The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines

The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines

Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was residing on Vulture Peak in Rājagṛha, with a large monastic gathering comprising some five thousand monks. All of them were arhats who had attained the cessation of contaminants, free of afflicted mental states, fully controlled, their minds thoroughly liberated, their wisdom well liberated, thoroughbreds, mighty elephants, their tasks accomplished, their work completed, their burdens relinquished, their own objectives fulfilled, the fetters binding them to the rebirth process completely severed, their minds thoroughly liberated through perfect instruction,⁷⁶ supreme in their perfection of all mental powers, with the exception of just one person‍—the venerable Ānanda, a trainee who had entered the stream. Also present were some five hundred nuns‍—Yaśodharā and Mahāprajāpatī and so on‍— and a great many laymen and laywomen, all of whom had seen the Dharma.

There, too, were innumerable, countless bodhisattva great beings, all of whom had attained the dhāraṇīs and attained the meditative stabilities, acting in accord with emptiness, their perceptual range being one of signlessness, their aspirations free from deliberation. They had attained forbearance for the sameness of all phenomena, possessed inspired eloquence that was unimpeded, had comprehended the inexhaustible teachings according to their exact knowledge, and used miraculous displays through their great extrasensory powers.⁷⁷ With their extrasensory powers never failing, and with engaging speech, without indolence but with perseverance, without regard for their bodies or their lives, their conduct unpretentious,⁷⁸ without fawning, and without thoughts of ulterior fame, profit, or respect, free from self-interest they taught the Dharma. They had realized and integrated the sublime acceptance of the profound dharmas,⁷⁹ had acquired the great fearlessnesses, were without discouragement, and they had gone completely beyond all the works of Māra. Having interrupted the continuity of karmic obscurations, they had overcome karma, the afflicted mental states, and hostile forces,⁸⁰ and in the face of all challenges had remained undefeated. They were difficult for all śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas to understand,⁸¹ and through their realization were skilled in analyzing and teaching the Dharma. They had energetically applied themselves to their aspirations over countless eons. Smiling and speaking first in welcome, their faces without frowns of anger, with their sweet, gentle words they were skilled in addressing others in melodic verse. As their inspired eloquence flowed uninterrupted, they possessed the fearlessness that overwhelmed endless assemblies. They were skilled in emancipation by means of the transcendental knowledge from having taught for endless tens of millions of eons.⁸² They had comprehended that all phenomena are like an illusion, a mirage, a reflection of the moon in water, a dream, an echo, an optical aberration, empty space, a castle in the sky, a reflection,⁸³ and a magical display. Without discouragement, they were skilled in comprehending the mental attitudes, subtle knowledge,⁸⁴ conduct, and interests of all beings. Their attitude toward all beings was free of any animosity, and their tolerance was immense. They were skilled in the transcendental knowledge that brings the sameness of all phenomena to be understood, and because they were possessed of profound reality their depth was hard to estimate. They had fully attained power over their own minds, and they had entirely attained power over all phenomena. They were liberated from all karma, afflicted mental states, and obscurations of view. They were skilled in teaching in dependence on the audience,⁸⁵ and had engaged in all the inexhaustible modes of dependent origination, were free from all views, latent impulses, and obsessions, and had abandoned all fetters. They were skilled in bringing peace from all actions and afflicted mental states,⁸⁶ skilled in the transcendental knowledge that brings realization of the truth, constantly and uninterruptedly considering all phenomena to resemble an echo, fearless in their measureless teachings of the ways of the Dharma,⁸⁷ and skilled in bringing forth comprehension of the true nature itself.⁸⁸ Their progress was governed by their aspirational vow to establish infinite buddhafields. Constantly and uninterruptedly they actualized the meditative stability of recollecting the buddhas who reside in countless world systems; they were skilled in going everywhere buddhas arise⁸⁹ and skilled in requesting an inestimable number of buddhas to teach.⁹⁰ They were skilled in bringing about peace from the afflicted mental states that are generated through the diverse false views of beings, and skilled in bringing forth realization of the transcendental knowledge that revels in the miraculous production of a hundred thousand meditative stabilities.⁹¹ Every one of them had qualities of which a full description would be incomplete even if infinite eons were spent on it.

