The Teaching of the Armor Array
Colophon
Toh 51
Degé Kangyur, vol. 40 (dkon brtsegs, kha), folios 70.b–140.a
- Gö Chödrup
Imprint
![84000 logo](https://cached-fe.84000.co/imgs/logo.png)
Translated by the Dharmachakra Translation Committee
under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha
First published 2021
Current version v 1.0.11 (2024)
Generated by 84000 Reading Room v2.23.4
84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha is a global non-profit initiative to translate all the Buddha’s words into modern languages, and to make them available to everyone.
![Logo for the license](https://i.creativecommons.org/l/by-nc-nd/2.0/88x31.png)
This work is provided under the protection of a Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND (Attribution - Non-commercial - No-derivatives) 3.0 copyright. It may be copied or printed for fair use, but only with full attribution, and not for commercial advantage or personal compensation. For full details, see the Creative Commons license.
Table of Contents
Summary
The Teaching of the Armor Array describes a dialog between the Buddha Śākyamuni and the bodhisattva Anantamati. The sūtra is primarily concerned with the great armor, a quality related to the perfection of insight. As such, it is no conventional sort of armor. Rather, donning it involves giving up all grasping at phenomena, and engaging diligently on the path, with insight into the nature of phenomena. The Buddha and Anantamati also discuss the nature of the Great Vehicle and the great path, all the while emphasizing their emptiness and lack of marks.
Acknowledgements
This text was translated by the Dharmachakra Translation Committee under the supervision of Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche. Timothy Hinkle translated the text from Tibetan into English and wrote the introduction. Andreas Doctor compared the draft translation with the original Tibetan and edited the text. Felin Chung compared the work against the Chinese and compiled the Chinese glossary. Lastly, Josh Capitanio likewise compared the translation against the Chinese and made further edits and revisions to the translation.
The translation was completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.
The generous sponsorship of Qing Dao Zheng Jian Group, which helped make the work on this translation possible, is most gratefully acknowledged.
Introduction
The Teaching of the Armor Array takes place in Veṇuvana, the famous “Bamboo Grove” monastery on the outskirts of the ancient city of Rājagṛha, where the Buddha Śākyamuni and his community of monks took up residence during several rainy season retreats. This grove was offered to the Buddha by Bimbisāra, the king of Magadha, and it is a location where the Buddha is said to have taught numerous discourses. As is customary in sūtra literature, the Buddha delivers his Dharma teaching at the request of someone who poses a particular question. In this sūtra, the questioner is a bodhisattva named Anantamati, who asks the Buddha numerous questions about the Great Vehicle path, most notably about a type of metaphorical armor called the great armor. In his reply, the Buddha explains that donning the great armor has two dimensions: (1) a constant diligence in bodhisattva conduct in service to beings over countless eons, and (2) the relinquishment of any forms of objective fixation upon or apprehension of phenomena. As such, the great armor has both relative and ultimate aspects, a fact that various Tibetan commentators have also highlighted. Still, the great armor is primarily described as signless, formless, nonconceptual, and indescribable. It is precisely by virtue of not apprehending phenomena, the Buddha explains, that the great armor is able to shield its bearer. Given that it lies outside the limitations of conditioned existence, it offers protection from all conditioned forms of harm. Nevertheless, to describe its protective power, the Buddha draws significantly on various military analogies.
Apart from the great armor, the sūtra also discusses the Great Vehicle and what it terms the great path. The Buddha emphasizes that the Great Vehicle can accommodate all beings easily due to its absolute nature, which accords with the realm of phenomena. As for the great path, it is likewise due to the absence of any apprehension of phenomena that it can be traversed. Thus, as with the great armor, the ultimate nature of the Great Vehicle and the great path is emphasized. It is precisely because of their relationship to the ultimate truth, namely that they rely and depend on nothing, that they can accommodate and transport all beings on the relative plane. To illustrate the value of the great armor, the Great Vehicle, and the great path, the Buddha recalls a past eon in which a universal monarch named Sarvārthasiddha renounced his kingdom to receive and accomplish these teachings. The sūtra concludes with the Buddha describing in detail how bodhisattvas should be free from conceptual activity to carry out unlimited conduct. He explains that only by observing nothing and relying on nothing will bodhisattvas be in accord with the realm of phenomena, and thus don the great armor.
The Teaching of the Armor Array is the seventh sūtra among the forty-nine titles included in the Heap of Jewels (Skt. Ratnakūṭa) collection in the Degé Kangyur. Only a few of the texts contained in the Heap of Jewels are extant in Sanskrit, and this scripture is not one of them. The Tibetan translation, which we have rendered into English here, was completed in the early translation period and is listed in the early ninth-century Denkarma (Tib. ldan dkar ma) catalog.1 However, unlike most of the sūtras translated at the time, this text was translated from Chinese rather than Sanskrit. While the Degé edition of the Kangyur does not specify a translator, the Narthang edition states that it was translated from the Chinese by Gö Chödrup (ca. 755–849), who was a prolific Sino-Tibetan translator active in the Dunhuang region during the ninth century. Besides rendering The Armor Array into Tibetan, he also translated many other sūtras and dhāraṇīs from Chinese. The Chinese canon contains only one translation of The Armor Array (Bei jia zhuangyan hui, 被甲莊嚴會, Taishō 310 [7]), constituting the seventh text in the full Chinese translation of the Heap of Jewels, which was produced during the early eighth century ᴄᴇ by Bodhiruci (d. 727), a renowned translator from South India (who is not to be confused with another famous Indian translator of the same name who was active in China two centuries earlier). This Bodhiruci is responsible for translating much of the Heap of Jewels collection, among other texts, into Chinese.2
In Tibet, The Armor Array has been cited by several Tibetan masters in their presentations of the six perfections. For example, Longchen Rabjam (1308–64) refers to The Armor Array as scriptural evidence that liberation comes swiftly when skillful means is merged with insight into the nature of phenomena.3 Pawo Tsuklak Trengwa (1504–66) cites the sūtra in his renowned commentary on the Bodhicaryāvatāra as part of his explanation of armor-like discipline.4 The text was also cited by Dakpo Tashi Namgyal (1511–87) as an Indic source of Mahāmudrā teachings.5 Although the sūtra has been cited by Tibetan scholars of many traditions, to our knowledge the text has not previously received any attention in modern scholarship.
This English translation has been produced based on the Degé block print with reference to the Comparative Edition (Tib. dpe bsdur ma). Subsequently, the translation and the Tibetan sources were compared with the Chinese translation and the English translation was edited in light of this comparison.6
Text Body
The Teaching of the Armor Array
The Translation
[B1] [F.70.b]
Homage to all buddhas and bodhisattvas!
Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was residing in Veṇuvana, at the Kalandakanivāpa, near Rājagṛha, together with his great community of monks and bodhisattva great beings, all of whom had gathered from myriad buddha fields. This immeasurably large assembly had gathered around the Blessed One and was respectfully serving and honoring him. Among those included in the assembly at that time was a bodhisattva great being named Anantamati. He rose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, and knelt on his right knee. With his palms together, he bowed toward the Blessed One and said, “Blessed One, I have a few doubts. If I were to ask the Thus-Gone One some questions, would he be so kind as to teach me?”
The bodhisattva great being Anantamati then spoke the following verses:
The Blessed One then addressed the bodhisattva great being Anantamati, saying, “Anantamati, since you have now asked me so fervently, how many questions do you intend to ask the Thus-Gone One? If you have any questions, I will answer them.”
The Blessed One then spoke the following verses:
The bodhisattva great being Anantamati then said to the Blessed One, “I would like to ask the blessed, thus-gone, worthy, and perfect Buddha about a few doubts I have concerning the Bodhisattva Vehicle. How is it that virtuous beings, having distanced themselves from fear, with single-pointed, correct mindfulness, don the great armor for the sake of all sentient beings [F.73.b], adorn themselves with the great armor, generate great love and act respectfully, and carefully mount the Great Vehicle, taking the level and straight road of great purity—free from bumps, tiles, stones, thorns, the miscellaneous rubbish of the various evils, and the thickets of the various views, free from poisonous thorns and the pitfalls of the afflictions, free from bondage, attachment, fear, and hardship—proceeding straight ahead with no deviations on the level road of suchness, the unobstructed road, cutting down the thickets of the various views, tearing all snares, driving away darkness and obscurity, dispelling attachment, and abandoning involvement, and thus proceeding toward unsurpassed and perfect awakening? These are the points that I would like to ask the blessed, thus-gone, worthy, and perfect Buddha. What kind of great beings must don what sort of armor, so that, by donning this armor, they mount the Great Vehicle and set out upon this great path? Blessed One, you should explain the bodhisattva great beings’ array of armor, how they abide stably on the path, abide stably in the principle of phenomena, and are skilled in the principle of phenomena; and how, due to abiding in this skill, they are capable of skillfully illuminating the principle of various phenomena. Having illuminated phenomena, without abandoning the armor, they mount the Great Vehicle, and with the power of irreversible diligence, mindfulness free from forgetfulness, and the power of continuous insight, they swiftly accomplish skilled insight into the principle of the realm of phenomena, go to the site of awakening, [F.74.a] turn the wheel of Dharma, and preach Dharma to various sentient beings, so that all sentient beings are liberated from birth and death according to their wishes and inclinations.
“Blessed One, it is for the sake of benefitting beings and bringing them happiness through the Great Vehicle that I am asking the blessed, thus-gone, worthy, and perfect Buddha about this. Blessed One, given that the Thus-Gone One knows and sees all, please reveal to us the teaching through which bodhisattva great beings accomplish the absorption of the oceanic seal of all phenomena and, by the power of attaining that absorption, remain irreversible until they fully awaken to buddhahood. Blessed One, the knowledge and vision of the Thus-Gone One possess amazing and marvelous qualities of a perfect nature. They are medicinal insight for the knowledge of all beings. Therefore, it is for that reason that I am making this request.”
The bodhisattva great being Anantamati then spoke the following verses:
The Blessed One responded to the bodhisattva great being Anantamati, “Excellent, excellent! Anantamati, you have venerated and served an immeasurable number of buddhas in the past. Because you have produced roots of virtue and accumulated countless qualities, you now yearn for this profound Dharma. [F.75.b] Now, with the great resolve and desire to bring all beings to accomplishment, you have aroused great compassion and asked these questions of the Thus-Gone One. Listen well and bear what I say in mind. I will now genuinely explain to you how bodhisattva great beings accomplish their qualities and how they proceed toward unsurpassed, perfect, and complete awakening.”
“Blessed One, I shall listen in that manner.”
The Blessed One then addressed the bodhisattva great being Anantamati, “Anantamati, bodhisattva great beings who don the great armor for the sake of unsurpassed and perfect awakening must don the great armor to gather beings. They must don the great armor to establish beings in pure generosity. They must don the great armor to establish beings in pure discipline. They must don the great armor to establish beings in pure patience. They must don the great armor to establish beings in pure diligence. They must don the great armor to establish beings in pure concentration. They must don the great armor to establish beings in pure insight. They must don the great armor for beings to achieve happiness. They must don the great armor to develop the mind that engages in benefitting sentient beings. They must don the great armor to remedy the sicknesses of attachment, aggression, and ignorance in beings. They must don the great armor to skillfully accomplish great qualities. They must don the great armor to perfect unsurpassed wisdom. They must don the great armor to protect beings from the dangers of saṃsāra. [F.76.a] They must don the great armor out of the desire to manifest the perfection of unequalled wisdom. They must don the great armor to oppose all māras and their retinues, messengers, and henchmen, as well as all those who have adopted the non-Buddhist teachings and are lost in the thicket of views and on terrifying paths, as well as all lokāyatas and others who agree with the non-Buddhist traditions throughout the great trichiliocosm.
“When bodhisattva great beings have donned the great armor in this fashion, then, by not abandoning the armor, they develop great diligence and are capable of entering into all the realms of sentient beings. Abiding stably in patience, they abandon fear; and without fear, anxiety, wavering, or disturbance, they again don the boundless armor. This armor is an armor that protects all beings, an armor that cuts through the thicket of all views, an armor that defeats the forces of Māra, an armor that embraces insight, an armor that is a boundless bridge, an armor that liberates from heavy burdens, an armor that develops pure faith, an armor that observes discipline, an armor that purifies the storehouse of action, an armor that is a powerful treasury that purifies everything, an armor that is a treasury of skillful means, an armor that eliminates all clinging, and an armor of irreversible, irreproachable insight. Bodhisattva great beings who have donned such great armor, and who do not abandon it until the end of saṃsāra has been reached, will never waver from the stability of their strong diligence as they proceed toward unsurpassed and perfect awakening.”
The Blessed One then spoke the following verses:
“Anantamati, moreover, the armor of these bodhisattva great beings—who for immeasurable eons shoulder the great burden and don the great armor—is invisible to māras, their assemblies, and messengers, and to those wicked beings who live in the thickets and harsh deserts of wrong views. Why is this? This is because it is formless and indescribable; because it has no counterpart and no marks; and because—its marks having been discarded—it is free from marks, names, and words.
“Anantamati, if arrows the size of Mount Meru were shot at it, none would be able to strike it. Even if all the beings in the worlds of the great trichiliocosm were to become māra kings with legions of māra forces at their command, and they all simultaneously shot pointed arrows the size of Mount Meru at it, they could never break through the armor donned by the bodhisattva great beings. They would not be able to harm even a single hair on the bodies of its wearers. If they lack the power to cause even a change of mind in bodhisattva great beings, need we say anything about their ability to harm them in actuality? Any bodhisattva great being who one-pointedly tames them will scatter and eliminate many māras. [F.78.a] Because they are capable of abiding unwaveringly in such armor, all beings are unable to harm them. Why is this? Because this armor has no marks, it is not an object that can be perceived with the vision of sentient beings, and therefore all beings are incapable of seeing or comprehending it. Because bodhisattva great beings have understood all phenomena, they can truly see and comprehend the donning of the great armor. In order to protect all beings, they do not cling to any phenomenon. In order to benefit beings, they do not apprehend any phenomenon. Therefore, no beings can see or comprehend this armor.
“Because there are no formal characteristics, nor anything describable, nor any identifying words that can be used to describe the armor that they wear, it is not associated with form. Nor is it associated with feeling, perception, formation, or consciousness. It is associated with neither the inner nor the outer. Furthermore, it is associated neither with both inner and outer, nor with neither inner nor outer. It is not associated with the elements. It is not associated with the sense fields. It is not associated with the earth element, or with the elements of water, fire, wind, space, or consciousness. It is not associated with the desire realm. It is also not associated with the form or formless realms. It is not associated with conditioned phenomena. It is not associated with unconditioned phenomena. It is not associated with either conditioned or unconditioned phenomena. [F.78.b] It is not associated with phenomena that are not conditioned or unconditioned. It is not associated with the level of hearers. It is not associated with the level of solitary buddhas. It is not associated with the level of buddhas. It is not associated with verbal expressions. It is not associated with the causes of form. It is not associated with the characteristics of form. It is also not associated with the causes of feeling, perception, formation, or consciousness. It is also not associated with the characteristics of feeling, perception, formation, or consciousness. It is also not associated with characteristics or noncharacteristics. It is not associated with all phenomena, nor is it dissociated from them. It has no bondage. It has no liberation. It cannot be known through enumeration or analogy, because all phenomena are beyond enumeration.
“Such an armor does not apprehend the view of all phenomena. It does not apprehend the view of form. It does not apprehend the view of feeling, perception, formation, or consciousness. It does not apprehend the view of even the smallest phenomenon. It is not associated with form, nor is it dissociated from it. It is not associated with feeling, perception, formation, or consciousness, nor is it dissociated from them. It has entirely abandoned any association with or dissociation from any phenomenon.
“Likewise, such an armor is not created, because it has no creator. [F.79.a] It is also without marks, because marks are nonexistent. It has no marks of dwelling in a place, no marks of being conditioned, no conceptualization, no movement, no contact with objects, and no nature that can be observed. Moreover, no one who dons the armor can be apprehended. Why is this? When bodhisattva great beings truly don this armor, they do not see that there is someone who dons armor, that armor is donned in some place, or that armor is donned from somewhere. They do not see that there is a self capable of donning armor, nor do they see an armor that is donned by a self. They also do not see that armor is donned in this place, or that armor is donned in that place. They also do not see any sentient beings for whose sake such armor is donned, because they do not course in or see15 any phenomenon. When the bodhisattva great beings don such armor, they don the armor that has been donned by the thus-gone ones, so they do not apprehend a body, they do not apprehend speech, and they do not apprehend a mind. Therefore, since they do not apprehend, they have abandoned all concepts. If any bodhisattva great being were to dwell on even the smallest phenomenon or apprehend even the smallest phenomenon, they could not be said to have donned the armor, to don the armor, or to be donning the armor. However, once they transcend those mind states, it can be said that they have donned the great and inconceivable armor.
“Bodhisattva great beings do not don the great armor merely for a few beings. They do not don the great armor merely for the beings of one eon. They do not don the great armor merely for the beings of hundreds of thousands of eons, millions of eons, or billions of eons. [F.79.b] They don the great armor for the beings of immeasurable, countless eons. Therefore, it is said that they don an immeasurably great armor.
“When bodhisattva great beings truly don the armor, they are donning armor that does not abide in any perception of beings. They are donning armor that does not create any perception of beings, that abandons any perception of beings, that eliminates any perception of self, that understands beings’ nature, that understands the nature of self, and that transcends perception and feeling. It is an armor that knows all phenomena to be marked as uncreated, an armor of the mark of emptiness, an armor of the mark of marklessness, and an armor of the mark of wishlessness. It is an armor that understands all phenomena to be marked as unborn, and an armor of the mark of noncessation. It is an armor that understands all phenomena to be marked as possessing different natures, and an armor of the mark of the absence of different natures. It is an armor that understands all phenomena to be marked as entities, and an armor of the mark of the absence of entities.
“Anantamati, if armor is donned while dwelling on entities, this cannot ultimately be said to be donning the great armor. In this fashion, bodhisattva great beings pursue great wisdom without dwelling upon entities. Therefore, it is called donning the great armor.”
The Blessed One then expressed this in verse:
“Moreover, Anantamati, because it is invincible, this limitless great armor is also called the arrayed adornments of the exalted Dharma. It is also called the supreme. Because it cannot be divided into even the smallest phenomenon, it is called the indivisibility of all phenomena. Any bodhisattva great being who wears this great armor will take hold of the strength of great insight and will mount the Great Vehicle, the supreme vehicle, the unequalled vehicle, the great and all-encompassing vehicle, the boundlessly encompassing vehicle. All sentient beings could mount this vehicle [F.81.b], and there would be none who would not fit in this vehicle, even as this vehicle neither expands nor shrinks. It can lead sentient beings to abide happily, and it can lead sentient beings happily to liberation. Any beings who mount this vehicle that leads to happiness shall be at rest in body and mind, and shall not become afflicted. Anantamati, this vehicle outshines all other vehicles to liberation, including those of the worldly gods, humans, and asuras, as well the vehicles of the hearers and solitary buddhas and other vehicles. For this vehicle, there is no coming, no going, no abiding, no seeing, and no knowing. It cannot be apprehended in the past, it cannot be apprehended in the future, and it cannot be apprehended in the present. It is equal throughout the three times, just like space. It is uncontaminated by the dust of the afflictions. It has no dependencies,18 no obstructions, and no clinging. Therefore, with this vehicle one can obtain liberation. This vehicle is measureless, because it is immeasurable. It is also naturally devoid of obstructing marks, because it does not abide in marks. It is supreme. Whoever mounts this vehicle will be undaunted as they proceed toward unsurpassed and perfect awakening.
“Anantamati, this vehicle is like a lamp, and like the orbs of the sun and moon, which produce great illumination for all beings. Likewise, the light of this Great Vehicle illuminates the worlds of this great trichiliocosm and cannot be outshone or obstructed by anything. With its boundless ocean of great qualities, it can proceed toward unsurpassed and perfect awakening. Anantamati, this vehicle eliminates darkness and dispels all the diseases of the world. It transcends all worldly phenomena and attracts great beings. Therefore, it cannot be mounted by lesser beings, but only those who don the great armor. As I have previously said, ‘It can be mounted only by those who have protected many beings for countless eons, [F.82.a] venerated and served many buddhas, and produced roots of virtue, and who have pure accumulations. If hearers, solitary buddhas, and other lesser beings—who are bound to the world and associated with the world—are manifestly proud, put their trust in non-Buddhists, and do not desire to hear even the name of this vehicle, need we mention that they will not be able to mount it?’ However, if beings who sport in the inconceivable domain mount this vehicle, they will proceed toward unsurpassed and perfect awakening, according to their incredibly noble aspiration.
“Anantamati, this vehicle is limitless, for a limit to its beginning, interim, and end cannot be realized. This vehicle’s limits are eliminated, for its limits cannot be apprehended. A boundless limit is this vehicle’s limit. An immeasurable limit is this vehicle’s limit. Anantamati, this vehicle has no outer limit and no inner limit. It has not even the slightest limit that can be eliminated. When I say that its limits are eliminated, it is the absence of even the slightest limit that is described as limits are eliminated. When limits are not conceptualized, this is what is described as limits are eliminated. Thus, I make the designation that this vehicle’s limits are eliminated. The absence of a limit is said to be its inner limit. The absence of a limit is said to be its outer limit. The absence of a limit is described as a limit. Within that limit, no inner limit can be apprehended. Because they cannot be apprehended, the outer limit and the inner limit—which are without limits and without elimination—enter the gateway of limits. Because it enters the gateway of limits, this vehicle goes beyond; but in that going beyond, there is also nothing that can be apprehended.
“Anantamati, what are the limits? [F.82.b] They are the limits of nihilism and eternalism. Because they engage with language, limits are actually not limits. Those limits of nihilism and eternalism are themselves without limits, because the mark of those limits is boundlessness. What I am calling a limit here involves no concepts. Because conceptualization is eliminated, limits are transcended, and nihilism and eternalism are abandoned.
“Anantamati, those who maintain the belief in a truly existing self take the gateway of limits as a support, while those who do not maintain the belief in a truly existing self do not cling to the gateway of limits. Because they do not cling to it, they transcend the limits of nihilism and eternalism. Anantamati, the limits of nihilism and eternalism have no true existence—they are merely deceptive terms. These two limits are conceptualized within the context of the three realms of existence; but if one does not accept these two limits, and does not accord with these two limits, then they can be transcended. Because they have eliminated the view of a truly existing self, they will have no clinging to the gateway of the two limits. Anantamati, bodhisattva great beings who have not yet discarded the belief in a truly existing self cannot be said to have donned the great armor and mounted the Great Vehicle, for they cling to this limit-gateway. Thus, even if they desire to abandon such limits, by arousing the notion of abandoning limits they are still conceptualizing the former and latter limits. It is therefore only bodhisattva great beings who have discarded the belief in a truly existing self who can be said to have donned the great armor and mounted the Great Vehicle, for they have no clinging to these limits. As such, they transcend these two limits, and so they proceed toward unsurpassed and perfect awakening within a highly comfortable vehicle.
“Anantamati, those bodhisattva great beings who, with the power of their great intelligence, are capable of not abandoning and not refuting all those phenomena that abide in limits. [F.83.a] By applying skillful means to gather tranquility and special insight and train in their lack of marks, they will attain the realization of marklessness. When the absence of marks is experienced, the buddhas bestow the illumination of Dharma. Through the illumination of Dharma, all limits are eliminated, and there will also be no clinging to the limits that were eliminated, so that there is not even the slightest limit. Thus, regarding the gateway of limits, there will be no association or dissociation, and no mental engagement or disengagement. With skillful means concerning all phenomena, they will abide stably in tranquility and special insight, and will thus obtain the boundless, great illumination of Dharma. Due to the illumination of Dharma, they will abandon all darkness and hair-raising fears. Thereby, raising the great victory banner of the Dharma, resounding the great voice of Brahmā, and roaring the great lion’s roar, they will announce to all beings, ‘All of you, come quickly to this Great Vehicle, the comfortable vehicle, the Great Leader’s vehicle, the vehicle of great procession, and proceed toward unsurpassed and perfect awakening!’ They will reveal the illumination of Dharma to all beings, and with this illumination of Dharma, they will be able to lead beings to don the great armor and mount the Great Vehicle.
“Anantamati, without being stingy with the Great Vehicle or the great armor, bodhisattva great beings should form the aspiration that ‘We will arouse the mind of awakening for beings, don the great armor, and mount the Great Vehicle.’ They must not be stingy with the Great Vehicle or the great armor, but must be able to gradually introduce them to sentient beings. They must form the aspiration, ‘May beings become liberated by donning the great armor and mounting the Great Vehicle.’ When bodhisattva great beings abide in this type of conduct, [F.83.b] they will gather buddha fields and purify buddha fields. They will also gather all the qualities of hearers and bodhisattvas. Thereby, they will proceed toward unsurpassed and perfect awakening with this boundless ocean of qualities.
“Anantamati, since this Great Vehicle is commensurate with the realm of phenomena, there is neither a near shore nor a far shore for it to reach, and yet it is capable of transporting all beings from here to the realm of phenomena. Thus, it accords with no place, it accords with the realm of phenomena, and it accords with the armor. Anyone who earnestly practices this Great Vehicle, which is commensurate with the realm of phenomena, will proceed toward unsurpassed, perfect, and complete awakening.
“Anantamati, to draw an analogy, the realm of phenomena has no impurities or stains, and therefore nobody can destroy or stain it. Likewise, this Great Vehicle also is indestructible and unstainable. Because it is indestructible and unstainable, it proceeds toward omniscient wisdom, which is why this vehicle is called the Great Vehicle. Since this vehicle is unimpeded, all worldly gods, humans, and asuras are unable to turn it back. Because it is without clinging, it proceeds toward omniscient wisdom, which is why this vehicle is called the Great Vehicle. That which is called the Great Vehicle is the great array. There is no array anywhere that is not included in this Great Vehicle.”
Then the bodhisattva great being Anantamati asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, how could there be conditioned arrays within this vehicle?” [F.84.a]
The Blessed One answered the bodhisattva great being Anantamati, “Anantamati, thus it is, thus it is. In accord with worldly conventions, I have fully taught all conditioned arrays within this vehicle. Anantamati, whether we are talking about a universal monarch, Śakra, who is lord of the gods, or the king of the Brahmā heavens, all of them also have arisen, presently arise, and will arise from this Great Vehicle. Though they remain, respectively, at the levels of enjoying universal dominion, the state of Śakra, and the state of Brahmā, they do not become stained by the faults of the afflictions of saṃsāra. They are able to evaluate each of their desires, and with such evaluation, they become weary of them and are thereby able to realize the path of liberation.
“Anantamati, even though bodhisattva great beings who mount this vehicle accept saṃsāra, they do not become stained by flaws in any of its abodes. They see its faults and fully understand liberation. Thereby, when it comes to all the phenomena and all the arrays that I have not already taught, according to the characteristic marks of this vehicle, they will be able to understand those phenomena and those arrays, and so they will proceed toward unsurpassed, perfect, and complete awakening.”
The Blessed One then expressed this in verse:
“Moreover, Anantamati, I recall that when I was engaged in bodhisattva conduct, I donned such armor and mounted this kind of vehicle. Thus, I transcended limits, dispelled darkness, and offered protection from fear. Through my great diligence, I joyfully heard this Teaching of the Armor array of bodhisattva great beings and the array of the Great Vehicle from countless billions of buddhas, which caused me great joy. When cultivating this Dharma, I served and venerated those blessed buddhas, and I did not produce such thoughts as, ‘I am donning such an armor. I possess such an armor. I have obtained such a Dharma. I possess such a Dharma. I possess a Dharma of such-and-such a category.’
“At that time, I had no sense of self, I had abandoned the view of a truly existing self, and I had abandoned the conceit of a self. My mind contained no sense of high or low, and no concepts. Out of my desire to gather all beings, I upheld the Dharma treasury of all the buddhas and thus-gone ones and ripened countless billions of beings, without ever having a single thought of fatigue in my mind. [F.86.b] During this period I never abandoned the armor, and I always rode in the boundless vehicle. Therefore, in all my lifetimes I overcame and defeated the forces, retinues, and armies of Māra. I tamed all those who were distracted on the paths of the carakas, lokāyatas, and parivrājakas, as well as other non-Buddhists who accorded with them, and established them in happiness. I defeated all opposing teachers. I tamed all the non-Buddhists. I caused those beings who had gone astray to abide in this vehicle, restrained by virtue. I explained and taught beings about the armor and the armor array. By teaching beings such facets of the comfortable Great Vehicle, all those who abided in this vehicle achieved all comforts. In this way they attained all conditioned comforts, the universal monarch’s comforts, the royal comforts of Śakra and Brahmā, and all unconditioned comforts. When I taught this Dharma to beings, they took it up, and they were thus able to be born into the noble family, raise the great victory banner, roar the lion’s roar, and proceed toward unsurpassed, perfect, and complete awakening.
“Anantamati, for those bodhisattva great beings who are already fit to don such great armor, having accurately investigated and decided upon it, by means of what phenomena should they proceed toward it? Since they completely understand and see all phenomena, they have no conceptualization of them. Why is this? Because those bodhisattva great beings abide stably on the correct path, they understand accurately. [F.87.a] Because they proceed on the correct path, they see accurately. Purifying themselves correctly, they do not conceptualize, nor do they not conceptualize, seeing and understanding the sameness of conceptualization and nonconceptualization. Those who see phenomena to pursue and strive for do not comprehend sameness. Therefore, they do not abide in accurate and pure understanding and seeing. Those who have neither conceptuality nor nonconceptuality do not fixate upon or cling to conceptuality or nonconceptuality. Because they are without fixation or clinging, they abandon conceptuality and nonconceptuality. On this path, there is no pity, no conditioned activity, no imputation, and no acceptance or rejection. Those who abide on the path of evenness do not conceptualize the past, present, or future. Because of this, they understand all concepts and latent tendencies without exception. Since they abide in the unmistaken truth of the sameness of all phenomena, it is said that they abide on the correct path.
“Anantamati, what are the path and the pure path? They are what is known as the eightfold path of the noble ones: correct view, correct intention, correct speech, correct action, correct livelihood, correct effort, correct mindfulness, and correct absorption. Through the correct view, the belief in a truly existing self is abandoned, and one transcends all domains involving views. Thus, all views, in all times and places, are entirely purified. By fully comprehending conceptualization, distinguishing conceptualization, and pervasive conceptualization, [F.87.b] one becomes free from conceptualization, distinguishing conceptualization, and pervasive conceptualization. By not abiding in mistaken thinking and by eliminating mistaken thinking, one will be able to see correct livelihood and also the notion of correct livelihood. By seeing what is pure livelihood and abiding in pure livelihood, one will observe pure physical, verbal, and mental actions, and one will observe correct action. With the correct view of verbal action, one will be able to see and understand both words and those who speak them. Thus, by abiding in correct speech, any discordant factors are purified. Through the view of correct effort, one is able to gather diligence and abide in proper diligence. With the correct view of mindfulness, one remains without recollection, speculation, or appropriation. With mindfulness thus purified, one abides in correct mindfulness. With the correct view of absorption, one relies on no support while engaged in absorption. Having purified the view of absorption, one abides in correct absorption.
“Anantamati, when bodhisattva great beings see in this manner, they attain the correct view of universal purity, and thus abide on the pure path. This pure path is that which holy beings cultivate, the wise respect, the noble ones cherish, and the thus-gone ones praise. Thus, it is not a territory traveled by māras, their retinues, their messengers, or any gods allied with them. It is not the domain traversed by those who crave and cling to non-Buddhist paths, those who engage in disputes, those who are immersed in the thicket of views, those who have lost the path, or the lokāyatas. [F.88.a] Nor is it the domain traversed by anyone who desires nirvāṇa. Why is this? Those who dwell in the unconditioned conceptualize nirvāṇa. As they conceptualize nirvāṇa, so then do they conceptualize all conditioned phenomena. Why is this? Since the realm of nirvāṇa26 transcends all movements of conceptual thought, even the unconditioned has no existence there. That being the case, what need is there to mention the conditioned not having any existence there either? Because this path purifies all concepts, there are not even the subtlest concepts about the unconditioned. That being the case, how could there be any concepts about the conditioned? As long as one conceptualizes the path of the noble ones, one cannot be said to be abiding on the path of the noble ones. Someone who abandons all movements of conceptual thought can be said to be abiding on the path of the noble ones, abiding on the path of fearlessness, abiding on the path of utter peace, and abiding on the path of happiness. This path leads to a place devoid of aging, sickness, death, anguish, and suffering. This path leads to the absence of essential nature; it leads beyond any locus of essential nature. This path leads to the place where both essential nature and nonessential nature are abandoned. This path leads to the place that possesses no demonstrable marks and that cannot be characterized by form. Since this path pervades everything like space, it brings one to the unsurpassed great palace. All who make this journey will not reverse course. Thus, they will achieve myriad pleasures. This great palace is furthermore indemonstrable and lacks the marks of entities. [F.88.b] Thus, it involves neither the slightest conditioned thing, nor the slightest unconditioned thing. Because it has already extinguished conditioned things and abandoned unconditioned things, it does not provide beings with either conditioned or unconditioned happiness whatsoever.
“Anantamati, many beings desire a conditioned nirvāṇa; they do not even seek conditioned happiness, so how could they be able to enter this great palace? Because this great palace is unconditioned, cool, and quiescent, it is called nirvāṇa—the transcendence of suffering. Because it stops attachment, aggression, and ignorance, removes latent tendencies, rends the web of worldly views, dries up the river of ignorance, extracts the poisoned arrows of the afflictions, and exhausts nonvirtuous phenomena, it is called nirvāṇa—the transcendence of suffering. Since it is far removed from the disease of pride and all the afflictions caused by much suffering, it is called nirvāṇa—the transcendence of suffering. Because it is not of the domain of the mind, the intellect, consciousness, or mental functions, it is called nirvāṇa—the transcendence of suffering. Since it pacifies all debates and all ties to existence, all the way up to the perception of Dharma, it is called nirvāṇa—the transcendence of suffering. Since it cuts through mental inclinations and the striving they engender, and because it is free from the marks of conceptualization and its objects, it is called nirvāṇa—the transcendence of suffering.
“Anantamati, this is the very essence of great nirvāṇa, the supreme transcendence. Since nirvāṇa is boundless, it cannot be described. If it entailed any destination, it could not be this path, since this path is beyond words and thus also indescribable. Given that bodhisattva great beings travel on this path toward the great palace of nirvāṇa, they can establish countless beings on it. [F.89.a] Anantamati, when bodhisattva great beings proceed on this path, they do not become tired, and they do not become distressed. According to what they wish to seek, they manifest at will. According to where they intend to manifest, they manifest in each place, and each manifestation accordingly attracts beings and teaches them the Dharma, causing all beings to attain great joy. Why is this? Because this path is unequalled, it purifies all discordant factors and brings all activities to completion. Thus, all the blessed buddhas, hearers, and solitary buddhas all proceed on this path and do not contravene it. As long as they have not reached that ground, and as long as they have not fulfilled their aspirations, they never depart from it. What is that ground? It is the ground of nirvāṇa, the ground of the great palace. To draw an analogy, since nothing can illustrate space, there is no other example besides space itself to illustrate space. Thus, to this vast, great, empty void, we apply the label space. The palace of nirvāṇa is similar. It is a great, empty void, in which there is no autonomous self and nothing pertaining to self. Therefore, even if all beings enter it, there is not even a single hair’s worth of anything to grasp on to. It is an open and vast emptiness, an utter void that is immeasurably vast. Therefore, it is called great nirvāṇa and the great palace.
“Anantamati, this extraordinarily noble path of all the bodhisattva great beings is not something that the hearers and solitary buddhas can attain. Those who abide on this path accomplish all the accumulations of merit and obtain irreversibility. Thereby, they enact great benefit for beings. Manifesting a great array of extraordinarily noble conduct, [F.89.b] they proceed by means of this path. Such an array is also not something that the hearers and solitary buddhas can possess. While bodhisattva great beings are abiding on this path, even if they act as universal monarchs, they will have no ownership of anything. With great power, they will perform miracles and gain realization of both the world and what is beyond the world. Even if they act as divine rulers such as Śakra and Brahmā, they will be free from attachment and clinging. As such, they will abandon pride and aspire to encounter buddhas, delight in hearing the true Dharma, ripen countless thousands of gods, and endeavor toward unsurpassed, perfect, and complete awakening.”
The Blessed One then expressed this in verse:
“Furthermore, Anantamati, when bodhisattva great beings genuinely endeavor on this path, out of their desire to gather the genuine eightfold path, they will practice a single Dharma teaching—which is to not engage in any unwholesome phenomenon.
“Additionally, to gather the genuine eightfold path they will practice two Dharma teachings, which are (1) to properly contemplate inner virtuous phenomena, and (2) to properly inquire into the nature of external virtuous phenomena.
“Moreover, to gather the genuine eightfold path, they will practice two additional Dharma teachings, which are (1) to understand the various phenomena as entities, and (2) to understand the absence of entities, the absence of abiding, and the absence of anything that can be conceptualized.
“Moreover, to gather the genuine eightfold path, they will practice two additional Dharma teachings, which are (1) to rely on realization inwardly, and (2) to not cling to anything external.
“Moreover, to gather the genuine eightfold path, they will practice two additional Dharma teachings, [F.91.b] which are (1) to trust in themselves without conceptualizing anything, and (2) to think, ‘I will establish all those who still lack faith on this path.’
“Moreover, to gather the genuine eightfold path, they will practice two additional Dharma teachings, which are (1) to correctly see and understand what needs to be done, and (2) to not cling to what needs to be done.
“Moreover, to gather the genuine eightfold path, they will practice three additional Dharma teachings, which are (1) to understand each of the appropriated aggregates that perpetuate suffering, (2) to earnestly pursue and take interest in the appropriated aggregates that do not involve suffering, and (3) to strive to abandon conditioned phenomena.
“Moreover, to gather the genuine eightfold path, they will practice three additional Dharma teachings, which are that when teaching the supreme Dharma, (1) they will teach the meaning correctly, without any verbal contradiction or mental dispute, (2) they will not fixate upon syllables and words, and (3) they will summarize all the Dharma.
“Moreover, to gather the genuine eightfold path, they will practice four additional Dharma teachings, which are (1) to correctly apply themselves to entities according to reality, (2) to correctly apply themselves to entities in a manner that accords with reality, (3) to correctly apply themselves to entities by investigating in accordance with the Dharma, and (4) to correctly apply themselves to entities without producing any attachment.28
“Moreover, to gather the genuine eightfold path, they will practice four additional Dharma teachings, which are [F.92.a] (1) to guard themselves with very firm pledges and practice what they preach, (2) to use the six faculties skillfully to proceed on the path, (3) to purify their intentions, and (4) to abide in vigilant conduct.
“Anantamati, these bodhisattva great beings are called followers of the path because they gather the path through these Dharma practices. Because they see that the essential nature of phenomena is empty, nameless, markless, wishless, unborn, unconditioned, and characterized by disenchantment, abandonment, cessation, and liberation, therefore they achieve the illumination of Dharma. Even when they contemplate the termination of births, they do not arouse any notion of birth with regard to birthlessness. Thus, at that time they transcend all births, and so they pass beyond all that is contrary to the Dharma. As they achieve the pure path, they gain the acceptance that phenomena are unborn. Because they have purified the path, they transcend all perception, and subsequently they do not abide in nonperception either. Stopping the perception of the path, they abandon the perception of phenomena and escape from the web of unknowing. By cultivating knowing, they obtain those phenomena that are to be achieved.
“What phenomena do they achieve by cultivating knowing? By cultivating knowing, they achieve the cessation of perception and feeling, they achieve definitive skill in all phenomena, and they are able to comport themselves with the nature of reality by following the secret teachings. When bodhisattva great beings follow this path, they do not dwell on objects, and marks do not obscure them. Thereby understanding that all phenomena are the same as space, that their arising is the same as the arising of space, and that their essential nature is the same as the essential nature of space, they are not obstructed even slightly by marks. [F.92.b] Because this path is pure, they have no fear of being harmed. Because they don the great armor, they are not bound by grasping. Because they mount the Great Vehicle, they are not deluded. Because they abandon obscurations, they become like space. Proceeding on this path, they will become great lights for beings. Anantamati, this is the extraordinarily noble path of the bodhisattva great beings, which is not the domain of hearers or solitary buddhas.”
The Blessed One then expressed this in verse:
“Moreover, Anantamati, when bodhisattva great beings correctly engage and endeavor in this fashion, they come to genuinely master all the applications of mindfulness, correct eliminations, faculties, strengths, branches of awakening, freedoms, absorptions, equipoises, bases of supernatural power, tranquility, and special insight. In this way, they become adorned with countless exalted qualities. Then, in order to tame all worldly beings, they don the great armor. In order to escape from the three realms, they mount the Great Vehicle. In order to gather all gods, humans, and asuras, they abide on this path and proceed toward unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening.
“Anantamati, when bodhisattva great beings don the great armor, mount the Great Vehicle, and abide on this path, [F.94.b] if they fail to universally radiate love, compassion, joy, and equanimity toward all sentient beings, or if they fail to cherish all beings like themselves, then this great armor, great path, and Great Vehicle would not even be supported by the great earth, nor would all beings be able to rely upon30 it. Thus, it must be out of love and an altruistic mind for others that they don the great armor, mount the Great Vehicle, and abide on the path. All worldly gods, humans, and asuras are unable to course in such an armor, such a Great Vehicle, and such a great path, which also cannot be seen by any ordinary, childish beings who cling to the world and abide in worldliness.
“Moreover, because the bodhisattva great beings don the great armor out of love for all beings, they consecrate the elements of earth, water, fire, and wind through the armor’s power, such that the earth element does not tremble or quake, and no beings grow afraid of it. They also have similar effects on the water, fire, and wind elements.
“Moreover, having first developed the mind of awakening and the aspiration to don the armor, bodhisattva great beings now don the great armor; and having mounted the Great Vehicle, they proceed along the pure path until they have only one birth remaining, when they proceed to the tree of awakening and take their seat at the site of awakening. If in this period they fail to consecrate the great trichiliocosm—this firm ground that is made of vajra—it will tremble and quake, for even though it is fashioned of vajra, it will not be able to withstand this great armor, this great path, or this Great Vehicle. [F.95.a]
Moreover, through their past aspirations, bodhisattva great beings have aroused great love and compassion for beings, and have expressed their praise for the buddhas and bodhisattvas of the ten directions. Thus, if they should fail to consecrate the great vajra base, as well as Mount Meru, the jewel mountains, and the other majestic mountains, they would be unable to support this great armor, this great path, or this Great Vehicle.
“Moreover, due to the power of their past aspirations and the transformative power of the past aspirations of the thus-gone ones, bodhisattva great beings do not injure beings, nor do they harm them, impair them, scare them, hold grudges against them, torment them, or oppress them. In order to cause beings to find happiness, they don the great armor, mount the Great Vehicle, and abide on this path, proceeding toward unsurpassed, perfect, and complete awakening.
“Anantamati, when bodhisattva great beings don the great armor, they don the armor of insight, brandish the weapons of insight, and perform the dedication of great insight. Mounting the vehicle of dedication, they shine the illumination of insight. Abiding on this path of illumination, they investigate phenomena with the eye of bright insight, endeavoring toward omniscient wisdom. To gather the wisdom of omniscience, for the sake of all beings, the bodhisattvas cultivate the perfections of insight, discipline, patience, diligence, and concentration. [F.95.b] Each of these are guided by insight, accomplished by insight, gathered by insight, and completely dedicated toward unsurpassed, perfect, and complete awakening.”
The bodhisattva great being Anantamati then remarked to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, it is amazing how the various forms of insight possessed by the bodhisattva great beings pervade everywhere and are capable of gathering and accomplishing the Dharma of immeasurably many buddhas.”
The Blessed One responded to the bodhisattva great being Anantamati, “Anantamati, that is true, that is true! What you have said is correct. The various forms of insight possessed by bodhisattva great beings pervade everywhere and encompass all Dharma. Donning the great armor, they mount the Great Vehicle and abide on the great path. Then, guided by insight, they proceed upon it. Anantamati, even if one has insight, if one is not guided by such insight, one will not proceed properly on this path. If one possesses insight and is guided by insight, then one will engage with and follow this insight, as it pervades everywhere. One will gather through insight, and will exercise restraint through insight. From that point onward, one can be said to have donned the great armor, to have mounted the Great Vehicle, and to abide on the great path. With the delightful Dharma, one will then benefit worldly beings and open the eye of insight. As one investigates with the eye of insight, one’s insight body will shine forth, emitting a great illumination, and one will proceed toward unsurpassed, perfect, and complete awakening.
“Anantamati, such is the great armor and the array of armor that bodhisattva great beings must don. [F.96.a] Such is the Great Vehicle and the array of the Great Vehicle that they must mount. Such is the great path and the array of the great path that they must traverse, in order to proceed toward unsurpassed, perfect, and complete awakening. Anantamati, even if I spoke for countless eons about the sublime beings who possess the armor array, the Great Vehicle array, the great path array, and the various arrays of all good qualities, that would not be long enough. However, so that all of you may realize it, and so that sublime beings of the future may achieve the armor array, the Great Vehicle array, the great path array, and the array of the boundless assembly of qualities, I have briefly described it on this occasion. If such sublime beings hear the Dharma I have taught here, they will don the great armor, mount the Great Vehicle, abide on the great path, adorn themselves with good qualities, and proceed in this way.”
The Blessed One then expressed this in verse:
“Moreover, Anantamati, bodhisattva great beings shall proceed toward the boundless domain of the armor, the boundless domain of the Great Vehicle, and the boundless domain of the great path. Why is this? Because they conform with everything. Bodhisattva great beings don the armor because they wish to conform with all phenomena. They mount the Great Vehicle because they wish to conform with all phenomena. They abide on the great path because they wish to conform with all phenomena. They proceed on it in order to attain the sameness of all phenomena. However, this armor does not truly apprehend even the slightest phenomenon as internal, external, coarse, subtle, distant, near, past, present, future, conditioned, unconditioned, abiding, or non-abiding. If this armor were unable to discern, resolve, completely understand, conform with, make evident, or transcend all phenomena, it could not rightfully be called donning the great armor. Since it discerns all phenomena—and resolves, completely understands, [F.98.b] conforms with, actualizes, and transcends them—it can be called donning the great armor.
“The Great Vehicle as well does not truly apprehend any phenomenon as being internal, external and so forth up to dedicated to the wisdom of omniscience, and yet it completely understands, conforms with, makes evident, and transcends all phenomena. Therefore, this vehicle is called the Great Vehicle, the vehicle of skill in phenomena, the vehicle that reaches nirvāṇa, the unsurpassed vehicle, and the unequalled vehicle. Likewise, the great path does not truly apprehend any phenomenon as being internal, external and so forth up to proceeding upon the great path of the sameness of all phenomena, and yet this path of sameness does not lack understanding of even the slightest phenomenon. Therefore, this path is called the unsurpassed path, the incalculable and immeasurable path, and the unequalled path.
“Anantamati, bodhisattva great beings who don the great armor conform with all beings’ minds and mental activities. They remove and purify all beings’ afflicted emotions. Mounting the Great Vehicle, they increase the roots of virtue of all beings. Abiding on this great path, they inspire beings to accomplish all virtuous phenomena. Anantamati, bodhisattva great beings remain in saṃsāra for a long time—until the end of saṃsāra—for the sake of each being and each mental activity, pursuing the medicine of insight and not relinquishing the armor.
“Thus, they are able to gain stability in donning the great armor, the immeasurable armor, the armor that is difficult to comprehend, [F.99.a] the pure armor, the boundless armor, the armor that is without appropriation, the armor that knows the perceptions of beings, the armor that knows there are no beings, the armor that knows there is no self, the armor that knows the nature of beings, the armor that realizes the nature of beings, the armor that knows the nature of the self, the armor that realizes the nature of the self,34 the armor that knows the nature of the interior, the armor that realizes the nature of the interior, the armor that knows the nature of the exterior, the armor that realizes the nature of the exterior, the armor that knows the nature of both the interior and the exterior, the armor that realizes the nature of both the interior and the exterior, the armor that knows the nature of all phenomena, the armor that realizes the nature of all phenomena, the armor that knows that in all phenomena there is nothing to be apprehended, the armor that knows that in the nature of all phenomena there is nothing to be apprehended, the armor that masters the realization of phenomena, the boundless armor, the armor without center, the armor without center or boundary, the armor that is not past, the armor that is not future, the armor that is not present, the armor that is free from any action, and the armor that is free from any actor.
“Anantamati, with regard to this armor, the bodhisattva great beings do not don it, realize it, resolve it, attain liberation through it, or actualize it. Because there is no armor, the armor is donned. Because they do not realize it, it is realized. Because they do not resolve it, it is resolved. Because they do not attain liberation through it, they are liberated. Because they do not actualize it, it is actualized. They mount the Great Vehicle because there is nothing to be mounted. [F.99.b] They do not designate the Great Vehicle, which is designated by the absence of designation, for the Great Vehicle cannot be designated in even the slightest. If designations are made, this is nondesignation, because such designations cannot be apprehended and cannot be seen. There is also no vehicle that can be mounted and dwelt upon; it is through nonapprehension that one abides on the Great Vehicle. Because it abandons proceeding toward a destination, does not reach the ultimate goal, does not arrive at nirvāṇa, and cannot be apprehended, what is not a path is taken as a path. Because one proceeds on the path through sameness, this path of sameness has no designations, for who would make such designations? What would be designated? From where would designations be made? In it there is also no action and no actor. It is not combined, and it is not uncombined. It renounces everything and does not seek anything. Why is this? Because this true path of sameness is not the same as all phenomena, nor is it different from them, nor concurrent with them. It does not produce notions of phenomena—indeed, it abandons phenomena. Therefore, it is neither pure nor impure. The nature of phenomena is also this way—neither pure nor impure. Thus, for this reason this path is called the path without affliction. Because it cannot be traversed, it is traversed. Because it cannot be taken hold of, it is taken up. This path is deeply profound, and therefore it is unborn, unarisen, unemerged, uncreated, unattained, unconditioned, nondwelling, non-abiding, unobscured, and without entity. It can completely reveal all entities, and is indivisible from all entities, yet it does not conform to entities. Because it has no entity, it leads to the unsurpassed abode.
“Anantamati, bodhisattva great beings should understand this armor, this vehicle, and this path in this fashion. [F.100.a] However, this armor, this vehicle, and this path cannot be seen, understood, or apprehended. Thus, who could don this armor, mount this vehicle, or follow this path? Such a one also cannot be seen, understood, or apprehended. Anantamati, when bodhisattva great beings hear this Dharma teaching, they will not be scared or frightened of it. Thus, they will read, recite, and teach it. They will not contradict the principle of this Dharma teaching, but will practice in accord with it and thereby develop joyful resolve, endeavoring diligently for the sake of this Dharma teaching. If there are those who are capable of developing certainty in the principle of this Dharma teaching and becoming skilled in means, they will don this armor, mount this vehicle, and practice this path. By pursuing this profound Dharma teaching in which there is nothing to be apprehended, they will put an end to the limit of saṃsāra, fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, and appear in the world adorned with boundless qualities.
“Anantamati, bodhisattva great beings who are enthusiastic about this Dharma teaching should arouse their diligence and accomplish it carefully. If there are beings who become delighted upon merely hearing this profound teaching, I have explained that those beings will obtain great benefit. How much more is this the case for those who are able to pursue it diligently, vigilantly, and with pure discipline and conduct? Anantamati, consider how this teaching has myriad aspects that are vast, deep, exalted, and pure. I have enthusiastically praised this teaching so that others may be inspired by it and thereby achieve lasting benefit and happiness, and so that they will become disenchanted and quiescent, [F.100.b] and will gain pervasive understanding.
“Anantamati, furthermore, consider how this teaching is capable of bestowing abundant happiness, both worldly and transcendent. However, because they have regressed from this profound teaching, beings in the different states of existence who experience various forms of poverty are cut off from both worldly and transcendent abundance, riches, and happiness. Anantamati, considering how easy it is to discover the riches of this profound and precious teaching while you are sitting in the presence of the Thus-Gone One, you should earnestly apply yourself to accomplishing it. If ordinary, childish beings do not desire to even hear this precious Dharma that I have taught, what need is there to mention taking it up and upholding it? If there is no inspiration to listen, or interest to inquire—even when the Thus-Gone One is present and the precious Dharma is available—how will anyone be inspired to listen or inquire during the final period of five hundred years, when the genuine Dharma is disappearing, and the Buddha, the precious Dharma, and those who uphold the Dharma are no longer present? However, Anantamati, if the Thus-Gone One gives his blessing, this profound and precious teaching will be discovered in the future.
“Anantamati, in those terrifying times, this profound and precious teaching will not be diminished or destroyed. However, there will be no one to listen to or uphold this teaching. Only those who were inspired in my presence to listen attentively and don the armor will, at that time, be able to joyfully listen to and take up this teaching. At that time, sentient beings who merely hear this teaching will generate pure faith in it, and I declare that those people will accomplish this vast teaching— [F.101.a] how much more is this the case for those who presently generate pure faith in this teaching and diligently put it into practice?
“Anantamati, when bodhisattva great beings truly don the unsurpassed armor, the great and immeasurable armor, they should think, ‘For the sake of all sentient beings who are impoverished—that is to say, impoverished in discipline, impoverished in learning, impoverished in insight, impoverished in liberation, and impoverished in the knowledge and view of liberation—I will enrich them with this great teaching. I will eliminate all their forms of weakness, and enrich them with the wealth of discipline, learning, insight, liberation, and the knowledge and view of liberation. I will douse the flames of attachment, aggression, and ignorance. I will heal all sicknesses. I will dispense excellent and unsurpassed medicine. I will ensure that they attain great happiness once their various sicknesses are dispelled with this medicine. I will permanently eliminate all their remaining faults, such that once they have actualized the cooling nature of unsurpassed nirvāṇa, no thoughts or concepts shall remain in their minds. Thus, I shall establish them in the state beyond the pursuit of either conditioned or unconditioned things.’ Why is this? It is because this nirvāṇa is supremely pleasant, with nothing left to pursue, and because all pursuits have been permanently pacified and eliminated.
“Anantamati, having donned this great armor, bodhisattva great beings will mount this Great Vehicle to gather all beings, out of love for them. Having mounted the Great Vehicle, they will think, “All buddhas of the past rode it toward liberation. [F.101.b] All buddhas of the future will ride it toward liberation. All buddhas of the present ride it toward liberation. Yet, there is no going, no riding, and no liberation.” Why is this? Because of emptiness, marklessness, wishlessness, birthlessness, and the absence of any actor, there has been no liberation, there will be no liberation, and there is no liberation. Anyone who gains liberation by mounting this vehicle will emerge well, with no clinging. Therefore, they will not come together with any phenomena, nor will they not come together with them, and so there will be neither coming nor going. When liberation is attained through this vehicle and this path, it also involves no combining, and hence no coming or going. When liberation is attained with this great armor, this vehicle, and this path, there is no combining or not combining, and hence no coming or going, because these cannot be apprehended. Anantamati, this is how bodhisattva great beings proceed via this armor, vehicle, and path. Furthermore, when they proceed with this armor, vehicle, and path, they do not think, ‘I am this near to, or this far from, the qualities of ordinary beings, the qualities of hearers, the qualities of solitary buddhas, or the qualities of the buddhas.’ They do not think, ‘I am this near to, or this far from, the qualities of emptiness, marklessness, wishlessness, birthlessness, or the absence of action.’ They also do not think, ‘I am this near to, or this far from, the qualities of disenchantment,35 abandonment, cessation, [F.102.a] and so forth, up to great nirvāṇa.’ Anantamati, because no bodhisattva, hearer, solitary buddha, or being can weaken this great armor, vehicle, or path, they lead to unsurpassed, perfect, and complete awakening.
“Anantamati, because the blessed buddhas have attained the state that never moves from this armor, vehicle, and path, they have fully passed beyond suffering. Why is this? Because all phenomena are immovable, because the essential nature of phenomena and the characteristic of reality are without any discrepancy, because marks are pure, and because all is pure. There can be no analysis, further analysis, or comprehensive analysis conducted through marks. The marks of all phenomena and the essence of these marks cannot be analyzed, further analyzed, or comprehensively analyzed in terms of their nature. All phenomena are without nature and without marks. They cannot be illustrated, and they cannot be described. This is called the mark of the true nature of all phenomena.
“Anantamati, the true marks of this armor, this vehicle, and this path also, in similar fashion, cannot be illustrated or expressed. It is to cause beings to understand, and to increase their knowledge of all phenomena, that this armor, this vehicle, and this path are simply taught as mere designations. If now you wish to engage with and practice according to the true meaning of this armor, then you must not designate, illustrate, or express it as you practice according to the true meaning. [F.102.b] For those who practice according to the true meaning, there is not the slightest thing to engage with or follow. They do not follow what is untrue, but rather follow what is true. When following what is true, one does not follow sound, does not follow words, and does not follow speech. By not following these, one does not engage with them.
“In this regard, what is truth? It is the secret teaching. Therefore, once such secret teachings have been understood, they should be practiced with complete trust. Those who practice with complete trust do not conceptualize anything with respect to the truth, and they practice in accord with what is nonconceptual. Those who practice in accord with this do so by not practicing and not following. Why is this? There is not even the slightest thing to practice in such truths, nor is there even the slightest thing to follow or pursue. Because actions are abandoned, one does not follow anything. One does not practice anything that accords with awakening; nor does one practice anything that accords with saṃsāra. In fact, whether one is in accord with something or not, this is not proper mental engagement or correct mindfulness. Because thoughts are pure, thoughts should not be followed.
“Anantamati, you should practice in accord with this truth, and you should not have any other practices. If you practice in accord with something else, you will become lost in error, and so you will end up following after sounds, syllables, words, and speech, without ever abandoning such linguistic expressions. When you thoroughly comprehend sounds, transcend syllables and words, and attain realization of linguistic expressions, then you will not follow them, and you will not enter saṃsāra. [F.103.a] In order to practice this way and engage according to this truth, there is not the slightest thing to practice, because all practice has been pacified.
“Anantamati, when practicing the truth, do not practice the truth by engaging in practice. If you practice the truth by not practicing, then this is called neither coming nor turning back. To neither come nor turn back is to pursue unsurpassed and perfect awakening in accord with this armor, vehicle, and path, and thereby one will benefit others greatly. Anantamati, those who in this way teach the Dharma, follow the truth, and engage with it will accomplish the great resolve that is free from mental error and doubt. Those who have not yet gathered this armor, this vehicle, and this path will be able to gather them and thus swiftly proceed. Those who have not yet donned the armor will swiftly don it. Those who have not yet mounted this vehicle will swiftly mount it. Those who have not yet begun to abide on this path will swiftly abide on it. Anantamati, such beings will collect vast accumulations of merit. The blessed buddhas will protect them and consider them. Thus, they will not contradict the Dharma, and they will practice in accord with the Saṅgha. Anantamati, because you have collected immeasurable roots of virtue, you must gather beings in the future with this teaching, and bear a great burden on behalf of beings. The extent of the merit you will achieve thereby defies all description.”
“Anantamati, the armor donned by bodhisattva great beings is called the great conqueror. It is called the boundless conqueror. It is also called the great array. The vehicle that they mount is called the great captain. It is called the boundless light. It is also called the wondrous array. The path that they traverse is called the accumulation of the immeasurable array. It is on this path that all the virtuous sublime beings proceed to unsurpassed, perfect, and complete awakening.
“Moreover, Anantamati, long ago in the past—so immeasurably long ago that it was more than an uncountable and limitless number of eons ago—there appeared in the world a buddha named Cloud of Sandalwood Incense. He was a thus-gone one, a worthy one, a perfect buddha, learned and virtuous, a well-gone one, a knower of the world, an unsurpassed being, a charioteer who guides beings, [F.106.a] a teacher of gods and humans, a blessed buddha. The eon in which he appeared was called Flash of Lightning, and his realm was called Totally Illuminated. At that time, the ground in that realm was flat like the palm of one’s hand and lacking any forms of filth, gravel, pebbles, thorns, or logs. The sand scattered on the ground was made of gold and silver. Thus, this world delighted anyone who beheld it. It was encircled by four vast and wide continents, each of which was two hundred thousand leagues in dimension. In each continent there were forty-eight thousand cities that each measured ten leagues in width and twenty leagues in length. Their outer walls were high and fortified. Each city had eighty million denizens. The cities were each surrounded by ten thousand villages and adorned with a thousand parks in their peripheries. Also in this buddha field were many groves of trees with various flowers, fruits, scents, foliage, and tastes, and there were even vajra trees, all set with various adornments. There were lakes, ponds, springs, and waterfalls, and rivers with straight and beautiful banks. They were filled with water of the eight qualities and covered with blue, pink, red, and white lotuses39 that shone in bright colors.
“The lifespan of the Thus-Gone One Cloud of Sandalwood Incense was sixty-eight trillion years. His assembly of hearers was sixty trillion strong. The faces of the people at that time were beautiful and attractive. They were happy, [F.106.b] with little attachment, aggression, or ignorance, and were therefore easy to guide. With just a little encouragement and instruction, they were able to completely understand the nature and marks of all phenomena.
“Anantamati, at that time there was also a universal monarch named Sarvārthasiddha. He had the seven precious possessions, and he was the refuge for the four continents. On the Jambudvīpa continent, there was a city forty leagues square. It was filled with people who were happy and prosperous. Within the city, there was an area five leagues square where the ground had been covered with the seven precious substances. There were the finest palm trees, which had been covered with small bells and nets of pure gold. The king’s palace was composed completely of beryl, and it was a league in circumference. On each of its four sides were a thousand columns. Atop this palace were a thousand towers, high and imposing, all beautifully adorned with precious substances. In front, the palace was surrounded by a large moat filled with fragrant and pristine water. Around it were sixteen smaller pools constructed of the seven precious substances, which likewise emitted aromatic scents. From each pool, pure waters streamed, thus creating pleasing sounds that resembled the playing of many instruments. There were eight steps leading into each of the smaller pools, and thirty-two steps leading into the larger, fragrant moat. All the steps were composed entirely of gold. The precious trees were covered with garlands and jeweled nets. Since the scent of the finest incense permeated the entire city from these pools, they were called brilliant fragrance.
“Anantamati, that universal monarch had four queens, [F.107.a] whose names were Boundless Voice, Excellent Voice, Sublime Voice, and Voice Like the King of Swans. Each queen had two sons. Their names were Unerring Supremacy, Excellent Supremacy, Nāga Supremacy, Supreme Voice, Sublime Voice, Brahmā Voice, Supreme Cloud, and Cloud Voice. He also had a retinue of six hundred thousand concubines, who had ten thousand children.
“At that time, in the royal palace, that universal monarch was engaged in pleasurable pursuits with his retinue when, during their frolicking, he saw the exquisite form of the Thus-Gone One appearing in the sky. The Thus-Gone One addressed the king, ‘Your Majesty, you must don the unsurpassed armor and mount the unsurpassed vehicle to proceed toward unsurpassed and perfect awakening and dispense the medicine of insight to beings! Do not cling to the five sense pleasures of gods and humans. This great armor will gather unsurpassed happiness. This unsurpassed vehicle will lead many beings to the unsurpassed grove, from which no one will turn back. The myriad pleasures of gods and humans are impermanent. They are subject to destruction and change. Their power does not last long. They are subject to sudden cessation.’
“Anantamati, when the great king Sarvārthasiddha heard this message, he asked the Thus-Gone One, ‘Who is it that can reveal a great armor, which can be donned just like that great armor? Who is it that can reveal a Great Vehicle, which can be mounted just like that Great Vehicle? [F.107.b] Who is it that can reveal a great path, which proceeds just like that great path?’
“The Thus-Gone One then answered the great king, ‘Your Majesty, here is what you must know: there is a thus-gone one known as Cloud of Sandalwood Incense. Your Majesty, go before him. He will give you the Dharma teachings by which one dons the great armor, mounts the Great Vehicle, and pursues the great path.’ Upon proclaiming this, the Thus-Gone One disappeared.
“Anantamati, when the great king Sarvārthasiddha witnessed this, he was so amazed and astonished that all his hair stood on end. He then became fearful, such that he lost all interest in the myriad pleasures of humans and gods, and he became disenchanted with all conditioned things. Then, in order to obtain the great armor, the Great Vehicle, and the great path, he set out to meet the Thus-Gone One Cloud of Sandalwood Incense accompanied by his eight princes, four queens, his other children, his concubines, and his servants. Once he and his retinue had arrived, they respectfully touched their heads to the feet of that blessed one. When they had bowed to him, they tossed many hundreds of thousands of flowers made of the seven precious substances toward that thus-gone, worthy, and perfect buddha. Additionally, they brought along vast amounts of clothing, which they offered to that thus-gone one and his communities of hearers. Additionally, they served, honored, and venerated them with all manner of pleasing implements, enough to last for ten thousand years. [F.108.a] After this, he abdicated his throne and, along with his retinue, took ordination in the teachings of the Thus-Gone One Cloud of Sandalwood Incense.
“Anantamati, since the Thus-Gone One Cloud of Sandalwood Incense understood the utmost desires of the monk Sarvārthasiddha and his retinue, he taught them by revealing the armor array and the array of the Great Vehicle. They listened and gave rise to the resolute intention that for the sake of this profound Dharma, they would exhaust their lives sitting upright in contemplation, earnestly practicing without any movement, constantly relying on that thus-gone one, and thus attaining the resolve to remain unmoved by any worldly desires.
“Anantamati, that thus-gone one spoke to the monk Sarvārthasiddha, saying, ‘Noble child, have you now donned the great armor, mounted the Great Vehicle, and set out on the path? Due to this path, you will accomplish omniscient insight and unparalleled insight. You should cultivate it correctly by means of earnest diligence.’
“The monk Sarvārthasiddha then said to the Thus-Gone One Cloud of Sandalwood Incense, ‘Blessed One, now I do not truly see any phenomenon called armor. I do not truly see that there is anyone who dons armor. I do not see that there is a donning of armor that can be pursued, nor do I see any place upon which armor could be donned. Blessed One, at this moment I do not truly see any phenomenon called a vehicle. [F.108.b] I do not see that there is anyone who mounts a Great Vehicle. I do not see that there is a vehicle that can be pursued, nor do I see that there is any location where the Great Vehicle can be mounted. Blessed One, I do not truly see any phenomenon called a path. I do not see that there is anyone who has proceeded or currently proceeds on this path. I do not see that there is a path that can be pursued, nor do I see any location40 of the path. Blessed One, I do not see or apprehend that I am far from or near to unsurpassed, perfect, and complete awakening, or that it exists in the past, present, or future. When I look in this way, I do not truly see even the slightest phenomenon that can be relied upon or realized. If I do not realize any such thing, then why does the Blessed One ask me, “Have you donned the great armor, mounted the Great Vehicle, and set out on the path?” The Blessed One is omniscient and all-seeing. Therefore, it is only the Thus-Gone One who understands what people like me are supposed to accomplish concerning the Dharma. This is not within the domain of the hearers or the solitary buddhas.’
“Anantamati, when the monk Sarvārthasiddha said this to that thus-gone one, he and his entire retinue gained the bodhisattvas’ acceptance that phenomena are unborn. [F.109.a] Because they gained acceptance of phenomena, they all attained the irreversible state.
“The Thus-Gone One Cloud of Sandalwood Incense then proclaimed, ‘After five hundred countless eons, you will fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood.’ When they heard this prophecy, they were overjoyed and rose to the height of seven palm trees into the air. They praised that thus-gone one with the following verses:
“Anantamati, countless, immeasurable beings were ripened when the thus-gone, worthy, and perfect Buddha Cloud of Sandalwood Incense taught this Dharma. Following this, the monk Sarvārthasiddha and his retinue served and venerated countless, immeasurable blessed buddhas, such that after five hundred countless eons, he fully awakened to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, at which point his name became the Thus-Gone One King Who Transcends His Boundless Domain. The qualities of his buddha field, including its dimensions, were no different from the buddha field of the thus-gone, worthy, and perfect Buddha Cloud of Sandalwood Incense. His hearers were immeasurable in number. After five hundred countless eons, the king’s queens, princes, and retinue also fully awakened to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood.
“Anantamati, bodhisattva great beings don the great armor and mount the Great Vehicle. They take hold of the great Dharma lamp on this path. Thus, they shine the light of Dharma, radiate the brilliance of the Dharma, raise high the great Dharma banner, beat the great Dharma drum, and board the great ship of Dharma, proceeding upon it in order to gather the great Dharma. Frolicking in the play of sublime beings, they satisfy beings by showering down the rain of Dharma. [F.110.a] Thereby, they joyfully and diligently proceed toward unsurpassed, perfect, and complete awakening.
“Anantamati, when bodhisattva great beings abide on this path, they will attain the illumination of Dharma. Because of this illumination, they will be able to see that all phenomena are dependently originated, and that by nature they are primordially empty, markless, and unoriginated. They will not see form as form—and likewise with feeling, perception, formation, and consciousness. As they do not see consciousness as consciousness, they realize that consciousness arises due to extraneous conditions, and that consciousness has the mark of being by nature primordially empty, markless, and unoriginated—a simple assembly of many causes and conditions. Given that they see it as a collection of causes and conditions, they understand that these causes and conditions themselves are also empty, markless, and unoriginated. When they see in this fashion, they do not see the eye as being an eye—and likewise with the ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind. As they do not see the mind as mind, they realize that the mind arises due to extraneous conditions, and that the mind has the mark of being by nature primordially empty, markless, and unoriginated. Even so far as the earth element, the water element, the fire element, the wind element, the space element, the desire realm, the form realm, and the formless realm, they understand them to be devoid of any actor or any subjective experiencer. [F.110.b] They do not see even the slightest phenomenon as a phenomenon—phenomena arise from extraneous conditions due to a coming together of various causes and conditions, and are by nature markless and unoriginated. The nature of dependent origination is itself empty, markless, and unoriginated.
“Anantamati, this is how bodhisattvas who abide on this path examine dependent origination. By analyzing in this fashion, they use insight to directly realize the limit of the truth of dependent origination. With this illumination of all phenomena, they will swiftly perfect the ten powers of the thus-gone ones, the four fearlessnesses, the eighteen unique qualities of the buddhas, great love, great compassion, great joy, and great equanimity, up to and including all the qualities of buddhahood.”
The Blessed One then expressed this in verse:
“Furthermore, Anantamati, when bodhisattva great beings investigate all phenomena in this fashion, they shine the illumination of Dharma upon all phenomena, whereby they regard emptiness neither as emptiness nor as something other than emptiness. They do not consider even the slightest phenomenon as associated with emptiness or not associated with emptiness. They do not regard emptiness as empty of emptiness or not. They do not regard phenomena according to any view. When they regard things in this way, they regard the absence of marks neither as the absence of marks, nor as something other than the absence of marks. They do not consider even the slightest phenomenon as associated with either marks or marklessness. They do not see the absence of marks as an absence of marks. They do not see the existence of marks as the existence of marks. They do not form a view of the existence of marks, nor do they form a view of the absence of marks. The same is true for the absence of birth and the absence of action. As for exhaustion, they do not regard it as exhaustion, nor as something other than exhaustion. They do not consider even the slightest phenomenon as associated with exhaustion or not associated with exhaustion. They do not regard exhaustion as exhaustion. They do not regard exhaustion as an absence of exhaustion. They do not form a view of exhaustion, nor do they form a view of the absence of exhaustion. When bodhisattva great beings regard things in this way, they do not apprehend even the slightest phenomenon as observable, unobservable, demonstrable, indemonstrable, engageable, not engageable, understandable, or not understandable. Anantamati, this is what is referred to as the illumination of the great Dharma for bodhisattva great beings who abide on this path. [F.112.b] Because they have achieved the illumination of Dharma, they see all phenomena, without any limits whatsoever, and they do not cling to either center or edge. Because they are free from clinging, they proceed within the buddha qualities.”
The Blessed One then expressed this in verse:
At that time, within the assembly there was a bodhisattva great being named Noble Intellect. He rose from his seat, draped his shawl over one shoulder, and knelt on his right knee. With his palms together, he bowed toward the Blessed One and said, “Blessed One, it is when bodhisattva great beings undertake to practice out of their desire to gather the knowledge of all phenomena that they are able to obtain the great illumination of Dharma. Although there is not the slightest thing that can be perceived in this illumination of Dharma, due to the illumination of Dharma they understand all phenomena, whether conditioned, unconditioned, mundane, supramundane, concordant, discordant, elaborate, or unelaborate. Blessed One, how can the bodhisattva great beings obtain this illumination of Dharma without engaging in practice?” [F.113.b]
The Blessed One replied to the bodhisattva great being Noble Intellect, “Noble Intellect, bodhisattva great beings are without either the slightest form of practice or the most superior practice; they do not pursue practice, and they do not engage in pervasive practice, and thus they are able to obtain the boundless great illumination of Dharma. If bodhisattva great beings themselves cannot be apprehended or seen, there is no need to mention that no bodhisattva conduct can be apprehended or seen. How would it be possible to see the many eons of practice through which the boundless great illumination of Dharma is attained? Because bodhisattva great beings pacify all conduct and purify their conduct, they achieve the illumination of Dharma. The conduct of the illumination of Dharma is not a conduct that can be reckoned, nor is it a conduct that follows after marks. From where could any designation of all forms of conduct be made? Thus, that which is practiced is not a conduct that can be designated, nor is it free from designations. Noble Intellect, when bodhisattva great beings abide in this conduct, they abandon all forms of conduct, and thereby do not grasp at anything. Those who fully possess this conduct do not engage in conduct that can be reckoned, or conduct that follows after marks. It is with no marks and no conduct that they are able to obtain this great illumination of Dharma.”
The Blessed One then expressed this in verse:
The bodhisattva great being Noble Intellect then remarked to the Blessed One, “How wondrous, Blessed One! The various practices of sublime beings are extremely profound. They cannot be engaged in, even in the slightest, by those ordinary, childish beings who engage in conditioned practices that possess marks. Blessed One, no phenomenon at all can be included within this conduct. It is for this reason that this conduct is the sublime beings’ conduct of sameness. Blessed One, the conduct of sublime beings cannot be measured.”
At this point, the bodhisattva great being Noble Intellect praised the Thus-Gone One with the following verses:
The Blessed One responded to the bodhisattva great being Noble Intellect, “Noble Intellect, excellent! It is excellent that, during the final age in the future, you wish to don the great armor in order to protect and uphold this Dharma teaching. In doing so, you will become no different from all the bodhisattva great beings of the past, who, in superior locations, performed veneration and service, cultivated roots of virtue, practiced pure conduct for long periods, donned the great armor, and protected and upheld the Dharma of all the blessed buddhas.”
The Blessed One then expressed this in verse:
“This being so, Noble Intellect, those noble sons or daughters who earnestly seek the most exalted merit should, for the sake of the profound Dharma during the final age in the future, don the armor and then uphold this teaching, read it, recite it, and teach its meaning correctly to others.
“Moreover, Noble Intellect, I recall that at one time in the past, countless and incalculable eons ago, a buddha called All-Illuminating appeared in the world. He was a thus-gone one, a worthy one, a perfect buddha, learned and virtuous, a well-gone one, a knower of the world, an unsurpassed being, a charioteer who guides beings, a teacher of gods and humans, a blessed buddha. [F.116.b] The eon was called Surpassing Excellence, and the world was known as Immaculate. The earth was vast and beautiful, fashioned of the seven precious substances. At that time, the four continents were equal in size, each seventy thousand leagues square. There were sixty thousand cities on each continent, and the size of each city was sixty leagues square. Each city was surrounded by a perimeter fence, which was adorned with turrets. Their gateways were beautiful and lovely to behold. They were surrounded by a ring of the finest palm trees and adorned with many hundreds of thousands of parks. Platforms and seats were situated throughout the parks. They were filled with lakes, ponds, and waterfalls. The paths between them and the steps leading into them were set with various gems. The outlying areas were safe to traverse, and the surrounding moats were lined by rows of various fragrant trees such as sandalwood and tamāla. In each city lived a hundred billion people, all of whom were happy because they had perfected the ten virtuous courses of action.
“The eon was called Surpassing Excellence because the Thus-Gone One had appeared there for a period surpassing two hundred eons. Five hundred thus-gone ones appeared sequentially in that eon, and each of their fields was composed solely of the seven precious substances. After each of those buddhas passed into parinirvāṇa, the genuine Dharma remained in that world for ten thousand years each time. Each of the thus-gone ones that appeared in that world had many assemblies of hearers and bodhisattvas. Within each assembly, countless billions of bodhisattvas, [F.117.a] who had all entered the path of the single vehicle, achieved the acceptance that phenomena are unborn.
“During that eon, there was a universal monarch named Vīrasena, who had the seven precious possessions and ruled over the four continents. In Jambudvīpa at that time, there was a great city sixteen leagues in circumference, within which lived eight hundred billion people. They were happy, joyful, and wealthy, and had extensive resources. This great city was surrounded and adorned by seven rings of moats, seven types of trees aligned in rows, seven thoroughfares, seven flag-bearing towers, seven nets with bells, and one thousand parks, each of which was twenty leagues in size on each side. Each park had seven layers of fences and lattices, and they were beautified with various exquisite decorations and jewels. As such, they resembled the parks of the gods. Each park contained a hundred pools, whose embankments were made of beryl, with steps tiled with emerald and various gems. There were jeweled trees draped with hundreds of garlands of myriad flowers. Within the city was the royal palace, which measured seven leagues in circumference. It was constructed of pure gold and jewels. Its surface was adorned with jewels and draped with nets of beryl and wish-fulfilling gems. It was beautified by palm trees and surrounded by twenty pools. Its grounds were paved with pure gold and covered with gold latticework. Its bridges were studded with beryl and various gems. The paths and stairways were made solely of the finest gold. The pools were filled with blue, red, and white lotuses in bloom.
“This universal monarch had two thousand concubines and sixty thousand children. [F.117.b] One day, as the king was in one of his parks, frolicking and enjoying the five sense pleasures with his retinue, he thought to himself, ‘Sense pleasures are impermanent and quickly decay. Thus, I should surely search for the buddha qualities without any distraction. If I hear the Dharma and practice the teachings correctly, it will bring me lasting benefit and happiness.’ Immediately upon thinking this, a god suddenly appeared in the sky and addressed the king, saying, ‘Sir, this is excellent, excellent! At present, a thus-gone one called All-Illuminating has appeared in the world. He is teaching the Dharma that is virtuous in the beginning, middle, and end. Your Majesty, go swiftly before this thus-gone one and request the genuine Dharma. Thus, Your Majesty, you will receive lasting benefit and happiness. You will also actualize and perfect the buddha qualities.’
“The king heard what the god said and was overjoyed. So he went before the Thus-Gone One All-Illuminating, surrounded by his retinue and servants. There, he touched his head to his feet, prostrated, and said to that blessed one, ‘Blessed One, through what teaching can I gather skillful means concerning all phenomena and swiftly perfect pure conduct? I wish to engage in such practice.’
“When he had asked this question, that thus-gone one explained and taught extensively. Having heard these teachings, the king and his retinue abandoned all their enjoyments and luxuries, and they venerated and served that thus-gone one and his great assembly for twenty thousand years. They took ordination in the teachings of the Thus-Gone One All-Illuminating and practiced the genuine Dharma. [F.118.a] Due to hearing the Dharma, they were able to obtain the virtuous roots of taking up the Dharma, the virtuous roots of upholding the Dharma, and the virtuous roots of teaching the Dharma. Whatever teachings they had heard, they completely remembered without forgetting, and with immeasurable qualities they persevered diligently in cultivation, vowing that ‘We aspire to uphold the genuine Dharma teachings of the thus-gone ones of the three times, and to teach them variously to all beings.’
“Having made such an aspiration, they served and venerated every thus-gone one who appeared in the Surpassing Excellence eon, and they upheld the genuine Dharma teachings that those thus-gone ones taught in the beginning, middle, and end. Thus, they converted and ripened four hundred trillion beings and set them on course for unsurpassed, perfect, and complete awakening. They tamed countless beings with skillful means and established them in the vehicles of the hearers and solitary buddhas. The final buddha to appear in that eon was called Flash of Lightning. The monk Vīrasena heard the genuine Dharma from the Thus-Gone One Flash of Lightning and attained the acceptance that phenomena are unborn.
“The Thus-Gone One Flash of Lightning prophesied, ‘Vīrasena, in the future, you will serve and venerate countless thousands of blessed buddhas and uphold the genuine Dharma teachings that they give throughout the three times. You will benefit countless beings, establishing trillions of beings in unsurpassed and perfect awakening, [F.118.b] and countless beings in the vehicle of the hearers. After a countless eon, you will fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood and be called the Thus-Gone One Victorious King of the Qualities of Boundless Luminous Diligence. Your buddha field will manifest from the countless pure qualities that you will have accumulated. Therefore, it will be filled with people, who will be joyful and prosperous. You will have a large assembly of hearers and bodhisattvas. The lifespan of that thus-gone one will be five lesser eons. Following your parinirvāṇa, your genuine Dharma teachings will remain for one lesser eon,44 and they will be upheld by gods and humans. The stūpas containing your relics will be placed throughout the entire buddha field.’
“Therefore, Noble Intellect, bodhisattva great beings should respectfully uphold and cultivate such pure and profound teachings and adorn their bodies with the jewelry of the Dharma. If they are adorned with the Dharma, they will achieve the sturdy and powerful body of a thus-gone one, which is made of vajra. Even if all the beings in the great trichiliocosm were to fight with all their strength to destroy such an extremely sturdy body, they would be unsuccessful. Among all the worlds of gods, humans, and asuras, there will be none who can oppose or contradict their display of the illumination of Dharma. Any being who takes up, reads, recites, or diligently accomplishes this profound teaching will be able to take birth in the high caste of their choice, and so forth, all the way up to taking their seat beneath the tree of awakening. [F.119.a] At that point, they will even reach the level of buddhahood and obtain sublime renown. They will not associate with other paths and, since not even the names of brahmins or non-Buddhists will exist, what need we say about others with negative views and deviant pursuits? Since not even the words nonvirtuous phenomena will exist, how could anyone create roots of nonvirtue? From their fingers and toes, light will stream forth, illuminating immeasurable worlds. Every being whose body it touches will achieve happiness and actualize unsurpassed, perfect, and complete awakening.
“Therefore, Noble Intellect, those bodhisattva great beings who diligently practice my teachings will achieve such noble qualities. If I attempted to describe them completely, I would never reach the end of it.”
The Blessed One then said to the bodhisattva great being Anantamati, “Anantamati, those who abide on this bodhisattva path will practice this pure and profound teaching. Then, as they come to accord with emptiness and quiescence, they will attain the illumination of Dharma. Through the power of the illumination of Dharma, they will see the essence of all phenomena to be without difference. Because they have seen that the essence of phenomena is without difference, their view will be pure. Because their view is pure, they will not have views in terms of phenomena, nor will they have views that phenomena are without essential nature. Having purified views about phenomena, there will be no purity, no one who is purified, and no time of purification; and therefore, they will be able to attain the domain of pure wisdom. They will see that the realm of all phenomena is not a realm, nor is it a nonrealm. [F.119.b] Having purified the view of a realm, they will abandon notions of the various natures of different realms. Because they have abandoned notions of any nature, they will be able to realize the secret statements concerning the principle of realms, and will completely understand that various phenomena are not realms. Because in this way they see the realm of phenomena to be indivisible, indestructible, and unchanging, they will become skilled in the principle of the realm of all phenomena. Through such skill, they will be able to completely realize the principle of the realm of phenomena. Through the strength of absorption, they will be able to engage various aspects of the realm of phenomena. When observing such conduct, through their skill regarding all phenomena, they will not abide in or cling to any phenomenon. Because they are without clinging, they will give various teachings that accord with the principle of the realm of all phenomena. Through the power of absorption, they will be able to produce all the forms of concentration, liberation, absorption, and equipoise. They will sport in the supernatural powers, be able to change one into many and many into one, fly freely, and pass through mountains and walls without impediment. They will become skilled in understanding the combinations of the four elements, without abiding in the elements. They will realize that all elements combine with the space element, but will have no clinging or attachment to the element of space. Because they are knowledgeable and skilled in the combination of the elements, they will cultivate all the elements with skillful means. Having cultivated them, they will be able to completely resolve the water element, such that they could cause smoke to rise from the water element, or cause it to burst into flames, or cause smoke [F.120.a] and flames to blaze up within it. Through the process of displaying myriad such things, they will be of great benefit to beings. As they are stable in the skillful means of the principle of the realm of phenomena without any wavering, they will be capable of taking birth within any buddha field, according to their wishes. Thus, they have blocked birth into the womb in all their existences. Rather, assuming an emanated body, they will constantly behold all the thus-gone ones in all the worlds throughout the ten directions. They will know the unique features of those thus-gone ones and be able to identify their name, caste, retinue, and Dharma teachings.”
At that time, there was another bodhisattva great being within the assembly named Boundless Victor, who came forth and asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, in what sort of phenomenon must a bodhisattva great being abide in order to attain these supreme qualities of which the Blessed One has spoken?”
The Blessed One answered the bodhisattva great being Boundless Victor, saying, “A bodhisattva great being who does not abide in any phenomenon at all will attain these supreme qualities of which I have spoken. Boundless Victor, if bodhisattva great beings abide in form, feeling, perception, formation, or consciousness; or if they abide in the earth, water, fire, wind, or space elements; or if they abide in the desire, form, or formless realms, [F.120.b] then I do not declare that they will gain such qualities as are taught in this discourse. If bodhisattva great beings do not abide in any phenomenon, neither engaging with nor disengaging from it, I declare that they will attain a boundless ocean of such qualities. Why is this? Because for bodhisattva great beings there are no phenomena at all to apprehend or abide in. Thus, without any engagement with or disengagement from even the slightest phenomenon, they abide in the principle of phenomena without moving. Why is this? It is because, for bodhisattva great beings, there is no abiding and no movement. Since they do not move, for them there is neither high nor low. Because they are without high or low, they abandon the high and do not abide in the low. Because they do not abide, it is said that they dwell in the virtuous abode. Those who dwell in the virtuous abode abide nowhere whatsoever. Abiding nowhere whatsoever, they do not dwell in any abode. Bodhisattva great beings do not establish or accumulate any phenomena. For them there are no abodes, no abiding, no origination, and no action. Why is this? Abodes cannot be apprehended. With no abodes, there is no conceptualization. With no conceptualization, they abide in the realm of phenomena, the unmoving abode. With no abodes, there can be no abiding. Because they have no dwelling in or grasping toward abodes, this is called abiding excellently.
“Boundless Victor, regarding how bodhisattva great beings abide in the principle of phenomena, having determined non-abiding in this way, [F.121.a] they abide in the absence of abodes. Thereby they see all phenomena without conceptualization and abide in nonconceptual conduct. Through such conduct, they see all phenomena to be without movement, and so they are in accord with proper abiding, nonmoving, and nongrasping.”
The Blessed One then expressed this in verse:
Then the bodhisattva great being Anantamati said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, it is truly amazing how you are able to establish all the bodhisattva great beings in the principle of Dharma, in which there is no bondage and no liberation. Blessed One, for those bodhisattva great beings who have been skillfully established in the principle of Dharma, with regard to even the slightest phenomenon, they neither accord nor do not accord with it. They are neither involved nor uninvolved with it. They neither grasp nor do not grasp at it. They neither rely nor do not rely upon it. They neither crave nor abandon craving for it. They neither are angry nor abandon anger at it. Blessed One, even when others respectfully venerate bodhisattva great beings who are skilled in the principle of Dharma, they will not develop attached craving. If others slander or harm them, they will not develop aggression. Since they do not have a variety of notions, and because they have abandoned all views regarding phenomena, they do not apprehend any phenomenon as either associated with or dissociated from any other phenomenon. Thus, because they transcend association and dissociation, they abandon notions of association and dissociation, and they completely understand all notions of association and dissociation. As they transcend such understanding, they do not engage in associating with even the slightest phenomenon, whether advancing, retreating, proceeding somewhere, or proceeding nowhere. [F.122.b] Since they have no deluded ideas concerning the principle of all phenomena, and do not grasp anywhere, they employ skillful means so as not to contradict the nature of phenomena. Blessed One, when bodhisattva great beings observe all phenomena in this fashion, they skillfully reveal the principle of the realm of phenomena, and thus swiftly perfect all the buddha qualities.”
Then the Blessed One addressed the bodhisattva great being Anantamati, saying, “Anantamati, when bodhisattva great beings do not establish or abide in the buddha qualities, they see that in the buddha qualities there is no establishment and no place to abide, and they are also without superior abiding or pervasive abiding. Because they see the buddha qualities as abiding without movement, without entering into saṃsāra, and without changing, they abide in accordance with the realm of phenomena. Thus, they are said to be skilled in establishing the principle of the realm of phenomena. Anantamati, with regard to the buddha qualities, bodhisattva great beings do not abide or non-abide in them. They are without superior abiding or pervasive abiding, or abodes or non-abodes. They have no movement, no conceptualization, no superior conceptualization, and no pervasive conceptualization, and thus it is said that they skillfully establish the principle of the realm of all phenomena.
“Anantamati, [F.123.a] bodhisattva great beings do not see any phenomenon that can be established. Nor do they see any abode of all phenomena to supremely establish. They are without any conceptualization, superior conceptualization, or pervasive conceptualization, and thus they are said to be skilled in establishing the principle of the realm of all phenomena. Anantamati, bodhisattva great beings do not see any phenomenon to label as abiding or going. They are without any such conceptualization, superior conceptualization, or pervasive conceptualization. They see all phenomena as being pure like space, luminously apparent, and free from afflictions. Because they thus illuminate all phenomena, they are said to have attained the skill in the principle of the realm of all phenomena to observe the realm of phenomena without engaging in establishment. Why is this? Because they do not establish anything whatsoever concerning the realm of phenomena. For example, the elements of space and wind have no abodes; they cannot be seen and cannot be established anywhere. They are not supported anywhere and cannot be pointed out. Likewise, the realm of phenomena has no place of entry, no place that can be seen, no place that can be established, no place that can provide support, nothing that can be understood, and nothing that can be shown. Because bodhisattva great beings have nothing that can be described, they abide in accord with the realm of suchness.
“Anantamati, the realm of all phenomena is a realm that is without birth, without life-force, without aging, without death, without agitation, without dullness, and without description. Therefore, it is called the realm of phenomena. Because it is an unchanging realm, it is called the realm of phenomena. [F.123.b] The realm of phenomena pervades all abodes. Anantamati, in the realm of phenomena, there is no going and no destination. Lacking any destination, one is said to abide in accord with the realm of phenomena. There are no abodes in the suchness of the realm of phenomena, nor are there any non-abodes. Why is this? Because the suchness of the realm of phenomena and the nature of suchness are nonexistent.
“Anantamati, when bodhisattva great beings hear this teaching of mine, they will attain the boundless illumination of the great Dharma that sees the principle of the realm of all phenomena. With the illumination of Dharma, they will attain the acceptance that phenomena are unborn, and they will quickly be able to perfect the ten powers and eighteen unique qualities of a thus-gone one, along with all the buddha qualities. In order to ripen vast roots of virtue and distinctive accumulations for all beings, and in order to ensure the continuity of the lineage of the Thus-Gone One, they will swiftly proceed to the site of awakening, turn the wheel of Dharma, overpower the abodes of Māra, defeat contrarian teachers, roar the great lion’s roar of sublime beings, teach the sublime Dharma to all beings, correctly liberate them according to their hopes, aspirations, and intentions, and thus cause them all to proceed toward unsurpassed, perfect, and complete awakening.”
The Blessed One then expressed this in verse:
“Anantamati, when bodhisattva great beings diligently practice such a profound Dharma, they will attain such a great illumination of Dharma; and through that insight, they will proceed toward unsurpassed, perfect, and complete awakening. [B6]
“Moreover, Anantamati, I remember that two countless eons ago, a buddha called King of the Lunar Lamp appeared in the world. He was a thus-gone one, a worthy one, a perfect buddha, learned and virtuous, a well-gone one, a knower of the world, an unsurpassed being, a charioteer who guides beings, a teacher of gods and humans, a blessed buddha. The eon was called Ambrosia, and the world was called Purifying. [F.125.b] The field of that buddha was made of crystal, which constantly radiated light that illuminated the entire world. Any being who was touched by this light became beautiful and lovely in appearance, which is why the world was called Purifying. Apart from this, there were no other names for towns or villages. The intersections were wondrously decorated with golden ropes around the perimeters, and the distance between each intersection was half a league. Between all the roads were rows of eighty-four shining jeweled columns and palm trees. Additionally, there were four pools surrounded by embankments. The people there lived like gods, in mansions made of the seven precious substances, which were draped with nets, hung with silken tassels, and beautified with flowers. The beings of this world were tranquil and happy, having already perfected the path of the ten virtuous actions. They had gorgeous appearances and long lives, with minimal attachment, aggression, and ignorance. They were easy to awaken, and they broadly understood phenomena, with little need for skillful means. This thus-gone one’s lifespan reached a hundred billion years. After his parinirvāṇa, his genuine Dharma teachings remained in the world for ten million years. He taught his assembly the Dharma on ten occasions. In each assembly were twenty trillion hearers on the level of training. The assembly of bodhisattvas was countless, and all engaged in the single vehicle.
“Anantamati, the Thus-Gone One King of the Lunar Lamp’s precious tree of awakening was fifty leagues in circumference, and its height was a hundred leagues. Its roots were made of coral, its trunk of beryl, its branches of gold, and its leaves of emerald. [F.126.a] The site of his awakening was a hundred leagues square. Its base was surrounded by a fence and encircled by a ring of beautiful palm trees, which were draped and adorned with nets of golden bells and jewels. His seat of great awakening was three leagues in height, and upon it soft and fine cushions were laid. It was draped beautifully with hundreds of thousands of the finest fabrics and lined around the perimeter with a row of twenty hanging banners.
“At the time when the Thus-Gone One King of the Lunar Lamp sat on this seat and fully awakened to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, that world was devoid of the three lower realms, and even the words three lower realms did not exist. There were no unfree states, and even the words unfree states did not exist. The Thus-Gone One King of the Lunar Lamp continuously displayed emanated bodies in all the worlds, and thus turned the wheel of Dharma.
“Anantamati, the Thus-Gone One King of the Lunar Lamp was attended by two bodhisattvas. One was named Cloud Voice. The other was named Boundless Voice. The two bodhisattvas asked that thus-gone one, ‘Blessed One, how do bodhisattva great beings attain the skillful means of establishing the principle of all phenomena?’
“At that moment, that thus-gone one wished to cause all the bodhisattva great beings to obtain the skillful means of establishing the principle of all phenomena, so he extensively explained these teachings to the two bodhisattvas. When the bodhisattva great beings heard this teaching, they achieved the skillful means of establishing the principle of all phenomena. [F.126.b] For twenty thousand years following this, the two bodhisattvas did not sleep; they had no thoughts of desire, anger, or ill will; they had no thoughts of food or rest; they had no conditions of illness, and no thoughts of seeking medicine and so on; and they took no delight in worldly spectacles, chatter, or amusements. Instead, they listened one-pointedly to the teachings of that thus-gone one and, without rising from their seats, they attained the acceptance that phenomena are unborn.
“That thus-gone one then asked, ‘Noble sons, this is the way to skillfully establish the principle of all phenomena. Is this what you now seek?’
“The two bodhisattvas responded, ‘Blessed One, we do not see that there exists even the phrase skillfully establishing the principle of all phenomena, nor do we see that there exists a Dharma teaching on skillfully establishing the principle of all phenomena, much less the actual skillful establishment of the principle of all phenomena. Blessed One, we also do not apprehend any phenomenon, nor do we apprehend the establishment of any phenomenon, as there is no abiding or non-abiding within all phenomena. Blessed One, as we see it, it would have been better to ask, ‘This is the way to skillfully establish the principle of all phenomena. Do you seek it, or do you not seek it?’ Blessed One, we do not see anyone who seeks such skillful means for establishing the principle of all phenomena. We also do not see anyone who skillfully establishes the principle of phenomena or the principle of all phenomena, whether internally, externally, or in between. [F.127.a] We also do not see any principle of phenomena, or of all phenomena, that can be skillfully established, whether internally, externally, or in between. Blessed One, we do not even in the slightest see any skillful establishment of a principle of phenomena whether internal, external, or in between, that could be pursued or relied upon. Blessed One, if there are no phenomena that can be pursued or relied upon, how could we establish them? Blessed One, we do not see any basis for establishment, whether in the past, present, or future. Blessed One, if there is not any basis for establishment, where could we establish anything? Blessed One, since nothing is established, one accords with neither abiding nor non-abiding, and thus one accords with the unceasing and unborn. Blessed One, given that we do not see our minds, intellects, or consciousnesses to be born or to cease from anything, by anything, in any place, or at any time, how can there be talk of skillfully establishing the principle of all phenomena with the mind, intellect, or consciousness?’
“Anantamati, when these two bodhisattvas said this in the presence of that thus-gone one, one thousand bodhisattvas gained the acceptance that phenomena are unborn. [F.127.b] Ten billion bodhisattvas developed the mind directed toward unsurpassed, perfect, and complete awakening.
“Then the Thus-Gone One King of the Lunar Lamp said, ‘Noble sons, by abiding nowhere, due to the absence of abiding, you abide in the skillful establishment of the principle of all phenomena. Noble sons, all phenomena are just like this. Because the Thus-Gone One conforms with the conventional ways of the world, he displays himself fully realizing unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood. If the Thus-Gone One did not conform with the conventional ways of the world, he would not make a display of fully awakening to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood. Noble sons, phenomena have no abode, yet they are not without any abode. All terms such as abiding and non-abiding follow worldly customs. However, in worldly customs there are no phenomena that can be born or understood. Therefore, noble sons, you should be even more diligent in swiftly attaining freedom from all phenomena.’
“When the two bodhisattvas heard this from that thus-gone one, they rose up into the sky and praised that thus-gone one with the following verses:
“Anantamati, once the two bodhisattvas spoke these verses of praise, they circumambulated the Thus-Gone One King of the Lunar Lamp three times to the right, tossing divine flowers and sandalwood powder toward that thus-gone one. That thus-gone one then prophesied, ‘After twenty thousand eons, you will fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood.’ The two bodhisattvas were overjoyed upon hearing that thus-gone one’s prophecy. They directed their minds one-pointedly toward that thus-gone one and entered into states of concentration whereby they achieved mastery over the play of miracles, such as appearing and disappearing freely, and emitting smoke, flames, and light. Moreover, they revealed the genuine Dharma and taught it to beings, [F.128.b] such that two hundred forty million gods and humans began pursuing unsurpassed, perfect, and complete awakening. The two bodhisattvas diligently practiced pure conduct for the rest of their lives, and they maintained and upheld the genuine Dharma taught during the period of that thus-gone one’s teaching and in the final period of the genuine Dharma. Moreover, during that period they pursued unsurpassed and perfect awakening until they had guided forty million beings. The two bodhisattvas successively served and venerated thousands of buddhas, upholding every absorption and genuine Dharma of those thus-gone ones without exception. After twenty thousand eons, they encountered the turning of the wheel of Dharma by the Thus-Gone One Ratnaketu, whereupon they guided immeasurable beings and ripened them, setting them on the path to pursue unsurpassed, perfect, and complete awakening.
“The Thus-Gone One Ratnaketu’s buddha field was extraordinarily pure. Not even the name of hearers was known; thus, it was filled exclusively with bodhisattvas held back by a single birth. When the Thus-Gone One Ratnaketu was passing into parinirvāṇa, he prophesied, ‘After I pass into parinirvāṇa, the bodhisattva Cloud Voice will fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood. He will be known as the Thus-Gone One King of the Solar Lamp. His buddha field will be completely adorned, a gathering of immeasurable, boundless qualities. It will be filled with abundant assemblies of bodhisattvas and hearers. After the Thus-Gone One King of the Solar Lamp passes into parinirvāṇa, [F.129.a] the bodhisattva Boundless Voice will fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood.’
“Anantamati, because in this Dharma teaching there is nothing to be apprehended or expressed, it is indescribable, unborn, and unceasing. Thus, bodhisattva great beings should practice it correctly with diligence. If there are bodhisattvas who abide in the skillful means of establishing the principle of all phenomena, then through the absence of anything to be apprehended, they will obtain the acceptance that phenomena are unborn. Therefore, they will perfect the buddha qualities, become adorned with limitless qualities, and proceed toward unsurpassed, perfect, and complete awakening. Anantamati, I have never taught the bodhisattva great beings that, apart from this Dharma, there exists any other Dharma by which they can swiftly accomplish omniscient insight. Should anyone diligently practice this unborn, unceasing, and profound teaching of emptiness, they will swiftly attain skill in the principle of the realm of phenomena of bodhisattvas, as well as dhāraṇī, abundant eloquence, and unsurpassed skill in gathering and transforming beings. They will be praised by the blessed ones and adorned with the ornaments of Dharma. They will practice perfect generosity, pure discipline, pure patience, unsurpassed diligence, nonobjective concentration, and great insight, and so they will proceed toward unsurpassed, perfect, and complete awakening. They will become the greatest of the great and swiftly gain the name Omniscient One. Coming to sit at the site of awakening, they will be requested to turn the wheel of Dharma by the Four Great Kings [F.129.b] bearing parasols, whereupon they will bring great insight to gods and humans, and set them on the path to unsurpassed, perfect, and complete awakening.
“Moreover, Anantamati, those bodhisattva great beings who diligently practice the absorption of the oceanic seal of all phenomena will see all phenomena as equivalent to the realm of phenomena. When they see in this way, they will diligently practice without seeing all phenomena as the realm of phenomena, and without seeing the realm of phenomena as phenomena. With skill in seeing all phenomena as compounds of various elements, they have no grasping toward, and are unmoved by, phenomena as compounds of various elements; nor do they grasp at or conceptualize this skill in seeing all phenomena as compounds of various elements. Within the compounding of a single phenomenon, they can see the compounding of all phenomena. Within the compounding of all phenomena, they can see the compounding of a single phenomenon. Yet they do not approach the compounding of all phenomena as the compounding of a single phenomenon, nor do they approach the compounding of a single phenomenon as the compounding of all phenomena.
“Because they fully understand a single phenomenon, they will also fully understand all phenomena; because they understand all phenomena, they will also understand the abodes of each individual phenomenon that can be cognized. However, they do not approach individual phenomena through multiple phenomena. By fully understanding the compounding of the appropriated aggregates, they will not cling to the essential characteristics of the various appropriated aggregates as being either conditioned or unconditioned. When bodhisattva great beings practice in this way, they will fully understand those phenomena that arise from the compounding of many causes and conditions and that are created from the compounding of many causes and conditions. [F.130.a] They will also fully understand and be free from grasping toward phenomena compounded from causes and conditions that arise in accord with various diverse natures. As they accordingly understand the characteristics by which all phenomena are designated, they will also be able to understand them, whether through marks or their lack of marks. They understand the divisions of the elements, as well as the divisions of the essential marks of the various elements. They understand how to identify causes, and they do not utilize afflictive states to approach or pursue the various phenomena that arise via dependent origination. They understand how supramundane and mundane phenomena are not mutually contradictory. They also understand all supramundane and mundane phenomena, as well as the seal of worldly marks. Through a single Dharma gateway, they will master all Dharma gateways; and through many Dharma gateways, they will master a single Dharma gateway. They will not approach a single Dharma gateway through all Dharma gateways, nor will they approach all Dharma gateways through a single Dharma gateway. In this manner, they will be able to purify all Dharma gateways.
“Anantamati, those bodhisattva great beings who diligently practice this teaching will understand the single taste of the nature of all phenomena through a single instruction that teaches a single statement related to the single principle. Thereby, they will undeniably, and in the correct manner, have no contention regarding any phenomenon and so they will proceed to complete disengagement. Not engaging in contradiction, they will be able to extol this Dharma and teach it correctly within a large assembly. As they diligently practice the teachings, they will achieve the absorption of the oceanic seal of all phenomena. By practicing thus, [F.130.b] whether there is dispute or not, they will pacify everyone, and abide correctly. Accordingly, they will eliminate all pride and carelessness. They will flawlessly retain definitive explanations. They will understand various names and words. They will diligently and skillfully practice the principle of the realm of phenomena. They will contemplate the various Dharma gateways from a state of perfect tranquility. By knowing how certain phenomena accord with, or do not accord with, other phenomena, they will be able to employ skillful means to definitively ascertain the truth and dwell in pure thought.
“Anantamati, those bodhisattva great beings who thus abide in this Dharma gateway will obtain the absorption of the oceanic seal of all phenomena with little practice. Then, due to the immeasurable absorption of the oceanic seal of all phenomena, they will proceed to unsurpassed, perfect, and complete awakening.”
The Blessed One then expressed this in verse:
“Moreover, Anantamati, if bodhisattva great beings diligently practice this Dharma, they will also gather the qualities of absorption. Thus, listen well, listen well! Bear what I say in mind, and I will explain it to you.”
“Blessed One, I will listen as you have asked.”
The Blessed One then said to the bodhisattva great being Anantamati, “Anantamati, there is a teaching called the illumination of Dharma for all the bodhisattva great beings, with which they are capable of developing skill in the principle of all phenomena. They are also capable of actualizing the seal of all phenomena, and of entering the gateway of the seal of all phenomena. They will be able to understand and engage in all that need be done regarding all phenomena. They will be able to obtain and explain the illumination of Dharma; and with this illumination of Dharma, they will accordingly be able to penetrate all statements concerning the Dharma.
“What is meant by the illumination of Dharma that can engender the illumination of skillful means? [F.132.b] It means to be able to fully understand the gateways of the different terms used in teaching, the gateways of the secret teachings, the gateways of the different names for things, the gateways of gathering things, and the gateways of the various distinctions. How will obtaining an understanding of these produce the gateway of absorption, the gateway of the principle of the realm of all phenomena, and an engagement with the single truth by which one is able to fully understand the illumination of all phenomena?
“Anantamati, whether bodhisattva great beings are currently practicing, will practice, are currently pursuing, or will pursue this skill in the profound principle of phenomena, when they hear this Dharma teaching, with just a little effort they will obtain the great illumination and enter myriad Dharma gateways, and from these Dharma gateways they will again produce further illumination. With this illumination, they will be able to engage with and practice any Dharma gateway or practice, according to the principles. With the power of absorption, they will contemplate the various Dharma gateways, and with the insight that is produced by the gateway of absorption, they will be able to fully understand the principle of truth. Due to the power of absorption, the contemplation of the Dharma gateways, and the production of insight, they will fully understand the realm of phenomena through the gateway of absorption. Abiding in skillful means, they will be able to produce the illumination of all phenomena and attain the absorption of the oceanic seal of all phenomena.
“Anantamati, what are these so-called Dharma gateways? For instance, by the sealing of all phenomena with the seal of the syllable a, all formations created from ignorance [Skt. avidyā] are perfected. With the syllable a [F.133.a] at their head, ignorance is pacified, and there is no activity. Therefore, bodhisattva great beings accordingly enter the gateway of the seal of marklessness. By the sealing of all phenomena with the seal of the syllable i, the fruits of different karmic ripening, that which is caused by the function of action, and the combination of actions and their fruit are understood. In this way, bodhisattva great beings accordingly enter the gateway of the seal of no actions, no results, no combining, and no conditions. In this fashion, by the sealing of all phenomena with the seal of formation, bodhisattva great beings produce the illumination of Dharma insight from different forms of karmic actions and functions. Therefore, they accordingly enter the gateway of the seal of skill in all formation. By the sealing of all phenomena with the seal of the syllable nā and supplementing with the syllable ma, one causes nominal designations [Skt. nāma] to accord with various phenomena. Because they understand how nā and ma support each other, bodhisattva great beings accordingly enter the gateway of the seal of no joining, no supporting, and no names. By the sealing of all phenomena with the seal of boundlessness, they apprehend no distinctions between them.48 Because they are free from conceptualization, bodhisattva great beings accordingly enter the gateway of the seal of nonconceptualization. [F.133.b] By the sealing of all phenomena with the seal of limitlessness, limits do not form. Because they have eliminated limits, bodhisattva great beings accordingly enter the gateway of the seal of nondiscursiveness, nonanalysis, and nonexpression. By the sealing of all phenomena with the seal of the absence of various diverse natures, the characteristic of being produced from a single nature dispels the notion of various different natures. Therefore, bodhisattvas accordingly enter the gateway of the seal of various different natures. By the sealing of all phenomena with the seal of compounding that results from desire, all manifest conditioned formations are brought to finality. Thus abiding in uncompounded quiescence free from desire, bodhisattva great beings accordingly enter into the gateway of the seal of the knowledge of the exhaustion of desire that perceives the absence of compounding.49 Anantamati, these are the gateways of the seals by which bodhisattva great beings seal all phenomena. Through these seal-gateways, they accordingly engage with all phenomena.
“Anantamati, there are also the gateways of nonobstruction and noncompounding, which bodhisattva great beings should realize and enter. What are the gateways of nonobstruction and noncompounding? By the sealing of all phenomena with the seal of space, bodhisattva great beings accordingly enter the gateway of the seal of nonattachment. By the sealing of all phenomena with the seal of disengagement, [F.134.a] bodhisattva great beings accordingly enter the gateway of the seal of nonduality. by the sealing of all phenomena with the seal of quiescence, bodhisattva great beings accordingly enter the gateway of the seal of pacification. By the sealing of all phenomena with the seal of the absence of gateways, bodhisattva great beings accordingly enter the gateway of the seal of immobility. By the sealing of all phenomena with the seal of the absence of abodes, bodhisattva great beings accordingly enter the gateway of the seal of noncontamination. By the sealing of all phenomena with the seal of the empty nature, bodhisattva great beings accordingly enter the gateway of the seal of nonapprehension. By the sealing of all phenomena with the seal of marklessness, bodhisattva great beings accordingly enter the gateway of the seal of the expert practice of skillful means. By the sealing of all phenomena with the seal of wishlessness, bodhisattva great beings accordingly enter the gateway of the seal of the illumination of the excellent wish for tranquility. By the sealing of all phenomena with the seal of the absence of craving, bodhisattva great beings accordingly enter the gateway of the seal of the thorough comprehension of the nature of concepts. By the sealing of all phenomena with the seal of the absence of birth, bodhisattva great beings accordingly enter the gateway of the seal of producing correct understanding and seeing the absence of birth. By the sealing of all phenomena with the seal of tranquility, bodhisattva great beings accordingly enter the gateway of the seal of abandoning the aggregates. [F.134.b] By the sealing of all phenomena with the seal of the characteristic of exhaustion, bodhisattva great beings accordingly enter the gateway of the seal of the exhaustion of births. By the sealing of all phenomena with the seal of the realm of phenomena, bodhisattva great beings accordingly enter the gateway of the seal of skill in manifesting the realm of phenomena. By the sealing of all phenomena with the seal of the absence of thought, bodhisattva great beings accordingly enter the gateway of the seal of the equanimity of the actual lack of concepts. By the sealing of all phenomena with the seal of freedom from essential natures, bodhisattva great beings accordingly enter the gateway of the seal of pervasive knowledge of all natures. By the sealing of all phenomena with the seal of nirvāṇa, bodhisattva great beings accordingly enter the gateway of the seal of the cessation that follows genuine tranquility.
“Anantamati, for the bodhisattva great beings, these are the gateway of being unobstructed by any phenomena, the gateway of noncombination, the gateway of transcending all views of nihilism and permanence, the gateway of the absence of boundaries and limits, and the gateway of past and future limits. Through weariness, cessation, tranquility, and coolness, bodhisattva great beings should study and enter this gateway of the seal of all phenomena. By practicing well these various Dharma gateways, they will obtain the absorption of the oceanic seal of all phenomena. When they accord with this absorption in actuality, they will be able to wield the knowledge of skillful means with regard to all phenomena. [F.135.a] Therefore, bodhisattva great beings should practice well this seal-gateway and, observing all phenomena while abiding in the absorption of the oceanic seal of all phenomena, they will be able to produce the immeasurable, boundless illumination of the great Dharma.
“Anantamati, to draw an analogy, because the water in the great ocean is immeasurable, nobody can fathom its limits. Likewise, because phenomena are immeasurable, nobody can ultimately fathom their limits. To draw another analogy, all rivers flow to and enter the ocean. Likewise, because all phenomena enter the seal of phenomena, it is called the oceanic seal. As all phenomena are sealed by and included within the oceanic seal of phenomena, all phenomena within this seal can be seen as equivalent to the seal of phenomena itself. To draw another analogy, it is like the great nāgas and the various assemblies of nāgas who, with their great bodies, are able to possess the great ocean, enter the great ocean, and make the great ocean their abode. Bodhisattva great beings are also like this—as they engage in practicing well their various activities over countless thousands of eons, they are able to enter the seal-gateway of this absorption and make this seal-gateway their abode. They accomplish this gateway of the seal of phenomena in order to realize the buddha qualities and skillfully perfect omniscience. When bodhisattva great beings earnestly practice and study this Dharma gateway, they practice and study all Dharma gateways. Because they see all Dharma gateways within this gateway, they can arouse the illumination of all phenomena and enter the ocean of all phenomena. Therefore, this Dharma teaching is called the absorption of the oceanic seal of all phenomena. To draw another analogy, just as the great ocean is the place where precious gems amass, so too this absorption is the place where all dharmas and skill in dharmas are amassed. [F.135.b]
“Anantamati, anyone who has sought, is seeking, or will seek this absorption, in order to attain the unsurpassed knowing and seeing of the Buddha, will seek the perfected insight of the ocean of all phenomena. Thus, for this purpose, I am entrusting this Dharma seal to you. During the final five hundred years of the final period, when the genuine Dharma is disappearing, you must seal beings with this Dharma seal. Those who are sealed with it will become irreversible from unsurpassed and perfect awakening and will perfect the buddha qualities. Therefore, they will swiftly head to the site of awakening, turn the unsurpassed wheel of Dharma, perpetuate the Buddha’s lineage, reach and abide on the level of omniscience, pass into unsurpassed great parinirvāṇa, and ensure that gods and humans, too, uphold the genuine Dharma. Anantamati, any bodhisattva great beings who wish to realize such extraordinary and noble qualities must joyfully exert themselves in this profound Dharma and be attentive.
“Moreover, Anantamati, I recall that at a time in the past, even longer ago and more countless than a countless eon ago, the blessed Buddha King Who Transcends the Light of Mount Meru appeared in the world. He was a thus-gone one, a worthy one, a perfect buddha, learned and virtuous, a well-gone one, a knower of the world, an unsurpassed being, a charioteer who guides beings, a teacher of gods and humans, a blessed buddha. [F.136.a] The eon was called Virtuous Abiding, and the world was called Delighting the Mind. The beings of that eon had unlimited lifespans. They were happy and prosperous and abided virtuously, and thus the eon was called Virtuous Abiding. The buddha field was wide, expansive, and very beautiful. Thus, anyone who saw it was pleased and delighted. It was replete with the scent of incense. Thus, the world was called Delighting the Mind.
“At that time, three of the four continents were alike in size: each was eighty thousand leagues square. There were twenty thousand cities on each continent, and the size of each city was ten leagues square. Jambudvīpa alone was ten million leagues across. It had eighty thousand cities, each of which was twenty leagues square in size. They were surrounded by walls with flag-bearing towers and adorned with trees that produced various garments, trees that produced various tastes, a variety of flowering trees, and jeweled palm trees. The land was happy and full of people. The largest city, the capital, was a hundred leagues in circumference and surrounded by twenty thousand parks. The parks contained clear pools that flowed everywhere and irrigated flower bushes and sweet fruits, all in full bloom. They were pervaded with the scent of fine incense, which delighted all who smelled it, and rang with the elegant sounds of harmonious birdsong. At that time, that blessed one dwelled in one of those parks, teaching his assemblies the Dharma.
“Anantamati, the lifespan of King Who Transcends the Light of Mount Meru [F.136.b] reached ten lesser eons. After his parinirvāṇa, his genuine Dharma teachings remained in the world for a lesser eon. That thus-gone one taught his gathered assembly the Dharma on four occasions. In each gathering of the assembly, five billion hearers on the level of training were present. His assembly of worthy ones and bodhisattvas numbered fifty billion. At that time, that thus-gone one had as followers two bodhisattvas, one of whom was named Vīrasena, and the other, Heroic Strength. Both bodhisattvas possessed miraculous powers and had gained the acceptance that phenomena are unborn. They addressed that blessed one, asking, ‘Blessed One, through what sort of Dharma teaching does one accomplish the bodhisattva great beings’ absorption of the oceanic seal of all phenomena?’
“That thus-gone one then gave extensive explanations of this phrase. As he taught this, ten thousand bodhisattvas gained the acceptance that phenomena are unborn. The two bodhisattvas realized the absorption of the oceanic seal of all phenomena, in addition to realizing all the absorptions of bodhisattvas. Because they realized the absorption of the oceanic seal of phenomena and the bodhisattva absorptions, they displayed miracles throughout all buddha fields, sent forth a great light, resounded the extraordinary voice of Brahmā, taught the genuine Dharma to beings, [F.137.a] and were able to ripen eighty million beings, so that they set out for unsurpassed, complete awakening.
“That thus-gone one then prophesied, ‘After one hundred eons, you will fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood. In each of those one hundred eons, you will venerate and serve five hundred thus-gone ones. Retaining all the teachings spoken by them in the middle and end without exception, you will bring great benefit to beings. In each eon, your minds will be focused and without distraction. In each birthplace, you will take a miraculous birth. In no life will you fall out of absorption. You will liberate sentient beings with your supernatural transformations and Dharma teachings. After one hundred eons, you will again encounter a thus-gone one called Boundless Qualities, whom you will venerate and serve, and you will be supremely capable of sporting in immeasurable absorptions, supernatural transformations, and liberations.
“ ‘When you two bodhisattvas meet that thus-gone one, one of you will be named Aśoka, and the other, Supratiṣṭha. Following that thus-gone one, you will turn the wheel of Dharma, guiding a countless and immeasurable number of beings, and you establish them in the three vehicles. At that time, that thus-gone one will prophesy, “After I enter parinirvāṇa, Aśoka will fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, whereupon he will be called the Thus-Gone One Boundless Eloquence. After this thus-gone one enters parinirvāṇa, [F.137.b] Supratiṣṭha will fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, whereupon he will be called the Thus-Gone One Extraordinary Light. The lifespans of each of these thus-gone ones will reach an eon. Their buddha fields will be formed from the immeasurable qualities they have accumulated.” Having received your prophecies from that thus-gone one, you two bodhisattvas will sequentially fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood.’
“Anantamati, if bodhisattva great beings wish to undertake the absorption of the oceanic seal of all phenomena, they should arouse enthusiasm and great diligence, and practice it vigilantly, without concern for life or limb.”
At that time, there was another bodhisattva great being within the assembly named True Intellect. He rose from his seat and said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, it is truly wonderful that you have taught this absorption of the oceanic seal of all phenomena, so that bodhisattva great beings can gain skill in the knowledge of all phenomena and obtain the omniscience of the thus-gone ones! Blessed One, should one attain the absorption of the oceanic seal of phenomena, one will surely also attain skill in the principle of phenomena and swiftly travel to the site of awakening. Through such a boundless ocean of qualities, one will proceed to unsurpassed, perfect, and complete awakening, constantly behold the buddhas, and diligently practice the Dharma. With conduct appropriate to the Saṅgha, one will exceed the utmost veneration of the thus-gone ones and transcend the level of the hearers and solitary buddhas.” [F.138.a]
The Blessed One then replied to the bodhisattva great being True Intellect, “That is correct. That is how it is. As you have said, True Intellect, when bodhisattva great beings attain the absorption of the oceanic seal of all phenomena, they will attain immeasurable extraordinary qualities. When they abide in the absorption of the oceanic seal of phenomena, they can use their skill in the absorption of the oceanic seal of phenomena to definitively proceed toward unsurpassed, perfect, and complete awakening. True Intellect, to draw an analogy, Mount Meru is made from a variety of jewels; and emerging from the great ocean to stand eighty-four thousand leagues tall, it abides majestically and shines with the most brilliant light. Bodhisattva great beings are also like this—having set out well by means of this absorption, they emerge from the ocean of the storehouse of all phenomena, outshine the entire world of gods and humans, and abide peerlessly, shining with the most brilliant light. Again, just as the full moon is surrounded by stars, so too do bodhisattva great beings stand out amidst all the large worldly assemblies of humans and gods.
“True Intellect, do you see who it is that is not delighted with these teachings, and becomes negligent instead of arousing diligence? It is only those inferior beings with little merit. Any being who has great insight [F.138.b] will be able to accomplish this vast teaching. This vast teaching is replete with all the qualities that sublime beings must gather. As I have taught, those who can gather this vast wealth of Dharma will be guarded by gods and humans, and cared for by the buddhas and bodhisattva great beings of the ten directions.”
Then the Blessed One said to the bodhisattva great being Anantamati, “Anantamati, those bodhisattva great beings who earnestly practice and train in this Dharma teaching will greatly benefit others, sever all doubts, release all ties, discard all habitual tendencies, sever all latent tendencies, transcend all desirous craving, cross the ocean of all realms of existence, dispel all darkness, eliminate all fear and anxiety, and swiftly understand the minds of all beings with skillful means.”
Once the Blessed One had said this, he emitted a great light that illuminated countless worlds and eclipsed all the light of the sun and moon. After emitting this light, he again addressed the bodhisattva great being Anantamati, “Anantamati, those bodhisattva great beings who earnestly accomplish this absorption of the oceanic seal will display great miracles and emit great light just like this, and will properly deliver this Dharma teaching by roaring the great lion’s roar. [F.139.a] In this way, they will transcend the three realms and produce great illumination. It will be no different from what I have done today.”
Then the bodhisattva great being Anantamati supplicated the Blessed One, saying, “Blessed One, may the Thus-Gone One please bless this Dharma teaching, so that in latter times, merely hearing the name of this Dharma teaching will be sufficient for beings to achieve boundless qualities.”
The Blessed One then emitted a great flash of light to bless this Dharma teaching. Additionally, with a single finger he stirred all the worlds of the great trichiliocosm, whereby beings achieved great bliss. At that moment, all the gathered assemblies of gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas tossed sublime, divine flowers and fine garments and played their divine instruments at the same time. Countless gods holding divine garments shook them by their edges, so that their fanning and fluttering filled the sky. With one voice they declared, “Amazing, amazing! The domain of the buddhas is inconceivable. Know that anyone who retains this profound teaching is worthy of respectful veneration and honor by all beings.”
The Blessed One then said to the bodhisattva great being Anantamati, “Anantamati, in the future, beings who have little merit will not hear about this array of armor and this array of absorptions. However, in the future, beings who are skillful and have gathered great accumulations will hear this teaching. [F.139.b] Those who earnestly practice this teaching will be accepted by the blessed buddhas of the three times. Anantamati, for future times, when great terrors emerge, I entrust this Dharma teaching of mine to all of you. You have now attained the abundant qualities and boundless happiness that I attained by amassing the unsurpassed treasury of Dharma over countless billions of eons. You have now abandoned all the aggregates of suffering. With a boundless ocean of qualities, you will swiftly proceed toward unsurpassed, perfect, and complete awakening.”
Then the bodhisattva great being Anantamati prostrated at the Blessed One’s feet, together with five hundred bodhisattva great beings and all the householders headed by the merchant Bhadrapāla, and said, “Blessed One, we will uphold the Thus-Gone One’s Dharma of great awakening according to our abilities, so that in the final period we can bring great benefit to beings.”
The bodhisattva great beings then rose from their seats, scattered myriad flowers toward the Thus-Gone One, and removed their finer upper garments and offered them. They said, “Blessed One, we dedicate this root of virtue to all beings, praying that beings will attain all the factors of awakening and actualize the Thus-Gone One’s omniscient insight, and that in the future, the roots of virtue of all beings will be perfected.” [F.140.a]
Then, to delight the bodhisattva great beings, the Blessed One spoke the following verses:
When the Blessed One taught this Dharma, countless bodhisattvas gained the acceptance that phenomena are unborn. Countless beings ripened their roots of virtue. When the Blessed One had so taught, the bodhisattva great being Anantamati, along with the other bodhisattva great beings and the world with its gods, humans, and asuras rejoiced and praised what the Blessed One had said.
This concludes The Teaching of the Armor Array, the seventh of the one hundred thousand sections of the Dharma discourse known as The Noble Great Heap of Jewels.
Colophon
Translated from the Chinese by the translator Gö Chödrup.50
Notes
Bibliography
’phags pa go cha’i bkod pa bstan pa zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo. Toh 51, Degé Kangyur, vol. 40 (dkon brtsegs, kha), folios 70.b–140.a.
’phags pa go cha’i bkod pa bstan pa zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo. bka’ ’gyur (dpe bsdur ma) [Comparative Edition of the Kangyur], krung go’i bod rig pa zhib ’jug ste gnas kyi bka’ bstan dpe sdur khang (The Tibetan Tripitaka Collation Bureau of the China Tibetology Research Center). 108 volumes. Beijing: krung go’i bod rig pa dpe skrun khang (China Tibetology Publishing House), 2006–9, vol. 40, pp. 188–356.
pho brang stod thang ldan dkar gyi chos ’gyur ro cog gi dkar chag [Denkarma]. Toh 4364, Degé Tengyur, vol. 206 (sna tshogs, jo), folios 294.b–310.a.
Bei jia zhuangyan hui 被甲莊嚴會. Taishō 310 (7).
Herrmann-Pfandt, Adelheid. Die lHan kar ma: ein früher Katalog der ins Tibetische übersetzten buddhistischen Texte. Vienna: Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, 2008.
Longchen Rabjam (klong chen rab ’byams). rdzogs pa chen po sems nyid ngal gso’i ’grel ba shing rta chen po zhey bya ba. In: rdzogs pa chen po ngal gso skor gsum. zhang kang then ma dpe skrun khang. 2005.
Pawo Tsuglag Trengwa (dpa’ bo gtsug lag phreng ba). byang chub sems dpa’i spyod pa la ’jug pa’i rnam par bshad pa theg chen chos kyi rgya mtsho zab rgyas mtha’ yas pa’i snying po. Xining: mtsho sngon mi rigs dpe sprun khang, 2004.
Dakpo Tashi Namgyal (dwags po bkra shis rnam rgyal), translated by Lobsang P. Lhalungpa. Mahāmudrā—The Moonlight—Quintessence of Mind and Meditation. Boston: Insight Publications, 2006.
Buswell, Robert E., Jr., and Donald S. Lopez, Jr. The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2013.
Stein, R.A. “Tibetica Antiqua I: The Two Vocabularies of Indo-Tibetan and Sino-Tibetan Translations in the Dunhuang Manuscripts.” In Arthur P. McKeown, trans. and ed., Rolf Stein’s Tibetica Antiqua. Boston: Brill, 2010, 1–96.
Glossary
Types of attestation for names and terms of the corresponding source language
Attested in source text
This term is attested in a manuscript used as a source for this translation.
Attested in other text
This term is attested in other manuscripts with a parallel or similar context.
Attested in dictionary
This term is attested in dictionaries matching Tibetan to the corresponding language.
Approximate attestation
The attestation of this name is approximate. It is based on other names where the relationship between the Tibetan and source language is attested in dictionaries or other manuscripts.
Reconstruction from Tibetan phonetic rendering
This term is a reconstruction based on the Tibetan phonetic rendering of the term.
Reconstruction from Tibetan semantic rendering
This term is a reconstruction based on the semantics of the Tibetan translation.
Source unspecified
This term has been supplied from an unspecified source, which most often is a widely trusted dictionary.
absence of marks
- mtshan ma med pa
- མཚན་མ་མེད་པ།
- animitta
- 空相
absorption
- ting nge ’dzin
- ཏིང་ངེ་འཛིན།
- samādhi
- 三昧
acceptance that phenomena are unborn
- mi skye ba’i chos la bzod pa
- མི་སྐྱེ་བའི་ཆོས་ལ་བཟོད་པ།
- anutpattikadharmakṣānti
- 無生忍
afflictions
- nyon mongs
- ཉོན་མོངས།
- kleśa
- 煩惱
All-Illuminating
- kun tu snang mdzad
- ཀུན་ཏུ་སྣང་མཛད།
- —
- 遍照
Anantamati
- blo gros mtha’ yas
- བློ་གྲོས་མཐའ་ཡས།
- anantamati
- 無邊慧
Aśoka
- mya ngan med pa
- མྱ་ངན་མེད་པ།
- aśoka
- 離憂
belief in a truly existing self
- ’jig tshogs la lta ba
- འཇིག་ཚོགས་ལ་ལྟ་བ།
- satkāyadṛṣṭi
- 身見
Bhadrapāla
- bzang skyong
- བཟང་སྐྱོང་།
- bhadrapāla
- 賢護
bodhisattva
- byang chub sems dpa’
- བྱང་ཆུབ་སེམས་དཔའ།
- bodhisattva
- 菩薩
Boundless Eloquence
- spobs pa dpag tu med pa
- སྤོབས་པ་དཔག་ཏུ་མེད་པ།
- —
- 無邊辯才
Boundless Qualities
- yon tan dpag tu med pa
- ཡོན་ཏན་དཔག་ཏུ་མེད་པ།
- —
- 無邊功德
Boundless Victor
- dpag tu med pa’i rgyal ba
- དཔག་ཏུ་མེད་པའི་རྒྱལ་བ།
- —
- 無邊勝
Boundless Voice
- dpag med spos
- dpag med dbyangs
- དཔག་མེད་སྤོས།
- དཔག་མེད་དབྱངས།
- —
- 無邊音
Brahmā
- tshangs pa
- ཚངས་པ།
- brahmā
- 梵
Brahmā Voice
- tshangs pa’i dbyangs
- ཚངས་པའི་དབྱངས།
- —
- 梵音
branches of awakening
- byang chub kyi yan lag
- བྱང་ཆུབ་ཀྱི་ཡན་ལག
- bodhyaṅga
- 覺分
buddha
- sangs rgyas
- སངས་རྒྱས།
- buddha
- 佛
Cakravāḍa
- khor yug
- ཁོར་ཡུག
- cakravāḍa
caraka
- tsa ra ka
- ཙ་ར་ཀ
- caraka
- 遮羅迦
Cloud of Sandalwood Incense
- tsan dan spos kyi ’od
- ཙན་དན་སྤོས་ཀྱི་འོད།
- —
- 栴檀香光明
Cloud Voice
- sprin gyi dbyangs
- སྤྲིན་གྱི་དབྱངས།
- —
- 雲音
correct eliminations
- yang dag par spong ba
- ཡང་དག་པར་སྤོང་བ།
- samyakprahāṇa
- 正斷
- 斷
Delighting the Mind
- yid dga’ bar byed pa
- ཡིད་དགའ་བར་བྱེད་པ།
- —
- 悅意
diligence
- brtson ’grus
- བརྩོན་འགྲུས།
- vīrya
- 精進
discipline
- tshul khrims
- ཚུལ་ཁྲིམས།
- śīla
- 持戒
eighteen unique qualities
- sangs rgyas kyi chos ma ’dres pa bco brgyad
- སངས་རྒྱས་ཀྱི་ཆོས་མ་འདྲེས་པ་བཅོ་བརྒྱད།
- aṣṭādaśāveṇikabuddhadharma
- 十八不共法
eightfold path
- lam yan lag brgyad pa
- ལམ་ཡན་ལག་བརྒྱད་པ།
- aṣṭāṅgamārga
- 八支聖道
emanated body
- sprul pa’i sku
- སྤྲུལ་པའི་སྐུ།
- nirmāṇakāya
- 化現其身
- 化生身
emptiness
- stong pa nyid
- སྟོང་པ་ཉིད།
- śūnyatā
- 空寂
Excellent Supremacy
- bzang po’i mchog
- བཟང་པོའི་མཆོག
- —
- 賢勝
Excellent Voice
- legs pa’i dbyangs
- ལེགས་པའི་དབྱངས།
- —
- 賢善音
Extraordinary Light
- ’od zer khyad par du ’phags pa
- འོད་ཟེར་ཁྱད་པར་དུ་འཕགས་པ།
- —
- 最勝光明
factors of awakening
- byang chub kyi phyogs kyi chos
- བྱང་ཆུབ་ཀྱི་ཕྱོགས་ཀྱི་ཆོས།
- bodhipakṣadharma
- 菩提分法
Flash of Lightning
- glog gi ’od
- གློག་གི་འོད།
- —
- 電光
four bases of mindfulness
- yang dag pa’i dran pa nye bar bzhag pa bzhi
- ཡང་དག་པའི་དྲན་པ་ཉེ་བར་བཞག་པ་བཞི།
- catvāri samyaksmṛtyupasthānāni
- 四念住
four bases of supernatural power
- rdzu ’phrul gyi rkang pa bzhi
- རྫུ་འཕྲུལ་གྱི་རྐང་པ་བཞི།
- caturṛddhipāda
- 神足
Four Great Kings
- rgyal po chen po bzhi
- རྒྱལ་པོ་ཆེན་པོ་བཞི།
- caturmahārāja
Gö Chödrup
- gos chos grub
- གོས་ཆོས་གྲུབ།
- —
Great Vehicle
- theg pa chen po
- ཐེག་པ་ཆེན་པོ།
- mahāyāna
- 大乘
hearer
- nyan thos
- ཉན་ཐོས།
- śrāvaka
- 聲聞
Heroic Strength
- dpa’ bo’i stobs
- དཔའ་བོའི་སྟོབས།
- —
- 勇猛力
Immaculate
- dri ma med pa
- དྲི་མ་མེད་པ།
- —
- 離垢
Jambudvīpa
- ’dzam bu’i gling
- འཛམ་བུའི་གླིང་།
- jambudvīpa
- 閻浮洲
Kalandakanivāpa
- bya ka lan da ka’i gnas
- བྱ་ཀ་ལན་ད་ཀའི་གནས།
- kalandakanivāpa
- 迦蘭陀
King of the Lunar Lamp
- zla ba’i sgron ma’i rgyal po
- ཟླ་བའི་སྒྲོན་མའི་རྒྱལ་པོ།
- —
- 月燈王
King of the Solar Lamp
- nyi ma’i sgron ma’i rgyal po
- ཉི་མའི་སྒྲོན་མའི་རྒྱལ་པོ།
- —
- 日燈王
King Who Transcends His Boundless Domain
- spyod yul dpag tu med pa las yang dag par ’das pa’i rgyal po
- སྤྱོད་ཡུལ་དཔག་ཏུ་མེད་པ་ལས་ཡང་དག་པར་འདས་པའི་རྒྱལ་པོ།
- —
- 超無邊境界王
King Who Transcends the Light of Mount Meru
- ri rab kyi ’od las yang dag par ’das pa’i rgyal po
- རི་རབ་ཀྱི་འོད་ལས་ཡང་དག་པར་འདས་པའི་རྒྱལ་པོ།
- —
- 超過須彌光王
lokāyata
- ’jig rten rgyang phan pa
- ’jig rten rgyang pan pa
- འཇིག་རྟེན་རྒྱང་ཕན་པ།
- འཇིག་རྟེན་རྒྱང་པན་པ།
- lokāyata
- 遮羅迦
Māra
- bdud
- བདུད།
- māra
- 魔
mark
- mtshan ma
- mtshan nyid
- མཚན་མ།
- མཚན་ཉིད།
- nimitta
- 相
marklessness
- mtshan ma med pa
- མཚན་མ་མེད་པ།
- animitta
- 空相
Mount Meru
- ri rab
- རི་རབ།
- meru
- 須彌
Nāga Supremacy
- klu’i mchog
- ཀླུའི་མཆོག
- —
- 龍勝
Noble Intellect
- blo gros ’phags pa
- བློ་གྲོས་འཕགས་པ།
- —
- 勝慧
non-Buddhist
- mu stegs can
- མུ་སྟེགས་ཅན།
- tīrthika
- 外道
parivrājaka
- pa ri pa ra tsa ka
- པ་རི་པ་ར་ཙ་ཀ
- parivrājaka
- 波利婆羅遮伽
Purifying
- yongs su dag par byed pa
- ཡོངས་སུ་དག་པར་བྱེད་པ།
- —
- 清淨
Rājagṛha
- rgyal po’i khab
- རྒྱལ་པོའི་ཁབ།
- rājagṛha
- 王舍城
Ratnaketu
- rin po che’i tog
- རིན་པོ་ཆེའི་ཏོག
- ratnaketu
- 寶幢
realm of phenomena
- chos kyi dbyings
- ཆོས་ཀྱི་དབྱིངས།
- dharmadhātu
- 法界
Śakra
- brgya byin
- བརྒྱ་བྱིན།
- śakra
- 帝釋
sameness
- mnyam pa nyid
- མཉམ་པ་ཉིད།
- samatā
- 平正
saṅgha
- dge ’dun
- དགེ་འདུན།
- saṅgha
- 眾
Sarvārthasiddha
- don thams cad grub pa
- དོན་ཐམས་ཅད་གྲུབ་པ།
- sarvārthasiddha
- 一切義成
solitary buddha
- rang sangs rgyas
- རང་སངས་རྒྱས།
- pratyekabuddha
- 獨覺
special insight
- lhag mthong
- ལྷག་མཐོང་།
- vipaśyanā
- 觀
Sublime Voice
- dam pa sna tshogs kyi dbyangs
- dam pa’i dbyangs
- དམ་པ་སྣ་ཚོགས་ཀྱི་དབྱངས།
- དམ་པའི་དབྱངས།
- —
- 眾妙音
- 妙音
Supratiṣṭha
- rab tu gnas pa
- རབ་ཏུ་གནས་པ།
- supratiṣṭha
- 善住
Supreme Cloud
- mchog gi sprin
- མཆོག་གི་སྤྲིན།
- —
- 勝雲
Supreme Voice
- mchog gi dbyangs
- མཆོག་གི་དབྱངས།
- —
- 勝音
ten powers
- stobs bcu
- སྟོབས་བཅུ།
- daśabala
- 十力
three gateways of liberation
- rnam par thar pa’i sgo gsum
- རྣམ་པར་ཐར་པའི་སྒོ་གསུམ།
- trivimokṣamukha
three realms
- khams gsum
- ཁམས་གསུམ།
- tribhuvana
- 三世
thus-gone one
- de bzhin gshegs pa
- དེ་བཞིན་གཤེགས་པ།
- tathāgata
- 如來
Totally Illuminated
- rab tu snang ba
- རབ་ཏུ་སྣང་བ།
- —
- 光明
tranquility
- zhi gnas
- ཞི་གནས།
- śamatha
- 止
True Intellect
- don gyi blo gros
- དོན་གྱི་བློ་གྲོས།
- —
- 慧義
Unerring Supremacy
- gdon mi za ba’i mchog
- གདོན་མི་ཟ་བའི་མཆོག
- —
- 不空勝
Veṇuvana
- ’od ma’i tshal
- འོད་མའི་ཚལ།
- veṇuvana
- 竹林
Victorious King of the Qualities of Boundless Luminous Diligence
- brtson ’grus dpag tu med pa’i ’od zer yon tan rnam par rgyal ba’i rgyal po
- བརྩོན་འགྲུས་དཔག་ཏུ་མེད་པའི་འོད་ཟེར་ཡོན་ཏན་རྣམ་པར་རྒྱལ་བའི་རྒྱལ་པོ།
- —
- 無邊精進光明功德超勝王
Vīrasena
- dpa’ bo’i sde
- དཔའ་བོའི་སྡེ།
- vīrasena
- 勇猛軍
Voice like the King of Swans
- ngang pa’i rgyal po lta bu’i dbyangs
- ངང་པའི་རྒྱལ་པོ་ལྟ་བུའི་དབྱངས།
- —
- 鵝王音
well-gone one
- bde bar gshegs pa
- བདེ་བར་གཤེགས་པ།
- sugata
- 善逝
wishlessness
- smon pa med pa
- སྨོན་པ་མེད་པ།
- apraṇihita
- 無願
worthy one
- dgra bcom pa
- དགྲ་བཅོམ་པ།
- arhat
- 應
- 應供