Chapter 30: Sadāprarudita13381339
[The Blessed One continued,] “Furthermore, Subhūti, there is a bodhisattva great being, Sadāprarudita, presently going about his life engaged in spiritual practice in the presence of the worthy, perfectly and completely awakened tathāgata Bhīṣmagarjitanirghoṣasvara.1340 A bodhisattva great being should seek the transcendent state of wisdom in the same way that Sadāprarudita sought it.”
At this, the venerable Subhūti asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, how did the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita seek the transcendent state of wisdom?”
At this, the Blessed One said to the venerable Subhūti, “Subhūti, in former times, the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita sought the transcendent state of wisdom without concern for his physical well-being, without regard for his life, and without attachment to donations, tributes, or celebrity. While seeking the transcendent state of wisdom, he went to stay in the wilderness, and heard a voice from the sky saying, ‘Noble son, go to the east! There you will learn the transcendent state of wisdom.1341 As you go, do not pay attention to physical fatigue. Do not pay attention to whether you feel drowsy or sleepy. Do not pay attention to whether you have food or water. Do not pay attention to whether it is night or day. Do not pay attention to whether it is cold or hot.1342 Do not let your mind fixate upon anything inside or outside. Noble son, do not go looking left or right. Do not go looking either south, east, west, north, up, down, or in any direction in between. Noble son, as you go, do not proceed on the basis of a self or the transitory collection. Do not proceed on the basis of physical forms, feelings, conceptions, conditioning factors, or consciousness, since one who proceeds on such a basis moves backward.1343 From what does one move backward? One moves backward from the qualities of a buddha. Furthermore, anyone who moves backward from the qualities of a buddha goes about life in cyclic existence. Anyone who goes about life in cyclic existence does not go about life in the transcendent state of wisdom and does not reach the transcendent state of wisdom.’
“At this, the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita said to the voice, ‘I will do exactly as you say. Why will I do that? Because I wish to provide a light for all sentient beings and to develop the qualities of a buddha.’1344
“At this, the voice said to the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita, ‘Excellent, noble son. Excellent, Sadāprarudita.’
“Then the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita listened for words once again and heard this: ‘Noble son, once you develop firm conviction that all things are emptiness, free from signs, and free from inclinations, you should seek the transcendent state of wisdom.1345 Also, you should give up conventional signs, give up existence, and give up the belief in a sentient being. Noble son, you should give up unvirtuous friends and instead attend to virtuous friends, be devoted to them, and serve them along with anyone teaching the Dharma that all things are empty, free from signs, free from inclinations, free from arising, free from birth, free from cessation, and free from any state of being.1346 Noble son, when you progress along the path in this way, it will not be long before you will get to learn the transcendent state of wisdom either in a book or physically with a monk teaching the Dharma. Noble son, with whomever you happen to learn the transcendent state of wisdom, you should conceive of him or her as a teacher, and with appreciation and gratitude think, “This is the virtuous friend with whom I am learning this transcendent state of wisdom.1347 By listening to this person, I will quickly reach the state beyond regressing from unsurpassed, perfect awakening, and I will be close to the worthy, perfectly and completely awakened tathāgatas. I will be reborn in a buddhafield and never be without a tathāgata. I will completely leave behind inauspicious birth and gain the good fortune of auspicious rebirth.” Noble son, by weighing such advantages, you should conceive of the monk preaching the Dharma as your teacher. In doing so, you should follow that monk preaching the Dharma not with a mindset attached to worldly enjoyments but with a mindset longing for the Dharma and devoted to it.1348 You must recognize the activities of Māra, because, noble son, the pernicious Māra himself imitates a bodhisattva great being preaching the Dharma in order to partake of visible forms, sounds, scents, flavors, and physical feelings, to enjoy them, and to be involved with them.1349 However, noble son, you should not develop a mindset of distrust toward a monk preaching the Dharma, if he or she has overcome these things, and yet, out of skill in means, partakes of them, enjoys them, and is involved with them. Instead, you should develop the proper mindset, thinking, “I do not know the skill in means that this Dharma preacher wisely understands. The Dharma preacher partakes of these things, enjoys them, and is involved with them in order to tame sentient beings and support their roots of virtue, because bodhisattva great beings do not have any attachment to anything, nor do they possess sense objects.”1350 Also, at that time, noble son, you should investigate the true nature of things. Noble son, what is the true nature of things? It is, to be specific, that all things are free of emotional defilement and free of purification.1351 Why is that? Because all things are empty of inherent nature. All things are free of any sentient being, soul, personality, animating spirit, or person. They are like a magical illusion, a dream, an echo, or a reflection.1352 Noble son, if you investigate the true nature of all things and follow a Dharma preacher, it will not be long before you go completely beyond cyclic existence in the transcendent state of wisdom. Also, noble son, you should keep in mind another activity of Māra. That is to say, noble son, while you are seeking the transcendent state of wisdom, if the Dharma preacher rebukes you or does not keep you in mind, then, noble son, you should not talk back but rather follow that monk preaching the Dharma with nothing but reverence for the Dharma and without your mind becoming depressed.’1353
“Then the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita accepted this guidance from the voice and headed in the eastern direction.1354 Not long after setting forth, it occurred to him that he did not ask the voice how far he should go. Then, right there in that spot where he stood, he began crying, weeping, grieving, and lamenting, thinking, ‘Until I hear the transcendent state of wisdom, I will spend day and night—whether it be two, three, four, five, six, or seven days and nights—in this very location.1355 I will not pay attention to physical fatigue. I will not pay attention to whether I feel drowsy or sleepy. I will not pay attention to whether I have food or water. I will not pay attention to whether it is night or day. I will not pay attention to whether it is cold or hot.’ Subhūti, it was, as an analogy, just like a man filled with suffering and despair at the death of his only son. That man’s attentiveness would not be occupied with anything other than his grief for his son. Rather, he would be occupied with nothing but attentiveness to his only son. In this very same way, Subhūti, the attentiveness of the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita was occupied with nothing else but repeating to himself, ‘When will I ever get to learn the transcendent state of wisdom?’
“Then, Subhūti, after the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita had pined sadly away like that, the form of a tathāgata appeared right in front of him and commended him: ‘Excellent, noble son. It is excellent that you have uttered these words. You are now seeking the transcendent state of wisdom the way that the former worthy, perfectly and completely awakened tathāgatas previously sought it, when they were going about life engaged in spiritual practice. Thus, noble son, just follow [the guidance] and go east with nothing but this heroic perseverance, this courage, this longing, and this aspiration! Noble son, in one thousand two hundred miles1356 from here, there is a city called Gandhavatī built out of the seven precious substances. The city is thirty miles long and thirty miles wide, surrounded with seven barrier walls, seven moats, and seven rows of palm trees. The city is thriving, successful, and safe. It has excellent provisions and is filled with many people and animals.1357 It has five separate one-hundred-aisle indoor bazaars, beautiful to behold like a brightly colored painting. It is well organized with a fixed order of streets for people, carriages, and vehicles, not overflowing, but harmonious for all.1358
“ ‘Surrounding the city are ramparts made of the seven precious substances. Also, those ramparts—made of the seven precious substances—have large parapets made of gold from the River Jambu that rise above them.1359 On top of all the battlements, fruit trees grow, laden with various types of marvelous fruits made of seven precious substances. A string made of seven precious substances is connected from each tree on the battlements to the other trees on the next battlement, enveloping the entire city in a net with small golden bells attached, so that a sweet, charming, and pleasant sound emerges from the small bells when gently shaken by the wind.1360 As an analogy, it is just like the sweet, charming, and pleasant sound that emerges from the five musical instruments played by skilled singers when singing together.1361 In the same way, the sweet, charming, and pleasant sound emerges from the small bells being shaken by the wind, and with that sound, the city’s inhabitants are entertained and delighted, and amuse themselves.1362
“ ‘All around the city are moats completely full of water that is not too cold or too hot, and that flows along harmoniously.1363 In that water, manifesting from the ripening of previous karmic deeds by the city’s inhabitants, there are beautiful, brightly colored boats made of the seven precious substances. The city’s inhabitants aboard them are entertained and delighted, and amuse themselves. The water itself is completely covered with blue lotuses, pink lotuses, white water lilies, white lotuses, and the most excellent fragrantly scented blossoms—there is no type of blossom anywhere in the billionfold, great order world system that is lacking there!1364
“ ‘Surrounding the city, there are five hundred gardens. They all are made of the seven precious substances, brightly colored and beautiful, and, in each of those gardens, there are twenty-five hundred lotus pools. The size of each of the pools is a half mile around. In all those lotus pools appear blue lotuses, pink lotuses, white water lilies, and white lotuses that cover the water. All the blue lotuses, pink lotuses, white water lilies, and white lotuses are fragrant, with a circumference the size of a cart wheel. Some are blue, blue tinted, blueish, or seemingly blue. Some are yellow, yellow tinted, yellowish, or seemingly yellow. Some are red, red tinted, reddish, or seemingly red. Some are white, white tinted, whitish, or seemingly white. All the lotus pools resonate with the calls of geese, cranes, ducks, curlews, and brahminy ducks. All the gardens are public property, not private, and are manifesting from the ripening of previous karmic deeds by the city’s inhabitants, who, for a long time, obviously have gone about life in the transcendent state of wisdom and, for a long time with the proper mindset of listening to the sugatas, have approached with respect for the guidance of the buddhas and had firm conviction in their profound Dharma teachings.1365
“ ‘At the intersection in the center of the city of Gandhavatī, noble son, lies the estate of the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata. It is two miles in circumference, made of the seven precious substances, brightly colored, beautiful, and surrounded with seven walls and seven rows of palm trees. Within that estate, encircling the house, are four gardens for enjoyment and for leisure.1366 The gardens are called Always Delighted, Sorrowless, Sorrow Free, and Brightly Colored Blossoms. In each garden, there are eight lotus pools, namely, Good Lotus Pool, Best Lotus Pool, Joyful Lotus Pool, Most Joyful Lotus Pool, Patient Lotus Pool, Most Patient Lotus Pool, Temperate Lotus Pool, and The Never Flowing Away Lotus Pool. The first side of each lotus pool is gold, the second silver, the third beryl, and the fourth crystal. The bottom of each pool consists of quartz with golden sand spread over it. In each one of the lotus pools, there are eight staircases with each step adorned by various brightly colored precious substances. In all the spaces between the staircase steps there appears a plantain tree made of gold from the River Jambu. The water in all the lotus pools is blanketed with various blue lotuses, red lotuses, white water lilies, and pink lotuses, and resonates with the calls of geese, cranes, ducks, curlews, and brahminy ducks. All around the lotus pools there are various flowering trees. When shaken by the wind, the flowers in these flowering trees float downward into the lotus pools, so that in all the lotus pools the water has a sandalwood scent, color, taste, and feel.
“ ‘In that estate, the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata is surrounded by a retinue with sixty-eight thousand women. Being endowed with the five types of objects of sensual desire and enjoying them, he is entertained and delighted, and amuses himself.1367 All the other people—both the men and women who are inhabitants in that city—also are endowed with the five types of objects of sensual desire and enjoy them. They are constantly joyful, entertained, and delighted, and amusing themselves in the gardens and among the lotus pools. But it is only for so long that the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata is entertained, delighted, and amuses himself with his retinue; afterward, he teaches the transcendent state of wisdom during the three daily time periods.1368 The inhabitants of the city of Gandhavatī prepare a throne for the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata in the city’s central square, with a base of gold, silver, beryl, and crystal.1369 It is covered with a cotton cushion, then a wool coverlet, next a cloth on top, and finally muslin fabric from Kāśi, to the height of six hundred feet.1370 High above the throne in the sky, the inhabitants together carefully hold up a cloth canopy adorned with pearls, evenly so that it is well formed. How is that possible? Because their various karmic ripenings are extremely well formed.1371
“ ‘All around the area of the throne, they strew, spread, and scatter five-colored blossoms.1372 And, out of their pure motivation and devotion to the Dharma of the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata, they painstakingly ensure that the area is scented with various perfumes and incenses. Then, once seated on that throne, Dharmodgata teaches the transcendent state of wisdom.1373
“ ‘Noble son, those sentient beings listen to the transcendent state of wisdom in the direct presence of the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata with devotion to the Dharma, with readiness for the qualities, with trust in the trustworthy, and giving rise to faith.1374 Among both gods and humans, many beings—hundreds, thousands, hundreds of thousands of living beings—come together there to listen to it. With the proper attentiveness, some of them explain it, some recite it, some write it out, and some follow along. But all those sentient beings have the qualities of not falling into lower births, and are beyond regressing from unsurpassed, perfect awakening. Noble son, go to the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata! From him you will hear the transcendent state of wisdom, because for a long time, noble son, he has been your virtuous friend, helping you to see clearly, to take in the practice, to be enthusiastic, and to rejoice about unsurpassed, perfect awakening. Noble son, he also previously sought the transcendent state of wisdom just as you are seeking it now. So, noble son, go there, keeping this in mind without interruption day or night, and it will not be long before you will hear the transcendent state of wisdom!’
“Then, after hearing this, the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita felt pleased, cheerful, gladdened, delighted, and filled with joy and satisfaction.1375 It was just like, as an analogy, for a man pierced by an arrow with poison. Such a man would not pay attention to anything else. Instead, he would think, ‘When will I reach a doctor to extract this arrow? Who will get this arrow out of me? Who will rescue me from this pain?’ In the very same way, the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita did not pay attention to any other duty. Instead, he thought, ‘When will I see that noble son? Who will help me hear the transcendent state of wisdom? After hearing that Dharma, when will I give up paying attention to my mental perceptions?’
“Just then, as he stood right there in that very location, the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita could hear the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata teaching the transcendent state of wisdom. While listening to him, the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita suddenly conceived of all things as being unfounded and found himself directly in front of the gateways to multiple meditative concentrations.1376 To be specific, he experienced the meditative concentration called focused on surveying the inherent nature of all things;1377 the meditative concentration called focused on the inherent nature of all things not being mentally perceived;1378 the meditative concentration called focused on the knowing of all things disappearing; the meditative concentration called focused on the nondifference of all things;1379 the meditative concentration called focused on seeing all things as unchanging; the meditative concentration called focused on the illuminator of all things; the meditative concentration called focused on the removal of the darkness of all things; the meditative concentration called focused on the destruction of the knowing of all things; the meditative concentration called focused on the shaking up of all things; the meditative concentration called focused on the shower of flower blossoms; the meditative concentration called focused on the bringing forth of the individuality of all things; the meditative concentration called focused on abandoning illusion; the meditative concentration called focused on producing reflections in the dimension of a mirror; the meditative concentration called focused on bringing forth the cries of all sentient beings; the meditative concentration called focused on removing dust; the meditative concentration called focused on delighting all sentient beings; the meditative concentration called focused on the approach of skill in the language of all sentient beings; the meditative concentration called focused on the production of various utterances, words, and syllables; the meditative concentration called focused on the unimpeded; the meditative concentration called focused on the natural lack of conventions; the meditative concentration called focused on the attainment of liberation free from obstructions; the meditative concentration called focused on the royal approach; the meditative concentration called focused on terms, etymologies, words, and syllables; the meditative concentration called focused on examining all things; the meditative concentration called focused on leaving behind the objective scope of all things; the meditative concentration called focused on the limit of freedom from obstructions of all things; the meditative concentration called focused on being equal to the sky; the meditative concentration called focused on the vajra-like; the meditative concentration called focused on the king of nearby forms; the meditative concentration called focused on the king free of enemies; the meditative concentration called focused on gaining victory; the meditative concentration called focused on not averting the eyes; the meditative concentration called focused on certainty about the ultimate realm of things; the meditative concentration called focused on going beyond the ultimate realm of things; the meditative concentration called focused on providing inspiration; the meditative concentration called focused on the roaring of a lion; the meditative concentration called focused on surpassing all sentient beings; the meditative concentration called focused on the absence of dust; the meditative concentration called focused on the undefiled; the meditative concentration called focused on the array of lotuses; the meditative concentration called focused on cutting off doubts; the meditative concentration called focused on pursuing the essence in everything; the meditative concentration called focused on rising above all things; the meditative concentration called focused on the attainment of extrasensory knowledge, strength, and self-confidence; the meditative concentration called focused on penetrating all things; the meditative concentration called focused on the seal of all things not existing; the meditative concentration called focused on the ocean of all things not existing; the meditative concentration called focused on seeing no distinction in all things; the meditative concentration called focused on abandoning the jungle of all made-up beliefs; the meditative concentration called focused on the removal of darkness; the meditative concentration called focused on leaving behind the conventional signs of all things; the meditative concentration called focused on liberation from all attachments; the meditative concentration called focused on leaving behind all laziness; the meditative concentration called focused on the sun of the profound Dharma; the meditative concentration called focused on equality with Mount Meru; the meditative concentration called focused on undistractability; the meditative concentration called focused on bringing destruction to Māra’s circle; the meditative concentration called focused on not habitually fixating upon anything in the three worlds; the meditative concentration called focused on emanating light rays; the meditative concentration called focused on seeing the tathāgata; and the meditative concentration called focused on seeing all the tathāgatas.
