The Great Cloud (1)
Chapter 37

At that time, a devaputra named Swift Intellect made great offerings to the Bhagavān and went before the Bhagavān, joined his palms, and bowed in homage. He then soared into the air, reaching a height equal to that of seven palm trees, and addressed the Bhagavān:

Then, through the Buddha’s power, a devaputra named Essence of Inexhaustible Intellect replied to Swift Intellect with these verses:

At that time, the bodhisattva mahāsattva Great Cloud Essence addressed the Bhagavān, saying, “Bhagavān, the Tathāgata, who excellently cares for all sentient beings with great compassion, has explained this Great Cloud discourse, which belongs to the inconceivably inconceivable domain of the tathāgatas. Ah, how wondrous! Bhagavān, I beseech the bhagavān Tathāgata to extensively explain the four hundred samādhi gateways.”

The Bhagavān replied, “Great Cloud Essence, excellent, excellent! Great Cloud Essence, it is excellent that you have asked the Tathāgata this question about the domain of the Tathāgata in order to cause those with malevolent minds to attain acceptance, to cause those who are lazy and lack mindfulness to attain perseverance and concentration, and for the sake of all those future sentient beings with little merit. For their sake, you should constantly shower down the rain of this Great Cloud discourse.

“Great Cloud Essence, observe the domain of this Great Cloud discourse! In whichever village, hamlet, province, or capital there are monks, nuns, laymen, or laywomen who extensively practice, uphold, or teach this Great Cloud discourse, in that place a host of great clouds [F.173.a] will arise in the sky, resounding with thunder; a great rain will fall, even if it is not the proper season, and the whole region and all sentient beings therein will attain the vajra nature. If there are sentient beings who come to hear just three or seven words from this Great Cloud discourse, all the buddhas will rejoice in them‍—how much more will they do so for those sentient beings who extensively analyze this discourse!

“Great Cloud Essence, within this Great Cloud discourse there is the samādhi called tide of the deep, constant ocean. All bodhisattva mahāsattvas who realize this samādhi will permanently obtain the awakened qualities of the Tathāgata. They will accumulate learning. They will never backslide from the dharmas of the Tathāgata. They will never backslide from wisdom. They will never backslide from gnosis. They will become intelligent in discerning the Tathāgata’s host of virtuous qualities and his permanent, eternal, constant, tranquil nature. They will never part from listening to the Dharma and venerating the saṅgha. They will exert themselves diligently in the four means of gathering disciples. And they will become endowed with and skilled in all the virtuous qualities previously mentioned. Great Cloud Essence, you should uphold this samādhi called the tide of the deep constant ocean.

“Moreover, Great Cloud Essence, bodhisattva mahāsattvas who obtain this samādhi of the tide of the deep, constant ocean, which enters the domain of the tide of the deep, constant ocean, will be able to manifest activities in all the divine abodes. Within the abodes of Brahmā, they will be able to manifest in in the form of Brahmā in order to dispel the views of sentient beings with faith in Brahmā who think, ‘He is worthy of worship,’ and yet they will not be fixated upon that view. Within the abodes of Maheśvara, they will be able to manifest in the form of Maheśvara [F.173.b] in order to dispel the views of sentient beings with faith in Maheśvara, and yet they will not be entrenched in that view. Within the abodes of Kumāra, they will be able to manifest in the form of Kumāra in order to dispel the views of sentient beings with faith in Kumāra, and yet they will not be entrenched in that view. Within the abodes of Kātyāyanīputra, they will be able to manifest in the form of Kātyāyanī in order to reverse the murderous actions of sentient beings who have faith in the evil deeds and inexhaustible lifespan of Kātyāyanīputra, and yet they will not be entrenched in that view. Within the abodes of the bhūtas, they will be able to manifest in the form of a bhūta in order to reverse the evil deeds of sentient beings. Within the abodes of the gods who possess various views, or in places where the view of enjoyment or of belief in auspicious signs is prevalent, they will be able to manifest in the form of one who holds such views, and yet they will not be entrenched in those views. In order to reverse the deeds of meat eaters and butchers, they will display signs of obstacles within the abodes of pig traders, and they will manifest as meat vendors. In order to bring sentient beings to full maturity, they will manifest variously within wineshops as drinkers, and in order to correctly demonstrate the faults of drinking wine, they will transform into chieftains and give gifts of wine to all sentient beings, yet they will not become attached to wine.

“Similarly, in order to correctly demonstrate the faults of the sixteen great occupations, they will take birth within the castes of these sixteen great occupations and manifest as those engaged in these sixteen great occupations, yet they will not become attached to these occupations. In order to bring sentient beings to full maturity, they will become skilled at gambling and other amusements. With inexhaustible enjoyments, they will gather destitute sentient beings. In order to completely purify their discipline, they will transform into householder kings. Without getting mixed up with wife and children, they will nonetheless display a family, while constantly maintaining pure conduct. Though constantly abiding in solitary places, they will wear ornaments while cutting off any attachment to them. In those places, though they eat food, they will be constantly sustained by the nourishment of meditation. In order to destroy the pride, conceit, and haughtiness of non-Buddhist sectarians, they will take birth among the sectarians. [F.174.a] In order to liberate all those who esteem the skill of experts with wide learning, and those who interpret omens, they will attain comprehension of these matters just by thinking about them. Yet they will not become entrenched in their views.

“In order to liberate animals, they will take birth within the abodes of all the animals and will show them all the highest respect. They will appear within the abodes of prostitutes, respecting them all, and they will become the best among the rogues within the brothels. In order to work for the benefit of beings to be tamed, they will appear at four-way and three-way crossroads. In order to demonstrate the faults of desire, they will enter all the brothels. They will enter into the abodes of all simpletons and those whose minds are unclear, in order to correctly instill mindfulness in them. They will appear with crippled limbs in order to instill disenchantment in those sentient beings with crippled limbs. In order to generate disenchantment with cyclic existence, they will become endowed with the four elements. In order to establish perseverance, meditation, and disenchantment in those who are lazy, weak minded, haughty, or intoxicated, they will manifest coming down with the four hundred and four diseases. In order to establish patience, they will appear as malevolent beings.

“In order to correctly demonstrate the faults of eternalism to sentient beings who have notions of eternalism, they will take birth in all eons. In order to bring boys to full maturity, they will serve in all schools where letters are taught. In order to bring girls to full maturity, they will serve in all houses of song. In order to be in harmony with the world, they make friends with elders, strangers, and dancing girls. In order to bring sentient beings to full maturity, they will act as servants, maids, and hirelings. In order to bring sentient beings to full maturity, they will display themselves variously as sick, aged, and dying. In order to bring sentient beings to full maturity, they become like vessels of precious substances [F.174.b] and jewels.

“In order to make the faults of those sentient beings who hold the Vedas as supreme known to them, they become skilled in mantras and the Vedas. In order to eradicate the views of sentient beings who are attached to all forms of divination based on birdcalls, they display all manner of birdcalls. In order to magically manifest possession of various types of medicinal substances and herbal remedies, they empower themselves to be like all forms of trees, vines, fruits, flowers, and medicines. They exert themselves toward all forms of merit, while having no acute clinging to desires and enjoyments. In order to repudiate lesser vehicles, they brilliantly teach all the elaborate stories that proclaim the Dharma. In order to completely guard and protect all sentient beings, they engage in the activities of kings.

“In order to cause merchants to be delighted by the traditions of Dharma, they will each become esteemed as the merchant among merchants. In order to eradicate the faults of householders, they will become esteemed as the householder among householders. In order to establish the royal caste in the traditions of Dharma, they will become esteemed as the royalty among the royal caste. In order to subdue their pride, conceit, and haughtiness, they will become esteemed as the brahmin among brahmins. In order to cause them to promote all activities and all traditions of Dharma, they will become esteemed as the great minister among great ministers. In order to cause them to turn away from governance, enjoyments, and lordship, they will become esteemed as the prince among princes. In order to bring all women to full maturity, they will become esteemed as the guardian eunuch among the royal consorts’ retinues. In order to cause them to perceive the special qualities of merit, they will act in harmony with common people. In order to demonstrate the disadvantages of lordship, they will become esteemed as the Śakra among Śakras. In order to demonstrate the special qualities of gnosis, they will become esteemed as the Brahmā among Brahmās. [F.175.a] In order to please all sentient beings, they will become the moon. In order to melt the great snow of sentient beings’ faulty and negative actions, they will become the sun. In order to engage in guarding the conduct of all sentient beings, they will become esteemed as the world guardian among world guardians.

“Although they display all the manifestations of a buddha, including permanently passing into parinirvāṇa, they will never pass into parinirvāṇa. Although they display the appearance of all different forms, forms do not disrupt them from the actual nature of the Tathāgata. Although they go on to all buddhafields, they do not distinguish between different fields. Although they undertake the deeds of all the buddhas, they make no distinctions with regard to the Dharma realm. Although they hold complete mastery over all gods and humans, they do not become conceited, nor do they become hungry for power. In order to establish disenchantment in sentient beings, they correctly display all activities of sleeping. Although they display all the domains of Māra’s activities, they are not entrenched in the actions of Māra. Although they appear to engage in all worldly and world-transcending activities, they constantly enjoy delighting in the complete pleasure of Dharma. Like a lotus flower, they do not become sullied. Great Cloud Essence, observe the domain of this samādhi of the tide of the deep, constant ocean!” [B7]

Then at that time, a brahmin named Kauṇḍinya, a master grammarian,23 set forth from the great assembly and addressed the Bhagavān, saying “Alas, Bhagavān! Devadatta and the group of six monks have together turned their backs on such words as these, whose meanings are subtle and profound, and which are employed for the benefit of all sentient beings. Alas! Devadatta is ungrateful. Alas! Devadatta desires to do evil. Devadatta draws the blood of the Tathāgata. Alas! Devadatta and the group of six monks create schism among the saṅgha. Alas! Devadatta and the group of six monks are arrogant about belonging to the Śākya family. [F.175.b] Alas! They engage in conduct that brings misfortune and results in rebirth among the animals. Alas! Devadatta constantly thinks of killing the Bhagavān, and he has engaged in violent actions for a hundred thousand lifetimes. Devadatta will go to the hell realms. Alas! For Devadatta, there is no giving and no action.24 While the Bhagavān has looked after him out of kindness, he has sought to dig up the Bhagavān’s roots. Alas! Devadatta is determined to do evil. Devadatta’s followers belong to the faction of Māra; they stand before the Bhagavān and say that they will ‘go forth to renunciation’ while thinking of killing the Bhagavān. Although Devadatta’s followers all don the saffron robes, they merely wear them and nothing more. Since Devadatta’s followers live lives of deprivation, they are famished bald-heads.

“Bhagavān, it is said that you are omniscient. It is said that you teach the doctrine of the existence of fruition. It is said that you are renowned for the purity of your family. If so, then why is it that you would allow one as wicked as Devadatta to go forth to renunciation? Bhagavān, with heartfelt kindness for all sentient beings, I beseech you to explain the purport of the doctrine, in order to clear away all their ambivalence and doubts. If your family is stainless and pure, bhagavān Tathāgata, then I beseech you to explain the great being Devadatta.”25

At that time, through the Buddha’s power, Great Cloud Essence addressed the brahmin Kauṇḍinya, the master grammarian, saying, “Great brahmin, excellent, excellent! Great brahmin, in order to benefit all sentient beings, you have questioned the Tathāgata well regarding this kingly question, which belongs to the domain of all the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas.26 Excellent! Great brahmin, listen to me, and I will explain things in a manner that befits the power of tathāgatas and our own domain of activity.27 From now on, great brahmin, without saying such things, consider the following words and no others. [F.176.a] Devadatta, the group of six monks, and their followers are grateful to the Tathāgata. Devadatta is one who inspires supreme joy. Devadatta loves the family of the Tathāgata. Devadatta is the culmination of the Tathāgata’s activities. Devadatta is a great being who demonstrates the Tathāgata’s virtuous qualities. Devadatta, the group of six monks, and their followers completely establish tens of millions of sentient beings in meritorious behavior. Great brahmin, no sentient beings are capable of drawing the blood of a tathāgata, foe-destroyer, complete and perfect buddha. The Tathāgata’s body should be viewed as being like a tree’s shadow; you should see it as an expedient means.

“Great brahmin, the family of the Śākyas is pure‍—inconceivably pure. Within the Śākya family, it is impossible for there to be even a few whose discipline is lax. The Tathāgata teaches the doctrine of the existence of fruition. The Tathāgata’s followers are like sandalwood and beryl. The Tathāgata’s following is undivided. The Tathāgata’s followers are like tigers and great lion kings. The Tathāgata’s followers belong to the inconceivable domain of all śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas.28 The Tathāgata’s followers should be seen as like fiery coals covered with ashes. The Tathāgata is unsurpassed. The Tathāgata is omniscient. It is impossible for sentient beings who have followed the Tathāgata in going forth to renunciation to have lax discipline. Those beings are all completely established in the understanding of all profound domains. Therefore, the Tathāgata is himself omniscient.

“Great brahmin, even trillions of māras could not divide the saṅgha. This schism within the saṅgha29 should be viewed as an expedient means. Devadatta and the group of six monks do not create schism among the saṅgha. [F.176.b] Devadatta and the group of six monks represent the Śākya family. They do not conduct themselves in such a way as to be born as animals or among ordinary people. Having been born in the Śākya family and gone forth to renunciation at the feet of the Tathāgata, what need is there to say that they do not engage in such actions? The idea is unfounded. Devadatta and the group of six monks act very kindly. Devadatta does not merely wear the saffron-colored robes. Devadatta is not a famished bald-head. Devadatta and the group of six monks are bound by the pratimokṣa vows. Devadatta is not determined to do evil. Devadatta does not desire to do evil. Devadatta and the group of six monks should be known as monks representing the Tathāgata’s expedient means. All bodhisattvas play within the hell realms by means of the superknowledges. This should be seen as the domain of bodhisattvas. Devadatta will not go to the hell realms.

“Moreover, great brahmin, please listen! To give an analogy, it is like two travelers who have come from other lands to a foreign city. They each set out to return to their own lands, one going to the west and one going to the east. The farther they each go, the farther behind each of them has left that foreign city. It is unfounded to say that the farther they go, the closer they will come to meeting again. In this fashion, great brahmin, if it were the case that the Tathāgata and Devadatta are not connected as you hold, then it would be very obvious. Moreover, great brahmin, if a certain person performs an act of killing, they will burn in the hell realms for many hundreds of years. If they perform meritorious acts, they will frolic in the higher realms for as many as ten million years. Great brahmin, the Tathāgata possesses inconceivable virtuous qualities and is not tainted by the host of latent karmic tendencies. Therefore, if Devadatta held the thought of killing the Tathāgata, then it would be reasonable to suppose that the karmic fruition of even generating that single thought would cause him to burn in the hell realms for countless lifetimes throughout tens of millions of unfathomable, countless great eons. [F.177.a] Great brahmin, for the long duration of many countless trillions of eons, the Tathāgata has transcended all foes. If Devadatta were burning in the hell realms, how would the Tathāgata ever encounter him? This idea is unfounded.

“Moreover, great brahmin, if you hold that Devadatta is one who lives a life of evil, then how is it that throughout hundreds of thousands of former lives the tathāgata, foe-destroyer, complete and perfect Buddha has encountered and been accompanied by Devadatta? This idea is unfounded. Why is that? Devadatta would certainly burn in the hell realms for as long as he had the thought of killing the Tathāgata. Therefore, given that Devadatta would be suffering in the hell realms for as long as he was thinking thus of killing the Tathāgata, how would these two men ever be able to encounter each other? Great brahmin, it would be unfounded to say, following this, that Devadatta never encountered the Tathāgata.

“Moreover, great brahmin, if you hold that Devadatta is an evil person, then you should think of Devadatta going to the hell realms as like the traveler who goes to the east. You should think of the Tathāgata as the traveler who goes to the west. And what is that city? You should think of it as the city of permanent fearlessness; this you should see as skillful means. You should know that we cannot conceive of the domain of the Tathāgata. Devadatta belongs to the domain of the Tathāgata, not the domain of the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas.

“Great brahmin, you should rejoice in Devadatta as the bodhisattva mahāsattva named Mahākapila, who, after giving instruction, was surrounded by a group of six bodhisattvas.30 Great brahmin, by analogy, it is like a donkey who could not withstand the beating that a great elephant receives; only the great elephant could withstand such a beating. [F.177.b] Great brahmin, similarly, when beaten with the goad of the concealed intent of the Tathāgata’s speech, donkeys such as the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas cannot withstand it. Only those who are like the Tathāgata can stand to be beaten with the goad of the concealed intent of the Tathāgata’s speech.

“Great brahmin, see the greatness of the Tathāgata’s virtuous qualities! Great brahmin, you should request forgiveness from the bodhisattva mahāsattva Mahākapila, who is surrounded by his retinue of bodhisattvas! Great brahmin, you should know that those who do not recognize the greatness of the virtuous qualities of Devadatta‍—whether monks, nuns, laymen, or laywomen‍—have only half attained the arising of buddhahood; they have only one eye, and they have attained only half a human body.31

“Moreover, great brahmin, behold the greatness of Devadatta’s virtuous qualities! No sentient beings could bear to harm the Tathāgata, nor are they capable of recognizing the greatness of the Tathāgata’s virtuous qualities, of beholding the domain of the Tathāgata, or of seeing the Tathāgata. Great brahmin, Devadatta was able to bear harming the Tathāgata, and he realized the greatness of the Tathāgata’s qualities. He was able to magically manifest the magical manifestation of all the tathāgatas, which does not belong to the domain of the śrāvakas or pratyekabuddhas, and to perfectly display the virtuous qualities of all the tathāgatas. You should regard him as a great being whose domain is equal to that of the Tathāgata. Wherever the Tathāgata has appeared through his power to tame sentient beings, there this great being Devadatta has also appeared, following closely behind the Tathāgata. Great brahmin, we are not capable of revealing the domain of the Tathāgata; you should regard this as the Tathāgata’s skillful means. See this Dharma teaching on the domain of the gateways of the concealed intent of the Tathāgata’s speech!” [F.178.a]

At that time, the entire retinue made great offerings to the Bhagavān and then with one voice spoke these verses:

The Bhagavān then replied to the bodhisattva Great Cloud Essence, “Excellent, Great Cloud Essence, excellent! So it is. Great Cloud Essence, in order to eradicate the doubts of all outsider sentient beings, you have given this excellent explanation. On the basis of the Tathāgata’s concealed speech, you have explained the domain of the Tathāgata‍—which is not the same as that of the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas‍—and the greatness of Devadatta’s virtuous qualities. Excellent, excellent! Great Cloud Essence. Moreover, bodhisattva mahāsattvas who abide in the domain of the samādhi of the tide of the deep, constant ocean are able to take something as lofty and vast as Mount Meru, the king of mountains‍—with its great height and breadth, its great domain and power‍—and insert it into a mustard seed, without the inside of the mustard seed growing any larger. Furthermore, after the display of such a deed, the Four Great Kings and the gods of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three would not even sense that ‘we have been inserted somewhere; we have been placed somewhere.’ Other sentient beings, however, would see and know that Mount Meru, the king of mountains, had been inserted into a mustard seed. Great Cloud Essence, see how one engages with the domain of liberation of the samādhi of the tide of the deep, constant ocean!

“Moreover, Great Cloud Essence, bodhisattvas who abide in the domain of the samādhi of the tide of the deep, constant ocean can insert the entire great mass of water of the four oceans into a single hair-pore, without all the fish, turtles, frogs, porpoises, crocodiles, makara fish, water dwellers, water snakes, tirikara, and other similar aquatic creatures suffering any harm. [F.178.b] The nāgas, gandharvas, and asuras would also not think that ‘we have been inserted somewhere; we have been placed somewhere.’ Moreover, after the display of such a deed, sentient beings would be free from harm and harassment. Furthermore, such bodhisattvas32 could break off this great trichiliocosm world-system and, holding it in their right hand like a shield, hurl it spinning so that it passes beyond as many world systems as there are grains of sand in the Ganges River, without sentient beings noticing that ‘someone has picked us up; we have been placed somewhere.’ Such bodhisattvas33 could again pick up this world system and put it back in its original place, without anyone realizing that it had come and gone in such a fashion after the display of such deeds.”

At that time, the brahmin Kauṇḍinya, the master grammarian, together with hundreds of thousands of brahmin youths, made offerings to the Bhagavān. They addressed him, saying, “If the Bhagavān has compassion for all sentient beings, if you regard all sentient beings as being just like your son Rāhula, then please grant us a single boon!”

The Bhagavān remained silent, but through his powers of buddhahood he caused a Licchavi youth named Admired by All Worlds to emerge from the great assembly and address the brahmin Kauṇḍinya, the master grammarian, saying, “Great brahmin, what boon would you request from the Bhagavān? I shall grant you a boon.”

The brahmin said, “O Licchavi youth! Please grant my request for a single mustard seed–sized relic from the Bhagavān, so that I can make offerings to the Bhagavān’s relics. I have heard that one who makes offerings to just one mustard seed–sized relic will become lord of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three. Therefore, I would greatly treasure just a single white speck of a relic. O Licchavi youth! [F.179.a] This Great Cloud discourse is difficult for even śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas to understand and penetrate. How much more is this the case for one such as myself, who is known as an outsider to this Great Cloud discourse. Hear me now, O Licchavi youth! This Great Cloud discourse is so hard to understand, so hard to realize. How could we brahmins from the borderlands uphold it? It would be more suitable for us to bear within a precious casket a mustard seed–sized relic, through which sentient beings can quickly attain lordship over the Heaven of the Thirty-Three. O Licchavi youth! How could you be unwilling to grant my request for a mustard seed–sized relic from the Tathāgata, so that I may place it within a precious casket and bear it and thereby become lord of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three? May you please grant such a boon!”

The Licchavi youth Admired by All Worlds then replied to the brahmin Kauṇḍinya, the master grammarian, uttering these verses:34

The brahmin Kauṇḍinya, the master grammarian, then replied to the Licchavi youth Admired by All Worlds with these verses:

At that time, a goddess named Stainless Light paid homage to the Bhagavān and uttered this verse: [F.180.a]

The Bhagavān replied, “Excellent, goddess, excellent! It is excellent that you have asked this of the Tathāgata in order to benefit all sentient beings. Listen, goddess! These two great lords are the children of the Tathāgata. Goddess, these two great lords are the chiefs of all sacred beings. They are beings who have made the aspiration to delight in cyclic existence. They are grateful for the deeds I have performed. They love my children. They uphold the lineage and family of the Śākyas. They shoulder the burden of my teachings. They cause the lamp of my teachings to blaze forth. Therefore, you should rejoice in them! Goddess, in a past age, countless eons ago, many great eons past‍—at that time, there had arisen in the world a tathāgata, one endowed with knowledge and its supporting conduct, one gone to bliss, a knower of the world, an unexcelled charioteer who tames beings, a teacher of humans and gods, a bhagavān buddha named Lamp of the Nāga Family.

“At that time, goddess, this land of Jambudvīpa was abundant and flourishing; harvests were good, and everything was agreeable. All humans and other beings were satiated and comfortable, and their minds were at ease. At that time, the area of the spacious and vast expanse of Jambudvīpa was one hundred sixty-eight thousand yojanas wide on each side. At that time, here in Jambudvīpa, there were eighteen thousand cities twelve yojanas wide, each with nine hundred ninety million inhabitants. All those cities, moreover, were constructed from nothing but the seven precious substances. Goddess, at that time this city of Rājagṛha was called Source of Jewels, [F.180.b] and in that great city, where the Tathāgata had arisen, there lived eighty trillion people. All the sentient beings who lived in that great city Source of Jewels were nothing but supreme bodhisattvas who played within the Great Vehicle.

“At that time, goddess, within the city Source of Jewels, the tathāgata Lamp of the Nāga Family manifested the lion’s roar of the teaching of this Great Cloud discourse amid all those supreme bodhisattvas. At that time. goddess, within the city Source of Jewels there was a Dharma king named Great Diligent Nāga. Goddess, that Dharma king Great Diligent Nāga had a queen named Sacred Goddess Who Upholds the Teachings and Delights in the Great Vehicle. That Dharma king also had a great minister named Storehouse of the Domain of the Sacred Dharma.

“At that time, goddess, the great minister circumambulated King Great Diligent Nāga. Then, Queen Sacred went before him and circumambulated him and then made great offerings to the tathāgata Lamp of the Nāga Family. They then joined their palms, bowed in homage before the Tathāgata, and sat down to one side. The bhagavān tathāgata Lamp of the Nāga Family, knowing that King Great Diligent Nāga had given rise to the superior intention, then emitted a ray of light called unfearing fearlessness. Having emitted that ray of light, the Tathāgata, through his power, caused the great minister Storehouse of the Domain of the Sacred Dharma to begin a discussion of the Tathāgata’s relics and inquire about them. At that time, the Bhagavān remained silent in response to the minister’s inquiry.

“At that time, King Great Diligent Nāga decided to again ask his great minister Storehouse of the Domain of the Sacred Dharma. In this fashion those two beings, to benefit all sentient beings, discussed the Tathāgata’s relics and together inquired about them. The tathāgata Lamp of the Nāga Family had a disciple named Great Name, who, on hearing this discussion of relics, [F.181.a] thought, ‘Oh! Great Diligent Nāga is a skilled Dharma king who possesses the Dharma and clearly understands the greatness of the Tathāgata’s virtuous qualities.’ Upon thinking thus, he asked the Tathāgata about the greatness of Great Diligent Nāga. Then, the tathāgata Lamp of the Nāga Family, for the benefit of his entire retinue, gave extensive teachings on the domain of The Great Cloud and on the greatness of Great Diligent Nāga. When they heard this teaching explaining the greatness of Great Diligent Nāga, all within the great retinue took it to be wondrous and amazing.

“At that time, goddess, when King Great Diligent Nāga heard his own virtuous qualities explained, he and his great minister, queen, and retinue prostrated together before the Tathāgata, touching their heads to the Tathāgata’s feet hundreds of thousands of times. Scattering handfuls of jewels over the tathāgata Lamp of the Nāga Family, he gave rise to this thought: ‘Bhagavān, in the future when the skillful methods of the teachings of the Bhagavān Śākyamuni are waning, I will go forth to renunciation. When the end of the Dharma arrives, may I sound the great roar three times, dispelling all those who merely wear the robes of Dharma practitioners and those non-Buddhists with shaved heads, so that the sacred Dharma may arise. May I give up my life for the sake of the sacred Dharma.’

“Then, the great minister Storehouse of the Domain of the Sacred Dharma gave rise to this thought: ‘Bhagavān, in the future I will carry the burden of the teachings of the Bhagavān Śākyamuni. When the Bhagavān has employed the skillful means of passing into parinirvāṇa, may I be a lord of humans who establishes an abundant and excellent kingdom and actually sounds the great roar of the sacred Dharma.’ At that time, King Great Diligent Nāga’s queen Sacred Goddess gave rise to this thought: ‘When the Bhagavān Śākyamuni’s teachings have been established, I will discipline all the negative hosts of non-Buddhists in my female form. [F.181.b] Then, may I establish the royal order, adorn the kingdom, and sound the great roar of the sacred Dharma.’

“At that time Great Name gave rise to this thought: ‘Bhagavān, in the future I will become one of the supreme disciples of the Bhagavān Śākyamuni’s teachings. May I come to possess, through the Tathāgata’s power, the virtuous qualities of lordship over the inconceivable domain of the Dharma doctrine on the existence of fruition, which is taught through the great lion’s roar that magically manifests the inconceivable domain of the Tathāgata. May I sound the lion’s roar and long bear the burden of the Tathāgata’s teachings.’

“Goddess, because of being endowed with these virtuous roots, these four‍—including you‍—have undertaken many hardships for the sake of my teachings and acted in harmony with ordinary beings. Goddess, not only in the present but also in the past, you four have performed activities in many forms and made vows to bear the arrayed burdens of my teachings. Goddess, you should know that you have paid veneration to many buddhas with a mind of deep faith.”

At this point the goddess addressed the Bhagavān, saying, “I beseech the Bhagavān to explain how I have developed this mind of faith and how we four have come to act as medicine for many sentient beings.”

The Bhagavān replied, saying, “Goddess, excellent, excellent! Goddess, listen well as I explain in turn the prophecies related to these four, including you. Goddess, see the greatness of the virtuous qualities of these four, including you yourself. You should understand that the great minister Storehouse of the Domain of the Sacred Dharma is the brahmin Kauṇḍinya, the master grammarian. Goddess, moreover, when a hundred and twenty years have passed after I am gone, the brahmin Kauṇḍinya, the master grammarian, will be born within a half-cakravartin family called Maurya. Goddess, after having been born within the Maurya family, he will become a half-cakravartin king. Goddess, when he has become this supreme king of the Maurya family, [F.182.a] he will perform his kingly duties in accordance with the traditions of Dharma.”

Then the goddess addressed the Bhagavān, saying, “Bhagavān, what name will he have?”

He replied, “Goddess, this layman king will be named Aśoka. Goddess, this half-cakravartin king named Aśoka will sound the foremost great lion’s roar of the treatises of Dharma and will make illustrious offerings to the Dharma teachings.”

Then the goddess asked, “As medicine for all sentient beings, I beseech the Bhagavān to explain the prophecy concerning King Great Diligent Nāga.”

The Bhagavān replied, “Goddess, first listen to the prophecy concerning yourself.” At this, the goddess became ashamed and bowed her head.

The Bhagavān replied, “Excellent, goddess, excellent! Shame is the foremost among all dharmas. Goddess, excellent! Goddess, you were King Great Diligent Nāga’s queen Sacred. See the domain of the samādhi of the tide of the deep, constant ocean, which arises from The Great Cloud! Goddess, after I am gone, due to your virtuous roots and your special vows, you will be born into the merchant class in the city called Veyi. Having obtained the form of the queen of a cakravartin king, you will take up renunciation, abiding in discipline, and the basic precepts of training. Then, you will rule over that great, prosperous city and its environs in the form of a woman. You will discipline the negative host of non-Buddhists and cause the lamp of the sacred Dharma to blaze brightly, making offerings to the teachings of the Bhagavān. Having sounded the great roar of the Dharma, you will completely guard and protect your kingdom by engaging in the conduct of a bodhisattva, and you will act in a manner that engages harmoniously with the world.

“Goddess, through the power of King Great Diligent Nāga’s majesty, you have become one who plays within the inconceivable. Therefore, Goddess, you should rejoice in the Dharma king Great Diligent Nāga! [F.182.b] This King Great Diligent Nāga is now my supreme disciple, the Licchavi youth Admired by All Worlds.”

The goddess said, “I beseech the Bhagavān to explain the prophecy concerning this great being Great Name, to serve as medicine for all sentient beings.”

The Bhagavān replied, “Goddess, listen to this prophecy concerning Great Name, and venerate him for as long as you live. You will attain the magical powers and virtuous qualities of Great Name. Goddess, Great Name is just like a buddha. Goddess, Great Name is like one half of the body of a buddha.”

The goddess asked, “Bhagavān, how should one venerate one such as Great Name for as long as one lives?”

The Bhagavān replied, “Great Name was a disciple of the tathāgata Lamp of the Nāga Family. He is just like one of my disciples, and one half of my own body, and he has repaid his gratitude to me. Now he is the present-day Mahākāśyapa. Goddess, you should venerate him for as long as you live.”

At that time, a devaputra named Supreme Club set forth from the great assembly with a retinue of a thousand other devaputras. After making offerings to the Bhagavān, he spoke this verse:

Upon hearing him speak these words, all the hundreds of thousands of devaputras produced the aspiration to attain unsurpassed, complete, and perfect awakening.

At that time, the Bhagavān addressed the brahmin Kauṇḍinya, the master grammarian, saying, “Master grammarian Kauṇḍinya, since you have obtained that which is well obtained, you should have great faith. In the future, you will perform actions for the benefit of all sentient beings. I will now discuss these and explain how you should uphold them.

“Master grammarian Kauṇḍinya, to the south of this buddhafield, beyond as many world systems as there are grains of sand in ten Ganges Rivers, there is a world system called Manifest Clarity. There is a tathāgata, [F.183.a] foe-destroyer, complete and perfect buddha named Inexhaustible Intellect, who lives and dwells there now, teaching the Dharma.

“Master grammarian Kauṇḍinya, to the south of this buddhafield, beyond as many world systems as there are grains of sand in twenty Ganges Rivers, there is a world system called All Equal. There is a tathāgata, foe-destroyer, complete and perfect buddha named Precious Victory Banner, who lives and dwells there now, teaching the Dharma.

“Master grammarian Kauṇḍinya, to the south of this buddhafield, beyond as many world systems as there are grains of sand in thirty Ganges Rivers, there is a world system called Joyful Mind. There is a tathāgata, foe-destroyer, complete and perfect buddha named Essence of Stainless Light, who lives and dwells there now, teaching the Dharma.

“Master grammarian Kauṇḍinya, to the south of this buddhafield, beyond as many world systems as there are grains of sand in forty Ganges Rivers, there is a world system called Utter Joy. There is a tathāgata, foe-destroyer, complete and perfect buddha named Renowned for Delightful Magical Manifestations, who lives and dwells there now, teaching the Dharma.

“Master grammarian Kauṇḍinya, to the south of this buddhafield, beyond as many world systems as there are grains of sand in fifty Ganges Rivers, there is a world system called Joyful Faith in the Sacred Dharma. There is a tathāgata, foe-destroyer, complete and perfect buddha named Cloud Protector, who lives and dwells there now, teaching the Dharma.

“Master grammarian Kauṇḍinya, to the south of this buddhafield, beyond as many world systems as there are grains of sand in sixty Ganges Rivers, there is a world system called Abode of All Non-Buddhists. There is a tathāgata, foe-destroyer, complete and perfect buddha named King of Lion’s Play, who lives and dwells there now, teaching the Dharma.

“Master grammarian Kauṇḍinya, [F.183.b] to the south of this buddhafield, beyond as many world systems as there are grains of sand in seventy Ganges Rivers, there is a world system called Flower Victory Banner. There is a tathāgata, foe-destroyer, complete and perfect buddha named Superior King of Sumeru, who lives and dwells there now, teaching the Dharma.

“Master grammarian Kauṇḍinya, to the south of this buddhafield, beyond as many world systems as there are grains of sand in eighty Ganges Rivers, there is a world system called Jewel Protector. There is a tathāgata, foe-destroyer, complete and perfect buddha named Pinnacle of Guarding All Sacred Dharmas, who lives and dwells there now, teaching the Dharma.

“Master grammarian Kauṇḍinya, all these complete and perfect tathāgata, foe-destroyer, complete and perfect buddhas have completely purified their buddhafields. Their buddhafields are flat like the palm of one’s hand and without mountains, boulders, pebbles, dirt, sticks, and thorns. They are smooth and soft like kācalindi cloth and free from the five degeneracies. There are no women, śrāvakas, or pratyekabuddhas‍—even these names do not exist there. All the sentient beings there utterly delight in the Great Vehicle, play with the Great Vehicle, and have gained faith only in the Great Vehicle.

“Master grammarian Kauṇḍinya, if a noble son or daughter who has correctly entered into the Great Vehicle hears the names of these tathāgata, foe-destroyer, complete and perfect buddhas and, having heard them, upholds them, realizes them, bears them in mind, recites them, or correctly teaches them widely to others, then, master grammarian Kauṇḍinya, for those noble sons and daughters to be reborn in the hell realms, the animal realms, or among the race of asuras is impossible and would never happen. Master grammarian Kauṇḍinya, for a bodhisattva mahāsattva to hear about the samādhi gateways from me now [F.184.a] and to then, in their next life, become contemptuous when hearing about these samādhi gateways is impossible and would never happen.

“Master grammarian Kauṇḍinya, for bodhisattva mahāsattvas who bear in mind the names of those tathāgatas, all such things as the following will be impossible: damage from poison, harm from weapons, death by water, and burning by fire; the creation of obstacles by kings, robbers, humans, nonhumans, nāgas, yakṣas, lions, venomous insects, tigers, dogs, wolves, snakes, and all manner of negative forces; and further obstacles to engaging in pure conduct, practicing recitation, begging, or wearing the robes of Dharma practitioners. Unless they occur due to the ripening of past karma, these will never happen.

“Master grammarian Kauṇḍinya, moreover, if there are monks, nuns, laymen, or laywomen who deride, criticize, or laugh at other non-Buddhist practitioners or wandering mendicants, whether going along with others or for the sake of gain, respect, or praise, then if they hear the names of these tathāgata, foe-destroyer, complete and perfect buddhas, it will be impossible for them to be reborn in unpleasant realms.” [B8]

At that time, the master grammarian Kauṇḍinya prostrated, touching his head to the Bhagavān’s feet, and then asked, “If those who come to hear these Dharma teachings obtain that which is well obtained, what need is there to mention those who, having heard it, develop belief, receive instruction, proclaim it, and bear it in mind? Sentient beings such as these obtain the treasury of delighting in the Dharma. For those who hold in their hands the names of these tathāgata, foe-destroyer, complete and perfect buddhas, [F.184.b] all the tathāgatas will come to live in their homes. Bhagavān, wherever people hear the names of these tathāgatas and develop trust in them, the ground in that place will come to have the nature of a vajra. Bhagavān, whoever hears the names of these tathāgatas and develops trust in them will transform and attain the vajra nature, obtaining unwavering patience. Bhagavān, I will venerate and serve whoever develops faith in these names, which are difficult to develop trust in.”

The Bhagavān replied, “Excellent, master grammarian Kauṇḍinya, excellent! It is excellent that you have made such a promise for the sake of those noble sons and daughters. Moreover, master grammarian Kauṇḍinya, when one bears in mind the names of all these tathāgata, foe-destroyer, complete and perfect buddhas, then each and every source of fearfulness will be quelled completely. When someone bears these names in mind, gods will protect them, nāgas will protect them, yakṣas will protect them, and so forth all the way up to the tathāgatas, who will also protect them.”

Then, out of the great assembly rose a devaputra named Gandharva King Delightful Appearance. He prostrated, touching his head to the Bhagavān’s feet, and then addressed the Bhagavān, saying, “Ah, Bhagavān! After the Tathāgata passes into nirvāṇa, who will be able to bear in mind such tathāgatas as these and such discourses as these? What kinds of sentient beings will be able to maintain them? What kinds of sentient beings will cause them to disappear?”

Then, through the Buddha’s power, the venerable Mahākāśyapa addressed the devaputra Gandharva King Delightful Appearance, saying, “Noble child, there is no passing into parinirvāṇa for any of the tathāgata, foe-destroyer, complete and perfect buddhas, [F.185.a] and the Dharma will not disappear.”

At this point, the devaputra Gandharva King Delightful Appearance addressed Mahākāśyapa, saying, “Venerable Mahākāśyapa, in order to benefit all confused sentient beings, please give an explanation! Venerable Mahākāśyapa, please light the lamp of knowledge for those sentient beings who have doubts! Venerable Mahākāśyapa, in the future I will also broadly proclaim the greatness of the Tathāgata’s virtuous qualities.”

At these words, the elder Mahākāśyapa replied to the devaputra Gandharva King Delightful Appearance, saying, “Friend, the bodies of the tathāgatas are Dharma bodies. The bodies of the tathāgatas are as hard as vajras. The bodies of the tathāgatas are endowed with all virtues. Friend, the bodies of the tathāgatas are not flesh bodies, because they are bodies of skillful means. Noble child, how could bodies such as the tathāgatas’ bodies pass into parinirvāṇa? How could they be impermanent?”

“So at this point, venerable Mahākāśyapa, although out of skillful means it is said that they pass into parinirvāṇa, it is not the case that they permanently pass into parinirvāṇa?”

“Gandharva King Delightful Appearance, excellent, excellent! Your statement that ‘although out of skillful means it is said that they pass into parinirvāṇa, it is not the case that they permanently pass into parinirvāṇa’ is well spoken. Excellent, Gandharva King Delightful Appearance! Gandharva King Delightful Appearance, moreover, although there are common measures through which all things can be understood, there is not a single measure through which one can understand the greatness of the Tathāgata’s virtuous qualities.”

“Venerable Mahākāśyapa, when will the Tathāgata permanently pass into parinirvāṇa?”

“When all sentient beings have become complete and perfect buddhas, [F.185.b] attaining unsurpassed, complete, and perfect awakening, and then as complete and perfect buddhas have entered into parinirvāṇa, the Tathāgata will at that time enter into parinirvāṇa.”

“Venerable Mahākāśyapa, the greatness of the Tathāgata’s virtuous qualities is wondrous. Who would not produce the aspiration to attain unsurpassed, complete, and perfect awakening on hearing such words?”

“The venerable bhagavān Tathāgata is permanent, eternal, stable, immovable, incomparable, and inconceivable‍—he does not belong to the domain of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas. Only the tathāgatas themselves can comprehend the tathāgatas. Noble child, you must engage in the conduct of a bodhisattva with equanimity!”

When Mahākāśyapa gave this explanation, one million two hundred thousand devaputras produced the aspiration to attain unsurpassed, complete, and perfect awakening. With joyful minds, they uttered these verses together in a single voice: