Back to BuddhaSutra.com

Lotus Sutra

The Sutra Of Innumerable Meanings

Chapter I - Virtues

Thus Have I Heard.  Once the Buddha was staying at the city of royal palaces on mount Grdhrakuta with a great assemblage of great Bhikkhus, in all twelve thousand.  There were eighty thousand Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas.  There were gods, dragons, yakshas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kimnaras, and mahoragas, besides all the bhikshus(monks), Bhikshunis(nuns), upasakas(laymen), and upasikas(laywomen).  There were Great wheel rolling kings, small wheel rolling kings, and kings of the golden wheel, silver wheel, and other wheels; further kings and princes, ministers and people, men and women, and great rich persons, each encompassed by a hundred thousand myriad followers.  They went up to the Buddha, made obeisance at his feet, burned incense, and scattered flowers.  After they variously worshipped, they retired and sat to one side. 

            Those Bodhisattvas’ names were Son of the Law-King Manjushri, Son of the Law-King Great Dignity Treasury, Son of the Law-King Great Eloquence Treasury, The Bodhisattva Maitreya, The Bodhisattva Leader, The Bodhisattva Medicine King, The Bodhisattva Medicine Lord, The Bodhisattva Flower Light Banner, The Bodhisattva King Commanding Dharanis At Will, The Bodhisattva Regarder Of The Cries Of The World, The Bodhisattva Great Power Obtained, The Bodhisattva Ever Zealous, The Bodhisattva Precious Stick, The Bodhisattva Above The Triple World, The Bodhisattva Vimabhara, The Bodhisattva Scented Elephant, The Bodhisattva Great Scented Elephant, The Bodhisattva King Of The Lions Roar, The Bodhisattva Lion’s Playing In The World, The Bodhisattva Lion’s Force, The Bodhisattva Lion’s Assiduity, The Bodhisattva Brave Power, The Bodhisattva Lion’s Overbearing, The Bodhisattva Adornment, And The Bodhisattva Great Adornment: such Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas as these, eighty thousand in all. 

            Of these Bodhisattvas there is none who is not a great saint of the Law Body.  They have attained commands, meditations, Wisdom, emancipation and the knowledge of emancipation.  With Tranquil minds and constantly in contemplation they are peaceful, Indifferent, non active, and free from desires.  They are immune from any kind of delusion or distraction.  Their minds are calm and clear, profound and infinite.  They remain in this state for hundreds of thousands of kotis of kalpas, and all of the innumerable teachings have been revealed to them.  Having obtained the great wisdom, they penetrate all things, they completely understand the reality of their nature and form, and clearly discriminate existing and non-existing, long and short.

            Moreover, well knowing the capacities, natures, and inclinations of all, with Dharanis and the unhindered power of discourse, they roll the law wheel just as Buddhas do.  First, dipping the dust of desire in a drop of the teachings, they remove the fever of the passions of life and realize the serenity of the law by opening the gate of nirvana, and fanning the wind of emancipation.  Next, raining the profound law of the twelve causes, they pour it on the violent and intense rays of suffering—ignorance, old age, illness, death and so on; then pouring abundantly the supreme Mahayana, they dip all the good roots of living beings in it, scatter the seeds of goodness over the fields of merits, and make all put forth the sprout of Buddha hood.  With their wisdom brilliant as the sun and the moon and their timely tactfulness, they promote the work of the Mahayana and make all accomplish Perfect Enlightenment speedily; and with eternal pleasure wonderful and true, and through infinite compassion, they relieve all from suffering.

            These are the true good friends for all living beings, these are the great field of blessings for all living beings, these are the unsummoned teachers for all living beings, and these are the peaceful place of pleasure, relief, protection, and great support for all living beings.  They become great good leaders or great leaders for living beings everywhere.  They serve as eyes for blind beings, and as ears, nose, or tongue for those who are deaf, who have no nose, or who are dumb; make deficient organs complete; turn the deranged to the great right thought.  As the master of a ship or the great master of a ship, they carry all living beings across the river of life and death to the shore of Nirvana.  As the king of medicine or the great king of medicine, they discriminate the phases of a disease, know well the properties of medicines, dispense medicines according to the disease, and make people take them.  As the controller or the great controller, they have no dissolute conduct; they are like a trainer of elephants and horses who never fails to train well, or like a majestic and brave lion that inevitably subdues and overpowers all beasts.

            Bodhisattvas, playing in all the paramitas, being firm and immovable at the stage of Tathagata, and purifying the Buddha-country with the stability of their vow power, will rapidly accomplish Perfect Enlightenment.  All these Bodhisattvas-mahasattvas have such wonderful merit as seen above.

            Those bhikshus names were Great Wisdom Shariputra, Supernatural Power Maudgalyayana, Wisdom Life Subhuti, Maha-Katayana, Maitrayani’s son Purna, Ajnata-Kaundinya, Divine Eye Aniruddha, Precept Keeping Upali, Attendant Ananda, Buddha’s son Rahula, Upananda, revada, Kapphina, Vakkula, Acyuta, Svagata, Dhuta Maha-Kasyapa, Uruvilva-Kasyapa, Gaya-Kasyapa, and Nadi-Kasyapa.  There are twelve thousand bhikshus such as these.  All are Arhats, unrestricted by all bonds of faults, free from attachment, and truly emancipated.

            At that time the Bodhisattva-Mahasattva Great Adornment, seeing that all the groups sat in settled mind, rose up from his seat, went up to the Buddha with the eighty thousand bodhisattvas-mahasattvas in the assembly, made obeisance at his feet, a hundred thousand times made procession round him, burned celestial incense, scattered celestial flowers, and presented the Buddha with celestial robes, garlands, and jewels of priceless value which came rolling down from the sky and gathered over all like clouds.  The celestial bins and bowls were filled with all sorts of celestial delicacies, which satisfied just by the sight of their color and the smell of their perfume.  They placed celestial banners, flags, canopies, and playthings everywhere; pleased the Buddha with celestial music; then went forth to kneel with folded hands, and praised him in verse, saying with one voice and one mind:

“Great!  The Great Enlightened, The Great Holy Lord,

In Him there is no defilement, no contamination, no

   Attachment.

The Trainer of Gods and men, elephants and horses,

His moral breeze and virtuous fragrance

Deeply permeate all.

Serene is his wisdom, calm his emotion,

And stable his prudence.

His thought is settled, his consciousness extinct,

And thus his mind is quiet.

Long since, he removed false thoughts

And conquered all the laws if existence.

His body is neither existing nor non-existing;

Without cause or condition,

Without self or others;

Neither square nor round,

Neither long nor short;

Without appearance or disappearance,

Without birth or death;

Neither created nor emanating,

Neither made nor produced;

Neither sitting nor lying,

Neither walking nor stopping;

Neither moving nor rolling,

Neither calm nor quiet;

Without advance or retreat,

Without safety or danger;

Without right or wrong,

Without merit or demerit;

Neither that nor this,

Neither going nor coming;

Neither blue nor yellow,

Neither red nor white;

Neither crimson nor purple,

Without a variety of colour.

Born of commandments, meditation,

Wisdom, Emancipation, and Knowledge;

Merit of contemplation, the six divine facilities,

And the practice of the way;

Sprung of benevolence and compassion,

The ten powers, and fearlessness;

He has come in response

To good karmas of living beings.

He reveals his body,

Ten feet, six inches in height,

Glittering with purple gold,

Well proportioned, brilliant,

And highly bright.

The mark of hair curls as the moon,

In the nape of the neck there is a light as of the sun.

The curling hair is deep blue,

On the head there is there is a protuberance.

The pure eyes, like a stainless mirror,

Blink up and down.

The eyebrows trail in dark blue,

The mouth and cheeks are well formed.

The lips and tongue appear pleasantly red,

Like a scarlet flower.

The White teeth, forty in number,

Appear as snowy agate.

Broad the forehead, high bridged the nose,

And majestic the face.

The chest, with a swastika mark,

Is like a lion’s breast.

The hands and feet are flexible,

With the mark of a thousand spokes.

The sides and palms are well rounded,

And show in fine lines.

The arms are elongated,

And the fingers are straight and slender.

The skin is delicate and smooth,

And the hair curls to the right.

The ankles and knees are well defined,

And the male organ is hidden

Like that of a horse.

The fine muscles and collarbone,

And the thigh bones are slim

Like those of a deer.

The chest and back are shining,

Pure and without blemish,

Untainted by any muddy water,

Unspotted by any speck of dust.

There are thirty two such signs,

The eighty kinds of excellence are visible,

And truly there is nothing

Of form or non-form.

All visible forms are transcended;

His body is formless and yet has form.

This is also true

Of the form of the body of all living beings.

Living beings adore him joyfully,

Devote their minds to him,

And pay their respects wholeheartedly.

By cutting off arrogance and egotism,

He has accomplished such a wonderful body.

Now we, the assemblage of eighty thousand,

Making obeisance all together,

Submit ourselves to the saint of nonattachment,

The Trainer of Elephants and horses,

Detached from the state of thinking,

Mind, thought, and perception.

We make obeisance,

And submit ourselves to the Law Body,

To all commands, meditation and wisdom,

Emancipation and knowledge.

We make obeisance,

And submit ourselves to the wonderful character.

We make obeisance,

And submit ourselves to the unthinkable.

The sacred voice sounds eight ways,

As the thunder sounds.

It is sweet, pure, and greatly profound.

He preaches the four noble truths,

The six paramitas, the twelve causes,

According to the working of the minds of living beings.

One never hears without opening one’s mind

And breaking the bonds of the infinite chain of life and death.

