Chapter 4: Extolling Positive Qualities337338
The Blessed One then addressed Śakra, powerful lord of the gods: “Kauśika, suppose that there were two lots placed before you. Suppose that in the first lot, one were to put the Jambu continent completely filled to the brim with the physical relics of the tathāgatas. And suppose that in the second lot one were to put this transcendent state of wisdom, written down. Kauśika, if you had to choose one of these two lots, which would you take?”
Śakra said, “If, Blessed One, I had to choose one of these two lots—namely, the first lot with the Jambu continent completely filled to the brim with the physical relics of the tathāgatas, or the second lot with this transcendent state of wisdom written down—then, Blessed One, of these two lots placed before me, I would take this very transcendent state of wisdom. Why is that? I would do so, naturally, out of reverence for the guide of the tathāgatas, since it is the actual physical relic of the tathāgatas. Why is that? Because, as the Blessed One has said,339 ‘The blessed buddhas are the bodies of the truth.340 But, monks, do not see this real body as that body.341 Instead, monks, see me through actualizing the body of truth.’342 And hence the body of the tathāgatas should be seen as revealed at the pinnacle of reality, that is to say, as the transcendent state of wisdom.343
“However, it is certainly not the case, Blessed One, that I lack reverence for the physical relics of the tathāgatas. I have nothing but reverence for those physical relics of the tathāgatas. Nevertheless, Blessed One, the physical relics of the tathāgatas receive devotional offerings to venerate them insofar as they have been born from the transcendent state of wisdom. Therefore, even the devotional offerings to venerate the physical relics of the tathāgatas can be accomplished through venerating precisely this transcendent state of wisdom. Why is that? It is because those physical relics of the tathāgatas are born from the transcendent state of wisdom. Blessed One, it is just like, for instance, during the times when I am seated in my own divine seat in the Sudharma assembly hall of gods, and the prince gods come to attend to me.344 But also, out of reverence for me during those times when I am not seated there, the prince gods pay homage to that seat, circumambulate it, and then move repectfully away. Why is that? They do so only because they think, ‘Śakra, powerful lord of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three gods, sat in that seat and taught the teachings.’ In this very way, Blessed One, the transcendent state of wisdom—which is, in effect, the cause and condition for the Blessed One’s exaltedness—is what brings forth the state of complete knowing of a worthy, perfectly and completely awakened tathāgata, whereas a tathāgata’s physical relics are, in effect, a repository for the state of complete knowing, not the causes or conditions that give rise to that knowing.345 In this very way, Blessed One, the transcendent state of wisdom should be venerated as the source of the knowing of someone who has the complete knowing that is venerated in the physical relics of the tathāgatas.346 Therefore, Blessed One, of these two lots placed before me, I would take this very transcendent state of wisdom. However, it is certainly not, Blessed One, that I lack reverence for the physical relics of the tathāgatas—I have truly nothing but reverence for those physical relics of the tathāgatas. Nevertheless, Blessed One, the physical relics of the tathāgatas receive devotional offerings to venerate them because they are pervaded by the transcendent state of wisdom.347
“Never mind, Blessed One, whether in the first lot there were placed this Jambu continent completely filled to the brim with physical relics of the tathāgatas. Never mind, Blessed One, whether a single world system of four great continents were completely filled to the brim with physical relics of the tathāgatas. Never mind, Blessed One, whether a thousandfold, lower order world system were completely filled to the brim with physical relics of the tathāgatas. Never mind, Blessed One, whether a millionfold, medium order world system were completely filled to the brim with physical relics of the tathāgatas. Never mind, Blessed One, whether a billionfold, great order world system were completely filled to the brim with physical relics of the tathāgatas. If in the second lot one were to place this transcendent state of wisdom written down, if the Blessed One were to tell me to take whichever one of these two lots I prefer, and if I had to choose one of these two lots placed before me, then in that case I would take this very transcendent state of wisdom. However, it is certainly not the case, Blessed One, that I lack reverence for the physical relics of the tathāgatas. I have nothing but reverence for those physical relics of the tathāgatas. Nevertheless, Blessed One, the physical relics of the tathāgatas—which are pervaded by the transcendent state of wisdom—receive devotional offerings to venerate them because the physical relics of the tathāgatas are, in effect, a repository for the state of complete knowing and that state of complete knowing is born from the transcendent state of wisdom. Therefore, Blessed One, of these two lots placed before me, I would take this very transcendent state of wisdom. However, it is certainly not the case, Blessed One, that I lack reverence for the physical relics of the tathāgatas. I have nothing but reverence for those physical relics of the tathāgatas. Nevertheless, Blessed One, the physical relics of the tathāgatas, born from this transcendent state of wisdom, receive devotional offerings to venerate them specifically because they are pervaded by the transcendent state of wisdom.348
“O Blessed One, as an analogy, it is just like the invaluably precious jewel that has the following positive qualities.
