marvel. Śāriputra, it is enough to say just that. Śāriputra, the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas have obtained that which is a supreme marvel.
“They know what those dharmas are, the way they are, their characteristics and their nature just as those dharmas are, the way those dharmas are, the characteristics those dharmas have, and the nature of those dharmas.”
“There have been countless great heroes In the world with its maruts and humans, But all those beings were unable to know Those guides in their entirety. {1}
“The wisdom of the jinas is beyond the scope Even of the śrāvakas following the knower of the world, Who have served him well and been praised by the Sugata, Whose defilements have ceased and who are in their last bodies. {8}
“If all of those worlds were filled With beings who were the same as Śāriputra And they all in unison contemplated it They would still not understand the wisdom of the sugatas. {9}
“Even if those who were as wise as you Were to fill all the ten directions, And if all ten directions were also filled in that same way By those who are my other śrāvakas, {10}
“And if they all today in unison Were to contemplate the Sugata’s wisdom, Even all of them together would still not know The extent of my limitless buddha wisdom. {11}
“If pratyekabuddhas who are without defilements, Have sharp faculties, and are in their last bodies Were to fill all the ten directions Like reeds or a stand of bamboo, {12}
“And if they were in unison to contemplate Just a fraction of my superior Dharma For endless quintillions of eons, They would still not understand its meaning. {13}
“If the ten directions were to be filled By bodhisattvas who have newly entered the yāna, Those who have served many millions of buddhas And many dharmabhāṇakas of the definitive meaning, {14}
“If they filled all worlds like stands of bamboo Uninterruptedly at all times, And if for countless millions of eons That are as innumerable as the Ganges sands {15}
“They were in unison to contemplate, With subtle wisdom thinking of nothing else, The Dharma that the Sugata has directly perceived, It would still be beyond the scope of their understanding. {16}
“If bodhisattvas who are irreversible— Not a few, but as numerous as the Ganges sands— Were to contemplate this without a thought of anything else, Even for them this would be beyond the scope of their knowledge. {17}
“The jinas in the worlds in the ten directions Who understand the profound and very subtle Dharma, Who are free of thinking and whose defilements have ceased, Have for a long time been teaching this highest meaning. {18}
“Those jinas, those great sages teach nothing else Than exactly this kind of knowledge that I have. Śāriputra, you should have complete aspiration For that which the tathāgatas are teaching. {19}
“I instruct all of these śrāvakas, Those who are pratyekabuddhas, And those I have brought to nirvāṇa, To liberate them from the continuity of suffering. {20}
“I teach many dharmas in the world So that here and there I bring liberation from attachment. I give the teaching of the three yānas, Which is my supreme skill in methods.” {21}
In that assembly two hundred thousand great śrāvakas such as Ājñātakauṇḍinya, who were arhats, whose defilements had ceased and who had attained power, and also bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, and upāsikās who followed the Śrāvakayāna, and also those who followed the Pratyekabuddhayāna, all thought, “What is the cause and what is the reason why the Bhagavān has praised the skill in methods of the tathāgatas, and said, ‘This profound Dharma is the attainment of buddhahood’ and ‘It is difficult for all śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas to understand it’? The Bhagavān has said there is but one liberation, and we have obtained the Buddha’s Dharma and we have attained nirvāṇa, and yet we do not know the meaning of what the Bhagavān has said.”
Brother Śāriputra, knowing that the fourfold retinue was uncertain and in doubt, at that time said these words to the Bhagavān: “Bhagavān, what is the cause and what is the reason why the Bhagavān has in this way repeatedly praised the teaching of the Dharma of being wise in skill in methods, and repeatedly said, ‘I have realized this profound Dharma’ and ‘It is difficult to know the intended meaning of the teaching’? I have never before heard this Dharma teaching from the Bhagavān. Also the fourfold retinue is uncertain and in doubt. What is the Tathāgata’s intended meaning? I request that the Bhagavān explain perfectly the profound Dharma of the tathāgatas, of which you have repeatedly spoken.”
