Chapter 18
Then the Blessed One said to Śakra, mighty lord of the gods, “Kauśika, when any sons or daughters of good families who take up, uphold, recite, master, chant by heart,717 and focus their attention correctly on this profound perfection of wisdom are present in a place of conflict, in the frontline of battle, if those sons or daughters of good families have gone there and are present there having chanted this profound perfection of wisdom by heart, then those sons or daughters of good families will not be defeated. They will indisputably be victorious. Being victorious, they will be delivered from that conflict without being humiliated or injured.718
“Kauśika, when any sons or daughters of good families, chanting this profound perfection of wisdom by heart, have gone into the frontline of battle, it is impossible that there would be a hindrance to their lives. It is impossible and it does not happen. If someone were to shoot arrows at their bodies or strike at them with weapons, their bodies would not be struck or pierced. If you ask why, it is because those sons or daughters of good families have practiced the six perfections for a long time. They have relied on this very perfection of wisdom. They have cultivated this very perfection of wisdom. They have subdued the weapons of their own desire and also the arrows of their own desire. They have subdued the weapons of others’ desire and also the arrows of others’ desire. They have subdued the weapons of their own hatred and also the arrows of their own hatred. They have subdued the weapons of others’ hatred and also the arrows of others’ hatred. They have subdued the weapons of their own delusion and also the arrows of their own delusion. They have subdued the weapons of others’ delusion and also the arrows of others’ delusion. They have subdued the weapons of their own wrong views and also the arrows of their own wrong views. They have subdued the weapons of others’ wrong views and also the arrows of others’ wrong views. They have subdued the weapons of their own obsessions and also the arrows of their own obsessions. They have subdued the weapons of others’ obsessions and also the arrows of others’ obsessions. They have subdued the weapons of their own latent impulses and also the arrows of their own latent impulses. They have subdued the weapons of others’ latent impulses and also the arrows of others’ latent impulses.
“Therefore, Kauśika, when sons or daughters of good families go into battle, their bodies will not be struck or pierced by weapons or arrows.
“Moreover, Kauśika, if sons or daughters of good families who are not separated from the mind of omniscience719 take up, uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on this profound perfection of wisdom, whether somebody were to sprinkle poison on them, put a curse on them, roast them in a firepit, strike them with weapons, give them poison to drink, or try to drown them, all that would not harm them. If you ask why, Kauśika, it is because this perfection of wisdom is the great knowledge incantation. Kauśika, it is because this perfection of wisdom is the unsurpassed knowledge incantation. Kauśika, it is because this perfection of wisdom is the unexcelled knowledge incantation. Sons or daughters of good families who train in this knowledge incantation do not harm themselves, nor do they harm others, nor do they harm both.
“If you ask why, it is because when they train in it, they do not apprehend the self, do not apprehend a being, do not apprehend a life form, do not apprehend a living being, do not apprehend life, do not apprehend an individual, do not apprehend a person, do not apprehend one born of Manu, do not apprehend a child of Manu, do not apprehend an agent, do not apprehend an experiencer, do not apprehend a knower, and do not apprehend a viewer; they do not apprehend physical forms, do not apprehend feelings, do not apprehend perceptions, do not apprehend formative predispositions, and do not apprehend consciousness; they do not apprehend the eyes, do not apprehend the ears, do not apprehend the nose, do not apprehend the tongue, do not apprehend the body, and do not apprehend the mental faculty; they do not apprehend sights, do not apprehend sounds, do not apprehend odors, do not apprehend tastes, do not apprehend tangibles, and do not apprehend mental phenomena; they do not apprehend visual consciousness, do not apprehend auditory consciousness, do not apprehend olfactory consciousness, do not apprehend gustatory consciousness, do not apprehend tactile consciousness, and do not apprehend mental consciousness; they do not apprehend visually compounded sensory contact, do not apprehend aurally compounded sensory contact, do not apprehend nasally compounded sensory contact, do not apprehend lingually compounded sensory contact, do not apprehend