“As he dwelled in these meditative concentrations, he saw immeasurable, innumerable blessed buddhas in the world systems of the ten directions, elucidating this very transcendent state of wisdom to bodhisattva great beings.1380 Those tathāgatas commended and assured him, and said, ‘Noble son, we ourselves went about our lives in the bodhisattva’s way of going about life. We also searched all over for this very transcendent state of wisdom. While searching all over for it, we too attained these very meditative concentrations that you have just now attained. After attaining these meditative concentrations, we broke through to understanding and became established in the transcendent state of wisdom with respect to a buddha’s qualities beyond regressing. Surveying the essential nature or inherent nature of these very meditative concentrations, we do not identify a thing that goes into them or comes out of them, nor do we identify anyone going about life for the sake of awakening or anyone realizing unsurpassed, perfect awakening. Noble son, this transcendent state of wisdom is not a state of developing conceits about any thing. By remaining in such a state without developing conceits, we obtained bodies with this golden color. We also attained the thirty-two principal characteristics of a great person, the eighty subsidiary characteristics, and a halo with a six-foot radius, the inconceivable and unsurpassed knowing of a buddha, the wisdom of a buddha, the unsurpassed meditative concentration of a buddha, and the perfection of the excellent qualities of a buddha. Since the tathāgatas themselves cannot grasp the magnitude of such qualities or demonstrate the limit to the perfection of such qualities, how much less able would a disciple or solitary realizer be? Therefore, noble son, you should develop reverence for these very qualities by longing and aspiring more intensely for them. Noble son, when you are longing and aspiring, it will not be difficult to reach unsurpassed, perfect awakening. Noble son, you should develop intense devotion to virtuous friends, appreciation for them, and trust in them, because a bodhisattva great being supported by a virtuous friend quickly realizes unsurpassed, perfect awakening.’
“Then, the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita asked those tathāgatas, ‘Who is my virtuous friend?’
“They replied, ‘Noble son, for a long time the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata has been helping you ripen toward unsurpassed, perfect awakening and supporting you. He has also been helping you obtain the training in the transcendent state of wisdom, the skill in means, and the qualities of a buddha. Noble son, he is your supporter and your virtuous friend. You should pay tribute to him with appreciation and gratitude and keep in mind what he has done for you.1381 Noble son, suppose that for one eon—or two, three, one hundred, or even one thousand eons—you were to carry around the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata on top of your head, like a turban, so that you could provide him all sentient beings’ pleasant provisions, and offer him as many visible forms, sounds, scents, tastes, and tangibles as there are in a billionfold, great order world system.1382 Still, noble son, you would not yet have repaid what that noble son has done for you. Why is that? Because, noble son, through the miraculous power of that noble son, you have come to obtain these sorts of meditative concentrations, to hear the transcendent state of wisdom and the skill in means, and to obtain the transcendent state of wisdom.’
1383“Then, after those tathāgatas encouraged the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita, they disappeared and the noble son emerged from his meditative concentrations. After emerging, he thought, ‘Where did those tathāgatas come from and where did those tathāgatas go to?’ Not seeing those tathāgatas, he was overcome with sorrow and yearning.1384 He thought, ‘The noble bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata has obtained the power of memory. He has the five types of extrasensory knowledge. He has performed his service for the former conquerors. And he is the perfect support and virtuous friend to me. Over a long period of time he has brought me benefit. So, since the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata is certain to be a benefit, I should keep going toward him, approach him, and ask him, “Where did the tathāgatas come from and where have the tathāgatas gone to?” ’
“Then the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita kindled appreciation for the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata, trust in him, devotion to him, and awe toward him.1385 After kindling these, he wondered, ‘When I approach the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata, how much tribute can I pay to him? Since I am poor, I do not have any fabric, precious material, gold, jewels, pearls, beryl, mother of pearl, coral, silver, flower blossoms, incense, perfume, wreaths, fragrant oil, aromatic powder, parasols, banners, bells, flags, or the like. How can I pay tribute and show reverence to him? It would not be proper of me if I were to approach the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata this way, poor as I am, with nothing precious or delightful to present.’
“With these types of feelings of devoted attentiveness, the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita continued on his journey and gradually arrived at the next city. When he reached the central market, it occurred to him, ‘Why not sell my physical body? I could use the proceeds to pay tribute to the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata. Certainly, throughout my long time in this unlimited cycle of existence, thousands of my bodies have been broken, destroyed, enslaved, and sold. Again and again I must have experienced unlimited sufferings in the hell realms because of lust and motivated by sense pleasures, but never has it been for the sake of paying tribute to such qualities or sentient beings.’
“So, while the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita was in the central market, with a raised voice he repeatedly shouted the words, ‘Who wants a man? Who wants a man? Who wants to buy a man?’
“At that moment, the pernicious Māra thought, ‘This bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita must really want the Dharma, if he is going to sell himself to pay tribute to the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata and request the transcendent state of wisdom and the skill in means. If he gets to ask how a bodhisattva great being goes about life in the transcendent state of wisdom to quickly actualize unsurpassed, perfect awakening, then he will become an ocean of learning. In doing so, he will become unassailable by any māra or demon cohort. Then he will reach the perfection of all the positive qualities and benefit numerous sentient beings. Finally, once he realizes unsurpassed, perfect awakening, he will help those beings and others to get beyond my reach. So I must create obstacles for him.’
“Then the pernicious Māra created a diversion so that the brahmins and householders would not hear the voice of the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita shouting, ‘Who wants a man? Who wants a man? Who wants to buy a man?’1386
“Then, when the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita did not find anyone to buy him, he went into a corner and cried. Letting the tears roll out, he lamented, ‘Woe is me! How difficult it is to get any wealth! We beings cannot even find anyone to buy our bodies! If only we could sell them and pay tribute to the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata!’
“Then Śakra, powerful lord of the gods, had the thought, ‘Perhaps I should test the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita to see whether he indeed has gained the altruistic disposition to give up his body out of his wish for the Dharma.’ At that, Śakra, powerful lord of the gods, miraculously disguised himself as a young brahmin man, went over to Sadāprarudita, and asked, ‘Noble son, why are you in such a state with your mind so utterly distressed and full of sorrow, letting the tears pour out in this way?’
“Sadāprarudita replied, ‘Brahmin, I wish to sell myself, but I cannot find anyone to buy my body.’
“Śakra, in the form of the brahmin man, asked him, ‘Noble son, for what purpose do you wish to sell yourself?’
“Sadāprarudita replied, ‘Brahmin, out of my wish for the Dharma, I decided to sell myself so that I can make an offering for the teachings. I wish to pay tribute to the noble bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata. As I was not finding a buyer for my body, I thought, “Oh, I must have such little merit—even though I wish to make an offering for the teachings and pay tribute to the noble bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata, I cannot find anyone to buy my body!” ’
“Then the brahmin said to the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita, ‘Noble son, I have no need for a man. But my father must make a sacrifice. For that, a man’s heart, blood, and bone marrow is required. Can you offer me those for sale?’
“Then the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita thought to himself, ‘How extremely easy this would be for me to get what I need! Since I have found this brahmin to buy my heart, blood, and bone marrow, I now see how this body of mine can help perfect the transcendent state of wisdom, the skill in means, and the qualities of a buddha.’ With a joyful heart, a ready mind, and a cheerful attitude, he said to the brahmin, ‘Brahmin, I will give you absolutely whatever you want from this body.’1387
“The brahmin asked him, ‘Noble son, what should I give you in payment for it?’
“Sadāprarudita replied, ‘Brahmin, give me whatever you can spare.’
“With that, the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita grabbed a sharp knife, pierced his right arm, and let the blood spurt out. Next, he pierced his right thigh and scraped off the flesh. He then started toward the base of a wall in order to break open his bones against it.
“At the same time, a wealthy merchant’s daughter, who had gone up onto the roof of her mansion, saw the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita pierce his arm, let the blood spurt out, and scrape off his flesh. As he went to the base of the wall in order to break open his bones, she thought, ‘Why indeed is that noble son inflicting such torture upon his very own self? I must go to that noble son and find out.’
“So the merchant’s daughter approached the place where the bodhisattva great being was. After approaching, she said to the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita, ‘Noble son, why are you inflicting the kind of torture upon yourself that will kill you? What will you do with this blood? What will you do with the bone marrow?’
“Sadāprarudita replied, ‘Young lady, I will sell them to this brahmin, so that I can venerate the transcendent state of wisdom and pay tribute to the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata.’
“Then the young lady said to the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita, ‘Noble son, with such a wish to sell your own heart, blood, and bone marrow, and pay tribute to that noble son, what kind or special type of positive qualities do you hope to actualize?’1388
“Sadāprarudita said to the young lady, ‘Young lady, that noble son will teach us beings the transcendent state of wisdom and the skill in means so that we can train in those. When we do, we will become a refuge to all sentient beings. After realizing unsurpassed, perfect awakening, we will obtain a golden body. We will attain the thirty-two principal characteristics of a great person, the eighty subsidiary characteristics, and a halo with a six-foot radius and infinite light rays. We will obtain great benevolence, compassion, rejoicing, and impartiality. We will obtain the four grounds for self-confidence, the four types of experiential knowledge, the eighteen distinctive qualities of a buddha, and the five types of extrasensory knowledge. We will obtain inconceivable purity in meditative concentration, inconceivable purity in wisdom, and the ten powers of a tathāgata. We will realize the unsurpassed knowing of a buddha, and once we come to possess the jewel of Dharma, we will share it with all sentient beings.’
“Then the young lady said to the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita, ‘Noble son, it is wonderful that you proclaim such noble and excellent qualities. Noble son, for the sake of even one quality like this, anyone would be able to give up all their bodies even for eons equal in number to the grains of sand in the River Ganges. How much more so to give up one body for the sake of so many qualities! The qualities that you have proclaimed are noble and excellent. To me, they are appealing and seem worthwhile.1389 But please do not inflict this kind of torture upon yourself! I will give you whatever you need—whether it be gold, jewels, pearls, silver, beryl, special coral, red sunstone, crystal, flower blossoms, incense, perfume, wreaths, fragrant oils, aromatic powders, fabrics, parasols, banners, bells, flags, or lamps—so that you can pay tribute to the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata. And I will go to the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata together with you and I too will plant the roots of virtue right along with you, specifically to obtain these kinds of qualities.’
“Then the powerful lord Śakra let his brahmin disguise fade away. Now in his own body, he stood before the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita and said, ‘Excellent, noble son. It is excellent that you have such firm resolve. By seeking the Dharma in this way, all the previous worthy, perfectly and completely awakened tathāgatas also realized unsurpassed, perfect awakening. They obtained the jewel of Dharma by going about their lives in the way that a bodhisattva goes about life, and by requesting the transcendent state of wisdom and the skill in means. Noble son, I have no need for your heart, blood, or bone marrow. It was only because of my wish to test you that I came here. Now, noble son, make a wish. However great your wish is, I will grant it.’
“Sadāprarudita said to him, ‘Śakra, please give me the unsurpassed qualities of a buddha.’
“The Lord of Gods said, ‘Noble son, I am not the sovereign in that domain.1390 It is rather the blessed buddhas who are the sovereigns in such domains. Make a different wish.’
“Sadāprarudita said, ‘O Lord of Gods, do not worry about restoring this body of mine to its proper condition.1391 Lord of Gods, I shall just perform an act of truth by myself. By the power of the truth in my stating that the worthy, perfectly and completely awakened tathāgatas have foreordained me to be beyond regressing from unsurpassed, perfect awakening—and as I am known by the sincerity of my altruistic disposition—let this body of mine now become exactly as it was before!’
“At that very moment, that very second, and that very instant, through the buddhas’ miraculous power and the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita’s purely altruistic disposition, the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita’s body came to be exactly the way it was before, in its healthy and uninjured state.1392
“At that, both the powerful lord Śakra and the pernicious Māra, with the shine of their boldness dimmed and unable to keep up with the superior shine of the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita’s boldness, disappeared right on the spot.1393
“Then the merchant’s daughter said to the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita, ‘Noble son, come, let’s go to my house. I will have my parents give you the riches with which you will venerate the transcendent state of wisdom and will pay tribute to the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata, namely, out of your wish for the Dharma.’
“Then the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita went together with the merchant’s daughter to her house. When they arrived, Sadāprarudita stayed at the front door, while the merchant’s daughter went inside the house and said to her mother and father, ‘Mother and Father, please give me precious metals, gold, precious substances, jewels, fabrics, flower blossoms, incense, perfume, wreaths, fragrant oils, aromatic powders, cloth parasols, banners, bells, flags, and different kinds of heavenly musical instruments. Also, please grant me leave along with the five hundred young ladies that you gave me as my servants. Together with the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita, I will go to be in the presence of the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata and venerate him. He will teach us the Dharma, and through this we will obtain the qualities of a buddha.’
“Then the young lady’s parents said to their daughter, ‘But, Daughter, who is this bodhisattva great being named Sadāprarudita? Where is he located now?’
“The young lady said, ‘The noble son is standing near the front door to this very house of ours. Because of his altruistic disposition, he has set out to realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening; specifically, he wishes to have all the awakened qualities in order to liberate all the unlimited sentient beings from suffering in cyclic existence. He had decided to sell himself, so that he could venerate the transcendent state of wisdom, and pay tribute to the noble bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata. But he could not find anyone to buy his body. Not finding a buyer, he suffered with his mind dejected and distressed. As he stood there pondering it, his tears began to roll out.
“ ‘Then Śakra, powerful lord of the gods, miraculously took on the form of a young brahmin man and asked, “Why are you standing there pondering, suffering, with your mind dejected and distressed, just letting your tears roll out?”
“ ‘Sadāprarudita replied, “I wish to sell myself, but I cannot find a buyer.”
“ ‘In the form of the brahmin, Śakra said to him, “But, noble son, for what purpose do you wish to sell yourself?”
“ ‘Sadāprarudita said, “I wish to venerate the transcendent state of wisdom and to pay tribute to the noble bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata. Specifically, my wish to obtain the Dharma is connected with obtaining the qualities of a buddha.”
“ ‘In the form of the brahmin, Śakra said to him, “Noble son, I have no need for your body. But my father will be making a sacrifice on my behalf. For that, a man’s heart, blood, and bone marrow are required.”
“ ‘Then the noble son’s mind ceased to be dejected, and he said, “I will give it to you.” At that, he grabbed a sharp knife, pierced his right arm, and let the blood spurt out. Then, he pierced his right thigh and scraped off the flesh. Next, he started toward the base of a wall in order to break open the bone against it. As he stood to one side to break it open, he said, “Here, I will give it to you.”
“ ‘At that time, I was on the roof of our mansion. From above, I saw the noble son’s blood gushing and I thought, “Why indeed is this man inflicting such torture upon himself?” So I went to him to find out: “Noble son, your blood is gushing. What purpose could there be for doing such harm to your body?”
“ ‘Then he replied, “Young lady, I am going to give my blood, heart, and bone marrow to this brahmin. Why is that? Because I am poor and have no other wealth.”
“ ‘I asked him, “But what are you going to do with that wealth?”
“ ‘He replied, “Because of my wish for the Dharma, specifically I will use it to venerate the transcendent state of wisdom and pay tribute to the noble bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata.”
“ ‘I asked, “But, noble son, what sort or special type of quality will come from such an offering?”
“ ‘Then, after he described to me the inconceivable and immeasurable qualities of a buddha and elucidated them, he said, “These are the kinds of qualities that will come from that offering.”
“ ‘Once I heard about the inconceivable qualities of a buddha, I felt great joy and delight, and thought, “It is amazing that this noble son is performing such difficult deeds. He wishes so intensely for the Dharma that he courageously bears such a painful condition of his own body. Certainly, out of his wish for Dharma, this noble son has given himself entirely over to it. With our extensive and vast wealth, why should we not venerate the Dharma and make aspirations ourselves for such conditions?”1394 So, I myself told this noble son, “Please, please do not do such deeds, as they will kill you. I will donate the very extensive wealth that you seek for paying tribute and showing reverence to the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata. Also, I will go together with you to where the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata is and venerate that noble son. And we will accomplish these kinds of qualities that you proclaimed, namely, the unsurpassed qualities of a buddha.” So, Mother and Father, please grant me this! Please give me an extensive amount of wealth. Together with this noble son, I will use it to go and venerate the noble bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata.’
“Then the young lady’s parents responded to their daughter, ‘Daughter, it is amazing what you are reporting about how difficult the noble son’s circumstances have been. Those qualities, for which he courageously bears such difficult circumstances, are absolutely inconceivable, the most excellent in the whole world, and certainly conducive to the happiness of all sentient beings.1395 Daughter, we will grant this to you. Make room for us too. We will join you in going to see the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata, to pay homage to him, and to serve him.’
“Then, once the young lady was aware that her own mother and father would set out with her to venerate and pay tribute to the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata, she said, ‘Mother and Father, let us do as you say. I will not get in the way of anyone on the side of virtue.’
“After saying this, the merchant’s daughter began setting out to venerate and pay tribute to the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata. First, the merchant’s daughter readied five hundred carriages and got the five hundred young ladies to prepare. After they were prepared, she gathered various types of brightly colored blossoms, various colors of fabric, flowers, incenses, perfumes, wreaths, fragrant oils, aromatic powders, cloth parasols, banners, bells, flags, various brightly colored precious materials and various brightly colored flowers made of precious materials, and great quantities of dry edibles, soft foods, and tasty treats.
“Then the merchant’s daughter and the bodhisattva great being boarded a single carriage surrounded by the five hundred young ladies in their carriages. Then, placing their carriage at the forefront preceded by her parents, they traveled east with this great retinue. In due course while traveling, the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita saw from afar the beautiful, brightly colored city Gandhavatī. It was made of seven precious substances, surrounded by seven barrier walls, with seven ornamental arches, seven moats, and seven rows of palm trees. It was thirty miles long and thirty miles wide. The city was thriving, successful, and safe. It had excellent provisions and was filled with many people and animals. It had five separate one-hundred-aisle indoor bazaars that were beautiful to behold like a brightly colored painting. It was well organized with a fixed order of streets for people, carriages, and vehicles, not overflowing, but harmonious for all.
“At the central intersection of the city, surrounded by an assembly of many hundreds, thousands, and hundreds of thousands, Sadāprarudita saw the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata on his Dharma throne at the front, teaching the Dharma. Just by seeing him, Sadāprarudita felt the kind of happiness that a monk feels when he has attained the first meditative attainment with one-pointed attentiveness. But immediately after seeing him, Sadāprarudita thought, ‘It is not appropriate for me to approach the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata in a carriage. Therefore, I will get down from this carriage here.’ So, he got down from that carriage. Likewise, the merchant’s daughter and the five hundred young ladies got down from their carriages. From there, the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita at the front, together with the merchant’s daughter and surrounded by the five hundred young ladies, walked toward the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata with their array of unlimited devotional offerings.
“Now, at the time, the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata had had a peaked temple built out of the seven precious substances to house the transcendent state of wisdom scripture. The peaked temple was decorated with red sandalwood and covered over with pearls. At its four corners were placed precious jewels to function as lamps. Four incense holders made of silver hung in the four directions, where pure, black aloeswood perfumed the air specifically to venerate the transcendent state of wisdom. In the middle of the peaked temple, on an arranged throne made of the seven precious substances, inside a large chest made of four precious substances, there had been placed the scripture of the transcendent state of wisdom, written in melted beryl on golden plates. Beyond that, the peaked temple was adorned with a variety of brightly colored silk scarves hanging all around.
“As they approached, the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita and the merchant’s daughter, at the forefront of the five hundred young ladies, saw the peaked temple enveloped in a limitless array of devotional offerings. And as they heard the music of heavenly instruments, they also saw heavenly māndārava flowers, heavenly aromatic powders of sandalwood, heavenly gold powders, and heavenly silver powders being rained down upon the peaked temple, showered upon it, and scattered around it by many thousands of gods there, including Śakra, powerful lord of the gods.
“Upon seeing and hearing all this, the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita said to Śakra, powerful lord of the gods, ‘Lord of Gods, why are you raining down, showering, and scattering around upon that peaked temple heavenly māndārava flowers, heavenly aromatic powders of sandalwood, heavenly gold powders, and heavenly silver powders? And why are these heavenly musical instruments being played by the gods in the upper heavens?’
“At this, Śakra, powerful lord of the gods, said to the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita, ‘Noble son, do you not know? It is because this transcendent state of wisdom is the mother and the guide of bodhisattva great beings. Bodhisattva great beings who train in it quickly accomplish the approach of the perfection of all positive qualities, the qualities of a buddha, and the state of complete knowing.’
“At this, the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita said to Śakra, powerful lord of the gods, ‘Lord of Gods, where is this transcendent state of wisdom, the mother and the guide of bodhisattva great beings?’
“Śakra said, ‘Noble son, the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata has placed it in the middle of this peaked temple, written with melted beryl on golden plates and sealed with seven seals. Showing it to you is not an easy thing for us to do.’
“Then the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita, and the merchant’s daughter leading the five hundred young ladies, as a group, venerated the transcendent state of wisdom with their gathered flower blossoms, garlands, precious fabrics, incense, perfume, wreaths, fragrant oils, aromatic powders, cloth parasols, banners, bells, flags, and flowers made of gold and silver. One after another, they set out each portion of those offerings, specifically to pay tribute to the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata. Then, after venerating the transcendent state of wisdom with their gathered flower blossoms, garlands, precious fabrics, incense, perfume, wreaths, fragrant oils, aromatic powders, cloth parasols, banners, bells, flags, and flowers made of gold and silver, to the sound of music from the heavenly instruments, the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita, and the merchant’s daughter leading the five hundred young ladies, as a group, approached the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata, purely to make an offering for the Dharma, and they sprinkled upon him, rained upon him, and scattered around him the flower blossoms, incense, perfume, wreaths, fragrant oils, aromatic powders, cloth parasols, banners, bells, flags, sandalwood powders, and flowers made of gold and silver, to the sound of music from the heavenly instruments.
“But those flower blossoms formed a peaked temple in the air above the head of the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata, and those variously colored flowers and the flowers made of gold and silver came to rest like a celestial palace in the sky. Likewise, the cloth and precious fabrics settled in the atmosphere like a temple hall in the clouds made of precious substances. The bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita, along with the merchant’s daughter leading the five hundred young ladies, saw the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata’s display of miraculous magic power. Upon seeing it, they thought, ‘It is amazing. How great is the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata’s magic power! How great is his miraculous power! How great is his powerful energy! If this noble son can perform such magical feats from just practicing the bodhisattva’s way of going about life alone, then what will happen once he has realized unsurpassed, perfect awakening?’
“Then the merchant’s daughter and the five hundred young ladies that she led, all as a group, felt longing for the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata because of their altruistic disposition, and they developed the proper mindset for unsurpassed, perfect awakening, saying, ‘By these roots of virtue, may we become worthy, perfectly and completely awakened tathāgatas in the future! May we go about life in the bodhisattva’s way of going about life and attain these very qualities that the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata is attaining. Likewise, may we pay tribute and show reverence to the transcendent state of wisdom in the same way that this bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata pays tribute and shows reverence to it. May we also elucidate it to the multitude of people in the same way that this bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata elucidates it. So may we become endowed with the transcendent state of wisdom and the skill in means, and accomplish them, in the same way that this bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata has become endowed with the transcendent state of wisdom and the skill in means, and accomplished them.’
“Then, after making the devotional offerings to the transcendent state of wisdom, and after paying tribute to the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata, the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita, along with the merchant’s daughter leading the five hundred young ladies, made obeisance to the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata’s feet with their heads, and devotedly and considerately cupped their hands together and stood to one side. After doing so, the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita said to the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata, ‘Noble son, I am here because I went to the wilderness seeking the transcendent state of wisdom, and heard a voice that said for me to go to the east, since there I could hear the transcendent state of wisdom.
“ ‘After listening carefully to that voice, I myself set out in the eastern direction. Then it occurred to me that I had listened carefully to that voice, but failed to ask how far I should go or in whose presence I would hear or obtain the transcendent state of wisdom. I became extremely dejected about it and overcome with sorrow and yearning. I spent seven days and nights in that very location, full of sorrow. I could not eat, and paid attention only to the transcendent state of wisdom, wondering, since I did not ask the voice how far east I needed to go and how I would find the transcendent state of wisdom in order to listen to it. Then suddenly, right in front of me, the body of a tathāgata appeared and said, “Noble son, go one thousand two hundred miles due east from here where there is a city called Gandhavatī. There you will see the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata teaching and elucidating the transcendent state of wisdom.” Then I felt great excitement, joy, and delight. And as that great excitement, joy, and delight suffused me, I did not move from that very location, but could hear you teaching the transcendent state of wisdom. As I listened, numerous gateways to meditative concentration manifested before me, and the blessed buddhas residing in the world systems of the ten directions encouraged me and commended me, saying, “Excellent, noble son. Excellent. These meditative concentrations are born from the transcendent state of wisdom. We too previously abided in these and then accomplished all the qualities of a buddha.” After helping me to see clearly, to take in the practice, to be enthusiastic, and to rejoice well and properly, then those tathāgatas disappeared.
“ ‘Once I emerged from meditative concentration, I thought, “From where indeed did those tathāgatas come? And, where do those tathāgatas go?” Then, it occurred to me, “The noble bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata has obtained the power of memory. He has the five types of extrasensory knowledge. He has devotedly served the former conquerors. He has planted the roots of virtue. And he is well trained in the transcendent state of wisdom and the skill in means. He will explain this topic to me, as it is, and tell me where the tathāgatas have come from and where they have gone to.” After listening to the voice of that tathāgata’s body, I set out toward the east as instructed. As I was arriving, I saw from far away the Noble One teaching the Dharma. Right upon seeing you, I felt a happiness like that of a monk upon reaching the first meditative attainment with single-pointed attentiveness. So, noble son, I now am asking you: Where have the tathāgatas come from? Where have they gone to? Noble son, please teach me the coming and going of those tathāgatas, so that we may know the coming and going of those tathāgatas, and never be separated from seeing those tathāgatas.’ ”
This ends the chapter “Sadāprarudita,” the thirtieth chapter in “The Noble Transcendent State of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines.”