“Without anyone asking you to speak of it You are praising your own conduct. You speak of your attainment of wisdom And you declare it to be profound. {24}
“Those who are intent on pratyekabuddhahood, And the bhikṣus and likewise bhikṣuṇīs, The devas, nāgas, and yakṣas, And the gandharvas and mahoragas, {26}
“Emit the sound of the supreme drum By relating the nature of this Dharma. The heart children of the Jina are present here, Gazing at the Jina with hands together in homage. {30}
“There are devas and nāgas together with yakṣas and rākṣasas In many billions, as numerous as the Ganges sands. There are eighty thousand present of those Who are intent upon supreme enlightenment. {31}
“There are great monarchs, cakravartin kings Who have come from billions of realms. They have respectfully placed their hands together. How can we make our practice perfect?” {32}
When Śāriputra had thus spoken, the Bhagavān asked him, “Śāriputra, why should I teach this? What would be the reason? Śāriputra, if I were to teach the meaning of this, it would alarm this world with its devas.”
Then Brother Śāriputra for a second time made his request to the Bhagavān, saying, “Bhagavān, I request that you teach this meaning. I request that the Sugata teach it. Why is that? Bhagavān, in this assembly there are many hundreds of beings, many thousands of beings, many hundred thousands of beings, many hundred thousand quintillions of beings, who have seen past buddhas and are endowed with wisdom, and they will have faith in the teaching of the Bhagavān, will have conviction in it, and will uphold it.”
“There are thousands of beings in this assembly Who have faith in, delight in, and venerate the Sugata, And they will understand the Dharma that you teach. Therefore, king and lord of humans, I request that you clearly teach.” {33}
Then the Bhagavān said a second time to Brother Śāriputra. “Śāriputra, if I were to teach the meaning of this it would alarm this world with its devas, and it would cause bhikṣus who have great pride to fall into a great abyss.”
“I have taught enough of this Dharma. This wisdom is subtle and cannot be analyzed. There are many present who are foolish and proud. They will not understand and will reject my teaching.” {34}
Then Brother Śāriputra made a third request to the Bhagavān, saying, “I request that the Bhagavān teach. I request that the Sugata teach. Bhagavān, in this assembly there are many hundreds who are like me. Bhagavān, there are many hundreds of such beings, many thousands of such beings, many hundred thousands of such beings, many hundred thousand quintillions of such beings, and there are others who were ripened by the Bhagavān in their previous existences. They will have faith in, have conviction in, and will uphold the Bhagavān’s teaching, and for a long time it will bring them benefit, welfare, and happiness.”
“Supreme human, teach the Dharma. I, your senior son, make this request to you. Here there are present billions of beings Who will have faith in the Dharma you teach. {35}
“These beings, who in their previous lives You constantly ripened over a very long time, Are all standing here with hands in homage. They will have faith in this Dharma. {36}
“There are twelve hundred here who are like me, Who are established in the highest enlightenment. Sugata, regard them and give your teaching So that they will experience the highest happiness.” {37}
Then the Bhagavān, knowing Brother Śāriputra had made this request for the third time, said these words to Brother Śāriputra: “Śāriputra, now that you have made this request to the Tathāgata three times, I have said what I had to say about your request. Therefore, Śāriputra, listen carefully and remember, for I will give you the teaching.”
As soon as the Bhagavān had consented, more than five thousand arrogant bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, and upāsikās within that assembly rose from their seats, bowed down their heads to the Bhagavān’s feet, and departed from the assembly. As a result of their arrogance they believed that they had obtained roots of merit when they had not obtained them, and believed they had realization when they did not have realization. They had become aware of their own error and departed from that assembly, the Bhagavān giving his permission to do so by remaining silent.
Then the Bhagavān said to Brother Śāriputra, “Śāriputra, my assembly has become free of its dregs. Śāriputra, it has become free of those who were worthless, while those for whom faith is essential remain. It is good that those who are arrogant have departed. Therefore, Śāriputra, I shall teach that meaning.”
“Śāriputra,” said the Bhagavān, “a tathāgata rarely teaches this kind of Dharma. Śāriputra, just as fig tree flowers rarely appear, a tathāgata rarely teaches this kind of Dharma. Śāriputra, believe me, I am speaking the truth. I am speaking correctly. I am not speaking otherwise.
“Śāriputra, the tathāgatas’ teaching that contains an inner meaning is difficult to understand. Why is that? Śāriputra, I teach the Dharma by using various definitions, expressions, and parables, using hundreds of thousands of different skillful methods.
“Śāriputra, that Dharma cannot be analyzed. It is beyond the scope of sophists; it is what is known by a tathāgata. Why is that? Śāriputra, a tathāgata, arhat, perfectly enlightened buddha comes into the world in order to perform one deed, one action: a great deed and a great action.
