The Quintessence of the Sun
The Purification of Karmic Actions

The Blessed One then said to the four messengers and the other bodhisattva great beings, “Noble sons, abide in this buddha realm by your individual virtues!”

So, together with their retinues, those bodhisattva great beings sat cross-legged in their respective places. Then, those beings who had thoroughly cultivated the absorption of the dhāraṇī of acceptance entered into their respective states of absorption. From the bodies of some of those beings dwelling in equipoise radiated lights like the light emitted by oil lamps. From the bodies of some others radiated lights like the light emitted by trillions of suns and moons.

At that moment Venerable Ājñātakauṇḍinya thought, “Through the power of the Buddha, I should make a request to the thus-gone, worthy, perfect Buddha. I should request the Thus-Gone One to teach about those four dhāraṇī mantras in detail. I should ask so that the sentient beings who have arrived in this buddha realm of Sahā may hear this teaching and eliminate all their doubts, attain illumination with respect to all phenomena, become free of excitement, transcend all uncertainties and doubts, [F.147.a] swiftly enter into faultlessness, avoid falling into error, and strive for the higher realms.”

So, without speaking, Venerable Ājñātakauṇḍinya bowed with his palms joined together in the direction of the Blessed One.

The Blessed One asked Venerable Ājñātakauṇḍinya, “Kauṇḍinya, do you wish to ask the Thus-Gone One a question?”

“Respected Blessed One, indeed! Indeed, respected Well-Gone One! Respected Blessed One, should I be granted the opportunity, I would like to ask a few questions to the respected Thus-Gone One.”

The Blessed One replied, “Kauṇḍinya, you may ask the thus-gone, worthy, perfect Buddha anything you wish. I will elucidate your questions and bring satisfaction to your mind in a way that will be directly understood by the world with its gods.”

Venerable Ājñātakauṇḍinya then said to the Blessed One, “Respected Blessed One, you have repeatedly stated that craving is a companion of individuals. Why did the Thus-Gone One designate craving as a companion of individuals? The Thus-Gone One has said that craving‍—the companion of beings‍—will cause one to continuously circle and take rebirth in saṃsāra for a long time.”

The Blessed One replied, “Kauṇḍinya, you act for the benefit and welfare of many beings. This opportune question is excellent! Therefore, Kauṇḍinya, listen carefully and pay attention. I will now explain this.”

Venerable Ājñātakauṇḍinya replied, “Respected Blessed One, I shall do so!” [F.147.b] and he listened as the Blessed One had directed.

The Blessed One then said, “Kauṇḍinya, the term craving refers to three types of craving. What are the three? They are (1) the craving related to the desire realm, (2) the craving related to the form realm, and (3) the craving related to the formless realm. [B6]

“There are also three other types of craving: (1) the craving related to arising, (2) the craving related to disintegration, and (3) the craving related to phenomena.

“Kauṇḍinya, what are the forms of craving related to the desire realm? Desire refers to sexual intercourse. Careless beings strive to experience sensual pleasures, and humans with base natures delight in them. All forms of attachment will develop in sentient beings who are tormented by lustful longing. Those beings will therefore adopt the paths of the ten nonvirtuous actions and abide by it. Through such causes and conditions, the hell realms, the animal realms, the World of the Lord of Death, and the abodes of the destitute yakṣas will manifest. Due to attachment, sentient beings will experience a variety of harsh and unbearable sufferings within the five destinies of saṃsāra, and yet they will not be afraid of attachment. Since they have abandoned humility and modesty, and since they are disconnected from roots of virtue, they will only very rarely obtain a human body. Due to attachment, they will repeatedly engage in various physical, verbal, and mental unwholesome actions‍—up to the acts with immediate retribution. They will, repeatedly and for long periods of time, experience harsh and unbearable feelings in the lower realms. Since these are all caused by and based on attachment, they are referred to as the downfalls stemming from the latent propensities of attachment. [F.148.a]

“Therefore, the Thus-Gone One teaches the Dharma so that beings will abandon attachment.43 He sees the defects of the various desires as they are, and so he causes beings to understand and genuinely realize the defects of those desires. He causes them to understand that desires are repulsive like kimpaka fruits, heaps of glowing embers, vases filled with poison, stinking excrement, the edges of razor blades, thieves, the houses of outcastes, blazing iron lumps, hailstones, poisonous snakes, enemies, desolate roads, islands of rākṣasīs, executioners, rubbish, or charnel grounds. He causes them to understand the defects associated with attachment to sensual pleasures, clinging to desirable objects, lustful longing, the origination of desire, and the desires themselves. Knowing the defects of desires, those beings will grow weary of them. They will cultivate attitudes that agree with the Dharma, joyfully abide by the trainings they uphold, pursue the Dharma, delight in the joy of the Dharma, accumulate a wealth of Dharma, develop pure mindsets that are in accord with the Dharma, genuinely follow the path of the Dharma, and devote themselves to it. When they die, they will remember the Dharma, and the flavor of the Dharma will ripen in them. In whatever directions those beings who have lived with minds moistened by the Dharma look, they will see blessed buddhas who reside while teaching the Dharma in the company of great assemblies. They will hear the Dharma, and upon hearing it [F.148.b] they will behold the thus-gone ones with very delighted minds.

“After they die, they will leave the lower realms behind and be born within buddha realms in which a buddha is present. There, they will enjoy a wealth of qualities, self-control, and restraint. They will join the company of those who revel in the concentrations and the higher perceptions, those who are adorned with the perfect happiness of emancipation, with great love, and with great compassion, those who ripen all sentient beings, and those who are ornamented with the qualities of the buddhas.44 By coming into contact with them, the latent imprints of their afflictions that lead to rebirth will be exhausted, and they will be adorned with those same qualities. It will be as when various fragrant substances are placed in a basket together with some ornaments. Before long, those ornaments will be permeated by those fragrances and will begin to emit the same scents. Even though their colors are dissimilar, they will soon be suffused with those fragrant substances. Similarly, Kauṇḍinya, at the time of death, sentient beings who know the defects of desires will behold the buddhas. After they die, they will leave behind the lower realms and be born within buddha realms in which a buddha is present. […] There, they will be adorned with those same qualities, and before long they will awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood.

“Therefore, Kauṇḍinya, the noble sons or daughters who correctly discern what will be of benefit to themselves, others, and both themselves and others [F.149.a] should attend to, serve, and revere sacred beings. They should also question them about the experience of desires, their defects, and the emancipation from them. Upon hearing the Dharma in those places, they will swiftly awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood. The ‘sacred beings’ are the buddhas, the bodhisattvas, the circumstantial victors, the worthy ones, and myself‍—the Teacher who has now appeared in the world, the blessed Buddha.45 I wish to benefit all sentient beings, to completely liberate them from all their sufferings, and to fully reveal all the faults of desire. Therefore, all of you who have assembled here, listen well to the teaching on the defects of desires that I‍—the one who speaks without error, impartially, and with love and compassion and who benefits all sentient beings‍—reveal! Upon hearing such a teaching, keep it well in mind, and later on you will be liberated from the three lower realms and swiftly awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood.”

At that moment, all the sentient beings present throughout the entire buddha realm of Sahā exclaimed in unison, “Blessed One, please explain to us the defects of desires! We shall listen to this teaching one-pointedly and accomplish it in accordance with our strengths!”

The Blessed One then said, “The desires of sentient beings arise through four conditions. What are the four? They are (1) the attachment to form, [F.149.b] (2) the attachment to shape, (3) the attachment to contact, and (4) the attachment to passionate frolicking.

“What is meant by ‘attachment to form’? The wise ones, at the appropriate times, investigate the four great elements in terms of their exhaustion, selflessness, and the absence of sentient beings. On the other hand, immature beings who rely on mistaken views apprehend the objects they investigate with concepts such as ‘this is the body of a woman,’ ‘this is the body of a man,’ ‘this is bad,’ ‘this is good,’ ‘this is pleasant,’ or ‘this is undesirable.’ When men who are intoxicated by desire see the appearance of women, they fixate on attributes and signs. They thereby generate the ground of desire, the inclination toward desire, and the strong attachment to desire that had not yet previously arisen, and their roots of virtue will therefore become corrupted. Those beings will be rejected by all the wise ones, and since they do not guard their body, speech, and mind, they will involve themselves in all sorts of unwholesome activities. They will not care about the emancipation from desires, and they will fall into the three lower realms. After they die, they will be born as hell beings, animals, or pretas. Through the causes, the conditions, and the ground of such desires, they will experience harsh, scorching, and unbearable feelings of suffering in those places for a long time.

“While they know them to be women and men, the wise ones generate the perception of repulsiveness: they imagine their absence of hair, their skin, their ligaments, their flesh, their absence of blood, their bones, and their white human skulls. They pursue that process, cultivate it, [F.150.a] and repeat it. They apply the same process with respect to the physical forms of men as they do with respect to the physical forms of women. They apply the same process with respect to what is far away as they do with respect to what is present in front of them. They apply the same process with respect to what is present in front of them as they do with respect to what is far away. Just as they do with others, they focus their attention and apply knowledge to their own white heaps of bones, their absence of hair, their skin, their ligaments, their flesh, and their lack of blood. By repeating that process many times, their minds become fully settled, trained, and focused. This is the first authentic elimination of the sphere of mental afflictions.

“Then, directing their attention on those heaps of bones, they apply their mindfulness to a spot about the size of a jujube fruit between their eyebrows. They meditate on this and repeat that process many times. […] By doing so, their minds become fully settled, trained, and focused. Both their minds and bodies are utterly purified. How is it that their minds are utterly purified? Because they are pacified in all possible respects. Contemplating, cognizing, and observing this for a while is the second Dharma gateway, which accords with the practice of tranquility, eliminates attachment, and eliminates the sphere of afflictions.

“Why is it that their bodies are utterly purified? Because, in a similar way, the inhalation and exhalation of their breath is interrupted in their meditation‍—they neither breathe in nor breathe out. With both their bodies and minds utterly purified, they exert themselves in tranquility and focus on cessation. This is the third Dharma gateway, which focuses on cessation and eliminates the sphere of afflictions.

“Furthermore, the minds of those who are agitated can quickly become in accord with the practice of tranquility. For this, they should direct their attention to a spot about the size of a jujube fruit on the soft area at the top of their heads. [F.150.b] They should then cultivate this and repeat the process many times. Next, they should visualize and cultivate this up to the fontanel and repeat the process many times. After that, they must visualize their bones on that spot being pulverized into dust about the size of sand grains. After the second and third stages, they continue up to the point at which they visualize their entire skull and all their bones being pulverized into dust. They will then visualize that dust being blown away by the wind, until nothing but empty space remains. In this way, both their bodies and minds become utterly purified. This is the fourth Dharma gateway, which strives in the practice of tranquility, focuses on cessation, and eliminates the sphere of afflictions.”

Venerable Kauṇḍinya then asked, “Respected Blessed One, does the complete wisdom of the realm of the conditioned include the limit of reality of the realm of space, the ground of voidness?”

“Yes, noble son. The limit of reality of the realm of the conditioned is like space; it pervades everything one sees.”

Ājñātakauṇḍinya then said, “Respected Blessed One, is space one’s own cognition, or does it pervade others’ cognition?”

The Blessed One replied, “Since it pervades the realm of all phenomena, the entire realm of the conditioned must also pervade one’s own cognition. Why is it so? Those who meditate on the complete purity of form will behold the thus-gone ones. Those who see the bones of the skull being pulverized into dust and blown away by the wind will destroy all forms, so that no material form will appear anymore to their eye consciousness. They focus their attention and meditate on empty space, [F.151.a] and they do so repeatedly. In all the directions and in between, they will perceive space that is pure like beryl; the appearance of the thus-gone ones will manifest in their minds, and they will see the appearance of the thus-gone ones within that space. When they look in any of the directions and in between, they will perceive the forms of the thus-gone ones. The thus-gone ones, adorned with the excellent marks, will appear to their eye consciousness. In whatever direction or intermediate direction they gaze, they will only see the bodies of buddhas fully adorned with the thirty-two major marks, surrounded by auras of light, and with circumferences like that of a banyan tree.

“If, in accordance with their class, they have accumulated roots of virtue that accord with the aspect of certainty, they will wonder, ‘I must definitely ask the Thus-Gone One about who created space and where it will be exhausted!’ They will then think, ‘I have already asked the Thus-Gone One this.’ The Thus-Gone One will tell them, ‘Space is a verbal concept, and that concept is nonexistent. The term space and all other concepts are insubstantial. All phenomena are utterly nonexistent, unchanging, and devoid of characteristics. By investigating them from the perspective of the absence of characteristics, one becomes completely free from the basis of those characteristics.’ Upon hearing that teaching, they will then swiftly attain the fruition of nonreturners, and all their desires and attachments related to the form realm will disappear without remainder. Likewise, all their attachments related to the formless realm, their ignorance, their pride, and their agitation will also disappear without remainder.

“If those who, in accordance with their class, lack the roots of virtue that accord with the aspect of certainty [F.151.b] see the body of the Buddha, they will think, ‘I am truly apprehending the size of the Thus-Gone One.’ When they look in all directions, they will see the Thus-Gone One everywhere throughout all of space. If they view the Thus-Gone One as being small, they will perceive him as being small. If they view him as being immeasurable, they will perceive him as being immeasurable. However, they will then think, ‘Where does the Thus-Gone One come from? The Thus-Gone One does not come from anywhere and does not go anywhere. No place can be found where the Thus-Gone One goes to or comes from! Since the body and the three realms are caused by the mind alone, beings perceive in accordance with their concepts. I create the Buddha with my own mind. I see the Buddha through my mind. My mind itself is the Buddha, my mind itself is the body, and my mind itself is space. I perceive the Buddha through the concepts of my own mind. The mind does not cognize the mind. The mind does not see the mind. Mental perceptions are devoid of cognition. Mental perceptions are negations, and negations are insubstantial. Those phenomena only manifest because they are devoid of cognition.’

“Those who have previously given rise to the mind set on awakening and realized emptiness through insight will then contemplate objects while contemplating their intrinsic emptiness. They will attain the absorption in which the present buddhas are dwelling. Even so, they are followers of the hearers’ vehicle. Since they have become accustomed to all forms being devoid of marks, their insight, their freedom from attachment, and their ignorance are purified. By contemplating emptiness, [F.152.a] they will attain the keen acceptance that accords with emptiness, and later on they will achieve its fruition without difficulty. If they meditate on empty space, their bodies and minds will be utterly purified. They will reach the gateway of liberation of emptiness, and they will achieve that fruition without difficulty. This the fifth Dharma gateway, which strives in emptiness, focuses on cessation, and interrupts the waves of afflictions.”

As this teaching was being given by the Blessed One, ninety-nine trillion gods and humans from that retinue achieved the concordant acceptance, and eighty-four thousand of them achieved the acceptance that accords with emptiness. Similarly, sixty thousand beings reached the gateway of liberation of the absorption of emptiness, and twenty thousand of them achieved the absorption in which the present buddhas are dwelling. Countless sentient beings also achieved the fruition of the stream enterers, and the minds of eighty-four thousand monks were liberated from their defilements with no further grasping.

The Blessed One then said, “Furthermore, Kauṇḍinya, those who do not dwell mentally on that contemplation of the skull, who have no faith in it, and who are not inspired by it should go to a charnel ground. There they will see a variety of human corpses‍—some bluish, some festering, some bloody, some being devoured, some decomposed, some without flesh and blood, and some as bare bones completely white like conch shells. They should examine all these corpses repeatedly. If they contemplate those objects, keep them in mind, and meditate on them with quiet minds, without wavering or being distracted, [F.152.b] they will experience everything up to the exhaustion of all their defilements.

“Sentient beings with overweening pride should contemplate, visualize, and meditate on human corpses that become bluish shortly after death. They will then perceive their own bodies in the same way they perceive the corpses they have contemplated. They will see that their own bodies are the same as the corpses of others‍—they are not different from bluish and festering corpses. By maintaining their efforts in applying this meditation to their own bodies, they will perceive their bodies entirely festering and bloody, their bellies infested by maggots. They will see their bodies entirely infested and devoured by maggots, up until the stages where they are without flesh and blood and become bare bones completely white like conch shells, heaps of bones connected with ligaments. This is what they should focus on, build up, and cultivate. Day and night, whether they are walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, they should contemplate, visualize, and meditate on their own bodies as heaps of bones completely white like conch shells and connected with ligaments and skin. They will be able to perceive this in the blink of an eye. [F.153.a] Just as they perceive their own bodies, wherever they look‍—whether at the earth, trees, humans, or animals‍—they will see heaps of bones completely white like conch shells and connected with ligaments. Wherever they walk46 and travel, they will tread on and sidestep heaps of bones. They will trample on heaps of bones, sit on them, and sleep on them, just like those who have cultivated, focused on, and exerted themselves in the perception of repulsiveness. They will abandon all forms of attachment related to the desire realm, in accordance with their class but not otherwise.

“This is the dhāraṇī mantra that accords with emptiness. It gathers the winds from the four directions that pulverize the heaps of bones into dust and disintegrate them. Just as it gathers the winds that pulverize the heaps of bones of their own bodies into dust and disintegrate them, it also gathers the winds that pulverize all bodies and this entire earth into dust and disintegrate them to the point that material form will no longer appear before theirs or others’ eyes.

“Those beings will then focus on the empty, beryl-like space. They will visualize space, meditate on it, and repeat that process many times. They will think, ‘Furthermore, for the sake of investigation, I will contemplate the sky as being yellow. I will envisage the sky to be yellow, visualize that, and meditate on it.’ In that way, they will imagine that the entire sky is yellow. In the same way, they will imagine that its color is red, white, crimson, and every other color up to crystalline. Similarly, they will visualize all material appearances and the entire earth as blue water, [F.153.b] thereby imagining these to be blue. They will also contemplate, cognize, and envisage the entire earth as being water with colors ranging from yellow to red, white, violet, and crystalline. They will then visualize the entire earth element as crystalline, and after that, they will visualize that it is reduced to the size of about four fingers. Then, they will hit it with their toes and make it shake, rock, quiver, and quake as they please‍—they will shake it in any way they want. When they shake it, this great earth with its mountains will quiver, wobble, shake, and quake.

“They will also contemplate, cognize, envisage, and visualize blue, pink, red, and white lotus flowers on that water, and they will clearly imagine fresh breezes blowing in the four directions. They will then walk, sit, and lie down on these flowers. They will also visualize, in the four directions, great mountains of various colors, on top of which they will walk, rest, sit, and lie down. Then, interrupting that process, they will contemplate, consider, cognize, envisage, and visualize these mountains to be pure space. Next they will contemplate, envisage, and visualize their bodies to be light‍—just like a piece of cotton wool that is fluttering in the breeze and carried off by a gentle wind. [F.154.a] They will contemplate and visualize the lightness of their bodies to the point at which as they are carried by the wind they dwell in midair, where they will then walk, sit, rest, and lie down. Next they will rest in absorption on the fire element and radiate various blue, yellow, red, violet, and crystalline lights from their bodies. They will emit blazing fire from the upper parts of their bodies and shower down streams of cold water from their lower parts. At other times they will emit blazing fire from the lower parts of their bodies and shower down rains of cold water from the upper parts of their bodies.

“Likewise, they will manifest themselves on top of the earth, caress the sun and the moon with their hands, and physically exert their influence up to the world of Brahmā. Interrupting that process, they will then contemplate and visualize forms in any number and color they might think of, such as blue, yellow, red, white, violet, or crystalline. If they think, ‘I am looking at the Thus-Gone One,’ they will see the Thus-Gone One. Wherever they look, they will see the Thus-Gone One. If they think that the Thus-Gone One’s body is small, they will perceive him as being small. If they think that it is immeasurable, […] they will see the Thus-Gone One as filling the entire sky. They will think, ‘The Thus-Gone One does not come from and does not go anywhere. [F.154.b] The cause of the bodies present in all the three realms is only the mind. I perceive things in the way I imagine them. I perceive the various different colors, forms, and magical displays of my own mind. My mind consists of different forms, magical displays, colors, cognitions, and concepts‍—it manifests in a variety of ways. The mind is mingled with space; it is described as wind, and all winds are insubstantial.’ Such is the meaning of the dhāraṇī mantra that accords with the truth shared by ordinary beings, the dhāraṇī mantra that the thus-gone Campaka Color conferred upon me through the bodhisattva great being Quintessence of the Sun’s Energy.