One never hears without reaching srota-apanna,

Sakrdagamin, Ana gamin, and arhat;

Reaching the state of pratyekabuddha,

Of non-fault and noncondition;

Reaching the state of Bodhisattva,

Of non life and non death;

Of obtaining infinite dharani

And the unhindered power of discourse,

With which ones recites profound and wonderful verses,

Plays and bathes in the pure pond on the law,

Or displays supernatural motion

By jumping and flying up,

Or freely goes in or out of water and fire,

The aspect of the Tathagata ’s Law-wheel is like this.

It is pure, boundless, and unthinkable.

Making obeisance all together,

We submit ourselves to him

When he rolls the Law-wheel.

We make obeisance ,

And submit ourselves to the sacred voice.

We make obeisance,

And submit ourselves to the Causes, Truths, and Paramitas.

For infinite past kalpas,

The World Honored One has practiced

All manner of virtues with effort

To Bring benefits to us human beings,

Heavenly beings, and dragon kings,

Universally to all living beings.

He abandoned all things hard to abandon,

His treasures, wife, and child,

His country, and his palace.

Unsparing of his person and possessions,

He gave all, his head, eyes, and brain,

To people as alms.

Keeping the Buddha’s precepts of purity,

He never did any harm,

Even at the cost of his life.

He never became angry,

Even though beaten with swords and staff,

Or though cursed and abused.

He never became tired,

In spite of long exertion.

He kept his mind at peace both day and night,

And was always in meditation.

Learning all the law ways,

With his deep wisdom

He has seen into the capacity of living beings.

As a result, obtaining free power,

He became the law king,

Who is free in the Law.

Making obeisance again all together,

We submit ourselves to the one who has completed all hard things.”

Chapter II - Preaching

AT THAT TIME the Bodhisattva-Mahasattva Great Adornment, with the eighty thousand Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas, finished praising the Buddha with this verse and said to the Buddha in unison:  “World Honored One, we, the assemblage, of the eighty thousand Bodhisattvas, want to ask you about the Tathagata ’s law.

We are anxious That the World Honored One should hear us with sympathy.”

            The Buddha Addressed the Bodhisattva Great Adornment and the eighty thousand Bodhisattvas: “Excellent! Excellent! Good sons, you have well known that this is the time.  Ask me what you like.  Before long, the Tathagata will enter Pari-nirvana.  After Nirvana, there shall not be a doubt left to anybody.  I will answer any question you wish to ask.”

            Thereupon the Bodhisattva Great Adornment, with the eighty thousand Bodhisattvas, said to the Buddha in unison, with one voice: “World Honored One!  If the Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas want to accomplish perfect enlightenment quickly, what doctrine should they practice?  What doctrine makes Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas attain perfect enlightenment quickly?”

            The Buddha addressed the Bodhisattva Great Adornment and the eighty thousand Bodhisattvas:  “Good Sons, there is one doctrine which makes Bodhisattvas attain perfect enlightenment quickly.  If a Bodhisattva learns this doctrine, then he will accomplish perfect enlightenment.”

            “World Honored One!  What is this doctrine called?  What is it’s meaning?  How does the Bodhisattva practice it?”

            The Buddha said “Good Sons! This one doctrine is called the doctrine of Innumerable Meanings.  A Bodhisattva, If he wants to learn and master the doctrine the doctrine of Innumerable Meanings, should observe that all laws were originally, will be, and are in themselves void in nature and form;  They are Neither great nor small, Neither appearing nor disappearing, Neither fixed or movable, and neither advancing nor retreating; they are non dualistic, just emptiness.  All living beings, however, discriminate falsely: “It is this” or “it is that”, and “It is advantageous” or “It is disadvantageous”; they entertain evil thoughts, make various evil karmas, and thus transmigrate within the six realms of existence; and they suffer all manner of miseries, and cannot escape from there during infinite kotis of kalpas.  Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas, observing rightly like this, should raise the mind of compassion, display the great mercy desiring to relieve others of suffering, and once again penetrate deeply into all laws.  According to the nature of a law, such al law settles. According to the nature of a law, such a laws changes.  According to the nature of a law, such a law vanishes.  According to the nature of a law, such an evil law emerges.  According to the nature of a law, such a good law appears.  Settling, changing, and vanishing are also like this.  Bodhisattvas, having completely observed and known these four aspects from beginning to end, should next observe that none of the laws settle down for even a moment, but all emerge and vanish anew every moment; and observe that they emerge, settle, change, and vanish instantly.  After such observation, we see all manner of natural desires of living beings.  As natural desires are innumerable, preaching is innumerable, and as preaching is innumerable, meanings are innumerable.  The Innumerable Meanings originate from one law.  This one law is, namely, non form.  Such non form is formless, and not form.  Being not form, and formless, it is called the real aspect of things.  The mercy which Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas display after stabilizing themselves in such a real aspect is real, and not vain.  They excellently relieve living beings from sufferings.  Having given relieve from suffering they preach the law again, and let all living beings obtain pleasure.

            “Good Sons!  A Bodhisattva, if he practices completely the doctrine of Innumerable Meanings like this, will soon accomplish Perfect Enlightenment without fail.  Good sons! The Sutra of Innumerable Meanings, such a profound and supreme Great-vehicle, is reasonable in its logic, unsurpassed in its worth, and protected by all the Buddhas of the three worlds.  No kind of demon or heretic can break into it, nor can any wrong view of life and death destroy it . Therefore, good sons!  Bodhisattva-mahasattvas, if you want to accomplish supreme Buddha hood quickly, you should learn and master the Sutra of Innumerable Meanings, such a profound and supreme great vehicle.

            “At that time the Bodhisattva Great Adornment said to the Buddha again: World-honored one!  The preaching of the World-honored one is incomprehensible, the natures of living beings are also incomprehensible, and the doctrine of emancipation is also incomprehensible.  Though we have no doubt about the laws preached by the Buddha, we repeatedly ask the World-honored one for fear that all living beings should be perplexed.  For more then forty years since the Tathagata attained enlightenment, you have continuously preached all the laws to living beings—the four aspects, suffering, void ness, transience, selflessness, non-large, non-small, non-birth, non-death, one aspect, no-aspect, the nature of the law, the form of the law, void from the beginning, non-coming, non-going, non-appearance, and non-disappearance.  Those who have heard it have obtained the law of warming, the law of the highest, the law of the best in the world(The law of warming, highest, and best in the world are three stages passed through by disciples not yet free of desire when they try to understand the Four Noble Truths.), the merit of srota-apanna, the merit of sakrdagamin, the merit of Ana gamin, the merit of arhat, and the way of pratyekabuddha; have aspired to enlightenment; and ascending the first stage, the second stage, and the third stage, have attained the tenth stage.  Because of what difference between your past and present preaching on laws do you say that if a bodhisattva practices only the Sutra of  Innumerable Meanings, a profound and Great-vehicle, he will soon accomplish supreme Buddha hood without fail?  World-honored one!  Be pleased to discriminate the Law widely for living beings out of compassion for all, and to leave no doubt to all Law-hearers in the present and future.

            “Hereupon the Buddha said to the Bodhisattva Great Adornment: Excellent! Excellent!  Great good sons, you have well questioned the Tathagata about such a wonderful meaning of the profound and supreme Great-vehicle.  Do you know that you will bring many benefits, please men and gods, and relieve living beings from sufferings.  It is truly the great benevolence, and the truth without falsehood.  For this reason you will surely and quickly accomplish supreme Buddha hood.  You will also make all living beings in the present and future accomplish supreme Buddha hood.

            “Good Sons!  After six years right sitting under the Bodhi tree of the wisdom throne, I could accomplish Perfect Enlightenment.  With the Buddha’s eye I saw all the laws and understood that they were inexpressible.  Wherefore?  I knew that the natures of all living beings were not equal.  As their natures and desires were not equal, I preached the law variously.  It was with tactful power that I preached the law variously.  In forty years and more, the truth has not been revealed yet.  Therefore living beings’ powers of attainment are too different to accomplish supreme Buddha hood quickly.

            “Good sons! The law is like water that washes off dirt.  As a well, a pond, a stream, a river, a valley stream, a ditch, or a great sea each alike effectively washes off all kinds of dirt, so the law-water effectively washes off the dirt of all delusions of living beings.

            “Good sons!  The nature of water is one, but a stream, a river, a well, a pond, a valley stream, a ditch, and a great sea are different from one another.  The nature of the law is like this.  There is equality and no differentiation in washing off the dirt of delusions, but the three laws, the four merits, the and the two ways are not one and the same. 

            “Good Sons!  Though each washes equally as water, a well is not a pond, a pond is not a stream or a river, nor is a valley stream or ditch a sea.  As the Tathagata, the worlds hero, is free in the law, all the laws preached by him are also like this.  Though preaching at the beginning, the middle, and the end all alike, effectively wash off the delusions of living beings, the beginning is not the middle, and the middle is not the end.  Preaching at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end are the same in expression, but different in one another in meaning. 

            “Good Sons!” When I rolled the law wheel of the four noble truths for the five men, Ajnata-Kaundinya and the others, at the deer park in Varanasi after leaving the king of trees, I preached that the laws are naturally vacant, ceaselessly transformed, and instantly born and destroyed.  When I discoursed explaining the twelve causes and the six paramitas for all the Bhikshus and Bodhisattvas in various places during the middle period, I preached also that all laws are naturally vacant, ceaselessly transformed, and instantly born and destroyed.  Now in explaining the Sutra of Innumerable Meanings, a Great Vehicle, at the this time, I preach also that all laws are naturally vacant, ceaselessly transformed, and instantly born and destroyed.  Good Sons!  Therefore the preaching at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end are the same in expression but different from one another in meaning.  As the meaning varies, the understanding of living beings varies.  As the understanding varies, the attainment of the law, the merit, and the way also varies.