“Śāriputra, what is a tathāgata’s one deed and one action, his great deed and great action, for which a tathāgata, arhat, perfectly enlightened buddha comes into the world? A tathāgata, arhat, perfectly enlightened buddha comes into this world for the sake of causing beings to acquire the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom. A tathāgata, arhat, perfectly enlightened buddha comes into this world in order to reveal to beings the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom. A tathāgata, arhat, perfectly enlightened buddha comes into this world in order that beings will enter the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom. A tathāgata, arhat, perfectly enlightened buddha comes into this world in order that beings will realize the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom. A tathāgata, arhat, perfectly enlightened buddha comes into this world in order that beings will enter the path to the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom.
“Śāriputra, a tathāgata appears in this world for that one deed and one action, for that one great deed and one great action, and with that one intention.
“Śāriputra, in that way a tathāgata accomplishes that one deed and one action, that one great deed and great action of the tathāgatas. Why is that? Śāriputra, I cause the acquisition of the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom. I reveal the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom. Śāriputra, I cause entry into the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom. Śāriputra, I cause the realization of the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom. Śāriputra, I cause entry into the path to the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom.
“Śāriputra, I also I teach the Dharma to beings through a single yāna, which is the Buddhayāna, ultimate omniscience. There are no second or third yānas.
“Śāriputra, this is the true nature everywhere in all worlds in the ten directions. Why is that? Śāriputra, the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas who in the past have appeared in countless, innumerable worlds in the ten directions have known the thoughts that are the various aspirations, natures, and intentions of beings. For the sake of many beings, for the benefit of many beings, for the happiness of many beings, and with compassion for the world, for the sake of a great number of beings, and for the benefit and happiness of devas and humans, they taught the Dharma by using a variety of teachings on accomplishment, and various teachings on causes, reasons, parables, supports, and skillful methods.
“Śāriputra, all those tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas taught the Dharma to beings through a single yāna, which is the Buddhayāna, ultimate omniscience. It is the teaching of the Dharma that causes the acquisition of the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom, reveals the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom, causes entry into the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom, causes the realization of the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom, and causes entry into the path to the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom.
“Śāriputra, all the beings who heard that Dharma from those tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas in the past attained the highest, supreme enlightenment.
“Śāriputra, the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas who in the future will appear in countless, innumerable worlds in the ten directions will also know the thoughts that are the various aspirations, natures, and intentions of beings. For the sake of many beings, for the benefit of many beings, for the happiness of many beings, and with compassion for the world, for the sake of a great number of beings, and for the benefit and happiness of devas and humans, they will teach the Dharma by using a variety of teachings on accomplishment, and various teachings on causes, reasons, parables, supports, and skillful methods.
“Śāriputra, all those tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas will teach the Dharma to beings through a single yāna, which is the Buddhayāna, ultimate omniscience. It is the teaching of the Dharma that causes the acquisition of the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom, reveals the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom, causes entry into the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom, causes the realization of the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom, and causes entry into the path to the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom.
“Śāriputra, all the beings who hear that Dharma from those tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas in the future will attain the highest, supreme enlightenment.
“Śāriputra, the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas who in the present have appeared in countless, innumerable worlds in the ten directions also know the thoughts that are the various aspirations, natures, and intentions of beings. For the sake of many beings, for the benefit of many beings, for the happiness of many beings, and with compassion for the world, for the sake of a great number of beings, and for the benefit and happiness of devas and humans, they teach the Dharma by using a variety of teachings on accomplishment, and various teachings on causes, reasons, parables, supports, and skillful methods.
“Śāriputra, all those tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas teach the Dharma to beings through a single yāna, which is the Buddhayāna, ultimate omniscience. It is the teaching of the Dharma that causes the acquisition of the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom, reveals the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom, causes entry into the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom, causes the realization of the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom, and causes entry into the path to the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom.
“Śāriputra, all the beings who hear that Dharma from those tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas will attain the highest, supreme enlightenment.
“Śāriputra, in that same way, I am a tathāgata, arhat, perfectly enlightened buddha who knows the thoughts that are the various aspirations, natures, and intentions of beings. For the sake of many beings, for the benefit of many beings, for the happiness of many beings, and with compassion for the world, for the sake of a great number of beings, and for the benefit and happiness of devas and humans, I teach the Dharma by using a variety of teachings on accomplishment, and various teachings on causes, reasons, parables, supports, and skillful methods.