“When that invaluable jewel is put somewhere, then neither humans nor malevolent spirits are able to find any vulnerability there. Or, when this jewel is merely brought into a place where a malevolent spirit had taken possession of some man or woman, then that malevolent spirit leaves that person.
“Also, when that jewel is placed on the bloated body of someone afflicted by a wind disorder, then that wind disorder is suppressed; it decreases and subsides.
“Also, when that jewel is placed on the inflamed body of someone afflicted by a bile disorder, then that bile disorder too is suppressed; it decreases and subsides.
“Also, when that jewel is placed on the aching body of someone swollen with a phlegm disorder, then that phlegm disorder too is suppressed; it decreases and subsides.
“Also, when that jewel is placed on the body of someone suffering with a complex disorder of wind, bile, and phlegm, then that complex disorder is suppressed; it decreases and subsides.
“Also, that jewel illuminates the night’s darkest darkness. And, when it is placed in any hot location, then that location becomes cool. Likewise, when it is placed in any cold location, then that location becomes warm. Also, when the jewel is carried or placed in an area where poisonous snakes or other little creatures are rampant, then those poisonous snakes or other little creatures leave that place. Blessed One, when a man or woman bitten by a poisonous snake is shown the jewel, the poison is counteracted and vanishes along with the bite itself. O Blessed One, that jewel has positive qualities like these and also others of the following sort.
“When the jewel is placed on the eyes of someone with a tumor, a cataract, an eye ailment, or cloudiness in the eyes, then their eye disease will be eliminated and cured. O Blessed One, such a jewel might be endowed with positive qualities like these and others of this sort.
“When the jewel is placed in water, it makes the color of the water the same as its own color. When it is wrapped in a white cloth and tossed into the water, it makes that water white. Likewise, when it is wrapped or bound in a bright blue, yellow, red, or any other color cloth and tossed into the water, then it makes the water the same color. It also purifies the dirt in that water. That jewel is endowed with other similar positive qualities.”
Then Ānanda asked Śakra, powerful lord of the gods, “But, Kauśika, are such jewels found only in the god realm or are they found also among the humans of the Jambu continent?”
Śakra said, “Ānanda, these jewels exist among the gods, but they are also found among the humans of the Jambu continent. However, the jewels on the Jambu continent are crude, few in number, limited in power, and lacking in these sorts of positive qualities. So, compared to the heavenly jewels, they do not come close to even a fraction of their worth. They do not come close to one hundredth, one thousandth, one hundred thousandth, one ten millionth, one billionth, one ten billionth, one trillionth, or even one ten trillionth of their worth. Nor is any calculation, any fraction, any quantification, any metaphor, any analogy, any equivalence, or any comparison adequate for comparing them. Indeed, the jewels that exist among the gods are so refined and brimming with all sorts of positive qualities that any container into which a single jewel is tossed or thrown becomes desirable itself, even when that jewel is removed from the container. That intense desire for the container is because it is pervaded by the positive qualities of the jewel.349
“Similarly, Blessed One, the positive qualities of the transcendent state of wisdom and the knowing of someone who has complete knowing are the reason why the physical bodies of tathāgatas—including even the physical body of a worthy, perfectly and completely awakened tathāgata who has already passed into nirvāṇa—receive devotional offerings in veneration from people who consider the physical relics of the tathāgatas to have been, in effect, the vessel for the knowing of someone who has complete knowing. Furthermore, Blessed One, just as the teachings of the blessed buddhas should be venerated in all world systems by virtue of their being born from the transcendent state of wisdom, just so the Dharma teachings of the Dharma teacher should be venerated by virtue of their being born from the transcendent state of wisdom. That is to say, Blessed One, just as, as an analogy, a king’s attendant should be venerated without hesitation by the people, because of the king’s authority, just so, by virtue of the authority of the body of truth, the Dharma teacher’s Dharma teaching should be venerated without hesitation by the people.350 In the same way that the Dharma teachers and the Dharma teachings come to receive veneration, so too the physical relics of the tathāgatas come to receive veneration. Therefore, Blessed One, never mind whether in the first lot there was a billionfold, great order world system completely filled to the brim with physical relics of the tathāgatas—or even all the billionfold, great order world systems, as many as there are grains of sand in the River Ganges, completely filled to the brim. If in the second lot one were to place this transcendent state of wisdom written down, and if I had to choose one of these two lots placed before me, because the Blessed One had told me to take whichever one of these two lots I preferred, then in that case, I would take this very transcendent state of wisdom. However, it is certainly not the case, Blessed One, that I lack reverence for the physical relics of the tathāgatas. I have nothing but reverence for those physical relics of the tathāgatas. Nevertheless, Blessed One, the state of complete knowing is pervaded by the transcendent state of wisdom and the veneration of the bodies of the tathāgatas is born from the state of complete knowing.351 Therefore, Blessed One, when the transcendent state of wisdom is venerated, the past, present, and future buddhas are venerated.
“Furthermore, Blessed One, a noble son or daughter who wishes to see, in accordance with the true nature of things, those blessed buddhas who are presently residing, staying, and spending time in immeasurable and innumerable world systems should go about life in the transcendent state of wisdom, engage in meditation in the transcendent state of wisdom, and cultivate the transcendent state of wisdom.”352
Regarding what was said, the Blessed One said to Śakra, powerful lord of the gods, “That is true, Kauśika, that is true.
“Kauśika, those worthy, perfectly and completely awakened tathāgatas who realized unsurpassed, perfect awakening in the past have realized unsurpassed, perfect awakening thanks to the transcendent state of wisdom.
“Kauśika, also those who will become worthy, perfectly and completely awakened tathāgatas in the future will realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening thanks to the transcendent state of wisdom.
“Kauśika, also those blessed buddhas who are presently residing, staying, and spending time in immeasurable and innumerable world systems realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening thanks to this very transcendent state of wisdom.
“Kauśika, also I myself—as the present worthy, perfectly and completely awakened tathāgata—have realized unsurpassed, perfect awakening thanks to this very transcendent state of wisdom.”353
At this, Śakra, powerful lord of the gods, said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, it is a great transcendent state, this transcendent state of wisdom, because in it, Blessed One, the worthy, perfectly and completely awakened tathāgatas accurately distinguish and properly see the deeds and mindsets of all sentient beings.”
At this, the Blessed One said to Śakra, powerful lord of the gods, “So it is, Kauśika, so it is. To explain, Kauśika, it is for a long time that a bodhisattva great being goes about life in the transcendent state of wisdom. Because of this, he or she accurately and wisely discerns and beholds the mental activities of all sentient beings.”354
Then Śakra, powerful lord of the gods, asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, does a bodhisattva great being go about life only in the transcendent state of wisdom and not in the other transcendent states?”
The Blessed One said, “Kauśika, a bodhisattva great being goes about life in all six transcendent states. Nevertheless, among those six, Kauśika, the transcendent state of wisdom alone takes the fore.355 Whenever a bodhisattva great being is practicing generosity, preserving ethical discipline, engaging in tolerant acceptance, applying him- or herself with heroic perseverance, attaining the meditative states, or looking insightfully into things, Kauśika, the transcendent state of wisdom alone takes the fore for that bodhisattva great being. But, there is no difference among the six transcendent states, nor is any distinction mentally perceived, since they all are supported by skill in means, dedicated by the transcendent state of wisdom, and dedicated to the state of complete knowing.356 Kauśika, as an analogy, it is just like on the Jambu continent, where various trees of various heights and widths appear with various colors, various shapes, various leaves, various flowers, and various fruits. But there is no difference, nor is any distinction made, in the shadows of these trees. That is to say, one simply takes a shadow to be a shadow.357 In the same way, Kauśika, there is no difference among the six transcendent states, which are supported by skill in means, dedicated by the transcendent state of wisdom, and dedicated to the state of complete knowing, and no distinction is mentally perceived in them.”
At this, Śakra, powerful lord of the gods, said this to the Blessed One: “Blessed One, this, the transcendent state of wisdom, is endowed with great positive qualities. Blessed One, this, the transcendent state of wisdom, is endowed with immeasurable positive qualities. Blessed One, this, the transcendent state of wisdom, is endowed with innumerable positive qualities.”
This ends the chapter “Extolling Positive Qualities,” the fourth chapter in “The Noble Transcendent State of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines.”