            “Good sons!  At the beginning, though I preached the Four Truths for those who sought to be sravakas, eight Kotis of heavenly beings came down to hear the law and raised the desire for enlightenment.  In the middle, though I preached in various places, the profound Twelve Causes, for those who sought to be Pratyekabuddha, Innumerable living beings raised the aspiration for enlightenment, or, remained in the stage of Sravaka.  Next, although I explained the long term practice of Bodhisattvas (Religious exercises extending over billions of years), through preaching the twelve types of sutras of Great Extent, The Maha-Prajna, and the void ness of the Garland Sea, a hundred thousand Bhikshus, Myriad Kotis of men and gods, and innumerable living beings could remain in the merits of Srota-apanna, Sakrdagamin, Ana Gamin, and Arhat, or in the law appropriate to the pratyekabuddha.  Good Sons!  For this reason, it is known that the preaching is the same, but the meaning varies, as the meaning varies, the understanding of living beings varies.  As the understanding varies, the attainment of the law, merit, and the way also varies.  So Good Sons!  Since I attained the way, and stood to preach the law for the first time, till I spoke the Sutra Of Innumerable Meanings, The Great-vehicle, today, I have never ceased from preaching suffering, void ness, transience, selflessness, non truth, non reality, non large, non small, non birth and origin and also non death at present, one aspect, non aspect, the form of the law, the nature of the law, non coming, non going, and the four aspects by which all the living are driven.

            “Good Sons!  For this reason, all the Buddhas, without a double tongue, answer widely all voices with one word, though having one body, reveal bodies innumerable, and numberless as the sands of the Ganges of a hundred thousand myriad Kotis Nayutas; in each body, display various forms, countless as the sands of some hundred thousand myriad kotis nayutas asamkhyeya Ganges, and in each form show shapes countless as the sands of some hundred thousand myriad kotis nayutas asamkhyeya Ganges.  Good Son!  This is, namely, the incomprehensible and profound world of Buddhas. Men of the two vehicles cannot apprehend it, and even Bodhisattvas of the Ten stages cannot attain it.  Only a Buddha, together with a Buddha can fathom it well.

            “Good Sons!  Thereupon I say: The Sutra Of Innumerable meanings, the wonderful, profound, and supreme Great vehicle, is reasonable in it’s logic, unsurpassed in it’s worth, and protected by all the Buddhas of the three worlds.  No kind of demon or heretic can break into it, nor can any wrong view of life or death destroy it.  Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas, if you want to accomplish supreme Buddha hood quickly, you should learn and master the Sutra of Innumerable Meanings,  such a profound and supreme Great-vehicle. 

            “After the Buddha had finished explaining this, the three-thousand-great-thousand fold world was shaken in the six ways; various kinds of celestial flowers, such as utpala, padma, kumuda, and pundarika, rained down naturally from the sky; and innumerable kinds of celestial perfumes, robes, garlands, and treasures of priceless value also rained and came rolling down from the sky, and they were offered to the Buddha, all the Bodhisattvas and sravakas, and the great assembly.  So, too, was it in the southern, western, and northern quarters, in the four intermediate directions, in the zenith and the nadir.

            “At this time thirty two thousand Bodhisattva-mahasattvas in the assembly attained to the contemplation of the innumerable meaning.  Thirty four thousand Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas obtained the numberless and infinite realms of dharani and came to roll the never retrogressing law wheel of Buddhas all over the three worlds.  All the Bhikshus and Bhikshunis, upasakas, upasikas, gods, dragons, yakshas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kimnaras, mahoragas, great wheel rolling kings, small wheel rolling kings, kings of the silver wheel, iron wheel, and other wheels, kings and princes, ministers and people, men and women, and great rich persons, and all the groups of a hundred thousand followers, hearing together, the Buddha, Tathagata preaching this sutra, obtained the law of warming, the law of the highest, the law of the best in the world, the merit of srota-apanna, the merit of sakrdagamin, the merit of Ana gamin, the merit of Arhat, and the merit of Pratyekabuddha; attained to the Bodhisattvas assurance of the law of no birth; acquired one Dharani, two Dharanis, three Dharanis, four Dharanis, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten Dharanis, a hundred thousand myriad kotis of Dharanis, and asamkhyeya Dharanis as innumerable as the sands of the Ganges; and all came to roll the never retrogressing law wheel rightly.  Infinite living beings gained the aspiration to perfect enlightenment. 

Chapter III - Ten Merits

AT THAT TIME the Bodhisattva-Mahasattva Great Adornment said to the Buddha again: “World Honored One!  The World Honored One has preached this sutra of Innumerable Meanings, a wonderful, profound, and supreme Great Vehicle.  It is truly profound.  Wherefore?  In this assembly, all the Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas, all the four groups, gods, dragons, demons, kings, subjects, and all the living beings, hearing this Sutra Of Innumerable Meanings, a profound and supreme great vehicle, never fail to obtain the realm of Dharanis, the three laws, the four merits, and the aspiration to enlightenment.  It should be known that this law is reasonable in it’s logic, unsurpassed in it’s worth, and protected by all the Buddhas of the three worlds.  No kind of demon or heretic break into it, nor an any wrong view of life and death destroy it.  Wherefore?  Because hearing it but once is keeping all the laws. 

            “If a living being can hear this sutra, he will acquire a great benefit. Wherefore?  If he practices it sincerely, he will quickly accomplish supreme Buddha hood without fail.  If a living being cannot hear it should be known that he loses a great benefit.  He will never accomplish supreme Buddha hood even a after a lapse of infinite boundless, inconceivable asamkhyeya kalpas.  Wherefore?  Because he does not know the great way to enlightenment, he meets with many sufferings in walking steep ways. 

            “World Honored One!  This sutra is inconceivable.  World Honored One!  Be pleased to explain the profound and inconceivable matter of this sutra out of benevolence for all the people.  World Honored One!  From What Place does this sutra come?  From what place does it leave? At what place does it stay? Whereupon does this sutra make people quickly accomplish perfect enlightenment, having such infinite merits and inconceivable powers?

            “At that time the World Honored One Addressed the Bodhisattva-Mahasattva Great Adornment:  Excellent! Excellent!  Good Sons;  Just So, Just So, Just as you say.  Good Sons!  I preach this sutra as profound, profound, and truly profound.  Wherefore?  Because it makes people quickly accomplish supreme Buddha Hood;  hearing it but once is keeping all the laws; it greatly benefits all the living; There is no suffering practicing the great direct way.  Good Sons!  You ask where this sutra comes from, where it leaves for, and where it stays.  Do listen attentively.  Good Sons!  This sutra originally comes from the abode of all the Buddhas, leaves for the aspiration of all the living, and stays at the place where all the Bodhisattvas practice.  Good Sons!  This sutra comes like this, leaves like this, and stays like this.  Therefore this sutra, having such infinite merits and inconceivable power, makes people quickly accomplish supreme Buddha hood. 

            “Good Sons!  Do you want to hear how this sutra has ten inconceivable merit powers?  The Bodhisattva Great Adornment Said: “we heartily want to hear.  And the Buddha said: Good Sons! First, this sutra makes the un-awakened Bodhisattva aspire to Buddha hood, makes a merciless one raise the mind of mercy, Makes a homicidal one raise the mind of great compassion, makes a jealous one raise the mind of joy, makes an attached one raise the mind of detachment, makes a miserly one raise the mind of donation, makes an arrogant one raise the mind of keeping the commandments, makes an irascible one raise the mind of perseverance, makes an indolent one raise the mind of assiduity, makes a distracted one raise the mind of meditation, makes an ignorant one raise the mind of wisdom, makes one who lacks concern for  saving others raise the mind of saving others, makes one who commits the ten evils raise the mind of the ten virtues, makes one who wishes for existence aspire to the mind of non existence, makes one who has an inclination toward apostasy build the mind of non retrogression, makes one who commits defiled acts raise the mind of un defilement, and makes one who suffers from delusions raise the mind of detachment.  Good Sons!  This is called the first inconceivable merit power of this sutra.

            “Good Sons!  Secondly the inconceivable merit power of this sutra is as follows: If a living being can hear this sutra but once, or only one verse and phrase, he will penetrate into a hundred thousand kotis of meanings, and the law kept by him cannot be explained fully even in infinite kalpas.  Wherefore?  It is because this sutra has innumerable meanings.

            “Good Sons!  Suppose that from one seed, a hundred thousand myriad seeds grow, from each of a hundred thousand myriad seeds, another hundred thousand myriad seeds grow, and in such a process seeds increase to an unlimited extent.  This sutra is like this.  From one law a hundred thousand meanings grow, from each of a hundred thousand meanings, a hundred thousand myriad meanings grow, and in such a process meanings increase to an unlimited and boundless extent.  Such being the case, this sutra is called innumerable meanings.  Good Sons This is the second inconceivable merit power of this sutra.