“Śāriputra, I also teach the Dharma to beings through a single yāna, which is the Buddhayāna, ultimate omniscience. It is the teaching of the Dharma that causes the acquisition of the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom, reveals the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom, causes entry into the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom, causes the realization of the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom, and causes entry into the path to the vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom.
“However, when tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas appear during the degeneration of an eon, or when there is the degeneration of beings, degeneration through the kleśas, degeneration of view, or degeneration of lifespan, then, Śāriputra, when there is that turmoil of the degeneration of the era, many defilements, and beings have craving and few roots of merit, then, Śāriputra, the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas with skill in methods teach that single Buddhayāna as a teaching of three yānas.
“Śāriputra, those śrāvakas, arhats, and pratyekabuddhas who do not listen to, do not engage in, and do not comprehend the activity of the tathāgatas that causes the acquisition of the Buddhayāna, you should know that they, Śāriputra, are not śrāvakas of the Buddha, and you should know that they are not his arhats or pratyekabuddhas.
“Also, Śāriputra, those bhikṣus or bhikṣuṇīs who vow to become arhats do not possess the aspiration to the highest, complete enlightenment. They say, ‘I have cut myself off from the Buddhayāna; this is my last existence, my nirvāṇa.’
“Śāriputra, know them to be arrogant. Why is that? Śāriputra, it is impossible that a bhikṣu arhat, whose defilements have ceased, who hears this Dharma in the presence of the Tathāgata, will be unable to have faith in it, unless it is after the Tathāgata’s nirvāṇa. Why is that? Śāriputra, at the time, after the Tathāgata’s nirvāṇa, these śrāvakas will not preserve or teach this kind of sūtra.
“Śāriputra, they will have no doubt concerning this Dharma teaching from other tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas. Śāriputra, have faith in me, trust in me, and have confidence in me.
“They do not have the good karma For listening to this Dharma. Knowing them to be the very dregs of this assembly I, the Lord of the World, gave them leave. {40}
“Listen to me, Śārisuta! The supreme beings, The guides, the buddhas have taught The perfect Dharma of the buddhas With many hundreds of skillful methods. {42}
“In that way I know the thoughts and the conduct And the many aspirations of millions of beings, And I know their various kinds of karma, And the good actions they have previously accomplished, {43}
“And I shall make those beings understand Through various definitions and reasons, And through hundreds of causes and parables, And in those ways I will please beings. {44}
“I teach through prose and likewise verse, Histories, my previous lifetimes, accounts of miracles, Prologues, hundreds of different analogies, Prose put into verse, and similarly elucidations. {45}
“I give the teaching of nirvāṇa to those Who lack wisdom, who are attracted to inferior paths, Who do not practice the way of the many millions of buddhas, Who are clinging to saṃsāra and suffer deeply. {46}
“A self-arisen one performs this method So that the wisdom of buddhahood may be realized. But I have never said to them, ‘You will become buddhas in this world.’ {47}
“Why is that? The Protector waits for an appropriate time, And when he sees that time has come he teaches it. That appropriate time has somehow arrived today And that is why I shall teach the definitive truth. {48}
“My teaching has nine aspects, Which are taught according to the strengths of beings. I teach with this method so that they will approach The supreme gift that is wisdom. {49}
“I give the teaching of the extensive sūtras To those bodhisattvas who are always pure, Who are wise, unsullied, and gentle, Who have served many millions of buddhas. {50}
“As their aspirations are fulfilled And they have purity of conduct, I say that they will be in a future time Beneficial and compassionate buddhas. {51}
“Hearing so, they all are filled with joy, Thinking, ‘We will become buddhas, supreme among beings.’ And also, knowing their attitude, I give them the teaching of the extensive sūtras. {52}
“Those śrāvakas of the Guide who in this way Have heard this teaching of mine, They who have heard or retained even one verse, Will all, without doubt, attain enlightenment. {53}
“Apart from the skillful methods of supreme beings Who give the teaching of separate yānas, There is only one yāna; there is no second, And there is never in the world a third. {54}
“A lord of the world appears in the world In order to teach the wisdom of buddhahood. That is his one activity, there is no second: The buddhas do not guide beings with a lesser yāna. {55}
