The Translation The Noble Dhāraṇī Called Accomplishing the Boundless Gateways  Homage to all buddhas and bodhisattvas. Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was dwelling at the Kūṭāgāraśālā in the Great Forest of Vaiśālī, together with a great monastic sangha of eight thousand monks and a great many bodhisattva great beings. It was at that time that the Blessed One mindfully and knowingly relinquished his life force with the thought, “In three months’ time the Tathāgata will attain parinirvāṇa.” Then the Blessed One said to the venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana, “Mahāmaudgalyāyana, go and gather all the monks who dwell in the chiliocosm here at the Kūṭāgāraśālā in the Great Forest.” The venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana replied, “I will do that, Blessed One,” and, heeding the Blessed One’s instructions, at that very moment, by his own miraculous power, he appeared at the peak of Mount Meru and proclaimed to the chiliocosm, “Whichever beings, dwelling in this world system, who are disciples of the Well-Gone One‍—all of you, listen to me! Today the Teacher will shower down a rain of Dharma. Those of you who wish to hear, come!” Forty thousand monks then gathered at the Kūṭāgāraśālā in the Great Forest. Having arrived there, they saw the Blessed One, bowed their heads at his feet, circumambulated him three times, and then sat down to one side.  Then the venerable Śāriputra, through the power of the Buddha, at that very moment thought, “I must manifest the kind of miraculous power by which all the monks dwelling in the trichiliocosm‍—whether they are of the vehicle of the hearers, or of the vehicle of the pratyekabuddhas, or of the Great Vehicle‍—will be gathered at the Kūṭāgāraśālā in the Great Forest.” Then the venerable Śāriputra manifested such miraculous power and, having done so, all the monks dwelling in the trichiliocosm‍—whether they were of the vehicle of the hearers, or of the vehicle of the pratyekabuddhas, or of the Great Vehicle‍—were gathered at the Kūṭāgāraśālā in the Great Forest. Having arrived there, they saw the Blessed One, bowed their heads at his feet, circumambulated him three times, and then sat down to one side. Then, at that very moment, the Blessed One said to all the bodhisattva great beings‍—to the bodhisattva great being Amoghadarśin, the bodhisattva great being Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta, the bodhisattva great being Abandoning All Lower Realms, the bodhisattva great being Vanquishing the Darkness of All Sorrow, the bodhisattva great being Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin, the bodhisattva great being Jālinīprabha, the bodhisattva great being Intelligence Vanquishing the Darkness of All Places, the bodhisattva great being Avalokiteśvara, the bodhisattva great being Mahāsthāmaprāpta, the bodhisattva great being Indefatigable, the bodhisattva great being Gandhahastin, the bodhisattva great being Hero, the bodhisattva great being Gaganagañja, the bodhisattva great being Amitābha, the bodhisattva great being Mati, the bodhisattva great being Jñānaketu, the bodhisattva great being Bhadrapāla, the bodhisattva great being Sāgaramati, the bodhisattva great being Akṣayamati, the bodhisattva great being Vajragarbha, the bodhisattva great being Ākāśagarbha, the bodhisattva great being Vajrapāṇi, the bodhisattva great being Samantabhadra, the bodhisattva great being Pratibhānakūṭa, and the bodhisattva great being Maitreya‍—“O sons of noble family, go now and gather here at the Kūṭāgāraśālā in the Great Forest all the bodhisattvas dwelling in the buddhafields of the ten directions, as numerous as the grains of sand in the River Ganges, who are in their final existence, who have only one more birth remaining, who are irreversible from progress toward enlightenment, who have attained acceptance of the fact that phenomena are unborn, or who are devoted out of faith.” The bodhisattva great beings heeded the Blessed One’s instructions, saying, “Excellent, Blessed One, excellent!” At that very moment, they displayed such appearances and, having displayed them, inexpressibly many hundred-sextillion bodhisattvas in their final existence arrived at the Kūṭāgāraśālā in the Great Forest, and ninety hundred-sextillion bodhisattvas with only one more birth remaining, eighty hundred-sextillion bodhisattvas irreversible from progress toward enlightenment, thirty hundred-sextillion bodhisattva great beings who had attained acceptance that phenomena are unborn, and eight hundred-sextillion bodhisattva great beings who are devoted out of faith arrived at the Kūṭāgāraśālā in the Great Forest. Having arrived there, they saw the Blessed One, bowed their heads at his feet, circumambulated him three times, and then sat down to one side.  Then the venerable Śāriputra, having seen that great assembly of bodhisattvas, at that very moment thought, “I must ask the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the Perfectly Complete Buddha for answers to questions about how these bodhisattva great beings dispel all doubts, quickly attain unobscured wisdom and eloquence, and hear the teachings of the Dharma from all the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas, in buddhafields as numerous as the grains of sand in the River Ganges; how, having heard them, they remember them, not forgetting them until they attain unsurpassable, perfectly complete enlightenment; how they obtain four purifications that are the practices of bodhisattva great beings‍—the purification of beings, the purification of the Dharma, the purification of aspirations, and the purification of buddhafields; how they obtain four things that make them excellent and appealing‍—an appealing body, appealing speech, an appealing mind, and an appealing birth; and how they gain the four kinds of entry into the dhāraṇī gateways‍—entry into the dhāraṇī gateway of accomplishment by means of inexhaustible gateways, entry into the dhāraṇī gateway of skill with respect to the faculties of beings, entry into the dhāraṇī gateway of effortless skill with respect to actions and their ripening, and entry into the dhāraṇī gateway of acceptance of the profound Dharma.”  Then the venerable Śāriputra asked the Blessed One in detail those questions just as he remembered them, considered them, and understood them, and he further asked, “Blessed One, with these questions just as I have remembered them, considered them, and understood them, please explain how the practices of these bodhisattva great beings will be purified.”   The Blessed One replied to the venerable Śāriputra, “Excellent, Śāriputra, excellent! It is excellent, Śāriputra, that you have thought to ask the Tathāgata about this topic. Therefore, Śāriputra, listen well and be attentive and I will explain it to you.”  The venerable Śāriputra replied to the Blessed One, “I will do that, Blessed One,” and he heeded the Blessed One’s instructions. The Blessed One then said to him as follows: “Śāriputra, bodhisattva great beings who neither accept nor appropriate any phenomena should retain these mantra-words of the dhāraṇī: tadyathā/ oṃ aṇe mahāraṇe/ akhe/ mukhe/ mukhe/ samantamukhe/ saumesa/ sauryarame/ sautiyugame/ nirugatiprabhehilehile/ kalape kelapa/ sisale/ saravati/ hilehile/ hilehile/ hilihilili/ mahāhilele/ caṇḍecapane/ caracaraṇi/ acale/ macāle/ anante/ anantemukhe/ anantagate araṇenirmalade/ nirvalane/ nirvadhanate/ dharmdhare/ nirhare/ gimeleśrīmaviśodhani/ prakṛtidhipane/ bhavavebhavane/ asaṃge asaṃge/ vihare/ damesame/ vimale/ vimalaprabhe/ saṃkarṣaṇi/ dhiredhidhirilahādhidhire/ yeṣeyaṣopati/ cale acale/ macale/ samacale/ ṭadhiṭudhasandhisthira/ asaṃge asaṃge/ vihare/ asaṃganirhare/ nirhara/ vimale/ nirhaṭaśotaniḍadhisome/ sthiresthime/ sthamavati/ mahāprabhe/ samantaprabhe/ vipulaprabhe/ vipularasmisaṃbhave/ samantamukhe/ sarvatrayavugate/ chedyayanatachedyapratibhane/ dharaṇe/ ṇiḍena/ dharmanidhanagotra/ samantabhadrai/ sarvatathāgatahṛdaya adhiṣṭhāna adhiṣṭhite svāhā “Śāriputra, bodhisattva great beings retaining these dhāraṇīs do not form conceits about conditioned or unconditioned phenomena. They do not apprehend them, do not disparage them, do not neglect them, do not appropriate them, and do not strive for them. They do not act for the sake of obtaining