            “Good Sons!  Thirdly, the inconceivable merit power of this sutra is as follows: If a living being can hear this sutra but once, or only one verse and phrase, he will penetrate into a hundred thousand myriad kotis of meanings.  After that, his delusions, even though existent, will become as if non existent; he will not be seized with fear, though he moves between birth and death; he will raise the mind of compassion for all of the living, and obtain the spirit of bravery to obey all the laws.  A powerful wrestler can shoulder and hold any heavy thing.  The keeper of this sutra is also like this.  He can shoulder the heavy treasure of supreme Buddha hood, and carry living beings on his back out of the way of birth and death.  He will be able to relieve others, even though he can not yet relieve himself.  Just as a ferry master though he stays on this shore owing to his serious illness and unsettled body, can be made to cross over by means of a good and solid ship that has the quality of carrying anyone without fail, so also is it with the keeper of this sutra.  Although he stays on this shore of ignorance, old age and death, owing to the hundred and eight kinds of serious illness (the one hundred and eight illusions, or obstacles to enlightenment), with which his body under the existence of all the five states is seized and ever afflicted, he can deliver from birth and death this strong Mahayana Sutra of Innumerable Meanings as it is preached, which realizes the deliverance of living beings.  Good Sons!  This is called the third inconceivable merit power of this sutra.

            “Good Sons!  Fourthly the inconceivable merit power of this sutra is as follows: if a living being can hear this sutra but once, only one verse and phrase, he will obtain the spirit of bravery, and relieve others, even though he cannot yet relieve himself.  He will become the attendant of the Buddhas together with all of the Bodhisattvas, and all the Buddha-Tathagatas will always preach the law to him.  On hearing it, he will keep the law entirely and follow it without disobeying.  Moreover, he will interpret it for people extensively as occasion calls. 

            “Good Sons!  Suppose that a new prince is born of a king and queen.  A day, two days, or seven days, and a month, two months, or seven months passing away, he attain the age of one, two, or seven.  Although he can not yet manage national affairs, he will come to be revered by people and take all the great kings sons into his company.  The King And Queen will always stay and converse with him, with special and deep affection because he is their little child.  Good Sons!  The keeper of this sutra is also like this.  The King--The Buddha-- and the queen--this sutra--come together, and this son--a Bodhisattva-- is born of them.  If the Bodhisattva can hear one phrase or verse of this sutra once, twice, ten times, a hundred times, a thousand time, myriad times, myriad kotis of time, or innumerable and numberless times like the sands of the Ganges, he will come to shake the Three-Thousand Great Thousand fold world, though he can not yet realize the Ultimate Truth, and will take all great Bodhisattvas into his attendance, while being admired by all of the four classes and eight guardians, though he can not yet roll the great law wheel, with the sacred voice like the roll of thunder.  Entering deeply into the secret law of the Buddhas, he will interpret it without error or fault.  He will always be protected by all of the Buddhas, and especially covered with affection, because he is a beginner in learning.  Good Sons!  This is called the fourth inconceivable merit power of this sutra.

            “Good Sons!  Fifthly, the inconceivable merit power of this sutra is as follows:  If good sons or good daughters keep, read, and recite and copy the Sutra Of Innumerable Meanings, such a profound and supreme great vehicle, either during the Buddhas lifetime or after his extinction, they will realize the way of great Bodhisattvas though they cannot yet be delivered from all the faults of an ordinary man, and are still wrapped in delusions.  They will fill with joy and convince those living beings, extending a day to a hundred Kalpas, or shortening a hundred Kalpas to a day.  Good Sons!  These good sons or good daughters are just like a dragon’s son who can raise clouds and cause a rainfall seven days after his birth.  Good Sons!  This is called the fifth inconceivable merit power of this sutra.

            “Good Sons!  Sixthly, the inconceivable merit power of this sutra is as follows: if good sons or good daughters keep, read, and recite this sutra either during the Buddhas lifetime, or after his extinction, even though clothed in delusions, they will deliver living beings from the life and death of delusions, and make them overcome all sufferings, by preaching the law for them.  After hearing it, living beings will put it into practice, and attain the law, the merit, and the way, where there will be equality, and no difference from the Buddha Tathagata.  Suppose that a king, in journeying, or falling ill, leaves the management of national affairs to his prince, though he is an infant.  Then the prince, by order of the great king, leads all of the government officials according to the law, and propagates the right policy, so that every citizen of the country follows his orders exactly as if the king were governing.  It is the  same with good sons or good daughters keeping this sutra.  During the Buddhas lifetime, or after his extinction, these good sons will propagate the doctrine, preaching exactly as the Buddha did, though they themselves cannot live in the first stage of immobility, and if living beings, after hearing their preaching, practice it intently, they will cut off delusions, and attain the law, the merit, and the way.  Good Sons!  This is called the sixth inconceivable merit power of this sutra.

            “Good Sons!  Seventhly, the inconceivable merit power of this sutra is as follows:  If good sons or good daughters, hearing this sutra either during the Buddhas lifetime or after his extinction, rejoice, believe, and raise the rare mind; keep, read, recite, copy, and expound it; practice it as it has been preached; aspire to Buddha hood; cause all the good roots to sprout; raise the mind of great compassion; and want to relieve all living beings of sufferings, the six paramitas will be naturally present in them, though they cannot yet practice the six paramitas.  They will attain the assurance of the law of no birth in their bodies; life and death, and delusions will be instantly destroyed; and they will rise to the seventh stage of Bodhisattva.

“Suppose there is a vigorous man who tries to destroy an enemy on behalf of his king, and after the enemy has been destroyed, with great joy, the king gives him half the kingdom as a prize.  Good Sons or Good Daughters who keep this sutra are like this.  They are the most vigorous of all ascetics.  They come to attain the law treasure of the six paramitas, even though they are not consciously seeking it.  The enemy of death and life will be naturally destroyed, and they will be made comfortable by the prize of a fief, realizing the assurance of no birth as the treasure of half the Buddha-country.  Good Sons!  This is called the seventh inconceivable merit power of this sutra.

“Good Sons! Eighthly the inconceivable merit power of this sutra is as follows: If good sons or good daughters, either during the Buddhas lifetime, or after his extinction, see someone who has received this sutra, they will make him revere and believe it exactly as if he saw the body of the Buddha; they will keep, read, recite, copy and worship this sutra with joy; serve and practice it as the law; firmly keep the commandments and perseverance; they will also practice almsgiving; raise a deep benevolence; and explain the sutra of Innumerable Meanings, this supreme great vehicle, widely to others.  To one who for a long time does not at all recognize the existence of sinfulness and blessedness, they will show this sutra, and force him to have faith in it with all sorts of expedients.  By the strong power of the sutra, he will be made to stir up faith and to convert suddenly.  After stirring up faith, he will endeavor so valorously that he can acquire the virtue and power of this sutra, and attain the way and the merit.  In this way, these good sons or good daughters will attain they assurance of the law of no birth in their bodies of men or women by the merit of having been enlightened, reach the upper stage, become the attendants of the Buddhas, together with all the Bodhisattvas convert living beings, quickly, purify Buddha lands, and attain supreme Buddha hood before long.  Good Sons!  This is called the eight inconceivable merit power of this sutra. 

“Good Sons! Ninthly, the inconceivable merit power of this sutra is as follows:  If good sons or good daughters, receiving this sutra either during the Buddhas lifetime or after his extinction, leap for joy; acquire the unprecedented; keep, read, recite, copy, and adore this sutra; and explain it’s meaning discriminately and widely for living beings, they will instantly destroy the heavy barrier of sins resulting from previous karma and become purified, acquire great eloquence, gradually realize all paramitas, accomplish all Samadhis and Suramgama-samadhi, enter the great gate of dharani and rise up to the upper stage quickly with strenuous efforts.  They will spread their divided bodies in all of the lands of ten directions, and relieve and emancipate entirely all living beings who suffer greatly in the twenty five abodes.  Thus such a power can be seen in this sutra. Good Sons, This is called the ninth inconceivable merit power of this sutra.

“Good Sons!  Tenthly, the inconceivable merit power of this sutra is as follows: if good sons or good daughters, receiving this sutra either during the Buddhas lifetime or after his extinction, greatly rejoice; raise the rare mind; keep, read, recite, copy, adore, and expound this sutra, and practice it as the law, these good sons or good daughters will obtain the innumerable realms of Dharani in their bodies because it is wholly  by the merciful and friendly instruction of these good sons or good daughters that other people obtain the way and the merit through the power of the practice of this sutra.  They will make vast oaths and great vows of numberless asamkhyeya naturally and from the beginning in the stage of ordinary men, and raise a deep desire to relieve all living beings.  They will realize the great compassion, thoroughly abolish all sufferings, gather many good roots, and bring benefit to all.  They will explain the flavor of the law, and greatly enliven the withered; give all living beings the medicine of the law and set all at ease; gradually elevate their view, to live in the stage of the Law-Cloud(The stage of the Law-Cloud is the tenth and highest stage of the Bodhisattva-Way).  They will spread favor extensively, grant mercy to all suffering living beings, and lead them to the Buddha way.  Thereupon these persons (Good sons and daughters) will accomplish Perfect Enlightenment before long.  Good Sons!  This is called the tenth inconceivable merit power of this sutra.

Good sons!  The sutra of innumerable meanings, such a supreme Great-Vehicle, has an extremely great divine power and is unsurpassed in it’s worth.  It makes all ordinary men accomplish the sacred merit, and makes them free from life and death forever.  Thereupon this sutra is called Innumerable Meanings.  It makes all the living sprout the innumerable ways of all the Bodhisattvas in the stage of ordinary men, and makes the tree of merit grow dense, thick, and tall.  Therefore this sutra is called inconceivable merit power. 

At that time the Bodhisattva-Mahasattva Great Adornment, with the eighty thousand Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas, said to the Buddha with one voice:  “World Honored One!  The Sutra of Innumerable Meanings, Such a profound, Wonderful, and supreme great vehicle preached by the Buddha, is reasonable in it’s logic, unsurpassed in it’s worth and protected by all the Buddhas of the three worlds.  No kind of demon or heretic can break into it, nor can any wrong view of life or death destroy it.  Thereupon this sutra has ten such inconceivable merit powers.  It greatly benefits innumerable living beings, makes all Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas attain the contemplation of innumerable meanings, a hundred thousand realms of Dharani, all the stages and assurances of Bodhisattva, and the accomplishments of the four way merits of pratyekabuddha and arhat.  The World Honored One has preached such a law willingly for us in compassion, and made us attain the benefits of the law abundantly.  This is immensely marvelous and unprecedented.  It is difficult to repay the merciful favor of the World Honored One. 

