The Illusory Absorption

[F.210.b]

Homage to all buddhas and bodhisattvas!

Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was dwelling in the Deer Park by the Hill of the Fallen Sages near Vārāṇasī, together with a great saṅgha of twenty thousand worthy monks and twelve thousand bodhisattvas that included the bodhisattva great beings Harisiṃha, Siṃhamati, Su­pratiṣṭhita­buddhi, Anupamamati, Dharaṇīṃdhara, Agnidatta, Varuṇa, Ratnākara, Guhyagupta, Bhadrapāla, Vidyutdeva, Vairocana, Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta, Jñānākara, Anikṣiptadhura, Amoghadarśin, and the bodhisattva great being Maitreya. Also in attendance were twenty thousand gods who had all entered the Great Vehicle, such as Susīma and Su­pratiṣṭhita­buddhi. [F.211.a] At that time the Blessed One, surrounded and venerated by a retinue of several hundred thousand beings, was teaching the Dharma.

The bodhisattva great being Padmaśrīgarbha stood up, draped his shawl over one shoulder, and knelt on his right knee. With his palms together, he bowed toward the Blessed One, and inquired of the Blessed One, “If this is an opportune moment for the Blessed One to grant me answers to some questions of mine, may I put them to the Blessed One, the thus-gone, worthy, completely perfect Buddha?”

The Blessed One replied to the bodhisattva great being Padmaśrīgarbha, “Padmaśrīgarbha, it is always opportune for the Thus-Gone One to address your concerns. Padmaśrīgarbha, ask the Thus-Gone One, the worthy, completely perfect Buddha, whatever you wish, and I will address your questions, so that you may feel at ease.”

The bodhisattva great being Padmaśrīgarbha asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, how is it that bodhisattva great beings render irreversible their progress to unsurpassed and completely perfect awakening, come to possess the five types of clairvoyance, and attain the illusory absorption? How is it that, as soon as they attain that absorption, they emanate whatever bodies in whatever way will perfect sentient beings’ roots of virtue, and teach the Dharma according to sentient beings’ inclinations? How do they quickly awaken to unsurpassed and completely perfect buddhahood?”

The Blessed One said to the bodhisattva great being Padmaśrīgarbha, [F.211.b] “Padmaśrīgarbha, excellent! Padmaśrīgarbha, previously you have served the victorious ones, gathered the roots of virtue, and venerated a myriad buddhas. You feel love and compassion for all beings, and that is why you ask the Thus-Gone, worthy, completely perfect Buddha about this. That is excellent! Padmaśrīgarbha, therefore, listen well and pay attention. Then I shall explain it to you.”

The bodhisattva great being Padmaśrīgarbha said to the Blessed One, “Wonderful!” and he listened as the Blessed One had directed him.

The Blessed One said, “Padmaśrīgarbha, there is one quality that, if bodhisattva great beings possess it, renders irreversible their progress to unsurpassed and completely perfect awakening, and grants them the five types of clairvoyance and the illusory absorption. Moreover, as soon as they attain that absorption, they emanate whatever bodies in whatever way will perfect sentient beings’ roots of virtue, teach the Dharma according to sentient beings’ inclinations, and quickly awaken to unsurpassed and completely perfect buddhahood.

“What is that single quality? Padmaśrīgarbha, those bodhisattvas must not abide anywhere in the three realms, neither abiding internally nor externally. As they do not abide, they will see reality. As they see reality, they will unite with reality. As they unite with reality, nothing will impede their mind. As nothing impedes their mind, they will engage in authentic conduct.

“What does it mean to engage in authentic conduct? It is as follows. [F.212.a] All phenomena arise in dependence. There is no phenomenon that can remain constantly. All phenomena arise from circumstances. There is no phenomenon that arises without circumstances. Any phenomenon that arises in dependence is unborn. Therefore all phenomena are unborn. To realize that all phenomena are unborn is to know how to practice the bodhisattva’s path. In this way, one attains the basis for benefiting all beings and can proceed with a compassionate outlook. With such conviction, one comes to understand that all phenomena are illusory. All phenomena are magically manifest because they are imputed. Those imputations are also utterly empty. The realization that all phenomena are empty is the attainment of the illusory absorption.

“As soon as one attains this absorption, one emanates whatever bodies in whatever way will perfect sentient beings’ roots of virtue, and one teaches the Dharma according to sentient beings’ inclinations. In this way, one quickly awakens to unsurpassed and completely perfect buddhahood.”

The bodhisattva great being Padmaśrīgarbha asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, is there any bodhisattva great being here in this gathering who has attained this illusory absorption?”

“Padmaśrīgarbha,” replied the Blessed One, “there are sixty holy beings here in this gathering who intentionally wear the armor and who have attained the illusory absorption. There are sixty holy beings, including the bodhisattva great beings Maitreya and Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta, who have attained this illusory absorption.”

Padmaśrīgarbha asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, did these holy beings [F.212.b] attain this illusory absorption here in this world? Or did these holy beings attain this illusory absorption in some other realm?”

The Blessed One answered, “Padmaśrīgarbha, to the west of this buddha realm, passing through one trillion buddha realms, there is a realm known as Sukhāvatī. Right now the Thus-Gone, worthy, completely perfect Buddha Amitābha resides there, flourishes there, lives there, and teaches the Dharma. In his buddha realm live the bodhisattva great being Avalokiteśvara and the bodhisattva great being Mahā­sthāmaprāpta, both of whom have attained this absorption. Padmaśrīgarbha, it is from conversations lasting seven days with those two holy beings that other bodhisattva great beings attain this illusory absorption.”

The bodhisattva great being Padmaśrīgarbha said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, there must be many bodhisattva great beings who attained the illusory absorption in that buddha realm. Blessed One, the reason is that the bodhisattva great beings who are born in that buddha realm can engage in Dharma conversations with those two holy beings without any effort.”

“Padmaśrīgarbha, it is exactly as you say,” said the Blessed One. “The bodhisattva great beings who abide there within the illusory absorption are indeed limitless and countless.”

The bodhisattva great being Padmaśrīgarbha implored the Blessed One, “Blessed One, [F.213.a] thus-gone, worthy, completely perfect Buddha, please use your miraculous powers to show a mental sign by which the two holy beings will come to this Sahā world, and the whole Sukhāvatī world together with the Thus-Gone, worthy, completely perfect Buddha Amitābha will also arrive here in this world. The reason is, Blessed One, that if those two holy beings come to this buddha realm, the sons and daughters of noble family who follow the vehicle of the bodhisattvas will perfect their roots of virtue. They will hear the Dharma talks of those two holy beings, and they, too, will thereby attain the illusory absorption. Here in this buddha realm they will be able to behold Sukhāvatī as well as the Thus-Gone, worthy, completely perfect Buddha Amitābha. Witnessing that, the sons and daughters of noble family will arouse the mind of unsurpassed and completely perfect awakening. They will make aspirations to be born in that buddha realm and, as soon as they are born there, they will render irreversible their progress to unsurpassed and completely perfect awakening.”

The Blessed One, understanding the bodhisattva great being Padmaśrīgarbha’s request, emitted a bright light from the hair between his eyebrows. The light pervaded this entire trichiliocosm with a bright golden radiance. Throughout the entire trichiliocosm, all mountain ranges and forests as well as the central mountain, the Mucilinda Mountains, the Greater Mucilinda Mountains, the surrounding mountains, the greater surrounding mountains, and all places of deep darkness throughout the world were bathed in that golden light, [F.213.b] eclipsing even the sun and the moon‍—so well known for their great miraculous ability, great strength, and great power‍—to the point of invisibility. Toward the west, crossing through a trillion buddha realms, that brilliant golden light pervaded the entire realm of Sukhāvatī. There, the light prostrated at the feet of the Thus-Gone, worthy, completely perfect Buddha Amitābha, circumambulated him seven times, and, in that blessed one’s presence, disappeared.

The beings who lived in Sukhāvatī, including the bodhisattvas and the great hearers, looked toward this Sahā world and saw the Thus-Gone, worthy, completely perfect Buddha Śākyamuni surrounded by the gathering of bodhisattvas and attended upon by the saṅgha of hearers. As they saw it all, as clearly as seeing an āmalakī fruit right in their own hand, they were filled with joy and great happiness, and exclaimed, “Homage to the Blessed One, the thus-gone, worthy, completely perfect Buddha Śākyamuni!”

Here in the Sahā world, the assembled retinue of the Thus-Gone, worthy, completely perfect Buddha Śākyamuni consisted of monks, nuns, laymen, laywomen, gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, demigods, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragās, humans, nonhumans, Śakra, Brahmā, the guardians of the world, and bodhisattvas. All of them could now also vividly see the world of Sukhāvatī and the Thus-Gone, worthy, completely perfect Buddha Amitābha, [F.214.a] who was shining like the king of mountains, surrounded by the assembly of bodhisattvas and attended upon by the saṅgha of hearers. They saw the entire buddha realm in this way. Just as a person with perfect sight can see the face of another person only a fathom away without any strain, from this world and this buddha realm they saw the Thus-Gone, worthy, completely perfect Buddha Amitābha, as well as the world of Sukhāvatī, which appeared in a great display of fine features, filled with trillions of qualities. Witnessing it, they were filled with joy and great happiness, and exclaimed, “Homage to the Blessed One, the thus-gone, worthy, completely perfect Buddha Amitābha!”

When that buddha realm was shown to them, 84,000 beings here in this buddha realm, who had not previously aroused the mind of awakening, now gave rise to the mind set upon unsurpassed and completely perfect awakening. They dedicated the roots of virtue toward taking birth in the world of Sukhāvatī, as well as toward unsurpassed and completely perfect awakening.

In the world of Sukhāvatī, the assembled bodhisattva great beings and great hearers saw the Sahā world and were amazed. They joined the palms of their hands and prostrated toward the Blessed One, the thus-gone, worthy, completely perfect Buddha Śākyamuni while they called out, “Homage to the Blessed One, the thus-gone, worthy, completely perfect Buddha Śākyamuni!”

As soon as the bodhisattva great beings and the great hearers had spoken these words, the entire world shook in six ways: [F.214.b] it vibrated, shuddered, and reeled; quivered, trembled, and quaked; wobbled, rocked, and swayed; boomed, thundered, and roared; rattled, shook, and convulsed; and clattered, rattled, and clanged.

Then the bodhisattva great being Avalokiteśvara and the bodhisattva great being Mahā­sthāmaprāpta went before the Blessed One, the thus-gone, worthy, completely perfect Buddha Amitābha. Prostrating with their heads to the Blessed One’s feet, they respectfully stood to one side. Standing together, the two holy beings said to the Blessed One, “The Blessed One, the thus-gone, worthy, completely perfect Buddha Śākyamuni has attained very stable powers. Blessed One, it is amazing. Blissful One, it is amazing. Why? Blessed One, it is like this. When so much as the name of the Blessed One, the thus-gone, worthy, completely perfect Buddha Śākyamuni was pronounced, even this inanimate earth shook in six ways.”

The Thus-Gone Amitābha said to the two holy beings, “Sons of noble family, not only was the name of the Blessed One, the thus-gone, worthy, completely perfect Buddha Śākyamuni pronounced in this buddha realm, the name of that Blessed One was also pronounced in many other buddha realms. Those buddha realms, too, all shook in six ways when touched by that light. In those buddha realms, limitless and countless beings heard the name of the Thus-Gone Śākyamuni, [F.215.a] and thereby perfected their roots of virtue and rendered irreversible their progress to unsurpassed and completely perfect awakening. Then, from among the assembly of bodhisattvas, four hundred million bodhisattvas heard the name of the Blessed One, the thus-gone Śākyamuni. When they heard it, they all gathered and, in a single voice, dedicated the roots of virtue toward unsurpassed and completely perfect awakening. The Blessed One also prophesied that they would render irreversible their progress to unsurpassed and completely perfect awakening.”

Then the bodhisattva great being Avalokiteśvara and the bodhisattva great being Mahā­sthāmaprāpta said to the Thus-Gone, worthy, completely perfect Buddha Amitābha, “The Blessed One, the thus-gone Śākyamuni, has sent forth a light that we have previously never seen nor heard of. Now, since the Blessed One, the thus-gone, worthy, completely perfect Buddha Śākyamuni, would not emit such a wonderful and beautiful light without causes or circumstances, please tell us what the causes and conditions are for the Blessed One, the thus-gone Śākyamuni, to send forth such a wonderful and beautiful light.”

The Thus-Gone Amitābha said to the two holy beings, “Sons of noble family, what you say is true. That Blessed One would not send forth such a wonderful and beautiful light without any causes and conditions. And why? Because the Blessed One, the thus-gone, worthy, completely perfect Buddha Śākyamuni, is about to deliver a Dharma teaching on how to accomplish the precious absorption known as ‘the bodhisattvas’ application.’ That is why [F.215.b] the Blessed One Śākyamuni emitted this wonderful and beautiful light as an omen of that Dharma teaching.”

Then the bodhisattva great being Avalokiteśvara and the bodhisattva great being Mahā­sthāmaprāpta said to the Thus-Gone, worthy, completely perfect Buddha Amitābha, “In order to gaze upon, honor, venerate, and serve the Blessed One, the thus-gone, worthy, completely perfect Buddha Śākyamuni, and also to hear his Dharma teaching, we, Blessed One, will travel to that Sahā world.”

The thus-gone one Amitābha said, “Sons of noble family, you know that the time has come for the Blessed One, the thus-gone Śākyamuni, to teach the Dharma to an assembly headed by the two of you, so please do go ahead.”

With this permission, the bodhisattva great being Avalokiteśvara and the bodhisattva great being Mahā­sthāmaprāpta called out to the four hundred million bodhisattvas assembled in the retinue of the Blessed One, the thus-gone Amitābha, “Sons of noble family, come! In order to behold, honor, venerate, and serve the Blessed One, the thus-gone, worthy, completely perfect Buddha Śākyamuni, and also to hear his Dharma teaching, let us travel to the Sahā world. Why? Because the Blessed One, the thus-gone, worthy, completely perfect Buddha Śākyamuni, gave up all the many perfectly pure buddha realms and, through his aspirations and great compassion, manifested in that afflicted buddha realm. Because he undertook austerities, it was amidst those sentient beings who have base desires and raging attachment, anger, and delusion, [F.216.a] that he fully awakened to unsurpassed and completely perfect buddhahood.”

As soon as the two holy beings had spoken these words, all of the bodhisattva great beings in the world of Sukhāvatī assembled and said in a single voice, “Blessed One, any being who even hears the name of the Blessed One, the thus-gone Śākyamuni, reaches excellent attainments. That being so, what need is there to mention those who actually see him with their physical eyes and engender faith? Blessed One, we shall also travel to the Sahā world in order to behold, honor, venerate, and serve the Blessed One, the thus-gone, worthy, completely perfect Buddha Śākyamuni, and also to hear his Dharma teaching.”

The Blessed One said, “Sons of noble family, you know that the time has come, so please go ahead.”

So the bodhisattva great being Avalokiteśvara and the bodhisattva great being Mahā­sthāmaprāpta set out from the world of Sukhāvatī, surrounded and preceded by 840 million bodhisattvas. At that point they manifested their miraculous powers, and by those miraculous powers 840 million bodhisattvas each emanated 840 million mansions. The miraculously manifested mansions were square, structured around four pillars, even and well proportioned, and of excellent design. Each of the mansions was twelve leagues tall and eight leagues wide. Some mansions were made of gold; [F.216.b] some were made of silver; some were made of beryl; some were made of crystal; some were made of red pearl, emerald, and coral; some were made of combinations of gold and silver; some were made of combinations of gold, silver, and beryl; some were made of combinations of gold, silver, beryl, and crystal; some mansions were made of combinations of gold, silver, beryl, crystal, and red pearl; some mansions were made of combinations of gold, silver, beryl, crystal, red pearl, and coral; some mansions were made of combinations of gold, silver, beryl, crystal, red pearl, coral, and emerald; some mansions were made of red sandalwood; some were made of uragasāra sandalwood; some were made of aloeswood and sandalwood; some were made of black aloeswood and sandalwood; some mansions were made of all types of sandalwood; some mansions were made of blue lotuses, pink lotuses, water lily, and white lotuses; some mansions were made of flowers of nutmeg, jasmine, magnolia, pāṭalam, mountain ebony, aloe flower, and gotaraṇi; some mansions were made of danuskari flowers; some mansions were made of māndārava and mahāmāndārava flowers; some mansions were made of flowers of pāruṣaka, mahāpāruṣaka, mañjuṣaka, mahāmañjuṣaka, roca, mahāroca, cakra, mahācakra, sarvacakra, atyartha­śobhati­cakra, candra, mahācandra, atyartha­śobhati­candra, paramacandra, sthāla, and mahāsthāla; [F.217.a] some mansions were made of all types of flowers; and some were made of flowers of various colors, multiple colors, hundreds of thousands of colors, beautiful, pure, and shining.

In each mansion were emanated 84,000 goddesses. Some of the goddesses held conches, drums, clay kettle drums, wooden kettle drums, lutes, and flutes, while others sang melodiously, and yet others held up reed pipes, one-stringed lutes, and three-stringed lutes. In this way they were playing instruments, singing songs, and making music in abundance. Some goddesses were holding vessels of powdered red sandalwood; some goddesses were holding vessels of powdered uragasāra sandalwood; some goddesses were holding vessels of powdered aloeswood and sandalwood; some goddesses were holding vessels of powdered black aloeswood and sandalwood; some goddesses were holding vessels of all types of powdered sandalwood; some goddesses were holding vessels of powdered blue lotuses, pink lotuses, water lilies, and white lotuses; some goddesses were holding vessels of powdered flowers of māndārava, mahāmāndārava, pāruṣaka, mahāpāruṣaka, mañjuṣaka, mahāmañjuṣaka, roca, mahāroca, cakra, mahācakra, sarvacakra, atyartha­śobhati­cakra, candra, mahācandra, atyartha­śobhati­candra, paramacandra, sthāla, and mahāsthāla; some goddesses were proffering vessels of all types of powdered flowers, perfume, incense, flower garlands, and ointments.

In each mansion appeared an ornately decorated lion throne upon which the form of a thus-gone one was seated, adorned with the thirty-two marks of a great being. [F.217.b] In each of the mansions appeared 84,000 pearl garlands, made of white, red, and blue pearls. In each of the mansions appeared 84,000 victory banners made of divinely manufactured fabric, each of them covered in a lattice of small golden bells. In each of the mansions appeared 84,000 censers of incense. In each of the mansions appeared 84,000 parasols of various colors, multiple colors, hundreds of thousands of colors, beautiful, well-crafted, and of fine proportions. In each of the mansions appeared 84,000 rows of palm trees. In each of the mansions appeared 84,000 jewel trees. In each of the mansions appeared 84,000 lattices of small bells that, when stirred by the wind, sounded tunes resembling the music performed by skilled musicians playing trillions of divine instruments. Such were the sweet and beautiful tunes that rang out from those bells when stirred by the wind. In each of the mansions appeared ponds, the bottom of each lined with gold dust, adorned with beryl and crystal, and encircled by a ring of the seven precious gemstones. The ponds were filled with blue and pink lotuses, water lilies, and white lotus flowers, and on them were wild geese calling out. The ponds were filled to the brim with water of eight properties, making them excellent for the birds to quench their thirst. Each of the mansions was surrounded by seven rows of jewel trees, and 84,000 jewel strings bound them all together. The light shining from each of the mansions extended for 84,000 leagues. Such was the layout of all the mansions. [F.218.a]

Inside each of those mansions, the bodhisattva great being Avalokiteśvara and the bodhisattva great being Mahā­sthāmaprāpta then again emanated the entire display of all the mansions that they had produced, along with all of their elaborate internal contents, in a precise copy.

Once the two bodhisattva great beings had emanated those displays inside each of the mansions, the displays together with 840 billion bodhisattvas all vanished from the world of Sukhāvatī and arrived here in this Sahā world in just a single moment, a single second, a single instant. It happened as quickly as it takes for a strong person to extend his arm and flex it again. At that point the two bodhisattvas miraculously transformed this Sahā world so that it became as even as the palm of a hand. Such was the miracle that they manifested. All the bodhisattvas also arrived together with the 840 million mansions. This great display of qualities was absolutely resplendent. The light that shone from the mansions pervaded this entire trichiliocosm.

Then the two bodhisattvas went before the Blessed One, the thus-gone, worthy, completely perfect Buddha Śākyamuni. They prostrated with their heads at the feet of the Blessed One, the thus-gone, the worthy, completely perfect Buddha Śākyamuni, and circumambulated him three times before standing off to one side. As they stood there, those two holy beings, [F.218.b] in a single tune and a single voice, praised the Blessed One with these verses:

When the bodhisattva great being Avalokiteśvara and the bodhisattva great being Mahā­sthāmaprāpta had praised the Blessed One with these fitting verses, they asked the Blessed One about his health, saying, “The Blessed One, the thus-gone, worthy, completely perfect Buddha Amitābha is asking if the Blessed One is in good health. Are you free from any misfortune and agitation? Are you enjoying good health and well-being?”

They also said, “Hearers of the Blessed One, behold how delightful the world has become.”

When the bodhisattvas and great hearers here in the Sahā world [F.220.b] saw the great display of mansions that pervaded this entire world, as well as its many riches, they were amazed and thought to themselves, “Is it due to the power of the Thus-Gone One, or is it due to the power of these bodhisattva great beings, that all of this has arrived here from the world of Sukhāvatī?”

At that point, inspired by the Buddha, the bodhisattva great being Padmaśrīgarbha asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, all these many mansions that now fill up and adorn this Sahā world are amazing! Blissful One, they are truly amazing! Did all of this arrive here in the Sahā world from the world of Sukhāvatī due to the power of the Thus-Gone One or due to the power of these bodhisattvas?”

The Blessed One answered the bodhisattva great being Padmaśrīgarbha, “Padmaśrīgarbha, that these many jewel mansions now fill up and adorn this Sahā world is not due to the power of the Thus-Gone One. Rather, it is due to the power of the bodhisattva great being Avalokiteśvara and the bodhisattva great being Mahā­sthāmaprāpta.”

Padmaśrīgarbha exclaimed, “Because of their power, this Sahā world is now filled and adorned with these many jewel mansions. The perfection of the aspirations and roots of virtue of these two holy beings is inconceivable! Blessed One, it is amazing! Blissful One, it is truly amazing!”

[F.221.a] “Padmaśrīgarbha, it is just as you say,” said the Blessed One. “For innumerable trillions of eons, these two holy beings have perfected the roots of virtue. Padmaśrīgarbha, these two holy beings have attained the illusory absorption. As they abide within the illusory absorption, they can demonstrate such miraculous emanations. Padmaśrīgarbha, when you look toward the east, what do you see?”

When the bodhisattva great being Padmaśrīgarbha looked toward the east with the unobscured divine eye of a bodhisattva, he saw as many buddha realms as there are grains of sand in the river Ganges, with as many blessed buddhas as there are grains of sand in the river Ganges. At the feet of all of those blessed buddhas were the bodhisattva great being Avalokiteśvara and the bodhisattva great being Mahā­sthāmaprāpta, prostrating and inquiring about their health, saying, “The Blessed One, the thus-gone, worthy, completely perfect Buddha Amitābha is asking if the Blessed One is in good health. Are you free from any misfortune and agitation? Are you enjoying good health and well-being?”

The same thing occurred in the south, in the west, in the north, below, above, and in all the ten directions. In all directions Padmaśrīgarbha saw as many buddha realms as there are grains of sand in the Ganges River, filled with and adorned by a great display of mansions made of various precious substances. In all those buddha realms he saw blessed buddhas, and he witnessed the two holy beings prostrating before all those blessed buddhas. As he saw this, he was filled with great wonder.

The bodhisattva great being [F.221.b] Padmaśrīgarbha was amazed, and exclaimed to the Blessed One, “The accomplishment of the illusory absorption by these two holy beings is inconceivable! Blessed One, it is amazing! Blissful One, it is truly amazing! Why do I say so? Because these two holy beings abide in that absorption, and thus are present in all buddha realms.”

The Blessed One then produced a miraculous display so that the bodhisattva Padmaśrīgarbha could see the buddha realms in all ten directions. He could also behold blessed buddhas in those buddha realms, and he saw how the two holy beings prostrated at the feet of the blessed ones. In a similar way, the entire retinue present could see the buddha realms in all ten directions, behold the blessed buddhas in those buddha realms, and see the two holy beings prostrated at the feet of the blessed ones. Witnessing this, thirty-two thousand beings in the retinue of the Blessed One developed the mind set on unsurpassed and completely perfect awakening. Such were the miracles that the Blessed One produced.

Then the bodhisattva Padmaśrīgarbha asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, from which thus-gone one did these two holy beings develop the mind set on unsurpassed and completely perfect awakening? And how long ago was that? What was his name? Blessed One, thus-gone, worthy, completely perfect Buddha, please tell us!”

The Blessed One replied, “It is thus that other bodhisattvas, too, should perfect their conduct, actions, and aspirations. [F.222.a] Therefore, Padmaśrīgarbha, listen very well and keep in mind what I will now explain.”

The bodhisattva Padmaśrīgarbha said, “Blessed One, excellent!” and he listened as the Blessed One had advised.

“Padmaśrīgarbha,” continued the Blessed One, “previously, in times past, an inconceivable number of eons ago, an endless number of eons ago, at a time stretching further back than any number of eons, a number of eons so great that the number of atoms found in 100,000 worlds‍—all the limitless and inconceivable number of such atoms‍—would not equal the number of eons, there was a world called Boundless Accumulation of Precious Qualities and Full Display of Happiness. In that world was a blessed, thus-gone, worthy, completely perfect buddha who had perfect knowledge and conduct. He was a blissful one who knew the world, an unsurpassed charioteer who trained beings, and a teacher of gods and men. His name was Blessed Buddha King of the Golden-Hued Lion’s Play.

“Padmaśrīgarbha, in the buddha realm of the Blessed One, the thus-gone, worthy, completely perfect Buddha King of the Golden-Hued Lion’s Play, there was a display of precious qualities. I will only give you a mere illustration of this, just to mention a few of the qualities, so listen. Padmaśrīgarbha, tell me, are there many displays of precious qualities in the buddha realm of the Blessed One, the thus-gone, worthy, completely perfect Buddha Amitābha?”

Padmaśrīgarbha replied, “Blessed One, there are indeed‍—inconceivably many. They are limitless, and it would not be easy to describe them in words.”

The Blessed One said, “Padmaśrīgarbha, consider this analogy. Imagine a person splits the tip of a hair into one hundred pieces, and then uses the tip of one of those pieces to lift up one drop of water from the ocean. [F.222.b] Tell me now, Padmaśrīgarbha, which would be greater, the amount of water that has been extracted or the water that remains?”

Padmaśrīgarbha replied, “Blessed One, the extracted water would be less. The amount remaining is measureless.”

“Padmaśrīgarbha, think about this and understand it,” said the Blessed One. “The amount of water extracted from the ocean in a single drop by that person using a hundredth of a hair tip represents the displays of precious qualities in the buddha realm of the Blessed One, the thus-gone, worthy, completely perfect Buddha Amitābha, while the body of water remaining in the ocean represents the displays of precious qualities in Boundless Accumulation of Precious Qualities and Full Display of Happiness, the buddha realm of the Blessed One, the thus-gone, worthy, completely perfect Buddha, King of the Golden-Hued Lion’s Play.

“His saṅgha of hearers was also endless. Right now the Thus-Gone Amitābha’s saṅgha of hearers is said to be boundless, but the saṅgha of hearers belonging to the Blessed One, the thus-gone, worthy, completely perfect Buddha, King of the Golden-Hued Lion’s Play, was a hundred thousand times larger than that. His saṅgha of bodhisattvas was also of comparable size. That blessed, thus-gone one taught the Dharma exclusively within the three vehicles. Padmaśrīgarbha, even if I had as many eons as there are grains of sand in the Ganges River to describe the display of precious qualities in the buddha realm of the Blessed One, the thus-gone, worthy, completely perfect Buddha, King of the Golden-Hued Lion’s Play, as well as the display of qualities of his hearers and the causes for their happiness, I would not run out of things to say, and I would be unable to complete my description of the display of qualities in that buddha realm.

“Padmaśrīgarbha, [F.223.a] back then, during the life of the blessed Thus-Gone One, King of the Golden-Hued Lion’s Play, there was a virtuous and religious king who ruled over a thousand worlds. He was known as Glorious Splendor. Padmaśrīgarbha, King Glorious Splendor had one billion sons. All the young princes had the twenty-eight marks of a great being, and all of them had genuinely attained unsurpassed and completely perfect awakening. Padmaśrīgarbha, King Glorious Splendor also had seventy-six thousand pleasure groves for his enjoyment, while each of his sons had ten thousand pleasure groves.”

Then the bodhisattva Padmaśrīgarbha asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, were there no women in that buddha realm?”

“No, Padmaśrīgarbha, there were not,” answered the Blessed One. “In that buddha realm not even the word ‘woman’ was heard. All those young princes had been born out of chastity. They were all born in a miraculous manner. All those beings sustained themselves on the joy of concentration and the joy of the Dharma, and in that buddha realm there was no gross type of food. Padmaśrīgarbha, King Glorious Splendor had no formal duties, so together with his sons he worshipped the Blessed One for 840 trillion years. That Blessed, Thus-Gone One knew the king’s good intentions, so he taught him how to gain expertise in the mode of Dharma known as the boundless seal.

“Padmaśrīgarbha, you may wonder what that ‘expertise in the mode of Dharma known as the boundless seal’ might be. Well, Padmaśrīgarbha, it is that bodhisattva great beings never fail to strive for boundless activities. [F.223.b] They never fail to undertake boundless efforts. And why? Because those bodhisattvas’ generosity is boundless. Their discipline is boundless. Their patience is boundless. Their diligence is boundless. Their concentration is boundless. Their knowledge is boundless. Their embrace of saṃsāra is boundless. Their love for beings is boundless. Their display of realms is boundless. Their hearers are boundless. Their perfect forms are boundless. Their voices are boundless. Their eloquence is boundless.

“Padmaśrīgarbha, bodhisattvas will dedicate any root of virtue that has been created, even a single instance of the thought of awakening, so that it becomes boundless. You may wonder how dedication can make it boundless. Well, at the time bodhisattvas dedicate that root of merit to all sentient beings, the non-birth of all those sentient beings is actualized, and it is through their passing into the parinirvāṇa of a buddha that they will pass into parinirvāṇa. That, son of noble family, is called boundless dedication.

“Their emptiness is boundless. Their signlessness is boundless. Their wishlessness is boundless. Their lack of conditioned existence is boundless. In this way they are free of desire and liberated within the realm of phenomena, the limit of reality. They are unborn, serene, free, beyond suffering, and boundless. Son of noble family, in short, all phenomena are boundless. Therefore all phenomena are said to be unborn and unceasing. Whatever is unborn and unceasing is boundless.

“Padmaśrīgarbha, the Blessed One, the thus-gone, worthy, completely perfect Buddha, King of the Golden-Hued Lion’s Play, taught King Glorious Splendor perfectly how to gain expertise in the mode of Dharma known as the boundless seal, so that he, too, could reflect on the boundless Dharma. Then, as King Glorious Splendor received the teaching on the boundless Dharma from that blessed one, [F.224.a] he was satisfied and pleased. He rejoiced and was extremely delighted. Since he was so joyful and happy, together with his sons he praised that blessed one with these verses:

“Padmaśrīgarbha, on another occasion King Glorious Splendor was in his pleasure grove practicing concentration, when two beautiful and captivating lotus flowers made of uragasāra sandalwood sprang up on either side of him. From those two lotus flowers, two beings miraculously appeared: one bore the name Precious Mind, and the other was called Perfect Wealth. They sat cross-legged in the flowers.

“Padmaśrīgarbha, when King Glorious Splendor arose from his absorption, he saw those two beings sitting there, cross-legged, and at the sight he spoke this verse:

“Padmaśrīgarbha, [F.225.a] the being who had appeared on King Glorious Splendor’s right replied with these verses to King Glorious Splendor:

“Padmaśrīgarbha, the other being then spoke to King Glorious Splendor in these verses:

“Padmaśrīgarbha, once these two beings had spoken these verses, the king attained the five types of clairvoyance. Together with King Glorious Splendor, the two beings then went before the Blessed One, the thus-gone, worthy, completely perfect Buddha King of the Golden-Hued Lion’s Play. They prostrated with their heads to the blessed one’s feet, circumambulated the blessed one three times, joined the palms of their hands together, and stood to one side. Padmaśrīgarbha, these two beings then spoke these verses to the blessed one, as if in a single voice:

“Padmaśrīgarbha, then the Blessed One, the thus-gone, worthy, completely perfect Buddha [F.225.b] spoke the following verses to the two beings:

“Padmaśrīgarbha, once again the two beings addressed the blessed one in verse:

“Padmaśrīgarbha, you should not have any doubts or uncertainties as to whether the person who at that time, at that point, was named King Glorious Splendor was somebody else. And why? Because at that time, at that point, the Blessed One, the thus-gone, worthy, completely perfect Buddha Amitābha was named King Glorious Splendor. Padmaśrīgarbha, you should also not think that at that time, at that point, the two beings called Precious Mind and Perfect Wealth were anybody else. And why? Because at that time, at that point, the bodhisattva great being Avalokiteśvara was the being called Perfect Wealth, and the bodhisattva great being Mahā­sthāmaprāpta was the being called Precious Mind. Son of noble family, this was the first time that these two beings developed the mind set upon unsurpassed and completely perfect awakening.”

Then the bodhisattva great being Padmaśrīgarbha said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, it is amazing how these two holy beings, devoting themselves so much to the profound and without apprehending their own names, have both been developing the mind of awakening for so long! How many other blessed buddhas apart from that thus-gone one have these two holy beings served?”

“Son of noble family,” said the Blessed One, “it may be possible to count the number of grains of sand in the Ganges River. [F.226.b] But it is not possible to count the blessed buddhas who were venerated by those two holy beings since the time of that thus-gone one. That is how long these two have been developing the mind of awakening. Those two holy beings wear inconceivable armor and possess boundless skills. In fact it is impossible to comprehend the scope of those two beings’ qualities.”

Then the bodhisattva great being Padmaśrīgarbha asked the Blessed One, “From here, in which direction is that world called Boundless Accumulation of Precious Qualities and Full Display of Happiness where the Blessed One, the thus-gone King of the Golden-Hued Lion’s Play lived?”

The Blessed One said, “Son of noble family, at that time, at that point, the world of Sukhāvatī in the west was that world called Boundless Accumulation of Precious Qualities and Full Display of Happiness.”

The bodhisattva great being Padmaśrīgarbha requested of the Blessed One, “Please tell us what kind of display of precious qualities the Blessed One, the thus-gone, worthy, completely perfect Buddha manifested in the buddha realm of those two holy beings in order to aid many beings, show love for the world, and bring happiness and health to all, including gods and men. How were his perfect hearers? How long did they live? What kind of enjoyments did they have? What was their radiance like? And what were the names of the two holy beings after they awakened to unexcelled and completely perfect buddhahood? Why, you may wonder, am I making this request? It is so that other bodhisattvas may hear the Thus-Gone One describe the great aspirations of those two holy beings, [F.227.a] so that they, too, may perfect similar great aspirations.”

The Blessed One said to the bodhisattva Padmaśrīgarbha, “Padmaśrīgarbha, for that very purpose I shall answer you, so listen well and keep in mind what I say.”

The bodhisattva great being Padmaśrīgarbha said to the Blessed One, “Excellent!” and listened as the Blessed One had directed.

The Blessed One said, “Son of noble family, the extent of the Thus-Gone One Amitābha’s life is boundless. Even if you had a trillion eons to describe its limits, it would not be easy. Son of noble family, although the life of the Thus-Gone One Amitābha is boundless, all compounded phenomena are empty, unstable, without solidity, and fleeting. Therefore, son of noble family, in a distant future the Blessed One, the thus-gone, worthy, perfect Buddha Amitābha will also pass into nirvāṇa. Though he will pass into nirvāṇa, his sacred Dharma will remain for 84 trillion eons. Just as when he was alive, his passing into nirvāṇa will also accomplish sentient beings’ roots of virtue to their full extent.

“At that point, however, other sentient beings will no longer behold that thus-gone one. Yet the bodhisattvas will obtain the absorption of remembering the Buddha. They will always and continuously behold the Buddha and not be separate from him. Son of noble family, when Amitābha passes into nirvāṇa, lotus flowers and trees made of the seven gems will emit several hundred Gates of Dharma similar to the Dharma teachings that the thus-gone one taught.

“Son of noble family, after the Thus-Gone One Amitābha has passed into nirvāṇa, there will come a night when the sacred Dharma disappears. As soon as that happens, at the break of dawn on the very next day, [F.227.b] the bodhisattva great being Avalokiteśvara will awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood at the foot of a Bodhi tree made of various gems. As he perfectly and completely awakens, he will be known as Samanta­raśmyabhyudgata­śrī­kūta­rāja. The precious qualities displayed in the buddha realm of the Thus-Gone One Samanta­raśmyabhyudgata­śrī­kūta­rāja will be so extensive that even a thus-gone one who is otherwise able to recount how many grains of sand there are in the river Ganges will not be able to be comprehend them. There are so many causes for happiness and the precious qualities found in that buddha realm, but, son of noble family, let me just give you a brief illustration of their number.

“The display of precious qualities in the buddha realm of the Blessed One, the thus-gone King of the Golden-Hued Lion’s Play, which I described before, would not equal even one hundredth of this display of qualities. Nor would it measure one thousandth, or ever one hundred thousandth of it. In fact no number, analogy, or illustration would suffice. In this buddha realm even the names of hearers and solitary buddhas do not exist. This buddha realm is entirely filled with bodhisattvas. Son of noble family, even if one were to gather all of the hearers, solitary buddhas, and bodhisattvas of the Blessed Amitābha, they would not equal even one hundredth of the bodhisattva saṅgha of the Blessed One, the Thus-Gone One Samanta­raśmyabhyudgata­śrī­kūta­rāja. Nor would they measure one thousandth, or even one hundred thousandth of that. In fact no number, analogy, or illustration would suffice. As for his lifespan, it will be 96 trillion eons. The sacred Dharma that he teaches will remain for 630 million eons.”

The bodhisattva great being Padmaśrīgarbha asked the Blessed One, [F.228.a] “Blessed One, will the name of that world also be Sukhāvatī?”

The Blessed One said, “No, son of noble family, it will not. That world will be called Complete Gathering of Wealth. Son of noble family, during the lifetime of Samanta­raśmyabhyudgata­śrī­kūta­rāja, until he passes into nirvāṇa, he will be worshipped by the bodhisattva Mahā­sthāmaprāpta. After he passes into nirvāṇa, that bodhisattva will uphold his sacred Dharma and propagate it, so that the sacred Dharma may remain for long.

“Later, when the sacred Dharma has disappeared in that buddha realm, Mahā­sthāmaprāpta will awaken there to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood. He will appear in that world as a thus-gone, worthy, perfect buddha, a learned and virtuous being, a blissful one, someone who knows the world, an unsurpassed charioteer who tames beings, a teacher of gods and men, a blessed buddha known as Supra­tiṣṭhita­guṇa­maṇi­kūṭa­rāja. Just as were the perfect bodhisattvas and the perfect environment belonging to the Blessed One, the thus-gone, worthy, perfect Buddha Samanta­raśmyabhyudgata­śrī­kūta­rāja, so will they be, precisely and without any difference, for the Blessed One, the thus-gone Supra­tiṣṭhita­guṇa­maṇi­kūṭa­rāja. His lifespan and the period of his sacred Dharma will also be the same.

“Any son or daughter of noble family who hears the names of the Blessed One, the thus-gone Samanta­raśmyabhyudgata­śrī­kūta­rāja, or the Blessed One, the thus-gone Supra­tiṣṭhita­guṇa­maṇi­kūṭa­rāja, will render irreversible their progress to unsurpassed and perfect awakening. [F.228.b]

“Padmaśrīgarbha, any woman who hears the account of how the Blessed One, the thus-gone King of the Golden-Hued Lion’s Play, passed into nirvāṇa, and who hears the name of these two future buddhas, will no longer have the identity of a woman, and after 400 million eons she will destroy saṃsāra. She will render irreversible her progress to unsurpassed and perfect awakening. She will always see the Buddha, listen to the Dharma, and serve the Saṅgha; and as she moves to the next life, she will take ordination. She will recollect her past lives and attain unimpeded eloquence and retention.”

Then, from within the retinue, 960 million gods, men, and other beings called out in a single voice, “We pay homage to all thus-gone ones: those yet to come, those who presently remain, and those in the ten directions who have passed into nirvāṇa. We rejoice in their names!” And they continued, “Blessed One, this entire gathering now engenders the mind of unsurpassed and perfect awakening.”

Then the Blessed One prophesied their unsurpassed and perfect awakening. Eight trillion four hundred thousand million beings purified their eye of Dharma regarding phenomena so that it became stainless and unobscured. Seven thousand monks freed their minds from defilements without further clinging.

Then, at that time, the bodhisattva great being Avalokiteśvara and the bodhisattva great being Mahā­sthāmaprāpta caused a miracle by which the entire retinue could see all the limitless, uncountable blessed ones in the ten directions making prophecies for their unsurpassed and perfect awakening. [F.229.a] Such was the miracle that they performed.

At this spectacle, everyone present exclaimed, “Blessed One, we now see the extent to which these two bodhisattva great beings are cared for by those blessed buddhas! It is amazing to see so many blessed buddhas making prophecies regarding these two holy beings!”

Then the bodhisattva Padmaśrīgarbha asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, how much merit is created when a son or daughter of noble family remembers this sūtra taught by the Thus-Gone One, carries it, reads it, comprehends it, and extensively and genuinely teaches it to others?”

The Blessed One said, “Son of noble family, it could be asked what would be accomplished and what would be the reason for me to reply to the question you have put to the Thus-Gone One. Son of noble family, it is because base sentient beings may distrust the Thus-Gone One’s teachings, and will therefore continue to meet with harm, unhelpful situations, unhappiness, and misfortune.”

Padmaśrīgarbha said, “Blessed One, in this assembly there are sons and daughters of noble family who are dedicated to the vast, indeed extremely dedicated; this teaching will also appear to beings yet to come. So it is for the sake of the welfare and happiness of many beings that I request the Thus-Gone One to explain.”

The Blessed One said, “Padmaśrīgarbha, that being so, I ask you to listen well to what I will say and keep it in mind.”

The bodhisattva Padmaśrīgarbha said, “Blessed One, excellent!” and he listened as the Blessed One had instructed him.

Then the Blessed One said, “Son of noble family, say there is a man who is strong, powerful, and with great amounts of merit. Now, however many beings one may think there are in what one thinks of as the realm of beings, the Thus-Gone One has said that there are many more than that; [F.229.b] it is not like the realm of the earth. All those beings that person supports with his head, shoulders, or hands for limitless tens of millions of eons. For as long as he lives, he offers them clothing and food, and provides them with all types of pleasant provisions and services.7 Now tell me, Padmaśrīgarbha, would that man’s merit increase greatly on this basis?”

Padmaśrīgarbha said, “A lot of merit is created when just a single person develops a loving attitude, even if only for as long as it takes him to snap his fingers. So how much more would be created if someone embraces all beings with love and serves them with all necessities for their happiness for endless, limitless, tens of millions of eons?”

The Blessed One said, “Padmaśrīgarbha, you should be inspired by this, and you should fully understand it: any son or daughter of noble family who, immersed in faith and full of interest, develops the mind of awakening based on a sūtra that the Thus-Gone One has taught, like this one, and takes hold of the sūtra, remembers it, reads it, understands it, and teaches it extensively to others will, based on that foundation, give rise to a much greater amount of merit.”

The bodhisattva Padmaśrīgarbha declared to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, when the Thus-Gone One has passed into nirvāṇa, I will take hold of this sūtra, which has been taught by the Thus-Gone One, and grasp it, read it, understand it, and teach it extensively to others.”

The bodhisattva Padmaśrīgarbha and the 960 million bodhisattvas then all declared, in a single voice, “Blessed One, we too will take hold of this sūtra and grasp it, read it, understand it, [F.230.a] and teach it extensively to others.”

The Blessed One said to the bodhisattva Padmaśrīgarbha, “Padmaśrīgarbha, if any woman hears this Dharma teaching, she will immediately be transformed from the state of a woman, unless there are the two causative factors, jealousy and stinginess.”

Then Śakra, who is lord of the gods, Brahmā, who rules the Sahā world, the four great kings, and many hundreds of thousands of gods scattered divine māndārava flowers on the Blessed One and the bodhisattva great beings. While playing billions of divine instruments, they called out, “Those sentient beings who hear this Dharma teaching, grasp it, and teach it extensively to others will reap a great profit.”

The Blessed One said, “Sons of noble family, what you have said is true. Any sentient being who holds this Dharma teaching in their hands or hears it, and subsequently feels devotion for it, will give rise to roots of virtue before ten thousand buddhas.”

Then a young girl named Viraja rose from her seat in the congregation and, motivated by altruistic thoughts, announced, “Blessed One, with an altruistic motivation I have decided to give up any jealousy and stinginess, and instead develop the mind of unsurpassed and perfect awakening. Blessed Thus-Gone One, you speak the truth. Blessed One, if it is so that were I to become a buddha, and other women should happen to hear this Dharma teaching, they will also be freed from being a woman as soon as they hear it, to that end, Blessed One, may all my woman’s organs now disappear from my body, and those of a man appear!” [F.230.b]

Instantly the girl’s female organs vanished, and her body became that of a man, of whom the Blessed One prophesied that his progress to unsurpassed and perfect awakening had now been rendered irreversible, and that he would become a thus-gone one, a worthy one, a perfect buddha named Repeller of All Disturbing Emotions.

When the Blessed One had spoken this teaching, the bodhisattva great being Padmaśrīgarbha, the monks, and the many bodhisattvas, as well as the world with its gods, men, demigods, and gandharvas, rejoiced and praised what the Blessed One had said.