The Acceptance That Tames Beings with the Sky-Colored Method of Perfect Conduct
Chapter 9

Then the Blessed One entered the absorption known as the absorption of complete discernment, and from within that absorption a multitude of multicolored light rays displaying hundreds of thousands of colors radiated from every pore of the Blessed One’s body. The Blessed One then looked at those beings dressed like seers who were engaging in all kinds of unwholesome austerities and observances. His radiating light illuminated buddha realms of the ten directions inundated with the five impurities that were as numerous as all the grains of sand in the Ganges. The members of other non-Buddhist sects in those buddha realms inundated with the five impurities that were as numerous as all the grains of sand in the Ganges, who were engaging in unwholesome austerities and observances, faithfully followed brahmins, so the Buddha manifested himself as a brahmin. With faith in that brahmin, those beings said, “Since we trust this teacher as a brahmin, let us look to this brahmin!”

Filled with joy and delight, they quickly stood up, prostrated at the brahmin’s feet, and bowed to the brahmin with their palms together as they said, “After a very long time, our assembly has been drawn to become your disciples so that we might look upon, pay homage to, and serve the Blessed One.” [F.172.a]

The emanated brahmin replied, “There is a great brahmā, superior to me, who is my master,” and he gestured with his hand to show the direction. “He is the blessed Śākyamuni, and he resides not far from here.”139

Through the power of the Blessed One, those beings saw the great brahmin‍—the blessed Śākyamuni‍—who was residing on Mount Gandhamādana about half a league away from them. Filled with intense joy and delight, they instantly arrived at Mount Gandhamādana, prostrated at the feet of the great brahmin Śākyamuni, and sat before the Blessed One to listen to the Dharma.

As everyone was gathering‍—from those who had faith in Īśvara, to those who had faith in Śakra, those who had faith in the Four Great Kings, those who had faith in the Sun and Moon, those who had faith in the Dark One and Youthful Mahākāla, and those who had faith in Agni‍—a mass of radiating light appeared before them. A god with a white body and white clothes, who was handsome, had a superior complexion, and was in the full bloom of his youth, appeared out of the mass of radiating light. The god of fire declared, “You are definitely my disciples!”

“That is correct, Blessed One!” they replied.

The god then said, “There is another lord of fire who acts as my master,” and he pointed his arm to show the direction.

Through the power of the Blessed One, those beings also saw the blessed Śākyamuni, who was residing not far away from them‍—about half a league away‍—on Mount Gandhamādana. Everyone from that great bonfire took their place before that handsome and attractive deity who had appeared out of the great ball of fire with a white body, clothes, and hair, and who had a supreme complexion and was in the full bloom of his youth. At that point, immeasurable, countless non-Buddhists who were engaged in improper practices and observances, as numerous as all the grains of sand in the Ganges, had taken their places before the Blessed One to listen to the Dharma. Those beings who had faith in brahmins saw the Blessed One in the form of a brahmin. [F.172.b] The thought occurred to them, “We should converse with that great brahmin! We should ask that blessed great brahmin about our doubts and hesitations. How is it that everyone in this entire assembly has faith in that great brahmin? Look at everyone, from those beings who practice the fire observance up to that handsome and attractive god who has manifested from that great fireball with a white body, hair, and clothes, a perfect complexion, and who is in the full bloom of his youth!” Then they wondered, “How could everyone in this entire assembly have become practitioners of the fire observance?”

Then, Immaculately Clothed Youth spoke to the entire assembly with a melodious voice, saying, “Good people, all you great brahmins who have come here, please listen! The great seer Śākyamuni, the thus-gone one, the worthy, perfect buddha, is learned and venerable. He is the well-gone one, the unsurpassed knower of the world, the trainer who tames beings, the teacher of both gods and humans, the blessed buddha for whom one longs. He surpasses all beings and all qualities. He is the father of the bodhisattvas and the teacher of all who practice austerities and observances, and who lead the religious life. He has completely eliminated all defilements, he is the king of noble people, he does not think of himself before all beings,140 he is the captain who leads beings to nirvāṇa, and he knows all the buddhas of the three times. He knows the wishes of all beings with his immeasurable wisdom that is a storehouse of merit and a path to merit. His immeasurable eloquence clears away the darkness of ignorance in its entirety. His roar and melodious voice are completely pure, he is adorned with patience, he has the characteristic of a flower, and his body is ornamented by the excellent minor marks. He displays a form that cannot turn away beings and he teaches the various classes of beings. [F.173.a] He brings joy to beings of all forms.141 He delights those who are inclined toward virtue. He does not oppose insight, and he dries up all the destinies of cyclic existence. He does not pay fidelity to any of the fields of learning.142 His body is unequaled. He is not veiled by desire, nor is he veiled by forms, by marks, or by characteristics. He transcends the formless realm, he is free from all forms of suffering, he has given up the bonds, and he has reversed the course of all death and rebirth. He is a physician to all beings, causing them to cast off suffering, and he is liberated from the aggregates of the three times. He has extinguished the sense fields and craving, and he does not have attachment. He has crossed over the four rivers, his wisdom is insatiable, and he abides in ultimate reality. Since he has accomplished knowledge, he has achieved complete understanding. He is generous, he is endowed with great compassion, he establishes beings on the path leading to nirvāṇa, and he completely transcends the domain of the four māras.

“All of you great beings who comprehend the inexpressible should rejoice and show him your love.143 A human body is difficult to obtain, and it is difficult to obtain at the right moment in time. It is difficult to find those who are inclined toward virtue, and it is difficult to find virtuous companions. It is difficult to maintain the religious life, and it is difficult to obtain fully functioning faculties. It is difficult to find an assembly like this that is intent upon the Dharma, it is difficult to find a place of retreat like this where one can observe virtuous companions, and it is difficult to find beings like this who listen to and focus on the Dharma. Now that you have obtained those circumstances, listen to this Dharma teaching that has never been heard before! May those who lack understanding gain understanding and comprehend the path that they did not comprehend before. May the aggregates, elements, and sense fields that were not apparent to you before become apparent. May those of you who have not cultivated the noble eightfold path before cultivate that intention now. [F.173.b] May you eliminate the defilements that are not yet eliminated and be endowed with the light of great insight that illuminates those who circle in the dense obscurity of darkness! Listen at once to the fully ripened result of all your austerities, observances, and religious conduct. The blessed great sage will now teach to you one-pointedly!”

Pleased, delighted, and thrilled, all those non-Buddhists joined their palms with one-pointed attention and gazed at the Blessed One without blinking.

The Blessed One then asked Immaculately Clothed Youth, “Noble son, how will each of these beings obtain acceptance? What sacred Dharma will lead these beings to liberation at the seat of awakening? Can any method lead them to the other shore of extinction? Does matted hair cause beings to be liberated? Do bones, smearing with dung, or making one’s bed in ashes lead to complete liberation? Do the practices that rely on Śakra, Brahmā, the Moon, the Sun, or Agni lead to liberation at the seat of awakening? Can any type of fear lead them to the other shore of extinction?”

Youthful Immaculately Clothed Youth replied, “Respected Blessed One, beings who adhere to wrong views will not reach the seat of awakening. When they analyze the process of death, birth, and existence they will not overcome the fetters of existence. Due to the two extremes, those beings will completely corrupt this acceptance of taming beings with the perfect method of conduct and light rays that travel through space. Those who strive for a lowly human birth because their nature is to pursue their desires and pleasures, and those who inflict harm upon themselves through the pointless, ignoble, and inferior practices and observances of the ninety-five nirgranthas, these two types of people are led to ruin because they lack acceptance. [F.174.a] They give rise to a great mass of afflictions. Respected Blessed One, such people who cultivate this acceptance do not know how to attain acceptance.

When Immaculately Clothed Youth delivered this teaching, 9,800,000,000 non-Buddhists who had purified themselves in the past achieved the acceptance of taming beings with the perfect method of conduct and light rays that travel through space. [F.174.b] One thousand myriads144 of other non-Buddhists gave rise to the mind set on unsurpassed and perfect awakening and reached the level of nonregression. The entire assembly of gods, gandharvas, and humans applauded Immaculately Clothed Youth and exclaimed, “Holy being, your explanations are excellent, excellent!”

The Blessed One also gave his approval to Immaculately Clothed Youth, saying, “Holy being, you have ripened many beings and explained this perfectly!”

The Blessed One then said to the observant ājīvikas who maintain the fire observance, “Observant ājīvikas, the absence of attachment to mental activity related to the ripening of actions is known as completely purifying karmic hindrances. All phenomena are without conceit. The end of attachment lacks accumulation. The end of anger and ignorance also lacks accumulation, conceit, approaching, and grasping. Ultimate reality is not made manifest. Whatever is not made manifest is without thoughts and volition. Whatever lacks thoughts and volition lacks apprehension. Whatever lacks apprehension lacks attachment. Whatever lacks attachment is insubstantial. Whatever is insubstantial lacks knowledge. Whatever lacks knowledge tends toward this side or that side. Whatever tends toward this side or that side is inexpressible. Whatever is inexpressible is immaterial. Whatever is immaterial does not arise. Whatever does not arise does not cease. Whatever does not cease is wordless. Whatever is wordless is free from the three times and from momentariness. Whatever is free from the three times and from momentariness causes bodhisattvas endowed with the acceptance that tames beings with the method of perfect conduct and light rays that travel through space to purify145 the path of all of the māras. Furthermore, observant ājīvikas, those bodhisattvas do not come into contact with the vehicles of the hearers or the solitary buddhas. [F.175.a] They are not arrogant about conditioned phenomena, and they do not come into contact with them. Analogously, just as space and all phenomena have no conceit and lack contact, in the same way there is no conceit and no contact with respect to the qualities of the bodhisattvas, and so they completely purify karmic hindrances.”

As this teaching was being delivered, non-Buddhists as numerous as all the grains of sand in the Ganges who had performed deeds in their past lives each attained this acceptance of taming beings with the method of perfect conduct and light that travels through space. Other non-Buddhists as numerous as all the grains of sand in seven Ganges Rivers gave rise to the mind set on unsurpassed and perfect awakening and reached the level of nonregression.

The Blessed One then said to the parivrājakas who renounce Māra, “Renouncers of Māra who renounce their households and strive for liberation will not, through those circumstances, completely understand phenomena and their true nature, and they will not be liberated. They will not be liberated from birth, old age and death, misery, lamentation, suffering, unhappiness, and distress. In the future, they will always be endowed with the aggregates, the elements, and the sense fields, and the rivers of saṃsāra will flow continuously. Without the appropriate mindset, they will not gain understanding through those circumstances.146

“Your physical austerities, observances, and practice of the religious life are fruitless and they are condemned by the noble ones. Some among you are naked, some cast off their clothes, some smear their bodies with ashes from bones, some smear their bodies with dust, some smear their bodies with soot, some smear their bodies with saliva, some smear their bodies with phlegm, and some smear their bodies with garbage. Some wear clothes made of hair, some wear woolen clothes, some wear clothes made of bamboo, some wear clothes made of blades of grass, some wear clothes from the charnel grounds, some wear clothes that only convey a name,147 some dress like a bird, some join a herd of cows,148 some wear rubbish, [F.175.b] some wear hides, and some wear worn-out clothes. Some eat vegetable broth, some eat barley, some eat food derived from barley, some eat grain chaffs, some eat fowl, some eat deer, some eat poison, some eat butter, some eat fruit, some eat roots, some eat bark,149 some eat leaves, some eat flowers, some feed on fruit juices, some eat pieces of lotus root, some feed on air, some eat skin, some feed on blood, and some spend the entire day eating dried vomit. Some do not accept food to eat that has touched the ground or has been touched by someone’s hand or by someone’s mouth. Some do not accept food to eat that comes from a begging bowl, from a leather vessel, from a pestle, or food that is made with herbs.150 Some do not accept food that comes from the hands of a member of the vaiśya caste. Some do not accept food that comes from the hands of brahmins, food that comes from undetermined hands, food that comes from the mouth of animals, food that has been thrown in water, food that has been left on the ground, food that is found on mountain passes, two different types of food that are mixed in a single pot, or food from the hands of someone who is eating. Some do not eat food made with fat, some do not eat in the presence of pregnant women, some do not eat food inside households, some do not eat food during a ritual, and some do not eat food in places where flies are flying around.

“Venerable ones, when someone holds a feast in your honor, you acknowledge that they did so, but do not eat those offerings.151 Some do not eat butter, meat, garlic, or food made purposefully. Some do not drink alcohol. Some only drink liquors made with honey, molasses, or grapes, as well as butter, and they do not accept any other food or drinks. Some eat everything in a single household. Some eat a single lump of food in a whole day. Some eat two to seven lumps of food in a whole day. Some eat a single lump of food in a whole day, and others do so in three, four, five, six, [F.176.a] or up to seven days and nights. Some beg for food once in a whole day, and some beg two, three, or up to seven times in a whole day. Some undergo suffering by sleeping on beds covered with thorns, in the furrow of a field, on bones, on heaps of dust, on pebbles, on stones, or on pestles. Some surround themselves with mats. Some spend both day and night with one arm raised. Some spend both day and night with their hand holding a tree branch. Some spend both day and night hanging from a branch by their hair, beards, or feet. Some spend both day and night in water. Some spend both day and night praising the moon while standing on one foot. Some can spend five full days drying up under the sun. Some spend both day and night plucking out their hair and beards. Some wear matted hair, carry water, and perform the conduct of the triple restraint. Some throw themselves from mountains, some throw themselves into fire, and some plunge into the water. Some spend both day and night revering divine beings living in mountains, forests, and ponds, and some spend both day and night engaged in the observances of animals. Renouncers of misdeeds, the physical austerities, observances, and religious lifestyles you maintain do not lead to nirvāṇa because they contradict it and are most certainly condemned by the noble ones!”

“Respected Blessed One, it is so.”152

The Blessed One continued, “Renouncers of misdeeds, you are condemned by the noble ones because nirvāṇa stands in opposition to your liberation. Just as beings who try to clean dirt with filth, who try to remove red stains by applying red substances, who try to clear away darkness with obscurity, who try to cure poison by eating poison, and who throw themselves into fires when they are burned, [F.176.b] you strive in that same way for the liberation that transcends suffering and misery. Thus, you engage in practices that are extremely difficult on your physical body and harm yourself to become free from afflictions, but you will become increasingly bound and tied by severe afflictions.

“Renouncers of misdeeds, I remember clearly that, countless eons ago, so long ago that the amount of time cannot be measured or fathomed, I was born as a king named Treasury of Light Rays of Merit in a buddha realm inundated with the five impurities. I ruled for a thousand years over the four central continents and over Jambudvīpa. At that time, beings were extremely troubled by old age and death. A buddha had not appeared in the world, and there were no teachings of a buddha. There weren’t even any solitary buddhas, and there were no sages. One day, I went to the jungle and saw many myriads of beings, some of them sitting cross-legged and displaying the four colors of the divine birds as well as physical strength. I asked those beings who were praising the Sun and the Moon, ‘What afflicts you and what are you trying to get rid of? Who is the teacher that told you to go live in the jungle?’153

“They replied, ‘We are troubled by old age and death. We are afflicted by abscesses, diseases, and sharp pains, and we spend our days and nights in this forest, without knowing how to get rid of all those afflictions, or how to gain freedom.’

“I asked them again, ‘Who is your teacher?’

“They replied, ‘The sun and the moon are both our teachers, but we do not know any refuge against the arising of old age and death.’154

“I thought, ‘I will ripen these beings and become an unsurpassed, perfect, completely awakened buddha, but I will not observe the path these beings follow. [F.177.a] In the future, I will be free from the karmic hindrances to the unobstructed wisdom of liberation.’

“I then came back to my royal palace, completely renounced frolicking with girls, and gave up all my royal functions. I then remained for seven days and nights in a state of repose without eating any food. I made this aspiration: ‘I dedicate the roots of virtue I have generated before myriads of buddhas to unsurpassed and perfect awakening. May those buddhas consider me, and may I live in, thrive in, and sustain innumerable, countless world systems throughout the ten directions and teach the Dharma to beings out of great compassion. May I teach the unobscured wisdom of the blessed buddhas and fulfill my every wish! May whatever method I might find related to such grasping be helpful for beings, and may those beings see the path that liberates from old age and death! Since I do not have the realization of the blessed buddhas, if I do not consume any food or drinks until I die from hunger and thirst I will then experience unbearable, intense, and scorching feelings of suffering in the great Hell of Endless Torment. In the future, all beings will remain in saṃsāra, not a single being will be liberated in the least, and I will not be liberated from the hell realms. May all past and future beings born into affliction and born into suffering cast off the hindrances of beings, the hindrances of the afflictions, the hindrances of action, and hindrances to the Dharma. May they be free from karmic ripening and from harm, and may all of the karmic ripening of the qualities of the three lower realms that make things difficult for beings ripen in my body when I am born in the hell realms! [F.177.b] May beings in the future cast off the karma of their negative actions, and may it ripen in my body when I am born in the Hell of Endless Torment! I dedicate the virtue I have accumulated so that beings may bring about virtuous karma. Until all beings reside in a house that is free from fear, may I not be free from the great Hell of Endless Torment!’ Renouncers of misdeeds, I made this special aspiration for seven days and nights without eating any food.

“In the northern direction, renouncers of misdeeds, beyond more than ten million buddha realms, there is a buddha realm inundated with the five impurities called Virtue, where the blessed buddha King of the Glorious Heap of Supreme Acceptance resides, thrives, offers sustenance, and expounds the Dharma teachings of the three vehicles. [B9]

“The blessed thus-gone one King of the Glorious Heap of Supreme Acceptance said to the bodhisattva Light of Immaculate Splendor and to the other bodhisattvas, ‘Noble sons, you should go to the south, beyond 920,000,000 buddha realms. There, in the buddha realm called Apportioned, in the middle of the four-continent world, there is a king named Treasury of Light Rays of Merit. Offer him these two bouquets of pentapetes flowers, and explain to him this Dharma scripture on acceptance. Tell him the words of this sky-colored mantra. That king will attain the acceptance of discipline through taming beings with the sky-colored method of perfect conduct using that mantra. This acceptance will completely exhaust the arising of afflictions, the arising of suffering, and all the severe, middling, and lesser hindrances of beings, the hindrances of the afflictions, [F.178.a] the hindrances to the Dharma, and the hindrances of action and of the afflictions belonging to that king and all beings. That king will then act as a virtuous friend and show the path to myriads of beings. He will ripen myriads of beings through the three vehicles, and he will swiftly awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood.’

“As the bodhisattva Great Light of Immaculate Splendor, the other bodhisattvas, and the entire assembly of gods and gandharvas listened to the Thus-Gone One King of the Glorious Heap of Supreme Acceptance, he continued, ‘Noble sons, say to King Treasure of the Light Rays of Merit, “Just as the realm of phenomena that is naturally devoid of affliction should be understood through the gateway to the Dharma of nonduality, Great King, the gateway of the forms perceived by the eyes can reveal nonduality, the absence of passing away, and the absence of being reborn. Furthermore, the gateway of those phenomena up to the mental consciousness can likewise reveal nonduality, the absence of passing away, and the absence of being reborn. Why? Because all phenomena are devoid of sentient beings and are free from sentient beings. All phenomena that are devoid of life force are referred to with the label life force. All phenomena that are devoid of a soul are imagined with the label soul. All phenomena that are devoid of person are referred to with the label person. All phenomena that are inconceivable are free from inconceivability. All phenomena that are ultimately known to be free from desires are insubstantial. All phenomena are faultless and free from diseases. All phenomena are without delusion and incorporeal. All phenomena are groundless and lack the apprehension of a ground. All phenomena are groundless and like the nature of space. All phenomena are unreal and lack the apprehension of objects. All phenomena are hollow and free from afflictions. [F.178.b] All phenomena lack going and are without an agent. All phenomena lack adoption and are without volition. All phenomena are without thoughts and free from illusions. All phenomena lack elaboration and are free from physical, verbal, and mental formations.

“ ‘ “Go now to tame the views of all those corrupted beings.” ’156

“The Blessed One then said, ‘Noble sons, the time has come for you to leave.’ He tied the two bouquets of pentapetes flowers around locks of hair of the bodhisattva Light of Immaculate Splendor and the other bodhisattvas. Together with 95,000 noble sons, they knelt on both knees, prostrated to the feet of the Thus-Gone One Glorious Heap, and then circumambulated him three times clockwise. Then, they instantly set out for the buddha realm called Apportioned and came upon the city in the middle of the four-continent world where the king was residing. After seven days had passed, he was finally present before them. As he looked at them, they said, “Great King, please come here! Great King, this is excellent! In the north, beyond 920,000,000 buddha realms, there is a universe called Acceptance157 where the thus-gone one, the worthy, perfect Buddha King of the Glorious Heap of Supreme Acceptance, resides, [F.179.a] thrives, offers sustenance, and teaches the Dharma. That thus-gone one has sent us here to teach you this Dharma scripture. Great King, just as the entire realm of phenomena that is naturally devoid of affliction should be understood through the gateway of nonduality, the elements related to the self and the elements related to sentient beings are just like the realm of phenomena in that they too should be understood through the gateway of nonduality. Similarly, the gateway of the forms perceived by the eyes will reveal nonduality, the absence of passing away, and the absence of being reborn, up to the gateway of mental consciousness revealing nonduality, the absence of passing away, and the absence of being reborn. Why? Because, great King, all phenomena lack being and are free from being, all phenomena that lack a life force are referred to with the label life force, right up to the fact that all phenomena are without elaboration and free from physical, verbal, and mental formations.” ’

“As soon as those beings had uttered the words of this mantra to King Treasury of Light Rays of Merit, the buddha realm Apportioned shook in six ways. The tunes of myriads of cymbals resounded without anyone playing them, and showers of divine flowers and incense powders fell from the sky. All the gods and humans living in that buddha realm were delighted, their hair stood on end, and they thought they were liberated from old age and death. [F.179.b]

“The bodhisattvas then let loose their crowns of pentapetes flowers from their bodies, and they offered those flowers to King Treasury of Light Rays of Merit, saying, ‘The Thus-Gone One sends you these flowers. He also sends those words of the mantra of the acceptance of taming beings with the sky-colored method for non-Buddhists who are hindered. Great King, meditate on the words of this mantra! Great King, through the words of this mantra, you will achieve the acceptance of taming beings with the sky-colored method of perfect conduct. With this acceptance, Great King, you will completely eliminate the hindrances and distresses of beings and all severe, middling, and lesser afflictive hindrances, karmic hindrances, hindrances to the Dharma, and hindrances of karma and of the afflictions. Great King, you will also act as a virtuous friend and show the path to many myriads of beings. Great King, you will ripen countless myriads of beings through the three vehicles, and you will swiftly awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood.’

“When I heard those words, I became utterly elated, thrilled, and delighted, and I made an offering to those bodhisattvas with a variety of the most magnificent flowers, garlands, perfumes, incense, ointments, parasols, banners, flags, and music. I knelt on both knees and prostrated to their feet. As I took the two bouquets of pentapetes flowers and tied them up to my locks of hair, I attained the power, ability, and recollection of that type of diligence that has a supremely vast nature. All the hungry and thirsty beings also interrupted their practices, sat in front of those bodhisattvas to listen to the Dharma, and were filled with intense joy. [F.180.a] I asked them how with that type of diligence one could cultivate the acceptance of taming beings with the sky-colored method of perfect conduct.

“The bodhisattvas replied, ‘Great King, if noble sons are endowed with four qualities, they cultivate this acceptance. What are those four qualities? Not relying upon the aggregates, the elements, or the sense fields; not interrupting the skillful means of great compassion; not seeking permanence or annihilation or the vehicles of the hearers or the solitary buddhas; and understanding that all phenomena are a likeness that has the nature of space. The noble sons who are endowed with those four qualities will attain this acceptance of taming beings with the sky-colored method of perfect conduct.’

“As this instruction was being delivered, the king attained the acceptance of the arising of light rays through those very same means right where he sat. He knelt on both knees, prostrated at those bodhisattvas’ feet, made various offerings to them, circumambulated them three times clockwise, and sat down. The bodhisattvas then returned to their buddha realm.

“I then informed my ministers, my government officials, and my retinues of attendants that, in seven days, I would renounce my ruling power, my wealth, my possessions, my duties, and all the attributes of a householder. ‘My friends,’ I told them, ‘I want to let you know that I will go to the forest of ascetics to reach the other shore of old age and death.’ My ministers, my government officials, and my retinues of attendants replied to me, ‘This is not a fortunate time to become a renunciant. Why? Because many myriads of beings have left for the forest of ascetics motivated by their fear of old age and death, but they have not yet found such teachings. Not a single one among them has even comprehended the full extent of the highest noble Dharma of human beings.’

“ ‘I will become all of those beings’ teacher,’ I replied, ‘and I will show them the path that leads to the other shore of old age and death.’

“As soon as I uttered the words ‘all those beings,’ [F.180.b] the ground of this great trichiliocosm shook repeatedly. Many myriads of gods applauded, played myriads of musical instruments, and rained various showers of divine flowers, incense, perfumes, powders, and ointments. They exclaimed in unison, ‘Holy being, your ability to manifest this great strength and your statements are excellent, excellent! Holy being, you and we will be friends bound by love! Holy being, will you please show us the path that leads to the other shore of old age and death?’

“Renouncers of misdeeds, I reflected and resided in solitude for a total of two weeks. In seven days, I reached the acceptance of discipline through taming beings with the sky-colored method of perfect conduct. After those seven days had passed, many millions of yakṣas started to shout, and their voices resounded everywhere in this buddha realm Apportioned, instilling weariness in beings. They said, ‘Get up beings! Go to the middle of this four-continent world, to the place where King Treasury of Light Rays of Merit is residing. In seven days, he will emerge, go to the forest of the ascetics, and show to beings the path of peace that leads to the other shore of old age and death.’

“After those seven days had passed, I came out together with sixty-four rulers of forts and their sons, the 920,000,000 sons of the fort rulers, and countless other beings. I renounced all my home possessions, all my duties, and all my attributes of a householder. I shaved my hair and facial hair, tied all the pentapetes flowers to my locks, donned the monastic robes, and went to the forest of ascetics. [F.181.a] While residing there, I demonstrated to countless beings the path of cultivating this acceptance of taming beings with the sky-colored method of perfect conduct. Before long, many myriads of beings achieved this acceptance of taming beings with the sky-colored method of perfect conduct. I also connected countless beings to the vehicle of the hearers, the vehicle of the solitary buddhas, and the vehicle of gods and humans. As a consequence, countless beings started to venerate the blessed buddhas of the ten directions.

“Then I made this aspiration in the presence of those blessed buddhas: ‘Today, I will show the beings in this buddha realm Apportioned the path of acceptance that leads to the other shore of old age and death. I will also show this path of acceptance that leads to the other shore of old age and death to beings in the afflicted buddha realms of the ten directions inundated with the five impurities that are as numerous as all the grains of sand in the Ganges.’ Renouncers of misdeeds, I put forth great strength through my efforts in this activity. For more than seven intermediate eons, I put forth great strength while dressed as a parivrājaka in all the afflicted buddha realms of the ten directions inundated with the five impurities that are as numerous as all the grains of sand in the Ganges. In each buddha realm, I established countless beings in the acceptance of taming beings with the sky-colored method of perfect conduct, I connected countless beings to the mind set on awakening, and I also connected some among them to the vehicle of the hearers, the vehicle of the solitary buddhas, and the vehicle of gods and humans. Renouncers of misdeeds, for seven intermediate eons [F.181.b] I put forth great strength dressed as a parivrājaka in all the empty realms of the ten directions inundated with the five impurities that are as numerous as all the grains of sand in the Ganges.

“Later on, those four-continent worlds will fall under the influence of māras, and at that point I will sit before the beings in those worlds in the form of Brahmā and liberate them from holding the wrong view of permanence. I will sit before them in any form from Śakra, Moon, Sun, and Īśvara, up to a mass of radiating light. Just as I taught the cultivation of this acceptance of taming beings with the sky-colored method of perfect conduct in the past while taking the form of a parivrājaka, I will make them understand the realm of afflicted phenomena through the method of nonduality, and I will make them understand the elements that pertain to a self and the elements that pertain to a being through the method of nonduality. And thus the gateway of the forms perceived by the eyes will reveal nonduality, the absence of passing away, and the absence of being reborn. Why? Because all phenomena are everything from being devoid of a being and free of a being, up to all phenomena being without elaboration and free of physical, verbal, and mental formations.

“When I, the great king Treasury of Light Rays of Merit, cultivated the path of happiness while dressed as a parivrājaka in such a way that I gave rise to views in order to ripen beings, later on, some māras who had taken on the appearance of anyone from Brahmā to Agni approached those beings who were not attached to that four-continent world and taught paths such as those that follow to those beings who adhered to utterly deceitful views:

“They said to some of them, ‘Come here, beings! Excellent, beings! You must strive to create roots of virtue to reach the other shore of saṃsāra and be liberated from old age and death. I will show you the path that leads to nirvāṇa so that you alone may perfect that path leading to nirvāṇa: [F.182.a] spend both day and night naked, and you will reach liberation.’

“To others, they said, ‘In order to reach liberation, do anything from being naked to wearing clothes made of hides.’

“To others, they said, ‘Come here! Feed on anything from leaves to undigested food and vomit.’

“To others, they said, ‘Come here! None of you should accept or eat food that comes from pots.’

“To others, they said, ‘Come here! Sustain yourselves for a whole day and night with the food you received by begging a single time.’

“To others, they said, ‘You should do everything from sitting on beds and seats made of thorns to sleeping while sitting up.’

“To others, they said, ‘You should do everything from giving up cushions to spending both day and night with your legs tied to the branches of a tree.’

“To others, they said, ‘Come here! You should do everything from immersing yourself in water to spending day and night drying yourself out while surrounded by the five suns.’160

“To others, they said, ‘Come here! Train by doing everything from spending both day and night shaving your hair and facial hair to living in swamps. You should do everything from throwing yourself from mountain cliffs to jumping into rivers.’

“They encouraged others to train by saying, ‘All of you come here! Prostrate to the goddesses of mountains, trees, and ponds.’

“To others, they said, ‘Do everything from the yakṣa observance to the animal observances and you will reach liberation.’

“To others, they said, ‘Come here. Kill many of those beings living around you and you will reach liberation.’

“They instructed others by saying, ‘By killing various beings, you will reach liberation.’

“To others, they said, [F.182.b] ‘The path to realizing nirvāṇa is the destruction of all karma. This is liberation. How does this happen? It happens when someone’s nonvirtuous actions and merit both become extinguished. After that person’s merit and negative actions are both completely extinguished, they will reach awakening.’

“They trained others by saying, ‘Both exertion and emergence are liberation.’161

“They inspired others to train by saying, ‘The two forms of nothing do not exist as something. What are the two? Phenomena and the lack of phenomena are verbal remnants. Liberation is thus the emergence of wisdom that is not attached to either this body or another body.’162

“They inspired others to train by saying, ‘You should do everything from killing and taking what is not given to maintaining wrong views,’ without saying anything else.

“And in the past the māras encouraged beings to train, saying everything from, ‘The worthy ones are not in the world. I know that because I can actually perceive when beings have left this world and entered the next world, and I have attained a state in which I directly perceive it happening,’163 and, ‘When my life comes to an end, I will have practiced the religious life, accomplished the goal, and the fetters of existence will be extinguished,’ up to ‘According to adherents of Sāṃkhya, who say that the correct instruction that the mind is utterly liberated is how liberation will be attained, you will attain liberation through knowledge of prakṛti and puruṣa.’ In this respect, the term prakṛti refers to the causes of saṃsāra, and puruṣa is none other than the self. In this respect, when prakṛti is viewed as the self and prakṛti becomes the self, then one will attain liberation. In this way, according to adherents of Sāṃkhya, you will attain liberation. Those of you who renounce the life of a householder and understand Dharma and non-Dharma in that manner will never reach liberation!”

When the Blessed One said that to the parivrājakas who renounce misdeeds, the parivrājakas replied, [F.183.a] “Thus it is, Blessed One! Thus it is, Well-Gone One!”

The Blessed One then said, “Renouncers of misdeeds, those who seek liberation while adhering to wrong views will be hung by the māras’ noose. They will be hung by the noose of the māra of the afflictions, the māra of the aggregates, the māra of death, and the māra of being under their control. Renouncers of misdeeds, those who are attached to these four māras have contaminated their observance of the religious life. Those whose observance of the religious life is adulterated always bring about their own demise and are carried away by the four floods that lead to old age and death. Your observance of the religious life is therefore useless, and it is disparaged by the noble ones. You make false claims of liberation!

“Renouncers of misdeeds, this is what is true and what is not true. There is no permanence and there is no annihilation. The body is like space. There is no internal and no external. All formations lack apprehension. ‘Mind’ is just a label. The conceptual characteristics one engages are space. Virtuous and nonvirtuous qualities lack apprehension of the mind, and the mind lacks apprehension of virtuous and nonvirtuous qualities. Just as a tree is devoid of concepts, so too the flowers and fruits are devoid of concepts. One who does not generate concepts about flowers, fruits, and trees should not say these things are existent or nonexistent. Since they are mutually devoid of thought and lack concepts, all phenomena are inaccessible. All phenomena are nondual, not like two things, without thoughts, and without concepts. One should meditate in accordance with the fact that the life force, breath, and consciousness are like a mirage and without apprehension, and in accordance with the fact that one cannot say anything about what is inexpressible. One who has been introduced to the idea that all phenomena are inactive should meditate in accordance with the nonapprehension of an agent and the nonapprehension of an action.164 One who does not perceive any phenomena should meditate using the nonconceptual method based on not apprehending a life force. [F.183.b] One who does not apprehend any phenomena should meditate by applying that to all one apprehends. One who is free from recollecting all phenomena should meditate by focusing on recollection. One who engages the nature of all phenomena should cultivate this acceptance by abandoning all the views related to internal and external apprehension.

“This is the acceptance of emptiness, of the absence of marks, and of the absence of wishes. This is the acceptance that calms physical, verbal, and mental formations. This is the acceptance that calms the severe, middling, and lesser influences of the afflictions. This is the acceptance in which one’s aspiration puts an end to all mistaken views and paths. This is the acceptance that ripens those who have encountered wrong views and narrow paths, set out on unwholesome paths, and adopted unwholesome teachings. This is the acceptance that causes one to master the perfections of the noble ones. This is the acceptance that causes one to revel in the supernormal faculties. This is the acceptance that makes one travel to countless buddha realms. This is the acceptance that causes one to venerate countless blessed ones. This is the acceptance that causes one to ask countless questions of each blessed buddha. This is the acceptance that causes one to manifest immeasurable eloquence devoid of attachment. This is the acceptance that makes one attain the unobstructed wisdom related to the thirty-seven factors of awakening. This is the acceptance that completely destroys the four māras. This is the acceptance that causes one to turn the wheel of the Dharma. This is the acceptance that harms the teachings associated with non-Buddhists. This is the acceptance that makes one attain all the realizations of a buddha. This is the great acceptance that causes one to pass into nirvāṇa. This is the acceptance that crushes the body into dust. Noble sons, this is the acceptance that makes you listen without any doubt.”

As that teaching about the past methods was being delivered, [F.184.a] twenty-four non-Buddhists who had firmly given rise to the mind set on unsurpassed and perfect awakening achieved this acceptance. Ninety-two of them who had not yet given rise to the mind set on unsurpassed and perfect awakening gave rise to that mind and would no longer regress from it, and eighty-four trillion of them achieved the same type of acceptance.

Then, the ājīvika Flower Light asked the Blessed One, “Respected Blessed One, what kind of recollection should one practice and how does someone with that recollection achieve the vehicle of the solitary buddhas?”

The Blessed One replied, “O ājīvika, don’t you know about the conditioned phenomena and the consequences of phenomena?”165

“Respected Blessed One, please explain this to me!”

The Blessed One then asked, “Do you recognize that the eye is attached to the eye and that the eye consciousness is attached to the eye? Moreover, do you recognize that the eye is attached to the eye consciousness all the way up to the fact that mental phenomena are attached to the mind and the mind is attached to mental phenomena?”

“Respected Blessed One, I acknowledge that the eye is not attached to the eye all the way up to the fact that mental phenomena are not attached to the mind.”

“This view you are attached to is an annihilationist view, and those who hold annihilationist views about persons will not reach the other shore of old age and death. From the perspective of the twelve links, those are related to each other through conditions.”

“Respected Blessed One, is the one named ‘Flower Light’ and the eye present in the object of the eye consciousness? Blessed One, is the same the case up to mental phenomena being present in the object of mental consciousness?”166

“ ‘Flower Light’ is a conventional designation for a person that becomes the view that it is permanent. Flower Light, the view of permanence related to persons does not lead to the other shore of old age and death. Flower Light, [F.184.b] the inclination to make such an inquiry after hearing about this true condition of phenomena is the middle way related to permanence and annihilation. Concerning the arising of the appearances of forms that are the basis for the eye, when the eye, the eye consciousness, and forms interact, they exist in that interaction in the three times. When the eye and the eye consciousness interact, they also do not exist in that interaction in the three times. The eye consciousness does not come from or go anywhere. However, since the characteristic of disintegration follows the condition of arising, the cessation that follows arising‍—the cessation of conditions‍—brings forth the eye consciousness.167

“O Flower Light, those mental images depend on the eye and forms. The threefold condition of consciousness coming together with the conditions of the eye and forms leads to contact. Everything from feelings to the entire great mass of suffering arises due to the condition of contact. When the eye has ceased, forms will cease. When the eye and forms have ceased, the eye consciousness will cease. When the eye consciousness has ceased, everything up to this great mass of suffering will also cease. In the same way, contact occurs when three factors come together after the mental consciousness has arisen conditioned by the ear, nose, tongue, body, mind, and mental phenomena. Everything from feelings to this great mass of suffering arises due to the condition of contact. When the mind has ceased, mental phenomena will cease, and the mental consciousness will cease. When the mental consciousness has ceased, contact will cease, and everything up to the great mass of suffering will cease. Flower Light, you should inquire about ‘the middle way’ so that you may comprehend the wisdom of those who possess the factors of awakening.”

As this teaching was being delivered by the Blessed One, the ājīvika Flower Light together with 9,200,000,000 non-Buddhists gave rise to the mind set on the vehicle of the solitary buddhas. Since they achieved the wisdom of the vehicle of the solitary buddhas, they reached the level of nonregression. [F.185.a]

The Blessed One then got the attention of all the assemblies filling the earth and the sky of this whole buddha realm with the thought, “All of you respectable ones who have assembled in this place, listen!”

Then all those assemblies filling the earth and the sky of this whole buddha realm, and the world with its gods, gandharvas, humans, and asuras, joined their palms and gazed at the blessed great seer while displaying their various complexions, physical appearances, and shapes, and engaging in their ascetic practices and observances. The entire assembly filling the earth and the sky of this whole buddha realm saw him in the physical form of a buddha as he had been before, circumambulated him three times, and exclaimed in unison, “We pay homage to the thus-gone one, the worthy, perfect Buddha! We pay homage to the thus-gone one, the worthy, perfect Buddha! Homage to you! You have ripened the beings in this assembly with the three vehicles!’ They had never heard or seen a teaching on that great tradition before.”