Chapter 47: Śilpābhijña
Sudhana went to where Śilpābhijña, the head merchant’s son, was present. When he came to him, he bowed his head to the feet of Śilpābhijña, the head merchant’s son, then stood before Śilpābhijña, the head merchant’s son, with his palms together in homage and said, “Ārya, I have developed the aspiration for the highest, complete enlightenment, but I do not know how bodhisattvas should train in bodhisattva conduct and in what way they should practice it. Ārya, I have heard that you give instruction and teachings to bodhisattvas. Ārya, I pray that you explain to me how bodhisattvas should train in bodhisattva conduct and how they should practice it!”
When he had said that, Śilpābhijña, the head merchant’s son, said, “Noble one, I have attained the bodhisattva liberation called higher knowledge of the arts.
“Noble one, in that way, while studying the alphabet, through reciting the letter A and through the power of a bodhisattva, I realized the gateway to the perfection of wisdom called the undifferentiated range.
“Through reciting the letter ra I realized the gateway to the perfection of wisdom called the infinite particulars of the bases.
“Through reciting the letter pa I realized the gateway to the perfection of wisdom called blending1909 the basis of the realm of phenomena.
“Through reciting the letter ca I realized the gateway to the perfection of wisdom called dividing the wheel.
“Through reciting the letter da I realized the gateway to the perfection of wisdom called irreversible union.
“Through reciting the letter ba I realized the gateway to the perfection of wisdom called the vajra field.
Through reciting the letter va I realized the gateway to the perfection of wisdom called the accomplishment of complete increase.
“Through reciting the letter ta I realized the gateway to the perfection of wisdom called the field of stars.
“Through reciting the letter ka I realized the gateway to the perfection of wisdom called undifferentiated clouds.
“Through reciting the letter sa1916 I realized the gateway to the perfection of wisdom called the pervading rainfall.
“Through reciting the letter ma I realized the gateway to the perfection of wisdom called the pinnacle adorned by great power.
“Through reciting the letter ga I realized the gateway to the perfection of wisdom called complete accomplishment.
“Through reciting the letter tha1917 I realized the gateway to the perfection of wisdom called the undifferentiated essence of the true nature.
“Through reciting the letter ja I realized the gateway to the perfection of wisdom called entering the purification of the saṃsāra of beings.
“Through reciting the letter sva1918 I realized the gateway to the perfection of wisdom called the display of the memory of all the buddhas.
“Through reciting the letter dha I realized the gateway to the perfection of wisdom called the analysis through examination of the field of phenomena.
“Through reciting the letter śa I realized the gateway to the perfection of wisdom called the light of the wheel of instruction of all the buddhas.
“Through reciting the letter kha I realized the gateway to the perfection of wisdom called the essence of the knowledge of the causes and levels of the composite.
“Through reciting the letter kṣa1919 I realized the gateway to the perfection of wisdom called examining the treasure of the ocean of the pacification of karma.
“Through reciting the letter sta I realized the gateway to the perfection of wisdom called the essence1920 of purity through dispelling all kleśas.
“Through reciting the letter bha I realized the gateway to the perfection of wisdom called the display of the perception of the entire field of dwellings.
“Through reciting the letter cha I realized the gateway to the perfection of wisdom called the different fields of the parasols that engage in the methods1924 for supreme accumulation.
“Through reciting the letter sma I realized the gateway to the perfection of wisdom called turning in the direction of the vision of all buddhas.
“Through reciting the letter hva1925 I realized the gateway to the perfection of wisdom called the essence of the ocean1926 that gives rise to the power to see the appearances of all beings.
“Through reciting the letter tsa1927 I realized the gateway to the perfection of wisdom called entering the realization of the practice of the ocean of all qualities.
“Through reciting the letter gha I realized the gateway to the perfection of wisdom called the unwavering ocean of holding the clouds of all the Dharma.
“Through reciting the letter ṭa1928 I realized the gateway to the perfection of wisdom called going in the direction of the prayers of all the buddhas.
“Through reciting the letter ṇa1929 I realized the gateway to the perfection of wisdom called analyzing the end of the inexhaustible wheel of letters.
“Through reciting the letter spha1930 I realized the gateway to the perfection of wisdom called the field of fully accomplishing the ripening of all beings.
“Through reciting the letter ska I realized the gateway to the perfection of wisdom called the pervasion of the wheel through the light of the unimpeded discernment of the essences of the bhūmis.
“Through reciting the letter ysa1931 I realized the gateway to the perfection of wisdom called the range of the perception of the Dharma teaching of all the buddhas.
“Through reciting the letter śca I realized the gateway to the perfection of wisdom called the pervasion of the thunder that comes from the clouds of Dharma in the sky of beings.
“Through reciting the letter ṭha1932 I realized the gateway to the perfection of wisdom called the lamp that possesses the complete accomplishment of the necessity of the absence of a self for the sake of beings.
“Through reciting the letter ḍha1933 I realized the gateway to the perfection of wisdom called the undifferentiated essence of the wheel of the Dharma.
“Noble one, I have realized those entrances to the perfection of wisdom and so on, countless innumerable entrances to the perfection of wisdom.
“Noble one, in that way, I have attained the bodhisattva liberation called higher knowledge of the arts.
“Noble one, I know only that, and therefore how could I know or describe the qualities of the bodhisattvas who have attained perfection in all mundane and supramundane arts; who engage in all arts; who comprehend all writing, numbers, counting, and calculations; who have attained skill in the ways of all mantras and medicines; who heal demonic afflictions from bhūtas, planets and stars, apasmāras, kākhordas, and vetālas; who know the medicines and methods that heal the elements of beings; who know the practices of the collected methods for the elements; who know the origin, creation, classes, sources, and values of gold, jewels, pearls, beryl, conch, crystal, coral, red pearls, white coral, saffron, rubies, emeralds,1934 and all precious materials; who establish parks, forests for mendicants, towns, villages, regions, lands,1935 and royal residences; who comprehend the zodiac,1936 omens, signs on beings, earth tremors, red skies, shooting stars, good and bad signs, signs of famine and harvest, and all other mundane knowledge; and who can explain and teach and comprehend all the categories of supramundane qualities, knowing them correctly without obscuration, doubt, uncertainty, perplexity, indecision, bewilderment, stupidity,1937 unhappiness, lack of confidence, lack of knowledge, or misunderstanding?
“Depart, noble one. In the town called Vartanaka in the region called Kevalaka in this land of Magadha resides a kalyāṇamitra by the name of Bhadrottamā. Go to her and ask her, ‘How should a bodhisattva train in and practice bodhisattva conduct?’ ”
Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, bowed his head to the feet of Śilpābhijña, the head merchant’s son. He circumambulated Śilpābhijña, the head merchant’s son, many hundreds of thousands of times, keeping him to his right, and, looking back at him again and again, he departed from Śilpābhijña, the head merchant’s son.