Evaluating Whether Progress is Certain or Uncertain

[F.63.a]

Homage to all buddhas and bodhisattvas.

Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was dwelling on Vulture Peak Mountain in Rājagṛha, along with a great saṅgha of 1,250 bhikṣus. Together with them were six septillion bodhisattvas, including such bodhisattvas as Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta, Avalokiteśvara, Mahāsthāmaprāpta, [F.63.b] Bhaiṣajyarāja, Bhaiṣajyasamudgata, and the bodhisattva King of the Sound Emanated by a Stūpa. The entire group of six septillion bodhisattvas all dwelled in the absorption of the miraculous power of certain tranquility; had attained the absorption that is like an ocean tide of deep, steady water; had attained the dhāraṇī of conferring empowerment; and had attained the dhāraṇī of achieving the limitless colors of the buddhas.

Then Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta asked the Blessed One, “How can one evaluate whether, for these bodhisattvas, it is uncertain that they will attain unsurpassable, perfect awakening, for they may turn back from the path leading to unsurpassable wisdom? And how can one evaluate whether, for those bodhisattvas, it is certain that they will attain unsurpassable, perfect awakening, and they will not turn back from the path leading to unsurpassable wisdom? Please teach the Dharma discourse that is called evaluating whether a bodhisattva’s progress is certain or uncertain, so that I will understand it.”

“Mañjuśrī,” the Blessed One replied, “there are five types of progress that bodhisattvas may make. They are a bodhisattva’s progress that is like travel using a cattle cart,6 like travel using an elephant chariot, like travel using the moon and sun, like travel using the magical power of the śrāvakas, and like travel using the magical power of the Tathāgata. These are the five types of progress that bodhisattvas may make. Mañjuśrī, in that regard, for two types of bodhisattva it is not certain that they will reach unsurpassable, perfect awakening, while for three types of bodhisattva [F.64.a] it is certain that they will reach unsurpassable, perfect awakening.”

“Blessed One, which are the bodhisattvas who are not certain to reach unsurpassable, perfect awakening, and who will turn back from the path leading to unsurpassable wisdom?” asked Mañjuśrī.

“Mañjuśrī,” the Blessed One answered, “they are those bodhisattvas whose progress is like travel using a cattle cart and like travel using an elephant chariot. Those are the bodhisattvas who are not certain to reach unsurpassable, perfect awakening, and who will turn back from the path leading to unsurpassable wisdom. But the bodhisattvas whose progress is like travel using the moon and sun, like travel using the magical power of the śrāvakas, and like travel using the magical power of the Tathāgata‍—these three are the bodhisattvas who are certain to reach unsurpassable, perfect awakening, and who will not turn back from the path leading to unsurpassable wisdom.

“Mañjuśrī, you may wonder how one should understand bodhisattvas whose progress is like travel using a cattle cart. Mañjuśrī, they are like this: Suppose someone wished to travel across as many world systems as are equal in number to the atoms in five hundred buddhafields, and suppose that they had business, important business,7 an objective, an important objective, urgent affairs, or extremely urgent affairs to attend to there. They would think, ‘In what kind of vehicle shall I travel across those world systems?’ and then they might consider, ‘Well then, let me go by cattle cart. I am sure to be able to travel across those world systems that way.’ Suppose they then climbed onto their cart and set off. After they had traveled for a very long time, they might have managed to travel a hundred yojanas, but then suppose they were driven back eighty yojanas by a great cyclone. [F.64.b] In the best case, Mañjuśrī, what do you think? Could that person ever travel across those world systems, even if they traveled for an eon, or a hundred eons, or a thousand eons, or a trillion eons, or an inexpressible number of inexpressibly many eons? Or could they travel across even one world system?”

“Blessed One, that would be impossible‍—not feasible at all!” answered Mañjuśrī. “Even if that person on the cattle cart traveled for an eon, or a hundred eons, or a thousand eons, or a trillion eons, or an inexpressible number of inexpressibly many eons, they could not travel across even one world system. That would be impossible!”

“Mañjuśrī, in the same way,” continued the Blessed One, “if certain sons or daughters of good family, having conceived the thought of attaining unsurpassable, perfect awakening, do not uphold or recite the Mahāyāna scriptures, but stay instead with followers of the Śrāvaka Vehicle and support, follow, and honor those followers of the Śrāvaka Vehicle; and accustoming themselves to staying with them, they apply themselves to and practice that tradition; and staying in the same gardens, monasteries, or walking places with them, they read the śrāvaka scriptures, recite them, reflect on them, and understand them, encouraging others to read them, recite them, reflect on them, and understand them‍—through that conditioning8 of having produced a root of virtue by upholding the Śrāvaka Vehicle, their discriminating wisdom would become dull, and that would make them turn back from the path leading to unsurpassable wisdom. The faculty and eye of discriminating wisdom that arise from those bodhisattvas cultivating the mind of awakening would be dulled and destroyed by the conditioning of having produced a root of virtue by upholding and maintaining the Śrāvaka Vehicle. [F.65.a]

“Mañjuśrī, suppose a certain man’s eye has shut because of an eye disease. If, for the sake of restoring the eye’s ability to open and close again, the eye were examined for one month, and if after a month had passed, rather than the eye being made to open and close, instead that person’s enemy or adversary filled that eye with a handful of powdered long pepper and thus blinded that eye,9 just so Mañjuśrī, the faculty and eye of discriminating wisdom that arise from those bodhisattvas cultivating the mind of awakening would be dulled and destroyed by the conditioning of having produced a root of virtue by upholding and maintaining the Śrāvaka Vehicle. Mañjuśrī, you should understand such bodhisattvas to be those whose progress is like travel using a cattle cart.

“Mañjuśrī, you may wonder how one should understand bodhisattvas whose progress is like travel using an elephant chariot.

“Suppose, Mañjuśrī, that someone wished to travel across those very world systems, and suppose that they had business, important business, an objective, an important objective, urgent affairs, or extremely urgent affairs to attend to there. They would think, ‘In what kind of vehicle shall I travel across those world systems?’ and then they might consider, ‘Well then, let me go by an eight-part elephant chariot. I am sure to be able to travel across those world systems that way.’ Suppose they then climbed onto their eight-part elephant chariot and set off. After they had traveled for a hundred years, they might have managed to travel two thousand yojanas, but then suppose they were driven back by a great cyclone. In that case, Mañjuśrī, what do you think? Could that person who rode the elephant chariot ever travel across even one single world system, even if they traveled for an eon, or a hundred eons, or a thousand eons, or a trillion eons, or an inexpressible number of inexpressibly many eons?”

“Blessed One, that would be impossible‍—not feasible at all!” answered Mañjuśrī. [F.65.b] “Even if that person on the elephant chariot were to travel for an eon, or a hundred eons, or a thousand eons, or a trillion eons, or an inexpressible number of inexpressibly many eons, they could not travel across even one world system. That would be impossible!”

“Mañjuśrī, in the same way,” the Blessed One continued, “if certain sons or daughters of good family, having conceived the thought of attaining unsurpassable, perfect awakening, stay with followers of the Śrāvaka Vehicle and support, follow, and honor those followers of the Śrāvaka Vehicle; and accustoming themselves to staying with them, they apply themselves to and practice that tradition; and staying in the same gardens, monasteries, or walking places with them, they read the śrāvaka scriptures, recite them, reflect on them, and understand them, encouraging others to read them, recite them, and practice them‍—through that conditioning of having produced a root of virtue by upholding the Śrāvaka Vehicle, their discriminating wisdom would become dull, and that would make them turn back from the path leading to unsurpassable wisdom.

“The faculty and eye of discriminating wisdom that are the conditioning of having produced a root of virtue that arises from those bodhisattvas cultivating the mind of awakening would be dulled and destroyed by the conditioning of having produced a root of virtue by upholding and maintaining the Śrāvaka Vehicle. Mañjuśrī, suppose that there existed a huge tree trunk that was a thousand yojanas long, and rather than be carried away by the ocean, it was driven back by sky-dwelling yakṣas from its course through the ocean. And if they then attached to it a lump of iron five thousand yojanas tall, Mañjuśrī, what do you think? [F.66.a] Would that huge tree trunk be able to move through the ocean or be used by beings to cross it?”

“No, Blessed One,” replied Mañjuśrī.

“In the same way, Mañjuśrī,” continued the Blessed One, “the tree of discriminating wisdom that arises from those bodhisattvas cultivating the mind of awakening will be driven back from the ocean of omniscient wisdom by their conditioning of having produced a root of virtue by upholding the Śrāvaka Vehicle, and they will not move through the ocean of omniscient wisdom or be able to ferry beings across the ocean of cyclic existence. Mañjuśrī, you should understand such bodhisattvas to be those whose progress is like travel using an elephant chariot.

“Mañjuśrī, you may wonder how one should understand bodhisattvas whose progress is like travel using the sun and moon.

“Mañjuśrī, suppose someone wished to travel across those very world systems, and suppose that they had business, important business, an objective, an important objective, urgent affairs, or extremely urgent affairs to attend to there. They would think, ‘Using what kind of magical power shall I travel across those world systems?’ and then they might consider, ‘Well then, let me go using the sun and moon. I am sure to be able to travel across those world systems that way.’ Suppose they then set off using the sun and moon. Mañjuśrī, what do you think? Could that person who went using the sun and moon travel across those world systems?”

“Blessed One, they would be able to,” replied Mañjuśrī. “Sugata, eventually, after a long period of time, they would be able to.”

“Mañjuśrī, in the same way,” continued the Blessed One, “if certain sons or daughters of good family, having conceived the thought of attaining unsurpassable, perfect awakening, do not stay with followers of the Śrāvaka Vehicle or support, follow, or honor those followers of the Śrāvaka Vehicle; [F.66.b] and not accustoming themselves to staying with them, they do not apply themselves to or practice that tradition; and not staying in the same gardens, monasteries, or walking places with them, they do not read the śrāvaka scriptures, recite them, or contemplate them, nor encourage others to read or recite even so much as a single verse from them‍—if what they do read is only the Mahāyāna, and what they teach is only the Mahāyāna, then Mañjuśrī, you should understand such bodhisattvas to be those whose progress is like travel using the moon and sun.

“As an analogy Mañjuśrī, the great and mighty king of the garuḍas who has reached maturity and has gained strength and great power could, if he wanted to, fly from the top of the central mountain of one world system to that of the next world system. Mañjuśrī, in the same way, bodhisattvas whose progress is like travel using the moon and sun possess the strength of moral discipline, learning, reflection, and altruism; they have attained maturity and great power, and if they wanted to, they could go from one buddhafield to another and teach those among the disciples of the tathāgatas.

“Mañjuśrī, you may wonder how one should understand bodhisattvas whose progress is like travel using the magical power of the śrāvakas.

“Suppose, Mañjuśrī, that someone wished to travel across those very world systems, and suppose that they had business, important business, an objective, an important objective, urgent affairs, or extremely urgent affairs to attend to there. They would think, ‘Using what kind of magical power shall I travel across those world systems?’ and then they might consider, ‘Well then, let me travel across those world systems using the magical power of the śrāvakas.’ [F.67.a] Mañjuśrī, what do you think? Could that person travel across those world systems using the magical power of the śrāvakas?”

“Yes, Blessed One,” answered Mañjuśrī, “they would be able to.”

“Mañjuśrī, in the same way,” continued the Blessed One, “certain sons or daughters of good family, having conceived the thought of attaining unsurpassable, perfect awakening, do not stay with followers of the Śrāvaka Vehicle or support, follow, or honor those followers of the Śrāvaka Vehicle; and not accustoming themselves to staying with them, they do not apply themselves to or practice that tradition; and not staying in the same gardens, monasteries, or walking places with them, they do not read the śrāvaka scriptures, recite them, reflect on them, or understand them, nor encourage others to read or recite even so much as a single verse from them. What they do read is only the Mahāyāna, and what they teach is only the Mahāyāna.

“Showing reverence and respect to bodhisattvas who are devoted to the Mahāyāna, to those who read the Mahāyāna scriptures, and to those who uphold the Mahāyāna, they dedicate themselves to them and approach them. Having approached them, they stay with them and support, follow, and honor them; and accustoming themselves to staying with them, they apply themselves to and practice that tradition. Staying in the same gardens, monasteries, or walking places with them, they seek the Mahāyāna scriptures, collect them, and maintain them. With the utmost reverence, they worship them with lamps, fragrant substances, flowers, incense, garlands of flowers, and unguents. They read and recite the Mahāyāna scriptures and, with gladness and delight, teach them. [F.67.b] They do not give rise to a disrespectful attitude toward untrained bodhisattvas. They teach smilingly and sincerely; without speaking coarsely, harshly, or roughly, they teach gladly and with sweet words. Even at the cost of their lives, they do not give up the Mahāyāna. With heartfelt altruism they support as much as they can and to the best of their abilities those bodhisattvas who have entered the Mahāyāna, those who recite the Mahāyāna scriptures, and those who uphold the Mahāyāna. They do not dispute or quarrel with anyone. Their nature is to seek out sūtras that have not appeared or been heard before, and they give rise to fervent reverence for the teaching of that which is heard from such sūtras. They do not look down upon other bodhisattvas who are untrained in the practices of the bodhisattvas, and they do not incite others with real or spurious moral faults.10 And they do not seek fault even in the delusions of others, while they do train in loving kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity. You should understand such bodhisattvas, Mañjuśrī, to be those whose progress is like travel using the magical power of the śrāvakas.

“Mañjuśrī, you may wonder how one should understand bodhisattvas whose progress is like travel using the magical power of the Tathāgata.

“Mañjuśrī, suppose that someone wished to travel across those very world systems, and suppose that they had business, important business, an objective, an important objective, urgent affairs, or extremely urgent affairs to attend to there. They would think, ‘Using what kind of magical power shall I swiftly travel across those world systems?’ and then they might consider, ‘Well then, surely I should supplicate the Tathāgata in order to travel across those world systems.’ [F.68.a] Mañjuśrī, that person, going into the presence of the Tathāgata and supplicating him, would say, ‘Blessed One, I seek to travel across as many world systems as are equal in number to the atoms in five hundred buddhafields. As I have business, important business, an objective, an important objective, urgent affairs, or extremely urgent affairs to attend to there, kindly make it so that I travel across those world systems.’ Mañjuśrī, what do you think? If the Tathāgata makes it so that the person travels across those world systems, is it the Tathāgata’s doing that they swiftly travel across those world systems?”

“Yes, Blessed One,” answered Mañjuśrī. “Yes, Sugata, it is his doing.”

“Mañjuśrī, in the same way,” continued the Blessed One, “certain sons or daughters of good family, having conceived the thought of attaining unsurpassable, perfect awakening, do not stay with followers of the Śrāvaka Vehicle or support, follow, or honor those followers of the Śrāvaka Vehicle; and not accustoming themselves to staying with them, they do not apply themselves to or practice that tradition; and not staying in the same gardens, monasteries, or walking places with them, they do not read the śrāvaka scriptures, recite them, reflect on them, or understand them, nor encourage others to read or recite even so much as a single verse from them. What they do read is only the Mahāyāna, what they recite is only the Mahāyāna, and what they teach is only the Mahāyāna.

“Their bodies, speech, and minds are completely pure, they possess moral discipline, and they are endowed with virtuous qualities. [F.68.b] They establish the bodies, speech, and minds of others in complete purity, and they cause them to be endowed with moral discipline and virtuous qualities. They show reverence and respect to bodhisattvas who have entered the Mahāyāna, to those who read the Mahāyāna scriptures, and to those who uphold the Mahāyāna. They dedicate themselves to them and approach them. Having approached them, they stay with them and support, follow, and honor them; and accustoming themselves to staying with them, they apply themselves to and practice that tradition. Staying in the same gardens, monasteries, or walking places with them, they seek the Mahāyāna scriptures, collect them, and maintain them. With the utmost reverence, they fervently worship them with lamps, fragrant substances, flowers, incense, garlands of flowers, and unguents. They read and recite the Mahāyāna scriptures, and with gladness and great delight, they strongly encourage others to read and recite them. They do not give rise to a disrespectful attitude toward untrained bodhisattvas, and they establish other bodhisattvas in just that training.

“They teach smilingly and sincerely, and they establish others in teaching smilingly and sincerely. Without speaking coarsely, harshly, or roughly, they establish others in just that training. They teach gladly and with sweet words. Even at the cost of their lives they do not give up the Mahāyāna. With fervent reverence, gladness, and great delight, they deferentially serve those bodhisattvas who have entered the Mahāyāna, those who recite the Mahāyāna scriptures, and those who uphold the Mahāyāna. And with great contemplation11 and altruism they establish others in just that training.

“They do not dispute or quarrel with anyone. With fervent reverence, they pursue and seek out sūtras that have not appeared or been heard before. [F.69.a] They give rise to fervent reverence for the teaching of that which is heard from such sūtras, and they establish others in just that training.

“They are not arrogant toward others who are untrained in the practices of the bodhisattvas, and they do not incite others with real or spurious moral faults. They do not seek fault even in the delusions of others, and they establish others in just that training.

“They observe the mass of beings deprived of the deeds of a bodhisattva, and they cause others to observe the mass of beings deprived of the deeds of a bodhisattva. They observe the mass of beings deprived of the path of a bodhisattva, and they cause others to observe the mass of beings deprived of the path of a bodhisattva. They observe the mass of beings deprived of the conduct of a bodhisattva, and they cause others to observe the mass of beings deprived of the conduct of a bodhisattva.

“They observe the mass of beings deprived of the cause of becoming a bodhisattva, and they cause others to observe the mass of beings deprived of the cause of becoming a bodhisattva. They observe the mass of beings deprived of the skill in means of a bodhisattva, and they cause others to observe the mass of beings deprived of the skill in means of a bodhisattva. They observe the mass of beings deprived of the duties12 of a bodhisattva, and they cause others to observe the mass of beings deprived of the duties of a bodhisattva.

“They observe the mass of beings deprived of the strength of a bodhisattva’s conditioning conduct,13 [F.69.b] and they cause others to observe the mass of beings deprived of the strength of a bodhisattva’s conditioning conduct. They observe the mass of beings deprived of the basis for the conduct of a bodhisattva, and they cause others to observe the mass of beings deprived of the basis for the conduct of a bodhisattva.

“They observe the mass of beings deprived of the loving kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity of a bodhisattva, and they cause others to observe the mass of beings deprived of the loving kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity of a bodhisattva.

“They naturally share14 with others, and they cause others to naturally share. They observe the mass of beings deprived of the Buddha’s Dharma, and they cause others to observe the mass of beings deprived of the Buddha’s Dharma.

“They observe the mass of beings who are devoid of longing for virtuous qualities, and they cause others to observe the mass of beings who are devoid of longing for virtuous qualities. They observe the mass of beings who are bound by fetters, and they cause others to observe the mass of beings who are bound by fetters. They examine the mass of beings who have been sick for a long time, and they cause others to observe the mass of beings who have been sick for a long time. They observe the mass of beings deprived of the production of roots of virtue for buddhahood, and they cause others to observe the mass of beings deprived of the production of roots of virtue for buddhahood. [F.70.a] They observe the mass of beings who are without a protector, and they cause others to observe the mass of beings who are without a protector. They observe the mass of beings who have been asleep for a long time, and they cause others to observe the mass of beings who have been asleep for a long time. They observe the mass of beings who have been born in a bad lineage, and they cause others to observe the mass of beings who have been born in a bad lineage. They observe the mass of beings deprived of the mind of awakening, and they cause others to observe the mass of beings deprived of the mind of awakening.

“They observe the mass of beings deprived of the conduct of a bodhisattva, and they cause others to observe the mass of beings deprived of the conduct of a bodhisattva. They observe the mass of beings deprived of the conduct of the Dharma, and they cause others to observe the mass of beings deprived of the conduct of the Dharma. They observe the mass of beings deprived of the accumulation of merit and wisdom, and they cause others to observe the mass of beings deprived of the accumulation of merit and wisdom.

“They observe the mass of beings deprived of devotion for the Mahāyāna, and they cause others to observe the mass of beings deprived of devotion for the Mahāyāna. They observe the mass of beings deprived of the vows of moral discipline, and they cause others to observe the mass of beings deprived of the vows of moral discipline. [F.70.b]

“They observe the mass of beings deprived of the qualities that accord with the Dharma, and they cause others to observe the mass of beings deprived of the qualities that accord with the Dharma. They observe the mass of beings deprived of patience and tenderness, and they cause others to observe the mass of beings deprived of patience and tenderness. They observe the mass of beings deprived of meditative calm and insight, and they cause others to observe the mass of beings deprived of meditative calm and insight.

“They observe the mass of beings deprived of generosity, discipline, restraint, and gentleness, and they cause others to observe the mass of beings deprived of generosity, discipline, restraint, and gentleness. They observe the mass of beings deprived of mindfulness, intelligence, resoluteness, and understanding, and they cause others to observe the mass of beings deprived of mindfulness, intelligence, resoluteness, and understanding. They observe the mass of beings deprived of engaging in the method of the path of the perfections, and they cause others to observe the mass of beings deprived of engaging in the method of the path of the perfections.

“They observe the mass of beings deprived of being born into the lineage of the buddhas, and they cause others to observe the mass of beings deprived of being born into the lineage of the buddhas. They observe the mass of beings deprived of a spiritual friend, and they cause others to observe the mass of beings deprived of a spiritual friend. [F.71.a]

“They observe the mass of beings deprived of the desire to benefit beings, and they cause others to observe the mass of beings deprived of the desire to benefit beings. They observe the mass of beings deprived of reliance on the Dharma, and they cause others to observe the mass of beings deprived of reliance on the Dharma. They observe the mass of beings deprived of reliance on wisdom, and they cause others to observe the mass of beings deprived of reliance on wisdom.

“They observe the mass of beings deprived of reliance on the meaning, and they cause others to observe the mass of beings deprived of reliance on the meaning. They observe the mass of beings deprived of reliance on the sūtras of definitive meaning, and they cause others to observe the mass of beings deprived of reliance on the sūtras of definitive meaning. They observe the mass of beings deprived of the four perfect endeavors, and they cause others to observe the mass of beings deprived of the four perfect endeavors. They are skilled in teaching the true Dharma, the meaning, and the Vinaya, and they cause others to be skilled in teaching the true Dharma, the meaning, and the Vinaya. They observe the mass of beings who are destitute, and they cause others to observe the mass of beings who are destitute.

“Such bodhisattvas pervade the entire world with loving kindness. [F.71.b] They think, ‘Alas! These beings are without a protector! These beings are without a refuge! These beings are without an ally! These beings are without a sanctuary! These beings are without an abode! These beings are without a defender! Alas, may I one day become the protector of these beings! May I become their refuge! May I become their ally! May I become their sanctuary! May I become their abode! May I become their defender!’

“As an analogy Mañjuśrī, a garuḍa, the king of birds, who has reached maturity and has gained strength and great power could, if he wanted to, fly from the top of the central mountain of one world system to that of the next world system.15 Mañjuśrī, in the same way, bodhisattvas whose progress is like traveling by means of the magical power of the Tathāgata, due to the strength of their roots of virtue and their speed, force, and great bravery, are born among the disciples of the buddhas when they desire to be born there, and they also become the protectors, refuges, allies, sanctuaries, abodes, and defenders for all beings who have been born in the evil, miserable lower realms. You should understand such bodhisattvas, Mañjuśrī, to be those whose progress is like travel using the magical power of the Tathāgata.

“Mañjuśrī, suppose that certain sons or daughters of good family offered each day divine, hundred-flavored foods to tathāgatas numbering as many as the atoms of all the world systems in every direction, and also offered divine garments, and every day they filled world systems numbering as many as the grains of sand of the Ganges River with precious jewels of the highest type16 and offered them to each of those tathāgatas, and were to make such offerings for as many eons as there are grains of sand in the Ganges. And suppose other sons or daughters of good family were to establish a single being in the fruit of a stream-enterer. The latter would produce merit immeasurably greater than the former. [F.72.a]

“Mañjuśrī, if certain sons or daughters of good family established beings numbering as many as the atoms of all the world systems in every direction as stream-enterers, and other sons or daughters of good family were to establish a single being in the fruit of a once-returner, the latter would produce merit immeasurably greater than the former.

“Mañjuśrī, if certain sons or daughters of good family established beings numbering as many as the atoms of all the world systems in every direction as once-returners, and if other sons or daughters of good family were to establish a single being in the fruit of a non-returner, the latter would produce merit immeasurably greater than the former.

“Mañjuśrī, if certain sons or daughters of good family established beings numbering as many as the atoms of all the world systems in every direction as non-returners, and if other sons or daughters of good family were to establish a single being in the fruit of a worthy one, the latter would produce merit immeasurably greater than the former.

“Mañjuśrī, if certain sons or daughters of good family established beings numbering as many as the atoms of all the world systems in every direction as worthy ones, and other sons or daughters of good family were to establish a single being in the fruit of a pratyekabuddha, the latter would produce merit immeasurably greater than the former.

“Mañjuśrī, if certain sons or daughters of good family established beings numbering as many as the atoms of all the world systems in every direction as pratyekabuddhas, [F.72.b] and other sons or daughters of good family were to establish a single being in the mind of awakening whose progress is like travel using a goat cart,17 the latter would produce merit immeasurably greater than the former.

“Mañjuśrī, if certain sons or daughters of good family established beings numbering as many as the atoms of all the world systems in every direction in the mind of awakening whose progress is like travel using a goat cart, and if other sons or daughters of good family were to establish a single being in the mind of awakening whose progress is like travel using an elephant chariot, the latter would produce merit immeasurably greater than the former.

“Mañjuśrī, if certain sons or daughters of good family established beings numbering as many as the atoms of all the world systems in every direction in the mind of awakening whose progress is like travel using an elephant chariot, and if other sons or daughters of good family were to establish a single being in the mind of awakening whose progress is like travel using the moon and sun, the latter would produce merit immeasurably greater than the former.

“Mañjuśrī, if certain sons or daughters of good family established beings numbering as many as the atoms of all the world systems in every direction in the mind of awakening whose progress is like travel using the moon and sun, and if other sons or daughters of good family were to establish a single being in the mind of awakening whose progress is like travel using the magical power of the śrāvakas, the latter would produce merit immeasurably greater than the former.

“Mañjuśrī, if certain sons or daughters of good family established beings numbering as many as the atoms of all the world systems in every direction in the mind of awakening whose progress is like travel using the magical power of the śrāvakas, and if other sons or daughters of good family were to establish a single being in the mind of awakening whose progress is like travel using the magical power of the Tathāgata, the latter would produce merit immeasurably greater than the former. [F.73.a]

“Mañjuśrī, if certain sons or daughters of good family offered each day divine, hundred-flavored foods to beings numbering as many as the atoms of all the world systems in every direction, and also offered divine garments, and were to make such offerings every day for as many eons as there are grains of sand in the Ganges, and if other sons or daughters of good family for just one day were to give a single meal to a faithful lay follower who has taken refuge in the Three Jewels, observes the five moral precepts, and delights in the teaching of the Blessed One, the latter would produce merit immeasurably greater than the former.

“Mañjuśrī, if certain sons or daughters of good family offered each day divine, hundred-flavored foods to faithful lay followers who have taken refuge in the Three Jewels, observe the five moral precepts, and delight in the teaching of the Blessed One, numbering as many as the atoms of all the world systems in every direction, and also offered divine garments, and were to make such offerings every day for as many eons as there are grains of sand in the Ganges, and if other sons or daughters of good family for just one day were to give a single meal to a person of the eighth level, the latter would produce merit immeasurably greater than the former.

“Mañjuśrī, if certain sons or daughters of good family offered each day divine, hundred-flavored foods to people of the eighth level numbering as many as the atoms of all the world systems in every direction, and also offered divine garments, and were to make such offerings every day for as many eons as there are grains of sand in the Ganges, and if other sons or daughters of good family for just one day were to give a single meal to a stream-enterer, the latter would produce merit immeasurably greater than the former. [F.73.b]

“Mañjuśrī, if certain sons or daughters of good family offered each day divine, hundred-flavored foods to stream-enterers numbering as many as the atoms of all the world systems in every direction, and also offered divine garments, and were to make such offerings every day for as many eons as there are grains of sand in the Ganges, and if other sons or daughters of good family for just one day were to give a single meal to a once-returner, the latter would produce merit immeasurably greater than the former.

“Mañjuśrī, if certain sons or daughters of good family offered each day divine, hundred-flavored foods to once-returners numbering as many as the atoms of all the world systems in every direction, and also offered divine garments, and were to make such offerings every day for as many eons as there are grains of sand in the Ganges, and if other sons or daughters of good family for just one day were to give a single meal to a non-returner, the latter would produce merit immeasurably greater than the former.

“Mañjuśrī, if certain sons or daughters of good family offered each day divine, hundred-flavored foods to non-returners numbering as many as the atoms of all the world systems in every direction, and also offered divine garments, and were to make such offerings every day for as many eons as there are grains of sand in the Ganges, and if other sons or daughters of good family for just one day were to give a single meal to a worthy one, the latter would produce merit immeasurably greater than the former.

“Mañjuśrī, if certain sons or daughters of good family offered each day divine, hundred-flavored foods to worthy ones numbering as many as the atoms of all the world systems in every direction, and also offered divine garments, and were to make such offerings every day for as many eons as there are grains of sand in the Ganges, and if other sons or daughters of good family for just one day were to give a single meal to a pratyekabuddha, the latter would produce merit immeasurably greater than the former. [F.74.a]

“Mañjuśrī, if certain sons or daughters of good family offered each day divine, hundred-flavored foods to pratyekabuddhas numbering as many as the atoms of all the world systems in every direction, and also offered divine garments, and were to make such offerings every day for as many eons as there are grains of sand in the Ganges, and if other sons or daughters of good family for just one day were to give a single meal to a bodhisattva whose progress is like travel using a goat cart, the latter would produce merit immeasurably greater than the former.

“Why is that? Because, Mañjuśrī, for bodhisattvas, in accord with the particular nature of the mind of awakening that they first cultivated, there are no nonvirtuous deeds whatsoever that they have not abandoned, and there are no buddha qualities whatsoever that they have not acquired. Hence, Mañjuśrī, bodhisattvas possess inconceivable good qualities. As an analogy, Mañjuśrī, the kalaviṅka, king of birds, even though it is still inside its egg and has not opened its eyes, overpowers the entire assembly of other birds with its deep and melodious voice.18 In the same way, Mañjuśrī, bodhisattvas who have cultivated the mind of awakening for the first time, though they are still inside the egg of ignorance, and though their eyes are still covered by the dark film of karma and the defilements, they still overpower all the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas by the sound of their voice of accomplishing the dedication of their roots of virtue.

“Mañjuśrī, if certain sons or daughters of good family offered each day divine, hundred-flavored foods to bodhisattvas whose progress is like travel using a goat cart, numbering as many as the atoms of all the world systems in every direction, and also offered divine garments, and were to make such offerings every day for as many eons as there are grains of sand in the Ganges, and if other sons or daughters of good family for just one day were to give a single meal to a bodhisattva whose progress is like travel using an elephant chariot, the latter would produce merit immeasurably greater than the former. [F.74.b]

“Mañjuśrī, if certain sons or daughters of good family offered each day divine, hundred-flavored foods to bodhisattvas whose progress is like travel using an elephant chariot, numbering as many as the atoms of all the world systems in every direction, and also offered divine garments, and were to make such offerings every day for as many eons as there are grains of sand in the Ganges, and if other sons or daughters of good family for just one day were to give a single meal to a bodhisattva whose progress is like traveling by means of the moon and sun, the latter would produce merit immeasurably greater than the former.

“Mañjuśrī, if certain sons or daughters of good family offered each day divine, hundred-flavored foods to bodhisattvas whose progress is like travel using the moon and sun, numbering as many as the atoms of all the world systems in every direction, and also offered divine garments, and were to make such offerings every day for as many eons as there are grains of sand in the Ganges, and if other sons or daughters of good family for just one day were to give a single meal to a bodhisattva whose progress is like travel using the magical power of the śrāvakas, the latter would produce merit immeasurably greater than the former.

“Mañjuśrī, if certain sons or daughters of good family offered each day divine, hundred-flavored foods to bodhisattvas whose progress is like travel using the magical power of śrāvakas, numbering as many as the atoms of all the world systems in every direction, and also offered divine garments, and were to make such offerings every day for as many eons as there are grains of sand in the Ganges, and if other sons or daughters of good family for just one day were to give a single meal to a bodhisattva whose progress is like traveling by means of the magical power of the Tathāgata, the latter would produce merit immeasurably greater than the former. [F.75.a]

“Mañjuśrī, if certain sons or daughters of good family offered each day divine, hundred-flavored foods to bodhisattvas whose progress is like travel using the magical power of the Tathāgata, numbering as many as the atoms of all the world systems in every direction, and also offered divine garments, and were to make such offerings every day for as many eons as there are grains of sand in the Ganges, and if other sons or daughters of good family were to hear this Dharma teaching and feel devotion to and conviction in it, the latter would produce merit immeasurably greater than the former.

“Mañjuśrī, suppose that certain sons or daughters of good family prepared types of food numbering as many as the atoms of all the world systems in every direction. And suppose they were to construct dwellings for pratyekabuddhas numbering as many as the atoms of ten billionfold world systems, made of gold from the Jambu River, decorated with lamps made of precious jewels as brilliant as lightning, surrounded by verandas stacked with precious jewels of every kind of luster, beautified by clusters of jewels, pearls, and gems, with hoisted banners, flags, and parasols, wrapped with nets of precious jewels of the highest type, and covered with canopies made of nets of small bells. And suppose they anointed them with uragasāra sandalwood,19 and they arranged such flowers as mandārava,20 great mandārava, mañjūṣaka,21 great mañjūṣaka, nutmeg flowers,22 nāga-tree flowers,23 taranibarna,24 gotaraṇi,25 saugandhikam,26 dhanuskarin,27 divine nutmeg flowers, blue lotuses, red lotuses, white lotuses, great white lotuses, and great flowers. And suppose that to those pratyekabuddhas they offered divine, hundred-flavored foods, and also offered divine garments, and were to make such offerings every day for as many eons as there are grains of sand in the Ganges. And suppose that other sons or daughters of good family were to hear the words buddha or omniscient one or protector of the world, [F.75.b] or were to see a buddha painting or a buddha statue. The latter would produce merit immeasurably greater than the former. That being so, it goes without saying that to pay homage with hands joined together would produce merit immeasurably greater than this. It is more meritorious still to offer lamps, incense, flowers, and fragrant perfume‍—even to offer just a single praise of his good qualities. It would create great prosperity and finally result in their reaching the state of omniscience.

“As an analogy Mañjuśrī, suppose a tiny drop of water merged with the water of the ocean‍—it would not be exhausted before the arising of the final fire that burns the universe at the end of the eon. Mañjuśrī, in the same way, however small a root of virtue may be that one has produced in relation to the Tathāgata, it will not be exhausted or reach its end before the fire of the wisdom of omniscience arises.

“As an analogy Mañjuśrī, the disk of the moon, no matter how small it is in size, circumference, or greatness, will outshine the entire mass of stars and will be clearly and very distinctly present in the night sky. Mañjuśrī, in the same way, however small a root of virtue may be that one has produced in relation to the Tathāgata, it will outshine all other roots of virtue in its exaltation, expanse, and greatness and will be clearly present. So, Mañjuśrī, the Tathāgata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Awakened One, possesses inconceivable good qualities.

“Mañjuśrī, if certain sons or daughters of good family offered each day divine, hundred-flavored foods to all the tathāgatas, the bodhisattvas, and the śrāvakas numbering as many as the atoms of all the world systems in every direction, and also offered them divine garments, and were to make such offerings every day for as many eons as there are grains of sand in the Ganges, and if other sons or daughters of good family were to hear this Dharma teaching and feel devotion to it, the latter would produce merit immeasurably greater than the former. [F.76.a] That being so, it goes without saying that to write this teaching down, or cause others to write it down, or teach it would produce still greater merit that would cause the attainment of the wisdom of buddhahood.

“Mañjuśrī, if certain sons or daughters of good family out of anger were to deny countless śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas food and clothing, and if other sons or daughters of good family out of hatred and anger were to take away or deny a single meal to a bodhisattva devoted to the Mahāyāna, the latter would produce evil immeasurably greater than the former. Why is that? Because all the generosity, patience, morality, diligence, meditative concentration, discriminating wisdom, and so forth perfected over the course of immeasurable millions of eons by all the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas of the past, present, and future‍—all of it merely overcomes the defilements arisen in one person’s mind. Whereas, for a bodhisattva, to give even so much as a single mouthful of food to a being born in one of the animal realms will prevent the lineage of the Three Jewels from being severed.

“As an analogy, Mañjuśrī, if certain sons or daughters of good family out of hatred and anger were to destroy the aggregates of morality, of meditative absorption, of discriminating wisdom, of liberation, and of the vision and wisdom of liberation of countless śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, and if other sons or daughters of good family out of anger were to destroy even so much as the observance of a single point of discipline by a bodhisattva devoted to the Mahāyāna, [F.76.b] the latter would produce evil immeasurably greater than the former. Why is that? Because the aggregates of morality, of meditative absorption, of discriminating wisdom, of liberation, and of the vision and wisdom of liberation of all the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas merely overcome the defilements arisen in one person’s mind. Whereas, for a bodhisattva, all the aggregates of morality, of meditative absorption, of discriminating wisdom, of liberation, and of the vision and wisdom of liberation arisen from a single training for even a single day overcome all the defilements of all beings and lead to the attainments up to the wisdom of omniscience.

“Mañjuśrī, if certain sons or daughters of good family out of hatred and malice were to imprison all the beings of all the world systems in every direction, and if other sons or daughters of good family out of hatred and malice toward a bodhisattva were to turn their backs on him, saying, ‘May I not meet with him!’ the latter would produce evil immeasurably greater than the former.

“Mañjuśrī, if certain sons or daughters of good family were to blind all the beings of all the world systems in every direction, and if other sons or daughters of good family were to look at a bodhisattva with hatred and malice, the latter would produce evil immeasurably greater than the former.

“Mañjuśrī, as an analogy, if all the beings of all the world systems in every direction were to be blinded, and then certain sons or daughters of good family were lovingly to restore their sight, but other sons or daughters of good family were joyfully to look at a bodhisattva devoted to the Mahāyāna, [F.77.a] the latter would produce merit immeasurably greater than the former.

“Mañjuśrī, if certain sons or daughters of good family were to set free all the beings of all the world systems in every direction who had been imprisoned, and then were to establish them in the happiness of a universal emperor, and if other sons or daughters of good family joyfully desired to see a bodhisattva devoted to the Mahāyāna and joyfully praised him, the latter would produce merit immeasurably greater than the former.

“Mañjuśrī, if certain bodhisattvas were to establish all the beings of all the world systems in every direction in the state of a pratyekabuddha, and if other bodhisattvas were to increase merely a single root of virtue produced in relation to buddhahood of a bodhisattva devoted to the Mahāyāna, the latter would produce merit immeasurably greater than the former.

“Mañjuśrī, if certain bodhisattvas devoted to the Mahāyāna were to establish in the mind of awakening all the beings of all the world systems in every direction, and if other bodhisattvas devoted to the Mahāyāna were to cause a bodhisattva devoted to the Mahāyāna to recite even a single verse concerning what is beyond the aggregates,28 the latter would produce merit immeasurably greater than the former.

“Mañjuśrī, as an analogy, if certain sons or daughters of good family were to cause pratyekabuddhas numbering as many as the atoms of all the world systems in every direction to be born in hells, animal realms, or hungry ghost realms, and if certain sons or daughters of good family were to cause a single bodhisattva to lose his devotion to the mind of awakening, the latter would produce evil immeasurably greater than the former. [F.77.b]

“Mañjuśrī, if certain sons or daughters of good family were to cause all the beings of all the world systems in every direction to lose their devotion to the mind of awakening, and if other sons or daughters of good family were to cause a single bodhisattva devoted to the Mahāyāna to lose his devotion to the Mahāyāna, the latter would produce evil immeasurably greater than the former.

“Mañjuśrī, if certain sons or daughters of good family were to cause all the beings of all the world systems in every direction to be born as hell beings, animals, hungry ghosts, or in the world of Yama, and then certain bodhisattvas freed all of those beings from the realms of the hells, animals, and Yama and established them in the mind of awakening, but other bodhisattvas were to cause a single being to become devoted to the Mahāyāna, the latter would produce merit immeasurably greater than the former.

“Mañjuśrī, if someone were to cause pratyekabuddhas numbering as many as the atoms of all the world systems in every direction to fall away from the state of a pratyekabuddha, and if a person were to cause a single bodhisattva devoted to the Mahāyāna to fall away from the state of a bodhisattva, the latter would produce evil immeasurably greater than the former.

“Mañjuśrī, suppose someone, in order to prevent the acquisition of wealth and service by pratyekabuddhas numbering as many as the atoms of all the world systems in every direction, jealous of their wealth and service, were to proclaim everywhere infamous, harsh, and critical reports about them.29 And suppose other sons or daughters of good family, in order to prevent the acquisition of wealth and service by a single bodhisattva devoted to the Mahāyāna, jealous of their wealth and service, were to criticize him. The latter would produce evil immeasurably greater than the former. [F.78.a]

“Mañjuśrī, if someone, in order to uphold the holy Dharma, were joyfully to give even as much as a single cup of water30 to a bodhisattva devoted to the Mahāyāna, and if by that deed they would later experience the numerous royal domains of universal emperors, then what need is there to mention a bodhisattva devoted to reading and recitation?”

After the Blessed One had thus spoken, those bodhisattvas, the śrāvakas, and the world with its gods, humans, asuras, and gandharvas rejoiced and praised what the Blessed One had taught.