Among them were the following: the bodhisattva great being Bhadrapāla, the bodhisattva great being Ratnākara, the bodhisattva great being Ratnagarbha, the bodhisattva great being Ratnadatta, the bodhisattva great being Susārthavāha,⁹² the bodhisattva great being Naradatta, the bodhisattva great being Guhagupta, the bodhisattva great being Varuṇadeva, the bodhisattva great being Indradatta, the bodhisattva great being Bhadrabala,⁹³ the bodhisattva great being Uttaramati,⁹⁴ the bodhisattva great being Viśeṣamati, the bodhisattva great being Vardhamānamati, the bodhisattva great being Anantamati, the bodhisattva great being Amoghadarśin, the bodhisattva great being Anāvaraṇamati, the bodhisattva great being Susaṃprasthita, the bodhisattva great being Suvikrāntavikrāmin,⁹⁵ the bodhisattva great being Anantavīrya, the bodhisattva great being Nityodyukta, the bodhisattva great being Nityaprayukta, the bodhisattva great being Anikṣiptadhura, the bodhisattva great being Sūryagarbha, the bodhisattva great being Candragarbha, the bodhisattva great being Anupamamati,⁹⁶ the bodhisattva great being Avalokiteśvara, the bodhisattva great being Mahāsthāmaprāpta, the bodhisattva great being Mañjuśrī­kumāra­bhūta, the bodhisattva great being Māra­bala­pramardin, the bodhisattva great being Vajramati, the bodhisattva great being Ratnamudrāhasta, the bodhisattva great being Nityotkṣiptahasta, the bodhisattva great being Mahā­karuṇā­cintin, the bodhisattva great being Mahāvyūha, the bodhisattva great being Vyūharāja,⁹⁷ the bodhisattva great being Merukūṭa, the bodhisattva great being Maitreya, and many hundreds of thousands of one hundred million billion others as well.

At that time, the Blessed One himself arranged his seat, the lion throne, and sat upright with his legs crossed, directing his mindfulness.⁹⁸ Seated there, he was absorbed in the meditative stability called king of meditative stabilities, in which all meditative stabilities are gathered, comprehended, pursued, and subsumed.

The Blessed One, mindful and with full awareness, then arose from that meditative stability and observed this buddhafield with divine clairvoyance.⁹⁹ Seeing in this manner, he sent out light from his entire body. Sixty hundred thousand ten million billions of rays of light issued from each of the two thousand-spoked wheels that were imprinted on the soles of his feet. Sixty hundred thousand ten million billions of rays of light issued from each of the ten toes of his two feet. Sixty hundred thousand ten million billions of rays of light issued from each of his two ankles, sixty hundred thousand ten million billions of rays of light issued from each of his two shins, sixty hundred thousand ten million billions of rays of light issued from each of his two knees, sixty hundred thousand ten million billions of rays of light issued from each of his two thighs, sixty hundred thousand ten million billions of rays of light issued from each of his two hips, sixty hundred thousand ten million billions of rays of light issued from his navel, sixty hundred thousand ten million billions of rays of light issued from each of the two sides of his ribs, and sixty hundred thousand ten million billions of rays of light issued from the śrīvatsa at his heart, which is one of the major marks of a great person. Sixty hundred thousand ten million billions of rays of light also issued from each of his ten fingers, sixty hundred thousand ten million billions of rays of light issued from each of his two arms, sixty hundred thousand ten million billions of rays of light issued from each of his two shoulders, sixty hundred thousand ten million billions of rays of light issued from his neck, sixty hundred thousand ten million billions of rays of light issued from each of his four incisors, sixty hundred thousand ten million billions of rays of light issued from each of his forty teeth, sixty hundred thousand ten million billions of rays of light issued from each of his two eyes, sixty hundred thousand ten million billions of rays of light issued from each of his two ears, sixty hundred thousand ten million billions of rays of light issued from each of his two nostrils, sixty hundred thousand ten million billions of rays of light issued from the hair ringlet between his eyebrows, sixty hundred thousand ten million billions of rays of light issued from his uṣṇīṣa, and sixty hundred thousand ten million billions of rays of light issued from his mouth.

All of those sets of sixty hundred thousand ten million billions of rays of light permeated all the world systems in the great billionfold world system with a great brightness. The world systems of the eastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were permeated with a great brightness. The world systems of the southern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were permeated with a great brightness. The world systems of the western direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were permeated with a great brightness. The world systems of the northern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were permeated with a great brightness. The world systems of the intermediate northeastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were permeated with a great brightness. The world systems of the intermediate southeastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were permeated with a great brightness. The world systems of the intermediate southwestern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were permeated with a great brightness. The world systems of the intermediate northwestern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were permeated with a great brightness. The world systems in the direction of the nadir, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were permeated with a great brightness. The world systems in the direction of the zenith, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were permeated with a great brightness. All the beings who beheld the light and who were touched by that light became assured of reaching unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment.

Then again, the Blessed One caused light rays to be diffused from all his pores, and that light again permeated this great billionfold world system with a great brightness. The world systems of the eastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were permeated with a great brightness. The world systems of the southern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were permeated with a great brightness. The world systems of the western direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were permeated with a great brightness. The world systems of the northern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were permeated with a great brightness. The world systems of the intermediate northeastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were permeated with a great brightness. The world systems of the intermediate southeastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were permeated with a great brightness. The world systems of the intermediate southwestern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were permeated with a great brightness. The world systems of the intermediate northwestern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were permeated with a great brightness. The world systems in the direction of the nadir, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were permeated with a great brightness. The world systems in the direction of the zenith, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were permeated with a great brightness. All the beings who beheld that light and who were touched by that light became assured of reaching unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment.

Then again, with the natural light of the tathāgatas the Blessed One caused this great billionfold world system to be permeated with a great brightness. The world systems of the eastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were permeated with a great brightness. The world systems of the southern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were permeated with a great brightness. The world systems of the western direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were permeated with a great brightness. The world systems of the northern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were permeated with a great brightness. The world systems of the intermediate northeastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were permeated with a great brightness. The world systems of the intermediate southeastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were permeated with a great brightness. The world systems of the intermediate southwestern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were permeated with a great brightness. The world systems of the intermediate northwestern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were permeated with a great brightness. The world systems in the direction of the nadir, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were permeated with a great brightness. The world systems in the direction of the zenith, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were permeated with a great brightness. All the beings who beheld that light and who were touched by that light became assured of reaching unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment.

Then the Blessed One extended his tongue from his mouth. Covering this entire great billionfold world system with his tongue, he smiled, and from his tongue issued forth many hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of variegated rays of light. On all those rays of light, in their entirety, appeared manifold lotus flowers, fashioned of diverse gemstones, shining like gold, with a thousand petals, diverse, beautiful to behold, captivating, brilliant, scented, soft, and blissful to the touch like kācalindika. On these lotuses, furthermore, were seated many embodied tathāgatas, and the Dharma teaching they taught was this very Dharma teaching concerning the six perfections. They departed for the world systems of the eastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, and on arriving there the Dharma teaching they taught was this very Dharma teaching concerning the six perfections. They departed for the world systems of the southern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, and on arriving there the Dharma teaching they taught was this very Dharma teaching concerning the six perfections. They departed for the world systems of the western direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, and on arriving there the Dharma teaching they taught was this very Dharma teaching concerning the six perfections. They departed for the world systems of the northern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, and on arriving there the Dharma teaching they taught was this very Dharma teaching concerning the six perfections. They departed for the world systems of the intermediate northeastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, and on arriving there the Dharma teaching they taught was this very Dharma teaching concerning the six perfections. They departed for the world systems of the intermediate southeastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, and on arriving there the Dharma teaching they taught was this very Dharma teaching concerning the six perfections. They departed for the world systems of the intermediate southwestern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, and on arriving there the Dharma teaching they taught was this very Dharma teaching concerning the six perfections. They departed for the world systems of the intermediate northwestern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, and on arriving there the Dharma teaching they taught was this very Dharma teaching concerning the six perfections. They departed for the world systems in the direction of the nadir, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, and on arriving there the Dharma teaching they taught was this very Dharma teaching concerning the six perfections. And they departed for the world systems in the direction of the zenith, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, and on arriving there the Dharma teaching they taught was this very Dharma teaching concerning the six perfections. All the beings who heard those teachings became assured of reaching unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment.

Then, while seated on the lion throne, the Blessed One became absorbed in the meditative stability of the buddhas called the lion’s play and manifested his miraculous abilities. By manifesting those miraculous abilities, he caused this great billionfold world system to shake in six ways. That is to say, it shook, shuddered, and juddered;¹⁰⁰ it rocked, reeled, and tottered; it quivered, careened, and convulsed; it trembled, throbbed, and quaked; it rumbled, roared, and thundered; and it faltered, lurched, and staggered. As its eastern sides reared up its western sides plunged down; as its western sides reared up its eastern sides plunged down; as its southern sides reared up its northern sides plunged down; as its northern sides reared up its southern sides plunged down; as its edges reared up its centers plunged down; and as its centers reared up its edges plunged down. Then, slowly and gradually, it settled down,¹⁰¹ producing benefit and happiness for all beings.

Then, at that time‍—at that moment, minute, and second‍—in this great billionfold world system, the hells, the animal realms, the world of Yama, the states that lack freedom, the lower realms, the terrible forms of life, and the degenerations,¹⁰² as many as there are, were all interrupted. All of the beings there were then reborn equal in fortune to human beings; they were reborn equal in fortune to the gods of the Cāturmahārājika realm, or the gods of the Trayastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarati, or Paranirmitavaśavartin realms. Then those gods and those human beings joyfully, with serene confidence, and with ease recollected their former lives. Having recollected those lives, they then joyfully, with serene confidence, and with ease departed for where there were blessed ones, and on arriving there paid homage to the blessed ones.

Then, at that time‍—at that moment, minute, and second‍—in the world systems of the eastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, the hells, the animal realms, the world of Yama, the states that lack freedom, the lower realms, the terrible forms of life, and the degenerations, as many as there are, were all interrupted. All of the beings there were then reborn equal in fortune to human beings; they were reborn equal in fortune to the gods of the Cāturmahārājika realm, or the gods of the Trayastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarati, or Paranirmitavaśavartin realms. Then those gods and those human beings joyfully, with serene confidence, and with ease recollected their former lives. Having recollected those lives, they then joyfully, with serene confidence, and with ease departed for the respective buddhafields where the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas resided, and on arriving there paid homage at their feet. Placing their hands together, they bowed toward those tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas.

Then, at that time‍—at that moment, minute, and second‍—in the world systems of the southern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, the hells, the animal realms, the world of Yama, the states that lack freedom, the lower realms, the terrible forms of life, and the degenerations, as many as there are, were all interrupted. All of the beings there were then reborn equal in fortune to human beings; they were reborn equal in fortune to the gods of the Cāturmahārājika realm, or the gods of the Trayastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarati, or Paranirmitavaśavartin realms. Then those gods and those human beings joyfully, with serene confidence, and with ease recollected their former lives. Having recollected those lives, they then joyfully, with serene confidence, and with ease departed for the respective buddhafields where the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas resided, and on arriving there paid homage at their feet. Placing their hands together, they bowed toward those tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas.

Then, at that time‍—at that moment, minute, and second‍—in the world systems of the western direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, the hells, the animal realms, the world of Yama, the states that lack freedom, the lower realms, the terrible forms of life, and the degenerations, as many as there are, were all interrupted. All of the beings there were then reborn equal in fortune to human beings; they were reborn equal in fortune to the gods of the Cāturmahārājika realm, or the gods of the Trayastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarati, or Paranirmitavaśavartin realms. Then those gods and those human beings joyfully, with serene confidence, and with ease recollected their former lives. Having recollected those lives, they then joyfully, with serene confidence, and with ease departed for the respective buddhafields where the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas resided, and on arriving there paid homage at their feet. Placing their hands together, they bowed toward those tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas.

Then, at that time‍—at that moment, minute, and second‍—in the world systems of the northern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, the hells, the animal realms, the world of Yama, the states that lack freedom, the lower realms, the terrible forms of life, and the degenerations, as many as there are, were all interrupted. All of the beings there were then reborn equal in fortune to human beings; they were reborn equal in fortune to the gods of the Cāturmahārājika realm, or the gods of the Trayastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarati, or Paranirmitavaśavartin realms. Then those gods and those human beings joyfully, with serene confidence, and with ease recollected their former lives. Having recollected those lives, they then joyfully, with serene confidence, and with ease departed for the respective buddhafields where the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas resided, and on arriving there paid homage at their feet. Placing their hands together, they bowed toward those tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas.

Then, at that time‍—at that moment, minute, and second‍—in the world systems of the intermediate northeastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, the hells, the animal realms, the world of Yama, the states that lack freedom, the lower realms, the terrible forms of life, and the degenerations, as many as there are, were all interrupted. All of the beings there were then reborn equal in fortune to human beings; they were reborn equal in fortune to the gods of the Cāturmahārājika realm, or the gods of the Trayastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarati, or Paranirmitavaśavartin realms. Then those gods and those human beings joyfully, with serene confidence, and with ease recollected their former lives. Having recollected those lives, they then joyfully, with serene confidence, and with ease departed for the respective buddhafields where the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas resided, and on arriving there paid homage at their feet. Placing their hands together, they bowed toward those tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas.

Then, at that time‍—at that moment, minute, and second‍—in the world systems of the intermediate southeastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, the hells, the animal realms, the world of Yama, the states that lack freedom, the lower realms, the terrible forms of life, and the degenerations, as many as there are, were all interrupted. All of the beings there were then reborn equal in fortune to human beings; they were reborn equal in fortune to the gods of the Cāturmahārājika realm, or the gods of the Trayastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarati, or Paranirmitavaśavartin realms. Then those gods and those human beings joyfully, with serene confidence, and with ease recollected their former lives. Having recollected those lives, they then joyfully, with serene confidence, and with ease departed for the respective buddhafields where the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas resided, and on arriving there paid homage at their feet. Placing their hands together, they bowed toward those tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas.

Then, at that time‍—at that moment, minute, and second‍—in the world systems of the intermediate southwestern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, the hells, the animal realms, the world of Yama, the states that lack freedom, the lower realms, the terrible forms of life, and the degenerations, as many as there are, were all interrupted. All of the beings there were then reborn equal in fortune to human beings; they were reborn equal in fortune to the gods of the Cāturmahārājika realm, or the gods of the Trayastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarati, or Paranirmitavaśavartin realms. Then those gods and those human beings joyfully, with serene confidence, and with ease recollected their former lives. Having recollected those lives, they then joyfully, with serene confidence, and with ease departed for the respective buddhafields where the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas resided, and on arriving there paid homage at their feet. Placing their hands together, they bowed toward those tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas.

Then, at that time‍—at that moment, minute, and second‍—in the world systems of the intermediate northwestern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, the hells, the animal realms, the world of Yama, the states that lack freedom, the lower realms, the terrible forms of life, and the degenerations, as many as there are, were all interrupted. All of the beings there were then reborn equal in fortune to human beings; they were reborn equal in fortune to the gods of the Cāturmahārājika realm, or the gods of the Trayastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarati, or Paranirmitavaśavartin realms. Then those gods and those human beings joyfully, with serene confidence, and with ease recollected their former lives. Having recollected those lives, they then joyfully, with serene confidence, and with ease departed for the respective buddhafields where the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas resided, and on arriving there paid homage at their feet. Placing their hands together, they bowed toward those tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas.

Then, at that time‍—at that moment, minute, and second‍—in the world systems in the direction of the nadir, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, the hells, the animal realms, the world of Yama, the states that lack freedom, the lower realms, the terrible forms of life, and the degenerations, as many as there are, were all interrupted. All of the beings there were then reborn equal in fortune to human beings; they were reborn equal in fortune to the gods of the Cāturmahārājika realm, or the gods of the Trayastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarati, or Paranirmitavaśavartin realms. Then those gods and those human beings joyfully, with serene confidence, and with ease recollected their former lives. Having recollected those lives, they then joyfully, with serene confidence, and with ease departed for the respective buddhafields where the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas resided, and on arriving there paid homage at their feet. Placing their hands together, they bowed toward those tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas.

Then, at that time‍—at that moment, minute, and second‍—in the world systems in the direction of the zenith, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, the hells, the animal realms, the world of Yama, the states that lack freedom, the lower realms, the terrible forms of life, and the degenerations, as many as there are, were all interrupted. All of the beings there were then reborn equal in fortune to human beings; they were reborn equal in fortune to the gods of the Cāturmahārājika realm, or the gods of the Trayastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarati, or Paranirmitavaśavartin realms. Then those gods and those human beings joyfully, with serene confidence, and with ease recollected their former lives. Having recollected those lives, they then joyfully, with serene confidence, and with ease departed for the respective buddhafields where the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas resided, and on arriving there paid homage at their feet. Placing their hands together, they bowed toward those tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas.

Then, at that time, in this great billionfold world system, the beings who were blind, as many as there were, saw sights with their eyes. The deaf heard sounds with their ears. The insane came to their senses. Those who were agitated attained a state of mind without agitation. Those without clothing obtained clothing. The poor obtained wealth. The hungry obtained food. The thirsty obtained drink. Those struck with illness were healed. Those with physical disabilities and with imperfect sense faculties were restored to full perfection of the body and sense faculties, and flourished. The weary were refreshed. Those who had not forsaken nonvirtuous deeds of body, speech, and mind, or nonvirtuous livelihoods, gave up their nonvirtuous deeds of body, speech, and mind, and nonvirtuous livelihoods. All beings too became even-minded toward all other beings, considering one another as just like their father, mother, brother, sister, partner, close relative, or friend. All beings too acquired the path of the ten virtuous actions, and they maintained the practice of chastity and purity, without the stench of immorality and without the notion of nonvirtue. At that time all beings possessed happiness such that it resembled, by comparison, the happiness experienced by monks absorbed in the third meditative concentration. They possessed all such happiness. At that time all beings possessed wisdom such that they knew, “Excellent is generosity! Excellent is discipline! Excellent is restraint! Excellent is truth! Excellent is carefulness! Excellent is loving kindness! Excellent is compassion! Excellent is nonviolence with respect to all living creatures!” And at that time the blessed buddhas in other buddhafields cried out cries of delight: “Ah! It is wonderful that these beings are possessed of wisdom such that they know, ‘Excellent is generosity! Excellent is discipline! Excellent is peace! Excellent is restraint! Excellent is truth! Excellent is carefulness! Excellent is loving kindness! Excellent is compassion! Excellent is the practice of chastity! Excellent is nonviolence with respect to all living creatures!’ ”¹⁰³

At that time the Blessed One, seated on this very lion throne, resembled, as an analogy, the unobscured sun in the clear expanse of space, or the disk of the full moon. He outshone the great billionfold world system with its Sumerus and encircling mountain ranges, with its god realms, with its Indra realms, with its Vaśavartin realms, with its classes of gods and asuras, with its Brahmās, and with its Śuddhāvāsas. He was adorned with light, a lustrous complexion, splendor, and glory, sparkling, gleaming, and shining. And while the Blessed One remained seated, outshining this great billionfold world system, being adorned with light, a lustrous complexion, splendor, and glory, sparkling, gleaming, and shining, he similarly outshone the world systems of the eastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, being adorned with light, a lustrous complexion, splendor, and glory, sparkling, gleaming, and shining. Similarly, he outshone the world systems of the southern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, being adorned with light, a lustrous complexion, splendor, and glory, sparkling, gleaming, and shining. Similarly, he outshone the world systems of the western direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, being adorned with light, a lustrous complexion, splendor, and glory, sparkling, gleaming, and shining. Similarly, he outshone the world systems of the northern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, being adorned with light, a lustrous complexion, splendor, and glory, sparkling, gleaming, and shining. Similarly, he outshone the world systems of the intermediate northeastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, being adorned with light, a lustrous complexion, splendor, and glory, sparkling, gleaming, and shining. Similarly, he outshone the world systems of the intermediate southeastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, being adorned with light, a lustrous complexion, splendor, and glory, sparkling, gleaming, and shining. Similarly, he outshone the world systems of the intermediate southwestern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, being adorned with light, a lustrous complexion, splendor, and glory, sparkling, gleaming, and shining. Similarly, he outshone the world systems of the intermediate northwestern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, being adorned with light, a lustrous complexion, splendor, and glory, sparkling, gleaming, and shining. Similarly, he outshone the world systems in the direction of the nadir, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, being adorned with light, a lustrous complexion, splendor, and glory, sparkling, gleaming, and shining. And similarly, he outshone the world systems in the direction of the zenith, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, being adorned with light, a lustrous complexion, splendor, and glory, sparkling, gleaming, and shining.

To illustrate, just as Sumeru, king of mountains, stands outshining all other dark mountains, adorned, sparkling, gleaming, and shining; just as, to illustrate, the disk of the moon stands outshining all the stars, adorned, sparkling, gleaming, and shining; and just as, to illustrate, the disk of the sun stands outshining all other lights, adorned, sparkling, gleaming, and shining, so too the Blessed One stood outshining the worlds of the ten directions with their gods, Indras, Brahmās, and Śuddhāvāsa realms, adorned with light, a lustrous complexion, splendor, and glory, sparkling, gleaming, and shining.

Then again, the Blessed One showed, in this great billionfold world system, his original body, just as it is.¹⁰⁴ All the gods, as many as there are, of the Śuddhāvāsas, the Ābhāsvara¹⁰⁵ and Brahmakāyika, and the Paranirmitavaśavartin, Nirmāṇarati, Tuṣita, Yāma, Trayastriṃśa, and Cāturmahārājika realms saw the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha seated on the lion throne. They were pleased. They were delighted. They were contented and overjoyed, giving rise to such delight and contentment that they took many divine flowers, divine garlands, divine incenses, divine unguents, divine powders, and divine perfumes; divine blue lotuses, day lotuses, red lotuses, white lotuses, water lilies, and saugandhaka lilies; divine kesara flowers and tamāla leaves; divine robes, divine ornaments, divine parasols, divine victory banners, and divine flags, and set out for the place where the Blessed One was seated. Going there, they sprinkled, scattered, and showered down upon¹⁰⁶ the Blessed One those flowers, garlands, incenses, unguents, powders, and perfumes; blue lotuses, day lotuses, red lotuses, white lotuses, water lilies, and saugandhaka lilies; kesara flowers and tamāla leaves; robes, ornaments, divine parasols, victory banners, and flags of the gods. Those human beings who were disciplined and suitable recipients of the teachings, as many as there were in this great billionfold world system, also brought manifold flowers, ones that grow in water and grow on the plains, and they set out for the place where the Blessed One was seated. Going there, they offered these to the Blessed One.

Through the sustaining power of the Blessed One, all those flowers, garlands, incenses, unguents, powders, and so on, and the robes, ornaments, parasols, victory banners, and flags immediately formed a towering mansion of flowers and so on, as large as the great billionfold world system, in the sky above the head of the Blessed One. From that towering mansion, many tassels made of divine flowers and silk were suspended, draped, and floated in the air.¹⁰⁷ This whole great billionfold world system was exquisitely adorned by these tassels made of flowers and silk, and it was exquisitely adorned, too, by the golden light of the Blessed One, sparkling, gleaming, and shining. And just like this great billionfold world system, so too the world systems of the eastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were pervaded and illuminated by that light of the Blessed One. The world systems of the southern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were also pervaded and illuminated by that light of the Blessed One. The world systems of the western direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were also pervaded and illuminated by that light of the Blessed One. The world systems of the northern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were also pervaded and illuminated by that light of the Blessed One. The world systems of the intermediate northeastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were also pervaded and illuminated by that light of the Blessed One. The world systems of the intermediate southeastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were also pervaded and illuminated by that light of the Blessed One. The world systems of the intermediate southwestern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were also pervaded and illuminated by that light of the Blessed One. The world systems of the intermediate northwestern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were also pervaded and illuminated by that light of the Blessed One. The world systems in the direction of the nadir, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were also pervaded and illuminated by that light of the Blessed One. And the world systems in the direction of the zenith, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were also pervaded and illuminated by that light of the Blessed One.

There, the human beings of the Jambudvīpas, beholding the body of the Tathāgata, looked upon him insatiably, thinking, “The Tathāgata is seated before us, teaching the Dharma.”

And just as the human beings of the Jambudvīpas had that thought, in the same manner, the human beings of the Godānīyas in the west, on beholding the body of the Tathāgata, looked upon him insatiably, thinking, “The Tathāgata is seated before us, teaching the Dharma.” The human beings of the Videhas in the east, on beholding the body of the Tathāgata, looked upon him insatiably, thinking, “The Tathāgata is seated before us, teaching the Dharma.” The human beings of the Kurus in the north, on beholding the body of the Tathāgata, looked upon him insatiably, thinking, “The Tathāgata is seated before us, teaching the Dharma.”

The gods of the Cāturmahārājika realms, on beholding the body of the Tathāgata, looked upon him insatiably, thinking, “The Tathāgata is seated before us, teaching the Dharma.” The gods of the Trayastriṃśa realms, on beholding the body of the Tathāgata, looked upon him insatiably, thinking, “The Tathāgata is seated before us, teaching the Dharma.” The gods of the Yāma realms, on beholding the body of the Tathāgata, looked upon him insatiably, thinking, “The Tathāgata is seated before us, teaching the Dharma.” The gods of the Tuṣita realms, on beholding the body of the Tathāgata, looked upon him insatiably, thinking, “The Tathāgata is seated before us, teaching the Dharma.” The gods of the Nirmāṇarati realms, on beholding the body of the Tathāgata, looked upon him insatiably, thinking, “The Tathāgata is seated before us, teaching the Dharma.” The gods of the Paranirmitavaśavartin realms, on beholding the body of the Tathāgata, looked upon him insatiably, thinking, “The Tathāgata is seated before us, teaching the Dharma.”

The gods of the Brahmakāyika realms, on beholding the body of the Tathāgata, looked upon him insatiably, thinking, “The Tathāgata is seated before us, teaching the Dharma.” The gods of the Brahmapurohita realms, on beholding the body of the Tathāgata, looked upon him insatiably, thinking, “The Tathāgata is seated before us, teaching the Dharma.” The gods of the Brahma­pārṣadya realms, on beholding the body of the Tathāgata, looked upon him insatiably, thinking, “The Tathāgata is seated before us, teaching the Dharma.” The gods of the Mahābrahmā realms, on beholding the body of the Tathāgata, looked upon him insatiably, thinking, “The Tathāgata is seated before us, teaching the Dharma.”

The gods of the Ābha realms, on beholding the body of the Tathāgata, looked upon him insatiably, thinking, “The Tathāgata is seated before us, teaching the Dharma.” The gods of the Parīttābha realms, on beholding the body of the Tathāgata, looked upon him insatiably, thinking, “The Tathāgata is seated before us, teaching the Dharma.” The gods of the Apramāṇābha realms, on beholding the body of the Tathāgata, looked upon him insatiably, thinking, “The Tathāgata is seated before us, teaching the Dharma.” The gods of the Ābhāsvara realms, on beholding the body of the Tathāgata, looked upon him insatiably, thinking, “The Tathāgata is seated before us, teaching the Dharma.”

The gods of the Śubha realms, on beholding the body of the Tathāgata, looked upon him insatiably, thinking, “The Tathāgata is seated before us, teaching the Dharma.” The gods of the Parīttaśubha realms, on beholding the body of the Tathāgata, looked upon him insatiably, thinking, “The Tathāgata is seated before us, teaching the Dharma.” The gods of the Apramāṇaśubha realms, on beholding the body of the Tathāgata, looked upon him insatiably, thinking, “The Tathāgata is seated before us, teaching the Dharma.” The gods of the Śubhakṛtsna realms, on beholding the body of the Tathāgata, looked upon him insatiably, thinking, “The Tathāgata is seated before us, teaching the Dharma.”

The gods of the Vṛhat¹⁰⁸ realms, on beholding the body of the Tathāgata, looked upon him insatiably, thinking, “The Tathāgata is seated before us, teaching the Dharma.” The gods of the Parīttavṛha realms, on beholding the body of the Tathāgata, looked upon him insatiably, thinking, “The Tathāgata is seated before us, teaching the Dharma.” The gods of the Apramāṇavṛha realms, on beholding the body of the Tathāgata, looked upon him insatiably, thinking, “The Tathāgata is seated before us, teaching the Dharma.” The gods of the Vṛhatphala realms, on beholding the body of the Tathāgata, looked upon him insatiably, thinking, “The Tathāgata is seated before us, teaching the Dharma.”

The gods of the Avṛha realms, on beholding the body of the Tathāgata, looked upon him insatiably, thinking, “The Tathāgata is seated before us, teaching the Dharma.” The gods of the Atapa realms, on beholding the body of the Tathāgata, looked upon him insatiably, thinking, “The Tathāgata is seated before us, teaching the Dharma.” The gods of the Sudṛśa realms, on beholding the body of the Tathāgata, looked upon him insatiably, thinking, “The Tathāgata is seated before us, teaching the Dharma.” The gods of the Sudarśana realms, on beholding the body of the Tathāgata, looked upon him insatiably, thinking, “The Tathāgata is seated before us, teaching the Dharma.” The gods of the Akaniṣṭha realms, on beholding the body of the Tathāgata, looked upon him insatiably, thinking, “The Tathāgata is seated before us, teaching the Dharma.”

Similarly, all the human beings and all the gods in the thousandfold world system, on beholding the body of the Tathāgata, looked upon him insatiably, thinking, “The Tathāgata is seated before us, teaching the Dharma.” All the human beings and all the gods in the millionfold world system, on beholding the body of the Tathāgata, looked upon him insatiably, thinking, “The Tathāgata is seated before us, teaching the Dharma.” All the human beings and all the gods in the great billionfold world system, on beholding the body of the Tathāgata, looked upon him insatiably, thinking, “The Tathāgata is seated before us, teaching the Dharma.”

Then again, while seated on that lion throne, the Blessed One sent forth light, and again that light illuminated this great billionfold world system. It also illuminated the world systems of the eastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā. It also illuminated the world systems of the southern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā. It also illuminated the world systems of the western direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā. It also illuminated the world systems of the northern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā. It also illuminated the world systems of the intermediate northeastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā. It also illuminated the world systems of the intermediate southeastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā. It also illuminated the world systems of the intermediate southwestern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā. It also illuminated the world systems of the intermediate northwestern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā. It also illuminated the world systems in the direction of the nadir, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā. And it also illuminated the world systems in the direction of the zenith, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā.

Through that light all beings, as many as there were in this great billionfold world system, beheld the many tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas of the world systems of the eastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, along with their communities of śrāvakas and their assemblies of bodhisattvas. And in these world systems of the eastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, those beings dwelling there, as many as there were, also beheld in this great billionfold world system the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni, residing together with the community of monks and the assembly of bodhisattvas.

Through that light all beings, as many as there were in this great billionfold world system, beheld the many tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas of the world systems of the southern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, along with their communities of śrāvakas and their assemblies of bodhisattvas. And in these world systems of the southern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, those beings dwelling there, as many as there were, also beheld in this great billionfold world system the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni, residing together with the community of monks and the assembly of bodhisattvas.

Through that light all beings, as many as there were in this great billionfold world system, beheld the many tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas of the world systems of the western direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, along with their communities of śrāvakas and their assemblies of bodhisattvas. And in these world systems of the western direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, those beings dwelling there, as many as there were, also beheld in this great billionfold world system the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni, residing together with the community of monks and the assembly of bodhisattvas.

Through that light all beings, as many as there were in this great billionfold world system, beheld the many tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas of the world systems of the northern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, along with their communities of śrāvakas and their assemblies of bodhisattvas. And in these world systems of the northern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, those beings dwelling there, as many as there were, also beheld in this great billionfold world system the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni, residing together with the community of monks and the assembly of bodhisattvas.

Through that light all beings, as many as there were in this great billionfold world system, beheld the many tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas of the world systems of the intermediate northeastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, along with their communities of śrāvakas and their assemblies of bodhisattvas. And in these world systems of the intermediate northeastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, those beings dwelling there, as many as there were, also beheld in this great billionfold world system the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni, residing together with the community of monks and the assembly of bodhisattvas.

Through that light all beings, as many as there were in this great billionfold world system, beheld the many tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas of the world systems of the intermediate southeastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, along with their communities of śrāvakas and their assemblies of bodhisattvas. And in these world systems of the intermediate southeastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, those beings dwelling there, as many as there were, also beheld in this great billionfold world system the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni, residing together with the community of monks and the assembly of bodhisattvas.

Through that light all beings, as many as there were in this great billionfold world system, beheld the many tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas of the world systems of the intermediate southwestern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, along with their communities of śrāvakas and their assemblies of bodhisattvas. And in these world systems of the intermediate southwestern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, those beings dwelling there, as many as there were, also beheld in this great billionfold world system the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni, residing together with the community of monks and the assembly of bodhisattvas.

Through that light all beings, as many as there were in this great billionfold world system, beheld the many tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas of the world systems of the intermediate northwestern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, along with their communities of śrāvakas and their assemblies of bodhisattvas. And in these world systems of the intermediate northwestern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, those beings dwelling there, as many as there were, also beheld in this great billionfold world system the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni, residing together with the community of monks and the assembly of bodhisattvas.

Through that light all beings, as many as there were in this great billionfold world system, beheld the many tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas of the world systems in the direction of the nadir, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, along with their communities of śrāvakas and their assemblies of bodhisattvas. And in these world systems in the direction the nadir, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, those beings dwelling there, as many as there were, also beheld in this great billionfold world system the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni, residing together with the community of monks and the assembly of bodhisattvas.