corporeally compounded sensory contact, and do not apprehend mentally compounded sensory contact; they do not apprehend feelings conditioned by visually compounded sensory contact, do not apprehend feelings conditioned by aurally compounded sensory contact, do not apprehend feelings conditioned by nasally compounded sensory contact, do not apprehend feelings conditioned by lingually compounded sensory contact, do not apprehend feelings conditioned by corporeally compounded sensory contact, and do not apprehend feelings conditioned by mentally compounded sensory contact; they do not apprehend the earth element, do not apprehend the water element, do not apprehend the fire element, do not apprehend the wind element, do not apprehend the space element, and do not apprehend the consciousness element; they do not apprehend ignorance, do not apprehend formative predispositions, do not apprehend consciousness, do not apprehend name and form, do not apprehend the six sense fields, do not apprehend sensory contact, do not apprehend sensation, do not apprehend craving, do not apprehend grasping, do not apprehend the rebirth process, do not apprehend birth, and do not apprehend aging and death; they do not apprehend the perfection of generosity, do not apprehend the perfection of ethical discipline, do not apprehend the perfection of tolerance, do not apprehend the perfection of perseverance, do not apprehend the perfection of meditative concentration, and do not apprehend the perfection of wisdom; they do not apprehend the emptiness of internal phenomena, do not apprehend the emptiness of external phenomena, do not apprehend the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, do not apprehend the emptiness of emptiness, do not apprehend the emptiness of great extent, do not apprehend the emptiness of ultimate reality, do not apprehend the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, do not apprehend the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, do not apprehend the emptiness of the unlimited, do not apprehend the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, do not apprehend the emptiness of nonexclusion, do not apprehend the emptiness of inherent nature, do not apprehend the emptiness of all phenomena, do not apprehend the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, do not apprehend the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended, do not apprehend the emptiness of nonentities, do not apprehend the emptiness of essential nature, and do not apprehend the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities; they do not apprehend the applications of mindfulness, do not apprehend the correct exertions, do not apprehend the supports for miraculous ability, do not apprehend the faculties, do not apprehend the powers, do not apprehend the branches of enlightenment, and do not apprehend the noble eightfold path; and they do not apprehend the truths of the noble ones, do not apprehend the meditative concentrations, do not apprehend the immeasurable attitudes, do not apprehend the formless absorptions, do not apprehend the liberations, do not apprehend the serial steps of meditative absorption, do not apprehend the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation, do not apprehend the extrasensory powers, do not apprehend the meditative stabilities, do not apprehend the dhāraṇī gateways, do not apprehend the powers of the tathāgatas, do not apprehend the fearlessnesses, do not apprehend the kinds of exact knowledge, do not apprehend great loving kindness, do not apprehend great compassion, do not apprehend the distinct qualities of the buddhas, do not apprehend the fruit of having entered the stream, do not apprehend the fruit of once-returner, do not apprehend the fruit of non-returner, do not apprehend arhatship, do not apprehend individual enlightenment, do not apprehend knowledge of all the dharmas, do not apprehend the knowledge of the aspects of the path, and do not apprehend all-aspect omniscience.
“Since they do not apprehend in that manner, and are not harming themselves, or harming others, or harming both, they attain unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, and observe the minds of all beings. If you ask why, it is because those tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas of the past also trained in this same knowledge incantation and fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment; those tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas of the future will also train in this same knowledge incantation and will fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment; and those present tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas are also training in this same knowledge incantation and fully awakening to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment.
