Sutra of the Past Vows of

EARTH STORE
BODHISATTVA
With commentary on Sutra by Tripitaka Master Hsuan Hua

"If I do not go to the hell to help the suffering beings

there, who else will go? ... if the hells are not empty I will
not become a Buddha. Only when all living beings have
been saved, will I attain Bodhi." -Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha
Introduction and Forward to The Sutra of
the Past Vows of Earth Store Bodhisattva
with commentary by Tripitaka Master
Hsuan Hua
Sutra of the Past

Vows of

EARTH STORE

BODHISATTVA
This is one of the books in a series published

Under the sponsorship of

The Institute for Advanced Studies of World Religions

New York,U.S.A.

With the aim of making religious texts translated from

Various languages accessible in English

Sutra of the Past Vows of

Earth Store
Bodhisattva
The Collected Lectures of Tripitaka Master Hsuan Hua

Translated by American Bhiksu Heng Ching

Revised by American Bhiksuni Heng Ch’ih

Polished by American Bhiksu Heng Kuan

Certified byGoldMountainSramana

Dhyana Master Hsuan Hua

 BUDDHIST TEXT TRANSLATION SOCIETY

The Institute for Advanced Studies of

World Religions

Publishers,New York,N.Y.

The translator dedicates this translation

to his grandmother, Rose Klarer,

and to his parents, David and Ruth Klarer.book Number: 0-915078-00-7

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 74-18135

© 1974 by the Sino-American Buddhist Association,

San Francisco

All rights reserved

Printed and bound in theUnited States of America

Namo Earth Store Bodhisattva

Namo Ti Tsang Wang P’u Sa
Namo Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva
The sutra often instructs practitioners to recite the name of Earth Store Bodhisattva, as
well as the names of various Buddhas. This is traditionally done by prefacing the name
with the Sanskrit word Namo, which means praise or homage to, take refuge in,
revere, etc. Thus the Bodhisattva’s name would be recited in English, Chinese, and
Sanskrit as above.

ACKNOWLEDMENTS

THIS TRANSLATION OF THE Sutra of the Past Vows of Earth Store

Bodhisattva , with the explanatory lectures of Tripitaka Master Hsuan Hua, has been
prepared by the Buddhist Text Translation Society of the Sino-American Buddhist
Association, with headquarters at Gold Mountain Dhyana Monastery,1731 15th
Street,San Francisco,California94103U.S.A.
Since everyone who hears or reads a lecture has his or her own understanding, the
views of a great many people have been consulted in the preparation of the
translation. Although space precludes the mention of every individual, the following
members of the Buddhist Text Translation society must be singled out: Dharma
Masters Heng Ch’ien and Heng Shou, who, although, they did not work on this text
specifically, have given a great deal of advice and criticism on many aspects of
translation over the years, Upasaka I Kuo Jung has also been of great help in this
regard. The task of refining the English of the initial translation has been performed
by Dharma Master Heng Kuan, editor-in-chief of Vajra Bodhi Sea and chairman of
the Polishing Committee of the Buddhist Text Translation Society.
In addition to an enormous amount of editorial work, a great deal of preliminary
rewriting and sifting had to be done. Much of this work was done by Dharma Master
Heng Ch’ih of the Revision Committee of the Buddhist Text Translation Society, who
not only helped in rewriting but undertook a great deal of laborious research into
Sanskrit forms and niceties of presentation. She is also responsible for putting the
entire manuscript into finished typed form, a job of no small matter in itself.

Many people took part in the earlier stages of preparation of this work. Special thanks
are due to the following members of the Buddhist Text Translation Society: Dharma
Masters Heng Shou and Heng Chu, who did a great deal of the proof-reading and made
many useful suggestions: Upasakas Kuo T’ang Yager, Ph.D. candidate; Kuo Hui
Weber; Kuo Kuei Bach; Upasika Kuo Chin Vickers, who provided valuable help in
preparing copies of the manuscript; and especially Upasika Kuo Tsung Bach, who
handled the complex and difficult task of turning the first rough typed manuscript into
presentable form.

Special thanks are due to the Venerable Dhyana Master Hsuan Hua, chairman of the
Certification Board of the Buddhist Text Translation Society, for having delivered the
lectures in the first place and for his constant and patient aid during the preparation of
this work.

Special mention must also be made of the Institute for Advanced Studies of World
Religions, which has undertaken to have this sutra published, and of Nora A. Larke
and Institute copy editors Upasika Yeshe Tsomo and Leah Zahler, who devoted much
talent and effort to the preparation of the work. The skilled guidance provided by Nai
Yung Chang of Harry N. Abrams, Inc., in the production of this book is likewise greatly
appreciated.

Buddhist Text Translation Society

 FOREWORD

FROM ANCIENT TIMES, the Sutra of the Past Vows of Earth Store
Bodhisattva has been one of the most popular Chinese Buddhist sutras. “Earth
Store” is a literal rendering of the bodhisattva’s original Sanskrit name, Ksitigarbha. In
the Buddhist pantheon, he is one of the most highly celebrated bodhisattva, along with
Manjusri, Avalokitesvara, and Samantabhadra. These four represent the four basic
Mahayana qualities: Manjusri represents great wisdom; Avalokitesvara, great
compassion; Samantabhadra, great meritorious deeds; and Ksitigarbha, the great vow
– the vow to help and to cross over all sentient beings. “If I do not go to hell (to help
them there), who else will go?” is the famous pronouncement of Bodhisattva
Ksitigarbha.
In the seventh century A.D., this sutra was translated by Siksananda from the Sanskrit
into Chinese, but not until this publication has it ever been translated into
English. Dharma Master Heng Ching’s work is not a critical study in the traditional
Western scholarly sense. However, it bears special importance, as it is accompanied by
the comprehensive commentary of Tripitaka Master Hsuan Hua. Without such an
accompaniment, it would be very difficult, if not impossible, for Western readers to
understand the significance and applications of this sutra.

One of the aims of the Institute for Advanced Studies of World Religions is to make
available religious teachings that were previously inaccessible to the English-speaking
student of religion. In this light, the Institute is honored to publish this invaluable
source of learning and awareness.

The Institute for Advanced Studies of World Religions

APRIL 1974
 PREFACE

DIRECTLY PRIOR TO THE END of the Buddha’s appearance in this world, he and his
following of bhiksus journeyed to the Trayastrimsa Heaven so that the Buddha might
repay the kindness of his mother by speaking Dharma on her behalf. The Dharma
which he spoke on that occasion still exists to this day and is known as the Sutra of
the Past Vows of Earth Store Bodhisattva . This sutra deals with filial piety – not
only that which pertains to the relationship between oneself and one’s parents but
rather a universal code of duty for all living beings. A skyscraper is not built from the
top down, however, and as an initial step toward embodying one’s universal duty, one
begins with duty to one’s immediate family and friends, of which parents are foremost
in importance. Hence, when the Buddha answers the Bodhisattva Manjusri’s question
concerning the past vows of the Bodhisattva Earth Store in the first chapter of this
sutra, he begins by telling him of the Bodhisattva’s filial duty to his parents, which led
to his illimitable vows to save all living beings.

The Bodhisattva Earth Store, drawing upon the infinite power of his unwavering
resolve, appears throughout the ten directions in an innumerable number of bodies in
order to lead even the most obstinate and confused living beings to step from the sea of
suffering onto the shore of Nirvana. Although his vows are infinite in their scope, they
still do not go beyond the simple relationship called filial piety; the only difference is
one of magnitude. Whereas an ordinary person considers even the most perfunctory
duty to his parents to be sufficient, the Bodhisattva Earth Store, realizing that at some
time during the countless aeons of the past all living beings have been his father and
mother, includes all living beings within the scope of his filial duty, a duty which can
only be ultimately fulfilled by leading all beings to gain eternal bliss. Since living
beings are unlimited in number, it naturally follows that the Bodhisattva’s vows are
infinite in magnitude.

In order for us to take the first step out of the sea of suffering, it is necessary for us to
become aware of the danger which results from allowing our actions to be affected by
the confused emotions which lie so heavily upon us. To this end the Bodhisattva
elucidates cause and effect, the realm of karma, informing us of the sufferings of the
hells and the actions which lead to such retributions, as well as of the pleasures of the
heavens and the actions which they reward. It is not the Bodhisattva’s intention,
however, that we turn away in revulsion from the former and grasp at the latter, but
rather that we understand the sphere of cause and effect – that simple law which says
that one reaps what one sows – and that we learn to avoid planting causes for either
the heavens or the hells. Furthermore, in order that we plant the seed for future
contact with the Dharma, the Bodhisattva wishes to impress upon us the benefits
obtained from engaging in wholesome actions, as opposed to unwholesome ones, so
that we will be induced to establish a strong affinity with the Triple Jewel. Although
many of the practices mentioned in this sutra are not the direct cause of Buddhahood,
the seed of Buddhahood is nurtured by wholesome conduct and cultivation of the
Way. These auxiliary causes lead to the direct cause, and for that reason the
Bodhisattva encourages us to embody them in our practice.

This sutra is extremely practical, and it is because of this that Dhyana Master Hsuan
Hua wished it to be one of the first sutras to be translated into English. With the
additional enlightening aid of his lectures, even those most unfamiliar with the
Dharma are enabled to grasp the essence of the teaching. The lectures were given in
1968-69 and were at that time orally translated from the Master’s Chinese into English
by Dharma Master Heng Ching, who has also bestowed upon us the present translation
of the sutra text and the Master’s commentary.

It is through the efforts of Dharma Master Heng Ching that this sutra can now be
studied by students of Dharma in the West, with the knowledge that it agrees with the
original principles of Buddhism as they were elucidated by the Buddha. When I say
efforts, I do not refer merely to the work of translation; for although it was a task which
required many months of diligent attention, it rests upon years of study of the Chinese
language and actual cultivation of the principles of the Buddhist path to
enlightenment. Dharma Master Heng Ching has studied the Chinese language for
more than ten years, and he spent the last five of those years under the expert tutelage
of the Dhyana Master, who is not only an embodiment of the very heart of Buddhism
but also an extremely erudite scholar. Thus Dharma Master Heng Ching has become
intimately acquainted with both the doctrinal and practical aspects of the Dharma in a
manner that is shared by few people. Under the Master’s guidance he has studied and
helped give oral translations of literally thousands of lectures on sutras such as
the Surangama Sutra, the Wonderful Dharma Lotus Blossom Sutra ,
the Diamond Sutra , the Heart Sutra , and the Avatamsaka Sutra , among
others. He has also personally delivered lectures on this sutra, the Surangama
Sutra, the Heart Sutra , and the Divination of Good and Evil Karmic
Retribution Sutra .
In addition to Dharma Master Heng Ching’s daily practice, he has attended many
Buddha Recitation Sessions, Mantra Recitation Sessions, and Meditation Sessions, one
of which lasted for ninety-eight days, with twenty-one hours of practice each
day. What is most important, however, is not that he attended so many lectures and
participated in so many sessions, but that he has actually made a good deal of progress
in his cultivation. This puts him far above ordinary scholars, not to speak of those
people who have reduced the Dharma to a pathetic exchange of witty remarks based on
nothing but sheer confusion. Thus, it is with pleasure that I introduce this sutra to
other students of the Dharma.

American Bhiksu Heng Ch’ien

Buddhist Lecture Hall, Hong Kong
Earth Store Bodhisattva’s Birthday,
AUGUST, 1973
 TRANSLATOR’S INTRODUCTION

THOUSANDS OF YEARS OF TRADITION have shown that there is no substitute for

oral instruction. What is more, we in the West have long been hampered in our study
of Buddhism by the lack of both adequate texts in English and qualified interpreters to
transmit traditional explanations. Even though a few teachers have come to the West,
there still remain the problems of access and linguistics. This work provides a solution
to these problems by presenting in English translation what was originally a lectured
commentary in Chinese.

Dhyana Master Hsuan Hua, founder of the Sino-American Buddhist Association, has
been delivering oral commentaries on Buddhist texts for many years. Although based
in an age-old tradition, he reveals the Buddhist tradition in a manner that speaks not
only to specialists and historians but to all those faced with the continuing problems of
human existence in a modern age. All the Master’s lectures since 1968 have been
recorded and are being translated, this book being the second in a series of his
collected lectures.

That the Master’s lectures are truly effective in terms of the real aim of Buddhism,
which is to bring about a change in the lives of the audience, is quite obvious to those
who have experienced his teaching. On several occasions during this lecture series,
particularly when he discussed the depths of Earth Store Bodhisattva’s filial practice in
past lives, many members of the audience were moved to tears. This is not, of course,
to say that the Master’s style evokes weeping only; on many occasions his lively wit
introduced a humorous and lighthearted mood in the assembly.

Unfortunately, in the transformation of a spoken lecture to the printed page, most such
effects are necessarily lost. We have tried as much as possible to retain the flavor of
the spoken word while avoiding some of the tedium that can come from a mere
verbatim transcription. On the other hand, as we tried to approach the conventions of
written English, we have dropped some of the more trivial scholarly niceties. Thus the
reader will not find Sanskrit and Chinese words set off by italics; they will be presented
as any other word in context and explained.

The good points of the translation are due to the combined efforts of all the member of
the Sino-American Buddhist Association, the Buddhist Text Translation Society, the
Institute for Advanced Studies of World Religions, and the editorial staff
of Vajra Bodhi Sea, in whose journal these lectures first appeared. Any errors or
faults are, of course, solely the translator’s responsibility.

American Bhiksu Heng Ching

Gold Mountain Dhyana Monastery, San Francisco
Earth Store Bodhisattva’s Birthday,
AUGUST, 1973
 CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER ONE

Spiritual Penetrations in the Palace of the Trayastrimsa Heaven

CHAPTER TWO

The Assembly of the Reduplicated Bodies

CHAPTER THREE

Contemplating the Karmic Conditions of Living Beings

CHAPTER FOUR

Karmic Retribution of Living Beings

CHAPTER FIVE

The Names of the Hells

CHAPTER SIX

The Thus Come One’s Praises

CHAPTER SEVEN

Benefits for the Living and the Dead

CHAPTER EIGHT

The Praises of the Multitudes of King Yama

CHAPTER NINE

The Names of Buddhas

 CHAPTER TEN

The Conditions and Comparative Merits of Giving

CHAPTER ELEVEN

The Dharma Protection of the Earth Spirit

CHAPTER TWELVE

The Benefits from Seeing and Hearing

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

The Entrustment of Men and Gods

GLOSSARY
 INTRODUCTION

SUTRAS MAY BE INTRODUCED in a number of ways, all of which help bring out the
basic meaning of the text. In studying this sutra we shall approach the text through the
investigation of the following six items:

I. The reasons for the arising of the teaching

II. The division and vehicle to which the sutra belongs

III. A determination of the sutra’s principle
IV. A full explanation of the title
V. A history of the translation
VI. A detailed explanation of the sutra

I. THE REASONS FOR THE ARISING OF THE TEACHING

Shortly after Sakyamuni’s birth from his mother’s side, his mother died and ascended
to the heavens. After he had become a Buddha and had spoken Dharma for forty-nine
years at over three hundred assemblies, he went to the Trayastrimsa Heaven to teach
her. This occurred between the speaking of The Wonderful Dharma Lotus
Blossom Sutra and The Nirvana Sutra . He stayed in that heaven for three months
and spoke this sutra of filial piety, The Sutra of the Past Vows of Earth Store
Bodhisattva.

II. THE DIVISION AND VEHICLE TO WHICH THE SUTRA BELONGS

Division refers to the three divisions of the canon, the Sutras, the Sastras, and the
Vinaya. The Sutras encompass the study of Samadhi, the Sastras, the study of wisdom,
and the Vinaya, the study of moral precepts. Since this sutra discusses morality it
belongs to both the Sutra and Vinaya stores.

Vehicle refers to the Five Vehicles. Although some people say that there are only three
– the Vehicles of the Sound-hearers, of Those Enlightened to Causation, and of
Bodhisattvas – the Vehicles of Men and Gods can be added to these to make five. This
sutra deals with the Vehicles of Men, Gods, and Bodhisattvas.
III. A DETERMINATION OF THE SUTRA’S PRINCIPLE

The foundations of this sutra are principles contained in eight terms grouped in four
headings:

1. The practice of filial piety

2. The crossing over of living beings
3. The rescuing of sufferers
4. The repaying of kindness

1. To practice filial piety means to be “filial” to one’s parents and thus to be a

dazzling light over the entire world. Both heaven and earth are greatly pleased by filial
piety and so it is said, “Heaven and earth deem filial piety essential; filial piety is
foremost. With one filial son, an entire family is peaceful.” If you are filial to your
parents, your children will be filial to you; if you are not filial to your parents, your
children will treat you in the same manner.

One may think, “What is the point of being human? Isn’t it merely to try to get by as
well as possible?”

It certainly is not! The first duty of human beings is to be filial to their parents. Father
and mother are heaven and earth, father and mother are all the elders, and father and
mother are all the Buddhas. If you had no parents you would have no body, and if you
had no body, you could not become a Buddha. If you want to become a Buddha, you
must start out by being filial to your parents.

2. The crossing over of living beings. To cross means to go from one shore to
another, from affliction to Bodhi; the Six Paramitas are also known as the six
crossings-over. To cross beings over does not mean to cross over merely one, two,
three, or four, but to cross all the ten kinds of living beings, so that they reach
Buddhahood.

3. The rescuing of sufferers. This sutra is able to pull living beings out of their
sufferings.

4. The repaying of kindness. This means to repay the kindness of parents.

 I have mentioned only the essential points of these four phrases and will leave it to you
to make further investigation of them.

At the mention of the first of these headings, the practice of filial piety, some people
will immediately think of rushing home to be filial to their parents. This in itself is an
excellent wish and is quite commendable. It is extremely important, however, that
those who return home to care for their parents not forget everything they have
learned and find themselves slipping back into their old habits. The way to practice
ultimate filial piety is to learn how to be a model for and a benefit to the world; the very
best way to do that is to study and practice the Buddhadharma.

There are four basic kinds of filial piety: limited, extensive, contemporary, and
classic. Limited filial piety is to be filial within your own family but to be unable to
“treat others’ elders as your own, treat others’ children as your own.” With extensive
filial piety you reach throughout the world and take all fathers and mothers in the
world as your own. Although this filial piety is large, it is by no means ultimate.

What then is ultimate filial piety? It is far beyond the scope of the four mentioned
above. Sakyamuni Buddha’s father locked him in the palace and he stole away to
cultivate a life of austerity in the Himalayas for six years, after which he finally realized
Buddhahood beneath the Bodhi tree. After he had become a Buddha, he ascended to
the heavens to speak Dharma for his mother. This ultimate filial piety.

Contemporary filial piety is to model oneself on present-day methods of filial piety and
to study their methods of behavior.

Classic filial piety is to be filial to all the myriad things, in the same way as the Twenty-
four Paragons of Filial Virtue inChina. But even classic filial piety is not ultimate. If
you want to practice ultimate filial piety you should investigate and practice the
Buddhadharma; learn to be a good person and a positive force in the world. The
practice of acts that benefit society is being genuinely filial to your parents.

IV. A FULL EXPLANATION OF THE TITLE

The name of this sutra is the Sutra of the Past Vows of Earth Store
Bodhisattva , and among the seven classifications of sutra titles it belongs to those
made up of a person and a dharma. Earth Store Bodhisattva is the person and past
vows a dharma. Past vows can also be said to represent karma, since they are deeds
that he performed in the past.
Earth Store Bodhisattva is named after the earth, which not only gives birth to
things and makes them grow but can store a great many things within itself as
well. Because this Bodhisattva is like the earth, he can produce the myriad things and
make them grow. Anyone who believes in him may obtain the treasures stored in the
ground: gold, silver, lapis lazuli, crystal, mother-of-pearl, red pearls, and carnelian.
Bodhisattva is composed of two words: Bodhi, which means “enlightenment,”
and sattva , which means “being.” A Bodhisattva can be said to be either one who
enlightens living beings or an enlightened living being.
Past Vows also mean fundamental vows, vows that were made aeons ago. Long ago
in the distant past Earth Store Bodhisattva vowed, “If the hells are not empty I will not
become a Buddha; when living beings have all been saved, I will attain to Bodhi.”
The hells cannot cease to exist until the karma and the afflictions of living beings have
come to an end, and that can never happen because of the nature of living
beings. Viewed in the light of modern science and philosophy, isn’t Earth Store
Bodhisattva’s behavior irrational? Doesn’t it mean that Earth Store Bodhisattva will
never have the opportunity to become a Buddha?

No, it does not mean that he cannot become a Buddha, and his vow is by no means
irrational. In fact, his behavior is a manifestation of great compassion.

Question: What is Earth Store Bodhisattva’s Sanskrit name?

Answer: His Sanskrit name is Ksitigarbha, “Earth Store.” There are ten aspects of
the earth: it is wide and extensive, it supports all living beings, it is impartial, it
receives the great rain, it produces grass and trees, it holds all planted seeds, it holds
many treasures, it produces medicines, it is not moved by the blowing wind, and it
does not tremble at the lion’s roar.

Question: Isn’t the reason for the earth’s impartiality, its immobility in great wind,
and its other characteristics, simply that the earth is an inanimate object without any
feelings at all?

Answer: The feelings of the earth are not those that we humans feel, but it does have
feeling. The earth is also sentient being.

Past Vows renders the Sanskrit term Pranidhana ; the full title of the sutra may be
reconstructed as the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Pranidhana Sutra . The vows that
this Bodhisattva has made throughout the aeons have all been for the sake of the
practice of filial piety.
Sutra has, among others, the following meanings:
1. To traverse. There are many roads that can be traveled, but if you wish to
become a Buddha you must follow the road that leads to the goal, i.e., the road
indicated by the sutras.

2. Guideline. Sutras are like the mark left by a carpenter’s chalk line; they show a
clear and straight path that marks the most direct way to the goal.

3. Garland. Sutras string together manifold principles like flowers in a chain.

4. Thread. Sutras string principles together as a thread links beads in a strand.

5. To attract. Sutras are like lodestones, which attract iron filings. People are
attracted to sutras as iron is attracted to a magnet, and those of you who are now
studying this sutra have been attracted to it in this way. The force, of course, cannot be
seen, but its effect can, and if it is a great force it will attract more people than will a
small one.

6. Permanent. No meaning can be added to or subtracted from sutras, for to do so

is to merit the hells.

7. Law. The law is honored in the past, present, and future; it is a constant model
by which beings may conduct themselves.

8. Tally. In ancient times, contracts were written out and divided between the
concerned parties. When the terms of an agreement were fulfilled, or whenever
identity related to the contract had to be established, the two pieces were brought
together to see whether or not they matched. Sutras are much like this in that they
tally with or correspond to the principles of all Buddhas above and with the capacity of
beings below.

Earlier I said that the earth receives the great rain and the plants grow on it. In these
explanations there are often interconnected relationships that you should be alert
for. Grasses and trees represent the potential capacity of living beings, and sutras are
the Dharma rain that falls on them. Each plant absorbs the amount of moisture proper
to it – more in the case of great trees and less in the case of grasses. Each receives an
appropriate share of the total rainfall. This analogy holds for the relationship which
people have with sutras. Study of this sutra, for example, will lead the wise to
understand the principles appropriate to their own abilities. Everyone who has good
roots planted in the Buddhadharma will obtain the advantage proper to him; those
who do not have good roots will be led to plant good roots. Because Earth Store
Bodhisattva practiced filial conduct in every life, this sutra is known as a Buddhist
classic of filial piety. This is an extremely important principle, for if people are not
filial to their parents, they have not fulfilled the fundamental responsibility of human
beings. It is essential that people repay the enormous kindness shown them by their
parents.

Confucius discusses this topic at length, and his statements may be found in
the Classic of Filial Piety, where it is said,
“Chung Ni sat at ease and Tseng Tzu attended upon him. The Master
said, “The Kings of old ruled the empire by means of perfect virtue and
the essentials of the Way. The people were in harmony so that between
high and low there was no quarreling. Did you know that?”

Tseng Tzu arose from his seat and said, “Shen is foolish, how could he
have known?”

The Master said, “Filial piety is the root of all virtue and the origin of
teaching. Be seated, and I shall tell you about it. The person, body,
hair, and skin are given by the parents; one dare not harm them. This is
the beginning of filial piety.”

In the very opening of this discourse Chung Ni, Confucius, discusses filial piety in
terms of all elders, and not just one’s own parents. Since Tseng Tzu was Confucius’
disciple, he waited on his teacher with filial piety. When Confucius said that “the
person, body, hair, and skin, are given by the parents; one dare not harm them,” he
was not speaking as many contemporary young people do, to justify their straggly,
dirty hair and unwashed condition. Such people claim that haircuts and baths would
harm the natural state of their bodies. Such a position is quite untenable, for what is
meant by harming the body is not the superficial acts of maintaining and grooming it;
these things, particularly the matter of haircuts, are merely elements of social
convention. When Confucius said not to harm the body, he meant not to destroy
it. Strangely enough, in our day and age there are rebellious young people who,
although aware that Confucius proclaimed this principle, nevertheless take all manner
of bizarre and poisonous chemicals and drugs. At the same time they refuse to wash or
cut their hair because to do so would be “unnatural.” They put their parents a
thousand miles behind them and, indeed, often forget their parents’ very names. In
the midst of their “natural” filial piety, they often run afoul of the law and get into
serious trouble. Such behavior is a sign of anything but filial piety and must be
rectified.

Now that I am living in this country I certainly hope that its citizens will be orderly and
law-abiding and that everyone will consider his actions and do only what is beneficial
for the country and for all humanity. I hope that all the wrongs that are found
throughout human society will be rights. Such actions are manifestations of true filial
piety.

V. A HISTORY OF THE TRANSLATION

The Sutra of the Past Vows of Earth Store Bodhisattva was translated in the
T’ang Dynasty by Tripitaka Master Sramana Siksananda of Khotan.

Although some editions of this sutra attribute the translation to Dharma Master Fa
Teng of the Ch’en Dynasty, most credit it to Tripitaka Master Siksananda of Khotan, a
central Asian country, the name of which means “Earth Milk”. An early king of that
country, who was without an heir, prayed to the god of a local temple for a son. From
the image’s head came a child who would drink neither human nor cow’s milk, but only
a particular milky fluid that appeared on the earth. As a result of this mysterious
happening the country was given its rather unusual name.

Sramana is a Sanskrit word which means both “energetic” and “resting,” because a
sramana energetically cultivates morality, samadhi, and wisdom and puts greed,
hatred, and stupidity to rest.

Siksananda, “delight in study”, was so named because of his joy in learning

Buddhadharma.

VI. DETAILED EXPLANATION OF THE BODY OF THE SUTRA

Having explained the previous subjects, we will now begin a discussion of the sutra
text proper.
 CHAPTER ONE
Spiritual Penetrations in the Palace of the
Trayastrimsa Heaven

Trayastrimsa , “Heaven of the Thirty-Three”, is not thirty-third in a vertical

arrangement of heavens. Vertically it occupies the second position among eighteen
heavens. Its name is taken from the fact that it is the central one among a group of
heavens located on the same plane, with eight heavens on each of its four sides. The
lord of the central heaven, the thirty-third, is named Sakra or Indra, and in Buddhism
he is a protector of the Buddha’s Dharma who does not merit a seat but must stand at
all Dharma meetings. In the Surangama Mantra he is referred to in the phrase, “Namo
Yin To La Yeh”.
The lord of this heaven is the one taken by most people as being God Almighty, ruler of
heaven and earth. Although he is extremely powerful and attends to divine matters as
well as earthly ones, he is not really different from ordinary people, since he still has
sexual desires and eats, drinks, and sleeps. Although he still has desires, they are far
lighter than those of humans, who usually become famished after several days without
food, exhausted after a few hours without sleep, and frustrated after a short time
without sexual activity. Sakra can go for one, two, or even three hundred days without
eating and can pass a year or so without sleep or sex. Although his desires are light, he
still has not eliminated them.

The Heaven of the Thirty-Three is eighty thousand yojanas high, and its city, the City
of Good Views, is made of seven precious materials and is sixty thousand yojanas
high. In the center of that city is Sakra’s palace, which is made of the most exquisite
and valuable gems. Since he is constantly surrounded by such splendor, Sakra has no
desire to leave; in fact, he wants all beings to join him in this world, where the lifespan
is a thousand years and where one century in the human world is but a day and a
night. He extends his hospitality but does not know that because of his greed for
heavenly delights even he is doomed.

Question: How did he attain the position of Heavenly Lord?

Answer: At the time of Kasyapa Buddha, Sakra was a very ordinary and poor woman
who saw a temple in ruins and vowed to restore it. Soliciting friends and relatives, she
gradually gathered a group of thirty-two women. She herself was the thirty-
third. Each of the thirty-three gave as much support as she could muster, and with
their collective effort they repaired the ruined temple. When each one died she
ascended to the heavens and became ruler of her own heaven. The heaven in which
Sakra, the former leader of the women, lives is called the Trayastrimsa Heaven, and it
is there that this sutra was spoken.

The thirty-three heavens are merely responses evoked from the karma of those thirty-
three persons. If it were not for them there would be no such heavens. Heaven, you
see, is merely a spontaneous manifestation of karma and exists only as such. In fact,
the heavens are ephemeral, not permanent places of abode, and they should not be
considered one’s ultimate goal.

Spiritual means the heart of nature. Penetrations refer to the universal

pervasiveness of the nature of wisdom. There are six kinds of spiritual penetrations,
which, although divided, are really one. In other words, although there are spiritual
penetrations, fundamentally there is not even this one, according to Buddhist
teaching. The Six Spiritual Penetrations are as follows:

1. The Penetration of the Heavenly Eye, a power that enables the entire world
system of a billion worlds to be seen as clearly as an apple held in the palm. The
Buddha’s disciple, the Venerable Aniruddha, was foremost in this power.

2. The Penetration of the Heavenly Ear, a power by means of which one can hear
all the sounds of the world systems of a billion worlds, not just all the sounds in the
heavens.

3. The Penetration of Others’ Thoughts, a power through which others’ thoughts

are known before they are even spoken.

4. The Penetration of Past Lives, a power that enables past events, both good and
bad, to be known.

5. The Penetration of Spiritual Fulfillment.

6. The Penetration of the Extinction of Outflows.

The reason we remain people and do not become Buddhas is that we have outflows
and continually disperse our energies into the Triple World of Desire, Form, and
Formlessness. Outflows characterize living beings in all nine Dharma
Realms: Bodhisattva, Sound-Hearers, Pratyekabuddhas (those enlightened to
causation), gods, humans, asuras, animals, hungry ghosts, and dwellers in
hell. Outflows come from ignorance. If ignorance is ended, there are no outflows and
the cycle of birth and death is ended.

These spiritual penetrations are characteristic of sages, and not of ordinary

people. The sages do not obtain them from outside sources; they possess them
originally.

Question: Have common people lost their inherent spiritual penetrations?

Answer: No. The spiritual penetrations are all present in the self-nature of all living
beings but have not yet been revealed. It is because the self-nature is occluded that it
can be said that fundamentally there are no spiritual penetrations in common
people. In any case, do not think that these powers are an overly important matter or
that having attained them is tantamount to having realized one of the fruits of the
Path. Do not brag about how rich you are if you obtain an ounce or two of gold, since
those who have tens of thousands of ounces of gold do not take it as anything
special. To make this mistake is to stop halfway down the road, to remain in the state
of the Two Vehicles.

Sutra:

Thus I have heard; at one time the Buddha dwelt in the

Trayastrimsa Heaven speaking Dharma for his mother. At that time an
indescribable number of Buddhas as well as great Bodhisattvas,
Mahasattvas, from limitless worlds in the ten directions, all assembled
together to praise Sakyamuni Buddha’s ability to manifest the power of
indescribably great wisdom and spiritual penetrations in the Evil World of
the Five Turbidities, as well as his ability to regulate and subdue obstinate
living beings so that they might come to know the dharmas of suffering and
bliss. Each of these sent his attendants to greet the World-Honored One.

Commentary:
Beginning the sutra with the word “thus” shows that it has been verified as being
credible and authentic and that it is used in accordance with the instructions given by
the Buddha to the Venerable Ananda.

When the Buddha was just about to enter nirvana, the Venerable Ananda, distraught
with grief, wept and became disheveled. The Venerable Aniruddha, who, although
blind, was foremost in the powers of the heavenly eye and could see all the world
systems of a billion worlds as though they were an apple in his palm, noticed Ananda’s
condition and, being a bit more levelheaded under the circumstances, suggest to
Ananda that he not cry but instead take care of some important matters while there
was still time. He then suggested that Ananda put the following four questions to the
Buddha:

1. “When the sutras are compiled, how shall we begin them in order to show that
they are the Buddha’s words?” The Buddha answered this question by instructing that
sutras should begin with the phrase, “Thus I have heard”.

2. “When the Buddha was in the world, we dwelt with him. Now that he will be
gone where should we live?” The Buddha instructed his disciples to dwell in the Four
Stations of Mindfulness: contemplation of the body as impure, contemplation of
feelings as suffering, contemplation of thoughts as impermanent, and contemplation of
dharmas as devoid of a self.

3. “Now that the Buddha will not be in the world, whom shall we revere as our
teacher?” The bhiksus were told to take the Pratimoksa, the precepts, as their master.

4. “How shall we deal with ill-disciplined monks?” The Buddha said that such
persons should be silently ignored.

When the sutras were being compiled, Ananda was excluded from the meeting, which
gathered behind closed doors. As he stood outside the assembly he suddenly realized
the state of Arhatship – cessation of involuntary physical birth and death – and was
able to enter the meeting even though no one came to open the entrance-way for
him. Although he was the most junior Arhat, he had a better memory than any of the
others and in addition had been the attendant not only to Sakyamuni Buddha but to all
the Buddhas of the past. Sakyamuni Buddha, furthermore, had said that his attendant
was to compile and edit the sutras, and so it came to pass that Ananda presided over
that assembly.

When he ascended the Dharma seat to compile the canon, Ananda’s appearance
suddenly changed and took on that of the Buddha, except that he was three inches
shorter. Consequently a number of doubts occurred among the assembly. Some
thought that perhaps Sakyamuni Buddha had not entered nirvana and was still in the
world; others thoughts that a Buddha from another world system had come, while still
others thought Ananda himself had become a Buddha.
When Ananda began his speeches with “Thus I have heard,” he did so to eliminate
doubts about who was speaking, to honor the Buddha’s instruction, to put an end to
the arguments that might have come about if any senior members of the assembly
accused him of having made up the texts himself, and to distinguish Buddhist from
non-Buddhist sutras, since all the latter begin with some variant of the words
“existence” or “nonexistence.”

Why did Ananda say “I,” rather than “my ear,” heard? The word “I” is used to
represent the entire person whereas the term “ear” would be partial.

In order for a sutra to be spoken, a certain number of conditions must be

fulfilled. These are called the Six Establishments. They are the establishments of
credibility, of a hearer, of a time, a host, a place, and of an assembly. The initial word
of the text, “thus,” establishes the first of these, the credibility of the sutra. The first
sentence establishes the second, the hearer.

Question: Why doesn’t the text state a particular time and date so that we could
know exactly when the Buddha spoke this Dharma?

Answer: Calendars of different cultures vary, with the year beginning at different
times. What some calendars reckon as the first month is the fourth or fifth in
others. If specific dates were mentioned, not only would there be no way to determine
exactly when they were, but some people, such as archaeologists, would feel compelled
to undertake extensive research and spend a great deal of time and energy, in an effort
to solve an insoluble problem. To avoid such complications the sutras merely say “…at
one time,” thus fulfilling the third of the Six Establishments, that of time.

The Buddha fulfills the fourth, establishments of a host.

The Trayastrimsa Heaven fulfills the establishment of a place, the fifth of

the Six Establishments.
Speaking Dharma for the sake of his mother is the sixth establishment. The
Buddha’s mother, the Lady Maya, “Great Illusion,” ascended to the Trayastrimsa
Heaven seven days after her son’s birth. The Lady Maya has been the mother of all the
Buddhas and will also be the mother of future Buddhas, each of whom must go to the
Trayastrimsa Heaven to speak Dharma for her. All this is done the way actors perform
in plays. Those who understand the world know that it is like a theater, of pleasure,
anger, sorrow, joy, love, hate, desire, and so forth, those who understand know that it
is all just a play, a dream, an illusion, a shadow. The Diamond Sutra says:
As a dream, a fault of vision, as a lamp,
A mock show, dewdrops, or a bubble,
So should one view what is conditioned.

The Buddha, dwelling in the Playful Samadhi, teaches living beings as if nothing were
going on, quite unlike ordinary people who have many attachments. “East,” they
insist, “is east, and west is west, and that’s all there is to that.” This kind of view is
what keeps living beings from seeing the total interpenetration and non-obstructed
fusion of all things. Because they do not understand that there is nothing that is not
false and empty, living beings bind themselves unnecessarily. In the Playful Samadhi,
the Buddha, at the request of his father, the Wheel-Turning King, or in some cases at
the request of Brahma, speaks Dharma for his mother in the heavens. At this assembly
he spoke the Sutra of the Past Vows of Earth Store Bodhisattva.

At that time does not have the meaning it had in the phrase, “Thus I have heard; at
one time…” Here it can be explained in the following five ways:

1. At the time when he wished to speak, the time the Buddha desire to speak the
Dharma of filial piety.

2. At the time when he wished to correct wrong views.

3. At the time of planting seeds. After seeds are planted, there is a period during
which the roots grow; then they sprout and are harvested. The Buddha teaches those
who have not planted good roots to plant the seeds that will give rise to them, and then
he tells them how to nurture and cultivate those roots. Once the seeds have grown they
must be harvested or else they are useless. Once good roots have been planted there
still must be cultivation, so that the fruit is ripened and the harvest of liberation is
attained.

4. At the time of a true teacher. In order to study Buddhadharma there must be a

master who understands a true teaching, and a desire to study. Without the desire for
true study, both the teacher and the teaching are useless. If you have true teaching and
a desire to study, but no true teacher, there is no way to attain the goal.

5. At that time also means at the time when the Buddha likes to speak Dharma
and when living beings like to hear it. Both the speaking and the hearing of Dharma
are on one level, since the teaching and that which is taught are interlinked. There is
no high or low in this, so that when the Buddha wishes to speak Dharma, living beings
like to listen.

Although this sutra was spoken for the Buddha’s mother, the twelve hundred fifty
bhiksus who followed the Buddha, as well as Sakra and numerous other gods, were all
present. Therefore the establishment of the assembly is made by the phrase “…for the
sake of his mother…,” for it includes the great assembly, thus completing the Six
Establishments.

Sakyamuni is a specific name of a particular Buddha; Buddha is the name common to

all Buddhas. Sakya , “capable of humaneness,” is a family name that indicates the
humaneness with which this Buddha crosses all living beings from suffering to
bliss. Muni means still and silent – the Confucians say, “…arrived, ended, nothing
further to add.” “Still and silent” refers to Samadhi; “capable of humaneness”
represents the aspect of immutability. Although the Buddha responds to various
conditions, he does not change; while he is still and unmoving in Samadhi he can
respond to the thoughts of living beings. Since he is “still and silent” he can know
everything; since he is “capable of humaneness” he can see everything. Thus it is said,
“The thoughts of all living beings are known and seen by the Thus Come
One.” Because of this, cultivators of the Way receive a response that corresponds
exactly to their own sincerity. Those whose thoughts contain one degree of sincerity
receive one degree of response; and those who have a million fold sincere thoughts
receive that great a response. From the original, enlightened, still, and unmoving
ground, Sakyamuni Buddha can move to reach out and aid living beings.
Buddha, “the enlightened one,” is so called because he has perfected three
enlightenments – inherent, initial, and ultimate – as well as ten thousand
virtues. Everyone who cultivates in accordance with the principles of Buddhadharma
can attain the position of an enlightened Buddha. Upon becoming enlightened,
Sakyamuni Buddha said:

All living beings have the Thus Come One’s knowledge and vision, and are kept from
actualizing it only because of their attachments and false thoughts.

Turbidity is a condition that occurs when substances become intermingled with one
another, as when dirt is put into clear water. The original qualities of both are lost in
the turbid mixture that results. Earth is fundamentally obstructive and can support
objects placed on it; water is basically clear and flows freely. When the two are mixed,
the resultant mud can neither support any weight nor flow freely, and the clear
attributes of the constituent elements are lost in the murky mess. The Five Turbidities
follow:

1. Time is turbid because it cannot be distinguished clearly. There is no such thing

as time, only the arbitrary and none-too-clear divisions established by beings.

2. Views are turbid since they cannot be seen clearly. Everyone has his own views;
if an attempt is made to separate the substance of one person’s views from those of
another, it is found to be impossible.

3. Afflictions are turbid because everyone has his own, yet individuals can still set
off one another’s afflictions. If one person’s were truly his alone, there would be no
way for him to annoy or trouble other people. It is just because they cannot be clearly
demarcated that afflictions are turbid.

4. Living beings are turbid because a human in one life may suddenly become a
dog, a cat, or even a worm in his next life. Living beings blend together in a great
corporate entity, and their positions switch back and forth in a confused jumble. Those
who aren’t being sold are being bought, and in the final analysis there is no way to
discern just what any particular being is.

5. The lifespan is turbid since there is nothing fixed about it. Some beings are
long-lived and some die at birth, so that there is no way to know for certain what the
lifespan of living beings will be.

Sakyamuni Buddha teaches beings by regulating and subduing and harmonizing them,
much as the five flavors – sour, hot, sweet, bitter, and salt – are harmonized and
blended in cooking so that a balanced and harmonious dish is produced. Some beings,
for example, like the teachings of Confucius, some those of Lao Tzu, some those of the
Buddha, some those of Christ, and some those of Muhammad. As a result, there are
the five great religions of the world. These five are, in fact, one. All dharmas are the
Buddha’s own and special dharmas, and “all dharmas” include the dharmas of all
religions – Christian, Confucian, Taoist, Moslem, or any other one. There is not a
single religion that can say it does not have a dharma and thus it falls outside “all
dharmas.” All dharmas are the Buddhadharma and all dharmas are unobtainable;
there is not a single dharma that exists. Frankly speaking. I will not tell you that I
have some dharma, some delicious morsel with which I can cheat you. I do not. I do
not have anything at all, for fundamentally there is nothing at all to have. As the Sixth
Patriarch said.

Fundamentally Bodhi has no tree,

The bright mirror has no stand,
Fundamentally there is not one thing,
Where can the dust alight?

As long as there is something, there is a place for dust to settle, but when there is
nothing, there is no way for it to do so, and no way for defilement to take
place. Although all dharmas are the Buddhadharma, among them there are right and
wrong dharmas, provisional and actual dharmas, good and evil dharmas, and so
forth. Those who cultivate the Way should make sure that they are cultivating an
ultimate, not a non-ultimate, dharma. Non-ultimate-dharma cultivation is like trying
to get from America to the other side of Australia by foot – a long, slow boat trip,
followed by a hard and wearying trek, before the goal is reached. Cultivation of
ultimate dharmas is like setting out for a goal by airplane – quick and efficient. Non-
ultimate dharmas are dharmas of external paths which, although they do have some
good points, are slow and roundabout. Ultimate dharmas refer to the
Buddhadharma. Sakyamuni Buddha regulates and subdues beings by saying to those
who have a bad temper, for example, that temper is not bad, that afflictions are
identical with Bodhi, and that birth and death are identical with nirvana. When such
persons hear these principles, they are led to put their ill temper to work for the sake of
great Bodhi, and their tempers diminish as their afflictions slowly change. This very
changing is Bodhi.

To beings who are so timid that they almost faint at the bark of a dog, the Buddha
extends a protective and consoling attitude. When they see such a manifestation,
living beings feel that at last they have found someone whom they can trust. As they
study Buddhadharma their courage grows. In Hong Kong I had a disciple who was so
terrified of ghosts and spirits that he would not set foot out of his house after dark,
even if accompanied. After he took refuge with the Triple Jewel, he discovered that he
no longer had this fear, even though nothing in particular had been done to rid him of
it. This manner of teaching is extended to accord with the various propensities of
beings, all of whom tend to gravitate to one extreme or another. When they are led to
attain the middle way they are basic and subdued.

Because of their basic obstinacy, living beings are quite careless about matters of
suffering and bliss and boast that they are not going to bother with such
questions. Sakyamuni Buddha is able to lead such persons to understand what
suffering and bliss really are – that suffering is falling into the lower paths, and that
bliss is attainment of the fruit of Arhatship. Falling among the hells, hungry ghosts, or
animals is suffering; becoming enlightened is bliss. Although there are manifold kinds
of both suffering and bliss, the general tenor of each can be inferred from the teaching
of Sakyamuni Buddha.

Sutra:

At that time the Thus Come One smiled and emitted hundreds of
thousands of millions of great light clouds such as the Great Perfect
Fullness Light Cloud, the Light Cloud of Great Compassion, the Light
Cloud of Great Wisdom, the Light Cloud of Great Prajna, the Light Cloud
of Great Samadhi, the Great Auspicious Light Cloud, the Light Cloud of
Great Blessing, the Light Cloud of Great Merit, the Light Cloud of Great
Refuge, and the Light Cloud of Great Praise.

Commentary:
Among the millions of clouds of light, these ten are mentioned because they represent
both the living beings in the ten Dharma realms and the contemplation of the ten
Dharma realms.

The Great Perfect Fullness Light Cloud represents theBuddha Way, which
pervades all Dharma realms. There is no place where it is not found. Every single
mote of dust in the entire Dharma realm is illuminated by this cloud of light.
The Light Cloud of Great Compassion connotes empathy and the ability to rescue
beings from their sufferings. Such conduct describes the Bodhisattva Way because
Bodhisattvas do everything in their power to give living beings what they like.
The Bodhisattva Samantabhadra was once an attendant in a monastery dining
hall. His job entailed walking between rows of tables with a condiment tray, supplying
the desires of the bhiksus. To those who liked sweets he gave honey; to those who
favored pungent flavors he gave hot sauce. This seemingly easy task was complicated,
however, and he often received complaints that he had dished out too much or too
little; no matter what he gave the bhiksus it was often a source of irritation to
them. Practicing the Bodhisattva Way and fulfilling the wishes of all living beings is
not all that easy a practice.
The Light Cloud of Great Wisdom . This light refers to the wisdom of
Pratyekabuddhas, those who are enlightened to causation. By contemplating the
Twelve Links of conditioned Causation, they have come to understand the birth and
death of the Ten Thousand Things, and through that understanding, their inherent
great wisdom is manifested. The Twelve Links and their interdependent relationships
are as follows: ignorance causes actions; action causes consciousness; consciousness
causes name and form; name and form cause the six entrances; the six entrances cause
contact; contact causes feeling; feeling causes love; love causes grasping; grasping
causes existence; existence causes birth; and birth causes old age and death.
The order of extinction of the Twelve Links of Conditioned Causation is: when
ignorance is extinguished, action is extinguished; when action is extinguished,
consciousness is extinguished; when consciousness is extinguished, name and form are
extinguished; when name and form are extinguished, the six entrances are
extinguished; when the six entrances are extinguish, love is extinguished; when love is
extinguished, covetousness is extinguished; when covetousness is extinguished,
existence is extinguished; when existence is extinguish, birth is extinguished; when
birth is extinguished, old age and death are extinguished. Those enlightened to
causation understand that when ignorance is broken down, the entire interlinked chain
of becoming is smashed.

The Light Cloud of Great Prajna . Prajna, wisdom, is of three types: Literary
Prajna, Contemplative Prajna, and Reality Prajna. In order to maintain a distinction
between the light cloud previously discussed, which represented the Dharma realm of
Pratyekabuddhas, and this cloud of light, which stands for the realm of the Sound-
Hearers, the term “Prajna” is left in Sanskrit rather than translated. When Sound-
Hearers hear the sound of the teaching, they develop Contemplative Prajna, through
which they are able to attain to Reality Prajna and the position of Arhatship.
The Light Cloud of Great Samadhi , “transit-concentration,” represents the realm
of the gods who cultivate the superior grade of the Ten Good Deeds and thus attain the
power that enables them to penetrate the Four Dhyanas and the Eight Samadhis. The
Four Dhyanas – each of which includes a certain number of heavens, which will be
discussed in due course – have names in addition to their more common numerical
designations. The first is called the Blissful Ground of Leaving Production; the second
is called the Blissful Ground of the birth of Samadhi; the third is the Ground of the
Wonderful Bliss of Leaving Happiness; and the fourth is the Ground of the Purity of
Renouncing Thought. In addition to these there are the Four Stations of Emptiness,
which also include heavens. They are the stations of Boundless Space, Boundless
Consciousness, Nothing Whatsoever, and Neither Thought nor Nonthought. These
two lists taken together are called the Four Dhyanas and Eight Samadhis, and their
corresponding heavens can be attained by those who take refuge with the Triple Jewel,
maintain the Five Precepts, and cultivate the superior grade of the Ten Good Deeds.
The Great Auspicious Light Cloud represents the human realm, in which
auspicious happenings are cause for rejoicing and fate is taken to be the origin of most
events. Those who take refuge with the Triple Jewel and maintain the Five Precepts
can be born in the human realm.
The Light Cloud of Great Blessing refers to the realm of the asuras, who are
sometimes found among the gods, sometimes among humans, and sometimes in other
paths. These beings have the virtue of the gods but are lacking in blessings.
The Light Cloud of Great Merit shines on the realm of the animals. It is emitted
by the Buddha for the purpose of eradicating the offenses of beasts so that they may
leave suffering and obtain bliss.
The Light Cloud of Great Refuge, representing the realm of the hungry ghosts, is
emitted to induce these creatures to change their ways and take refuge with the Triple
Jewel.
The Light Cloud of Great Praise represents the realm of the hells and is emitted
for the benefit of denizens of that region.

Sutra:
After emitting more indescribably clouds of light, he also emitted a
great many wonderfully subtle sounds such as the Danaparamita sound,
the Silaparamita sound, the Ksantiparamita sound, the Viryaparamita
sound, the Dhyanaparamita sound, and the Prajnaparamita sound.

Commentary:
Although the Buddha speaks with a single sound, each living being hears it differently
and in his own tongue, be he Japanese, English, French, or an inhabitant of any other
realm. There is no need for translation, because the sound of the Buddha is totally
inconceivable.

In Chinese the word “sound” may be defined with a homonym that means “to drink,”
since living beings receive the Buddha’s sound just as a thirsty man receives water. It
is sometimes explained by another homonym that means “hidden,” because although
his sound is often large, at other times it is only a still, small voice.

Question: How far does the Buddha’s sound carry?

Answer: Mahamaudgalyayana, the disciple foremost in spiritual penetrations, once
traveled to the east in search of the answer to this question and passed through as
many world systems as there are grains of sand in the Ganges. No matter how far he
went, the sound of the Buddha’s voice was equally strong, as if the Buddha were
speaking directly into his ear.

The Danaparamita sound . Dana, “giving,” is of three kinds: giving of wealth, of

Dharma, and of self-confidence. How should one give? Giving, in order to be true
giving, should be done in such a way that the substance of the Three Wheels is seen as
empty. The Three Wheels are the giver, the gift, and the recipient. If the thought of
any of these occurs in the transaction and an idea that one is giving arises, his giving
becomes a kind of stinginess. When giving takes place with the Three Wheels seen as
empty, no attachment to giving arises, and not even a remembrance of giving
remains. Thoughts of giving cancel out the good retribution that might have come
from the act. Then, at best, the giving rates merely a heavenly reward. Such giving
cannot bring one to the state of being without outflows.

Paramita, “gone to the other shore,” is a Sanskrit term that means simply the
completion of anything that is being done, reaching any goal for which one has set
out. When we begin a Dharma lecture we are at this shore; a couple of hours later, at
its conclusion, we have reached the other shore. Crossing from the opening phrase,
“Thus I have heard,” to the conclusion, “The entire assembly made respectful
obeisance, placed their palms together, and withdrew,” is also a Paramita. If the goal is
the extinction of birth and death, then birth and death are this shore. After the
intervening current of afflictions has been crossed, the other shore, nirvana, is reached,
much as one reaches Oakland after crossing the San Francisco Bay Bridge. In one case
the first shore is represented by San Francisco and the other shore by Oakland; in
another case, the first shore is the world in which we live and the other shore is the
Buddha’s Permanent Still Land of Light. In either case, once the goal has been
determined, it is still necessary to set out on the journey and travel the route that leads
to the destination.

The near shore is the state of being a foolish common person; the far shore is reaching
the level of the sages. This shore is not understanding Buddhadharma, the other shore
is complete understanding. There are different kinds of shores, however, and some are
ultimate while others are not.

Question: What is the difference between ultimate and non-ultimate shores?

Answer: To pass from the stage of a common person to the first fruit of the Path,
called the fruit of a Stream Winner, is to have arrived at another shore but not an
ultimate one, for there is still the second fruit of the Path, the Once Returner, to be
reached. When that has been attained, there still remain the third and fourth fruits of
the Path, and so it cannot be called an ultimate shore either. After the fourth fruit of
Arhatship has been reached, the ultimate shore is still far off, since the shore of the
bodhisattva has not been attained. Those who land on the Bodhisattvas’ shore have yet
to realize the knowledge and vision of the Buddha, and so their shore too, is a
nonultimate one. Achieving Buddhahood, Anuttarasamyaksambodhi, the utmost,
right, and equal enlightenment, is to arrive at the ultimate shore. The principles
contained in this term are many, but this introduction is sufficient to enable you to
infer the remainder, so that from hearing one principle, you come to understand ten.

The Silaparamita sound . Sila, “cool refreshment,” “no annoyance,” or “to repel,”
may be summed up in the English word “morality”: the morality that repels all evil, as
described in the proverb, “Do no evil, do only good.”

A great layman once asked an eminent master for instruction and said, “Venerable Sir,
what is the Buddhadharma?”

“Avoid all evil, and do only good,” came the reply.

“Sir,” said the layman, “I sought Buddhadharma. What you say can be understood by
any three-year-old child; how is that Dharma?”

“A three-year-old child can understand it,” he answered, “but a hoary graybeard of

eighty cannot.”

“Avoid all evil” means, of course, not to do any one of the myriad evils that can be
done. Although the word “all” here means one, it clearly says “all,” and so I say that all
is one and explain this phrase as meaning not to do one single evil. If you commit one
bad act you will soon do a second and a third, and before long there will be hundreds of
thousands of millions of evils, all of which have sprung from one. I explain the word
“mountain” in the same fashion. Mountains seem big, yet they are composed of
accumulated motes of fine dust. Because the number of such particles which go to
make up a mountain is incomprehensible, it is better to say “one” because anyone can
understand it. In the same way, “avoid all evil” means not to do a single bad thing. If it
were explained as meaning “all evil,” people would feel that only a great amount of evil,
that which is totally bad, was to be avoided, and that the single small evil which they
wanted to do could be allowed. Consequently, “avoid all evil” may be explained as “do
not do a single evil.”

“Do only good” means to do as many good deeds as there are pores in the body. “Only
good” means “all good,” and so it is not permissibly to say that you can do one good
deed and avoid another. Regardless of whether a good deed is large or small, it should
be done. Although the principle of avoiding all evil and doing only good can be
understood by a three-year-old child, the eighty-year-old master admitted that even at
his age he could not do it perfectly.

While other people explain all as everything, I differ in that I turn it around. Since I
can’t calculate sums and don’t know which is which when the figures get too high, I
return it all to one. This is much like being in a race on a circular track in which you
fall so far behind that eventually the front of the race comes up from behind and you
end up ahead of them all. My explanations of sutras are like this. I can’t count very
high. How much does talk about millions of millions of millions boil down to? It is
just one. When explanations are made in this way, not only can I understand, but even
little children can.

Sila also means moral precepts. As was mentioned above, when the Buddha was about
to enter nirvana, the Venerable Ananda asked four question, one of which was who
should be the teacher of the disciples after the Buddha left them. The Buddha replied
that the Pratimoksa, the moral precepts, were to be taken as the master. Precepts
teach the principle of avoiding all evil and doing only good and are of the utmost
importance in cultivation of the Way. In cultivation, giving, too, is foremost, but the
precepts have equal priority. For that matter, in speaking Dharma, there is nothing
that occupies a second place; everything is foremost. Any Dharma at all is foremost,
and when asked which of eighty-four thousand teachings is first, I reply that they all
are.

The Eighty-Four Thousand Dharma Doors are established as medicine to cure the
eighty-four thousand illnesses of living beings. Each person has his own particular
sickness, and whatever cures it is the foremost of medicines as far as he is
concerned. How can a first place among all of these be determined?

Some medicines cure headaches, some cure toothaches, some cure eye infections,
while others cure internal illnesses. It would be an error to say that any one of them is
foremost among medicines. For those with headaches, headache medicines are best;
for those with broken legs, quite another remedy is the superior one.
This principle holds true for greed, hatred, and stupidity, the three grave illnesses of
living beings. For those whose greed is cured by understanding Buddhadharma, the
methods which cure greed are best; for those whose hatred is cured by understanding
Buddhadharma, the methods which counteract hatred are superior. In order to cure
the eighty-four thousand habits and illnesses of beings, the Buddha spoke as many
Dharma Doors. The Diamond Sutra says, “This Dharma is equal and has no high or
low.” Consequently all of the eighty-four thousand methods are foremost.

When discussing precepts, the name of Vinaya Master Tao Hsuan, a renowned
cultivator of the precepts who wrote commentaries on the Vinaya, should be
mentioned. He maintained the precepts so purely, and the power of his morality was
so great, that the gods brought him offerings and he did not eat the food of common
men. To say that he was pure in his maintenance of the Vinaya means that he was pure
in the appearance, dharma, and substance of morality, which encompass the Three
Thousand Awesome Demeanors and the Eighty-Four Thousand Fine Practices.

The Three Thousand Awesome Demeanors are derived from the four
deportments: walking, standing, sitting, and lying down. It is said,

Walk like the wind, stand like a pine;

Sit like a bell and lie like a bow.

Walking like the wind does not mean imitating a tornado, nor even the kind of half jog
that many people use to get from one place to another. The wind which should serve as
a model for walking is the gentle zephyr, which does not even ripple the surface of a
still pond.

To stand like a pine is to stand up straight, not slumped over as if totally devoid of
energy. The head should not hang as if looking only at the ground; the gaze should be
regulated and should not dart furtively back and forth like that of a thief.

To sit like a bell is to be erect and solid yet quite natural and spontaneous. In lying
down, the legs should be drawn up slightly like a bow.

When one maintains the two hundred and fifty precepts in each of these four
deportments, he has the One Thousand Awesome Demeanors which, when multiplied
by the past, present, and future, yield three thousand.
Because Vinaya Master Tao Hsuan was pure in maintaining the precepts, he did not
talk idly, did not laugh all the time, did not answer immediately when questioned, did
not become angry, and did not burst with happiness. He always maintained his
original appearance.

Question: Isn’t such behavior extremely wooden and inhuman?

Answer: It is not the case that he was inhuman; merely that he was not driven by
emotions. To be unmoved by emotional states is to maintain the middle way,
something which those who maintain precepts do in every action and at all times.

Vinaya Master Tao Hsuan lived in ChungNan Mountain in the same system of ranges
that includes the Himalayas. There were a number of old cultivators of Dharma who
lived there, and the wild tigers and wolves of the area acted as their Dharma
protectors. He lived in a single thatched hut and maintained the practice of eating only
one meal a day, before noon, which was brought every day at the same time by a god
named Lu Hsuan Ch’ang.

Contemporary with Vinaya Master Tao Hsuan, but living in another part of the
country, was the National Master K’uei Chi, the Three-Cart Patriarch, disciple of
Tripitaka Master Hsuan Tsang, and expounder of the Consciousness-Only
School. When the Great Master Hsuan Tsang translated sutras with the aid of eight
hundred bhiksus, K’uei Chi was the foremost among them, a fact which in itself
vouches for his intelligence.

One day Patriarch K’uei Chi recalled all the fine foods he had eaten during his life, both
flesh and vegetarian delicacies, and realized that he had never before tasted the food of
the gods. Having heard of Vinaya Master Tao Hsuan’s diet, he decided to pay him a
call, and set out for ChungNan Mountain. He arrived early one morning. Since the
Master Tao Hsuan only ate one meal a day, K’uei Chi had to wait all morning for food
to be served. He waited until eleven, until noon, and then until well past noon. Finally
night fell. Since no one had shown up with any food, the two Dharma masters went
hungry, and even unheard of and almost unbearable for K’uei Chi.

“Well,” he said to Master Tao Hsuan, “You say the gods send you food. Why it is that
no one comes when I’m here? You would not be lying, now, would you? Could you
perhaps be out to cheat people?”
“Say what you will,” replied Tao Hsuan, without argument. “Say I deceive people if you
like, but I myself know whether I am a fraud or not.”

By this time it was too dark to begin the long descent down the mountain, and so K’uei
Chi stayed overnight in the thatched hut. Tao Hsuan, although he dined on divine
food, was still a skinny man. K’uei Chi, on the other hand, who had eaten only the food
of mortals but who was very concerned with the subject of food in all its details, was
remarkably fat. That night K’uei Chi didn’t bother to sit or practice meditation; he just
lay down and soon was snoring like a cow. Vinaya Master Tao Hsuan sat to meditate,
but K’uei Chi’s snoring kept him from entering Samadhi.

Cultivators who lived in mountain hermitages often had lice, and as Tao Hsuan sat he
felt bug bites. Because he maintained the precepts strictly, he would not kill the little
beasts, but he very slowly and carefully set them on the ground. The room was dark
and the Dharma Master K’uei Chi was snoring soundly.

In the morning Tao Hsuan asked, “Why don’t you work at cultivation? All night long
you snored like thunder and kept me from entering Samadhi. You really are not a true
cultivator of the Way.”

“You think,” said K’uei Chi, “that I am not a true cultivator, but as I see the matter, it is
quite the reverse. Last night, although you may have worked hard, you did not work
well. One of those lice you set down so gingerly and carefully to avoid killing it broke
two legs, while the other died and went before King Yama to press charges against
you. King Yama was about to send some ghosts out for you, but I managed to get in a
few good words on your behalf. ‘He is a cultivator,’ I said, ‘and besides, he really did
try his best not to harm the lice.’ My plea saved you quite a bit of trouble, and so, while
you think that I am not a true cultivator, I think the situation is quite the reverse.”

Since the room had been totally dark when these events occurred, Master Tao Hsuan
certainly wondered how K’uei Chi could have come to know all this. He did not ask,
however, because he was a cultivator of precepts and would not chat casually with
people.

Shortly afterward Master K’uei Chi left, saying that Tao Hsuan could carry on with his
work, but that he, K’uei Chi, was not about to wait around for lunch. Not long after his
departure, the god Lu Hsuan Ch’ang arrived, knelt before Tao Hsuan, and apologized,
saying that he had come with food the day before, as usual, but that for forty miles in
every direction there had been such a bright golden light that he could not even open
his eyes. When he asked a local earth spirit the cause of this phenomenon, he was told
that a Bodhisattva in the flesh was visiting Vinaya Master Tao Hsuan. Lu Hsuan
Ch’ang begged forgiveness, telling Tao Hsuan that even though he had tried every
possible avenue of approach, he had had no way to come and make the customary
offering. From that point on, Vinaya Master Tao Hsuan realized why K’uei Chi was a
national master and held him in high esteem.

The Ksantiparamita sound . Ksanti, “patience,” is a virtue that must be practiced

over long periods of time to be brought to perfection. It is a virtue that is constantly
being tested. There once was an old cultivator of the Way who specialized in the
practice of patience and who, after many years of hard work, felt that he had reached
his goal, the perfection of patience. To announce this fact to the world, he set up a sign
saying “A Nature Like Ashes” outside the hermitage in which he sat patiently.
A traveler passing on the road one day was struck by the unusual sign and stopped to
ask its owner what it meant. “It says ‘A Nature Like Ashes,’” the cultivator answered.

“I beg your pardon,” said the traveler, “would you mind repeating that?”

“It reads,” said the sage quite clearly, “‘A Nature Like Ashes.’ “

“Oh,” came the reply, ‘but what does it say?”

“It says ‘A Nature Like Ashes.’ “

“Excuse me,” said the youth, “but for some reason I can’t quite make out the
words. Would you be so kind as to read them to me?”

“They say,” said the old cultivator, with the calm demeanor of a patient man, “‘A
Nature Like Ashes.’ “

The conversation continued in this vein for some hours, until quite late in the day,
when the traveler said, “Would you be so kind, sir, as to read this sign for me?”

The sage, mustering the full force of his patience, said, “It says, ‘A Nature Like Ashes,’
if you must know.”

“Yes,” the traveler said, “but what does it say, please.”

“Damn it!” exploded the sage, “if I’ve told you once I’ve told you a million times, it says
‘A NATURE LIKE ASHES.’ That’s what it says.”
“I see,” said the traveler as he took a step upward into the air and manifested the
resplendent body of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva (for that indeed is who he was), “that
there remains an ember or two in those ashes. Given another twenty years, perhaps
they may cool off. Good man, you will have to wait around a while yet and keep
working. In time we may meet again.”

Patience, although seemingly easy to cultivate, is always subject to trying and

unexpected tests. It is only during these that the proof of the practice is to be found.

The Viryaparamita sound . Virya, “vigor,” is the fourth of the Six Perfections. Those
who truly understand vigor apply it to the cultivation of the Buddha Way, but many
people apply vigor to the non-beneficial ascetic practices cultivated by
externalists. There are many such groups in India. One, for example, models itself on
cattle, and its adherents eat only grass. Others follow the morality of dogs and go so
far as to eat only what dogs eat, as they crawl about on all fours. The followers of yet
another such group live in ashes, which they add to already basically unclean
bodies. Some sleep on beds of nails, and others do all manner of extreme things in the
name of cultivating vigor.
Such vigor is quite useless since it is pursued among unwholesome dharmas. This is
turning ones back on the Way. Vigor should be applied in wholesome dharmas, such
as bowing to the Buddha, reciting sutras, performing repentance ceremonies, reciting
the Buddha’s name, and other practices which involve vigor of the body. From vigor of
the body, vigor of the mind – in which every single thought is a cultivation of
wholesome dharmas – arises. When such vigor is practiced, even fatigue and hunger
are forgotten. But if vigor slackens, problems arise: fatigue sets in, energy and spirit
drain, and the only thing left to do is sleep. Go ahead, examine your own vigor. You
will discover that this is true.

When the Buddha was in the world, everyone who had left the home life was required
to recite the following verse:

Watch over the mouth, hold the mind, with the body do no wrong;

Do not, in any way, annoy a single living being;

Keep far away from non-beneficial ascetic practices;

Cultivation such as this can surely save the world.

 This verse reminds cultivators of the Buddha Way that they cannot engage in idle talk
about trivial matters and personal preferences, that their thoughts should be collected
and not allowed to roam aimlessly, and that in every movement cultivators should
remember what they are doing and what kind of people they are.

Not a single living being, not even an animal, should be annoyed or bothered and non-
beneficial asceticism should be shunned. The Twelve Dhutanga Practices of Asceticism
should, of course, be maintained, but the bizarre forms of asceticism indulged in by
those who follow the ways of cattle or dogs should be shunned.

Question: What gives rise to such strange and useless practices?

Answer: Through long cultivation, it is possible to open one’s heavenly eye and see,
among other things, the death and rebirth of beings. In the past there were people
who, having obtained this faculty happened to see a dog or a cow reborn in the
heavens. Because they were ignorant, these people mistakenly assumed that the
animals had earned those rewards from some quality of their existence as animals, and
consequently they imitated the behavioral patterns of such beasts in the hope of
attaining rebirth in the heavens.

All the vigor of which we are speaking is fundamentally nonexistent, but it is discussed
for the benefit of us ordinary people. Each of the Six Paramitas involves vigor. Giving,
morality, and patience belong to vigor of the body, while vigor, Dhyana, Samadhi, and
Prajna belong to vigor of the mind. Explained in this way, vigor does not exist, for it is
identical with the other five Paramitas. When giving is generous, it is vigorous giving;
when precepts are held firmly, that is the vigor of morality. Diligence is applying vigor
in the substance of vigor itself. The ceaseless cultivation of Dhyana is the vigor of
Dhyana, and the constant practice of wisdom is the Prajnaparamita.

It may be objected that vigor was practiced once but found to be fatiguing and
consequently of no benefit. This is simply an attachment to one kind of vigor, and it
keeps one from true vigor. As long as one thinks his vigor is great and there is no vigor
at all, because there is a vigor that blocks true vigor. When the Buddhadharma is
understood, there is not anything at all. It is only when there is no understanding that
things exist.

Of course, it cannot be argued that if one is not vigorous he has reached the state of not
having a single thing. That is quite a different kind of non-vigor. If the Buddhadharma
is truly understood, then it is genuine vigor that is non-vigor, since there is no
attachment to it. If there is no real understating of Buddhadharma, there is an
attachment to vigor, and consequently, no vigor. After the Buddhadharma has been
understood, everything must be relinquished. If this is not done, Dharma has not been
fully understood, for the Buddhadharma teaches beings to forsake all attachments and
appearances.

The Dhyanaparamita sound . Dhyana, “thought cultivation,” or “quiet

consideration,” is of several sorts. There are the Four Dhyanas, the Eight Samadhis,
and the Nine Successive Stages of Samadhi, as well as Worldly Dhyana, World-
Transcending Dhyana, and the Superior Grade of World-Transcending Dhyana.
Ordinary people cultivate Worldly Dhyana, which includes the Four Unlimited
Thoughts and the Four Formless Samadhis. These states need not be discussed in
detail. If you apply effort and cultivate sitting meditation, you will spontaneously come
to understand them. For me to explain them all now would be like talking of food and
not eating it – you would not know the flavor. For the time being, let it suffice to say
that there are many types of Dhyana: Worldly, World-Transcending, Superior, Thus
Come One Dhyana, Patriarch Dhyana, and so forth. Now all that remains for you to do
is the work of cultivation, in order to attain them and know them for yourselves.

The Prajnaparamita sound . Prajna, “wisdom,” is of two types, worldly and world-
transcending. Worldly wisdom is the clear argumentation of worldly principles in such
matters as science and philosophy. Clear argumentation is the ability to find principles
where there are none. World-Transcending Prajna is the ability to think of the
Buddhadharma in every thought, so that even in sleep, dreams, and sickness there is
only thought of the Buddhadharma.
In the final analysis, these two are just one kind of wisdom; the difference lies in its
application. Used in the world, it becomes worldly wisdom; applied to world-
transcending dharmas, to the Buddhadharma, it is world-transcending
wisdom. Although Prajna is not two, it is divided. Suppose, for example, that through
the study of worldly dharmas, one comes to realize that conditioned existence is
impermanent, marked by suffering, and devoid of self. If this wisdom gained from
worldly dharmas is used to investigate world-transcending dharmas, it becomes world-
transcending wisdom. Because most people have worldly wisdom but not world-
transcending wisdom, they are involved in confused and inconsequential matters,
while ignoring the fundamental question of life and death. Some people, on the other
hand, investigate world-transcending questions, but do not investigate worldly
dharma.
It is said, “Understand the transcendent and understand the mundane. The mundane
is transcendent, the transcendent is mundane.” An ancient poem says:

“Intelligence is aided by secret determination;

Secret determination leads one on the road to intelligence.

If secret determination is not practiced as the cause of intelligence,

Intelligence reverses and becomes a hindrance.”

One cause of intelligence is good deeds done in past lives. However, good deeds
should not be done for publicity. They should be done but not spread about – for
example, if one ransoms prisoners, it should be done without letting them know the
identity of their liberator. Another cause of intelligence is the recitation of
sutras. Reciting the Diamond Prajnaparamita Sutra several tens of thousands of
times, for example, is a good cause of future intelligence.

If one does not practice secret good deeds in this life, however, one’s intelligence
backfires and becomes an obstacle. How is that so? If one is not at all clever, he
cannot do very many bad deeds; but those who are clever not only are able to do evil
but are just as good at covering up their tracks so that they never get caught. One of
the most intelligent men in China was the notorious general Ts’ao Ts’ao who was even
more clever than ghosts. He did a great many indecent things. Those who are wise will
hear the verse cited above and put it into practice by doing deeds which will benefit
mankind rather than harm it.

Sutra:

The Sound of Great Compassion, the Sound of Joyous Giving, the Sound of
Liberation, the Sound of No-Outflows, the Sound of Wisdom, the Sound of
Great Wisdom, the Sound of the Lion’s Roar, the Sound of the Great Lion’s
Roar, the Sound of Thunderclouds, the Sound of Great Thunderclouds.

Commentary:
The Sound of Great Compassion . In Chinese, the term “compassion” consists of
two characters. The first connotes the kindness that bestows happiness and the second
the mercy that is able to rescue beings from their sufferings. All beings who hear this
sound of the Buddha area able to leave suffering and attain to bliss, end birth, and cast
off death.
The Sound of Joyous Giving . Kindness, Mercy, Joy, and Giving are called the Four
Unlimited Thoughts. This sound indicates the joy which should accompany giving.
The Sound of Liberation . To be liberated is to obtain genuine independence,
without restraint or bondage; liberation is freedom from the sufferings of the Six Paths
on the wheel of rebirth.
Once a bhiksu requested Dharma from a famous master. “Superior One,” he asked,
“how can liberation be attained?”

“Who,” replied the master “is binding you?”

At those words, the monk was enlightened and realized, “Fundamentally no one binds
me up; I bind myself. One who does not bind himself attains liberation
spontaneously.”

Question: What is meant by binding oneself up?

Answer: To have seen through things but not relinquished them is to bind oneself
and keep oneself from liberation. It is quite simple. If you relinquish everything, you
obtain liberation; if you do not relinquish it all, you are bound. In this sutra,
Sakyamuni Buddha emits the Sound of Liberation to say, “Don’t tie yourself up and
cast yourself into a prison of your own making.”

At this point someone may object, “I am quite independent; if I want to go east, I go

east, and if I want to go west, I do that.”

The independence of which we are speaking here, however, is not the independence of
the body; it is the independence of the self-nature. When you realize this
independence, you can live or die at will, and your death will be completely free of
illness. This is what is meant by the phrase, “Life and death are in my own and not
Heaven’s hands.” One who is free can live to a hundred or thousand years if he wishes,
and when he wants to die, he can return to his original home at any time. If he likes his
house he lives in it; if not, he can always move.

The independence of the self-nature is of two types. One is an independence of the

consciousness-spirit and the other is the inherent Buddha-nature. The consciousness-
spirit belongs to the sphere of yin, and while it is able to travel about, it is unable to
carry anything with it. We might say that it can go to New York, Europe, or Asia to find
out what is going on in those places but is not able to bring things back to its starting
point without the help of an airplane, bus, or other means of transportation.

The freedom of the inherent Buddha-nature, on the other hand, belongs to the realm of
yang and has the great function of the complete substance. When the liberation of the
Buddha-nature has been attained, one can sit in San Francisco, for example, and
stretch out his arm to bring things back from New York. In this wonderful state, the
world systems of a million worlds are contained in a single room, and one can go
anywhere in them.

While it is possible to attain this state, it is not permissible to give casual

demonstrations of it by pulling in items from all over the world for the gratification of
spectators. The Buddha told all his disciples that after his nirvana they should not
manifest their spiritual powers, because if they did, they would not remain in the world
very long. Ordinary people would be too startled and frightened and would turn on
them. In any case, it should be clearly understood at this point that the ability to go
anywhere and do anything belongs to yang. Without this ability, the state is merely
one of consciousness and belongs to the realm of yin.

The Sound of No-Outflows . This sound is also the sound of existence without
ignorance, for, as long as one has even a trace of ignorance, he cannot attain to the
state without outflows. Why are you greedy? Because you suffer ignorance. Why do
you have stupidity? Because of your ignorance. Why do you have desire? Because you
don’t understand karma. If one attains the Sound of No-Outflows, he is without
ignorance.

The Sound of Wisdom . Wisdom is the complement of stupidity. If you are

characterized by one, you do not have the other, because the two cannot stand
together. But I will also say: wisdom is stupidity and stupidity is wisdom.
Someone may now say, “Then because I am rather stupid, I must be wise. I might as
well indulge my stupidity to the utmost.” If you are truly able to carry this off, truly
able to take your stupidity to the ultimate, that in itself is true wisdom.

“Dharma Master,” someone else objects, “I can’t believe these principles. NO matter
what you say, I cannot believe that wisdom and stupidity are identical. I have watched
stupid people be confused, and wise people behave with precise clarity.”

This objection is not invalid; in fact it is quite right. Looked at differently, on the other
hand, your position is quite erroneous, since stupidity can change and become
wisdom. It is because of this potential for change that I say that stupidity is wisdom;
because wisdom becomes stupidity when it fades, I say that wisdom is stupidity.

The verse explained earlier embodies this principle quite well. The wise do not say that
they cannot be stupid. The wise- those who have genuine independence and true
liberation – do not behave in a confused manner, and fools do not act wisely. While
stupid people are moved by others, the wise do not budge, because they have a
selective Dharma eye and can discriminate properly. If something is right, they
respond; if it is wrong, they don’t move.

Fools, on the other hand, often know quite clearly that what they are about to do is
wrong, but they go ahead and do it anyway. Gamblers, for example, know that the
chances of becoming rich are a million to one against them, and yet, moved by their
greed and ignorance, they lose everything. Even though they become penniless, they
usually do not awaken but rather say that since they were only off by one number when
they last lost, they are sure to win next time. If you don’t think this is stupid, just ask
yourself if casino operators could make a living off gamblers who always got rich.

Stupidity is not confined to gambling. Some people smoke opium. Although we have
heard time and again that it is a harmful practice, some people try it a number of
times, and each time they smoke they feel as if they have not quite reached the ultimate
state. And so they try again, and yet again, until they find themselves addicted. Not
only are they unaware that they have lost their independence, but, what is worse, they
think that their drugs are their independence. They think that they are free to do
whatever they wish; but if they lack their opium, they become irritable and their eyes
start to water and their skin begins to itch. Anyone with any wisdom does not get
involved in such things.
The Sound of Great wisdom. Great Wisdom can see the consequences of actions
even more clearly. Great wisdom is simply the study of the Buddhadharma, the means
of attaining genuine independence.
The Sound of the Lion’s Roar . The sound of the Great Lion’s Roar . When
the lion, the king of beasts, roars, he sets all the animals to trembling simultaneously,
petrified with fear. All are brought to heel by this sound, even the ferocious tiger and
rapacious wolf.
The Sound of Thunderclouds . The Sound of Great Thunderclouds . The
sound of the Buddha covers the earth and then pours out a rain that nourishes the
roots of all the plants, each of which receives the amount of moisture it needs. In the
rain of the Buddhadharma, each being obtains exactly the amount its roots are able to
absorb in order to help its Dharma-body grow and its wisdom increase.
Sutra:

After such indescribably sounds had issued forth, gods, dragons,

ghosts, and spirits from the Saha world and other realms assembled in the
Palace of the Trayastrimsa Heaven. They arrived from the Heaven of the
Four Kings, the Trayastrimsa Heaven, the Suyama Heaven, the Tusita
Heaven, the Transformation of Bliss Heaven, and the Heaven of Comfort
Gained through Transformation of Others’ Bliss.

Commentary:
Saha, “able to endure,” is the name of our world system because its inhabitants are
capable of bearing much pain and suffering. Just as the Western Land is a place of
extreme bliss, so this world of ours is one of utmost suffering.
The Heaven of the Four Kings is halfway up Mount Sumeru. In the east is a king
named He Who Maintains Countries, in the south is a king named Increase and
Growth, in the west is a king named Many Languages, and in the north is a king called
Much Learning, who is also known as Wide Eyes. The gods in this heaven are half a
yojanas tall and have a lifespan of five hundred years, each consisting of twelve months
of thirty days each. One day in this heaven is equivalent to fifty years among
humans. Because this heaven is extremely close to us, its inhabitants watch over the
affairs of human beings.
The Trayastrimsa Heaven has already been discussed, and so here we will add only
that the inhabitants are one yojanas tall and live for a thousand years.
The Suyama , “well-divided time,” is a heaven located so high on the side of Mount
Sumeru that the light of the sun and moon cannot reach it. It is light there, however,
because the gods all emit light. Because there is no light from the sun or moon, time is
measured by the opening and closing of the lotus flower; when the lotus is open, it is
day, and when it closes, night has arrived. The inhabitants of this heaven are two
yojanas tall and live for two thousand years. Throughout all these heavens, the height
and lifespan double in each successive heaven.
The Tusita , or “contentment,” Heaven, is divided into an inner and an outer
court. The outer courtyard is subject to destruction by the Three Disasters, fire, water,
and wind, which occur at the end of the kalpas, but the inner courtyard is not.
The inhabitants of the Transformation of Bliss Heaven take pleasure in
transformational creations.
The gods of the Heaven of Comfort Gained through Transformation of
Others’ Bliss obtain their bliss through transforming it away from other
heavens. Those who live in this heaven are neither genuine spirits nor immortals but
heavenly demons.
The Heaven of the Four Kings, the Trayastrimsa Heaven, the Suyama Heaven, the
Tusita Heaven, the Transformation of Bliss Heaven, and the Heaven of Comfort
Gained through Transformation of Others’ Bliss are known as the Six Desire
Heavens. Although those who dwell there are among the gods, they still have impure
thoughts of sexual desire. In the Heaven of the Four Kings and the Trayastrimsa
Heaven, sexual affairs are carried out in the same manner as they are among people,
but a newborn child in the Heaven of the Four Kings is as large as a five-year-old
human child. In the Trayastrimsa Heaven an infant is as large as a seven-year-old
human child, and in the Suyama Heaven the newborn are as large as human children
of ten. Shortly after birth, the infant sits on the knees of an adult and eats
spontaneously-appearing sweet dew, after which he becomes as large as an adult
god. It is said:

The Four Kings and the Trayastrimsa

Fulfill desire by embrace,
Suyamas hold hands, Tusitas laugh.
In the Transformation Bliss they gaze,
And in the Other they merely glance.

The desire of those in the Heaven of the Four Kings and the Trayastrimsa Heaven is
like our own; but in the Suyama Heaven, husbands and wives prefer to cultivate the
Way and only infrequently hold hands. In the Tusita Heaven, marital affairs are
carried out by laughing. Although most people consider laughter good, it is actually a
function of emotional gratification. In the Transformation of Bliss Heaven, the gods
merely gaze at one another to achieve their gratification, and in the Heaven of the
Comfort Gained through Transformation of Others’ Bliss, a glance is enough to
perform the marital act. As one ascends through the Six Desire Heavens, emotional
desire decreases. If desire is not light, there can be no ascension to these heavens. If
desire is heavy, stupidity results; as desire is lightened, wisdom grows.

Sutra:
The Heaven of the Multitudes of Brahma, the Heaven of the
Ministers of Brahma, the Heaven of the Great Brahman Lord, the Heaven
of Lesser Light, the Heaven of Limitless Light, the Heaven of Light-Sound,
the Heaven of Lesser Purity, the Heaven of Limitless Purity, the Heaven of
Universal Purity.
Commentary:
The Heavens are those of the first three dhyanas, each of which subsumes three
heavens. The first of the three heavens of the First Dhyana is called the Multitudes of
Brahma, because of the emotional desire of those in the Six Desire Heavens. In
the Heaven of the Ministers of Brahma are the attendants of the Great Brahma
Lord, who lives in the next heaven. He has cultivated the merits of the heavens, but
has not truly become enlightened or certified to the fruit. Consequently he ascends
through the heavens to be the Great Brahma King. He is surrounded and protected by
gods from the two heavens below.
The three heavens of the First Dhyana are called the Joyful Stage of Leaving
Production. Here no more afflictions are produced, so it is an extremely happy
place. Diligent cultivation of the Way can lead to attainment of the First Dhyana,
where the Great Brahma Lord, his ministers, and the multitudes may be seen.

In the First Dhyana, the pulse stops as one sits in meditation. This is commonly the
sign of death, but because the self-nature goes to the heavens, no decay or death occurs
in the body. One may enter this Samadhi for as long as twenty or thirty days or more
without any sign of either pulse or decay. When the average person dies, his body
becomes putrid within seven days, but the body of one who cultivates and attains this
state will not rot no matter how long he remains in Samadhi.

The Heaven of Lesser Light , the Heaven of Limitless Light , and the Heaven of
Light-Sound are reached by eliminating desire and love. They cannot be reached
without ending sexual desire.
The first of these heavens of the Second Dhyana is called Heaven of Lesser Light. The
bodies of this heaven’s inhabitants shine with a light much greater than that of the
Suyama Heaven but less than that of the other two heavens of the Second
Dhyana. They shine because they maintained the precepts purely in the world. In the
First Dhyana, the gods of the multitudes of Brahma and the Ministers of Brahma also
maintained the precepts purely, but they did not emit light. However, here in the
heavens of the Second Dhyana, the gods have maintained the precepts so well that
their bodies shine.

The inhabitants of the Heaven of Light-Sound use light to speak. Just as television
uses light to create pictures, the gods of this heaven use light to represent
speech. Some commentators say that these gods have no language and cannot speak,
but this is not the case, for if it were, they would have done good deeds and been
reborn in the heavens only to find themselves mute. Just as humans have both spoken
and written aspects of language, the gods in this heaven use light to represent speech.
When people who practice Dhyana obtain Samadhi and reach the second of the Four
Dhyanas, they have attained the stage called the Joyful Stage of the Arising of
Samadhi. At this stage the breath stops. Anyone who meditates can reach this level,
and those who practice should now ask themselves whether or not they have attained
such skill. Has your pulse stopped? Has your breath stopped? If they have not
stopped, there still remains much work to do; and if they have, there still remains the
ending of birth and death.

Do not become attached to some minor psychic state which you may encounter. To
have seen light or Dharma protectors while meditating is a very minor matter. It is
also possible that the body will shake involuntarily during meditation; this is a
manifestation of the phenomenon known as “the great earth shaking in six ways” and
still does not indicate genuine skill. There is a great deal of work left to do after such
states are reached, for one cannot be lazy and end birth and death. Although it is
always possible to object that such work leads to discomfort and is unpleasant, wait
until you find yourself in hell someday, and then see just what “uncomfortable” can
mean. If you set out to cultivate the Way and then do not work at it but prefer to savor
your so-called independence, you can do so. Your independence may take you to hell
in the end.

The Heaven of Lesser Purity , the Heaven of Limitless Purity , and the Heaven
of Universal Purity are the heavens of the Third Dhyana, which is called the Ground
of the Wonderful Bliss of Being Apart from Joy. Here thought stops. The Heaven of
the First Dhyana were pure but had little light; those of the Second Dhyana were more
pure and had more light. The heavens of the Third Dhyana are purer still.
Ascending through these heavens can be compared to the process of cleaning a
floor. The First Dhyana is like sweeping the ground clean; here are found the heavens
of the Multitudes of Brahma, the Ministers of Brahma, and the Great Brahma
Lord. Although the floor has been swept, it has yet to be waxed, and so it is lacking in
luster.

Once the waxing has been done, the floor shines with light. This can be likened to the
Heaven of Lesser Light, the Heaven of Limitless Light, and the Heaven of Light-Sound
– the heavens of the Second Dhyana. Once the floor has been waxed, it may shine with
light, but nonetheless fine specks of dust may settle on it again. Dusting it off
represents the Heaven of Lesser Purity, the Heaven of Limitless Purity, and the Heaven
of Universal Purity – the heavens of the Third Dhyana.
Although the pulse stopped in the First Dhyana, and the breath in the Second Dhyana,
the flow of thought still remained. It is in the Third Dhyana that the continual arising
of false thoughts ceases. In a single ksana (instant of time) there are ninety
productions and extinctions, and in each of these there are nine hundred
thoughts. When all these thoughts stop in the Third Dhyana, it is possible to sit for
months or even years and not be aware of the passage of time. In such a state there is
neither time nor space, and yet one who is in it is not dead. He can return at any time,
and when he wishes to do so the thoughts no longer remain still. The thought “I am
sitting in meditation” arises, and the meditator returns.

As long as thoughts remain, there is no real purity, for thought is like dust on the
ground. Although there is a kind of purity when the breath stops and light is emitted,
this is not the true purity, which is manifested only when thought is stopped.

The Third Dhyana is called the Wonderful Bliss of Being Apart from Joy, because even
happiness must be put aside and not become the object of attachment. When this
happens, the “wonderful” arises.

Sutra:

The Birth of Blessings Heaven, the Love of Blessings Heaven, and

Abundant Fruit Heaven, the No-Thought Heaven, the No-Affliction
Heaven, the No-Heat Heaven, the Good Views Heaven, the Good
Manifestation Heaven, the Ultimate Form Heaven, the Mahesvara Heaven
and so forth, until the Heaven of the Place of Neither Thought nor Non-
thought. The gods, dragons, ghosts and spirits assembled together.

Commentary:
In the Birth of Blessings Heaven, the cause of suffering is exhausted and bliss is not
permanent. In the realms below this, that is, in the Second and Third Dhyanas,
suffering and distress remain even though pulse and breath may stop. In the Birth of
Blessings Heaven, the first of the nine heavens of the Fourth Dhyana, the causes of
suffering come to an end and the seeds of suffering cease to exist. Since the gods have
no suffering, they are also unattached to their happiness, and so it is said their bliss is
not permanent.

The cause of suffering eliminated in this heaven is desire, more precisely, sexual
desire. When there is no sexual desire, there are no seeds of suffering. The gods of the
Second Dhyana have cut off thoughts of desire; in the Fourth Dhyana the very seed of
desire, the appearance of all coarse forms, is cut off, and blessings are born.

The second heaven of the Fourth Dhyana is called the Heaven of the Love of Blessings,
and it is here that there is a supreme renunciation. What cannot be renounced is
nonetheless renounced, and what cannot be given up is given up. The gods of this
realm obtain a supreme purity of liberation. Their blessings are unfathomably great,
and they reach beyond heaven and earth to attain a state of wonderful compliance in
which everything accords with their intent. Their bliss is renounced and they are apart
from both suffering and bliss. Although devoid of craving for the realms of desire and
form, they nonetheless have a hope, something for which they seek: the heavens
directly above them.

Directly above the Heaven of Love of Blessings are two heavens, one called Abundant
Fruit and the other No-Thought. The path to these is likened to a forked road: it is very
easy to go down the wrong fork and enter No-Thought Heaven. The Abundant Fruit
Heaven is the highest reward common people can obtain the highest state that includes
the gods of the realm of desire. In this heaven, all the defilements of the lower heavens
are left behind and there is illimitable and inexhaustible happiness. Here the
miraculous functioning of spiritual penetration can be found. The wonderful
compliance attained in the heaven immediately prior is even more subtle in this
heaven, and the gods are able to attain whatever they wish.

At the end of the other path of the fork lies the Heaven of No-Thought. The
inhabitants of this realm have cut off thought, although not permanently. Their
lifespan is five hundred kalpas, and during the first four hundred and ninety-nine they
have no thought. In the last half of the final kalpa, however, thought once again arises;
consequently “No-Thought” actually means that there is very little thought. The
inhabitants of this heaven belong to the paths of the externalists and demons who
think that they have achieved an ultimate nirvana. What they do not realize, however,
is that, in spite of their cultivation, they too are doomed to fall.

In the next heaven, the Heaven of No Affliction, there are neither views nor
thought. Views mean the arising of greed when faced by any sort of condition; thought
is confusion about principle and indulgence in discriminating thinking. The gods of
this heaven have neither suffering nor bliss and obtain a cool refreshment.

In the Heaven of No Heat there is no heat from afflictions. In the Heaven of Good
Views there is an extremely wide and expansive vista. In the Heaven of Good
Manifestation, a very subtle form of transformation occurs, and the inhabitants are
able to create all sorts of wonderful pleasures. The Heaven of Ultimate Form is the last
of the heavens in the realm of form.

In the Mahesvara, the Great Self-Sufficiency Heaven, the chief god has eight arms and
three eyes and rides a great white ox; as a result he thinks he is very independent.

With the exception of the No-Thought Heaven, the abode of demons and externalists,
the heavens mentioned above belong to the Fourth Dhyana. This Fourth Dhyana is
called the Stage of Renouncing Thought, because, just as the pulse stopped in the First
Dhyana, breath in the Second Dhyana, and thought in the Third Dhyana, in the Fourth
Dhyana all thought is fully put aside.

And so forth until the Heaven of the Place of Neither Thought nor
Nonthought. And so forth includes the heavens of Infinite Space, Infinite
Consciousness, Nothing Whatsoever, and Neither Thought nor Nonthought. In the
last of these, consciousness is practically nonexistent, and so it is said that there is no
thought. However, a very fine trace of thought still exits, and so it is called neither
thought nor nonthought.

Sutra:
Moreover, sea spirits, river spirits, stream spirits, tree spirits,
mountain spirits, earth spirits, brook and marsh spirits, sprout and
seedling spirits, day, night, and space spirits, heaven spirits, food and
drink spirits, grass and wood spirits, and other such spirits from the Saha
and other worlds all assembled together.

Commentary:
Seas, rivers, and streams are some of the various bodies of water that cover the
earth. What is their origin? The great heat of the sun draws from the earth, plants,
and living beings, and the accumulation of this water constitutes the
seas. The Surangama Sutra discusses the all-pervasive nature of water, which can
be demonstrated by the condensation which forms on a metal plate left out
overnight. Although water is everywhere, only some places manifest its substance;
what is all –pervading about water is its nature. This is analogous to the Buddha-
nature in people. Although everyone has it, we see only the substance of living
beings. Just as water, although it can be seen only in some places, is all-pervading, so
too are fire and the other elements. Their substances appear to contradict one another,
but their natures work in harmony and do not conflict.
What keeps water from inundating the world? The Four Heavenly Kings have a
precious and wonderful gem which has the power to halt water. Without this, heaven
and earth would be joined in a mass of water.

Sea Spirits . Within the sea are a great many spirits, such as the dragon kings, the
Jao, the Yang Ho, and others. The spirits of the sea are beasts of a sort; dragons are a
well-known example. The chief sea spirit, the Jao, has eighteen tails, eight legs, and
eight heads which look human – four male and four female. There are many such
spirits, which need not be discussed now; but if you ever happen to be sitting in
meditation and encounter such a phenomenon, don’t be upset. Just recognize it for
what it is.
River spirits . Rivers are broad but are not very deep if compared to the sea. While
seas stay in one place and invite all other waters to join them, rivers flow on
unceasingly.
Tree spirits . The word “tree” is defined by a homonym in Chinese that means
upright or perpendicular. Here, in Jambudvipa, the Jambunada is the king of
trees. When trees become large and old they are known to be dwellings for ghosts and
spirits who lodge in trees, where they feel a sense of security and comfort. If these
spirits are unable to find such a tree they experience a sense of distress. For this
reason bhiksus are not permitted to cut down large trees; this is specifically mentioned
in the Dharmagupta Vinaya.
Once the great General Ts’ao Ts’ao ordered a great tree cut down, even though it was
rumored to be the house of a spirit. The general said that he did not believe in such
things. Not much later he developed a splitting headache which had to be cured by the
physician Hua T’uo. The source of his headache, it was explained, was the spirit whose
home he had destroyed.

At Nan Hua Monastery a large camphor tree received the precepts from the Venerable
Master Hsu Yun, and at Nan Yao, the Dharma seat of the Old Man of Mount Wei, a
ginkgo tree also received the precepts.

Mountain spirits . Mountains are defined by the Chinese words that mean “grow” or
“produce,” since things may grow and flourish on their sides.
Ground spirits . Ground may be explained by a homonym in Chinese that means
“bottom.” Although the ground is on the bottom, it produces myriad things.
Day and night spirits . Day is calculated as beginning at midnight and night as
starting at noon. Although the sun is not visible at midnight, the yang energies begin
to rise at that time. Shortly before daybreak, about three, four, or five o’clock, this rise
causes a corresponding rise of lustful desires in people. After noon, when the yin is
rising, a similar phenomenon occurs. If the desire can be contained, it can be
transformed into wisdom. This is not unlike the forked path leading to either the
Abundant Fruit Heaven or the Heaven of No-Thought. Traveling down one path aids
the flourishing of desires; turning to the other aids the growth of wisdom. In both
cases there is a choice to be made, and it is up to the individual to make it for himself.
Space spirits. This spirit, whose Sanskrit name is Sunyata, is discussed in
the Surangama Sutra .
Food and drink spirits . Anything anyone eats, even a mere mouthful of water or
piece of fruit, is watched over by a spirit. If you believe this principle, the spirit exists;
if you do not believe it, it exists nonetheless. To say that such things exist only if there
is belief in them, and that they cease to exist if there is no belief, is preposterous.
In Peking there once lived a man named Tuan Cheng Yuan, who was often known as
Honorable Master Tuan. He once encountered a remarkable individual who was the
son of a very busy official who supervised several hundred persons. While the father
worked at the duties incumbent upon such an official, the son slept day in and day
out. This behavior annoyed the father, who finally confronted his son.

“Look at me, “he said, “over sixty and working full time to support you, a young man in
your twenties. You ought to be ashamed.”

“You, Father,” the son said, “are a government official; I am a food and drink official.”

“Whatever are you talking about?”

“Every day I allocate the food which everyone will consume. It’s that simple.”

“You must be mad, “said the father, controlling his temper, “There is no such thing. All
right, if that’s what you do, just tell me now; what am I going to eat tomorrow?”

“Just a moment,” said the son, “I have to sleep first and then I will be able to tell you.”

The father, by now nearly mad with rage, choked and shook as his son dropped off
once again to sleep. When he finally awoke, he informed his father that on the next
day he would go hungry.

“Now I know you’re mad,” said his father. “How can a major government official
possibly go hungry?”
“Well, Father, actually you are going to get something, but it’s only going to be a
slightly spoiled egg and half a bowl of soured millet gruel.”

“Incredible,” shouted the outraged father. “My own son is trying to make a fool of
me!” He rushed off to order preparations for dressing ducks, chickens, geese, fish, and
other delicacies for the next day’s meal.

The kitchen staff was unusually busy the next morning preparing an elaborate meal,
which was delayed a bit as a result of the great amount of care and effort that went into
it. Just as he was about to sit down to dinner, the official received an urgent message,
an order to disperse a bandit group in the countryside. Not a moment could be lost,
and he sprang to his mount at the head of his troops, leaving the banquet steaming on
the table. Before long, the bandits were engaged and were finally defeated.

The men, who had eaten their ordinary meal at the usual time, were not fatigued by
hunger, but the official himself had not eaten a thing and was weak with
exhaustion. Accompanied by some of his troops, he stopped at a nearby farmhouse
and asked for some provisions.

“We haven’t a thing,” replied the head of the household, “except an old egg and half a
bowl of millet gruel, which we were saving for my pregnant wife. The egg’s a bit bad,
and the gruel’s gone sour, but you’re welcome to them if you want.”

As he downed the simple meal the official suddenly recalled his son’s prediction of the
preceding day. From that time onward he left his son alone to preside over food and
drink, while he himself continued to preside over human beings.

As I said before, if there is belief in spirits, they exist, and if there is not, they exist
nonetheless. It is not true that such things exist only if people believe in them. It is
much like gold found deep in a mine. Knowing that there is gold in the mine can be
likened to believing; not knowing of the gold is like disbelieving. In the final analysis,
there is still gold in the mine, regardless of your belief or disbelief. If you believe, you
know there are spirits, if you disbelieve, you do not know that there are spirits. But be
that as it may, the spirits are there nonetheless, it is just that you lack the knowledge
and vision that can encompass such matters.
Sutra:

In addition, all the great ghost kings from the Saha and other
worlds assembled together. They were the Evil-Eyed Ghost King, the
Blood-Eating Ghost King, the Essence-and-Energy-Eating Ghost King, the
Womb- and Egg-Eating Ghost King, the Sickness-Spreading Ghost King,
the Poison-Gathering Ghost King, the Kindhearted Ghost King, the
Blessings and Profit Ghost King, the Great Love and Respect Ghost King,
and others.

Commentary:
Most people explain the word “all” in the phrase all the great ghost kings as
meaning many, but I explain it differently and say that it means few. In fact, it means
one. Someone will object and ask why I explain “all,” a word that everyone knows to be
plural, as one. I just like to. When there are many numbers, I simply can’t remember
them, but one is simple enough to remember. If the sutra text is explained as “many,”
we must ask just exactly how large “many” is, and we find that it is an infinite amount,
a bothersome thing. Consequently, I explain “all” as meaning “one.” This is the point
where my explanations of sutras differ from those of most other people.
All the great ghost kings’ means one ghost king, the one I happen to be explaining
at any particular moment. There are the Evil-Eyed Ghost King, the Poison-Collecting
Ghost King, and others, but I’ll just explain them one at a time and not lump them
together. Of course “all” can be taken to mean the collectivity of ghost kings, yet at the
same time it means any particular one.
A moment ago I said that I explained “all” this way because I liked to, but it was
unprincipled of me to say this. I’d better explain my reasons in greater detail so you
won’t have doubts about this matter. Where do the many come from? They come from
the one. In fact, the many do not even come from one. But because we say that the
many come from the one, there is no way not to start with one. Once that has been
counted, it is possible to count a second, followed by a third, and so forth. Thus, one is
limitless, and the limitless all return to one. A single one disperses to become the
myriad numbers, the myriad numbers all return to a root of one. Thus, in cultivation,
it is important to return to a unity, to One. Cultivation means to cultivate the mind
and unify it. There is a saying, “When the One is attained, everything is
finished.” Once the One is obtained, there are no further matters left. If thoughts are
unified, wisdom will be manifested.

If you are able to avoid giving rise to a single thought, everything will be
manifested. The six organs will function harmoniously and the covering clouds will
disperse. In this passage of text we’ve encountered many ghosts, but if not even a
single thought arises, there will not be a single ghost. Not only will there be no ghosts,
there won’t be any spirits either. In fact, there won’t be any Bodhisattvas or even a
Buddha. There won’t be anything at all, and yet at just that time everything will
become manifest. Buddhas will come, Bodhisattvas will come, Arhats,
Pratyekabuddhas; everything will become manifest because you won’t have anything at
all. As long as you still have anything, they will not come.

This very “all” is the point of what is wonderful. Don’t let “all” be “all,” let it be one,
and then don’t even have that. Then the great ghost kings will become nonexistent and
run off. When there aren’t any ghosts, there isn’t any world, and when there isn’t any
world, well, what is there to be worried about? No worries, no cares, not a single
obstacle. This is what is meant by the phrase, “Understand the nature of self and
others; be equal to heaven and earth.”

When you fathom and end the nature of others, self, and things, you are heaven and
earth, and heaven and earth are you. You are all Buddhas, and all Buddhas are
you. There is no distinction and no discrimination, so how could there possibly be an
I, a you, or a he? How could there be a distinction of self, of others, of living beings, or
a life? There are none of these. If you have nothing at all, how can you have any
afflictions? This condition is one of purity and wisdom. When not even a single
thought arise, everything is manifested, the six organs function together, and the
clouds disperse – an indescribably state.

Since it is indescribable, isn’t it better not to describe it? That wouldn’t’ do at all. I
describe it because I have to in order to give you some feeling about that state I refer
to. Even if you don’t want me to talk I shall still do so. Who is it, anyway, who knows
that this is indescribably? Who? So, I’m going to keep on talking, and I will discuss
now all the great ghost kings.

Let us examine the Chinese word for ghost. Take a look, ghosts have long legs. I really
can’t measure how long they are and rather doubt that even Chinese professors would
be able to explain this, since the legs of ghosts are so long that there is no way to see
where the ghost is. In Chinese, “ghost” is a homonym of a word that means “to
return.” Ghosts are defined as “returning,” and so it is said that when a person dies, he
returns. He returns to the place where he committed offenses.

In English you can say that ghost sounds like the word “go.” It can be derived as
follows: “go, goes, ghost.” Ghosts go off to hell. In Chinese they return and in English
they go, they go off to the hells, because they consider it their home. Ghosts become
confused because they like to run about, going here and there, playing about all over
and enjoying their kind of fun. Unsuspectingly, they find that they have gone off to the
mountain of knives, the tree of swords, and the caldron of oil. They go off to the hells,
to the realm of animals, to the hungry ghosts. Where have the great ghost kings under
discussion here gone? They have not gone anywhere, they are right there in hell.

The Essence- and Energy-Eating Ghost King , “Pisaci” in Sanskrit, eats the
essential energies of both people and plants. The reason for unexpected decay of
energies in people or plants is that they have been taken by this ghost.
The Womb- and Egg-Eating Ghost King is responsible for miscarriages and
premature stillbirths.
The Sickness-Spreading Ghost King runs about spreading diseases and
encouraging epidemics. The Poison-Gathering Ghost King , on the other hand, is
a beneficial ghost king who removes poisons from people. Although he is a ghost king,
he is really a transformation body of a Bodhisattva. He rescues living beings by
gathering the poisons which they have contracted.
The Kindhearted Ghost King leads other ghosts to resolve their thoughts on
enlightenment.
The Essence- and Energy-Eating Ghost King got his position because he liked
to kill but would not give the flesh of any of the animals he killed to his wife. He would
not even give her the blood to drink. Since he treated his own wife this way, you can
imagine how he treated other people. He was extremely stingy, and as a result, he has
to eat the most unclean things.
The Blessings and Profit Ghost King is actually the spirit of wealth, but in this
sutra he is classified as a ghost king.

Sutra:
At that time Sakyamuni Buddha said to the Bodhisattva Manjusri,
son of the Dharma King. “As you regard these Buddhas, Bodhisattvas,
gods, dragons, ghosts, and spirits from this and other worlds, who are now
assembled in the Trayastrimsa Heaven, do you know their number?”
Manjusri said to the Buddha, “World-Honored One, even if I were
to measure and reckon with my spiritual penetrations for a thousand
aeons, I would not be able to calculate it.”
The Buddha told Manjusri, “As I regard them with my Buddha eye,
their number cannot be exhausted. Throughout many aeons all these
beings have been crossed over, are being crossed over, will be crossed
over, have been brought to accomplishment, are being brought to
accomplishment, or will be brought to accomplishment, by Earth Store
Bodhisattva.”

Commentary:
The great ghost kings mentioned previously are called kings because they lead the
ghosts, and, regardless of whether they seem beneficial or malevolent, they are all
transformations of great Bodhisattvas. In the past these ghosts kings vowed to use
expedient devices to benefit living beings. Some use compassion to protect their
followers while others manifest a fierce appearance to subdue them. The two methods,
protection and subduing, are the two major divisions in the methodology of teaching
beings. Since some resolve their thoughts on enlightenment when they see a ghost of
great compassion, the method of compassionate protection is practiced to teach them;
because others will resolve their thoughts on enlightenment only after meeting a
terrifying ghost, the method of subduing is also used.

In either case, the method used is not a question of good or evil on the part of the
ghosts themselves, because good and evil come only from the karmic responses of
living beings. When a being’s bad karma ripens, it may encounter someone like the
Ghost King with Evil Eyes; when its good karma ripens, it may meet the Great
Compassionate Ghost King. Any karma may, of course, be changed when it has
ripened – bad karma may become good, and sometimes good karma turns
bad. Students of the Buddhadharma should learn not to be affected by either good or
bad karma, but should strive to turn bad into good and not allow themselves to go
down the road which leads to the mountain of knives, the caldron of oil, and the tree of
swords. They should study Buddhadharma, upset heaven, and smash through
earth. Heaven represents good causes, earth bad ones. Turn the bad to good and the
evil ghost kings will be of no use, while the good ones will be able to retire.

Manjusri, the Bodhisattva to whom the Buddha put his question, is also known as
Wonderful Virtue or Wonderful Luck because of ten miraculous signs that occurred at
his birth: light filled the room; all bottles were filled with sweet dew; the Seven
Precious Things welled up from the earth; the treasure within the earth was revealed;
chickens gave birth to phoenixes; pigs gave birth to dragons; horses gave birth to
unicorns; cows gave birth to white “tsai,” a serpent like animal with two bodies and one
head; the grain in the granaries turned to gold; and elephants with six tusks appeared.

The Bodhisattva Manjusri is not, however, a Bodhisattva. Long ago he became a

Buddha named Superior Venerable Dragon-Seed King, and, in addition, he is currently
the Buddha Happy Store Accumulation of Muni Gems, who dwells in a northern world
called Happiness. Although he has been a Buddha for a long time, he is a great,
compassionate rescuer who manifests the small while hiding away the great. Thus he
appears as the Bodhisattva Manjusri.

Manjusri Bodhisattva is, as explained in my lectures on the Wonderful Dharma

Lotus Blossom Sutra , the spiritual grandfather of Sakyamuni Buddha. Sun Moon
Lamp Brilliance Buddha, the last of the twenty thousand Buddhas, had eight sons, the
last of whom was the Buddha Dipankara, “Burning Lamp,” whose teacher was the
Dharma Master Wonderful Light and who bestowed the prediction of Buddhahood on
Sakyamuni Buddha. That Dharma Master, Wonderful Light, is now the Bodhisattva
Manjusri, who, consequently, is the master of Burning Lamp Buddha. Since
Sakyamuni Buddha is the disciple of Burning Lamp Buddha, the Bodhisattva Manjusri
is his spiritual grandfather and has greater seniority. Nonetheless, when Sakyamuni
Buddha appeared in the world, Manjusri Bodhisattva came to be his disciple. Just
think, for a moment, about the state of such a Bodhisattva, devoid of high, low, up,
down, big, or little. As it says in the Diamond Sutra , “This Dharma is level and there
is no high or low therein.”
Perhaps within this very assembly there are those who were my disciples. It may be
that among you there is someone who will study the Way, develop great virtue, and
become a Buddha very soon. Perhaps I shall then bow to that person as my own
master, for there is nothing fixed in the Buddhadharma.

Manjusri is called “Wonderful Virtue” and “Wonderful Luck,” and the wonder lies in
simply understanding that all dharmas are apart from characteristics. If there is no
such understanding, attachments arise. If nothing is done, there is a falling into
emptiness. What, in the final analysis, is to be done? You’ll have to find the answer to
that one yourself.

My explanations are often like this, just carefree talking in which I say whatever I
think. Sometimes when I talk I break through heaven; sometimes the earth quakes;
but I don’t care if the one topples and the other collapses, for there is really nothing at
all. All dharmas are devoid of a mark of self, others, living beings, or life. How can the
Buddhadharma flourish, how can it decay? Where is there a Proper-Dharma and
where a Dharma-Ending Age? There is none of this; everything is false. You may well
object that the more I speak the more confused you become; that is just why I do it, for
if you understood, who would pay attention to sutra explanations?

The Buddha eye is one of the Five Eyes explained in the following gatha:
The heavenly eye penetrates what is without obstruction;
The fleshly eye sees obstacles and does not penetrate.
The Dharma eye can contemplate only the relative truth;
The wisdom eye can contemplate and know true emptiness,
While the Buddha eye blazes forth like a thousand suns.
Although the Five Eyes’ functions differ, their substance is of one source.

Of the Five Eyes, the heavenly eye can penetrate things. The fleshly eye, on the other
hand, can see only people and objects and cannot see through them. These two eyes
are located on either side of the forehead. There is no need to mention which is on
which side at the moment, since when a cultivator opens them he will know which is
which. With the fleshly eye, everything which has a physical form can be seen, no
matter how far away it may be; all one has to do is look. If no looking is done, of
course, nothing is seen.

Even though one may be able to use this power, its better not to do so; for whenever
things are looked at, a thought is spent, and adding a thought is not as good as
diminishing one. To use the Five Eyes is to indulge in thought, and although such
thoughts differ from ordinary ones, they are still not beneficial. It is always better to
have one false thought less than to have one more.

The Dharma eye contemplates the common truth which is called the conventional,
relative truth, or wonderful existence. If this eye is opened, there is no need to use
books in order to read sutras, since the entire extent of space is seen to be full of
limitless Dharma treasures.

The wisdom eye contemplates the true, the absolute truth, which is also known as true
emptiness and the truth of falseness, since it shows that everything is unreal. The real
mark of all dharmas falls within the vision of the Buddha eye.

The Buddha eye, blazing like a thousand suns, can see, know, and even hear
everything. Although these Five Eyes differ in what they see, they basically are of
common substance.

The term accomplishment may be described in two ways. The first accords with the
literal meaning of the Chinese characters, “become flourishing.” The second
description of “accomplishment” is derived from the first. Since to “become
flourishing” means to become high, lofty, and expansive, it also connotes the idea of
the emperor. Ancient emperors regulated their empires by means of filial piety, and
thus they accomplished ultimate virtue. Only the emperor was allowed to apply the
word “filial” to himself. The two terms, accomplishment and filial piety, are related in
the emperor’s achievement, which is one major theme of this sutra, the
“accomplishment” of ultimate virtue by means of “filial piety.”
Earth Store Bodhisattva has aided beings to become accomplished, to plant good roots,
and he now helps beings who have planted good roots to make them grow and
mature. Those good roots that have ripened he harvests so the beings might obtain
liberation.

Sutra:

Manjusri said to the Buddha, “World-Honored One, throughout

many aeons I have cultivate good roots and certified to unobstructed
wisdom. When I hear what the Buddha says, I immediately accept it with
faith. Sound-Hearers of small attainment, gods, dragons, and the
remainder of the Eightfold Division, as well as other living beings in the
future, may hear the Thus Come One’s sincere and actual words but will
certainly harbor doubts. They may receive the teaching most respectfully,
but they will be unable to avoid slandering it. World-Honored One, please
discuss the conduct of Earth Store Bodhisattva while he was on the causal
ground, and tell about the vows he made that have enabled him to
accomplish such an inconceivable task.”

Commentary:
Unobstructed wisdom is another term for the Four Unobstructed
Eloquences: unobstructed eloquence of Dharma; unobstructed eloquence of principle,
in which hundreds of millions of principles may be spoken and then returned to one;
unobstructed eloquence is phrasing, in which every word carries principle; and
unobstructed eloquence of delight in speech.
Those who hear and harbor doubts are not unlike the very few people in the west
who currently have the opportunity to encounter the genuine teaching of
Buddhism. When they do meet it, it is not certain that they will recognize it. If
someone who has never seen gold before receives some, he may mistake it for copper;
those who have never seen diamonds may well take them for glass. When actual
principle is explained, many will think it to be merely an external display. If the
outside is not understood, how can one know the inside, since the two are
inextricable? If there is no inner understanding, there cannot be any outer practice,
since these two are also a pair. If there is understanding go the principles of
Buddhadharma, there can be cultivation in accordance with them.
Even while the Buddha was in the world, Manjusri Bodhisattva brought up the fact that
many beings would receive the teaching respectfully but, because of their wrong
thinking, would be unable to understand it and would end up slandering it.

The term causal ground simply means past lives, the times in which the causes
leading to a result were planted. Whenever anyone makes a vow, he should be sure to
act in accord with his resolve, no matter how difficult that may be.

Sutra:
The Buddha said to Manjusri, “By way of analogy, it is as if all the
grasses, trees, forests, hemp, bamboo, reeds, mountains, rocks, and motes
of dust in the world system of a million worlds were enumerated, and each
one made into a Ganges River, while within each Ganges River each grain
of sand became a world and within each world each mote of dust was an
aeons, while within those aeons the motes of dust which would accumulate
were in turn to become aeons. Increase this sum of time a thousand fold
and know how long Earth Store Bodhisattva has remained on the position
of the Tenth Ground. Much longer was his dwelling on the grounds of
Sound-Hearer and Pratyekabuddha.”

Commentary:
The Ten Grounds are known by the following names:
1. Dry wisdom, or the ground of happiness
2. The ground of leaving defilement
3. The ground of emitting light
4. The ground of flaming wisdom
5. The ground of being difficult to overcome
6. The ground of manifestation
7. The ground of far traveling
8. The unmoving ground
9. The ground of good wisdom
10. The Dharma-cloud ground
Sutra:

“Manjusri, the awesome spirit and vows of this Bodhisattva are

beyond thought. If good men or women in the future hear this
Bodhisattva’s name, praise him, regard and worship him, make offerings
to him, or if they draw, carve, cast, sculpt, or lacquer his image, they will
be born among the Heaven of the Thirty-Three one hundred times, and will
never again fall into the Evil Paths.”

Commentary:
Since he made the vow, “Only when all the hells are emptied will I become a Buddha;
only when living beings have all been saved will I attain to Bodhi,” Earth Store has
used his awesome spirit to subdue living beings who have accumulated bad karma. He
thus has passed through an unthinkably long time yet still has not realize Buddhahood,
because after one being has been taken across, there is yet another ready to go, and
after that one, still another.

There is no one-to-one correlation between the number of beings born and those
entering nirvana, since those who are born outnumber those who attain nirvana by
tens of hundreds of millions. The same relationship exists in the realm of birth and
death; the number of births in any given period is greater than the deaths in the same
time. Those who are to die have to grow old and pass through an entire life before that
happens, but those who are waiting to be born only have to spend nine months in the
womb. Since birth is such a rapid process, the persons born greatly outnumber the
dying at any given moment. For this reason Earth Store Bodhisattva has not yet
become a Buddha. He does not, however, have any regrets about his vow, and the
more living beings there are to rescue, the more he has to do. If there were no living
beings, there would be no work, and if there were no work, he would become a Buddha,
since Buddhas have nothing left to do. When there actually isn’t anything to do, Earth
Store Bodhisattva goes looking for work. Although he could remain quiet and at
leisure, he continues to busy himself over living beings because of the power of his
vows.

There is no way that we can imagine the strength of such vows. What has been
mentioned herein is only the smallest part of their greatness, for, indeed, there is no
way they can ever be fully discussed. On hearing of these vows, people ought to
consider their own behavior. If you find that you have vowed to rescue even one or two
people, then you have not been studying this sutra in vain; but if you say that
Bodhisattvas are Bodhisattvas and we people are quite another matter, you might as
well never have studied a single word of it.

Don’t let your motto be, “Amitabha Buddha, every man for himself; Mahasattva, don’t
worry about others.” If you have a girlfriend or boyfriend, vow to cross her or him
over. If you’re too young to have such people to rescue, then you must still be close to
your parents, and you can save them. Even if you are an orphan, you still have siblings
or friends. Vow to see all of them over to Buddhahood. I, for example, have vowed
that as long as any of my disciples do not become Buddhas, I, too, will not become
one. This, of course, applies to those who have taken refuge and who believe. If such a
person falls into the hells, I shall go there to rescue him. And so, while my vows are
not as great as those of Earth Store Bodhisattva, they are not too small, either.

Whenever we make prostrations before the images of Buddhas or bodhisattvas; when

we recite their names, as, for example, when we recite Namo Earth Store Bodhisattva
of Great Vows; when we explain the sutras, such as this one, which describes the
inconceivable qualities of a Bodhisattva; or when we place flowers, fruits, and incense
before his image, we are regarding and worshiping, reciting the name, praising, and
making offerings.

Those who know how to draw or paint can make images of Buddha and thereby
enhance their own appearance. With every image, their appearance will
improve. Those who wish to perfect the Thirty-Two Marks and Eighty Minor
Characteristics may do so by making images. Every one adds to the perfection of the
features, and finally, after hundreds of thousands of millions have been made, the full
set of Thirty-two Marks and Eighty Minor Characteristics will be achieved. Anyone
who wishes to be handsome should make images – painted, sculpted, carved, or of
whatever kind. It is said that those who cultivate this dharma will be born one
hundred times in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three. This means that they will be born
throughout all of the Six Desire Heavens, the Heavens of the Realm of Form, and the
Formless Realm, all of which were discussed earlier. After each birth they will again be
born among the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, and will complete this cycle one hundred
times. They will never again fall into evil paths.

Sutra:

“Manjusri, unspeakably many aeons ago, during the time of a

Buddha named Lion Sprint Complete in the Ten Thousand Practices, Thus
Come One, Earth Store Bodhisattva was the son of an elder. On seeing
that Buddha adorned with a thousand blessings, the elder’s son asked what
practices and vows had enabled him to achieve such an appearance. The
Thus Come One said, “if you wish to perfect such a body throughout long
aeons, you must liberate living beings who are undergoing suffering.’
“Manjusri, the elder’s son then made this vow: ‘Throughout
immeasurable aeons until the very boundaries of the future, I will establish
many expedient devices for the sake of suffering and criminal beings in the
Six Paths. When they have all been liberated I myself will perfect the
Buddha Way.’ From the time he made this vow in the presence of that
Buddha until the present, unspeakably many hundreds of thousands of
nayutas of aeons have passed, and still he is a Bodhisattva.

Commentary:
The Five Precepts are included in the cultivation of the Ten Good Deeds. Thus there
are fifty merits at the start of cultivation, and fifty at the completion, making a total of
one hundred merits. In each of these one hundred there are still the Ten Good Deeds,
leading to a thousand blessings. When one thousand of these blessings are
accumulated one is said to have completed one superior blessing. The accumulation of
one thousand of these superior blessings is what is meant by adorned with a
thousand blessings . On hearing the announcement that such a reward was
cultivated by rescuing suffering living beings throughout the Six Paths, the son of the
elder, who is the Bodhisattva Earth Store, decided upon his great and far-reaching
vows.

Sutra:

“Moreover, unthinkable asamkhyeya kalpas ago there was a

Buddha named Enlightenment-Flower Samadhi Self-Sufficient King Thus
Come One. That Buddha’s lifespan was four hundred thousand million
asamkhyeya kalpas.”

Commentary:
In this Buddha’s name the term “Enlightenment-Flower” represents a cause and “Self-
Sufficient King” a result. Enlightenment-Flower is a root and Self-Sufficient King a
branch. While still on the causal ground, while still cultivating toward Buddhahood,
this Buddha planted the cause of the Enlightenment Flower and then used Samadhi to
cultivate the result and become Self-Sufficient King. In this case, Samadhi is both the
cause with which he cultivated and the effect attained through cultivation.
The lifespan of the Buddha may be explained in several ways, and it is important to
realize that in Chinese the concept “lifespan” is made up of two terms, one of which
corresponds to duration, or longevity, and the other to the continuity of the life itself.

In the Dharma Blossom Sutra , it is said that the Dharma body of the Buddha is not
separate from dharmas, and this coexistence with all dharmas constitutes its
longevity. The fundamental principle of Suchness constitutes the life of the Dharma
body. The lifespan of the retribution body is based on Reality Wisdom and the
interactive response of wisdom and its objects. In these terms the states that are
known are identical with the wisdom that knows. Thus, all states are instantly and
fully understood. Although wisdom and its states are originally a duality, they function
as a single entity that constitutes the longevity of the retribution body. The lifespan of
the retribution body is made up of wisdom alone.
The third of the Buddha’s three bodies is the response, or transformation, body. The
longevity of this body is the hundred-year duration of a human lifespan. This body’s
life is determined by causal conditions and circumstances.

The lifespan of the Buddha may also be explained in terms of the Sutra of the
Sixteen Contemplations . According to this explanation it is not necessary to break
down the term “lifespan” into its constituents. The transformation body is said to have
a lifespan that shows a beginning and an end, the Buddha’s birth and entry into
nirvana. The retribution body displays a beginning but no end, since once it is
obtained it is everlasting. The Dharma body shows neither beginning nor end; it is not
long-lived nor is it short. The lifespan of four hundred thousand million asamkhyeya
kalpas discussed here is that of this Buddha’s transformation body.

Sutra:
“During the Dharma-Semblance Age there was a Brahman woman
who had much merit from former lives and who was respected by
everyone. In walking, standing, sitting, and lying down she was
surrounded and protected by gods. Her mother, however, had improper
belief and often slighted the Triple Jewel.”

Commentary:
In every Buddha’s Dharma there are Three Ages, an Age of Proper Dharma, a Dharma-
Semblance Age, and a Dharma-Ending Age. In the first of these, bhiksus, bhiksunis,
Upasakas, and upasikas study and cultivate with great sincerity, and many of them
attain the fruits of the path. During the Dharma-Semblance Age there is less practice,
and effort is applied to externals. Such a period is strong in the construction of
temples, stupas, and pagodas, as people seek for blessings but do not seek for
wisdom. In the final period, the Dharma-Ending Age, there is emphasis on fighting
and strife. The Proper-Dharma Age lasts for one thousand years, as does the Dharma-
Semblance Age. The Dharma-ending Age, in which we now live, lasts for ten thousand
years.

After the Nirvana of Enlightenment-Flower Samadhi Self-Sufficient King Thus Come

One, there was a woman who lived during the Dharma-Semblance Age who was of the
Brahman, “pure,” class. The pure practices of Brahman cultivators include
vegetarianism and celibacy, conditions without which there cannot be
purity. Although the Brahmans cultivate purity, they cultivate haphazardly, a little in
one direction and then a bit in another, so that they never do attain an ultimate
principle. This ancient religion of India still exists today; we recognize it in yoga,
which is one of its practices. If the word “Brahman” were to be applied to Chinese
civilization, it would be said to refer to the Taoists, who cultivate similar practices.

The Brahman woman in question was well regarded by everyone, and because she had
done many meritorious deeds in the past, her physiognomy was full. It is possible to
tell from a person’s appearance whether or not he has had any merit, for one whose
merit is complete will have full and harmonious features, while those without merit
will be ugly. The Buddha’s wonderful appearance, for example, is a result of countless
meritorious acts.

The term “thousand blessings,” which has been previously discussed, may also be
explained as the one thousand good deeds which constitute one
blessing. Consequently a million good deeds make a thousand blessings, which, once
perfected, lead to the Thirty-two Marks and Eighty Minor Characteristics.

When the sutra text says that her mother had improper belief , it does not mean
merely that she believed in improper teachings; it means that she only halfheartedly
believed. For example, she may have believed in the Buddha one day, and then had
doubts about him the next: “I have never seen a Buddha, and although there are
sutras, there doesn’t seem to be much that is special about the Dharma. The Sangha is
just composed of common people, as far as I can see. Why should I respect them?”
This is the brand of thought which is called “improper belief.” If one does not have a
proper heart, he has an improper one.
Another example of improper belief concerns the externalist way which offers to set up
a person as emperor for cash, say, a million dollars. Fools with improper belief fall
prey to such charlatans and lose their wealth. How could the imperial position be so
easily bought? Nowadays, in democratic countries, such a swindle would be even
easier since people think they can buy the presidency. The argument might run, for
example, “The only reason you have not become president is that you are a
woman. For a mere million I guarantee that in the next life you will be
president.” People with improper belief may fall for such schemes, but when the next
life comes around, whether they are president or not, they won’t find any million
dollars.

Of course, if one could give a million and then become president in that very same life,
it would not be a case of improper belief, since there would have been some principle
in the initial belief. There is, however, no principle at all in improper belief. Some
people will cheat a woman by telling her that for an offering of a hundred, a thousand,
or whatever, she can be assured of a male body in her next life. Thinking she has a
good deal, she pays; no small number of externalist teachers are kept thus in wine,
women, and song. None of these offers hold any guarantee, none of them demand
proper belief. In addition to these, there are a great many other methods used to
defraud those who have improper belief.

Among such frauds are those who say things like, “Why believe in the Buddha? You
can be a Buddha right now. Just fork over sixty-five dollars for this genuine, authentic
Dharma transmission. That’s all there is to it.” Although money can be used to do
good deeds and cultivate merit, Buddhahood cannot be bought. Even when merit is
accomplished, there must still be cultivation; meditation must be perfected. If the
position of Buddhahood were negotiable, Sakyamuni Buddha could have purchased
it. There would have been no need for his six years of austerities in the Himalayas, no
need for him to sit beneath the Bodhi tree, see the stars at midnight, and understand
the Way. As a prince he could have bought anything, but Buddhahood is not bought
with money.

Sutra:
“That wise woman worked many skillful plans to entice her mother
to hold right views, yet the mother did not totally believe. Before long her
life ended and her spirit fell into the uninterrupted hell.”
Commentary:
The Brahman woman often used skillful means and spoke provisional teachings that
met her mother’s needs and that her mother could accept. She told her mother of the
benefits of Buddhadharma, teaching her much as one would entice a child with
candy. Although her mother sometimes felt that all this talk of Dharma was
interesting, she was never certain and only half believed. Before long she died.

Death is an extremely good thing! The dead know nothing; they don’t worry about
eating, about clothing, nor about working or sleeping; the dead do nothing at all.

Death is an extremely bad thing! The dead may fall to the realms of the hells; the dead
may turn into hungry ghosts; they may find themselves reborn among the
animals. Those who do good deeds will find themselves born in the Three Good Paths;
those who do wrong will arrive in the state of woe.

Not long ago a group of military men visited us. I spoke to them about the
responsibilities of the military and told them that among soldiers there are both
Bodhisattvas and asuras. Bodhisattvas appear to teach people to kill less; asuras in the
military delude soldiers, saying that all-out slaughter is the highest action, one that
leads to rank and status. Bodhisattvas, too, may attain rank and status, but theirs is
derived from pacifying the world. I told our visitors that they should model themselves
on the Bodhisattvas and not the asuras and then gave them an example. The general
Kuan Yu of the Three Kingdoms period killed many people, yet after his death he
became a Bodhisattva since he killed only evil men. General Pai Ch’i of the Ch’in
Dynasty also killed a great many people, and after his death he became, in turn, a
horse, a cow, a pig, and other beasts because he had buried alive in a huge pit two
hundred thousand soldiers who had already surrendered to him.

After I had discussed this matter, a young officer asked if I really believed that people
could become animals after their death. I replied, “If you believe that people can
become animals, that is fine, and if you don’t believe, that also is fine. If you are due to
become an animal in your next life, and you believe that people can be reborn as
animals, then you will end up as an animal; if you don’t believe that you can become an
animal, and you are due to become one, then, your disbelief notwithstanding, you will
become an animal all the same. If you do the deeds of a Buddha, you will become a
Buddha; if you do the deeds of a Bodhisattva, you will become a Bodhisattva; if you do
the deeds of a human, you will end up among men; and if you do ghostly deeds you will
end up among the ghosts. You are what you do. It is not a case of your belief making a
situation go one way, and your disbelief making it go another. Believe it or not, you
will be what you ought to be and you will certainly not be what you should not be.”

At this point everyone should ask himself, “When am I going to die? The sutra says
that the life of the Brahman woman’s mother ended before long . When will mine
end? Will I, like her, fall into the hells?” When studying sutras the important point is
to reverse one’s illumination; in other words, study yourself a little. Simply to study
the books and let it go at that is useless.
Everyone, without exception, is going to die. Don’t worry whether death is a good
thing or not; if you do good, your death will be good, and if you do bad, your death will
be horrible. If you plant good deeds you will reap good fruits; if you plant bad deeds
you will reap bad fruits. And ancient author said,

When I see another’s death,

my heart burns like fire;
It burns, but not for him;
for death rolls on toward me.

If you do not fear death, then die right now. Why can’t you? Death is not a matter of
fear or lack of it; it is a question of good and bad. Accidental deaths, such as those
caused by natural disasters, airplane crashes, train derailments, and the like, are bad
deaths; good death is dying when you wish. If you wish to avoid death, cultivate the
Way. Cultivators can attain independence from life and death and live if they wish; or,
if they do not wish to continue life, they can sit in meditation and leave, entering
nirvana. In order to do this, of course, they must have some skill in cultivation. Those
who have such skill hold power over their own life and death and can die when they
wish to; or, if they wish to live, they can live forever. The time may come when such a
cultivator desires to leave the Evil World of the Five Turbidities because it is too
unclean. When he wishes to do this, one who has cultivated can die at will.

When the text says that her spirit fell into the uninterrupted hell, it refers to her Eighth
Consciousness. The uninterrupted hell is so named because there is no interruption in
time, in life, or in body. When one person occupies it, it is full, yet it can also be full of
many people. This hell will be described later on; for now, let it suffice to say that
suffering is undergone endlessly and as soon as death occurs there is instantaneous
rebirth into the same continuously tormented body.
Sutra:

“Knowing that when her mother was in the world she had not
believed in cause and effect, the Brahman woman realized that, in
accordance with her karma, her mother would be reborn in the states of
woe. Thereupon she sold the family house, procured incense, flowers, and
other items, and performed a great offering in that Buddha’s temple. Upon
seeing the awesome and majestic image of the Thus Come One
Enlightenment-Flower Samadhi Self-Sufficient King in the temple, the
Brahman woman became double respectful. As she gazed at the venerable
image she thought to herself, ‘Buddha are also called Greatly Enlightened
Ones Complete With All Wisdom. If the Buddha were in the world and I
were to ask him, he would certainly know where my mother had gone at
death.’
“The Brahman woman wept for a long time with lowered head and
then fixed her gaze on the Thus Come One. Suddenly a voice was heard in
space, saying, “O weeping holy woman, do not be so sorrowful, I shall
show you where your mother has gone.’
“The Brahman woman placed her palms together toward space and
said, ‘What divinity is this who comforts my grief? From the day I lost my
mother onward I have held her in memory day and night, but there is
nowhere I can go to ask about the realm of her rebirth.’”

Commentary:
As she looked at the image of the Buddha, her gaze became fastened to it as if by a
cord, unwilling to leave it. Attentive in body and without extraneous thoughts, she had
a pure mind, and she heard a voice address her from space, calling her a holy
woman. Although her mother had committed offenses, she herself had very good roots
and thus could be called by such a name.

The meaning behind the Brahman woman’s response to the voice from space is, “My
mother bore me and I should have been filial. Now my mother has died because I have
not been filial; I am extremely grieved.” There is a couplet which says,

The tree would be still,

but the wind will not rest;
The son would maintain them,
but the parents are gone.
The kindness of parents is as boundless as the sky, higher than heaven, and broader
than earth, and so the Brahman woman felt remorse and shame that she had been
unable to repay such compassion.

Sutra:

“A voice again resounded from space and said to the holy woman,
‘I am the one whom you behold and worship, the past Enlightenment-
Flower Samadhi Self-Sufficient King Thus Come One. Because I have seen
that your regard for your mother is double that of ordinary living beings, I
will now show you the place of her rebirth.’
“On hearing this voice the Brahman woman suddenly leaped up and fell
back, breaking all her limbs. Those around her picked her up, and after
she had been revived for awhile, she spoke into space and said, ‘Please
pity me and quickly tell me my mother’s realm; my own death is not far
off.’
“The Thus Come One Enlightenment-Flower Samadhi Self-Sufficient King,
spoke to the pious woman and said, ‘After your offering is complete, return
home quickly. Sit upright thinking of my name and you will certainly know
your mother’s place of rebirth.’ After she had finished worshiping the
Buddha, the Brahman woman returned home, where mindful of her mother,
she sat upright recollecting the Thus Come One Enlightenment-Flower
Samadhi Self-Sufficient King.
“After a day and a night she suddenly saw herself beside a sea whose
waters seethed and bubbled. Many horrible beasts with iron bodies flew
about the sea, rushing in every direction. She saw hundreds of thousands
of millions of men and women rising and sinking in the water, being
mauled and devoured by the beasts. She beheld yaksas as well, each with
a different form. Some had many hands, some many eyes, some many legs,
and some many heads. Sharp, swordlike teeth protruded from their
mouths, and they drove the offenders on toward the beasts. Some yaksas
seized the offenders and twisted their heads and feet together in myriad
horrifying shapes at which none would dare look.”

Commentary:
Why is it that when you study Dharma nothing much happens? Why was the Brahman
woman able to influence the Buddha to speak to her? It was simply a result of her utter
sincerity and concern for her mother that the Buddha, who had long since entered
nirvana, appeared to speak to her.
Although she had taken a severe fall, breaking most of her bones, the Brahman woman
finished her offering and made full prostrations to the Buddha in spite of her pain. She
then returned home and, ignoring her sufferings, sat upright reciting the Buddha’s
name for an entire day and night. During this time she neither ate nor drank, and did
not even relieve herself, but single mindedly worked at recollecting the Buddha. Then
she saw herself by a sea. There is an important point to be clear about. She was not
having a dream. Because of her complete sincerity, her spiritual nature left her
body. Within the body there resides the Eighth Consciousness. When one sits for a
long while, stops everything and forgets pain, and practices only undeviating single
mindedness, the Eighth Consciousness may be able to leave the body. This state may
occur in cultivators who sit for long periods of time.

When this state occurred to the Brahman woman, she saw herself by the side of a
sea. When the Five Eyes in the ordinary flesh body are not opened, such things cannot
be seen, but if they are open, ghosts, spirits, Bodhisattvas, Buddhas – everything is
visible. Even if the flesh body of a cultivator has not opened the Five Eyes, his spiritual
nature has them, and when it leaves the body it can see all manner of things.

When she found herself by the side of the boiling sea that was full of people being
devoured by evil beasts, she also saw a great many yaksas, “speedy ghosts,” who run
and fly at about the speed of light. Because people are smarter than beasts, the men
and women in the sea occasionally managed to outwit the animals and escape – only to
be confronted by yaksas. Behind them were beasts, before them were yaksas, and
there was no place to hide, as in the line that says, “Ahead there is no road to take,
behind the soldiers push.” Both the beasts and the yaksas seized the people in their
talons. Sometimes yaksas grabbed the beasts and twisted their feet and heads
together, and occasionally the beasts would do the same thing to the yaksas. Both of
them twisted and tied the offending people into the most grotesque and hideous forms
possible, shapes that no one would even dare look at.

Sutra:
“During this time the Brahman woman was calm and fearless
because of the power of recollecting the Buddha. A ghost king named
Poisonless bowed and came to welcome the holy woman and said,
‘Excellent, O Bodhisattva. Why have you come here?’
“The Brahman woman asked the ghost king, ‘What is this place?’
 “Poisonless replied, ‘This is the first sea of the western face of the
Great Iron Ring Mountain.’
“The holy woman said, ‘I have heard that hell is within the Iron
Ring. Is this actually so?’
“Poisonless answered, ‘Hell is really here.’
“The holy woman asked, ‘How have I now come to the hells?’
“Poisonless answered, ‘No one can come here unless he has either
awesome spirit or the required karma.’
“The holy woman asked, ‘Why is this water seething and why are
there so many criminals and evil beasts?’
“Poisonless replied, ‘These are the newly dead beings of
Jambudvipa who have done evil deeds and how, during the first forty-nine
days after their death, had no survivors to perform acts of merit on their
behalf and rescue them from difficulty. Moreover, during their lives they
planted no good causes. In accordance with their own deeds the hells
appear, and they must first fathom this sea. Ten thousand yojanas east of
this sea is another sea which has double the sufferings of this one. East of
that is yet another sea where the sufferings are doubled still again. What
the combined evil causes of the Three Karmic Vehicles evoke is called sea
of karma. This is that place.’”

Commentary:
The Great Iron Ring Mountain is one of the mountains outside Mount Sumeru, and
beyond it is hell. Hell exists and is not merely a human fiction. The only ways to reach
hell are through spiritual penetrations and virtuous conduct or by committing offenses.

The Three Karmic Vehicles are the body, the mouth, and the mind. There are three
evils enacted by the body: killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct. There are three of
the mind: greed, hatred, and stupidity. The mouth can commit four evil deeds: vulgar
speech is improper talk of sexual affairs; false speech is lying; harsh speech is scolding
and berating others; and duplicity is saying to Smith that Jones is wrong, and then to
Jones that Smith is wrong: one tongue speaking in two ways. Taken together, these
are called the Three Vehicles of Karma.

Sutra:
“The holy woman again asked the ghost king Poisonless, ‘Where is
hell?’
 “Poisonless answered, ‘Within the three seas are hundreds of
thousands of great hells, each one different. There are eighteen that are
specifically known as great hells. In succession there are five hundred
with unlimited cruel sufferings, and further there are over one hundred
thousand with limitless sufferings.
“The holy woman again spoke to the ghost king. ‘My mother has
not been dead long, and I do not know on what path her soul has gone.’
“The ghost king asked, ‘When the Bodhisattva’s mother was alive,
what were her habitual deeds?’
“The holy woman replied, ‘My mother had wrong views and
ridiculed and slandered the Triple Jewel. Even if she occasionally
believed, it was short-lived and turned again to disrespect. Although she
has been dead but a few days, I do not know the place of her rebirth.’
“Poisonless asked, ‘What was the Bodhisattva’s mother’s name
and clan?’
“The holy woman replied, ‘My parents were both Brahmans; my
father’s name was Sila Sudarshan, my mother’s name was Yueh Ti Li.’”

Commentary:
The word “sea” represents a large quantity and does not necessarily denote an
actual body of water. Here it symbolizes the powerful karma of living beings, as vast as
a limitless sea. The three seas represent the deeds done by the bodies, mouths, and
minds of living beings.
There are hundreds of thousands of ten thousands of hells, each one with its own
attributes, each hell corresponding to an evil deed done by a living being. Hells are not
prepared before beings fall into them; rather they are manifestations of the various
particular karmas of beings. Whatever evil deed a being has done elicits a
corresponding hell.

For example, in the roasting hell there is a large hollow brass pillar full of fire. Those
guilty of sexual misconduct fall into this hell and see the roasting pillar as a
person. Men, for example, see it as a beautiful woman whom they rush to embrace,
only to find themselves burned so badly that they cannot pull their seared flesh away
from the pillar. A woman sees the pillar as her most beloved partner in life and rushes
to him only to be seared to death.

As soon as death occurs in the roasting hell, a wind called the “Clever Breeze, “a
wonderful dharma, blows and revives the dead, who then forget the painful
consequences of their behavior, recalling only its pleasurable aspects. Driven by this
memory, they rush to the pillar again, only to

find the cycle repeated. The roasting hell is only one of the many hells, and each one is
unique. Eighteen are called great, and within each of these eighteen there are eighteen
subsections.

The ghost king knew that the woman must have come to the hells because of her great
spirit and vows, and consequently he addressed her as a Bodhisattva. The Brahman
woman had to admit that she could not hide her mother’s errors and flaws, and told
the ghost that her mother had held wrong views. “Improper views” is one of the Five
Sharp Causes, which are:

1. View of a body
2. Extreme views
3. Improper views
4. Seizing on views
5. Views of prohibitions

The first of these, the view of a body, is the constant drive to pamper the body and
never let it sustain the slightest loss or discomfort. People whose actions are based on
this view may eat themselves into obesity, thinking that the more flesh they have, the
better their health. Day in and day out, there is nothing but constant concern for the
maintenance of the body.

Those with extreme views maintain radical positions tenaciously. If a person whose
behavior is characterized by extreme views likes to smoke, for example, and is told by
others that it is harmful and should be given up, he may stubbornly reply that his
adviser obviously has not yet understood the wonderful advantages of the habit, for if
he had, he too would smoke and not give it up. Extremist views lead people to
propound all sorts of bombastic arguments to defend themselves, but while they may
talk cleverly, they are truly foolish.

People with improper views maintain totally erroneous views. For example, on
hearing the virtues of filial piety praised, they might reply that it is useless, that parents
have children only as a result of desire for pleasure, and that the children should be
ignored or, even better, allowed to die a little sooner to save the world the trouble of
supporting them.
The fourth of the Five Sharp Causes, seizing on views, is characterized by grasping and
holding on to any number of improper views.

The fifth, views of prohibitions, is characterized by maintaining improper

precepts. For example, once, when some people heard that Buddhists are vegetarians,
they replied that anyone can do so simple a thing as abstain from meat, but a really
able person would abstain even from salt. This kind of talk leads to slander and
ridicule of the Triple Jewel, for such persons are apt to find fault with anything at
all. Their behavior is similar to that of horse traders, who will closely inspect a fine
horse by diligently blowing on the hairs of the mane to expose minor skin blemishes.

People who ridicule and slander the Triple Jewel will say things such as, “How are
Buddhists different from any other people? They eat, drink, and do what everyone else
does. They too have flaws; as a matter of fact, they are totally criminal elements of
society who will do anything at all. The Buddha is just an image, the dharma is nothing
but ordinary words on paper, and the Sangha is made up of ordinary folk who are not
the least bit deserving of respect.”

When people speak like this they sometimes lead those who believe the Buddha to hide
their faith and be secret Buddhists. Some time ago, a man who comes to this temple
occasionally said that he wished to take refuge, but only if he could do so in secret. I
did not accept him. Taking refuge with the Triple Jewel is not like stealing. Why do it
in secret? I told him that there was no secret refuge-taking here, and that he had better
wait until he was a little clearer about what he felt. His problem was that he was a
Catholic and feared that many of his friends would brand him a heretic. I told him that
if he tried to keep it a secret he would be even more sinful. How can anyone believe in
the Buddha and still act in such a fashion? How pitiful. Those who believe in the
Buddha should have an eternal faith, not faith like that of the Brahman woman’s
mother, who believed one hour and disbelieved the next. Don’t be a “five-minute
blaze,” so that, after an ardent but brief moment of belief, you turn around and say
boldly, “What is so wonderful about this?”

Within the Indian caste system there were four major groups: Brahmans, the pure
caste; Ksatriyas, the royal class; Vaisyas, the merchant class, and Candalas, butchers
and the like. Those of the lowest classes could not walk on the same roads as the pure
Brahmans and even had to wear insignia so that they could be recognized. India, like
England, was an extremely class-conscious society, and upper-class people might not
even dare speak to lower-class people, lest they be scorned by their peers.
The name of the Brahman woman’s’ father means “cool and refreshing good
view.” Her mother’s name has been transcribed into Chinese, and there is no tradition
of commentary to explain the original Sanskrit. In spit of this I shall go ahead and give
a commentary.

The first character used to transcribe the name, Yueh , means “to be favored,” and the
second character, Ti, means “an emperor.” Thus her name can be explained as
meaning that she was favored by the emperor because of her great beauty. There is
nothing fixed about people’s names, and they can be explained in any way, provided
the explanation is reasonable.

Sutra:
“Poisonless placed his palms together respectfully and told the
Bodhisattva, ‘Please, Holy One, return to your original dwelling. Do not
be worried or sorrowful, for the criminal woman Yueh Ti Li was born in
the heavens three days ago. It is said that she was succeeded by a filial
child who made offerings and cultivated merit for her sake in the temple of
Enlightenment-Flower Samadhi Self-Sufficient King Thus Come One. Not
only has the Bodhisattva’s mother obtained release from hell, but, as a
result of so much merit, other offenders deserving of uninterrupted
retribution have also attained bliss and have been reborn.’ When the
ghost king was finished speaking, he withdrew, with palms still respectfully
joined.
“The Brahman woman quickly returned as if from a dream,
understood what had happened, and swore a deep vow before the image of
Enlightenment-Flower Samadhi Self-Sufficient King Thus Come One in the
temple, saying ‘I vow to establish many expedient devices in response to
living beings who are suffering for offenses. Until the end of future aeons,
I shall cause those beings to obtain liberation.’ ”

Commentary:
When the text says that she understood what had happened, it means that when
she returned, she remembered clearly the entire episode with Poisonless and knew that
it was not a false imagining or a dream but rather was due to the power of the
Buddha. She thereupon made the vow which reaches throughout unending aeons.
Sutra:
The Buddha told Manjusri, “The ghost king Poisonless is the
present Bodhisattva Wealthy Leader. The Brahman woman is now Earth
Store Bodhisattva.”

Commentary:
There are seven treasures of cultivation, all of which have been attained by the
Bodhisattva Wealthy Leader. They are faith, morality, learning, giving, wisdom, a
sense of shame, and a sense of remorse.
 CHAPTER TWO
The Assembly of the Reduplicated Bodies

Sutra:
At that time the reduplicated bodies of Earth Store Bodhisattva
assembled in the palace of the Trayastrimsa Heaven from a hundred
thousand tens of thousands of millions of inconceivable, unutterable,
immeasurable, ineffable, asamkhyeyas of worlds, from all the places where
there are hells. Because of the spiritual power of the Thus Come One,
each came from his own direction together with thousands of ten thousands
of nayutas of those who had obtained liberation from the paths of
karma. All came holding incense and flowers as offerings to the
Buddha. Because of the teachings of Earth Store Bodhisattva all of those
who came were irreversible from Anuttarasamyaksambodhi, even though
long kalpas ago they had been wandering in birth and death, undergoing
suffering within Six Paths without even temporary respite. Because of
Earth Store Bodhisattva’s great compassion and deep vows, however, each
had borned testimony to the fruits. When they came to the Trayastrimsa
Heaven, their hearts jumping, they gazed at the Thus Come One, their eyes
not leaving him for a moment.

Commentary:
It could be said that the reduplicated body is also the “reduplicated spirit,”
“reduplicated nature,” or “reduplicated heart.” Bodhisattvas have a king of spiritually
efficacious response, and thus it is said, “A penetration effected, everywhere there is
response.” This is also what is meant by the phrases,

A thousand pools of water,

Moons in a thousand pools;
Ten thousand miles without a cloud,
Ten thousand miles of sky.

The moon is reflected in as many pools of water as there are; if there are ten thousand
pools, there are as many reflected moons. The moon in the pool represents the
“spiritual” being discussed here. It is also “nature” and you might say a “thought” as
well. Although there are the appearances of a thousand moons reflected in a thousand
pools, the substance of the moon does not reduplicate.

Likewise, the reduplicated bodies of Earth Store Bodhisattva created by living

beings. By way of a simple analogy, the reduplicated bodies are like
photographs. Originally, there is just one person, but an unlimited number of copies of
his photograph may be made. The difference between photographs and reduplicated
bodies is that the photographs do not have the ability to function, spiritual response, or
the breath of life. The reduplicated bodies of Earth Store Bodhisattva, on the other
hand, are identical with his original body and are referred to as the “hundred thousand
million transformation bodies.” Wherever Earth Store Bodhisattva sees a hell, no
matter where in the world system of a billion worlds it may be, he dispatches a
transformation body to teach living beings there. He does this in accord with his vow
to teach all the living beings in the hells.

The number of worlds from which the reduplicated bodies of Earth Store Bodhisattva
returned to the Trayastrimsa Heaven is completely beyond calculation or
comprehension, for the reduplicated bodies exist because of the needs of the limitless
number of living beings who are flowing, floating and drowning, dying, and then being
reborn again and again in the wheel of life and death, as many as waves on the
sea. Because of Earth Store Bodhisattva’s great compassion and deep
vows, many had borne testimony to the fruits of the path. He vowed, “Only when the
hells are emptied will I become a Buddha; only when living beings have all been saved,
will I attain to Bodhi.” Their hearts jumping, they gazed at the Thus Come
One, their eyes not leaving him for a moment . This is a sign of utmost sincerity.

Sutra:
At that time the World-Honored One stretched forth his golden-
colored arm and rubbed the crowns of all the reduplicated bodies of Earth
Store Bodhisattva, from the hundreds of thousands of tens of thousands of
millions of unthinkable, unutterable, immeasurable, ineffable, limitless
asamkhyeyas of worlds, and said, “I teach and transform obstinate living
beings within the evil worlds of the Five Turbidities, causing their minds to
be regulated and subdued, to renounce the improper and return to the
proper. One or two of ten, however, have bad habits remaining and I also
divide into hundreds of thousands of millions of bodies in order to
establish numerous expedient devices for them. There are those of keen
roots who hear and then faithfully accept; there are others who have
already reaped good retribution and who have been energetically exhorted
to accomplishment. Yet others are dark and dull and must long be taught
and transformed in order to effect their return, while others whose karma
is heavy do not give rise to respect. The reduplication bodies cross over
and release all of these manifold kinds of living beings by being manifested
as the bodies of men, women, gods, dragons, spirits, or ghosts. They may
be manifested as mountains, forests, streams, springs, and rivers; as lakes,
fountains, or wells, in order to benefit people. All of these may save
beings. The bodes of divine emperors, Brahma kings, wheel-turning kings,
laymen, kings of countries, prime ministers, officials, bhiksus, bhiksunis,
upasakas, upasika, Sound-Hearers, Arhats, Pratyekabuddhas, and
Bodhisattvas, may be manifested in order to teach and rescue beings. It is
not only the body of a Buddha which manifests.”

Commentary:
The World-Honored One rubbed the limitless crowns of the transformation bodies by
means of his total psychic power, which enables one arm to become a hundred
thousand, and said, “I teach and transform obstinate living beings within the evil world
of the Five Turbidities.” Perhaps “obstinate living beings” includes you, perhaps
someone else. Anyone who does not follow the teachings and continues to be unruly is
obstinate. It particularly means Americans who very strongly dislike following
rules. Just look at the situation here. As soon as children reach a certain age, they
begin to ask why there have to be so many rules. Unruly adults come from children
who do not like to follow rules.

Subdued minds are harmonious and delight in receiving Dharma, neither opposing nor
doubting it. “Keen roots” refers to those whose merit from past lives is extremely great,
who are intelligent, and who have a great deal of wisdom. On hearing Dharma they
accept it. There are also those who have reaped good retribution. In past lives they
may have done deeds to plant the seeds which bear good fruit.

Those who have been energetically exhorted to accomplishment have been exhorted
more than once. If, for example, you decide to cross someone over and are not initially
successful, keep trying. If they are far away, write letters explaining Buddhadharma to
them, and if they are nearby, visit with them now and again and discuss Buddhism.

Cross others over, but do not be crossed over by others. For example, you set out to
cross someone over to believe in Buddhadharma and what happens? He makes a
Christian out of you. This is what is meant by being crossed over by others. To cross
others over is to have wisdom; to be crossed over by others is to be foolish. Therefore,
the text says “energetically.”

Do not exhort others once or twice but many times. If you have not been effective,
keep at it again and again, right up to the point where you become a Buddha.

There are those who are dark and dull, that is, ignorant, who must be transformed for a
long time in order to return. Long means not merely once or twice, not even three or
four times. Here, however, it is simply a matter of an unfixed time. If I cannot cross
you over in one day, then I will do it in two or three, in a month, a year, or even three,
four, or five years. My resolve to cross you over will be a long-lasting one, so that
eventually you will come to believe in the Buddha.

Sakyamuni Buddha reduplicates into many bodies in order to release all beings, each
of whom has his own particular circumstances and his own karma. These
transformation bodies are manifested in many forms, perhaps as a handsome man in
order to cross a woman over, or perhaps as a beautiful woman to cross over men. He
does this because he knows that, as a result of their heavy desires, most living beings
like male-female relationships. Consequently, the Buddha is manifested in accordance
with this basic nature of living beings in order that they may more easily be taught.

The transformation bodies may be divine beings or dragons in order to cross over gods
and dragons. They may be the imposing spiritual virtues of spirits, or the bodies of
great ghost kings. Mountains, forests, streams, and springs are all manifestations of
the Thus Come One’s Dharma body. We, along with all of San Francisco, are sitting in
the Thus Come One’s Dharma-body but don’t know it. “Old Gold Mountain” (San
Francisco) was manifested by the Buddha long ago in order to benefit the living beings
who might live here. Although the text says mountains, forests, streams, and springs,
don’t think that the level earth is not the Buddha’s Dharma-body, for it is. We are all a
part of the Buddha’s Dharma-body, but we can’t see it, because we are like ants
walking along the ground, unable to see the big picture. We are tiny bugs on the
Dharma-body, we just don’t know it.

A mountain may appear, for example, and as you climb it you may receive its spiritual
energies and attain enlightenment. You may smell the fresh air of the Buddha’s
Dharma-body while in the forest and become enlightened.

You should not think that five hundred years after Buddha’s nirvana it became
impossible to realize nirvana; it can be done even now. The only thing to be feared is
that you will not work. If you do work, I will provide guaranteed insurance for
you. When you have opened yourself to enlightenment, you will be able to collect on
the policy. Of course, once you have become enlightened, you will not want to bother
collecting the money, and so I’ll still come out ahead on the deal.

You may be bathing in a river and feel very comfortable, after which you attain
enlightenment; the river is just a manifestation of Sakyamuni Buddha. The water from
wells is similar: you may drink it, and day by day your resolve for the Way
increases. All of these are inconceivable events. In general, every move of the
Buddha’s is undertaken for the benefit of living beings.

While you sit in meditation Sakyamuni Buddha may be manifested in the body of a
heavenly emperor who bows to you and tells you that he is lord of the heavens. He
comes to you and tells you that he is lord of the heavens. He comes to encourage you
because you have firmly resolved to attain the Way.

A wise wheel-turning king has many kinds of precious treasures, among which is a
flying chariot pulled by a horse faster than a rocket. Our rockets, which can go to the
moon, require quite some time to get there. The flying chariot of the wheel-turning
king, however, can go everywhere within the world system of a million worlds within
an hour – not merely to the moon and nearby planets but to other galaxies. A wheel-
turning king also has a treasure storehouse; whenever he needs money he just states
the amount and the earth opens up, revealing as much as he requires. Because his
blessings are so great, all the wealth of the earth is at his disposition.

Among his treasures are women. Whenever wise wheel-turning kings wish for a
woman, one appears spontaneously. Everything accords with the will of such a king,
and he is not subject to the suffering of denial of his desires. The Buddha may be
manifested in such a wheel-turning king, and when living beings see him, they resolve
their thoughts on the Way. Aside from wheel-turning kings, one never knows which of
you laymen might be a manifestation of the Buddha. Bhiksus, bhiksunis, upasakas,
upasikas: Sakyamuni is manifested in many bodies other than his own Buddha-body in
order to cross over living beings.

Sutra:

The Buddha continued, saying, “You see that I have worked hard
for many kalpas and endured different kinds of sufferings in order to
liberate and cross over those living beings who are obstinate and difficult
to transform and who suffer from offenses. Those among them who have
not submitted undergo retributions according to their karma. If they
should fall into the states of woe and endure a time of great suffering, you
should remember my repeated commitment made in the Palace of the
Trayastrimsa Heaven: I will cause all living beings in the Saha world,
until the advent of Maitreya, to attain liberation, to leave suffering
eternally, and to encounter Buddhas and receive their prophecies.”
At that time the reduplicated bodies of Earth Store Bodhisattva
from all the worlds returned together to a single form which, weeping with
pity, said to the Buddha, “Throughout long aeons I have received the
Buddha’s guidance, which has caused me to obtain inconceivable spiritual
power and great wisdom. My reduplicated bodies fill as many worlds as
there are grains of sand in a hundred thousand tens of thousands of
Ganges Rivers. In each of those worlds, I transform into tens of thousands
of millions of bodies, each of which crosses over a hundred thousand tens
of thousands of people and causes them to return respectfully to the Triple
Jewel, eternally leave birth and death, and reach the bliss of
nirvana. Even if their good deeds within the Buddhadharma are as little as
a hair, a drop, a grain of sand, a mote of dust, or a stand of down, I shall
gradually cause them to be liberated and attain great benefit. World-
Honored One, do not be concerned about future living beings with evil
karma.” Thus he spoke three times: “World-Honored One, do not be
concerned about future living beings with evil karma.”
At that time the Buddha praised Earth Store Bodhisattva and said,
“Very good, very good, I shall help in this work you so willingly
undertake. When you fulfill these great vows after long and distant kalpas,
you will instantly testify to Bodhi.”

Commentary:
You should contemplate accumulated kalpas, a period so long that it cannot be
known. Throughout this time Sakyamuni Buddha will energetically undergo suffering,
without a moment for laziness, happiness, or pleasure, in order to release and cross
over living beings. Do not think, “Oh, well, I’m probably not included.” You are
certainly included among living beings who are obstinate and difficult to
transform. How much of his heart’s blood has Sakyamuni Buddha expended to
transform and teach us, and yet we still do not know a sense of shame. We think that
everything is just fine and that there is no problem. “It’s not so important,” we say, “if
Sakyamuni Buddha has to suffer a bit more, it’s no matter. I don’t have to study
Buddhadharma now because it will not matter if I fool around for a while.” You
explain principles for yourself in this way, and act as your own defense lawyer.

Although Earth Store Bodhisattva’s one body reduplicates to become many bodies, the
many return together and become one. The many bodies are just one and the one is
many. To speak of this in greater depth, there are neither many bodies nor one body;
Earth Store Bodhisattva basically has no body at all. How can we say this? It is
because he has no thought of a self. Although he has many bodies, they are not many,
and although he has one body, it is not one. One is many, many is one. Earth Store
Bodhisattva reduplicates into many bodies, which then all return to one. Which of all
these bodies is Earth Store Bodhisattva? Which one is not? Would you say that any
particular one of these bodies is his? You could say that, and one of them is. Yet you
could say that it is not. You could say that anybody he manifests is his
body. According to this theory, however, you could say that there is fundamentally no
appearance at all, and therefore you could say that these are not his reduplicated
bodies.

You could also say that any person who vows to study the conduct Earth Store
Bodhisattva is his reduplicated body and is no different from him. People wish to
study his conduct because they respect his behavior, his wisdom, and his vows. In fact,
you are one of Earth Store Bodhisattva’s reduplicated bodies, and that is why you like
him. Act in accord with his resolve and vows and you are his transformation body. If
you can cultivate in accord with the Buddhadharma, if you have a self-nature which is
replete with blessings and wisdom, if you understand the mind and see its nature, you
too will have spiritual powers and will be able to return to Earth Store
Bodhisattva. Return together to a single form means to return to the origin, to go
back to the source.
Earth Store Bodhisattva wept with pity for four reasons. First, the living beings in the
Six Paths commit bad karma and do not change their behavior. They continue to
commit offenses in the realms of the hells, hungry ghosts, animals, humans, asuras,
and gods, and still know no sense of shame.

Second, living beings are stubborn and difficult to teach. If you explain the
Buddhadharma, they often do not listen, but if you talk non-Dharma with them, they
enjoy it. If, for example, you praise someone, talk about how learned and well-behaved
he is, people will not pay much attention. If, on the other hand, you speak ill of others,
they will listen avidly. “Why, did you know, so and so is so clever that he does scores of
things you’ll never find out about.” Yes, people will pay a great deal of attention to this
sort of tale, but they will not listen when you tell them to study the Buddhadharma.
If you tell them about a mysterious drug that brings about wonderful and mystical
changes, they want to give it a try. Many take marijuana and LSD and other confusing
drugs because they are looking for these changes. They become confused and muddled
yet feel that they have ended up in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. Although these states
are basically harmful, those who experience them feel that everything has been
transformed – not even heaven and earth are as great as they. When their drug
experience is over, however, they are exhausted and have headaches and general bodily
pain. Sometimes they do not want to work but just lie about like corpses, unawake and
unreasoning. They never wonder how they have come to such a state but only think
that if they take a little more dope, they will become enlightened. And so they continue
to violate laws and deal in drugs. Wouldn’t you say that this is an ultimate form of self-
destruction?

Third, the Thus come One was about to enter nirvana, the sun of wisdom was about to
set, and Earth Store Bodhisattva was sorrowful.

Fourth, in the palace of the Trayastrimsa Heaven, Sakyamuni Buddha instructed Earth
Store Bodhisattva to work until Maitreya appeared in the world, crossing over living
beings so that they might encounter Buddhas and receive predictions of
enlightenment. Earth Store Bodhisattva wept as he was given this extremely important
responsibility.

Spiritual powers are wonderful and unfathomable; there is no way that these powers
can be known. Yet, if you wish to cross living beings over, you must have these
powers. Spiritual power, moreover, is not sufficient in itself; you must also have great
wisdom. Wisdom and spiritual powers aid one another. To obtain them we should
first take refuge with the Triple Jewel because before this we are outside the
Buddhadharma. Taking refuge is called “casting off the improper and returning to the
proper, leaving the dark and entering the light.” Therefore one takes refuge with the
Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.

To reach the bliss of nirvana , which has the Four Qualities of permanence, bliss,
self, and purity, one must have done good deeds. A hair represents the lightest of good
deeds; a drop represents the fewest; a grain of sand represents the minutest of
good deeds; and a mote of dust represents the smallest. A hair is extremely light, a
drop of water is a very small quantity, the most minuscule particle of sand is a grain,
and a mote of dust borders on emptiness – that is to say, one-seventh the size of the
smallest particle visible to the naked eye. This is where the work begins.
Great benefit refers to becoming a Buddha. Just look how great this benefit
is. Earth Store Bodhisattva, with his great wisdom, uses all kinds of inconceivable and
wonderful methods, so that even if you want to avoid receiving his teaching, you
cannot do so. This is what is meant by the phrase from Confucius, “wishing to stop and
yet unable.” You might say that you are going to stop studying the Buddhadharma, but
you have no way to actually do so. Ah, the wonder is just this very point. Who makes
you this way? It is simply through the wonderful functioning of that good, knowing
adviser, Earth Store Bodhisattva, of great vows.
Earth Store Bodhisattva spoke these words to the Buddha to say that he would take
care of all living beings: “Give the responsibility to me,” he said. “If living beings have
not become Buddhas, I too will not become a Buddha. Only when the hells are
emptied will I become a Buddha; only when living beings have all been saved will I
attain to Bodhi.”

He spoke these words three times to show the importance of the matter under
discussion. Laws, for example, are passed in this way; after they are read three times,
with no objections, they are considered passed. In this case, however, it is not a
question of passing or not passing but merely a matter of showing the importance of
the statement.
On hearing this, wouldn’t you say that we ought to be happy? We have committed so
many offenses, and yet we still have the opportunity to become Buddhas. Ah, how
high, how deep is this kindness. So it is said, “Look up, there is none loftier; drill in,
and there is none more firm.” This Bodhisattva’s state is truly inconceivable.

On hearing Earth Store Bodhisattva’s guarantee that all beings would accomplish the
Way, the Buddha was pleased and said, “Very good, very good.” The Bodhisattva spoke
to the Buddha three times, and now the Buddha replies twice for the same reason.

There are basically Four Great Vows: I vow to save living beings in unending hell; I
vow to cut off interminable afflictions; I vow to find unlimited Dharma “doors”; I vow
to perfect the unsurpassed Buddha Way.

Now that these vows have been put into English, you should ask yourself every day,
“Have I saved living beings, or have I been crossed over by them? Did I start out
believing in the Buddha and then, after being told by someone else of the glory of
Jesus’ crucifixion, become a Christian?” If this is the case, then you have been crossed
over by others and have not saved them.
The same investigation should be made for the other three vows. “I vow to eliminate
interminable afflictions. Is it true that when someone spoke harshly to me I got angry
and raged in ignorance? If this is the case, then just what have I eliminated?” If you
find that you have not been afflicted, you still can’t claim to have attained
anything. Wait for an opportunity that tests you, and see if you have really rid yourself
of all your afflictions. If you have not done so, you have only studied the
Buddhadharma superficially; but if you have eliminated them, you have obtained inner
peace and entered into the sea of Buddhadharma.

“I vow to learn the unlimited Dharma Doors.” The doors and entrances into the
Buddhadharma are unlimited. It is said there are eighty-four thousands of them, but
how could the doors of the Buddhadharma stop at eighty-four thousand? There are
far, far more than that. Don’t simply think, “I have now learned to recite
the Surangama Mantra and that is fine enough.” Take a look at the Tripitaka, vast
as the sea. If you have obtained only a hair, a drop, a grain of sand, or a dust-mote’s
worth, you cannot say that you have understood Buddhadharma. If you really
penetrate the Buddhadharma and are able to drink the great sea dry in a single gulp,
then you have understood. If you cannot do this, you must study more.
“I vow to perfect the unsurpassed Buddha Way.” This does not need further
certification. If you had accomplished Buddhahood, we would not have any questions,
for they would all be resolved. Of course, if you have not become a Buddha, you cannot
pretend to be one, as some people do, and say, “Not only am I a Buddha, so are
you. Everyone is Buddha.” Just what kind of a Buddha are you? A greedy Buddha? A
hateful Buddha? An ignorant Buddha? An afflicted Buddha? Do not follow arrogant
frauds who say they are Buddhas when they are not, who say they are enlightened
when they are.

The time when Earth Store Bodhisattva will testify to Bodhi will be at the extreme limit
of the future. Is it then the case that he will never have an opportunity to accomplish
Bodhi? Don’t worry about that. Earth Store Bodhisattva accomplished Bodhi long,
long ago. If he had not done so, he would not have such inconceivably great spiritual
power and wisdom. He is just waiting for you and me to accomplish it as well. For
these reasons we should all be courageous and vigorous in working toward Bodhi,
toward enlightenment.
 CHAPTER THREE
Contemplating the Karmic Conditions of Living
Beings

Sutra:
At that time the Buddha’s mother, the Lady Maya, placed her
palms together respectfully and said to Earth Store Bodhisattva, “Holy
One, the deeds done by the living beings of Jambudvipa differ. What are
their respective retributions?”
Earth Store replied, “In a thousand ten thousands of worlds and lands,
whether with or without hells, with or without women, the Buddhadharma,
Sound-Hearers, Pratyekabuddhas, and others, the retributions of the hells
differ.”

Commentary:
The term “living beings” is composed of two words in Chinese,
literally, many/born . Living beings are said to grasp at the many aggregates (form,
reception, thought, activity, and consciousness) and thereby attain bodies. They are
born into various states as a result of manifold causes and conditions, which are
collectively called karma. Karma is a Sanskrit term that refers to that which is made by
the activity of speech, body, or mind. What is the difference between “cause” and
“karma”? Cause refers to a single incident; karma is a long accumulation of
causes. There are many causes and conditions that constitute karma, and each being
has his own. Therefore the states encountered by living beings differ. Some encounter
great joy because they planted good seeds long ago, while others must endure a great
deal of hardship, always living in difficult situations, because they have only sown bad
causes. In general, if you plant good seeds, you reap good fruit; if you plant bad seeds,
you reap bad fruit.
Good and bad are done by you alone, and no one forces you to do either. Even the
work of becoming a Buddha is something to which you alone must apply effort; no one
else can make you do it, and nobody can do it for you. If you do the work, you will
plant the seeds of Buddhahood and find accomplishment. If you do the deeds, the
karma, of Buddhas, you will be a Buddha in the future; if you do the deeds of demons,
you will become a demon. Didn’t the text say earlier that the hells are called forth in
response to the Three Evil Karmas?
After Sakyamuni Buddha accomplished the Way, he spoke Dharma for forty-nine years
in over three hundred Dharma assemblies. When he was about to enter nirvana he
realized that he had not yet crossed over his mother, the Lady Maya, and so he went to
the Trayastrimsa Heaven to speak Dharma for her.

Some worlds have hells and some do not. The Land of Ultimate Bliss, for example,
does not have any of the Three Evil Paths, nor any hells, hungry ghosts, or animals. In
this world of ours, on the other hand, they do exist.

Some worlds – ours for example – have both men and women as well as sages and
common people. The Land of Ultimate Bliss has only men. How does this come
about? Men remain men, but when women go to that world they become men. Since
there are no women, the people in the world of Ultimate Bliss are born
transformationally from lotus flowers. When we recite the Buddha’s name once here,
our lotus-flower mother in the Land of Ultimate Bliss grows a bit. The more we recite
it here, the more our flower grows. The more sincere our recitation is, the more
flourishing our lotus.

When the Eighth Consciousness has not yet become a person, a god, a ghost, etc., it is
called the Intermediate Skandha Body. When we die, the Intermediate Skandha, or
Intermediate Shadow Body, is led into the lotus flower. When that flower opens, a
person is born.

In some worlds a Buddha may be speaking Dharma; in others, the Dharma of a

Buddha may circulate. Places where no one speaks Dharma, where there are no
Buddha images, sutras, or people who have left the home life, are called places without
Buddhadharma. According to the sutras, the northern continent, Uttarakuru, does not
have Buddhadharma, and is classed among the Eight Difficulties, circumstances in
which it is hard to encounter Buddhadharma.

From the point of view of common people, Sound-hearers are very happy, but from the
standpoint of the Bodhisattva, the Sound-Hearers, too, have their sufferings. The
passage cited above refers to places that have the sufferings of Sound-Hearers or the
sufferings of the Pratyekabuddhas.

Regardless of who you are, if you create karma, you will undergo the appropriate
retribution; avoiding karma you avoid the retribution that follows it. This is a certain
principle that works impartially, with equality for all.
Sutra:
The Lady Maya again spoke to Earth Store Bodhisattva; “I wish to
hear only of the bad paths that are the retribution from offenses in
Jambudvipa.”
Earth Store Bodhisattva replied, “Holy Mother, please listen and I
will explain it in general terms.”
The Buddha’s mother answered, “I hope that you will do so.”
Earth Store Bodhisattva said to the Holy Mother, “These are the
names of the retributions for offenses in Jambudvipa. Living beings who
are not filial to their parents, who harm or kill them, will fall into the
uninterrupted hell, where, for a thousand millions of kalpas, they will seek
in vain to escape.”

Commentary:
We living beings should be filial to our parents, for those who are not filial commit
offenses. Filial piety is important because it is the basis of humanity; if people are not
filial, they forget their very origin. Therefore, it is said, “Father gave me a life, mother
raised me; their kindness – as vast as high heaven, as manifold as the hairs on the head
– is difficult to repay.”

What is filial piety? Does it mean buying rare delicacies to feed one’s parents? Is it
perhaps seeing that they are dressed in fine clothes? No. These are a superficial form
of filial piety. The inner functioning of filial piety is to comply with one’s parents’
fundamental intent.

Suppose my father likes to smoke opium. If he smoked one once a day, and I smoked
two, wouldn’t that be filial piety? It certainly would not. When I said “comply,” I
meant to comply with the basic parental desire for the children’s welfare, not with a
parent’s superficial habits. If the latter were intended, you might as well say that if
your father likes bread and butter, you should say to him, “I like that, too. You’re just
going to have to wait while I eat it.” That would be belligerence about a superficial
matter, not compliance with your father’s basic benevolent intentions towards you. To
comply means to be in accordance with another’s wishes.

There is a couplet that says,

The lamb kneels to drink its milk,
The young crow returns to the nest.
When the lamb drinks its mother’s milk, it kneels to do so. The crow is called filial bird
in Chinese since the young crows return with food for their aged mother who can no
longer fly. If we are not filial to our parents, we humans are not even the equals of
birds and beasts.

There are Five Virtues possessed by humans: humaneness, propriety, etiquette,

knowledge, and trust. Since we have the ability to practice these qualities, can we not
even equal the best aspects of the behavior of crows and sheep? There is nothing more
important than being filial.

Someone might ask, “I want to be filial, but now I have left the home life and my
parents are nowhere nearby. How can I be filial?” Leaving one’s home life can be an
act of great filial piety. There is a saying,

When one son enters the Buddha’s door,

Nine generations ascend to heaven.

If you leave home to cultivate the Way, nine generations of ancestors receive the
benefit and can ascend to heaven. In this way, you are being filial not only to your
parents but to your grandparents and to parents and grandparents of past lives. Of
course, you must continue to cultivate. If you do not do so, your nine generations will
fall into hell, where they will wail and moan: “We had a descendant who left home to
cultivate, and because of him we should have been born in the heavens. Who would
have thought that all he does is sleep, causing us to fall into hell.”

The mere act of leaving home life is not sufficiently powerful to cause your nine
generations of ancestors to be reborn in the heavens. If you do not cultivate the Way,
they will not reap any benefit, but if you do cultivate, you are practicing great filial
piety.

Sutra:

“Living beings who shed the Buddha’s blood, who slander the
Triple Jewel, and who do not respect and venerate sutras, will fall into the
uninterrupted hell, and for thousands of tens of thousands of millions of
kalpas they will seek escape in vain.”
Commentary:
When the Buddha is in the world, shedding his blood means just that; after his
nirvana, it means destroying images of the Buddha.

“How is it possible,” you think “to harm the Buddha, who has such great spiritual
powers?”

Sometimes even the Buddha undergoes harm at the expense of others. The Buddha’s
cousin, Devadatta, opposed everything the Buddha did and invariably tried to ruin
him. If the Buddha said that something was proper, Devadatta would contradict
him. He did everything he possibly could to undermine the Buddha.

Once when the Buddha was speaking, Devadatta bribed a poor woman to take part in a
plot against him. As is the case with many impoverished persons, her resolve was weak
and she would do anything for money. Devadatta had her tie a large sponge around
her waist under her clothes and in this condition go to the Buddha’s Dharma assembly
and accuse him of fathering her unborn child. But when she arrived, the Buddha used
his powerful spiritual strength to make the sponge fall to the ground in full view of the
assembly.

Another time the Buddha was walking beneath Vulture Peak when Devadatta, hoping
to crush the Buddha, used his spiritual powers to cause an avalanche. A Dharma
protector name Pei La, the spirit of Vulture Peak, used his Vajra pestle to smash one of
the large boulders, which was about to hit the Buddha. One of the fragments, however,
struck the Buddha’s little toe and cracked a bone. At that very moment the ground
opened and a fiery chariot emerged from the earth to carry Devadatta off alive to the
hells. The retribution incurred by those who deliberately and maliciously destroy
images of the Buddha is similar.

Slandering the Triple Jewel is speaking evil of the Buddha, his Dharma, and the
Sangha. Among the Bodhisattva precepts is one that prohibits people from speaking of
the offenses of the Four Assemblies, the bhiksus, bhiksunis, upasakas, and
upasikas. Not only does it warn people to refrain from speaking of those faults, it also
prohibits listening to others speak of them. Even if you assent silently in such a
conversation, you are violating precepts just as much as if you were speaking. The best
thing to do in a situation like this is simply to ignore what is being said.

Among other reasons for not speaking of the faults of the assemblies is that the views
of ordinary persons are quite often wrong. The realms of sages and those of ordinary
people differ immensely. Bodhisattvas of the first ground, for example, don’t know the
states of those of the second ground, and so on up the line. Bodhisattvas on the tenth
ground do not know the state of the Bodhisattvas on the ground of equal
enlightenment. Before you have attained true wisdom you may not say harmful things
about the Four Assemblies; even though people may very clearly be in the wrong, you
should not speak of it. Just do things correctly yourself, rather than being like a
camera that goes about photographing faults and never examines its own inside.

At this point two illustrative stories come to mind, one about Dhyana Master Chih
Kung and the other about Dhyana Master Chi Kung.

During the reign of the emperor Wu of the Liang Dynasty, there was a Dhyana Master
named Chih Kung who ate two pigeons every day. The cook assumed that the birds
must be delicious, and after many days of temptation, he sampled a small bit of wing
on the sly. The he brought the remainder of the dish to Chih Kung. After he had eaten,
Chih Kung called for the cook.

“Why have you been eating my pigeons?”

“I didn’t take any pigeon,” answered the cook.
“Oh? Then what about this?” said Chih Kung. He opened his mouth and two live
pigeons emerged. One of the birds flew off, but the other lacked a wing.
“If you didn’t eat a wing, what’s the matter with this bird?” asked Chih Kung.

Although in both cases the men ate pigeons, there was a bit of difference in the
act. After Chih Kung had swallowed the pigeon, he could still spit it out whole; the
cook, on the other hand, could not do it. Chih Kung’s state was one of “eating and yet
not eating.”

At Ling Yuan Monastery at West Lake in Hang Chow lived Dhyana Master Chi Kung,
another famous monk who always ate dog meat and drank wine. He was invariably
inebriated, and everyone said, “There goes another tippling monk.” In his
drunkenness, however, Chi Kung taught and transformed living beings.

Once some new Buddha images had not yet been gilded and he vowed to take on that
responsibility. The abbot of his temple agreed and then waited. After some time the
images were still not finished, and Chi Kung was questioned about the matter by the
abbot. He agreed to do the work that very evening. When night came, however, he
merely kept on with his drinking.
When everyone was asleep, he went to the images and began to spew forth pure gold,
with which he covered the images. The abbot heard Chi Kung and abruptly ordered
him to stop such unseemly conduct. Chi Kung instantly did as he was told.

The next morning the abbot inspected the images. He found that they were covered
with gold except for one which lacked a small spot on the crown of the head. Although
a master goldsmith completed the work, his ordinary gold could not match that
supplied by Dhyana Master Chi Kung.

So, you see, you should not speak of the faults of the Four Assemblies. Speaking of
ordinary people is not serious, but suppose you should talk about a Bodhisattva or
someone else of attainment. The penalty you might incur could be very great, enough
to cause you to fall into hell.

People slander the Triple Jewel because they do not have faith. Another cause is
mixing with bad company – people who do not understand and therefore slander the
Buddhadharma. Associating with such people may cause one to be influenced by their
bad habits.

Some people berate and slander the Triple Jewel and use flattery for ill gain. Such
persons’ minds are crooked; they engage in flattery to get what they want. They are
stupid, yet puffed up with their own intelligence, like the five thousand bhiksus who
left the assembly during the speaking of the Lotus Sutra . Because they had a tiny bit
of cleverness, they looked down on others and slandered the good Dharmas, thus
blinding the selective Dharma eye of living beings.
What is the retribution for such persons? In the future they will be deformed and
crippled, without arms, hands, ears, or legs. They may very well be mutes. Mutes are
people who have slandered the Triple Jewel. After they commit this offense they fall
into the hells, where they spend two million years of hellish retribution, after which
they are born into the realms of the animals. After two million years among the
animals, they may be reborn as humans, but they will always be without eyes, ears, or
perhaps a nose. In general, their appearance will be deformed.

Sutras must be treated with respect, for, as it says in the Diamond Sutra , “Wherever
this sutra is, there is the Buddha.” Sutras are the Dharma-body of the Buddha, toward
which we must be very respectful. They should always be stored one level higher than
other books, preferably at head level, but certainly never at foot level; it is disrespectful
to store Buddhist sutras beneath other books. The places where we sleep are unclean,
and sutras should not be placed there. If you do not show the same respect for sutras
that you show the Buddha, you are slandering and harming the Triple Jewel. The
retribution for not respecting sutras is the same: one falls into the uninterrupted hells
and for a hundred thousand millions of kalpas tries to escape but cannot.

Sutra:
“Living beings who usurp property of the ‘permanently dwelling,’
who defile bhiksus or bhiksunis, who practice sexual acts within the
Sangharama, or who kill and harm beings there, will fall into the
uninterrupted hell where, for thousands of millions of kalpas, they will
seek escape in vain.”

Commentary:
To usurp and destroy is to make use of the food, drink, and goods of those permanently
dwelling in the temples, without offering compensation. If one lives in a temple before
he has left home, he should certainly make offerings and aid that temple. If you live in
a temple even for a few days and do not make an offering, you have usurped goods of
those permanently dwelling there. This offense will certainly send you to the
hells. You should regard living in a temple as being similar to living anywhere else; you
should give money for living expenses and thus avoid stealing from those permanently
dwelling there. If you have not understood any principles of Buddhism and act
improperly, that is one thing; but if you have studied and still behave this way, it is
quite another. Consequently, I tell my disciples to make sure they never commit this
offense but always support the Triple Jewel.

This principle holds true not only for lay people but for those who have left home life as
well. If you cannot augment the resources of a place, you should at least make sure
that you do not deplete them.

If you are absolutely broke, that is another matter, but since the place of the
permanently dwelling is where the great assembly may live, we must take care not to
inconvenience anyone or deplete the supplies. If you use food of the great assembly
and there is none left, you have committed an offense. Food is a major source of
happiness for human beings, and you cannot deprive others of it. If I alone starve to
death, that will be no problem, but I cannot deprive the assembly of its food.” With
this attitude you will not commit a grave offense in this area.

There are four kinds of Permanently Dwelling, which in this discussion refer to the
goods of the permanently dwelling.
1. The Permanently Dwelling. This category includes the fixed, immovable goods of
the Sangha, which cannot be divided up.
2. The Permanently Dwelling of the Ten Directions. This includes items that may be
shared by any member of the Sangha from anyplace whatever.
3. The Current Permanently Dwelling. This refers to the actual private property of
current members of the Sangha.
4. The Current Permanently Dwelling of the Ten Directions. This refers to the actual
property left by decease Sangha members which may be divided among the Sangha
members of the Ten Directions.

Some evil people particularly like to take advantage of those who have left their home
life and engage in sexual misconduct with them. This is a very great offense. The
Sangharama is a still, pure place. Any bodhimandala, any temple, in fact, any place
where there is a Buddha image, is a Sangharama. In such places one cannot engage in
sexual activities.

A man who suffered from a genital ulcer once asked Mahamaudgalyayana the origin of
his disease and was told that it was a result of having violated this regulation in the
past. Although he was speaking to a man, the principle is the same for
women. Anyone who violates this rule will have to undergo this retribution. These
diseases are extremely difficult to cure.

Some people say, after hearing all of this, that the more they study Buddhism, the more
inconvenient things become; the more they practice, the less independence they
have. When you don’t study the Buddhadharma, are you independent? When you
study Buddhism, you may be limited for a while, but this restraint is relatively short-
lived. While you study the Buddhadharma, you increase your good roots; when you do
not study, you increase your offense-caused obstacles. These obstacles tie you up and
your non-independence is eternal. The non-independence of studying the
Buddhadharma is a short-term one by comparison, and if you wish to attain eternal
independence, you will have to endure it. If you cannot do so, your non-independence
will be very long indeed. Weigh the odds for yourself.

Sutra:
“Living beings who pretend to be sramanas but whose hearts are
not those of sramanas, who make destructive use of the goods of the
permanently dwelling, who take advantage of the white-robed, and who
turn their backs on the precepts, doing all manner of evil acts, will fall into
the uninterrupted hells and for thousands of ten thousands of millions of
kalpas seek escape in vain.”

Commentary:
There are four kinds of sramana:

1. The sramana of the Way of wisdom

2. The sramana who speaks of the Way
3. The sramana who lives the Way
4. The sramana who defiles the Way

The first of these refers to the Buddha and great Bodhisattvas. The second applies to
those who explain sutras and preach Dharma, particularly greatly virtuous monks and
Arhats who have borne testimony to the fruit of the Way and who spend their lives
expounding it. The third kind, the sramana who lives the Way, takes cultivation of the
Way as his very life. The fourth kind, who is discussed in the sutra passage cited here,
are sramanas who defile the Way.

Although the word sramana has four meanings, it can also be explained with three
meanings, which are not three at all but really two, and these two in turn are really just
one, which is to say, sramana. Ah, how subtle this Cucchadharma is! The one meaning
is simply sramana, and that means “energetic” and “put to rest.”

“Energetic” refers to sramana who are not lazy, and “put to rest” refers to those who
are. So you are, sramana has two meanings; one points to laziness, the other to
vigor. The lazy one says to the energetic, “Don’t bother about working, relax and take
it easy.”

The energetic one replies, “Don’t be so lazy; follow me and cultivate the Way.” Since
there are two sides, there is a battle to see which one will win.

I said that this word also had three meanings. “Energetic” and “put to rest” have three
aspects each. The threefold aspect of the former is the energetic cultivation of
morality, samadhi, and wisdom. The threefold aspect of the latter is the putting to rest
of greed, hatred, and stupidity.
Morality is abstinence from evil, planting good causes, and improving one’s
conduct. It means turning one’s back on all one’s own errors and leaving them behind.

The guides to morality are the precepts. How many moral precepts are there? There
are the Five Precepts: abstention from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, false
speech, and intoxicants. In addition to these there are the Eight Laymen’s Precepts
and the Bodhisattva Precepts, which consist of ten major and forty-eight minor
ones. There are also the Ten Precepts of a Sramanera, the Two Hundred and Fifty
Precepts of the Bhiksu, and the Three Hundred and Forty-Eight Precepts of the
Bhiksuni. Some people say bhiksunis have five hundred precepts, but in fact they have
three hundred and forty-eight.

Samadhi is developed by meditation. (If you cultivate the Way you can attain
proficiency in it. When you first begin to meditate, you have no samadhi, and your
thoughts run off to the heavens and the hells, to the Buddha and to the Bodhisattvas;
in fact, your mind wanders all over the Six Paths. In order to keep thought
concentrated, and our minds from running all over, we must cultivate samadhi.

Someone is thinking, “Why bother cultivating concentration? Compare it to dancing:

you prance and leap about, and it’s much more interesting than just sitting there, like a
stick of wood. What are the advantages of Samadhi anyway?”

Basically it has no advantages. ‘The why bother with it?” you ask. If you wish to reveal
your inherent wisdom, you must first of all cultivate samadhi, for if you are not able to
concentrate, your thoughts will be scattered about and you will never manifest any
wisdom. Wisdom comes from samadhi; if you want to be released from ignorance,
cultivate samadhi.

One of my disciples recently said that when meditating he felt as if he were on the edge
of a great precipice, on the edge of a very deep abyss, and was frightened. This is a sign
of the beginning stages of samadhi. Here one must be particularly fearless. If you are
meditating and you feel that there is a great piece of iron suspended above your head
on the verge of breaking loose, or if you feel a bomb about to go off, do not be affected
by it, because if you are, it will be quite easy to enter the realm of the demons. If you
become attached to such signs, the “atomic bomb” you feel over your head may very
well go off. If, on the other hand, you pay no attention to them, demons cannot come
near you, and in fact they will have to run away.
The mental state in which a huge crevasse appears while you are in meditation
represents the karmic obstacles, which are heavier and deeper than a ten-thousand-
foot abyss. It is a sign that shows you the urgency of cultivation.

Sometimes, when you are meditating, you may feel blissful, self-contained freedom
which is so joyful that you forget everything else. This is a taste of dhyana, the most
blissful experience in the world of form, which far surpasses connubial pleasures. In
fact, it is something to which inhabitants of the realm of form can become decidedly
attached. It is said that only the one who drinks the water knows whether it is cold or
hot; the same is true of the flavor of dhyana. If you have experienced this state, you
know what it is like, and if you have not, you do not know. One of my disciples, for
example, is about to attain the state of “being Apart from Production and Obtaining
Bliss,” one of the Four Dhyanas. This is not a major matter, but it is quite common and
can occur to anyone who cultivates. This stage marks the beginning of samadhi.

What is the function of wisdom? One who has wisdom cannot go down a wrong
road. You are confused because you turn your back on enlightenment and unite with
the dust. Mistaking suffering for happiness, you confuse the realms of enlightenment
and dust. Why do you do all of this? Simply because you do not have any wisdom.

And so, one must be both energetic and resting. Listen energetically to the explanation
of sutras, and energetically cultivate morality, samadhi, and wisdom. Most important,
you must cultivate yourself and do so vigorously in accordance with the instructions of
your teacher. To do this you must put greed, hatred, and stupidity to rest. Don’t be
greedy for anything in the world, don’t indulge your temper, and don’t get angry. Give
your strong temper away. To whom will you give it? You can give it to me, your
teacher, so that I may increase my fire and make my disciples afraid of me. Now you
see that your teacher is as soft as cotton, and so you do not cultivate and are
lazy. Vigorous cultivation of morality, samadhi and wisdom puts greed, hatred, and
stupidity to rest.

There are some people who pretend to be sramanas. Although they have the name,
they do not have the heart of a sramana and do not cultivate morality, samadhi, and
wisdom. They do not put greed, hatred, and stupidity to rest, and they even think
these traits are admirable. They claim to be sramanas, yet their practice lacks
compassion and patience. They do not practice the Six Perfections and the Ten
Thousand Practices.
There are others who make destructive use of the permanently dwelling . Items
belonging to the Triple Jewel, even small ones, cannot be used casually or thrown
away. This is true for as small a thing as a sheet of paper. If you waste things, you are
destructive of the goods of the permanently dwelling.
There is a saying, “To use a blade of grass or a splinter of wood not given is to
steal.” To use other people’s things without their permission is a violation of the
precept against stealing.

Nothing that belongs to a temple may be used offhandedly or given away. If as simple
a thing as a needle and thread is given to you as an offering, it may not be used
carelessly and most certainly may not be given away. If you give away a sheet of paper,
a piece of thread, or even a grain of rice for your own personal reasons – particularly in
order to gain favor so that people will feel obliged to aid and support you – you are
again violating the precept against stealing.

Of course, if you want to give away your own personal belongings, that is another
matter, since they are not public property or another’s possessions. This is something
to which those who have left home should pay particular attention. You should not use
the goods of the permanently dwelling in such a way as to gain favor with laymen or to
provoke in them a sense of obligation toward you, for this is to take advantage of
the white-robed, the laymen, as well as to steal from the Triple Jewel.

Sutra:
“Living beings, who steal the wealth and property of the
permanently dwelling, their grains, food and drink, clothing, or anything
that should not be taken, will fall into the uninterrupted hells, where they
will seek escape for thousands of tens of thousands of millions of years in
vain.”
Earth Store Bodhisattva continued speaking to the Holy
Mother: “If living beings commit such offenses, they will fall into the
uninterrupted hells, and although they seek for their suffering to stop, it
will not do so, not even for the space of a thought.”
The Lady Maya asked, “Why are they called uninterrupted hells?”
Earth Store replied, “Holy Mother, the hells are all within the
great Iron Ring Mountain. There are eighteen great hells and five hundred
secondary ones, their names all different. In addition, there are another
hundred thousand, with distinct names. The wall surrounding the
uninterrupted hell is over eighty thousand yojanas in circumference, made
entirely of iron, and topped by an unbroken mass of fire. Within that city
of hells are many interconnected hells; their names also differ. There is
just one hell which is properly called uninterrupted. Its circumference is
eighteen thousand yojanas, and its solid iron wall is a thousand yojanas
high, surmounted by a fire that plunges toward the base and is met by a
fire at the bottom that leaps upward. Iron snakes and dogs spewing fire
gallop back and forth atop that wall.”

Commentary:
This hell is called Avici in Sanskrit and is named uninterrupted because the sufferings
there are incessant. The souls of those who have committed offenses meriting this hell
fall into it at the appropriate time and there the fires burn them to death or knives chop
them up. You might think that once they die they pass beyond all pain and suffering,
but that is not the case. When people die in the hells, they are instantly reborn, only to
die again.

How are people reborn again and again in the hells? There are two winds, one putrid
and the other fragrant, known as the Clever Breezes, which blow and revive the
dead. Those resurrected by the putrid wind, like the asuras, whose seven orifices are
all bunched together, are reborn ugly, and those revived by the fragrant wind are
beautiful. Those born in the hells are revived by the putrid wind, and those destined
for the heavens, by the fragrant one. Rebirth by the putrid wind occurs instantly, and
there is not the slightest interruption in the sufferings.

Because the wall of that hell is one thousand yojanas high, all sunlight is blocked, but
fires cast enough light to see by. The fires are the fires of karma, which roast and sear
the skin, burning people to death. Think about it. Would you like to go there? What
would you do if you found yourself in such a place, bound, confined, and totally
unfree? It is all very painful, lacking the slightest freedom. There is nothing but the
thought of sorrow, no seeking after fame and profit, nor anything else, only untold
suffering. Solid iron represents the hardness and strength of the karmic obstacles that
send us to the hells.

Atop each corner in the hell are dogs’ eight hundred yojanas tall, each with eight heads,
each of which has six horns, making a total of forty-eight horns. As the heads turn
about the horns become wheels of fire and knives, so that wherever one goes he is
sliced and burned. What do you think of these animals? Terrible? Go ahead and take
a look if you wish, but let me tell you, going there is not like going to the movies. When
you go to the movies you can always walk out, but when you go to hell, there is no such
freedom. The fiery bodies of these monstrous dogs and snakes belch out noxious fires
and a stench so putrid that the offenders vomit their very guts. You don’t have to go
there: just think about it to know how it feels.

Sutra:
“In the midst of that hell is a bed that extends for ten thousand
yojanas. When one person undergoes punishment, he sees his own body
extended across and completely filling the bed, and yet each person of a
thousand ten thousands sees his own body doing the same. Such are the
retributions for various bad deeds.
“Moreover, offenders undergo many sufferings. A hundred
thousand yaksas, as well as evil ghosts with swordlike teeth and eyes like
lightening, drag and pull at them with brass-clawed hands. Moreover,
there are yaksas who brandish great iron halberds, which they pass
through the offenders’ bodies, either through their mouths and noses or
through their bellies and backs. They toss them into space, turn them over,
and pull them back, or else they place them on the bed. There are also
iron eagles that peck at the offenders’ eyes, and iron serpents that encircle
their necks. Long nails are driven into all their joints; their tongues are
pulled out and plowed through; their guts are pulled out, sawed, and
chopped in two. Molten brass is poured into their mouths and their bodies
are bound in hot iron. Such are their karmic retributions throughout ten
thousand deaths and as many births. They pass through millions of aeons,
seeking for release but without hope.”

Commentary:
Yaksas are speedy ghosts, and fundamentally evil, but the ghosts known as evil ghosts
are a class of yaksas that travel on the ground. Their mouths are like caverns of blood,
their teeth like blades. These ghosts pick you up and toss you about with their
enormous strength, throwing you perhaps several yards, perhaps a hundred. Perhaps
they place you on the iron bed. Don’t misunderstand, this bed is not for sleeping; once
you are on it they stick you with their halberds. Perhaps iron eagles peck at your eyes
and head and crack open your skull to eat your brains. Perhaps your tongue is
pulled out and plowed through . This is retribution for various deeds of the
mouth. Don’t lie or engage in gossip, for if you do you will enter this hell and your
tongue will be plowed through like a field. You will undergo ten thousand deaths
and as many births , in a single day.
Sutra:
“When this world decays, the offender is born in another world,
and when that world is annihilated, he passes in turn through
others. When those worlds, too, fall and decay, he returns again. Such is
the phenomenon of uninterrupted retribution for offenses.
“Moreover, this hell is given the name uninterrupted for five
reasons. What are they? 1) Punishment is undergone day and night
throughout kalpas, and there is no time of respite. Therefore it is called
uninterrupted. 2) One person fills it, yet many people also fill
it. Therefore it is called uninterrupted. 3) The implements of punishment
are forks, clubs, eagles, serpents, wolves, and dogs, which pound, grind,
saw, drill, chisel, cut, and chop; boiling liquids, iron nets, iron ropes, iron
asses, and iron horses that flay one alive, bin the head in rawhide, and
pour hot iron over one’s body; meals of iron pellets and drinks of iron
fluids. Throughout many nayutas of kalpas such suffering continues
without respite. Therefore it is called uninterrupted. 4) Whether a man, a
woman, a barbarian, old or young, honorable or lowly, a dragon or a
spirit, a god or ghost, everyone must undergo retribution for the offenses
he has committed. Therefore it is called uninterrupted. 5) From the time
of entry, one undergoes ten thousand deaths and as many births each day
and night throughout a hundred thousand kalpas. He may seek release for
but the space of a thought, but even such a brief pause is not
possible. Only when one’s karma is exhausted can he attain
rebirth. Because of this continuity, it is called uninterrupted.”

Commentary:
This world in which we live has its times of becoming, of enduring, of decaying, and of
emptiness. Every century the human lifespan decreases by one year, and man’s height
diminishes by an inch, so that nowadays the average lifespan is a bit over sixty. This,
of course, is just an average which does not consider the exceptions: those who live to
be a hundred or those who die at the age of one or two. It is an average that works out
over a long span of time.

When Sakyamuni Buddha was in the world, the lifespan was seventy to eighty years;
now it is sixty to seventy years. When the lifespan decreases to ten years, it will turn
and again begin to increase until it reaches eighty-four thousand years. The period
during which the lifespan diminishes is called a decreasing; the period in which it
lengthens is called an increasing. One increase and one decrease is called a kalpa, and
one thousand of these constitute a small kalpa. Twenty small kalpas make a middle
kalpa, and four middle kalpas constitute one great kalpa. Each of the four middle
kalpas is one of the periods of becoming, enduring, decaying, and emptiness.

Every world decays. Places that were dry land several thousand years ago are now
submerged and no longer exist. Earthquakes eradicate entire villages, districts, or even
countries. This is what is meant by decay.

It is not the case that when this world ends one’s karma in the hells is exhausted. Far
from it! One simply moves to hells in another world, where the deeds done with the
body find retribution, with the body as the tool of karma.

Sutra:

Earth Store Bodhisattva said to the Holy Mother, “This is a

general description of the uninterrupted hell. If I were to speak
extensively about all the names of the implements of punishment in the
hells, and all the sufferings there, I could not finish speaking in an entire
kalpa.”
After hearing this Lady Maya Placed her palms together
sorrowfully, made obeisance, and withdrew.
 CHAPTER FOUR
Karmic Retribution of Living Beings

Sutra:

At that time Earth Store Bodhisattva said to the Buddha, “World-

Honored One, because I have received the awesome spiritual power of the
Buddha, the Thus Come One, I reduplicate my body and rescue living
beings from their karmic retributions everywhere, throughout hundreds of
thousands of millions of worlds. If it were not for the great compassionate
strength of the Thus Come One, I would be unable to perform such changes
and transformations. Now, I receive the World-Honored One’s
entrustment; until the coming of Ajita, I will cause all living beings in the
Six Paths to attain liberation. So it is, World-Honored One, do not be
concerned.”

Commentary:
Earth Store Bodhisattva does not brag, “I have great spiritual penetrations, far-
reaching wisdom, and charismatic eloquence.” Instead, he says humbly that because
he has received the Buddha’s power, he is able to reduplicate his body and rescue living
beings who have doubts, commit karma, and undergo subsequent retributions. The
process by which the reduplicated bodies which did not formerly exist come into being
is called “transformation.”

Ajita is another name of the Bodhisattva Maitreya, and it means both “invincible” and
“the kind one.” Since there is none who can overcome him, he can be victorious over
all, and since he cannot be defeated, he constantly laughs and is never angry. It is from
these qualities that his wisdom comes.

Sutra:
The Buddha then told Earth Store Bodhisattva, “Living beings who
have not yet obtained liberation have unfixed natures and
consciousness. They may practice evil or good and reap the
corresponding karma. Their good or evil acts arise in accordance with
their states, and they turn in the Five Paths without a moment’s rest. They
pass through kalpas as numerous as motes of dust, confused, deluded,
obstructed, and afflicted by difficulties, like fish swimming down a long
stream through nets. They may slip about through the nets for a long time,
but, after temporary liberation, they again are snagged. It is for such as
these that I would be concerned, but since you have made extensive vows
and sworn to cross over such offenders throughout many kalpas, I have no
cause for worry.”

Commentary:
People who have unfixed natures and consciousness have no determined
resolve. First they decide to study the Buddhadharma and then they change their
minds. Their good or evil acts arise in accordance with their states . If they
encounter a healthy environment, good friends who explain Dharma and teach them to
benefit others, they continue their study. If they meet bad friends who lead them into
debauchery, they follow along and their good acts cease.
The same process of influences is at work everywhere. If you are always with energetic
people, little by little you too become vigorous. If you associate with lazy people, even
though you may be energetic by nature, you become lazy too. This is what is meant by
the proverb, “Be near rouge and turn red, be near ink and turn black.” Things take on
the color to which they are exposed. Dye cloth tan and it becomes tan; put it in yellow
dye and it turns yellow. If you become friends with drinkers, you unsuspectingly
become one of them; if you run with people who take drugs, you end up like them. We
should always be cautious in choosing our friends, since it is their advice to which we
listen most. If your friends are good ones, you should listen to them, but if they are
bad, they should be ignored.

The Five Paths are the hells, hungry ghosts, animals, humans, and gods. While it is
common to refer to the Six Paths, they may also be reckoned as five, since asuras
appear in all paths. Living beings turn in the paths like fish swimming down a
long stream through nets . The analogies in the Buddhist sutras certainly are
fitting.

Sutra:
When this was said, a Bodhisattva, Mahasattva, named Samadhi
Self-Existent King arose from the midst of the assembly and said to the
Buddha, “World-Honored One, what vows has Earth Store Bodhisattva
made during these many kalpas that he now receives the World-Honored
One’s special praise? Please, World-Honored One, speak about this.”
 The World-Honored One said to Samadhi Self-Existent King,
“Listen attentively, consider this well. I shall now explain this matter for
you.”
Commentary:
A Mahasattva is a great being. Because he cultivated samadhi and attained a self-
contained existence, this Bodhisattva is called Samadhi Self-Existent King.

Sutra:

“Once, limitless asamkhyeyas of nayutas of kalpas ago, there was a

Buddha named All-Knowledge-Accomplished Thus Come One, the One
Worthy of Offerings, the One of Right and Equal Enlightenment, the One
Perfect in Clarity and Conduct, the Well-Gone-Forth One, the
Unsurpassed Scholar Who Comprehends the World, the Valiant Tamer and
Guide, the Master of Gods and Men, the Buddha, the World-Honored
One. That Buddha’s lifespan was sixty thousand kalpas. Before leaving
home he had been the king of a small country and had been friendly with
the king of a neighboring country with whom he practiced the Ten Good
Deeds and benefited living beings. Because the citizens of these countries
did many evil acts, the kings agreed to perfect expedient devices for
them. One vowed, ‘I will accomplish the Buddha Way quickly and then
cross over all the others without exception.”
“The other king vowed, ‘If I do not first cross over all those who
suffer for their offenses, and cause them to attain peace and Bodhi, I shall
not accomplish Buddhahood.’”
The Buddha told the Bodhisattva Samadhi Self-Existent King, “The
King who vowed to become a Buddha quickly is All-Knowing-
Accomplished Thus Come One. The king who vowed not to become a
Buddha until he had seen all others safely across is Earth Store
Bodhisattva.”

Commentary:

Asamkhyeya and nayuta are the names of very large numbers that describe the time
when All-Knowledge-Accomplished Thus Come One appeared in the world. There are
Three Kinds of Knowledge:
1. All Knowledge
2. Knowledge of the Way
3. Knowledge of All Modes
The third of these encompasses the other two.

The sutra text describes this Buddha by means of the Ten Designations of the
Buddha. The first isThus Come One . A layman once asked me if Amitabha Buddha
and Thus Come One Buddha were different. You should know that all Buddhas are
called Thus Come One. There is Amitabha Thus Come One, Sakyamuni Thus come
One, Medicine Master Thus Come One, and so forth. This use of names is similar to
that found among people. Everyone has his own personal name, which may be used by
his peers or by those above him who know him well, but most people also have a title
by which they are known to people with whom they are only distantly
acquainted. Each of the Ten Designations of the Buddha has its own descriptive
title. The designation Thus Come One, for example, has the title “Identity with the
Former Virtuous Ones.”
As for the meaning of the term “Thus Come One ,” “Thus” is placeless and without
direction, and “Come” is a response and manifestation. “Come,” therefore, can be
explained as not coming from anywhere, and “Thus” as not going anywhere. The
meaning of all this is that nothing comes and nothing goes. Furthermore, “Thus” is the
principle of fundamental enlightenment, and “Come” is the wisdom of initial
enlightenment which arises in reliance on the principle of fundamental enlightenment.
The One Worthy of Offerings . In this phrase the word “worthy” means
deserving. That is to say, since he merits the offerings of men and gods, men and gods
should make offerings to him. This designation, like all the others, has its particular
title, “Capable of Being a Field of Merit.” There are two kinds of merit fields. The first
is that of self-benefit and the second that of benefiting others. To benefit oneself
means to investigate truth and eliminate doubts. It is called self-benefit, since he who
investigates is the one who understands. Others, however, must be taught so they may
learn to do the same work. This teaching is the benefiting of others.
The One of Right and Equal Enlightenment . Right is distinguished from the
wrong of outside ways. Equal is distinguished from the nonequality of the Two
Vehicles, which only attain to an extreme of the emptiness principle and do not see the
equality of emptiness and existence. One with enlightenment is distinguished from
those who are unenlightened. The designation as a whole means that there is nothing
that is not known, and this designation also has its own title, “Universal Knowledge of
the Dharma Realm.”
The Surangama Sutra says, “The straightness of the pine, the twining of the
bramble, the whiteness of the egret, and the blackness of the crow are fully understood
in their original existence.” The Buddha knows the reasons for all phenomena, just as
he knows every drop of rain that falls, even those outside the Three Thousand Great
Thousand Worlds.
The One Perfect in Clarity and Conduct . Clarity means understanding and
conduct means cultivation. Clarity is wisdom; conduct is blessings. This refers to the
double perfection of the Buddha’s wisdom and blessings. There are Three Kinds of
Clarity:

1. Clarity of the Heavenly Eye

2. Clarity of Past Lives
3. Clarity of Exhaustion of Outflows

The title of this designation is the “Display of Causal Virtues in the Result,” because it
is on the ground of results that the virtuous conduct cultivated on the ground of cause
is made manifest.

The Well-Gone-Forth One. The title of this designation is “Wonderfully Gone to

Bodhi.” This title derives from the Buddha’s ability to go into all Buddha-lands of the
Ten Directions and use expedient devices and provisional teachings to transform living
beings.
The Unsurpassed Scholar Who Comprehends the World . If one has doubts of
any sort he can still be surpassed. Because the Buddha has cut off all doubts – those of
views, those of thought, and those as fine as dust and sand – he is an unsurpassed
scholar. Because he knows that both the body and exterior states are empty and false,
and that only the Buddha vehicle is genuine, this designation has the title, “Penetrating
through the Counterfeit and Reaching the Truth.”
The Valiant tamer and Guide . The Buddha regulates living beings in the Six Paths
and guides them toward the result of Buddhahood. Because he guides living beings
from the turning wheel of birth and death, this designation has the title, “Collecting
and Teaching Beings in Accordance with the Way.”
The Master of Gods and Men . He is a model for the triple world with all its gods
and men. The title of this designation is “Speaking Dharma in Response to the
Opportunities of Beings.”
The Buddha. The title of this designation is “Fully Bright in the Three
Enlightenments.” The Three Enlightenments are:
1. The Enlightenment of Self
2. The Enlightenment of Others
3. The Completion of Enlightenment and Conduct

The World-Honored One . Because he is honored both in and beyond the world, he
has this designation, whose special title is “The Only Revered One of the Triple
World.” The Triple World is:

1. The realm of desire

2. The realm of form
3. The formless realm

When Sakyamuni Buddha was born, he pointed one hand at heaven and the other at
earth, took seven steps, and said, “In the heavens above and here below, I alone am
honored.” Thus he has this title. There are six additional meanings to the honorific
“World-Honored One”:

1. Self-Existent
2. Blazing
3. Upright and Majestic
4. Universally Renowned
5. Auspicious
6. Venerable and Honorable

The Ten Good Deeds practiced by the kings of the two small countries are abstention
from:

1. Killing
2. Lying
3. Sexual misconduct
4. Greed
5. Hatred
6. Stupidity
7. Bad speech
8. False speech
9. Double-tongued speech
10. Idle talk

Sutra:
“Moreover, limitless asamkhyeya kalpas ago a Buddha named
Pure-Lotus-Eyes Thus Come One appeared in the world. His lifespan was
forty kalpas. During his Dharma-Image Period, an Arhat who had great
merit and who crossed over living beings, teaching them as he encountered
them, met a woman named Bright Eyes who made an offering of food to
him.
“‘What is your wish?’ asked the Arhat.
“Bright Eyes replied, ‘On the day of my mother’s death I
performed meritorious deeds for her rescue, but I do not yet know in what
path she has been born.’
“Out of pity for her, the Arhat entered into samadhi to
contemplate, and saw that Bright Eyes’ mother had fallen into an evil path
where she was undergoing extremely great suffering. The Arhat asked,
‘When your mother was alive, what deeds did she do that she should now
be undergoing such great punishment in an evil path?’
“Bright Eyes replied, ‘My mother enjoyed eating fish, turtles, and the
like. She particularly relished their fried or boiled roe, and because she
was fond of eating, she took thousands of lives. Oh, Venerable
Compassionate One, how can she be saved?’
“The Arhat pitied her and established an expedient device and
said, ‘With a sincere will be mindful of Pure-Lotus-Eyes Thus Come One,
and also make carved and painted images for the benefit of the living and
the dead.’
“On hearing this, Bright Eyes renounced everything she loved,
drew an image of that Buddha, and made offerings before it. Moreover,
she wept sorrowfully as she respectfully gazed at and worshiped that
Buddha. Suddenly, in the small hours of the night, as if in a dream, she
saw that Buddha’s body, dazzling gold in color and as large as Mount
Sumeru, emitting great light.
“This Buddha said to Bright Eyes, ‘Before long your mother will be
born in your own household and as soon as she can know hunger and cold
she will speak.’
“Shortly thereafter, a maidservant in the house bore a son who
spoke within three days of his birth. Lowering his head and weeping
mournfully, he said, ‘In life and death one must undergo retributions for
his own deeds. I am your mother and have been in darkness for a long
time. Since leaving you I have constantly been reborn in the great
hells. As a result of receiving the power of your meritorious deeds, I have
been able to be reborn, but only as a poor son of low class. My lifespan,
moreover, will be short, and after thirteen years I will fall into an evil path
again. Do you have some way to affect my liberation?’ “

Commentary:
The Arhat sat in dhyana and investigated the plight of Bright Eyes’ mother. His
investigation involved an act of volition for its accomplishment, whereas Bodhisattvas
are able to use their spiritual penetrations at anytime, anywhere, and need not
deliberately make an effort to meditate and enter samadhi.

Bright Eyes renounced everything she loved, drew an image of that

Buddha, and made offerings before it . Just as the Brahman woman sold her
house, Bright Eyes gave away and sold her most cherished possessions for the sake of
performing an offering of incense, flowers, ointments, fruits, food and drink, clothing,
bedding, and medicinal herbs before the Buddha Pure-Lotus-Eyes. Later the Buddha
appeared to her as if in a dream ; because of her extreme sincerity and earnestness,
there was what is called an “intertwined response with the Way,” and she saw the
Buddha’s body.

Sutra:
“When Bright Eyes heard the words of the servant’s child, she
knew without doubt that he was her mother and, choked with sobs, said to
the child, ‘Since you are my mother you should know your own past
offenses. What deeds did you do that caused you to fall into the Evil
Paths?”
“The servant’s child said, ‘I have undergone this retribution as a
result of killing and slandering. If I had not received the merit which you
earned to rescue me from difficulty, my karma would be such that I could
not yet have been released.’
“On hearing this, Bright Eyes asked, ‘What happens during
retribution in the hells?”
“The servant’s son answered, ‘Merely to speak of those sufferings
is unbearable, and even a hundred thousand years would not suffice to
describe them all.’
 “Bright Eyes heard this and wept bitterly and said into empty
space, ‘May my mother be eternally separated from the hells, and after
these thirteen years may she be free of her heavy offenses and leave the
Evil Paths. O Buddha of the Ten Directions have compassion and pity
me. Hear the far-reaching vows which I am making for the sake of my
mother. If she can leave the Three Evil Paths forever, leave the lower
classes, leave the body of a woman, and never again have to endure them,
then, before the image of the Thus Come One Pure-Lotus-Eyes, I vow that
from this day forth, throughout hundreds of thousands of tens of thousands
of millions of kalpas, I will rescue living beings who are suffering in the
hells for their offenses, and others of the Three Evil Paths. I will rescue
them all and cause them to leave the realm of the hells, hungry ghosts,
animals, and the like. Only when the beings who are undergoing
retribution for their offenses have all become Buddhas will I myself
accomplish the right enlightenment.’
“After making this vow she clearly heard the Thus Come One Pure-
Lotus-Eyes say to her, ‘Bright Eyes, you have great compassion to be able
to make such a great vow for your mother’s sake. I see that your mother
will cast off this body after thirteen years and will be born a Brahman with
a lifespan of one hundred years. After that life she will be born with a
lifespan of kalpas in the Land of No Concern, after which she will
accomplish Buddhahood and cross over as many men and gods as there
are sand grains in the Ganges.’ “
Sakyamuni Buddha told Samadhi Self-Existent King, “The Arhat
with great merit who helped Bright Eyes is now Inexhaustible-Intention
Bodhisattva, the mother of Bright Eyes is Liberation Bodhisattva, and
Bright Eyes herself is now Earth Store Bodhisattva. Throughout many
aeons, because of his compassionate pity, he has made as many vows as
there are sand grains in the Ganges to rescue living beings.
“Men and women in the future who do not practice good but do
evil, who do not believe in cause and effect, who indulge in sexual
misconduct and false speech, who practice double-tongued and harsh
speech, and who slander the Great Vehicle, will certainly fall into the Evil
Paths. But if they encounter a good, knowing adviser who, in the flick of a
finger, leads them to take refuge with Earth Store Bodhisattva, those living
beings will obtain release from the retribution of the Three Evil
Paths. Those whose acts show deference; who are respectful with a
determined mind; who gaze in worship, praise, and make offering of
flowers, incense, clothing, gems, or food and drink will be born in the
heavens. There they will enjoy supremely wonderful bliss for hundreds of
thousands of kalpas. When their heavenly merit is ended and they are born
below in the world of men, they will be imperial kings throughout hundreds
of thousands of kalpas and will be capable of remembering the causes and
results of their former lives. O, Samadhi Self-Existent King, Earth Store
Bodhisattva has inconceivable and ineffable great spiritual power to
benefit living beings. All you Bodhisattvas should recall this sutra and
proclaim and widely spread it.”
Samadhi Self-Existent King said to the Buddha, “World-Honored
One, please do not be concerned. We thousands of tens of thousands of
millions of Bodhisattvas, Mahasattvas, receiving the Buddha’s awesome
spirit, will certainly proclaim this sutra widely throughout Jambudvipa for
the benefit of living beings.”
Having spoken thus to the Buddha, the Bodhisattva Samadhi Self-
Existent King put his palms together respectfully, bowed, and withdrew.

Commentary;
Some of you may think that the study of Dharma is uncomfortable. What do you think
it would be like in the hells? Although you might scream that you did not want to
endure such misery, you would have no way to escape, for if the effect of your offenses
is not yet extinguished, there is simply no way out. Even if you undergo a little pain in
the human realm, just think how much less painful it is than being in the hells. With
this attitude, no matter how badly your legs hurt when you meditate, you will always be
happy and will know no suffering.

You see, as the Brahman woman on the causal ground, even Earth Store Bodhisattva
was helpless and could only weep to the Buddha to save her mother from the paths of
knives, of blood, and of fire, as well as those of the Three States of Woe. Now, in turn,
you should all be aware that if it were not for the great vows of Earth Store
Bodhisattva, we might very well be undergoing retributions in the hells, tormented
among the hungry ghosts, or suffering among the animals. The reason that we have
become humans is that Earth Store Bodhisattva made vows to rescue us. Since we
have not yet achieved the penetration of past lives, however, we do not realize the good
fortune we have derived from him, how much merciful and compassionate aid we have
received. If he had not made his vows, we would all be in great danger. Consequently,
we should always remember to repay his kindness. Ultimately, like Bright Eyes’
mother, we can be born in the Land of No Concern, which is the Western Paradise, the
Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Recently, when I lectured at the University of California, a student asked if Buddhists

believed in cause and effect , I replied, “It is not a matter of belief or disbelief. If you
believe in it, then there is such a thing as cause and effect; if you do not believe in it,
cause and effect operate just the same. For example, go punch someone; you will
certainly get hit back. Your initial punch is the cause, and your being beaten in return
is an effect. Now, do you believe the principle that when you hit someone you will be
hit in return?”
The student was speechless, even though he probably had a store of theories
demonstrating the nonexistence of causal relationships. Perhaps he was afraid of
being beaten up, or maybe he simply did not want to attack people, but in any case that
was the end of that. Of course, you all know that you should not go around hitting
people. If you do, you are planting a cause and you are going to get clobbered. That is
an effect.

If you are not good to others, they will not be good to you. If you plant good seeds, you
will reap good fruits. If you have bad friends, you will become a bad friend yourself,
and if you have good friend, you will become like them. The principle of cause and
effect applies everywhere. You needn’t look around to see why people are not good to
you; just ask yourself, “Am I good to them?” Always turn your light back and look
inward. Do not be like a camera, which can only take pictures of other people and
cannot know what its own interior looks like.

One who is given to double-tongued speech presents one face to one person and
another face to another. You praise A to his face and speak with him of B’s
faults. When with B you speak ill of A. In this way you may cause separations and
schisms, and so this offense includes one of the gravest offenses, breaking up the
harmonious Sangha.
What is meant by breaking up the harmonious Sangha? The Buddhadharma is studied
with bhiksus and sramaneras, and one who studies Buddhadharma cannot study on
the one hand and, on the other, slander those with whom he studies. Laymen may not
speak of the faults of those who have received the bhiksu or sramana precepts. This
holds true for bhiksunis, too, of course. One may not destroy or cause dissension in
the Sangha, saying to one person who has left home, for example, that another one has
this or that fault. This kind of activity sows the seeds of dissension and causes the
harmonious Sangha to disperse. To do this is to commit one of the five grave offenses
discussed earlier.
Not only the Sangha; one may also not slander the Great Vehicle . One may say
there is no such thing as the Mahayana, and that only the Pali Canon may be
believed. The other day, for example, an insane man came here, and when he saw us
studying sutras in Chinese, he asked if it had been taken from Pali. He didn’t even
know what Pali was, let alone understand the question of authenticity.
What is meant by good, knowing adviser ? The word good in this title may be
explained as able, because a good, knowing adviser is capable of knowledge; that is, he
is capable of knowing, without any obstruction whatever, that the triple world is like a
burning house. There are three kinds of good, knowing advisers:

1. outward protectors
2. fellow cultivators
3. teachers

The first are those who supply the things necessary to support the Triple Jewel, and
they act as Dharma protectors. The second, fellow cultivators help find and correct
each other’s flaws. Since one may not know his own shortcomings, his fellow
cultivators can help point them out. This does not mean, however, that they pick on
and anger one another. Far from it. The idea behind this kind of relationship is
mutual aid.

There is a bit of shop talk among lapidaries that says, “Slice, rub, and polish.” To
render a piece of rough jade into a beautiful gem, you must first slice it open; then you
must grind away all the flaws and polish it. A similar process of self-cultivation is what
is being described here.

What is a teaching good, knowing adviser? He is one who instructs beings in the
Buddhadharma, who lectures on sutras and speaks Dharma in order to teach them.

A flick of a finger lasts for sixty-four ksanas, each of which in turn lasts for the space
of twenty blinks of an eye and contains nine hundred births and deaths. Each of these
twenty blinks is twenty thoughts long. If one can encounter Earth Store Bodhisattva,
and in the flick of a finger he can return to and rely upon this Bodhisattva, offering up
his life and conduct, he will completely eradicate limitless offenses meriting the states
of woe.
All you Bodhisattvas should recall this sutra and proclaim and widely
spread it. The reason we now have a chance to see and study this sutra is that all
those Bodhisattvas have been proclaiming and spreading it. If it were not for them, we
would have no way to encounter this rare Dharma jewel.

Sutra:
At that time the Four Heavenly Kings arose from their seats, put their
palms together respectfully, and said to the Buddha, “World-Honored One,
since Earth Store Bodhisattva has made such extensive vows for kalpas,
why then has he not yet completed his crossing over of beings? Why does
he continue to practice such vast vows? Please, World-Honored One,
explain this for us.”
The Buddha told the Four Heavenly Kings, “Excellent, excellent. For
your benefit as well as for the benefit of men and gods of the present and
future, I will speak of Earth Store Bodhisattva’s words in the paths of birth
and death in Jambudvipa in the Saha world. I shall speak of his expedient
devices, and of his compassion and pity in rescuing, saving, crossing over,
and liberating beings who are suffering for their offenses.”
The Four Heavenly Kings replied, “Yes, World-Honored One, we would
like to hear about his work.”
The Buddha told the Four Heavenly Kings, “From kalpas long ago until
the present, Earth Store Bodhisattva has crossed over and liberated living
beings, yet out of compassionate pity for those beings still suffering in the
world, he has not yet completed his vows. Moreover, he sees that their
causes for limitless kalpas in the future are like uncut tendrils and vines,
and, because of this, he makes his mighty vows. Thus, in the continent of
Jambudvipa, in the Saha world, this Bodhisattva teaches and transforms
beings by means of thousands of tens of thousands of myriads of expedient
devices.
“Kings, to killers Earth Store Bodhisattva speaks of a retribution of a
short lifespan; to robbers he speaks of a retribution of poverty and acute
suffering; to practicers of sexual misconduct he speaks of the retribution of
being born as pigeons, mandarin drakes and ducks; to the foul-mouthed he
speaks of the retribution of a quarreling family.
“To slanderers he speaks of the retribution of a tongueless and
cankerous mouth; to the hateful he speaks of being ugly and crippled; to
the stingy he speaks of frustrated desires; to gluttons he speaks of the
retribution of sickness, hunger, and thirst; to those who enjoy hunting, he
speaks of the retribution of a frightening insanity and disastrous doom.”
 “To cruel parents or step-parents he speaks of the retribution of being
flogged in future lives; to those who net and trap young animals, he speaks
of the retribution of separation of flesh from bone; to those who slander
the Triple Jewel, he speaks of the retribution of being blind, deaf, or mute;
to those who slight the Dharma and regard the teachings with arrogance,
he speaks of being in the Evil Paths forever; to those who recklessly use
the things of the permanently dwelling, he speaks of the retribution of
revolving in the hells for myriads of kalpas; to those who defile the pure
conduct of others and purposely slander the Sangha, he speaks of an
eternity in the animal realm; to those who scald, burn, behead, cut, or
otherwise harm animals, he speaks of repayment in kind.
“Those who violate precepts and the regulations of pure eating, he
speaks of the retribution of being born as birds and beasts suffering from
hunger and thirst; to those who make unprincipled and destructive use of
things, he speaks of the retribution of never obtaining what they seek; to
those who are arrogant and haughty, he speaks of a retribution of being
servile and of low class; to those whose double-tongued behavior causes
dissension and disorder, he speaks of a retribution of tongueless ness and
speech impediments; to those of biased views, he speaks of rebirth in the
frontier regions.
“This is a general description of the hundreds of thousands of differing
retributions resulting from the habitual bad deeds of body, mouth, and
mind committed by the living beings of Jambudvipa. Since they have such
differing responses, Earth Store Bodhisattva uses hundreds of thousands of
expedient means to teach them. The living beings who commit offenses
must first undergo retributions of such as these, and then fall into the hells,
where they pass through kalpas with no moment of escape. You should
therefore protect people and protect their countries. Do not allow living
beings to be confused by these manifold deeds.”
On hearing this the Four Heavenly Kings wept sorrowfully, placed their
palms together, and withdrew.

Commentary:
The Four Heavenly Kings of the four directions live halfway up Mount Sumeru in
palaces forty-two thousand yojanas high, made of the Seven Precious Things: gold,
silver, lapis lazuli, crystal, mother-of-pearl, red pearls, and carnelian. Their palaces are
adorned with tiers of railings, seven layers of netting, and seven rows of trees.
The king of the east, Dhrtarastra, “he who upholds his country,” has ninety-nine sons,
all of whom are named Indra. He commands two groups of ghosts and spirits, fragrant
spirits and malodorous spirits.

The fragrant spirits are gandharvas, musicians who are also called doubtful spirits
because, although they look like humans, they have a single horn in their
foreheads. When people see them, they are unsure about whether the spirits are
human. Gandharvas are extremely fond of incense and will flock to places where it is
burned. The Jade Emperor, the chief of the Indras, has a very rare and wonderful
sandalwood which he burns to attract them. When they arrive, he has them play music
for him, since he is still caught up in the realm of defiling objects and enjoys hearing
music.

The malodorous ghosts, Budana, are called Pa Ta No in the Surangama

Mantra. Wherever they go they are followed by a putrid stench. Both of these groups
of ghosts and spirits are under the jurisdiction of the king of the east.

The king of the south is called Virudhaka, “increasing and growing,” because he is able
to lengthen and increase the good roots of living beings. He too has ninety-nine sons,
all of whom are named Indra. In fact, each of the four kings has ninety-nine sons, all
with the same name, so that there are three hundred and ninety-six Indras in all.

Virudhaka also watches over two groups of ghosts and spirits, one of the kumbhandas
and the other the Pretas. The Kumbhandas called “distant’ ghosts because they like to
stay far away from people, are also known as barrel ghosts or melon ghosts because of
their shape. Pretas are called “proximate” ghosts because they like to be near people,
and, in fact, they establish themselves as ancestral spirits at the memorial plaques
people set up for their deceased relatives.

The king of the west is named Virupaksa, “many languages,” because he can speak the
tongues of all countries; he is also called Broad Eyes. He, like the other kings, is
responsible for two groups of ghosts and spirits, the Pisaci and poison dragons. The
Pisaci, called Pi Sha She in the Surangama Mantra, are also called madness ghosts
because they can cause incurable insanity in people. They subsist on essential
energies, particularly those of humans, and always flock to places where sexual
activities are producing these substances. The other group under jurisdiction of this
king is the poison dragons, whose poison may be contracted by seeing, hearing,
smelling, or even just being near them.
The king of the south, Vaisravana, “widely learned,” is the leader of the Four Heavenly
Kings. It is in his palace that their meetings are convened. The two groups of ghosts
and spirits under his command are the Yaksas and the Raksas. There are several
categories of Yaksas, those who live on the ground, those in space, and those who abide
in the heavens. Because Yaksas travel at more or less the speed of light, they are called
speedy ghosts. Raksas, “fearsome ghosts,” are so called because of their terrifying
appearance.

The Buddha told the Four Heavenly Kings that Earth Store Bodhisattva sees all the
causes and conditions of living beings. The power of our deeds is like the tendrils that
grow on plants and grasses, getting longer year after year. We commit deeds in one life
and then in the next life we commit more, building up our karma. This continues life
after life and the offense karma becomes heavier, while the merit we have acquired
becomes light and lighter. With only slight meritorious virtue, you cannot become a
Buddha, but if your karmic obstacles are extremely heavy, you can become a ghost.

People of little understanding say that there are no such things as ghosts. Their
argument is not up to the level of a child’s. Children, at least, will usually believe an
explanation that is principled, whereas people who oppose belief in ghosts and spirits
usually do so without paying attention to the principles involved. If there were no
ghosts, there could be no Buddhas, since the difference between the two is just a
turn. If the turn is made, you are a Buddha; if not, you are a ghost. Humans are in the
midst of the turning, and, consequently, if their karma becomes heavier, it is very easy
for them to fall into the realms of the ghosts.

In this passage of text the Buddha describes for the Four Heavenly Kings the expedient
devices used by Earth Store Bodhisattva.

To robbers he speaks of a retribution of poverty and acute

suffering. Stealing includes not only actual theft but also the use of people’s property
without their knowledge or permission. When Earth Store Bodhisattva meets people
who commit this kind of offense, he tells them of the retribution of poverty. The
reason there are so many poor people in the world is that there have been many who
have stolen in past lives who are now undergoing the appropriate retribution. The
more one steals, the poorer he will be, and the more he will have cause to fear one of
the most bitter of all kinds of suffering, that of poverty.
Sexual misconduct refers to adultery and all manner of extramarital affairs. One
should not misconstrue this, however, and say that since one is married there is no
problem and one can be totally unrestrained in his sexual activity with his wife. Even
married couples had best decrease this activity because it leads to dullness. The more
one is involved in sexual matters, the less light he has. One has light and manifests
wisdom if he does not engage in sex.
The pigeon is thought to be the most lustful bird of all and can raise an amazing
number of fledglings every year. Most animals and birds mate with the male above
and the female below, but the pigeon is so lustful that he reverses these positions.

The emotional attachment of mandarin drakes and ducks to their mates is extremely
strong, and they are absolutely inseparable, not only in the water and on land but even
in the air. Although birds may seem to have independence of a sort, they are by no
means free, and theirs is certainly not a good state to be in. For those who engage in
sexual misconduct, the retribution of the bird realm is a likely one, and so Earth Store
Bodhisattva speaks of it to such people.

He tells those who scold, slander, lie, and speak falsely and harshly that they
will always be surrounded by strife and never know peace. Those who like to prattle
and talk confusedly, who slander the Triple Jewel, will be mutes or stutterers in the
future. This is also the reason people sometimes develop incurable canker sores in
their mouths.
To the hateful he speaks of a retribution of being ugly and crippled . This
retribution is spoken of to people whose natures are like those of asuras, whose
tempers flare up at the slightest provocation. When people get angry their faces turn
purple and their eyes bulge, their veins stand out, and they become quite repulsive. If
you like to get angry now, you face the retribution of ugliness.
The Chinese term that refers to the retribution of being crippled actually alludes to a
peculiar inability to pass water. If you always get angry, in future lives you will not
only be ugly, you will also be plagued by myriad illnesses.

There are some people, gluttons , who eat and drink nonstop from morning until
night. After they eat they nap and then wake to eat again in a routine that never
varies. They are totally uncontrolled, knowing no regulation or moderation. Earth
Store Bodhisattva tells such people that in the future they will never be able to get their
fill, and that their throats will be so diseased and swollen that they will be unable to
swallow even water.
Hunters are people who take pleasure in the chase. Having killed an animal they are
filled with pride, strength, and joy. To those who are totally given over to such
activities, Earth Store Bodhisattva speaks of the retribution of a frightening
insanity and disastrous doom . He might say, for example, “In your next life you
will quite probably go mad and have an untimely death.” This refers to accidental
deaths like those in automobile collisions, airplane explosions, or falling in front of a
speeding train – all unexpected, violent, and premature deaths. People may be led to
stop hunting as a result of hearing such predictions.
Now that we are studying this sutra and have come to know these retributions, you,
too, can explain them to people on appropriate occasions. You and Earth Store
Bodhisattva can undertake a partnership in this work.

Confucius’ disciple Min Tzu Ch’ien had a stepmother who was partial to her own son
and did not like Min Tzu Ch’ien at all. In the winter, when padded garments are worn
for warmth, she made a quilted and double-lined robe for her own child but a single-
layered robe stuffed with rushes for Min Tzu Ch’ien. While her own son was warm and
cozy, Min Tzu Ch’ien quietly endured the cold.

One day his father was riding with Min Tzu Ch’ien in a chariot and saw that the boy
was trembling. Chiding the lad for shivering on what was not a very cold day; the
father lashed out with his crop and ripped his son’s coat. When he saw the single layer
of cloth and rushes, the father wept, felt ashamed at how badly he had treated his son,
and vowed to get rid of his new wife immediately.

Min Tzu Ch’ien knelt before his father and pleaded on his stepmother’s behalf, saying,
“When the mother is here, one son has a simple garment, but if the mother leaves, two
sons will freeze.” When his father confronted Min Tzu Ch’ien’s stepmother with the
facts, she felt shame and realized what a good stepson she had. Thereafter she treated
both boys equally.

In China there were often adopted children in a family. These children were frequently
treated very poorly by their stepparents. The result of such treatment of stepchildren
is flogging in future lives.
Separation of flesh from bone is a retribution incurred by those who trap animals,
particularly very young ones. The term “flesh from bone” refers to one’s family; as a
retribution for this type of deed, one’s family is dispersed and its members cannot see
one another.
People who are blind, deaf, or mute have slandered the Triple Jewel and have fallen
into the hells, where they spent countless kalpas. After their term they worked their
way up to becoming animals, and, once they managed to escape the animal realm, they
obtained human birth. This birth was into poor or impoverished circumstances or as
mutes or blind people.
Those who purposely slander the Sangha , for example, who spread rumors of
cheating, drinking, or killing about a monk who has not done anything wrong, will first
fall into the hells and then spend an eternity among the animals.
To those who scald, burn, behead, cut, or otherwise injure animals, he
speaks of repayment in kind . If you use boiling water or fire to get rid of ants or an
insect nest, for example, or if you slice or club animals to death, you will be repaid in
kind.
Violating precepts is doing that which you know quite clearly to be wrong. The
offenses incurred by this class of wrongdoing are particularly heavy, much more so
than when one misbehaves unknowingly. If you kill after taking the precept against
killing, you are violating that precept. If you steal after receiving the precept, the same
is true, and so forth for the precepts against sexual misconduct, false speech, and
intoxicants.
All these, however, are visible surface manifestations that everyone can see. There is
yet another type of violation of precept, with which most people are unfamiliar, since it
is invisible. There are two major kinds of precept violation: that which has form and
can be seen and that which has no form and is invisible. In the Buddhadharma the
latter is considered a violation of precepts just as much as is the former, even though in
most other religions this is not the case.

There are four kinds of violation that have no form and cannot be seen. In the first of
these, one is able to maintain the pure precepts and practice them superficially, but in
the practice there remains a view of a self. “I hold the precepts, I maintain the
precepts. I do this, and I do that.” Although such a person may not have actually
violated any precept per se , he still has not maintained the true precepts, for one who
does so cannot possibly have a view that he is higher or better than others.
In the second type, one may be able to recite and quote all the sutras and regulations,
yet never leave a view of the body. In the first type of violation there was always the
thought of I. In this case, although there is not constant thought of I, continual
attention is paid to the body, which is never allowed to be the least bit
uncomfortable. If one prefers a lazy and sloppy body and continues to pamper it, even
though such a person has not violated any specific precept, neither has he truly
maintained the precepts.

The third category of violation is related to those who are able to practice the Twelve
Dhuta, ascetic practices. Such practices are cultivated with great energy, vigor, and
alertness. “I never sleep, yet I have great energy; instead of sleeping I just sit and
meditate. Others like to eat, but I don’t even drink water.” Although one may follow
austere practices, he may also retain the view that things still exist, and he may not
have relinquished the view of a self. One who cultivates such practices, but who has
not yet seen through the emptiness of self and things, may seem to be holding
precepts, but in fact his cultivation is still far off the mark.

In the fourth category, one may practice and maintain a heart of great compassion
toward all beings, yet be frightened or alarmed on hearing that dharmas are empty,
neither produced nor destroyed. In this case, as in the three above, even though there
has been no actual violation of precepts, the moral conduct is far from perfected.

Pure eating refers not only to abstaining from meat but to eating at prescribed
times. If, for example, one has vowed not to eat after noon and then does so, he not
only violates the precept regarding pure eating, he violates the precept against stealing
as well. When asked whether or not he has eaten, such a person may reply that he has
not and thus also violate their precept against lying. The one who supplies food to the
violator also violates precepts in these cases, and the Buddha said of all such persons,
“They are not my disciples.” Such persons are like garbage-eating seabirds or dung-
eating ghosts. They are extremely unfortunate, and Earth Store Bodhisattva warns
them that they may suffer the retribution of becoming hungry birds and beasts .
Those who make unprincipled and destructive use of things will also undergo
retribution. Take, for example, a teacup that could have a long period of useful
functioning. If, for no good reason, you decide to smash it and render it useless, you
are committing the offense mentioned here. This principle applies not only to teacups
but to anything which belongs to the permanently dwelling or to private
individuals. In the future, those who commit this offense will be unable to fulfill their
wishes and will never obtain what they seek .
Biased views refer to those who absolutely refuse to comply with rules.
The habitual bad deeds of body, mouth, and mind, the three evils, are ten in all. Three
pertain to the body: killing, stealing and sexual misconduct. There are four evils of the
mouth: idle speech, false speech, evil speech, and double-tongued speech. There are
three evils of the mind: greed, hatred, and stupidity. Taken together, these are called
the Ten Evil Deeds.

After hearing this, the Four Heavenly Kings wept sorrowfully, placed their
palms together, and withdraw. They wept, on one hand, for those many beings
who had to endure such sufferings and, on the other, from shame that they had not
fulfilled their responsibility to protect living beings. They were greatly moved, placed
their palms together, and withdrew.
 CHAPTER FIVE
The Names of the Hells

Sutra:
At that time Universal Worthy Bodhisattva, Mahasattva, said to Earth
Store Bodhisattva, “Humane One, for the sake of the gods, dragons, and
the fourfold assembly, as well as for all living beings of the present and
future, please speak about the names of the hells and describe the
retributions for evil undergone by living beings of Jambudvipa in the Saha
world.”
Earth Store Bodhisattva replied, “Humane One, receiving the Buddha’s
awesome spirit as well as your strength, I shall speak in general terms of
the names of the hells, and of the retributions for offenses and evil.
“Humane One, east of Jambudvipa there is a mountain called Iron
Ring, which is totally black and has neither sun nor moonlight. There is a
great hell there called Uninterrupted, and another called the Great
Avici. There is also a hell called Four Pointed, a hell called Flying
Knives, a hell called Flying Arrows, and a hell called Squeezing
Mountains; a hell called Piercing Spears, a hell called Iron Carts, a hell
called Iron Beds, and a hell called Iron Ox; a hell called Iron Clothing, a
hell called Thousand Blades, a hell called Iron Asses, and a hell called
Molten Brass; a hell called Embracing Pillar, a hell called Flowing Fire, a
hell called Plowing Tongues, and a hell called Head Chopping; a hell
called Burning Feet, a hell called Eye Pecking, a hell called Iron Pellets,
and a hell called Quarreling; a hell called Iron Ax, and a hell called Much
Hatred.”
Earth Store Bodhisattva said, “Humane One, such is the unlimited
number of hells within the Iron Ring. In addition there is the hell of
Crying Out, the hell of Pulling Tongues, the hell of Dung and Urine, and
the hell of Brazen Locks; the hell of Fire Elephants, the hell of Fire Dogs,
the hell of Fire Horses, and the hell of Fire Oxen; the hell of Fire
Mountains, the hell of Fire Stones, the hell of Fire Beds, and the hell of
Fire Beams; the hell of Fire Eagles, the hell of Sawing Teeth, the hell of
Flaying skin, and the hell of Blood Drinking; the hell of Burning Hands,
the hell of Burning Feet, the hell of Hanging Thorns, and the hell of Fire
Houses; the hell of Iron Rooms, and the hell of Fire Wolves.
 “Such are the hells, and within each of them there are one, two, three,
four, or as many as hundreds of thousands of smaller hells, each with its
own name.”
Earth Store Bodhisattva told the Universal Worthy Bodhisattva,
“Humane One, such are the karmic retributions of the living beings of
Jambudvipa who do evil. The power of karma is extremely great and can
rival Mount Sumeru; it can deepen the great ocean and can obstruct the
way of wisdom. For this reason, living beings should not slight small evils
and consider them as being no offense, for after death retribution is
undergone in the most exact detail. Father and son may be close, but their
roads diverge and each goes his own way, and even if they should meet,
neither would consent to undergo suffering in the other’s place. Now,
drawing on the awesome spiritual power of the Buddha, I shall speak of
the events of hellish retributions for offenses. Please, Humane One, hear
these words.”
Universal Worthy replied, “I have long known of the retributions of the
Three Evil Ways. I hope that the Humane One will discuss them, so that
living beings who do evil in the future time of the Dharma-Ending Age may
hear the Humane One’s words and take refuge in the Buddha.”
Earth Store said, “Humane One, these are the phenomena of
retribution in the hells for offenses. There is a hell in which the offender’s
tongue is stretched out and plowed through by cattle; there is a hell in
which the offender’s heart is pulled out and eaten by yaksas; there is a hell
in which the offender’s body is fried in cauldrons of seething broth; there
is a hell in which the offender is made to embrace a red-hot bronze pillar;
there is a hell in which the offender is followed everywhere by fire; there is
a hell in which there is cold and ice; there is a hell in which there is
limitless dung and urine; there is a hell in which there are flying maces;
there is a hell in which there are many fiery spears; there is a hell in which
one is constantly beaten on the chest and back; there is a hell in which
one’s hands and feet are burned; there is a hell in which the offender is
wrapped and bound by iron serpents; there is a hell in which there are
running iron dogs; and there is a hell in which the offender is yoked
between iron donkeys.
“Humane One, such are the retributions. In each hell there are a
hundred thousand kinds of utensils of karma, and all are made of copper,
iron, stone, or fire, the four materials which are summoned by the manifold
karmas. If I were to explain the hellish retributions for offenses in detail,
any single hell would have hundreds of thousands of kinds of acute
suffering. How much more numerous would the sufferings in the many
hells be. Now, drawing upon the awesome spirit of the Buddha, I have
replied to the Human One’s question. It has been a general discussion, for
if I were to speak in detail, I could not finish in a kalpa.”

Commentary:
The term “hell” represents in Chinese compound which literally translates as “ground
prison.” Just as there are prisons made by governments to punish offenders in the
human realm, so too are there prisons in the shadowy places within the ground. Those
prisons, or hells, differ from those among human beings in that they are not prepare by
a governmental authority to await the arrival of criminals. The hells have no concrete
form, only names. When a being is due to fall into one, however, it is manifest as a
result of that being’s powerful karma.

It is certainly not made by ghosts. It is not created by anyone other than the very
person who habits it.

There is a great hell called Ultimately Uninterrupted, and another called the Great
Avici. “Uninterrupted” here has the same five meanings discussed previously. The
Avici, or “uninterrupted,” Hell is distinguished here from the hell which is called
Ultimately Uninterrupted.

The Four-Pointed Hell is foursquare with four hornlike prods whose points prick
people. In the Flying Knives Hell, knives suddenly appear and fly at people, to suffer
fatal pain but are instantly reborn to suffer again.

The doors in the east of the Squeezing Mountains Hell open and the prisoner rushes
out to escape. The first thing he sees is a pair of mountains toward which he runs to
hide, but suddenly they come together and crush him. It is not only through the
eastern door that the prisoner meets this retribution; the doors in all the four
directions lead to the same result. This is a karmic result of having oppressed others
with worldly power when one was alive.

The prisoners in the Hell of Iron Carts are run over by great iron carts. When
Sakyamuni Buddha was still cultivating toward Buddhahood, he achieved the
penetration of the heavenly eye and saw the sufferings in this hell. At this time he
resolved his thought on compassion and vowed to save all offenders. This was his
initial resolution of the great compassion.
In the Iron Bed Hell, from under an iron bed on which the offender is forced to lie
come red hot iron knives. Those who profess precepts but do not maintain them fall
into the Iron Clothing Hell, where hooks, knives, and barbs strip them of their
clothing. When the criminal is naked he sees an iron suit of clothes fly through the air
and he calls out to it to come to him. This it does, but the iron becomes searing hot and
burns him to death, whereupon he is revived by the Clever Breeze.

In the Thousand Blades Hell, blades fall upon the prisoners like rain, but as soon as the
prisoners are minced up and die, the Clever Breeze revives them.

As you remember, those who fall into the Embracing Pillar Hell see the pillar as their
favorite mate. When they rush to embrace the pillar, it becomes red hot and sears
them to death, after which they are revived by the Clever Breeze. It is important to
realize that love is not necessarily a good thing, for it can very easily cause one to travel
an improper path and end up in the Roasting Hell. The next hell in the list, the Hell of
Flowing Fire, is also a result of the lustful deeds of beings.

He who slanders the Triple Jewel, or commit other of the four evils of the mouth, falls
into the Hell of Plowing Tongues where his tongue is pulled out to a length of several
thousand feet and then is furrowed with a plow.

Those who behead living beings, insects, birds, animals of all sorts, or even poison
insects which they see, fall into the Chopping Heads Hell.

In the Hell of Burning Feet, not only is fire applied to the feet, but wherever the feet are
set down, blazing fires spring up.

In the Eye-Pecking Hell, vultures gouge out the eyes of offenders, and then crack open
their skulls and drink the brain fluids. Those who like to argue and fight fall into the
Quarreling Hell, where they are constantly tormented and berated by myriads of
ghosts.

In the hell where the offenders are coiled and bound by iron snakes, there are serpents
whose entire bodies are covered with mouths from which they spit out small
snakes. Each of these has twenty iron mouths. They drill into the offender’s eyes and
emerge through his genitals. The pain of this retribution is unbearable and comes
from lustful conduct.
Only a few of the innumerable hells are mentioned in the sutra text. For example, the
Hell of Crying Out is the fourth of the eight cold hells, which are counted among the
eighteen major hells. There are also eight hot hells in that list.

Even children devoted to their parents cannot undergo retribution in the hells on their
behalf. Although close relationships like that of father and son exist among people, in
the hells relationships from earlier lives are known, and perhaps those who were
recently father and son find out that they have been great enemies in past
existences. In the hells, no one consents to undergo suffering for another.
 CHAPTER SIX
The Thus Come One’s Praises

Sutra:
At that time the World-Honored One emitted a great bright light from
his entire body, illuminating as many Buddha-lands as there are grains of
sand in hundreds of thousands of millions of Ganges Rivers. With a great
sound he spoke to all the Bodhisattvas, Mahasattvas, from all these
Buddha-lands, as well as to the gods, dragons, ghosts and spirits, humans,
nonhumans, and others, saying, “Listen as I now praise and extol Earth
Store Bodhisattva, Mahasattva, who manifests great and inconceivable
awesome spirit and compassionate power to rescue and protect living
beings wherever they encounter misery and suffering. After my extinction,
all of you Bodhisattvas, Great Beings, and all you gods, dragons, ghosts,
spirits, and others should practice expedient devices for the sake of
protecting this sutra and causing all living beings to testify to the bliss of
nirvana.

Commentary:
The emission of light from the Buddha’s entire body indicates the importance of this
sutra. The great sound with which he speaks leads all living beings who hear it to be
joyful, even though it is as great as resounding thunder or a lion’s roar. The sound is so
pleasing, like the clear ring of a toned brass bell, that those who hear it enter the
Dharma-hearing Samadhi.

Sutra:
After the Buddha spoke, a Bodhisattva named Universally Expansive
arose from the midst of the assembly, placed his palms together
respectfully, and said to the Buddha, “We now hear the World-Honored
One’s praise of Earth Store Bodhisattva’s awesome spiritual
virtue. World-Honored One, for the sake of future living beings in the
Dharma-Ending Age, please tell us how Earth Store Bodhisattva has
benefited men and gods; caused the gods, dragons, and the remainder of
the Eightfold Division, as well as other living beings of the future, to
receive the Buddha’s teaching respectfully.”
 At that time the World-Honored One said to the Bodhisattva
Universally Expansive and to the Fourfold Assembly, “Listen attentively,
listen attentively. I will briefly describe how Earth Store Bodhisattva’s
blessings and virtues have benefited men and gods.”
Universally Expansive replied, “So be it, World-Honored One, we will
be glad to hear.”

Commentary:
There are Five Blessings discussed in the section of the Book of History called the
“Great Plan.” The first of these is called “blessings and longevity.” “Blessings”
indicates a quality of comfort and ease, while “longevity” indicates life to an old
age. These blessings are threefold: wealth, revenue, and long life. The first of these,
wealth, refers to the goods that come to one naturally; the second indicates that which
comes through a salary or other source of income; and the third is simply a protracted
lifespan. If one has these three advantages, he is said to have blessings.
In China, when people think of longevity, they think of Nan Chi Ts’e, who had an
extremely high forehead and no hair. Within his mind were three heavenly books, and
he was able to know almost everything.

The second of the Five Blessings is “riches,” which includes both wealth and
honor. The third is “soundness of body and serenity of mind,” the fourth is the “love of
virtue,” and the fifth is “life crowned with good end” – in other words, a peaceful death.

In addition to the Five Blessings, there are Five Virtues. The first of these is “warmth,”
that is, being neither too cold, like an immobile statue, nor too warm, like a playful
flirt. The Superior Man is warm when there should be warmth; he laughs when there
should be laughter, and he speaks when there should be speaking.

The second of the Five Virtues is “good-heartedness.” The third is “respect,” a virtue
that should be applied to everyone. The fourth, “thrift,” is very important, as is the
fifth, “yielding.”

To be thrifty is to avoid wasting a single thing, to economize wherever possible. If, for
example, we usually eat five bowls of food, we might economize and eat only three,
thus saving two bowls for those who do not have anything themselves. One ought to be
thrifty with respect to his own person and also with respect to his merit. It is not a
good idea to have much food, to own many clothes, or to have too large a place to live
in. Always be sparing.
The fifth virtue, “yielding,” is the quality of always letting others go first and always
being polite. Long ago in China there was an official named Kung Yung, to whom the
proverbial phrase, “Kung Yung yielded the pears of four,” refers. When Kung Yung was
a little boy of four, a visitor came to his home and brought a crate of pears. All the
children in the household were summoned together and allowed to choose a pear each,
and Kung Yung deliberately sought out the smallest of the lot. When questioned as to
the reason for this action, he replied that since he was the smallest, he should take the
least amount and leave the rest for his older brothers.

Another saying, “Huang Hsiang warmed the sheets at nine,” refers to a boy who
dutifully warmed his parents’ cold sheets before he himself would go to sleep. Both of
these show virtuous conduct which embodies the Five Virtues.

Sutra:
The Buddha told the Bodhisattva Universally Expansive, “If in the
future good men or good women hear Earth Store Bodhisattva,
Mahasattva’s name, worship, and fix their gaze on him, they will overcome
the offenses of thirty kalpas. Universally Expansive, if good men or good
women paint, draw, use earth, stone, lacquerware, gold, silver, brass, or
iron to make this Bodhisattva’s image, gaze at it, and bow but once, they
will be reborn one hundred times in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, and
will eternally avoid falling into the Evil Paths. If their heavenly merit
becomes exhausted and they are born below in the human world, they will
be powerful kings.

Commentary:
Gazing at the image means to stare reverently, as if forgetting everything else, much as
people in love stare at one another. The good retributions for cultivating such
practices include rebirth as kings, and from this we should realize that those who are
kings and presidents in this world are all persons who have worshiped Earth Store
Bodhisattva in the past.

Sutra:
“If there are women who detest the body of a woman, and who full-
heartedly make offerings to Earth Store Bodhisattva’s image, whether the
image be a painting or made of earth, stone, lacquerware, brass, iron, or
some other material, and if they do so day after day without fail, using
flowers, incense, food, drink, clothing, colored silks, banners, money,
jewels, and other items as offerings, when the female retribution body of
those good women is exhausted, for hundreds of thousands of tens of
thousands of aeons they will never again be born in worlds where there
are women, much less be one, unless it be through the strength of their
compassionate vows to liberate living beings. From the power of the
meritorious virtues resulting from these offerings to Earth Store
Bodhisattva, they will not receive the bodies of women throughout
hundreds of thousands of tens of thousands of aeons.

Commentary:
Do not think that being a woman is a good thing, for being a woman involves a great
deal of trouble. There are women who do not like it and always wonder why they have
to be women; they want to learn what they can do about it. Through worship of Earth
Store Bodhisattva these questions can be resolved.

What is the trouble involved in being a woman? Because there are people who might
like to investigate this further, I will go into a bit more detail. You should not think of
this as an attempt to cause women to dislike their state and leave home. If that
occurred then there might be even more problems for me to deal with.

There are Five Obstructions and Ten Evils encountered by women. First we will
discuss the Five Obstruction. The first is that women are not able to become the Great
Brahma Lord because that position is accomplished through purity, and the body of a
woman has a great many impurities. Second, women cannot become Sakra. An astute
student may object that earlier we discussed the thirty-three women who became lords
of the heavens of the Thirty-Three. This objection is a valid one, but it should be
realized that upon reaching the heavens their bodies became male, because only males
can be lords of the heavens. Although Sakra has some desire remaining that desire is
quite light; women; on the other hand, are extremely libidinous and consequently
cannot become Sakra.

Third, women cannot become demon kings. This is not too bad. They cannot attain
this position because demons are extremely hard, solid, and firm, while women are
extremely soft and weak. As soon as anything unusual comes up they are at a loss and
have to seek help. Fourth, women cannot be wise wheel-turning kings – the gold,
silver, copper, and iron wheel-turning kings – as long as they have female bodies. Wise
kings have hearts of great compassion and kindness; they teach people to maintain the
Five Precepts and the Ten Good Deeds. Whenever women see something good occur
to others, they become jealous, and this keeps them from having great
compassion. Because of this basic problem, they cannot become wheel-turning
kings. Fifth, they cannot become Buddhas. Buddhas have ten thousand virtues;
women have many evils. They are jealous and obstructive, and their hearts are about
the size of a sesame seed.

If, however, women are able to rid themselves of jealousy, desire, weakness,
defilement, and of all evils, they may become men, and so theirs is not a hopeless
plight. There is, for example, the case of the dragon king’s daughter. When Sariputra
said that she could not become a Buddha, she took a precious gem, her most valuable
and cherished possession, and offered it to the Buddha, who accept it. She then asked
Sariputra if the Buddha’s acceptance of her offering was fast, and he replied that,
indeed, it had been quick. “I shall become a Buddha that quickly,” she said and then
she became a Buddha. This is proof that women’s lot is not hopeless. All they must do
is resolve to cultivate courageously and they too can become Buddhas.

There are also Ten Evils that pertain to women. First, at their birth their parents are
displeased. Although it is not always the case that parents are displeased at the birth of
a daughter, in most societies this is the case, and a daughter starts out life by making a
bad impression on her parents.

The second evil is that raising daughters is not a very interesting task. The third is that
women are always afraid of people. Boys are not usually afraid, but girls almost always
are. The fourth evil connected with women is that their parents undergo a great deal of
worry about their daughters’ marriage. In America this is not a major matter, but in
most other countries parents have to give a great deal of consideration to finding good
husbands for their daughters.

Once girls grow up, the fifth of the Ten Evils occurs, when they have to leave their
parents alone. The sixth comes after they have been married and are in constant fear
of their husbands. When a husband likes something, they are pleased, and when he is
angry, they cower in terror. The seventh evil of women is the difficulty and fear of
giving birth.

The eighth difficulty is that no matter what they do or say, the report gets back to their
parents that they are not good. Although the good remains, it is a goodness that does
not influence their parents. The ninth is that they are always controlled by their
husbands and are subject to many restrictions, which, if broken, can lead to divorce.

The above nine evils apply to women in their youth. They are old when the tenth
arrives and their own children and grandchildren slight them. As the proverb says, “To
be old and not yet dead is to be a rascal.” These are only a few of the many problems
involved with being a woman. To explain all of them in detail would be an unending
task.

Beings who truly cultivate will be reborn as women only if they have made a vow to
appear in that form in order to teach others. Even though a woman may now think
that she does not want a woman’s body, it is possible that it has been obtained through
vows made in the past. Consequently, you never know which of you now studying the
sutra might be here as a woman because of such a vow.

The Buddha’s mother, the Lady Maya, for example, roams at play among beings by
means of the Samadhi of Great Illusion and has made the vow to be the mother of all
Buddhas. The Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, Who Observes the Sounds of the World, is
neither male nor female but knows that men enjoy beautiful women and is manifested
in such a body for the sake of teaching them. Although he is manifested in the body of
a woman, Avalokitesvara is not involved in emotional states and is never affected by
them.

This method of teaching should be studied and applied, for if one is to rescue beings,
he must lead them out of suffering and not be pulled back by them to flounder in the
sea of suffering. One who is affected by greed for his environment, and by pleasure
found in emotions, is confused and lacks samadhi. When Avalokitesvara is manifested
in the body of a woman, he is never defiled by emotion, and his practice of kindness
and compassion thus is genuine loving and is protective of beings.

Sutra:
“Moreover, Universally Expansive if a woman who dislikes being
ugly, vile, and prone to sickness gazes at and worships an image of Earth
Store Bodhisattva with a sincere mind for even the space of a single meal,
throughout thousands of tens of thousands of aeons she will always receive
a body with full features. If that ugly woman does not dislike the body of a
woman, during hundreds of thousands of ten thousands of millions of lives
she will always be a royal woman or the concubine of a king, the wife of a
minister of great family, or the wife of an elder, and be upright with perfect
features. Such are the rewards for beholding and worshiping Earth Store
Bodhisattva.
Commentary:
There are Ten Bad Deeds that cause women to have an ugly appearance. The first is
being fond of anger. While there are some women who do not often become angry,
many fly into a rage over as small a thing as a needle, and, what is more, they enjoy it.

The second reason for ugliness is doubt and gossip. Full of doubts about everything,
they constantly talk about how they are mistreated; in this way they constantly spread
hateful gossip. The third reason for their ugliness is that they like to lie and confuse
people. The fourth is their delight in stirring up trouble. The fifth is their lack of
respect for their parents. This, of course, is just a generalization; but while there are a
great many who do have respect, many do not.

The sixth is that they are disrespectful in holy places, in temples, or in places of those
who have cultivated and certified to the Way. The seventh is that they like to
appropriate the property of the sages for themselves. The eighth is that they like to
extinguish the lamps lit before the Buddhas. Although there are not too many who
would do this, it does happen and it brings forth the retribution of ugliness.

The ninth reason is that they belittle and look down on those who are ugly. Although
you are unaware of it, there is something in the nature of things that acts like a
camera. When an ugly person is maligned for his appearance, a picture is taken and
stored until the next lifetime when the one who looked down on another becomes ugly
himself. The tenth reason is that they like to learn every possible variation of bad
conduct. These are the ten causes for ugliness among women.

There are also ten reasons why women are sickly. The first of these is beating other
living beings. The second is exhorting others to beat living beings, telling them, for
example, to hit cats, club dogs, trample mice, or beat children. The third is praising the
practice of beating and telling others how good it is. The fourth is taking delight in
seeing others beaten.

The fifth is delight in seeing the sick, and the sixth is displeasure felt on seeing
someone cured. The seventh reason for being sickly is that in the past they gave
medicines to the sick but gave them the wrong ones. To headache sufferers, for
example, they gave medicine for stomach cramps and then bragged about how well
they had nursed the sick…

The eighth is that they become jealous when a doctor cures a patient and sometimes
even wish that the doctors would disappear. The ninth is that they hope the sick will
remain invalids and never be cured. The tenth reason is incessant eating. Before they
have finished digesting one meal, they are back eating and never stop. If it were not for
the above twenty kinds of bad conduct, the women discussed here would not be ugly,
vile, and prone to sickness.

In a body with full features, every organ looks as it should; the ears are shaped like
proper ears, the eyes like eyes, and so forth. It might be objected that eyes are always
eyes and won’t look like anything else. This is true, but here we are speaking of
features that are shaped properly. Some eyes are very square shaped, and others are
triangular; some ears are well shaped and some are pointed.

Among other things, a person’s face reveals his merit. If the nostrils are exposed, a
person has little merit; if his eyes are triangular rather than almond-shaped, he should
not be befriended. I once was friendly with and greatly helped a person, even though
he did have triangular eyes and exposed nostrils. He constantly defamed me and tried
to ruin me behind my back. As a result of his slander he developed terminal
cancer. Even in death, however, he could not stop comparing himself with others.

Not long ago Dharma Master Ts’e Hang in Taiwan left instructions that his corpse be
placed in a large crockery jar and sealed for three years, after which the jar was to be
opened to see if the corpse was in good condition, in which case it was to be
gilded. The Dharma Master with triangular eyes in Hong Kong gave instructions for
the same thing to be done for him, but only one day after his death his head had
already fallen over to one side. If one has some spiritual skill, his head will remain
upright when his body is placed in a sitting position after death and will stay there for
quite a long time. Needless to say, the Hong Kong Dharma Master’s disciples did not
open his jar after three years. They knew what they would find.

For men it is appropriate to have a large mouth, but with women this is not the
case. No matter how good a person she may be, the husband of a woman with high
cheekbones and a large mouth will die young. From looking at the features, an entire
life may be known; one can see the progress from youth to middle age and on to old
age. Physiognomy has been studied deeply by the Chinese. A good example of a full
physiognomy is Cardinal Yu Pin, whose features are full and complete. It is
unfortunate that he has gone down the wrong road, for if he were a Buddhist, he would
certainly have become an inconceivable Dharma Master. One obtains full and
complete features from having worshiped Earth Store Bodhisattva.
When the sutra says that a woman will be born upright and with full features, it means
that all her features will be in harmony with one another. If the eyes are good but the
nose is not, she cannot be said to have full features. If one ear is large and the other
small, if eyes and nose are complete but the ears are not good, her features are
incomplete. The features should also be well balanced on the face and not crowded
together in the middle. When the features are thus balanced and all the parts are well
formed, it is a result of having worshipped Earth Store Bodhisattva.

Sutra:
“Moreover, Universally Expansive, if a good man or woman is
able to play music, sing, or chant praises, and make offerings of incense
and flowers before that Bodhisattva’s image, and is able to exhort others
to do likewise, both now and in the future that person will be surrounded
day and night by hundreds of thousands of ghosts and spirits, who will
even prevent bad news from reaching his ears, much less allow him to
suffer accidents.

Commentary:
If anyone is able to sing, hum, or chant praises of Earth Store Bodhisattva, he will be
surrounded by Dharma Protectors who will avert calamities such as airplane crashes,
automobile wrecks, and so forth. Those who believe in the Buddha should not fear
ghosts, since ghosts must bow to those who have cultivated merit. Of course, if one
does not do meritorious deeds, there will be no protectors, and anything might happen.

Sutra:
“Moreover, Universally Expansive, in the future evil men, spirits,
or ghosts may see good men or women respectfully making offerings and
praising, beholding, and worshipping Earth Store Bodhisattva’s
image. These evil beings may wrongly express ridicule and malign the
acts of worship as profitless affairs devoid of meritorious qualities. They
may bare their teeth in laughter, slander them behind their backs, and
exhort others to do likewise, whether one person or many, or they may
even bear just one single thought of slander. Such beings will fall into and
remain in the Avici Hells, undergoing the utmost misery as retribution for
their calumny, even after the nirvana of the thousand Buddhas of the
Auspicious Aeon. After that kalpa they will be reborn among the hungry
ghosts, where they will pass a thousand aeons before being reborn as
animals. After another one thousand aeons, even though they may again
attain a human body, they will be poor and lowly, with incomplete organs,
and their many evil deeds will bind up their minds. Before long they will
fall into the Evil Paths again. Universally Expansive, such are the
retributions that will be undergone by those who ridicule and slander
others’ offerings. How much worse will it be if they have other evil and
harmful views.

Commentary:
Evil spirits are inveterate troublemakers. Some of them go to temples, impersonate
the presiding deity, and receive offerings. In the temples of Kuan Kung for example,
Kuan Kung is not present at all times. While he is gone, the evil spirits may come and
cause people to make flesh and blood offerings.

Evil ghosts are primarily Kumbhandas, although there are others. The Kumbhandas
are large, melon-shaped beings who are also known as nightmare ghosts, because they
enjoy sitting on sleeping persons, who wake up terrified and unable to move.

In addition to these, there are other small evil ghosts who lodge in plants and trees,
where they manifest their powers and cause people to believe in them. People who are
sick might go to such a tree and offer incense in hope of a cure; if they have lost things,
they might ask a certain tree to help retrieve them. When the response they sought
occurs, people think that the tree has brought about a miraculous intervention on the
part of some Bodhisattva, and will often sacrifice chickens, pigs, or other animals as
offerings to the tree, not knowing it is inhabited by an evil ghost. The tree at Nan Hua
temple, which took refuge and received the precepts from the Venerable Master Hsu
Yun, was an example of such a phenomenon.

A great many strange events occur in this world. For those who do not understand
Buddhadharma it is very easy to think that a miraculous response has been obtained
from a Buddha or Bodhisattva, but those who understand these matters clearly realize
that not every response is a sign of the Buddha’s aid and are not taken in by evil ghosts
and spirits.

They may bare their teeth in laughter, slander them behind their backs,
and exhort others to do likewise . Laughing is done to the face, while slander is
done behind the back of people who cultivate the Way. For example, some people may
say, “I’ve been up to the Sino-American Buddhist Association and I’ve seen them put
on robes and precept sashes and then knock their heads on the ground before the
Buddha-image, get up, and do it again. All day long they bow and recite sutras. What
a bother. All that useless ceremony. Why don’t they take a nap?”
When they exhort others to do likewise , they say things like, “There is no point in
reciting sutras, no benefit is derived from listening to lectures on Dharma, and there is
no interest at all in reciting mantras. Don’t bother with that, just take a bit of this fine
drug and you’ll end up in the Land of Ultimate Bliss.” Their rationalizations are
common in the world and are not rare even within Buddhism. Since a person who
behaves like this can’t break the rules of proper conduct by himself and get away with
it, he gets others to join him for support. Thus when called on their behavior, they
claim that they are not alone, and that everyone else does the same thing.
The aeon in which we live is called Auspicious because it has one thousand Buddhas, of
whom Sakyamuni is the fourth. As can be imagined, the time required for the
remaining nine hundred and ninety-six Buddhas to come into the world and enter
extinction is long indeed. For those who will receive the retribution for slander in the
Avici hell, one of our days and nights constitutes sixty small aeons. As mentioned
above, fifty of our years make one day and night in the Heaven of the Four Kings, and
one hundred of our years make a day and night in the Trayastrimsa Heaven. The
reason for these differences is that when one is feeling happy, time seems to pass
quickly, but when he is suffering or unhappy, minutes seem like hours and hours like
days. Because the sufferings in the hells are so intense, time passes extremely slowly.

After aeons of suffering in the Evil Paths, those who have slandered are born into
poverty. Poverty is not caused by conditions in this life alone but is retribution for
deeds done long ago. The solution to this problem lies not in putting people on a
welfare dole but in teaching them to do good and to cease doing the kinds of deeds that
get them into such a destitute position in the first place. Merely doling out money will
not correct the essential cause of poverty. True welfare lies in teaching people to
respect the Buddha and to refrain from slandering the Triple Jewel.

When the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha are in the world, there is an opportunity to
plant merit and avert the causes of poverty. No matter what the conditions are
something bad always occurs to those who have slighted the Triple Jewel. If they are
not without food, then they have no clothes or shelter, and before long they commit
offenses and fall back into the states of woe. Earlier the sutra mentioned a person who
was reborn with a lifespan of only thirteen years, after which he was to have fallen into
the states of woe again. This is an example of what is being discussed here.

Are the periods of time mentioned in this passage definitely fixed: that is, will such
persons really have to spend a thousand aeons as hungry ghosts and as many among
the animals? These various retributions were made clear by Sakyamuni Buddha and
are certain. There are, however, mitigating circumstances. A hungry ghost who
resolves his thoughts on compassion and acts as a protector for someone who is
cultivating is an example. Ghosts may also see someone cultivating and decide to
undertake the practice of bowing to the Buddhas. Because such ghosts plant good
roots while they are still suffering for their offenses, they may escape some time in the
realm of ghosts, and be reborn as animals or even as humans.

Animals who live near cultivation – those who live on temple grounds, for example –
may gradually become permeated with Buddhism and come to have faith in the
Buddha, thus lightening their karmic obstacles. When the Venerable Master Hsu Yun
was at Nan Hua temple, a chicken followed along with the monks as they
circumambulated the Buddha. After three years of such practice it stood before the
Buddha and went off to rebirth. Although these states of retribution are undergone for
fixed periods of time, there are always special circumstances that may alter the normal
course of retribution.

People who come to realize that their poverty, low stature, and handicaps are a result
of not having respected Earth Store Bodhisattva and of having slandered the Triple
Jewel may change their ways. They may undertake the practice of vegetarianism and
recitation of the Buddha’s name, or they may even leave home to become
bhiksus. Such persons will not necessarily have to return to the states of
woe. Although the Buddhadharma contains principles, it is totally alive, not fixed and
dead; therefore, it is necessary to look at each particular case to see what special
conditions there may be. If someone guilty of offenses repents and reforms his
conduct, it is not certain that he will have to fall into the states of woe.

In the final chapter of the Avatamsaka Sutra , the one on the Vows and Conduct
of Universal Worthy Bodhisattva , it is said that if karmic obstacles had form and
substance, one person’s would fill all empty space. Although they do not have form,
they should not be considered lightly. Doing a little more evil here or there is certainly
dangerous, especially when one understands the principles involved. The ability to
repent eradicates offense, and so it is said, “Bowing before the Buddhas wipes away
offenses as many as sands of the Ganges; giving support increases blessings without
limit.”

Sutra:
“Moreover, Universally Expansive, in the future men or women
may be bedridden with a long illness and in spit of their wishes be unable
either to get well or to die. At night they may dream of evil ghosts, of
family and relatives, or of wandering in dangerous paths; in numerous
nightmares they may roam with ghosts and spirits. As these dreams
continue over a period of days, months, and years, such persons may
weaken and waste away, cry out in fitful sleep, and be depressed and
melancholy day by day. All of this is due to an unresolved degree of
severity of their evil karmic paths, which make it difficult for them to die
and difficult for them to be cured. The eyes of common men and women
cannot distinguish such things.

Commentary:
This passage does not refer to ordinary illnesses, but to chronic and crippling
diseases. Those who are handicapped by such illness may wish to die and be relieved
of their suffering, but cannot do so; they may wish to be cured and restored to a
healthy life, but that too does not occur.

In their dreams such people may consort with evil ghosts and practice a variety of
unclean and evil deeds. The more numerous these deeds, the worse the illness
becomes. What is more, they may see their deceased relatives in dreams, an
inauspicious sign. At the door of every household there are protective spirits who will
allow those under their protection to enter the home. When evil ghosts wish to molest
the living, they are unable to get past the guardians of the door and so they tag along
with a dead member of that family and thus sneak into the household. Seeing dead
relatives in dreams is an inauspicious sign because, even though the relatives
themselves are not coming to do the living any harm, they are followed by their friends,
among who may be some very malevolent ghosts.

These ill persons may also dream of walking high in the mountains in an area given to
sudden landslides or on a road infested with wolves, tigers, and monsters. They may
be attacked by Kumbhanda ghosts who render them incapable of movement or sound
so that they just lie paralyzed and terrified as if entrance in some demonic
samadhi. These attacks may occur several times in a single night. The victims may
even know that they are dealing with ghosts, yet in their dreams they may roam about
and play with them, because in dreams they frequently do not know enough to be
afraid.

Those who have this illness may become emaciated, consumptive, and racked with
pain and spasms, and be always on the verge of tears. All of this is because the offenses
which they have committed are numerous, and although they are not yet dead, their
retributions are being determined in the hells.
Sutra:
“In this instance this sutra should be recited once in a loud voice
before the images of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and possessions which the
sick one loves, such as clothing, jewels, gardens, or houses, should be
offered, saying in a voice before the sick person, “I, so and so, before this
sutra and image, give all these items on behalf of this sick
person.’ Making offerings to the sutra and images, making images of
Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, constructing temples and monasteries, lighting
oil lamps, or giving to the permanently dwelling may be undertaken in a
like manner.
“The sick person should be told three times of the offerings that are
being made so that he may hear and know of them. If his consciousnesses
are separated and scattered and his breath exhausted, then for one, two ,
three, four, and on through seven days, this sutra should be read aloud in a
clear voice. When that person’s life is gone he will achieve eternal
liberation from all the heavy and disastrous offenses committed in his life,
even the five offenses that receive uninterrupted retribution. He will
always be born in a place where he will know his past life’s; much greater
will the beneficial retributions be if a good man or woman writes this sutra
out himself, teaches others to do so, carves or paints images himself, or
teaches others to do so.

Commentary:
All the properties mentioned in the sutra may be sold and the proceeds used
to construct images of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas – acts productive of extremely great
merit. When the announcement of the offerings is made, those who are performing
them on behalf of the sick person should insert their own names where the text says,
“I, so and so.” The announcement is to be made three times so that the sick person
knows what is being done. The reference at the end of the passage to teaching others
to do so means to solicit funds for the sake of making images.

Sutra:
“Therefore, Universally Expansive, if you see a person reading and
reciting this sutra or having a single thought of praise and respect for it,
you should employ hundreds of thousands of expedients to exhort him to be
energetic and not retreat. In both the present and the future he will be
able to obtain thousands of tens of thousands of millions of inconceivable
meritorious virtues.
“Moreover, Universally Expansive, when dreaming or dozing, living
beings in the future may see ghosts, spirits and other forms that are either
sad, weeping, or worried, fearful, or terrified. These are all past fathers,
mothers, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, and relatives
from one, ten, a hundred, or a thousand lives, who have not yet been able
to leave the Evil Paths. They have no place from which to hope for the
power of blessings to rescue them, and so they plead with their flesh-and-
bone descendants to establish expedient devices for them so that they might
leave the Evil Paths. Universally Expansive, using your spiritual power,
you should cause all these descendants to recite this sutra with sincerity
before the images of Buddhas or Bodhisattvas, or to request others to
recite it, either three or seven times. When the sutra has been sounded the
proper number of times, relatives in the Evil Paths will obtain liberation
and never again be seen by those who dream or doze.

Commentary:
The term “doze” refers here to the state between ordinary wakefulness and sleep, just
on the edge of sleep. The term “dream” refers to a number of classes of dreams: those
that come from ignorant habits, those that contain prognostications of good or evil,
those that are caused by an imbalance of the four elements, and those that are
remembrances of things past.

The first of these classes of dreams is caused by confused and obscure habits. Because
such dreams are unclear, they are not remembered when one awakens. The second
consists of those in which some foreknowledge is attained and warnings of impending
events, either good or bad, are given. The Venerable Hsu Yun’s dream in which the
Sixth Patriarch said “Come back, return, there is yet work to do,” is an example of such
a dream; in fact, it turned out to be a dream calling him back to Nan Hua Monastery to
restore the temple. Sometimes warnings are found in dreams, warnings to avoid doing
certain things lest the person encounter accidents. Because people ignore such
warnings they end up getting hurt.

The third class of dreams arises from an imbalance of the four elements. According to
Chinese medical study, there are four hundred forty kinds of diseases and eight
hundred eighty cures. In Buddhism it is said that there are eighty-four thousand
dharmas, which are prescriptions to cure as many illnesses. If any one of the four
elements becomes predominant, a corresponding illness arises, and there may be
dreams in connection with the illness.
The fourth class of dreams is that which is based on remembrance of past
things. During the dream the dreamer sees old friends and old places, but when he
awakens it is all seen to have been unreal and a dream.

There are many kinds of ghosts that may occur in dreams: some with flaming red hair,
protruding teeth, and elephant tusks; some weeping and wailing, with running eyes
and dripping noses; some in the form of friends and relatives who seem distraught and
worried; and other forms as well. Some ghosts are parents and relatives from past
lives, and for this reason all living beings should be regarded as one’s past parents and
as future Buddhas. One who regards all beings in this way will never bother a single
being, for he sees them all as his own parents.

Ghosts who are seen in dreams such as the ones mentioned above have done bad deeds
and fallen into the states of woe. They have no one to help them by reciting sutras or
doing other similar meritorious acts. It is for this reason that there exists the Buddhist
custom of reciting sutras for the benefit of either the living or the dead. Those for
whose sake the act is being done receive merit in this way and can be freed from the
states of woe.

If a descendant of ghosts wishes to read this sutra for them but is unable to do so for
some reason, he may hire others to do the reading for him. In any case, the sutra
should be recited three or seven times. These are odd numbers and belong to the yang,
whereas even numbers are yin. Thus the reading of the sutra a yang number of times
signals the breaking up of karmic obstacles in the hells.

Sutra:
“Moreover, Universally Expansive, in the future, lowly people, bondsmen,
serving maids, and others who are not independent may be aware of their
past deeds and wish to repent of them and to reform. They should gaze at
and worship Earth Store Bodhisattva’s image with a sincere heart for
seven days and recite his name a full ten thousand times. When their
current retribution ends they will be born into wealth and honor, and
throughout thousands of tens of thousands of lives they will not pass
through any of the sufferings of the Three Evil Paths.

Commentary:
There are five basic reasons for which people are born into poverty. The first of these
is arrogance, particularly toward one’s parents. The second is obstinacy that is,
refusing to listen to teachers and elders. The third is lack of diligence in honoring the
Triple Jewel. The fourth is thievery. There are a great many people who rob from
others when they themselves have no money. They use their ill-gotten gains to eat,
drink, and make merry, to keep themselves in wine and drugs. When the money is
gone they go out and steal again. As a result, they are reborn in extremely low and
servile positions.

The fifth reason for being born into poverty is accumulation of unpaid debts. Although
money is false and empty, it cannot be used casually and wasted. To borrow money
and not repay it, thinking that you have no obligation because money is of no true
importance, will lead to rebirth as a servile and poor person.

There are also five causes that lead to rebirth in wealthy and honorable families. The
first of these is compassionate giving. The second is respect for parents and
teachers. It is totally wrong for people to talk about how they hate their parents, how
their parents restrict and hamper them, and how their parents are stupid. It is also
wrong to bow to a master and then talk about him behind his back. Treating parents
and teachers this way is to commit offenses that make it impossible to be reborn in a
good family.

The third cause of birth into wealth and honor is worship of the Triple Jewel. The
fourth is patience and lack of anger. When one is scolded the best thing is to be happy,
pleased, and not in the least upset. This is a difficult undertaking, for it is not always
easy to be patient and to be polite to everyone.

The fifth cause is listening to sutras and vinaya, which is to say, attending lectures on
sutras and studying and practicing the moral precepts. While the ideal is to have all
five virtues, the practice of even one will keep you from being born in a servile and
lowly position.

Sutra:
Moreover, Universally Expansive, if in the future in Jambudvipa there are
Ksatriyas, Brahmans, elders, upasakas, and others of various names and
clans who have newborn sons or daughter, they should recite this
inconceivable sutra and recite the Bodhisattva’s name a full ten thousand
times within seven days before the child’s birth. If that newly born child
was to have had a disastrous life, he will be liberated from it and be
peaceful, happy, easily raised, and long-lived. If he was to have received a
life of blessings, his peace and happiness will increase, as will his lifespan.

Commentary:
This passage particularly mentions Jambudvipa, our continent. The process of birth
and death is not the same in all places. In Uttarakuru, for example, people are born
under trees. It is a very simple matter; the mother merely goes beneath a tree and, like
a hen laying an egg, gives birth to a child. In the eastern continent, Purva-videha, and
in the western continent, Apara-godaniya, there are relatively few births, since those
who live there have comparatively little desire.

In our continent, many beings are born, and birth is usually quite painful for the
mother. In some cases the child may be born upside down, or be difficult to bear
because of a breech birth. In another case, called the “plucking lotus birth,” only one
foot emerges at the beginning of birth; in another the womb is pulled out along with
the child. In general, birth is a difficult experience.

The elders mentioned in the text need not belong to either of the noble castes, but they
do have wealth and blessings.

Because the recitation of this sutra and of Earth Store Bodhisattva’s name can cause
those who should receive a disastrous life to be easily brought up and long-lived, we
can see that the lifespan is not a predetermined and fixed thing. If good is done, the
lifespan will increase; if evil is done, it will diminish. Everything depends on what the
individual himself does.

Sutra:
“Moreover, Universally Expansive, on the first, eighth, fourteenth,
fifteenth, eighteenth, twenty-third, twenty-fourth, twenty-eighth, twenty-
ninth, and thirtieth days of the month, the offenses of living beings will be
gathered together and judged. Since almost every single movement or
stirring of thoughts on the part of the living beings of Jambudvipa is karma
and an offense, how much more likely are they to incur offenses when they
actually give themselves over to killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, and
false speech. If they are able to recite this sutra before the images of
Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, or sages once on these ten days, there will be no
disasters for one hundred yojanas to the north, south, east, and
west. Those in their families, both old and young, now and in the future,
will be apart from the Evil Paths throughout hundreds of thousands of
years. If they can recite it once on each of these ten vegetarian days, there
will be no accidents or illnesses in the family and there will be food and
clothing in abundance.

Commentary:
On the ten dates mentioned in the sutra text, the various ghosts and spirits go over the
deeds done by beings and determine the virtue and sinfulness of each. Even if one
merely has thoughts of committing offenses he is, in effect, committing those offenses;
how much heavier is his offense karma if he actually does those deeds of killing,
stealing, lying, and sexual misconduct. The last of these is one that Westerners are
prone to consider a very minor matter, but it is well to be aware that it is classed as an
offense; it is the one living beings are most likely to commit. The text discusses
recitation of this sutra on the ten vegetarian days, fixed dates on which vows of
abstention from unclean foods are practiced.

Sutra:
“Therefore, Universally Expansive, you should know of the
unspeakable hundreds of thousands of tens of thousands of millions of
great awesome occurrences of Earth Store Bodhisattva’s beneficial
spiritual powers. The living beings of Jambudvipa have strong affinity
with this Great Being, and if they hear his name, see his image, or hear but
three or five words, a verse, or sentence of this sutra, they will obtain
particularly wonderful peace and happiness in this present life. Through
hundreds of thousands of tens of thousands of future lives their appearance
will always be upright and they will be born into honorable and wealthy
families.”

Commentary:
The truth of the Buddha’s statement that we all have strong affinity with Earth Store
Bodhisattva should be apparent when we consider our present opportunity to hear
about this Bodhisattva and meet him. Such affinity comes from having planted causes
with him long ago. The three words mentioned in the text represent the
disintegration of the three delusions:

1) Coarse delusions
2) Fine delusions
3) Delusions like dust and sand
Coarse delusions are deluded views; fine ones are the delusions of thought; and those
as numerous as dust and sand are the delusions of ignorance.

“Three words” also represents the destruction of the three obstacles:

1) The retribution obstacle

2) The karma obstacle
3) The affliction obstacle

It may be objected by some that they have studied sutras for a long time but do not feel
as though their obstacles have been overcome. Such a thought is in itself a sign that
those obstacles have already started to disappear. If they were not being eradicated,
you would not even know that you had such problems, since you would still mistake
your afflictions for precious gems and would not want to be rid of them.

In addition to the above effects, the “three words” also represent the accomplishment
of the Three Kinds of Knowledge:

1) Knowledge of the Way

2) All Knowledge
3) Knowledge of All Modes

They also represent the perfection of the three virtues of:

1) The Dharma-body
2) Prajna
3) Liberation

When the text mentions five words , it refers to the disintegration of the Five
Dwellings. The first of these is dwelling in the affliction of views and love. Because
there are views, there is also a love which arises for that which is viewed.
The second is dwelling in the affliction of desire and love. Because of desire there
arises love and, consequently, afflictions. In people who are devoid of love there is no
hate, and without hatred, there are no afflictions.

The third is the affliction of dwelling in form and love, which arises when love occurs
with respect to form. The fourth is the affliction of dwelling in formlessness, and the
fifth is the affliction of dwelling in ignorance.
On hearing this sutra it is possible to break the Five Dwellings in affliction and leave
the Five Paths. It is also possible to strengthen the Five Faculties, develop the Five
Powers, and accomplish the fivefold Dharma-body. The Five Faculties are:

1) Faith
2) Vigor
3) Mindfulness
4) Concentration
5) Wisdom

The five powers are the resulting strengths that arise from development of the Five
Faculties. The fivefold Dharma-body is composed of:

1) Morality
2) Samadhi
3) Wisdom
4) Liberation
5) The liberated knowledge and views

Hearing one verse or even a sentence of principle from this sutra can cause you to leave
through the One Door and enter theMiraculous Adornment Road. Hearing one
sentence can cause you to attain the complete brightness of the One Nature. To
explain these principles fully would take many words; I am only giving you their
names, for they will be explained more carefully in the future.

People’s appearances are not always proper and their features are not always put
together harmoniously. For example, some may be born with a monkeylike hand, with
horse-like nostrils, or with rat-like eyes. There is a Chinese proverb that says, “A
rabbit’s head and a serpent’s eyes, ears like a rat and a vultures beak.” A person with
these features does not have a proper physiognomy; his face resembles many animals
moving together to form a whole. What we are talking about here is achieving a proper
and organized physiognomy.

People can also be born wealthy as a result of their virtuous conduct. On the other
hand, those who are not wealthy, who are poor, lowly, and servile, have slandered the
Triple Jewel.
Sutra:
After Universally Expansive had heard that the Buddha, the Thus
Come One, praise and laud Earth Store Bodhisattva, he knelt with both
knees on the ground, placed his palms together, and said, “World-Honored
One, I have long known that this great lord had such inconceivably great
spiritual powers and vast mighty vows. My questions are put for the sake
of benefiting living beings of the future; I shall receive the answer most
respectfully. World-Honored One, what should we call this sutra and how
should it be propagated?”
The Buddha said, “This sutra has three names: the first is the Past
Vows of Earth Store Bodhisattva; is also called Earth Store’s Past
Conduct; and it is called Earth Store’s Fundamental Power of the
Way. Because this Bodhisattva has made such great vows over so many
aeons to benefit and profit living beings, you should all propagate the
sutra in accord with these vows.
After Universally Expansive heard this he placed his palms
together respectfully, made obeisance, and withdrew.

Commentary:
There are two styles of kneeling. In the first, one sits on his left leg, which is placed
under the body. The second method is ordinary kneeling with both knees on the
ground and is known as “long kneeling” because it is a position that can be maintained
for some time; the former style can be maintained only for relatively short
periods. The Buddha said that because of the difficulty of the former position, women
should kneel with both knees on the ground but men should use the other method.

In Burma,Ceylon, and other countries, young bhiksus kneel when they see other
bhiksus, and sramanera kneel whenever they meet any bhiksu. They keep their eyes
downcast and do not look at the bhiksu’s face.

From the three names given to this sutra we can realize the importance of the conduct
of Bodhisattvas who make and practice great vows, even to the extreme of giving one’s
head if it can benefit beings, but not giving a hair of the body if it will cause harm. The
sutra should be propagated and spread throughout the world, in accord with such vows
and practices.
 CHAPTER SEVEN
Benefits for the Living and the Dead

Sutra:
At that time Earth Store Bodhisattva, Mahasattva, said to the
Buddha, “World-Honored One, I see that almost every motion and stirring
of thought of the living beings of Jambudvipa is an offense, and that those
living beings lose the benefits they have obtained, many of them retreating
from their initial resolve. If they encounter evil conditions, they harbor
them in every thought. This is like a man carrying a heavy rock through
the mud. With each step his rock becomes heavier and more ponderous,
and he sinks even deeper. If he meets a powerful guide he may be exhorted
and warned to set his feet on firm ground again; his load may be lightened
or even totally removed. If he reaches level ground he should remain
aware of the evil road and never traverse it again.”

Commentary:
When living beings in Jambudvipa generate thoughts, they usually commit offenses,
because most of their thoughts are motivated by greed, desire, jealousy, obstructions,
and arrogance. Proper thoughts respect those who are better in something than
oneself and aid those who are less able. Because we beings have not resolved to act in
this fashion, our thoughts almost all constitute offenses.

Many people study for a year or two and then decide to quit the Buddhadharma. In the
first year of study the Buddha seems to be right before their eyes; after two years he
seems to retreat a bit, and by the end of the third year he is eighty-four thousand miles
away. After this he seems to retreat to the very border of the universe. These feelings
represent withdrawal from one’s initial resolve. Even those who do not think about
quitting should constantly inspect their thoughts and actions to be sure they are in
accord with their resolve as it was when they first left home life. For example, those
who have gone forth into the homeless life cannot speak casually all the time, because
talking is a useless waste of vital energy and spirit and an impediment to
cultivation. Constant inspection of your own behavior to ascertain that it is in accord
with your initial resolve to study the Buddhadharma is a sign that you are not
retreating from that resolve. Many people begin to cultivate and then encounter some
demon or other and are turned away by it. Once you encounter evil conditions and
become involved in them, they tend to increase and grow. However, the resolve for
enlightenment can either grow day by day or diminish and scatter. Most living beings
tend to decrease their thoughts of enlightenment, and to grow toward evil.

In the analogy given in this passage, the rock represents the heavy load of evil karma,
the muddy bog represents the three states of woe, and the good guide is the Buddha, a
Bodhisattva, or a Good- Knowing Adviser with great wisdom who takes some of the
load.

Sutra:
“World-Honored One, the habitual evil of living beings extends
from the subtle to the overwhelmingly great. Since all beings have such
habits, their parents or relatives should create merit for them when they
are on the verge of dying in order to assist them on the road ahead. This
may be done by hanging banners and canopies, lighting lamps, reciting the
holy sutras, or making offerings before the images of Buddhas and
sages. It includes recitation of the names of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and
Pratyekabuddhas in such a way that the recitation of each name passes by
the ear of the dying one and is heard in his fundamental consciousness.
“The evil deeds done by living beings bear corresponding results,
yet even if one ought to fall into the Evil Paths, his offenses may be
eradicated if his survivors cultivate holy causes for him. During a period
of forty-nine days after the death, they should do many good deeds that can
cause the dead one to leave the Evil Paths, be born among male gods, and
receive supremely wonderful bliss. The benefits that accrue to the
survivors are also unlimited.”

Commentary:
Even if living beings have such weighty karmic loads that they are due to fall into the
hells, their survivors can do meritorious deeds to benefit them. If they recite the names
of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and Pratyekabuddhas, they should be certain to do so in a
clear voice that can be heard by the dying person, so that it will register in his
fundamental consciousness – the Eighth Consciousness – which is the first to come
and the last to leave at death. There is a verse that says of the Eighth Consciousness:

This wide, inexhaustible triple store is unfathomably deep,

Its realm is that of the seventh’s waves blown up by former states.
Receiving the perfume, holding the seeds of the organs, body, and things,
It is the first to come and last to go, acting as the host.
In this verse the Eighth Consciousness is compared to a vast sea that stores the past,
present, and future. The myriad thoughts of living beings are like waves on the sea,
and they are transmitted by the Seventh Consciousness to the Eighth. Once they have
perfumed the Eighth Consciousness, they are held or stored up and are the seeds from
which organs, body, and objective world sprout. At birth this consciousness is the first
to appear, and it is the last to leave at death. Consequently it acts as the
master. Although false thoughts appear as functions of the Sixth Consciousness, they
come from seeds in the Eighth.

When all the other seven consciousnesses have scattered and left at the time of death,
the basic, or Eighth Consciousness remains a while longer. At that time Mahayana
sutras should be read aloud or the Buddha’s name recited, and they should be spoken
loudly enough to be heard by that consciousness. This is not the only thing that can be
done to benefit the dead. During the first forty-nine days after death, the severity of
karmic retribution is not determined; many merit-producing practices that can have a
beneficial effect can be done on behalf of the dead during this time.

Sutra:
“Therefore, before the World-Honored One, as well as before the
gods, dragons, and the rest of the Eightfold Division, both human and
nonhuman, I vow to exhort the living beings of Jambudvipa to be careful
and avoid harming, killing, and creating evil conditions, or calling on
ghosts, spirits, or Wang Liang on the day of death. Why? Sacrificing
beings is not in the least helpful to the dead but binds up the conditions of
offense so that they grow ever more deep and heavy. The dead one might
be due to receive a good retribution and be born among men and gods in
his next life or in the future, but because of offenses committed by his
family in his name, his good rebirth will be delayed. Everyone must
undergo the Evil Paths in accordance with his own deeds; it is even more
unbearable when survivors add to those deeds. It is as if a man had been
traveling from a distant place with a hundred-pound load and had been cut
off from his provisions for three days. If he were suddenly to encounter a
neighbor who gave him a few more things to carry, his load would become
heavier and more distressing.
“World-Honored One, as I contemplate the living beings of
Jambudvipa, I see that those who are able to do good, even as little as a
hair, a drop of water, a grain of sand, or a mote of dust, will obtain the
benefits of their good deeds.”
Commentary:
There is a custom prevalent in China but not widely practiced in the United States of
sacrificing to ghosts and spirits. Among the supernatural beings are a class called
Wang Liang, strange ghosts that develop in the mountain wilds; there are other bizarre
forms of nature spirits as well. A verse that discusses the practices of sacrificing to
ghosts and spirits says:

People, confused and ill at ease,

Sacrifice pigs and sheep to ghosts and gods.
This killing reflects enmity from past lives.
Why add frost to snow?
Do not be so certain it is a pig or goat,
For heads and faces change ten thousand times.
As the wheel turns and beings trade their places,
There is not a single place to hide,
In the depths of the sea or sky.

In China people often make offerings on major occasions. They are called red
sacrifices if made for the living and white if made for the dead. People don’t always
understand how things ought to be done, and when someone in their family dies, they
pray to the gods and spirits to keep their relatives out of the hells. In order to obtain a
response they bring offerings of chicken, pork, and other flesh foods and repeat such
offerings again and again.

This constant taking of lives reflects enmity from the past. Once a killing takes place, it
is repaid in kind, and a vicious cycle is inaugurated, all the result of hatred that began
in past lives. To commit more killings on top of those already committed is as
senseless as adding frost to already frozen snow.

It is simplistic to think that pigs are just pigs, and that sheep are only sheep, for they
are often people who have fallen into the realm of the animals. People can become
pigs; pigs can become people. In fact, if you study the inhabitants of any particular
country you will often find that they look a great deal like the kind of animals they most
like to eat. Countries where people eat a lot of pork are often inhabited by porcine
people, and it may also be observed that the eyes of people who eat a great deal of beef
are slightly bovine. In some countries of Southeast Asia, people eat great quantities of
frogs, and many have froglike eyes. Such changes are constantly occurring.
The Surangama Sutra explains how sheep are transformed into people, and the
same logic applies to other animals. The spiritual nature of a pig may end up in the
body of a human, and a man may end up in the body of a swine. This is just like
moving from house to house. It is possible to go from a great mansion to a wretched
hovel. At the moment, we happen to be people, but it is not certain that we always
have been or will remain so. Wait until you find yourself in the realm of the pig, and
you will suddenly find out how unpleasant it is. Although most people think that
everything remains static and unchanging, those with penetration into past lives know
about this constant motion and interchange and the interrelation of all living beings.
When a dead man comes to be judged by King Yama, the sacrifices made by his
relatives for his sake are held against him, and even though he claims no connection
with the deeds, they still affect his rebirth. From this it can clearly be seen that the best
thing to do after a death is to maintain the practice of vegetarian eating, recitation of
the Buddha’s name, and recitation of sutras, in order to lighten, rather than increase,
the deceased person’s karmic burden.

Creating offense karma for a dead person is like adding more weight to the burden of
one who is already weak with hunger. The addition of further weight can only make
him stumble and fall more heavily. In this analogy the baggage represents the Five
Skandhas, and its weight of a hundred pounds stands for the Ten Evil Deeds. The
neighbor who adds this weight stands for the relative who sacrifices animals for him.

Sutra:
After this had been said, an elder named Great Eloquence, who
had long since testified to the unproduced and who often appeared in the
body of an elder to teach and cross over those in the ten directions, arose
from the midst of that assembly, placed his palms together respectfully,
and said to Earth Store Bodhisattva, “Great Lord, when the close and
distant relatives of the dead in Jambudvipa cultivate meritorious virtues
for the dead by preparing vegetarian meals and doing other good deeds,
does the dead one attain any benefit?”
Earth Store Bodhisattva replied, “Elder, based on the awesome
spiritual power of the Buddhas, I will now explain this matter, in a general
way, for the sake of living beings of the present and future. Elder, if living
beings of the present and future on the verge of dying hear the name of one
Buddha, one Bodhisattva, or one Pratyekabuddha, they will attain
liberation whether they have offenses or not.
“If a man or woman who has not cultivated good causes during life
and who has committed many offenses has close or distant relatives who
do deeds productive of blessings and various holy deeds for his sake, after
death he will receive one-seventh of the benefit, and six parts will accrue
to those who help him. Therefore, all good men and women of the present
and future who hear and practice this will attain a share.”

Commentary:
The phrase, “on the verge of dying” specifically refers to the time the life-force is cut
off. The life-force consists of three things: warmth, breath, and consciousness. When
warmth ceases and the breath stops, the dispersal of consciousness follows. Of this
moment it is said, “When the birds die their calls are pitiful; when men die, their words
are always good.” At the final moment people tend to awaken to what they have done
and manifest a good heart. They become aware of their errors and may repent. If they
hear the name of a Buddha, Bodhisattva, or Pratyekabuddha at that time, they may
eradicate limitless offenses and plant limitless good deeds.

It is because of the extreme importance of this moment of death, and the difficulty of
maintaining a clear thought of repentance at that time, that we constantly recite the
Buddha’s name while alive. If we wait until the moment of death, it will be too easy to
forget to do this. But if we recite while alive, we will be unable to forget at the critical
moment. While it is possible to wait until the moment of death to recite the Buddha’s
name and become good-hearted, such an act is difficult to manage at this time.

Sutra:
“When the great ghost of impermanence arrives, the spirit roams
in darkness and obscurity, not knowing what is offense and what is
merit. For forty-nine days it is as if one were stunned and deaf, or as if in
a court arguing karmic retribution. Once judgment has been fixed, rebirth
is undergone in accordance with one’s deeds. Before that rebirth is
reached, there are thousands of ten thousands of worrisome sufferings that
must be undergone. How much more is this the case for those who are to
fall into the Evil Paths.
“Throughout forty-nine days one whose life has ended and who has
not yet been reborn looks for his flesh-and-bone survivors to do merit
powerful enough to rescue him. At the end of that time he falls into his
karmic retribution. If he is an offender, he passes through a hundred
thousand years without a day of liberation; if his offenses are the five
uninterrupted retribution, he falls into the great hells, where he undergoes
suffering for tens of thousands of aeons.”
Commentary:
During the period of the seven weeks following death one is as if in darkness or as if in
a court arguing his case. In the hells there are ten Yamas, each of whom has five
subalterns. The first of these lower-ranking officials is called Fresh; the second, Water;
the third, Earth; the fourth, Wood; and the fifth, Spring. Within all five divisions there
is argument and discussion about the deeds that have been done and the retributions
to be undergone. In China it is customary to have monks recite sutras and do various
things for the benefit of the dead during the seven weeks following death. This custom
is derived from the principle clearly stated in this passage.

Sutra:
“Moreover, elder, when one who has bad karma dies; his relatives
may prepare a vegetarian offering to aid him in his karmic path. In doing
this they should not throw rice-washing water or vegetable leaves on the
ground during the preparation of the meal, or before it has been eaten, and
all food that has not first been offered to the Buddha and Sangha should
not be eaten. If there is laxness or transgression in this matter, the
deceased will receive no strength from it. If purity is vigorously
maintained in making the offering to the Buddha and Sangha, the dead one
will receive one seventh of the merit. Therefore, elder, if the living beings
of Jambudvipa make vegetarian offerings after the death of their fathers,
mothers, and relatives, and make earnest supplication on their behalf, they
will benefit the living and the dead.”
After this had been said, thousands of tens of thousands of millions
of nayutas of ghosts and spirits of Jambudvipa who were in the
Trayastrimsa Heaven resolved their thoughts on the unsurpassed
enlightenment. The elder, Great Eloquence, made obeisance and
withdrew.

Commentary:
It is customary in Buddhist societies to make special food as an offering to the Buddha
on Holidays and special occasions. It is particularly stressed here that the food may not
be eaten before it has been offered to the Buddha and Sangha. In general this holds
true for whatever is eaten in temples and Buddha-halls.

When an offering is made people usually use an odd number of bowls reserved for this
purpose only, and place them symmetrically in front of the Buddha images. Carefully
and orderly arrangement of the offering is a sign of respect; tossing things down before
the Buddha is not permitted. People who have any sense of cleanliness and propriety
are not pleased when something is thrown in front of them, and since the Buddha is
ultimately pure and proper, it is unseemly to toss things before him. The place
reserved for offering bowls should not be cluttered with articles that do not pertain to
the offering; it should be a place especially set aside for offerings.

Anything used as an offering to the Buddha should not only be carefully placed, it
should be properly laid out as well. That is, it is not correct to bring an offering in a
box and then set the unopened box in front of the Buddha. It is a matter of simple
courtesy. We would never invite a guest to dinner and then set an unopened bag of
food before him, and we ought to realize that this applies to the Buddha as
well. Everything should be symmetrically placed and well arranged, for there is an
order to everything. Sometimes an offering is made in which hundreds of dishes are
used, some containing food, others holding clothing, jewels, or anything else that is
new and unusual. The offerings are passed from one person to another, so that each
person, in turn, offers up each article.

This order holds in relations between those who have left home as well; one who has
been ordained a moment longer is to be regarded as senior. This is not a question of
years but rather of seniority in Buddhism. If you are one hundred years old and have
just left home, you are junior to everyone else. When bhiksus die, their age is recorded
in two cycles, and it will be said, “His worldly age was sixty and his precept age was
forty.” All of these matters may seem trivial, but they are important issues in
Buddhism. Now that the Buddhadharma is being properly established in the West, it is
important that such things be understood.

If offerings are cultivated with great reverence and respect; if the Sangha does not eat
until the offering has been made to the Buddha; if the lay people wait until the Sangha
has been served; if everything is handles properly, arranged correctly, and treated with
the proper respect, the dead receive one seventh of the merit generated.
 CHAPTER EIGHT
The Praises of the Multitudes of King Yama

Sutra:
At that time from within the Iron Ring Mountain came Yama, son of
heaven, and with him limitless ghosts kings, all of whom appeared before
the Buddha in the Trayastrimsa Heaven: the ghost king Evil Poison, the
ghost king Many Evils, the ghost king Great Argument, the ghost king
White Tiger, the ghost king Blood Tiger, the ghost king Crimson Tiger, the
ghost king Disaster, the ghost king Flying Body, the ghost king Lightning
Flash, the ghost king Wolf Tooth, the ghost king Thousand Eyes, the ghost
king Animal Eater, the ghost king Rock Bearer, the ghost king Lord of Bad
News, the ghost king Lord of Calamities, the ghost king Lord of Food, the
ghost king Lord of Wealth, the ghost king Lord of Domestic Animals, the
ghost king Lord of Birds, the ghost king Lord of Beasts, the ghost king
Lord of Mountain Spirits, the ghost king Lord of Birth, the ghost king Lord
of Life, the ghost king Lord of Sickness, the ghost king Lord of Danger, the
ghost king Three Eyes, the ghost king Four Eyes, the ghost king Five Eyes,
the Ch’i Li She King, the Great Ch’i Li She King, the Ch’i Li Ch’a King,
the Great Ch’i Li Ch’a King, the No Ch’a King, the Great No Ch’a King,
and other such great ghost kings. There were also hundreds of thousands
of minor ghost kings who dwelt throughout Jambudvipa, each of whom
ruled over something specific.

Commentary:
It is generally said that there are ten Yamas, chief officials over ghosts. In this
text, however, we are discussing not merely the ten Yamas of Jambudvipa, but all the
innumerable Yamas who came from all the worlds, from the moon, the planets, the
stars, and other iron ring mountains. In general, wherever there are people there are
Yamas, and where there are no people, there are no Yamas. This is because if there
were no people there would be no ghosts, if there were no ghosts, there would be no
Buddha, and if there were no Buddha there would be no Yama. What is most
important to realize is that if there were no people, there would not be anything at
all. People require, make, and use everything. If there were no people there would be
no Buddha, no Bodhisattvas, no animals, no hungry ghosts, nor hells.
 The question arises, of course, as to how people come to exist, and the answer is
that they, like all the other nine Dharma Realms, are created by the mind
alone. The Avatamsaka Sutra says, “If a man wishes to understand the nature of all
Buddhas of the three periods of time, he should contemplate the nature of the Dharma
realm: everything comes from the mind alone.” The idle thoughts in our minds are like
waves on the water, and the mountains, rivers, and the great earth are merely the
result of those thoughts. When there is false thinking inwardly, outwardly there are
objects; if we did not think, everything would be empty.
Within the Flower Store World Sea is a Lotus Flower Curtain with twenty
tiers. The world in which we live is located on the thirteenth tier. Surrounding the
Lotus Flower Curtain are seven golden mountains and seven perfumed seas, and
beyond all of that there is a great iron ring mountain.

All the Yamas who came to the Trayastrimsa Dharma Assembly are sons of
heaven, the same title given to Jesus. Some emperors, too, are called sons of heaven,
but none of these sons of heaven are greater or smaller than others. Yama, the son of
heaven, is recognized as such by the Buddha, as are the emperors; Jesus, on the other
hand, gave himself the title.

If I wanted, I too could call myself the son of heaven, and there might not be
great opposition, but I do not like to do this since there isn’t any emperor, and the son
of heaven is much too lowly a position. Yama does not think that his position is too
lowly, because it is his responsibility. In Buddhism, after receiving the bhiksu
precepts, one can become a teacher of gods and men; not only can a bhiksu be the son
of heaven, he can be the grandfather of heaven as well.

The ghost king Evil Poison, an extremely fierce ghost king, wishes to swallow
every living being he sees. His mouth is evil and poisonous. There is no need to be
afraid of him, however, since he harms only people who are evil and poisonous
themselves; he uses evil to cure evil, and poison to counteract poison. If you recite the
Buddha’s name you will gain the respect of this ghost king, who will bow to you. As
long as you recite the Buddha’s name, recite sutras, and keep your thoughts resolved
on enlightenment, there will be no problems with this ghost king, since, although he
manifests an outwardly poisonous and evil appearance, he inwardly has the heart of a
Bodhisattva, as does Yama himself. Consequently, those who practice Buddhadharma
do not have anything to fear from him. In fact, if any of my disciples meet up with him,
all they have to do is mention my name, because we made an agreement, he and I. I
told him that when any of my disciples encounter him, he should take their offenses
and give them all to me.
 The ghost king Many Evils also opposes those who do evil, and so I doubt that
you who are now studying Buddhadharma and who have mended your ways will have
anything to fear from him. He particularly frightens those who have committed
patricide or matricide, murdered Arhats, broken up the Sangha, or shed the Buddha’s
blood.

People who like to argue, who always manage to find principles where there are
none, who maintain that they have not violated precepts when in fact they have, and
who practice deceit, encounter the ghost king Great Argument.

The White Tiger ghost king has a ghost’s body and a tiger’s head. The ghost king
Blood Tiger has a bloody head, and the ghost king Crimson Tiger has a red body and a
tiger’s head. These ghosts have horrifying appearances because they are terrifiers who
appear at the end of life to battle those who have committed the ten offenses and the
five rebellious acts. If it were not for the compassionate aid of Dharma Protectors and
Bodhisattvas, who see how pitiful you are and protect you when you meet up with
these ghosts, your end would be quite pathetic.

The ghost king Disaster brings all sorts of inauspicious events, such as bandits,
thieves, and fires, as retribution to people who warrant them. Everything that occurs,
even disasters, is the result of causes planted in the past.

The ghost king Thousand Eyes is not like the Thousand-Handed Thousand-Eyed
Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, whose hands each contain an eye. He is also not like the
ghost whose many horns have eyes. This ghost’s body is covered with holes, places
where there is only bone and no flesh, and in the bone in each hole there is an eye
which shines like the beam of light from a flashlight.

The ghost king Animal Eater eats tigers and other large beasts, and the ghost
king Rock Bearer carries around a huge rock with which he flattens anyone who has
committed offenses. The ghost king Lord of Bad News is responsible for the
transmission of bad news such as premonitions of death. The ghost king Lord of
Calamities not only sends messages of bad news, but actually brings about accidents
and disasters such as airplane crashes.

The ghost king Lord of Beasts watches over all animals. In the east there is a
lapis lazuli mountain where a ghost king is lord of tigers, rabbits, and dragons. In the
south is a crystal mountain whose ghost king is lord of snakes, horses, and
sheep. There is a silver mountain in the west, and its ghost king is lord of monkeys,
chickens and dogs. On a gold mountain in the north, which cannot be reached, a ghost
king is lord of pigs, mice, and cows.

The ghost king lord of Mountain Spirits watches over the ghosts who come into
being from mountain essences, earth, stones, trees, and so forth. Such ghosts and
other weird phenomena are collectively known as Li Mei and Wang Liang.

The ghost king Lord of Birth presides over births and makes the process either
easier and more peaceful or more painful, depending on the nature of the mother and
child. This activity, like those of the ghost kings described earlier, is for the purpose of
teaching beings to change their wrong ways. The ghost king Lord of Lifespan watches
over the life of everything that has blood and breath.

The eyes of the ghosts kings Three Eyes, Four Eyes, and Five Eyes are not
arranged like the five eyes gained through cultivation. The eyes of the ghost king Three
Eyes are placed in a triangle, those of Four Eyes are in a square, and those of the king
of Five Eyes come together in a bizarre and frightening fashion. In general, these
ghosts have frightening appearances.

The Ch’i Li She King lives on a mountain in the south and watches over fire. The
Great Ch’i Li She King lives farther south and is also a great fire ghosts. The No Ch’a
King is a Dharma protector and a son of the Four Heavenly Kings.

All these great ghosts were followed by little ghosts, ghost sons, ghost mothers,
and ghost grandchildren.

Sutra:
Aided by the Buddha’s awesome spirit and the power of Earth
Store Bodhisattva, all these ghost kings, as well as Yama, Son of Heaven,
came together in the Trayastrimsa Heaven and stood off to one side. Then,
Yama, Son of Heaven, placed his palms together and said to the Buddha,
“World-Honored One, because of the Buddha’s awesome spirit and the
power of Earth Store Bodhisattva, all these ghost kings and I have been
able to come to this great assembly in the Trayastrimsa Heaven. There is
now a small doubt that we should like to express, and we hope the World-
Honored One will be compassionate and resolve it.”
The Buddha told Yama, Son of Heaven, “As you will. I shall speak
for you.”
At that time Yama, Son of Heaven, looked respectfully at the
World-Honored One, made obeisance, turned his head to acknowledge
Earth Store Bodhisattva, and then said to the Buddha, “World-Honored
One, as I contemplate, I see that Earth Store Bodhisattva uses hundreds of
thousands of expedient devices to cross over living beings who suffer for
their offenses within the six paths of birth. I see that he does so without
the least fatigue or weariness. This great Bodhisattva has inconceivable
spiritual penetrations that enable living beings to obtain release from
retribution for their offenses; nonetheless, before long, they fall back into
the evil ways.
“World-Honored One, since Earth Store Bodhisattva has such
great inconceivable spiritual power, why do living beings not rely on it,
stays in the good way, and eternally holds to their liberation? Please,
World-Honored One, explain this for me.”
The Buddha told Yama, Son of Heaven, “The living beings of
Jambudvipa have stubborn and obstinate natures, difficult to tame, difficult
to subdue. This great Bodhisattva constantly rescues such living beings
throughout hundreds of thousands of aeons, and causes them to obtain
liberation quickly. He rescues even those who have fallen into the Three
Evil Paths from their offenses. He extricates them from their own basic
karmic conditions and leads them to understand the events of past lives.
“Because the living beings of Jambudvipa are bound up with heavy
bad habits, which cause them to resolve in the paths, arriving and
departing over and over, it takes this Bodhisattva many aeons to
completely rescue and liberate them.”

Commentary:
An example of obstinacy and stubbornness can be seen in those people who
consider forms of law and order evil and think only anarchy is worthwhile. However,
there is no way to get a perfect measure without using a standard rule.

The text says that living beings are bound by many bad habits. Bound means
linked, the idea being that past, present, and future lives are all linked through karmic
retribution. The first bad habit is lust, the primary problem of living beings, and the
most difficult to eliminate, more difficult than jumping into the sky. If men and
women are able to cut off all lustful thoughts of each other, they are said to have
subdued the tiger; if they have cut off afflictions, they have tamed the
dragon. Afflictions and ignorance are like an untamed dragon that undergoes limitless
transformations and appears in many strange guises. Those who cultivate should
examine themselves to see if they have achieved the skill of taming the dragon and
subduing the tiger. If living beings have totally eliminated all desires, they are said to
be without outflows; if desire remains, there are still outflows.

The second major habit of living beings is greed. It is because of greed for
pleasurable sensations that there is desire. The third habit is arrogance. Basically one
may not be any different from anyone else, yet he comes to see himself as superior to
others. The desire to be foremost, to be always out in front is called arrogance. The
fourth habit is hatred; the wish to harm others even though they may not have done
anything bad to you. The fifth is cheating, which is to say, doing deceitful and false
deeds. The sixth is lying. Deceit involves covering up known bad with a good
appearance, whereas lying is out-and-out misrepresentation of the truth under all
circumstances.

The seventh bad habit of living beings is blaming – passing the buck and trying
to shift one’s errors off on others. The eighth is improper knowledge and views, and
the ninth is deviousness. The tenth is accusation, enjoyed by those bringing suits
against others even though they are without any principle in their own case. The above
list is discussed in the Surangama Sutra as the ten fine, subtle causes for undergoing
retributions in the Six Paths.

Sutra:
“They are like a man who becomes confused, loses his original
home, and mistakenly enters a dangerous path in which there are many
yaksas, tigers, wolves, lions, serpents, and vipers. A confused person
would certainly be poisoned very quickly on that path. When a wise
adviser who understands many methods and who is able to control all the
poison of those yaksas, evil ghosts, and others, suddenly encounters the
confused man about to enter the dangerous road, the adviser says to him,
‘Say, fellow, why are you entering this road? What methods do you have
to deal with all that poison?’ “
“The confused traveler who hears such words suddenly knows that
it is a dangerous path, and begins to retreat, to leave it. The Good-
Knowing adviser then takes him by the hand, leading him off the dangerous
path so that he avoids the evil poisons. They reach a good way and he
becomes happy and at peace. The adviser then says to him, ‘Well,
confused one, do not go back into that path again, for those who enter it
have a difficult time getting out, and moreover, it destroys their very
nature and life.’”
“The confused traveler thanks him profusely, and as they are about
to separated, the adviser says to him, ‘If you see those whom you know
personally, as well as other travelers, be they men or women, tell them that
there are many poisons and evils on the path which can cause them to lose
their very nature and life. Do not let them seek their own deaths.’ In the
same way, Earth Store Bodhisattva, replete with great compassion, rescues
living beings who suffer from their offenses and causes them to be born
among men and gods, where they receive wonderful bliss.
“All the offenders, knowing the sufferings of the path of evil karma,
obtain release and never go down that road again. They are like the
confused person who mistakenly enters a dangerous road but whom,
having encountered a good adviser who leads him out, does not enter that
road again. If he meets others he teaches them not to enter into that road
by saying, ‘I, myself, was confused but have obtained liberation and will
not enter that road again.’ If he encounters that dangerous path again and
he is still confused and makes the mistake, unaware that it is the dangerous
path he encountered before, then he will probably lose his life. The same
thing is true if one has fallen into the Evil Path and, because of the
powerful expedient device of Earth Store Bodhisattva, has been made to
take rebirth among men or gods, but then falls into the Evil Paths again. If
one’s karmic bonds are heavy, one dwells in the hells for a long time
without liberation.”
At that time the ghost king Evil Poison placed his palms together
respectfully, addressed the Buddha, and said, “World-Honored One, we
limitless ghost kings of Jambudvipa either benefit or harm beings. Each of
us is different; our karmic retribution causes us and our followers to roam
in the world doing much evil and little good. When we pass a household or
a city, a town, village, or hamlet, a garden, cottage, or hut where there is a
man or woman who has cultivated as little as a hair’s worth of good deeds,
who has hung but one banner or one canopy, who has used a little incense
or a few flowers as offerings to images of Buddhas or Bodhisattvas, or who
has read and recited the sutras, or burned incense as an offering to even
one sentence or gatha in them, all of us ghost kings will respect and revere
that person as we would the Buddhas of the past, present, and future. We
will order all the smaller ghosts, each of whom has great power, as well as
all the ground spirits, to surround and protect that person. Bad affairs,
accidents, severe and unexpected illnesses, as well as all other unwelcome
phenomena, will not be allowed to draw near his dwelling or place of
residence, much less enter the door.”
The Buddha said to the ghost kings, “It is excellent, excellent, that
all you ghost kings and Yama are able to protect good men and women in
this way. I shall tell Brahma and Sakra to cause you to be protected as
well.”
When this was said, a ghost king in the assembly named Lord of
Lifespan said to the Buddha, “World-Honored One, my conditions are
such that I am Lord of the Lifespan of men in Jambudvipa, and govern the
time of their birth and death. My fundamental vows are based on a great
desire to benefit people, but living beings do not understand my intent and
go through birth and death uneasy. Why is this?
“When humans in Jambudvipa have just borne children,” Lord of
Lifespan continued, “be they boys or girls, or when they are just about to
give birth, good deeds should be done to increase the benefits of the
household and thus cause the local ground spirits to be immeasurably
pleased. The spirits will then benefit the entire family and protect the
mother and child so that they obtain great peace and happiness. After the
birth, all killing and injuring for the purpose of offering fresh foods to the
mother should carefully be avoided, as should calling together assemblies
of the family for the sake of drinking wine, eating meat, singing, making
music, and playing instruments, for all these things can keep the mother
and child from obtaining peace and happiness. Why? At the difficult time
of birth there are uncountable evil ghosts, such as Wang Liang and Ching
Mei, who desire to eat the strong-smelling blood. I quickly cause the
ground spirits of that household to protect the mother and child, allowing
them to be peaceful and happy and to obtain benefit. When people in such
households see this benefit they should establish merit in response to the
ground spirits. If instead of doing this they harm, kill, and assemble all the
relatives together for feasting and playing, they will undergo a retribution
for this violation, which harms both mother and child.”

Commentary:
At the time of birth, good deeds – acts that are beneficial to others – should be
done to cause an auspicious light to protect the household. The local earth spirits are
greatly pleased by this and also act to protect the home. The class of ground spirits
referred to here has the lowest rank, much like a notary public in the civil service
system, and each of them is responsible for a particular area of a city or district. These
spirits are in such a position because of a fondness for doing good deeds
unaccompanied by actual cultivation.

Sutra:
“Moreover, when the humans of Jambudvipa are on the verge of
death, I desire to keep them from falling into the Evil Paths, regardless of
whether they have done good or evil, but how much is my power to do so
increased when they have cultivated good roots! When a practitioner of
good in Jambudvipa is about to die, there are hundreds of thousands of
ghosts and spirits of the evil ways who transform themselves and appear as
the parents, relatives, and friends of the dying in an attempt to lead him to
fall into the Evil Paths. How much more is this the case for those who
have done evil!”
“Therefore, World-Honored One, when a man or woman in
Jambudvipa is on the verge of death and his consciousness and spirit are
confused and dark, when he is unable to discriminate between good and
evil and his eyes and ears are unable to see or hear, his relatives should
certainly establish great offerings, recite the holy sutras, and recite the
names of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Such good conditions can cause the
dead person to leave the Evil Paths, and all the demons, ghosts, and spirits
will withdraw and disperse.”
“World-Honored One, if at the time of death any living being hears
the name of one Buddha or Bodhisattva, or if he hears a sentence or gatha
of a Mahayana sutra, I see that such a person can be liberated from his
small bad deeds, which unite to pull him into the Evil Paths, and that he
can also be kept apart from the uninterrupted retribution of the Five
Offenses.”

Commentary:
The time of death refers to the time when warmth, breath, and consciousness
have ceased. When this occurs, the Intermediate Skandha Body is confused and
unaware that it is dead; it cannot tell good from evil and has no perceptions. During
this period the survivors should do great merit for the sake of the dead one. In China,
monks are requested to recite sutras for the dead during the first seven weeks after
death. For example, in commemoration of the nirvana of the Venerable Hsu Yun, the
Buddhist Lecture Hall in Hong Kong had the entire
Mahaprajnaparamitasutra recited in a one-hundred-sixty-day session, something
that had never been done before in the entire history of Buddhism, from Sakyamuni
Buddha on. The compilers of the Old Master’s biography neglected to mention this
Dharma Assembly.
The last sentence in this section of the Chinese text appears to say that one can
be liberated form all but the Five Offenses; in other words, that hearing the name of a
Buddha or Bodhisattva at the time of death can liberate one from all his offenses
except those of the Five Offenses that incur uninterrupted retribution. On the other
hand, the sentence can be read to say that even the latter offenses can be eradicated. If
an ultimately sincere thought is produced at the time of death, all offenses can be
eradicated; the problem is that it is extremely difficult to have such a thought at that
time.

Sutra:
The Buddha told the ghost king Lord of Lifespan, “Because of your
great compassion you are able to make such great vows and protect all
living beings in the midst of life and death. In the future, when men and
women reach the time of death, do not withdraw from your vow, but cause
them to attain liberation and be eternally peaceful.”
The ghost king told the Buddha, “Please do not be
concerned. Until the end of this life I shall constantly protect the living
beings of Jambudvipa, both at the time of birth and at the time of death, so
that they obtain tranquility. I only wish that at the time of birth and death
they will believe what I say and thereby be liberated and attain great
profit.”
At that time the Buddha told Earth Store Bodhisattva, “This great
ghost king, Lord of Lifespan, has already passed through hundreds of
thousands of lives as a great ghost king, protecting living beings in life and
death. Only because of this great lord’s compassionate vows does he
manifest the body of a ghost king, for in reality he is not a ghost. After one
hundred and seventy aeons have passed, in an aeon named Tranquility, he
will accomplish Buddhahood. His kalpa will be called Happiness and his
world will be named Pure Dwelling. His name will be No Appearance
Thus Come One, and his lifespan will be incalculable aeons. Earth Store,
the doings of this great ghost king are inconceivable, and the men and
gods whom he crosses over are limitless.”
Commentary:
This ghost king is extremely independent and can do as he likes. If he wants a
person to live, he lives, if he wants him to die, he dies. Since all lives are in his hands,
you can be sure that if he were greedy and could be bought off, like many officials,
there would be quite a lot more people in the world.

During the time of Dharma Master Tao Sheng, this ghost once came to hear
Dharma spoken. Tao Sheng told him that he ought to become a human, to which the
ghost replied, “I’ve been a ghost three thousand autumns, with no worries and no
cares. The noble Sheng now tells me to become a man, but I do not think I am able. I
would probably commit offenses and fall into even worse states than the one I am in
now. I think I’ll remain a ghost.” This is not unlike the Chinese proverb that says, “If a
beggar begs for three years, he won’t accept the imperial position.”

The ghost spoke of Dharma Master Tao Sheng as “the Noble Sheng.” This
practice of using one character of a person’s name and preceding it by the
word noble is a sign of great respect and is still in use.
 CHAPTER NINE
The Names of Buddhas

Commentary:
Originally all Buddhas had ten thousand names each, but because no one could
remember so many, the names were reduced to one thousand each. Since that was still
too many to be remembered by most people, the names were further simplified to one
hundred, which were reduced still further to ten. These Ten Designations, common to
all Buddhas, were explained in Chapter Four. I will refresh your memory by reviewing
the names once again. They are, the Thus Come One, the One Worthy of
Offerings, the One of Right and Equal Enlightenment, the One Perfect in
Clarity and Conduct, the Well-Gone-Forth One, the Unsurpassed Scholar
Who Comprehends the World, the Valiant Tamer and Guide, the Master of
Gods and Men, the Buddha, and the World-Honored One.

Sutra:
At that time Earth Store Bodhisattva Mahasattva, said to the
Buddha, “World-Honored One, I shall now perform a profitable and
beneficial act for the sake of living beings of the future, so that they may
obtain great help and benefit in the midst of life and death. Please, World-
Honored One, hear my words.”
The Buddha told Earth Store Bodhisattva, “With your great
compassion you now wish to undertake the inconceivable task of rescuing
all those in the Six Paths who suffer for their offenses. The time is just
right, speak quickly, for I am about to enter nirvana. You should complete
this vow soon so that I have no need to be concerned for living beings of
the present or future.”
Earth Store Bodhisattva said to the Buddha, “In the past,
numberless asamkhyeyas of aeons ago, a Buddha named Limitless Body
Thus Come One appeared in the world. If a man or woman hears this
Buddha’s name and suddenly gives rise to a thought of respect, that person
will overstep the heavy offenses of forty aeons of birth and death. How
much more will he be able to do this if he sculpts or paints this Buddha’s
image, or praises and makes offerings to him. The merit of this is limitless
and unbounded.”
Commentary:
Here is a famous story concerning the practice discussed in the preceding text:

One day when Sakyamuni Buddha was not at the Jeta Grove but a number of his
disciples, all Arhats, were, a musty old man who wished to leave home came to the
grove. The Arhats took an immediate dislike to the old fellow because, when they used
their powers of investigation, they saw that within eighty-thousand great aeons he had
not planted a single good root. Consequently they did not allow him to go forth from
home to the homeless life. You see, it is not a simple matter to leave the home life. It
is said, “Do not declare leaving home an easy thing to do; throughout many lives,
Bodhi must be planted.”

The old man, who must have been a good ninety or a hundred years old, had no
possessions at all, not even clothes or food, and perhaps he thought that he might be
able to come by these things if he left home. After being turned down by the Buddha’s
disciples, he hobbled along the road leading away from the grove and headed for the
Ganges River, where he planned to end it all.

As he stood on the river bank about to drown himself, the Buddha, whom he did not
recognize by sight, came walking along and said, “Old man, aren’t you a bit old for
swimming?”

The man replied, “I intend to commit suicide, since all I wanted to do was leave home
and cultivate, but the Buddha’s disciples would not allow me to do so. If I did now,
perhaps I’ll get to be a young man in my next life and be able to leave home. As it is,
the Buddha’s disciples don’t seem to like people like me, and decides, I’m so shriveled
and ugly with age that people can’t even stand to look at me.”

The Buddha then disclosed his identity and offered to accept the old man as a
disciple. They returned to the Jeta Grove where the Buddha spoke Dharma and the old
man certified to the fruit of Arhatship, a phenomenon that was not all rare during the
Buddha’s lifetime. A number of senior Arhats objected that the old man couldn’t have
attained Arhatship because he did not have any good roots, but the Buddha corrected
them. “You know only what can be found within eighty thousand great aeons, but
beyond that you know nothing. You are like people inside a house who are able to see
everything within the walls but nothing outside them. Over eighty thousand aeons ago,
this old man was a firewood-gatherer who met a tiger in the mountain wilds one
day. Frightened, he exclaimed ‘Namo Buddha,’ and as a result of that single sentence
he is able to leave home life now.” If people have not recited a great many Namo
Buddha’s in the past, they will not be able to leave home life in the present.

Sutra:
“Again, in the past, as many aeons ago as there are grains of sand
in the Ganges River, a Buddha named Jewel Nature appeared in the
world. If a man or woman hears the name of this Buddha and in the space
of a finger-snap decides to take refuge, it will be eternally impossible to
turn that person from the unsurpassed path.”
“Again, in the past, a Buddha named Padma-Victory Thus Come
One appeared in the world. If a man or woman hears this Buddha’s name,
or if the name merely passes by his or her ear, that person will attain one
thousand births in the Six Desire Heavens. How much more will this be
true if he or she sincerely recites the name of that Thus Come One.”

Commentary:
Padma is the name of the red lotus flower, the supreme and unsurpassed lotus. If one
merely hears the name Padma Victory Thus Come One he will be reborn in the Six
Desire Heavens that were discussed earlier. Since merely hearing the name has such
great merit, reciting it certainly has even more.

A man once went to Pratimoksa Monastery and plucked an exquisitely beautiful

golden-colored flower from a tree and offered it before the image of Sakyamuni
Buddha. He then asked an old man in the temple how much merit he had derived
from his offering. He was told that he would have to ask someone who had left home if
he wanted to get the answer. He then asked a bhiksu how much merit had been
derived from his offering, and was told that he would have to ask someone who had
cultivated dhyana samadhi and reached the stage of Arhatship if he wanted to get the
answer. He then sought out and found an Arhat to whom he put the same
question. The Arhat contemplated and investigated the matter for him, and saw that
the merit from this offering totally filled eighty thousand aeons and was still
unbounded. Since he could not know any further than eighty thousand kalpas, he told
the man that he would have to ask Sakyamuni Buddha himself. The Buddha replied
that the merit from his offering a single flower totally filled empty space to the end of
the Dharma-realm.

Sutra:
“Again, in the past, indescribable asamkhyeyas of aeons ago, a
Buddha named Lion Roar Thus Come One appeared in the world. If a man
or woman hears this Buddha’s name and single-mindedly takes refuge, that
person will encounter numberless Buddhas, who will rub his or her crown
and bestow predictions of enlightenment upon the individual.”
“Again, in the past, a Buddha named Krakucchanda appeared in the
world. If a man or woman hears this Buddha’s name and sincerely
beholds, worships, or praises him, that person will be the Great Brahma
King in the assemblies of the one thousand Buddhas of the Auspicious
Aeon, and will there receive a lofty prediction.”
“Again, in the past, a Buddha named Vipasin appeared in the
world. If a man or woman hears this Buddha’s name, that person will
eternally avoid falling into the Evil Paths, will always be born among men
and gods, and will receive supremely wonderful bliss.”
“Again, in the past, as man aeons ago as there are grains of sand
in limitless and boundless numbers of Ganges Rivers, a Buddha named
Jeweled Victory appeared in the world. If a man or woman hears this
Buddha’s name, that person will never again fall into the Evil Paths and
will eternally dwell in the heavens, where he or she will receive supremely
wonderful bliss.”
“Again, in the past, a Buddha named Jeweled Appearance Thus
Come One appeared in the world. If a man or woman hears this Buddha’s
name and gives rise to a thought of respect, that person will before long
attain the fruit of Arhatship.”

Commentary:
Krakucchanda means both “victorious contemplation” and “manifold
contemplation.” When the text says that by merely hearing or reciting the names of
these Buddhas beings will not fall into the states of woe, it is important to realize that
this means that we must stop doing evil. If after hearing these names we continue to
do wrong, it is still possible to fall into the hells. People who say that now that they
have heard the Buddha’s name they are sure to avoid the hells, and use this as an
excuse to commit murder and arson and indulge in all sorts of antisocial behavior, will
fall nonetheless.

Sutra:
“Again, limitless asamkhyeyas of aeons ago, a Buddha named
Kasaya Banner Thus Come One appeared in the world. If a man or
woman hears this Buddha’s name, that person will overcome the offenses
of birth and death for one hundred aeons.”
“Again, in the past, a Buddha named Great Penetration Mountain
King Thus Come One appeared in the world. If a man or woman hears this
Buddha’s name, that person will encounter as many Buddhas as there are
grains of sand in the Ganges, who will speak Dharma for him, and he will
certainly realize Bodhi.”
“Again, in the past, there were Buddhas named Pure Moon Buddha,
Mountain King Buddha, Wise Victory Buddha, Pure Name King Buddha,
Accomplished Wisdom Buddha, Unsurpassed Buddha, Wonderful Sound
Buddha, Full Moon Buddha, Moon Face Buddha, and other such
indescribable Buddhas. World-Honored One, living beings of the present
and future, both gods and humans, men and women, will obtain limitless
meritorious virtues by merely reciting one Buddha’s name. How much the
more if they recite many names. In birth and death all these living beings
will obtain great benefit and ultimately will not fall into the Evil Paths.”
“If even one person in a dying person’s family loudly recites on
Buddha’s name for the sake of the dying person, that dying one will quickly
be freed from all karmic offenses except the uninterrupted retribution of
the Five Offenses. The Five Offenses warranting uninterrupted retribution
are so extremely heavy that one who commits them should not escape
retribution for myriads of aeons. If, however, at the time of the offender’s
death, another person recites the names of Buddhas on his behalf, his
offenses can be gradually wiped away. How much more will this be true
for living beings who recited those names themselves. The merit thus
attained is limitless and eradicates numberless offenses.”
 CHAPTER TEN
The Conditions and Comparative Merits of Giving

Sutra:
At that time Earth Store Bodhisattva Mahasattva, inspired by the
Buddha’s awesome spirit, arose from his seat, knelt, placed his palms
together and said to the Buddha, “World-Honored One, when I compare
the various acts giving done by the beings within the paths of karma, I see
some that are great and some that are small. As a result, some receive
blessings for one life, some for ten lives, and some receive great blessings
and profit for one hundred or one thousand lives. Why is this? Please,
World-Honored One, explain this for me.”

Commentary:
There are three kinds of gifts: the gift of wealth, the gift of Dharma, and the gift of
fearlessness. The first of these is again divided into two types, inner and outer wealth.

Outer wealth includes gold, silver, jewels, and things external to the body. In grand
terms, giving of outer wealth can be said to involve the renunciation of an entire
country, as Sakyamuni Buddha did. This kind of wealth even includes husbands and
wives, for those who are seeking Dharma will even give their mates away for the sake of
Dharma. Any reason other than seeking Dharma, of course, is not justified; certainly
one cannot give up his wife in exchange for a prettier one.

The gift of inner wealth consists of giving skin, brains, marrow, sinew, and bone.

When giving Dharma, one gives the Dharma he has learned in order to teach beings to
leave confusion and go toward enlightenment. There is a proverb that says, “Do not
clutch at your treasures while the country is laid waste.” In other words, if you have a
valuable treasure that can be used to obtain anything one wishes, it should be put into
action rather than hoarded while the entire country is laid waste and starves. The gift
of Dharma is the supreme gift and cannot be surpassed.

The gift of fearlessness pacifies and comforts people who are upset or who have
encountered terrible disasters.
In this passage, Earth Store Bodhisattva has asked the Buddha to explain the
differences in the retributions for various kinds of giving done by beings who are in the
karmic paths.

Sutra:
At that time the Buddha told Earth Store Bodhisattva, “For the
sake of all these assembled in the palace of the Trayastrimsa Heaven, I
will discuss the comparative meritorious virtues of the giving done by the
living beings in Jambudvipa. Listen attentively to what I say.”
Earth Store Bodhisattva replied, “I have had doubts about this
matter and will be pleased to listen.”

Commentary:
At this point it is important to understand that Earth Store Bodhisattva’s statement is
merely a means to request information for the sake of living beings. He already
understands and really has no doubts. One might object that he lies, but this is not the
case, for not only are his words not harmful to other beings; they bring benefit to
them. Because he knows that living beings do not understand the matter of giving, he
asks this question on their behalf.

Sutra:
The Buddha said to Earth Store Bodhisattva, “In Jambudvipa, the
kings of countries, noblemen, great ministers, great elders, great
Ksatriyas, great Brahmans, and others may encounter the tired, poor,
hunchbacked, crippled, dumb, mute, deaf, stupid, or eyeless, as well as
others who are handicapped. Those kings and great men may wish to give
and be able to do so with great compassion, a humble heart, and a
smile. They may give personally with their own hands, or arrange for
others to do so, using gentle words and sympathetic speech. Such kings,
ministers, and others will obtain blessings comparable to the meritorious
virtue of giving to as many Buddhas as there are grains of sand in one
hundred Ganges Rivers. Why is this? Those persons will receive such a
meritorious reward because of having shown a great compassionate heart
toward the poorest, most impoverished, and most handicapped
individuals. For one hundred thousand lives they will always have an
abundance of the seven gems, not to mention clothing, food, and the
necessities of life.
Commentary:
There are ten meanings included in the word, “elder.” They are venerable name, high
position, great blessings, great power, deep wisdom, pure conduct, advancement in
years, proper etiquette, praise from those above, and being a source of refuge to those
below.

Sutra:
“Moreover, Earth Store, if in the future the kings of countries,
Brahmans, and the like encounter Buddha stupas, monasteries, or images
of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Sound-Hearers, or Pratyekabuddhas, and
personally make offerings or give gifts, those persons will obtain three
aeons as Sakra and will receive supremely wonderful bliss. If they are
able to transfer the merit of that giving and dedicate it to the Dharma-
realm, those great kings and other men will be Great Brahma Heaven
Kings for ten aeons.”
“Moreover, Earth Store, if in the future, kings, Brahmans, and
others encounter ruined, decayed, broken, and tumbledown stupas,
temples, sutras, or images of previous Buddhas, they may resolve to
restore them. They may then do so themselves or encourage as many as a
hundred thousand other people to help, and thereby establish
affinities. Those kings and the like will be wheel-turning kings throughout
a hundred thousand lives, and all those who help them will be kings of
smaller countries for as many lives. If, before the Buddhastupa or
monastery, they are able to resolve to dedicate this merit to the Dharma-
realm, such kings and their helpers will finally accomplish the Buddha
path, their good retribution being limitless and unbounded.”

Commentary:
The Pratyekabuddhas are those who are enlightened to causation. They are known as
“enlightened to causation” when there is a Buddha in the world, but when there is no
Buddha in the world, they are called “solitary enlightened ones.” The wheel-turning
king is one who can become either a universal monarch if he does not cultivate or a
Buddha if he does.

Sutra:
“Moreover, Earth Store, if in the future the kings of countries,
Brahmans, and others have compassionate thoughts when seeing the old,
the sick, or women in childbirth, and provide them with ointments,
medicines, food, drink, and bedding so as to make them peaceful and
comfortable, the merit of their giving is quite inconceivable. For one
thousand aeons such kings will constantly be lords of the Pure Dwelling
Heaven; for two hundred aeons they will be lords in the Six Desire
Heavens, and they will ultimately attain Buddhahood. They will eternally
not fall into the Evil Paths, and for one hundred thousand lives they will
hear no sounds of suffering.”
“Moreover, Earth Store, if kings, Brahmans and others can give in
this way, in the future they will receive limitless blessings. If they are able
to dedicate that merit, be it great or small, they will ultimately attain
Buddhahood. How much more easily will they be able to attain the
positions of Sakra, Brahma, or wheel-turning king. Therefore, Earth
Store, you should exhort all living beings to study in this way.
“Moreover, Earth Store, if there are good men or women who plant
a few good roots in the Buddhadharma, amounting to as little as a fine
hair, a grain of sand, or a mote of dust, they will receive incomparable
blessings.
“Moreover, Earth Store, good men or women in the future may
encounter the image of a Buddha, Bodhisattva, Pratyekabuddha, or Wheel-
Turning king, and may give gifts or make offerings. Such persons will
attain limitless blessings and will always receive supremely wonderful
bliss among men and gods. If they can dedicate that merit to the Dharma-
realm, their blessings and profits will be beyond compare.”
“Moreover, Earth Store, if good men or good women in the future
encounter a Mahayana Sutra, and on hearing but one gatha or sentence of
it energetically resolve to the benevolent and respectfully praise and make
offerings, those people will attain great, limitless, and unbounded
rewards. If they can dedicate that merit to the Dharma-realm, their
blessings will be incomparable.

Commentary:
This sutra, the Surangama Sutra , the Wonderful Dharma Lotus Blossom
Sutra, the Diamond Sutra , and others which we study are all sutras of the Great
Vehicle. Consider the number of people in the world who have never even heard of the
Buddhadharma, much less the names of sutras. Of those who have heard of the
existence of sutras, how many do you think have been able to study them in detail?
Sutra:
“Moreover, Earth Store, if in the future good men or women
encounter new Buddhastupas, temples, or sutras of the Great Vehicle and
make offerings to them, gaze at them in worship, and respectfully make
praises with joined palms; or if they encounter old temples, stupas, or
sutras that are in ruins and either repair them themselves or encourage
others to aid them, such people will be the kings of small countries
throughout thirty lives. Those who act as the leaders in these affairs will
always be wheel-turning kings who teach those minor kings by means of
the good Dharma.”
“Moreover, Earth Store, in the future, good men or women may
plant good roots in the Buddhadharma by giving, making offerings,
repairing temples or monasteries, binding sutras, or doing good deeds that
are as small as one strand of hair, one mote of dust, a grain of sand, or a
drop of water. Merely by transferring the merit from that deed to the
Dharma-realm, those people’s meritorious virtues will be such that they
will receive supremely wonderful bliss for one hundred thousand lives. If
they dedicate the merit only to their own family or relatives, or to their
own personal benefit, they will receive as a result only three lives of bliss,
thus putting aside the ten-thousand-fold reward. Earth Store, such are the
conditions of giving.”
 CHAPTER ELEVEN
The Dharma Protection of the Earth Spirit

Commentary:
The name of the great earth spirit referred to in this chapter title is “Firm and Solid,”
for that is a primary attribute of the earth. Living beings are to the earth as insects are
to a great ocean-going vessel; although they may run back and forth across its surface,
they are unable to move the vessel itself at all. Just as a liner moves through the sea, so
too does our planet move through space, with living beings on it.

Earth spirits are very numerous. In the Agama Sutras the foremost earth spirit, Firm
and Solid, appeared before the Buddha, took a haughty and arrogant stance, and
blustered that there were no spirits besides her; she alone was the supreme spirit. She
was rather upset to hear the Buddha explain that there were also water and fire spirits
as well as earth spirits. When she finally heard the Buddha speak Dharma, she lost her
haughtiness and took refuge with the Triple Jewel. Just as the four elemental spirits
exist in space, so do the four elements exist within the body of living beings.

The term “earth” was explained earlier in the sutra. Now, it will be explained in
another way, this time in terms of the four qualities of nirvana: permanence,
happiness, purity, and true-self. Because of the Dharma Door of Prajnaparamita, the
earth is unchanging and so can be called permanent; because it supports the ten
thousand things it can be said to have the virtues of happiness. The earth gives birth to
and supports all things, and since they are pure at birth, it has the virtue of purity; the
earth is independent and self-sufficient, and can thus be said to have the virtues of
true-self.

In this chapter, the spirit of the earth makes a vow to protect those who recite this
sutra and the name of Earth Store Bodhisattva.

Sutra:
At that time the earth spirit Firm and Solid spoke to the Buddha
and said, “World-Honored One, from long ago I have personally beheld
and paid homage to limitless Bodhisattvas, Mahasattvas, all of whom have
inconceivable and great spiritual penetrations and wisdom, and all of
whom cross over many living beings. Among all the Bodhisattvas, Earth
Store Bodhisattva, Mahasattva, has the deepest and most weighty
vows. World-Honored One, Earth Store Bodhisattva has great affinity
with beings in Jambudvipa. Manjusri, Samantabhadra, Avalokitesvara,
and Maitreya also transform hundreds of thousands of bodies to cross over
those in the Six Paths, but their vows have an end. Earth Store
Bodhisattva has made these vows to teach living beings in the Six Paths
throughout aeons as many as the number of sand grains in hundreds of
thousands of myriads of Ganges Rivers.
“World-Honored One, as I regard the living beings of the present
and future, I see those who make shrines of earth, stone, bamboo, or wood
and set them in pure places in the southern part of their dwellings. They
place within the shrines an image of Earth Store Bodhisattva, either
carved, painted, or made of gold, silver, copper, or iron. They then burn
incense and make offerings, worship and praise him. By doing these things
they will receive ten kinds of advantages and benefits.”

Commentary:
The practice of gazing at the image of a Buddha or Bodhisattva can be likened to that of
men and women, who sometimes like to stare ceaselessly at each other for long
periods. The gazing between men and women, however, is impure, since it is based on
desire. When one gazes at a Buddha, all desire has been transformed into
wisdom. Such long gazing is pure and natural, arises spontaneously, and is constantly
practices. One may look at an image, look at it again and again, and end up in
Buddhahood through gazing.

Sutra:
“What are these ten? Their lands will be fertile; their families and
homes will be peaceful; their ancestors will be born in the heavens; they
will have benefit and longevity in their present life; what they seek will be
as they will; they will escape the disasters of water and fire; they will
escape other calamities; their nightmares will cease; they will be protected
by spirits in all their comings and goings; and they will encounter many
causes of wisdom.”

Commentary:
Those who worship Earth Store Bodhisattva will have fertile lands, and whatever they
plant will bring forth abundant harvest. A good harvest is of no major interest,
however, if there is not a peaceful home in which to enjoy it, and so the second of the
ten benefits is the peace and happiness of the home. In addition to these benefits,
those reverent members of the household mentioned above, as well as other relatives
who have died, will be able to be born in the heavens, all as a result of having survivors
who gaze at and worship Earth Store Bodhisattva.

It may be objected that there is no way to verify these rebirths in the heavens. If you
cultivate and work hard, you will attain the penetration of the heavenly eye and be able
to see into the heavens for yourself. In any case, the next of the ten benefits is
something that can be seen – prolonged lifespans. I had a disciple in Hong Kong who
consulted the oracle of the Book of Changes when he was seventy-nine years old. He
found he was due to die in that year and was frightened. When he asked me to allow
him to take refuge, he also asked to have another ten years of life. I agreed. I told him
that if he would strictly obey my instructions and act in accordance with the teachings,
I would promise him another twelve years. He did this, and although there was no way
to know if my words were true or false, he lived until the age of ninety-two.

All the above benefits affect others. The fifth one promises that one’s own wishes will
be fulfilled. If you wish to obtain a good spouse, it will happen; if you have left home
and wish to be a good bhiksu or bhiksuni that will occur as well. Of course, it is best
not to have any desire for these results, but if you do, they will come about.

The sixth benefit insures freedom from being drowned or burned. Earlier, when
discussing the four elemental spirits, I neglected to mention their appearance, but now,
since I notice that the fire spirit has come to join us, I’ll describe them to you. The fire
spirit is like a great one-legged red bird who runs away as soon as his name, Fang
Mien, is called. The water spirit, named Wang Hsiang, looks like a little boy with red
eyes and very long ears that droop to the ground. Although it is very difficult to
encounter such spirits, if you do, and if you can catch and eat one, you can become a
water spirit yourself.

The seventh of the ten benefits which accrue to those who worship Earth Store
Bodhisattva is freedom from calamities and unexpected accidents. The eighth is that
all nightmares will cease. Sometimes people have dreams and wake up to find that
they are immobilized by a large heavy creature who keeps them from moving or
speaking. Those who have this problem, caused by ghosts called Nightmare Ghosts, or
Kumbhandas, will not have them again after they cultivate the worship of Earth Store
Bodhisattva.

The ninth benefit is that such persons will always be protected by spirits in whatever
they do. If, for example, they are in an automobile accident and manage to escape
without a scratch, it is because of such protection. The tenth of the benefits insures
that they will encounter many causes of wisdom. This includes opportunities to hear
lectures on sutras and to practice cultivation.

Sutra:
“World-Honored One, living beings of the present and future will
obtain these advantages and benefits if they can construct a place of
worship and make offerings in their homes.”
Firm and Solid continued to speak to the Buddha: “World-
Honored One, if good men or women in the future keep this sutra and an
image of the Bodhisattva in their homes, and if in addition they recite the
sutra and make offerings to the Bodhisattva, I shall use my spiritual
powers to surround and protect them day and night so that all threat of
floods, fire, robbery and theft, great calamities, and small accidents, will
be eradicated.”
The Buddha told the earth spirit Firm and Solid, “There are few
spirits who can match the great spiritual power you possess. Why? All the
lands in Jambudvipa receive your protection; all the grasses, woods,
sands, stones, paddy fields, hemp, bamboo, reeds, grains, rice, and gems
come forth from the ground because of your power. Moreover, your
constant praise of the beneficial deeds of Earth Store Bodhisattva makes
your meritorious virtues and spiritual penetrations hundreds of thousands
of times those of ordinary earth spirits.
“If good men or women make offerings in the future to this
Bodhisattva, or recite and rely upon the Sutra of the Past Vows of Earth
Store Bodhisattva in their cultivation, you should use your spiritual power
to protect them and not allow disastrous or unwelcome affairs even to be
heard, much less undergone by them. Not only will those people be
protected by you, but Brahma, Sakra, and their retinues, as well as the
retinues of all the other gods, shall also protect them. Why will they obtain
protection from worthies and sages such as these? They obtain such great
protection from having beheld and worshipped the image of Earth Store
Bodhisattva, and from having recited this sutra of his past vows. They
shall naturally leave the sea of suffering and certify to the bliss of
nirvana.”
 CHAPTER TWELVE
The Benefits from Seeing and Hearing

Sutra:
At that time the World-Honored One emitted hundreds of thousands
of tens of thousands of millions of great rays of light from the door of his
crown: the White Ray, the Great White Ray, the Auspicious Portent Ray,
the Great Auspicious Portent Ray, the Jade Ray, the Great Jade Ray, the
Purple Ray, the Great Purple Ray, the Blue Ray, the Great Blue Ray, the
Azure Ray, the Great Azure Ray, the Red Ray, the Great Red Ray, the
Green Ray, the Great Green Ray, the Gold Ray, the Great Gold Ray, the
Good Luck Cloud, the Great Good Luck Cloud, the Thousand-Wheeled
Ray, the Great Thousand-Wheeled Ray, the Jeweled Ray, the Great
Jeweled Ray, the Solar Disc Ray, the Great Solar Disc Ray, the Lunar Disc
Ray, the Great Lunar Disc Ray, the Palace Ray, the Great Palace Ray, the
Ocean Cloud Ray and the Great Ocean Cloud Ray.

Commentary:
This chapter discusses the merit and benefit derived from seeing the image of merely
hearing the name of Earth Store Bodhisattva. The “door of his crown” refers to an
invisible “opening” in the crown of the Buddha’s head, which is said to be “invisibly
high.” It is not something exclusive to the Buddhas, however, since everyone may have
such a “door.” It is through this door that the Buddha-nature of a person skilled in
cultivation of the Way leaves the body at death. When it leaves it goes wherever one
wishes, but only on the condition that some successful work of cultivation took place
during the person’s life.

The light rays, which illumined all beings in the nine Dharma realms below the
Buddha, lit up hundreds of millions of worlds in order to reveal the importance of this
sutra to living beings. These manifold light rays serve to remind us to put forth great
effort in explaining, lecturing on, printing, and circulating this sutra.

The printing and circulation of sutras is a beneficial cause that leads to the
development of wisdom. Since there are so few sutras and commentaries available in
the West, it can be said that the ground is parched and waiting for the rain of
Dharma. The circulation of sutras such as this one is the falling of the Dharma rain.
The names of the various rays of light indicate what the rays reveal and how they
function. The White Ray and the Great White Ray represent the power of Earth Store
Bodhisattva and of this sutra to disperse the darkness in the world; the Thousand-
Wheeled Light reveals the appearance of the thousand-spoke wheel such as is seen on
the sole of the Buddha’s feet. The other rays reveal similar phenomena.

Sutra:
After emitting such rays of light from the door of his crown, the
Buddha spoke in wonderfully subtle sounds to the great assembly of gods,
dragons, and other members of the Eightfold Division of ghosts and spirits,
and to humans, nonhumans, and others: “Hear me now in the palace of
the Trayastrimsa Heaven as I praise Earth Store Bodhisattva’s beneficial
and inconceivable deeds among men and gods, his rapid progress in the
causes of wisdom, his certification on the Tenth Ground, and his ultimate
irreversibility from Anuttarasamyaksambodhi.”

Commentary:
Wonderfully subtle sounds refer to the Four Types of Eloquence and the Eight
Types of Sound.
The first of the Four Types of Eloquence is Unobstructed Eloquence of
Meaning. Although there is fundamentally no meaning to express, when the Buddha
speaks Dharma to awaken beings to the state beyond words, the meanings and
doctrines become infinite and multilayered in response to the needs of living beings.

The second is Unobstructed Eloquence in Dharma. Fundamentally there is just one

kind of Dharma, but when the Buddha speaks, it is manifested as limitless and
unbounded Dharmas. Even though as many Dharmas appear, they eventually return
to one, and so it is said, “One root disperses to the myriad numbers, a myriad numbers
all return to the single root.”

The third kind of eloquence is Unobstructed Eloquence of Phrasing. When some

people speak they finish in two or three short sentences; when the Buddha speaks, on
the other hand, his words are like an inexhaustible torrent.

The fourth kind of eloquence is the Eloquence of Delight in Speech. It includes not
only the enjoyment of speaking Dharma, but also the quality of which cause those who
hears to enjoy listening.

In addition to the Four Types of Eloquence there are Eight Types of Sound:
1. The ultimately Good Sound. The sound of the Buddha’s voice is devoid of all the
rasping, harsh qualities so often found among people. It is a harmonious sound, and
the more one hears it the more he wishes to continue doing so.

2. The Gentle Sound. This sound is like the soft sound of a flowing brook, and it far
surpasses the sound of music.

3. The Harmonious Sound.

4. The Venerable and Wise Sound. The Buddha’s voice is such that we need not even
mention listening to his words; just hearing his sound is sufficient to lead to the
development of wisdom.

5. The Non-Yin Sound. This is the “yin” that occurs in the compound yin and
yang. Yin represents the passive, negative, feminine, earthy, and so forth. Yang
represents the active, positive, masculine, heavenly, and so forth. Many people’s voices
show yin qualities, such as a high and delicate timbre. When the Buddha speaks there
is no such quality in his sound.

6. The Non-misleading Sound. Everything the Buddha says is right and proper. There
is never any need to fear that he is telling jokes or misleading people.

7. The Far-Reaching Sound. The Buddha’s disciple Mahamaudgalyayana, foremost in

spiritual powers, once passed through limitless millions of Buddha-lands to the east in
order to find out where the Buddha’s voice stopped. No matter how far he traveled, the
voice was still just as if the Buddha were at his ear.

8. The Inexhaustible Sound. The sound of the Buddha’s voice can never be cut off.

When the Buddha speaks he may use only some, or he may use all, of these eight
sounds. One person may hear the Far-Reaching Sound while at the same time another
hears the Gentle Sound. This is due to the differing natures of living beings.

The sutra text here makes a passing reference to the Ten Grounds, parts of the fifty-five
stages of a Bodhisattva’s progress. This is discussed in great detail in the Avatamsaka
Sutra, as well as in the Surangama Sutra .
The first of the ten called the Ground of Joy. At this stage a Bodhisattva is always
happy, even if beaten or reviled. Because of his constant joy he is able to reach the
second ground, Leaving Defilement. Leaving defilement means putting aside all greed
for personal comfort and most particularly greed for sexual pleasure. When all desire
and unclean thoughts have been put aside, the third stage, Emitting Light, is
reached. Once light is emitted, it flares into the blazing light of wisdom. Consequently,
the name of the fourth stage is Blazing Wisdom. The fifth ground is called Difficult to
Conquer, since the Bodhisattva in this stage has such wonderful spiritual powers that
he is invincible in debate. The sixth ground is called Manifestation, since there are
further manifestations of wisdom and light. The seventh is called Far Traveling, and
the eighth Unmoving. At the eighth stage the Bodhisattva does not need to move from
his field of enlightenment and yet he is able to manifest and teach beings throughout
the universe. The ninth stage is called Good Wisdom, and the tenth Dharma Cloud. At
this stage the wisdom and compassion of the Bodhisattva cover beings like a great
cloud that shades the earth.

In the above passage of text the Buddha praised Earth Store Bodhisattva’s
irreversibility from Anuttarasamyaksambodhi, the Utmost, Right, and Equal
Enlightenment. Although Earth Store Bodhisattva has not yet become a Buddha, the
degree of his enlightenment is equal to that of the Buddhas.

There are varying degrees of enlightenment. Those of the Two Vehicles – Sound-
Hearers and those enlightened to causation – are surpassed by the enlightenment of
the Bodhisattvas. The enlightenment of the Bodhisattvas is said to be right and equal,
since it can be said to be equal to that of the Buddhas. Such enlightenment, however,
is still not the highest degree, since it is surpassed by that of the Buddha. Thus only
Buddhas are said to have the Unsurpassed, Right, and Equal Enlightenment.

The term “irreversibility” refers to the Three Types of Non-retreat. The first of these is
Irreversibility of Position, so called because there is no retreat to the practices of the
Two Vehicles. The second is Irreversibility of Practice: there is no retreat to the non-
cultivating behavior of common people. The third is Irreversibility of Thought, so
called because the thought is firmly fixed on the practice of the Great Vehicle
Dharmas.

Sutra:
As this was said, in the midst of the assembly a Bodhisattva,
Mahasattva, named Contemplator of the World’s Sounds, arose from his
seat, knelt, and with palms together said to the Buddha, “World-Honored
One, Earth Store Bodhisattva, Mahasattva, is replete with great
compassion and pities living beings who suffer for their offenses. In
thousands of tens of thousands of millions of worlds he manifests
thousands of ten thousands of millions of transformation bodies. His
meritorious virtues and awesome spiritual powers are inconceivable.”
“I have heard the World-Honored One and the limitless Buddhas
of the ten directions praise Earth Store Bodhisattva with different mouths
but a common sound, saying that even if all the Buddhas of the past,
present, and future were to speak of his meritorious qualities, these
qualities still could not be fathomed. I have heard the World-Honored One
tell the great assembly about the benefits of Earth Store Bodhisattva’s
inconceivability. Cause the gods, dragons, and the others of the Eightfold
Division to gaze in worship and attain blessings.”

Commentary:
When the Contemplator of the World’s Sounds, Avalokitesvara, says that he has heard
the Buddhas of the ten directions praise Earth Store Bodhisattva with different mouths
but a common sound, there are two possible explanations. One is that each Buddha
spoke at a different time and place, yet each of them said exactly the same words; the
other is that all the Buddhas simultaneously made this statement.

Although his meritorious qualities derived from worshiping the Buddhas are limitless,
we can select five representative benefits as examples. Those who bow to and worship
Buddhas and Bodhisattvas gain a pleasing appearance, a physiognomy that causes
anyone who sees them to feel respect. The second benefit is the obtaining of a
wonderful sound. The third is the attainment of wealth and honor. The fourth is birth
in honorable families. The fifth is rebirth in the heavens.

Sutra:
The Buddha replied to the Bodhisattva Contemplator of the
World’s Sounds, “You have great affinity with the Saha World. If gods,
dragons, men, women, spirits, ghosts, or any other being who suffers for
offenses within the Six Paths hears your name, sees your image, fixes his
gaze on you, or praises you, they will become irreversible in the
unsurpassed Way. They will always be born among men and gods and
there receive wonderful bliss. When their conditions are ripe they will
encounter Buddhas and be given their predictions of enlightenment. You
now have great compassion and pity for living beings, for gods, dragons,
and the others of the Eightfold Division. Listen as I proclaim the
inconceivably benefits of Earth Store Bodhisattva. Listen attentively. I
will discuss it for you.”
 The Contemplator of the World’s Sounds said, “So be it, World-
Honored One, I will be pleased to hear.”
The Buddha told the Bodhisattva Contemplator of the World’s
Sounds, “In worlds of the present and future there will be gods whose
heavenly merit has ended, who manifest the five signs of decay and are
about to fall into the Evil Paths. When those signs appear, if those gods,
whether male or female, see Earth Store Bodhisattva’s image, hear his
name, gaze at him or bow once to him, they will increase their heavenly
blessings, receive great happiness, and never again fall into the
retributions of the Three Evil Paths. How much more will limitless,
boundless merit, virtue, and blessings accrue to those who see and hear the
Bodhisattva and use incense, flowers, clothing, food, drink, jewels, and
gems as gifts and offerings.”

Commentary:
While the blessings enjoyed in the heavens are extremely blissful, still certain signs
appear that mark the immense fall of a god. There are three recensions of this list of
signs, one giving five major signs, one give five minor signs, and one giving seven
signs. The five major signs are as follows:

1. The ever-fresh slower headdresses of the gods begin to wilt.

2. The permanently clean clothes of the gods become soiled.
3. The gods never sweat, but when signs of their decay occur, they perspire under
their arms.
4. The normally fragrant bodies of the gods begin to stink when the signs of decay
appear.
5. The gods normally sit still and composed, as if in samadhi. When the signs of
decay appear they begin to fidget. Once these signs have occurred, the gods fall and
may be reborn as humans, ghosts, animals, hell dwellers, and so forth.
In addition to the five major signs of decay, there are five minor signs, which are as
follows:

1. The subtle voices of the gods become coarse.

2. The shining light of their bodies fades.
3. Their bodies usually repel water like glass. When the signs of decay appear they
become soaked by rain.
4. They become unable to renounce certain states of existence and become strongly
attached to them.
5. They become weak and devoid of energy. At this time their eyes, which normally
remain fairly steady, begin to flit about.
In addition to the five major and five minor signs of decay, there is yet another list
giving seven signs of decay. Some of these repeat those in the above lists but since they
are often given as a unit, they will be treated as such here.

1. The light of the gods is extinguished.

2. Their flowers fade.
3. Their beautiful form changes and they become unattractive.
4. Their clothing catches dust.
5. They perspire.
6. Their bodies become thin.
7. They cannot remain still in their seats.
If, when these signs of decay are manifested, the gods are able to worship Earth Store
Bodhisattva; their blessings will not only continue but increase.

Sutra:
“Moreover, Contemplator of the World’s Sounds, if living beings in
the Six Paths, present and future, are on the verge of death and hear the
name of Earth Store Bodhisattva, the single passing of that sound by their
ear will eternally remove them from the sufferings of the Three Evil
Paths. How much more will this be true if the parents and relatives use
the dying man’s houses, wealth, jewels, and clothing to commission the
carving or painting of Earth Store Bodhisattva’s image. If that sick person
has not yet died and sees or hears that, on his behalf, relatives have used
his house, jewels, and so forth for the carving or painting of Earth Store
Bodhisattva’s image, because of that merit, he may quickly be cured and
his lifespan prolonged, even if his karmic retribution is such that he should
have undergone severe sickness. If that person’s retribution is such that
because of all manner of offense obstacles and karmic obstructions he
should fall into the Evil Paths at death, because of receiving such merit he
will be born among men and gods, and there receive extremely wonderful
bliss. All his obstacles due to offenses will be eradicated.”
“Moreover, Contemplator of the World’s Sounds, in the future a
man or woman may lose father, mother, brothers, or sisters while he or she
is still an infant or child under ten years. When fully grown the person
may think of these parents and relatives but does not know into what path
or world or heaven they have been born. If that person is able to carve or
paint an image of Earth Store Bodhisattva, hear his name, or gaze upon
and worship him; and if he can continue to do so from one through seven
days, constantly hearing his name, seeing his image, beholding,
worshipping, and making offerings without retreating from his initial
resolve, then that person’s relatives will be liberated for many
aeons. Even though their karma might be such as to cause them to fall into
the Evil Paths, they will quickly be reborn in the heavens, where they will
receive supremely wonderful bliss. This results from their receiving the
meritorious virtues established by that son, daughter, brother, or sister
who has carved or painted an image of Earth Store Bodhisattva and then
bowed to and worshipped it.”
“If that person’s relatives have already been born in the heavens
on the strength of their own merit and are already experiencing supremely
wonderful bliss, upon receiving this additional merit their causes for
wisdom will increase and they will receive limitless bliss. If that person is
able to behold and worship Earth Store Bodhisattva’s image
singlemindedly during three weeks, reciting his name a full ten thousand
times, the Bodhisattva may manifest a limitless body and tell that person
the name of the world in which his relatives have been born. The
Bodhisattva may manifest great spiritual power and personally lead him to
those worlds in a dream to see his relatives.”

Commentary:
Because living beings, even those who believe in the Buddha, may sometimes be quite
confused, the Bodhisattva does not always come to them in their waking state but
sometimes appears in dreams.

Sutra:
“Moreover, if one is able to recite the Bodhisattva’s name one
thousand times a day every day for one thousand days, the Bodhisattva will
command the ghosts and spirits to abide on the ground where that person
is and to surround and protect him for his entire life. In this world his
clothing and food will be abundant and he will have no suffering from
sickness or the like. No accidents will occur in his house, much less affect
his person. Finally, the Bodhisattva will rub his crown and bestow a
prediction of enlightenment upon him.”
 “Moreover, Contemplator of the World’s Sounds, if a good man or
woman in the future wishes to practice great compassion to rescue all
living beings and wishes to cultivate unsurpassed Bodhi in order to leave
the Triple World, and if that person sees Earth Store Bodhisattva’s image,
hears his name, and relies on him sincerely, using incense, flowers,
clothing, jewels, food, and drink to make offerings, or if he gazes at and
worships him, his wishes will quickly be realized and his obstructions will
forever be left behind.”
“Moreover, Contemplator of the World’s Sounds, if good men and
women in the future wish to fulfill hundreds of thousands of tens of
thousands of millions of wishes and to succeed in as many undertakings
regarding both present and future, they should simply return to and rely
upon, gaze in worship at, make offerings to, and praise the image of Earth
Store Bodhisattva. Their wishes and goals will certainly be
realized. Moreover, they may ask Earth Store Bodhisattva, the
Compassionate One, to eternally protect them. In a dream the Bodhisattva
will rub their crowns and bestow predictions of enlightenment.
“Moreover, Contemplator of the World’s Sounds Bodhisattva, good
men and women in the future may have high regard for the Great Vehicle
Sutras and make the inconceivable resolve to read and recite them from
memory. They may then encounter a good master who instructs them, so
that they may become familiar with the texts. But as soon as they learn
them, they forget them. They may become unable for months and years to
read or recite them from memory. It is because such persons’ karmic
obstructions from past lives have not yet been eradicated that they do not
have the nature to read and recite sutras of the Great Vehicle. Upon
hearing Earth Store Bodhisattva’s name or seeing his image, they should
feel deep respect and state their situation to the Bodhisattva. They should
then take incense, flowers, clothing, food, and drink, as well as all manner
of playthings, and make offerings to the Bodhisattva. They should place a
bowl of pure water before the Bodhisattva’s image for one day and one
night. Afterward, placing their palms together let them state their request
and then drink the water while facing south. As the water is about to enter
their mouths they should be particularly sincere and earnest. After
drinking the water they should abstain from the five pungent plants, wine,
meat, all sexual activity, and false speech, as well as all killing and
harming, for one to three weeks. In dreams these good men or women will
see Earth Store Bodhisattva manifesting a limitless body and anointing
their crowns with water. When they awaken they will be endowed with
keen intelligence. Should this sutra then be heard by them one time, they
will eternally remember it and never forget or lose a single sentence or
verse.”

Commentary:
The reason beings encounter obstructions to their cultivation is that they have not yet
eradicated karmic blocks from past lives. These obstructions often appear at moments
when beings are about to undertake some beneficial practice, the recitation of sutras,
for example. Just as they are about to start they are overwhelmed with weariness and
become captivated by the demons of sleep. As soon as they put the text of the sutra
down, the demons leave them alone, and if they become involved in idle, useless
activities and chatter, they find themselves bursting with energy. The dharma given
here to counteract this type of obstruction includes making offerings, among them
even playthings. This refers to all sorts of toys, such as the balls children play
with. Don’t think, however, that the Bodhisattva likes to play with toys. The point of
this offering is that one gives the things he most enjoys. This particular dharma also
requires abstention from the five pungent plants, a list that includes everything in the
category of garlic, onions, shallots, chives, and leeks. These items are forbidden
because they tend to increase torpor, stupidity, anger, and sexual desire.

Sutra:
“Moreover, Contemplator of the World’s Sounds Bodhisattva, if
there are people in the future whose food and clothing are insufficient, who
endure sickness and ill fortune, whose families are not peaceful, whose
relatives are scattered, who are bothered by unfortunate occurrences, or
who are often startled in their sleep by dreams, upon hearing the
Bodhisattva’s name and seeing his image, they should recite his name a
full ten thousand times with extreme sincerity and respect. Those
inauspicious matters will gradually be eradicated, and they will attain
peace and happiness. Their food and clothing will be abundant and even
in their dreams they will be peaceful and happy.
“Moreover, Contemplator of the World’s Sounds, good men or
women in the future who must enter mountain forests; cross over rivers,
seas, and the great waters; or pass through dangerous roads for the sake
of earning their own livelihood, for public affairs, matters of life and
death, or other urgent business, should first recite the name of Earth Store
Bodhisattva a full ten thousand times. The ghosts and spirits of the ground
they pass over will always surround and protect them in their walking,
standing, sitting, and lying down. The peace and happiness of those
persons will constantly be guarded, so that even if they encounter tigers,
wolves, lions, or other harmful evil creatures, the beasts will be unable to
hurt them.”
The Buddha told the Contemplator of the World’s Sounds, “Earth
Store Bodhisattva has great affinity with beings in Jambudvipa. Hundreds
of thousands of aeons would not be time enough to describe the benefits
derived by living beings who see this Bodhisattva and hear his
name. Therefore, Contemplator of the World’s Sounds Bodhisattva, you
should use your spiritual powers to propagate this sutra and to cause the
living beings of the Saha world to receive peace and happiness throughout
hundreds of thousands of myriads of aeons.”
At that time the World-Honored One spoke verses, saying:

“Earth Store Bodhisattva’s spiritual strength

Cannot be explained with infinities of words.
To see, to hear, to worship for but one thought
Brings endless benefit to men and gods.
If a man’s or woman’s or a god’s or dragon’s
Lifespan ends and he should fall
Into evil ways, his lifespan will increase
And his offenses will be wiped away.

Those who have lost their parents’ devoted care,

And do not know what paths their spirits took;
Lost brothers, sisters, or some other kin,
Whom in their youth they never met at all,
Should carve or paint an image of this Lord,
Should gaze and worship him unceasingly,
And for twenty-one days constantly hold his name.
The Bodhisattva will reveal a boundless body
And show the realms in which the kin were born.
And kin who have fallen into evil ways
Will quickly leave behind these states of woe.
To cultivate the Bodhi unsurpassed
And leave behind the suffering Triple World,
To bring about the great compassion heart,
Just gaze upon the image of this Lord.
Each wish one makes will quickly come to pass
And karmic hindrances will not bind one up.
If one does not retreat from his first thought
His crown will be rubbed, he’ll hear a prophecy.

If a man resolves to read a sutra text,

Wishing to cross over confused beings to the other shore,
Although his wish transcends all words and thoughts.
What he has read he straightaway forgets;
Because he doubts, blocked by karmic faults,
He cannot hold the sutra in his mind.
To Earth Store Bodhisattva he should offer
Scents and flowers, clothing, food, and toys,
And place pure water on that Lord’s altar,
Wait one day and night, then drink the water;
Carefully avoid the pungent plants,
Both meat and wine, improper sex and speech;
For twenty-one days neither kills nor injures;
Just recite the name of this great Lord.
Then in a dream he’ll see the boundless realm
And, once awake, obtain keenness of ear;
Then when a sutra text passes his ear
Throughout ten million lives he’ll not forget.
The power of this Lord cannot be thought
Or talked about, yet it can cause one to
Obtain great wisdom.

If poverty-stricken beings, plagues with disease,

Whose homes are troubled, whose relatives are scattered,
Who aren’t at peace, even in sleep or dreams,
Seek a way to leave misfortune’s grasp
And sincerely gaze in worship on this Lord,
Their bitter sorrows will be wiped away.
With sufficient food and clothes, and peaceful dreams,
Gods and ghosts will circle and protect them.
Those who travel in mountain wilds, on seas,
Who meet with poisonous birds and beasts, or evil
Men or ghosts, spirits, or evil winds –
So many kinds of troublesome disturbances –
Should gaze in worship and make offerings
To Earth Store Bodhisattva’s form.
Within the mountain forests, and on the seas,
The evil multitudes will disappear.

Avalokitesvara, be attentive.
Earth Store cannot be reached by word or thought.
A thousand million years is time too brief
To fully describe the power of this Lord.
If humans can but hear the name “Earth Store,”
Or if they see his image, worship once,
Or offer flowers, clothing, food, perfumes,
They will delight in a thousand wondrous joys.
If one returns this merit to the Dharma Realm,
He will become a Buddha, freed
From birth and death. Therefore, Avalokitesvara,
You should know this sutra and spread it through worlds
More numerous than the Ganges River’s sands.”
 CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The Entrustment of Men and Gods

Sutra:
At that time the World-Honored One extended his gold colored arm
and again rubbed the crown of Earth Store Bodhisattva, Mahasattva, as he
said, “Earth Store, Earth Store, your spiritual powers, compassion,
wisdom, and eloquence are inconceivable. Even if all the Buddhas of the
ten directions were to praise your inconceivable qualities, they could not
finish in thousands of tens of thousands of aeons.

Commentary:
The Buddha calls Earth Store Bodhisattva’s name twice in order to show the depth of
his compassion and loving care for him. Earth Store’s spiritual power is said to be
inconceivable because all the beings in the hells receive its benefit, enabling even those
who fundamentally should not be able to leave their sufferings to do so. In addition,
his compassion is said to be inconceivable because there are none to whom he is not
compassionate.

There are three major types of compassion: compassion which is offered with
conditions, compassion with respect to Buddhadharmas, and even unconditionally
offered compassion. The latter kind of compassion is particularly wonderful and
beyond thought. The power of Earth Store Bodhisattva’s compassion is unusually
great; a strength which even most other Bodhisattvas cannot match: he alone has
made the vow to go to the hells and rescue beings. Avalokitesvara, Manjusri, and
Samantabhadra have great vows, yet they teach beings in the world; only Earth Store
Bodhisattva does not fear the sufferings of the hells and goes there to teach
beings. Thus he is known as the Teaching Host in the Dark Regions.

A demonstration of his inconceivable eloquence can be found in his ability to teach

hungry ghosts to turn from evil to good. If his eloquence were not completely
unobstructed and beyond thought, he would certainly be unable to effect such
changes. Even if you wish to investigate the inconceivability of Earth Store
Bodhisattva’s various states, you will be unable to do so, since they are completely
beyond all thought. This being the case, what is there to investigate?
Sutra:
“Earth Store, Earth Store, remember that now, in the Trayastrimsa
Heaven in this great assembly of hundreds of thousands of tens of
thousands of millions of ineffable Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, gods, dragons,
and eightfold divisions of spirits, I entrust to you the men and gods of the
future who have not yet left the burning house of the Triple World. Do not
allow those beings to fall into the Evil Paths for the space of even a single
day and night, much less fall into the uninterrupted hell of the Five
Offenses and the Avici hell, where they would have to pass through
thousands of tens of thousands of millions of aeons without being able to
leave.”
“Earth Store, the beings of Jambudvipa are of irresolute will and
nature, and they habitually do many evil deeds. Even if they resolve their
thoughts on good, they quickly turn back on that resolve, and if they
encounter evil conditions they tend to become increasingly involved in
them. For this reason I reduplicate hundreds of thousands of millions of
transformation bodies to cross them over in accord with their respective
natures.”

Commentary:
The irresolute nature of living beings can be seen in those who want to study one day
and not the next, who want to do good for a moment and then decide to do evil. In one
moment you resolve to cultivate and accomplish the pure Dharma-body, and then the
resolve changes to a wish for the retribution body. A moment later you may decide
that having a hundred thousand million transformation bodies is the most desirable
goal and switch to that, and so there is nothing fixed about your will or resolve. These
are examples of irresolute will concerning the bodies of the Buddha.

On the other hand, irresolute will can also be seen in the desire, on one day, to cultivate
the Ten Good Deeds and attain rebirth in the heavens, followed by a burst of activity in
the Ten Evils the next. One’s resolve is set for the heavens, but the next day one thinks
that being an animal wouldn’t be bad. An unfixed nature very commonly shows up in
the resolve to stop smoking, drinking, or taking drugs: one’s resolutions often last for
only a moment. What is particularly bad about this kind of vacillating behavior is that
people who act this way always end up rationalizing their actions one way or another.

When people of irresolute nature meet a teacher who tells them to learn or do
something and stresses its importance, they may try to take action, but they lack the
resolve to complete the project. If someone tells them to misbehave, on the other
hand, they don’t even need instructions but learn to do it spontaneously. Gamblers are
an excellent example of this tendency: no one has to teach them how to place bets; they
see it done once and remember all the details of how to do it themselves in the future.

While it does happen that living beings may decide to do good deeds – contribute to
building a temple, printing sutras, or making images, for example – they may quickly
turn back on their initial resolve. They give, but the gift is accompanied by the
thought, “What’s in it for me?” A good historical example of such a person is the
Emperor Wu of the Liang Dynasty, who built temples, aided the Sangha, and
propagated Buddhism, but who still had to ask Patriarch Bodhidharma how much
merit he had accrued.

When living beings tend to retreat from good, they surge forward into evil – they are
attracted by anything that is conducive to falling into evil paths. Foremost among
these causes are greed for sex and wealth; hatred, which leads to murder, arson, and
other antisocial acts; and stupidity, which derives one constantly to try to get what he
cannot attain.

Sutra:
“Earth Store, I now carefully entrust the multitudes of men and
gods of the future to you. If, in the future, gods or men plant good roots in
the Buddhadharma, be they as little as a hair, dust most, grain of sand, or
drop of water, you should use your spiritual powers and virtues to protect
them so that they gradually cultivate the unsurpassed way and do not
retreat from it.
“Moreover, Earth Store, if in the future men and gods who ought to
fall into the Evil Paths in accord with the retribution of their deeds, who
are on the verge of falling into those paths, or who are already at the very
gates of those paths, recite the name of one Buddha or Bodhisattva, or a
single sentence or verse from a Mahayana sutra, you should manifest a
limitless body, smash the hells, and cause them to be born in the heavens
and receive supremely wonderful bliss.”

“The World-Honored One then spoke in verse, saying,

Men and gods of the future,
as well as those now living,
I entrust all to you.
Use your penetrations
To rescue them all.
With your expedient skill in means,
Do not allow them to fall
into the Evil Paths.”

Commentary:
It should be realized that those who are studying this sutra are included in the group of
good men and women, for if they were not they would have given up the study long
ago. Evil men and women who take up this study feel as if they are sitting on
needles: they put it aside and run off as soon as possible. Good men and women who
take it up feel ever increasing joy in study. Furthermore, this passage reassures us
that, although we beings are of irresolvable nature and mind, there is no need to be
frightened, since Sakyamuni Buddha and Earth Store Bodhisattva have made this
pact. All that is required is to have done good works in the Buddhadharma.

It may be objected by someone that he has done good but has never seen Earth Store
Bodhisattva come to protect him. Think it over a moment. Although his protection
may not have been visible, were you ever in an accident in which you might have been
injured or killed but from which you escaped unharmed? That is an example of Earth
Store Bodhisattva’s protection of you.

If you object that you have never been in an accident and consequently have not been
protected by Earth Store Bodhisattva, then continue to reflect. Have you ever had a
serious illness from which you recovered? Or have you ever been on a boat in rough
waters and avoided capsizing? Such good fortune is due to the protection of Earth
Store Bodhisattva. Have you ever been on an airplane trip that was completely without
incident? That too is through the protection of Earth Store Bodhisattva. In fact, if
you’ve ever felt apprehension about undertaking a voyage and managed to overcome
your fear, that too is an example of Earth Store Bodhisattva giving you a little added
courage. The situations in which he responds are varied and uncountable. Because of
the agreement made in the palace of the Trayastrimsa Heaven, living beings should
have faith in him.

Sutra:
At that time Earth Store Bodhisattva, Mahasattva, knelt, placed his
palms together, and said to the Buddha, “World-Honored One, please do
not be concerned. If good men and women in the future have a single
thought of respect toward the Buddhadharma, I shall use hundreds of
thousands of expedient devices to cross them over so that they may quickly
attain liberation from birth and death. How much more will those who
have heard of good undertakings and cultivated in accord with them be
able to attain spontaneous irreversibility from the unsurpassed Way.”

Commentary:
It is important to consider the reason that one was born a human being. Are we
humans merely in order to live in confusion and die a muddle death? Is the point of
our lives merely to eat our fill and go to sleep, only to wake to eat again? Are we in the
world only in order to work at a job and get enough money for a couple of meals a day
and a suit of clothes? If all we are here for is to eat and sleep, sleep and eat again,
while waiting to die, then it would be better to hasten our death, for such a life is
utterly meaningless. The troubles and difficulties far surpass the ease and pleasure,
and death is preferable.

But if we come to human life for the purpose of establishing merit and benefiting those
who come after us, then there is meaning. It is for those who come first to teach those
who come later, for those who understand to teach those who do not. If everyone
understood the principle of cultivation, there would be much less sorrow in the
world. In whatever you do, see to it that you are helping others, not trying to be helped
by them. Emulate the behavior of Sakyamuni Buddha, of the Bodhisattvas, of the great
Patriarchs of old, all of whom worked exclusively for the benefit of beings. Do not
merely become involved in “intellectual Zen” and chatter about Dharma.

If you hear of someone doing a meritorious deed – printing sutras, or constructing

temples, for example – support those endeavors. If you are unable to do so with
money, give your labor. In general, make sure that your every action is for the purpose
of aiding beings.

Sutra:
When this was said, a Bodhisattva named Empty Space Store arose
from the midst of that assembly and spoke to the Buddha: “World-
Honored One, I have come to the Trayastrimsa Heaven and heard the Thus
Come One speak of the inconceivable power of Earth Store Bodhisattva’s
awesome spiritual strength. If in the future good men or women, as well as
gods and dragons, hear this sutra and the name of Earth Store
Bodhisattva, or if they gaze at and worship his image, how many kinds of
advantages and blessings will they attain? Please, World-Honored One,
speak about this for the sake of those living beings in the present and in the
future.”
 The Buddha told Empty Space Store Bodhisattva, “Listen
attentively, listen attentively, I shall enumerate and describe them to
you. If there are good men and women in the future who see Earth Store’s
image, or who hear this sutra or read or recite it; who use incense,
flowers, food and drink, clothing, or gems as offerings; or if they praise,
behold, and worship him, they shall attain twenty-eight kinds of
advantages:

1. They will be remembered and protected by gods and dragons.

2. Their good roots will increase daily.
3. They will accumulate superior causes of wisdom.
4. They will not retreat from Bodhi.
5. Their food and drink will be abundant.
6. Epidemics will not touch them.
7. They will not encounter disasters of fire and water.
8. They will not be trouble by thieves.
9. They will be respected by all who see them.
10. They will be aided by ghosts and spirits.
11. Women will be reborn as men.
12. If born as women they will be daughters of kings and ministers.
13. They will have upright and proper appearances.
14. They will often be born in the heavens.
15. They may be emperors or kings.
16. They will know their past lives.
17. They will attain whatever they seek.
18. Their families will be happy.
19. All disasters will be eradicated.
20. They will eternally be apart from the paths of karma.
21. They will always arrive at their destination.
22. At night their dreams will be peaceful and happy.
23. Their deceased relatives will leave suffering behind.
24. They will receive the blessings from their past lives.
25. They will be praised by the sages.
26. They will be intelligent and their roots will be keen.
27. They will have magnanimous, kind, and sympathetic hearts.
28. They will ultimately attain Buddhahood.
Commentary:
Empty Space Store Bodhisattva, who comes from a world thousands of millions of
worlds systems away, has a jewel in his topknot from which anything one wishes for
will come. Should you ever encounter a Bodhisattva with a wishing gem atop his head,
you should recognize him, for if you do, you will be able to have some of the treasures
he has in empty space, and you will never be poor.

When the text speaks of beings who see Earth Store Bodhisattva’s image, it refers to
the trueness of their vision. Hearing the sutra shows the trueness of their hearing;
recitation and offerings of food and drink show the trueness of their speech and taste;
while offering of incense and flowers show the trueness of their sense of smell. The use
of clothing and gems shows the trueness of their sense of touch. When all six senses
(including thought) are true, living beings may derive twenty-eight kinds of
benefit. Since many are self-explanatory, only a few of the benefits will be mentioned
in this commentary.

They will accumulate superior causes of wisdom . The causes of wisdom

included listening to explanations of sutras and hearing Dharma spoken, things which
most ordinary people do not become involved in.
Their food and drink will be abundant . Everyone ought to look at himself at this
point and ask why it is that he may not have sufficient food and clothing in this life. It
is a result of not having planted good roots in the past, of not having worshipped Earth
Store Bodhisattva’s image, and not having recited the sutra.
Epidemics will not touch them . I recall that once, when I was in Manchuria, there
was an epidemic, and in one household of eleven people, thirteen died. One of the two
added to make the full complement was a servant in the house and the other a visiting
relative. The death from one disease of so many at one time is what is meant by an
epidemic.
At that time I said to four of my young disciples, “Let us go rescue people.”

“How?” they asked.

“We shall disperse the epidemic simply by reciting the Great Compassion Mantra.” We
then went to all the villages in which the disease was raging and circled each one three
times while reciting the Great Compassion Mantra, a dharma cultivated by many of
those listening to his lecture, is truly miraculous. But until you have had this sort of
experience you do not realize it.
They will be respected by all who see them . It will not be necessary to hang out
a sign and advertise oneself; there will be no effort required for people to respect you,
for respect will come naturally. If there is virtue, the respect comes naturally; if there
is no virtue, no matter how hard a wind you blow, you’ll never be able to stir up
respect. It is definitely not a good thing to go about saying what a great protector of
the Buddhadharma you are or how you are a member of this and that benevolent
association. It is pseudo virtue that constantly tries to sell itself, and the result of such
activity is that while those without eyes may be deceived, people who see clearly will
know you for the pitiful thing you are.
Women will be reborn as men . It was mentioned earlier in the sutra that women
have five obstacles and cannot hold certain positions. It is important to understand
that this passage is not saying that a woman can turn into a man in this life. If she
dislikes the body of a woman, she may be reborn male in the next life. Women who do
not mind being women, however, will be reborn in royal households.
Their families will be happy . In spite of the intimacy between father and son,
sometimes this relationship is strained. Children often look on their parents as having
addled or petrified brains totally incapable of understanding modern trends. They
often feel that their parents have no idea how to be a father or mother and that the
parents are totally misguided and confused. Parents, on their part, may sometimes
realize that their children are up to no good, but because of the deep compassion and
love they have for them, they are willing to overlook their children’s faults.
The same kind of problem may even arise between husbands and wives. Before the
marriage everything is fine and there is never a quarrel, but after the wedding they
begin to display their tempers to one another. As a result of worshipping Earth Store,
none of these problems appear.

At night their dreams will be peaceful and happy . They may dream of making
offerings to the Buddha, of bowing, reciting sutras, of holding mantras, of chanting the
Buddha’s name, or of other beneficial practices.
Their deceased relatives will leave suffering behind . This refers not only to
relatives in this life but to ancestors and parents of aeons of past lives.

Sutra:
“Moreover, Empty Space Store Bodhisattva, if gods, dragons, or
spirits of the present or future hear Earth Store Bodhisattva’s name, bow
to his image, or merely hear of his past vows and conduct, and then praise
him and gaze at and worship him, they will attain seven kinds of
advantages.
1. They will quickly step over to the sages’ ground.
2. Their evil karma will be eradicated.
3. All the Buddha’s will protect and be near them.
4. They will not retreat form Bodhi.
5. Their fundamental powers will increase.
6. They will know their past lives.
7. They will ultimately realize Buddhahood

Commentary:
As above, most of these benefits are self-explanatory and only a few will be noted here.

Irreversibility from Bodhi simply refers to seeing out to become a Buddha and
continuing until that goal is reached. You start out by holding the Five Precepts,
leaving home, cultivating to become a great monk, a patriarch, and then, after you
practice the Bodhisattva way, a Buddha. Of course, you must continue the practice and
not turn back. You cannot say one day that you will cultivate the Five Precepts and
then the very next moment hesitates about practicing them. Do not think that if you
receive the precepts and then break them it will be a great loss of face, too
embarrassing a position, and consequently put off receiving them. Don’t on the one
hand think about leaving home and, on the other, start doubting the merits of doing so.

When the text says their fundamental powers will increase it means that their inherent
ability to become Buddhas will grow daily. In addition to these benefits they will attain
the penetration of their past lives and know, for example, “Once I was a tiny ant and
now I have obtained the enormous body of a human. I went from an ant to a butterfly,
from a butterfly to a songbird; the songbird became an eagle, a vegetarian eagle, and so
blessings and wisdom were cultivated for accomplishing Bodhi. Along that road I have
now become a human.” When you obtain the penetration of your past lives you will
know all of this, for behind one body there follow limitless numbers of differing
bodies.

Sutra:
At that time, all those who had come from the ten directions,
unspeakable numbers of Buddhas, Thus Come Ones, as well as the great
Bodhisattvas, gods, dragons, and the remainder of the Eightfold Divisions
who hears Sakyamuni Buddha’s praise of Earth Store Bodhisattva’s great
inconceivable spiritual powers, exclaimed that there had never been
anything like this before.
 At that time incense, flowers, heavenly garments, and gems rained
down in the Trayastrimsa Heaven as offerings to Sakyamuni Buddha and
Earth Store Bodhisattva. When this was finished, the entire assembly
again gazed, made obeisance, placed their palms together, and withdrew.

Commentary:
The exegesis of the sutra text is now finished, but cultivation is not complete until
Buddhahood has been achieved. Only then can it be said, “Done is what had to be
done. The life of purity has been led, there is no further becoming.”

Those who have been able to study this sutra are people with good roots, for if they
were not, there is no way they could have had this opportunity. In fact, even if they
wanted to study it they would be unable to do so. Some who do not have good roots
might even say that they do not wish to become Buddhas, that they would just as soon
go off to the hells and let Earth Store Bodhisattva use his great powers to release them,
so that they could continue a life of wrongdoing. They ignore the fact that Earth Store
Bodhisattva’s great spiritual powers enable him to know full well what is in their
thoughts and that when he sees such a plan he neglects to open the gates of those
offenders’ hell. Do not study the ways of such people. Go onward in cultivation,
practice in accordance with the principles of this sutra. Do so with energy, do not
retreat. Go forward with vigor.
 GLOSSARY

This glossary is an aid for readers unfamiliar with the Buddhist

vocabulary. Definitions have been kept simple, and are not necessarily
complete.

AGAMAS – the Sutras of the Small Vehicle.

ANUTTARASAMYAKSAMBODHI – the Utmost, Proper, and Equal

Enlightenment. The highest enlightenment, realized by Buddhas.

ARHAT – one of the fruits of the path of cultivation. Arhats have attained the
cessation of involuntary physical birth and death. The word has three meanings, which
are as follows:

1. Worthy of offerings.
2. Killer of thieves. Arhats have killed the thieves of the afflictions and outflows.
3. Non-born. An Arhat dwells in the forbearance of the non-arisal of dharmas.
ASAMKHYEYA – uncountable. An extremely large number.

AVALOKITESVARA – one of the major Bodhisattvas. His name means One Who
Contemplates the Sounds of the World, and One Who Contemplates Sovereignty. In
Chinese he is called Kuan Yin or Kuan Shih Yin.

BHIKSU – a monk who has received the transmission of the complete code of Bhiksu
regulations (227-250), depending on recensions). Bhiksus and Bhiksunis, as well as
corresponding novices, are the only members of the Sangha as it was instituted by the
Buddha.

BHIKSUNI – feminine form of Bhiksu.

BODHI – enlightenment.

BODHISATTVA – from Bodhi , enlightenment, and Sattva , a being. A bodhisattva is

an “enlightenment being,” i.e., one who has resolved to win enlightenment for himself
and for all living beings.
BRAHMAN – a member of the highest Indian caste.

BUDDHA – from Budh-, to awaken, The Awakened One. One who has reached the
Utmost, Right, and Equal Enlightenment. Buddhahood is inherent in all beings. As
long as it remains unrealized they remain beings; once it is realized they are
Buddhas. There are infinite numbers of Buddhas.
CHI LI SHE – a class of fire spirit.

CHI LI CH’A – a class of fire spirit.

DEVADATTA – the Buddha’s cousin and rival who constantly tried to oppose the
Buddha’s teaching and create schisms in the Sangha. He tried to bury the Buddha
under an avalanche and succeeded in injuring one of the Buddha’s toes. For having
shed the Buddha’s blood he fell alive into the hells.

DHARMA – a law, rule, method, norm. This is one of the key terms in Buddhism and
covers a multitude of meanings. 1. The teaching of the Buddha, called Buddhism in
English, is called Buddhadharma or more simply, Dharma, in both Chinese and
Sanskrit. 2. Dharma: a. a specific element of psycho-physical existence. There are
usually one hundred in the Great Vehicle, and from 72 to 86 in various Hinayana
traditions. The Sarvastivadins list 75. b. Any one of the methods of cultivation
undertaken by spirants to the holy results attainable by the practice of the
Buddhadharma. In this usage the recitation of sutras, the performance of ceremonies,
the practice of meditation, the recitation of the names of Buddhas, and so forth, are all
dharmas.

DHARMA MASTER – a teacher of Dharma. A polite term of address for members of

the Sangha.

DHUTA – ascetic practices which may be voluntarily assumed by cultivators. There

are traditionally twelve or thirteen.

DHYANA – a practice of thought cultivation and insight which leads to the

development of higher mental states. It is not just idle nursing or a state of
concentration, for it involves a discipline which is clearly and fully described in the
sutras. It is often translated erroneously as meditation. Meditation in its western
sense is an intellectual process. Dhyana is both a process and a state which has little to
do with conventional intellectual thought.
ENLIGHTENED TO CONDITIONS – see PRATYEKABUDDHAS.

FORMLESS REALM – third of the three realms. Characterized by lack of any form at
all. Inhabited by higher gods and sages.

IGNORANCE – the fundamental error which brings about existence. The word is not
used in the common sense of simply being unaware of something. Ignorance means
the most basic cause in the arousal of discriminations. It is the initial perception of
either existence or non-existence when in reality there is neither one nor the
other. This topic is treated at very great length in the Surangama Sutra and
Asvaghosa’s Mahayanasraddhotpadasastra.
JAMBUDVIPA – one of the four continents of this world-system. It is located in the
south, is shaped like a triangle, and is where we live.

JETA GROVE – a grove of trees located within the park at Sravasti which had been
given to the Buddha by the merchant Anathapindada. The grove belonged to Prince
Jeta who offered it to the Buddha. The Buddha had a lecture hall and taught many
sutras there.

KALPA – an aeon. These are of various lengths. The basic kalpa is 13,965 years
long. One thousand such kalpas constitute a small kalpa. Twenty small kalpas
constitute a medium kalpa. Four medium kalpas make a great kalpa. The lifespan of a
world-system is four great kalpas.

KARMA – deeds. From Sanskrit kr-, to do. Karma does not mean fate. It means the
deeds which we create ourselves and the retributions which those deeds bring us.
LEAVE HOME – to renounce the householder life and devote oneself completely to the
Buddhist Dharma.

LI MEI – a broad category covering manifold nature-spirits, which are formed from
the emanations of trees, rocks, mountains, and so forth. They are malevolent and have
potent spiritual powers. They correspond to such beings as trolls, bogies, and the little
people in their more unpleasant and tricky moments. Such beings often grant wishes
and answer petitions with such efficacy that they deceive humans into supplying them
with offerings.

LOTUS FLOWER-NIRVANA PERIOD – The Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower

Sutra and Nirvana Sutra are ultimate teachings of the Great Vehicle. These sutras
were taught during the last eight years of the Buddha’s teaching. The Earth Store
Bodhisattva Sutra was taught in between those two. For a complete explanation of
the Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra see Master Tu Lun’s lectures
translated by Dharma Master Hen Ch’ien.
MAHASATTVA – an epithet used for great Bodhisattvas.

MANJUSRI – one of the greatest of the Bodhisattvas. He is renowned as foremost in

wisdom.

NAYUTA – an extremely large number.

NINE DHARMA REALMS – nine realms of existence. They are the Dharma realms of
1) Bodhisattvas, 2) Those Enlightened to Conditions, 3) Sound-Hearers, 4) Gods, 5)
Men, 6) Asuras, 7) Animals 8) Hungry ghosts, and 9) Hell-Dwellers.

NIRVANA – perfect quiescence realized by enlightened sages. There are several types
of Nirvana, each attained by sages of a particular level.

OUTFLOWS – Sanskrit asvara. Anything which serves to divert beings away from
their inherent Buddha-nature. Outflows are so called because they are turnings of
energy and attention outward rather than inward. Outflows are ended by practice of
the three-fold non-outflow study, i.e., morality, samadhi, and wisdom.

PARAMITA – crossing over. This is a series of six, sometimes ten, practices which
serve to carry one from this shore of birth-and-death to the other shore of
Nirvana. The paramitas are the foundation of the Bodhisattva practice.

PRANIDHANA – vow, resolve. Part of the essential equipment in cultivation of the

Bodhisattva path is vows. Earth Store Bodhisattva is known as foremost in the
strength of his vows.

PRATYEKABUDDHAS – those who attain enlightenment through contemplation of

the chains of the link of causation. This specifically refers to the twelve links of
conditioned co-production.

REALM OF DESIRE – the lowest of the three-part division of the world. It is

comprised of beings from the hells through the first six realms of the gods and is
characterized by the presence of coarse desire. It includes the realm of humans.

REALM OF FORM – second of the three realms. It is characterized by the presence of

form but lack of desire. Inhabited by numerous grades and kinds of divine beings.
REALM OF FORMLESSNESS – see FORMLESS REALM.

SAHA – the name of the world-system in which we live. It means “able to endure”
because the beings of this world are capable of bearing much suffering.

SAKRA – chief god of the Trayastrimsa heaven, also known as Indra.

SAMADHI – a wholesome state of insight attained through practice of various dharma

doors. There are numerous samadhis.

SANGHA – the community of the Buddha’s disciples who have gone forth from the
home life and received the traditional ordination under procedures established by the
Buddha.

SASTRA – second of the three divisions of the canon. It consists of discourses and
assorted writings on the Dharma, which are composed by individuals who expound
different theories and interpretations of material found in the Sutras. Sastras deal with
wisdom.

SOUND-HEARERS – Sravakas, the Buddha’s disciples of the Small Vehicle, so called

because they hear the sound of the Buddha’s voice and understand the Way.

SKANDHA – constituents of the entire psycho-physical unit which we mistake for a

personality. Skandhas consist of a number of impersonal elements called dharmas.
The five Skandhas are form, feeling, conceptualization, formative impulses, and
consciousness.

SRAMANA – a bhiksu. The word is explained as “diligently putting to rest.” A

sramana diligently cultivates morality, samadhi, and wisdom and puts to rest greed,
anger, and stupidity.

SUMERU – the axial mountain in the center of every world system.

SURANGAMA MANTRA – an extremely powerful dharani at the core of the

Surangama Sutra. This dharani is one of the key dharmas taught by Master Hua and is
the most effective weapon one can wield against demons and evil forces.

SUTRA – the first of the three-part division of the canon, which consists of discourses
by the Buddha or discourses given by various members of the assembly with the
authority of the Buddha.
THREE-THOUSAND-GREAT-THOUSAND-WORLDS – one world is composed of one
Mt. Sumeru, one sun, one moon, four great continents; and the various seas and
oceans which surround them. One thousand such worlds form a small-thousand-
world system. One thousand small-thousand-world systems form a medium-
thousand-world system. One thousand medium-thousand-world systems in turn form
a great-thousand-world system. This set of worlds is usually referred to as three-
thousand-great-thousand-world-systems to indicate that it is composed of smaller sets.

TRAYASTRIMSA HEAVEN – the second of the six heavens in the realm of desire. It is
the heaven in which this sutra was taught.

TRIPLE JEWEL – the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.

TRIPLE WORLD – the realm of desire, the realm of form, and the formless realm.

UPASAKA – a layman who has taken refuge with the Triple Jewel.

UPASIKA – the feminine form of Upasaka.

WANG LIANG – see LI MEI.

WHEEL-TURNING KING – a world-ruling monarch who uses his power to help turn
the wheel of Dharma throughout the world.

VINAYA – the third of three divisions of the canon. It consists of rules of discipline
and training. Vinaya deals with morality.

YAKSA – a type of ghost which travels extremely quickly. Yaksas serve as messengers
between various parts of the world because of their great speed.