Cultivating Trust in the Great Vehicle
Conclusion

Then, the bodhisattva Great Skillful Trust said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, it is wonderful that, for those novice bodhisattvas who are engaged in inspired conduct, you have taught the perfect characteristics of the trust in the Great Vehicle along with the perfect ways that trust is developed, the perfect classifications of trust, and now also the perfect benefits. Blessed One, if one contemplates and practices based on these teachings, then the perfect, exalted, and limitless qualities of other bodhisattvas will also become apparent.”

When the Blessed One delivered this Dharma teaching, five thousand novice bodhisattvas developed the great acceptance that facilitates realization of the Dharma of the bodhisattvas, while in the assembled retinue the remainder of the novice bodhisattvas, through their unwavering aspiration, [F.32.a] developed acceptance that is like a flowing river of aspiration.

Then, the bodhisattva Great Skillful Trust said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, some bodhisattvas who have an initial interest in this Dharma teaching will, when applying it in practice, soon attain the thus-gone ones’ food, drink, mount, clothing, ornaments, utensils, necessities, goods, perfume, garlands, ointments, song, dance, music, light, women, men, and all enjoyable objects.”

Then, the bodhisattva Searching for the Vessel of Trust said to the bodhisattva Great Skillful Trust, “Noble son, what are the thus-gone ones’ food, drink, mount, clothing, ornaments, utensils, necessities, goods, perfume, garlands, ointments, song, dance, music, light, women, men, and all enjoyable objects?”

“Noble son,” the bodhisattva Great Skillful Trust replied, “the joy of concentration that is free from all obscurations is the thus-gone ones’ food. The fluid of the sacred Dharma that is free from obscurations is the thus-gone ones’ drink. Tranquility and insight that are free from all obscurations are the thus-gone ones’ mount. Conscientiousness and modesty that are free from all obscurations are the thus-gone ones’ clothing. Pure discipline that is free from all obscurations is the thus-gone ones’ ornaments. Learning that is free from all obscurations is the thus-gone ones’ utensils, necessities, and goods. Concentrations, freedoms, absorptions, and states of equilibrium that are free from all obscurations [F.32.b] are the thus-gone ones’ perfume, garlands, and ointments. An indubitable discourse that contains the enjoyment of the complete Dharma that purifies all obscurations is the thus-gone ones’ song, dance, and music. The gates of recollection that are free from all obscurations are the thus-gone ones’ light. The gates of absorption and the gates of liberation that are free from all obscurations are the thus-gone ones’ women, men, and all enjoyable objects. In this way, noble son, if by having an initial interest in this teaching and applying its practices one soon attains these ten possessions of the thus-gone ones on the relative as well as the ultimate levels, there is no need to mention what happens for those who apply themselves to the reality behind this teaching. Noble son, on top of attaining these ten possessions of the thus-gone ones, they will also obtain the palace of the thus-gone ones as their residence.”

The bodhisattva Searching for the Vessel of Trust said, “Noble son, what is the palace in which the thus-gone ones reside like?”

The bodhisattva Great Skillful Trust said, “Noble son, it is made of the shimmering seven precious substances and shines a light so bright that it pervades the endless extent of the world. It is distinguished from other locations in infinite ways. Its design is limitless and has no boundaries. Its characteristics transcend the three realms, and it appears from the supreme roots of virtue that are beyond the world, and from powerful cognition and the features of extreme purity. Such is the abode of the thus-gone ones, which supports limitless bodhisattvas. It is teeming with boundless gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans, and nonhumans. [F.33.a] It is reinforced by the great joy and bliss of the taste of the Dharma. It is maintained by the activity of benefitting all beings and is free from any harm caused by disturbing emotions and subsidiary disturbing emotions. It is inaccessible to any demon. Superior to all other structures, it is designed through the blessings of the thus-gone ones. Leading to liberation through mindfulness, intelligence, and great realization, it is the vehicle of tranquility and insight adorned with limitless masses of the qualities that emerge from great emptiness, absence of characteristics, and absence of wishes. The thus-gone ones reside in this great palace that sits atop the king of all great lotuses. Noble son, if whoever has an initial interest in this teaching will, by applying these practices, attain such a palace of the thus-gone ones, there is no need to mention what happens for those who apply themselves to the reality behind this teaching.”

The Blessed One replied, “Noble son, excellent, excellent! Noble son, what you have said is true. If whoever forms an interest in this Dharma teaching will soon attain these possessions of the thus-gone ones and that palace of the thus-gone ones, there is no need to mention what occurs for those who apply themselves to the reality behind this teaching.”

Then, Venerable Ānanda spoke to the Blessed One: “Blessed One, what kind of merit is created when a noble son or daughter feels interest in this Dharma teaching and reads, copies, recites, hears, chants, teaches, contemplates, or applies it through meditation?”

The Blessed One replied, “Ānanda, whoever feels interest in this Dharma teaching and reads, copies, [F.33.b] recites, hears, chants, teaches elaborately and correctly, thoroughly contemplates, or applies it in meditation will create merit that is impossible to illustrate by any worldly merit or even by the merit of the hearers and solitary buddhas that transcends the world. Why is that? Because, Ānanda, any worldly merit, no matter how great, is subject to cause and effect. As it is subsumed by the truth of suffering and the truth of the origin, it cannot bring complete satisfaction. Such results only appear when their causes are exhausted, so such merit is impermanent.

“Ānanda, the entire merit of the hearers and solitary buddhas that transcends the world is not vast, it has a lesser purpose, and it is eventually exhausted. It is not vast because it belongs to and observes the inferior vehicle, thus guiding the mind in that direction. It has a lesser purpose because it is concerned with oneself. It is eventually exhausted because it dissolves within the field of nirvāṇa free from residual aggregates.

“However, Ānanda, the merit that arises from trust in the Great Vehicle of the bodhisattvas brings complete satisfaction, its cause is never exhausted, it is vast, it has a great purpose, and it is inexhaustible. Therefore, the merit that arises from trust in the Great Vehicle of the bodhisattvas cannot be illustrated by means of either mundane or transcendent forms of merit.”

Ānanda said, “Blessed One, what is the name of this Dharma teaching? Under what name should it be recalled?”

The Blessed One replied, “Ānanda, for the above reasons you should know that this Dharma teaching is called Cultivating Trust in the Great Vehicle. Remember it also under the name Engaging with Trust in the Great Vehicle. [F.34.a] Remember it also under the name Increasing Trust in the Great Vehicle. Remember it also under the name Liberation through Trust in the Great Vehicle. Therefore, this Dharma teaching should be given the title Cultivating Trust in the Great Vehicle.”

After the Blessed One had thus spoken, the bodhisattvas and the entire retinue, as well as the world with its gods, humans, asuras, and gandharvas, rejoiced in and praised what the Blessed One had taught.