“Moreover, Kauśika, even if this perfection of wisdom is not taken up, upheld, recited, or mastered, and attention is not correctly focused on it, in the house, village, town, or city where it is committed to writing and upheld, humans or nonhumans looking for an opportunity to inflict harm will not find an opportunity to inflict harm. If you ask why, it is because, in order to worship this perfection of wisdom, the gods in the billionfold world system––the gods of the Cāturmahārājika realm, the gods of the Trayastriṃśa realm, the gods of the Yāma realm, the gods of the Tuṣita realm, the gods of the Nirmāṇarati realm, and the gods of the Paranirmitavaśavartin realm; the gods of the Brahmakāyika realm, the gods of the Brahmapurohita realm, the gods of the Brahmapārṣadya realm, and the gods of the Mahābrahmā realm; the gods of the Ābha realm, the gods of the Parīttābha realm, the gods of the Apramāṇābha realm, and the gods of the Ābhāsvara realm; the gods of the Śubha realm, the gods of the Parīttaśubha realm, the gods of the Apramāṇaśubha realm, and the gods of the Śubhakṛtsna realm; the gods of the Vṛha realm, the gods of the Parīttavṛha realm, the gods of the Apramāṇavṛha realm, and the gods of the Vṛhatphala realm; and the gods of the Avṛha realm, the gods of the Atapa realm, the gods of the Sudṛśa realm, the gods of the Sudarśana realm, and the gods of the Akaniṣṭha realm—and the gods of immeasurable, countless other world systems––the gods of their Cāturmahārājika realm, the gods of their Trayastriṃśa realm, the gods of their Yāma realm, the gods of their Tuṣita realm, the gods of their Nirmāṇarati realm, and the gods of their Paranirmitavaśavartin realm; the gods of their Brahmakāyika realm, the gods of their Brahmapurohita realm, the gods of their Brahmapārṣadya realm, and the gods of their Mahābrahmā realm; the gods of their Ābha realm, the gods of their Parīttābha realm, the gods of their Apramāṇābha realm, and the gods of their Ābhāsvara realm; the gods of their Śubha realm, the gods of their Parīttaśubha realm, the gods of their Apramāṇaśubha realm, and the gods of their Śubhakṛtsna realm; the gods of their Vṛha realm, the gods of their Parīttavṛha realm, the gods of their Apramāṇavṛha realm, and the gods of their Vṛhatphala realm; and the gods of their Avṛha realm, the gods of their Atapa realm, the gods of their Sudṛśa realm, the gods of their Sudarśana realm, and the gods of their Akaniṣṭha realm, as many as there are—will always guard, protect, and defend without interruption those sons or daughters of good families who have committed this perfection of wisdom to writing and uphold it. Having arrived there, those gods will serve, respect, honor, and worship this perfection of wisdom and then depart. Kauśika, so it is that any of those who have committed to writing and uphold this perfection of wisdom will have such attributes and advantages in this life.
“Kauśika, to illustrate, the site of enlightenment, or the living creatures included as animals or human beings present in the vicinity of the site of enlightenment or within the site of enlightenment, cannot be harmed or injured by humans or nonhumans. If you ask why, it is because, seated thereon, the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas of the past fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment; seated right there, the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas of the future will also fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment; and seated right there, the present tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas in the world systems of the ten directions are also fully awakening to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment. And all those tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas, having fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, and having worked hard to make all beings fearless, and free from and not consumed with enmity,720 have established, are establishing, and will establish immeasurable, countless beings in the excellent condition of gods and humans; have established, are establishing, and will establish immeasurable, countless beings in the fruit of having entered the stream; have established, are establishing, and will establish immeasurable, countless beings in the fruit of once-returner; have established, are establishing, and will establish immeasurable, countless beings in the fruit of non-returner; have established, are establishing, and will establish immeasurable, countless beings in arhatship; have established, are establishing, and will establish immeasurable, countless beings in individual enlightenment; and have established, are establishing, and will establish immeasurable, countless beings in unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment. If you ask why, Kauśika, it is because this very perfection of wisdom has made that location on the earth into a caitya for all beings, which is to be prostrated before, bowed down to, honored, served, and respected with many flowers, garlands, perfumes, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, and victory banners.”
Śakra then asked, “Blessed Lord, if any son or daughter of good family were to commit this perfection of wisdom to writing, uphold it in the form of a book, and serve, respect, honor, and worship it with many flowers, garlands, perfumes, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, and flags, and if another were to place and cherish721 the bodily relics of a tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha who has passed into nirvāṇa within a caitya fashioned of the seven precious materials, or within a container fashioned of the seven precious materials,722 and serve, respect, honor, and worship it with many flowers, garlands, perfumes, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, and flags, which of these two would increase their stock of merit more?”
The Blessed One replied, “In that case, Kauśika, I will ask just you a counter-question on this matter and you should answer as best you can. Kauśika, on which path do you think the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas who have acquired all-aspect omniscience and who have manifested such a body trained, such that the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas have acquired all-aspect omniscience and manifested such a body?”
Śakra answered, “Blessed Lord, it is after training in this very perfection of wisdom that the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas have acquired all-aspect omniscience and also manifested such a body.”
“Kauśika, it is so, it is so!” replied the Blessed One. “I also acquired all-aspect omniscience and manifested such a body after training in this very perfection of wisdom. Kauśika, it is not because of acquiring their physical body723 that the tathāgatas come to be counted as tathāgatas; it is because of acquiring all-aspect omniscience that the tathāgatas come to be counted as tathāgatas, and all-aspect omniscience, Kauśika, has originated from the perfection of wisdom.
“Thus, Kauśika, this body is the basis of the transcendent knowledge of an all-aspect omniscient one. Depending on that basis, the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas have acquired all-aspect omniscience. So, this body serves as the basis of the transcendent knowledge of an all-aspect omniscient one and therefore becomes a caitya for all beings to pay homage to, serve, respect, honor, and worship. Even after I have passed into nirvāṇa, Kauśika, the worship of my bodily relics will be just the worship of my physical body; it will not be the utter worship of the Dharma.724
“Kauśika, any son or daughter of good family who committed this perfection of wisdom to writing, and upheld, recited, mastered, and focused their attention correctly on it, and served, respected, honored, and worshipped it with many flowers, garlands, perfumes, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, and flags, would worship the transcendental knowledge of an all-aspect omniscient one.
“So it is, Kauśika, that any faithful son or daughter of good family who wants to worship the tathāgatas should commit this very perfection of wisdom to writing and uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on it, and should serve, respect, honor, and worship it with many flowers, garlands, incense, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, and flags.
“Kauśika, just the one who has committed this perfection of wisdom to writing; upheld, recited, mastered, and focused attention correctly on it; and served, respected, honored, and worshiped it with many flowers, garlands, perfumes, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, and flags would increase their stock of merit more than the one who has placed the bodily relics of a tathāgata who has passed into nirvāṇa within a caitya fashioned of the seven precious materials, or within a container fashioned of the seven precious materials,725 and served, respected, honored, and worshiped them with many flowers, garlands, perfumes, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, and flags.
“If you ask why, Kauśika, it is because the five perfections have also originated from it; the emptiness of internal phenomena has also originated from it, the emptiness of external phenomena has also originated from it, the emptiness of external and internal phenomena has also originated from it, the emptiness of emptiness has also originated from it, the emptiness of great extent has also originated from it, the emptiness of ultimate reality has also originated from it, the emptiness of conditioned phenomena has also originated from it, the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena has also originated from it, the emptiness of the unlimited has also originated from it, the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end has also originated from it, the emptiness of nonexclusion has also originated from it, the emptiness of inherent nature has also originated from it, the emptiness of all phenomena has also originated from it, the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics has also originated from it, the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended has also originated from it, the emptiness of nonentities has also originated from it, the emptiness of essential nature has also originated from it, and the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities has also originated from it; the four applications of mindfulness have also originated from it, the four correct exertions have also originated from it, the four supports for miraculous ability have also originated from it, the five faculties have also originated from it, the five powers have also originated from it, the seven branches of enlightenment have also originated from it, and the noble eightfold path has also originated from it; the four truths of the noble ones have also originated from it, the four meditative concentrations have also originated from it, the four immeasurable attitudes have also originated from it, the four formless absorptions have also originated from it, the eight liberations have also originated from it, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption have also originated from it, the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation have also originated from it, the five extrasensory powers have also originated from it, all the meditative stabilities have also originated from it, all the dhāraṇī gateways have also originated from it, the ten powers of the tathāgatas have also originated from it, the four fearlessnesses have also originated from it, the four kinds of exact knowledge have also originated from it, great loving kindness has also originated from it, great compassion has also originated from it, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas have also originated from it; the maturation of beings has also originated from it, the excellence of a buddhafield has also originated from it, the excellence of the family of bodhisattva great beings has also originated from it, the excellence of a physical form has also originated from it, the excellence of resources has also originated from it, the excellence of entourage has also originated from it, great loving kindness has also originated from it, and great compassion has also originated from it; great and lofty royal families have also originated from it, great and lofty priestly families have also originated from it, and great and lofty householder families have also originated from it; the gods of the Cāturmahārājika realm have also originated from it, the gods of the Trayastriṃśa realm have also originated from it, the gods of the Yāma realm have also originated from it, the gods of the Tuṣita realm have also originated from it, the gods of the Nirmāṇarati realm have also originated from it, and the gods of the Paranirmitavaśavartin realm have also originated from it; the gods of the Brahmakāyika realm have also originated from it, the gods of the Brahmapurohita realm have also originated from it, the gods of the Brahmapārṣadya realm have also originated from it, and the gods of the Mahābrahmā realm have also originated from it; the gods of the Ābha realm have also originated from it, the gods of the Parīttābha realm have also originated from it, the gods of the Apramāṇābha realm have also originated from it, and the gods of the Ābhāsvara realm have also originated from it; the gods of the Śubha realm have also originated from it, the gods of the Parīttaśubha realm have also originated from it, the gods of the Apramāṇaśubha realm have also originated from it, and the gods of the Śubhakṛtsna realm have also originated from it; the gods of the Vṛha realm have also originated from it, the gods of the Parīttavṛha realm have also originated from it, the gods of the Apramāṇavṛha realm have also originated from it, and the gods of the Vṛhatphala realm have also originated from it; the gods of the Avṛha realm have also originated from it, the gods of the Atapa realm have also originated from it, the gods of the Sudṛśa realm have also originated from it, the gods of the Sudarśana realm have also originated from it, and the gods of the Akaniṣṭha realm have also originated from it; and those who have entered the stream have also originated from it, once-returners have also originated from it, non-returners have also originated from it, arhats have also originated from it, pratyekabuddhas have also originated from it, bodhisattva great beings have also originated from it, the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas have also originated from it, and the all-aspect omniscience of the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas has also originated from it.”
Śakra then asked, “Blessed Lord, do those human beings of Jambudvīpa who do not honor, do not venerate, do not respect, and do not worship this perfection of wisdom not know that the worship of the perfection of wisdom is more powerful?”
“Kauśika,” said the Blessed One, “among those human beings of Jambudvīpa, how many do you think have unbroken devotion to726 the Buddha, have unbroken devotion to the Dharma, and have unbroken devotion to the Saṅgha; are without hesitation concerning the Buddha, are without hesitation concerning the Dharma, and are without hesitation concerning the Saṅgha; and are utterly convinced about the Buddha, are utterly convinced about the Dharma, and are utterly convinced about the Saṅgha?”
Śakra answered, “Blessed Lord, there are few human beings of Jambudvīpa who have unbroken devotion to the Buddha, have unbroken devotion to the Dharma, and have unbroken devotion to the Saṅgha; are without hesitation concerning the Buddha, are without hesitation concerning the Dharma, and are without hesitation concerning the Saṅgha; and are utterly convinced about the Buddha, are utterly convinced about the Dharma, and are utterly convinced about the Saṅgha.”
The Blessed One then asked, “Kauśika, how many human beings of Jambudvīpa do you think are the sort that have attained the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment? How many human beings of Jambudvīpa are the sort that have attained the three gateways to liberation? How many human beings of Jambudvīpa are the sort that have attained the eight liberations? How many human beings of Jambudvīpa are the sort that have attained the nine serial steps of meditative absorption? How many human beings of Jambudvīpa are the sort that have attained the four kinds of exact knowledge? How many human beings of Jambudvīpa are the sort that have attained the six extrasensory powers? How many human beings of Jambudvīpa are the sort that have entered the stream in order to abandon the three fetters? How many human beings of Jambudvīpa are the sort that have become once-returners in order to attenuate desire, hatred, and delusion? How many human beings of Jambudvīpa are the sort that have become non-returners in order to abandon the five fetters associated with the inferior? How many human beings of Jambudvīpa are the sort that have become arhats in order to abandon the five fetters associated with the higher? How many human beings of Jambudvīpa are the sort that have actually set out for individual enlightenment? How many human beings of Jambudvīpa are the sort that have actually set out for unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment?”
“Blessed Lord,” replied Śakra, “there are few human beings of Jambudvīpa of the sort that have attained the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment. There are even fewer of the sort that have attained the three gateways to liberation than them. There are even fewer of the sort that have attained the eight liberations than them. There are even fewer of the sort that have attained the nine serial steps of meditative absorption than them. There are even fewer of the sort that have attained the four kinds of exact knowledge than them. There are even fewer of the sort that have attained the six extrasensory powers than them. There are even fewer human beings of Jambudvīpa of the sort that have entered the stream in order to abandon the three fetters than them. There are even fewer of the sort that have become once-returners in order to attenuate desire, hatred, and delusion than them. There are even fewer of the sort that have become non-returners in order to abandon the five fetters associated with the inferior than them. There are even fewer of the sort that have become arhats in order to abandon the five fetters associated with the higher than them. There are even fewer human beings of Jambudvīpa of the sort that have actually set out for individual enlightenment than them. And there are even fewer human beings of Jambudvīpa of the sort that have actually set out for unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment than them.”
“Kauśika, it is so, it is so!” said the Blessed One. “Among the human beings of Jambudvīpa, there are few of the sort that have unbroken devotion to the Buddha, unbroken devotion to the Dharma, and unbroken devotion to the Saṅgha, and that are without hesitation concerning the Buddha, without hesitation concerning the Dharma, and without hesitation concerning the Saṅgha. There are even fewer of the sort that are utterly convinced about the Buddha, utterly convinced about the Dharma, and utterly convinced about the Saṅgha than them. There are even fewer of the sort that have attained the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment than them. There are even fewer of the sort that have entered the stream than them. There are even fewer of the sort that have become once-returners than them. There are even fewer of the sort that have become non-returners than them. There are even fewer of the sort that have become arhats than them. There are even fewer of the sort that have actually set out for individual enlightenment than them. And there are even fewer of the sort that have actually set out for unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment than them.
“If you ask why, it is because formerly when they roamed through cycles of existence, they did not see the Buddha, they did not listen to the Dharma, they did not venerate the Saṅgha; they did not undertake acts of generosity, did not maintain ethical discipline, did not cultivate tolerance, did not undertake perseverance, did not cultivate meditative concentration, and did not cultivate wisdom; and they did not hear of and did not cultivate the perfection of generosity, did not hear of and did not cultivate the perfection of ethical discipline, did not hear of and did not cultivate the perfection of tolerance, did not hear of and did not cultivate the perfection of perseverance, did not hear of and did not cultivate the perfection of meditative concentration, and did not hear of and did not cultivate the perfection of wisdom. They did not hear of and did not cultivate the emptiness of internal phenomena, did not hear of and did not cultivate the emptiness of external phenomena, did not hear of and did not cultivate the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, did not hear of and did not cultivate the emptiness of emptiness, did not hear of and did not cultivate the emptiness of great extent, did not hear of and did not cultivate the emptiness of ultimate reality, did not hear of and did not cultivate the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, did not hear of and did not cultivate the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, did not hear of and did not cultivate the emptiness of the unlimited, did not hear of and did not cultivate the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, did not hear of and did not cultivate the emptiness of nonexclusion, did not hear of and did not cultivate the emptiness of inherent nature, did not hear of and did not cultivate the emptiness of all phenomena, did not hear of and did not cultivate the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, did not hear of and did not cultivate the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended, did not hear of and did not cultivate the emptiness of nonentities, did not hear of and did not cultivate the emptiness of essential nature, and did not hear of and did not cultivate the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities. They did not hear of and did not cultivate the applications of mindfulness, did not hear of and did not cultivate the correct exertions, did not hear of and did not cultivate the supports for miraculous ability, did not hear of and did not cultivate the faculties, did not hear of and did not cultivate the powers, did not hear of and did not cultivate the branches of enlightenment, and did not hear of and did not cultivate the noble eightfold path. They did not hear of and did not cultivate the truths of the noble ones, did not hear of and did not cultivate the meditative concentrations, did not hear of and did not cultivate the immeasurable attitudes, did not hear of and did not cultivate the formless absorptions, did not hear of and did not cultivate the eight liberations, did not hear of and did not cultivate the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, did not hear of and did not cultivate the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation, did not hear of and did not cultivate the extrasensory powers, did not hear of and did not cultivate the meditative stabilities, did not hear of and did not cultivate the dhāraṇī gateways, did not hear of and did not cultivate the powers of the tathāgatas, did not hear of and did not cultivate the fearlessnesses, did not hear of and did not cultivate the kinds of exact knowledge, did not hear of and did not cultivate great loving kindness, did not hear of and did not cultivate great compassion, and did not hear of and did not cultivate the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas. And they did not hear of and did not cultivate knowledge of all the dharmas, did not hear of and did not cultivate the knowledge of the aspects of the path, and did not hear of and did not cultivate all-aspect omniscience.
“Therefore, Kauśika, there are few human beings of Jambudvīpa of the sort that have unbroken devotion to the Buddha, have unbroken devotion to the Dharma, and have unbroken devotion to the Saṅgha. There are even fewer that have attained the three gateways to liberation than them. There are even fewer that have attained the eight liberations than them. There are even fewer that have attained the nine serial steps of meditative absorption than them. There are even fewer that have attained the four kinds of exact knowledge than them. There are even fewer that have attained the six extrasensory powers than them. There are even fewer human beings of Jambudvīpa that have entered the stream in order to abandon the three fetters than them. There are even fewer that have become once-returners in order to attenuate desire, hatred, and delusion than them. There are even fewer that have become non-returners in order to abandon the five fetters associated with the inferior than them. There are even fewer that have become arhats in order to abandon the five fetters associated with the higher than them. There are even fewer human beings of Jambudvīpa that have actually set out for individual enlightenment than them. There are even fewer that have actually set out for unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment than them. And you should know that there are even fewer who are practicing with a purified aspiration for enlightenment than them.
“Kauśika, leave aside human beings. How many living creatures of Jambudvīpa do you think are of the sort that have attained the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment, have attained the three gateways to liberation, have attained the eight liberations, have attained the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, have attained the four kinds of exact knowledge, or have attained the six extrasensory powers? How many living creatures of Jambudvīpa are of the sort that have entered the stream in order to abandon the three fetters, have become once-returners in order to attenuate desire, hatred, and delusion, have become non-returners in order to abandon the five fetters associated with the inferior, have become arhats in order to abandon the five fetters associated with the higher, or have actually set out for individual enlightenment? How many living creatures of Jambudvīpa are of the sort that are without hesitation concerning unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, and without hesitation concerning the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Saṅgha? How many living creatures of Jambudvīpa have respect for their mother, respect for their father, respect for a virtuous ascetic, respect for those born as priests, undertake acts of service on behalf of senior family members,727 undertake acts of generosity, protect ethical discipline, maintain the restoration and purification ceremony, dwell with the perception of sense pleasures as a basic transgression,728 and, similarly, with the perception of impermanence, the perception of nonself, the perception of uncleanliness, and the perception that there is nothing delightful in the entire world? How many living creatures of Jambudvīpa have actually set out for unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment?”
“Blessed Lord,” replied Śakra, “there are indeed extremely few living creatures of Jambudvīpa of the sort that have attained the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment, have attained the three gateways to liberation, have attained the eight liberations, have attained the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, have attained the four kinds of exact knowledge, have attained the six extrasensory powers, have entered the stream in order to abandon the three fetters, have become once-returners in order to attenuate desire, hatred, and delusion, have become non-returners in order to abandon the five fetters associated with the inferior, have become arhats in order to abandon the five fetters associated with the higher, or have actually set out for individual enlightenment. Blessed Lord, there are indeed extremely few of the living creatures of Jambudvīpa of the sort that have actually set out for unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment.”
“Kauśika, it is so, it is so! It is just as you have said,” replied the Blessed One. “Kauśika, there are indeed extremely few living creatures of Jambudvīpa of the sort that have attained the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment, have attained the three gateways to liberation, have attained the eight liberations, have attained the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, have attained the four kinds of exact knowledge, have attained the six extrasensory powers, have entered the stream in order to abandon the three fetters, have become once-returners in order to attenuate desire, hatred, and delusion, have become non-returners in order to abandon the five fetters associated with the inferior, have become arhats in order to abandon the five fetters associated with the higher, have actually set out for individual enlightenment, or have actually set out for unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment. But there are even fewer of the sort that practice for unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment than them. And there are even fewer that want to fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment than them.
“Kauśika, from here I see with my unobscured buddha eyes in all the world systems of the eastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, immeasurable, countless beings who engage in unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, but still, because they lack the skillful means of the perfection of wisdom, only one or two of them will abide on the irreversible level while most of them will abide on the level of the śrāvakas and the pratyekabuddhas. If you ask why, Kauśika, it is because it is hard for those who are indolent, those who are without perseverance, those who are of feeble intent, those who are of inferior resolve, and those who are intellectually stupid to accomplish unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment.
“Kauśika, from here I see with my unobscured buddha eyes in all the world systems of the southern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, immeasurable, countless beings who engage in unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, but still, because they lack the skillful means of the perfection of wisdom, only one or two of them will abide on the irreversible level while most of them will abide on the level of the śrāvakas and the pratyekabuddhas. If you ask why, Kauśika, it is because it is hard for those who are indolent, those who are without perseverance, those who are of feeble intent, those who are of inferior resolve, and those who are intellectually stupid to accomplish unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment.
“Kauśika, from here I see with my unobscured buddha eyes in all the world systems of the western direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, immeasurable, countless beings who engage in unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, but still, because they lack the skillful means of the perfection of wisdom, only one or two of them will abide on the irreversible level while most of them will abide on the level of the śrāvakas and the pratyekabuddhas. If you ask why, Kauśika, it is because it is hard for those who are indolent, those who are without perseverance, those who are of feeble intent, those who are of inferior resolve, and those who are intellectually stupid to accomplish unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment.
“Kauśika, from here I see with my unobscured buddha eyes in all the world systems of the northern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, immeasurable, countless beings who engage in unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, but still, because they lack the skillful means of the perfection of wisdom, only one or two of them will abide on the irreversible level while most of them will abide on the level of the śrāvakas and the pratyekabuddhas. If you ask why, Kauśika, it is because it is hard for those who are indolent, those who are without perseverance, those who are of feeble intent, those who are of inferior resolve, and those who are intellectually stupid to accomplish unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment.
“Kauśika, from here I see with my unobscured buddha eyes in all the world systems of the intermediate northeastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, immeasurable, countless beings who engage in unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, but still, because they lack the skillful means of the perfection of wisdom, only one or two of them will abide on the irreversible level while most of them will abide on the level of the śrāvakas and the pratyekabuddhas. If you ask why, Kauśika, it is because it is hard for those who are indolent, those who are without perseverance, those who are of feeble intent, those who are of inferior resolve, and those who are intellectually stupid to accomplish unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment.
“Kauśika, from here I see with my unobscured buddha eyes in all the world systems of the intermediate southeastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, immeasurable, countless beings who engage in unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, but still, because they lack the skillful means of the perfection of wisdom, only one or two of them will abide on the irreversible level while most of them will abide on the level of the śrāvakas and the pratyekabuddhas. If you ask why, Kauśika, it is because it is hard for those who are indolent, those who are without perseverance, those who are of feeble intent, those who are of inferior resolve, and those who are intellectually stupid to accomplish unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment.