Loading translation...
Note that there is a discrepancy in the word order of the long title, with the Sanskrit in one order, the Tibetan in another (where DE has saṃdarśanavyūhaḥ, D arranges these components in reverse order: bkod pa kun tu ston pa). It should also be noted that there is considerable ambiguity in how the title should be read.
Skt. sarvatathāgatādhiṣṭhānasattvāvalokanabuddhakṣetrasaṃdarśanavyūhaḥ; Tib. de bzhin gshegs pa thams cad kyis byin gyi rlabs sems can la gzigs shing sangs rgyas kyi zhing gi bkod pa kun tu ston pa. Note that, according to the Buddha’s explanation of the name of this samādhi (1.33), “beholding of beings” means understanding the minds of sentient beings in a way which enables the practitioner to apply the skillful means to establish them in the buddhafields.
For more on the nuances of the term samādhi in the Great Vehicle literature, see Skilton 2002, 1999.
D reads lha’i nor bu rin po che dpal gyi snying po, where DE reads divyamaṇiratnaśrī indranīlamaye.
DE only mentions gandharvas here: sarvaiḥ gandharvaśatasahasraiḥ pūrvabuddhaparyupāsitaiḥ tathāgataprātihāryadṛṣṭaiḥ.
D and DE contain notable differences here: DE includes the phrase aṃjaliṃ praṇamya, which is absent in D; also D contains thams cad chos while DE has the compound anuśāsanadharma, which only partially corresponds to that phrase in D.
DE reads parṣa, but it should probably read mārṣa, “friend(s)! good sir(s)!” (Edgerton 1953, vol. 2, Dictionary, p. 431).
Following the Tibetan (las kyi sgrib pa), Dutt added karmā in this phrase: sarva[karmā] varaṇavinirmuktāḥ.
D reads re re nas lag na rdo rje la bsnun par bgyi’o, whereas DE has vajrapāṇir āhartavyaḥ. The Tibetan translators seemed to have read āhartavyaḥ as āhatavyaḥ. We are rendering the passage here according to DE.
DE has vyākaraṇaṃ mama, “my prophecy,” which indicates more clearly that the Buddha is the one giving the prophesy.
D has nor dang ’bru dang mdzod dang bang ba rnams ’byor bar yang ’gyur. DE has dhanadhānyakośakoṣṭhāgārasamṛddhaḥ.
D has bcom ldan ’das la me tog dang / spos dang / bdug spos sna tshogs dang / ras bcos bu zung dag gis mchod par byas te; DE has bhagavantaṃ nānāpuṣpaduṣyayugair ācchādya.
Dutt follows the Tibetan translation here, omitting in his edition the negation (na) present in the Gilgit manuscript.
DE has parakarma, so either Tibetans used a Sanskrit text source that read mārakarma, or they interpreted para in the phrase as “enemy,” specifying it as māra.
This section, which is missing in D, is translated from DE: subhāṣitam idaṃ mahādharmaparyāyaṃ sarvasattvānām arthāya tathāgataśāsanacirasthityartham.
D has rjes su gnang ba, corresponding to ājñā/anujñā, “authorized,” while the title in DE contains jñāna, “knowledge.”
Following DE and the general structure of this section, these two titles could also be read as a single title: Stepping into the Bodhisattva Bhūmis, Authorized by All Thus-Gone Ones.
Dutt adds prabhāvatībhīmāśrīśaṃkhinīharitāmahādevī to DE, following the Tibetan translation.
The name of a thus-gone one.
The buddha of the western buddhafield of Sukhāvatī, where fortunate beings are reborn to make further progress toward spiritual maturity. Amitābha made his great vows to create such a realm when he was a bodhisattva called Dharmākara. In the Pure Land Buddhist tradition, popular in East Asia, aspiring to be reborn in his buddha realm is the main emphasis; in other Mahāyāna traditions, too, it is a widespread practice. For a detailed description of the realm, see The Display of the Pure Land of Sukhāvatī, Toh 115. In some tantras that make reference to the five families he is the tathāgata associated with the lotus family.
Amitābha, “Infinite Light,” is also known in many Indian Buddhist works as Amitāyus, “Infinite Life.” In both East Asian and Tibetan Buddhist traditions he is often conflated with another buddha named “Infinite Life,” Aparimitāyus, or “Infinite Life and Wisdom,”Aparimitāyurjñāna, the shorter version of whose name has also been back-translated from Tibetan into Sanskrit as Amitāyus but who presides over a realm in the zenith. For details on the relation between these buddhas and their names, see The Aparimitāyurjñāna Sūtra (1) Toh 674, i.9.
The name of a bodhisattva.
A major śrāvaka disciple and personal attendant of the Buddha Śākyamuni during the last twenty-five years of his life. He was a cousin of the Buddha (according to the Mahāvastu, he was a son of Śuklodana, one of the brothers of King Śuddhodana, which means he was a brother of Devadatta; other sources say he was a son of Amṛtodana, another brother of King Śuddhodana, which means he would have been a brother of Aniruddha).
Ānanda, having always been in the Buddha’s presence, is said to have memorized all the teachings he heard and is celebrated for having recited all the Buddha’s teachings by memory at the first council of the Buddhist saṅgha, thus preserving the teachings after the Buddha’s parinirvāṇa. The phrase “Thus did I hear at one time,” found at the beginning of the sūtras, usually stands for his recitation of the teachings. He became a patriarch after the passing of Mahākāśyapa.
The name of a mahāyakṣiṇī.
One who has achieved the fourth and final level of attainment on the śrāvaka path, and who has attained liberation with the cessation of all afflictive emotions.
The state of an arhat.
A type of nonhuman being whose precise status is subject to different views, but is included as one of the six classes of beings in the sixfold classification of realms of rebirth. In the Buddhist context, asuras are powerful beings said to be dominated by envy, ambition, and hostility. They are also known in the pre-Buddhist and pre-Vedic mythologies of India and Iran, and feature prominently in Vedic and post-Vedic Brahmanical mythology, as well as in the Buddhist tradition. In these traditions, asuras are often described as being engaged in interminable conflict with the devas (gods).
One of the “eight close sons of the Buddha,” he is also known as the bodhisattva who embodies compassion. In certain tantras, he is also the lord of the three families, where he embodies the compassion of the buddhas. In Tibet, he attained great significance as a special protector of Tibet, and in China, in female form, as Guanyin, the most important bodhisattva in all of East Asia.
According to Monier Williams (2005:1056), this refers to the stem of Saccharum Sara (a.k.a. Saccharum bengalense and Tripidium bengalense), a kind of sugarcane bamboo grass.
The term bhikṣu, often translated as “monk,” refers to the highest among the eight types of prātimokṣa vows that make one part of the Buddhist assembly. The Sanskrit term literally means “beggar” or “mendicant,” referring to the fact that Buddhist monks and nuns—like other ascetics of the time—subsisted on alms (bhikṣā) begged from the laity.
In the Tibetan tradition, which follows the Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya, a monk follows 253 rules as part of his moral discipline. A nun (bhikṣuṇī; dge slong ma) follows 364 rules. A novice monk (śrāmaṇera; dge tshul) or nun (śrāmaṇerikā; dge tshul ma) follows thirty-six rules of moral discipline (although in other vinaya traditions novices typically follow only ten).
The term bhikṣuṇī, often translated as “nun,” refers to the highest among the eight types of prātimokṣa vows that make one part of the Buddhist assembly. The Sanskrit term bhikṣu (to which the female grammatical ending ṇī is added) literally means “beggar” or “mendicant,” referring to the fact that Buddhist nuns and monks—like other ascetics of the time—subsisted on alms (bhikṣā) begged from the laity. In the Tibetan tradition, which follows the Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya, a bhikṣuṇī follows 364 rules and a bhikṣu follows 253 rules as part of their moral discipline.
For the first few years of the Buddha’s teachings in India, there was no ordination for women. It started at the persistent request and display of determination of Mahāprajāpatī, the Buddha’s stepmother and aunt, together with five hundred former wives of men of Kapilavastu, who had themselves become monks. Mahāprajāpatī is thus considered to be the founder of the nun’s order.
The name of a mahādevī, or mahāyakṣiṇī.
Literally the “grounds” in which qualities grow. This term refers to the levels of awakening a bodhisattva must traverse before reaching perfect buddhahood. Traditionally ten in number, though some systems present more.
This term in its broadest sense can refer to any being, whether human, animal, or nonhuman. However, it is often used to refer to a specific class of nonhuman beings, especially when bhūtas are mentioned alongside rākṣasas, piśācas, or pretas. In common with these other kinds of nonhumans, bhūtas are usually depicted with unattractive and misshapen bodies. Like several other classes of nonhuman beings, bhūtas take spontaneous birth. As their leader is traditionally regarded to be Rudra-Śiva (also known by the name Bhūta), with whom they haunt dangerous and wild places, bhūtas are especially prominent in Śaivism, where large sections of certain tantras concentrate on them.
In Buddhist literature, this is an epithet applied to buddhas, most often to Śākyamuni. The Sanskrit term generally means “possessing fortune,” but in specifically Buddhist contexts it implies that a buddha is in possession of six auspicious qualities (bhaga) associated with complete awakening. The Tibetan term—where bcom is said to refer to “subduing” the four māras, ldan to “possessing” the great qualities of buddhahood, and ’das to “going beyond” saṃsāra and nirvāṇa—possibly reflects the commentarial tradition where the Sanskrit bhagavat is interpreted, in addition, as “one who destroys the four māras.” This is achieved either by reading bhagavat as bhagnavat (“one who broke”), or by tracing the word bhaga to the root √bhañj (“to break”).
A being who is dedicated to the cultivation and fulfilment of the altruistic intention to attain perfect buddhahood, traversing the ten bodhisattva levels (daśabhūmi, sa bcu). Bodhisattvas purposely opt to remain within cyclic existence in order to liberate all sentient beings, instead of simply seeking personal freedom from suffering. In terms of the view, they realize both the selflessness of persons and the selflessness of phenomena.
The term can be understood to mean “great courageous one” or "great hero,” or (from the Sanskrit) simply “great being,” and is almost always found as an epithet of “bodhisattva.” The qualification “great” in this term, according to the majority of canonical definitions, focuses on the generic greatness common to all bodhisattvas, i.e., the greatness implicit in the bodhisattva vow itself in terms of outlook, aspiration, number of beings to be benefited, potential or eventual accomplishments, and so forth. In this sense the mahā- is closer in its connotations to the mahā- in “Mahāyāna” than to the mahā- in “mahāsiddha.” While individual bodhisattvas described as mahāsattva may in many cases also be “great” in terms of their level of realization, this is largely coincidental, and in the canonical texts the epithet is not restricted to bodhisattvas at any particular point in their career. Indeed, in a few cases even bodhisattvas whose path has taken a wrong direction are still described as bodhisattva mahāsattva.
Later commentarial writings do nevertheless define the term—variably—in terms of bodhisattvas having attained a particular level (bhūmi) or realization. The most common qualifying criteria mentioned are attaining the path of seeing, attaining irreversibility (according to its various definitions), or attaining the seventh bhūmi.
A high-ranking deity presiding over a divine world; he is also considered to be the lord of the Sahā world (our universe). Though not considered a creator god in Buddhism, Brahmā occupies an important place as one of two gods (the other being Indra/Śakra) said to have first exhorted the Buddha Śākyamuni to teach the Dharma. The particular heavens found in the form realm over which Brahmā rules are often some of the most sought-after realms of higher rebirth in Buddhist literature. Since there are many universes or world systems, there are also multiple Brahmās presiding over them. His most frequent epithets are “Lord of the Sahā World” (sahāṃpati) and Great Brahmā (mahābrahman).
The field of activity of a specific buddha, manifested through the power of their merit, wisdom, and aspirations.
The name of a bodhisattva.
A coin of variable value. In this sūtra, a coin of small value.
A class of powerful nonhuman female beings who play a variety of roles in Indic literature in general and Buddhist literature specifically. Essentially synonymous with yoginīs, ḍākinīs are liminal and often dangerous beings who can be propitiated to acquire both mundane and transcendent spiritual accomplishments. In the higher Buddhist tantras, ḍākinīs are often considered embodiments of awakening and feature prominently in tantric maṇḍalas.
See “son of noble family.”
In the most general sense the devas—the term is cognate with the English divine—are a class of celestial beings who frequently appear in Buddhist texts, often at the head of the assemblies of nonhuman beings who attend and celebrate the teachings of the Buddha Śākyamuni and other buddhas and bodhisattvas. In Buddhist cosmology the devas occupy the highest of the five or six “destinies” (gati) of saṃsāra among which beings take rebirth. The devas reside in the devalokas, “heavens” that traditionally number between twenty-six and twenty-eight and are divided between the desire realm (kāmadhātu), form realm (rūpadhātu), and formless realm (ārūpyadhātu). A being attains rebirth among the devas either through meritorious deeds (in the desire realm) or the attainment of subtle meditative states (in the form and formless realms). While rebirth among the devas is considered favorable, it is ultimately a transitory state from which beings will fall when the conditions that lead to rebirth there are exhausted. Thus, rebirth in the god realms is regarded as a diversion from the spiritual path.
The term dhāraṇī has the sense of something that “holds” or “retains,” and so it can refer to the special capacity of practitioners to memorize and recall detailed teachings. It can also refer to a verbal expression of the teachings—an incantation, spell, or mnemonic formula—that distills and “holds” essential points of the Dharma and is used by practitioners to attain mundane and supramundane goals. The same term is also used to denote texts that contain such formulas.
See “dhāraṇī.”
One of the Four Great Kings. He is the guardian for the east and the lord of gandharvas.
Abstaining from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, intoxication, eating after noon, dancing and singing, and lying on an elevated bed.
The head, arms, and legs.
A class of generally benevolent nonhuman beings who inhabit the skies, sometimes said to inhabit fantastic cities in the clouds, and more specifically to dwell on the eastern slopes of Mount Meru, where they are ruled by the Great King Dhṛtarāṣṭra. They are most renowned as celestial musicians who serve the gods. In the Abhidharma, the term is also used to refer to the mental body assumed by sentient beings during the intermediate state between death and rebirth. Gandharvas are said to live on fragrances (gandha) in the desire realm, hence the Tibetan translation dri za, meaning “scent eater.”
The Gaṅgā, or Ganges in English, is considered to be the most sacred river of India, particularly within the Hindu tradition. It starts in the Himalayas, flows through the northern plains of India, bathing the holy city of Vārāṇasī, and meets the sea at the Bay of Bengal, in Bangladesh. In the sūtras, however, this river is mostly mentioned not for its sacredness but for its abundant sands—noticeable still today on its many sandy banks and at its delta—which serve as a common metaphor for infinitely large numbers.
According to Buddhist cosmology, as explained in the Abhidharmakośa, it is one of the four rivers that flow from Lake Anavatapta and cross the southern continent of Jambudvīpa—the known human world or more specifically the Indian subcontinent.
In Indian mythology, the garuḍa is an eagle-like bird that is regarded as the king of all birds, normally depicted with a sharp, owl-like beak, often holding a snake, and with large and powerful wings. They are traditionally enemies of the nāgas. In the Vedas, they are said to have brought nectar from the heavens to earth. Garuḍa can also be used as a proper name for a king of such creatures.
A pleasure garden in Kauśāmbī that the householder Ghoṣila donated to the Buddhist Saṅgha.
The name of a mahāyakṣiṇī.
The name of a thus-gone one.
An important city in ancient India, Kauśāmbī was the capital of the Vatsa kingdom.
A class of nonhuman beings that resemble humans to the degree that their very name—which means “is that human?”—suggests some confusion as to their divine status. Kinnaras are mythological beings found in both Buddhist and Brahmanical literature, where they are portrayed as creatures half human, half animal. They are often depicted as highly skilled celestial musicians.
“Kuṇapa” refers here to “excrement” or a “swamp of excrement.” This is one of the sixteen supplementary hells (Skt. utsada) that belong to each major hell.
Literally “great devī,” or “great goddess,” an exalted way to refer to a devī.
Yaksinīs, or mahāyakṣiṇīs as they are mostly called in this sūtra, are female yakṣas, a class of semidivine beings that haunt or protect natural places and cities. They can be malevolent or benevolent, and are known for bestowing wealth and worldly boons.
Literally “great serpents,” mahoragas are supernatural beings depicted as large, subterranean beings with human torsos and heads and the lower bodies of serpents. Their movements are said to cause earthquakes, and they make up a class of subterranean geomantic spirits whose movement through the seasons and months of the year is deemed significant for construction projects.
Literally a “disk” or “circle,” in the ritual context a maṇḍala is a sacred space on the ground or a raised platform, arranged according to a pattern that varies from rite to rite.
A yakṣa king, the brother of Vaiśravaṇa, a.k.a. Kubera.
Mañjuśrī is one of the “eight close sons of the Buddha” and a bodhisattva who embodies wisdom. He is a major figure in the Mahāyāna sūtras, appearing often as an interlocutor of the Buddha. In his most well-known iconographic form, he is portrayed bearing the sword of wisdom in his right hand and a volume of the Prajñāpāramitāsūtra in his left. To his name, Mañjuśrī, meaning “Gentle and Glorious One,” is often added the epithet Kumārabhūta, “having a youthful form.” He is also called Mañjughoṣa, Mañjusvara, and Pañcaśikha.
Māra, literally “death” or “maker of death,” is the name of the deva who tried to prevent the Buddha from achieving awakening, the name given to the class of beings he leads, and also an impersonal term for the destructive forces that keep beings imprisoned in saṃsāra:
(1) As a deva, Māra is said to be the principal deity in the Heaven of Making Use of Others’ Emanations (paranirmitavaśavartin), the highest paradise in the desire realm. He famously attempted to prevent the Buddha’s awakening under the Bodhi tree—see The Play in Full (Toh 95), 21.1—and later sought many times to thwart the Buddha’s activity. In the sūtras, he often also creates obstacles to the progress of śrāvakas and bodhisattvas. (2) The devas ruled over by Māra are collectively called mārakāyika or mārakāyikadevatā, the “deities of Māra’s family or class.” In general, these māras too do not wish any being to escape from saṃsāra, but can also change their ways and even end up developing faith in the Buddha, as exemplified by Sārthavāha; see The Play in Full (Toh 95), 21.14 and 21.43. (3) The term māra can also be understood as personifying four defects that prevent awakening, called (i) the divine māra (devaputramāra), which is the distraction of pleasures; (ii) the māra of Death (mṛtyumāra), which is having one’s life interrupted; (iii) the māra of the aggregates (skandhamāra), which is identifying with the five aggregates; and (iv) the māra of the afflictions (kleśamāra), which is being under the sway of the negative emotions of desire, hatred, and ignorance.
According to Monier Williams (2005:291), this refers to the resin of the plant Boswellia Thurifera (a.k.a. Boswellia sacra tree). This resin is widely used in Ayurvedic medicine.
A class of nonhuman beings who live in subterranean aquatic environments, where they guard wealth and sometimes also teachings. Nāgas are associated with serpents and have a snakelike appearance. In Buddhist art and in written accounts, they are regularly portrayed as half human and half snake, and they are also said to have the ability to change into human form. Some nāgas are Dharma protectors, but they can also bring retribution if they are disturbed. They may likewise fight one another, wage war, and destroy the lands of others by causing lightning, hail, and flooding.
Cyperus rotundus.
This refers to what occurs at the end of an arhat’s or a buddha’s life. When nirvāṇa is attained at awakening, whether as an arhat or buddha, all suffering, afflicted mental states (kleśa), and causal processes (karman) that lead to rebirth and suffering in cyclic existence have ceased, but due to previously accumulated karma, the aggregates of that life remain and must still exhaust themselves. It is only at the end of life that these cease, and since no new aggregates arise, the arhat or buddha is said to attain parinirvāṇa, meaning “complete” or “final” nirvāṇa. This is synonymous with the attainment of nirvāṇa without remainder (anupadhiśeṣanirvāṇa).
According to the Mahāyāna view of a single vehicle (ekayāna), the arhat’s parinirvāṇa at death, despite being so called, is not final. The arhat must still enter the bodhisattva path and reach buddhahood (see Unraveling the Intent, Toh 106, 7.14.) On the other hand, the parinirvāṇa of a buddha, ultimately speaking, should be understood as a display manifested for the benefit of beings; see The Teaching on the Extraordinary Transformation That Is the Miracle of Attaining the Buddha’s Powers (Toh 186), 1.32.
The term parinirvāṇa is also associated specifically with the passing away of the Buddha Śākyamuni, in Kuśinagara, in northern India.
’phags pa de bzhin gshegs pa thams cad kyi byin gyi rlabs sems can la gzigs shing sangs rgyas kyi zhing gi bkod pa kun tu ston pa zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo (Āryasarvatathāgatādhiṣṭhānasattvāvalokanabuddhakṣetranirdeśanavyūhanāmamahāyānasūtra). Toh 98, Degé Kangyur vol. 46 (mdo sde, kha), folios 258.a–278.a.
’phags pa de bzhin gshegs pa thams cad kyi byin gyi rlabs sems can la gzigs shing sangs rgyas kyi zhing gi bkod pa kun tu ston pa zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo (Āryasarvatathāgatādhiṣṭhānasattvāvalokanabuddhakṣetranirdeśanavyūhanāmamahāyānasūtra). Toh 721, Degé Kangyur vol. 93 (rgyud ’bum, tsa), folios 180.b–199.b.
’phags pa de bzhin gshegs pa thams cad kyi byin gyi rlabs sems can la gzigs shing sangs rgyas kyi zhing gi bkod pa kun tu ston pa zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo. bka’ ’gyur (dpe bsdur ma) [Comparative Edition of the Kangyur], krung go’i bod rig pa zhib ’jug ste gnas kyi bka’ bstan dpe sdur khang (The Tibetan Tripitaka Collation Bureau of the China Tibetology Research Center). 108 volumes. Beijing: krung go’i bod rig pa dpe skrun khang (China Tibetology Publishing House), 2006–9, vol. 46, pp. 698–744.
’phags pa de bzhin gshegs pa thams cad kyi byin gyi rlabs sems can la gzigs shing sangs rgyas kyi zhing gi bkod pa kun tu ston pa zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo. bka’ ’gyur (dpe bsdur ma) [Comparative Edition of the Kangyur], krung go’i bod rig pa zhib ’jug ste gnas kyi bka’ bstan dpe sdur khang (The Tibetan Tripitaka Collation Bureau of the China Tibetology Research Center). 108 volumes. Beijing: krung go’i bod rig pa dpe skrun khang (China Tibetology Publishing House), 2006–9, vol. 93, pp. 559–605.
’phags pa de bzhin gshegs pa thams cad kyi byin gyi rlabs sems can la gzigs shing sangs rgyas kyi zhing gi bkod pa kun tu ston pa zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo. Stok Palace Kangyur vol. 68 (mdo sde, tsa), folios 134.a–161.b.
’phags pa de bzhin gshegs pa thams cad kyi byin gyi rlabs sems can la gzigs shing sangs rgyas kyi zhing gi bkod pa kun tu ston pa zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo. Stok Palace Kangyur vol. 107 (rgyud, ma), folios 57.b–85.b.
Dutt, Nalinkaksha et al., eds. Sarvatathāgatādhiṣṭhānasattvāvalokanabuddhakṣetrasaṃdarśanavyūhaṃ. In Gilgit Manuscripts Vol. I, edited by Nalinkaksha Dutt, et al., ४९-८९. Srinagar: Calcutta Oriental Press, 1939.
Buswell, Robert E., Jr., and Donald S. Lopez, Jr. The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism. Princeton University Press, 2014.
Davidson, Ronald M. “Studies in Dhāraṇī Literature I: Revisiting the Meaning of the Term Dhāraṇī.” Journal of Indian Philosophy 37, no. 2 (2009): 97–147.
Dutt, Nalinaksha et al. Gilgit Manuscripts Vol. 1. Calcutta Oriental Press, 1939.
Edgerton, Franklin. Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Grammar and Dictionary. 2 vols. Yale University Press, 1953.
Herrmann-Pfandt, Adelheid. Die lHan kar ma: ein früher Katalog der ins Tibetische übersetzten buddhistischen Texte. Vienna: Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, 2008.
Mahāvyutpatti (bye brag tu rtogs par byed pa chen po). Toh 4346, Degé Tengyur vol. 204 (sna tshogs, co), folios 1.b–131.a.
Monier-Williams, Monier. A Sanskrit–English Dictionary: Etymologically and Philologically Arranged with Special Reference to Cognate Indo-European Languages. Motilal Banarsidass, 2005.
Skilton, Andrew (1999). “Dating the Samādhirāja Sūtra.” Journal of Indian Philosophy 27, no. 6 (1999): 635–52.
Skilton, Andrew (2002). “State or Statement?: ‘Samādhi’ in Some Early Mahāyāna Sutras.” The Eastern Buddhist 34, no. 2 (2002): 51–93.
Zhang, Yisun, ed. bod rgya tshig mdzod chen mo. Beijing: mi rigs dpe skrun khang, 2000.
C Choné Kangyur
D Degé Kangyur
DE Nalinaksha Dutt’s Sanskrit edition of The Marvelous Display of Buddhafields
H Lhasa Kangyur
J Lithang Kangyur
K Kangxi Peking Kangyur
N Narthang
S Stok Palace Kangyur
Y Yongle Peking Kangyur
In this sūtra the Buddha is residing with a large assembly of bodhisattvas, bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, and other beings on Potalaka Mountain, the dwelling place of the bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara. The sūtra narrative is framed around the delivery of dhāraṇīs, performed by the Buddha as well as Vajrapāṇi, Avalokiteśvara, and three mahāyakṣiṇīs: Anopamā, Śaṅkhinī, and Bhīmā. The benefits of the dhāraṇīs are each detailed in turn, along with precise ritual instructions for their accomplishment. The merit and benefits that come from writing down, commissioning, reciting, upholding, and teaching this sūtra are also emphasized throughout.
This publication was completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.
The text was translated, edited, and introduced by the 84000 translation team. Ana Cristina Lopes produced the translation and wrote the introduction. James Gentry helped clarify some passages. Jeremy Savage Manheim edited the translation and the introduction, and Ibby Caputo copyedited the text. Sameer Dhingra was in charge of the digital publication process.
The translation of this text has been made possible through the generous sponsorship of Áron Csöndes.
The Beholding of Beings Through the Blessing of All the Tathāgatas, The Marvelous Display of Buddhafields or as it’s also known, The Marvelous Display of Buddhafields, is a sūtra classified in two different sections of the Tibetan Kangyur: the General Sūtra section and the Action Tantra (Skt. kriyātantra) section (Toh 721). In the sūtra, the Buddha resides on Potalaka Mountain, the dwelling place of the bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara, with a great assembly of bodhisattvas, bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, upāsikās, devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, and asuras, among other beings.
In the beginning of the sūtra, the Buddha enters a samādhi called grounded in great compassion’s knowledge directed toward all beings, and the whole trichiliocosm becomes flooded with light. A series of miracles involving healing and the acquisition of wealth takes place. Encouraged by these experiences, beings from the entire trichiliocosm gather before the Buddha to listen to the Dharma. Prompted by the bodhisattva Mañjuśrī, Avalokiteśvara asks the Buddha to teach the assembly.
The Buddha tells Avalokiteśvara about a samādhi known as the beholding of beings through the blessing of all the tathāgatas, the marvelous display of buddhafields. As we learn in the sūtra, the Buddha heard about this samādhi from the thus-gone one Sukusumajyoti, just after first giving rise to the resolve set on awakening. The name of the samādhi is also the title of the sūtra. Indeed, here and throughout the sūtra, the term samādhi is used interchangeably with Dharma discourse (Skt. dharmaparyāya).
This double sense of samādhi is indicative of a self-referential tone that pervades the text as a whole, albeit from different perspectives. For instance, in his response to Avalokiteśvara’s request, the Buddha reveals that this Dharma discourse was taught by thirty thousand thus-gone ones in the past, and on all those occasions, it was Avalokiteśvara himself, along with Mañjuśrī, who requested it to be taught to the very same retinues now assembled. The Buddha then relates all of the sūtra’s benefits, which range from obtaining a prophecy of awakening to all kinds of mundane benefits, such as wealth, good harvests, health, status, and so forth. In particular, the Buddha speaks about how this sūtra contains “dhāraṇī-mantra words that protect, guard, and defend the sons and daughters of noble family,” setting the stage for the delivery of dhāraṇīs, which constitute the core of the sūtra.
The Buddha utters the first dhāraṇī, then describes the benefits deriving from that dhāraṇī, and gives precise ritual instructions on how to obtain the benefits described. Throughout the sūtra, others will follow a similar course when they deliver their own dhāraṇīs. Next, Vajrapāṇi shares a dhāraṇī called the splendor of fearlessness. Then, Avalokiteśvara delivers a dhāraṇī called the miracle of seeing. Finally, the mahāyakṣiṇīs Anopamā, Śaṅkhinī, and Bhīmā present three other dhāraṇīs. They all also detail the benefits of the dhāraṇīs and instructions for ritual procedures.
At the end of the sūtra, the Buddha lists, once more, the merits that come from studying and propagating this sūtra. He then entrusts it to Ānanda, providing the different titles under which it should be known.
An incomplete Sanskrit manuscript of this sūtra was discovered in 1931 in a stūpa near Gilgit, in present-day Pakistan, along with many other Buddhist Sanskrit manuscripts. Nalinaksha Dutt completed a Sanskrit edition, reconstructing the first two folios based on the Tibetan translation, along with other emendations.
The Tibetan translation, which is quite close to the manuscript found in Gilgit, was prepared by Jinamitra, Surendrabodhi, Yeshé Dé, and Chokro Lui Gyaltsen, who were active in Tibet during the late eighth and early ninth centuries
According to Dutt, the Japanese scholar Nanjō Bun’yū construed a Chinese text, entitled 佛說莊嚴王陀羅尼呪經 (Taishō 1375), as a translation of this sūtra. This Chinese text, as Dutt also remarks, contains only a small fraction of the Sanskrit and Tibetan versions.
To our knowledge, this sūtra has never been translated into any European language. The present English translation is based on the Tibetan translation found in the Degé Kangyur, in consultation with Dutt’s edition of the Gilgit Sanskrit manuscript, the Comparative Edition (Tib. dpe bsdur ma), and the Stok Palace edition.
Homage to all buddhas and bodhisattvas!
Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was staying at the Potalaka Mountain, the dwelling place of noble Avalokiteśvara, on the array of a divine lion throne made of precious śrīgarbha gems and strewn with flowers, together with a great monastic assembly of five hundred bhikṣus, composed exclusively of arhats who had extinguished their defilements and perfected the mastery of all mental states. Also present were bodhisattvas, who were all established in the knowledge of great compassion, with one birth, or two, three, ten, twenty, thirty, or up to a hundred births remaining, and dwelling on the bhūmis—from the eighth to the tenth. There were seven hundred bodhisattva mahāsattvas in total, including noble Avalokiteśvara, Mañjuśrī, Vimalaketu, Ratnaśrī, Vidyutketu, Vimalaprabha, Candana, Amṛtaketu, and so forth. There were also five thousand upāsakas and upāsikās, who had assembled from different world systems, were all prophesied, and had attained meditative stabilization. Present, too, were eight thousand devas, nāgas, yakṣas, and gandharvas, all of whom had venerated the previous buddhas and witnessed the miracles of the thus-gone ones. There were also eighty mahāyakṣiṇīs present, who had all obtained the wisdom of bodhisattvas, and were prophesied and nonregressing. Among them were Anopamā, Vimalaprabhā, Prabhāvatī, Bhīmā, Śrī, Hārītī, Śaṅkhinī, and so forth. Also present were all the guardians of the world, including Śakra, Brahmā, Vaiśravaṇa, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Virūḍhaka, Virūpākṣa, Maṇibhadraputra, Pūrṇabhadra, and so forth.
Observing the Thus-Gone One seated on the lion throne, they all worshiped and revered the Thus-Gone One with divine adornments, garments, flowers, flower garlands, incense, perfume, and music in accordance with their respective roots of merit. Some also paid homage by circumambulating him hundreds of thousands of times.
At that time, the Blessed One entered the samādhi called grounded in the knowledge of great compassion directed toward all beings. Through the power of this samādhi, the trichiliocosm became illuminated. As all forms were flooded with light, the blind could see forms with their eyes, the deaf could hear sounds with their ears, those afflicted by diseases were healed, those lacking clothes acquired clothes, those who were mad regained their senses, those with deficient bodies and impaired faculties became complete in body and faculties, and those who were poor acquired wealth. Beings without riches, possessions, and wealth acquired riches, possessions, and wealth. All beings experienced every form of happiness and all their wishes were fulfilled.
Thus encouraged, all the beings throughout the trichiliocosm came before the Blessed One to listen to the Dharma. All the beings born among the devas entirely abandoned their divine pleasures and, recollecting the buddhas, came before the Blessed One to listen to the Dharma. All the beings born among humans also entirely abandoned their human pleasures and came before the Blessed One to listen to the Dharma. Having obtained the recollection of the buddhas, those beings born among nāgas, yakṣas, rākṣasas, pretas, and piśācas—with love for all beings and bodies and minds at ease—came before the Blessed One to listen to the Dharma. By the power of the buddhas, those beings born amidst the thick darkness of the world of Yama also obtained recollection in an instant, became aware of each other, and escaped from the great darkness. They became loving toward each other and free from all their lesser afflictions.
At that moment, the great earth quaked in six ways, shaking up and down. Then Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta, who was seated in the assembly, said to the bodhisattva mahāsattva noble Avalokiteśvara, “Son of noble family, when this great assembly of bodhisattvas was illuminated, a portent for this great assembly was revealed. Son of noble family, the prophecies for hundreds of thousands of billions of bodhisattvas were proclaimed, and the prediction of a great discourse of the Dharma was revealed. Son of noble family, may all the wishes of those hundreds of thousands of billions of bodhisattvas be fulfilled, and may they also acquire great wisdom!
“For that reason, son of noble family, out of compassion for all beings, you should ask questions to the Thus-Gone One—for the sake of all beings’ benefit and happiness, all the way up to establishing them in unexcelled, perfect, and complete awakening.
“Son of noble family, in future times there will be evildoers who are poor, feeble beings, whose bodies will have bad complexions and be stricken by old age and disease. Their resources will be meager, their bodies will be uncovered, their lives will be short, their intelligence will be meager, and they will be tormented by desire, hatred, and ignorance. Son of noble family, please request the Thus-Gone One to teach the Dharma for the welfare of those beings. Because of that, son of noble family, for a long time you will work for beings’ welfare, benefit, and happiness—to heal all their diseases, avert evil, pacify all evil, and fulfill all the wishes of beings, all the way up to their complete parinirvāṇa.”
The bodhisattva mahāsattva noble Avalokiteśvara looked out throughout the ten directions. Bringing to mind ten million thus-gone ones—as many as the grains of sand in the Ganges River—he joined his palms and bowed to the Blessed One, circumambulated him three times, and prostrated before him, touching the ground with the five points of his body. He then said to the Blessed One, “In future times, beings will be overwhelmed by old age, illness, death, and sorrow. They will be stricken by untimely death. They will be feeble. They will have bad complexions, short lives, meager resources, and their bodies will be uncovered. With a miserly and unethical attitude, they will kill each other and steal each other’s wealth, resources, and power. They will entertain themselves with jokes, dances, dramas, and other amusements, perceiving the impermanent as permanent and the unpleasant as pleasant. Because of those causes and conditions, beings will be jeopardized by different kinds of nonvirtues and will be reborn in the hells, the animal realm, and in the world of Yama. Therefore, Blessed One, I pray to the Thus-Gone One for the fulfillment of those beings’ aims, benefit, happiness, and wishes, all the way up to their obtaining the wisdom of the thus-gone ones. I pray that they will be reborn in a buddhafield, and that all evil will be averted for them.
“Blessed One, there is nothing whatsoever that the Thus-Gone One does not know, understand, see, hear, and cognize. Thus, Blessed One, please teach the many bodhisattvas, bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, upāsikās, devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas that are assembled here. They seek to hear an elaborate teaching about the Dharma, have served the previous buddhas, and are endowed with innate knowledge. They are in despair and will not come again. Well-Gone One, please teach them!”
Then the entire assembly prostrated with the five points of their body touching the ground, and called out in unison, “Blessed One, please teach us! Well-Gone One, please teach us!”
Understanding that they were supplicating him twice and three times, the Blessed One looked throughout the ten directions and, in a melodious, beautiful, pleasing voice, said to the bodhisattva mahāsattva noble Avalokiteśvara, “Son of noble family, there is one samādhi called the beholding of beings through the blessing of all the tathāgatas, the marvelous display of buddhafields. Son of noble family, in the past I heard about it from the thus-gone one Sukusumajyoti, once I had given rise to the first resolve set on awakening. Son of noble family, immediately after hearing the name of this samādhi, nine hundred million beings obtained the wisdom of the thus-gone ones and were prophesied for different buddhafields. I too was prophesied.
“Son of noble family, I remember that this Dharma discourse was taught by thirty thousand thus-gone ones, through the divine knowledge of the thus-gone ones for the benefit of all beings. On all of those occasions, it was precisely you, noble Avalokiteśvara, along with Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta, who requested it from the thus-gone ones. And on all of those occasions, it was the retinues of bodhisattva mahāsattvas and the retinues of bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, and upāsikās assembled here who heard the teaching and revered and worshiped the thus-gone ones. I remember how, thereafter, many trillions of beings obtained prophecies and the samādhis of the bodhisattvas. All of their wishes came true, their hopes were fulfilled, and they became free of all illness. Their roots of virtue ripened, and they abandoned all obscurations. They acquired pleasing forms and became beautiful to behold. Their wealth, crops, treasuries, and provisions became abundant. They became worthy of the praise of kings, princes, and ministers, and worthy of the homage of all beings. They were endowed with mindfulness, insight, and undivided faith in the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha, and also with miraculous powers. They obtained a long life, good complexions, splendor, and power—becoming supreme in all respects. They were never separated from their loved ones, and no misfortunes befell them.
“Thus, son of noble family, those sons and daughters of noble family who, with utmost respect for the Dharma teacher, prostrate to this Dharma discourse with the five points of their bodies touching the ground; who well adorn this discourse with flowers, incense, perfume, garlands, fragrant oils, parasols, victory banners, and banners, and say, ‘I pay homage to the Buddha’; who congratulate those who do so, or receive this Dharma discourse, retain it, recite it, write it down, or commission it to be written down, will possess many virtues. They will possess many virtues in this lifetime, too. They will have pleasing forms, be beautiful to behold, be free of all illness, and have a long life, steady mind, and good memory. They will be steadfast. They will be worthy of the praise, homage, and veneration of all kings, queens, princes, ministers, enemies, and all other beings. They will possess abundant wealth and resources. Their breath will smell of fragrant sandalwood and their eyes will be like the petals of a blue lotus. Day and night, they will see buddhas and bodhisattvas. All their obscurations, and even the five acts of immediate retribution and so forth, will be exhausted. The devas will protect them. At the time of their deaths, they will see buddhas and bodhisattvas. When the time of death comes, they will have neither jealousy nor mental distraction. When they pass away, they will be reborn in the world system of Sukhāvatī.
“Son of noble family, all those who uphold this Dharma discourse, and, out of reverence, write it down, commission it to be written down, recite it, worship it, apprehend it, retain it, or merely hear its name, were directly prophesied by me—they have seen me, honored me, and worshiped me. Thus, they should have no doubt that they will reach the awakening of the buddhas.
“Furthermore, those who merely hear this Dharma discourse should be regarded as bodhisattvas and venerated as such. By the power of hearing about this samādhi, all the karmic obscurations that come from the ripening of previous actions, such as having an ugly body, no resources, meager intelligence, strong attachment, separation from loved ones, political unrest, illness, lack of food, poor-quality garments, harm to body and mind, bedding that is unpleasant to the touch, and reproach, will be exhausted.
“Therefore, they should give rise to the following resolve: ‘I will confess, expose, and divulge all the different kinds of nonvirtuous evil deeds I have accumulated in relation to beings while circling in saṃsāra. I will give rise to undivided faith in the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha.’ For sons and daughters of noble family who do so, the karmic obscurations that would lead them to lack the fruit of wealth, along with the entire stock of their evil deeds perpetrated against the Buddha, Dharma, Saṅgha, śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, and parents, will be completely exhausted. Perfect majesty will be theirs. The karmic obscurations of those sons and daughters of noble family that would lead them to experience the suffering of the hells, along with those that would lead to their separation from loved ones, or—if driven by jealousy, pride, and anger—to their birth as a blind person, a woman, or an intersex person, or in the world of Yama, as a preta, or as an animal will also be exhausted. Thus, son of noble family, this samādhi is the source of all virtues.
“Sons and daughters of noble family should ensure that this Dharma discourse remains for a long time. It contains dhāraṇī-mantra words that protect, guard, and defend the sons and daughters of noble family; perfects all their virtues and fulfills all their hopes; creates wealth, power, and great happiness for them; accomplishes all their wishes and desires; exhausts all their karma; quells their untimely deaths, all their bad dreams, and all their illnesses; ensures victory in all battles; enhances their lifespan, luster, power, vigor, and strength; subdues all yakṣas, bhūtas, humans, and nonhumans on their behalf; quells all epidemics, poisons, fires, and floods on their behalf; all the way up to ensuring that they attain prophecies for awakening. The sons and daughters of noble family who hear these dhāraṇī-mantra words, retain them, venerate them, recite them, write them down, or commission them to be written down will obtain all these virtues.”
Then, at that moment, the great earth shook in six ways and the retinues gathered there showered the body of the Thus-Gone One with flowers, frankincense, incense, flower garlands, fragrant powder, fragrant oils, and sets of fine clothing, saying, “Excellent, Blessed One! Excellent! What are these dhāraṇī-mantra words?”
The Blessed One replied:
namaḥ sarvatathāgatānām tadyathā || buddhe subuddhe śuddhamate | loke viloke lokātikrānte | sattvāvalokane sarvatathāgatādhiṣṭhānādhiṣṭhite | sarvāśāparipūraṇe dyutiṃdhare narake ca pūjite tathāgatajñānadade tathāgatādhiṣṭhāne ca | sarvalokaḥ sukhī bhavatu | pūrvakarma kṣapaya | mama rakṣā bhavatu sarvabhayebhyaḥ tathāgatādhiṣṭhānena svāhā
“O sons and daughters of noble family, thirty thousand thus-gone ones have spoken these dhāraṇī-mantra words and imbued them with their transformative power. I too will now teach them for the sake of all beings’ welfare, benefit, happiness, protection, guardianship, and defense, and to quell all their illnesses and ensure their rebirth in a buddhafield.
“Friends, anyone who thinks, ‘How will I obtain all of those qualities taught by the thus-gone ones?’ should wake up at dawn and, with an attitude of kindness, compassion, and love toward all beings, free of all envy, pride, hypocrisy, and malice, and one-pointedly focused, make extensive offerings to the buddhas and bodhisattvas and pay homage to all the thus-gone ones throughout the ten directions. Bringing to mind whatever is desired, they should recite the mantra a hundred and eight times, offering flowers one by one to the thus-gone ones. Then all their hopes will be fulfilled. They will also see the thus-gone ones in their dreams. They will obtain their greatest desires, and at the time of death, they will see the thus-gone ones. After they die, they will be reborn in the world system of Sukhāvatī. Until then, they will also have a long life, power, luster, and vigor, and all their enemies will fall under their command.”
When this dhāraṇī was spoken, sixty thousand beings attained the acceptance that phenomena are unborn, thereby being liberated from their karmic obscurations and fulfilling all their wishes.
Then the bodhisattva mahāsattva Vajrapāṇi looked throughout the ten directions and said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, the dhāraṇī called the splendor of fearlessness is a promise of the bodhisattvas, made by me in the presence of the thus-gone one Abhayavyūharāja. Having made that promise, it is something I have taught to all beings. Henceforth, Blessed One, I know it will be impossible for anyone who hears or internalizes this dhāraṇī to have physical feebleness, various bodily afflictions, illness, fevers, pains, mental torment, or untimely death; the threat of drowning, weapons, poison, or poisonous concoctions; the threat of ḍākinīs and bhūtas; or harm, violence, and aggression inflicted by yakṣas, enemies, or humans and non-humans. Therefore, Blessed One, on behalf of those who teach and listen to the Dharma, grant your permission for me to give the seal of the bodhisattva promise, which fulfills all the hopes of those who listen to it, revere it, worship it, and uphold it:
namaḥ sarvabuddhānām | sarvabodhisattvānām arhantānām | tadyathā | om vajradhara vajradhara vajrakāya vajrabala vajrateja | hum hum | vajrapāṇe tathāgatājñāṃ pālaya | smara pratijñām | sarvavyādhiṃ sarvapāpāni nāśaya | dehi me yathepsitaṃ varam | mama yaṃ yam evābhiyācāmas taṃ tam eva samṛdhyatu | he he | turu turu | āgaccha āgaccha | mā vilamba | darśaya vajrakāyaṃ darśaya vajrakāyam | buddhādhiṣṭhānena svāhā
When this dhāraṇī was uttered, the great earth shook up and down. All yakṣas and rākṣasas became utterly terrified. All devas, and everyone down to humans and nonhumans marveled and exclaimed, “O great beings, excellent! It is excellent that these supremely accomplished dhāraṇī-mantra words have been taught!”
Then the bodhisattva mahāsattva Vajrapāṇi said to the Blessed One, “Venerable Blessed One, those who seek the bodhisattva bhūmis, mastery over wealth, grains and resources, sovereignty, vidyādharahood, or vitality, power, luster, vigor, and a long life should, on the eighth day of the waxing period of the moon, after having done the ritual propitiation, make a laughing Vajradhara image out of white sandalwood, fully decorated with adornments. They should place relics at his heart center. This Vajradhara image, with relics enclosed, is to be made as a consoling vidyādhara and perfumed with incense. This should be done while observing purity and fasting for a day and night.
“Then, between the eighth and fifteenth day, place an image of the Thus-Gone One in a clean place, make a maṇḍala of white sandalwood and arrange four full vases there. Wearing white clothes, single-pointedly make oblations of delicious and fragrant alcoholic beverages and milk-boiled rice throughout the four directions. Make extensive offerings of frankincense, flowers, incense, and lamps three times. Having made offerings and prostrations to the Thus-Gone One, with a hundred and eight jasmine flowers, recite the mantra a hundred and eight times. With each of these Vajrapāṇi is invoked. Then, a great sound will emerge, the earth will shake, and light will emanate forth, and I will give you whatever boon you wish for.
“By only doing the recitation, all your projects and aims will be accomplished. You will be free of all illness, have a long life, and all your evil deeds will be absolved. You will also obtain a thousand virtues. At the time of death, you will see a thousand blessed buddhas, and I will also grant you a vision of me.”
Then the Blessed One congratulated Vajrapāṇi. “Excellent, Vajrapāṇi! Excellent!” he said. “This seal cannot be transgressed by the world together with its devas. Of this there should be no hesitation, uncertainty, or doubt.”
Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta then asked the Blessed One, “Why is this samādhi called the beholding of beings through the blessing of all the tathāgatas, the marvelous display of buddhafields?”
“All thus-gone ones have this transformative power. And, when the practitioner is thus transformed by it, along with the transformative power of all the bodhisattvas, he will attain all samādhis and all dhāraṇī gates, and will know the to-and-fros of the primary and subsidiary mental states of all beings,” the Blessed One replied. “Among the devas, nāgas, humans, yakṣas, gandharvas, pretas, animals, and beings of the world of Yama, there are those beings that are endowed with merit and perform good actions. They acquire faith in the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha. There are also those that are destined for hell who follow wrong ways and commit evil. For such beings — those that follow evil doctrines — the practitioner teaches the Dharma. He will thus separate them from all evil, establish them in the awakening of the buddhas, fulfill their wishes, and dispel their envy, pride, anger, and stinginess. These and other such beings will then acquire faith in the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha, and will be born in buddhafields, where they will never suffer or despair. That is why, son of noble family, this samādhi is called the beholding of beings through the blessing of all the tathāgatas, the marvelous display of buddhafields. Whoever hears it is sure to obtain the definitive level of nonregression.”
“Why are those sons and daughters of noble family prophesied?” Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta asked. “Blessed One, arhatship is difficult to attain, let alone unexcelled, perfect, and complete awakening. How great is their store of merit? How extreme is their hardship?”
The Blessed One replied, “Son of noble family, the stores of merit and roots of virtue that I accumulated after giving rise to the first resolve set on awakening—through perfecting the perfections of generosity, ethical discipline, patience, diligence, concentration, and wisdom, and giving away my head, arms, legs, eyes, body, beloved sons, daughters, wives, and male and female servants—does not approach even a hundredth fraction of the store of merit accumulated through worshiping this Dharma discourse, honoring it, writing it down, commissioning it to be written down, reciting it, upholding it, teaching it to others, and worshiping and honoring the Dharma teachers.
“Son of noble family, those who write down this Dharma discourse, commission it to be written down, recite it, worship it, correctly teach it, or listen to it will obtain a much greater store of merit than those who honor, venerate, revere, worship, and respect all the other dharmas mastered and spoken by me. For that reason, the Thus-Gone One prophesies their unexcelled, perfect, and complete awakening. Why is that? Because merit like that of upholding this Dharma discourse, retaining it, reciting it, worshiping it, writing it down, or commissioning it to be written down is difficult to gather.
“Son of noble family, beings who indulge in wicked conduct; delight in food, drink, and amusements; perceive the unattractive as attractive; have strong desire, hatred, and ill will; perceive unhappiness as happiness; and delight in attacking, abusing, threatening, and beating, will neither know nor bring this to mind. Therefore, not knowing the underlying cause of their evil actions, they are embraced by unvirtuous friends and—seized by old age, illness, sorrow, and death—they are tormented at the time of death. When they look at each other, they only see a charnel ground. Moreover, they will never give rise to virtuous thoughts or acquire undivided faith. After they pass away, too, they will experience suffering, and will thereby have no roots of virtue for a prophecy, and so will not see the Thus-Gone One, and will not obtain a prophecy. Such beings are not able to hear this Dharma discourse, honor it, revere it, uphold it, write it down, commission it to be written down, or have faith in it. Nor are they able to venerate its Dharma teachers, worship them, honor them, and revere them. Son of noble family, the activities of the Thus-Gone One will appear wherever this Dharma discourse is present.”
Then, the assembled retinues congratulated the Blessed One. “Excellent, Blessed One! Excellent!” they said. “Blessed One, through the activities of the Thus-Gone One, we too shall honor, venerate, revere, and worship those Dharma teachers and those who listen to the Dharma, providing them with all the necessities for their comfort. We shall also spread and protect this Dharma discourse, so that it will remain for a long time.”
At that moment, the Blessed One looked at the retinues assembled there and said, “Excellent, children of noble family! Excellent! May you do so! Even if you experience misfortunes, contempt, blame, threats, abuse, and beating, with no regard for your body and life, you should listen to this Dharma discourse, write it down, commission it to be written down, and recite it. Also revere its Dharma teachers by providing them with all the necessities for their comfort. It will protect your countries, regions, and cities against danger, harm, contagious diseases, and conflicts. Sons and daughters of noble family must always consider this Dharma discourse.”
Then, at that time, the Blessed One spoke these verses:
Then, after prostrating to the feet of the Blessed One, the bodhisattva mahāsattva noble Avalokiteśvara said, “Blessed One, I remember a dhāraṇī called the miracle of seeing. In the past, I heard it in the presence of the thus-gone one Jñānaketuprabhākara and upheld it. Those who have heard this dhāraṇī, apprehended it, retained it, recited it, taught it to others, honored it, written it down, or commissioned it to be written down attain the irreversible level, all the virtues taught by the thus-gone ones, and the complete fulfillment of all their wishes. All their karmic obstructions are purified. They attain the samādhis. They become free of all illness. And they have visions of buddhas and bodhisattvas.”
Then the Blessed One congratulated the bodhisattva mahāsattva noble Avalokiteśvara. “Excellent, son of noble family!” he said. “Son of noble family, speak this dhāraṇī imbued with the transformative power of the thus-gone ones!”
The bodhisattva mahāsattva noble Avalokiteśvara then prostrated to all the thus-gone ones throughout the ten directions, and spoke these dhāraṇī-mantra words:
namaḥ sarvatathāgatānāṃ sarvāśāparipūrakāṇām | nama āryāvalokiteśvarasya bodhisattvasya mahākāruṇikasya | tadyathā
ha ha ha ha | mama mama | dhiri dhiri | śānte praśānte sarvapāpakṣayaṃkare | avalokaya kāruṇika bodhicittaṃ manasi kuru | vyavalokaya māṃ smara smara yat tvayā pūrvaṃ satyādhiṣṭhānaṃ kṛtam | tena satyena sarvāśāṃ me paripūraya | buddhakṣetraṃ pariśodhaya | mā me kaścid viheṭhaṃ karotu | buddhādhiṣṭhānena svāhā | tadyathā
teje teje mahāteje | yan mama kāyaduścaritaṃ vāgduścaritaṃ manoduścaritaṃ dāridrayaṃ vā tan me kṣapaya | ālokaya vilokaya | tathāgatadarśanaṃ cāham abhikāṅkṣāmi bodhisattvadarśanam | dhudhupa dadasva me darśanam | sarve me kuśalā abhivardhantu | namaḥ sarvatathāgatānām | namaḥ avalokiteśvarasya | smara pratijñā mahāsattvāḥ | sidhyantu mantrapadāḥ svāhā
When this dhāraṇī was spoken, the great earth shook. Enthusiastic cries of joy and a rain of divine flowers descended. The whole assembly congratulated noble Avalokiteśvara, saying, “Excellent, son of noble family! Excellent! Great Being, for the sake of guarding all beings you spoke well this dhāraṇī that fulfills all hopes, protects against all fears, purifies all karma, and pacifies all calamities from anger and bad dreams. We shall also uphold and honor it.”
Avalokiteśvara replied, “Sons and daughters of noble family who want the qualities just as they were spoken of by the thus-gone ones, who want a prophecy, who want to directly see me, to attain samādhi, to see the buddhas and bodhisattvas, to acquire wealth and power, and to be born in a buddhafield should wash their bodies well in the waxing phase of the moon and, once purified, they should fast while observing the eight precepts of the noble ones. Offering incense, flowers, victory banners, standards, and fully filled vases in a place imbued with the transformative power of the Thus-Gone One, starting on the eighth day they should commission those present and the Dharma teacher, who are wearing white garments on their well-cleansed bodies, to write this sūtra down, after having offered them frankincense, incense, flower garlands, and different fragrant oils. While it is being written down, each day they should make sure to share the roots of virtue with all beings and, having established a mindset of veneration and respect for the Thus-Gone One, have it written down for as long as half a day with a mindset of love, benevolence, and compassion toward all beings. They should perform worship the same way, each day, from the eighth day to the fifteenth.
“If it is written down precisely according to this procedure, all the sponsor’s karmic obscurations and evil deeds, such as the five acts of immediate retribution and the like, will immediately be purified, and their roots of virtue will increase. Their vigor will blaze forth. They will attain physical comfort in this very lifetime, and their attachment, anger, ignorance, pride, rage, envy, and miserliness will diminish.
“Commissioning it to be written down in this way, they should also put an image of the Thus-Gone One and an image of Avalokiteśvara, each containing relics and facing east, in a place where there is a stūpa with relics. There, they should make extensive offerings of flowers, frankincense, incense, and lamps. Between the eighth day and the fifteenth, while cultivating a mindset of great compassion toward all beings, eating pure, clean food, fasting while observing the eight precepts of the noble ones, and avoiding pride, rage, envy, and miserliness, each day they should make extensive offerings assisted by the kindhearted friend.
“In each of the three periods of the day, they should recite it a hundred and eight times, offering flowers, frankincense, incense, and lamps. At each of the three periods, they should also toss a hundred and eight jasmine flowers onto the image of noble Avalokiteśvara, perfume Vajrapāṇi with frankincense smoke, and prostrate to the ten directions. In the four directions—to the west of the devī Bhīmā, to the east of Anopamā, above Śaṅkhinī, and so forth—they should toss oblations of various flavors, such as milk-boiled rice, yogurt, and porridge. As a result, they will be without any distraction or fear, and their mind will be without error.
“The recitation, in its entirety, one hundred and eight times is encouraged, with a hundred and eight jasmine flowers. They should do the preliminary practice exactly according to that procedure. Then, in the morning on the day of the full moon, they should place four fully filled vases on that spot, along with an assortment of frankincense, sandalwood, olibanum, and camphor, adorning it with four lamps, flowers, incense, parasols, victory banners, silks, standards, and vessels of gold and silver. They should arrange in the four directions milk-boiled rice, curd, and porridge, mixed with honey, along with whatever food offerings they can afford, and oblations. Like before, performing the recitations with one hundred and eight jasmine flowers, they should toss them to the four directions. Then the image of noble Avalokiteśvara should be invoked with three sets of a hundred and eight jasmine flowers, with recitations done for each set. With that, the image will vibrate, a loud sound will emerge, rays of lights will shine forth, and the ground will shake. “Then, all activities and needs will be fulfilled. They will see the Thus-Gone One and attain the bodhisattva bhūmis. They will become worthy of the homage of all beings. Their wealth, grains and granaries, and treasuries will burgeon. They will be free of illness and their lifespan will be extended. All enemies, kings, princes, and ministers will want to behold them and will become affectionate toward them. All their afflictions will decrease, and their attachment, anger, and ignorance will be abandoned. They will never be separated from loved ones. They will be endowed with great stability, strength, and vigor. They will be majestic. They will have sharp faculties and intelligence. They will possess a mindset of compassion toward all beings. They will know contentment. At the time of their death, they will see the blessed buddhas and noble Avalokiteśvara. Being firmly established in love, they will live in accordance with the Dharma teachings until they arrive at the time of death. They will then be born in whatever buddhafield they desire, in a great line of universal monarchs, or wherever they recall. They will also obtain a thousand virtues.
“In this way, Blessed One, this Dharma discourse and these dhāraṇī-mantra words are the source of many virtues. Those who are not imbued with the transformative power of the thus-gone ones are not capable of hearing them, apprehending them, reciting them, worshiping them, writing them down, commissioning them to be written down, or having faith in them. Even if they happen to see them, they will never hear them. Even if they happen to hear them, they will do so with a distracted mind, and neither have faith in them, nor honor them. Even if they happen to honor them, they will honor them with a mindset filled with affliction and ill will. Even if they happen to write them down or have them commissioned to be written down, they will do so while bringing other things to mind. Why is that? On account of the result of their past actions, that karma will have to be experienced. And they will fall into doubt and will commit the five deeds of immediate retribution. Even so, were they to perform this three times, all their hopes would be fulfilled—of this there should be no uncertainty, hesitation, or doubt.”
Then the Blessed One congratulated the bodhisattva mahāsattva noble Avalokiteśvara. “Excellent, son of noble family! Excellent!” he said. “This Dharma discourse enacts the activities of the thus-gone ones for all beings.”
Then the mahāyakṣiṇī Anopamā approached the Blessed One and made offerings of a variety of flowers, incense, frankincense, and sets of fine garments. Touching the feet of the Blessed One, she said to him, “Blessed One, I recall a promise I made for the sake of all beings’ welfare, benefit, and happiness before the Blessed One while he was staying at the Ghoṣila’s pleasure garden, in Kauśāmbī. Blessed One, I too know the essence of all vidyādharas. I beseech you to please permit me to uphold it for the benefit and happiness of many beings, to fulfill all their wishes, and on behalf of bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, and upāsikās:
namaḥ sarvatathāgatānāṃ saṃyyathīd ha ha | hī hī | hu hu | sara sara | lahuṃ lahuṃ | śīghraṃ śīghraṃ | mahāvidye sarvavidyādharanamaskṛte | hasaḥ hasaḥ | kiṃ tiṣṭhasi kiṃ tiṣṭhasi | kanakavicitrābharaṇavibhūṣitāṅgi paṭa paṭa | bhara bhara | bhiri bhiri | bhūru bhūru | sarvārthaṃ me sādhaya | turu turu | arthaṃ sādhaya | arthaṃ dehi me | sarvasaṅghānāḥ siddhiṃ hā hā | padme padme mahāpadme | viśade viśade mahāviśade | bhava bhava bhavodbhavāya | tam ahaṃ ghore tam ahaṃ ghore | tan me vidyāṃ prayojaya | siddhiṃ kuru | sarvāśāṃ me paripūraya buddhādhiṣṭhānena svāhā
“Those who seek the virtues of the Blessed One, wealth, grain, and the subjugation of all beings; who wish for great lordship, sovereignty, and great vidyādharahood; and also those who wish to directly see me, on the eighth day of the waxing period of the moon, in the middle of a new piece of white cloth with no divisions or loose threads, have a painter paint an image of the Thus-Gone One sitting in the pose of teaching the Dharma, using paint without impurities, placed in a new pure vessel, and while observing hygiene, fasting, and upholding the eight precepts of the noble ones. To the right side of the Thus-Gone One, they should paint noble Vajrakrodha wearing white clothes, adorned with all manner of adornments, a flower garland, a crescent moon, and a long necklace, and brandishing a vajra, and to his left side, mahāyakṣiṇī Anopamā, pale like a stem of baruwa grass, wearing white clothes, adorned with all manner of adornments, holding a lotus, and in the pose of ease.
“Then, a vidyādhara, cleansed and fasting, while observing the eight precepts of the noble ones and wearing white clothes, should—with barley paste mixed with milk—do the preliminary practices together with a friend. On the eighth day of the waxing period of the moon, at the clean place where the image of the Thus-Gone One is, initially honor the Thus-Gone One and Vajrapāṇi with flowers, frankincense, and incense. Then, throughout the four directions, toss oblations of milk-boiled rice, curd, and porridge with different flavors and colors. Then, having offered various kinds of flowers, frankincense, incense, and lamps, do a hundred and eight recitations for each of three sets of one hundred and eight flowers, in each of the three periods of the day, at each turn, invoking the image of mahāyakṣiṇī Anopamā. Then on the day of the full moon, precisely according to this procedure, offer whatever else you have at hand, and frankincense, camphor, white mastic, sandalwood, or nut grass. Also offer two lamps with fragrant sesame oil. This will cause me to be present there, through my own image, whereupon I will grant whatever boon is sought, whether it be the attainment of samādhis, flying in the sky, body invisibility, sovereignty, universal monarchy, vidyādharahood, knowledge of finding treasuries, alchemy, reading minds, or a long life—I will grant whatever boon one desires. This is to be done with a mindset of love for all beings, a mindset free of pride, anger, envy, and miserliness, while forsaking stealing valuables from stūpas, the Dharma, and the Saṅgha, and with undivided faith in the thus-gone ones.
“Blessed One, if even someone who has committed the deeds of immediate retribution were to perform this three times and I did not grant the boon, Blessed One, may I not awaken to unexcelled, perfect, and complete awakening! Even to those who do not have devotion for the buddhas and harbor doubts, those who have no regret after performing harmful and unvirtuous practices, and those who possess minds filled with afflictions and subsidiary afflictions, I will bestow a vision of myself and grant them attainments.”
The Blessed One congratulated the mahāyakṣiṇī. “Excellent, sister! Excellent!” he said. “Sister, it is excellent that, for the benefit of all beings, you have spoken such mantra words for beings who indulge in evil deeds and that you made that promise. By means of your great compassion you will be able to establish all beings in unexcelled, perfect, and complete awakening. Thus, you should do so!”
Then, the mahādevī Śaṅkhinī worshipped the Blessed One with a variety of flowers and incense. She circumambulated the Blessed One, touched his feet, and said, “Blessed One, through the transformative power of the thus-gone ones, I too will cause the teaching of the Thus-Gone One to remain for a long time. I make the promise to protect those Dharma teachers, and bestow mantra words that fulfill all their hopes. Hence, Blessed One, I supplicate you, please authorize me.
namo namaḥ sarvatathāgatānām | om śaṃkhini devi āgaccha āgaccha | tiṣṭha dhane dhanajaye | vṛ vṛ vṛddhikari | dhṛ dhṛ dhṛtikari | nānāvividhaveśavastrāyudhadhāriṇi | yu yu āyuṣpālani | tathāgatānāṃ smara bodhicittaṃ mā vilamba | dehi me varam | śaṃkhini svāhā
“Blessed One, through this collection of mantra words, fame, splendor, resources, majesty, lifespan, and mastery over all enemies will increase. If, in a clean place or in a temple, one offers throughout the four directions whatever oblations they possess and makes extensive offerings of frankincense, white mastic, and lamps to the Thus-Gone One while remaining in a state of love and self-restraint for twenty-one days, performing one hundred and eight recitations—except for those who forsake the Dharma—I will fulfill all their purposes!”
The Blessed One and the assembled retinues then congratulated the mahādevī Śaṅkhinī, saying, “Excellent, sister! Excellent! You excellently uttered a promise endowed with many virtues. Sister, in the future you should do so.”
Then the mahādevī Bhīmā worshipped the Blessed One with golden flowers, touched her head to his feet, and said to him, “Blessed One, I too shall bestow mantra words that will fulfill all hopes, and bring wealth, jewels, pearls, resources, majesty, sovereignty, a long life, and subjugation of all enemies for those who teach the Dharma, listen to the Dharma, write it down, uphold it, recite it, and worship it. Blessed One, I will protect, guard, and grant whatever boon is desired to anyone who upholds it, recites it, honors it, writes it down, commissions it to be written down, or performs the practice precisely as taught with the upmost devotion, whether it be a king, queen, bhikṣu, bhikṣuṇī, upāsaka, or upāsikā—I will ensure they are never devoid of resources and power. I will overcome all their quarrels, conflicts, riots, and tumults, and confer upon them an abundant life. I will also protect their country and city. Hence, Blessed One, I supplicate you, please authorize me.
namaḥ sarvatathāgatānāṃ sarvabodhisattvānām āryāvalokiteśvaravajrapāṇiprabhṛtīnām | om mahādevi bhīme bhīmamate | jaye jayāvahe | yaśajave tejajave | vyākaraṇaprāpte sarvasattvāvalokane kṛpatejabahule tathāgatānujñātaṃ pālaya | smara pratijñām | buddhādhiṣṭhānena dehi me varam | siddhiṃ kuru | devi mahādevi satyavacanadevi bhīme satyavacanapratiṣṭhite guhyanivāsini svāhā
“Blessed One, for the welfare of all beings I have thus spoken these mantra words imbued with the transformative power of the Thus-Gone One and authorized by him. If one worships the Thus-Gone One with flowers, frankincense, incense, and lamps; offers oblations of milk-boiled rice and different flavors throughout the four directions; and performs a hundred and eight recitations while keeping in mind whatever one desires, all one’s hopes will be fulfilled.
“Those who want to see me in my own form should, on the eighth day of the waxing period of the moon, in the middle of a new piece of white cloth with no divisions or loose threads, have a painter paint an image of the Thus-Gone One sitting in the pose of teaching the Dharma, using paint without impurities, placed in a new pure vessel, and while observing hygiene, fasting, and upholding the eight precepts of the noble ones. To right side of the Thus-Gone One, they should paint noble Avalokiteśvara teaching the Dharma extensively, and to his left side, mahādevī Bhīmā, pale like a stem of baruwa grass, wearing white clothes, adorned with all manner of adornments, holding a bowl and a rosary, and in the pose of ease.
“A pure vidyādhara should then do the preliminary practices, and between the eighth and fifteenth days, in a place with a stūpa with relics, make offerings of flowers, frankincense, incense, and flower garlands; toss throughout the four directions oblations of milk-boiled rice, curd, and porridge; make extensive offerings of flowers, frankincense, and various lamps; and make offerings of white food, oblations of various flavors, and whatever else is available. With a mindset of love and compassion for all beings, they should then recite the mantra a hundred and eight times with one hundred and eight jasmine flowers and cast each of these on the mahādevī Bhīmā’s image.
“I will then make myself present there through my own image and grant any desired boon. I will grant political power, the ability to fly in the sky, knowledge of how to find treasures, alchemical knowledge, and vidyādharahood. I will avert untimely death, quell all kinds of illness, and destroy enemy armies. I will also grant sons, the acquisition of wealth, and a friendly disposition toward all beings. Finally, I will accomplish all actions that are wished for.
“Blessed One, except for those who forsake the sublime Dharma and harbor doubts about the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Saṅgha, unless I fulfill the hopes of all—even those who have committed the five acts of immediate retribution—may I not awaken to unexcelled, perfect, and complete awakening!”
“Excellent, sister! Excellent!” the Blessed One replied. “Sister, it is excellent that you have set out for the welfare, benefit, and happiness of all beings. It is also excellent that you have set out to ensure that this Dharma discourse remains for a long time. On that account, sister, you should always recall your promise.”
Then, at that moment, the great earth shook, a rain of divine flowers fell, and the whole retinue congratulated her. “Excellent, sister! Excellent!” they said. “You have excellently proclaimed the promise of fulfilling the hopes of all beings!”
Then the bodhisattva mahāsattva noble Avalokiteśvara asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, how much merit would a son or daughter of noble family obtain by writing down this Dharma discourse, commissioning it to be written down, reciting it, worshiping it, correctly teaching it, chanting it, or having it chanted?”
The Blessed One replied, “Since you asked, noble Avalokiteśvara, I am going to ask you—answer to whatever extent you are able.”
Noble Avalokiteśvara then said, “Blessed One, there is nothing unseen, unheard, unconsidered, or unknown by the Blessed Thus-Gone One. May the Blessed One himself therefore please explain it.”
The Blessed One replied, “Son of noble family, even I am unable to express through analogies the merit obtained from writing down this Dharma discourse, commissioning it to be written down, reciting it, worshiping it, correctly teaching it, chanting it, or having it chanted. Why is that? It is because even if one were to fulfill all the wishes of all beings by indulging them with garments, adornments, riches, gold, jewels, and pearls, those beings would still not be free from birth, old age, sickness, death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, unhappiness, and agitation. Even if one were to indulge them with the five sense pleasures for a hundred thousand years, those beings would still not be free from the hell realms, the animal realms, the world of Yama, and the preta realms. They will only be free from all these—birth, old age, sickness, death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, unhappiness, agitation, the hell realms, the animal realms, the world of Yama, and the preta realms—by listening to this Dharma discourse, worshiping it, teaching it correctly, learning its meaning, and ardently practicing it for the sake of all beings. That is why the Thus-Gone One is not able to give an analogy to illustrate the measure of that merit.
“Son of noble family, suppose someone were to give just a mustard seed’s worth of wealth, or just one flower, one fruit, one offering banner, one sound of music, one portion of incense, one garment, or one adornment for this Dharma discourse or to those who teach this Dharma discourse, uphold it, recite it, write it down, or worship it. Or suppose someone were to write it down, commission it to be written down, retain it, recite it, worship it, teach it correctly, honor it, or extensively teach it to others. Now suppose someone were to worship and revere the Thus-Gone One and his retinue directly in their presence for a hundred thousand years by offering them flowers, frankincense, incense, flower garlands, fragrant oils, parasols, victory banners, and offering banners, or were to honor them with all the necessities for their comfort; or commission the building of monasteries, promenades, and parks on their behalf; or more still, commission the building of reliquaries with seven precious substances measuring fifty to one hundred yojanas in height. Compared to the merit gathered by those making such offerings for a hundred thousand years, the merit generated by writing down this Dharma discourse, commissioning it to be written down, retaining it, reciting it, chanting it, worshiping it, or teaching it correctly would be far greater. Worshiping directly in the presence of the Thus-Gone One would not be as great. Neither would making offerings to all beings or indulging them in the five sense pleasures for a hundred thousand years.
“Therefore, sons and daughters of noble family, kings, princes, chief ministers, and ministers should always and continuously worship this Dharma discourse. They should also perceive the spiritual friends who cause this Dharma discourse to be proclaimed, recited, and its meaning accomplished as the Thus-Gone One himself. Honoring them as such, they should listen to this Dharma discourse, apprehend it, retain it, recite it, memorize it, and give rise to this thought: ‘We have found the true boon that performs the activity of the Thus-Gone One—of teaching the path to those of us who perceive the meaningless as meaningful, the impermanent as permanent, and suffering as happiness, and have thus embarked on the wrong path—thereby freeing us from the hell realms, the animal realms, and the world of Yama.’”
“Blessed One,” Avalokiteśvara said, “this Dharma discourse is revealed to all beings through the great activity performed by the Thus-Gone One.”
The Blessed One replied, “Son of noble family, in future times, in a later period, it will circulate in the southern region. There, bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, upāsikās, kings, princes, chief ministers, and ministers—all of whom are vessels—will worship it, uphold it, recite it, have devotion for it, and have confidence in it. If it circulates in the northern, eastern, and western regions, the beings in those places will not listen to it, have devotion for it, have confidence in it, or worship it. They will have feeble diligence, be forgetful, or be distracted by different factors such as family, male servants, female servants, wealth, power, laughter, dance, dramatic arts, spectacles, and songs, and out of envy and miserliness, they will not listen to it or have confidence in it. Such beings will be thus steeped in the workings of Māra. They will surely not be released from birth, old age, sickness, death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, unhappiness, agitation, the hell realms, the animal realms, the world of Yama, or the preta realms.
“On account of that, the son or daughter of noble family who wishes to be released from all bad destinations, honoring this Dharma discourse, should worship it, correctly teach it to others, and memorize it. When faced with a variety of riots, tumults, bad dreams, bad omens, untimely death, cattle diseases, herd diseases, human diseases, diseases in general, dangers, and harm they should worship and recite this Dharma. In front of a hoisted victory banner, they should make offerings of a variety of flowers, frankincense, incense, and music, toss oblations throughout the four directions, and pay homage with flowers, frankincense, and incense. When engaging in this way, all calamities, harm, and epidemics will be pacified.”
In this sūtra the Buddha is residing with a large assembly of bodhisattvas, bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, and other beings on Potalaka Mountain, the dwelling place of the bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara. The sūtra narrative is framed around the delivery of dhāraṇīs, performed by the Buddha as well as Vajrapāṇi, Avalokiteśvara, and three mahāyakṣiṇīs: Anopamā, Śaṅkhinī, and Bhīmā. The benefits of the dhāraṇīs are each detailed in turn, along with precise ritual instructions for their accomplishment. The merit and benefits that come from writing down, commissioning, reciting, upholding, and teaching this sūtra are also emphasized throughout.
This publication was completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.
The text was translated, edited, and introduced by the 84000 translation team. Ana Cristina Lopes produced the translation and wrote the introduction. James Gentry helped clarify some passages. Jeremy Savage Manheim edited the translation and the introduction, and Ibby Caputo copyedited the text. Sameer Dhingra was in charge of the digital publication process.
The translation of this text has been made possible through the generous sponsorship of Áron Csöndes.
The Beholding of Beings Through the Blessing of All the Tathāgatas, The Marvelous Display of Buddhafields or as it’s also known, The Marvelous Display of Buddhafields, is a sūtra classified in two different sections of the Tibetan Kangyur: the General Sūtra section and the Action Tantra (Skt. kriyātantra) section (Toh 721). In the sūtra, the Buddha resides on Potalaka Mountain, the dwelling place of the bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara, with a great assembly of bodhisattvas, bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, upāsikās, devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, and asuras, among other beings.
In the beginning of the sūtra, the Buddha enters a samādhi called grounded in great compassion’s knowledge directed toward all beings, and the whole trichiliocosm becomes flooded with light. A series of miracles involving healing and the acquisition of wealth takes place. Encouraged by these experiences, beings from the entire trichiliocosm gather before the Buddha to listen to the Dharma. Prompted by the bodhisattva Mañjuśrī, Avalokiteśvara asks the Buddha to teach the assembly.
The Buddha tells Avalokiteśvara about a samādhi known as the beholding of beings through the blessing of all the tathāgatas, the marvelous display of buddhafields. As we learn in the sūtra, the Buddha heard about this samādhi from the thus-gone one Sukusumajyoti, just after first giving rise to the resolve set on awakening. The name of the samādhi is also the title of the sūtra. Indeed, here and throughout the sūtra, the term samādhi is used interchangeably with Dharma discourse (Skt. dharmaparyāya).
This double sense of samādhi is indicative of a self-referential tone that pervades the text as a whole, albeit from different perspectives. For instance, in his response to Avalokiteśvara’s request, the Buddha reveals that this Dharma discourse was taught by thirty thousand thus-gone ones in the past, and on all those occasions, it was Avalokiteśvara himself, along with Mañjuśrī, who requested it to be taught to the very same retinues now assembled. The Buddha then relates all of the sūtra’s benefits, which range from obtaining a prophecy of awakening to all kinds of mundane benefits, such as wealth, good harvests, health, status, and so forth. In particular, the Buddha speaks about how this sūtra contains “dhāraṇī-mantra words that protect, guard, and defend the sons and daughters of noble family,” setting the stage for the delivery of dhāraṇīs, which constitute the core of the sūtra.
The Buddha utters the first dhāraṇī, then describes the benefits deriving from that dhāraṇī, and gives precise ritual instructions on how to obtain the benefits described. Throughout the sūtra, others will follow a similar course when they deliver their own dhāraṇīs. Next, Vajrapāṇi shares a dhāraṇī called the splendor of fearlessness. Then, Avalokiteśvara delivers a dhāraṇī called the miracle of seeing. Finally, the mahāyakṣiṇīs Anopamā, Śaṅkhinī, and Bhīmā present three other dhāraṇīs. They all also detail the benefits of the dhāraṇīs and instructions for ritual procedures.
At the end of the sūtra, the Buddha lists, once more, the merits that come from studying and propagating this sūtra. He then entrusts it to Ānanda, providing the different titles under which it should be known.
An incomplete Sanskrit manuscript of this sūtra was discovered in 1931 in a stūpa near Gilgit, in present-day Pakistan, along with many other Buddhist Sanskrit manuscripts. Nalinaksha Dutt completed a Sanskrit edition, reconstructing the first two folios based on the Tibetan translation, along with other emendations.
The Tibetan translation, which is quite close to the manuscript found in Gilgit, was prepared by Jinamitra, Surendrabodhi, Yeshé Dé, and Chokro Lui Gyaltsen, who were active in Tibet during the late eighth and early ninth centuries
According to Dutt, the Japanese scholar Nanjō Bun’yū construed a Chinese text, entitled 佛說莊嚴王陀羅尼呪經 (Taishō 1375), as a translation of this sūtra. This Chinese text, as Dutt also remarks, contains only a small fraction of the Sanskrit and Tibetan versions.
To our knowledge, this sūtra has never been translated into any European language. The present English translation is based on the Tibetan translation found in the Degé Kangyur, in consultation with Dutt’s edition of the Gilgit Sanskrit manuscript, the Comparative Edition (Tib. dpe bsdur ma), and the Stok Palace edition.
Homage to all buddhas and bodhisattvas!
Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was staying at the Potalaka Mountain, the dwelling place of noble Avalokiteśvara, on the array of a divine lion throne made of precious śrīgarbha gems and strewn with flowers, together with a great monastic assembly of five hundred bhikṣus, composed exclusively of arhats who had extinguished their defilements and perfected the mastery of all mental states. Also present were bodhisattvas, who were all established in the knowledge of great compassion, with one birth, or two, three, ten, twenty, thirty, or up to a hundred births remaining, and dwelling on the bhūmis—from the eighth to the tenth. There were seven hundred bodhisattva mahāsattvas in total, including noble Avalokiteśvara, Mañjuśrī, Vimalaketu, Ratnaśrī, Vidyutketu, Vimalaprabha, Candana, Amṛtaketu, and so forth. There were also five thousand upāsakas and upāsikās, who had assembled from different world systems, were all prophesied, and had attained meditative stabilization. Present, too, were eight thousand devas, nāgas, yakṣas, and gandharvas, all of whom had venerated the previous buddhas and witnessed the miracles of the thus-gone ones. There were also eighty mahāyakṣiṇīs present, who had all obtained the wisdom of bodhisattvas, and were prophesied and nonregressing. Among them were Anopamā, Vimalaprabhā, Prabhāvatī, Bhīmā, Śrī, Hārītī, Śaṅkhinī, and so forth. Also present were all the guardians of the world, including Śakra, Brahmā, Vaiśravaṇa, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Virūḍhaka, Virūpākṣa, Maṇibhadraputra, Pūrṇabhadra, and so forth.
Observing the Thus-Gone One seated on the lion throne, they all worshiped and revered the Thus-Gone One with divine adornments, garments, flowers, flower garlands, incense, perfume, and music in accordance with their respective roots of merit. Some also paid homage by circumambulating him hundreds of thousands of times.
At that time, the Blessed One entered the samādhi called grounded in the knowledge of great compassion directed toward all beings. Through the power of this samādhi, the trichiliocosm became illuminated. As all forms were flooded with light, the blind could see forms with their eyes, the deaf could hear sounds with their ears, those afflicted by diseases were healed, those lacking clothes acquired clothes, those who were mad regained their senses, those with deficient bodies and impaired faculties became complete in body and faculties, and those who were poor acquired wealth. Beings without riches, possessions, and wealth acquired riches, possessions, and wealth. All beings experienced every form of happiness and all their wishes were fulfilled.
Thus encouraged, all the beings throughout the trichiliocosm came before the Blessed One to listen to the Dharma. All the beings born among the devas entirely abandoned their divine pleasures and, recollecting the buddhas, came before the Blessed One to listen to the Dharma. All the beings born among humans also entirely abandoned their human pleasures and came before the Blessed One to listen to the Dharma. Having obtained the recollection of the buddhas, those beings born among nāgas, yakṣas, rākṣasas, pretas, and piśācas—with love for all beings and bodies and minds at ease—came before the Blessed One to listen to the Dharma. By the power of the buddhas, those beings born amidst the thick darkness of the world of Yama also obtained recollection in an instant, became aware of each other, and escaped from the great darkness. They became loving toward each other and free from all their lesser afflictions.
At that moment, the great earth quaked in six ways, shaking up and down. Then Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta, who was seated in the assembly, said to the bodhisattva mahāsattva noble Avalokiteśvara, “Son of noble family, when this great assembly of bodhisattvas was illuminated, a portent for this great assembly was revealed. Son of noble family, the prophecies for hundreds of thousands of billions of bodhisattvas were proclaimed, and the prediction of a great discourse of the Dharma was revealed. Son of noble family, may all the wishes of those hundreds of thousands of billions of bodhisattvas be fulfilled, and may they also acquire great wisdom!
“For that reason, son of noble family, out of compassion for all beings, you should ask questions to the Thus-Gone One—for the sake of all beings’ benefit and happiness, all the way up to establishing them in unexcelled, perfect, and complete awakening.
“Son of noble family, in future times there will be evildoers who are poor, feeble beings, whose bodies will have bad complexions and be stricken by old age and disease. Their resources will be meager, their bodies will be uncovered, their lives will be short, their intelligence will be meager, and they will be tormented by desire, hatred, and ignorance. Son of noble family, please request the Thus-Gone One to teach the Dharma for the welfare of those beings. Because of that, son of noble family, for a long time you will work for beings’ welfare, benefit, and happiness—to heal all their diseases, avert evil, pacify all evil, and fulfill all the wishes of beings, all the way up to their complete parinirvāṇa.”
The bodhisattva mahāsattva noble Avalokiteśvara looked out throughout the ten directions. Bringing to mind ten million thus-gone ones—as many as the grains of sand in the Ganges River—he joined his palms and bowed to the Blessed One, circumambulated him three times, and prostrated before him, touching the ground with the five points of his body. He then said to the Blessed One, “In future times, beings will be overwhelmed by old age, illness, death, and sorrow. They will be stricken by untimely death. They will be feeble. They will have bad complexions, short lives, meager resources, and their bodies will be uncovered. With a miserly and unethical attitude, they will kill each other and steal each other’s wealth, resources, and power. They will entertain themselves with jokes, dances, dramas, and other amusements, perceiving the impermanent as permanent and the unpleasant as pleasant. Because of those causes and conditions, beings will be jeopardized by different kinds of nonvirtues and will be reborn in the hells, the animal realm, and in the world of Yama. Therefore, Blessed One, I pray to the Thus-Gone One for the fulfillment of those beings’ aims, benefit, happiness, and wishes, all the way up to their obtaining the wisdom of the thus-gone ones. I pray that they will be reborn in a buddhafield, and that all evil will be averted for them.
“Blessed One, there is nothing whatsoever that the Thus-Gone One does not know, understand, see, hear, and cognize. Thus, Blessed One, please teach the many bodhisattvas, bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, upāsikās, devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas that are assembled here. They seek to hear an elaborate teaching about the Dharma, have served the previous buddhas, and are endowed with innate knowledge. They are in despair and will not come again. Well-Gone One, please teach them!”
Then the entire assembly prostrated with the five points of their body touching the ground, and called out in unison, “Blessed One, please teach us! Well-Gone One, please teach us!”
Understanding that they were supplicating him twice and three times, the Blessed One looked throughout the ten directions and, in a melodious, beautiful, pleasing voice, said to the bodhisattva mahāsattva noble Avalokiteśvara, “Son of noble family, there is one samādhi called the beholding of beings through the blessing of all the tathāgatas, the marvelous display of buddhafields. Son of noble family, in the past I heard about it from the thus-gone one Sukusumajyoti, once I had given rise to the first resolve set on awakening. Son of noble family, immediately after hearing the name of this samādhi, nine hundred million beings obtained the wisdom of the thus-gone ones and were prophesied for different buddhafields. I too was prophesied.
“Son of noble family, I remember that this Dharma discourse was taught by thirty thousand thus-gone ones, through the divine knowledge of the thus-gone ones for the benefit of all beings. On all of those occasions, it was precisely you, noble Avalokiteśvara, along with Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta, who requested it from the thus-gone ones. And on all of those occasions, it was the retinues of bodhisattva mahāsattvas and the retinues of bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, and upāsikās assembled here who heard the teaching and revered and worshiped the thus-gone ones. I remember how, thereafter, many trillions of beings obtained prophecies and the samādhis of the bodhisattvas. All of their wishes came true, their hopes were fulfilled, and they became free of all illness. Their roots of virtue ripened, and they abandoned all obscurations. They acquired pleasing forms and became beautiful to behold. Their wealth, crops, treasuries, and provisions became abundant. They became worthy of the praise of kings, princes, and ministers, and worthy of the homage of all beings. They were endowed with mindfulness, insight, and undivided faith in the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha, and also with miraculous powers. They obtained a long life, good complexions, splendor, and power—becoming supreme in all respects. They were never separated from their loved ones, and no misfortunes befell them.
“Thus, son of noble family, those sons and daughters of noble family who, with utmost respect for the Dharma teacher, prostrate to this Dharma discourse with the five points of their bodies touching the ground; who well adorn this discourse with flowers, incense, perfume, garlands, fragrant oils, parasols, victory banners, and banners, and say, ‘I pay homage to the Buddha’; who congratulate those who do so, or receive this Dharma discourse, retain it, recite it, write it down, or commission it to be written down, will possess many virtues. They will possess many virtues in this lifetime, too. They will have pleasing forms, be beautiful to behold, be free of all illness, and have a long life, steady mind, and good memory. They will be steadfast. They will be worthy of the praise, homage, and veneration of all kings, queens, princes, ministers, enemies, and all other beings. They will possess abundant wealth and resources. Their breath will smell of fragrant sandalwood and their eyes will be like the petals of a blue lotus. Day and night, they will see buddhas and bodhisattvas. All their obscurations, and even the five acts of immediate retribution and so forth, will be exhausted. The devas will protect them. At the time of their deaths, they will see buddhas and bodhisattvas. When the time of death comes, they will have neither jealousy nor mental distraction. When they pass away, they will be reborn in the world system of Sukhāvatī.
“Son of noble family, all those who uphold this Dharma discourse, and, out of reverence, write it down, commission it to be written down, recite it, worship it, apprehend it, retain it, or merely hear its name, were directly prophesied by me—they have seen me, honored me, and worshiped me. Thus, they should have no doubt that they will reach the awakening of the buddhas.
“Furthermore, those who merely hear this Dharma discourse should be regarded as bodhisattvas and venerated as such. By the power of hearing about this samādhi, all the karmic obscurations that come from the ripening of previous actions, such as having an ugly body, no resources, meager intelligence, strong attachment, separation from loved ones, political unrest, illness, lack of food, poor-quality garments, harm to body and mind, bedding that is unpleasant to the touch, and reproach, will be exhausted.
“Therefore, they should give rise to the following resolve: ‘I will confess, expose, and divulge all the different kinds of nonvirtuous evil deeds I have accumulated in relation to beings while circling in saṃsāra. I will give rise to undivided faith in the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha.’ For sons and daughters of noble family who do so, the karmic obscurations that would lead them to lack the fruit of wealth, along with the entire stock of their evil deeds perpetrated against the Buddha, Dharma, Saṅgha, śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, and parents, will be completely exhausted. Perfect majesty will be theirs. The karmic obscurations of those sons and daughters of noble family that would lead them to experience the suffering of the hells, along with those that would lead to their separation from loved ones, or—if driven by jealousy, pride, and anger—to their birth as a blind person, a woman, or an intersex person, or in the world of Yama, as a preta, or as an animal will also be exhausted. Thus, son of noble family, this samādhi is the source of all virtues.
“Sons and daughters of noble family should ensure that this Dharma discourse remains for a long time. It contains dhāraṇī-mantra words that protect, guard, and defend the sons and daughters of noble family; perfects all their virtues and fulfills all their hopes; creates wealth, power, and great happiness for them; accomplishes all their wishes and desires; exhausts all their karma; quells their untimely deaths, all their bad dreams, and all their illnesses; ensures victory in all battles; enhances their lifespan, luster, power, vigor, and strength; subdues all yakṣas, bhūtas, humans, and nonhumans on their behalf; quells all epidemics, poisons, fires, and floods on their behalf; all the way up to ensuring that they attain prophecies for awakening. The sons and daughters of noble family who hear these dhāraṇī-mantra words, retain them, venerate them, recite them, write them down, or commission them to be written down will obtain all these virtues.”
Then, at that moment, the great earth shook in six ways and the retinues gathered there showered the body of the Thus-Gone One with flowers, frankincense, incense, flower garlands, fragrant powder, fragrant oils, and sets of fine clothing, saying, “Excellent, Blessed One! Excellent! What are these dhāraṇī-mantra words?”
The Blessed One replied:
namaḥ sarvatathāgatānām tadyathā || buddhe subuddhe śuddhamate | loke viloke lokātikrānte | sattvāvalokane sarvatathāgatādhiṣṭhānādhiṣṭhite | sarvāśāparipūraṇe dyutiṃdhare narake ca pūjite tathāgatajñānadade tathāgatādhiṣṭhāne ca | sarvalokaḥ sukhī bhavatu | pūrvakarma kṣapaya | mama rakṣā bhavatu sarvabhayebhyaḥ tathāgatādhiṣṭhānena svāhā
“O sons and daughters of noble family, thirty thousand thus-gone ones have spoken these dhāraṇī-mantra words and imbued them with their transformative power. I too will now teach them for the sake of all beings’ welfare, benefit, happiness, protection, guardianship, and defense, and to quell all their illnesses and ensure their rebirth in a buddhafield.
“Friends, anyone who thinks, ‘How will I obtain all of those qualities taught by the thus-gone ones?’ should wake up at dawn and, with an attitude of kindness, compassion, and love toward all beings, free of all envy, pride, hypocrisy, and malice, and one-pointedly focused, make extensive offerings to the buddhas and bodhisattvas and pay homage to all the thus-gone ones throughout the ten directions. Bringing to mind whatever is desired, they should recite the mantra a hundred and eight times, offering flowers one by one to the thus-gone ones. Then all their hopes will be fulfilled. They will also see the thus-gone ones in their dreams. They will obtain their greatest desires, and at the time of death, they will see the thus-gone ones. After they die, they will be reborn in the world system of Sukhāvatī. Until then, they will also have a long life, power, luster, and vigor, and all their enemies will fall under their command.”
When this dhāraṇī was spoken, sixty thousand beings attained the acceptance that phenomena are unborn, thereby being liberated from their karmic obscurations and fulfilling all their wishes.
Then the bodhisattva mahāsattva Vajrapāṇi looked throughout the ten directions and said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, the dhāraṇī called the splendor of fearlessness is a promise of the bodhisattvas, made by me in the presence of the thus-gone one Abhayavyūharāja. Having made that promise, it is something I have taught to all beings. Henceforth, Blessed One, I know it will be impossible for anyone who hears or internalizes this dhāraṇī to have physical feebleness, various bodily afflictions, illness, fevers, pains, mental torment, or untimely death; the threat of drowning, weapons, poison, or poisonous concoctions; the threat of ḍākinīs and bhūtas; or harm, violence, and aggression inflicted by yakṣas, enemies, or humans and non-humans. Therefore, Blessed One, on behalf of those who teach and listen to the Dharma, grant your permission for me to give the seal of the bodhisattva promise, which fulfills all the hopes of those who listen to it, revere it, worship it, and uphold it:
namaḥ sarvabuddhānām | sarvabodhisattvānām arhantānām | tadyathā | om vajradhara vajradhara vajrakāya vajrabala vajrateja | hum hum | vajrapāṇe tathāgatājñāṃ pālaya | smara pratijñām | sarvavyādhiṃ sarvapāpāni nāśaya | dehi me yathepsitaṃ varam | mama yaṃ yam evābhiyācāmas taṃ tam eva samṛdhyatu | he he | turu turu | āgaccha āgaccha | mā vilamba | darśaya vajrakāyaṃ darśaya vajrakāyam | buddhādhiṣṭhānena svāhā
When this dhāraṇī was uttered, the great earth shook up and down. All yakṣas and rākṣasas became utterly terrified. All devas, and everyone down to humans and nonhumans marveled and exclaimed, “O great beings, excellent! It is excellent that these supremely accomplished dhāraṇī-mantra words have been taught!”
Then the bodhisattva mahāsattva Vajrapāṇi said to the Blessed One, “Venerable Blessed One, those who seek the bodhisattva bhūmis, mastery over wealth, grains and resources, sovereignty, vidyādharahood, or vitality, power, luster, vigor, and a long life should, on the eighth day of the waxing period of the moon, after having done the ritual propitiation, make a laughing Vajradhara image out of white sandalwood, fully decorated with adornments. They should place relics at his heart center. This Vajradhara image, with relics enclosed, is to be made as a consoling vidyādhara and perfumed with incense. This should be done while observing purity and fasting for a day and night.
“Then, between the eighth and fifteenth day, place an image of the Thus-Gone One in a clean place, make a maṇḍala of white sandalwood and arrange four full vases there. Wearing white clothes, single-pointedly make oblations of delicious and fragrant alcoholic beverages and milk-boiled rice throughout the four directions. Make extensive offerings of frankincense, flowers, incense, and lamps three times. Having made offerings and prostrations to the Thus-Gone One, with a hundred and eight jasmine flowers, recite the mantra a hundred and eight times. With each of these Vajrapāṇi is invoked. Then, a great sound will emerge, the earth will shake, and light will emanate forth, and I will give you whatever boon you wish for.
“By only doing the recitation, all your projects and aims will be accomplished. You will be free of all illness, have a long life, and all your evil deeds will be absolved. You will also obtain a thousand virtues. At the time of death, you will see a thousand blessed buddhas, and I will also grant you a vision of me.”
Then the Blessed One congratulated Vajrapāṇi. “Excellent, Vajrapāṇi! Excellent!” he said. “This seal cannot be transgressed by the world together with its devas. Of this there should be no hesitation, uncertainty, or doubt.”
Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta then asked the Blessed One, “Why is this samādhi called the beholding of beings through the blessing of all the tathāgatas, the marvelous display of buddhafields?”
“All thus-gone ones have this transformative power. And, when the practitioner is thus transformed by it, along with the transformative power of all the bodhisattvas, he will attain all samādhis and all dhāraṇī gates, and will know the to-and-fros of the primary and subsidiary mental states of all beings,” the Blessed One replied. “Among the devas, nāgas, humans, yakṣas, gandharvas, pretas, animals, and beings of the world of Yama, there are those beings that are endowed with merit and perform good actions. They acquire faith in the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha. There are also those that are destined for hell who follow wrong ways and commit evil. For such beings — those that follow evil doctrines — the practitioner teaches the Dharma. He will thus separate them from all evil, establish them in the awakening of the buddhas, fulfill their wishes, and dispel their envy, pride, anger, and stinginess. These and other such beings will then acquire faith in the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha, and will be born in buddhafields, where they will never suffer or despair. That is why, son of noble family, this samādhi is called the beholding of beings through the blessing of all the tathāgatas, the marvelous display of buddhafields. Whoever hears it is sure to obtain the definitive level of nonregression.”
“Why are those sons and daughters of noble family prophesied?” Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta asked. “Blessed One, arhatship is difficult to attain, let alone unexcelled, perfect, and complete awakening. How great is their store of merit? How extreme is their hardship?”
The Blessed One replied, “Son of noble family, the stores of merit and roots of virtue that I accumulated after giving rise to the first resolve set on awakening—through perfecting the perfections of generosity, ethical discipline, patience, diligence, concentration, and wisdom, and giving away my head, arms, legs, eyes, body, beloved sons, daughters, wives, and male and female servants—does not approach even a hundredth fraction of the store of merit accumulated through worshiping this Dharma discourse, honoring it, writing it down, commissioning it to be written down, reciting it, upholding it, teaching it to others, and worshiping and honoring the Dharma teachers.
“Son of noble family, those who write down this Dharma discourse, commission it to be written down, recite it, worship it, correctly teach it, or listen to it will obtain a much greater store of merit than those who honor, venerate, revere, worship, and respect all the other dharmas mastered and spoken by me. For that reason, the Thus-Gone One prophesies their unexcelled, perfect, and complete awakening. Why is that? Because merit like that of upholding this Dharma discourse, retaining it, reciting it, worshiping it, writing it down, or commissioning it to be written down is difficult to gather.
“Son of noble family, beings who indulge in wicked conduct; delight in food, drink, and amusements; perceive the unattractive as attractive; have strong desire, hatred, and ill will; perceive unhappiness as happiness; and delight in attacking, abusing, threatening, and beating, will neither know nor bring this to mind. Therefore, not knowing the underlying cause of their evil actions, they are embraced by unvirtuous friends and—seized by old age, illness, sorrow, and death—they are tormented at the time of death. When they look at each other, they only see a charnel ground. Moreover, they will never give rise to virtuous thoughts or acquire undivided faith. After they pass away, too, they will experience suffering, and will thereby have no roots of virtue for a prophecy, and so will not see the Thus-Gone One, and will not obtain a prophecy. Such beings are not able to hear this Dharma discourse, honor it, revere it, uphold it, write it down, commission it to be written down, or have faith in it. Nor are they able to venerate its Dharma teachers, worship them, honor them, and revere them. Son of noble family, the activities of the Thus-Gone One will appear wherever this Dharma discourse is present.”
Then, the assembled retinues congratulated the Blessed One. “Excellent, Blessed One! Excellent!” they said. “Blessed One, through the activities of the Thus-Gone One, we too shall honor, venerate, revere, and worship those Dharma teachers and those who listen to the Dharma, providing them with all the necessities for their comfort. We shall also spread and protect this Dharma discourse, so that it will remain for a long time.”
At that moment, the Blessed One looked at the retinues assembled there and said, “Excellent, children of noble family! Excellent! May you do so! Even if you experience misfortunes, contempt, blame, threats, abuse, and beating, with no regard for your body and life, you should listen to this Dharma discourse, write it down, commission it to be written down, and recite it. Also revere its Dharma teachers by providing them with all the necessities for their comfort. It will protect your countries, regions, and cities against danger, harm, contagious diseases, and conflicts. Sons and daughters of noble family must always consider this Dharma discourse.”
Then, at that time, the Blessed One spoke these verses:
Then, after prostrating to the feet of the Blessed One, the bodhisattva mahāsattva noble Avalokiteśvara said, “Blessed One, I remember a dhāraṇī called the miracle of seeing. In the past, I heard it in the presence of the thus-gone one Jñānaketuprabhākara and upheld it. Those who have heard this dhāraṇī, apprehended it, retained it, recited it, taught it to others, honored it, written it down, or commissioned it to be written down attain the irreversible level, all the virtues taught by the thus-gone ones, and the complete fulfillment of all their wishes. All their karmic obstructions are purified. They attain the samādhis. They become free of all illness. And they have visions of buddhas and bodhisattvas.”
Then the Blessed One congratulated the bodhisattva mahāsattva noble Avalokiteśvara. “Excellent, son of noble family!” he said. “Son of noble family, speak this dhāraṇī imbued with the transformative power of the thus-gone ones!”
The bodhisattva mahāsattva noble Avalokiteśvara then prostrated to all the thus-gone ones throughout the ten directions, and spoke these dhāraṇī-mantra words:
namaḥ sarvatathāgatānāṃ sarvāśāparipūrakāṇām | nama āryāvalokiteśvarasya bodhisattvasya mahākāruṇikasya | tadyathā
ha ha ha ha | mama mama | dhiri dhiri | śānte praśānte sarvapāpakṣayaṃkare | avalokaya kāruṇika bodhicittaṃ manasi kuru | vyavalokaya māṃ smara smara yat tvayā pūrvaṃ satyādhiṣṭhānaṃ kṛtam | tena satyena sarvāśāṃ me paripūraya | buddhakṣetraṃ pariśodhaya | mā me kaścid viheṭhaṃ karotu | buddhādhiṣṭhānena svāhā | tadyathā
teje teje mahāteje | yan mama kāyaduścaritaṃ vāgduścaritaṃ manoduścaritaṃ dāridrayaṃ vā tan me kṣapaya | ālokaya vilokaya | tathāgatadarśanaṃ cāham abhikāṅkṣāmi bodhisattvadarśanam | dhudhupa dadasva me darśanam | sarve me kuśalā abhivardhantu | namaḥ sarvatathāgatānām | namaḥ avalokiteśvarasya | smara pratijñā mahāsattvāḥ | sidhyantu mantrapadāḥ svāhā
When this dhāraṇī was spoken, the great earth shook. Enthusiastic cries of joy and a rain of divine flowers descended. The whole assembly congratulated noble Avalokiteśvara, saying, “Excellent, son of noble family! Excellent! Great Being, for the sake of guarding all beings you spoke well this dhāraṇī that fulfills all hopes, protects against all fears, purifies all karma, and pacifies all calamities from anger and bad dreams. We shall also uphold and honor it.”
Avalokiteśvara replied, “Sons and daughters of noble family who want the qualities just as they were spoken of by the thus-gone ones, who want a prophecy, who want to directly see me, to attain samādhi, to see the buddhas and bodhisattvas, to acquire wealth and power, and to be born in a buddhafield should wash their bodies well in the waxing phase of the moon and, once purified, they should fast while observing the eight precepts of the noble ones. Offering incense, flowers, victory banners, standards, and fully filled vases in a place imbued with the transformative power of the Thus-Gone One, starting on the eighth day they should commission those present and the Dharma teacher, who are wearing white garments on their well-cleansed bodies, to write this sūtra down, after having offered them frankincense, incense, flower garlands, and different fragrant oils. While it is being written down, each day they should make sure to share the roots of virtue with all beings and, having established a mindset of veneration and respect for the Thus-Gone One, have it written down for as long as half a day with a mindset of love, benevolence, and compassion toward all beings. They should perform worship the same way, each day, from the eighth day to the fifteenth.
“If it is written down precisely according to this procedure, all the sponsor’s karmic obscurations and evil deeds, such as the five acts of immediate retribution and the like, will immediately be purified, and their roots of virtue will increase. Their vigor will blaze forth. They will attain physical comfort in this very lifetime, and their attachment, anger, ignorance, pride, rage, envy, and miserliness will diminish.
“Commissioning it to be written down in this way, they should also put an image of the Thus-Gone One and an image of Avalokiteśvara, each containing relics and facing east, in a place where there is a stūpa with relics. There, they should make extensive offerings of flowers, frankincense, incense, and lamps. Between the eighth day and the fifteenth, while cultivating a mindset of great compassion toward all beings, eating pure, clean food, fasting while observing the eight precepts of the noble ones, and avoiding pride, rage, envy, and miserliness, each day they should make extensive offerings assisted by the kindhearted friend.
“In each of the three periods of the day, they should recite it a hundred and eight times, offering flowers, frankincense, incense, and lamps. At each of the three periods, they should also toss a hundred and eight jasmine flowers onto the image of noble Avalokiteśvara, perfume Vajrapāṇi with frankincense smoke, and prostrate to the ten directions. In the four directions—to the west of the devī Bhīmā, to the east of Anopamā, above Śaṅkhinī, and so forth—they should toss oblations of various flavors, such as milk-boiled rice, yogurt, and porridge. As a result, they will be without any distraction or fear, and their mind will be without error.
“The recitation, in its entirety, one hundred and eight times is encouraged, with a hundred and eight jasmine flowers. They should do the preliminary practice exactly according to that procedure. Then, in the morning on the day of the full moon, they should place four fully filled vases on that spot, along with an assortment of frankincense, sandalwood, olibanum, and camphor, adorning it with four lamps, flowers, incense, parasols, victory banners, silks, standards, and vessels of gold and silver. They should arrange in the four directions milk-boiled rice, curd, and porridge, mixed with honey, along with whatever food offerings they can afford, and oblations. Like before, performing the recitations with one hundred and eight jasmine flowers, they should toss them to the four directions. Then the image of noble Avalokiteśvara should be invoked with three sets of a hundred and eight jasmine flowers, with recitations done for each set. With that, the image will vibrate, a loud sound will emerge, rays of lights will shine forth, and the ground will shake. “Then, all activities and needs will be fulfilled. They will see the Thus-Gone One and attain the bodhisattva bhūmis. They will become worthy of the homage of all beings. Their wealth, grains and granaries, and treasuries will burgeon. They will be free of illness and their lifespan will be extended. All enemies, kings, princes, and ministers will want to behold them and will become affectionate toward them. All their afflictions will decrease, and their attachment, anger, and ignorance will be abandoned. They will never be separated from loved ones. They will be endowed with great stability, strength, and vigor. They will be majestic. They will have sharp faculties and intelligence. They will possess a mindset of compassion toward all beings. They will know contentment. At the time of their death, they will see the blessed buddhas and noble Avalokiteśvara. Being firmly established in love, they will live in accordance with the Dharma teachings until they arrive at the time of death. They will then be born in whatever buddhafield they desire, in a great line of universal monarchs, or wherever they recall. They will also obtain a thousand virtues.
“In this way, Blessed One, this Dharma discourse and these dhāraṇī-mantra words are the source of many virtues. Those who are not imbued with the transformative power of the thus-gone ones are not capable of hearing them, apprehending them, reciting them, worshiping them, writing them down, commissioning them to be written down, or having faith in them. Even if they happen to see them, they will never hear them. Even if they happen to hear them, they will do so with a distracted mind, and neither have faith in them, nor honor them. Even if they happen to honor them, they will honor them with a mindset filled with affliction and ill will. Even if they happen to write them down or have them commissioned to be written down, they will do so while bringing other things to mind. Why is that? On account of the result of their past actions, that karma will have to be experienced. And they will fall into doubt and will commit the five deeds of immediate retribution. Even so, were they to perform this three times, all their hopes would be fulfilled—of this there should be no uncertainty, hesitation, or doubt.”
Then the Blessed One congratulated the bodhisattva mahāsattva noble Avalokiteśvara. “Excellent, son of noble family! Excellent!” he said. “This Dharma discourse enacts the activities of the thus-gone ones for all beings.”
Then the mahāyakṣiṇī Anopamā approached the Blessed One and made offerings of a variety of flowers, incense, frankincense, and sets of fine garments. Touching the feet of the Blessed One, she said to him, “Blessed One, I recall a promise I made for the sake of all beings’ welfare, benefit, and happiness before the Blessed One while he was staying at the Ghoṣila’s pleasure garden, in Kauśāmbī. Blessed One, I too know the essence of all vidyādharas. I beseech you to please permit me to uphold it for the benefit and happiness of many beings, to fulfill all their wishes, and on behalf of bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, and upāsikās:
namaḥ sarvatathāgatānāṃ saṃyyathīd ha ha | hī hī | hu hu | sara sara | lahuṃ lahuṃ | śīghraṃ śīghraṃ | mahāvidye sarvavidyādharanamaskṛte | hasaḥ hasaḥ | kiṃ tiṣṭhasi kiṃ tiṣṭhasi | kanakavicitrābharaṇavibhūṣitāṅgi paṭa paṭa | bhara bhara | bhiri bhiri | bhūru bhūru | sarvārthaṃ me sādhaya | turu turu | arthaṃ sādhaya | arthaṃ dehi me | sarvasaṅghānāḥ siddhiṃ hā hā | padme padme mahāpadme | viśade viśade mahāviśade | bhava bhava bhavodbhavāya | tam ahaṃ ghore tam ahaṃ ghore | tan me vidyāṃ prayojaya | siddhiṃ kuru | sarvāśāṃ me paripūraya buddhādhiṣṭhānena svāhā
“Those who seek the virtues of the Blessed One, wealth, grain, and the subjugation of all beings; who wish for great lordship, sovereignty, and great vidyādharahood; and also those who wish to directly see me, on the eighth day of the waxing period of the moon, in the middle of a new piece of white cloth with no divisions or loose threads, have a painter paint an image of the Thus-Gone One sitting in the pose of teaching the Dharma, using paint without impurities, placed in a new pure vessel, and while observing hygiene, fasting, and upholding the eight precepts of the noble ones. To the right side of the Thus-Gone One, they should paint noble Vajrakrodha wearing white clothes, adorned with all manner of adornments, a flower garland, a crescent moon, and a long necklace, and brandishing a vajra, and to his left side, mahāyakṣiṇī Anopamā, pale like a stem of baruwa grass, wearing white clothes, adorned with all manner of adornments, holding a lotus, and in the pose of ease.
“Then, a vidyādhara, cleansed and fasting, while observing the eight precepts of the noble ones and wearing white clothes, should—with barley paste mixed with milk—do the preliminary practices together with a friend. On the eighth day of the waxing period of the moon, at the clean place where the image of the Thus-Gone One is, initially honor the Thus-Gone One and Vajrapāṇi with flowers, frankincense, and incense. Then, throughout the four directions, toss oblations of milk-boiled rice, curd, and porridge with different flavors and colors. Then, having offered various kinds of flowers, frankincense, incense, and lamps, do a hundred and eight recitations for each of three sets of one hundred and eight flowers, in each of the three periods of the day, at each turn, invoking the image of mahāyakṣiṇī Anopamā. Then on the day of the full moon, precisely according to this procedure, offer whatever else you have at hand, and frankincense, camphor, white mastic, sandalwood, or nut grass. Also offer two lamps with fragrant sesame oil. This will cause me to be present there, through my own image, whereupon I will grant whatever boon is sought, whether it be the attainment of samādhis, flying in the sky, body invisibility, sovereignty, universal monarchy, vidyādharahood, knowledge of finding treasuries, alchemy, reading minds, or a long life—I will grant whatever boon one desires. This is to be done with a mindset of love for all beings, a mindset free of pride, anger, envy, and miserliness, while forsaking stealing valuables from stūpas, the Dharma, and the Saṅgha, and with undivided faith in the thus-gone ones.
“Blessed One, if even someone who has committed the deeds of immediate retribution were to perform this three times and I did not grant the boon, Blessed One, may I not awaken to unexcelled, perfect, and complete awakening! Even to those who do not have devotion for the buddhas and harbor doubts, those who have no regret after performing harmful and unvirtuous practices, and those who possess minds filled with afflictions and subsidiary afflictions, I will bestow a vision of myself and grant them attainments.”
The Blessed One congratulated the mahāyakṣiṇī. “Excellent, sister! Excellent!” he said. “Sister, it is excellent that, for the benefit of all beings, you have spoken such mantra words for beings who indulge in evil deeds and that you made that promise. By means of your great compassion you will be able to establish all beings in unexcelled, perfect, and complete awakening. Thus, you should do so!”
Then, the mahādevī Śaṅkhinī worshipped the Blessed One with a variety of flowers and incense. She circumambulated the Blessed One, touched his feet, and said, “Blessed One, through the transformative power of the thus-gone ones, I too will cause the teaching of the Thus-Gone One to remain for a long time. I make the promise to protect those Dharma teachers, and bestow mantra words that fulfill all their hopes. Hence, Blessed One, I supplicate you, please authorize me.
namo namaḥ sarvatathāgatānām | om śaṃkhini devi āgaccha āgaccha | tiṣṭha dhane dhanajaye | vṛ vṛ vṛddhikari | dhṛ dhṛ dhṛtikari | nānāvividhaveśavastrāyudhadhāriṇi | yu yu āyuṣpālani | tathāgatānāṃ smara bodhicittaṃ mā vilamba | dehi me varam | śaṃkhini svāhā
“Blessed One, through this collection of mantra words, fame, splendor, resources, majesty, lifespan, and mastery over all enemies will increase. If, in a clean place or in a temple, one offers throughout the four directions whatever oblations they possess and makes extensive offerings of frankincense, white mastic, and lamps to the Thus-Gone One while remaining in a state of love and self-restraint for twenty-one days, performing one hundred and eight recitations—except for those who forsake the Dharma—I will fulfill all their purposes!”
The Blessed One and the assembled retinues then congratulated the mahādevī Śaṅkhinī, saying, “Excellent, sister! Excellent! You excellently uttered a promise endowed with many virtues. Sister, in the future you should do so.”
Then the mahādevī Bhīmā worshipped the Blessed One with golden flowers, touched her head to his feet, and said to him, “Blessed One, I too shall bestow mantra words that will fulfill all hopes, and bring wealth, jewels, pearls, resources, majesty, sovereignty, a long life, and subjugation of all enemies for those who teach the Dharma, listen to the Dharma, write it down, uphold it, recite it, and worship it. Blessed One, I will protect, guard, and grant whatever boon is desired to anyone who upholds it, recites it, honors it, writes it down, commissions it to be written down, or performs the practice precisely as taught with the upmost devotion, whether it be a king, queen, bhikṣu, bhikṣuṇī, upāsaka, or upāsikā—I will ensure they are never devoid of resources and power. I will overcome all their quarrels, conflicts, riots, and tumults, and confer upon them an abundant life. I will also protect their country and city. Hence, Blessed One, I supplicate you, please authorize me.
namaḥ sarvatathāgatānāṃ sarvabodhisattvānām āryāvalokiteśvaravajrapāṇiprabhṛtīnām | om mahādevi bhīme bhīmamate | jaye jayāvahe | yaśajave tejajave | vyākaraṇaprāpte sarvasattvāvalokane kṛpatejabahule tathāgatānujñātaṃ pālaya | smara pratijñām | buddhādhiṣṭhānena dehi me varam | siddhiṃ kuru | devi mahādevi satyavacanadevi bhīme satyavacanapratiṣṭhite guhyanivāsini svāhā
“Blessed One, for the welfare of all beings I have thus spoken these mantra words imbued with the transformative power of the Thus-Gone One and authorized by him. If one worships the Thus-Gone One with flowers, frankincense, incense, and lamps; offers oblations of milk-boiled rice and different flavors throughout the four directions; and performs a hundred and eight recitations while keeping in mind whatever one desires, all one’s hopes will be fulfilled.
“Those who want to see me in my own form should, on the eighth day of the waxing period of the moon, in the middle of a new piece of white cloth with no divisions or loose threads, have a painter paint an image of the Thus-Gone One sitting in the pose of teaching the Dharma, using paint without impurities, placed in a new pure vessel, and while observing hygiene, fasting, and upholding the eight precepts of the noble ones. To right side of the Thus-Gone One, they should paint noble Avalokiteśvara teaching the Dharma extensively, and to his left side, mahādevī Bhīmā, pale like a stem of baruwa grass, wearing white clothes, adorned with all manner of adornments, holding a bowl and a rosary, and in the pose of ease.
“A pure vidyādhara should then do the preliminary practices, and between the eighth and fifteenth days, in a place with a stūpa with relics, make offerings of flowers, frankincense, incense, and flower garlands; toss throughout the four directions oblations of milk-boiled rice, curd, and porridge; make extensive offerings of flowers, frankincense, and various lamps; and make offerings of white food, oblations of various flavors, and whatever else is available. With a mindset of love and compassion for all beings, they should then recite the mantra a hundred and eight times with one hundred and eight jasmine flowers and cast each of these on the mahādevī Bhīmā’s image.
“I will then make myself present there through my own image and grant any desired boon. I will grant political power, the ability to fly in the sky, knowledge of how to find treasures, alchemical knowledge, and vidyādharahood. I will avert untimely death, quell all kinds of illness, and destroy enemy armies. I will also grant sons, the acquisition of wealth, and a friendly disposition toward all beings. Finally, I will accomplish all actions that are wished for.
“Blessed One, except for those who forsake the sublime Dharma and harbor doubts about the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Saṅgha, unless I fulfill the hopes of all—even those who have committed the five acts of immediate retribution—may I not awaken to unexcelled, perfect, and complete awakening!”
“Excellent, sister! Excellent!” the Blessed One replied. “Sister, it is excellent that you have set out for the welfare, benefit, and happiness of all beings. It is also excellent that you have set out to ensure that this Dharma discourse remains for a long time. On that account, sister, you should always recall your promise.”
Then, at that moment, the great earth shook, a rain of divine flowers fell, and the whole retinue congratulated her. “Excellent, sister! Excellent!” they said. “You have excellently proclaimed the promise of fulfilling the hopes of all beings!”
Then the bodhisattva mahāsattva noble Avalokiteśvara asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, how much merit would a son or daughter of noble family obtain by writing down this Dharma discourse, commissioning it to be written down, reciting it, worshiping it, correctly teaching it, chanting it, or having it chanted?”
The Blessed One replied, “Since you asked, noble Avalokiteśvara, I am going to ask you—answer to whatever extent you are able.”
Noble Avalokiteśvara then said, “Blessed One, there is nothing unseen, unheard, unconsidered, or unknown by the Blessed Thus-Gone One. May the Blessed One himself therefore please explain it.”
The Blessed One replied, “Son of noble family, even I am unable to express through analogies the merit obtained from writing down this Dharma discourse, commissioning it to be written down, reciting it, worshiping it, correctly teaching it, chanting it, or having it chanted. Why is that? It is because even if one were to fulfill all the wishes of all beings by indulging them with garments, adornments, riches, gold, jewels, and pearls, those beings would still not be free from birth, old age, sickness, death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, unhappiness, and agitation. Even if one were to indulge them with the five sense pleasures for a hundred thousand years, those beings would still not be free from the hell realms, the animal realms, the world of Yama, and the preta realms. They will only be free from all these—birth, old age, sickness, death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, unhappiness, agitation, the hell realms, the animal realms, the world of Yama, and the preta realms—by listening to this Dharma discourse, worshiping it, teaching it correctly, learning its meaning, and ardently practicing it for the sake of all beings. That is why the Thus-Gone One is not able to give an analogy to illustrate the measure of that merit.
“Son of noble family, suppose someone were to give just a mustard seed’s worth of wealth, or just one flower, one fruit, one offering banner, one sound of music, one portion of incense, one garment, or one adornment for this Dharma discourse or to those who teach this Dharma discourse, uphold it, recite it, write it down, or worship it. Or suppose someone were to write it down, commission it to be written down, retain it, recite it, worship it, teach it correctly, honor it, or extensively teach it to others. Now suppose someone were to worship and revere the Thus-Gone One and his retinue directly in their presence for a hundred thousand years by offering them flowers, frankincense, incense, flower garlands, fragrant oils, parasols, victory banners, and offering banners, or were to honor them with all the necessities for their comfort; or commission the building of monasteries, promenades, and parks on their behalf; or more still, commission the building of reliquaries with seven precious substances measuring fifty to one hundred yojanas in height. Compared to the merit gathered by those making such offerings for a hundred thousand years, the merit generated by writing down this Dharma discourse, commissioning it to be written down, retaining it, reciting it, chanting it, worshiping it, or teaching it correctly would be far greater. Worshiping directly in the presence of the Thus-Gone One would not be as great. Neither would making offerings to all beings or indulging them in the five sense pleasures for a hundred thousand years.
“Therefore, sons and daughters of noble family, kings, princes, chief ministers, and ministers should always and continuously worship this Dharma discourse. They should also perceive the spiritual friends who cause this Dharma discourse to be proclaimed, recited, and its meaning accomplished as the Thus-Gone One himself. Honoring them as such, they should listen to this Dharma discourse, apprehend it, retain it, recite it, memorize it, and give rise to this thought: ‘We have found the true boon that performs the activity of the Thus-Gone One—of teaching the path to those of us who perceive the meaningless as meaningful, the impermanent as permanent, and suffering as happiness, and have thus embarked on the wrong path—thereby freeing us from the hell realms, the animal realms, and the world of Yama.’”
“Blessed One,” Avalokiteśvara said, “this Dharma discourse is revealed to all beings through the great activity performed by the Thus-Gone One.”
The Blessed One replied, “Son of noble family, in future times, in a later period, it will circulate in the southern region. There, bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, upāsikās, kings, princes, chief ministers, and ministers—all of whom are vessels—will worship it, uphold it, recite it, have devotion for it, and have confidence in it. If it circulates in the northern, eastern, and western regions, the beings in those places will not listen to it, have devotion for it, have confidence in it, or worship it. They will have feeble diligence, be forgetful, or be distracted by different factors such as family, male servants, female servants, wealth, power, laughter, dance, dramatic arts, spectacles, and songs, and out of envy and miserliness, they will not listen to it or have confidence in it. Such beings will be thus steeped in the workings of Māra. They will surely not be released from birth, old age, sickness, death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, unhappiness, agitation, the hell realms, the animal realms, the world of Yama, or the preta realms.
“On account of that, the son or daughter of noble family who wishes to be released from all bad destinations, honoring this Dharma discourse, should worship it, correctly teach it to others, and memorize it. When faced with a variety of riots, tumults, bad dreams, bad omens, untimely death, cattle diseases, herd diseases, human diseases, diseases in general, dangers, and harm they should worship and recite this Dharma. In front of a hoisted victory banner, they should make offerings of a variety of flowers, frankincense, incense, and music, toss oblations throughout the four directions, and pay homage with flowers, frankincense, and incense. When engaging in this way, all calamities, harm, and epidemics will be pacified.”