“A self-arisen one establishes beings In that in which he is himself established: In that very same buddhahood, In the strengths, dhyānas, liberations, and powers. {56}
“If having attained preeminent, stainless enlightenment I were then to establish even one being In a lesser yāna, that would not be good: I would have the fault of stinginess. {57}
“I do not have the slightest stinginess; I have no envy and no desire. I have eliminated every bad quality. I am a buddha and I understand beings. {58}
“Just as the signs I am adorned by Illuminate all these worlds, I give the teaching of this seal of the Dharma’s nature To the many hundreds of beings who are before me. {59}
“This is what I think of, Śāriputra: ‘How may all beings become Possessed of a body with the thirty-two signs And be self-luminous, self-arising knowers of the world?’ {60}
“Just as I saw and just as I thought, And just as I resolved in the past, My aspirations have been fulfilled And I teach enlightenment and buddhahood. {61}
“If, Śārisuta, I were to say to beings, ‘Develop the desire for buddhahood,’ All who are ignorant would be bewildered And they would not follow my good advice. {62}
“I have the knowledge of their nature; They have not practiced the way in previous lifetimes. They have attachment and cling to sensory pleasures. They are stupefied by craving and bewildered by ignorance. {63}
“Desire causes them to fall into the lower existences. They are tormented within the six existences. They increase the charnel grounds over and over. They have little merit and are tortured by suffering. {64}
“They constantly cling to the darkness of wrong views: That things exist, do not exist, and similarly both exist and do not exist. They rely upon the sixty-two fabricated views. They remain fixated upon things that have no reality. {65}
“They are treacherous, conceited, and incorrigible. They are crooked, deceitful, fools with little learning. Throughout billions of their lifetimes They never hear these words from a buddha. {66}
“Śārisuta, I teach to them the method That will bring an end to their suffering. On seeing beings tortured by suffering I then give to them the teaching of nirvāṇa. {67}
“Thus I give all these Dharma teachings Of eternal nirvāṇa and primordial peace, While a bodhisattva who has perfected his practice Will in a future time become a jina. {68}
“Similarly, the three yānas that I teach Are a skillful method of mine. There is but one yāna, but one way— There is but this one teaching of the guides. {69}
“Those of you here who have doubt about this Should dispel your doubt and your uncertainty. The guides of the world do not teach anything else. There is but this one yāna; there is no second. {70}
“The tathāgatas who have appeared in the past, The many thousands of buddhas who have entered nirvāṇa In the countless eons of the past Could never be enumerated. {71}
“The tathāgatas, in a world with its devas, Knowing the aspirations and thoughts of beings, Are teaching this supreme Dharma With other various methods of the jinas. {74}
“Those beings who in their presence Are listening to the Dharma or have listened to it, Who have practiced generosity, maintained good conduct, Who have accomplished all practices with patience, {75}
“Who have served with diligence and meditation, Who have contemplated with wisdom these Dharma teachings, And have created various kinds of merit: They will all of them attain enlightenment. {76}
“Those beings who have followed the teaching Of the jinas who have passed into nirvāṇa, And who are patient, peaceful, and self-controlled: They will all of them attain enlightenment. {77}
“Those who make offerings to the relics Of the jinas who have passed into nirvāṇa, And have built countless thousands of stūpas That are made of jewels, gold, and silver, {78}
“And of crystals, and of emeralds, That are made from pearls and chrysoberyls, Of the best beryls and likewise sapphires: They will all of them attain enlightenment. {79}
“Also those who make stūpas out of stone, Those who make them from sandalwood and agarwood, Those who make stūpas out of deodar cedar, Those who make them from a combination of woods, {80}
“And those who with delight make stūpas of jinas From bricks or build them from clay, And those who for that purpose create them In remote forests from piles of earth, {81}
“Similarly those who have others work In order to create the precious images Of statues that possess the thirty-two signs: They will all of them attain enlightenment. {83}
“Those who make them from the seven precious materials, Those who make them from copper and bronze, Those who have made statues of the sugatas: They will all of them attain enlightenment. {84}
“Those who have representations of the sugatas made From lead, from iron, or from clay, Or beautifully painted on cloth: They will all of them attain enlightenment. {85}
“Those who paint their representations in murals, Their entire bodies with a hundred signs of merit, Whether they paint them themselves or have others do so: They will all of them attain enlightenment. {86}
“Also those, whether adults or children, Who in learning, or for their own amusement Or to entertain others, draw those images On a wall with a fingernail or with a stick: {87}
“They will all of them attain enlightenment, All of them will become compassionate, All of them will liberate millions of beings, And they will make many become bodhisattvas. {88}
“Those who make offerings of flowers and incense To the relics of the tathāgatas, To stūpas and images made of clay, And to murals and stūpas made of earth; {89}
“Those who cause music to be played for them With the pleasant sounds of ḍamarus, conches, and bherī drums; Those who play well upon drums As an offering to the perfectly enlightened ones; {90}
“Those who do so with melodious lutes, cymbals, and gongs, Mṛdaṅga drums, single-stringed lutes, and flutes, Which bring delight, and are pleasant to hear: They will all of them attain enlightenment. {91}
“Those who, in order to make offerings to the sugatas, Make music with strings of little bells, With bowls of water, by clapping their hands, And with sweet, lovely well-sung songs— {92}
“Those who perform many kinds of offerings to the relics— They will all become buddhas in the world. Even those who make a little offering to the relics of a sugata, Who play music on just one instrument, {93}
“Or make an offering with just one flower, Or make an offering with a distracted mind To the image of a sugata in a mural, They will eventually see millions of buddhas. {94}
“Those who make the gesture of homage to a stūpa, Either completely or even with just one hand; Or bow their head for just an instant, Or similarly bow their body just one time; {95}
“Or say ‘Homage to the Buddha’ just one time To those containers of the relics— Even those who do so once with a distracted mind— They will all of them attain enlightenment. {96}
“Those beings who, at a time when the sugatas Have passed into nirvāṇa or are present, Have heard this Dharma teaching’s name: They will all of them attain enlightenment. {97}
“The many millions of buddhas in the future, Who are innumerable, beyond reckoning, Those jinas, supreme lords of the world, They will also teach these methods. {98}
“There will never be even one being Who has heard this Dharma teaching that will not become a buddha. The prayer of the tathāgatas is: ‘Having followed the path, may I make others follow it for enlightenment.’ {100}
“They will teach in the future times Many thousand millions of entrances to the Dharma. In buddhahood, they will teach the Dharma Through teaching this single yāna. {101}
“This way of the Dharma is always constant; The nature of the Dharma is always illuminating. The buddhas, the supreme humans, will know it And will expound this single yāna of mine. {102}
“The constancy of the Dharma, the eternality of the Dharma Is always constant, unfluctuating in this world. The buddhas in the center of the earth Will expound buddhahood and skillfulness in methods. {103}
“The buddhas, as numerous as the Ganges sands, Present in the ten directions, to whom humans and devas make offerings, Also teach this supreme yāna For the sake of the happiness of all beings. {104}
“The buddhas expound skillfulness in methods, And they teach different kinds of yānas. They also elucidate the single yāna, This supreme level of peace. {105}
“They teach through knowing the conduct of all beings And similarly their thoughts and past practice, Knowing their strengths and their diligence, And through knowing their aspirations. {106}
“The guides, through the power of wisdom, Teach many causes, parables, and supports. Knowing the various aspirations of beings They teach various kinds of practices. {107}
“At this time, I, the guide who is a Lord of Jinas, Have also appeared so that beings may attain happiness. I teach this enlightenment of buddhahood Through billions of various kinds of practices. {108}
“Knowing the thoughts and aspirations of beings I teach the Dharma in many different forms. I gladden them through various methods: That is the power of my own wisdom. {109}
“I also see that destitute beings Are without wisdom and merit. They are sunk in saṃsāra, enveloped in misery, And immersed in a continuum of suffering. {110}
“Bound to craving, the fools are like yaks; They are continually blinded by desire. They do not seek buddhahood that has great power; They do not search for the Dharma that ends suffering. {111}
“Their minds are impeded in the six existences, They adhere unshakably to incorrect views, They experience suffering after suffering. I have powerful compassion for them. {112}
“I stared, without blinking, at the lord of trees While walking to and fro beneath it. ‘This wisdom is preeminent and marvelous. These beings are unwise and blinded by ignorance.’ {114}
“They all stood respectfully with palms together. I contemplated my goal and how to accomplish it: ‘If I speak the praises of enlightenment To these beings who are oppressed by suffering, {116}
“ ‘Those with foolish minds will reject my Dharma, And having rejected it, they will go to the lower realms. It is best that I never say anything. May I enter nirvāṇa, peace, on this very day.’ {117}
