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The Teaching of Akṣayamati begins with the arrival of the bodhisatva Akṣayamati in our world from the buddha field of the buddha Samantabhadra. In response to a series of questions posed by Śāriputra, Akṣayamati gives a discourse on the subject of imperishability. He explains that in all there are eighty different aspects of the Dharma that are imperishable. When he has given this explanation, the Buddha praises it and declares it worthy of being spread by the countless bodhisatvas gathered there to listen.

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For a period of about a thousand years after the beginning of the common era, The Teaching of Akṣayamati had a significant influence on Buddhist thought. The eighty so-called “imperishabilities” (akṣaya) described in the sūtra‍—qualities to be possessed by the bodhisatvas‍—were considered to contain the whole way of religious development of the Mahāyāna, and many passages became loci classici employed by the scholars of the Mahāyāna to elucidate their doctrines or to defend certain positions with authoritative sayings.

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The sūtra was often quoted in the two great traditions of Mahāyāna Buddhist philosophical thought, the Madhyamaka and the Yogācāra. The Mādhyamikas referred to the section on definitive (nītārtha) and implicit (neyārtha) meanings to define their position concerning which sūtras were definitive in meaning‍—the ones teaching emptiness (śūnyatā), the absence of distinguishing marks (ānimitta), and the absence of anything to long for (apraṇidhāna)‍—and those that needed further explanation, in order to differentiate themselves from the Yogācāra view that the sūtras dealing with the all-ground consciousness (ālayavijñāna) were implicit in meaning. The adherents of Yogācāra, for their part, quoted The Teaching of Akṣayamati on all kinds of matters, and for some of them, e.g., Sthiramati (fourth century), it seems to have been one of the main source books on the way of the bodhisatvas. For the Yogācārins, the doctrine of imperishability was regarded as a very important aspect of the Buddha’s teachings. It is said that the sūtra was held in great esteem by Asaṅga (fourth century), as The Teaching of Akṣayamati and the Daśabhūmika (Toh 44, ch. 31) are supposed to be the two sūtras that convinced his brother Vasubandhu (fourth century) that the Mahāyāna was superior to the Hīnayāna, after Asaṅga had sent one of his disciples to recite them to him. According to tradition, Vasubandhu was the author of the Akṣayamatinirdeśaṭīkā (Toh 3994), a commentary on this sūtra, and although this work seems rather to have been written by Sthiramati or by someone even later than him, it is very valuable for understanding the text.

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The Teaching of Akṣayamati, as a part of the collection known as the Mahāsaṃnipāta, may have been an attempt to systematize the basic religious practices and concepts, as well as the bodhisatva ethics, centered around the idea of the infinity of time and space so favored in early Mahāyāna. Buddhism has never accepted an eternal substance, an eternal Self‍—the longing for eternity rather found its expression in the concept of reality as infinite and imperishable, though empty and momentary. Some of the early Mahāyāna speculations on infinity were also expressed in the concept of imperishability, and this tradition of thought finally crystallized in The Teaching of Akṣayamati. This concept of imperishability is also connected with another important Mahāyāna idea that combines with it to give The Teaching of Akṣayamati its form, namely that of the unification of opposites‍—insight and action, absolute and relative, universal and individual‍—and the religious development integrating both (yuganaddhavāhīmārgaḥ).

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The Teaching of Akṣayamati thus presents a very rich exposition of Mahāyāna thought as it was propounded in the first centuries ᴄᴇ, especially when complemented by its commentary, the Akṣayamatinirdeśaṭīkā. Therefore, it deserves to be made more readily available to students of Buddhism. For a fuller treatment of the religious and philosophical themes in The Teaching of Akṣayamati the reader may consult the introduction to my original translation of this sūtra, published earlier.^⁠2

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To date, no complete Sanskrit version of this sūtra has come to light, although a few quotations are preserved in Indian scriptures, predominantly in Śāntideva’s (ca. eighth century) Śikṣāsamuccaya.^⁠3 The Tibetan translation was completed (based on earlier drafts) some time during the late eighth or early ninth century ᴄᴇ as we find it included in the Denkarma catalog dated to ca. 812 ᴄᴇ.^⁠4 According to the colophon to the Tibetan translation, it was edited and finalized by the translator Dharmatāśīla, who participated in numerous translation projects in Tibet during the early translation period.^⁠5 The Chinese canon also contains two translations of this sūtra. The first (Taishō 403) was produced by Dharmarakṣa already in 308 ᴄᴇ and the second (Taishō 397–12) was completed approximately one century later in 427 ᴄᴇ by the translators Zhiyan and Baoyun. In my introduction to the published critical edition of the Tibetan text the interested reader will find a detailed discussion of the textual history of the sūtra in Tibet.^⁠6 As with the earlier published translation of The Teaching of Akṣayamati, this newly revised English translation is likewise based on my critical edition of the Tibetan translation.

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Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was staying in Rājagṛha. It was an area adorned with jewels that was the domain and the dwelling place of all the tathāgatas, where the accumulation of the adornments of great merit was gathered. It was the outcome of the great practice produced through the ripening of all the buddha qualities. It was the great bodhisatvas’ home that reveals the infinite realm of phenomena. This place was blessed with the emanations of the tathāgatas. It was the entrance into the wisdom of the domain of non-attachment; the source of great joy; the entrance into recollection, intelligence, and understanding; a magnificent magical display that was never criticized; the entrance into the unattached realization of discriminating wisdom; a place that will be praised throughout future world ages; a place endowed with an immeasurable accumulation of all good qualities.

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With him was a great community of six million monks, all of them with all-knowing minds.[F.79.b] They were free in thought because of their right knowledge, and they were making efforts to subdue all the habits of the afflictions, which are connections to new births. They were the sons of the Tathāgata, the King of the Dharma. They were skilled in behaving according to the deep Dharma of the Buddha, they were emancipated from phenomena, which are beyond objectification, they were perfected through their gracious behavior, they were truly worthy of gifts, and they were punctilious in following the instructions of the Tathāgata.

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With him was also a great community of bodhisatvas. The bodhisatva great beings had assembled from different buddha fields, and they were innumerable. Their number was infinite, immeasurable, unthinkable, beyond measure, and inexpressible. They were endowed with the power to pass through infinite buddha fields in an instant and were thus skilled in coming and going. They were ready to pay homage to and serve all the tathāgatas. Untiring in their quest to hear the Dharma of the Buddha, they strove constantly to bring all beings to spiritual maturity. They had attained the highest levels in expedient means and insight and were established in unobstructed liberation and wisdom. Transcending all thought-constructions, fictions, and discursive thinking, they were close to the stage of omniscience. Present there was the bodhisatva Vidyuddeva, the bodhisatva Yuddhajaya, the bodhisatva Vairocanagarbha, the bodhisatva Parākramavikrama, the bodhisatva Vimatisamudghātin, the bodhisatva Vighuṣṭaśabda, the bodhisatva Vyavalokanacakṣur, the bodhisatva Vigatatamas,[F.80.a] the bodhisatva Maitreya, the bodhisatva Mañjuśrī, and so on, with innumerable other bodhisatva great beings whose number was immeasurable, beyond measure, unthinkable, unequaled, incomparable, peerless, infinite, and utterly inexpressible.

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Then the Blessed One taught, pointed out, made clear, declared, made accepted, caused to be recited, made known, announced, explained, displayed, revealed, defined, proclaimed, and expounded the exposition of the Dharma called The Unobstructed Gate of Penetration into and Going Forth in the Practice of Bodhisatvas, which focuses on the arrangement of the way of the bodhisatvas. It is the source of the wisdom that accomplishes all the profound teachings of a buddha, his ten powers, and his fearlessness. It is the entrance through the gate that is the seal of retention in memory, and it is the method for mastering all phenomena. It is the entrance through the gate that leads to the well-determined special kinds of knowledge. It is the entrance through the gate that leads to the wisdom of the great supernormal knowledges. It is the wheel of the Dharma that never turns back. It teaches the Dharma of not turning back, the Dharma of the absence of origination. It unites to the way that is to be traversed alone. It unites all vehicles in the sameness of the single vehicle. It is the entrance into the indivisible realm of phenomena, which is of one single principle. It is the teaching of how to understand the intentions and abilities of all beings. It determines the Dharma that conforms to what is essential. It is the destruction of all the regions of Māra. It is the entrance through the gate leading to the genuine Dharma. It is the subduing of all afflictions and views. It accords with unhindered insight and wisdom. It teaches the wisdom of expedient means, which is skill in dedicating to awakening in an infinite and incomparable way. It accords with the wisdom of the fact that all the qualities of a buddha are the same. It is the entrance through the gate leading to the mastery of unhindered knowledge. It teaches all phenomena as they really are.[F.80.b] It is the entrance into the sameness that is beyond thought-constructions and fictions. It is the understanding of deep dependent origination. It is the gathering of the complete accumulation of great merit and wisdom. It accords with the sameness of the Buddha’s ornaments of body, speech, and mind. It is the realization of imperishable recollection, intelligence, understanding, devotion, and insight. It is the entrance into the teaching of the noble truths for the sake of those to be educated by means of the vehicle of the disciples. It is the knowledge of physical and mental isolation for the sake of those to be educated by means of the vehicle of the isolated buddhas. It is the attainment of the consecration for the stage of omniscience for the sake of those to be educated by means of the Great Vehicle. It is the entrance into the method for mastering all phenomena for the sake of proclaiming the virtues of the tathāgatas.

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Then, as the Blessed One was explaining that discourse on the Dharma, a chapter of The Great Collection with its well-determined meanings, a great golden light appeared in the east. That golden light illumined the whole area, which was adorned with jewels, as well as this great trichiliocosm. Except for the light of the tathāgatas and the consecrated bodhisatvas, the other lights in this great trichiliocosm‍—the light of the sun and the moon, the light of Śakra, Brahmā, the protectors of the world, the gods, the nāgas, the yakṣas, the gandharvas, the asuras, the garuḍas,[F.81.a] the kinnaras, and the mahoragas, as well as the light of fire, gems, jewels, lightnings, and stars‍—were all eclipsed, obscured, and darkened. Even the forms heaped up in the dark spaces between the worlds of this great trichiliocosm, where even the sun and the moon‍—which have such great power, such great strength‍—do not shine, illuminate, or shed beams, were illumined by that light. Grasses, bushes, herbs, and trees did not obstruct that radiance. Even the black mountains, the snow mountains, Mount Sumeru, the Cakravāḍa Mountains, the Mahācakravāḍa Mountains, Mount Mucilinda, Mount Mahāmucilinda, and all the great kings of mountains did not obstruct that light. When it had penetrated everywhere, right down to the great Avīci hell, this entire great trichiliocosm was filled with light, and all the beings who inhabited hell, all the animals, and all the inhabitants of Yāma’s kingdom whose bodies were touched by that light thought, “I am in possession of all types of pleasure.” They experienced no painful sensations, and they were pleased in body and in mind.

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All around the perimeter of the assembly that was in the presence of the Blessed One, in the area adorned with jewels, six hundred million seven-jeweled lotuses appeared, rising up out of the bowels of the earth. They were as big as wagon wheels in diameter, with several billion petals, sweet smelling, variegated, beautiful to behold, colorful, pleasing, covered with a net of jewel parasols, soft, and pleasant to touch like kācilinda tissue. The fragrance of each of those jewel lotuses filled a great trichiliocosm,[F.81.b] and all the fragrances found among gods and humans in this great trichiliocosm were surpassed by the fragrance of those lotuses. When the sense of smell of the gods, humans, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas encountered that fragrance, they all thought, “I am without afflictions,” and they experienced the joy of the Dharma.

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Venerable Ānanda saw that golden radiance and that marvelous array of lotuses. When he saw them, he was greatly astonished and amazed. He got up from his seat, put his cloak over his shoulder, placed his right knee on the ground, bowed in the direction of the Blessed One with the palms of his hands joined, and said, “Blessed One, there is such a radiance that can be seen, so beautiful to behold, and this array of lotuses, which has never been seen or heard of before, has appeared. Of whom is this a sign?”

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Not long after the Blessed One had spoken, the bodhisatva Akṣayamati arrived at the area adorned with jewels where the Blessed One was staying. He caused the earth to shake and emitted rays of light through his bodhisatva power, might, and magic, showering a great rain of flowers and manifesting the tunes of myriads of cymbals and songs.[F.82.a] Six hundred million bodhisatvas accompanied and attended upon him. When he had arrived, he sat in the air before the Blessed One, seven tāla-heights above the ground. Joining the palms of his hands, he filled this great trichiliocosm with melodious sounds and praised the Blessed One with these fitting verses:

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Then Venerable Śāradvatīputra said to the bodhisatva Akṣayamati, “Son of good family, I did not ask you this on account of your eloquence, but to hear of places I had never heard of before. For example, son of good family, a man who is a collector of village fees or taxes might ask a man with or without a load as he goes along the road, ‘Hello there, my good man, what are you carrying? Pay me the village fees and taxes!’ In just the same way, son of good family, we, disciples who follow the words of others, who have confidence in what we hear from others, and who are only concerned with what is to be seen in the course of our own thoughts, should always question holy people such as yourself in order to grasp this Great Vehicle, from which many disciples and isolated buddhas are likely to arise. Therefore, son of good family, please tell us where you come from, the name of the tathāgata living in your place, and the name of your world sphere.”

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Akṣayamati said, “Śāradvatīputra, as the Tathāgata is sitting before you, ask him. He will answer your question, and the whole assembly will be without doubt.”

Then Venerable Śāradvatīputra said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One,[F.84.b] where does this bodhisatva Akṣayamati come from? What is the name of the tathāgata in his place, what is the name of his world sphere, and how far is that world sphere from here? In order for living beings, whose amount is infinite and cannot be counted, to put on the armor for the sake of awakening when they hear the name of that tathāgata and the name of that buddha field, may the Tathāgata please teach us! May the Blessed One, the Bliss-Gone One, please teach us!”

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Then Venerable Śāradvatīputra applauded and listened to the Blessed One who said, “Śāradvatīputra, there is a world sphere called Unblinking, which lies to the east of this buddha field, past as many buddha fields as there are grains of sand in ten River Gaṅgās. A tathāgata, worthy, fully awakened one called Samantabhadra dwells there and lives while teaching the Dharma. This is the place where the bodhisatva Akṣayamati comes from. There, Śāradvatīputra, in the buddha field Unblinking, even the concepts of disciples and isolated buddhas do not exist, and the community of that tathāgata consists only of bodhisatvas who have prepared themselves in the past. Those bodhisatvas are firmly rooted in generosity, discipline, self-mastery, gentleness, morality, learning,[F.85.a] care, the qualities of purity, and restriction. They are without aversion by their power of patient acceptance. They have piled up roots of virtue with firm vigor for the sake of awakening. They revel in the meditations, the liberations, the concentrations, the attainments of meditation, and the supernormal knowledges. They are proficient in the wisdom that teaches the classifications of the words of all the teachings of the Buddha through the great shining light of their insight. Their friendly thoughts are as vast as the expanse of heaven. They know how to bring all living beings to maturity through their firm intention of compassion. They joyfully delight in the Dharma. They are beyond duality through equanimity, having completely done away with faults, attachment, aversion, and conceit. They are firmly rooted in the way of the concentration on phenomena as being empty, beyond distinguishing marks, and beyond anything to long for. They rid themselves of the hook of Māra and of the impurities of afflictions and quarrelsomeness. They know the intentions and abilities‍—whether good or feeble‍—of all living beings, and they give them the Dharma, wealth, and knowledge accordingly. Their thoughts are similar to earth, water, fire, or wind. They destroy assemblies of quarreling opponents and their false entourages. They are heroes who never turn back, with banners and flags raised in victory in battle. They are free from any fear or anxiety in any assembly through their profound buddha qualities, their ten powers, and their fearlessness. By understanding dependent origination, they have entered the middle way, having given up the extreme views of existence, nonexistence, and both existence and nonexistence. They are free from the arising of all the views of a self, anything related to a self, an animated being, a life principle, a soul, a life-sustaining principle, a spirit, a personality, a man,[F.85.b] a human being, a creator, a self that experiences, permanence, nihilism, origination, and disintegration. They are sealed with the seal of the Tathāgata, the formula for retaining in memory the king of sacred texts. Their eloquence is unbroken because of the power of unattached wisdom, even when they speak for a myriad of world ages. They are proficient in approaching and departing from buddha fields endless in number and in coming and going by displaying awakened magic, wonders, and supernormal powers. Since they have cut off fear, anger, conceit, infatuation, and haughtiness, they utter lion’s roars. They are reliable friends to all beings, whether they are superior, average, or inferior, and they establish them in nirvāṇa. They send down thunder from the cloud of the Dharma and manifest the lightning of reasoning and liberation. They pour down the rain of ambrosia. They do not break the lineage of the Three Jewels but scatter the jewels of the Dharma. Their intentions are pure like gems and their reason is purified with regard to both inner and outer things. They are adorned with ornaments shining with their own brilliance and with the supreme major and minor marks, which are caused by a hundred thousand roots of virtue. They are consecrated with all the qualities of a buddha and are crown princes bound to be born only once more. They discern each one of living beings’ inclinations, the kind of liberation they will attain, and the way to train those who are to be trained. They know the fearless way to be courageous in approaching the stage that consists in remaining on the seat of awakening. They display all the actions and the body of a buddha. They are heroes who have the power to attract, control, and turn the jewel of the wheel of the incomparable Dharma. The whole community of that blessed one, Śāradvatīputra, consists of bodhisatvas of that kind.”[F.86.a]

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The whole assembly was satisfied and content. They were happy and delighted, and joy and good temper arose in them as they listened to this demonstration of praise and eulogy of the good qualities of those bodhisatvas. They sprinkled the Blessed One, the bodhisatva Akṣayamati, and the other bodhisatvas with celestial flowers, blue lotuses, red lotuses, white lotuses, mandārava flowers, and mahāmandārava flowers, and said, “What we have attained by seeing, paying homage to, and honoring these good humans is truly auspicious!” Those beings developed the mind of incomparable, perfect awakening as they heard that eulogy of the qualities of those bodhisatvas. They said, “We have gained an auspicious attainment!” and three million six hundred thousand beings developed the mind of awakening.

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Then the Blessed One said to the elder Śāradvatīputra, “Furthermore, Śāradvatīputra, there in that world sphere Unblinking, there are no words for lower worlds, unfavorable conditions, or suffering. There are no words for the bewilderment of downfalls, afflictions, wrong attainments, or the neglect of discipline. There are no words for being born as a female, envy, corrupted morality, malice, inattention, or corrupted insight. There are no words for obstructions or interruptions, either manifest or potential. There are no words for superior, average, or inferior or for differences among beings, vehicles, or buddha fields. There are no words for differences among buddhas, differences within the Dharma, or differences among the community. There are no words for food, drink, hunger, and thirst[F.86.b] or for me, mine, or property. There are no words for the evil views, manifest or potential. That world is broad and wide, and it has sixty trillion continents. Due to the aspirations of the bodhisatvas, it is illumined all over by the light of one sun and one moon.

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“Furthermore, in that world sphere the ground is even like the palm of the hand, and it is made of blue lapis lazuli. It is set with all kinds of jewels, it is pleasant to touch like soft cloth, it is patterned like a chessboard, it is adorned with jeweled trees, and it is beautified with flowers that are always in bloom. There are no rocks, stones, gravel, pebbles, and black mountains, and it is adorned with Mount Sumeru. There is no difference between the pleasures of gods and humans, and the food of those beings is joy in the Dharma and meditation. There in that world sphere, there is no king other than the peerless king of the Dharma, the tathāgata, worthy, fully awakened one Samantabhadra. That blessed one does not teach the Dharma to those bodhisatvas through the differentiation of syllables, words, and conventional phrases. Instead, the bodhisatvas go to that blessed one, look at him with unblinking eyes, and attain the concentration that consists in the recollection of the Buddha. He then gives them the prophecy that is connected with the attainment of the patient acceptance of the fact that all phenomena are unborn. That is why that world sphere is called Unblinking.

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“What is the recollection of the Buddha? It is not brought about through the recollection of the Buddha’s corporeal marks or through the recollection of his lineage, his family, or his social standing. It is not brought about through the recollection of previous good practice. It is not brought about by reflecting on the knowledge that is to be attained in the future. It is not brought about by reflecting on those tathāgatas who exist in the present. It is not brought about through recollection concerned with the aggregates, the elements, and the sense sources.[F.87.a] It is not brought about through the recollection of what has been seen, heard, imagined, or comprehended. It is not brought about through thought, mind, or consciousness. It is not brought about through discursive thought and mental activity. It is not brought about through the recollection of origination, existence, and destruction. It is not brought about through grasping, discord, or rejection. It is not brought about through recollection and mental effort. It is not brought about through thought-constructions, imaginings, and fictions. It is not brought about through the recollection of the general character of phenomena or through the recollection of their special character. It is not brought about through the recollection of sameness, difference, or separation. It is not brought about by counting objects of thought. It is not brought about with inner or outer movement. It is not brought about by grasping or rejecting the differentiating marks in one’s imagination. It is not brought about through the recollection of the qualities of colors and forms. It is not brought about through the practice of deportment and good behavior. It is not brought about through the recollection of morality, concentration, insight, deliverance, or the wisdom of deliverance. It is not brought about by imputing the powers, fearlessness, or special qualities of a buddha.

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“In this way, the recollection of the Buddha has the character of being beyond thought, beyond activity, and beyond knowledge. It is beyond what belongs to the ego and beyond mental effort. It is not a state of origination and destruction related to the aggregates, the elements, or the sense sources. It is unhindered, disengaged, unfixed, and not nonfixed. It does not lean on anything, and it is not fixed upon anything. It has no objective basis for the consciousness of form. It has no objective basis to be known by feeling, perception, formative factors, or consciousness. It has no objective basis for the consciousness characterized by the elements of earth, water,[F.87.b] fire, or wind. It has no objective basis for the element of consciousness. It has no objective basis for the consciousnesses of eye and forms, ear and sounds, nose and smells, tongue and tastes, body and physical objects, and mind and mental phenomena.

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“Furthermore, this recollection of the Buddha is not dependent on any object. It is the non-appearance of all distinguishing marks. It is beyond the activity that consists in actions of speech, mental activity, and movements of the body. It does not originate from what has been seen, heard, imagined, or comprehended. It does not follow from that which is characterized by all the abilities and the deliverance of the disciples. It is not born again from one moment to another. It is the appeasement of all thought-construction and imagination. It has done away with mistakes, attachment, and aversion. It gets rid of that which is characterized as the cause of afflictions. It has cut off holding on to any extremes and to the past, future, or present. It is brilliant, as it is not imputed in terms of the absence of forms. It is beyond enjoyment since it is undifferentiated, and it is beyond pleasure through not enjoying the taste of meditation. It is without burning desire, as it is at peace from the beginning. It is characterized as deliverance since all its effort has disappeared. It is without body, as it is without form. It is not felt, as it is beyond feelings. It is without knots, as it is not tied. It is not composite, as it is beyond the powers of composition. It is characterized as being beyond knowledge, as it is beyond consciousness. It is beyond clinging, as it is without grasping. It is beyond abandonment, as it does not do away with anything. It is not dependent, as it is without basis. It is not fixed, as it is beyond feeling. It is characterized as being unchanging, as it is unborn. It is not included among phenomena connected with any recollection, mental effort, thought, or things that are related to thought.[F.88.a] It is unaffected, beyond grasping, beyond rejection, completely appeased, originally unborn, distinguished through the absence of birth, and united with the realm of phenomena. It is sameness, with no difference, similar to open space. It transcends the ways of eye and forms and likewise transcends the ways of ear and sounds, nose and smells, tongue and tastes, and mind and mental phenomena. Those bodhisatvas attain that kind of recollection of the Buddha. As soon as they have attained it, they attain the unhindered wisdom of all phenomena, and they retain what all the blessed buddhas have said. They do not forget it, but they do not remember it either. They find the definitive meaning of all words.

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“Śāradvatīputra, the tathāgata, worthy, fully awakened Samantabhadra does not teach right view in such a way that listening to others is a necessary condition, or that thorough mental effort concerning oneself is a necessary cause. Śāradvatīputra, those bodhisatvas fulfill the six perfections according to their definitive meanings as soon as they see that tathāgata, and they receive the prophecy connected with the patient acceptance of the fact that all phenomena are unborn. Why is this? Giving up attachment to the distinguishing marks of form is the perfection of giving. Putting an end to the distinguishing marks of form is the perfection of morality. The state of things when all the distinguishing marks of form have perished is the perfection of patient acceptance. Seeing things as being apart from the distinguishing marks of form is the perfection of vigor. Not letting thought disperse itself among the distinguishing marks of form is the perfection of meditation.[F.88.b] The absence of the activity of discursive thought related to the distinguishing marks of form is the perfection of insight.

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Then, at that moment, the bodhisatva Akṣayamati entered the concentration called the display of all buddha fields. As soon as he had entered this concentration, the elder Śāradvatīputra and the entire assembly saw the world sphere Unblinking, the blessed tathāgata, the worthy, fully awakened Samantabhadra, those arrays of flowers, and those bodhisatvas. When they saw them, they all got up from their seats, and joining the palms of their hands[F.89.a] they paid homage to the blessed tathāgata, the worthy, fully awakened Samantabhadra and to those bodhisatvas.

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Then, by the power of the Buddha Śākyamuni and the magic of the bodhisatva Akṣayamati, flower buds that they had never seen or heard of before appeared in their right hands. They were fragrant, multicolored, beautiful to behold, colorful, and pleasing. They threw them to the east, where the blessed tathāgata, the worthy, fully awakened Samantabhadra dwelt. The flower buds they had cast appeared in that buddha field, and when they had been sprinkled on that blessed tathāgata, the worthy, fully awakened Samantabhadra and on those bodhisatvas, they filled that whole world sphere. The bodhisatvas living in that world sphere asked the blessed tathāgata, the worthy, fully awakened Samantabhadra, “Blessed One, where is this rain of such beautiful flowers falling from?”

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That blessed one said, “Sons of good family, this is happening because the bodhisatva Akṣayamati has arrived in the world sphere Enduring, the buddha field of the blessed Śākyamuni, to see that blessed tathāgata Śākyamuni, to honor him, to give him offerings, to pay respect to him, and to listen to his Dharma. The bodhisatvas who have gathered in that world sphere from the ten directions have scattered those flowers. That blessed tathāgata Śākyamuni is giving the exposition of the Dharma called ‘A Chapter of the Great Collection,’ and living beings in number beyond measure are about to comprehend the Dharma.”[F.89.b]

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The bodhisatvas said, “Blessed One, how far from here is that world sphere where the tathāgata Śākyamuni dwells?”

The blessed one said, “There is a world sphere called Enduring, which lies to the west of this buddha field, past as many buddha fields as there are grains of sand in ten River Gaṅgās. A tathāgata, worthy, fully awakened one by the name of Śākyamuni dwells there, remains there, and lives while teaching the Dharma.”

They said, “Blessed One, let us see that world sphere Enduring, that blessed tathāgata, that worthy, fully awakened Śākyamuni, and those bodhisatvas.”

1.53

At that moment, the tathāgata, worthy, fully awakened Samantabhadra emitted from his body such a light that, once it had penetrated all those buddha fields, the world sphere Enduring, the Blessed Tathāgata Śākyamuni and his bodhisatvas were seen by his own bodhisatvas. When they saw them, they all got up from their seats, joined the palms of their hands, bowed to the Blessed Tathāgata Śākyamuni and to those bodhisatvas and said, “Blessed One, where have so many bodhisatvas gathered from? They fill that world sphere to the point where one could not even insert the tip of a strand of hair between them.”

That blessed one said, “Those bodhisatvas, sons of good family, have gathered from immeasurable buddha fields in the ten directions to hear about the Dharma.”[F.90.a]

1.54

Then Venerable Śāradvatīputra addressed the bodhisatva Akṣayamati, saying, “Why, son of good family, is your name Imperishable Intelligence?”^⁠7

Akṣayamati said, “Venerable Śāradvatīputra, the name Imperishable Intelligence is the outcome of not apprehending any phenomena. Why? Because of the imperishability of all phenomena.”

Śāradvatīputra said, “Give us some inspired speech, son of good family, on the subject of the bodhisatvas’ teaching on the imperishability of all phenomena.”

1.55

Akṣayamati said, “Venerable Śāradvatīputra, generating the mind of awakening for the first time is imperishable. For what reason? As it is unadulterated, that mind is developed in a way that is unadulterated by any affliction. That mind is developed in a way that is beyond any adulteration, as it has no desire for other vehicles. That mind is developed in a way that is firm, as it is not corrupted by any opponent. That mind is developed in a way that is unbreakable by any of the māras. That mind is developed in a way that is steady, because it is the cause of the attainment of all roots of virtue. That mind is developed in a way that is permanent, as it discerns the impermanence of all conditioned things. That mind is developed in a way that is immovable, as it is the basis for the attainment of the qualities of a buddha. That mind is developed in a way that is uncrushable, as it is separated from any wrong practice. That mind is developed in a way that is well fixed, as it is unwavering. That mind is developed in a way that is beyond comparison, as it has no contrast. That mind is developed in a way that is adamantine, as it pierces all phenomena. That mind is developed in a way that is boundless, as it accumulates immeasurable quantities of merit. That mind is developed in the same manner with respect to the intentions of all beings. That mind is developed in a way that is undifferentiated, as it sets nothing apart. That mind is developed in a way that is pure, as it is essentially undefiled. That mind is developed in a way that is immaculate, as it is connected with the splendor of insight.[F.90.b] That mind is developed as deep meditation, as it never gives up its determination. That mind is developed in a wide-open manner, as its friendliness is similar to the expanse of the sky. That mind is developed extensively, as it gives all living beings an opportunity. That mind is developed in a way that is unobstructed, as it is bent toward unattached wisdom. That mind is developed in accordance with birth in every state of existence, as its great compassion never ceases. That mind is developed in a way that is never ceasing, as it is the knowledge of how to transform. That mind is developed as something desirable, as it is praised by the omniscient. That mind is developed as something worthy to be admired, as it engages with other vehicles. That mind is developed as something that is not seen among the things usually seen by living beings. That mind is developed as the seed of all the qualities of a buddha. That mind is developed in a way that is unbreakable by any phenomena. That mind is developed as the foundation of all states of happiness. That mind is developed in a way that is adorned with the accumulation of merit. That mind is developed through the accumulation of wisdom. That mind is developed in a way that is prosperous, through the accumulation of generosity. That mind is developed as the outcome of aspirations, through the accumulation of morality. That mind is developed in a way that is hard to overcome, through the accumulation of patient acceptance. That mind is developed in a way that is hard to conquer, through the accumulation of vigor. That mind is developed as having the essential character of peace, through the accumulation of meditation. That mind is developed in a way that is unhindered, through the accumulation of insight. That mind is developed in a way that is without harm, through the accumulation of great friendliness. That mind is developed in a way that is stable and firmly rooted, through the accumulation of great compassion. That mind is developed in a way that is established in joy, happiness, and delight, through the accumulation of great joy. That mind is developed in a way that is undisturbed by either pleasure or suffering, through the accumulation of great equanimity.[F.91.a] That mind is developed in a way that is blessed by the powerful presence of all the buddhas. That mind is developed in an unbroken manner, as it keeps the lineage of the Three Jewels unbroken. That mind is developed in a way that is praised in communities throughout the buddha fields in the ten directions. Is there any perishability, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, in the mind of omniscience generated thus?”

Śāradvatīputra said, “Not at all, son of good family. One who holds that such a mind of omniscience could perish would hold that space would perish.”

1.56

Akṣayamati said, “The mind of the Tathāgata, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, is imperishable. That mind of awakening is generated as its root, which is why it is imperishable. The masses of morality, concentration, insight, liberation, and the liberated wisdom vision of the Tathāgata, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, are imperishable. That mind of awakening is generated as their root, which is why it is imperishable. The meditations, liberations, concentrations, and states of absorption of the Tathāgata, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, are imperishable. That mind of awakening is generated as their root, which is why it is imperishable. The generosity, morality, patient acceptance, vigor, meditation, and insight of the Tathāgata, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, are imperishable. That mind of awakening is generated as their root, which is why it is imperishable. The friendliness, compassion, joy, and equanimity of the Tathāgata, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, are imperishable. That mind of awakening is generated as their root, which is why it is imperishable.[F.91.b] The ten powers, the four kinds of fearlessness, and the eighteen particular qualities of the Tathāgata, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, are imperishable. That mind of awakening is generated as their root, which is why it is imperishable. In short, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, all the qualities of a buddha are imperishable. That mind of awakening is generated as their root, which is why it is imperishable. Since it keeps the succession of the Three Jewels unbroken, it is imperishable. Since the sphere of living beings is imperishable, it is imperishable. Since it is bent upon the wisdom of that fact that the sphere of living beings is imperishable, it is imperishable. Since it discerns the mental behavior of all beings, it is imperishable. Since it does not break any of one’s former aspirations, it is imperishable. Since it is transformed into the unconditioned, it is imperishable. Since it brings beings to maturity with respect to the unconditioned, it is imperishable. Since its knowledge of cessation and its knowledge of the absence of birth are imperishable, it is imperishable. Since it neither arises nor disintegrates, it is imperishable. Since it is the complete realization of the wisdom of the fact that all phenomena are originally imperishable, it is imperishable. This, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, is the bodhisatvas’ imperishable mind of awakening.

1.57

“Furthermore, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, the bodhisatvas’ intention is also imperishable. Why? That intention is not artificial, as it is not made up. It is not made up, as it is without hypocrisy. It is without hypocrisy, as it is right understanding. It is right understanding, as it is without pretense. It is without pretense, as it is pure. It is pure, as it is straight. It is straight, as it is not crooked. It is not crooked, as it is clear. It is clear, as it is not uneven. It is not uneven, as it is firm. It is firm, as it is not broken. It is not broken, as it is stable. It is stable, as it is unwavering. It is unwavering, as it is not dependent. It is not dependent, as it is not attached. It is not attached, as it is especially noble. It is especially noble, as it is irreproachable. It is irreproachable, as it is the performance of good actions.[F.92.a] It is the performance of good actions, as it is not blamed in secrecy. It is not blamed in secrecy, as it is free from remorse. It is free from remorse, as it is without distress. It is without distress, as it is true. It is true, as it is undeceiving. It is undeceiving, as it acts in accordance with what has been promised. It acts in accordance with what has been promised, as it is well done. It is well done, as it is without reprehension. It is without reprehension, as it is unerring. It is unerring, as it is steady. It is steady, as it is not falling back. It is not falling back, as it cares for living beings. It is care for living beings, as it is rooted in great compassion. It is rooted in great compassion, as it is indefatigable. It is indefatigable, as it is the knowledge of the way to bring beings to maturity. It is the knowledge of the way to bring beings to maturity, as it does not seek self-centered pleasure. It does not seek self-centered pleasure, as it does not hope for recompense. It does not hope for recompense, as it is unattached to material things. It is unattached to material things, as it is confidence in the Dharma. It is confidence in the Dharma, as it cares for weak living beings. It cares for weak living beings, as it is an assistant. It is an assistant, as it is a refuge. It is a refuge, as it is a protector. It is a protector, as it is without affliction. It is without affliction, as it is complete understanding. It is complete understanding, as it is beyond abuse. It is beyond abuse, as it is good intention. It is good intention, as it is not anything in particular. It is not anything in particular, as it is completely pure. It is completely pure, as it is completely virtuous. It is completely virtuous because of its inner stainlessness. It is inwardly stainless because of its outer purity. It is outwardly pure because of its complete purity in all aspects.

1.58

“That intention of the bodhisatvas, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, should be seen as being for the sake of the abandonment of envy,[F.92.b] and it should be seen as imperishable since it brings envious beings to maturity. That intention should be seen as being for the sake of getting rid of the stain of immorality, and it should be seen as imperishable since it brings immoral beings to maturity. That intention should be seen as being for the sake of getting rid of ill will, harshness, and negativity, and it should be seen as imperishable since it brings beings with negative attitudes to maturity. That intention should be seen as being for the sake of getting rid of sloth, and it should be seen as imperishable since it brings slothful beings to maturity. That intention should be seen as being for the sake of getting rid of lack of concentration, and it should be seen as imperishable since it brings beings who lack concentration to maturity. That intention should be seen as being for the sake of getting rid of bad insight, and it should be seen as imperishable since it brings beings with bad insight to maturity. Thus, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, intention should be seen as being for the sake of getting rid of all the nonvirtuous phenomena of all living beings, but it should be seen as imperishable since it brings all beings to strive for virtue. This, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, is called the bodhisatvas’ imperishable intention.

1.59

“Furthermore, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, the bodhisatvas’ practice is imperishable, as their intention is imperishable. Why? The intention of generosity is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, while their practice is the appearance that they give away all their possessions. The intention of moral discipline is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, while their practice is the appearance of taking upon themselves moral discipline, training, the qualities of asceticism, and penance. The intention of patient acceptance is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, while their practice is the appearance of the absence of aggressive thoughts toward any being.[F.93.a] The intention of vigor is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, while their practice is the appearance of having all roots of virtue as a basis. The intention of meditation is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, while their practice is the appearance of the application of their meditation. The intention of insight is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, while their practice is the appearance of the application of what they have learned. The intention of friendliness, compassion, joy, and equanimity is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, while their practice is the appearance of bringing benefits and happiness to living beings, bringing joy and confidence in the Dharma, and getting rid of aversion and attachment. The intention concerning the body is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, as it is the purification of the threefold vows related to physical deeds. The intention concerning the speech is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, as it is the giving up of the four kinds of negative deeds in speech. The intention concerning the mind is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, as it is the absence of covetousness, ill will, and wrong views. The intention concerning study is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, as they have no teacher’s secrecy concerning the Dharma. The intention of having no teacher’s secrecy concerning the Dharma is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, as it is the practice of generating the mind of omniscience. The intention of generating the mind of omniscience is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, as it leads other living beings to adopt the mind of awakening. The intention of leading other living beings to adopt the mind of awakening is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, as it puts living beings in touch with the roots of virtue. The intention of practice concerned with the roots of virtue is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, as it dedicates to awakening. The intention to dedicate to awakening is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, as it is the attainment of all the qualities of a buddha.[F.93.b] The intention to attain all the qualities of a buddha is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, as it is the understanding of the sacred Dharma. Understanding the sacred Dharma is the bodhisatvas’ imperishable practice, as it is the admission of one’s wrongdoings. The intention to admit one’s wrongdoings is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, as it is the confession of one’s negative actions. The intention to confess one’s negative actions is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, as it is rejoicing in all merit. The intention to rejoice in all merit is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, as it is the collection of an immeasurable accumulation of merit. The intention to collect an immeasurable accumulation of merit is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, as it is the request of teachings from all the buddhas. The intention to request teachings from all the buddhas is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, as it is the support of the sacred Dharma. The intention to support the sacred Dharma is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, as it is the deed of a holy person. The intention of the deed of a holy person is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, as it frees others from their burdens. The intention of freeing others from their burdens is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, as it consists in never taking off the strong armor of vigor. The intention to never take off the strong armor of vigor is the bodhisatvas’ imperishability of practice, as it is the carrying out of the duties of all beings.

1.60

1.61

“There are four more imperishable practices. What are these four? They are the imperishability of practice that consists in tirelessness in conforming to the qualities of asceticism and penance when living in the wilderness, the imperishability of practice that consists in tirelessness in amassing the accumulations of merit and wisdom, the imperishability of practice that consists in tirelessness in the quest for learning, and the imperishability of practice that consists in tirelessness in knowing how to dedicate to awakening. These are the four imperishable practices.

1.62

1.63

1.64

1.65

“There are four more imperishable practices. What are these four? They are the imperishability of practice that consists in explaining that formative factors are impermanent, the imperishability of practice that consists in explaining that formative factors are suffering, the imperishability of practice that consists in explaining that all phenomena are selfless, and the imperishability of practice that consists in explaining the enjoyment of peace in nirvāṇa.[F.94.b] These are the four imperishable practices.

1.66

1.67

“Furthermore, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, the determination of the bodhisatvas is also imperishable. Why is this? It is because it rests upon all the roots of virtue. Whatever the bodhisatvas think rests upon the roots of virtue because of their determination. It is the determination to pass on, as it is to progress from one stage the next. It is the determination to cross over, as it is to go to a different state. It is the highest determination, as it is utterly noble. It is an especially noble determination because it grasps specific qualities. It is the determination that has all the qualities of a buddha clearly in view. It is the determination that rests upon qualities that accord with that which is especially noble. It is the determination to carry through all undertakings. It is a persevering determination, because of its indefatigability in perseverance. It is the determination of perfected vows, because of the fulfillment of the vows. It is an unassailable determination, since one has only oneself as a companion. It is the determination on the stage of being well trained, because of the absence of unruliness. It is the determination on the stage of being disciplined, because of nobility. It is the unmixed determination, because it is not contaminated by the afflictions of untrained beings.[F.95.a] It is the determination of giving gifts that are hard to give, because of the giving of even the head, the best part of the body. It is the determination of morality that is hard to practice, because of the assistance for the immoral. It is the determination of patient acceptance that is hard to practice, because of putting up with the faults of weak beings. It is the determination of vigor that is hard to practice, because of giving up the awakening of disciples and isolated buddhas even when one has it at hand. It is the determination of meditation that is hard to practice, because of not enjoying the taste of meditation. It is the determination of insight that is hard to practice, because of not deriding the accumulation of any root of virtue. It is the determination to carry through any practice undertaken, because of completing the duties of all beings. It is the determination that is free from conceit, pride, haughtiness, self-conceit, self-esteem, the pride of modesty, and illusory pride, because of discerning through knowledge. It is the determination of regarding all beings as worthy of gifts, because of not hoping for recompense. It is the determination of fearlessness, because of understanding the deep Dharma of the buddhas. It is the determination to go to a different state, because of progressing by means of powers. It is the determination to never be fainthearted, because of helping those carrying burdens. It is an imperishable determination, because of constant efforts.

1.68

“Furthermore, determination is said to be kindness to nonhumans, friendliness to living beings, thought for the welfare of the noble, compassion for those who are not noble, respect for the masters, protection for the unprotected, a refuge for those without refuge,[F.95.b] an island for the shipwrecked, an ideal for those without ideals, friendship to the friendless, straightness to the crooked, correctness to the unruly, absence of fraud to the fraudulent, absence of trickery to the dissemblers, gratitude to the ungrateful, thankfulness to the harmful, help to the unhelpful, truth to the mistaken, humility to the stubborn, absence of reproach to the virtuous, refrain from proclaiming the mistakes of others, protection to those who behave wrongly, refrain from seeing faults in any skillful practice of virtue, homage to all those who are worthy of offerings, adequate obedience to admonitions, enjoyment of instructions and admonitions, respect for the hermits, absence of desire for gain, honor, and fame, absence of regard for one’s own body or life, absence of hypocrisy because of pure determination, absence of boasting because of restraint in speech, absence of threats because of contentment with what one has, responsiveness because of the lack of any mental afflictions, inclination toward existence because of the accumulation of all roots of virtue, and endurance of any suffering because of concern for all beings.

1.69

1.70

Then Venerable Śāradvatīputra said to the bodhisatva Akṣayamati,[F.96.a] “Son of good family, is there any other imperishability of the bodhisatvas?”

Akṣayamati said, “There is, Venerable Śāradvatīputra. The generosity of the bodhisatvas is also imperishable. Why? It is immeasurable. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, the bodhisatvas’ enjoyment of generosity is immeasurable. They give food to those who desire food, in order to display life, eloquence, happiness, strength, and complexion. They give drinks to those who desire drinks, to eliminate the thirst of all their afflictions. They give vehicles to those who desire vehicles, to collect all kinds of things that bring happiness and welfare. They give clothes to those who desire clothes, in order to purify their modesty, bashfulness, and golden complexion. They give lamps to those who desire lamps, to provide them with the divine sight of the Tathāgata. They give music to those who desire music, to purify their divine hearing of the Tathāgata. They give perfumes and unguents to those who desire perfumes and unguents, to anoint them with morality, learning, and concentration. They give garlands to those who desire garlands, to make them attain the flowers of remembrance, eloquence, and the limbs of awakening. They give aromatic powders to those who desire aromatic powders, to make them attain a pleasant bodily scent. They give all kinds of tastes to those who desire all kinds of tastes, to bring about the character of the great beings that consists in having excellent taste. They give houses to those who desire houses, to provide all beings with houses, refuges, places to go to, and places of protection. They give places of rest to those who desire places of rest, to eliminate all their hindrances and make them attain the abodes of the gods, the abodes of Brahmā,[F.96.b] and the tathāgatas’ place of rest. They give seats to those who desire seats, to make them attain the adamantine seat, the seat of awakening, in each of the great trichiliocosms. They give the necessities of life to those who desire the necessities of life, to make them complete the necessities for awakening. They give medicine to the sick and to those who desire medicine, to make them complete the happiness that is the ambrosia of agelessness and deathlessness.

1.71

“The bodhisatvas’ gift consisting in letting female and male slaves go is to complete self-originated wisdom, which is dependent only on itself, on its own power. The bodhisatvas’ gift consisting in giving away all kinds of riches, gold, silver, jewels, pearls, lapis lazuli, conches, crystals, and corals is to complete the thirty-two major marks of a great being. The bodhisatvas’ gift consisting in giving away different kinds of ornaments is to complete the eighty excellent minor marks. The bodhisatvas’ gift consisting in giving away head jewels and diadems is to obtain the invisible crown of the head. The bodhisatvas’ gift consisting in giving away vehicles, horses, elephants, carts, and footmen is to complete the Great Vehicle. The bodhisatvas’ gift consisting in giving away gardens, palaces, meditation groves, and monasteries is to complete the multitude of limbs of meditation. The bodhisatvas’ gift consisting in giving away their dear sons, daughters, and wives is for the sake of waking up to the joy of incomparable, complete awakening.[F.97.a] The bodhisatvas’ gift consisting in giving away riches, grains, treasuries, and granaries is to fill the treasuries and granaries of the sacred Dharma. The bodhisatva’s gift consisting in giving away sovereignty over villages, towns, market towns, royal cities, capitals, Jambudvīpa, or the four continents is to go to the seat of awakening of the King of the Dharma, which is excellent in all respects. The bodhisatvas’ gift consisting in giving away all pleasure, joy, and amusement is to attain joy and confidence in the Dharma.

1.72

“The feet are the bodhisatvas’ gift in order to go to the seat of awakening on the feet of the sacred Dharma. The palms of the hands are the bodhisatvas’ gift in order to give the hands of the sacred Dharma to all beings. The ears and nose are the bodhisatvas’ gift in order to attain unimpaired faculties. The eyes are the bodhisatvas’ gift so that, with regard to all beings, they may attain the unhindered sight of a buddha, the sight of the Dharma. The head, the best part of the body, is the bodhisatvas’ gift in order to attain the highest omniscience that is superior to the three realms. The bodhisatvas’ gift when giving away flesh and blood is to nourish bodies without strength, so that they may attain strength. The bodhisatvas’ gift when giving away their skin is to purify a golden complexion, with the skin soft and shining. Bones and marrow are the bodhisatvas’ gift in order to attain the body of a buddha, unbreakable and firm as a diamond and strong as that of Nārāyāṇa.[F.97.b]

1.73

“Furthermore, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, there is no gift of the bodhisatvas for the sake of seeking perverted pleasure. There is no gift that entails harm to living beings. There is no gift that produces conceit. There is no gift that is accompanied by fear, worries, or shame. There is no gift that is not given once it has been offered. There is no gift that is smaller than promised. There is no gift of bad things when good things are available. There is no gift offered without determination. There is no gift offered with falsehood or fraud. There are no artificial gifts. There is no gift offered for the sake of getting a certain result, for the sake of frivolity. There is no gift given with a wrong intention. There is no gift offered with deluded intentions. There is no gift offered with the intention of seeking a goal. There is no gift offered with perverted intentions. There is no gift offered without faith. There is no gift not offered with joy. There is no gift to which they are attached. There is no gift offered because of compliance. There is no gift offered while conceiving of a difference between living beings. There is no gift offered while seeking out a special recipient. There is no gift offered while despising any being as unworthy of gifts. There is no gift accompanied by praise of the moral and blame of the immoral. There is no gift offered in the expectation of a return. There is no gift offered for the sake of renown, fame, and praise. There is no gift offered to exalt themselves and deprecate others. There is no gift that causes subsequent annoyance. There is no gift offered with regret. There is no gift offered with remorse. There is no gift that is irksome. There is no gift offered with hidden hope. There is no gift offered with criticism. There is no gift offered with the hope that a good result for themselves should be expected. There is no gift that is measured out. There is no gift that produces rage, aversion, delusion, or harmfulness.[F.98.a] There is no gift that is troublesome to the one who asks. There is no gift offered with mocking and derision. There is no gift offered with hostility. There is no gift offered that has already been thrown away. There is no gift that is not treated with respect. There is no gift that is not from their own hands. There is no gift that is not always given. There is no gift offered without serenity. There is no gift prompted by others. There is no gift offered with special limitations. There is no gift that is less than appointed. There is no gift that is not in accordance with the original resolution. There is no gift offered while thinking, ‘That being is not a worthy recipient.’ There is no gift offered with contempt for the small. There is no gift offered with pride because it is magnificent. There is no gift offered with the wrong purpose. There is no gift offered with the wish for any particular birth. There is no gift offered for the sake of the enjoyment of beauty, pleasure, and power. There is no gift offered with the wish to be reborn as Śakra, Brahmā, a protector of the world, or in the group of all the gods. There is no gift that is dedicated to the vehicles of the disciples or the isolated buddhas. There is no gift offered with the wish to be a crown prince and to have the power of a king. There is no gift of which the result disappears in one lifetime. There is no gift offered while thinking, ‘One lifetime is enough; further giving is not needed.’ There is no gift that is not transformed into the mind of omniscience. There is no unsuitable gift. There is no gift given at the wrong time. There is no gift of poison or weapons. There is no gift that involves the injury of living beings.

1.74

“The generosity of the bodhisatvas is not censured by the wise. That generosity is accomplished in the form of emptiness, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is pervaded by the absence of distinguishing marks, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is established in the absence of longing for anything, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is transformed into the unconditioned, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is correctly undertaken, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is not contaminated by the three realms, which is why it is imperishable.[F.98.b] That generosity has liberation as its outcome, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is the absolute subjugation of all the māras, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is not mixed with any of the afflictions, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is going to a different state, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is definitely a good deed, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is the accumulation of merit on the way to awakening, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is rightly dedicated, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity has liberation as its outcome and is an ornament of the place of awakening, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is the nourishing of all beings, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is boundless, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is beyond decrease, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is not included in anything, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is never interrupted, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is abundant, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is without any basis, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is endless, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is faultless, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is blameless, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is never subdued, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is unsurpassed, which is why it is imperishable. That generosity is bent on the wisdom of omniscience, which is why it is imperishable. This, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, is called the bodhisatvas’ imperishable generosity.”

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1.76

Akṣayamati said, “The bodhisatvas’ mass of pure morality, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, is imperishable in sixty-five ways. What are these sixty-five ways? They are (1) not harming any living being; (2) not stealing others’ possessions; (3) having no desire for others’ wives; (4) telling no lies to any being; (5) not committing slander through being content with one’s own circle of followers; (6) enduring harsh words and not speaking harshly; (7) giving up gossip and not chattering confusedly; (8) not being greedy through rejoicing in others’ pleasure; (9) not bearing ill will through tolerating ways of speech involving accusation and slander; (10) holding right views through staying away from the teachings of other teachers; (11) trusting in the Buddha through having no impurity of thought; (12) trusting in the Dharma, as it is the sacred Dharma that teaches the way things are; (13) trusting in the community through the joy caused by all groups of saints; (14) being obedient through respect for the teachers; (15) paying obeisance with the body through honoring the Buddha, his Dharma, and the Community with full prostration; (16) having no lax morality through seeing the smallest imperfection as a danger; (17) having unbroken morality through not relying on any other vehicle; (18) having unimpaired morality through avoiding bad rebirth; (19) having unadulterated morality through not being corrupted by the afflictions of bad people; (20) having untroubled morality through increasing only virtuous qualities; (21) having the morality of the noble through behaving in the way one wishes; (22) having morality that is praised through not being faulted by the wise; (23) having morality that is of the best kind through its close relation to recollection and awareness; (24) having morality that is not derided, as it is without imperfection in all respects; (25) having morality that is well guarded through the guarding of the senses;[F.99.b] (26) having morality of wide renown through bearing all the teachings of the Buddha in mind; (27) having the morality of moderate wishes through knowing due moderation; (28) having the morality of being content through rejecting attachment; (29) having the morality that is essentially aloof through body and mind being detached from the world; (30) having the morality of staying in the wilderness through shunning entertainment; (31) having the morality that is content with the family of saints as it is not for the sake of complying with others; (32) having the morality that is in accordance with the qualities of the pure and with severe austerity, through having all the roots of virtue in one’s own power; (33) having the morality of the harmony between words and actions through the propitiation of both gods and humans; (34) having the morality of friendliness through protecting all beings; (35) having the morality of compassion through patiently accepting all suffering; (36) having the morality of joy through the absence of despondency; (37) having the morality of equanimity through giving up aversion and attachment; (38) having the morality of examining one’s own mistakes through introspection concerning one’s own thoughts; (39) having the morality of seeing nothing wrong in the mistakes of others through protecting the minds of others; (40) having the morality of generosity through bringing beings to maturity; (41) having the morality that is well adopted through guarding morality; (42) having the morality of patient acceptance through the absence of hostile thoughts toward any being; (43) having the morality of vigor through never turning back; (44) having the morality of meditation through increasing the accumulation of the limbs of awakening; (45) having the morality of insight through never having enough of the root of virtue that consists in learning; (46) having the morality of learning through grasping the essence of learning; (47) having the morality of relying on a spiritual friend through increasing the accumulation of the limbs of awakening; (48) having the morality of avoiding bad friends through rejecting wrong ways; (49) having the morality that has no concern for the safety of the body through understanding the concept of impermanence;[F.100.a] (50) having the morality of not seeking the safety of one’s life through acting with zeal for the roots of virtue; (51) having the morality that is without regret through pure intention; (52) having the morality that is not artificial through pure action; (53) having the morality that is without great desires through pure determination; (54) having indefatigable morality through actions well done; (55) having the morality that is without conceit since it is without arrogance; (56) having the morality that is without frivolity through the absence of greed; (57) having the morality that is undistracted because of straightness, that is, having thoughts one-pointedly directed toward their objects; (58) having the morality that is not loquacious through being well trained; (59) having the morality that is disciplined through being undisturbed; (60) having the morality that is peaceful through the appeasement of the primary and secondary afflictions; (61) having the morality of adequately grasping gentle speech through acting according to the instructions; (62) having the morality of bringing living beings to maturity through not giving up the ways of attracting people; (63) having the morality of guarding the sacred Dharma through not wasting riches; (64) having the morality of fulfilling all wishes through being originally pure; (65) having the morality of attaining the morality of the Tathāgata through being transformed into that morality; (66) and having the morality that is concerned with the concentrations and states of absorption of the buddhas through having the same attitude toward all beings. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, the bodhisatvas’ mass of pure morality is imperishable in these sixty-five ways.

1.77

“Furthermore, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, morality is where there is no attribution of a self, an animated being, a life principle, a life-sustaining principle, a spirit, a personality, a man, or a human being. Morality is where there is no attribution of form,[F.100.b] feeling, perception, formative factors, or consciousness. Morality is where there is no attribution of the element of earth, the element of water, the element of fire, or the element of wind. Morality is where there is no attribution of the distinguishing marks of the eye and forms, the ear and sounds, the nose and smells, the tongue and tastes, the body and physical objects, or the mind and mental phenomena. Morality is where there is no attribution of body, speech, or mind.

1.78

“Morality has the essential character of peaceful meditation through one-pointedness. Morality has the essential character of expanded vision through skill in discerning phenomena. Morality is the knowledge of emptiness, fully beyond distinguishing marks, beyond anything to long for, and not mingled with the three realms. Morality is the patient acceptance of the absence of birth, brought about as unconditioned, and unborn. Morality is not made and not active. Morality is not born in the beginning, does not perish in the end, and does not remain in between. Morality is pure thought, not dependent on consciousness, and not mingled with mental effort. Morality is not dependent on the desire realm, does not remain in the form realm, and does not stay in the formless realm. Morality is the giving up of the impurities of passion, which is avoiding malice, harshness, faults, and aversion and which is the absence of delusion, obscurity, and ignorance. Morality is neither belief in permanence nor belief in nihilism and is not in discord with the principle of dependent origination. Morality is without the principle of an ego,[F.101.a] it is without possession, and it does not abide by the view that there is a permanent substance. Morality is without attachment to names and signs, it does not abide by the distinguishing marks of form, and it does not mingle with names and forms. Morality is the absence of causal bad dispositions. It is the nonarising of doctrinal viewpoints, and it does not abide by hindrances like regret. Morality does not abide by the root of nonvirtue that is attachment, it does not abide by the root of nonvirtue that is aversion, and it does not abide by the root of nonvirtue that is delusion. Morality is indefatigable and without desires and thus has the essential character of fitness. Morality is the noninterruption of the buddhas’ lineage because of the attainment of the transcendent body. It is the noninterruption of the lineage of the Dharma because of the attainment of nonseparation from the realm of phenomena. It is the noninterruption of the lineage of the community because the unconditioned is revealed.

1.79

“Morality, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, should be seen as imperishable because of the imperishability of its continuity. Why? The morality of ordinary people perishes because of the places where they are born. The morality of those who possess the five outer supernormal powers perishes when they are deprived of their supernormal powers. The morality of humans perishes when the ten ways of virtuous actions perish. The morality of the gods in the desire realm perishes when their merit perishes. The morality of the sons of gods in the form realm perishes when their immeasurable states and meditations perish. The morality of the gods in the formless realm perishes when their meditation-produced births perish. The morality of the disciples‍—those still to be trained and those needing no more training‍—perishes in the end when they reach nirvāṇa. The morality of the isolated buddhas perishes because of their lack of great compassion.[F.101.b]

1.80

“On the other hand, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, the morality of the bodhisatvas is imperishable. Why? Because all types of morality originate from that morality. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, when the seed is imperishable, the grain is also imperishable. Similarly, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, the morality of the tathāgatas should be known as being imperishable since its seed, the mind of awakening, is imperishable. That is why these holy beings are called those whose morality is imperishable. This, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, is called the bodhisatvas’ imperishable morality.

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Akṣayamati said, “Venerable Śāradvatīputra, the bodhisatvas’ patient acceptance is to be seen in thirty-two ways. What are these thirty-two? (1) Patient acceptance is to be seen in the giving up of bad dispositions. (2) Patient acceptance is to be seen in the absence of inflicting injury. (3) Patient acceptance is to be seen in the absence of anguish. (4) Patient acceptance is to be seen in the absence of malice. (5) Patient acceptance is to be seen in the absence of enmity. (6) Patient acceptance is to be seen in the absence of rage. (7) Patient acceptance is to be seen in the absence of quarreling. (8) Patient acceptance is to be seen in the absence of dispute. (9) Patient acceptance is to be seen in not being injured by the outside world. (10) Patient acceptance is to be seen in guarding oneself and others. (11) Patient acceptance is to be seen in being in accordance with the mind of awakening. (12) Patient acceptance is to be seen in thorough spiritual penetration. (13) Patient acceptance is to be seen in disgust for worldly things and the absence of greed. (14) Patient acceptance is to be seen in the confidence in the fact that actions have consequences. (15) Patient acceptance is to be seen in the ornamentation of the body.[F.102.a] (16) Patient acceptance is to be seen in the purity of speech and thought. (17) Patient acceptance is to be seen in firm intention. (18) Patient acceptance is to be seen in the understanding that the words of abusive speech are void. (19) Patient acceptance is to be seen in the absence of thought-construction. (20) Patient acceptance is to be seen in the introspection into one’s own thoughts. (21) Patient acceptance is to be seen in protecting the minds of others. (22) Patient acceptance is to be seen in following the way to the world of Brahmā. (23) Patient acceptance is to be seen in experiencing the good qualities of gods and humans. (24) Patient acceptance is to be seen in perfecting the excellent major and minor marks. (25) Patient acceptance is to be seen in attaining a voice like that of Brahmā. (26) Patient acceptance is to be seen in having done away with all negativities. (27) Patient acceptance is to be seen in having done away with malice, faults, and harshness. (28) Patient acceptance is to be seen in rejecting anger. (29) Patient acceptance is to be seen in rejecting all roots of nonvirtue. (30) Patient acceptance is to be seen in the crushing of all one’s enemies. (31) Patient acceptance is to be seen in aloofness from the harm done by others. (32) Patient acceptance is to be seen as the cause of attaining all the qualities of a buddha. The bodhisatvas’ patient acceptance, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, is to be seen in these thirty-two ways.

1.83

“What is purified patient acceptance? One does not respond to insults with more insults, through understanding that speech is like an echo. One does not respond to beatings with more beatings, through understanding that the body is like a reflection. One does not respond to abuse with more abuse, through understanding that thoughts are like illusions. One does not respond to anger with more anger, through having the determination to be peaceful. One does not feel aversion at not being praised, through the accomplishment of one’s own qualities. One is not flattered by praise, through the absence of conceit. One does not delight in gain, through being well trained. One feels no aversion to loss, through utter peace.[F.102.b] One does not become perplexed by fame, through discerning it with wisdom. One feels no despondency at the absence of fame, because of broadmindedness. One is not depressed by blame, because one is well established. One is not exalted by praise, since one is unshakeable. One is not fatigued by suffering, through care for living beings. One does not get excited by pleasure, because of the impermanence of conditioned pleasure. One does not become sullied by the ways of the world, since one is dependent on nothing. One patiently accepts violence against oneself, through using no violence against others. One accepts the cutting off of limbs and extremities, through fulfilling the attainment of the limbs of awakening. One patiently accepts the destruction of one’s own body, through desiring the body of a buddha. One patiently accepts every misdeed, through developing the power of performing good actions. One endures pain and suffering, through having the courage to defeat all non-Buddhists. One undertakes every kind of asceticism, through overpowering Śakra, Brahmā, and the protectors of the world.

1.84

“Furthermore, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, this patient acceptance is absolutely invulnerable. Why is this? It is because it is beyond apprehension. The patient acceptance that thinks, ‘He abuses me,’ is the patient acceptance that apprehends duality; it is not absolute patient acceptance. The patient acceptance that thinks, ‘Who abuses here?’ is the patient acceptance that calculates and constructs phenomena; it is not absolute patient acceptance. The patient acceptance that thinks, ‘How can it be that his eyes abuse my eyes?’ and, similarly, the patient acceptance that thinks, ‘How can my ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind be abused by his […] mind?’ is the patient acceptance that concerns the sense sources; it is not absolute patient acceptance. The patient acceptance that thinks, ‘No one abuses here,’ is the patient acceptance that conceives of selflessness; it is not absolute patient acceptance. The patient acceptance that thinks, ‘These things come from the sounds of words,’ is the patient acceptance similar to an echo;[F.103.a] it is not absolute patient acceptance. The patient acceptance that thinks, ‘This is impermanent, and I am also impermanent,’ is the patient acceptance that relates to impermanence; it is not absolute patient acceptance. The patient acceptance that thinks, ‘This is perverted, and I am not perverted,’ is the patient acceptance that is concerned with high and low; it is not absolute patient acceptance. The patient acceptance that thinks, ‘I am right, and he is wrong,’ is the patient acceptance that is concerned with right and wrong; it is not absolute patient acceptance. The patient acceptance that thinks, ‘I am established on good ways, and he is established on bad ways,’ is the patient acceptance that is concerned with good ways and bad ways; it is not absolute patient acceptance. The patient acceptance that thinks, ‘I patiently accept impermanence, but I do not patiently accept permanence,’ is the patient acceptance that rejects by means of antidotes; it is not absolute patient acceptance. The patient acceptance that thinks, ‘I patiently accept suffering, but I do not patiently accept pleasure; I patiently accept selflessness, but I do not patiently accept the ego; I patiently accept the ugly, but I do not patiently accept the beautiful,’ is the patient acceptance that rejects by means of an antidote; it is not absolute patient acceptance. The patient acceptance that thinks, ‘I patiently accept emptiness, but I do not patiently accept doctrinal viewpoints; I patiently accept the absence of distinguishing marks, but I do not patiently accept the thought-constructions that consist in distinguishing marks; I patiently accept the absence of longing, but I do not patiently accept longing; I patiently accept the absence of conditionality, but I do not patiently accept conditionality; I patiently accept the cessation of all afflictions, but I do not patiently accept the afflictions; I patiently accept virtue, but I do not patiently accept nonvirtue; I patiently accept the transcendent, but I do not patiently accept the worldly; I patiently accept that which cannot be blamed, but I do not patiently accept the blamable; I patiently accept the unsullied, but I do not patiently accept the sullied; I patiently accept the purified,[F.103.b] but I do not patiently accept affliction. I patiently accept nirvāṇa, but I do not patiently accept existence,’ is the patient acceptance that rejects by means of an antidote; it is not absolute patient acceptance.

1.85

“What is absolute patient acceptance? It is to understand emptiness, but not to suppress doctrinal views or impute the concept of emptiness. The patient acceptance of the fact that ‘doctrinal views are empty’ is absolute patient acceptance; it is to understand the absence of distinguishing marks, but not to suppress the thoughts of distinguishing marks or impute the concept of the absence of distinguishing marks. The patient acceptance of the fact that ‘the thoughts of distinguishing marks are empty’ is absolute patient acceptance; it is to understand the absence of longing, but not to suppress longing or impute the concept of the absence of longing. The patient acceptance of the fact that ‘longing is empty’ is absolute patient acceptance; it is to understand the absence of conditionality, but not to suppress conditionality or impute the concept of the absence of conditionality. The patient acceptance of the fact that ‘the conditioned is empty’ is absolute patient acceptance; it is to understand the cessation of afflictions, but not to suppress afflictions or impute the concept of the cessation of afflictions. The patient acceptance of the fact that ‘afflictions are empty’ is absolute patient acceptance; it is to understand virtue, but not to suppress nonvirtue or impute the concept of virtue. The patient acceptance of the fact that ‘nonvirtue is empty’ is absolute patient acceptance; it is to understand the transcendent, but not to suppress the worldly or impute the concept of transcendence. The patient acceptance of the fact that ‘the worldly is empty’ is absolute patient acceptance; it is to understand that which cannot be blamed, but not to suppress the blamable or impute the concept of being unblameable. The patient acceptance of the fact that ‘the blamable is empty’ is absolute patient acceptance;[F.104.a] it is to understand the unsullied, but not to suppress the sullied or impute the concept of being unsullied. The patient acceptance of the fact that ‘the sullied is empty’ is absolute patient acceptance; it is to understand the pure, but not to suppress affliction or impute the concept of purity. The patient acceptance of the fact that ‘affliction is empty’ is absolute patient acceptance; it is to understand nirvāṇa, but not to suppress existence or impute the concept of nirvāṇa. The patient acceptance of the fact that ‘existence is empty’ is absolute patient acceptance.

1.86

“That which is unoriginated, uncreated, unborn, and unarisen is beyond destruction. Since there is no destruction, there is no decay. Patient acceptance of this is absolute patient acceptance. In that which is not made, unconditioned, not imputed, unconstructed, not possible to demonstrate, not possible to display, and beyond limitations there is no origination. That which is beyond origination does not arise, and that which does not arise is absolute patient acceptance. That kind of patient acceptance is the patient acceptance of the unoriginated, and the patient acceptance of the fact that things are unoriginated is absolute patient acceptance. The bodhisatvas who understand that kind of patient acceptance have achieved the patient acceptance that was prophesied to them. This, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, is called the bodhisatvas’ imperishable patient acceptance.”

1.87

When the bodhisatva Akṣayamati had taught that exposition of the Dharma, the chapter on the imperishability of patient acceptance, that whole assembly applauded him. To honor him, they showered him with flowers, perfumes, incense, garlands, ointments, aromatic powders, garments, parasols, banners, and celestial pennants that had never been seen or heard of before. They played music and proclaimed,[F.104.b] “Those who are not frightened, alarmed, or scared when they hear about this imperishability of patient acceptance possess the patient acceptance of the tathāgatas.” They showered him with flowers, perfumes, incense, garlands, ointments, aromatic powders, garments, parasols, banners, and celestial pennants in such amounts that they filled up this entire great trichiliocosm.

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Then a bodhisatva called Mahāvyūha, who had come to that assembly and was sitting there, addressed the bodhisatva Akṣayamati, saying, “Son of good family, what is the name of the concentration in which you dwell when that amount of flowers, perfumes, incense, garlands, ointments, aromatic powders, garments, parasols, banners, and celestial pennants are absorbed into your body without your body appearing to diminish or to increase in size?”[F.105.a]

Akṣayamati said, “The name of that concentration, son of good family, is the absorption of all forms in the body.”

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Then, by cultivating that concentration, the bodhisatva Akṣayamati absorbed that entire assembly‍—the bodhisatvas who had assembled from the ten directions and the Blessed One attended by his community of monks‍—into his body. Having absorbed them, he showed them such wealth and enjoyment as is found among the bodhisatvas in the multitude of world spheres in the buddha field of the tathāgata Bhūṣaṇarāja. Everyone in that assembly thought that they had personally entered the body of the bodhisatva Akṣayamati. Then, when the bodhisatva Akṣayamati had displayed this great miracle, he again put that entire assembly‍—all those bodhisatvas who had come from the ten directions and the Blessed One attended by his community of monks‍—back on their seats.[F.105.b]

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Akṣayamati said, “These eight, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, are the bodhisatvas’ assumptions of vigor. What are these eight? They are (1) the imperishable armor, (2) the imperishable courage, (3) the imperishable attainment, (4) the imperishable maturation of beings, (5) the imperishable accumulation of merit, (6) the imperishable accumulation of wisdom, (7) the imperishable accumulation of insight, and (8) the imperishable accumulation related to the attainment of all the buddha qualities.

1.98

“What then, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, is the bodhisatvas’ imperishable armor? Not exhausted by existence, they do not seek awakening by counting world ages, thinking, ‘For so many world ages I will put on this armor, and for so many world ages I will not put on this armor.’ Instead, they put on the inconceivable armor,[F.106.a] thinking, ‘Even if the whole period since the beginning of existence was condensed into a single night and day, and even if I developed the mind of awakening a single time and saw a single tathāgata, worthy, fully awakened one during a half month of fifteen such days, a month of thirty such days, a year of twelve of those months, or even a hundred thousand years counted in that way; and even if, to know the mental behavior of a single being, I had to produce as many thoughts of awakening and see as many tathāgatas as the River Gaṅgā has grains of sand, I would still, according to such numbers, know the mental behavior of every sentient being by producing that amount of thoughts of awakening and by seeing that amount of tathāgatas.’ This is the tireless armor.

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Akṣayamati said, “Śāradvatīputra, as the Tathāgata is sitting before you, ask him. He will answer your question, and the whole assembly will be without doubt.”

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The bodhisatvas said, “Blessed One, how far from here is that world sphere where the tathāgata Śākyamuni dwells?”

They said, “Blessed One, let us see that world sphere Enduring, that blessed tathāgata, that worthy, fully awakened Śākyamuni, and those bodhisatvas.”

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That blessed one said, “Those bodhisatvas, sons of good family, have gathered from immeasurable buddha fields in the ten directions to hear about the Dharma.”[F.90.a]

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Then Venerable Śāradvatīputra addressed the bodhisatva Akṣayamati, saying, “Why, son of good family, is your name Imperishable Intelligence?”^⁠7

Akṣayamati said, “Venerable Śāradvatīputra, the name Imperishable Intelligence is the outcome of not apprehending any phenomena. Why? Because of the imperishability of all phenomena.”

Śāradvatīputra said, “Give us some inspired speech, son of good family, on the subject of the bodhisatvas’ teaching on the imperishability of all phenomena.”

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Śāradvatīputra said, “Not at all, son of good family. One who holds that such a mind of omniscience could perish would hold that space would perish.”

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Then Venerable Śāradvatīputra said to the bodhisatva Akṣayamati,[F.96.a] “Son of good family, is there any other imperishability of the bodhisatvas?”

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Akṣayamati said, “The name of that concentration, son of good family, is the absorption of all forms in the body.”

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n.1

We prefer to follow the mainstream Buddhist Sanskrit usage of manuscripts and inscriptions by spelling “bodhisatva” with a single rather than a double “t,” the latter being a convention of modern editors. See Gouriswar Bhattacharya, “How to Justify the Spelling of the Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Term Bodhisatva?” in From Turfan to Ajanta: Festschrift for Dieter Schlingloff on the Occasion of his Eightieth Birthday, ed. Eli Franco and Monika Zin (Rupandehi: Lumbini International Research Institute, 2010), 2:35–50. Note that this is also the spelling used in Gāndhārī, as well as in Khotanese, in Tibetan lexicography, and in old Thai documents.

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Ānanda

kun dga’ bo
ཀུན་དགའ་བོ།
ānanda (Source Unspecified)

A major śrāvaka disciple and personal attendant of the Buddha Śākyamuni during the last twenty-five years of his life. He was a cousin of the Buddha (according to the Mahāvastu, he was a son of Śuklodana, one of the brothers of King Śuddhodana, which means he was a brother of Devadatta; other sources say he was a son of Amṛtodana, another brother of King Śuddhodana, which means he would have been a brother of Aniruddha).

Ānanda, having always been in the Buddha’s presence, is said to have memorized all the teachings he heard and is celebrated for having recited all the Buddha’s teachings by memory at the first council of the Buddhist saṅgha, thus preserving the teachings after the Buddha’s parinirvāṇa. The phrase “Thus did I hear at one time,” found at the beginning of the sūtras, usually stands for his recitation of the teachings. He became a patriarch after the passing of Mahākāśyapa.

Brahmā

tshangs pa
ཚངས་པ།
brahmā (Source Unspecified)

A high-ranking deity presiding over a divine world; he is also considered to be the lord of the Sahā world (our universe). Though not considered a creator god in Buddhism, Brahmā occupies an important place as one of two gods (the other being Indra/Śakra) said to have first exhorted the Buddha Śākyamuni to teach the Dharma. The particular heavens found in the form realm over which Brahmā rules are often some of the most sought-after realms of higher rebirth in Buddhist literature. Since there are many universes or world systems, there are also multiple Brahmās presiding over them. His most frequent epithets are “Lord of the Sahā World” (sahāṃpati) and Great Brahmā (mahābrahman).

eighteen particular qualities

ma ’dres pa bco brgyad
མ་འདྲེས་པ་བཅོ་བརྒྱད།
aṣṭādaśāveṇikadharma (Source Unspecified)

Eighteen special features of a buddha’s behavior, realization, activity, and wisdom that are not shared by other beings. They are generally listed as: (1) he never makes a mistake, (2) he is never boisterous, (3) he never forgets, (4) his concentration never falters, (5) he has no notion of distinctness, (6) his equanimity is not due to lack of consideration, (7) his motivation never falters, (8) his endeavor never fails, (9) his mindfulness never falters, (10) he never abandons his concentration, (11) his insight (prajñā) never decreases, (12) his liberation never fails, (13) all his physical actions are preceded and followed by wisdom (jñāna), (14) all his verbal actions are preceded and followed by wisdom, (15) all his mental actions are preceded and followed by wisdom, (16) his wisdom and vision perceive the past without attachment or hindrance, (17) his wisdom and vision perceive the future without attachment or hindrance, and (18) his wisdom and vision perceive the present without attachment or hindrance.

eighth-lowest stage

brgyad pa
བརྒྱད་པ།
aṣṭamaka (Source Unspecified)

A person who is eight steps away in the arc of their development from becoming an arhat (Tib. dgra bcom pa). Specifically, this term refers to one who is on the cusp of becoming a stream-enterer (Skt. śrotāpanna; Tib. rgyun du zhugs pa), and is the first and lowest stage in a list of eight stages or classes of a noble person (Skt. āryapudgala). The person at this lowest stage in the sequence is still on the path of seeing (Skt. darśanamārga; Tib. mthong lam), and then enters the path of cultivation (Skt. bhāvanāmārga; Tib. sgoms lam) upon attaining the next stage, that of a stream-enterer (stage 7). From there they progress through the remaining stages of the śrāvaka path, becoming in turn a once-returner (stages six and five), a non-returner (stages four and three), and an arhat (stages two and one). This same “eighth stage” also appears in set of ten stages (Skt. daśabhūmi; Tib. sa bcu) found in Mahāyāna sources, where it is the third step out of the ten. Not to be confused with the ten stages of the bodhisattva’s path, these ten stages mark the progress of one who sequentially follows the paths of a śrāvaka, pratyekabuddha, and then bodhisattva on their way to complete buddhahood. In this set of ten stages a person “on the eighth stage” is similarly one who is on the cusp of becoming a stream-enterer.

Enduring

mi mjed
མི་མཇེད།
sahā (Source Unspecified)

The name for our world system, the universe of a thousand million worlds, or trichiliocosm, in which the four-continent world is located. Each trichiliocosm is ruled by a god Brahmā; thus, in this context, he bears the title of Sahāṃpati, Lord of Sahā. The world system of Sahā, or Sahālokadhātu, is also described as the buddhafield of the Buddha Śākyamuni where he teaches the Dharma to beings.

The name Sahā possibly derives from the Sanskrit √sah, “to bear, endure, or withstand.” It is often interpreted as alluding to the inhabitants of this world being able to endure the suffering they encounter. The Tibetan translation, mi mjed, follows along the same lines. It literally means “not painful,” in the sense that beings here are able to bear the suffering they experience.

Also translated here as “Sahā.”

expedient means

thabs
ཐབས།
upāya (Source Unspecified)

The concept of expedient means is central to the understanding of the Buddha’s enlightened deeds and the many scriptures that are revealed contingent to the needs, interests, and mental dispositions of specific types of individuals. According to the Great Vehicle, training in expedient means collectively denotes the first five of the six perfections when integrated with wisdom, the sixth transcendent perfection, to form a union of discriminative awareness and means.

field of meditation

skye mched
སྐྱེ་མཆེད།
āyatana (Source Unspecified)

These can be listed as twelve or as six sense sources (sometimes also called sense fields, bases of cognition, or simply āyatanas).

In the context of epistemology, it is one way of describing experience and the world in terms of twelve sense sources, which can be divided into inner and outer sense sources, namely: (1–2) eye and form, (3–4) ear and sound, (5–6) nose and odor, (7–8) tongue and taste, (9–10) body and touch, (11–12) mind and mental phenomena.

In the context of the twelve links of dependent origination, only six sense sources are mentioned, and they are the inner sense sources (identical to the six faculties) of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind.

Four Great Kings

rgyal po chen po bzhi
རྒྱལ་པོ་ཆེན་པོ་བཞི།
catvāro mahārājānaḥ (Source Unspecified)

Four gods who live on the lower slopes (fourth level) of Mount Meru in the eponymous Heaven of the Four Great Kings (Cāturmahārājika, rgyal chen bzhi’i ris) and guard the four cardinal directions. Each is the leader of a nonhuman class of beings living in his realm. They are Dhṛtarāṣṭra, ruling the gandharvas in the east; Virūḍhaka, ruling over the kumbhāṇḍas in the south; Virūpākṣa, ruling the nāgas in the west; and Vaiśravaṇa (also known as Kubera) ruling the yakṣas in the north. Also referred to as Guardians of the World or World Protectors (lokapāla, ’jig rten skyong ba).

four immeasurables

tshad med bzhi
ཚད་མེད་བཞི།
caturpramāṇa (Source Unspecified)

The meditations on love (maitrī), compassion (karuṇā), joy (muditā), and equanimity (upekṣā), as well as the states of mind and qualities of being that result from their cultivation. They are also called the four abodes of Brahmā (caturbrahmavihāra).

In the Abhidharmakośa, Vasubandhu explains that they are called apramāṇa‍—meaning “infinite” or “limitless”‍—because they take limitless sentient beings as their object, and they generate limitless merit and results. Love is described as the wish that beings be happy, and it acts as an antidote to malice (vyāpāda). Compassion is described as the wish for beings to be free of suffering, and acts as an antidote to harmfulness (vihiṃsā). Joy refers to rejoicing in the happiness beings already have, and it acts as an antidote to dislike or aversion (arati) toward others’ success. Equanimity is considering all beings impartially, without distinctions, and it is the antidote to both attachment to pleasure and to malice (kāmarāgavyāpāda).

gandharva

dri za
དྲི་ཟ།
gandharva (Source Unspecified)

A class of generally benevolent nonhuman beings who inhabit the skies, sometimes said to inhabit fantastic cities in the clouds, and more specifically to dwell on the eastern slopes of Mount Meru, where they are ruled by the Great King Dhṛtarāṣṭra. They are most renowned as celestial musicians who serve the gods. In the Abhidharma, the term is also used to refer to the mental body assumed by sentient beings during the intermediate state between death and rebirth. Gandharvas are said to live on fragrances (gandha) in the desire realm, hence the Tibetan translation dri za, meaning “scent eater.”

garuḍa

nam mkha’ lding
ནམ་མཁའ་ལྡིང་།
garuḍa (Source Unspecified)

In Indian mythology, the garuḍa is an eagle-like bird that is regarded as the king of all birds, normally depicted with a sharp, owl-like beak, often holding a snake, and with large and powerful wings. They are traditionally enemies of the nāgas. In the Vedas, they are said to have brought nectar from the heavens to earth. Garuḍa can also be used as a proper name for a king of such creatures.

god

lha
ལྷ།
deva (Source Unspecified)

In the most general sense the devas‍—the term is cognate with the English divine‍—are a class of celestial beings who frequently appear in Buddhist texts, often at the head of the assemblies of nonhuman beings who attend and celebrate the teachings of the Buddha Śākyamuni and other buddhas and bodhisattvas. In Buddhist cosmology the devas occupy the highest of the five or six “destinies” (gati) of saṃsāra among which beings take rebirth. The devas reside in the devalokas, “heavens” that traditionally number between twenty-six and twenty-eight and are divided between the desire realm (kāmadhātu), form realm (rūpadhātu), and formless realm (ārūpyadhātu). A being attains rebirth among the devas either through meritorious deeds (in the desire realm) or the attainment of subtle meditative states (in the form and formless realms). While rebirth among the devas is considered favorable, it is ultimately a transitory state from which beings will fall when the conditions that lead to rebirth there are exhausted. Thus, rebirth in the god realms is regarded as a diversion from the spiritual path.

Summary

Acknowledgments

Introduction

The Translation

The Noble Mahāyāna Sūtra

The Teaching of Akṣayamati

Summary

Acknowledgments

Introduction

The Translation

The Noble Mahāyāna Sūtra

The Teaching of Akṣayamati

Notes

Glossary

Bibliography