At the close of these words, the three thousand, Great thousand fold world was shaken in the six ways; various kinds of celestial flowers, such as utpala, padma, kumuda, and Pundarika rained down from the sky; and numberless kinds of celestial perfumes, robes, garlands, and treasures of priceless value also rained and came rolling down from the sky, and they were offered to the Buddha, all the Bodhisattvas and sravakas, and the great assembly.  The celestial bins and bowls were filled with all manner of celestial delicacies, which gave satisfaction naturally to anyone who just saw them and smelled their perfume.  The celestial banners, flags, canopies, and playthings, were placed everywhere, and celestial music was played in praise of the Buddha. 

Also the Buddha worlds, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, in the east were shaken in the six ways; celestial flowers, perfumes, robes, garlands, and treasures of priceless value rained down; the celestial bins and bowls, and all sorts of celestial delicacies gave satisfaction to anyone who just saw them and smelled their perfume.  The celestial banners, flags, canopies, and playthings were placed everywhere, and celestial music was played in praise of those Buddhas, those Bodhisattvas and sravakas, and the great assembly.  So, too, was it in the southern, western, and northern quarters, in the four intermediate directions, and in the Zenith, and Nadir. 

At that time the Buddha addressed the Bodhisattva-Mahasattva Great Adornment and the eighty thousand Bodhisattva-mahasattvas: You should entertain a deep respect for this sutra, practice it as the law, instruct all widely, and propagate it earnestly.  You should protect it heartily day and night, and make all living beings attain the benefits of the law. This is truly great mercy, and great compassion, so, offering the divine power of a vow, you should protect this sutra and not let anybody put obstacles in it’s way.  Then you should have it practiced widely in Jambudvipa, and make all the living observe, read, recite, copy, and adore it without fail.  Because of this you will be made to attain perfect enlightenment rapidly.

At that time the Bodhisattva-Mahasattva Great Adornment rose up from his seat, went up to the Buddha with the eighty thousand Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas, made obeisance at his feet, a hundred thousand times made procession around him, and then going forth to kneel, said to the Buddha with one voice:  World Honored One!  We have been placed under the mercy of the World Honored One to our delight.  The sutra of Innumerable Meanings, This profound, wonderful, and supreme great vehicle, has been preached for us. We will widely propagate this sutra after the Tathagatas extinction in obedience to the Buddhas command, and let all keep, read, recite, copy, and adore it.  Be pleased to have no anxiety!  With the vow-power, we will let all the living observe, read, recite, copy, and adore this sutra, and acquire the marvelous merit of this sutra.

At that time the Buddha said in praise: Excellent! Excellent! All good sons; you are really and truly the Buddhas sons.  You are persons who abolish sufferings and remove calamities thoroughly with great mercy and great compassion.  You are the good field of blessings for all living beings.  You have been the great good leaders extensively for all.  You are the great support for all living beings.  You are the great benefactors of all living beings.  Always bestow the benefits of the law extensively on all.

At that time all in the great assembly, greatly rejoicing together, made salutation to the Buddha and, taking possession of the sutra, withdrew.

The Lotus Sutra

Chapter One: Introduction

Chapter Two: Expedient Means

Chapter Three: Simile and Parable

Chapter Four: Belief and Understanding

Chapter Five: The Parable of the Medicinal Herbs

Chapter Six: Bestowal of Prophecy

Chapter Seven: The Parable of the Phantom City

Chapter Eight: Prophecy of Enlightenment for Five Hundred Disciples

Chapter Nine: Prophecies Conferred on Learners and Adepts

Chapter Ten: The Teacher of the Law

Chapter Eleven: The Emergence of the Treasure Tower

Chapter Twelve: Devadatta

Chapter Thirteen: Admonition to Embrace the Sutra

Chapter Fourteen: Peaceful Practices

Chapter Fifteen: Emerging from the Earth

Chapter Sixteen: The Life Span of the Tathagata

Chapter Seventeen: Distinction of Benefits

Chapter Eighteen: The Benefits of Joyful Acceptance

Chapter Nineteen: The Benefits of the Teacher of the Law

Chapter Twenty: Bodhisattva Never Disparaging

Chapter Twenty-one: The Mystic Powers of the Tathagata

Chapter Twenty-two: Entrustment

Chapter Twenty-three: The Former Deeds of Bodhisattva Medicine King

Chapter Twenty-four: Bodhisattva Myozon

Chapter Twenty-five: The Universal Gate of Bodhisattva Kanzeon

Chapter Twenty-six: Dharani

Chapter Twenty-seven: The Former Deeds of King Wondrous Splendor

Chapter Twenty-eight: The Encouragement of Bodhisattva Universally Worthy

THUS HAVE I HEARD.  Once the Buddha was staying at the two storied assembly hall in the great forest monastery, Vaisali; then he addressed all the bhikshus, saying, “after three months I shall surely enter parinirvana.”  Thereupon the honored Ananda rose from his seat, straightened his garment, and with joined palms and folded hands, he made procession around the Buddha three times, and saluted him, kneeling with folded hands, and attentively gazed at the Tathagata without turning away his eyes for even a moment. The elder Mahakashyapa and the Bodhisattva-Mahasattva Maitreya also rose from their seats, and with folded arms gazed up at the honored face.  Then the three great leaders with one voice spoke the Buddha saying, “World Honored One!  After the extinction of the Tathagata, how can living beings raise the mind of the Bodhisattva, practice the sutras of Great Extent, The Great Vehicle, and ponder the world of one reality with right thought?  How can they keep from losing the mind of supreme Buddha hood?  How, without cutting off their earthly care and the five desires, can they also purify their organs and destroy their sins?  How, with the natural pure eyes received from their birth by their parents and without forsaking the five desires can, they see things without all impediment?

The Buddha said to Ananda, “Do you listen to me attentively!  Do you listen to me attentively, ponder and remember it!  Of yore on Mount Grdhrakuta (Eagle Peak) and in other places the Tathagata had already extensively explained the way of one reality.  But now in this place, to all living beings and others in the world to come who desire to practice the great law of the supreme law of the Great Vehicle, and to those who desire to learn the works of Universal Virtue and to follow the works of Universal Virtue, I will now preach the law that I have entertained.  I will now widely make clear to you the matter of eliminating numerous sins for any one who may happen to see or not see Universal Virtue.  Ananda!  The Bodhisattva Universal Virtue was born in the eastern pure wonderland, whose form I have already clearly and extensively explained in the sutra of miscellaneous flowers.  Now I, in this sutra will briefly explain it.

“Ananda, if there be Bhikshus, Bhiksunis, Upasakas, Upasikas, the eight groups of gods and dragons, and all living beings who recite the great vehicle, practice it, aspire to it, delight to see the form and body of The Bodhisattva Universal Virtue, have pleasure in seeing the stupa of the Buddha Abundant Treasures, take joy in seeing Shakyamuni Buddha, and the Buddhas who emanated from him, and rejoice to obtain the purify of the six organs, they must learn this meditation.  The merits of this mediation will make them free from all hindrances and make them see the excellent forms.  Even though they have not yet entered into contemplation just because they recite and keep the great vehicle they will devote themselves to practicing it, and after having kept their minds continuously on the great vehicle for a day, or three times seven days, they will be able to see Universal Virtue; Those who have heavier impediments will see him after seven times seven; again those who have a heavier one will see him after one birth, those who have a much heavier one will see him after two births; again those who have a still heavier one will see him after three births.  Thus the retribution for this karma is various and is not equal.  For this reason I preach the teaching variously.