them, abandoning them, meditating upon them, or increasing them. They do not change them. They do not fabricate them. They do not see any phenomena that are associated with them, nor do they see any not associated with them. They do not see the arising of phenomena, they do not seen the cessation of phenomena, they do not see past phenomena, they do not see future phenomena, they do not see present phenomena, and they do not see either the increase or the decrease of phenomena. They do not accumulate any phenomena whatsoever, nor do they diminish any. They do not label anything, and they do not make anything known. They cultivate recollection of the Buddha alone. “Śāriputra, bodhisattva great beings retaining these dhāraṇīs do not form conceits about conditioned or unconditioned phenomena . They do not apprehend them, do not disparage them, do not neglect them, do not appropriate them, and do not strive for them. They do not act for the sake of obtaining them, abandoning them, meditating upon them, or increasing them. They do not change them. They do not fabricate them. They do not see any phenomena that are associated with them, nor do they see any not associated with them. They do not see the arising of phenomena, they do not seen the cessation of phenomena, they do not see past phenomena, they do not see future phenomena, they do not see present phenomena, and they do not see either the increase or the decrease of phenomena. They do not accumulate any phenomena whatsoever, nor do they diminish any. They do not label anything, and they do not make anything known. They cultivate recollection of the Buddha alone. “Śāriputra, bodhisattva great beings retaining these dhāraṇīs do not form conceits about conditioned or unconditioned phenomena . They do not apprehend them, do not disparage them, do not neglect them, do not appropriate them, and do not strive for them. They do not act for the sake of obtaining them, abandoning them, meditating upon them, or increasing them. They do not change them. They do not fabricate them. They do not see any phenomena that are associated with them, nor do they see any not associated with them. They do not see the arising of phenomena, they do not seen the cessation of phenomena, they do not see past phenomena, they do not see future phenomena, they do not see present phenomena, and they do not see either the increase or the decrease of phenomena. They do not accumulate any phenomena whatsoever, nor do they diminish any. They do not label anything, and they do not make anything known. They cultivate recollection of the Buddha alone. “When they meditate, it is not on form nor on the lack of form; it is not on the major signs nor on the lack of major signs; it is not on the secondary marks nor on the lack of secondary marks; it is not on consciousness nor on the lack of consciousness; it is not on afflictions nor on the lack of afflictions; it is not on ethical discipline nor on the lack of ethical discipline; it is not on concentration nor on the lack of concentration; it is not on wisdom nor on the lack of wisdom; it is not on liberation nor on the lack of liberation; it is not on the knowledge and vision of liberation nor on the lack of the knowledge and vision of liberation; it is not on birth nor on the lack of birth; it is not on family nor on the lack of family; it is not on clan nor on the lack of clan; it is not on retinues nor on the lack of retinues; it is not on an abode nor on the lack of an abode; it is not on attainment nor on the lack of attainment; it is not on realization nor on the lack of realization; it is not on the extinction of afflictions nor on the lack of the extinction of afflictions; it is not on the aggregates, the elements, or the sense bases nor on the lack of the aggregates, the elements, or the sense bases; it is not on knowledge nor on the lack of knowledge; it is not on teaching the Dharma nor on not teaching the Dharma; it is not on the purification of self nor on the purification of others; it is not on the purification of beings nor on the purification of nonbeings; it is not on the benefit of self nor on the benefit of others; it is not on the Dharma nor on the Vinaya; it is not on the purification of the body nor on the purification of speech or the purification of the mind; it is not on the purification of practice nor on the purification of prior practice, the purification of later practice, or the purification of present practice; and it is not on the purification of self nor on the purification of others. This, Śāriputra, is the recollection of the Buddha called the bodhisattva great beings’ engagement in the non-grasping of any phenomena. It is the dhāraṇī called the acquisition of fearlessness about the gathering of all qualities by the accomplishment of the ultimate, the samādhi called fulfilling all intentions by attaining absolute certainty, the dhāraṇī called abiding in the unsurpassed family of the treasury of qualities, the major signs and secondary marks, by accomplishing independent knowledge of all the roots of virtue, and the dhāraṇī called overpowering all the māras’ works by the skill in seeking the highest. “Śāriputra, bodhisattvas who obtain the object of this dhāraṇī of accomplishment by means of the boundless gateways are irreversible and will quickly attain unsurpassable, perfectly complete enlightenment. Why is that so? Because, Śāriputra, the qualities of all the buddhas and the treasury of all attributes are certain, and because all the practices of bodhisattvas are distinguished from this dhāraṇī whose practice is without apprehending.” Then the Blessed One spoke these verses: “Have no doubt about the emptiness of all phenomena And do not create any conceptual elaborations for the sake of enlightenment. If the dharmadhātu is not disturbed, This dhāraṇī will be attained! “Listen to this sūtra! The dhāraṇī in it is inexhaustible. In it is the treasure of wisdom, So one will attain enlightenment. “If fearless bodhisattvas Perfectly retain this dhāraṇī, They will come to hear the Dharma teachings Of the buddhas of the ten directions. “Moved by their letter and meaning, They will understand the supreme of all teachings And will know their words, As many as there are rays of the sun. “Everything will always be evident To the one who upholds this sūtra‍— That is the supreme Dharma, With its magnificent gateways of dhāraṇī. “If all beings Were to question him about their qualms for an eon,   All their doubts would be dispelled But his wisdom would not be exhausted! “Whoever delights in this sūtra  Will become a child of the Dharma King. They will be near to supreme enlightenment, Will become steadfast in mind, and will be an upholder of the Dharma. “Whoever retains this dhāraṇī Will delight all beings. All the buddhas will be pleased with them. Their fame will spread throughout the world. “Whoever upholds this sūtra will, When the time of death arrives, See eight hundred million buddhas And attend upon them directly. “Upholding this dhāraṇī, Whatever previous evil deeds performed Over ten billion eons Will be purified in one month. “All the merit that bodhisattvas Have accomplished in ten million eons Will be outshone in one month By the merit of those who uphold this dhāraṇī. “Even if all beings in the three realms Became demons, They would be unable to create obstacles For whoever upholds this sūtra. “Until they attain enlightenment They will possess mindfulness, intelligence, and understanding, And the sublime dhāraṇī  Will remain on the tip of their tongue. “Just as in this teaching of the sūtra The dhāraṇī is established, Similarly, from this, omniscience is taught,  And, from this, enlightenment is attained. “As soon as this dhāraṇī was taught,   Dīpaṅkara gave me the prophecy, And, at that very moment, I saw buddhas  As numerous as the grains of sand in the River Ganges. “Whoever wishes to understand  This teaching of all the buddhas Should rely upon this sūtra‍— By that they will quickly attain all. “The purity of the buddhafields, The excellence of the śrāvakas, And the purity of their radiance and features Are created by this sūtra! “Therefore, if one is conscientious, And contemplates this for seven days, Eight hundred million buddhas  Will then bestow the dhāraṇī. “Neither reflect on what is to be thought  Nor on what is not to be thought. Reflect‍—do not reflect erroneously! Then one will obtain the dhāraṇī. “As an analogy, just as someone who travels on the ocean Has no doubts about obtaining wealth,  Similarly, a person who has obtained this dhāraṇī  Has no doubts about obtaining bliss. “Through this you will approach complete enlightenment. Therefore, apply yourself to this! Having attained the state of peace, You will attain complete enlightenment!” The Blessed One then said to the venerable Śāriputra, “Śāriputra, if bodhisattva great beings are endowed with four things, they will obtain this dhāraṇī. They are as follows: having no attachment to sense pleasures; having no envy with respect to any being; giving away all one’s possessions and being generous without regret; and, day and night, rejoicing in and desiring the Dharma. Śāriputra, if bodhisattva great beings are endowed with these four things, then they will obtain this dhāraṇī.” The Blessed One then said to the venerable Śāriputra, “Śāriputra, if bodhisattva great beings are endowed with four things, they will obtain this dhāraṇī. They are as follows: having no attachment to sense pleasures; having no envy with respect to any being; giving away all one’s possessions and being generous without regret;  and, day and night, rejoicing in and desiring the Dharma. Śāriputra, if bodhisattva great beings are endowed with these four things, then they will obtain this dhāraṇī.” Then the Blessed One spoke these verses: “Renounce evil, Māra’s domain,  And the stench of desire. These are the conditions for birth as a hell being And also the causes of the lower realms.  The Blessed One then said to the venerable Śāriputra, “Śāriputra, if bodhisattva great beings are endowed with four things, they will obtain this dhāraṇī. They are as follows: having no attachment to sense pleasures; having no envy with respect to any being; giving away all one’s possessions and being generous without regret;  and, day and night, rejoicing in and desiring the Dharma. Śāriputra, if bodhisattva great beings are endowed with these four things, then they will obtain this dhāraṇī.” “Do not act with envy toward others, Motivated by the desire for reputation, gain, and fame. If you look upon beings with eyes full of joy, You will obtain great power and a beautiful form. “Whoever creates disputes with someone‍— The basis is grasping. Therefore, eliminate craving wherever it arises. When craving is abandoned, one obtains the dhāraṇī. “If you desire enlightenment, do not think of anything else. Seek the Dharma day and night. If you rely upon words of the Dharma like these, The dhāraṇī will manifest. “Furthermore, Śāriputra, if bodhisattva great beings are endowed with four things, they will obtain this dhāraṇī. They are as follows: dwelling in the wilderness or in a solitary place; giving rise to the power of the acceptance of the profound Dharma; being without attachment to gain, respect, and praise; and remaining indifferent to all pleasing things, even renouncing life and limb. Śāriputra, if bodhisattva great beings are endowed with these four things, they will obtain this dhāraṇī.” Then the Blessed One spoke these verses: “Dwell in the wilderness, as praised by the victorious ones, And dwell there without despising others. Aspire for the acceptance of the profound. Dwell heedfully as if your head was on fire! “As it is the basis for acting hypocritically, Do not dwell on thoughts of profit or gain. Be content with the barest necessities, just as a bird is. Gain the fruit of rebirth as a human. “Alas! Obtain the teachings of the Buddha! Renounce the household, root of many sufferings. By purifying body, speech, and mind, Show reverence for the Buddha and the Dharma. “Desire for gain, lacking mindfulness, lacking wisdom, Lacking faith, discipline, and a mind for the Dharma‍— These are as far from enlightenment as the sky from the earth. Therefore, renounce gain!” “Furthermore, Śāriputra, if bodhisattva great beings are endowed with four things, they will obtain this dhāraṇī. They are as follows. They should comprehend the meaning of eight syllables. What are these eight syllables? They are as follows: pa means that one penetrates and comprehends the fact that ultimately all phenomena are without a self; la means that one penetrates and comprehends the major signs and secondary marks, and the dharma-body of the tathāgatas as the lack of major signs and secondary marks; ba means that one penetrates and comprehends the nonduality of the qualities of the childish and the qualities of the wise, just as they are; dza means that one penetrates and comprehends the nonarising and nonceasing of beings who are born, age, and die and who are without birth, aging, and death; ka means that one penetrates and comprehends the ripening of karma and the non-ripening of karma; dha means that one penetrates and comprehends the emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, and dharmadhātu of the Dharma discourse of the dhāraṇī; śa means that one penetrates and comprehends entering into the suchness of all phenomena in calm abiding and special insight and the lack of calm abiding and special insight; kṣa means that one penetrates and comprehends the momentariness of all phenomena, that there is no extinction because they are primordially at peace, that they are fearless, that they are unmoving, and that all phenomena are nirvāṇa. “Thus, to realize comprehension of the meaning of these eight syllables is the first comprehension of the meaning. Properly writing out and upholding this Dharma discourse of the dhāraṇī is the second comprehension of the meaning. To continuously recite this Dharma discourse of the dhāraṇī and to exert oneself in recollection for half of every month is the third comprehension of the meaning. Bodhisattva great beings assiduously exerting themselves for this Dharma discourse of the dhāraṇī who strive to bring joy to all beings, to encourage them to uphold it, and to cause them to exult in it‍—this is the fourth comprehension of the meaning. Śāriputra, if bodhisattva great beings are endowed with these four things, they will obtain this dhāraṇī.” Then the Blessed One spoke these verses: “You should reflect on these eight syllables, Write out this sūtra and uphold it, Recite it continuously for half of every month, And encourage beings to uphold it. “Your wisdom will be vast, enlightenment will be near, And, therefore, you will see before you All the buddhas dwelling in the ten directions. Therefore, generate aspiration and train in this. “Śāriputra, these four things are the benefits for bodhisattva great beings assiduously exerting themselves for this dhāraṇī: all the blessed buddhas of the ten directions think of them, the works of Māra do not emerge for them, their karmic obscurations will be swiftly purified, and they will swiftly attain unceasing eloquence. Śāriputra, those four things are the benefits for bodhisattva great beings who assiduously exert themselves in this dhāraṇī.” Then the Blessed One spoke this verse: “All the buddhas will keep them in mind. Māra will find no opportunity to harm them. Their karmic obscurations will be swiftly purified. They will attain boundless eloquence. “Śāriputra, in the past‍—an innumerable, incredibly innumerable, exceedingly vast, immeasurable, and unfathomable number of eons ago‍—there appeared in the world a tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha known as Gloriously Splendid Kinglike Jewel, endowed with knowledge and conduct, well-gone, a knower of the world, a guide for those beings to be tamed, unsurpassed, a teacher of gods and humans, a buddha, and a blessed one. “Śāriputra, when the blessed one, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Gloriously Splendid Kinglike Jewel attained parinirvāṇa, there appeared a wheel-turning monarch named Light Bearer, a lord of humans possessing the seven treasures. He had a son named Inconceivable Glory of Precious Qualities. At the age of sixteen, he heard the Dharma discourse of the dhāraṇī of accomplishment by means of the boundless gateways from the blessed one, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Gloriously Splendid Kinglike Jewel. “As soon as he heard the dhāraṇī, he strove to obtain it. For seventy thousand years, he was never overcome by lethargy or sleep‍—not even once did he delight in kingdom, wealth, or self. For seventy thousand years he never lay down on the ground on his side, and he lived in complete seclusion. “Having heard the Dharma taught by nine hundred million buddhas and having retained all of it, he went forth under the blessed one, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Gloriously Splendid Kinglike Jewel himself. Ninety thousand years after going forth, he accomplished this dhāraṇī of accomplishment by means of the boundless gateways. Having accomplished it, he extensively taught it to beings. In that very life, he caused eighty hundred-sextillion beings to reach for unsurpassable, perfectly complete enlightenment and established them on the level of irreversibility from progress toward enlightenment. Śāriputra, in that retinue, there was a merchant’s son named Moon Crest, who heard from that Dharma-teaching monk this Dharma discourse of the dhāraṇī of accomplishment by means of the boundless gateways. Having heard it, he rejoiced, and through the root of virtue arisen from that instant of rejoicing, he heard the Dharma taught by nine hundred million buddhas and retained all of it. In every respect, he became supreme among those who have obtained the dhāraṇī, supreme among those who speak honorably, and supreme among bodhisattva great beings with unceasing eloquence. For three eons he pleased those tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas. Having pleased them, after the three eons had passed, he attained unsurpassable, perfectly complete enlightenment. “Śāriputra, if you are unsure, uncertain, or doubtful, thinking that, at that time, the one who was the merchant’s son named Moon Crest was someone else, Śāriputra, you should not see it that way. Why is that? Because at that time, the blessed one, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Dīpaṃkara was the merchant’s son named Moon Crest. “Śāriputra, if you are unsure, uncertain, or doubtful, thinking that, at that time, the Dharma teacher named Inconceivable Glory of Precious Qualities was someone else, Śāriputra, you should not see it that way. Why is that? Because at that time, the blessed one, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Amitāyus was the Dharma-teaching monk Inconceivable Glory of Precious Qualities. “Śāriputra, at that time, I and the bodhisattva great beings of the Fortunate Eon also heard this Dharma discourse of the dhāraṇī. Having heard it I rejoiced, and through the root of virtue arisen from that instant of rejoicing, I demolished saṃsāra for forty quadrillion eons. I heard the Dharma taught by nine hundred ninety million buddhas. In every respect, I became supreme among those who have obtained the dhāraṇī, supreme among those who speak honorably, and supreme among bodhisattva great beings with unceasing eloquence. “Therefore, Śāriputra, bodhisattva great beings who wish to quickly attain unsurpassable, perfectly complete enlightenment should strive to rejoice in this Dharma discourse of the dhāraṇī. Why is that? Because if that will become the cause for bodhisattva great beings to attain the stage of irreversibility from progress toward unsurpassable, perfectly complete enlightenment and to please the Dharma teachers, how much more will that be the case for those who write it out, who expound it, uphold it, recite it, comprehend it, properly reflect on it, and teach it extensively to others? The measure of that amount of merit cannot be known or conceived of by any being apart from the tathāgatas.” Then the Blessed One spoke these verses: “The extent of the river of merit generated By those who hear and rejoice in the sūtra, Who write it out, uphold it, and recite it, Cannot be known by any being. “In all their lives they will see the victorious ones,  Acquiring inconceivable faith in them.  They will know the method of the profound sūtra And swiftly attain enlightenment. “Until they touch the state of unsurpassable enlightenment They will never lose their samādhi, Superknowledges, dhāraṇīs,  Physical form, enjoyments, or seeing the buddhas. “In my recollection of previous lives, A merchant’s son obtained this dhāraṇī, Saw buddhas as numerous as the grains of sand in the Ganges, And, because of that, attained the enlightenment that he wished for. “At that time Dīpaṃkara was the merchant’s son.  In a previous life he was Boundless Rays of Light. At that time the Dharma teacher was the buddha Amitāyus. I rejoiced with those of the Fortunate Eon. “Whoever wishes to swiftly touch the state of enlightenment, Whoever wishes to swiftly vanquish the māras, Whoever desires the excellent features of hundreds of merits‍— If they exert themselves in this, they will find no difficulty obtaining that. “Even if someone filled world systems As numerous as the sand-grains of the River Ganges with jewels And then gave them away, that gift could not be compared  To the merit of one who writes out and upholds this sūtra. “Thus it is said that, having heard it, one-pointedly heedful,  Wise bodhisattvas who uphold it Or write out and contemplate this dhāraṇī  Will have no difficulty in attaining enlightenment.” Then the Blessed One said to the venerable Śāriputra, “Śāriputra, the radiance of eight yakṣas who dwell on the bodhisattva levels will enter the bodies of bodhisattva great beings who assiduously exert themselves in this dhāraṇī of accomplishment by means of the boundless gateways, and they will guard, protect, and shelter them day and night. Who are these eight? They are the yakṣas Hero, Firm, Sovereign, Nārāyaṇabala, Cāritramati, Hard to Conquer, Dreadful, and the yakṣa Subāhu. “In order for those eight yakṣa kings to come, one should bathe thoroughly, put on very clean clothes, perform walking meditation, and give rise to an attitude free of animosity toward any being. This Dharma discourse of the dhāraṇī should also be kept the mind, and if one does so, the eight yakṣas will quickly show their faces. “Eight bodhisattva great beings born among the gods of the desire realm will also think of you. Who are these eight? They are the bodhisattva great being Vairocana, Avabhāsakara, Light of Wisdom, Sunlight, Encourager, Fulfiller of All Intentions, Nakṣatrarāja, and the bodhisattva great being Cāritramati. In order to obtain the dhāraṇī from these eight bodhisattva great beings, assiduously exert yourself. Bodhisattva great beings who strive for this dhāraṇī should make a commitment to the truth, be thankful, feel gratitude, desire the Dharma, delight in the Dharma, and assiduously exert themselves for the acceptance of the profound Dharma. Bodhisattva great beings who strive for the dhāraṇī should engage in freely giving to all. In this regard, if you are to give gifts even if what you have is small or lacking, what need is there to say that you should do so if you have much?” When the Blessed One gave this Dharma discourse of the dhāraṇī, as many bodhisattvas as there are grains of sand in thirty hundred-sextillion Ganges Rivers obtained this dhāraṇī of accomplishment by means of the boundless gateways, and attained irreversibility from progress toward unsurpassable, perfectly complete enlightenment. The sixty hundred-sextillion beings, gods, humans, and asuras who had not previously generated the mind of enlightenment gave rise to the mind set on unsurpassable, perfectly complete enlightenment.  Then the venerable Śāriputra asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, what is the name of this Dharma discourse? How should we remember it?” The Blessed One said, “Śāriputra, remember this Dharma discourse as The Dhāraṇī of Accomplishment by Means of the Boundless Gateways. Remember it as Totally Exalting Bodhisattvas. Remember it as Destroying All the Māras. Remember it as Obtaining Total Omniscience.” After the Blessed One spoke these words, the venerable Śāriputra, the monks, the bodhisattvas, and the world with its gods, humans, asuras, and gandharvas rejoiced and praised what the Blessed One had said. This concludes “The Noble Dhāraṇī of Accomplishment by Means of the Boundless Gateways.” Colophon This was subsequently edited and finalized by the Indian preceptor Prajñāvarman and the chief editor and translator Bandé Yeshé Dé in connection with the commentary.

The Translation The Noble Dhāraṇī Called Accomplishing the Boundless Gateways  Homage to all buddhas and bodhisattvas. Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was dwelling at the Kūṭāgāraśālā in the Great Forest of Vaiśālī, together with a great monastic sangha of eight thousand monks and a great many bodhisattva great beings. It was at that time that the Blessed One mindfully and knowingly relinquished his life force with the thought, “In three months’ time the Tathāgata will attain parinirvāṇa.” Then the Blessed One said to the venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana, “Mahāmaudgalyāyana, go and gather all the monks who dwell in the chiliocosm here at the Kūṭāgāraśālā in the Great Forest.” The venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana replied, “I will do that, Blessed One,” and, heeding the Blessed One’s instructions, at that very moment, by his own miraculous power, he appeared at the peak of Mount Meru and proclaimed to the chiliocosm, “Whichever beings, dwelling in this world system, who are disciples of the Well-Gone One‍—all of you, listen to me! Today the Teacher will shower down a rain of Dharma. Those of you who wish to hear, come!” Forty thousand monks then gathered at the Kūṭāgāraśālā in the Great Forest. Having arrived there, they saw the Blessed One, bowed their heads at his feet, circumambulated him three times, and then sat down to one side.  Then the venerable Śāriputra, through the power of the Buddha, at that very moment thought, “I must manifest the kind of miraculous power by which all the monks dwelling in the trichiliocosm‍—whether they are of the vehicle of the hearers, or of the vehicle of the pratyekabuddhas, or of the Great Vehicle‍—will be gathered at the Kūṭāgāraśālā in the Great Forest.” Then the venerable Śāriputra manifested such miraculous power and, having done so, all the monks dwelling in the trichiliocosm‍—whether they were of the vehicle of the hearers, or of the vehicle of the pratyekabuddhas, or of the Great Vehicle‍—were gathered at the Kūṭāgāraśālā in the Great Forest. Having arrived there, they saw the Blessed One, bowed their heads at his feet, circumambulated him three times, and then sat down to one side. Then, at that very moment, the Blessed One said to all the bodhisattva great beings‍—to the bodhisattva great being Amoghadarśin, the bodhisattva great being Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta, the bodhisattva great being Abandoning All Lower Realms, the bodhisattva great being Vanquishing the Darkness of All Sorrow, the bodhisattva great being Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin, the bodhisattva great being Jālinīprabha, the bodhisattva great being Intelligence Vanquishing the Darkness of All Places, the bodhisattva great being Avalokiteśvara, the bodhisattva great being Mahāsthāmaprāpta, the bodhisattva great being Indefatigable, the bodhisattva great being Gandhahastin, the bodhisattva great being Hero, the bodhisattva great being Gaganagañja, the bodhisattva great being Amitābha, the bodhisattva great being Mati, the bodhisattva great being Jñānaketu, the bodhisattva great being Bhadrapāla, the bodhisattva great being Sāgaramati, the bodhisattva great being Akṣayamati, the bodhisattva great being Vajragarbha, the bodhisattva great being Ākāśagarbha, the bodhisattva great being Vajrapāṇi, the bodhisattva great being Samantabhadra, the bodhisattva great being Pratibhānakūṭa, and the bodhisattva great being Maitreya‍—“O sons of noble family, go now and gather here at the Kūṭāgāraśālā in the Great Forest all the bodhisattvas dwelling in the buddhafields of the ten directions, as numerous as the grains of sand in the River Ganges, who are in their final existence, who have only one more birth remaining, who are irreversible from progress toward enlightenment, who have attained acceptance of the fact that phenomena are unborn, or who are devoted out of faith.” The bodhisattva great beings heeded the Blessed One’s instructions, saying, “Excellent, Blessed One, excellent!” At that very moment, they displayed such appearances and, having displayed them, inexpressibly many hundred-sextillion bodhisattvas in their final existence arrived at the Kūṭāgāraśālā in the Great Forest, and ninety hundred-sextillion bodhisattvas with only one more birth remaining, eighty hundred-sextillion bodhisattvas irreversible from progress toward enlightenment, thirty hundred-sextillion bodhisattva great beings who had attained acceptance that phenomena are unborn, and eight hundred-sextillion bodhisattva great beings who are devoted out of faith arrived at the Kūṭāgāraśālā in the Great Forest. Having arrived there, they saw the Blessed One, bowed their heads at his feet, circumambulated him three times, and then sat down to one side.  Then the venerable Śāriputra, having seen that great assembly of bodhisattvas, at that very moment thought, “I must ask the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the Perfectly Complete Buddha for answers to questions about how these bodhisattva great beings dispel all doubts, quickly attain unobscured wisdom and eloquence, and hear the teachings of the Dharma from all the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas, in buddhafields as numerous as the grains of sand in the River Ganges; how, having heard them, they remember them, not forgetting them until they attain unsurpassable, perfectly complete enlightenment; how they obtain four purifications that are the practices of bodhisattva great beings‍—the purification of beings, the purification of the Dharma, the purification of aspirations, and the purification of buddhafields; how they obtain four things that make them excellent and appealing‍—an appealing body, appealing speech, an appealing mind, and an appealing birth; and how they gain the four kinds of entry into the dhāraṇī gateways‍—entry into the dhāraṇī gateway of accomplishment by means of inexhaustible gateways, entry into the dhāraṇī gateway of skill with respect to the faculties of beings, entry into the dhāraṇī gateway of effortless skill with respect to actions and their ripening, and entry into the dhāraṇī gateway of acceptance of the profound Dharma.”  Then the venerable Śāriputra asked the Blessed One in detail those questions just as he remembered them, considered them, and understood them, and he further asked, “Blessed One, with these questions just as I have remembered them, considered them, and understood them, please explain how the practices of these bodhisattva great beings will be purified.”   The Blessed One replied to the venerable Śāriputra, “Excellent, Śāriputra, excellent! It is excellent, Śāriputra, that you have thought to ask the Tathāgata about this topic. Therefore, Śāriputra, listen well and be attentive and I will explain it to you.”  The venerable Śāriputra replied to the Blessed One, “I will do that, Blessed One,” and he heeded the Blessed One’s instructions. The Blessed One then said to him as follows: “Śāriputra, bodhisattva great beings who neither accept nor appropriate any phenomena should retain these mantra-words of the dhāraṇī: tadyathā/ oṃ aṇe mahāraṇe/ akhe/ mukhe/ mukhe/ samantamukhe/ saumesa/ sauryarame/ sautiyugame/ nirugatiprabhehilehile/ kalape kelapa/ sisale/ saravati/ hilehile/ hilehile/ hilihilili/ mahāhilele/ caṇḍecapane/ caracaraṇi/ acale/ macāle/ anante/ anantemukhe/ anantagate araṇenirmalade/ nirvalane/ nirvadhanate/ dharmdhare/ nirhare/ gimeleśrīmaviśodhani/ prakṛtidhipane/ bhavavebhavane/ asaṃge asaṃge/ vihare/ damesame/ vimale/ vimalaprabhe/ saṃkarṣaṇi/ dhiredhidhirilahādhidhire/ yeṣeyaṣopati/ cale acale/ macale/ samacale/ ṭadhiṭudhasandhisthira/ asaṃge asaṃge/ vihare/ asaṃganirhare/ nirhara/ vimale/ nirhaṭaśotaniḍadhisome/ sthiresthime/ sthamavati/ mahāprabhe/ samantaprabhe/ vipulaprabhe/ vipularasmisaṃbhave/ samantamukhe/ sarvatrayavugate/ chedyayanatachedyapratibhane/ dharaṇe/ ṇiḍena/ dharmanidhanagotra/ samantabhadrai/ sarvatathāgatahṛdaya adhiṣṭhāna adhiṣṭhite svāhā “Śāriputra, bodhisattva great beings retaining these dhāraṇīs do not form conceits about conditioned or unconditioned phenomena. They do not apprehend them, do not disparage them, do not neglect them, do not appropriate them, and do not strive for them. They do not act for the sake of obtaining them, abandoning them, meditating upon them, or increasing them. They do not change them. They do not fabricate them. They do not see any phenomena that are associated with them, nor do they see any not associated with them. They do not see the arising of phenomena, they do not seen the cessation of phenomena, they do not see past phenomena, they do not see future phenomena, they do not see present phenomena, and they do not see either the increase or the decrease of phenomena. They do not accumulate any phenomena whatsoever, nor do they diminish any. They do not label anything, and they do not make anything known. They cultivate recollection of the Buddha alone. “Śāriputra, bodhisattva great beings retaining these dhāraṇīs do not form conceits about conditioned or unconditioned phenomena . They do not apprehend them, do not disparage them, do not neglect them, do not appropriate them, and do not strive for them. They do not act for the sake of obtaining them, abandoning them, meditating upon them, or increasing them. They do not change them. They do not fabricate them. They do not see any phenomena that are associated with them, nor do they see any not associated with them. They do not see the arising of phenomena, they do not seen the cessation of phenomena, they do not see past phenomena, they do not see future phenomena, they do not see present phenomena, and they do not see either the increase or the decrease of phenomena. They do not accumulate any phenomena whatsoever, nor do they diminish any. They do not label anything, and they do not make anything known. They cultivate recollection of the Buddha alone. “Śāriputra, bodhisattva great beings retaining these dhāraṇīs do not form conceits about conditioned or unconditioned phenomena . They do not apprehend them, do not disparage them, do not neglect them, do not appropriate them, and do not strive for them. They do not act for the sake of obtaining them, abandoning them, meditating upon them, or increasing them. They do not change them. They do not fabricate them. They do not see any phenomena that are associated with them, nor do they see any not associated with them. They do not see the arising of phenomena, they do not seen the cessation of phenomena, they do not see past phenomena, they do not see future phenomena, they do not see present phenomena, and they do not see either the increase or the decrease of phenomena. They do not accumulate any phenomena whatsoever, nor do they diminish any. They do not label anything, and they do not make anything known. They cultivate recollection of the Buddha alone. “When they meditate, it is not on form nor on the lack of form; it is not on the major signs nor on the lack of major signs; it is not on the secondary marks nor on the lack of secondary marks; it is not on consciousness nor on the lack of consciousness; it is not on afflictions nor on the lack of afflictions; it is not on ethical discipline nor on the lack of ethical discipline; it is not on concentration nor on the lack of concentration; it is not on wisdom nor on the lack of wisdom; it is not on liberation nor on the lack of liberation; it is not on the knowledge and vision of liberation nor on the lack of the knowledge and vision of liberation; it is not on birth nor on the lack of birth; it is not on family nor on the lack of family; it is not on clan nor on the lack of clan; it is not on retinues nor on the lack of retinues; it is not on an abode nor on the lack of an abode; it is not on attainment nor on the lack of attainment; it is not on realization nor on the lack of realization; it is not on the extinction of afflictions nor on the lack of the extinction of afflictions; it is not on the aggregates, the elements, or the sense bases nor on the lack of the aggregates, the elements, or the sense bases; it is not on knowledge nor on the lack of knowledge; it is not on teaching the Dharma nor on not teaching the Dharma; it is not on the purification of self nor on the purification of others; it is not on the purification of beings nor on the purification of nonbeings; it is not on the benefit of self nor on the benefit of others; it is not on the Dharma nor on the Vinaya; it is not on the purification of the body nor on the purification of speech or the purification of the mind; it is not on the purification of practice nor on the purification of prior practice, the purification of later practice, or the purification of present practice; and it is not on the purification of self nor on the purification of others. This, Śāriputra, is the recollection of the Buddha called the bodhisattva great beings’ engagement in the non-grasping of any phenomena. It is the dhāraṇī called the acquisition of fearlessness about the gathering of all qualities by the accomplishment of the ultimate, the samādhi called fulfilling all intentions by attaining absolute certainty, the dhāraṇī called abiding in the unsurpassed family of the treasury of qualities, the major signs and secondary marks, by accomplishing independent knowledge of all the roots of virtue, and the dhāraṇī called overpowering all the māras’ works by the skill in seeking the highest. “Śāriputra, bodhisattvas who obtain the object of this dhāraṇī of accomplishment by means of the boundless gateways are irreversible and will quickly attain unsurpassable, perfectly complete enlightenment. Why is that so? Because, Śāriputra, the qualities of all the buddhas and the treasury of all attributes are certain, and because all the practices of bodhisattvas are distinguished from this dhāraṇī whose practice is without apprehending.” Then the Blessed One spoke these verses: “Have no doubt about the emptiness of all phenomena And do not create any conceptual elaborations for the sake of enlightenment. If the dharmadhātu is not disturbed, This dhāraṇī will be attained! “Listen to this sūtra! The dhāraṇī in it is inexhaustible. In it is the treasure of wisdom, So one will attain enlightenment. “If fearless bodhisattvas Perfectly retain this dhāraṇī, They will come to hear the Dharma teachings Of the buddhas of the ten directions. “Moved by their letter and meaning, They will understand the supreme of all teachings And will know their words, As many as there are rays of the sun. “Everything will always be evident To the one who upholds this sūtra‍— That is the supreme Dharma, With its magnificent gateways of dhāraṇī. “If all beings Were to question him about their qualms for an eon,   All their doubts would be dispelled But his wisdom would not be exhausted! “Whoever delights in this sūtra  Will become a child of the Dharma King. They will be near to supreme enlightenment, Will become steadfast in mind, and will be an upholder of the Dharma. “Whoever retains this dhāraṇī Will delight all beings. All the buddhas will be pleased with them. Their fame will spread throughout the world. “Whoever upholds this sūtra will, When the time of death arrives, See eight hundred million buddhas And attend upon them directly. “Upholding this dhāraṇī, Whatever previous evil deeds performed Over ten billion eons Will be purified in one month. “All the merit that bodhisattvas Have accomplished in ten million eons Will be outshone in one month By the merit of those who uphold this dhāraṇī. “Even if all beings in the three realms Became demons, They would be unable to create obstacles For whoever upholds this sūtra. “Until they attain enlightenment They will possess mindfulness, intelligence, and understanding, And the sublime dhāraṇī  Will remain on the tip of their tongue. “Just as in this teaching of the sūtra The dhāraṇī is established, Similarly, from this, omniscience is taught,  And, from this, enlightenment is attained. “As soon as this dhāraṇī was taught,   Dīpaṅkara gave me the prophecy, And, at that very moment, I saw buddhas  As numerous as the grains of sand in the River Ganges. “Whoever wishes to understand  This teaching of all the buddhas Should rely upon this sūtra‍— By that they will quickly attain all. “The purity of the buddhafields, The excellence of the śrāvakas, And the purity of their radiance and features Are created by this sūtra! “Therefore, if one is conscientious, And contemplates this for seven days, Eight hundred million buddhas  Will then bestow the dhāraṇī. “Neither reflect on what is to be thought  Nor on what is not to be thought. Reflect‍—do not reflect erroneously! Then one will obtain the dhāraṇī. “As an analogy, just as someone who travels on the ocean Has no doubts about obtaining wealth,  Similarly, a person who has obtained this dhāraṇī  Has no doubts about obtaining bliss. “Through this you will approach complete enlightenment. Therefore, apply yourself to this! Having attained the state of peace, You will attain complete enlightenment!” The Blessed One then said to the venerable Śāriputra, “Śāriputra, if bodhisattva great beings are endowed with four things, they will obtain this dhāraṇī. They are as follows: having no attachment to sense pleasures; having no envy with respect to any being; giving away all one’s possessions and being generous without regret; and, day and night, rejoicing in and desiring the Dharma. Śāriputra, if bodhisattva great beings are endowed with these four things, then they will obtain this dhāraṇī.” The Blessed One then said to the venerable Śāriputra, “Śāriputra, if bodhisattva great beings are endowed with four things, they will obtain this dhāraṇī. They are as follows: having no attachment to sense pleasures; having no envy with respect to any being; giving away all one’s possessions and being generous without regret;  and, day and night, rejoicing in and desiring the Dharma. Śāriputra, if bodhisattva great beings are endowed with these four things, then they will obtain this dhāraṇī.” Then the Blessed One spoke these verses: “Renounce evil, Māra’s domain,  And the stench of desire. These are the conditions for birth as a hell being And also the causes of the lower realms.  The Blessed One then said to the venerable Śāriputra, “Śāriputra, if bodhisattva great beings are endowed with four things, they will obtain this dhāraṇī. They are as follows: having no attachment to sense pleasures; having no envy with respect to any being; giving away all one’s possessions and being generous without regret;  and, day and night, rejoicing in and desiring the Dharma. Śāriputra, if bodhisattva great beings are endowed with these four things, then they will obtain this dhāraṇī.” “Do not act with envy toward others, Motivated by the desire for reputation, gain, and fame. If you look upon beings with eyes full of joy, You will obtain great power and a beautiful form. “Whoever creates disputes with someone‍— The basis is grasping. Therefore, eliminate craving wherever it arises. When craving is abandoned, one obtains the dhāraṇī. “If you desire enlightenment, do not think of anything else. Seek the Dharma day and night. If you rely upon words of the Dharma like these, The dhāraṇī will manifest. “Furthermore, Śāriputra, if bodhisattva great beings are endowed with four things, they will obtain this dhāraṇī. They are as follows: dwelling in the wilderness or in a solitary place; giving rise to the power of the acceptance of the profound Dharma; being without attachment to gain, respect, and praise; and remaining indifferent to all pleasing things, even renouncing life and limb. Śāriputra, if bodhisattva great beings are endowed with these four things, they will obtain this dhāraṇī.” Then the Blessed One spoke these verses: “Dwell in the wilderness, as praised by the victorious ones, And dwell there without despising others. Aspire for the acceptance of the profound. Dwell heedfully as if your head was on fire! “As it is the basis for acting hypocritically, Do not dwell on thoughts of profit or gain. Be content with the barest necessities, just as a bird is. Gain the fruit of rebirth as a human. “Alas! Obtain the teachings of the Buddha! Renounce the household, root of many sufferings. By purifying body, speech, and mind, Show reverence for the Buddha and the Dharma. “Desire for gain, lacking mindfulness, lacking wisdom, Lacking faith, discipline, and a mind for the Dharma‍— These are as far from enlightenment as the sky from the earth. Therefore, renounce gain!” “Furthermore, Śāriputra, if bodhisattva great beings are endowed with four things, they will obtain this dhāraṇī. They are as follows. They should comprehend the meaning of eight syllables. What are these eight syllables? They are as follows: pa means that one penetrates and comprehends the fact that ultimately all phenomena are without a self; la means that one penetrates and comprehends the major signs and secondary marks, and the dharma-body of the tathāgatas as the lack of major signs and secondary marks; ba means that one penetrates and comprehends the nonduality of the qualities of the childish and the qualities of the wise, just as they are; dza means that one penetrates and comprehends the nonarising and nonceasing of beings who are born, age, and die and who are without birth, aging, and death; ka means that one penetrates and comprehends the ripening of karma and the non-ripening of karma; dha means that one penetrates and comprehends the emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, and dharmadhātu of the Dharma discourse of the dhāraṇī; śa means that one penetrates and comprehends entering into the suchness of all phenomena in calm abiding and special insight and the lack of calm abiding and special insight; kṣa means that one penetrates and comprehends the momentariness of all phenomena, that there is no extinction because they are primordially at peace, that they are fearless, that they are unmoving, and that all phenomena are nirvāṇa. “Thus, to realize comprehension of the meaning of these eight syllables is the first comprehension of the meaning. Properly writing out and upholding this Dharma discourse of the dhāraṇī is the second comprehension of the meaning. To continuously recite this Dharma discourse of the dhāraṇī and to exert oneself in recollection for half of every month is the third comprehension of the meaning. Bodhisattva great beings assiduously exerting themselves for this Dharma discourse of the dhāraṇī who strive to bring joy to all beings, to encourage them to uphold it, and to cause them to exult in it‍—this is the fourth comprehension of the meaning. Śāriputra, if bodhisattva great beings are endowed with these four things, they will obtain this dhāraṇī.” Then the Blessed One spoke these verses: “You should reflect on these eight syllables, Write out this sūtra and uphold it, Recite it continuously for half of every month, And encourage beings to uphold it. “Your wisdom will be vast, enlightenment will be near, And, therefore, you will see before you All the buddhas dwelling in the ten directions. Therefore, generate aspiration and train in this. “Śāriputra, these four things are the benefits for bodhisattva great beings assiduously exerting themselves for this dhāraṇī: all the blessed buddhas of the ten directions think of them, the works of Māra do not emerge for them, their karmic obscurations will be swiftly purified, and they will swiftly attain unceasing eloquence. Śāriputra, those four things are the benefits for bodhisattva great beings who assiduously exert themselves in this dhāraṇī.” Then the Blessed One spoke this verse: “All the buddhas will keep them in mind. Māra will find no opportunity to harm them. Their karmic obscurations will be swiftly purified. They will attain boundless eloquence. “Śāriputra, in the past‍—an innumerable, incredibly innumerable, exceedingly vast, immeasurable, and unfathomable number of eons ago‍—there appeared in the world a tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha known as Gloriously Splendid Kinglike Jewel, endowed with knowledge and conduct, well-gone, a knower of the world, a guide for those beings to be tamed, unsurpassed, a teacher of gods and humans, a buddha, and a blessed one. “Śāriputra, when the blessed one, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Gloriously Splendid Kinglike Jewel attained parinirvāṇa, there appeared a wheel-turning monarch named Light Bearer, a lord of humans possessing the seven treasures. He had a son named Inconceivable Glory of Precious Qualities. At the age of sixteen, he heard the Dharma discourse of the dhāraṇī of accomplishment by means of the boundless gateways from the blessed one, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Gloriously Splendid Kinglike Jewel. “As soon as he heard the dhāraṇī, he strove to obtain it. For seventy thousand years, he was never overcome by lethargy or sleep‍—not even once did he delight in kingdom, wealth, or self. For seventy thousand years he never lay down on the ground on his side, and he lived in complete seclusion. “Having heard the Dharma taught by nine hundred million buddhas and having retained all of it, he went forth under the blessed one, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Gloriously Splendid Kinglike Jewel himself. Ninety thousand years after going forth, he accomplished this dhāraṇī of accomplishment by means of the boundless gateways. Having accomplished it, he extensively taught it to beings. In that very life, he caused eighty hundred-sextillion beings to reach for unsurpassable, perfectly complete enlightenment and established them on the level of irreversibility from progress toward enlightenment. Śāriputra, in that retinue, there was a merchant’s son named Moon Crest, who heard from that Dharma-teaching monk this Dharma discourse of the dhāraṇī of accomplishment by means of the boundless gateways. Having heard it, he rejoiced, and through the root of virtue arisen from that instant of rejoicing, he heard the Dharma taught by nine hundred million buddhas and retained all of it. In every respect, he became supreme among those who have obtained the dhāraṇī, supreme among those who speak honorably, and supreme among bodhisattva great beings with unceasing eloquence. For three eons he pleased those tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas. Having pleased them, after the three eons had passed, he attained unsurpassable, perfectly complete enlightenment. “Śāriputra, if you are unsure, uncertain, or doubtful, thinking that, at that time, the one who was the merchant’s son named Moon Crest was someone else, Śāriputra, you should not see it that way. Why is that? Because at that time, the blessed one, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Dīpaṃkara was the merchant’s son named Moon Crest. “Śāriputra, if you are unsure, uncertain, or doubtful, thinking that, at that time, the Dharma teacher named Inconceivable Glory of Precious Qualities was someone else, Śāriputra, you should not see it that way. Why is that? Because at that time, the blessed one, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Amitāyus was the Dharma-teaching monk Inconceivable Glory of Precious Qualities. “Śāriputra, at that time, I and the bodhisattva great beings of the Fortunate Eon also heard this Dharma discourse of the dhāraṇī. Having heard it I rejoiced, and through the root of virtue arisen from that instant of rejoicing, I demolished saṃsāra for forty quadrillion eons. I heard the Dharma taught by nine hundred ninety million buddhas. In every respect, I became supreme among those who have obtained the dhāraṇī, supreme among those who speak honorably, and supreme among bodhisattva great beings with unceasing eloquence. “Therefore, Śāriputra, bodhisattva great beings who wish to quickly attain unsurpassable, perfectly complete enlightenment should strive to rejoice in this Dharma discourse of the dhāraṇī. Why is that? Because if that will become the cause for bodhisattva great beings to attain the stage of irreversibility from progress toward unsurpassable, perfectly complete enlightenment and to please the Dharma teachers, how much more will that be the case for those who write it out, who expound it, uphold it, recite it, comprehend it, properly reflect on it, and teach it extensively to others? The measure of that amount of merit cannot be known or conceived of by any being apart from the tathāgatas.” Then the Blessed One spoke these verses: “The extent of the river of merit generated By those who hear and rejoice in the sūtra, Who write it out, uphold it, and recite it, Cannot be known by any being. “In all their lives they will see the victorious ones,  Acquiring inconceivable faith in them.  They will know the method of the profound sūtra And swiftly attain enlightenment. “Until they touch the state of unsurpassable enlightenment They will never lose their samādhi, Superknowledges, dhāraṇīs,  Physical form, enjoyments, or seeing the buddhas. “In my recollection of previous lives, A merchant’s son obtained this dhāraṇī, Saw buddhas as numerous as the grains of sand in the Ganges, And, because of that, attained the enlightenment that he wished for. “At that time Dīpaṃkara was the merchant’s son.  In a previous life he was Boundless Rays of Light. At that time the Dharma teacher was the buddha Amitāyus. I rejoiced with those of the Fortunate Eon. “Whoever wishes to swiftly touch the state of enlightenment, Whoever wishes to swiftly vanquish the māras, Whoever desires the excellent features of hundreds of merits‍— If they exert themselves in this, they will find no difficulty obtaining that. “Even if someone filled world systems As numerous as the sand-grains of the River Ganges with jewels And then gave them away, that gift could not be compared  To the merit of one who writes out and upholds this sūtra. “Thus it is said that, having heard it, one-pointedly heedful,  Wise bodhisattvas who uphold it Or write out and contemplate this dhāraṇī  Will have no difficulty in attaining enlightenment.” Then the Blessed One said to the venerable Śāriputra, “Śāriputra, the radiance of eight yakṣas who dwell on the bodhisattva levels will enter the bodies of bodhisattva great beings who assiduously exert themselves in this dhāraṇī of accomplishment by means of the boundless gateways, and they will guard, protect, and shelter them day and night. Who are these eight? They are the yakṣas Hero, Firm, Sovereign, Nārāyaṇabala, Cāritramati, Hard to Conquer, Dreadful, and the yakṣa Subāhu. “In order for those eight yakṣa kings to come, one should bathe thoroughly, put on very clean clothes, perform walking meditation, and give rise to an attitude free of animosity toward any being. This Dharma discourse of the dhāraṇī should also be kept the mind, and if one does so, the eight yakṣas will quickly show their faces. “Eight bodhisattva great beings born among the gods of the desire realm will also think of you. Who are these eight? They are the bodhisattva great being Vairocana, Avabhāsakara, Light of Wisdom, Sunlight, Encourager, Fulfiller of All Intentions, Nakṣatrarāja, and the bodhisattva great being Cāritramati. In order to obtain the dhāraṇī from these eight bodhisattva great beings, assiduously exert yourself. Bodhisattva great beings who strive for this dhāraṇī should make a commitment to the truth, be thankful, feel gratitude, desire the Dharma, delight in the Dharma, and assiduously exert themselves for the acceptance of the profound Dharma. Bodhisattva great beings who strive for the dhāraṇī should engage in freely giving to all. In this regard, if you are to give gifts even if what you have is small or lacking, what need is there to say that you should do so if you have much?” When the Blessed One gave this Dharma discourse of the dhāraṇī, as many bodhisattvas as there are grains of sand in thirty hundred-sextillion Ganges Rivers obtained this dhāraṇī of accomplishment by means of the boundless gateways, and attained irreversibility from progress toward unsurpassable, perfectly complete enlightenment. The sixty hundred-sextillion beings, gods, humans, and asuras who had not previously generated the mind of enlightenment gave rise to the mind set on unsurpassable, perfectly complete enlightenment.  Then the venerable Śāriputra asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, what is the name of this Dharma discourse? How should we remember it?” The Blessed One said, “Śāriputra, remember this Dharma discourse as The Dhāraṇī of Accomplishment by Means of the Boundless Gateways. Remember it as Totally Exalting Bodhisattvas. Remember it as Destroying All the Māras. Remember it as Obtaining Total Omniscience.” After the Blessed One spoke these words, the venerable Śāriputra, the monks, the bodhisattvas, and the world with its gods, humans, asuras, and gandharvas rejoiced and praised what the Blessed One had said. This concludes “The Noble Dhāraṇī of Accomplishment by Means of the Boundless Gateways.” Colophon This was subsequently edited and finalized by the Indian preceptor Prajñāvarman and the chief editor and translator Bandé Yeshé Dé in connection with the commentary.