“I remembered the buddhas of the past And the skill in methods that they had: ‘I too therefore shall teach this enlightenment Of buddhahood divided into three categories.’ {118}
“I contemplated that meaning in this way, And the other buddhas in the ten directions Revealed their own bodies to me And with their voices they declared, ‘Excellent! {119}
“ ‘Excellent, Muni, supreme Guide of the World, Who, having attained the supreme wisdom, Is contemplating skill in methods, Following the way of the guides of worlds. {120}
“ ‘We also, having realized the highest state, Are teaching through a division into three. Humans with inferior aspiration and lacking knowledge Will not believe us if we say, “You shall become buddhas.” {121}
“ ‘Therefore we are employing skill in methods Through a compilation of causes. We are inspiring many bodhisattvas By declaring what is the desired result.’ {122}
“I was filled with joy on having heard The pleasant voices of the leaders of beings, And filled with joy I said to those protectors, ‘Supreme great rishis, you speak meaningfully. {123}
“ ‘I too will act in the way that the wise ones, The guides of the world, have described.’ I have also been born during this dreadful chaos, In the midst of the degeneracy of beings. {124}
“And so, Śārisuta, knowing this, At that time I walked to Vārāṇasī. There, applying a method, I taught the five bhikṣus The Dharma that is the state of pacification. {125}
“Then my wheel of the Dharma was turned, And the word nirvāṇa appeared in the world. The word arhat and likewise the word Dharma And the word saṅgha also appeared at that time. {126}
“Śāriputra, there came a time When I saw infinite thousands of quintillions Of offspring of the highest of humans Who had set out for the supreme, highest enlightenment. {128}
“They who had arrived before me Stood respectfully with palms together. They had heard the Dharma from the jinas And were skilled in many kinds of methods. {129}
“Then in that instant I had this thought: ‘The time has come for me to teach the highest Dharma. It is for that purpose that I was born into this world And I shall teach here the highest enlightenment. {130}
“ ‘Those with foolish understanding, who conceptualize characteristics, Who have become arrogant and who are lacking in wisdom Will on this day not have faith in it. But these bodhisattvas will listen to me.’ {131}
“At that time, fearlessly and joyfully, Having abandoned every hesitation, I spoke in the middle of the offspring of the sugatas And inspired them toward enlightenment. {132}
“Having seen children of the buddhas such as these, You too should be one who has banished doubt. These twelve hundred who have no defilements Will all become buddhas in this world. {133}
“Just like the nature of the past protectors And like that of the jinas in the future, I too have eliminated conceptualization And will teach you in that way today. {134}
“Sometimes, somewhere, somehow, A leader of beings appears in a world. When someone with infinite vision appears in a world Then sometimes this kind of Dharma may be taught. {135}
“Even in a million trillion eons it will be Very difficult to find a supreme Dharma such as this. It will be very difficult to find beings such as these Who listen to the supreme Dharma and believe in it. {136}
“They are as difficult to find as a fig tree flower That is sometimes, somehow, somewhere seen. It may be a beautiful sight for beings And a marvel for the world and its devas. {137}
“Therefore, I will teach the greatest marvel, And whoever hears this well-taught Dharma, Rejoices, and recites just one word of it Will have made an offering to all the buddhas. {138}
“Banish all doubt and uncertainty concerning this. I, the King of the Dharma, shall proclaim it. I shall guide toward the highest enlightenment; Here, I have no śrāvakas whatsoever. {139}
“Śāriputra, you must keep this great secret. And also all those who are my śrāvakas, And these who are eminent bodhisattvas, They must maintain this great secret of mine. {140}
“Why is that? In the time of five degenerations There are beings who are cruel and evil. They are blinded by desires and have foolish judgment And they will never develop the aspiration to enlightenment. {141}
“In future times, beings will be confused, And having heard this single yāna of mine That has been taught by the Jina, They will reject the discourse and go to hell. {142}
“To those beings who will be modest and pure And are intent upon the supreme, highest enlightenment, To them I will relate without any fear Endless praises of the single yāna. {143}
“In this way, in the teaching of the guides, This skill in methods, which is most excellent, Has been taught many times in words with an implied meaning That those who are untrained could not understand. {144}
“Therefore, understanding the implied meaning taught By the buddhas, the teachers of the world, the protectors, Rejecting doubts and abandoning uncertainty, You will become buddhas, so be joyous!” {145}
Sutraya