The Bodhisattva Universal Virtue is boundless in the size of his body, boundless in the sound of his voice, and boundless in the form of his image.  Desiring to come to this world, he makes use of his free transcendent powers and shrinks his stature to the small size of a human being. Because the people in Jambudvipa have the three heavy hindrances, by his wisdom-power he appears transformed as mounted on a white elephant.  The elephant has six tusks and, with its seven legs, it supports its body on the ground.  Under it’s seven legs seven lotus flowers grow.  The elephant is white as snow, the most brilliant of all shades of white, so pure that even crystal and the Himalayan Mountains cannot be compared with it.  The body of the elephant is four hundred and fifty yojanas in length and four hundred yojanas in height.  At the end of the six tusks there are six bathing pools.  In each bathing pool grow fourteen lotus flowers exactly the size of the pools.  The flowers are in full bloom as the king of celestial trees.  On each of these flowers is a precious daughter whose continence is red as crimson and whose radiance surpasses that of nymphs.  In the hand of that daughter there appear, transformed of themselves, five harps, and each of them has five hundred musical instruments as accompaniment.  There are five hundred birds, including ducks, wild geese, and mandarin ducks, all having the color of precious things, arising among flowers and leaves.  On the trunk of the elephant there is a flower, and its stalk is the color of a red pearl.  That golden flower is still a bud and has not yet blossomed.  Having finished beholding this matter, if one further repents one’s sins, meditates on the Great Vehicle attentively with entire devotion, and ponders it in his mind incessantly, he will be able to see the flower instantly bloom and light up with a golden color.  The cup of the lotus flower is a cup of kimshuka gems with wonderful Brahma jewels, and the stamens are of diamond.  A transformed Buddha is seen sitting on the petals of the lotus flower with a host of Bodhisattvas sitting on the stamens of the lotus flower.  From the eyebrows of the transformed Buddha a ray of light is sent forth and enters the elephant’s trunk.  This ray, having the color of a red lotus flower, emanates from the elephants trunk and enters it’s eyes; the ray then emanates from the elephants eyes and enters it’s ears; it then emanates from the elephant’s ears, illuminates its head, and changes into a golden cup.  On the head of the elephant there are three transformed men: one holds a golden wheel, another a jewel, and yet another with a diamond-pounder.  When he raises the pounder and points it at the elephant, the latter walks a few steps immediately.  The Elephant does not tread on the ground but hovers seven feet above the earth, yet the elephant leaves on the ground it’s footprints, which are altogether perfect, making the wheels hub with a thousand spokes.  From each mark the wheels hub, there grows a great lotus flower, on which a transformed elephant appears.  This elephant also has seven legs and walks after the great Elephant, Every time the transformed elephant raises and brings down it’s legs, seven thousand elephants appear, all following the great elephant and it’s retinue.  On the elephant’s trunk, having the color of a red lotus, there is a transformed Buddha, who emits a ray of light from his eyebrow.  This ray of light, as mentioned before, enters the elephant’s trunk.  The ray emanates from the elephants trunk and enters its eyes; the ray then emanates from the elephants eyes and enters its ears; it then emanates from the elephant’s ears, and reaches its head.  Gradually rising to the elephants back, this ray is transformed into a golden saddle, which is adorned with he precious seven, which are decorated with precious things, forming a jewel pedestal.  On this pedestal there is a lotus flower stamen bearing the precious seven, and that that stamen is also composed of a hundred jewels. The cup of that lotus flower is also made of a great jewel.

On the cup there is a Bodhisattva called Universal Virtue who sits cross-legged.  His body, pure as a white jewel, radiates fifty rays of fifty different colors, forming a brightness around his head.  From the pores of his body he emits rays of light, and innumerable transformed Buddhas are at the end of the rays, accompanied by the transformed Bodhisattvas as their retinue.

            The elephant walks quietly and slowly, and goes before the follower of the great vehicle, raining large jeweled lotus flowers.  When this elephant opens it’s mouth, the precious daughters, dwelling in the bathing pools on the elephants tusks, play music whose sound is mystic and extols the way of one reality in the great vehicle.  Having seen this wonder, the follower rejoices and reveres, again further reads and recites the profound sutras, salutes universally, the innumerable Buddhas in all directions, makes obedience to the stupa of the of the Buddha Abundant Treasures, and Shakyamuni Buddha, and salutes Universal Virtue and all the other the other great Bodhisattvas.  Then the follower makes this vow, “Had I received some blessing through my former destinies, I could surely see The Bodhisattva Universal Virtue.  Be pleased, honored Universal Fortune, to show me your form and body!”

            Having thus made this vow, the follower must salute the Buddhas in all directions six times day and night, and must practice the law of repentance; he must read the Great Vehicle sutras and recite them, think of the meaning of the great vehicle.  And reflect over it’s practice, revere and serve those who keep it, see all people as if he were thinking of the Buddha, and treat living beings as if he were thinking of his mother and father.  When he finishes reflecting thus, The Bodhisattva Universal Virtue will at once send forth a ray of light from the white hair circle, the sign of a great man, between his eyebrows.  When this ray is displayed the body of The Bodhisattva Universal Virtue will be dignified as a mountain of deep gold, so well ordered and refined that it possesses all the thirty-two signs.  From the pores of his body he will emit great rays of light, which will illuminate the great elephant and turn it to the color gold.  All transformed elephants will also be colored gold, and all transformed Bodhisattvas will be colored gold.  When these rays of light shine on the innumerable worlds in the eastern quarter, they will turn them all to the color gold.  So, too, will it be in the southern, western, and northern quarters, in the four intermediate directions, and in the zenith and nadir.

            Then in each quarter of all directions there is Bodhisattva who, mounting the six tusked white elephant king, is exactly equal to The Bodhisattva Universal Virtue.  Like this, by his transcendental powers The Bodhisattva Universal Virtue will enable all the keepers of the great vehicle sutras to see transformed elephants filling the infinite and boundless worlds in all directions.  At this time the follower will rejoice in body and mind, seeing all the Bodhisattvas, and will salute them and speak to them, saying, “Great merciful and great compassionate ones!  Out of compassion for me, be pleased to explain the law to me!”  When he speaks thus, all the Bodhisattvas and others with one voice will each explain the pure law of the great vehicle sutras and will praise him in various verses.  This is called the first stage of mind, in which the follower first meditates on The Bodhisattva Universal Virtue.

            Thereupon, when the follower, having beheld this matter, keeps the great vehicle in mind without forsaking it, day and night, even while sleeping, he will be able to see The Bodhisattva Universal Virtue preach the law to him in a dream.  Exactly as if the follower were awake, The Bodhisattva will console and pacify the follower’s mind, speaking thus, “In the sutras you have recited and kept, you have forgotten this word, or lost this verse.”  Then the follower, hearing The Bodhisattva Universal Virtue preach the profound law, will comprehend it’s meaning, and keep it in his memory without forgetting it.  As he does like this day by day, his mind will gradually acquire spiritual profit.  The Bodhisattva Universal Virtue will cause the follower to remember the Buddhas in all directions.  According to the teaching of Universal Virtue, the follower will rightly think and remember everything, and with spiritual eyes he will gradually see the eastward Buddhas, whose bodies are gold colored and very wonderful in their majesty.  Having seen one Buddha, he will again see another Buddha.  In this manner he will gradually see all the Buddhas in the eastern quarter, and because of his profitable reflection, he will universally see all the Buddhas in all directions. 

Having seen the Buddhas, he conceives joy in his heart and utters these words, “By means of the great vehicle, I have been able to see the great leaders.  By means of their powers, I have also been able to see the Buddhas.  Though I have seen these Buddhas, I have yet failed to make them plain.  Closing my eyes, I see the Buddhas, but when I open my eyes I lose sight of them.”  After speaking thus, the follower should universally make obeisance, prostrating himself down to the ground toward the Buddhas in all directions.  Having made obeisance to them, he should kneel with folded hands and speak thus, “The Buddhas, The World Honored Ones, posses the ten powers, the fearlessnesses, the eighteen unique characteristics, the great mercy, the great compassion, the three kinds of stability, in contemplation.  These Buddhas, forever remaining in this world, have the finest appearance of all forms.  By what sin do I fail to see these Buddhas?”

            Having spoken thus, the follower should again practice further repentance.  When he has achieved the purity of his repentance, The Bodhisattva Universal Virtue will again appear before him and will not leave his side, in his walking, standing, sitting, lying, and even his dreams, ceaselessly preach the law to him.  After awaking from his dreams, this person will take delight in the law.  In this manner, after three times seven days and nights have passed, he will thereupon attain the dharani of revolution. Through acquiring the dharani, he will keep in his memory without losing it the wonderful, which the Buddhas and bodhisattvas have taught.  In his dreams, he will constantly see the Seven Buddhas of the past, among whom only Shakyamuni Buddha will preach the law to him.  These World Honored Ones will each praise the great vehicle sutras.  At that time the follower will again further rejoice and universally salute the Buddha’s in all directions, The Bodhisattva Universal Virtue, abiding before him will teach and explain to him all karmas and environments of his former lives, and will cause him to confess his black and evil sins.  Turning to the World Honored Ones he should confess his sins with his own mouth.

            After he finishes confessing his sins, he will then attain the contemplation of the revelation of Buddhas to men.  Having attained this contemplation he will plainly and clearly see the Buddha Akshobhya and the kingdom of wonderful joy in the eastern quarter.  In like manner he will plainly and clearly see the mystic lands of the Buddhas in all directions.  After he has seen the Buddhas in all directions, he will have a dream:  On the elephants head is diamond man pointing his diamond pounder at the six organs; after pointing it at the six organs, The Bodhisattva Universal Virtue will preach to the follower the law of repentance to obtain the purity of the six organs.  In this way the follower will do repentance for a day or three times seven days.  Then by the power of the contemplation of the revelation of Buddhas to men and by the adornment of the preaching of The Bodhisattva Universal Virtue, the followers ears will gradually hear sounds without impediment, his eyes will gradually see things without impediment, and his nose will gradually smell odors without impediment.  This is as preached extensively in the Wonderful Law Flower Sutra.  Having obtained the purity of the six organs, he will have joy of body and mind and freedom from evil ideas, and will devote himself to this law so that he can conform to it.  He will then further acquire a hundred thousand myriad kotis of the dharani of revolution and will again see extensively a hundred thousand myriad kotis of innumerable Buddhas.  These World Honored Ones will all stretch out their right hands, laying them on the head of the follower, and will speak thus  “Good!  Good!  You are a follower of the great vehicle, an aspirant to the spirit of great adornment, and one who keeps the great vehicle in his mind.  When of old we aspired to Buddhahood, we were also like you.  Do you be zealous and do not lose the great Vehicle!  Because we practiced it in our former lives, we have now become the pure body of the All Wise.  Do you now be diligent and not lazy!  These great vehicle sutras are the law treasury of the Buddhas, The eyes of the Buddhas from all directions in the past, present, and future.  He who keeps these sutras has the body of a Buddha, and does the work of a Buddha; Know that such is the apostle sent by the Buddhas; such is covered by the robes of the Buddhas; The world Honored Ones; such is a true law heir of the Buddhas; the Tathagatas.  Do you practice the great vehicle and do not cut off the law seeds!  Do you now attentively behold the Buddhas in the eastern quarter!