“What is the meaning of the dhāraṇī mantra that accords with the truth unshared by ordinary beings? It is the abandonment of the attachment to form and shape. Some will think, ‘Space is inapprehensible and inexpressible. In the same way, the mind is also inexpressible‍—both are inexpressible. These aggregates are accompanied by torment, anxiety, delusion, and deception, so if I now fully abandon the conceptual mind, there is no doubt that space will be abandoned, as will all discursiveness that arises on the basis of concepts!’ However, they should know this by observing space through the first instant of their mind, so that all cognitions are interrupted and none are generated. Mental productions will then cease, and those that have not yet arisen will not be produced. In that way, since its causes have ceased, the mind will also cease, [F.155.a] and they will enter the absorption of cessation in which physical, verbal, and mental formations are utterly purified. They will spend either one day within that cessation, or, if they prefer, many hundreds of thousands of eons will pass before the first instant of mind arises, immediately after the absorption of cessation. Within the second instant of mind, all their defilements and lives will be exhausted, and they will simultaneously pass into parinirvāṇa. This is the meaning of the dhāraṇī mantra that accords with the undefiled truth unshared by ordinary beings.

“What is the meaning of the dhāraṇī mantra that accords with the truth both shared and unshared by ordinary beings? Some will think, ‘Forms are only perceived in the way they are imagined. The mind is both the mind and forms, so I should not imagine pure space.’ Wishing to abandon all forms, they will abandon all their perceptions of forms, and they will then perfect and dwell within the sphere of infinite space while thinking, ‘This is infinite space!’ This is the absorption that is shared by ordinary beings.

“Some will then think, ‘My physical form is space‍—I see space as physical form. What is the defining characteristic of space? The defining characteristic of space is that it accommodates. However, space is pervaded by the winds, and the winds arise from the four great elements. My physical form is also made of the four great elements, since both have the same defining characteristics.’ They will wonder, ‘Does everything that arises have the essence of the great elements?’ [F.155.b] They then think, ‘Neither of these arise with general characteristics.’ Why is that? Because all phenomena are intrinsically empty. Similarly, one’s own essence is also empty of any other entity‍—it is unborn, unceasing, unarisen, and groundless.’ When they investigate in that way, the thus-gone ones will manifest in their minds, and those beings will see nothing but the thus-gone ones throughout all of space. Perceiving the thus-gone ones in that way, they will attain the fruition of the non-returners. This is the first sphere of liberation based on the dhāraṇī mantra that accords with the truth shared by ordinary beings.

“Again, some will wonder, ‘Is abiding by this sphere of infinite space the defining characteristic of my own essence, or is it space?’ They will then think, ‘The pure defining characteristic of space is my own identity, but it is not the defining characteristic of my own essence.’ Thinking in that way, the more they contemplate limitless, infinite space, the more they will cognize their identity. This is the absorption that is shared by ordinary beings.

“Some will then wonder, ‘If all of space is my identity, does space have other essences? When I focus my attention on the thus-gone ones, how do they manifest?’ The more they contemplate the thus-gone ones, the more they will perceive them. As soon as they see them, some will settle within the first fruition, and some will actualize the other fruitions up to the level of the worthy ones who have abandoned all afflictions. This is the second sphere of liberation based on the dhāraṇī mantra that accords with the truth shared by ordinary beings.

“Again, some will wonder, ‘Is my own identity, which is thoroughly pure, pristine, unsullied space, also my virtuous mind, which is groundless and devoid of all afflictions?’ [F.156.a] They will then think, ‘The eightfold path of the noble ones, which generates great illumination, is free of all afflictions.’ The moment they contemplate the eightfold path of the noble ones that is free of all afflictions, some will settle within the fruition of the stream enterers, and some will actualize the other fruitions up to the level of the worthy ones. This is the third sphere of liberation based on the dhāraṇī mantra that accords with the truth shared by ordinary beings.

“Again, some will think, ‘What my concepts bring about is meaningless. I should not keep on imagining forms. Where there are forms, there are distinct perceptions that are impediments, and there is old age and death. I will therefore train to bring an end to old age and death. I will focus on the perception of space!’ Again, they will contemplate, cognize, envisage, and visualize the perception of space. In all possible ways, they will verbalize, visualize, perfect, and dwell within utterly pure space. This is the dhāraṇī mantra that accords with the truth shared by ordinary beings. It is shared with ordinary beings.

“Again, some will think, ‘This is my pure identity, yet my concepts are still applied to all of space. I must consider space in terms of my identity!47 My perception is space.’ Nevertheless, all perceptions are said to be the sound of suffering, so this is not48 the cessation and pacification of the entirety of suffering and its origin. [F.156.b] As they perceive this as the cessation of suffering and its origin, some will settle within the fruition of the stream enterers, and some will settle within the other fruitions up to the level of the worthy ones. This is the fourth sphere of liberation based on the dhāraṇī mantra that accords with the truth shared by ordinary beings.

“Again, some will think, ‘In order to cultivate space, I must dwell on it repeatedly. All of space is my identity. I must apply myself to space. I must investigate consciousness!’ Thinking in that way, their consciousnesses will manifest in the same manner as space. They will abandon their perceptions of space, and their consciousnesses will manifest in the same manner as infinite, limitless space. This is the dhāraṇī mantra that accords with the truth shared by ordinary beings.

“Those who abide by this will think, ‘This perception of my consciousness is a concept; it is suffering and its origin, and it is a mistaken consciousness. Nevertheless, my mistake must be interrupted.’ At the occasion of contemplating suffering up to its cessation, some will settle within the first fruition, and others will settle within the other fruitions up to level of the worthy ones. This is the fifth sphere of liberation based on the dhāraṇī mantra that accords with the truth shared by ordinary beings.

“Again, some will think, ‘My perceptions of consciousness are concepts; they are like pains, boils,” and a disease. I must also surely abandon my perceptions of consciousness!’ Thinking in that way, they will abandon the perception of space as well as the perception of consciousness, and they will not apprehend anything whatsoever. At that moment, they will enter the absorption of the absence of perception. [F.157.a] Those in whom this has occurred in the past have reached the absorption that is shared by ordinary beings. Similarly, they will think, ‘Consciousness is a pain, a boil, and a disease. I must surely focus my attention on nonexistence!’ What kind of nonexistence? All perceptions are devoid of I and mine. Through that identity, both identity and perceptions must be abandoned‍—that is nirvāṇa. At the occasion of contemplating nirvāṇa, some will settle within the fruition of the stream enterers, and others will settle within the other fruitions up to the level of the worthy ones. This is the sixth sphere of liberation based on the dhāraṇī mantra that accords with the truth shared by ordinary beings.

“Again, some will think, ‘I must dwell on the pure level of the absorption of consciousness with a mind totally devoid of afflictions!’ Thinking in that way, they will abide with minds totally devoid of concepts. At the occasion of contemplating the perception of impermanence, they will actualize the fruition of the stream enterers and the other fruitions up to the level of the worthy ones. This is the seventh sphere of liberation based on the dhāraṇī mantra of the acceptance that accords with the truth unshared by ordinary beings.

“Again, some will think, ‘I must entirely abandon the cognition in which there is nothing whatsoever, and then I must perfect and dwell within the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception!’ Thinking in that way, they will completely abandon the sphere of nothing whatsoever and instead contemplate the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception, without cognizing, envisaging, visualizing, cultivating, or accomplishing it. This is the eighth sphere of liberation based on the dhāraṇī mantra that accords with the truth unshared by ordinary beings. Through it, all forms of attachment related to the desire realm, [F.157.b] as well as all attachment to form, shape, contact, and passionate frolicking, will be abandoned. The attachments of noble beings will disappear without any remainder. Those of ordinary beings will be weakened, but later on they will be born through the power of circumstances, and this will cause them to be born within the lower realms.

“This was the detailed discussion on the meaning of the dhāraṇī mantra that accords with the truth, that the thus-gone Campaka Color conferred upon me through the bodhisattva great being Quintessence of the Sun’s Energy. It is powerful and beneficial, and it bestows faith in the teachings I expound within this great assembly. It exhausts all forms of attachment related to the desire realm, the form realm, and the formless realm, as well as all forms of pride, special pride, overweening pride, and envy. It brings about understanding with respect to all forms of longing, covetousness, agitation, and ignorance, and with respect to the view of the transitory collection, doubts, the views that consider discipline and disciplined conduct to be supreme, the views of permanence and nihilism, and all the views related to sentient beings, living beings, souls, persons, creators, feeling subjects, forms, tactile objects,49 birth, and the great elements. […] It completely purifies all the aggregates, the elements, and the sense sources, and it reveals all the happiness of emancipation. [F.158.a]

“That statement annihilates the māras and defeats the nāgas. It delights the gods, pleases the yakṣas, overcomes the asuras, frightens the garuḍas, causes the kinnaras to develop faith, and terrifies the mahoragas. It subjugates the enemies, delights the members of the kṣatriya class, induces comprehension in the brāhmaṇas, pleases the vaiśyas, and delights the śūdras. It frees women from their desires, engenders weariness in the scholars, delights spiritual practitioners, and cures all diseases. It pacifies quarrels, fights, famine, disease, unexpected hostile armies, and untimely winds, rains, floods, cold, warmth, snow, and heat waves, and it softens substances that are harsh, tasteless, and hard to touch. It causes the Dharma way to blaze, it ensures that the lineage of the Three Jewels remains uninterrupted, and it reveals the teachings of the Buddha. It provides relief to those who are afraid of saṃsāra, generates the knowledge of exhaustion, causes one to realize the knowledge of the unborn, overcomes the aggregates associated with ignorance, and removes all suffering. This is the acceptance that accords with the truth.”

As this teaching was being given, an innumerable and limitless number of gods and humans present in that place attained the eye of Dharma, which is immaculate, spotless, and free of affliction with regard to phenomena. At that time, the minds of nine billion six hundred million beings were liberated from their defilements with no further grasping, and eighty trillion beings attained the dhāraṇī mantra that accords with the truth. [F.158.b] An innumerable and limitless number of sentient beings gave rise to the mind set on unsurpassed and perfect awakening and achieved the level of nonregression, and thirty-two thousand of them reached the acceptance of the unborn nature of phenomena.

All the gods, nāgas, yakṣas, rākṣasas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, pretas, kumbhāṇḍas, piśācas, humans, and nonhumans exclaimed, “Excellent! Respected Blessed One, your virtuous words are excellent! The unimpeded wisdom vision of the blessed buddhas is amazing! Who would not form this intention to reach unsurpassed and perfect awakening? Thus-Gone One, you are the eyes and the wisdom of all sentient beings. You pacify all their sufferings, you bestow happiness upon them, and you are the raft that leads them across saṃsāra!”

Then, Venerable Ājñātakauṇḍinya asked the Blessed One, “Respected Blessed One, what is the dhāraṇī mantra, the sun’s eye, that the bodhisattva great being Quintessence of the Sun’s Energy has revealed? This dhāraṇī mantra accomplishes everything from undivided great protection up to parinirvāṇa. It generates in sacred beings feelings of revulsion toward the entire prison of the three realms, it connects them to the happiness of liberation related to the absorption of the absence of marks, and it causes them to enter unshakeable absorptions and become composed. Those who hear it will experience the diminution of all their afflictions, such as desire. They will circle for seven lifetimes as sages among the gods, their minds will not be sullied by desires, [F.159.a] and they will be worthy to be worshiped by all the gods. Then, after they die, they will circle for seven lifetimes among humans. Their minds will not be sullied by desires, they will be sages among humans, and they will be worthy to be worshiped and revered by all humans and gods.”

“Do not be upset, Kauṇḍinya, it is very good,” replied the Blessed One. “Kauṇḍinya, this dhāraṇī mantra connected to the sun is not for the hearers or the solitary buddhas. This dhāraṇī mantra, the lotus of the sun’s eye, is the concordant cause of the eighteen unique qualities of the buddhas. Kauṇḍinya, even if I were to teach about the meaning of this dhāraṇī mantra, the sun’s eye, for a hundred thousand eons, those hundred thousand eons would come to an end before I could expound its entire meaning in detail. The world with its gods would be confused about it. Apart from the thus-gone ones, the worthy ones, the perfect buddhas themselves, no one can apprehend it directly. The meaning of this dhāraṇī mantra, the sun’s eye, is unfathomable, difficult to perceive, and hard to realize. Similarly, the meanings of the inexhaustible core, the fundamental knowledge mantra, and the dhāraṇī mantra that pacifies and puts to sleep hostile beings are unfathomable, difficult to perceive, and hard to comprehend. Apart from the thus-gone ones themselves, no one can apprehend them directly.”

Kauṇḍinya then said, “Respected Blessed One, please explain to us the dhāraṇī mantra that accords with emptiness that the thus-gone King of the Lord of Mountains conferred through the bodhisattva great being Gandhahastin!”

The Blessed One replied, “Thus it is, Kauṇḍinya. [F.159.b] In the presence of the world with its gods, I will now explain the dhāraṇī mantra that accords with emptiness that the thus-gone King of the Lord of Mountains conferred upon me in this place. This dhāraṇī mantra bestows faith in the teachings that I expound within this assembly. If I explain it here, an innumerable and limitless number of sentient beings will benefit, and they will apprehend it directly. Therefore, Kauṇḍinya, listen!” […]

The Blessed One then said, “Kauṇḍinya, sentient beings who are intoxicated by the arrogance associated with attachment and who do not care about emancipation will circle in saṃsāra for a long time. They will experience endless harsh feelings of suffering in the three lower realms. The great compassion of the bodhisattva great beings arises for their sake. Then, through the great strength of their compassion, through their great diligence, exertion, and discipline, those bodhisattva great beings swiftly pursue unsurpassed and perfect awakening, and they quickly awaken to perfect buddhahood. With insight, ascertainment, and care and in order to liberate those beings from the three lower realms they teach the Dharma that leads to the exhaustion of suffering. Sentient beings who listen to these teachings with the intention of escaping from suffering will attain the first fruition as well as the other fruitions up to the fourth one. Alternatively, those who are eager to take on the frightening sufferings of saṃsāra in the pursuit of unsurpassed wisdom for the sake of all beings will attain unsurpassed wisdom, and they will then teach the Dharma to emancipate beings from their desires‍—just as I am doing now.

“Kauṇḍinya, what is meant by ‘attachment to contact?’ [F.160.a] Sentient beings who connect with one another through physical contact experience pleasant feelings that generate suffering. This will cause them to experience suffering acutely. As an analogy, some deadly poisonous snakes kill beings by staring at them. Other snakes will kill beings with merely their breath. Still other snakes kill beings merely by contact. Finally, other snakes will kill beings merely by connecting with them. Likewise, some sentient beings waste and consume all their roots of virtue through a mere visual contact. Some waste and consume all their roots of virtue by touching one another physically. Some waste and consume all their roots of virtue through a mere interaction. Still others give rise to and experience suffering acutely through the mere contact of sexual intercourse.

“Kauṇḍinya, what is the emancipation from attachment to contact? Kauṇḍinya, in this context, beings should investigate the clear form of the heaps of bones. How should they do so? Upon seeing desirable, attractive, pleasing, and enticing physical forms that generate in them desire and lust, they should cultivate a wish for the happiness of emancipation by seeing that physical forms are made of the four great elements‍—by their very nature they will perish, disintegrate, and turn into dust. How do they come to see this? They will perceive this exactly as it is by contemplating, cognizing, envisaging, and visualizing the heaps of bones that are hairless and covered with flesh, have fingernails attached, and are devoid of blood, bare, completely white like conch shells, and connected with ligaments. [F.160.b] As they pursue, cultivate, and repeat this process many times, they will genuinely perceive these heaps of bones both day and night, and this will generate in them feelings of revulsion toward the entire world. They will think, ‘Since I am subject to the terrors of old age and death, I must definitely smash to pieces this great vessel of old age and death! How will I be able to completely destroy this great vessel of old age and death? I must do so by carefully investigating this heap of bones!’ Thinking in that way, they will investigate this entire heap of bones, and their attention placed on the perception of the white color of all those bones will become their practice of tranquility.

“They will further pursue their investigation by observing ‘These are the bones of my skull’ all the way down to ‘These are the bones of my toes.’ They will wonder, ‘In order to destroy this great vessel of old age and death, where should I undertake the practice of insight?’ They will then think, ‘I must destroy my heap of bones‍—this great vessel of old age and death‍—by gathering the winds in my mouth and nose!’ With that thought in mind, they will begin by gathering the winds at the tips of their noses. Then, they will pulverize their bones into the finest particles of dust, and with those winds they will blow this dust away. Through that practice, all their heaps of bones will be disintegrated. Just as all their heaps of bones are blown away by the winds without any remainder, so will they discard their own body, which gives rise to the perception of bones, and thus all of it will appear to be empty. This is the first branch of emptiness. [B7]

“Furthermore, their identities will appear to them as the emptiness of the inner, but they will still perceive outer physical forms. They will think, ‘I must disintegrate all material appearances by gathering the winds!’ [F.161.a] By doing so, all outer appearances of form will be disintegrated by those winds. Having entirely abandoned all the inner and outer appearances of form, they will specifically contemplate this. This is the second branch of emptiness.

“Again, they will think, ‘All the material appearances I have abandoned appear to me as emptiness and not in any other way. However, since my mind that conceives the winds is not entirely liberated, I must abandon that too!’ Since phenomena do not come from or go anywhere, they will give up conceptualizing in terms of going or the absence of going. This is the third branch of emptiness.

“Again, they will wonder, ‘Is there anything true at all among all conditioned things?’ Thinking in that way, they will directly understand what is true. Knowing that all phenomena that arise are phenomena that cease, they will understand that all three realms are nonexistent and unreal, and their formations will become utterly purified and pacified. This is the fourth branch of emptiness.

“Some will settle within the first fruition, some will cultivate the concordant acceptance, and some will reach awakening in accordance with the right times and circumstances. Their efforts to entirely settle concepts and analysis will be completely pacified, and they will enter the absorption of cessation. According to their inclinations, they will pass from one day up to countless eons absorbed in that cessation. In the second instant immediately following the first instant of emerging from that, their afflictions will be exhausted. At that moment, their lives will also be exhausted, and they will simultaneously pass into parinirvāṇa. [F.161.b]

“This is the eighth, the dhāraṇī mantra that accords with emptiness. It is a powerful and beneficial dhāraṇī mantra that accords with the truth that is not shared by ordinary beings. It exhausts all forms of attachment associated with the desire realm, the form realm, and the formless realm, […] and it removes the burden of suffering. It is the dhāraṇī mantra that accords with emptiness that the thus-gone King of the Lord of Mountains conferred upon me through the bodhisattva great being Gandhahastin. It is a dhāraṇī mantra that bestows faith in the teachings that I expound within this assembly.”

As this teaching was being given, ninety-two trillion sentient beings settled within the first fruition, and the minds of six million of them were liberated from their defilements with no further grasping. Nine hundred ninety trillion sentient beings who had performed their duties in the past achieved the dhāraṇī mantra that accords with emptiness, and eighty thousand of them achieved the self-arisen dhāraṇī mantra. Sixty quintillion sentient beings gave rise to the mind set on unsurpassed and perfect awakening and would no longer regress on the path to unsurpassed and perfect awakening.

The entire retinue exclaimed “Excellent!” and showered a rain of celestial flowers and perfumed substances.

Venerable Kauṇḍinya then said to the Blessed One, “Respected Blessed One, please explain to us the dhāraṇī mantra that accords with the absence of wishes that the thus-gone Royal Mass of Glorious Wisdom conferred through the bodhisattva great being Glorious Essence of Light, the dhāraṇī mantra that bestows faith in this great teaching of The Great Assembly!” [F.162.a]

The Blessed One replied, “Kauṇḍinya, thus it is! Kauṇḍinya, thus it is! Kauṇḍinya, I will explain to this retinue the dhāraṇī mantra that accords with the absence of wishes. Kauṇḍinya, there are sentient beings within this retinue who have thoroughly purified themselves in the past and are able to understand this teaching. Therefore, Kauṇḍinya, listen!” […]

The Blessed One then said, “Kauṇḍinya, there are sentient beings here who lack dedication and are entangled in desire. They do not understand or care about emancipation, and so they will circle in saṃsāra for a long time. […]

“What is emancipation from the attachment to mental concepts, and how does one correctly train in it? They will think, ‘If all types of attachment‍—the attachments related to the desire realm, the form realm, the formless realm, shape, contact, imagination, and concepts‍—arise on account of the connection of formations, who has produced those formations? Who is producing them? They are produced by the winds. My physical, verbal, and mental formations, as well as those winds, must therefore be destroyed! The winds enter and leave from my mouth and nose. It is these winds that have produced the formations, so the very same winds must break apart and destroy this body!’ Thinking in that way, they will imagine that the breaths that are drawn in and expelled dry out their flesh and blood and cause them to disappear. The breaths that are exhaled will discard their flesh and blood outside of their bodies, [F.162.b] until they see that their entire bodies have become hollow. They will then visualize how the inhalation and exhalation of the breath through all their orifices fully extracts their hairs, fingernails, flesh, and blood and removes them from their body. This will cause the entirety of their flesh and blood to disappear from their body, until they consider, contemplate, cultivate, and visualize the heaps of bare bones that are white like conch shells and connected with ligaments.

“While settled in mental equipoise, their previous connections to the state of attachment related to the desire realm will decline and diminish. Similarly, their attachment related to the form realm, the formless realm, shape, contact, imagination, and concepts will also be suppressed and reduced. However, when their minds are no longer settled in equipoise, they will, according to the circumstances they encounter, be repeatedly and temporarily weakened in relation to objects ranging from form to contact. They will then think, ‘In accordance with my class, I must cut off and eliminate attachment and its basis! Just as a tree that has been cut but not uprooted may still continue to grow, so will the latent imprints of craving that have not been eliminated eventually generate various types of suffering.’ They will therefore meditate on this until they perceive their bodies as skeletons, white like conch shells and connected with ligaments. [F.163.a] Similarly, when any kind of form‍—whether sentient or not‍—appears before their eyes, they will systematically perceive such forms as white skeletons connected with ligaments, without adding or omitting anything. They will not let their minds be distracted from this. This is their practice of tranquility.

“At that time, they will train by observing, ‘These are the bones of the skull, these are the teeth, and this is the throat,’ all the way down to ‘These are the bones of the toes.’ In that way, they will accomplish mental concentration that is joined with insight. Why is that? Because they accomplish concentration intentionally. When their minds become utterly still and tranquil, this should be their meditation. When their minds become utterly still and tranquil, they should cultivate that while practicing insight alone. When their minds become utterly still and tranquil while practicing insight alone, they should cultivate that by examining and disintegrating the heaps of bones and grinding them into dust. They should then consider how the mental observation of this dust of bones is not uncaused but rather has the characteristic of being exhaustible and perishable. In that way, they will realize the acceptance that accords with insight.

“Because they observe the completely white dust of bones in all material appearances and because they understand that the mind is quick and swift, they will also directly understand the acceptance that accords with arising.50 Because they observe the insubstantial nature of the completely white dust of bones, which they perceive without attachment in all forms, and because they understand the lack of self in the mind that is quick and swift, they will directly understand the acceptance that accords with disintegration. [F.163.b] Because they observe the lack of expressibility, fondness, apprehension, equipoise, and existence with regard to the completely white dust of bones, which they perceive without attachment in all forms, they will directly understand the acceptance that accords with peaceful tranquility.

“Since they will achieve acceptance, they will free themselves from and rise above attachment related to the three times. Their thoughts will be peaceful, their basis will be stable, and they will abandon the limits of the three times. They will abandon the limits of the three types of craving,51 turn away from and pacify the three realms of saṃsāra, abandon the three types of defilements, achieve the three gateways of liberation, and eliminate the three types of fetters. At that point they will achieve the fruition of the stream enterers. Furthermore, through their efforts in becoming accustomed to the fact that phenomena are devoid of true characteristics, they will settle within the fruition of the worthy ones. Moreover, those who perceive all material appearances as heaps of bones that are pure, white like conch shells, and connected with ligaments will obtain highly tranquil minds. They will contemplate this while walking, standing, sitting, and lying down. If they contemplate, cultivate, and visualize that, their practice of tranquility will become utterly proficient and refined.

“At that moment, the practitioners will understand inner and outer selflessness and emptiness. If a perception of blue should arise in them in relation to those heaps of bones that they visualize in all forms, they will perceive the heaps of bones to be blue. If they should contemplate any of the other colors up to crystalline, they will perceive all material appearances as heaps of bones in those respective colors up to crystalline. These thoughts will arise in them: [F.164.a] ‘Why do all material appearances appear as white heaps of bones? Why do they appear as other colors up to crystalline?’ They will then think, ‘Since these are all the echoes of my mind, they are empty and fake‍—they are all mental projections!’ Those who understand in that way are worthy recipients of the generosity of the whole world. Kauṇḍinya, with the exception of the perception of dislike or the perception of disgust toward food, this is the meaning of the acceptance that accords with the absence of wishes. This is what the thus-gone Royal Mass of Glorious Wisdom conferred upon me.”

The bodhisattva Sumati then asked, “Respected Blessed One, when the hearers who wish to practice tranquility do so in that way, they will practice repulsiveness. What signs will arise in them?”

The Blessed One replied, “Those who cultivate repulsiveness in order to exhaust their attachments should direct their attention to their foreheads. The following signs will arise in them: Whenever they conceive of the body with an attitude of revulsion, their entire bodies will begin to shake and ache; this is the first sign. Whenever they cultivate this repeatedly, all their body parts will feel as if they are being scraped against a rough surface; this is the second sign. Then, those who practice without distraction will eventually experience exhilaration throughout their entire bodies, as if they were filled with milk; this is a sign that their minds abide one-pointedly within a state of tranquility. Nevertheless, they will also abandon those feelings of pleasure and well-being by practicing the absence of marks. Furthermore, in order to refine their discernment, [F.164.b] their mind will be purified of all afflicted states caused by attachment and will be purified of insight afflicted by ignorance. When that occurs, they will become able to discern the different aspects, from suffering to peace, based on those heaps of bones of all bodies. Next, heat will emerge from their entire bodies. This is the perfection of their practice of tranquility. Through the roots of virtue generated by this heat and the experience of constant bliss, their minds will become pure, and they will know that they are like gods. By examining those heaps of bones according to this fourfold sequence, they will eventually see flames on their foreheads. In order to completely transcend ignorance, they will again and again investigate their heaps of bones according to those experiences; they will repeat this fourfold sequence a great number of times. Thereby, they will not encounter the disintegration of their minds or the phenomena that arise from the mind.’

“They will then float around in that way without dwelling on anything, like a dust mote in the sunlight. As they now see all conditioned things through their eminent perception, they will correctly understand that all conditioned phenomena are selfless […] and subject to cessation; this is their attainment of the root of virtue of the summit. Furthermore, they will also see fires dying and blazing up on their bodies, as well as brilliant lights shining in the ten directions; this is the path of the first concentration. Similarly, they will attain the roots of virtue as well as the great elements of the form realm. Their entire bodies will be pervaded by the great bliss of the form realm. Sunlight will radiate from their hearts, and wherever they look and examine will be filled with light from the sun. They will meditate on those light rays in accordance with the absence of wishes. [F.165.a] At that time, their minds will become free from wishes related to the three realms. They will diligently dwell on emptiness in the same manner without apprehending the four truths of the noble ones. Heat will emerge from their entire bodies, a multicolored warm glow will emerge from the tops of their heads, and parasols will shelter them above their heads; this is the root of virtue of the summit. Furthermore, in accordance with nonapprehension they will fully understand the acceptance that accords with the truth. At that time, they will fully understand the four truths of the noble ones.

“Noble son, this is the hearer’s meditation on repulsiveness. Those who have thoroughly meditated on repulsiveness will attain tranquility, and those signs will manifest. With such signs and faith, they will follow the eightfold path of the noble ones, abandon all afflictions, and reach the level of the worthy ones. Therefore, noble son, you should teach those contemplations to those who follow the vehicle of the hearers within the buddha realm Victorious through Light Rays.”

As this teaching on repulsiveness was being given, countless beings present in that place achieved the acceptance that accords with the truth, and countless sentient beings saw the truth.

Then, the Blessed One said to Ājñātakauṇḍinya, “Kauṇḍinya, if everyone could follow the same approach and had the same inclination, I would only have to give sentient beings a single Dharma teaching, through which their minds would be liberated from defilements.

“Some will think, ‘As long as my mind is not completely pacified, the boils, diseases, and pains of existence will arise, as will the diversity of rebirths and the various destinies. Therefore, I must make sure to control my own mind and take hold of my thinking!’ Thinking in that way, they will think of the heaps of bones as being the cause for generating mental composure. [F.165.b] This is the first attainment of faultlessness in those with superior minds. It will be achieved without difficulty, and in this very life they will live happily and attain the level of nonregression.

“Again, they will think, ‘Now that I have gathered the conditions that lead to mental composure, I must collect myself by means of considering disintegration!’ This is the second attainment of faultlessness in those with superior minds, through which they will live happily in the present life. It will be achieved without difficulty or hardship.

“Again, they will think, “As long my mind chases after the cause of such conditioned composure, I will remain intoxicated by physical and mental bliss, so I must be sure to make such physical and mental bliss subside!’ They will then train while thinking, ‘By recollecting the heaps of bones through conditioned concentration,52 physical and mental bliss will manifest. I must definitely abandon such bliss!’ Thinking in that way, they will make the consciousnesses‍—from the eye consciousness up to the mind consciousness‍—disappear in accordance with arising and disintegration. This is the third attainment of faultlessness in those with superior minds, through which they will live happily in the present life. It will be achieved without difficulty or hardship.

“Again, they will think, ‘I must dwell within the realm of phenomena in accordance with the fact that everything is liberated, exhausted, intrinsically pure, devoid of essence, and peaceful! How should I do so? I must abide in accordance with the pacification of thinking.’ Accordingly, the movement of all their thoughts will completely subside, and their minds will abide peacefully. This is the fourth attainment of faultlessness in those with superior minds, through which they will live happily in the present life. It will be achieved without difficulty or hardship.

“Those who are endowed with these four qualities of superior minds will see the eight million four hundred thousand gateways to concentration. [F.166.a] They will settle within the fruition of the non-returners and in the other fruitions up to the level of the worthy ones. Those monks will be liberated from duality, and they will be strong and powerful.

“Kauṇḍinya, how could all beings have the same approach, the same interest, and the same inclination? Since they have different inclinations, the Thus-Gone One teaches the Dharma through Dharma gateways and discourses that are expressed in different words. The Blessed One teaches different types of perceptions to sentient beings with mistaken views. Hence, the meaning of all those perceptions‍—whether the perceptions of impermanence, suffering, and selflessness or the perceptions of decomposing corpses, festering corpses, bluish corpses, devoured corpses, or scattered corpses‍—has been taught here.”

Ājñātakauṇḍinya then said, “Blessed One, please explain to us how one should cultivate the perception of dislike and the perception of disgust toward food!”

The Blessed One replied, “Kauṇḍinya, I have explained enough. The perspectives of those in this realm who accomplish the Dharma properly in order to achieve the happiness of emancipation are different from the perspectives of those in other worlds who do the same‍—they are engaged in different activities and practices. Thus, Kauṇḍinya, if I were to explain this, besides those who have entered faultlessness and those bodhisattva great beings who can understand this, all other beings present would be thoroughly confused.”

“Respected Blessed One,” continued Ājñātakauṇḍinya, “please explain to us about the perception of dislike toward the entire world and the perception of disgust toward food! [F.166.b] Respected Well-Gone One, please explain this to us! By hearing this, sentient beings will generate a variety of roots of virtue. Since beginningless time, beings have rushed through and circled in saṃsāra while obscured by ignorance, bound by craving, and impeded by the downfall of craving. Those beings take pleasure in this world. Why? Because they are bound by food and sexual intercourse. If they do not hear this Dharma way, they will sink into the five destinies of saṃsāra, and they will constantly be afflicted by suffering. Blessed One, you wish for the happiness of all sentient beings, and you have developed great love and compassion for everyone. Respected Blessed One, please explain to us the entire meaning of the dhāraṇī mantra that accords with the absence of wishes that the thus-gone Royal Mass of Glorious Wisdom conferred in order to benefit many beings, including gods and humans! Respected Blessed One, please explain to us the perception of dislike toward the entire world! By hearing this, sentient beings will turn away from their desires. Respected Blessed One, please explain to us the perception of disgust toward food! By hearing this, sentient beings will turn away from their attachments to flavors. Sentient beings who understand the shortcomings of desires and flavors will delight in transcending saṃsāra and will look for liberation from the bondages of existence.”

The Blessed One replied, “Thus it is, Kauṇḍinya! It is just as you have said! In accordance with the words that the bodhisattva Glorious Essence of Light expressed to me, [F.167.a] I will now, in the presence of the world with its gods, explain the perception of dislike toward the entire world and the perception of disgust toward food. Therefore, Kauṇḍinya, listen!” […]

The Blessed One then said, “Kauṇḍinya, what are the worlds for which dislike must be generated? There are two: the world of sentient beings and the world of formations. What is the world of sentient beings? ‘Sentient beings’ refers to those who are born among the five types of beings‍—hell beings, animals, pretas, gods, and humans. Within the desire realm, there are twenty planes of existence. Within the form realm, there are sixteen. And within the formless realm, there are four. Such is the number of the worlds of sentient beings.

“What are the twenty planes of existence of the desire realm? There are eight great hells, each surrounded by sixteen hells. What are those eight? They are the Hell of Revival of the Three Times,53 the Black Line Hell, the Hell of Crushing, the Hell of Wailing, the Hell of Intense Wailing, the Hell of Heat, the Hell of Intense Heat, and the Hell of Unceasing Torment, each surrounded by sixteen hells. Due to physical, verbal, and mental negative actions, sentient beings have been born and will be born in those places, experiencing harsh, unbearable, and scorching feelings of suffering. All the physical forms their eyes perceive in those places will be repulsive. None will be attractive; they will all be unpleasant. None will be pleasant; they will all be ugly. None will be beautiful; they will all be hideous. None will be pretty. Therefore, on that basis, they will experience harsh, unbearable, and scorching feelings of suffering in those places. All the sounds they hear with their ears, all the scents they smell with their noses, everything they taste with their tongues, everything they touch with their bodies, [F.167.b] and all the mental phenomena they become conscious of will be repulsive. None will be attractive; they will all be unpleasant. None will be pleasant; they will all be dislikeable. None will be likeable; they will all be disagreeable. None will be enjoyable. Their bodies will be consumed by fire; they will eat lumps of iron and drink molten iron and copper. On that basis, they will experience harsh, unbearable, and scorching feelings of suffering in those places. Until the physical, verbal, and mental negative actions they committed in the past when they were born here among humans have been exhausted and purified, they will not die and transmigrate from those places. Kauṇḍinya, consider this: what sentient being who wishes for happiness and feels aversion toward suffering would enjoy and wish for those hells? This is the first destiny of those who engage in negative actions, toward which the wise ones should generate the perception of dislike.

“Kauṇḍinya, how should the wise ones generate the perception of dislike toward the condition of the animals? Kauṇḍinya, there are animals who are born with extremely small bodies: some are born with bodies about the size of the fiftieth fraction of the tip of a hair, others with bodies about the size of dust motes in the sunlight, and yet others with bodies about the size of jujube fruits. Still others obtain bodies up to ten thousand leagues long. The lifespan of some of them lasts for a single instant, whereas the life of others stretches over an eon. In those places, animals do not practice the Dharma or engage in virtue. They have abandoned modesty and humility, they are lacking in compassion and sympathy, they are constantly tormented by suffering, they are always afraid, they eat each other, and they follow all the paths of the nonvirtuous actions. [F.168.a] Since they are engulfed in the darkness of ignorance, both those among them who proceed toward the lower realms and those who proceed toward the happy destinies will mistake improper behavior for virtuous action. What wise one would enjoy and wish for the condition of those animals, who are constantly tormented by suffering within the darkness of ignorance? This is the second destiny of those who engage in negative actions, toward which the wise ones should generate the perception of dislike.

“Kauṇḍinya, how should the wise ones generate the perception of dislike toward the condition of the pretas? Kauṇḍinya, there are pretas whose bodies are a finger span in size. Some are born with bodies an arm span in size, others with bodies a thousand leagues long. They are naked, and their bodies are rough, black, shriveled, and devoid of flesh and blood. They are constantly tormented by hunger and thirst, they lack food and drink, and they inhale and exhale fire. They are hostile toward one another, they lack compassion, they are always exhausted, and they cannot find any cool clouds to shelter them. They feed on iron, copper, iron lumps, hot pus and blood, burning dirt, burning excrement, boiling urine, burning winds, or burning food made of roots, leaves, flowers, fruits, and trees. Even such food they find only occasionally and only through much hardship and huge efforts. The life of some pretas lasts for a thousand years, while the life of others lasts for a hundred thousand years. They never experience happiness, they are constantly tormented by suffering, and they are engulfed in the darkness of ignorance at all times, [F.168.b] so what wise one would enjoy the condition of the pretas? This is the third destiny of those who engage in negative actions, toward which the wise ones should generate the perception of dislike.

“Kauṇḍinya, how should the wise ones generate the perception of dislike toward the human world? Within the human world, people are tormented by the sufferings related to old age, sickness, death, encountering what they do not like, being separated from what they like, endeavoring in a variety of ways, anxiety, aggression, envy, miserliness, calumny, harsh words, covetousness, cold, heat, and harming one another. In the human world, people are constantly tormented by the suffering caused by the remembrance of death, the suffering associated with their short lifespans, and the suffering caused by the recollection of their need to leave this world, so what wise one would wish for and enjoy this human world? This is the fourth destiny of those who commit mixed actions, toward which the wise ones should generate the perception of dislike.

“Kauṇḍinya, how should the wise ones generate the perception of dislike toward the world of the gods? Within the six classes of gods in the desire realm, sentient beings are tormented by the suffering related to craving for desirable objects, and they are tormented by the sufferings associated with their valuables, possessions, and enjoyments. They are tormented by the suffering related to the eventual exhaustion of the roots of virtue they have accumulated previously, the suffering related to striving, and the suffering of being separated from what they like. They are tormented by the suffering of death induced by the exhaustion of their merit [F.169.a] and by the suffering of falling again and again into the lower realms. This is the fifth perception of dislike, which is related to the gods of the desire realm. Those were the five ways in which the wise ones should generate the perception of dislike toward the entire desire realm.

“Kauṇḍinya, how should the wise ones generate the perception of dislike toward the gods of the form realm? Among the classes of gods, the sixteen types of gods of the form realm cultivate the worldly concentrations, so none of them are free from the sufferings associated with defilement. They are still tormented by many types of suffering, including the suffering of being born with remainder. They do not care about transcendence and escape, and so they are not free from the sufferings of the lower realms. Since they are tormented by such sufferings, what wise one would enjoy and wish for their condition? The wise ones should generate the perception of dislike toward the form realm in this way.

“Furthermore, those sentient beings within the form realm, who have not attained undefiled concentration and who are not free, are tormented by suffering as they follow the path of the noble ones. They are tormented by the suffering caused by their pursuit of perfection, and they are tormented by the fact that they do not master the absorptions related to all the levels. They are tormented by the suffering caused by their lack of mastery of the absorptions common to the solitary buddhas, and they are tormented by their lack of mastery of the domain of the thus-gone ones. Those gods, who will eventually pass away in those places, are tormented by such sufferings. [F.169.b] The wise ones should therefore generate the perception of dislike toward the form realm.

“Kauṇḍinya, how should the wise ones generate the perception of dislike toward the formless realm? Within the four divine abodes of the formless realm, sentient beings are also absorbed in defiled concentrations‍—none of them are free from the sufferings associated with defilement. They are tormented by such sufferings and by the suffering caused by the fact that they do not master the levels of training and no more training. They are tormented by the sufferings of not hearing the Dharma and lacking mastery of the permanent elimination of all forms of craving. They are also tormented by the sufferings related to the circumstances of death and by the suffering of being born with remainder. They are not free from the all the sufferings of the lower realms. Since they are tormented by such sufferings, the wise ones should generate the perception of dislike toward the formless realm.

“In those eight ways, existence manifests as all these prisons of the three realms. The wise ones should generate the perception of dislike in those ways and cultivate the eightfold path of the noble ones with fervent determination. Kauṇḍinya, this was the perception of dislike toward the entire world.

“What is the perception of dislike toward the world of formations? This refers to the three types of formations‍—the physical, verbal, and mental formations. What are the physical formations? Inhalation and exhalation are referred to as the physical formations. What are the verbal formations? Concepts and analysis are referred to as the verbal formations. What are the mental formations? [F.170.a] Consciousness and thoughts are referred to as the mental formations. Those three types of formations are the characteristics shared by sentient beings.

“How should the wise ones generate the perception of dislike toward formations? They should examine the characteristics of their inhalation and exhalation in terms of freshness, staleness, coolness, warmth, and repulsiveness. Having also examined the characteristics of the inhalation and exhalation of all bodies as well as their orifices, they will think, ‘These formations are like lightning‍—they arise out of nowhere and disappear right away.’ Thinking in that way, they will contemplate how formations are exhausted and insubstantial. All concepts arise as one conceives of things as being different, and these perceptions of exhaustion and insubstantiality arise within concepts. All the perceptions of coolness, warmth, repulsiveness, freshness, and staleness related to those phenomena arise from such perceptions and thoughts, and they lead to the perception of total exhaustion and the perception of insubstantiality.54 They lead to the perception that all formations are exhausted and the perception that they disintegrate. They lead to the perception of the freedom from desire and the perception that apprehends cessation. By seeing the past and future limits of all formations, they will develop the perception of total exhaustion up to the perception that focuses on cessation. Those who have thoroughly purified their way of apprehending formations will perceive all formations as being transitory, perishable, unreliable, impermanent, insubstantial, and selfless. [F.170.b] Diligent beings who thus correctly understand will develop the perception of dislike toward all formations. Similarly, by focusing on analytical and nonanalytical cessation, they will apprehend the three times, abandon all fetters, completely purify their vision, and sever the continuity of saṃsāra. Having entered into the faultless reality, they will attain the fruition of the stream enterers. Kauṇḍinya, this is how the wise ones generate the perception of dislike toward the world of formations in all its aspects. Kauṇḍinya, this is the contemplation that brings about the perception of dislike.

“What is the perception of repulsiveness toward Dharma robes? Kauṇḍinya, whenever the wise ones see Dharma robes, touch them, use them as garments, wear them, take them off, or conceal them, they should develop feelings of revulsion by regarding them as human skin smeared with blood that is bleeding, stinking, and covered with maggots and flies. In that way, clever beings will develop the perception that these robes should not be enjoyed. This is how the wise ones generate the perception of dislike toward Dharma robes.

“Kauṇḍinya, how should the wise ones generate the perception of disgust toward food? When the wise ones eat food, they should develop feelings of revulsion by thinking, ‘This food is made of entrails, it is hairless and skinless flesh smeared with pus and blood and infested by maggots and flies, and this bowl is a stinking human skull!’ If they eat rice gruel, they should perceive it as a human corpse covered by maggots. If they drink water, they should develop feelings of intense revulsion by regarding it as human blood. Similarly, they should perceive flour as the dust of crushed human bones, and milk cream as human skin. [F.171.a] They should also perceive all meat broths, soups, vegetable stews, and lentils as human blood and brain, vegetables as human hairs and teeth, meat as human flesh, and the juices of sugar canes, molasses, grapes, and pomegranates as human blood, brain, phlegm, and marrow. Kauṇḍinya, this is how the wise ones should generate the perception of disgust toward food.

“Kauṇḍinya, how should the wise ones generate the feeling of fear when they enter households, houses, or storied mansions? They should develop that feeling by imagining that they are burned like a tree consumed by fire as they enter one of the four gates of a great city and by perceiving the plaster on the houses as human flesh, the paintings as drawings made with human blood, the beddings as human skin, and the seats as heaps of human bones or human corpses.’ They should contemplate those images and apply such remedies. Kauṇḍinya, the wise ones who perceive in that way will develop a perception of dislike toward the entire world.

“What qualities and benefits do those who develop the perception of dislike toward the entire world gain? They will achieve the three concordant acceptances. What are those three? They are (1) the acceptance that accords with the absence of wishes, (2) the acceptance that accords with emptiness, and (3) the acceptance that accords with the absence of marks. They will be benefitted by achieving those three worldly acceptances; their minds will penetrate the meaning of the view of emptiness as well as the nonexistence of formations that arise and disintegrate. They will see that the aggregates are intrinsically impermanent, painful, empty, and selfless. [F.171.b] They will see that all phenomena‍—from the elements to the sense sources, the truths, and dependent origination‍—are intrinsically impermanent, painful, empty, and selfless. They will attain the fruition of the stream enterers and the other fruitions up to the level of the worthy ones. Kauṇḍinya, this is the equipoise of the liberation of no more training.

“Kauṇḍinya, this perception of dislike toward the entire world is very helpful for sentient beings. It causes them to abandon all forms of attachment associated with the desire realm, the form realm, and the formless realm, as well as pride, agitation, doubt, and the entire darkness of ignorance. It establishes them up to the level that is without remainder. This dhāraṇī mantra that fulfills all goals and accords with the absence of wishes that the thus-gone Royal Mass of Glorious Wisdom conferred upon me through the bodhisattva great being Glorious Essence of Light is very powerful and beneficial‍—it is a dhāraṇī mantra that bestows faith in the teachings I expound to this great assembly. It exhausts all forms of attachment associated with the desire realm, the form realm, and the formless realm, as well as pride. It generates the knowledge of exhaustion and the knowledge of the unborn, induces the wisdom vision of the unborn, overcomes and completely destroys all the dense darkness of ignorance, and removes the entire burden of suffering. It annihilates the māras, defeats the enemies, [F.172.a] pleases all the gods, delights all the yakṣas, overcomes the asuras, terrifies the garuḍas, generates faith in the kinnaras, and scares away the mahoragas. It subdues the enemies, generates faith in the members of the kṣatriya class, induces comprehension in the brāhmaṇas, delights the vaiśyas, and utterly pleases the śūdras. It frees women from their desires, induces weariness in the scholars, and delights the spiritual practitioners. It completely pacifies the entire world as well as all quarrels, fights, famines, diseases, unexpected hostile armies, untimely winds, rains, floods, cold, heat, snow, and heat waves, and it softens all the substances that are harsh, tasteless, and difficult to touch. It causes the way of the Dharma to blaze, ensures that the lineage of the Three Jewels remains uninterrupted, reveals the teachings of the buddhas, and provides relief to those who are afraid of saṃsāra. This is the dhāraṇī mantra that accords with the absence of wishes.”

As this teaching was being given, an innumerable and limitless number of gods and humans attained the eye of Dharma that is immaculate and spotless with regard to phenomena, and the minds of nine billion eight hundred million beings were liberated from defilements with no further grasping. At that time, eighty thousand beings attained this dhāraṇī mantra that accords with the absence of wishes, an innumerable and limitless number of them gave rise to the mind set on unsurpassed and perfect awakening and reached the level of nonregression, and five million eight hundred thousand reached acceptance of the unborn nature of phenomena.

All the gods, nāgas, yakṣas, rākṣasas, asuras, garuḍas, [F.172.b] kinnaras, mahoragas, pretas, piśācas, kumbhāṇḍas, humans, and nonhumans exclaimed, “Excellent! Respected Blessed One, this is excellent! The unimpeded wisdom vision of the blessed buddhas is amazing! It is truly amazing! Respected Blessed One, the thus-gone ones know the inclinations of all sentient beings, and they have perfected the expertise related to their faculties. They satisfy all sentient beings with the taste of the Dharma, they reveal the eightfold path of the noble ones, and they pacify all forms of suffering. Therefore, who would not generate faith in this unsurpassed and perfect awakening?”

Joining their palms together, the gods, nāgas, yakṣas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas then exclaimed in unison, “Respected Blessed One, we shall diligently and by all means revere, honor, and worship any place where this dhāraṇī mantra that accords with the truth is taught‍—even if it just written in a book. We shall nurture, guard, and protect those who preach the Dharma and those who listen to it, as well as their dwelling places, so that they remain free from harm by any of their opponents. We shall ensure that they never lack wealth and that they always remain proper recipients and objects of generosity. We shall ensure that those assemblies remain free from disease. We shall ensure that they will enjoy, relish, and find great pleasure in their things and possessions. We shall protect, in accordance with the Dharma, those who pursue the Dharma and abide by it!”

The Blessed One replied, “Benefactors of the Buddha’s teachings, your engagements, made to ensure that the Dharma way and the lineage of the Three Jewels remain uninterrupted, are excellent!” [F.173.a] [B8]

At that moment, Venerable Śāriputra bowed with his palms joined in the direction of the Blessed One and said, “Respected Blessed One, please explain to us the dhāraṇī mantra that the thus-gone Glorious Essence of Flowers intended to confer here through the bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha‍—the dhāraṇī mantra that bestows faith in this great instruction of The Quintessence of the Sun, the peaceful core of knowledge that puts hostile beings to sleep!”

“Śāriputra,” replied the Blessed One, “I will explain this in the presence of the world with its gods. Therefore, Śāriputra, listen!” […]

The Blessed One then said, “Śāriputra, from far away, the thus-gone Glorious Essence of Flowers knows your inclinations and latent tendencies. He has conferred that dhāraṇī mantra in this buddha realm because you adhere to the perception of a self, your mind entertains mistaken views, you are thoroughly confused within the swamp of saṃsāra, and you are utterly deluded with respect to the eightfold path of the noble ones. In this place, although phenomena are selfless, immature beings mistakenly pursue a sense of self.

“Śāriputra, how do the wise ones investigate the self? They directly perceive it in accordance with the absence of self. Śāriputra, in this place, the wise ones should investigate the self in the following way: since these beings entertain the notion of a self with respect to their bodies, they should examine their bodies properly. How should they do so? Concerning the sense faculties alone, [F.173.b] they should investigate their eyes while sitting cross-legged on their various seats with all their faculties restrained. They should think, ‘My right eye is made of the four great elements. It is connected with ligaments and filled with water. Only the winds control its movements. When they enter the eye faculty, the winds cause the eye to roll and move. Those winds that control the eye and produce its manifestations are in turn supported by space. Space is inapprehensible‍—it is inexpressible and selfless. Just as space is selfless, so too are the winds. Those winds that enter the eye faculty, make it roll, control its movements, control it, and produce its manifestations are also inapprehensible, inexpressible, selfless, and beyond observation.’

“Likewise, those who investigate the entire eye by correctly considering the earth element present within the eye faculty, which is solid and the mere size of a banyan seed, will not apprehend a self. They will be free from doubts about this. The earth element is selfless‍—it is found to be inapprehensible and selfless. In the same way, they will investigate the elements from the water element to the fire element. By investigating the eye in that way, they will have absolutely no doubt about the fact that the great elements that constitute the eye are selfless. They will think, ‘A self that results from contact between eye and form is impossible.’ They will then also properly examine the winds and find that they have the essence of space. Having done so, they will not find a self anywhere.

“They will then think, ‘A dependently arisen consciousness cannot arise in the absence of conditions. [F.174.a] Based on the eye faculty and form, only the eye consciousness arises‍—it arises due to the condition of form. Name and form arise in association with consciousness, and the six sense sources manifest from that. They are followed by contact, the experience of feeling, the strong attachment of craving, appropriation, becoming, birth, and old age and death. Therefore, all these phenomena are dependent upon the eye consciousness. The eye consciousness does not come from the eastern direction, the southern direction, the western direction, or the northern direction. It does not come from above or from below. It ceases in the same instant it arises‍—it does not last until the next moment. It ceases, yet it does not go anywhere‍—it is without composition. All those phenomena arise based on conditions and cease when those conditions are incomplete. That which depends on conditions is selfless. Those conditions are also devoid of a creator, someone who experiences, a producer, or an activator‍—they are selfless. That which is selfless is empty of I and mine. Why is it so? Because such is the nature of the eye. Since it does not remain eternally, and since it is devoid of disintegration, it is devoid of I and mine. All phenomena are devoid of acceptance and rejection. They are not created by the hearers, by the solitary buddhas, or by the thus-gone ones. The eye is intrinsically selfless. That which is selfless is empty, and all phenomena are empty by way of not being apprehended. Similarly, by training until reaching the gateway of liberation of the absence of marks, [F.174.b] they will eliminate the foundation of attachment as well as all the afflictions that arise on its basis. At that moment, some of them will realize the first truth, and some others will realize the other truths up to the fourth one. The same goes with respect to the ear, nose, and tongue.

“Then, they will continue their investigation by focusing carefully on their entire bodies. Some will first split one of their hairs into fifty parts and then further break these parts into ten pieces. They will then repeat that process with each of their hairs, reaching the conviction that a self cannot be found within those hairs. They will then apply the same observation to their skin, flesh, blood, phlegm, ligaments, bowels, brains, bones, marrow, and bile. They will also focus their attention, in the way that has been described before, on the upward-moving winds, the downward-moving winds, and the winds that are devoid of acceptance and rejection. This is how they will investigate their bodies.

“They will then pursue their investigation further by focusing carefully on their minds. How will they do so? They will think, ‘The mind consciousness arises based on the mind as well as mental phenomena. In association with consciousness, name and form arise, followed by the six sense sources, the contact created by meeting, the experience of feeling, the strong attachment of craving, appropriation, becoming, birth, and old age and death. All those phenomena therefore arise based on mind consciousness. The mind consciousness does not come from the eastern direction, […] and it does not come from below. Mind consciousness ceases in the very instant it arises through the gathering of conditions‍—it does not last until the next moment. It ceases but does not go anywhere. It is devoid of composition. [F.175.a] All these phenomena arise based on conditions and cease when those conditions are incomplete. They all depend upon conditions, and they are therefore selfless. No creator, experiencer, producer, or activator can be found within those conditions, and those are therefore also selfless. That which is selfless is empty of I and mine. Why is it so? Because it is the nature of the mind. Since it does not remain eternally, and since it is devoid of disintegration, it is devoid of I and mine.’ All phenomena have the nature of arising and disintegrating, and they are devoid of acceptance and rejection. They have not been created by the hearers, by the solitary buddhas, or by the thus-gone ones. The mind is naturally and intrinsically selfless. That which is selfless is empty, and all phenomena are selfless by way of not being apprehended. Similarly, by training until reaching the gateway of liberation of the absence of marks, they will eliminate the foundation of attachment as well as the afflictions that arise on its basis. At that moment, some of them will realize the first truth, and some others will realize the other truths up to the fourth one. Since the wise ones cannot find a self when they look for it, they will directly perceive phenomena by way of the absence of self.

“Śāriputra, since the wise ones abide by emptiness, the absence of marks, and the absence of wishes, they are worthy to be revered, worshiped, protected, remembered, and trusted by Lord Śakra and by everyone else. [F.175.b] They are worthy to be revered, worshiped, protected, and remembered by everyone from Lord Brahmā to the rulers of the gods, the rulers of the nāgas, the rulers of the yakṣas, the rulers of the asuras, the rulers of the garuḍas, the rulers of the kinnaras, and the rulers of the mahoragas. They are also worthy to be trusted by the human rulers.

“Śāriputra, that dhāraṇī mantra peaceful core of knowledge was conferred upon me by the thus-gone Glorious Essence of Flowers through the bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha. It induces faith in The Quintessence of the Sun, which I expound in this great assembly. That dhāraṇī mantra peaceful core of knowledge is powerful and beneficial‍—it benefits all sentient beings. It completely cures all diseases and subdues all afflictions. It generates knowledge of all the aggregates, elements, and sense sources, it causes one to discern all phenomena, it reveals all skillful means, and it uncovers the entirety of the happiness of emancipation. It induces faith in all sentient beings, causes one to enter the happiness related to all qualities, overcomes all māras and enemies in accordance with the Dharma, and destroys all the domains of the māras. It annihilates the māras and vanquishes the enemies, pleases the gods, delights the yakṣas, overcomes the asuras, pleases the garuḍas, causes the kinnaras to develop faith, [F.176.a] and puts the mahoragas to flight. It delights the members of the kṣatriya class, induces comprehension in the brāhmaṇas, satisfies the vaiśyas, and utterly pleases the śūdras. It frees women from their desires, releases pregnant women into happiness and well-being, induces recollection in the scholars, and delights the spiritual practitioners. It pacifies all sicknesses, quarrels, fights, famines, epidemics, diseases, hostile armies, untimely winds, rains, floods, cold, heat, snow, and heat waves, and it softens all substances that are harsh, rough, and difficult to touch. It causes the way of the Dharma to blaze, reveals the teachings of the buddhas, and ensures that the lineage of the Three Jewels remains uninterrupted. It provides relief to those who are afraid of saṃsāra, generates the knowledge of exhaustion, actualizes the knowledge of the unborn, overcomes all the dense darkness of ignorance, and removes the burden of suffering. This great teaching of the peaceful core of knowledge purifies the karmic actions of sentient beings. It leads them beyond the ways of the māras and causes them to enter the domain of the buddhas. It provides control over all phenomena, it perfects the eighteen unique qualities of the buddhas, and it turns the wheel of the Dharma. It causes the Dharma rain to fall, it ripens all sentient beings, and it leads to unsurpassed parinirvāṇa. This is the great teaching of the peaceful core of knowledge.” [F.176.b]

As this teaching was being given by the Blessed One, an innumerable and limitless number of gods and humans present there, those whose karmic obscurations generated in the past were not yet exhausted, attained the eye of Dharma that is immaculate and spotless with regard to phenomena. The minds of myriads of beings were liberated from their defilements with no further grasping. At that time, seven hundred thousand beings attained the dhāraṇī mantra peaceful core of knowledge and would no longer regress from the three vehicles. An innumerable and limitless number of gods and humans gave rise to the mind set on unsurpassed and perfect awakening and would no longer regress on the path to unsurpassed and perfect awakening. Also, eighty-four thousand beings reached the acceptance of the unborn nature of phenomena.

After the beings present throughout this entire buddha realm of Sahā received these teachings on the meaning of those four dhāraṇī mantras‍—the dhāraṇī mantra that accords with the truth, the dhāraṇī mantra that accords with emptiness, the dhāraṇī mantra that accords with the absence of wishes, and the dhāraṇī mantra peaceful core of knowledge‍—all attachments related to the desire realm, the form realm, shape, contact, longing, and the formless realm of an innumerable and limitless number of them were exhausted, and their defects became clear to them. Some produced the roots of virtue of repulsiveness, while others gave rise to the six spheres, the spheres of mastery, the spheres of totality, the mindfulness of breathing, [F.177.a] tranquility, special insight, the first concentration, the other particular concentrations up to the fourth one, the formless attainments, the acceptance that accords with the truth, the level of the family, and the qualities of the eighth level. Some others also produced the roots of virtue that are common to the hearers, the roots of virtue that are common to the solitary buddhas, and the roots of virtue related to omniscient wisdom, as well as the common absorptions, acceptance, and recall.

At that time, when ninety-one trillion women listened one-pointedly to this teaching with the understanding that the female condition is flawed, their female genitals disappeared, and instead they developed male genitals. Likewise, the female genitals disappeared on nine hundred ninety million goddesses, eighty-four thousand female nāgas, eighty-six thousand female yakṣas, eighty-four female asuras, seventy thousand female garuḍas, twelve trillion female kinnaras, one thousand female mahoragas, ninety trillion female pretas, and forty-two trillion female piśācas, and they all developed male genitals. Pregnant women were filled with supreme physical and mental happiness. Even within the animal realms, beings gave birth to male and female offspring without experiencing any form of physical harm or mental distress. These babies were born with unimpaired faculties, perfect physical forms, [F.177.b] the power of recall, and the ability to remember past lives, and they were all endowed with courage, endurance, and insight. All the diseases that could prevent pregnant women from giving birth were completely pacified, and the children in their wombs obtained that same level of well-being. After attaining such physical and mental well-being, the baby boys and girls were born with perfect ease. Their appearances were perfect, they possessed the supreme power of recall and the ability to remember their past lives, and they were endowed with courage, endurance, and insight.

Then all the gods, nāgas, yakṣas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, pretas, piśācas, kumbhāṇḍas, pūtanas, humans, and nonhumans applauded and exclaimed, “Blessed One, this is excellent! Today the Thus-Gone One has turned the wheel of the Dharma that had never been heard before. It purifies the karmic obscurations of mental concepts, it liberates from saṃsāra, it purifies all destinies in existence, and it brings satisfaction through the nectar of emancipation. This is truly amazing! Today, the Thus-Gone One has showered down a Dharma rain that illuminates all buddha realms. He has done so in order to protect all those beings who have reached maturity, to purify all their defilements, to bring about their attainment of the eye of supreme insight, and to ensure that the lineage of the Three Jewels remains uninterrupted. We shall worship the Thus-Gone One to the best of our ability!”

Besides those who were exerting themselves in absorption, [F.178.a] all the gods and the others up to the pūtanas offered divine music and played instruments to worship the Blessed One. They showered down a rain of divine golden powder as well as rains of divine flowers, perfume, incense, fine cloths, Dharma robes, ornaments, and divine flower garlands. To worship the Blessed One, who was like the rising sun, they also tossed precious flowers, perfumes, incense, fine cloths, and garlands.