            When these words are spoken the follower sees all the innumerable worlds in the eastern quarter, whose lands are as even as one’s palm, with no mounds or hills or thorns, but with the ground of lapis lazuli and with gold to bound the ways.  So, too, is it in the worlds of all directions.  Having finished beholding this matter, the follower will see a jewel tree, which is lofty, wonderful, and five thousand yojanas high.  This tree will always produce deep gold and white silver, and will be adorned with the precious seven; under this tree there will be jeweled lion throne of itself; the lion throne will be two thousand yojanas high.  And from the throne will radiate the light of a hundred jewels.  In like manner, from all of the trees, the other jewel thrones, and each jewel throne will radiate the light of a hundred jewels.  In like manner, from all the trees, the other jewel thrones, and each jewel throne will emerge of themselves five hundred white elephants on which all of The Bodhisattva Universal Virtues mount.  Thereupon the follower, making obeisance to all of the Universal Virtues will speak thus; “By what sin have I only seen the jewel grounds, jewel thrones, and jewel trees, but have been unable to see the Buddhas?” 

            When the follower finishes speaking thus, he will see that on each of the jewel thrones there is a World Honored One sitting on a jewel throne and very wonderful in his majesty.  Having seen the Buddhas, the follower will be greatly pleased, and will again further recite and study the great vehicle sutras.  By the power of the great vehicle, from the sky there will come a voice, praising and saying; “Good!  Good! Good Son!  By the cause of the merit you have acquired practicing the great vehicle you have seen the Buddhas.  Though you have now seen the Buddhas, the World Honored Ones, you cannot yet see Shakyamuni Buddha, the Buddhas who emanated from him, and the stupa of the Buddha Abundant Treasures.”

            After hearing the voice in the sky, the follower will again zealously recite and study the great vehicle sutras.  Because he recites and studies the sutras of great extent, the great vehicle, even in his dreams he will see Shakyamuni Buddha staying on mount Grdhrakuta with the great assembly, preaching the law flower sutra and expounding the meaning of the one reality.  After the teaching is preached, with repentance and a thirsting heart of hope, he will wish to see the Buddha.  Then he must fold his hands, and kneeling in the direction of Mount Grdhrakuta, he must speak thus; “Tathagata, the world’s hero forever remains in this world.  Out of compassion for me, please reveal yourself to me.”

            After he has spoken thus, he will see Mount Grdhrakuta adorned with the precious seven and filled with countless Bhikshus, Sravakas, and a great assembly; this place is lined with jeweled trees, and it’s jewel ground is even and smooth; There a wonderfully Jeweled Lion Throne is spread.  On it sits Shakyamuni Buddha, who sends forth from his eyebrows a ray of light, which shines everywhere throughout all directions of the universe and passes through innumerable worlds  in all directions.  The Buddhas emanated from Shakyamuni Buddha in all directions where this ray reaches assemble like a cloud at one time, and preach extensively the Wonderful Law—as it is said in the Wonderful Law Flower Sutra.  Each of these emanated Buddhas, having a body of deep gold, is boundless in the size of his body and sits on his lion throne, accompanied by countless hundreds of kotis of great bodhisattvas as his retinue.  The practice of each Bodhisattva is equal to that of The Bodhisattva Universal Virtue.  So, too, is it in the retinue of the countless Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in all directions.  When the great assembly have gathered together like a cloud they will see Shakyamuni Buddha, who from the pores of his whole body emits rays of light in each of which a hundred kotis of transformed Buddhas dwell.  The emanated Buddhas will also emit rays of light from the white hair circles, the sign of a great man, between their eyebrows, streaming on the head of Shakyamuni Buddha.  Beholding this aspect, the emanated Buddhas will also emit from the pores of their bodies rays of light in each of which transformed Buddhas, as numerous as the atoms of the sands of the Ganges, abide.

            Thereupon The Bodhisattva Universal Virtue Will again emit the ray of light, the sign of a great man, between his eyebrows, and put it into the heart of the follower.  After this ray has entered into his heart, the follower himself will remember that under the countless hundreds and thousands of Buddhas in the past he received and kept, read and recited the great vehicle sutras, and he will himself plainly and clearly see his former lives.  He will possess the very faculty of transcendent remembrance of former states of existence.  Immediately attaining a great enlightenment he will acquire the dharani of revolution and a hundred thousand myriad kotis of dharanis.  Rising from his contemplation, he will see before himself all the emanated Buddhas sitting on lion thrones under all the jewel trees.  He will also see the ground of Lapis Lazuli springing up from the lower sky like heaps of Lotus Flowers; between each flower there will be Bodhisattvas, numerous as the atoms of the sands of the Ganges and sitting cross legged.  He will also see the Bodhisattvas that emanated from The Bodhisattva Universal Virtue, extolling and expounding the great vehicle among their assembly.  Then the Bodhisattvas with one voice will cause the follower to purify his six organs.

            One Bodhisattvas preaching will say: “Do you reflect on the Buddha”; another’s preaching will say “Do you reflect on the law”; Yet another preaching will say “Do you reflect on the Sangha”; Still another preaching will say “Do you reflect on the precepts”; Still another one’s preaching will say “Do you reflect on gift giving”; Yet another’s preaching will say “Do you reflect on the heavens”.  And the preaching will further say, “Such six laws are the aspiration to Buddhahood and are the ones that begat the Bodhisattvas.  Before the Buddhas, do you now confess you previous sins and repent of them sincerely.”

            In your innumerable former lives, by reason of your organ of the eye, you have attached to all forms.  Because of your attachment to forms, you hanker after all dust.  Because of your hankering for dust, you receive a woman’s body and you are pleasurably absorbed in all forms everywhere and you are born age after age.  Forms harm your eyes and you become a slave to human affections.  Therefore forms cause you to wander in the triple world.  Such fatigue of your wandering there makes you so blind that you can see nothing at all.  You have now recited the sutras of great extent, the great vehicle.  In these sutras, the Buddhas of all directions preach that their forms and bodies are not extinct.  You have now been able to see them—is this not true?  The evil of your eye organ often does much harm to you.  Obediently following my words, you must take refuge in the Buddhas and Shakyamuni Buddha, and confess the sins due to your organ of the eye, saying “Law water of wisdom eye possessed by the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas!  Be pleased, by means of it, to wash me and to let me become pure!”

            Having finished speaking thus, the follower should universally salute the Buddhas in the ten directions, and turning to Shakyamuni Buddha and the great vehicle sutras, he should again speak thus “The heavy sins of my eye-organ of which now I repent are such an impediment and are so tainted that I am blind and can see nothing at all.  May the Buddha be pleased to pity and protect me by his great mercy!  The Bodhisattva Universal Virtue on board the ship of the law ferries the company of the countless Bodhisattvas everywhere in all directions.  Out of compassion for me, be pleased to permit me to hear the law of repenting the evil of my eye organ and the impediment of my bad karma!”

            Speaking thus three times the follower must prostrate himself down to the ground and rightly reflect on the great vehicle without forgetting it.  This is called the law of repenting the sin of the organ of the eye.  If there be anyone who calls upon the names of the Buddhas, burns incense, strews flowers, aspires to the great vehicle, hangs silks, flags, and canopies, speaks of the errors of his eyes, and repents his sins, such a one in the present world will see Shakyamuni Buddha, the Buddhas who emanated from him, and the countless other Buddhas, and will not fall in the evil paths for asamkhyeya kalpas. Thanks to the power and to the vow of the great vehicle, such a one will become an attendant of the Buddhas, together with all the Bodhisattvas of dharani.  Anyone who reflects thus is one who thinks rightly.  If anyone reflects otherwise, such is called one who thinks falsely.  This is called the sign of the first stage of the purification of the eye organ.

            Having finished purifying the organ of the eye, the follower should again further read and recite the great vehicle sutras, kneel and repent six times day and night, and should speak thus, “Why can I see only Shakyamuni Buddha and the Buddhas who emitted from him, but cannot see the Buddhas relics of his whole body in the stupa of abundant treasures?  The stupa of the Buddha Abundant Treasure exists forever and is not extinct.  I have defiled and evil eyes.  For this reason I cannot see the stupa.”  After speaking thus the follower should again practice further repentance.

            After seven days have passed, the stupa of the Buddha Abundant Treasures will spring out of the earth.  Shakyamuni Buddha with his right hand opens the door of the stupa, where the Buddha abundant treasures is seen deep in the contemplation of the universal revelation of forms.  From each pore of his body he emits rays of light as numerous as the Atoms of the sands of the Ganges. In each ray there dwells one of a hundred transformed Buddhas.  When such signs appear, the follower will rejoice and make procession around it seven times, the tathagata Abundant treasures with a great voice praises him, saying, “Heir of the law!  You have truly practiced the great vehicle and have obediently followed The Bodhisattva Universal Virtue, repenting the sins of your eye organ.  For this reason, I will go to you and bear testimony to you.” Having spoken thus the tathagata extols the Buddha saying, “Excellent!  Excellent!  Shakyamuni Buddha!  Thou art able to preach the great law, to pour the rain of the great law, and to cause all the defiled living to obtain Buddhahood.”  Thereupon the follower, having beheld the stupa of the stupa of Abundant Treasures, again goes to The Bodhisattva Universal Virtue, and folding his hands and saluting him, speaks to him saying, “Great Teacher!  Please teach me the repentance of my errors.”

            The Bodhisattva Universal Virtue again speaks to the follower saying, “through many kalpas, because of your ear organ, you dangle after external sounds; your hearing of mystics sounds begets attachment to them; your hearing evil sounds causes the harm of one hundred and eight illusions.  Such retribution of your hearing evils brings about evil things and your incessant hearing of evil sounds produces various entanglements.  Because of your perverted hearing, you will fall into evil paths, faraway places of false views, where the law cannot be heard.   At present you have recited and kept the great vehicle, the ocean store of your merits.   For this reason, you have come to see, the Buddhas in all directions, and the stupa of the Buddha Abundant Treasures has appeared to bear testimony to you.  You must yourself confess your own errors and evils and must repent all of your sins.

            Then the follower, having heard this, must again further fold his hands, and prostrating himself down to the ground, he must speak thus, saying, “All Wise, World Honored One!  Be pleased to reveal yourself and bear testimony to me!  The sutras of great extent are masters of compassion.  Be pleased to look upon me and hear my words!   Until my present life, for many kalpas, because of my ear organ, I have been attached to hearing evil sounds, like glue sticking to grass; my hearing of evil sounds causes the poison of illusions, which are attached to every condition and I am not able to rest for even a little while; my raising evil sounds fatigues my nerves and makes me fall into the three evil ways.  Now having for the first time understood this, I confess and repent it, turning to the World Honored Ones.”  Having finished repenting thus, the follower will see the Buddha Abundant Treasures emitting a great ray of light which is golden colored and universally illuminates the eastern quarter as well as the worlds in all directions, where the countless Buddhas appear with their bodies of pure gold color.  In the sky of the eastern quarter there comes a voice uttering thus, “Here is a Buddha, the World Honored One named Excellent Virtue, who also possesses innumerable emanated Buddhas, sitting cross legged on lion thrones under jewel trees.  All of these World Honored Ones who enter in to the contemplation of the universal revelation of forms speak to the follower, praising him and saying, “Good!  Good!  Good Son!  You have now read and recited the great vehicle sutras.  That which you have recited is the mental stage of the Buddha.”

            After these words have been spoken, The Bodhisattva Universal Virtue will again further preach to the follower the law of repentance, saying, “in the innumerable kalpas of your former lives because of your attachment to odors, your discrimination and your perception are attached to every condition and you fall into birth and death.  Do you now meditate on the cause of the Great Vehicle!  The cause of the great vehicle is the reality of all existence.

            Having heard these words the follower should again further repent, prostrating himself down on the ground.  When he has repented, he should exclaim thus, “Namah Shakyamuni Buddha!  Namah stupa of the Buddha Abundant Treasures!  Namah all the Buddhas emanated from Shakyamuni Buddha!”  Having spoken thus he should universally salute the Buddhas in all directions, Exclaim” Namah the Buddha of Excellent Virtue in the eastern quarter and the Buddhas who emanate from him!”  The follower should also make obeisance to each of these Buddhas as wholeheartedly as if he saw them with his naked eyes, and should pay homage to them with incense and flowers.  After paying homage to the Buddhas, he should kneel with folded hands and extol them with various verses.  After extolling them, he should speak of the ten evil karmas and repent all his sins.  Having repented, he should speak thus, saying, “During the innumerable kalpas of my former lives, I yearned after odors, flavors, and contacts and produced all manner of evils.  For this reason, for innumerable lives I have continuously received states of evil existence, including hells, hungry spirits, animals, and faraway places of false views.  Now I confess such evil karmas, and take refuge in the Buddhas, the kings of the righteous law, I confess and repent my sins.”

            Having repented thus, the follower must again read and recite the Great vehicle sutras without negligence of body and mind.  By the power of the great vehicle, from the sky there comes a voice saying, “Heir of the law!  Do you now praise and explain the law of the great vehicle, turning to the Buddhas in all directions, and before them do you yourself speak of your errors!  The Buddhas, the Tathagatas, are your merciful fathers.   Do you yourself speak of the evils and bad karmas produced by your organ of the tongue, saying, “This organ of the tongue, moved by the thought of evil karmas, causes me to praise false speaking, improper language, ill speaking, a double tongue, slandering, lying, and words of false views, and also causes me to utter useless words.  Because of such many and various evil karmas I provoke fights and dissentions and speak of the law as if it were not the law.  I now confess all such sins of mine.”

            Having spoken thus before the before the worlds heroes, the follower must universally revere the Buddhas in all directions, prostrating himself down to the ground, and folding his hands and kneeling salute them, and he must speak thus saying, “The errors of this tongue are numberless and boundless.  All the thorns of evil karma come from the organ of the tongue.  This tongue causes the cutting off of the wheel of the righteous law.  Such an evil tongue cuts off the seeds of merits.  Preaching of meaningless things is frequently forced upon others.  Praising false views is like adding wood to a fire and further wounding living beings who already suffer in raging flames.  It is like one who dies drinking poison, without showing sores or pustules.  Such reward of sins is evil, false and bad, and causes me to fall into the evil paths during a hundred or a thousand kalpas.  Lying causes me to fall into a great hell.  I now take refuge in the Buddhas of the southern quarter and confess my errors and sins.

            When the follower reflects thus, there will come a voice from the sky saying:  ”In the southern quarter there is a Buddha named Sandalwood virtue who also possesses countless emanated Buddhas.  All these Buddhas preach the great vehicle and extinguish sins and evils.  Turning to the innumerable Buddhas and the great merciful world honored ones in all directions, you must confess such sins, false evils, and repent them with a sincere heart.”  When these words have been spoken, the follower should again salute the Buddhas, prostrating himself down to the ground. 

            Thereupon the Buddhas will send forth rays of light, which illuminate the follower’s body and cause him naturally to feel joy of body and mind, to raise a great mercy, and to reflect on all things extensively.   At that time the Buddhas will widely preach to the follower the law of great kindness, compassion, joy and indifference, and also teach him kind words to make him practice the six ways of harmony and reverence.  Then the follower, having heard this royal teaching, will greatly rejoice in his heart and will again further recite and study it without laziness.

            From the sky there again comes a mystic voice, speaking thus; “Do you now practice the repentance of body and mind!  The sins of the body are killing, stealing, and committing adultery, while the sins of the mind are entertaining thoughts of various evils.  Producing the ten evil karmas and the five deadly sins, is just like living as a monkey, like birdlime and glue, and the attachment to all sorts of conditions leads universally to the passions of the six organs of all living beings.  The karmas of these six organs with their boughs, twigs, flowers, and leaves entirely fill the triple world, the twenty-five abodes of living beings, and all the places where creatures are born.  Such karmas also increase ignorance, old age, death and the twelve sufferings, and infallibly reach through the eight falsenesses and the eight circumstances.  Do you now repent such evil and bad karmas!”  Then the follower, having heard thus, asks the voice in the sky, saying, “At what place may I practice the law of repentance?”

            Thereupon the voice in the sky will speak thus saying, “Shakyamuni Buddha is called Vairocana Who Pervades All Places, and his dwelling place is called Eternally Tranquil Light, the place which is composed of Permanency Paramita, and is stabilized by self paramita, the place where the purity paramita extinguishes the aspect of existence, where the bliss paramita does not abide in the aspect of one’s body and mind, where the aspects of all laws cannot be seen as either existing, nor non existing, the place of tranquil emancipation, or prajna paramita.  Because these forms are based on permanent law, thus you must now meditate on the Buddhas in all directions”

            Then the Buddhas in all directions will stretch out there right hands, laying them on the head of the follower, and speak thus, “Good!  Good! Good Son!  Because you have now read and recited the great vehicle sutras, the Buddhas in all directions will preach the law of repentance.  The Bodhisattva practice is not to be cut off binding or driving, nor to abide in the ocean of driving.  In meditating on ones mind, there is no mind one can seize, except the mind that comes from one’s perverted thought.  The mind, present in such a form rises from one’s false imagination.  Like the wind in the sky, which has no foothold.  Such a form of the law neither appears, nor disappears.  What is sin?  What is blessedness?  As one’s own mind is void of itself, sin and blessedness have no existence.   In like manner all the laws are neither fixed nor going towards destruction.  If one repents like this, meditating on his mind, there is no mind he can seize the law also does not dwell in the law.  All the laws are emancipation, the truth of extinction, and quiescence.  Such an aspect is called the great repentance, the greatly adorned repentance, the repentance of the non-sin aspect, and the destruction of discrimination.  He who practices this repentance has the purity of body and mind in the law but free as the flowing water.  Through each reflection, he will be the see The Bodhisattva Universal Virtue and the Buddhas in all directions”

            Thereupon the world honored ones, sending forth the ray of great mercy, preach the law of non-aspect to the follower.  He hears the world honored ones preaching the void of the first principle.  When he has heard it, his mind becomes imperturbable.  In due time, he will enter into the real Bodhisattva Standing”.  The Buddha addressed Ananda, “to practice in this manner is called repentance.  This is the law of repentance.  This is the law of repentance which the Buddhas and the great Bodhisattvas in all directions practice.”

            The Buddha addressed Ananda, “After the extinction of the Buddha, if all disciples should repent their evil and bad karmas, they must only read and recite the great vehicle sutras.  These sutras of great extent are the eyes of the Buddhas.  By means of the sutras the Buddhas have perfected the five kinds of eyes.  The three of the Buddhas bodies grow out of the sutras of Great Extent.  This is the seal of the great law with which the ocean of nirvana is sealed.  From such an ocean are born the three kinds of pure bodies of the Buddha.  These three kinds of Buddha bodies are the blessing field for gods and men, and the supreme object of worship.  If there be any who recite and read the sutras of great extent, the great vehicle, know that such are endowed with the Buddhas merits and, having extinguished their longstanding evils, are born of the Buddhas wisdom.” At that time the world honored one spoke thus in verse: